Driver Genius 22 Platinum is one of several driver updaters on the market promising to optimize your device, enhance your security and maintain high levels of compatibility even as new solutions are released. If you’re assigned the task of keeping several computers up to date, you should know how challenging it is to ensure they’re running the latest drivers at all times. With Driver Genius 22 Platinum, this becomes possible because it can automatically scan your computer and tell you which drivers you should update.
The following review will focus on the Driver Genius 22 Platinum driver updater, looking at various criteria, including pricing, customer support, compatibility, features, and user-friendliness. Taking all these factors into account, we found this to be a great piece of kit requiring minimal manual intervention.
You have your choice between the Professional Edition and the Platinum Edition of Driver Genius 22 (Image credit: Avanquest Software)
Driver Genius 22 Platinum: Plans and pricing
Avanquest Driver Genius 22 is available in three versions. The first version is a time-limited free trial that excludes some full software features. The second version is Driver Genius 22 Professional Edition, which costs $30 per year. It’s the full version of the software but without certain features such as System Booster and SSD Speeder. These features are reserved for Driver Genius 22 Platinum Edition, which will set you back $60 per year. The Platinum version is our review’s focus.
There’s a 60-day money-back guarantee for your purchase, which represents a generous timeframe for you to work with the software and decide if it's something you want to commit to. Alternatively, if you are still an adherent of physical media you can pay an extra $9.95 to have Driver Genius 22 Platinum delivered as a disc to your address.
Driver Genius 22 automatically detects and updates your device drivers (Image credit: Avanquest Software)
Features
Driver Genius 22 Platinum comes with all the features you'd expect from a driver updater. Avanquest has been in this game for a long time - hence the 22 in the Driver Genius name - so has accumulated a wealth of understanding regarding the kinds of features that users are after from a driver updater.
Key features that you can expect from Driver Genius 22 Platinum include:
Automatic Driver Detection
Driver Genius 22 Platinum lets you set schedules to analyze your drivers automatically and report which ones are outdated or defective. Afterwards, you can update or download new ones right away.
Driver Genius Platinum scans your drivers against a database of over 2 million drivers so there's a good chance it will include the one you need.
Backup and Restore
With this software, you can back up your drivers and restore them when needed. You can choose to back up all the drivers you currently use, the original Windows drivers, or select them individually, among other options.
This feature is essential because some driver updates could cause system malfunctions. If you fall into this category, you can just restore the backup version of whichever driver is causing the issue to fix it. You see similar functionality with many other business tools, for instance, the best cloud storage solutions, which allow file versioning.
Driver Cleanup
This feature allows you to eliminate invalid driver packages from your computer. Doing this frees up space that your system will utilize for other tasks and perform better.
In fact, cleaning optimization is a core component of Driver Genius' offering. As well as being able to uninstall outdated or unwanted drivers, you can use the software to diagnose and resolve network connection or sound issues, identify peripheral devices that may not be working correctly, and unlock hidden options in the display driver control panel.
System Booster
This feature lets you optimize your entire system in one click. It includes;
Memory configuration
Advanced management of Windows services
Optimization tools for system files
SSD Speeder
You can optimize your system to enhance the performance and reliability of your solid-state drives. SSD Speeder and System Booster are exclusive features for the Platinum edition.
Compatibility
It’s compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11. As long as you're a Windows user, you're unlikely to have any compatibility issues with Driver Genius.
Driver Genius 22 has a clean interface with all of its tools and menu items available via the toolbar on the left (Image credit: Avanquest Software)
Interface and in use
Driver Genius 22 Platinum has a professional, friendly user interface. We tested it on a Windows 10 laptop and got good results. It found ten drivers needing updates, which we promptly actioned. It took just one click to update all the required drivers.
The main menu includes all the app’s primary features. You can see clear options for
Driver Update
Driver Backup
Driver Restore
Driver Cleanup
Toolkit
You can find other useful utilities in Driver Genius 22's Toolkit (Image credit: Avanquest)
The Toolkit section includes additional features such as hardware information, system transfer assistance, and fixing sound problems.
Driver Genius 22 is well-organized and free from clutter. It scores very high on user-friendliness. There's also now a dark mode included as an option when you're customizing the user interface. It's far from necessary but represents a nice option for users.
Only users of Avanquest's paid products have access to customer support (Image credit: Avanquest Software)
Support
24/7 technical support is available if you’re a paid user but the free version lacks any technical support, which is disappointing. If you are a paid subscriber, you can contact the company directly through email or telephone and, according to the official website at least, support responds to email queries within 24 hours during working days.
Avanquest also has a user guide and Frequently Answered Questions (FAQ) page, where common issues, like how to activate the software, are covered.
The competition
IObit Driver Booster 9 Pro is significantly cheaper than Driver Genius 22 Platinum. It costs $40 per year and scans from a database of over 8 million drivers. Avast Driver Updater is also cheaper. It costs $40 per year and has a database of over 8 million drivers.
However, although Driver Genius may not be the cheapest or have the largest database of drivers, it does boast a commitment to reinvention. Already, users can download Driver Genius 23 Platinum, so they can be sure that Avanquest won't stand still as new drivers emerge. The fact that all your drivers are bundled into a single executable file can also greatly boost productivity when you are looking to clean up your drivers.
Final verdict
Driver Genius 22 Platinum’s features such as Driver Update, Driver Cleanup, Driver Backup, and Driver Restore were sufficient to keep the drivers of the laptop we tested it on in good shape. Admittedly, it did have some drawbacks, such as not finding as many drivers compared to a competitor like Avast.
We hope that Avanquest expands its drivers' database to catch up with the competition. Given that the company never seems far away from launching another version of Driver Genius, we're sure this is on their agenda.
That said, of the three members of Samsung’s 2022 flagship line, the Galaxy S22 Plus feels like the one that most people will forget about.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 is the one that’s easy to recommend: it’s small enough to fit comfortably in your hand, and has a low price that won’t immediately alienate buyers. And then there’s the S22 Ultra with its high price but its S Pen stylus, premium design and plentiful rear cameras which will interest those looking for a super-powerful handset.
Between those two phones, it’s harder to get excited for the Galaxy S22 Plus, the awkward middle child in Samsung’s 2022 family. It mostly has the same specs as the S22, and a similar design, but with a bigger screen and battery. Oh, and its price is a significant step up, too.
Like Samsung’s other S22 mobiles, the Galaxy S22 Plus remains one of the best phones in many different fields, but its high price and lack of upgrades over the S21 Plus make it look less appealing given the competitive actions of most rivals. Compared to the Xiaomi 12 Pro, OnePlus 10 Pro or Realme GT 2 Pro, or even affordable and capable alternatives like the Moto G200, Realme GT and OnePlus Nord 2, this is a really tough sell.
There are certainly some points in its favor. The Galaxy S22 Plus is great for taking portrait shots, and the camera app’s Portrait mode is fantastic both at the artificial background blur and for the range of effects and filters you can utilize. The camera app is great, and Single Take (which basically picks the best picture from a burst) remains a huge selling point for the company’s phones.
We also have to commend Samsung for being one of the few phone companies putting out vibrantly colored phones - we tested a pink S22 Plus, and other options include green, blue and violet. How many companies are putting out pink phones these days?
And in many other areas, this is a powerful phone, with a top-end chipset, decent battery life and great main camera.
But while in many ways it's one of the best Samsung phones, it’s not a perfect phone, and we have quite a few gripes, too. With a flat edge, it’s not particularly comfortable to hold, and OneUI remains a sluggish-feeling software that’s slightly slower than other Android forks to use. Its display quality, charging speeds, and build quality are all decidedly average, too.
(Image credit: Future)
Plus, it’s exceedingly expensive - we shouldn’t be calling a phone that costs this much ‘average’ in any way, and the overall use experience of this mobile is more comparable to mid-rangers than similarly priced Android or iPhone rivals you might be considering instead.
With a few discounts this phone might prove popular, but at its current price, it’s hard to recommend.
If, however, you're looking for the perfect Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus audio partner, you may want to check out our Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus price starts at $999.99 / £949 / AU$1,549 - and if you winced at that, you’re not going to like the prices for its other variants, which you can find listed below.
For context, the standard Galaxy S22 starts at $799 / £769 / AU$1,249 while the lowest price for the S22 Ultra is $1,199.99 / £1,149 / AU$1,849. Last year’s S21 Plus cost exactly the same as the S22 Plus, so at least we’re not looking at a more expensive phone, even though the size decrease from last year made us hope for a lower price to match.
Either way, that’s a supremely expensive smartphone - but then again, Samsung’s S-series devices aren’t designed for people on a budget.
The Galaxy S22 Plus went on sale February 25 in the US, March 3 in Australia and March 11 in the UK.
You'll note that those dates were a while back now - long enough ago that you can often find the S22 Plus at a discount. In fact, it came out long enough ago that there's now a Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus, so S22 Plus prices are likely to further fall.
Design
We both love and hate the way the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus’ design.
(Image credit: Future)
We love the way it looks. The phone comes in white, black, green, pink, gray, cream, pale blue, and violet (the latter four are only available via Samsung’s website), so you have loads of choices in the shade with some great options. The Contour Cut camera bump is fairly distinct and chic, as far as smartphone lens mounts go at least, but it certainly makes the phone look distinct.
The hate factor becomes apparent when you pick up the phone though, as it just doesn’t feel comfortable. This is partly because of its palm-stretching size, but also thanks to its angular edge. It’s not quite as sharp as the iPhone 13’s totally flat edge, due to its slight curve, but it still digs into your hand when you’re using the device.
Beyond that, this is your standard Android phone. There’s a USB-C slot but no 3.5mm headphone jack, and both the power button and volume rocker are on the right edge (and are fairly easily reachable even when using the device one-handed).
The S22 Plus is a little on the big side, with dimensions of 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6mm, but the ‘Plus’ in the name should mean that’s no surprise. It weighs 195g, so it’s not overwhelmingly heavy.
(Image credit: Future)
One difference between this and the S21 Plus is the material - while that device was clad in plastic, this newer one uses glass, in particular Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Plus which is a hardy version of the material. This means it’s scratchproof and won’t disintegrate after a single drop. There’s also IP68 protection against dust and water submersion, so the device will survive a quick drop in the tub.
Display
Samsung’s Galaxy S devices used to be industry-leading for its amazing-looking displays. While the S22 Ultra gets to keep this title, we’re not sure the S22 Plus deserves it. That’s not to say the display is bad looking, but it doesn’t stand out from the crowd.
The screen is 6.6 inches across - that’s 0.1 inches smaller than the S21 Plus’ - broken up by a fairly small punch-hole cut-out for the front-facing camera. The bezel around the display is pretty small.
