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I finally got the Purple MacBook I’ve been begging for, it just turned out to be the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop

6:06 pm | June 13, 2025

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Two-minute review

I have been begging Apple to release a purple MacBook for a few years now and have been repeatedly disappointed year after year, so when I found out that the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch was going to sport a pastel purple colorway, it really was Microsoft's game to lose here.

And while it doesn't quite come close enough to dethroning the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch, performance-wise, it's a very solid everyday laptop that looks undeniably superior to Apple's rather boring MacBook Air design over the past couple of years.

The Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at $899.99 / £1,099 / AU$1,699 on Microsoft's website, which is roughly the same price as the MacBook Air 13-inch (which starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699), but its performance, at times, is substantially slower than Apple's best laptop, making it an iffy value proposition for those who could go either way as far as operating systems go.

Had the Surface Laptop 13-inch shipped with an Intel Lunar Lake chip rather than the underpowered Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core SoC, this would be an entirely different review, as I'd be giving this laptop six-out-of-five stars, because in just about every other way than its performance and minor compatibility issues, this is the best ultrabook I've ever put my hands on.

Aesthetically, it's an upgrade over its larger Surface Laptop 7 sibling that launched last year, with a tighter form factor that is exceptionally lightweight and sleek. It's 3:2 display offers plenty of real estate for a laptop this small, and its keyboard and trackpad are a dream to type on.

Best of all, it comes in purple (technically 'Violet'), though you will pay slightly more for this color option than the base platinum colorway as it is only available on the higher capacity configuration.

Meanwhile, the ARM-based Snapdragon X Plus is an incredibly efficient chip, getting just over 17 hours of battery life on a single charge in my testing, which easily translates into two full workdays or more without recharging, outlasting even the latest MacBook Air 13-inch models.

If all you're looking for is a gorgeous-looking laptop that is great for everyday computing tasks, school work, and general productivity—while liberating you from having to keep a constant eye out for power outlets to recharge day after day—then the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch is one of the best Windows laptops you can buy. It just isn't the knockout blow against the MacBook Air that Windows fans might be hoping for.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Price & availability

A Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch on a desk — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much does it cost? Starts at $899.99 / £1,039 / AU$1,699
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch is available now, starting at $899.99 / £899 / AU$1,699 directly from Microsoft or at retail partners. It comes in slightly cheaper than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 in the US and UK, (starting at $1,099.99 and £1,039, respectively). In Australia, however, the larger Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch starts out cheaper at AU$1,597 (and it comes with more powerful hardware to boot).

The Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch also features a more powerful Qualcomm chip, a sharper screen, and better port support (though no Violet colorway, you'll have to settle for the equally gorgeous Sapphire option).

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch starts with an 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus SoC, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, 256GB storage, and a Platinum colorway. You can increase the storage by 256GB for an additional $100, which also gives you the option of picking either the Violet or Ocean colorway.View Deal

Similarly, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is also slightly cheaper than the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 in the US (starting at $999), while being slightly more expensive in the UK (the base MacBook Air 13-inch start at £999), while there is no difference in starting price between the two in Australia.

Compare this, however, with a similar memory-and-storage-specced Dell 14 Plus, starting at $799.99 / £999 / AU$1,298, but which comes with more powerful x86 processors from AMD and Intel, meaning that you get better performance without any compatibility worries that comes with ARM-based chips.

Granted, none of these competing laptops look anywhere near as good as the Surface Laptop 13-inch, but if your main interest is performance, there are cheaper options that will get you what you want.

All that said, however, this is the best-looking laptop you're going to find at this price, in my opinion, and yes, that includes the entire MacBook lineup. If you want to look good at a cafe while reading emails, or streaming Netflix in an airport lounge while waiting for a flight, this laptop will turn heads (at least in Violet) without totally breaking the bank.

The only real knock I can point to is that the long-term value of the Surface Laptop 13-inch is lower than a MacBook Air 13-inch with M4. The latter is much more performant and it will stay 'current' for a few years longer than the Surface Laptop 13-inch, in all likelihood.

Value: 3.5 / 5

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Specs

The ports on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core SoC
16GB LPDDR5x
The display could be better

There isn't a whole lot of variation in terms of spec configurations for the Surface Laptop 13-inch, with the biggest difference being some extra storage and two additional colorway options.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch Base Specs
Price:		$899.99 at Microsoft.com \| £899 at Microsoft.com\| AU$1,699 at Microsoft.com
Colorways:		Platinum
CPU:		Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core
GPU:		Qualcomm Adreno X1-45
Memory:		16GB LPDDR5X-4300
Storage:		256GB SSD
Screen:		13-inch, 3:2, 1920x1280p 60Hz, 400-nit, Touch PixelSense
Ports:		2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):		50WHr
Wireless:		WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:		1080p
Weight:		2.7 lbs (1.22 kg)
Dimensions:		11.25 x 8.43 x 0.61 ins \| (285.65 x 214.14 x 15.6mm)

For $100 / £100 / AU$200 more, you can upgrade the storage on the Surface Laptop 13-inch to 512GB and get additional Violet and Ocean colorway options, but otherwise the more expensive configuration (which I tested out for this review) is identical to the base configuration.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch Max Specs
Price:		$999.99 at Microsoft.com \| £999 at Microsoft.com\| AU$1,899 at Microsoft.com
Colorways:		Platinum, Violet, Ocean
CPU:		Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core
GPU:		Qualcomm Adreno X1-45
Memory:		16GB LPDDR5X-4300
Storage:		512GB SSD
Screen:		13-inch, 3:2, 1920x1280p 60Hz, 400-nit, Touch PixelSense display
Ports:		2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB Type-A 3.1, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack
Battery (WHr):		50WHr
Wireless:		WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:		1080p
Weight:		2.7 lbs (1.22 kg)
Dimensions:		11.25 x 8.43 x 0.61 ins \| (285.65 x 214.14 x 15.6mm)

There's no option to upgrade the memory or storage on any of these models beyond the configuration options at the time of purchase, which does make the longevity of the Surface Laptop 13-inch's specs more limited than laptops like the Dell 14 Plus, where you can at least upgrade the storage if you'd like.

And while the specs on the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 might not be upgradable either, they are simply better overall for a relatively small increase in price, meaning the long-term value of the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) is superior overall.

Specs: 3.5 / 5

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Design

A masculing hand holding the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch at an angle — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Beautiful color options and fantastic aesthetics
Light and portable
Display resolution is only 1280p with no HDR

The design of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch is simply stunning. There's no other way to describe it. Starting with the exterior aesthetics, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is as close to a MacBook Air for Windows as you're going to find on the market, and in my opinion, it's even better looking thanks to the additional Violet and Ocean colorways alongside the default Platinum look of the base model. You pay extra for the splash of color, but it's a worthwhile investment. The machined aluminum finish of the laptop chassis, along with the pastel-ish hue of the chassis and the darker, more matte color of the keycaps and trackpad.

The keyboard on a Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The display on the Surface Laptop 13-inch is a step down from the larger 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 from 2024, which had a maximum resolution of 2,304x1,536p (a PPI of 201, compared to the 1,920x1,280p Surface Laptop 13-inch's 178 PPI) and 120Hz refresh compared to just 60Hz for the Surface Laptop 13-inch.

It also has a lower contrast ratio of 1,000:1 compared to the larger version's 1,400:1. The Surface Laptop 7's display is also made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. In contrast, the Surface Laptop 13-inch's display is only "Strengthened glass" according to Microsoft's official spec sheet for the Surface Laptop lineup.

The display does max out at 400-nits, though, which is nice and bright enough for most people and situations, but you might struggle to see the screen properly if you're using the laptop outside on a bright sunny day.

I found that carrying the Surface Laptop 13-inch around was very easy, as it fit in pretty much any bag and was thin and compact enough that I was able to use it sitting in an airplane seat during my 15-hour flight to Computex 2025 last month with almost no issue.

Speaking of using the laptop, the key switches are quiet and have good travel and responsiveness, and everything is well-spaced, so you don't feel cramped despite the laptop's smaller size. The trackpad is likewise responsive and smooth, making navigation and clicking around the desktop a breeze.

A Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch next to a dime to show its thinness — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

One thing that's not that great is the port selection, which is limited to two USB-C Gen 3.2 ports, a USB-A Gen 3.1 port, and a 3.5mm jack for a headset. It'd have been nice to get some USB4 ports in there like you get with the larger Surface Laptop 7 models, but both USB-C ports do support power delivery and DP 1.4 output (though if you're trying to connect to more than one monitor, you need one port per monitor, rather than being able to daisy-chain them to just a single port).

The webcam of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The webcam, meanwhile, is a 1080p Surface Studio Camera that is crisp enough, but unlike the larger Surface Laptop models from last year, it does not support Windows Hello authentication, and it doesn't have a physical privacy shutter, which in 2025 should be pretty much mandatory, so along with the port and display downgrades, I've got to ding what is otherwise a nearly perfect design.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Performance

A Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch on a bed — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

A performance downgrade from last year's Surface Laptop
Some compatibility issues with ARM architecture still linger
Gaming is functionally a no-go

What holds the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch from really being the fierce MacBook Air competitor that many of us hoped it would be is the 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus SoC.

When I reviewed the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 last year, I was genuinely impressed by the performance of the Snapdragon X Elite chip, despite the compatibility challenges that Windows-on-Arm is still working through. That was a much more powerful chip, though, and even the 10-core Snapdragon X Plus SoC offers noticeably better performance than what the Surface Laptop 13-inch is packing.

The 8-core chip isn't awful, to be clear. It's perfectly good for general computing tasks like streaming, school work, and office productivity, and it's probably one of the best student laptops out there for those who want a little bit of style to go along with their studies.

But if you need this laptop to do anything other than writing up papers and reports, streaming movies, or using web-based cloud software, you will likely be unhappy with what you're getting here for the price.

The most direct and obvious comparisons I can make with this laptop is the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with Apple Silicon (starting with the Apple M2), the larger 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7, the recently released Dell 14 Plus, last year's Dell XPS 13 (with both Intel and Qualcomm SoCs), and the Asus Zenbook A14 with the entry-level Snapdragon X SoC.

Only the M2 MacBook Air 13-inch and Dell 14 Plus are cheaper than the Surface Laptop 13-inch (at least at the time of review), and all of these laptops start around the same price, give or take a hundred bucks or so.

The models I've tested and that TechRadar has reviewed in the past vary by spec, so it's not entirely an apples-to-apples comparison laid out in the charts above, as some of the Dell and Apple notebooks' advantages can be easily chalked up to more expensive processors.

If you go with any of those systems at the same price as the Surface Laptop 13-inch I tested, the performance difference might not be nearly as dramatic on paper, and almost certainly won't be all that noticeable.

Still, it's pretty clear that the Surface Laptop 13-inch either lands somewhere in the middle of its competition, or comes in second or third from the bottom. Add to that some performance issues stemming from Microsoft's Prism software layer that translates x86-architecture-designed programs, which is pretty much every Windows program, to be ARM-compatible.

Generally, this works rather well, but it does introduce system overhead that will slow things down. In short, unless you're running a piece of rare ARM-native software, you will almost never get as good an experience with Windows software on ARM as you would with the x86 architecture powering Intel and AMD chips.

The question really comes down to whether or not the performance is good enough, and I think that for most people, it will be (unless you want to load up Steam and get into PC gaming. The best gaming laptop, this is not).

A masculine hand typing on a Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Much like the MacBook Air 13-inch, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is more geared toward casual computing needs and productivity work, and it excels at these tasks.

