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Swann CoreCam review: an easy-to-install wireless security camera with an informative app

6:00 pm | April 21, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Australia, UK, US, USB | Comments: Off

One-minute review

With its wide range of products in the security monitoring and consumer electronics space, Australian company Swann is today well known in more than 40 countries worldwide. Swann sells a customizable range of wireless devices and wired CCTV surveillance systems that feature video resolutions from 1080p Full HD to 4K Ultra HD. The Swann CoreCam is just one model of off-the-shelf wireless smart camera that you can buy from the brand's online selection.

Stylish and fuss-free in design, the Swann CoreCam wireless smart security camera comes with a rechargeable 6,000mAh lithium battery. Screws and plugs are included in the box, which make it easy – even for a DIY novice – to affix the camera to a wall. Once I had charged the camera battery via the micro-USB cable included (note that a plug isn't supplied), the trickiest part of setting up was deciding where to place the CoreCam.

The smart camera is weatherproof and can be positioned inside or outside. I chose to place it on an external wall of my home, overlooking my driveway. While I received instant alerts when it detected a person or package at my front door, I did experience some delay of the live feed whenever I tried to access it via the Swann app – possibly a result of poor Wi-Fi coverage. As such, if you’d like to place the CoreCam outside, you'll need to make sure your home Wi-Fi signal is strong enough.

Overall, however, the camera did well to send instant alerts whenever someone passed, and recorded clips that I could easily view on a timeline in the app.

Keep scrolling to find out how the Swann CoreCam performed outside my home and head to our best home security cameras guide for more comparisons.

Swann CoreCam review price & availability

List price: $129.99/£99.99/$AU 179
Available in US, UK and Australia

Swann sells a wide range of security cameras, which are customizable depending on your requirements. The single CoreCam wireless security camera works well on its own, or as part of a larger smart home security setup with multiple cameras and alarms. These can all be linked to work in harmony and controlled easily via the Swann app.

The Swann CoreCam is sold direct from the brand's website or via resellers such as Best Buy, Walmart and JB Hi-Fi.

It arrives with a local 32GB microSD card pre-installed, which allows it to store video clips. To get the best from the camera, you'll need to sign up to a storage subscription service to benefit from the warranty, the best detection smart alerts, and cloud storage. Subscription services cost from $2.99 / £2.99 / $AU5.55 per month; plus you get a free three-month trial when you buy the camera. This stores video footage for up to 60 days in the cloud and offers extras such as Package, Pet & Vehicle detection in addition to the Person heat and motion detection.

Price: 4/5

Swann CoreCam review specifications

These specs are the same for US and UK Swann CoreCam models.

Swann CoreCam capturing a person on camera — (Image credit: Future | Photo by Emily Peck)

Swann CoreCam review design

100-degree wide angle view
Weatherproof casing
Built-in speaker and siren

The design of the Swann CoreCam is simple, yet the camera feels solid and well built. Finished in white, it possibly isn't the most discreet security camera you can buy; but if you're looking for a small and compact shape that won't interfere too much with your exterior decor, it feels like a safe bet.

The CoreCam arrives with a rechargeable 6,000mAh lithium battery inside, which took six hours to fully charge. Built into the camera head is the local 32GB microSD card and True Detect PIR heat and motion sensor. There’s a speaker and siren, and lens with 100-degree wide-angle view, all built into the weatherproof design.

The Swann CoreCam also offers a pretty decent night vision distance of up to 50ft / 15m, and I was able to see clearly once night had fallen. However, the camera doesn't move around with whatever it has captured, which I think would provide more scope for better monitoring.

Getting the camera out of the box and onto the wall took less than an hour. It was simply a matter of ensuring the wall I was fixing it to was suitable for a screw and mount, and then use the mounting kit included in the box to attach the mount to the wall. The camera can then be easily screwed on and off for recharging. While there's a USB charging cable included in the box, there's no plug, so I had to use my own.

Design: 4 / 5

Swann CoreCam app control — The Swann CoreCam app features a range of information and controls (Image credit: Future | Photo by Emily Peck)

Swann CoreCam review performance

Live feed and recording of video and audio
Wi-Fi connection (2.4GHz)
Two-way talk and night vision

The CoreCam camera comes with all the usual features you’d expect from an intuitive smart home security camera, including heat and motion sensing, night vision and two-way talk.

Having charged the camera, I screwed the camera head onto the mount. I downloaded the Swann app and paired the camera with my smartphone over Wi-Fi. This was a surprisingly quick and smooth process. I then simply needed to move the camera head around on its mount to adjust the live video footage that was being fed to the app.

In terms of view, the camera could then send a 1080 HD quality feed to the app on my phone, with a wide-angle view of 100 degrees. This isn’t as wide as I’d like, but it did capture an ample area by the main entrance leading to my house – with the stairs and part of the drive in frame. Purists may find the feed a little grainy, but I was generally impressed. The color night vision was satisfactory, too. You can actually adjust the live view quality in the app from low to medium to high, depending on your preference.

Featuring True Detect technology, the camera has the ability to detect people, packages, pets and vehicles (depending on the subscription package you sign up for). You get the first three months for free, included in the price of the camera. So once I was linked to the app, I could set up on the 90-day free Unlimited Plan. This meant that the camera could generate motion clips whenever it detected someone passing by, or thought there was a package left in its view, and send me push notifications on my smartphone to alert me. I found the alerts came through thick and fast in the first week; it was usually the postman, visitors or footage of myself walking out to put the rubbish bins out. Luckily, no intruders in sight.

While the alerts came through instantly whenever there was something detected, I did notice that there was a slight delay when I went to view the live feed. This was possibly due to my Wi-Fi or 4G connection playing up. Sometimes I was able to connect faster than at other times.

Swann CoreCam mounted on exterior wall — (Image credit: Future | Photo by Emily Peck)

While there's no 24-hour recording capability, I do like the way the camera can distinguish between a person or a package, generating a motion clip and sending an alert to my smartphone.

However, after a while, the frequency of the alerts became rather annoying. I realized that I could adjust the sensitivity of the camera to lower the frequency of the alerts when I was at home, reducing false alerts and prolonging battery life as a result. You do this through the Modes section, which has settings for when you’re Home, Away and at Night.

While these modes are useful for adjusting the sensitivity on a single camera, I think this part of the app really comes into its own as part of an extended home security setup with multiple Swann cameras and an alarm all linked up.

Performance: 4/5

Swann CoreCam review app

Live view with siren, two-way talk and camera
Modes to adjust sensitivity
Playback tab for motion recordings

The smart app brings lots of useful features, although possibly more than you'll need for just one camera. As well as the ability to adjust the sensitivity of the camera and reduce/increase the number of alerts you receive, there's also a chart that presents stats on the level of motion detected, the number of people and pets the camera captured over the course of a day, and over a week. Although interesting, it was perhaps a little unnecessary for my needs.

I found all the recorded activity clear to see under the Playback tab in the app. It's presented in a daily timeline that's stored in the cloud from seven up to 60 days (depending on the subscription package you sign up to).

Click on the Live View mode in the app, and you can also make use of all the extras. These include the ability to take photos of the live view, record footage if needed, turn on the siren if you see cause for alarm, or just speak to the person in the picture. I tried the two-way talk feature when the postman came past and it worked well.

App: 4/5

Swann CoreCam review battery life

Takes 6 hours to charge
USB to micro-USB charging cable
Up to 90 days of battery life depending on how you use it

The CoreCam's battery can last up to 90 days, but of course this will depend on how much you use the camera to record extra clips, take photos and how you configure the sensitivity modes. With the Away mode on, which signals high alert, I found the battery lasted around 12 days before it needed recharging. If you were to use Home mode, which reduces the amount of times you are disturbed with unnecessary alerts, the battery is likely to last longer.

To recharge the camera I simply unscrewed it from the mount and took it indoors; via USB cable, the unit took six hours to top up to full. Note that while the cable is supplied, the plug isn't, so you'll need to source one for yourself.

Battery life: 3/5

Should you buy the Swann CoreCam home security camera?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Swann CoreCam review: also consider

If you want an outdoor security camera but want to shop around before you buy, here are a couple more options to consider...

How I tested the Swann CoreCam home security camera

I used the Swan CoreCam in my home for one month
I monitored my home both day and night to see how well it performed

I trialled the Swann CoreCam at home over the course of a month. I attached it to the wall on the exterior of my property and paired it with the Swann app on my smartphone to monitor any comings and goings.

I took note of how quickly and successfully it sent alerts to my smartphone when it detected human motion or a parcel, both day and night. I tried logging into the app when I was away from home (over 4G) and when I was at home (over Wi-Fi), too.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2023

Polar Ignite 3 review: A mid-range running watch for fitness data nerds

5:38 pm | April 19, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: AMOLED, Australia, UK, US | Comments: Off

Polar Ignite 3: One minute review

The Polar Ignite 3 is a follow up to the hugely impressive Polar Ignite 2, which emerged back in 2021. A couple of years is a long time in the fast-moving world of smartwatch tech, so Polar has revised the already excellent and undeniably attractive Ignite design to reflect as much.

The good news is that it still delivers the same value appeal, sitting nicely into the mid-range pricing category, which makes it an affordable option for those looking for one of the best running watches on a budget.

The vibrant AMOLED display is a definite highpoint, but there are also new features including multi-band GPS (which brings it up to par with other mid-range Garmins) and powerful statistics tools like SleepWise, which proves impressive at monitoring your levels of shut-eye. The svelte and very lightweight design means it sits easily on the wrist, even during sleep.

Unfortunately, the Polar Ignite 3 is also plagued by less than impressive battery life and a touchscreen interface that frequently feels sluggish, verging on buggy. If you can live with its frustrating edge, it can offer pretty good value for money, but there are better options at this price point.

Polar Ignite 3: Specifications

Polar Ignite 3: Price and availability

$329.95 in the US
£289 in the UK
$428.67 in Australia

The Polar Ignite 3 is available now, directly from Polar itself or via many of the popular online outlets including Amazon. It has a current RRP of $329.95 in the US, £289 in the UK and $428.67 in Australia.

Polar Ignite 3: Design

Bright, bold AMOLED screen
Slimline form factor
Cool color choices

The Polar Ignite 3 looks very tempting on the box, but it’s not until you take the watch out of its packaging that you realise just how good this slender creation looks. It’s just 9.5mm thick, weighs only 35 grams but still has a spacious touchscreen to enjoy.

The 1.28-inch display is perhaps the highpoint of this model, which once powered up is gorgeous to look at with crisp, clear and very vibrant colours to enjoy. The edge of the bezel has a neat array of vertical grooves around its edge, although this does look and feel like it could be susceptible to marks and scratches over time.

It can be found in a number of colour options, including Night Black, Purple Dusk, Greige Sand and Brown Copper, so there’s a look that’ll suit just about any taste. Our review example was the Brown Copper model, which came with a spare strap in the box for when wear and tear gets the better of the original.

Also in the box is a selection of micro manuals for just about any language plus a USB charging cable, which mates to the watch via a magnetic clip on the back.

Meanwhile, the design of the supporting Polar Flow app is very respectable, with plenty of detailed metrics to get stuck into. It’s got comprehensive historic graphs of all your major data points with no additional subscription fees. It’s not quite as intuitive as it could be: it eschews nice well-rounded Sleep and Readiness scores in favor of complex graphs and data deep-dives, so it’s more for regular runners and data nerds rather than lifestyle and activity.

