Herman Miller Aeron gaming chair: One-minute review
The Herman Miller Aeron has had a refresh and is now being marketed as a gaming chair. Now made with ocean-bound plastic, it's essentially exactly the same as its office döppelganger, with slightly different pricing. Still, whether I'm pitting it against those on our best office chairs, or best gaming chairs list, it has to do something really special to get my attention at a whopping $1,805 / £1,371.
The Herman Miller Aeron places itself as a premium, office-style gaming chair with ergonomics placed firmly at the forefront, and really makes an effort to deliver the goods. While it's certainly one of the most comfortable gaming chairs going, and brings a highly adjustable edge to a battle for ergonomic perfection, I can't help but expect a little more for my money.
In the premium gaming chair landscape, there are two kinds to look out for – those with headrests and those without. The Aeron sits firmly in the no-headrest classification, meaning as comfortable, ergonomic and adjustable as it might be, there's no way to kick back and have a nap when it all gets too much. The lack of width adjustability on the armrests is a little disappointing, and it's almost offensive to omit a headrest for the price, especially when you can get ergonomic wonders like the highly adjustable Humanscale Freedom chair for less.
Let's be fair, with a Herman Miller chair you're paying for a known variable. A brand name that's synonymous with comfort, and one you can expense to whatever corporate tower you're currently filing papers in. The Aeron really does exemplify Herman Miller's attention to detail and mechanical prowess, and it does so with time-poor gamers with corporate design sensibilities in mind. I just wish there was somewhere to lay my head and lament all that money I just spent.
(Image credit: Future)
Herman Miller Aeron gaming chair: Price and availability
List price: $1,805 / £1,371
Available at the Herman Miller online store
Available in the UK and US
The Herman Miller Aeron Gaming Chair comes in two sizes. Unlike its office counterpart, it isn't as configurable and isn't made to order, but it is cheaper. The Herman Miller Office Aeron with chair tilt, adjustable lumbar support, and 3D armrests costs $1,995/£1,558, but you can opt for less adjustability to push that price down a little. The Aeron Gaming chair, however, doesn't confuse us with configuration options. It's a single price point of £1,371 / $1,805.
There's a Herman Miller premium added to whatever configuration you choose, though I appreciate the fact that both sizes come in at the same price. It's also a bit cheaper than the Herman Miller x Logitech Emobdy gaming chair too ($1,995 / £1,570).
Unfortunately, the Herman Miller Aeron is not available in Australia, but UK and US residents can get hold of it on the Herman Miller online store. There are also more height options in the US.
Herman Miller Aeron gaming chair: Specs
Herman Miller Aeron gaming chair: Design and aesthetics
Highly adjustable
Kinda retro corporate design
Not as configurable as office counterpart
The first thing I noticed getting the Herman Miller Aeron out of the box – fully built might I add – is its retro design. The frame's intense curvature makes it look like it was designed for one of those '60s minimalist mansions. The mesh back and seat mean it could easily blend into a corporate office, but I've never seen mechanisms quite this… liquidious. It's almost like the armrests are melting like a clock in a Dali painting. Still, it's an attractive chair if you're going for that corporate vibe.
There are no colour options, just jet black and that's your lot. There's no option to have bright colour configs like the Herman Miller x Logitech Vantum, for example, but it's a lot more refined and unassuming.
As far as adjustable forward tilt and adjustability for something called PostureFit. It's essentially a fancy word for lumbar support, which has a nifty little roller handle that sits behind your back to push it in. While the mechanisms provide an immense amount of movement, it's missing a couple of things that other, cheaper chairs still manage to deliver. Namely, the lack of armrest width adjustability and an actual headrest.
(Image credit: Future)
Herman Miller Aeron gaming chair: Comfort and Adjustability
Premium feeling mechanisms
Lacking armrest width adjustability
Design forces ergonomics on you
There are a few things you want a gaming chair to do, other than be comfortable. You want the mechanisms to be intuitive and safe, you want it to fit against your desk, and you want it to be sturdy. The Herman Miller Aeron Gaming Chair does all this without any fuss. Sitting in it for a week straight, I can say I've had a blast using it. None of the mechanisms are clunky, and all are relatively intuitive. Their silicon handles give them a nice premium feel, too, and it means they don't slip through your hand while you're using them.
There's a lovely bounce when you sit down in the Aeron that's very satisfying. It's not like the clunk of sitting on your average office chair – there was thought that went into giving it butt suspension. The whole time I've been sitting in it, not once has it felt wobbly or unstable either. There's zero rattle on the arms, which are extremely well-padded and have a fantastic Y-axis rotation. They slide all the way back, too, so you can get right up against the desk. The arms do slide forward without locking which can be a problem for some chairs, but they're nowhere near as easy to trap your fingers with as the Herman Miller Vantum, for example. There's a slow, purposeful step to all the mechanisms that really exemplifies the impressive build quality.
The main problems I've encountered have been with the plastic surrounding the backrest and the bucket-style seat. Due to the lack of a headrest, I've found myself threading my fingers behind my head to make up for it. The issue is that I appear to be just the right height that my shoulder blades then dig into it. It might just be worth checking the exact back height versus where your shoulder blades rest before purchasing – thankfully the chair is the same price whether you choose small, medium, or large.
Similarly, any time I try to tuck my feed up under myself I'm thwarted by the plastic surround on the bucket seat that loops up and around my posterior. Essentially, its ergonomic prowess comes from forcing you to sit in a specific position to keep you from ruining your posture. Clever, though not the best for anyone who sits awkwardly like me.
(Image credit: Future)
Herman Miller Aeron gaming chair: Assembly
The fact the Aeron comes with no assembly necessary is also a blessing, especially if you can't spare the assembly time. For your average gaming chair that could be anything from 30 minutes to an hour. And who has that to spare during a busy day of ergonomic gaming?
Having no assembly necessary bar opening the box and rolling the chair out is convenient but also inspires confidence too: there's no need for you to even attempt at getting bits misaligned or connected wrong, and the experts have done it for you already.
(Image credit: Future)
Should you buy the Herman Miller Aeron gaming chair?
Buy it if...
You stand for impeccable build quality The Herman Miller Aeron is one of the most sturdy and well-built chairs we've tested. While it's missing arm width adjustment, the suspension, and other mechanisms are fantastic.
You haven't got time to assemble The Aeron comes fully assembled, which means you don't have to spend the best part of an hour on the floor with an Allen key putting it together.
Don't buy it...
You're trying to save money Even in its most basic configuration, the Aeron is going to rip your wallet a new one. For less you can get far more adjustable chairs, though you'll forgo the Aeron's superior quality.
You prefer to sit askew The Aeron is highly ergonomic, and forces you to sit with both legs bolted to the floor. It's for people who are serious about ergonomics.
Herman Miller Aeron gaming chair: Also consider
If you're still not sure whether the Herman Miller Aeron is for you, there are a few other options to consider that are more customisable, and might save you money. As far as premium build quality goes, though, the Aeron is very hard to beat.
Also consider the Herman Miller X Logitech Embody While the Herman Miller Embody has even less adjustability on the armrests, it at least comes with a lovely headrest and just as much configuration around the rest of the chair. It's a little more on the expensive side, however.
Steelcase Series 2 Task Chair A highly configurable office chair alternative, and currently the one sitting at the top of our best office chair list is the Steelcase Series 2 Task Chair. In plain, monochrome colouring, you can get this sturdy beast with a headrest for a lot less.
Sitting in the chair several times a week for a couple of weeks, I got a good feel for the mechanics by switching them up a lot and trying to push them beyond their limits on purpose. I sat in a range of positions to see how well it coped with awkward sitters. Above, I made comparisons to cheaper chairs that almost match the level of adjustability and customisability of the Aeron and considered what you would need to sacrifice to get more out of an office chair for less money.
This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:
US: Shark Cordless Pro Vacuum IZ562H (Amazon only) UK: Shark Cordless Pro Vacuum IZ562H (Amazon only) AU: Shark Cordless Pro With Clean Sense IQ IR300
For this review, I tested the US version. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.
The Shark Cordless Pro is one of this brand's most affordable cordless stick vacuums, and delivers excellent value for money. While not the most advanced Shark vacuum based on specs or features, it punches above its mid-range price tag with features such as automatic suction adjustment based on dirt levels. At full price it sits in the mid-range price bracket, but it's often heavily discounted in the US, taking it into the budget category.
Shark has an excellent track record when it comes to producing reliable, long-lasting products, and the Cordless Pro is no exception. If you want something fairly simple but effective and budget-friendly, I think this is one the best Shark vacuums you can buy, and perhaps even one of the best cordless vacuums overall.
Considering the Shark Cordless Pro is a budget-friendly cordless vacuum, it still packs in decent suction, cleaning up most debris on hard floors in just one to two passes while in its lowest Eco mode. The automatic suction adjustment worked as promised, and was genuinely useful because rather than only relying on my eyes, this so-called 'Clean Sense IQ technology' would let me know when a spot was clean and I could move on. It helped me tackle fine dust and hair that may not have been otherwise visible.
The Cordless Pro is an ideal vacuum for hard floors and lighter cleaning needs, and did a decent job on carpet too, although if you have lots of carpet you might want to invest in something a little more heavy-duty. During my tests, I found it could struggle with pulling concentrated debris on this type of flooring in my testing, even when in the highest Boost mode.
I found it relatively easy to maneuver with a good rotation range to get into nooks and crannies, but a flexible wand – included with most Shark vacuums – would've been helpful to reach under furniture. As with most cordless stick vacs, it can be converted into a handheld.
I should also give a special shout-out to the anti-hair wrap brushroll. Many brands make big claims about their tangle-busting features, but this actually delivered. It still looks as good as new after two weeks of testing. There are more useful design features too: when it's time to store the Shark Cordless Pro, it slots into a stable notch right on the wand, and the battery is removable for charging anywhere. Just don't expect to get a crazy long runtime out of this vacuum, as it taps out after a maximum of 40 minutes.
Sure, there are more powerful and feature-packed vacuums on the market if you're willing to shell out a bit more. But for your average, everyday cleaning needs, it's hard to beat the compact, solidly built Shark Cordless Pro. Read on for my full review.
(Image credit: Future)
Shark Cordless Pro review: price & availability
List price: $399.99 (regularly discounted) / £334 / AU$499.99
Available: US, UK and Australia
The Shark Cordless Pro has a list price of $399.99. Originally, it was available to buy direct from Shark, but it now seems to only be available via third party retailers like Amazon. Shoppers in the UK can also purchase it via Amazon, but it's an imported model from the US.
In addition to the main vacuum components, the US version I tested comes with two attachments: a Duster Crevice Tool and a Pet Multi-Tool. Additional accessories like replacement Odor Neutralizer cartridges, attachment tools, and wands are available, ranging in price from about $10 to $40.
The Shark Cordless Pro can also be found in Australia, retailing for AU$499.99. Both territories feature similar configurations, though in Australia, the attachment accessories are slightly different, with a Crevice Tool and Dusting Brush on offer.
If purchasing in the US, it’s common to find the Shark Cordless Pro discounted and often steeply. A discount of $100 off is common, and on Amazon it has occasionally dropped as low as $250. That's one of the very cheapest Shark vacuums you can buy, and especially if you want a cordless model – the Shark Stratos Corded Stick vacuum is cheaper at $299.99, but you'll have to put up with being tethered to the wall.
At ticket price, the Shark Cordless Pro sits in the mid-range price bracket, but it regularly dips into the budget category. Given the solid build quality and excellent performance, I think it's good value even at full price. There are also features that I'm surprised to see at this price point – namely, automatic suction adjustment based on dirt levels. If you're willing to pay more, you'll unlock features like longer battery life and higher levels of suction, but the Cordless Pro is excellent value for what it delivers.
Seasonal sales are always a good time to shop for home appliances, and I suspect this model will feature amongst the best Black Friday deals this year. Given that this model is no longer available to buy direct from Shark in the US, I'm not convinced it's going to be sticking around much longer, so if you do spot a deal, snap it up.
Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5
Shark Cordless Pro specs
Shark Cordless Pro review: design
Button-operated, with LEDs to indicate mode and battery level
No flexible wand, as found on most Shark vacuums
Notch to enable it to stand on its own when not in use
The Shark Cordless Pro doesn't revolutionize the design of cordless stick vacuums, keeping a look and size similar to most others with its floorhead, wand, and motor/dustbin – all of which come apart for use as a handheld vacuum. Weighing 8.25 pounds and measuring 11.42 x 10.43 x 51.18 inches, it's easy to handle. During testing, the only time it felt cumbersome was when attempting to clean a ceiling fan. A sleek light blue, white, and black finish helps differentiate the Shark Cordless Pro from the rest of the range, and the solid metal and plastic build held up perfectly over my few weeks of testing.
Setting up the Shark Cordless Pro was a breeze, taking me around 5 minutes; all that's required is to snap the stick vacuum components into each other. The most difficult aspect of the installation was popping in the Odor Neutralizer cartridge; it slots right into the floorhead and is meant to keep your vacuum smelling fresh.
Shark also recommends charging the battery to full before your first use. That battery is removable if you prefer to charge it detached from the vacuum. LED lights will pulse as it charges, indicating the current level of the battery, and shutting off when finished.
(Image credit: Future)
There's no wall mount option, but Shark has added a notch on the front of the wand where the main part of the vacuum can be clipped when not in use. It remains relatively secure in that spot and can even be wheeled around.
The floorhead, referred to as the PowerFins Plus floorhead (this guide to the Shark vacuum technologies is a helpful companion when navigating this brand's various jargon), is ready to work on both hard or carpeted floors and is full of useful features.
On the underside is one plush, microfiber roller that features flexible silicone fins to help pick up various debris sizes including fine dust, while preventing hair wrapping. Should anything get stuck in the roller, it's removable, although it does take a bit of effort to unlock it from the floorhead. Unfortunately, there's no option for the brush to lift or stop spinning on certain flooring.
