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I reviewed the Branch Aire for 100 days and it’s about as breathable as an office chair gets
9:03 am | May 17, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

Branch is a professional ergonomic furniture company that I have grown to appreciate over the last few years. I've reviewed a pretty wide range of the company's desks and chairs - so I was pretty excited to try out the Branch Aire.

As the name suggests, this chair is light. It has a very breathable design, with a single piece of material running from the seat to the back, creating a cohesive, all-in-one look. All around, this chair is solid. It's lightweight and a bit skimpy, but it's solid, comfortable for most, and out of all the best office chairs I've tested, it's the easiest one I have ever assembled (other than chairs that come fully assembled).

Branch Aire

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Branch Aire: Price and Availability

The Branch Aire is available on the Branch website right here, where it retails for just under $500 in three different colorways - Vapor (reviewed here), Graphene, and a brand new Hunter color.

Branch Aire

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Branch Aire: Unboxing & first impressions

The Aire arrived in a compact yet well-packaged box. Each component is labelled and protected with packing material to ensure no rips or punctures in the mesh material during transit.

The chair took only about 7 minutes to assemble as I did not have to screw a backrest into a base or armrests into a base/backrest like I usually have to with the chairs that I test. All I had to do was take the base, add the wheels, add the piston, and then put the chair on top of the piston/base combo. All around, it's it's pretty simple.

Branch Aire

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Before I saw this chair in person, I looked it up online. It appeared sleek, sharp, and futuristic. However, experiencing it in person was a completely different story. The mesh material feels both durable and comfortable.

Sitting in it for the first time confirmed my expectations; it conformed to my body so perfectly that it felt like I was sitting in a custom-molded chair. It was significantly lighter than I expected it to be, but that's not a bad thing in the slightest. I've had a lot of cumbersome chairs, so having one that is super lightweight is a nice change of pace.

Branch Aire: Design & Build Quality

Specs

Dimensions: 27.4" x 24"
Height: 45.9" to 48.4"
Seat Height: Adjustable from 17.9" to 20.5"
Weight Capacity: 275 lbs
Materials: Polyester and polyelastomer mesh, plastic, and nylon frame
Warranty: 5 years

As I have said, the Branch Aire is an all-mesh chair with one cohesive section of mesh running from the shoulders down to the thigh. The entire back and seat is one piece of mesh, making it minimalist and simple while allowing maximum airflow and comfort.

The frame is sturdy, and the wheels roll nicely on my low-pill carpet, glass pad, and hardwood floor. The waterfall edge makes for a super comfortable thigh portion of the chair, allowing no circulation to cut off from my thigh, hitting a bar or something else uncomfortable.

Branch Aire

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Branch Aire: In use

Due to the nature of my role, I have a few desk setups. I have one to test new gear, so I can always leave a primary workstation set up to be operational to get work done quickly and easily. For the last 100 days, the Branch Aire has been one of the chairs I have rotated in and out of my secondary workspace, and I have gotten a pretty good feel for it. While it's not the most ergonomic option I've had, it is comfortable even for extended work hours.

I weigh around 205 pounds and stand at 6'2". This chair feels like it was made for people up to about 6', maybe 6'1". Even though I am noticeably too tall for this chair, it's still comfortable. The armrests can raise and lower and move forward and backward while sitting in the chair. However, they cannot get closer to your body.
The chair's design does not allow adjusting seat depth or include any form of lumbar support. So, although the chair does fit snugly against the body of most users, taller or larger users might find that the fit of this particular chair is less adjustable than other chairs manufactured by Branch.

I've done full 8-10 hour days in this chair, occasionally swapping to standing at my Flexispot E7 Plus standing desk. While a part of me misses the heavier-duty chairs that feel more robust, there is something fantastic about the minimalism of this chair. I could see enjoying this chair if I had a simpler workspace, a basic desk and laptop, or even a clean, simple desk in a more visible space like a living room. Since then, this chair has looked more like a statement piece than a comfortable, ergonomic office chair.

Another situation that would be great for this chair would be a conference room or co-working space. I would probably avoid having this in a highly-traffic space like a conference room that's open to the public or has a lot of new people in and out.

Branch Aire

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Beautiful and sleek

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to use

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Restrictive for larger users

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Mid range price

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Branch Aire: Final verdict

Branch Aire Chair undoubtedly tops the list due to its innovative design and excellent breathability, collectively making it a highly worthy contender for an office chair that is both comfortable and good-looking.

However, if you're considering this chair, you'll want to note the non-adjustable seat size and the headrest height to ensure a good fit according to your needs.

I recommend this chair for anyone looking for a minimalistic chair to match a minimalistic workspace or someone looking for a modern yet comfortable chair.

For more office essentials, we've rounded up all the best standing desks.

I spent countless hours in meetings with EKSA S30 and this open-ear wireless headset made it all more bearable
8:57 pm | May 16, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: | Comments: Off

The most eye-catching thing about the EKSA S30 wireless headset is its open-ear design. For anyone looking for an airy alternative to large, padded ear-cups or invasive earbuds, this may prove ideal.

Unlike many of the best Bluetooth headsets around, this boasts a twin-headset – one for each ear, with a moveable mic on the left – rather than a single unit that leaves one ear exposed (and all the office distractions that come with it).

Speaking of which, the manufacturer claims that the open-ear air conduction unit cuts out 99.9% of environmental noise on the mic, despite hanging over the ear. That said, there’s no ANC for audio, which depending on your POV may be good or bad.

It’s retailing for $150 – although on Amazon, I saw it on sale at around the $100 / £100 mark. But how does it measure up? I took it into meeting after meeting to find out if the EKSA delivers on its promise.

