Organizer
Gadget news
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: a thick wireless gaming keyboard with exceptional performance – and a price to match
8:44 pm | January 17, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Keyboards Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: | Comments: Off

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: Two-minute review

The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is the brand’s new top-of-the-line wireless gaming keyboard, featuring hot-swappable mechanical switches and multiple connectivity options.

It cuts a rather formidable figure, with its angular, slab-like body conveying its gaming intentions. The RGB lighting also helps in this regard, and the bars around the bottom edges are a particularly nice touch, boasting just the right amount of opulence. Despite this, it isn’t as heavy or as unwieldy as you might think, and its compact layout makes it easy to get along with.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% also comes with a leatherette wrist rest that puts those on even the best gaming keyboards to shame, thanks to its ornate design and plush cushioning for maximum comfort. It might seem too thick at first, but you’ll likely adapt quickly as you sink into it.

A small OLED display is positioned in the top right corner of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, controlled via a button on the side of the keyboard and a scroll wheel, which can be set to perform various functions, such as adjusting the volume and switching app windows to name a few (further functions are available via Synapse, Razer’s peripheral software). Other keyboard settings are available via this display, although the selection is quite limited. But overall, it’s easy to use and works quite well.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is compatible with Synapse 4. During my time with it, I did experience a few technical hitches, including erroneous battery readouts and failed firmware updates. However, these issues eventually went away with updates and restarts, and I had little trouble thereafter.

When working as it should, Synapse 4 offers some useful customizations, with a plentiful selection of binds and shortcuts for both the keys and the scroll wheel. Everything is well presented and easy to navigate.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% really shines, though, when it comes to the business of gaming. The Gen-3 Tactile mechanical switches are snappy yet damped just enough to make them satisfying to use. The compact layout and indented doubleshot PBT keycaps are secure and easy to press too. However, if you’re not happy with the stock setup, the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is hot-swappable, allowing you to choose your own switches and keycaps to suit your preferences.

Typing is also a pleasant experience on the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, and the plush wrist pad offers plenty of support. My only minor complaint is the rather shallow six degree angle provided by the feet, but this still didn’t compromise comfort levels for me.

Connectivity between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes is easy, although I didn’t notice much improvement when using the included HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which elevates the polling rate maximum to 4K. Handy keyboard shortcuts also allow you to switch effortlessly between three Bluetooth connected devices, which makes the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% very versatile if you have lots of systems to move between.

Battery life on the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is good, but nothing spectacular. I found it could last a couple of days of varied use, switching between the various wireless modes. Charging from empty to full takes over two hours in my estimation, which is an average performance.

There’s no denying that the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a very well-made and extremely worthy gaming keyboard. But whether it’s worth that sizable asking price is debatable, especially when you consider others, such as the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog and Steelseries Apex Pro, offer stunning analog performance for less. However, for the mechanical purists, it’s certainly the cream of the crop.

Close-up of exposed switch on Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% with RGB lighting on

(Image credit: Future)

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: price and availability

  • $299 / £299 / AU$499
  • Available now in Black
  • Top-end of the market

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% costs $299 / £299 / AU$499 and is available now in one color: black. In the box you get a USB-C-to-A cable, the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, a key cap puller, and three spare switches.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% sits atop Razer’s gaming keyboard lineup in terms of price. It’s more expensive than the excellent Huntsman V2 Analog, the best gaming keyboard right now in our view. Unlike the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, the analog capability means that you can set the actuation point just so. However, it isn’t hot-swappable like the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, so you’re stuck with the optical switches, and it’s wired only.

Other high-profile rivals in the premium sector are also cheaper. The Steelseries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3, for instance, is a standout board that also features analog switches, and costs $269 / £259 (about AU$456).

Value: 2 / 5

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: specs

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% on desk with USB cable, USB dongle, keycap puller, and wrist rest

(Image credit: Future)

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: design and features

  • Thick body
  • Supremely engineered
  • Synapse 4 compatible

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a fairly unremarkable looking gaming keyboard from the front, but a three-dimensional view reveals just what a monolithic slab this keyboard really is. The layout is compact, although the keys are still spaced well enough apart to make them easy to use, even if you’re as clumsy as me.

There’s some RGB lighting for the keys and strips running along the bottom edges, which does help to make its appearance more elaborate.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% comes with a wrist rest, which is much more plush and padded than many of those offered by its rivals. In fact, I thought it was too thick at first, as it raises your hands higher than usual. However, you do sink into it, and after a short while I acclimatized. The two-stage feet help to get a more comfortable position, although neither setting raises the board that high compared to other keyboard feet.

It’s also more stylish than many other rests too, thanks to its premium leatherette material with a subtle herringbone pattern. It connects to the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% magnetically with just the right amount of force, making it easy to remove yet strong enough to remain secure.

The doubleshot PBT keycaps are lightly textured and feel premium to the touch. The same goes for the stock Gen-3 Tactile mechanical switches, although since this is a hot-swappable keyboard, you can change them if they aren’t to your liking.

Close-up of volume wheel on Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%

(Image credit: Future)

Nestled in the top right corner of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a small OLED display. This can be used to show GIFs and make certain adjustments, which can be accessed by holding a button on the side of the board. There are only a few settings available, though, including those for the RGB effects and the polling rate (with a 4K maximum when using the included HyperPolling Wireless Dongle).

Tapping the side button cycles through up to six presets for the scroll wheel functionality; it can be used to adjust the volume, switch between apps, and zoom in and out, with inward clicks of the wheel having related functions too.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is compatible with Synapse 4. During my time with this software, I did experience a few glitches, such as the battery indicator giving false readings and the tab for the keyboard itself disappearing from the window. Also, firmware updates failed numerous times, but after a few updates and restarts, it worked more smoothly.

Synapse offers the usual customizations, including key rebinds, but the scope for these is large. You can map mouse buttons, as well as numerous Windows and media shortcuts (more than many other peripheral software offer) to the keys and even to the scroll wheel. There’s also the Hypershift feature, which allows you to add a second layer of binds by pressing the Hypershift button, designated to a key of your choosing.

Design & features: 4 / 5

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: performance

  • Fantastic stock switches
  • Great for gaming and typing
  • Average battery life

Gaming with the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a joyful experience. Razer’s Tactile mechanical switches are snappy with low travel and damped just enough to allow for light yet satisfying and controlled presses, typical of the best mechanical keyboards. The keys are mildly indented, again offering the right balance between security and ease of use.

When it comes to typing, that snappy yet damped feel is a real boon, providing plenty of feedback and bounce for flitting around the keys with ease. However, the aforementioned thickness of the wrist pad created a somewhat unfamiliar typing position for me, but again I quickly adapted and found it very comfortable thereafter.

The various connectivity modes all work pretty seamlessly too, although I can’t say I noticed much improvement when using the 4K polling rate offered by the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle. Switching between the 2.4GHz/ HyperPolling and Bluetooth modes is fairly quick, although I did find that there was a slight delay, and a key press was required to activate the board after switching to a new device.

There are also three Bluetooth profiles available, which are conveniently accessible via the fn key and number keys 1-3. Again, switching this way to control numerous devices works quickly and consistently.

The battery depleted after a couple of days of varied use, as I switched between the various wireless modes (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz and the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle). This isn’t a particularly impressive performance, and neither is the two-plus hour charging time from empty. However, neither figure is cause for complaint, either.

Performance: 4 / 5

Close-up of display screen on Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%?

Buy it if…

You want to connect to multiple devices
Wireless and three Bluetooth profiles make it easy to switch the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% between numerous devices. Wired connectivity is also an option.

You want that mechanical magic
The tactile profile of the stock mechanical switches, combined with the premium keycaps, make for superb gaming and typing. Plus, if you don’t like them, you can swap them out.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re on a budget
There’s no getting around it: this is one of Razer’s most expensive gaming keyboards, so you’ll have to part with some serious cash to get your hands on it.

You want plenty of adjustments
Yes, you can swap out the switches for those better suited to your playstyle, but since this isn’t an analog board, you can’t fine-tune the actuation points or toggle rapid trigger.

Also consider

Razer Huntsman V2 Analog
For less than the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, you could get the equally capable Huntsman V2 Analog. This board has analog switches as well, allowing for that fine actuation point tuning and rapid trigger activation. It also has a comfortable wrist rest, but it is wired only.

Read our Razer Huntsman V2 Analog review.

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3
If you’re after supreme gaming performance, it’s hard to overlook the Apex Pro. Its analog keys feature programmable actuation points and rapid trigger functionality, letting you tailor their responsiveness to your exact preferences. It too is very expensive, but it's still less than the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%.

Read our full SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 review

How I tested the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%

  • Tested for over week
  • Used for gaming, productivity, browsing
  • PC gaming for over a decade

I tested the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% for over a week, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

I played games including Counter-Strike 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, FPS titles that test the responsiveness, accuracy and ergonomics of keyboards well. I made sure to use all the different connectivity methods, from wired and Bluetooth modes to the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle.

I have been PC gaming for over 10 years, and have sampled many keyboards over that period. I have also reviewed numerous gaming keyboards of varying sizes, switch types, and price tags.

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: a thick wireless gaming keyboard with exceptional performance – and a price to match
8:44 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Keyboards Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: | Comments: Off

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: Two-minute review

The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is the brand’s new top-of-the-line wireless gaming keyboard, featuring hot-swappable mechanical switches and multiple connectivity options.

It cuts a rather formidable figure, with its angular, slab-like body conveying its gaming intentions. The RGB lighting also helps in this regard, and the bars around the bottom edges are a particularly nice touch, boasting just the right amount of opulence. Despite this, it isn’t as heavy or as unwieldy as you might think, and its compact layout makes it easy to get along with.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% also comes with a leatherette wrist rest that puts those on even the best gaming keyboards to shame, thanks to its ornate design and plush cushioning for maximum comfort. It might seem too thick at first, but you’ll likely adapt quickly as you sink into it.

A small OLED display is positioned in the top right corner of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, controlled via a button on the side of the keyboard and a scroll wheel, which can be set to perform various functions, such as adjusting the volume and switching app windows to name a few (further functions are available via Synapse, Razer’s peripheral software). Other keyboard settings are available via this display, although the selection is quite limited. But overall, it’s easy to use and works quite well.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is compatible with Synapse 4. During my time with it, I did experience a few technical hitches, including erroneous battery readouts and failed firmware updates. However, these issues eventually went away with updates and restarts, and I had little trouble thereafter.

When working as it should, Synapse 4 offers some useful customizations, with a plentiful selection of binds and shortcuts for both the keys and the scroll wheel. Everything is well presented and easy to navigate.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% really shines, though, when it comes to the business of gaming. The Gen-3 Tactile mechanical switches are snappy yet damped just enough to make them satisfying to use. The compact layout and indented doubleshot PBT keycaps are secure and easy to press too. However, if you’re not happy with the stock setup, the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is hot-swappable, allowing you to choose your own switches and keycaps to suit your preferences.

Typing is also a pleasant experience on the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, and the plush wrist pad offers plenty of support. My only minor complaint is the rather shallow six degree angle provided by the feet, but this still didn’t compromise comfort levels for me.

Connectivity between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes is easy, although I didn’t notice much improvement when using the included HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which elevates the polling rate maximum to 4K. Handy keyboard shortcuts also allow you to switch effortlessly between three Bluetooth connected devices, which makes the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% very versatile if you have lots of systems to move between.

Battery life on the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is good, but nothing spectacular. I found it could last a couple of days of varied use, switching between the various wireless modes. Charging from empty to full takes over two hours in my estimation, which is an average performance.

There’s no denying that the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a very well-made and extremely worthy gaming keyboard. But whether it’s worth that sizable asking price is debatable, especially when you consider others, such as the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog and Steelseries Apex Pro, offer stunning analog performance for less. However, for the mechanical purists, it’s certainly the cream of the crop.

Close-up of exposed switch on Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% with RGB lighting on

(Image credit: Future)

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: price and availability

  • $299 / £299 / AU$499
  • Available now in Black
  • Top-end of the market

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% costs $299 / £299 / AU$499 and is available now in one color: black. In the box you get a USB-C-to-A cable, the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, a key cap puller, and three spare switches.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% sits atop Razer’s gaming keyboard lineup in terms of price. It’s more expensive than the excellent Huntsman V2 Analog, the best gaming keyboard right now in our view. Unlike the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, the analog capability means that you can set the actuation point just so. However, it isn’t hot-swappable like the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, so you’re stuck with the optical switches, and it’s wired only.

Other high-profile rivals in the premium sector are also cheaper. The Steelseries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3, for instance, is a standout board that also features analog switches, and costs $269 / £259 (about AU$456).

