Computers - Organizer

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: The feature-rich smartwatch falls short of its premium price tag

7:23 pm | October 22, 2024

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro: one-minute review

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro, the brand's new flagship wearable, promises a longer battery life among other enhanced features over its previous incarnation, the TicWatch Pro 5.

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is a well-engineered device with a robust feel, yet it’s light and relatively slender for a fitness-focused watch. The screen glass is dense and feels tough enough to withstand the rigors of more extreme activities, while the display is clear and renders the UI very well. It’s responsive to gestures, but unfortunately, contact still registers through various materials, so accidental swipes when brushed against clothes and the like are possible.

Aesthetically, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is no standout, but it’s discreet enough to be worn on any occasion. The included straps are durable, but as someone who prefers nylon over rubber, I didn’t find them to be the most comfortable, and the loop failed to keep the excess slack in place consistently.

Running Google’s Wear OS, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is a fast performer, for the most part, thanks to the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chip. I did experience the occasional stutter and instances where apps and various functions didn’t work as intended, but nothing that drastically derailed the overall experience.

The Mobvoi Health Android app is great for tracking your workouts and physical data, with a clear layout, stable performance, and plentiful features and functionality. As you would expect, there’s a miscellany of health and fitness apps available on the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro right out of the box. Some of these work better than others: the measurements for steps and distance covered appear quite accurate, while those for activity, blood oxygen and anaerobic exercise seem to miss the mark.

All the performance and functionality of the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro comes at a cost. While there are certainly more expensive fitness wearables out there, there are also cheaper models, including the Fitbit Inspire 3 and the Apple Watch SE 2, that offer the same levels of performance and functionality (or close to them).

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro on wrist — (Image credit: Future)

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: specs

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro on table — (Image credit: Future)

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: price & availability

$349 / £329 / about AU$504
Available in Slate or Obsidian colorways
Costs more than some Apple Watch models

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro costs $349 / £329 / about AU$504 and is available in two color schemes: Slate, which is a pale shade of green, and Obsidian.

The Enduro is priced the same as its predecessor, the TicWatch Pro 5, which is still available to buy. However, it has a few more enhancements, including a battery with a longer life and fast charging, a new ultra-low-power display, and new biometric measurement tools.

It’s cheaper than some dedicated fitness wearables, such as the Garmin Forerunner 265, but considerably more than other popular smartwatches, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the Apple Watch SE. These both offer similar fitness credentials to the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro, although they lack ECG features and blood oxygen sensors.

If you’re only buying a wearable for health and fitness purposes, the Fitbit Luxe is our pick as the best fitness tracker around, or the Fitbit Inspire 3 if you’re after the best cheap fitness tracker.

Value score: 2/5

Close up of Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro buttons — (Image credit: Future)

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: design

Solid build
Anonymous looks
Sleek interface

In line with other Mobvoi TicWatch models, the Pro 5 Enduro sports a round face with a thick chassis that’s not too bulky. As someone with small wrists, it didn’t feel oversized, although it isn’t as sleek as some wearables on the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 or the Apple Watch.

As for the build quality, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro feels very well put together, with a sturdy yet lightweight construction, and a rugged strap that feels secure and durable. However, I found it too thick to be breathable, generating quite a lot of sweat during physical activity, which makes for an uncomfortable sensation. This is an issue I usually have with most rubberized straps; I much prefer nylon.

Mobvoi does sell replacement straps, and there are plenty of compatible third-party ones out there. The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro utilizes pins common on many standard watches to secure each end in place, with sliding bolts that allow you to install new straps without needing any tools.

The loop has a nodule that’s supposed to fit into the empty strap holes to secure it in place, but this didn’t work for me: at least once or twice a day, the strap would escape the loop, which is especially inconvenient during exercise.

What’s more impressive on the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is the switches. The swivel on the crown is smooth and offers good haptic feedback, which is noticeable without being intrusive. Presses are also pleasingly tactile and the same goes for the side button above. This can be customized to perform various actions and functions, such as setting it as a shortcut for opening apps of your choosing. All these factors combine to make it easy to operate the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro.

The interface itself is sleek and minimal. Menus are easy to navigate, for the most part, and the UI is laid out clearly. There are also a generous amount of watch faces to choose from, with varying degrees of information displayed that can be customized further in the Mobvoi Health app. The included TimeShow app offers even more face designs, but requires a paid subscription.

There is a variety of display settings that can only be controlled when the main watch face appears, such as when you tilt the watch towards you. The AMOLED display is clear and bright, making it easy to view in all but the sunniest of conditions. The default ultra-low-power display, however, is hard to see no matter what the ambient lighting is like, regardless of what backlight setting you choose.

Design score: 3.5/5

Close up of Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro face — (Image credit: Future)

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: Features

Accurate GPS
Plenty of fitness functions
Good customization options

Setting up the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro was simple enough, requiring the Mobvoi Health app to get going. You’ll also need to create an account (or sign in with your Google account) to save your workouts and other health data.

At time of writing, the app had a poor rating among users on the Play Store, scoring a meager 1.9 from 3,000 reviews, but during my time with it, I struggled to find much to criticize. It has a clear layout and a good set of customization options, with plenty of health data available for you to dig into. I didn’t experience any performance issues with it either. My only real complaint is that you can’t adjust the same number of settings as you can on the watch itself.

Once set up, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro recommends apps to install, including those that are already present on your phone. Even though I checked the boxes for this during my setup, they failed to install as the Wi-Fi took a while to establish a connection. Thankfully, the Play Store app on the watch has the same list, enabling you to install your phone apps whenever you wish.

There are numerous Mobvoi apps related to fitness, which can seem overwhelming at first. The main one is TicHealth, which tracks metrics such as your steps and calories burned, as well as your heart rate, sleep and blood oxygen. Many of these require an initial measurement to get set up, which can be done via the new one-tap measurement app and takes only 90 seconds to complete its assessment.

Another key app is TicExercise, which can track your workouts. It offers a myriad of activities to track, from walking and yoga to Tai Chi and Motocross, and includes individual exercises in addition to overall routines.

As a fully-fledged Wear OS watch, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro can run popular third-party apps downloaded from the Google Play Store, including Strava, Spotify, Audible, Microsoft Outlook, and WhatsApp, as well as Google’s own suite of apps, including Maps, Docs, and Keep. Although the selection is a far cry from what’s available on mobile devices, it’s still enough to make having a Wear OS smartwatch useful.

Features score: 4/5

Rear of Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro — (Image credit: Future)

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: performance

Lots of data available
Inconsistent measurements
Average battery life

Although many of the aforementioned TicWatch apps are effective for giving a general overview of your stats, they’re far from perfect. While the heart rate monitor seemed reasonably accurate, I found the sleep and blood oxygen measurements inconsistent. The latter was particularly dubious, ranging from 100% to 91% after taking numerous readings (bearing in mind that below 94% indicates insufficient oxygen supply). Naturally, Mobvoi does issue a disclaimer that the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro cannot be used for medical purposes.

It also gives some tips for improving your blood oxygen that verge on the eccentric, including recommendations to eat liver and fungus for their plentiful iron stores, as well as informing you that oxygen cylinders are used to increase oxygen saturation.

As for sleep tracking, there were times when it seemed to get the hours spot on, and know how many quality hours of sleep I got. However, there were also times when it grossly underestimated the amount of sleep, such as when it said I only got 3 hours and 15 minutes. Admittedly, this was a fitful night, but I certainly got more hours than this.

Activity monitoring was also inaccurate in its assessments, telling me on more than one occasion that I had been active for three hours from 9am to 12pm, despite the fact I was sitting at my desk the whole time. It also gave me a prompt to get more steps in to meet my daily target, straight after going for a 10-minute dog walk. And it failed to notice my three-minute run to catch a train, not even registering my elevated heart rate. Admittedly, this could be explained by how loose I had the strap at that moment – a consequence of the discomfort it caused me.

Despite the TicExercise app having a wide variety of exercises available for tracking, in practice, they didn’t offer the tailor-made experience I was hoping for. When using the weightlifting option for one of my workouts, the only data it offered was duration, calories burnt, and heart rate. It also broke down my workout time into warm-up, fat-burning, cardio, anaerobic and danger zone phases.

I found this breakdown quite inaccurate, since it said I spent most of the time in warm-up, a minimal amount in cardio, and none in the anaerobic state – essentially the opposite of how my actual workout went. I’m not an athlete by any stretch, but I certainly exerted my muscles during the workout, far beyond what the watch impertinently thought was a “warm-up”, and I certainly did more anaerobic than aerobic work.

Close up of Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro strap — (Image credit: Future)

For my outdoor run, it seemed much more accurate with its account of my pace, max speed, and time spent in a cardio-intensive state – although strangely it did seem to think that for five of my 18 minutes spent running, I was in an anaerobic state. It also split my times per kilometer covered, and offered average and maximum readings of my heart rate, pace, cadence, and stride length. It provided a very detailed route map too, showing exactly where I had been, along with a reading of the elevation gain, so the GPS certainly functions well, and I found it established a signal fairly quickly too. Clearly, TicExercise is at its best when assessing aerobic rather than anaerobic activity.

In terms of general use, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is responsive, with swipes being smooth, fast, and easy to perform. Functions and apps are quick to run too, and overall the Wear OS integrates nicely with Android devices, receiving push notifications and messages promptly – even when there’s no Wear OS app equivalent (Slack was a case in point here). There’s a good degree of cross-platform functionality as well, including the ability to easily control media playback from your smartphone on the watch.

There are a few minor usability issues, such as the watch failing to wake up when I brought my arm up, particularly when lying down at night, and coming on when I didn't want it to. Gestures occasionally failed to register, and some apps failed to open on the first tap. Notification and media playback symbols can also obscure the battery level indicator on some watch face designs. Overall, though, my experience with the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro wasn’t ruined by these niggles and minor bugs.

