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Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro review: an analog keyboard that aims high but falls short
7:48 pm | September 24, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Keyboards Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro: one-minute review

It’s not often you see an analog keyboard come to market, but Turtle Beach is offering a new one in the form of its Vulcan 2 TKL Pro. It promises ultra-smooth and fast operation, aided by the in-depth actuation settings in its accompanying software, Swarm 2.

Since the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro doesn't have a top cover, the bare keycaps and switches are immediately apparent. This design choice is both aesthetically pleasing and convenient, as it makes cleaning and swapping out the keycaps easier. The overall form is compact and slender, yet the materials and construction feel premium.

Swarm 2 doesn’t put its best foot forward, with a jagged interface and a severe lack of explanations for the numerous settings available. Navigating it can also be a chore, and I was frequently met with dialog boxes telling me I had to go somewhere else or activate a certain parameter to achieve what I wanted. It also crashed on one occasion during my time using it. 

Beneath it all, though, there are some great customization options on offer, with a broad selection of hotkey functions – some quite advanced – and the actuation adjustments allow for a great deal of tinkering. Again, though, it can be hard to work out exactly what your tweaks are accomplishing, thanks to the lack of visual indicators and an impractical testing procedure.

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro side view

(Image credit: Future)

In action, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro performs competently, with the same satisfying keystrokes and comfortable feel as any of the best gaming keyboards, and the mixture of convex and concave keycaps pays dividends. However, typing isn’t the easiest, as the keys are quite narrow, and gliding around them isn’t as seamless as I’m used to.

The analog functionality is a mixed bag for gaming. There are plenty of adjustments in the actuation point, which let you dial in your preferred pressure. Rapid Trigger mode is also useful, allowing for fast yet controlled inputs, ideal for twitchy character movements. However, the multi-point actuation seems more like a gimmick than a useful tool, and Controller mode falls short of its emulation promises since the keys can’t match the precision of analog sticks and triggers. In practice, I doubt gamers will use it. 

All this isn’t to say the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro isn’t a competent gaming performer. It’s satisfying and solid to use, and its compact design makes it suitable for virtually any setup.

If you want a premium gaming keyboard with similar analog switches, the Razer Huntsman line includes models with them. If you can do without, there are plenty of keyboards out there that offer similar, if not better, performance than the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro for the same price or less, such as the Asus Rog Strix Scope II RX and the Roccat Magma.

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro top corner

(Image credit: Future)

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro review: price and availability

  • $149 (about £113 / AU$219)
  • Black and White colorways
  • Wired only

The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is priced at $149 (about £113 / AU$219) and is available in two colorways: Black and White. It also comes with a wrist rest. UK and Australian markets are yet to receive it. 

For a tenkeyless board with analog switches, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is good value. Similar analog offerings from the likes of Razer and Corsair can set you back over $200.

If you’re not bothered about analog switches, your options open up considerably, but even when considered within the broader gaming keyboard market, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is still competitively priced. 

However, there are alternatives that undercut the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro: the Asus Rog Strix Scope II RX, for instance, is slightly cheaper, full-size, and has mechanical switches. There’s also the Roccat Magma, our current pick as the best gaming keyboard for those on a budget.

Value: 4 / 5

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro review: specs

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro back foot

(Image credit: Future)

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro review: design and features

  • Light but sturdy
  • Satisfying floating keys
  • Software is so-so

The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro has a sleek, lightweight body, made from anodized aluminum with a plastic underside, resulting in a keyboard that feels hard-wearing. The keycaps' floating design helps to minimize its real estate even further. I found the chassis thin enough to use the board comfortably without needing the included wrist rest. The folding feet didn’t provide as steep an angle as I would’ve liked, but it was still within the bounds of acceptability.

Some might not like this exposed design, but I’m quite partial to it. If nothing else, it makes the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro easier to clean, as dust and other debris have no place to hide (I dread to think how many crumbs are lurking beneath the crevices of my other keyboards). It also makes removing the keycaps easier when you want to swap them out for third-party ones.

Despite their floating nature, the keycaps feel secure, firmly fixed in place with little play or wobble. They’re indented, save for those on the bottom row, which are convex instead – a smart design choice that makes them easier to press with your little finger and thumb.

There’s also a handy volume dial in the top-right corner, which has smooth notches and a solid button press for muting. However, neither the dial or the button can be remapped to perform other functions. 

To get the most out of the analog switches in the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro, you’ll need to acquaint yourself with Swarm 2, Turtle Beach’s peripheral software. Unfortunately, it fails to make a great first impression. The typeface is rendered poorly and the layout isn’t exactly intuitive. I frequently encountered dialog boxes telling me certain functions and features weren’t available without navigating to another tab, and many settings just aren’t explained well – or even at all. There’s also no way to see a quick overview of the rebind choices you’ve made – you have to click on each individual key to reveal them. 

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro USB-C port close-up

(Image credit: Future)

I experienced one crash during my time with Swarm 2; a settings adjustment window failed to open and the app froze before shutting down altogether. A simple restart fixed the issue, though.

It contains many of the standard features you'd expect from peripheral software, including RGB adjustments, multiple profile slots (five), and a macro creator. It also offers different layers for customization, including a Game Mode (not to be confused with Windows’ own Game Mode), which is activated by pressing FN+Start (again: not made clear), and an Easy Shift mode that can be activated by holding caps lock. You can set it to toggle instead, but this option isn’t easy to find, buried in the hotkey rebind section. 

Speaking of which, there are plenty of hotkey options in Swarm 2. The selection is both broad and useful, including some pretty advanced functions that can be activated with a single keypress, such as opening a Direct X diagnostics tool and the Windows Registry Editor.

The real meat of Swarm 2, though, lies in the detailed actuation adjustments available. The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro has Hall-effect magnetic switches, with the actuation point of each adjustable from 0.1-4mm. You can also increase or decrease actuation via two hotkeys on the plus and minus keys. The number key LEDs light up to indicate your adjustments, but they aren’t clear enough to tell what setting you’re on.

There are also Rapid Trigger and Multi-input modes. The former lets you adjust the point at which the key resets to accept further inputs, independently from the actuation point. This allows for quick, controlled movements and key spamming. You can select individual keys to apply Rapid Trigger to, but Swarm 2 fails to mention that you can click and drag to select multiple keys instead. More obscurities can be found in the test mode for Rapid Trigger, as it fails to provide visual feedback for the adjustments you make, which would be extremely useful in helping you see the direct effect of your tweaks. 

Multi-input mode lets you create up to three different inputs for the same key, depending on how hard you press. With this setting, you can’t assign controller inputs, only keystrokes and mouse clicks are permitted.

One of the problems with both these modes is that you can’t adjust and test your settings in the same window, which would streamline the whole process. You can, however, do this in Controller mode. 

This mode allows you to assign keys to gamepad inputs. To achieve this in-game, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro emulates a controller (I suspect it utilizes XInput, Microsoft’s protocol for using gamepads on PC). This includes the emulation of analog sticks and trigger buttons, letting you modulate the amount of input based on how far down you press the keys. In theory, this is useful for games requiring careful movement – there’s even a handy WASD-to-analog-stick quick-bind setting for this very purpose – and vehicle control. There’s also an angle-snapping option in this mode, offering 0-90 degrees of ‘snapping’; useful if you want to adjust the separation between the x and y axis.

Design & features: 3.5 / 5

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro review: performance

  • Good for gaming
  • Adjustable actuation points
  • Controller mode impractical

Thanks to those floating keys, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro has a typewriter-like feel, which creates a greater sense of feedback. Despite this, it isn’t a board I would recommend for frequent typing. 

The T-shaped ABS keycaps are narrower than those on most gaming keyboards, and I found they took some getting used to. Gliding over them isn’t seamless, due to the steep indentations on the keycaps, while the small enter key is hard to locate by feel. Having the ability to adjust the actuation point across a wide range certainly helps to prevent mispresses, but if you’re thinking of using your board for productivity as well as gaming, this likely won’t be for you.

If you’re only concerned with the latter, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro acquits itself well. The switches are very clicky, with enough damping to feel pleasant to use, but if you really hammer down on them you’ll be met with a harsh thud. The aforementioned actuation adjustments make for quick responses, and those indented keycaps help secure your fingers in place.

The standard Actuation Point and Rapid Trigger modes generally live up to their promises. The former’s adjustment options result in meaningful changes to keystroke sensitivity, while the latter’s allow you to perform quick-twitch movements with greater speed and accuracy once set to your preferences.

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro close-up of keys

(Image credit: Future)

However, the same can’t be said for Multi-input mode, as applying the exact amount of pressure to hit a certain actuation point for a certain input is difficult. I struggle to think of many gaming situations where this functionality would be useful. You also can’t assign controller functions in this mode, which seems like a missed opportunity; only keystrokes and mouse clicks are assignable.

And then there’s Controller mode. In theory, this is a nice idea, but, in practice, it fails to translate analog inputs from gamepads to keystrokes as smoothly as I would’ve liked. Changing the response curve to the precision setting did help to make movements somewhat more controlled, but still not enough. Maneuvering in-game vehicles was too jerky during my tests; the greater weight, size, and resistance of analog sticks and trigger buttons are much better suited to the task.