Value: 2 / 5

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: specs

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% on desk with USB cable, USB dongle, keycap puller, and wrist rest

(Image credit: Future)

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: design and features

  • Thick body
  • Supremely engineered
  • Synapse 4 compatible

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a fairly unremarkable looking gaming keyboard from the front, but a three-dimensional view reveals just what a monolithic slab this keyboard really is. The layout is compact, although the keys are still spaced well enough apart to make them easy to use, even if you’re as clumsy as me.

There’s some RGB lighting for the keys and strips running along the bottom edges, which does help to make its appearance more elaborate.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% comes with a wrist rest, which is much more plush and padded than many of those offered by its rivals. In fact, I thought it was too thick at first, as it raises your hands higher than usual. However, you do sink into it, and after a short while I acclimatized. The two-stage feet help to get a more comfortable position, although neither setting raises the board that high compared to other keyboard feet.

It’s also more stylish than many other rests too, thanks to its premium leatherette material with a subtle herringbone pattern. It connects to the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% magnetically with just the right amount of force, making it easy to remove yet strong enough to remain secure.

The doubleshot PBT keycaps are lightly textured and feel premium to the touch. The same goes for the stock Gen-3 Tactile mechanical switches, although since this is a hot-swappable keyboard, you can change them if they aren’t to your liking.

Close-up of volume wheel on Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%

(Image credit: Future)

Nestled in the top right corner of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a small OLED display. This can be used to show GIFs and make certain adjustments, which can be accessed by holding a button on the side of the board. There are only a few settings available, though, including those for the RGB effects and the polling rate (with a 4K maximum when using the included HyperPolling Wireless Dongle).

Tapping the side button cycles through up to six presets for the scroll wheel functionality; it can be used to adjust the volume, switch between apps, and zoom in and out, with inward clicks of the wheel having related functions too.

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is compatible with Synapse 4. During my time with this software, I did experience a few glitches, such as the battery indicator giving false readings and the tab for the keyboard itself disappearing from the window. Also, firmware updates failed numerous times, but after a few updates and restarts, it worked more smoothly.

Synapse offers the usual customizations, including key rebinds, but the scope for these is large. You can map mouse buttons, as well as numerous Windows and media shortcuts (more than many other peripheral software offer) to the keys and even to the scroll wheel. There’s also the Hypershift feature, which allows you to add a second layer of binds by pressing the Hypershift button, designated to a key of your choosing.

Design & features: 4 / 5

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: performance

  • Fantastic stock switches
  • Great for gaming and typing
  • Average battery life

Gaming with the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a joyful experience. Razer’s Tactile mechanical switches are snappy with low travel and damped just enough to allow for light yet satisfying and controlled presses, typical of the best mechanical keyboards. The keys are mildly indented, again offering the right balance between security and ease of use.

When it comes to typing, that snappy yet damped feel is a real boon, providing plenty of feedback and bounce for flitting around the keys with ease. However, the aforementioned thickness of the wrist pad created a somewhat unfamiliar typing position for me, but again I quickly adapted and found it very comfortable thereafter.

The various connectivity modes all work pretty seamlessly too, although I can’t say I noticed much improvement when using the 4K polling rate offered by the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle. Switching between the 2.4GHz/ HyperPolling and Bluetooth modes is fairly quick, although I did find that there was a slight delay, and a key press was required to activate the board after switching to a new device.

There are also three Bluetooth profiles available, which are conveniently accessible via the fn key and number keys 1-3. Again, switching this way to control numerous devices works quickly and consistently.

The battery depleted after a couple of days of varied use, as I switched between the various wireless modes (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz and the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle). This isn’t a particularly impressive performance, and neither is the two-plus hour charging time from empty. However, neither figure is cause for complaint, either.

Performance: 4 / 5

Close-up of display screen on Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%?

Buy it if…

You want to connect to multiple devices
Wireless and three Bluetooth profiles make it easy to switch the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% between numerous devices. Wired connectivity is also an option.

You want that mechanical magic
The tactile profile of the stock mechanical switches, combined with the premium keycaps, make for superb gaming and typing. Plus, if you don’t like them, you can swap them out.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re on a budget
There’s no getting around it: this is one of Razer’s most expensive gaming keyboards, so you’ll have to part with some serious cash to get your hands on it.

You want plenty of adjustments
Yes, you can swap out the switches for those better suited to your playstyle, but since this isn’t an analog board, you can’t fine-tune the actuation points or toggle rapid trigger.

Also consider

Razer Huntsman V2 Analog
For less than the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, you could get the equally capable Huntsman V2 Analog. This board has analog switches as well, allowing for that fine actuation point tuning and rapid trigger activation. It also has a comfortable wrist rest, but it is wired only.

Read our Razer Huntsman V2 Analog review.

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3
If you’re after supreme gaming performance, it’s hard to overlook the Apex Pro. Its analog keys feature programmable actuation points and rapid trigger functionality, letting you tailor their responsiveness to your exact preferences. It too is very expensive, but it's still less than the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%.

Read our full SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 review

How I tested the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%

  • Tested for over week
  • Used for gaming, productivity, browsing
  • PC gaming for over a decade

I tested the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% for over a week, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

I played games including Counter-Strike 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, FPS titles that test the responsiveness, accuracy and ergonomics of keyboards well. I made sure to use all the different connectivity methods, from wired and Bluetooth modes to the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle.

I have been PC gaming for over 10 years, and have sampled many keyboards over that period. I have also reviewed numerous gaming keyboards of varying sizes, switch types, and price tags.

UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: meet your charming charging companion
6:55 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Phone Accessories Phones | Comments: Off

UGreen Uno Charger 100W review

Have you ever wished your charger could express its deepest, most heartfelt emotions? Perhaps you wondered how it really feels while it juices up your devices? OK, maybe you haven’t. But even so, the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is sure to put a smile on your face with its charming expressions and super-fast charging, which make it a standout product in a competitive market.

Something that’s amazing about the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is that you get four charging ports, three of which are USB-C with the other being USB-A. This means that even if your phone, laptop, wireless headphones and tablet (just for example) need juicing up, you can get all of them back to life simultaneously. It’s worth mentioning, however, that the UGreen Uno Charger 100W doesn’t come with any charging cables, so you’ll need to acquire these separately.

So how does it fare charging-wise? Very well indeed. I attempted to charge the Samsung Galaxy A35 via a USB-C port while charging three other devices in the remaining slots. And luckily, it got back to full power in the expected timeframe of one hour and 30 minutes – that’s in-line with some of the best iPhone chargers and best Android phone chargers. However, if you’re not using all of the ports, power output can scale to fit your device’s requirements. For instance, the top two USB-C ports can deliver up to 100W each (if only one is being used at a time), making this a great choice if you want to charge more demanding devices.

But I’ll be honest, reader, I know why you’re here…you want to hear about the Uno Charger’s emotive display. And it works very nicely. The charger is bursting with emotions – from joyful, through surprised, to flushed. And there are a few more too, for instance, the Uno Charger sometimes assumes an eating animation when in-use or displays a ‘cool’ emoji when a device is fully charged. Am I easily amused? Perhaps so, but given this is nothing but a charger, I appreciated the personality UGreen injected into this product.

Other design choices are strong too. The placement of USB ports on top of the robot is practical and it’s a decently compact charger overall given the amount of power it can supply. And although prongs aren’t foldable, you can insert them into something of a sheath – or should I say the robot’s lower half. That’s right: when you remove the charger from the lower half you’re actually taking away his legs and feet. A bit mean really.

So, I actually have very little in the way of complaints. I would argue that the display isn’t super-bright, so at more awkward angles it might be slightly harder to ascertain the robot’s emotion. It could be fun too, if there was a button to manually change emojis, or perhaps even see power usage between the different ports – but these are very nitpicky complaints/suggestions.

Finally, I know this may not be the cheapest charger on the market, but when it comes to value it performs nicely. For instance, the Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) has one less port, the same maximum power output, but lacks any kind of display – not to mention it has a considerably higher list price. So overall, you’re getting a stellar product with the UGreen Uno Charger 100W – great performance, versatile charging options, strong value, and a fun, original design. It really doesn’t get much better.

UGreen Uno Charger 100W inserted into feet holder

(Image credit: Future)

UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: Price & specs

UGreen Uno Charger 100W plugged in with blushing emoji on display

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the UGreen Uno Charger 100W?

Buy it if…

You want super-fast, multi-port charging
The UGreen Uno Charger 100W boasts four charging ports, one of which is USB-A, the rest USB-C. On top of that, it has a very solid maximum power output of 100W, meaning you’ll be easily able to bring multiple devices back to life in no time.

You’d like a splash of personality
It’s quite rare that a wall charger exudes any kind of personality and I love the originality from UGreen here. There’s a fun selection of emojis available here, including eating, smiling and blushing and I can’t lie, I got a lot of joy out of watching these play out.

Don't buy it if…

You only need to charge your phone
If you only need to revitalize your handset after a long day of scrolling, there’s no need to spend this much money. There are a bunch of high-quality chargers out there for less than half the price of this robotic guy – one of my personal picks would be the excellent Anker Nano USB-C Wall Charger (30W). If you really want emojis though, it may still be worth splashing the cash on the Uno Charger 100W.

You’re on a very tight budget
This charger has a list price of $59.99, and even if that’s solid value-wise, it’s still a fair amount to shell out for a charger. There are some decent, cheap multi-port options out there too, for example, the UGreen USB-C 40W.

UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: also consider

Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports)
In terms of basic functionality, this is very similar to the UGreen Uno Charger 100W. Anker’s alternative only has three ports and costs a bit more too, but it does have excellent build quality with sturdy outer casing. So, if you’re not a fan of the quirky robo-display, this could be a more appropriate choice for you. Read our full Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) review.View Deal

UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: meet your charming charging companion
6:55 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Phone Accessories Phones | Comments: Off

UGreen Uno Charger 100W review

Have you ever wished your charger could express its deepest, most heartfelt emotions? Perhaps you wondered how it really feels while it juices up your devices? OK, maybe you haven’t. But even so, the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is sure to put a smile on your face with its charming expressions and super-fast charging, which make it a standout product in a competitive market.

Something that’s amazing about the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is that you get four charging ports, three of which are USB-C with the other being USB-A. This means that even if your phone, laptop, wireless headphones and tablet (just for example) need juicing up, you can get all of them back to life simultaneously. It’s worth mentioning, however, that the UGreen Uno Charger 100W doesn’t come with any charging cables, so you’ll need to acquire these separately.

So how does it fare charging-wise? Very well indeed. I attempted to charge the Samsung Galaxy A35 via a USB-C port while charging three other devices in the remaining slots. And luckily, it got back to full power in the expected timeframe of one hour and 30 minutes – that’s in-line with some of the best iPhone chargers and best Android phone chargers. However, if you’re not using all of the ports, power output can scale to fit your device’s requirements. For instance, the top two USB-C ports can deliver up to 100W each (if only one is being used at a time), making this a great choice if you want to charge more demanding devices.

But I’ll be honest, reader, I know why you’re here…you want to hear about the Uno Charger’s emotive display. And it works very nicely. The charger is bursting with emotions – from joyful, through surprised, to flushed. And there are a few more too, for instance, the Uno Charger sometimes assumes an eating animation when in-use or displays a ‘cool’ emoji when a device is fully charged. Am I easily amused? Perhaps so, but given this is nothing but a charger, I appreciated the personality UGreen injected into this product.

Other design choices are strong too. The placement of USB ports on top of the robot is practical and it’s a decently compact charger overall given the amount of power it can supply. And although prongs aren’t foldable, you can insert them into something of a sheath – or should I say the robot’s lower half. That’s right: when you remove the charger from the lower half you’re actually taking away his legs and feet. A bit mean really.

So, I actually have very little in the way of complaints. I would argue that the display isn’t super-bright, so at more awkward angles it might be slightly harder to ascertain the robot’s emotion. It could be fun too, if there was a button to manually change emojis, or perhaps even see power usage between the different ports – but these are very nitpicky complaints/suggestions.

Finally, I know this may not be the cheapest charger on the market, but when it comes to value it performs nicely. For instance, the Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) has one less port, the same maximum power output, but lacks any kind of display – not to mention it has a considerably higher list price. So overall, you’re getting a stellar product with the UGreen Uno Charger 100W – great performance, versatile charging options, strong value, and a fun, original design. It really doesn’t get much better.

UGreen Uno Charger 100W inserted into feet holder

(Image credit: Future)

UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: Price & specs

UGreen Uno Charger 100W plugged in with blushing emoji on display

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the UGreen Uno Charger 100W?

Buy it if…

You want super-fast, multi-port charging
The UGreen Uno Charger 100W boasts four charging ports, one of which is USB-A, the rest USB-C. On top of that, it has a very solid maximum power output of 100W, meaning you’ll be easily able to bring multiple devices back to life in no time.