Third-party apps perform well on the whole. However, Spotify – an app many are likely to use during their workouts – did give me a few issues, ranging from playback and UI failures to Bluetooth headphones disconnecting unbidden. Whether the blame lies with the Spotify app or the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is hard to determine, but it’s an issue worth mentioning.

Mobvoi claims that the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro battery lasts up to 90 hours, 10 hours more than the Pro 5. During my tests, however, I was getting substantially less than this. Over the course of 12 hours, I went from full to 70% with minimal use. The upshot is that I was getting closer to three days of use out of the TicWatch rather than four. On the positive side, charging is quick, thanks to its fast charging capability.

You can turn on essential mode to extend the battery life to up to 45 days, but you can’t access any of the other features beyond what’s shown on the ultra-low-power display. Since you can’t access the settings or control the watch from your phone in this mode, to return to normal you have to restart by holding the side button, which takes longer than it should. It feels as if the mode switching could’ve been implemented better than this.

Performance score: 3/5

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro: Scorecard

Should I buy the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro?

Buy it if...

You do aerobic exercise
The TicWatch is at its most accurate when counting steps and tracking distance, with useful pace and route tracking functionality, thanks to the excellent GPS.

You have an Android phone
As a Wear OS device, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro integrates superbly with Androids. Some of your favorite apps are also available from the Play Store.

Don't buy it if...

You do anaerobic activity
While runs can be tracked comprehensively, resistance training tracking isn’t at the same level.

You’re on a budget
With an asking price of $349 / £329 / about AU$504, it's more expensive than most Fitbit and even some Apple Watch models, and these may be better options depending on what you want from a smartwatch.

You have an iPhone
The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro doesn’t work with Apple’s smartphones, so you’ll need to go for a Fitbit, Apple Watch or other compatible wearable if you want cross-device support.

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: also consider

Apple Watch SE
Apple still reigns supreme in the smartwatch space, and for good reason. Although it’s not strictly billed as a fitness watch, there are plenty of apps for the Apple Watch SE, both first and third-party, that can add that capability. And at $249, it’s cheaper than the TicWatch. You will, of course, need an iPhone to get going with it, though, and beware: there’s no ECG or blood oxygen sensor. Read our full Apple Watch SE review

Fitbit Luxe
Fitbit was one of the first to kickstart the fitness wearables trend, and it’s still going strong with various models. In our Fitbit Luxe review, we said it’s one of the company’s best models. Note, however, that there have been a number of controversial changes to Fitbit services of late, including the axing of much-loved features, casting doubts over its longevity.

How I tested the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro

Tested for one week
All features and first-party apps used
Regularly active

I tested the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro for a week, wearing it every day and some nights. During that time I went about my normal routine, which included working at a desk, walking and exercising. I did a mixture of resistance training and cardio work, both indoors on a treadmill and out in the wild.

I also used as many of the available functions and apps the watch had to offer as possible, including all the preinstalled health and fitness apps, as well as other third-party apps.

I partake in physical activities, such as walking and resistance training, between two to three times a week, with some cardio thrown in when I can. I also commute to work, which can vary from taking public transport – including 10-minute walks either side – or walking the whole two miles each way to the office and back.

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na review

6:03 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - 30-second review

With AI tools now becoming a common sight in businesses everywhere, it's clear adoption is coming on fast.

However, it's one thing having this incredibly powerful new era of technology as purely software, but another getting it integrated into your everyday hardware.

If you're looking for a solid workplace companion, the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na should tick all your boxes. Offering a bright display, lightweight build and all-day battery life, it manages to handle everything we threw at it - and although not quite the indispensable business tool it promises to be soon, having the opportunity to utilize Copilot via a dedicated key is a welcome touch.

The HP Envy x360 14-fc009na looks to help users, primarily freelancers and creators, take a step forward in this AI age with an integrated Microsoft Copilot button, putting the Windows AI tool front and center - but how does it stand up as an everyday working device?

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Price & availability

The base-level HP Envy x360 14-fc009na (Intel Core Ultra 5 125U/512GB SSD) is available from HP's UK website for £999 although we're currently seeing a reduced price offer of £911.98, saving £87.02.

If you're able to push the boat out a little more, confusingly, there is the option of an Intel Core Ultra 7 155U/1TB SSD edition for the same price - £999.

The device doesn't appear to be available on HP's US website - instead, there's the similarly-specced HP Envy x360 14-fc0097nr, which also features the Intel Core Ultra 7, 1TB SSD and 16GB RAM, for $1,199.99.

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Design & build

As noted, the big selling point of this device is regarding its software - which we'll get on to shortly, as the build of the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na definitely deserves some attention.

From the outside, it's a pretty standard business laptop, with its dark grey metallic build making it seem like so many other devices out there today.

However as with HP's other 360 brand offerings, flexibility is the biggest surprise here, with the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na able to fold back its display into a tablet form factor.

This is perfect for portability, especially when moving between meetings or appointments (I used it when dashing between sessions at a busy conference) - with the ability to quickly annotate or make notes using the touchscreen a very welcome option.

The screen itself is a very handy 14in display available in your choice of 2K (1920x1080) or 3K (2880x1880) which performs brilliantly no matter what lighting situation you're in. We would prefer slightly less thick bezels, but on the top of the display, this does house the very capable integrated 5MP webcam, which was well-suited for the range of video conferencing meetings we attended.

The keyboard is a little small for our personal tastes, and due to the Copilot key, some others have been shuffled around - we kept hitting the # key, which has been shifted to above Caps Lock, presumably for heavy social media users. But this does mean there is a huge scrollpad, which was incredibly useful in environments such as busy offices and press rooms.

Outside of that, there isn't much that's too exciting or different about the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na to be honest - it's a beautifully-designed sleek and slight device, with its slimline design (just 1.69cm tall when closed) making it ideal to slip into a rucksack or laptop bag with ease - especially when it weighs in at just 1.39kg.

The material itself features a sandblasted anodized finish which is pleasingly tactile, but does lend itself to picking up small scuffs and scratches along the way.

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Features

The HP Envy x360 14-fc009na sports Windows 11 Home as a default, which is perhaps expected now, but as mentioned, the big addition here is the integrated Microsoft Copilot key.

Supplanting the Windows key (which is shifted over to the left of the space bar), the Copilot key is a quick way to access Microsoft's AI platform, instantly launching a question window.

Although as mentioned elsewhere, we aren't the biggest users of Copilot just yet, but having the technology literally at your fingertips is incredibly handy, and something we did grow used to.

Microsoft Copilot key on a HP Envy x360 14-fc009na laptop — (Image credit: Future)

The HP Envy x360 14-fc009na does come with some connectivity options, although possibly not as many as you may like if you are working in a creative field. Included are two USB Type-A ports, along with a single HDMI, USB-C, Thunderbolt port each - which was OK for us, connecting to a wireless mouse and keyboard along with external monitor, but some users may crave more connectivity.

Battery life was another big selling point, with USB-C charging meaning we could top up with a phone charger if we ever forgot the (somewhat chunky) bundled charger, with HP's proprietary Fast Charge feature helping us get up to power nice and quick.

Elsewhere, we'd like to give a special shout-out to the built-in camera privacy shutter, which saved us embarrassment on more than one occasion, and the mic mute key - ideal for us video conferencing veterans.

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Final verdict

If you're looking for a solid mid-range work laptop that is as happy in the boardroom as on the conference floor, the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na is ideal for you. A great blend of power, portability and style, its all-day battery life is perfect for workers on the go.

If you're looking for a super-powered AI laptop that can handle intense tasks such as video editing or rendering, it's worth spending more for something a bit more powerful, but for everyone else, the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na is a great addition to your working life.

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner review: a seriously luxurious add-on

6:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming Gaming Accessories | Comments: Off

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: One-minute review

It should be very easy to work out whether the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner is the add-on for you. If the idea of additional leg support when you kick back in your Secretlab gaming chair to watch a movie or even sneak in a quick nap in between competitive games isn’t appealing enough to justify the hefty $199 / £159 price tag, then stop reading now because I doubt that there’s anything that I can say to change your mind.

If that prospect does sound up your street, though, then the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner is well worth your consideration. This useful accessory adds dedicated leg support to any Secretlab Titan Evo or Secretlab Classics Series chair, many of which rank among some of the best gaming chairs, bringing all the comfort of a traditional recliner to a considerably more compact format that would fit under any of the best gaming desks. It’s incredibly easy to install too, securely locking to the bottom of your chair in a matter of minutes.

The overall build quality and design are also up to the high standards that you would expect from a Secretlab product. Its plush exterior is soft and cozy and the company’s excellent PlushCell Memory Foam is used to good effect, providing the perfect level of support without ever feeling overly firm or stiff. The recliner can be freely adjusted to a range of angles via a conveniently placed lever, making it well-suited to a number of sitting positions, and can be smartly tucked away underneath the bottom of the chair when not in use.

The many metal elements of its construction do make the accessory very heavy, though, which makes it considerably more difficult to roll your chair around when it’s fitted. This seems like an almost unavoidable limitation given the choice of material and is definitely preferable to a more flimsy plastic design, but is still worth bearing in mind if you need to frequently move your chair from place to place. Otherwise, the experience of using the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner is hard to fault if you have the cash to splash and want to invest in some serious comfort.

The Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner add-on tucked away between uses. — The recliner's roughly 20 inch wide soft cushion (Image credit: Future)

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Price and availability

$199 / £159 version coming soon
Limited Founder’s Edition costs $249 / £199
Available via Secretlab

The Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner that I tested will be available in early 2025 and will cost $199 / £159. If you don’t want to wait, you can pick up the limited Founder’s Edition which is on sale right now via the Secretlab website. This costs $249 / £199 and features an added layer of cooling gel in addition to a special quilted pattern and Founder’s Edition metal tag.

The idea of a limited edition for die-hard Secretlab fans is quite appealing, but it’s frustrating that it comes in at a higher price when the other model isn’t available yet. Rather than being a cool bonus for early adopters, this seems designed to push these upgrades on shoppers who might not want to spring out for them given the choice.

