Gadgets - Organizer

The new Alienware Area-51 (2025) delivers incredible performance, but at an obscene cost

4:30 pm | May 28, 2025

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Two-minute review

Alienware has a reputation among system-building enthusiasts for being, well, a little odd, a little out of the ordinary. As premium brands go, there's a certain air about it, a je ne sais quoi, so to speak. Iconic? Perhaps, but it also doesn't know quite what it wants to be. Whether it's a company that's dedicated to the teenage gamer from yesteryear or the modern-day millennial professional is still up for debate, and its products show that. None more so than the Alienware Area-51 (2025), I've been testing over the last few weeks.

Built for a gamer who's not interested in the finer details, yet equipped with enough hardware to simulate the sun, it has a professional workstation price tag but a physical appearance that'd be more at home in 2009 than 2025. It's got a top-tier spec sheet, yet lacks some of the fundamentals that would make it a more pro-grade workstation. In short, who it's for is kind of a mystery.

The unit I tested comes with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor, Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU, 64GB of DDR5, and a 2TB PCIe 5.0 SSD, so this is not going to be a budget gaming PC, that's for sure. The configuration I tested comes in at $5,700 in the US (although that's with a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, not the 5.0 SSD in review), £5,469 in the UK, and an obscene AU$12,320 in Australia. That is a staggering cost, particularly when you consider similar-spec'd DIY machines can be built for a lot less.

That, of course, comes with some fairly major caveats. If you do want to build your own machine, you have to know what you're doing, put in the research, and be comfortable buying all those individual parts and putting it all together. There is some justification for skipping all of that and picking one of these up. Particularly if you're dead set on the hardware and have the budget for it.

The inside of the Alienware Area-51 (2025) — (Image credit: Future / Zak Storey)

What you get is otherworldly performance, as you'd imagine. Computational tasks absolutely crumble before the Area-51, and gaming, particularly at 4K, is outstanding with even the most intense titles out there landing north of 100 fps on average without AI upscaling or any of the more modern frame generation shenanigans. Slap those settings on top of that stock performance, and that RTX 5090 just runs away with it, hitting frame rates well into the 200s.

The Area-51 keeps its components nice and cool too, thanks to twin 180mm intake fans in the front, two 120mm fans in the PSU floor, plus a 360mm AIO in the roof, exhausting upwards. That's all backed up with a rather curious 1500W platinum-rated PSU delivering power to the lot.

Aside from the premium pricing, problems also arise when you begin to dig under the surface. The rear I/O on that custom Alienware motherboard is sub-tier at best, with an overreliance on USB-C and very little USB-A at all, and the rest of the I/O is equally as lackluster, with minimal ethernet support and little in the way of integrated HDMI/DisplayPort or other features all too commonplace on even the cheapest of modern-day Z890 boards.

Then there's the case itself. It's big, bulky, and far too heavy. The dimensions are massive, and on delivery, the entire thing weighs 88 lbs (or 40 kg), requiring either one strong PC gamer or a two-person team to lift it and chuck it on your desk. That's surprising given the exterior of the chassis feels particularly dull, mostly composed of an unemotive satin plastic, rather than the thick, girthy steel you'd likely expect, given the heft.

Yes, there are those signature Alienware curves and lines and enough RGB lighting dotted around to keep that 15-year-old kid in you happy, but it just lacks the finesse that the best gaming PCs of this price and caliber should come with, and that's a problem.

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Price & Availability

How much is it? Starting at $3,749.99 / £3,799 / AU$7,271
When is it available? You can pick one up today
Where can you get it? Directly from Dell's webstore

Let's be fair, we all knew the price tag for this thing was going to be ridiculous; after all, it's without a doubt Alienware's signature party trick and is loaded down with top-tier specs from the best graphics cards, best processors, best RAM, and best SSDs you can find on the market right now.

The Area 51 starts at $3,749.99 / £3,799 / AU$7,271 in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively, which is still pretty premium as far as gaming PCs go. That's especially true considering you're getting a Core Ultra 7 system with an RTX 5080, 32GB DDR5 (or even 16GB DDR5 in Australia), and fairly modest 1TB or 2TB storage. The RTX 5090 configuration I tested (with Core Ultra 9 285K, 64GB RAM, and 2TB PCIe SSD) comes in at $5,699.99 in the US, £5,469 in the UK, and a frightful AU$12,320 Down Under.

If I'm honest, we've not tested much like this PC at TechRadar to date, largely because of the RTX 5090 at its heart. And while it's an unabashed monster that delivers exceptional performance, compared to last gen's RTX 4090, it's seen a significant price increase—and that was before Nvidia's low availability and stock issues that it's suffered since its release.

Put this against the best price possible on a DIY rig, though, with the same component tier as my review unit, and the price difference is substantial. According to PC Part Picker, a DIY build would set you back just $4,842.91 in the US, £4,267.64 in the UK, or AU$9,914.60 in Australia. It's up to you whether you want to pay a roughly 18-28% premium to have a prebuilt system like this, but you can likely get the same performance for cheaper.

Value: 3 / 5

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Specs

Solid starting configurations in the US and UK
Easy to upgrade later down the line
Configuration options vary greatly by region

Alienware Area-51 (2025) Base Specs
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price	$3,749.99 at Dell.com	£3,799 at Dell.com	AU$7,271 at Dell.com
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 7 265	Intel Core Ultra 7 265	Intel Core Ultra 7 265
GPU	Nvidia RTX 5080	Nvidia RTX 5080	Nvidia RTX 5080
Memory	32GB DDR5-6400	32GB DDR5-6400	16GB DDR5-5600
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD	2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD	1TB SSD
Cooling	240mm AIO	360mm AIO	240mm AIO
PSU	1500W 80+ Platinum	1500W 80+ Platinum	850W 80+ Gold

All configurations come with a custom 02JGX1 E-ATX Z890 motherboard and vary from there based on region. Additionally, all models feature a bespoke PSU, with the US and Australia starting with an 80+ Gold 850W power supply, while the UK only has an option for a 1500W 80+ Platinum PSU.

The US and Australia start with 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD storage, while the UK starts with a larger 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. The US and Australia also start with a smaller 240mm AIO cooler, while the UK only has a 360mm AIO option.

There are also a total of eight fans included: two 180mm intakes, two 120mm intakes in the PSU floor, and three 120mm exhausts hidden above the topmost radiator.

Starting memory options come in the form of a dual-channel kit of Kingston Fury DDR5, ranging from 16GB all the way up to 64GB capacity, depending on your region.

Alienware Area-51 (2025) Max Specs
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price	$6,099.99 at Dell.com	£6,299.02 at Dell.com	AU$14,120.70 at Dell.com
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 9 285K	Intel Core Ultra 9 285K	Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
GPU	Nvidia RTX 5090	Nvidia RTX 5090	Nvidia RTX 5090
Memory	64GB DDR5-6400	64GB DDR5-6400	64GB DDR5-6400
Storage	4TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD	4TB + 4TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs	4TB + 4TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs
Cooling	360mm AIO	360mm AIO	360mm AIO
PSU	1500W 80+ Platinum	1500W 80+ Platinum	1500W 80+ Platinum

When it comes to max spec configurations, there's not much difference between regions, other than the US maxing out at just one 4TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, while the UK and Australia come with two 4TB PCIe 4.0 SSDs for a total of 8TB of storage.

For the top-tier configurations, you get an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU, 64GB DDR5-6400 memory with XMP overclocking, a 1500W Platinum-rated PSU, and a 360mm AIO cooler.

Alienware Area-51 (2025) review configuration
Price		$5,699.99 at Dell.com / £5,469.01 at Dell.com / AU$12,320 at Dell.com
CPU		Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
GPU		Nvidia RTX 5090
Memory		64GB DDR5-6400
Storage		2TB PCIe NVMe SSD (PCIe 4.0 in the US, PCIe 5.0 in UK and Australia)
Cooling		360mm AIO
PSU		1500W 80+ Platinum

The configuration I'm reviewing here is towards the higher end, featuring a Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 5090, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB SSD, though the closest US config to my review unit has a PCIe 4.0 SSD, rather than a PCIe 5.0. It also has a 360mm AIO cooler and the beefier 1500W PSU.

Specs: 4 / 5

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Design

An Alienware Area-51 (2025) on a desk — (Image credit: Future / Zak Storey)

Oversized case leaves much to be desired
Internal industrial styling is intense
External shell a bit dull in the modern era

The Alienware Area-51 desktop is big. Seriously big. Its monstrous size will likely keep it off most desks. Even on my own test bench, at three meters long and 60cm deep, it could easily hang off the edge if I had situated it like I do my normal machine.

It's heavy too; that nearly 90 lbs/40kg weight is nothing to snort at—it's the kind of heft I'd expect from a custom liquid-cooled machine, not a pre-built system like this that's mostly comprised of plastic and a single AIO cooler.

An Alienware Area-51 (2025) on a desk with a triple-slot GPU next to it to show scale — (Image credit: Future / Zak Storey)

The overall design is alright. It's got that Alienware chic, with the curves and the alien head logo on the front. Fonts are tidy, and cooling is for the most part well implemented across the board. The internal layout is massive, and there are QR codes littered everywhere for you to scan if you ever need a handy guide on how to update the graphics card or install new memory in the future. It still looks better suited to a launch a decade ago by modern styling standards.

What's less impressive is Alienware cutting some corners to bring this machine to market. Cable management internally is less than stellar. There are no braided cables here, and although the rear of the case is tidy, neat, and well-managed, there's a lot of extra cable around the front jutting out that's quite unsightly, or it's bound together awkwardly, pushed into headers on that bespoke motherboard.

There's even a massive chunk of metal strapped to the right-hand side of the GPU, solely to help cable-manage that 12VHPWR cable going into the RTX 5090, which not only feels massively overkill but also kind of doesn't work, as it's still draped along the top of it anyway. I mean, yes, technically it is acting as an anti-sag bracket as well here. The RTX 5090 isn't the lightest of cards out there, but there are so many better, more elegant solutions out there these days than just a large block of rectangular metal. It's a real shame.

The CPU cooler on the Alienware Area-51 (2025) — (Image credit: Future / Zak Storey)

Then there's that custom Z890 motherboard, the adorably named—hang on, let me check my notes here—ah yes, the 02JGX1. A bizarre-looking thing, complete with two DIMM slots for your RAM, three M.2 ports, and, well, that's about it.

It does look like Alienware has attempted to lean into that industrial aesthetic here, but there's so much exposed PCB, wireless cards, and ports just littered everywhere, combined with that poor cabling, it's seriously distracting.

Power phase setup is fairly tame too (which directly translates to CPU performance, which I'll speak to momentarily), with a 14-phase design, and the rear I/O is practically nonexistent, with only a smattering of USB Type-A and far too many USB Type-C.

You get one Ethernet port and WiFi support (weirdly running as a passthrough all the way at the bottom of the chassis), and that's kind of it. No Clear CMOS, BIOS flashback, HDMI or DisplayPort out, and no 5.1 audio either.

I bring this up very specifically because this is a $5,700 machine, and motherboards at $235 deliver far more for far less.

