Mere hours ago, Apple unveiled the new iPad Air 11 and iPad Air 13, as well as the new iPad Pro 11 and iPad Pro 13. The new models are already up for order in a lot of countries, with shipping due to commence next week.
In some countries, however, there's a bit of an unwelcome surprise if you do order. We're talking about the EU and the UK, where if you buy one of these new tablets, you won't be getting a charger in the box.
It may surprise you to hear, but this is the first time Apple's done something like this for its tablets, even though iPhones have been shipping with no charger...
The Shark HydroVac Cordless is a multipurpose cleaner that vacuums and mops at the same time. For this review, I tested the UK version, but there are equivalent models in the US and Australia (there are minor differences in specs, but essentially this is the same product):
There are plenty of reasons to admire this product. It’s powerful, and can tackle lots of different types of wet and dry debris on hardwood flooring, as well as freshening up door mats and rugs. This means you can do away with your traditional mop – should you be able to prize yourself away from it – and condense the number of cleaning tools you need.
It cleans by sucking up the spillage as you push back and forth until the area is left looking clean and smelling fresh. It’s capable of tackling mess such as milky cereal, baked beans and biscuits. It works fast too. We'd expect nothing less from the brand behind many of the best vacuum cleanerson the market.
It's not quite perfect. It doesn’t come with a crevice attachment, so you’ll need to use the vacuum’s head to get right up to the skirting and into corners, which can sometimes be tricky. And while it has a self-cleaning feature to keep the insides smelling fresh, you will also need to keep on top of the vacuum’s maintenance and clean and dry the dirty water tank and brush roll after every use, which can be a bit of a pain.
Overall, I was very impressed with pick up – both on finer dust and larger wet debris. I also like how easy the vacuum is to store on the charging dock so that it’s conveniently ready when you need it. It gives you a decent 25 minutes of runtime too – all in its handy cordless design. If you're on a tighter budget and don't mind a cable, there's a corded version that's cheaper.
That's the short version – read on for my full Shark HydroVac Cordless Cleaner review.
Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner review: price & availability
List price: US$359.99 / £329.99 / AU$399.99
Launched: 2023
Available: worldwide
While Shark sells small appliances worldwide. The cordless model I tested is the UK version, which has a list price of £329.99. The US version (WD201) has a list price of $359.99, but at time of writing was discounted to a far-more-affordable $199.99. The Australian version (WD210ANZ) has a list price of AU$399.99.
If you’re looking to spend a little less and don’t mind a corded model, you can get a corded version in the UK and US. In the UK, this is the WD110UK and costs £279.99, in the US it's the WD161 and costs $249.99. Note that Shark recommends that you replace the filter and brush roll every six months, which is an ongoing cost.
Two-in-one vacuum cleaner/mops can vary quite a bit in price, with the cheapest starting around £150 / $190 / AU$285 and going up to around £350 / $440 / AU$665. While the Shark HydroVac isn't the cheapest option on the market, the design has a lot of premium features, and I'd say it's good value for money.
While Shark offers discounts at peak sale times throughout the year including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, at the time of writing the product is being sold at full price.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Shark HydroVac Cordless cleaner specs
Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner review: design
LED headlights illuminate hidden debris
Ample 500ml water tank
Stylish charcoal grey design plus compact charging dock
The Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner WD210UK has a stylish charcoal grey finish and sleek body. The body is relatively light at 3.95kg, and the design includes an antimicrobial brush roll and a 500ml water tank.
Although you can't wall-hang this device, it does come with a docking station where the cleaner sits neatly when not in use. It’s the size of a standard cordless vacuum, so while it won't take up too much room, it helps if you have a large room or separate utility area to store it.
(Image credit: Future)
What I instantly liked about the two-in-one cleaner is how easy it is to get set up. Attach the body to the head by following the simple instructions provided. When it's ready to go, fill the tank with water and add some of the cleaning solution provided. The LED control panel on the cleaner is simple to read and provides info on battery life and cleaning solution levels.
This cleaner is designed for use on both wet and dry messes, and a variety of floor types. You start it up simply by leaning the handle of the device back.
(Image credit: Future)
There are two modes. In hard floor cleaning mode, it'll vacuum when you're pushing forwards and wash when you pull back. The device automatically starts in this mode when you turn it on. You can also switch to a freshen mode using the button at the top of the handle. In this mode, it seems to mop lightly in both directions. There's a self-cleaning mode that you can activate by pressing the start button once the device is on its stand. You’ll need to supplement this with your own cleaning, however – I'll get into that more in the Performance section.
(Image credit: Future)
When the device starts, LED headlights illuminate to help you see hidden debris as you vacuum.
It’s worth noting that while the Shark HydroVac Cleaner can be used on low-pile carpets rugs, the brush roll won't work on plush/thick long pile. If you’re after a cleaner for a thicker carpet, you’re better off taking a look at the Shark CarpetXpert Deep Carpet Cleaner EX150UK.
If you’ve ever tested a cordless vacuum cleaner, you know how bulky they can sometimes feel. But I found this design reasonably lightweight and well balanced. It's easy to drive around the floor – both on hard flooring, mats and rugs. The head of the vacuum is wide enough to make good progress in just a few strokes, but not overly chunky.
On a full charge, it ran for 25 minutes, which was long enough for me to do a refresh of my hallway, dining room, living room and kitchen before needing to refill the water and pop it back on the charger.
(Image credit: Future)
In hard floor cleaning mode, the simple push-pull action is a joy to use, and perfect on the days that I simply needed to quickly pep up my dusty dark walnut hardwood flooring. I found it also worked well on tougher messes – for example when the kids had brought mud into the hallway, or spilt cereal under the kitchen breakfast table (Cheerios are the bane of my life!).
The HydroVac also managed to clean up baked beans on vinyl flooring within seconds, as well as sucking up digestive biscuit crumbs with ease, and always leaving a fresh smelling surface behind. The suction is powerful and I was impressed with just how quickly it got to work.
I also tried refresh mode on a doormat and my Persian carpet. I was a little apprehensive as I've tried wet-dry cleaners in the past that have left my carpet sodden wet. Luckily, the HydroVac didn’t leave too much residue behind. While it’s hard to tell whether it makes any real difference when freshening mats and carpets, I think the fact that it leaves behind a trace of multi-surface cleaning solution with odour neutraliser reassuring.
On the down-side, I found the Shark HydroVac could get quite noisy – ramping up to 83.1 decibels in use and really packing a punch for a minute or so when it’s in self-cleaning mode. Comparatively, I measured my Dyson V15 Detect Absolute at 76.4 decibels.
Maintenance
The HydroVac has a self-cleaning mode, which can be activated when it's back on its charging base. This helps freshen up the inside mechanisms and cleans the brush roll. That's useful because the antimicrobial brush roll can take a bit of a battering, depending on what you’re cleaning. Straight after cleaning up beans and biscuits it was looking rather dirty, for example.
(Image credit: Future)
That said, you will need to then empty the dirty water tank and also leave the brush roll out to dry for up to 24 hours before using it again. If you forget to empty the tank after use, the dirty water tank will start to smell as I found out on one occasion..
However, you'll also have to do your own maintenance work. After every use, I had to empty the dirty water tank and take off the brush roll (often clogged up with food or hair) to clean myself and leave it out to dry. While this is relatively easy, it is something to bear in mind if you think that the self-cleaning mode here does it all.
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
Should I buy a Shark HydroVac Cordless?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How I tested the Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner
I used the Shark Hydrovac in my home for six weeks. In my home, walnut hardwood flooring runs through the hall to the dining room and living area and it’s prone to looking dusty if not cleaned regularly. I used the Shark Hydrovac to clean the floor daily. I also used it on the vinyl tiles in the kitchen and upstairs in the bedroom where we have laminate hardwood flooring.
I tested how well it did on targeted areas and scattered a section of the room with large oats – to mimic large debris – and a mixture of flour and crushed biscuits – to mimic finer dust. I was keen to see how quickly and effectively it could clean up the area. I also used it to clear up a baked beans spillage on the vinyl flooring in my kitchen and measured the noise levels of the vacuum using the Decibel Meter App on my iPhone. Finally, I also used it in freshen mode to clean the small carpets and doormats throughout the ground floor of my home.
It isn't immediately obvious that the P275 Pro is an Engwe bike, but I think that's a good thing. Right out of the box, it's clear that the design ethos of this bike is very different from what the Chinese manufacturer has produced so far.
Historically, Engwe is well known for super chunky tires and oversized frames, but neither can be found here. The P275 Pro has a sleek and slim frame that not only makes the bike relatively light, but also look great. The tires are much thinner, but still quite thick in comparison to some of the best electric bikes out there right now. The Tenways CGO600 Pro has a better tire width.
The build quality is all-around excellent. The aluminum alloy frame is beautifully welded together, with cables tucked neatly away within the frame itself. A vast reduction in cable ties is another significant improvement over their other e-bikes.
One of the downsides of the frame is the minimum seat height of 91.5cm. This will be too high for a lot of riders so make sure you check your ideal seat height before purchasing this e-bike
Another divergence for Engwe is the choice of branded parts right across the e-bike. It all begins with a 36V, 19.2Ah Samsung Lithium-ion battery that provides up to 150 km range when using the highest level of assist. The Bafang 250W Brushless Mid-drive Motor is ideal for use in the UK and provides just enough power when navigating medium inclines. The automatic gear shifter also helps to keep the bike moving when handling more challenging hills.
All in all, the P275 Pro is a great bike and represents an excellent direction for the company as a whole. With a great design, good build quality, and a range of branded parts, there aren't many downsides to this e-bike.
