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Acer Swift Edge 14 AI laptop review: Another lightweight wonder from the Acer stable

8:22 pm | March 24, 2026

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: AI, CPU, GPU, RAM | Comments: Off

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI: 30-second review

Having recently covered the TravelMate P6 14 AI, the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI seems like a remarkably similar design, until you investigate the details.

All brands have a version of the thin-and-light laptop market where every machine looks broadly the same: aluminium lid, backlit chiclet keyboard, 14 inches of 1080p, and the manufacturer's brand at the top of the bezel. However, the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI dares to be different.

Built around Intel's Lunar Lake platform, the Swift Edge 14 AI packs a Core Ultra 7 258V processor into a magnesium-aluminium chassis that comes in under 990g. That alone is enough to make most carry-on bags significantly lighter, but Acer has also fitted a 14-inch 3K OLED panel treated with Corning Gorilla Matte Pro. That’s not typical, and positions this hardware with creatives in mind.

The Lunar Lake architecture also brings several surprises with it. The eight-core hybrid design drops Hyper-Threading entirely, pairing four Performance cores against four Low-Power cores, all built on TSMC 3nm. Since Intel chose to run its own foundries for many processors, the results are much better.

The memory subsystem is on-package LPDDR5X running eight 16-bit channels wide. Regrettably, these types of memory installations mean they cannot be upgraded, but they do deliver bandwidth that most discrete memory configurations cannot match.

The review system had 32GB, and that’s all it will ever have.

Graphics duties fall to the Intel Arc 140V with 64 Xe2 execution units, a significant step up from the iGPU silicon Intel was shipping two generations ago. It will not make a games enthusiast happy, but for photo editing, light video work, and the kind of AI-accelerated tasks the machine is specifically marketed towards, it holds its own convincingly.

The port selection is genuinely commendable for a machine this thin: two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, full-size HDMI, and a headset jack. The one notable omission is a MicroSD slot, which feels like it should be standard on a creative-leaning portable at this price.

With an official cost of around $1499 / £1399, the Swift Edge 14 AI is priced to compete with some very capable alternatives. Whether or not it wins that competition depends almost entirely on how much the display and the weight matter to you. If both matter a lot, this deserves a serious look.

There are a few wrinkles in the off-white finish of the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI, but overall, it offers a stellar hardware combination at a price few of the best business laptops can match.

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI: Price and availability

How much does it cost? From $1500/£1400
When is it out? Available now
Where can you get it? Direct from Acer or online retailers

The laptop is available direct from Acer's US shop, as well as Amazon.com. In the UK, I'm seeing it available from Amazon.co.uk and Currys.

The UK model reviewed here has the part number NX.JG4EK.008 ships with the Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB LPDDR5X, and a 1TB SSD for an RRP of £1,399. At the time of writing, Currys has it available for £1,399, which shifts the value proposition considerably. At that price, rivals start looking rather less compelling.

I have seen it for £1100 on Amazon.co.uk, but how long that deal will last is debatable.

In the USA, the American market equivalent (NX.JM6AA.002) with the same CPU, memory and storage sells for $1499.99 on Amazon.com, the same price as it is directly from Acer.

Direct competitors include the Asus Zenbook A14, which is half as much in the USA, using a Snapdragon X Plus processor, a lower-resolution OLED panel and half the RAM capacity. But due to the platform, that machine can’t run Intel X86 natively.

The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo lands in a similar territory to the Acer in the UK, but maybe £250 cheaper. However, that’s for one with only a Core Ultra series 1 CPU.

If you are prepared to stretch a little further, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 on the same Lunar Lake platform costs noticeably more and brings additional enterprise features that most home and small-business users will not need. With the same spec as the Acer, it’s £1595.99 in the UK, and $1,759 in the USA.

It’s interesting that most of the machines that undercut the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI do so either by using an older-generation processor or by using IPS panels instead of the OLED in the Acer.

Therefore, it might not be cheap, but it represents decent value for money.

Value: 4 / 5

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI: Specs

Model

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI (NX.JG4EK.008 / SFE14-51T)

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (Lunar Lake, TSMC 3nm, 4P + 4LP cores, 8 threads, up to 4.8GHz)

GPU

Intel Arc 140V (64 Xe2 execution units, up to 1,950MHz)

NPU

Intel AI Boost (48 TOPS)

RAM

32GB LPDDR5X on-package (8 x 16-bit channels, 8,533MHz, Micron, not upgradeable)

Storage

1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD

Display

14-inch 2,880 x 1,800 OLED, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Matte Pro, 16:10

Ports

2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo jack

Camera

1080p FHD with IR (Windows Hello)

Networking

Wi-Fi 7 (Intel integrated), Bluetooth 5.4

Audio

Dual speakers with DTS Audio

Battery

65Wh

Charger

100W USB-C (included)

Dimensions

313.8 x 218.8 x 12.9 mm

Weight

Approx. 990g

Operating system

Windows 11 Home (pre-installed)

Color

White (Pure Silver also available)

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI: Design

Magnesium-aluminium chassis, sub-1kg weight
OLED display with Corning Gorilla Matte Pro treatment
Great port selection
No MicroSD or SIM card slots

Pick up the Swift Edge 14 AI, and the first thing you register is the weight, or rather the lack of it. At just under a kilogram, it sits in the hand more like a hardback novel than a laptop, and Acer has managed that without resorting to the flex-heavy thin plastic shells that cut corners on cheaper machines. The magnesium-aluminium build feels solid, with only the very slightest give under deliberate pressure on the lid.

Acer describes the finish as Stellar White, and the aesthetic is deliberately clean. The lid carries only a small Acer logo and the Swift Edge badge on the opposite side of the lid, which gives it an understated quality. The hinge action is smooth with some light resistance; it can be opened one-handed, and the lid can sit flat at 180 degrees if needed.

At 12.9mm thin, the Swift Edge 14 AI is noticeably slimmer than a lot of its competition. The side ports are arranged sensibly: both Thunderbolt 4 ports and the HDMI sit on the left alongside a USB-A port, while the other USB-A port and the 3.5mm combo jack are on the right. This keeps the more frequently used connectors on one side for desk use. The full-size HDMI is a genuine convenience. Although it is possible to convert a Thunderbolt port to HDMI or DisplayPort, if you need more screens.

The keyboard is a backlit scissor-switch design with a reasonable 1.3mm of travel. Key spacing is generous for a 14-inch chassis, and the layout avoids the cramped cursor cluster that plagues thinner machines. There is a Copilot key, as expected for a Copilot+ PC, and a fingerprint reader is built into the power button. A separate IR camera above the display handles Windows Hello facial recognition with reasonable speed.

My only reservation about that camera is that, for the cost of this hardware, I’d have liked to see one that could do 4K, and not the 1440p limited one that Acer installed.

The trackpad is glass-surfaced, well-sized, and supports Windows Precision gestures throughout. It does not click anywhere near the top edge, which is a minor irritation if you are a corner-clicker by habit, but the tracking accuracy and palm rejection are both good.

Where the design really earns its place is with the display. The OLED panel, manufactured by BOE (model NB140B9M-T10 as confirmed by the hardware data), is a 14-inch 2,880 x 1,800 unit at a 16:10 aspect ratio, running up to 120Hz.

Acer has fitted Corning's Gorilla Matte Pro glass, which is notable because most matte treatments on OLED panels visibly degrade colour saturation and blacks. Gorilla Matte Pro is designed to minimize that effect, and to the naked eye, it succeeds. The panel retains deep blacks and vivid colours while cutting reflections to a level where even outdoor use in the shade is genuinely comfortable. At 313.8 x 218.8mm, the footprint is compact for a 14-inch machine, partly because the bezels are thin all around.

There are plenty of things to like about the design of this laptop, and relatively few issues to address. It lacks a MicroSD card slot, and for whatever reason, Acer doesn’t have a SIM card variant yet, but in most other respects, this has almost everything that most laptop users would like in their hardware.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI: Hardware

Intel Core Ultra 7 258V on TSMC 3nm
On-package LPDDR5X 8-channel architecture
Arc 140V GPU with 64 Xe2 execution units

The Lunar Lake platform that underpins the Swift Edge 14 AI is significantly different from the Meteor Lake and Raptor Lake generations that preceded it, and those differences matter more on paper than they might initially suggest.

The Core Ultra 7 258V uses a hybrid core design of four Performance P-cores and four Low-Power LP-cores, and none of these uses hyperthreading. Intel dropped it across the board for this generation to prioritise per-core efficiency over everything else.

The result is a chip that delivers eight threads from eight physical cores, which is a departure from the twelve-thread configurations of older 12th and 13th-generation machines. In practice, this rarely matters because most everyday workloads are not thread-saturated, and the efficiency gains are tangible in both thermals and battery life.

The processor is produced using TSMC's 3nm node, the same process used by Apple for its current M-series silicon. This places Lunar Lake at the leading edge of Intel's efficiency story, and the power figures confirmed during testing bear that out. The platform was drawing just over 4 watts at idle, with individual core temperatures sitting in the low-to-mid thirties Celsius. The thermal design of the Swift Edge 14 AI relies on a single fan with a heat pipe arrangement, and under light use, it is effectively silent.

Another high point of Lunar Lake is that it places the LPDDR5X in much closer integration to the other parts of the system, using a non-upgradable Memory on Package (MoP) design. While previous Intel chips capped out at 6400 MT/s, the LPDDR5X-8533 used here offers lower latency and higher performance for AI and GPU operations.

The downside of using this memory model is that the RAM cannot be upgraded.

The GPU is Intel's Arc 140V with 64 Xe2 execution units boosting to 1,950MHz. This is a meaningful step up from the 96 EU Xe graphics in Meteor Lake and offers DirectX 12 Ultimate support, hardware raytracing, and Intel's XeSS upscaling.

It draws from the on-package memory pool and can handle Lightroom adjustments, DaVinci Resolve colour grading on 4K footage at reasonable resolutions, and light 3D viewport work without complaint. Gaming is possible at reduced settings in less demanding titles, but anyone expecting discrete GPU performance will be disappointed.

The NPU within the Lunar Lake SoC is rated at 48 TOPS, clearing the 40 TOPS threshold that qualifies the machine as a Copilot+ PC. This unlocks features including Windows Studio Effects on the webcam, Live Captions, and the broader Copilot+ feature set. Connectivity is handled entirely by Intel silicon: the Wi-Fi 7 module (identified in hardware data as device 0xA840) and Bluetooth 5.4 controller (0xA876) are both integrated into the Lunar Lake PCH, eliminating the third-party wireless card that most laptops require.

Storage comes via a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD, which is accessible (with effort -- nine screws secure the base panel) for replacement. Buyers who anticipate needing more storage should consider that at purchase time, since adding a second drive is not included.

While this, like almost all laptops these days, has limited upgrade potential, the system is honed to deliver a good user experience and performance suitable for a wide range of tasks.

Hardware: 4 / 5

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI: Performance

Laptops		Acer Swift Edge 14 AI	Dell Latitude 9450
CPU		Intel Core Ultra 7 258V	Core 7 Ultra 165U
Cores/Threads		8C 8T	12C 14T
TPD		17W-37W	15W
RAM		32GB LPDDR5X	32GB DDR5 (8x 4GB)
SSD		1TB Kingston OM8PGP4102Q	512GB Kioxia BG6
Graphics		Intel Arc 140V	Intel Graphics
NPU		Intel NPU (47 TOPS)	Intel NPU (40 TOPS)
3DMark	WildLife	20,983	14,643
	FireStrike	8003	4676
	TimeSpy	4065	1453
	Steel Nomad.L	2989	1149
CineBench24	Single	120	97
	Multi	389	465
	Ratio	3.24	4.82
GeekBench 6	Single	2757	1653
	Multi	11148	6026
	OpenCL	29692	13892
	Vulkan	33890	10077
CrystalDIsk	Read MB/s	4805	4997
	Write MB/s	3905	4363
PCMark 10	Office	8206	6293
	Battery	18h 28m	19h 18m
Battery	Whr	65	60
	PSU	100W	60W
WEI	Score	8.8	8.2

Laptops

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI

Dell Latitude 9450

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 7 258V

Core 7 Ultra 165U

Cores/Threads

8C 8T

12C 14T

TPD

17W-37W

15W

RAM

32GB LPDDR5X

32GB DDR5 (8x 4GB)

SSD

1TB Kingston OM8PGP4102Q

512GB Kioxia BG6

Graphics

Intel Arc 140V

Intel Graphics

NPU

Intel NPU (47 TOPS)

Intel NPU (40 TOPS)

3DMark

WildLife

20,983

14,643

FireStrike

8003

4676

TimeSpy

4065

1453

Steel Nomad.L

2989

1149

CineBench24

Single

120

Multi

389

465

Ratio

3.24

4.82

GeekBench 6

Single

2757

1653

Multi

11148

6026

OpenCL

29692

13892

Vulkan

33890

10077

CrystalDIsk

Read MB/s

4805

4997

Write MB/s

3905

4363

PCMark 10

Office

8206

6293

Battery

18h 28m

19h 18m

Battery

Whr

PSU

100W

60W

WEI

Score

8.8

8.2

For my comparison, I originally considered the Acer TravelMate P6 14 AI, but that’s an almost identical platform to the Swift Edge, and the numbers didn’t tell much of a story.

Instead, I chose the Dell Latitude 9450 to show what a major upgrade the 200-series machines are over the previous 100-series.

What we are seeing here is a major ram in power efficiency, and what that provides for both thermal ranges and clock speeds.

With CPU-Z confirming a package power draw of around 4 watts at idle and temperatures in the mid-thirties, the Swift Edge 14 AI is evidently conservative with its thermal budget when nothing demanding is happening. Under load, the picture is more nuanced.

Acer configures a sustained PL1 power limit of 30W and a short-burst PL2 of 37W, taking it slightly above Intel's reference values, suggesting a high degree of confidence in the cooling solution. In extended workloads such as video encoding or large RAW batch processing, the fan becomes audible. It is not aggressive, but it is present, which is worth noting for anyone planning to use the machine in quiet environments.

Per-core clock speed data captured during testing shows the P-cores reaching 4,500MHz on a single boosting core, with the LP-cores running independently up to 3,700MHz on their own tasks. Intel Thread Director dynamically distributes work between the two pools, and in practice, scheduling is handled sensibly. Background tasks migrate to LP-cores and stay there unless priority changes, conveniently.

When you consider that the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V has significantly fewer cores than the Core 7 Ultra 165U, it consistently delivers more compute, AI and GPU performance across the board.

The Arc 140V GPU proves its worth in tasks that conventionally required discrete silicon. Export times in Adobe Lightroom Classic with AI Denoise applied are substantially faster than equivalent Iris Xe workloads from the previous generation. DaVinci Resolve colour work on 1080p footage runs smoothly, though complex node stacks at 4K are probably asking the machine to work too hard. If you need to edit a 4K video, then consider something with a discrete GPU onboard.

In the same vein, games are possible but best treated as an occasional bonus rather than a primary use case. Older titles at 1080p with reduced settings run acceptably, while current AAA releases are better left to machines with discrete GPUs.

Battery life is one of the more compelling parts of the Swift Edge 14 AI's pitch. The 65Wh cell is substantial for a machine this light, and the efficiency of the Lunar Lake platform means it goes a long way. I should say that the Acer TravelMate P6 14 AI lasted another 2.5 hours, but its performance numbers overall were lower. Nearly 18.6 hours is still a great result, and should get even the most dedicated worker through a whole day.

The 100W USB-C charger in the box is fast enough to recover a meaningful charge during a short break, recovering 37% in just 30 minutes from zero charge.

