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Braun TriForce / PowerBlend 9 blender review

11:41 am | June 10, 2024

Braun TriForce Power Blender: two-minute review

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

US: Braun TriForce Power Blender JB9040BK
UK: Braun PowerBlend 9 jug blender JB9040
AU: Braun PowerBlend 9 Jug blender JB9042

We tested the UK version. Be aware there may be minor differences between different countries' models.

The Braun TriForce Power Blender (known as the Braun PowerBlend 9 in the UK and Australia) brings all the benefits of the best blenders with a few extras, such as a hot Soup mode and Chop function, thrown in. It's a highly customizable appliance, offering 18 preset blending options – six presets with three texture settings for each – plus 10 manual speeds, a Pulse feature and Clean mode. It comes with 2-liter triangular Tritan jug, a fixed blade and tamper.

The TriForce Power Blender is the flagship model in Braun's countertop jug blender range. Its unique triangular, 2-liter jug sets it apart from other blenders I’ve used. Not just in terms of design, but also because this shape makes sure food rarely gets stuck to the sides. Everything is pulled towards the blades and blended quickly – up to four times faster than rival models, according to Braun.

It offers a wide range of intuitive presets – Smoothie, Soup, Chop, Ice Crush, Frozen Dessert, and Spread – making it super easy to not only make a selection of drinks, dips, butters, desserts at the touch of a button, but to get your ideal consistency time and again. During my tests, it produced an almost perfect smoothie in seconds, despite some tiny flecks of kale; its Spread setting is brilliant for making hummus because it cycles through blending and pulsing; and its Ice Crush feature worked as expected. The ice wasn't as powdery as on other blenders I've tried, but it wasn't far off.

Braun TriForce Power Blender on a kitchen counter — (Image credit: Future)

Elsewhere, you can easily set or change the consistency of anything you make by cycling through the different textures – Smooth, Medium and Coarse – and the manual speeds are varied enough to bring an extra level of precision. The hot soup function is also a pleasant surprise. It turned cubes of vegetables and stock into warm, tasty, comforting soup in less than six minutes. Minimal hassle, minimal mess.

Speaking of mess, the TriForce Power Blender's Clean mode works really well, which is a welcome feature considering you can't remove the blades to clean underneath them. You can also put the jug safely in the dishwasher.

Despite its wide array of features, the TriForce is surprisingly compact, fitting neatly under my cabinets and light enough to move around and store easily. It measures 16.9 x 7.9 x 7.9" / ‎43 x 20 x 20 cm (H x W x D) and weighs 10.1lbs / 4.6kg. The anti-slip feet and tidy cord storage are thoughtful touches that make it practical and safe for everyday use.

Ice cubes in the Braun TriForce Power Blender — (Image credit: Future)

This blender can get loud, especially at higher speeds, reaching as high as 105db. This is equivalent to having a car horn blasting in your kitchen, which can be uncomfortable at times. But since it blends so quickly, at least it’s a short-lived racket.

In sort, if you're looking for a high-performance blender that can do it all and a little more, and are happy to invest a bit more to get it, the Braun TriForce Power Blender is a great choice. It's a powerful, intuitive addition to your kitchen and while it's far from cheap, it is at least good value, specially if you can get it for one of the many discounts being offered regularly from third-party retailers. That's the short version – read on for my full Braun TriForce / PowerBlend review.

Braun TriForce Power Blender review: price & availability

List price: $249.95 / £199.99 / AU$299
Available in US, UK and Australia

There are three Braun countertop blenders – the $99.95 entry-level Braun PureMix Power Blender (JB7200), the standard $249.95 Braun TriForce Power Blender (JB9040BK) and the $299.95 TriForce Power Blender with Smoothie2Go accessory (JB9040BK). This accessory turns the jug blender into a personal blender for an extra $50. I reviewed the standard TriForce model.

As 2-liter jug blenders go, the TriForce is one of the more expensive models on the market. Few countertop blenders exceed the $200 mark with the exception of those from high-end brands such as Vitamix and Smeg with the $649 Vitamix A3300 Ascent Series, or the $429.95 Smeg Professional Blender. The closest Braun rival, in terms of size and features is the Ninja HB150C/HB152 Foodi Heat-iQ Blender and this sells for $198. It's slightly smaller, but has more automated settings.

In the US, you can buy the TriForce Power Blender from Braun directly, or via a number of third-party resellers including Walmart, Amazon and Target. At the time of writing, the TriForce Power Blender was being sold across these third-party sites for as much as $70 less than its RRP. In fact, only Braun was selling it for its full price.

In the UK, and Australia, the appliance is known as the Braun PowerBlend 9 and you can buy it directly from Braun, as well as Amazon, Debenhams and AO in the UK. In Australia, you can buy it from Braun, Harvey Norman and Appliances Online. Again, few sites in the UK and Australia regularly sell the PowerBlend 9 for its RRP and some regularly sell it for ~£100/AU$150 less.

The Braun TriForce Power Blender is a powerful appliance with a wide range of features that elevate it beyond a simple jug blender. From a hot soup function to a food processor-style chopping feature. As a result, it has a price to match. There are cheaper blenders that perform well against the Braun, but there are also more expensive models that don't live up to its performance. So, while $249.95 seems a little high, it is decent value and you get some of the benefits of multiple appliances for the price of one. Plus, with a number of sites regularly dropping the price, you could get a really good deal.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Braun TriForce Power Blender specifications

Braun TriForce Power Blender review: design & features

1600w motor, 2 liter BPA-Free Tritan jug
10 manual blending speeds + 6 presets, 3 textures, Pulse and Clean
Triangular jug with fixed blades

The first thing I noticed about the Braun TriForce Power Blender is its triangular, 2-liter jug. Most jug blenders have circular or boxy jugs yet Braun has deliberately designed its jug in a way that means food rarely gets stuck to the sides. This is because the sides bring the food closer to the blades, and thus it's constantly being pulled back towards the center due to the centrifugal force. Braun claims this guarantees "faster blended results in less time."

The BPA-Free Tritan triangular jug then slides and locks into place on top of a rubber triangular base, while the jug's lid, complete with small, detachable cap, locks onto the base via two large clips on each side.

Circular cap on the Braun TriForce Power Blender's lid — (Image credit: Future)

Below the jug is a touchscreen display and rotating dial. Along the display are each of the preset buttons – Smoothie, Soup, Chop, Ice Crush, Frozen Dessert, and Spread – and while I appreciate how self-explanatory they all are, I don't love the use of lowercase font throughout. It's a very minor, almost ridiculous complaint, but it makes the machine look less professional than its price would suggest.

Below these buttons are the Manual and Pulse buttons above the Clean button, on the right-hand side, and the Start/Stop button that doubles up as the control dial in the center. This dial can be used to set the manual speed, when Manual mode is selected, or used to switch between the blender's three iTexture settings: Smooth, Medium or Coarse.

This mix of presets and textures takes the total possible number of automated settings to 18. This extends to 29 settings when you add in the 10 manual speeds and the Pulse function. This is a very impressive number and could feel overwhelming. However, by making every button and setting easy to use and identify, Braun has avoided over-complicating things. This intuitive design even encouraged me to experiment with different settings without fear of breaking it or something going drastically wrong.

Controls on the Braun TriForce Power Blender — (Image credit: Future)

Despite its 2-liter jug and panel of impressive controls, the blender is surprisingly compact measuring 16.9 x 7.9 x 7.9" / ‎43 x 20 x 20cm (H x W x D). It should fit easily under most kitchen cupboards, even with the jug attached, and will sit neatly in a corner.

It's a lightweight blender too. The base and jug together weigh 10.1lb / 4.6 kg and this makes it easy to move around your countertop, or if you want to store it in a drawer or cupboard. It then has anti-slip feet on the bottom of the base, and a 3ft / 1m cord. Such is its compact and portable nature, the blender was one of the few appliances I was able to leave out on my limited countertops when my kitchen was being remodeled.

The use of black plastic and rubber follows suit with the majority of blenders on the market and while this means it will blend into most aesthetics, it's hardly groundbreaking. The only element that gives the TriForce Power Blender a touch of flair is the green light used to illuminate the Start-Stop button and speed dial. That's not to say it's ugly; rather if you want something with striking looks, this blender may not be for you.

It's also a shame that the blades aren't removable but, thanks to the built-in cleaning mode and the fact the jug is dishwasher-safe, this is another minor flaw that's easily remedied.

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Braun TriForce Power Blender review: performance

Almost faultless results across various blending tests
Blends quickly and effectively
Presets perform better than manual settings

For my first test of the Braun TriForce Power Blender, I made a kale, blueberry and banana smoothie with almond milk. I add all of the ingredients to the jug, pressed the Smoothie button, selected the Smooth texture, and pushed the Start button. In as little as 20 seconds, the drink looked smooth and well blended but I let the Smoothie setting run to its default time of one minute before pouring the drink.

The resulting drink was almost velvety in texture. I could see tiny flecks of kale and blueberry skin when I looked at the drink, but they were so small I couldn't taste them. If you choose the Medium texture, the total blending time is 44 seconds, and for Coarse it's 42 seconds. I was impressed by how quickly the blender achieved these results, and in my experience it lives up to the brand's claim that it creates food "60% finer and four times faster" than other models.

Making a kale, blueberry and banana smoothie in the Braun TriForce Power Blender — (Image credit: Future)

Next, I made hummus. I usually have to use a manual setting when making hummus on most blenders I review because they rarely have an appropriate, dedicated setting. On the Braun TriForce Power Blender I used the Spread setting, which the instruction manual says is designed for hummus, pesto and nut butters, and the blender ran for 2 minutes and 20 seconds cycling through a pattern of blending and pulsing.

The resulting hummus was the perfect consistency. It was smooth but thick, making it ideal for dipping vegetable sticks into, while also coating the inside of my mouth with flavor. What's more, I didn't once have to stop the blender to scrape the mixture from the edges, or press it down using the tamper.

Hummus made in the Braun TriForce Power Blender — (Image credit: Future)

Finally, I used the blender to make crushed ice using the Ice Crush setting. This setting causes the blender to operate in short bursts for 25 seconds to crush the ice to a powder. It worked well, in terms of quickly and effectively blending the ice cubes, but the result was less powdery than other blenders I've used. It was closer to the consistency of a sorbet. There is a very subtle distinction between the two, but whereas other blenders have turned the cubes to light powder, the Braun's crushed ice was more wet so stuck together in clumps. You can easily use it to make frozen drinks but I felt the texture was slightly off.

In addition to the above tests, I also wanted to put the TriForce Power Blender's Soup function to the test. The brand claims you can turn room-temperature ingredients into hot soup in almost six minutes. I tested this by adding chunks of cooked butternut squash, garlic, onion, carrot and a liter of vegetable stock to the blender. I pressed the Soup button, pushed Start and the blender began by chopping the ingredients, before blending and slowly heating them for five minutes and 45 seconds. The result was a slightly coarse, warm soup that lacked some of the depth of soup made on a stove, but was still tasty and comforting.

The only real downside to all of these pros is how loud the TriForce blender can be. On Speed 1 in Manual mode, it's relatively quiet, averaging 63dB. It was easy to have a conversation with my partner or children while the blender was running at this speed.