So, even though the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 gets roughly twice as many FPS as the Surface Laptop 13-inch, the MacBook Air 13-inch still struggles to maintain playable frame rates unless you seriously scale back your graphics settings.

The MacBook's gaming advantage, then, only really looks intimidating as a percentage, but in practice, none of the laptops I tested were suitable for the task of playing, say, Cyberpunk 2077 at max settings and native resolution.

What it really boils down to, then, is whether you're just looking for a new laptop to keep up with friends and family, maybe do some office work, or write that Sci-Fi novel at the local coffee shop that you've been meaning to finally get around to this year.

If those are the boxes that need ticking, any of the laptops listed above will get the job done, but none will look as good as the Violet Surface Laptop 13-inch.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Battery Life

The battery life indicator on a Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How long does it last on a single charge? 17 hours and 14 minutes
How long to recharge from empty to full? With the included 45W charger, it takes about two and a half hours to charge to full.

One other key area where the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch shines is its stellar battery life. In my testing, it ran about 17 hours and 14 minutes on average in my battery test, thanks to the super efficient ARM architecture. This puts it in fourth place overall in my 10 laptop test group, but it does outlast all three MacBook Air 13-inch models in the group by an hour or more.

So even though it's not officially in the battery life winner's circle, you can't ask for much more from a laptop this thin and light.

Battery Life: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch?

A masculine hand holding the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 Scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	While not as cheap as something like the Dell 14 Plus, it is on par or cheaper than similar offerings from Dell and Apple.	3.5 / 5
Specs	There aren't a whole lot of configuration options, and the lack of USB4 is unfortunate.	3.5 / 5
Design	It's simply gorgeous and a joy to type on. If it had a physical camera privacy shutter, better ports, and a better display, it'd be a 6 out of 5.	4.5 / 5
Performance	For a casual use notebook, it's in line with similarly specced Windows laptops, but the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 runs circles around it.	3.5 / 5
Battery Life	At just over 17 hours of battery life in my testing, this is one of the longest lasting Windows laptops around.	5 / 5
Final Score	It's not perfect, and had Microsoft flexed some muscle to get a 10-core chip in this laptop without raising its price, it'd truly be the Windows MacBook Air we've been waiting for, but it'll be more than close enough for most people and looks better than anything Apple has put out in years.	4 / 5

Buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch if...

You want a truly eye-catching laptop
This is the look we should have gotten on the M2 MacBook Air redesign, rather than the dull, uninteresting colors we got. Apple's mistep is Microsoft's advantage.

You want an all-day laptop
At 17+ hours of battery life in my testing—including using it throughout an almost 15-hour flight to Taipei—this laptop has the juice.

Don't buy it if...

You want a high-performance laptop
If you want a laptop for serious professional workloads like video editing or for PC gaming, you're going to want to opt for a beefier device.

You want worry-free app compatibility
While most Windows apps will work on this device thanks to Microsoft's Prism compatibility layer, you will still occasionally run into some apps that won't work on ARM devices.

Also consider

If my Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch review has you looking at other options, here are three other laptops you should consider instead...

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
The most recent Apple MacBook Air 13-inch offers substantially better performance than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13, making it a much better value.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review

Dell XPS 13 9350
If you don't want to hassle with the quirks of Qualcomm's ARM-based chips, the Intel Lunar Lake-powered XPS 13 is a fantastic alternative.

Read our full Dell XPS 13 9350 review

How I tested the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch

I spent about a month with the device
I used our standard suite of benchmarking tools and performance tests
I used it as my primary work laptop, including taking it on an international work trip

I spent about a month with the Surface Laptop 13-inch, far longer than I usually spend with a device under review. While this was mostly due to circumstance (Computex and WWDC, in particular), this did allow me to do a much deeper dive.

In addition to my normal benchmarking process, I took extra time to retest some competing laptops we had in the office to come up with a more thorough comparison against the Surface Laptop 13-inch's competitors.

First reviewed June 2025

MSI Raider A18 HX review: big in power, big in size… as in literally too big

2:53 pm | June 11, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: CPU, GPU, RAM, Total War | Comments: Off

MSI Raider A18 HX: Two-minute review

The MSI Raider A18 HX is a high-end, premium gaming laptop with a price point to match. Featuring some of the absolute best specifications on offer on the market right now, there’s no need to worry about low frame rates or poor game quality when sporting this titan of a machine.

You do get absolutely brilliant gaming performance on the MSI Raider A18 HX, however this is the expectation when it comes to a laptop at this price point. This device is by no means an option for those who are budget-conscious, however, but you get gaming performance like no other, a stunning 4K display, and a laptop which is future-proofed for years to come.

It does, however, come with some big flaws. Of course, you’d expect an 18-inch gaming laptop to be large, but this device really and truly is on another level in terms of both size and weight.

It’s a behemoth of a device which does have its perks, such as an immersive screen size and lots of ports, but on the other hand, it's so large to a point I wouldn’t necessarily consider it portable. It also only features a 2TB SSD, which despite sounding large, will easily be filled with the size of AAA titles in this day and age.

MSI Raider A18 HX: Price and availability

How much does it cost? $5,609.99 / £4,799
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? UK and US

The MSI Raider A18 HX is a top-of-the-line laptop in terms of performance and of course that comes with a matching price point. Coming in at over $5,000 for the highest specification edition of this laptop, this price point is not for the faint of heart. Considering the specifications of the laptop, the price point does make sense as similar options are around the same price point.

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, which also features a RTX 5090 graphics card and a larger SSD, will set you back $4,499.99 / £5,099.

You can currently get this laptop in the UK, US and other select regions across the world. However, it’s currently not available in Australia.

Value: 4 /5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Specs

Closed lid of the MSI Raider A18 HX — (Image credit: Future)

MSI Raider A18 HX: Specs
	Base configuration	Review configuration
Model	Raider A18 HX A9WIG-003	Raider A18 HX A9WJG-002
Price	$4,499.99 / £3,999	$5,609.99 / £4,799
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Processor	AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Processor
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
RAM	64GB DDR5	64GB DDR5
Screen	Mini LED, 18inch, 3840 x 2400p, 120Hz refresh rate	Mini LED, 18inch, 3840 x 2400p, 120Hz refresh rate
Storage	2TB SSD	2TB SSD
Ports	3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x SD Card reader, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack	3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x SD Card reader, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Camera	HD Camera (30fps, 1080p)	HD Camera (30fps, 1080p)
Weight	3.6kg	3.6kg
Dimensions	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm

The MSI Raider A18 HX is a top-end gaming device where you can either opt for the Nvidia RTX 5090 or Nvidia RTX 5080 graphics cards. While both of these provide high-level graphics performance, if you really want the best of the best in terms of specifications then of course the Nvidia RTX 5090 is the clear option.

All the other specs between these two devices are identical, so no matter which option you pick up, you’ll be getting a mighty processor as well as an almost excessive amount of RAM with 64GB at your disposal.

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Various angles of the MSI Raider A18 HX laptop — (Image credit: Future)

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MSI Raider A18 HX: Design

Large and heavy
18-inch screen looks fantastic
Plenty of ports

When first unboxing the MSI Raider A18 HX, all I could think was… woah. Weighing in at 3.6kg, this definitely isn’t the lightest of laptops, and pair this with the absolutely massive size measuring at 404 x 307.5 x 32.05 mm, this device is almost certainly too big for most laptop backpacks.

Being an avid collector of laptop bags, I tried it in a whole load of different bags, and the only thing I could fit this device in was a suitcase. This is definitely something to take note of if you’re planning to use a gaming laptop on the go.

Size aside, the laptop itself is very traditionally gamer-y in terms of style. You get red accents around the edge of the device as well as RGB on the logo and along the bottom bezel. Contributing to this aesthetic is the font of the keyboard, which is quite aggressive.

You get a stunning 18-inch screen with this laptop with a 3840 x 2400 resolution, perfect for playing AAA titles in 4K. However, for those who play competitive titles where frames win games - you also get a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring you have the best of both worlds with this display.

The MSI Raider A18 HX features 3 USB-A ports, 2 USB-C ports and a headphone jack. You also get an ethernet port and HDMI port on the back of the device. While this is more than enough ports for a standard set up of gaming peripherals, you’ll likely need extenders if you’re hoping to run a full streaming setup.

Design: 3 / 5

Side view of the MSI Raider A18 HX — (Image credit: Future)

MSI Raider A18 HX: Performance

Can become unstable when battery drops too far
Top-tier gaming performance
Fans get loud

MSI Raider A18 HX: Benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 80877 ; Fire Strike: 42898 ; Time Spy: 18448
GeekBench 6: 2867 (single-core); 12285 (multi-core)
CrossMark: Overall: 1578 Productivity: 1532 Creativity: 1851 Responsiveness: 1067
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 203 ; (1080p, Low): 454
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 167 ; (1080p, Low): 198
Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 306 ; (1080p, Low): 204
PCMark 10 Battery Life: 1hr 27mins
TechRadar movie test: 1hr 45mins

I did have some teething issues when first booting up the MSI Raider A18 HX. At first it was freezing frequently and at one point in the middle of benchmarking it completely froze and I needed to hold down the power button to shut it off. I realised the main issue was when the battery dropped below 10% - it became practically useless, even when I adjusted power saving settings to ensure the best performance.

I resorted to using the laptop plugged in the majority of the time because of the power draw, and risking dropping below 10% battery and having the entire system shut off was not a gamble I was willing to take - especially when playing online. However, when the laptop did work as intended, it was absolutely fantastic, I got top-tier performance from every single title I booted up in Ultra.

Whether I was running lower-intensity titles or AAA games, which did send the fans of the laptop into orbit, I was able to get amazing quality graphics and high frames every time.

It’s worth noting that - as with a lot of gaming machines of this calibre - it did get very hot and very loud quite quickly, with fans going full throttle as soon as I would boot up a game in 4K.

The speakers on the laptop are pretty good, while they of course don’t match headset-level quality, they are perfectly fine for gaming with.

However, if you're looking for pinpoint-accurate directional audio, you won’t really find that from laptop speakers in general anyway, and should in vest in the best PC speakers.

Performance: 4 / 5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Battery life

The battery life was the biggest let down of this laptop. Of course, most gaming laptops have a very high power draw since they contain some pretty intense components, but the MSI Raider A18 HX really was unbelievably low.

When playing AAA games at 4K, I got less than an hour out of the laptop before it would shut itself off. Considering the performance issue I experienced when reaching low battery levels, this rendered the device even more useless for portability.

In tune with the size of the laptop, you get an absolutely gigantic 400w charging brick which also contributes to the lack of portability. However, the perk of having such a big charging brick is that your laptop will charge back to full battery very quickly with mine going from 10% back to 100% in around an hour.

It’s clear that this laptop was designed to remain plugged in at all times, whether it's due to the size of the device itself, the size of the charger or just the battery life in general. While it is a gaming laptop, it’s clearly one intended to remain stationary.

Battery life: 1 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Raider A18 HX?

MSI Raider A18 HX with its charging cable on a wooden floor — (Image credit: Future)

MSI Raider A18 HX: Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Value
Value	4 / 5	Priced appropriately based on specs, the one downside here is the lack of availability in certain territories
Design	3 / 5	Despite coming with a gorgeous chassis, it’s hard to look past just how big this laptop is which takes away from its portability.
Performance	4 / 5	You get fantastic performance here which is let down when you get to lower battery percentages.
Battery	1 / 5	The battery is a major letdown when it comes to this laptop to the point I wouldn’t even consider using it unplugged.
Average rating	3 / 5	The MSI Raider A18 HX is huge and chugs through its battery, but there's no faulting the level of performance for the price, even if it comes at the (literal) cost of everything else.