Nevertheless, once you’ve figured out where everything lives, it is pretty comprehensive on the data front.

Design Score: 4/5

Polar Ignite 3: Features

SleepWise monitors shut-eye closely
Customizable widgets work well
Polar Flow app is nicely designed

While it’s undoubtedly a good-looking thing, the Polar Ignite is slightly less impressive on the typical smartwatch features front. At first glance, it has most things you need, with notification services for emails and messages, alarms, timers and the ability to control your music all housed inside the interface. Dig a little deeper though and there are omissions. There is no way to make contactless payments, which is increasingly appealing for folks at places like the gym or on a run, who don’t want to carry anything else with them.

Similarly missing is any way of answering calls, and you can’t ping off a text from the watch either, only receive one. In fact, if you want to get any real mileage from the Polar Ignite 3, you’ll most likely end up taking your phone with you, because you’ll need it to tap into your music collection due to limited storage on board the watch itself.

The GPS system can track your route on a localised run but, again, it feels like the features are a little underwhelming. It’s a shame to have the watch so tethered to your phone, especially when the UX promises so much on your first viewing.

SleepWise analyses your sleep patterns well enough as does Nightly Recharge, which reports back on how your body deals with stress. Polar’s FitSpark service offers up on-demand exercise suggestions should you need them, which also cleverly take into account your training load and recovery needs. For example, on the day after a hard run, it’ll recommend a less strenuous exercise than it might on a day which you’re fully recovered, and you have a better Nightly Recharge score. In-training voice guidance from the watch is another cool add-on.

Getting to the features and functions is where the frustration creeps in though: we found basic tasks, such as starting a cross-trainer session, erratic and less than user-friendly. People who are exercising want quick and easy access to simple Stop/Start controls, which just doesn’t seem to happen with the Polar Ignite 3. There’s too much fiddling around the watch face itself, not enough immediacy. No-one wants to waste time in the gym.

Features score: 3/5

Polar Ignite 3: Performance

Dual-frequency GPS is solid
Latest processor is a step-up
Energy source breakdown is neat

While everything initially appears good in both the looks department and the feature setlist, it’s once you start using the Polar Ignite 3 that some holes start to appear. After installing the supporting Polar app, the setup process was okay – but not as seamless as some of its counterparts. The Polar Ignite 3 has subsequently seemed to be less than enthusiastic during syncing too, with often a few tries needed in order to get the process to kick into gear.

More annoying though is the less-than-simple way this watch works during everyday use. It frequently seems unresponsive, promoting confusion as to whether or not it’s doing anything. That means repeated interaction with the screen, or pressing of the back button on the left-hand side of the bezel.

This in itself feels quite stiff and unresponsive. It’s understandable to have a button that can’t be inadvertently pressed, thereby avoiding cancellation of workouts and suchlike, but it’s a bit too unforgiving for its own good.

Battery life isn’t too great either. Polar suggests that you’ll get up to five days in watch mode or up to 30 hours of continuous training using the GPS and heart rate monitoring features. That may well be right, but we found the watch battery ebbed away quite quickly during average everyday use, prompting you to feel like you need to charge it more frequently than the official figures suggest.

Overall, performance and usability shortcomings are perhaps the biggest weakness with the Polar Ignite 3, which is a shame given just how good it looks.

Performance score: 3/5

Polar Ignite 3: Buy it if...

Polar Ignite 3: Don't buy it if...

Also consider

First reviewed: April 2023

Onyx Boox Tab X review: sometimes size does matter when it comes to ereaders

3:00 am | April 15, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Australia, Europe, US | Comments: Off

Onyx Boox Tab X review

The Onyx Boox Tab X is admittedly a very niche product – it’s an A4-sized e-paper writing tablet, which translates to a 13.3-inch screen. So unless you’re a magazine editor or a researcher looking to go completely paperless, there are more portable ereaders and digital note takers out there that would be a lot cheaper too.

But I am a magazine editor, and being able to look at the pages in PDF format on a large screen that fits it all and lets me add my notes in the margins… now that’s really helpful. Granted magazines are all about color and pictures, so despite seeing the images in black and white, I haven’t found that to be an issue as I'm typically concentrating on editing the copy while doing a final read of the pages.

13.3-inch E Ink tablets aren’t new – Onyx Boox already has the Max Lumi 2 in its repertoire, and the Tab X basically picks up where the older model left off. There are some design differences though, with the Max Lumi 2 featuring a fingerprint sensor that the Tab X misses out on. Otherwise they both have similar bodies, sizes and weight.

The Tab X might weigh 560g, but you wouldn’t know that when you pick it up – it’s just so well balanced that it feels surprisingly light, and I had no trouble using it on the train commute into work. It’s also really quite nice to look at too. With a uniform thickness of 6.8mm all round, it’s sleek and the rear plastic panel has a matte finish that makes it look like metal. However, the rear is very prone to fingerprints and smudges that don’t clean off easily.

A hand making annotations on a file on the Onyx Boox Tab X with the Pen 2 stylus — (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Also on the rear are dual speaker grills – yes, you can add music files and enjoy some tunes while you work. Or listen to audiobooks that you’ve sideloaded or any other audio file in MP3 or WAV format. What I did not expect is how loud the Tab X can get. Now, sound quality isn’t anything to write home about, with most music sounding a little tinny, but it’s a sight better than what I’ve experienced with the PocketBook Era. You can, of course, pair Bluetooth headphones or speakers too.

The lower (chin) bezel is larger than the others, which does detract a little from the overall look, but I also think it’s necessary to have enough space to hold the tablet comfortably to avoid accidental touch functions from distracting you.

The display, which is an E Ink Mobius Carta screen, has a resolution of 207ppi and supports 16 shades of gray. Despite a lower resolution as compared to other 10.3-inch e-paper writing tablets at 300ppi – like in the Amazon Kindle Scribe and the Onyx Boox Note2 Air Plus – everything is rendered quite crisply but, if you’ve used a higher resolution screen before, you might find yourself increasing the boldness of the text to make it look sharper.

On the inside, you get an octa-core 2GHz Qualcomm 662 chipset, accompanied by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. That’s pretty impressive for an e-ink tablet and that means it can handle a lot, including playing videos… in black and white of course.

A page from a book displayed on the Onyx Boox Tab X — (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Considering it’s running on a version of Android 11, you get full access to the Google Play Store, so you can download the YouTube app if you’re curious about how videos look. Admittedly they’re not smooth, but they are watchable if you don’t mind the monochrome look reminiscent of the moving pictures from the Harry Potter movies. Interestingly, the Tab X actually has five different refresh rates that you can set for individual applications (including for video) and that helps things look as smooth as possible.

And if you’ve got existing Kindle or Kobo accounts, you can always download the reading apps and sign in to get full access to your existing library on either platform.

That said, you don’t really need to download any other app – the default suite that the Tab X comes with is good enough for most users… it was for me at least. All documents and books that I uploaded onto the device (and this included some magazine pages in PDF format for proofing) automatically are opened by the NeoReader app and, I have to admit, the large screen made reading comics and graphic novels a real pleasure. I was easily able to add notes to margins of my PDFs, then export via Dropbox and Boox Drop in the brand’s own smartphone app. The Tab X has its own Notes app, but it will handle any other note-taking application you want to use – just download it from the Play Store.

Writing on the screen, while not exactly paper-like, feels good with just enough friction to give you some control. The smoothest e-paper screen I’ve written on is the Kindle Scribe where it feels like the stylus is just about to slip away.

The Pen 2 stylus packaged with the Tab X is great too – it doesn’t require any charging or batteries to function (it’s passive) and features an eraser on the top end. My one issue here is that the stylus doesn’t attach itself magnetically to the side of the tablet – as it does with other e-ink writing tablets, including Onyx Boox’s own models – making it easy to misplace.

The TechRadar website on the Onyx Boox Tab X's default browser — (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

There are some customization options on how you want your Tab X’s home screen to look, although the default choices for the wallpaper and the screensaver are very limited. You can even change up the floating bar that shows up on NeoReader, so you can set whatever function buttons you find the most useful for a library application. Even the Control Center, which is easily accessible by swiping downward from the top right corner, offers plenty of shortcuts for different functions, including taking a screenshot (which you can export in full color by the way) and controlling the volume of the device (there are no physical buttons here).

Screenshots taken on the Onyx Boox Tab X are downloaded in color — Screenshots taken on the Onyx Boox Tab X are downloaded in full color but display on the tablet in monochrome. (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Finally, with a 6,300mAh battery under the hood, I went days before reaching for the charger. I’ve had the Tab X for a month and a half for this review and have only needed to top up once in that time. This is with screen brightness set at 15% (with automatically adjusting hue) and using it to read, write and listen to music at least an hour a day, sometimes more.

My only concern is that you can’t upgrade the operating system to Android 12 or newer, which means there might be security patches missing. This may not be a huge deal breaker if you’re primarily using it to read and jot notes, but it’s definitely worth keeping in mind.

Despite that Onyx Boox has done a good job with the Tab X – if you really need a large-screen writing tablet, it doesn’t get better than this. You’ll just have to keep its stylus safe and stomach the high price tag.

Annotations made in margins of a file on the Onyx Boox Tab X — (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Onyx Boox Tab X review: price and availability

Announced January 2023
Available in the US and Europe, limited availability in Australia
Retails for $879.99 / €949.99 / AU$1,449

Onyx Boox announced the Tab X very early in 2023, making it the first E Ink device to arrive this year. It’s available to buy directly from the maker and from very select retailers in the US and Europe for $879.99 / €949.99. If you’re in the UK, Onyx Boox has a warehouse arrangement with its European online storefront to ship into the country without import tariffs and VAT, but the device will then cost you a little more.

While Onyx Boox doesn’t have an Australian online store, the Tab X can be purchased from Harvey Norman and Elite Electronics for an eye-watering price of AU$1,449.

This price includes the Pen 2 stylus, but not a slipcase (which the Max Lumi 2 did include).

It’s hard to say whether the Tab X is well priced or not as there’s not a lot of competition in the market. In the US, the Max Lumi 2 costs exactly the same ($879.99) but ships with a case in the box.

The default music player app on the Onyx Boox Tab X — (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Onyx Boox Tab X review: key specs

Should I buy the Onyx Boox Tab X?

The Boox branding on the chin bezel of the Onyx Boox Tab X — (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if...

How I tested the Onyx Boox Tab X

I used the Onyx Boox Tab X for about a month and a half for this review as my primary writing tablet, but not my main ereader mostly due to its size. That said, I used it in conjunction with the Amazon Kindle Scribe and the Onyx Boox Note2 Air Plus, as well as testing it alongside the Kobo Elipsa 2E that was announced in early April 2023.

I used it to jot work-related notes, including those for this review. It had my to-do list as well.

I used the Boox Drop application to transfer magazine pages that I was in the process of proofing during this testing (in PDF format) via the Boox Drop app, and exported them back to my laptop with all annotations included the same way. I also played some music while working on these.

While I did use the Tab X to read for leisure, it wasn’t for more than a few hours in total across the testing period, only because its large size is a little cumbersome while reclining on a couch or in bed. I also watched a YouTube video for a few minutes to see how it would hold up.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed April 2023]

Alienware m18 review: king of laptop gaming performance

10:11 pm | April 14, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Australia, CPU, UK, US | Comments: Off

Alienware m18: Two-minute review

Alienware m18, Dell’s refresh of its largest Alienware laptop line and some of the best Dell laptops, has gone in a different direction from the previous Alienware X14 (2022) and Alienware x15 R2. This latest model is unabashedly a desktop replacement in every sense of the word, from the thick and bulky chassis to its heavy weight to the same black color. However, it separates itself from the pack with its incredible performance and, if you select the upgrade, its fully mechanical CherryMX RGB keyboard.