Engwe P275 Pro: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
£1,899 in the UK
Only available in the EU
Available from the manufacturer directly
The Engwe P275 Pro has been designed specifically for the EU market and is available for £1,899. It comes in two different color combos: straight black or a gorgeous black frame with a standout orange battery case. Engwe sent me the one with the orange highlight, and I can say it's quite the design statement.
Other than the e-bike, you'll also get a Samsung 36V, 19.2Ah Lithium-ion battery with a compatible charger. A rear light is provided, but it's not integrated, which is disappointing. The sad times were slightly overcome when I saw the cool horn-like bell design. It's a neat change that's also very functional.
If you're after a more complete package, including accessories, then you can buy two different types of rack bag or even an additional battery.
Engwe P275 Pro: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Sleek design with standout battery compartment
Branded parts, including battery and motor
Average weight for an e-bike
The P275 Pro not only looks great, but is also built well. This is a premium e-bike that is available in either black or as a black-and-orange combo. Personally, I prefer to blend into the background, but if you want to stand out, then the color combo will be a great way to do that.
The diamond-shaped aluminum alloy frame delicately blends sharp turns with smooth flows to give an attractive design. The main frame flows beautifully into the Bafang motor, and the carbon belt rather than a chain means this bike glides effortlessly, whether power-assisted or not.
At 27.5 x 2.4 cm, the tires are uncharacteristically thin for Engwe and look the part for an urban bike. They are slim enough to reduce traction and wide enough to provide the necessary grip. The slim frame also results in a more than manageable 25.3 kg (55.77 lbs).
Putting the e-bike together was a breeze with all the tools included in the box. Design-wise, the only thing I would have changed would have been the rear light. Engwe has opted to provide a battery-operated light that clips behind the seat. An integrated rear light would have made much more sense and helped to provide a complete package.
The e-bike ships with an integrated front light, sturdy mudguards, and reflective rims on the wheels. The last of these features is handy for visibility when traffic is approaching from the side. These circular reflectors also look great when lit up.
I'm very impressed with the design of the P275 Pro, and if this is a sign of things to come for Engwe, then I'm very excited indeed.
Design Score: 4.5/5
Engwe P275 Pro: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Bafang 250W Brushless Mid-drive Motor
Automatic gear shifter
Hydraulic disc brakes
With a Bafang 250W Brushless Mid-drive Motor and 65 N.m of torque, the P275 Pro has all the power required for rapid acceleration and when navigating medium-sized inclines. Even though I rarely lacked the power I needed, this e-bike behaves more like a push-bike that provides battery power only if you need it. This is a positive in terms of battery performance, but if you're after an e-bike that does most of the work, then this won't be for you.
One of the standout features of the P275 Pro is the automatic gear shifter that provides three distinct levels. The e-bike moves seamlessly between them depending on the speed of travel and helps to provide a middle option between a single-speed bike and something with an abundance of gears, a little like the software-driven Cowboy 4. The automatic nature of the shifter takes all the guesswork out of gear-changing and instead aims to further help the pedal assist mode of the e-bike.
The motor's pedal sensor ensures that power is delivered when needed, although there were times when it took a couple of seconds longer to kick in than I was expecting. That being said, the transition from standing still to moving was always smooth and never abrupt. I'm always wary of e-bikes that are too abrupt because they can lead to accidents, especially when navigating through traffic.
Speaking of safety, the 180mm front & rear Tektro hydraulic disc brakes provide all the necessary braking capacity at all speeds. They are responsive and reliable, and even though I'm not a fan of this brake type, they are a good match for this bike.
With a limit of 25 km per hour, the P275 Pro is perfect for the EU market. At this speed, the motor stops and it's all on you. I found it difficult to pedal beyond this speed, mainly due to the motor resistance, something that was particularly noticeable when traveling downhill.
Performance score: 4/5
Engwe P275 Pro: Battery life
(Image credit: Future)
260 km range (PAS 1 level)
150 km range (PAS 5 level)
Removable battery
The P275 boasts a 36V, 19.2Ah SAMSUNG Lithium-ion battery, which Engwe claims provides up to 150 km when using the highest level of pedal assist. I almost always wanted the maximum level of boost and found that a range of around 100 km per charge was more realistic. Having five different assist modes is a little over the top, but it does enable users to manage their battery range if need be.
The range of an e-bike battery is always dependent on a range of factors, including rider weight, wind resistance, and the amount of surface friction. It's always worth taking the advertised ranges with a pinch of salt and assuming that these are the maximum achievable distances only if ideal riding conditions are met.
To charge the battery from empty to full, it will take around 5 hours, which will be fine for most people. This fits easily into an overnight charging schedule or even charging it at work before setting off again at the end of the day.
The battery itself is mounted underneath the seat and stands out even more if you go for the black and orange colour combo. The battery can be easily removed from the frame for easy charging.
Battery life score: 4/5
Engwe P275 Pro: Scorecard
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
How I tested the Engwe P275 Pro electric bike
As soon as I got the Engwe P275 Pro, it was hard to put it down. Over several weeks of testing, I enjoyed riding it around the rural area that I live in as well as commuting into the nearest city. As a result, I was able to test the e-bike on a range of terrain and up and down a variety of hills.
I was pleasantly surprised at the bike's ability to handle wherever I took it, as well as through a range of weather conditions. The brakes were adequate during wet conditions, and the motor got me everywhere I needed to go without too much hassle.
The GameSir Nova controller drops the ‘Lite’ part of its companion gamepad. Given that and its slightly higher price tag, you’d expect the Nova to be better than the GameSir Nova Lite. However, this isn’t necessarily the case, as while the Nova does do certain things better, it’s undoubtedly worse in other areas.
There are some very welcome upgrades here, including superb-feeling digital triggers, phenomenal HD Rumble implementation, and some lovely customizable RGB - all of which are rare for gamepads this cheap. However, one puzzling aspect of the GameSir Nova is the downgrade in overall build quality compared to its cheaper counterpart.
What we’re left with is a budget controller we’d still highly recommend, but it’s one that feels more like an alternative option with its own advantages and drawbacks, as opposed to being flat-out better than the Nova Lite.
(Image credit: Future)
GameSir Nova controller: Price and availability
$34.99 / £39.99
Exactly $10 / £10 pricier than the GameSir Nova Lite
US and UK availability
Despite being more expensive than the GameSir Nova Lite, the standard GameSir Nova still falls well within that 'budget' price bracket. It’s $34.99 / £39.99 and can be purchased either from the brand’s website or its Amazon store page.
There are two colorways available for the GameSir Nova, both at the same retail price. They have a decidedly retro-inspired look, with one calling on the design of the US Super Nintendo Entertainment System controller with its white plastic and purple face buttons. The other is a pleasing translucent blue/green, bringing to mind similar Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color models.
It’s a price point that’s to be expected from the GameSir brand. Elsewhere, the GameSir T4 Kaleid, which ranks on our list of the best PC controllers, is similarly affordable at $41.99 / £41.99.
GameSir Nova controller: Specs
(Image credit: Future)
GameSir Nova controller: Design and features
The strangest thing about the GameSir Nova is that while it’s about 3.5oz (100 grams) heavier than the Nova Lite (likely because of the HD Rumble and a larger battery), it feels rather listless due to a hollow build. Give the controller a solid tap and you can feel that hollowness echo its way through the shell of the gamepad.
While not quite a deal-breaker for the controller, it does feel less sturdy and solid than the Nova Lite despite being slightly weightier. It leaves overall build quality feeling like something of an afterthought, which is disappointing given the brand’s pedigree of solidly built budget controllers.
While we also criticized the (otherwise excellent) GameSir X2s Type-C mobile controller for its cheap-feeling plastic, we can point to both the Nova Lite and the T4 Kaleid as examples of GameSir absolutely nailing build quality. So the standard Nova does disappoint somewhat on this front.
Thankfully, the Nova makes up for this with some lovely aesthetic flourishes. I adore both the translucent and SNES-inspired colors and find them much more appealing than the Nova Lite’s basic black or white. The purple face buttons complement both, too. There are also some eye-catching RGB rings around both analog sticks. So while build quality is a bit of a bust, the GameSir Nova certainly has the looks.
In terms of modules, the GameSir Nova fills out the standard Nintendo Switch Pro Controller layout with asymmetrical sticks and a Home and Screenshot button in the center alongside the Start and Select buttons. There are some noteworthy extras here, though, including two remappable buttons for secondary inputs on the rear, a Function button to customize various aspects of the controller (more on that later), and comfortable digital triggers that work excellently on Nintendo Switch.
(Image credit: Future)
GameSir Nova controller: Performance
While the GameSir Nova is compatible across multiple platforms, I found it to be the best fit for Switch overall, given its option for Bluetooth connectivity and the inverted A/B/X/Y button layout that Nintendo Switch controllers are known for. That said, it’s still perfectly serviceable on PC and mobile devices, making for a versatile gamepad so long as you’re not fussed about it lacking PS5 and Xbox console support.
What really surprises me with the GameSir Nova is the phenomenal implementation of HD Rumble. While I don’t think it’s quite the same tech as Nintendo uses in its official controllers, GameSir’s attempt is incredibly convincing. It feels especially immersive in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, seemingly traveling the vibration across the controller during drifts and shaking forcefully when being hit with an item.
Super Mario Odyssey feels exceptional here, too, with the HD Rumble bouncing pleasantly in line with the plumber’s acrobatics. It’s my favorite feature the GameSir Nova brings to the table, and this alone makes it worth considering over the Nova Lite. It’s impressively tactile and the closest thing you’ll get to the DualSense’s haptic feedback on Nintendo Switch.
As is the case with most of the brand’s controllers, the GameSir Nova features Hall effect analog sticks and triggers. These are fantastic and achieve two key things: preventing stick drift over long-term use and ensuring it’ll have a longer lifespan than gamepads that don’t utilize the tech.