However, during my Smoothie and hummus tests, this sound jumped up to an average of 97db. This is equivalent to the sound of a motorcycle engine and feels uncomfortable in such a confined space like my kitchen. On Manual Mode, Speed 9, the average reading was 91db, and it jumped to an average of 105db when crushing the ice cubes. This is equivalent to a phone playing at full volume and just below the sound of a car horn. Any sounds over 85dB for extended periods can cause hearing problems.

Thankfully, because the blender works so quickly and efficiently, these sounds run for less time than they do on other models so at least you don't have to be subjected to them for longer than necessary.

Overall, the TriForce blender's performance is a little hit and miss but largely positive. I was worried, given its wide range of features, that it would be a Jack of all trades, master of none but this is far from the case. I also appreciate the different ways I can customise my drinks and food and this makes up for any of the blender's shortcomings in my opinion and experience. Mainly because if I want a different texture, or the presets don't work as I want, I have a range of ways to correct it and tweak it until they do.

Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should I buy the Braun TriForce Power Blender?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if...

How I tested the Braun TriForce Power Blender

I used it to blend drinks, food and ice
I checked the noise level at different speeds
I assessed how easy it was to clean

I used the Braun TriForce Power Blender in my own home for four weeks, making smoothies, sauces, hummus, soup and crushed ice.

I assessed how simple it was to set the blender up, how easy and intuitive it is to navigate the different presets and textures, how well it performed different tasks, its noise levels and how easy it was to clean.

I’ve been reviewing home and kitchen appliances for more than 15 years and have a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw on when assessing how well a product such as a blender performs.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed May 2024

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Console review: razes the bar

2:00 pm | June 9, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: AUS, PC, UK, US | Comments: Off

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Console: one-minute review

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro’s latest incarnation is the wireless gaming headset that does it all, improving on its predecessor in the most important areas, and can now make a claim to be among the best wireless gaming headsets.

The battery life is stated at 70 hours, and while we’ve been testing it that figure has held true. Razer’s also clearly proud of the revamped ‘hyperclear super wideband’ mic, and rightly so - it offers great clarity and body out of the box, and using the Synapse software you can push it to even higher fidelity levels. The sound quality might not be audiophile-grade, but it’s nice and neutral, and the comfort and finish really convey that this is a step up from the cheaper BlackShark V2.

It also works as a PS5 headset, Xbox Series X headset, Nintendo Switch headset, is compatible with mobile devices, and except for the slight inconvenience of not being able to use it over a wired 3.5mm connection on them, its strengths shine through on those platforms too.

Since we started testing with it, we haven’t once felt the need to return to another headset.

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Console gaming headset on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Console: Price and availability

List price: $199 / £199 / AU$349
Available in the UK, US, and AUS
UK pricing feels steep

Conversion rates don’t favor the British consumer here - the Blackshark V2 Pro for Console is a costlier acquisition on one side of the pond than the other since they’re both pitched at £199 / $199.

That makes this model more expensive than the previous version, and slightly pricier than Steelseries’ Arctis Nova 7x which retails for $179.99 / £174.99. It’s going up against competitors’ flagship headsets like Corsair’s Virtuoso range and Logitech’s G Pro X Wireless ($245 / £219). Happily, the build quality and features match up favorably against even these slightly pricier options.

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Console: Specs

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Console: Design and features

Gorgeous stealthy aesthetic
Great comfort
Handy detachable mic

Razer’s esports ties with the likes of Optic, Mouz, and Edward Gaming really show through in the ruthlessly functional design of the BlackShark headset range. Gone is the battery-sapping RGB and the feature bloat, and what’s left is an MMA fighter of a headset. Not an ounce of fat to be seen across its all-black earcups and headband, although when you look closely there are nods to its premium pricing - gloss finish Razer logos on the earcups, a gloss Razer imprint at the top of the headband, and some immaculate stitching between the pleather headband upper and the cushioned fabric lower sections. We love how this headset looks, and while that’s a totally subjective take, the visual and tactical upgrade from the cheaper BlackShark V2 to this model is not. It looks and feels more premium.

The inner headband and earcups are finished in breathable lightweight fabric, and while that has implications on both isolation and sound reproduction which we’ll cover in the performance section below, it’s the right call for comfort. If you’re looking for a pair of cans to combat the sweaty summer sessions, the BlackShark’s materials and relatively light clamping force ensure cooler temps and a floating-style fit that’s reminiscent of Arctis headsets and their ski goggle headbands.

Another welcome upgrade to its cheaper stablemates is the detachable mic. We always value the flexibility of using a headset with or without a mic, as it means we can take it on the road and enjoy Bluetooth connectivity as a smartphone headset without looking too conspicuous.

We’ve put in some long shifts during our testing. Full race distances in F1 24; hours of Unreal Engine 5 reverie with Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2; hard-to-justify afternoons lost in Unreal Tournament ‘99; during all of them this headset felt airy but snugly attached, beautifully cushioned, and lightweight enough to simply forget we were wearing it.

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Console: Performance

Strikingly clear mic audio
Less isolation than previous models
Still stronger on PC compared to console

Into the nitty-gritty, then. This being a performance-focused product range that wears its esports creds proudly, you have to hold the BlackShark V2 Pro for Console to the highest standards. Whether it meets those standards depends on your use case.

As a PC gaming headset it benefits from Synapse’s easy profile tweaking and saving, and when also being used via USB-C - so we could keep playing while we charged - it’s hard to fault this headset. But since that’s kind of the point of a review, here’s one small gripe: the physical controls lack a chat mix dial as you’d find on a SteelSeries Arctis headset.

You can adjust chat mix easily via Razer’s Synapse app, but to us that almost defeats the point - you could just as easily tweak the mix by adjusting the relative volumes of your game and your friends via the game audio sliders and Discord’s output sliders. Having a physical dial means you don’t have to, and that’s the only thing we felt was missing here during our time with this headset.

Sound quality, however, is absolutely not lacking. The 50mm drivers aren’t tuned to produce a truly flat frequency response like an audiophile might prefer. But the frequency response curve is more neutral than you might expect from a gaming headset, and that gives it a great out-of-the-box body and clarity which you can dial in to meet your tastes with either the physical EQ profile switcher button on the righthand earcup’s rear, or via Synapse. Usually, we stuck with the ‘game’ EQ preset throughout, even when watching videos or listening to Spotify.

Minor point here, but shoutout to Razer’s best-in-class audio cues when you power on, change an EQ preset, or mute the mic. Rather than cryptic bleeps or 2000s-grade text-to-speech, you hear a crystal clear voice telling you the settings you’re adjusting, and that really elevates the experience of using Razer headsets.

Onto the mic: it really is audibly better than both the cheaper BlackShark V2 and the previous iteration of the BlackShark V2 Pro. You notice it most on sibilant consonant sounds - ‘S’ and ‘Z’, with the wideband mic capturing more of the high-end detail here to accompany what was already a beefy midrange in the mic’s previous version.

On the product page you can hear a sample from the mic that sounds basically broadcast quality - in our experience you need to draft in Synapse and apply one of the presets to hit those lofty heights, but when you’re speaking via default mic settings on PC or console it’s still very clear and with enough midrange to stand proud of the game audio mix.

The only black marks against the BlackShark, then, are that you can’t make use of Synapse’s functionality on consoles or play via a wired connection. How big a deal those are really depends on your use case - if you're looking for something premium to use first on PC and then with as a PS4 headset or Xbox One headset, for example, this might be easy to overlook.

We use this headset across all our devices, primarily on PC. In this scenario, we can certainly live with those minor console issues, but if you’re buying this exclusively to use with a console it’s more significant.

Should you buy the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Console?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider...

If the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro doesn’t get a bite from you, there’s plenty more fish in the sea.

How I tested the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Console

100+ hours of testing
Used with competitive games, cinematic experiences, and Discord chat
Battery life and recharge time measured

We donned the BlackShark V2 Pros for many hours of F1 24, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, and golden oldie Unreal Tournament 99, and it also accompanied us on our continuing, crippling, PUBG habit where team comms are crucial.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed May/June 2024

Shark FlexBreeze fan review: big, quiet and versatile

11:00 am |

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

Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan two-minute review

I've been through my fair share of fans over the years, ranging from small desktop ones (shout out to my original Woolworths desk fan) to larger air circulators. And as excellent as some of those have been, few can match the versatility of the Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan. If you want something that adapts to pretty much any situation, this could well be the best fan for you.

For this review I tested the UK version, but the SharkBreeze is also available in the US (there may be very minor differences, but it's essentially the same product). For avoidance of doubt, these are the names and product codes for the US and UK:

US: Shark FlexBreeze Fan With InstaCool Mist Attachment FA222
UK: Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan FA220UK

Shark has built a name for itself as the brand behind some of the best vacuum cleaners on the market, and its sister company Ninja is well respected in the kitchen appliance space, particularly when it comes to the best air fryers. Shark isn't particularly known for its fans, though. The Shark FlexBreeze, nonetheless, is a classic SharkNinja product – that is, one that's especially clever and capable replacing a couple of different products in a top-class, well-engineered package.

This is largely because the FlexBreeze is a fan that can be used in as many different ways as you can think of, whether it's as a conventional pedestal fan or as a desktop fan with its fold-out legs. It also has a mister attachment for use outdoors with cooling water directly from an outdoor tap and can be corded or cordless and run for up to 24 hours away from the mains. This makes it an ideal fan for use virtually anywhere in your home, and it's a fan that's so good, that I've purchased two of them.

Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan in a living room — (Image credit: Future)

There are five fan speeds on offer, and even at full blast the FlexBreeze is a quiet performer, while also being able to push air so you can feel it from up to 70 feet away. It is virtually silent on its lowest setting too, and worked a treat in a bedroom when I was trying to sleep. It's also UV and rain-resistant and has no trouble working outside, while the InstaCool mister attachment fires out two reasonably powerful jets of water that create a cooling mist.

The FlexBreeze is by no means a perfect fan, though. It lacks advanced features such as app control and more granular control for fan speeds, offering only five levels. Unlike other fans and air circulators, it also lacks any form of automatic vertical oscillation, although offers up to 55 degrees of manual tilt and 180 degrees of automatic oscillation horizontally. However, where the FlexBreeze really wins is on its quietness, versatility and ease of use – all of which will be expanded on below.

Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan review: price & availability

List price: $199.99 / £199.99
Launch date: April 2024
Availability: UK/US

The Shark FlexBreeze is a premium fan, carrying an appropriately weighty £199.99 / $199.99 price tag, and comes in a single configuration – that's as a fan with cover, magnetic remote control and mister attachment, suitable for use as a pedestal fan and, with its integrated legs, as a tabletop fan. Interestingly, the fan carries different names in the UK and US, as is typical with SharkNinja products. In the UK, it's the Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan, while in the US, it's the Shark FlexBreeze Fan with InstaCool Attachment.

With that higher price tag, it's pitted against top-class floor-based options such as the Meaco MeacoFan 1056P and the Dreo PolyFan 704S, although Shark's option is unique among its contemporaries. That's because it can operate both as a pedestal fan and as a table fan with integrated legs, without the need for a cable, and it can also be used outdoors, with its mister attachment if required. No other fan offers as much versatility as the FlexBreeze, making it an excellent-value purchase if you want a do-it-all fan that can work virtually anywhere.