The keyboard is, by far, the best I have ever tested, rivaling some of the best gaming keyboards I’ve used. It strikes the perfect balance between the switches being thin enough to allow the laptop to close (it does cheat a little by using some of the thickness to create a slight divet for the keyboard to rest in). The keys themselves have 1.8mm of key travel as well as that perfect satisfying feedback despite the thinner size. Nothing is sacrificed in its quality; I could and have typed for hours without it ever losing its luster. The touchpad is large and responsive, everything you could ask for if you’re a fan of them.

Its 18-inch display is absolutely phenomenal, with either a QHD+ 165Hz panel like my own review model or a beyond incredible FHD+ 480Hz panel for the truly passionate professional gamer. The webcam is a standard one, not particularly amazing but works well enough if you need to jump in a conference call or livestream. The audio quality is quite good as well, as the speakers are able to handle music and general sound design with ease. When gaming or streaming movies on this, you should only really need headsets for privacy reasons.

One major improvement from the previous Alienware x15 R2 laptop is the ventilation, which is by and far much better. That’s thanks to the quad-fan design that circulates and expels from several vents across seven heat pipes, along with improved thermal paste quality for both the CPU and GPU. As a drawback, it almost sounds like a jet engine whenever the fans even slightly rev up, but most video streaming services and software have noise reduction properties so that’s not an issue there.

Performance is where the Alienware m18 shines, as it makes its mark as one of the best gaming laptops by completely beating out every other desktop replacement gaming PC we’ve tested in terms of GPU benchmark testing, including the much more expensive MSI GT77 Titan. However, CPU testing is a little less consistent, with some laptops like the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro or the Titan beating out the m18 in certain scores while falling behind in others.

Of course, if you want the full gaming experience and aren't in need of portability, then you might want to invest in the best gaming PC instead since the performance can't be matched due to superior specs. And if a cheaper price is more your game, then the best budget gaming laptops will definitely be more of your speed.

Alienware m18: Price & availability

closeup of keys — (Image credit: Future)

Starting at $1,999.99 / £2,068.99 / around AU$2,999
Available now
Available in the US and UK, and Australia

For a desktop replacement, the Alienware m18 pricing starts at a rather affordable rate of $1,999.99 / £2,068.99 / around AU$2,999 – still expensive but definitely leagues cheaper than the current competition. But if you’re getting a hardcore gaming machine 512GB of storage isn’t what you’re looking for. Even my own review unit, priced at $3,549 / £3,299.99 / around AU$5,316, is far cheaper than the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro and around the same price as the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) and has similar specs to both.

As with most other Dell products, this laptop is available in a wide variety of regions, including the US, UK, and Australia. The UK is mostly the same as the US in terms of specs and pricing, with the exception of the 480Hz display panel that’s only available for lower specs, which is an odd choice to say the least. Meanwhile, Australia has only one high-spec model equipped with the RTX 4080 and packing 64GB of RAM, but there’s no 480Hz option either.

Price score: 4.5 / 5

Alienware m18: Specs

black gaming laptop — (Image credit: Future)

The specs for the Alienware m18 review unit sent to me are as follows: an Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD of storage, and 18-inch (2560 x 1600), 16:10 QHD+, 165Hz display.

The Alienware m18 comes in several customizable configurations, depending on which options you choose. These specs include the choice of display, CPU, GPU, memory, storage space, and even the choice of membrane or mechanical keys.

Specs score: 5 / 5

black gaming laptop facing back — (Image credit: Future)

Alienware m18: Design

Extremely heavy and bulky
Excellent keyboard
Port selection is fantastic

Like older models, the Alienware m18 uses the same distinctive chassis design that accommodates mostly rear-situated ports and includes customizable RGB lighting on both that and the Alienware logo on the top cover. Despite this, the extremely heavy and bulky form factor, combined with the rather boring all-black color palette, almost completely cancels out the effect, making it look noticeably less visually appealing. Considering that this laptop is built more for performance and ventilation, the decision to cut back on aesthetics is understandable.

But it cannot be understated how heavy and big this laptop is. It weighs nearly nine pounds, and you can feel every single pound of it. It couldn’t even fully fit in my Lo & Sons O.G. 2 overnight bag, which has fit both 17 and 18-inch laptops just fine. With this big boy, I had to leave my bag open as I traveled home. If you purchase it, make sure to keep it home or only pack it in your travel luggage.

The 18-inch display is phenomenal, and in the US and UK, you can choose between either a QHD+ 165Hz panel like my own review model or a ridiculous FHD+ 480Hz panel for the truly serious. I wish the webcam was just as amazing, but it’s a pretty standard 1080p HD camera found in most gaming laptops, that works fine in good lighting but suffers if you have a dimmer setup. If you livestream seriously, you’ll want to upgrade; otherwise, it’s fine for a conference call.

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black gaming laptop on side — (Image credit: Future)

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closeup of keyboard — (Image credit: Future)

What I enjoy the most about its design is the keyboard, which can be updated to Alienware CherryMX ultra-low profile mechanical keys with N-key rollover tech. This is by and far the best keyboard I’ve ever used, combining that satisfying click and feedback of mechanical switches with the slimmer keys expected of any laptop. Its touchpad is quite nice; smooth, large, and responsive, perfect for those like me who use them frequently. The speakers are quite excellent as well, delivering a nice robust sound with solid bass that conveys both music and sound effects in your games well.

Its port selection is absolutely fantastic, featuring every type of port you could possibly want including four USB 3.2 Type-A ports, two Thunderbolt 4 Gen 2 Type-C ports with DisplayPort Alt Mode/USB4, one Ethernet port, one audio port, one HDMI 2.1 port, one power-adapter port, one mini-Display port, and one SD card slot.

Design score: 4 / 5

Alienware m18: Performance

Gaming performance is top-notch
Clears benchmarks
CPU struggles a bit

Alienware m18: Benchmarks

Here's how the Alienware m18 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Night Raid: 71,818; Fire Strike: 35,465; Time Spy: 21,040; Port Royal: 14,171
Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 28,341 points
GeekBench 5: 2,027 (single-core); 21,488 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home Test): 7,681 points
25GB File Copy: 17.5
Handbrake 1.6: 2:35
CrossMark: Overall: 2179; Productivity: 2007; Creativity: 2508; Responsiveness: 1831
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 3 hours, 25 minutes
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 155 fps; (1080p, Low): 372 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 102 fps; (1080p, Low): 139 fps
Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 157 fps; (1080p, Low): 200 fps

Ventilation has improved by leaps and bounds with the Alienware m18, fixing every issue from the previous Alienware x15 R2 and making the much thicker design completely understandable. It features a quad-fan design that circulates and expels from several vents across seven heat pipes, along with improved thermal paste quality for both the CPU and GPU. The trade-off is a laptop that sounds almost like a jet engine, but if you’re passionate about performance and especially overclocking, then it’s more than worth it.

Speaking of performance, the Alienware m18 is currently king on the GPU front. It beats out the other desktop replacements that we’ve tested so far, including the MSI GT77 Titan, which is way more expensive for similar specs. And it’s not only benchmarking that it reigns over, as those scores translate to higher frame rates as well. There’s not a single game, whether Cyberpunk 2077 or Dirt 5, in which this laptop scored under 100fps on average, even on maxed-out settings. And yes, even when ray tracing is enabled.

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screenshot of Alienware Command Center — (Image credit: Future)

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Keep in mind that these are results taken straight from a setup right out of the box, with the only change being that I set it to the generic Performance mode in Windows 11. The updated and redesigned Alienware Command Center software is even easier to use now thanks to a complete UI overhaul, making overclocking a breeze and performance results skyrocket. Since I had the old version equipped before I updated, I could see the difference, and it's leagues better than below.

When it comes to CPU results, it’s not as consistent with some scores being higher than the competition and others much lower, the latter of which happened most often against the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i. In general, it follows the same current-gen trend of the CPU performance potential being throttled by the GPU, as well as occasionally slowdown and webpage or video loading issues. Despite that, I was able to use it as a productivity machine for a full day of work without much issue.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Alienware m18: Battery

closeup of battery information — (Image credit: Future)

Awful battery
Charges fast

Unsurprisingly, the battery life on the Alienware m18 is pretty atrocious. Our HD movie battery test found that it barely lasts three and a half hours, and when used for productivity work, it reaches about four hours before dying.

As with any other desktop replacement, this is not meant to be taken off the charger unless you need to carry it somewhere. That said, it does at least charge quickly, so you won’t be stuck at an AC adaptor for very long.

Battery score: 2 / 5

Should you buy the Alienware m18?

Buy it if...

You want a gaming performance monster
It chews up and spits out any PC game on the highest possible settings, even with both ray-tracing and DLSS 3 enabled.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
Though this is a premium-quality gaming laptop, that level of performance comes at a steep price. This is definitely above the budget of the average gamer.

Alienware m18: Also consider

If the Alienware m18 has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...

How I tested the Alienware m18

I tested the Alienware m18 for several weeks
I tested it using both benchmark tests and video game benchmarks
I stress-tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test

First, I tested the general weight and portability of the Alienware m18 by carrying it around in a laptop bag for a day. After I set it up, I ran several CPU and GPU benchmarks to thoroughly test out the graphics card's performance and how much it affected processing performance. Finally, I used a variety of programs and applications to test out both battery life and general performance during work-like conditions, as well as gaming benchmarks to test the RTX 4090 GPU.

The Alienware m18 is a desktop replacement for gaming, meaning it's meant to be used for hardcore gaming sessions. I made sure to thoroughly test out this laptop in that regard, to make sure it reached certain levels of performance.

I've tested plenty of gaming PCs and laptops, making me more than qualified to understand benchmark test results and how to properly stress test machines to see how well they perform as a work machine.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed April 2023

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch review: AMOLED displays are awesome

8:41 pm | April 5, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: AMOLED, Australia | Comments: Off

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch: Two-minute review

I’ll be upfront about this: I’m not an entirely unbiased man when it comes to laptops. I reviewed the previous-generation Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro back in 2022, and I adored it - so I was pretty excited to get my hands on the new model. Don’t play favorites, I told myself when it arrived. Be impartial, I thought as I tore open the box.

Turns out, I didn’t need to worry. The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch is a wonderful little laptop, make no mistake, but it doesn’t reach quite the same heights as its predecessor - and I didn’t find myself nearly as enthralled as I had been last time around. It’s still one of the best ultrabooks money can buy right now, though, and its $1,449 / £1,349 price tag is a lot more attractive than that of the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

This is still a premium product, however, and it makes that immediately clear when you fire it up. The 3K AMOLED display is absolutely stunning, with excellent maximum brightness, deep contrast, and crystal-clear colors. It’s one of the best laptop displays I’ve seen in a while, frankly.

The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch laptop pictured atop a wooden desk. — (Image credit: Future)

The overall design of the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro shouts ‘premium’, in truth. The brushed alloy exterior is clean and minimalist, with only the Samsung logo engraved in reflective metal on the lid. Opening it up, we’ve got a softly backlit keyboard and a pleasingly large trackpad.

