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Earfun Air 2 NC review: budget earbuds that impress with tailored ANC and sound, though their design lacks refinement

12:00 am | January 27, 2025

Earfun Air 2 NC review: Two-minute review

The Earfun Air 2 NC endeavor to avoid the fate befalling far too many options in the budget audio tech space – being woefully disappointing in the sound department. Luckily, they manage to do just that, offering punchy bass, clean mids and controlled treble, as well as LDAC compatibility. Given their list price of $69 / £59 (about AU$110), that’s impressive.

Sure, the Earfun Air 2 NC won’t deliver audiophile-grade sound – I wasn’t wowed by supremely detailed, immersive audio or anything. But for what they are, the Earfun Air 2 NC perform very nicely, plating up well-weighted vocals and even solid sub-bass. You might get a bit of harshness at top volumes, but I personally never needed to listen quite so loudly.

Something that helps the Earfun Air 2 NC sound even better is an excellent EQ tab. Just hop into the Earfun Audio app and choose from a wide range of presets, including genre-specific ones. There’s also a custom option to use and an intriguing, yet perhaps unpolished personalized sound option, which is based on your own listening. Having tested many, I can confidently say that even some of the best wireless earbuds don’t offer quite as much scope for tailoring on this front.

Another area with impressive customization is active noise cancellation. You can switch between five noise cancelling modes, including ear-adaptive and wind resistance configurations. Given that you can also personalize touch controls here, you get plenty of ways to make these earbuds your own.

It’s not totally smooth sailing, however. There are a couple of small drawbacks to bear in mind, such as a disappointing spatial audio setting, called Theater Mode. Although this may expand the soundstage somewhat, overall audio quality takes quite the hit, making it a pretty redundant inclusion. They aren’t the prettiest on the market either and the stems may not be diminutive enough for anyone craving a more discreet look.

There are some neat design choices here, though, like IPX5 waterproofing, which will keep your buds protected against heavy rain or sweat for outdoor or intensive listening sessions. Battery-wise, they’re absolutely fine too. You get six hours with ANC on and nine with it turned off, but the charging case should give you enough juice to last a few days, even if you listen at fairly high volumes and with LDAC turned on.

So, given their low price, you get a lot out of the Earfun Air 2 NC. They’re not going to blow you away with next-level sound, battery life or looks, but they excel in all of the key areas. It’s pretty competitive in the budget wireless earbud department – there are some truly incredible alternatives out there, including the brilliant, albeit ANC-less, Sony WF-C510 or even the Earfun Air Pro 3 – regularly available at a discount. But, if you want a strong pair of wireless earbuds at an affordable price, I’d still happily recommend the Earfun Air 2 NC.

Earfun Air 2 NC in charging case against pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Earfun Air 2 NC review: price and release date

$69 / £59 (about AU$110)
Launched in 2024

The Earfun Air 2 NC were released in 2024 and initially had a slightly higher list price, which has since been reduced to $69 / £59 (about AU$110). However, you may be able to get these buds for even less. At the time of writing, I’ve spotted these going for just over the £40 mark on Amazon UK – that’s phenomenal value for money. If you’re not such a fan of the Black / Gray colorway shown in this review, you can alsograb the Earfun Air 2 NC in White.

Earfun Air 2 NC review: specs

Person picking up Earfun Air 2 NC bud out of charging case — (Image credit: Future)

Earfun Air 2 NC review: features

Effective, customizable ANC
Good EQ options
Solid battery life

The Earfun Air 2 NC boast a pretty impressive feature-set for a budget pair of earbuds. A lot of that comes courtesy of the Earfun Audio app, which opens you up to a whole host of options, including multi-point connectivity, EQ adjustment and much more.

Let’s start with EQ, which is a robust offering – something I’ve come to expect from testing other Earfun earbuds and speakers such as the Earfun UBoom X. There’s a custom option here, but you also get a lot of genre-specific EQ presets, such as Jazz and Hip Hop.

If you want, you can also use My Sound Profile, which allows you to create a personalized EQ calibration based on a series of listening tests. However, I found this didn’t work all too well and presented a fairly muted sound profile when in use. My Sound Profile is certainly a worthwhile feature in concept, with competitors like Anker nailing the similar HearID option on the Soundcore Space One Pro, for instance – I just wish the Air 2 NC delivered better results.

But there’s still a lot of juicy goodness to sink your teeth into with the Air 2 NC. For instance, the companion app allows you to customize noise cancellation for various settings. There are five different modes: Normal, Ambient Sound, Wind Noise Cancellation, Ear-Adaptive ANC and Noise Cancelling.

When testing each (both indoors and in outdoor environments as well as public transport), I found all of them to be effective, but I typically leaned towards using Ear-Adaptive ANC, which optimizes noise cancelling according to the shape of your ear canal. When using this mode, I couldn’t hear the sound of loud typing in the office and loud external noises, like the roar of a car’s engine, were aptly dulled. Are you going to get the stunning near-silence that the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 can offer, for instance? No. But for what you pay, you’ll be impressed with how well the Air 2 NC quieten the outside world.

You also get pretty solid battery life here – nine hours with ANC off and six with it on. This will vary if you’re playing at higher volumes or using the LDAC audio codec, of course. The charging case should help you keep the buds juiced up for intermittent listening over a multi-day period too.

On top of that, the Air 2 NC have customizable touch controls. You can select from a range of commands, like volume up/down, play/pause, skip/replay, which can vary for the left and right bud – just choose whatever feels best for you.

There’s a lot more here too: a Find Headphones option, LDAC toggle (more on this later), Voice Prompt options (which lets you switch between English, Japanese or Mandarin cues) and a Game Mode, which is designed to reduce audio latency. All of this is welcome, although there was one option I found to be a bit sub-par: Theater Mode. Earfun claims that with Theater Mode on, you get a wider soundstage and more immersive sonic experience. Does it do that? Well, partially. But this comes at the expense of lower quality audio, which instantly renders it pointless in my view.

So, although Theater Mode and My Sound Profile are a little unrefined, you still get all the main features you’d want from budget ANC earbuds, plus a little more. Overall, you’re still getting a great user experience with the Earfun Audio app too, which is easy to use and well laid out. Positive stuff, all in all.

Features score: 4/5

Earfun Air 2 NC earbuds on surface — (Image credit: Future)

Earfun Air 2 NC review: sound quality

Punchy bass
Clear and rarely harsh all-round audio
LDAC compatibility

OK, good news, the Earfun Air 2 NC perform impressively in the audio quality department for their humble asking fee. Yes, the caveat remains: they sound surprisingly zealous, detailed and musical given their modest price tag. No, you’re not going to get premium sound from these buds, but you can certainly expect a solid sonic experience for the money.

When listening to Too Young to Die - Extended by Jamiroquai, the track’s bass was smooth, rich and clean, with brass instruments and vocals in the mid-range coming through without harshness or distortion at around 60-70% volume. Higher-pitched percussion was never tinny either and background vocals sounded well-weighted, making for a satisfying, enjoyable listen.

The Air 2 NC also have LDAC compatibility, which can be activated via the Earfun app. This comes at the expense of multi-point – which has to be switched off manually (but that's the case with much pricier buds we've tested, including the triple-device multipoint in the Technics EAH-AZ100). LDAC is a nice addition for those who want a more detailed listen and I kept it switched on when listening to tracks on Tidal, which are a lot less compressed than those lossy Spotify streams.

Still, I wasn’t always struck by the Air 2 NC’s ability to unveil the finer details. For instance, I tuned into the densely layered I Want You by Moloko and although the Air 2 NC excelled in delivering the track’s low-end punch, the breathiness of vocals and discreet instrumental details throughout were perhaps a little lacking. That’s fine for some more budget earbuds of course, but it’s worth flagging that LDAC doesn’t always equal incredibly detailed audio.

Again, overall quality is strong here. When listening to Magic by Yung Gravy, booming bass was impactful and deep without drowning out main or background vocals. You even get up-to-scratch sub bass, which can often be a problem for cheaper wireless earbuds. I did notice a touch of sibilance from vocals when I cranked volume up to 100%, but I never really needed to listen quite that loudly.

Thanks to the extensive list of EQ presets here, you can easily tailor sound to your liking on the Earfun Air 2 NC. Will that mean you get that perfectly detailed listen audiophiles go mad for? No – but you’ll still get great audio quality for the price you pay.

Sound quality score: 4/5

Earfun Air 2 NC and charging case on surface against pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Earfun Air 2 NC review: design

Long stems on earbuds not for everyone
Fairly plasticky build
IPX5 water resistant

Onto perhaps a more controversial aspect of the Earfun Air 2 NC: their design. The earbuds have a curved design with long stems. These stems are handy for swiftly removing the buds from your ear, but they’re not the most beautiful looking. If you’re someone who prefers a more discreet look, you may also find the Air 2 NC’s earpieces a little oversized.

You can get these buds in either a white or black colorway – I tested the latter. This looked fine enough, but part of each bud has a gray coating with the Earfun logo, which isn’t particularly easy on the eye. The case, meanwhile, comes in a neat Black color with a USB-C port and an LED light to display whether it's charging – no complaints here.

In terms of build quality, you’re not going to get the most premium pair of earbuds ever. The Air 2 NC do perhaps feel a little plasticky, but that’s to be expected at this price point. In the ear, however, they are comfortable and I didn’t feel the need to take them out, even after multiple hours of listening.

They may not have the most high-durability construction, then, but they are fairly well protected against the elements. That’s because the Air 2 NC are IPX5 waterproof rated, meaning they can withstand water projected by a nozzle. That means if you’re listening in the rain or working out, you won’t have to worry about moisture damaging your buds.

Design score: 3.5/5

Earfun Air 2 NC review: value

Great audio for the cost
Great customizable ANC and comfortable in-ear fit
Sometimes even cheaper thanks to sales

One of the big draws of the Earfun Air 2 NC is their excellent low price. They have a list price of $69 / £59 (about AU$110), but I’ve already spotted them on sale with some retailers. Considering that you get impressive audio and a decent suite of features, you’re looking at brilliant value.

As the years go by, its becoming more common to get ANC at a budget price, but still, you get very customizable noise cancelling here, including ear-adaptive and wind-resistant options. OK, battery life is by no means exceptional, but it's not too bad – the same goes for design and build quality. But these are subordinate to the crucial areas of sound quality and in-ear comfort.

Value score: 4.5/5

Person holding Earfun Air 2 NC charging case — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Earfun Air 2 NC?

Buy them if...

You want customizable ANC
If you’re looking for active noise cancellation but don’t want to splash too much cash, the Earfun Air 2 NC are a worthy option. There are a ton of different noise cancelling modes to play around with here, including Wind noise reduction and ear-adaptive ANC – even some more expensive rivals don’t offer this level of customization.

You’re on a fairly tight budget
If you’re looking for some highly competent wireless earbuds but don’t have a blank check, the Earfun Air 2 NC are worth keeping in mind. At $69 / £59, you’re getting solid audio quality and ANC as well as a comfortable fit and commendable feature-set – at this price, you can’t ask for a whole lot more.

Don't buy them if...

You want premium audio quality
If you’re on the hunt for super-detailed, ultra-immersive and perfectly balanced audio, the Earfun Air 2 NC may not be for you. Quality here is by no means bad, but it’s not premium. If you have a bit more cash to play with, an excellent-sounding wireless option would be the Technics EAH-AZ100.

You’re looking for a discreet look
Each earbud here has a long stem, which may be to your liking if you want a more ‘pinchable’ design. But if you’re on the hunt for a more low-key pair of earbuds, this might be a little overbearing. Some excellent, small earbuds that I loved in 2024 were the LG Tone Free T90S, if that’s more your style.

Earfun Air 2 NC: also consider

JLab Go Pop ANC
If you’re looking for the ultimate, super-cheap pair of wireless earbuds, you’ll struggle to find better than the JLab Go Pop ANC. For less than $30 / £30, you get decent ANC, solid overall audio and companion app compatibility. If you’re looking for all the essentials at an incredible price point, this is an option well-worth considering. Read our full JLab Go Pop ANC review.

Sony WF-C700N
We still consider the Sony WF-C700N to be some of the best cheaper noise-cancelling earbuds you can buy. They offer detailed, immersive audio, an incredibly comfortable fit and a fantastic companion app to boot. Don’t be put off by their list price too, they’re often available for less than $100 / £70. Read our full Sony WF-C700N review.

Earfun Air 2 NC review: how I tested

Tested for two weeks
Used in the office and while on walks
Predominantly tested using Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

I tested the Earfun Air 2 NC over the course of two weeks, listening with them for hours during each working day. I used them at the office, while at home and when on walks to assess the quality of ANC across multiple environments.

For the most part, I tested these wireless buds using Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, but I did also try using them with both Spotify and YouTube. When listening to music, I ran through the TechRadar testing playlist, which features tracks from a wide variety of genres but I also tuned in to hours worth of tunes from my personal library.

Where appropriate, I compared these to my Sony WF-C700N earbuds on metrics such as comfort, audio quality, ANC capabilities and features.

First reviewed: January 2025
Read more about how we test

L’Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer review: professional styler with app customization

9:00 pm | January 26, 2025

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

L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer: two-minute review

The L'Oreal Airlight Pro is a professional-only infrared hair dryer that offers precise control and comes with a companion app. Set to be the next big thing in haircare, infrared hair dryers promise all the power of the best hair dryers but with less damage to the hair and scalp. Instead of relying on hot air, infrared dryers combine targeted airflow with 'safe infrared light energy' to dry the water on the hair's surface. The process is similar to how the sun evaporates rainwater.

The technology was made famous by the likes of the Zuvi Halo; once dubbed the 'Tesla of hair dryers' and named one of TIME Magazine's Best Inventions. The Airlight Pro was designed in collaboration with Zuvi, and looks and works in an almost identical way, but with the bonus of the app controls.

At first glance, the AirLight Pro has a relatively simple and clean design. It's noticeably heavier than many other hair dryers I've reviewed, and own, and caused my wrist to ache after a while. It goes some way towards compensating for this with a more robust build and additional professional-grade features, such as an extra-long cord and 1875W power. Plus, despite this bulkier size and weight, the AirLight Pro is still compact enough to pack into a bag or similar.

In my testing, the AirLight Pro dried my shoulder-length, fine hair in under five minutes – that's similar to the speed of the Dyson Supersonic, but almost twice as long as my favorite hair dryer, the Revlon Pro. However, compared to both of these dryers as well as the Zuvi Halo, I found the condition, feel and look of my hair was noticeably better with the L'Oreal model – it added shine and softness while reducing frizz. Over time, my hair also seemed to get healthier while testing the AirLight Pro, too.

The dryer ships with two magnetic attachments: a diffuser and a concentrator nozzle. The dryer automatically detects which attachment is being used, and will adjust the temperature and airflow to the recommended settings for each. (The Dyson Supersonic Nural has similar capabilities, except that dryer remembers your last-used settings.)

L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer on dressing table with concentrator and diffuser alongside — (Image credit: Future)

There's a multitude of setting options – three heats (plus cool shot), three speed options, and three presets (Sleek, Curly and Coily). Alternatively, you can manually adjust the speed and temperature, in increments of 5% for airflow and 15-20F for heat, using the AirLight Pro app.