(Image credit: Future)
With a resolution of 1080 x 2340 (or FHD+), the S22 Plus has the same resolution as most other Android phones save for super-cheap or super-pricey phones, and thanks to its cost, we would have thought the Plus falls into that latter category. The Ultra has a screen with a 1440 x 3088 resolution, and we would have liked to see something similar here.
FHD+ is fine for most tasks though, as only select streaming services or games offer content that’s a higher resolution than that anyway. There’s also a refresh rate of 120Hz, which means motion looks pretty smooth when you’re swiping between menus or playing games.
While the resolution is pretty average, the S22 Plus wins some points in other display areas. Its max brightness is very high at 1,750 nits, and thanks to the AMOLED screen, contrast is impressive.
Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus has the same four cameras as its non-Plus counterpart: that’s a 50MP f/1.8 main, 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide and 10MP f/2.4 telephoto for 3x optical zoom on the back, and a 10MP f/2.2 front-facing camera on the other side.
(Image credit: Future)
That camera combination is somewhat of a remix of the S21’s sensors, with only the ultra-wide and front-facers the same, and the most notable difference is the jump from a 12MP to 50MP main camera.
This upgrade is welcome as the 50MP sensor is a large one, so it ‘sees’ more light, resulting in brighter images and more vibrant colors. This is most noteworthy for low-light photography, as we managed to capture some surprisingly bright-looking snaps at nighttime, but also helps during the day to make colors stand out more.
The S22 Plus doesn’t quite have the camera versatility of its Ultra sibling, most notably with a greatly reduced zoom distance - max digital zoom is just 30x here. Still, some of its great features are here too, particularly Samsung’s fantastic Portrait mode which is second to none at isolating a subject, adding great-looking ‘Bokeh’ background blur, and letting you add a range of effects to the snap.
The rear trio works well together - jumping between ultra-wide, standard photos and zoom in the camera app is seamless, and pictures taken retain the same color profile, too. Ultra-wide pictures were a touch distorted, but not much - we had to specifically look for this to find it.
(Image credit: Future)
The front-facing camera might sound iffy at just 10MP, but in practice images looked great, with vibrant colors and clear features. That was particularly true of Portrait mode on this camera, which was fantastic at balancing exposure - no overly bright background was going to ruin this selfie, no chance!
Video recording goes up to 8K, which we’ve no idea why any average user would use. There’s also 4K recording at up to 60fps, and using a sub-8K-resolution also lets you use image smoothing and stabilization.
Some useful modes are present here, including Samsung’s Single Take which lets you record a video of a subject, and the camera app will pick out the best still shot from it and will edit it for you. This is a great way of letting AI do all the heavy lifting when you’re taking a snap.
Camera samples
Image 1 of 8
A sunset shot taken on the main camera (Image credit: Future)
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An ultra-wide shot (Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 8
A 1x zoom shot (Image credit: Future)
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A 3x zoom shot (Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 8
Some balls taken in macro mode (Image credit: Future)
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A selfie taken without Portrait mode (Image credit: Future)
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A selfie taken with Portrait mode (Image credit: Future)
Image 8 of 8
Taken using Night mode during the nighttime (Image credit: Future)
Performance and specs
When it comes to performance, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus has two identities: in most of the world, it packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, while in Europe it uses Samsung’s Exynos 2200. Both are roughly equal in terms of performance, though Qualcomm’s processor generally has a slight edge over Samsung’s.
For our full review, we used the Exynos-powered phone, and it ran well. When we put the device through a multi-core benchmark test using Geekbench 5, it returned a score of 3,431. That’s a very high score, and one of the highest we’ve seen from a Samsung phone too, but a few 2021 devices beat it, including the Xiaomi Mi 11, Realme GT, OnePlus 9, and ZTE Axon 30 Ultra. Those devices all use the Snapdragon 888, the predecessor to the 8 Gen 1, which points towards the Exynos chip being a tiny bit weaker.
We’re only talking about a couple of hundred points in the test though, and in practice, most people won’t notice that kind of difference. The phone is great for gaming as it loads titles quickly, doesn’t stutter during sessions, and lets you load up the top-graphics settings for games.
(Image credit: Future)
There’s 8GB RAM here which is just about as much as any smartphone needs, and it’ll be useful for people who like jumping between different apps all the time. Storage comes in at 128GB or 256GB, but there’s no expandable storage, so you better be happy with whichever option you pick (or just use cloud storage).
Both chipsets are paired with 5G modems, so both of these phones let you connect to next-gen networks which is useful for streaming and gaming on the go.
We found the audio quality a tiny bit tinny when the phone was on higher volumes, but it was fit for something like gaming or taking video calls.
Software
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus comes with Android 12, with Samsung’s One UI laid over the top. At the S22 launch, Samsung pledged that its new phones would get at least four years of software updates, which will take you to Android 16 in 2026.
Android 12’s big feature is Material You, which lets you recolor aspects of the user interface to match your wallpaper, and that’s also here, to an extent, though it doesn’t affect too many aspects of the home screen and menus.
(Image credit: Future)
One UI feels a little bit slower than lots of rival user interfaces like Xiaomi’s MIUI, OnePlus’ OxygenOS or even stock Android. The different animations for swiping between menus, opening apps and unlocking the phone all take a little longer than we’d like, and together these factors make navigating the phone feel sluggish.
Don’t get us wrong: using the S22 Plus isn’t the same as using a cheap phone. But it doesn’t quite feel like a flagship in terms of navigation either. This is something we’ve found with previous Samsung phones and it’s the case here, too.
Battery life
Many Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus reports criticized the phone’s battery life, but we can’t go that far. From our time testing the phone, the 4,500mAh battery saw the phone through a day of use just fine. Sure, the mobile didn’t last long into a second day, but most premium phones don’t.
(Image credit: Future)
Obviously intensive tasks like gaming, streaming lots of media or recording high-res footage will drain the battery quickly, but even with bouts of all three we found the phone lasted a day just fine. It certainly had more lasting power than the S22 Ultra, which we tested separately.
If there’s something that does make us narrow our eyes in doubt, it’s the charging speed. Samsung claims that the phone charges at 45W, a figure that’s hard for average users to test given that the phone doesn’t come with an in-box charger. But when we used an 80W charger on the phone, it still took over two hours to power from empty to full.
That’s not 45W charging, and we’re not the only reviewers who’ve found issues with Samsung’s claims of 45W charging. It seems that the powering speed is closer to 20W, which really isn’t good for a phone that costs this much.
There’s also reverse wireless powering at 15W and reverse power-sharing at 4.5W (which lets you power up other devices using the Plus as a wireless charging pad).
Auslogics Driver Updater is a device management tool anddriver updater for Windows operating systems. Outdated drivers are one of the most common reasons for slow system performance, which can be extremely damaging to productivity. This tool helps you keep those drivers in check.
Auslogics is an Australian software company. The Driver Updater is just one of many device management tools the company has developed. The company also offers antivirus, malware removal, data recovery, and registry cleaner solutions.
This review will look specifically at Auslogics Driver Updater tool based on various criteria, such as pricing, features, compatibility, customer support, and user interface. Although there are some drawbacks, including download speeds that are on the slower side, they are more than made up for with handy functionality like scan scheduling. This is a driver updater that is certainly worthy of your consideration.
The pricing of Auslogics Driver Updater seems to fluctuate as the company regularly offers deals on its driver update software (Image credit: Auslogics)
Auslogics Driver Updater: Plans and pricing
Auslogics Driver Updater is a one-time purchase and the software is available on the company's website for $33.96 at the time of writing. Once you pay, you can download the complete software package. It’s compatible with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11.
There’s also a free tier available but it is admittedly of slightly limited functionality. Fir example, you can't update multiple drivers at once of schedule scanning with the free version. However, it does mean you can get to grips with the updater more quickly because you can download this one right away without any payment details. It’s suitable for testing the software before making your final purchase decision.
Having all of the drivers on your system up to date ensures optimal performance (Image credit: Auslogics)
Features
Auslogics Driver Updater includes a number of useful features to ensure your drivers are up to date and your PC is running at peak performance including:
Automatic Scan
As we said, this is only available with the paid version of Auslogics Driver Updater but it may be worth paying for as it means you can automatically scan all your device drivers and highlight which ones need to be updated or not at a time that's convenient. The scan is quick and easy. For example, you can set it to scan all your drivers automatically whenever your system boots up, so your drivers are always up to date.
Automatic Update
After scanning your drivers and seeing which ones need updating, Auslogics Driver Updater lets you update all of them in one stretch through the click of a button, as long as you're a subscriber to the paid version. You need not stress updating them individually, especially when many drivers are involved.
In addition to updating you can also backup and restore your system's drivers (Image credit: Auslogics)
Driver Backup and Restore
A driver update can cause failures or malfunctions in some cases, but it doesn’t spell the end of your computer system. You can backup your drivers to another device, such as an external hard drive or USB drive, and restore them where needed.
Scheduler
You can set schedules where the Auslogics Driver Updater will automatically scan your computer for driver updates. For example, you can set it to scan and automatically update drivers where applicable weekly to maintain a superb PC performance. Regular scans of this manner are a primary tool for having a healthy computer.
Compatibility
The Auslogics Driver Updater is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11. This represents a good range of operating systems for Windows users. Those of you that prefer MacOS, can use the built in driver updater from Apple.
Auslogics Driver Updater has a simple and clean user interface where all of its features can be accessed from the menu on the left hand side (Image credit: Auslogics)
Interface and in use
Auslogics Driver Updater has a simple and user-friendly interface. Downloading the software is as easy as heading to the company’s website and making just a few clicks. You can download the free version with just a click, whereas you need some registration details for the paid version. This is hardly surprising as you'll see something similar when you are choosing between, say, the best CRM and a free CRM. It's hard to say which is the best approach, per se, without knowing your budget, but you will have to come to terms with some restrictions if you choose the free option.
After downloading the installation file for either the free or paid version, run it, and it takes just a few minutes to install it on your computer completely. Then, it's time to use it. The interface is intuitive, with visible buttons for different functions. On the main dashboard, you have clear buttons to “Back Up,” “Restore,” “Schedule,” and “Diagnose.” If ease of use were the only criteria of our review, we’d give Auslogics a clean 5/5.
Support
Auslogics provides customer support through email and telephone. You can call the company’s customer support line for instant assistance or email them and wait for a response. Ideally, you should choose either of these options based on the urgency of your issue. Note that telephone support isn’t always readily available due to high levels of demand. It's worth noting that you only have access to extended priority support by subscribing to the paid version of Auslogics Driver Updater.