Design: 3 / 5

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Performance

Incredible 4K gaming framerates
PCIe 5.0 SSD rips
CPU relatively sluggish

Alienware Area-51 (2025) Benchmarks

Here's how the Alienware Area-51 (2025) performed in our suite of synthetic and gaming benchmarks:

Cinebench R24 (Multi-core): 2,186; (Single-core): 136
Geekbench 6.4 (Multi-core): 21,786; (Single-core): 3,148

CrossMark Overall: 2,500
CrossMark Creativity): 2,872
CrossMark Productivity: 2,256
CrossMark Responsiveness: 2,242

3DMark Fire Strike: 44,342
3DMark Time Spy: 36,886
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra: 30,352
3DMark Time Spy Extreme: 22,215
3DMark Speed Way: 14,285
3DMark Steel Nomad: 13,707
3DMark Port Royal: 34,020

Black Myth: Wukong (1080p, Cinematic): 102 fps; (4K, Cinematic): 59 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 120 fps; (4K, Ultra): 57 fps
Metro: Exodus (1080p, Extreme): 149 fps; (4K, Extreme): 90 fps
Monster Hunter Wilds (1080p, Highest): 102 fps; (4K, Highest): 79 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Highest): 244 fps; (4K, Highest): 169 fps
Total War: Warhammer III Battle (1080p, Ultra): 291 fps; (4K, Ultra): 150 fps

When it comes to performance, the Area-51 delivers, although you probably expect it to with top-line specs like it has.

Cinebench R24 performance was well into the two thousands, with a multi-core count of 2,186, on average, and an average single-core score of 136. That's not too shabby at all. In fact, the multi-score number is around 91 points per thread, making it wildly efficient. Similarly, Geekbench 6 also had a pretty good outing, with 21,786 points scored on the multi-core and 3,148 in single-core performance.

That SK Hynix PCIe 5.0 drive in my system, though, is the real winner, and although its sequentials were relatively low for a modern-day PCIe 5.0 drive (averaging just 12.3 GB/s on both read and write), the random 4K performance absolutely decimates pretty much every drive I've seen this year. Its random 4K read performance hit a relatively speedy 113 MB/s, with random writes coming in at 350 MB/s. You're going to see some seriously quick load times with this drive.

Temperatures and power draw were well within parameters, too, with the CPU topping out at around 92°C and the GPU at 75.8°C. Nothing out of the ordinary there. And while it is power-thirsty, the max power draw I saw during testing hit 840.8 W from the wall at peak, which isn't great, but isn't the worst either.

On the gaming side, in my 1080p testing, pretty much every title was well into the 120+ fps range or higher without the help of DLSS or Frame Gen, and a 4K, I saw upwards of 150 fps in Total War: Warhammer III's Battle benchmark, while Cyberpunk 2077 averaged 57 fps at 4K with ray tracing and no DLSS support at all.

The only mild problem I have with this setup is the slight discrepancy against an equally kitted-out rig I built earlier this year. Complete with an RTX 5090 plus Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, my own DIY rig beat out the Area-51 in practically every graphical and computational test.

At a guess, this is likely down to that CPU performance being heavily limited by the 14-phase VRM design, as it just couldn't produce enough juice to keep that Ultra 9 running at full speed for as long as its DIY counterpart.

The odd element about that, though, is that the DIY machine only featured a $220 Gigabyte motherboard, yet temps were at 100°C for the chip (and stable), but performance, both computational and in-game, was around 5-10% higher, depending. For a system that's $1,500 cheaper, that's not a good look.

Performance: 4 / 5

Should You Buy The Alienware Area-51 (2025)?

Alienware Area-51 (2025) Scorecard
Category	Verdict	Score
Value	This isn't a cheap gaming PC, not one bit. Unless you can justify the cost, or it saves you time in some manner, you'd be far better off building your own.	3 / 5
Specs	With the right config, you can easily get the best of the best hardware on the market right now, and you can upgrade it later—if you've got any budget left over.	4 / 5
Design	A design straight of the 2010s, there's numerous fumbles here that let down an otherwise stellar spec sheet.	3 / 5
Performance	Unsurprisingly with that top-tier hardware it absolutely dominates 4K gaming and any task you can throw at it.	4 / 5
Total	Big, bold, and a bit brash. It delivers on the performance front, but with mediocre styling, average build quality, and an insane price, it doesn't quite hit the mark.	3.5 / 5

Buy the Alienware Area-51 If…

You need to save time
If you're not interested in building your own machine but want the best hardware, there's no denying this is a good pick, and easily upgradable long-term.

You have the desk space for it
It's massive; the case is seriously long, and it's heavy enough that you'll need help just getting it on your desk.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best value
A similarly kitted-out gaming PC, built yourself, can save you a lot of money.

You're looking for something a little more stylish
Alienware has a style you'll either love or hate, but if you're after something with sharp lines and modern flair, then aside from the interior, you might want to look elsewhere.

Originally reviewed May 2025

The Ring Outdoor Camera Plus is tough and versatile, but its advanced security features come at a price

4:19 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Home Security Smart Home | Comments: Off

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: two-minute review

Keeping an eye on your property remotely has become an obsession for many of us. No matter where you are in the world you can see exactly who is in your house and who has come to the front door. You can even use your camera to monitor the miserable weather back home while you are abroad enjoying sunshine.

Now owned by retailing behemoth Amazon, Ring was originally set up by US entrepreneur Jamie Siminoff as ‘Doorbot’ in 2013, but has since gone on to become one of the biggest names in the home security industry. As the name suggests, the Outdoor Cameras (previously known as Stick-Up Cameras) are designed for outdoor use, though there is no reason why you couldn’t use it indoors too – it can be just as easily placed on a table or desk as on the wall outside.

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus on a table indoors — (Image credit: Chris Price)

The Outdoor Camera Plus is certainly a versatile model with several mounting options, including a wall bracket (with wall plugs) as well as a rechargeable battery pack if a power cable isn't feasible (this wasn’t provided). Plastic covers stop water getting into the USB-C power port and the model is ‘weather-resistant’, not waterproof, so shouldn’t be submerged in water!

As with most home security cameras, set up is straightforward. Simply download the Ring app and scan the QR code with your phone’s camera to add the device to the app (several Ring devices can be viewed within the app, including cameras, video doorbells, chimes and alarms). You will then be taken through a set of voice-based instructions for syncing the camera to your home’s Wi-Fi, naming the device and updating its firmware. Usefully this new model features dual-band support so you can add it to either your 2.4GHz or 5GHz network as well as Amazon Alexa compatibility. For added security, two-factor authentication is also now provided.

When it comes to features, the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus doesn’t disappoint. You can set motion detection zones to avoid the camera capturing footage from, say, the swaying of tree branches. And it’s also possible to set up privacy zones that allow you to block out certain areas of the frame, even in ‘live view’. Instead, all you see on the screen is a black rectangle. It’s an unusual feature but one which is quite useful if you have neighbours concerned your camera can view/capture recordings from their property.

Screengrabs of motion detection settings for Ring Outdoor Camera Plus — (Image credit: Chris Price)

Another unusual feature in the menu is Smart Responses. This enables you to send out a warning message to people to tell them they are being recorded. However, it isn’t live on this device – at least yet. Other more conventional features include motion sensitivity for adjusting the amount of footage you capture (useful if you want to preserve battery life) and motion schedules for setting the times of day you want to record movement.

But that’s not all. For those who subscribe to Ring’s monthly subscription plans, other functions are available too. These include ‘smart alerts’ which filter different types of motion into categories – ie parcel, person and vehicles. Providing you pay for the £15.99 per month Ring Premium service, there’s also an AI-driven smart video search tool that can identify certain objects in your device's recorded motion events.

For example, just enter ‘dog’ into the search bar you can see all the times your dog has been captured by the camera while ‘red top’ will bring up footage of anyone wearing a red top in the recorded events. Particularly useful is that you can log into your Ring account on the web so you can view footage of all your cameras while working on your laptop, something which isn’t possible with more basic models.

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: price and availability

Prices start at $69 / £69 / AU$179
Additional solar panel costs extra
Launched March 2025

Ring security cameras certainly aren't expensive to buy compared to some of the best home security cameras. At the time of writing, you can pick up the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus for £69 / $69 / $179 (considerably cheaper than the launch price). However, just like printer companies make their money from selling expensive printer cartridges, home security companies make theirs from selling costly subscriptions.

And really you don’t get too much more expensive than Ring’s monthly subscriptions. Whereas some companies, such as Blink, charge under $5 / £5 / AU$10 a month for a subscription, with Ring you are looking at double that – and that’s just the entry level subscription. If you want all the bells and whistles, such as the Smart Video Search outlined earlier, it will set you back a hefty $19.99 / £15.99 per month (and this top-tier subscription isn't even available in Australia).

In my opinion that’s simply far too much money, unless you are using the Ring for professional purposes such as monitoring, say, high street shops (in which case there are more advanced video surveillance systems available). Far better if you need to keep the recordings is to choose a security camera which provides the option of recording footage locally on a USB stick or MicroSD card.

Value score: 3/5

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: subscription options

Ring Home Basic:

$4.99 / £4.99 / AU$4.95 per month

$49.99 / £49.99 / AU$49.95 per year

Subscription for a single device. Includes up to 180 days of video event history, person and package alerts, video preview alerts, and 10% off Ring.com purchases.

Ring Home Standard:

$9.99 / £7.99 / AU$14.95 per month

$99.99 / £79.99 / AU$149.95 per year

Includes everything in Basic, plus all devices at one location, doorbell calls, extended live view, alarm cellular backup, and daily event summary.

Ring Premium:

$19.99 / £15.99 per month

$199.99 / £159.99 per year

Not currently available in Australia. Includes everything in Standard, plus 24/7 recording, continuous live view, and smart video search.

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: design

Upgraded from Ring Stick Up Camera
Versatile mounting
Flexible power options

With the Outdoor Camera Plus, Ring has made a few improvements over its predecessor, the third generation Ring Stick Up Camera (now called the Outdoor Camera). Most notable is its improved design, particularly the versatile mounting options. The Ring Outdoor Cam Plus can be mounted on a desktop/table, on a wall or roof eave using the screws and wall plugs provided. It can be mounted on the ceiling with an additional accessory (not provided as standard) and easily angled for optimum use.

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus battery hatch open — (Image credit: Chris Price)

Power is provided via the USB-C connector in the middle of the camera (a power cable wasn’t provided with our sample). Alternatively, you can take the Lithium-Ion battery out by swivelling the base to the unlock icon and removing it (ensuring you remove the card covering the charging points). You can then charge it via the orange Micro-USB cable provided until it’s ready for installation. Spare batteries are also available to buy online at Amazon of course.

Rear of Ring Outdoor Camera Plus showing charging cable — (Image credit: Chris Price)

Available in black or white, the Outdoor Cam Plus features a lens on the front which provides a 160-degree diagonal, 140-degree horizontal, and 80-degree vertical field of view. Underneath is a speaker while above there’s a small microphone for two-way conversations with visitors. When movement is recorded a solid blue light is displayed at the top of the unit while during set up this flashes blue.

Design score: 4/5

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: performance

2K image quality
Stable video connection
Overly sensitive camera

Ring claims the Outdoor Camera Plus offers ‘brilliant 2K video quality’ but in all honesty there’s not a massive leap in quality between this model and its predecessor, the Ring Stick Up Camera. Whereas the previous model offered 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, this one boasts 2,560 x 1,440 (2K). In other words, an increase of 360 horizontal pixels and 640 vertical pixels – enough to see the difference when you zoom in to an image, but probably not otherwise.

