The Cherry XTRFY MX 3.1 is a wired mechanical keyboard with the simple aim of delivering great gaming performance.
Its sleek appearance is achieved thanks to the low profile keycaps with their prominent indentations, and despite being made from ABS, they look and feel every bit as premium as their PBT counterparts.
What’s more, the very bright RGB lighting looks particularly striking on the white colorway. The metal chassis, however, looks less impressive, coming across a little cheap.
Fortunately, it feels more solid than it appears – as does the whole board for that matter, equaling what the best gaming keyboards have to offer. It’s reasonably heavy as a result, but not onerously so.
The detachable USB cable also feels premium. It’s braided which makes it more flexible, and it’s quite long, too, which makes it easier to route on various setups.
The software that attends the MX 3.1 is quite limited compared to those of other gaming keyboards, containing only a handful of shortcuts rebind options and a basic macro facility – and not much else besides. This will no doubt disappoint gamers after deep customization options.
To game with, the MX2A switches in the MX 3.1 are heavier than you might expect. They feel quite clicky with minimal dampening, which can make them feel a little harsh when hammering away at them.
This aspect isn’t helped by the short travel of the keys. Thankfully, those indentations on the keycaps are comfortable and secure, which makes them ideal for both gaming and typing.
I also appreciated the rounded back edge of the space bar, which softens the impact when you hit it. This is especially useful given the shallow angle of the layout: instead of fold-out feet, the MX 3.1 comes with two sets of screw-in pins with different heights. No matter which set I installed, the layout always seemed too flat for my liking. Combined with the thick body, this means the MX 3.1 can get uncomfortable after long sessions.
It’s priced slightly below what you might expect from a wired mechanical gaming keyboard, but in today’s market there are plenty of great value models offering more features and stronger performance for less.
(Image credit: Future)
Cherry XTRFY MX 3.1 review: price and availability
$129 (about £100 / AU$200)
Available now in three colorways
Slight below-average pricing
The MX 3.1 costs $129 (about £100 / AU$200) and is available now in black, white, and pink colorways, although the latter is currently only available in Asia.
This is a slightly-below average price for a full-size wired mechanical keyboard, but there are plenty of wired and even wireless alternatives that perform just as well, if not better, for less money.
Take the Roccat Magma, for instance, which is our pick as the best gaming keyboard for those on a budget. It may feature membrane rather than mechanical switches and exhibit less-than-stellar build quality, but its performance is sharp and accurate and has a miniscule price tag in comparison to the MX 3.1.
Even the wireless MonsGeek Fun60 Ultra is cheaper than the MX 3.1, albeit not by as much. This board supports both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections, and features TMR analog switches that allow for far greater customization. I also found it great to both game and type on.
Value: 3 / 5
Cherry XTRFY MX 3.1 review: specs
Layout
Full size
Switch
Mechanical
Programmable keys
Yes
Dimensions
17.1 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches (435 x 138 x 35mm)
RGB or backlighting
Yes (customizable)
(Image credit: Future)
Cherry XTRFY MX 3.1 review: design and features
Solid and sturdy construction
No folding feet
Limited software
The MX 3.1 has a simple yet sleek design. The speckled metal chassis that frames the entire board features angular contours and sporadic holes, all of which add some interest. However, this frame ultimately looks a little cheap and harks back to a bygone era of gaudy gaming peripherals.
The very bright and vibrant RGB lighting, on the other hand, is striking yet tasteful. It certainly attracts plenty of attention, especially on the white model, which it complements rather well.
Build quality is very good as well, with the whole unit feeling quite sturdy and heavy, more so than perhaps it looks. That metal chassis is solid as you could wish for, and so too are the plastics, which means the MX 3.1 should stand the test of time.
The keycaps look elegant thanks to their low profile and deep indentations. Despite being made from ABS, they feel every bit as premium as PBT varieties. They feel super smoother under the finger tips, too.
(Image credit: Future)
Their overall size is quite small compared to those on other mechanical keyboards, which makes the whole of the MX 3.1 feel more compact. It’s a shame, however, that there’s no volume dial, with F-row shortcuts relied on for this function in its place.
Instead of foldable feet, the MX 3.1 comes with two sets of pins of different lengths that screw into the back end of the board to adjust the angle. While this method arguably offers a more secure footing, it’s a less sophisticated and more time-consuming solution.
What’s more, even the longer pins aren’t tall enough to create an angle I was entirely comfortable with. This issue is exacerbated by the thick chassis – and lack of wrist support – which meant my wrists had to bend upwards more than I would’ve liked.
The MX 3.1 comes with a long, braided USB cable, which makes it amenable to various setups and routing options. The central placement of the USB-C port also helps with these aspects.
The companion software for the MX 3.1, the Cherry Utility Software, is quite sparse compared to rival tools. Every key can be remapped to another, but there are only a handful of system and media shortcuts available to assign, while the macro creator is very basic. Those looking for more performance based tweaks will be disappointed.
Design & features: 3.5 / 5
Cherry XTRFY MX 3.1 review: performance
Switches heavier than expected
Good for typing
Considerate space bar design
The MX2A Silent Red linear switches are quite clicky with little dampening, which makes them feel harsh when hit hard. They’re also quite heavy to press, which is most noticeable when using the WASD keys for in-game movement. This resistance is somewhat surprising, given the short travel of the keys themselves.
This short travel makes the MX 3.1 great for typing on, though, as do the aforementioned keycap indentations, since they provide both security and feedback when touch typing. Their low profile also helps to compensate for the whole unit’s lack of tilt, allowing my fingers to stay relatively flat while dancing around the keys, which I find more comfortable.
Another aspect of the MX 3.1 I appreciated is the soft curve on the back edge of the space bar, as this cushions impacts with the thumb. It’s a shame this curve is confined to the center rather than extending along the entire edge, but I still appreciated its inclusion.
(Image credit: Future)
Performance: 3.5/ 5
Should I buy the Cherry XTRFY MX 3.1?
Gamakay TK75HE V2 Scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
It costs less than the average price for a mechanical keyboard, but there are cheaper alternatives with more features.
3 / 5
Design and features
The MX 3.1 is elegant, despite the somewhat dated design of the metal frame. It’s built to a surprisingly high standard, too, although the software is underwhelming.
3.5 / 5
Performance
The switches are heavier than you might expect, but typing is satisfying. The lack of angle can cause some ergonomic issues.
3.5 / 5
Overall
The MX 3.1 doesn’t do anything to set the gaming keyboard world alight. While it’s solid in some regards, it’s too expensive for what it offers.
3.5 / 5
Buy it if…
You want a solid build The metal chassis and plastics are strong. The keycaps feel premium, too, more so than their ABS material might suggest.
You want great keycaps Despite their ABS construction, the keycaps feel great, with their low profile and indentations making for easy typing.
Don’t buy it if…
You want to tinker The companion software for the MX 3.1 is very limited relative to what some other manufacturers offer.
You want to save money The MX 3.1 is reasonable compared to other wired mechanical keyboards, but there are many alternatives that represent better value.
Cherry XTRFY MX 3.1 review: also consider
Cherry XTRFY MX 3.1
MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra
Roccat Magma
Layout
Full size
60%
Full size
Switch
Mechanical
Analog (TMR magnetic)
Membrane
Programmable keys
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dimensions
17.1 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches (435 x 138 x 35mm)
11.5 x 4 x 1.1 inches (293 x 102.5 x 28.5mm)
17.8 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches (452 x 157 x 39mm)
RGB or backlighting
Yes (customizable)
Yes (customizable)
Yes (customizable)
Roccat Magma The Roccat Magma is much cheaper than the MX 3.1, and while the build quality isn’t the strongest, we found its performance worthy of a gaming keyboard. For those just starting out, it’s a good choice since you won’t be spending untold amounts to get one. Read our full Roccat Magma review.
MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra It might not be hugely cheaper than the MX 3.1, but the FUN60 Ultra is better value. It has two wireless modes, TMR analog switches with heaps of customizations, and satisfying gaming performance. It’s also built to a high standard. Read our full MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review.
How I tested the Cherry XTRFY MX 3.1
Tested for a week
Used for gaming and working
Extensive gaming keyboard experience
I tested the MX 3.1 for about a week, during which time I used it for gaming and working.
I played Counter-strike 2, which is a great test for keyboards given the demands it places on fast and its requirement of precise inputs. I also played games that make greater use of the entire layout, such as Abiotic Factor.
I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I’ve experienced a vast array of gaming keyboards. I’ve also tested a wide range of them, as well as other Cherry XTRFY products.
Anker Prime TB5 14-in-1 Docking Station: 30-second review
The Anker Prime Docking Station is a powerful unit with plenty of ports that employ the latest standards, serving the needs of creatives and other power users.
It’s rather elegant for a docking station, thanks to the premium grey metallic finish and vibrant blue light ring, which is bright enough to notice without causing distraction.
Build quality is also impressive, rivalling the best laptop docking station constructions. Every panel is solid, and the rubber feet are robust and provide plenty of dampening and protection.
However, its tall, square form could be inconducive to certain setups, since it might not fit under monitor stands and shelves. This is less of a problem for typical docking stations with their thin, rectangular shapes.
My other gripe with the Prime Docking Station concerns its power button, which isn’t very tactile and can be awkward to use. My presses would sometimes fail to register, and I wish the hold time was shorter when powering it down.
There are plenty of ports on the Prime Docking Station (14 in total), including upstreaming and downstreaming USB-C ports at the back. Both of these employ the Thunderbolt 5 standard and can also provide charge: the former at 140W and the latter 15W.
What’s more, the two downstreaming ports can support dual 8K monitors (6K when connected to macOS devices), and either can be used in conjunction with the HDMI port or the DisplayPort. Only two external monitors can be used at the same time, though, and the HDMI and DisplayPort can’t be used simultaneously, either.
The front two USB-C ports provide a combined output of 45W, which is sufficient for fast charging numerous devices. Other ports include three USB-A ports, readers for SD and TF cards, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
All of these ports function well, providing fast and stable data transmission and multi-device charging. However, there were a few occasions where my external displays lost signal for a second or so, or failed to display altogether, usually when booting up my laptop for the first time of the day.
This required a simple re-plug of the upstreaming cable to remedy, and these occurrences weren’t frequent enough to disrupt the overall experience. What’s more, I believe at least part of the blame lies with the poor multi-display optimization of Windows 11, rather than with the dock itself.
The audio jack, on the other hand, is somewhat of a let down, failing to deliver as much bass and fidelity as when connecting my headphones directly to my laptop.
The main drawback of the Prime Docking Station, though, is the price. At $400 / £400, it’s seriously expensive, and only worth the outlay if you’ll actually be using two 8K or 6K monitors, and have multiple devices to charge and peripherals to connect at once.
Anker Prime TB5 14-in-1 Docking Station: Price & availability
(Image credit: Future)
$399.99 / £399.99 (about AU$610)
Available now in the US and the UK
High-end of the market
The Anker Prime Docking Station costs $399.99 / £399.99 (about AU$610) and is available via Anker's website here, as well as online retailers including Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
While there are many docking stations in the same ballpark, there are also plenty of cheaper alternatives. This includes the Kensington SD5000T5 EQ, which costs considerably less despite having a comparable spec. It also has a slimmer design to boot – no wonder we think it’s one of the best Thunderbolt 5 laptop docks around.
AC power input, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x 2.5GbE Ethernet
Downstream power:
2x 15W USB-C (Thunderbolt 5)
Upstream power:
140W USB-C (Thunderbolt 5)
Size:
4.6 x 4.6 x 3.0in / 116 x 116 x 75mm
Weight:
38oz / 1,086g
Accessories:
USB-C cable (Thunderbolt 5)
Anker Prime TB5 14-in-1 Docking Station: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Solid build quality
Premium looks
Divisive boxy shape
The Prime Docking Station certainly looks sleek, with its dark grey metallic body, which is nicely complemented by the blue light ring around the top edge. This is bright enough to add interest, but dim enough to avoid being a distraction. Even the rear vents are stylishly designed, and help to make it fit for any professional environment.
While it’s pleasingly thin across its width, the Prime Docking Station is quite tall and thick across its depth. This might prove to be an issue for those looking to slot it underneath their monitor stand or similar, as I doubt it’ll fit comfortably under all of them.
There’s no denying the premium construction of the Prime Docking Station, though. It’s extremely solid and sturdy, and the four rubber feet are certainly thick enough to dampen any operating vibrations and protect your desktop surface.
The power button, however, is a slight misstep. It doesn’t feel very tactile, and it can be hard to tell when you’ve actually pressed it properly. There were numerous occasions when I thought I’d pressed it, but it failed to actuate.