Launching both at the same time, with the Founder’s Edition offered as a pricier limited edition alternative, would have been a much more consumer-friendly move.

Specs

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Design and aesthetics

Sleek black look
Matches most colorways
Durable materials

The Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner comes in a sleek black design that compliments many of the existing Secretlab Titan Evo colorways. I tested the accessory with the already fantastic looking bright Plush Pink Secretlab Titan Evo and found that it fitted the overall design perfectly, matching the black accents of the side of the chair and the black magnetic neck pillow.

There are two gold details on the recliner: a Secretlab logo and a tag that’s labeled with the product name. They’re just small enough not to be intrusive and the gold color adds to the premium look. The same is true of the subtle pattern on the recliner’s cushion, which features two stitched grooves for some added texture.

Cushion aside, the majority of the rest of the recliner, which hangs just underneath the seat of the chair, is constructed from a durable feeling metal. For movement, it has a pneumatic gas spring that provides up to 80 degrees of motion. This is controlled via an easy-to-reach plastic lever that neatly slots next to the chair’s existing height adjustment controls.

The mechanism of the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner. — The recliner attached to a chair and viewed from the side (Image credit: Future)

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Comfort and adjustability

Very spacious and pleasantly soft
Range of supported seating positions
Can withstand lots of force

It’s hard to fault the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner in terms of raw comfort. It’s spacious, soft, and provides a good level of support for your legs. Images of a number of suggested positions are included alongside the instruction manual, each geared towards different activities.

For everyday work or playing in an upright position, the cushion can be positioned at a slight angle. I found the sensation of having something pressed up against the back of my legs a little disconcerting for the first few hours, but it was easy to appreciate the added support once I got used to it. If you’d rather sit upright with nothing touching your legs at all, you can always lock the recliner out of reach by pushing it backward with the adjustment lever raised - a very convenient feature.

As you begin to recline the backrest you should set the recliner to increasingly greater angles, taking pressure away from your lower back and leading to a more natural body position. It’s great if you want to kick back and watch a movie on your PC display or just need to change up the feel of your seat while you take a break and browse social media on your phone.

With the recliner set all the way out to the full 80 degrees and the backrest fully reclined, your Secretlab chair becomes the perfect vehicle for relaxation. It’s comfortable enough for a nap and is perfect if you really want to stretch out and give yourself a bit of a rest after a long day or particularly intense gaming sessions.

That being said, users who frequently recline their chairs to this position are the ones who will notice the biggest benefits here. I do it quite often, so I really appreciated the addition of the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner. If that’s not you, then it’s safe to say that you’re better off just sticking to your existing chair on its own.

On a final note, there’s no need to be concerned about any potential issues if you use an XL chair. The accessory is fully compatible with them and should provide more than enough space for most legs. The mechanism it uses is also extremely high quality and durable. Throughout my testing, I repeatedly pushed down on it with as much force as I could muster and it didn’t budge an inch.

The adjustment mechanism of the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner. — The accessory's adjustment lever (left) (Image credit: Future)

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Assembly

No tools required
Incredibly quick setup
Impressively easy

No tools are required to install the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner. A large and clear set of instructions is included in the box, which have you fitting some small rubber clips to underside of your chair and then sliding the recliner on to them and pulling a lever to fasten it all in place.

The manufacturer states that everything can be installed in just three minutes, so I timed myself to see how this claim would stack up. Although I expected to exceed that estimate, I actually managed to complete the process in just 65 seconds. This didn’t include getting the product out of the box, which I had done a few hours earlier, but I can’t imagine that taking more than about a minute to accomplish.

It’s incredible to see such a substantial and mechanically complex addition installed so quickly and easily, so hats off to Secretlab. The process was so smooth that I would even go so far as to say that it partly justifies the high price tag.

Although it’s not required in any way, a spare chair assembly toolkit with an allen key and magnetic screwdriver tool is still included too, which could be handy if you want to adjust the armrests or tighten up any screws before getting the add-on in place. Top marks across the board.

Installing the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner add-on. — Preparing the chair for installation. (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner?

Buy it if...

You want a high-end accessory
If you love luxury and will only settle for the very best, then the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner is a great addition to your setup. It’s pricey, but feels incredibly premium.

You love a cheeky nap
Users who recline their chairs all the way are going to benefit the most from the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner. If you want to catch some Zs in between matches or after a long day at work, then this is a great choice too.

Don't buy it if...

You can make do without
This accessory really doesn’t come cheap, so unless you’re completely sold on the concept you’re probably better off without it. If you still really want to pick up an official add-on for your chair, consider the two cheaper options highlighted below.

Also consider...

For some other ways to customize your Secretlab chair, take a look at these two official accessories.

Secretlab Skins
These chair sleeves allow you to customize the look of your Secretlab Titan Evo with ease. They’re pretty pricey for a bit of cloth, but still come in cheaper than shelling out for a whole new model in your desired color.

For more information, check out our full Secretlab Skins review

Secretlab PlushCell Memory Foam Armrest Top
If you want to add some extra comfort to your chair without breaking the bank, the Secretlab PlushCell Memory Foam Armrest Top is a great choice. It adds some pleasant extra padding to each of the armrests.

For more information on this accessory, see the section in our full Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 review

Gold details on the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner. — The recliner's gold tag. (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner

Tested with a Secretlab Titan Evo 2022
Tested for over two weeks
Compared to other hands-on testing

I tested the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner for over two weeks with a Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 provided by the manufacturer. During that time I made sure to use the chair and accessory daily, assessing its overall performance and the level of comfort that it provided.

I carefully compared my experience to my hands-on testing with some of the most comfortable gaming chairs plus other models including the Razer Iskur V2 and Herman Miller Sayl Gaming Chair in addition to the feeling of sitting on the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 on its own.

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024): one-minute review

The variety in iPad sizes is impressive. You can get everything from a 13-inch giant iPad Pro down to an 8.3-inch iPad mini. Most people probably live in the middle with the popular 10.9-inch iPad Air or the new 11-inch Air, but that little one with the 8.3-inch Liquid Retina Display has its adherents.

It's an almost pocket-friendly device that's popular with pilots, artists, ardent notetakers, social media scrollers, students, and readers. It's the color reading screen for those who don't want to read comics on a black-and-white Kindle (though that new Colorsoft does change things, am I right?). It's sometimes the second multipurpose slab in your arsenal, small and light enough to join you on vacation, and it's sometimes the perfect back-porch streaming companion.

The iPad mini is also a product that's been on the bubble. Many worried that Apple might simply cancel it. It was among the last two iPad holdouts to not get an M-class Apple silicon chip, and also the last mobile device to still include the 'mini' name (RIP iPhone mini) – the only other Apple product with that designation is the Mac mini.

Instead of killing it, Apple has essentially done a brain transplant, upgrading the previous model's A15 Bionic mobile CPU to the much more powerful A17 Pro. The choice is surprising, because Apple seems almost anxious to stuff its latest Apple silicon into every new device (see the M4-running iPad Pro); but this time Apple tapped the brakes a bit. There's nothing wrong with the A17 Pro, which is the same chip you'll find in last year's iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. It's Apple Intelligence-capable, and has more than enough power for a screen of almost any size.

Apple iPad Mini A 17 Pro (2024) REVIEW — (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

If I have a frustration with the latest iPad, alternatively known as the iPad mini 7th Generation or iPad Mini A17 Pro, it's that it's virtually identical in every respect to the three-year-old iPad mini 6th generation. Apple didn't bother to upgrade the design, the screen, the cameras, or the speakers. The only hardware change that expresses itself on the outside of the tablet is one you can only see if you have an Apple Pencil.

The new iPad mini supports just two styluses: the Apple Pencil USB-C and the new Apple Pencil Pro. I wouldn't expect it to support the original Apple Pencil, but I am a little surprised that there's no support for the Apple Pencil 2. You can't even properly seat that Pencil on the charging base that sits on one long edge of the iPad, because Apple has reengineered the hardware underneath.

It's a small thing, really, and you will appreciate all the cool stuff you can do with a Pencil Pro, like squeeze it or use gestures to change tools and Scribble. And with 18.1 and Apple Intelligence, you can even Scribble to Siri.

What might matter most to iPad mini fans, though, is its ability to support Apple Intelligence. Only the A17 Pro and above (along with all M-class Apple chips) supports it, but you need to be running iPadOS 18.1. If you buy this new iPad, it will likely arrive with iPadOS 18 and, like my test unit, not yet support Apple Intelligence. That speaks to the general frustration many of us have when it comes to Apple's own brand of AI. It's dribbling out slowly, and still lacks core features like Siri with app access, user activity knowledge, contextual awareness, and ChatGPT access.

Some of these features may arrive by the end of October; others might not arrive until 2025. It's a mystery to me why Apple is moving so slowly in this regard. Eventually, I got a developer beta of iPadOS 18.1 onto the iPad mini, and it performs just as well as I hoped, enabling you, among other things, to quickly summarize notes or change the tone of an email with Writing Tools, have your Notifications summarized, and even get a priority look into your inbox. Hand-writing queries to Siri is pretty much tailor-made for the iPad, and you can be more precise when cleaning up photos.

Even without Apple Intelligence, the iPad mini is an excellent tablet. It's also a premium device, and priced like one, starting at $499 / £499 / AU$799 for 128GB of storage. At 9.7 inches, that iPad was larger and heavier (it weighed a pound and a half). The nice thing about the modern iPad mini is that the screen isn't much smaller than the one on the OG iPad, but it's a much higher resolution, and the device is so much smaller and lighter.

Few tablets are as versatile and powerful as the iPad mini. I used it for all kinds of work, creative, and entertainment activities and was never disappointed. It remains one of my favorite drawing devices.

