It's the same podium for the third week in a row in our trending chart. The Samsung Galaxy A55 keeps reigning supreme, ahead of the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Redmi Note 13 Pro.
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The Galaxy A15 rises back to the fourth spot, while newly announced OnePlus Ace 3 Pro captured the fifth spot.
Redmi Note 13 and Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max retained the sixth and seventh positions.
The Redmi 13C came eight this week, followed by the Galaxy A35. Realme GT 6 just held onto the last spot in the top 10, meaning that the Infinix GT 20 is the only phone to miss out...
Google surprised us all by announcing a Pixel event in August, instead of October. The Pixel 9 series, which will feature three phones for the first time, is coming on August 13!
The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite is official. It packs a 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED, and the Snapdragon 695 SoC. The Nord CE4 Lite is equipped with a battery with 10% higher capacity, 5,500mAh. That is the capacity for the Indian model. The global version has a 5,110mAh battery instead (110mAh more than the CE 3 Lite). Either way, charging has been boosted a bit to 80W, so a full 100% still takes a reasonable amount of time –...
JBL may not be a brand best known for its microphones and streaming kit, but they are a hardy brand with an excellent reputation. The brand’s Quantum Stream Studio is one of its first stabs at a premium streaming microphone for you to shout into, and by and large, it’s a solid option that’s well-priced and specced. It looks great with an entirely integrated design and thoughtful touches such as an integrated mute button, on-board gain control with LED lights for gain and monitoring volume, and a choice of four polar patterns.
Elsewhere, the Quantum Stream Studio performs well with a clear, well-rounded pickup with both a fair bit of low-end and excellent clarity. Those four polar patterns make it versatile too, as it can be used for single-person recording, as well as in one-on-one interviews, or when recording in a group. Not many other microphones for streaming and gaming offer this function in 2024, so it’s a welcome addition to JBL’s option.
However, the Quantum Studio has a couple of shortcomings compared to more established options, such as its sub-par noise rejection. The software here, while functional, is also on the basic side, sticking with options also found physically on the microphone’s control panel, such as gain control and choice of polar pattern.
(Image credit: Future/Reece Bithrey)
JBL Quantum Stream Studio: Price and availability
$149.99 / £129.99 / AU$199.95
Available in the US, UK and Australia
Solid value for money
In the context of premium mics for content creators, streamers, and that kind of audience, the price tag of the JBL Quantum Stream Studio is decent and offers robust value. Against some of our favorite streaming microphones, JBL’s option retails for slightly more than the Blue Yeti in the USA, but identically in the UK, while also being comparable to options from audio giants Audio Technica and its AT2020 USB-X with its $149 / £116 price tag.
With this in mind, the Quantum Stream Studio is also much more affordable than premium choices such as the SteelSeries Alias, which goes for $179.99 / £179.99. In Australia, JBL’s mic becomes even better value than SteelSeries’ option, given its price is half - it’s AU$199.95 against the Alias’ AU$399. Across the board, the Quantum Stream Studio represents solid value for money with its feature set.
JBL Quantum Stream Studio: Specs
(Image credit: Future/Reece Bithrey)
JBL Quantum Stream Studio: Design and features
Sleek, cylindrical chassis
Intuitive controls
Simple connectivity and lighting
Compared to some of the more avant-garde designs seen more recently with microphones such as the SteelSeries Alias, the JBL Quantum Stream Studio sticks to something more conventional. Its main body is cylindrical, with a tall stature that carries presence when plonked on a desk, while there is a mute button on top and convenient controls on the front fascia.
The pop filter on the Quantum Stream Studio is integrated, meaning there aren’t any unsightly protrusions here, keeping JBL’s microphone looking clean. The chassis here is almost entirely metal too, exuding a high-quality finish that matches the price tag.
Elsewhere, JBL’s mic also comes with a small stand, which echoes the marvelous quality found elsewhere. It carries plenty of heft and keeps the Quantum Stream Studio in place well, although allows for some movement out of the box. This can be alleviated by tightening the dials on each side, as well as on the base. The underside of the stand also provides a strip of non-slip rubber to prevent the Quantum Stream Studio from sliding around unnecessarily on a desk. It worked well both on a desk and on my mousepad in testing.
The controls on the Quantum Stream Studio are wonderfully simple to use and easy to access, being contained on the front panel or on the top and bottom sides of the cylinder. The front panel is home to a dial, giving you quick access to gain control or monitoring volume if you’ve got headphones plugged into the mic’s 3.5mm jack on the back. You can also choose between a balance of the two by clicking the dial-in until it reveals a half-and-half pattern. The dial also has a small LED which can be used to monitor levels without trawling through software, which is nifty.
(Image credit: Future/Reece Bithrey)
Also contained on the front panel are four white LED lights at the bottom which allow you to pick between the different polar patterns that the Quantum Stream Studio has, much like the Blue Yeti can do. These are accessed with a button on the bottom side of the mic, marked with a P. Click it in, and it’ll change the pattern with ease.
On the top of the Quantum Stream Studio’s chassis is a big mic mute panel, which operates as more of a pad than a button. Press on the mic mute icon, and the LED on the top changes from green to red, giving you a convenient visual indication that no one can hear you. You do have to be quite precise with your finger placement to ensure the microphone mutes, as pressing anywhere but directly on the mic mute icon does nothing.
The back side is home to a USB-C port for connectivity, as well as that 3.5mm jack for monitoring. Interestingly, the Quantum Stream Studio itself doesn’t have a thread mount for putting elsewhere other than the desktop mount. However, the base of the desktop mount unscrews for putting into a standard boom arm mount. Nifty.
(Image credit: Future/Reece Bithrey)
JBL Quantum Stream Studio: Performance
Clear, full-bodied pickup
Versatile with four pickup patterns
Basic software configuration
Out of the box, the Quantum Stream Studio offers reasonably solid pickup with decent clarity and body. The default cardioid pickup pattern is best suited for vocals and instruments and provides good comms in both chatting with friends over Discord, in-game chats on Counter-Strike 2, and when testing in Audacity for recording my own dulcet tones.
The initial thesis with the cardioid pickup pattern is that with it picking up noise solely from the front, it should reject noise from the back and sides. However, at least in this pattern, the noises of my custom mechanical keyboard a few inches away from the back of the microphone were picked up. The distinct lack of any form of noise cancellation or rejection is a shame, especially when other premium streaming microphones offer much better performance in this particular area.
The other polar patterns are less useful for individual recording, but they are useful if you’ve got multiple people involved to huddle around one microphone. The omnidirectional pattern means the Quantum Stream Studio will pick up sound from all directions, making it ideal for podcast recording with a singular microphone. It essentially opens up the soundstage, and isn’t the best for single-person recording, picking up a lot more background noise.
(Image credit: Future/Reece Bithrey)
There's also a bidirectional pattern, where the microphone captures inputs from the front and back - ideal for one-on-one interviewing. This option did a solid job of isolating noise elsewhere than the front and back in testing. The final pickup mode is arguably the most interesting, as the Quantum Stream Studio has a stereo mode, which can be used for recording instruments or if you’ve got two people on the same side of the microphone.
The mic’s software comes in the form of the Windows-only JBL Quantum Engine, which installs automatically when you first plug the Quantum Stream Studio in. As opposed to offering a plethora of customization with its own mixer, as SteelSeries’ GG does, the Quantum Stream Studio’s software is a bit more basic.
