This week Samsung's newly Unpacked devices went on sales in the first wave of markets – the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5, the two Watch6 and three Galaxy Tab S9 slates – so we’ll check out offers from Samsung itself as well as Amazon. Samsung aside, there are interesting deals on Motorola foldables and bar phones too, plus mid-rangers from other brands and some interesting accessories as well.
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Friday was the first day of open sales for Samsung’s latest foldables. This means that pre-order promos are over, but there are still some...
There are many ‘royalty free’ websites out there that offer images, videos, and more which you can add to your projects. Some are free, and although you can get lucky and find what you’re after there, it’s little surprise that the best results all too often come from paid services.
Adobe Stock is the one we’ll be exploring in this review, to see how it compares in a pretty crowded field.
Adobe Stock: Pricing & plans
Adobe Stock ain’t the cheapest, but it also ain’t the most expensive service out there either, and we like the fact they offer the option to either subscribe or to simply purchase credits for the occasional need instead
Pricing is a subjective thing: just how valuable is the asset you’re after? If you look at various competing services to Adobe Stock (like Getty Images or Shutterstock, for instance), you’ll see that prices vary wildly. Though not cheap, Adobe’s can be viewed as middle of the road.
As usual with Adobe products, you can pay a monthly subscription or sign up for a yearly contract paid monthly (like a phone contract). Depending on the plan, you’ll get a set amount of credits to use.
A huge library of assets is at your disposal, with a powerful search tool and useful filters to help narrow down the results to a manageable level - and you can do all that without even logging in
Browsing through Adobe Stock’s catalog doesn’t require you to be logged in or have set up any kind of subscription, or anything like that. It’s a great way to explore and check what’s available before committing yourself.
The interface is pretty simple: all assets are organised by categories, which can be accessed from the top of every page, through a convenient menu: you can look through ‘Videos’, ‘Photos’, ‘Illustrations’, ‘Vectors’, ‘Audio’, ‘Templates’, ‘Fonts’, ‘3D’, and there’s even a ‘Free’ section.
That’s right: a large number of assets can be downloaded for free, including over a million photos and even over 55,000 4K video clips.
Looking through a category is worse than searching for a needle in a haystack: how can you hope to find the shot you’re looking for through literally hundreds of millions of choices? That’s where filters and a search field come into their own. Type in any keywords to narrow down your search, and if that’s not enough, reveal the filters sidebar on the left to trim down the results. You can choose, for instance, to only look for Photos, ignoring Illustrations and Vectors, or remove any Generative AI images.
One filter we particularly enjoyed was the ‘Undiscovered Content’ tick box. With it enabled, you’ll only see assets that have never been downloaded by anyone, which can be a little disheartening if you’re a content provider, but will ensure that the asset you used has a greater chance of never having been seen before.
Another benefit of this filter is realising that although Stock has over 140 million AI generated images, over 130 million of those have never been bought by anyone, which still gives some hope for humanity and the genuine creative process.
Score: 4.5/5
Adobe Stock: Assets
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
Acquiring assets is a matter of login in, purchasing and downloading them to your computer. There’s even a way to get Stock to generate new images based on a selected one
Getting assets couldn’t be easier, although you will need to log in with your Adobe ID in order to do so. If you don’t already have one, getting an ID won’t cost you anything. This applies whether you’re on a subscription, using credits, or downloading free assets.
Once you’ve found one you like, mouse over it to reveal a few buttons, including a big blue ‘Download’ one. Click on it, and it’s downloaded to your computer.
One of the other buttons lets you save assets to your library. This doesn’t commit you to buying anything, but is a good way to gather up those you like, and later refine your collection to only download (and purchase) the ones you need.
There’s also an ellipsis in the top right corner of every thumbnail. Within it, is a ‘Find Similar’ option, which uses that chosen image as the basis to locate other similar assets for you. Incidentally, you can also use the ‘Find Similar’ filter with one of your own images.
Another option is ‘Generate Variations’. Based on the selected asset and an optional prompt by yourself, Adobe will generate new options for you to choose from. They claim that should you choose one of those variations, the original artist will be compensated, which is fair and just.
Score: 4/5
Adobe Stock: Contributing media
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
Adobe makes it as easy as possible to contribute to their growing asset collection - once you’ve completed the relevant US tax forms. You can even upload content straight from Adobe Lightroom
Speaking of contributing, such a service only survives through regular intake of new assets, and is why you’ll find a ‘Sell’ option to the right of the menu at the top of every page.