Buy it if...

You want top-of-the-line performance
The specifications of this laptop are some of the best on the market right now, which deliver top-tier performance

You want something with the traditional gamer aesthetic
You get a traditional gamer-y style with this laptop including RGB and aggressive font

You want a built-in 4K display
You get a stunning display on this laptop which makes for a beautiful gaming experienceView Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want a portable gaming solution
Despite being a laptop, this device is so large that it means portability is essentially non-existent.View Deal

You need something with good battery life
All that power comes at the cost of (expectedly) woeful battery life. You'll need to keep a wall socket handy for this oneView Deal

MSI Raider A18 HX: Also Consider

Razer Blade 14

If you’re looking for a powerful gaming laptop which provides you with immaculate performance regardless of if you’re looking for stunning visuals or high frame rates all packed into a compact and stunning chassis, then the Razer Blade 14 is a great option.

MSI Katana 15

The MSI Katana 15 is a great budget option for those who are looking for a powerful gaming laptop without having to fork out too much cash. You can pick it up at less than £1,000 and still get decent AAA performance in 1080p.

How I tested the MSI Raider A18 HX

I spent two weeks using the MSI Raider A18 HX as my everyday laptop for work and leisure. I was sure to use the device all day for my typical work day, and then also used it for gaming in the evening. I took it on the go with me to different locations where I needed to work to see how it would feel outside of my workstation. As well as using it every day I also benchmarked the laptop using a range of different benchmarking software.

First reviewed: June 2025

MSI Raider A18 HX review: big in power, big in size… as in literally too big

2:53 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: CPU, GPU, RAM, Total War | Comments: Off

MSI Raider A18 HX: Two-minute review

It does, however, come with some big flaws. Of course, you’d expect an 18-inch gaming laptop to be large, but this device really and truly is on another level in terms of both size and weight.

MSI Raider A18 HX: Price and availability

How much does it cost? $5,609.99 / £4,799
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? UK and US

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, which also features a RTX 5090 graphics card and a larger SSD, will set you back $4,499.99 / £5,099.

You can currently get this laptop in the UK, US and other select regions across the world. However, it’s currently not available in Australia.

Value: 4 /5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Specs

MSI Raider A18 HX: Specs
	Base configuration	Review configuration
Model	Raider A18 HX A9WIG-003	Raider A18 HX A9WJG-002
Price	$4,499.99 / £3,999	$5,609.99 / £4,799
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Processor	AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Processor
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
RAM	64GB DDR5	64GB DDR5
Screen	Mini LED, 18inch, 3840 x 2400p, 120Hz refresh rate	Mini LED, 18inch, 3840 x 2400p, 120Hz refresh rate
Storage	2TB SSD	2TB SSD
Ports	3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x SD Card reader, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack	3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x SD Card reader, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Camera	HD Camera (30fps, 1080p)	HD Camera (30fps, 1080p)
Weight	3.6kg	3.6kg
Dimensions	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm

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MSI Raider A18 HX: Design

Large and heavy
18-inch screen looks fantastic
Plenty of ports

Design: 3 / 5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Performance

Can become unstable when battery drops too far
Top-tier gaming performance
Fans get loud

MSI Raider A18 HX: Benchmarks

Whether I was running lower-intensity titles or AAA games, which did send the fans of the laptop into orbit, I was able to get amazing quality graphics and high frames every time.

It’s worth noting that - as with a lot of gaming machines of this calibre - it did get very hot and very loud quite quickly, with fans going full throttle as soon as I would boot up a game in 4K.

The speakers on the laptop are pretty good, while they of course don’t match headset-level quality, they are perfectly fine for gaming with.

However, if you're looking for pinpoint-accurate directional audio, you won’t really find that from laptop speakers in general anyway, and should in vest in the best PC speakers.

Performance: 4 / 5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Battery life

Battery life: 1 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Raider A18 HX?

MSI Raider A18 HX: Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Value
Value	4 / 5	Priced appropriately based on specs, the one downside here is the lack of availability in certain territories
Design	3 / 5	Despite coming with a gorgeous chassis, it’s hard to look past just how big this laptop is which takes away from its portability.
Performance	4 / 5	You get fantastic performance here which is let down when you get to lower battery percentages.
Battery	1 / 5	The battery is a major letdown when it comes to this laptop to the point I wouldn’t even consider using it unplugged.
Average rating	3 / 5	The MSI Raider A18 HX is huge and chugs through its battery, but there's no faulting the level of performance for the price, even if it comes at the (literal) cost of everything else.

Buy it if...

You want top-of-the-line performance
The specifications of this laptop are some of the best on the market right now, which deliver top-tier performance

You want something with the traditional gamer aesthetic
You get a traditional gamer-y style with this laptop including RGB and aggressive font

You want a built-in 4K display
You get a stunning display on this laptop which makes for a beautiful gaming experienceView Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want a portable gaming solution
Despite being a laptop, this device is so large that it means portability is essentially non-existent.View Deal

You need something with good battery life
All that power comes at the cost of (expectedly) woeful battery life. You'll need to keep a wall socket handy for this oneView Deal

MSI Raider A18 HX: Also Consider

Razer Blade 14

MSI Katana 15

How I tested the MSI Raider A18 HX

First reviewed: June 2025

I spent weeks with the Synology DiskStation DS925+ NAS box and it didn’t miss a beat, no matter what I threw at it

3:20 am |

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

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Two-minute review

Specs

Synology DiskStation DS925+ side — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

CPU: AMD Ryzen V1500B
Graphics: None
RAM: 4GB DDR4 ECC SODIMM (Max 32GB)
Storage: 80TB (20TB HDD x4), 1.6TB (800GB M.2 x2)
Ports: 2x Type-A (5Gbps), 1x Type-C (5Gbps), 2x 2.5GbE Ethernet ports
Size: 166 x 199 x 223mm (6.5 x 7.8 x 8.8 inches)
OS installed: DSM 7
Accessories: 2x LAN cables, 2x drive-bay lock keys, AC power cord

Synology has been producing network attached storage (NAS) technology for over 20 years, and its devices have maintained a consistent look and feel. In that time, the company has developed a highly polished operating system that’s packed with a wide variety of bespoke and third-party apps that do everything from simply backing up files on a home or office network, through managing a household’s multimedia requirements, to running a business’s entire IT stack. The latter includes enterprise-grade backup, all kinds of server functionality, email and web-hosting, virtual machine management, surveillance camera management and much, much more.

In more recent years, Synology has hunkered down in its own segment of the NAS market – eschewing broad compatibility with third-party hardware providers and a Wild-West application community in favor of a more closed and professional operating environment, where you have to buy expensive Synology drives to populate the boxes. While these compatibility changes have driven some users away, what remains is still an incredibly robust, well-supported and well-documented ecosystem that has a huge community following.

The new DiskStation DS925+ is something of a popular, sweet-spot size that can suit new users and network admins alike. At a glance, it looks exactly like several generations of its predecessors and it operates very much like them. Its most significant features include four bays that support both 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drives and two M.2 NVMe SSD slots. Its tool-less design and simple setup wizards make it quick and easy to build, and you can be up and running in less than 15 minutes. It runs quietly and can be positioned on top of a desk or hidden away (in a ventilated location) discreetly. To casual users (with deep pockets) who want access to Synology’s apps and need only basic NAS functionality, we could stop there. Enthusiasts will want to know more.

Synology DiskStation DS925+ close up on a desk — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

The list of compatible drives is now smaller than ever. While Synology has kicked certification of third-party drives over to vendors like Seagate and WD, it doesn’t appear to have resulted in more choice… yet. At the time of writing, you’re still limited to Synology’s latest Plus Series consumer drives (which go up to 16TB), its Enterprise drives (up to 20TB), its 2.5-inch SSDs (up to 7TB) and its Enterprise-level M.2 NVMe drives (up to 800GB). All of them are considerably more expensive than incompatible third-party counterparts.

The DS925+ comes with one of its two SO-DIMM slots populated with 4GB of DDR4 ECC RAM. You can upgrade to two sticks of Synology’s own 16GB ECC RAM (for 32GB total) if required, but not if you’re looking to save money. The introduction of error-correcting (ECC) RAM at this level is a boon, nonetheless.

It should be noted that if you’re looking to the DS925+ as an upgrade for an older Synology NAS, it will allow third-party drives if it recognizes an existing DSM installation. However, you’ll get constant drive compatibility warnings in return.

Positive new hardware features include a beefed-up, quad-core, eight-thread AMD Ryzen V1500B processor (note that there’s no integrated GPU) and its two network ports are finally 2.5GbE. There are both front and rear-mounted USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports plus a new, slightly controversial, USB-C port for connecting an external, 5-bay extension unit (replacing old eSATA-connected options). What’s most bothersome, though, is the lack of a PCIe network expansion for upgrading to 10GbE connectivity, which limits the possible network transfer speeds.

Ultimately, the initial outlay for a DS925+ can be enormous compared to rivals on the market. However, if you’re going to make use of the vast libraries of free software applications and licenses, it’ll represent great value.

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Price & availability

Synology’s DiskStation DS925+ only recently launched and has limited availability in only a few markets. It’s listed at $830 / £551 / AU$1,099.

Overall, it's well priced compared to its closest competitors such as the TerraMaster F4-424 Max, as well as other Synology NAS devices.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Design & build

While the DiskStation DS925+ looks like its predecessors, I felt that it was somewhat more robust and less rattly than some of its forebears. Regardless of that, it’s still a small and discreet black box that will not draw attention to itself, wherever it’s located.

Synology DiskStation DS925+ rear — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

The tool-less design makes adding hard drives simple. For 3.5-inch drives, you just lift up the drive bay door, pull out the drive tray, unclip the tray’s side bars, put the drive in the tray, clip the bars back on (they use rubber grommets to reduce sound and vibrations) and slide it back in. If you want, you can ‘lock’ each drive bay with a key to deter opportunistic thieves.

Adding RAM involves removing the drive bays and adding SO-DIMMs to the internal slots on the side. Adding the M.2 NVMe drives involves simply unclipping the covers on the base and sliding them in. Adding six drives takes less than five minutes.

A fully populated DS925+ runs very quietly – Synology says just 20dB – and I can attest that there’s only a very quiet whooshing noise made by the dual 92mm fans, and the drives only make occasional, very low clicking and popping sounds.

Installing the operating system is also simple. A QR code in the box provides access to an online setup document with a link that automatically finds your NAS on the network before offering to install everything for you. After a quick firmware update, it reboots and you’ll be looking at the DSM desktop, in a web browser, just a few minutes later. The NAS will then prompt you to sign into a Synology account, set up SSO and MFA log-ins and install some basic apps.

Newcomers might struggle at first with the terminology surrounding the initial setup of the drives, but (at the basic level) the NAS walks you through the process. It involves organizing the drives into a storage pool, then creating a volume and then adding folders. You’ll also be prompted to list which users can have View, Read or Write access. At this point you’ve got functional network-attached storage that can be accessed across your network.

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Synology DiskStation DS925+ DSM — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

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Synology DiskStation DS925+ setup — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

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The operating system is well-polished and installing bespoke and third-party apps is simple thanks to the Package Center application which operates like a free App Store. It’s also simple to enable remote access using Synology’s QuickConnect ID short-web-link system.

An interesting change with the DiskStation DS925+ is the removal of the (6Gbps) eSATA port for connecting Synology’s optional, legacy, external drive bays and its replacement with a single (5Gbps) USB-C port which connects to a Synology DX525 5-bay expansion unit. I didn't have an expansion bay on hand to test this, but the performance difference should be minimal.