Around the front of the floorhead, two LED lights help highlight dust and dirt in your path that might otherwise be missed. These are helpful, although nowhere near as bright or effective as the lasers you'll find on the (far pricier) Dyson Gen5detect or Dyson V15. On top of the floorhead is the Clean Sense IQ Clean Indicator LED – part of a highlight feature on the vacuum.
(Image credit: Future)
Clean Sense IQ uses sensors inside the nozzle of the handheld vacuum to automatically boost power in areas with higher levels of dirt and debris. While testing, I could hear and feel the increase in suction, but an indicator light strip on the floorhead will also illuminate to show when the vacuum detects a particularly dusty bit of floor. The highest amount of dirt causes the strip to be fully lit. When the space is clean, the light will recede.
This is a surprising inclusion at the relatively low price point, but pricier Shark vacuums take things a step further on the automation front. The Detect Pro and PowerDetect lines can both adjust suction based on when they move from hard floor to carpet, and around the edges of rooms, for example.
(Image credit: Future)
Cleanse Sense IQ is switched on via the Mode button on the handheld part of the vacuum. The only other button on the vacuum is the power on/off button, so it's all straightforward and easy to navigate.
Beyond Clean Sense IQ, there are two other power modes: Eco to save on battery life and Boost for an extra burst to pick up the messiest of messes. An LED screen on the handheld vacuum will indicate the power mode it's in as well as the battery level.
(Image credit: Future)
The handheld vacuum component also houses the bagless dustbin, which holds 0.72L of dirt. An anti-allergen seal is in place to keep fine dust and dander from releasing back into your space. When the dustbin is ready to be emptied, there's a no-touch release to drop everything in the garbage without getting your hands dirty. However, you may need to reach your hands in the dustbin to remove stuck hair or dust occasionally. More advanced Shark vacuums, such as the Shark Detect Pro, have an optional auto-empty dock, but that's not available here.
The wand that holds the floorhead and handheld vacuum together is solid. The two vacuum components feel secure when slotted into the wand and easily release from the catch when needed. A rigid wand is actually fairly unusual for this brand – many Shark models have so-called 'MultiFlex technology', where you can press a button and the wand will bend forward, enabling you to reach easily under low furniture. I'd have loved it if that had been included here. At least the floorhead offers a wide swivel range for easier access to tight spots.
(Image credit: Future)
Beyond being a stick vacuum, the Shark Cordless Pro is an effective handheld vacuum. The US version has a Duster Crevice Tool and a Pet Multi-Tool, making cleanup even easier. Those tools slot into the handheld vacuum or the wand, providing extra versatility. However, there's nowhere to store them when not in use.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Shark Cordless Pro review: performance
Decent suction, great on hard floors
Clean Sense IQ's automatic power adjustments work commendably
Loud, and struggles to clean larger debris on carpets
The Shark Cordless Pro is an absolute breeze to use and performed admirably in most of my testing. Whether I had it in stick mode on my laminate hard floors with various low-pile rugs or cleaning my window sills and couch cushions as a handheld vacuum, it managed to pick up most of the debris in its path within one to two passes. Sure, it might not have the suction of a corded vacuum but it works great for lighter cleaning needs and is much easier to deal with. (Both the Shark Stratos Cordless and Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick vacuum pack more power, too, but you will need to stump up more money for those.)
In stick mode, performing regular cleaning tasks, I often left the vacuum in the Clean Sense IQ setting, which allows the vacuum to recognize bigger messes and automatically increase suction. When there were obvious, larger amounts of debris in the floorhead's 10-inch path, the vacuum would increase the suction power.
It was handy that in addition to visibly hearing that change, I could see it represented on the light bar at the top of the floorhead. I knew I was clear to move on from a spot when the light subsided. Sometimes, the vacuum would notice the dirt that wasn't visible to my eye, which was a huge boon, ensuring the cleanest home possible.
(Image credit: Future)
There are two other modes on the vacuum: Eco and Boost. Swapping to those modes involves pressing the mode button near the LED screen on the vacuum, and cycling until the desired mode is reached. Admittedly, I often pressed the power button, mistaking it for the other and vice versa. After becoming more familiar with the vacuum, this became less of a problem.
As for the other two modes, during daily tasks, I found Boost mode was unnecessary most of the time. It worked fine but is only needed for those large concentrated messes. Eco mode also easily cleans up dog hair and dust within one or two passes. Overall, I preferred the convenience of Clean Sense IQ mode automatically increasing the suction where needed, and I was happy to sacrifice battery life for the cause.
One feature I didn't think I'd love as much as I did was the two LED lights at the front of the vacuum. They did an excellent job highlighting fine hair and light dust that I couldn't initially see. It's amazing how much debris gets all over your space daily.
I'd also be remiss not to mention the self-cleaning brushroll. To my shock, no hair has gotten stuck around it yet. It looks almost completely new, with little to no wear after two weeks. If it needs to be removed for cleaning, a coin allows you to unlock and remove the brush. Just note that it does do a good job of sucking up power cords and rug edges, so be aware as you maneuver it around your space.
(Image credit: Future)
Speaking of maneuvering, generally, the Shark Cordless Pro navigates with ease, even making sharp 90-degree turns to fit into corners (it's not quite as maneuverable as a Dyson). It feels almost effortless to use on hard flooring, only getting tripped up on certain rug edges and becoming a little more challenging to push on rugs and carpets. The floorhead is also relatively shallow, allowing it to squeeze under most furniture. Unfortunately, the wand isn't flexible like other Shark models, so it didn't reach completely under my couch or bed.
The bagless 0.72 qt dustbin holds a good amount of dirt. I only had to empty it every once in a while, depending on how often I was vacuuming. It's easy to take the vacuum off the wand and hold it over the garbage, pressing the release to open the bin door. Some hair can get wrapped around certain components, making it necessary to reach in and pull stuck-on gunk on occasion.
As with all vacuums, the filters require semi-regular cleaning (and must also be replaced periodically). Shark provides clear instructions for this: they just need to be rinsed with water. The Clean Sense IQ sensor inside the vacuum will also need to be wiped down occasionally, and an FO error code will flash on the display panel when the sensor is fully blocked.
For some reason, Shark continues to include the pointless (in my opinion) Odor Neutralizer, which releases a clean scent as you vacuum. The smell lasts all of two minutes, so I'd never waste my money replacing it. (Ed's note: other testers have been extremely enthusiastic about this feature, so your mileage may vary!)
Beyond daily vacuuming tasks, I put the Shark Cordless Pro through more vigorous testing to see how it handled fine dust using flour and larger debris with oats on both hard floors and carpet. Even on the lowest setting, Eco, the vacuum easily picked up the flour with just one pass. There was super light sprinkling left, that I had to touch to feel. A second pass picked up everything that was left. Using Clean Sense IQ and Boost mode, the flour was fully cleaned up after one pass. I had similar results on the rug.
(Image credit: Future)
As for the oats test, I was pleasantly surprised that most oats were cleaned in just one pass in Eco mode on the hard floor. However, on carpeting, it was a completely different story. It took multiple passes (around five or six) on Clean Sense IQ and Boost to pick up all of the oats. The vacuum even managed to throw some oats around. That's slightly disappointing, but not all that unusual – typically, I find corded vacuums are the way to go in heavily carpeted homes.
(Image credit: Future)
During testing, I also used a decibel meter to measure noise levels. In Eco mode, the Shark Cordless Pro averaged about 75 dB. It's definitely not quiet and on par with average vacuum cleaner noise levels (i.e. loud enough to disturb others in your space when it's in use). In Boost mode it got even louder, hitting around 80dB. The noise is tolerable but not pleasant. Luckily, I was usually not in this mode for long. The Clean Sense IQ setting tended to shuffle between 75dB and 80dB; usually staying towards the quieter side of the range.
(Image credit: Future)
Of course, this stick vacuum also converts to a handheld, and the attachments it comes with depend on the territory. I'm in the US, so I received the Duster Crevice Tool and Pet Multi-Tool. Both feature brush tops that can be removed. The Duster Crevice Tool gets into tighter spaces like between books on my bookshelf and the window sills, though it didn't always pick up all the dust or dirt.
During testing, I just so happened to start fostering a puppy with fine fur, and the Pet Multi-Tool was a godsend. It got the hair off my couch, duvet, and more with relative ease, though I found the tool tended to perform better without the brush attached. The only problem with the handheld vacuum is it gets a bit heavy at times, especially with the wand attached and reaching for higher spots like ceiling fan blades.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Shark Cordless Pro review: battery life
Runs up to 40 minutes in Eco mode
Takes about three hours to recharge
Battery is removable
The Shark Cordless Pro's battery is located right on the back handle of the device. It can juice up while still attached to the vacuum or snap off to charge – a handy feature if you store the vacuum in an area away from an outlet, and also useful if you want to buy a second battery to hot-swap in.
(Image credit: Future)
On one charge, I found the battery lasted around 35 minutes in Eco mode using the floorhead with the rotating brush. A little more juice can be eked out of the vacuum as a handheld, putting it right at Shark's claim of 40 minutes. Clean Sense IQ and Boost mode will drain the battery quicker. On test, I got about 25 minutes of vacuuming time with Clean Sense IQ, but that time varies depending on how much dirt is detected in a space. Boost mode lasted just under 15 minutes, which isn't surprising given the strong suction power.
That battery performance is average for cordless vacuums. Most will find that's sufficient time to clean up your space. I had no problem hitting almost every inch of the floor in my sizable two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment when in Eco and Clean Sense IQ modes, and there was even enough juice for a quick handheld vacuum of the window sills and furniture. However, if you have a larger home, there are models that offer up to an hour of cleaning on one charge – or occasionally a little more. Those vacuums will cost you more, though.
Shark makes it simple to tell when the battery is running low, as the vacuum's LED screen has three bars to indicate the level of charge, and when the final bar begins blinking, your time is running out – I usually had four more minutes of vacuuming time once that started.
A slightly longer battery life would be nice, as it'd be great not to worry about charging the battery after almost every use. Recharging takes a while, at about three hours. You'll know it's done when the charging light on the actual battery goes out.
Battery life score: 4 out of 5
Should I buy the Shark Cordless Pro?
Buy it if...
You're on a budget
This is one of the cheapest Shark cordless vacuums, and often discounted too. Given the features and build quality, it's excellent value for money.
You want to be sure your floors are clean
This vacuum is able to automatically adjust based on how dirty the floor is, with indicator lights showing when there's no dust left. Dust-illuminating LED headlights also help ensure you don't miss any spots.
You want something simple but effective
This is a straightforward design, and on test I found the process of emptying, and charging the Shark Cordless Pro is as easy as can be. It's even set up for storage without wall mounting.
Don't buy it if...
You need a vacuum that reaches under low furniture
Although the floorhead on this vacuum is relatively shallow, the wand doesn't flex like other stick vacuums, making it hard to reach under deeper sofas, chairs, and beds.
Your home is heavily carpeted
The Shark Cordless Pro performs best on harder surfaces. It does a solid job of picking up finer dirt and dust on carpets and rugs but takes several passes to clean up larger debris.
You have a very large home
At the maximum, this vacuum offers around 40 minutes of cleaning time in Eco mode. That time drops significantly when using Boost mode. It's far from the worst battery life in a stick vacuum, but pricier models will deliver longer cleaning times.View Deal
How I tested the Shark Cordless Pro
I used the Shark Cordless Pro for over two weeks in my two-bedroom, two-bathroom home with hard floors and low-pile rugs. Beyond average, daily cleaning tasks like vacuuming messes in the kitchen in stick mode or using the handheld attachments to get my foster dog's hair off furniture, I did further testing. These tests involved scattering oats and flour on hard and carpeted flooring in a concentrated area, observing how well it picked up debris of varying sizes in each of the vacuum's three modes. I ran the battery fully down in each of the three vacuum modes as well to see how long it could be expected to last.
Apple’s new MacBook Pro 16-inch isn’t a revolutionary release like the new, smaller, Mac mini (M4, 2024), and instead is more of a specs refresh for the company’s most powerful laptop.
So, you don’t get any new design tweaks with the new model – but you do get the very latest M4-series chips which represent the pinnacle of Apple’s mobile hardware.
This is good news for people who are looking for an incredibly powerful workstation laptop that offers exceptional build quality and the kind of performance that many desktop PCs would struggle to achieve. For those of us who have been waiting for the M4 chip to show up in a device that can take full advantage of its power (this year’s iPad Pro, which debuted the M4 chip, is limited by running iPadOS, an operating system designed for tablets, with rather basic apps to match), the 16-inch MacBook Pro Apple announced in October 2024 could be just what you’ve been waiting for – though there are caveats.
Both of the new 16-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pros feature, for the first time, the M4 Pro and M4 Max (depending on configuration), which are even more powerful versions of the M4 – which has already proved to be a powerful chip in its own right. The model Apple sent me to review comes with the M4 Pro, a chip with up to a 14-core CPU consisting of up to 10 performance cores and four efficiency cores, and a GPU with up to 20 cores (twice that of the base M4 chip).
While this isn’t the most powerful Apple chip (the M4 Max comes with a CPU with up to 16-cores, featuring 12 performance cores and four efficiency cores, and a GPU with 40 cores), the M4 Pro will likely be more than enough for people who want a laptop that can handle professional tasks such as code compilation, 3D animation and video editing.
For people who just want a laptop for browsing the web, creating documents, and editing home movies and photos, this will be complete overkill. As the core balance of the M4 Pro shows, with more performance cores than efficiency ones, Apple’s focus with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro is all about extreme performance (the chip will switch between cores depending on the kind of task you’re doing – if you want a lot of power, the performance cores are used, for lighter use, the efficiency cores kick in).