EKSA S30: Unboxing & first impressions

EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

The headset comes nicely packed, in a bright orange box – a color theme that’s continued across the design, from the buttons to the branding on the case. As you’d expect, packed away in a sleeve, is the instruction manual and warranty cards. It’s a nice touch, perhaps overkill, but ever since Apple began its tech domination, it’s all about making packaging and unboxing an ‘experience’.

Inside the well-padded carry case, you’ll find the two headsets, sat in a removable molded base unit that charges them when not in use. The headsets are kept in place with concealed magnetics, preventing movement, too. At the front of the base unit is a single orange button for turning the headsets on or off.

There’s also a USB cable neatly slotted in the space in front. For my money, this case offers all the protection you need. It’s lightweight, but feels durable – I put plenty of weight on top of it, and the structure still held out, making it ideal for the commute, or leaving around in a manic office.

EKSA S30: Design & operation

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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

The headsets themselves are light, with a plastic front and rear connected by a flexible rubberized ear hook which can be adjusted for fit. For what it’s worth, I didn’t feel any sense of these being too tight or too loose during use, so it must be doing something right.

On the underside of the speaker sections of each headset are the textured control buttons – again, bright orange, so you can’t miss them. Positioning is good, but I found operating them was a little stiff, with the hard plastic never giving me the feedback I wanted when switching on or off. I had to rely on the small lights to check whether or not the headsets were ready for the meeting.

These lights will also serve up the battery level, flashing red when they require a recharge. A light on the carry case performs the same function, showing green, orange, or red depending on how much battery charge remains.

The left earpiece also has a microphone that smoothly swivels into position. Towards the end of this there’s a button (guess which color) for muting, but happily, this one offers a better tactile experience, with a soft but definitive click when depressed.

One of the biggest missteps here is not allowing access to the USB-C charging port from the outside of the case. This means you’ll need to take the base unit out to charge it up when the battery inevitably dies. A solution like the one found on the case for the Xbox Elite controller, with a rubber cap that can be lifted to allow charger access, would just keep everything cleaner and more compact.

EKSA S30: In use

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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

Alright, so that’s the design – but how do they work in a real-world setting? First, I was keen to find out how that open-ear air conduction felt and sounded. As a man who practically lives in his over-ear Anker Q20 headphones, I wanted to know if this headset would offer a more breathable experience, especially in the hot weather.

And I was pleasantly surprised. Draped over my lobes, the EKSA S30 felt comfortable – so light, in fact, that I almost forgot I was wearing them. Before I knew what had happened, I’d listened to an hour-long podcast without once fiddling with them or shifting their position. If you’re just using these for meetings (even all-day meetings), you’ll have no issues popping these on.

However, this headset doesn’t just cater to meetings on your desktop or laptop. As a Bluetooth device, it’ll connect to your phone, letting you answer calls, play or pause music and YouTube videos, adjust volume, or activate your phone’s AI assistant. This, too, worked well.

More importantly, everything sounded good, with the correct timbre and bass (as expected for a device that bills TubeBass Technology as a selling point). Voices sounded natural and real, with none of the tinniness you sometimes get from a headset.

During calls and meetings I could hear others perfectly, and those on the call noted that my mic delivered clear audio. When I recorded myself to listen to the playback, I experienced the same.

According to EKSA, the headset’s AI-powered microphone delivers up to 99.9% environmental noise-cancelling (ENC) Technology. A figure like that is red rag to a bull for a reviewer, so I ran a makeshift test by playing TechRadar's YouTube videos at varying volumes during calls. Once I moved around half a meter away from the source and began speaking, no-one could hear any background chatter.

Where users may have some difficulty switching from headphones to headset is the lack of noise-cancelation on the audio. But, then, I suppose that’s part of the appeal for the S30’s open-ear design, preventing the alienation that comes from blocking out absolutely everything but what’s being pumped into your ears, and generally keeping you aware of your surroundings.

EKSA S30: Final verdict

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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

Light, comfortable, breathable open-ear design, good audio. For me, the EKSA S30 headset ticks all the key boxes for those who want a unit for all-day meetings.

The price might be a little higher than for some headsets, but you get a fair amount in the box, including the molded charging case for protection during travel and some decent tech operating inside the twin headsets, with excellent audio clarity across speakers and microphone.

A lack of ANC may put off some users. However, I had no issues using this in a relatively quiet workspace – and with AI-powered ENC on the mic, others in your meeting won’t hear all the background chatter, even if you can.

Should I buy the EKSA S30?

EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

Buy it if...

✅ You want an open-ear headset: I really like how the design of this headset doesn’t shut you out the way a pair of cans does, without compromising on audio.

✅ You want a headset for all-day use: I found the S30 so light and comfortable, I practically forgot I was wearing it. The fit is snug without being tight, and ideal if you’re on calls all day.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You need ANC: While the microphone blocks out background noise, the speakers have no active noise cancelation. That may be an issue if you work in a particularly noisy office.

❌ You prefer on-ear headphones: This speaks for itself, really – if you’d rather traditional headphones, this model won’t appeal. However, even as an avowed headphone addict, I found plenty to like and recommend here.

For more options for regular meetings, we've also reviewed the best headsets for conference calls.

Imperium Hosting review
2:31 pm | May 15, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Hosting | Comments: Off

Imperium Hosting is a veteran-owned game server host which caters for a wide range of games. We focused on its place among the best Minecraft server hosting, but if you can think of a game with an online community, Imperium probably has a server plan for it.