If you own an iPad mini 6th generation, hold onto it and upgrade to iPadOS 18. Even without Apple intelligence, you'll be happy. If you've never owned an iPad and think the new iPad Air 11-inch and 10.9-inch iPad 10th gen are too large, and a 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max is too small, perhaps the iPad mini is the sweet spot you've been looking for. Plus, it supports a stylus, and even though the iPhone screens are getting mighty big, that's one thing they still don't offer.

Apple iPad Mini A 17 Pro (2024) review: price and availability

Pricey for its size
Fresh new colors

Apple unveiled the iPad mini A 17 Pro on October 15, 2025. It starts at $499 / £499 / AU$799 for 128GB of storage – that's the same price as the 2021 iPad mini in the US, but a £20 increase in the UK and AU$50 more if you’re in Australia. It costs $150 / £170 / AU$200 more than a 10th Gen iPad, which only has an A14 Bionic, and $100 / £100 / AU$200 less than the base iPad Air. There are cheaper mini-tablet options on the market, like the 8-inch Amazon Kindle Fire HD, which starts at $99.99 / £99.99 (it's not currently available in Australia), although you're only getting 32GB of storage, a pair of not-so-great 2MP cameras, and a Hexa-core CPU. Apple is essentially asking you to pay a premium price for a well-equipped product to perform premium and professional tasks. The new iPad mini is available in four colors: Space Gray, Blue, Purple, and Starlight (somewhere between silver and rose gold).

Value score: 4 / 5

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: specs

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: display

Still a brilliant and colorful screen
500 nits max

When Apple first introduced the iPad mini 6th generation in 2021, it was a big deal not only because of the wholesale redesign that brought the mini more in line with the iPad Air 4th Gen, which was released a year earlier, but also because was fitting a relatively large screen into a much smaller body.

The new mini also came with new display technologies, introducing the 326ppi Liquid Retina Display and LED backlighting to the mini line.

It's an excellent and responsive touchscreen that offers a wide color gamut, and, of course, Apple Pencil support. It has an antireflective coating, and is somewhat resistant to fingerprints. I'm not thrilled that the peak brightness is stuck at 500 nits when Apple's other mobile devices are pumping out, under certain conditions 2,000 nits. Still, this is a three-year-old technology, so I should not expect 2024 display updates.

My experience with the iPad Mini A 17 Pro was, in many ways, no different than with the 6th Gen model, and this is a good thing. As before, everything looks fantastic on the 8.3-inch display; games, photos, movies, apps, and web browsing are all great (I especially enjoyed perusing photos of baby animals on National Geographic – it tells me we're all hardwired to love baby animals, and I totally believe it).

The iPad mini truly shines, though, when you add an Apple Pencil. The mini now only supports the Pencil Pro and Pencil USB-C, and only the former can magnetically charge on the edge of the iPad Mini. The pens are optional extras though, so you'll pay an additional $129 for the Pro or $79 for the USB-C model – I think they're a worthwhile investment.

Apple Pencil Accessory

As an amateur artist, few things make me happier than drawing on an iPad, usually in Procreate. I alternate between drawing on a large 13-inch iPad Pro and the pint-sized mini, and even though the screen on the latter is comparatively small, I never find it constraining.

I can understand how some might think the 8.3-inch screen is too small a canvas or not large enough to multitask, but I'd have to disagree. I spent hours drawing the puppy you can see below in Procreate, and I did most of it on a split screen. I dragged the Safari browser window with my reference images up to the left and gave two-thirds of the screen to Procreate. It's enough space, I promise you.

One of the reasons why sketching on the iPad mini works is the feel of drawing with an Apple Pencil on the screen. Even though the screen is perfectly smooth, the Pencil tip provides just enough friction to make it feel like I'm drawing on something other than glass. In some apps, I can hover my pencil over the screen and see the cursor or drawing dot move with the Pencil. I can also squeeze it to change tools.

The Pencil is not just for drawing. For those who don't want to type, you can scribble words in various fields and, depending on the quality of your writing, the iPad will convert them to text. In Notes, I used the new Math Notes to write equations and had the iPad solve them for me in something that looked like my own handwriting. I wrote '200+36=' and the iPad quickly returned '236'. When I added a line under my original equation and the number 2 under that, Math Notes automatically knew to divide by two and updated my sum to '118'. Impressive – and fun.

With Apple Intelligence you'll be able to double tap near the bottom of the screen to open the Siri Text window, but instead of typing you'll write in your query with the Apple Pencil.

Display score: 4.5 / 5

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: design

This looks familiar

Image 1 of 4

Image 2 of 4

Image 3 of 4

Image 4 of 4

I've spent quite a bit of time examining the new iPad mini 7th gen from every angle, and there's virtually no difference between it and the previous model. I'm fine with that – this is a good and solid design. The 100% recycled aluminum chassis is thin, 6.5mm, and light, just 293 grams. To put that in perspective, the iPhone 16 Pro Max weighs 227 grams, so Apple's smallest iPad is just 66g heavier. I have big hands, and I can comfortably hold the 7.69in x 5.3-inch tablet in one hand; I usually have the Apple Pencil in the other.

The bezel around the screen is perhaps a bit thick by modern iPad standards, and I'm surprised that the FaceTime camera still lives on the narrow side of the display (Apple moved it for the iPad Pro). This means that if you want to make eye contact during a call you need to look at the left side of the iPad mini.

On one short edge is the very effective Touch ID (also power and sleep) button that I use not only to unlock the device but to sign into myriad accounts. Opposite it are the two volume buttons, and in between are a pair of speaker grilles; the other half of the stereo speaker system is on the other side of the iPad, which also houses the USB-C port.

The iPad mini offers no water resistance and doesn't have a dust rating. If you plan to take it to the beach, buy a case. There are still four colors to come from, but joining Starlight and Space Gray are new Purple and Blue shades. At first, I was very drawn to the Blue, a sort of light anodized take on the color that can change depending on how the light hits it, but Apple's latest take on Purple is surprisingly airy in lower light and can really pop when under direct light. These two new shades and Starlight – perfectly match the new AirPods Max.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: cameras

Decent 12MP cameras
Centerstage
No telephoto

The iPad mini is just small enough that I could imagine people carrying it and taking pictures wherever they go. With a single 12MP wide-angle camera on the back, it will get the job done, and the photos it produces are rich in detail and color. However, they don't hold up to close scrutiny as well as photos from the iPhone 16 Pro Max's 48MP main camera.

The front camera takes nice selfies, but not portrait-mode shots. It's far more useful as a FaceTime camera and, when I used Centerstage, the ultrawide camera auto-cropped the frame to follow me around. It's a nice feature, especially if you like to walk and talk while conducting Facetime calls.

Image 1 of 6

Apple iPad mini A17 (2024) Camera Samples — (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Image 2 of 6

Image 3 of 6

Image 4 of 6

Image 5 of 6

Image 6 of 6

Apple iPad mini A17 (2024) Camera Samples Selfie on FaceTime Camera — (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Camera score: 3.5 / 5

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: software

Control Center customization
Home screen and widgets are more customizable
Calculator
New Photos app

Image 1 of 4

Image 2 of 4

Image 3 of 4

Image 4 of 4

The iPad mini A17 Pro ships with iPadOS 18, which brings with it many of the same features you'll find on iOS 18, including a customizable Control Center, the Photos app redesign, the new Passwords app, updated Messages, and the aforementioned Math Notes (one of my favorites).

Apple Intelligence is coming, too, bringing writing tools to help you craft better prose in almost any situation, Siri with a completely new look, and, eventually, better insights into how you use your iPad.

Aside from what's coming with Apple Intelligence, none of these changes will radically alter your iPad experience, though I do think most of them will make it better. I'm still on the fence about the Photos app, which is so different that I can't seem to find anything. At least it now includes natural language search queries that should make finding photos across vast libraries far easier.

In my brief time with Apple Intelligence on the iPad mini, courtesy of a developer beta of iPadOS 18.1, I was mostly impressed. Similar to the Apple Intelligence experience on the iPad Air, iPad Pro, Mac, or iPhone, it's currently a well-rounded set of firsts.

You can summarize notifications automatically, which makes it easier to triage them after your device has been in sleep mode overnight, or while you have 'Do Not Disturb' engaged during a long meeting. I especially like how it summarizes Slack and Group messages, generally providing a good gist and summary. The same goes for Mail in Apple's own app or third-party ones in Gmail.

The Apple Pencil Pro (or the Pencil USB-C) really shines when it comes taking notes, and while it's not an Apple Intelligence feature, Smart Script is still really impressive in use, as it cleans up your handwriting in a way that matches your style. I also still desperately wish I had Math Notes when I was growing up.

Maybe the most purpose-built part of Apple Intelligence for the iPad is Scribble to Siri, though, and it's handy for those times when you're taking notes or just using the Apple Pencil. You can double-tap on the bottom of the screen and start writing in the Siri box that appears to get answers – it could be a question about your calendar, the weather, a sports score, or even a smart home command.

Of course, there are still many Apple Intelligence features we're still waiting for, from the completely redesigned Siri with personal context and the ability to work within apps deeply, to Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT integration. When those do arrive, the iPad mini will be able to handle them all, and will be the cheapest way to get any of these or future Apple Intelligence features.

Software score: 4.5 / 5

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: performance

A17 Pro is a generation back
Still has ample power
Double the RAM

Image 1 of 4

Image 2 of 4

Image 3 of 4

Image 4 of 4

While I'm surprised the iPad mini 7th generation is not running on top-of-M-class Apple silicon (not even a now last-gen M3), the A17 Pro is no slouch. Plus, it's the first A-class chip that could support Apple Intelligence.

Adding a Pro-level chip to the mini is almost a recognition of the iPad's mini place in the creative and professional world. Pilots run apps like ForeFlight on it to plan trips. It's a complex and rich app that's not for the faint of heart (me) or a lightweight CPU. The iPad is also a popular drawing and image editing platform, and running pro-level image editing app Adobe Lightroom on it is no problem.