Once you’ve filled in your details, including tax information, it’s just a question of selecting your images, and uploading them to the service, with the relevant description and tags (you can also do this directly from Adobe Lightroom).
There are some restrictions, such as specific file formats and minimum sizes, but aside from that, you should be good to go, and should someone purchase your work, the royalty rate is 33% for images and 35% for videos.
Score: 4/5
Should I buy Adobe Stock?
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
Buy it if...
You’re in the market for new assets, you enjoy browsing through a huge portfolio, and like the fact you can either subscribe or buy credits to get what you want.
Don't buy it if...
You’re not keen on adding yet more expense to your already struggling finances, or you’re not a fan of the Adobe ecosystem.
Today is the last day of pre-orders in the US and Canada for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and the Galaxy Z Fold5. This means that it is your last chance to score the pre-order perks like a free storage upgrade from 256GB to 512GB.
If you want to grab the phone from Samsung US, using this link will net you a $50 Samsung Credit bonus on top of the storage upgrade. Samsung has Z Fold5 units in stock, though the two Samsung.com exclusive colors will take longer to ship.
And if you needed proof that the Z Flip5 is the more popular of the two, you can get the Graphite version by August 17, the...
Last week Samsung made a big splash with new foldables, new tablets and new watches. They are still on pre-order – shipping should start next week – and they still have quite an influence on the market. This week we will look at some more Galaxy Z deals, but it’s mostly business as usual.
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Amazon UK leaned into combo deals – you can have a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 with a pair of Galaxy Buds2 Pro or a Galaxy Watch6. The offer comes with a free storage upgrade from 256GB to 512GB – and don’t forget to click to collect that £100...
Last year saw the release of the Alienware Aurora R15, Dell’s powerful and expensive gaming PC outfitted with some of the highest specs on the market. The Alienware Aurora R16, however, attempts something different. While it’s still a gaming desktop, it’s undergone a redesign to make it both more lightweight and to better fit an office desktop.
Further aiding that office-friendly look is its surprisingly benign black box shape, which completely defies the normal “alien-eques” aesthetics of Alienware PCs. The only minor flaw this desktop has is the glass side panel that lets you see all the innards, aka the components. Unfortunately, the look inside is a bit boring, as Dell didn’t bother to change the interior layout from previous models.
The port selection is quite excellent, with pretty much everything you could possibly need to hook up to the desktop. It includes four USB 3.2 Gen Type-A ports, three USB 3.2 Type-C ports, one audio jack, two SPDIF digital outputs, one side surround output, one rear surround output, one center/subwoofer output, one Ethernet port, one line out port, and one line in port.
Its ventilation is also excellent, with the Alienware Aurora R16 never coming close to overheating or even feeling particularly warm around the vents during intense gaming sessions. This is due to the several vents on the top and on the side of the case, an internal liquid cooling system, and a honeycomb vent located under the glass side panel. The latter is effective but visually bizarre as the R16 doesn’t need it shaped that way, unlike the R15.
It performs extremely well with any of the best PC games you can possibly throw at it like a champ. Titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Dirt 5 run smoothly at 1080p, which is what it was meant for. And while Dirt 5 can also handle 4K while maintaining over 80 fps, Cyberpunk 2077 suffers greatly without DLSS 3 active.
Alienware Aurora R16: Price & availability
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Starting at $1,749 / £1,349 / around AU$2,670
Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The Alienware Aurora R16, while still a bit on the expensive side, is one of the most affordable gaming PCs equipped with current-gen components like the 13th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor and the Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card. Starting price is at $1,749 / £1,349 / around AU$2,670, with upgrades not skyrocketing the price nearly as much. And there’s another, even more affordable option that will be available later in 2023.
Dell confirmed that the R16 will launch in US, UK, and Australia. And while pricing has been confirmed for US and UK, there’s no official Australian pricing at this time. Unlike the US release, which is August 3, 2023, the UK release is August 8, 2023.
Price score: 4 / 5
Alienware Aurora R16: Specs
(Image credit: Future)
The Alienware Aurora R16 comes in two configurations, with a planned third cheaper one coming later in 2023. The one given to me for review is as follows: an Intel Core i7-13700F processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 12GB GDRR6 graphics card, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD storage.
Meanwhile, the current starting configuration for the US is an Intel Core i7-13700F, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD storage. Starting configuration for the UK version is a bit different as it comes with an Intel Core i7-13700F, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD of storage.
