I've reviewed a significant amount of gear from Sihoo over the years. Sihoo is one of those companies that offer a wide range of prices, covering budget gear all the way to higher-end gear.

The Sihoo M56C-V2 favors the budget side, but it's not as budget-friendly as the Sihoo M76A-M101. However, it does remind me of it a lot. Where the M76A-M101 was very lightweight, making it feel a bit cheaper, the M56C-V2 feels a bit heftier, without significantly increasing the price tag. Is it one of the best office chairs around? I took it for a spin to find out.

Sihoo M56C-V2: Price and availability

The Sihoo M56C-V2 can be purchased from the Sihoo website, Amazon, Best Buy, and several other retailers, and I'm sure that number will grow over time, as this is still a relatively new release chair. The chair costs just over $200, and depending on where you buy it from, you could get next-day delivery, pickup, or relatively fast shipping.

Sihoo M56C-V2: Unboxing and First Impressions

I've reviewed a significant amount of gear from Sihoo over the years. Sihoo is one of those companies that offer a wide range of prices, covering budget gear all the way to higher-end gear. The Sihoo M56C-V2 favors the budget side, but it's not as budget-friendly as the Sihoo M76A-M101.

Some users or businesses want a good chair with some ergonomics, but they don't want to spend an exorbitant amount of money. Sadly, when it comes to budget chairs, ergonomic features are often the first to be sacrificed. For this chair, however, the ergonomics are still present, providing good back support, albeit with the lumbar support a little too low for some users.

Assembly will depend on your comfort level with building chairs. If you know what you're doing and are fairly comfortable assembling items like this, you can probably build it in around an hour. However, those with less experience may take longer to build. Another thing that could help speed up the process of assembling this chair is an electric screwdriver.

Sihoo M56C-V2: Design & Build Quality

The Sihoo M56C-V2 has a firm mesh back with a self-adjusting lumbar system. It's designed to lean and adjust with you while you move in the seat, and for some, it will work great. For others, it may feel slightly lower than desired, although Sihoo aimed to support the true lower lumbar region, rather than the mid-to-low back, unlike many chairs.

The seat cushion, although not the best on the market, still provides a reasonably decent seat for the price. Lastly, the armrests and headrest provide enough flexibility and adjustment options to be helpful, without being ground-breaking and expensive.

Sihoo M56C-V2: In use

I've had the Sihoo M56C-V2 in my inventory for 100 days at the time of writing this review. So far, this chair has held up nicely to everything we have thrown at it, including long working days.

All around, I'm impressed with just how good this chair is for the price. Granted, it has its ups and downs, but for around $200, it's pretty impressive that it offers any ergonomic features. There is a comfortable headrest, a great cushion that provides support without being uncomfortable, and it has good armrests.

While, for the most part, this chair is excellent, some users on my team have noted that the chair's lumbar is lower than they prefer. Additionally, the armrests cannot move inward, though that's usually a feature I only see on the more premium chairs, so no marks against the M56C in that regard.

The members of my team who felt like the lumbar was too low took matters into their own hands and added a DIY towel roll to the top of the lumbar support to help adjust the relief to the proper spot.

Other members of my team like the lowest part of the lumbar support because it feels like it properly holds their lower back.

Over the last 100 days of use, I've had one member use this chair far more than anyone else on my team. They have found that this chair is just about perfect for them. The armrests are great, the seat is comfortable, the lumbar support is helpful, the headrest is supportive, and the overall feel is wildly beneficial. This team member has suffered from migraines and tension headaches for quite some time, so having a chair that can give them a comfortable seat, a supported back, and a headrest makes all the difference.

Sihoo M56C-V2: Final verdict

The Sihoo M56C-V2 is not the fanciest chair, nor is it perfect, but it is a budget-friendly option that is well worth the money. If you are looking for a great budget chair for your home office or want to buy in bulk for a conference room or office bullpen, this chair is a great option to consider.

Should you buy a Sihoo M56C-V2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

For more office furniture essentials, we've reviewed the best standing desks around.