For Minecraft, Imperium Hosting focuses on a range of configurable options rather than specific plan names which means a lot of variety. Besides game server hosting, Imperium also provides web hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated servers. Potentially a good option for someone seeking the best dedicated server hosting, we’ve specifically looked at Imperium Hosting’s dedicated Minecraft server hosting options. Here’s what we found during our time with Imperium.

Plans and pricing

Unlike other game server host providers, Imperium Hosting doesn’t use dedicated names for its plans. Instead, you pick your game then configure the options you need.

For Minecraft, that means you can adjust the memory allocation between 2GB and 20GB, and the disk space between 50GB and 200GB. Additionally, there are options like a superior CPU and other add-ons as needed.

It’s great to have such flexibility but if you’re new to game server hosting, some guidance as to what plan works best for your situation would help.

All plans offer DDoS protection, global server locations, extensive customer support, and one-click mod pack installation.

Refreshingly, while Imperium Hosting offers some add-ons during sign up, like migration, everything is opt-in. As standard, you’re provided with the cheapest plan with Minecraft plans starting from $2.99 for a basic 2GB RAM/50GB disk space plan (you’ll need more RAM in most scenarios). It’s laid out well so you know what you’re getting.

The cheapest plan starts at $2.99 with the price rising to $72 for the maxed out 20GB RAM/200GB disk space/RealTime CPU plan. There’s no extra fee for any of the server location with servers based in Washington, California, Virginia, the UK, France, and Canada. Payment is accepted via PayPal or credit/debit card.

Ease of use

The Imperium Hosting control panel

A screenshot of the Imperium Hosting control panel (Image credit: Imperium)

As mentioned, the sign up process on the Imperium website doesn’t involve clicking on specific plan names. Instead, you pick the memory and disk space you need along with the CPU priority you would like. It’s not as clearly laid out as other hosting options (and I never could find full details on concrete differences between the CPU options), but it does give you plenty of control.

In a similar vein, once signed up, the dashboard and control panel aren’t as clearly laid out as others either but there’s all you need once you dig around. Log in and you can dive into the MySQL manager (1 database comes as standard), or the game service manager. The latter is where you’ll be spending much of your time with clearly laid options for adding mods, checking logs, or scheduling tasks? Attractive to look at? Not in the slightest but it gets the job done.

There are many modpacks available as well as the option to switch between Spigot and Paper, or Vanilla. If you’re completely new to setting up a Minecraft server, Imperium Hosting can be a little intimidating but it’s as powerful as you need it to be.

My favorite highlight is how easy it is to add sub users as not every game server host makes that as obviously simple as this. Just go to Create a Sub User and you can easily get set up.

Speed and experience

Adding a user to your Imperium Hosting plan

Adding a user to your Imperium Hosting plan. (Image credit: Imperium)

Imperium Hosting has servers located around the world. These include three within the US, one in Canada, one in the UK, and one in France. When signing up, your options are a little more restricted to Western America, Eastern America, or Western Europe.

Elsewhere in the world, you may find this a little limiting but based in Western Europe, I achieved a steady ping under 40 at all times. While there could be more varied servers, the core market is covered with North America and Western Europe.

As with all Minecraft server plans, aim high if you want to install any mods. Checking out the most basic plan and installing a couple of mods soon maxed out the memory usage. That’s typical when managing any Minecraft server but bear in mind that it’s a smart move to research what you need for your plans as Imperium Hosting doesn’t provide any recommendations.

Support

When it comes to support, it’s a benefit that Imperium Hosting is fairly small. Support is friendly and well-respected by many users. There’s Live Chat, a Discord server, as well as a more typical ticketing system. There’s also a Knowledgebase which covers most queries.

A YouTube channel would round things up nicely but like a lot of the service, Imperium is all about function over form and it still works reasonably well.

Imperium doesn't provide insight into its uptime on the site so there are no statistics to compare with other hosting providers. However, in my experience using the server, there was no downtime.

Final Verdict

Imperium Hosting isn’t the prettiest or most novice friendly of game server hosts, but it deserves some attention. If you’re keen to back a smaller game server hosting service, you’ll gain a decent pricing structure and good customer service.

There’s no chance of paying for features you don’t need here as Imperium Hosting keeps it simply laid out even if it isn’t ideal for newbies. Similarly, while you won’t be regaling Minecraft buddies with tales of how good looking the control panel is, it gets the job done.

Simple yet effective in all the right ways, I’d still recommend Imperium Hosting even if it could be a little more refined in places.

Empower Servers review
2:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Hosting | Comments: Off

Empower Servers might not be a major name in Minecraft game server hosting but it’s been around since 2018 and offers some key services.

It isn’t quite of the standard to feature among the very best Minecraft server hosting but its choice of standard or premium plans and a sliding scale all ensure it’s well suited for novices and experienced server admins alike.

We focused on our time with its Minecraft server but Empower provides hosting for many of the most popular games including Palworld and Rust. It also offers Discord bots and website hosting if you have wider plans in mind. If you’re looking for some of the best Palworld server hosting, this could be a good option for that as well as Minecraft. There are also options to rival the best Rust server hosting. Here’s how we found the dedicated Minecraft server hosting options within Empower.

Plans and pricing

Pick the game you want a server for and you’re presented with configuration options relating to that game. With Minecraft, that means a choice of tiers between standard and high performance, and the ability to adjust how much RAM you need. Predictably then, there’s a lot of flexibility here.

Once you’ve picked the basics, it’s also possible to pay extra for daily backups, a dedicated IP, plugin and mod install, and a domain registration, As standard, all the Empower plans promise 20GB of NVMe storage, a free subdomain, full mod and plugin support, no player limit, and unmetered bandwidth. Premium plans offer a dedicated IP, daily backups, and unlimited NVMe storage as part of the bundle.