There's also an Auslogics Support Center with common questions for all of the company's products. For Auslogics Driver Updater, these questions revolve around issues like compatibility, safety, and how to update specific drivers like a graphics driver, network, audio, or any other.
There is also an FAQ page though it could certainly be longer (Image credit: Auslogics)
Auslogics also has a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page you can consult to resolve commonly encountered problems.
The competition
Auslogics Driver Updater has many competitors, such as Ashampoo Driver Updater, IObit Driver Booster Pro, or DriverDoc. Compared to them, Auslogics is one of the cheapest options despite having similar functionality. For example, Ashampoo costs $19 to download, and DriverDoc costs $40, compared to $33.96 for the Auslogics Driver Updater.
Download speeds for some drivers are not the fastest when using Auslogics, so if you are going to be updating drivers on a regular basis at scale, this could hamper your employees' efficiency levels. Similarly, if you are a free user, you can only update one driver at a time, which will also restrict the speed of your updates - or the general performance of your devices.
Final verdict
Auslogics Driver Updater represents good bang for your buck. It has a clean interface, good support, and decent functionality. Download speeds could be better but, overall, the Auslogics Driver Updater lives up to its promise of being a handy tool for keeping your device drivers in check. It helps maximize your computer’s performance.
Auslogics Driver Updater is a device management tool anddriver updater for Windows operating systems. Outdated drivers are one of the most common reasons for slow system performance, which can be extremely damaging to productivity. This tool helps you keep those drivers in check.
Auslogics is an Australian software company. The Driver Updater is just one of many device management tools the company has developed. The company also offers antivirus, malware removal, data recovery, and registry cleaner solutions.
This review will look specifically at Auslogics Driver Updater tool based on various criteria, such as pricing, features, compatibility, customer support, and user interface. Although there are some drawbacks, including download speeds that are on the slower side, they are more than made up for with handy functionality like scan scheduling. This is a driver updater that is certainly worthy of your consideration.
The pricing of Auslogics Driver Updater seems to fluctuate as the company regularly offers deals on its driver update software (Image credit: Auslogics)
Auslogics Driver Updater: Plans and pricing
Auslogics Driver Updater is a one-time purchase and the software is available on the company's website for $33.96 at the time of writing. Once you pay, you can download the complete software package. It’s compatible with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11.
There’s also a free tier available but it is admittedly of slightly limited functionality. Fir example, you can't update multiple drivers at once of schedule scanning with the free version. However, it does mean you can get to grips with the updater more quickly because you can download this one right away without any payment details. It’s suitable for testing the software before making your final purchase decision.
Having all of the drivers on your system up to date ensures optimal performance (Image credit: Auslogics)
Features
Auslogics Driver Updater includes a number of useful features to ensure your drivers are up to date and your PC is running at peak performance including:
Automatic Scan
As we said, this is only available with the paid version of Auslogics Driver Updater but it may be worth paying for as it means you can automatically scan all your device drivers and highlight which ones need to be updated or not at a time that's convenient. The scan is quick and easy. For example, you can set it to scan all your drivers automatically whenever your system boots up, so your drivers are always up to date.
Automatic Update
After scanning your drivers and seeing which ones need updating, Auslogics Driver Updater lets you update all of them in one stretch through the click of a button, as long as you're a subscriber to the paid version. You need not stress updating them individually, especially when many drivers are involved.
In addition to updating you can also backup and restore your system's drivers (Image credit: Auslogics)
Driver Backup and Restore
A driver update can cause failures or malfunctions in some cases, but it doesn’t spell the end of your computer system. You can backup your drivers to another device, such as an external hard drive or USB drive, and restore them where needed.
Scheduler
You can set schedules where the Auslogics Driver Updater will automatically scan your computer for driver updates. For example, you can set it to scan and automatically update drivers where applicable weekly to maintain a superb PC performance. Regular scans of this manner are a primary tool for having a healthy computer.
Compatibility
The Auslogics Driver Updater is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11. This represents a good range of operating systems for Windows users. Those of you that prefer MacOS, can use the built in driver updater from Apple.
Auslogics Driver Updater has a simple and clean user interface where all of its features can be accessed from the menu on the left hand side (Image credit: Auslogics)
Interface and in use
Auslogics Driver Updater has a simple and user-friendly interface. Downloading the software is as easy as heading to the company’s website and making just a few clicks. You can download the free version with just a click, whereas you need some registration details for the paid version. This is hardly surprising as you'll see something similar when you are choosing between, say, the best CRM and a free CRM. It's hard to say which is the best approach, per se, without knowing your budget, but you will have to come to terms with some restrictions if you choose the free option.
After downloading the installation file for either the free or paid version, run it, and it takes just a few minutes to install it on your computer completely. Then, it's time to use it. The interface is intuitive, with visible buttons for different functions. On the main dashboard, you have clear buttons to “Back Up,” “Restore,” “Schedule,” and “Diagnose.” If ease of use were the only criteria of our review, we’d give Auslogics a clean 5/5.
Support
Auslogics provides customer support through email and telephone. You can call the company’s customer support line for instant assistance or email them and wait for a response. Ideally, you should choose either of these options based on the urgency of your issue. Note that telephone support isn’t always readily available due to high levels of demand. It's worth noting that you only have access to extended priority support by subscribing to the paid version of Auslogics Driver Updater.
There's also an Auslogics Support Center with common questions for all of the company's products. For Auslogics Driver Updater, these questions revolve around issues like compatibility, safety, and how to update specific drivers like a graphics driver, network, audio, or any other.
There is also an FAQ page though it could certainly be longer (Image credit: Auslogics)
Auslogics also has a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page you can consult to resolve commonly encountered problems.
The competition
Auslogics Driver Updater has many competitors, such as Ashampoo Driver Updater, IObit Driver Booster Pro, or DriverDoc. Compared to them, Auslogics is one of the cheapest options despite having similar functionality. For example, Ashampoo costs $19 to download, and DriverDoc costs $40, compared to $33.96 for the Auslogics Driver Updater.
Download speeds for some drivers are not the fastest when using Auslogics, so if you are going to be updating drivers on a regular basis at scale, this could hamper your employees' efficiency levels. Similarly, if you are a free user, you can only update one driver at a time, which will also restrict the speed of your updates - or the general performance of your devices.
Final verdict
Auslogics Driver Updater represents good bang for your buck. It has a clean interface, good support, and decent functionality. Download speeds could be better but, overall, the Auslogics Driver Updater lives up to its promise of being a handy tool for keeping your device drivers in check. It helps maximize your computer’s performance.
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Auvik is a cloud-based network monitoring solution that aims to simplify network monitoring and management. The final goal of the entire platform is to increase your efficiency as you support your network. By creating a physical and logical map of your network (routers, switches, firewalls, etc.) you will get automatic network monitoring for all mapped devices.
While there are metrics that you can track out of the box, it would be helpful to have a greater level of customization when it comes to this aspect, but by no means are the out-of-the-box KPIs bad. Its monitoring capabilities also extend out to devices like PCs, phones, and printers. Auvik has the capability to provide services to multiple separate networks, enabling administrators handling various independent clients to merge all of their networks into one account, thereby simplifying management.
Auvik's pricing may be opaque but at least there's a free trial (Image credit: Auvik)
Plans and pricing
When we head to the pricing tab to navigate the company website, it isn't very reassuring to see that we need to exchange our company credentials- including a business email- in order to get the pricing info.
If you want to get the exact pricing, which is custom-made, you will have to go through their sales channel. There is a calculator on their website (which sometimes freezes), in which you can calculate an approximate amount of money you will have to pay for the services. Remember that the services are charged per device, and a minimum device number is 5, regardless if you have less than that. We’ve managed to get a rough calculation of $25 per device license, making the service quite pricey.
We would appreciate a few tiers of plans, that would help less advanced users know exactly what they’re getting and how much it will cost. Playing gymnastics with the calculator or going through the sales team, is not something we find amusing.
Detect issues, know what's on your network and manage it over the cloud with Auvik (Image credit: Auvik)
Features
Auvik is designed to monitor your network for events, and provide alerts that can be used preconfigured (with 50 available), or even customized for your needs. The included alerts are based on the best practices from the industry, and range from informational to emergencies. With the custom options available, administrators can also select the frequency to receive the alert.
With Auvik in action, much better control of the network can be performed. Administrators gain access to real time network metrics with data on topology, config history, and device performance, that not only gives a snapshot on current performance, but also can be compared as this data gets stored for years back for comparison purposes. Insights then get revealed, such as if the poor performance is due to the IDP or the internal network, or if the SSL VPN has reached the license limit by tracking the number of simultaneous VPN licenses in use.
Support
Auvik offers a range of resources and tools to assist users in maximizing the platform's support capabilities. These resources include online manuals, a knowledge base, and a user community forum. Additionally, Auvik provides round-the-clock email support and phone assistance during business hours. It sets itself apart by prioritizing partner support and offering a range of services and tools to aid partners in achieving success. These include a partner site, co-branded marketing materials, and dedicated partner assistance.
Auvik also provides an extensive knowledgebase with plenty of useful articles (Image credit: Auvik)
You have the option of sending a message if you didn’t find an answer to your question in the extensive knowledge database, or if you simply want to get in touch and discuss some specifics. On the support part of the page there is also a prominent support number, so you can always pick up the phone and dial their support for any issues you may have. When it comes to configuration issues, we would recommend consulting the knowledge database or simply the extensive forum, prior to calling support, as you may be directed to the manuals first.
Final verdict
Auvik is a comprehensive network management platform that is packed with various features that aim to help IT professionals manage their networks more easily and faster. The network mapping and management capabilities offer enhanced visibility, and it is fairly easy to set up.
While some parts are more difficult to configure, overall, we would argue that the platform is designed for ease of use. However, its scalability and performance are really good, allowing you to effectively monitor large networks.
The pricing aspect could have been done better, but perhaps that comes down to personal preference in the end. Support is fairly decent, with a lot of documentation available on the forums and knowledge base. Therefore, if you’re looking for a powerful network management platform, Auvik could be the solution for you, just keep in mind you will have to pay for the powerful feature set.
If we were to judge the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra on nothing but its cameras and, in particular, the optical and digitally-enhanced zoom capabilities, we might call it the best smartphone ever.
Of course, even before its successor landed, it wouldn't have been fair to judge the S22 Ultra as the best based on its cameras alone – every handset is the sum of its design, features, components, utility, and value – but taken as a whole, this Samsung Galaxy Series-Galaxy Note hybrid is an excellent, albeit massive Android handset that not only ticks all the important boxes, but delivers more features than you may ever want or use.