Quantum Engine allows for on-the-fly adjustment of the levels of gain and monitoring, as well as allowing you to choose the polar pattern. You can also customize the color of the lighting for the mic’s built-in level indicator which shows around the volume wheel on the front so you know you can be heard without being too loud. Otherwise, that’s pretty much it, apart from a cool graphic of the mic’s outline itself which rotates around in the bottom right corner.
(Image credit: Future/Reece Bithrey)
Should I buy the JBL Quantum Stream Studio?
Buy it if...
You want the flexibility of multiple pickup patterns Not many microphones offer the convenience of multiple pickup patterns these days, and the feature has almost gone out of fashion. If you want a mic that offers it in 2024, the Quantum Stream Studio is an excellent one.
You want a mic that’s simple to use The Quantum Stream Studio is one of the simplest mics to use in its price range, with it requiring no assembly or poking around online for software installation, and will be up and running shortly after being plugged it in.
Don't buy it if...
You want more advanced software JBL’s option lacks more advanced and granular control within its software, which is a shame if you’re looking to really adjust every minute detail or option. If you’re after more in the way of configuration, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
You want class-leading noise cancellation In all of its four pickup patterns, the Quantum Stream Studio lets in a fair amount of background noise which is a consideration for those looking for quality sound isolation and rejection.
Also consider...
If you’re still not sold on the JBL Quantum Stream Studio, here’s how it stacks up against two similar options.
Blue Yeti If the JBL Quantum Stream Studio isn’t for you, then the Blue Yeti makes sense. It’s a veteran of the mic world, and our current top ranker with its four polar patterns, sublime pickup and versatile colour choices. You may not get RGB, and it is only a single mic setup internally, but the Blue Yeti is excellent
HyperX DuoCast The HyperX DuoCast is also a solid alternative to JBL’s mic, netting a position as the best USB mic we’ve tested for the purpose of podcasting. This is not only because of its excellent pickup across both its cardioid and omnidirectional pickup patterns, but also because it comes with a shock mount and boom arm adapter included, meaning you’re ready to go right out of the box. While the software can be a bit finicky, the DuoCast is an excellent plug and play option for podcasters.
I used the JBL Quantum Stream Studio as my main microphone for two weeks. I tested it with both Audacity for test recordings, as well as when chatting with friends over Discord and in games such as Counter-Strike 2 for in-game chats. I also made sure to install the additional software to best test its functionality on Windows.
This week on Amazon you can claim additional discounts at checkout time for select phones, some also come with cashback offers, which makes the final prices surprisingly low.
For example, last year’s Samsung Galaxy S23 is down to £505. However, there is a £30 discount you get at checkout and £100 cashback. This brings the final price down to £375 for the 128GB model and £425 for the 256GB one.
Samsung Galaxy S23
£330 off, including £30 off at checkout and £100 cashback
Read our review
...
The gaming phone market used to be an exciting and competitive niche, with companies innovating with newer and weirder ways to make their handsets great for mobile gaming. My use of the past tense there is intentional, as the Asus ROG Phone 8 is a sign of the times.
With Lenovo giving up its short-lived Legion Duel line in 2021, and my personal favorites, Black Shark, not having released a device since 2022, Asus doesn’t have much competition when it comes to producing the best gaming phone, and as a result, it doesn’t seem to be trying.
On paper, the Asus ROG Phone 8 looks like a decent gaming phone. It has a high refresh rate display, the newest and fastest chipset, and extra gaming features that you don’t find on most Android mobiles. And, to an extent, it is good for playing mobile games.
The ROG had no problem loading up the top graphical settings on any game I tested, and it easily ran higher refresh modes in the few games that offer it. Plus, it gives you lots of customization over the power allotment, so you can focus on latency, graphics, battery management and more – really useful tools for gamers on the go.
Asus’ Android fork is also one of the easiest to use I’ve seen in a gaming phone – it’s nice and clean, but with a few added extra features for gamers like customization modes. There’s no bloatware either, which isn’t something you can say about many Android phones.
While I'm listing positives, I also want to commend the camera. It's not quite iPhone-level, but it's definitely the best I've seen on a gaming phone, given that manufacturers working in this niche rarely spare a thought for photography. It even has a zoom camera, which is quite the rarity these days!
However, I came out of my time with the Asus ROG Phone 8 not quite sold on its gaming chops beyond all that power. Gaming tech companies don’t seem to want to acknowledge the fact that there’s a lot more to making a good gaming phone than performance; case in point, the ROG Phone 8.
Instead of physical triggers, the ROG Phone 8 has ‘Air Triggers’, or haptic areas that you can tap to pre-mapped functions. These are finickity to use, requiring pronounced motions that take more time and attention than simply pressing on-screen buttons. Plus they’re quite buggy, sometimes not triggering and other times getting stuck.
Asus has also made the mistake of placing the side-mounted speakers right where your hand will be when you’re holding the mobile horizontally to game. I kept blocking sound when playing games, which was infuriating.
I imagine Asus hopes gamers will use the ROG phone alongside one of its peripherals, but expecting consumers to buy extra tech brings into view another issue with the ROG Phone 8 – it’s really expensive! Costing $1,099 / £949 (roughly AU$1,600), it’ll set you back more than many top-end flagships including the OnePlus 12, Google Pixel 8 or Xiaomi 14.
More importantly, the ROG Phone 8 costs a lot more than the Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro, which is its big rival in the gaming space, and I don’t think you’re getting your money’s worth with the price hike.
If the gaming phone space was more competitive, this price tag would get Asus laughed out of the room. As it stands, the high cost of the ROG Phone 8 and the lack of refinement in its gaming chops make it hard to recommend.
Asus ROG Phone 8 review: price and availability
Released in January 2024
Costs $1,099 / £949 (roughly AU$1,600)
Has two more premium alternatives: Pro and Pro Edition
(Image credit: Future)
The Asus ROG Phone 8 was announced and released alongside the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro and Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition (yes, it's confusing) in January 2024, as the newest update in this long-running line of mobiles.
The ROG Phone 8 costs $1,099 / £949 (roughly AU$1,600), so it’s by no means a cheap phone; it’s barely more affordable than the Pro model, which starts at $1,199 / £1,099 (roughly AU$1,750) but gets you more power and storage. The aforementioned Pro Edition goes for an even higher $1,499 / £1,299 (around AU$2,200).
These prices put the ROG Phone 8 family as basically the most expensive gaming-focused phones you can buy right now; the Red Magic 9 Pro costs $649 / £579 (around AU$1,100) and offers similar specs, and with Black Shark seemingly out of the market, you’ll have to look outside the gaming phone realm for other competitors.
The ROG Phone 8 isn't exactly offering value for money either. While it’s certainly got impressive internal specs that make gaming a breeze, so do other phones that cost much less money. This phone’s asking price is especially egregious when taking into consideration many of the issues we'll get to later.
In the 'Also consider' section of this review, you’ll find recommendations for other gaming phones that offer better value for money, at different price tiers.
Value score: 2.5 / 5
Asus ROG Phone 8 review: specs
Let's check out what we're working with before we dive into the phone, section by section.
Asus ROG Phone 8 review: design
(Image credit: Future)
Big phone which stretches the hand
Black and gray options
Two USB-C ports as well as Air Triggers and 3.5mm jack
Asus’ ROG Phones have never indulged in the garish design excesses of other gaming phones, but even for its own standards the ROG Phone 8 looks a lot like a ‘normal’ Android phone. No bold ridges, no angular blocks, no big triggers or nozzles.