Footage from Ring Outdoor Camera Plus on iPhone screen — (Image credit: Chris Price)

That said, I didn’t have any complaints about picture quality at all. Images are sharp even at night thanks to the ‘low-light sight’ feature (although colour is limited in low light) and the field of vision is also quite wide: 140-degree horizontal compared to 115 degrees on the Ring Stick Up Camera.

Another benefit is having dual-band Wi-Fi support (2.4GHz and 5GHz) which ensured images recorded on the camera and viewed in Live View were extremely stable even though the camera was mostly located in the back garden, a significant distance from my broadband router.

One thing worth noting is that the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus isn’t as sensitive as some models which record every bit of motion detected, even moving branches. Instead, you will probably need to turn the motion sensitivity option up a little bit just to capture all the footage you want. This will in turn use up more battery power so it’s worth considering either using the mains or a solar panel as a power supplement.

After nearly two weeks our sample model was already down to 50% so you will probably have to take the battery pack out for charging once a month – not the worst we’ve ever tested, but not the best either.

Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus?

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	While the actual camera itself is relatively cheap, the subscription which gives you most of the added functionality is very expensive.	3/5
Design	Available in black or white, the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus looks OK and is both compact and reasonably well designed. Suitable for a number of locations (indoors or outdoors) it can be powered by mains, battery or even solar power.	4/5
Performance	Offering 2K video quality, the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus provides stable, good quality, images in record mode and live view. However, battery life isn’t the best and the motion sensor isn’t particularly sensitive.	4/5
Overall	A decent home security camera, but the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus loses points for its expensive subscription packages and so-so battery life. Performance isn’t that much better than its predecessor, the Ring Stick Up Cam	3.5/5

Buy it if

You need a versatile home security solution

With support for battery, solar and mains power, the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus is particularly flexible. It can also be used indoors and outdoors.

You want the latest features

There’s no shortage of handy features including Amazon Alexa compatibility and different motion and privacy zone settings, as well as smart video search (if you subscribe).

Don't buy it if

You already have the Ring Stick Up Camera

While picture quality and design are slightly better than the Ring Stick Up Cam there aren’t too many other benefits to justify the upgrade

You don’t want to pay for a subscription

Unfortunately Ring charges more than most other home security camera manufacturers for subscriptions, and you'll need one to get the most out of the Outdoor Camera Plus.

How I tested the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus

I used the camera both indoors and outdoors
I installed it myself
The camera was integrated into my home system with other Ring cameras

Like most manufacturers, Ring makes adding new cameras to its app very simple indeed. Because I already had several Ring security cameras and doorbells connected to my existing app, I simply added another using the QR code at the back of the device. However, starting from scratch would have been just as straightforward.

I started off using the device mostly indoors to get the feel of it and then moved it to my garden where I mounted it on top of the shed focused on the back door. There it has remained ever since (about 12 days at the time of writing), capturing people and pets who go out into the garden. Ring provides a 30-day trial for all the advanced features, such as smart video search and person/package/video alerts, but after this runs out you will need to subscribe online at Ring.com (you can’t do this via the app).

First reviewed May 2025

The Ring Outdoor Camera Plus is tough and versatile, but its advanced security features come at a price

4:19 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Home Security Smart Home | Comments: Off

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: two-minute review

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: price and availability

Prices start at $69 / £69 / AU$179
Additional solar panel costs extra
Launched March 2025

Value score: 3/5

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: subscription options

Ring Home Basic:

$4.99 / £4.99 / AU$4.95 per month

$49.99 / £49.99 / AU$49.95 per year

Subscription for a single device. Includes up to 180 days of video event history, person and package alerts, video preview alerts, and 10% off Ring.com purchases.

Ring Home Standard:

$9.99 / £7.99 / AU$14.95 per month

$99.99 / £79.99 / AU$149.95 per year

Includes everything in Basic, plus all devices at one location, doorbell calls, extended live view, alarm cellular backup, and daily event summary.

Ring Premium:

$19.99 / £15.99 per month

$199.99 / £159.99 per year

Not currently available in Australia. Includes everything in Standard, plus 24/7 recording, continuous live view, and smart video search.

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: design

Upgraded from Ring Stick Up Camera
Versatile mounting
Flexible power options

Design score: 4/5

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus: performance

2K image quality
Stable video connection
Overly sensitive camera

Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus?

Ring Outdoor Camera Plus score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	While the actual camera itself is relatively cheap, the subscription which gives you most of the added functionality is very expensive.	3/5
Design	Available in black or white, the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus looks OK and is both compact and reasonably well designed. Suitable for a number of locations (indoors or outdoors) it can be powered by mains, battery or even solar power.	4/5
Performance	Offering 2K video quality, the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus provides stable, good quality, images in record mode and live view. However, battery life isn’t the best and the motion sensor isn’t particularly sensitive.	4/5
Overall	A decent home security camera, but the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus loses points for its expensive subscription packages and so-so battery life. Performance isn’t that much better than its predecessor, the Ring Stick Up Cam	3.5/5

Buy it if

You need a versatile home security solution

With support for battery, solar and mains power, the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus is particularly flexible. It can also be used indoors and outdoors.

You want the latest features

There’s no shortage of handy features including Amazon Alexa compatibility and different motion and privacy zone settings, as well as smart video search (if you subscribe).

Don't buy it if

You already have the Ring Stick Up Camera

While picture quality and design are slightly better than the Ring Stick Up Cam there aren’t too many other benefits to justify the upgrade

You don’t want to pay for a subscription

Unfortunately Ring charges more than most other home security camera manufacturers for subscriptions, and you'll need one to get the most out of the Outdoor Camera Plus.

How I tested the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus

I used the camera both indoors and outdoors
I installed it myself
The camera was integrated into my home system with other Ring cameras

First reviewed May 2025

IMSI Design FloorPlan Pro 2025 review

9:47 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Home design apps and tools are plentiful these days, and you’ll find loads f options for designing interior and exterior spaces online, on your desktop, and on mobile devices. IMSI Design FloorPlan Pro offers high end options for your desktop.

I was keen to see how this professional design tool compared to the best interior design software I've tested - especially considering the company behind it is also responsible for the excellent TurboCAD.

Interested in FloorPlan Pro? Check out the website here

FloorPlan Pro; Pricing & plans

It's not the cheapest 3D home design software out there, but it promises to offer a wealth of features, which you can try free for 15 days

As for this writing, although FloorPlan Pro is available for both Macs and PCs, the former hasn’t been updated in years, and we’ve been told a brand new version is just round the corner. As such, we’ll be focusing our attention on the Windows version.

FloorPlan Pro is the high-end version of IMSI Design’s 3D home design family, the other two being “FloorPlan Deluxe”, and “FloorPlan Instant Architect”. As such it bears the highest price at just under US$280.

With it, you’ll get over 1,000 3D interior design furnishings and materials, over 4,000 plants for landscaping, foundation and HVAC planning tools, advanced dimensioning tools, the ability to import your own materials, backgrounds and plants, and much more.

This is a big software package and you may feel you need time to explore it and make sure it offers all the features you’re after. Thankfully, IMSI Design allow you to try their program free for 15 days.

Score: 4 / 5

FloorPlan Pro: Quick Start

IMSI Design FloorPlan Pro during our review — The Quick Start section helps you design the overall structure of your buildings in minutes (Image credit: IMSI Design )

A great way to quickly and easily create the basic outline of the building you’re about to create

There’s little doubt that FloorPlan Pro is replete with powerful features, and is designed with someone who’s serious about 3D home design in mind. However, despite that, the software is also designed to be as approachable as possible, and this is made exceedingly clear from the outset, thanks to the Quick Start section, which greets you when you launch the software.

This enables you to create the bare bones of your building in next to no time: to the right is a sidebar containing various generic rooms, such as a Kitchen, a Bedroom, a Garage, and so forth. Drag them onto your blank canvas (pretty much the rest of the interface), resize them, place them next to others, and within seconds, you’ll have created the outline of your building.

Now, you can’t do much else with this section - you can’t even add windows or doors - that’s for later on - but it does let you get started at lightning speed. Once you’re happy with the results, click on ‘Continue’ to access the ‘proper’ interface.

Score: 4.5 / 5

FloorPlan Pro: Interface

The interface feels crowded as there are buttons and icons on every edge of the screen, but everything is well organised and it won’t take you long to figure out where everything is and make good use of the available tools

FloorPlan Pro’s main interface is pretty busy, although well organised, despite the fact it looks antiquated and could do with a more modern lick of paint. You have alignment controls at the bottom, a series of cursors offering different functions to the left, and at the top, all the tools you need to design your home, organised by category, with ‘Floor’ being selected by default.

That section contains the tools you need to build walls, add windows and doors, insert stairs, railings, columns, and more. Other categories allow you to work on the foundations, add a roof, design the electrics and plumbing, work on the ventilation and air conditioning, add a deck, landscape the outside, etc. It’s incredibly full featured.

If you’re unsure what a tool does, just hover over it for a couple of seconds, and a detailed tooltip will appear telling you exactly what it does, and how to use it. Some even include a short animation to explain the concept more clearly.

By default, you’ll be working in a traditional 2D view, but you can also add a 3D view to the mix, which you can explore in parallel. You can use it to navigate through your design, select items and such, but you cannot manipulate your work from there.

When it comes to making alterations, the interface is very responsive: click on an object to select it, and drag it to move it around or resize it. We did notice however, that unlike other competing products, when you reposition a wall, adjoining walls aren’t resized and repositioned at the same time to accommodate that wall’s new position: you need to work on each in turn.

It’s cumbersome if you’ve grown used to the other way of working, but it shouldn’t be a deal breaker, especially if you like more precise control over your project.

Score: 4 / 5

FloorPlan Pro: Tools

There’s a lot of tools at your disposal, and once you’re used to the interface’s layout, you’ll start enjoying the creation process

As mentioned above, you can find the tools along the interface’s edges, and once you’ve gotten used to their location, accessing the right tool when you need it becomes second nature. In fact we found designing a project to be pretty easy considering the number of available options - not as easy as the “Quick Start” feature, mind, but still, it can become an immersive experience, as you focus on your design.

Working primarily in 2D to create your project might be viewed as a drawback, but there’s an inherent simplicity to the concept that we ended up enjoying the process, occasionally switching to 3D to see how it was all shaping up. The biggest drawback though is that you need a large screen, especially with the 3D view activated, as it can overlap with the rest of the interface and all too easily gets in the way, especially when you’re furnishing your building.

When it comes to furnishings and materials, everything is located in a drop down menu to the right. All items are organised by category which you can explore, or just use the search field to quickly find what you’re looking for, which you then click and drag onto your design.

We really liked the landscape feature, and can understand why FloorPlan Pro have so many available plants for you to populate your grounds with. The versatility is immense, even allowing you to create uneven ground, creating a much more realistic look for the surrounding area; you can even build a house, cut into a hill for instance, and turn the garden into a dense forest.

The 3D view truly comes into its own when altering the landscape, as this is where you get to change the topography with the various available tools.

Score: 4 / 5

Should I buy FloorPlan Pro?

Image 1 of 3

Image 2 of 3

Image 3 of 3

Buy it if...

You’re looking for a professional-grade home design program, with a vast array of features and options, and don’t mind the somewhat dated interface.

Don't buy it if...

You prefer creating, designing and altering your house in a 3D environment, or feel you need an interface that looks a little more modern.