Apple iPad mini A17 Pro benchmark — (Image credit: Future)

Similarly, I edited four streams of 4K videos at once in Adobe Premiere Rush. And when it came time to unwind, I played Asphalt Legends Unite, Madden NFL 25 Mobile, and Fallout Shelter.

The performance boost you'll see in the new iPad mini is borne out in its Geekbench 6 numbers. The CPU scores are all measurably higher.

It's not just the CPU that's powering all this performance – Apple has doubled the RAM from 4GB to 8GB. Most people believe this has to do with Apple Intelligence support, which appears to require at least that much RAM to perform Apple Intelligence's generative AI tasks locally (some tasks will still have to be done in Apple's encrypted Private Cloud Compute).

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: battery

A long work or play day

Apple rates the iPad Mini 7th Gen at about 10 hours of battery, and in my anecdotal tests that's about right. It's not great battery life, and I wonder if we might have gotten more had Apple made the switch from the A17 Pro to a more efficient M2.

In our Future Labs tests, the new iPad mini managed around 10 hours and 36 minutes.

There's no wireless charging, which is a shame since this iPad seems like the perfect size to rest on a Qi MagSafe charger. At least the iPad ships with a woven USB-C cable and a nice 20W adapter.

Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024)?

Buy it if…

You want the most affordable Apple Intelligence Experience
The iPad mini might be expensive for its size, but it's also a rare sub-$500 Apple Intelligence experience.

You want a powerful iPad that doesn't weigh you down
This 8.3-inch device is light, thin, and very powerful.

Don’t buy it if…

You're on a tight tablet budget
This is a lot of money for the smallest iPad, especially when you can get an 8-inch Amazon Fire HD tablet for $100 / £100.

You'll never buy an Apple Pencil
The iPad mini is wonderful, but it truly flourishes with an Apple Pencil Pro. If you'll never invest in one, perhaps look at a different tablet.

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024): Also consider

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus

With storage expandable up to 1TB and a cheaper price than the Pad Go (if you go for Wi-Fi only version), the Galaxy Tab A9 Plus is a similarly capable media playback device. The display isn't as sharp, with a 1920 x 1200 resolution, but it does feature Samsung's useful split-screen multitasking abilities.

Amazon Fire Max 11

Another budget 11-inch tablet, the Fire Max 11 has the same 2.2GHz Octo-Core chip as the Galaxy Tab A9 Plus. The display has a resolution of 1200 x 2000, and it has an expandable storage capacity up to 1TB. Like the Pad Go, it also features Dolby Atmos capability. It is more expensive, though, and Google Play isn't supported. You'll also have to pay slightly more if you want the ad-free version.

How I tested the iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024)

Drew
Watched TV
Played Games
Browsed the web
Edited movies
Edited photos

I used the Apple iPad mini A17 Pro as I would any other iPad, for every activity I do throughout the day, including Slack, email, conducting video meetings, drawing, editing, videos, and photos, playing games, and watching the Mets lose through the my favorite streaming platform.

I also spent several hours with the iPadOS 18.1 developer beta installed on the iPad mini seventh-generation, testing the currently available Apple Intelligence features, to get a sense of how they perform here.

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: price and release date

Priced from $399.99 / £389.99 / AU$689.99
Available from October 22 2024
Sold in Standard and Dual Battery Bundles

The Ace Pro 2 is available to order from October 22 2024, and sold via the Insta360 web store and a host of other online retailers.

There are two packages available at launch. The Standard Bundle ($399.99 / £389.99 / AU$689.99) contains the camera, a wind guard, a microphone cap, one battery, one standard mount and one USB-C cable. The Dual Battery Bundle ($419.99 / £409.99 / AU$719.99), as its name suggests, features two batteries rather than one, but is otherwise the same.

Note that neither of Insta360’s bundles come with a memory card which, given the Ace Pro 2’s lack of built-in storage, is something you’ll need. So, if you don’t already have a microSD card, make sure to obtain one at the same time as the camera. It accepts cards up to 1TB in capacity.

The Ace Pro 2’s pricing is in the same ballpark as its closest action camera competitors such as the GoPro Hero 13 Black and DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro (although, at around $50 cheaper, the latter would leave you a little extra money left over for accessories).

Price score: 4/5

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: key specs

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: design and handling

Integrated microphone wind guard
Waterproof to 12m/39ft
Flip-up touchscreen
Quick-release magnetic mount system

The Ace Pro 2 looks a lot like the original Ace Pro. A quick side-by-side comparison reveals a few minor differences in styling and size, but it shares the same standard action camera look – blocky, squat and with as few buttons as possible – and red and black color scheme. The detachable, replaceable lens guard has been upgraded according to Insta360, giving a small boost to its protection and dive capabilities.

Probably the biggest difference of note is the new microphone wind guard, a removeable metal grille, lined with acoustic foam, that protects the front mic port from wind noise. It’s inconspicuous and adds virtually nothing size-wise, so can be left in place most of the time while the camera is in use.

The only time it needs to be removed and replaced by the standard mic cap is during underwater use. On that note, the Ace Pro 2 can dive to a depth of 39ft / 12m without additional protection (a slight improvement on the 33ft / 10m of the Ace Pro). Bolder swimmers can fit the optional dive case accessory and take it all the way down to 197ft / 60m.

The control system is simple and straightforward, with only two physical buttons on the Ace Pro 2 itself: one on the side to power it on and off, which doubles as a shooting mode switcher; and a shutter button on top. Everything else is taken care of via touchscreen controls or, if you prefer, the Insta360 mobile app (more on that in the next section of this review). I found the touchscreen controls generally simple: you swipe down to open the main settings menu; right to open the gallery; left to open settings for the current shooting mode; or up to open yet more settings for the current shooting mode.

Image 1 of 3

Insta360 Ace Pro 2 action camera indoors — (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Image 2 of 3

Image 3 of 3

The screen itself is a major differentiator between Insta360’s action cameras and those of its main rivals GoPro and DJI. The Ace Pro 2, like the Ace Pro, uses only one screen where its competitors put one at the back and one at the front (that front screen you see is just for menus). The screen here, a nicely crisp and colorful 2.5-incher, can flip up 180º to face forwards, which has its plus and minus points for me. The plus is that it’s a lot bigger than the front-facing screens you get on those rival cameras, giving you a clearer view and more space for touchscreen tapping (it also doubles as a t-shirt clip or bite adapter for POV shots). The minus is that you have to physically flip it back and forth every time you switch from front to back shooting, which is more effort than simply spinning the camera round and continuing to shoot.

One thing I do like a lot is the magnet- and clip-based mounting system, which allows for fast fixing and unfixing of the Ace Pro 2 to mounts and accessories. This is similar to the systems used by the DJI Osmo Action series and latterly the GoPro Hero 13 Black, however, so I can’t say the Ace Pro 2 does any better than its rivals here.

The Ace Pro 2 has two secure flaps on its body, which lock in place when closed and require a button press to open. One flap protects the microSD card slot and USB-C port, while the other protects the removable battery.

Design score: 4.5/5

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: features and performance

1800mAh battery and Endurance Mode
Compatible with Insta360 Android/iOS app
Two levels of electronic image stabilization

The Ace Pro 2’s removable batteries boast a larger capacity than the Ace Pro’s (1800mAh opposed to 1650mAh). Insta360 claims it can record for longer as a result, providing a figure of 180 minutes of 4K/30p recording on a full charge – a lot better than the 100 minutes offered by the original camera. Keen to find out if these claims hold water, I performed my own tests. I found that I could get 69 minutes of stabilized HDR footage at 4K/60p. Switching the camera into Endurance Mode, which limits video resolution and frame rate and turns off certain functions, I was able to record about 140 minutes at 4K/30p before the battery died. So, not quite as high as Insta360 claim, but impressive nonetheless.

The battery also supports reverse charging via USB-C, so in a pinch you can use the Ace Pro 2 as a portable power bank for your phone or other portable gear. The USB also supports a webcam function when plugged into a computer.

Overheating can be an issue, if not a major one. When recording at 8K resolution, the Ace Pro 2 will eventually get too warm to function and shut itself down as a result. I tested it at room temperature conditions, finding it was able to record 8K/30p footage for 43 minutes before overheating, and think that’s fine. 8K recording is probably something you’ll use situationally rather than all the time, after all.

Image 1 of 3

Insta360 Ace Pro 2 — (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Image 2 of 3

Insta360 Ace Pro 2 and Insta360 companion app on iPhone 13 — (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Image 3 of 3

As mentioned above, one way to control the Ace Pro 2 is using the Insta360 smartphone app. Connecting via Wi-Fi, it allows users to change the camera settings (and update its firmware), take photos and videos, browse through photos and videos they’ve taken, edit together content and share it on social media. I’ve always found the app an intuitive and stable method of remotely controlling Insta360’s various cameras, and as is customary in 2024 it also features an AI-powered auto editor to swiftly assemble and score short videos from your captured content.

Image stabilization is a vital feature for any self-respecting action camera, and the Ace Pro 2 is well-served in this area. There are two levels of ‘normal’ image stabilization (Standard and High) plus two horizon levelling options (45º and 360º). I found all to be very effective. Being electronic-based, all apply a crop (of varying degrees) to the image.

Other video-centric features include gesture and voice controls, timecode for multi-cam synching, a new dashcam mode and a pre-recording video mode, which records up to 120 seconds before the shutter button is pressed. All useful in certain situations.

The Ace Pro 2 is also compatible with several types of Bluetooth-based wireless microphones (including the DJI Mic and Mic 2, Rode Wireless series and Hollyland Lark series) and several Bluetooth motorcycle headsets (for hands-free camera control while riding).

Features and performance score: 4.5/5

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: image and video quality

Upgraded 1/1.3-inch 50MP sensor
F2.6 lens with 157º field of view
Video up to 8K/30p, 4K/120p or FHD/240p

The original Ace Pro’s headline feature was 8K/24p video recording, and the Ace Pro 2 takes things further, if only ever so slightly; you can now record 8K footage in 25 and 30fps as well. The image sensor, while remaining the same 1/1.3-inch size, has been upgraded to also allow for 13.5 stops of dynamic range and 4K/60p Active HDR recording, and is bolstered by the addition of a new 5nm AI Chip that sits alongside the image processing Pro Imaging Chip. Insta360 say this doubles the computing power of the Ace Pro 2 compared to the original Ace Pro. The lens, made by Leica, has also been slightly improved and now offers a wider field of view: 157º opposed to 151º.