These days, I always test laptop displays with a DataColor Spyder X2 calibrator, but the OLED panel on this machine does not work well with the software's analysis. Where it revealed that the panel has a superb 100% of P3 Gamut, it couldn’t work out the contrast or Gamma levels at all.

The OLED panel's brightness peaks at levels that make indoor use comfortable under practically any overhead lighting condition, and the 120Hz refresh rate keeps scrolling and cursor tracking smooth throughout. The Gorilla Matte Pro screen treatment does what it claims, keeping outdoor reflections manageable without noticeably impacting the OLED's characteristic contrast.

One detail that’s missing from my data chart is the weight of these machines, and that’s remarkably telling. The Acer is under 1kg, and the Dell is closer to 1.5kg.

Overall, on an Intel machine, the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI delivers top-drawer performance.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI: Final verdict

The Swift Edge 14 AI is the machine you reach for when the weight of a laptop has started to feel like part of the problem rather than part of the solution. At under a kilogram, it genuinely changes how you think about carrying it, without requiring any of the structural compromises that thinner, lighter machines sometimes hide.

The display is the obvious headline. A 3K OLED panel at 120Hz with Gorilla Matte Pro glass is not something you find at this price point very often, and it delivers on the promise in everyday use. The anti-reflective treatment is genuinely effective rather than token, which matters if any of your work takes place anywhere other than a controlled office environment.

Under the surface, the Lunar Lake architecture brings a memory subsystem that competes well on bandwidth against more expensive configurations, a chip that handles sustained workloads without melting its surroundings, and enough AI headroom to qualify for the full Copilot+ feature set. The Arc 140V GPU is not a gaming chip, but it is an effective creative tool, and the distinction is worth drawing.

The compromises are real and should not be minimised. The memory cannot be upgraded, ever. The webcam and speakers are both average for the asking price. There is no MicroSD slot. If any of those limitations are dealbreakers, they should be assessed honestly before purchase.

For buyers who want a genuinely portable machine with an exceptional display, solid real-world performance, and a port selection that does not require a dock, the Swift Edge 14 AI makes a strong case.

Should you buy a Acer Swift Edge 14 AI?

Value	A great price for this spec	4.5/5
Design	Lightweight magnesium chassis and a decent port selection	4/5
Hardware	Intel Core Ultra 200 Series CPU, gorgeous OLED screen and excellent battery life	4/5
Performance	Similar to other Core Ultra 7 258V systems, but with a little more punch	4.5/5
Overall	Super-practical system with enough battery for a long working day and a workable port selection.	4.5/5

Buy it if...

You need a highly portable machine
If you travel regularly and are sensitive to weight, a 990g bag is genuinely different from a 1.4kg bag. Its associated charger doesn’t add much extra, considering it outputs 100W.

Display quality matters to your work
The OLED panel with Gorilla Matte Pro is a cut above the field at this price. It delivers incredible contrast and a superb colour gamut for those working with visuals.

Don't buy it if...

You like to upgrade
The 32GB LPDDR5x memory is soldered onto the mainboard and cannot be upgraded. Users looking for long-term flexibility or future-proofing may find this limiting, especially if workloads grow more demanding over time.

You want the highest levels of performance
Compared to the latest AMD Ryzen AI machines or the Intel 300 series ones coming, the processor and graphics in this system aren’t the quickest available.
If compute power is paramount, and battery life is less important, then consider a system that uses the AMD Ryzen AI 395 Max+.View Deal

I loved gazing at the ultra-thin design of HP’s 2-in-1 OmniBook — but its OLED display captivated me even more

4:56 pm | March 23, 2026

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Acer Chromebook Spin, CPU, OLED, Total War | Comments: Off

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Two-minute review

The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is a 2-in-1 laptop designed with creators in mind, owing to its capable spec and bundled stylus.

It looks smart and sleek, especially in its dark blue guise, which adds more interest than the grey alternative. The angled back corners also distinguish it from the crowd, as well as serving a practical purpose that I’ll come to later.

The standout aspect of its form, though, is its thinness. It certainly cuts a slender figure, but more remarkable is the fact that this doesn’t come at the expense of sturdiness: the aluminum frame has no flex at all, and easily ranks among the best 2-in-1 laptops in terms of build quality.

The downside of this construction, though, is its weight. The Ultra Flip is heavier than you might expect, which makes it a little more onerous to carry around than its rivals. It’s still within acceptable bounds, however.

Oddly, it’s the included stylus, the HP MPP 2.0 Tilt Pen, that presents more of a portability issue. It’s stored on the side of the base, and since it’s quite large, it can easily snag when putting away or taking out the laptop from a bag. What’s more, the magnetic attraction isn’t strong enough to prevent it from detaching completely in such instances.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 — (Image credit: Future)

You don’t get many ports on the Ultra Flip, which is understandable given that thin base, not to mention the space needed for storing the Tilt Pen. However, the Ultra Flip makes clever use of its limited real estate, as those aforementioned rear corners house two of the laptop’s three USB-C ports. This is a practical location, although it’s a minor shame that only one of them supports the Thunderbolt 4 standard (the other Thunderbolt 4 port is on the right side of the base).

The all-round performance of the Ultra Flip is respectable. It dispatches most workaday tasks without issue, from general browsing and productivity to 4K streaming and light gaming.

Despite being marketed for creators, though, it’s a little disappointing that the Ultra Flip only features integrated graphics. It’s also a concern that it failed to complete Puget Bench’s video editing benchmark — something one its nearest rivals, the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, also failed, by the by.

Having said this, I found its graphical performance reasonably impressive for a machine without a dedicated GPU. It ran Cyberpunk 2077 in a playable state, offering just enough visual fidelity and performance for a casual session.

What’s more, the Ultra Flip stays cool and composed during such workloads. Any heat that is emitted is confined to the very rear of the base, where you won’t feel it. Fan noise can make itself known, but it’s impressively hushed compared to others.

Perhaps the best part of the Ultra Flip, though, is its display. It’s as deep and as rich as you’d expect from an OLED, while the 3K resolution offers a crystal clear image. It’s also very bright, which helps to nullify any pesky reflections. The touchscreen and Tilt Pen are responsive and easy to use as well.

Three-quarter view of HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 open on white desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

The keyboard allows for quick typing, thanks to the generous spacing of the keys, in addition to their light and shallow actuation. They can feel a little harsh when you hammer down hard, but otherwise they’re perfectly comfortable.

I found the touchpad occasionally encroached while typing, but this wasn’t egregious enough to disrupt productivity. In fact, its large size is actually a boon for such tasks, since it makes navigation that much easier. The pad also supports numerous gestures and functions, including the ability to adjust system brightness and volume by sliding up and down on either side. These ‘sliders’ feature haptic feedback that I didn’t find particularly engaging, but at least doesn’t make the controls unusable.

The battery life of the Ultra Flip is very impressive, lasting 18 hours when playing back a movie on a continuous loop. There aren’t many laptops that can beat this, although the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is one of them; this lasted over 30 hours in the same test, which is quite astonishing.

In many ways, MSI’s 2-in-1 is a close rival to the Ultra Flip, but I believe the latter has the edge in key categories. Its display is superior and it lacks the same touchpad frustrations.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Price & availability

Starts from $1,459.99 / £1,299 / AU$3,399
Available now in two colorways
Reasonable price for the spec

The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip starts from $1,459.99 / £1,299 / AU$3,399 and is available now in two colors: blue and grey. Various configurations are possible, with Intel Core Ultra 5, 7, and 9 CPUs available, while RAM ranges from 16GB to 32GB and storage options from 512GB to 2TB.

Considering the spec and design, the Ultra Flip is reasonably priced for a 2-in-1 laptop. The nearest equivalent model, the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, costs a similar amount, and likewise features an Intel Core Ultra 7 and a 1TB SSD. There are differences, though: the Prestige has a much lower display resolution, but double the RAM (32GB) and unparalleled battery life, outlasting the Ultra Flip and many of the best touchscreen laptops by a wide margin.

If you’re after a considerably less expensive 2-in-1 and don’t mind forgoing Windows, the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is worth considering. This is among the best Chromebooks around for those on a tight budget, thanks to its build quality, compact form, and impressive display. You’ll have to provide your own stylus, though.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Specs

	Base	Review	Max
Price	$1,459.99 / £1,299 / AU$3,399	$1,629.99 / £1,499 / AU$3,699	$2,099.99 / £2,099.99 / AU$3,999
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 5 226V (up to 4.5 GHz, 8 cores)	Intel Core Ultra 7 256V (2.2GHz, 8 cores)	Intel Core Ultra 9 288V (up to 5.1GHz, 8 cores)
GPU	Intel Arc Graphics (integrated)	Intel Arc Graphics (integrated)	Intel Arc Graphics (integrated)
RAM	16GB LPDDR5x	16GB LPDDR5x Aus: 32GB LPDDR5x	32GB LPDDR5x
Storage	512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800),16:10, OLED, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Touchscreen	14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800),16:10, OLED, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Touchscreen	14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800),16:10, OLED, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Touchscreen
Ports and Connectivity	3x USB-C (2x Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 2.1; 1x 10Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4a), 1x combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	3x USB-C (2x Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 2.1; 1x 10Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4a), 1x combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	3x USB-C (2x Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 2.1; 1x 10Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4a), 1x combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Battery	64Wh	64Wh	64Wh
Dimensions	12.4 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches (314 x 216 x 15mm)	12.4 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches (314 x 216 x 15mm)	12.4 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches (314 x 216 x 15mm)
Weight	3lbs / 1.34kg	3lbs / 1.34kg	3lbs / 1.34kg

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Design

Super thin
Premium build quality
Incongruous stylus storage

The Ultra Flip exhibits an understated but fetching design. I especially liked the dark blue colorway of my review unit, departing from the monochromatic crowd (although a grey finish is also available). I also liked the angular back corners, which add interest and serve a practical purpose that I’ll explain later.

It feels more premium than many others in the space, too. The aluminum body is as sturdy as you’d expect, a feat that’s all the more remarkable given just how thin the whole unit is. Meanwhile, the lid is both easy to adjust and perfectly stable once in place.

The downside of this construction, though, is the weight. The Ultra Flip is noticeably heavier than some of its plastic rivals, and while it’s still perfectly fit for backpacks or suitcases, those who are fastidious about traveling light might feel let down — literally.

Other portability issues arise courtesy of the included stylus, HP’s MPP 2.0 Tilt Pen. It’s quite large and thick, which makes it cumbersome when stored on the side of the laptop, as it has a tendency to catch and fall off when you're depositing and retrieving the laptop from a bag. It can often fall off completely in such cases, since the magnets aren’t strong enough to keep the pen in place.

I also experienced times when the pen would rotate towards the underside of the base whenever I lifted the Ultra Flip up, resulting in it being crushed when I set it down again.

Having said all this, there’s plenty to like about the Tilt Pen’s design. That sizable form makes it easy to hold, while its two buttons are generously proportioned and well placed, which makes them easy to operate with your writing hand. And while the pen doesn’t support wireless charging, the USB-C port is at least discreetly locked away behind an elegant sliding mechanism.

For such a thin laptop, you mightn’t be surprised to learn that the Ultra Flip’s port selection is limited. There are no USB-A ports, which might cause peripheral-heavy users some headaches, since even the best mice and keyboards today still employ the standard in their dongles.

There are three USB-C ports, though, and the Ultra Flip deploys a clever space-saving trick with two of them, as they’re integrated within those aforementioned rear corners. What’s more, this placement helps to keep any connected cables out of the way, as well as making it easy to locate each port without having to crane your neck to see exactly where they are.

It’s a shame, though, that these two corner ports differ in their specification. The one in the right corner is Thunderbolt 4 — which supports 40Gbps transfer speeds, Power Delivery and DisplayPort 2.1 — while the one on the left isn’t, only supporting 10Gbps transfer speeds, DisplayPort 1.4a, and lacks fast charging.

It would be more convenient if both corner ports were Thunderbolt 4 to accommodate a wider variety of locations of monitors and power sources that require it. Instead, the other Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port is located on the right side of the base, which is less practical.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Performance

Sharp and rich OLED display
Unintrusive yet noticeable fan noise
Responsive touchscreen and stylus

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 34,738; Fire Strike: 8,935; Steel Nomad: 602; Solar Bay: 16,161; Solar Bay Unlimited: 12,751; Solar Bay Extreme: 2,101; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 2,193
Geekbench 6.5: Multicore: 10,906; Single-core: 2,743
Cinebench R23: Multi Core: 8,806; Cinebench R24: Single Core: 118; Multi Core: 530
Crossmark: Overall: 1,705; Productivity: 1,642; Creativity: 1,935; Responsiveness: 1,305
Passmark Overall: 6,194; CPU: 21,831.3; 2D Graphics: 638.9; 3D Graphics: 5,038.6; Memory: 2,844.4; Disk: 47,357.1
BlackMagicDisk: Read: 3,543MB/s; Write: 3,707MB/s
HandBrake 4K to 1080p: 51.82fps
Total War: Warhammer III: 1080p, Medium: 47fps
Total War: Warhammer III: 1800p, Ultra: 12fps
PCMark Battery Test (Modern Office): 15 hours and 33 minutes
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 18 hours and 2 minutes

For everyday use, the Ultra Flip is highly capable. It can handle light productivity and entertainment with ease, including multi-tab browsing and 4K video streaming.

I was also surprised by how well it gamed, despite lacking a dedicated GPU. It ran Cyberpunk 2077 at the Ray Tracing: Low preset in a state that was playable, if very rough-and-ready. It’s certainly not going to trouble the best gaming laptops, but for some quick fun, it suffices.

However, it failed to complete Puget Bench’s benchmark for Adobe Premiere, due to a certain GPU effect being unable to render. I had this same problem when I tested the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, which also has no dedicated GPU, so I suspect this shared aspect is the culprit in both cases. Video editors, therefore, might want to look elsewhere.

At times, the fans can emit a noticeable amount of noise, even when moderate workloads are being conducted. However, the sound is low-pitched and more hushed than that of other laptop fans, which makes it less grating. Extreme temperatures are kept at bay, too, with any heat generated confined to the very rear of the base.

The widescreen OLED display is one of the Ultra Flip’s highlights. The 3K resolution is gloriously sharp, while colors are deep and rich, with that typical OLED contrast living up to its acclaim. Some reflections are revealed under suboptimal lighting conditions, but I found the high brightness levels available were often enough to combat them effectively. What’s more, the touchscreen is responsive and accurate, making it great to use with fingers or the Tilt Pen.

The keyboard of the Ultra Flip is very light and snappy, which makes for quick and easy typing. The ultra low profile of the keys also helps in this regard, although those who hammer away might find them a little harsh, due to their lack of dampening. There are plenty of useful shortcuts on the F row, but the lack of a number pad or even a navigation cluster hampers productivity.

There are no such issues with the touchpad, though. Its silky-smooth surface combined with its large surface area makes it easy to navigate with. What’s more, it supports plenty of gestures, although they’re somewhat hidden away, requiring the use of the preinstalled HP app to enable them.

There are even two ‘sliders’ either side of the touchpad, used to control volume and brightness respectively. They feature prominent haptic feedback that emulates notches as you make your adjustments, similar in feel to those of a scroll wheel. These can feel a little at odds with your actual finger movement, lacking the level of responsiveness I would’ve liked. The clicking sound produced is also quite loud and not particularly pleasant. However, these are minor quibbles, and the controls work well overall.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Battery life

Three-quarter view of ports on left-hand side of HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 — (Image credit: Future)

The battery life of the Ultra Flip is very impressive. HP claims it can last just over 16 hours unplugged, but this figure is something of an underestimate. When I played back a movie on a continuous loop, it actually managed to sustain itself for 18 hours.