The digital triggers, too, are sublime, at least on Nintendo Switch where pressure-sensitive trigger inputs are practically non-existent. These are an excellent fit for Splatoon 3’s simple shooting mechanics as well as swift item usage in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
(Image credit: Future)
The initial pairing sequence is a little tricky, so I’ll save you from having to dig out the manual by explaining it here. On Nintendo Switch, you’ll need to go to the Change Grip/Order controller menu and hold down a combination of the Home and X buttons for a few seconds. It should successfully pair with no issues after that. Pairing to mobile devices is Home and the B button, while for PC, it’s Home plus the Y button.
As with the Nova Lite, the GameSir Nova features a robust Multifunction button that can customize several facets of the controller. With it, you can assign secondary inputs to those two back buttons (L4 and R4), calibrate the analog sticks’ dead zones, and customize the gamepad’s RGB colors and patterns. Unlike the Nova Lite, the standard Nova supports motion controls. Thus, gyro calibration can also be done through the Multifunction button by laying the controller on a flat surface.
Sadly, battery life isn’t particularly exceptional with the GameSir Nova. Despite having a 1,200mAh battery in comparison to the Nova Lite’s 600mAh battery, I got around 12 hours from the Nova on a full charge; that’s only a couple of hours more than its counterpart. Mileage may vary here, of course, and the addition of HD Rumble, gyro support, and RGB lighting will eat into the battery life more. Still, it falls short for a console that’s known for controllers with impressively high battery lives, such as the 8BitDo Ultimate’s 20 hours or the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller’s astonishing 40-50 hours.
Should I buy the GameSir Nova?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider...
Want to learn about a broader range of top Nintendo Switch and PC controllers? Consider the following options, which are some of our favorite alternative picks.
How I tested the GameSir Nova
Tested for 15-20 hours
Tested with Nintendo Switch and PC games
Stacked up against the GameSir Nova Lite and other popular Switch controllers
I tested the GameSir Nova across both Nintendo Switch and PC for approximately 15-20 hours in total. I covered a broad range of games with the controller, including big Nintendo Switch hits like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, alongside titles that heavily feature gyro aiming such as Splatoon 3. On PC, I ran through some stalwarts in my Steam library via a Type-C wired USB connection, including Tekken 8, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, and Final Fantasy 14 Online.
I was especially keen to know how the Nova stacked up against its Nova Lite counterpart. Here, I learned that despite the additional features, the Nova isn’t necessarily better given its relatively cheap build quality. Overall, I see the Nova as a good sidegrade to the Nova Lite, and both offer something that makes them worth considering individually.
Honor was once a brand whose name adorned the shelves of the budget mobile aisle, but with the launch of the Honor Magic 5 Pro in 2023, the former Huawei subsidiary proved itself capable of competing with the likes of Apple and Samsung in the premium hardware department.
Honor has since rocked the boat with a truly unique foldable phone (see the Honor Magic V2), while maintaining a strong presence in the mid-range category (see the Honor 90), but it’s clear that the Chinese company has its sights set firmly on the luxury electronics market.
The Honor Magic 6 Pro is the latest feature-packed flagship to emerge from Honor’s R&D labs, and it marks another leap forward for this fast-growing mobile manufacturer. In essence, the Magic 6 Pro is the Magic 5 Pro with an even more adventurous rear design, a slightly better camera system and all-new AI smarts, which seems to be the usual upgrade recipe for today’s best phones.
That camera upgrade comes by way of an almighty 180MP periscope telephoto lens, which sits alongside a 50MP wide lens and a 50MP ultra-wide lens in Honor’s ‘Star Wheel’ camera notch. The internal hardware is powered by Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
The Magic 6 Pro’s battery is a large 5,600mAh cell, which is necessary due to the increased processing power required by those aforementioned AI features. That said, the Magic 6 Pro still boasts endurance to match or exceed the latest handsets from Apple, Samsung and Google – it charges faster than all of them, too.
The Magic 6 Pro’s battery is 10% larger than that of its predecessor – 5,600mAh versus 5,100mAh – but the increased processing power required by those aforementioned AI features means that you won’t see much, if any, improvements in overall battery life. That said, the Magic 6 Pro still boasts endurance to match or exceed the latest handsets from Apple, Samsung and Google – it charges faster than all of them, too.
Honor’s Magic OS software still doesn’t hold a candle to Apple’s iOS software or Samsung’s One UI interface, and despite the seamless integration of Magic Portal and the future-facing potential of Magic Capsule (more on both of these features later), you don’t get any generative photo editing features with the Magic 6 Pro.
Its price isn’t exactly attractive, either – at £1,099.99, it's £150 more expensive than the Magic 5 Pro. However, accounting for the phone’s singular storage configuration (512GB with 12GB RAM), the Magic 6 Pro costs the same as the equivalent Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus model (£1,099), and it’s actually slightly cheaper than the iPhone 15 Plus (£1,199) and Google Pixel 8 Pro (£1,179) models with the same storage capacity. As with most Honor phones, the Magic 6 Pro isn’t available to buy in the US.
All told, then, the Honor Magic 6 Pro is indisputably one of the best Android phones of 2024, and the best Honor phone that the brand has released thus far. But if you’re already well-accustomed to the simplicity of rival operating systems, you should think carefully about forking out the £1,099.99 needed to buy one.
Honor Magic 6 Pro review: Price and availability
Costs £1,099.99 / €1299.90
Available in the UK and Europe, but not the US or Australia
Honor’s latest flagship was announced in China on February 25, 2024, and went on sale in the UK and Europe on March 8, 2024. In the latter two regions, the Magic 6 Pro is available in a single storage configuration – 512GB with 12GB RAM – for £1,099.99 / €1299.90.
For reference, the Honor Magic 5 Pro launched for £949.99 / €1,199 in 2023, so Honor has hiked the price of its successor by a not-insubstantial £150 in the UK, and €100 in Europe. However, as mentioned above, that £949.99 price puts the Magic 6 Pro on a par with the equivalent storage variant of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus – in the UK, at least – and also makes the phone slightly cheaper than equivalent variants of the iPhone 15 Plus (£1,199) and Google Pixel 8 Pro (£1,179).
At the time of writing, the Magic 6 Pro is not available to purchase in the US or Australia.
Value score: 3 / 5
Honor Magic 6 Pro review: Specs
Here's a look at the Honor Magic 6 Pro's key specs:
Honor Magic 6 Pro review: Design
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Luxury watch-inspired camera module
IP68 water and dust resistance
The Magic 6 Pro measures 162.5 x 75.8 x 8.9mm and has a 6.8-inch display, so this isn’t a handset for those who prefer smaller phones. But despite its enormous screen – which is actually a touch bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max – Honor’s latest flagship isn’t especially heavy. In fact, at 221g, it’s a whole 11g lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (232g), which also has a 6.8-inch display.
From a design standpoint, the phone innovates upon the Magic 5 Pro, which introduced Honor’s ‘Star Wheel’ camera module. The design of the Magic 6 Pro’s Star Wheel is a nod to “cushion-shaped watches, jade congs, and baroque diamonds,” according to Honor, and given that the former were popularized by luxury watchmaker Panerai in the 1940s, it’s easy to see why the company has embraced this unique ‘squircle’ shape on the Magic 6 Pro
What’s more, this year’s Star Wheel module is more practical. I liked the look of the Magic 5 Pro’s rear camera module but didn’t love the way it felt in the hand (I found that my index finger rubbed against its edge). Due to its wider shape, the Magic 6 Pro’s Star Wheel is more comfortable to the touch, and even more eye-catching than its predecessor, so kudos to Honor’s design team for this small-but-important change.
There’s no titanium in sight on the Magic 6 Pro, but since this is a cheaper phone than the 512GB variants of the iPhone 15 Pro Max (£1,399) and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (£1,349) – two phones that do boast titanium designs – I think Honor was right to make the compromise. You still get IP68 water and dust resistance with the Magic 6 Pro, which brings Honor’s latest flagship in line with those competitors.
In the UK and Europe, the Magic 6 Pro is available in Black or Epi Green. The black features “velvet matte glass”, while the green features “ripple classic leather”, and both design touches make the Magic 6 Pro feel undeniably premium. The ripples on the Epi Green variant are pleasantly grippy, so I recommend that option.
Design score: 4 / 5
Honor Magic 6 Pro review: Display
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
6.8-inch OLED display
Eye-friendly screen technology
5,000-nit peak HDR brightness
The Magic 6 Pro has a 6.8-inch OLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. That’s the standard for the best Android phones these days (take note, Apple), but the screen on Honor’s latest flagship stands out from the crowd for two reasons.
First is how it sits on the phone itself. The Magic 6 Pro’s 6.8-inch display is curved – or rather, its edges ‘spill over’ the side of the device. Most of today’s best phones use flat-edged displays, and while I have no particular preference for one approach or the other, Honor’s decision to go with a curved display on the Magic 6 Pro will inevitably appeal to some, and deter others. It's unique, at least.
The second distinguishing feature of the Magic 6 Pro’s display is the technology behind it. As with the Magic 5 Pro (and indeed the Magic V2 and Honor 90), the Magic 6 Pro boasts Honor’s proprietary Circadian Night Display technology, which filters blue light to improve the quality of your sleep. This particular phone is also aided by an impressive 4,320Hz PWM dimming cycle rate that works to minimize strain on the eyes, so if you’re someone who regularly scrolls through social media in the small hours (and let’s face it, who isn’t these days?), the Magic 6 Pro will at least try to reduce the physical impact of that behavior.