(Image credit: Future)
This means unless you’re a creative professional, the 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro, 2024) really won’t be for you. And, with a starting price of $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$3,999 for the base configuration, which comes with the M4 Pro chip and 24GB of unified memory, this is the kind of investment that you should think very carefully about. That’s even more true of the M4 Max model, which starts at $3,499 / £3,499 / AU$5,699. Sure, you’re getting one of the most powerful laptops in the world for that price, but if you’re not going to need that kind of power, you’ll just be wasting money.
If you’re the kind of person who needs the very latest and most powerful hardware you might also be tempted – but don’t forget that it’s very likely we’ll see an M5 model next year. Should you buy the new MacBook Pro 16-inch, however, you should be confident in the knowledge that you’ll not need to upgrade again for a very long time.
For anyone hoping for a major redesign, then you will be disappointed. One thing I’ll say in Apple’s defense here is that the current design of the MacBook Pro 16-inch is pretty great – there’s not much I’d actually change about it. Even though the screen isn’t OLED (rumors suggest we could see that in 2026), the Liquid Retina XDR screen remains one of the finest you can get in a laptop – and there is at least a new nanotexture coating option that reduces reflections and screen glare, which will be welcome for people looking to use the new MacBook Pro out in daylight, or in brightly lit offices or studios – though this does come at an extra cost.
So, once again Apple has created an absolutely phenomenal laptop… that I can’t really recommend to everyone. If you’re a creative professional who is looking for a portable workstation to chew through some seriously taxing tasks, then this could be an excellent investment that could even save you money in the long run (with projects completing faster, you can take on more clients, and you won't need to buy a new laptop for many, many years).
That said, if you own an M2 Pro or M3 Pro model, the M4 Pro doesn’t offer enough of a performance leap to justify buying a new MacBook Pro just yet. The best move in that case would be to wait a few more years. If the M6 Pro MacBook Pro in 2026 does indeed come with a major redesign, then an upgrade is more justifiable, as the performance improvements should also be more noticeable. This isn’t a knock on the M4 Pro – it’s just that the M2 Pro and M3 Pro are just so good, you really shouldn’t feel like you need to upgrade just yet.
If you don’t need the kind of power that the new MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) offers, then I strongly recommend you look at the 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 2024) instead, which is far more affordable, offers excellent performance and is all wrapped up in Apple’s iconic build quality and design.
(Image credit: Future)
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) review: Price and availability
Starts at $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$3,999
Same price in US as M3 model
Cheaper in UK and Australia than M3 model
It should come as no surprise that the new MacBook Pro 16-inch is a very expensive laptop. This is a workstation designed for professional use and packed with some of the most powerful and cutting-edge mobile technology you can get, along with a gorgeous and expansive 16-inch screen.
Still, with a starting price of $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$3,999 for the M4 Pro model with 24GB of unified memory, this is one heck of an investment and one that should be carefully considered.
As with previous MacBook Pros, there’s scope to configure the 16-inch MacBook Pro before you buy by adding more memory and a larger SSD (up to 128GB of memory and 8TB of SSD storage with some models), but the price rises exponentially. You can also get a base model with the more powerful M4 Max chip, which starts at $3,499 / £3,499 / AU$5,699, and again you can up the memory and storage.
You can also add a nano-texture display which reduces reflections and screen glare, which may prove very helpful for people who work in industries where graphics are essential (such as photography, digital arts, and filmmaking), but this is also an additional cost – it’ll add $150 / £150 / AU$230 to an already high price tag.
Interestingly, while the base model of the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) remains the same price as the M3 Pro and M2 Pro models launched at in the US ($2,499), in both the UK and Australia the new M4 Pro base model is actually slightly cheaper by £100 and AU$300.
If you want something more affordable, your options are limited. There’s no 16-inch MacBook Pro with the base M4 chip – you’ll have to go for the 14-inch MacBook Pro for that. The smaller model, which starts at $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,499 for a configuration with the M4 chip and 16GB of unified memory now occupies the space the now obsolete 13-inch MacBook Pro used to – a more affordable pro device with more modest specifications for people who want more power than a MacBook Air can provide, but without costing the sort of astronomical figures that high-end MacBook Pros demand.
The 14-inch model with M4 Pro starts at $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,299, so if you want to save $500 and don’t mind a smaller screen (the rest of the specs are the same as the 16-inch model), then this is worth considering.
Compared to Windows 11 alternatives, there’s the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8, which costs around $1,000 / £1,000, and offers some decent specs and a solid build quality, and a gorgeous screen – plus it’s a 2-in-1 laptop which you won’t get with any MacBook.
Other Windows 11 workstations offering similar performance are around the MacBook Pro’s price, such as the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED, which comes with a second screen built above the keyboard (think the Touch Bar, but much larger). While this could also be dismissed as a gimmick, both Asus and Lenovo show that Windows 11 laptops have a far larger variety of form factors and designs.
Value score: 3.5/5
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024): Specs
(Image credit: Future)
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024): Design
No new design
Screen remains one of the best in a laptop
Awkward to use when commuting
Once again, Apple has kept the design of the MacBook Pro unchanged – so from first glance you won’t really notice any difference. It’s still got the rather chunky dimensions of 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches (356 x 248 x 17mm) and a weight of 4.7 lbs and 2.2kg. While it’s a stylish-looking laptop with that unmistakable Apple aesthetic, this is a large laptop that a lot of people might struggle with.
Whilst writing this review on the MacBook Pro 16-inch, I traveled into London on the train, and the sheer size of the laptop made using it on the drop-down desk quite awkward – it certainly made me miss my 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The size of the MacBook Pro 16-inch is understandable, as there are a lot of powerful components that need plenty of airflow to keep cool, and the large screen also means the overall size of the laptop needs to be on the bigger side. But if you’re looking for a portable laptop you can whip out while commuting, you may be better off looking at the 14-inch model, or going with a MacBook Air.
That said, when walking around with the MacBook Pro in my backpack, it didn’t feel uncomfortably heavy – and the 16-inch screen really is a joy to work on.
Superficially, port selection for the 16-inch MacBook Pro seems the same, with a MagSafe 3 port for attaching the power supply, two USB-C ports, and 3.5mm headphone jack on the left-hand side, and a USB-C port, HDMI and SDXC memory card slot on the right.
This is a decent selection of ports, though not mind-blowing. The memory card slot continues to be a welcome inclusion for photographers and videographers, as you won’t need an adaptor, and the HDMI port makes plugging the 16-inch MacBook Pro into a monitor, TV, or projector incredibly easy. The lack of USB-A ports means if you have older peripherals you’ll need an adapter to use them.
(Image credit: Future)
On the surface the ports may seem the same, but Apple’s made quite a drastic change with the USB-C ports, which are now all Thunderbolt 5 compatible. This offers far faster data transfer speeds (up to 120Gb/s) than the Thunderbolt 4 ports included in the previous model (which offered up to 40Gb/s). While Thunderbolt 5 devices are currently few and far between (and quite expensive), it does set the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) up as a future-proof device – and if you work with very large files, this new standard will be very welcome.
On the other hand, if you’re perfectly happy with the speeds your current USB-C SSD offers, then it’ll work just as well with the new MacBook Pro, and Thunderbolt 5 is backward compatible.
The 16-inch 3456 x 2234 Liquid Retina XDR display remains the same (with mini-LED, 1,000 nits sustained brightness, wide color P3 gamut, ProMotion technology) as previous models. The screen offers a sharp image quality thanks to its 7.7 million pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 254ppi (pixels per inch). However, you can now configure the new MacBook Pro 16-inch to come with a nano-texture surface, which gives the screen a matte quality that minimizes reflections and glare.
The model of MacBook Pro that Apple sent me to test came with that nano-texture surface, and in the bright overhead lights of our London office, the effect was subtle yet pleasant – there was no glare or reflections, and I can imagine outside in direct sunlight the MacBook Pro 16-inch is just as comfortable to use (as it’s October and I’m in the UK, direct sunlight isn’t really a thing).
(Image credit: Future)
Whether or not it’s worth the extra $150/£150/AU$230 will really depend on personal taste and professional needs. While the nano-texture isn’t an upgrade that will immediately wow you, it can be useful if you work in bright environments. You might also feel that when spending the kind of money Apple is asking for the new MacBook, an extra $150 isn’t too egregious – and remember, once you’ve bought the MacBook Pro, you won’t be able to add the nano-texture.
This leads to an ongoing complaint about Apple devices. While there’s no doubt they look great, they are very difficult – if not impossible – to open up and repair. Upgrading components is also out of the question. While the fact that the unified memory is part of the M4 chip, so adding additional memory isn’t possible, it’d be nice to be able to add extra internal storage, for example.
Of course, this has never been the way Apple does things, but when even its competitors like Microsoft are getting better at allowing users to upgrade and fix their devices, Apple is increasingly out of touch – and the difficulty fixing a faulty MacBook Pro sits uneasily with Apple’s eco-friendly messaging in other departments.
There’s one final change to the design of the new MacBook Pro 16-inch that people might miss at first – but it’s a doozy. The webcam has been overhauled with a new 12MP ultra-wide sensor. Using the Center Stage feature, the MacBook Pro crops footage and uses machine learning to keep you centered on the screen – even if you move about. This is the first time Center Stage has been added to a MacBook – in the past the feature has been limited to iPads and the Studio Display monitor.
It works well, and while it’s far from essential if you sit still when on video calls, it’s nice to see it included in a MacBook. Even more impressive is the Desk View feature, which allows you to simultaneously record footage of yourself as normal, while also recording footage of your desk.
(Image credit: Future)
For tutorials, unboxing videos, and more it’s a nice feature and it’s very clever how the webcam captures the footage at the same time using a single camera – usually, you’d need to use two separate cameras for the different angles. This solution is easy and elegant, and while the quality of the footage won’t compare to using two external cameras, it’s a cool feature to have.
Overall the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) design doesn’t contain many surprises, but the ones it does are pretty nifty. If you’re after a more innovative laptop design, however, then you may still be disappointed.
Design score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) review: Performance
Not a massive leap over M3 Pro
Still very impressive performance
Handles even the most intensive tasks well
Unlike the 14-inch model, there’s no base M4 option with the 16-inch MacBook Pro, making the M4 Pro-toting model the ‘entry level’ choice. It features a 14-core CPU with 10 performance cores four efficiency cores, and a 20-core GPU.
The base model also comes with 24GB of unified memory with a bandwidth of 273GB/s, and you can configure it to come with 48GB (though you’ll need to up the M4 Pro chip to the model with a 16-core CPU).
If you go for the M4 Max, that starts at 36GB of memory and can be configured with 48GB, 64GB, and 128GB. Memory bandwidth is also increased to 410GB/s for the 14-core CPU M4 Max and an absolutely huge 546GB/s bandwidth for the 16-core CPU model.
Putting jargon aside, any model of this year’s MacBook Pro 16-inch is going to offer excellent performance for pretty much any task. According to Apple’s own numbers (which should obviously be taken with a degree of salt), you should see around two to three times the performance of an Intel MacBook and double that of the M1 Pro MacBook. The gap between the M3 Pro and M4 Pro is less pronounced, which considering the M3 Pro only came out last year, is not too surprising.
Benchmarks
Here’s how the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
The model of 16-inch MacBook Pro Apple sent me to review is the version with a 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, and 48GB memory – so essentially the mid-range model.
In our benchmark tests, the M4 Pro MacBook Pro saw a decent bump in numbers compared to an M3 Max model, such as in Geekbench 6, where the multi-core score was 23,030 compared to the M3 Max’s 21,345. Not a groundbreaking difference, admittedly, but it shows a reliable increase in performance between generations. I certainly wouldn’t recommend anyone with an M3 Pro MacBook Pro – or even an M2 Pro – shelling out to upgrade to the M4 Pro model based on these results.
Of course, synthetic benchmarks only tell a part of the story, and in my time using the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024), I was extremely impressed with the overall performance. macOS Sequoia ran fast and smooth, and there was no sign of lag or slowdown even when I had several apps open at once (including the Chrome web browser with almost 20 tabs open).
The new MacBook Pro 16-inch, as with previous models, is pretty overkill for day-to-day tasks. Still, it’s good to see those essential tasks performed so effortlessly – and there was not a single crash or error during my time using it – something I can’t always say about similarly-priced Windows 11 devices.
Apple’s complete control over both the software and hardware of MacBooks has again paid dividends, and even if you don’t like the way the company does some things, there’s no denying that it often results in extremely polished and dependable products – like the new MacBook Pro.
(Image credit: Future)
For more demanding tasks such as video editing, the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) again barely broke a sweat as I stitched together 4K footage in Premiere Pro. To be honest, to really make use of the power of the M4 Pro – let alone the much more powerful M4 Max – you’re going to need to be a professional filmmaker or 3D animator working on Pixar-quality productions. Everything I threw at it barely gave the new MacBook Pro pause.
Of course, this is a great thing – it’s a workstation laptop that can rival pretty much any desktop PC and can handle even the hardest workloads. But then, there’s always that nagging feeling that you’re not making the most of it. It’s a strange contradiction that in the end is a testament to what Apple continues to achieve with its M-class chips.
Throughout my time, the fans barely kicked in, so while Apple’s focus with the M4 Pro is more about performance than efficiency, this is still a very efficient machine that is virtually silent when in use.
Performance score: 5/5
(Image credit: Future)
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) review: Battery life
Over 21 hours in benchmark test
Slightly shorter than previous model
M4 Pro focuses on performance over efficiency
Ever since switching from Intel chips to its own M-class silicon, Apple’s MacBooks have benefited from industry-leading battery lives. While Windows 11 laptops are slowly catching up (especially ones with the new Snapdragon X Elite chip, which like the M4 Pro is ARM-based), if you want a laptop that can go through an entire workday without charging (and isn’t a basic Chromebook), then modern MacBooks are the way to go—and the new 16-inch MacBook Pro is no exception.