This puts it in league with the most enduring laptops around. Very few can outlast it, but one that can is MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, another 2-in-1 machine. This managed over 30 hours, which is pretty much unbeatable in the laptop sphere.

Fully charging the Ultra Flip from empty took a little over two hours, which is also admirable.

Should I buy the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14?

Category	Notes	Rating
Value	Considering all the quality and specs on offer, the Ultra Flip is good value for money.	4 / 5
Design	The supreme build quality is certainly welcome, although the unexpected heaviness and stylus storage issues are not.	4 / 5
Performance	The Ultra Flip performs well in many areas, even light gaming, although video editors might be disappointed. The excellent OLED display is exceptional, though.	4 / 5
Battery Life	Among the best in class. Only a few can outlast it.	4.5 / 5
Final Score	The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is very well made and performs well in most areas, with the OLED display being the true highlight. Only a few minor flaws blemish this otherwise competent, convertible laptop.	4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a great display
The 3K OLED display is every bit as sumptuous as you would hope. The touchscreen functions very well, too.

You want a premium build
The uber-thin design oozes class, while the formidable aluminum body is reminiscent of the best MacBooks, which is high praise indeed.

Don't buy it if…

You prize lightness
Despite the thin body, the Ultra Flip is actually quite hefty, so those who want to pack as light as possible might be a shade disappointed.

You want plenty of ports
With only three USB ports (all of which are Type-C) and a headset jack, you’ll need a hub if you’ve got plenty of connections to make.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: also consider

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+
The MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is comparable in many ways to the Ultra Flip, including on price. There are some key differences, though. It has a much smaller stylus, and a much tidier storage solution for it — which also features wireless charging. However, I had a real issue with its touchpad ‘sliders’ misfiring, something I didn’t experience with those on the Ultra Flip. Read our full MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review.

Acer Chromebook Spin 312
A considerably cheaper 2-in-1, the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is ideal for those on a budget. Granted, you won’t be getting the power and versatility of a Windows machine, but this compact Chromebook is great for basic tasking. Its display is crisp and its touchscreen perfectly usable, although you’ll have to provide your own stylus if you don’t want to use your fingers. Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review.

How I tested the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14

Tested for several days
Used for a variety of tasks
Laptop reviewing experience

I tested the Ultra Flip for several days, during which time I used it for a variety of tasks, from browsing and productivity to content streaming and gaming. I also ran our series of benchmarks, designed to reveal the true capabilities of a device. I tested the battery life by running a movie on a continuous loop until it completely depleted.

I have plenty of experience reviewing laptops of all kinds, from small budget offerings to large and premium gaming machines.

First reviewed: March 2026
Read more about how we test

I loved gazing at the ultra-thin design of HP’s 2-in-1 OmniBook — but its OLED display captivated me even more

4:56 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Acer Chromebook Spin, CPU, OLED, Total War | Comments: Off

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Two-minute review

The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is a 2-in-1 laptop designed with creators in mind, owing to its capable spec and bundled stylus.

The all-round performance of the Ultra Flip is respectable. It dispatches most workaday tasks without issue, from general browsing and productivity to 4K streaming and light gaming.

In many ways, MSI’s 2-in-1 is a close rival to the Ultra Flip, but I believe the latter has the edge in key categories. Its display is superior and it lacks the same touchpad frustrations.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Price & availability

Starts from $1,459.99 / £1,299 / AU$3,399
Available now in two colorways
Reasonable price for the spec

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Specs

	Base	Review	Max
Price	$1,459.99 / £1,299 / AU$3,399	$1,629.99 / £1,499 / AU$3,699	$2,099.99 / £2,099.99 / AU$3,999
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 5 226V (up to 4.5 GHz, 8 cores)	Intel Core Ultra 7 256V (2.2GHz, 8 cores)	Intel Core Ultra 9 288V (up to 5.1GHz, 8 cores)
GPU	Intel Arc Graphics (integrated)	Intel Arc Graphics (integrated)	Intel Arc Graphics (integrated)
RAM	16GB LPDDR5x	16GB LPDDR5x Aus: 32GB LPDDR5x	32GB LPDDR5x
Storage	512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800),16:10, OLED, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Touchscreen	14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800),16:10, OLED, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Touchscreen	14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800),16:10, OLED, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Touchscreen
Ports and Connectivity	3x USB-C (2x Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 2.1; 1x 10Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4a), 1x combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	3x USB-C (2x Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 2.1; 1x 10Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4a), 1x combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	3x USB-C (2x Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 2.1; 1x 10Gbps, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4a), 1x combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Battery	64Wh	64Wh	64Wh
Dimensions	12.4 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches (314 x 216 x 15mm)	12.4 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches (314 x 216 x 15mm)	12.4 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches (314 x 216 x 15mm)
Weight	3lbs / 1.34kg	3lbs / 1.34kg	3lbs / 1.34kg

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Design

Super thin
Premium build quality
Incongruous stylus storage

I also experienced times when the pen would rotate towards the underside of the base whenever I lifted the Ultra Flip up, resulting in it being crushed when I set it down again.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Performance

Sharp and rich OLED display
Unintrusive yet noticeable fan noise
Responsive touchscreen and stylus

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 benchmarks

For everyday use, the Ultra Flip is highly capable. It can handle light productivity and entertainment with ease, including multi-tab browsing and 4K video streaming.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: Battery life

Fully charging the Ultra Flip from empty took a little over two hours, which is also admirable.

Should I buy the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14?

Category	Notes	Rating
Value	Considering all the quality and specs on offer, the Ultra Flip is good value for money.	4 / 5
Design	The supreme build quality is certainly welcome, although the unexpected heaviness and stylus storage issues are not.	4 / 5
Performance	The Ultra Flip performs well in many areas, even light gaming, although video editors might be disappointed. The excellent OLED display is exceptional, though.	4 / 5
Battery Life	Among the best in class. Only a few can outlast it.	4.5 / 5
Final Score	The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is very well made and performs well in most areas, with the OLED display being the true highlight. Only a few minor flaws blemish this otherwise competent, convertible laptop.	4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a great display
The 3K OLED display is every bit as sumptuous as you would hope. The touchscreen functions very well, too.

You want a premium build
The uber-thin design oozes class, while the formidable aluminum body is reminiscent of the best MacBooks, which is high praise indeed.

Don't buy it if…

You prize lightness
Despite the thin body, the Ultra Flip is actually quite hefty, so those who want to pack as light as possible might be a shade disappointed.

You want plenty of ports
With only three USB ports (all of which are Type-C) and a headset jack, you’ll need a hub if you’ve got plenty of connections to make.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: also consider

How I tested the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14

Tested for several days
Used for a variety of tasks
Laptop reviewing experience

I have plenty of experience reviewing laptops of all kinds, from small budget offerings to large and premium gaming machines.

First reviewed: March 2026
Read more about how we test

I tested the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra and this impressive mini PC workstation proved to be a powerful option for AI development and creators

8:28 pm | March 20, 2026

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets | Tags: AI, CPU, GPU, PC | Comments: Off

Minisforum MS-02 Ultra: 30-second review

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra is a compact mini workstation aimed at business professionals who need desktop-grade power but lack the space for a full-sized workstation.

The first thing that struck me as I lifted the MS-02 from the box was that, for such a small machine, it’s incredibly heavy at 3.45kg, which instantly gives you the hint that this is a serious piece of kit rather than your run-of-the-mill mini PC.

The matte black chassis is discreetly designed, with plenty of cooling vents running across the casing. There are also rubber feet on the base and side that let you easily orient the machine in either an upright tower or a flat desktop position. It looks and feels like a miniaturised version of a professional workstation rather than a standard Mini PC, and its full-metal exterior gives it a premium look and feel.

Checking the MS-02 reveals that this machine is the link between the Mini PC and the Desktop. It has the small size of a Mini PC but quite a bit of upgradability, including RAM, ROM, and an expansion slot. All of the upgrade potential can be easily accessed via the slide-out internal chassis.

This chassis is held in place by two thumb screws; once they are undone, the entire internals can be pulled out. You can then remove the internal modules, which do require tools, but once unscrewed and laid out, you have access to the SODIMM slots and M.2 bays. The layout and concept are similar to the old Intel NUC 9 Extreme (Ghost Canyon) Mini PC from a few years back.

The front ports are well laid out with two USB4 V2 Type-C ports running at 80Gbps, taking priority over the traditional pair of USB-A ports, and through the test with the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5, I was impressed with the transfer rates enabling me to use the drive to edit 4K video on a drive that was essentially matching the speeds of the internal SSD.

On the rear of the machine, the ports are a little more sparse, but there are some good networking options alongside the three USB-A 10Gbps ports, HDMI 2.1 FRL, and unique to the 285HX machine that I’m reviewing, the dual 25GbE SFP+ sockets alongside the more standard 10GbE and 2.5GbE RJ45 connections. Essentially, for creatives, photographers and videographers working with high-speed network-attached storage such as the UGreen idx6011 pro, this is a great option.

Performance, even with the integrated Intel graphics, was unsurprisingly good throughout all tests, from Microsoft Apps through to editing 4K video in Premiere Pro. Once again, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX showed just how powerful it is, handling 4K editing in DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro without issue or pause on rough cuts, and then moving on to more in-depth grading.

Unsurprisingly, Lightroom Classic and Photoshop ran smoothly and, more impressively, handled large raw files from both the Canon EOS R5 C and the Hasselblad X2D II 100C with ease.

I did find that without a discrete GPU, the extended timeline rendering when editing video required a bit of patience, especially as you get further into the edit, but for the majority of users, whether you're an office worker looking for a powerful machine, a creative, a photographer or a videographer or a developer looking at the AI potential, there’s plenty on offer here.

The key point is that this machine is the base, and unlike some of the best mini PCs I've tested, it offers plenty of potential for upgrades. Out of the box, this is a very powerful workstation for development and power users handling large-scale data and spreadsheets. Add a GPU, and it becomes a very competent editing suite. Essentially, the machine's design enables you to adapt its configuration to suit your needs.

Minisforum MS-02 Ultra: Price and availability

How much does it cost? From $1159 / £1039
When is it out? Available now
Where can you get it? Directly from Minisforum or Amazon

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra is available directly from Minisforum's store, as well as online retailers such as Amazon.com, Newegg, and Amazon.co.uk.

Prices for the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX barebone starting at $1159 / £1039. A 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD configuration available at $1599 / £1455.

A fully specified 192GB DDR5 ECC and 2TB SSD variant is £2,679. There are also other versions of the machine available with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX or Ultra 5 235HX models, and these start at $599 / £559. As barebones, though they lack ECC memory, dual 25GbE networking, and the two additional M.2 slots exclusive to the 285HX.

Value: 4.5 / 5

Minisforum MS-02 Ultra: Specs

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX
GPU: Intel integrated graphics
AI Engine: NPU
Memory: 4x DDR5 SODIMM slots (Up to 256GB, ECC supported (285HX only))
Storage: 2x M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe (up to 8TB each) + 2x M.2 on 25GbE NIC card (PCIe 3.0/4.0) 285HX only; up to 24TB total
Networking: 2x 25GbE SFP+ (Intel E810, 285HX only); 1x 10GbE RJ45; 1x 2.5GbE RJ45; Wi-Fi 7 (Intel BE200); Bluetooth 5.4
Front Ports: 2x USB4 V2 Type-C, USB-A 10Gbps; 3.5mm audio jack
Rear Ports: HDMI 2.1 FRL (8K@60Hz); USB4 Type-C (40Gbps); 3x USB-A 10Gbps, 2x 25GbE SFP+, 10GbE + 2.5GbE RJ45
Internal expansion: 1x PCIe 5.0 x16; 1x PCIe 4.0 x4; 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 (occupied by 25GbE NIC on 285HX)
OS: Windows 11 Pro
Dimensions: 221.5 x 97 x 225mm
Weight: 3.45kg (for the 285HX model)

Minisforum MS-02 Ultra: Design

The MS-02 Ultra is a serious-looking machine with simple styling and a black matte finish. The machine is larger than your average mini PC; however, it has been designed to be positioned either as a mini tower or laid flat on a desk, with quality rubber feet to support both orientations.

Despite being small, measuring just 221.5 x 97 x 225mm, the 3.45kg weight as I lifted it out of the box immediately signalled that this was something more than a standard consumer mini PC. It’s substantially smaller than a conventional tower workstation but larger than a Mini PC, and it draws on the design of both.

Build quality is excellent throughout. The casing is solid and made entirely of metal, reinforcing its premium aesthetics. It also makes it easy to mount within other furniture and equipment, with the tough metal casing ensuring it will look the part in any stylish office and out in the field if used as an on-site workstation.

The design feature that stood out is the slide-out internal chassis, which is secured in place by two thumb screws. Once these are removed (which takes seconds), the entire internal assembly slides out, giving you easy access to the SODIMM slots, M.2 bays, PCIe slots, and the cooling assembly. This style of access is more familiar to desktop users than to Mini PC owners.

On the front of the machine, there are two USB4 V2 Type-C ports at 80Gbps alongside a single USB-A port and a standard 3.5mm combo jack for a headset. At the rear, there are three additional USB-A ports, all 10Gbps; HDMI 2.1 FRL; a USB4 Type-C port at 40Gbps; and the 285HX's dual 25GbE SFP+.

Then there are the more common 10GbE RJ45 and 2.5GbE RJ45. When it comes to display output options, the choices are a little limited: either HDMI 2.1 or USB4. While this might not meet the demands of gamers in a professional setup, it should meet most people's demands.

Obviously, being a small workstation, heat can build up, and during the test, the fans kick in early to keep things cool. Given their small size, those fans are notably louder than those on a large workstation, which often run near silent.

I was interested to see if the metal casing also worked as a heat sink, but checking the casing surface, the temperatures under sustained load remained pretty cool, and while warm to the touch around the mid and lower sections, the heat from the internals seemed well distributed.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Minisforum MS-02 Ultra: Features

The feature set of the 285HX model is where the MS-02 Ultra really sets itself apart from what we’d usually expect from a mini PC.

Even compared with the other model in the range, the 285HX with it’s flagship configuration adds ECC DDR5 memory support (error-correcting memory for greater data reliability), dual 25GbE SFP+ networking via an Intel E810 controller (two 25 gigabit Ethernet ports with SFP+ interfaces for advanced networking), and a fourth and fifth M.2 NVMe slot integrated onto the 25GbE NIC card (additional high-speed storage slots built into the network card).

That takes total on-board storage capacity to 24TB across four drives. The lower-spec 275HX and 235HX models share the same chassis but lose all three of these features, making the 285HX a much more capable model for more power-hungry users.

What these upgraded specifications mean in certain fields, such as creative, is an enhancement in workflow reliability, especially with ECC memory.

The storage options for a machine of this size are significant, with four M.2 slots that can be used independently either as separate drives for project, media, cache, and archive, for example, or you can choose to configure in RAID 0, 1, 5, or 10. This means you can potentially have 24TB of fast SSD storage appear as a single drive, and then offload that content to a NAS when ready.

It’s worth noting that the M.2 slots are limited to PCIe 4.0 rather than the newer PCIe 5.0 standard, which limits transfer speeds; however, in real-world creative workloads, this additional speed is rarely noticeable.

On the front, there are two USB4 V2 ports, which I was able to test with a LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 external storage device, and the uplift in speed was significant, almost double that recorded on older USB 4.0.

Wired connectivity is the big network feature for this machine, but alongside is the Wifi connection. The machine handles Wi-Fi 7 using an Intel BE200 module. In testing against a Fritz! Box 5690 Pro: the raw throughput connection speed to drives connected to the wireless network was higher than on the Wi-Fi 6 network. But the connection's consistency and reliability were noticeably better.