For more design essentials we tested the best landscape design software and the best architecture software.

BeLight Software Live Home 3D review

7:03 pm | May 27, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Tags: Live Home | Comments: Off

Do a little search online and you’ll find a plethora of 3D home design software. BeLight Software’s Live Home 3D aims to provide a solution no matter which platform you’re on: the company has apps for your Mac or Windows computer, iOS or Android phones and tablets, and even the Apple Vision Pro.

For the purposes of this review, we’ll be looking at the desktop versions to see how this popular tool measures up to the best interior design software we've tested.

Interested in Live Home 3D? Check out the website here

Live Home 3D: Pricing & plans

A limited free version, a 30-day money back guarantee for the other tiers, with clear information about what’s included in each, and no need to hand over your payment details or email address to check the software out

Live Home 3D comes in three versions. One is free and two must be paid for. The free one has severe limitations: you can only design building with up to two stories, for instance, you can't create custom materials, nor can you edit the terrain outside of your building; your renders and video walkthrough will be watermarked, and limited to 720p for videos, and 2048x1536 for stills.

The Standard version removes many of these limitations: you can now work with an unlimited number of levels, and your renders are no longer watermarked, for instance. This will currently cost you $50 for a lifetime licence.

Pro is worth $100, also for a lifetime licence, and introduces the ability to work on the terrain, alter lighting, change camera settings, edit materials, and increase the resolution of both videos and images.

You’ll also find discounts for students, and members of non-profit organisations.

BeLight also offers a 30-day money back guarantee. One thing worth noting, Unlike Macs who have a dedicated free version, Windows users can download the Standard version for free, and have an in-app purchase to unlock features beyond those available in the free version.

Downloading the software is easy. You’re not asked for any payment information, and you’re not even required to hand over your email address. Can’t really get less obtrusive than that.

Score: 4.5 / 5

Live Home 3D: Interface

BeLight Software's Live Home 3D during our review — Live Home 3D’s interface is simple and well-designed, with icons at the top and sidebars on either side (Image credit: BeLight Software)

A single interface, with icons at the top and sidebars on each side, Live Home 3D also comes with a wealth of templates and canvases of different sizes should you prefer to start working from scratch

Live Home 3D sports a very simple and elegant interface. You have a row of tools at the top, a sidebar on the left, where you get to choose items and materials, as well as seeing a list of objects you’ve added to each floor, and an Inspector to the right, allowing you to access all of a selected object’s parameters.

In many ways, the software looks deceptively simple. You can easily start designing a building in seconds, adding walls, doors, windows, and furniture with ease, but the number of values you can alter is huge, all located in the Inspector section, giving you full control over the look of your creation, should you wish to be meticulously precise.

When creating a new document, you’re given a few options in terms of scale: do you wish to build a single room, an apartment, or a house? Either would work to start with, but this just sets the basic size of the canvas you’ll be working on. You’ll also find a wealth of sample designs for you to explore and get inspired by, be they single rooms, houses, apartments or cottages. All these templates are free, save for the ‘Additional Houses’ which offer more ‘exotic’ designs (who lives in a pineapple house, I ask you), and are available via a separate purchase.

Score: 4.5 / 5

Live Home 3D: Tools

The tools are excellent and extremely easy to use, along with a wealth of parameters you’re free to use or ignore

We’ve explored many 3D home design packages, from simple free ones, to the best architecture software for professionals. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but it really feels to us that Live Home 3D has combined the best of most of these.

Erecting walls is incredibly easy. Not only is it a simple click and drag to add one, you can also just click on a wall and then drag it to alter its position. Any adjoining wall will be altered as you do this, saving you a lot of time. Even better, if you add a new wall close enough to an existing one, Live Home 3D is clever enough to understand you want those two walls to join, and does this for you automatically.

Doors and windows snap to walls automatically as you drag them near one, and this also works with angled walls. It’s like you’ve got an intelligent assistant just waiting to help make your design work so effortless. Of course, just like walls, you can resize doors and windows by selecting them and dragging their edges inwards or outwards. More precise alterations can be done via the Inspector panel on the right.

Just above the Inspector are the view modes. By default you’ll be working on a top-down 2D view, but you can opt for a 3D view instead, or split your workspace into two to see both at the same time. We really liked that you can alter and manipulate your design in any view, although 2D is where you will be doing most of your work, as that’s where all options are available.

Score: 5 / 5

Live Home 3D: Objects

Live Home 3D has hundreds of materials you can use to decorate your home and customize its furnishings

Live home 3D offers a wealth of objects you can add to your projects, all located in the left sidebar, and broken down by categories - although there’s also a handy search function, to make finding what you’re after so much easier.

When you’ve found what you’re looking for, just drag it onto your project. You have resize and rotate handles around the item, so you can position it exactly where you need it. You’ll find a ‘Glue by’ option in the Inspector, which is preset for each item (although you can change that should you wish).

This tells the software where to drop the object. A sofa, for instance, needs to be on the floor, whereas a ceiling light will automatically attach to the ceiling.

If you can't find the object you're looking for you have the ability of importing your own files, or get additional ones from the Trimble 3D Warehouse (you’ll have to create a free account there in order to do so).

Adding objects is one thing, but you need the ability to customize them as well, and Live Home 3D definitely has your back there. The left sidebar stores hundreds of different materials, also organised by category, which you can add to any object, wall, or floor, or anything that’s selectable, really. And you’re not limited to using these materials in ‘traditional’ ways. Want a sofa made of grass on a leather floor? Go for it.

Score: 5 / 5

Live Home 3D: Renders

Two render engines to create an unlimited number of images for you at various resolutions. Works well, as long as the ‘Radeon ProRender’ doesn’t crash on you like it did us

One thing we quite liked is, although your renders are watermarked for the Free version, and the size is limited to 2048x1536 for Free and Standard, you can create as many images as you please.

That watermark, it’s fair to mention, is massive and right in the middle of the image - there’s no getting away from the fact this was generated by the free version of Live Home 3D. You also have two render engines to choose from, ‘Radeon ProRender’ and ‘Cycles’.

However, the Radeon option crashed on us every time we tried using the former through our computer’s Radeon GPU. Bypassing the GPU and working solely with the CPU worked without a hitch. We found ‘Radeon ProRender’ took longer to render, but produced finer detail.

Should I buy Live Home 3D?

Image 1 of 2

Image 2 of 2

Buy it if...

You need a simple to use 3D home design software with a myriad of options at your fingertips, should you need them, and a wealth of customisable objects you can add to your projects.

Don't buy it if...

You’re not into home design, don’t like having so many optional options, and would rather have an interface you can wrestle with.

For more pro-grade design tools, we reviewed the best landscape design software.

F1 25 is a serviceable entry in the Codemasters series, but it’s in desperate need of a shakeup

6:00 pm |

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

F1 25 is the latest instalment in the officially licensed EA Sports and Codemasters-developed racing series. And while there are certainly some welcome additions to this year’s game, it gives off the feeling of a more iterative upgrade than we’ve seen for the past few titles.

Review information

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: May 30, 2025

I still very much enjoy these games as a Formula 1 head, and fans of the sport will find plenty to like about this year’s release. The return of the Braking Point campaign mode is a highlight, once again offering a surprisingly compelling story with a roster of charismatic characters.

Changes to the My Team career option are also very welcome. While it’s not quite the major overhaul I was hoping for (and falls short in some regards), it’s absolutely much less of an afterthought now and well worth playing alongside a single driver career.

On top of that, the new decal editor is a lovely addition, giving you even more freedom to customize your car liveries. All welcome features for a series that’s routinely found itself in our best racing games guide.

The game also benefits from current-generation exclusivity, as some tracks have been fully redone via LIDAR scanning. While it’s only a handful of circuits at this time, they undoubtedly appear much more detailed and lifelike than in last year’s game.

But even with these new additions, F1 25 can’t avoid being strikingly similar to the last few games in the series, most notably F1 24 of course. That is the nature of annual releases, sure, especially those in the EA Sports stable. But it leaves F1 25 feeling a little like it’s going through the motions once you’ve experienced the handful of new additions. I’m really hoping that, alongside the sport’s real-world regulation changes in 2026, Codemasters’ next entry can provide a more noteworthy shakeup to the long-running franchise.

A Butler's life

I think it’s fair to say that F1 25 has plenty of content to enjoy for those who prefer to play solo. And if this is your first time with a Codemasters F1 game, I highly recommend checking out the new Braking Point campaign.

Braking Point follows the trials and tribulations of the fictional Konnersport racing team, which assumes the role of the eleventh outfit on the grid. This latest entry follows the team through the 2024 and 2025 seasons, as they rise from midfield giants to genuine title contenders.

The highlight of Braking Point is its story and cutscenes, which are brought to life by a roster of very talented actors. This third entry is also the most compelling yet, and I found myself consistently rooting for Konnersport as it’s repeatedly hammered by all manner of setbacks and controversies.

Braking Point also doubles as a pretty excellent tutorial. Each chapter focuses on a specific track and introduces concepts like mechanical failures, red flags, pit stops, and team orders in an accessible manner.

There’s some replay value to go around this time, too, as certain story beats will allow you to choose one of Konnersport’s two drivers - Aiden Jackson and Callie Mayer - for certain chapters. Such decisions will have an impact on your team’s reputation, performance, optional objectives and how the team is viewed in the news and on social media.

At around 5-6 hours, it’s a well-paced, compact story mode and does well to get new players up to speed with the game, all while providing a compelling narrative. For me, it’s the best thing about F1 25, and I hope Codemasters explores more story mode opportunities like Braking Point for future games.

Wheel knowledge

It’s also worth hopping into the My Team career mode this year, as F1 25 has provided it with a much-needed upgrade. It’s not quite the overhaul that you might’ve hoped for, but it does at least make the mode worth playing alongside the Driver Career mode, which had its upgrade in last year’s game.

A somewhat in-depth setup process will have you pick your team principal from a variety of preset avatars. There’s a greater selection of these in F1 25 (for both your principal and player-created drivers, which is great), even if you won’t see them much during the career mode itself.

You’ll then get to pick your starting budget, managerial style, and car development progress, each with three presets. From there, you’ll pick a title sponsor, your engine provider, and your two starting drivers.

Said drivers are where this My Team overhaul shows its first fumble. No matter your starting budget, you’ll only be able to choose two of six F2 drivers, which are seemingly picked at random. If you wanted Victor Martins or Franco Colapinto, but didn’t get them in your list, then you’ll need to back out and start a fresh save. You can’t even poach any F1 talent, instead having to initiate driver talks with them, which take place throughout your first season.

The actual managerial side of things does fare better. Research and development have now been split into two, meaning you actually have to build new upgrade parts after they’ve been researched. You’ll often find yourself having to choose which of your drivers receives these upgrades on their cars, too. Especially if, say, you only have the budget to build one part, or you choose to build two, and one of them gets delayed.

Best bit

F1 25 Braking Point 3 — (Image credit: Electronic Arts / Codemasters)

I’ve always been a fan of Codemasters’ Braking Point campaign series, and it’s back with a third outing in F1 25. It feels like the end of the trilogy here, and it once again impresses with excellent cutscenes, acting, and a compelling raising of the stakes. There’s even some replay value incentivized this time, as you’re able to choose which of Konnersport’s drivers you control at certain points in the campaign.