While there are only two 2.5GbE network ports, you can combine them in various ways, with the easiest (load balancing) becoming operational in just a few clicks. It’s more suited to multiple connections rather than improving top speed, though.

Finally, it’s worth noting that compatibility with third-party drives is now strictly limited. At the time of writing, the DS925+ was only compatible with its own (up to 16TB) prosumer Plus Series hard drives, its (up to 20TB) Enterprise Series hard drives and (up to 7TB) SSDs, plus its 400GB and 800GB M.2 NVMe drives. All of these cost considerably more than third-party equivalents. Synology is blunt about why it has limited compatibility so much – it got sick of dealing with support requests that often boiled down to conflicts and crashes caused by drive failures and subsequent arguments with third-party drive vendors. While it’s annoying, I can sympathize with that.

Design & build score: 5 / 5

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Features

Synology DiskStation DS925+ SSD drive covers removed — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

It’s tricky to know just where to start with the numerous features that are available with the DiskStation DS925+. It performs just about every business and consumer task you can imagine. For many smart-home users, the various multi-device backup utilities, multimedia organization tools and media-server functionality (including Plex, Emby and Jellyfin) will be used more than anything else.

For prosumer and business users, it can be your full-stack IT service provider. There are apps that can transform your NAS into an enterprise-grade backup solution with off-site (third-party and Synology C2) cloud capabilities; email server; web server; Synology Office application provider; surveillance camera manager; anti-malware protection; virtual machine manager and a VPN server.

In all of these applications, multiple user licenses are included, which boosts the value proposition through the roof.

There’s a multitude of third-party applications and high-quality documentation (covering just about everything) that has been created by a large and mature Synology-enthusiast community.

Network admins will also like the numerous drive-formatting options, granular user permission management and SSO and MFA security options.

Storage capacity can be increased via a USB-C connected, five-drive-bay expansion unit.

The two USB-A ports (front and rear) have had many functions removed so they can no longer be used to connect potential security nightmares like printers, media devices, or network adapters, but they can still be used for connecting external USB storage devices.

The twin 92mm fans are quiet and, in conjunction with well-designed vents, do a good job of cooling the NAS. That said, be sure to place it in a location where airflow isn’t impeded and the vents won’t get clogged with dust.

Features score: 5 / 5

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Performance

Synology DiskStation DS925+ HDD bay — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

To test the DiskStation DS925+, I installed four Synology 3.5-inch, 4TB hard drives and formatted them with Synology’s own RAID-5-like Btrfs file system which offers striped performance boosts, disk-failure redundancy protection and numerous enhancements that work with Synology’s backup utilities. It left me with a 10.4TB volume and meant I could lose/remove any one drive without suffering data loss.

I also installed two 400GB M.2 NVMe SSDs as a single Btrfs storage volume (they can also be used for caching) which gave me a usable capacity of 362.4GB.

I transferred files from one volume to the other and hit sustained transfer speeds that peaked at 435MB/s, but most people will be moving data externally.

I subsequently performed multiple tests to find its real-world limits, see what doing without a 10GbE port option meant and discover what benefits the two (configurable) 2.5GbE LAN ports offered. I did this by connecting the NAS to a high-end, TP-Link Deco BE85 Wi-Fi 7 Router (with 10GbE LAN ports) via Ethernet and downloading large video files using various wired and wireless configurations.

I compared the DS925+’s performance to that of an older, two-bay Synology DiskStation DS723+ that has a 10GbE wired connection, a dual 3.5-inch hard drive volume and a newly fitted, single, 800GB Synology M.2 NVMe SSD-based volume.

I tested using a high-end Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D gaming laptop with a 2.5GbE LAN connection and Wi-Fi 6E, as well as a new Core Ultra (Series 2) Asus Vivobook 14 Flip with Wi-Fi 7.

I started with the DS723+ which I’ve been using for testing Wi-Fi routers. With the Scar’s 2.5GbE Ethernet port connected by wire to the Deco router, I saw sustained transfer speeds that hit 245MB/s for both the DS723+’s HDD volume and its NVMe volume. Over a 5GHz Wi-Fi 6E wireless connection, this dropped to 194MB/s for both volumes. Over a 6GHz Wi-Fi 6E wireless connection, it achieved 197MB/s using the HDD volume and 215MB/s for the NVMe volume.

Switching to the Wi-Fi 7 VivoBook, on the 5GHz wireless connection, it managed 180MB/s for both the HDD and NVMe volumes. However, when using the 6GHz Wi-Fi 7 network, it achieved 244MB/s for the HDD volume and an astonishing 347MB/s for the NVMe volume. That right there is the power of having a 10GbE-equipped NAS (with an NVMe drive) connected to a Wi-Fi 7 network. Cables, schmables! That’s more than enough for editing multiple streams of UHD video at once.

Synology DiskStation DS925+ drive bays removed — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

So, how did the newer DS925+ compare? When it was connected to the Deco via a single 2.5GbE port, the 2.5GbE LAN connected Asus laptop reached 280MB/s for the HDD volume and 282MB/s for the NVMe volume – a good 35MB/s quicker than the two-bay DS723+. Over 5GHz Wi-Fi these scores both dropped to 190MB/s which is similar to the DS723+, illustrating a likely 5GHz Wi-Fi bottleneck. Interestingly, performance was consistently slower during the Scar’s 6GHz tests, where it hit 163MB/s (HDD volume) and 172MB/s (NVMe volume), but this is again likely caused by the network, not the NAS.

When the VivoBook connected via the 5GHz network, it managed 186MB/s transfers for both volumes. Over Wi-Fi 7 this jumped up to 272MB/s for the HDD volume and 278MB/s for the SSD volume. So, thus far, the file transfer performance benefits of having NVMe storage on the DS925+ aren’t significant when passing through the bottleneck of its 2.5GbE LAN port.

Consequently, I bonded the two 2.5GbE connections together to form a ‘single’ 5GbE connection in an effort to boost performance. This takes just a few clicks in DSM’s control panel. I opted for the basic Adaptive Load Balancing option, but there are several other configurations for various types of network topology.

Synology DiskStation DS925+ dual 2.5GbE setup — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

So, with the DS925+’s two Ethernet cables forming a single 5Gbps connection to the Deco router, I ran the tests again. The 2.5GbE-connected ROG Strix Scar saw transfer speeds (to both the HDD and SSD volumes) only reach 168MB/s, which is around 120MB/s slower than when the NAS was connected via a single 2.5GbE wired connection. Over 5GHz Wi-Fi this boosted (slightly) to 188MB/s for both volumes and over the 6GHz network, it dropped back to 170MB/s for both volumes. It’s fair to say that combining the DS925+’s two 2.5GbE ports is better suited to handling multiple network streams rather than boosting performance of a single connection.

Nonetheless, I repeated the test with the VivoBook. Over 5GHz Wi-Fi, both volumes saw transfer speeds of 176MB/s. Over 6GHz Wi-Fi 7, it hit 283MB/s.

So, what have we learned about the DS925+’s file transfer-speed potential? Using a 2.5GbE wired connection to and from the router, it tops out at 280MB/s. Connecting the laptop via 5GHz Wi-Fi typically sees transfer speeds of between 160MB/s and 185MB/s, but over 6GHz Wi-Fi 7, up to 283MB/s is possible. This means that, in the right circumstances, Wi-Fi 7 can match 2.5GbE connection speeds.

We also learned that combining the DS925+’s two 2.5GbE connections (at least, in my particular setup) reduces the top transfer speed. Most importantly, that means losing the option for a 10GbE upgrade stops us hitting insane 347MB/s speeds over Wi-Fi 7, and 283MB/s is the reduced ceiling. As such, it’s straight-up not worth using the M.2 drives for file transfer performance boosting as the 2.5GbE connection(s) act as a bottleneck.

That all said, the M.2 drives can still improve performance through caching functionality and Synology notes it can give a 15x improvement to random read and write IOPS. This will be a much bigger deal in situations with multiple connections occurring simultaneously.

While some high-end users will miss the option to upgrade to a 10GbE performance ceiling, I found it’s still more than enough to facilitate very high bitrate, 60FPS, UHD+ video playback (and multiple UHD video stream editing) in addition to having multiple simultaneous connections performing numerous lesser tasks.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Synology DiskStation DS925+?

It has become normal to gripe about the design decisions and limitations that Synology imposes on each generation of its prosumer NAS boxes. However, if we eliminate the potential purchasers it won’t suit – i.e. those who need a 10GbE connection and those who cannot afford all the expensive Synology hard drives required to populate it – it’s absolutely worth buying.

Its highly evolved chassis is deceptively well built in terms of tool-less access, rigidity, cooling and airflow. Its operating environment remains secure, robust and intuitive and is packed with features. Its software library will satisfy casual and demanding consumers plus network admins alike and almost all of it is free.

While it’s lost the hodgepodge, stick-your-old-hard-drives-in-a-box-and-hack-a-NAS-together old-school vibe, it’s now a reliable (and scalable) professional backbone for any business or smart-home.

As an all-around package, it’s the best on the market for its target audience. Yes, it can be expensive to populate with drives, but the subsequent total cost of ownership borne through reliability, software licensing and built-in security features help offset the burden of the initial outlay. This means that the DS925+ is, once again, a highly desirable winner from Synology.

Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	A closed market makes buying drives expensive. But, the free software library can make it a bargain, regardless.	4.5
Design	It’s incredibly simple to put together thanks to its tool-less design. The software is voluminous, polished, mature, secure and reliable. It also runs cool and quiet.	5
Features	Whether you’re an undemanding consumer or a network admin, the DS925+ can do it all.	5
Performance	The lack of an upgrade option to a 10GbE port limits peak performance, but it’s still not slow.	4.5
Total	Synology’s latest 4-bay NAS is as attractive as its predecessors, which is high praise indeed.	5

Synology DiskStation DS925+ with one drive bay partially open — (Image credit: Nick Ross)

Buy it if...

You want a one-stop box that can support your smart home

Its ease of setup, friendly multimedia apps, security, reliability and ability to operate almost every facet of a smart home make it a winner.

You want a one-stop box that can support your entire organization

Whether it’s enterprise-grade backups, hosting web or email servers or virtual machines or even providing free office software, this one box can do it all.

Don't buy it if...

You need the fastest file transfers

The lack of 10GbE connectivity means that top transfer speeds are no longer available.

You're on a tight budget

Getting access to Synology’s incredible value and mostly free software library now involves an even heavier initial outlay for compatible drives.

For more network-attached storage options, we've also tested the best NAS & media server distro.

The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is a very affordable 2-in-1, with some compromises

12:33 pm | June 6, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, CPU, GPU, UK | Comments: Off

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1: One-minute review

The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is the latest hybrid laptop from the venerable Windows laptop maker, marking its first 2-in-1 since the company's major rebranding earlier this year, which replaced the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 2-in-1.

Fortunately, as with the clamshell Dell 14 Plus, Dell's latest 2-in-1 offers very solid performance at a fantastic price. But given that this is a 2-in-1, typically a form factor where the display takes center stage, the dim, lackluster panel makes this a less attractive option as a 2-in-1 than its clamshell sibling.

Starting at $649.99 / £849 / AU$1,498.20, the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 does earn its place among the best 2-in-1 laptops this year thanks to its affordable starting price, especially in the US and Australia where the AMD Ryzen AI 300 configurations are available. When these configurations make it to the UK, the prices there ought to be much cheaper to start as well.