You’d like a splash of personality
It’s quite rare that a wall charger exudes any kind of personality and I love the originality from UGreen here. There’s a fun selection of emojis available here, including eating, smiling and blushing and I can’t lie, I got a lot of joy out of watching these play out.

Don't buy it if…

You only need to charge your phone
If you only need to revitalize your handset after a long day of scrolling, there’s no need to spend this much money. There are a bunch of high-quality chargers out there for less than half the price of this robotic guy – one of my personal picks would be the excellent Anker Nano USB-C Wall Charger (30W). If you really want emojis though, it may still be worth splashing the cash on the Uno Charger 100W.

You’re on a very tight budget
This charger has a list price of $59.99, and even if that’s solid value-wise, it’s still a fair amount to shell out for a charger. There are some decent, cheap multi-port options out there too, for example, the UGreen USB-C 40W.

UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: also consider

Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports)
In terms of basic functionality, this is very similar to the UGreen Uno Charger 100W. Anker’s alternative only has three ports and costs a bit more too, but it does have excellent build quality with sturdy outer casing. So, if you’re not a fan of the quirky robo-display, this could be a more appropriate choice for you. Read our full Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) review.View Deal

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: the Android endurance king
1:38 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Honor Phones Phones | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Two-minute review

Honor's Magic 6 Pro made a splash last year, debuting at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) expo in February with a massive battery, a unique camera system, and some novel software features. Now, the brand is back with its flagship offering for 2025, and it's hoping to one-up itself in every department.

The Honor Magic 7 Pro has adopted a more boxy design for 2025, as is the trend, and it now has flat side rails and subtle symmetrical ‘micro curves’ at the edge of its display. The camera bump is less outlandish, too, and the ‘squircle’ bezel has been toned down to make less of a statement. Overall, I think it's an improvement.

The camera hardware is mostly the same, but the telephoto has a few more megapixels and can now get you even closer to distant subjects. These cameras can take fantastic photos, but the image processing is a little inconsistent, and I got more blurry images than usual. Hopefully, this will be tweaked in future firmware updates. The Studio Harcourt portrait mode, developed in collaboration with the legendary Paris photography studio, never failed to impress, at least.

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)

The battery on this model is even larger than the one in the Magic 6 Pro, and this is easily one of the longest-lasting flagship phones I’ve tested. You can get two days on a full charge without trying particularly hard, and when it's time to charge you can get topped up in a flash, with the Magic 7 Pro supporting up to 100W charging with a cable and 80W with the right wireless charger.

Performance is exceptional. You get the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, plus a suite of software enhancements and an NPU (neural processing unit) co-processor to keep games running smoothly. Honor's Magic OS 9 adds some useful features like Magic Portal, as well as relatively new AI features that have already become familiar favorites, like Circle to Search and Google Gemini.

Overall, this is a superb phone, with a great balance of specs and features that make it a pleasure to use. The software won't be to everyone's taste, and the camera could use some tweaking, but otherwise, this is easily one of the finest flagship phones available today.

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Price and availability

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • Costs £1,099.99
  • Available in the UK and Europe, but not the US or Australia

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is available to order now in most regions. As usual, though, the list excludes the US and Australia, so our stateside readers will need to import if they want to get in on the action.

The Magic 7 Pro costs £1,099 in the UK, the exact same price as its predecessor. This means it's more expensive than the Oppo Find X8 Pro and Apple iPhone 16 Pro, but a little cheaper than the Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. That said, the latter phone can currently be purchased for the same price, as it’s been on the market for a while.

Given such premium pricing, Honor will need to impress on all fronts if it’s to remain competitive, and thanks to a pretty stacked spec sheet it could well justify that lofty sum. Plus, Honor always has bundle offers on its devices, so nabbing a few freebies could make the price more palatable.

  • Value score: 3 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Specs

Here's a look at the Honor Magic 7 Pro's key specs:

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Design

Image 1 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • Velvety-feeling matte glass back
  • Breeze Blue, Black, and Lunar Shadow Grey options
  • IP68/IP69 dust- and water-resistant

The Honor Magic 7 Pro follows the recent design trend that we've seen with devices like the Vivo X200 Pro and Oppo Find X8 Pro. It ditches the lateral curves of its predecessor in favor of a boxier design. The side rails are completely flat, with beveled edges, while the front and back are mostly flat, with symmetrical ‘micro curves’ on all sides.

The result is a phone that feels a little thicker than Magic 6 Pro, but at the same time it feels premium and confidence-inspiring. It's a similar size to its predecessor, just less curvy, and if you've used any other recent Android flagship, you'll feel right at home.

The global version is available in three colorways: Breeze Blue, Black and Lunar Shadow Grey. There are no vegan leather variants this time around, with all options featuring a velvety-feeling matte glass rear. The Lunar Shadow Grey option is the most striking in my opinion, with a marble-like texture running across the back panel that becomes more visible as the light catches it.

Image 1 of 2

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)

There's still a large circular and centrally-placed camera island, and it's still surrounded by a ‘squircle’-shaped bezel. However, this time the bezel is decidedly more circular, and it looks a little less outlandish than the Magic 6 Pro did.

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is rated IP68/IP69 for dust and water resistance, which means that as well as being able to handle submersion in freshwater, it can also withstand jets of hot water up to 176F / 80C. I'm not sure when that would ever come in useful, but hey, if you want to scroll Instagram in the shower, your phone should survive it.

  • Design score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Display

Image 1 of 2

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • 6.8-inch quad-curved 120Hz OLED display
  • 4320Hz PWM dimming
  • 5000 nits peak brightness

The Honor Magic 7 Pro has a 6.8-inch display with a dynamic refresh rate that can shift from 1Hz to 120Hz as needed. It's a mostly flat panel, and the curves only start around the bezels of the display. The result is a screen that resembles an over-filled glass of water.

I’ve never been a huge fan of curved screens – they can invite accidental touches, and cause odd reflections and color shifts at the edges. There's no denying that they feel nice under your fingertips when using gesture controls, though. These new ‘micro curve’ displays offer the best of both worlds, as you get the smooth feel of a curved display without the usual drawbacks. I'm a convert.

The display is covered with Honor's NanoCrystal Shield glass, and after spending months with the Honor Magic 6 RSR (that’s the Porsche Design version of the Magic 6 Pro) last year, I'm confident in saying it's one of the most scratch-resistant coatings in the business. It's also supposedly 10 times more drop-resistant than traditional glass screens, and while I haven't tested that, it's good to know, especially as there's no case included in the box.

A new addition to this model is a layer of circular polarization, which makes the screen slightly less reflective and is easier on the eyes. In theory, according to Honor, it can reduce eye fatigue by up to 16%.

When it comes to brightness, the Honor Magic 7 Pro has lumens to spare. It can peak at a whopping 5000 nits in certain conditions, which means HDR content looks exceptional, and you'll never have trouble seeing it.

As usual, the brand has put plenty of effort into eye-care features. The PWM (pulse-width modulation) dimming rate is one of the highest I've ever seen, topping out at 4320Hz. You'll never have to worry about flicker on this panel, and if that's not enough you can activate eye comfort and low-blue-light modes to keep your peepers feeling fresh.

There's a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display, and a pill-shaped camera cutout housing a 3D face unlock camera. Apparently, this is the first phone to come with both, and it's very convenient. I especially like being able to log into banking apps using my face, and for me that's worth the slightly larger camera cutout.

  • Display score: 5 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Cameras

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • 50MP main (f/1.4-2.0)
  • 200MP 3x telephoto (f/2.6)
  • 50MP ultra-wide (f/2.0)

Most of the cameras on the Magic 7 Pro share their specifications with its predecessors’. The main camera still has a 50MP 1/1.3-inch sensor, and a mechanically adjustable aperture that shifts between f/1.4 and f/2. The ultra-wide and selfie cameras seem to be unchanged, too. Both have a 50MP resolution and a f/2 lens.

The telephoto, however, has changed more significantly. The Magic 6 Pro had a 180MP 2.5x optical zoom telephoto snapper, while the Magic 7 Pro upgrades that to a 200MP unit with a 3x lens. It's one of the largest telephoto sensors on the market at 1/1.4-inch, and it's also one of the fastest telephoto cameras, with an f/2.6 aperture.

These days I find myself using the telephoto camera on my smartphone as often, if not more, than the main camera, so I'm pleased to see telephoto specs that come close to matching those of the primary snapper.

I'm still not fully convinced that we need so many megapixels, though. The idea is that you can digitally zoom further with less of a drop in quality, as the high pixel count makes up the difference. In reality, though, it doesn't seem to work so well.

I said the same thing about the Honor Magic 6 Pro, and while this model is an improvement (due to the longer optical focal length) zooming past 10x or so delivers middling and inconsistent results.

Honor's solution to this is something called AI SuperZoom, and it kicks in beyond 30x zoom to clean up your images. At times the results can be quite impressive, but the downsides are plain to see. Images tend to have that watercolor-like effect to them, and sometimes details that don't exist in reality are added in.

I've recently been shooting with the Oppo Find X8 Pro, which has an almost identical feature, but it seems to work a little better than Honor's attempt. In fairness, Honor says this feature is in its infancy, and it will mature and improve over time. It's also worth noting that it requires an internet connection to function, while Oppo's equivalent is processed on-device.

Another new feature in the camera department is the addition of the Studio Harcourt portrait styles that we first saw on the Honor 200 Pro. If you like taking portraits, this is a serious upgrade. The color tuning and blur effects are just as stunning here, and they're only enhanced further by the higher-fidelity optics. The only downside is that, as on the 200 Pro, the feature is restricted to the main and telephoto cameras, so you can't use these effects on your selfies.

All in all, this is a very capable camera system, and it can deliver outstanding shots in all lighting conditions. When it hits, it's among the best camera systems on the market, but it's not the most consistent.

Maybe it's just the pre-release software on the phone I’ve been testing, but I got a lot more blurry shots than I'm used to, and the image processing often pushed the sharpening too far, while blues and greens became over-exaggerated, even when using the Natural picture style.

These problems are all fixable, and I hope we see them addressed in future firmware updates. As it stands, the hardware is impeccable, but the inconsistent processing sometimes leaves you guessing as to how your photos will turn out.

  • Cameras score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Camera samples

Image 1 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 7 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 8 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 9 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 10 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 11 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 12 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 13 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 14 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 15 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 16 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 17 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 18 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 19 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 20 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 21 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 22 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 23 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 24 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 25 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 26 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 27 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 28 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 29 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 30 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 31 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 32 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 33 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 34 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 35 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 36 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 37 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Performance and software

Image 1 of 3

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 3

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 3

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset
  • 12GB RAM and 512GB storage
  • Magic OS 9, based on Android 15

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is powered by Qualcomm's most powerful chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, so you would expect impressive performance. There's only one configuration available on the global market, which comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which should be more than enough to satisfy most users.

Honor has taken things a step further with this phone by utilizing the power of its onboard NPU to further improve performance. The phone has something called an AI Predictive Scheduling Engine, and exactly what that does is a little above my comprehension level, but I think it's a bit like DLSS on a gaming PC.

All you need to know is that, with the aid of some new features in the game overlay, you can achieve better image fidelity and higher framerates without adding additional load to the GPU. This means that you can game at higher settings, with less battery drain and lower temperatures.

In practice, it seems to work exactly as advertised. I played Genshin Impact at maximum settings for a couple of hours, and the phone had no trouble maintaining a solid 60fps. It remained shockingly cool under the pressure – cooler to the touch than even the gaming-specific ROG Phone 9 Pro, in fact.

The gaming experience is also enhanced by a very capable set of speakers. They might be the most bassy speakers ever to grace a smartphone, thanks to an integrated subwoofer and ultra-large sound cavity design, and they really add some oomph to in-game sound effects.

Image 1 of 4

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 4

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 4

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 4

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)

The Magic 7 Pro runs Magic OS 9, a highly customized version of Android 15, and it's a bit divisive. Personally, I've become quite fond of Magic OS, but it's a very different experience from stock Android. The notifications shade and quick settings menu are split, like they are on iOS, and navigating the system can be a little challenging if you're coming from a phone that offers a more traditional Android experience, like a Google Pixel.

Aside from the layout changes, Honor has heaped on plenty of extra functionality. My personal favorite is Magic Portal, which allows you to select text or an image on your screen and drag it into another app for quick sharing or searching. This feature is now even easier to access, as you can circle things with your knuckle to quickly select them.

You also get plenty of AI-powered features, of course. There's nothing too novel here, but it's all pretty useful. There's an AI translator, the ability to format and transcribe notes with AI, and an array of AI-powered image-editing tools. At some point soon the phone will also use AI to automatically protect you from deepfake video chats – I can't say I've ever received one, but the extra peace of mind is always nice.