The Magic 6 Pro boasts an almighty peak HDR brightness of 5,000 nits (in very specialized situations) though you’re likely to experience around 1,600 nits in day-to-day use (which is more than respectable).
On the durability front, the phone’s display is protected by Honor’s NanoCrystal Shield, which is supposedly 10 times stronger than regular glass. Naturally, I wasn’t able to put that claim to the test, but I can say that my Magic 6 Pro review unit regularly emerged from my key-filled pocket unscathed.
Display score: 5 / 5
Honor Magic 6 Pro review: Cameras
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
50MP wide lens (f/1.4-2.0)
50MP ultra-wide lens (f/2.0)
180MP periscope telephoto lens (f/2.6)
As with most premium Android phones, the Honor Magic 6 Pro goes big on mobile photography, but this particular device has a few distinguishing tricks up its sleeve.
For starters, the Magic 6 Pro’s 50MP wide lens uses an adjustable aperture (f/1.4-2.0), a feature we haven’t seen on a smartphone for years. When taking shots in normal lightning conditions, the phone uses a standard f/2.0 aperture, but it’ll automatically switch to the wider f/1.4 aperture when shooting in low-light environments. Neat!
Also unique is the Magic 6 Pro’s astounding 180MP periscope telephoto lens (f/2.6), which is the largest sensor on a zoom lens I’ve ever seen on a smartphone. This supersized lens is only capable of 2.5x optical zoom, mind – which is a downgrade from the 3.5x-capable Magic 5 Pro – but the phone can still achieve 5x lossless zoom by cropping shots from the 180MP lens.
An unchanged 50MP ultra-wide lens (f/2.0) rounds out the Magic 6 Pro’s rear camera array, and you get an impressively large 50MP front-facing camera, too.
Let’s start with the performance of the telephoto lens, which is the headline feature of the Magic 6 Pro. On a sunny day in London, shots taken with this lens were rich in detail and exceptionally vivid. At 1x, 2.5x and 5x magnification, colors were realistic and the subject(s) kept in focus, though I’d advise against zooming any further than 10x, where things take a turn for the Dali-esque (the Magic 6 Pro will technically let you zoom digitally up to 100x, but don’t bother).
Image 1 of 8
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 2 of 8
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 3 of 8
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 4 of 8
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 5 of 8
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 6 of 8
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 7 of 8
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 8 of 8
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
The performance of the variable wide lens was similarly consistent. Shots taken with this lens were crisp, and the depth of field impressive, with shadows appearing particularly life-like.
Image 1 of 4
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 2 of 4
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 3 of 4
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 4 of 4
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
My main gripe with Honor’s assistive camera software continues to be its overcompensation of certain colors – specifically lighter shades of green and blue. As with the Magic V2, the Magic 6 Pro occasionally over-eggs the appearance of the sky or the trees, while at night, artificial blue light presents a particular challenge.
Image 1 of 6
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 2 of 6
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 3 of 6
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 4 of 6
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 5 of 6
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Image 6 of 6
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
This isn’t a deal-breaker, by any means, but the Magic 6 Pro doesn’t balance colors perfectly every time. I suspect this has something to do with the way the phone uses AI to identify certain environmental features and adjust the composition of the shot accordingly (see the image in below).
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
I found the Magic 6 Pro’s portrait mode performance to be better than most, while the phone’s 50MP front-facing camera is also solid, if nothing groundbreaking. On the video front, you can record video in 4K at up to 60 frames per second with any of the three rear camera lenses, while the 4K-compatible selfie camera tops out at 30 fps.
All this adds up to an indisputably strong camera phone that ranks alongside best camera phones for versatility, but not necessarily consistency. There’s also no AI-powered photo editing, the likes of which you will find on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro.
Cameras score: 4 / 5
Honor Magic 6 Pro review: Performance and software
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
12GB RAM and 512GB storage
Neat Magic Capsule and Magic Portal features
Under the hood, the Magic 6 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset – that’s the same chipset you’ll find inside the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, OnePlus 12 and Xiaomi 14.
Working in tandem with the Magic 6 Pro’s 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, Qualcomm’s latest chipset delivers consistently brilliant performance, regardless of the task. Web browsing, messaging, mobile gaming and high-quality video streaming are child’s play for this phone, and while we’ve come to expect as much from devices in this price range – you’d be hard-pressed to find a flagship phone in 2024 that isn’t lightning fast – you needn’t worry about the Magic 6 Pro’s heavy lifting ability.
The phone sets itself apart, for better or worse, through its software. The Magic 6 Pro runs Honor’s Magic OS 8 skin atop Android 14, which differs from the stock version of Android in several interesting – if not always successful – ways.
The first distinguishing feature is Magic Capsule, which is an unashamed copy of Apple’s Dynamic Island in both functionality and appearance.
Personally, I don’t have a problem with the similarity – both Magic Capsule and the Dynamic Island are useful tools for quickly controlling music, timers, notifications and incoming calls – but it’s hard to give kudos to Honor for adding this feature given the obvious lack of originality.
One interesting – and undeniably unique – feature of Magic Capsule is its ability to let you control parts of the Magic 6 Pro’s UI using nothing but your eyes. Or rather, this feature would be interesting if it was actually available to use. At the time of writing, Honor’s eye-tracking tech – which is currently compatible with Magic Capsule apps like Timer, Alarm and Call – is limited to the Chinese market, though the company has assured TechRadar that the feature will be added to international versions of the device in the near future.
The headline feature of the Magic 6 Pro’s AI offering is Magic Portal, which forms a key part of what Honor describes as the “world’s first intent-based UI.” What does that mean, exactly? Well, instead of acting upon request, Magic OS 8 uses Magic Portal to render services according to user intentions.
In essence, it’s a shortcut feature that lets you switch between apps and services with a single swipe. For instance, if you’re sent some location information by a friend and want to get to that location in a hurry, Magic Portal will let you drag those details – in one fell swoop – from the messages app across into a compatible ride-hailing or navigation app, saving you clicks in the process.
Magic Portal in action on the Honor Magic 6 Pro (Image credit: Future)
In my experience, Magic Portal delivered accurate results and worked pretty seamlessly. I particularly like the way text lifts off the page without creating another white box behind it. I also liked the strong haptic feedback when tapping images, and the way the page 'tilts' in order to share the screen with other apps.
One big miss with the Magic 6 Pro is its lack of generative AI tools. I’m no particular fan of artificially recomposing images, but given that the latest flagships from Samsung and Google boast a veritable smorgasbord of AI-powered editing features, it’s an omission that I suspect will become more noticeable as the quality and quantity of AI features becomes the standard by which new flagship phones are measured.
On the longevity front, Honor is committing to four years of Android updates and five years of security updates for the Magic 6 Pro. That’s less than the seven-year commitments made by Samsung and Google, but equal to OnePlus’ commitment to the OnePlus 12.
Performance score: 5 / 5
Software score: 3 / 5
Honor Magic 6 Pro review: Battery
(Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)
4,900mAh battery is a slight upgrade
45W wired charging, 15W wireless charging
The Magic 6 Pro boasts a rival-beating 5,600mAh silicon-carbon battery, which should give you around a day and a half of charge when using the phone casually. For reference, we managed to squeeze two days of charge out of the iPhone 15 Plus, but if we’re talking about the most expensive flagships exclusively, the Magic 6 Pro is the best of the current bunch in the endurance department.
Honor’s latest flagship supports up to 80W wired and 66W wireless charging, but annoyingly, you won’t get any type of charger in the box. The brand claims that a full charge takes 40 minutes, and that turned out to be pretty accurate in a test I conducted using the 100W charger that is provided with the Porsche Design version of this phone (I guess that’s what an extra £1,000 buys you these days).
After 15 minutes from a completely dead state, my Magic 6 Pro device had reached 36% charge, and 70% after 30 minutes. A full charge took 46 minutes, which is faster than every iPhone 15 model and every Samsung Galaxy S24 model we’ve tested, but a tad slower than the Xiaomi 14 and OnePlus 12R. However, if you’re using a lower-wattage charger with the Magic 6 Pro, charging speeds will be slower.
Battery score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the Honor Magic 6 Pro?
Buy it if...
You want a best-in-class display This phone's 6.8-inch curved OLED screen is big, bright and kind to your eyes. You won't find a better display anywhere elsewhere in 2024.
You're a fan of big phones If you're after a big-screened Android phone that won't weigh down your pocket, the Magic 6 Pro s is as portable as 6.8-inch phones come.
You need long-lasting battery life The Magic 6 Pro's supersized5,600mAh silicon-carbon battery offers around a day and a half of charge, which is supremely impressive given the amount of power at your disposal.
Don't buy it if...
You're already embedded into a simpler OS Honor's Magic OS is better than ever, but it's still not at the level of iOS or cleaner versions of Android. Think twice if you're not ready to jump into something new.
You want generative AI editing tools If you're someone who's excited by the prospect of recomposing images after taking them, you may be dissapointed by the Magic 6 Pro's lack of generative AI editing tools.
Honor Magic 6 Pro review: Also consider
As you'll have read by now, the Honor Magic 6 Pro is a well-designed, highly capable and thoroughly unique device, but there are, of course, alternative phones to consider.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra If you're keen to stick with Android and have a little extra cash to spend, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is indisputably the best Android phone money can buy right now.
Apple iPhone 15 Plus If you're not fussed about AI features and prefer Apple's more accessible iOS software, the iPhone 15 Plus is a great option. It's almost the same size as the Magic 6 Pro, just as powerful and offers even better battery life. The screen isn't anywhere near as good, mind.
How I tested the Honor Magic 6 Pro
Review test period: four weeks
Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
I received – and subsequently lived for four weeks with – a review-ready version of the Honor Magic 6 Pro at MWC in March 2024, using it for productivity purposes during my working day and for social media browsing and gaming in the evenings.