Personally, I find 8K to be a bit of a gimmick, especially on a camera so small. The vast majority of us watch videos on devices with 4K or smaller resolutions, so 8K capture feels like massive overkill unless you’re planning on cropping down the video later on. I should point out here that the field of view when capturing 8K is smaller than with 4K, 2.7K or Full HD recordings. 8K also doesn’t support the best level of image stabilization, doesn’t allow you to use the flat I-log color profile and, despite the bump up to 30fps, still limits frame rate compared to the lower resolution modes.

As a consequence, I found myself much more drawn to 4K which, as on the Ace Pro, is excellent. Most of the vlogging footage you see in the embedded sample video here was shot using the I-log profile and color graded and corrected in post, but the night time footage uses the low light PureVideo mode, while the cycling footage below uses the standard color profile with the Active HDR turned on.

Low light footage is strong by action camera standards but still a weakness compared to even a modestly priced mirrorless camera. Insta360 can throw all manner of algorithms at the footage to sharpen, denoise and bring out the detail in gloomy areas, but it’s still coming from a small sensor with limited light-gathering potential. When viewed on a smartphone screen PureVideo footage looks clean and clear, but on a larger monitor or TV strange artefacts and effects become much more prominent. Still, the Ace Pro 2 is much better at low-light video than a GoPro Hero 13 Black and on a par with the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, although their characteristics are quite different. I've created a short comparison video of the Ace Pro 2 and Osmo Action 5 Pro so you can see for yourself how they fare.

All in all, it’s a very impressive showing. In general, I still think straight-out-of-the-camera videos from a GoPro Hero 13 Black taken in good lighting look slightly more appealing, but for those who like to put in a bit of work in post-processing the Ace Pro 2 is every bit as capable as the Hero 13 Black and DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.

Audio is unexpectedly clear when using the built-in microphones. The wind guard seems to do its job admirably and voices are picked up well. The camera comes with three AI-assisted audio modes: standard stereo, wind reduction and voice enhancement. Living by the sea, I kept my Ace Pro 2 set to wind reduction at all times and was pleasantly surprised by the results.

Image 1 of 5

Insta360 Ace Pro 2 action camera sample still photos — (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Image 2 of 5

Image 3 of 5

Image 4 of 5

Image 5 of 5

The Ace Pro 2 can also take photos (in JPEG and/or DNG RAW) at 12.5MP or 50MP resolution, and while I’ve personally never been a fan of using action cameras for still photography, it does as good a job at it as any of its major rivals. The JPEGs tend to look over-processing and over-sharpened; when I shot images in RAW and processed them myself in Lightroom I was able to achieve much more natural-looking results.

Image quality score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: testing scorecard

Should I buy the Insta360 Ace Pro 2

Buy it if...

You absolutely must have 8K footage
Currently this is the best 8K action camera on sale, so if you really require video recording in this resolution it’s the top choice.

You want an all-round image quality performer
With its excellent video performance in good lighting and more than acceptable performance in low light, it’s a jack of all trades.

You hate tiny screens
The Ace Pro 2’s 2.5-inch screen beats its rivals’ dual-screen setups for size. Ideal if you want clearer-looking previews and menus.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You're expecting 8K recording to transform your life
You probably don’t need 8K video, and the Ace Pro 2’s execution of it comes with loads of caveats. It’s still a niche recording mode.

You like to switch between front and back recording quickly
The dual-screen setups of DJI and GoPro rivals suit this style of shooting better than the Ace Pro 2’s flip screen.

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: also consider

GoPro Hero 13 Black

GoPro’s flagship is a polished performer, recording gorgeous 5.3K video and supporting a wide range of accessories – including the auto-detected Lens Mods that drastically widen its creative options. It also features built-in GPS, and finally supports the faster magnetic mounting system already used by rival action cam makers.

Read our in-depth GoPro Hero 13 Black review

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro

Stacked with unique features like wireless Hi-Res audio recording when using a DJI Mic 2 and blessed with excellent battery life, class-leading waterproofing and a generous 47GB of built-in storage, the dual-screen Action 5 Pro is a worthy alternative to the Ace Pro 2. It’s also cheaper than its close rivals, although it doesn’t record 8K, maxing out at 4K/120p.

Read our in-depth DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro review

How I tested the Insta360 Ace Pro 2

A week of vlogging and biking
Various weather conditions and times of day
Footage edited using Davinci Resolve Studio 19

I spent a week using a pre-release version of the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, capturing vlog-style and cycling videos at different times of the day and in different weather conditions. I also tested battery life and heat management by allowing the camera to continuously record until the battery died or the camera overheated and shut down.

I recorded video at different resolutions and frame rates, using different color profiles and video modes and with the various forms of stabilization on or off. Footage was later edited on my MacBook Air using Davinci Resolve Studio 19 software, which I used to color grade and correct some clips.

First reviewed October 2024

Netgear PR60X Pro review

1:31 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: LAN, WAN | Comments: Off

This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.

Netgear has traditionally offered an outstanding range of the best network switches and wireless access points (WAPs) for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), but routers have always been conspicuous by their absence. Not any more: the PR60X Pro fills this void in Netgear’s product portfolio by delivering a 10GbE-ready solution offering plenty of routing capabilities, dual WAN failover, support for up to 30 site-to-site IPsec VPNs and an integral firewall.

Powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core ARM A73 CPU partnered by 2GB of DDR4 memory, this slimline 1U rack unit offers a 10GbE copper port configurable for LAN or WAN duties, a 2.5GbE WAN port and three 2.5GbE LAN ports, all of which are the multi-gigabit variety. You get a 10GbE SFP+ uplink port for long-distance connections over fiber, and a neat touch is its status LEDs are presented front and back so you can rack-mount it in either orientation.

Deployment scenarios are manifold since the PR60X Pro can be used to head up a small office network and provide secure internet access to all connected devices. Larger businesses with regional offices can place a router in each location and link them together over site-to-site VPNs.

The PR60X supports a standalone mode plus Insight cloud management and includes a one-year Insight subscription in the price. The pricier PR460X is exactly the same, but this model is aimed exclusively at integrators, has a four-year Insight subscription and a more generous five-year hardware warranty.

We started testing in standalone mode and followed the router’s quick-start wizard, which sensibly requested an admin password change and upgraded its firmware to the latest version. The console is nicely designed and presents an informative dashboard, with a topology graphic showing connected devices along with status views of the system, each network port and all VPNs.

The fifth port defaults to LAN duties but you can change this to a WAN port and team it up with the other one for failover duties. You can decide which are primary and secondary connections and apply a policy so that if one fails, the second takes over; the router doesn’t support load balancing.

Netgear PR60X Pro - 2 — **The slimline PR60X offers a 10GbE copper port for LAN or WAN duties** (Image credit: Future)

The firewall is enabled out of the box and provides basic SPI (stateful packet inspection) services, along with port scan and denial of service protection. It can be customized with rules that specify connection directions, source and destination addresses, protocols and allow or deny actions.

The router comes with a set of predefined IPsec VPN profiles for services such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, to which you can add custom profiles. Along with site-to-site VPNs, the router supports client-to-site VPNs and the third-party OpenVPN service.

Quality of service (QoS) configuration for the WAN ports is simplified by the router’s Smart Queue Management (SQM) feature. Run an internet speed test from the web console and it will automatically configure itself with the discovered upload and download speeds to ensure that latency and congestion are kept to a minimum.

Netgear PR60X Pro web portal — **It can be managed locally or remotely via Netgear’s Insight web portal** (Image credit: Future)

Adding the PR60X to our cloud account was simple enough, as we used the Insight iOS app on an iPad to scan its QR code and assign it to a site. It duly appeared as a new device on the portal’s router section, and we noted that you can still manage it from the local interface.

The Insight portal provides access to all the same settings, so you can remotely configure the WAN ports, firewall traffic rules, port triggering and forwarding, IPsec VPNs and the like. A topology map shows how your devices are linked to each other, you can view connected clients and keep an eye on hardware stats such as operating temperatures and cooling fan speeds.

The PR60X Pro neatly fills a gap in Netgear’s networking armor and provides a powerful set of routing, VPN and WAN failover features. It’s an affordable option for SMBs, can be easily managed locally or in the cloud, and its 10GbE WAN port is ready and waiting for ultra-fast broadband.

We list the best mesh Wi-Fi systems.

NetSupport Manager 14.1 review

1:15 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.

SMBs that want to keep all their remote desktop support services on–premises need look no further than NetSupport Manager (NSM), which is one of the best solutions on the market. Cost control is another compelling argument since, unlike cloud-hosted services that incur regular monthly fees, NSM is priced on the number of systems you want to support and its perpetual licensing plans mean you pay only once. Now well into its third decade, NSM benefits from constant development with version 14.1 delivering new features and security enhancements.

NSM delivers a wealth of support tools, including remote control, view and screen sharing, file transfer, text or two-way audio chat and recording facilities, remote application launch and Registry editing tools, plus a highly detailed hardware and software inventory.

Out of the box, NSM defaults to requiring a client’s permission for a support session, and technicians now have the ability to blank the remote screen while viewing it. Value gets a boost, too, with NSM including a full copy of the latest NetSupport School classroom management and training solution, which can be deployed alongside NSM using a custom setup.

Installation is swift. We loaded the NSM Control component on a Windows 11 host in around one minute and used its Deploy tool to scan our entire local network and push the client to all our Windows 10/11 client machines. NetSupport has malware activity covered during this phase, as it will prevent the client executable from running if its name has been changed.