Performance-wise, the 14 Plus 2-in-1 isn't much different than the standard 14 Plus, so what you're really looking for here is the versatility that comes with a 2-in-1.

Unfortunately, this versatility is undermined by the display quality, which is much more important on a 2-in-1. So while I found the rather dim FHD+ display on the 14 Plus to be an acceptable compromise to keep the price down, it's a much bigger negative on the 14 Plus 2-in-1.

That's not to say the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is necessarily bad, or even that its display is an absolute dealbreaker. Given its price and level of performance, the display doesn't keep it from being one of the best student laptops on the market right now, and it also remains one of the best Dell laptops on offer currently. Just be prepared to look past a couple of flaws if you decide to pick one up.

Dell 14 Plus: Price & availability

A Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 in clamshell mode — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much does it cost? Starts at $649.99 / £849 / AU$1,498.20
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia through Dell’s website and other retailers.

Easily the best feature of the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is its excellent pricing. Starting at $649.99 / £849 / AU$1,498.20, there aren't going to be many Windows laptops with solid entry-level specs at this price point. For those who are more price-sensitive (such as students, general users, and enterprise fleet managers), the 14 Plus 2-in-1 really should be at the top of your list if you're in the market for a 2-in-1.

Even better, of course, is that Dell regularly runs sales on its products, so it should be fairly easy to find this laptop for even cheaper (especially around holidays or other major sales events like Amazon Prime Day).

Value: 5 / 5

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1: Specs

The Intel Core Ultra 7 and Intel Arc Graphics badges on the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Configurations vary considerably between the US, UK, and Australia
Options for both Intel Core Ultra 200V and AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors
No discrete graphics options

The starting specs for the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 feature 16GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD storage, and a 16:10 FHD+ (1200p) IPS touchscreen display with 300-nit max brightness. The only difference between the US, UK, and Australia is that the US and Aussies start off with an AMD Ryzen 5 AI 340 processor with Radeon 840M graphics, and the UK starting configuration comes with an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V chip.

This also means that while the US and Australian starting configuration only has two USB-C Gen 3.2 ports, the UK swaps one of these out for a full Thunderbolt 4 port.

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 Base Specs
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price:	$649.99 at Dell.com	£849 at Dell.com	AU$1,498.20 at Dell.com
CPU:	AMD Ryzen AI 5 340	Intel Core Ultra 5 226V	AMD Ryzen AI 5 340
GPU:	AMD Radeon 840M Graphics	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V)	AMD Radeon 840M Graphics
Memory:	16GB LPDDR5X-7500	16GB LPDDR5X-8533	16GB LPDDR5X-7500
Storage:	512GB SSD	512GB SSD	512GB SSD
Screen:	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, touch IPS
Ports:	2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x combo jack	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack	2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):	64 WHr	64 WHr	64 WHr
Wireless:	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps
Weight:	3.35 lb (1.52 kg)	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)	3.35 lbs (1.52kg)
Dimensions:	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.65 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.39mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.65 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.39mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.65 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.39mm)

For the max spec, the US and UK can configure the 14 Plus 2-in-1 with an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor with Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) graphics, while Australia tops out at an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor with Radeon 840M graphics. The US config also maxes out at 32GB DDR5 RAM and 1TB storage, while the UK and Australia max out at 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB and 1TB storage, respectively.

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 Top Specs
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price:	$1,499.99 at Dell.com	£1,299 at Dell.com	AU$1,498.20 at Dell.com
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 9 288V	Intel Core Ultra 9 288V	AMD Ryzen AI 7 350
GPU:	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) Graphics	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) Graphics	AMD Radeon 840M Graphics
Memory:	32GB LPDDR5X-8533	16GB LPDDR5X-7500	16GB LPDDR5X-7500
Storage:	1TB NVMe SSD	512GB NVMe SSD	1TB NVMe SSD
Screen:	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, touch IPS
Ports:	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack	2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):	64 WHr	64 WHr	64 WHr
Wireless:	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps
Weight:	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)	3.35 lb (1.52 kg)
Dimensions:	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.65 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.39mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.65 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.39mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.65 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.39mm)

The configuration I reviewed is much more in the middle of the pack, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V chip, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, and a 1TB SSD. This specific configuration isn't available in the UK and Australia, but the UK can get close enough (though with half the storage capacity).

Dell 14 Plus Review Unit Specs
Price:	$1,099.99 / £999 / (about AU$1,650, but Intel systems not yet available in Australia)
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
GPU:	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) Graphics
Memory:	16GB LPDDR5X-8533
Storage:	1TB NVMe SSD (512GB in the UK)
Screen:	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300 nit, touch IPS
Ports:	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):	64 WHr
Wireless:	WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:	1080p@30fps
Weight:	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)
Dimensions:	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)

Specs: 4 / 5

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1: Design

A Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 in tent mode — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Thin and light
Trackpad can feel 'sticky'
Display isn't great for a 2-in-1

The design of the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is nearly identical to the standard 14 Plus, with the major difference being its 360-degree hinge. Otherwise, it sports a functional design language that, while not premium, doesn't necessarily look or feel cheap either.

The keyboard of the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The keyboard on the 14 Plus 2-in-1 is functional, if not incredible, but for most people it'll do the job just fine. The trackpad occassionally felt somewhat 'sticky' to me, however, and it's something that kind of gives away the laptop's price point, if I'm being honest. I've felt similar trackpads on much cheaper Chromebooks in the past.

A side-by-side image of the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1's webcam with and without its privacy shutter engaged — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The webcam is a solid 1080p at 30 frames per second, which is pretty much standard nowadays. It does feature a physical privacy shutter though, which is excellent.

The ports on the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

For ports, you have a good mix, especially for a laptop this thin, and if you're using an Intel-based configuration, you get a Thunderbolt 4 port, which is very handy. Regardless of the processor brand, though, with USB-C Gen 3.2 ports available, you can display out using DisplayPort 1.4, and all USB-C ports support power delivery.

Where this laptop was more of a letdown than its clamshell cousin is the display. At 300 nits peak brightness and just 67.5% of the sRGB color gamut and only 47.8% DCI-P3 (according to my testing), the color quality and brightness on the display just isn't very good.

It's one thing when the display on a cheap clamshell isn't great, but if you plan on taking notes or maybe even do some sketch work on your 2-in-1, this display is not going to give you the best experience. If you plan on using this laptop for school, try to avoid using it outside on a sunny day, or else you're really going to struggle to see things clearly.

Design: 3 / 5

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1: Performance

A Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 in clamshell mode visiting TechRadar.com — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Solid performance
Can do some modest gaming
Not the best for creative work

Here's how the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

Geekbench 6.4 (Single): 2,673; (Multi): 10,880
Crossmark (Overall): 1,708; (Productivity): 1,655; (Creativity): 1,934; (Responsiveness): 1,293
3DMark (Night Raid): 31,074; (Fire Strike): 8,462; (Time Spy): 3,896; (Steel Nomad): 601
Civilization VI Gathering Storm (1080p, Max Graphics, Avg): 53 fps
Civilization VII (1080p, Medium, Avg): 59 fps; (High): 34 fps
Web Surfing Battery Test: 15 hours, 14 minutes

The performance of the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is going to vary quite a bit depending on your configuration, but like the clamshell 14 Plus, the 14 Plus 2-in-1 is a very solid performer when it comes to everyday computing and general productivity tasks that are typical of laptops at this price point.

To be clear, this isn't a professional mobile workstation like the MacBook Pro 14, and definitely isn't one of the best gaming laptops, but if what you're looking for is a laptop that does its job, does it reasonably well, and doesn't try to do too much beyond the everyday, then the 14 Plus 2-in-1 is a very solid pick (especially if you're on a budget).

Thanks to the integrated Intel Arc Xe2 or Radeon 840M graphics (depending on your configuration), you'll also be able to get some casual to moderate gaming out of this laptop, though you'll definitely want to keep things at or below 1080p and reasonable graphics settings.

In my testing, Civilization VII (one of the more graphically demanding sim games out there) managed to get close to 60 FPS on average on medium settings, which is more than enough for a thin and light laptop like this.

This is a 2-in-1, though, and the focus really is on note-taking, drawing, and the like, and for that the responsiveness of the display was good enough for the price, though nothing spectacular.

Performance: 4 / 5

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1: Battery Life

How long does it last on a single charge? 15 hours and 14 minutes
How long to fully charge it to 100%? 2 hours and 36 minutes

I haven't tested one of the AMD Ryzen AI 300 models of this laptop, but the Intel Core Ultra 256V in my review unit is a very energy-efficient chip, so this laptop's battery life is good enough to rival many of the best laptops of the past few years, though it's not in the top five or anything like that.

It ran for just over 15 hours in my battery test, which involves using a script and custom server to simulate typical web browsing behavior. This is more than enough for a typical work or school day, and with the included 65W charger, it took about two and a half hours to recharge the 64WHr battery to full from empty (though higher wattage chargers will likely get you there faster).

Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1?

A Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 with its lid facing outward — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 Scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 offers great value for its price.	5 / 5
Specs	Available configurations are generally very good.	4 / 5
Design	The 14 Plus 2-in-1 looks good on the outside, but its display really brings its design down.	3 / 5
Performance	Everyday computing and productivity performance are solid, but it can't hold up to intense workloads like gaming at high settings.	4 / 5
Battery Life	Solid battery life capable of many hours of use on one charge.	4 / 5

Buy the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 if...

You want solid productivity and general computing performance
The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 offers solid performance for most users, especially for the price.

You want a laptop that doesn’t look too cheap
While it isn't going to win any major design awards, it's still a pretty good-looking laptop for its price.

Don't buy it if...

You need a high-performance laptop
While its general performance is very good, you're not going to be able to push it much further than general use and casual PC gaming.

You need a quality display
While the clamshell 14 Plus might have been able to skate by with this display, it's not really good enough for a 2-in-1.

First reviewed June 2025

Acer Nitro 14 review: overpriced for the performance on offer

12:48 pm | June 3, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, CPU, GPU, Razer Blade | Comments: Off

Acer Nitro 14: Two-minute review

The Acer Nitro 14 is the latest compact gaming laptop from the Taiwanese hardware company looking to bring a (largely) affordable solution to an otherwise premium form factor, with a couple of considerations made towards its design and hardware.

While the Acer Nitro 14 doesn't stand among the best thin and light gaming laptops or the best gaming laptops in general, it does offer solid performance, decent enough value for money, and a respectable battery life that makes it worth considering if you can find the machine discounted in 2025.

The main trade-off with a smaller machine as opposed to a more traditional 15-inch and 16-inch model is the choice of graphics cards inside this 14.5-inch gaming laptop. Armed with either an RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 (even during the arrival of the newer RTX 50 series laptops), it's something of a harder sell in 2025 considering it's also more expensive than many different alternatives.

Turning to the performance, the Acer Nitro 14 largely achieves 60fps in 1080p gaming when using its RTX 4060 configuration (the model we received for review). Demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are solid, but factoring in the age of these games, it's not the most telling sign for the things to come in the future. The 8GB GDDR6 VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are (just barely) enough for now, but what does that mean for PC gaming in the next few years?

The Acer Nitro 14 compact gaming laptop photographed on a coral background. — (Image credit: Future)

Design-wise, the Acer Nitro 14 is solid but far from exciting. On the positive side of things, it has a sleek enough, primarily plastic frame and a bright RGB keyboard. However, getting your hands involved is where the cracks begin to show. The membrane keyboard is on the mushier side of things, and the trackpad is frankly poor. You'll be better off getting a wireless gaming keyboard and a proper mouse for navigation, and be sure to prop the rig up to aid airflow (it gets hot - more on that later).