I've worked with Uplift in the past, so when I heard they released a new desk, I, of course, had to try it out for myself.

I've tried out their V2 Standing Desk with commercial legs, and the team has reviewed the V2 standing desk with standard legs. Both desks scored 4.5 and are widely recognized by the TechRadar Pro team as fantastic standing desk options. Sometimes when companies knock it out of the park, they swing too far in a different direction and lose touch with what made their original product so successful. Uplift, on the other hand, did the right move - they listened to their customers.

The Uplift V3 is everything that made the V2 great, everything that the V2 Commercial refined, and made it just a little bit better. Assembly is improved, stability is enhanced, and we still have the same great desktop and accessory options. We also have a sturdier frame and the same high-quality materials. For me, this might be the best standing desk around right now.

Uplift V3 Standing Desk: Price and availability

The Uplift Standing Desk V3 offers some of the most customizable options I have seen, including material choices and built-in features. Depending on what you choose, you'll adjust the price and time it takes to get to you drastically.

With the base-level desk in the smallest size, without any modifications, you'll come in around $700 and will get it shipped that day, free of charge. However, if you want to, and your budget allows of course, you could go all out and get a desk, and come out to over $2000 without accessories.

There are so many combination options that we could all make unique desks if we wanted to, and that is one of the things that sets Uplift apart.

Uplift V3 Standing Desk: Unboxing and First Impressions

I've customized and ordered numerous standing desks. Uplift still has the most robust number of options for me to choose from when I build, making it feel like I have a truly customized and almost one-of-a-kind desk.

I get to design it to be precisely what I want. Granted, there are other companies, such as Oakywood, that allow you to customize down to the exact inch, but when it comes to options for materials, Uplift may have just about everyone else beat. Even with this incredible selection of desktops and accessories, delivery time is still within a week, which is insane, sometimes as quickly as three days.

Everything comes well-packaged, with all the accessories you chose, and easy-to-follow directions to help with setup. Right off the bat, the desk feels sturdier than the V2, providing the rigidity I wanted with the V2 and even the V2 Commercial, while still maintaining a sleek and minimal appearance. The biggest game changer for me is the inclusion of the FlexMount Cable Manager.

I am the kind of person who loves a clean desk, even if it's cluttered; I still like it to be tidy and have the cables organized. The FlexMount cable Manager is the cable management solution that FlexiSpot added to their E7 Pro, except on the back of the desk, which works out well, as that's where most of the cable mess is.

Uplift V3 Standing Desk: Design & Build Quality

For my V3 desk, I built out a beautiful Heritage Oak desktop paired with the V3 C-Shaped legs, a handful of accessories, and powered grommets. The Heritage Oak is lovely. It looks excellent from a distance, and even up close, it still looks great for a laminate. It is worth noting that it is laminate, so it's not solid wood, but for what it is, it feels very nice.

I wanted to see how good their laminate could be, and I'm glad I did. If a more accessible desk can be this good, and I've also tested a solid wood option from Uplift, I know that their desks, overall, are solid and worth suggesting and promoting now.

Another element I really like about the design is the ability to add features like powered grommets at the point of purchase. These wouldn't be as beloved as they are, but the powered grommets are frequently the most notable feature of this desk, according to my team. We use them all the time to plug in whatever we are working with, all without having to run an extension cord, leave out a cable mess, or look for an outlet. We can pop up the grommet, plug in, and get to work.

The upgraded V3 legs still feature the same four programmable presets, and we also have a selection to choose from when it comes to the controller, which is quite impressive. We can choose the variant that best suits our working style and aesthetic, and it will work seamlessly with the desk out of the box.

Uplift V3 Standing Desk: In use

I've had this desk set up and in use for my team and I for the past 39 days at the time of writing this review. In that time, we have had numerous people rotate using it.

