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The chilling performance of the Dyson Cool CF1 fan didn’t come as a surprise – it was how quiet it was that blew me away

5:52 pm | June 9, 2025

Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan: two-minute review

The Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan is the latest generation of the brand’s original bladeless fan, boasting some upgraded features in a desktop format. As one would expect from the brand, the Dyson Cool CF1 is firmly at the premium end of the desktop fan scale, with a list price of £249.99. We’re still waiting on pricing and launch specifics, and will update as we learn more, but so far we know that the Cool CF1 won’t be available in Australia until later in 2025, or in the US until 2026.

Setting up the Dyson Cool CF1 was simple, as it comes in just two parts – though the rotating base made it a little tricky for me to click the loop amplifier into place. I had mixed feelings about whether it makes a suitable desk fan, as the 14-inch / 360mm loop amplifier could prove a tight squeeze on smaller desks or nightstands. That being said, the height and compact diameter of the fan’s base meant I had no issues incorporating it into my workstation.

The Dyson Cool CF1 is shown tilted downwards while sitting on a tabletop, in front of a leafy green plant. — (Image credit: Future)

The Cool CF1 desk fan has a clean and modern aesthetic, making it instantly recognisable as a Dyson. I liked the combination of the satin silver and gloss white finishes, but found it needed regular dusting, though this can often be the case, even with the best fans.

With 10 fan speeds, sleep mode, oscillation, and a timer, there were plenty of features to play with. The Cool CF1 doesn’t have any smart capabilities, though, so I had to rely on the onboard buttons and the remote control. Both proved simple to use when operating the Cool CF1, but the responsiveness when using the remote was inconsistent, especially if I wasn’t pointing it at the fan head-on.

In terms of the overall performance of the Dyson Cool CF1, it did a great job. The airflow was smooth and proved very efficient as it helped me stay cool as I worked away in a stuffy office. I appreciated how easy it was to adjust the angle of the fan, giving me more control over the direction of the airflow.

A woman's hand is holding the Dyson Cool CF1 remote. — (Image credit: Future)

I was very pleased with how quiet the Cool CF1 was, with sound levels ranging from whisper-quiet at speed one to moderate rainfall on the highest speed setting, which is particularly impressive considering how strong the airflow is. While the Cool CF1 sounds a little unusual while oscillating, I had no problem dropping off when using sleep mode.

If you’re a diehard Dyson fan, you definitely won’t be disappointed with the Cool CF1. It has the classic Dyson aesthetic, plus it quickly and quietly delivers efficient cooling. The remote could be better, and I’d have liked to see a companion app for more convenient control at this price point, but the great performance from the fan itself means it’s still a worthwhile investment.

Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan review: price & availability

List price: $TBA / £249.99
Launch date: May 2025 (UK)
Available now in the UK. US and Australia release dates TBA

Released in the UK in June 2025, the Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan has a list price of £249.99 and is available for purchase at Dyson, John Lewis, and AO. In terms of availability in other regions, all we know so far is that the Cool CF1 won’t be available until later in 2025 in Australia and 2026 in the US. I’ll provide an update as soon as I learn more about the specific release dates and pricing.

This is a pretty premium price tag for a desk fan, though this likely won’t come as a surprise if you’re already familiar with the brand. I must admit I’ve found some Dyson offerings to be somewhat overpriced in the past, and I can’t say I’d want to pay this for a desk fan myself, but the build quality and performance of the Cool CF1 are worth the cost if it’s within your budget.

There are far cheaper options out there that can still help you chill out at your desk, like the bladed MeacoFan Sefte 8in Portable Air Circulator, for those in the UK, though the cheaper price comes with compromises; namely that it’s heavier, only offers 90-degree oscillation, and it’s nowhere near as attractive.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan review: specs

Type	Bladeless desk fan
Speeds	10
Oscillation	15, 40, 70 degrees
Timer	Yes
Dimensions	5.9 x 14.2 x 217 inches / 150 x 360 x 550mm
Weight	4lb / 1.8kg
Control	Onboard buttons and remote control
Timer	Yes
Additional modes	Sleep mode

Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan review: design and features

Sleek and modern aesthetic
Collects dust and fibers
Basic but easy-to-use controls

The Dyson Cool CF1 comes in just two parts, so it was pretty straightforward to set up. Assembling the fan was simple in theory, as all I needed to do was push the bottom of the circular loop amplifier onto the base unit and twist anti-clockwise until I heard a click. It proved a little trickier in practice, however, due to the rotating base and the glossy outer finish, but I got there eventually.

Apart from the inside of the ring, which is a satin-finished silver color, the Cool CF1 has a glossy white exterior. I tend to appreciate a gloss surface, as this finish tends to be easy to clean, which was fortunate in the case of the CF1, as it appeared to be statically charged and attracted any dust or fibers that happened to be in the vicinity. As easy as it was to clean, my efforts felt a little futile as it would gather more dust very quickly.

A woman is about to press the power button on the control panel at the front of the fan. — (Image credit: Future)

I’m on the fence about whether the 14-inch / 360mm diameter loop amplifier makes the CF1 a little impractical for a desk fan. I found it to be a bit of a space invader, but as it sits eight inches / 200mm off the tabletop on a base of just 5.9 inches / 150mm in diameter, I was able to fit it on my workstation and my nightstand. It is at least easier to accommodate than the old-school bladed fans I’ve owned over the years, and as it weighs 4lb / 1.8kg, it proved easier to move around, too.

In terms of onboard controls, there are two push buttons and a dial/button combo under the little LCD screen on the front of the fan's base. The two push buttons control sleep mode and oscillation, and the dial can be turned to cycle through the ten fan speeds or pushed to power the fan on or off.

A woman is placing the Dyson Cool CF1 remote on top of the loop amplifier. — (Image credit: Future)

A remote control is also included, so it was fairly easy to switch up the settings even when the fan wasn’t within reach. It offers the same functions as the onboard buttons, along with a button to cycle through the timer durations, which range from half an hour to eight hours.

The concept of the curved and magnetized Cool CF1 remote control is to stick it to the top of the fan. While this makes it easily accessible, it looks out of place and disrupts the sleek aesthetic, especially as each end of the remote is clear, showing the circuitry within. That being said, I still managed to forget where it was, so it clearly isn’t that much of an eyesore. Speaking of losing the remote, it’s a shame the Cool CF1 isn’t compatible with the MyDyson app, as it’d make life much easier for those times I’ve gotten comfy and realised the remote’s still sitting on top of the fan.

Design score: 4 out of 5

Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan review: performance

Satisfyingly strong airflow
Patchy remote performance
Quiet enough to fall asleep with

It didn’t take long to feel the cooling effects from the Dyson Cool CF1 on the lowest setting when I had it about 2 ft / 600mm away from me on my desk in our stuffy reviews office. As I’m only 5 ft 2 inches tall, I found that the stream of cold air hit me in the face, even if I adjusted the angle. While this was great for keeping my makeup from melting off my face, it proved a bit of a sensory nightmare for me, so I made good use of the oscillation.

The airflow felt smooth, and it was satisfyingly strong, to the point where I’m pretty sure it gave me brain freeze when I tried it on the highest setting. I tested how far away I could still feel a cool breeze on the lowest, highest, and middle fan speed settings, and found that it was still noticeable when I was 2ft / 600mm away from the CF1 on setting one, 7ft / 2m on setting five, and 11ft / 3.3m on setting ten.

The three oscillation choices were convenient for a desk fan, as I could choose the 15-degree option to keep the cool breeze around me, 70 degrees to circulate the air a little more, or 40 degrees for something in between. I did wish the CF1 could remember my last-used setting, though, as I had to cycle through each time.

A woman is adjusting the angle of the airflow by sliding and tilting the fan unit on the base. — (Image credit: Future)

It was really easy to tilt the fan upwards or downwards, even when it was oscillating. This simple angle adjustment proved a real asset, especially when using it next to my bed on warmer nights, as it allowed me to fine-tune the fan’s position for the maximum cooling effect.

The simple onboard controls and remote made it simple to control the Cool CF1. The dial mechanism felt pretty satisfying; there was clear feedback each time I bumped the fan up or down a speed, so I didn’t even need to look at the screen.

The magnetic hold on the remote control felt just right, as the remote would stick to the top of the fan even if I was a bit absent-minded when placing it down, but was still really easy to pick up again. I’ve got to say I wasn’t thrilled with the remote’s operation, however. I found that the fan didn’t respond at times, even at pretty close range, and this worsened if the fan was rotated away.

The timer function worked as expected, and I liked that I could easily view the time remaining at any point by pressing the timer button on the remote. It was easy to cancel the timer by double-clicking the button.

A woman is pointing the remote at the Dyson Cool F1 while changing the fan speed. — (Image credit: Future)

Noise level is an important consideration, especially at nighttime, which is why I always do a sleep test whenever I’m testing fans or a potential best air purifier. If I happened to be using a higher fan speed setting before toggling sleep mode, the Cool CF1 would drop to speed setting four. I was happy to find that I could still increase the fan speed when in sleep mode, and the display would still turn itself off, which bodes well if I need it on a particularly toasty night.

For context, I have a British king-size bed, roughly the size of a queen, for those in the US, and I placed the CF1 on the nightstand on the opposite side to where I was sleeping. As speed four was the default for sleep mode, I kept the fan at that setting and set the oscillation to forty degrees. I’m quite sensitive to sound, especially repetitive ones, so I picked up on the whirring from the oscillation, which sounded a bit like I was settling down inside a document scanner, but it wasn’t overly loud. In fact, this bedtime setup had a reading of just 35dB, which is the equivalent of a whisper, so I was able to drop off and sleep undisturbed.

I was very impressed with the sound levels in general, with the CF1 giving an impressively quiet reading of 27dB on the lowest setting. Even on its highest setting, which kicks out a lot of air, it was only emitting 45dB of sound, comparable to the sound of moderate rainfall, and just a meagre 5dB louder than the bladed MeacoFan 260c on its lowest fan speed.

Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should I buy the Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan?

Section	Notes	Score
Value for money	This isn’t a desk fan for the budget-conscious, and there are certainly cheaper alternatives out there, but if you’re willing to pay the Dyson price tag, you’ll be more than happy with the overall quality and cooling performance.	4/5
Design & Features	Typically on-brand for Dyson, this fan looks well made, with a pleasingly sleek and modern aesthetic. It offers useful features to help fine-tune the airflow, but it loses a point for the lack of app connectivity and the slightly questionable design of the remote.	4/5
Performance	Aside from the hit-and-miss remote performance, I was really happy with the CF1. It produced a strong and consistent flow of air, which did a great job of cooling me down without making a racket.	4.5/5

Buy it if...

You want fine-tuned airflow
With 10 fan speeds, three oscillation settings, and adjustable vertical angles, it’s delightfully easy to get customized cooling.

You want a quiet night
The CF1 was whisper-quiet when I had it in sleep mode, and measured just 45dB when running full blast, making it a good choice for summer nights.

You love the Dyson aesthetic
With smooth lines and metallic elements, this fan is undeniably Dyson, so you can get a taste of the premium label without shelling out on one of the higher tech models.

Don't buy it if...

You’ve got limited surface space
This fan can’t be considered compact due to the wide loop amplifier. If your desktop and nightstand real estate is taken up by monitors or large lamps, I’d suggest looking at a floor-standing format like the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S instead.

You’re on a tight budget
While it’s currently the cheapest model in their air treatment range, this fan's price tag still comes with the Dyson premium. If you’re looking to save some pennies, I’d check out brands like Govee or Meaco, whose offerings won’t make such a dent in your wallet.

You like your products smart
At this price point, I can’t help but find it a little stingy that Dyson didn’t design the CF1 to be compatible with the MyDyson app, especially considering the disappointing remote performance.

Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan review: Also consider

	Dyson Cool CF1	Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo	Shark TurboBlade
Price	$TBA / £249.99	$149.99 / £129.99	$299.99 / £249.99
Speed settings	10	5	10
Oscillation	Up to 70 degrees	No	Up to 180 degrees
Timer	Up to 8 hours	No	Up to 12 hours
Controls	Onboard push buttons and dial, remote control	Onboard buttons	Onboard button, remote control
Companion app	No	No	No
Additional modes	Sleep mode	Cordless up to 12 hours, Misting	Natural Breeze, Sleep Mode, BreezeBoost
Dimensions	5.9 x 14.2 x 217 inches / 150 x 360 x 550mm	8.7 x 8.4 x 11.5" / 22 x 21 x 29cm	11.8 x 31.6 x 44.8" / 300 x 800 x 1,120mm (max)
Weight	4lb / 1.8kg	4lb / 1.8kg	15lb / 8.8kg

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo
Not only is this fan and mister combo compact enough to use as a desk fan, its cordless capabilities mean it can be used on the go, too. The pairing of the built-in battery, which offers up to 12 hours of use, and the misting function makes it a great choice for summer weather. If you’d like to learn more, why not take a look at our full Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review?

Shark TurboBlade
If you want to save on desk space and would like a bladeless format without the price tag of a Dyson tower fan, then I suggest taking a look at the TurboBlade. It’s height adjustable, offers multi-directional airflow, and can oscillate up to 180 degrees, so you can really customize your cooling. Check out our full Shark TurboBlade review for more information.

How I tested the Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan

I used the Dyson Cool CF1 in multiple locations
I judged the setup process and how easy the fan was to use
I evaluated the strength of the airflow and the sound levels

I used the Dyson Cool CF1 in our reviews office, my home office, and my bedroom for one week. I evaluated the assembly process and build quality closely before using it passively and in specific tests that allowed me to assess the available features.

I assessed the airflow by checking the distance I could still feel a good breeze on different settings. I used a decibel meter on my phone to check the noise levels, taking the readings from around 2ft / 600mm away, ensuring the fan wasn’t blowing directly into the microphone.

I checked the timer worked as expected, and tested out the sleep mode to see whether the Dyson Cool CF1 was quiet enough for me to be able to sleep well with it running overnight.

First reviewed: June 2025
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I’m a long-time iPad user, but the brilliant OnePlus Pad 3 has me questioning my loyalties

5:19 pm | June 6, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Tablets | Tags: GTA, RAM, UK, US | Comments: Off

OnePlus Pad 3: one-minute review

As someone who has sworn by iPads and iPadOS for over a decade now, consider me pleasantly surprised to discover just how much fun it is to use the OnePlus Pad 3. For my particular use case, as someone who likes to use tablet computers for a mix of productivity during the day and catching up on YouTube and Netflix in my spare time, the Pad 3 provided me with quality of life features I didn’t even know I needed.

Smart suggestions from Open Canvas that let you split-screen apps in seconds, not to mention having up to three apps open at once with extra capacity for apps sitting in a floating window, all add up to a great experience that’s further emboldened by a bright screen and fantastic battery life.

When you factor in the additional cost of accessories, the complete OnePlus Pad 3 package can set you back a fair bit, and I still think that the entry-level iPad 10.9 is the best value option for more people where tablets are concerned. It’s also a shame that a lack of Android optimisation gets in the way of the grand ambitions of OxygenOS. If something can be done to make key Android apps function more appropriately in tablet form, then the OnePlus Pad 3 could make a fine case for arguably being the best Android tablet out there.

OnePlus Pad 3 review: price and availability

OnePlus Pad 3 in a case on a wooden table — (Image credit: Future)

Starts at $699 / £529 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB storage
A 16GB RAM/512GB storage model is available in the UK, but not the US

You’d be justified for thinking that, with all the upgrades included and the current state of the world economy, that the OnePlus Pad 3 would bring about a hefty price increase over the OnePlus Pad 2, but thankfully that’s not the case.

The OnePlus Pad 3 boasts an entry level price of $699 / £529 for the 12GB RAM/256GB storage model, but that can leap up to £599 for the more robust 16GB RAM/512GB storage option.

Given that the OnePlus Pad 2 had a launch price of $549 / £499 at the checkout, seeing just a £30 uptick this time around (in the UK at least) isn’t too shabby, and I think it’s reasonable request when compared against the larger screen, faster processor, increased storage and improved speakers that you get with this newer model. Sorry, US users, but you know what you did.

What you do need to bear in mind however is that the OnePlus Pad 3 does not come bundled with any of its key accessories. In the US you get the 80W SuperVOOC charger, but in the UK you’ll only find OnePlus’ signature red USB-C cable included. This is where the cost can soar.

The OnePlus Pad 3 Stylo 2 will set you back $99 / £99, so you'll have to factor that in for digital drawing or note-taking, while the OnePlus Pad 3 Smart Keyboard and Folio Case cost $199 / £169 and $49 / £59 respectively. Of course, you can always opt for cheaper alternatives to help mitigate that cost, such as eschewing the Smart Keyboard in favor of one of the best wireless keyboards, but for the most seamless experience where everything complements one another in design language, it can add up.

Value score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Pad review: specs

Starting price	£529
Operating system	OxygenOS 15
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
Memory (RAM)	12GB/16GB
Storage	256GB/512GB
Display	13.2-inch 3.4k LCD, 144Hz
Weight	675g
Battery	12,140mAh
Charging	80W SUPERVOOC
Cameras	13MP main, 8MP front

Pretty much all of the key areas have seen an upgrade over the OnePlus Pad 2. There’s now the much faster Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset under the hood which OnePlus claims to provide a 45% and 40% boost in CPU and GPU performance respectively.