The design is an echo of, but also more forward-leaning than, Samsung’s last Note device. It really is a hybrid. There will be no complaints about the ultra-high-resolution, 6.8-inch screen, which offers brilliant colors and smooth motion at 120Hz, but is smart enough to stop down all the way to 1Hz, when that’s all you need, to save on battery life.
The camera array is strong. Sure, it’s not a complete overhaul of the Galaxy S21’s camera system, but that was already pretty darn good. This is arguably better – the Optical and Space Zooms are simply marvels of modern technology.
We also love the thin and light S Pen, and we’re thrilled that it’s finally integrated – literally – into the Galaxy line. It does so many things so well, and for productivity-focused mobile users it could be a godsend.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra's back is black, satin Gorilla Glass Victus+ (Image credit: Future)
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Specs
Display: 6.8-inch, Quad HD+ Dimensions: 77.9 x 163.3 x 8.9 mm Weight: 229G Screen refresh: 120Hz Screen brightness: 1750 nits Glass: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ Water resistance: IP68 Selfie camera: 40MP resolution Main camera: 108MP resolution Telephoto camera: 2 10MP resolution sensors Ultrawide: 12MP resolution Battery: 5000mAh Memory: 8GB or 12GB available Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB available
Samsung’s One UI 4.1 software is mostly good, even if it does create some duplication of browsers, photos, and messages apps. Other tools, like Expert Raw, a freely downloadable Samsung app that gives you full access to all the camera controls and lets you capture and save RAW format photos, and the video-conferencing app Google Duo, which both do an excellent job of showing off the phone’s power and versatility, are the real highlights here.
Performance-wise, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor acquits itself nicely (no, it doesn’t beat Apple’s A15 Bionic). The point is, we couldn't find a single app that was sluggish or disappointing on the mobile monolith.
Battery life was more of a mixed bag. We did get a full day of solid use (18 hours or so), but we thought we might get more out of the massive 5,000 mAh battery and high-performance, energy-efficient CPU.
Ultimately, though, this is the kind of device that can make you forget what’s come before it. If you were used to a smaller-screen device, you’ll feel cramped if you ever go back to it. If you struggled in the past to take photos of the moon, you’ll wonder why Apple hasn’t figured this out yet. If you wished that your device had just a little more power to complete those raw image-editing tasks, your wish has been granted.
Part of Samsung’s new S22 lineup, but looking nothing like its siblings, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is to the casual observer a Galaxy Note in a shiny, new coat. It does have a much bigger and bolder camera array (lifted pretty much intact from the S21 Ultra), but it’s otherwise a canny adjustment of the Note aesthetic or, as Samsung might call it, the “Note Experience.” Still, this adjustment leaves it as easily the best Samsung phone.
If you're looking for the perfect Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra audio partner, you may want to check out our Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review.
Starts at $1,199.99 / £1,149 / AU$1,849 for 128GB storage and 8GB of RAM
Storage options up to 1TB, no microSD slot for expansion
A device that combines the best of Samsung’s S Series and the Note’s more industrial design and capabilities doesn't come cheap. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra starts at $1,199.99 / £1,149 / AU$1,849 for 128GB storage and 8GB of RAM.
There are naturally bigger storage options (that also include more RAM), which can take you all the way to a 1TB model ($1,599.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,449 ). 256GB will run you $1,299,99 / £1,249 / AU$1,999, and 512GB is $1,399.99 / £1,329 / AU$2,149.
(Image credit: Future)
Choose your storage options wisely, because none of the Samsung Galaxy S22 phones come with a microSD card slot for upgrading your storage space.
The good news is, prices are often lower than that now that the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is getting on a bit - and they're likely to drop further now that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has arrived.
An inarguably beautiful device, the 6.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra – owing to its Note roots – doesn’t look much like the Galaxy S22 Plus. It starts from the original Galaxy Note 10 design but takes it forward with even more premium materials.
The frame is a solid Armor Aluminum that rigidly resists bends. Polished on the outside to a near-chrome finish, the metal is sandwiched between two Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ plates. The front glass is high-gloss, and the back is a warm satin finish; both do a decent job of repelling fingerprints. The phone’s IP68-rated body also handily resided the water we ran over it.
The above finishes come in seven color options: Phantom Black, Phantom White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue and Red. The dark green is sexy, but we’ve fallen in love with the inky Phantom Black of our test device.
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Did we mention that this is a big phone? Its dimensions are 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm, which is taller than a 6.7-inch Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max, but, somewhat surprisingly, at 229g, lighter than Apple’s biggest handset. Small hands will struggle with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. The curved edges make the Galaxy S22 Ultra comfortable to hold, but the lack of edges also makes it feel slippery as a fish – albeit a fish made of hard glass and metal.
There are two flat surfaces, on the top and bottom of the device. The top plane is a mostly unbroken slab of metal, with one tiny drill-through hole for a microphone. The bottom surface houses the SIM slot, USB-C charging port (the phone ships with a USB-C cable but no charging brick- BYOB is a thing now), speaker grille, and the S Pen.
If you’re in any doubt that this is a Note in S Series clothing, you need only to press that slight bump on the base and pop out the familiar and light S Pen. It’s all the things a Samsung S Pen should be, giving up nothing for its new Galaxy S22 Ultra home. More on the stylus later.
The 6.8-inch AMOLED screen is another highlight. It supports up to 3088 x 1440 pixels (WQHD+) resolution, which works out to 500 ppi. The iPhone 13 Pro Max, by contrast, has 458ppi on its 6.7-inch 2778 x 1284 screen. It’s worth noting that the S22 Ultra’s default resolution is 2316 x 1080 (FHD+), which Samsung says uses somewhat less battery life – although halfway through our testing we switched to WQHD+ and didn’t notice much, if any, battery performance loss.
Everything from games and videos to apps looks fantastic on the display, which now has the ability to smoothly shift from a 1Hz refresh rate all the way up to a butter-smooth 120Hz. Such adaptive technology can be hard to notice because, for instance, 1Hz might be used for the home screen or a word processor, while 120Hz might be called on for gaming.
The point is, when the imagery should be clean and smooth, it is. The lower refresh rates primarily help to conserve battery – there’s no need to update the screen more than a hundred times per second if nothing is moving.
With a peak brightness of 1750 nits and Samsung’s new Vision Booster technology, the screen does a decent job of maintaining visibility even in direct sunlight. Naturally, though, this means the brightness gets turned up to 100%, which will impact your daily battery life.
Hidden under the screen, roughly a third of the way up from the bottom edge, is the effective ultrasonic fingerprint reader. We found it easy to both register a finger and use it to unlock the phone. The other biometric security option is facial recognition, but Samsung warns that this isn’t as secure as other options, like a PIN or fingerprint.
There’s also a small drill hole through the screen for the 40MP front-facing camera.
Put simply, this is a lovely screen for viewing and writing.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Cameras
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra camera array (Image credit: Future)
Main camera is 108MP with f/1.8 aperture and an 85-defree FOV
Two telephoto lenses with 10MP sensors, one ultrawide 12MP sensor
Optical zoom up to 10x, Space Zoom enhanced up to 100x
When people say, “So, it’s basically a new Samsung Galaxy Note, right?” we have to flip over the phone to show them the camera array, which is a dead ringer for the one on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Don’t worry, though – this is not some Frankenstein’s monster of smartphone design. Because Samsung has done away with the contour box that popped the whole thing up a millimeter or so above the back of the S21, the S22 Ultra’s array of five lenses looks perfectly at home.
The cameras don’t just look similar – they’re almost the same. There are two 10MP telephoto lenses: one is f/2.4 with a 36-degree field of view (FOV) and the other is f/4.9 with an 11-degree FOV. There’s also a 12MP ultrawide with a 120-degree FOV, and then there’s the 108MP main wide camera (f/1.8) with an 85-degree FOV.
However, the technology backing these lenses has gotten an upgrade. While the image sensors haven't changed since the S21 Ultra, Samsung has done some work on optical image stabilization, digital image stabilization (for a better Super Steady system), and image processing. The result is better performance from all the lenses, but especially in the zoom arena.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s zoom capabilities simply blow away anything we’ve ever seen before from a mobile phone camera. Obviously, the 3x and 10x optical zoom are not only solid but offer clear images of distant objects with enough clarity that you can crop in on details without seeing much pixelation.
The 30x and especially 100x Space Zoom is where, at least in previous iterations of Samsung’s technology, you’d see significant artifacts in your photos.
Now, however, these images are shockingly good, at least at first glance. Sure, you can’t crop in too much without the images breaking down into a Picasso-like mess, but untouched, these can be perfectly shareable images.
Part of this has to do with the stabilization, which at 100x, basically takes control of the lens and holds a subject (like the moon) in the frame. It can feel a little like you’re no longer in control of the lens, but it does do a good job of countering your shaky hands.
Wide and ultrawide images also benefit from some new pixel sorcery. With the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung introduced Adaptive Pixel. This takes nona-binning (first introduced with the S21 Ultra), which takes nine pixels of information and combines them for better color and contrast, and combines it with the full resolution of the 108MP wide-angle original. That lens also gets an auto-focus assist from what looks like a fifth lens on the back of the phone - it's actually a Laser Auto Focus sensor. If you look closely, you can see the little red laser light peeking out from behind the glass.
Virtually every image we shot looked great, even if we did detect a hint of over-saturation (it wouldn’t be Samsung if they didn’t over-saturate the image).
The front-facing camera, meanwhile, uses tetra-binning to combine four pixels into one for a high-quality 10MP image.
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Samsung’s lenses, stabilization, image sensors, and algorithms also make what the company calls ‘Nightography’ possible. While we don’t like the marketing term, the phone’s night-time and low-light photographic skills are clear. It can brighten a night sky to near daytime, capture the moon or your face in poor lighting, and has some long-exposure skills too.
The front and rear cameras do a nice job with portrait photography, courtesy of a Portrait mode that’s getting good enough to separate stray hairs from a bokeh background. Samsung told us this is due, in part, to its new depth map technology. The presets, which include the ability to create a virtual backdrop (a chromakey color is used so that you can easily substitute some other background later) are pretty good, as well.
You can also shoot some high-quality 4K video at 60fps, and up to 8K at 24fps. We were pleased with the results.
We were less impressed with the phone’s Portrait Video capabilities, which come nowhere close to the magic of Apple’s iPhone 13 line’s Cinematic mode video (it needs a face in frame to work). The auto-framing capability, which literally zooms the camera in and out to keep people in frame, doesn’t seem all that useful – we suspect it needs more refinement.