Design: 3.5 / 5
Anker Prime TB5 14-in-1 Docking Station: Features
(Image credit: Future)
14 ports
Thunderbolt 5 support
Blue light indicator
The Prime Docking Station has three Thunderbolt 5 ports, all located on the back. One is for upstreaming and also provides 140W of PD charging. The other two are for downstreaming and each supports 8K monitors (or 6K if used with a macOS device). They’re also capable of transferring data at 120Gbps and charging at 15W.
Also on the back is an HDMI port and a DisplayPort, although both can’t be used at the same time. If two connections are present, the latter will take precedent. Thankfully, either of these ports can be used in conjunction with one of the Thunderbolt 5 ports for dual-display setups. Unfortunately, though, the Prime Docking Station can’t support three external monitors.
Rounding out the rear interfaces are two USB-A ports, each of which is capable of data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps. On the left side you’ll find TF and SD card readers, the latter of which accepts most form factors.
The front of the Prime Docking Station features two more USB-C ports – each with a data transfer speed of up to 10Gbps and a combined 45W output – and one more USB-A port, again capable of transferring data at 10Gbps. A 3.5mm Aux jack is also present for connecting headphones and other output devices.
The aforementioned blue light ring isn’t just for show: it also acts as a status indicator. It remains solid when the Prime Docking Station is powered on, and flashes twice when the upstream port is connected and in Thunderbolt 5 or 4 mode.
When the Prime Docking Station is running intense workloads involving high data transmission speeds, such as when gaming with high resolution monitors, a moving pattern is displayed. The light can be turned off altogether by pressing the power button once, while holding it for five seconds turns the entire unit off, which is slightly too long to be convenient in my view.
Accompanying software is available for the Prime Docking Station, but it’s very basic, used merely to download firmware updates and view the manual, which can also be downloaded as a PDF.
Features: 4.5 / 5
Anker Prime TB5 14-in-1 Docking Station: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Seamless connectivity and charging
Minor external monitor issues
Awkward power button
Given the spec of the Prime Docking Station, it’s no surprise overall performance is fast and seamless. One of the immediate drawbacks of this power, though, is the fact that AC power is required at all times, so you’ll need a spare outlet nearby.
The Thunderbolt 5, HDMI and Displayport interfaces all provide stable connections to external monitors, although there were a few occasions where one of my connected displays would go black for a couple of seconds before coming back. There were also times when neither one of them was recognized, requiring me to reconnect the upstreaming cable to my laptop.
However, this could be a fault of my laptop rather than with the dock, as Windows 11 devices are known to be somewhat unreliable when handling multiple displays.
(Image credit: Future)
Connected peripherals, on the other hand, worked flawlessly in my experience. Mice and keyboards worked and charged just as well as if they were connected directly, and the same can be said of the read and write speeds of the SD card I inserted into the reader.
The audio jack, however, proved somewhat of a disappointment. Low end frequencies were noticeably weaker through my headphones, and overall fidelity seemed slightly compromised, too.
When dealing with high workloads, such as … multiple USB ports simultaneously, the Prime Docking Station does produce some fan noise. Mercifully, though, this isn’t loud enough to disturb, and neither is the small amount of heat that’s generated.
Performance: 4 / 5
Anker Prime TB5 14-in-1 Docking Station: Report card
Value
This is one expensive docking station, and only worth it for those who’ll make the most of what it has to offer.
3 / 5
Design
It’s very well engineered, but that cube shape might prove incongruous for certain setups.
3.5 / 5
Features
With plenty of ports employing the latest standards, power users should be pleased.
4.5 / 5
Performance
Peripheral connections and multi-device charging are taken in its stride, and there are only a few minor hiccups when using multiple displays.
4 / 5
Overall
The Prime Docking Station is a powerful unit, but one with a somewhat cumbersome design and a price tag that only makes sense if you plan on using it to its fullest potential.
3.5 / 5
Should I buy the Anker Prime TB5 14-in-1 Docking Station?
Buy it if...
You want good looks and build quality It’s certainly smart and sophisticated, and feels as premium as it should do at this price.
You want powerful interfaces The multiple Thunderbolt 5 ports will please power hungry and 6/8K dual-monitor users.
Don't buy it if...
You want something thin It may be compact in terms of length, but it’s quite tall and thick, which might not fit so well with certain setups.
You want to save money The Prime Docking Station is far from cheap, and unless you really need all of its power and capabilities, there are better value alternatives.
Also consider
Kensington SD5000T5 EQ If you need Thunderbolt 5 ports but are on a tighter budget, the SD5000T5 EQ is a sound choice. This is a fast and well-made unit, as well as being versatile thanks to its 11 ports. Like the Prime Docking Station, the SD5000T5 EQ also requires power from an outlet.
IOGear Dock Pro Our pick as the best docking station overall, the IOGear Dock Pro is a great all-rounder. There are no less than four HDMI/DisplayPort interfaces, and it can be powered with a PSU or via a USB-C cable. We did find it can get quite hot after a while, and there’s only one USB-C port on the entire unit, but these are about the only drawbacks.
There's no doubt that out of the box, the Innocn 40C1U is instantly impressive with its huge 40-inch 21:9 aspect ratio screen that essentially dominates the desk once it's in place. Considering the price, I was quite surprised by just how well built the screen was, and it feels by no means cheap despite coming in at almost half the price of other monitors that are similarly specced and offering 5K resolution, DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB colour spaces.
Getting set up and started was simple enough, although I would highly recommend having at least an extra pair of hands to manoeuvre the monitor into place. It's not overly heavy, but it's more the size that makes it a little difficult to place on your desk, and once situated in your workspace, it does dominate.
However, because the screen itself features a very thin bezel and the metal stand and design is relatively slimline, once it's pushed up against the wall, it blends in very nicely, still enabling plenty of room on a standard-sized desk for keyboard, mouse and other accessories and peripherals.
Getting started is as straightforward as with any monitor, with the option for either HDMI, DisplayPort or, in the case of this review, USB-C connected into either a MacBook Pro M1 Max or an Asus Prime-based PC.
As the monitor flicked to life, I felt that the factory calibration was overly warm, and sure enough, checking it out with Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra and running a quick screen calibration quickly highlighted how off the initial calibration colours were. Once the screen was cooled significantly, the visuals really started to look impressive.
Compared with some of the other monitors that I've looked at that also support DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, the one thing that was noticeable was the IPS screen lacked some of the depth of tone and colour of those more expensive screens, but if you're using this for pure productivity or media production, then that really isn't going to be an issue.
The other point is that the screen is limited to 100Hz, which to be honest at 5K is still impressive, but if you're looking at gaming and you need full depth of contrast and refresh rates, then this probably isn't the best option for you, and a curved screen of a similar size is going to give you a more immersive experience.
As I went through video editing in DaVinci Resolve and photo enhancement in Adobe Photoshop, the additional real estate definitely helps with the workflow, and I found myself using a large percentage of the screen for creative applications, whilst leaving my email browser open on the right-hand side so that I could quickly check and respond to emails. This is exactly as I would do with my two-monitor setup, but here it feels a lot cleaner with just this one single monitor.
As with any of the best business monitors, there are plenty of options to adjust the screen settings and a quick delve into the onscreen display enabled me to swap from standard RGB to Adobe RGB, so that I could quickly adjust the gamma of the screen, depending on the work I was doing.
As expected, the screen does also include speakers, although firstly these aren't greatly powerful and secondly they're extremely tinny, so if you have another form of speaker, even if that's just your MacBook Pro internal speaker, then this is going to have far better audio quality than the monitor itself.
By the end of the test, I was impressed by the quality of the screen considering the price. Whilst it might not really challenge more expensive Adobe RGB creative monitors from the likes of Eizo, ViewSonic or even Apple, for the price, what's on offer here is exceptionally good and will suit most creators and coders looking for a large-scale monitor with a high-quality, clear screen and decent refresh rate.
innocn 40C1u: Price & availability
How much does it cost? $799
When is it out? Now
Where can you get it? Widely available
The Innocn 40C1U is widely available and can be purchased at $780 directly from the innocn.com website by clicking here. It's also available via online retailers, including Amazon.com where it's currently $750 at time of review.
Value: 5 / 5
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
innocn 40C1u: Design
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Specifications
Screen Size : 40" Resolution : 5K UWQHD (5120 x 2160 Pixels) Display Technology : LCD Aspect Ratio : 21:9 Refresh Rate : 100 Hz Panel Type : IPS Connectivity : Type C ; 2xHDMI2.0 ; DP1.4 ; 2xUSB-A ; USB-B Brightness (Typical) : 350cd/㎡ (typ)
The price point is by no means high, considering what you're getting with this 40-inch monitor that supports Adobe RGB and a 100Hz refresh rate. When this monitor arrived, I was expecting it to be a little plasticky and limited in features.
However, from the outset, I was impressed by the overall build quality. The bezel around the outer edges is nice and slim, and when it's all assembled and sits on the desk, it has a modern aesthetic that will suit any design studio or coding office.
The huge 40-inch screen is flat, and actually, this is much better suited than curved screens when it comes to productivity. Those curved screens are better placed for gaming, giving you a more immersive experience, whereas a flat screen is better for laying out screens and for productivity, as there's no distortion of panels or the images you're adjusting.
Likewise, if you're typing, then having a purely flat screen is far easier to use. At 40 inches, it is huge; essentially, it'll give you a similar screen real estate to three 17-inch monitors placed side-by-side, but with no interruption along the horizontal, whilst the vertical is essentially the same as a 32-inch 16:9 monitor.
Considering the size, it's worth noting the pure scale of the monitor. It measures approximately 945mm x 420mm x 55mm in depth, and these measurements don't include the stand. The stand measures 230mm x 200mm for the base that sits on your desk, and the full height can go from as low as 460mm to 580mm, with a subtle tilt upwards and down as well as to the left and right, making it extremely easy to position. The monitor and stand come in at about 12kg.
There is the option for a VESA mount with the 75 x 75 fitting, but with that weight, you might find it a little tricky to mount, although it should fit most heavyweight TV mounts without issue.
When it comes to connectivity, there is a single USB-C (65W) to enable a maximum 100Hz refresh rate, then there are two HDMI 2.0 ports (100Hz max), a DisplayPort 1.4 (100Hz max), and also a few USB ports with two USB-A 3.0 ports and a single USB-B 3.0. It's also worth noting that there are speakers built into the monitor if you want a neat solution.
Design: 5 / 5
innocn 40C1u: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Once the screen is on the desk, the 40-inch 21:9 aspect ratio is instantly impressive, and the fact that it supports a resolution of 5K QHD 5120 x 2160 pixels really does stand out. It's also good to note that it has a refresh rate of 100Hz.
As with the monitor's design, there are several connectivity options, including those highlighted above, but it's worth also noting that the USB-C port I mostly used throughout this test also offers 65W PD passthrough. This means that under general productivity use, when you're not pushing your computer too much, that's enough power to supply a MacBook Pro M1 Max to keep the battery topped up for an entire day. For most other laptops, that 65W is perfect, meaning you just need that single cable to your machine to both power it and supply the monitor with the visual data.
The standout feature aside from its pure 40-inch scale is the ultrawide colour gamut that enables rich, bright colours, especially suited to creative applications such as photography and video editing, but also good for general productivity. The monitor supports sRGB at 99%, DCI-P3 at 97%, and offers 16.7 million colours at 8-bit. It's a shame that there's no REC 709 option. So, for those looking for the best monitor for photo editing or the best monitor for video editing, in my experience this is a solid choice with an ultrawide screen.
The panel type used is IPS (In-Plane Switching), which means that from multiple angles, you get good, vibrant colour and sharp visuals. This makes it an ideal option for anyone working in a studio where several people might need to view the monitor throughout the day as you show work and collaborate.
During this review, I used the innocn 40C1u for video and photo editing as well as general productivity. That screen real estate is ideal for anyone focused on Excel, spreadsheets or word documentation. It means you don't have to quickly switch between applications as you can have them all sat side-by-side on the screen, making it far easier to work.
The 100Hz refresh rate is great to see for a creative-based monitor and will enable you to watch most videos smoothly, whilst also allowing you to play many games, although the 100Hz is a little low for competitive gaming.
Overall, for modern design, creativity and productivity, the features of the innocn 40C1u are well balanced with a good choice of colour gamut depending on the type of work you're doing and a good range of resolutions all the way up to that 5K QHD.
Features: 4 / 5
innocn 40C1u: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
From the outset, the innocn 40C1u was quick and easy to set up despite its large size, and whilst it is heavy, one person should be able to manoeuvre it relatively easily, although an extra set of hands is always helpful with a monitor of this size, especially when mounting it to the stand.
The stand was exceptionally simple to attach, is a really good quality metal build, and offers strong support. One of the issues I was worried about with a monitor of this width was wobble when typing on the keyboard, but thankfully, the stand and base are heavy enough to reduce vibration of the screen when working.