Empower uses a mixture of AMD Ryzen 3900X, Intel i9-11900K, and Xeon-E 2286G CPUs. It’s not possible to pick the specific CPU your server uses if you’re keen for that level of control.

All plans have a 48 hour refund policy which is a little brief compared to the competition which typically offers 72 hours, but should still be sufficient for giving you enough time to figure out if you like how Empower does things.

Ease of use

The Empower server console when a server update is underway.

The Empower dashboard console mid update. (Image credit: Future)

Empower Servers focuses on a simplified process when signing up which continues throughout use. Sign up is simple enough with you picking the game then working out what extras you want to pay for. It’s clearly laid out.

Once set up, the control panel is similarly obvious. It takes seconds to find the console, find plugins or modpacks to add, and all the other essentials you need.

It’s simple enough that you don’t need exactly how to set up a Minecraft server as Empower takes out most of the hard work. In particular, it’s great to see how easy it is to install extras without needing expert knowledge. You can also easily add files via the file manager so it’s not like you’re held back either if you know what you’re doing.

One neat addition is that you can easily add other admins with Empower laying out exactly what each option does via a series of tick boxes. That’s particularly useful for anyone figuring out the basics behind server hosting.

Speed and experience

The Empower dashboard showing all plugins available to install.

The Empower dashboard showing all plugins available to install. (Image credit: Future)

Empower has servers located in eight locations. These include Canada, Germany, New Zealand, United States, Netherlands, UK, Australia, and Singapore.

While signing up, you can choose the location. I picked the UK one and had a steady ping of around 40 throughout use. Empower promises 100% network uptime.

Unusually, I did have brief downtime with my server crashing and restarting. However, I suspect that was because of a configuration issue rather than a fault on Empower’s end. I’d installed an out-of-date plugin which was causing connection issues. I think that ultimately led to the server rebooting.

It’s possible to sign up for a 2GB RAM plan but it’s not advisable. Empower suggests that such a minimal plan is only suitable for the Bedrock edition and in my experience, 4GB RAM at minimum is best for small server aims.

Once you install a few mods and plugins, less RAM can really negatively affect performance. Fortunately, Empower’s dashboard shows at a glance how your CPU and memory usage is being affected at all times.

Support

Empower offers quite a few different ways to reach out for support. At its simplest, it has an extensive knowledge base which covers a wide range of the most common issues you might come across.

When you need more assistance, there’s also a Discord for more direct help or general advice. Alternatively, there’s a live chat facility with AI assistance at first leading into human help. If it’s not too urgent, you can also email Empower.

Another option is to watch the Empower YouTube channel which offers some great tutorials on how to complete many tasks.

I found the service across the board pretty efficient and also helpful. Having so many choices means you shouldn't feel stuck with any issue or query you might have.

Final Verdict

Empower is good for everyone but its strength lies with being fairly user friendly. It doesn’t dig too deep into the details at first glance unless you want to go looking for it. Instead, it’s welcoming and ensures its control panel and dashboard make logical sense with clearly laid out terms that don’t require as much prior knowledge as you would expect.

The best option with Empower is a premium plan but you can still get good value from money from a standard plan. It all comes down to your needs. For someone looking to host a few friends, a standard plan will suffice, while those looking to create a community may wish to go for the premium plan.

I found one of the best free Minecraft servers I just wish Minefort’s paid plans were as good.
12:22 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Hosting | Comments: Off

Minefort is a dark horse of a game server hosting company. That’s because its initial focus is on how it provides free plans. It isn’t a perfect service which is why one of the best Minecraft server hosting providers is likely to be better suited for many needs, but for a quick hit, there’s appeal here.

Besides the free plan, there are premium options too. As the name suggests, Minefort exclusively caters for Minecraft players so others may prefer to use the best dedicated server hosting instead if you have bigger plans. Simpler than the best VPS hosting, here’s how we found Minefort for Minecraft server hosting.

Plans and pricing

Minefort offers five plans each named after a type of accommodation. The free plan is named Hut while there’s also Cottage, House, Mansion, and Fort. The free plan is only online when in use and goes into hibernation mode until you restart it. The others are all available 24/7.

There’s no insight into what CPUs are used for each server plan but you’re provided with the essentials -- RAM, max players, backup slots, and storage limits. The free plan starts things off with 10 player slots at most.

Unlike bigger hosts, Minefort doesn’t lead the way with suggestions or even with a sliding scale to adjust plans, but the basics are here. There’s also DDoS protection and support for all plans. The two priciest plans offer ‘Advanced’ and ‘Premium’ DDoS protection but again, details are pretty non-existent as to what that entails. Consider Minefort simple in both good and potentially frustrating ways for micro managers.

Ease of use

The Minefort dashboard.

A screenshot of the Minefort control panel (Image credit: Future)

Signing up to Minefort takes mere moments. It leans heavily into its free offering so there’s no need to enter card details until you get to the upgrade screen. A clearly laid out control panel is instantly accessible. Head to appearances to get things personalized while there’s one-click plugin installation for many different mods.

It’s also possible to quickly add another admin, create backups, and connect via FTP. That goes for the free plan as well as paid servers too.

On the free plan, you'll need to remember that the server can go into hibernation mode easily when not in use. Also, while you can set up many free servers, only one can be actively online at any one time.

Still, Minefort offers much of what you need from a paid plan while never feeling like you miss out on much when pursuing the free plan too. This is a service that’s appropriate for anyone new to knowing how to set up a Minecraft server as well as more experienced admins.

Speed and experience

Minefort server setup options.