There’s also the issue of which games practically support Controller mode. In Grand Theft Auto 5, for instance, I found a clash between gamepad and keyboard control schemes. Naturally, moving a character forward and backward with a controller requires moving the analog stick. However, in vehicles, accelerate and brake/reverse are bound to R2 and L2, with no option in-game to alter this. 

This means that binding WASD to analog stick controls will let you move a character in all directions, but with vehicles, you’ll only be able to steer left and right. You could keep W and A bound as they are and sacrifice some of that nuanced control, or use the easy shift function on the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro as a workaround, but this will require you to press caps lock every time you switch between pedestrian and vehicular travel. In other words, it’s simply too impractical to be worth using.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro?

Buy it if…

You want analog-style controls
It’s not every day you see a keyboard with pressure-sensitive switches. If you desperately want to emulate a controller, albeit not as precisely, this is for you.

You want floating keys
Personally, I’m a fan of the uncovered layout, for both aesthetic and practical reasons. If you feel the same way, this is a great example.

You want to save space
For a board so solidly made, it’s pleasantly surprising how light and compact the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is, making it conducive to any desktop setup. 

Don’t buy it if…

You want to go wireless
Unfortunately, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro doesn’t have a wireless option, despite having a detachable USB cable.

You want true analog precision
Despite the promises, the analog keys don’t offer the same smoothness as gamepads, and they just aren’t as useful in certain games as you might expect.

You want the best software
While it offers great functionality in some areas, Swarm 2 isn’t the easiest to navigate and several features aren’t explained clearly.

Also consider

How I tested the Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro

  • Tested for two weeks
  • Played multiple genres
  • 10+ years PC gaming experience

I tested the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro for around two weeks, during which time I used it for gaming, productivity, and general use.

I played Counter-Strike 2, the acid test for peripherals, as well as games involving vehicle control, such as Art of Rally and Grand Theft Auto 5.

I have been PC gaming for over 10 years – and many more than that on numerous other platforms – and during that time, I have used many different types of keyboards from a wide range of brands. 

  • First reviewed September 2024
Sony Inzone M10S review: beautiful design, uncompromising performance
7:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Sony Inzone M10S: Two-minute review

The Sony Inzone M10S is a major departure from the rest of the Sony Inzone monitor lineup. Known for PlayStation-oriented products and closely associated with many of the best monitors for PS5, it might come as a surprise that this 27-inch OLED display has been designed specifically for competitive PC gaming. Its sleek black aesthetic is a major shift from the PS5-inspired white panel look of the Sony Inzone M9 and Sony Inzone M3 too, potentially pointing towards a more standalone future for the brand.

If that is the new trajectory of the Sony Inzone name, then it's off to an incredibly promising start. This first foray into the PC esports market is a huge success. The Sony Inzone M10S is expensive compared to most of the competition, but that high price tag is reflected in almost every facet of the monitor’s top-notch overall design, features, and performance.

The 1440p OLED panel offers a lightning-fast 0.03ms gray-to-gray response time and a wonderfully smooth 480Hz refresh rate, ensuring that no part of your performance in intense competitive first-person shooters like Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant is held back by your monitor’s technical specs. It also offers some genuinely useful visual settings, including a dedicated 24.5-inch display mode that accurately simulates a tournament experience by mirroring the standard tournament monitor size.

A close-up shot of the Sony Inzone M10S monitor.

(Image credit: Future)

The FPS Pro+ mode is also a surprising highlight. By default, it creates an almost gray, desaturated-looking picture but seems to significantly boost the appearance of primary colors like Red and Green. This helps key UI elements, like the red enemy indicators in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 stand out, improving your ability to see vital information when it counts.

The stand of the Sony Inzone M10S is also superb. It combines an impressively small, disk-like base constructed from durable metal with an attractive monitor arm that offers a full 360-degree rotation. The base takes up very little desk space and can easily fit underneath an elevated keyboard, allowing you to easily achieve a wide range of positions and focus entirely on your game rather than trying to fit everything on a single surface.

It also has plenty of elevation options, with 30 degrees of tilt and an adjustable height of up to 12 cm. Although plainer than other Sony Inzone models, the Sony Inzone M10S looks fantastic overall thanks to its seriously thin side profile and understated, classy aesthetic. From an esports perspective, the Sony Inzone M10S delivers in all respects and is easily one of the best gaming monitors out there today.

That said, there are more suitable, cheaper options for those who want something geared towards general gaming. The Sony Inzone M10S does not feature any in-built speakers and fans of sprawling adventures like Horizon Forbidden West may prefer a lower refresh rate but a higher 4K resolution panel to really soak in all the details. Although the Sony Inzone M10S does have an automatic in-built PS5 mode, which works well on the whole, dedicated console players will also be better off with alternatives as the console is unable to make full use of this model’s 480Hz refresh rate.

The Sony Inzone M10S being used to play Counter-Strike 2.

(Image credit: Future)

Sony Inzone M10S: Price and availability

  • $1099.99 / £1,199
  • Pricey for 1440p
  • Available via Sony

The Sony Inzone M10S is avaiable for $1,099.99 / £1,199 via Sony. This is towards the higher end of what you would expect to pay for a 1440p OLED monitor, though there are few points of comparison due to the lack of many other 1440p models at 480Hz. Still, there are some slightly cheaper alternatives with similar specs out there, like the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP which costs $999 / £949.

Whether the Sony Inzone M10S is worth it for you will come down to just how willing you are to pay extra for its esports features and more premium design. Of course, the monitor is also likely to receive discounts sometime after launch as we’ve typically seen from other Inzone models. If you’re able to find it around the price of other 480Hz OLED 1440p displays in a few months time, then it’s a no-brainer.

If you’re willing to sacrifice the refresh rate, you can easily find 4K OLED monitors like Alienware AW3225QF for around the same price as the Sony Inzone M10S. While 1440p (or lower) is the preferred resolution of competitive gamers to maximize performance, these would be better options for more general players and PS5 (or soon to be PS5 Pro) owners who want to make the most of their console’s visual capabilities.

Sony Inzone M10S: Specs

The Sony Inzone M10S with its in-built crosshair mode visible on screen.

(Image credit: Future)

Sony Inzone M10S: Design and features

  • Near-perfect stand
  • Useful visual modes
  • OLED burn in protections

The star of the Sony Inzone M10S’s design is easily its stand. It’s an impressive piece of engineering that is incredibly stable despite its distinctive shape. It features a small integrated cable tidy, which I found offered more than enough room for two HDMI cables, a display port cable, and the monitor’s power cable at the same time.

The base of the stand is a 4 mm thin metal disk with a 15.9 cm diameter, which is brilliantly compact compared to the large profile of most gaming monitors. The base is thin enough to sit beneath a keyboard, freeing up desk space and allowing for a wide range of possible playing positions. It also offers a smooth 360-degree pivot, making it easy to adjust viewing angles or change the position of the display. You can also tilt the panel down by 5 degrees or up by 25 degrees for even more precise adjustment.

No matter your choice of position, the stand remains perfectly balanced and stable which means no annoying wobble if you slam down on keys while you play. The fact that the LED power indicator, located on the right-hand side of the monitor, is invisible when viewed from the front helps further reduce distractions.

On the back of the monitor, you will find a large power button and a small thumbstick for editing the settings. This is accomplished through an on-screen menu, with a range of intuitive tabs for all your picture modes, gaming assist, and other settings options. The interface is nothing groundbreaking, but it all works well and offers a high degree of customizability. At launch, the Sony Inzone will also be compatible with the existing Inzone Hub PC software which will offer another way to adjust these settings.

The small base of the Sony Inzone M10S

(Image credit: Future)

In terms of dedicated gaming features, you get full Nvidia G-sync support in addition to Vesa Certified Adaptive Sync. The monitor also offers Display HDR True black 400 HDR, allowing for more vibrant colors. It is worth noting that some visual settings, including the brilliant FPS Pro+ mode, are not compatible with HDR though. The in-built brightness equalizer does a formidable job eliminating the slight unevenness associated with OLED panels and the optional black equalizer increases the brightness of dark scenes to improve visibility.

Like some other gaming monitors, there’s an in-built frame rate counter, timer, and series of green or red on-screen crosshairs that are a lot of fun to play around with if you’re trying to land some no-scope AWP hits in Counter-Strike 2. There’s also a dedicated 24.5-inch display mode, which introduces black bars around the screen to simulate the 24.5-inch size of a tournament display.

The possibility of burn-in is always a worry with any OLED monitor, but the Sony Inzone M10S offers a good selection of settings to combat it. This ranges from a mode that automatically dims your screen after a few moments, to one that targets and dims static images and a pixel shift that almost unnoticeably moves your screen picture by a row of pixels every few hours. They all work as expected, but I did quickly disable the setting that dims static images as the occasional change in brightness of the taskbar was quite distracting.

Image 1 of 3

The base of the Sony Inzone M10S.

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 3

The in-built crosshair function.

(Image credit: Future)
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The thin side profile of the Sony Inzone M10S

(Image credit: Future)

Sony Inzone M10S: Performance

  • Leading performance
  • 480Hz is beautifully smooth
  • Ideal for Counter-Strike or Valorant

There is no way to fault the performance of the Sony Inzone M10S. The 480Hz refresh rate and 0.03 GtG response time create a wonderfully smooth experience. Going from a 75Hz and a 144Hz display, the difference was immediately noticeable and made for a much more responsive experience in Counter-Strike 2. Rocket League was also a delight, as were Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, and Valorant. A lot of this excellence will depend heavily on your PC specs though, and I had to spend a little while tweaking settings in order to achieve anywhere close to a solid 480 fps at 1440p in most esports titles.