We have had multiple meetings, working sessions, and full days of work at this desk. We have it set up with dual monitors, an external Logitech MX Keys Keyboard, and the Logitech MX Master 3. We added a desk pad to protect the desk and enhance its aesthetic appeal. We also built out dual docking stations, one to run dual monitors for a Mac (that shouldn't be able to run dual monitors) through DisplayLink Manager, and another Thunderbolt Dock pulled forward for easy port access.

On top of this, we added a lamp, speakers, and multiple power options with under-mounted power strips and both grommet power solutions all running to where the desk itself can be powered with a single cable, and one ethernet port for wired internet (though it could be wireless if required).

This is how I like to build my desks, over-built but ready for modifications in the future if desired. Creating this way also highlights the limitations of a desk, if any exist. So far, this desk has withstood the hefty build beautifully, and it is working precisely as intended. The privacy screen blocks exactly where we'd want it to, and provides some lovely pouches for quick access to books or documents.

The grommets are easy to use and highly convenient. The desk has not bowed or sagged at all. The cable management solution keeps everything in place without allowing any cables to come into contact with the ground. Additionally, the wheels provide super-easy maneuverability.

After using this for a month and walking into the office every day, looking at the desk as I do in the photos, I wish that the cable management solution were either black to blend in or a more rigid and refined metal to match the desk frame. Everything looks so high quality, and then that stands out as an outlier. But not in a terrible way - just a little room for growth for V4.

Uplift V3 Standing Desk: Final verdict

The Uplift V3 is a significant and highly welcomed update from the Uplift V2 and V2 Commercial lines. Not to say that those are bad by any means, but the V3 is a definite step above. This desk has been excellent for all kinds of office work and would work beautifully in a dedicated office or a home office space. If you're investing in a standing desk, consider one that offers not only a fun, customizable option but also a quality, well-tested desk.

Should you buy an Uplift V3 Standing Desk?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

For more office furniture essentials, we've tested and reviewed the best office chairs.

When I first saw the LiberNovo Omni announced, I thought that if they delivered half of what I am seeing in the previews in real life, I'd be impressed.

Now, I've reviewed some of the best office chairs for the home and office, but this? This is something very different. Let me explain.

LiberNovo Omni: Price and availability

The LiberNovo Omni began on Kickstarter and has recently emerged from that initial phase. The next round of chairs will start shipping on October 21, 2025, and LiberNovo is still accepting more pre-orders until October 20th.

The basic bundle is currently on sale for $848 through the LiberNovo website, originally priced at $ 1,099.

If you want to get your hands on this chair before the price increases or before there is a delay in shipping due to high demand, grab one from LiberNovo directly by clicking here.

LiberNovo Omni: Unboxing and First Impressions

The Omni arrived in a large box and took 10 minutes to assemble with minimal frustration or strain. The hardest part was coping with the realization that I had missed a step in the directions and hadn't moved the wire controls to the side before attaching the seat to the frame, meaning I had to undo everything.

That brings up another point -- the assembly was straightforward, partially due to a design and setup process that I have yet to see among my 50+ chairs that I have reviewed over the last several years. Most chairs I have tested have a backpiece that mounts directly to the seat of the chair, usually with three bolts.

This chair, though, has what I can only describe as a spine that extends to the top of the backrest, and then seats directly onto the pedestal. Then, a base is added on top of the spine, and a backrest is attached to the top section of the spine. This assembly and design method, while unique, also provides a tremendous amount of stability to the chair, making assembly a breeze.

From the moment I first sat in this chair, I have absolutely loved it. It's different than what I expected in feel, but in a good way. The seat is firm yet comfortable, the backrest functions well, and the adjustments are excellent. The shock for me was that the seat felt a bit narrower than expected.

Without taking too long, I was able to dial it in to be exactly what I wanted, and I got back to work, forgetting about needing to make any further adjustments, which speaks to just how comfortable the chair is.

LiberNovo Omni: Design & Build Quality

As I mentioned above, the frame for the LiberNovo Omni is unique. It has three main components, with the primary structure of the frame spanning where most chairs have a gap.