Also new this year is the inclusion of Circle to Search and Google Gemini as the default voice assistant. It's getting to the point where most Android phones come with these features, but they’re still worth mentioning because they're great, and I very much miss them when they're not there.

  • Performance score: 5 / 5
  • Software score: 3 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Battery

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • 5,850mAh silicon-carbon battery
  • 100W wired charging
  • 80W wireless charging

There's a lot to love about the Honor Magic 7 Pro, but for me, the best thing might be the battery life. I tested this phone after spending lots of time with the Vivo X200 Pro, which has a mammoth 6,000mAh battery, so I wasn't expecting to be amazed by this slightly smaller 5,850mAh unit – but I was.

Honor has clearly optimized its software very well, and I was able to manage two days on a full charge without even trying. And I managed that more than once, and that's with lots of screen time, navigating maps, shooting lots of photos, and streaming content. It’s just brilliant.

We’ve seen some Chinese manufacturers dial back their charging speeds for this generation, but not Honor. Here you get an impressive 100W wired charging rate, and a staggering 80W with Honor's Wireless SuperCharger.

Unfortunately, there's no charger in the box, but I happened to have the right kit to charge at max speed, and it makes living with this phone extremely convenient. If you have the requisite charger, a wired charge from flat to full takes less than 35 minutes, while a wireless charge can be achieved in less than 45 minutes.

  • Battery score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Honor Magic 7 Pro?

Buy it if...

You want flagship power and long battery life
With most phones, you have to decide between long battery life and raw power, but not with the Magic 7 Pro. It's supremely powerful and can still last two days between charges.

You love taking portrait shots
The Studio Harcourt portrait mode is among the most impressive that I've tried. I loved it when it first debuted with the Honor 200 Pro, and it's just as good here.

You love a nice display
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has easily one of the nicest screens in the business. It's bright, vibrant, extremely scratch-resistant, and has more eye-care features than most.

Don't buy it if...

You love generative AI
Honor has been steadily adding more AI features to its operating system, but they're a little basic compared to some of the competition.

You're looking for the classic Android experience
Magic OS makes so many tweaks and adjustments to Android 15 that it almost feels like a completely different operating system. I quite like it, but fans of stock Android might have a hard time adjusting.

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Also consider

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is an excellent all-rounder with a brilliant camera, but the competition is fierce. If you're not sure this is the handset for you, it's worth checking out these competitors.

Oppo Find X8 Pro

The Oppo Find X8 Pro is a similarly feature-stacked Android flagship with a heavy focus on cameras. It offers an extra telephoto lens, a dedicated camera button and has better consistency with its photos. It has an even bigger battery, but in my experience, the Honor still lasts longer.

Read our Oppo Find X8 Pro review

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Android flagships may have Apple beat when it comes to camera specifications, but for video shooting, the iPhone 16 Pro Max reigns supreme. It has amazing stabilization, ProRes recording, and can shoot 4K slow motion at 120fps. The new Camera Control button is fun to play around with, too.

Read our iPhone 16 Pro Max review

How I tested the Honor Magic 7 Pro

  • Review test period: two weeks
  • Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
  • Tools used: Geekbench 6, 3DMark, GFXBench, native Android stats, Honor 100W charger, and wireless SuperCharge stand

I put my SIM card into the Honor Magic 7 Pro and lived with it as my main phone for around two weeks before reaching any conclusions. I used it exactly as I would any other phone, taking lots of photos, gaming, messaging, working, streaming video, and navigating with Google Maps and Waze.

I also compared the experience of playing graphically challenging games like Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact, and PUBG Mobile to my experience with other Android flagships like the Oppo Find X8 Pro, Vivo X200 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. I also ran multiple benchmarks on the handset using 3DMark, GFXbench, and Geekbench.

I assessed the battery performance based on my real-world usage and charging times were measured using an official Honor 100W wall adapter and cable. I also tested the wireless charging capabilities with Honor’s Wireless 100W SuperCharge stand.

Read more about how we test

First tested January 2024

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: the Android endurance king
1:38 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Honor Phones Phones | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Two-minute review

Honor's Magic 6 Pro made a splash last year, debuting at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) expo in February with a massive battery, a unique camera system, and some novel software features. Now, the brand is back with its flagship offering for 2025, and it's hoping to one-up itself in every department.

The Honor Magic 7 Pro has adopted a more boxy design for 2025, as is the trend, and it now has flat side rails and subtle symmetrical ‘micro curves’ at the edge of its display. The camera bump is less outlandish, too, and the ‘squircle’ bezel has been toned down to make less of a statement. Overall, I think it's an improvement.

The camera hardware is mostly the same, but the telephoto has a few more megapixels and can now get you even closer to distant subjects. These cameras can take fantastic photos, but the image processing is a little inconsistent, and I got more blurry images than usual. Hopefully, this will be tweaked in future firmware updates. The Studio Harcourt portrait mode, developed in collaboration with the legendary Paris photography studio, never failed to impress, at least.

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)

The battery on this model is even larger than the one in the Magic 6 Pro, and this is easily one of the longest-lasting flagship phones I’ve tested. You can get two days on a full charge without trying particularly hard, and when it's time to charge you can get topped up in a flash, with the Magic 7 Pro supporting up to 100W charging with a cable and 80W with the right wireless charger.

Performance is exceptional. You get the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, plus a suite of software enhancements and an NPU (neural processing unit) co-processor to keep games running smoothly. Honor's Magic OS 9 adds some useful features like Magic Portal, as well as relatively new AI features that have already become familiar favorites, like Circle to Search and Google Gemini.

Overall, this is a superb phone, with a great balance of specs and features that make it a pleasure to use. The software won't be to everyone's taste, and the camera could use some tweaking, but otherwise, this is easily one of the finest flagship phones available today.

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Price and availability

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • Costs £1,099.99
  • Available in the UK and Europe, but not the US or Australia

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is available to order now in most regions. As usual, though, the list excludes the US and Australia, so our stateside readers will need to import if they want to get in on the action.

The Magic 7 Pro costs £1,099 in the UK, the exact same price as its predecessor. This means it's more expensive than the Oppo Find X8 Pro and Apple iPhone 16 Pro, but a little cheaper than the Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. That said, the latter phone can currently be purchased for the same price, as it’s been on the market for a while.

Given such premium pricing, Honor will need to impress on all fronts if it’s to remain competitive, and thanks to a pretty stacked spec sheet it could well justify that lofty sum. Plus, Honor always has bundle offers on its devices, so nabbing a few freebies could make the price more palatable.

  • Value score: 3 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Specs

Here's a look at the Honor Magic 7 Pro's key specs:

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Design

Image 1 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • Velvety-feeling matte glass back
  • Breeze Blue, Black, and Lunar Shadow Grey options
  • IP68/IP69 dust- and water-resistant

The Honor Magic 7 Pro follows the recent design trend that we've seen with devices like the Vivo X200 Pro and Oppo Find X8 Pro. It ditches the lateral curves of its predecessor in favor of a boxier design. The side rails are completely flat, with beveled edges, while the front and back are mostly flat, with symmetrical ‘micro curves’ on all sides.

The result is a phone that feels a little thicker than Magic 6 Pro, but at the same time it feels premium and confidence-inspiring. It's a similar size to its predecessor, just less curvy, and if you've used any other recent Android flagship, you'll feel right at home.

The global version is available in three colorways: Breeze Blue, Black and Lunar Shadow Grey. There are no vegan leather variants this time around, with all options featuring a velvety-feeling matte glass rear. The Lunar Shadow Grey option is the most striking in my opinion, with a marble-like texture running across the back panel that becomes more visible as the light catches it.

Image 1 of 2

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)

There's still a large circular and centrally-placed camera island, and it's still surrounded by a ‘squircle’-shaped bezel. However, this time the bezel is decidedly more circular, and it looks a little less outlandish than the Magic 6 Pro did.

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is rated IP68/IP69 for dust and water resistance, which means that as well as being able to handle submersion in freshwater, it can also withstand jets of hot water up to 176F / 80C. I'm not sure when that would ever come in useful, but hey, if you want to scroll Instagram in the shower, your phone should survive it.

  • Design score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Display

Image 1 of 2

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • 6.8-inch quad-curved 120Hz OLED display
  • 4320Hz PWM dimming
  • 5000 nits peak brightness

The Honor Magic 7 Pro has a 6.8-inch display with a dynamic refresh rate that can shift from 1Hz to 120Hz as needed. It's a mostly flat panel, and the curves only start around the bezels of the display. The result is a screen that resembles an over-filled glass of water.

I’ve never been a huge fan of curved screens – they can invite accidental touches, and cause odd reflections and color shifts at the edges. There's no denying that they feel nice under your fingertips when using gesture controls, though. These new ‘micro curve’ displays offer the best of both worlds, as you get the smooth feel of a curved display without the usual drawbacks. I'm a convert.

The display is covered with Honor's NanoCrystal Shield glass, and after spending months with the Honor Magic 6 RSR (that’s the Porsche Design version of the Magic 6 Pro) last year, I'm confident in saying it's one of the most scratch-resistant coatings in the business. It's also supposedly 10 times more drop-resistant than traditional glass screens, and while I haven't tested that, it's good to know, especially as there's no case included in the box.

A new addition to this model is a layer of circular polarization, which makes the screen slightly less reflective and is easier on the eyes. In theory, according to Honor, it can reduce eye fatigue by up to 16%.

When it comes to brightness, the Honor Magic 7 Pro has lumens to spare. It can peak at a whopping 5000 nits in certain conditions, which means HDR content looks exceptional, and you'll never have trouble seeing it.

As usual, the brand has put plenty of effort into eye-care features. The PWM (pulse-width modulation) dimming rate is one of the highest I've ever seen, topping out at 4320Hz. You'll never have to worry about flicker on this panel, and if that's not enough you can activate eye comfort and low-blue-light modes to keep your peepers feeling fresh.

There's a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display, and a pill-shaped camera cutout housing a 3D face unlock camera. Apparently, this is the first phone to come with both, and it's very convenient. I especially like being able to log into banking apps using my face, and for me that's worth the slightly larger camera cutout.

  • Display score: 5 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Cameras

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • 50MP main (f/1.4-2.0)
  • 200MP 3x telephoto (f/2.6)
  • 50MP ultra-wide (f/2.0)

Most of the cameras on the Magic 7 Pro share their specifications with its predecessors’. The main camera still has a 50MP 1/1.3-inch sensor, and a mechanically adjustable aperture that shifts between f/1.4 and f/2. The ultra-wide and selfie cameras seem to be unchanged, too. Both have a 50MP resolution and a f/2 lens.

The telephoto, however, has changed more significantly. The Magic 6 Pro had a 180MP 2.5x optical zoom telephoto snapper, while the Magic 7 Pro upgrades that to a 200MP unit with a 3x lens. It's one of the largest telephoto sensors on the market at 1/1.4-inch, and it's also one of the fastest telephoto cameras, with an f/2.6 aperture.

These days I find myself using the telephoto camera on my smartphone as often, if not more, than the main camera, so I'm pleased to see telephoto specs that come close to matching those of the primary snapper.

I'm still not fully convinced that we need so many megapixels, though. The idea is that you can digitally zoom further with less of a drop in quality, as the high pixel count makes up the difference. In reality, though, it doesn't seem to work so well.

I said the same thing about the Honor Magic 6 Pro, and while this model is an improvement (due to the longer optical focal length) zooming past 10x or so delivers middling and inconsistent results.

Honor's solution to this is something called AI SuperZoom, and it kicks in beyond 30x zoom to clean up your images. At times the results can be quite impressive, but the downsides are plain to see. Images tend to have that watercolor-like effect to them, and sometimes details that don't exist in reality are added in.

I've recently been shooting with the Oppo Find X8 Pro, which has an almost identical feature, but it seems to work a little better than Honor's attempt. In fairness, Honor says this feature is in its infancy, and it will mature and improve over time. It's also worth noting that it requires an internet connection to function, while Oppo's equivalent is processed on-device.

Another new feature in the camera department is the addition of the Studio Harcourt portrait styles that we first saw on the Honor 200 Pro. If you like taking portraits, this is a serious upgrade. The color tuning and blur effects are just as stunning here, and they're only enhanced further by the higher-fidelity optics. The only downside is that, as on the 200 Pro, the feature is restricted to the main and telephoto cameras, so you can't use these effects on your selfies.

All in all, this is a very capable camera system, and it can deliver outstanding shots in all lighting conditions. When it hits, it's among the best camera systems on the market, but it's not the most consistent.

Maybe it's just the pre-release software on the phone I’ve been testing, but I got a lot more blurry shots than I'm used to, and the image processing often pushed the sharpening too far, while blues and greens became over-exaggerated, even when using the Natural picture style.