Thanks to a combination of the efficient M4 Pro chip and a larger body that allows Apple to include a bigger battery, the 16-inch MacBook Pro offers one of the longest battery lives of any MacBook or Windows laptop.
In our tests, it lasted a huge 21 hours and 32 minutes – an absolutely incredible result that suggests you could go multiple workdays on a single charge. However, it didn’t quite match the battery life of the M3 Max 16-inch MacBook that I reviewed last year, which lasted for 24 hours and 35 minutes in similar circumstances, but that could be down to the M4 Pro’s emphasis on performance over efficiency.
Still, it’s an incredible result considering the power on offer. I worked on the M4 Pro model for an entire train journey from Bath to London (around an hour and a half – England really is quite a small country), and the battery levels hardly dipped. It’s a workstation laptop that you can feel confident working on without having to search for a power supply, and when on battery power, it doesn’t feel like performance is sacrificed either.
Battery life score: 5/5
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024): Should you buy it?
Buy it if…
You need a powerful workstation for heavy duty creative tasks The MacBook Pro 16-inch with M4 Pro is one of the most powerful laptops out there, and will make short work of even the most demanding tasks.
You haven’t got an Apple Silicon Mac yet If you’ve not experienced Apple’s M-series chips the new 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro is a brilliant showcase of why Apple Silicon has proved to be so revolutionary for not just MacBooks, but laptops as a whole.
You want a laptop that can go multiple days without charging The battery life of the new MacBook Pro 16-inch can last almost an entire day of constant use - and that means you could work on it for multiple work days on a single charge.
Don’t buy it if…
You don’t need ultra-performance While it can be tempting to go for the highest of the high-end when buying a laptop, the MacBook Pro 16-inch is a big investment - and it offers a level of performance that most people simply won’t need - go for an M3 MacBook Air or the new Mac mini M4 instead.
You want a compact laptop The MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) is a large laptop, and while that has its benefits (bigger battery, nice large screen to work on), it’s a bit too big to work on when commuting or traveling.
You have an M3 Pro or M2 Pro MacBook The M4 Pro is an upgrade over its predecessors, but not enough to make owners of the past two generations of MacBook Pro need to upgrade - they remain excellent laptops that continue to perform brilliantly.
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro) review: Also consider
If our Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro) review has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...
MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 Pro 16GB If you like the sound of the M4 Pro-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro, but are worried that the screen (and overall size of the laptop) is too large, then check out the 14-inch model, which offers similar performance but in a smaller (and slightly cheaper) package. Check out our MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) review
MacBook Air 15-inch (M3) After a large-screen MacBook but don't need the power, and can't afford, the 16-inch MacBook Pro? Then consider the 15-inch MacBook Air. The M3 chip remains a great performer, and it's a lot less expensive, yet still offers that Apple build quality and design. Check out our MacBook Air 15-inch (M3) review
How I tested the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro)
Spent several days testing and using the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro)
Ran our suite of benchmark tests
Used it to work while commuting
Ever since I received the new MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024), I've been using it as my main laptop for working on. This included day-to-day tasks, such as writing up articles in Microsoft Word and sending emails, as well as browsing the web in both Chrome and Safari (with multiple tabs open) - both at a desk in an office, and on a train travelling between cities.
I’ve been testing MacBooks for many years at TechRadar, including all the previous MacBook Pro 16-inch models, including the Intel-based one, and that experience has helped inform this review.
Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition: Two-minute review
The Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition is a new variant of the classic chair from the brand featuring some brand-new materials. While there’s a familiar chair under the hood, these materials elevate this edition a little beyond its brethren in terms of sheer comfort.
The new soft materials - which Secretlab refers to as NanoGen Hybrid Leatherette and NanoFoam Composite - are legitimately excellent and make for an extremely comfortable chair. The former is an exceptionally soft leatherette that’s a joy to touch, and a material that Secretlab claims is its toughest and plushest yet, offering enhanced stain resistance. latter is a supportive yet delightfully comfortable composite that feels like it has memory foam qualities when you lean back into it. Overall, it does make for some of the comfiest chair materials I’ve experienced in years.
As comfortable as these new materials are - and they really are, don’t get me wrong - I don’t think they’re so good that a regular Titan Evo would feel uncomfortable comparatively. The reality is that a regular Titan Evo is still going to be a great gaming chair, provide excellent support and comfort, and come in a chunk cheaper. This is the NanoGen’s biggest challenge; to justify the jump in cost and convince most people to get it.
More generally, though, as a premium chair, the price is still quite aggressive in the face of the competition. With the likes of the Herman Miller x Logitech Embody and the Razer Fujin Pro coming in substantially more expensive.
Aside from the materials and price tag, the NanoGen shares almost everything else with the now well-established Titan Evo line - everything that makes that chair our pick for the best gaming chair money can buy. From an easy-as-pie construction to a robust and weighty build, plus a host of support- and comfort-enhancing features like excellent armrests and a robust set of adjustability options to a slick and chic finish to every part, the NanoGen Edition channels everything great about the Titan Evo under its new hood.
As a result, all in, the NanoGen largely justifies the price tag and its position as one of the most comfortable gaming chairs. It’s a superb chair and the new materials are not just gimmicks - they make a wonderful difference in terms of comfort and support.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)
Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition: Price and availability
List price: R size: $799 / £669 / AU$1,099; XL size: $849 / £719 / AU$1,199
Available in Pure White and Pure Black only
Available in US, CA, EU, AU, NZ, SG, MY; coming soon to the UK
Coming in at the above prices, this new Titan Evo does come in notably higher than other models adding $250 / £200 over a regular Titan Evo size, and a jump of $200 / £180 for the XL size.
Whether the materials alone are worth this extra investment will likely depend on your preferences, needs, and budget. However, even at this early part of my review, I wouldn’t go as far as saying that the NanoGen Edition makes the other Titan Evo chairs obsolete or ‘uncomfortable’ by comparison at all. As a result, this new edition has its work cut out for it to really warrant and justify the higher price tag.
However, this still comes in much cheaper than the likes of the Herman Miller x Logitech Embody and the Razer Fujin Pro and offers that trademark Secretlab premium gaming chair feel and experience.
In turn, the NanoGen Edition is still much more expensive than the AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL, a spacious chair that could provide some stern value-based competition.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)
Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition: Specs
Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition: Design and aesthetics
White look is very chic
Signature Secretlab design and build quality
An equally office-friendly aesthetic
At a glance, the NanoGen Edition looks identical to a Titan Evo chair. The chair has a simple, restrained, and chic look in the white finish sent to us for review, and I can imagine the black chair looking equally as slick and perhaps even more office-friendly than the white.
There are no wild flourishes adorning the all-white finish on our chair and it’s a symphony in clean white leatherette material. However, the slight chink in this is the inclusion of a grey armrest and headrest, which are soft and comfortable, but next to the white of the rest of the chair have an almost dirty look. It’s not a huge detractor by any means but something that’s noticeable given that ultra-clean finish elsewhere.
The overall design is straight from the Titan Evo line too, so with that in mind, the build quality and feature set are excellent. It is so well built and robust that you can have serious confidence in this, no matter your seating preference or how aggressively you might shoot about your space.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)
The fabulous castors are as smooth as ever, on the wide wheelbase that provides excellent stability given its (quite large) footprint. The armrests are also a delight. The NanoGen Edition chair features Secretlab’s PlushCell Memory Foam Armrest Tops on its all-new heavy-duty full metal 4D armests, both of which are superb.
There are so many customization options with the armrests themselves - which also offer a great range of adjustment, 50% more than previous iterations - that I’m still tinkering to get the perfect setup weeks into testing. They are sturdy as heck too, while the armrest tops are wonderfully comfortable, swallowing up your elbows in soft cushioned goodness.
The magnetic fixing of the armrest top means you can swap out to another material too should you wish at another time adding further customizability. The only other way it could get even more customizable would be to attach the new Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)
Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition: Comfort and adjustability
Wonderfully soft materials
New foam is extremely comfortable
Plenty of adjustability
In short, the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition is one of the comfiest chairs I’ve sat on. The new NanoFoam within the chair and the NanoGen Leatherette material that finishes it combined with the brilliant design, build, proportions, and frame of a Titan Evo make one seriously comfy chair.
Sinking into the seat or back and being embraced by the NanoFoam finished in that super-soft new leatherette is really something - and also offers something different to the Secretlab Titan Evo SoftWeave chairs. I’m looking forward to it remaining my go-to daily driver when I'm in the office, but it won’t quite displace the Herman Miller Embody I have at home.
The NanoGen Edition shares the majority of its adjustability options with the wider Titan Evo line so if you’re familiar with those chairs at all, then you’ll be right at home with this one too. Given that I’m used to a shorter chair in the Embody, I have found that if you’re a sloucher or someone who doesn’t totally sit right back into their chair, you’ll need to get used to that - there’s no use to the chair unless you actually lean and sit into it after all.
Working from the ground up, underneath are the usual levers for seat height adjustment and tilt adjustment. On the seat itself, you have a lever for the back recline (which can go all the way to…), on the side, there’s the wheel for the built-in lumbar support (a joy to have), and then there are the armrests.
I have found these to be a particular highlight; as someone who leans a lot on their elbows, the memory foam material was extremely comfy straight away, but the excellent range of adjustability means you won’t be short of different positions for support either. Finishing it off, the magnetic cushion for your head is a soft delight too, but you can remove it if you prefer.
As we know from the brand, it’s all supremely easy to adjust - though you may find yourself tinkering for weeks, like me, chasing that perfect setup.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)
Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition: Assembly
Takes around 30-45 minutes solo
All tools provided
Magnetic parts make it easy
Unlike other premium chairs, such as those from Herman Miller which can roll straight out of the box ready to go, the Secretlab NanoGen Edition does require some construction. Coming neatly and securely flat packed, my XL version was a bit weighty in its box but I could easily slide it around our office carpet on my own to get it in position.
The actual construction of the chair doesn’t take long at all, even on one's own with an XL size. There are essentially only three parts to it - the wheelbase, the seat, and the back - which makes it easy to process which parts slot into others. My time was about 30 minutes all in (maybe 45 if you count some checking of the instructions), though if you’ve built a Secretlab chair before, expect your time to be lower.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)
The large-scale instructions on the box are easy to follow and consist of only a few steps, with some minor ‘sub-steps’. You also get all the tools included in the box which is excellent. Magnetic armrests and covers to hide screws are then the icing on the cake and make finishing the chair’s build easy as pie.
The screws are easy to attach and tighten even for someone with small slightly-different hands like mine, and the only time I really found it awkward was when aligning the backrest to the seat. Otherwise, there’s no awkward alignment for bits or the need for a flashlight, and it’s eminently doable on your own - plus you get to squeeze and caress that exquisite material up close all the while.
Should you buy the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition?
Buy it if...
You’re after some supremely soft and comfortable materials for your gaming chair The NanoGen material and NanoFoam within this chair make for excellent comfort. The chair is supremely soft and comfortable on your posterior and back, and the brilliant armrests complete the whole package.
You want the latest in materials from Secretlab If you were already sold on a Secretlab chair, and are now on the lookout for the best and latest materials going from the brand, then the NanoGen Edition is for you.
You want a chair for long work and play sessions Combining the comfort of the new materials as well as the pedigree of the Titan Evo means this chair is a joy for long periods of work and play, and the easiest of recommendations for those looking for something for hours of comfort.
Don't buy it if...
You’re not sold on paying more for the materials The materials on the NanoGen edition are superb but the jump in price means the ‘regular’ Titan Evo could represent better value for your money if you’re not convinced about the new materials and their fancy names.
You’re on a tight budget Yup, it seems like an obvious point to make but as good as they are Secretlab chairs still require a healthy investment - and one that only increases with the new NanoGen materials.
Also consider...
If you’re still not convinced by the NanoGen Edition, then these two other chairs could be worth considering.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 The ‘regular’ Titan Evo chair is still an absolute belter and our pick for the top gaming chair overall you can buy right now. It shares a lot with the NanoGen Edition but crucially comes in a bit cheaper and is still an excellently comfortable gaming chair. If you want comfort from Secretlab but are looking to save money, then the regular Titan Evo could be the way to go.
AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL If you’re looking for a larger chair but want to maximize value and get some great comfort-focused features at the same time then the AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL is a fine alternative. Featuring incredibly comfortable and plus materials as well as all the trimmings from lumbar support to 4D arms, it's a great value proposition.
How I tested the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition
Tested over the course of multiple weeks
Compared to other gaming chairs from the likes of Herman Miller
Tested in all positions
I tested the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition by deploying it as my go-to, daily office chair, and used it over the course of four weeks.
I used it for long stretches of work and also some handheld gaming, and gave each feature and element of the chair a thorough testing in all seating positions, from leaning back, to cross-legged, and everything in between.
Fortunately, I was also able to directly compare it against other chairs we have in the office, notably a Herman Miller Aeron which is currently being reviewed too.
The Find X8 series from Oppo made their debut in China last week and we got official confirmation that both the Find X8 and Find X8 Pro will launch globally sometime next month.
In light of the global launch, Oppo UK has now started its teaser campaign for the Find X8 series with a launch page where users can register their interest for the upcoming flagships. This development marks an official return for Oppo flagships in the UK and Europe, as the last two generations of Find X-series devices were not available outside of China.
Oppo Find X8 series teaser from Oppo UK
For...
The Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE is a laser and LED smart projector capable of projecting 4K Dolby-Vision-enhanced imagery up to 200 inches. It was first released in the US, followed by the UK in August and September 2024 for a list price of $1,299.99 / £1,299.99.
It's cheaper than its predecessor, the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K, which has an extra 400 ANSI lumens of brightness, and a full laser light source, compared to the 4K SEs laser and LED HybridBeam. The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE has plenty to boast about though, with Google TV built-in, offering effortless access to popular streaming apps like Netflix and Disney+, and many other useful apps, as one would expect from Google. There’s decent support for external content too, with HDMI and USB-C ports making it simple to connect a disc drive or laptop.