Helping to power that chipset is an increase in the default amount of RAM, with the entry-level option now boasting 12GB instead of 8GB, and that’s also paired with a higher starting storage of 256GB as opposed to 128GB. In the UK there is an upgrade option with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but that model isn't being sold in the US.

What’s sure to turn heads for those who use their tablets as all-day devices is the leap to a massive 12,140mAh battery which absolutely towers above the 9,510mAh cell found within the OnePlus Pad 2. There’s even an increase in charging speeds, now up to 80W, to help you fill up that larger battery even faster. In the US that faster charger comes in the box, but UK users will need to splurge on the faster plug.

OnePlus Pad 3 review: display

OnePlus Pad 3 close-up images — (Image credit: Future)

Gorgeous 13.2-inch 3.2K LCD panel
7:5 ratio is helpful for multitasking
Great depiction of colour

Because I’d become so used to using the much smaller iPad 10.9, which has been my go-to tablet for everything over the last few years, I was somewhat gobsmacked by the display that the OnePlus Pad 3 brings to the table. Sure, it’s not quite the 14.6-inch beast that you’ll find on the far pricier Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, but the Pad 3’s 13.2-inch 3.2K LCD display is an eye-catcher for a handful of reasons.

At the surface level, it just looks great. Whether you’re simply admiring the collection of landscape photography that OnePlus offers up for potential wallpapers, or streaming one of the best Disney Plus shows, it all leaps out of the screen with a level of vibrancy that really makes the OnePlus Pad 3 a joy to use. Whenever I had to go back to using my Windows laptop, I always found myself irritated at the immediate downgrade in screen quality.

When I was diving into a bit of Call of Duty Mobile to test out the performance of the device, I ended up playing for quite a bit longer than I usually do just because of how great the game looks on the OnePlus Pad 3. Particle effects really pop thanks to the larger than average sizing, and your eyes are drawn to character models which are given their due thanks to the detailed 3.2K resolution.

The high density of pixels also means that fans of animation will love using this thing for entertainment. Diving into Disney Pixar’s Elemental, the opening scenes in Element City are an absolute feast for the eyes, with your attention drawn equally to what’s happening in the foreground and all the smaller moments of background action.

Because of the unique 7:5 aspect ratio, the OnePlus Pad 3 has just the right amount of height in its display to have multiple windows open at one time, all without any of them feeling too cramped to the point where you’re forced to zoom in. In the time that I’ve been using the tablet, I’ve probably come to value this feature the most as it means I can really maximise its capabilities as a productivity device. I never like to bring a laptop with me on holiday, but for something like this that works so well for both watching content and responding to emails, the OnePlus Pad 3 is exactly the type of device I’d pack in my suitcase.

Display score: 5 / 5

OnePlus Pad 3 review: design

Image 1 of 2

Image 2 of 2

Barely thicker than the USB-C port at the bottom
Fairly mundane colour options

When you lay your hands on the OnePlus Pad 3, you’ll no doubt notice, before anything else, just how slim this thing is. As soon as I took it out of the box, I became far more cautious in my handling of the Pad 3 until I was able to encase it in the Smart Keyboard accessory that OnePlus sent along with it.

The OnePlus Pad 3 is just 5.97mm thick, which isn’t too far off the 5.1mm thickness of the iPad Pro 2024. Despite its larger than average display, the Pad 3 doesn’t weigh all that much in the hand either, coming in at only 675g. Thankfully, all of this means that, even with the Smart Keyboard in tow, the OnePlus Pad 3 feels wonderfully lightweight in your bag, and it’s very easy to carry around one-handed.

Unfortunately, there isn’t really anything here in the way of visual flare to elevate the OnePlus 3 from competing tablets. There are two colors available in the UK, Storm Blue (the same as the review unit) and Frosted Silver. The silver model won't be sold in the US.

While I can’t speak for the latter, the Storm Blue looks anything but blue to my eyes, striking more as a darker grey. I know that this isn’t uncommon with tablets around this price range, but I would love to see more vibrant options like what you’ll find with the entry-level iPad 10.9.

It also doesn’t help that the ‘all metal unibody’ of the tablet loves to pick up the occasional smudge, which is never a good look. I also think that the design of the Smart Keyboard accessory could use a bit of an overhaul.

The keyboard itself is fine once you get used to it, but it would be nice if the keys were less mushy and a bit more clicky, similar to what you’ll find on Apple’s Magic Keyboard. The material underneath the keyboard also doesn’t have much grip to it either, and when working at a standard office desk, I found it would slip and slide all over the place with just a slight nudge, which forced me to be a bit more considerate in my typing. This wasn’t the case everywhere that I took the Pad 3, but it’s something that I would like to see fixed in a successor.

Design score: 4/5

OnePlus Pad 3 review: software

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Open Canvas is now better than ever
Android still needs better optimisation on tablets

Software has long been the Achilles heel for almost all Android tablets when weighed up against the seamlessness of Apple’s iPadOS, but to give OnePlus its due, the company has done its best to close the gap with OxygenOS 15.

Compared to some of the more cumbersome Android interface options out there, OxygenOS is clean in its aesthetic and easy to understand in its UI so that, even if you’re someone who’s knee-deep in Apple’s ecosystem and considering picking up an Android tablet for the first time, you’ll get on just fine here.

OnePlus made the excellent decision last year to bring the impressive Open Canvas software (originally found on the OnePlus Open) over to the OnePlus Pad 2. This ingenious bit of tech means that you can easily have up to three apps open at the same time, which has been incredibly helpful whilst writing this review as it means I’ve been able to cross reference my own notes with OnePlus’ official press release without having to constantly minimize and reopen windows.

Open Canvas was already great, but it’s just been given a handy upgrade that now makes launching it even easier than before. If the Pad 3 notices that you’ve quickly jumped from one app to another, it will ask if you want to split-screen these apps so that they sit side by side. The moment you tap this notification, both apps appear instantly – it’s that simple.

It’s such a small addition to the software but one that ended up saving me a decent chunk of time, and anything that helps to keep your flowstate going when you're in the middle of a tough deadline is fine by me. Apple should take note and bring this to iPadOS in the future.

As great as Open Canvas is, the OnePlus Pad 3 doesn’t completely avoid the optimization problems that plague Android on tablets. Regardless of which device I’m using, I frequently rely on Google Docs and Notion, both of which had issues when trying to run on the Pad 3.

Initially, Notion wouldn’t let me type anything until I was forced to delete the app and then reinstall it, while Google Docs would just flat out refuse to recognize the scrolling gesture on the Smart Keyboard trackpad, so I’ve been forced to use the touchscreen whenever I’ve needed to move through a document.

What I will say is that for a lot of these web-based apps, they do work rather well when you run them in the Chrome browser, similar to how you would with one of the best Chromebooks, but it’s hardly ideal given that it’s never an issue I’ve had to deal with when using iPadOS.

Unlike a lot of companies right now, OnePlus hasn’t gone so far into AI that it’s taken up the bulk of the upgrades, but there are some helpful AI features now baked into the ‘AI toolkit’ which appears when you’re browsing the web. This allows you to quickly summarise an article if you’re in a rush, or have an AI voice read out its contents for you, even as you dive into other apps. It’s unobtrusive yet well executed, so well done to OnePlus on this front.

Software score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Pad 3 review: performance

Flagship performance thanks to the latest Snapdragon chip
This is a tablet designed for multitasking

If you’ve already read the specs for the OnePlus Pad 3 then you may have raised an eye-brow at the inclusion of the super-powered Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset under the hood. Not only is this the same processor you’ll find in the best smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Honor Magic 7 Pro, but it also represents a major leap in speed from what we've seen before.

As previously mentioned, the claim is that the 8 Elite can provide a 45% boost in performance to the CPU, and 40% for the GPU. That all sounds great on paper, but what difference does it make to the day to day experience? Plenty, as it turns out.

Just for context, this entire review has been written with the OnePlus Pad 3, and I’ve had Google Docs open alongside a PDF press release, and a Chrome window with several tabs. Occasionally I’ve had a WhatsApp overlay in the corner to quickly respond to messages, and at one point I had Disney Plus playing Avengers: Endgame on top of all these apps, and it didn’t break a sweat. Sure, it did look like some kind of pop-up-filled nightmare, but I was impressed to see no signs of slowdown. Simply put, if you're after a productivity tablet that you can really push to the limits, you’ll get on well here.

The same can be said for gaming. Taking a quick break to enjoy a few rounds of Call of Duty Mobile with an Xbox controller connected via Bluetooth, the OnePlus Pad 3 kept up with every fast-paced moment and all the chaos that a typical match brings with it.

As a final point, I want to draw particular attention to the improved speakers on the OnePlus Pad 3. There are now eight speakers instead of four, and they collectively offer up the best sound I’ve ever come across on a tablet. Layers feel separated so that they each have noticeable depth, and vocals are elevated to make watching shows and films a really enjoyable experience.

Performance score: 5 / 5

OnePlus Pad 3 review: battery

Charging speeds and battery capacity have been upgraded
No charging brick included

While there have been plenty of upgrades elsewhere, OnePlus has still made sure not to forget about the battery and charging experience. The headline upgrade here is the change to a much larger 12,140mAh battery which OnePlus claims can play triple-A games for six hours, or endure video playback for more than 17-hours. That’s definitely impressive, but I think that the proof is in how it can handle a bit of everything over the course of a day.

Beginning my test at 9:30am, I used the OnePlus Pad 3 as my main work device for typing documents and responding to emails, but over the course of six hours of screen-on time, downloading apps, watching 30-mins of Disney Plus and similarly playing games for 30-minutes, I was able to make it to 5:30pm with about 35% battery left in the tank. Of course, the average work day (for myself at least) doesn't tend to have quite so much time set aside for entertainment, but to still have 35% remaining leaves me with plenty of confidence for the days when I want to hunker down with work.

Charging is a bit of a different story. The OnePlus Pad 3 now support fast charging up to 80W, up from 67W on the OnePlus Pad 2, but you’ll need to buy a compatible charger separately in order to hit those speeds.

For my charging test, I had a 65W charger to hand (which is still faster than most), and managed to get the Pad 3 from 5% battery to 100% in 121 minutes. It took about an hour to reach 56% so if you are strapped for time, that should give you enough power to get through a day with the power saver mode switched on.

Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the OnePlus Pad 3?

OnePlus Pad 3 report card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	For all the upgrades the OnePlus Pad 3 packs, its small price increase is easily justified.	4 / 5
Display	The increased size and unique aspect ratio make the display ideal for work and entertainment	5 / 5
Design	The Pad 3 is incredibly thin and light to the touch, but its overall design isn't too inspiring	4 / 5
Software	OxygenOS is brilliantly intuitive, but Android still needs some work for tablets	4 / 5
Performance	The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset makes short work of multitasking and gaming	5 / 5
Battery	Plenty of longevity but charging can be slow if you don’t buy an appropriate fast charger	4 / 5

Buy it if…

You need a multitasking tablet for work

If you’re constantly juggling emails, documents and notes then the OnePlus Pad is perfect for jumping between them quickly.

You want one of the best Android tablets out there

Between OxygenOS and the improved battery life, the Pad 3 will leave you wanting for very little within the Android space.

You’re tempted to make the jump from iPad

As a long-time iPad user, I can safely say that I’ll be using the Pad 3 predominantly as my main productivity tablet going forward.

Don’t buy it if…

You aren’t prepared to pay for the accessories

The OnePlus Pad 3 is a great tablet, but it’s made infinitely better by buying at least one of its available accessories which should be factored into the overall cost.

You want the best value tablet

Compared to the iPad Air 2024, the Pad 3 is a bargain, but it’s still more expensive than great value offerings like the Galaxy Tab S10 FE which bundles in the S Pen for free.

You’re knee deep in the Apple ecosystem

Because of the seamless communication between Apple devices, those toting an iPhone or Apple Watch will still find a better overall experience with one of the best iPads.

Also consider

Not convinced by all the OnePlus Pad 3 has to offer? Here are some alternatives worth checking out:

	OnePlus Pad 3	Apple iPad 10.9 (2022)	Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
Price	£529	$349 / £329	$1,199.99 / £1,199 (now regularly discounted)
Base storage	256GB	64GB	256GB
Screen size	13.2-inch 3.4k LCD, 144Hz	10.9-inch LCD, 60Hz	14.6-inch AMOLED, 120Hz
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Elite	Apple A14 Bionic	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Battery	12,140mAh	7,606mAh	11,200mAh
Charging	80W	28.6W	45W
Cameras	13MP main, 8MP front	12MP main, 12MP front	13MP main, 8MP ultra wide, plus 12MP wide and 12MP ultra wide front sensors
OS	OxygenOS w/ Android 15	iPadOS 18	One UI with Android 15

Apple iPad 10.9 (2022)

Apple’s entry-level iPad still manages to defy expectations by offering plenty in the way of productivity and entertainment prowess, and since its successor hit the scene, it can now be found cheaper than ever.

Read our full Apple iPad 10.9 (2022) review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

If you know where to look, Samsung’s ultra-premium tablet of yesteryear can be picked up for a significantly reduced price, and it comes with the S Pen stylus included.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review

How I tested the OnePlus Pad 3

I used the OnePlus Pad 3 over a nine-day testing period, using it in my home office, connected to my home Wi-Fi, and also at a local cafe whilst using my OnePlus Open as a hotspot.

Testing the full speed of its 80W fast charging wasn’t possible due to only having a 65W adapter available over the course of this review, which should be taken into consideration when analysing the battery results.

When testing out the gaming performance of the OnePlus Pad 3, I played Call of Duty Mobile, GTA: San Andreas The Definitive Edition, and Dead Cells: Netflix Edition, all with a wirelessly connected Xbox controller.

First reviewed June 2025

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

12:33 pm |

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

This powerful, smart and versatile upright vacuum was more than a match for my parents’ neglected carpets

11:22 am | June 5, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Tags: AU, Australia, UK, US | Comments: Off

Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum: two-minute review

Product info

This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:

US: Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum with TruePet Upgrade AZ407UPG1

Shark POWERDETECT Upright Bagless Vacuum With Ultimate Cleaning Tools AZ407KT1

UK: Shark PowerDetect Powered Lift-Away Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner AZ3900UKT

AU: Shark PowerDetect Corded Upright AZ3900

For this review, I tested the AZ407UPG1 version. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.

The Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum is one of the most versatile upright vacuums on the market. Like other Shark vacuums, it's outfitted with a Detect mode that adjusts the suction based on the floor type and how clean it is. You don't have to worry about unseen dirt because the vacuum can sense debris, dust, and dirt, and increases the suction as required to clean it up.

While you could use the three manual modes (hard floor, carpet/low pile, and thick carpet/area rug), with the Detect mode, the vacuum informs you when the floor is clean with lights on the vacuum head that turn from purple (i.e. dirty) to white (i.e. clean).

During testing, the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum performed wonderfully on various floor types, especially when it came to picking up fine materials like tea and hair. Though it missed a couple of large oat clusters on a single pass, it's still a top-tier vacuum, with suction capability that's well above average. It's one of the very best upright vacuums I've tested, as well as one of the best vacuums for carpet.

Sure, the vacuum head is a bit bulky, and the cord may get in the way, but Shark made this upright vacuum as versatile as possible. You can remove the pod (which holds the dust bin) from the wand, allowing you to use it as a stick vacuum to reach under couches and beds or in conjunction with one of the three accessories to clean tight spaces. If you need something less bulky, there's a stick vac in the same range – read about it in my Shark PowerDetect Cordless review, or head to TechRadar's best Shark vacuums guide to see other options, some of which have similar features.

All in all, the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum is a great choice for those who have homes with carpet and/or lots of rugs as it does a stand-up job with deep cleaning.

Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum review: price & availability

List price: from $549.99 / £399.99 / $699.99
Launched: Announced September 2024
Available: Worldwide, including US, UK and Australia

In the US, there are a couple of different PowerDetect Upright options – the one I reviewed is the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum with TruePet Upgrade, and it's priced at $549.99. There's also the Shark PowerDetect Upright Bagless Vacuum With Ultimate Cleaning Tools, which costs $449.99. The base model is the same, but the different bundles come with different cleaning tools. In the UK and Australia, there's just one Shark PowerDetect Upright, with a list price of £399.99 / AU$699.99.

At full price, that puts this vacuum in the upper-mid or premium price bracket. However, at time of writing, there are significant discounts available in all territories, taking this vacuum down more firmly into the mid-range market.

I think it's good value for what you're getting here. There are cheaper upright vacuums on the market, but this one has a flexible design and several advanced features that help set it apart from the competition. As you might have gathered from the above, this brand isn't averse to a discount either, and I expect more price drops to appear as time goes on.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum specs

Weight:	17.6 lbs / 8 kg
Bin size:	2 qts / 1.3 L
Cord length:	30 ft / 9 m
Cleaning path:	12 in / 30.5 cm
Flexible hose length:	1.9 ft / 0.6 m

Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum review: design

Corded vacuum with LED lights and a 12in cleaning path
Detachable dust cup lets you use the wand with the three specialty tools
Four cleaning modes including an automatic mode

The Shark PowerDetect Upright is a corded upright vacuum that can be used in various configurations for different cleaning tasks.