Much like Frontier’s excellent F1 Manager 24, you’ll also need to spend money on upgrades that benefit the wider team. These come in personnel, engineering, and financial upgrades and can greatly benefit you in the long run. I personally prioritized getting engineering up to speed, with perks that allowed me to research and develop multiple parts at once. This was crucial in my first year with a backmarking car that was in desperate need of performance upgrades at the tail end of this set of regulations.

The most compelling thing about My Team 2.0 is that the whole thing feels like a balancing act. Even something as simple as deciding which of your two drivers to control for a race weekend has some strategy to it. For example, if one of your drivers has been stuck at the back for a few weeks, it could have a seriously negative impact on their morale. So, taking manual control of them for a better chance at scoring points can do wonders for their mentality and future prospects.

I ended up liking My Team 2.0 even more than the Driver Career overhaul of last year. Especially so in F1 25, where Driver Career remains pretty much exactly the same - even with the same (frustratingly unskippable) introductory cutscene.

Thankfully, racing solo in general feels overall better in F1 25. That’s largely thanks to some AI improvements I’ve noticed in my time with the game. Computer-controlled drivers now seem to get much better launches off the starting grid, meaning you’re less likely to immediately overtake a whole bunch of them before turn one. They also defend their positions better at higher difficulty levels, and aren’t averse to risky overtakes when DRS is enabled down a straight.

Something on the scanners

F1 25 also benefits from the introduction of LIDAR scanning for a handful of circuits. This is a process that involves the team taking laser scans of some real-world tracks for a heightened level of detail and realism.

Five tracks have been given the LIDAR treatment in F1 25: Albert Park, Suzuka, Bahrain, Miami, and Imola. There is a noticeable bump in visual fidelity on these circuits. Grass, curbs, and road surfaces all appear much less flat. On top of that, there’s a ton more in terms of trackside detail.

There have been more visual improvements with the drivers, too, who now look more like their real-world counterparts than ever before. Smart upgrades like this ensure that the series is well-positioned to improve its graphics over the next few years, and I’m hoping Codemasters keeps the momentum going.

Now, this does mean there is an obvious discrepancy between LIDAR scanned tracks and those that are yet to receive it. Furthermore, I did spot some very distracting visual bugs on some circuits where objects would sporadically flicker in and out of existence. It’s not every track, but it made racing at Circuit of the Americas, Mexico City, and Zandvoort, among a couple of others, more painful than it needed to be.

Should I play F1 25?

Play it if...

You want to see the conclusion of Braking Point
Braking Point 3 is a wonderful addition to the game and puts a cap on the trilogy in a satisfying way. I’m not sure if this will be the last Braking Point campaign, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Codemasters switches gears for its next story-based mode.

You want to properly manage your own F1 team
My Team 2.0 is a welcome upgrade that adds some much-needed life and depth to the mode. It’s not F1 Manager levels of depth by any means, but there’s plenty of decision-making to be had, and taking a team from bottom to top feels immensely rewarding.

Don't play it if...

You’ve had your fill of F1 24
Aside from Braking Point and My Team 2.0, there aren’t that many notable improvements over last year’s game. Unless you’re especially keen to check out the new LIDAR-scanned circuits or keep up online play with friends, you can safely skip this entry.

Accessibility

F1 25 once again has plenty of accessibility and assist options for players of all stripes.

As always, you can set the intensity of steering and brake assists, as well as traction control and whether you want elements like safety cars and pit stops to be automated or not. There are some handy subtitling options here, too, letting you adjust their size and background opacity. Multiple languages are also supported for team radio messages.

Racing wheel players aren’t being left out, either. F1 25’s control settings support many of the best racing wheels. That also includes PS5 racing wheels and PC racing wheels, with options to adjust overall steering sensitivity, force feedback integration and more.

How I reviewed F1 25

I clocked in 25 hours of F1 25 on PS5. That included several hours dedicated to the Braking Point campaign, seasons with My Team and Driver Career, and some time in the challenge-based F1 World mode, which remains largely unchanged in this year’s entry.

I primarily played with a DualSense controller on an LG CX OLED TV, occasionally hooking up my RIG 900 Max HS gaming headset to experience more immersive audio while driving.

First reviewed May 2025

I tested AKG’s N5 Hybrid earbuds, and I was so impressed by their noise cancellation and extra features, as long as you find them at the right price

12:00 pm |

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

AKG N5: One minute review

When I’m testing new earbuds, and considering if they deserve a shoutout for our list of the best earbuds, the first thing I do is look at the price to set expectations – but for this AKG N5 review, I found two.

There’s the official list price, which sets you up for these buds to be powerful premium players, but I was also tripping over discounted prices, with the N5 seeing some hefty discounts since launch. So while I’ll test these as top-end earbuds, I’d be remiss not to point out that you can buy them for less – and you should, as they present fantastic value for money with a reduction.

The AKG N5 are the latest pair of wireless earbuds from originally-Austrian audio company AKG (which is owned by Harman, which itself is owned by Samsung). AKG puts out wireless headphones only sparingly, with its website populated almost entirely with professional wired headsets and microphones.

And it’s clear that some of that ‘professional’ DNA is present in the AKG N5 because there are loads of features which are helpful in such a setting: a USB-C dongle included in the case lets you easily (and temporarily) connect to any laptop, tablet or similar device, while call tone settings basically act like an EQ but for incoming voice calls. There are also loads of ANC settings for people who work in busy offices.

Suffice it to say I was impressed by the feature suite of the AKG N5, but not just as someone who himself tries to drown out the infuriatingly-loud team seated next to him – they’re all features that will be handy to regular buyers, not just office-locked ones.

Another strength of the AKG N5 is their audio chops, because the buds offer expressive and clear audio with plenty of detail and texture. A few more in-app modes (sorry to mention features again) let you carry out a sound test or tweak the sonic offering to your pleasure.

Some people may be put off by the AKG N5’s design. It’s true the case is pretty huge, the build quality feels iffy, and the earbud controls are hard to activate when you want to and easy to activate when you don’t. The battery life that won't last a full day of work might also put some people off.

But it’s easy to overlook these issues if, like I said, you’re able to find a good deal on these buds. And that shouldn’t be hard given I found it more of a chore to find their actual original price rather than the current one. The N5 are fine value at their official price – but discounted, they’re a steal.

AKG N5 review: Specifications

Component	Value
Water resistant	IP54
Battery life (quoted)	6 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.3
Weight	6g / Charging case: 48.4g
Driver	10mm

The AKG N5 on a stone wall — (Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Price and availability

Announced in September 2024
Priced at $299 / £249 / AU$309
Readily available for under $250 / £199 / AU$250

The AKG N5 were announced in September 2024, at IFA 2024, as the latest entry into the brand’s line-up of earbuds. At the time of writing they're the company’s only competitor for the best wireless earbuds.

At launch, the AKG N5 cost $299.95 / £249 / AU$309, which makes them a premium audio offering. However it’s worth pointing out that I could easily find it sold online for a discount of $60 / £50 / AU$65, so you’ll easily save money if you shop around.

Lowered price or not, these are still premium earbuds and we’ll treat them as such. Included in the box you get the buds, case and dongle as well as a USB-C to USB connector and some bud tips of varying sizes.

The AKG N5 in a man's hand. — (Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Features

Poor real-world battery life
Range of ANC options
Useful dongle connector

The AKG N5 connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3; initial pairing for me was quick and easy, and during testing there were barely any drop-outs or stutters.

You can also easily connect to new devices via a dongle included in the charging case; plug this into any device, and the N5 will stream audio from that.

The dongle is a USB-C one, though an adapter included in the box lets you plug it into standard USB ports. This is a really handy extra for people who own multiple devices and can’t pair to all of them, or who use unfamiliar devices on occasion. As someone who owns (and tests) too many gadgets, I found it incredibly handy.

9 times out of ten, this dongle worked well, however now and then I’d find the headphones would re-pair with my phone even if the dongle was connected to another device. One thing to note is that it did sap the battery of the device it was connected to: fine for gadgets plugged into an outlet, frustrating for my iPad.

Battery life is a weak spot for the buds. AKG predicts a 10-hour battery life… if you listen to music with ANC turned off, and that drops down to six hours with ANC on, or even lower if you’re talking or using the dongle.

However, in my testing I was lucky to get anywhere near six hours of listening time, and I’d usually have to charge after four and a half or five hours. That's not just below what's promised, it's way below average.

The case itself contains four full charges for the buds, however long you make that.

So should you turn off ANC to preserve battery life? Well you can, but it’d be a shame, because the AKG N5 have fantastic noise cancellation – my usual ANC test is how well it drowns out the trains that commonly pass my house, and when testing the N5, I have no idea if it passed because I could never tell if trains had passed.

ANC is complicated here, though. There are three modes: standard, Ambient Aware and TalkThru (as well as off, obviously). TalkThru boosts nearby voices so you can hear people and Ambient Aware does a similar thing for background voices, with a slider letting you fiddle with the intensity of the effect.

In standard ANC mode you can toggle Adaptive ANC, which adjusts the level of noise cancellation based on your surroundings, and turning it off presents you with a slider to change the intensity yourself. There’s also Auto Compensation mode which tweaks with ANC depending on your ‘wearing and ear canal status’, whatever that means.

Suffice it to say that every time I was presented with the ANC part of the AKG Headphones app I was scratching my head at all the options presented to me – and that’s really the theme of this companion app which bombards you with options. This’ll be pleasing news to tech-heads, but horrifying for technophobes.

Let’s fire through some of the features and settings: SilentNow turns off music and ramps up ANC to help you focus or study; Smart Audio & Video adjusts sound stage based on whether you’re listening to music or watching a video; the equalizer has a load of presets or lets you customize your sound on a 10-band EQ; various call settings let you change how you or a caller sound on the phone; and Right/Left Sound Balance does what it says on the tin.

These are as well as all the standard app modes: gesture control customization, a find-my-buds feature, and a fit test.

The app also gives you the option to toggle Hi-Res Audio, but turning this on precludes you from several other features, including Spatial Sound and Personi-Fi. This latter is a lengthy audio test that presents you with a bespoke equalization fit for your music, and I don’t know any audiophiles who don’t appreciate this kind of feature.

If you’ve skimmed that list you may have noticed something I want to explicitly commend: there are loads of options with small or large accessibility use cases here, which is always great to see.

Features score: 4/5

AKG N5 review: Sound performance

The AKG N5 in a man's ear. — (Image credit: Future)

10mm drivers
Balanced sound profile
Textured audio in high-res mode

Whether you’re listening via Bluetooth or dongle, with Hi-Res Audio on or instead Personi-Fi enabled, there’s one thing that’s hard to deny: the AKG N5 sounds great.

The sound profile is lovely and balanced, with well-defined bass sitting comfortably alongside clear treble and distinct mids. I didn’t feel the need to touch the equalizer as I liked the default mix, and wasn’t losing any instruments to overbearing bass or treble.

It’s easy to hear the texture in each instrument with the N5: I could make out the ripples of reverb on vocal lines to the flick of a bass guitar string being strum, and the audio lines were all spread out enough to make them distinct and clear (although I have tested buds with a better soundstage).

If I have to say one bad thing about the buds, it’s that audio sounds precision-tuned but not very energetic – they helped me really appreciate great songs sonically, but didn’t always make me feel like rocking out to them.