Minefort general server options (Image credit: Future)

Unlike other hosts, Minefort doesn’t explain where its servers are located. You can’t choose the location but a dig around confirms they’re based in Canada. That means if you’re based in Europe like me, ping can be a little higher than average. In my case, it was around 150ish which isn’t too awkward. Certainly not for something a little more forgiving (most of the time) like Minecraft.

The lack of location options feels more of an issue when paying for a plan than it does with the free plan. Your mileage will vary here as obviously, it’s good to have plenty of control when paying a lot, but less relevant on cheaper plans.

Understandably, performance similarly varies depending on what you’re paying. Scant details are provided regarding CPUs and RAM, but the basic free plan lives up to its name which means it’s best just for a few players and not too many mods. It only offers 1GB RAM which is pretty low for most Minecraft installs. Upgrade and you can change things up between 35 players right up to 200. As with other Minecraft server hosts, you get what you pay for.

For any long term plans, aim for the most premium package (or potentially something from the best premium game server hosting).

Support

Minefort has fairly limited support on the free plan with 24/7 access for paid plans. On a free plan, your main route of support is a chatbot until support is available or the knowledge base. The chatbot is reasonably helpful for basic queries while the FAQ also covers many commonly asked questions. There’s also a Discord – an increasingly popular way to solve queries fast by crowdsourcing help in some cases.

It’s not as feature rich as competitors and the lack of a YouTube channel is a missed opportunity. Still, if you know what you’re doing, you may not need support very often.

Final Verdict

Minefort’s strength is in its free offerings. It’s refreshing to find a seemingly catch-free way of enjoying a free server with a few friends. After all, you don’t even need to enter card details. That free server may not offer much power but it’s still sufficient for a quick few sessions with a couple of buddies.

Where it gets trickier to recommend is when it comes to its paid plans. The lack of location choice and the limited details about hardware won’t appeal to experienced server admins and understandably so. It’s well priced but competitors do a better job of explaining all before you commit to anything.

Because of that, Minefort is best suited for anyone who needs an inexpensive or free plan for a short period of time. Something to tide them over rather than if they have plans for a community-driven server.

There’s a place for that kind of service which is why Minefort is worth acknowledging and checking out. Just make sure to temper your expectations. If you know what you’re doing and what you need, there are better alternatives around.

I tried the AOC Q27V5CW – read what I thought of this simple but top-quality USB-C monitor
1:26 pm | May 14, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

This review first appeared in issue 339 of PC Pro.

AOC has built its reputation on putting together high-quality monitors for a great price, and that’s exactly what it has done here. What lifts the Q27V5CW apart from previous mainstream AOC products is that it offers USB-C docking along with HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, which is quite remarkable for the price: one obvious competitor is HP’s E27d G4, which costs almost £500.

In terms of panel quality, the AOC is definitely a match for the HP. Both offer a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution across a 27in diagonal, and with 94% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut coupled with an average Delta E of 0.33 the Q27V5CW is a vibrant offering. If you prefer the sRGB color space then head into AOC’s (clumsy) OSD, which switches to a fixed brightness of 255cd/m2. That is a drop from the screen’s peak of 336cd/m2 but it locks you to the sRGB gamut: 95% coverage out of 96% volume with an average Delta E of 0.43. Those are exemplary figures.

Like the HP, AOC also includes a webcam. But where HP sticks at 720p, this one goes up to 1080p. Overall, I was impressed: plenty of detail and solid colors are all most people need. There are no fancy AI features, such as following you around during calls, but it does support Windows Hello logins. The dual microphones are merely fine, suffering as they do from a slight hum, but the pair of 5W speakers are just about good enough for listening to music on. Audiophiles won’t be happy with the lack of bass and detail, though.

The USB-C port delivers up to 65W of power, so not the 100W of the best docking monitors but plenty for most laptops. Connecting over USB-C not only cuts down on cable clutter but also activates the four USB-A ports tucked away at the rear. However, this is no USB-B input so you can’t share a keyboard and mouse between two connected computers.

I took advantage of the well-built stand’s pivot option to access the ports more easily, and it also offers 130mm of height adjustment and plenty of swivel and tilt. It adds up to a superb everyday screen, and while AOC doesn’t offer high refresh rates – up to 75Hz – a 4ms grey-to-grey response time means casual gamers should be satisfied. But the real prize here is the £330 asking price, which is simply amazing for a high-quality 27in USB-C docking monitor.

We've also ranked the best monitors for a dual-screen set-up.

I tested the Poly Studio R30 – an affordable conferencing option for small rooms
10:48 am | May 13, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: | Comments: Off

This review first appeared in issue 340 of PC Pro.

HP’s acquisition of Poly in August 2022 gives it a strong presence in the hybrid working market with access to a fine range of VC products. Poly retains its name for now, and the Studio R30 on review aims to offer SMBs an affordable all-in-one solution for small conference spaces.

At first glance, the R30 looks very similar to Poly’s P15 video bar, but its chassis is slightly larger, the central 4K UHD camera has a much wider diagonal 120° field of view (FoV) and its digital zoom steps up from 4x to 5x. Internally, things remain the same: it has an 8W internal speaker, while a triple-microphone beamforming array provides speaker tracking and automatic framing.

The Studio R30 employs Poly’s NoiseBlockAI and Acoustic Fence technologies to identify and remove annoying background noises such as keyboard heavy hitters. It goes a step further as Poly’s new DirectorAI feature ensures no meeting participant feels left out by providing automated group, people and speaker framing, along with presenter tracking.