The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE has a stated brightness of 1,800 ANSI lumens – this is some way short of most of the best 4K projectors. Our testing didn’t provide results to get excited about, with measurements taken including 122 nits peak brightness, which wasn’t radically different from the BenQ v5000i, and grayscale accuracy of 8, plus a color accuracy of 3.4.
Coverage of the UHDA-P3 color gamut came in at 88.9%, with BT.2020 reading 76.3%. The input lag measured up, with 35ms of lag in Game Mode Standard, and 18.5ms in Game Mode Extreme.
(Image credit: Future)
Real-time autofocus, auto keystone correction, and auto screen fit worked well when projected onto small targets, but I found I had to manually alter the four keystone points to get the image to sit centrally (just about) on my 100-inch screen. I could only watch at 60 inches, as I lacked the space to have the projector the required 7.8ft / 2.4 meters away from the screen. If you have your heart set on getting the full movie theatre experience without having to shell out on a house extension, I’d recommend taking a look at our pick of the Best ultra short throw projectors instead.
When it comes to the performance of the contrast and brightness when watching content, darker scenes in movies and TV shows with a dark aesthetic were plagued by pixelated grays where darker areas would otherwise be visible while watching on a TV. This isn’t entirely uncommon for projectors, as producing dense blacks is naturally difficult given how the image is generated, but I can’t say that it didn’t subtract from the otherwise fabulous viewing experience. Scenes in Damsel and Prometheus in particular showcased the Cosmos 4K SE’s ability to deliver stunningly vivid color and intricate details, no doubt thanks to the addition of Dolby Vision. This, along with the two built-in 15-watt Dolby-Audio-enabled speakers made watching movies and series with this projector a satisfyingly immersive experience. You can read further details about this in the Picture Quality section below.
In a nutshell, provided you have the space to achieve the screen size you want, you’re happy watching content in little more than a dim light, and you have the space to place this chonky example of a portable projector, I’d highly recommend the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE.
(Image credit: Future)
Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: price and availability
List price: $1,299.99 / £1,299.99
Available in the US and the UK
Released in August / September 2024
The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE became available in the US in August 2024, followed by the UK in September 2024, at a list price of $1,299.99 / £1,299.99. Apart from the Amazon Prime Day sales, when it dropped to $999 / £999, which Anker matched on the Nebula website, the cost of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE looks to have remained at its usual price. At the time of writing, the Cosmos 4K SE is not available in Australia.
While unlikely to be a spontaneous purchase at this price, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE is still miles cheaper than all but one in our choice of the best 4K projectors.
Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: specs
Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: design and features
Google TV built-in
Large but technically portable
Efficient auto-correction and calibration features
The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE just about classes as portable, though it is a bit of a chonk, weighing in at 4.5kg /9.9lb, and with dimensions of 10.4 x 8.7 x 6.5 inches / 264 x 221 x 165mm. I was able to pick it up and carry it about, but I had to be careful about it. It would be even more of a hassle if it wasn't for the helpful, and comfortable silicone inbuilt handle that protrudes from the top of the projector body.
This projector is solely mains-powered, with no built-in battery or compatible battery pack. So while you might be able to carry it outside, you'll need to have access to a suitable power outlet for al fresco viewing.
The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE uses its HybridBeam, which is a combo of laser and LED, to generate images with up to a specified 1,800 ANSI lumens of brightness. The auto screen adjustment, auto keystone, and autofocus features did a great job of projecting images that were rectangular and crisp for the most part, especially when projecting onto smaller targets, which for me in particular was the wall space next to my bed. However, I found I was limited to just 60 inches when trying to watch on my 100-inch screen. This forced me to make use of the four-point manual keystone correction, as the Cosmos 4K SE insisted on fixing the 60-inch projection to the upper-left corner of the screen each time, which looked all kinds of wrong. After some investigating, I learned that the 4K SE needs to be at least 7.8 feet / 2.4 meters away from the target to project at 90 inches or above. I was using the projector in quite a large room, so this seems fairly limiting.
(Image credit: Future)
Anker claims that it’s possible to watch a 60-inch projection in a well-lit room with windows and indirect daylight, but unfortunately, I must disagree. The issues I’ve already mentioned regarding the contrast and black density were when watching in darkness. When I tried to watch with additional light sources any stronger than the colorful LED strips behind my TV, this contrast issue got worse, and anything more than very dim sunlight made it very difficult to see most of what was going on in whatever I was watching.
Having a light source in the room also plays havoc with the Wall Color Calibration feature, which is intended to alter the coloring of the projection so that it still looks correct regardless of the color of the wall you’re projecting against. I tested this out in our TechRadar music room, which is painted a deep teal color. When I tried this with some indirect sunlight coming from the small window far over to the right on the same wall I was projecting onto, the “color corrected” image had an off-putting blue tint to it. When I repeated the calibration with the lights off, it worked perfectly, and I was really impressed.
(Image credit: Future)
I found the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE easy to control thanks to the backlit remote control's handy voice assistant feature, as I could ask Google to whisk me straight to the content I wanted. The Nebula Connect app also worked well as a remote control, too.
I love that the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE comes with Google TV built-in, as in my experience it has proven to be the most efficient Android TV OS by far. As expected, it provides access to all of the popular streaming apps like Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, and Apple TV, plus easy access to YouTube, naturally. It's simple to access content from external sources too, thanks to the USB-C input and the two HDMI ports, one of which is a HDMI 2.1 (eARC), supporting 4K visuals at 60 hertz, with lossless transmission.
When it comes to audio output, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE has two built-in 15-watt speakers enabled with Dolby Audio. I didn't observe any issues with the sound quality during my testing, I was very satisfied with the quality. I would have picked up quite quickly if there were any issues that a typical user would notice – I've tested a lot of Bluetooth speakers in my time so I will spot from a mile off poor clarity or if the bass and treble are below par.
Design score: 4/5
Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: picture quality
Beautifully vivid color
Disappointing lack of contrast
Immersive cinematic experience
When I got my hands on the Cosmos 4K SE, I was really excited to try it out. I'd previously tested the Nebula Mars 3 Air back in my freelancing days, which I loved, so I was expecting big things from the 4K SE.
After letting it warm up for an hour, myself and my colleague James conducted tests to evaluate the projector's capabilities. The peak brightness, when viewing in Movie Mode and measured on a white 10% window pattern, was 122 nits in SDR, which isn't far off the peak brightness reading we got for the more expensive BenQ v5000i, and 119 in HDR, surpassing the reading we got for the BenQ.
The color performance figures that resulted from our testing didn't blow me away, but at this price and for casual viewing, I can forgive the Cosmos 4K SE for this. The projector achieved a Grayscale accuracy of 8, and a 3.4 for color accuracy, which was just a whisker off our target level of 3.
Coverage of the BT.2020 scored 76.3%, and the UHDA-P3 color gamut coverage was also nothing to shout about at 88.9% meaning that, although the colors were satisfyingly vivid, they weren't as rich and varied as those projected by the LG CineBeam Q, which gave an impressive reading of 98.7%. These test figures were obtained while viewing in HDR Movie Mode. The input lag in Game Mode Standard was 35ms, and in Gaming Mode Extreme was 18.5ms, which supports Anker's claims of the 4K SE being low latency with under 19ms of lag and should satisfy the majority of casual gamers.
(Image credit: Future)
In terms of the brightness and contrast when viewing there were mixed results. In lighter scenes, the whites and colors were satisfyingly bright and dazzling, but the handling of the contrast in dark scenes left a lot to be desired. The first film I watched on the Cosmos 4K SE was Damsel on Netflix, starring Millie Bobby Brown. I can easily jump straight into all the positives, as I was stunned by the beautiful imagery that the projector delivered, but I'll get the negative out of the way first. It was clear fairly early on that there was a contrast issue.
When the main character Elodie enters a dark cave, all detail is lost around her, with stonework being replaced with grey pixelated sections. Achieving a quality deep black can prove difficult for projectors, especially those that don't possess full laser optical technology – with a 238:1 contrast ratio reading from the Cosmos 4K SE, it’s hardly surprising that it didn’t perform brilliantly in this area. Aside from this, there were so many scenes that took advantage of the projector's strengths, likely due to the presence of Dolby Vision. The scenes involving the luminescent grubs and the crystal caves were visually stunning, with the vivid colors and clarity making Damsel a delight to watch.
During the opening sequence of Prometheus, the level of brightness was impressive, as was the color density. The delicate details on the spaceship as it came in to land were visible and clear, as were the pores and veins on the Engineer's face. The level of intricacy in the DNA scenes when the strands were getting affected by the black pathogen highly impressed me too. The scene that really caught my attention, though, was when David has a drop of Chemical A0-3959X.91 on the tip of his finger. The close-up shots of this were visually stunning, so much so that I started to calculate quite how I could incorporate a projector screen into my living room on a permanent basis. Despite the darker scenes in Maleficent and Damsel noticeably lacking contrast, similar scenes appear to be handled better in Prometheus; they still weren't perfect, but darker details were more visible.
(Image credit: Future)
Despite my undeniable admiration of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who regularly enjoys programs with a darker aesthetic. Series like Marvel's Daredevil take a real hit due to the lack of good contrast, making the scenes appear grainy and low-quality.
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, playback was smooth during intense fight scenes, with the images remaining crisp and high quality, despite the fast movement. The detail is fantastic once again, with the intricate weave of the fabric of Hawk Eye's suit clearly visible.
Despite my undeniable admiration of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who regularly enjoys programs with a darker aesthetic, even when watching in the dark. Series such as Marvel's Daredevil take a real hit due to the lack of good contrast, making the scenes appear grainy and low-quality, which is a real shame considering the projector's fabulous performance in other areas.
Picture quality score: 4/5
Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: value
Good picture quality for the price
Delivers a satisfying at-home cinema experience
Uses Laser and LED hybrid optical technology
At $1,299.99 / £1,299.99, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE is $400 / £400 cheaper than the previous model, the Nebula Cosmos 4K, despite the 4K SE having a large projection range, Google TV built in, and Dolby Vision. This price difference is likely due to the 400 additional ANSI lumens and, more importantly, due to the original 4K utilizing a laser light source, compared to the 4K SE's laser and LED HybridBeam, which could explain its lackluster brightness.
Overall, the viewing experience was fantastic when in a dimly lit room, and the sound quality was spot on. It was like having a pop-up cinema, with beautifully vivid colors and no problems with fast-paced scenes. The downsides can't be ignored, however, with a lack of contrast in some darker scenes when watching in the dark, and a distractingly bad lack of contrast and brightness issues when watching in the light, despite viewing at the projection size that Anker claims would be visible in a well-lit environment.
While it's pretty chunky, and not exactly an attractive addition to the decor unless it's situated in a casual TV and gaming den, it feels suitably robust for the price. While the size and weight initially made me question its apparent portability, this weight pales in comparison to other 4K projectors such as the Samsung The Premiere 9, and the carry handle definitely makes moving it about a simpler task. If the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE might upset your Feng Shui, then fear not, as more attractive alternatives are available, such as the LG CineBeam Q, which you can learn a little more about in the Also Consider section below.
Value score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE?
Buy it if
You don’t want to spend several thousand While $1,299.99 / £1,299.99 is still a high price to pay, you get a lot of bang for your buck with the Cosmos 4K SE. Built-in Google TV, competent auto-correction features, and impressive imagery and sound are well worth the cost if you can spare it.
You want popular apps at your fingertips The advantage of the built-in Google TV is the ease of the interface and the distinct lack of bug and lag-related issues that I’ve experienced with so many Android-based OS. It’s satisfyingly simple to get set up, so you can get to streaming content without the frustration.
You want an immersive cinematic experience Picture this, relaxing comfortably in the dark, bag of popcorn in hand, as you watch a feature-length film in 4K on the big screen, all from the comfort of your own home. The stunning visuals and immersive sound the 4K SE delivers are worth splashing out on.
Don't buy it if
You want the big picture but have a small space A short-throw projector the Cosmos 4K SE is not. You need at least 5.5ft / 1.69m of space to achieve a screen size over 60 inches, which, for me personally, is a must, as I love the big-screen experience.
You want an easily portable projector While it wouldn’t be difficult to maneuver for most, this projector is big and weighty. The carry handle makes life easier, but if you’re going away for the weekend it’s going to take up valuable trunk space, and there’s no way you’d want to lug it around on public transport.
You don’t want to be kept in the dark Although Anker claims that you can watch a 60-inch projection in a well-lit room and indirect daylight, I found that watching with just one small window a few feet from the projection on an overcast day caused the quality to reduce drastically, the projected image looked washed out, and darker scenes that lacked contrast in optimum conditions became practically invisible.
Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: also consider
Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K The 4K SE’s older sibling is almost identical in size and weight, and while it doesn’t possess some of the more desirable features, such as Dolby Vision and Google TV, it’s brighter and utilizes laser DLP optical technology, rather than a laser / LED hybrid. Check out the full Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K review.
Hisense PX3-Pro A far pricier option, but if you want a top-quality, ultra-short-throw projector, then this could be the one for you. It’s not portable like the other alternatives listed here, but it performed well in various lighting conditions, delivered bright, rich colors, and a higher standard of contrast when compared to the 4K SE. Why not take a look at the Hisense PX3-Pro review to find out more.
LG CineBeam Q If you want a projector that’s not a space invader, and can even make an attractive addition to your decor, then the LG CineBeam Q would be a good fit. While it’s not perfect, with limited brightness and poor audio quality, it looks stylish, projects in good-quality 4K, and can provide access to popular streaming apps, whether you’re watching at home or on your travels. If this has piqued your interest, there's plenty more detail in the full LG CineBeam Q review.