Granted, the everyday user may not need that kind of precision, or know how to truly get the best out of such a high level of control. The app doesn't have a huge number of features beyond these controls, either. However, the fact it even offers it at all puts the AirLight Pro ahead of other dryers in my opinion, because it demonstrates L'Oreal's commitment to providing choice and versatility to those who want it.

The biggest downside to all of these settings is that the dryer can be a little overwhelming at first, and isn't as intuitive to use as I would have liked. You can't tweak the settings without the airflow being on, which can make it all a bit noisy and fiddly, not to mention hot. However, I did appreciate the on-screen prompts, including things like filter cleaning alerts.

Ultimately, the AirLight Pro is designed for professionals – people who are serious about hair health, work with a range of hair types, and understand how different heat and airflow settings can impact style. That's not to say it won't have value for the everyday user, but you may not need, or get the full benefits of, all the bells and whistles.

As a result of this pro positioning, it's difficult to directly compare like-for-like with other dryers on the market, and it's difficult to recommend. What it does though, it does with a lot of flair, performance and style. Excuse the pun.

L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer review: price & availability

$475 / €450 for AirLight Pro + 2 attachments
Free app

The L’Oreal AirLight Pro is currently only available in the US and France for $475 / €450 (around £385 / AU$756.26), with more regions set to be announced at a later date. In France, it's only available to professionals but in the US it's sold to consumers via Ulta.

For this price you get the AirLight Pro's two magnetic attachments – a diffuser, and concentrator nozzle – included with the dryer itself. The AirLight Pro app is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

This price puts the AirLight Pro firmly in the premium price bracket in between the original, $399 Dyson Supersonic and the scalp-friendly, $499.99 Supersonic Nural. It costs $125 more than the Zuvi Halo, the dryer upon which the AirLight Pro has been based.

Out of the group, the Dyson Supersonic ends up being better value for money because it ships with five attachments by default. This includes versions of a concentrator and diffuser attachment (the two sold with the AirLight Pro), as well as a Wide-tooth Comb and Flyaway attachment. Interestingly, the Zuvi Halo ships with a Gentle Air attachment for improved scalp protection, which the AirLight Pro is missing.

Value score: 3.5 out of 5

L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer review: design

3 speeds; 3 heat settings; 3 preset modes + Cool shot and app controls
Heavy and bulky design
Easy-to-use attachments

There was a time when hair dryers with short, circular barrels and long handles were the exception. Thanks to the popularity of the Dyson Supersonic, they are now the norm and the L'Oreal AirLight Pro fits firmly into this camp.

As with the Zuvi Halo and these Dyson rivals, the AirLight Pro's shape is compact – measuring 10.4 x 3.9 x 3.3 in / 26.5 x 9.8 x 8.4 cm – with a slightly rounded barrel and well-proportioned handle. It's not as well-balanced, ergonomically speaking, as these other dryers, and feels top-heavy. At 710g (EU) and 1.8 lbs (US), it’s also noticeably heavier than many other dryers I’ve reviewed, including the Halo, which weighs 546g (1.2 lbs).

This extra weight does make the AirLight Pro feel like a luxurious, robust and premium purchase, but it did strain my wrist quite quickly during styling, and could be even more of an issue if you have long or thick hair.

L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer on reviewer's dressing table — (Image credit: Future)

The infrared technology is this dryer's standout feature, using low heat light to dry hair from the inside out, preserving moisture and leaving hair shinier and smoother. Depending on which regional L'Oreal site you look at, the brand claims the AirLight Pro dries either 14% faster than other premium dryers in the US, or 30% faster in the UK. It then either uses 11% less energy, or 28% less energy. L'Oreal told me this was because the devices are optimized for different regions, but it didn't go into more detail than that.

Handle on L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer — (Image credit: Future)

Let's take a look at the controls. On the front of the circular barrel is an air outlet surrounded by a pane of glass covering the infrared LEDs. Below this outlet, on the handle, you'll find the small digital display, the Mode/Speed selection button, and the Power switch. On the rear of the barrel is the filter inlet, and on the rear of the handle is the Heat selection button. Long-pressing this button enables the Cool Shot function.

The small display shows the selected airflow speed and heat setting using colored blocks, as well as any active presets you've selected. The button directly below this screen is used to adjust the airflow, toggling between Low, Medium and High.

You then need to use the button on the rear to adjust the temperature, which again moves between Low, Medium and High options. The main heat levels range from 86 F / 30 C to 285 F / 140 although you can further tweak these settings using the AirLight Pro app. From your phone or tablet, you can increase or decrease airflow speeds in 5% increments, and change the temperature by 15-20 F at a time.

A long press of the Speed selection button on the front of the handle will switch you between Standard and Pro modes, where you can then select from either the Sleek, Coily or Curly presets.

The default Standard setting for the dryer is Medium heat/High speed. The presets are then as follows:

Sleek: Sleek mode pairs High heat with High airflow to achieve smooth, straight finishes
Curly: Curly mode uses Medium heat with Medium speed to maintain curl shape and reduce frizz
Coily: Sets both heat and airflow to their lowest settings

The attachments follow suit. When the concentrator (used to create sleek styles) is attached, the heat and airflow automatically switch to High. When the diffuser is attached to dry curls, the heat and airflow is automatically set to Low. The use of these attachments is intuitive and the magnetic connector is strong enough to keep them in place during styling, but easy to remove and replace.

The styler itself is not the most intuitive dryer I've used, though. I often changed the temperature with the speed button and vice versa. One of my favorite features on the Zuvi Halo is the clearly named modes – Fast, Care, Soft and so on – and while L'Oreal's options aren't a million miles away, they're not as easy-to-use at a glance.

The digital display on the AirLight Pro brings a level of intuitiveness back with on-screen prompts, as does the app. In fact, the app very easy to use and because it shows the settings on a larger phone display, I almost always defaulted to these controls when using the AirLight Pro.

Screenshots from L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer companion app — (Image credit: L'Oreal)

I don't love the fact you can’t tweak the settings without the dryer – and thus the airflow – being on, which can make it noisy and fiddly, not to mention hot, during use. Although I do love that the styler's display and app shows cleaning alerts when your filter needs clearing and shows you how to switch between Modes if you get stuck.

The design of the AirLight Pro isn't perfect. For all the way it's functional and professional, it can also be frustrating. The heavier weight causes problems when drying your hair for long periods, and I don't want to have to commit time to learning controls when all I want to do is just dry my hair. That said, these are relatively minor complaints when you factor in just how well it performs.

Design score: 3.5 out of 5

AirLight Pro specs

L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer review: performance

Fast drying times
Great for curls
Customized settings work best

To test the L'Oreal AirLight Pro, I experimented with different combinations of heat and speed and put each of the preset modes and attachments to the test on my long, fine, naturally curly hair.

Unsurprisingly, my hair dried the fastest with Sleek mode – High speed/High temperature – was selected. This mode took my hair from wet to dry in just under five minutes. That's is similar to the speed of the Dyson Supersonic, but almost twice as long as my go-to hair dryer, the Revlon Pro. The problem with such quick speeds is that hair was blasted into submission and it lacked volume and movement, even if it did look sleek.

I could shave almost 45 seconds off this time when I rough dried my hair on this setting with the concentrator nozzle attached. However, this didn't help the lack of volume. Plus, to get the most out of this nozzle, I needed to dedicate more time to blow-drying sections properly, which improved the finish but more than doubled the time.

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Close up of controls on L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer — Sleek mode was speedy, but left my hair flat (Image credit: Future)

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The Curly preset worked much better. It dried my natural curls faster than any other dryer I've used – you usually have to sacrifice time for gentle drying – and it left the individual curls looking defined and surprisingly smooth. I tried the Coily hair preset to see how it compared, but as I don't have coily hair it was more for reference, and I didn't see a huge difference between time and finish compared to the Curly mode.

The best results, however, came when I ignored all of the default settings and presets and used the app. After a bit of tweaking, I got the best balance of speed versus finish with the temperature set to 55 C / 130 F and the airflow at 65%. Any hotter and the hair didn't feel as soft; any cooler and it took longer to style. The airflow was then strong enough to blow the hair effectively, but not so strong that it added frizz or knots.

Regardless of settings, however, the feel, condition and look of my hair was noticeably better with the L'Oreal AirLight Pro compared to all other dryers I've used and own. It added shine and softness while reducing frizz, which is no mean feat for blonde, naturally curly hair. Over time, my hair also seemed to get healthier while testing the AirLight Pro and I had less breakage and hair loss in the shower and from brushing.

In regards noise, L'Oreal claims the AirLight Pro is whisper-quiet, producing just 76dB. In my tests, the dryer never dropped lower than 85dB. That's quiet enough to have a conversation while drying, so it's still not loud, by any stretch, but it is quite a step up from what L'Oreal promises (as well as on the 78 decibels I recorded when using the Zuvi Halo).

In terms of noise, L'Oreal claims the AirLight Pro is whisper-quiet, producing just 76 decibels. In my tests, though, the dryer never dropped lower than 85 decibels. This was quite a step up – not just on what L'Oreal claims but on the o. That said, 85dB is quiet enough to have a conversation while drying so it's not loud, by any stretch. It's just louder than promised.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should I buy the L'Oreal AirLight Pro hair dryer?

Buy it if...

You’re a professional or want precise control

The app-controlled heat and airflow settings add a level of precision not available on other dryers making it suitable for a range of hair types and styles.

You want to minimize or prevent hair damage

The infrared technology in addition to the wide range of temperature and speeds options helps preserve moisture, leaving hair shinier, smoother and protected.

You have a sensitive scalp

The L'Oreal AirLight Pro's infrared technology is designed to protect your scalp. This is good for everyone, but particularly if you're prone to scalp irritation, dandruff or sensitivity.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget

All of L'Oreal's bells and whistles on the AirLight Pro, its premium design, and the next-level technology and app add up to a high price.

You want a fuss-free option

Casual users or people with lower-maintenance hair styles and types may not need, or use, the customization options available.

You want something intuitive out of the box

Having a lot of controls and versatility does mean the AirLight Pro takes some getting used to.

First reviewed: January 2025

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: well-built true wireless earbuds that err on the expensive and make you think – ‘when is green too green?’

2:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: LDAC | Comments: Off

Noble FoKus Rex5: Two-minute review

Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds and travel case on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

The Noble FoKus Rex5 true wireless in-ear is the latest model with which the company intends to disrupt a market that’s already full to bursting. From its base in Texas, North America, Noble has been turning out singular, and singularly expensive, headphones for a little over a decade now and the Rex5 are no exception.

There are notable points of difference here, mind you. The Rex5 are exhaustively specified, with five drivers per earbud, Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive and LDAC codec compatibility, and a single option where finish is concerned that’s as green as a very green thing. Oh, and relatively speaking they cost an arm and a leg.

The Rex5 are a strong performer, though, no two ways about it. The sound they produce is open and unified, rigorously defined, rapid and detailed. Other earbuds offer a bit more low-end heft, it’s true, but very very few have the sort of powers of resolution and insight that are on offer here.

Whether that’s enough to justify either the asking price or a place in the best wireless earbuds, though, especially when you add in ANC and battery life that is really nothing remarkable, is a different question…

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Price and release date

Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Released in November 2024
Costs $449 / £419 / AU$699

You have been able to buy the Noble FoKus Rex5 for $449 / £419 / AU$699 since November 2024, which puts them right at the top end of price point for true wireless earbuds.

For that price, you're looking for best-in-class performance almost across the board, something along the lines of the Technics EAH-AZ100 or Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, both of which are cheaper than the Rex5.

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Specs

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Features

Noble FoKus control app showing listening test software — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

10mm dynamic, 6mm planar magnetic, 3 x balanced armature per earbud
Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive and LDAC compatibility
Multipoint connectivity

There is one minor exception, but in the broadest terms the Noble FoKus Rex5 have the sort of feature set that an asking price this lofty demands. There’s really no arguing with the lengths Noble has gone to here.

Take, for example, wireless connectivity. The Rex5 use top-of-the-shop Bluetooth 5.4 and are compatible with both aptX Adaptive and LDAC codecs – so lossy hi-res content is on the wireless menu. Multipoint connectivity is available, too, so the earbuds can connect to a couple of sources simultaneously and switch seamlessly between them.

And when the audio information is on board, it is served up by no fewer than five drivers per earbud. Three balanced armatures, a 6mm planar magnetic and a 10mm dynamic free-edge driver contribute to produce a claimed frequency response of 20Hz - 40kHz.

Control is available using responsive and accurate capacitive touch controls on the top surface of each earbud, and the feed-forward/feed-back twin mic array of each earbud allows interaction with your source player’s native voice assistant. The mics also take care of active noise-cancellation, of course, which is a three-position system (‘on’, ‘off’ and ‘ambient’).

Noble FoKus control app displaying three screens of equalizer presets — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

You’ve also the option of the Noble FoKus control app that’s available for iOS and Android. There are only the most basic playback controls available (play/pause and skip forwards/backwards) but it lets you scroll through your ANC options, investigate some EQ presets as well as define some of your own, rearrange some of the functions of the touch controls, and check on battery life.

The app also includes a listening/hearing test courtesy of Audiodo, and thanks to the onboard QCC3091 chip, the earbuds can remember your hearing profile without needing the app to be open.

Battery life, then, is the only area in which the FoKus Rex5 looking anything less than profoundly impressive. With ANC switched off, the earbuds are good for seven hours or so of playback, which ain’t bad – switch ANC on and that number drops to more like five hours, which is so-so at best. There’s plenty of back-up in the charging case, though – as many as seven full charges are available, which is well above the market average.

Charging takes place using the case’s USB-C slot, and the Noble are compatible with Qi-certified charging pads, too. Some 15 minutes on the power via USB-C should be good for two hours or so of playback, should the worst happen.

Features score: 4.5/5

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Design

The ear-tips of the Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Aluminium/acrylic construction
9.6g (earbud); 31.5g (charging case)
10 pairs of ear-tips

The earbuds, at 9.6g, are among the heavier around. The charging case is a bit of a biffer, and certainly not a candidate for the pocket of your favorite pair of skinny jeans. But the carefully ergonomic shape of the earbuds, along with a selection of 10 ear-tips of various sizes and materials, mean it’s not especially tricky to get a snug and secure fit that will stay comfortable for a good while. That’s always assuming your ears aren’t especially petite, though – these are relatively large earbuds and will prove an earful even for those of us with ‘ordinary’ ears.

‘Green’ is as good a word as any to describe the finish of the FoKus Rex5 – ‘emerald green’ if you’re after specifics. The earbuds are fashioned from aluminium and feature an acrylic top-plate with the company logo, which also appears at the end of the spout where the ear-tips fit, as well as on the lid of the charging case. The case is almost entirely of aluminium – there’s a little plastic patch on the bottom to facilitate wireless charging.

Build quality, it almost goes without saying, is basically impeccable – the Noble package feels expertly constructed and built to last. Whether or not you find the aesthetic appealing is entirely up to you. I can only assure you that no corners seem to have been cut where design, construction and finish are concerned.

Design score: 4.5/5

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Sound quality

Inners of the Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Rapid, maneuverable and luxuriously detailed sound
Seemingly limitless dynamic headroom
Lack of low-end body won’t suit every listener

Words like ‘accuracy’ and ‘precision’ get bandied around quite a lot when it comes to audio products. Generally I try to avoid them, because both things (which are similar but not the same) are bloody difficult for audio equipment to achieve no matter how expensive it might be. In the case of the Noble FoKus Rex5, though, I’ll be using both and will be doing so unapologetically.