To put it simply, the Book3 Pro just feels good to use. The keyboard is comfortable to type on, and the video-call experience is shockingly good thanks to a Full HD webcam and an impressive set of speakers and mic for such a compact laptop. It’s a bit heavier than the Book2 Pro was, but it does feel more durable and is not so weighty that it would be cumbersome to carry around with you.

It wasn’t until I started to put the Galaxy Book3 Pro through its paces that the facade began to crack a little. My review unit packs a 13th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, which itself performs great, but it’s backed up by just 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. For comparison, the similarly-priced M2 MacBook Air has 16GB of unified memory. 8GB is fine but means that this Book3 Pro could struggle with certain workloads (or if you like to have a lot of programs open at once).

The battery life also wasn’t particularly impressive, but I’ll get into that later. Luckily, the Galaxy Book3 Pro is also available in higher-powered configurations, which I’ll break down properly when I discuss the specs further down. Despite these small drawbacks, I still feel confident saying that the Book3 Pro is a strong choice of productivity laptop for office-bound professionals, able to hang with the best laptops, and offer great bang for your buck.

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch review: Price and availability

Starts at $1,499 / £1,349 / around AU$2,225
Variety of models configurable on the Samsung website
Not available in Australia at time of writing

While the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro obviously isn’t going to make it onto our best cheap laptops list, it’s still reasonably good value for money - which was a bit surprising, given that it looks and feels like such a premium piece of hardware. Those cutting-edge 13th Gen Intel CPUs aren’t cheap.

The configurations vary a lot from region to region, and the Galaxy Book3 line isn’t currently available in Oceania (sorry Aussies), but the starting price is $1,499 / £1,349 / around AU$2,225 and goes up from there. It’s worth noting that there’s no Intel Core i5 version available in the US right now as far as I could see, hence the lower UK pricing; that $1,499 price tag is for the base i7 model.

Speaking of that base model, it’s on sale in the US at the time of writing for just $949.99 - an absolute steal for this laptop, if I do so say so myself. If you buy one new from Samsung, it comes bundled with a variety of software trials, including a year of Microsoft 365 and two months of Adobe Lightroom.

Price score: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch review: Specs

As mentioned above, there are many configurations of the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro, which can be customized (to some degree) on Samsung's website. I've included spec lists for both my 14-inch i5 review model and the 16-inch i7 version below, for comparison, but bear in mind that other elements can be tweaked and screen size does not determine the processor.

The SSD is the main customizable element, which can be configured up to 1TB depending on your personal requirements. 5G LTE capabilities are also available on select models in select regions.

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch review: Design

Full metal chassis, but still thin
Keyboard and touchpad are good
Decent port selection for a compact ultrabook

I’ve never had many complaints about the rebooted Samsung Galaxy Book line’s physical designs, and that hasn’t changed here: the Galaxy Book3 Pro looks fantastic and proves itself as a carefully-crafted piece of hardware at almost every turn.

The exterior chassis is, like previous Book Pro models, entirely made of brushed metal. This means it’s a little weightier than some ultrabooks at 1.17kg (slightly heavier than the 15.6-inch Book2 Pro, actually), but it also feels very durable and is still light enough to easily carry around with you.

The AMOLED display is available in 14- and 16-inch variants (ours is the 14-inch model), a shift from previous Book Pro laptops’ 13.3- and 15.6-inch screens. It’s got that sought-after 16:10 aspect ratio that is quickly becoming a staple of productivity notebooks, allowing you to fit more onto your screen when scrolling through web pages or documents. The resolution has also been cranked up to 3K for this model, and it makes a world of difference when watching video content.

As I mentioned higher up, the AMOLED screen is just gorgeous, packing 400 nits of brightness and fantastic color density. OLED panels are becoming a more common sight in ultrabooks and no longer the domain of prohibitively expensive hardware - as previously evidenced by the excellent Acer Swift 3 OLED.

The LED-backlit keys are nice and wide with good spacing, making the keyboard very comfortable for extended typing sessions. The 16-inch version of the Galaxy Book3 Pro also packs a numpad, which is absent in this model, but that’s fine - trying to cram in more keys would’ve made things crowded. The touchpad is similarly generous; in fact, it’s huge for a 14-inch laptop, with a decently firm click. There’s little to no flex in the chassis when using the keyboard and touchpad.

Considering the compact nature of the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch, it manages to pack plenty of physical ports onto its left and right edges. We’ve got two Thunderbolt 4-enabled USB-C ports along with a single USB-A, so it already beats the MacBook Air in my eyes - I’m not ready to give up conventional USB just yet, thank you very much.

These are joined by a headphone jack, HDMI port for connecting a second monitor, and a MicroSD card reader - the latter of which is slowly disappearing from modern laptops, so it’s nice to see it here. The Galaxy Book3 Pro charges via either of the Thunderbolt 4 ports, so bear in mind that you’ll only have one USB-C available when plugged in.

In terms of security features, Samsung hasn’t adopted the increasingly popular IR camera for Windows Hello logins using facial recognition, but there is a fingerprint scanner built into the power button. The webcam used here is a solid 1080p offering, great for video calls, and the microphone and dual Dolby speakers are surprisingly good for such a small laptop.

Ultimately, I have very little to criticize when it comes to the design of the Book3 Pro. The screen hinge perhaps isn’t as sturdy as I’d like, with a bit of wobble when adjusting the angle, but this was a problem shared by its predecessor. The metal finish is also a bit of a fingerprint magnet, but it’s nothing a microfiber cloth wouldn’t fix. Everyone’s tastes are different, but it’s hard to deny that this is one of the best-looking ultrabooks around right now.

Design score: 5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch review: Performance

13th-gen Intel CPU is powerful
Weaker in gaming and content creation
Galaxy Ecosystem is good for Samsung fans, bad for everyone else

Benchmarks

Here's how the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark Night Raid: 16,369; Fire Strike: 4,759; Time Spy: 1,657
GeekBench 5.4: 1,707 (single-core); 9,536 (multi-core)
25GB File Copy: 436MBps
Handbrake 1.6: 6m 41s
CrossMark: Overall: 1,576 Productivity: 1,513 Creativity: 1,672 Responsiveness: 1,489
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p): 33fps
Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 6hrs 51m
PCMark 10 Battery Life: 9hrs 44m

After I finished benchmarking the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro, I did sit and wonder if it truly deserves the ‘Pro’ moniker. Professional ultrabooks can be different things to different people, sure. But in my experience, hardware bearing the ‘Pro’ title is generally well-suited for professional content creation, and that’s not the case here.

First things first: the Intel Core i5-1340P at the heart of this device is powerful. Intel’s 13th Gen laptop CPUs can pull their weight, with a split-core architecture that lets ‘performance’ cores handle primary processing while ‘efficiency’ cores take care of background tasks.

Raw CPU performance is strong across the board in office workloads, though not quite on the same level as the M2 Pro chip found in the (admittedly much more expensive) new MacBook Pro. Since this laptop bears the Intel ‘Evo’ badge, it wakes up from sleep near-instantaneously, letting you open the lid and get straight back to business.

Graphical performance doesn’t hold up to the same scrutiny, though. While Apple’s M2 silicon packs a very capable integrated GPU, the Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics found here simply aren’t as strong, hampering the Galaxy Book3 Pro in creative workloads such as 3D rendering or animation.

Gaming isn’t great, either. Playing Sid Meier's Civilization VI at the native 1800p resolution gave us a framerate of less than 30fps - and that’s a relatively undemanding game. Don’t expect to be doing anything more than the most casual gaming on this laptop. Valorant, a game specifically built to be played on low-end hardware, did secure more than 30fps but wasn’t exactly running ultra-smoothly.

Still, if ‘Pro’ means ‘office work’ to you, that’s not a problem: the i5-1340P can comfortably handle everyday computing tasks without breaking a sweat, with solid scores in the GeekBench and CrossMark tests. I imagine the i7-1360P found in the standard US configurations has a bit more grunt, however - and the aforementioned limiting of the i5 model to 8GB of RAM is a downer.

The Intel CPU can do a lot with a little, as it turns out, but opening 20+ Chrome tabs while running Spotify and Slack in the background (as I often do while working) did result in a little bit of latency when switching between programs. 16GB of RAM would’ve been nice to see here, although it’s consistent with previous models in the Galaxy Book Pro line. It’s far from ruinous but something to bear in mind if you plan on running lots of software simultaneously.

The fans also kick in noticeably quite often, but they’re thankfully not too noisy. My trusty old 2020 HP Spectre x360 probably spins up its fans less frequently than the Book3 Pro, though I do have to admit that it also tends to get quite a bit warmer than this laptop. Still, if you want something that will always run completely silent, consider the fanless MacBook Air instead.

Finally, there’s a bunch of pre-loaded software designed to be used within the ‘Galaxy Ecosystem’ - that’s a connected network of any other Samsung Galaxy hardware you have. So if you’ve got a pair of Galaxy Buds 2 or sprung for the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, know that you’ll have advanced interactivity between your devices close to the level offered by Apple’s own competing ecosystem. But if you don’t, those programs may as well be bloatware.

Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch review: Battery life

Can just about last a full work day
Doesn’t come close to the MacBook Air or Pro
Charges fast and charger is compact

The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro’s battery life left me feeling thoroughly whelmed. It’s fine. It’s not great, and it really should be better in a third-generation AMOLED laptop, but it’s good enough. You’ll get between 6 and 8 hours of longevity for general use, more if you use Windows 11’s built-in eco features to stretch the battery life.

When compared to the likes of Apple’s latest MacBooks, it doesn’t even come close. Granted, those are heavier devices with bigger batteries and custom-tuned CPUs, but still: you can get better battery life for the same price elsewhere. While I don’t have the testing stats to properly comment on this, it’s possible that the bigger 16-inch model has a superior battery, although it also has a larger display to power.

The good news is that the Galaxy Book3 Pro does charge very fast via its Thunderbolt 4 ports, and the charger itself is a simple plug and cable - no chunky power brick to be found here, which means carrying the charger with you to top up your battery on the go is no trouble.

Battery life: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch?

Buy it if...

You’re a Samsung fan
Simply put, this is the laptop for you if you’ve already got a Samsung phone, watch, tablet, whatever. The Galaxy Ecosystem is useful and you’re sure to appreciate the aesthetics of the Book3 Pro.

You’re an office worker
A 16:10 display, fingerprint scanner, and generally compact, lightweight design make the Galaxy Book3 Pro perfect for office-bound professionals with busy commutes.

You want a great screen
The 14-inch AMOLED panel is the absolute highlight of this ultrabook, with its 3K resolution offering excellent sharpness along with vibrant color.

Don't buy it if...

You’re a content creator
The Intel Core i5-1340P is a very capable CPU, but if you’re looking to do a lot of creative work, it may be wiser to invest in a laptop with a dedicated GPU.

You want long-lasting battery life
Although you should theoretically be able to make it through the average workday on a single charge, in practice the Book3 Pro doesn’t offer the same longevity as some of its competitors.

You’re on a tight budget
I’m happy to say that the Galaxy Book3 Pro actually offers a decent price-to-performance proposition, but it’s still undeniably a rather expensive product.

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch review: Also consider

If our Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch review has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch

Used for a week's everyday work
Watched Netflix in bed and on the couch
Took with me on a short trip

As has become my go-to approach for reviewing an ultrabook, I simply replaced my usual desktop PC and laptop with the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 14-inch for a few days.