Full view of the Poly Studio R30

The central 4K UHD camera has a wide 120° field of view (Image credit: Future)

Rear-mounted ports include an external PSU connector and a USB Type-C port for host connection, with the kit including a generous five-meter cable. Two USB Type-A ports allow the R30 to function as a USB hub but, unlike the P15’s mechanical privacy shutter on its lens, the R30 gets only a cheap rubber cap.

Installation is swift. We connected the R30 to a Windows 10 PC and watched it load the camera and audio device drivers in a few seconds. You’ll want to add Poly’s free Lens Desktop app as this provides a firmware upgrade tool along with local access for manually adjusting audio and video functions and selecting a framing mode.

Using the app to link up with our Lens cloud account, we could remotely manage the R30, change its settings from the portal and use the inventory service to see its physical location. Use the app to connect the R30 to a wireless network and it will link up with a remote Poly provisioning server for pushing custom settings to it.

Rear view of the Poly Studio R30

Rear ports include a USB-C, two USB-A and an external PSU connector (Image credit: Future)

During meetings, we found Poly’s tracking and framing features worked very well, with the camera snapping to the current speaker, zooming back out when they stopped talking and moving effortlessly to other speakers. In presenter mode, the R30 easily kept track of us as we moved around our meeting room while we spoke, with shift delays of around two to three seconds.

The speaker delivers a clean soundscape, and in our 24m2 room we found a volume level of 75% was sufficient to cover all areas. The integral mics also impressed, with remote meeting participants saying they could hear us clearly at distances of up to three meters.

In a direct comparison with the lab’s Studio P15, we found the R30’s wider FoV clearly provides greater horizontal coverage. It didn’t suffer from the P15’s slightly soft focus and presented a sharper, cleaner picture with a more natural color balance, while its backlight compensation coped better with bright sunlight.

Desktop screenshot of Poly Lens management features

Video quality is good and the Poly Lens service enables remote management (Image credit: Future)

The camera’s digital pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) functions can be manually controlled from the Lens app but only when auto-tracking is disabled. Although currently in a preview testing phase, you can also select a conversation mode to display two speakers in a split screen, while people framing shows all participants using up to six split screens.

Poly’s Studio R30 offers SMBs an affordable and easy-to-use 4K videoconferencing solution. Video and audio quality are very good and its clever people-tracking and framing features add that all-important professional touch to your meetings.

We've also rated the best webinar software.

I tested the MSI Summit MS321UP – a high-quality business monitor that’s packed with features
10:45 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: | Comments: Off

This review first appeared in issue 340 of PC Pro.

MSI describes the Summit MS321UP as a business and productivity monitor, as opposed to its huge range of gaming screens and a handful of creative displays. With a peak 60Hz refresh rate it’s obvious that gamers won’t be applying, but MSI still hopes to lure designers here as it includes a monitor hood in the box.

Print designers can’t expect miracles at this price. There is an Adobe RGB mode, but with this selected it covers only 79% of that color space; a huge distance behind the 95% you can expect of an Eizo ColorEdge monitor. But, and it’s a big but, even the 27in ColorEdge CG279X costs twice as much, while the 32in and 4K ColorEdge CG319X retails for almost £4,000. Two more pitfalls for print designers: its color accuracy isn’t great, with an average Delta E of 1.97, and there’s no Pantone certification.

There’s far more for digital creatives and photographers to cheer, as coverage of the DCI-P3 space is 92% if you switch to the Display P3 profile, while color accuracy improves with an average Delta E of 0.88. You may also want to take advantage of the Design Assistance tools. Alongside print-focused aids such as guides for business cards, A4 and more (these guides appear as rectangular overlays on the screen, so you just slot your artwork within the lines), there’s a bunch of rulers and grids, including a rule-of-thirds grid.

In general, though, I found myself sticking to the sRGB gamut as it locks so well to the 6500K color temperature – I measured 6501K, which is essentially perfect for whites – while again scoring 0.88 for color accuracy. And while a 4K resolution may seem overkill when working in typical business tools such as Word and Excel, you grow to enjoy the sheer crispness of the words and numbers on screen.

Full view of the MSI Summit MS321UP

A monitor hood is just one of this flexible display’s many attractions (Image credit: Future)

The panel pushes up to 468cd/m2, which is retina-burning high for daily use, and, as its HDR600 certification illustrates, it can push right up to 600cd/m2 in localized areas. I preferred to keep it at around 375cd/m2 (70 in the controls), but this consumes 47W of power. If you’re trying to control your energy outgoings then you can manually drop this yourself or switch to the Eco mode, where brightness dropped to 175cd/m2 – which is still fine in a typical office – and power consumption to 33W. You can also activate auto brightness control, but I found that distracting.

As you can tell from all these options, it’s worth investigating the OSD menu. Tucked away at the bottom of the profile choices are three calibration profiles for your own use, for example, and if you select the User profile a sophisticated array of tools for controlling color temperature, saturation and hue become available. But these are probably overkill for most users, unless they want to fine-tune the color calibration themselves.

You don’t need to head into the main menu to switch between profiles, as pushing the joystick upwards flicks between them. Pushing down activates the Design Assistance tools, while heading right gives you the option of choosing the display input: there are two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort and the increasingly crucial USB-C port.

Rear view of the MSI Summit MS321UP

Connections include two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort and a USB-C port (Image credit: Future)

It’s disappointing that this only delivers 15W of power, so it will trickle-charge laptops at best, but that isn’t such a problem if a laptop will stay connected most of a working day. And because there’s a KVM built into the monitor, if you connect a second PC or laptop (via the monitor’s USB-B input as well as the video input) then you can share a mouse and keyboard between them. Pressing left on the joystick allows you to switch inputs, or you can keep it as automatic – or you can use the Picture-in-Picture (PIP) and Picture-by-Picture (PBP) features.