One thing we do appreciate about Samsung’s video shooting capabilities is that, unlike an iPhone, it lets you shoot video, hit pause, and continue shooting while keeping the entire shoot in one video file. Apple should add this feature ASAP.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Camera samples
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Space Zoom photo of almost full moon (Image credit: Future)
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Space Zoom shot of the moon through trees (Image credit: Future)
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra optical zoom test (Image credit: Future)
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra front facing camera Portrait Mode test (Image credit: Future)
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra portrait mode test (Image credit: Future)
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Space Zoom photo Freedom Tower from 3 miles away (Image credit: Future)
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Pro Camera test full control shutter speed ISO (Image credit: Future)
Aside from the awesome cameras, the main reason you’d spend all that extra dough on a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is for the integrated S Pen. The light and versatile stylus is hidden inside the phone’s body; it’s small, thin, and feels so easy to lose that you’ll wish there were magnets in the S Pen and on the body of the S22 Ultra to hold these companions together when you don’t slip the stylus inside the phone.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra S Pen (Image credit: Future)
With the S Pen, you can take notes on a lock screen (they’re white ink on a black background), or open the phone and access a slide-in menu of eight customizable options.
These include taking notes, viewing them, making smart selections of anything on the screen, drawing on a screen capture, live messages, doodling in augmented reality, translations, and PenUp, a community space where you can learn how to draw with the S Pen and share your creations with others.
All of these features work as advertised, and offer fast ways of grabbing content, marking it up, and sharing with friends and coworkers.
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In our estimation, the S Pen is a wildly useful implement and, despite its small size (small for this reviewer’s hands anyway), it’s an effective drawing implement. We opened Sketchbook and had a great time drawing, especially because the pen and screen recognize pressure and angle.
The S Pen is also a solid productivity tool. We scrawled some notes in Samsung Notes and then let the system convert the scribbles to real text. It didn’t miss a word.
Overall, there’s a lot you can do with the S Pen, but it also follows the 80/20 rule – most of us will use 20% of the features, 80% of the time.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Software
Android 12 with Samsung One UI 4.1
Some apps, like Messages, are duplicated with Samsung and Google versions
While the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is an Android 12 phone - and one of the best Android phones at that - it’s also running One UI 4.1, the latest version of Samsung’s Android interface software. Like most Android overlays, this one isn’t primarily there to enforce a bespoke design aesthetic on top of pure Android; rather, it duplicates some utilities, like the web browser and photos apps, and adds tons of smart software touches and useful tools, like Samsung’s new Wallet, that should enhance the Android experience
Samsung’s onboard photo and video-editing capabilities, for example, are strong. We especially like the ability to magically remove an object from a photo, which worked like a charm on a photo of a dozen donuts – instead of eating them, we just selected them one by one and removed them from the original image. The software did leave behind a few telltale artifacts, but you'd be hard-pressed to tell what was there before we digitally removed a donut.
There’s also a freely downloadable Expert Raw app, which gives you access to all the pro shooting tools (ISO, white balance, focus, shutter speed) and lets you shoot raw images, which we then edited on the phone in Adobe’s Lightroom app.
It’s not great, however, that there’s both a Messages app and a Samsung Messages app. The icons look similar, but they’re two distinct apps. It’s this kind of nonsense that will always keep the Android messaging system slightly behind iOS’s iMessage. We want one system – the new RCS (Rich Communication Services) is fine – and complete cross-app compatibility.
Samsung has made a lot of noise about Google’s updated Google Duo video conferencing utility, which makes its debut on the S22 Ultra, and it does work as advertised. We made a Duo call to a friend, which looked and sounded good on both sides, and then quite effortlessly shared views of our screen, apps like Twitter, and played a YouTube video that we were both able to enjoy.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra connecting phone to Windows 11 (Image credit: Future)
Samsung is also strengthening its partnership with Microsoft, and we had no trouble adding our Microsoft account, which includes OneDrive and the Office Suite. It was also easy to connect the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to our Windows 11 PC.
We started the process on the phone, and then we had to visit a URL on the PC (it was supposed to pop up automatically, but didn’t) where we found a QR code. We pointed the S22 Ultra camera at the code, and the phone then guided us through the rest of the set-up process.
With the connection complete, we were able to control our phone through the desktop using our mouse; we even ran Asphalt 9 for a hot second before the connection crashed.
While, in our tests, it wasn’t immediately clear how having these platforms blended in this way benefits the user, we think the ability to quickly access on-phone data, messages, and calls is surely part of the attraction.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Specs and performance
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with camera app open (Image credit: Future)
A 4nm processor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in most of the world
UK and Australia get Samsung Exynos 2200 chipset
Over almost a week of intense testing, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra never let us down. It’s a fast and powerful phone. The 4nm processor (in our test phone it’s the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset – UK or Australia will get Samsung’s own Exynos 2200 chipset.) doesn’t outperform Apple’s A15 Bionic in Geekbench benchmarks, but raw numbers never tell the full story.
For what it’s worth, here are the numbers for our device, which shipped with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage).
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Geekbench benchmarks
CPU:
Single Core: 1236
Multi-Core: 3417
GPU
OpenCL Score: 5866
Apple’s numbers are better, but the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra didn’t feel any slower across all tasks. Perhaps the only situation where we detected a small stutter was on 8K video playback (that’s 8K video that we shot with the very same phone).
This is also a gorgeous and quite powerful gaming phone, and handled my Asphalt 9 race through Barcelona without a single hiccup.
Call quality was generally excellent. We could hear our caller clearly, and they told us we were coming through equally clear. The 5G performance (we were on T-Mobile in the US) was, by turns, excellent and average – it seemed to depend on how close we were to a decent 5G tower.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Battery life
Large 5,000 mAh battery and wireless charging
Could not meet our expectations for battery life
Like the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the S22 Ultra features a beefy 5,000mAh battery and wireless charging. In our tests, the battery was good for a full day of varied activity (roughly from 7am to 11pm) but not much more (this was the same for mid-range and high-resolution screen settings).
We were a little surprised that such a large battery didn’t provide a day and a half of battery life. Perhaps the new 4nm chip isn’t as efficient as Samsung had hoped.
(Image credit: Future)
The phone has a built-in vapor champer and heat-sync material. Even so, we detected some warmth on the back of the phone when performing a variety of tasks, including web browsing, photography, and gaming, for extended periods. We wonder if Samsung might be able to improve battery performance with some software tweaks.
As noted above, the phone doesn't ship with a charger, just the USB-C cable to connect to one – a potential shock for people upgrading from the previous Note. Also, the in-the-box package no longer includes a set of earbuds, and while this at least makes some sense, as the phone no longer has a 3.5mm headphone jack, you start to feel like Samsung is asking for more money while giving you less.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is probably not for everyone. It’s giant, expensive, and might be overkill for people who simply want a nice screen, decent photos, and a good on-screen social media experience. For those who want more, say a phone that is ready to run Raw photo editing apps, mark up screens and images, create detailed works of art and take zoom photos that will make you the envy of all your iPhone-carrying friends, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is worth every dime.
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
Don't buy if...
Also consider...
If the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review has you curious about the fastest smartphones on the market, you can read our full roundup of the best phones you can buy.
• Original Scribd review date: February 2022
• Rebranded in November 2023
• Launch subscription price: $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$14.99
• Current price: $11.99 / £10.99 / AU$14.99
Updated: February 2024. Scribd, when it originally launched, was a subscription hub for ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, magazines, sheet music, various documents, slides and even the odd recipe. The platform has undergone a full overhaul, however, and has been broken into three different services. Everand is now the app for ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, magazines and sheet music. Scribd is exclusively for documents – so whitepapers, court filings, some scientific research, recipes, etc. All the presentations have been moved to SlideShare. The three platforms are still owned and run by Scribd Inc and you need only one subscription to access all three. The monthly subscription has gone up in the US and UK, but remains unchanged for Australia, and the extensive Everand library makes it worthwhile. In lieu of this overhaul, we’ve redone our original review, concentrating on Everand, but also touching upon Scribd and SlideShare too.
Scribd with Everand: One-minute review
Scribd began life as a document-sharing platform in 2007, but it grew from there to become an ebook and audiobook subscription service to rival Kindle Unlimited and Kobo Plus. In November 2023, however, the platform underwent a full overhaul, and parent company Scribd Inc separated the mainstream offerings like ebook and audiobooks from the documents and presentations that littered the service. The original Scribd has now been divided into three new platforms – Everand housing all the ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, podcasts and sheet music, Scribd is now the home for documents only (think whitepapers, court filings, etc), and all the presentations have moved to SlideShare.
The good news is that the one subscription gets you access to all three, and the price in some regions is still the same as before. For this review, I’ve concentrated on the mainstream Everand service, but it all works exactly as it did previously.
As before, there’s quite a decent library of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, podcasts and sheet music on Everand, with the app looking pretty much the same as the original Scribd. The only difference is some minor changes to the color schemes to differentiate between the three divisions of the old Scribd platform.
Compared to Kindle Unlimited and Kobo Plus, Everand has a more extensive selection of titles in its library but only if you take both ebooks and audiobooks into consideration. However, as with Scribd previously, there’s still more audiobooks than ebooks on the platform, although the number of titles has increased significantly compared to what I saw when I first reviewed it in 2022.
The headline here is the addition of Originals on Everand – titles written exclusively for Scribd Inc by some well-known authors like Magaret Atwood and Stephen King.
While Kindle Unlimited offers magazines to its US subscribers, other markets aren’t able to access those, and Everand can fill the void. However, the number of magazines is limited compared to what you’ll find on Readly. And while podcasts are a great addition to Everand (something you won’t find on Kindle Unlimited or Kobo Plus), several are available for free on other platforms. Still, they add value to the subscription.
There’s no native ereader integration with the Everand app, but you can use it on a desktop or a handheld device like your phone or tablet – apps are available for Apple and Android users. Owners of Onyx Boox ereaders – which run on Android and give you access to the Google Play Store – can download it for use on e-ink slates like the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C or Onyx Boox Page.
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
Scribd with Everand review: price and availability
More expensive than Kindle Unlimited in some markets
Monthly subscription of $11.99 / £10.99 / AU$14.99
30-day free trial
A monthly subscription to any of Scribd Inc’s apps – Everand, Scribd or SlideShare – will cost you $11.99 / £10.99 / AU$14.99. That’s a touch more expensive than Kindle Unlimited in the US and UK, but costs the same in Australia.
Signing up for only Everand gets you access to the other two, or vice versa, adding value to the subscription if you’re a student or researcher, but the variety in the Everand library alone makes it better value than either Kindle Unlimited or Kobo Plus, but this is only if you take full advantage of both ebooks and audiobooks.
That said, if you already use an Amazon Kindle or Kobo ereader, you might be better off with the ebook subscription service associated with your chosen brand if you want to read on the device.