This included using it for my day-to-day work (which is mostly composed of internet research, emails, and writing in Google Docs) as well as using it for video meetings and watching Netflix in bed in the evenings. For anyone wondering, I'm currently watching the rather excellent Korean fantasy drama Alchemy of Souls, which looked fantastic on the Book3 Pro's AMOLED screen.

I also took the Galaxy Book3 Pro with me for a day out to a nearby town, where it remained in my backpack until I found a dog-friendly cafe to stop for lunch and do a bit of personal work. While it's a little heavier than its precursor, it's still comfortably light enough that I barely noticed it was in my bag while walking my rescue pooch Lucy around town.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed April 2023

Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium review: great for windows and more

7:00 pm | April 1, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Australia | Comments: Off

One-minute review

The Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium is the brand's most advanced window vacuum cleaner. It boasts some impressive technology that promises to deliver a streak-free shine to windows, mirrors, tiles, shower screens and more.

As with the best vacuum cleaners and best cordless vacuums, I put the Karcher Window Vac through its paces in several ways. The set up, usability and battery runtime was all tested, along with how well the handheld appliance actually cleaned.

I've been using the Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium in my home for three weeks. It has cleaned windows, bathroom tiles and a shower screen – all with mixed results. I found that the window vac achieved better results on areas that were cleaned regularly, with battery life that has just kept going (the vac still hasn't been recharged) and a dirty waste bucket that has seldom required emptying.

Also included in the box is a quick charger, premium spray bottle with microfibre wiping cloth, window cleaner concentrate ( 1 x 20ml), microfibre wiping cloth outdoor, plus interchangeable suction nozzle and dirt scraper – which is more than you really need, in my opinion. The instructions aren't particularly clear, so you'll be on your own when it comes to setting up the appliance – although there are only so many things that slot / fit together.

You'll need to use the spray bottle for misting the window cleaner concentrate onto surfaces, and while the window vac performs well for cleaning less stubborn messes, I wouldn't say it's one for tackling areas where dirt and limescale may have built up.

Read on to discover how we got on using the Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium for cleaning my windows, bathroom tiles and shower screen.

karcher wv6 with spray bottle on window ledge — (Image credit: Future / Jennifer Oksien)

Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium review: price and availability

List price: $149.99 / £124.99 / AU$ 230.40
Exclusive to the Karcher website
Not available in Australia

The Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium is only available to buy direct from Karcher.com/US and Karcher.com/UK, but not Karcher.com/AU. Instead, the Australian site lists the WV 6 Window Vac and WV 6 Window Vac bundle.

Resellers such as Amazon US and Amazon UK stock various models of Karcher Window Vac, just not the WV 6 Premium.

The Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium was launched on the Karcher US site in 2022 as an exclusive. Also available in the US are the VW 1 Plus and WV 6 Plus, which come with either a lower spec or fewer accessories. The UK site has slightly more choice, with models including the WV 2 Plus, WV 5 Plus N and WV 6 Plus N.

The Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium is the most expensive out of the brand's window vac range with a list price of $149.99 / £124.99 / AU$ 230.40.

Value: 4/5

Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium review: specifications

Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium review: design

Cordless handheld unit
Removable blade
Separate spray bottle

The Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium is a cordless, handheld vacuum designed to remove drips and streaks from smooth surfaces. It weighs 0.8kg and measures 126 x 280 x 310mm (l x w x h), which makes it relatively easy and comfortable to use.

It comes with two interchangeable squeegee heads, which can be detached from the suction nozzle for cleaning after use. These heads measure in at 18cm and 28cm. Both feature the new lip technology to allow for upper-edge cleaning to the ground without interruption, to achieve a streak-free finish.

The water tank, which holds 150ml of dirty water, is also easily removed for emptying. Since dirty water takes some time to accumulate, you won't have the hassle of frequent emptying.

You use a separate spray bottle with window cleaner concentrate to help lift the dirt from the surface. While not exactly groundbreaking, a microfibre cleaning cloth head can be attached just above the spray nozzle to wipe over the spray when triggered. Ensure that the trigger is securely fixed to the bottle to avoid any leaks.

The battery is integrated into the window vac, so you'll need to plug in the entire appliance for charging. The LED display proved useful as an indicator of how much charge, minute-by-minute, the Karcher Window Vac had accumulated, and also consumed when in use.

Design: 3.5/5

Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium review: performance

Easy to set up
Easy to use
Best results on a clean-ish surface

I had high hopes for the Karcher Window Vac WV 6's cleaning performance. I live in an old house with high ceilings and, therefore, have numerous tall windows to clean.

And not only is this Karcher designed for cleaning windows, it can also bring back the sparkle to mirrors, tiles and shower screens.

setting up the karcher wv6 is easy — (Image credit: Future / Jennifer Oksien)

Before I could start cleaning I needed to set up the window vac. Since I hadn't used such an appliance before, I was relying on the instructions included in the box. These were terribly poor, comprising a set of linear drawings – as opposed to step-by-step written instructions – to provide some clue as to what to do with the appliance. I interpreted the double-sided A3 sheet of instructions as best I could, and did get the Karcher Window Vac working – but the process could have been easier.

The battery arrives with just six minutes of power, so I first needed to set the appliance to charge. This took no longer than a few hours, and I could watch the battery indicator count up, minute-by-minute. Once it reached 100 minutes, we were ready to clean up to 300m² on one single charge.

Having added the cleaning concentrate to the spray bottle with 150ml of water, my first cleaning job with the Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium was the three- window bay in my front room.

Although this is a relatively new window (only around six months old), it hadn't been been cleaned since fitting, and so was in a pretty grubby state. The largest, middle pane was in the worst state with dust, finger prints and sticky hand prints marked on it.

using the karcher wv6 to clean large window — (Image credit: Future / Jennifer Oksien)

I sprayed a generous amount of the cleaning solution over the window, then working the Karcher window vac vertically down the pane. I started with the smaller squeegee head, but later switched to the larger one to cover more surface area at once.

Whilst liquid did get sucked into the waste water tank, it also flooded over the sides of the window pane – despite the new lip technology. This is supposed to ensure a streak-free finish up to the edge. It also quickly became apparent that the windows were dirtier than I had first thought, because the squeegee started smearing the now more concentrated dirt over the other window panels I was attempting to clean. I removed the dirt by wiping the blade with a paper towel.

Next, I tried the Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium out on the tiles in our bathroom. These tiles cover a large part of the wall behind the bath / shower. I live in an area of hard water, which causes limescale to build up quickly if not cleaned regularly. Admittedly, I hadn't cleaned the tiles for some time, so the Karcher had work to do.

vacuum cleaning the bathroom tiles — (Image credit: Future / Jennifer Oksien)

I have to say I was impressed by the results. Surprisingly, I didn't have to repeatably go over the area with the spray bottle, and the squeegee blade wiped away all of the diluted concentrated cleaning liquid to reveal a shiny surface – with no water marks to be seen.

Spurred on by the success on my bathroom tiles, I turned my attention to the shower screen – which was in a pretty dire state. Although we have a squeegee sitting on the tiles for use after each shower, we seldom use it – which results in a buildup of limescale on the shower screen.

I sprayed the cleaning solution on the harder-to-reach areas of the shower screen first, then turned on the window vac. I moved in a vertical direction and could see the buildup (almost) vanish. This was a great result.

Tougher areas of the screen, where there was a buildup of limescale, took a bit more effort. I repeated the application of spray, several times, on more stubborn areas and glided over it with the window vac – also several times. It did lift limescale to a level that I was satisfied with, but it didn't remove it completely.

using the karcher wv6 on a shower screen — (Image credit: Future / Jennifer Oksien)

The Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium comes with just one setting, which is off / on. It has a constant speed and therefore constant noise level of 73dB; the equivalent to being inside a car.

I'd recommend cleaning the blades after each use, or when you see a buildup of dirt on the blade during a clean; I used a paper towel, but you could also give the blade a quick rinse under clean running water.

removing dirt from the blade of Karcher wv6 — (Image credit: Future / Jennifer Oksien)

The dirty water tank holds up to 150ml of dirty water, which means it will take some time to fill; you simply unclip it to empty. A quick rinse under running water will ensure your Karcher system remains clean for your next use.

Performance: 3/5

removing dirty water tank from karcher window vac is easy — (Image credit: Future / Jennifer Oksien)

Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium review: battery-life

100 minutes of runtime
Takes 170 minutes to fully recharge
Minute-by-minute LED display

The Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium arrives with just six minutes of battery life, so it will need a full charge before you can use it. And since the battery is integrated, you'll need to plug in the entire unit.

On charge you can watch the status of the battery count up minute-by-minute on the LED display. When it reaches 100, the Karcher is fully topped up and capable of cleaning up to 300m² off a single charge. The display is equally useful when you're cleaning and want to check the battery life remaining.

Battery: 5/5

Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium review: should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium review: also consider

If you're looking for a vacuum cleaner for the floors, rather than one for your windows, here are a couple of suggestions...

How I tested the Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium

Used for up to 3 weeks
Tried on windows, shower screen and tiles

I used the Karcher Window Vac in my home over the course of three weeks, for cleaning my windows, shower screen and tiles. Delivering mixed results, the best outcome was when using it to clean my bathroom tiles, which didn't have much in the way of limescale buildup.

I' hadn't used an appliance quite like the Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium before, and while the idea is nice, I'll probably be sticking to standard window cleaner and a microfiber cloth to clean the smooth surfaces of my home.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023): Two-minute review

The refresh of last year’s model, 2023’s Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 sets out to be a monster of a gaming machine while avoiding the pitfall of taking on the weight and bulk issue of desktop replacements (to a point of course). It comes in only black, a bit boring for color choices, but the chassis itself is surprisingly thinner than most, which is especially impressive for a laptop housing a GeForce RTX 4090 GPU.

The 16-inch display is a beauty, as it’s a QHD+ (2560 x 1600, WQXGA) mini-LED with a ridiculously high 240Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time that also supports HDR and G-Sync. The sound system is one that befits what the best gaming laptop would be outfitted with, as it’s powered by Dolby Atmos, uses Smart Amp Tech, and features two 2W Tweeter and a 2W dual-force woofer. This ensures that during your session, the laptop conveys every bit of audio design and music, making for a more immersive experience.

It seems that RGB lighting is a requirement for any gaming keyboard, and this one doesn’t disappoint, as both the touchpad and keys are beautifully backlit. The Chiclet keyboard itself is smooth and easy to type on, which helps if you prefer gaming on a keyboard versus connecting a controller.

Gaming performance is the crown jewel of this laptop, with some serious specs, memory, and storage even in the lowest configuration. The base model has an RTX 4070 and the highest is equipped with the incredibly powerful RTX 4090. While testing out the latter graphics card in the review unit I received, I found its boosting capabilities to be quite impeccable, thanks to its max TGP of 150W when using Dynamic Boost on Manual Mode.

Another feature of note and one that sets this refresh apart from previous models as well as other gaming laptops is the AniMe Matrix mode. This mode allows you to activate either default animations and messages or create your own, then display them on the outside chassis. It’s a fun, if not useful, feature that’s best for showing off and entertaining others. But you can easily save money by opting for a model without it.