It’s big for sure, with its 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm body sure to stretch your hand. But at 225g it’s no heavier than it looks – you can game for long amounts of time, but it won’t replace your gym weights routine. Your fingers, though, might need the occasional rest.
You can pick the phone up in black or gray, and we tested the former. There’s an LED panel on the back, but I didn’t actually realize until I came to write this review – you have to find the option to turn it on buried deep in a menu. More on that in the software section later.
The camera bump on the back of the ROG sticks out a fair way, so the phone doesn’t sit flat on a table – that’s par for the course in many phones though. It’s prone to scuffing too, as you might notice in some of the review pictures.
A bit more interesting is the fact that the phone has two USB-C ports, which is something you see occasionally in gaming phones. This is so that you can charge the ROG Phone 8 while gaming, without a cable poking out at an inopportune angle. One of these ports is on the left edge of the mobile, and the other is on the bottom edge, joined by a 3.5mm headphone jack.
On the right edge of the phone are a power button and volume rocker, as well as two ‘Air Triggers’ as Asus calls them. These are basically haptic spots that you can tap to enact a certain function when gaming, so you can map them to, say, aiming and shooting a gun.
Triggers are nothing new for gaming phones, but I wasn’t a fan of the Rog Phone 8’s. They need a firm press to select, with these pronounced gestures taking more time and requiring more effort than other gaming mobile triggers I’ve tested – in fact, I think it slowed down my reaction time in gaming, rather than speeding it up. In addition, the triggers sometimes wouldn’t function, and other times would stay held down when I pressed them once, causing me to repeatedly shoot my gun. For obvious reasons, this was annoying, and I slowly stopped using the triggers.
The ROG Phone 8 has an IP68 rating – this means it’s protected against dust and brief submersion in water, in case you decide to game in the bathtub. The phone has a glass front and back, though, so it might not survive a big drop.
Design score: 3.5 / 5
Asus Rog Phone 8 review: display
(Image credit: Future)
Giant 6.78-inch screen
Super fast 165Hz refresh rate
FHD+ resolution
With its 6.78-inch display, the ROG Phone 8 is a chunky boy, but that’s no surprise given that all of its predecessors since the ROG Phone 5 have been this exact same size (the ROG Phone 8 Pro, too).
The resolution is 1080 x 2400, or FHD+ – that’s the standard for most Android phones, and while it’s not the 2K or 4K of select rivals on the market, it’s the resolution that most games output at, so we’re not subtracting points for that.
It’s a good-looking display, with an AMOLED panel providing punchy colors, HDR10 boosting the contrast of images, and 2500 nits max brightness lighting up the dark side of the moon, it looks great for video streaming or gaming.
On the topic of gaming, the phone's 165Hz refresh rate is great for the select games that support high refresh rates. Not many do, but 120Hz is a lovely extra perk nonetheless.
Display score: 4 / 5
Asus Rog Phone 8 review: software
(Image credit: Future)
Android 14 with lots of Asus twists
Clean software with customization options
AI wallpaper generator may prove divisive
The Asus ROG Phone 8 comes with Android 14, and a home-brewed user interface laid over the top. It’s lathered with ‘gamer aesthetics’ – expect darker tones, minimalist icon designs (check out the camera icon in the review images!) and app icons with an irregular hexagonal shape.
Beyond the looks, this software feels quite similar to stock Android, so it’s pretty clean. Apps are stored in an app drawer, and you can swipe down to get access to quick settings.
Asus has added a few of its own apps and functions that are tailored to gamers. These include a tutorial in how the gaming features work when you first boot up the phone (which is cool but makes the set-up processes incredibly time-consuming), Armory Crate, which gives you quick access to all your games, and an in-game swipe-up system that lets you fiddle with loads of pertinent settings. All of these features are handy extras to gamers, though I stopped using Armory Crate when I realized that it was creating an extra step between me and a game.
The ROG Phone 8 has a fair few customization options to personalize the always-on display, icon shapes, various animations and the font. You can also customize the LED panel on the back; to do so, you have to find the AniMe Vision feature buried in the settings menu (or Armory Crate). This lets you choose conditions for the screen to light up: on an incoming call, when you’re taking a picture, a camera countdown, a charging indicator and so on, with select graphics to indicate what’s happening. It’s definitely less garish than many gaming phone LED panels.
One feature of the Asus ROG Phone 8 that’ll either drive you crazy with glee or rage, depending on your views on the ethical dilemma of generative AI, is the AI Wallpaper feature. The phone has a built-in AI image generator, so you can create a wallpaper based on one of a few set themes including ‘Space’, ‘Cyberpunk’ and ‘Sci-Fi’ – you may be noticing a theme here.
I used this feature to make a few different wallpapers, and they were all suitably distinct, but they also had all the issues common to AI-generated images that you’ve seen and laughed at in the past. The phone does not, as I initially thought, generate you a new wallpaper each day. That’d be a cool feature, but no. The ROG Phone 8 just makes you one, and if you want a new one, you’ll need to go into the settings of the phone and re-generate it.
Given that the focus of the Asus ROG Phone 8 is gaming and performance, I didn't expect great things from the device's camera, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's not going to replace your top-end iPhone, but it'll hold its own.
The main camera is a 50MP f/1.9 snapper with OIS that uses a gimbal, something that's not common in smartphones. Standard (1x zoom) pictures taken on the phone are quite bright and colorful, particularly in well-lit environments, but don't discount them in dimmer places either.
When you take a picture, its resolution is only 12.5MP, with the camera employing pixel-binning from the 50MP. Unlike in most phones, I couldn't find a way to turn on full-res mode, so if you blow up the below camera samples, you'll see them losing quality quickly.
If you want a wider scope, you can jump to the second camera, a 13MP f/2.2 snapper with a 120-degree ultrawide lens. This offered a surprising amount of consistency in terms of color and quality compared to pictures taken on the main camera, so you can widen your shot without worrying about contending with a different color profile. In the camera section below, you can see a shot of London's Canary Wharf at different zoom levels to show this.
Going the other way, you can get closer to a subject with the 32MP f/2.4 snapper with a 3x zoom telephoto lens. Zoom lenses like this are disappointingly rare in all mobiles nowadays, so I was really surprised to see one in a gaming phone of all things, but it really elevates the photography experience.
As with the ultra-wide camera, the color profile consistency continues on this lens (something you can't guarantee in smartphones) and it has a decent amount of quality at higher zoom levels.
You can exceed 3x with digital zoom, which is basically cropping of the zoomed-in picture, up to 30x. Results for digital zoom pictures can vary wildly, but it was decent on the ROG, with far landmarks fairly easy to make out, as you can see below.
One thing about the telephoto camera is that it isn't as great for close-up pictures, so you can't use it like a macro camera to give great depth of field to snaps. If you look at the sixth camera sample below, you'll see a lack of dynamic range and low photo quality. I'm a big fan of using zoom snappers for detailed nature photography, but I don't think the ROG has the chops for it.
On the front of the phone is a 32MP f/2.5 selfie camera. I found that pictures taken in low-light environments had an odd yellow hue, but when I was taking selfies out and about, there was no such issue.
Portrait mode doesn't have as dramatic an effect as it does on most smartphones, with the bokeh quite light-touch and few beauty features applied to the face, but it's not the end of the world.