A five-driver arrangement is, of course, tricky to implement and can sometimes end up constituting too much of a good thing. So right from the off, Noble is to be congratulated for the balanced and coherent way the Rex5 perform. They sound unified from the top of the frequency range to the bottom, and their tonality is consistent throughout too. When you consider the number of individual elements that are responsible for this, it’s by no means a given.

What’s almost as quickly striking is the amount of detail the Rex5 can identify, reveal and contextualize in a recording. This is true no matter if they’re playing a 247kbps MP3 of Eartheater’s How to Fight via SBC, a 24bit/192kHz file of The Velvet Underground’s Femme Fatale being compressed by the AAC codec or Desire by Talk Talk as a 2.8MHz DSD file delivered via LDAC. No matter how fleeting, how subtle, how deep in the mix it might be, if it’s there the Noble earbuds pounce on it with something approaching fanaticism. It follows that even the most compressed digital audio files sound complete, and the higher-resolution stuff enjoys the sort of accuracy that eludes the vast majority of alternative designs.

The Rex5 combine substance and attack at the top of the frequency range, giving treble sounds sufficient body to balance against their brilliance. The midrange is similarly accomplished, with the sort of positivity and directness when dealing with vocalists that leaves you in no doubt as to their attitude or intentions. And the size and definition of the soundstage the Noble create gives everyone involved in a recording all the space they need in which to properly express themselves. The stage is defined with real precision, and is easy to follow as a result, even if it’s packed to capacity with contributors.

Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds inside their carry case — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Dynamic headroom where the broad ‘quiet/LOUD!’ elements of a recording are concerned is approaching ‘unlimited’, so the Rex5 can make the differences in volume and intensity many recordings like to indulge in absolutely obvious. And the bigger the dynamic shifts (Mogwai and Shostakovic, I’m looking at you in particular), the deeper the Noble breath and the greater the gap between them that they describe.

Ultimately, only the way the Rex5 handle the lower frequencies is likely to prove problematic for some listeners. Tonally, bass sounds are of a piece with everything that’s going on above them, and they’re given a similar sort of emphasis to the rest of the frequency range, too. But there’s not a lot of meat on these low-end bones – if true wireless earbuds were boxers, then the Noble FoKus Rex5 are flyweights in a world of heavyweights. The low frequencies they generate hit respectably hard, and are just as loaded with information regarding tone and texture as the rest of the frequency range. But the trade-off for the straight-edge precision of their control, and the maneuverability and rhythmic positivity that comes as a result, is a relative lack of heft that some listeners are going to confuse with a lack of bass. And sometimes, perception is everything.

Active noise-cancellation is in the ‘good’ rather than the ‘great’ camp but then that’s true of almost every pair of true wireless in-ears that isn’t designed and built by Bose. Wind-noise can be more of an issue than it really should be, too. But call-quality is well up to standard (as long as you’re not somewhere especially windy while you’re attempting to make or receive a call).

Sound quality: 4/5

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Value

Thrillingly complete sound quality
Humdrum earbud battery life
Expensive and then some

Part of the value of the Noble FoKus Rex5 – or their perceived value, at least – lies in their rarity. Apple earbuds, Bose earbuds, Sony earbuds... they’re everywhere, aren’t they? If you want to tread the road less traveled, a pair of Rex5 will certainly help you stand out.

Of course, there are also solid and tangible areas in which the Noble represent great value. The quality of their construction and finish is, to all intents and purposes, impeccable. They use premium materials at every point. They’re lavishly specified, have a number of very well-implemented control options, and have so many plus-points to the way they sound that I don’t have space to revisit them here.

There’s an elephant in the room, though, and it’s wearing a $449 / £419 / AU$699 price tag. When audio editor Becky Scarrott reviewed the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 for this website in September 2024, she loved them despite feeling compelled to observe “they’re not cheap”. Well, suddenly the $399 / £349 / AU$599 they cost at the time seems like a bit of a bargain, doesn’t it?

Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Noble FoKus Rex5?

Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds case on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Buy them if…

You like nice things
Between the choice of materials, the quality of construction and the standard of finish, the Rex5 are a lovely thing to own.

You admire thorough specification
These Noble earbuds walk it like they talk it – a total of 10 drivers along with premium wireless connectivity makes them a serious proposition.

You value speedy and insightful sound
These are by no means the Rex5’s only talents, but when it comes to both ‘speed’ and ‘insight’ they’re among the very best true wireless in-ears around.

Don’t buy them if…

You don’t much like the colour green
Look elsewhere – the Noble FoKus Rex5 are quite assertively green, and that’s your only option when it comes to finish.

Your ears are on the small side
In absolute terms these are quite large earbuds and it’s likely they’ll be a bit much for any ear significantly smaller than ‘average’.

You want bass and plenty of it
There’s a case to be made for the accuracy of the low-frequency activity the Rex5 produce, but that isn’t going to mollify the bass-heads among us.

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Also consider

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
I’ve invoked the Pi8 already in the course of this review, and here I go again. They’re made to look a little bit dowdy by the FoKus Rex5, but they most certainly have it where it counts. And now they’re just a touch more affordable than when they first launched, they’re even more compelling.

See our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review

How I tested the Noble FoKus Rex5

With an Apple iPhone 14 Pro, an Apple MacBook Pro and a FiiO M15S
With a variety of music stored in a variety of file types and resolutions
Using a number of different Bluetooth codecs

From 5644kbps DSD content via LDAC to 256kbps MP3 via SBC, I listened to as many different standards and types of digital audio content as possible during the course of the week or so I spent with the Rex5 in my ears.

I used a few different sources, too, and from the home office to the South Downs nearby I made sure to listen in a variety of environments. And of course I listened to as many different types of music as I can stomach – I have to draw the line somewhere, though, and so I naturally gave things like ‘barbershop’ the swerve…

First reviewed in January 2025

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Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: the best Fire TV yet, and a solid option for sports and gaming

7:00 pm | January 25, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: Dolby Vision, HDMI, Star Wars, TV | Comments: Off

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Two minute review

The new Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED enters a seriously competitive mini-LED TV market, taking on Samsung, Hisense, TCL and Roku. It doesn’t stand out in this crowded arena, but it is a solid all-around TV for the price.

The Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED’s picture quality is pretty good overall compared to the best TVs. Colors are vibrant, textures and details are lifelike and contrast is well-balanced. Motion handling is good for both sports and movies. Unfortunately, it suffers from crushed black levels in some picture modes, resulting in a loss of shadow detail.

Audio quality is a mixed bag on the Omni Mini-LED. Sound is accurately placed with a good sense of direction, speech is clear and there’s generally good bass. While the sound can go beyond the borders of the screen, it feels narrow and contained, especially with Dolby Atmos effects. For those wanting a full home theater experience, I’d recommend one of the best soundbars.

The Omni Mini-LED has a good stock of gaming features including 4K 144Hz, Dolby Vision gaming, VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium Pro is included) and ALLM support. Performance is smooth and while it won’t beat the best gaming TVs from LG and Samsung, it provides a good mid-range alternative, though its graphics could be better.

Amazon’s Fire TV smart TV platform performs well enough and has a good number of picture settings for those who like to experiment. While Fire TV can be on the cluttered side, and there’s occasional stutter, it's a perfectly decent smart TV platform.

With a similar price to its main competitor, the Hisense U7N, the Omni Mini-LED’s real value comes down to what sort of prices it can hit during Prime Day and Black Friday. Discounts are already appearing, so it has the chance to seriously up its value when the sales begin.

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Prices & release date

Amazon Omni Mini-LED with red flowers on screen — (Image credit: Future)

Release date: November 2024
55-inch: $819.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1,316)
65-inch: $1,089.99 / £1,149.99 (about AU$1,750)
75-inch: $1,499.99 / £1,599.99 (about AU$2,409)
85-inch: $2,099.99 / N/A (about AU$3,373)

The Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED series is the latest entry in Amazon’s Fire TV range, following the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED. It is the first Fire TV to feature a panel with a mini-LED backlight and is available in 55, 65, 75 and 85-inch (US-only for the 85-inch) sizes.

Its launch prices are strikingly similar to the Hisense U7N, one of the best mini-LED TVs on the market. The U7N has seen major discounts since its release in April 2024, especially during Black Friday, and the Amazon Mini-LED is already following suit.

Despite a relatively recent release, the 55-inch Mini-LED (the size I tested) is already down to $699.99 / £749.99 (about AU$1,122) and the 65-inch is down to $959.99 / £949.99. I expect these prices will drop even further during peak trading events in 2025 such as Amazon’s own Prime Day and Black Friday.

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Specs

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Benchmark results

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Features

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV connection ports — The Amazon Omni Mini-LED features two HDMI 2.1 ports, a first for an Amazon Fire TV (Image credit: Future)

First mini-LED panel in Amazon’s TV range
4K 144Hz support for gaming
Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ high dynamic range

The Amazon Omni Mini-LED is the first set in Amazon’s Fire TV range to feature a display panel with a mini-LED backlight, a step-up feature from its LED and QLED TVs. The Omni Mini-LED features 512 dimming zones and supports both Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ high dynamic range.

Gaming support on the Omni Mini-LED includes 4K 144Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium), ALLM and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. A game mode provides optimal picture settings for gaming but does not feature a game bar, a useful feature in gaming TVs from brands like LG, Samsung, Hisense and Panasonic. It also only features two HDMI 2.1 ports.

(One HDMI-related issue occurred during my testing. When switching a source from HDMI 2 to HDMI 1, the TV kept switching back to HDMI 2. I found that turning the TV off at the wall fixed the problem, which is something to bear in mind should this issue happen to you.)

The Omni Mini-LED has a 2.1-channel speaker array with Dolby Atmos support plus several preset audio modes including Standard, Movie and Sport.

The Omni Mini-LED uses Amazon’s own Fire TV as its smart TV platform. Fire TV supports all major streaming services such as Prime Video, Netflix and Disney Plus as well as UK-based streaming services such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX. It also has an Ambient Experience, where photos and artwork can be displayed on the screen when the TV is idle and it supports hands-free Alexa voice control.

Features score: 4.5 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Picture quality

Amazon Omni Mini-LED with butterfly on screen 2 — The Amazon Omni Mini-LED demonstrates very good detail (Image credit: Future)

Bold color and accurate detail
Better than expected contrast
Black crush in darker scenes

The Omni Mini-LED’s peak HDR brightness as measured on a 10% white window pattern was 845 nits in the Standard picture preset and 973 nits in Filmmaker Mode. These results were with out-of-the-box settings for both picture modes, where the backlight was set to 80 and 70, respectively, and are roughly in the range of the Hisense U7N, which hit 807 nits in Standard mode and 1,074 nits in Filmmaker Mode.

Raising the backlight to 100 for both modes, the Omni Mini-LED hit 1,081 nits in Standard mode and 1,333 nits in Filmmaker Mode. While the higher backlight settings resulted in much higher brightness levels, I found it made highlights look blown out when watching movies.

Measuring fullscreen HDR brightness on a 100% white window pattern, again with out-of-the-box settings, the Omni Mini-LED hit 431 nits in Standard mode and 481 nits in Filmmaker Mode. When bumping up the backlight to 100 in picture settings in those modes, the Omni mini-LED hit 538 and 633 nits, respectively.

For picture testing and measurements, I used the Omni Mini-LED's out-of-the-box settings. When measuring color and grayscale in Filmmaker mode (with local dimming set to Medium), it averaged 2.9 for color accuracy and 4.8 for grayscale accuracy.

However, I did find that the Omni Mini-LED has potential for those who want its picture calibrated. After using the TV's calibration tools in Filmmaker Mode (SDR), it averaged 1.7 and 2.5 for color and grayscale accuracy, respectively, which are notable improvements.

Watching an HD stream of Fight Club via Disney Plus, the Omni Mini-LED did a solid job of upscaling, with both textures and contrast improved. It also did a good job of displaying the movie’s murky, dark color palette.

Color on the Omni mini-LED was very good overall. A 4K Dolby Vision stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Disney Plus showcased vivid reds during the throne room fight scene. They verged on oversaturation but were still pleasing to the eye. A 4K Blu-ray of La La Land also demonstrated stunning color reproduction, with Mia’s yellow dress given a dynamic punch.

Measuring the Omni Mini-LED’s HDR color gamut coverage, it yielded results of 70.3% for BT.2020 and 94.9% for UHDA-P3 – both good results that are comparable to the Samsung QN85D and Hisense U7N.

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV with geyser on screen — The Amazon Omni Mini-LED delivers solid contrast (Image credit: Future)

Contrast was generally strong, with the Omni mini-LED displaying a good balance between light and dark tones, something that could be seen in the opening crime scene and aerial shots of the city when watching a 4K Blu-ray of The Batman. I found that Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode was the best overall picture preset, though setting local dimming to Medium in the picture settings resulted in the best contrast. Also, when watching the black-and-white scenes in Oppenheimer, there was a good range of gray tones throughout.

Black levels and shadow detail were a mixed bag on the Omni Mini-LED. The contrast was solid and it demonstrated decent backlight control, but I found it would crush black tones in darker scenes, resulting in a loss of shadow detail. For example, in the same opening crime scene of The Batman, with local dimming set to Medium in Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode, the detail in clothing was lost. Brighter picture modes such as Dolby Vision IQ or Dolby Vision Bright rectified this, but contrast also looked less accurate in those modes.

Textures were generally very good on the Omni Mini-LED, with facial features and details in a wide range of movies including The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick and Oppenheimer all looking accurate and true-to-life. Pictures could occasionally look on the soft side compared to more premium mini-LED TVs, but they were still solid for a mid-range model.

Motion in Sports TV mode was accurate out-of-the-box. When watching an HD stream of a soccer game, I found that setting Smoothness (judder reduction) at 4 and Clarity (blur reduction) at 10 were the optimal adjustments. For viewing sports, I found the Omini Mini-LED to be better than both the Hisense U6N and U7N, which required a lot more setup.

Motion was also good for movies, with the Omni Mini-LED easily handling the intense, fast-moving flight sequences in Top Gun: Maverick. Interestingly, I found I couldn’t alter the Natural Cinema motion setting in Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode, but it did not seem to make a noticeable difference when tested on other picture modes.

Picture quality score: 4 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Sound quality

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV with La La Land on screen — The Omni mini-LED has average built-in sound quality, so movies such as *La La Land* could benefit from a soundbar (Image credit: Future)

2.1-channel speakers
Good accuracy and placement
Sound is narrow and contained

The Omni Mini-LED has a 2.1-channel speaker system totaling 24W of power. It supports Dolby Atmos and comes with several sound modes targeted towards different types of content such as Movie, Sports, and Music. In my testing, I generally found Movie to be the best sound preset.

Watching the Batmobile freeway chase sequence in The Batman, the Omni mini-LED demonstrated good sound placement and accuracy – as cars swerved across the screen, the sound of the screeching tires also swept across the screen. Bass was decent, with a good level of rumble stemming from the Batmobile’s engine. When watching Top Gun: Maverick, the sound exceeded the confines of the screen during flight sequences, giving it an expansive quality, and the dialogue was clear throughout my viewing.