These problems are all fixable, and I hope we see them addressed in future firmware updates. As it stands, the hardware is impeccable, but the inconsistent processing sometimes leaves you guessing as to how your photos will turn out.

  • Cameras score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Camera samples

Image 1 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 7 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 8 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 9 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 10 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 11 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 12 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 13 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 14 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 15 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 16 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 17 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 18 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 19 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 20 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 21 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 22 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 23 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 24 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 25 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 26 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 27 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 28 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 29 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 30 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 31 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 32 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 33 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 34 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 35 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 36 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)
Image 37 of 37

Honor Magic 7 Pro camera samples

(Image credit: Future)

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Performance and software

Image 1 of 3

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 3

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 3

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset
  • 12GB RAM and 512GB storage
  • Magic OS 9, based on Android 15

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is powered by Qualcomm's most powerful chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, so you would expect impressive performance. There's only one configuration available on the global market, which comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which should be more than enough to satisfy most users.

Honor has taken things a step further with this phone by utilizing the power of its onboard NPU to further improve performance. The phone has something called an AI Predictive Scheduling Engine, and exactly what that does is a little above my comprehension level, but I think it's a bit like DLSS on a gaming PC.

All you need to know is that, with the aid of some new features in the game overlay, you can achieve better image fidelity and higher framerates without adding additional load to the GPU. This means that you can game at higher settings, with less battery drain and lower temperatures.

In practice, it seems to work exactly as advertised. I played Genshin Impact at maximum settings for a couple of hours, and the phone had no trouble maintaining a solid 60fps. It remained shockingly cool under the pressure – cooler to the touch than even the gaming-specific ROG Phone 9 Pro, in fact.

The gaming experience is also enhanced by a very capable set of speakers. They might be the most bassy speakers ever to grace a smartphone, thanks to an integrated subwoofer and ultra-large sound cavity design, and they really add some oomph to in-game sound effects.

Image 1 of 4

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 4

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 4

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 4

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)

The Magic 7 Pro runs Magic OS 9, a highly customized version of Android 15, and it's a bit divisive. Personally, I've become quite fond of Magic OS, but it's a very different experience from stock Android. The notifications shade and quick settings menu are split, like they are on iOS, and navigating the system can be a little challenging if you're coming from a phone that offers a more traditional Android experience, like a Google Pixel.

Aside from the layout changes, Honor has heaped on plenty of extra functionality. My personal favorite is Magic Portal, which allows you to select text or an image on your screen and drag it into another app for quick sharing or searching. This feature is now even easier to access, as you can circle things with your knuckle to quickly select them.

You also get plenty of AI-powered features, of course. There's nothing too novel here, but it's all pretty useful. There's an AI translator, the ability to format and transcribe notes with AI, and an array of AI-powered image-editing tools. At some point soon the phone will also use AI to automatically protect you from deepfake video chats – I can't say I've ever received one, but the extra peace of mind is always nice.

Also new this year is the inclusion of Circle to Search and Google Gemini as the default voice assistant. It's getting to the point where most Android phones come with these features, but they’re still worth mentioning because they're great, and I very much miss them when they're not there.

  • Performance score: 5 / 5
  • Software score: 3 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Battery

Honor Magic 7 Pro review

(Image credit: Future)
  • 5,850mAh silicon-carbon battery
  • 100W wired charging
  • 80W wireless charging

There's a lot to love about the Honor Magic 7 Pro, but for me, the best thing might be the battery life. I tested this phone after spending lots of time with the Vivo X200 Pro, which has a mammoth 6,000mAh battery, so I wasn't expecting to be amazed by this slightly smaller 5,850mAh unit – but I was.

Honor has clearly optimized its software very well, and I was able to manage two days on a full charge without even trying. And I managed that more than once, and that's with lots of screen time, navigating maps, shooting lots of photos, and streaming content. It’s just brilliant.

We’ve seen some Chinese manufacturers dial back their charging speeds for this generation, but not Honor. Here you get an impressive 100W wired charging rate, and a staggering 80W with Honor's Wireless SuperCharger.

Unfortunately, there's no charger in the box, but I happened to have the right kit to charge at max speed, and it makes living with this phone extremely convenient. If you have the requisite charger, a wired charge from flat to full takes less than 35 minutes, while a wireless charge can be achieved in less than 45 minutes.

  • Battery score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Honor Magic 7 Pro?

Buy it if...

You want flagship power and long battery life
With most phones, you have to decide between long battery life and raw power, but not with the Magic 7 Pro. It's supremely powerful and can still last two days between charges.

You love taking portrait shots
The Studio Harcourt portrait mode is among the most impressive that I've tried. I loved it when it first debuted with the Honor 200 Pro, and it's just as good here.

You love a nice display
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has easily one of the nicest screens in the business. It's bright, vibrant, extremely scratch-resistant, and has more eye-care features than most.

Don't buy it if...

You love generative AI
Honor has been steadily adding more AI features to its operating system, but they're a little basic compared to some of the competition.

You're looking for the classic Android experience
Magic OS makes so many tweaks and adjustments to Android 15 that it almost feels like a completely different operating system. I quite like it, but fans of stock Android might have a hard time adjusting.

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Also consider

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is an excellent all-rounder with a brilliant camera, but the competition is fierce. If you're not sure this is the handset for you, it's worth checking out these competitors.

Oppo Find X8 Pro

The Oppo Find X8 Pro is a similarly feature-stacked Android flagship with a heavy focus on cameras. It offers an extra telephoto lens, a dedicated camera button and has better consistency with its photos. It has an even bigger battery, but in my experience, the Honor still lasts longer.

Read our Oppo Find X8 Pro review

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Android flagships may have Apple beat when it comes to camera specifications, but for video shooting, the iPhone 16 Pro Max reigns supreme. It has amazing stabilization, ProRes recording, and can shoot 4K slow motion at 120fps. The new Camera Control button is fun to play around with, too.

Read our iPhone 16 Pro Max review

How I tested the Honor Magic 7 Pro

  • Review test period: two weeks
  • Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
  • Tools used: Geekbench 6, 3DMark, GFXBench, native Android stats, Honor 100W charger, and wireless SuperCharge stand

I put my SIM card into the Honor Magic 7 Pro and lived with it as my main phone for around two weeks before reaching any conclusions. I used it exactly as I would any other phone, taking lots of photos, gaming, messaging, working, streaming video, and navigating with Google Maps and Waze.

I also compared the experience of playing graphically challenging games like Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact, and PUBG Mobile to my experience with other Android flagships like the Oppo Find X8 Pro, Vivo X200 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. I also ran multiple benchmarks on the handset using 3DMark, GFXbench, and Geekbench.

I assessed the battery performance based on my real-world usage and charging times were measured using an official Honor 100W wall adapter and cable. I also tested the wireless charging capabilities with Honor’s Wireless 100W SuperCharge stand.

Read more about how we test

First tested January 2024

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: a Great Dane tablet that thinks it’s a lap dog
8:50 pm | January 16, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Tablets | Tags: | Comments: Off

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: One-minute review

Maybe a giant tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra seems wild to some, but to me it makes a lot of sense. I love a huge screen; the bigger the better. I want a tablet that can be a work surface, a drawing space, a tabloid newspaper, and a television stand-in when I’m moving to a new house and my TV is packed. Like all of Samsung’s ‘Ultra’ devices, the Tab S10 Ultra is all I need and much more.

How much more? There’s the S Pen, of course, which clings loosely to the back of the Tab S10 Ultra, so you’ll definitely want to buy Samsung’s Smart Book Cover case, at least.

Also, the Tab S10 Ultra is water resistant enough to take a dunk, which may seem superfluous for a tablet that would never possibly fit in a toilet, but it speaks to the Tab's durability. You can use it in the bath tub, or the pool, or in a wet environment, then wash it in the sink. That’s pretty amazing for a tablet this size.

There’s also… um, actually that’s kind of all there is? Okay, there’s Galaxy AI, of course, but nobody should buy a premium Android tablet for features like Sketch to Image or Circle to Search. Maybe someday AI will be a ‘system seller,’ as the gamers say, but for now it’s barely a bonus feature.

Otherwise, this is almost exactly the same as last year's Tab S9 Ultra, which is both good news and bad. The good news is that last year’s tablet was great! I reviewed the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra and I thought it was a powerhouse for productivity, and you actually get a lot of technology, even though the price is high.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing browser on left half of display with TechRadar.com and Calendar on right half. of display

You can easily see two full windows side-by-side on the Tab S10 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is so close to last year’s model that all of the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra accessories work with this tablet. But a warning: if you want a keyboard, don’t buy Samsung’s offering. I wouldn’t usually knock accessories so hard, but this is an important component of a laptop replacement tablet. Samsung needs a much better keyboard for the Tab S series. Samsung’s keyboard is flimsy and unpleasant.

The Tab S10 Ultra version has an AI key... awesome. For the same price (even less!), Apple owners get a Magic Keyboard that's rigid and premium. You can lift the iPad by the lip of the keyboard, but don’t try that with Samsung’s QWERTY.

The good news is that all the third-party cases and covers for the Tab S9 Ultra fit the S10 Ultra. Cool, there are some good options on Amazon, at least. But that means this tablet is basically unchanged from last year, on the outside at least.

Usually, when a product doesn’t change much year-over-year, there's either a big upgrade under the hood, or there is a price drop for new buyers. Unfortunately, neither of those things happened.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the same price as the Tab S9 Ultra in the US and UK, and it’s $50 more in Australia. Inside, you get a… hold on, [checks notes] MediaTek Dimensity 9300. Wait, seriously?! Samsung is using a MediaTek processor? Instead of Qualcomm? Instead of Samsung Semiconductor!?

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

Not much has changed from this Tab S9 Ultra to the Tab S10 Ultra (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Oooooookay. Well, the results are what you’d expect. It’s a good brain for a tablet, but it isn’t a Snapdragon. Last year’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra came with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset found in the Galaxy S23 family. This year’s Galaxy S24 uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The MediaTek 9300 can mostly keep up with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and once in a while beat it, but not always.

Why is there a MediaTek chip in this flagship Samsung tablet? MediaTek makes a respectable, less expensive chip that focuses more on graphics performance than overall raw power. The Tab S10 Ultra does have slightly better graphics capabilities than a Galaxy S24 phone, but this is supposed to be Samsung’s best tablet. Why is it only slightly better?

Apple is loading its comparably priced iPad Pro with an Apple M4 chip, which is more powerful than most Windows laptops. Samsung gives you a lot more display on the Tab S10 Ultra, but at the cost of so much performance that it knocks the Ultra back into a lower category. This is a gigantic mid-range tablet, not a premium flagship.

If you want to run pro-level software, you should buy Apple’s tablet. If you want the biggest, best display to run all of your Android apps and games and watch your favorite content, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a great choice, with a screen that will knock your socks off. But we all know it should be a few hundred bucks cheaper.

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: price and availability

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra app drawer, with keyboard attached

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Starts at $1,1199 / £1,199 / AU$2,049 for 12GB RAM and 256GB storage
  • A 5G version is available, but not in the US

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is Samsung’s biggest and most expensive tablet, and it costs a bit less than the iPad Pro 13-inch, which is a point in its favor, considering Samsung gives you a humongous 14.6-inch display. That’s not a small difference: the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra display offers 65% more screen area than the iPad Pro 11-inch.

Besides the big screen, does the Tab S10 Ultra justify its price tag? Let’s consider features that you won’t find anywhere else. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is water resistant, like all of Samsung’s recent Galaxy Tab S tablets (including the Galaxy Tab S9 FE, if you need a cheaper, water-resistant tablet). If you’re going to use your tablet in the rain, or in the pool, or if you just want to doomscroll in the bathtub, the Galaxy Tab S is your only choice.

Otherwise, Samsung’s key advantage is, surprisingly, software. Samsung does a much better job with tablet software than Apple. It’s easier to multi-task, open multiple windows, and use your tablet with an external monitor and keyboard. Samsung even does a great job integrating its tablet with your Samsung phone and Galaxy Book laptop, if you have recent Samsung devices.

Image 1 of 3

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra drawing a Cybertruck on the screen with the S Pen

Drawing a truck with Sketch to Image (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Image 2 of 3

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra a water color rendering of the Cybertruck I drew using Sketch to Image

Here is Galaxy AI's watercolor version of my truck (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Image 3 of 3

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing Galaxy AI settings

The robust Galaxy AI settings menu (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

All of Samsung’s tablets are good at multitasking, you don’t need to spend $1,1199.99 / £1,199 / AU$2,049 to get this software experience. Even the Tab Ultra’s display isn’t the advantage it was in the past. Apple’s latest iPad Pro tablets pack the most advanced OLED I’ve ever seen on a tablet. It’s thinner, brighter, and sharper looking than Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, even if it’s smaller.