Though it may be a contender for one of the best Asus laptops, there are some drawbacks to this laptop. First, the throttling issue concerning the CPU is more pronounced in this laptop, which not only lowers the potential of the normally powerful Core i9-13900H but even causes stuttering with any tasks not directly related to gaming. The software, while possessing many features and modes, is counterintuitive and requires a lot of time and effort to navigate.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023): Price & availability

black closed gaming laptop — (Image credit: Future)

Starting at $2.999.99 / £2,399.99 (around AU$4,417)
Available now
Available in the US and UK, and possibly Australia in the future

The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) is an incredibly expensive and luxurious gaming laptop. Its starting price is $2.999.99 in the US and £2,399.99 in the UK through the official Asus online store. That pricing works to around AU$4,417. Compared to other similar desktop replacements released with current-gen components like the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, this laptop is definitely a step above in cost. However, compared to something as premium as the MSI GT77 Titan (2023), it’s a more affordable choice for a high-end machine.

Currently, it isn’t available in Australia just yet. According to a representative, that’s likely to change in the future. As of this writing, the ROG Zephyrus M16 is sold out in the US as well, which makes obtaining it a bit more difficult.

Price score: 4 / 5

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023): Specs

closeup of laptop stickers — (Image credit: Future)

The specs for the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) review unit sent to me are as follows: an Intel Core i9-13900H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 2TB of storage, as well as the AniMe Matrix mode that comes with only certain models. The base version is nearly identical in specs except for an RTX 4070 GPU, while the most premium version has the same GPU but with 64GB of RAM.

While there are plenty of models to choose from, each model cannot be configured to your unique specifications.

Specs score: 4 / 5

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023): Design

Simple color, sleek form factor
AniMe Matrix mode is a fun gimmick
Display and sound system are great

Though the color of the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) is a pretty standard black, overall it has a surprisingly sleeker design than most desktop replacements, especially as my own review model is housing an RTX 4090. That beefy card also increases the weight, putting it at five pounds compared to the RTX 4070 laptop at about four and a half pounds. Despite that, its form factor is well-balanced enough that you barely feel it. The chassis is solid, though not as hardy as other heavier laptops.

It has both an excellent display and audio system that’s built for the best portable gaming experience possible. The 16-inch display is a QHD+ (2560 x 1600, WQXGA) mini-LED with a ridiculously high 240Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. It also supports HDR and G-Sync for those extra smooth and crisp visuals. As an extra bonus, the bezels are thin enough to offer over 90% screen-to-body ratio, meaning more of your favorite PC game’s UI is visible.

AniMe Matrix mode is the defining feature of this laptop, and it’s pretty cool. You use the built-in software to create messages or animations, which is then displayed on the back of the chassis for others to see. It makes for some fun conversation starters but otherwise has no impact on the laptop’s performance. Not all models have this mode, so feel free to purchase a different version if you need to save some money.

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black gaming laptop with techradar logo

(Image credit: Future)

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gaming laptop keyboard — (Image credit: Future)

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closeup of vent — (Image credit: Future)

The sound is much better quality than most other laptops, as it’s powered by Dolby Atmos, uses Smart Amp Tech, and packs two 2W Tweeter and a 2W dual-force woofer. It’s crystal clear and loses nothing in quality when turned up, perfect for capturing audio design and music. It’s complemented by a superior mic quality that keeps background noises out of your conference calls when the webcam is activated, though the webcam visuals are slightly above average.

The keyboard is a Chiclet type, which makes for nicely snappy, responsive keys. However, the downside is that since the speakers are hugging said keyboard, it doesn’t leave room for a numlock pad, which is an important part of any gaming rig. Both the keyboard and touchpad have RGB lighting, great for illuminating a night session and just pretty to look at.

There’s plenty of ventilation going on as well including liquid metal, a vapor chamber, a heat sink, heat pipes, and fans. It can get a bit noisy at times, and despite all the precautions, some parts – namely the underside and space between the keyboard and screen – are prone to warming up. I also noticed that having AniMe Matrix mode active puts even more of a burden on the ventilation so after a while I had to turn it off.

It has a solid port selection as well, including one 3.5mm combo audio jack, one HDMI 2.1 FRL, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, one Thunderbolt 4, one microSD reader, and one Kensington Lock. It is missing an ethernet cable, which for a normal laptop wouldn’t be too big of a deal but for a dedicated gaming laptop that’s supposed to replace a desktop PC? It forces you to rely on wireless connections only, a kiss of death for connection-reliant fighting games for instance.

Design score: 4 / 5

black gaming laptop with rgb lit keyboard — (Image credit: Future)

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023): Performance

Gaming performance is top-notch
Clears benchmarks
CPU struggles along

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023): Benchmarks

Here's how the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Night Raid: 64,312; Fire Strike: 32,053; Time Spy: 14,925; Port Royal: 9,843
Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 19,761 points
GeekBench 5: 1,999 (single-core); 14,823 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home Test): 8,148 points
25GB File Copy: 14.35
Handbrake 1.6: 6:52
CrossMark: Overall: 1997; Productivity: 1937; Creativity: 2072; Responsiveness: 1956
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 4 hours, 45 minutes
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 104 fps; (1080p, Low): 270 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 71 fps; (1080p, Low): 72 fps
Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 34 fps; (1080p, Low): 193 fps

If there’s one thing the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) does extremely well, it’s gaming. Even the base model of the gaming laptop is absolutely ripped and the most tricked-out version can flex its way through any title at absolutely max settings plus ray-tracing with no issues.

Compared to other gaming laptops like the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i or the MSI GT77 Titan (2023), benchmark scores are lower, except for the latter which loses out on the PCMark 10 benchmark to the ROG Zephyrus M16. And considering that the pricing of said laptop is higher than Lenovo’s own offerings, it calls into question what you’re paying for. Especially since the Pro 7i is using a 4080 compared to the 4090 of the M16.

But that’s not to say that you aren’t getting your money’s worth either. The fact that this laptop weighs significantly less than the other two laptops, can run every possible graphical and performance enhancement, can be overclocked for even better performance, and will still fit into a modest-sized laptop bag is nothing to sneeze at.

Other than the standard benchmarks, I also performed some personalized ones to test out what it could handle in terms of DLSS 3-enabled ray-tracing. Cyberpunk 2077 performed beautifully, with frame rates consistently above 100. Both the Dartmoor and Dubai benchmark in Hitman 3 also stayed above 100fps and 115fps, respectively. Finally, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered was the clear winner, averaging between 115-150fps during web-swinging and above 150fps during intense combat sections.

However, while the GPU worked splendidly when it came to any PC game I tested it with, there’s a major flaw that could turn away those needing a more well-rounded machine. Not only did the few CPU-based benchmarks feature plenty of throttled results thanks to the overpowered GPU, but there was very noticeable stuttering when I tried out regular productivity tasks like typing documents and browsing the internet. It’s nothing significant but enough that it made anything other than gaming a bit tedious.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023): Battery

closeup of battery display — (Image credit: Future)

Mediocre battery
Charges fast

I tested the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) using TechRadar’s movie battery test and found that it managed to last, at most, four hours and 45 minutes. That is generally quite bad for a laptop, but for a gaming laptop it’s about average. It’s certainly an improvement over the Legion 7i Pro, which can’t pass the two-and-a-half-hour mark, and it squeaks by with a victory over the GT77 Titan by about 15 minutes.

Of course, this is meant as a desktop replacement, so you won’t be unplugging this machine from the AC power, even to do some productivity work unless you can get anything done in less than five hours. If you need to transport it to another location, though, it’ll definitely last long enough for that transfer. And it also charges fast, about 30 minutes for a half charge, so at least you won’t be waiting long.

Battery score: 3 / 5

Should you buy the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023)?

Buy it if...

You want a gaming performance beast
It chews up and spits out any PC game on the highest possible settings with both ray-tracing and DLSS 3 enabled.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
Though this is a high-quality laptop that can truly do it all, it also comes at a steep price. The average worker or creative person might have trouble affording it.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023): Also consider

If the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...

How I tested the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023)

I tested the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) for several weeks
I tested it using both benchmark tests and video game benchmarks
I stress-tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test

First, I tested the general weight and portability of the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) by carrying it around in a laptop bag. After I set it up, I ran several benchmarks to thoroughly test out how much the graphics card affected gaming performance. Finally, I used a variety of programs and applications to test out both battery life and general performance during work-like conditions, as well as gaming benchmarks to test the RTX 4090 GPU.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 is a desktop replacement for gaming, meaning it's meant to be used for hardcore gaming sessions. I made sure to thoroughly test out this laptop in that regard, to make sure it reached certain levels of performance.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed March 2023

Oppo Find X6 Pro – Forget the oddball looks, this is a charging demon

5:11 pm | March 21, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Australia, OS, UK, US | Comments: Off

Oppo Find X6 Pro: Two-minute preview

One thing you can say about the big and bold Oppo Find X6 Pro is that it makes an impression. Anyone who caught a glimpse of the 6.82-inch phone's back couldn't help but comment on the gigantic, circular camera array. As I see it, you can't talk about the phone without addressing this distinct piece of the phone's hardware.

The reality at this moment is that it's hard to write about much else on the Android 13 handset, which currently looks like it's only set to sell in China. Oppo graciously shipped me the Chinese version, which is packed with Mandarin text and is not currently capable of accepting English apps – including the Google Play Store. As a result, while I could experience the beefy hardware and lovely large screen, take countless photos (and some video), and play around with the pre-installed Chinese version of TikTok, I couldn't test much else. There's no way to benchmark the phone and run my favorite apps, not right now, anyway.

Here's what I can tell you. This is a big, thick phone with three (count 'em three!) 50MP sensors on the back, which includes a wide, ultra-wide, and periscope telephoto (3x optical). They all get an image-processing assist from the leading-edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile chipset and Oppo's MariSilicon X imaging NPU, as well as some tuning, courtesy of the company's ongoing partnership with Hasselblad.

Oppo Find X6 Pro rear camera array — Hope you like your camera arrays big, really big. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

I was generally pleased with the phone's image capture capabilities, though it does push things a bit far with 120x (digital) super zoom that essentially turns photos into impressionistic paintings.

The other highlight here is the battery life and ultra-fast charging capabilities. This is one of the few smartphones still shipping with a dedicated charging adapter (it oddly still features a USB-A port), and, in this instance, it's a 100W powerhouse that – in my experience – can charge the phone from 0% to 100% in 30 minutes.

In China, the the phone starts at CNY¥5,999 (approximately $870 / £710 / AU$1,305 when converted directly) and tops out at CNY¥6,999 (approximately $1,020 / £830 / AU$1,520) across three memory and storage configurations and reports of devices shipping from March 24.

Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Price and availability

From CNY¥5,999 (approximately $870 / £710 / AU$1,305)
Unconfirmed for the US, UK or Australia

Oppo is bringing its Oppo Find X6 Pro (and the Find X6) to China – announcing the phones on March 21 and promising an on-sale date of March 24. No details are currently available for the rest of the world. Both Find X6 and Find X6 Pro will be available in a variety of materials and colorways.

The handset is offered in the brown and faux leather I tested, as well as green and black finishes.

The base model comes equipped with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage for CNY¥5,999 (approximately $870 / £710 / AU$1,305), there's a 16GB RAM and 256GB storage option (converting to approximately $945 / £770 / AU$1,415) and a top-tier 16GB and 512GB model (black and green, only), which by directly translating prices comes in at $1,020 / £830 / AU$1,520.

For context, the Oppo Find X5 Pro started with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage for ¥6,299 (which converts to $915 / £750 / AU$1,370), while the actual starting price in the UK and Australia came in notably higher at £1,049 / AU$1,799.

Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Specs

Oppo Find X6 Pro back — The Oppo Find X6 Pro is undeniably bold. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Design

That's one big camera array
Sturdy look and feel
Is that screen curve a little too retro?

The Oppo Find X6 Pro is a mood and one you will probably either love or hate. Leaving aside the supple faux leather (Oppo calls it "Vegan Leather") back, which adds a warmth otherwise missing from most smartphones, the Oppo Find X6 Pro's camera array, which is designed to look like a professional camera lens, is so startlingly big that it can almost be used as a finger rest (a genuine boon, ergonomically speaking). The circle, which houses the phone's three 50MP cameras, flash, microphone, a sensor and prominently features the camera-maker (and Oppo tech partner) Hasselblad's brand name, takes most of the top third of the phone's back.

After a week of playing with the X6 Pro, I'm a little less overwhelmed by the giant camera circle as I initially was but I still don't like it. Most of the Oppo Find X6 Pro's body measures 9.5mm (it's only 9.1mm thick, if you opt for one of the glass finishes). However, the camera array pushes that girth to roughly 14mm(!). Because of that sizeable bump, it's impossible to place the phone "flat" on any surface. It will always sit at a noticeable angle, unless, of course, you flip it over on its mostly-flat screen.

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Oppo Find X6 Pro power button — A side view of the Oppo Find X6 Pro. With its single button, it's a pretty clean look. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Oppo Find X6 Pro base and ports — No 3.5mm headphone jack, but dual-SIM-supporting, with a physical SIM tray on offer. It does support 5G, if you were wondering. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Oppo Find X6 Pro camera bump — Oppo Find X6 Pro has the independent volume buttons on its left side. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Oppo Find X6 Pro top edge — There are speaker and microphone slots on top of the Oppo Find X6 Pro. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Oppo Find X6 Pro volume buttons — Despite the large camera array, this is a pretty well-balanced piece of hardware. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

If you can ignore the camera bump, there's actually a lot to like about this robust flagship. The body is an expertly crafted mix of brushed aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (on the front) and at 164.8mm x 76.2mm x 9.5mm, the Oppo Find X6 Pro is actually slightly smaller and lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra despite offering a marginally larger screen.

The handset feels good, especially because of that fake leather. The front and back tapers make the aluminum edge thinner, which also makes the phone a little more comfortable to hold. On other hand, the curved or 'waterfall' display feels a bit retro, like a Samsung Galaxy design from 2014. I think Oppo could've split the difference here and made the back curved and the screen completely flat, however.

This is otherwise a clean and solid-looking design. There are no grilles, just aggressive drill-throughs for the USB-C charging port, speaker, microphone, and SIM slot, on the bottom edge and, on top, a speaker, microphone, and what I believe is an IR controller for use with third-party consumer electronic devices like your AC unit or TV. The volume controls are on the left and sleep/wake button is on the right side.

The phone is IP68-rated, which means it can handle dust, a splash, and even a dunk in the toilet (not that I recommend testing it though). It's a shame that the phone's closest sibling in the US – the OnePlus 11 – never received and IP certification as some of its predecessors did (in order to range with T-Mobile).

Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Display

Oppo Find X6 Pro home screen — This is a nice, big screen. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

6.82-inch 19.9:8 1Hz to 120Hz AMOLED with LTPO3
Enough nits to beat back the sun
LTPO means you get faster refresh without all the battery suck

Oppo Find X6 Pro selfie camera — (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

While I'm not in love with the design, I can credit Oppo for not skimping where it matters. The screen, for instance, is all the latest imaging technology stuffed into a larger, edge-to-edge display. There is only a small circular cutout for the 32MP selfie camera. By using an LTPO3 (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) AMOLED display, the panel can save power, with a variable refresh rate range from 1Hz to 120Hz.

The screen defaults to a power-saving Full HD+ resolution of 2376 x 1080 but can run at 3168 x 1440 (Quad HD+); both look good. Under the screen is an effective optical fingerprint reader.

While I couldn't test any of my favorite apps on the Oppo Find X6 Pro, I did enjoy a lot of Chinese-language videos and trailers on their version of YouTube and the original Chinese TikTok. The display is also an excellent viewport for the powerful camera array.

Oppo Find X6 Pro outside screen — Oppo Find X6 Pro screen can handle the bright sunlight. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

It's clearly ready to handle all of your most demanding content, with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+. Without any US-based apps, though, I found it a little hard to press the handset on some of these capabilities.

With 800nits of base brightness but up to 2,500peak nits, the display was more than able to hold up in direct sunlight – beating out the iPhone 14 Pro's impressive brightness ceiling.

If I have one criticism of the display, it's the curved edges. I just think it looks too much like an old Samsung. Next time, Oppo should go for a perfectly flat screen; like the more affordable Oppo Reno 8 series.

Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Software

Oppo Find X6 Pro display — Oppo Find X6 Pro running ColorOS 13.1 (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Android 13 with Oppo's ColorOS 13.1 running on top
Intuitive, despite running a Chinese version of the OS

Even though much of my test unit interface was in Chinese, I could still see the utility of the ColorOS platform. There are customizable widgets, places to collect and organize apps, quick access to health metrics like "Steps walked" and numerous recognizable apps like Videos (sort of YouTube), a web browser, a photo gallery, games, and social media. I can access quick functions (some of which were in English) by swiping to the right on the Home Screen or use a single tap to optimize the system.

Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Cameras

Oppo Find X6 Pro camera array closeup — At least the giant bump is filled with excellent cameras. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Three 50MP cameras, all with OIS
Big Sony sensors
32MP selfie camera

Once you get a good look at all the cameras on the Oppo Find X6 Pro, you start to understand why Oppo felt it was necessary to house them in such an ostentatious bump. These are some of the best mobile sensors paired with some very good lenses. Plus, the resulting image-capturing capabilities are almost uniformly excellent.

Here's what we have:

50MP Sony IMX989 f/1.8, 23mm main camera
50MP Sony IMX890 f/2.2, 15mm ultrawide camera
50MP Sony IMX890 f/2.6 3x optical zoom, 65mm periscope telephoto camera
32MP Sony IMX709 f/2.4 front-facing camera

I was generally impressed with all four cameras. The colors and clarity of virtually all the shots is above average in the flagship space, with tremendous color verity and impressive clarity.

I took portrait mode photos with both the selfie and rear main camera and was pleased with the bokeh effect, which I could edit after I took the photo.

The periscope camera's 3x optical zoom is useful and on par with, for instance, Apple's iPhone 14 Pro. There's also an effective 6x hybrid zoom, that combines digital and optical for what looks like fully-optical zoom. Oppo chose to include a digital zoom that goes up to 120x, but I wouldn't recommend using it. Unlike Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's Space Zoom, which uses some controversial wizardry to create stunning images of, for instance, the moon, Oppo's super zoom turns images into impressionistic paintings. They're fun to look at but otherwise useless.

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Oppo Find X6 photo with Hasselblad settings — A photo taken using the Hasselblad pro-level controls. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Oppo Find X6 Pro standard settings — The same photo without those controls. Definitely no longer an artsy shot. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

As you would expect, the 50MP ultrawide can create some stunning images, especially when you use it in a skyscraper-filled city.

With the Hasselblad-branded Pro mode (under "More" in the camera app) you gain control of ISO (basically sensor light sensitivity), shutter speed, focus, and white balance. Not many will dig into these settings, but if you like more artistic control over your shots and the ability to separate focus and light metering, these are useful and powerful controls.

The Oppo Find X6 can also shoot up to 4K video at 60FPS (in Dolby Vision, if you choose) for some extra-crisp video.

At night, I put the phone on a tripod, selected Night shooting and then the "tripod mode" in the camera app. The phone did a nice job with astrophotography, though I think it may have over-compensated a bit on auto-adjusting the contrast.

More than once, the phone's on-screen controls stopped responding to my touch, as if the phone was otherwise occupied, I could, however, put the phone to sleep and instantly regain control.

Oppo Find X6 Pro camera samples

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Oppo Find X6 Pro review photos — Ultrawide shot (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Oppo Find X6 Pro review — 3x periscope zoom (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Oppo Find X6 review photography — The super zoom on this phone turns birds into paintings (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Performance

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC
MariSilicon imaging NPU
UFS 4.0 storage and fast LPDDR5X RAM

I couldn't install Geekbench to run proper benchmarking tests, but anecdotally, this is a responsive phone, which shouldn't be a surprise considering it top-tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.

It should also perform a variety of tasks more efficiently, thanks to its use of the latest flash storage standard, UFS 4.0.

This, by the way, is a 5G phone, though I could not test connection speeds on a US cellular network. Perhaps more interesting, this is one of only a handful of phones that already supports Wi-Fi 7.

Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Battery

5,000mAh battery
Ships with a 100W fast charger
Great battery life

A 5,000 mAh battery means the Oppo Find X6 Pro is ready to work all day and more. In my anecdotal tests, I had no trouble using the phone all day long to take photos and videos and watch a lot of Chinese TikTok videos. In fact, a single charge lasted two days. But that's not the most exciting thing about this phone's battery performance.

Oppo still includes a power adapter with the Find X6 Pro, and not just any adapter. It's a fast 100W charger that, in my tests, recharged the phone from 0% in 30 minutes. It was blazingly fast and basically sets a new benchmark, at least with most other phones in the US, across the pond and beyond 100W is far from the ceiling, with the Realme GT 3 recently launching with unmatched 240W speeds.

The phone also supports 50W wireless charging (with a promised 100% in 50 minutes) and even 10W reverse charging. I used it to charge up a pair of Apple AirPods Pro.

Oppo Find X6 Pro: Early Verdict

If you can get past the oddball design that screams, "Look at my cameras!" this is a powerful handset that, because it's coming from Oppo, could undercut a lot of the flagship competition on price.

It doesn't skimp on processor, display, memory, or storage. The cameras are all above average (even with the super zoom overreach). The battery is big and long-lasting, and fast wired charging is the best I've seen yet.

I don't know if the Oppo Find X6 Pro will ever go on sale outside of China, but if it does, you should give it a look.

Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Also consider

If you like the combination of powerful components, a big screen, and excellent camera chops, any of these phones that are available in the US, UK, and Australia right now should fit the bill.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

A tougher build, faster memory and storage, a more efficient battery, a custom-tuned chipset and a new 200MP main camera hidden behind a familiar design; the S23 Ultra is a more substantial upgrade than you might first realize. Provided you're not dissuaded by the steep asking price, in every other regard you'll be getting one of the best phones in the world.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

While there was never any question that Samsung would be offering up a new Ultra for 2023, there was nothing inherently wrong with its predecessor, and aside from running on the previous year's internals and a lower resolution primary camera, you're getting a very similar experience from a device with a year's worth of price reductions under its belt worth considering.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

If you're after a large-screened flagship phone with class-leading performance and a capable camera setup that isn't the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Apple will accept a similar amount of money for their latest top dog.

How I tested the Oppo Find X6 Pro

Oppo Find X6 Pro top two-thirds — Oppo Find X6 Pro in my hand. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Test period = One week
Testing included = Photography, some content consumption. Indoor and outdoor use.

Since Oppo sent me a Chinese version of the Oppo Find X6 Pro (an update with access to US-based Google Play and associated apps is expected on March 24), I was significantly limited in how I could use and test the phone. I couldn't benchmark it or load any of the apps I use to test its core capabilities. So I focused primarily on the design, screen, cameras, and charging capabilities.