Sound performance score: 4/5

AKG N5 review: Design

Chunky and cheap charging case
Lightweight and comfortable buds
Annoying touch controls

Perhaps because it contains a dongle, the case of the AKG N5 is a little on the larger size, and I’ve seen some people online criticize its bulk. Honestly, it’s not that big, and doesn’t allay the space-saving advantages of earbuds like this over full-on headphones or open earbuds with a a wraparound design – plus they're light at 48.4g.

But I did notice the thing in my pocket when I was walking – it's on the larger end of the scale.

What’s arguably worse about the case is its build: the plastic feels cheap, groans under slight pressure and picks up fingerprints readily. However AKG has it certified at IP52, which protects it from limited fine particles and sprays of water at certain angles. I can’t remember the last time I saw a charging case with an IP rating, so it’s a welcome spec.

Now onto the earbuds: these are buds with stems, but with a bigger bud and shorter, flatter stem than on your generic AirPod doppelgänger. They have an IP54 rating so they’re a little better protected against water than the case.

Due to the tips material being quite smooth, when I first started testing the N5, it constantly felt like they were on the verge of falling out of my ear. Two weeks on and that hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve still been too apprehensive to take them on a run, cycle or any kind of activity which might actually cause them to fall to the floor.

At least the buds are lightweight, so when I was sitting still, they were comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They weigh 6g each which is comparable to rivals.

Each bud has a touch-sensitive area over the ‘A’ of the AKG logo, which lets you control music playback; by default the left side toggles ANC and Ambient Aware, while the right one is for play and pause.

It took some time getting used to tapping the right spot when I was wearing the buds, and there’s a noticeable delay in the gesture being picked up – more than once I got caught in a loop playing or pausing a tune, thinking that my touch hadn’t been picked up, and constantly flicking between the two.

An even more annoying issue was that it’s very easy to accidentally press the button when you’re trying to readjust loose buds.

You can pick the AKG N5 up in white or black, and your choice affects both the buds and the case. As you can see from images, I tested the black pair.

Design score: 3.5/5

AKG N5 review: Value

While it's not easy to make reasonable argument for $299 / £249 / AU$309 earbuds being good value propositions, it does bear repeating that these things have been seeing increasing discounts over their first year of existence.

The AKG N5 aren’t bad value for money by any means, with their top-notch audio and range of useful features justifying the price, but they’re far from bargains either (except in Australia, where they’re much cheaper than elsewhere).

That certainly isn’t the case if you can find them for below about $200 / £180 / AU$300, which would make them a really tempting alternative to earbuds that are usually priced in that area.

Value score: 3.5/5

Should I buy the AKG N5?

Category	Comment	Score
Features	There are so many features that it's hard to get your head around them all. Battery life isn't amazing though.	4/5
Sound	The N5 offered a lovely balanced sound that lets you hear the texture and sound stage of your music.	4/5
Value	By default they're not especially competitively-priced, but discounts help.	3.5/5
Design	A few small design problems affect the user experience, but they're still great to wear.	3.5/5

Buy them if...

You find them discounted

I've yammered on about this enough, but this will be the last time: the AKG N5 are a terrific value proposition if you find them notably below their list price.

The dongle sounds useful

Love the idea of being able to listen to audio from any USB-C or USB-port-toting device without pairing Bluetooth? The AKGs' dongle is a real game-changer.

You need solid noise cancellation

While they're not quite a Bose, the AKG's noise cancellation is fantastic, with a range of features and modes letting you customize it to a surprising extent.

Don't buy them if...

You need a long-lasting battery

I didn't love how quickly the N5's battery life plummeted, and real-world use is well below the promised level.

You need a svelte charging case

I took to carrying the AKG N5's case in my bag because it just didn't fit comfortably in my pockets. You can easily find buds with more convenient-to-carry cases than these.

Also consider

Component	AKG N5	Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro	Apple AirPods Pro 2
Water resistant	IP54	IP57	IP54
Battery life	6 hours (earbuds), 32 hours (total)	7 hours (earbuds), 30 hours (total)	6 hours (buds); 30 hours (case)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.3
Weight	6g (buds)	5.4g (buds)	5.3g (buds)
Driver	10mm	10mm dynamic driver + planar tweeter	11mm

Apple AirPods Pro 2

The obvious competitor: these Apple buds only fully work on Apple products, but they're cheaper than the AKG (even discounted) and offer some top-tier features and noise cancellation. They also have a very svelte case.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Another cheaper alternative, Samsung's wireless buds are mostly built for owners of Samsung phones, but work for others too. They sound great and have a lightweight and comfortable design.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

How I tested the AKG N5

My testing process before writing this AKG N5 review took two weeks. I tested them alongside their contemporary siblings, the AKG N9 Hybrid over-ear headphones, and I've tested a huge number of earbuds recently to compare them against.

I connected the AKG N5 to a range of devices including my smartphone (via Bluetooth), my desktop PC (via dongle) and my work laptop (again via dongle) with a roughly 50/50 split between Bluetooth and dongle listening.

I also split my Bluetooth listening time roughly equally between Hi-res Audio and Personi-Fi (and other feature) modes, bearing in mind that you can't have both enabled at the same time.

My listening was done in a range of environments including at home, on public transport, in my office and on walks around my borough – and following TechRadar's testing guidelines for earbuds.

First reviewed: May 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested AKG’s N5 Hybrid earbuds, and I was so impressed by their noise cancellation and extra features, as long as you find them at the right price

12:00 pm |

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

AKG N5: One minute review

AKG N5 review: Specifications

Component	Value
Water resistant	IP54
Battery life (quoted)	6 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.3
Weight	6g / Charging case: 48.4g
Driver	10mm

AKG N5 review: Price and availability

Announced in September 2024
Priced at $299 / £249 / AU$309
Readily available for under $250 / £199 / AU$250

AKG N5 review: Features

Poor real-world battery life
Range of ANC options
Useful dongle connector

The AKG N5 connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3; initial pairing for me was quick and easy, and during testing there were barely any drop-outs or stutters.

You can also easily connect to new devices via a dongle included in the charging case; plug this into any device, and the N5 will stream audio from that.

The case itself contains four full charges for the buds, however long you make that.

These are as well as all the standard app modes: gesture control customization, a find-my-buds feature, and a fit test.

If you’ve skimmed that list you may have noticed something I want to explicitly commend: there are loads of options with small or large accessibility use cases here, which is always great to see.

Features score: 4/5

AKG N5 review: Sound performance

10mm drivers
Balanced sound profile
Textured audio in high-res mode

Whether you’re listening via Bluetooth or dongle, with Hi-Res Audio on or instead Personi-Fi enabled, there’s one thing that’s hard to deny: the AKG N5 sounds great.

Sound performance score: 4/5

AKG N5 review: Design

Chunky and cheap charging case
Lightweight and comfortable buds
Annoying touch controls

But I did notice the thing in my pocket when I was walking – it's on the larger end of the scale.

At least the buds are lightweight, so when I was sitting still, they were comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They weigh 6g each which is comparable to rivals.

An even more annoying issue was that it’s very easy to accidentally press the button when you’re trying to readjust loose buds.

You can pick the AKG N5 up in white or black, and your choice affects both the buds and the case. As you can see from images, I tested the black pair.

Design score: 3.5/5

AKG N5 review: Value

That certainly isn’t the case if you can find them for below about $200 / £180 / AU$300, which would make them a really tempting alternative to earbuds that are usually priced in that area.

Value score: 3.5/5

Should I buy the AKG N5?

Category	Comment	Score
Features	There are so many features that it's hard to get your head around them all. Battery life isn't amazing though.	4/5
Sound	The N5 offered a lovely balanced sound that lets you hear the texture and sound stage of your music.	4/5
Value	By default they're not especially competitively-priced, but discounts help.	3.5/5
Design	A few small design problems affect the user experience, but they're still great to wear.	3.5/5

Buy them if...

You find them discounted

I've yammered on about this enough, but this will be the last time: the AKG N5 are a terrific value proposition if you find them notably below their list price.

The dongle sounds useful

Love the idea of being able to listen to audio from any USB-C or USB-port-toting device without pairing Bluetooth? The AKGs' dongle is a real game-changer.

You need solid noise cancellation

While they're not quite a Bose, the AKG's noise cancellation is fantastic, with a range of features and modes letting you customize it to a surprising extent.

Don't buy them if...

You need a long-lasting battery

I didn't love how quickly the N5's battery life plummeted, and real-world use is well below the promised level.

You need a svelte charging case

I took to carrying the AKG N5's case in my bag because it just didn't fit comfortably in my pockets. You can easily find buds with more convenient-to-carry cases than these.

Also consider

Component	AKG N5	Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro	Apple AirPods Pro 2
Water resistant	IP54	IP57	IP54
Battery life	6 hours (earbuds), 32 hours (total)	7 hours (earbuds), 30 hours (total)	6 hours (buds); 30 hours (case)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.3
Weight	6g (buds)	5.4g (buds)	5.3g (buds)
Driver	10mm	10mm dynamic driver + planar tweeter	11mm

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Another cheaper alternative, Samsung's wireless buds are mostly built for owners of Samsung phones, but work for others too. They sound great and have a lightweight and comfortable design.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

How I tested the AKG N5

I also split my Bluetooth listening time roughly equally between Hi-res Audio and Personi-Fi (and other feature) modes, bearing in mind that you can't have both enabled at the same time.

My listening was done in a range of environments including at home, on public transport, in my office and on walks around my borough – and following TechRadar's testing guidelines for earbuds.

First reviewed: May 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested the Thrustmaster T128 and was surprised at just how well it performs for the price

3:00 pm | May 26, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming Gaming Accessories | Tags: Forza Motorsport | Comments: Off

Thrustmaster T128: One-minute review

The Thrustmaster T128 is a budget racing wheel designed for those after a beginner-friendly experience. Its looks are fairly underwhelming, with its outdated gamer stylings failing to make a great impression. The wheel itself is quite small and has a thin rim, which will suit some hands more than others.

In terms of premium design, the T128 falls short of what some rivals have to offer. While it’s certainly not flimsy, it’s hardly a premium feeling unit, with cost-saving materials employed all over.

It is at least quite light and small, which helps make installation and setup easier compared to some of the best racing wheels. I also found the clamping mechanism much better than those used on other Thrustmaster wheels I’ve tried.

However, installation is hampered somewhat by the awkward placement of the ports, which are inaccessible when the wheel base is clamped down. This means any time you want to remove or reconnect the various cables, you'll have to uninstall the wheel altogether, which is inconvenient.

What’s more, the T128 won’t install on certain dedicated stands, such as the GT Omega Apex I have, since there are no screw holes for fixing the wheel base directly to it.

Once installed, though, the T128 is quick to get going. For Xbox users, it’s a simple case of plug-and-play, although firmware updates do require a PC tool. There’s also a tool for making force feedback and other tweaks, with a generous selection of parameters considering the budget nature of the T128.

The T128 is even better in action. I was pleasantly surprised by just how responsive and connected it feels, making it joy to race with. The force feedback settings, as with other Thrustmaster wheels I’ve tried, are too strong on their highest settings for my liking, although here it’s perhaps a little weaker than usual.

The T2PM pedals are nice and light, which makes them easy to use, although the brake pedal lacks resistance, which can make it difficult to gauge how hard you’re pressing it. It’s still usable enough, though, and I didn’t have an issue with the relatively cramped layout of the pedals either.