Although typically I prefer the freedom of a cordless stick vacuum, I do understand the appeal of a corded upright – in a battle of upright vs cordless vacuums, the former tends to last longer, will never run out of juice, and almost always deliver more powerful suction too.

Shark PowerDetect Upright vacuum broken apart into all of its component parts — (Image credit: Future)

The cable here is fairly generous at 30 feet / 9m long – that's not the longest on the market, but it should still enable you to clean a decent-sized space before having to unplug and replug.

Similarly, at 17.6 lbs / 8kg, it's not the lightest vacuum but it's not overly heavy either. The vacuum head is a bit bulky, but comes with useful design features like a self-cleaning brushroll which means the vacuum can pick up pet and human hair easily without it tangling on the brush, and LED headlights to make it easier to see in dark corners. In fact, you'll notice a lot more lights and indicators on this vacuum than most, plus an odor neutralizer capsule designed to prevent bad smells and keep your floors smelling fresh.

Close up of buttons on Shark PowerDetect Upright vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

The handle has five buttons: a power button and four cleaning mode buttons (Detect mode, Hard floor, Carpet/Low pile, and Thick Carpet/Area rug. When using the Detect mode, this upright vacuum senses the floor type and adjusts the speed of the brushroll and the suction power to clean. Upon sensing dirt, the LED indicator light on the vacuum head turns purple. When the light is white, users know that section of the floor is free of dust and dirt.

Close up of floorhead on Shark PowerDetect Upright vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

The vacuum is outfitted with two other Detect modes. With Edge Detect, arrows on the top sides of the vacuum light up when the vacuum moves close to an edge of a room, and the suction increases on the relevant side of the floorhead to clear any dust that might have gathered there. There's also Direction detect, which is designed so that the vacuum cleans just as well on the reverse stroke as it does when it's pushed forwards.

The dust cup on this PowerDetect vac has a capacity of 2 quarts / 1.3L, which is on the smaller side for an upright vacuum, but is still far bigger than the bin you'd find on a cordless stick vacuum.

For greater flexibility, this dustbin section can also be removed and held in the hand. A flexible hose connects the wand to the dustbin, and from there you can reattach the motorized vacuum head to the wand, to allow you to reach under furniture without the dustbin getting in the way.

Shark PowerDetect Upright vacuum with dust cup removed and held in the tester's hand — (Image credit: Future)

You can also attach one of the detail tools, to tackle awkward or hard-to reach areas. Exactly what tools are included depends on which bundle you opt for. The review model I tested here came with a Duster crevice tool, Pet multi-tool, and HairPro Self-cleaning pet power brush.

As far as sound goes, the vacuum has a dB rating between 77-83, which is dependent on the mode being used or the increase in suction by the vacuum when it senses dirty floors.

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum review: performance

Excellent edge and reverse cleaning
Accessories make it easy to clean furniture, ceiling, and tight spaces
Great at detecting dirt and adjusting suction on various floor types

The Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum took only a couple of minutes to assemble. When I first tried to use it, the machine wouldn't turn on despite pressing the power button and having it properly plugged in. Eventually, I realized I didn't have the hose connected all the way. I love that the vacuum 'protects' the user from accidentally turning the vacuum on and sending dust and debris they've just vacuumed back into the room.

On test, the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum did not disappoint. I have historic hardwood floors, laminate floors, and low pile rugs in my house. On my first go, I cleaned my entire house with the vacuum, jumping between the Detect mode and manual surface modes (hard floor, carpet/low pile, and thick carpet/area rug) to get a feel on how each one worked.

Shark PowerDetect Upright vacuum being used by reviewer in her home — (Image credit: Future)

I've tested a number of Shark vacuums, and I'm a huge fan of the Detect mode, which detects unseen dirt on the ground. I love when the lights turn from purple to white, indicating the surface is dust-free. So many vacuums lack this feature and it's truly a shame, because it's difficult otherwise to know if my floors are actually clean.

No matter the mode, I felt like the vacuum picked up dirt, dust, and debris on all my different floor types wonderfully. The only drawback I observed was that the vacuum head wasn't able to fit into tight spaces. Not to mention, I was unable to reach under my couch or bed because the dustbin got in the way. (There is a workaround this; keep reading.)

Shark PowerDetect Upright vacuum cleaning deep pile carpet — (Image credit: Future)

During my testing period, I had the opportunity to take the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum to my parents' home and test it on the carpet in their bedrooms. I was stunned by how much dust and dirt it picked up from the carpet. When using the Detect mode on their carpets, I found myself vacuuming over one strip of floor about six times before the light turned from purple to white indicating it was clean. (According to my dad, they hadn't deep cleaned their carpets in a while…) Anyone who has carpet in their home would do well to have this vacuum on hand.

Shark PowerDetect Upright vacuum with wand and detail tool attached to flexible hose — (Image credit: Future)

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this upright vacuum is the ability to break it down and use the detail tools provided. The main pod (which holds the dust bin) can be removed from the wand, and the wand can be removed from the vacuum head. This allowed me to attach the duster crevice tool to the end of the wand and clean the corners or my ceiling.

Granted, I had to hold the pod in one hand and the wand in the other, but there aren't too many upright vacuums that offer this feature, and it's very useful. I was also able to use the wand and the vacuum head to clean under my couch and bed without the pod getting in the way.

The only drawback to breaking down the vacuum is that it's not easy to move the unit around the house in that mode. I'd have to pick up the pod in one hand and hold the wand in the other and walk to a new spot. Sometimes, I'd have to go back and grab accessories or the vacuum head or make sure not to get the hose tangled in the cord.

Close up of detail tools housed on back of Shark PowerDetect Upright vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

I don't have pets so I used the Pet Multi Tool and HairPro Self-Cleaning Pet Power Brush to remove my own hair from my couch. Compared to other vacuums that offer similar accessories, I thought they performed slightly better – although that might be more to do with the fact that the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum has a more powerful suction. Nevertheless, it's worth putting this model in the mix if you're looking for the best vacuum for pet hair.

Maintenance isn't too much of a hassle. When I was done cleaning, I removed the dust bin and placed it over a trash can before opening the latch, allowing the dust and debris to fall in. Because the dust cup is much larger than you'd find on most cordless vacuums, you shouldn't have to do this too regularly. The only other required maintenance is cleaning the pre-motor filters every month, the HEPA filter every year, and hand washing the soft roller as needed. Sensors must also be occasionally cleaned, and blockages must be checked for in the hose, wand, and nozzle. The squeegee bristle strip has to be cleaned or replaced occasionally too.

Suction tests

I went on to run a few standardized tests so I can get an even better look into the suction power of the vacuum and how it compares to other models. To do that, I placed loose leaf tea and oats on one of my rugs and on the laminate floor in my kitchen. From there, I used both the Detect mode and the manual modes of Hard Floor and Thick Carpet/Area Rug to see how well the vacuum sucked up the debris.

One update on this Shark range is 'Direction direction' tech, where the vacuum is designed to vacuum just as well when pushed forwards as when it's pulled backwards (some previous Shark vacuums tend to pool debris behind the floorhead when reversing). I also kept an eye on this aspect in my tests.

Shark PowerDetect Upright vacuum performing suction tests on hard floor — (Image credit: Future)

When it came to the loose-leaf tea, the vacuum performed perfectly on my laminate floor and area rug. No matter if I vacuumed forward or in reverse, or what mode I used, it sucked up every single piece of the fine material in a single pass.

Now for the oats test… When it came to vacuuming oats on my laminate floor, the vacuum did a pretty good job. It looked like the vacuum had picked up all the oats in a single pass. However, I later found that the vacuum missed five clusters. Compared to other models I've tested, this is still impressive. Most vacuums push the oats forward or I find that the oats get trapped behind the wheels. The Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum didn't do that. Sure, it missed a couple of oats, but they were quite large clusters and only needed one more pass to remove them from my floors.

For the carpet/rug test, the results were slightly different. No matter the mode, the vacuum suctioned oats perfectly when vacuuming in reverse. Oddly, it missed a few of the larger clusters of oats when vacuuming forward. It took me two to three swipes of the vacuum to remove all the oats from the rug. Again, this is not as big of a drawback as it seems. Most vacuums struggle with picking up x-large clusters of oats, no matter the floor type.

With its Edge detect feature, the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum senses when it's near the edge of a room, where dust can collect, and boosts suction on the relevant side of the floorhead to clear it. To test this feature, I sprinkled loose leaf tea along a wall. The vacuum head picked up every bit of the fine material in a single pass. I give the edge cleaning a perfect rating.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Sits in the upper-mid / premium price bracket, and while it's not the cheapest upright option, the flexibility and features justify the cost.	4.5 / 5
Design	An upright corded vacuum with four cleaning modes and sensors that detect edges, vacuuming direction, surfaces, and dirt. Versatile design that can be broken down into different configurations.	4.5 / 5
Performance	In addition to superb edge and reverse cleaning, it excels in cleaning all floor types, especially carpet. It may miss extra-large debris on a single pass but still outperforms most battery-powered vacuums.	4 / 5

Buy it if...

You have carpet or lots of rugs

Carpet and rugs hide a lot of dust and debris, but this exceptionally powerful upright vacuum can grab even the finest materials like tea.

You're a pet owner

The suction on this vacuum is excellent, and that combined with useful detail tools and a large dust cup make it well suited to those who need something that can cope with lots of pet hair.

You want more assurance that your floors are clean

The vacuum is outfitted with a Detect mode, which informs you when your floors are clean or dirty with lighting cues.

Don't buy it if...

You don't like to be limited by cords

While corded vacuums are not limited by battery life, they do limit how far you can go from an outlet. Not to mention, a cord can get in your way or get tangled.View Deal

You don't want to mess around with different configurations

The bulky vacuum head doesn't fit in tight spaces and the dust bin can prevent you from reaching under furniture. Although you can break down the vacuum to clean hard-to-reach areas, it will take you some time to do so and can be a bit of a hassle to move everything from one spot to the next. For ultimate freedom, try one of the best cordless vacuums instead.

You only have hard floors
Those with hard floors don't really need the power of an upright vacuum. Something lighter like the Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum will perform just as well.

How I tested the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum

I tested the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum with TruePet Upgrade over the course of two weeks. Not only did I use the numerous cleaning modes on my hard floors and low pile carpets, but I also took the vacuum to my parents' house and tested the vacuum on the high pile carpets in their bedrooms. As part of my review, I ran two vacuum tests with fine and thick materials on two different floor types to see how well the vacuum picked up the items on the lowest suction setting.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed May 2025

I carried the Galaxy S25 Edge for two weeks and it slimmed down my pockets but didn’t blow me away

7:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Phones Samsung Galaxy Phones | Tags: AI, AU, UK, US | Comments: Off

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Two-minute review

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge showing the home screen and AI wallpaper with black lights and an Android figurine blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Samsung understood the assignment with the Galaxy S25 Edge, but it didn’t strive for extra credit. The goal was to make a Galaxy S25 Plus that’s easier to hold, but Samsung did not set out to make the thinnest phone possible – in fact the Galaxy S25 Edge isn’t even the thinnest phone Samsung makes today. Instead, it did what Samsung does best: it gave us a little more inside a little less.

The Galaxy S25 Edge is a very good phone, and it feels like something unique compared to every other phone I’ve reviewed. The difference is noticeable; it’s much slimmer and lighter than almost everything else, even when wearing a case. Still, the S25 Edge isn’t a revolutionary new design, and I can’t help but anticipate the competition it’s going to face from Apple in the shape of the rumored iPhone 17 Air.

This is the thinnest Galaxy S device Samsung has ever crafted. It’s 1.5mm thinner than the Galaxy S25 Plus, and almost 2.5mm thinner than the Galaxy S25 UItra.

Could I feel that millimeter in my hand? I’m not sure, but between the thinness and the weight reduction – it’s almost a full ounce lighter than the Plus and two ounces lighter than the Ultra – the Galaxy S25 Edge is undoubtedly a standout.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra all lying side-by-side — Front to back: Galaxy S25 Edge, Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, Galaxy S25 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Galaxy S25 Edge isn’t the phone for you if you want the thinnest phone possible. It’s the phone for you if you want a Galaxy S25 Plus, but wish it were easier to hold. It’s the Galaxy S25 Ultra, minus the extra bits that you wouldn’t use, like the S Pen stylus. It’s not something totally new, but it’s a better option for the right buyer.

But why didn’t Samsung go for broke? Why not make the Edge the absolute thinnest smartphone ever? The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 5.6mm thin when it’s unfolded. Had it shaved another 0.3mm off the Edge, Samsung could have at least said that this is the thinnest Samsung phone you can buy.

The answer, of course, is battery life. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is super thin, but the battery is split between the two halves. Each half of the Z Fold 6 packs only about 2,200mAh of battery life (for 4,400mAh total), which is a lot less than the 3,800mAh the Galaxy S25 Edge offers.

A thinner Galaxy S25 Edge would have meant a smaller battery, and based on my testing, the S25 Edge is using the smallest battery it can get away with.

The Edge had trouble lasting past dinner time in my testing period. If Samsung had made the Edge the thinnest phone ever!, it probably wouldn’t last through my lunch break. I have no doubt Samsung could build such a phone, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

That makes the S25 Edge a pleasantly thin phone that is simply not very special. There are no special features that set it apart from the rest of the Galaxy S25 family. There’s nothing new here. It’s a well-crafted device that delivers exactly what I expected; no more and no less. That’s not a bad thing! It’s just… predictable.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and S25 Ultra with an iPhone 16 Pro Max in between — Front to back: Galaxy S25 Edge, iPhone 16 Pro Max, Galaxy S25 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The big problem is that Samsung is competing against a specter. The iPhone 17 Air could arrive later this year, and it’s hard not to see the Galaxy S25 Edge as a preemptive attack by Samsung on Apple’s next design concept. Because make no mistake, Apple is going to make a big deal out of going thin.

Apple is going to pretend it invented the millimeter. If and when Apple launches an iPhone Air in September, it will act like thinness is the biggest design innovation since the capacitive touchscreen. All other specs be damned! And I think Apple will be willing to shrink the battery and cut back on cameras even more severely than Samsung.

If that happens, the iPhone 17 Air will probably be less capable than the Galaxy S25 Edge in many ways, but it will give Apple the all-important bragging rights. Apple could use the dual-OLED display found on the iPad Pro, and recent rumors suggest the rumored phone will be around 5.5mm, making it thinner than any phone Samsung currently sells.

In a way, this takes the pressure off Samsung. The Galaxy S25 Edge is a very nice phone, and it fits neatly into Samsung’s price ladder as a little nicer than the Galaxy S25 Plus, but not as feature-packed as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It doesn’t need to prove anything – the Galaxy S25 Edge does fine with less, without trying to be the most.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Price and availability

Starts at $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849 for 256GB/12GB configuration
That’s $100 / £100 / AU$500 more than S25 Plus, $200 / £150 less than the Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra all standing side-by-side — Left to right: Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy S25 Edge, Galaxy S25 Plus, Galaxy S25 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Galaxy S25 Edge slots in neatly between the Galaxy S25 Plus and S25 Ultra in Samsung’s lineup. It’s closer to the Plus, which makes sense because it lacks more of the Ultra features than it possesses – there’s no S Pen, no telescopic zoom lens, and no big battery inside, for instance, although it is, like the S25 Ultra, built from titanium.

Otherwise, you get most of what you’d expect from the Galaxy S25 Plus, minus the zoom camera. It packs a sensor with a lot of megapixels, and that sensor is actually larger than the main sensor on the Galaxy S25 Plus. Both cameras use sensors that are smaller than the main 200MP sensor on the mighty Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Now I need a moment with my Australian friends, because something very odd is happening down under. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has come down in price by AU$400 since launch, which means it costs less than the Galaxy S25 Edge by AU$100. Also, the S25 Edge seems priced a bit high in Australia compared to the rest of the world – it’s AU$500 more than the Galaxy S25 Plus?! That seems like a mistake, but it’s the real price for now, so I would wait until Samsung offers a discount to buy the Edge.

Storage	US price	UK price	AU price
256GB	$1,099	£1,099	AU$1,849
512GB	$1,219	£1,199	AU$2,049

Value score: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Specs

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and S25 Plus standing side-by-side — Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (left) and Galaxy S25 Plus (right) are very similar inside (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Like the rest of the Galaxy S25 family, the S25 Edge gets 12GB of RAM to support the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset inside. This platform has proven powerful and very efficient in my reviews of the best Android phones this year.

The 6.7-inch display on the S25 Edge seems to be identical to that on the S25 Plus. The main camera uses a new 200MP sensor that we haven’t seen before, which is a bit smaller than the 200MP sensor on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but larger than the 50MP sensor on the Galaxy S25 Plus. There’s no telephoto lens, but the Edge seems to use the same 12MP ultrawide camera as the S25 Plus.

The Galaxy S25 Edge comes with a 3,900mAh battery under its display, which is even smaller than the 4,000mAh battery beneath the Galaxy S25’s 6.2-inch screen. That’s what you sacrifice when you make a phone thin.