Even so, in both The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick, Dolby Atmos effects were so faint as to be unnoticeable, with the rain in The Batman and height channels in the Mach 10 scene in Top Gun: Maverick never hitting – something to be expected from a TV with basic, 2.1-channel built-in speakers. For those using the Omni Mini-LED mainly for watching movies, I’d recommend adding a soundbar.

Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Design

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV feet — The Amazon Omni Mini-LED's tall feet allow plenty of space for a soundbar (Image credit: Future)

Tall feet allow space for a soundbar
Hand-free voice control
Bland design for the price

One of the Omni Mini-LED’s best design features is its supplied feet. They are tall enough to easily fit a soundbar without the soundbar obscuring the bottom of the screen, a common issue with many TVs.

Otherwise, the Omni Mini-LED’s design is very uninspired, with a rather generic and slightly bulky appearance compared with mini-LED rivals from Hisense, Samsung and TCL. I expected a slimmer depth at this price.

The Omni Mini-LED comes with Amazon’s latest generation Alexa Voice remote, which still feels a little cheap and flimsy compared to remotes from other brands. Hands-free Alexa voice control is available via the TV’s built-in microphone – a welcome feature that can also be turned off in the settings.

Design score: 4 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Smart TV & menus

Fire TV smart TV platform
Sometimes stuttering performance
Advanced picture setup options

The Omni Mini-LED uses Amazon’s Fire TV smart TV platform, which is featured on the Amazon Fire TV Stick range as well as TVs from other brands.

Fire TV’s home screen provides a good number of movie and TV recommendations (especially for Prime Video) based on your viewing history and lets you easily jump back into programs you’ve previously been watching. It also has a large, revolving banner ad at the top that takes up roughly one-third of the screen.

Performance-wise, Fire TV is generally responsive when navigating though there were occasional stutters and freeze-ups during my testing. Menus, while fairly easy to get around, could be a little more user-friendly. There are plenty of settings to tailor the picture to your taste and even 2-point, 11-point and Color Grading calibration tools for those who want advanced fine-tuning.

While Fire TV gives preference on its home screen to Prime Video movies and TV shows, it does provide access to a wide array of streaming services including Netflix and Disney Plus.

Smart TV & menus score: 4 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Gaming

Amazon Omni Mini-LED TV with Battlefield V on screen — The Amazon Omni Mini-LED, shown here with *Battlefield V,* has a good stock of gaming features and performs well (Image credit: Future)

4K 144Hz and Dolby Vision gaming
13.4ms input lag time
Only two HDMI 2.1 ports

The Omni Mini-LED is well-equipped with gaming features, including support for 4K 144Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro), ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming. It is the first of Amazon’s FireTVs to feature 120Hz support, but only features two HDMI 2.1 ports, which is currently the case for all TVs not made by LG or Samsung.

The Omni Mini-LED performs well, even at higher frame rates. Playing Battlefield V on Xbox Series X, I found chaotic battle sequences, quick targeting and panning shots all ran smoothly and showed quick response times. When I measured the input lag time, it hit 13.4ms, which is similar to TVs from Hisense, TCL, and Sony, but doesn’t quite beat the best gaming TVs from Samsung and LG. Still, it sits below the 15ms threshold gamers look for.

For picture quality during gaming, the Omni Mini-LED delivers good detail and dazzling colors along with solid contrast, again shown in desert and night missions in Battlefield V. I did find that textures took on a soft, muddy tone in some cases, which detracted from the experience a bit, but overall the Omni mini-LED is a solid gaming TV.

Gaming score: 4 / 5

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Value

Amazon Fire TV remote — The Amazon Omni Mini-LED is supplied with the Alexa Voice remote (Image credit: Future)

Extremely competitive mini-LED TV market
Closely matches rivals’ prices
Potential for discounts

The Omni Mini-LED enters a highly competitive mini-LED TV market dominated by Samsung, Hisense and TCL, and also competes with budget models from Roku.

Its primary rival is arguably the Hisense U7N, which delivers similar features and performance and has very similar prices. For the 55-inch model I tested, we’ve seen the U7N average about $598.99 / £699.99, and it has gone as low as $480 in Black Friday sales. But the Omni Mini-LED has already hit $699.99 / £749.99 only months after release, and as an Amazon product, it has the potential to drop lower during Prime Day and Black Friday.

The Omni Mini-LED is a solid TV for the money, offering good performance and many features that will please most TV buyers. It doesn’t quite beat the Hisense U7N in terms of value, but that could all change come Prime Day.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV?

Amazon Omni Mini-LED with flower on screen — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want a TV ready for sports
Compared with other budget mini-LED TVs, the Omni Mini-LED is ready for sports out-of-the-box, requiring almost no setup in its Sports mode.

You want a good-value TV
The Omni Mini-LED is well-priced for what it offers and has the potential for big discounts during sales events such as Prime Day and Black Friday.

Don't buy it if…

You want the best built-in sound
The Omni Mini-LED's accuracy and sound placement are very good, but it lacks in other areas.

You want the best smart TV platform
While Fire TV has its plus points, a cluttered home screen and sometimes stuttering performance means it falls short of the likes of Google TV and LG's webOS.

Also consider

Hisense U7N
The Omni Mini-LED's closest rival, the Hisense U7N offers a similar list of features, plus similar picture quality and overall performance. The U7N isn't quite as good for sports, but it's better for sound. Your choice should come down to the price at the time of buying. Read our full Hisense U7N review. View Deal

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED
The Omni QLED is the step-down model from the Omni Mini-LED, using a QLED panel that doesn't offer as good a picture or as many gaming features as it's limited to 60Hz. It is, however, a good budget option if you're looking for something cheaper. Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review. View Deal

Samsung QN90D
A much more premium mini-LED TV, the Samsung QN90D offers impressive picture quality and superb motion handling for sports. Plus, it comes with a full suite of gaming features and better built-in sound. Be prepared to spend a lot more on this TV, however. Read our full Samsung QN90D review. View Deal

How I tested the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV

Tested in light light-controlled environment
Used SDR and HDR sources for testing picture quality
Measurements were taken using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software

Amazon Omni Mini-LED with testing equipment attached — (Image credit: Future)

To test the Amazon Omni Mini-LED, I first conducted casual viewing to establish the TV's most accurate picture mode. In this case, it was Filmmaker Mode, which I used to carry out both subjective and objective testing.

For subjective testing, I used reference scenes from both SDR sources, such as HD streaming and broadcast TV, as well as 4K Blu-ray and streaming HDR sources. I tested the Omni Mini-LED's color, contrast, detail, motion handling, and black levels. Some of the same reference scenes were also used to test the Omni Mini-LED's built-in audio quality.

I also tested the Omni Mini-LED's gaming features and performance using an Xbox Series X.

For objective testing, I took measurements of the Omni Mini-LED's brightness, color and grayscale accuracy, and HDR color gamut coverage. The measurements were taken using a colorimeter, test pattern generator and Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software.

Brightness measurements were taken using both SDR and HDR white window patterns, ranging in size from 1-100% with a focus on 10% (peak brightness) and 100% (fullscreen brightness). Color and grayscale accuracy were taken in SDR, using Delta E values, looking for a score below 3. HDR color gamut coverage was measured for the BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 color spaces.

For input lag testing, measured in milliseconds, I used a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester.

First reviewed: January, 2025
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Canon EOS R1 review: a five star high-speed powerhouse for pros, with a sky-high price

4:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers Gadgets Mirrorless Cameras | Tags: ISO, LCD | Comments: Off

Canon EOS R1: two-minute review

The Canon EOS R1 follows design conventions passed down from professional high-speed DSLR cameras, such as the EOS 1D X Mark III, in that it also features a built-in vertical grip and high-capacity batteries for extended shooting times, complete with seriously impressive high-speed shooting capabilities. If you want a no holds barred camera for sports and wildlife photography, this is the speediest Canon camera on offer.

Its flagship features, functionality and performance excel for the rigors of pro press photography – the few that might actually be able to afford the EOS R1's eye-watering price tag will consequently be equipped for demanding jobs with one of the best Canon cameras currently available.

Canon EOS R1 mirrorless camera in the hand with a basketball court background, under the lights — (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

The camera sports a 24.2MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS sensor and can capture photos at up to an incredible 40fps, plus 6K raw video at up to 60fps. There's also a slew of useful features including the ability to capture bursts of JPEGs while shooting Full HD video, but we'll cover those in more detail later.

Autofocus is fast and accurate with up to 4,368 AF points depending on the AF mode selected, and the in-body image stabilization (IBIS) is amazing and highly effective, so you can rest assured you have a camera that works for you. The biggest issue with the EOS R1 is the cost, which will put it out of the reach of many photographers, and it's certainly more camera than any enthusiast could ever need.

Canon EOS R1: price and release date

Expensive at $6,299 / £6,999 / AU$10,499
Body only with no kit options
Available now

The EOS R1 was announced in July 2024 and is available now with a body-only price of $6,299 / £6,999 / AU$10,499. This is, of course, expensive, and will put the camera out of the reach of even many professional photographers. This is a similar price, however, to the EOS 1D X Mark III – the quickest DSLR ever made – so with inflation that's pretty impressive.

As a camera designed for professional photographers, some of whom will inevitably be EOS 1D X Mark III owners, the EOS R1 works incredibly well with adapted EF DSLR lenses. For professionals with plenty of expensive EF L-series glass, this softens the financial blow because they can be confident that they won't have to upgrade all of their glass to RF lenses all at once.

Naturally, using native lenses will be preferable to most photographers, but the ability to only need to do this as and when the natural upgrade cycle completes is incredibly useful. Even professionals, who spend more on photo kit than the average enthusiast will appreciate this.

Price score: 3.5/5

Canon EOS R1: specs

Canon EOS R1: design and handling

Built-in vertical grip mirrors the camera's regular control layout
Versatile articulating LCD screen
Generously large viewfinder is easy to use

In terms of the overall design, the EOS R1 looks every inch a professional camera thanks to its built-in vertical grip for horizontal and vertical shooting. There are dual CF Express Type B card slots on one side of the camera, while on the other you'll find the physical ports which include USB-C, Ethernet, HDMI, mic, headphones and PC sync for flash. The EOS R1 also offers Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity.

Surprisingly, the EOS R1 isn't overly cumbersome despite its large and hefty size – that's 6.2 x 5.88 x 3.43in / 157.6 x 149.5 x 87.3mm with a weight of 2.7lbs / 1,115g, including a battery and memory card (but no lens), which is largely thanks to the well-contoured vertical and horizontal grips, plus the new camera coating that provides a secure grip. The camera also balances well with both smaller lenses and larger telephotos. Overall build quality is excellent as you'd expect for a professional camera.

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Canon EOS R1 top plate with OLED screen — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Canon EOS R1 rear view with LCD screen hidden — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Canon EOS R1 rear view with LCD screen showing camera menu — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Canon EOS R1 dual memory card slots — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Canon EOS R1 Side view of ports — (Image credit: James Abbott)

One of the immediate differences you notice when compared to mid-range cameras such as the EOS R6 Mark II, and even the EOS R5 Mark II, is the sheer number of direct access controls on offer. The AF-ON button serves a dual purpose in that it offers two programmable functions with the sensor in the center allowing you to use swipe actions with your thumb to move around zoomed images or to adjust autofocus, for example – it's a slick design feature.

Having many direct access controls is standard for high-end professional cameras like the EOS R1, because you don't want to otherwise be scrolling through menus to find and make adjustments when in fast-paced shooting environments. Also, many controls are duplicated on the vertical grip so you can enjoy the same level of convenience and comfort when shooting in both formats.

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Canon EOS R1 mirrorless camera with red brick background — (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

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Canon EOS R1 mirrorless camera 's battery — (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

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Canon EOS R1 mirrorless camera in the hand, no lens attached — (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

On the rear, you'll find the 2.1m-dot 3.2-inch articulating touchscreen which is useful because it can be positioned in many ways. But it's the generously large, almost cinema-like, 9.44m-dot viewfinder that truly caught my eye. Not only is the viewfinder window large, but so too is the immersive EVF screen itself.

The EOS R1's menu system is intuitive and easy to navigate, but like most cameras these days there are so many options available, including button customization, and so it'll take some time to full familiarize and set up the camera for your shooting needs. Some features do require you to delve into the menu to switch them on or off, despite all of the direct access controls, but this approach is standard for all cameras.

Design score: 5/5

Canon EOS R1: features and performance

Dual processors deliver Canon's best-ever speed, including 40fps continuous shooting
Advanced autofocus with dedicated sports modes and face recognition

The EOS R1 features a new high-speed 24.2MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS sensor that reduces rolling shutter at the expense of a slight reduction in dynamic range. This reduction certainly wasn't noticed shooting a range of subjects during testing.

The sensor is powered by dual processors: the DIGIC X and the DIGIC Accelerator. These processors allow for large volumes of data, fast image capture, fast AF and produce excellent image quality, as well as facilitating the Deep Learning technologies for in-camera image upscaling and noise reduction.

The EOS R1 is packed with so many features that it's impossible to cover them all, but there are undoubtedly some that stand out from the crowd. The EOS R1 is a camera designed for speed and can capture raw files at up to 40fps with the electronic shutter enabled, or 12fps with the mechanical shutter active. The mechanical shutter extends to 1/8000 sec while the electronic shutter pushes further to a lightning-fast 1/64,000 sec.

Canon EOS R1 with 85mm f/1.2 attached — (Image credit: James Abbott)

Autofocus is incredible; it's fast, accurate and intelligent in maintaining the EOS R1's focus on speed. During testing when photographing seals on a beach, the subject detection worked flawlessly to identify eyes and faces with near-perfect accuracy, even though obstacles were sometimes present in the frame.

The AF system uses Canon's Dual Pixel Intelligent AF where subjects are accurately tracked, while Canon says it's able to identify faces and bodies. There's also subject detection, which works incredibly well, while cross-type AF makes focusing more precise and effective, even in low light and low contrast situations.

Canon EOS R1 with 15-35mm f/2.8 lens attached — (Image credit: James Abbott)

There's also a new Action Priority mode that according to Canon recognizes movements in basketball, soccer and volleyball while tracking the ball and switching between subjects as the action unfolds. I didn't personally have the opportunity to test Action Priority, but TechRadar's Cameras Editor Tim Coleman did during the camera launch, and the sentiment is that Action priority has game-changing potential for sports photographers.

Then there's eye-control AF, which, as the name suggests, tracks the movement of your eye and where you're looking in the viewfinder as a guide to position the active AF point(s). Eye-control AF has to be configured via the camera menu. Again, Tim Coleman has written a dedicated feature about Eye-control AF.

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Basketball player, shot with the Canon EOS R1 — Before the basketball game started, I took a portrait of this player and selected him as the player for the EOS R1 to prioritize as the primary subject to focus on. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

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Another interesting and useful feature is pre-continuous shooting which, when enabled, allows the camera to buffer 20 frames while the shutter button is halfway depressed. When you fully release the shutter button, the buffered frames are also captured to provide a greater hit rate in fast-paced situations when your reactions might not be up to speed.

20 frames equates to half a second of pre-capture when shooting at the maximum frame rate. This is great, of course, but isn’t a feature you'd want to use all of the time because of the sheer number of frames you'd be capturing and needing to edit.