All things considered, the T128 offers plenty of fun for the money, undercutting many other wheels and even outperforming some of Thrustmaster’s more expensive offerings. It might not have a standout design, but there aren’t too many wheels at this price that offer such a good time.

Close-up of buttons on Thrustmaster T128, on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Thrustmaster T128 review: Price and availability

$‌199.99 / £149.99 (about AU$312)
Available now
Cheaper than many rivals

The T128 costs $‌199.99 / £149.99 (around AU$312) and is available now. A PlayStation compatible edition is also available. This makes the T128 one of the cheapest in Thrustmaster’s line-up, and one of the best Xbox racing wheels for those on a budget. I was more impressed with it than the T300RS, for instance, which is considerably more expensive yet underperforms by comparison, although its design is more premium.

If you’re looking for another great value racing wheel, the Logitech G920 is another very capable option. It’s still considerably more expensive than the T128, but the build quality is far superior, and the performance is excellent in all aspects.

Thrustmaster T128 review: Specs

Price	$‌199.99 / £149.99 (about AU$312)
Weight	9lbs / 5kg
Peak torque	2Nm
Features	Handbrake buttons, 4 engine speed display RPM LEDs
Connection type	USB-A
Compatibility	Xbox Series X\|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
Software	Thrustmaster Control Panel

Thrustmaster T128 review: Design and features

Cheap but functional
Light and easy to install
Software tool more advanced than it looks

The T128 doesn't make a great first impression. Its material feels cheap, and the styling is quite outdated, with a few touches that pander to the gaming crowd, harking back to a bygone era.

The wheel itself is small and the rim quite thin, which would make it ideal for younger players and those with smaller hands. As a whole, the unit is also very light, which makes it easy to install and move around, and yet it feels surprisingly sturdy at the same time.

It’s a similar story with the T2PM pedal set, which is also very light and small, meaning the layout might be a little too cramped for some. However, it managed to stay planted on the carpeted surface I used it on, and appears more durable than you might expect.

One gripe I have with the pedal set, though, is its length. It’s too short, which meant I couldn't trail it behind my desk; instead, I had to let it dangle right beside me, which isn’t ideal.

Another drawback of the T128’s design is the poor port placement. When the wheel base is clamped to a desk, the ports are inaccessible, which means you have to attach the various cables prior to installation, making the process a little more awkward. It also means you have to unclamp the wheel any time you want to unplug or reconnect them.

Close-up of pedals on Thrustmaster T128, on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Fortunately, the clamping system is easy to use, and much better than those of other Thrustmaster wheels I’ve tried. The screw has a plastic handle, which is easy to turn and lock into place, as well as being readily accessible.

There’s a pleasing selection of buttons on the T128 and they’re almost as tactile as what you’d find on the best Xbox controllers. You get a close to full Xbox layout with a few extra inputs thrown in, such as two handbrake buttons and an RSB and LSB buttons, which are compatible with certain games only.

The T128 also features paddle shifters, which are better than I was expecting. They curve slightly to help secure your fingers, and their positioning is ideal, if placed a little too far inwards, which can make them a stretch to reach at times.

Setting up the T128 is a simple process, especially for Xbox users, who only have to plug it into their console. However, as with other Thrustmaster wheels, be sure to keep well out of the way as soon as you power the T128 on, as it immediately fires up its self-calibration feature. Thankfully, this isn’t as violent as with other Thrustmaster wheels, but still worth noting all the same.

To update the firmware, you’ll need to download the PC tool for this purpose. There’s also a tweaking tool, known as the Thrustmaster Control Panel, which looks rather rudimentary and lacks refinement, but is deceptively capable.

It functions well and provides a pleasing amount of tweaks, including multiple parameters for the force feedback. Again, this is all very welcome on a budget racing wheel such as the T128.

Thrustmaster T128 review: Performance

Fun and accurate steering
Plenty of force feedback settings
Brake pedal's a little too light

The T128 acquits itself very well when racing. Steering is accurate and responsive, with plenty of feel and capable of offering smooth and rapid movements in equal measure.

As with other Thrustmaster wheels, the force feedback is very strong – too much so on its maximum setting, although perhaps still less than on other models. But once adjusted appropriately, the T128 provides surprisingly nuanced immersion, although there’s a buzzing sensation that’s a little overbearing at times.

The paddle shifters are solid and snappy, with just enough dampening to make them satisfying to flick. They also provide sufficient feedback, and I was surprised at just how capable they were on this budget wheel.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the T2PM pedal set. I found them quite fun and easy to use, owing to their light actuation. The cramped layout didn’t cause an issue for me either, despite having grievances with similarly tight designs on other pedal sets.

Back of Thrustmaster T128, on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

However, the brake pedal is lacking in feedback somewhat, which can make it hard to judge how much pressure to exert. But overall, both the throttle and the brake provide enough control for modulated inputs.

The T128 also features a gear change indicator in the form of multicolored LEDs, known as the 4 engine speed display RPM LEDs, although I found this quite imprecise in practice. For instance, when playing Forza Motorsport, their progress wasn’t all that smooth, and seemed to reach their peak before the in-game indicator did. Still, it’s a welcome feature to have for a basic visual cue, especially if you like to play with a camera angle that omits the steering wheel from view.

Should I buy the Thrustmaster T128?

Close-up of D-pad and handbrake button on Thrustmaster T128 — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want an entry-level racing wheel
Die-hard racers might not get enough from the T128, but for those dipping their toes in, this is a good place to start.

You want to save money
The T128 is on the cheaper end of the market, and its good value considering the performance and features on offer here.

Don't buy it if...

You want a premium design
The materials aren’t exactly luxurious, and the overall aesthetic just looks cheap.

You want better pedals
The pedals perform quite well for the most part, but the brake pedal is perhaps a little too light, and there’s no clutch pedal.

Thrustmaster T128 review: also consider

If you're on the hunt for other budget racing wheels, here are some alternatives to the Thrustmaster T128:

	Thrustmaster T128	Logitech G920	Thrustmaster T248
Price	$‌199.99 / £149.99 (around AU$312)	$299.99 / £349.99 / AU$549.95	$399.99 / £299.99 / AU$599.99
Weight	9lbs / 5kg	12lbs / 5.4kg	6lbs / 2.7kg
Peak torque	2Nm	2.3Nm	3.5Nm
Features	Handbrake buttons, 4 engine speed display RPM LEDs	Stainless steel paddle shifters, three-pedal base	Hybrid FF system, 2 dual-position encoders, three-pedal base
Connection type	USB-A	USB-A	USB-A
Compatibility	Xbox Series X\|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC	Xbox Series X\|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC	Xbox Series X\|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

Logitech G920
A close rival to the T128 in the budget realm is the Logitech G920. It’s not as cheap as the T128, but it has a much more premium design and performs very well in all areas. For these reasons, we think it’s one of the best entry-level racing wheels on the market right now.

Read our full Logitech G920 review

Thrustmaster T248
Another Thrustmaster special, we think the T248 is the best PS5 racing wheel for those looking for a mid-range experience. Similar to the T128, it’s an easy wheel to use, helped by its stability even when clamped to a desk. We also found its pedal set excellent, which, unlike the T128, includes a clutch pedal.

Read our full Thrustmaster T248 review.

How I tested the Thrustmaster T128

Tested for a day
Played racing sims
Experience reviewing racing wheels

I tested the T128 for a day, clamping it to a desk. Unfortunately, it isn’t compatible with certain racing stands, such as the GT Omega Apex that I have, as there’s no way to affix the wheel with screws or bolts.

It should also be noted that the wheel isn’t compatible with cloud gaming or other streamed games; it only works with games downloaded onto your console or drive.

I played Forza Motorsport on an Xbox Series S, which is a competent racing sim on the console that provides a sterling test for racing wheels. I set the in-game steering setting to simulation mode and turned all driving assists off.

I’ve been gaming for decades and racing sims are one of my favorite games to play. I have experienced a number of different racing wheels and reviewed various models as well, including others made by Thrustmaster.

First reviewed: May 2025
Read more about how we test

I used the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo mic kit to record audio content – and I can’t believe how tiny it is

2:00 pm |

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

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: two-minute review

Understatement isn’t a common characteristic among content creators, but it’s a winning feature for this wireless mic kit. With two tiny receivers weighing just 7g apiece, the Hollyland Lark M2S is designed to fly under the radar. Hooked over your collar, only a small part of each pick-up is visible. The result is an audio solution that doesn’t distract your audience.

It’s also a versatile one. Available in several variations, the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo kit on test here includes two transmitters, a USB-C mobile receiver and a cold-shoe unit that connects to cameras via USB-C or 3.5mm. There’s also a Lightning cable in the box for connecting to legacy Apple devices. That makes it a pretty complete kit, whatever you choose to shoot with.

Each transmitter is held in place by a rubberized clip, with grips at the tips for extra security. Many of the best wireless mics used magnetic backs to give you more flexibility when positioning. In practise, most users will want the mic on their lapel anyway – and even with the hook on show, the M2S is as subtle as they come.

Despite their discreet size, the omnidirectional pick-ups do a better job than any built-in mic, whether you’re shooting with a smartphone or one of the best video cameras. How the 24-bit audio signal is processed depends on the pre-amp inside your recording device, but voice clips are generally clear and rich enough for the casual listener.

Hollyland Lark M2S wireless mic kit — (Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

Blustery conditions can be an issue. The bundled windshields do a good job of buffering against buffeting, though attaching them raises the profile of the mics. You also have the option of enabling noise reduction. This tends to flatten and crisp up the sound slightly, but it’s an effective solution where background noise would otherwise be too intrusive.

Noise cancellation can be activated by pressing the single button found on each transmitter, the button on the USB-C receiver or the dial on the camera receiver. The latter is also used to adjust the output volume, while a long-press switches between mono and stereo recording. That makes the interface sound more complicated than it is. There is a slight learning curve, but once you’ve got your head around the meaning of each indicator light, it’s intuitive enough.

Battery life is far from featherweight, with each transmitter rated for up to nine hours on a single charge. Returning them to the charging case yields a further 18, giving the whole package some serious longevity. Together with its neat proportions, that makes it an attractive solution for creators who need to shoot on the go – even though the case itself feels quite plasticky and the components are prone to rattling inside.

Other wireless mics feel more premium, while the DJI Mic Mini uses a neater single receiver. But if you want a compact and cost-effective way to upgrade your audio quality, the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo kit offers solid value.

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: price and release date

$149 / £140 / AU$269 for the Combo kit
Includes 2x mics, 2x receivers, Lightning cable and charging case
Several kit versions available for different devices

Launched in January 2025 as a follow-up to the Lark M2, the Hollyland Lark M2S wireless mic is available to buy now in one of several bundle variations. On test here is the Combo kit ($149 / £140 / AU$269), which includes the following:

Transmitters x2
Receiver (camera)
Receiver (USB-C)
Charging case
Windshields x2
3.5mm cable
USB-C to Lightning cable
USB-A to USB-C cable

The Combo kit is designed to give content creators the flexibility to work with both smartphones and cameras. The Lightning cable allows you to connect the camera receiver to older Apple devices. The Combo kit offers good value for what’s included, but other options will be better suited to specific creator requirements.

The cheapest Hollyland Lark M2S option is the barebones USB-C kit ($119 / £110 / AU$219). This includes two transmitters and a USB-C receiver for use with a smartphone. With no option to connect to a camera, it’s the best choice for mobile-only recording.