You can also share any device connected via the three USB-A ports, with one port tucked awkwardly at the rear and the other two on the left-hand side. There are mic and headphone jacks here, too – note the lack of built-in speakers – along with a full-size SD card slot.

I ended up being grateful for the proximity of those ports, as this 9.7kg hunk of a monitor isn’t easy to move. There’s 35° of swivel to the left and right, and a more than adequate 100mm of height adjustment, but with a 32in panel such as this you’d need an even heftier stand to support 90° pivots into portrait mode.

Despite this lack of physical flexibility, this monitor fully deserves to be described as versatile. The ease with which you can switch between color profiles, along with the shedload of features, mean it can fit into almost any workflow. And at £700, with a five-year warranty, it’s great value.

We've rated the best monitors for a dual screen setup.

I tested the Armari Magnetar M16R7-1300G3 and found it offered phenomenal performance for creatives
10:40 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

This review first appeared in issue 340 of PC Pro.

We are entering another exciting phase for PC processors, particularly if you’re a content creator. While the mid-range pendulum swung back to Intel in our workstations Labs, AMD’s Ryzen 7000 series promises huge potential for content creation. Here, I put it through its paces in Armari’s Magnetar M16R7-1300G3.

Armari has, of course, opted for the top Ryzen 9 7950X for its system. Unlike the Intel Core i9-12900K chips that proved so popular in the Labs, the Ryzen 9 has 16 full-speed cores rather than eight, alongside eight low-power ones. And the 7950X provides a base clock of 4.5GHz across all its cores, with an incredible maximum Boost frequency of 5.7GHz, so it should hurtle through any task with a multithreaded bias.

The Ryzen 7000 series is AMD’s first to support DDR5, with Armari providing a generous 64GB complement of 5,600MHz Corsair Vengeance Black DDR5 as two 32GB DIMMs. This runs at 4,800MHz on the system, but enables the processor’s dual-channel memory capability. It also leaves two DIMM slots free on the Asus X670E ProArt-Creator WiFi motherboard, to make an upgrade to 128GB possible – but this will drop the DIMM operating speed to 3,600MHz.

One area where AMD hasn’t had the upper hand for some years is professional graphics. Nevertheless, Armari sticks with AMD here, via a Radeon Pro W6800 graphics card that sports a hefty 3,840 Stream processors and 32GB of GDDR6 frame buffer. The latter operates at 512GB/sec, a little behind Nvidia’s latest and greatest, but there’s no shortage of connectivity, with six mini DisplayPort 1.4 connectors enabling up to two 8K displays or six 5K ones.

Armari hasn’t gone to town with storage, unlike the £16,000 Scan 3XS GWP-ME A1128T. Just a single drive is included, but it’s a potent one. The 2TB WD SN850 Gen4 M.2 SSD SN850 delivered a sustained reading throughput of 7,050MB/sec in CrystalDiskMark 8, with writing at 5,248MB/sec, making this the fastest single NVMe drive we’ve tested.

Full view of the Armari Magnetar M16R7-1300G3

Armari’s latest workstation is a powerful beast (Image credit: Future)

If you need secondary storage for large media files, the chassis includes four 3.5in/2.5in easy swap backplanes and drive sleds, which you can switch out when the system is powered down and the side panel off. The case is one of Armari’s secrets, as the firm custom-designs its own. The Magnetar M60 Gen3 chassis has loads of cooling, including a side mount for the CPU liquid system, replete with a trio of 120mm fans.

Despite all this, the Magnetar isn’t a power hog. It consumes 90W when idle, pushing up to 370W when rendering a scene in Blender using both the CPU and GPU. If you run the CPU, GPU and memory all at maximum it consumes 530W, which still isn’t terrible considering how much processing power you’re getting in return. And since Armari has included a hefty 1,300W power supply, you can be confident the system will stay stable even under maximum load.

You may want to make full use of that maximum load, too, because this workstation has outrageous power. The Magnetar was a stunningly quick system in every CPU-related test I threw at it. The score of 773 in the PC Pro benchmarks would have beaten every system in the most recent Labs, and even surpasses the excellent Scan 3XS GWP-ME A1128T with its 64-core Threadripper processor.

Underlining the CPU’s potency is a Cinebench R23 multicore result of 37,170, which trounces a pair of 24-core Intel Xeon Gold processors and would even beat a 32-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX. The single-core result of 2,093 is on a par with that of the Intel Core i9-13900K in the Scan Vengeance 3XS – except the Ryzen 9 7950X has 16 cores capable of this speed, where the Intel chip only has eight. To further underline the AMD chip’s power, the Blender Gooseberry render only took 293 seconds using the CPU.

The single area of weakness is the graphics acceleration, but only relatively. With 3D modelling and animation, using SPECviewperf 2020 the AMD Radeon Pro W6800 achieved 174 in 3dsmax-07 and 456 in maya-06, which are great results, but Nvidia’s Quadro A4500 will surpass the latter. With CAD/CAM, the scores were 99 in catia-06, 133 in creo-03, 431 in snx-04 and 259 in solidworks-05. All good results, but again the A4500 holds the advantage here.

Nevertheless, the Magnetar is an unquestionably capable workstation that can slice through every kind of content creation task, be it modelling and design or rendering the results out to a file. Armari has delivered the AMD platform in its habitual efficient, solid build. The price is high, but the amount of power you get from this 16-core processor workstation is phenomenal.

We also ranked the best monitors for video-editing.

I tested the Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF 27in portable monitor and it’s great for business but misses the mark in one key way for content creators
8:57 pm | May 12, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: | Comments: Off

You might not think it to look at the Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF, but this 27-inch monitor is actually a portable display.