Compared to more conventional table fans, it is quite chunky and heavy with a larger plastic fan head than others, making it a little unwieldy to place on smaller tables or surfaces. That said, the FlexBreeze's entirely plastic construction remains sturdy in all configurations, which, alongside its accessories and versatility, goes a long way towards justifying the price tag.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan review: design

Entirely plastic construction
Works either as a pedestal fan or as a table fan
Comes with a mister attachment for use outdoors

The Shark FlexBreeze in its default configuration is akin to a typical pedestal fan, with a large fan head atop a skinnier stand with base at the bottom. Available only in black, it sets itself apart from the sea of white and silver fans out there, including the Meaco MeacoFan 1056P and Dreo Polyfan 704S, and sits well both in my front room and out in the garden. That being said, the entirely plastic construction would have benefitted from some metal accents and differing materials to help justify its premium price tag.

There is a small handle on the top of the fan head for easy maneuverability, while its 12.2lbs / 5.6kg weight makes it lighter than the competition, and simple to pick up and place wherever you need it to be. The 13.77 x 13.77" / 35 x 35cm base is quite large, although the FlexBreeze is still compact enough to fit in the corner of a small bedroom if needs be, while being able to move a substantial amount of air with its larger head.

The 37" / 94cm height thanks to the pedestal raises it up to a suitable level for use while sitting at a desk, on a sofa or for use in bed, while the fan head can also be angled up or down manually for more targeted airflow. There are up to 55 degrees of tilt here, and 180 degrees of oscillation. That being said, the FlexBreeze lacks the automatic vertical oscillation of other fans, although it can oscillate horizontally via the remote control.

Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan detached from pedestal — (Image credit: Future)

The clever thing about the FlexBreeze is that the fan head can be detached from the pedestal with a small button on the back side of its shaft, revealing some small fold-out legs so that it can be used as a tabletop option. The plastic legs are sturdy enough, and do a good job of keeping the FlexBreeze stable. Combined with its handle, the small fold-out legs make this an especially portable fan for use all around the home.

The fan element contains three large blades in grey, offsetting the black colorway well, with a plastic grille that has a small Shark logo in its middle. It continues the black look found across the fan, and springs little surprises. The back of the fan head is home to a small magnetic panel with an indent for the FlexBreeze's simple remote control.

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Controls on the Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan — (Image credit: Future)

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Remote control for the Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan — (Image credit: Future)

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Remote control attached to the Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan — (Image credit: Future)

If the remote control isn't your preferred control method, there is a small selection of dedicated controls on the fan head's top side for power, oscillation and speed. The fan speed is in five levels, indicated by a small bar on the top edge of the grille with five LED lights. Next to those lights is a battery indicator for the FlexBreeze when used cordlessly – depending on the level, it is either green, orange or red. When plugged in, it pulses white.

The FlexBreeze comes with no app control or smart features, although comes with a small cover for stowing away, and a mister attachment. This is known as InstaCool, and attaches magnetically on one end to the logo plate in the middle of the fan head, while the other attaches to a hose outlet. When turned on, it provides a cool mist of water directly from an outdoor tap, which is handy for the hot summer months when air on its own just won't do.

For the most part, the Shark FlexBreeze offers a well-considered and versatile design, with a sturdy plastic finish and convenient accessories. Some additional style accents wouldn't have gone amiss, but on the whole its solid finish helps to justify its price.

Design score: 4 out of 5

Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan review: performance

The FlexBreeze performs excellently on its five different fan speeds, with even the lowest setting providing ample push to reach me across the other side of my living room, or indeed the patio outside. Its airflow is cold, and helped to cool me and the room down by a fair margin in a matter of moments.

Of course, the faster the fan goes, the more airflow there is, and at full tilt the FlexBreeze doesn't half cool down a room quickly. Shark claims that the FlexBreeze can make a room feel up to 10 degrees cooler, which is welcome for particularly stuffy days.

Close up of the Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan's head — (Image credit: Future)

While the fan isn't silent on its most powerful setting, it remains whisper-quiet and isn't so overpowering that the noise will disturb any conversations or sound from a television. From the base level to its middle option, however, the FlexBreeze is virtually silent, and if you're a light sleeper this isn't a fan that's going to disturb your slumber. I had the fan on its pedestal level with my mattress, and its airflow wafted over me on the lowest setting, helping to cool both me and the room around me impeccably.

If you have a particularly large room or outdoor area, then the BreezeBlast mode (enabled when the fan is on its most powerful setting), which can drive its airflow up to 70 feet away, is going to be king, and worked a treat when placed at one end of my garden, with me sitting at the other. It may not be the biggest area and nowhere near 70 feet in length, but it works nonetheless.

The Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan's InstaCool attachment in action — (Image credit: Future)

Speaking of outdoor use, it's also good to know that the FlexBreeze is both UV and rain-resistant, meaning you can use it come rain or shine, and being cordless also makes it an ideal companion on a warm day without a cable trailing from indoors. The InstaCool mister attachment worked a treat too, attaching to the fan head via magnets, and hooking up to my outdoor tap in a matter of moments. It pushes out two quite powerful jets of misted water, which did an excellent job of cooling me down on a particularly warm day.

It can be used either corded, with a small power brick and long cable, or cordless, which is handy for portability and putting the fan exactly where you want it. Battery life is solid too, with the FlexBreeze offering up to 24 hours of runtime away from the mains, giving you a literal day's worth of runtime. My testing matched up with Shark's figures, with it requiring a charge every two or three days when used on the base fan level without the need for oscillation. It can also be used while charging, too, so you aren't missing out on valuable time being cool.

The FlexBreeze isn't perfect, however, lacking the MeacoFan 1056P's sheer number of speed modes for instance, or customization of those fan speeds, such as a sleep mode and eco mode. These would have been pleasant to see on the FlexBreeze, although Shark's option wins in other ways.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

How I tested the Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan

I used the Shark FlexBreeze for three weeks around my house, positioning it in various rooms including the master bedroom, office, living room and outdoors in the garden and patio.

I used it every day on all of its speeds and on particularly warm nights. When it was a pleasant day outside, I also used it outside with the InstaCool mister attachment for a blast of cool water. I also measured its battery life and used it both on its pedestal and as a desktop fan.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June 2024.

The Google Gemini app for Android is now available in the UK and EU

2:19 am | June 6, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: EU, UK | Comments: Off

Google's Gemini app for Android is finally available in the UK and EU, many months after its original introduction. You can download it from the Play Store. You can of course use Google's Gemini inside the app, and it can even take over from the Google Assistant if you want it to. It has to be either or, you can't have both functioning as your assistant at the same time, so you'll have to make a choice on the matter. Also note that Gemini currently can't interact with your smart home devices, so if you have a lot of those it's probably best to stick with the Google Assistant for...

De’Longhi Eletta Explore review: delicious hot and cold brews from one bean-to-cup machine

6:21 pm | June 5, 2024

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

De'Longhi Eletta Explore two-minute review

Throw your Starbucks loyalty card out of the window, because the De’Longhi Eletta Explore is here to completely shake up your coffee addiction, offering a gamut of both cold and hot drinks in one brilliant machine.

This is easily one of the best bean-to-cup coffee makers I’ve tested, pouring deliciously smooth and sweet espresso and cold brew coffee in record time with minimal maintenance. Of course, as with many bean-to-cup machines, it’s not going to be one for the fervent, ride-or-die coffee lovers; they're better off with one of the best espresso machines. It is, however, perfect for those of us who don’t need the ritual of coffee-making and just need the good stuff.

Relatively compact at 15.13 x 10.25 x 17.5" / 38.5 x 26 x 45cm (H x W x D), the De’Longhi Eletta Explore manages to pack in a lot of features and functionalities without eating up too much counter space — provided you’ve got fairly deep counters. It’s not a thing of beauty, but it’s not bad-looking, clad mostly in black and deeper grays, and it comes with a whole host of accessories; a travel mug, two milk carafes, an ice tray, a grounds scoop, a brush and a hot water nozzle. You name it, and it’s probably in the Eletta Explore box (provided it’s somewhat relevant to coffee-making, that is).

De’Longhi Eletta Explore on a kitchen counter — (Image credit: Future)

As ever, I was impressed by De’Longhi’s Bean Adapt and Latte Crema technology, which work in tandem to ensure drinks produced by the Eletta Explore are as close as possible to barista-made beverages. The Eletta Explore can also connect to De’Longhi’s Coffee Link App, meaning you can remotely control your machine and line up your orders from the sofa. But keep in mind that the machine runs its cleaning cycles before use, so you’ll have to get up to switch your mug for the container catching wastewater.

De’Longhi Eletta Explore review: price & availability

Price: $1,899.99 / £999.99 / AU$1,799.00
Available in US, UK and Australia

The price for the De’Longhi Eletta Explore varies wildly across the globe; in the UK, its list price is £999.99, though retailers seem to consistently sell it at least £100 cheaper at £899.99. In Australia, it’s priced around the same at AU$1,799, but in the US it’s horrifically more expensive at $1,899.99.

In the UK/AU, it’s definitely offering relatively good value for money; yes, it could still do with being cheaper, but there aren’t that many bean-to-cup machines as capable as the Eletta Explore, especially not when it comes to cold drinks. When it comes to the US, however, it’s inconceivable why it should be double the price.

The machine comes with all the accessories you should need: a travel mug, two milk carafes, an ice tray, a grounds scoop, a brush and a hot water nozzle. It also comes with a descaling kit and one water filter, which you’ll need to replace to keep the machine in good working order; these cost $9.95 / £11.99 / AU$19.95 and $19.95 / £15.99 / AU$29.95 respectively.

De’Longhi Eletta Explore specs

De’Longhi Eletta Explore review: design

Compact design
Touchscreen display
Hot and cold milk carafes

While the De’Longhi Eletta Explore takes up a decent chunk of kitchen counter space, it’s broadly speaking a compact and space-efficient machine provided you have deep enough counters and sufficient overhead. It measures 15.13 x 10.25 x 17.50" / 38.5 x 26 x 45cm, but you’ll also have to think about how you store its many accessories.

On top of the machine at the rear is the 10.6oz / 300g bean hopper and grounds hatch. These are not airtight, unlike the detachable bean hoppers included with the De’Longhi Rivelia I tested a few months ago, meaning you probably only ever want as much coffee in there as you intend to use in a given day to keep your beans and grounds fresh.

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Bean hopper and grinder adjustment on the De’Longhi Eletta Explore — (Image credit: Future)

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De’Longhi Eletta Explore with the water tank pulled out — (Image credit: Future)

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De’Longhi Eletta Explore's display showing its 'Mug to go' option — (Image credit: Future)

You can also change the grind size using a dial seated beneath the hopper lid — this is a slightly annoying design choice, especially if you like to fiddle with your settings and have lower cabinets. There are seven grind options for the conical burr grinder within the machine.

Moving towards the front of the machine, there’s a metal tray that is great for storing accessories or cups, and then at the very front are the controls. From left to right, there are touch controls for the machine’s different menus: ‘To-go mode’, cold beverages, hot beverages and your favorites menu. These controls surround the 3.5-inch (8.9cm) color touchscreen display in the middle of the console, which displays various instructions and status updates while your coffee brews.

De’Longhi Eletta Explore grinding beans for a flat white — (Image credit: Future)

Beneath the controls on the front of the screen are the spout, the accessory slot where you can click in the Hot and Cold LatteCrema Carafes or hot water nozzle, and the 60.9fl oz / 1.8L inbuilt water tank, which slides out of the machine. I love the design of this in principle; however, in practice, it can be really annoying. I found that the tank didn’t always quite align with its threads properly, meaning it would be slightly askew in the machine, especially if you fully remove the tank — so thankfully, De’Longhi has included an insert lid for the tank with a small hole for pouring in water. If, like me, you refill your coffee machine with filtered water from a jug, that’s no issue, but if you will be refilling from a faucet or otherwise affixed water source, you might find this process tedious.