The aesthetics of the monitor are also spot-on, with nice slim bezels and a dark matte black finish that just gives it a really good premium feel despite its relatively low price point.
Starting the monitor up, the first thing I noticed was just how warm the colours looked. Flipping through the onscreen display options, I went from the standard mode to sRGB and then onto Adobe RGB, but still wasn't satisfied that the colours had been calibrated correctly, at least not for the environment I was in.
Everything looked overly warm, which might be fine if you're watching multimedia, but if you're doing colour-critical work, you need accuracy, especially with a monitor sold for creative use. This adjustment could be done directly using the onscreen display, which is relatively easy to navigate with plenty of options. The navigation buttons are under the bottom right-hand side of the screen.
Under the professional settings, the CT settings were set to 'Warm'. This could be quickly adjusted to 'Natural' which gave a much better look, however I found that these colour settings still weren't exactly as I wanted, so I was pleased to see that there was a user-defined mode, and through there I could adjust the RGB just to cool down some of that warmth with the blue slider.
The adjustment was small but made a big difference to the quality of the colours displayed on the screen. To ensure the monitor was completely calibrated, I ran it through the Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra to fully calibrate it to the ambient colour temperature of my environment. Once done, the colours and tone of the screen instantly became far more balanced and ready for content creation.
As I used the monitor for editing, work documents, browsing the internet, watching YouTube videos (when I should have been working), and editing video in DaVinci Resolve, I was impressed with the overall sharpness of text, detail in images, and superb colour accuracy.
Visually, without hardware analysis, the screen looked superb and really highlighted the strengths of an IPS screen for creative and productivity work. OLED screens might give you more impact for blacks and contrast, which is good for gaming, whereas for pure productivity, an IPS screen is often a better option, with decent coverage of sRGB, Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 colour spaces.
For creative and productivity use, the screen excelled, and I was impressed with most aspects, especially the resolution that enabled so much real estate for applications. It essentially feels like much the same as my three 27-inch monitors side-by-side, but it takes up less space and has no bezels between each section. From a practical point of view, it also means there are fewer cables needing to be plugged into the PC and the power socket.
One area worth highlighting is the built-in speakers, which are tinny and underpowered. They also seem to be mono and biased to the left-hand side of the monitor. They are okay for video calls or the odd YouTube clip, but the audio quality doesn't match the quality of the screen, and I switched to my MacBook Pro's internal speakers or my Fostex 6301B speakers.
During testing, I ran the monitor quality tests in Spyder X2 Ultra to check screen uniformity, colour accuracy and contrast, along with a few other tests. For a monitor of this size, it performed exceptionally well.
The first tests were run in standard mode, and as expected, the overall monitor rating was modest at 3.0. However, after calibration and switching to Adobe RGB, results were far better, with gamma response and contrast both scoring 5/5, and Adobe RGB colour accuracy scoring 4.5/5, making this a solid option for photographers, with an overall score of 4/5.
It's worth noting that luminance uniformity across the screen was fair, with about a 10% variation from the base across different parts of the screen, with the best uniformity in the bottom right and the brightest area in the top left. Visually, you wouldn't really notice the difference.
Performance: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
innocn 40C1u: Final verdict
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
At the end of the test, I was impressed with the quality, from the high-quality build, thin bezels and aesthetic styling, to the fact that this monitor would sit perfectly in any high-end studio without issue. While the monitor comes in at the budget end of the creative monitor market, there's nothing cheap about the look and style, and in fact, it feels more premium than some more expensive monitors, including two high-end models I use in the studio.
When it comes to connectivity, there's a good selection from USB-C, HDMI and DisplayPort, meaning that almost any machine you want to plug in should be catered for. It's worth noting that whilst there is a DP and a USB-C cable in the box, there is no HDMI cable.
In use, that extra real estate and 21:9 aspect ratio are a real benefit, especially for creative work. As I'm presently editing a film at 21:9 using anamorphic lenses, the ability to watch that footage at full resolution and aspect ratio really adds to the cinematic depth of the piece I'm working on.
I also like that once calibrated, the monitor's onscreen colours matched the output on our printers, with a very good match on tone and contrast.
Where this monitor falls short is with gaming and some media playback. While TV programmes and films look fine, the 100Hz refresh and lack of deep blacks you get from OLED will be a limitation for gaming. In all other situations, this monitor is spot-on and an ideal option for content creators and anyone looking for additional real estate for productivity.
Should I buy a innocn 40C1u?
Value
Very good considering the screen size, resolution and build quality
5
Design
A slimline design makes this large monitor seem less dominant in the office
4.5
Features
A good balance of features considering the price, just let down by weak built-in speakers
4
Performance
Generally superb performance with some variation in screen luminosity, but otherwise superb colour tone and vibrancy
4
Overalls
A great all-round monitor for content creators and productivity, but less suited to gaming
4
Buy it if...
You want a single massive screen for creative work
Which da Vinci would solve the open? The fact that everything was clear and easy to see on one huge screen with plenty of real estate to make adjustments just made the workflow that much easier.
You want accurate colours and wide colour gamut coverage
Adjusting images on this large screen was far easier, being able to see the image at 100% and knowing that the Adobe RGB colour space was showing you accurate onscreen colour that will be reproduced elsewhere.
Don't buy it if...
You have a small or shallow desk.
The desk in my main studio is rather small, and the size of this monitor is almost a meter, completely dominating the space.
You want ultra-high refresh rates for competitive gaming
100 Hz is a pretty good refresh rate for creativity, when it comes to gaming, you really do need to push that to at least 144 Hz to get smooth action graphics.
Campfire Audio of Portland, Oregon is not, on the face of it, the most likely company to start competing in the portable USB headphone amp/DAC market. After all, this is a company that revels in doing things its own way, and with a product like this, there’s little scope for individualism.
So the Relay is an unremarkable-looking device by the company’s standards, but it’s certainly compact and well-made enough to compete. Between its AKM 4493 SEQ DAC chip with wide file and resolution compatibility, and its choice of balanced or unbalanced analog outputs, though, it’s specified to a high standard, too. Its basic user interface doesn’t give any indication of the resolution of the file that’s playing, though, which looks a bit remedial against its most obvious and most capable rivals.
In action, the Relay is a revealing, organized, nicely unified listen, one that’s endlessly forthright for better or for worse. Its upfront nature suits some recordings much more than it suits others, it must be said, and while there’s always a market for a hefty dose of sonic excitement it’s not the sort of attitude that automatically lends itself to long listening sessions.
One of the best portable DACs around? Maybe more 'best of the rest', but certainly one to consider if you can road test it first.
Oh, it's red and no mistake (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Campfire Audio Relay review: Price and release date
Release date: July 2025
Price: $229 / £229 / AU$399
The Campfire Audio Relay USB headphone amp/DAC is on sale now, and in the company's native United States it costs $229. In the United Kingdom it's £229, while in Australia it goes for AU$399.
Of course, it’s not as if the Relay is your only choice. We’ve heard and enjoyed alternatives from the likes of Audioquest, Helm and iFi lately, so the Campfire Audio has some stiff competition.
Campfire Audio Relay review: Features
AKM 4493 SEQ DAC
Balanced and unbalanced outputs
DSD and PCM 32bit/768kHz
Products such as this tend to have quite a restricted feature-set. And while this is also true of the Relay, what it’s got is right on the money.
Digital audio information comes in via the USB-C 2.0 slot on the top of the device. From there it’s delivered to an AKM 4493 SEQ DAC chipset that Campfire Audio alighted on for its “analog warmth” and “incredible tonality”. It’s capable of dealing with DSD and PCM content of up to 32bit/768kHz resolution, which really should be plenty.
Once the AKM has converted it, the analog information is output via one of two low-noise, high-output drivers – one feeds a single-ended 3.5mm output, the other a 4.4mm balanced alternative, both of which are on the bottom of the Relay.
Features score: 5 / 5
Note the 'wings' (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Campfire Audio Relay review: Design
57 x 23 x 10mm (HxWxD)
Aluminum casework
Only one finish available
In an admirable show of restraint, Campfire Audio has delivered a portable USB headphone amp/DAC that’s identifiably a portable USB headphone amp/DAC. It can’t have been easy – remember, this is a company that takes every opportunity to go to town where the design of its products is concerned.
About the Relay's only flourish is a little bit of angularity and asymmetry to the anodized aluminum casework. Campfire Audio provides a microfiber cloth and padded pouch to keep the finish in tip-top condition.
The casework itself is a usefully tidy 57 x 23 x 10mm (HxWxD)and the rear panel (which is made of plastic) features a little window affording a glimpse of the AKM DAC chip.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
Everything in its right place… (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Campfire Audio review: Sound quality
Forward, direct presentation
Good tonal balance
Endlessly upfront audio balance can be fatiguing
Connected to an Apple MacBook Pro via USB-C and with a pair of Sennheiser IE900 IEMs inserted to the 4.4mm output, the Campfire Audio Relay proves – not especially surprisingly – to offer a considerable improvement over the audio performance the laptop can muster by itself. In some ways, the upgrade is quite dramatic.
A 24bit/96kHz FLAC file of My Crud Princess by No Joy delivered by the Tidal app illustrates the point explicitly. The Relay is a forward, very positive listen that’s able to reveal a lot of detail in the recording – it has a good facility for giving even the more transient, fleeting occurrences the correct amount of weighting and puts them into convincing context. Its presentation is reasonably spacious (though its direct character means there’s not the greatest amount of ‘front/back’ space on the otherwise well-defined soundstage), and it ensures every element gets the sort of elbow room it needs in order to express itself.
The tonal balance is judicious, even if Campfire Audio’s suggestion that it’s “incredible” is stretching things a bit. Frequency response, too, is very nicely judged. From the top of the frequency range down to the bottom, the Relay is even-handed and plays no favorites. Low-frequency stuff is deep and solid, with good shape to bass sounds and sufficient control to attack that momentum levels are high and rhythms are described naturalistically.
The impressive control of attack and decay applies throughout the frequency range, in fact, which allows the Relay to present recordings of all types in a convincingly unified manner. It’s especially adept through the midrange, where voices in particular are packed with information regarding character and attitude as well as tone and texture. Problems, such as they are, stem from the Campfire Audio’s default attitude of drive, attack and endless positivity. This direct and unequivocal nature is quite exciting on first acquaintance, and undeniably so when you’re listening to something like Da Funk by Daft Punk, but over time it’s a stance that can become quite wearying.
‘A good time all the time,’ can take its toll, and the Relay’s inability to relax or even ease back just a little, even when playing something as pastoral as Peter Broderick’s And It’s Alright, means you’re likely to become fatigued sooner rather than later.
Sound quality score: 4 / 5
The bulk of my testing was done with the Sennheiser IE900 or the Austrian Audio 'The Composer' (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Campfire Audio review: Usability & setup
Wide compatibility with source players…
Although earlier Windows devices will require a driver
Rudimentary user interface
On the front panel there’s a company logo that glows red when the Relay is operating, and blinks in a shade of lilac when any changes are made via the control buttons.
There’s one button on the right edge of the Relay - it deals with ‘play/pause’, ‘skip forwards/backwards’ and can toggle between ‘high gain’ and ‘low gain’. Two buttons on the left edge handle ‘volume up’ and ‘volume down’ - press and hold both at the same time and the device begins to cycle through its six different filter settings.
Campfire Audio recommends filter #5 (super slow roll-off) for optimal performance, which does rather make me wonder what the point of the other five settings is. It also recommends setting the volume of your source device to ‘maximum’ and then using the Relay to control volume – it has 60 volume increments, so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty getting to exactly the output level you’d like.
The company includes a 6cm length of braided, branded USB-C to USB-C cable to connect the Relay to your laptop or smartphone. The Relay is compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Android and iOS devices, though Windows 7/8 will require a driver to be downloaded.
Usability & setup score: 4/5
This white light (for aptX Lossless) was oddly hard to come by when using sources able to handle it… (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Campfire Audio Relay review: Value
This is a lot of money for not much stuff, it’s true, but the effect this minimal amount of stuff can have on the music you’re listening to can be quite profound.
Value score: 4/5
Note the new 'rails' on the casework to help with cooling (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Should you buy Campfire Audio Relay?
Buy it if...
You have an ordinary laptop or smartphone The Relay will turn it into a viable source of music.
You own some half-decent headphones… …especially if they have a 4.4mm balanced connection option. The Campfire Audio will absolutely help make the most of them.
You like an upbeat kind of sound There’s a perkiness and a forwardness to the Relay’s interpretation of music that's bordering on the relentless.
Don't buy it if...
Your iOS device has a Lightning connector Campfire Audio says, “Lightning connection features a power-limiting mechanism that restricts the performance of your Relay.”