Features and performance score: 5/5

Canon EOS R1: image and video quality

Excellent high ISO handling
AI-powered upscale and noise reduction
Up to 6K Raw video

EOS R1 images are beautifully sharp, which can in part be attributed to the new low-pass filter that reduces moire and false color alongside maintaining sharp detail. Image quality is excellent with raw files naturally providing the greatest degree of flexibility. JPEGs are also fantastic out of camera which will undoubtedly appeal to press photographers delivering images directly to picture agencies.

JPEG color profiles can be tweaked with custom profiles so photographers can adjust settings such as brightness and contrast. The Standard profile provides great results but images can be further improved using levels to adjust the black and white points in Photoshop. Colors are pleasing and Canon has long been well respected for its color science, so there are no complaints here.

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Seal on a beach shot with the Canon EOS R1 and 200-400mm lens — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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A feature within the camera is AI-powered upscaling and noise reduction. These are frustratingly only available for JPEGs and the former increases file sizes 4x to 96MP. Fine details are preserved while color and contrast are maintained, but it's a shame that this functionality isn’t available for raw files. Adobe users, however, can take advantage of Super Resolution to increase raw files by the same factor.

Noise reduction certainly works but the closer you get to the maximum ISO within the camera's standard range, the less effective the results are.

AI upscaling example

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Seal on a beach shot with the Canon EOS R1 and 200-400mm lens showing AI upscaling from original JPEG — AI upscaled JPEG with original photo inset (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Seal on a beach shot with the Canon EOS R1 and 200-400mm lens 100% zoom of an AI upscaled JPEG — 100% crop of the AI upscaled photo to show detail (Image credit: James Abbott)

Video is a major component of the EOS R1 too, with the ability to capture 6K 12-bit raw video in-camera, up to 60fps. 2K and Full HD video can be captured at up to 240fps, while 4K is available up to 120fps. Canon C-Log flat color profiles are also available alongside the ability to capture proxy video to one memory card, with full-resolution files recorded to the other.

This is all just the tip of the iceberg but gives you an idea of what the EOS R1 is capable of. Plus, a video feature that could be useful for hybrid press photographers is the ability to capture Full HD video and 17MP JPEGs at 10fps at the same time when the Dual Shooting function is switched on.

Image and video quality score: 5/5

Canon EOS R1: testing scorecard

Should I buy the Canon EOS R1?

Buy it if...

You're a pro sports, wildlife or press photographer
The EOS R1 is aimed squarely at sports, wildlife and press photography, with features and functionality that make image capture and delivery in these situations highly efficient.

You need fast continuous shooting
If a maximum frame rate of 40fps will enhance your photography, alongside pre-capture buffering of 20 frames, the EOS R1 will help you to capture the decisive moment and then some.

You'd like exceptional autofocus
The autofocus system employed by the EOS R1 is excellent and sets a new bar for AF technology when it comes to capturing sharp images of fast-moving subjects in complex situations.

Don't buy it if...

You need a higher resolution
Despite in-camera JPEG upscaling to increase resolution by 400%, the EOS R1's true resolution is 24.2MP, and there are plenty of alternatives that produce higher resolution raw files and excellent image quality.

You don’t require speed
Not all photographers require the level of speed on offer here, such as landscape and portrait photographers. The EOS R1 is also heavy and bulky for landscape photography with more suitable cameras available.

You're not a professional
Of course, anyone with deep pockets can buy the EOS R1, but unless you’re a professional working in specific areas of photography, it's much more camera than you will ever need it to be.

Canon EOS R1: also consider

Nikon Z9

The Nikon Z9 is a few years old now but it continues to match flagship cameras from competitors thanks to impressive performance, speed and its 45.7MP sensor. It only uses an electronic shutter, but to fully experience the EOS R1's speed of capture this is the shutter type you have to use in any case.

Read our in-depth Nikon Z9 review

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

The Canon EOS R5 Mark II was launched alongside the EOS R1 and offers many of the same features and functionality in a smaller and less expensive body. What's more, the control layout is similar and the EOS R5 Mark II offers a higher resolution 45MP BSI stacked sensor.

Read our in-depth Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Sony A9 III

Believe it or not, the Canon EOS R1 isn't the out and out fastest camera around – that award goes to the Sony A9 III, a flagship camera for sports that we called 'the high-speed camera to beat'. A true design innovation, the A9 III is the first camera of its kind with a global shutter which, among other things, realizes burst shooting speeds up to 120fps, plus extremely fast shutter and flash sync speeds. It's also Sony's best designed camera yet, though you'll want the optional grip to bulk it out like the EOS R1 when using telephoto lenses.

Read our in-depth Sony A9 III review

How I tested the Canon EOS R1

James Abbott shooting seals with the Canon EOS R1 and 200-400mm lens — (Image credit: James Abbott)

I had the EOS R1 for a couple of weeks, along with three Canon lenses
I captured a range of subjects, from wildlife to landscapes
I tested Canon's in-camera Deep Learning features such as upscaling

I mainly tested the Canon EOS R1 for shooting wildlife, but also to capture landscape and night photography, and I had three Canon lenses to choose, including the RF 85mm F1.2L USM and RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM. It might not be the obvious choice for landscape photography, given it is heavy and bulky, but I gave it a go none the lens and it performs exceptionally well in this situation too.

I tested as many features and functions as possible were tested, with my main focus being the speed of the camera's autofocus and continuous burst shooting. It was also important to familiarize myself with the control layout so the camera could be used as if it were my own.

I also tested Canon's in-camera 'Deep Learning' features in order to provide a thorough overview of the camera in terms of professional image capture.

First reviewed January 2025

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 review: a well-rounded portable laser projector with Google TV

10:00 pm | January 24, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Theater Projectors Televisions | Tags: DLP | Comments: Off

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22: One minute review

Epson’s smaller, portable EpiqVision home projector models were long overdue for an update, and that’s just what it has done with the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22. This introduces the tilting, swiveling stand design that’s proven so popular with many other recent projectors, and it packs in Google TV for streaming, which helps bring the EpiqVision Mini EF22 closer to parity with its competition. Add in a pair of stereo speakers and the EpiqVision Mini EF22 proves an effective all-in-one system.

The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 beams a laser through its 3LCD projection system, providing respectable brightness near 1,000 lumens. It makes for a decent picture, though it doesn’t manage quite the exciting color gamut of triple-laser options like the JMGO N1S Pro. Its 1080p resolution will also have you sticking to smaller projection sizes than you might otherwise opt for with the best 4K projectors like the BenQ X300G or even the older Xgimi Horizon Pro.

While the EpiqVision Mini EF22 is a simple and effective little home theater projector selling for a reasonable $999, it struggles to contend with the market it’s entering. Not only are there many great new projectors in the $1000-$2000 range but there’s also a sea of slightly older models that have come down in price. It’s a good projector, but I’m hard-pressed to find a reason to choose it over the alternatives. I’d snag myself a BenQ X300G or Xgimi Horizon Pro instead, both of which have been seeing some impossible-to-ignore discounts.

Epson EF-22 projector on table with remote — (Image credit: Future)

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 review: Specs

Epson EF-22 projector on table — The JMGO N1S Pro 4K delivered strong picture quality across the board (Image credit: Future)

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 review: Prices & release date

Release date: October 2024
Price: $999

The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 launched in late 2024 with a starting price of $999 (£799, AU$1,599). It has seen some discounts since then, though these tend to come and go. The EpiqVision Mini EF22 comes in a variety of colors, giving you more options. You can find it in Stone Blue, Opal Green, Quartz Rose, Onyx Black, and Diamond White.

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 review: Design & features

Built-in stand makes setup easy
Google TV and automatic image adjustments
Built-in 2x 5W stereo speakers

Like many of the new consumer projectors in 2024, the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 comes with a stand built in. This makes it easy to adjust the vertical tilt and horizontal angle of the projector, even supporting vertical projection up toward the ceiling. This provides a simpler setup, though anything but a perfectly lined-up projection will result in some digital corrections that detract from the usable image.

The EpiqVision Mini EF22 makes automatic vertical and horizontal keystone adjustments very quickly, letting you shift the projector around and see the image change shape in real time. It’s also quick to focus automatically. It has an optional setting to avoid obstacles when projecting, and this proves effective, but it is a slower process than the other automatic corrections, taking a few seconds. The EpiqVision Mini EF22 rounds out its smart projection features with eye protection that dims the projector when it detects someone in front of it.

The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 is plenty compact, proving not dramatically different in size from the JGMO N1S I recently tested. That said, projectors can certainly come smaller, as LG showed with the LG CineBeam Q. It’s hard to have small projectors get very bright or offer solid audio, though, and those aren’t sacrifices the EpiqVision Mini EF22 made. It features stereo speakers and is rated to hit 1,000 ISO lumens. It also comes with Google TV. Unfortunately, Epson didn’t make the most of the projector’s size, as it opted to include just one HDMI port (with ARC), a USB-A port, and a 3.5mm audio output jack. It’s providing options, but not many. The focus of the EpiqVision Mini EF22 really is on being a standalone device that doesn’t call for external connections.

The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 comes with a simple remote. It’s all plastic with rubber buttons and nothing too elegant, but it’s effective. It has simple navigation controls, a Google Assistant button, a shortcut to the HDMI input (making the input selection button a bit redundant), dedicated volume and brightness controls, and shortcuts for projection settings, auto-focus, as well as YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Video. None of the buttons have backlighting, making it a bit hard to use in the dark, but at least some of the buttons are white, and it’s easy enough to feel out the volume buttons.

Design & features score: 4/5

Epson EF-22 showing image of animated movie with toys — The JMGO N1S Pro 4K's picture is at its best with bright and colorful images (Image credit: Future)

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 review: Picture & sound quality

Decent brightness
No unsightly motion smoothing
Color could use a boost

The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 provides an overall good-looking image, but it’s not the most impressive I've seen in this projector category. While natural content looks solid, with the projector offering a great presentation for Dune, it can struggle elsewhere. In the extremely colorful Mind Game, it didn’t keep up with some of the triple-laser options on the market, like the JMGO N1S, and I noticed some banding in color gradients. That said, the 3LCD technology avoids some of the unsightly swimming-pixel artifacts I’ve seen from DLP projectors displaying large monotone regions, as well as DLP rainbow artifacts.

The EpiqVision Mini EF22 doesn’t keep up with some of its 4K competition either. BenQ’s X300G may have originally been much more expensive, but it’s come down considerably in price, and it has the chops to really threaten the EpiqVision Mini EF22.

I took a rough measurement to overall brightness in the Dynamic profile, which achieved 959 lumens with an ANSI test pattern and a matte white screen. There again, it’s just decent. Competitors like the Dangbei Atom and JGMO N1S offer as much, and slightly more expensive options from BenQ and JMGO take it to another level.

Gaming on the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22, I found the projector added considerable latency if it had any sort of processing going on (i.e., keystone correction or digital zoom). With these disabled, the projector still had a tangible delay between actions and on-screen effects, but it wasn’t significant enough to slow me down as I worked my way through numerous encounters in Hades. Oddly enough, there’s no specific picture profile for gaming that would disable the projector's processing automatically, so you’ll have to manage these settings on your own.

With two speakers on the rear of the EpiqVision Mini EF22, it works reasonably well whether you set the projector up in front of you or at the back of the room. They provide a bit of stereo separation, which adds a touch of depth, though they’re no substitute for a dedicated audio system. They get reasonably loud for a small, quiet room, but the sound gets a bit muddled at higher volumes, making it hard to pick out everything that’s going on in a song, for example. You’ll get clear enough mids and a bit of bass, but higher frequencies tend to suffer when the volume is cranked.

To the EF22’s credit, it doesn’t mess around with any unsightly motion smoothing. Right from the jump, it provides good, clear motion.

Picture and sound quality score: 3/5

Epson EF-22 projector on table closeup of lens — (Image credit: Future)

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 review: Value

Effective all-in-one package
Comes up short next to the competition

The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 puts plenty into one package. It’s a decent projector, providing a bright image that can handle impromptu movie nights or let you settle in to binge the next hot series, as long as you turn the lights off. With Google TV, it’s ready to stream a great variety of content with no external sources. And it packs in a good enough set of speakers to make do in quiet, intimate viewing conditions. The built-in stand also proves helpful, making it that much easier to set up in various places without the need to stack up a pile of books or go buy a separate stand.

The biggest thing holding the EpiqVision Mini EF22 back in the value department is the competition it faces. You can get much brighter projectors and ones that offer 4K or provide more vivid color for the same price or just a little more. Compared to these, the EpiqVision Mini EF22 ends up feeling lacking.

Value score: 3/5

Epson EF-22 projector on table pointing at ceiling — The JMGO N1S Pro 4K comes in a styrofoam carry case. Although portable, it is on the weightier side (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22?

Buy it if...

You want a simple all-in-one: The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 is easy to set up and easy to use. It has the streaming platform, speakers, stand, and display all covered. It performs decently in each department as well, giving you a reasonably well-rounded experience.View Deal

You can’t stand DLP rainbow artifact and dithering: Epson’s 3LCD projection technology gets around a couple visual artifacts that often impact DLP projectors. If you see rainbows or are distracted by weird pixel movement when watching DLP projection, you may prefer the look of Epson’s projector. View Deal

You can’t stand motion smoothing: The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 doesn’t mess around with motion smoothing at all. While most projectors I test have it enabled by default, forcing you to turn it off manually, the EF22 lets you avoid it entirely. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You can’t control ambient lighting: Projection at 1,000 lumens is decently bright and can work in a dim or dark room. But if you can’t close the blinds and dim the lights, it won’t be enough for a bright room.View Deal

You’re a big gamer: The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 has no optimizations for gaming. It requires all of its image adaptations to be disabled to avoid serious input latency, and even then the latency is perceptible. There are much better gaming projector options, like the BenQ X300G.View Deal

You plan on setting it up with more home theater gear: A key aspect of the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 is its all-in-one nature. It’s well-rounded, but not exceptional in any one area. If you’re planning on pairing your projector with separate speakers and video sources, you may as well go with one that goes more all-in on visuals (and one that has more useful ports).View Deal

Also consider

JMGO N1S Pro

The JMGO N1S Pro costs twice as much, but its tri-laser projection system is brighter and way more colorful. If you can tolerate DLP artifacts, it makes for a great alternative with more stunning visuals.

Read our JMGO N1S Pro reviewView Deal

LG CineBeam Q 4K Projector

The LG CineBeam Q gets you upgrades in color quality and resolution thanks to its 4K, triple-laser projection system. It’s also tiny, making it far more portable. But it sacrifices brightness and audio for its size.

Read our full LG CineBeam Q reviewView Deal

BenQ X300G

While this projector might have a high MSRP, it’s recently seen its price reduced to become incredibly competitive. It’s much brighter and offers 4K visuals and gaming enhancements. If you can live without the built-in stand of the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22, strongly consider this one instead.

Read our full BenQ X300G reviewView Deal

Epson EF-22 projector Google TV interface — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22

Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions
Presented the display with a variety of media and formats
I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade

I tested the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with streamed content, HDR and non-HDR, and PC gameplay.

My testing evaluates the projector’s performance concerning its price and competition from other models that I and my colleagues at TechRadar have tested.