Cloud-hosted solutions lend themselves well to supporting staff in remote offices, but NSM has this covered as well as its Gateway and Connectivity Server components are included in the price. Installed at a remote site, these lightweight services are highly secure: they enforce 256-bit AES session encryption, use a unique key that the client must possess in order to connect to the Gateway, and you can decide which technicians are allowed to access them.

NetSupport Manager 14.1 Control console — **The Control console delivers a wealth of support tools** (Image credit: Future)

The Control console is easy to use, with its left tree menu placing clients in various categories and custom groups for swift access. Auto groups are a smart feature, with NSM dynamically sorting clients based on attributes such as their installed OS, NSM client version, enclosure type (including virtual machines) and geographical location.

NSM’s monitor mode is a feature you won’t find in most cloud-hosted products. This displays scalable thumbnails of the clients’ screens so you can watch user activity in real-time. Users needn’t worry about being spied on as when a technician connects, their local NSM app alerts them and they can disconnect at any time.

A remote control session is started by double-clicking on a client icon and this presents a new window with a wealth of support tools in its upper menu. Along with choosing to control, share or passively view their screen, technicians can launch local apps, have text and audio chats, take screen captures, share clipboards, reboot the client, show their Control screen to single or multiple clients and make training recordings and replay them to clients.

Hardware and software inventory includes all apps and hot fixes, with the Task Manager tool providing a list of processes and services that can be remotely stopped, started or paused. NSM’s file distribution tool is another great time saver as it allows technicians to select local files and send them to multiple clients in one go.

NetSupport Manager sets the standard for on-premises hosted support for both local and remote workers. It delivers a remarkable range of support features and its one-time cost per seat will appeal to businesses concerned about ongoing subscription fees.

We've listed the best free remote desktop software.

PCSpecialist 14 Lafité AI AMD review

10:33 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: Tomb Raider | Comments: Off

This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.

Dell’s Inspiron 14 Plus is currently the cheapest Copilot+ PC around, but if that’s still too much and your heart is set on an AI PC, then the PCSpecialist Lafité AI AMD may be the answer.

Rather than featuring one of AMD’s new Ryzen AI 300 series chips, PCSpecialist saves a chunk of cash by opting for last year’s AI hotshot, the Ryzen 8845HS. Its NPU offers 16 TOPS compared to the 55 TOPS of the Ryzen AI 370 HX in the trio of Asus laptops on review this month, which means no Recall or Cocreator built into Windows, but you can take advantage of third-party software enhanced for NPUs. So far, that mainly means video-editing and photo-editing software (think removing background noise), plus blurring effects in video calls.

PCSpecialist 14 Lafité AI AMD - 2 — (Image credit: Future)

You’re also buying an eight-core, 16-thread processor, and one that typically stands up well compared to Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H. You can see that in the single-core performance in Geekbench 6, with a result of 2,532 above the 2,349 of the LG gram Pro. I saw the same in Cinebench 2024, where the Lafité scored 105 to 99 of the LG, and it also performed in the multicore section: 871 versus 660. It was only in Geekbench 6’s multicore test that PCSpecialist’s machine came second, with 9,875 to the gram Pro’s 12,646.

PCSpecialist provides 16GB of RAM, leaving one SODIMM socket free. That hampers gaming performance, which you can see in the Lafité’s 1,749 return in 3DMark Time Spy – the Radeon 780M graphics here typically return a score closer to 3,000 – and our gaming benchmarks. At 1080p Low settings, the Lafité returned averages of 28fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Cyberpunk 2077, and 36fps in Dirt 5.

These frame rates should jump by around 50% if you install a second SODIMM.

It’s easy to do this yourself as just a few crosshead screws keep the base in place. You can also replace the 512GB SSD, a budget SolidIGM drive that offers fast 3,515MB/sec sequential reads but 1,606MB/sec writes.

PCSpecialist 14 Lafité AI AMD benchmarks — (Image credit: Future)

The budget again shows in the chassis, which is made of metal but doesn’t exude the class of its big-name rivals. It’s also a porky 18.5mm thick and weighs 1.4kg. The 100W power supply is similarly chunky and adds 330g of weight, but it does its job quickly: the Lafité went from empty to 93% in an hour. Battery life is strong for such an affordable gaming laptop, lasting for 12hrs 2mins in our light-use test, but that’s an area where Qualcomm powered laptops are far superior.

You can’t expect a top-grade panel at this price, but PCSpecialist makes a much better pick than Dell with the Inspiron. Not only does this IPS panel produce great whites, it covers 99% of the sRGB gamut with excellent accuracy (an average Delta E of 0.29), and brightness peaks at a respectable 375cd/m². Add a 120Hz refresh rate and pin-sharp 2,880 x 1,800 resolution and it’s an undoubted highlight. The speakers are again good for the price.

PCSpecialist 14 Lafité AI AMD chassis — **The chunky chassis is made of metal but doesn’t exude class** (Image credit: Future)

I’m less enamored by the keyboard, which feels like someone forgot to add the springs, but it’s functional, includes a backlight and suffers from no obvious layout issues. The touchpad is similarly basic, and the buttons too “clicky” for my liking, but again I guide your eyes to this laptop’s asking price. I’m less forgiving about the woeful webcam, with a fuzzy image I’d be embarrassed to use on a call. At least it supports Windows Hello.

PCSpecialist 14 Lafité AI AMD keyboard — **The keyboard and touchpad are basic but functional** (Image credit: Future)

While I would like more than one USB-C port, which is needed for charging, it is at least USB-C 4. And there are three USB-A ports, two of which support 10Gbits/sec transfers. A 3.5mm jack and full-size SD card slot complete the hardware, with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 covering the wireless side.

I have my criticisms, but the price is simply exceptional. Add in the three-year warranty – even allowing that parts are only covered for the first year – and it’s impossible to argue with. I would immediately buy and fit a matching 16GB Corsair DDR5-4800 SODIMM to give gaming a boost, but otherwise this is a great laptop for those who prioritize specs over slick design.

We list the best business laptops.

PCSpecialist Quantum Goliath R review

9:50 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.

PCSpecialist’s Quantum Goliath R is an outlier in this group test of workstations, as one of two systems supplied with consumer-grade rather than professional graphics. But that doesn’t mean it’s just a gaming PC. Certain types of content creators – particularly game developers – prefer this anyway.

The GPU in question is an incredibly potent Asus TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition. This sports 16,384 CUDA cores, which is almost as many as the Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada Generation and more than any other Nvidia card here. There’s 24GB of GDDR6X memory with 1,008GB/sec of bandwidth, which is also the highest in the Labs.

PCSpecialist has also gone for the best with the CPU, an Intel Core i9-14900KS. That’s one rung up from the 14900K provided by InterPro. The 14900KS similarly provides eight P-cores (with multithreading) and 16 E-cores (without) and has the same 3.2GHz base clock for the P-cores, with 2.4GHz for the E-cores. However, the P-cores go all the way up to 6.2GHz in Thermal Velocity Boost mode, compared to 6GHz for the 14900K, and the E-cores will hit 4.5GHz instead of 4.4GHz.

The memory allocation is also surprisingly high for a system in this price bracket – 192GB in total, made up of four 48GB DDR5 DIMMs running at 5,200MHz. That leaves no room for upgrades on the Asus ProArt Z790-Creator WiFi motherboard, but you won’t need to anyway.

Like PCSpecialist’s more expensive entry this month, the Quantum Goliath R opts for a fast boot drive and slower but more capacious data drive. In fact, they’re the same drives as the Zircon Extreme. The 4TB Samsung 990 Pro NVMe M.2 device for operating system and apps runs at PCI Express 4 speeds to deliver sustained reading of 7,132MB/sec and sustained writing of 6,846MB/sec with CrystalDiskMark 8. The larger 10TB data drive is a Seagate IronWolf Pro, aimed at business-grade use. This 7,200rpm SATA disk provides reading at 268MB/sec and writing at 264MB/sec – fast for a mechanical disk but pedestrian compared to any SSD.

PCSpecialist Quantum Goliath R - 2 — **The Corsair 5000D Airflow chassis is designed for maximum airflow** (Image credit: Future)

These components are integrated into a Corsair 5000D Airflow chassis. This is a nice-looking case but relatively orthodox in design, with a tempered glass side. It’s designed for maximum airflow (hence the name) and has mounts for up to four 2.5in SSDs and two 3.5in drives. PCSpecialist has included a 1,000W Corsair RMx Series PSU, which is reassuring considering how much electricity the graphics card on its own will draw at full pelt.

The Quantum Goliath R makes good use of its Intel Core i9’s performance. The PC Pro media benchmarks score of 841 isn’t far off that provided by the 32-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper systems this month, and way ahead of other PCs in the £4,500 price category. The image-editing result of 306 was second fastest, while 816 in video encoding was only beaten by the monster 64-core Armari system. A multitasking score of 1,035 was very close to 32-core systems. With 24 cores and 32 threads, the Core i9 managed only 2,092 in Maxon Cinebench 2024 multi-CPU rendering, but that was the best in this price category, although the Blender Gooseberry render took 318 seconds, notably behind Armari’s £4,500 system.

The consumer-grade graphics have strengths and weaknesses. With the 3D animation workloads in SPECviewperf 2020 it flies, delivering 308 in 3dsmax-07 and 893 in maya-06. However, it’s not so great for CAD or engineering. While 166 in catia-06 and 162 in creo-03 are good, and 738 in solidworks-07 is superb, 54 in snx-04 is about ten times slower than a professional card.

The GPU compute tests show the full power of this accelerator, however, with a massive 34,082 in the Geekbench ML AI inference test and 31,154 with LuxMark 3.1 OpenCL. The Blender Gooseberry frame rendered in just 61 seconds with CUDA, which is the quickest we’ve ever seen.

The PC Specialist Quantum Goliath R is best avoided with this graphics choice if you run Siemens NX software. But if you’re a game developer, SolidWorks CAD creative or 3D animator, the performance, huge memory and capacious storage make it highly recommended.