I compared the experience of playing power-hungry games like EA Sports FC 24 and Asphalt 9: Legends on the Magic 6 Pro to the experience of playing the same games on the iPhone 15 Pro, which helped me to quantify just how well the device’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset stacks up against Apple's A17 Pro. I also used the phone to stream color-rich documentaries via YouTube, and also logged into Twitter and Instagram to assess the social media browsing experience.
I used Geekbench 6 for CPU testing and Geekbench ML for machine learning and AI benchmarking, while battery life was assessed based on real-world usage. I measured charge time in 15-minute intervals using 100W Honor SuperCharge charger.
LG launched a separate laptop in its Gram lineup called the LG Gram SuperSlim, which borrows heavily from the adjacent 2023 LG Gram Style model in terms of its looks. However, the latter was a disappointment in terms of performance, despite my loving the extremely thin and light chassis and aesthetically pleasing design.
So color me suspicious about the SuperSlim and whether it could impress me. What I’ve found is a mixed bag, with middling benchmark results and surprisingly solid productivity performance that could rival even the best laptops. However, some drawbacks still hold this laptop back.
At first glance, the SuperSlim is in a less impressive black color than its counterpart, but it makes up for that by its 15.6-inch weight and measurements beating out the 16-inch sizes of the Style and matching the 14-inch version. The result is an absolutely dreamy lightweight and razor-thin chassis and, unlike the Style, it doesn’t have that cheap plastic feel to it.
There’s still a slight wobble to the hinge but all around it feels far more stable and solid, with a superior build quality. I also enjoy the material of the chassis, which has a more textured feel to it.
Ventilation has much improved, with the laptop staying cool even during heavy workloads, which is another improvement over the Slim, which suffered from overheating issues. LG seems to have addressed many build issues between these two laptops.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
The keyboard still features snappy and responsive keys, which are nice and wide and perfect for a variety of finger sizes to type on with little chance for typos. Thankfully the touchpad has been restored to a much more standard one, and it’s perfectly responsive, unlike the haptic feedback nightmare on the Style.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
The display’s resolution did take a hit compared to the Style’s 2.8 or 3K, as the SuperSlim is now FHD. It still thankfully retains the OLED screen and supports HDR, giving the display that sharp and bright look.
The webcam is pretty standard, which is to say not particularly great but is fine for conference calls. The sound quality is quite solid, able to differentiate between various instruments as well as reproduce a deep bass. Its volume is also a noticeable improvement from the Style, as it can get pretty loud without losing too much in quality.
LG Gram SuperSlim: Benchmarks
Here's how the LG Gram SuperSlim performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Night Raid: 16,447; Fire Strike: 4,842; Time Spy: 1,778 Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 8,275 points GeekBench 5: 1,842 (single-core); 9,783 (multi-core) PCMark 10 (Home Test): 5,495 points Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 14 hours, 55 minutes Civilization VI (1080p, Ultra): 42 fps; (1080p, Low): 25 fps
Though on paper through benchmark tests its performance is about the same as the Gram Style, in practice it functions much better. Productivity-wise, it’s capable of having tons of tabs open for both work and play including video conference meetings, word-processing documents and spreadsheets, video streaming, and more. Unfortunately, that means its CPU benchmarks are still below that of other similar Ultrabooks.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
The LG Gram SuperSlim is made for office work and casual use through and through with almost no heavy-duty gaming capabilities. It’s all thanks to the bog-standard mobile GPU, which is rather offensive considering the steep price of the machine.
Other laptops for a similar price are equipped with a proper gaming GPU, so why LG refuses to make the upgrade is mind-boggling. Even a laptop like the Dell XPS 17 (2024) has better specs for a similar price point, and the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (2023) doesn’t have a gaming GPU but the M3 chip is far superior to Intel’s silicon.
By far the biggest improvement over the Style is its extraordinary battery power, though, which gets close to rivaling even the best MacBook and best MacBook Pro models. During our battery tests, it was even able to last around 15 hours and that was under the stress of constant movie playing.
All in all, the LG Gram SuperSlim is something of a mixed bag, with some fantastic performance in terms of productivity and battery life, but don't expect much more from it than that.
LG Gram SuperSlim: Price & availability
How much does it cost? $1,649 / £1,299 (about AU$2,530)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK
The LG Gram SuperSlim is an Ultrabook is currently retailing at $1,649 / £1,299 (about AU$2,530), with availability in both the US and the UK. Unfortunately, this particular model has been discontinued in Australia, so buyers out there would have to import it, making it even more expensive.
As for pricing itself, while it’s overall a superior model to the Style with some much-needed changes and enhancements, it’s still a hard sell compared to other similarly priced products like the Dell XPS 17 (2024) and the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch with M3, which both boast more well-rounded usage and better specs.
Unless the price drops down significantly, it would be difficult to make the SuperSlim more appealing to buyers. This is a shame since it does have a great niche as an incredibly portable laptop that works for offices and during commutes and events. If you can buy this laptop with a decent discount, then it's definitely worth considering.
LG Gram SuperSlim: Specs
As of now, the only model available in both the US and UK is this setup: Intel Core i7-1360P CPU, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD of storage. There's also no way to customize or upgrade the SuperSlim either.
Should you buy the LG Gram SuperSlim?
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Buy the LG Gram SuperSlim if...
You want solid productivity performance This laptop can handle plenty of productivity work including video calls, documents, web surfing, and more. It's the ultimate workhorse in a gorgeous chassis.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a budget
This is an Ultrabook, meaning it has a premium price tag attached to it. Unless you have plenty of spare change, this is not the laptop for budget-minded buyers/
LG Gram SuperSlim: Also consider
If my LG Gram SuperSlim review has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...
How I tested the LG Gram SuperSlim?
I tested the LG Gram SuperSlim for several weeks
I tested it using productivity and creative applications, as well as gaming
I stress-tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test
First, I tested the general weight and portability of the LG Gram SuperSlim by carrying it around in a laptop bag. After I set it up, I ran several benchmarks to thoroughly test out the processor and graphics card. Finally, I used a variety of programs and applications to test out both battery life and general performance during work-like conditions, as well as gaming benchmarks to test the RTX 4050 GPU.
The LG Gram SuperSlim is meant to be a portable laptop with a thin and light chassis. I had to spend a good amount of testing not only on performance issues but also looking for any ventilation issues. I also tested out battery life to see how long it could last off AC power.
I've tested plenty of gaming PCs and laptops, making me more than qualified to understand benchmark test results and how to properly stress test machines to see how well they perform as a work machine.
Flight sim peripherals are expensive. Thrustmaster’s Warthog HOTAS is the gold standard at north of $400 and Logitech’s cheaper X56 is still more than $200. Turtle Beach wants to undercut them both with this HOTAS-flightstick hybrid and, like a veteran Tom Cruise attempting some bit of cinematic aerial derring-do, it pulls it off in style.
There are 27 programmable buttons nestled around the joystick, laid out sensibly in an ambidextrous design that makes it easy to dial in useful mappings whichever hand you operate it with. The feel of those buttons isn’t uniformly ‘premium’, with some noticeably wobblier or flimsier than others, but something had to give if Turtle Beach was going to deliver all this for $120.
It’s not a traditional HOTAS, and purists might not get on with using the throttles and flightstick all on the device. For beginner virtual pilots and space-conscious aviators who don’t want to jam up all their USB slots with flight peripherals though, the VelocityOne absolutely sticks the landing and is a top PC controller or Xbox controller for flight enthusiasts
Price and availability
(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)
$122.99 / £119.99 / AU$250
Significantly cheaper than Thrustmaster and Logitech HOTAS
Available in the US and UK
The Turtle Beach VelocityOne flightstick represents great value for money and that all begins with the design foundation Turtle Beach put in place to combine HOTAS inputs with a regular flightstick. Somebody in the headset-strewn corridors of Turtle Beach HQ can pat themselves on the back for that one.
Slapping all the combined inputs of both peripherals onto one unit obviously makes it easier to hit a lower price point than the big players in flight sim controllers.
There aren’t outright cut corners when it comes to build quality, but you can feel where some cost-saving switches and button caps have been drafted in to keep things affordable. That does mean that those after a no-compromise, truly premium control experience will find more to like in Thrustmaster’s incredibly weighty and well-constructed Warthog HOTAS. For everyone else, it’s a steal at this price point.
Turtle Beach VelocityOne flightstick: Specs
Turtle Beach VelocityOne flightstick: Design & features
(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)
There’s a striking but sensible design to this unit, which works like a hybrid of a HOTAS and a flightstick. It’s laid out symmetrically, with banks of input buttons in two neat rows on either side of the stick.
But there are inputs hidden all over this thing. You just keep finding them. The textured metal ring around the base of the flightstick? That’s a dial. You twist it to register an input. On the stick itself? Not only two hat switches, a trigger, buttons, and a scroller, but also an OLED display. Honestly, it’s like a 2000s rapper and a reality show production team got their hands on this thing. It’s just missing the aquarium.
At either side are the throttles, which give you a pleasing little click at 0% and 100% to give you some haptic feedback that you’re at either extreme. There’s even a trackpad, which defaults to a highlight cursor in Microsoft Flight Simulator so you can look around and select different cockpit controls that you don’t have mapped to an input - unlikely, given the plethora available here.
(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)
The joystick itself feels beautifully smooth across its axes, and it’s designed with a lot of stiffness. That’s great in some, but not all, scenarios. When you’re making big inputs – think dogfighting in a space combat sim – it’s great to have that resistance to keep your movements precise. But if you’re trying to get a commercial jet full of holidaygoers down onto the runway without evacuating their extortionately-priced egg and cress sandwiches all over the gangway, you don’t want to feel too much centering spring around the zero point as it tends to ‘snap’ you back to that center position.