I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer.

First reviewed: January 24, 2025
Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Garmin Instinct 3 review: Instinctively a winning fitness watch

8:01 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: Garmin Fenix | Comments: Off

Garmin Instinct 3: One minute review

I know the Garmin Instinct 3 has a lot to live up to. After all, the Garmin Instinct 2 received a rare, coveted five stars in our official review. With a variety of sizes (from 40mm to the Instinct 2X Solar at 50mm), solar-powered and non-solar versions, a smorgasbord of fun colorways, and – my personal favorite – a hybrid Garmin Instinct Crossover, there truly was an Instinct 2 for everyone.

The Instinct 3 runs along very much the same lines, with a selection of cool colorways, a variety of sizes, and two key screen options. The smallest 40mm size is called the Instinct E, and is most reminiscent of the Instinct 2: there’s only the MIP (Memory in Pixel) option with no solar charging and no flashlight. In 45mm and 50mm sizes, you can choose between a bright, smartwatch AMOLED screen and a classic Garmin MIP screen equipped with Garmin’s Power Glass solar charge technology, offering ‘unlimited’ battery life in bright enough conditions, if you’re out and about with it exposed to sunlight for several hours.

It only really makes a big difference during endurance exercise on sunny days, when it can slow down the GPS mode’s drain on the battery life, but it’s nice to have. We got the AMOLED 45mm version to test in its cool, minty Neotropic colorway, but I do have a soft spot for the digital watch-esque MIP screens that the best Garmin watches used to use as standard. As is, this feels more like a Garmin Forerunner 265, with limited map capabilities, although the case design is still stereotypically Instinct.

The Instinct series has never offered the full-color topographical maps more premium watches in Garmin’s range have, and I was wondering if the AMOLED screen meant we’d finally see topographical maps on an Instinct, but there are no maps or touchscreen here. I suppose Garmin has to distinguish between the ranges and keep the Instinct’s price down somehow.

The Instinct 3 has handled all my training with accuracy, and was as intuitive to use as the Instinct 2. It was easy for me to replace my daily Instinct Crossover with this with barely three minutes of setup, seamlessly taking over with my sleep tracking, Body Battery and Training Readiness scores from my old watch.

Overall? As a pre-existing Instinct fan, I love it. It’s fast, it’s bright, it looks fun, and most importantly, it’s useful. Yes, it’s chunky and plasticky, and if you don’t like the old design, you won’t like this one either. But it’s not a sleek metal communications tool: it’s a toy, and it’s best played with outside.

Garmin Instinct 3: Price and availability

Garmin Instinct 3 hands-on — (Image credit: Future / Stephen Warwick)

Instinct E starts at $299 / £259 / AU$549
45mm Instinct 3 starts at $399 / £349 / AU$829.
50mm Instinct 3 starts at $449 / £429 / AU$929

The Garmin Instinct 3 is available now on Garmin’s website and other retailers, slightly confusingly with five different prices, depending on which model you pick.

The cheapest Instinct E is available now for $299 / £259 / AU$549. The 45mm watch starts at $399 / £349 / AU$729 for the MIP Solar screen, rising to $449 / £389 / AU$829 for the AMOLED screen option. The largest 50mm watch with MIP Solar screen is available from $449 / £429 / AU$829, rising to $499 / £449 / AU$929 for the AMOLED screen option.

It’s cheaper than most Forerunners and Fenix watches, although it does make up for this by using less premium materials and skipping some premium software features. Overall a good value package, but not ludicrously so, especially compared to some of Polar and Coros' cheaper offerings. You won't be disappointed by the price, but it's not quite a steal.

Value score: 4/5

Garmin Instinct 3: Specifications

Below are the specifications for our review unit, the 45mm AMOLED Instinct 3.

Garmin Instinct 3: Design

Garmin Instinct 3 in Neotropic Green with torch lit — (Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

Chunky polymer casing
Choice of screens
Intuitive, unchanged Garmin layout

The Instinct 3 builds closely on the design legacy of the Garmin Instinct 2, and the casing looks mostly the same. It’s got loads of colors, it’s roughly the same thickness, roughly the same weight (with just a gram of difference between the 45mm Instinct 3 versus the 45mm Instinct 2), and it’s still got five buttons and similar bezel indentations. The main differences are the metal accents, the new AMOLED screen option, and the flashlight, neither of the latter are available on the smallest Instinct E.

The new AMOLED screen is clear and bright, although it's not a touchscreen. I like the default watch face layout, although this is easily changed, and navigating around the watch with the five-button control interface is intuitive for me (a regular Garmin user) even if my Apple Watch-wearing fitness writer, Stephen Warwick, was offended at the lack of touchscreen.

While Garmin’s Forerunner, Venu and Fenix watches have adopted the hybrid of buttons and touchscreen, it’s another feature missing from the AMOLED Instinct 3 to keep it affordable. The same could be said of the chunky ‘fiber-reinforced polymer’ (read that as ‘thick plastic’) casing, with slim metal accents the only thing separating it from being too childish for some users. Metal screws give it a rugged edge.

Functionally, the heart rate and skin temperature sensor array have not been given a slight upgrade, with the watch still sporting the Elevate Gen 4 heart rate sensor instead of the more accurate Gen 5. Garmin should really have included the up-to-date sensor, even if it skimped on a couple of premium software features. The universal Garmin proprietary charger remains the same, only with a newer USB-C cable instead of USB-A, as is standard with most Garmins now.

Design score: 4.5/5

Garmin Instinct 3: Features

Garmin Instinct 3 in Neotropic Green — (Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

Almost all of Garmin’s wellness features
New torch is useful
Basic directional maps

For the uninitiated, opening a Garmin watch and scrolling down with the ‘down’ button provides a list of wellness, navigational, and quality-of-life widgets. Outdoor-focused widgets range from the weather, sunrise and sunset times, and a compass shortcut to your sleep tracking information. Wellness stuff includes your last completed workout, sleep, Body Battery and your Training Readiness score. As a watch tailored to the great outdoors, all the functionalities you expect can be found here and the list can be customized as usual to suit your needs. Climbing a mountain? Stick the altimeter at the top. A keen marathon runner? Choose the ‘Race Calendar’ widget.

It’s fun, intuitive and acts like the watchOS 11 widget stack, but less flashy. I found most of the usual Garmin stuff there, but some premium features like Endurance Score and Hill Score were missing. They would have been nice to have. As previously mentioned, there’s no topographical maps functionality either, just basic directional guidance, but there have never been maps on an Instinct watch, and most of the time directions are all you need. You can, however, still retrace your steps with the ‘TracBack’ feature, along with a slew of other navigational tools.

Hardware-wise, the new torch is very useful: it comes in four intensities and a less dazzling red option, just like the torch on the Garmin Fenix 8. I’ve already used the red light on an evening run and the white light to help me stumble my way to the bathroom at six am. In the morning, you’ll get a daily digest, Garmin’s ‘Morning Report’ detailing information on your sleep, the weather, your Training Readiness, and a motivational message. Garmin’s been doing this for a while and it’s refined the feature over the last couple of years. Its long battery life means you won’t shy away from wearing it to bed.

Features score: 4.5/5

Garmin Instinct 3: Performance

Garmin instinct 3 in neotropic green on wrist — (Image credit: Future)

Superb battery life
Navigational features fine
Comparable to other Garmins

The bottom line is, if you’ve used another Garmin, this will all be very familiar. There’s no reinventing the wheel here, and as I’m trying to review the watch in a vacuum, I can’t really dock points for lack of innovation. It’s a superb running and walking watch, with lots of features at a reasonable price point.

Heart rate tracking doesn’t betray any major inaccuracies compared to pace and cadence of runs and walks, even though it uses the older sensor. It showed comparable statistics to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. it’s got a serviceable strength training mode most people won’t bother with, and will even track other outdoor disciplines such as surfs with GPS information, including travel speed and estimated number of waves caught.

All of Garmin’s outdoor-focused features are clear and present here, and the AMOLED screen offers a similar experience to the Garmin Forerunner 265 and 965: intuitive to navigate with the buttons, even with gloves on, and the widget list is easy to customize. I tried TracBack on one long run, and that worked fine even without maps, helping me retrace my steps easily enough. Even the screens viewed during exercise are customizable, not just the home menu of widgets.

The battery life is really good, far outperforming many other running watches in its price bracket, with the exception of Coros. The AMOLED 45mm Instinct doesn’t reach Coros’ 24-day heights, but its listed 18-day battery life was accurate based on my testing period. I occasionally used the torch indoors and outdoors at night and found it bright enough for my needs, but not as bright as the Epix Pro (Gen 2)’s more powerful, similar torch.

Performance score: 5/5

Garmin Instinct 3: Scorecard

Garmin Instinct 3: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You exercise outdoors
This is an excellent adventure watch for running, cycling, hiking, surfing and more.

You don’t own an up-to-date Garmin watch
It’s a good buy for those without a Garmin already, as it’s a quintessential Garmin experience at a lower buy-in than a Forerunner or Fenix watch.

You don’t care about maps
Don’t need full-color, GPS, topographical maps, and happy with a little arrow offering directions instead? You’ll be fine with the Instinct 3.

Don't buy it if...

You're a heavy metal fan
The Garmin Instinct 3’s polymer casing is rugged and durable, but can feel a bit plasticky compared to metallic watches.

You want a smartwatch experience
This is very much a fitness watch, first and foremost. Those looking to use third-party apps to their fullest extent or answer emails should look elsewhere. View Deal

You’re a gym bunny
Predominantly workout indoors? The Garmin Instinct 3 has little to offer you in comparison to an Apple or Samsung Watch. View Deal

Also consider

Coros Pace 3

The best value running watch, and an excellent Garmin alternative.

Read our full review

Garmin Fenix 8

The best premium Garmin, with all the features missing from the Instinct series.

Read our full review

How I tested the Garmin Instinct 3

I wore the Garmin Instinct 3 during strength training workouts, boxing workouts, runs and even went surfing with it. I tested its TracBack features on a long out-and-back run, checked its heart rate readings against an Apple Watch Ultra, and ran the battery down over 16 days of use.

First reviewed: January 2025

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer review: a no-nonsense air fryer that really delivers

4:02 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Air Fryers Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: UK | Comments: Off

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: one-minute review

British manufacturer Russell Hobbs is a trusted name in the European home and kitchen gadgets market, providing high-quality appliances that don't break the bank. As such, our expectations for the brand's new Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre were high - and it didn't disappoint. The Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer is perfect for small to medium-sized households who want a solid, no-nonsense air fryer and aren't fussed about extra bells and whistles.

This air fryer offers two separate baskets that can be programmed to different temperatures and times. There are also handy match and sync functionalities to allow you to program each to the same settings (if you need to cook more of one food across two baskets, for example) or, if you're cooking separate foods for the same meal, finish cooking simultaneously. I'd have loved to see smart functionality included to make this process even easier, though. In addition, nine presets are available so you can quickly cook pizza, chips, and even steak. I found these presets to provide mostly accurate results, though, like most air fryers, some experimentation is required for optimal results. Overall, I only had a few minor hiccups with testing - with the usual air fryer suspects (baking and dehydrating).

Empty drawers inside Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — You can match or sync cooking times for the two baskets (Image credit: Future)

Aesthetically, the Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre looks beautiful, with its modern matte black and champagne design allowing it to blend into a contemporary kitchen's decor without sticking out like a sore thumb. This design is important because this air fryer takes up a lot of counter space, so the least it can do is be pretty doing it.

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre is a great air fryer with consistent results, but don't expect as much hand-holding as you get from some competitors. There's no recipe book included, only a user manual that tells you how to use its functions (which you definitely need to read), a breakdown of its preset functions, and a rough guide to the temperatures and time for other common air fryer items. While this guide is useful and includes some notes on preparing roast potatoes, for example, it doesn't give weights, so you may need to experiment with how much food product you should put in the baskets for optimal results.

Roast potatoes cooked using Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — The manual provides instructions for cooking roast potatoes, but no weights, so you may have to experiment. Our potatoes turned out perfectly (Image credit: Future)

In addition, while nine liters seems like a lot, I found it was enough capacity for our household of two, but larger families may struggle to cook more than one meal component at a time. I'd have loved to see the dual basket become one large basket with a removable divider, as seen in the Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer.

Overall, the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket is a brilliant kitchen gadget that ranks up there with the best air fryers, especially for those with experience using these handy appliances. While this is a more premium air fryer with a price tag to match, it performs better than some competitors we've tested at higher price points. It's worth the investment if you're after a reliable air fryer with quality-of-life functions, but may be less suitable for large families or those after extras, like smart functionality.

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: price and availability

Price: £199.99 (roughly $250 / AU$400)
Available in UK only from Russell Hobbs directly and select third-party retailers
Regular discounts and sales

While some of the best air fryers on the market, like the Ninja Double Oven and Dreo ChefMaker, can cost you over $250 /£250, the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre comes in at the lower end of premium pricing. At £199.99 (roughly $250 / AU$400), it's still a pretty pricey investment but is well worth the money if you want a reliable air fryer you plan to use regularly. Plus, there are regular sales, with the Russell Hobbs store dropping the price to just £99.99 in its January 2025 sale - an absolute steal for this level of quality.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the Satisfry Dual Basket isn't available in the US or Australia.

Value score: 4.5/5

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: specifications

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: design

Modern black and champagne colorways
Takes up a lot of space
Easy to clean
Clear touchscreen display, but can be hard to navigate

The Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket has one of the sleekest air fryer designs around. It's matte black with stylish champagne accents, so it should complement a contemporary kitchen well. This is a hefty air fryer, though. It may not be as large as some on the market, but it easily takes up a whole counter space and weighs in at 7.8kg. So, if you have a smaller kitchen or less countertop room, you may struggle to find it a home.

This size isn't surprising given this is a nine-liter air fryer with two deep separate baskets. While this seems like a lot, the baskets have more depth than width and length, so while they can hold bigger items, you can't fit a huge amount in each basket. For example, I got about 321g of frozen steak fries into one basket (with some overlap) while still allowing for the required space the air fryer needs to function, and a small pizza just about fitted in the other. This was fine for our two-person household, but for bigger households, you would likely need both baskets - preventing you from cooking another item for your meal simultaneously. I wish Russell Hobbs had designed this so that you could connect the two baskets to create one large basket, as we've seen from some competitors.

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Frozen fries and pizza inside Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — There's just about enough room for a small pizza in one basket, and steak fries for two people in the other (Image credit: Future)

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Pizza and fries cooked using Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — The Pizza setting delivered slightly overdone results (Image credit: Future)

The baskets are easily washed, requiring a simple wipe-down before hand washing both it and the crisping plates. Whether you can actually put parts in the dishwasher is a tad confusing, though. The user manual says you can wash the baskets and crisping plates in the dishwasher, but Russell Hobbs advises against it. This is likely due to the black, non-stick coating of these elements, and it's also recommended you use plastic tongs to remove your food.

While the sound levels of some kitchen gadgets can be imposing, the Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Liter isn't one of those. Sure, it's loud enough that you can certainly hear it, clocking around an average of 63 to 64 decibels during my testing, but not loud enough that you have to shout over it. Likewise, when in use, the front is room temperature to the touch, with the heat coming out of a vent at the back and hitting a max temperature (while cooking steak and fries together) of 75C / 167F. This means it should be safe to function in your kitchen if you've got little ones about - just don't let them touch the inside!