We've featured the best business computers.

Huawei Watch D2 review: Blood pressure monitoring at its best

7:09 pm | October 21, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: AMOLED, Apple Watch Series, China, UK | Comments: Off

Huawei Watch D2 review: One-minute review

If we had a 'best for blood pressure' category in our best smartwatches buying guide then the Watch D2 would be instantly catapulted into this position. It supersedes the Watch D that was released in 2022, and is looking set to reignite a watch series that was otherwise going to be consigned into the depths of smartwatch history.

Blood pressure monitoring in a smartwatch is an incredible achievement, a reality made possible through an airbag strip located behind the main watch strap. At first, I thought the strip would get in the way and be too uncomfortable to wear on a daily basis, but I was wrong. It sits neatly as part of the strip and (if anything) provides an extra layer of comfort.

Blood pressure readings appeared reliable and accurate, although the watch did struggle relatively regularly to get a reading at all. It required a certain level of accurate positioning on the wrist. I appreciate it's a medical piece of equipment, but I'd like to see increased predictability in the Watch D3.

As good as the Watch D2 is for blood pressure monitoring, it is equally let down by its lack of advanced smartwatch features. At a cost of £350 (around $400 / AU$700), I'm disappointed not to see the ability to make contactless payments, listen to music through Spotify or Amazon Music, or even listen to audio messages on WhatsApp.

I know a lot of the cost can be attributed to the advanced blood pressure capabilities, but I think that has limited this watch to a rather niche group of people and their needs. Wide market appeal might therefore be lacking.

The watch is certified by both the EU's Medical Device Regulation body and China's National Medical Products Administration. This opens up an almost global market, but the distinct lack of release in the US might further hamper appeal.

Having worn this watch for a number of weeks, I'm left with an overall positive feeling. It looks great, performs well, and provides an adequate extension to my smartphone. There's still room for improvement, which I'm sure will come in future releases but for now the D2 represents an important step in smartwatch development.

Huawei Watch D2 review: Specifications

Huawei Watch D2 review: Price and availability

£349.99 in the UK
Not available in the US / AU
Also available in China

The Huawei Watch D2 is available in the UK at a price of £349.99. Blood pressure monitoring is certified by the EU's Medical Device Regulation body. The device is also available in China but that's as far as Huawei's market's stretch.

Huawei continues to be banned in the US, which seriously limits the company's markets. Otherwise, the watch isn't cheap and is missing a few key smartwatch features at this price point, although the revolutionary blood pressure monitor makes up for it.

Value score: 4/5

Huawei Watch D2 review: Design

Good-looking design
1.82 inch AMOLED
Thick watch

Upon taking the Watch D2 out of the box my first impressions of the design were pretty positive. The 1.82-inch AMOLED display takes centre stage, providing a substantially sized screen for showcasing watch faces, health data, and notifications.

The colour display has a resolution of 480 × 408 pixels with a PPI of 347. Text and graphics look absolutely fantastic with a high level of clarity, definition, and vibrancy. There were no signs of pixelation or definition problems.

The display is encased by a black or gold case, which frames the watch nicely. Considering how impressive the display is, it would benefit from a much thinner bezel, especially at the top and bottom of the display. The watch itself is sized at 48 × 38 mm. The aluminium alloy case continues back to the rear of the watch where a black plastic panel takes over. The thickness is 13.3 mm, although this is at the thinnest location and excludes the sensor area.

This is one of my biggest gripes with the watch design: like its predecessor, it's just far too thick. The sooner Huawei is able to recess that sensor further into the watch the more comfortably it will sit on the wrist.

To the side of the watch is a rotating crown and a function/ECG button. These perform well and enhance the overall operation of the watch. I did find myself using the touchscreen more than the buttons but they're there if you want them.

The watch is built with premium materials, giving significant strength to the quality and level of durability. I had no concerns that I was going to damage the watch or that any individual parts weren't going to stand the test of time.

There are two watch strap options, including 'Black Fluoroelastomer' and 'White Composite Leather'. I was testing the former. The material looks great and, more importantly, feels nice on the wrist. The locking mechanism provides a quick and easy way to take the watch on and off.

The blood pressure monitor airbag strip is directly connected to the watch strap itself. I couldn't initially see how this was going to be comfortable but, in reality, it provided an extra level of cushioning.

The watch ships with a wireless USB-A charger, which is better than most that I have tested. The watch magnetically connects to the charger and doesn't require the watch to be in any particular orientation.

Design score: 4.5/5

Huawei Watch D2 review: Features

Blood pressure monitoring
Extensive tracking capabilities
Lacks advanced key smartwatch features

The single biggest standout feature of the Huawei Watch D2 is the Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM). ABPM is delivered through a 26.5 mm ultra-narrow mechanical airbag that is attached to the inside of the watch strap. It inflates quickly and easily, providing everything required to take this vital health metric. The idea behind the feature is to provide blood pressure monitoring at will without a large cuff. So, whether you're working, exercising, relaxing, or sleeping, it's now easier than ever to perform ABPM tests.

The Watch D2 lets users run a 24-hour auto-monitoring plan. This is helpful for noticing trends across a whole day, including when you're sleeping. Do be prepared to be woken up through the night though unless you have a special skill of sleeping through the air-bag inflation.

Another relevant feature is the ECG analysis. Huawei have improved their technology from the Watch D, now providing more accurate and responsive results. If you're interested in this level of detail, then you can get the data required to help you identify the potential presence of common heart conditions.

Additionally, Huawei have included a sleep mode that includes heart rate, SpO₂, respiratory rate, and abnormal breathing tracking. As you wake in the morning, you can see detailed results through the Huawei Health App. It also includes white noise, natural soundscapes, and relaxing music to help you get to sleep.

The Watch D2 also includes a range of smartwatch features, including notifications, making and receiving calls, and listening to offline music. Unfortunately there are quite significant limitations, including the inability to make contactless payments, listen to WhatsApp audio messages, or listen to music through Spotify or other music providers. It's all got to be done through your phone.

Features score: 4.5/5

Huawei Watch D2 review: Performance

Accurate blood pressure monitoring
Good exercise tracking
Responsive display

ABPM is a rare commodity in a smartwatch, so I was keen to test the accuracy and reliability of the feature. Having set the watch up and got the watch and my arm in position, I proceeded to set the watch off on its monitoring. With the air-bag inflating, I was keen to see what the results would be.

I ran the same tests numerous times and gained very similar results, which showed a pleasing level of consistency. I'm aware of what my normal blood pressure levels are and the watch delivered results within that spectrum.

I did have some problems with reliability and at times, I couldn't get the watch to take the measurement at all. This will have mostly been down to my incorrect positioning of the watch but despite that, I would like to have seen more consistent monitoring capabilities.

Other health tracking metrics are measured with ease, as they don't require quite the same level of mechanics or precision on positioning. Its sleep tracking accurately detected all my wakings as well as times that I was in deep or light sleep.

I then took the watch out and about while I walked, ran, played football, and cycled. The D2 picked up GPS without any problems at all and accurately detected where I was located. All of this was displayed on maps and I experienced no problems with the watch getting this wrong. Metrics were all recorded and tracked without problem and the Huawei Health app proved a faithful companion for digging deeper into those.

Battery life is advertised as six days with normal usage. I experienced a range of different lengths with a greater range when I was only doing exercise tracking and basic smartwatch features as well as a shortened range when using it more intensely.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Huawei Watch D2?

Buy it if...

You want regular blood pressure monitoring
Being able to perform ABPM at will is one of the best features of the Watch D2. It's fast, effective, and a big leap in smartwatch technology.

You want a top-quality display

The 1.82-inch AMOLED display looks fantastic thanks to the 480 × 408 pixels resolution with 347 PPI.

You want great battery life

The Watch D2 has an impressive battery life especially considering what monitoring and tracking it is performing. Battery life does reduce significantly if regular ABPM is performed.

Don't buy it if...

You want advanced smartwatch features

There is a distinct lack of contactless payments and the ability to listen to music on streaming services.

Huawei Watch D2 review: Also consider

Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 is the best smartwatch for most iPhone users. It offers a Double-Tap gesture, all-day battery life, and excellent health features. Read our full Apple Watch Series 9 review.

Suunto Race S
One of the best watches for runners or athletes in general. Fantastic tracking features and a long battery life provide users with everything required to get exercising. Read our full Suunto Race S review

Huawei Watch D2: How I tested

I've enjoyed wearing the Huawei Watch D2 for several weeks and have tested as many of its features as I possibly could. I focused on blood pressure monitoring, ECG analysis, and exercise tracking. I tracked walking, running, football, and cycling to give a good spread of activities.

I paired the watch with the Huawei Health app to get the complete health tracking experience offered by Huawei.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro: one-minute review

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: specs

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: price & availability

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: design

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: Features

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: performance

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro: Scorecard

Should I buy the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: also consider

How I tested the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - 30-second review

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Price & availability

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Design & build

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Features

HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Final verdict

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: One-minute review

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Price and availability

Specs

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Design and aesthetics

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Comfort and adjustability

Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Assembly

Should I buy the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider...

How I tested the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024): one-minute review

Apple iPad Mini A 17 Pro (2024) review: price and availability

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: specs

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: display

Apple Pencil Accessory

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: design

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: cameras

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: software

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: performance

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: battery

Should you buy the iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024)?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024): Also consider

How I tested the iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024)

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: price and release date

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: key specs

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: design and handling

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: features and performance

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: image and video quality

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: testing scorecard

Should I buy the Insta360 Ace Pro 2

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: also consider

How I tested the Insta360 Ace Pro 2

Huawei Watch D2 review: One-minute review

Huawei Watch D2 review: Specifications

Huawei Watch D2 review: Price and availability

Huawei Watch D2 review: Design

Huawei Watch D2 review: Features

Huawei Watch D2 review: Performance

Should I buy the Huawei Watch D2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Huawei Watch D2 review: Also consider

Huawei Watch D2: How I tested

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories

Tags