At the base is the drip tray, which is just about fine for all cup sizes, barring some of the larger mugs I have in my collection. It gets better still when you lift the hatch here, which grants some extra height and allows you to fit full-size travel mugs — a really neat addition that’s perfect for early-morning commuters.

A hand holding the De’Longhi Eletta Explore's Cold LatteCrema Carafe — (Image credit: Future)

In addition to the machine itself, you get two LatteCrema milk carafes for hot and cold milk beverages. The reason these are split into two containers is that different nozzles are needed to foam milk with and without heat, which makes sense, but does create some frustrations in use. Plus, you can exclusively use semi-skimmed milk and plant-based milk with the Eletta Explore.

On top of each carafe is a dial that allows you to choose between min, mid and max froth, as well as the cleaning setting. These lids aren’t snugly fit to the carafes, so make sure you don’t make the same mistake I did in lifting them by the lid — unless you want to cry over spilt milk. The nozzles sit quite far forward on the carafe, meaning slimmer tall mugs can be a bit problematic, given the espresso spout is fairly far back.

Design score: 4 out of 5

De’Longhi Eletta Explore review: performance

Consistent and rich results
Impressive grinder
Easy to maintain

As with any bean-to-cup coffee machine, the quality of the beverages will never quite match those made by hand using a more sophisticated espresso machine, but I was nonetheless impressed by the De’Longhi Eletta Explore. Broadly speaking, its results were consistent and rich, although occasionally it spat out a very acidic espresso. This was usually only when I hit a not-so-sweet spot where I’d made a few coffees in close succession and the beans had been in the non-airtight hopper a little too long.

The rest of the time, the Eletta Explore made delicious, well-balanced espresso with a well-formed crema and plenty of body. Its cappuccinos had great microfoam with impressive staying power, and the lattes were delicious and creamy. All of the drinks came out at the perfect recommended drinking temperature, too.

De’Longhi Eletta Explore making an iced latte — (Image credit: Future)

Most impressive, however, was the cold coffee made by the Eletta Explore. From rich and creamy iced lattes to delicious cold cappuccinos with excellent foam — though it’s never quite as good as foam created by heating the milk. Even its cold brews that compress a slow brewing process into mere minutes came out deliciously, with only a hint of bitterness. The machine will tell you the perfect number of ice cubes to use from the supplied tray, which in my experience was the perfect amount every time.

The conical burr grinder inside the machine is fantastic, crushing beans to the perfect size for smooth and delicious coffee. I mostly kept the grind setting to five, but the Eletta Explore offers seven different settings from fine to coarse. It’s fairly loud (70dB) in use, but not the loudest I’ve tested.

Swapping between milk jugs is pretty annoying if, like me, you want to have different coffees throughout the day. It seems to be a workaround, as different nozzles are needed for different milk temperatures, but why couldn’t they just offer changeable nozzles?

De’Longhi Eletta Explore making a cup of espresso — (Image credit: Future)

I used the Coffee Link App and Bean Adapt technology with my Eletta Explore to ensure I was crafting the best possible coffee, inputting information about my coffee bean of choice to finesse the water temperature and intensity. The app and machine both boast a huge menu of espresso-based options, too, if you’re ever looking for inspiration.

Maintenance-wise, the machine is pretty easy to look after. It cleans itself automatically, but you’ll need to keep on top of the descaling and water filter to make sure it remains in good working order. The drip tray and grounds container are easy to remove, but the drip tray is a little fiddly to clean. The milk carafes are both dishwasher-safe, but relatively easy to clean by hand in the sink, too.

Should you buy the De’Longhi Eletta Explore?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

How I tested the De’Longhi Eletta Explore

I used the De'Longhi Eletta Explore as my main coffee machine for a month, testing its various settings and functions and drinking a lot of different coffees. I used both its cold and hot coffee technology to try almost every drink on its expansive menu - excluding those that are effectively just iterations on standard drinks.

In addition to coffee taste and quality tests, I also maintained the device per the manufacturer's instructions to see how easy it is to run over time. I also tested the De'Longhi coffee link app to see how easy it was to use and how successfully it can control the machine.

I've been testing home appliances for two years, in addition to my years of experience testing tech more generally, which informs my ratings and opinions on how well tech performs, how well it's designed and if it offers value for money.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June 2024

Vasco Translator V4 review

5:06 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: Australia, UK, US | Comments: Off

When I crammed the Vasco Translator V4 into the small pouch on the side of my rucksack a few days before the start of my holiday, I have to admit that I was quite skeptical as to whether I would actually ever need to use the gadget. The latest product from electronic manufacturer Vasco, I believed that this portable translator, which supports 108 languages, would simply pale in comparison to the translation capabilities of my far pricier iPhone 15 Plus.

After two weeks testing the device in the heart of Tokyo, however, I can report that it is a formidable device that is in many ways far superior to simply relying on your phone, and perhaps even better than some of the best translation software.

The Vasco Translator V4 being used to translate a store display. — (Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)

Vasco Translator V4: Two-minute review

So, what makes this translation device better? First, there’s the matter of the Vasco Translator V4’s more convenient form factor. It’s remarkably slim, with a candy bar shape that's easy to slot into even a cramped pocket. It has a slightly rubberised plastic back, which is pleasantly grippy and successfully endured being roughly tossed into various bags and even occasionally dropped throughout my trip.

On the left hand side of the device, there's a simple volume rocker while the right hand side features a power button and two speech recognition buttons which are used for voice translation. Each button denotes the language of one speaker, allowing you to intuitively switch between translating either to or from your desired language as you converse. In addition to plenty of chats with native Japanese speakers, I was also able to test the device’s translation capabilities in a handful of other languages.

Although far from a conclusive appraisal of all 76 languages that are currently supported by the voice translation, I found that it was quite fast and very accurate - with a few bilingual friends even remarking that the results were noticeably superior to both Google Translate and Apple's Translate app. Sure, the odd bit of nuance was inevitably lost here and there, but everything was good enough to have me navigating everyday interactions in shops and restaurants with ease.

The top of the device contains an array of microphones used for this purpose and I found that they did a good job of distinguishing voices from loud background noise like construction work or passing trains. The microphones are flanked by two small LED indicators that alternate between two colors to denote the current speaker which is a great touch. The bottom of the device features a USB-C port used for charging or attaching a pair of USB-C headphones. While a dedicated headphones jack would definitely be better, the ability to use some form of headphones is still welcome.

It’s not just good for voice translation, though, as the Vasco Translator V4 also offers fast photo translation. The 8-megapixel camera can be quite blurry and slow to focus, which makes it harder to use in motion, but I was still consistently impressed with the results. The translation of museum displays, signs, advertisement brochures, and restaurant menus was quick and, as far as I can tell, right on the money. Although the 5-inch touch-screen is quite small, you have the nifty ability to zoom into your translated text or even isolate it against an easy-to-read plain white background.

A close up shot of the Vasco Translator V4/ — (Image credit: Future)

Elsewhere, the device supports text translation, though the tiny on-screen keyboard definitely hampers its capabilities in this regard. It also has a language learning tool, but this largely just boils down to basic electronic flashcards. There is also a group chat function, which lets you communicate with colleagues, friends or even family - provided that you can successfully convince them to download and set up the Vasco MultiTalk app on their phones.

It's a solid feature set, but the biggest selling point of the Vasco Translator V4 is comfortably its lifetime global cell coverage. Not having to scramble for a local SIM card the second you land is a welcome relief and it's hard to overstate the value proposition here. While most other pocket translators cost less up front, they then rely on some form of expensive recurring subscription fee. The Vasco Translator V4, in contrast, will simply work almost anywhere in the world at no additional cost.

Depending on the features or settings that you use, you’re also looking at roughly four days battery life with frequent use or about a week on standby mode - keeping you more focused on enjoying your trip than where to find the nearest power outlet.

It’s not a cheap device by any means, and those on a budget will certainly be able to make do with a comparably priced phone, but it’s a great gadget for those willing to spend a little more for a much smoother experience aboard.

A translated conversation on the Vasco Translator V4. — (Image credit: Future)

Vasco Translator V4: Price and availability

Priced at $389 / £389
Available now in the US and UK
Not readily available in Australia

The Vasco Translator V4 is available now from the Vasco Electronics website or third-party retailers like Amazon in the US and UK. At £389 / $389, it is pretty expensive up front, even compared to other similar devices. However, when you factor in the lifetime global cell coverage, which works in nearly 200 countries, the high cost of entry becomes a lot more palatable.

Although our sample was provided in the rather plain black colorway, the device is also available in grey, blue, red, and white.

Vasco Translator V4: Specs

Should you buy the Vasco Translator V4?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Not keen on the Vasco Translator V4? These two cheaper alternatives should be on your radar.

How I tested the Vasco Translator V4

Used for a month
Tested abroad and at home
Tested with multiple languages

I used the Vasco Translator V4 for just over a month, which included a two week trip to Japan and some testing at home and in the office. Some of the languages I tested included Spanish, Japanese, Russian, Romanian, German, and Italian. During my time with the device, I endeavored to use every available feature in order to assess its performance and usefulness.

In order to test the efficacy of the translation, I compared my results to competing software like Google Translate and Apple's Translate app and considered the opinion of a handful of multi-lingual friends, colleagues, and family members.

Two-minute review

The Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD seems to want to be all things to all people. While it ticks pretty much every gaming box you’d expect a gaming monitor to tick (and then some), it also just so happens to be a stunning video display.

At the heart of its multifaceted talents is one of Samsung’s latest Quantum Dot OLED panels, here delivered in a flat 32-inch screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Samsung has managed to fit a full 4K resolution into this gaming monitor, backed up by support for a 240Hz refresh rate.

Where the S32G80SD really kicks up a gear, though, is with a trio of remarkable new features. First, a potent new screen filter enhances gaming immersion and contrast by somehow suppressing almost all reflections from your room. Second, pictures are driven by the same ultra-powerful processor deployed in Samsung’s flagship 8K TVs. Third, a new ultra-efficient cooling system has been built into the S32G80SD’s OLED screen to protect it more effectively than any other OLED monitor from potential heat damage.

Add to these ground-breaking features insanely precise and vibrant gaming images and a video performance that humbles many premium TVs, and the S32G80SD’s initially hefty-looking $1,499 / £1,099 price suddenly doesn’t look unreasonable at all.

The Samsung S32G80SD viewed from a slight angle. — (Image credit: Future)

Price and availability

Price at $1,499 / £1,099.99
Available in the US and UK

The Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD is available from the first week of July, priced at $1,499 in the US in the US and £1,099.99 in the UK. That represents a serious hunk of change in a world where 32-inch HDR-capable monitors such as the recently tested Gigabyte GS32QC can be had for $250 / £250, but the S32G80SD does one heck of a job of justifying that cost.

It’s built around a premium Quantum Dot type of OLED panel for starters, with all the innate picture quality advantages that it brings. Around that screen, moreover, Samsung has built a gorgeous-looking chassis packed with premium processing and hardware features the like of which, in some cases, the monitor world hasn’t seen before.