Control panel of Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — The Satisfry has a bright LED display and touch controls that let you program each basket separately, but make sure you read the instruction manual carefully first (Image credit: Future)

Here's where I struggled a bit with the Satisfry Dual Basket: the touchscreen interface. The appliance has a touchscreen digital display that lets you program each basket, assigning your preferred presets, functions, temperature, and time. On the surface, it looks pretty straightforward to use - but you need to read the instructions because it can be a bit complicated to get to grips with, especially when you're programming baskets separately.

That's fine, and with time, I got used to it, but issues arose when I tried to cancel a basket while the other was on. While you can adjust the temperature, time, and settings of one basket while the other is on, there doesn't appear to be a cancel button if you decide to pull out one basket early. I still haven't worked out how to do it without stopping the other basket cooking - and the manual doesn't cover it.

This is an air fryer that's not going to hold your hand. It has plenty of handy quality-of-life features to make cooking efficient, but if you've not had an air fryer before, you may struggle to work out some aspects. While some air fryers come with a hefty user manual and recipe book, this one includes a fairly short manual.

Steaks cooked using Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — The Satisfry can cook foods like steak well, but the instruction manual doesn't hold your hand - cooking experience is invaluable. Our cooked steaks tasted great (Image credit: Future)

It does a great job explaining how to use the gadget's main functions but doesn't cover cancelling. Likewise, it lists the preset functions' settings and gives a rough guideline for cooking common foods but doesn't give a recommended weight or size. This was particularly confusing when it came to pizza. There's a pizza preset with a slice of pizza icon, which left me confused about whether it's meant to cook just one slice of pizza or what size pizza this preset was designed for. The air fryer just about fits a small pizza in one basket. If you're expecting to put anything bigger in it. as I was. you're out of luck.

Design score: 4/5

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: performance

Presets are pretty accurate
Useful Sync and Match functions
Quality-of-life features, like Shake
No smart functionality

While the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre's interface can be a bit confusing to get to grips with, its performance and features are impressive.

This air fryer comes with nine presets: Steak, Fries, Chicken, Fish, Pizza, Dehydrate, Bake, Vegetables, and Reheat. I admit I was skeptical about air-frying steak so it was the first thing I tested. I popped two sirloins into a basket with a bit of oil and seasoning, selected the Steak preset, and in 12 minutes, I had two medium steaks. Now, they were a bit overdone for my liking, didn't have the sort of sear you get from a pan, and the fat hadn't really rendered, but they tasted great. If I were to repeat this in the future, I'd have preheated the air fryer manually (there's no preheat function) and taken the steaks out a few minutes earlier.

Fries cooked using Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — Fries turned out crisp and golden on the outside, and fluffy within (Image credit: Future)

Alongside my steaks, I added about four potatoes worth of fresh fries to the other basket and set the second basket to the Fries preset and to Sync mode. This meant the fries were ready at the same time as my steaks and cooked to perfection, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. If you want to cook the two baskets at the same temperature and time or preset, you simply press Match instead of Sync.

Other presets performed well, too, but some food items worked better than others. The Chicken preset resulted in crispy chicken wings that were juicy inside, the Vegetables setting gave me delicious carrots - but charred broccoli - and the Pizza setting gave me a slightly overdone (but not burnt) lunch.

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Chicken wings cooked using Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — Chicken wings cooked using the Satisfry air fryer turned out juicy and delicious... (Image credit: Future)

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Vegetables cooked using Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — ...but vegetables were a little overdone (Image credit: Future)

The Dehydration setting, as with many air fryers, didn't dry out my oranges quite how I'd like, so it took another 120 minutes for the best results. The Bake setting, however, I was fairly impressed with - though an oven definitely gives better results.

Air fryers are renowned for being bad at baking, particularly cakes. When I cooked some cupcake-sized muffins on the Bake preset, they came out a bit browner on top but cooked, whereas another batch (which I set to the recipe instructions rather than the preset) was raw on the bottom. The silicon cupcake tray only just fit in a basket, though, so what you can bake may be somewhat restricted.

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Muffins cooked using Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — Muffins turned out well when cooked using the air fryer's Bake preset (Image credit: Future)

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Partially cooked muffin baked using Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — Don't be tempted to use the recipe instructions rather than the Bake setting (Image credit: Future)

After the muffin success, I gave an air fryer Lemon Drizzle cake/loaf a try. A metal loaf tin didn't fit, but my silicon one did - again just. This time, I combined the Bake preset with the recipe, cooking the cake low and slow for an hour and 30 minutes, adding aluminum foil to the top of it after the first 30 minutes to prevent it from burning. The cake worked, but again, it was quite dry, so I wouldn't advise prioritizing baking with this air fryer (or any, in fact).

What I particularly liked about this air fryer was its extra, quality-of-life functions and features. The Delay function allows you to delay the start of cooking by a set amount of time, so I could easily put some food in the air fryer for lunch an hour later, set the delay time for 60 minutes and the preset I needed, and return to my cooked food after the delay and cooking time had passed.

Loaf cake cooked using Russell Hobbs Satisfry air fryer — (Image credit: Future)

There's also a shake reminder for some presets, which means the air fryer beeps to remind you to turn or shake your food - allowing for more even cooking. While this and the end time beep aren't as loud as I'd like, it's very useful when you're busy with other things, as is the auto shut off feature. It feels like Russell Hobbs is missing a trick by not adding smart functionality so you could program the air fryer from your phone, but this may not be a dealbreaker for you.

Performance: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer?

Buy it if

You want a high quality air fryer with good performance

The Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer is a high-quality appliance that does its job with little fuss. If you need an air fryer that offers consistent results and covers the common food types well, you can't go wrong with this gadget.

You want a premium air fryer that's not over £200

Premium air fryers can cost upwards of £250 and that pricing isn't always indicative of quality. While £199.99 is still expensive, you're getting premium quality for that price tag and a one-year guarantee, while regular sales and discounts mean you can pick it up for even less.

You want to cook two meal components at once

Whether you want to use Match or Sync, this air fryer can help you make mealtimes easier by setting each basket to its own temperature and time, or preset.

You want a stylish air fryer

This is one of my favorite air fryer designs, as it's simply yet elegant. If aesthetics are important to you, and you're a fan of contemporary decor, this is one of the prettiest air fryers around.

Don't buy it if

You've got a large family

I have a household of two, and this air fryer felt like the right size for us to make larger meals. If you have a large family and want to make a full meal in an air fryer, this may not be for you, but if you want to use an air fryer to do parts of your meals, it's the perfect companion to your oven or stove.

You've got little counter space

Like many dual air fryers, this is a chunky appliance. I have a smaller kitchen and it was quite imposing as it took up a full counter space. If you've a smaller kitchen or less counter space, you may struggle to find a home for it.

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: also consider

Not sure if the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer is right for you? Here are two more options to consider.

Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone

If you live outside the UK where the Satisfry isn't available, this is two-drawer air fryer is a great alternative. It looks smart, and produces consistently good results (though we'd appreciate a reminder to shake to food for even cooking).

Read our full Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone review

Ninja Double Stack

If you don't have space for a full-width two-drawer air fryer, the Double Stack is the appliance for you. It's deeper and taller, but much narrower than the Russell Hobbs Satisfry or the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone, and in our tests it produced evenly browned, crispy fries every time.

Read our full Ninja Double Stack review

How I tested the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer

I used the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryeror a week, cooking a wide variety of foods including fries, chicken wings, fresh vegetables, steak, cake, and muffins. I tested all the air fryer's various modes and cleaned the air fryer in line with the instructions provided in the manual. For more details, see how we test.

First reviewed January 2025.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K review: a large, feature-rich gaming mouse that doesn’t quite best its rivals

3:35 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Mice Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: PC | Comments: Off

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Two-minute review

The Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is a large gaming mouse with plenty of clever features and multiple connectivity options, making it a versatile pointer suitable for various setups and use cases.

It adopts the familiar design popularized by the Logitech G502, with its long sloping front and protruding thumb slot. It’s fairly smart and understated, especially in its black variant, and the RGB lighting around the scroll wheel, logo and bottom edge is subtle and tasteful.

Feeling premium, the materials are among what the best gaming mice have to offer. The plastic chassis is lightly textured and the sides are finished with high- quality rubberized grips. These offer enough security without becoming sticky or collecting dust and dirt over time, as grips on other mice are prone to.

The buttons are of a similar quality. The mouse clicks feel robust and well damped, while the side buttons are snappy with a pleasingly deep travel, making them easy to use. The same is true of the DPI button on the top too.

The scroll wheel has a side-tilt function, which works well since the raised height of the wheel itself makes it easy to tilt left and right. Vertical scrolls are well notched; although it isn’t as tight as you’ll find on other gaming mice, it suffices. This is perhaps a small compromise given that it has a free spin ability, activated by pressing the button above it.

Side view of Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K — (Image credit: Future)

What’s more, in Razer’s Synapse peripheral software, you can set the scroll wheel to activate free spin automatically, triggered when you flick it more vigorously. This works well for the most part, although there can be a slight delay as the lock disengages after recognizing a hard flick. However, it’s still viable enough for practical use.

The mouse also features a sniper button, which is well positioned for easy access and clicks in towards the user, again facilitating easy presses. It too feels well damped and built to withstand the rigors of intense gaming.

Weighing in at 112g, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is on the heavier side relative to pro-focused gaming mice. Despite this, it’s still quite maneuverable, and the weight feels more evenly distributed than other heavy mice, meaning it feels lighter than it actually is; I’ve tested lighter mice that are tougher to move around than this.

The PTFE skates are quite thin, but on padded surfaces it’s silky smooth and I had no issues with gliding. It does tend to scratch a little on hard ones, though, and unfortunately, there’s no spare set included in the box.

What is included, though, is a USB cable for wired play. It’s quite flexible but more weighty than other gaming mouse cables. As a result, I experienced a small element of drag when using it, but it was manageable enough to carry on playing.

Close-up of underneath of Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K — (Image credit: Future)

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is compatible with Synapse V4. While the layout is clear and easy to navigate, there are a few issues worth noting. For instance, when using the mouse in wired mode, the tab for it sometimes disappeared momentarily. Also, the battery readouts were initially sporadic, dropping suddenly at times and failing to indicate charging when a wired connection was active, merely displaying a 100% level even though this clearly wasn’t the case. However, these are minor bugs that’ll hopefully be quashed with future software and firmware updates.

When it does work as intended, however, Synapse offers plenty of customization options to sink your teeth into. Standard rebinding options are present, allowing you to map the buttons to other buttons, keyboard keys, and a generous selection of Windows shortcuts. There’s also the Hypershift function, which allows you to map a secondary layer of binds to all buttons, save for the one button you designate as the Hypershift button itself.

Disappointingly, though, there are only a few performance tweaks, such as customizable DPI cycling increments and polling rate changes that top out at 1K, which might not suffice for elite players (they’ll have to purchase the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle for that privilege). However, there is something called Asymmetric Cut-Off, which allows you to set the lift-off and landing distances independently, with plenty of adjustments on the slider for both – not something you see in many other peripheral software.

In use, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K performs admirably. Gliding is smooth and the Razer Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3 are responsive, although the clicks are a little on the heavy side, which doesn’t make them the best for spamming. That aforementioned heavy weight can compromise swiping speeds too, so those who like low DPI settings might have a hard time here.

Also, the HyperSpeed Wireless Dongle, which is supposed to reduce latency, didn’t appear to make much difference over the standard 2.4GHz dongle during my tests. However, I did experience a few dropouts when using the latter, although my setup could’ve been the culprit, as objects may have been blocking the receiver.

The multiple connectivity modes work fine for the most part, although there is a slight delay when switching between the 2.4GHz and Bluetooth modes across two devices, and a press is required first to wake up the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K to the new device.

Battery life is a claimed 120 hours in HyperSpeed wireless mode, or 210 hours in Bluetooth, but during my tests, which involved switching between the two modes regularly, I was getting closer to sub-100 hours, which is still an admirable performance.

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K acquits itself well enough, but it doesn’t really achieve anything that spectacular. At this price, it faces some stiff competition, chiefly from Razer’s own DeathAdder and the Logitech G502 X Plus. For performance and features, these two probably edge ahead of the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, so while it’s perfectly capable, it’s probably not the strongest feature-filled mouse out there.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Price & availability

Close-up of mouse buttons on Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K — (Image credit: Future)

$159.99 / £159.99 / AU$279.95
Available in black and white
Rivals similarly priced

The Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K costs $159.99 / £159.99 / AU$279.95 and is available now in both black and white colorways. The HyperSpeed Wireless Dongle is included, as is a USB cable for wired play and charging.

It’s the same price as the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, which is considerably lighter in weight (63g), but also lighter on features, since its pared-back design is focused on gaming prowess above all else. For instance, it comes with Razer’s HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which boosts the maximum polling rate to 8K for great precision and smoothness.

Its nearest rival from another brand is the Logitech G502 X Plus, the best wireless gaming mouse for features. Both have a similar price and shape; however, the G502 does feature two more buttons next to the left click, which makes it slightly more versatile.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Specs

Should you buy the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K?

Buy it if...

You prize build quality
True to many of Razer’s peripherals, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is engineered to a very high standard, with the chassis and buttons feeling exceptional to hold and press.

You want more buttons and features
A four-way scroll wheel with Smart reel, a sniper button, and three connectivity modes mean there are few situations the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K can’t handle.

Don't buy it if...

You have small hands
The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is quite long and reasonably wide, so those with small hands might have a hard time getting to grips with it… literally.

You’re an elite player
The heavy weight and a native lack of 8K polling will likely mean it won’t be fast or precise enough in competitive play.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Also consider

Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro
If gaming performance is your main concern, you can’t do much better than the DeathAdder V3 Pro. It’s very light for a wireless mouse, and packs in an 8K polling rate to boot, all for the same price as the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K. However, it doesn’t have as many buttons, and there’s no Bluetooth connectivity either, so this isn’t a mouse for those who want wide-reaching versatility.

Logitech G502 X Plus
One of the most popular gaming mice around, the G502 X Plus can be had for a similar price to the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, and it’s similarly feature-packed. However, it just edges ahead thanks to its two extra buttons, giving you more functionality. Its gaming performance is nothing to scoff at, either.

How I tested the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K

Tested for over a week
Used for gaming and productivity
Over a decade of PC gaming experience

I tested the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K for over a week, during which time I used it for gaming and productivity purposes.

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First reviewed: January 2025

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K review – a filmmaker’s workhorse with quality full-frame sensor

3:20 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers Gadgets Video Cameras | Tags: AF, ISO, RAW, UI | Comments: Off

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: two-minute review

The Blackmagic Pyxis is the company's first venture into box-style cameras, and at its core lies a proven full-frame sensor, delivering up to 6K resolution and 13 stops of dynamic range. The key benefit of this high resolution is that you can use the full width and height of the 3:2 surface area of the sensor, allowing for much greater flexibility when you need to produce content for multiple platforms.