You’re interested in knowing the resolution of the file you’re listening to You can find out, of course, but only by looking at your source player. The Relay won’t tell you.
You’re no Henry Ford You can have any colour of Campfire Audio Relay you like as long as it’s black.
Campfire Audio Relay review: Also consider
Helm Audio Bolt The Helm is not quite as impressively specified as the Relay, but it’s a very effective little device nevertheless. And it’s usefully cheaper than the Campfire Audio. Read our in-depth Helm Audio Bolt review to learn more
iFi GO Link Max More affordable still is the iFi GO Link Max, and on a pound-for-pound basis it remains the best USB headphone amp/DAC around. iFi knows exactly what’s what where products like this are concerned. Read our full iFi GO Link Max review
iFi makes strong design choices and you love to see it (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
How I tested the Campfire Audio Relay review:
Various headphones
Various audio file types and sizes
Various sources of music
I didn’t use it all day every day, but I kept the Campfire Audio Relay connected to either my FiiO M15S Digital Audio Player or my Apple MacBook Pro for well over a week, which is more than enough time to establish what it’s capable of.
I listened to lots of different types of music, in various file types and of lots of different resolutions, and I listened both indoors and outdoors.
I used expensive IEMs via the 4.4mm balanced output and absolutely bog-standard over-ear headphones connected to the 3.5mm unbalanced output.
I started this test not overly taken with the colour scheme of this phone, although I did really like the textured surface on the back as well as the overall aesthetic. It was more the brown, gold and black colour scheme; however, I was pleased to see that alongside this colour profile, there is also a pure black version, which looks amazing.
As I looked through the specifications, it came with all the usual rugged credentials, which is great to see, meaning that I could drop and submerge the phone in water as I pleased. Whatever the conditions, I could be sure that the phone would survive, making it a great option for use in the field on photographic projects.
The only issue is that this is the middle of summer, and outside temperatures are topping 30 °C, so there are few puddles to drop the phone into. I did my best to drop the phone, finding what was left of a stream of stream in order to test just how waterproof it was, alongside the usual performance test using various Google applications, media creation and games to test out the full spectrum of uses for the mobile phone.
From the outset, it was apparent that for general use, this phone was perfectly optimised. What I really liked was the large screen, which had a decent brightness up to 900 nits, meaning that even in the abnormally bright conditions we have here in the UK at present, scrolling through documents and reading content online was possible. Whilst the screen is reflective, that brightness just cuts through the reflections enough to easily make out what is on screen.
I also found the 5G connection was good and robust, and whilst most of the test was carried out on a 4G connection, popping up to the local town of Salisbury proved that it could cope with good, fast network connections, providing decent transfer rates and speeds.
Call clarity also seemed good. Even when used out in the New Forest, where there was little to no signal, voice calls came through clearly, and I was impressed by the clarity of the small internal speaker.
That speaker proved to be exceptionally good for watching back media and listening to music, although it isn't quite the quality of a decent consumer smartphone.
One area that suffered slightly was gaming, as highlighted by the benchmarking results. Through all of the 3DMark benchmarks, including Steel Nomad, Wild Life and Sling Shot, frame rates were slightly reduced compared with more expensive models with many of the more intensive games highlighting the mid performance GPU. Need for Speed: Asphalt ran absolutely fine; however, if you want to play Call of Duty, this might not be the best option for you.
For the most part, performance was excellent. One area that really stood out was the cameras, which were lower in megapixels compared with many rugged smartphones that top out at 200 million pixels. Here, the 64 million-pixel Sony-backed camera produced excellent results, far better than I would usually expect. Crossing over to video, the clarity of the visuals was equally impressive.
The audio quality of the video recordings varied greatly depending on whether you were recording with the rear or front camera. Oddly, filming with the rear camera captured far better vocals than when using the front-facing selfie camera.
Overall, after using this phone for a few weeks, I was generally impressed by the overall performance - it's up there with the best rugged phones I've used. As long as you are thinking about using this for work situations where a standard consumer phone would struggle due to the physical demands placed on them, or alternatively it's a great option for adventuring.
I'm also seeing with major online retailers including Amazon.com for $230 at time of review, and £230 on Amazon.co.uk.
Value: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Ulefone Armor X16 Pro: Design
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Specifications
CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 6300 Graphics: Mali-G57 MC2 RAM: Up to 16 GB (plus 8 GB extended virtual) Storage: 256 GB ROM, microSD up to 2 TB Ports: USB-C (33 W), dual-SIM slot, Waterproof-plugged ports for charging/audio Connectivity: 5 G, dual-SIM, IR blaster, NFC & Google Pay Audio: Mono speaker (rugged) + front camera microphone Camera: Rear 64 MP (Sony IMX682, f/1.9), 25 MP night vision (Sony IMX550), 2 MP macro; Front: 16 MP Samsung Size: 173.78 × 83.4 × 17.95 mm Weight: 394.5 g OS: Android 15 with Google Gemini AI assistant, AI Recorder, Widevine L1 Accessories: 33 W charger included, optional rugged case/holster/mounts available
The design of the Ulefone Armor X16 Pro really stands out, with its textured back, brown and gold accents, and an aesthetic that is also available in pure black. It gives a slightly sci-fi-inspired and decidedly rugged look inline many other rugged smartphones on the market.
I have to say, this particular phone feels a lot more comfortable in the hands. Although it’s still quite wide and large, it is a decent proportion for most people’s grip.
The weight is also well balanced considering the size of the internal battery and the robustness of the device, which makes it far more usable than many of its larger alternatives.
In terms of size and weight, measuring 173.78 × 83.4 × 17.95 mm, it can easily slip into a jacket or pocket without adding too much bulk. Considering it weighs 394.5 g, it isn’t overly heavy either.
On the front, the phone is dominated by the large 6.56-inch screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate. Integrated into the screen is the selfie camera, which offers a 16 million-pixel sensor, perfect for video calls and vlogs.
On the back, the octagon-shaped cluster of cameras features a 64 million-pixel main camera, a 25 million-pixel night camera and a 2 million-pixel macro camera. There’s also a built-in LED flash, which is handy when camping, as well as a standard camera light.
One of the main features of any rugged smartphone is its rugged credentials, and the phone offers IP69K, IP68 and MIL-STD-810H certification, meaning that it is waterproof, dustproof and drop proof, as tested in this review.
It’s also nice to see that outputs such as the 3.5 mm headphone socket and USB-C data/charging port are both covered with secure rubber flaps.
On the left-hand side of the handset, as you look at the screen, there is a TF/SIM card slot with space for two SIMs and a microSD card to expand storage. Below this is a customisable button that you can assign to different apps. Over on the right-hand side are the volume toggle, power button and biometric fingerprint recognition button. That’s all, keeping it nice and simple.
Design: 5 / 5
Ulefone Armor X16 Pro: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Armor X16 Pro sits at the entry level of rugged smartphones, yet despite that, it packs in plenty of features to suit most people looking for a phone that can survive more than a standard consumer unit.
Some of the key features highlighted by Ulefone for this smartphone include a dedicated flashlight, which is great if you’re working outdoors and need a torch to throw a decent spread of light.
Powering the phone is a 10,360 mAh battery that offers 33 W fast charging and 5 W reverse charging, so not only does it power the phone, but it can also give other devices a boost.
Inside there’s a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 eight-core CPU with a 6 nm advanced process and clock speed of up to 2.4 GHz, including Cortex-A76 gaming cores. This is partnered with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. There’s also up to 16 GB of RAM, 8 GB on board and a further 8 GB accessible through dynamic RAM.
For storage, there’s 256 GB of ROM, which can be expanded up to 2 TB using a separately purchased microSD card.
On the back of the phone is the octagon design cluster of cameras detailed in the Build and Handling section, offering decent quality far beyond most other smartphones of this type.
Dominating the front of the phone is the 6.56-inch IPS display with a 720 × 1612 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate and 910 nits of brightness. This is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, which in testing proved to be exceptionally tough.
Tying all the hardware together is Android 15. The version on this phone is relatively lightweight, so it’s not bogged down by proprietary apps, and also features the latest Google Gemini, so you can use the phone’s AI potential, including the AI Recorder, which is a handy additional feature.
Surprisingly this phone is also Widevine L1 certified, meaning it has full digital rights management certification, enabling you to stream higher quality from major providers such as Disney+ and Netflix. For an entry-level rugged smartphone, the visuals and audio quality are surprisingly good.
Features: 3.5 / 5
Ulefone Armor X16 Pro: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Getting started with the smartphone, the first thing I did was check the reception quality. Putting it side-by-side against an iPhone 15 Pro on the Vodafone network, the Armor X16 Pro actually proved to have better reception with four bars over the iPhone’s three.
When it came to browsing the internet, where the iPhone 15 Pro was slow to respond, page load speed on the Armor X16 Pro was relatively fast.
Using both 4G and 5G networks, the Armor X16 Pro proved to be exceptionally robust. Making voice calls demonstrated how clear the audio quality was, both from my perspective and to my caller, clear and crisp in both directions.
Starting with basic performance tests, I opened Google Docs and reviewed this part written document. It was easy to read through the text on the bright, clear screen. While the resolution is lower than I’ve come to expect from many smartphones, the text was still very clear and readable.
One thing I noted was that as you scroll, the quality of the screen stands out. With plenty of adjustment over brightness, tone and clarity, it offers exceptional viewing for a phone at this level.
Exploring the options and settings, I was impressed with the ease of use and the speed with which the phone navigated Android 15’s menus. The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 CPU provided plenty of performance for general use.
Pushing performance further, I used Lightroom to adjust images I had taken during a work outing. The clarity of the images was impressive, and unlike some phones I’ve used in the past that struggle when applying effects, the Armor X16 Pro handled it with relative ease. The screen clarity also made the adjustments easier.
Using CapCut to quickly edit video content shot with the phone, I was again impressed with the speed. Although CapCut is highly optimised for mobile, some phones still struggle. For basic edits, the phone handled 1080p video without issue. Pushing to 4K and adding graphics, the phone began to slow down, and the limits of its processing power became apparent.
Gaming performance followed a similar pattern. Need for Speed: Asphalt ran perfectly smoothly, but Asphalt 9: Legends, Call of Duty Mobile, and PUBG Mobile all began to drop in graphics quality. This was reflected in the 3DMark scores, Steel Nomad Light: 145, Wild Life: 4,137, and Sling Shot: 3,657.
While these scores aren’t particularly high, they are in line with most rugged smartphones. What gives this phone a slight edge is its exceptionally high read speed of 1,246 MB per second.
Benchmarks
Disk Speed Test Read: 1246 MB/s Disk Speed Test Write: 347 MB/s Geekbench CPU Single: 731 Geekbench CPU Multi: 1975 Geekbench GPU: 1401 3D Mark Steel Nomad Lite: 145 3D Mark Wildlife: 1373 3D Mark Slingshot: 3657
Performance: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Ulefone Armor X16 Pro: Final verdict
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
After using the phone solidly for a few weeks, I’ve been really impressed, firstly by the build quality and the comfort of using this phone. It is far more usable and ergonomic than many other rugged smartphones.
Secondly, the battery life was exceptional for the size and weight. At the start of the test, I charged it to 100%, and after three weeks it had only dropped to 25%, highlighting just how robust that internal battery is, although I wasn’t in full use all the time.
Overall, the battery performance was excellent, and the fact that I could reverse charge my iPhone using the 5 W reverse charging feature was very handy.
The standout features for me were the cameras. I wasn’t expecting the clarity of images that the 64 million-pixel main camera produced. The stills were great, and the video capture was equally impressive. Coupled with some wireless mics, it’s a great option if you need to capture video out in the field, perfectly suitable for most social media platforms.
When editing media using CapCut or Lightroom, I was impressed by the performance of this mobile phone. Considering that it’s at the entry level of the rugged phone market, it performs surprisingly well.
At the end of the test, having submerged the phone in water, dropped it from a height and tested it in the field, I’m surprised at how inexpensive this rugged smartphone is. While graphics performance and for that matter the screen resolution is at the lower end of the scale, for Google Docs and multimedia content, it works absolutely fine.
If you’re looking for a decent rugged smartphone for work and you don’t want to spend too much, then this is a great option. Likewise, if you’re heading off on an adventure, and need a solid phone with good battery life that’s isn't too heavy then again this also an ideal solution.
What really makes it stand out for me is the quality of the camera. While it can’t rival premium smartphones, it’s still decent enough to satisfy most people who want to take great images. The Armor X16 Pro is one of the best-performing budget rugged smartphones out there today.
Should I buy a Ulefone Armor X16 Pro?
Value
Excellent value for money and a great option if you need a simple, rugged smartphone.
4.5
Design
Stylish design with a textured surface that makes this one of the most comfortable rugged smartphones to hold.
4
Features
Decent range of features, with the camera and battery life being the standout.