Specs

The corner of the Samsung S32G80SD. — (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD: Design

The S32G80SD looks and feels every inch a premium monitor. Build quality for the 32-inch, 16:9 flat screen is excellent, as a silvery metallic sheath wraps around from the outer edges of the bezel to cover the rear panel. This is replicated, too, over the handsome, heavy-duty hexagonal desktop foot. The rear panel is on-trend slim, but still finds room for some elegant arcs and curves, while the stand neck features a reflection-free corrugated black finish on its front edge and a cable tidy ‘ring’ on its rear.

Against such a subtle and refined design the appearance of a ring of colored LEDs around the stand attach point feels a bit garish at first. Thankfully you can turn this light show off if you wish - though actually, over time I grew to quite like the extra immersion it brings to gaming.

Impressively the S32G80SD’s screen attaches to the neck and the neck attaches to the stand simply by twisting them together until they click into place. There’s not a screw in sight. The screen can tilt, swivel, pivot, and slide up and down on the stand, and there’s support for VESA mounting if you want to move away from the provided stand.

Connections are rather awkwardly positioned but impressively include two high bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports as well as two USB-C ports, one USB-B port, and a DisplayPort (1.4). The S32G80SD ships with a small but ergonomic remote control that features a USB-C charge point on the bottom and, even better, a solar panel on its rear.

The rear lighting of the Samsung S32G80SD. — (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD: Features

The Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD’s epic roster of features kicks off with its use of one of Samsung’s new Quantum Dot OLED type of screens, which are already renowned for their remarkable color and contrast properties. What’s more, using a 16:9 aspect ratio has allowed Samsung to squeeze in a native 4K/UHD pixel count of 3840x2160.

The screen sports arguably the most effective anti-reflection filter I’ve ever seen on a monitor. General ambient light and mildly reflective objects in your room are rejected pretty much completely, while even harsh direct lights positioned directly opposite the screen are dispersed to a degree where you barely notice them even when you’re wandering around the dark underground environments in Shadow Of The Tomb Raider. There’s no overstating how much this reflection suppression enhances your immersion in whatever you’re watching or playing.

Anyone concerned about OLED’s susceptibility to screen burn-in should be very interested indeed in the S32G80SD’s new Pulsating Heat Pipe cooling system. This condenses or evaporates coolant contained in tiny pipes that run behind the screen to control heat where necessary without any compromise to image brightness.

This potentially game-changing new OLED panel protection feature is joined by more traditional ones such as local dimming of logo/HUD elements, general ‘thermal modulation’ (brightness control), and a screen saver.

The gaming hub application of the Samsung S32G80SD. — (Image credit: Future)

The S32G80SD is powered by what has to surely be the most powerful processor in the gaming monitor world. Samsung has essentially ported in an optimized version of the Neo Quantum 8 AI Gen 3 processor used in Samsung’s latest, highly acclaimed flagship 8K TVs. This might sound like overkill for a 4K monitor, but it really does make sense to apply to a gaming monitor a processor able to handle vast amounts of pixels, motion, color, and multi-window management (including simultaneous playback of different external AV sources) in real-time backed up by a knowledge base derived from no less than 512 separate neural networks.

The S32G80SD also carries the same Tizen operating system, with a few monitor-specific tweaks, used in Samsung’s latest gaming TVs. This means you get access to Samsung’s excellent Game Hub, which brings together your external game devices as well as streamed gaming services like Xbox Game Pass, NVidia GeForce Now, Boosteroid, and Utomic into one attractive and intelligently curated dedicated home screen. A ‘Daily+’ section of the Tizen interface also provides monitor-friendly features such as Easy PC setup, Remote PC support for PCs and Macs, Microsoft 365, and Samsung’s DeX system, while the home screen additionally gives you access to a great selection of video streaming apps. Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+, and Apple TV, for instance, are all present and correct, as are many of the UK’s most popular terrestrial broadcaster catch-up platforms.

Almost every aspect of the S32G80SD’s features can be controlled by voice commands using either the Bixby or Alexa voice recognition systems, often giving you an excellent shortcut without having to delve into the on-screen menu system.

Alongside the relatively unusual and premium features detailed so far, of course, are plenty of other modern gaming staples. There’s support for 240Hz, for instance, as well as 120Hz with native 4K feeds meaning it is firmly positioned to offer a premium PS5 monitor or Xbox Series X monitor solution. Variable refresh rates are supported in the core HDMI and AMD Freesync (though not NVIDIA G-Sync) flavors, while Auto Low Latency Mode switching (ALLM) is provided so that the TV can switch into a video or gaming mode automatically depending on what sort of content you’re playing on your console or PC.

You can also call up a dedicated Game Bar menu while gaming to get game signal information and fast access to gaming assistants such as an onscreen crosshair, and a couple of motion enhancement levels if you want to reduce judder at the cost of a little screen response time, and the option to raise the brightness level of dark areas without impacting the rest of the picture.

When it comes to HDR, finally, the S32G80SD supports the HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ formats. There’s no support for the popular Dolby Vision system.

The Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD gaming monitor on a table with an Xbox Series X — (Image credit: Future/John Archer)

Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD: Performance

The Odyssey S32G80SD’s combination of a top-end OLED panel and ground-breaking new processing and features delivers images that are consistently jaw-dropping. And not just with games, either.

In fact, because it's so monumentally good with video compared with any other monitor I’ve seen, that’s where I’m going to start. With streamed video or external video sources, for starters, immaculately deep and clean black levels combine with pristine bright whites and rich colors without the slightest hint of compromise - even when the lightest and darkest parts of an HDR image are just a pixel apart.

Sharpness and detail are out of this world, as cramming a 4K pixel count into a 32-inch screen delivers a pixel pitch so small that high-quality 4K sources essentially just look like real life rather than something a screen is producing. The hugely powerful NQ8 AI Gen 3 processor delivers the most natural, detailed, and dense upscaling of sub-4K content I’ve ever seen on a monitor too. Please note, though, that while it’s fine with internal apps and connected video devices and consoles, the upscaling doesn’t work if the monitor is set to its PC mode.

Colors are gorgeously rich (bolstered by the pure RGB architecture of the QD-OLED panel), but also full of nuance and balance. They enjoy totally natural video tones, too - something most other monitors find very difficult to achieve.

Viewing angles are pretty much infinite, while the ability of the NQ8 AI processor to show even small objects like tennis or cricket balls without them phasing in and out of the picture is like nothing I’ve seen before on a monitor.

You have to be a little careful with some of the S32G80SD’s video settings. I’d recommend avoiding the garish Dynamic preset, turning off the Auto Picture clarity mode, and choosing a custom setting with the Blur and Judder reduction elements set no higher than their level five. I’d also turn off Dynamic Tone Mapping, as it can cause some brightness instability with HDR sources.

The rear ports of the Samsung S32G80SD. — (Image credit: Future)

Set up correctly, though, the S32G80SD’s video images are nothing short of a revelation.

While the S32G80SD’s video mastery might be its biggest surprise, though, it is also, of course, a joyously brilliant gaming display. The sense of detail with native 4K games like Ori And The Will Of The Wisp delivered from an Xbox Series X is out of this world, for starters. In fact, the extra sense of the beauty of Ori’s world I got when running the game in 4K 120Hz on such an incredibly precise monitor actually felt a bit emotional!

Contributing to this sense of absolute precision is the OLED panel’s ability to control the light output of every individual pixel, which yields a gorgeously refined but also at times remarkably dynamic and intense sense of contrast. The range of colors the S32G80SD can cover (I measured 100% of sRGB and a whopping 99.2% of the DCI-P3 gamut) with almost infinite tonal subtlety plays a part in the immaculate finish of high-quality gaming images too.

If you’ve got a gaming PC capable of running 240Hz smoothly, you’ll find the S32G80SD more than up to the job of doing full justice to it. Unfortunately, neither this nor an incredibly fast screen response time of 0.03ms Grey to Grey could stop me sucking at Fortnite on PC - but at least getting hammered looked nicer.

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3 on PS5 looked and played better than I’ve ever experienced before on a monitor, too, while the beguiling world of Baldur’s Gate 3 on console and PC became even more enticing and rich looking - especially with the Game Motion Plus tool called in to smooth away any slight judder.

Games streamed from the many services the S32G80SD’s Game Hub carries are all handled extremely slickly too, thanks to the monitor’s high-bandwidth Wi-Fi system and processing architecture expressly designed to minimize lag.

It’s tough to find anything negative to say about the S32G80SD’s image performance. The Dynamic Tone Mapping option set to on by default in the Standard video preset can cause some distracting brightness instability with video sources, and I guess the image isn’t spectacularly bright in HDR or SDR (319 nits and 190 nits respectively on a 10% measurement window) mode. On the brightness point, though, the pinpoint precision of the OLED lighting, the reflection-free screen, a pretty high claimed typical brightness of 250 nits, and the impressive potential to hit nearly 1000 nits when showing small HDR highlights all add up to a typically quite rich and punchy HDR performance.

The S32G80SD partners its imperious pictures with a stereo 5W sound system. This is not, inevitably, in the same realm of brilliance as the picture quality is, but it does deliver game and film soundtracks with a decent sense of clarity and busyness, and without succumbing to distortion even at almost maximum volume. There isn’t much bass around, maximum volumes are limited and the sound lacks forward impact and impetus. But it’s perfectly acceptable, for the most part, for users who are likely to be sat quite close to the screen.

All in all, while not cheap by 32-inch monitor standards, the Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD does more than enough in the feature and, especially, image quality departments to justify its cost. While there are a couple of notable absentees in the form of Nvidia G-Sync and Dolby Vision support, the S32G80SD compensates for this with a raft of new unique cutting-edge performance enhancements and a remarkable ability to be a fantastic video screen as well as a brilliant and wonderfully immersive gaming monitor.

A picture of the Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD gaming monitor with a close up on its game menu while sitting on a table — (Image credit: Future/John Archer)

Should you buy the Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also Consider

Not sold on the Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD? Here are two good alternatives to consider.

The rear of the Samsung S32G80SD. — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Samsung Odyssey S32G80SD

Tested over 12 days
Used for gaming, productivity, and media consumption
Tested with plenty of games

Over the course of the 12 days I spent with the Samsung S32G80SD before writing this review, it was liberally used not just as a desktop display and gaming monitor, but also, once I realized how good it was with video, as a screen for watching streamed video from the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

I’ve never spent anywhere near as much time watching video on a gaming monitor as I did with the S32G80SD, in fact. But then I’ve never previously come across a video that’s so brilliant at showing video.

This didn’t prevent me from getting many (many!) hours of both work and play out of the monitor too, though. Calman software was used to measure the screen’s color capabilities and accuracy, along with a Murideo signal generator and Minolta colorimeter.

Games that found themselves in regular rotation were Fortnite and Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on a PC; Ori And The Will of The Wisp, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox Series X; and Fortnite and Elden Ring on PS5.

Tests were done for video, desktop and gaming uses in both HDR and SDR modes.

The Pump: Price and availability

Screenshots from Arnold Schwarzenegger's The Pump app — (Image credit: The Pump app)

$9.99 per month (£10.49 in the UK, approximately AU$15 in Australia)
$99.99 per year (£105.99 in the UK and approximately AU$150 in Australia)

You can download The Pump app for free, but you’ll need to pay $9.99 per month to unlock access to its training plans. Or you can save $20 by paying $99.99 for a full year. New joiners will also receive a seven-day free trial, so you can try before you buy.