If you want to shoot video, you can shoot at up to 8K resolution at 24fps or 4K at 60fps. Or, slowing things down, you can get FHD at 240fps or 4K at 120fps.
There are a few extra modes on the phone, including the standards like Pro, time-lapse, panorama and night mode, as well as a light trails feature for ersatz shutter speed adjustments. There's nothing hugely out of the ordinary, but if you want wild camera modes, you probably want to look for one of the best camera phones.
Camera score: 3 / 5
Asus Rog Phone 8 camera samples
Image 1 of 9
A standard picture taken of a single flower (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 9
An ultra-wide photo of a city scape (Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 9
An standard (1x) photo of a city scape (Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 9
A zoomed-in (3x) photo of a city scape (Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 9
A digitally-zoomed (30x) picture of a skyscraper (Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 9
A 3x picture taken of some flowers (Image credit: Future)
Image 7 of 9
A selfie taken in standard mode (Image credit: Future)
Image 8 of 9
A selfie taken on Portrait mode (Image credit: Future)
Image 9 of 9
A standard photo taken with varying depths of field. (Image credit: Future)
Asus Rog Phone 8: performance and audio
Snappy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor
12GB RAM and 256GB storage
Speakers poorly placed for gaming
Since the Asus ROG Phone 8 is a gaming phone, you’d think that performance is an area where it aces the test. Well… you’d hope so. The phone has the new top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.
In terms of straight-up speed, the ROG is undeniably fantastic – I never encountered any stutters or issues during gameplay, and it could render the highest graphical settings and fastest refresh rates in titles like COD Mobile with no issue.
(Image credit: Future)
That performance was reflected in benchmarks. In a Geekbench 6 multi-core test, the phone returned a score of 6,524 – I tested it again after half an hour of gaming, to see if overheating could cause an issue, and the resultant score of 6,459 proves that it doesn't.
Notably, our tester for the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition got a score of 7,200, so the extra RAM of the highest-end versions will get you more power. But given that most mobile games are optimized to run well on any device, even low-end ones, that extra power won’t really improve your gaming experience all that much.
While the phone's performance is great on paper, I found gaming a little tiring. I’ve already discussed my issues with the ROG Phone 8's temperamental Air Triggers, but there were more problems. Notably, when you’re holding the phone horizontally, your hand blocks the speakers, so you need to use headphones to properly hear. The big size of the phone also meant I got hand ache when gaming for too long, and I'd also sometimes accidentally press the side of the device when reaching for buttons in the middle.
Oh, and gamers might like to know that you can play certain titles without having to unlock the phone – my go-to testing title, COD: Mobile, is one of these. However, features like Air Triggers don’t work unless you’ve unlocked the phone, which is a problem I kept running into.
None of these hiccups would be issues… in a non-gaming phone. However, in the ROG Phone 8, they detracted from the overall gaming experience for me. Damningly, I enjoyed my time gaming on the Samsung Galaxy A35, which I tested before this, more than I did on the ROG Phone.
Performance score: 4 / 5
Asus Rog Phone 8 review: battery life
(Image credit: Future)
Huge 5,500mAh battery
Two charging ports for 65W speed
Wireless and reverse wireless charging too
Keeping the lights on for the ROG Phone 8 is a 5,500mAh battery, which is as chunky as you’d hope for in a gaming phone like this.
If you’re planning on using the ROG Phone 8 like your average phone, then this battery is easily big enough to keep things ticking over for a whole day. Don’t worry about those extended video calls – this beast will keep you going.
When it comes to gaming, you’ll definitely get a good few hours of time out of the ROG, but I did notice that the battery was sapped quicker that on the non-gaming phones I tested prior to it – even when gaming on lower refresh rates and graphical options. That’s why the double charging ports are in play: to make sure you can charge nice and quickly. Powering is at 65W, which is lovely and fast, and you can get from empty to full in just under 45 minutes if you have a compatible charger.
There’s also 15W wireless charging, which obviously won’t be useful for powering while you’re gaming, but it's a useful addition. The same can be said for the 10W reverse wireless charging, so the 5,500mAh power pack is playing double duty as a portable power bank if you have wirelessly-charging gadgets.
Battery score: 3.5 / 5
Should you buy the Asus ROG Phone 8?
Buy it if...
You need a future-proof gaming phone
Few games go higher than 120Hz or require top-end chipsets, but that'll change over time, and this handset will handle new games for years to come.
You're going to buy a mobile gaming controller While I was critical of certain gaming features of the ROG, they'll all be redundant if you're also planning to buy a gaming controller to go with your phone.
The AI wallpaper feature appeals to you If you're a fan of generative AI then you might find the AI wallpaper feature really cool, with it generating artificial new backgrounds whenever you want it to.
Don't buy it if...
You're on a budget
This is an incredibly pricey gaming phone, and I can't recommend it to people who don't want to break the bank on their new mobile.
You find phone LEDs embarrassing
People can love or hate smartphone LED panels; if you've got a strong opposition, you'll hate the ROG's, even if it's more minimal than on some other gaming phones.
You want a small phone I have fairly average-sized hands, and using the ROG gave me aches, so if you want a nice compact device, you won't enjoy using this Asus phone.
Asus Rog Phone 8 review: Also consider
If you're looking for another Android phone to play games on, here are some other picks worth considering:
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Offering more power and more storage than the non-Pro model, the 8 Pro is reserved for super-serious gamers, though it costs more, too. Read our full Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro review
OnePlus 12 If you want a non-gaming phone that can still handle all the top titles, then the OnePlus 12 ticks all the boxes. Plus, it's more affordable than the ROG. Read our full OnePlus 12 review
How I tested the Asus Rog Phone 8
Review test period = 3 weeks
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
My Asus ROG Phone 8 testing process involved a lot of gaming. That's why the test period was three weeks instead of the usual two – I got a bit distracted!
For the main testing period, though, I used the phone as though it was a regular mobile – texting, streaming movies, listening to music, spending time on social media, taking pictures and playing lots of games.
I've been testing smartphones at TechRadar for over five years, after spending time as a writer then editor of the phones section, and as such I've used plenty of other handsets. These include many gaming phones and rivals to the Asus.
Peripherals manufacturer CRKD is back with the Nitro Deck+, an upgraded version of its fantastic Nitro Deck handheld Switch dock/controller. While said upgrades here essentially boil down to a handful of quality-of-life improvements, these changes make the Nitro Deck+ unequivocally the best product the manufacturer has put out so far. But it’s not necessarily the one that offers the best value for money.
The Nitro Deck+ features a slick translucent shell not unlike the Crystal Collection limited edition variants of the original model. It offers six remappable buttons as opposed to the original’s four, comes packaged with an HDMI adapter that allows you to play on the TV and an improved kickstand that feels notably less stiff and fiddly.
Performance remains excellent across the board, with class-leading Hall Effect thumbsticks that effectively eliminate the risk of drift. The face buttons, extra remappable buttons, and bumpers all still feel snappy, responsive, and tactile - though the mushy triggers of the original Nitro Deck sadly remain here. It, unfortunately, hasn’t lost any weight off of the original model either, meaning that one of its few real drawbacks - the overall bulkiness - hasn’t been improved upon.