The spine portion of the chair effectively conveys the stability it offers. The mesh seat is comfortable, even for all-day use, the backrest is incredibly supportive, and the frame is stable.

The footprint is small enough to fit even in smaller setups, to the point where I moved this chair to my smallest desk setup, and it works perfectly.

LiberNovo Omni: In use

The LiberNovo Omni has a backrest that is not only comfortable but also hugs my spine when I sit. Most chairs require adjustment throughout the day, but I've spent several long days sitting in this chair without any issues.

Admittedly, even when I'm at my standing desk, I haven't stood up in a few days (while working, of course). The headrest can be adjusted to push forward or back, helping to support my neck when I'm sitting. I can recline when thinking or on a virtual call, and I can get a quick massage by pressing a simple button.

One more thing worth mentioning is that this chair features a nice lumbar support, unlike many chairs that have a gap. Right at the lower back, where your seat meets the backrest, most chairs have a gap, or some padding is used to try to make up for it.

Since this chair is designed in such a unique way, there is not only an option for a small gap, but also a zero-gap option, utilizing electronics to close that gap, meaning you are supported all day without slouching to relieve pressure on your spine.

It wouldn't be a non-biased review without some cons. After a few days of using this chair, I noticed that the headrest drops too easily, and it moves side to side more easily than expected. This is probably due to the thin, small piece of plastic holding the headrest in place. If you're the kind of person expecting that to be rigid, you'll be sadly disappointed in this headrest's level of maneuverability.

LiberNovo Omni: Final verdict

The LiberNovo Omni is impressive. This is the kind of quality that I would expect from a well-established company, and several variations of a chair.

But, instead, I have found it within a chair that is still technically on Kickstarter at the time of writing this review. Yes, it's expensive, but it truly is worth the money if you spend all day at a desk.

If you're looking for a comfortable chair that supports your lower back all day long, consider LiberNovo's Omni offering before making your decision. It may change your mind - or at least make you reconsider what an office chair can be.

Should you buy the LiberNovo Omni?

For more office furniture, we've reviewed the best standing desks.

The Humanscale Freedom is not your average chair. It's not just another ergonomic chair. It's designed by ergonomics pioneer Niels Diffrient to remove complexity. Diffrient removed levers, knobs, dials, switches, and other controllers and created a chair that adjusts to your body naturally, along with any movement you make.

I have tested many of the best office chairs and have yet to find one like this. It feels like a different class of luxury, like moving from a budget car to a luxury vehicle. The Humanscale Freedom is luxurious, iconic, ergonomically excellent, and wildly expensive.

Humanscale Freedom: Price and availability

The Humanscale Freedom Headrest that I have here can be customized to stay just under the $2,000 mark at $1,997.00, on sale now for $1,605.00. However, if customized to the max, this chair could cost nearly $6,000. My build included the standard task chair, the advanced duron arms with textile, graphite frame color, the Corvara Chrome-Free Leather in Onyx with Vanilla Stitching, a standard foam seat pan, the tall cylinder 5", standard hard casters, fireproofing, and the standard matching base. Due to the leather, this took a longer time to create, especially since it was custom all around, but once I got it delivered, I was floored. It's an art piece, it's exquisite. It's unlike anything else that I have or will ever have in the future. Depending on your material choice, this kind of chair could take beyond 8 weeks for delivery, but if you choose the right materials, you could get this down to two weeks.

Humanscale Freedom: Unboxing and First Impressions

Once I waited my eight weeks to get this chair, I was eager to use it. Thankfully, unboxing was unbelievably easy. I opened the box, added the chair to the base, cut a few ties holding the moving pieces together, and I was good to go.

Right off the bat, I knew this chair would stand out among all of the chairs that I have tested. This one is unlike anything else I have tried. It looks unique, functions uniquely, and is made with the most genuine and premium materials I have experienced. This chair feels like that classic car that someone has in their collection, or the luxury furniture that is meant for looking, not touching, and for sure not sitting on, except it's very much made to sit on, and then uniquely conforms to your body. This piece isn't just a chair, it's art you can experience.