Wired connectivity via the 10GbE port proved fast in studio use, and the fact that the machine also has 25GbE SFP+ ports offers future upgrade potential, especially for studios building high-speed NAS infrastructure, really highlighting that my network is ready for an upgrade.

The PCIe 5.0 x16 slot adds the ability to upgrade the machine and, to a certain degree, will future-proof your investment, with room for a low-profile GPU should the integrated graphics prove insufficient. This might be of particular concern if you have intensive rendering workloads.

The system also supports Intel vPro with BIOS-level KVM on the 285HX, enabling full remote management for 24/7 deployment, which is essential for larger corporations that will have home and remote workers.

Features: 5 / 5

Minisforum MS-02 Ultra: Performance

Benchmark scores

CrystalDiskMark Read: 6,136.46 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 5,338.79 MB/s
Geekbench CPU Single: 3,058
Geekbench CPU Multi: 18,366
Geekbench GPU: 19,645
PCMark Overall: 7,983
Cinebench CPU Single: 2,277
Cinebench CPU Multi: 35,080
3DMark Fire Strike Overall: 4,657
3DMark Fire Strike Graphics: 4,799
3DMark Fire Strike Physics: 49,395
3DMark Fire Strike Combined: 1,806
3DMark Time Spy Overall: 2,315
3DMark Time Spy Graphics: 2,025
3DMark Time Spy CPU: 12,262
3DMark Wild Life Overall: 14,166
3DMark Steel Nomad Overall: 407
Windows Experience Index: 8.2
USB4 V2 External Read (LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5): 6,012.07 MB/s
USB4 V2 External Write (LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5): 4,053.44 MB/s

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX is an impressive CPU for a machine of this size, and the benchmark results reflect that. The Geekbench multi-core score of 18,366 and Cinebench multi-core result of 35,080 place this well within workstation territory, and the PCMark overall score of 7,983 confirms that real-world productivity performance is excellent across the board. SSD read speeds of 6,136 MB/s and write speeds of 5,338 MB/s from the installed NVMe drive are excellent for a PCIe 4.0 module, although, as mentioned earlier, it would have been great to have seen at least one PCIe 5.0 option.

In creative applications, the machine is ideal for working in a photography and video studio, being able to fit on a desktop neatly, and the size also makes it ultra portable if it does need to be installed into a movable workstation.

Through the test using Lightroom Classic and the power of the machine, it was able to manage large libraries and complex adjustments from Hasselblad X2D II 100C files without issue, and Photoshop ran large raw files with the same ease.

For video, DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro both handled rough cuts and colour grading of Canon EOS R5 C Log3 4K footage as well as any machine I’ve tried. As expected with integrated graphics only, timeline rendering on longer projects required leaving the machine to sit after each significant editing session, just to enable time for the timeline to render before applying grades and effects, essentially a build-and-render approach, which is common.

Loading several more demanding apps at once showed that multitasking abilities were handled well. Switching between Photoshop and Premiere Pro caused no lag, and running Microsoft Office applications alongside the creative suite also proved well within the machine's abilities. For five- to ten-minute 4K edits, at least the 64GB of ECC RAM in the review unit proved well balanced to the workload.

Another point here on the performance is the speed of the internal SSDs that are able to transfer the large amounts of data needed for video editing. The benchmark results returned a CrystalDiskMark Read speed of 6,136.46 MB/s and Write of 5,338.79 MB/s. What was impressive here was connecting the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 to the USB4 V2 External port on the front, which registered 6,012.07 MB/s read and 4,053.44 MB/s, showing a significant speed increase over standard USB 4.0.

Video editing can put a huge demand on all components in the machine, and thermal throttling can be a real issue. As I started to push the system, the fans kicked in early to help keep things cool, and while the volume of these remained low, they were noticeable, especially compared directly against my usual video workstation.

What this load did reveal was the performance held up over a five-hour editing session with no signs of throttling. The cooling solution inside, which consists of six heat pipes with phase-change material and a dual-fan chamber, managed the sustained processing loads on the electronics.

The GPU performance from the integrated Intel graphics was OK for all creative tasks during the test, but if you are considering this for any process that relies on a graphics card, then connecting an eGPU is going to be essential. The 3DMark scores with Fire Strike at 4,657 and Time Spy at 2,315 reflect the limits of integrated graphics rather than the CPU falling short. Reassuringly, there is room in the chassis for a dual-slot low-profile GPU, and the 350W internal PSU includes a spare 8-pin connector to power it.

Taking a break from testing, I tried out the game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which ran surprisingly well at mid-level settings, and far better than many gaming-focused mini PCs I've reviewed. It shows just how powerful that CPU is without the support of a discrete GPU..

One other note on the test: the dual 25GbE SFP+ ports were not tested during the review period due to the absence of a compatible 25GbE switch. A follow-up test is planned once the network infrastructure is in place.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Minisforum MS-02 Ultra: Final verdict

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra and flagship 285HX variant that I’ve looked at in this review offers a substantial feature set for a machine of this size, which will give it wide appeal for businesses looking for a powerful and compact machine at a reasonable price.

Features such as the ECC memory, dual 25GbE networking, four M.2 slots, PCIe 5.0 expansion, and Intel vPro together add up to a platform that can serve as a creative workstation, a compact server node, a home lab host, or all three.

For larger businesses, the inclusion of Intel vPro means that they can manage the machine securely over a remote connection, which will be of definite appeal.

In the creative field and any photographer or videographer working with large-format files, this machine, with the combination of fast internal storage, high-speed USB4 V2 connectivity, and network offload via 10GbE or 25GbE, makes it an interesting choice, especially with the potential to pop in a discreet GPU. The small size of a machine with this power also means that it will be equally at home as a static desk machine or moved between locations.

There are a few downsides to the machine, and while there is a barebones version, even with the ready-to-go review configuration for many, this will just be the base machine. The out-of-the-box storage of 1TB fills quickly in creative workflows, and upgrading to 4TB or more will be essential.

Then there’s the Intel Graphics that actually proved to be pretty powerful through the test; however, if you are working with graphics or anything that requires the GPU for processing, then a card will need to be added.

The 64GB RAM of the review unit was well matched to the workloads I ran through the test, but anyone running this as a server or AI platform, or editing longer projects, will want to boost the RAM to 128GB or higher configurations. Once those upgrades are factored in, the total cost climbs rapidly and starts to have a value closer to a lower-end full-sized workstation.

Essentially, the small size of the machine and the price make it a viable option; it’s just worth keeping in mind that the out-of-the-box configuration is just the start, and what you install for your workload will add cost. However, even at the top end of Mini PC models, there’s nothing to compete with this flexibility, and even the cheapest workstation is going to be significantly larger, which makes this a great solution all round.

Should I buy the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra?

Value	PC, but budget for upgrades should be factored in to unlock full potential.	4.5
Design	Slide-out chassis and full metal casing are robust and look great.	4.5
Features	Unique 285HX feature set and upgrades are unmatched at this form factor	5
Performance	Ultra-fast CPU and performance across the board, with upgrades available if more power is needed. 4/5	4.5
Overall	Work Stations can be phenomenally expensive, this gives you a powerful base at a great price to build on	5

Buy it if...

You need a compact workstation.

The 285HX CPU, ECC memory, and four M.2 slots make this a great desktop replacement for creative and professional workloads.

You're building a high-speed studio or home lab.

The fast network options, including the dual 25GbE networking and PCIe expansion, make this an option as a network node or dev machine.

Don't buy it if...

You need GPU performance.

Without a discrete GPU, sustained rendering and GPU-intensive tasks will be limited; however, a GPU can be added.

You want simplicity

The barebone configuration requires investment and some technical knowledge to configure optimally.

For more options, we've tested and reviewed the best mobile workstations and the best business computers.

I tested the Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro, and considering the price, it’s surprisingly rugged and feature-packed

6:01 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: CPU, RAM | Comments: Off

Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro: 30-second review

The Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro is a compact, rugged tablet designed for outdoor professionals and trades, and is available at an incredibly low price. What makes this impressive is not just the price but the bright yellow design detailing, screen, and build quality.

Considering the relatively low price, the quality of the build and materials is genuinely good, feeling solid and robust which is reinforced by the IP68, IP69K and MIL-STD-810H certifications. Visually, the design highlights the rugged credentials with the usual hardened rubberised corners synonymous with this tablet style.

Unlike many rugged tablets I’ve looked at in the past, this design avoids the bulk and ugliness that often come with heavy-duty certification. The bright yellow accents and ribbed backplate give it a distinctive look, and the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen has a slightly matte finish that makes it easy on the eye and comfortable to read in a range of lighting conditions.

With an 8.68-inch screen and a lowish-profile bezel, it comfortably fits in one hand, and, coupled with a weight of 540g, it all feels well-balanced for a certified rugged device. The 860-nit display is also more than bright enough for outdoor use, and the adaptive brightness and Highlight Mode mean it adapts well to the changing light conditions, although these days this is a standard feature.

This is an entry-level model; still, the performance from the Unisoc T7250 CPU is, for the most part, solid. Google productivity apps run smoothly, with the interfaces for each application responsive, though the screen resolution, while clear, is a little limited.

Likewise, the same is true for some light creative work in apps like Photoshop Express and CapCut: as long as you don’t push the resolution of the images or the video editing, most adjustments and edits are perfectly viable.

As long as your expectations for the tablet are at the entry to mid-level, the performance is solid, although as you push the system, the limitations do start to show under heavier workloads such as serious image editing, video rendering, or gaming. Although it has to be said, all applications tested are usable, especially Lightroom, which actually runs exceptionally well, and this is a tablet designed for outdoor professionals rather than creatives and with that in mind, the performance feels well-balanced.

Battery life is good and impressive through the test. During the benchmarking, which lasted about 3 hours, the battery only dropped 10%. This initial 10% drop utilised the tablet's CPU and GPU to the max, and over the rest of the 10-day test, the tablet dropped to 12% charge, a result that actually supports Ulefone's longevity claims.

Another feature that will be especially relevant to trade is the uSmart expansion connector, dock charging, and eSIM support, all of which set a business-focused feature set that makes the RugKing Pad Pro a great choice for anyone working in the field, and a sure-fire inclusion in our guide to the best rugged tablets we've tested.

Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro: Price & availability

How much does it cost? $199 / £170
When is it out? Now
Where can you get it? Widely available

The Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro is available directly from Ulefone, as well as online retailers including Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

The standard price is $199.99 / £170 at the time of review. Optional accessories, including the desk charging dock, tablet hand strap with kickstand, and uSmart endoscope and microscope modules, are sold separately. The cost of the 4G SIM or eSIM will be an additional expense.

Value: 4 / 5

Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro: Design

Specifications

Rugged rating: IP68 / MIL-STD-810H certification
Battery: 7100mAh / 18W fast charging / 6W reverse charging
Screen: 8.68in / 1340 x 800 resolution / 90Hz refresh rate / Corning Gorilla Glass 3
CPU: Unisoc T7250 (12nm), Octa-core (2 x 1.8GHz + 6 x 1.6GHz)
Graphics: ARM Mali-G57 MP1
RAM: 8GB (+ up to 8GB virtual RAM expansion)
Storage: 128GB UFS 2.2; expandable via microSD up to 2TB
Left Ports: USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, waterproof port covers
Right Ports: Volume buttons, custom programmable key, SIM tray (2x Nano-SIM + microSD)
Connectivity: 4G LTE dual SIM + built-in eSIM; Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac); Bluetooth 5.2; NFC; GPS + GLONASS + Galileo + BeiDou + QZSS; FM Radio
Audio: Dual speakers; 3.5mm headphone jack; headset-free FM Radio
Camera: 16MP rear (PDAF, HDR, LED flash, 1080p/30fps video); 8MP front
Size: 222 x 131.5 x 12.4mm; 540g
OS Installed: Android 16
Accessories: Desk Charging Dock (sold separately); Tablet Hand Strap with kickstand (sold separately); uSmart E01/E02 endoscope, C01 microscope (sold separately); Buds; Armor Mount Max

The RugKing Pad Pro is a great-looking rugged tablet with its yellow detailing and relatively slim profile. Unlike the more usual blocky, overtly industrial aesthetic that I’ve seen in the past when reviewing rugged tablets, Ulefone has taken a more refined approach: sharp lines, a protective frame, and a bright yellow ribbed back panel that gives it a rugged look without adding unnecessary bulk.

The yellow colour option, applied to the detail elements and the backplate, proved to be a practical choice, as I discovered through the test. That yellow colour makes it easy to spot at the back of a van and in low-light conditions, where high visibility matters. The yellow essentially contrasts well against most working environments and is one of the reasons some camera bag manufacturers also select this colour.

The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which has a slightly matte surface that I found made extended reading and document work more comfortable than a typical glossy display. Although this is an entry-level device with a low screen resolution, the display quality is one of the best I’ve seen, and the surface was absolutely spot on for me.

When it comes to handling, the 8.68-inch size sits well in one hand and is easy to hold, thanks to its 540g weight. While not light, it is still easy to carry for extended periods. One feature of the design highlighted by the manufacturer is the ribbed back, and while this does look grippy, in practice it offers little more traction than a smooth surface; it’s more aesthetic than functional, and a slightly rubberised texture would have improved real-world grip.

The waterproof port plugs are simple push-fit rubber bungs, which are standard for this category. They’re made from a hard rubber that should last the lifespan of the device, but as with all such designs, you need to ensure they’re fully seated before subjecting the device to being submerged in water.

The pogo pin dock connector holds the tablet firmly, and the charging dock, sold separately, is essential if you are looking for this for the workplace, especially if multiple units need to be managed.

Design: 3 / 5

Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro: Features

Fronting the tablet is an 8.68-inch IPS LCD display with a 1340 x 800 resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate, and peak brightness of 860 nits. While the resolution and refresh rate are slightly lower than those of recent rugged tablets, the display still looks good.

A common feature worth highlighting is adaptive brightness, which adjusts the screen automatically to ambient conditions, and there's a dedicated Highlight Mode that pushes brightness even further in direct sunlight. Both features work well in practice, although it is mid-March, so slightly duller day to day than later in the year.

The RugKing Pad Pro supports up to two Nano-SIMs or an eSIM. The physical SIMs, along with the TF/MicroSD card, can be loaded into the slot on the side of the device. It’s worth noting that the eSIM and physical SIMs cannot be used at the same time, and if you do want to switch between them a restart is required.

eSIM activation follows a standard process via Settings > Network & Internet, with setup via QR code or activation code. 4G LTE connectivity is all you get, and there’s no 5G support. Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and multi-constellation GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS) complete the wireless options.

In the past, I’ve been impressed by uSmart's expansion accessories, such as the EndoScope, and it’s great to see that ecosystem from the tough phones now on a larger tablet, as it really does enhance its usefulness. The connector for attaching accessories is on the side and supports Ulefone’s professional accessories, including the E01 and E02 endoscopes and the C01 microscope.

The connector uses a single securing screw for attachment, and the accessories really do provide a genuine professional tool set for trades who need to carry out inspection work. The ability to feed endoscope footage directly to the tablet’s 8.68-inch screen has obvious advantages over a mobile phone screen.

A rugged mobile device wouldn’t be without a programmable custom key, and this can be assigned to any function or app; during testing, it was mapped to the camera for instant access. Other slightly unique features include the Glove mode, activated through the Special Functions menu in Settings, which, when tested, worked well with fabric gloves and lighter work gloves, though heavier-duty gloves didn’t work; however, compared with standard touch screens, this mode does make a big difference to usability.

Another of the big rugged features is the 133LM Super Torch, which sits next to the camera. Here, with the slightly focused beam, it is reasonable and has a decent reach, although there is no brightness adjustment or beam focus control.