	Samsung Galaxy S25
Dimensions	158.2 x 75.6 x 5.8mm
Weight	163g
OS	OneUI 7, Android 15. 7 major Android upgrades promised.
Display	6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
RAM	12GB
Storage	256GB / 512GB
Battery	3,900mAh
Rear cameras	200MP main, 12MP ultra-wide
Front camera	12MP
Charging	25W wired, 15W wireless
Colors	Titanium Silver, Titanium Icyblue, Titanium Jetblack

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Design

Feels exceptionally light when you hold it
Even with a case, it’s a very thin phone

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge from the other side with black lights blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The real selling point for the Galaxy S25 Edge isn’t the thinness, it’s the lightness. You have to hold this phone to appreciate it; you can’t just look at the S25 Edge if you want to experience how thin and light it is. Photos don’t do justice to the remarkably light weight, and that’s a big part of the experience.

If you get pinky-finger fatigue from balancing your phone, the S25 Edge might be the phone that will save your favorite digit. Even though it has a huge 6.7-inch display, the Galaxy S25 Edge is lighter than the iPhone 16 (6.1-inch screen, 170g), or the Pixel 9 (6.3-inch screen, 198g). It’s only one gram heavier than the 6.2-inch Galaxy S25, but it feels lighter since it’s less dense.

I almost always use a case with my phone, and since Samsung did not have cases ready for my review period, I asked my friends at Casetify to send over their thinnest cases for the Galaxy S25 Edge. Even with a case on the phone, it still feels remarkably thin and light, especially considering that huge screen size. My S25 Edge in a protective Casetify shell is still lighter than my Galaxy S25 Ultra with no case.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge in Casetify cases from back and sides — The Galaxy S25 Ultra is almost as thick as the Galaxy S25 Edge in a case, including the camera bump (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

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The design overall looks nearly identical to that of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but on very close inspection things are less impressive. Frankly, the build quality of the Galaxy S25 Edge seems messy compared to the Ultra or to any Apple iPhone.

There are gaps between the frame and the back glass. The SIM card tray doesn’t line up perfectly. There’s a gap between the camera bump and the back of the phone that I worried would pick up dirt – and by the end of my review period, that was the dingiest part of the phone.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge from the top with black lights blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

This phone could have been special. Samsung could have tried something new, like capacitive buttons on the side – a trick that rumors say Apple is considering. It could have had super-fast charging to go with that slim battery. It could have had unique colors or a unique finish.

Instead, it’s just a slimmer version of a phone we got six months ago, and it’s not even a really nice version at that.

Design score: 3 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Display

More Galaxy S25 Plus than Ultra, but that’s pretty great
Fingerprint scanner was totally unreliable

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge showing TechRadar.com with black lights and an Android figuring blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Galaxy S25 Edge, like the Galaxy S25 Plus, is sort of a hidden gem in Samsung’s lineup when it comes to display quality. While the S25 Ultra has a slightly-larger 6.9-inch screen, all three phones all have the same resolution. When you pack the same pixels into a smaller display, you get a screen that’s technically sharper, in terms of pixel density.

Which is to say the Galaxy S25 Edge has a fantastic screen, one of the best you can find on any phone. It is plenty bright, even in bright sunlight, though the Ultra does beat the Edge thanks to the addition of the remarkable coating that Samsung has been using for a couple of years to eliminate glare on its flagship flat phone.

The display can refresh at up to 120Hz – take that iPhone 16 Plus – and thanks to LTPO tech you can even get a full-color always-on display that refreshes as slowly as 1Hz to save power.

I’ve never had great luck with Samsung’s fingerprint scanners, and the S25 Edge didn’t recognize me any faster than other Galaxy phones, and unlocking failed more often than not. I know I have fingerprints because my OnePlus 13 sees them with 99% accuracy, so I assume this is a Samsung problem, not a me problem.

Display score: 5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Software

OneUI 7 is well built, but doesn’t add much to the Edge experience
AI features can be useful, but many feel like even more bloat

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge showing the Samsung Edge Panel with black lights and an Android figurine blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

For better and for worse, the Galaxy S25 Edge uses the same One UI 7 interface as the rest of the Galaxy S25 family, with Android 15 serving as the engine. Samsung and Google seem to be locked in a perpetual struggle to control Samsung’s phones, so you’ll get two web browsers, two photo gallery apps, even two wallets and two different password managers.

It’s getting to be a bit much. I’m the first to insist that Samsung’s software – like its Internet web browser – performs better than Google’s alternative. But nobody wants two of everything; you don’t get an extra steering wheel when you buy a car. It’s time for Samsung to end the duplicate-apps project.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge showing settings and controls with black lights and an Android figuring blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

There are plenty of Galaxy AI features on the phone, and it comes with Google Gemini preloaded and ready to take over the power button at your beck and call.

I think we may have already hit the wall with AI features. Samsung has been touting its Now Brief widget and app since the Galaxy S25 launched, and it’s a completely useless piece of software. It’s supposed to learn things about me and then offer information tailored to my needs, but nothing like that happens.

I’ve been wearing a Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro while using the S25 Edge for weeks. The Now Brief offers no more than today’s weather, a missive that feels creepy coming from an AI (‘Wishing you well’?!), and the first few events on my work calendar, which are usually the first three people who took the day off and logged it properly.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge showing the Now Brief app with black lights and an Android figuring blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

At worst, Now Brief offers me partisan political news. I filter out most politics from my social feeds, and I don’t talk about politics in my text messages, so I’m not sure why Now Brief thinks politics are what interests me. It’s inescapable.

Thankfully, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S25 Edge will get seven years of major Android and security updates, so it should last through Android 22, just like the rest of the Galaxy S25 family.

Software score: 3 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Cameras

Exactly what I expected based on the specs
Samsung’s processing can be fun, or inconsistent

When I heard that the Galaxy S25 Edge would use fewer cameras than its S25 stablemates, with one big 200MP main sensor and a supporting ultra-wide, I was excited at the prospect. After all, one of Leica’s most popular cameras, the Leica Q3, uses a single large sensor and a wide lens, and fakes all of the zoom with digital cropping. If anybody can pull off the same trick on a camera phone, it’s Samsung.

Nope. I’m disappointed to say the cameras are fine, but not groundbreaking. I was hoping the Edge would be a trendsetter. Instead, it runs down the middle of the road without faltering. It does a great job at the things Samsung camera phones do well, but it can’t handle the all-in-one duties of the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

There are no surprises with the Galaxy S25 Edge cameras. The main camera uses a 200MP sensor with a wide lens, and that sensor is a bit smaller than the 200MP sensor on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. No surprise then that the Ultra is still the best Samsung camera phone, in more ways than one.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge showing the camera app focused on black lights and an Android figurine blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The main camera produces images that are a bit fuzzier than what I got from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and I was surprised to find the colors dialed back a bit as well. The Edge’s cameras don’t seem to be tuned to pop colors as much as the Ultra cameras do. It still managed to take excellent food photos and warm portraits, like I expect from Samsung.

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A close up of flowers — Taken with Galaxy S25 Edge (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Galaxy S25 Edge 100% crop

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Galaxy S25 Ultra 100% crop

If you need a zoom lens, the S25 Edge isn’t going to satisfy you. The digital zoom doesn’t come close to providing the detail and quality I get with optical zoom on the Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max. A heron across the river looked like a white, featherless blob when I snapped a pic with the Edge. The iPhone and Galaxy Ultra images revealed a beak and some plumage.

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Sample photo taken with Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge — Taken with the Galaxy S25 Edge (Image credit: Philip BerneFuture)

Galaxy S25 Edge 10X digital zoom

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Heron — Taken with the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

iPhone 16 Pro Max 5X optical zoom, enhanced to 10X

If you take a lot of photos outdoors, the S25 Ultra has a coating on the display to reduce glare, and it makes a big difference even compared to the S25 Edge, which has a nearly-identical display otherwise. The Edge can get bright, but it’s much easier to see the Ultra’s screen if the sun is shining directly on you.

Camera score: 3 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Camera samples

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Performance

Excellent performance from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
The Edge stayed very cool under conditions that break other phones

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge showing the Galaxy AI settings with black lights and an Android figurine blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I was expecting excellent performance from the Galaxy S25 Edge, and this phone delivered beyond my expectations. It was plenty fast, with that overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset providing a bit more boost than you’ll get on a non-Samsung Snapdragon phone. Samsung has also done a remarkable job of keeping the phone cool, even when you push the performance to the limit.

I perform a stress test where I run multiple mapping apps on a phone, and play music over Bluetooth, then sit the phone above my car dashboard in the sunshine. Most phones take less than an hour of this punishment before they shut down due to overheating.

The S25 Edge never quit, managing to stay cool enough to function for as long as I needed. That’s incredible – every iPhone, Pixel phone, and Galaxy phone I’ve tested has failed this endurance test. The Edge really lives up to Samsung’s claims of much better cooling – that 10% larger vapor chamber clearly makes a real difference.

This makes the Galaxy S25 Edge an easy contender for a best gaming phone ranking. It offers great performance and superior cooling – everything a gaming phone needs.

I also had fun playing games with the Galaxy S25 Edge clipped onto my Xbox wireless controller using a cheap third-party attachment from Amazon. The phone is so lightweight that gaming for long periods was a breeze – it’s a nice way to kill time while I wait for my Switch 2 to arrive.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Battery

Good battery for the thin size, but not great
Couldn’t last a full day if I used it aggressively

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge from the bottom with black lights blurred in the background — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

As I said above, Samsung could have made a thinner Galaxy S25 Edge, but the battery life would be terrible – as it is, during my review period the S25 Edge often needed a recharge while I was eating dinner, especially if I played games, took a lot of photos, or otherwise taxed the phone heavily.

If I scrolled my social feeds and listened to music on the train into work, I would be concerned about whether the battery would last until the train ride home.

It’s too bad Samsung didn’t use the latest silicon carbon battery technology found in the OnePlus 13, which might have helped it to pack in more power. I also wish this phone charged faster than other Galaxy S25 models, not slower – if it had 80W charging like the latest OnePlus phones I wouldn’t be worried about having to top up throughout the day, because that top-up would take less than 15 minutes.

As it stands, 15 minutes of charging got me just past 25%, and a full charge took about an hour. That’s pretty slow by today’s standards, especially considering that this battery is smaller than any other inside a Galaxy S25 phone.

Samsung might also be exaggerating its battery claims. It told us to expect the Edge to offer longevity somewhere between the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S25, but in our lab benchmark tests the S25 Edge lasted for less than 13 hours of constant use where the Galaxy S24 lasted more than 13 hours, and the Galaxy S25 topped 15 hours.

If you really need good battery life the Galaxy S25 Plus is the Samsung champ, delivering almost 19 hours of screen time in our rundown test. But it’s not the Edge’s lack of battery life as such that bugs me; it’s how long it takes to top the phone up.

Battery score: 3 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge score card
Value	Not a bad price for the svelte design and pocketability. You know what you’re getting, there are no surprises, so it seems like a fair upgrade from the Galaxy S25 Plus (or is it a downgrade from the Ultra?)	4/5
Design	A bit thinner and much lighter than any other flat phone you’ve tried. You can’t tell by looking; you have to pick it up to feel the difference. The finish is a bit shoddy, but the design might still satisfy buyers with a sore pinky.	3/5
Display	The same great display I saw on the Galaxy S25 Plus (with the same lousy fingerprint scanner). It’s super sharp and very bright, though if you’ll often be in bright sunshine the Ultra has a better anti-glare coating that makes it worth a look.	5/5
Software	Samsung’s One UI looks as good as ever, though the AI features are starting to wane in terms of their usefulness. Thankfully, this phone gets seven years of updates, so it will have no problem running your favorite apps and hopefully improving in the years to come.	3/5
Cameras	You get fewer cameras on a thinner phone, but the main camera still takes fantastic shots, albeit ones that are a bit subdued by normal Samsung standards. They don’t pack the same detail as the Ultra, but food photos and portraits are especially gorgeous.	3/5
Performance	Fantastic performance from the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is paired with some of the most impressive cooling I’ve experienced on a smartphone. I couldn’t get the Edge to fry itself, no matter how much I pushed past its performance limits.	5/5
Battery	Battery life isn’t terrible considering the weight reduction, but I wish the smaller battery came with faster charging to make me forget how long I need to wait. I had to charge the phone most nights after dinner, unless I was careful.	3/5

Buy it if...

The Galaxy S25 Plus would be perfect if it were easier to hold
The Galaxy S25 Edge is the Galaxy S25 Plus minus millimeters and ounces, so it’s easier to grab and easier to hold for longer.

You want the second-thinnest Samsung phone
The Galaxy S25 Edge is the thinnest Galaxy S phone, and if you don’t like foldable phones it’s the thinnest Samsung phone you care about.

Don't buy it if...

You thought it would be the thinnest
The Galaxy S25 Edge isn’t really the thinnest anything, but it is very light, and that might be more important when you’re holding it for a long time.

You’re taking photos in bright sunlight… from far away
The Galaxy S25 Ultra remains the Samsung camera champ, with its anti-glare screen coating that helps in bright light plus its real optical zoom lenses… plural.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Also consider

Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus
The Galaxy S25 Plus isn’t as thin as the Galaxy S25 Edge, but it has the same specs with much, much longer battery life. It even gives you a real zoom camera.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
If you don’t need an S Pen, or anti-glare, or two zoom lenses, or incredible battery life and faster charging, or up to 1TB of storage, you don’t need the Ultra, but you want it.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

	Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge	Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus	Galaxy S25 Ultra
Price:	$1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849	$999 / £999 / AU$1,699	$1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,149
Display:	6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED	6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED	6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED
Cameras:	200MP main, 12MP ultra-wide	50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3x telephoto	200MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 50MP 5x telephoto
Battery Life HH:MM (Future Labs test):	12:45	18:46	18:35

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

I tested the phone for two weeks
I took dozens of photos
I played games and watched movies
I checked email and worked in Slack
I used AI features extensively
Benchmark testing is for comparison, not scoring purposes

I tested the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge for more than two weeks before posting this review. I received the Edge before I traveled to Google I/O, and I took the phone along as my primary work device and for entertainment on flights.

When I got back from Google I/O I had Covid, so the Galaxy S25 Edge was my primary couch companion, and my source of entertainment and contact with the world. I used it to play games, watch movies, and listen to audiobooks.

When I’d recovered, I took the S25 Edge car shopping and connected it to a number of different cars to test. I used the phone to take photos, research cars, and more. I even asked for help from Google Gemini and Samsung’s Galaxy AI to do research, answer calls, and respond to solicitors.

I connected the Galaxy S25 Edge to a Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and an Xbox Wireless controller, among numerous other devices.

Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT and Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone's performance on video tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness.

For battery testing we perform proprietary tests that are the same for every phone, which enable us to determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.

Honor 400: Two-minute review

In the time that I’ve spent with the Honor 400, part of me is stunned to see just how far the mid-range market has come. Usually, when I test phones at this end of the scale, I anticipate there being one area that significantly holds the phone back from true greatness. This is understandable – there needs to be some reason to upgrade to the best phones like the iPhone 16 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – but on the Honor 400, this caveat never really applied.

For starters, with an affordable price tag of £399.99 in the UK, the Honor 400 already undercuts a ton of mid-range contenders like the Pixel 9a, the Samsung Galaxy A56 and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, which will make it a more tempting buy for those who are tied to a strict budget.

Diving into the phone itself, Honor spoils us with a number of features, the highlight being the 6.55-inch AMOLED display, which can reach a peak brightness of 5000 nits. I’ve tested a lot of phones in my time, but Honor just knows how to make a mid-range display that’s instantly eye-catching. It’s colorful, easy to use outdoors, and great for streaming films and TV shows.

The new 200MP main camera captures some great shots, especially when the sun is out, but the setup really comes into its own when paired with the Harcourt-inspired filters in the phone’s portrait mode. If you prefer taking pictures of friends and family rather than what you had for dinner, then you’ll appreciate what’s available here.

This amounts to a solid experience overall, but in some instances, it’s a slight downgrade compared to the phone’s predecessor. For instance, the Honor 200 has a slightly larger 6.7-inch display as well as an additional telephoto lens. The same Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset has been carried over, so you won’t gain much where performance is concerned.

With that in mind, I wouldn’t recommend the Honor 400 to owners of last year’s Honor mid-range. For those with a device that’s been out for four or five years, though, it’s hard to argue with the value proposition Honor has put together.

Honor 400 review: price and availability

Honor 400 review images — (Image credit: Future)

Starts at £399.99 in the UK
Released in May 2025

Situated as the middle child of the new Honor 400 series, the Honor 400 has a starting price of £399.99 for the 256GB model, but that price leaps up to £449 if you want the larger 512GB storage option.

At the time of writing, only UK pricing and availability have been confirmed, with the phone releasing in May 2025 both as a SIM-free device and from several UK networks.

Even though their naming conventions are easy to understand, the pricing within the Honor 400 range is a little confusing. At present, the Honor 400 Lite costs £249.99, just £150 less than the Honor 400, whereas the Honor 400 Pro asks for an extra £300 with an RRP of £699.99.