Humanscale Freedom: Design & Build Quality

At the end of the day, this can be described as an ergonomic chair. However, when you start to look at functionality, features, materials, and design language, you see that this chair was re-imagined from that basis on. This is an ergonomic chair, yes, but unlike almost all other ergonomic chairs, this one does not have dials and knobs and tension controls -- no, it moves with your body, as your body does. Its contoured cushions roll backward as you do, leaning with you, while supporting you. The armrests move with the backrest, staying in a helpful position even when reclined. Additionally, with my leather materials, I can be assured that not only is this piece made with luxury materials, but I'm also covered by a warranty, knowing that this chair will last for well over a decade and beyond.

Humanscale Freedom: In use

Visually, I love this chair. It's gorgeous. It's a statement piece I hope to always have in my home office from now on. Sitting in it, though, does take a moment to get used to. I've gotten so familiar with the functionality of so many chair companies that the lack of functionality is as shocking as a new Tesla owner getting into their vehicle for the first time. The change from a gas and brake pedal operating as it does in a standard vehicle, the familiarity with a key, or at minimum a key fob, and the need to shift, start the car, and more being stripped away in the push for minimalism and seamless usability is much reflected in the push from other chairs to the Humanscale Freedom. It's the Tesla of the ergonomic chair market. Instead of shifting into gear, adjusting the settings with knobs, or feeling like you need to press buttons to begin your experience with this chair, you can sit down without thinking, and the chair handles the adjusting. It's that easy.

Comfort-wise, it takes a minute to get used to, I won't deny that. But once you get used to it, I've really enjoyed the chair overall. I've had this chair in my rotation for a month now, and I still love it just as much. The weight-sensitive recline feels natural, the lumbar support is excellent, but my headrest feels a tad loose, which may be because I extend it to maximum due to my height. Much like in a Tesla, once you trust the design and intentionality of the vessel, the experience improves. And that is precisely what I have found to be the case with the Humanscale Freedom.

Humanscale Freedom: Final verdict

The Humanscale Freedom is not the chair for most people. I would rarely recommend this chair to the average Joe or to a mass purchaser. But, once you know that this level of customization, this quality level, this comfort level, and this ease of use exist, you'll wish you could have it. If you want to have the ease of not having to adjust every dial precisely to your needs or else the chair won't work right, if you want to be able to customize a chair, if you want to have premium materials and you are okay with the premium price, then this chair would be very hard to beat if you tried.

Should you buy a Humanscale Freedom?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Navigating the web to analyze data can be tiring. From scouring various websites looking for the correct data to analyzing and summarizing the data you’ve obtained, online research can be hectic. But what if I told you it doesn’t have to be?

Thanks to recent artificial intelligence (AI) advancements, you can have a virtual research partner that helps you analyze and summarize data from the web. That partner is named NotebookLM.

NotebookLM is an AI-based research and note-taking app developed by Google, the company best known for its eponymous search engine. Released in 2023, NotebookLM has amassed a large user base, thanks to its features that help users research and retrieve insights from bulky documents.

How does NotebookLM work, and what sets it apart from similar tools? Is it free or paid, or both? What are its key features? I’ve reviewed the app extensively to answer these essential questions. Read on to learn in-depth about NotebookLM and whether it’s a suitable tool to adopt.

NotebookLM: Plans and pricing

NotebookLM is a freemium tool, i.e., it has free and paid versions. The free NotebookLM is a very capable tool that integrates the latest models of Gemini, Google’s proprietary large language model (LLM). It lets users upload PDFs, Word documents, and presentations to extract data and generate summaries. You can ask NotebookLM questions and get detailed answers under this free plan.

However, the free plan imposes limits on the number of documents you can upload, the number of daily chat queries, notebooks, and audio and video generations. Specifically, the free plan allows 100 notebooks, each with up to 50 sources, 50 daily chat queries, 3 audio overview generations, and 3 video overviews.