How I tested the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE
Tested at home and in the TechRadar music and TV testing rooms
Tested in different lighting conditions
Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
I got the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE setup and had an explore around the available features, apps, and settings. I tried out the various display presets to determine the most satisfying option for casual viewing. I watched several films, series, and online content to establish how well the projector handled the different aesthetics. I tested the visibility of the projection by watching in total darkness, minimal lighting, and daylight.
My colleague, TV expert James, and I, measured the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The results provided Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, providing us with figures to assess the projector’s overall accuracy.
We also ran tests to obtain measurements of the peak light output in both standard and high dynamic range modes, and measured the coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space, to obtain readings that determine how well the projector can render the extended color range. Finally, we measured the contrast ratio, determining the brightest white to the darkest black that the projector is capable of displaying, and the input lag, which is an important reading if you’re looking for a gaming projector in particular.
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam review: two-minute review
The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is suitably priced at $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$129. It offers a range of customizable features and can rotate and tilt, providing a good insight into the goings-on at home.
The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is available in black and white for all regions, but the US has the added benefit of Blush, Charcoal, and Starlight color options, too. As the name suggests, the rotating and pivoting mount beneath the camera allowed 360-degree panning and 169-degree tilting, providing a larger viewing area than static cameras.
The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam has many things in common with the Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen), which at the time of writing holds the top spot in our selection of the best indoor security cameras. Although its days may be numbered, as the Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam can do the same job, plus is capable of viewing a far wider area.
The privacy cover worked well, cutting off the camera feed and audio instantly whenever required, then sending word via the Ring app, meaning I’d know straight away if it was being tampered with.
(Image credit: Future)
There is no way to store recordings locally, so if one wanted to see an occurrence after the fact, paying for a subscription would be the only way to do this. Without a subscription, the Ring app can still send instant notifications, show a live view, and access the two-way talk feature.
The pan and tilt functions worked well, and I got a clear view thanks to the 1080p HD resolution, but the Color Night Vision didn’t live up to its name. Unlike some cheaper cameras, the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam had no problem handling movement, with no visible pixelation or lag, but it’s a real shame that the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is missing motion-tracking.
The audio wasn’t exceptional, but I was still impressed with the quality on the live view and recorded footage; conversations were easy to decipher and I didn’t find the sound not aligning with the image at any point.
The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam isn’t the cheapest option out there, but it’s suitably priced for the features and app support it offers. It’s regrettable that there’s no way to store footage locally so an extra fee is required for access, and that Ring has missed a trick by not including a motion-tracking function, but overall it’s good value for money.
If you’re in the market for something different, such as an outdoor-suitable camera or one with motion tracking, we have some highly-rated recommendations in our pick of the best security cameras.
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam review: price and availability
List price: $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$129
Availability: US, UK, and Australia
Release date: mid 2024
Released in 2024, the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam has a list price of $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$129, putting it toward the premium end for a single indoor camera. However, with its ability to sync with multiple other Ring home security devices, great picture quality, and good audio, it’s not overpriced. The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is available at Amazon, Ring, and other third-party retailers.
Something to bear in mind when considering the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is that there is no option to store recordings locally, so if you want to review footage after the event has happened, you’ll need to pay for a subscription. You do get a complementary 30-day subscription to Protect Plus, though. If you intend to use your Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam without a subscription, you’ll still have access to Instant notifications, the live view, and the two-way talk feature via the Ring app or website, plus a one-year limited warranty.
Value score: 4.5 / 5
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam subscription options
Ring Protect Basic: Up to 180 days of video storage, download up to 50 videos at once, snapshot capture, package alerts, person alerts, and rich notifications. Price: $4.99 / £4.99 / AU$4.99 per month, or, $49.99 / AU$49.95 per year per, Ring device.
Ring Protect Plus: Has the same benefits as Protect Basic, plus (no pun intended) advanced video features, enhanced notifications, Home and Away modes, and extended warranties. Price: $10 / £8 / AU$15 per month, or $100 / AU$150 per year. Covers all Ring devices at one location in the UK and Australia, or all Ring Home cameras and doorbells at one location in the US.
Ring Protect Pro (currently US only): Offers everything in Protect Plus, as well as 24/7 alarm monitoring, alarm cellular backup, 24/7 backup internet with optional extra data, digital security by Eero Secure, and Ring Edge with local video storage. Please note an additional purchase of the Ring Alarm Pro is required to make use of some of these benefits. Price: $10 per month or $100 per year, for all Ring devices at one location, US only.
(Image credit: Future)
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam review: specifications
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam review: design and features
360-degree panning and 169-degree tilting
Efficient privacy cover
No motion-tracking
In the UK and Australia, the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is available in either black or white. I’m a little jealous of our friends over the pond because in the US there are additional options like Blush, Charcoal, and Starlight, which is a cream color.
Setting up the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam was blissfully quick and simple, in essence, all I needed to do was install the Ring app, scan the barcode on the back of the camera, connect it to my phone via Bluetooth, and then connect it to the Wi-Fi. Voila.
Unsurprisingly, as Ring is owned by Amazon, the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam can be linked to an Amazon account, and accessed through devices like the Amazon Show 8 (3rd gen).
Being able to access the camera through a browser is a big plus in my book because it enabled me to see the live view and recorded footage on a bigger screen. I had no problem viewing things on my phone though, as it was easy to zoom into areas on the app, on both live and recorded footage.
(Image credit: Future)
The camera itself doesn’t look dissimilar to the Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen), except now it has the new mount that allows it to, you guessed it, pan and tilt, offering a far broader coverage when viewing live. The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam has a couple of placement options, either on a flat surface, or attached to the wall or ceiling using the included mounting plate, bracket, raw plugs, and screws.
I was surprised there isn't a motion tracking feature on the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam; some older and cheaper indoor cameras have this function. It’s curious to me that the camera has the benefit of being able to see almost anywhere, but there’s no way for it to be set to track a potential intruder (or a mischievous pet) unless it’s moved manually using the directional arrows through the app.
Despite this, the motion sensors proved effective on the lowest sensitivity setting out of the three available. I would quickly get a ping on my phone and Apple Watch whenever a person was spotted in the space, and I was able to set privacy and activity zones so that I wouldn’t get constant notifications when I was testing the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam in our busy office.
(Image credit: Future)
Customizable home and away modes are available as part of the Plus subscription, so I could change the settings using just one button on the dashboard. By default, Home mode is set to stop detection motion, and recording, and Away mode enables these settings again.
The attached privacy cover was easy to open and close, instantly disconnecting the video and microphone feed when shut and notifying me whenever it was shut or reopened. In addition to this, for added privacy, there was another handy feature available that enabled me to disable the microphone at all times so only visual footage was captured.
In all, the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is feature-packed and well-designed, but I can’t help but wonder why Ring neglected to include a motion-tracking feature, considering the scope of view this camera has to offer.
Design and features score: 4 / 5
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam review: performance
Good quality audio and video
Notifications kept me well informed
Efficient activity and privacy zones
The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam kept me in the loop with all the comings and goings at home and in the office, and once I’d mastered the settings, I could pretty much be left to do its own thing.
Speaking of the settings, the app wasn’t the most user-friendly in that respect, but otherwise, it’s responsive and worked well. There seemed to be a few ways to access similar things, and occasionally it took some hunting around to find a specific setting that I wanted to change.
Setting up the privacy and activity zones was straightforward; unlike some other cameras that can be limited to square zones, the Ring app offers a six-point selection area, so I had a bit more control to fit the zones around awkward spaces. There was one occasion when the app had a wobble, and got stuck on updating the snapshot to apply the zones onto, but the simple trick of turning the app off and on again solved the issue. These zones did their jobs well in action and helped to stop constant notifications of a person being detected, as I was working within view of the camera.
(Image credit: Future)
The recordings were easy to access through the history button on the dashboard. Each recording was labeled; for example, it stated if it was recorded through live view, or a person was detected, and the device the recording came from, which would come in handy if I had a complete Ring setup. The event history can easily be filtered from tabs at the top of the screen, making it easy to view certain event types, such as motion or person detection, device types including alarms and smart lighting, and single devices.
I was pleased with the picture quality on the live view and recorded footage. A slight fisheye distortion was present toward the edges due to the wide lens, but apart from this, the images looked clear and high-quality. The camera handled movement well, with no lag or pixelation.
I tested out the siren, which was easily enabled by pushing a button on the app via the device's home screen; this caused the camera to make a loud security alarm sound, which I imagine could be capable of scaring off an unwanted guest.
(Image credit: Future)
The name Color Night Vision is a little misleading; in low light, say, when shutting the blinds and turning off the lights in the office, it enhanced the colors on the live view really well, but we had the ambient light from our monitors to help this along. In full darkness, the feed is black and white just like many other night-vision-enabled cameras. The image quality is still great, but it is not in color like the name of this feature suggests.
I was pleased with the audio quality, other than a little bit of tinniness. Words and activities were easy to identify, and I didn’t experience any issues with the alignment of the audio and footage; whereas with past cameras I’ve encountered misalignments between what’s happening on screen and the audio recordings.
Overall, the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam did a great job, though I’d have preferred to have the ability to track motions, rather than staying static. A decent amount of customization options were available for me to fine-tune, and it detected and recorded everything I expected it to, providing me with a high-quality visual and satisfactory audio representation of what had been going on in its vicinity.
Performance score: 4.5 / 5
Should I buy the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam?
Buy it if...
You want a good view With the Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam, you get a better view of its surroundings thanks to its 360-degree rotation and 169-degree tilting, making it a better option than static cameras for keeping an eye on things.
You want a built-in alarm If you’re looking at the live view and you spot something untoward, this camera has a siren built in that can be enabled through a button on the app. It makes a lot of noise, so should make for a good deterrent.
You want to see the details The picture quality is really good on the live view and recordings, and it’s possible to zoom in with both. The footage didn’t display any lag or pixelation from movement either, which is a big plus.
Don't buy it if...
You require motion-tracking Surprisingly, the Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam doesn’t have motion-tracking capabilities. Considering its impressive viewing range when moved manually, it seems that Ring really missed a trick here.
You don’t want to pay a subscription fee While the subscription makes sense if you have a range of Ring security devices, giving access to stored footage in one place, if you want a one-off camera for a single purpose, it would be beneficial to have a local storage option such as a microSD card.
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam review: Also consider
Wyze Cam v3 A good alternative if you want to store footage without needing to pay, the Wyze Cam v3 has the added benefit of local storage of up to 128GB via a microSD card. However, the footage is limited to twelve seconds without a subscription. It also offers sound detection, though its sensitivity is limited, and audio quality was unsatisfactory. It also has IP65-rated water resistance and a rubber sleeve around the camera's inlet, so it can be used outdoors too. You can see the full review of the Wyze Cam v3 here.
Imou Rex 3D Another alternative with local storage is the IMOU Rex 3D. It offers 355-degree rotation plus 90-degree tilt capabilities, so is a great option to consider if you’re looking for well-performing motion tracking, something that the Ring Pan–Tilt Indoor Cam is sadly lacking. Unfortunately, this camera only appears to be available in the UK at present, although it looks to be available from third-party retailers in the US. Why not take a look at how the Imou Rex 3D performed in the full review?
How I tested the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam
I tested it for a week at home and in a busy office
I tested the sound and video quality, live and recorded
I tested the ease of setup, usability, privacy settings, and motion detection
I reviewed how easy the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam was to set up, and tested its panning and tilting capabilities.
I tested the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam in our busy TechRadar reviews office along with a quieter area of my home to establish how sensitive the motion detection was, and how efficient the privacy and activity zones were.
I tested the frequency of notifications and reviewed live and recorded footage, paying close attention to the visual and sound quality, and evaluating how well the camera handled movement.
I observed how well the Night Color Vision worked in different environments, testing how well it performed in darkness and with varying levels of ambient lighting.
I compared the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam against our previous camera reviews, and benchmarked it against other indoor cameras I am currently testing.
This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:
US: Ninja Combi All-in-One Multicooker, Oven, and Air Fryer SFP701B UK: Ninja Combi 12-in-1 Multi-Cooker, Oven & Air Fryer SFP700UK
For this review, I tested the UK version. There are minor differences between different countries' models – see specs section for a comparison.
The Ninja Combi is a billed as an all-in-one multi-cooker that can be used like an oven, an air fryer, or even a stovetop (hob). In fact, it offers an intimidating range of modes beyond those, but the headline here is that it has a steam function, which can be used on its own or as part of any of three 'Combi' settings, which combine steaming (for moisture and tenderness) with another cooking mode. It's also designed to be able to cook complete meals – protein, carb, veggies – quickly, and all in one go.
It's sized like a tall microwave, with a sideways-opening door and two internal trays. Inside the cooking cavity, there are heating elements at the top and bottom, and a convection fan at the back to circulate the hot air.
In practice, figuring out sheer number of modes and which one to use for what can be intimidating. There are 12 different options on the UK version I tested, and even more if you're in the US. I suspect that once you've spent a bit of time using the Combi, it'll become clearer which mode suits what meal.
In my tests, the standalone modes all worked efficiently, with expected results. I was especially impressed with the air fryer mode, which got my veggie sausages hot all the way through and nicely browned in double-quick time. It took a little more trial and error to work out the more unusual Combi Meals mode, especially with regards to timings if you're straying away from the set menus in the provided meal booklet. The ability to add steam is unusual, but it does help keep things moist – although the Combi will emit a lot of steam in these modes, so you'll need to put it in a well-ventilated spot.
Aside from the complications that come with navigating all the modes, the Combi is very well designed and straightforward to use. The button controls require no explanation (the giant switch that you flip to shift from standard modes to ones with steam is unnecessary but kind of satisfying). The display offers up useful information, including letting you know when preheating is finished, and alerting you if you've forgotten to add the water tray for steam cooking. There are also some genuinely helpful touches, like how the inside light will come on in the final minute of cooking in some modes.