You can subscribe to Everand from anywhere in the world – you’ll just have to pay the equivalent of the US pricing if your country doesn’t have an official version of the site or application. Plus there’s a 30-day free trial available to test the waters before you commit to paying for the service when you sign up via either Everand or Scribd. Strangely, SlideShare offers a 60-day free trial, which might be the better option to test the waters for longer.
Scribd with Everand review: Content library
Lots of audiobooks
Limited ebooks compared to audiobppls
Decent collection of magazines and podcasts
Like I mentioned at the start of this review, there’s a lot on Everand. As versatile as it looks on paper, the individual libraries of each type of content is limited, although I found far more titles I’d like to read and listen to on Everand than I did on Kindle Unlimited and Kobo Plus.
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
Let’s start with ebooks. While there’s a lot here to keep you occupied for a very long time, you could be disappointed if you’re looking for something specific. A couple of missing examples I found were David Graeber’s The Dawn of Everything and Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Trilogy. Fans of Brandon Sanderson, though, will be glad to know that several of his other titles are available on Everand, including his “secret project” books from his Kickstarter campaign.
What’s interesting about Everand, though, are the original titles. Started in 2019, the Scribd Originals program (called so they came into being before Everand was launched as a separate platform) was a way for authors to reach new audiences, but these are written exclusively by some well known writers like Magaret Atwood, Stephen King, Paul Theroux and Simon Winchester. Most of these are short stories or essays, and several are in audiobook format, but there are some very interesting titles amongst the Scribd Originals, none of which you’ll find anywhere else.
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
The number of audiobooks on Everand is much more impressive than its ebook collection, just as it was when it was still called Scribd. Some titles that don’t have the ebook versions on Scribd can be found in audiobook format instead. For example, Neil Price’s Children of Ash and Elm and Mary Beard’s SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome are only available as audiobooks. Another example of the deficit of ebook titles is Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series – all 10 are available as audiobooks but none as an ebook. It's the same with Martha Wells' Murderbot Diaries too – the first seven are available in audiobook format only.
Some of these missing ebook titles used to be available as user-uploaded documents in PDF format – likely from questionable sources – on the original platform, but those are no longer on Everand, having moved to the new Scribd.
When it comes to magazines and newspapers, you’re not going to get as extensive a collection as on Readly, but there are some very good options on Everand, like Time, Marie Claire and National Geographic. There are some obvious big names missing too, like Reader’s Digest and Cosmopolitan, although you can find a few individual articles from the missing mags. Despite the missing titles, the magazine stand does cover several genres including news and current affairs, tech, and lifestyle, with the News Rack including access to The Guardian, NPR, The Independent and Futurity. Some of TechRadar’s sister magazines can be found on Everand, including Kiplinger, Digital Camera World, Classic Rock, T3 and APC.
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
There’s a pretty decent collection of podcasts across several genres as well, like Grounded with Louis Theroux, Day X, Revisionist History and Criminal. Practically every one I searched for, I found on Everand, however they’re also available for free on Apple and Google Podcast services.
I’m not certain what sheet music is doing on Everand – I think it should be on Scribd with other documents – but if you’re a keen musician, you could strike gold and that alone might be worth the subscription cost for you. There’s a lot of sheet music, from Disney songs to Broadway, Mozart to Frank Sinatra, even Beyonce, Adele and Taylor Swift.
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
Scribd content library
With all the mainstream items now on Everand, Scribd has gone back to being what it started out as – a repository of user-uploaded content, specifically documents like whitepapers, some research papers, court filings and the like.
The documents are categorized into several genres, including wellness, technology, business, religion and politics, and their usefulness will depend on what precisely you’re after. Each document can be rated by the user with a thumbs up or a thumbs down, and this becomes important when you’re looking for authenticity on a platform that can have some dodgy content from questionable sources.
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
Most of the content on the new Scribd document platform, however, is good and could be useful depending on the subject. I found books on metabolism that were interesting, plus something on modern sewer designs that I never thought would hold me attention for longer than a minute. There are textbooks and test papers, even court filings against Donald Trump.
And, as I’ve already mentioned, you don’t pay extra to access Scribd – it’s included in the Everand subscription. Any document you save via Scribd is added to a common saved list that’s accessible via any of the three apps, but if you select a document via the Everand app, you will be redirected to the Scribd app. So if you do use all the Scribd Inc apps, you will need to download them all on your preferred device. If you only use the web browser option, then they open in a new tab.
SlideShare content library
As with Scribd, SlideShare is also niche, now home to the presentations that were previously uploaded to the original Scribd platform. There are a wide range of slide shows and decks to choose from, including business templates, guides to social media platforms, case studies in education and a heck of a lot more.
You can download an entire presentation if you need it offline, or you can choose specific slides from a deck to download. The uploader’s username is displayed against each presentation, plus the number of slides in each, how many views they’ve had and how long they’ve been available on SlideShare.
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
The presentations aren’t editable, although it might be possible to find the odd template that might allow you to do so after downloading for offline access.
Interestingly, when viewing SlideShare on a web browser, it gives you the option of signing up to all three apps to get a 60-day free trail, which doesn’t seem to be available via the other two. So if you really are keen to try Everand, it might be a good option to sign up via SlideShare.
Scribd with Everand review: user experience
Mobile apps are easy to use
Clunky browser interface
Formatting issues on some ebooks
Everand, Scribd and SlideShare can be used on a desktop browser, on a phone or a tablet, with apps available for both Apple and Android operating systems. Signing up is easy and there’s a 30-day free trial for you to road test the service before you need to cough up the monthly fee (60 days if you sign up via SlideShare).
Apps for all three on any platform are identical, so I’ll stick to Everand for the sake of this review. Using the app on mobile or tablet is quite easy and intuitive, with browsing the library made easy thanks to sections for different genres and categories. The different content types are neatly arranged on the top of the app and there’s even curated lists for anyone keen to find a new story to get lost in.
When you find something you want to read or listen to, you just have to save it by tapping on the bookmark icon. You can even download items for offline reading or listening and, in theory, there’s no limit to how many you can download at a time. I didn’t go beyond downloading five items at a time, but I have seen some users complain that Scribd Inc throttles how much you can download in one go.
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
Audiobook quality – based on the titles I listened to – is great, but if your device goes to sleep due to inactivity, the narration will stop unless you use the app’s sleep timer functionality (the crescent moon icon). Audiobooks require the screen to be on at all times for it to work nonstop.
Ebook quality, for the most part, is great but I did find some that had formatting issues – not the kind you’d expect from a page trying to automatically adjust to screen sizes. I found a number of them with just one word on a line or large chunks of empty space after a paragraph (with the next one starting on the subsequent page).
Note that the Everand app itself doesn’t have a dark mode option, but if your device settings is selected for dark mode, then all content will appear on a black background with white text.
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
Reading magazines is a mixed-bag experience – none of the covers can be viewed full-screen and you can only read one article at a time, no scrolling through the whole issue here. That said, each article is nicely formatted, with any accompanying imagery placed very well to avoid weird line and page breaks, no matter what screen size you’re viewing it on.
The browser experience, however, isn’t as great as on mobile or tablet. The interface is easy to navigate, yes, but it’s just too clunky to be a smooth experience. That said, we reckon most users would prefer to read (or listen) on a handheld device, so the online interface shouldn’t really be too much of an issue.
(Image credit: Scribd)
The one drawback that could be a deal breaker for some potential subscribers is the lack of ereader support. If you already own a Kindle, then Amazon’s ebook/audiobook subscription service will be a lot more convenient for you. It’s a similar case with Kobo users – where Kobo Plus is available, that would seem like a better option.
However, as I’ve mentioned earlier, Onyx Boox ereaders with access to the Google Play Store will be able to open the Android version of the Everand app so you can read (or listen) on an ereader. Scribd Inc will probably have to go through licensing red tape to partner with some of the best ereader brands out there, but if that can be wrangled, then Everand might have a fighting chance to compete with Kindle Unlimited in terms of popularity.
Should I subscribe to Scribd with Everand?
(Image credit: Scribd Inc)
Whether you should subscribe to Everand (or Scribd and SlideShare) is not an easy question to answer. If you’re an avid reader and don’t already subscribe to an ebook/audiobook subscription service, then Everand might be worth considering, particularly if you primarily do your digital reading on a phone or tablet. Considering you get access to a very diverse range of content types could just make that subscription price worth it.
In fact, it’s great for audiobook lovers who don’t already have an Audible subscription (which is cheaper in some markets but more expensive in others), considering there’s more audio titles than ebooks.
Having access to magazines and podcasts on the same platform is great too, but Readly has a better magazine collection (if that is your area of interest), and the podcasts can be found on other platforms for free, so it’s up to you to decide if they add value to your subscription cost.
If ebooks and audiobooks are your main goals, then at the time of writing, Kindle Unlimited has an extensive library of ebooks and offers you the convenience of reading on a Kindle device or on the Kindle app. You’ll also need to remember Everand won’t get new releases on its platform on day one.
Unlike any other subscription service of this kind, however, your Everand membership gets you some exclusive content in the form of the Scribd Originals, but there aren’t too many of these, but it’s possible this might grow. And if you take into account both ebooks and audiobooks, then the Everand library is arguably the best, but only if you enjoy both reading and listening to stories.
AVG Driver Updater is a device management tool made by AVG Technologies, a company based in the Czech Republic. The company is most famous for itsantivirus software, but it has other product lines, such as itsdriver updater.
AVG Technologies is a leading software company that has existed for three decades. It’s a subsidiary of Avast Software, an organization known for a family of solutions across the Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS operating systems - again, largely focusing on security matters.
This review will take a look at AVG’s Driver Updater specifically taking into account a variety of factors, including the program’s features, user interface, customer support, compatibility, and pricing.
(Image credit: AVG)
AVG Driver Updater: Plans and pricing
The AVG Driver Updater costs $40 per year, which works out to be quite expensive compared to similar products on the market. There’s a free trial version, but it has just a few features compared to the paid version and lasts only a month. Thus, the paid version is the practical option to make the most of the driver updater.
If you do sign up for the paid plan, it’s important to be aware that after your first year is complete, your subscription will automatically renew at the full price annually. Your bank account will automatically be charged for a one-year period, so make sure you are happy to continue subscribing before AVG automatically renews. You will receive an email reminder of your subscription ending up to 65 days in advance but if you don’t want to be charged, make sure you cancel your subscription at least 35 days before your current plan ends. There is also a free trial period of 15 days, however, which you can sign up for without entering any credit card details.
(Image credit: AVG)
Features
AVG Driver Updater contains a number of features to keep your system using the latest drivers and running smoothly:
(Image credit: AVG)
Real-time Scans
You can scan and update your drivers in real time as you perform other functions on your computer. Many driver updaters lack this feature, which means you can carry on with your work, which AVG Driver Updater operates in the background.