I can only hypothesize that the Honor 400’s entry-level price is a strategic move to make it more affordable than some of the established best mid-range phones, which tend to sit around £499.

Value score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 review: specs


Dimensions:	156.5mm x 74.6mm x 7.3mm
Weight:	184g
Display:	6.55-inch (2736 x 1264) up to 120Hz AMOLED
Chipset:	Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
RAM:	8GB
Storage:	256GB / 512GB
OS:	Android 15
Primary camera:	200MP (f/1.9, 1/1.4'', OIS) sensor
Ultra-wide camera:	12MP (f/2.2, FOV 112°) sensor
Front Camera:	50MP sensor
Battery:	5,330mAh
Charging:	66W wired
Colors:	Midnight Black, Meteor Silver, Desert Gold

Honor 400 review: design

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Honor is definitely nipping at Apple’s heels
The design feels more confident than the Honor 200

The overall design of Honor’s mid-range phones has always felt a little off to my eyes. For example, the Honor 90 from a few years back had a wonderful Emerald Green option that made it stand out, but it was hampered by two distinct camera bumps that felt wildly out of place.

Things weren’t much better with last year’s Honor 200, which featured far too much negative space in its camera module, making the design feel like an afterthought compared to the rest of the device. Thankfully, Honor has finally hit a far more premium, if potentially dull, aesthetic.

As mentioned in the Honor 400 Lite review, it isn’t hard to see where Honor is drawing its inspiration from here. The flat edges around the device, alongside the vertically aligned cameras, give off a whiff of the iPhone 16, which is no bad thing when you consider that the Honor 400 is less than half the price of Apple’s £699/$699 handset.

It does feel premium in the hand, and even with a plastic chassis, I think people would be surprised to learn just how cheap the Honor 400 is at the checkout, based solely on its looks.

I do wish, however, that Honor could have kept some of its signature flair where the colors are concerned. The company has instead opted for safe black, silver and gold variations. Thankfully, there is an official IP rating this time around of IP65, so you won’t have to worry about dust particles or jets of water – always helpful over long-term use.

While it certainly won’t wow anyone, I feel that this is the most confident-looking mid-ranger that Honor has ever put out, and I have to admire it for that.

Design score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 review: display

It’s a smaller display at 6.55 inches
The curves have been swapped out for a flat panel

If there’s one area where this company has easily outpaced the mid-range competition, it’s in the quality of its displays, and the Honor 400 is no exception, although there is one tweak that might put off some folks from upgrading.

Starting with the good, this 6.55-inch AMOLED display is just drop-dead gorgeous to look at. It gets impressively bright at up to 5000 nits, and when using it outdoors against direct sunlight, I haven’t found myself squinting to make out what’s on the screen.

The crisp 2736 x 1264 resolution also makes the phone great for catching up on Netflix or whichever streaming service takes your fancy. Using the Honor 400 at the gym, I was quite immersed in a few episodes of Prime Video's Invincible while on the treadmill, with the phone doing the show’s vivid color palette justice.

If you don’t mind sacrificing a little more battery life, you can toggle Super Dynamic Display alongside Vivid Display, two modes that use AI to analyze what you're watching and respond with improved colors and realism in real time. I can’t say that I saw an immediate difference, but the screen already looked great, so I can’t really complain.

While the phone’s refresh rate can be set to 120Hz at all times, by default it’s placed in an adaptive mode that allows it to change depending on the task at hand, saving battery life in the process. Even though this has long been a feature among the best Android phones, it blows my mind that it’s now something we get as standard in the mid-range/budget market.

Making a return is all of Honor’s dimming and eye-health features. That sounds impressive on paper, with ‘3840Hz RiskFree Dimming’, but what does it actually mean? In practice, this tech limits the amount of refreshes that take place at a speed imperceptible to the human eye, reducing the risk of eye fatigue over time.

Of course, something like this is difficult to quantify. However, I will say that out of all the phones I’ve used, the Honor 400 is one of the few that doesn’t leave me with noticeable eye-strain if I do a quick bit of scrolling before bed, particularly if the fantastic ‘eBook mode’ is activated.

All of this amounts to a wonderful display, but if you currently own an Honor 90 or an Honor 200, it’s worth bearing in mind that both of those phones have a larger 6.7-inch display, so you are getting a slight downgrade where size is concerned. Personally, I don’t mind, particularly as it makes the Honor 400 easier to use one-handed, but it’s still something to consider.

Display score: 4.5 / 5

Honor 400 review: cameras

Just like the display, the cameras have also been downgraded/upgraded
The new 200MP main sensor is the star of the show

There’s a definite pattern of give and take with the Honor 400. I’ve already mentioned the differences in the display tech, and unfortunately, it also extends to the new camera setup.

On paper, you’ve got a 200MP (f/1.9, 1/1.4'', OIS) main sensor, flanked by a 12MP (f/2.2, FOV 112°) ultrawide that also serves as a macro lens. That might sound fairly decent given the £399.99 price tag, but eagle-eyed readers might have already noticed that while the main sensor has had a bump from 50MP to 200MP, the phone is missing the additional 50MP telephoto lens from the Honor 200.

While it’s nice to have a dedicated telephoto lens, having the upgraded megapixel count on the main lens does open up more opportunities for cropping and zooming that don't completely wreck the quality of the photo.

Enjoying the wonderful sights of Surrey’s Box Hill, I was able to snap some fantastic shots that really did the trail justice, helped in large part by the brilliantly sunny weather. When I felt the need to crop in on certain photos for social media after the fact, I didn’t feel hard done by in the final results.

The same can be said for the ultra-wide shots, which, despite that 12MP ceiling, still packed an impressive degree of detail and color. In a pinch, that same ultra-wide lens can be used for macro shots if, like me, you enjoy getting the odd picture of fauna up close (although I can’t imagine using it for much else).

You’ve got 4x digital zoom for picking up subjects in the distance, but for something really far out, you can lean on Honor’s 30x AI Superzoom. Just like it operates on other Honor phones, this feature uses AI to recreate the picture you’ve taken. This means the end result isn’t technically a photo at all, but something AI has constructed from a real photo. As you might imagine, its success rate can be mixed, and there’s a general ‘watercolour’ look that plagues all of these images after the fact.

Speaking of AI, there’s an ‘image to video’ feature that lets you make short AI-driven animations out of shots you’ve taken. I’ll admit, one video it derived from a selfie felt so realistic that I didn’t like the idea of seeing what else it could do. Thankfully, these videos don’t go beyond five seconds, so there isn’t a huge use case for them.

When it comes to more traditional AI features in the phone’s editing suite, like AI cutout or AI outpainting (the latter of which extends the picture with generative AI), it all works rather well.

Last year, Honor made a big splash by partnering with photography studio Harcourt to add more pizazz to the portrait photography of the 200 series; now those signature Harcourt filters are back on the Honor 400, looking better than ever.

If you’re the type of person whose Instagram uploads are filled with model-style shots, you’ll appreciate what’s on offer here. Although there are just three Harcourt filters (Vibrant, Color and Classic), they all look great and pump out truly eye-catching shots.

While the 50MP selfie camera doesn’t utilize Harcourt’s prowess, it still managed to capture self-portraits that I was more than happy to share with the world, which doesn’t often happen. There’s a wonderfully soft bokeh here that pairs well with the camera’s autofocus.

The dedicated night mode also does a respectable job, so you should be in luck with most low-light situations if you do want to take a quick snap.

Camera score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 review: camera samples

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Honor 400 review photo samples — (Image credit: Future)

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Honor 400 review: performance

Same chipset as last year
Respectable performance in its price range

The best thing I can say about the Honor 400 from a performance perspective is just how little it’s been on my mind over the course of testing the device. Of course, I’m not saying that it exceeds the best iPhones – far from it – but even though it uses the same Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset as last year, it goes to show how far the mid-range market has come, where you can now expect solid day-to-day performance without breaking the bank.

In the time that I spent with the Honor 400, I didn't have an app fail to load or crash mid-use, and I could jump from one app to another without any significant delay. Even when using the phone as a hotspot to watch a video on my iPad, I could still scroll through Google Chrome on the Honor 400 without any noticeable slowdown.

When it came to games, the phone handled booting up a race in Asphalt Legends Unite and the game’s frenetic energy with ease. Graphics look bold and exciting on the display, and any visual stuttering was very brief and infrequent.

I found the performance within Call of Duty Mobile to be even better, so if you like to get in a few rounds of Nuketown on your lunch break, you won’t have any issues doing so here.

I will say that for both games (and at times when I was really pushing the device), I felt some heat radiating off the Honor 400. It was never enough to make holding the device uncomfortable, but it did give me pause to make sure that I didn’t overstretch the phone’s limitations.

I do, however, want to give a brief nod to the speakers, which performed surprisingly well in testing. I almost always anticipate a mono-speaker system at this end of the market, but there's a stereo set-up on the Honor 400, and it can get impressively loud and immersive when you're diving into a spot of gaming.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 review: software

Honor has gone all in on AI
MagicOS is better, but there’s still room for improvement

Just like almost every other company on the block right now, Honor has gone all-in on AI.

As with AI implementation on other devices, I found the overall experience to be a mixed bag. I don’t think the situation is quite as dire as what I’ve come across using Apple Intelligence on my iPhone 16 Plus, but there are definitely areas where Honor has plenty of room for improvement.

On the better side of that equation is Honor’s Magic Portal, which operates similarly to Google’s Circle to Search (which already exists on the Honor 400), only this time requiring that you highlight an object using your knuckle. I found the feature to be incredibly responsive, and once you’ve selected your desired image or piece of text, you can quickly share it to a list of apps that appear on the side, as chosen by AI. It’s genuinely a great example of AI being used intelligently, and I did find myself using it a few times to save text quickly.

Features like AI Subtitles and AI Translate have their moments, but there’s still work to be done. For the former, it can generate speech to text with decent speed and accuracy, but when I tried to get it to make subtitles from a YouTube video, the whole experience fell apart with nonsensical text. AI Translate fares a bit better with a quick response time for translations, but it doesn’t boast quite as many available languages as Live Translate on Galaxy AI-toting Samsung phones, so you’ll find a more robust experience elsewhere.

At the lower end of the scale, AI Suggestions pretty much does what it says on the tin by offering up quick access to apps it thinks you need at certain times of day, but this is a feature Apple’s had for years so I don’t understand why Honor has drawn so much attention to it here as if it’s something brand new. There’s also AI Deepfake Detection, although this only works with video calls and doesn’t let you know if you’re seeing a video or image online that’s fake, which is really where it should be targeted.

Product shots of the Honor 400 Pro — Magic Capsule on the Honor 400 Pro, which also features on the 400 (Image credit: Future)

All of this sits on top of MagicOS 9.0, Honor’s Android 15 overlay, which in itself is something of a head-scratcher. I will say that compared to when I last used MagicOS on the Honor 90, the operating system has come quite a long way, and it feels less cumbersome to use than I remember.

It’s not quite as slick as stock Android, which can be found on the best Pixel phones, but it does have a nice aesthetic. And as someone who mostly uses an iPhone, I did appreciate the nods to iOS, including Honor’s take on the Dynamic Island, which shows music playback at the top of the display, as well as the need to swipe down from different sections to access the notification tray or the control center (even if I did find myself in the latter a few times when it wasn’t my intention).

What holds MagicOS back is the unfortunate amount of bloatware that comes preinstalled on the Honor 400. When setting the phone up, I needed to get rid of several apps, including TikTok and Temu, not to mention Honor’s own-brand apps, which include the company’s Google Play Store competitor, the Honor App Market. It’s not a deal-breaker, by any means, but it doesn’t help the phone against fierce competition.

On a better note, the Honor 400 now comes with a promised six years of updates, providing official support until at least 2031. Compared to the paltry support that Honor provided for previous devices, this is a huge shift that makes the Honor 400 a better option as a phone to last you well into the future.

Software score: 3 / 5

Honor 400 review: battery life

Slightly larger 5,300mAh cell
Easily gets you through a full day of use comfortably

Despite its smaller stature, the Honor 400 features a slightly increased battery capacity compared to the Honor 200, jumping from 5,200mAh to 5,300mAh. Honor hasn't been too specific where longevity is concerned, other than claiming an “all-day battery life” for the phone, which, thankfully, is an assessment that’s more on the conservative side.

I put the Honor 400 through a heavy day of use, starting at 8:30am, getting just over four hours of screen time, including 40 minutes of Instagram and 25 minutes of Prime Video, alongside 33 minutes of Spotify in the background and 1 hour and 39 minutes of using the phone as a hotspot for my iPad. With all that in mind, the phone still had 30% left in the tank by 10:30pm, 14 hours later.

For my money, that’s more than enough to alleviate any major battery anxiety. You also toggle one of two power-saving modes, which halt a lot of background processing to extend the longevity as much as possible. On most days, however, I didn’t need to charge the Honor 400 until about halfway through the following day.

When you do need to top up, you won’t have to wait long as the Honor 400 boasts 66W fast charging, although there isn’t a compatible fast charger included in the box. When charging at a slightly slower 60W rate on an adapter I had to hand, it took about 30 minutes to get from 20% to 69%, and a total of 54 minutes to get back to a full tank.

Unfortunately, there’s no wireless charging available, which does feel like a sticking point when that feature is creeping into the mid-range conversation.

Battery score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Honor 400?

Honor 400 score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	It might not turn heads with its colorways but the Honor 400 has a confident look.	4 / 5
Display	The display is the true highlight here, just not for owners of last year’s phone.	4.5 / 5
Performance	Great everyday performance that’s difficult to fault.	4 / 5
Camera	The absent telephoto is missed, but everything else is solid.	4 / 5
Battery	More than enough to get you through an intensive day of use.	4 / 5
Software	MagicOS still has some way to go, as does Honor’s AI suite.	3 / 5
Value	Great cameras, a gorgeous display and tons of storage make this a winner.	5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a vibrant display
The Honor 400’s bright and colorful 6.55-inch AMOLED display has been the highlight of my time using the phone. It’s set a very high bar indeed.

You want more storage for less
The ability to get 256GB as standard (or 512GB for just an extra £50) makes the Honor 400 a bargain for those who store tons of files locally.

You want a great phone for portrait photography
Honor’s 200MP main camera takes some great shots, but it’s the Harcourt-infused filters that make it a winner for those who love to indulge in portrait photography.

Don't buy it if...

You have last year’s Honor 200
With the Honor 400 carrying the same chipset, a smaller screen and one less camera, it isn’t exactly a must-buy for last year’s adopters.

You want the best Android experience
Honor’s MagicOS still has a way to go before it can compete with slicker operating system overlays found on Samsung and OnePlus phones.

You value wireless charging
Even though you get fast wired charging here, the lack of wireless charging is noticeable given that it’s slowly becoming a feature at this end of the market.

Honor 400 review: also consider

If you're not completely sold on the Honor 400's set of features, then these alternatives might be a better fit.

Google Pixel 9a
Even though it costs a little more, Google’s latest mid-ranger offers up a far better software experience that’s as close to iOS as you’ll find among the Android crowd.

Read our full Google Pixel 9a review

Samsung Galaxy A56
For a more premium-feeling build, not to mention a much longer lifespan of software and security updates, the Galaxy A56 is arguably a better buy for those who don’t want to upgrade again for quite a while.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A56 review

How I tested the Honor 400

Tested over a single week
Used as the reviewer's main handset
Battery tested against intensive and typical days of use

For the purposes of this review, I used the Honor 400 as my main handset for a total of seven days as it carried my SIM card. Due to this being a pre-release model, certain features like Google Wallet wouldn't work with the device, so I relied on a paired TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro smartwatch for payments.

While the phone does feature 66W fast charging, I used a 65W adapter during the charging test, which automatically downgrades to 60W in the process. The phone I used prior to the Honor 400 was the iPhone 16 Plus, which served as a mental reference over the testing period.

First reviewed: May 2025

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic is one of the best bean-to-cup coffee makers I’ve ever used – and one of the most expensive

6:00 pm | June 1, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: UK | Comments: Off

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: two-minute review

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic is a premium bean-to-cup espresso machine that’s a pleasure to use, brewing exceptionally well-balanced coffee and giving you a huge array of ways to enjoy it.

Once you’ve tailored your espresso to your liking, the Primadonna Aromatic presents you with an enormous menu of hot and cold drink options so you can enjoy it any way you like. You don’t need to worry about being blinded by choice, though, because the machine will ‘learn’ what drinks you enjoy and when, and will bump them to the front of the queue depending on the time of day.

The interface is thoughtfully designed, with a chatty tone, step-by-step instructions, and diagrams and animations to walk you through everything from brewing a macchiato to cleaning the brew unit.

Iced latte macchiato made using Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker — (Image credit: Future)

For me, there are only two drawbacks. The first is the Primadonna Aromatic’s sheer size. I've tested some big coffee makers over the past few years, but this is definitely one of the largest.

Width isn’t much of an issue because the water tank can be removed from the front, making it possible to push the machine up against a wall and only move it out for occasional cleaning. The problem is the height. At 16in / 46.3cm this is a seriously tall appliance, and if you position it on a counter under a wall cabinet, you might struggle to open the bean hopper on top when it's time for a refill. Make sure you measure your space carefully before investing.