Price is also a bit of a sticking point, costing notably more than standard edition Nitro Decks while coming in at the same price as its many special editions. On top of this, the bundle that includes the HDMI adapter costs slightly more on top. As a result, it’s tough to recommend the upgrade to existing Nitro Deck owners when the overall improvements are slight.
That being said, the Nitro Deck+ is still easily one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers and one you should consider if you haven’t already purchased the original Nitro Deck. It also helps that customization via the CRKD Ctrl app is excellent, allowing users to fine-tune the feel of the controller and its various modules to a high degree.
(Image credit: Future)
Price and availability
$69.99 / £69.99 list price
$79.99 / £79.99 for the controller bundled with a HDMI adapter
Considerably more than the standard Nitro Deck ($49.99 / £49.99)
If you’re looking to purchase the Nitro Deck+, it’s available to buy right now from CRKD’s website for $69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$99). At this price, you’re getting the peripheral itself as well as a lovely microfiber string bag that I feel is a cut above most carry cases thanks to its luscious build quality and adjustable strap.
At $79.99 / £79.99, you can nab a bundle that includes the Nitro Deck+, carry case, and a USB-C to HDMI adapter that’ll transfer the Switch’s output to your TV, allowing you to play on a larger display while your console is still docked in the Deck.
The Nitro Deck+ is a good deal pricier than the standard Nitro Deck model ($49.99 / £49.99) and the same price as most of its limited edition bundles ($69.99 / £69.99). You’re also looking at $10 / £10 more than that for the inclusion of that HDMI adapter. Unless you really like the idea of playing on your TV with the Nitro Deck+, we’d recommend opting for the version without the adapter to save yourself some cash.
Specs
(Image credit: Future)
Design and features
Exceptional build quality
Like a suit of armor for your Switch
Fairly bulky with Switch docked
The Nitro Deck+ brings a number of improvements to the table in terms of build quality and aspects of its design. Like the base model, it feels sturdy in the hands while you’ve got the Switch tablet docked in. And while we’re happy its superb build quality carries over to this new model, there hasn’t really been any effort to shed some of the device’s size and weight. If you’re heading out and about, expect that half-a-kilo weight (including the Switch) to feel quite bulky during lengthier play sessions. Thankfully, the included carry case, made from lovely microfiber material, does alleviate this with its high-quality design and over-the-shoulder strap for ease of portability.
There have been some excellent improvements over the base model, mind. The new metallic thumbsticks feel fantastic, backed up once again by Hall sensors that help to greatly reduce the risk of stick drift. We also noted that the rear remappable buttons feel a good deal more tactile here, and the addition of two more on either side of the Nitro Deck+ is welcome if you want to customize your button layout to a higher degree.
On the back of the Nitro Deck+, you’ve still got an adjustable kickstand and an eject slider used for undocking the Switch tablet. These both feel far sturdier here; on the original Nitro Deck, the kickstand was quite fiddly and often refused to click back into its resting position. That’s no longer the case with the Deck+, making it excellent for setting up on your desk for YouTube viewing or for playing touch-based games.
(Image credit: Future)
Performance
Improvements to sticks and remappable buttons
Fantastic mobile app-based software
USB-C to HDMI connectivity is more suited to playing on a monitor
The Nitro Deck+ remains a fantastic option for handheld play, thanks to improvements to its various modules as mentioned above. While face buttons, D-pad, bumpers, and triggers are all comparable to the original model, those upgraded thumbsticks and remappable buttons make portable play feel more responsive and tactile than ever.
We found the Nitro Deck+ to be a fantastic controller for the recently-launched Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble. Its tiltable obstacle courses often require pinpoint precision with the analog stick, and the Deck is more than up to the task here thanks to ultra-responsive sticks and Hall-sensing technology.
One thing worth noting is that the analog stick layout has been swapped around on the Nitro Deck+. The sticks here are symmetrical, as opposed to the asymmetrical layout found on the base Nitro Deck. This did take some getting used to, being so familiar with that original design, and there’s certainly some awkwardness involved in having to move your thumb downwards to access the face buttons. But after a period of adjustment, it felt no worse to play the best Nintendo Switch games here.
Now let’s talk about the Nitro Deck+’s HDMI compatibility. The USB-C to HDMI adapter allows you to play games on your telly while your console is docked in the Nitro Deck+. It’s perfectly responsive, and we didn’t note any kind of intrusive input latency playing games this way. However, we feel it’s an incredibly niche way to play your Switch games and somewhat defeats the purpose of the Nitro Deck’s incredible portability factor.
Furthermore, the cable is extremely short, meaning you’ll likely have to play sitting quite close to your TV. That being said, it is a solid option if you have a monitor and gaming desk setup, and this feels like the intended way of using that HDMI adapter given the shorter distance required.
Lastly, the accompanying CRKD Ctrl app - available for both Android and iOS - is an extremely robust app that lets you perform firmware updates for your Nitro Deck+, as well as customize pretty much every aspect of your controller’s performance. That includes stick dead zones, remapping those ancillary buttons (as well as all standard buttons, bumpers, and triggers should you desire or need), vibration strength, and trigger sensitivity. It’s one of the most intricate pieces of software we’ve seen for a Nintendo Switch controller and is perfect for players who really like to tailor their play experience to their specific preferences.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Nitro Deck+?
Buy it if...
You want the best handheld play experience on Switch With superb customization and luxurious build quality, the Nitro Deck+ is essential for players who prefer going handheld with their Switch console.
You enjoy customizing your experience to a granular degree The CRKD Ctrl app is fantastic for tailoring a personal play experience. With it, you can adjust your stick’s dead zones, trigger sensitivity, rumble strength, and more.
Don't buy it if...
You already own a Nitro Deck The $69.99 / £69.99 asking price for the Nitro Deck+ is pretty steep when the experience is quite comparable to the base model outside of some slight upgrades.
Also consider...
If the Nitro Deck+ isn’t quite what you’re looking for, we recommend checking out the following Nintendo Switch controllers. We recommend these in confidence if, say, you’re after something cheaper or would simply prefer a more traditionally-designed gamepad.
Nitro Deck The standard Nitro Deck tops our best Nintendo Switch accessories list for a reason; it’s simply the finest portable experience you can have with the console at its price point. It’s very similar to the Nitro Deck+ minus a few improvements. We’d consider checking out this base model if the Nitro Deck+ is a little beyond your price range.
8BitDo Ultimate One of the very best third-party Nintendo Switch controllers, it packs phenomenal value for money by coming with its own charging dock, 2.4GHz dongle as well as PC and SteamOS support if you prefer to play on Steam Deck.
Played in handheld, and on TV and a gaming monitor via the HDMI adapter
I tested the Nitro Deck+ over the course of about a week and a half with several Nintendo Switch games including Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Splatoon 3, and Endless Ocean Luminous. I felt that these games are all well-suited to the Nitro Deck+’s improvements including those lovely metallic Hall effect sticks, gyro support, and a wealth of remappable buttons.
I made sure to test the device across all supported formats, including handheld as well as play on TV and a monitor via the USB-C to HDMI adapter. While I maintain that there’s niche appeal to the latter methods, playing on a gaming monitor with the Nitro Deck+ was a fantastic and responsive experience that’s well-suited to Switch games’ relatively lower resolutions.
Motorola unveiled the Razr 50 series in China and the global announcement came hours later. T-Mobile US is already hyping up its exclusive Hot Pink Razr+, while Amazon India is setting up for the local launch. Now there is just one question – will you buy one?