The RugKing Pad Pro is preloaded with Android 16 and a host of apps, if anything too many, one of the first things that I would do if owning this phone for business would be to strip the app side back to the essentials. One of those essentials would be the Ulefone’s Service Centre app, which provides support when you need it, along with the user manuals.

Features: 4 / 5

Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro: Performance

Benchmarks

Geekbench CPU Single: 441
Geekbench CPU Multi: 1501
Geekbench GPU: 721
PCMark Overall: N/A
3DMark Slingshot Overall: 1884
3DMark Slingshot Graphics: 1742
3DMark Slingshot Physics: 2633
3DMark Wild Life Overall: 160
3DMark Steel Nomad Light Overall: 67

The Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro is a relatively compact Android-based tablet, and as I started the performance test, a couple of points about the design immediately stood out. The first was that the size made it easy to handle, and even without the hand strap, which would have been handy, it was still easy to hold single-handed.

The textured back, which was supposed to give a little more grip, didn’t seem to do much; however, the build quality is solid, and with the usual rubberised corner protection, it all seemed durable enough.

Powering this small tablet is a Unisoc T7250 CPU, which delivers solid if not cutting-edge performance that’s fine for the market the RugKing Pad Pro is designed for. Checking out all the usual apps, including Google’s productivity apps, Docs, Sheets, Drive, and all loaded quickly and ran without issue.

However, I will say that the 1340 x 800 screen resolution only just provided enough working area for comfortable document editing. When used with those Google apps, the overall feel is well-balanced, the physical size, screen clarity and interface responsiveness work together well, and some of the more unique features were genuinely helpful.

The gloved-hand mode increases the screen's sensitivity, so even with non-touchscreen gloves, the screen still responds. I did find that for thicker gloves, the usual non-response was still present; still, it’s better than most.

Using Lightroom, Photoshop, and CapCut shows that despite the entry-level CPU and GPU, the tablet still has some potential, and the Geekbench results (Single: 441, Multi: 1501, GPU: 721) are far from ground-breaking but show good, solid performance across the board.

Where the tablet does start to struggle is with graphics-intensive tasks, and the 3DMark scores in Slingshot showed an overall score of 1884 and a Wild Life score of 160, all confirming that the Mali-G57 MP1 GPU is a competent mid-weight GPU. Flipping back to the real-world tests, sure enough, Photoshop Express, Lightroom mobile, and CapCut video editing were possible, and even NFS Asphalt ran surprisingly well.

GPS performance was generally reliable, though there was significant cloud cover during much of the test period, which made satellite connectivity a little sporadic. On clear days, the RugKing Pad Pro locked on quickly and matched the positioning accuracy of comparable rugged smartphones. 4G connectivity and speed, while not close to what I’m used to with 5G, performed well, and the signal strength in Salisbury, England, was excellent, though, heading to the outskirt towns around the New Forest, where we’re limited to 4G.

Over a 10-day period, the RugKing Pad Pro joined me for work and under normal mixed usage, mainly checking and answering emails, alongside the benchmarking test and using a variety of applications, browsing, Google Docs, and some media playback, the device finished with 12% battery.

One point of note is that the screen powers off by default after 30 seconds, which is incredibly short, so I extended the switch-off time, which has a dramatic effect on battery life.

As a final note, while the tablet does have a camera, the 16MP rear camera resolution and quality is best described as adequate, perfect for taking pictures for site documentation, reference shots, scanning, but it’s worth knowing that the brighter it is, the cleaner the images you capture will be, and this is relevant for both images and stills.

Performance: 4 / 5

Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro: Final verdict

The Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro is at the budget end of rugged tablets, yet, despite the price, it's a great option if you’re looking for a well-thought-out tablet that delivers decent performance for productivity apps and can withstand most environmental conditions.

The build quality and design are genuinely impressive for the price, and as long as the rubber lugs are pushed in securely, it will be water-tight as well as shockproof, making it ideal for trades. One aspect that sometimes lets these rugged smartphones down is the screen, and once again, the resolution is low; however, the brightness is good, and it's easy to see outdoors, even in bright conditions. The battery life over a 10-day test was also superb.

When it came to the more advanced performance, the Unisoc T7250, while a capable mid-range processor that handles productivity tasks well does start to hit its limitations under heavier creative workloads, however, that’s not really what this device is for and if you just want to enhance a few image or make short site videos then the camera and processing power will more than suffice.

I am a little surprised that a new release is still limited to 4G rather than 5G, but this will be due to price considerations, although it will limit the product's actual lifespan as 5G becomes more widely available. At present, I’m lucky to see E for my network connectivity. Despite it only offering 4G support, you can add an eSIM, which is incredibly easy to do, and the system seems well set up to do this; although you can’t run a standard SIM at the same time as the eSIM, it’s one or the other.

Some of the additional features are unique to this product line, such as the uSmart accessory ecosystem, which, as with previous releases, works incredibly well and, for trades, will be a great asset. Then, with the dock charging compatibility, it further lends itself to use in the workplace.

Should I buy a Ulefone RugKing Pad Pro?

Value	Great value for money for a solid workplace tablet that can withstand the elements	4
Design	The rugged design is slimmer and lighter than many other tablets of this style, making it far more portable	4
Features	A decent set of features, a bright screen, and the ability to connect USmart accessories	4
Performance	While rugged, the CPU and GPU limit the performance	3
Overall	Considering the entry-level price, the tablet has a good range of features and solid all-around performance	4

Buy it if...

You need a tough tablet.

If you need a tablet for work that’s tough, able to withstand the elements, and able to withstand being knocked about, then this is a great option.

Small and rugged

Unlike other rugged tablets, this can easily be held in one hand while still offering a decent 8.68-inch screen.

Don't buy it if...

You need fast networking.

While there is an eSIM available, the cellular network connection is limited to 4G only.

You use creative apps.

While Lightroom runs smoothly on the system and short edits are possible in CapCut as soon as you start pushing the adjustments, the device starts to show its limitations.

For more durable devices, we've tested and reviewed the best rugged laptops and best rugged phones

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ review: a sleek business laptop with all-day battery life

7:12 am | March 18, 2026

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: AI, CPU, RAM | Comments: Off

MSI Prestige 14 AI+: Two-minute review

The MSI Prestige 14 AI+ is a sleek business-focused laptop with a premium design that manages an interesting and useful mix of the features and performance you need, but skips a lot of the bloat.

As the name suggests, it’s a 14-inch laptop, and it’s aimed at users on the go who need a thin and light machine that still offers decent performance and battery life. The Prestige 14 measures in at 31.6 x 22.2 x 1.2 - 1.4cm (12.4 x 8.7 x 0.47 - 0.55 inches) and weighs 1.32kg (2.91 lbs) — an excellent size for portability without being too small. Compared to the non-Windows competition, it’s chunkier than a MacBook Air, but is slimmer and lighter than a MacBook Pro.

The Prestige 14 AI+ D3M configuration I tested uses the Intel Core Ultra 7 355 CPU with 32GB of onboard LPDDR5x memory and a 1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD — a popular spec in laptops launched in 2026. You can also get the Prestige 14 AI+ in the same spec but with a 512GB SSD, or with a more powerful Intel Core Ultra X7 358H CPU.

While the Prestige 14 AI+ is a classic clamshell laptop, there’s also a similar 2-in-1 model. If that’s more your style, check out our MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review.

On the left side, the Prestige 14 AI+ has two USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 ports (both supporting DisplayPort and 100W charging), plus an HDMI 2.1 output. The right side features dual USB-A ports and a 3.5mm headset jack.

The pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports makes it easy to connect the laptop up to a dock or monitor, and if also using HDMI, you can drive 3 external displays. I generally like having one USB-C port on each side, but the dual left ports plus HDMI setup does make it neat on a desk.

The 14-inch OLED display has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 (a pleasing 16:10 aspect ratio) with excellent 100% DCI-P3 color. MSI doesn't quote a specific NIT figure on the local spec sheet, but in use the glossy OLED panel is bright enough to overcome reflections in slightly glary office environments but struggles a little outdoors.

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ with screen folded back — The Prestige 14 AI+ screen can fold back through 180 degrees (Image credit: Future)

Handily, the screen folds back through a full 180 degrees, which is great for sharing content across a table or using the laptop in a vertical stand. The 1920 x 1200 resolution is perfectly fine at this size but not quite as sharp as I prefer and you will need to look at the larger 16-inch Prestige 16 AI+ if you want a higher res screen, like 2880x1800.

The IR FHD webcam gives decent quality video when well-lit and is still acceptable in tougher lower-light conditions. It supports facial recognition unlocks, plus has a physical shutter for privacy. Speaker quality is better than expected, though as is normal in a thin laptop, the sound gets a little muddy at higher volumes.

The backlit keyboard has deep key travel, very little bounce and no distracting light bleed from under the keys. The large touchpad is nice and accurate and supports gestures, though its non-haptic click mechanism has unusually deep travel, especially on right click, and can feel a little awkward at times.

The new Intel Series 3 Core Ultra 7 355 CPU is a good fit for this kind of thin-and-light machine. In daily use the Prestige 14 AI+ feels very responsive for typical office work, photo editing and even heavier multitasking. This is thanks in part to the snappy CPU, but also due to the 32GB of RAM and fast SSD. The integrated graphics are a step down from Intel Arc iGPUs but performance is plenty for accelerating lighter creative work and even some casual gaming.

The battery has an 81Wh capacity — decently large for this class of machine — and the laptop lasted an excellent 14 hours and 42 minutes unplugged when doing office tasks. Video playback is even better at 16 hours and 21 minutes in testing, meaning the Prestige will happily make it through a day unplugged.

All in all, the combination of snappy everyday performance and excellent battery life in a stylish portable laptop makes the MSI Prestige 14 AI+ easy to recommend.

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ close up of screen and keyboard — (Image credit: Future)

MSI Prestige 14 AI+: Price & availability

How much does it cost? $1,699 / £1,449 / AU$2,599
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Available in the US, UK and Australia

The MSI Prestige 14 AI+ is very new, so at the time of writing availability is not yet widespread and in the US, only the Ultra X7 385H variant is for sale.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 355 variant tested costs around £1,449 in the UK and AU$2,599 in Australia, though some retailers already have it a little cheaper. You can also save a little by opting for the 512GB SSD spec.

The pricing places the MSI Prestige 14 AI+ firmly in premium ultrabook territory rather than the more budget-friendly business-laptop space, but the spec and features do help justify the higher asking price — especially as the latest generation of laptops has experienced noticeable price rises compared to 2025 models. Still, I hope to see the price come down over time to help keep it competitive.

The Intel Ultra X7 358H variant is also sold in Australia and the UK with up to a 2TB SSD and is only slightly more expensive — so it’s well worth checking out if you need more storage or higher performance.

Value score: 4 / 5

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ half closed on a coffee table — The Prestige 14 AI+ has a sleek and premium design (Image credit: Future)

MSI Prestige 14 AI+: Specs

The Prestige 14 AI+ family includes several variants, but the configuration tested here is straightforward: an Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 32GB of onboard LPDDR5x memory, a 1TB SSD and a 14-inch 1920 x 1200 OLED display.

The other common option is a model with a more powerful Intel Core Ultra X7 358H CPU and up to a 2TB SSD.

	MSI Prestige 14 AI+ (as tested)	MSI Prestige 14 AI+ (top spec)
Price	£1,449 / AU$2,599	£1,549 / AU$2,799
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 8 cores (4 P-cores + 4 Low Power E-cores), 8 threads, up to 4.7GHz, 12MB cache, up to 49 NPU TOPS	Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, 16 cores (4 P-cores + 8 E-cores + 4 Low Power E-cores), 16 threads, up to 4.8GHz, 18MB cache, up to 50 NPU TOPS
GPU	Intel Graphics	Intel Arc B390 GPU
Screen	14-inch, 16:10, 1920 x 1200, OLED, glossy, non-touch	14-inch, 16:10, 1920 x 1200, OLED, glossy, non-touch
RAM	32GB / 64GB LPDDR5x	32GB / 64GB LPDDR5x
Storage	512GB - 2TB NVMe SSD	Up to 2TB NVMe SSD
Ports	Left side: 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C with DisplayPort and 100W charging, HDMI 2.1 Right side: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen2, 3.5mm headset jack	Left side: 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C with DisplayPort and 100W charging, HDMI 2.1 Right side: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen2, 3.5mm headset jack
Wireless	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1775, Bluetooth 6	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1775, Bluetooth 6
Camera	IR FHD (1080p) webcam with HDR, 3DNR+, 3-mic array	IR FHD (1080p) webcam with HDR, 3DNR+, 3-mic array
Weight	1.32 kg (2.91 lbs)	1.32 kg (2.91 lbs)
Dimensions	31.6 x 22.2 x 1.2–1.4cm (12.4 x 8.7 x 0.47–0.55 inches)	31.6 x 22.2 x 1.2–1.4cm (12.4 x 8.7 x 0.47–0.55 inches)

Specs score: 4 / 5

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ close up of left side ports — On the left — dual USB-C Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI 2.1Future

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ close up of right hand side ports — On the left — dual USB-C Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI 2.1Future

MSI Prestige 14 AI+: Design

180-degree fold-flat screen
Dual Thunderbolt 4
16:10 OLED display

The Prestige 14 AI+ looks and feels like a proper premium laptop compared to MSI's more budget-friendly office machines, and it has a sleek, understated design that easily rivals the best from other brands.

The Prestige 14 measures in at 31.6 x 22.2 x 1.2–1.4cm (12.4 x 8.7 x 0.47–0.55 inches), and its 1.32kg (2.91 lbs) weight makes it a very manageable laptop to carry around every day. The curved edges of the aluminum alloy design make it feel pleasantly slim in hand (or when slipping it into a bag) but it’s strong enough to use without any undue flexing.

The port fitout and left/right split is pretty standard on laptops these days and has everything needed for most users. It would be nice to see little extras like an SD card reader, or another USB-C port on the right, but that’s increasingly rare.

MSI says the laptop can be equipped with 64GB of RAM, but for now I have only seen 32GB variants for sale. The RAM is soldered so can’t be upgraded, but the SSD uses a M.2 slot so can be swapped out in the future if you need more space.

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ closed on a coffee table — Future

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ right hand side closed on a coffee table — Future

The keyboard is above average, with comfortable sizing (even for my large hands), deep travel and very little bounce during a vigorous deadline-induced writing session.

The trackpad is large and accurate to use and supports gestures like adjusting volume or brightness, and has a handy shortcut to the calculator and the MSI Center S management software. You do need to turn the gestures on manually and once you get used to them they work pretty well, and they aren't easy to accidentally trigger. You can also set up your own custom actions for gestures, like activating specific hotkeys or launching apps.

Overall I found the trackpad to be above average and my only complaint during my use was that right-clicking in the lower corner felt oddly deep, despite it working just fine.

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ trackpad close up — The right click on the touchpad works fine but has very deep travelFuture

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ close up of keyboard — The right click on the touchpad works fine but has very deep travelFuture

The 16:10 display gives that little bit of extra screen real estate that you only realize is so helpful if ever going back to a 16:9 laptop. The 1920 x 1200 resolution is lower than I usually like, but considering the 14-inch footprint, it's quite sharp and usable day to day. That’s helped by the OLED panel with an excellent 100% DCI-P3 color rating, and while there’s no listed brightness, it’s good enough even in bright office environments, but the glossy surface shows a lot of reflections if outdoors at a cafe.

If you want a higher resolution display, then look at the larger Prestige 16 AI+ C3MG lineup. The spec is very similar overall, but you get a 16-inch 2880x1800 OLED display and the price is only slightly higher. Or for touchscreen support, the Prestige 14 Flip machines offer a comparable laptop but with a 2-in-1 design.