3.5
Performance
Considering the entry-level price tag, this phone packs a decent amount of power for day-to-day tasks.
4
Overalls
Excellent rugged smartphone that provides power for everyday use, but is limited for higher-end gaming.
4
Buy it if...
You want a great option for working outdoors
The price, build quality, and the fact that it can stand up to all sorts of conditions make this a cheap and well-balanced option for anyone working outdoors.
You want a tough backup phone
The large capacity battery in a relatively small and lightweight form makes this a superb option to take as a main or backup phone if you’re heading off on an adventure.
Don't buy it if...
You need a phone for gaming.
While you can play many games at moderate quality, if you want to play anything that relies heavily on graphics processing, you should consider another option.
You need something small and lightweight.
While in this review I’ve said this is a small and relatively lightweight rugged smartphone, compared with general consumer phones, it is still larger and more bulky.
Night Always Comes sees Kirby do a complete 180 from the new Marvel movie, but just like Sue Storm’s brush with Galactus it’s similarly far from perfect. This time, Kirby plays Lynette, a former sex worker turned bread factory staffer, desperately trying to keep her dilapidated home as a roof over her family’s heads. When her mom blows their $25,000 downpayment on a car, Lynette embarks on an unhinged mission to raise all the money in one night, before local enforcement repossesses the house.
I know what you’re thinking. Night Always Comes has the potential to be heartpounding, gut-wrenching, slick and commanding in such a dynamic storyline. But this is only half true thanks to a complicated plot that doesn’t know whether it’s coming or going.
This is particularly frustrating because the subjects being explored are such a vulnerable, authentic window into the realities of life in America when you’re living paycheck to paycheck, and the new Netflix movie effortlessly enthuses real-life inspiration points to hammer that point home.
But on the fictional end, the drama often goes too far. As we delve further into the new film, we see Kirby dust off her Mission: Impossible movie training and dropkick more nefarious men than I’ve ever seen be taken down in one small-town setting. This leads us to an ending scene that’s so bonkers, I couldn’t suspend enough belief to buy that it was something that would actually happen. It’s these jarring changes in tone and narrative speed that make a plot already hard to understand that little bit more challenging.
I still haven’t made my mind up on Night Always Comes, but I’ve fallen back in love with Julia Fox
Julia Fox as Gladys in Night Always Comes. (Image credit: Netflix)
Okay, let’s get straight to it. While Night Always Comes is no doubt Vanessa Kirby’s best performance of the year so far (more on that later), I couldn’t help but be the most charmed by Julia Fox’s Gloria. She’s an old friend of Lynette’s who owes her $3,000, willingly letting her into her apartment in the middle of the night before refusing to stay in one place because her “car is here”.
It’s the sort of flamboyant chaos we’ve naturally come to associate with Fox (remember Uncut Gems?), but she plays it with such conviction that you forget how much talent she has buried away under those killer looks. Fox herself bears so much weight in terms of her cultural capital, so I hope fans and the industry re-recognize a woman who genuinely knows what to do with the craft she’s chosen.
Then there’s Kirby. Teetering across a delicate balance of misplaced confidence and a complete mental breakdown, Lynette has us in the palm of her hand as she desperately clings to a life she doesn’t even want in the first place. Her backstory is well fleshed out, and it makes sense for her logical patterns to be as archaic as they end up being. Kirby’s emotional range is what really sells it, though, digging as deep as a woman has to when she’s acting out in pure panicked desperation.
Performances aside, the Netflix movie has built its foundations on sand
While I really appreciate the honesty of living in modern-day America and easily falling into an unsavory way of living, I have a lot of issues with Night Always Comes’ plot. I can buy one chaotic caper happening, such as Lynette beating a bunch of men to a pulp when she takes a stolen safe to be broken into, but four or five in a row? That’s just getting absurd. This also contradicts the safety of Lynette’s older brother Kenny (Zack Gottsagen) who has Down’s Syndrome, and is the bulk of the reason why Lynette is fighting so hard to keep the house. She eventually puts him in grave danger, but as much as the move shows Lynette’s slippery slope of inner morality, I cannot buy that an entire nightclub’s worth of people would equally throw Kenny under the metaphorical bus, too.
The more people Lynette meets to try and steal, barter and plead for her cash, the more you forget how she knows them, what their significance is and how she hasn’t magically run out of avenues to try. It’s a headscratcher and a bleak one at that, which is just as much of a blessing as it is a curse. There’s no foot off the pedal, meaning Lynette’s wild antics and desperation chug along at a constant pace without any letup. That’s exhausting for anyone, and I think it eventually does a disservice to the overall impact of her story.
As much as I enjoyed pretending to punch anyone who crossed Lynette’s path with a bad attitude, Night Always Comes ultimately has us sitting on the fence. With an almost equal amount of good and bad, it’s perhaps an ironic microcosm of life itself, only I wish I had Julia Fox strutting around sassing me in mine.
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is an HEDT workstation processor built for an extremely specific — and extremely demanding — audience.
Nothing about this chip is ‘mainstream’, including the fact that just about every enthusiast consumer processor available right now will mostly outperform this chip in most workloads that 95% of users will run on their computers, and they will do so at a minuscule fraction of the Threadripper 9980X’s price.
There is part of me that wants to slag this processor as overpowered, overengineered, and overpriced—except I can’t. With 64 full-fat performance cores, 128 threads, a base clock of 3.2GHz, and the ability to push far beyond that under controlled thermal conditions, this chip feels like its sole purpose is to blow through Cinebench R23’s multi-core benchmark and shame every other chip that tries to do the same.
(Image credit: AMD)
I would say that this is a ridiculous waste of time, energy, and resources, but the thing about Cinebench R23, as well as all the other multi-core benchmarks that this chip leaves defeated in its wake, is that there are professionals out there who need exactly this kind of power from a processor, and no other consideration really matters.
Database administrators, IT managers dealing with web servers, machine learning researchers and developers, 3D designers of every kind, and high-end video productions are among those who will look at the multi-core performance of this chip and see past the bar on a graph stretching well past every other chip in the test group and see the hours of work saved every week with a processor specifically designed to break up their workloads into as many as 128 individual processing threads to be worked through in parallel.
That definitely isn’t everyone, and the incredible parallel processing power available with the Threadripper 9980X comes at a cost. To keep those 64 cores from setting your workstation on fire under load, per-core clock speeds start nearly a full GHz lower than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X, which means that single-core or lightly-threaded processing power suffers somewhat, though the 9980X can still hold its own at a system and productivity-minded processor, and its TSMC N4P/N6 architecture does translate into some solid responsiveness.
With eight compute dies under the lid and 256MB of L3 cache, there are a lot of interconnects between all that discrete silicon, and communication between all those parts introduces latency as well, though it isn't debilitating.
(Image credit: AMD)
What's more, at $4,999 / £4,499.99 / AU$8,399, this is a very expensive processor. It’s not the most expensive HEDT chip on the market, that’d be the 96-core Threadripper Pro 9995WX at nearly three times the price of the 9980X, but it’s still not a CPU you buy because you ‘want the best.’
You buy it because your workflow would bring even the best processors on the consumer market to their knees. This is the kind of chip you slap into a workstation because you need to render the 12-second Gargantua approach sequence from Interstellar in a matter of days rather than weeks, and not because you want to play Cyberpunk 2077 at the highest framerate possible. For the former, it’s an outstanding, special-use processor. Not at all for the latter.
(Image credit: Gigabyte)
Then there’s the matter of platform requirements. You’ll need a TRX50 motherboard, which isn’t just more expensive—it’s physically larger, requires more robust power delivery, and usually comes loaded with workstation-focused features that add to the price.
You’ll also need to spend a lot of money on cooling, because under full multi-core load, the 9980X can pull upwards of 350W from the socket, so a 360mm AIO cooler is the absolute rock-bottom, bare minimum cooling solution you can use to keep this chip from throttling, and there aren't many that fit this chip out there.
And believe me, having sat next to the open-air test bench running high-intensity multi-threaded workloads on the 9980X, this thing pumps out an enormous amount of heat, so plan your workstation environment accordingly.
(Image credit: AMD)
All that said, if you’re the kind of user who spends whole workdays in Premiere Pro, Houdini, or TensorFlow, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is a dream, but you do have to really ask yourself if you need this much focused power for your particular situation.
I love multi-threaded programming and working on asynchronous processes when developing my own software tools, but in no universe would I ever be able to fully utilize all 64 cores on this processor unless I was actively trying to, and I don't work with anything nearly that complex.
If your workflow is even moderately mixed, or gaming is even a quarter of your use case, this chip delivers diminishing returns that will make you regret investing so much into it, especially when the significantly cheaper Threadripper 9970X is ideal for those situations at half the cost.
How much does it cost? $4,999.99 / £4,499.99 / AU$8,399
When is it available? It is available now
Where can you get it? You can get it in the US, UK, and Australia
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is available now in the US, UK, and Australia for $4,999.99 / £4,499.99 / AU$8,399.
While not 'cheap' by any means, if you're seriously looking at buying this processor, you're not window shopping. You know you need it, and it will either make back the money you spent on it in relatively short order, or it is a processor you have to have for academic or scientific research, and it's simply the price paid for progress.
It should be noted, though, that while the Threadripper 9980X's multi-core performance is second only to the high-end Threadripper Pro 9000-series chips, the Threadripper 9970X's multicore performance is actually not that far behind the 9980X's, and it costs half the price of this chip.
If you're wincing at the price tag of the 9980X, but you really do need something like this for your workflow, give the 9970X a long look and see if it's a better fit for your needs.
Value: 3 / 5
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X: Specs & Features
(Image credit: AMD)
64-cores/128-threads chew through multi-core workloads
Slower clock speeds than AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
256MB L3 cache
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X specs
Socket
sTR5 (TRX50)
Architecture
AMD Zen 5
Cores
64
Threads
128
Base Clock
3.2GHz
Boost Clock
5.4GHz
L3 Cache
256MB
PCIe Lanes
Up to 80 PCIe 5.0
Memory Support
Up to 1TB Quad-channel DDR5‑6400 ECC
TDP
350W
tjMax
95℃
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is built on AMD’s Zen 5 architecture, an MCM design featuring TSMC’s N4P process for the compute dies and its N6 process for the I/O die, all tied together using AMD’s Infinity Fabric interconnect. Each of the eight CCDs contributes eight cores and 16 threads to the massive 64-core, 128-thread chip, supported by a staggering 256MB of L3 cache. This is particularly ideal for keeping large datasets close to the cores and minimizing memory latency in heavy workloads.
The base clock speeds sit at 3.2GHz, with boost frequencies climbing up to 5.4GHz under lightly threaded tasks, depending on cooling and power headroom. The processor is fully unlocked for overclocking, although thermal and power constraints will make manual tuning challenging without extreme cooling solutions. Out of the box, this processor is pulling 350W, so you’ll likely need more than a 360mm AIO to cool this properly if you push it even modestly.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Memory support is another standout. The 9980X works with up to 1TB of DDR5-6400 ECC RAM across quad-channel configurations, a 1,200MT/s increase over the last-generation Threadripper line.
I/O capabilities have also gotten a significant boost. Now, you can utilize up to 80 PCIe 5.0 lanes, meaning you can run multiple GPUs, storage arrays, and capture or networking cards without lane-sharing bottlenecks.
As with previous Threadrippers, there’s no integrated GPU, but that’s expected. Power consumption is rated at an extremely high 350W TDP, and the physical chip uses the sTRX5 socket, meaning it requires a TRX50-series motherboard. These boards are large, expensive, and purpose-built for heavy-duty computing.
Specs & features: 4.5 / 5
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X: Installation & test setup
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X installation is much more involved than you might be used to if you've only ever used consumer-grade motherboards that seat a standard desktop CPU.
The Threadripper 9980X uses AMD’s sTR5 socket, which is physically longer and more delicate, and so requires a specific installation procedure.
Included with the 9980X is a torque-limiting wrench that you'll need to ensure even pressure across the heat spreader, which for this chip is a vital step for both thermal performance and long-term reliability.
I highly recommend watching some installation videos on YouTube after you've read over the installation instructions before you attempt to install this processor, since slacking on proper installation can create uneven contact with the socket or even damaged pins on the TRX50 motherboard. You've spent a lot of money on this chip, so definitely make sure you don't wreck the whole thing on the installation step.
For testing the chip, I used the ASUS Pro WS TRX50-SAGE motherboard together with an Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU, 128GB (4 x 32GB) G.Skill G5 Series DDR5-6400 ECC memory, along with a Crucial T705 PCIe 5.0 SSD as my primary system drive. Cooling was handled by a Silverstone XE360-TR5 AIO cooler, and power was supplied by a Thermaltake Toughpower PF3 1050W Platinum PSU, and a fresh install of Windows 11.