This isn’t necessarily a flaw of the joystick, but a nuance that takes a bit of getting used to. You can counteract it with an increased deadzone.
The OLED display can be programmed to show you a selection of useful readouts, and although I tended to forget to look at it while I was in-game, I was captivated by it when I first plugged the unit in and saw it light up.
Speaking of lights, there’s backlighting under each of the two banks of buttons on the base, a ring at the base of the joystick, and some subtle backlighting around the thumb buttons on the top of the joystick. These are split down the middle into a turquoise and orange colour scheme which gives the VelocityOne a distinct look. A look that I’m onboard with, if you’ll excuse the fantastic aviation pun.
Turtle Beach VelocityOne flightstick: Performance
(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)
The make-or-break moment for a control device with this many inputs is what happens when you load up your game and head over to the controls menu, praying to every known deity that there’s a control scheme already established for it.
Thankfully to all those deities, Microsoft Flight Simulator on both PC and Xbox knows the VelocityOne well and has a sensible layout for it that maps most of the controls you’d want, where you’d want them.
I did a little bit of tweaking to the defaults, which is to be expected given the breadth of planes within that title. Everyone has slightly different needs depending on whether they specialize in haring about in prop planes or doing super-serious Airbus routes as realistically as possible. What matters is that there’s a decent starting point for everyone.
(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)
This is such a time saver. However, that’s (nearly) where the control profiles end. XPlane 11 and 12 recognize it right off the bat and offer a ready-made profile, but otherwise, it’s up to you to map your own inputs in games like Elite: Dangerous and War Thunder.
Not a huge deal, but it would be nice to see some more profiles added in the future.
PC and Xbox compatibility is handled pretty seamlessly, too. That flashy OLED display lets you know when you’re in compatibility mode for either platform, and I had precisely zero turbulence when plugging it into either device. It was recognized and functional without any hassle.
Should you buy the Turtle Beach VelocityOne flightstick?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
How I tested the Turtle Beach VelocityOne flightstick
Tested for several months
Tested with Microsoft Flight Simulator, Ace Combat 7, Elite: Dangerous
Compared with Thrustmaster and Logitech HOTAS
Thankfully the air miles involved in testing this one were virtual, otherwise I’d have a hell of a carbon footprint to offset. Microsoft’s serious Flight Sim drank up the testing hours, along with more fantastical experiences where fighting and loop-de-loops are a bit more commonplace.
T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer: two-minute review
The T3 Featherweight StyleMax is a, tech-packed hair dryer from the innovative LA-based haircare brand. It comes with four nozzles included, and offers custom heat and speed automation. It's powered by T3's Digital IonAir technology, which combines an ion generator, smart chip and custom fan to deliver fast drying times and reduce frizz. This is meant to result in efficient and hair-friendly drying, with less heat damage. I tested one out to see how it compares to the rest of today's best hair dryers. Does it live up to the brand's promises?
Unfortunately, not quite. It dries hair relatively quickly, depending on the Style Mode and attachment, but these drying times aren't exceptional. The Styling Concentrator attachment delivered the best results on my fine hair, giving me a sleek and bouncy style without compromising too much on drying speed.
The Diffuser also performed well, enhancing my natural curls with volume and body. However, the Smoothing Comb didn't work as well as I'd expected and hoped, and I often burned my scalp while using it. A problem I experienced much more with the T3 Featherweight StyleMax that I have with any other dryer I've used in the past. Similarly, the attachments have a tendency to become excessively hot during use, making it difficult to change mid-style, or even rotate the best angle. Elsewhere, the Volume Boost made very little difference. More's the pity. And while the Style Modes are useful and versatile, they can be difficult to master and a little confusing.
Despite these issues, the T3 Featherweight StyleMax has several things going for it. The Cool Shot button is great for locking styles in place and you don't have to press and hold it like you do on so many of its rivals. The hair dryer's overall performance also led to softer, healthier-looking hair over time.
Overall, the T3 Featherweight StyleMax is a mixed bag. It offers a range of advanced features and attachments that make it versatile and appealing for various hair styling needs. Yet, its performance and design quirks put me off from using this as my everyday hair dryer. Instead, I'll likely reserve it for special occasions when I have extra time to complete my style.
T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer review: price & availability
List price: $199 / £170 for Featherweight StyleMax + 4 attachments
Available in the US and UK
Price-wise, the Featherweight StyleMax is at the top end of T3's hair dyer range, sitting alongside the T3 Aireluxe with a list price of $199.99 / £170. That puts it in TechRadar's upper-mid price bracket.
There’s an impressive amount of tech built into the Featherweight and this, coupled with its wide range of features and attachments (it comes with four) goes some way towards justifying its cost. The performance falls a little short of what I’d expect for that amount of money, but you can’t really put a price on healthy hair so if you can afford it, it’s not a bad investment. In TechRadar's T3 AireLuxe review, that model gained 4.5*, and at the same price it's hard not to recommend that as a better place to put your money... although it's true that model doesn't come with so many functions and settings.
You can buy the Featherweight StyleMax in the US and UK directly from the T3 website. It's also available via Amazon and Ulta in the US, and Amazon and Beauty Bay in the UK.
Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5
T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer review: design
Five heat modes + Cool shot
Volume Boost button
Customizable presets for different hair types
The design of the T3 Featherweight StyleMax is a cross between the traditional, long-barrel hair dryers of old with the shorter, more compact shape of modern stylers, like the Dyson Supersonic and Zuvi Halo. It measures 7.6 x 2.9 x 11.2 in / 193 mm x 740 mm x 284 mm (W x D x H) and weighs 1.04lbs / 471g without any nozzles attached, and not including the chunky, 2.7m / 9ft cord.
If you're looking for something to travel with, this probably isn't it – it's a bit bulky for slinging into a suitcase. The brand does have a travel-sized option that might be better for frequent flyers – head to TechRadar's T3 Afar review for more on that one.
Included with the Featherweight are four attachments: a Drying Concentrator, for rough drying your hair; a Styling Concentrator that smoothes as it styles; the SoftTouch 3 Diffuser for adding volume and definition to curls and waves; and a Smoothing Comb designed to lift roots, or stretch and detangle curls and coils.
(Image credit: Future)
The design of the Featherweight StyleMax is a blend of traditional and modern, and looks like an elongated version of the T3 Fit hair dryer – the brand's compact option. There's a choice of three colors – white, graphite, and satin blush. I reviewed the white model, which has rose gold accents around both the grill at the front of the barrel, and the filter on the rear. The dryer is largely made from plastic with metal on the grill, and rubber at the bottom of the handle where it joins the cord. I'm not a fan of the bubble-like curved barrel. It doesn't look bad, but it does feel a bit cartoon-like, which is a bit at odds with the higher asking price.
Technology-wise, the Featherweight StyleMax uses the brand's Digital T3 IonAir Technology. This comprises an ion generator that 'saturates' a super-wide airstream, powered by a custom-designed fan. A smart chip then keeps the heat consistent. This ionic technology uses negative ions to break the water molecules on your hair into smaller particles that evaporate faster, and this is what helps to dry the hair quickly.
The majority of control buttons are then found on the rear of the handle, below the filter. These controls, in order from top to bottom, are as follows:
Hair input indicator icon
Hair Input and Style Mode selection button
Heat settings
Speed settings
Power button
Volume Booster
(Image credit: Future)
Starting at the top, the hair input indicator icon consists of three wavy lines of increasing thickness. These each represent a different hair type ranging from fine on the left, to medium in the middle, and coarse on the right. You input your hair type using the Hair Input button and the corresponding wavy line will be illuminated.
This Hair Input button then doubles up as the Style Mode selection button. Around the button are four icons which correspond to the four Style Modes. Moving clockwise from top left, these icons are:
Rough Dry: for use with the Drying Concentrator.
Smooth: for use with either the Styling Concentrator and a paddle brush, or the Smoothing comb.
Volume: for use with the Styling Concentrator and round brush.
Diffuse: for use with the diffuser.
The Drying Concentrator delivers a wide airflow to quickly, and roughly, dry your hair. The Styling Concentrator nozzle has a thinner outlet, compared to the Drying Concentrator, and this helps direct airflow onto individual sections. You can use this with a paddle brush to create smooth and sleek styles, or pair it with a round brush to create volume, body and bounce.
The SoftTouch 3 Diffuser diffuses air to add volume and definition to curls, waves, and layered styles, while the Smoothing Comb directs the airflow through vented teeth to lift roots, smooth strands, and stretch and detangle curls and coils. These attachments all twist and lock easily into place on the grill.
When you select a Style Mode, the Featherweight will automatically select the most appropriate heat and speed settings to suit both the attachment, as well as your hair type and styling needs. At any point you can up the heat or drop the speed etc. manually using the standalone heat and speed buttons.
(Image credit: Future)
These heat and speed buttons are each surrounded by indicator lights that correspond with the relevant settings. There are five thin light strips around the heat button, which correspond with the dryer's five heat settings. The speed button is encircled by three light strips which represent the Featherweight's low, medium and high speeds.
The last button on the rear of the handle is the Volume Boost button. Pressing this boosts the speed and strength of the air flow to help you add volume into the hair and at the roots.
And finally, the Cool Shot button is found under the grill on the front of the handle. The majority of the best hair dryers I've tested over the years require you to press and hold the Cool Shot button but once you've pressed the one on the T3 Featherweight it stays on until you turn it off. This is a small but hugely welcome addition.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer review: performance
Switching modes can be confusing
Mixed styling results
Often burned my scalp or hand
To test the T3 Featherweight StyleMax, I trialled each mode and attachment in turn multiple times over the course of a month. I timed how long it took the hair dryer to dry my fine, long, naturally curly hair, and how well it created each of the promised styles. I also experimented with manually adjusting the settings to see how differences in temperature and speed impacted the results.