The deck is somewhat stacked against the Acer Nitro 14. It's not a terrible gaming laptop by any means. However, it also doesn't excel in any particular way, meaning it's worth investing in another similarly priced (or cheaper) alternative instead.

Acer Nitro 14: Price & Availability

How much is it? Starting from $1,099 / £1,199
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? You can get it in the US and the UK

One of the biggest deciding factors for considering the Acer Nitro 14 is its price point. The RTX 4050 variant (the weakest of the lot) is available for $1,099 / £1,199 in the US and the UK, respectively. Our review unit is the RTX 4060 model, which carries an MSRP of $1,249 and an RRP of £1,299. However, it's worth pointing out that this machine has enjoyed regular discounts in the two territories since its launch near the end of 2024, so you may get a better deal by shopping around.

Straight off the bat, we recommend going for the RTX 4060 version as opposed to the RTX 4050 variant, as the former will be much more capable of gaming in 1080p. With that said, $1,249 / £1,299 for an RTX 4060 laptop is on the pricier end of things, especially in 2025 when the RTX 50 series launch is imminent, with budget Blackwell devices on the horizon.

We then need to look at how the Acer Nitro 14 compares to other small-factor gaming laptops. It's worth noting that 14-inch models are (generally) pricier than their more standard 15-inch equivalents. The similarly priced competition includes the Asus TUF Gaming A14, Gigabyte 14 Aero OLED, and the HP Omen 14 Transcend, all of which can be picked up for around the same price with an RTX 4050 or 4060 configuration in 2025.

The Acer Nitro 14 is definitely on the budget end for a smaller laptop, and leagues cheaper than leading models like the Razer Blade 14. However, its otherwise-aggressive pricing is sure to weaken over time, because it's about to be replaced by more capable hardware, making purchasing it right now less than ideal unless you've found an aggressive discount.

Value: 3 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Specs

Acer Nitro 14 Specs
	Acer Nitro 14 Base Config	Acer Nitro 14 Review Config
Price	$1,099 / £1,199	$1,249 / £1,299
CPU	AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS	AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 6GB	Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB
RAM	16GB LPDDR5	16GB LPDDR5
Storage	512GB Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD	1TB Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD
Display	14.5-inch IPS 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) 120Hz @ 300 nits	14.5-inch IPS 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) 120Hz @ 300 nits
Ports and Connectivity	USB Type-C x 1; USB 4 x 1; USB 3.2 x 2; HDMI 2.1 x 1; 3.5 mm jack x 1; Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.3	USB Type-C x 1; USB 4 x 1; USB 3.2 x 2; HDMI 2.1 x 1; 3.5 mm jack x 1; Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.3
Battery	76Wh 4-cell (Claims up to 9 hours of playback)	76Wh 4-cell (Claims up to 9 hours of playback)
Dimensions	22.84 x 324.12 x 255.9 mm	22.84 x 324.12 x 255.9 mm
Weight	2kg / 4.4lbs	2kg / 4.4lbs

Two configurations of the Acer Nitro 14 are available in the US and UK; one features an RTX 4050 and the other has an RTX 4060 inside. The key difference between the two variants is the available VRAM of the mobile graphics processor, with the former having 6GB GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus and the latter having 8GB GDDR6 memory on a larger 128-bit bus. Depending on region, you'll have the choice of either the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS or the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor.

Outside of the GPUs on offer, the hardware inside of the Acer Nitro 14 is solid. Both Ryzen 8000 series processors are fast and responsive for gaming, productivity, and AI workloads, however, you are paying a premium on the smaller 14-inch form factor considering the lower-end graphics solution here.

It's very common to find much more capable RTX 4070 gaming laptops for around the same price (or cheaper), such as the Asus TUF Gaming A16, Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, Lenovo LOQ 15, and MSI Katana A15 AI in 2025. You'll note that these machines are all a touch larger, at either 15-inch or 16-inch, so be wary of the premium attached to going more compact.

Specs: 3 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Design

Average build quality
Primarily plastic construction
Lacking trackpad and keyboard

The most immediate thing about the Acer Nitro 14's design is the size of the display itself. As its name denotes, it's a 14.5-inch gaming laptop, which is fairly lean in terms of weight; it's less than one inch thick and is 2kg / 4.4lbs in heft. It's far more the sleekest or slimmest gaming laptop in the form factor, for that kind of thing, you're better off looking at the Razer Blade 14 (0.7-inch thick at 1.84kg / 4.05lbs), but then you're going to pay double for a device of a similar spec.

Then we get to the style of the Acer Nitro 14, which is so-so. The manufacturer has prioritized function over form here with its primarily plastic construction and (fairly) dull IPS LCD display. While the 1200p resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio are nice additions, filling up the bezel, it's let down by a peak brightness of only 300 nits with no HDR to speak of. It's not entirely unexpected in a laptop of this range, but it is disappointing considering that games and media won't pop much on this panel. The 120Hz refresh rate is nice, and about what you'll top out of in certain lesser-demanding games; any higher would have been wasted on this lower-end rig.

While the keyboard looks particularly fetching with its multi-zone RGB lighting, actually using it is another story. It's spongey with a lacking tactile feel and one of the cheapest-feeling and acting trackpads that I've used in some time. While fit for purpose, they detract from the user experience. Instead, I would recommend pairing the PC with one of the best gaming keyboards and the best gaming mouse at the very least, but you'll likely also have a Bluetooth (or USB) gamepad, too.

Design: 2.5 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Performance

Achieves 60fps in 1080p
CPU is held back by the GPU
Gets loud and hot under load

The Acer Nitro 14 is a decent performer in 1080p for gaming and general computing applications. However, it's unlikely to blow you away with its just-respectable performance prowess. Starting with gaming, the laptop did fine in demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Total War: Warhammer 3, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with average framerates in ultra/high settings above the 60fps mark. This is due to the RTX 4060 and its 8GB GDDR6 VRAM; if you are thinking of going for the cheaper RTX 4050 variant (with 6GB GDDR6 memory), then you're unlikely to achieve 1080p and 60fps with the sliders maxed out.

The 120Hz display is more likely to be useful when dropping down the settings or playing less demanding PC games, though. That's because I observed 132fps in Total War: Warhammer 3 on Low (showing the process of CPU-bound games backed by the Ryzen 7 chip), and it was a similar story in Cyberpunk 2077 on Low (83fps). Despite still being visual showcases for hardware, the titles are older now, with the games being released a handful of years ago. You may struggle to achieve 60fps in 1080p in today's games in 2025.

Acer Nitro 14 Benchmarks

Here's how the Acer Nitro 14 held up in our industry-standard tests conducted over the last few weeks.

Geekbench 6.2:
Single - 2,392
Multi - 11,736
Cinebench R24:
Single - 1,719Multi - 16,106
3DMark:
Fire Strike - 22,862
Time Spy - 9,557
Port Royal - 5,357
Speed Way - 2,347
PCMark10:
7,490
CrossMark:
Overall - 1,613
Productivity - 1,583
Creativity - 1,669
Responsiveness - 1,542
Red Dead Redemption 2:
1080p Low - 83fps
1080p Ultra - 64fps
Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p Low - 108fps
1080p Ultra - 64fps
1080p Psycho RT - 44fps
Total War: Warhammer 3:
1080p Low - 132fps
1080p Ultra - 71fps
Battery test: 1 hour 59 minutes

Synthetic benchmarks tell the story of the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS's prowess inside of the Acer Nitro 14. The processor has eight cores (16 threads) and a maximum boost clock of 5.1 GHz, which is how we can see the strong performance in the likes of Cinebench R24 and Geekbench 6. It's a Ryzen AI chip with its own NPU rated at 16 TOPS, so Microsoft Copilot comes pre-installed (even with a dedicated key on the board). Gamers are unlikely to get much use out of this, but the NPU should be respectable enough for AI workloads.

To get the most out of the RTX 4060 mobile graphics processor, I recommend using Nvidia DLSS's upscaling and Frame Generation technology where supported. It'll downscale the picture to 720p and then blow the image back up to 1080p, but it's likely going to be a difference between a playable framerate and a less-than-ideal one. This is evidenced by Cyberpunk 2077 struggling to hit 60fps with "Psycho" RT functionality enabled.

While the Acer Nitro 14 is far from the noisest or hottest gaming laptop I've tested, it certainly lets its presence be known. Acer has confidently backed its "Liquid Metal Thermal Grease" for the heatsink on the CPU to the motherboard, and while the core temperatures are about average, you'll still see upwards of 70° and 80° when moderately gaming (or doing other hardware-intensive tasks).

It's not a problem that's unique to the laptop, but it's more common in 14-inch models, given their more compact design. I recommend using a laptop riser or a dedicated cooling pad to ensure top performance, and never to use it in bed (or on any plush surface) that covers the rear fans.

Performance: 3 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Battery Life

Acer claims up to nine hours
Windows estimated up to three hours
Around two hours of media playback and less for gaming

The battery life of the Acer Nitro 14 is nothing special, but it's far from the worst I've seen from a budget gaming laptop. The company claims around nine hours of general use, but you certainly won't see a lifeline like that either gaming or consuming media.

Windows estimated just under three hours when on battery power with the machine idle or lightly in use, with activities such as web browsing. Dimming the screen and enabling battery saving mode might get you to the claimed rates, but it seems situational. When on battery power, the laptop lasted just under two hours in our battery test with media playback and just under this when gaming.

It's disappointing, considering the compact size of the Acer Nitro 14 means you would probably want it in your bag to kill time when not working or at school. However, carrying around the bulky charger kind of kills that idea. Again, this isn't an issue unique to the laptop, as many gaming laptops struggle with their battery, but it also doesn't buck the trend either.

Battery Life: 3 / 5

Should you buy the Acer Nitro 14?

Acer Nitro 14 Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The Acer Nitro 14 is on the pricier side, considering its hardware, but that's the premium for a more compact laptop.	3 / 5
Design	It's a laptop that puts function over form, with a chunky, plastic chassis. However, it's small enough for your bag.	2.5 / 5
Performance	Gaming in 1080p at 60fps is no problem in demanding games, but it will likely struggle to maintain this in the near future.	3 / 5
Battery Life	Middling battery life with around two hours of media playback and slightly less when gaming. You're going to need to keep its charger nearby (or rely on mains power) for extended use sessions.	3 / 5
Total	The Acer Nitro 14 is a solid gaming laptop that largely achieves what it sets out to do, but there are cheaper and better options out there that you should consider instead.	3 / 5

Buy it if...

A small gaming laptop is a must

If you're opposed to a 15-inch or 16-inch gaming laptop then the Acer Nitro 14 will get the job done. It just don't won't be very exciting.

You can find it discounted

At MSRP, the Acer Nitro 14 is a hard sell. However, with the right discount, it could be a great investment, especially with the arrival of the new RTX 50 series laptops.

Don't buy it if...

You can find an RTX 4070 laptop for less

The RTX 4060 inside of the Acer Nitro 14 is just about enough for today's games, but already shows signs of struggling. You could try and find a higher-end GPU in a laptop if you want more peace of mind, as many can be found for the same price during sale periods.

You need a laptop for work or school

The Acer Nitro 14's lacking battery life, mushy keyboard, poor trackpad, and dull screen make it a poor fit for productivity use, which is a shame given its otherwise excellent CPU.

Acer Nitro 14: Also Consider

Razer Blade 14 (2024)

The Razer Blade 14 (2024) doesn't come cheap. However, it's our number one pick for the best gaming laptop that money can buy. If you want leading performance in a sleek aluminum chassis, then it may be worth considering instead.