You can increase the limitations by subscribing to the NotebookLM Pro plan. This plan allows 500 notebooks, 500 daily chat queries, 20 daily audio generations, and 20 daily video overviews. As a Pro user, you can also share your notebooks with other users and extensively configure the AI assistant’s response style, among other benefits.

To become a Pro user, you need to subscribe to the Google AI Pro plan, which costs $20 monthly. This plan unlocks more than just NotebookLM’s advanced features. It also unlocks access to AI features on other Google apps.

That said, at $20 monthly, the Google AI Pro plan is quite pricey. It’s justifiable if you’ll heavily use the provided features, but otherwise, the free NotebookLM version works well for the average user. You can try the Google AI Pro plan for one month to test its features before making a final decision.

NotebookLM: Features

NotebookLM is a mobile app you can download on an iOS or Android device. It’s not accessible via a web browser. This app functions as a companion you can use to extract data from uploaded documents or external web pages.

You can create distinct notebooks on the app, with the free plan allowing up to 100 notebooks. On each notebook, you can extract data from up to 50 sources on the free plan and 300 sources on the Pro plan.

Here’s an illustration to make it simpler to understand. Imagine you’re a student tasked with reviewing a research paper and generating key insights. The research paper is bulky, with over 5,000 words.

Instead of scanning through every paragraph manually to extract key points, you can upload the research paper in PDF format to NotebookLM. Then, NotebookLM will study and analyze the paper on your behalf, and you can ask it comprehensive questions related to the research paper.

For instance, if the research paper is about the prevalence of a disease in different regions, you can ask NotebookLM to provide a detailed breakdown of the number of infections observed in each region and the percentage compared to the total number of infections. You can ask it to visualize this data for you.

A research paper is just a single example. Instead of uploading a PDF file to NotebookLM, you can provide a specific web address and ask it to analyze the information on that web page.

For example, NotebookLM can analyze a long news article about recent mergers & acquisitions in the tech industry, and you can ask specific questions like “Which companies got acquired recently?” “How much was [company name] acquired for?” “Give me a breakdown of all the acquired companies mentioned in the article and how much they were acquired for?”

NotebookLM solves a key problem that most people experience. Reading through and analyzing large volumes of information can get tiring. Often, when I experienced this problem, I always wished for a virtual assistant that could help me sort through the information and find the desired key points. I was happy when Google announced NotebookLM in 2023, and I became an early adopter.

My main use case for NotebookLM is sifting through voluminous articles and reports to generate insights. I’ve used it heavily for both personal and work activities. For example, I often read detailed economic reports issued by think-tanks and government agencies. NotebookLM has extensively helped me to analyze and note crucial information from these reports.

I like that NotebookLM lets users share notebooks with friends, family, and colleagues, even on the free version. As a free user, you can grant a collaborator “Viewer” or “Editor” access to your notebook.

A Viewer has access to uploaded source documents and shared notes, but can’t remove these documents or add new ones. In contrast, an Editor can remove or add new documents to your notebook. Sharing is as easy as generating a unique link and sending it to the desired collaborators, who can access it with their Google accounts.

If you’re subscribed to the Pro plan, you can share a notebook in chat-only mode, wherein the collaborator can’t modify the source documents but can ask the AI system questions related to the documents.

When sharing a notebook on the Pro plan, you can monitor two key metrics about how collaborators have interacted with your notebooks: the number of users who have made at least one query per day and the number of queries made by each user. However, these metrics are only available if you've shared the notebook with at least four other users.

NotebookLM doesn’t just issue text answers. It can give audio answers in a creative way. For instance, I used NotebookLM to turn an article into an audio conversation. The conversation was akin to two human hosts discussing a deep dive into the article on a podcast. The AI hosts summarized the article, highlighted key information, and had back-and-forth conversations about the information contained in the article. However, don’t expect perfection.

In my case, I observed several mistakes during the audio conversations, including key information being skipped, factual inaccuracies, and references to information not present in the document. Likewise, the speech sounded unnatural in several cases, owing to excessive use of filler words, such as “you know” and “like,” which isn’t typical in real human conversations.