The second issue is the price. This is one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines I’ve ever tested, but also one of the most expensive. In fact, only the Jura J10 is pricier. You’ll need a household of coffee lovers with varied tastes to get the most out of the Primadonna Aromatic.

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic coffee machine — (Image credit: Future)

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: price and availability

Costs £1,549.99 (about $2,100 / AU$3,300)
Launched in the UK in April 2025
Not yet available in the US (but likely to arrive soon)

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic launched in the UK in April 2025, priced at £1,549.99 (about $2,100 / AU$3,300). At the time of writing, it’s not yet available in the US, but I anticipate a wider release soon.

It’s one of the more expensive coffee machines in De’Longhi’s fully automatic series, sitting between the De’Longhi Primadonna Soul (which only brews hot beverages) and the top-end De’Longhi Maestosa (which has dual bean hoppers and a special milk carafe that can combine ingredients like cocoa powder).

The Primadonna Aromatic is definitely at the upper end of the price scale when it comes to home coffee makers. However, if you’re a fan of chilled espresso-based drinks, it’s a more affordable option than the Jura J10, which is also great for hot and cold drinks, but has an eye-watering price tag of £1,795 / AU$3,990 (about $2,300).

The Primadonna Aromatic is easily one of the best coffee makers I’ve tested this year, but there’s no avoiding the fact that its price will be beyond the budget of many coffee aficionados.

Value score: 4/5

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: specifications

Name	De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic
Type	Automatic bean-to-cup
Dimensions (W x H x D)	10.3 x 16 x 18.2in / 26.2 x 40.7 x 46.3cm
Weight	28.7lbs / 13kg
Water reservoir capacity	2.3 quarts / 2.2 liters
Milk frother	Automatic, hot and cold
Bars of pressure	19
User profiles	4

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: design

Very large, but stylish
Five-inch touchscreen and intuitive interface
Two-carafe system for hot and cold milk foam
Easy to clean with dishwasher-safe components

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic is a large but stylish espresso machine, with a brushed metal finish and black accents. Its most striking feature is a 5in color touchscreen that displays the menu options (there are 35 customizable hot and cold drinks to choose from), which is supplemented by four buttons: power, profile selection, hot drinks, and cold drinks.

The coffee dispenser on the front can be moved up and down to accommodate different-sized cups and has a magnetic cover that’s easy to remove when you want to clean the nozzles.

The Primadonna Aromatic comes with two milk carafes – one for hot milk and one for cold – that push into a connector on the left of the coffee dispenser. Each carafe has a dial on top that allows you to pick from three foam textures, from creamy to thick. Turning the dial all the way to the right will select cleaning mode, which you should run before returning the carafe to the fridge (the machine will remind you to do this if you forget).

Milk carafe connecting to Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker — The two milk carafes push into a connector on the front of the machine, and can be stored in the fridge between use (Image credit: Future)

Both carafes have lids to keep the milk fresh while it’s refrigerated. When it’s time to give them a deep clean, they can be easily disassembled and cleaned in the top drawer of a dishwasher, or left to soak in hot, soapy water for 30 minutes and rinsed.

The water tank is also nicely designed. It has a generous 2.3 quart / 2.2 liter capacity, and unlike some others, it's large enough to get your hand inside when you want to clean and dry it. There’s also a lid with a funnel-shaped hole for mess-free filling, and the machine comes with a water hardness testing strip that helps you set it up correctly, plus a water filter that screws inside.

Water tank removed from Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker — The large water tank slides into the machine from the front (Image credit: Future)

The Primadonna Aromatic will alert you when it’s time to replace the filter. New ones can be purchased directly from De’Longhi for £15.99 (about $20 / AU$35), but at the time of writing, they are discounted to £8.54 (about $10 / AU$20).

In addition to the main hopper, the Primadonna Aromatic has a chute you can use to add a scoop of pre-ground coffee when you want to drink something different from your usual beans. It’s a great feature that you’ll find on most De’Longhi machines, and is ideal if you want to switch to decaf in the afternoon.

Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker bean hopper — There's a large-capacity bean hopper on top, or you can use a scoop of pre-ground coffee if you want to switch to something different (Image credit: Future)

My only real issue with the Primadonna Aromatic’s design is its height. This mighty machine stands an imposing 16in / 407mm tall, which means there’s not much headroom between its lid and my wall cabinets. That usually wasn’t a problem, but it made refilling the bean hopper trickier than I’d like. I was just about able to remove the lid (which has a soft seal to keep your beans fresh) and slip scoops of coffee inside. It’s well worth measuring the space you have available to make sure this impressive machine will fit.

The good news is that you don’t need much room on the sides. The water tank is located on the right, but slides out from the front of the machine. If you position the Primadonna Aromatic right against a wall or cabinet (as I did), you’ll only need to move it out approximately once a month to clean the brew unit.

Design score: 5/5

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: performance

Produces well-extracted, balanced espresso
Hot and cold milk frothing both work very well
User profiles provide smart recommendations for multiple users

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Drinks menu on Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker — The drinks you make more frequently at the current time of day will be displayed first in the menu (Image credit: Future)

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User profiles on Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker — You'll be prompted to create profiles for everyone who'll be using the machine during setup (Image credit: Future)

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Heating notification on Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker — All instructions and other text is written in a chatty style that makes the Primadonna Aromatica more pleasant to use (Image credit: Future)

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic is a joy to use, and manages to nail both the fundamentals and the details.

First (and most importantly), it can brew an excellent espresso. The machine’s standard settings appear to be configured for medium roast arabica beans, because it produced a delicious, sweet, well-rounded espresso first time using my preferred beans. If the taste isn’t quite to your liking, you can delve into the Bean Adapt tool, which is accessible via a link above the main drinks menu.

Just select the type of beans you’re using, either through the machine’s touchscreen or De’Longhi’s Coffee Link mobile app, and the machine will automatically adjust its brewing settings accordingly, including the grind size. If the resulting espresso doesn’t meet your expectations, you can tinker with the options manually to achieve the optimum extraction.

Once you’ve perfected your espresso, you can take your pick from a selection of hot and cold drinks.

Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker pouring espresso — (Image credit: Future)

One of the Primadonna Aromatic’s main selling points is its ability to ‘learn’ which drinks you like at different times of day. This excellent feature helps you avoid scrolling through the vast menu every time you want to make a beverage, and is great for households with more than one coffee drinker.

User profiles for coffee machines sometimes feel a bit superfluous (after all, who’s actually replacing all the beans in the hopper when they want to brew a drink for themselves?), but with the Primadonna Aromatic, profiles are an integral part of the experience. When you first set up the machine, you’ll be asked to provide names for all the people who’ll be using it, and given the option to set different-colored profile icons. I set one for myself, and a second for my husband. You can switch between these profiles at the press of a button, and the menu will rearrange itself with that person’s preferred drinks listed first for quick selection. I test new coffee machines every month for TechRadar, and this is the first time I’ve found user profiles in an espresso maker genuinely useful.

The LatteCrema hot milk frothing system is excellent and produces some of the best results I’ve seen from an automatic espresso machine. De’Longhi advises that you’ll get the best results with whole dairy milk or plant milk, and during my tests, I found that dairy and oat produced the thickest, most stable foam. Push the milk carafe into place, tilt the dispenser so the nozzle is positioned over your cup, turn the dial to the position described on the machine’s screen, and you’re ready to begin.

Latte macchiato made using Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker — (Image credit: Future)

Another of the Primadonna Aromatic’s key features is its ability to make tasty cold-brewed drinks. These aren’t a tacked-on extra, and are given just as much prominence in the menu as hot beverages. There are even quick-access buttons beside the touchscreen that let you filter the drink menu by temperature.

The machine comes with a silicone ice cube tray, and after selecting a cold drink, you’ll be prompted to add a certain number of cubes to your cup or glass (at least six for an iced latte macchiato, for example). For milk-based drinks, you’ll then be asked to connect the cold carafe (the one with the white lid), which should be filled with either skimmed dairy milk or a plant-based alternative for the best results.

One of the biggest drawbacks of most automatic espresso machines is the cleanup, which sometimes takes so long that I think I’d be better off making my coffee manually. The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic is different. It rinses itself automatically after brewing and prompts you to rinse the milk carafe, but both processes only take a couple of seconds and seem to require very little water. I tested the machine for several weeks and never noticed any change in the taste of my drinks, so this system clearly works.

When it’s time to give the machine a deep clean, the Primadonna Aromatic provides step-by-step instructions to help you disassemble and wash the coffee dispenser components, and remove and rinse the brew unit. I found a small build-up of coffee grounds in the hatch containing the brew unit, but these were easy to wipe up with a damp cloth.

I was a little nervous about cleaning the plastic milk carafe components in the dishwasher, but they came out sparkling. Washing by hand is fine too, but it's reassuring to know they've been cleaned at a high temperature to remove residue that might harbor bacteria.

Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic?

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	It's a brilliant machine, but there's no escaping the fact that the Primadonna Aromatic will be beyond the budget of many coffee lovers.	4/5
Design	Smart and stylish, with a super-intuitive interface and dishwasher-safe components to make maintenance a breeze.	5/5
Performance	Brews consistently well-balanced and tasty espresso. Both hot and cold milk foaming work well, and user profiles that 'learn' your preferences are extremely handy.	5/5

Buy it if

You enjoy cold drinks regularly

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic makes excellent iced espresso drinks, and its cold foam is particularly impressive. Use skimmed or plant-based milk for the best results.

You have a generous budget

This is one of the most expensive espresso machines I’ve tested. It’s a joy to use, but there’s no escaping the fact that it’s seriously pricey.

Don't buy it if

You have just a couple of favorite drinks

The Primadonna Aromatic learns your drink preferences, but if you only drink cappuccinos and double espressos (for example), most of this machine’s functions will be superfluous. There are over 30 drinks to choose from, and sticking with one or two would be a real shame.

You’re the only coffee drinker in your house

This machine’s smart user profiles are one of its best features, and if you don’t share your coffee machine with anyone else, you might be better off with a simpler machine that doesn’t offer such depth of customization.

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: also consider

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch

If you don't have the space or the budget for the Primadonna Aromatic, this compact semi-automatic machine from De'Longhi is well worth a look. It can automate the trickiest parts of making espresso-based drinks, or let you take control. It's much smaller than you'd expect, and very reasonably priced.

Read our full De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review

Jura J10

If money is no object and your coffee orders are so complicated they give baristas a headache, the J10 could be the espresso machine for you. Like the Primadonna Aromatic, it does an excellent job of brewing hot and cold (with only one milk carafe needed), and it can even infuse foam with a flavored syrup of your choice.

Read our full Jura J10 review

How I tested the De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic

I used the De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic for two weeks in place of my usual coffee machine, and brewed coffee using a blend of freshly roasted Brazilian and Colombian arabica beans. I set up a separate user profile for my partner to test the smart recommendations, and we both used the machine to brew a variety of hot and cold drinks throughout each day.

Coffee beans beside De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic coffee maker — (Image credit: Future)

I tested the hot milk frother with whole dairy milk and oat milk and used the cold milk frother with skimmed dairy milk and oat milk, as instructed by De'Longhi. All milk was bought fresh and used cold from the fridge.

First reviewed May 2025.

I tried this armband-style Coros heart rate monitor to free me from the shackles of smartwatches

8:00 am | May 31, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: UK, US | Comments: Off

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: One minute review

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor is a strap-based monitor designed for your upper arm that uses optical tracking tech to measure blood volume, rather than electrocardiograph or ECG, which measures the heart's electrical signals. While many of the best heart rate monitors use ECG, optical sensors are found in the best smartwatches. Which begs the question: why does Coros' stand-alone HRM use optical sensors instead of ECG?

The short answer, from Coros, is that optical heart rate monitoring works by using light shone through your skin to see your blood flow. While watches can do a reasonable job on the wrist, there is a lot more blood higher up the arm, making a dedicated strap – which can be affixed tightly yet comfortably to that higher arm position – more accurate.

So, for your money, you are getting a more accurate optical heart rate monitor than a smartwatch, yet with arguably a more comfortable wearing position. Unlike a chest strap, it's a comfortable wear for both men and women of all body types and sizes, and to top it off you get a decent 38 hours of use with its rechargeable battery.

Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, this can be used with many different devices from smartwatches and phones to bikes and gym machines. There's also a useful wear detection feature which means this can auto-power on and connect. All you need to do is put it on.

There is basic waterproofing, to 3ATM, but this is more to make it sweat and rain-proof – so don't expect this to be usable for swimming. You also won't find connectivity options like ANT+ here, so that may limit some people in terms of which devices this can be used with.

Coros Heart Rate Monitor key specs
Component	Coros Heart Rate Monitor
Dimensions	42.5 x 28.4 x 9.1mm
Weight	19g with strap
Fit	18-32cm standard, 24-43cm large
Case material	Plastic unit, with polyester fibre, nylon and spandex band
Connectivity	Bluetooth
Compatibility	3 simultaneous
Water resistance	3 ATM
Accelerometer	No
Battery	Rechargeable USB-A

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Price and release date

Available to buy now in the US, UK, and Australia
Priced at $79 / £69 / AU$140 RRP
A similar price point as Garmin's HRM Pro

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor launched on June 27, 2023 and is available across the globe. It launched with a price of $79 in the US, £69 in the UK and $140 in Australia.

The Coros HRM is available in several colours thanks to a selection of band options, which you can pick at purchase. These include Grey, Lime and Orange. There is also an option to get a large version of the Grey if needed – more details on that in the design section.

You can buy the Coros HRM directly from Coros via sites like Amazon.

Price-wise, it's comparable to the Garmin HRM-Pro, so it's in line with the rest of its competitors without being either outstanding value or egregiously expensive.

Value score: 3.5/5

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Design

Comfortable to wear
Easy to fit
Simple design

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor is all about simplicity and as such this is a doddle to wear. Since this is made to go on your bicep, once you've got the right size adjusted to suit you using the velcro fitting, it's a simple case of sliding it up your arm to pop it on.

The strap materials are a combination of polyester fiber, nylon and spandex, which all equate to a very comfortable feel. But, crucially, this is flexible enough to slip on and off with a stretch, but tight enough to stay in place without it feeling too tight or uncomfortable.

At 19g the total weight is barely noticeable. When you consider people run with large phones in arm strap cases and barely notice them, you can imagine how unobtrusive this feels.

Does this feel more comfy than a chest strap? The answer in my case was a yes, but that may vary from person to person. I certainly like the fact this slips on easily, and thanks to that auto-wear detection sensor it'll connect up quickly and easily too.

This is made to fit biceps of sizes between 18 and 32cm. So unless you're very slim or a bodybuilder, this is likely to fit you comfortably regardless of gender. If you are bigger in the arm area then there is the option to go for a larger variant of the strap at point of purchase, which accommodates 24-43cm biceps.

The sensor setup itself comprises five LEDs with four photodetectors. That combination, representing the best optical heart rate sensors from Coros right now, should mean this is fairly future-proof, unlikely to be eclipsed by more accurate technology for a while. That said, it won't offer SpO2 measurements, so if you're after O2 features then you may want to keep looking elsewhere.

There is an LED light on the side of the main unit which acts as a useful communication light. When on charge this will glow orange until the battery is full after two hours, and it then turns solid green so you know it's good to go.

The charger is USB-A at one end and a proprietary magnetic attachment at the end of the HRM connection. While it's easy to plug into many different power sources, we would have preferred the more efficient, up-to-date USB-C.

The strap is also washable, where the main unit can slide off, making it possible to keep that looking fresh for long periods.

Design score: 4/5

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Features

App is minimal
Lots of third-party app compatibility
No swim tracking

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor can be paired to many devices and works with the app you want to use. But there is an included Coros app that you can use, ideal if you've already got other Coros devices like the Coros Pace Pro.

The Coros app is fine for analyzing data, but it won't track you while you're out exercising. So you will need to use a third-party app, like Strava. I connected the HRM by opening the Coros app, and once connected, I could just open Strava, slip on the armband, and it would pull in the HR data directly.

I found this helpful for heart rate training or zone tracking. Generally speaking, I used the phone to collect the data and then only looked at it when analyzing my effort after I was back and showered off, so you'll need to take your phone in a chest, waist or arm-mounted running case.

It's also worth noting that if you already have a smartwatch and simply want to add a more accurate heart rate tracker than the built-in optical option, this can connect to your smartwatch too. And yes, this did prove more accurate than wrist-based options during our testing, so this could be a viable alternative to a chest strap.

The app is the only way to know an accurate measure of the HRM's battery life. Sure the light on the side can give you rough guidance, but that's not likely to serve you before a run or ride where you'll want reassurance you have enough juice to go the distance. A push notification would have been helpful when connected too.

It's worth noting that this can broadcast heart rate to up to three devices simultaneously. So you could have your watch and phone connected to your bike computer at the same time, for example. I haven't tested this feature yet, but it's good to have the option should the need arise.

Features: 3/5

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Performance

Good accuracy
Easy to use
Very comfortable

One of the most important things to mention here is comfort. This is more comfy to wear than a chest strap, while offering almost the same level of accuracy. It's easy to slip on and off, less noticeable to wear and can also be kept hidden to avoid knocks – with the option to slide it under your sleeve.