Samsung gives you an S Pen with the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, while Apple makes you pay $129 / £129 / AU$219 for an Apple Pencil. That’s a nice bonus, but it doesn’t justify Samsung’s high price.

Apple gives you a desktop-class chip, while Samsung includes a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset that is… not bad? It’s good at gaming, but not as powerful as Apple’s M4 in the iPad Pro, and it doesn’t even top the Apple M2 in the iPad Air, except in a few graphics benchmarks.

Apple gives you a better, more advanced display, a thinner tablet, and incredible power. Unless you need a water-resistant tablet, or if your games are only available on Android, it’s hard to justify the price tag for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The Tab S9 FE is a much better buy for those benefits.

  • Value: 3/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: specs

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra close up showing S Pen connection to tablet and speaker grill on side

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

It was a shocking move for Samsung to include a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset in its Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The last Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra used the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which was the same processor used in the Galaxy S23 Ultra phone, launched the same year. This year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra phone uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and that’s what I expected on the premiere tablet.

the MediaTek Dimensity 9300... falls short on processing performance compared to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon

Why use MediaTek instead of Qualcomm or a Samsung Exynos chip? My guess is that Samsung wants to diversify its chip supply, and the Tab S10 Ultra is a safe place to stick the first processor from a new partnership. [Full disclosure: I worked on Samsung’s PR team from 2011 to 2017 and was never involved in chip decisions, I only know what other technology journalists know.]

Samsung will tell you that the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 is exceptional at gaming, and it wanted this tablet to appeal to gamers. While MediaTek does win some benchmark races on the graphics side of Future Labs testing, it falls short on processing performance compared to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon, and it’s generations behind Apple’s M4 chipset when it comes to processing power.

I’ll talk about whether the MediaTek 9300 delivered on that gaming promise below in the Performance section (spoiler: it did, but it’s still a mobile chipset).

Otherwise, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has an impressive list of specs. It comes with plenty of RAM to start, 12GB, and you can boost that to 16GB if you buy an upgraded storage model.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra also uses Wi-Fi 7, which the iPad Pro still lacks. If you have the latest networking equipment installed and you want to take advantage, the Galaxy Tab is ready.

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: display

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing home screen with new AI generated wallpaper

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Massive 14.6-inch screen is a new level of tablet bigness
  • Samsung thankfully sticks with Wacom tech for the S Pen

You can’t find a bigger, better display on a tablet than the huge 14.6-inch OLED screen on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. If you are considering a tablet as a laptop replacement, the Tab S10 Ultra gives you more screen space than a 14-inch Macbook Pro, though finding the right keyboard could be tricky.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab gives you much more screen real-estate than a similarly-priced iPad, but is it still a better display? The latest iPad Pro uses an OLED screen that is more sharp, with 264 pixel-per-inch density, compared to 239 ppi on Samsung’s display. Is that enough to notice? Not really, but bragging rights are important at this price.

Apple’s latest iPad Pro is also much brighter than the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, which makes a difference if you work outside, though the iPad Pro can’t handle a rain storm like the Galaxy Tab.

Samsung still refuses to support Dolby Vision on its displays, and you can spot the difference side-by-side if you compare, say, Netflix movies on an iPad Pro and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. There is HDR10+ support, but not the Dolby HDR video standard.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing S Pen tools on home screen

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I’m happy to see Samsung keeps using Wacom’s electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology for its S Pen. I’ve seen a few mobile manufacturers switch to their own technology recently. That usually means a battery and an added expense. Samsung’s S Pen has a battery, but it’s for additional features like Bluetooth and the motion sensor; the pen still works without a charge if you just want to draw.

  • Display: 5/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: design

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra close, showing cameras and S Pen

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Water resistant design is unique among premium tablets
  • Same size and shape as Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

With a tablet this big, the design should get out of the way of the screen and the viewing experience, so I’m not expecting much. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has some design highlights but nothing special. I like the cool, tech-y antenna lines on the back that give it a futuristic sheen, but otherwise it’s just a big slab.

There are four speakers hidden around the edges of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, so things get loud when you hold the tablet in landscape mode for movie watching. The camera is also centered for landscape viewing, as it should be.

The only buttons on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra are the power and volume buttons, and Samsung has managed to screw up the volume keys. You’ll need to remember which side is up, because the Galaxy Tab won’t help.

Here’s what I mean: an Apple iPad is smart enough to know that however you are holding the tablet, pressing the volume rocker button on top should turn up the volume. If you hold the iPad upside down, it flips the orientation of the volume keys.

The Galaxy Tab has fixed Up and Down volume keys, and if you hold the tablet upside down, you need to press down to turn the volume Up. If this seems hard to explain, it’s even worse to use in real life.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra close up from angle showing S Pen tip

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

If you plan on using the S Pen and not losing the S Pen, I highly recommend buying Samsung’s back cover. It has a nice garage that holds the S Pen in the right spot to charge wirelessly against the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. I wish there was a proper silo like there is on the Galaxy S24 Ultra phone, but that would mean a much smaller S Pen, so I’ll accept the trade off.

I don’t recommend Samsung’s keyboard case, and I’m not sure there is a great option to turn the Galaxy S10 Ultra into a proper laptop replacement, which is a huge miss on Samsung’s part. Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which costs less than Samsung’s Keyboard Cover with a trackpad, is a much more premium accessory. You can lift the iPad Pro by grasping the front of the Magic Keyboard, while Samsung’s expensive keyboard cover feels cheap and flimsy, with keys that are too shallow.

  • Design: 4/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: software

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing. all the apps Samsung adds to the tablet under a Samsung folder

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Still the best tablet software for multitasking
  • No significant enhancements for gaming

Samsung’s One UI software, running on top of Android 14, is packed with features, and maybe overstuffed for a smaller smartphone screen, but on a big tablet Samsung lets you cut loose. You can run up to four windows on screen at once, and it’s easy to tile and arrange windows by dragging them where you want them. You can open apps or conversations in pop-up bubbles, and we haven’t even got to the pop-up note taking and screen writing with the S Pen.

While Apple pays lip service to multitasking on the iPad Pro, Samsung really makes it easy to do two or more things at once. I could research on the web while taking notes in Google Docs, or chat on a webcam meeting on one side, play a game on the other, and doomscroll in a floating window.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra with two side-by-side windows and a pop-up window playing Star Wars Skeleton Crew

Taking notes (left) while surfing the web (right) while watching Skeleton Crew (bottom left) all at once (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

While Samsung’s operating system is great, I’m worried that a big, expensive tablet like this is let down by the Android ecosystem. What are the premium apps that require so much screen size and power? Well, maybe not power, since the MediaTek processor isn’t exactly a powerhouse. But it's pretty good at gaming, and Samsung has said this tablet is aimed at gaming enthusiasts.

So, where is the gaming software? When you buy an Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, our best gaming phone, you don’t just get top performance. You get a suite of software tools to help you control your game, tweak your system settings, and stream your sessions over your favorite social network. That’s what it takes to call your device a gaming device. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was great for playing games, but it’s not an excellent gaming device.

  • Software: 4/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: performance

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra playing Vampire Survivors with an Xbox controller

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Good enough for Android, but not competitive with the iPad Pro
  • There better be a Snapdragon 8 Elite in the next Tab Ultra

It’s a very weird time for Samsung to release a Galaxy Tab Ultra with a relatively underpowered MediaTek chipset. Apple offers the iPad Pro tablet with an Apple M4 chip that's more powerful than most Windows laptop computers. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra doesn’t come close to that level of performance.

Then we have Qualcomm, which followed up one of its best chips in memory, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with a chipset that could truly be a revolutionary step forward, the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite. The latter wasn’t available in time for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra launch, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has been the most powerful chip in smartphones over the past year. Samsung should know, that’s the chip inside the Galaxy S24.

For the same price, you can have an Apple M4-powered iPad Pro. Heck, you could buy a Samsung Galaxy Book 4 360 laptop with a Snapdragon X processor inside and you’d get more in just about every way for the same price. Why pay for a big, mid-range Android tablet when you can have a premium convertible laptop or professional-strength iPad?

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra multi window dragging an app to one half of the display

Multi-window is as easy as dragging an app to where you want it (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

If the answer is Android games, then the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra will satisfy hardcore gamers with its performance, but I wonder if a gigantic tablet is what the mobile gaming world wants.

Many games won’t work with a joystick. Genshin Impact, for instance, works with a joystick on the iPad, but not on Android tablets. That means I need to hold the huge tablet and manipulate the controls that were meant for a mobile phone.

There are quite a few games like this, and while I enjoyed playing games with my Xbox controller connected, I had a hard time manipulating onscreen controls while holding the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. Don’t get me wrong, I love the huge size of this tablet, but for some tasks it simply might be too big.

  • Performance: 3/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: battery

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing USB C port

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Less battery life than last generation
  • Much less battery time than an iPad Pro

Battery life on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was, frankly, unacceptable. While the tablet lasted through most of a work day, I usually kept it plugged in or charging when I was working at a desk because the big display can chug through battery time.

Our Future Labs tests report the same. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra performed worse on our battery tests than the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. Both tablets came in behind Apple’s iPad Pro, but the Tab S9 Ultra lasted around 9.5 hours and the Tab S10 lasted just over 9 hours. A small difference, but battery life should never, ever go down year over year.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing battery Settings panel

Four days?! Not likely (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

In comparison, an iPad Pro 13-inch will give you almost 15 hours in the same test. That’s a huge loss for Samsung, and battery life needs to be a priority on the next generation of Galaxy Tab S devices.

I have to imagine that a Tab S10 Ultra with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 would have offered better battery life, based on tests I’ve seen comparing the Gen 2 and Gen 3 platforms. Too bad Samsung didn’t use that chipset here.

  • Battery: 2/5

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra?

Buy it if…

You play a lot of Android games
If you’re playing a lot of games on your Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra offers impressive gaming performance and the best big screen for gaming.View Deal

You want a big office tablet that’s easy to use
An Android tablet is much simpler than a Windows tablet, and you have your work accounts loaded, just like with your phone. Go ahead, work on the Tab.View Deal

You want to draw and play and have fun
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a big tablet for fun, indoors and outdoors, for doodling and gaming and playing with AI. Don’t take it too seriously.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You need a serious productivity tool
If you need real power and performance, and real desktop apps, you might need an iPad Pro or iPad Air.View Deal

You can get a deal on the Tab S9 Ultra
This is almost the same tablet as last year, so if you find the Tab S9 Ultra for much cheaper, just buy it instead.View Deal

You want a laptop replacement
The Tab S10 Ultra doesn’t have any great keyboard options to help you replace a laptop, though you can use any desktop keyboard and mouse instead of Samsung’s accessories.View Deal

Also consider

Not convinced by the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra? Here are a few other options to consider:

Apple iPad Pro 13-inch
It costs a bit more, but Apple’s iPad Pro 13-inch is more powerful, much thinner and lighter, and even brighter than Samsung’s Tab S10 Ultra.

Read our full iPad Pro 13-inch review

Apple iPad Air 13-inch
The Air is Apple’s mid-range iPad, but it is still more powerful than Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, and it lasts longer on a charge.

Read our full Apple iPad Air 13-inch review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus
If you really just want a big Samsung display that’s water resistant and packed with OneUI features, the Tab S9 FE might be enough, and it’s battery life can’t be beat.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus review

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus

I have been using and reviewing tablets since the very first Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch tablet and the original Apple iPad, and I use tablets every day in my personal life and work environment. I carry two or more tablets when I travel for work and personal business, and I travel every month, often every few weeks.

I used the Galaxy Tab 10 Ultra for two months as my primary work tablet, using it when I traveled for business and as a second screen at my office when I was working. I loaded it with my work accounts and apps, including Slack, Google Meet, Airtable, and Vampire Survivors.

I tested the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra’s durability by dunking it in my sink filled with water and rinsing it repeatedly. I used the Tab S10 Ultra with Samsung’s keyboard with trackpad cover, as well as with my own SteelSeries USB-C keyboard, and a Bluetooth mouse. I also connected the Tab Ultra to my Dell monitor.

I played many games on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, mostly using an Xbox controller with Bluetooth. I played Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, Vampire Survivors, and games from my Xbox Series X console over Wi-Fi.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was also tested and benchmarked in Future Labs independently. Future Labs uses benchmark software like Geekbench and Crossmark, as well as proprietary tests for color gamut and battery rundown times. Future Labs runs the same tests on every tablet to compare them equally.