Being that this is a PC and not a laptop, each component can be upgraded. However, the tight fit within the chassis could make certain upgrades more difficult. And if you’re not the self-upgrading type, there are plenty of configuration options available to customize your PC.
Specs score: 5 / 5
Alienware Aurora R16: Design
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More compact and takes up less desk space
Glass side panel is pointless
Great port selection
Great ventilation
The Alienware Aurora R16 is fascinating as a desktop gaming PC, as its aesthetics are both subdued and a departure from the usual Alienware design. Though it’s still a gaming machine through and through, the plain black case, subtle RGB lighting, more compact box shape, and single clear side panel create a PC that’s a perfect fit for the office. It’s impressive how little space it takes up on a desk and as for its weight, it’s easier to maneuver around than the previous model, though it’s still a bit hefty.
While I do enjoy the striking look of the clear side panel, it’s a bit out of place for a PC that’s meant to fit in a more professional setting. Not to mention there’s nothing particularly interesting to see, since the interior is set up pretty much like any other Alienware desktop. It’s actually a bit less interesting due to the lack of RGB lighting and the almost claustrophobic insides.
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It does have an impressive port selection, with plenty of ports on the front and back tailor-made for pretty much anything you’d want to connect the PC to. There are four USB 3.2 Gen Type-A ports, three USB 3.2 Type-C ports, one audio jack, two SPDIF digital outputs, one side surround output, one rear surround output, one center/subwoofer output, one Ethernet port, one line out port, and one line in port.
Ventilation is also some of the best out there among gaming PCs, with not a single moment of overheating during long gaming sessions. There are several vents on top and on the sides of the chassis that aid in that, along with the 240mm liquid cooling system inside. Not to mention how whisper quiet it is, you would be hard-pressed to hear any sound coming from it. And though the honeycomb-shaped vents below the clear panel are solid, it’s an unnecessary design choice considering that the R16 doesn’t need it, unlike the R15. A regular vent would have been more than sufficient.
Design score: 4 / 5
Alienware Aurora R16: Performance
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Excellent all-around performance
Works well for gaming, productivity, and creative/editing
Alienware Aurora R16: Benchmarks
Here's how the Alienware Aurora R16 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
As with most gaming PCs, the Alienware Aurora R16 not only performs well with high-end PC titles, but can also double as a productivity and creative/editing machine.
It handles titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Dirt 5 well, with the former scoring nearly 60 fps consistently while the latter hits over 150 fps on lower settings. However, it gets a little dicey for Cyberpunk 2077 when you kick up the resolution to 4K, dropping the framerate to 16 fps without DLSS 3 active. Dirt 5 drops as well but the framerate is still an excellent 82 on average. This tracks with the focus of the R16 being on 1080p and QHD gaming, so having it run at 4K resolution isn’t an ideal condition.
Dell made an interesting claim that the R16 matches or is superior in performance to the R15 while maintaining mid-range pricing. And when looking over the benchmark scores you can definitely see where that claim comes from. In 3DMark, the R16 is surprisingly close to the R15 in Night Raid and Fire Strike, only losing out in Port Royal and Time Spy. Though the latter far surpasses the former in Cinebench R23 results, the R16 either matches or exceeds the GeekBench 5 and PCMark 10 Home Test results.
Of course, benchmarks aren’t the end all be all of the actual performance, and naturally, the R15 outperforms the R16 when it comes to gaming due to having a better graphics card. But for what the R16 has and for its lower cost, it’s a solid machine for those wanting solid game performance without paying close to or over $4,000 for the top-tier specs.
It also scores well on other benchmarks like the 25GB File Copy test, the Handbrake 1.6 test, and the CrossMark test. If you need a PC for creative and editing projects, it would be worth investing in a monitor with a solid color gamut to take advantage of this PC.
Performance score:4.5 / 5
Should you buy the Alienware Aurora R16?
Buy it if...
You need a well-rounded PC Showing by its benchmarks and general performance, this PC can handle it all and well. You can use it for gaming, productivity, and creative or editing projects.
You need a diverse port selection The port selection is excellent, a well-rounded selection that caters to many devices.
You need a smaller PC for the office Compared to other models from the same line, this one is more compact and a bit lighter, which lets it fit right in an office environment.
Don't buy it if...