Read our full Razer Blade 14 review.

HP Omen Transcend 14

It's a touch pricier at MSRP but is frequently discounted in the US and the UK to near that of the Acer Nitro 14. HP's small gaming laptop features a vastly superior OLED display in a smaller and lighter package.

Read our full HP Omen Transcend 14 review.

How I tested the Acer Nitro 14

Tested for over a week
Industry-standard benchmarking
Used in real-world applications

I tested the Acer Nitro 14 over a week, benchmarking the machine with our suite of industry-standard synthetic benchmarks and gaming performance to see what it was capable of before deciding on my verdict.

I've been a hardware editor for over five years and a PC gamer for much longer. In my career, I've reviewed dozens of laptops over the years and have experience with all kinds of machines, of which I've weighed the Acer Nitro 14.

First reviewed April 2025

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

4:30 pm | May 28, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming PCs | Tags: CPU, GPU, PSU, Total War | Comments: Off

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Price & Availability

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

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

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

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

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

Value: 3 / 5

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Specs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Specs: 4 / 5

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Design

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Design: 3 / 5

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Performance

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

Alienware Area-51 (2025) Benchmarks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Performance: 4 / 5

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

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

Buy the Alienware Area-51 If…

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

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

Don't buy it if...

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

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

Originally reviewed May 2025

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

4:30 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming PCs | Tags: CPU, GPU, PSU, Total War | Comments: Off

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

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Price & Availability

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

Value: 3 / 5

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Specs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Specs: 4 / 5

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Design

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

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

Design: 3 / 5

Alienware Area-51 (2025): Performance

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

Alienware Area-51 (2025) Benchmarks

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

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

Performance: 4 / 5

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

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

Buy the Alienware Area-51 If…

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

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

Don't buy it if...

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

Originally reviewed May 2025

I’ve been reviewing Dell laptops for years, and I’m still shocked at how much I like the Dell 14 Plus

10:00 pm | May 17, 2025

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

Dell 14 Plus: One-minute review

The Dell 14 Plus is one of the first rebranded Dell laptops to go on sale this year, and despite some growing pains it’s an auspicious start thanks to its solid performance, great portability and style, and an accessible price point.

The new 14 Plus is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $799.99 / £999 / AU$1,298, and features both Intel Lunar Lake and AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors. This makes it one of the best laptops for budget-conscious Windows users on the market right now without making too many compromises on style, portability, or features.

What you won’t get with the 14 Plus, however, is a professional workstation or one of the best gaming laptops, as the integrated graphics and processor options don’t have the kind of horsepower to churn through complex workloads like video editing or intense gaming at high settings.

But for those in the market for a new laptop for general productivity or school work, everyday computing tasks, video calls, or video streaming, and which offers good responsiveness, battery life, and portability, the Dell 14 Plus delivers pretty much exactly what you need to get the job done – and it even looks pretty good while doing it.

It’s not perfect (I’ll get to its faults soon enough), but for the price and the performance on offer the 14 Plus is easily one of the best Windows laptops going, and should be at the top of the list for students, remote workers, and just about anyone else who needs a solid notebook PC without breaking the bank.

Dell 14 Plus: Price & availability

A Dell 14 Plus on a desk with its lid facing outward — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much does it cost? Starts at $799.99 / £999 / AU$1,298
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia through Dell’s website and other retailers.

The Dell 14 Plus is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $799.99 / £999 / AU$1,298 for its base configuration, the specs of which vary depending on your region, and maxes out at $1,479.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,498.20.

Compared to something like the Acer Swift 14 AI or the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4), the Dell 14 Plus almost always comes in cheaper when similarly specced, and in a couple of instances you get better specs with the 14 Plus for a lower price than competing devices like the Asus Zenbook A14, making it an attractive option for value shoppers who don’t want to sacrifice too much in the way of performance.

Value: 5 / 5

Dell 14 Plus: Specs

The internal components of the Dell 14 Plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Configurations vary considerably between the US, UK, and Australia
Options for both Intel Core Ultra 200V and AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors
No discrete graphics options

The starting configurations for the Dell 14 Plus vary slightly depending on your region, with the US and Australia sharing the same specs – AMD Ryzen AI 340 CPU with Radeon 849M graphics, 16GB LPDDR5X memory, and a 14-inch FHD+, 300-nit, non-touch display – while the starting setup in the UK uses an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V with second-gen Intel Arc graphics, 16GB of slightly faster LPDDR5X-8533 memory, and a 14-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600p) 300-nit, non-touch IPS display. All starting configs come with 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage.

Dell 14 Plus Base Specs
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price:	$799.99 at Dell.com	£999 at Dell.com	AU$1,298 at Dell.com
CPU:	AMD Ryzen AI 5 340	Intel Core Ultra 7 256V	AMD Ryzen AI 5 340
GPU:	AMD Radeon 840M Graphics	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V)	AMD Radeon 840M Graphics
Memory:	16GB LPDDR5X-7500	16GB LPDDR5X-8533	16GB LPDDR5X-7500
Storage:	512GB SSD	512GB SSD	512GB SSD
Screen:	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, non-touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 2.5K (1600p), 300-nit, non-touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, non-touch IPS
Ports:	2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x combo jack	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack	2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):	64 WHr	64 WHr	64 WHr
Wireless:	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps
Weight:	3.35 lb (1.52 kg)	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)	3.35 lbs (1.52kg)
Dimensions:	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)

The max spec for the Dell 14 Plus in the US and UK is identical: an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V with Intel Arc graphics, 32GB LPDDR5X memory, 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD, and a 14-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600p) display with 90Hz refresh and 300 nits max brightness. In Australia, the max spec comes with an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor with Radeon 840M graphics, 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD storage, and a 14-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200p) display with a max brightness of 300 nits.

Dell 14 Plus Top Specs
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price:	$1,479.99 at Dell.com	£1,299 at Dell.com	AU$1,498.20 at Dell.com
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 9 288V	Intel Core Ultra 9 288V	AMD Ryzen AI 7 350
GPU:	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) Graphics	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) Graphics	AMD Radeon 840M Graphics
Memory:	32GB LPDDR5X-8533	32GB LPDDR5X-8533	16GB LPDDR5X-7500
Storage:	1TB NVMe SSD	1TB NVMe SSD	1TB NVMe SSD
Screen:	14-inch 16:10 2.5K (1600p), 300 nit, non-touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 2.5K (1600p), 300 nit, non-touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300 nit, non-touch IPS
Ports:	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack	2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):	64 WHr	64 WHr	64 WHr
Wireless:	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps
Weight:	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)	3.35 lb (1.52 kg)
Dimensions:	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)

The configuration I tested for this review is only available in the US, but the UK has a very similar spec, just with a 512GB SSD rather than the 1TB in my review unit, while Australia doesn't yet have Intel-based coinfigurations for the 14 Plus at all.

Dell 14 Plus Review Unit Specs
Price:	$1,179.99 / £999 / (about AU$1,830, but Intel systems not yet available in Australia)
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
GPU:	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) Graphics
Memory:	16GB LPDDR5X-8533
Storage:	1TB NVMe SSD (512GB NVMe SSD in UK)
Screen:	14-inch 16:10 2.5K (1600p), 300 nit, non-touch IPS
Ports:	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):	64 WHr
Wireless:	WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:	1080p@30fps
Weight:	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)
Dimensions:	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)

Generally, there aren’t a whole lot of configuration options available for the Dell 14 Plus right now, but the specs you do get – even with the base configurations – are all solid enough for general computing and productivity work, and some models can even manage some modest PC gaming and creative work.

Specs: 4 / 5

Dell 14 Plus: Design

The top lid of the Dell 14 Plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Thin and light form factor
Trackpad can be tricky at times
Display isn’t stellar, especially in daylight

The Dell 14 Plus takes a number of design influences from earlier Inspiron laptops and merges them somewhat with the former Dell XPS laptop series, and the end result is a fairly attractive ultrabook for the price.

It doesn’t have the same kind of premium materials that more expensive laptops use, but the 14 Plus doesn’t necessarily feel like a cheap laptop either. Where its design does disappoint me, though, is its keyboard, trackpad, and display.

The keyboard on a Dell 14 Plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The keys on the keyboard aren’t bad, but they’re not really great either, and can sometimes feel stiffer than they should. This problem is compounded by the trackpad that isn’t the smoothest, and I’ve found my fingers catching at times from even the light friction of swiping across its surface.

A Dell 14 Plus open to the TechRadar homepage — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The more ‘premium’ 2.5K display on my review unit works fine in an office environment or when sitting on the couch at home, but its 300 nits peak brightness means that it's hard to use if you’re outside, so if you like to work at an outdoor cafe, or sitting in the grass of a college quad, the display is going to be difficult to see clearly in daylight.

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A man sitting in a computer lab — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

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The ports on either side of the Dell 14 plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

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The underside of the Dell 14 Plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

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A Dell 14 Plus on a desk in front of a house key to demonstrate its thinness — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

You get a decent selection of ports for a laptop this thin and a physical privacy shutter for the webcam, which I love to see. The webcam is 1080p @ 30 fps, which is good enough for most needs, as you can see from my selfie taken with the webcam.

The down-firing speakers aren’t very good, especially if the laptop is sitting on fabric like bedding. They work, though, and conference calls and general audio is fine in most cases. For music and movies, however, I recommend using headphones or one of the best Bluetooth speakers.

Design: 3.5 / 5

Dell 14 Plus: Performance

The Intel Core Ultra 7 sticker on a laptop — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Very good productivity and general computing performance
Hardware isn’t suited for intensive workloads like heavy gaming or video editing
Lags well behind similarly specced MacBook Air models

The Dell 14 Plus is targeted toward office workers, students, and others who need a responsive everyday device for web browsing, video streaming, and the like. In that regard, this laptop does exactly what it should, and does it well.

That’s not to say it's the best, though, as you can see when comparing its benchmark results against something like the MacBook Air 13 (M4), which comfortably outperforms the 14 Plus at pretty much every task.

But the 14 Plus consistently comes in second or third place against several other competing laptops on the market, including the Acer Swift 14 AI, Asus Zenbook A14, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, while also coming in at a lower price point, making it my top pick for the best student laptop of 2025 so far.

Overall, only the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 offers better value for your money than the 14 Plus, which is something I really wasn’t expecting when I started working with the 14 Plus earlier this month, but it's a very welcome surprise.

Performance: 4 / 5

Dell 14 Plus: Battery Life

The battery life indicator on the Windows corner panel — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How long does it last on a single charge? 13 hours, 24 minutes
How long to full charge it to 100%? 2 hours, 30 minutes with the included 65W adapter (1 hour, 4 minutes to charge it to 50%)

If there’s one area in my testing where the Dell 14 Plus came in dead last, it’s battery life, but it’s not as bad as it might sound. While some laptops like the Zenbook A14 can run for just over 18 hours in our Web Surfing Battery Test, the Dell 14 Plus’s nearly 13 and a half hours isn’t terrible, especially given how we were praising laptops like the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 from 2022 for making it longer than eight hours on a single charge.

As for charging time, the 64WHr battery takes a little over an hour to get from fully depleted to 50% using the included 65W USB-C power adapter, but with its Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 ports capable of higher power delivery, a higher-wattage adapter will speed things up.

Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Dell 14 Plus?