The default color configurations are all solid, but the monitor was quite dim out of the box presumably as a power-saving measure. This was quickly remedied by increasing the brightness to around the 80% mark, which I found hit the perfect balance of brightness and clarity. Throughout my testing, I observed zero ghosting no matter what I threw at the monitor. On top of the excellent FPS Pro+ mode, there’s a more conventional FPS Pro mode that offers a less drastic version of the same effect in addition to a MOBA/RTS setting and your usual range of Cinema and Game modes. Outside of FPS games, I would recommend keeping the monitor on either the Standard or sRGB setting for the most accurate and well-balanced color profiles or enabling HDR.

Although it looks nothing like previous Sony Inzone monitors, the Sony Inzone M10S does still offer some PlayStation-specific features. This includes an automatic PS5 mode, which is enabled when the monitor detects that it’s connected to a PS5. PC gaming is definitely the focus, but everything that I tested on PS5 from Grand Theft Auto 5 to Star Wars Outlaws and Doom Eternal also looked absolutely stunning with HDR and the vibrant OLED colors. This isn’t a model that you should buy specifically for PS5 gaming, but this will be good for those players who rely on a PC for competitive shooter titles but prefer to experience games like RPGs or adventure games with a console.

The Sony Inzone M10S in 24.5-inch mode.

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Sony Inzone M10S?

Buy it if...

You’re an esports player or aspiring competitor
The Sony Inzone M10S offers everything that a professional or aspiring esports player would need. This includes a 480Hz refresh rate and snappy 0.03ms GtG response time in addition to a useful FPS Pro+ profile.

You want a compact stand
The stand of the Sony Inzone M10S is easily one of the best on the market. It’s compact, leaving plenty of room for your keyboard and mouse, but still comes packed with a huge number of useful features.

Don't buy it if...

You want something for more general gaming
The Sony Inzone M10S has been designed with a very specific audience in mind. There are cheaper 4K options out there that are better suited for more general gaming, especially if you’re playing on PS5.

Also consider

If you’re not sure whether the Sony Inzone M10S is for you, then consider these two strong alternatives.

Alienware AW3225QF
The Alienware AW3225QF is a premium monitor that comes in larger than the Sony Inzone M10S and boasts the same response speed, in addition to HDR and a 4K resolution for around the same price. It is half the refresh rate, though.

Read our full Alienware AW3225QF review

Gigabyte M32UC
If you want a more budget-friendly but still quite high-spec option, consider the Gigabyte M32UC. It’s less suited to esports due to its 1 ms response time but offers a 32-inch 4K display at a fraction of the price of the 1440p Sony Inzone M10S.

Read our full Gigabyte M32UC review

The Sony Inzone M10S after being removed from its box.

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Sony Inzone M10S

  • Tested with a variety of competitive games
  • Used as my primary monitor
  • Available profiles and settings tested

I tested the Sony Inzone M10S for over a week. During that time, I used the monitor as my main display for both PC and PS5 gaming. I played a wide variety of esports titles, including Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, Rocket League, Fortnite, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, Counter-Strike: Source, and more. I also tried a few older titles, including some multiplayer matches of Quake 2. I played predominantly in 1080p and 1440p in the 27-inch mode, though I also played a handful of matches with the 24.5-inch setting enabled.

During my time with the monitor, I endeavored to test each of its available features. This included the various display profiles and the in-built crosshair settings. I played a broad mix of games on PS5, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and a few hours of Horizon Forbidden West. I compared my experience to my hands-on testing of other gaming monitors and TVs throughout.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2024

Marshall Monitor III ANC review: big sound and even bigger battery life from comfy wireless headphones
5:05 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Comments: Off

For the past week I’ve been trying out the new Marshall Monitor III ANC over ear headphones. The new cans are available to buy right now in the US and UK for $349 / £299, which makes them a little pricier than their predecessors which were $30 / £30 cheaper. Even with the price rise they’re an excellent follow-up to 2020’s Monitor II ANC headphones – which we gave four stars in our review – thanks to great-sounding audio and a stupendously long battery-life.

Starting on that last point, these new Marshall headphones can go for a ridiculously long time; we’re talking a 70 hour battery life when using them to play music over Bluetooth with ANC on, 100 hours with it off.

For comparison, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones promise only 30 hours with ANC on, and the Apple AirPods Max just 20 hours. The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 that features in our best noise-cancelling headphones guide as the ideal long-life option hits 60 hours. Marshall’s 70-hour claim looks to hold up too; I’ve been using the Monitor III ANC headphones a lot and haven’t needed to charge them since I did straight after unboxing them – though when I do my full review I plan to properly test how long these cans can last.

But what good is lasting a long time if they don’t put on a performance? Thankfully the Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones certainly hold their own here.

The drivers give drum and bass hits like Backbone from Chase & Status and Stormzy the oomph its thumping tones necessitate, while not overpowering tracks like Remi Wolf’s Cinderella that are brimming with bouncy funk. There’s a warmth in the Marshall Monitor III’s audio too – which comes through splendidly in more emotional tracks like Jarki Monno’s Charlie.

The Marshall Monitor III Headphones from the side, being worn by a rockstar with a leather jacket

(Image credit: Marshall)

Outside of music, these cans perform well too. Podcasts, film, TV, YouTube videos, you name it – the Marshall III ANC headphones are putting on a good show.

That said, if you do want to tweak the EQ settings, you can change them to better suit your musical needs, though I’ve found the default 'original Marshall sound' setting is really well balanced and ideal for a lot of different listening experiences.

The soundstage has also had a tune up. Marshall’s previous Monitors had a somewhat restrictive stage. They didn’t feel completely closed off, but trackers were not always given the space they needed to breathe. Out of the box the Monitor IIIs might look like they repeat this error, but with the official app you can now open up that soundstage to suit your likings.

There’s a noticeable change with this Adaptive Soundstage feature switch on, so make sure you turn it on as soon as you can. Songs feel more spacious, and it makes the Monitor III ANC headphones solid picks for watching your favorite films or shows.

Not my style – but a fantastic design

Design-wise the Monitor IIIs admittedly aren’t my preferred style. There is something to love about the undoubtable Marshall look – with the same finish as the iconic amps, the logo on each ear cup, and a kind of classic grunginess that makes these look almost like they’ve been ripped from a rock band’s studio session from decades ago. It’s just not for me.

The Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones folded up tightly and packed in their case lines with red velvet.

(Image credit: Marshall)

That’s subjective though; the objective design features of these ’phones are undoubtedly positive.

I love the physical knob for the volume and playback controls – give me one of these over tap controls any day. There are also two dedicated buttons, one on each side, that manage the active noise cancellation controls (with you being able to set which modes it swaps between in the app), and a customizable M Button (which can do whatever you set it to do, again in the app).

There’s also a USB-C port on the underside of the left cup, however, you won’t find a 3.5mm aux port.

Beyond the button layout, these cans are designed to be thrown in a bag and taken on adventure. Their headband can survive fairly extreme bending and twisting without snapping, and the outer shell can take a fair few knocks. They also fold up very tight and fit into what I’ve been told is the smallest case for over ear headphones on the market – inside its lined with a red velvety material to mimic the inside of guitar cases. It’s also one of those proper protective cases that zips up, not an awkward shell that some headphones rely on nowadays.

Oh, and don’t let me forget comfort. These things are so easy to wear thanks to the super-spongy cushions; I’ve had no issue wearing them practically all-day.

Don’t forget the app

To get the most out of these over-ear headphones you need the official Marshall app. It allows you to manage the Soundstage settings, the on-device button controls, the EQ so that music meets your exact specifications (though the default Marshall profile is very good), and a few other features.

It’s fairly standard as headphones apps go at this point, with a clean intuitive interface, and it was very easy to set up.

The only issue I’ve had with any feature is that the Auto Play/Pause tool was initially too sensitive – moving my head at all would cause the Monitor IIIs to pause tracks, not just when I removed them. However, a firmware update does appear to have resolved this issue and for the past few days I’ve been able to keep Auto Play/Pause on without it frustrating me – it can be turned off in the app.

The Marshall app showing off the Monitor III ANC headphones, the EQ settings and the Soundstage settings.

(Image credit: Future / Marshall)

Despite this minor (and seemingly now resolved) set back, the Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones have so far really impressed me. They have the comfort and battery life to keep me wearing them for days on end, and a vibrant sound that I’ll happily immerse myself in for all that time.

I need to conduct a few more tests, but so far I’d say they hold their own against the best wireless headphones, and their small size could make them a great contender to be the best travel headphones. So if you’re thinking of grabbing a new pair of cans this is looking like another model to add to your list of ones to consider.

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Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum review
4:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

PowerDetect Cordless: two-minute review

Product info

This is the vacuum on its own:

US: Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum IP1251
UK: Shark PowerDetect Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner IP1251UKT
AU: Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum IP1251

There's also a version with an auto-empty base:

US: Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System IP3251
UK: Shark Detect Pro Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Auto-Empty System 1.3L IW3510UK
AU: Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System IP3251

For this review, I tested the IP3251. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.

The Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum comes with a whole host of smart detection features. It knows whether it's on a hard floor or carpet, how dirty said floor is, whether it's near the edge of a room, and whether it's going into a dark corner, and will respond accordingly by adjusting suction or brightening its headlights. New to this model is a redesigned floorhead that is designed to clean just as well on the pull-back as it does when being pushed forwards.

The PowerDetect Cordless also incorporates the most popular features from today's best Shark vacuums, including a wand that bends forward to help you get under furniture without having to stoop down. Within the wider Shark range, it's designed to combine the smarts of the Detect Pro range (which has almost all the same detection capabilities) with the outright suction power of the Stratos line, theoretically making it the best cordless vacuum for most people.

On test, I was pretty impressed. It delivered great suction, and had no issues picking up fine materials like flour, and larger ones like bits of dried dirt, cereal, leaves, and more, from both hard floor and a thick rug. All the detection features worked as advertised and meant an efficient, low-effort cleaning session. I was interested to note that it doesn't seem to be an option to use the lower-powered Eco mode on soft flooring; the vacuum automatically kicks into a higher mode. It's good but not amazing at tackling hair, and I was a little confused by the 'suction in reverse' feature that Shark has added to this model. I didn't notice any difference in performance on the reverse stroke compared to any of the other vacuums I've tested that aren't designed to do this.

Price-wise, it sits in the mid-range of the wider market, and I think the quality and features more than justify that price (similar detection features from Dyson will set you back a lot more).

The review model I tested was the version with an optional auto-empty base, where the onboard dustbin automatically empties into a larger bin when the vacuum is docked. I think it's well worth investing in this extra, because it's a great effort-saver – and it might be a particularly good choice for allergy sufferers who want to minimize potential for particles to make their way back into the air.

That's the short version; read on for my full Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum review.

Note: Shark has released a robovac in the same range, but other than the name, there aren't too many similarities. Read about that one in our Shark PowerDetect Robot Vacuum and Mop review.

Shark PowerDetect Cordless vacuum cleaner

Everything that came in the box for my review model (with auto-empty dock) (Image credit: Future)

Shark PowerDetect Cordless review: price & availability

  • List price (vacuum-only): $429.99 / £499.99 / AU$849.99
  • Launched: Summer 2024
  • Also available with optional auto-empty base

In the US, the Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum sells for $429.99, or $499.99 if you go for the version with the auto-empty base.

In the UK, it's £499.99 for just the vacuum, or £549.99 for the version with the special base.

Australian shoppers can pick up the vacuum for AU$849.99 or with an upgraded base for AU$999.99.

Based on TechRadar's price brackets, this is around the lower-premium / upper mid-range band (anything over $500 / £400 is counted as premium). Overall, I feel like the build quality and the features make this a well-priced vacuum. The DirtDetect system alone is well worth the investment. If you're on the fence about whether to shell out for the auto-empty base, I think the added convenience is well worth the slightly higher price.

In general, Shark vacuums are much more affordably priced than, for instance, the best Dyson vacuums on the market – the Dyson V15 Detect has similar dirt-detection features, and a list price of $749.99 / £649.99.

In terms of comparable models within the Shark range, the Shark Detect Pro Cordless costs $379.99 / £349.99. It's a bit less powerful than the PowerDetect and it doesn't have the reverse-suction feature, but otherwise the detection/auto features are similar.

Alternatively, there's the Shark Stratos Cordless, which costs $499.99 / £349.99. It doesn't have the same detection / auto features as the PowerDetect, and I found the suction comparable too, so I'm not sure why you'd opt for a Stratos over a PowerDetect.

Shark offers discounts on occasion for its products. However, at time of writing this model is new out, so you might not see it discounted except during holiday and special sales events. Till then, look to the TechRadar Shark promo codes page for a deal.

  • Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Shark PowerDetect Cordless specs

Shark PowerDetect Cordless review: design

  • Operated by button; battery and mode info provided on a screen
  • Bendable wand lets you effortlessly clean under furniture
  • Optional auto-empty base

If you’ve used a Shark cordless vacuum before, you’ll quickly realize that the PowerDetect Cordless has many of the same Shark vacuum technologies that appear on other models, with a few improvements. This cordless stick vacuum is 46.34 inches long (which is pretty tall) and has a cleaning path width of 10.19 inches.

Like most cordless vacuums, you can remove the wand and swap in another attachment for use as a handheld vacuum. In the stick vacuum configuration, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System weighs 18.48lbs.

The wand itself is unique among vacuums in that it is bendable (this is one of the most well-received Shark features, and it's included on many of its vacuums – not just the expensive ones). Click a button and it’ll bend forwards, allowing you to vacuum further under beds, couches, and other low furniture.

Close up of screen on Shark PowerDetect Cordless vacuum cleaner

The radar graphic indicates the vacuum is in DirtDetect mode, while the rectangle graphic denotes battery life (Image credit: Future)

The Shark Cordless PowerDetect vacuum has a host of different detection features. The DirtDetect system can recognize hidden dirt and automatically boost the suction power in response. You can see when the floor is dirty and clean based on the colors – purple or white – that appear on the screen and around the vacuum head. With EdgeDetect, this Shark vacuum can sense edges and double the suction power along the side of the floorhead when it’s moving alongside an edge.

FloorDetect recognizes the differences between carpets and hard floors and adjusts the power depending on which one you’re vacuuming. Then there is LightDetect, which automatically increases the light on the vacuum when you clean in dark spaces (they're not as bright as you'll find on the – far more expensive – Dyson Gen5detect, though).

New to this model is 'reverse cleaning' – namely, while most vacuums just push larger debris around when the floorhead is being pulled backwards, the PowerDetect has some patented teeth that are designed to actively pull it in.

The vacuum is operated by a one-press button, and there's a trigger under the handle that lets you switch between the three modes. There's a low-powered Eco mode, high-powered Boost, and a DirtDetect, which is the one that auto-adjusts suction based on how dirty the floor is. The other 'detect' features, like EdgeDetect and LightDetect will kick in on any mode.

When the vacuum is turned on, the a circular screen shows which mode you’re in (a green leaf for Eco mode, red circle for Boost, or a radar graphic for DirtDetect), as well as a rectangular symbol noting battery life. It's not quite as clear as Dyson's version, which will literally spell out how many minutes of cleaning you have left in the mode you're currently using, but it's still useful.

Shark PowerDetect Cordless vacuum cleaner

The version I reviewed came with a charge base that the vacuum empties into when docked (Image credit: Future)

Tools can vary by region – my review model came with an 8-inch Crevice Tool and a Pet Multi-Tool. It's worth flagging that that there is an optional auto-empty base that I tested out. This is a new thing that Shark has been embracing lately. Dock the vacuum and the dirt from the bin will automatically be sucked into a larger chamber in the base, so you don't need to do it manually nearly so often. It also creates somewhere to store the vacuum, and charges it too.

If you like the sound of the PowerDetect's features but want something slightly different, there's a PowerDetect Upright and a PowerDetect Corded Stick also in the range.

  • Design score: 4 out of 5

Shark PowerDetect Cordless review: performance

  • Auto adjustment features work well
  • Good suction on both hard floors and carpet
  • Comfortable to use; floorhead pivots pretty well

I’ve tested a Shark vacuum before – the Shark Stratos Cordless IZ862H vacuum cleaner to be exact, so I knew roughly what to expect. I was glad to see that the design was nearly the same, though slightly better in some respects with the Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum vacuum.

This product is easy to use, no matter if you’re using it as a handheld vacuum or in its typical cordless stick form. It switches on with the single press of a button, so you don't have to worry about holding down a trigger while vacuuming. The vacuum itself is very comfortable to use. It doesn't feel heavy or unbalanced, and moves smoothly as a floor vac and is easy to maneuver as a handheld.

The one thing I noticed right away was just how tall this stick vacuum is. The wand provides a lot of length to reach high ceilings or under beds, which is nice for someone like me with 10-foot ceilings, although it could prove a bit unwieldy if you're dealing with cramped hallways, for example.

Even more importantly, the wand can bend forwards with the push of a button, which lets you reach under couches and chairs without having to lean over or squat down. Add onto the fact that the head swivels a decent amount (although it's not as maneuverable as a Dyson), and I can reach awkward spaces around my furniture without any issue.

Wand on Shark PowerDetect Cordless vacuum cleaner bending forwards to reach under furniture

The forward-bending wand is a favorite feature on Shark vacs (Image credit: Future)

To determine the vacuum’s performance capabilities, I ran a number of tests. I started by vacuuming my entire house which is made up of historic hardwood floors, rugs, and laminate flooring. I noticed right away that the vacuum nozzle lights up automatically when the machine is running. Those lights got brighter when I vacuumed in low light spaces, which made it easier to see dirt, dust, and debris.

My favorite aspect of this vacuum is the DirtDetect system, because it increases the suction automatically when it detects hidden dirt or debris. When this happens, the loop around the screen changes colors from white to purple (Shark claims the color is blue and not white, but I guess it could be a light gray blue). The LED lights on the vacuum head match the colors on the screen. It is assumed that when the suction power returns to normal, the floor is free of dirt.