You're on a strict budget While the cheapest option is nice to see, it's still not a budget machine and the highest configurations can get a little pricey.
Alienware Aurora R16: Also consider
If the Alienware Aurora R16 has you considering other options, here are two more gaming PCs to consider...
How I tested the Alienware Aurora R16
I tested the Alienware Aurora R16 for about a week
I tested PC games at both low and high settings
I used a variety of benchmarks as well as general gameplay to test performance
First, I tested the general weight of the Alienware Aurora R16 by lifting it up and around my apartment. After I set it up, I ran several benchmarks to test out both the processor and graphics card, as well as in-game gameplay performance. Finally, I stress-tested titles like Dirt 5 and Cyberpunk 2077 in various settings to see both overall performance and ventilation quality.
The Alienware Aurora R16 is specially made as a gaming PC, which meant the brunt of my testing revolved around checking game performance and looking for any ventilation issues.
I've tested plenty of gaming PCs and laptops, making me more than qualified to understand benchmark test results and how to properly stress test machines to see how well they work during both casual and intense gaming sessions.
Samsung unveiled its 5th generation foldable phones this week and they went on pre-order. There are some great deals in some regions and not-so-great deals in other regions. We also look at possible alternatives to the Galaxy Z foldables.
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Samsung US is offering some killer trade-in deals. For example, if you send in your old Galaxy Z Flip4, you can get the new Z Flip5 for just $100 (assuming it’s in a good condition, if your old Flip has screen damage you will have to pay $300 instead). $100 to get the new hinge and cover display,...
This year’s Razer Blade 14 refresh has been outfitted with the latest specs, including the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU, which sports a 5.2 GHz max clock speed and eight cores/16 threads, and up to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. Despite containing such powerful and normally heavy components, it still manages to remain lightweight and thin, a contrast to the much larger laptop models like the 16-inch and 18-inch ones. And not only are the specs themselves impressive, but the overall performance is too. The laptop can get hot during more intensive gaming sessions but it never once stuttered, slowed down, or froze.
Its chassis is simply all black with the logo in green, the distinctive style of Razer products. There’s also a white version called Mercury, but unfortunately no Quartz from the 2022 model. It’s a little over four pounds with a thickness of less than one inch which, combined with the 14-inch display, makes it easy to carry around in most medium size bags. It’s ideal for those who need what might be one of the best gaming laptops to also be one of the best thin and light laptops for traveling.
The display is gorgeous, featuring a QHD+ resolution and a mind-blowingly high refresh rate of 240Hz, an impressive response time of less than 3ms, and a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. Both its keyboard and touchpad are responsive and have a satisfying snap. The keyboard also has customizable RGB lighting It also sports a solid port selection including two USB Type-A ports, two USB Type-C ports, an HDMI port, a power port, a Kensington lock, and an audio jack, though unfortunately there’s no SD card slot or ethernet port. Even better is that it has a physical webcam privacy shutter with a mechanical switch, an incredibly rare feature that’s more than welcome on the Blade 14.
Out of all the laptops that Razer released this generation, this is the most impressive one to me. Being able to produce a high-performance laptop with solid benchmark scores while not compromising on the build quality is no mean feat. The only spec that was a bit disappointing is the battery life. Razer claimed it could last up to 10-12 hours, and if going by pure productivity work then it gets close to that with eight hours of life. However, if you stream movies or play games, that gets cut down to a paltry four hours. It does charge quickly at least.
Its benchmark results are quite excellent, comparable to plenty of other similar spec laptops on the market like the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro or the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16. It’s able to keep pace with machines with better specs in benchmark tests. And for general performance, its framerate either keeps up with or passes other laptops with better specs. Ventilation isn’t too shabby either, as even when it does heat up, the performance never suffers.
When it comes to other performance metrics, like framerate, it also delivers great results. For instance, playing Cyberpunk 2077 on maxed-out settings gets you close to 60 fps, and I netted similar results for Dirt 5. Total War: Warhammer III naturally performed far above that amount in its highest settings. Titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered and Final Fantasy VII Remake also able performed well, consistently able to reach 70 fps or higher on the highest settings and with both ray-tracing and DLSS 3 enabled.