At $229.99 / £279.99, it's up there with the most expensive options in our best air fryer guide, but this does a lot more than just air fry. While it's not cheap, I actually think it's decent value for money (in the US at least), given the wide range of functions and high build quality. That's the short version; read on for my full Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review.
The Ninja Combi launched in spring 2024, and is currently available in the US and the UK. You can buy direct from SharkNinja, or via various third party retailers.
At time of writing, in the US when you buy direct from Ninja the Combi comes bundled with accessories like a compatible baking pan, Dutch oven and cooking utensils. The list price is $229.99. In the UK, the list price is £279.99, with no accessories bundled in. That's noticeably more expensive than the US option.
Based on TechRadar's price bands, we'd consider anything over $250 / £200 to be a premium air fryer, but this is a slightly different prospect because it offers such a wide selection of functions on top of just air frying.
In the US I think it's really very good value for money, but it's less so in the UK. I'd probably recommend waiting for a discount if you're shopping in the UK – I've seen it drop to £249.99 in the process of writing this review, and I hope more discounts will be in the pipeline when this model gets a little older (the Black Friday sales can be an especially good time to shop for small appliances).
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Ninja Combi specs
Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review: design
Cool, curvy shape, opens sideways via a chunky handle
Space for two internal trays
Large, intuitive button control panel, plus SmartSwitch
The Ninja Combi looks like kind of like a tiny, curvy oven with a control panel stuck to the front. The door opens sideways, and cooking trays slot into the cavity. You can fit two of these in at once. The cavity is, apparently, large enough to fit a 6lb chicken or a 10-inch pizza.
With the UK version I tested, there was a baking tray, crisper plate (with cutouts) and deep, ceramic-coated 'Combi Pan' included. It's not terribly clear what's included with the US version – the 'What you'll get list' just specifies a baking pan and Dutch oven with glass lid, but I'd expect there to be a crisper plate included too, because how are gonna air fry without one of those? These plates and pans are dishwasher-safe.
(Image credit: Future)
The control panel uses buttons rather than a touchscreen. There are separate up and down arrows for temperature, time and cooking function. There's also a general on switch, a start/stop button, and a lightbulb that enables you to illuminate the inside of the Combi when you want to check on progress. A small, illuminated LED display provides information.
Those are the less exciting controls. The cool bit is the SmartSwitch on the top right of the Combi. If it's pointing upwards, the appliance is in Combi Cooker mode, and if it's pointing sideways, it's in Air Fry / Hob mode. The position of the switch will determine which of the options on the main display panel are available for selection. As such, it's in no way necessary to the function of the cooker, but it is satisfyingly chunky and very flickable.
If the switch is up, you can select any of the Combi cooking modes; if the switch is sideways, you can select the regular cooking modes (Image credit: Future)
The exact modes offered by the Combi depends on your territory, but you can rest assured that both the US and UK versions have covered plenty of bases. Here's a run-down:
Extra US version modes: Toast, Pizza, and Sous Vide
If you use any of the 'Combi' modes, you need to add water to the deep Combi Cooker pan. This will create steam in the cooking chamber. If you use it in Steam, Rice/Pasta or Proof (Prove) modes, it'll keep the food moist and prevent it from drying out. On the Ninja website, it also states that this steaming function can also be used to safely and rapidly thaw frozen food – useful if your meal planning abilities, like mine, leave something to be desired. However, there's no dedicated Defrost mode.
If you use the Combi Multi-Cooker in any of the modes prefaced by 'Combi', the appliance will combine the steam function with another cooking mode, for results that are moist yet crispy. That's my understanding, anyway - it's surprisingly hard to make sense of.
The 'Air Fry' modes are more self-explanatory, although the name itself is baffling, because Ninja is just using it to mean 'modes that don't include steam'.
The Combi offers a wide range of cooking modes, accessed via the control panel (Image credit: Future)
My review model came with a recipe booklet that helped demystify things somewhat – if I hadn't have had that, I'd have been lost. This booklet is also downloadable online (via a QR code on a sticker on the Combi) along with videos and other information. Other appliances I've used add this kind of thing to an app, but I'm very happy not to have to download yet another thing to my phone to use the Combi.
The companion booklet is very useful, and there's also plenty of info available online (Image credit: SharkNinja)
On the UK model I tested, the temperature officially ranges from 120C to a generous 230C. It'll actually go lower for proving / proofing – it kicks in at an automatic 35C in that mode. You can set cooking durations up to a hour and 15 minutes, although if you're cooking above 200C, you can only cook for 30 minutes.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review: performance
Combi modes require trial and error, but yield good results
Air fry mode is excellent, and other 'standard' modes all work well
Emits a lot of steam, and condensation tray can't be easily emptied
Let's start with a general look at how usable the Combi is. You can fit plenty of things inside, with the stacked trays making the most of the internal space. Ninja says it can cater a meal for eight, and while that seems a touch optimistic, I'd be confident cooking for four to six. It's not too noisy in use, although the bleeping did throw me off a bit. It'll sometimes emit what sounds to me like a 'you've done something wrong' bleep, but is actually an 'everything's fine' bleep.
The display is great for providing all the basic information you need. So when it's preheating, it'll say PRE, and when the cooking is all done, it'll say END. There's no guessing as to what's going on and no need to consult an app to check on progress. When you switch it off, it bids you BYE. It'll also tell you when it's time to add food, and if you try and launch a steam mode without the Combi Pan in its slot, it'll sense that and give you an error message.
You can switch the light on/off manually, can it'll come on automatically for the last minute of cooking (Image credit: Future)
I like the fact there's a light to see inside the cooking chamber, although its positioning means that if there are two trays in there, you'll only be able to see the top one. The light will switch on automatically when the door is open, and sometimes (I couldn't work out a pattern) for the last minute of cooking, too.
The control panel is self-explanatory and very easy to use. The most challenging bit of figuring out which setting you need. I also appreciate that you can reset the timer mid-cook, if you see that things are going to take longer than you'd initially predicted. The Combi will come up with suggested temperatures and times for each mode, and you can adjust up or down from there.
Condensation will build up when the Combi is preparing to use any of the 'Combi' cooking modes (Image credit: Future)
In steam cooking modes, the Combi takes a few minutes to get the steam going before it starts cooking. During this time, dashes appear on the display, and the Combi emits a very quiet grumbling. Initially it can seem like nothing is happening, but after a while condensation will start to appear on the inside of the glass door. Once it's nice and steamy, the actual cooking will kick in (noticeably noisier than heat-up, but not overly loud in general) and the timer will start.
It's worth flagging that in any of the modes that include steaming (and a few of the others, too) the Combi emits a lot of steam from a vent on the right of the machine - far more than I get with my regular air fryer. You will want to make sure it's positioned somewhere well-ventilated, or near an extractor fan. Ninja is clearly aware of this because it's addressed in the troubleshooting section of the guide booklet, where it makes it clear it's normal and expected.
(Image credit: Future)
The steam that doesn't escape condenses on the inside of the viewing window. Ninja has added a little channel where water can collect, so your worktop doesn't end up soaked. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to empty it. After every few uses, I'd have to dip a dry cloth in, let it soak up some liquid, carefully wring it out, then repeat until dry. Not ideal.
This channel quickly fills up with condensed water, and there's no way to easily empty it (Image credit: Future)
Combi cooking modes
One of the USPs here is the ability to 'combi' cook. There are three dedicated Combi modes, and it's not immediately clear what the difference is between them. These are the 'best for' suggestions for each, as per Ninja's accompanying recipe booklet:
Combi Meals: cooking proteins, grains / pasta and vegetables at the same time
I think the Meals option is when you're cooking different elements at the same time, the Crisp is for things you want to turn out crispy, and the Bake is for when you want things to turn out soft.
I started by testing the Combi Meals mode. Broadly, the process is: your carb (rice or pasta) goes in the Combi Pan with water, your protein goes on the Bake Tray, which slots in above. In the final 6-7 minutes of cooking, you can add any veggies you want to steam into the Combi Pan alongside the carb.
In the recipe booklet, there are suggestions like salmon with brown rice and steamed broccoli, or tomato pasta with meatballs. I decided to make brown rice, veggie meatballs, steamed courgette and leek, and roasted tomatoes.
Your rice or pasta goes in the bottom tray with water, while your protein goes on the top tray (Image credit: Future)
I was at a bit of a loss as to how long to cook it for or at what temperature. There is a guide in the recipe booklet, but I needed to adjust both the quantities and rice type (they specify 'easy cook'; I only had regular). The booklet suggests setting the cooking time based on the protein, that clearly wasn't going to work here.
In the end, the balls and tomatoes ended up cooking way quicker than the rice, and I had to take that tray out and extend the rice cooking time. I also had to add more water as the rice had dried out.
Vegetables to be steamed are added later in the cooking process (Image credit: Future)
All of this to say, figuring out combination meal timings is tricky, and I suspect will take some trial and error. It's more straightforward with something like the Ninja Double Stack air fryer, where you can set different temperatures and durations for each drawer, and leave the appliance to figure out when to switch each one on so they're done at the same time. But that's a regular air fryer, so you'd be sacrificing the steaming possibilities.
Timing mishaps aside, I was pretty impressed with the results of the Combi Meals setting. The veggie balls ended up evenly browned and crispy on the outside, and the tomatoes roasted up nicely. The rice and veggies were tender and slightly crispy on top. I guess if you want to avoid any crispiness, you want to just use the steam mode.
Other functions
During my review period, I also tested out the Combi's other functions, and I didn't have any issues with any of them. I used the bake function for a range of heating-up tasks, and it performed reliably well. I'd like to give a special shout-out to the dedicated Air Fry mode, too. With other multi-cookers I've tested, this function has been a let-down (leading me to suspect that 'air fry' has just been added to the list because it's a buzz-word in cooking right now, rather than it being something the appliance has been designed for). That was not the case with the Combi.
(Image credit: Future)
It took my veggie sausages from frozen to cooked at least as quickly as my dedicated air fryer – despite the fact that the cooking cavity here is larger. They were hot through and browned evenly on the outside. I'd have no qualms recommending this model to someone for whom air frying was a particular priority.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Should you buy the Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker?
Buy it if...
You regularly make meat + veg + carb meals The Combi function is designed for you to be able to check off these three elements all in one appliance, rather than having to crack out, say, a hob, grill, and steamer.
You want to be able to steam food The point of difference here compared to an air fryer or big oven is that there's a dedicated steam function, which is great for vegetables.
You've had your eye on an air fryer but are short on space The Combi's air fryer mode is excellent, so if you've been lusting after one of those but don't have the space to justify a single-function appliance, it could be a great choice. The wide range of functions, including proof/prove, grill/broil, steam, and slow cook let you explore different cooking styles, without compromising on the essentials.
Don't buy it if...
Your kitchen lacks ventilation In any of the Combi cooking modes, the Combi emits quite a lot of steam. It really needs to go near a window, or at least an extractor fan.
You want minimal effort Cooking different food types at once does require a bit of figuring out. A dual-basket air fryer, which lets you cook foods at different temperatures and will sync up the timings for you, is less fiddly.
Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review: also consider
Not sure if the Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker is right for you? Here are a couple of alternatives to consider.
Samsung Combi Smart Microwave oven This multi-cooker adds microwave functionality to the list, and boasts a sleek, minimalist look. There's smart control via a companion app, and the option to instruct it via voice assistant too. However, it's nowhere near as efficient at air frying as the Ninja Combi, and while the capacity is technically larger, you don't have shelves to maximize use of the space. It's also UK-only.
Ninja Double Stack It's a dedicated air fryer so you won't get the wide range of cooking style options, but the Double Stack is arguably better suited to cooking two things at once. You can set individual temperatures and cooking durations for each drawer, and use the sync function so the machine will work out timings so both are ready simultaneously.
I tried out the various different cooking mode options
I compared the results to my dedicated air fryer and oven
I used the Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker regularly for a week before writing up this review, testing it on everything from bread, to ready-made pie, to veggie sausages. I assessed the results in terms of texture, evenness of cooking, and browning (if relevant). I also compared the results and timings to what I'd expect using my usual method of cooking, be that a dedicated air fryer, oven, or stovetop.
To test the 'Combi' functions, I used the Combi to cook variations of the kinds of meals suggested in the companion booklet – i.e. those that feature a rice/pasta, vegetable, and protein component. I judged how well it cooked each of those individual elements, and if the steam function made a difference to the texture of the results.
I also considered how straightforward and intuitive the controls were, if there were any features I felt were confusing or missing, as well as maintenance aspects such as how easy it was to clean.
If we had a 'best for blood pressure' category in our best smartwatches buying guide then the Watch D2 would be instantly catapulted into this position. It supersedes the Watch D that was released in 2022, and is looking set to reignite a watch series that was otherwise going to be consigned into the depths of smartwatch history.
Blood pressure monitoring in a smartwatch is an incredible achievement, a reality made possible through an airbag strip located behind the main watch strap. At first, I thought the strip would get in the way and be too uncomfortable to wear on a daily basis, but I was wrong. It sits neatly as part of the strip and (if anything) provides an extra layer of comfort.
Blood pressure readings appeared reliable and accurate, although the watch did struggle relatively regularly to get a reading at all. It required a certain level of accurate positioning on the wrist. I appreciate it's a medical piece of equipment, but I'd like to see increased predictability in the Watch D3.
As good as the Watch D2 is for blood pressure monitoring, it is equally let down by its lack of advanced smartwatch features. At a cost of £350 (around $400 / AU$700), I'm disappointed not to see the ability to make contactless payments, listen to music through Spotify or Amazon Music, or even listen to audio messages on WhatsApp.
I know a lot of the cost can be attributed to the advanced blood pressure capabilities, but I think that has limited this watch to a rather niche group of people and their needs. Wide market appeal might therefore be lacking.
The watch is certified by both the EU's Medical Device Regulation body and China's National Medical Products Administration. This opens up an almost global market, but the distinct lack of release in the US might further hamper appeal.