Shark PowerDetect Cordless vacuum cleaner with illuminated ring to indicate dirt levels

When dirt is detected on the floor, the ring on the screen and the lights on the floorhead turn purple (Image credit: Future)

It was important for me to run a number of tests to see just how well the vacuum could pick up various items from the ground. To do this, I taped a four-by-four-foot square on my laminate floor and on one of my large, thick rugs. I sprinkled each square with flour and then used the vacuum’s lowest setting – Eco – to suck up the flour.

When it came to the laminate floor, the vacuum picked up nearly every bit of flour on a single once-over. I saw only three specks of flour remaining when I was done. I didn’t notice any difference when vacuuming forward or backward over the flour.

Image 1 of 2

Shark PowerDetect Cordless vacuum cleaner trying to pick up flour from a laminate floor

The PowerDetect did a great job of clearing fine dust from laminate floor... (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

Shark PowerDetect Cordless vacuum cleaner clearing flour from a thick rug

(Image credit: Future)

When doing this same test on a thick rug, I realized quickly that I was not able to use Eco mode, even though I set the vacuum to that setting. The Shark vacuum recognized that I was vacuuming a rug and increased its suction automatically. There does not seem to be any way to prevent this. However, the vacuum did an even better job removing the flour from the rug in a single pass than it did on the laminate floor, as I didn’t see any flour remaining behind when I was done.

Image 1 of 2

Shark powerdetect cordless vacuum cleaner

The PowerDetect also handled chunkier debris well... (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

Shark powerdetect cordless vacuum cleaner

... although some debris did get stuck under the wheels (Image credit: Future)

Next, I crunched up breakfast cereal (Cheerios, to be precise) and sprinkled them in both squares. Whether it was laminate flooring or the rug, the vacuum did a similarly superb job, especially when I vacuumed forward. If I pulled the vacuum backwards over the grinded cheerios, some of the larger pieces got stuck behind the wheels and thus were not suctioned up until I made a forward pass. That's a little disappointing, given that being able to suck up large bits of debris on the reverse is something that Shark claims is a specific skill of this vacuum.

In general, I wasn't super impressed with this feature. It's not that it did anything negative, it's just that I didn't notice any difference in performance on the reverse stroke compared to other vacuums I've tested, including the Shark Stratos, which doesn't have this feature.

In my opinion, the suction along the edges of the floorhead are just as strong as it is along the front. In fact, when an edge is detected, you’ll notice that the headlights on that side of the vacuum grow brighter, and the suction power on that edge specifically is boosted, for a closer clean.

Shark powerdetect cordless in handheld mode

Like many cordless stick vacuums, it can be used as a handheld (Image credit: Future)

I didn’t notice any change in the suction capability of the vacuum when I switched it from a stick to a handheld with or without the wand attached. Two attachments were included with my review model – a Pet Multi Tool and a crevice tool. I don’t have pets, but a lot of my dark brown hair gets on my cream-colored couch. I used the Pet Multi Tool to remove my hair, and it did an average job.

I found myself scraping the hair a few times before it was suctioned into the machine. The Pet Multi Tool performed better on Boost mode. Admittedly, I’ve never tested a vacuum that could easily pull my hair off the couch, but I still wouldn't necessarily recommend it to pet owners (TechRadar's best vacuum for pet hair list has some alternative suggestions here).

Pet hair tool on Shark PowerDetect Cordless vacuum cleaner

The pet hair tool was okay, but couldn't pull all the (short-ish, human) hair from my cream couch (Image credit: Future)

As for the crevice tool, I used this one quite a lot as I have a lot of furniture set in the corners of rooms. I was glad to see that the tool also has a brush. I used it to clean my baseboards and blinds with great success.

In DirtDetect mode, the vacuum has a 72-80 dB sound rating when cleaning hard floors and a 76-79 dB rating when moving over my rugs (this is due to the fact that the suction automatically increases when dirt is detected, which makes it noisier). The dB rating on Eco mode is 74 (you can’t use Eco mode on carpets, only hard floors). Boost mode has an 82 dB and 83 dB rating on hardwood and carpet respectively.

Shark Powerdetect cordless auto empty dock, with larger dustbin removed

The dock has a much larger capacity dustbin (Image credit: Future)

While not everyone will necessarily need it, I was so thankful for the convenience of the auto-empty system. When I was finished vacuuming, I placed the vacuum on the station and not only did it start charging automatically, but it emptied the dust and dirt from the vacuum into a sealed container. Whenever the container is full, I can remove it and dump the dust and dirt in the trash. It would be a strong recommendation for allergy sufferers, because there are fewer opportunities for particles to escape back into the atmosphere.

If you don't have the auto-empty dock, you'll need to remove the wand first and then hit a button when the bin is placed over a trash can. Note that is it possible to store the vacuum freestanding without the dock: you can fold it over, using the bendy wand, for a more compact storage option.

Shark PowerDetect Cordless vacuum cleaner

If you don't go for the auto-empty base, you can manually empty the onboard bin (Image credit: Future)

Maintenance is easy enough, even if there are a few tasks that you’ll need to do about once a month, like cleaning the brushroll and checking the wand for blockages. The onboard dust cup will need to be cleaned out, and you should also check the HEPA filter on the handheld to see if it needs to be rinsed or replaced. The filter on the auto empty station should also be rinsed and dried once a month and replaced regularly too.

Lastly, you’ll need to occasionally clean the sensors – the DirtDetect system sensor is inside the dust bin of the vacuum, while the LightDetect sensor is on top of the vacuum head, and the two EdgeDetect sensors sit along the sides of it.

  • Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Shark PowerDetect Cordless review: battery

  • 4 hours to fully recharge the battery (using auto empty station)
  • Battery lasts 14 mins in Boost, 1hr 7 mins in Eco
  • Eco option not possible on carpet

One of the most impressive aspects of this vacuum is the battery life. Shark claims it'll last a maximum of 70 minutes in Eco mode, although that's in handheld mode. On test, it managed almost that long: I clocked 67 minutes, although that was with a wand attached. Anything over an hour is a really strong battery time for a cordless vacuum (assuming the suction is still decent, which is true here). However, remember that Eco mode won't work on carpets or rugs, so if you have a home with soft flooring you won't achieve these times.

When I ran the PowerDetect entirely in Boost mode, the battery lasted 14 minutes. That's actually not bad for a maximum power mode; it's only designed to be used on the toughest, ingrained dirt. If you use DirtDetect mode, runtimes will vary based on how dirty your floors are an how much suction the vacuum needs to use.

On an average clean, I found this vacuum lasted around 47 minutes, which involved me switching between the lowest and highest power settings. That'll be more than enough time to clean most homes in one go.

It took about four hours for the vacuum to completely charge. Shark doesn't provide recharge times, but a listing on Best Buy said it'd take 6 hours. I was glad to discover that charging did not actually take that long. Over time, it’ll likely take longer for the battery to charge. It’s not unusual among vacuums on the wider market to take 4-6 hours to charge.

  • Battery life score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Shark PowerDetect Cordless?

Buy it if...

You want a hassle-free cleaning experience
With the DirtDetect technologies, this vacuum automatically increases suction when it detects dirt and debris, or even just the edges of rooms. That means an efficient clean without having to manually switch suction modes.

You have a lot of furniture to clean under
The bendable wand allows you to reach further under furniture without having to move it or bend over.

Don't buy it if...

You need a vacuum that's great for pet hair
While the Pet Multi tool does a decent job vacuuming pet hair, there are vacuums on the market better designed for pet owners.

Most of your home is carpeted
This vacuum can clean carpet and rugs well, but if your entire home is carpeted, you should probably consider an upright vacuum. Also note that you can't use Eco mode on carpet, so expect lower battery runtimes if using on lots of carpet.

You're just need something basic
While the PowerDetect is good value for money, you're paying extra for those clever detection features. If you just want something with good suction, there are cheaper options on the market.

How I tested the Shark PowerDetect Cordless

I tested this vacuum for over a week in my house, which has a mix of historic hardwood and laminate flooring, some of which is covered in large, thick rugs. I ran a number of tests such as using the vacuum to pick up flour and crushed Cheerios, and utilized the attachments to clean my couch of hair and dust from hard-to-reach places. I compared the results to other vacuum cleaners I've reviewed in the past. By running these tests and others, I was able to provide an in-depth review.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2024

Garmin Fenix 8 review: Rugged, expensive perfection
1:17 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Garmin Fenix 8: One-minute review

The Garmin Fenix 8 was perhaps the most anticipated watch from Garmin in a very long time, and the reveal didn’t disappoint. The Garmin Fenix 7 series has been consistently rated among the best Garmin watches ever, and the Garmin Fenix 8 is packing most of Garmin’s best hardware features that were introduced in the years since the Fenix 7 was released. 

Features like an AMOLED display, a microphone and speaker for calls, and an LED torch for attracting attention or running safely at night (and, er, for seeing in the dark) have been folded into the Fenix 8. 

It now has new waterproofing and an Apple Watch Ultra-style dive watch capability, cribbed from the Garmin Descent series. The watch can act as a working dive computer for scuba activities down to 40 meters, although in our exclusive chat with Garmin product lead Jon Hosler he revealed that the watch can actually go beyond that depth. 

New, improved GPS means new software features: with a “dynamic routing” ability automatically generates back-to-start directions during running and cycling workouts, and if you’re running on a pre-prescribed route your Fenix 8 will intelligently compensate if you stray from the path. Purchasers get to choose between three different sizes, with an additional choice of a solar-powered memory-in-pixel display (a duller, more power-efficient smartwatch screen) or a brighter, more smartwatch-y AMOLED one.