Razer Blade 14 (2023): Price & availability
(Image credit: Future)
Starting at $2,399 / £2,499 / AU$4,499
Available now
Available in the US, UK, and Australia
Razer laptops tend to be quite expensive and the Razer Blade 14 (2023) is no exception. Despite it being a 14-inch laptop, it commands a starting price point of $2,399 / £2,499.99 / 4,499 which only increases as the GPU improves. With all specs completely maxed out including an RTX 4070 GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and the Mercury color which costs an extra $400 and defaults to 32GB RAM and RTX 4070, you’ll be paying $2,799.99 / £2,899.99 / AU$5,299.
Compared to other laptops with similar builds but larger display sizes like the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra, you’re paying far more money. And other gaming laptops with somewhat similar specs but much larger sizes, like the Lenovo start around the same price range. Thankfully this laptop is available in the UK and Australia, which means no import fees or much higher shipping costs.
Price score: 4 / 5
Razer Blade 14 (2023): Specs
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The Razer Blade 14 (2023) comes in two configurations, the base version is equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and comes in black. The second one has an RTX 4070 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and comes in the color Mercury.
Only color, RAM, and GPU can be configured before purchase, and it's based on said color choice you make, with the Mercury version solely having access to the higher specs. Otherwise, it can’t be configured by the user after purchase.
Specs score: 4.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Razer Blade 14 (2023): Design
Thin and light
Great audio system
Limited color choices
Razer is known for having some of the best thin and light laptops on the market. And while previously released 2023 models have bucked that trend by embracing the desktop replacement format, the Razer Blade 14 (2023) is a return to form. Despite being equipped with an RTX 4070 GPU at best, it’s a mere four pounds and is less than one inch thick. And thanks to the 14-inch display, it fits into most medium and up-size bags, making it easy to transport while barely feeling the weight.
It comes in two colors, black and Mercury, though the Quartz color from the 2022 version is not available. Disappointing as it set the laptop apart from the generic gamer aesthetic, which the other two colors unfortunately follow. Hopefully, Razer will release a refresh of the Quartz version later this year.
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The display itself is beautiful with excellent performance thanks to the QHD+ resolution, a refresh rate of 240Hz, a response time of less than 3ms, and a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. The port selection is also solid as it includes two USB Type-A ports, two USB Type-C ports, an HDMI port, a power port, a Kensington lock, and an audio jack. On the downside, there’s no SD card slot or ethernet port, limiting your options to connect this laptop to another screen or a stable wired internet connection. It does come with a feature that many laptops lack, however, which is a physical webcam privacy shutter with a mechanical switch.
Both the keyboard and the touchpad have a satisfying snap when pressing down. The former’s keys are large enough to cater to most finger sizes and the latter is responsive with that clicky feedback I enjoy in a touchpad.
Razer’s decision to have dual speakers on either side of the keyboard was a good one, as the sound quality is clear. Though the volume isn’t as loud as I would like it, the clarity in each musical instrument and audio cue while playing games or streaming is top-notch and more than worth the tradeoff. I wish the same could be said for the webcam’s visual quality, which isn’t bad but has the mediocre framerate and poor quality in low light that most gaming laptops suffer from.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Razer Blade 14 (2023): Performance
Excellent gaming performance
Performs well in creative and editing projects
Can run hot at times
Razer Blade 14 (2023): Benchmarks
Here's how the Razer Blade 14 (2023) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
Despite the usual thin and light chassis of a Razor laptop, the Razor Blade 14 (2023) boasts excellent gaming performance that compares to other similar gaming laptops. Benchmark results are quite excellent, comparable to plenty of other similar spec laptops on the market like the Legion 7i Pro or the ROG Zephyrus M16. This is especially impressive considering that the test units of the other two laptops are more powerful than the Razer Blade 14, and yet the latter can nearly match scores.
In terms of gaming performance, despite the difference in specs, it seems that the Blade 14’s CPU and GPU work much better in tandem, as frame rates usually match and in the case of Cyberpunk 2077, actually surpass the other laptops in high settings. In Marvel’s Spider-Man, the framerate doesn’t dip below 75 fps even under the highest possible settings. And thanks to the Blade 14 display’s high refresh rate, the gameplay looks and feels buttery smooth, a boon for hardcore and professional gamers.
Ventilation isn’t bad for such a relatively thin laptop; even though it does heat up when during an intense gaming session, I’ve never experienced any stuttering, freezing, or slowing down while playing.
It also performs well for those needing a creative or editing machine, as it netted pretty solid 25GB File Copy, Handbrake, and CrossMark scores, not to mention the 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. It’s a well-balanced laptop that, while specializing in gaming, can also dabble in pretty much any other need you have and handle it well.