This configuration is more or less what an enthusiast HEDT rig or professional Windows workstation would look like, and it definitely outclasses what you'll find in all but the most tricked-out gaming PC, so it's a solid representative system for carrying out my testing.
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X: Performance
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Best-in-class multi-core performance
Slower clocks mean it can lose out to the Threadripper 9970X in key workloads
Gaming performance is unimpressive
The performance of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9800X ends up being a somewhat mixed bag for all of the reasons I've already gone over, but now that we're at the 'take-a-look-at-the-actual-numbers' stage, hopefully you'll see what I mean.
Across most workloads I tested, the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X can't keep up with the 9970X, falling behind some Ryzen 9 desktop chips, and even losing a couple of times to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K. This is especially true when it comes to single-core performance and gaming, where the Threadripper 9980X just isn't competitive at all with any of the consumer-grade enthusiast processors I tested.
First, the single-core performance of the 9980X consistently loses out to not just the Threadripper 9970X, but it gets roughed up pretty bad by pretty much all the high-end Ryzen 9 and Ryzen 7 9000-series processors. Ultimately, it just doesn't have the base clock speed to sustain enough performance to compete in focused, application-specific tasks.
This difference across all single-core tests is about 3% slower than the 9970X (which isn't terrible), but about 10% slower than the Ryzen 9 9950X (which is at least bad, if not quite terrible).
However, when we look at the 9980X's multi-core performance, things flip rather drastically. At first, it looks like more of the same with Geekbench 6, where the 9980X only outperforms the 9970X by about 4% (though it does beat out third-place finisher, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, by about 36%).
Once we hit the Cinebench tests, though, it's over for everyone else. In Cinebench R23, the 9980X's score of 115,098 is about 51% better than the 9970X's 76,136 score, and an increadible 173.4% better than the third-place finisher, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which scored a relatively measly 42,098.
In Cinebench R24, it's more or less the same, with the 9980X finishing 56% better than the 9970X's multi-core score and nearly 168% better than the third-best performer, the Core Ultra 9 285K.
Across all multi-core tests, the 9980X comes in about 36% better than the 9970X and about 106% better than the Core Ultra 9 285K, with the rest of the Ryzen 9 and 7 chips falling even further behind.
In whole system performance, as measured in CrossMark, the Threadripper 9980X does pretty well in terms of overall performance, though it comes in about 125 points behind the 9970X (or about 5%). That's still better than the Ryzen 9s and Ryzen 7s, though. It falls behind quite a bit in productivity workloads, coming in second to last, just ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
In terms of responsiveness, it's well ahead of the Ryzen 9 and Ryzen 7 chips, as well as Intel's flagship desktop processor, coming in second only to the 9970X.
Creative workloads are one of the areas where the 9980X shines like the powerhouse chip it is, notching substantial wins in Blender Benchmark 4.3, V-ray 6, and PugetBench for Creators Adobe Premiere.
Over all workloads, the 9980X chalked up a roughly 30% better performance than the 9970X, and that's taking the geomean of all the creative benchmark results, something that really undersells how dominating the 9980X's Blender Benchmark and V-Ray 6 CPU performance is (about 71% and 65% better than the 9970X). If I just averaged all the scores to give some of these tests more weight, the 9980X comes in about 50% better than the 9970X across creative workloads, with every other chip far, far behind.
Where the 9980X really fails is in terms of gaming performance, so PC gaming enthusiasts out there who want a Threadripper 9980X as a flex, you'd be doing yourself a massive disservice.
On average, across all the games tested, the 9980X had the worst gaming performance both in terms of average FPS and 1% FPS. The 9970X did marginally better, but the consumer-grade Ryzen chips and even the Core Ultra 9 285K are far better suited for gaming than either of the Threadripper 9000-series chips, but expecially compared to the 9980X.
This poor gaming performance also extends into game AI, largely because game logic is a largely single-core task that can't easily be disaggregated across multiple threads.
Independent NPC actors might benefit from multithreading in games, of course, but if that was the case, the 9980X should have done better simulating a full in-game year of Stellaris gameplay with 42 AI empires on a huge map, exactly the kind of asynchronous agent logic processing multithreading might have helped.
Unfortunately, the 9980X came in dead last in that test, only being able to finish the year in about 55.72 seconds, which would extrapolate to 393 in-game days in one minute. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D finished the year in about 44.75 seconds, which translates to about 489 days simulated in one minute.
In the end, all of this is to say that the 9980X isn't going to be awful at gaming, especially if you have one of the best graphics cards like the Nvidia RTX 5090 and crank up the settings so that the frame rate bottleneck moves from CPU to GPU.
Moving on to the more physical aspects of performance, the thermal and power consumption of the 9980X are what you would expect from a 350W TDP chip. I can assure you, the 9980X uses up every last watt of headroom its TDP will allow, ranging from 54.515W when idle all the way up to 349.623W peak power draw under 100% load.
Surprisingly, this did not directly translate into the chip overheating, and its temperatures ranged from 41℃ to 75℃ at its peak with a 360mm AIO cooler.
As you can see above, the real strength of this chip is in its multi-core performance. It's general system performance is decent and it's a pretty responsive chip, but you don't buy a 64-core Threadripper to try and max out your single-core clock speed for better FPS in games, you use it to chew through asynchronous workflows as fast as possible. The Threadripper 9980X is all about throughput, and in this regard, it's in a class all its own.
Normally, I take the geomean all of the different performance scores to arrive at a final score that accounts for some tests having very large numbers as their results compared to other tests (Cinebench R23 and R24's single and multi-core scores being a prime example).
However, when I do that, in the case of the 9980X, I all but erase the dominating results that make this chip what it is in the one workflow category it is designed to excel at.
As such, I've done something different and included both the aggregate geometric mean of all the chips' scores as well as a straight average. This allows you to appreciate how much the multi-core performance of the 9980X skews the results when the scores are averaged normally.
The 9980X is in an effective geometric tie with the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and only a little bit ahead of the rest of the processors I tested in the end. But give the 9980X the proper weight of its multi-core performance with a straight average, and the 9980X runs away with it, beating out the 9970X by about 30% and the Intel Core Ultra 9 and AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D by about 87%.
Taking all of those scores and looking at them in terms of performance-for-price, however, and the 9980X does not fair very well, coming in dead last in terms of value for your money. At least at first glance.
Given how this processor is designed for a very specific (and often lucrative) kind of work, I don't really think that the standard value metric I'd use with other products is applicable.
Yes, this chip is expensive, but if you're the kind of professional who would benefit from the 9980X's multi-core prowess, you're likely to make that money back fairly quickly just from speeding up your workflow and this chip will pay for itself in very short order.
Performance: 5 / 5
Should you buy the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X?
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X Scorecard
Value
This chip is very expensive, but for those who are seriously looking to buy it, money probably isn't the biggest concern here.
3 / 5
Specs & features
The 9980X has some impressive workstation-friendly specs, like a huge capacity for PCIe 5.0 I/O and faster 6400MT/s DDR5 ECC memory. The only shame is that it's base clock speeds aren't higher.
4.5 / 5
Performance
While there are some areas of weakness in terms of the 9980X's performance, this chip is built around one thing: chewing through multi-core workflows, and in that, it's a spectacular success.
5 / 5
Final Score
The 9980X is a very particular chip that is not going to be great for everybody, but if you're the type of person who needs this kind of chip for work, only the high-end Threadripper Pro 9000-series chips can best the 9980X.
4.17 / 5
Buy the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X if...
Your work will benefit greatly from improved multi-core performance The only real reason to buy this chip is its absolutely dominant multi-core performance. Nothing else is really in the same league as the 9980X in this regard, so if your workflow will benefit substantially from this kind of processing, this is the chip you need.
Don't buy it if...
You don't need the absolute fastest multi-core performance you can afford If better multi-core performance isn't your number one priority for upgrading your workstation to speed up your workflow, then you will be better off with the Threadripper 9970X, which is much more balanced as well as cheaper.
Also consider
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is no slouch when it comes to multi-core performance and is second only to the 9980X in my testing, but offers a better performance and price balance.
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K If you're not hellbent on setting Cinebench R23 records your multi-core performance on a HEDT workstation, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is pretty good for these kinds of workloads without costing a fortune.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D If you're looking to get the best processor for your enthusiast gaming, streaming, or prosumer content creation workstation, in most cases, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D will be more than enough for your needs at a fraction of the price.
I spent about two weeks testing the Threadripper 9980X
I used it for content creation, gaming, and intensive office productivity
I put the chip through my standard suite of CPU benchmark tests
I used the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X for about two weeks in my day-to-day work PC, using it for content creation for work, CPU experimentation and stress testing, and general productivity.
I didn't spend a whole lot of time gaming with this chip, as it definitely isn't its intended use case, and it was obvious early on that this wasn't a great gaming chip.
I used my standard CPU testing suite to stress the 9980X under load, including running custom scripts to maintain the highest CPU utilization possible for hours at a time to stress the chip's multi-core performance. For benchmarks, I focused most of my attention on benchmarks like V-Ray 6, Handbrake 1.9, Cinebench R23 and R24, as well as PugetBench for Creators Adobe Premiere.
I've tested dozens of processors for hundreds of hours over my time here at TechRadar, so I know my way around a processor and a testbench to push a chip to its limits to evaluate its quality and value, and I bring that expertise to bear with every review I do.
The very first time I booted up Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S on Nintendo Switch 2, I had to look up a list of what had actually been changed.
This is a port of one of my favorite puzzle games ever, the original Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 from 2020 - a title that I’ve sunk more than a hundred hours into across PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Still, the tweaks present in this new version are so slight that even I struggled to see them at first.
Review info
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch 2 Release date: June 5, 2025
You’re basically getting a single new mode here: the co-op Puyo Tetris Double Mode which features fast 2v2 battles. It’s a fun way to play for sure, but it’s not a necessary addition in a game that is already overflowing with content. If you own the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera accessory, you have the option of showing your face as you play too - another ultimately superfluous extra.
There’s also support for the mouse controls of the Joy-Con 2, though they’re disappointingly awkward to use. Playing Tetris or Puyo Puyo with a cursor is considerably slower than button inputs, making matches more fiddly thus putting you at a clear disadvantage.
At least GameShare is well implemented, giving you an easy way to play with friends on either Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2.
Bursting at the seams
(Image credit: Sega)
The original version of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 offers so many modes that it’s almost hard to keep track of them, so here’s quick run-down of the most significant ones so you know what you’re in for before I get into the new stuff:
Versus - a traditional competitive match of either Puyo Puyo or Tetris
Big Bang - clear a board of existing pieces faster than your opponent
Party - competitive Puyo Puyo or Tetris with special items added in
Skill Battle - play Puyo Puyo or Tetris as a character with special skills and items
Fusion - Puyos and Tetris pieces fall at the same time
Swap - Swap between Puyo Puyo and Tetris every 25 seconds
These can either be played solo against bots or as part of a robust online offering that’s complete with a basic competitive ranking system.
This is on top of loads of unique challenge modes, a detailed ‘Lessons’ tutorial mode, and a full-on RPG style single-player campaign with cute artwork and fully voiced dialogue scenes packed with charming moments.
This all results in what is without a doubt one of the most comprehensive and content-rich puzzle games of all time. Seriously, after more than a hundred hours, there are still some modes that I’ve barely touched.
Mix and match
(Image credit: Sega)
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S adds just one new mode, available as an option when you select the Versus mode. It splits four players into two teams of two, with each team sharing their own board.
It’s nothing particularly wild in comparison to the modes found in the base game, but still very entertaining as you desperately try to coordinate placing pieces with your partner in high-speed matches. As good as it is, however, it sits in a sea of other excellent modes so doesn't justify much of the $39.99 / £34.99 asking price.
Best bit
(Image credit: Sega)
The game has a wide range of colorful characters that you can play as, including some crossovers like Sonic the Hedgehog. The artwork for all of them looks great and there are plenty of voice acted lines as you play.
The same is true of the new mouse controls, which allow you to browse the menus with a cursor or drag the Joy-Con 2 around to position falling pieces on the board.
The latter implementation is awkward though, proving significantly slower than just using the buttons, so it’s something that anybody would probably never want to use. The Nintendo Switch 2 Camera support is lackluster too, simply allowing you to show your face in matches instead of the usual character portrait.
GameShare is great at least, and, in my testing, proved impressively responsive when I paired my Nintendo Switch 2 up with my Nintendo Switch Lite. If this all was sold as a $9.99 / £9.99 or so Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade rather than a more pricey standalone release, then I could see this feature alone being well worth the cost.
Ghost town
(Image credit: Sega)
In the graphics department, things haven’t changed as much as you might think. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 was already a great looking game on Nintendo Switch and, while the picture quality of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is a smidge sharper, it’s not a noticeable upgrade unless you directly compare the images side by side.