As for who I am, I've been writing about technology for 31 years and testing smartphones for almost 20.

Read more about how we test

First tested March 2023

Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23 Ultra Enterprise Edition launch in Australia

6:51 pm | March 14, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: Australia | Comments: Off

Samsung has released an Enterprise Edition of the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra in Australia. These are the exact same hardware as the regular S23 models but feature more advanced enterprise tools built in. Unlike last year, the Plus model is not part of the Enterprise Edition lineup. The enterprise features include a 1-year subscription to the Samsung Knox Suite. This has built-in protection against malware, hacking and other cyber security threats. Also, it allows the company’s IT department to manage a fleet of phones remotely. The Galaxy S23 Enterprise Edition come with Microsoft...

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i review: this powerful desktop replacement lets us down in one key area

3:00 pm | March 12, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Australia, Total War, UK, US | Comments: Off

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Two-minute review

As the next-gen GPUs are upon us, there are plenty of gaming laptops releasing this year that are already taking advantage of the powerful mobile cards. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is one of them, outfitted with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, a 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13900KF, 32 GB DDR5-5600MHz RAM, and 1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC storage. This is an absolute beast of a gaming laptop, made to be a desktop replacement with its extremely high specs and gaming performance.

Design-wise, this is a visually below-average laptop. It comes in black, the most overused color in the market, and thick and bulky, which is par for the course for most desktop replacements. Due to the large screen size and thickness to accommodate the RTX 4080 inside, it’s pretty heavy to lug around as well.

There is a slight cool factor in the way the chassis is cute, lending it a sci-fi aesthetic that saves it from being downright ugly. However, its build quality is pretty high not to mention eco-friendly, with a metal chassis made of 50% recycled aluminum on the bottom cover and 30% post-consumer recycled polymers on the top cover.

There’s a healthy port selection: four USB-A 3.2 ports, one USB-C port, one Thunderbolt 4 port, one HDMI 2.1, one RJ45 ethernet, one power input, one electronic e-shutter switch, and one 3.5mm audio jack. What stands out, in particular, is the amount of USB Type-A ports this laptop has, which is a rarity nowadays. And the sheer variation means that you’ll always have a port for whatever need you may have.

Sound quality is quite solid as well, with large speakers on the sides of the laptop. The webcam is 1080p as well, also a rarity in laptops nowadays. The keyboard has some gorgeous and customizable RGB lighting, with nice wide keys for easy typing and a num lock pad for extra convenience. The trackpad is also large and nicely sensitive.

Not only does the 16-inch Quad HD display give you some impressive screen real estate of over 90%, but it also has an incredible refresh rate of 240Hz and an unreal screen brightness of 500 nits.

Paired with excellent specs and performance, this is a true gaming machine that’s ready to go right out of the box. The customizing software is easy to use and especially good for adjusting fan speed and overclocking, though I noticed that when I actually tried to overclock, the GPU was throttled and the framerate dipped tremendously for some reason.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Price & availability

Starting at $2,299.99 (around £2,085 / AU$2,800)
Available now in the US, UK, and Australia

Pricing for the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro is a bit high as expected of a hardcore gaming machine. Its starting price is $2,299.99 (around £2,085 / AU$2,800), which is steep but not bad considering that it’s still packing an RTX 4070 GPU and a 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU. The review model I received is a bit pricey at $2,749.99 (£3,499.99 including VAT / AU$4,759), but this version comes with a 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13900KF CPU and an RTX 4080 GPU.

Availability is excellent as well, as you can purchase this laptop in the US, UK, and Australia with little difficulty. However, only the more expensive models are available in UK and Australia, with only the US having a lower-end one with the 4070.

Price score: 4.5 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Specs

closeup of stickers on laptop — (Image credit: Future)

The specs for the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i review unit sent to me are as follows: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, a 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13900KF, 32 GB DDR5-5600MHz RAM, and 1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC storage.

The lowest possible specs for the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro are available in the US and feature a 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD storage. Interestingly enough, the base model in the UK has 512GB of storage but with all other specs matching the review model that I received.

My review model featured a 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13900KF CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 12GB GDDR6 GPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD storage. This bad boy is enough to run pretty much any game well above 100fps but if you want an even more impressive rig, the most powerful model has a 13-gen Intel Core i9-13900KF CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 24GB GDDR6X GPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD. In all three regions, you can’t upgrade past 1TB of storage, which is a little disappointing, but at least that’s enough to last you quite a while until you need to invest in external storage.

You can only upgrade your laptop in the UK and Australia, with the US having pre-set models instead. This wouldn’t be such an issue except for the fact that US models tend to sell out quickly, meaning if you can’t get your hands on a beefier laptop, you’ll either have to settle for a slightly weaker one or wait for a restocking. Despite that, there’s a nice amount of variety all around, with even the lowest model having impressive components.

Specs score: 5 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Design

closeup of rgb lit keyboard — (Image credit: Future)

Excellent port selection
Not very attractive
Solid build but ugly

If you’re looking for a gorgeous laptop that’s guaranteed to stop traffic, the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro is not for you. It prizes performance over looks, which shows in spades. The laptop is all black, the most common and boring of any laptop color, with nary a highlight or contrasting color to liven it up.

It does have a cool sci-fi aesthetic going on that saves it from being truly hideous, and the chassis itself is built sturdy enough to withstand some punishment. The best part is that it’s made of 50% recycled aluminum on the bottom cover and 30% post-consumer recycled polymers on the top cover.

Its port selection is extremely healthy: it has four USB-A 3.2 ports, one USB-C port, one Thunderbolt 4 port, one HDMI 2.1, one RJ45 ethernet, one power input, one electronic e-shutter switch, and one 3.5mm audio jack. This is easily one of the best selections I’ve ever seen on a laptop, gaming or otherwise. And this laptop having four USB Type-A ports alongside two Type-C ports is an absolute boon.

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back view of black gaming laptop with rgb lit keyboard — (Image credit: Future)

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side view of black gaming laptop with rgb lit keyboard — (Image credit: Future)

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closed black gaming laptop — (Image credit: Future)

The size and weight are somewhat doable with the right bag to carry it in, but between the 16-inch display and it weighing over six pounds, it’s very difficult to lug around. Unless you really need to transport it, this laptop is best at its duty of being a stationary desktop replacement.

One benefit of the larger size is the full-sized keyboard, a feature I can always appreciate. Not only does it have larger keys that make typo-free typing a breeze, but it also has a numlock pad. And the touchpad, while nothing particularly special, is a great size and sensitive. Speaker quality is also high. Whether playing games or complex orchestrated pieces, the sound is sharp and can reach a loud volume while sacrificing very little clarity.

I wish the webcam quality was a little better, though being 1080p does improve image quality quite a bit as long as you have solid lighting. Anything less will result in a graining image, especially since there’s no real way to adjust the lighting and image quality on the laptop itself. There's also a handy switch on the side that controls the shutter, but it's not a physical one which is bad for security.

Design score: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Performance

black gaming laptop with cyberpunk running — (Image credit: Future)

Gaming performance is incredible
Blows away all benchmark tests
Do not try to overclock it

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Benchmarks

Here's how the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Night Raid: 70,196; Fire Strike: 29,766; Time Spy: 18,366; Port Royal: 11,897
Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 29,766 points
GeekBench 5: 2,028 (single-core); 20,580 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home Test): 8,247 points
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 2 hours, 30 minutes
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 133 fps; (1080p, Low): 324 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 123 fps; (1080p, Low): 87 fps
Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 83 fps; (1080p, Low): 209 fps

Performance-wise, the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro really does earn its desktop replacement designation. It blows away pretty much every benchmark test, getting scores much higher than gaming laptops released last year that still use 3000-series GPUs and 12th-gen CPUs. While the GPU scores have reached ludicrous numbers, the CPU test scores should be higher than they are.

But that could be due to throttling, thanks to the powerful graphics cards. Something similar happened to the Alienware Aurora R15 gaming PC, but it remains to be seen how other gaming machines will score in that regard. But it’s no cause for concern, as it performed productivity tasks quickly and efficiently, making it a solid work machine as well.

In terms of gameplay performance, this throttling has very little impact on it as framerates continue to exceed expectations. For instance, on Ultra with all graphical settings maxed out, Cyberpunk 2077 maintains an excellent 87fps. When you enable DLSS 3, that number shoots up to 137fps on average. Dirt 5 also maintains a great 81-83fps on Ultra settings and Total War: Warhammer III is at around 133fps on Ultra Run.

Other titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered run butter smooth on the laptop. With maxed-out graphical settings and ray tracing on, there’s no noticeable stuttering or slowdown, even during web-swinging or hectic action scenes. It doesn't hurt that the refresh rate is a ludicrous 240Hz, which ensures that latency issues are a literal non-issue.

There is a problem I noticed with ventilation. Despite having three large vents located on the sides and back of the laptop, there’s still an overheating problem. Nothing drastic enough to burn your lap or affect gameplay, but it does get very warm after being on for a long while. However, this is easily fixed by adjusting the fan settings through the excellent Lenovo software.

That same software can let you adjust overclocking as well. However, I highly recommend that you don’t bother with it. First, games run perfectly well without doing so, and second, if you do overclock framerate drops dramatically. In Cyberpunk 2077, for instance, it dipped from 87 to 27, and even with DLSS 3 enabled the framerate refused to rise over 30. But as long as you don’t bother overclocking, you’ll have no performance issues whatsoever.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Battery

closeup of battery and date/time — (Image credit: Future)

Horrible battery life
Fast charge time

Like any other desktop replacement gaming laptop, the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro has an awful battery life. This is by far the worst battery life I’ve seen on a gaming laptop, lasting barely over two hours. This is clearly made to be plugged into an outlet and never let off AC power, because even under basic use, the battery will die in no time.

The good thing is that said battery doesn’t drain much if you’re carrying it around, so at least you can expect to have plenty of time to get it to a charger. It also charges very quickly - as in full battery charge within 30 minutes.

Battery score: 1 / 5

Should you buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i?

Buy it if...

You want a desktop replacement gaming laptop
This is the ultimate in desktop replacement, a gaming laptop that has one of the most powerful GPUs on the market and delivers in performance.

You want a powerful gaming machine
The performance on this machine is beyond outstanding, able to play any PC game on its highest settings and maintain incredibly high frame rates.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
Even the lowest configurations here are expensive, and the highest configurations approach the very premium mark.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Also consider

If the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has you considering other options, here are two more gaming PCs to consider...

How I tested the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i?

I tested the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro for about a week
I tested PC games at both low and high settings
I used a variety of benchmarks as well as general gameplay to test performance

First, I tested the general weight and portability of the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro by carrying it around in a laptop bag. After I set it up, I ran several benchmarks to test out both the processor and graphics card, as well as in-game gameplay performance. Finally, I stress-tested using titles like Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered and Cyberpunk 2077 in various settings to see both overall performance and ventilation quality.

The Lenovo Legion 7i Pro is a dedicated desktop replacement gaming laptop, which meant the brunt of my testing revolved around checking game performance and looking for any ventilation issues. I also tested out battery life to see how long it could last off AC power.

I've tested plenty of gaming PCs and laptops, making me more than qualified to understand benchmark test results and how to properly stress test machines to see how well they work during both casual and intense gaming sessions.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed March 2023

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