To get started with the dryer you need to input your hair type. Start by pressing the Power button. Then press and hold the Hair Input button and cycle through the three options until the correct hair type line is illuminated. Next, select your preferred Style Mode by pressing the selection button again until the corresponding icon is illuminated. It helps to have the relevant attachment connected before making this selection, but it's not necessary.
(Image credit: Future)
Two seconds later the dryer will start. There is always a two-second delay when switching settings, so don't be alarmed if the dryer seemingly turns itself off and doesn't come back on straight away. The lights surrounding the heat and temperature buttons show which settings have been automatically selected. If you don't feel like the heat or speed is adequate you can manually change the settings, but this will disable whichever Style Mode you've chosen.
It took an average of 4 minutes 58 seconds to dry my hair using the T3 Featherweight StyleMax without any nozzles connected. Despite being a rough dry, my hair was surprisingly soft and relatively frizz-free, compared to how it looks and feels when I rough-dry it with other hair dryers.
Next up, it took 6 minutes 12 seconds to dry my hair using the Drying Concentrator with the Rough drying mode selected. My hair was soft with a small amount of frizz but I got frustrated with how long it took to reach this result. Especially as there was little difference compared to drying my hair without an attachment. For me, the Drying Concentrator adds very little to the dryer and I regularly found the speed too low for my needs.
The Styling Concentrator produced the best results, without having to sacrifice too much on drying speed. It took 5 minutes 9 seconds to create a sleek style with my paddle brush, and 5 minutes 45 seconds to finish a bouncy blow dry with a large, round brush.
(Image credit: Future)
The diffuser works very well and my curls were soft and full of body and bounce, while the Smoothing Comb helped to add a small amount of volume when blow drying my hair straight, or when separating my curls. My biggest complaint about the Smoothing Comb is that I often burned my scalp while using it.
In fact, I burned my scalp more while using the T3 Featherweight than I ever have during all of my years writing hair dryer reviews. Just as I regularly had to turn up the speed to achieve the power I wanted, I often had to turn down the heat, or be much more careful about how close the hairdryer got to my head during styling.
Similarly, the attachments become too hot to touch during styling so you have to wait until they've cooled down to remove them. This makes it difficult to switch attachments mid-style. For example, if I want to create a blow dry with the Styling Concentrator and then add volume at the roots with the Smoothing Comb, I have to wrap a towel around my hand to remove the first nozzle before attaching the second. This isn't a major problem, but it is an inconvenience.
Speaking of volume, this button doesn't seem to make a huge difference. It increases the speed of the airflow to give your hair and roots extra lift but I noticed very little difference between when it was enabled and when it wasn't. And considering my fine hair needs all the volume it can get, this was disappointing.
Overall, none of the Style Modes or settings produced a ready-to-go finish. I still had to run straighteners over my hair to remove any of the remaining frizz. However my hair felt much softer than it does normally and by the end of the review period, it looked and felt healthier.
Performance score: 3.5 out of 5
Should I buy the T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer?
If there’s one phone brand with whom you never know what you’re getting, it’s Oppo, but with its latest mid-range mobile it’s managed to make a phone that’ll (mostly) wow you, especially if you’re looking for a great device without spending too much.
The Oppo Reno 10 is the latest of Oppo’s mid-tier mobiles to launch globally, after the Oppo Reno 8 in 2022 – the brand tends to alternate between global releases and China-only ones. And for the first time in many generations, this is a Reno phone that’s really worth checking out.
At its core, the Oppo Reno 10 is a premium phone with a price tag that’s a lot lower than one would expect. It's easily one of the best cheap phones on the market, embarrassing rival handsets from the likes of Samsung, Apple and Google by just how far ahead it is. It feels better in the hand, performs faster, offers a better display, lasts longer and looks more appealing, though it does have two major weaknesses that keep it away from a higher score.
The design is a large draw of this phone. Oppo has brought the curved-edge display design back to low-cost phones, yet has managed to avoid many of the issues common to this feature, like accidental side presses.
(Image credit: Future)
The Reno 10 may not have a top-end chipset but it works wonderfully for gaming, and streaming videos is just as much of a treat thanks to its top-spec screen. Its battery lasts a long time, and it charges quickly. What’s not to like?
Well, some things aren’t to like; one of them is the camera. Oppo has aped top-end mobiles by introducing a telephoto camera for zoom photography – this is such a rarity that I wish I could be singing from the rooftops about the Reno 10’s camera prowess, but it joins an utterly underwhelming camera line-up. Photos taken on the Reno 10 are dull, grainy and lifeless.
In its software, Oppo decided to copy not premium phones, but the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. ColorOS is absolutely littered with pre-installed bloatware apps – I counted 30 on my phone when I first booted it up! At its core, the software is great, with easy navigation and handy customization features, but it’s hard to sail through without getting yourself caught on all its trash.
If you scarcely use your phone camera, and don’t mind spending a good chunk of your phone set-up time wearing out your thumbs by deleting countless random games and shopping apps, then the Oppo Reno 10 will be an absolutely fantastic pick for you. Even those two major pitfalls are easy enough to forgive when you consider the phone’s competitive low price.
But don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Oppo Reno 10 review: price and availability
Released in August 2023
Costs £399 / AU$749 (around $500)
On sale in UK and Australia, not US
(Image credit: Future)
The Oppo Reno 10 was unveiled in August 2023, and like many of the brand’s phones, it’s available in the UK and Australia but not the US.
You can pick up the phone in its sole configuration for £399 / AU$749 (around $500), which is a small but welcome discount from the Oppo Reno 8’s £419 / AU$999 – that was the last Reno mobile that launched globally, as Oppo generally reserves odd-numbered entries for Chinese markets.
At that price, the Reno sits at the cheaper end of the vaguely defined ‘mid-range’ mobile market. In the UK it undercuts some big-name rivals like the Google Pixel 7a (starts at $499 / £449 / AU$749) or the most recent iPhone SE (starts at $429 / £419 / AU$719), though as you can see its Australian price is on par with its peers.
Value score: 4 / 5
Oppo Reno 10 review: specs
A budget phone with premium specs, here's how the Oppo Reno 10 looks on paper:
Oppo Reno 10 review: design
Curved-edge display adds premium feel
A touch on the big side
Camera bump protrudes quite far
(Image credit: Future)
Oppo is one of a small number of mobile phone companies offering curved-edge smartphones at low prices – that’s right, the Reno 10 has a display that tapers at the edge. This makes it more comfortable to hold in your hand than many other rival devices, and gives it a premium sheen – plus, in the Reno, it’s not so curvy that you’re at risk of accidentally pressing the sides. Not once in my testing period did I incur the ‘accidental side press’ that can plague so many curved-edge mobiles.
If anything, your issue here is going to be hand strain, because the Reno 10 is a pretty big device. It measures 162.4 x 74.2 x 8mm, and weighs 185g, so while it’s relatively thin and lightweight for a phone of its size, people with smaller hands may struggle to use its extensive display size.
Talking of big, the Reno 10’s rear camera bump is pretty huge. It’s a large lozenge-shaped protrusion that houses all three of the lenses and a flash, and it sticks out a fair way from the phone too. You won’t be putting this mobile down flat on a surface, unless it’s in a case.
Glass houses the back and front of the phone, making this mobile feel pretty premium compared to most same-price rivals. But it’ll be a little more fragile than a plastic device, so a case is advised. In the UK, it only comes in a pretty plain gray color too, imaginatively titled Silvery Gray, so a case will give it some life too – more vibrant alternatives are available in some countries though.
The volume rocker and power button are both housed on the right edge of the mobile – I could reach both at a stretch, though to unlock the phone you need to use the in-screen fingerprint scanner that felt too low-down on the display to use naturally.
The Oppo has a USB-C port on its button edge for charging and data transfer but no 3.5mm headphone jack in sight. You’ll have to use an adaptor if you want to use wired headphones or speakers.
Design score: 4 / 5
Oppo Reno 10 review: display
Chunky 6.7-inch screen
FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate
Max brightness could be a little higher
(Image credit: Future)
The Oppo Reno 10’s size is partly because of its large display: at 6.7 inches diagonally, this is a big display, and you won’t find bigger on phones at this price.
It’s a good-looking screen, with a FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2412 pixels) making your games or videos look clear, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes motion appear smooth.
The HDR10+ certification is just a cherry on top – whether you’re binging a TV show, playing a game, checking out pictures you took or just scrolling through social media, this big and bold display is one of the best you’ll find on a phone at this price point.
If I have a gripe, it’s that the maximum brightness is a little low. At 950 nits, it’s fine for if you’re inside or out and about on an overcast day, but even in this latter circumstance I had to turn the brightness to max to see the screen easily. On a sunny day, you may find it a little hard to see.
Display score: 3.5 / 5
Oppo Reno 10 review: software
Horrendous bloatware issue
Quick to navigate and handily laid out
Lots of customization options
Three screenshots showing the user interface of the Oppo Reno 10 as soon as it was set up for the first time. Note how some of those icons are actually folders, hiding even more pre-installed apps. (Image credit: Future / Oppo)
The Oppo Reno 10 comes with the newest Android 13 software pre-loaded, with Oppo’s own ColorOS plastered over the top. This Android fork has a similar layout to stock Android, but with a distinctive design to give the software a more playful and energetic tone. Oh, and it has a few choice changes over the base Google-designed software.