Loading times seem extremely similar too, which is to say that they’re still good but not substantially improved.
This apparent lack of technical differences leaves me wondering why Sega has made the baffling choice to split multiplayer matchmaking pools between Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 still has a very active online scene, even after all these years, so you can reliably find matches at almost any time. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, on the other hand, seems deserted after just a few weeks.
I have managed to get into a couple of games here and there, but waiting times are significantly longer than the original game. It’s a huge shame and means that existing Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 owners have no real reason to splash out for this release, as it comes at the cost of online play.
If you’ve never experienced Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 before, then the purchase is a bit more justifiable. You’re still getting a great game here at the end of the day with hundreds of hours of quality puzzle action and a handful of new features designed to take advantage of the capabilities of your brand new console.
This is technically the most definitive version of the game so far, so it’s not a bad starting point if you’re a newcomer.
Should I play Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S?
Play it if…
You’ve never tried Puyo Puyo Tetris If you’re completely new to the Puyo Puyo Tetris series, then Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S isn’t a bad place to start. It’s the most complete version of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 yet thanks to its new mode and additional features.View Deal
You’re scrambling for a great puzzle game Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is still a fantastic puzzle game. It has heaps of content for both solo and online players, plus local play options if you’re looking for something to bring to a party or family gathering.View Deal
Don’t play it if…
You already own the original version If you already own Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 on Nintendo Switch, then it’s hard to justify Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S. If you desperately want to try the new mode, make sure to wait for a steep discount.View Deal
You want something that makes better use of mouse controls The mouse controls in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S are a let down. If you want a title that makes better use of the Joy-Con 2 hardware feature, try something like Drag x Drive.View Deal
Accessibility features
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S doesn’t feature any dedicated accessibility settings. It has a limited settings menu, with options like turning off auto save, disabling controller vibration, and tweaking the language. The game is fully voice acted, but subtitles are still featured throughout.
How I reviewed Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
I played just under five hours of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S on Nintendo Switch 2, having played a significant amount more of the original Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 on Nintendo Switch, PC, and PS5.
During my time with the game, I compared my experience with that of the original release, making careful note of any differences. I endeavored to test every one of the new features, plus the new mode extensively.
It’s official: direct drive PC racing wheels have entered the affordable mainstream. While the prices of your groceries continue to skyrocket, simultaneously, sim racing hardware manufacturers have found a way to package high-quality, high-torque bundles together for south of $1,000, and newcomer Nacon introduces a new level of build quality and construction materials in that sub-$1,000 price point with its debut Revosim bundle.
The wheelbase can exert up to 9Nm of torque (translation: loads), which is notably more than the Thrustmaster T598, the no-brainer entry-level direct drive wheel. It’s cheaper than Moza’s R9 bundle while offering very similar build quality. It’s also more affordable than most variations of Fanatec’s CSL DD 8Nm bundles, and while Fanatec generally has the edge with the wheels it produces, Nacon’s pedals are superior to the ones Fanatec bundles in its sub-$1,000 CSL packages and it includes a strong and sturdy quick-release mechanism.
All that talk of prices and rival offerings is abstracting the headline news, though: driving feels good with this bundle. Although it’s still missing some default force feedback profiles and control assignment schemes in some titles (like F1 24, for example), there’s power and articulation right out of the box, with no need to tweak alpha values in the accompanying software.
And in the likes of Rennsport, Assetto Corsa Evo, The Crew Motorfest, and Le Mans Ultimate, which support it natively already, it feels right as soon as you hit the track. Extras like the phone mount attachment and swappable button fronts with custom stickers are also a very impressive value-add.
There’s a caveat: while it’s a fantastic option to add to a sim racing cockpit, it’s wholly impractical for desktop use. The pedals move around on the floor and will tip over when you hit the brake, and the desktop clamps protrude so far below the desk that they’re bound to hit your knees.
It’s for Playseat setups only, but in that context, Nacon’s bundled together a winning combo of powerful wheelbase, nicely finished wheel with customizable buttons, and smart and solid pedals with adjustable load cells so you can adjust the required stamping force to taste.
(Image credit: Future)
Nacon Revosim: Price and availability
List price: $799.99 / £699.99 (around AU$1,435)
Priced higher than Thrustmaster’s T598 but lower than Moza and Fanatec 8Nm and 9Nm bundles
Considering features and quality, it hits the price sweet spot
Price is a huge factor in this bundle. Nacon’s hit a really competitive point while adding extra features like a phone mount and customizable buttons, and with no signs of having cut corners on construction materials. Plastic is not prevalent in this bundle, and all the weighty, brushed aluminum used throughout is impressive for the price.
Thrustmaster’s T598 is the chief rival, since it’s currently the best affordable DD wheel bundle on the market, but Moza’s R5 and R9 bundles, along with Fanatec’s various CSL DD bundle configurations, are also in similar price territory.
Nacon Revosim: Specs
Price
$799.99 / £699.99 (around AU$1,435)
Weight
52.9lb / 24kg
Peak torque
9Nm
Features
Direct drive, customizable button covers, quick release wheel, two-pedal base, phone mount attachment
Connection type
USB-A
Compatibility
PC
Software
Revosim Software
(Image credit: Future)
Nacon Revosim: Design & features
Great finish quality on wheel and pedals
Wheelbase looks like Fanatec or Moza’s designs
Customizable details
The simplest terms you can use to appraise the design of a piece of sim racing hardware are these: does it look like it came out of a racing car, and does it feel like you’re driving a racing car when you use it? You don’t see RGB light zones on sim wheels for that reason. It’s supposed to immerse you in a virtual cockpit.
I’m really impressed by how well Nacon has managed to nail this aesthetic with its debut sim racing product. The wheelbase is compact and no-frills like Moza and Fanatec’s direct drive servos, but the wheel, quick release, and pedals all look and feel admirably automotive.
The wheel is the star of the show here. The wheel itself is finished in stitched pleather with a mixture of grippy perforated texture around the contact points and a smooth finish at six and twelve o’clock, with a white centering stripe at the very top. The quality of the stitching is extremely neat and tidy with zero loose threads on my review sample, and there’s a satisfying amount of cushioning to the wheel that I appreciated when the base was giving me jolts of feedback at full force to indicate collisions.
The input layout includes 12 face buttons, 11 of which have swappable keycaps with different color options and supplied stickers, one scroll wheel, a POV hat switch, and two magnetic switches on the back. Additionally, the scroller and hat switch can be pushed in to register a separate input binding.
That’s plenty for any racing sim. Personally, the most demanding title I play in terms of inputs is Assetto Corsa Competizione, and generally, I prefer to have two on-wheel dials to adjust TC and engine maps. That’s achieved easily enough on the Revosim, though, since the hat switch also has a rotational dial input. That leaves plenty of button inputs free for lights and wiper controls, menu commands, pit controls, and a view change.
The wheel shape and size is round, with less of a flat bar bottom than Moza’s R5 or R9 wheels, but neither is it perfectly round like the Thrustmaster T598. That means it’s just about applicable for any racing discipline from open wheeler stuff to rally and drift, though being a round wheel, it’s better suited to the latter two.
Nacon doesn’t currently make any other wheels to swap in its place, so if you’re a hardcore F1 racer, you might be better served by the likes of Fanatec’s CSL F1 bundle with its smaller F1-shaped wheel, though let’s be honest – in terms of lap times, there’s going to be very little difference.
(Image credit: Future)
I love the feel of the face buttons. They feel almost like mechanical switches (they’re not), and although there’s a tiny bit of lateral play, they feel of far superior quality to the input buttons on most sub-$1,000 wheels. The fact that their faces can be swapped out in different colors and stickers can be added to them from a supplied sheet is, I’m surprised to note, quite a big deal to me. It’s intrinsically enjoyable to set the wheel up with buttons particular to a specific game. The rotary dial and hat switch are less spectacular in how they feel, but they do the job reliably.
And if you’re going to install this into a cockpit, that’s all you need to know. There’s no ‘but’. For desktop users, though, the ‘but’ is considerable. This isn’t really a desktop-use wheel.
Some might argue that it’s priced high enough that the vast majority of its end users will have race seats anyway, but the fact that it’s bundled with desk clamps and marketed as being compatible for use on a desk means I have to judge it on those terms too, and the fact is it’s very awkward to use this base when clamped to your desk. The clamps will secure it tightly enough to withstand that 9Nm of force, but the clamps’ positioning and length mean you’re very likely to bang your knees against them, or else have to sit in a strange position to avoid them.
Down at ground level, the design of the pedal modules themselves is problem-free. Nice big contact patches with your feet, a variety of elastomers for the brake pedal’s load cell, so you can adjust stiffness. But the base design is once again not really fit for use outside of a cockpit.
The grip surfaces on the base don’t grip hard enough, and there’s nowhere near enough weight at the bottom of the pedal base to prevent it from tipping when you hit the brake, even when using the weakest elastomer. When you screw this directly to a cockpit pedal mount, it’s rock-solid and feels fantastic to use… but only then.
Let’s finish with a positive, though, to underline that poor desktop use is the only negative about this bundle. The quick-release mechanism is really exemplary stuff. Fanatec owners will probably break into a sweat at the mere mention of quick releases, since the company’s move from the QR1 to QR2 standards was nothing short of a debacle due to stock issues and the consumer experience is still confusing since several different tiers of QR2 mechanism are available for purchase, separate from the wheels themselves, and both wheel-side and base-side components need to be bought. Nacon’s mechanism creates a wonderfully tight, secure feel with no rattle or play between the wheel and base, and taking the wheel on and off is a smooth operation.
(Image credit: Future)
Nacon Revosim: Performance
Smooth, powerful torque delivery
Low latency articulation in games
Not all games have default mappings yet
Yes, it feels great to drive a lap with the Revosim. But to quantify exactly how good, we need to break it down in context.
First, direct drive versus belt-driven wheels. Belt-driven was the prevalent technology during force feedback wheels’ emergence in gaming, and it can give you plenty of feeling and a meaty jolt when it needs to. But inherent to the technology is a grainy feeling when rotating the wheel, a noisy motor, and ‘cogging’ – a sensation of the wheel snapping between tons of resistance and none, because the motor can’t keep up with the information being fed into it to articulate the feedback quickly and precisely enough.
Direct drive is a pricier alternative that articulates the force feedback without any belts, gears, or pulleys, and that means it’s faster, smoother, and feels closer to the real thing. Until very recently – the last 2-3 years – it’s been a prohibitively expensive tech which only enthusiasts have invested in, but following the lockdown sim racing boom, manufacturers including Thrustmaster, Logitech G, Fanatec, and the major industry disruptor Moza have all brought affordable, sub-$1,000 direct drive wheels to market.
So, firstly, in the most fundamental terms, Nacon’s Revosim wheel feels like a big step up compared to any belt-driven wheel, like the Logitech G923, or even Thrustmaster’s T-GT II, the Rolls-Royce of conventional belt-driven models.
(Image credit: Future)
So the real question is how it compares to those other direct drive bundles in the same price bracket. Most enthusiasts who follow the market will look straight to the 9Nm of torque, since on paper it’s a big selling point.
Thrustmaster’s T598 offers just 5Nm on the spec sheet, though the wheelbase uses a new axial drive tech which seems to be able to effectively ‘overclock’ torque and generate a much more muscular sensation than the number suggests. Moza’s R9 bundle offers 9Nm but sells for around $1,000, while Fanatec’s CSL DD QR2 base will get you to 8Nm for under $400, but that’s just for the base, not a bundle with a wheel or pedals.
However, after spending many hours with both the T598 and this wheel, I’m less of a stickler for the power numbers. The Thrustmaster is capable of outputting enough resistance to make my hands feel like they’re in a Tough Mudder after five laps, and let’s not forget that turning the steering wheel of a real car is not a feat of strength, even at speed and during traction loss. Articulation is what matters, and while max torque output is a part of that equation, it’s not as simple as looking for the higher number and deciding that’s better.
Back to the opening statement, then: it feels good to drive a lap with the Revosim because it’s capable of conveying weight transfer, traction loss, the unsettling floatiness of a car under heavy braking, and the quick spasms your wheel can make in complaint when you try to put a lot of power down in a low gear. For their part, the pedals both feel comfortable and offer the right amount of resistance, particularly so for the adjustable load cell brake pedal.
A final word should go to the inclusion of a phone mount, so that you can use a smartphone app like Simhub to turn your phone into a digital cockpit display. In real terms, this is just an extra piece of plastic in the box, but it’s a small inclusion that elevates the driving experience so much. That tells the story of the overall package: little details and additions that turn a good bundle into a great one.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Nacon Revosim?
Buy it if...
You race in a cockpit Look at other options if you race at your desktop, but if you’re mounting to a cockpit, this is as sturdy as it is comfortable.