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

First reviewed January 2025

Polar Vantage M3 review: Feature-packed but flawed
8:32 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: | Comments: Off

Polar Vantage M3: One minute review

Polar has long been a trusted name in the fitness world, known for its accurate heart rate monitors, its best running watches and fitness tracking gear aimed at athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The Vantage M3 aims to deliver on that reputation, combining a stunningly bright and vibrant AMOLED display, accurate dual-band GPS and advanced health metrics like wrist-based ECG and skin temperature tracking. It’s packed with tools to help you train smarter and recover better — all for a mid-range price. Along with the Vantage V3 and the Polar Grit X2 Pro, Polar is fully embracing the transition from duller memory-in-pixel displays towards AMOLED screens.

While the Vantage M3 gets a lot right, it’s not without its faults. The setup process was painfully slow and glitchy during my testing, and the companion app, Polar Flow, feels like it’s stuck in the past despite offering lots of detailed metrics. Add to that the lack of third-party app support, and the M3 starts to feel a bit limited compared to more versatile competitors.

That said, for fitness-first users who don’t mind skipping smartwatch extras, the Vantage M3 performs generally well. The clear and sharp AMOLED display makes stats easy to read even during sunny outdoor runs. And features like Recovery Pro and Training Load Pro add meaningful insights, while dual-band GPS ensures accurate route tracking in most conditions.

While the Polar Vantage M3 is a good option for those who prioritize health and fitness tracking, it’s not the most versatile wearable out there. Its smartwatch functionality is rather lacking, as there’s no app store, voice assistant or NFC for payments. Garmin, which also offers a stripped-back training experience, at least as the Connect IQ store. In 2025, this limited functionality feels outdated, especially compared to other smartwatch options on the market right now.

Nevertheless, it’s dependable for serious fitness fans, especially for outdoor workouts which require GPS, and is packed with useful tools for training and recovery. Just don’t expect it to deliver the kind of all-in-one experience you’d get from more feature-rich alternatives like the Apple Watch or Garmin’s top-end models. If you can overlook these shortcomings and focus purely on its fitness chops, the Vantage M3 still has plenty to offer.

Polar Vantage M3: Price and availability

Polar Vantage M3 smartwatch worn on wrist

(Image credit: Future / Lee Bell)
  • Price: £349 / $399 / $599AU
  • Release date: October 2024
  • Colors: Night Black and Greige Sand

The Polar Vantage M3 hit shelves in October 2024, priced at $399 / £349 / AU$599, placing it in the mid-range fitness watch category. It’s available in two understated colors, Night Black and Greige Sand, which should appeal to those who prefer a minimal look.

While it’s not the cheapest option on the market, it does offer solid value when compared to Polar’s higher-end models like the Vantage V3 (£519 / $599.95 / $899AU) and Grit X2 Pro ($749.95 / £649.99 / AU$1,099.99). For its price, you get premium features like dual-band GPS, offline maps and advanced health tracking — all without stretching into the luxury price tier.

  • Value score: 3.5 / 5

Polar Vantage M3: Design

Polar Vantage M3 smartwatch worn on wrist

(Image credit: Future / Lee Bell)
  • Lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear
  • Stunning AMOLED display with crisp resolution
  • Silicone strap is a little stiff and thus tricky to readjust

When it comes to design, the Polar Vantage M3 balances both style and practicality rather well. At just 53g including the strap, the 44mm case is lightweight enough that you’ll barely notice it’s there, whether you’re hitting the gym or dashing out to run errands. Its slim casing size means it sits snugly on your wrist, staying put even during more intense movements, so you don’t have to worry about it shifting around or coming loose mid-workout.

The stainless-steel bezel is a nice touch that gives it a more sophisticated and hard-wearing edge, and the subtle studs act as a helpful guide when you’re swiping through the touchscreen. However, the plastic body does slightly detract from the premium feel, especially compared to rivals that use more robust materials, like Garmin’s more premium models. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does leave you wishing for a little extra polish.

Next, let’s talk about the watch’s display, which comes in a 1.28-inch AMOLED variety — easily one of the Vantage M3’s standout features. With its crisp 416x416 resolution and a peak brightness of 1,500 nits, it’s vibrant and sharp — which will be why I found it made your stats easy to read in just about any lighting conditions. That said, it is slightly smaller in size compared to some of Polar’s pricier models, which can make some data screens feel a little cramped, especially when you’re mid-workout and glancing at metrics on the go.

The display’s Gorilla Glass 3 coating also offers scratch protection, which held up well during my testing. The five physical buttons are a welcome addition alongside the touchscreen, offering an easy way to navigate menus during sweaty or gloved activities. However, they could be more tactile; Garmin’s chunkier controls, for example, feel more satisfying to use.

Nevertheless, the silicone strap is soft and comfortable overall. Its buckle-and-loop system can be fiddly at times, often needing more patience than it should to fasten securely. But on the bright side, the 22mm standard size means you can easily swap it for an alternative that better suits your needs.

  • Design score: 4 / 5

Polar Vantage M3: Features

Polar Vantage M3 smartwatch worn on wrist

(Image credit: Future / Lee Bell)
  • Packed with fitness and recovery tools
  • Limited smartwatch functionality leaves you wanting more

The Polar Vantage M3 is built for fitness enthusiasts, and its suite of features backs this up. From wrist-based ECG and SpO2 tracking to detailed recovery metrics like SleepWise and Training Load Pro, it’s clear to see that health and performance tracking are this watch’s primary focus. It boasts tools for just about every aspect of your fitness journey — features that work really together and delivering insights that can genuinely help you train smarter and recover better.

While the watch’s fitness features deliver, its smartwatch functionality falls short. Sure, you can read notifications and control your music, but that’s about it. There’s no app store for adding third-party tools, no voice assistant to help you navigate tasks hands-free and no NFC for payments support.

It’s surprising, especially in 2025, where even budget wearables offer more comprehensive options. And so, for anyone hoping for a more versatile device that blends fitness and day-to-day convenience, the Vantage M3 feels like it’s missing the mark somewhat.

However, the essentials are solid. Syncing the watch to the Polar Flow app allows you to view all your training metrics in one place. While the app itself isn’t the most intuitive or visually pleasing, it does get the job done — albeit with a bit of patience.

  • Features score: 3 / 5

Polar Vantage M3: Performance

  • Dual-band GPS is accurate but not flawless
  • Metrics not quite as precise as expected
  • Around five days battery life with mixed use

The Vantage M3’s dual-band GPS is a solid performer most of the time. It connects quickly and provides accurate data during runs, bike rides and hikes. However, it’s not flawless. In dense urban areas surrounded by tall buildings, the GPS can wobble slightly, deviating from your true route. It’s not a disaster by any means, but when you’re comparing it to premium models like the Garmin Fenix 8 series, for instance, the difference is quite noticeable.

Heart rate monitoring is another area where the M3 performs well, though it’s not perfect. The optical sensor offers consistent readings during steady-state workouts, but it struggles to keep up during sudden bursts of activity, such as sprints or high-intensity intervals. If you’re someone who relies heavily on accurate heart rate data for training, this might be a minor frustration. Step tracking, meanwhile, was less impressive. It often overcounted my steps by a few hundred compared to other devices I tested, which could annoy anyone who considers precise metrics as paramount.

As for battery life, it’s decent but not groundbreaking. With moderate use, Polar says you’ll get five to six days out of it, or about 24 hours in GPS mode. I found that with mixed use - tracking a workout once a day with GPS, general step counting and sleep tracking - it was just short of that, at about five days. It’s enough for most casual users, but endurance athletes might find themselves charging more often than they’d like. On the plus side, charging is relatively quick and painless, thanks to the USB-A proprietary cable included in the box.

Essentially, the Polar Vantage M3 excels as a training tool. Its recovery features, like Training Load Pro, are genuinely useful for improving your workouts, and the clear and sharp AMOLED display makes interacting with the watch nothing but a pleasure. Whether you’re mid-run in the sun or checking your progress under some intense floodlights, I found the screen performs brilliantly overall. But when you consider the price tag, it’s hard to ignore the areas where it falls short. For £349 / $399 / $599AU, you’d expect a more high-end experience, particularly when it comes to its smartwatch features. Still, if you’re looking for a fitness-first device, it’s a trustworthy option, but it’s not the standout it could have been.

  • Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Polar Vantage M3: Scorecard

Polar Vantage M3 smartwatch worn on wrist

(Image credit: Future / Lee Bell)

Polar Vantage M3: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want detailed training insights

Polar’s tools like Recovery Pro and Training Load Pro offer genuinely useful, detailed feedback.View Deal

You love vibrant displays

The AMOLED screen is sharp, colorful and easy to read in most lighting.View Deal

You’re after a lightweight, comfortable design

It’s great for all-day wear, even during intense workouts.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You need robust smartwatch features

There’s no app store, voice assistant or payment support.View Deal

You hate clunky apps

Polar Flow isn’t the most user-friendly companion app.View Deal

You’re a sucker for tracking accuracy

Step counts can be overly generous, which might bother data purists.View Deal

Also consider

Garmin Forerunner 255 (£299)

This cheaper option from Garmin is known for its excellent GPS and training tools, plus there’s a stronger focus on smartwatch features like NFC payments as well as app support.

Check out our full Garmin Forerunner 255 reviewView Deal

COROS Pace 3 (£199)

An affordable alternative with great battery life, reliable tracking and a focus on performance. While it lacks an AMOLED screen, it excels in durability and value for money.

Check out our full COROS Pace 3 reviewView Deal

Apple Watch SE 2 (£269)

For those iPhone users who want a better balance between fitness tracking and smartwatch functionality. While it doesn’t have advanced recovery tools, its sleek design and app ecosystem make it a top choice that won’t break the bank.

Check out our full Apple Watch SE 2 reviewView Deal

How I tested

I wore the Polar Vantage M3 daily for over two weeks, testing its features during various activities, including running, cycling and yoga. I used its dual-band GPS for outdoor workouts and tracked recovery metrics with Polar’s app tools. I also evaluated its smartwatch functionality by syncing it to a smartphone, using it for notifications and assessing app integration. To test durability, I wore it during both high-intensity workouts and casual everyday use, paying attention to comfort and battery performance.

First reviewed: January 2025

Intel Arc B570 review: great value, but overshadowed by the far superior Arc B580
5:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Computing Components Gadgets | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Intel Arc B570: Two-minute review

The Intel Arc B570 is the kind of graphics card I desperately want to love, but my tech-addled PC gaming heart belongs to another.

I'm not talking about the recently-announced Nvidia RTX 50 series GPUs (though we'll see about those in due time). No, I've fallen for the Intel Arc B580, easily one of the best graphics cards on the market thanks to its fantastic 1440p and 1080p gaming performance. And, unfortunately, its price is so good that it's hard to really recommend the Arc B570 in good conscience.

To be fair, the Intel Arc B570's $219 / £219 (around AU$350) MSRP arguably makes it the best cheap graphics card going right now simply by default. The next cheapest current-gen GPU (as of January 2025) from AMD (the Radeon RX 7600) and Nvidia (the GeForce RTX 4060) are roughly 20% to 25% more expensive, and it's still $30 / £30 (about AU$90) cheaper than the Arc B580.

But the problem is that despite some impressive specs for a card this cheap, and solid 1080p performance, for just a little bit more you can get a far more future-proofed GPU that will let you game without compromise at a higher 1440p resolution if you go for the Arc B580. Of course, that's assuming you can get that card at its normal retail price and not the jacked-up prices being charged online by profiteering retailers and third-party sellers.

An Intel Arc B570 seen from the back

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

But looking at the Arc B570 strictly on its merits, ignoring any external factors that are subject to change, and it's undeniable that the Arc B570 is one of the best 1080p graphics cards you can buy, especially considering its price.

At this price price point, you really have to compare the Arc B570 against cards that are several years old, like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 1060 to really put things in perspective. For example, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 had a launch price $30 higher than the Arc B570, and even though I no longer have that card to compare Intel's latest against in a head-to-head matchup like I'd like, it really wasn't that good of a card to justify its price. Say what you will about the Arc B570, but in no universe can you say that you're not getting your money's worth with this GPU.

The heartbreak, then, is just that this card is simply overshadowed by its slightly more expensive sibling. If the Intel Arc B570 was priced at $199, it would be walking away with a definitive budget win. Hell, it still is, but with so little separating the B570 and the B580, pretty much every potential buyer is better off borrowing that extra bit of cash from a friend, sibling, parent, or even a stranger, and picking up the more powerful B580.

Intel Arc B570: Price & availability

An Intel Arc B570 on top of its retail packaging

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • How much is it? Starting at $219 / £219 (around AU$350)
  • When can you get it? You can get it from January 16, 2025
  • Where is it available? You can get it in the US, UK, and Australia

The Intel Arc B570 goes on sale in the US, UK, and Australia on January 16, 2025, for $219 / £219 (around AU$350).