That’s not to say the audio overview feature isn’t helpful. Indeed, it’s beneficial, and such a feature available for mass usage would have been unthinkable a few years ago. However, you shouldn’t rely entirely on it to summarize documents. It works most of the time, but a minor mistake can be significant when analyzing documents.

Similar to the audio overview feature I just discussed, NotebookLM also has a video overview feature. That is, users can turn documents and articles into AI-generated video narrations. The narrations will include images, quotes, figures, and diagrams pulled from your document, with an AI voice dissecting the key points in a conversational tone.

I liked that I could tailor video overviews according to my needs, for example, by selecting the images and quotes I wanted to include in a video narration. I also liked that I could create multiple video overviews for the same PDF document or web page, gaining different perspectives.

Visual learning is more interactive and fun compared to reading long text. If you have a long text piece, NotebookLM makes the perfect companion to convert the long text into a visual narration that's easy to learn from. However, beware of the limitations.

I noticed some mistakes in the video overviews I generated, similar to those of audio overviews. These mistakes included inaccurate information and some key data I highlighted being skipped. Just as I mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t rely 100% on NotebookLM to summarize your documents. Manual reading remains important.

NotebookLM is very useful, especially the free tier, but it still needs significant improvements. The good news is that Google is committed to continually improving the underlying Gemini LLM that NotebookLM is based on. It has released various updates to boost Gemini’s accuracy and will continue doing so amid intense competition from the likes of ChatGPT.

NotebookLM: Interface and in use

NotebookLM is as simple to navigate as a mobile app can be. After opening the app, the homepage lists all the notebooks you’ve previously created, or prompts you to create a notebook if you haven’t done so. The button to create a new notebook is prominently highlighted at the bottom.

You can easily create a notebook, add files, and begin asking questions and generating audio or video overviews. Every feature is neatly arranged at the bottom of the dashboard, and you can quickly upload a file, paste text, or enter an external web address to be analyzed. I give NotebookLM a perfect score in user-friendliness.

NotebookLM: Support

As a NotebookLM user, the first place to consult when troubleshooting issues is the official NotebookLM Help Center hosted by Google. This Help Center has comprehensive details about every functionality accessible on NotebookLM.

From learning how to use NotebookLM to changing configurations and resolving commonly encountered problems, the Help Center provides detailed answers. Personally, I encountered most issues when trying to import files, some of which failed to import initially, but the Help Center quickly solved my problem.

If you’re a Google AI Pro subscriber, you can get direct help from Google’s support team in addition to the self-help resources from the official Help Center. Google’s support team is reachable via live chat, email, and telephone and provides detailed answers.

NotebookLM: The competition

NotebookLM is a unique tool that combines note-taking and artificial intelligence-based research. Most rival apps focus on one of these functions but don’t combine the two. Its main competitors aren’t as popular, and they are mostly new apps launched within the last four years.

A competitor I’d like to highlight is Logically (formerly called Afforai). Just like NotebookLM, Logically lets you upload documents and ask its AI assistant in-depth questions related to the document. It doesn’t stop there, but also helps you add more relevant information to text documents, such as citations, tables, and diagrams.

Logically has a free plan and a paid version that unlocks unlimited access to its AI assistant. Users can also pay for addons like external large language models, a file annotator, and a reference manager.

I can’t confidently say Logically is better than NotebookLM or vice versa. However, Logically has a broader feature set that combines both NotebookLM’s core AI-based research feature and other useful AI-based features like writing assistance, file annotation, and academic reference management.

NotebookLM: Final verdict

NotebookLM is a valuable tool to have in your toolkit. It makes things easier when researching information online, thanks to its ability to extract key insights from long swathes of text and convert voluminous text into engaging visual summaries.

I’ll proudly recommend NotebookLM to students, teachers, corporate professionals, or information sleuths who engage in extensive research. Whether on the free or paid version, NotebookLM offers features that make research less hectic and more interactive.

We've listed the best text-to-speech software.