You’re considering your first direct drive wheel What a great price this is for an entry-level DD wheel. You don’t need to make a big fiscal commitment to enjoy smoother driving.
You’re not going to upgrade piece by piece The Revosim ecosystem is small so far – in fact, it’s really just this bundle, plus a handbrake and sequential gearbox – so look elsewhere if you want a base that you’ll keep adding to.
Don't buy it if...
You’re already racing a direct drive wheel As great as this package is, you don’t need to worry that you’ve lost the competitive advantage that your Fanatec, Moza, or Thrustmaster wheel offered; now this one’s come along.
You need an F1-style wheel Despite the nice, quick-release mechanism, there aren’t currently any other first-party wheel shapes besides this round wheel.
You race on consoles The Revosim is PC only for now, so Gran Turismo 7 pros need not apply.
Nacon Revosim: also consider...
If the Nacon Revosim doesn’t turn your head, try these similarly priced rivals.
Nacon Revosim
Thrustmaster T598
Thrustmaster T-GT II
Price
$799.99 / £699.99 (around AU$1435)
$499.99 / £449.99 (around AU$899.99)
$799.99 / £699.99 (around AU$1,211.99)
Weight
52.9lbs / 24kg
14.1lbs / 6.4kg
29lbs / 13.2kg
Peak torque
9Nm
5Nm
Around 6Nm
Features
Direct drive, customizable button covers, quick release wheel, two-pedal base, phone mount attachment
Direct drive, modular pedal base, detachable rim, 100% torque overshoot
Detachable wheel, three-pedal base
Connection type
USB-A
USB-A
USB-A
Compatibility
PC
PS5, PS4, PC
PS5, PC
Thrustmaster T598 For a slightly more affordable entry point into direct drive racing, the T598 has a wonderfully smooth wheel actuation and tons more power than its Nm output suggests. Odd wheelbase shape and size, though.
Thrustmaster T-GT II Priced similarly but featuring older belt-driven tech, the T-GT II nonetheless offers a great experience for desktop users with minimal grainy sensation or cogging.
Tested in F1 24, F1 25, Rennsport, ACC, and AC Evo
Two weeks of testing in a cockpit and on a desktop
Variety of elastomers used, custom FFB profiles tested
Although it’s cheap for a direct drive wheel, this is still a big financial outlay, so the intended audience is the sim racer who goes where the serious competition lies. With that in mind, I headed to various racing sims where the hotlap leaderboards are fiercely contested and where PvP racing is (usually) conducted with a degree of sporting consideration. I also played F1 24 and F1 25.
Those titles run the gamut of supported and non-supported games, but even in the non-supported ones, I didn’t run into any major difficulties besides having to set my input binds button by button. Force feedback response was convincing and useful in every game.
I swapped out the elastomers to try a variety of braking stiffness levels, and while everyone has a preference, the important thing is that there’s sufficient variance out of the box that most racers will be able to find their preferred feel.
The same goes for force feedback strength – I tweaked a few values in all the games I played, to get a sense of where the min and max are for its feedback types, and found that both the floaty (cheaty) super-low FFB feel and the muscular, jolty response types are possible here with minimal tweaks.
Light spoilers follow for Peacemaker season 2 episodes 1 through 5. Full spoilers also follow for Peacemaker season 1 and The Suicide Squad.
It's incredibly rare to see a C-tier comic book anti-hero star in his own show. It's even less likely that such an individual, who's now arguably one of DC Comics' hottest commodities, would be positioned as the most important cog in a nascent cinematic franchise.
Few eyebrows are being raised about Peacemaker being that person, though. With season 1 of the titular character's TV series receiving critical and commercial acclaim in early 2022, it was a case of when, not if, a sophomore outing would arrive.
Over three years later, Peacemaker season 2 is not only ready to be unleashed, but also become a core component of James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe (DCU). The fact that this chaotic tragicomedy's next installment is as super as its first, and sets the stage for future DCU and DCU-adjacent projects, proves they made the right decision to use it as a key building block for their burgeoning shared universe.
Hero to zero
Whether it's saving the world or being grilled by school kids, Chris Smith can't catch a break (Image credit: HBO Max)
Set a few months after Gunn's Superman movie, Peacemaker season 2 reunites us with Chris Smith (John Cena), aka the eponymous anti-hero, as he continues to struggle with reconciling his past.
Things aren't much better in the present, either. A failed job interview to join The Justice Gang, the corporately owned team of metahumans introduced in Superman, coupled with Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) continually rejecting his romantic advances, leaves Smith longing for a better life.
I really got a kick out of Cena plumbing the depths of Smith's inner turmoil
As fate would have it, such an opportunity presents itself to Smith via the secret Quantum Unfolding Chamber (QUC), an inter-dimensional location outside of normal space that exists in the home of his deceased father, Auggie Smith (Robert Patrick). Inebriated one night, Smith stumbles onto a parallel world where his dead dad and brother are alive, and the Peacemaker of this world is a celebrated hero who's in a relationship with this universe's Harcourt. Hypnotized by this idyllic reality, Smith is drawn to it time and again – but, as the saying goes, the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
If the hit HBO Max show's second season sounds like it's putting a multiversal spin on introspective movies like It's a Wonderful Life with a Sliding Doors-style narrative, that's intentional.
Indeed, if season 1 trained its lens on Smith's superhuman alter-ego and his attempts to redeem the 'Peacemaker' name, its sequel is all about the man himself reflecting on the choices he's made and, if he had a do-over, how he'd handle things differently. I really got a kick out of Cena plumbing the depths of Smith's inner turmoil and, despite Smith's efforts to deal with them more maturely, his deeply flawed approach to handling his demons with external vices and increasingly regular trips to an alternate dimension that allow him to live a double life.
Harcourt and Smith's relationship is put through the wringer this season (Image credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/Max)
Parallels can be drawn between Smith's methodology and that of his perennial love interest, Harcourt. Harcourt's sense of self is rattled after she's fired by ARGUS and blacklisted by every US intelligence agency for apparently helping to expose former ARGUS chief Amanda Waller's role in Project Butterfly and Task Force X last season.
Two sides of the same coin, this impulsive pair uses physical pleasure and pain to numb themselves to their deep-seated trauma, and continues the show's exploration of the nature versus nurture debate in engrossing fashion through their individual arcs. Meanwhile, surprise-laden flashbacks to events that occur after 2021's The Suicide Squad, but before season 1, add a fascinating extra layer of complexity to their dynamic.
John Economos' (left) loyalties are split between his job and his friends this season (Image credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/Max)
The rest of Peacemaker's primary ensemble – who, alongside Smith and Harcourt, are collectively known as the 11th Street Kids – also face similar soul-searching experiences as part of their season 2 arcs.
Indeed, the six-month time jump between Smith chancing upon another universe and this season's main storyline is sufficient enough to show how Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), John Economos (Steve Agee), and Adrian Chase/Vigilante's (Freddie Stroma) lives have changed.
The fascinating regression of some friendships... gives Peacemaker 2 a more pronounced soap opera edge than its forebear.
There's a greater emphasis on what makes each character tick and how they deal with setbacks, too, through their more substantial individual arcs this season. The pleasing progression of certain core dynamics and nascent character pairings gives rise to new kinds of awkward, albeit heart-warming, camaraderie. Equally, the fascinating regression of some friendships adds more than a pinch of melodrama, giving Peacemaker 2 a more pronounced soap opera edge than its forebear.
Admittedly, some characters get more to do than others. I was pleased to see the often underappreciated Agee shine in a much bigger role this season, and even Eagly, Smith's rambunctious White Eagle pet/sidekick, gets a funny, though quickly resolved, subplot this time around. However, I wish Stroma's scene-stealing sociopath wasn't relegated to the sidelines as much as he is. Hopefully, season 2 will rectify this glaring oversight in its final three episodes.
Careful what you wish for
Langston Fleury and Sasha Bordeaux are two of numerous new additions to Peacemaker's cast (Image credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/HBO Max)
With numerous supporting cast members killed off in season 1, there are plenty of vacancies to fill on its follow-up's roster.
So, how do they fare in the DCU Chapter One show? They're all terrific, but Tim Meadows' Langston Fleury and Michael Rooker's Red St. Wild are the pick of the bunch. The former – a greasy, smug, and misogynistic sycophant – picks up the cocksure slack that Cena's Smith discards this season, while the latter plays to Rooker's character strengths as a delightfully unhinged individual who's drafted in by ARGUS director Rick Flag Sr (Frank Grillo) and his deputy Sasha Bordeaux (Sol Rodriguez) to track down Eagly for reasons I won't spoil.
Frank Grillo returns as Rick Flag Sr after appearing in Superman and Creature Commandos season 1 (Image credit: Jessica Miglio/Max)
Like Stroma's Chase, I was initially disappointed over the use of Grillo's Flag Sr. Apart from a couple of scenes, including one of the flashbacks I mentioned earlier, Waller's recently-installed replacement – he was hired by ARGUS eight months before season 2's primary story begins – mostly takes a backseat in this season's first four episodes.
Like Stroma's Chase, I was initially disappointed over the use of Grillo's Flag Sr
Okay, Grillo's active role in proceedings is dictated by how the plot unfolds. However, considering Grillo told me that Flag Sr would be "on a mission" for justice in Peacemaker 2 – remember, the titular anti-hero killed his son in The Suicide Squad – I'd hope this storyline would've featured more heavily in earlier entries. Thankfully, once season 2 refocuses its efforts on the Flag Sr portion of the plot, the full weight and impact of Peacemaker's actions in that 2021 Gunn-directed film reverberate through episode 5 and, hopefully, in its final three chapters.
Leota Adebayo and Adrian Chase spend more time together this season compared to its predecessor (Image credit: HBO Max)
While we're on the topic of The Suicide Squad, season 2 does a mostly good job of confirming what parts of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), i.e., Warner Bros' previous superhero-packed cinematic franchise, are officially canon in the DCU.
Ever since Gunn confirmed Peacemaker's second season would be part of his new-look shared universe, fans have wondered how it would handle this. Season 1 and The Suicide Squad were technically part of the DCEU – learn more about it via my DC movies in order guide – before Gunn and Safran's reboot. Smith's surprising but crowd-pleasing cameo in Superman, as well as Peacemaker season 2's official trailer, did little to answer fans' biggest questions. Fortunately, all is revealed through a handy 'previously on...' segment just minutes into this season's premiere. No spoilers, but I think the vast majority of fans will be pleased with the way that Gunn humorously retcons a particular scene from last season's finale – one that was the biggest canonical headache for many.
Michael Rooker's Red St. Wild is the primary antagonist of this season's Eagly-led subplot (Image credit: HBO Max)
Expected though they are, it's marvellous to see events and characters from the wider DCU play active roles in Peacemaker 2. Whether it's references to Superman's story, or episode 1's brilliantly dysfunctional interview scene involving The Justice Gang, I was heartened to see these narrative yarns spun out further and prove that, unlike Marvel's cinematic juggernaut, events on the big screen can and should be felt keenly in their small screen counterparts.
I'll admit season 2's new title sequence steadily grew on me to the point where I was actively singing along to it
And what of the most anticipated part of the show's return – i.e., this season's new title sequence. Last season's opening credits went viral in early 2022, with Gunn telling Entertainment Weekly it was watched four billion times on TikTok. No pressure, then, to make it as good, if not better.
Initially, I wasn't a fan of season 2's glam-rock-inspired dance number. With each episode that passed, though, I'll admit it steadily grew on me to the point where I was actively singing along to 'Oh Lord' by Foxy Shazam, aka the licensed song this season's ambitious choreographed sequence is set to. Don't be surprised if you feel the same way after re-watching it multiple times.
My verdict
Peacemaker season 2 is an impressive, entertaining, and startlingly thought-provoking continuation of its predecessor. A series packed with the usual trappings of a James Gunn project – dark and awkward humor, heart-wrenching moments, action-heavy sequences, a banging soundtrack, reams of melodrama, and broken characters you can't help but adore – it's must-see TV for DC comic book devotees, nascent DCU fans, and casual observers alike.
There are blemishes, some of which I've outlined above and others, like the occasionally jarring tonal shift, ruin its chances of earning a better rating. However, those flaws are comparatively minor in the grand scheme of things.
As I mentioned up top, not many DC Comics characters could carry their own series and be an integral part of the DCU storytelling machine. And yet, Peacemaker proves that, with the right cast and crew, and a creator who understands the material, anything is possible. If Chris Smith existed in the real world, I'm convinced the high regard he's held in by viewers would finally help him to *ahem* make peace with his past.
Peacemaker's second season launches with a two-episode premiere on August 21 (North and South America) and August 22 (everywhere else). Read my dedicated guide for Peacemaker season 2 before it arrives.