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ open in a vertical stand — The fold back screen means the Prestige 14 works well in a vertical standFuture

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ screen folded back — The fold back screen means the Prestige 14 works well in a vertical standFuture

My favorite feature though is that the screen uses a hinge that allows it to fold back through 180 degrees. That is very useful for using the laptop in a vertical stand next to external monitors — in my testing I had it upright and flat next to dual vertically mounted 4K 27” panels, letting me use the laptop screen as an extra workspace for things like a Slack chat. The fold-back screen also makes it easy to share content across a table, and works well in one-on-one meetings.

The Prestige 14 AI+ includes an IR webcam and fingerprint reader, so secure logins are fast and easy. Many laptops only have one or the other, but having both means you can use whatever method you prefer, or turn off facial logins if needed without resorting to using a pin or password.

Design score: 4 / 5

MSI Prestige 14 AI+: Performance

Great everyday performance
Very quiet in normal use
Fast 1TB SSD

MSI Prestige 14 AI+: Benchmarks

Here's how the MSI Prestige 14 AI+ performed in the TechRadar suite of benchmark tests:

PCMark 10: 7,827

CrossMark: Overall 1,873

Geekbench 6 CPU: Single-core 2,745; Multi-core 11,494

Geekbench AI: Single precision 2,140; Half precision 1,083; Quantized 4,449

Cinebench 2024: CPU multi: 497 pts; CPU single: 109 pts

CrystalDiskMark: Read: 6,960.75 MB/s; Write: 6,334.84 MB/s

Blender Benchmark: Monster 63.35; Junkshop 39.15; Classroom 26.94

3DMark suite: Time Spy 3,296; Time Spy Extreme 1,511; Steel Nomad 616; Steel Nomad Light 2,496; Night Raid 28,914; Fire Strike 6,502; Fire Strike Ultra 1,597, Solar Bay 12,295; Solar Bay Extreme 1,792; Wild Life 21,587; Wild Life Extreme 5,729

Battery: Work battery 14 hours 42 minutes; Video battery 16 hours 21 minutes

The MSI Prestige 14 AI+ feels snappy in typical use, with top-notch single-core performance plus fast RAM and storage. The Intel Core Ultra 7 355 is aimed at being an efficient chip for thin and light laptops, so multicore performance is lower than you get with more powerful CPUs.

It’s still plenty for most tasks, but for anyone who runs more demanding apps, the Prestige 14 with the more powerful Intel Core Ultra X7 358H is well worth the slightly higher price. For most users though, the Ultra 7 355 is a good mix of performance and efficiency.

MSI has equipped the Prestige 14 with a very fast SSD that can approach the limits of the PCIe 4.0 interface. In my tests the drive managed 6,961 MB/s read and 6,335 MB/s writes in CrystalDiskMark, which helps ensure the laptop feels fast when launching apps and multitasking.

Of course, decent performance in a thin form factor means some fan noise is expected under heavy load. Like most laptops these days, MSI uses vapor chamber cooling and during normal office work the Prestige 14 AI+ is mostly inaudible, or very quiet when the fans do spool up a little.

It gets that characteristic laptop fan whine under heavy loads, but does ramp down quickly once the CPU isn’t working as hard. The chassis does get noticeably warm if you push the laptop for an extended period, but the keyboard, touchpad and underside never became uncomfortably hot in my testing.

Graphics performance is naturally limited by the integrated GPU, but it is still respectable for a thin business laptop. The Prestige 14 AI+ scored 3,296 in 3DMark Time Spy and 6,502 in Fire Strike, which is a bit less than last gen CPUs like the Intel Ultra 7 258V, but enough for lighter GPU work and some casual play with older or less demanding games.

If you need a laptop that can compete with low-end discrete graphics, then opting for the Prestige 14 with the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H CPU is a good call, as it has a much more powerful Intel Arc B390 iGPU, which offers over 50% higher performance.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 355 includes an NPU with up to 49 TOPs performance, but we are still in that awkward phase where it’s underutilized most of the time. Still, it’s only going to get more useful, and already offers advantages such as efficiently handling webcam backgrounds and video effects in otherwise notorious resource-hogging apps like Teams.

If your workload consists of typical office tasks — writing, handling spreadsheets, multitasking across apps, image editing and other general productivity, the Prestige 14 AI+ has more than enough performance.

If you need to handle more creator-style workloads, then it’s definitely worth looking at other models, such as the MSI Prestige 16 AI+ C3M.

Performance score: 4 / 5

MSI Prestige 14 AI+ close up of included 65W charger next to laptop — The included 65W charger is fairly compact (Image credit: Future)

MSI Prestige 14 AI+: Battery life

14 hours and 42 minutes work when unplugged
16 hours and 21 minutes of video playback

The Prestige 14 AI+ has an 81Wh battery — decently large considering the light weight and thin design meaning battery life is one of its key strengths. Connected to Wi-Fi, I managed 14 hours and 42 minutes of lighter office-style work (like writing reviews) on battery, which is more than enough to get through a long day.

If you add in some more demanding tasks like a lot of image editing, then battery life slips. But even then the CPU is efficient enough that you need to be working it pretty hard before you can’t make it through a day unplugged.

The Prestige 14 AI+ charges over USB-C using its included 65W adapter (though it supports 100W), and you can quickly add back 50% of charge in about 30 minutes, or be fully topped off in about 1.5 hours. The charger is not too bulky and you can change the AC end of the cable if going overseas.

For less demanding tasks such as video playback, the laptop lasts even longer. With Wi-Fi on and the screen at 50% brightness, it lasted 16 hours and 21 minutes.

Overall the Prestige 14 combines the large battery and efficient CPU well and is a solid choice if you need to get work done when on the go.

Battery life score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Prestige 14 AI+?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	Higher end pricing, but still competitive against alternative options.	4 / 5
Specs	Well-rounded for productivity, plugged in or on the go.	4 / 5
Design	Sleek and lightweight, but without any problematic compromises.	4 / 5
Performance	Quite good for a slim laptop, and it has a more powerful CPU option available	4 / 5
Battery	Excellent endurance overall and happily lasts a day unplugged	4.5 / 5
Overall	A polished productivity focused laptop with the features you need but no extra bloat	4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want long battery life
With 14 hours and 42 minutes of office productivity runtime, the Prestige 14 AI+ can comfortably get through a full workday when on the go.

You need a capable yet efficient travel workhorse
The Core Ultra 7 355, 32GB of RAM and fast SSD make it a good fit for multitasking, office work and lighter creative tasks.

You connect to external displays
Dual Thunderbolt 4 ports with DisplayPort, plus HDMI 2.1, make the Prestige 14 AI+ easy to slot into a multi-monitor setup

Don't buy it if...

You love a high resolution display
The 1920 x 1200 OLED panel looks pretty good in the 14-inch frame, but if you want 2880 x 1800 or better you need to look at other models.

You are fussy about touchpads
The touchpad is large and is accurate, but its deep physical click feels a touch awkward at times.

You want 64GB of RAM
At the time of writing the variants with more RAM are not yet available.

MSI Prestige 14 AI+: Also consider

If my MSI Prestige 14 AI+ review has you considering other options, here are three alternatives to consider...

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+
Want a more flexible take on the Prestige formula? The Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is a very similar laptop but uses a convertible 2-in-1 design and has a touchscreen and pen.

Check out our full MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review

HP OmniBook 7 Aero
The OmniBook 7 Aero is a great option if you are after a low weight laptop, and it offers a good balance of performance and portability.

Check out our full HP OmniBook 7 Aero review

Acer TravelMate P6 14 AI
Another business laptop with portability in mind, the TravelMate P6 14 AI is worth a look for anyone on the go a lot.

Check out our full Acer TravelMate P6 14 AI laptop review

How I tested the MSI Prestige 14 AI+

I tested the MSI Prestige 14 AI+ for two weeks
I used it both at a desk and when working on the go
I tested it with benchmarking tools, battery testing and everyday workloads

I ran the MSI Prestige 14 AI+ through the usual comprehensive array of TechRadar benchmarks, as well as using it for actual day-to-day work.

I used it for office tasks, media playback, multitasking and general productivity work, while also checking battery life, thermals, noise and charging times.

Oukitel WP61 Plus: 30-second review

Unveiled at IFA 2025 in Berlin, the Oukitel WP61 Plus is the brand's flagship all-in-one rugged smartphone, featuring a 20,000 mAh battery, an integrated 2W DMR walkie-talkie, and a high-powered camping flashlight.

But what is likely to confuse people is that the WP60 and WP62 have been available for some time, but Oukitel held the WP61 Plus back.

Built for outdoor professionals, search-and-rescue workers, or those who routinely find themselves in the great outdoors, the WP61 Plus is entering a highly competitive market.

There are four versions of the WP61 that all share the same SoC, memory, and storage model but differ in the special features included. There is a base model, the Plus model reviewed here, that has a 2W DMR walkie-talkie, the WP61 Ultra with thermal imaging, and the WP61 Ti with NTN Skylo Satellite communications.

All of them use the Dimensity 7025 processor, have 12GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and the same 108MP primary camera.

The large 6.8-inch FHD+ display runs at 120Hz, which is a welcome touch for a rugged device, and Android 16 puts it on the cutting edge for that platform

Where the WP61 Plus truly distinguishes itself, however, is in its extended utility features. The built-in DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) walkie-talkie operates at 2W and is designed to maintain group communications in areas where cellular coverage fails.

Oukitel quotes a range of 5.5km (3.4 miles) for DMR communications, but this will work without any cell service.

Combined with the camping light and the ability to act as a power bank for smaller devices, this phone is positioned less as a smartphone and more as a portable field communications and survival tool.

The only significant downside of this design is its physical scale; at over 650g, this isn’t a small or lightweight design, and with the walkie-talkie antenna attached, it becomes even more unwieldy.

The WP61 Plus might not break into our best rugged smartphone selection, but if you are looking for a general-purpose rugged phone for an adventure trek, then it could be an option.

Oukitel WP61 Plus Rugged Smartphone — (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Oukitel WP61 Plus: price and availability

How much does it cost? $370/£280/€323
When is it out? Available soon
Where can you get it? You can get it directly from Oukitel or via online retailers such as Amazon.

Direct from Oukitel, the asking price for the WP61 Plus is $369.99/£279.99/€322.68, which is a good deal if you accept the view that this is a discount from $499.99/£378.37/€436.06, a price at which this product has never been sold.

You read that correctly. At the time of writing, while Oukitel are promoting this product, it remains out of stock. Also, it’s not available via online retailers, but that’s probably right around the corner.

The Plus model is $50 more than the base model, but $60 less than the Ultra option. There is no price yet for the Satellite model.

There are lots of phones that use the same or similar SoCs, like the Blackview Oscal Tank 1, RugOne Xever 7 Pro, Doogee S200 and Oukitel WP300. All these are cheaper, but lack the DMR walkie-talkie technology.

Blackview has the Xplore 1 Walkie Talkie that sells for €383.95 direct from the makers, a good amount more than the WP61 Plus.

The Unihertz Atom XL is a much smaller phone with the same DMR technology, priced at $289.99 at the official Unihertz outlet. However, I’d avoid this phone because there are no US or Global models.

A better choice is the Armour 26 Ultra Walkie-Talkie, but its base price is $649.99, making it substantially more expensive.

For a DMR-capable phone, the WP61 Plus is reasonably priced, though it might seem a little expensive for the platform specification.

Value score: 4/5

Oukitel WP61 Plus: Specs

Item	Spec
CPU:	MediaTek Dimensity 7025 (6nm)
GPU:	IMG BXM-8-256
NPU:	MediaTek's APU 780
RAM:	12GB
Storage:	512GB
Screen:	6.8-inch FHD+ LCD
Resolution:	1080 x 2460 pixels 650nits
SIM:	2x Nano SIM + TF (one shared position)
Weight:	651.6 grams
Dimensions:	179.5 x 85 x 27.5 mm
Rugged Spec:	IP68 IP69K dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes), MIL-STD-810H Certification
Rear cameras:	108MP Camera + 8MP Night vision +2MP macro
Front camera:	32MP Sony IMX616
Networking:	5G bands, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.2
Audio:	130 dB 5W speaker
OS:	Android 16
Battery:	20000 mAh (45W wired, 5W reverse charge)
Colours:	Black

Item

Spec

CPU:

MediaTek Dimensity 7025 (6nm)

GPU:

IMG BXM-8-256

NPU:

MediaTek's APU 780

RAM:

12GB

Storage:

512GB

Screen:

6.8-inch FHD+ LCD

Resolution:

1080 x 2460 pixels 650nits

SIM:

2x Nano SIM + TF (one shared position)

Weight:

651.6 grams

Dimensions:

179.5 x 85 x 27.5 mm

Rugged Spec:

IP68 IP69K dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes), MIL-STD-810H Certification

Rear cameras:

108MP Camera + 8MP Night vision +2MP macro

Front camera:

32MP Sony IMX616

Networking:

5G bands, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.2

Audio:

130 dB 5W speaker

OS:

Android 16

Battery:

20000 mAh (45W wired, 5W reverse charge)

Colours:

Black

Oukitel WP61 Plus: design

Built for the field, not the pocket
DMR Antenna
Standard layout

The WP61 Plus makes no apologies for its bulk. At 179.5 x 85 x 27.5 mm, it is a substantial device, and one that is clearly engineered to accommodate its enormous 20,000mAh battery alongside the walkie-talkie antenna hardware and camping light module. The extra 27.5 mm of depth alone sets it apart as a very different prospect from a standard smartphone, and not one you can easily fit in a pocket.

What can make this design even more challenging to store is that in the box is a 92mm antenna for the DMR walkie-talkie that screws into the top right of the phone. You can choose not to attach that, but I presume that will impact the ability to communicate using that functionality.

The Oukitel WP series devices have traditionally used a combination of reinforced polycarbonate and aluminium alloy framing, and the WP61 doesn’t deviate from that, making it a device that can withstand heavy abuse.

The device supports a 'seat charger', a docking cradle that allows the phone to be mounted and charged in a fixed location, such as a vehicle dashboard or on a desk. This is a thoughtful addition for fleet operators or those who need their device always charged and ready. The dock isn’t included as standard, and its arrival date and price haven't been released yet.

In terms of the general aesthetics and layout, there isn’t anything especially surprising about the WP61 Plus. The button arrangement is the one most rugged phones use, with the power (doubling as a fingerprint reader) and volume buttons on the right, the custom button on the left, where the SIM tray is also placed.

The buttons are all metal, and the sides of the chassis are all machined aluminium, making this phone feel both comfortable to hold and seemingly indestructible.

Both the top and bottom edges feature a waterproof plug: one for the antenna on the top and another covering the USB port on the bottom. Both of these are held in place with screws, suggesting they could be replaced when they wear out if Oukitel makes replacements available.

To avoid wearing out the USB-C cover, the dock has four metal contact points on its bottom face, allowing it to be charged without inserting a cable.

The rear has three noticeable features: a camping light, a 5W speaker, and the camera cluster. The 1200-lumen camping light is obscured by a reference sticker that contains important information you don’t want to misplace by peeling it off and throwing it away, annoyingly.

According to Oukitel, the speaker is rated at 130 dB, which would undoubtedly damage your hearing if you held it against your ear while it was making noise. The top-centre placement of that speaker also pushes the three rear camera lenses to the phone's outer edge, which isn’t ideal.

While I’ve seen worse, the WP61 Plus seems to try to be many things at once and has slightly compromised some of its features in the process.

Design score: 3.5/5

Oukitel WP61 Plus: hardware

MediaTek Dimensity 7025
20000 mAh battery
Walkie-talkie

This is the third phone I’ve covered that uses the MediaTek Dimensity 7025, and I haven’t changed my opinion of it.