Performance score: 5 / 5
Razer Blade 14 (2023): Battery
(Image credit: Future)
Poor battery life
Charges quickly
According to Razer, the Razer Blade 14 (2023) is supposed to have up to 10 hours of battery life. And it does come close to that, eight hours just about, but only when used for productivity work. When used for streaming or gaming, that battery life is cut in half to four hours at most, which means you’ll be keeping it plugged in for any intensive usage.
It does have the benefit of charging quickly, with it taking only an hour to fully charge the battery. So if you need a productivity laptop that will last for about a full workday then it’ll last and charge right back up in no time.
Battery score: 3.5 / 5
Should you buy the Razer Blade 14 (2023)?
Buy it if...
You want a thin and light gaming laptop Just as Razer is known for, this laptop weighs surprisingly little for its specs and can fit into most bags and be carried around with ease.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a budget Razer laptops are not meant for those without excess cash flow and this model is no exception.
Razer Blade 14 (2023): Also consider
If the Razer Blade 14 (2023) has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...
How I tested the Razer Blade 14 (2023)
I tested this laptop for about two weeks
I tested the gaming performance as well as productivity work
I used a variety of benchmark tests as well as high-end PC games to test this laptop.
To test out the Razer Blade 14 (2023) I used a full suite of benchmarks to rank both CPU and GPU performance, with more emphasis on the latter. I also tested out frame rate performance on max settings with a range of high-end PC games like Cyberpunk 2077, Dirt 5, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, and more.
This laptop would primarily be used for gaming, specifically hardcore gaming. Due to its GPU and high color gamut, it can also be used for creative and editing projects, and its CPU means that productivity work is a breeze as well.
I’ve tested out many laptops, especially gaming ones, which gives me plenty of experience with properly benchmarking them. I also have extensive knowledge of testing out general performance such as framerate and graphics.
The Garmin Fenix 7 Pro is a new version of the Fenix 7, which launched in early 2022. This isn’t the first time Garmin has launched a Pro version of its feature-packed watch aimed at lovers of the great outdoors and is likely to fill the void before we see the Fenix 8.
For the Fenix 7 Pro, the headline news is that one of the best Garmin watches is seeking to improve things even further in the display and heart rate tracking departments and now wants to help you better understand how well-equipped you are at tackling hills and endurance events.
The Fenix 7 was an impressive watch and it’s more of the same with the Pro, offering a rich array of sports profiles, metrics, training and analysis insights and the kind of battery life that can keep you away from a charger for weeks.
The problem that the Pro has is that many of the big software features have headed to the older Fenix 7 series, making the Pro version more of a sell for older Fenix owners and those that really want the newest outdoor features that Garmin has to offer.
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro: Specifications
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro: Price and availability
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$799 in the US
£749.99 in the UK
$1,349 in Australia
The Garmin Fenix 7 Pro is available to buy now directly from Garmin and from a host of other retailers including Amazon. It has a current RRP of £749.99 in the UK, $799 in the US and $1,349 in Australia.
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro: Design and screen
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New, clearer screen
Same rugged form factor
New flashlight added
The Fenix 7 Pro like the standard 7 is all about being a watch that’s built for some serious rough and tumble, so unlike Garmin’s Forerunner watches such as the Garmin Forerunner 265, you can expect a thicker case design, more tougher metal and generally a stronger level of protection against water.
Like the 7, the 7 Pro comes in three case sizes. I had the 47mm version, which is very similar to the 47mm Fenix 7 in terms of how it feels to wear and what you can expect in terms of weight and the space it soaks up on your wrist.
It’s a polymer case with steel around the back and a bezel built from stainless steel, which helps this watch to weigh in at 79g. Garmin pairs that with 22mm QuickFit straps, so you’re just a simple button press away from removing it and putting on a new one. As a package, it’s waterproof up to 100 metres making it safe for pool and open water swimming time.
Front and centre is a 1.3-inch, 260 x 260 resolution transflective memory-in-pixel display, which Garmin says is an improved one on the display included on the non-Pro 7. I’d say it’s a touch clearer, but there’s not a massive amount in it. It’s still a display technology that offers good visibility indoors, outside and the responsiveness of the touchscreen support is as good as you’ll find on a sports watch right now. It’s never going to be as bright as the Epix’ series AMOLED display, but is excellent for battery conservation.