This puts it at just $30 / £30 (about AU$90) cheaper than the Intel Arc B580 released in December 2024. That said, it is a good deal cheaper than the competing AMD Radeon RX 7600 and Nvidia RTX 4060, both of which run at least 20% more expensive for roughly the same performance.

I'll dig into the performance-per-dollar of this card in a bit, but I can tell you now that it's one of the best you find on a modern GPU, but it still comes in a distant second to the Intel Arc B580, making it hard card to recommend unless you are seriously strapped for cash or the B580 is being scalped at too high a price.

  • Value: 4.5 / 5

Intel Arc B570: Specs

The top trim of an Intel Arc B570

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • 10GB VRAM is a nice-to-have feature
  • Decently-sized memory bus
  • Specs: 4 / 5

Intel Arc B570: Performance

An Intel Arc B570 running on an open test bench

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • Great 1080p performance
  • Doable 1440p (within reason)
  • Arc B580 is way better for not a whole lot more money

Ultimately, what matters is performance, and the top-line numbers for the Intel Arc B570 are impressive for a card at its price point, but it is almost exclusively a 1080p graphics card unless you make a lot of compromises for 1440p resolution that frankly aren't going to be worth it in the end.

In terms of creative workloads or AI, this isn't the card for you. I'd simply go for the RTX 4060 if you're really strapped for cash but need something more than a basic cheap gaming GPU.

It also has to be noted that its 1080p gaming performance isn't going to match its more expensive competition on a lot of games, so if you're looking for a graphics card that consistently gets you 60fps at 1080p on max settings without question, you might be better off with some of this card's more expensive competitors.

That said, on average across the several games in my testing suite, including titles like Cyberpunk 2077, F1 2024, Total War: Warhammer III, and others, this card did manage an average 1080p fps of 60. with an average minimum fps of 34.

Of course, it played better on some games more than others, and some games you won't be able to play at max settings for a playable frame rate (like Black Myth Wukong), but over the course of all the titles I played, it's more than passable for 1080p, with the occasionally playable 1440p experience.

For its price, it's genuinely excellent, especially for getting you a card capable of ray-traced gameplay, but for just a little bit more, you can get a lot better with the B580.

  • Performance: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Intel Arc B570?

An Intel Arc B570 being held by a masculine hand

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Buy the Intel Arc B570 if...

You are on a very tight budget
There aren't a lot of current-gen GPUs available at this price point, and even then, this is the cheapest so far.View Deal

You only care about basic 1080p gaming
If you are only looking for a cheap 1080p GPU with some modern extras like ray tracing, this card could be a compelling value at MSRP. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want to game at 1440p
Despite its extra VRAM and decent memory bus, it just doesn't have the specs for consistent 1440p gaming without some serious compromises.View Deal

You have some wiggle room in your budget
If you are even slightly flexible in your budget, the Arc B580 is a much, much better option for not a whole lot more money.View Deal

Also consider

Intel Arc B580
OK, so I'm going to be honest, the only other card you should be considering is the Arc B580. If you have any room in your budget, get this card instead. It's so much better for just a little more of an investment.

Read the full Intel Arc B580 review

How I tested the Intel Arc B570

  • I spent about a week with the Intel Arc B570
  • I used it primarily as a gaming GPU with some light creative work
  • I ran the Arc B570 thgouh my revamped testing suite

I tested the Intel Arc B570 using my newly revamped testing suite, including the latest 3DMark tests like Steel Nomad and Solar Bay, as well as the newest gaming benchmarks like Black Myth Wukong and F1 2024.

I used the Arc B570 as my primary GPU on my work PC, using it for basic productivity, creative, and moderate gaming in the office.

I've been testing GPUs for TechRadar for more than two years now, and have extensively benchmarked all of the latest GPUs several times over, so I am well aware of where this card's performance sits amongst its competition as well as how good of a value it is at its price point.

  • Originally reviewed January 2025
Insta360 Flow 2 Pro review: the best small iPhone gimbal gets an update
4:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Phone Accessories Phones | Comments: Off

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: Two-Minute Review

Not even a year since Insta360’s original Flow Pro smartphone stabilizer arrived on the market, and it already has a successor in the shape of the Flow 2 Pro. The new gimbal (perhaps unsurprisingly given the timeframe) doesn’t represent a huge leap forward, however – merely a logical progression in a few key areas.

This is another compact handheld gimbal for keeping an attached smartphone level and its movements smooth, enabling the user to capture more stable and professional-looking video footage while on foot or, with the gimbal perched on a flat surface thanks to its integrated tripod, use their phone like an automated camera operator, moving around while the gimbal uses its software to track and follow their movements, keeping them in the frame.

All the key advantages of the original model either remain untouched or improved upon, thankfully. The lightweight folding design, for instance, makes the Flow 2 Pro one of the most portable smartphone stabilizers around, just like the Flow Pro. And, like the Flow Pro, it features a magnetic clamping system that makes mounting your phone and deploying the gimbal and a refreshingly quick and painless process. The clamp grips securely to the sides of your phone, accommodating devices between 64mm and 84mm wide, and then simply sticks to the gimbal arm via its strong magnet, fixing into place with a satisfying ‘thunk’.

Image 1 of 4

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Image 2 of 4

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Image 3 of 4

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Image 4 of 4

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

I think the design is even better this time around, though, because the Flow 2 Pro’s construction is tougher and more durable than that of its predecessor, even down to the built-in tripod legs being less awkward to pull out and providing a more stable platform for hands-free stabilization.

In its folded state the Flow 2 Pro is impressively small. I was even able to lug it around in my coat pocket, which isn’t something I could say for many of the other best smartphone gimbals. The basic bundle comes with a soft cloth drawstring bag for storage in such situations, but Insta360 also sells an optional hard-sided carry case with snug cut-outs for the gimbal, magnetic clamp and (also optional) fill light. This case, which comes with a removable shoulder strap and netted compartment space inside the lid for storing cables and other small accessories, is the ideal way to store the Flow 2 Pro when not in use, and I’d have liked it included in the basic package – but I suppose keeping it as an optional upgrade does hold the overall cost down for those who want to get in at the lowest price point.

Image 1 of 3

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Image 2 of 3

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Image 3 of 3

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

As for the smartphone stabilization itself, I have no significant complaints at all – it all works brilliantly, and the Flow 2 Pro feels much more comfortable in my hand than the original Flow Pro. The three-axis gimbal can support handsets up to 300g in weight, stabilizing them using one of three modes: Follow (which follows both the pan and tilt movements of the user but keeps the roll axis fixed); Pan Follow (similar, but keeps both the tilt and roll axes fixed); and FPV (which follows the user’s movement on all three axes).

There’s also an Auto mode, which follows tilt and pan movements and adapts its sensitivity automatically in real-time, plus the option to fix all axes in place at any time by holding down the trigger on the handle. The sixth and final mode is Active Plus, which adds extra sensitivity and responsiveness to the above modes and is engaged by tapping, then holding down the trigger.

You can also manually move the gimbal using the on-handle controls, with the thumb stick supporting tilt and pan motion and, in FPV mode, the jog wheel controlling roll axis movement. Single tapping the trigger turns subject tracking on and off, double tapping resets the phone to a level central position and triple tapping spins the phone through 180º so that it faces the opposite direction to its current facing.

The minimalist circular control setup is similar to the Flow Pro’s, albeit with a few tweaks to aid ergonomics. It’s now slightly more tactile and the four mode lights for Auto, Follow, Pan Follow and FPV are situated at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock on the circle rather than in a row at the top. The green indicator light, which pops on to tell you that tracking is in progress, is retained from the Flow Pro, as is the NFC tap point above it, which can be used for first-time one-tap pairing for both Android and Apple phones.

Image 1 of 3

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Image 2 of 3

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Image 3 of 3

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

The 21cm extension stick, which expands out from the handle to create extra distance between the user and the phone, is retained from the previous model but a new Free Tilt option expands the Flow 2 Pro’s repertoire of motion. It moves the arm out of the way, which allowed me to capture upwards and downwards tilting shots I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to get.

On the software side of things, the Flow 2 Pro retains its Apple DockKit support, which means it can track subjects in over 200 iPhone camera apps, including the likes of BlackMagic Camera, TikTok and the iPhone’s own native camera app. Obviously this leaves Android users feeling a little short-changed in comparison, as the only way they can track on the Flow 2 Pro is via the Insta360 app.

However, the app is great – and I think delivers by far a smoother, smarter and more responsive tracking experience than any apps that use the DockKit integration. New tracking features added for the Flow 2 Pro include the ability to track groups of people, track while zoomed up to 15x and the Pro Framing Grid, which can modify tracking to keep the subject off-center in the frame for a more pleasing ‘golden ratio’ composition.

The app also includes support for Dolby Vision and Apple ProRes video recording, a new teleprompter option to help content creators stick to the script and support for remote control of the gimbal via a second smartphone or an Apple Watch. I like the idea of a remote control but having to pull out a second smartphone isn’t really ideal – so hopefully Insta360 will take inspiration from the Hohem iSteady M7’s integrated remote control for future stabilizers.

I did get the opportunity to try out a couple of the optional accessories such as the MagSafe mount, which is a much more elegant and slick mounting option than the spring-loaded magnetic grip and the LED fill light, which slots directly onto the gimbal arm’s USB-C output (which can also be used to top up your phone’s battery) and provides either warm, neutral or cool light in one of three intensities. It’s not as flexible as the LED that comes included on the Hohem M7, but it’s powerful enough to enable night-time vlogging, and can face both forwards and backwards.

With up to 10 hours of battery life, the Flow 2 Pro delivers roughly the same amount of use on a full charge as the original model. By the standards of small stabilizers, it’s good – and significantly longer than the 6.5 hours offered by the DJI Osmo 6 Mobile, its closest rival.

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: Price and Availability

The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro is available to order from its launch day, 16 January 2025, in two bundles and two color finishes: Stone Grey and Summit White.

The Standard Bundle costs $159.99 / £144.99 / AU$239.99, and includes the Flow 2 Pro itself plus a magnetic clamp, USB-A to USB-C charging cable and soft storage back. The Creator Bundle costs $189.99 / £169.99 / AU$289.99, and includes all of the above plus a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, a magnetic phone mount for MagSafe iPhones and the Spotlight, a small fill light that clips directly to the gimbal arm.

This launch price is slightly higher than the launch price of original Flow Pro (which arrived in July 2024); taking into account inflation, however, I’d consider it roughly the same – although I would expect the original Flow Pro to fall in price now that its successor has arrived – the Flow 2 Pro’s most established rival, the DJI Osmo 6 Mobile, has already.

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: specs

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: Also Consider

DJI Osmo Mobile 6
We think DJI’s small folding gimbal feels nicer in the hand than the Flow 2 Pro, but in other areas the Insta360 has it beat thanks to longer battery life and, for Apple users at least, that all-important ability to track using third-party camera apps. We’d expect the upcoming Osmo Mobile 7 (or equivalent) to up its game sharply, however.

Read our DJI Osmo Mobile 6 review

Hohem iSteady M7
While significantly pricier and bulkier than the Flow 2 Pro, the M7’s impeccable stabilization can balance phones up to 500g in weight. Even better, it comes with app-agnostic tracking via an AI camera module that doubles as a fully customizable fill light, plus a touchscreen module that works as a remote control.

*Our Hohem iSteady M7 review is in progress

Should I buy the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro?

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro smartphone stabilizer

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Buy it if...

You want the best small gimbal for iPhone
The Flow 2 Pro’s Apple DockKit support grants it far more utility for iPhone users than its folding, compact competitors, allowing human subject tracking for over 200 iOS camera apps.

You travel light
With its folding, lightweight build, which also manages to be reassuringly sturdy, the Flow 2 Pro is the perfect stabilizer with which to document your day trips and weekend breaks. It works as a power bank, selfie stick and tripod too!

Don't buy it if...

You want the best all-round tracking gimbal
Larger, pricier stabilizers like the Hohem iSteady M7 and Zhiyun Smooth 5A AI feature AI tracking modules that allow them to track human subjects with any app for both Android and iPhone.

You already own the original Flow Pro
The improvements here are notable, but not so valuable that it’s worth ditching your nearly new Flow Pro for the upgrade. If you own the original, our advice would be to wait until the Flow 3 Pro (or equivalent) comes along.

How I tested the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro

  • One week of use
  • Tested with iPhone 13 and various iOS apps
  • Used inside and outdoors both on tripod and in hand

I used the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro in and around my home for a week, using it to record footage both on the move and with it fixed it place via its built-in tripod. I tested it with my Apple iPhone 13 and a variety of camera apps – including the Insta360 app, BlackMagic Camera and the iPhone’s own native camera – to record b-roll and vlog-style videos.

First reviewed January 2025

« Previous Page — Next Page »