Instead of this being a new and exciting SoC, it’s a renaming of the older Dimensity 930, a chip from May 2022. If you research this silicon, you will find that the Dimensity 7025 was launched in 2024, but the underlying chip is at least two years older.

That explains why all the 70XX SoCs are made using a 6nm process, whereas all the 73XX and 74XX chips use the new and superior 4nm process.

Ironically, that’s not the biggest issue with this platform, since, as SoCs go, the Dimensity 7025 is an effective power-efficient system that delivers a good user experience for the most part.

A bigger problem is that the CPU is coupled with the IMG BXM-8-256 GPU, one of those PowerVR IMG designs that is poor by modern standards. It drives the Android 16 interface reasonably, but it's not a game-friendly GPU. Critically, it lacks some of the OpenGL and Vulkan functionality that interactive graphics apps often use.

For the WP61 Plus's intended use cases, it is a sensible and efficient choice, but more modern MediaTek designs, such as the Dimensity 7300 and 7400, offer far more potential.

In large, rugged phones, a 20000 mAh battery isn’t exceptional, but this device helps because it supports a 45W charger, which is included. That enables the phone to charge from zero to full capacity in about four hours, and get more than half of a charge in ninety minutes.

This is dramatically better than the WP60 offered with the same battery capacity, as that phone could only charge at 33W. Though, as I recall, the WP60 did reverse charge at 7W, where the WP61 Plus only puts out 5W.

You can get a similar platform and battery in a wide range of rugged phones, but the final feature I’ll talk about here is something that is in relatively few: a DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) walkie-talkie.

The radio in the WP61 Plus transmits at 2W, which is a meaningful output for direct device-to-device communication. DMR is a professional-grade digital radio standard, typically used in construction, security, and emergency services, making this a genuine productivity tool rather than a novelty. And, the hardware here can also work with Analogue technologies, alongside DMR-capable handsets.

As I only have one WP61 Plus, I wasn’t able to test the assertion that communication of over 5.5km was possible, but the technology is capable of that, so I don’t doubt it could work at that range in theory. The beauty of this technology is that it doesn't rely on any other infrastructure to operate, though the practical range may be limited by terrain.

For those working together off the grid or at a building site, the range seems enough to be practical, even if it won’t work if you travel beyond the potential range, or put a mountain between those talking.

The custom button opens the DMR app to initiate a call, and you can select a channel to communicate over. While you can add custom channels, the app includes the standard DMR-approved channels for a range of countries, including Europe, the USA, Australia, and Taiwan. Iran, Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Japan and China.

As a matter of interest, I researched the DMR frequencies for various countries, and discovered that for some, like India, for higher power transmitters like this one, using 5W and with better range, a WPC license is required. So if you are not in any of the countries I previously listed, it might be worth researching which DMR channels you can use and any other clearances required before purchasing.

Even with those potential caveats, the DMR part of this device is undoubtedly the best aspect, should you have more than one of these or other DMR handsets to hand.

Hardware score: 4/5

Oukitel WP61 Plus: cameras

108MP, 8MP night vision and 2MP Macro on the rear
32MP on the front
Four cameras in total

The Oukitel WP61 Plus has four cameras:

Rear camera: 108MP Samsung ISOCELL HM6 (S5KHM6), 8MP SK Hynix Hi-846 night vision IR sensor, 2MP BYD BF2257CS Macro
Front camera: 32MP Sony IMX616 Sensor

Oddly, this camera arrangement is remarkably similar to a range of phones I’ve recently reviewed, except that many of them use a GalaxyCore sensor for the 2MP macro function, whereas the WP61 Plus uses the BYD BF2257CS for the same job.

The combination of the 108MP Samsung ISOCELL HM6 (S5KHM6) and the 8MP SK Hynix Hi-846 night-vision IR sensor was seen on the Oukitel WP60 Pro. But that phone didn’t use the Sony IMX616 front-facing sensor, and it used a GalaxyCore GC02M1 for the Macro.

The Sony IMX616 is better than the 32MP GalaxyCore GC32E1, but the 2MP Macro sensors don’t make a huge difference to the close-up shooting you can do.

The weakness of this layout is that the 108MP Samsung ISOCELL HM6 (S5KHM6) is used to avoid the need for zoom optics by providing a high-resolution sensor that can be cropped or pixel-binned. It offers a range of zoom settings from 1.0x to 4.0x. But it’s still not as good as having actual zoom optics, as the zoom jumps between settings, and the results for some digital zoom factors are better than for others.

The SK Hynix Hi-846 night vision sensor delivers impressive results in complete darkness, although it captures only in monochrome. And the Macro sensor is exceptionally grainy and requires excessive amounts of light to produce passable results.

Probably the biggest disappointment of this camera is that the primary Samsung ISOCELL has a resolution of 108MP, and you can shoot at that full resolution, but incredibly, the best video resolution available is only 1440p. That this phone, with a 108MP sensor, can’t offer 4K video is embarrassing.

The hardware is rated for 8K at 24 frames per second (fps) and 4K at 120fps, so the video resolution is down to the choices Oukitel made about the SoC and the Android camera application.

This camera can take some excellent still images, but if I were to drag a phone this big and heavy about the wilderness, I would at least expect it to shoot 4K video.

Oukitel WP61 Plus Camera samples

Oukitel WP61 Plus camera examples — Mark Pickavance

Camera score: 3/5

Oukitel WP61 Plus: performance

Older 6nm SoC
GPU issues with OpenGL 3.1 and Vulkan 1.3
Great battery life

Phone		Oukitel WP61 Plus	Blackview Oscal Tank 1
SoC		MediaTek Dimensity 7025	MediaTek Dimensity 7050
GPU		IMG BXM-8-256	Mali‑G68 MC4
NPU		MediaTek's APU 780	MediaTek NPU 550
Memory		12GB/512GB	12GB/256GB
Weight		656g	640g
Battery		20000	20000
Geekbench	Single	959	920
	Multi	2362	2466
	OpenCL	failed	2471
	Vulkan	failed	3036
PCMark	3.0 Score	13080	11684
	Battery	40h 9m Est.	33h 57m Est.
Charge 30	%	28	13
Passmark	Score	6620	6861
	CPU	5284	5285
3DMark	Slingshot OGL	3741	5293
	Slingshot Ex. OGL	3738	4150
	Slingshot Ex. Vulkan	2614	3940
	Wildlife	Failed	2232
	Nomad Lite	Failed	266

Phone

Oukitel WP61 Plus

Blackview Oscal Tank 1

SoC

MediaTek Dimensity 7025

MediaTek Dimensity 7050

GPU

IMG BXM-8-256

Mali‑G68 MC4

NPU

MediaTek's APU 780

MediaTek NPU 550

Memory

12GB/512GB

12GB/256GB

Weight

656g

640g

Battery

20000

Geekbench

Single

959

920

Multi

2362

2466

OpenCL

failed

2471

Vulkan

failed

3036

PCMark

3.0 Score

13080

11684

Battery

40h 9m Est.

33h 57m Est.

Charge 30

Passmark

Score

6620

6861

CPU

5284

5285

3DMark

Slingshot OGL

3741

5293

Slingshot Ex. OGL

3738

4150

Slingshot Ex. Vulkan

2614

3940

Wildlife

Failed

2232

Nomad Lite

Failed

266

Rather than putting the WP61 Plus against another phone with the same SoC, I thought it might be appropriate to compare it with a marginally better chip, so I chose the Blackview Oscal Tank 1. It uses the MediaTek Dimensity 7050, slightly better than the 7025.

Both of these phones have the same battery capacity and RAM, which makes them closer to each other than many other rugged phones. size

What these results show is that the Dimensity 7025 is modestly slower than the 7050 used in the Tank 1, until you test it with a graphics benchmark. The IMG BXM-8-256 GPU can’t run the OpenGL and Vulkan APIs used by GeekBench and is required for 3DMark Wildlife and Nomad Lite.

But the upside of poor GPU performance is that the battery lasts much longer, with the WP61 Plus running for more than 40 hours. However, that result is a predicted endpoint because, like the Oscal Tank 1, the WP61 Plus crashed PCMark before exhausting the battery. Not sure if this is an issue with the benchmark or how both these phone makers are managing their batteries.

The overall performance of the WP61 Plus is fine for most uses, but it's not a phone that gamers or anyone who uses VR will embrace. However, with curation, the battery could easily last six days or more, which could be useful off-grid.

Performance score: 4/5

Oukitel WP61 Plus: Final verdict

The Oukitel WP61 Plus is a device that sets out to do something genuinely different in a crowded market. Rather than competing solely on processing power or camera resolution, it bundles a professional-grade walkie-talkie, an enormous battery, and a camping light into a package that could plausibly replace multiple pieces of equipment for an outdoor professional or expedition team.

The Dimensity 7025 is not the most exciting chipset, and the physical dimensions mean this is not a device you will comfortably carry in a trouser pocket. But if your priorities are extended endurance, off-grid communications, and resilience in harsh environments, the WP61 Plus presents a compelling case at the asking price.

How useful DMR technology is to you will depend on whether you already use it or intend to buy multiple phones for walkie-talkie use. If it’s not something you'll use immediately, you could save yourself $50 by buying the base model, since it has everything else I’ve mentioned here.

Should I buy a Oukitel WP61 Plus?

Oukitel WP61 Plus Score Card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	Reasonable cost for a well-made device	4/5
Design	Substantial but purpose-built for outdoor use	3.5/5
Hardware	Unique walkie-talkie, 20,000mAh battery and mid-range SoC	4/5
Camera	Good for still images, but the lack of 4K video is poor	3/5
Performance	Great battery life, but sub-par GPU performance	4/5
Overall	Good price, excellent battery life and DMR	4/5

Buy it if...

You need off-grid communications
The built-in DMR walkie-talkie provides professional-grade radio communications without requiring a separate device, making it ideal for outdoor teams, construction sites, and expeditions.

You need extended battery life
Few smartphones can match a 20,000mAh battery for sheer staying power. If you're spending days or weeks away from mains power, the WP61 Plus could be your best option.

Don't buy it if...

You need a daily driver
The large frame is not practical for everyday pocket carry. If you need a rugged phone for general daily use rather than field deployment, a more compact option would serve better.

You need a top-tier SoC
The Dimensity 7025 is a mid-range chip. Competitors such as the Blackview Xplore 2 Satellite offer the more powerful Dimensity 8300 if raw performance is a priority.View Deal

Also Consider

Ulefone Armour Mini 20 Pro
A practical, 5G rugged design with an inbuilt camping light, night vision camera, but with less battery than the Oukitel WP61 Plus. This makes the phone easily pocketable and usable like a normal phone.

Read our full Ulefone Armor Mini 20 Pro review

Blackview Xplore 2 Satellite
Offers satellite communications via Skylo, the more powerful Dimensity 8300 SoC, and a 20,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging. Lacks the DMR walkie-talkie but adds genuine satellite connectivity.

Read our full Blackview Xplore 2 Satellite review View Deal

For more ruggedized devices, we've reviewed the best rugged tablets, the best rugged laptops, and the best rugged hard drives

EnGenius ECW520 budget Wi-Fi 7 access point review

2:44 pm | March 11, 2026

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: CPU, MSRP, PC, RAM | Comments: Off

With a throughput of over 11 Gbps, the EnGenius ECW520 wireless access point delivers excellent Wi-Fi 7 performance in a small footprint.

Specifications

Model: EnGenius ECW520

CPU: 1.5GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm ARM CPU

RAM: 1GB

Storage: 256MB flash

Radios: One 6GHz, one 5GHz and one 2.4GHz

Wireless throughput: Theoretical 11Gbps

Ports: 2.5Gb Ethernet with PoE

Weight: 600g

Dimensions: 15.8 cm x 15.8 cm x 3.9 cm

Power Consumption: 25W maximum consumption

MSRP: $189

It connects to the network via a 2.5Gb PoE port and seamlessly extends the range thanks to its mesh capability. A power consumption of just 25W under worst-case conditions means the case barely heats up when normally used.

The out-of-the-box cloud support makes deploying the ECW520 a breeze. The unit provides several operating modes: AP, mesh, or AP with mesh, and packs three full-duplex radios.

The 6 dBi antennas and 23 dBm RF amplifiers result in an operating range of over 10 meters at 500 Mbps throughput. The ease of installation and use, along with its decent wireless performance, make the ECW520 ideal for small offices or work-from-home setups.

EnGenius ECW520 2 — (Image credit: Future)

EnGenius ECW520: Price and Availability

The access point sells for $189 and includes a mounting wall adapter. The larger ECW526 AP with similar radio performance sports 10Gb ports and costs $299. The ECW536 top-tier AP with 4x4x4 radios supports more simultaneous connections and costs $589.

Engenius access points can only be managed through their cloud services, which start at $50 per device, while the basic free access lacks API support.

EnGenius ECW520 3 — (Image credit: Future)

EnGenius ECW520: Design

The Engenius ECW520 ships in a tiny box, something surprising for a Wi-Fi 7 access point. This gives a sense of the unit's size: the white plastic case measures 15.8 cm x 15.8 cm x 3.9 cm and weighs 600 g. The metal back panel serves as a heatsink and hosts the module’s ports. Two mounting holes secure the unit vertically to a wall using screws. The unit can also clip onto a plastic base, enabling a faster and easier installation than with just screws.

A single multicolor LED on the front panel provides visual cues about the access point's status. When working normally, the LED emits a blue light. For any other case, the LED blinks either green or blue. The metal back panel features a 12V power socket and a 2.5Gb Ethernet port. A small recessed button is also present and requires a paper clip or pen to reset the AP.

The ECW520 hardware is powered by a Qualcomm CPU and radio chipset. The 1.5GHz quad-core ARM processor has 1GB of DDR4 RAM and 256 MB of flash memory. Three radio modules provide duplex data links at 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz, for an aggregate throughput of 11 Gb/s using the 802.11be standard. The device integrates 23 dBm radio amplifiers and 6 dBi high-gain internal antennas to boost the RF signal.

EnGenius ECW520 4 — (Image credit: Future)

EnGenius ECW520: In Use

Setting up the ECW520 requires installing the Engenius Cloud app and signing up on the Engenius website. The procedure is complete after scanning a QR code on the back of the access point, which then creates a new device in the mobile app. The AP gets upgraded at this point if a new firmware is available.

The EnGenius cloud service is essential for remote access to the AP. Users can deploy, monitor, and troubleshoot multiple sites from a single interface, either in a browser or, with reduced functionality, from the Cloud To-Go mobile app. Among its most useful features is the Visualized Topology, which provides an overall health report for the network and all connected appliances.

The ECW520 draws power either from the PoE port or a 12V center-positive socket. The access point's power consumption is around 25W with active Wi-Fi connections and radio amplifiers set to maximum gain. At a range of one meter, the ECW520 performs well, achieving a throughput of 2 gigabits per second on the 6 GHz band. Throughput halves at 5 meters, reaching 600 Mbps at 10 meters.

Extending the ECW520's range is achieved with a second unit. The additional AP can either use an existing Ethernet connection or work in a mesh configuration, with only a power adapter connected to it. A mesh works by sharing bandwidth with other ECW520s via a backhaul channel, thereby reducing throughput but providing extra range.

EnGenius ECW520: Competition

The ECW520 packs three duplex radios with high-gain antennas and amplifiers. The simple design targets 2.5Gb PoE infrastructures with cloud management in mind.

The Zyxel NWA130BE has similar features to the ECW520, but it is twice as large. Moreover, its 4 dBi antennas are 2 dBi lower than those in the ECW520, reducing data rates at greater distances from the access point.