First, let’s meet the contenders. The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, aka Moto razr+ 2024 in the US, builds on its predecessor with an IPX8 water resistance rating, an even larger 4” cover display, a slightly larger, faster battery (4,000mAh, 45W wired, 15W wireless), a more powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset and camera improvements (50MP...
Astell & Kern is no stranger to digital audio in all shapes and sizes, and the A&K HC4 is its latest attempt to coax worthwhile sound quality from your smartphone or laptop – and for good measure, it’s got strong gaming credentials too.
It’s a thoroughly specified little device, from its high-end AKM AK4493S DAC chipset via its balanced and unbalanced headphone outputs to its support for UAC 1.0 as well as UAC 2.0 to ensure compatibility with as many gaming devices as possible. Its aluminium construction looks and feels smart, too – so while there’s not much of it, the AK HC4 nevertheless appears to offer decent value for money.
And when it comes to its single function – taking the digital audio information from your source device and converting it to the analogue equivalent – there’s plenty to admire here. The HC4 sounds big and organised, and extracts a lot of detail from a recording – it’s a peppy and informative listen. It overplays its hand somewhat where the highest frequencies are concerned, though, giving treble sounds a rather insubstantial and unyielding edge that is at odds with the rest of the work it’s doing. In a competitive and saturated market, then, does the A&K's plucky performance still make it one the best portable DACs going for the money? Let's see.
Astell & Kern HC4 review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future)
Released in November 2023
Priced at $220 / £219 / AUS399
The A&K HC4 portable headphone amp/DAC is available now for $220 in the United States, £219 in the United Kingdom and in Australia, it'll cost you AU$399 or somewhere closely in that region.
The world is hardly short of portable USB headphone amp/DACs, though, and while the A&K refreshingly undercuts the $499 / £449 / AU$769 iFi GO Bar Kensei, it's still dearer than the five-star iFi hip-dac 3 (which can be yours for $199 / £199 / AU$349).
So, competition is fierce at the level, and missteps will likely have repercussions.
Astell & Kern HC4 review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
AKM AK4493S DAC chipset
3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs
‘Digital Audio Remaster’ technology
When it comes to features, you don’t have to read all that far down the HC4’s spec-sheet to realise that Astell & Kern is deadly serious. By prevailing standards, the feature-set here is formidable.
The main business is taken care of by an AKM AK4493S DAC chipset that’s more commonly found doing its thing in (among many other devices) Astell & Kern’s well-regarded and witheringly expensive digital audio players. It’s compatible with every worthwhile digital audio file type, and is capable of dealing with content of up to 32bit/384kHz and DSD256 resolution.
Getting the information into the HC4 in the first place happens via the USB-C slot on the bottom of the device - Astell & Kern provides both USB-C / USB-C and USB-C / Lightning cables to get the job done. Getting it out again happens using either the unbalanced 3.5mm socket or the balanced 4.4mm equivalent on the top – it’s worth noting the 4.4mm output only supports five-pole jacks.
Another feature Astell & Kern has incorporated from its pricey digital audio players is ‘digital audio remaster’ technology – it is designed to upsample the native sample rate of the source material to go beyond the limits of the source format. Sounds like quite a trick, doesn’t it? Astell & Kern reckons it delivers – and I quote – “more refined playback and… a delicate, analogue-like sound”.
And by way of an encore, Astell & Kern has ensured the AK HC4 is compatible with as wide a selection of devices as possible by making the device’s USB-C input supports UAC 1.0 as well as UAC 2.0. Almost every smartphone, laptop and tablet supports UAC 2.0, but there are plenty of gaming devices that are still UAC 1.0 – but if you want a low-latency connection to your Playstation, Switch or what-have-you, the HC4 has you covered.
Features score: 5 / 5
Astell & Kern HC4 review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future)
Detailed, informative sound
Open and well-defined presentation
Slightly skewed towards the top end
The AK HC4 is an admirably consistent device. During the course of this test I listened to 16bit/44.1kHz and 24bit/96kHz FLAC files via the Tidal app, loaded onto both iOS and Android smartphones, as well as some DSD128 stuff stored on the internal memory of a MacBook Pro. And while there are, of course, advantages to the higher-resolution stuff, the Astell & Kern doesn’t really alter its overall stance no matter what standard of content you’re listening to or the type of music you enjoy. Its fundamental attitude is always the same.
And in broad terms, it’s a revealing and explicit attitude. No matter if it’s the voice-and-guitar intimacy of Lua by Bright Eyes or the rather more complex Dirty Paws by Of Monsters and Men, the HC4 is able to see to the bottom of the mix and return with all sorts of information regarding tone and texture you may not previously have been aware of – certainly not if you’ve been listening directly from a smartphone to some wired or wireless headphones before now.
Throughout the frequency range, detail levels are sky-high – and rather than draw attention to how clever and insightful it is, the HC4 puts everything into the correct context in order to poverty serve the recording. It’s dynamic both in the sense of ‘quiet/LOUD’ and where harmonic variations in a strummed guitar are concerned. And it creates a big, well-defined and easy-to-follow soundstage, and lays out a recording explicitly – but it doesn’t make any part of a recording sound remote from any other. There’s a singularity and idea of ‘performance’ to the sound of the HC4 that’s as enjoyable as it is impressive.
Low frequencies are substantial and properly controlled, so there’s never an issue where rhythms or tempos are concerned. The midrange is perhaps the greatest beneficiary of the A&K’s powers of analysis – there’s a stack of information about a vocalist available, and it makes for an immediate and positive description of a singer’s abilities and motivations.
It’s only at the top of the frequency range that things are anything less than fully impressive. There’s a glassiness and a rather relentless edge to the way the HC4 serves up treble information that a) puts it at odds with the rest of the frequency range where tonal balance is concerned, and b) discourages the listener from increasing volume levels much beyond ‘moderate’. The relative hardness and lack of substance to the top end makes those recordings with a high-frequency emphasis sound edgy – and overall it doesn’t make for all that relaxing an experience.
Sound quality: 4 / 5
Astell & Kern HC4 review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
65 x 30 x 15mm (HxWxD)
31g
Aluminium construction
There’s usually not a lot of scope for ‘design’ to happen when a product ideally needs to be as light and compact as possible. But this is Astell & Kern we’re dealing with here – you won’t be surprised to learn that the company has given it a good go where ‘design’ of the AK HC4 is concerned.
The all-aluminium construction keeps the weight of the device down to a trifling 31g. It also allows for a hint of the trademark Astell & Kern angularity on the top surface, and for the sides to be mildly curved in order to make the HC4 easily graspable.
One of the curved sides features a shallow rocker switch and a DAR on/off slider. At one end of the chassis there’s the USB-C input, and at the other end the balanced 4.4mm and unbalanced 3.5mm outputs. Apart from a tiny LED (which lights up in white to indicate standby, red for PCM and blue for DSD audio files), that’s your lot. And frankly, I am tempted to ask what else you might reasonably be expecting?
Design score: 5 / 5
Astell & Kern HC4 review: Value
Priced in line with rivals
Not a nailed-on winner
(Image credit: Future)
Just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can’t judge the effectiveness of a piece of consumer electronics simply by how big and/or heavy it is. The AK HC4 may not look like much, but the effect it can have on your listening experience can’t be denied – so in this respect, it represents decent value.