Unsurprisingly, it’s a fantastic watch. It’s built like a tank without being too obnoxious, although it doesn’t deviate much from older Garmins (in fact, it looks almost the same as my Garmin Epix Pro at first glance). You know what you’re getting, and if you like Garmin’s existing stable of adventure watches, this is the best one yet. 

However, that performance excellence comes with an eye-watering price tag, which is almost too much in comparison to its contemporaries. Almost, but not quite: I considered knocking off half a star, but this may well be the best-performing Garmin watch I’ve ever tried 

Garmin Fenix 8: Specifications

Garmin Fenix 8: Price and availability

Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED watch on wrist

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)
  • Starts at $799.99 / £689.99 / AU$1,349 for cheaper 47mm Fenix E
  • Prices for 43mm Fenix 8 start at $999 / £949 / AU$1,699
  • Reaches up to $1,199 / £1,119 / $2,199

The Garmin Fenix 8 starts at $799.99 / £689.99 / AU$1,349 for the cheapest model, a 47mm model christened the Garmin Fenix E. The Fenix E is a version of the AMOLED display Fenix 8 with no solar charging option, 16 days of battery life, no torch, no advanced leak-proof buttons for dive watch activities (although it’ll still stand up to water exposure, with 10ATM waterproofing) and a stainless steel case, with no titanium option. In essence, it’s an AMOLED Fenix 7. 

The full-price Fenix 8 starts at $999 / £949 / AU$1,699 for the 43mm AMOLED watch, which is a significant jump from the E, rising to the considerable sum of $1,199 / £1,119 / $2,199 for the 51mm solar-powered version. What you get for this is a big increase in battery life of up to 28 days, the advanced waterproofing leak-proof buttons, dive watch functionality, the torch, a more advanced heart rate sensor, and the option of an AMOLED screen or a memory-in-pixel, solar-charging screen. 

The full-price Fenix 8 is incredibly expensive. Its performance is phenomenal, and the engineering behind it is equal to many an analog timepiece; but such a price is very hard to justify for all but the wealthiest sportspeople. 

  • Value score: 4/5

Garmin Fenix 8: Design

Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED watch on wrist

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)
  • AMOLED or MIP screen
  • New leak-proofing
  • Sapphire glass/titanium options

Structurally, the Garmin Fenix 8 looks almost identical to the Fenix and Epix watches that came before it. The Epix line was a version of the Fenix with that gorgeous, smartwatch-like AMOLED screen, but Epix doesn’t exist anymore – Garmin has axed the name and folded it in with the main Fenix line. The Fenix 8 inherits that AMOLED screen as an option, while the memory-in-pixel (MIP) screen is Garmin’s traditional duller, battery-efficient screen with Power Glass solar technology, which extends the watch’s battery life if you spend around three hours or more outdoors. 

The screen is made of Corning Gorilla Glass as standard, but an upgrade to the harder category of Sapphire glass is available. Likewise, the Fenix 8’s case is a mix of tough polymer and stainless steel, but you can upgrade the metal components to titanium for an additional cost. These upgrades are on top of the already-steep price, but the base model should be more than sufficient for all but the most adventurous outdoorspeople. The thick, wipe-clean silicone Garmin band will be familiar to most, but it can be swapped with a trail-specific fabric loop like the Enduro.

Garmin’s standard combination of a five-button setup – Up, Down and Options buttons on one side, and a Start/Stop and a Back button on the other – and touchscreens work well as they have always done, while a new raised section on the right-hand side makes it look a little like an Apple Watch Ultra in practice. 

Garmin’s widget-based screen layout is fast and intuitive to use. It’s easy to navigate through the watch’s options and add new apps, such as Spotify for offline music playback without a phone. You can add widgets through your phone’s Wi-Fi connection, making it easy to customize at home before you step out the door. 

Garmin Connect, the watch’s companion app, is stellar, and as comprehensive as ever. It’s very granular, showing you lots of data points and workout-creation options – almost too granular for beginners. Then again, beginners are unlikely to be spending this much on a sports watch, and it’s all well-organized. There’s not much that’s new to speak about, but it remains best-in-class. 

  •  Design score: 5/5 

Garmin Fenix 8: Features

Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED watch on wrist

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)
  • New GPS functionalities
  • Dive mode
  • LED torch

Let’s start off with the new stuff. Dynamic routing offers a small quality-of-life improvement to GPS-tracked running, walking or cycling workouts, as you now have the option to enable Back to Start before you even head out the door. Simply set a distance goal for your run, then enable Back to Start and the Fenix 8 will generate an out-and-back route once you’ve hit around 40% of your distance goal. There’s no need to follow a pre-prescribed route until then, which is great. Dynamic routing also allows you to deviate from a route you’ve already created, rerouting you automatically while keeping your target goal in mind. Very handy. 

I’ve not had the opportunity to test the new Dive Mode yet, unfortunately: after this review has been published I’ll be handing the device off to a writer who’s also a recreational diver for a more thorough breakdown of that particular mode. But like Garmin’s Descent series, you get a fully-functioning dive computer with gauge, nitrox, air and apnoea modes for recreational scuba diving and free-diving activities. It’s enough for casual adventure enthusiasts who may scuba or snorkel once or twice a year, and who spend the rest of their time running, cycling, or swimming. 

The LED torch is the same torch as on the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro and Epix Pro models, and works just as well. I’ve already used it to find my way twice in the dark at full power (admittedly, only to the bathroom) and I stick the red mode on at night to alert cars that I’m jogging on the sidewalk in the dark. It’s surprisingly powerful, creating a moving spotlight of red that illuminates the ground in front of me as I run. 

Otherwise, a lot of the new advancements – such as more accurate GPS, topographical maps, the new heart rate monitor which promises to be more accurate, improved battery life, and leakproof buttons to enable all the dive stuff – is under the hood. At its heart, the Garmin Fenix 8 is an iterative update of an older, already-fantastic watch, and the smartwatch category as a whole hasn’t moved on very far since then, which means the Garmin Fenix 8 is still best in show. 

Heart rate alerts, sleep tracking, nap tracking, stress tracking, respiration tracking and other holistic tools sit alongside Training Readiness, Endurance and Hill scores to make this an incredibly comprehensive health and fitness watch. Garmin Messenger allows you to directly communicate between devices using Garmin’s satellite network. There’s a smorgasbord of available widgets and functionalities which you can use to customize your watch, from shortcuts to services like Garmin Coach to a Tides widget for open-water swimmers and surfers. You can download music, sync to Strava, and receive (but not make) calls on-wrist. It’s practically perfect, with every performance tool you’ll ever need.

  •  Features score: 5/5 

Garmin Fenix 8: Performance

Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED watch on wrist

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)
  • Accurate GPS
  • Long battery life
  • Advanced heart rate sensor

As I’m an existing Garmin user, the watch was easy to set up and use with my pre-existing Garmin account, syncing to Strava and Spotify immediately. We won’t labor the point here: the watch is good, and it works. Tested against an Apple Watch Ultra 2, it recorded a very similar performance and distance while on a 5K, and I found the differences in heart rate readings to be minimal, allowing for variations in algorithms and a different wrist. You can read more about how the Apple Watch Ultra fares against premium Garmins in my account of wearing the Watch Ultra and the Garmin Epix Pro during a marathon.

The Fenix 8’s display was bright enough for me to see clearly, and after a full charge, I almost drained it completely after 13 days of regular GPS workouts: a combination of running, strength training, and stand-up paddleboarding (and yes, there’s a specialist GPS-based profile for that, which even counts the strokes you make as you glide across the water). 

I have yet to test its new cycling features, but I did test dynamic routing during a running workout, deliberately going off-piste (to borrow a skiing term) to check out its capabilities, and it performed fine. I departed from the route I had created with Garmin Connect, and it successfully rerouted me by the closest available detour within about two minutes. I also popped in my distance requirements and enabled the out-and-back routing on a 5K run, and it successfully kicked in just after the 40% mark. 

Otherwise, the Fenix 8 tracked my sleep with good accuracy, successfully logging periods when I woke up during the night, and delivering a Training Readiness score during the day which tracked well with my previous few days’ energy levels, from an anecdotal perspective. The torch was nice and bright (as is the lovely screen), and I haven’t even scratched the surface in terms of all the features available to me during a training block.  

  •  Performance score: 5/5 

Garmin Fenix 8: Scorecard

Garmin Fenix 8 watch on wrist of tattooed male

(Image credit: Garmin)

Garmin Fenix 8: Should I buy?

Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED watch on wrist

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

Buy it if...

You love the outdoors

Garmin Fenix 8 has all the survival tools you’ll ever need, from GPS to a barometer and compass.

You’re a triathlete

Runners, cyclists, and swimmers will really get the most out of this watch.

You’re multidisciplined

Paddleboarding? Golf? Surfing? Skiing? Detailed, comprehensive and unique workout profiles exist for them all.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget

Even the cheaper Fenix E is not a watch for users without deep pockets. 

Also consider...

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Nowhere near the same battery life, but perhaps the best alternative from a smartwatch standpoint. 

Read our full review

Coros Pace 3 

Our best value running watch, a cheap-and-cheerful adventurer's companion.