Scan Scheduling
You can set schedules and intervals for the AVG Driver Updater to run automatic scans of your PC’s drivers and produce reports. This feature ensures convenience and keeps you always in the loop regarding your driver updates.
Large Driver Database
AVG’s Driver Updater checks your drivers against a database of over 50 million drivers. Such an extensive database contains virtually any driver you may need, making it your one-stop shop for driver downloads and updates. Computer drivers come in various types, including printer, scanner, audio card, video card and graphics card drivers. Whatever driver you are looking to update, AVG will probably be able to find it.
AVG Driver Updater is also especially good if you’re a big consumer of video or gaming content. The updater can optimize your gaming and streaming experience by giving you access to the latest audio and graphics driver downloads.
Driver Backup and Restore
You can backup your drivers with AVG’s Driver Updater and restore them when required. This feature is critical because some driver updates can cause performance issues on your PC. You don’t need to panic in such a case when the software lets you backup and restore older versions of your drivers to avert the issue.
(Image credit: AVG)
Installs Official Drivers
AVG’s Driver Updater can download and install authentic drivers from over 1,300 leading technology brands.
Neat User Interface
This tool has a very well-organized user interface that makes it easy to use and navigate through. It’s uncluttered, and all the functionalities are visible to the user. This neat interface ensures that anyone can use the driver updater regardless of their technical knowledge or experience.
Compatibility
AVG’s Driver Updater is compatible with Windows 7, 8/8.1, 10, and 11.
(Image credit: AVG)
Interface and in use
The interface of this driver updater is very organized and user-friendly - right from the downloading and installation phases. To download AVG Driver Updater, go to the official website and get the executable file (.exe), either for the free or paid version. Then, run it.
After installing and launching the software, you’ll see the friendly, uncluttered interface we’re talking about. There are clear buttons for whichever function you want to pick, with no complexity or opportunity for confusion.
(Image credit: AVG)
Support
AVG offers customer support through email, live chat, and telephone. You can contact the support team directly via phone or live chat for instant answers or use email and wait for a while. The telephone support varies depending on the country you’re calling from, but it’s generally reliable. Due to customer traffic, the live chat and telephone customer support may be unavailable at certain times.
However, there are also a number of tutorials and guides on AVG’s site in case you run into problems. The AVG Driver Updater FAQ will hopefully resolve your issue if it’s a common problem, including how to install and use the driver updater, as well as the usual troubleshooting.
The competition
There are many other competing driver updaters on the market. A few examples are the Ashampoo Driver Updater and Auslogics Driver Updater. AVG’s parent company, Avast, also has its driver updater that’s almost identical except for the name.
Compared to Ashampoo and Auslogics, AVG is the much more expensive option. It costs $40/year, while Ashampoo costs $19 and Auslogics $11.50 for the same period. While all of them have similar functionality, AVG's driver updater certainly draws from an impressively wide database of drivers - more than 50 million, in fact - so if you do need to update a driver, chances are AVG's updater will locate it. The support you receive, both before and after you've updated your drivers, is also impressive.
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Final verdict
AVG’s Driver Updater is a dependable tool for keeping your device drivers healthy and improving your PC’s performance. It’s easy to use and has all the necessary functionality you'd expect from a driver updater. Although it is relatively expensive compared to the competition, it does come from a well-respected brand and take the manual burden out of searching for new drivers.
AVG Driver Updater is a device management tool made by AVG Technologies, a company based in the Czech Republic. The company is most famous for itsantivirus software, but it has other product lines, such as itsdriver updater.
AVG Technologies is a leading software company that has existed for three decades. It’s a subsidiary of Avast Software, an organization known for a family of solutions across the Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS operating systems - again, largely focusing on security matters.
This review will take a look at AVG’s Driver Updater specifically taking into account a variety of factors, including the program’s features, user interface, customer support, compatibility, and pricing.
(Image credit: AVG)
AVG Driver Updater: Plans and pricing
The AVG Driver Updater costs $40 per year, which works out to be quite expensive compared to similar products on the market. There’s a free trial version, but it has just a few features compared to the paid version and lasts only a month. Thus, the paid version is the practical option to make the most of the driver updater.
If you do sign up for the paid plan, it’s important to be aware that after your first year is complete, your subscription will automatically renew at the full price annually. Your bank account will automatically be charged for a one-year period, so make sure you are happy to continue subscribing before AVG automatically renews. You will receive an email reminder of your subscription ending up to 65 days in advance but if you don’t want to be charged, make sure you cancel your subscription at least 35 days before your current plan ends. There is also a free trial period of 15 days, however, which you can sign up for without entering any credit card details.
(Image credit: AVG)
Features
AVG Driver Updater contains a number of features to keep your system using the latest drivers and running smoothly:
(Image credit: AVG)
Real-time Scans
You can scan and update your drivers in real time as you perform other functions on your computer. Many driver updaters lack this feature, which means you can carry on with your work, which AVG Driver Updater operates in the background.
Scan Scheduling
You can set schedules and intervals for the AVG Driver Updater to run automatic scans of your PC’s drivers and produce reports. This feature ensures convenience and keeps you always in the loop regarding your driver updates.
Large Driver Database
AVG’s Driver Updater checks your drivers against a database of over 50 million drivers. Such an extensive database contains virtually any driver you may need, making it your one-stop shop for driver downloads and updates. Computer drivers come in various types, including printer, scanner, audio card, video card and graphics card drivers. Whatever driver you are looking to update, AVG will probably be able to find it.
AVG Driver Updater is also especially good if you’re a big consumer of video or gaming content. The updater can optimize your gaming and streaming experience by giving you access to the latest audio and graphics driver downloads.
Driver Backup and Restore
You can backup your drivers with AVG’s Driver Updater and restore them when required. This feature is critical because some driver updates can cause performance issues on your PC. You don’t need to panic in such a case when the software lets you backup and restore older versions of your drivers to avert the issue.
(Image credit: AVG)
Installs Official Drivers
AVG’s Driver Updater can download and install authentic drivers from over 1,300 leading technology brands.
Neat User Interface
This tool has a very well-organized user interface that makes it easy to use and navigate through. It’s uncluttered, and all the functionalities are visible to the user. This neat interface ensures that anyone can use the driver updater regardless of their technical knowledge or experience.
Compatibility
AVG’s Driver Updater is compatible with Windows 7, 8/8.1, 10, and 11.
(Image credit: AVG)
Interface and in use
The interface of this driver updater is very organized and user-friendly - right from the downloading and installation phases. To download AVG Driver Updater, go to the official website and get the executable file (.exe), either for the free or paid version. Then, run it.
After installing and launching the software, you’ll see the friendly, uncluttered interface we’re talking about. There are clear buttons for whichever function you want to pick, with no complexity or opportunity for confusion.
(Image credit: AVG)
Support
AVG offers customer support through email, live chat, and telephone. You can contact the support team directly via phone or live chat for instant answers or use email and wait for a while. The telephone support varies depending on the country you’re calling from, but it’s generally reliable. Due to customer traffic, the live chat and telephone customer support may be unavailable at certain times.
However, there are also a number of tutorials and guides on AVG’s site in case you run into problems. The AVG Driver Updater FAQ will hopefully resolve your issue if it’s a common problem, including how to install and use the driver updater, as well as the usual troubleshooting.
The competition
There are many other competing driver updaters on the market. A few examples are the Ashampoo Driver Updater and Auslogics Driver Updater. AVG’s parent company, Avast, also has its driver updater that’s almost identical except for the name.
Compared to Ashampoo and Auslogics, AVG is the much more expensive option. It costs $40/year, while Ashampoo costs $19 and Auslogics $11.50 for the same period. While all of them have similar functionality, AVG's driver updater certainly draws from an impressively wide database of drivers - more than 50 million, in fact - so if you do need to update a driver, chances are AVG's updater will locate it. The support you receive, both before and after you've updated your drivers, is also impressive.
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Final verdict
AVG’s Driver Updater is a dependable tool for keeping your device drivers healthy and improving your PC’s performance. It’s easy to use and has all the necessary functionality you'd expect from a driver updater. Although it is relatively expensive compared to the competition, it does come from a well-respected brand and take the manual burden out of searching for new drivers.
• Original review date: August 2020
• Newer Sony WH-1000XM5 now out
• Launch price: $349 / £349 / AU$549
• Target price now: $249 / £199 / AU$399
Update: February 2024. The Sony WH-1000XM4 might be getting on these days, but because you can regularly find them for so much cheaper than their launch, we think these still rule the roost in terms of bang for your buck. The 'target' price above is what you should aim to pay for these headphones, and we've seen them for cheaper than those prices, so they're not unrealistic at all. The Sony WH-1000XM5 have now been launched, but with a much higher price than the XM4 and without feeling like a huge leap in terms of sound or noise cancellation. So the WH-1000XM4 really hit the sweet spot if you can get them for our recommended prices, which isn't hard. We still rate them as the best headphones for most people – they've been bettered in many ways, don't get us wrong… but not for this kind of price. Plus the new version doesn't have the handy folding design for traveling! The rest of this review remains as previously published.
Sony WH-1000XM5: One-minute review
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones are a wonderful pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones in every way. That's why they're still up there among our pick of the best headphones of 2022, even though they were released in 2020 – and even though they've recently been superseded by the new WH-1000XM5.
We love that they deliver exactly what they promise and then some, thanks to their exceptional noise cancellation and cutting-edge codec support.
Granted, they haven’t seen a massive overhaul aesthetically from theSony WH-1000XM3 that were released back in 2018. However, the WH-1000XM4 headphones pack in a number of new improvements, including DSEE Extreme audio upscaling and multipoint pairing.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 support Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format, which enablesspatial audio on stereo headphones, plus the LDAC codec that can send a bitrate of up to 990 kbps. The unfortunate bit there, though, is that it no longer supports aptX or aptX HD, so your hi-res audio support mileage may vary.
Thanks to their extremely comfortable fit and great noise cancellation, we highly recommend the Sony WH-1000XM4 as the best headphones and the best over-ear headphones for most people, but particularly travelers or those with long commutes. However, they’re not great for workout enthusiasts who need a secure fit and water-resistance – or business people who require a best-in-class microphone for phone calls. For nearly everyone else, however, these are some of the best wireless headphones you can buy from a brand with an excellent track record in audio devices.
Since their release in August 2020, the Sony WH-1000XM4 have been given a few updates. For starters, Sony released a limited edition white colorway with a gold finish. The company also releases a firmware update to improve Bluetooth stability when the headphones are paired to multiple devices and to fix a bug which saw users struggle to connect the Sony WH-1000XM4 to Windows computers.