When you compare it to the best of its rivals, though, it ceases to be a nailed-on favourite and becomes more of an interesting option… which probably undermines its value-for-money credentials somewhat.
Value score: 3.5 / 5
Should I buy the Astell & Kern HC4 review:?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Astell & Kern HC4 review: Also consider
iFi hip-dac 3 Now, you do get the looks; it's even styled like a hip-flask. This likeable, cheaper DAC won't fit in your pocket quite as easily as the A&K HC4 but it's nothing if not a conversation starter – and a talented one soncially at that. Read our in-depth, five-star iFi hip-dac 3 review.
How I tested the Astell & Kern HC4
Used for over a week (after a thorough running in)
Tidal and Qobuz were go-tos, using various headphones/IEMs
I spent over a week listening to the Astell & Kern HC4, using Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphones. I connected it to Sennheiser IE900 in-ear monitors via its 4.4mm balanced output and to a pair of Grado SR80x using its 3.5mm connection.
I used it at home, navigating traffic, and on the train. I listened to music almost exclusively from Tidal and Qobuz (since these streaming services are full of high-resolution content and 24bit/192kHz standard), and I made sure to check for connectivity and cable noise as I did so (you're fine there).
The Eufy Omni S1 Pro (or just Eufy S1 Pro if you're not in the US) is a robotic vacuum cleaner and mop with a docking station that automatically empties the dust bin, replenishes the water tank with clean, ozonated water, dries the mop and charges the battery after each clean. It uses lidar to help with navigation around your home, creates accurate maps of every room (even across multiple floors) and employs the Eufy Clean smartphone app to let you set schedules and customize how you want the S1 to clean. I tested one out to see how it performs in practice, how it compares to the rest of today's best robot vacuums, and if it justifies its premium price tag.
On test, I found the S1 to mop hard floors incredibly well, thanks to its rotating mop that spins at high speed and pushes down onto the floor with 2.2lbs (1kg) of force. The S1 also does a good job of vacuuming, with four suction strengths available and two rotating brushes for getting into the corners of every room. The Eufy Clean app works very well, and so too does the docking station, which adds a cleaning solution to water before it’s pumped into the robot.
The S1 navigates effectively, driving close to walls without crashing into them and avoiding steps, while automatically raising its mop when driving over rugs and carpets. Its ability to clear raised room thresholds can be inconsistent, however, with the robot sometimes failing to enter rooms it has previously driven into without a problem. This can be fixed by turning off an anti-drop function. It also struggled a little when tasked with vacuuming up fine, engrained debris, and it sometimes failed to spot obvious, medium-sized debris.
The lower suction modes are quiet, the app is quick and responsive, and the battery life is excellent. Eufy insists that only its own cleaning solution is used with the mopping system, adding to the ongoing costs. It also sits in the premium price bracket –
The Eufy in its base (Image credit: Future)
Eufy Omni S1 Pro review: price & availability
List price: $1,499 / £1,499
Launch date: June 2024
Availability: US, UK,
Eufy took the unusual move of launching this robotic vacuum and mop as a crowd-funded Kickstarter project. It raised a whopping $3.5m from almost 3,200 backers at the time of writing, with many backers paying $999 for their S1 Pro. The actual retail price is significantly higher, at $1,499 / £1,499 (it's not currently available in Australia, but that's equivalent to AU$2,699) from when the vacuum robot went on sale on 19 June 2024.
Being a vacuum cleaner and mopping system, there are several parts that can be replaced over time. Eufy includes several spares in the box – more on which later – but buyers should bear in mind that they’ll need to pay for replacement dust bags, filters, mops and brushes when the included ones wear out. Eufy also insists S1 Pro owners buy the company’s own hard floor cleaner, which comes in a $19.99 bottle specifically shaped to fit the S1 Pro. Other cleaners, Eufy says, may cause 'irreversible damage' to the machine.
The idea of a four-figure vacuum might be shocking to some readers (and it does sit in TechRadar's premium price bracket), but it's not so unusual these days, at least when looking at flagship models. The Roomba Combo j9+ by iRobot costs a similar amount, while the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra isn’t far off $2,000.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Eufy Omni S1 Pro review: design
Self-emptying charge dock handles dust and water
Rotating mop applies pressure and self-cleans as it goes
3.78-inch / 9.6cm tall
With the S1 Pro, Eufy has gone against the trend for robotic vacuums with smaller, more compact docking stations. Instead, this is a robot with a large, imposing base station that houses the dust bin, as well as tanks for clean and dirty water, and a cleaning solution.
The base station is 67 cm tall and has a footprint of 38 x 47cm. I was able to tuck it into a corner of my small flat for a few weeks to conduct this review, but had to move a table to make sure the base station had the required 50cm of clear space either side. It’ll function without this clearance, but the robot won’t be able to clean between its charger and the nearby wall.
(Image credit: Future)
The robot itself is broadly similar to most other automated vacuums, albeit slightly taller than the Roomba Combo J9 Plus. The Eufy measures 9.6cm tall, 32cm wide and 34cm long. Turn it over and you’ll find a pair of heavy-duty wheels, a 290 mm rotating mop, a pair of spinning brushes for clearing dust and debris from the corners of your floor, and a rubber roller brush for scooping dust and debris into the suction system. This is all easily accessible without tools, by simply removing the top cover (which is held in place magnetically) then lifting out the robot’s dust bin.
Handily, the robot speaks aloud when items have been removed and installed. It’ll say things like 'dirty water tank removed' and 'dust bin installed' to help you quickly identify each component.
The underside of the Eufy, showing the mop and debris collector (Image credit: Future)
The charge base has a control panel on the top, complete with buttons for operating the robot and a display that shows animations to help with maintenance, such as how to replace the water tanks. It also says when filters and other components need cleaning. This means you can use the robot without even touching the smartphone app (once it has been set up, anyway). Printed instructions make the setup process very simple, and you’ll be up and running in just a few minutes.
The S1 Pro's design means it empties its dust bin into a larger bag in the base station at the end of each cleaning session. It also fills its onboard tank with clean, ozonated water from the base station’s larger tank before each session, then empties itself into the base’s dirty water tank when finished. Eufy says the dust bag should only need replacing every couple of months, while the water tank managed half a dozen mopping sessions before running dry. Naturally, this will depend on your floor space and how much is mopped.
A demonstration of how much space the Eufy requires at either side (Image credit: Future)
I was impressed with the quality of the Eufy’s hardware. It all feels very sturdy, but takes up plenty of space. I would have liked to see storage space in the dock for spare parts, as with the iRobot Roomba Combo J9 Plus, but that isn't the case here. To its credit, Eufy suggests the taller base station makes it easy to pick up and replace the water tanks, since smaller base stations mean stooping over.
Lastly, there's no option to plumb the base station into your home’s water supply, but Eufy says 'water accessories' for the S1 Pro are currently under development.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Eufy Omni S1 Pro review: performance
Superb mopping abilities
Solid navigation capabilities, but could fail to spot even larger debris
Vacuuming is good but not great
As with any robot vacuum, its first task was to map my apartment. Our property has a lounge, hallway, kitchen and bedroom, plus a bathroom with a step, so the robot has access to every corner of the property, except for part of the bathroom. If I wanted to map that small section, I could have, since the app lets you save maps of multiple floors.
The S1 Pro quickly plowed into a relatively thick rug and got stuck, before calling for help. My bad. I’d not reviewed a robotic vacuum in this property before and, while the style of rug isn’t uncommon, it’s a little higher than the 25mm maximum carpet height Eufy says the S1 Pro can cope with.