While a wrist-worn heart rate monitor in a watch can be useful, wearing this on your bicep is so much more accurate. As mentioned it's a better spot, with more blood, for clearer readings. But it's also higher up the arm with far less movement when running and way less bumping when riding a bike. All that combines to offer great levels of accuracy across sports while staying comfy.

Where this falls down compared to a chest strap is battery life. It's decent, hitting close to the claimed 38 hours in real-world use, but still doesn't compare to the one or two year battery power of some chest straps.

Coros HRM data — Coros HRM on the left and chest strap on the right. (Image credit: Future)

In one run (image above), with an early hill climb which I use to beat any chance of averaging explaining accuracy, I did spot some issues. I had a competitor chest strap on in addition to the arm-based Coros HRM connected to my phone. On the hill climb, my heart quickly jumped to 170 and the chest strap kept up. However, the Coros strap lagged behind, reading 155. It did catch up, but was a few seconds behind.

After that, as the distance lengthened and those averages came into play, it got even closer, but I was aware of that initial blip.

So while you can see the early discrepancy, generally both the Coros and chest-mounted HRM show similar readings with near-identical max and average heart rate data. It was certainly noticeably more accurate than a wrist-worn optical heart rate sensor is capable of offering.

Performance score: 4/5

Coros HRM: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	In line with competition, making it reasonable.	3.5/5
Design	Very well designed to be comfy, work well, be easy-to-use and accurate.	4.5/5
Features	Great app compatibility but loses points on lack of swim support.	3/5
Performance	Accurate, comfortable and easy to use.	4/5
Total	A superb option for accuracy and comfort with charge support.	4/5

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Buy it if...

You're need true heart rate training
A dedicated HRM detects changes to your heart rate more accurately than a watch alone, allowing you to zone train with quality.

You want comfort and ease
The Coros HRM is very comfortable and easy to slip on and off with that auto turn-on and -off functionality, making it a pleasure to use.

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: don't buy it if...

You want to see your data
Unless you own a Coros or other smartwatch, then seeing your data isn't easy when phone connected to this HRM.

You want the best battery
While battery life here is good, it's not chest strap level performance so consider that charging will be a part of this use.

Also consider

Also consider
Component	Wahoo Trackr	Garmin HRM Pro	Coros Heart Rate Monitor
Dimensions	615 x 30 x 10 mm	142 x 30 x 12 mm	42.5 x 28.4 x 9.1mm
Weight	39g with strap	59g	19g with strap
Case material	Plastic	plastic	Plastic, polyester fibre, nylon and spandex
Connectivity	Bluetooth and ANT+	ANT+, Bluetooth	Bluetooth
Operation temperatures	-10, -50°C	-10°C - 50°C	Up to 122°F
Water resistance	IPX7	5ATM (50 meters)	3 ATM
Accelerometer	No	Yes	No
Battery	CR3202 rechargeable	210mAh	38 hours

Garmin HRM-Pro (£119 / US$129.99 / AU$159.00)

Designed for multi-sport use, the HRM-Pro is the most advanced heart rate strap Garmin produces, although it’s probably of greater interest to those who already own Garmin products.

Read our full MyZone Garmin HRM-Pro review

MyZone MZ-Switch (£139.50 / $159.95 / AU$209.99.)

The MyZone MZ-Switch isn’t just a chest strap. The center sensor node features an ECG monitor as well as an optical sensor and pops out so it can be worn on the wrist like a smartwatch.

Read our full MyZone MZ-Switch review

How I tested

I used the Coros HRM for a few weeks to test. I did this across running and cycling mainly and mixed in longer steady trips out as well as hills and sprints to get a range of results. I compared using a wrist-worn Garmin, a chest strap and, at one point, an optical armband too. I used this with a few different apps to try out how the data could be used, shared and analyzed.

The Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer made the most delicious green beans I’ve had from an air fryer, and it’s big enough to feed a whole family

7:03 pm | May 28, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Air Fryers Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: Australia, LED, UK, US | Comments: Off

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: one-minute review

Since Philips introduced the world to the first air fryer back in 2010, the market for this health-conscious kitchen appliance has boomed. Manufacturers like Ninja dominate best air fryers lists, but British Philips continues to improve upon its patented Rapid Air Technology, and its most recent offerings, like the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Steam Air Fryer, are increasingly impressive.

The Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer NA150X isn't quite on par with the 5000 and suffers from some of the same issues around ease of use, but it's also considerably cheaper at £133.99. For that price tag, you get a well-performing air fryer with plenty of room and a handful of useful features, such as a shaking reminder and sync cooking, without bombarding you with a bunch of extras.

When the 1000 Series works well, it's excellent: chicken is succulent with just enough crispiness on the skin, muffins are soft inside without being dry, and chips (homemade and frozen) are golden and fluffy inside. I found the presets are mostly accurate and provide top-notch – though you do need to keep an eye on cooking at times – and the recipes provided in the accompanying Home ID app (though limited) are delicious.

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer control panel — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

Frustratingly, you have to rely on that Home ID app a lot, especially at the start. Like the Steam Air Fryer, this appliance comes with a limited physical user manual. You need to download the Home ID app to access the full digital manual that gives clear instructions on each button's functionality and the food tables listing recommended weights and food types. While these tables are helpful, they aren't as thorough as others we've seen and don't cover some commonly air-fried foods. For example, I need to know what weight and settings to use for individual vegetables, like carrots and broccoli, more than I likely need to know the weight to cook meatballs with baked gnocchi.

However, once you get to grips with how the air fryer works, the digital interface is straightforward to use. You have the option to cook in one 7.1L XXL basket or to add the provided divider to create two individually programmable baskets – these can also be set to sync and finish cooking at the same time or to have matching settings. This air fryer is surprisingly compact (compared to its competitors) given its capacity, and the deep baskets are deceptively spacious, with a handy Max line indicating how much you can fill each.

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer basket — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

The XXL basket and crisping plates are dishwasher friendly (though we always advise against this), and their non-stick coating makes them straightforward to clean – in theory. The XXL basket is cumbersome to clean, especially in a sink, and even if you just use one side, the entire basket needs to be removed and washed. Similarly, if you are cooking two foods at once and need to shake one side, you inadvertently remove and shake the other at the same time.

Ultimately, this is a great air fryer with an affordable price tag, even if the user experience isn't ideal. You may just need some patience (like with many air fryers) to find the optimal settings and weights for foods not listed in the table.

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: price and availability

£133.99 at Philips (roughly $181.45 / AU$281.43)
Available in the UK, but not in the US or Australia currently
Available at third party retailers like Amazon, but cheaper from Philips directly

The Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer is a budget to mid-range appliance at £133.99 (roughly $181.45 / AU$281.43). At that price, it's worth considering if you don't want to shell out £200+ on a premium air fryer like the Ninja Double Oven and Dreo ChefMaker. While it does come with fewer bells and whistles than more premium options, including the excellent Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Steam Air Fryer, it gets the job done. While the results aren't always as consistent, this is a solid air fryer for this price tag.

At the time of writing, the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer NA15X is only available in the UK as the NA150/09 (the Australian model has seemingly been discontinued). In the US, the closest model to the one we tested appears to be the Philips 3000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer, which costs $199.99.

You can pick up the model we reviewed from third-party retailers like Currys or Amazon for £159.99, though you'll save some cash purchasing from Philips directly (£133.99).

Value score: 4.5/5

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: specifications

Review model	NA15X
Number of baskets	2 (with divider), or one XXL basket
Number of cooking functions	6 presets, plus three extra functions
Cooking functions and modes	Presets: Frozen Fries, Steak, Chicken Drumsticks, Mixed Vegetables, Cake/Muffin, Reheat Extra functions: Copy (apply same settings to both baskets), Time (syncs cooking times), Shaking reminder
Smart control	No
Rated power	2,450W
Capacity	7.1 liters
Temperature range	40C-200C / 104F-392F
Time range	Up to 60 minutes
Dimensions (including handles)	17.23 in (L) x 11.87 in (W) x 11.61 in (H) / 437.69mm (L) x 301.43mm (W) x 294.91mm (H)
Dishwasher safe	Yes
Weight	12.79lbs / 5.8kg

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: design

Black modern design
Fairly compact for an XXL air fryer
Spacious 7.1L capacity
Clear digital LED interface
Cumbersome to hand wash
Full user manual is digital only

The Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer has a matte black body with a black digital LED interface on the top, a glossy black plastic strip around the middle, and two large handles. The XXL basket is pulled out using the handles, like a drawer, and has two crisping plates inside, with each drawer also showing two maximum fill lines, one indicating the max capacity for frozen potato snacks and the other for other food types. A plastic divider is provided, which slides into slots between the two plates, creating two individually programmable, smaller baskets rather than the one XXL basket.

Max fill line in Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

Given its 7.1 liter capacity, this air fryer is much more compact than others we've tested of similar size, measuring 17.23 in (L) x 11.87 in (W) x 11.61 in (H) and weighing 5.8kg. So, while it will take up some room in your kitchen, it's nowhere near as chunky as the likes of the Russell Hobbs Satisfry 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer. If you've kids at home, you'll be pleased to hear it's cool to the touch when on, with the airflow temperature out the back (on XXL cooking) averaging around 43C, and it's not too intrusive volume-wise either, averaging around 60 decibels (again on XXL cooking),

The digital LED interface is clear and easy to use, with minimal clutter on the screen. However, to understand how to use its various presets and functions, you need to download the companion Home ID app using the QR code on the front of the appliance. The physical user manual provided mostly consists of confusing illustrations that try to explain how to use the air fryer, but the digital user manual accessible through the app is much more thorough.

t's extremely frustrating that you can only read the 918-page user manual on your phone as a sort of PDF, though, and if you don't have a smartphone to download the app, you're snookered. This is a recurring issue with Philips air fryers we've found, but at least the QR code on this one works, and the app's recommended recipes are actually pretty tasty.

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer mobile app with recipes — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

The digital user manual provides clearer instructions on the air fryer's presets and features, and how to use them, alongside food tables which recommend the weights and settings to use for certain food types. While these tables cover common food types like fries, chicken breast, and muffins, they could be more detailed – and some of the times listed in the tables are slightly different than the presets on the appliance. Instead of recommendations for cooking turkey roulade and veggies, a clear table on the settings for individual vegetables would be much more useful or what type of vegetables to use for the Mixed Vegetable preset would be much more helpful.

Another annoying issue I found with this appliance was cleaning it. While the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer's basket and crisping plates can be put in the dishwasher, and I successfully did, we typically advise not to use a dishwasher to clean anything with a non-stick coating (as this has) to ensure it doesn't wear away over time.

You may have difficulty dishwashing the basket on this one anyway because it's pretty cumbersome and will take up a lot of room in your dishwasher. The entire XXL basket comes out as one and therefore the whole thing must be cleaned, even if you only use one of the baskets within it. While it cleans easily with dish soap and water, it can be a bit tricky to get it in the sink and give it a thorough clean.

While it's a shame Philips has dropped the ball again when it comes to a clear, physical user manual (which would benefit older, less savvy users), once you do get to grips with this air fryer, it's straightforward and convenient to use.

Design score: 4/5

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: performance

What it cooks well, it does brilliantly
Six presets, mixed accuracy
Time function to sync cooking
Copy function to match basket settings
Quality of life features, like shaking reminder

The Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer comes with six cooking presets (Frozen Fries, Steak, Chicken Drumsticks, Mixed Vegetables, Cake/Muffin, Reheat) and three extra functions (Time, Copy, and a Shaking reminder).

When the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer works well, the results are impressive. I started my testing with frozen chips, adding 400g of frozen steak cut fries to one of the smaller baskets and selecting the Frozen Fries/Potato Snacks preset. This automatically adds the Shaking reminder (which can also be selected manually), which sees the appliance chirping about halfway through cooking to indicate when to shake or turn your food.

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Fries cooked with Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

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Frustratingly, this does mean you need to shake the whole basket, whether you want the other half shaken or not. The results were excellent, with the chips cooked pretty evenly (though some were a tad more done than others) and crispy outside but fluffy inside. I had similar results when cooking homemade fries, following the food table instructions, though I had to pull the chips out a few minutes earlier than the recommended time to prevent them from becoming overdone.

The results for chicken wings and muffins were perhaps the best I've had from an air fryer yet. Into the XXL pan, I added six full-size wings coated in a Louisiana dry rub and selected the Chicken Drumstick preset (the food tables have no chicken wing recommendation).

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Chicken in Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

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Muffins cooked with Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

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Inside muffin cooked with Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

Apart from turning the wings when prompted, I made no changes, and the resulting wings were perfectly crispy outside and juicy inside without being too much of either. Likewise, using a Ninja (sorry, Philips) blueberry and lemon muffin recipe with the Muffin preset in the XXL basket resulted in perfect muffins: soft and fluffy inside but not too dry.

While the recipes in the Home ID app are somewhat limited, at least for my specific appliance, they have stellar results. When you sign up for the app, you choose your appliance and are offered recipes that are suited to your specific air fryer. To start, I tried a green bean recipe that was simple but resulted in the most delicious green beans I've ever had from an air fryer: not too soggy, just perfectly cooked.

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Green beans cooked with Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

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Chicken legs cooked with Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

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The spicy drumstick recipe was even more impressive and produced eight piping-hot drumsticks from the XXL basket that tasted and smelled amazing. Again, they weren't "grab a napkin, quick!" juicy and had just the right amount of crisp on the skin.

But not every food test worked out this well, and I found a lot of my issues boiled down to the food tables not being detailed enough. I'm always intrigued by an air fryer steak preset and have yet to find one that produces pan quality. The Philips 1000 Series has a Steak preset, but the food table only gives a rough weight for the steak and doesn't recommend the type of steak to cook or if the recommended weight (150g-200g) is per steak or total. I opted for two medallion steaks weighing 340g total and added them to one basket.

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Steaks cooked using Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

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Steak cooked using Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

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The food table recommends one basket can fit four steaks, but I seriously doubt it, as I would have struggled to add more than two. How you like your steak is a personal preference, and with no notes on timings for specific doneness, I left the steaks in the full preset time and was left with two leather-like chunks of meat. They were like chewing on old shoes. One side of each was nicely seared, and the other wasn't, and they were drier than the Sahara. This is something you could probably experiment with to get the right level of doneness, but my advice is this: just don't cook steak in an air fryer.

I also had disappointing results with mixed veg. Again, the food table wasn't clear on what type of mixed veg it recommends or whether to add oil, but it does state timings may vary due to preference and to cut the veg roughly. I added the recommended weight in broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower to each basket and selected the Mixed Vegetable preset – making use of the Copy function to match the settings for both baskets. When I shook the veg halfway through the 20-minute cooking time, I saw my cauliflower and broccoli had browned on top, but, on tasting, my carrots weren't cooked properly.

Vegetables cooked with Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Vic Hood)

This could, like the steak, likely be rectified with some experimentation, but without clear instructions on what individual vegetable cooking times are recommended or what to include in your mixed vegetables, it's difficult to know off the bat what the best approach is.

Overall, this Philips air fryer is a solid appliance, and it provides great results more often than poor ones. If you've never owned an air fryer before or don't have the patience to get the most out of some of its peskier presets, you may struggle with it. But if you're a seasoned air fryer user or don't mind a few failed attempts before getting optimal results, it's worth the time, money, and potential effort.

Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	Great value for a solid air fryer, but don't expect the consistency and high quality of more premium appliances.	4.5/5
Design	A sleek and fairly compact air fryer given its spacious capacity. The XXL basket can be divided into two separate programmable baskets, which are easy (but cumbersome) to hand wash. But Philips has dropped the ball with its user manual and instructions, so you'll need to use the Home ID app for thorough instructions.	4/5
Performance	What this air fryer does well, it does brilliantly. It has produced some of the best air-fried food I've had in all my testing. However, the user manual food tables could have more detail on optimal preparation and the settings to use for more common foods, as the results with some of the presets were thoroughly disappointing.	4/5

Buy it if

You want a spacious air fryer that isn't massive

This air fryer offers good capacity but isn't huge and bulky. It will still take up some counter space, but it's relatively small given its size.

You want an air fryer for under £150

This air fryer may have some pesky issues, but it's great value at £133.99 and offers a much higher quality than others we've seen in this price range.

You want an air fryer for simple, day-to-day meals

While mixed veg was a mixed bag, I found it easy to cook common air fryer foods in this appliance, like chicken, chips, and muffins. If you want a convenient air fryer that will cover the basics well (with some adjustment), this is a good option.

Don't buy it if

You have a small sink or dishwasher

While this air fryer's components can be cleaned easily thanks to their non-stick coat, the act of cleaning it can be a pain. The XXL basket is chunky and a struggle to clean, even in our fairly large Belfast sink. That's mainly because it's cumbersome and you need to clean the whole basket even if you just use one side of it. It's dishwasher safe if you have the room, but I advise against it to ensure the longevity of your components.

You want clear, physical instructions

The physical user manual provided with this air fryer is pretty useless and doesn't cover what its functions and features are or how to work them. You can access a digital user manual via the Home ID app, but if you haven't got a smartphone or struggle reading smaller digital print, this may not be the air fryer for you.