The camera’s UI is generally a triumph, with large touch controls, clear navigation, and sensible menu structures. However, when you turn the camera to film vertically, the UI stays fixed; on the older Pocket 6K, the UI rotates to suit the new orientation, so it’s clear that Blackmagic had thought about this problem and had come up with a simple solution, and it’s odd that they’ve yet to implement it on the Pyxis, which lends itself even more to shooting in different orientations. That said, even during my brief time with the camera the company released significant updates to both the camera and the Blackmagic Camera App that delivered functionality and performance improvements, so I’m confident that it will address smaller issues like this in time.

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera in the studio, mounted to video tripod, with a vibrant magenta background — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

In terms of hardware, the camera's standout feature is its machined aluminum construction, which offers professional-grade modularity and heat dissipation. However, the positioning of its cooling mechanism draws air from the base of the camera and forces it out through the top, and while it’s great for warming your hands on a chilly day, it does leave the camera feeling particularly exposed to inclement weather.

It features a multitude of mounting points on its bottom, top and side, where you’ll find its modular accessory plate, which can be used to install a rosette plate for a grip or an SSD holder for example. While the $2,995 / £2,645 / AU$4,899 (approx) starting price is competitive, buyers should factor in additional costs for essential accessories like an EVF, monitor, handle, and other rigging solutions, although many people buying this camera are likely to already have some compatible accessories.

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera on set, with optional monitor — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

The camera excels in its versatility with its comprehensive I/O (input / output) options, including BP-U battery compatibility, a nice common standard, as well as a 12G-SDI port and USB-C connectivity. The USB-C port on the front of the camera can transmit a video signal out to an HDMI source (without visual assist tools like false color), and the one on the rear can be used to tether the camera to a mobile device for remote wireless control, monitoring and synced recording across multiple connected Blackmagic cameras. Other professional features like timecode sync, Ethernet connectivity, SSD recording, and cloud workflow integration are also included.

The Pyxis delivers impressive image quality with Blackmagic's highly regarded color science, though it lacks some features that mirrorless shooters will be used to, like advanced autofocus and optical image stabilization. Some form of internal ND filter system would have been a big bonus, but nothing in this price range or class offers that, so expecting it would be unreasonable. While its few limitations are worth consideration, if you’re in the market for a true workhorse camera that can be adapted to a wide range of shooting scenarios the Blackmagic Pyxis makes a strong case for itself, especially when you consider that the purchase of a Blackmagic camera includes a full license for the DaVinci Resolve Studio editing suite, worth $295 / £235 / AU$440.

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: price and release date

Body-only price: $2,995 / £2,645 / AU$4,899 (approx)
Available now in three lens mount versions; EF-mount, L-mount of PL-mount (the latter costs $100 / £100 / AU$180 extra
You'll want additional accessories

The Blackmagic Pyxis 6K was announced at NAB Show Las Vegas in April 2024 and is available to order now. It can be picked up for a list price of $2,995 / £2,645 / AU$4,899 body-only in EF or L-mount, while the PL mount version costs $100 / £100 / AU$180 (approx) extra.

That price represents five star value given how the camera handles and what it is capable of for filmmaking. However, you will also need to factor in multiple accessories to improve the shooting experience, including an optional monitor, viewfinder, top handle and more.

Price score: 4.5/5

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: specs

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: design and handling

Excellent build quality with machined aluminum construction
Modular design, requires accessories to maximize its potential
UI doesn’t rotate as on the Pocket 6K

The Blackmagic Pyxis 6K is a relatively compact camera given what it's capable of, but it still weighs in at a hefty 3.3lbs / 1,500g, which is roughly the weight of two Lumix S5 IIX mirrorless cameras. Measuring 119 x 106 x 151mm (H x W x D), and with a fixed LCD display on its left side, the Pyxis feels like it needs an additional accessory for monitoring. If you want to stay on brand, your options include the Blackmagic URSA Cine EVF, the specially designed Blackmagic Pyxis Monitor, or a Blackmagic Video Assist. I had the chance to pair the camera with the Pyxis monitor, and it was ideal for run-and-gun-style shooting without being overly conspicuous, and its built-in pop-up hood is a nice touch. It’s a solid addition to the camera's accessory lineup, and provides full camera control via its touchscreen and the three customizable function buttons on its rear.

I also got to use the URSA Cine EVF, and it would be a great option for filming Electronic News Gathering (ENG) / documentary-style work, as it immerses you in the frame by blocking out off-camera distractions. The setup is highly flexible, with the EVF being easy to position. It comes with an extension arm, as well as USB-C to USB-C cables of various lengths, so that you can place the EVF in the most comfortable orientation possible for your style of shooting. A nice detail sees the EVF’s USB-C cables come with screw fixtures so that they can’t be easily pulled out, and I also like that the EVF has a tally light built into it.

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The Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera's top handle, in the studio with a vibrant magenta background — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

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Closeup of the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera's I/O options, in the studio with a vibrant magenta background — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

Returning to the side of the camera, the Pyxis has physical controls for all key functions, and offers three customizable function buttons so that you can save your most commonly used tools – I set mine to focus assist, false color and LUT view. If you use the EVF, it also has physical buttons, three of which can be independently customized from the ones you’ve assigned on the body. I found that the buttons and control dial click and scroll responsively, and while I would have preferred an additional record button on the front or right side of the camera, the placement of the physical controls is generally logical, and will be swiftly committed to muscle memory with regular use.

People who are new to cinema-style box cameras may be in for a slight shock when they realize just how much additional kit they need to buy in order to make their camera functional – while its starting price seems competitive, the camera doesn’t even come with a battery in the box. So you will want to factor in additional costs, as they can stack up quite quickly. As well as power, the optional £165 / $199 (around AU$325) top handle feels like a necessity too, not least because it's critical for working with the EVF or Pyxis monitor. I’d most likely purchase the Pyxis monitor first, but the EVF is a nicely designed piece of kit; for me, as somebody who often shoots handheld outside, it definitely elevates the functionality of the camera.

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Memory card in the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera's card port — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

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Rear of the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera, in the studio with a vibrant magenta background — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

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Top view of the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera, in the studio with a vibrant magenta background — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

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Closeup of the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera's controls, in the studio with a vibrant magenta background — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

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The camera's layout is professional and purposeful, although the built-in screen’s position on the left side of the camera body forces you to touch it while holding it, quite a lot, which will undoubtedly jar some people. Helpfully, in the latest update (9.2) you’re able to lock the screen while still having full access to the camera’s physical controls, which is a welcome improvement in functionality. For audio, the camera offers a 3.5mm stereo input on the front, as well as a mini XLR input, which will give you phantom power. You can run the camera directly from mains power via its +12V 2-pin Lemo connector, which is handy for me, as someone who predominantly shoots in studios and controlled indoor environments. Its dual CF Express Type B card slots are protected by a rubber cover, and the locking USB-C ports add security for monitor connections. The overall build quality is excellent, especially given the camera’s competitive pricing, although the rubber media door could be more robust, and the lack of weather sealing is notable, albeit typical for this style of camera body.

Design score: 4/5

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: features and performance

Internal 12-bit Raw video, but no ProRes
Filmic quality to footage
Versatile rigging options
Professional I/O
No in-body image stabilization
No continuous AF

The Blackmagic Pyxis 6K offers impressive connectivity options, including 12G-SDI output, USB-C, and Ethernet. The dual native ISO provides flexibility in various lighting conditions, while the dual card slots offer redundancy and extended recording times. Its best-in-class menu system is intuitive for newbies and familiar to Blackmagic users, offering logical functionality and decent customization options.

Professional features include built-in timecode, streaming capabilities, and cloud workflow integration. It also comes with a range of exposure tools that will ensure you’re gathering as much usable Raw imaging data as possible while recording. Typically, I would rely on false color, which I assigned to one of the camera’s three customizable function buttons. But it was great to see the addition of the RGB traffic light indicator system, which has possibly been borrowed from RED’s Komodo cameras. When any one of the camera’s pixel channels are beginning to clip, that light will stay illuminated, indicating that you need to lower your exposure. It’s a great at-a-glance exposure tool that’s been seamlessly integrated into the general display UI. Although it doesn’t work for underexposure, there are plenty of other tools, like false color, histogram, and zebra patterns available to help here.

Closeup of the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera's monitor, in the studio with a vibrant magenta background — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

During my review window Blackmagic released a couple of relatively major updates, one for the Blackmagic Camera App (iOS v2.2) and the other for the Pyxis 6K. The improvements introduced with Firmware 9.2 included some handy connectivity features. If its running the latest firmware, the Pyxis can now use a compatible iPhone as a monitor when acting as a personal wireless hotspot and tethered via the rear USB-C port (the Pyxis itself has no Wi-Fi transmission module), and when functioning like this, you can use your iPhone to control multiple cameras and even initiate synchronized recording, which is a great solution for people who often rely on multi-camera setups. The new firmware also provided a significant boost to the camera’s power efficiency, adding roughly 30-40% more operating time in my experience. Of course, your mileage may vary, but before the update I was already able to get about 35 minutes out of a BP-U-30 (28Wh) battery, and after the update I was getting another 20-30 minutes or so extra. Battery life monitoring was also improved by the update, so the camera will now go all the way down to 1% before eventually shutting off.

Some may be disappointed to learn that the Pyxis 6K has no stabilization whatsoever, but it does record gyro data to offer reasonable stabilization in post. There’s also noticeable wobble caused by rolling shutter when you’re moving with the camera, particularly when shooting in 6K open gate mode; it’s not horrendous, but it would encourage me to shoot more static-style shots when using this camera in particular. The visible effects of rolling shutter diminish as you reduce the sensor area used for recording, and are barely noticeable when shooting at 4K/60p in 17:9 aspect ratio, so I’d say it’s worth being conscious of what your output may be. Shooting for your end output instead of belligerently spamming open gate may be the wiser choice – you can save open gate for shots with less camera movement that need the flexibility of the sensor’s full readout. It’s worth mentioning that Davinci Resolve is also able to use the camera’s gyro data to mitigate some of the warping that you may see when moving the camera around while recording.

Closeup of the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera's LCD monitor, in the studio with a vibrant magenta background — (Image credit: Jon Devo)

Wrapping up my niggles, the autofocus system is basic and offers no continuous AF, but it does have some handy focusing tools, which can be adjusted to suit your preferences. You can also use the dedicated push-to-focus button at the top-left side of the camera, and there’s an Iris button above that, which can help you nail exposure in a pinch. The camera also works well with external focus solutions like the DJI Focus Pro, which would be a typical approach for working with a camera like this.

A final, positive operating observation is just how quickly the camera powers up. Within five seconds of switching it on, the camera is up and ready to record. If you’re not familiar with cinema cameras, this may seem like a long amount of time, but in this realm, the Pyxis is relatively speedy, and it’s refreshing.

Features and performance score: 4/5

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: image and video quality

Excellent image quality in most conditions
Better noise-handling than the Z50 at the same ISO
4K/60p video with a 1.5x crop

The Pyxis captures images that are typically attractive for Blackmagic cameras, if it’s a look you’re familiar with. By this, I mean that the footage looks detailed, without looking sharp, and highlights roll off softly, delivering a cinematic look that needs very little work to get it ready to publish. The quoted 13 stops of dynamic range provides good flexibility in post-production, especially if you expose for the highlights and utilize DaVinci Resolve’s highlight recovery in post, when needed. Color reproduction is excellent thanks to Generation 5 color science, and the OLPF effectively controls moiré, which is great for shooting buildings, or clothing like silk and denim.

Low-light performance is good within the camera’s limitations, though not class-leading. However, Resolve is armed with comprehensive tools for reducing the impact of sensor noise. If you have the time and the aptitude, Blackmagic RAW files are really easy to work with, and can be honed to deliver an attractive look in most situations. While it’s not a no-light camera, the Pyxis would be perfectly capable of delivering attractive video in bar/club lighting scenarios or other low-ambient-lighting scenarios. The ability to shoot up to 6K resolution with a full-frame sensor with frames for various aspect ratios provides excellent flexibility for different delivery formats.

Image and video quality score: 4.5/5

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: testing scorecard

Should I buy the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K?

Buy it if...

You’re a solo filmmaker or a small production unit that needs a professional solution
The Blackmagic Pyxis 6K is clearly built with pro work in mind, and is incredibly versatile.

You value image quality and want RAW video
Blackmagic RAW is one of the easiest pro video formats to work with, and even at its lowest bitrate settings the Pyxis delivers sumptuous video when exposed well.

You have a higher-end cinema camera and need a B-cam
The combination of the Pyxis 6K’s sensor and Blackmagic’s color science provide an excellent starting point for delivering cinematic video. However, the camera produces an image that is robust and flexible. If you or your colorist has a basic understanding of grading, matching your clips with footage from another high-end camera should be straightforward enough.

Don't buy it if...

You need a compact all-in-one solution
The Pyxis is designed to be rigged up and utilized in a wide variety of ways. For this reason, it’s relatively stripped back, but provides users with plenty of options for customizing its form and functionality to suit their needs.

You don’t need RAW video
If color grading your footage is not something your work (or pleasure) typically requires, there’s no need to pick up a camera that offers no compressed recording formats. You’ll be adding an unnecessary step to your workflow, which will cost you time and may cost you enthusiasm.

You need high-frame-rate, high-resolution video
The Pyxis 6K can shoot 6K at up to 50/60fps in the 17:9 and 2:4:1 aspect ratio respectively. It also shoots 2K at up to 100fps. However, if high-frame-rate video is a must for you, there are other cameras to consider that are more specialized for this type of filmmaking

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: also consider

Canon EOS C70

Canon's smallest cinema camera, the EOS C70 can be had for a similar price seccondhand to the Pyxis 6K. It's a Super 35 format camera (a smaller crop-sensor) with 4K video up to 120fps in 10-bit 4:2:2 plus 12-bit RAW recording. It boasts up to 16 stops dynamic range and utilizes Canon's RF-mount and features autofocus, while it features most of the I/O options demanded by serious filmmakers. Both the Pyxis 6K and EOS C70 put forward unique strengths.

Z CAM E2-F6 Mark II

Another cinema camera with modular box design iz Z CAM'S E2-F6 Mark II. Like the Pyxis 6K, it features a full-frame sensor and is able to record 6K video, but up to 60fps, plus it supports ProRes RAW and 10-bit color, with 15 stops dynamic range. There's SDI and full-size HDMI ports, plus a BNC timecode port and genlock. There's also the E2-S6 Mark II version which is largely the same, only it has a smaller Super 35 sensor. At $3,499, Z CAM's box camera is pricier than the Pyxis 6K

How I tested the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K

I had a briefing and sneak peak of the camera before its unveiling at NAB in 2024
I paired the camera with a variety of L-Mount lenses, and a IRIX T1.5 via a Viltrox PL-L adapter
I connected the camera to the Blackmagic Camera app

I was sent the Blackmagic Pyxis for review to test for a couple of weeks, due to a firmware update being released during my review window. The kit that came with the camera included the Blackmagic URSA Cine Handle, the Blackmagic URSA Cine viewfinder, a 1TB Angel Bird memory card and reader, as well as a Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 lens.

The first thing I did after receiving the camera was to conduct my endurance tests, which include battery run-downs and heat management. I set the camera up on a tripod in an ambient temperature environment of 70F / 21C, and left it filming continuously while connected to mains power and on battery power alone.

I then took the camera out with me on some street walks, and to a couple of family and evening events. I performed sound-quality tests in a small studio environment.

First reviewed January 2025

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