On top of that screen lies Garmin’s PowerGlass, which does mean you get solar charging powers here to boost the already big battery numbers Garmin promises, as long as you’re spending enough time out in the sun to enjoy the benefits.
The 47mm and 42mm Fenix 7 Pro now also grab the LED flashlight from the Fenix 7X, so you now have an extra source of light that can be enabled from the quick settings and can be configured to light up when you’re in tracking mode and is actually a useful extra to have if you don’t want to grab your smartphone.
Garmin uses the same charging cable to power it up as the one provided with the Fenix 7 and as a package you’re getting a lovely, well-built watch that doesn’t weigh too heavy or too light and has a screen that’s big enough to make sure you can absorb your real-time stats and view onboard maps.
The Fenix 7 Pro is a watch for the outdoors and doesn’t disappoint with the level of features on offer here for those who like to spend more time outside than inside.
Along with core running, golfing (there's a reason Garmin fills out a lot of our best golf watches entries), swimming and cycling modes, there are the usual outdoor profiles aplenty covering everything from hiking to surfing, skiing and you're getting activity-specific metrics for most of those profiles as well.
On the navigation front, you’ve got preloaded topographic maps, road and trail maps and ski resort maps, with touchscreen support to navigate around those maps. Garmin has enhanced that mapping mode with Relief Shading to offer more detailed maps, the ability to see a split of your metrics and map on one screen and view weather information like temperature, although that isn’t available during the tracking mode screen. Up Ahead also offers trail runners and cyclists the location of Points of Interest nearby.
Along with the rich training analysis and metrics you already get on the Fenix 7, Garmin has introduced new Endurance Scores and Hill Scores metrics to help you better understand whether you have put in the right amount of training to handle a hilly route or really go long in training or an endurance event. It analyses hilly workout history and VO2 Max estimates to score your endurance and ability to tackle hills and make it easy to understand whether it’s good or bad.
Many of the Fenix 7 Pro’s training and analysis features are driven by good heart rate data and Garmin has sought to improve things on that front with a new optical heart rate sensor onboard and new algorithms to deliver improved accuracy, particularly when you’re exercising.
You do still have the ability to pair up external sensors and while the accuracy during workouts has been solid overall, I don’t think you should be ditching that dedicated heart rate monitor just yet.
Features score: 4.5/5
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Great multi-band mode
Endurance and Hill Scores are nicely presented
Same great battery life
All of the good traits from the Fenix 7 are retained for the Pro. Garmin’s great multi-frequency positioning GNSS mode, which improves tracking accuracy in return for sucking up more battery life than other GPS modes, performs really well and Garmin’s mapping support remains the best you’ll find on a watch right now. The mix of touchscreen and button interaction makes it easy to navigate the now more detailed presentation of those maps as well.
The new Endurance and Hill scores are interesting additions to the already rich array of metrics Garmin offers, but how reliable and useful they are going to be for most Fenix 7 Pro users is certainly up for debate. You need a few weeks of data to kick things off and while there’s some useful advice offered around those scores they weren’t scores that drastically changed the experience of using the 7 Pro over the regular 7. Plus, those features are coming to the older Fenix as well.
Something that thankfully hasn’t changed with the new hardware and software features on board is the kind of battery life you’ll enjoy on the Fenix 7 Pro. Garmin promises the same numbers with up to 22 days in smartwatch mode, which can be boosted by solar charging. If you’re planning to spend multiple days out on your feet, you can sacrifice the best GPS accuracy and opt for the Expedition mode to get you 40 days of watch time and potentially more again if you can expose the watch to enough sunlight to boost battery.
If you want to use the Fenix 7 Pro as a smartwatch, it has the same features as the baseline Fenix 7. The notification support is the strongest of those smartwatch features and you do have good music player and controls features as well. You do have Garmin Pay and access to Garmin’s Connect IQ Store, though don’t expect to pile on loads of big-name apps here. Some changes have been made to the user interface, mainly in the workout mode, but if you were hoping for more smartwatch skills than before, that’s not the case here.
Ultimately, this is a watch that can last for weeks, even with regular use of workout tracking, mapping and smartwatch features. Make use of the onboard power manager features and turning off features you don’t use and that will make things go further.
The Sony Xperia I V, which was unveiled in May and was up for pre-orders in the US until now, is finally shipping in the States. It's priced at $1,400 in the US and comes in a single 12GB/256GB configuration. You can purchase it from Sony's official website or Amazon.
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