This is a fairly standard price for a fitness app. You don’t get anywhere near the amount of content you would from the likes of Peloton, which costs $12.99 per month for the App One membership, but everything that is there is all experience-based muscle-building gold.

From a training point of view, I’ve known people pay far more per month for a solid workout program, which is exactly what this app provides.

Some might argue that the StrongLifts app is a cheaper alternative, with a free version available or a pro version costing just $50USD per year. However, the focus here is more on improving your strength for the big three lifts (the squat, bench press and deadlift), with these three lifts dominating most programs. That’s why I think the community element, wider bodybuilding scope and more varied sessions make The Pump a worthy extra investment for most people.

Value score: 4/5

The Pump: Design

Simple to navigate
Clean design

This app isn’t as busy as others I’ve tried like Peloton, Echelon and Freeletics, and that’s one of its strengths.

There are five tabs – a homepage, workouts, community, action plan and profile – and each one is straightforward to use. The white text on a black background is easy to read, and I found navigation pretty intuitive. If anything, it could have benefited from a few more images from Arnie’s colorful career, but that’s just my preference.

As mentioned in the intro above, there are a limited number of workout plans (not individual workouts) available. Those that show up are tailored to your answers in a quick induction (equipment available, goals, training experience – the usual culprits).

As a new-starter, I found I had to complete a 90-day “The Foundation” program to gain access to any other plans. The focus is on drilling consistency; if you only have one workout at a time to focus on, you’re more likely to stick to the plan, and that’s a surefire path to results.

However, if you’re a seasoned gym-goer, you may not want to strip your training back to three days per week for 90 days before you can get return to your usual frequency.

Design score: 4/5

The Pump: Features

Everything you need to support training for muscle gain
Informative and enjoyable “community” blog
Minimal extras beyond a goal-setting page

Features are limited on this app, and again, I’m not sad about it. They can be boiled down to three main offerings; workout programs, “Action Plans” and community.

Workout programs should be pretty self-explanatory. Everyone starts with a 90-day foundations course to get them in the swing of things, then there are a few different plans to choose from depending on your answers in the intro questionnaire.

For me, there was the prospect of unlocking muscle-building plans named “Next Level”, Foundations Continued”, and “The Classic Arnold Throwback”. The last option is a six-day-a-week lifting plan inspired by Schwarzenegger’s bodybuilding training of old, which will send die-hard (wrong action film?) fans into raptures.

Action Plans are Arnie’s tried and tested goal-setting method, both in and out of the gym – set a longer-term goal, identify something you can do every day to work toward achieving it, then tick off each day that you take this measure. I think some people will find this helpful, but I found it wasn’t something I kept coming back to.

Finally, Community is set-up like an old-school blog, with posts showing up chronologically in a vertical feed. You’ll find nutrition tips, guest posts, muscle-building tricks and occasional Q&A’s with Schwarzenegger, and members have the opportunity to chat in the comments. This element, I loved. The blog posts aren’t just public relations fluff – they’re genuinely interesting and useful. Expect insights from experts, interviews with actors and discussions on recent health and fitness research results.

Schwarzenegger’s (roughly fortnightly) Q&A’s are a highlight too. There’s a real focus on inclusivity with users of all fitness levels celebrated for their successes.

This is all overwhelmingly positive, so you might be wondering why The Pump only scores 3.5 out of five for its features below? The simple answer is that there just aren’t many of them.

What is there is very solid, but I can’t award it a four or above knowing what rivals offer. The likes of Fitbit and Apple Fitness+ can link to their brands’ respective smartwatches, offering insights on sleep, nutrition-tracking and more.

Meanwhile Peloton, Hydrow and the like offer a plethora of follow-along workouts with engaging videos and enthusiastic instructors, as well as the chance to hop onto exercise machines for a connected workout.

The only videos I came across on The Pump were exercise demonstrations linked in each workout, as well as occasional nostalgic clips from bodybuilding’s golden era in the 1960s and 1970s. And, while I thoroughly enjoyed the throwbacks and insights from Arnold on how to get the most out of each move, this wasn’t enough to bump up the app’s overall score.

Features score: 3.5/5

The Pump: Performance

Clean and easy to use
No problems
Doesn’t push the envelope

The Pump doesn’t get much wrong on the performance front, although some of this can be put down to the app not pushing the envelope particularly far. It’s intuitive to use with clean design, and I didn’t find any of the landing pages to be overcrowded as can sometimes be the case with busier fitness apps. Instead, it’s just a functional combination of text and buttons – no thumbnails or moving parts.

The app’s no-frills approach continued during my workouts. And, as someone who likes to keep their gym sessions largely analogue, I appreciated this. There were boxes to enter my reps and weight lifted for each set, helping me track my performance so I could progress my lifts week-on-week. This allows you to take advantage of progressive overload, which is the principle behind any successful strength-building plan.

There was also an automatic timer to stop your rest times from outstaying their welcome, if that’s a common problem for you. If not, you can put your phone back in your pocket (or throw it aside, as lifters love to do).

Performance score: 4/5

The Pump: Scorecard

TechRadar fitness writer Harry Bullmore completing a workout from Arnold Schwarzenegger's The Pump app — (Image credit: Future / Harry Bullmore)

The Pump: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested

I used The Pump app for a week, following its "The Foundation" workout plan, using its Action Plan feature to work towards a goal outside the gym, and regularly checking in on new posts in the Community section of the app.

The Foundation program provided three full-body workouts to complete every other day during the week, so I headed to the gym and took them for a spin.

Also consider

GHD Flight+ hair dryer review

12:16 pm | May 29, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Hair Care Home Small Appliances | Tags: UK | Comments: Off

GHD Flight+ hair dryer: two-minute review

A travel hair dryer needs to tick very specific boxes. It needs to be compact enough to fit in your luggage, without sacrificing too much power. It needs to offer enough controls to make it useful, and ideally you should be able to use it in different countries with minimal fuss.

The GHD Flight+ dryer hits a home run on almost all of these features. Its handle tucks underneath the body of the dryer when it's ready to be packed away, making it a highly compact and portable appliance. Despite being slightly heavier than its predecessor, the GHD Flight, the Flight+ remains lighter than most of the best hair dryers. This means it won't significantly eat into your baggage allowance, and it also makes it a lightweight and enjoyable dryer to use over long periods.

This is fortunate, because the GHD Flight+ is a long way from the fastest, most powerful dryers on the market. Even on the fastest speed it took almost eight minutes to rough dry my long, fine hair, and 11 minutes and 25 seconds, on average, on the slowest setting. Blow drying then took considerably longer: 15 minutes 10 seconds on the faster speed, and 20 minutes on the slower.

GHD Flight+ hair dryer — (Image credit: Future)

That said, this is what I'd expect from a travel dryer. With 78% of the power of the full-sized GHD Air, the Flight+ performs better than the majority of travel dryers I've tested and my hair felt soft after each use. It had an impressive amount of movement and body and while it lacked any discernible shine and the dryer created more frizz than I'm used to, the Cool Shot function helped to negate these issues.

All of this, combined with the Flight+'s matte black finish and simple controls, contributes to the dryer's overall appeal. As does its dual voltage capability. This is essential for international travel and you can easily switch between 240V and 120V via a dial on the Flight+'s handle. The mechanism to change the voltage setting requires the use of a coin, which is a bit of a faff, but it's much less hassle than having to pack a step-down converter or adapter.

GHD Flight+ hair dryer in its case with other hair items — (Image credit: Future)

My only complaints about the GHD Flight+ are minor. I'm not a fan of the dryer's built-in nozzle. With a semi-transparent, almost brown finish it lets down the rest of the Flight+'s aesthetic. I also don't feel like the carry case, which comes with the Flight+ as standard, adds too much. Its rigid lid makes it harder to pack, not easier, and I quickly abandoned it when I took the Flight+ on a weekend trip. The case’s design does allow for storing other items, like a hairbrush and full-sized hair products, and it keeps everything neat, but I'd rather pay less for the Flight+ itself and not have the case.

Speaking of price, when you compare the Flight+ to the rest of the GHD range, it appears affordable. Yet look outside the brand and the Flight+ is significantly more expensive than the vast majority of travel dryers on the market – as much as five times the price. In my opinion, you do get what you pay for and many of the Flight+'s cheaper rivals lack the folding handle, the power, the dual voltage and the stylish design. Not to mention the carry case.

Overall, the GHD Flight+ is a great travel hair dryer that makes small compromises in drying power and speed for improved portability and a thoughtful design. It won't replace a full-sized dryer for everyday use but offers a solid alternative for those needing a lightweight, stylish option on the go.

GHD Flight+ hair dryer review: price & availability

$199 / £109 / AU$160
Available US, UK and Australia

The GHD Flight+ is the brand’s entry-level travel hair dryer, having recently replaced the original GHD Flight.

It's sold in the US, UK and Australia and costs $199 / £99 / AU$160. For this price you get the foldable hair dryer and a leather travel case. In the UK, you can alternatively buy the Flight+ as part of a limited edition gift set. This set costs £109 and the standard travel case is replaced by a corduroy case with rose gold accents.

In the wider GHD hair dryer range, the mid-level GHD Air costs $209 / £139 / AU$270, while it’s top-of-the-range model, the GHD Helios, costs $279 / £179 / AU$350. This makes the Flight+ look almost cheap in comparison.

Yet, look elsewhere and it's rare for a travel hair dryer to exceed $40 / £30 / AU$55. Granted none of these cheaper models offer the style, power and considered design of the Flight+ and, in my view, you get what you pay for with the GHD model. If you're after a no-frills travel dryer, though, the Flight+ may exceed your needs.

The GHD Flight+ is available from GHD, and Amazon worldwide. You can additionally buy it from Target and Walmart in the US; Lookfantastic, and Cult Beauty in the UK; and Adore Beauty in Australia.

Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

GHD Flight+ hair dryer review: design

Compact, foldable shape
Power converter built-in
Simple controls

The GHD Flight+ is one of the most compact hair dryers I've ever tested. Even before it's folded. Not only does it weigh just 1lb / 0.5kg, with the cord and nozzle, but when in use, it measures just 9 x 7 x 3.5" / 22.9 x 17.8 x 8.9cm (H x W x D). It then shrinks when folded to 9 x 5 x 3.5" / 22.9 x 12.7 x 8.9cm.

This is slightly heavier than its 0.9lb / 422g predecessor, the GHD Flight, but is noticeably lighter than the Dyson Supersonic, for example, which weighs 1.7lb / 653g.

One of the most distinctive features of the GHD Flight+'s design, and the first thing you notice about it, is its folding handle. There's a small hinge where the handle meets the Flight+'s barrel. It locks into place during use, but with a small amount of force you can push the handle so it tucks neatly beneath the dryer's body.

GHD Flight+ hair dryer with the handle folded — (Image credit: Future)

The hair dryer itself looks similar to the GHD Air, albeit half the weight and 25% smaller. It has a stylish matte black finish that is synonymous with the GHD range, with a shiny black plastic slider where you can select one of the two speed settings, or the Cool Shot function. The Cool Shot button, especially on cheaper dryer models, tends to be a button that you have to press and hold. This can make your hand ache after a while so being able to choose this option as a fixed setting on the Flight+ is a small but welcomed touch.

Below the speed switch is a dual voltage dial that lets you adjust what voltage the GHD Flight+ operates at. You can choose either 240V, or 120V and this means it will work in countries that produce different voltage levels without the need for special plugs or step-down converters. The only downside is that it's not easy to turn this dial – which is likely deliberate to avoid your turning it by accident mid-style. Instead, you need to use a coin or similar to switch between voltages.