Read our full review

How I tested

I wore the Garmin Fenix 8 for three weeks, draining the battery down, sleeping with the watch, and testing it over several different kinds of workouts including running, strength training and stand-up paddleboarding. I compared it to an Apple Watch Ultra 2 (my litmus test for GPS and HR accuracy) during a 5K run, and spent time with the watch examining the settings and functionalities, both on-device and in Garmin Connect. 

First reviewed: September 2024

Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air review: a gaming mouse that’s light on weight, but not on price
12:47 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Mice Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: | Comments: Off

Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air: Two-minute review

The Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air is the brand’s new ultralight gaming mouse promising top-tier performance, which it hopes to achieve with its ergonomic design, quality hardware, and in-depth tweakability. 

Considering the Burst 2 Air is a full-size gaming mouse, it’s remarkable that it only tips the scales at 47g, undercutting many gaming mice in the lightweight category. Rather than sporting an all-over honeycomb design to shed the weight, it has just two small cutouts underneath that expose the underside to the PCB within. Despite this absence of material, Turtle Beach has managed to include a handy slot to store the 2.4GHz USB receiver. As an exercise in cutting weight, it’s impressive. 

With its understated appearance, the Burst 2 Air cuts a rather unremarkable figure, especially compared to the audacious looks of some of the best gaming mice. The white colorway I tested does look more vibrant than its black counterpart, and the light gray accents on the logo, side buttons, and scroll wheel are a nice touch. There are two small LEDs, one between the mouse buttons and another under the scroll wheel, but these are relatively subtle. The finish is smooth with a slight texture that I found suitable for my palm and fingers, although grip tape is included in the box for those who prefer something more substantial. 

The Burst 2 Air fits nicely in the hand, with an even curve all around, although there’s slightly more bulk towards the back end. There isn’t much of a forward rake either, so it doesn’t feel like your fingers are falling away. Turtle Beach doesn’t recommend specific grip styles but it seems ideal for most, though it may be too bulky for those who prefer the claw type. My only real complaint about the shape of the Burst 2 Air is that the sides cinch inwards a little too much for my liking, making it harder to squeeze during those clutch moments.

The mouse wheel is softly notched but still provides enough security to prevent mis-scrolls. It’s tight and secure when pressed, while still being easy to actuate. The side buttons are very clicky, and their angle and protrusion make them easy to use. Rather than being situated on top or underneath, as is typical for many gaming mice, the DPI cycle button is located on the left front side. It’s small and pressing it can be awkward, given it’s quite close to the bottom, meaning your thumb ends up pressing into your desktop. This is a small grievance, though, and the button operates smoothly.

Close up of Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air scroll wheel

(Image credit: Future)

When it comes to the business of gaming, the Burst 2 Air is a joy to use. Maneuverability is exceptional, gliding effortlessly on almost any surface, thanks to the thick PTFE skates. The pre-tensioned optical switches can be activated with light clicks, and although they travel further than I expected, this only adds to their satisfaction. There is the slightest indentation on the buttons themselves, just enough to guide your fingers to the optimal position.

Coupled with the ultra-light total weight, this makes the Burst 2 Air very precise. Of course, what weight, shape, and size is best for a gaming mouse comes down to personal preference, but for me, I found the Burst 2 Air ideal for my hands and swipes. Using it with the included USB cable does add more resistance to movements, but I adapted to it quickly, and I wouldn’t go so far as to call it drag, with all the negative connotations that word brings. As with many braided cables, durability can be an issue, but during my time using it I didn’t notice any fraying. 

For customizing and adjusting settings, you’ll need Swarm 2, Turtle Beach’s peripheral software. As soon as you open it, you’re greeted with jagged fonts that are hard to read and fail to inspire much confidence. I have previous experience using this software with a Turtle Beach keyboard, and in that case, I found it to be obtuse in places and not the most user-friendly. Some of my concerns remain in place in the case of the Burst 2 Air, although I do think mice settings are more clearly laid out. 

The software allows for all the typical tweaks you'd expect, including adjustments for the DPI. However, this has a clunky implementation, requiring you to drag dots across the screen for each of the five predefined settings. In theory, this interface is a good idea, but it’s poorly executed here, with bugs and glitches occurring until I updated the mouse’s firmware. The update also fixed the battery level readout, which was previously stuck at 18%, even when charging.

There are also adjustments for the poll rate, with five settings ranging from 125Hz to 1000Hz, and a debounce time slider in a nondescript unit between 0 and 10 (a lot of other software I’ve tested measure this in milliseconds). There’s also DCU calibration, which is equivalent to lift-off distance. There are two predefined settings, very low and low, as well as a custom mode that automatically sets the distance based on a few test movements. Again, though, there is no indication in any setting as to what the exact distance you’ve set is.

Front of Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air on table

(Image credit: Future)

Other settings include angle snapping, which smooths cursor movements by making them more linear, and motion sync, which aligns the mouse’s polling rate to that of your PC, so only the latest polling data is read. In theory, this improves accuracy as tracking becomes more seamless, but in reality, only hardcore pro players will likely notice or care about this. During my tests, I failed to notice much difference when activated.

It’s also compatible with Nvidia Reflex, which claims to reduce input latency even further when gaming. It requires an Nvidia GPU and a monitor compatible with Nvidia G-Sync (although my FreeSync monitor worked with this too). It’s only currently supported by a handful of games, and again it’s a feature that only pro players will likely notice in action.

Switching between the different connectivity modes worked fairly seamlessly in my experience, letting me switch between two devices on the fly with a flick of the switch underneath. Note, however, that when connected via USB cable, this overrides your other connectivity options, so device switching effectively becomes unavailable until you pull the plug.

The claimed battery life of the Burst 2 Air is 120 hours in Bluetooth mode, and 40 when using the 2.4GHz receiver. According to my tests, this seems accurate, as the battery barely dipped below 90% over several days of use, even when set to the maximum 1k poll rate.

The Burst 2 Air is a solid wireless gaming mouse for those who are after a comfortable yet speedy performer. The overall shape, low package weight, connectivity options, and smooth glides are its standout aspects. However, Swarm 2 isn’t the most intuitive peripheral software to use, and the fact is there are better value gaming mice that match the Burst 2 Air for performance, such as the Cooler Master MM311. It’s by no means a bad pointer to plump for, but there are plenty of other great options around for less money.

Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air: Price & availability

Rear of Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air on table

(Image credit: Future)
  • $99 / £99 (about AU$147)
  • Black and White colorways

The Burst 2 Air is priced at $99 / £99 (about AU$147) and is available now. It comes in either Black or White colorways.

For a gaming mouse of this spec, the Burst 2 Air represents pretty average value for money. It competes with other wireless mice such as the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed, which offers similar features and functionality. It also supports an 8k poll rate, although this does require Razer’s HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which costs an extra $29 / £29 / AU$54.

If you’re after a wireless gaming mouse with an 8k poll rate straight out of the box, then be prepared to part with more cash. Offerings in this category can set you back considerably more: the Razer Viper V3 Pro, for example, is over $100 / £150 / AU$275.

However, if you’re happy with 1k, there are more wireless budget picks than ever. For instance, there’s the Cooler Master MM311, which is our current pick as the best gaming mouse for those on a budget – it’s heavier than the Burst 2 Air and runs on AA batteries, though. If you want a rechargeable battery, then the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 could fit the bill; although it weighs 61g, it’s slightly cheaper than the Burst 2 Air. There’s also a wired variant with an 8k poll rate for even less.

Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air: Specs

Should you buy the Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air?

Buy it if...

You want a super-light mouse
49g is seriously light, making the Burst 2 Air ideal for rapid movements. It’s even more impressive considering the body is full-size.

You want a smooth glider
The Burst 2 Air glides with incredible ease, thanks to the thick PTFE skates, working well on different surface types.

You want multiple connectivity options
The Burst 2 Air can be connected using the included USB-C to USB-A PhatomFlex cable, or wirelessly via the 2.4GHz USB receiver or Bluetooth, which allows for quick-switching between devices.

Don't buy it if...

You want a high poll rate
Gaming mice that are marketed for esports use usually offer poll rates up to 8k, but the Burst 2 Air tops out at 1k. If this matters to you, then look elsewhere.

You’re on a budget
The Burst 2 Air is averagely priced for a gaming mouse of this spec. There are more budget-friendly wireless gaming mice available than ever, so you’ll likely be able to find cheaper alternatives with similar levels of performance.

Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air: Also consider

How I tested the Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air

  • Tested for two weeks
  • Played FPS and strategy games
  • 10+ years PC gaming experience

I tested the Burst 2 Air for around two weeks. During that time, I used it with a variety of games, as well as for general use and productivity.

I played FPS titles including Counter-Strike 2, the evergreen peripheral tester, as well as strategy games that almost exclusively use mouse inputs, such as Tactical Breach Wizards. 

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have tried a variety of gaming mice of all shapes and sizes from the likes of Razer, Logitech, Alienware, and HyperX, to name a few. I generally prefer full-size mice over miniature ones and prefer a light to medium weight. 

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: September 2024

LG Gram 17 (2024) review: a large, light laptop hamstrung by lots of noise and heat
6:56 pm | September 23, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: | Comments: Off

LG Gram 17: Two-minute review

The LG Gram 17 is a large but super-light and thin laptop, promising premium productivity performance in a portable package.