Now, we’ve reviewed plenty of the best portable monitors, but most clock in at around 14 to 16 inches - so this is a big jump.

It might be relatively light, all things considered, and it does have a built-in kickstand, but with a screen this size, this isn’t one for whipping out to work in the library or cafe, or playing games on a long flight. To my mind, this is a screen designed for businesses, collaboration, and a second screen for desktop set-ups, especially across multiple locations.

We’ve previously reviewed the 24-inch Asus ZenScreen MB249C portable monitor. It’s not dissimilar in design, but we found it had a few flaws - chiefly the low resolution (1080p) and pixel density (92.56 ppi), and the so-so built-in speaker, a perennial issue for portable displays. It seems Asus has sat up and taken notice. The new MB27ACF now boasts a 2.5K resolution that better suits the big-screen experience, a pixel density of 218 ppi, and vastly better speakers.

I took the Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF for a test drive for several weeks as a second screen hooked up to a 14in laptop, to see how it measures up against my favorite portable displays.

Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF: Unboxing & first impressions

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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)
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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)
Specs

Screen size: 27in

Panel: IPS, LED

Resolution: 2560x1440

Pixel density: 218 ppi

Color space: 99% sRGB

Brightness: 300 nits

Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x USB-C (DP Alt), 1x 3.5mm audio jack

USB-C Power Delivery: 70W

In the box: Monitor, monitor arm, hanging hooks, HDMI cable, USB-C cable, PSU

VESA mount: 75x75mm

Dimensions: 24.06" x 29.76" x 11.85in / 61.1 x 75.6 x 30.1cm

Weight: 6.57 lbs / 2.98 kg

First impressions? This display is big. Far bigger than any portable monitor I’ve used in the past. At first glance, I seriously doubted the portability of this display.

In the box you’ll find the VESA-mountable display, of course, alongside a pretty hefty monitor arm, hanging hooks for attaching to whiteboards, HDMI and USB-C cables, and the power supply unit.

Despite my initial misgivings, drawing it from the box, I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it is to carry. Yes, it’s large and relatively heavy at 6.57 lbs before any stand is attached, though not ridiculously so. I wouldn’t like to cart this around on the commute every day, particularly since it lacks any protective covering or sleeve.

With that in mind, I maintain this is still best for multiple set-ups across a single location.

Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF: Design & operation

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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)
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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)
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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)
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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)

Given its size, to look at the MB27ACF, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is just an ordinary computer monitor. The screen is broad, the bezels are fairly slim, except along the bottom of the frame where you’ll find the speakers - a 2.1-channel audio with subwoofer that’s acceptable in use.

It’s only when you spin the monitor around that it gives itself away as a portable device. Around the back is a fold-out silver kickstand that pulls out and downward, which helps support the weight compared to those that just flip out from the bottom. Asus is billing this as a carry handle, but I wouldn’t chance it.

Initially, I found folding out this stand was a bit stiff, and I’d advise using a hand on either side to pull it into position, because it does feel like one hard yank might snap it. Once out, you can set it to multiple positions depending on desk-space and required viewing angle. At the center of the rear is a socket for attaching the C-clamp monitor arm, too.

Along the left side is the power jack, alongside three ports - a HDMI, USB-C, and audio jack. On the right is the menu, arrow keys, and power buttons. As such, operation is very straightforward. That USB-C port also offers 70W power delivery, letting you charge your laptop via the monitor, which is useful if you’re short on power sockets - the monitor already uses one, and there’s no built-in battery to help keep down the weight.

Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF: In use

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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)
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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)
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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)
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Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)

Throughout testing, I had no trouble using this transportable monitor. It does everything I needed it to do without any fuss or issues, no dead pixels, problems seeing what’s on the screen. Yes, it is heavy. So, as a fully portable monitor, it’s not ideal. That’s not what it’s designed for, of course.

Surprisingly, the speakers were… acceptable. You’re never going to get high-end audio from a device like this, however, the sounds here are a lot less tinny than on many of the speakers on portable monitors. Saying that, I’d still recommend making use of the display’s 3.5mm audio jack or external speakers for tasks that demand the best audio experience.

Outside of that kickstand, which I would’ve liked to see somewhat reinforced, my only real issue is I didn’t find the screen especially bright. The display has a matte covering, which does a great job of limiting screen glare and reflections, but I’d hesitate to use this in direct sunlight.

I would’ve loved this to have a wider color gamut, too. 100% sRGB is fine for creating online assets. But now imagine if this packed 100% P3, or even AdobeRGB - it would make it a very attractive choice for mobile photographers, video editors, and all-round creators who want to conduct detailed creative work. And, wishful thinking though it may be, i can’t help feeling it’s a missed opportunity.

Realistically, though, that’s not who this monitor is for. It’s for business professionals in a collaborative office, and those who want a second screen on their desk that can be easily stashed away when not in use. On that score, the Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF delivers the goods.

Should I buy the Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF?

Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF during our review

(Image credit: Asus // Future)

Buy it if...

✅ You want a big, portable display: With its 27in screen, this is a great choice for those who want a large screen with a high resolution for detailed work, and to supplement your laptop or computer screen.

✅ You’re collaborating with others: For my money, this display is best-suited for businesses who need to collaborate with colleagues or present to the wider team.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You want ultra portability: Ok, it might be thin, light, and transportable, but the size and weight limit its portability - I’d suggest only moving this around multiple spaces in a single location, like an office.

❌ You’re a content creator: At just 100% sRGB, this monitor lacks a wide color gamut demanded by creative professionals like photographers.

For more options, we've also reviewed the best business monitors you can get right now.

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