Controls on the GHD Flight+ hair dryer — (Image credit: Future)

At the bottom of the handle is a hanging loop, which is a nice touch and adds to how you can store this dryer, attached to the GHD Flight+'s 6ft / 1.8m cord. This cord shorter than the 9ft / 3m cord found across the rest of the GHD range, but makes the Flight+ easier to pack and store.

On the front of a barrel is a detachable, semi-transparent plastic nozzle, similar in size to the concentrator attachment that comes with the GHD Helios, albeit it with a wider mouth. Its nice to have the attachment included as standard, but it has a slightly brown/grey tint that lets down the Flight+'s overall aesthetic. On the rear of the barrel is a GHD-branded metal grille.

Whereas some brands simply shrink the size of a standard hair dryer and call it a travel model, it's clear GHD has put a lot of thought into how the Flight+ looks and works. Little touches such as the dual voltage dial, shorter cord, folding handle and carry case will all elevate its appeal. It's just a shame the nozzle lets it down.

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

GHD Flight+ hair dryer review: performance

Fast drying times
Difficult to determine the best mode
Mixed styling results

To test the GHD Flight+'s power, I used it as my go-to hairdryer at home for three weeks. I also took it on a weekend away with my family. I timed how long it took the Flight+ to dry my hair on the two different speed settings, and noted down how my hair looked and felt after each use.

The dryer noticeably lacks power compared to a standard size dryer, a point that GHD openly acknowledges (and which I'd expect from a travel dryer.) GHD claims the 1600W dryer offers 78% of the power of the GHD Air, compared to the 70% power of its 1400W predecessor, the original GHD Flight. It produces an airflow temperature of 149°F / 65°C.

GHD Flight+ hair dryer's rear grille — (Image credit: Future)

Even on the fastest speed it took almost eight minutes to rough dry my long, fine hair, while on the slowest speed, this increased to 11 minutes and 25 seconds, on average. My hair felt soft after each use, and had a surprising amount of movement and body, but it looked frizzy and was lacking in shine.

When blow drying my hair properly, with a barrel brush and by sectioning each piece off, these times rose to 15 minutes 10 seconds, and 20 minutes respectively. This left my hair looking and feeling much smoother, although it still lacked any discernible shine.

Given the dryer's compact design, these results weren't entirely unexpected and are on par with, if not better than, many other travel dryers I've used. What's more, the smaller form and lighter weight of the GHD Flight+ make it a dream to use while blow drying your hair. It's easy to maneuver around your head and my arms and wrists never ached, despite the longer styling times.

The Cool Shot function works well. It helped to set my style and reduced some of the frizz the dryer created. The drop in temperature compared to the regular airflow temperature wasn't dramatic but it was definitely cooler and the longer I used it, the cooler it became.

I didn't leave the country during my GHD Flight+ review, so was unable to test the effectiveness of the dual voltage switch. However, I did take it on a weekend trip so was able to review its portability.

GHD Flight+ hair dryer next to its case — (Image credit: Future)

The carry case is a nice touch, and I was initially impressed that it came as standard with the Flight+. It comes with a strap, and a handle to make it easy to carry on its own. However, because it has a rigid lid with soft sides it's not great for packing in your luggage. Its rectangle shape takes up more space, not less, and I would have preferred a bag or similar; so much so that I abandoned the case and packed just the dryer to save space.

On the plus side, there is enough room in the case, alongside the Flight+, to store other items such as a hair brush and styling products if you wanted to keep everything together in your case. Plus the carry case does allow you to store the Flight+ more neatly at home.

For such a compact and light dryer, the GHD Flight+ performs admirably. Its slower times would only become a problem if you were using the dryer every day but for a styler that you'll use occasionally, it's a small sacrifice for the portability and considered design.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should I buy the GHD Flight+ hair dryer?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

First reviewed: May 2024

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Samsung Galaxy A55 review: mid tier has never looked so high end

10:43 am | May 28, 2024

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

Samsung Galaxy A55 5G: Two-minute review

If you’re shopping for a mid-range phone in 2024, there’s a lot of box-ticking happening in this category. Thankfully, Samsung is a pretty sure-fire bet in this space and its latest release, the Galaxy A55, is another strong contender to become one of the best cheap phones you can get. Like its predecessor, it’s a mid-tier phone with a design that arguably looks and feels as good as its flagship counterpart.

It might not possess all the high-end components and cutting-edge features of the Galaxy S range, but straight out of the box, the Galaxy A55 looks and feels like a premium smartphone – all while costing less than half the handsets that sit atop our list of the best Samsung phones. And while it might be slightly sacrilegious, I think it's even more attractive than the Samsung Galaxy S24.

The A55 has kept the elegantly smooth and clean design of its predecessor, including the shiny back glass that was a major improvement over the Samsung Galaxy A53. However, what sets the A55 apart from both the Galaxy A54 and other mid-tier phones, and what makes it feel like a premium device, is that it’s completely ditched plastic in favor of a new and strikingly classy metal build.

Samsung Galaxy A55 on desk — (Image credit: TechRadar/ Max Delaney)

Upgrading the already impressive 6.4-inch display in the A54 to 6.6-inches, you could assume the size increase would make the A55 harder to hold than its predecessor. Don't immediately rule out the A55, however: while I admittedly have big hands and had no issue using the Galaxy A54, I found the A55’s aluminum frame even easier to grip. As a happy side effect, this ensures its bigger Super AMOLED display isn't tarnished by having to put your grubby fingerprints all over it to comfortably hold it.

That's about where the big talking points end. The Galaxy A55 won't leave you disappointed in the photography department, keeping the same 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide and 5MP macro camera trio that we loved in our Samsung Galaxy A54 review. The photos and videos are detailed, the app is snappy, the autofocus is quick and it does indeed perform well in low-light areas, even if it takes a bit of a learning curve to get the best results. The only real flaw I found was that the photos taken in bright sunshine tended to be overexposed, resulting in a hazy, unsaturated image.

Despite retaining the same 5,000mAH battery as its predecessor, the Galaxy A55 easily saw me through more than seven hours of screen time during my testing – that’s regular use like social media, YouTube, some light gaming and sitting on the home screen while I stare into the abyss – and that’s thanks to its new Exynos 1480 chipset. It's unlikely to see you through the two-day battery life that Samsung boasts about, but it will last long enough for most users. While I loved the battery life, it's charging was slower than I'd have liked, and it didn't have the convenience of wireless charging to make up for it.

Samsung Galaxy A55 rear glass on natural background — (Image credit: Future/ Max Delaney)

This also isn't the phone for the more intense or passionate mobile gamer, but it can still handle relatively demanding titles (like 3D online shooters) with medium graphics settings.

These few sacrifices, though, are what make the Galaxy A55 a great budget smartphone – a speedier chipset than before, a bigger display and a premium design at an affordable price tag that matches the launch price of the A54 in some markets.

Samsung Galaxy A55 review: Price and availability

Launch price from £439 / AU$699
Released March 20 in the UK and March 25 in Australia; unavailable in the US at the time of writing
Available in two storage options and four colorways

While it was released across the globe in March 2024, the Galaxy A55 is unavailable in the United States as Samsung places a larger focus on the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and the even more budget-friendly Samsung Galaxy A35 5G in that market.

In other markets like the UK and Australia, the A55 is available in two storage options – 128GB and 256GB – both with only 8GB of RAM (there is a model with 12GB RAM that seems to be listed only for availability in India). However, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G provides the rare feature of up to 1TB of additional storage via a microSD card.

In a change to what we see across a span of products, Aussies actually get quite the deal in comparison to their UK brethren, as £439 directly converts to over AU$800. So while we think the Australian price is very fair, UK customers aren't getting the same deal. It's not all bad, though, as the UK price is actually cheaper than the launch price of the Galaxy A54's two £449 and £499 models last year, and the 6GB RAM option is no more.

Value Score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy A55 review: Specs

There's a few considerable changes from the Galaxy A54, including improved glass durability, a larger display and greater size generally. Here's a quick breakdown of the Samsung Galaxy A55's specs.

Samsung Galaxy A55 review: Design

Aluminum build
IP67 rating means it can handle a splash
Fingerprint sensitive
Bigger and heavier than it predecessor

With no plastic in its build, Samsung has continued its lean towards sustainability by opting to use aluminum for the Galaxy A55’s chassis, giving it a premium-looking, exceptionally classy and functional metal build. When combined with its stylish back glass, it amounts to a supremely elegant design that brings the handset physically more in line with Samsung's Galaxy S series.

It's not beauty over function, though, as the upgraded Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Plus – the toughest yet – adds even more durability to its front and back than what we saw in the A54, and the pretty aluminum build increases sturdiness while making it easier to grip. During my testing period, it's strong build and IP67 rating had no problems handling the trials of everyday life – in and out of bags, a few small drops onto a carpeted floor and some water-laden situations when listening to podcasts while in the shower – the A55 is almost as durable as it is beautiful.

Samsung Galaxy A55 showcasing fingerprint smudges on its rear glass — (Image credit: TechRadar/Max Delaney)

Unfortunately, that big sleek, glossy back glass isn’t without drawbacks, as I found out as soon as I picked up my Navy Galaxy A55, which was anything but ‘Awesome’ in this respect. It picks up smudges as easily as my niece picks up germs from preschool. Even leaving some room for the possibility that I have an above-average knack for smudges, the phone is extremely smudge sensitive. However, it's safe to assume fingerprint marks on the lilac, lemon and ice blue models will be less visible.

It's also probably worth mentioning that the A55 doesn't lie evenly on its back due to its floating camera design – and placing it face down just put the abundance of fingerprint smudges on display. This little niggle is not exclusive to the Galaxy A55, but I did find it bothersome.

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Samsung Galaxy A55's rear outdoors — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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While UK customers will have access to the full gamut of colorways, a design factor that the Galaxy A55 5G has retained from its predecessor, Australian customers only get two colors. Last year it was Awesome Violet and Awesome Graphite, and now in 2024 it's Awesome Lilac and Awesome Navy. Apparently Aussies only like near-black shades and variants of purple. The UK has a little more room for taste, with Awesome IceBlue and Awesome Lemon added into the fold.

Design Score: 4.5/5

Samsung Galaxy A55 review: Display

Samsung Galaxy A55 display — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

Bigger display than the Galaxy A54 (6.6-inches)
1000-nit peak brightness
120Hz variable refresh rate
Protected with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+

It would be unreasonable to expect immense display upgrades with such heavy improvements to the A55's design, but there are a few slight improvements from the A54 that make a definitive difference. Most notably being a slight increase in size, moving up to 6.6 inches from the A54's 6.4 inches. Otherwise, you'll get the same 1080 x 2340 resolution Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR 10 support and the same 19:5.9 aspect ratio.

While Samsung makes a clear point of saying the A55 peaks at 1000 nits, and did not say that the A54 did, our time with both shows that the difference, if any at all, is negligible. In comparison to the Google Pixel 8a's 2000-nit maximum, let alone something like the OnePlus 12 that boasts an insane 4500 nits, the A55's output can't be considered much more than a pass mark.