Lesson learnt, rug rolled up and robot restarted, it quickly mapped the entire flat and returned to base, having not slipped down the bathroom step.
The Eufy Clean app now shows a very accurate map of my home, and it takes just a few seconds to separate the rooms into different zones and give them each a name. That way, you can tell the robot to go clean one room, or vacuum all rooms but one.
Eufy claims 8,000 Pa of suction power, which is the same as some of the brand’s cheaper robotic vacuums, like the Eufy X10. There are four suction levels to pick from, called Quiet, Standard, Turbo and Max, plus mopping settings of Soft, Standard and Deep, and the option to clean an area once or twice in each session.
You can also tell the robot to vacuum and mop an area, or just vacuum – since you won’t want it to mop your carpets. And on that note, the robot automatically detects carpet, then lifts the mop to keep it clear of the floor. There’s no option to mop only, so it shouldn’t be used to clear up large liquid spills, since it’ll try to vacuum the floor first.
The Eufy S1 Pro has four suction levels for carpet and hard floor (Image credit: Future)
Before giving the S1 Pro a set of specific challenges, I used it for a week as a normal robotic vacuum and mop. I found it very easy to use and the mopping results were fantastic. It really does a great job of cleaning wooden floors, administering just the right amount of water to not leave puddles or streaks, and cleaning the mop as it goes. Eufy says the mopping roller spins at 170 rpm and pushes down onto the floor with a force of 2.2lbs.
My varnished floors shone clean and, if more proof were needed, the murky contents of the waste water tank looked like it had been scooped out of the River Thames.
After vacuuming and mopping, the S1 Pro returns to its charger and empties its dust bin and water tank, then dries the mop. The emptying takes just a few seconds (but is rather loud, peaking at 79dB, compared to just 62dB when vacuuming on the quietest mode and 76dB on max suction), then the mop is cleaned and dried over a period of about 4.5 hours. There’s a quiet humming during this time, but at just 50dB it isn’t really noticeable.
As for intelligence, the S1 Pro’s ability to drive around obstacles is good. It uses what Eufy calls its 3D MatrixEye Depth Perception System to understand its environment. This comprises a camera with a 120-degree lens and a lidar system. I found the Eufy does a great job of driving close to walls and furniture while very rarely crashing into anything. It even uses a set of icons on the map to indicate where it has avoided some common items, like shoes and cables.
Moving to more specific tests, and the results were mixed. First up, I tested the S1 Pro on a mix of biscuit crumbs and flour. It had no trouble picking this up from a hard floor, even with the lowest and quietest suction mode, but had a habit of flicking debris into the corners of the room with its spinning brushes, which it then failed to collect. It also struggled to clear a floor threshold strip that had previously caused it no problems; I noticed how the robot tried a few times to drive over it, then drove more quickly and succeeded.
I repeated this test on carpet but the higher Turbo and Max suction settings were needed, and even then some of the flour and crumb mix was left behind.
During these tests the robot sometimes failed to enter one room. There’s a small, ~2cm threshold to clear between the wooden hallway and carpeted bedroom, and the Eufy managed this just fine on numerous previous cleans, but failed on this occasion, before succeeding on a subsequent clean.
I later learnt this hesitancy is solved by digging into the settings pages of the Eufy Clean app and disabling a function called Visual Anti-Drop. After that, the robot drove over thresholds with more confidence.Pictured below, this must be right on the threshold, so to speak, of what it’s capable of clearing.
The S1 Pro can, just about, clear this roof threshold (Image credit: Future)
I expected a little more from its vacuuming abilities during this test, and was left with the impression that, while good at performing a daily clean of an otherwise tidy home, the S1 Pro can’t be relied upon to clean a specific area of dirt, or a recent spill of food or other debris. I instead reached for my Dyson V10 and had the carpet spotless in just a few seconds.
Next up, I tasked the Eufy with clearing larger dry debris from the same wooden floor and carpet as the previous test. For this I used oats, and thankfully the Standard mode was enough to pick up almost every single piece from a wooden floor. The rotary brushes still flung some dirt into the corners, but it was mostly a success.
It performed similarly well on carpet, with most of the oats picked up and just a few left behind. Frustratingly, the robot declared the clean complete and shut down the vacuum with a bunch of oats right in front of it.
The large oats also highlighted a problem with the S1 Pro’s self-emptying system. It appeared to have done everything correctly, but when I picked it up a couple of hours later a load of oats, dust and fluff fell out from under the robot. I couldn’t see an obvious blockage and the dust bag in the base station was only around 20 percent full, but contained only half the oats it should have. The rest were caught up in the rotor, having not made it to the bin, and fell out.
How the Roomba Combo J9 Plus empties and refills itself (Image credit: Future)
I’ve now realized you need to set the robot to empty its dustbin every time it returns to the charger (an option in the app), instead of less frequently. Otherwise, debris will spill out when you pick it up, for example to move it to a different floor.
All that said, I need to reiterate just how good the mop function is, and how thoroughly it cleans both the floor and itself. I hope a future software update will suggest owners turn off the Visual Anti-Drop function if the robot struggles with thresholds.
Finally, the battery life seems very good indeed. On one particular clean, the charge level fell from 100 percent to 94 percent after 22 minutes of vacuuming an area of 140 square feet. Eufy says the robot can run for 3.6 hours and cover a space of up to 1,976 square feet on one charge.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Eufy Omni S1 Pro review: app
Easy to set up and use
Can schedule cleans and target individual rooms
Offers lots of configurability
The Eufy Clean app is impressive and makes it easy to control the vacuum, create schedules and split your home into zones. The latter works especially well, with the robot quickly mapping our flat and correctly splitting up the rooms and hallway. Once that’s done, it’s easy to tell the robot to clean an individual room, or draw a box over a specific area that needs vacuuming or mopping.
(Image credit: Future)
The app gives access to all four suction modes, both mopping modes, and lets you tell the robot how you’d like each room cleaning. For example, you could ask it to do an extra thorough job of the kitchen and hallway, while going easy on the spare bedroom. There are lots of settings to fiddle with, but it’s all intuitively laid out and neatly explained. The app is also used to create virtual walls and set up no-go zones to stop the robot entering certain areas of your home.
App score: 5 out of 5
Should you buy the Eufy Omni S1 Pro?
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How I tested the Eufy S1 Pro
I lived with the S1 Pro for a few weeks before writing this review. I let it map my home, then used it to keep on top of the vacuuming and mopping, leaving to clean every room on the standard setting every few days. After this, I carried out several specific tests to see how well it picks up different types of dry debris from both hard floors and carpet.
I observed how the robot navigated, how it avoided objects and steps, and how it managed with raised thresholds. I also kept tabs on battery usage and used an app to test how loud it is in all of its various cleaning modes.
Realme brought the GT series back to Europe with two models – the Realme GT 6 and Realme GT 6T. To celebrate their return, the company is offering a fairly generous promo with big discounts and some freebies.
The Realme GT 6 bundle costs €550 and includes an 8/256GB phone, the Realme Buds Air6 and a 120W SuperVOOC charger. The buds on their own cost €70.
Realme GT 6 bundle
€50 offincludes Realme Buds Air6 and a 120W SuperVOOC charger
Read our review
8/256GB - €550 at...