Read on for our full Sony WH-1000XM4 review, with everything you need to know about the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy today.
Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Price & release date
Price: $349 in the US
Price: £349 in the UK
Price: AU$549 in Australia
Released in August 2020
The Sony WH-1000XM4 were announced on August 6, 2020 and while they come from Sony's flagship line, they are no longer Sony’s top-tier go to proposition simply because they've now got a younger XM5 sibling. These over-ear cans sit above the mid-range Sony WH-CH710N and true wireless Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds.
In terms of price, you’re looking at $350 / £349 / AU$549 or thereabouts – which is exactly what the Sony WH-1000XM3 launched in 2018 in the US, and £50 more expensive in the UK.
That puts the Sony WH-1000XM4 in the same price range as the Bose Noise-Cancelling 700 Headphones that come in at $339.99 / £349.95 / AU$599.95, and slightly less than the more upscale Bowers and Wilkins PX7 that cost $399.99 / £349 / AU$600 – but let's not forget, that model has now been superseded too, thanks to the arrival of the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2, which can be yours for a cool $399 / £379 / approx. AU$575.
They're also far cheaper than the Apple AirPods Max, which cost $549 / £549 / AU$899 – and since the Sony XM4s are now a slightly older model, we wouldn't be surprised if there are some tasty deals to be had soon…
(Image credit: Future)
Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Design
Imperceptible design changes since the 1000XM3
Sturdy build and comfortable padding
New SoC for improved noise cancellation
Lack any sort of water-resistance
Though the Sony WH-100XM4 have a slew of new components inside the headphones themselves, there’s not a major difference between them and their predecessors in terms of aesthetics. In fact, put them next to each other and you’d have a hard time telling the 1000XM3 apart from the 1000XM4.
That’s not the end of the world, though, as the design of the 1000XM3 is refined and subtle, allowing it to blend in on subway stations, planes and offices without drawing any attention.
In terms of materials, you’re mostly looking at a high-quality plastic build with supple pleather padding. The result is a product that feels mostly durable while remaining extremely comfortable to wear for an extended period of time.
Around the outside of the earcups you’ll find two physical control buttons for power/pairing and a button that cycles through noise-cancelling modes, as well as a 3.5mm aux. jack and a USB-C port for charging. The outer part of the earcups act as a touch-capacitive control panel that can be used to play, pause or skip music, and raise or lower the volume.
Inside the headphones is where the magic happens, though. Sony has swapped out the old system-on-a-chip (SoC) for a new one that promises better noise cancellation. Key to that, of course, is the Sony QNe1 Processor that constantly samples ambient audio to reactively adjust the level of noise cancellation. It’s an ingenious setup and design that separates it from the one-size-fits-all noise cancelling algorithm from other manufacturers.
The bad news here, however, is that the Sony WH-1000XM4 aren’t water-friendly - they’re not splash-proof, water-proof or even very water-resistant. Sony recommends keeping them dry and far away from any source of water that might damage them. That sounds like common sense - and fairly easy to achieve - but that does limit the places you can bring them: if you’re looking for a pair of running headphones, these aren’t them.
(Image credit: Future)
Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Features
Class-leading noise cancellation
Situational and conversational awareness
Multi-point pairing to connect to two devices
May pause the music if it hears you singing along
The Sony WH-1000XM3 were feature-rich upon release, full of inventive control schemes and intelligent applications of their noise cancellation technology. All that was great about the WH-1000XM3 headphones has carried over to the WH-1000XM4 successors, and with some all-new tricks, too. These aren’t just gimmicks either – they’re useful additions that actually work as advertised.
So let’s kick off with the brand-new stuff. First, and perhaps most importantly, Sony has refined its wireless noise-cancelling approach. Like all good design, it’s subtle to the point where you may not notice it at first (such was the strength of the previous system, anyway).
Key specs
Acoustic design: Closed
Weight: 253g
Frequency response: 4Hz to 40kHz
Drivers: 1.57-inch dome-type
Battery life: 30 hours
Active noise cancellation? Yes
Extra features: Speak to Chat, DSEE Extreme, 360 Reality Audio
But with the WH-1000XM4, you’re getting a much greater sense of noise cancellation in the mid-ranges – those sorts of areas where you get a low-level humming kind of sound that you could attribute to a fan, or air conditioning unit, or engine noise. It’s never fully silenced, but it’s remarkably quiet, and as soon as you have actual audio playing through the cans, you can’t hear the outside world at all.
Though high wind can still cause a bit of extraneous noise to come through, it’s otherwise among the best (if not, the best) noise-cancelling system we’ve heard from a pair of wireless headphones.
These noise-cancelling modes are intelligent, too – with your permission, the WH-1000XM4 headphones can learn where you are using geo-location access, and apply your preferred level of noise-cancellation or ambient sound passthrough depending on where you are. So, at home you may prefer a fully cancelled noise mode, while in the office you may want voices to come through.
With the feature activated, the Sony headphones play a small chiming tone when it’s reached one of your set locations, and dials the noise-cancellation up or back appropriately. Though GPS requirements mean it won’t be able to work during a subterranean commute, you can preset your station or travel hub in the accompanying Headphones Connect app, and have it activate your preferred noise cancelling settings whilst above ground before descending.
The best of the WH-1000XM4 features though are those that pander to convenience. They’re simple and effective additions. A sensor in the earcups will recognize when you take the headphones off, and pause music accordingly, resuming playback automatically when you replace them. If they’re paused for a few minutes (at a delay of your choosing), they’ll automatically switch off to save battery life. A new multipoint connection lets the headphones connect to two devices at once, intelligently switching between both as the requirement of each device dictates – say, to deliver a notification or answering a call.
Most impressive is a new Speak-to-Chat feature. With this option switched on, the headphones’ microphone will intelligently recognize when you’ve started talking, and pause your music while ramping up ambient noise being funneled into the cans. It’ll let you have a chat naturally without taking your headphones off, with a short pause occurring after you stop chatting before resuming music playback.
However, it’s a double edged sword, as it’s almost too effective – if you decide to break into song and sing along with your tunes with the feature activated, it’ll pause your track, ending your karaoke session. Convenient then – so long as you’re restrained with your vocal gymnastics.
(Image credit: Future)
Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Audio quality
Circumaural 40mm drivers
Warm and balanced, clear and powerful bass
Support for 360 Reality Audio for spatial audio
LDAC and AAC but not aptX or aptX HD
Sony’s using the same 40mm drivers in the WH-1000XM4 as it had in the WH-1000XM3, so tonally and in terms of mix, there’s not much to separate the WH-1000XM4 from the WH-1000XM3 headphones that preceded them. It’s a warm and balanced sound that does well to offer a wide soundstage when required and detail that can pierce through a powerful bass performance.
On the noise-cancelling front, Sony’s using its Dual Noise Sensor tech, making use of two mics in each earcup to suck in sound and analyse it with the QN1 noise cancelling processor. This allows the headphones to adjust its noise cancellation response imperceptibly quickly, at more than 700 times a second. It’s fantastically powerful, and never gets in the way of your tunes.
While aptX HD support would have been welcome, the Sony’s LDAC codec, present here, does a good job with devices that support it, pushing lots of detail through wirelessly. The introduction of DSEE Extreme, an AI-driven process that looks to restore detail from lossy compressed formats, does well to bring clarity to even the lower quality formats and files you may throw at the WH-1000XM4.
Sony’s still pushing its 360 Reality Audio offering too, which is its homegrown immersive audio format, putting you in the middle of a surround-sound mix, and it’s still impressive – even if actually accessing its library is limited to just a few streaming services, and the catalogue’s growth has been slow.
As ever, we put the headphones through their paces with a mixture of streaming services, file formats and spoken word clips, and the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones impressed across the board.
Jeff Buckley’s elegiac Last Goodbye shimmers into action, its slide guitar giving way to a warm bass groove and layers of acoustic guitars, jangling electrics and orchestral strings. It’s a complicated mix, but the WH-1000XM4 headphones do it justice, soaring with Buckley’s falsetto comfortably sitting at the fore.
Putting the bass to the test by jumping over to Bjork’s Army of Me, you can hear the can’s masterful management of bass frequencies, with the arpeggiated bass line walking through the song as the machine-like snare snaps through.
For something a little softer, Bright Eyes’ First Day of My Life has a great warmth – great vocal clarity is paired with sparkly finger picked guitars and a comforting, guiding double bass that never sounds flabby.
At the other end of the spectrum, Janelle Monae’s absolute banger Make Me Feel sounds supremely powerful on the WH-1000XM4 headphones. From the bop of the percussion to the wall of sound that accompanies the pre-chorus, it sees the Sony WH-1000XM4s firing on all cylinders, with expressive dynamics and clear and distinct separation between each instrument. It’s a pleasure at the best of times, and Sony’s cans bring out the best of the track.
From the perspective of a work-at-home, share-the-kitchen-table-with-a-flatmate user scenario, those around us did notice a substantial amount of noise leakage from the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones – enough to distract at even half their maximum volume level. You may not be able to hear the outside world, but it can hear what you’re listening to, so keep that in mind if you’re planning on taking these to a quiet office or library.
(Image credit: Future)
Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Battery life
No improvement on battery life compared to predecessors
30 hours with noise cancelling on / 38 hours with it off
Quick charging (five hours of charge after just 10 minutes)
Last just as long or longer than the competition
While the Sony WH-1000XM4 didn’t get a boost in battery life compared to their predecessors, you're getting a substantial 30 hours with noise cancelling turned on and around 38 hours with noise cancelling turned off.
At first, that number somewhat disappointed us – how could a product not improve battery life year-on-year? But then it dawned on us that now the headphones have speech detection, a new SoC and algorithm, plus new sensors, too. The fact that it remained the same in spite of adding a host of new features is actually kind of impressive.
Although the Sony WH-1000XM4 don't come with a battery life improvement compared to their predecessors, they do stretch their playback time as far as possible thanks to the new auto-on/off and play/pause sensor inside the earcup that can tell when you’ve taken the headphones off. It’s a huge boon to folks who might forget to turn off their headphones at the end of the day only to find that they’re dead 24 hours later.
The 30 hours should be enough to get you through multiple international flights or a few days to the office, but it’s also good to know that the headphones can be charged in a matter of minutes thanks to fast-charging. According to Sony, you can get about five hours of charge from 10 minutes of power and a full charge after about three hours.
So how do the Sony WH-1000XM4 compare to the competition? Quite favorably. The Bose Noise-Cancelling 700 only clocked in at around 20 hours of battery life with noise cancelling turned on, while the Bowers and Wilkins PX7 matches the Sony at 30.
Should I buy the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones?