EnGenius ECW520: Final Verdict

The ECW520 is a budget-conscious solution that instantly connects to the cloud and delivers over 11 Gbps of throughput over three radio bands.

Thanks to high-gain antennas, these radios provide adequate range for a small home office, with transfer rates of 500 Mbps or more at 10 meters.

The unit is small and discrete, and comes with one wall-mounting panel as an accessory. Since it supports PoE, only one Ethernet connection is required for installation.

Buy if . . . you already have Engenius products and want to get Wi-Fi 7 speed.

Don’t buy . . . if you want to get the most throughput out of your 10Gb wired installation.

We've listed the best WIFI adapters for PC..

I tested MSI’s new convertible laptop, and its build and performance are top-drawer — but content creators will be left wanting more

1:10 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Acer Chromebook Spin, CPU, Total War, USB | Comments: Off

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+: Two-minute review

The MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is a convertible laptop marketed for business users, and includes a stylus to unlock its full creative potential.

It cuts a sophisticated figure, thanks to its dark grey finish and minimal aesthetic. The ultra thin chassis with its soft, curved edges also help to make this an easy laptop to live with, especially if you’re frequently on the move.

Build quality is also excellent. Every material feels premium, and while the hinges for the lid are a little incongruous, they provide a very smooth pivot, which ranks among the best 2-in-1 laptop actions.

The included Nano Pen is engineered to an equally high standard. Like the laptop itself, it’s very compact, and stows away neatly under the front edge of the base, where it also charges wirelessly. It’s easy enough to remove, but putting it back is a little more awkward, since its integrated magnets encourage it to orient incorrectly.

For a laptop this small, it’s impressive that the Flip AI+ manages to include four USB ports (two type-C and two type-A), an HDMI port, and a headset jack. It’s a small shame, though, that a productivity-focused laptop such as this doesn’t feature an SD card reader of any kind.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 355 in my Flip AI+ review unit handled productivity and entertainment workloads with aplomb, while the 32GB of RAM meant it had no problem multitasking. It even managed to run AAA games in a playable state — surprising given there’s no dedicated GPU on board. However, this absence was felt when the Flip AI+ failed to even complete a benchmark test for Adobe Premiere.

Front view of MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ open on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

A fair amount of noise is generated even when moderate workloads are undertaken. Some heat can be felt towards the rear as well, reaching the top rows of the keyboard, but thankfully temperatures remained comfortable.

The OLED display of the Flip AI+ is sharp and clear, although it lacks the brightness of the best monitors. Reflections and fingerprints are also visible at times. The touchscreen functions well, though, especially when used with the included Nano Pen; both combine to offer precise and responsive inputs.

MSI Center S is the utility app for the Flip AI+, housing system information and performance tweaks, as well as the ability to enable and customize the Action Touchpad. In the case of the latter, I had to manually update the app for these to work properly, even though I had automatic updates enabled.

The default quick controls for the touchpad are useful and operate smoothly for the most part. However, the brightness slider on the right edge would often trigger unintentionally when I typed, which was frustrating. Another frustration was the momentary freezes and jumps I sometimes experienced when attempting to navigate the cursor.

Fortunately, typing on the Flip AI+ is less fraught. The keys are snappy, although they’re perhaps a little heavier and harsher than I would’ve liked, resulting in the occasional press failing to register. Nonetheless, this is still a board suited to quick typing.

The battery life of the Flip AI+ easily ranks among the best in class. It lasted over 30 hours when I left it to playback a movie on a continuous loop, which is very impressive. It’s also quick to charge, making it a great laptop for those constantly on the move.

The Flip AI+ is undeniably expensive, but considering its premium design, powerful spec, and convertible capabilities, it represents good value. There are certainly cheaper 2-in-1 laptops that offer sufficient everyday performance, but the Flip AI+ is a more complete package. If its touchpad was less frustrating and it had a dedicated GPU, it’d be a hard laptop to beat at this price point.

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review: Price & availability

Close-up of webcam on MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

$1,699.99 / £1,349.99 / AU$$2,999
Available now
Good value for the spec

The MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ costs $1,699.99 / £1,349.99 / AU$$2,999 and is available now. Various Intel Core Ultra processors are available depending on region, and in Australia, only the unit with 2TB of storage appears to be available.

If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly convertible laptop, the HP Pavilion x360 14 is a solid alternative. It has a weaker spec than the Flip AI+, and you’ll have to provide your own stylus, but it’s a great device for everyday tasking.

If you want to save even more money on a 2-in-1, the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is one of the best Chromebooks in this class. Of course, you’ll have to forgo Windows, but if you don’t need the versatility of Microsoft’s OS, a Chromebook can be a useful companion for your studies and light entertainment.

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review: specs

Price	$1,699.99 / £1,349.99 / AU$$2,999
CPU	US: Intel Core Ultra X7 358H (1.5GHz, 16 cores) UK: Intel Core Ultra 7 355 (2.3GHz, 8 Cores) Aus: Intel Core Ultra 9 386H (2.1GHz, 16 cores)
GPU	Intel Graphics (integrated)
RAM	32GB LPDDR5x
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD Aus: 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	14-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200), OLED, 16:10, Touchscreen, 100% DCI-P3 (Typical), Low Blue Light & Flicker-free certified by SGS, MSI Nano Pen support
Ports and Connectivity	2x USB-A (3.2 Gen2), 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort, PD 3.0), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0
Battery	81Wh
Dimensions	12.4 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches (316 x 222 x 14mm)
Weight	3lbs / 1.37kg

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review: Design

Close-up of touchpad on MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ — (Image credit: Future)

Thin and premium design
Plenty of USB ports
Discreet Nano Pen storage

Credit where credit’s due, MSI has done an admirable job of making the Flip AI+ a stylish machine. Its steely grey finish and minimal proportions impart an elegance not usually found in brand’s designs. What’s more, it’s impressively thin and free from extraneous bulges, even underneath (save from two full-width feet). All this helps to make it an easy device to travel with.

I also appreciated the rounded edges, which are curved more prominently than most. This makes it comfortable to hold and pick up. The thin bezel around the display is another facet of the laptop’s overall sleekness.

All the materials employed in the construction of the Flip AI+ feel premium, especially those of the keyboard and touchpad. They put me in mind of the best MacBooks, which are pretty much the standard bearers for laptop build quality.

Close-up of keyboard on MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ — (Image credit: Future)

However, the minimalist appearance of the Flip AI+ is somewhat upset by the lid hinges. They look a little cumbersome in relation to the rest of the unit, and create a somewhat unsightly gap between the lid and base. At least they operate smoothly, allowing for easy conversion when you want to use the touchscreen exclusively.

The included Nano Pen is just as compact as the laptop itself. It’s much smaller than many others, but no less upmarket in its design. It charges wirelessly, and the compartment to stow it is discreetly integrated into the underside of the Flip AI+, near the front edge.

This makes it easy to remove, requiring a slight tilt of the base of the Flip AI+ to access. You can even do this one-handed. However, it’s a little more awkward to put back: whenever I tried, the magnets inside the Nano Pen kept trying to flip it around from its correct orientation, requiring more encouragement than I would’ve liked to insert the right way up.

The Flip AI+ features all the essential outboard connections: there are two USB-A ports on the right and two USB-C on the left; the latter support charging of the Flip AI+ as well as external monitor signals. An HDMI port and a 3.5mm combo audio jack are also present, split across either side. Considering how thin and compact the unit is, including this many ports feels generous, although I always lament the omission of an SD card reader on a laptop designed for productivity.

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review: Performance

Hand holding MSI Nano Pen with MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ and pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Impressive general performance
Loud under load
Action Touchpad misfire issue

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 31,643; Fire Strike: 6,517; Steel Nomad: 607; Solar Bay:12,337; Solar Bay Unlimited: 12,434; Solar Bay Extreme: 1,793; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 1,793
Geekbench 6.5: Multicore: 11,670; Single-core: 2,752
Cinebench R23: Multi Core: 10,177; Cinebench R24: Single Core: 116; Multi Core: 628
Crossmark: Overall: 1,785; Productivity: 1,700; Creativity: 2,037; Responsiveness: 1,392
Passmark Overall: 6,809.7; CPU: 22,456.1; 2D Graphics: 780.2; 3D Graphics: 5,363; Memory: 3,581.1; Disk: 48,869.8
BlackMagicDisk: Read: 4,221MB/s; Write: 3,500MB/s
Total War: Warhammer III: 1080p, Medium: 30.2fps
Total War: Warhammer III: 1440p, Ultra: 19.2fps

The Flip AI+ performed well in most of the tasks I conducted. It handled light productivity and entertainment – including 4K streaming – without issue. It also proved to be a capable multitasker, although this was hardly a surprise given the 32GB of RAM my review unit was crammed with.

Even though the Flip AI+ doesn’t have a dedicated GPU, I was impressed with its gaming prowess. It ran Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset remarkably well. Granted, the visuals were rough around the edges and frame rates were well short of those delivered by the best gaming laptops, but it was still enjoyable enough for casual play.

Video editors and creators will be more disappointed with the Flip AI+, though. It failed to even complete PugetBench’s Adobe Premiere benchmark, despite repeated attempts, due to a certain GPU effect failing to render.

The Flip AI+ also has a tendency to emit a fair amount of fan noise when undertaking workloads, even those that could be described as moderate. This is usually accompanied by some prominent heat at the rear of the unit and on the top row of the keyboard. Mercifully, the temperatures are far from being intolerable, but you’ll certainly notice them.

Hand holding MSI Nano Pen against display of MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

As for the display of the Flip AI+, its 1920 x 1200 resolution is clear and sharp, and the OLED technology helps with contrast. It reveals reflections and fingermarks a little too easily, and I wish the maximum brightness setting was higher, but thankfully these grievances aren’t ruinous to the overall visual experience.

Another important aspect of the Flip AI+’s display is its touchscreen functionality. It’s precise and responsive, if a little grabby when used with fingers. However, it handles the included Nano Pen much better. This glides smoothly across the surface, making it ideal for navigation, handwriting, and drawing.

However, the sheer slenderness of the Nano Pen makes using the two side buttons — which are used to erase content, take screenshots, and activate the inbuilt microphone — very awkward when adopting a writing position. Those with daintier digits might have an easier time, but I struggled.

Another standout feature of the Flip AI+ is its Action Touchpad. I found this useful for controlling various parameters, such as volume and screen brightness, quickly. You can also double-tap the left and right corners to open Windows’ Calculator app and the MSI Center S respectively.

However, my initial experience with these functions was beset by various bugs, from the aforementioned quick controls failing to register, to the three custom slots refusing their assignments.

Three-quarter view of MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ open on white desk with MSI Nano Pen leaning on it, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Thankfully, a manual download to update the MSI Center S to its latest version seemed to fix most of these issues. I was disappointed, though, that this update failed to initiate automatically, since I had this option toggled in the app settings.

I was also disappointed that there was still no way to customize the six default quick controls. But a bigger frustration was the frequent accidental triggering of the brightness quick control, caused by the palm of my thumb when typing. To prevent this I would have to disable all quick controls, since you can’t disable them individually.

This issue aside, typing with the Flip AI+ is mostly pleasant. The keyboard features plenty of useful shortcuts on the top row, including those for Bluetooth settings and Windows’ Snipping Tool. However, disappointingly for a productivity-focused machine, there’s no number pad or even a navigation cluster. There is backlighting, though, which is always cause for celebration in a laptop.

In action, the keys are snappy thanks to their short actuation, which makes for quick typing. However, they’re a little heavier than those in your average laptop, which, in my experience, results in the occasional hit failing to register. Dampening is minimal as well, which can make presses feel a little harsh. These are minor grievances, though, and only stand when compared to the best keyboards around.

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review: Battery life

Close-up of MSI Nano Pen in compartment underneath MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Phenomenal endurance
Quick to charge

The battery life of the Flip AI+ is truly spectacular. MSI quotes a longevity of 30 hours, but according to my testing — which involved playing a movie on a continuous loop — it actually exceeded this already remarkable figure by a couple of hours.

To put this into perspective, the most enduring laptop I ever tested was the HP OmniBook 7 14-inch, but even this fell someway short of the Flip AI+ in the same test, mustering just under 26 hours. The Flip AI+ is also quick to charge, taking about two hours to replenish from total depletion.

Should I buy the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+?

Scorecard

Category	Notes	Rating
Value	Aside from the lack of a dedicated GPU, the Flip AI+ offers a lot for the money.	4 / 5
Design	Super-thin and with a premium construction, the Flip AI+ ticks all the right boxes in terms of design. Port selection is also reasonable, given the compact form factor.	4.5 / 5
Performance	The Flip AI+ offers great all-round performance, although the absence of a dedicated GPU might disappoint creatives. The touchscreen and Nano Pen are both great, but the Action Touchpad can frustrate.	4 / 5
Battery Life	Pretty much unbeatable. It has a video playback time of over 30 hours, and it’s quick to charge, too.	5 / 5
Final Score	The MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is a very competent, convertible laptop that represents good value when you consider its build and performance. Only a few minor gripes hold it back from a full-throated recommendation.	4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want an easy-to-use convertible laptop
Light, thin, and well made, the Flip AI+ is easy to use in its converted mode, and the touchscreen and pen function very well, too.

You want a strong spec
Integrated graphics aside, the spec of the Flip AI+ is certainly powerful enough for the needs of many productivity users.

You want to go all day unplugged
I haven’t come across a laptop with a better battery life: it comfortably lasts more than a full day’s worth of use.

Don't buy it if…

You want serious graphical power
Even though I was impressed by how well it ran AAA games, the Flip AI+ isn’t a patch on machines with dedicated GPUs.

You want a fuss-free touchpad
The Action Touchpad is most excellent, but the frequent misfiring of the brightness slider when typing was frustrating.

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review: Also consider

HP Pavilion x360 14
Another 2-in-1 Windows laptop, the HP Pavilion x360 14 is a competent everyday machine with a premium design and a sharp display, but a much lower price tag than the Flip AI+. There are models without backlit keyboards, but I recommend steering clear of those, given how hard it is to make out the key symbols even in the light. Read our full HP Pavilion x360 14 review.

Acer Chromebook Spin 312
If you want a seriously budget convertible option, the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is a solid choice. Since it’s a Chromebook, you’ll have to forgo the versatility of Windows, but it’s still a strong-performer with a great display and a compact design that’s suited for travel. Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review.

How I tested the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+

Close-up of ports on left-hand side of MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, on a white desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for several days
Ran our series of benchmarks

I tested the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ for several days, during which time I used it for all manner of tasks, from general browsing and productivity to streaming and gaming.

I also ran our extensive series of benchmarks, designed to assess every facet of a laptop’s performance. I also tested the battery life by running a movie on a continuous loop while the Flip AI+ was unplugged until it died.

I’ve been using laptops for decades and have reviewed a large number of them, from budget affairs and Chromebooks to mid-range productivity machines and high-end gaming models.

First reviewed: March 2026
Read more about how we test

Arduino Ventuno Q announced with powerful CPU and GPU, 40 TOPS of AI performance too

8:18 pm | March 9, 2026

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: AI, CPU, GPU | Comments: Off

Last year, Qualcomm acquired Arduino, a company known for its tinker-friendly microcontroller kits and single board computers (SBC). The first product to follow was the Uno Q, which was powerful enough to run Linux. Now comes a much more capable device that is tailor-built for AI applications, robotics, security, education and research. The Uno Q had a quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and an Adreno 702 GPU, which shared 4GB of RAM. Lightweight AI tasks could run on the CPU and GPU. The new Arduino Ventuno Q is a very different beast. For one, it’s powered by the Dragonwing IQ-8275 (PDF)...