A Dell 14 Plus on a desk — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Dell 14 Plus Scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	The Dell 14 Plus offers possibly the best value of any Windows laptop at this price.	5 / 5
Specs	The available specs are generally excellent, especially for the price	4 / 5
Design	Aesthetically, the 14 Plus looks more premium than it is, but its keyboard, trackpad, speakers, and display could be better.	3.5 / 5
Performance	General computing and productivity performance are very good, but it falters under medium-intensity workloads, much less heavy-duty ones like gaming.	4 / 5
Battery Life	Not the longest-lasting battery life on the market, but still capable of many hours of use before you need to recharge.	4 / 5
Final Score	The Dell 14 Plus is a solid general-use and productivity notebook that’s great for work or school, but it makes some compromises to keep its price affordable. The trade-off is generally worth it, in the end.	4.1 / 5

Buy the Dell 14 Plus if...

You want solid productivity and general computing performance
For everyday use, school work, and productivity, the Dell 14 Plus is very good, especially for its price.

You want a laptop that doesn’t look too cheap
Aesthetically, the 14 Plus is a pretty great-looking device for the price, though if you look closely, you can spot its shortcomings.

Don't buy it if...

You need a high-performance laptop
If you’re looking to game or do resource-intensive work like video editing, this laptop won’t get the job done.

You want a really good-looking laptop
While the 14 Plus doesn’t look bad, it can't hold a candle to the most recent MacBook Air or Surface Laptop models.

Also consider

If my Dell 14 Plus review has you looking at other options, here are three other laptops you should consider instead...

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
The most recent Apple MacBook Air 13-inch offers much better performance, battery life, and aesthetics than the Dell 14 Plus, though you’ll pay more for it.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review

Acer Swift 14 AI
For roughly the same price as the 14 Plus, the Acer Swift 14 AI with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip offers similar performance as the Dell 14 Plus with better battery life, but still has Windows app compatibility struggles.

Read our full Acer Swift 14 AI review

Asus Zenbook A14
While its performance lags behind the Dell 14 Plus, the battery life on this thing is unreal, making it a great pick for those who need a laptop that can go the distance.

Read the full Asus Zenbook A14 review

How I tested the Dell 14 Plus

I spent about two weeks with the Dell 14 Plus
I used it mostly for general computing and work tasks
I used our standard laptop benchmark suite for testing, along with other productivity and creative apps

I used the Dell 14 Plus for about two weeks both as an everyday laptop and as a dedicated work device. This involved a lot of writing, general productivity work (like Google Sheets), and some light creative work like photo editing in Adobe Photoshop.

I also put it through our standard benchmark testing suite, which includes industry-standard tools like Geekbench 6, 3DMark, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider's built-in gaming benchmark.

I’ve been testing laptops for TechRadar for more than five years, with dozens of reviews under my belt, so I know what a laptop should be capable of at this price point. As a media professional and former student, I’m also the target audience for this kind of laptop, so I’m well positioned to assess the quality of this device.

First reviewed May 2025

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is too close to the RX 9070 XT to really stand out, but it’s a better value given the market

11:09 am | May 1, 2025

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

AMD Radeon RX 9070: Two-minute review

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is a card that just might be saved by the economic chaos engulfing the GPU market right now.

With 'normal' price inflation pretty much rampant with every current-gen GPU, the price proposition for the RX 9070 might actually make it an appealing pick for gamers who're experiencing sticker shock when looking for the best graphics card for their next GPU upgrade.

That doesn't mean, unfortunately, that the AMD RX 9070 is going to be one of the best cheap graphics cards going, even by comparison with everything else that's launched since the end of 2024. With an MSRP of $549 / £529.99 / AU$1,229, the RX 9070 is still an expensive card, even if it's theoretically in line with your typical 'midrange' offering.

And, with the lack of an AMD reference card that might have helped anchor the RX 9070's price at Team Red's MSRP, you're going to pretty much be at the mercy of third-party manufacturers and retailers who can charge whatever they want for this card.

Comparatively speaking, though, even with price inflation, this is going to be one of the cheaper midrange GPUs of this generation, so if you're looking at a bunch of different GPUs, without question this one is likely to be the cheapest graphics card made by either AMD or Nvidia right now (yes, that's even counting the RTX 5060 Ti, which is already selling for well above 150% of MSRP in many places).

The radeon logo on the AMD Radeon RX 9070

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Does that make this card worth the purchase? Well, that's going to depend on what you're being asked to pay for it. While it's possible to find RX 9070 cards at MSRP, they are rare, and so you're going to have to make a back-of-the-envelope calculation to see if this card is going to offer you the best value in your particular circumstance.

I'm fairly confident, however, that it will. Had I the time to review this card when it first launched in March, I might have scored it lower based on its performance and price proximity to the beefier AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT.

Looking at both of those cards based on their MSRPs, there's no question that the RX 9070 XT is the much better graphics card, so I'd have recommended you spend the extra cash to get that card instead of this one.

Unfortunately, contrary to my hopes, the RX 9070 XT has been scalped almost as badly as the best Nvidia graphics cards of this generation, so that relatively small price difference on paper can be quite large in practice.

Given that reality, for most gamers, the RX 9070 is the best 1440p graphics card going, and can even get you some solid 4K gaming performance for a lot less than you're likely to find the RX 9070 XT or competing Nvidia card, even from the last generation.

If you're looking at this card and the market has returned to sanity and MSRP pricing, then definitely consider going for the RX 9070 XT instead of this card. But barring that happy contingency, given where everything is right now with the GPU market, the RX 9070 is the best AMD graphics card for 1440p gaming, and offers some of the best bang for your (inflationary) buck as you're likely to find today.

AMD Radeon RX 9070: Price & availability

An AMD Radeon RX 9070 sitting on its retail packaging with its fans visible — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much is it? MSRP is $549 / £529.99 / AU$1,229, but retail price will likely be higher
When can you get it? The RX 9070 is available now
Where is it available? The RX 9070 is available in the US, UK, and Australia

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is available now in the US, UK, and Australia for an MSRP of $549 / £529.99 / AU$1,229, respectively, but the price you'll pay for this card from third-party partners and retailers will likely be higher.

Giving credit where it's due, the RX 9070 is the exact same MSRP as the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE, which you can argue the RX 9070 is replacing. It's also coming in at the same price as the RTX 5070's MSRP, and as I'll get into in a bit, for gaming performance, the RX 9070 offers a better value at MSRP.

Given how the RTX 5070 can rarely be found at MSRP, the RX 9070 is in an even stronger position compared to its competition.

Value: 4 / 5

AMD Radeon RX 9070: Specs

The power connector ports on an AMD Radeon RX 9070 — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

PCIe 5.0
16GB VRAM

Specs & features: 4 / 5

AMD Radeon RX 9070: Design & features

No AMD reference card
Will be good for SFF cases

In terms of design, the RX 9070 doesn't have a reference card, so the card I reviewed is the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 9070.

This card, in particular, is fairly straightforward with few frills, but for those who don't want a whole lot of RGB lighting in their PC, this is more of a positive than a negative. RGB fans, however, will have to look at other AMD partner cards for their fix.

The card is a noticeably shorter dual-fan design compared to the longer triple-fan RX 9070 XT cards. That makes the RX 9070 a great option for small form factor PC cases.

Design: 3.5 / 5

AMD Radeon RX 9070: Performance

About 13% slower than RX 9070 XT
Outstanding 1440p gaming performance
Decent 4K performance

A note on my data

The charts shown below offer the most recent data I have for the cards tested for this review. They may change over time as more card results are added and cards are retested. The 'average of all cards tested' includes cards not shown in these charts for readability purposes.

When it comes down to performance, the RX 9070 is a very strong graphics card that is somewhat overshadowed by its beefier 9070 XT sibling, but goes toe-to-toe against the RTX 5070 where it counts for most users, which is gaming.

On the synthetic side, the RTX 9070 puts up some incredibly solid numbers, especially in pure rasterization workloads like 3DMark Steel Nomad, beating out the RTX 5070 by 13%. In ray tracing heavy workloads like 3DMark Speed Way, meanwhile, the RX 9070 manages to comes within 95% of the RTX 5070's performance.

As expected though, the RX 9070's creative performance isn't able to keep up with Nvidia's competing RTX 5070, especially in 3D modeling workloads like Blender. If you're looking for a cheap creative workstation GPU, you're going to want to go for the RTX 5070, no question.

But that's not really what this card is about. AMD cards are gaming cards through and through, and as you can see above, at 1440p, the RX 9070 goes blow for blow with Nvidia's midrange card so that the overall average FPS at 1440p is 114 against Nvidia's 115 FPS average (72 FPS to 76 FPS average minimums/1%, respectively).

Likewise, at 4K, the two cards are effectively tied, with the RX 9070 holding a slight 2 FPS edge over the RTX 5070, on average (50 FPS to 51 FPS minimum/1%, respectively).

Putting it all together, one thing in the Nvidia RTX 5070's favor is that it is able to tie things up with the RX 9070 at about 26 fewer watts under load (284W maximum power draw to the RTX 5070's 258W).

That's not the biggest difference, but even 26W extra power can mean the difference between needing to replace your PSU or sticking with the one you have.

Under normal conditions, I'd argue that this would swing things in favor of Nvidia's GPU, but the GPU market is hardly normal right now, and so what you really need to look at is how much you're being asked to pay for either of these cards. Chances are, you're going to be able to find an RX 9070 for a good bit cheaper than the RTX 5070, and so its value to you in the end is likely going to be higher.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the AMD Radeon RX 9070?

A masculine hand holding an AMD Radeon RX 9070 — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Buy the AMD Radeon RX 9070 if...

You want a fantastic 1440p graphics card
The RX 9070 absolutely chews through 1440p gaming with frame rates that can fully saturate most 1440p gaming monitors' refresh rates.

You don't want to spend a fortune on a midrange GPU
While the RX 9070 isn't cheap, necessarily, it's among the cheapest midrange cards you can get, even after factoring in scalping and price inflation.

Don't buy it if...

You want great creative performance
While the RX 9070 is a fantastic gaming graphics card, its creative performance (especially for 3D modeling work) lags behind Nvidia midrange cards.

Also consider

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
The RX 9070 XT is an absolute barnburner of a gaming GPU, offering excellent 4K performance and even better 1440p performance, especially if you can get it close to MSRP.

Read the full AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT review

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070
The RTX 5070 essentially ties the RX 9070 in gaming performance in 1440p and 4K gaming, but has better power efficiency and creative performance.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 review

How I tested the AMD Radeon RX 9070

I spent about two weeks with the RX 9070
I used my complete GPU testing suite to analyze the card's performance
I tested the card in everyday, gaming, creative, and AI workload usage

Test System Specs

Here are the specs on the system I used for testing:

Motherboard: ASRock Z790i Lightning WiFi
CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K
CPU Cooler: Gigabyte Auros Waterforce II 360 ICE
RAM: Corsair Dominator DDR5-6600 (2 x 16GB)
SSD: Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB SSD
PSU: Thermaltake Toughpower PF3 1050W Platinum
Case: Praxis Wetbench

I spent about two weeks with the AMD RX 9070, using it as my primary workstation GPU for creative work and gaming after hours.

I used my updated benchmarking process, which includes using built-in benchmarks on the latest PC games like Black Myth: Wukong, Cyberpunk 2077, and Civilization VII. I also used industry-standard benchmark tools like 3DMark for synthetic testing, while using tools like PugetBench for Creators and Blender Benchmark for creative workload testing.

I've reviewed more than three dozen graphics cards for TechRadar over the past three years, which has included hundreds of hours of dedicated GPU testing, so you can trust that I'm giving you the fullest picture of a graphics card's performance in my reviews.

Originally reviewed May 2025

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