You want a heap of extra features

This air fryer doesn't come with a bunch of extra features, functions, or smart control – it sticks to the basics. So, if you do want extra functions like steaming, dehydrating, or grilling, this isn't the appliance for you.

Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: also consider

Ninja Double Stack

If you don't have space for a full-width two-drawer air fryer, the Double Stack is the appliance for you. It's deeper and taller, but much narrower than the Russell Hobbs Satisfry or the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone, and in our tests it produced evenly browned, crispy fries every time.

Read our full Ninja Double Stack review

Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone

If you live outside the UK where the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer isn't available, this is two-drawer air fryer is a great alternative. It looks smart, and produces consistently good results (though we'd appreciate a reminder to shake to food for even cooking).

Read our full Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone review

How I tested the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer

I used the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer for a week, cooking a wide variety of foods including fries, chicken drumsticks, steak, fresh vegetables, and muffins. I tested all the air fryer's various modes and cleaned the air fryer in line with the instructions provided in the manual. For more details, see how we test.

First reviewed May 2025.

I spent a week testing the Honor 400 Pro, and it’s a powerful almost-flagship with some fancy AI tricks

6:00 pm | May 22, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Honor Phones Phones | Tags: AI, Australia, UK, US | Comments: Off

Honor 400 Pro: Two-minute review

‘Flagship killer’ would perhaps be too strident a term to apply to the Honor 400 Pro. Rather, it seeks to subtly undermine the premium crowd with competitive specifications and a slightly lower asking price.

This is a well-built phone made of flagship-grade materials, with the kind of IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance rating that puts many a full-priced handset to shame. Its 6.67-inch OLED display, too, is about as bright, sharp, and accurate as you could reasonably expect.

While you won’t be getting the absolute best performance the smartphone market has to offer, you simply won’t notice that Honor has opted for last year’s top processor unless you take a glance at the spec sheet. The 400 Pro performs very smoothly indeed.

The headline feature here is an all-new 200MP main camera, which captures good photos in a range of lighting conditions. You also get a decent dedicated 3x telephoto camera, which can be further boosted through the use of AI.

Another impressive AI camera trick is Image to video, though its ability to turn stills into brief videos is a party trick that probably won’t see much practical use beyond showcasing the latest artificial intelligence gimmick.

No matter – the Honor 400 Pro is a thoughtfully balanced phone built on solid specifications, which includes a larger-than-average 5,300mAh battery and speedy 100W wired charging support. You also get 50W wireless charging, though both speeds are reliant on you having the necessary charger to hand.

Honor’s Magic OS 9.0 continues the brand's slightly tiresome obsession with iOS, and it remains a somewhat busy UI. However, it’s also fast and flexible, and Honor’s new six-year update promise is one of the best in the business.

All in all, the Honor 400 Pro is part of a compelling group of in-betweener smartphones, offering less compromise than even the best mid-range smartphones while still costing much less money than your average flagship.

It’s not unique, nor is it without its flaws, but it’s a very accomplished option for those willing to leave the usual suspects behind in pursuit of a bargain.

Honor 400 Pro review: price and availability

Costs £699.99 in the UK
Released May 2025
No availability in the US or Australia

The Honor 400 Pro was launched globally, alongside its brother, the Honor 400, on May 22, 2025. It won’t be receiving a launch in the US, as is customary from the brand, and there are no plans for Australia at the time of writing.

Pricing for the sole Honor 400 Pro model stands at £699.99 (around $930 / AU$1,450), which isn’t a figure we see all that often. This pitches it well above the Google Pixel 9a and the Samsung Galaxy A56 (both £499), and just short of the Google Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25 (both £799).

This isn’t quite a full-on flagship phone, then, but it’s also far too expensive to be classed as a mid-ranger. It’s one of those ‘affordable flagship’ phones like the OnePlus 13R, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, or the Nubia Z70 Ultra.

Incidentally, an even cheaper version of the Honor 400, the Honor 400 Lite, launched on April 22 at a cost of £249.99.

Value score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 Pro review: specs

Honor 400 Pro specs

Dimensions:	160.8mm x 76.1mm x 8.1mm
Weight:	205g
Display:	6.7-inch 1.5K (2800 x 1280) up to 120Hz AMOLED
Chipset:	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM:	12GB
Storage:	512GB
OS:	Android 15 with MagicOS 9.0
Primary camera:	200MP (f/1.9)
Ultra-wide camera:	12MP (f/2.2)
Telephoto camera:	50MP with 3x zoom (f/2.4)
Front camera:	16MP
Battery:	5,300mAh
Charging:	100W wired, 50W wireless
Colors:	Lunar Grey, Midnight Black

Honor 400 Pro review: design

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Silky matte glass back
Unusual curved-trapeze camera module
IP68 & IP69 dust and water resistance

With the Honor 400 Pro, Honor has dropped the distinctive Casa Milá-inspired camera module of the Honor 200 Pro in favor of a kind of rounded trapezium shape (a trapercle?). It’s a little wonky-looking, though I quite like the unorthodox camera configuration.

Otherwise, Honor has retained the basic look of its affordable flagship range – unlike the regular Honor 400, which has contracted a serious case of the iPhones.

This means that the Honor 400 Pro retains its gently rounded look, with 2.5D glass to the front and back – the latter in a pleasingly silky-to-the-touch finish. The aluminum frame, too, curves around gently, resulting in a phone that sits comfortably in the hand.

These curves also serve to disguise the fact that the Honor 400 is a fairly big phone, with a thickness of 8.1mm (the Honor 400 is 7.3mm) and a relatively heavy weight of 205g (vs 184g).

This time around, Honor has fitted its almost-flagship with both IP68 and IP69 certification. That’s quite an advance on the Honor 200 Pro, which only managed an IP65 rating.

The Honor 400 Pro is available in just two colors: Lunar Grey and Midnight Black. Not the most inspiring selection, it has to be said, but they do look nice and professional, which is kind of the name of the game here.

Design score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 Pro review: display

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6.7-inch quad-curved 120Hz OLED display
3,840Hz PWM dimming
5,000 nits peak brightness

Honor has really knocked it out of the park with the displays in the Honor 400 range this year. In the Honor 400, you’re getting a 6.7-inch OLED with a just-so 2800 x 1280 resolution and a 120Hz peak refresh rate.

That’s fractionally smaller than last year’s 6.78-inch screen, but I defy anyone to portray this as meaningful. Not when the peak brightness has been boosted from an already-excellent 4,000 nits in the Honor 200 Pro to 5,000 nits here.

This top-end figure applies to limited HDR scenarios, of course. With autobrightness switched off, I recorded a maximum brightness of around 600 nits. That’s decent enough, though it’s about half what the Pixel 9 can manage.

Color accuracy is superb, at least when you drop the slightly over-the-top Vivid color mode and select Normal instead.

The Honor 400 Pro display also supports an elevated PWM dimming rate of 3840Hz, just like the Honor 200 Pro before it. This helps reduce eye strain by lowering flicker at lower brightness levels. That's something Samsung and Google continue to overlook.

The main differences between this screen and the Honor 400’s relate to small aesthetic choices. The Pro Display curves away at the edges, though this didn’t interfere with content in any way, nor did it lead to any unintended presses.

Slightly more bothersome is the longer display notch, which crams in depth-sensing capabilities at the expense of a little real estate. If you like to take your video content full screen, you’re more likely to be bothered by this, but it didn’t trouble me too much.

Display score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 Pro review: cameras

200MP main (f/1.9)
50MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4)
12MP ultra-wide macro (f/2.2)

Honor has really ramped up its camera offering with the Honor 400 series this year. The headline event for the Honor 400 Pro is a new 200MP AI Main Camera, which packs a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, an f/1.9 aperture, and OIS.

We’ll get into the ‘AI’ part of that main camera soon enough, but at a basic level this camera takes sharp, contrasty shots in most situations. You can choose from three basic looks depending on whether you want your shots to look natural, punched up for social media, or to take on a certain artful film camera aesthetic.

Shots from this main sensor are slightly less impressive here on a £700 phone than they are on the £400 Honor 400, which shares the same component. There’s simply a lot more competition at this level. With that said, they’re still more than serviceable.

Unlike the Honor 400, this main sensor isn’t pulling double duty to provide all of your zoomed shots. There's major assistance on that front from a dedicated 50MP telephoto camera, utilizing a Sony IMX856 sensor and aided by OIS, which grabs nice, sharp shots at its natural 3x zoom length and usable shots at 6x or even 10x.

Beyond that, you’ll find too much noise for this to be a viable option, though Honor’s AI image enhancement technology is one of the most impressive around. Stray beyond 30x, and the phone should offer you the chance to activate AI assistance. Head back into the picture after shooting and, after a minute or so of processing time, you’ll be given a much clearer shot.

The results here can vary wildly in effectiveness, and it certainly does no favors to the human face, while it can really miss the target with some fine details, particularly at the 50x maximum range. However, there’s no denying that this can turn out much improved hybrid zoom shots given the right subject and shooting conditions.

What I will say is that this 3x telephoto camera does change the tone of the shots from the main sensor. Moving from 2x (which crops in on the main sensor) to 3x sees a slightly jarring shift from a more natural look to a more vivid, dare I say exaggerated one. It's not ruinous, but you don't get the seamless transition of the truly top-level flagship phone cameras here.

The 12MP ultra-wide is the weakest camera of the three, bringing with it a marked drop-off in detail and contrast. Still, it remains a viable camera.

Going back to the matter of AI, perhaps the most attention-grabbing – if not exactly useful – feature of the Honor 400 Pro’s camera is Image to video. The Honor 400 series is the first to utilize this Google AI-driven feature, which essentially turns any normal still photo (it doesn’t even need to have been taken on the phone) into a five-second mini-video.

As with so many AI-driven features these days, the results aren’t universally brilliant, but some prove to be alarmingly convincing.

Using one shot that was sent to me of a chicken and a cat facing off under a table, this AI tool caused the chicken to strut forward while the cat casually twitched its ears. Another chicken scuttled in from off camera, while a second cat was revealed to be lying down behind that original chicken. Neither of those last two creatures even existed in the original shot.

It’s undeniably impressive, and even a little scary. But I have to ask myself when I’d use this feature beyond showing off the power of AI to my friends and family. So far, I’ve got nothing.

The 50MP front camera takes decent selfie shots, aided by an additional depth sensor for better portraits with nicely blurred, clearly delineated backgrounds.

Video capture extends to 4K and 60fps, which is another way in which the Pro stands out from the Honor 400 (which only hits 4K/30fps).

Camera score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 Pro review: camera samples

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Honor 400 Pro camera samples — (Image credit: Future)

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Honor 400 Pro review: performance

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
12GB RAM and 512GB storage

Performance has ostensibly taken an incremental bump over last year’s Honor 200 Pro. Out goes the stripped-back Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, in comes Qualcomm’s full-fat Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

However, that Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip turned out to be much less capable than its name initially suggested, dropping behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in graphical terms.

What we have here, then, is a phone that performs as well as the 2024 flagship crowd. That works out to be a pretty good level for a £700 phone, and indeed, this is the same component that runs the excellent OnePlus 13R. It also means that the Honor 400 Pro comfortably outperforms the entire Pixel 9 range.

Benchmark results are precisely what we’ve come to expect from this well-established chip, as is gaming performance. Genshin Impact will run fluidly on high settings, while demanding console racer GRID Legends speeds by at an appreciable lick.

The existence of the Nubia Z70 Ultra and the Poco F7 Ultra means that the Honor 400 Pro isn’t top of its weight class. Both of those rivals run on the superior Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and only charge £649 for the privilege. However, Honor's phone remains a very capable runner, backed by 12GB of RAM and a generous 512GB of internal storage.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 Pro review: software

Magic OS 9.0, based on Android 15
Six years of OS updates and security patches

The Honor 400 Pro runs Magic OS 9.0, which is the company’s bespoke Android 15 skin. It’s the same basic software provision as that of the Honor Magic 7 Pro.

I think I can speak for the extended TechRadar family when I say that Honor’s UI isn’t our favorite. Bloatware continues to blight it, with unwanted preinstallations of Booking.com, Temu, ReelShort, and much more besides. Honor itself gives you duplicate App Store and email apps, and a stack of its own tool apps.

While this is a take on Google’s Android, Honor seems to be far more inclined towards Apple’s iOS. Everything from the split notification pane to the Settings menu and the lack of a dedicated app tray (by default) speaks to a fondness for Apple’s mobile operating system. Even the icons and the Settings menu are designed in a way that will be familiar to anyone who’s used an iPhone recently.

You even get a version of Apple’s Dynamic Island, here called Magic Capsule, which offers little widget-like bubbles of information around the extended selfie notch. With that said, it’s an undeniably useful way of surfacing media controls, timers, and the like, and Honor is far from the only Android manufacturer to follow Apple’s lead in this way.

Indeed, Magic OS, for all its clutter and bloat, remains a very functional and extremely snappy UI. Magic Portal is a power user’s dream, providing an easy way to drag text and images between apps. The knuckle gesture shortcut for circling text in this way isn’t 100% reliable, but you can get used to it.

Topping off Honor's somewhat mixed software provision is a commendably strong commitment to six years of OS updates and security patches. Only Google and Samsung do this better with their respective seven-year promises.

What's more, Honor has committed to providing an Android 16 update before the end of 2025, which isn't something you see too often.

Software score: 3.5 / 5

Honor 400 Pro review: battery life

5,300mAh silicon-carbon battery
100W wired charging
50W wireless charging

Honor seems intent on pushing battery and charging technology in its phones. The Honor 400 Pro gets a meaty 5,300mAh battery, which falls comfortably north of the 5,000mAh average – if not quite as far north as the OnePlus 13R and the Nubia Z70 Ultra, both of which hit the giddy heights of 6,000mAh.

It’s sufficient to get the Honor through a full day of heavy use with remaining charge to spare. Indeed, a moderate day with around four hours of screen-on time left me with more than 60% left in the tank. Average use in a fairly consistent network environment will get you two days on a single charge, no problem.

Talking of charging, Honor goes harder than it probably needs to here. There’s 100W wired charging support that’s seemingly able to get you from empty to 51% in just 15 minutes.

I say ‘seemingly’ because Honor, like most modern manufacturers, no longer bundles in a charger. Without one of Honor’s SuperCharge chargers to hand, I was unable to put those claims to the test.

Ditto for the claim of 50W wireless charging support. It’s good to see, but you’ll need one of the brand’s own SuperCharge wireless chargers to hit that maximum speed.

Battery score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Honor 400 Pro?

Honor 400 Lite score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	The Honor 400 Pro isn’t the prettiest phone on the market, but it’s more distinctive than the rest of the range and it’s very well built.	4 / 5
Display	Honor’s display is sharp, bright, and color-accurate, with an appreciable focus on eye health.	4.5 / 5
Performance	It’s not quite a top performer, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 continues to do a good job.	4 / 5
Camera	The 200MP main camera takes good shots in all conditions, while the dedicated 3x telephoto is a competent performer. Honor’s AI features are a little hit and miss, but can be very impressive.	4 / 5
Battery	With a large(ish) 5,300mAh battery supplying two days of use, and rapid 100W wired/50 wireless charging support, the Honor 400 is very well equipped.	4 / 5
Software	Honor’s Magic OS remains cluttered and a little too beholden to iOS, but it’s fast and functional, and Honor’s new six-year update promise is very competitive.	3.5 / 5
Value	You're getting a solid phone with some unique features at a low price.	4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a more affordable flagship
The Honor 400 Pro offers a strong approximation of what the Honor Magic 7 Pro can do, but for hundreds of pounds less.

You’re all onboard with AI working to enhance your photos
With the ability to enhance your extreme zoomed shots and even generate brief videos from stills, the Honor 400 Pro’s camera goes further than most with AI.

You like Apple’s way of doing things
Honor clearly likes Apple’s style even more than Google’s, with Magic OS 9.0 emulating iOS in a number of ways.

Don't buy it if...

You like Android to be Android
With Honor’s iOS obsession, and its insistence on filling its phones out with bloatware, the Honor 400 Pro strays far from stock Android.

You demand the best performance possible for you money
The Honor 400 Pro is a fast phone, but you can get faster for the money in the Poco F7 Ultra and the Nubia Z70 Ultra.

Honor 400 Pro review: also consider

The Honor 400 Pro isn't the only affordable flagship phone on the market. Here are some of the better alternatives to consider.

OnePlus 13R
The OnePlus 13R is another almost-flagship running on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 power, but it packs a larger battery and cleaner software.

Read our full OnePlus 13R review

Nubia Z70 Ultra
Nubia’s phone is even cheaper than the Honor 400 Pro, but it features superior performance and an even larger battery. It also features a deep 3.3x telephoto camera and a main camera with a novel variable aperture. We haven't tested it for ourselves yet, mind.

Poco F7 Ultra
The Poco F7 Ultra outguns the Honor with its Snapdragon 8 Elite chip for £649, though it’s not as refined or well-rounded.

Read our full Poco F7 Ultra review

How I tested the Honor 400 Pro

Review test period = 1 week
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used = Geekbench 6, GFXBench, 3DMark, native Android stats, Samsung 65W power adapter

First reviewed: May 2025