Having worn this watch for a number of weeks, I'm left with an overall positive feeling. It looks great, performs well, and provides an adequate extension to my smartphone. There's still room for improvement, which I'm sure will come in future releases but for now the D2 represents an important step in smartwatch development.
Huawei Watch D2 review: Specifications
Huawei Watch D2 review: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
£349.99 in the UK
Not available in the US / AU
Also available in China
The Huawei Watch D2 is available in the UK at a price of £349.99. Blood pressure monitoring is certified by the EU's Medical Device Regulation body. The device is also available in China but that's as far as Huawei's market's stretch.
Huawei continues to be banned in the US, which seriously limits the company's markets. Otherwise, the watch isn't cheap and is missing a few key smartwatch features at this price point, although the revolutionary blood pressure monitor makes up for it.
Value score: 4/5
Huawei Watch D2 review: Design
Good-looking design
1.82 inch AMOLED
Thick watch
Upon taking the Watch D2 out of the box my first impressions of the design were pretty positive. The 1.82-inch AMOLED display takes centre stage, providing a substantially sized screen for showcasing watch faces, health data, and notifications.
The colour display has a resolution of 480 × 408 pixels with a PPI of 347. Text and graphics look absolutely fantastic with a high level of clarity, definition, and vibrancy. There were no signs of pixelation or definition problems.
The display is encased by a black or gold case, which frames the watch nicely. Considering how impressive the display is, it would benefit from a much thinner bezel, especially at the top and bottom of the display. The watch itself is sized at 48 × 38 mm. The aluminium alloy case continues back to the rear of the watch where a black plastic panel takes over. The thickness is 13.3 mm, although this is at the thinnest location and excludes the sensor area.
This is one of my biggest gripes with the watch design: like its predecessor, it's just far too thick. The sooner Huawei is able to recess that sensor further into the watch the more comfortably it will sit on the wrist.
(Image credit: Future)
To the side of the watch is a rotating crown and a function/ECG button. These perform well and enhance the overall operation of the watch. I did find myself using the touchscreen more than the buttons but they're there if you want them.
The watch is built with premium materials, giving significant strength to the quality and level of durability. I had no concerns that I was going to damage the watch or that any individual parts weren't going to stand the test of time.
There are two watch strap options, including 'Black Fluoroelastomer' and 'White Composite Leather'. I was testing the former. The material looks great and, more importantly, feels nice on the wrist. The locking mechanism provides a quick and easy way to take the watch on and off.
The blood pressure monitor airbag strip is directly connected to the watch strap itself. I couldn't initially see how this was going to be comfortable but, in reality, it provided an extra level of cushioning.
The watch ships with a wireless USB-A charger, which is better than most that I have tested. The watch magnetically connects to the charger and doesn't require the watch to be in any particular orientation.
Design score: 4.5/5
Huawei Watch D2 review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Blood pressure monitoring
Extensive tracking capabilities
Lacks advanced key smartwatch features
The single biggest standout feature of the Huawei Watch D2 is the Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM). ABPM is delivered through a 26.5 mm ultra-narrow mechanical airbag that is attached to the inside of the watch strap. It inflates quickly and easily, providing everything required to take this vital health metric. The idea behind the feature is to provide blood pressure monitoring at will without a large cuff. So, whether you're working, exercising, relaxing, or sleeping, it's now easier than ever to perform ABPM tests.
The Watch D2 lets users run a 24-hour auto-monitoring plan. This is helpful for noticing trends across a whole day, including when you're sleeping. Do be prepared to be woken up through the night though unless you have a special skill of sleeping through the air-bag inflation.
(Image credit: Future)
Another relevant feature is the ECG analysis. Huawei have improved their technology from the Watch D, now providing more accurate and responsive results. If you're interested in this level of detail, then you can get the data required to help you identify the potential presence of common heart conditions.
Additionally, Huawei have included a sleep mode that includes heart rate, SpO2, respiratory rate, and abnormal breathing tracking. As you wake in the morning, you can see detailed results through the Huawei Health App. It also includes white noise, natural soundscapes, and relaxing music to help you get to sleep.
The Watch D2 also includes a range of smartwatch features, including notifications, making and receiving calls, and listening to offline music. Unfortunately there are quite significant limitations, including the inability to make contactless payments, listen to WhatsApp audio messages, or listen to music through Spotify or other music providers. It's all got to be done through your phone.
Features score: 4.5/5
Huawei Watch D2 review: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Accurate blood pressure monitoring
Good exercise tracking
Responsive display
ABPM is a rare commodity in a smartwatch, so I was keen to test the accuracy and reliability of the feature. Having set the watch up and got the watch and my arm in position, I proceeded to set the watch off on its monitoring. With the air-bag inflating, I was keen to see what the results would be.
I ran the same tests numerous times and gained very similar results, which showed a pleasing level of consistency. I'm aware of what my normal blood pressure levels are and the watch delivered results within that spectrum.
I did have some problems with reliability and at times, I couldn't get the watch to take the measurement at all. This will have mostly been down to my incorrect positioning of the watch but despite that, I would like to have seen more consistent monitoring capabilities.
Other health tracking metrics are measured with ease, as they don't require quite the same level of mechanics or precision on positioning. Its sleep tracking accurately detected all my wakings as well as times that I was in deep or light sleep.
I then took the watch out and about while I walked, ran, played football, and cycled. The D2 picked up GPS without any problems at all and accurately detected where I was located. All of this was displayed on maps and I experienced no problems with the watch getting this wrong. Metrics were all recorded and tracked without problem and the Huawei Health app proved a faithful companion for digging deeper into those.
Battery life is advertised as six days with normal usage. I experienced a range of different lengths with a greater range when I was only doing exercise tracking and basic smartwatch features as well as a shortened range when using it more intensely.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Should I buy the Huawei Watch D2?
Buy it if...
You want regular blood pressure monitoring Being able to perform ABPM at will is one of the best features of the Watch D2. It's fast, effective, and a big leap in smartwatch technology.
You want a top-quality display
The 1.82-inch AMOLED display looks fantastic thanks to the 480 × 408 pixels resolution with 347 PPI.
You want great battery life
The Watch D2 has an impressive battery life especially considering what monitoring and tracking it is performing. Battery life does reduce significantly if regular ABPM is performed.
Don't buy it if...
You want advanced smartwatch features
There is a distinct lack of contactless payments and the ability to listen to music on streaming services.
Huawei Watch D2 review: Also consider
Apple Watch Series 9 The Apple Watch Series 9 is the best smartwatch for most iPhone users. It offers a Double-Tap gesture, all-day battery life, and excellent health features. Read our full Apple Watch Series 9 review.
Suunto Race S One of the best watches for runners or athletes in general. Fantastic tracking features and a long battery life provide users with everything required to get exercising. Read our full Suunto Race S review
Huawei Watch D2: How I tested
I've enjoyed wearing the Huawei Watch D2 for several weeks and have tested as many of its features as I possibly could. I focused on blood pressure monitoring, ECG analysis, and exercise tracking. I tracked walking, running, football, and cycling to give a good spread of activities.
I paired the watch with the Huawei Health app to get the complete health tracking experience offered by Huawei.
Cosori Dual Blaze TwinFry 10L Air Fryer: one-minute review
The Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer is a solid choice of air fryer for those with larger households or who entertain on a regular basis. With its basket able to be used as one large (albeit slightly narrow) space, or split into two separate zones, this is a versatile appliance that will make mealtimes much easier. What's more, thanks to its handy app, you can control the device from your phone and set the two baskets to separate cooking times and temperatures. Thanks to Sync Cooking, you can even set two foods to finish at the same time, or with Match Cooking, set two baskets of separate foods to cook at the same settings.
We largely had great results across this air fryer's six cooking functions, but found a few disappointing outcomes with basics like vegetables. Considering this device's hefty price tag, we'd expect close to perfection every time.
Despite this, the Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer is a convenient, solid family air fryer - as long as you have the room for it.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer: price and availability
Price: £289.99 (about $380 / AU$560)
Available in UK from Amazon
Unavailable in US and Australia at the time of writing
The Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer has an eye-watering price tag of £289.99 (about $380 / AU$560), putting it at the higher end of air fryer prices. Amazon UK does appear to drop the price occasionally by around £40, however.
This air fryer seems to have limited availability right now. I've only been able to find it at Amazon UK, with even the Cosori website directing me to the third-party retailer. Whether that's because of limited availability or air fryer enthusiasts snapping up stock, I'm not sure, but I found no mention of it on Cosori's Australian and US sites.
Value score: 4/5
Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer: specifications
Cosori Dual Blaze TwinFry 10L Air Fryer: design
Easy-to-use interface
Sleek, matt black design
No windows
Large capacity, but bulky
The Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer is a mammoth of an air fryer, at 33.8 x 51.8 x 31.3cm. If you've got limited counter space, you may find its size (accounting for the 13cm space requirement at the back) quite imposing in your kitchen. If you choose to store it away when you're done, you're going to need a big cupboard.
The air fryer has a sleek, matte black design and an easy-to-use digital interface, where you can choose from one of six cooking functions and easily set the required temperature and time for its zones. The appliance's basket is very versatile: you can use it as one large, 10-liter basket (the Grandzone), or two separate 5-liter baskets (Dual Zones) - with a divider breaking up the sections - or just use one of the 5-liter baskets. These sections are able to be controlled separately using the air fryer's interface or via an app (which I explain more in the next section).
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
While the Dual Blaze TwinFry is easy to set up and use, I did have some gripes with its bulky design. For one, it makes it very frustrating to clean as, while the basket, crisper plates, divider, and included tongs are dishwasher safe, you need a pretty big dishwasher to fit that basket in.
If you opt to hand wash it instead, you need to contend with its size - which I found very tricky. In addition, this bulk can make it challenging to get certain foods out of the basket/s, especially if you have two separate foods being cooked. While the tongs allowed me to easily pick up wings from one side, I had more difficulty finding the angle and device that would remove the chips from the other - without accidentally scraping the non-stick basket coating.
Likewise, when I wanted to shake my roasties on one side, I accidentally shook my roasting beef joint on the other. This air fryer definitely would have benefited from two separate baskets that can connect as one instead - and a window.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
Design score: 3.5/5
Cosori Dual Blaze TwinFry 10L Air Fryer: performance
Convent app compatibility
Great results for most foods…
…but some basics were a bit disappointing
The Cosori Dual Blaze TwinFry 10-Litre Air Fryer is miles better than the manufacturer's disappointing TurboBlaze - which I reviewed around the same time. While it doesn't have the same number of functions, the results are (mostly) much better and it's much more convenient.
The Dual Blaze TwinFry can be paired with the VeSync app on your phone, which is easy to set up and allows you to control the time and temperature of the Grandzone and Dual Zones from your phone. While the app's list of recipes is limited, and I wish it would give a bit more guidance on cooking times, its Sync Cooking and Match Cooking features are brilliant. With Sync Cooking, you can put one type of food in one basket and a different one in the other basket, then using the app, set each basket's individual cooking times and temperatures.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
The air fryer then ensures the two baskets finish cooking at the same time, starting the one that takes longer first then automatically turning on the second when the first has its amount of cooking time left. It makes cooking a meal with different components much easier: just throw everything in, set the app, and track it from there. Match Cooking, on the other hand, lets you put different foods, with the same amount of cooking time and temperature, in each basket.
Sync Cooking cut down the time of testing considerably, letting me add chicken wings to one zone and fresh fries to the other, with both finishing at the same time. The wings were crispy and succulent and my chips were crispy on the outside, but fluffy inside - perfection, with little hassle.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
Frozen fries, on the other hand, weren't as successful, with smaller chips dropping through the crisper plate and the ends burning a bit on those that survived. Similarly, with the Roast setting, I found my broccoli florets had burnt ends, but my carrots worked well, and the Dehydrate setting left my oranges still pretty juicy after four hours. I largely followed the instructions of the included Quick Start Guide booklet, but it's somewhat limited and I advise not always taking it at face value.
While my broccoli was a bit disappointing, the Dual Blaze TwinFry really proved its worth when making a roast. I was able to pop potatoes for roasting in one zone and my beef joint in the other, using Sync Cooking to ensure they finished around the same time. The beef came out to perfection, medium-rare inside but with a flavorsome crust on the outside, while my roasties were crispy on the outside but fluffy inside. Toast, too, was a breeze to make.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
And while the design is quite imposing, the air fryer isn't that loud when on, clocking in around 62 decibels on average. It did mean we had to raise our voices a bit to talk, but no more than most kitchen appliances. Those with small children, or are clumsy like me, will be pleased to hear the outside of the air fryer doesn't get too warm either, only around 25C - cool enough to touch without getting burned.
Performance score: 4/5
Should you buy the Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer?
Buy it if
You have a big household or enjoy hosting
The 10-liter capacity of this air fryer makes it a solid choice for those who need to cook bigger meals.
You regularly make meals with varying components
Sync and Match Cooking make it easy to cook different foods, without having to keep your own timer or anything going cold. View Deal
You don't need a bunch of bells and whistles
Other air fryers have a lot more functions, but the Dual Blaze TwinFry doesn't need them. It has fewer options, but does them well.View Deal
Don't buy it if
You've limited kitchen space
This big boy takes up a lot of room, so may be less suited to those with less counter space - or a small sink for washing up.View Deal
You're on a tight budget
This air fryer doesn't come cheap. If you're on a tight budget (or don't think you'll use it enough to justify the cost), then you can find other great options for less.View Deal
How I tested the Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer
I used the Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L for several days, cooking a wide variety of foods including fresh and frozen fries, chicken wings, fresh vegetables, and cake. I tested all the air fryer's various modes (including dehydrate, which I used to dry orange slices) and used all of the mobile app's features. I cleaned the air fryer in line with the instructions provided in the manual. For more details, see how we test.