I’m talking about bloatware – the Reno has loads. For those that don’t know, bloatware refers to pre-installed apps on the phone beyond the basics that you need for functionality (like a camera app, photo library, Play Store etc). Some companies choose to pack their phones with their own apps, or third-party licensed ones, and in this phone Oppo seems intent on taking that to the logical extreme.
When I first booted up the phone, it was already jam-packed with random games, shopping apps, entertainment platforms, and more – I counted over 30. Some of these are ones I’d choose to install, and it was useful not having to manually download Netflix, but the time I saved in having the streaming service pre-installed was more than made up for in all the unknown apps I had to delete.
Once you’ve worn out your thumbs deleting ‘June’s Journey’ and ‘Portal Parkour’, ColorOS is actually a pretty great operating system. Its buttons, both on the swipe-down quick settings and notifications panels, as well as on the home page, are bold and easy to understand at a scan. Navigation is easy thanks to a handily-accessible app drawer plus well-placed search options. And there’s lots of customization with bespoke widgets, plenty of built-in wallpaper options and ‘style’ options that let you change the always-on display, font, icon and fingerprint animations.
Thanks to the 120Hz display and powerful internals, navigating the phone’s software is a breeze. ColorOS is great to use for people who find stock Android a bit plain – it’s just a shame about the bloatware.
Software score: 2.5 / 5
Oppo Reno 10 review: cameras
64MP main, 32MP zoom and 8MP ultra-wide cameras
Pictures are unimpressive: lack color, detail, are blown out
32MP snapper on front which suffers from same traits
(Image credit: Future)
The Oppo Reno 10 makes a staggering leap in the area of budget camera phones: it’s the first low-cost mobile in roughly five years that comes with a telephoto lens, for optical zoom photography (usually when you zoom in on a phone camera it just zooms digitally, via cropping, which quickly loses detail).
This is a 32MP f/2.0 snapper with a lens for 2x optical zoom, and it joins the main 64MP f/1.7 and 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide cameras to round out the trio. It’s understandable to get excited about this lens tripartite – it’s the same combo that premium mobiles from Samsung and Apple use – but it sadly doesn’t save the Oppo from camera mundanity.
There’s nothing offensively bad with photos taken on the Reno 10, but they’re noticeably lacking. The colors look washed out, darker areas lack detail, and images could look surprisingly grainy – this is all with HDR turned on. You also have to hold the phone still for longer to capture a picture than you’d think, as my camera reel was full of blurry misfires.
Talking of misfires, there’s Night mode, which somehow makes night-time pictures look a lot worse. You’ll see two pictures taken at night below; the first is using the normal camera without tweaking settings. As you can see the water is sharp, the light reflecting in it is distinct and fades out, and the contrast between the darker and brighter areas brings your attention to the center. Then there’s the night mode image which turns it into an oil pastel painting.
Image 1 of 2
The River Thames at night captured on the Oppo Reno 10's standard photo mode. (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2
The River Thames at night captured on the Oppo Reno 10's Night photo mode. (Image credit: Future)
To give Oppo props for anything, it’s that there’s parity between lenses: you can zoom in to 2x and all the same issues from the main camera are present. Still, it’s nice to have this option for versatile photography. That’s not so true for the ultrawide lens which, with its 8MP sensor, loses too much information to be worth using.
The front of the phone wields a 32MP f/2.4 wide camera, and photos on this bore better fruit than on its rear siblings, but only slightly. Snaps are sharp and, in Portrait mode the digital bokeh is accurate to the body. However, brighter backgrounds in selfies were often blown out, and again colors weren’t rich enough. You’ll see two selfies in the camera gallery below – the shirt I’m wearing is meant to be forest green.
The Oppo Reno 10 records video at 4K/30fps or 1080p/60fps, and it also packs all the standard phone camera options: slow-mo (1080p/480fps or 720p/960fps), panoramic photography, time lapse and Pro mode. It also has an Extra HD mode so you can take pictures at 64MP instead of its default pixel-binned option.
Camera score: 2.5 / 5
Oppo Reno 10 camera samples
Image 1 of 8
A standard picture taken on the Oppo Reno 10, kicking off the camera samples with an acceptable one. (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 8
Here's another 1x picture, taken to contrast the next two. (Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 8
An ultra-wide shot of the same scene. (Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 8
A 2x zoom shot of the same scene. (Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 8
A close-up image. The phone focuses quickly on close-up subjects. (Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 8
A selfie. Note the shirt color, as mentioned earlier, and also the subject's positioning. (Image credit: Future)
Image 7 of 8
A Portrait selfie. Notice how some of the fringe has been blurred, though overall it's not catastrophic. (Image credit: Future)
Image 8 of 8
No, the sun's not setting in the background - this snap was taken at midday, and it misses all the vibrancy of the actual scene. (Image credit: Future)
Oppo Reno 10 review: performance and audio
Handy Dimensity 7050 chipset plus 8GB RAM
Handles games and other tasks well
Bluetooth 5.3, adequate speakers but no headphone jack
The Oppo Reno 10 performs just about as well as you could hope a low-cost smartphone to – unless you spend more time playing mobile games than you do outdoors, you’ll find this phone absolutely fit for purpose.
The phone packs a mid-range Dimensity 7050 chipset, paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. You can boost the RAM by an extra 8GB by using a RAM boost feature that temporarily converts your storage into extra mobile power, which will give you some extra oomph until you fill up your phone’s data.
In the Geekbench 6 benchmark test, the phone returned a middling multi-core score of 2,360, but in actual use, it worked perfectly well. In popular games like Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG Mobile, the device performed admirably, never overheating, lagging or stuttering. If you’re a mobile gamer, you won’t feel let down here.
Oppo has a games mode that lets you boost processing power, monitor your phone’s vital signs and block notifications, but even without enabling this, the device felt great to play games on.
As previously stated there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack. Instead for audio, you can use the handset’s Bluetooth 5.3 connection for phones or speakers, or rely on its in-built speakers. These latter are nothing to write home about but they’re fit for purpose for games, calls, voice notes or other tasks like that.
Performance score: 3.5 / 5
Oppo Reno 10 review: battery life
Big 5,000mAh battery
Up to two days of use
67W charging is lovely and fast
(Image credit: Future)
Like the vast majority of budget phones, the Oppo Reno 10 packs a 5,000mAh battery, which is about as big as you’ll get on a mainstream phone.
This is more than enough power to last the device through the day under normal use, and even heavy game-playing sessions won’t jeopardise its lasting power (well, to an extent). If you’re frugal, you’ll be able to see the phone through two days of use before a charge is required, but most people won’t last that long.
Thankfully, powering up the phone is swift, thanks to one of the fastest charging speeds you’ll see in a budget phone. That’s 67W, and your phone will power from empty to full in just over half an hour with it. An additional promise Oppo is throwing your way is that the phone should keep its battery capacity high for longer, which is often an issue with fast-charging phones; according to the company, the capacity will still be above 80% of its maximum after 1,600 charges and discharges, or about four years of use.
Battery score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the Oppo Reno 10?
Buy it if...
You wish you weren't on a budget
We all have a certain limit we'd spend on a phone, but if you wish yours was a lot higher, the Reno will let you pretend that it is.
You like streaming games and movies
Between its good-looking screen, powerful chipset, plentiful storage and big battery, the Reno 10 is great for streaming TV, movies, games and music.
You like easy software ColorOS has a smart layout, easily-understood buttons and handy navigation tricks... once you've got rid of all the bloatware.
Don't buy it if...
You're a mobile photography fan We've gone into lots of detail as to the Oppo Reno 10's camera issues. While the telephoto lens may be a big draw, it's not worth it!
You're not adept with user interface tweaks Due to its bloatware, we'd only recommend the Reno 10 to people who are comfortable enough with phone software to quickly delete a huge number of apps.
You have smaller hands Due to its size, you might have trouble operating the Oppo Reno 10 if you have smaller hands, as it'll be a stretch to reach the volume rocker or upper half of the display.
Oppo Reno 10 review: also consider
Considering other mobiles beyond the Oppo Reno 10? Here are some others you could look into, that all cost the same as, or a tiny amount more than, the Reno.
Google Pixel 7a Google's pint-sized Pixel 7a has the clean stock Android software and a focus on camera chops, so it's basically the opposite of the Reno 10. In the UK it's a bit pricier though.
Samsung Galaxy A54 Samsung has made a handy low-cost jack-of-all-trades device with the Galaxy A54. It falls a little short in the performance department but makes up for it with fun color options.
How I tested the Oppo Reno 10
Review test period = 2 week
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
The testing period for the Oppo Reno 10 was roughly two weeks, which doesn't time before the fortnight for setting up the device and getting it through a few battery cycles, and time spent using the phone while writing the review.
To test the phone, I used it as a normal owner would: I took it on walks to test the camera, watched TV shows using it, played games at home on it. I also put it through some limited benchmark and timing tests, though kept these to a minimum as they don't usually reflect actual use.
I've been writing about phones at TechRadar for over five years now, after joining in early 2019, and have used Oppo's Reno phones since the first-gen Reno 10x Zoom up until the present day, including the last Reno phone to release in the UK, the Reno 8. I've also used phones from every other mainstream company, which helps with comparisons and with understanding all the phones out there right now.
We recently heard that Samsung is working on the Galaxy S24 FE, which will be launched in late 2024. While there's no word about the Galaxy S24 FE from Samsung, the phone's listing on UK carrier EE's database confirms its existence and moniker.
The UK carrier also revealed the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE's model designation, which is SM-721U. However, it didn't divulge anything else about it. But if rumors are to be believed, the Galaxy S24 FE will come with a 6.1" AMOLED screen, 12GB RAM, and two storage options - 128GB (UFS 3.1) and 256GB (UFS 4.0). The smartphone will be fueled by a 4,500...