The next step up is the Mini Combo ($139 / £130 / AU$249), which is the same as the Combo kit, except it doesn’t include a Lightning adapter cable. It’s the best choice if you want the flexibility to connect to a camera and USB-C smartphone.

Top of the pile is the Ultimate Combo ($159 / £150 / AU$289). In addition to the USB-C and camera receivers, this adds a dedicated Lightning receiver to the mix. Given that the Combo kit includes a Lightning cable, there are few people for who this will be a necessity. Unless you absolutely need a physical Lightning receiver, this version is best seen as a legacy option.

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: specs

Dimensions	24 × 9mm (transmitter), 40 × 16.7 × 9mm (mobile receiver), 40.5 × 25.5 × 13mm (camera receiver), 86 × 39 × 60.5mm (case)
Weight	7g (transmitter), 6g (mobile receiver), 12g (camera receiver), 110g (case)
Range	300m
Connectivity	USB-C, Lightning, 3.5mm
Battery	9 hours, plus 18 hours from the charging case
Audio	24-bit
On-board recording	No
Noise cancelling	Yes

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: Design

Lightweight transmitters with built-in rubber clips
USB-C receiver with two indicator lights
Camera receiver with indicator lights and control dial

Dinky is the order of the day with the Lark M2S. From the tiny transmitters (7g each) to the compact camera receiver (12g), everything in the bundle is ultra-light. The components weigh less than almost every other kit in our list of the best wireless mics, including the DJI Mic Mini and the Rode Wireless Micro.

Despite being housed in plastic, the transmitters and receivers feel well-built and sturdy enough for long-term use. The little orange buttons on each device give satisfying feedback, as does the click-scroll of the control dial on the cold-shoe adapter. It’s only the charging case that lets the side down: the hinge for the lid creaks and moves, while the parts rattle around while charging inside.

Still, for a low-weight, low-cost kit, the Lark M2S feels like it’s been assembled with thought. Effort has certainly gone into the design of the transmitters. Most wireless mic kits have rectangular units held in place by a magnetic back. This gives you versatility when mounting, but means the pick-up is quite visible in video footage.

Hollyland has taken a different approach with the Lark M2S. The transmitters are attached by a U-shaped hook with a titanium arm inside. This clips over a collar, with rubber ridges on either side for extra grip. It’s a foolproof solution: it has enough flexibility to fit over different fabrics, with sufficient resistance to hold firm. No magnets means one less piece to lose – and most users will place the mic on a hem anyway.

The added benefit is that the larger side of the transmitter unit is hidden beneath your clothing. Only part of the arm and the smaller puck sits on the outside. The result is a very subtle setup. With mini dimensions and no branding, the mic could easily go unnoticed in interview footage. It’s a lot less distracting than larger alternatives.

Image 1 of 3

Image 2 of 3

Image 3 of 3

That design does mean the button and indicator light on the transmitter are hard to access when you’re wearing it, particularly as the little LED is obscured beneath the hook arm. Helpfully, there are corresponding lights on the receiver units which indicate the mode and connection status.

The user experience differs slightly depending on which receiver you’re using, but the setup is the definition of plug-and-play. Recording on mobile couldn’t be simpler: remove the transmitters and mobile receiver from the case, insert the USB-C unit into your smartphone and the two LEDs will turn solid to show that everything is connected. The single orange button on the receiver toggles noise cancelling on (green light) or off (blue light). You’re good to go.

Connecting to a camera is no more complicated. Take the cold-shoe receiver and transmitters out of the case and they’ll pair automatically. Then simply hook it up to your camera via 3.5mm or USB-C (or both at the same time) and you’ll get an audio signal. You can also use the bundled USB-C to Lightning cable to connect the camera receiver to an older Apple device.

The camera receiver’s interface is a touch more complicated than the mobile one. You get the same LEDs for connection and noise cancelling status, plus an orange button for power. Then there's an arc of three additional lights to indicate the output volume, which can be adjusted by turning the dial. Pressing the dial changes the noise reduction setting, while a long-press switches between mono and stereo.

There’s a slight learning curve when it comes to the meaning of each LED, but it’s intuitive enough to get your head around after a few minutes. What you don’t get is any kind of display for real-time audio monitoring. That’s a luxury reserved for premium mics that cost and weigh more. It’s also one that’s absent from the DJI Mic Mini and Rode Wireless Micro.

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: Performance

Omnidirectional audio with optional noise cancelling
9 hours battery life (transmitter), 18 hours battery life (case)
Up to 300m range

Rating audio quality is a tricky thing, because it depends on your expectations. If you’re a professional sound engineer, you’ll find things to fault with what the Hollyland Lark M2S produces. But if you’re comparing it to the built-in mic on your smartphone or camera, the M2S is leagues ahead.

The additional caveat here is that results are influenced by the device you’re using and its built-in pre-amp. Send the same signal from the Lark M2S to an iPhone and a DSLR camera, as I did, and you’ll notice differences which result from how each device processes the audio.

The Hollyland Lark M2S has strong foundations. It records 24-bit audio at 48khz, which sets it up well for capturing detail. You can also set the output level to high, giving your device more to work with. Serious users will balk at the lack of 32-bit float recording or on-board storage, but that reflects the target market of the M2S. There’s enough detail and depth here to satisfy content creators and anyone who wants to improve the quality of their voiceovers.

The omnidirectional pick-ups do a decent job of isolating speech against background hubbub. As with many wireless mics, though, wind noise is an issue. The bundled fluffy windshields help to tackle this, but also make the mics more visible.

Your other option is to enable Environmental Noise Cancellation. This is highly effective at limiting the impact of blustery conditions on your recordings. It also works well at reducing traffic noise to a barely audible level. The trade-off is that noise cancelling tends to make vocals sound slightly flatter and more processed – although not as significantly as some wireless mics.

You can adjust the level of noise cancelling through the LarkSound app, with high and low options. Usefully, the app can also be used to monitor the audio level from each mic in real time, giving you a visual indication of whether the gain setting needs to be changed to avoid clipping. This can be controlled in the app, as can the channel mode, which allows you to switch from mono to stereo recording when using the camera receiver.

Transmission range is rated at 300m. Unless you’re working at telephoto distances, there are few occasions when you’d need to be that far from your recording device. Still, with a clear line of sight from transmitter to receiver, I didn’t encounter any signal drop-out at a distance of about 100 paces. That changed as soon as something came between the two. In reality, most users will work at close range, where clear transmission won’t be an issue.

Longevity is also assured. Despite the miniature dimensions of the Lark M2S, battery life comes in at a competitive nine hours. The case can also recharge the components twice over, giving you a total recording time of close to 30 hours before you’ll need to use a wall charger. The case itself needs around 90 minutes to go from flat to full.

It’s unlikely that most users will encounter a shoot where they have to record for 9 hours straight, but it’s reassuring to know that the Lark M2S can live through a lot of takes before it needs returning to the case. Using it as many content creators would – on the move, taking out the components to record clips on location, then storing them back in the case – the M2S simply ran and ran. For such a compact kit, the battery life is seriously impressive. This is a wireless mic that’s easy to live with.

Should I buy the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo?

Buy it if…

You want a discreet wireless mic kit

Thanks to a low-profile lapel clip design, the Lark M2S transmitters hide most of their mass behind your collar. Paired with a lightweight build and one-button interface, the mics offer a simple, subtle solution for recording audio content.

You want cleaner audio for your content

Recording 24-bit audio at 48Khz, the Lark M2S can capture voiceovers with more detail than your device’s built-in microphone. Bundled windshields and the optional noise reduction mode help to reduce background sound, too.

You want a plug-and-play setup

The Combo kit comes pre-paired out of the charging case. Connect the mobile or camera unit to your device and you’re ready to go. Lights on the receivers and transmitters make it easy to check mode and connection status.

Don’t buy it if…

You want transmitters to clip anywhere

The clip-on transmitters are neat and tidy, but the rubber hook design means they can only be worn on a lapel or collar. Other wireless mics have magnetic backs that offer more versatility in where you can wear them.

You want bulletproof audio quality

By producing a 24-bit signal, the Lark M2S is capable of decent results. That said, sound quality can be affected by noise cancellation, as well as the quality of the pre-amp in the device that you’re working with.

You only need smartphone audio

This Combo Kit includes a cold-shoe and USB-C receiver, as well as a Lightning adapter cable. If you only create content with a smartphone, you can save money by choosing the standard kit, which ditches the camera module.

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: also consider

	Hollyland Lark M2S	Rode Wireless Micro	DJI Mic Mini
Dimensions	Transmitter: 24 × 9mm (transmitter) Mobile receiver: 40 × 16.7 × 9mm Camera receiver: 40.5 × 25.5 × 13mm	Transmitter: 40 x 27 x 17mm Receiver: 44 x 24 x 9mm	26.55 x 26.06 x 15.96mm
Weight	7g (transmitter), 6g (mobile receiver), 12g (camera receiver), 110g (case)	12g (transmitter, without magnet), 102g for the whole kit	10g (transmitter, without magnet)
Transmission range	300m	100m	400m
Connectivity	USB-C, Lightning, 3.5mm	USB-C or Lightning	USB-C / Lightning, 3.5mm
Battery	9 hours, plus 18 hours from the charging case	7 hours, plus two additional charges from the fully charged case for a total of 21 hours	11.5 hours (transmitter), 10.5 hours (receiver), up to 48 hours with fully charged case
Audio	24-bit	24-bit	24-bit
Noise cancelling	Yes	No	Yes
Bluetooth	No	No	Yes

Rode Wireless Micro

A simple, reliable solution for recording quality smartphone audio, the Rode Wireless Micro captures 24-bit audio with zero fuss. It’s available in Lightning and USB-C versions, with no camera connectivity. The transmitters are visibly bigger than the Lark M2S, but they do have the flexibility of magnetic mounting.

Read our Rode Wireless Micro review

DJI Mic Mini

The DJI Mic Mini is a compact wireless mic. It comes with just one receiver that works with both smartphones and cameras, meaning there’s less kit to think about. An optional Lightning adapter is available, too. You can even record 16-bit audio directly via Bluetooth, without using the receiver.

Read our DJI Mic Mini in-depth review

How I tested the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo

Tested extensively over several weeks
Paired with both the camera and USB-C receivers
Recorded audio in a range of indoor and outdoor settings

Given that the Hollyland Lark M2S is a wireless mic kit that’s designed to let content creators capture quality audio on the go, that’s how I approached this review. I packed the kit in my backpack every time I headed out of the house, then recorded voiceover content wherever the day took me.

That meant I captured audio clips in a whole range of settings and scenarios, from noisy cafes to windy walks along busy roads. I tested the transmitters at all three volume levels, with and without the windshields installed, and with noise reduction enabled and disabled. This gave me a catalog of recordings with which to make comparisons on clarity and quality.

Because the Lark M2S Combo is pitched as a full kit for creators, I tested it with both the USB-C mobile receiver and the cold-shoe camera adapter. With the latter, I wired up to a Nikon D7100 using a 3.5mm cable, as well as using the bundled Lightning cable to connect an iPhone 12.

During my time with the Lark M2S, I tried to use it as someone might do in the real world. That meant clipping the transmitters to different items of clothing. I also purposefully interacted with interface before consulting the instructions in detail, to get a realistic idea of how accessible the system is for beginners.

First reviewed: May 2025
Read more about how we test

« Previous Page — Next Page »