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Galaxy A55 display reflecting the sky — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Galaxy A55 display — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Samsung Galaxy A55 display playing PUBG Mobile — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

The Samsung Galaxy A55 5G has a wonderful display that makes swiping through socials, watching videos and playing games an absolute blast. Heck, I could almost taste LeBron James' wine while watching the Mind the Game podcast. With a passable peak brightness you'll be able to enjoy its beauty even in direct sunlight and its minimum brightness is more than comfortable laying in bed. The A55's display is vibrant, detailed and strong, so while there might be better displays on more expensive phones, I have very few complaints.

One thing I did like about the A55's display was the built-in fingerprint sensor. While it's not the snappiest I've experienced, it was accurate and faster than typing in a passcode or pattern. Even if it's a bit slow for your taste, the payoff of the A55's flawlessly clean design – with no fingerprint sensor or button below the screen or on the back glass – is well worth it. However, I was unimpressed with the A55's facial recognition, too often finding myself swiping to unlock before it was ready, despite my face being unobstructed.

Display Score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy A55 review: Software

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Samsung Galaxy A55 software — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Galaxy A55 homepage, app library and control panel (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

Android 14 w/ One UI 6.1
Four years of OS updates
Knox Vault and Seamless Updates

If you were expecting the Galaxy A55’s software to mimic that of the Galaxy S24, you've set yourself up for disappointment. This is a mid-tier phone that costs a lot less than the S24, so expecting mass upgrades from the A54's output would be unfair. That said, the OS is far from bad, it's just a minimal update to that of the A54, running on the Android 14-based One UI 6.1.

Despite reported issues for older phones and rumored impact on charging speed from the One UI 6.1 update, the Galaxy A55 runs very smoothly, and will be familiar to those with some Samsung experience. While it doesn't have the Galaxy AI functionality of the S line, and only four major upcoming OS updates to the latter’s seven, One UI 6.1 is a perfectly fine operating system that works seamlessly within the A55.

One positive feature worth noting – a very happy introduction that comes years after Google launched a similar function with the first Google Pixel – is the introduction of a new era of update functionality for Samsung devices. 'Seamless Updates' adds the ability to download system updates in the background, and the A55 is the first Samsung phone to feature it as part of the brand's March 2024 security patch.

Shutting your phone down for 20 minutes while it updates is, or should be, a thing of the past, and this patch means only a speedy 3-minute restart is needed to complete updates. Along with seamless updates, the A55 also sees the addition of Knox Vault – a new addition passed down from the S24 – that secures important data like passwords and biometrics.

Now, while those two little features aren't much, when put together with the design and display developments we've already looked at, it makes for quite the enhancement. Combined with smooth performance and everything Samsung fans already enjoy about the Galaxy software – squircles and all – there's a lot to like about the software of the A55. With guaranteed four years of software updates coming, you can rest easy knowing your phone will remain up to date, at least for a while.

Software score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy A55 review: Cameras

Galaxy A55 camera trio — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

50MP f/1.8 main camera w/ OIS
12MP ultra-wide + 5MP macro camera
32MP f/2.2 front-facing camera
Improved low-light photography

Photography is a crucial part of the modern handset, and a phone's camera can make or break it in the eyes of the user. In the best way possible, the Galaxy A55's camera does neither.

Providing a rear trio of cameras that can take wonderful photos in various ways, and a front camera that you'll have no problem taking flattering selfies with, the camera is a huge upgrade… over the Samsung Galaxy A53's 64MP main camera. But, a lack of massive change from the A54 isn't what disappointed me about it.

Whether it's selfies, ultra-wide shots, high-detail pics or snaps of your morning coffee, the Galaxy A55 has an objectively good camera system that will be more than serviceable, even for the most photo-obsessed. My biggest problem was that it just didn't capture the reality of what I was looking at when I most expected it to – aka in bright sunlight. Whether it was photos of my sun-baking dog, the book I was reading or a cat-holding selfie out in the garden, the results were a toned-down, dull version of what my eyes were seeing due to overexposure. They were still clear, beautiful images, but a touch too hazy for my liking.

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Photos of my sun-loving doggo — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Some flicks of a morning coffee and some very handsome limes — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Galaxy A55 excels at pet photos — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Galaxy A55 Camera — (Image credit: TechRadar)

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Night photography — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Samsung Galaxy A55 camera — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Combine that issue with a macro camera that was near-impossible to hit the sweet spot with – as you can see by my best results below – and you have a camera that is little more than good. There is just too much high-quality competition, even within this price range, to give it any further praise.

Samsung does make up for that slightly, though, with an abundance of options to help you take the best photo possible, even before you get to the pool of editing tools waiting for one to be taken. Within the four main photo-type options in the camera app (Fun, Portrait, Photo and Video) are tools to help you smooth out the image, get the right framing, activate a timer, turn the flash on and enter the camera settings to ensure you're ready to click away.

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Samsung Galaxy A55 macro camera — macro camera results (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Galaxy A55 macro camera — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

While the modes within More, like macro, slow-mo and Pro, will undoubtedly be put to good use by some users, they remain mostly unused by me. However, the one mode hidden here that I do think is worth a special mention, is night mode. I wasn't blown away by the A55's ability to take photos in low-light areas at first. However, when I put it to the test in a pitch-black room its performance was truly impressive.

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Galaxy A55 night-mode photography — Testing the night mode on the Samsung Galaxy A55 (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Galaxy A55 low-light photography — The before: the books are invisible in normal, standard photo mode (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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Samsung Galaxy A55 low-light photography — The after. The same lighting but with night mode turned on (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

While it might not be a breathtaking photo of the night sky, I think the night mode better portrays how well the Galaxy A55's camera performs in low light. As you can see from my sample images, it works pretty darn well. From freezing cherished moments at dimly-lit restaurants, taking selfies under the hazy ambiance of street lights and snapping pics of your puppy snoozing under the TV’s silver glow, the A55's nighttime performance will be there for a really good shot.

Camera score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy A55 review: Performance and Audio

Samsung Galaxy A55's rear glass shining in the midday sun — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

New Exynos 1480 Chipset
8GB RAM (12GB in select locations) with no more 6GB model
Stereo speakers
Up to 256GB of storage with up to 1TB additional storage

With a new chipset, I had high hopes for a noticeable performance improvement over the Galaxy A54, but I was prepared for the more-than-likely event that it would be hardly noticeable. Thankfully, the Exynos 1480 chipset provided much more of the former than the latter.

With scores of 1155 and 3468 in the two single-core and multi-core Geekbench tests, and solid results in the 3D Mark: Wildlife, Wildlife Extreme and Sling Shot Extreme stress tests of 3996, 939 and 6216, the Galaxy A55 won't be getting any awards on the test front. However, its results were consistent. For reference, the Google Pixel 7a and Samsung Galaxy S24 results can be seen below.

Despite what the numbers might say and how they compare, the A55 felt excellent during my time with it. From Spotify, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube, Netflix to the camera, the A55 ran each one of them perfectly, even when I switched haphazardly between them to try and force some lag – it didn't break a sweat.

Galaxy A55 rear glass reflecting the sky while resting on a red hat — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

One area the Galaxy A55 did slow down slightly was within high-performance apps like the Camera after considerable use. With a day’s worth of apps open and some considerable time spent within the camera app, load times started to get noticeable when switching between camera modes. Though it was little more than slight stutters, the lag did stand out compared to its otherwise smooth performance.

Perhaps due to its upgraded cooling system and adaptive refresh rate that better uses its battery, the A55 will be more than adequate for even a heavy casual mobile gamer. I had no problems earning 20 eliminations and a win in my first game of PUBG Mobile, even if it was against a bot, and was happy to see PUBG automatically set the graphics and framerate to their mid-range settings, with the A55 remaining smooth even when turned up to Ultra HD and the highest framerate. However, some rendering issues did start to occur at those high settings, but didn't impact gameplay. Whether it's PUBG Mobile, Apex Legends or hours of Candy Crush interspersed with regular phone use, the Galaxy A55 will handle it all, with battery to spare.

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PUBG Mobile on the Samsung Galaxy A55 — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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PUBG Mobile on Galaxy A55 — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

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As for audio, whether you like to listen to podcasts through the phone's stereo speakers or blast music through a pair of the best wireless headphones, the days of muffled speakers from the A-series handsets are gone. You'll find little problems in how the A55 handles its audio.

The phone's earpiece and down-firing speakers combine to offer clear, balanced sound, providing easy listening when you don't feel like using headphones – and you won't unless you need to. While audiophiles might want to stick with their high-powered stereo units, the A55 does more than well enough for the average person, retaining some clarity even at high volume. And, in regards to connecting wireless devices via Bluetooth, I had absolutely no issues – even when pairing Apple AirPods 3, which don't always easily connect to Android devices.

Performance and Audio score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy A55 review: Battery

5000mAh battery
25W wired charging
Advertised two-day battery life

Simultaneously great and disappointing might sound strange, but the Samsung Galaxy A55's fantastic battery life was slightly tarnished by its disappointing charge speed.

The surprisingly good battery life of the Galaxy A55, improving on the A54, more than offsets the slight disappointment I felt when my handset went from only 18% to 48% after 30 minutes of charging. That's far from terrible, and fully charging in around 90 minutes to reach 100% isn't the worst thing in the world, but it took longer than I had hoped. Unfortunately, Samsung's claims that the A55 has “super fast charging”, burying in the fine print that the fast-charging wall adapter is sold separately, sets the phone up for some disappointment.

Samsung Galaxy A55 on-screen battery and charging information — (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)

Retaining its predecessor's 5,000mAh battery, Samsung created high expectations once again, and fell short once again. While you won't get two days of use unless you leave your phone untouched and unopened, I was still impressed by the A55's battery life. Whether it was the seven hours of continuous Stranger Things – after which it still had more than 15% battery left – or hours of Candy Crush, plus everyday actions like social media, video calling, browsing and audio playing – the battery life of the A55 more than held up. I racked up around seven hours of screen time from a full charge, far more than my personal average of just over five, and there was still ample battery at the end of the day.

While the A54 charges slightly faster than the A55 in my experience, the Exynos 1480 chip the Galaxy A55 uses helps it to outlast its predecessor – if by a miniscule amount – leaving enough charge left that could be the difference between ordering an Uber and being left stranded. In short, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G has more than enough battery life to get you through work, fun and be there when you need it. Just don't expect it to charge to 50% in 15 minutes before you head out.

Battery score: 4/5

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy A55?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider...

If this review of the Samsung Galaxy A55 has left you wondering about other mid-tier alternatives, take a look at a few listed below. I’ve also compiled a specs comparison between them and the A55 for a clearer snapshot.

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy A55

Review period: Three weeks
Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used: 3D Mark: Original, 3D Mark:Extreme, 3D Mark: Slingshot Extreme (unlimited), Geekbench 6.2.2, Geekbench, native Android stats

Once I received the Samsung Galaxy A55, I put it to the test immediately by running it through some benchmarking tools. I then used it as my main phone through the first week and this included playing games, taking photos and watching content.

Across the final two weeks of my testing time, I put it under the stresses, both technical and physical, of everyday life. From scrolling sessions at home to podcasts on the bus to being pulled in and out of my bag and accidentally walking into the doorway of my bedroom. These activities allowed me to see how the battery holds up over the course of time with normal use, not just how it handles high-impact stress tests.

With a heavy coverage focus on phones here at TechRadar, I'm knowledgeable of the phone market, what it has to offer and how different phones aimed at different budgets fit into it – making me the perfect candidate to test a mid-tier phone like the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G.