Design-wise, the LG Gram 17 is clean and sleek, keeping all its angles and surfaces as minimal as possible. As for build quality, the plastic body doesn’t inspire much confidence, although there’s no denying it saves weight. I found the hinge for the lid very loose, resulting in the display repeatedly rebounding on opening the laptop, which in my mind casted doubt over its durability.

The IPS display is certainly large, but it isn't exactly vibrant. Colors are rendered perfectly well, but LED and OLED displays are usually more impressive, even those with the same 2K resolution of the LG Gram 17. However, it does excel at preventing glare, as per LG's claims; I tried using it in various areas around my living space to produce some unfavorable angles for sunlight, and couldn't catch it out – it remained clear in most conditions. 

In terms of performance, the LG Gram 17 handles the tasks it’s designed for with aplomb. The model on test was equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 and 32GB of RAM. It made short work of spreadsheet creation and word processing, and could deal with light photo editing. It also played back HD and 4K video content with ease. 

During our benchmarking, it outperformed many of the best laptops – such as the Microsoft Surface 7 – for productivity. However, it wasn’t as impressive when it came to GPU workloads, including gaming. The Intel Arc GPU can’t match other high-end GPUs, such as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 in the Dell XPS 17 (9730) we tested.

Mercifully, the LG Gram 17 is mostly free from the bloatware that can plague other Windows laptops. LG’s software suite is mixed in terms of usefulness, but it wasn’t too intrusive or resource-heavy. The most egregious app was LG Recovery and Update, but this only popped up occasionally, and offered desirable updates when it did – although it did fail to make clear that some updates will cause the system to shut down without notice. 

The most useful tool in the suite is LG Gram Link, which allows you to connect mobile devices to transfer files and mirror screens both ways. You can also use it to control your mobile device with the LG Gram 17’s trackpad and keyboard. For the most part, all these functions work as intended, although lag and slowdown can be an issue at times.

The battery is very good for this class of laptop, lasting more than 12 hours in our tests, which involved a battery benchmark using PCMark, in addition to running a 1080p 30fps video on a continuous loop. For comparison, the Dell XPS 17 (9730) only managed a little over nine hours, while the Microsoft Surface 7 quit after 10 hours.

One of the major problems with the LG Gram 17, though, is the noise and heat it generates under load. This was apparent even during setup, with the fans whirring up near the start of the process. The low-pitched hum would then elevate during heavy workloads, to the point of becoming distracting. The underside and the keys also became very hot to the touch, giving me cause for concern. 

Another issue that severely hampers the LG Gram 17 is the keyboard. Although I usually welcome the inclusion of a number pad, here it forces the character keys too far to the left, creating an awkward typing position. It also means the palm of your right thumb rests on the trackpad, with movements being registered as cursor swipes and sometimes even taps. In addition, the keys, while they feel satisfying and pleasant to tap, can sometimes fail to register, especially the "o" key, which caused me no end of frustration. 

This is a hotly contested space, and you'd expect the LG Gram 17 to deliver on its premium promises given the price it commands. However, there are simply better value alternatives that offer not just lightning performance, but also a better design and user experience. 

If you’re after a large laptop with plenty of power, then the Dell XPS 17 (9730) is a solid choice. If you want a smaller form factor but still want performance, then our current pick as the best laptop around, the Microsoft Surface 7, would be a great alternative.

LG Gram 17: Price & availability

back of LG Gram 17

(Image credit: Future)
  • £1,999 (about $2,640 / AU$3,910)
  • Available in three colorways
  • High-end specs

The LG Gram 17 costs £1,999 (about $2,640 / AU$3,910) and is available now. It arrives in your choice of three finishes – black, white, or charcoal gray – and it can be had with between 16-32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a 1TB or 2TB NVMe SSD. As for graphics, you have a choice of either an Intel Arc or Intel Iris XE Graphics GPU.

At this price, the LG Gram 17 is competing in the premium sector, rubbing shoulders with the likes of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 – which, in our view, is the best business laptop . That machine is superbly built with an excellent keyboard and display. Specs-wise, it does come in behind the LG Gram 17, and so do its costlier range-topping variants. However, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 is durable and built to last, delivering your money’s worth.  

At the other end of the market sits the Acer Travelmate P4, which can be had for as little as $400. For that, you do get lesser specs, with older CPUs and no NVMe SSD options, but we still found it to be a very competent performer. 

If you desperately want a 17-inch display, then we think the Dell XPS 17 (9730) is the best laptop with a large screen. It’s also replete with Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs, perfect if you’re after serious gaming and content creation pedigree. 

LG Gram 17: Specs

LG Gram 17 closed on desk

(Image credit: Future)

LG Gram 17: Design

Close-up of LG Gram 17 trackpad

(Image credit: Future)
  • Very light for a large laptop
  • Number pad compromises ergonomics
  • Keystroke and trackpad issues

As with many Windows laptops in recent years, the LG Gram 17 takes design cues from Apple’s MacBook line. It keeps to a minimal aesthetic, with clean edges and surfaces unsullied by unnecessary bulges or protrusions. 

However, almost immediately on opening its lid my confidence in the build quality of the LG Gram 17 was sapped. The hinge is incredibly loose, meaning the display ricochets like a pendulum. It could be argued this is the price you pay for such an effortless mechanism, but I don’t think this bodes well for its longevity.

In fact, the premium feel is lacking from the entire chassis – although, again, this may be the sacrifice for keeping the LG Gram 17's weight down. And for a 17-inch laptop, it's impressively light and thin, which makes traveling with it far less hassle than it otherwise would; it slotted nicely into my backpack for my commute to the office, and I didn’t feel overburdened. There’s no doubt that as large laptops go, the LG Gram 17 is one of the most portable around.

The keys are compact and well made. The trackpad is highly engineered and large, too, with a very smooth surface that creates little friction. This makes for pleasant and precise swipes and gestures.

As fond as I am of number pads, incorporating one in the LG Gram 17 does compromise its ergonomics. It means the character keys are forced over to the left, which I found made the typing position more awkward, with my right hand closer to the left than I’m used to.

It’s welcoming to see a large screen that isn’t compromised by a thick bezel. What's a shame, though, is how much the bezel protrudes on the LG Gram 17, with the display itself set quite far back – another area where you can tell corners have been cut, and where it fails to live up to the sleekness of Apple’s laptops, despite its attempts to emulate their style.

LG Gram 17 keyboard

(Image credit: Future)

The display itself uses IPS technology, which produces a fine enough image. However, it fails to impart a level of sharpness you'd expect from the 2L/ WQXGA resolution. On smaller screens that same resolution looks sharp and sleek, but that fidelity starts to deteriorate once it’s stretched out to 17-inch. However, what can be said in its favor is its anti-glare properties, which do indeed help to retain visibility even in bright sunlight.

As for port selection, the LG Gram 17 has two USB-C and two USB-A ports, the former pair on the left and the latter on the right. There’s also a headphone output, a microSD card slot, and an HDMI port. Oddly, the latter is located before the USB-C ports, meaning that your charging cable will be plugged in closer to the front than you'd expect, which might upset those who are particular about cable management.

The keys are well damped with just enough travel, making for a snappy and satisfying feel. However, all too frequently my keystrokes would fail to register, in particular when hitting the "o" key, for reasons I struggle to fathom. As a conservative estimate, I'd say that more than half the time presses would result in nothing appearing on-screen.

Another typing issue is the aforementioned position of the character keys. As well as making the hand position awkward, it also resulted in my right thumb palm resting on part of the trackpad. Occasionally, this would cause swipes and taps to register.

For any laptop, these two issues pose a major obstacle for getting work done. However, for one such as the LG Gram 17, designed with productivity in mind, it’s close to unforgivable. These may just be personal issues, with others unaffected; but I’ve never had typing issues to this degree on other laptops I’ve tried.

Conversely, I also experienced too many occasions where the trackpad would fail to register taps I performed deliberately. However, in other aspects, the trackpad is great to use. It’s smooth and accurate, while swipes and gestures are easy to perform consistently, thanks to the responsiveness.

LG Gram 17: Performance

The LG Gram 17 is fast when it comes to performing most productivity tasks. Everything from knocking out spreadsheets and word processing to low-key photo editing is within reach. And, when it comes to downtime, video playback is fast and smooth, even with 4K content. The Intel Core Ultra 7 certainly appears to live up to expectations.

LG Gram 17: Benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 16,752; Fire Strike: 6,131; Time Spy: 2,908
Cinebench R23: 1,595 (single-core); 9,746 (multi-core)
GeekBench 6.3: 2,198 (single-core); 11,358 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home test): 6,039
PCMark 10 (Battery test): 5,477
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 12 hours, 12 minutes

For more intensive workloads, the LG Gram 17 is somewhat inconsistent. In our benchmarking tests, it scored well on office-based tasks. It beat the Microsoft Surface 7 in the PCMark Home test, although it did lose to it in GeekBench single- and multi-core tests with considerably lower scores.

For more graphics-heavy workloads, scores weren’t so great either. The LG Gram 17 still beat the Surface 7, but in our Dell XPS 17 (9730) review, this laptop performed far better – not exactly surprising, given the LG Gram 17 I had to test came with an Intel Arc GPU, rather than an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 featured in the XPS 17 (9730) we tested.

Thankfully, the LG Gram 17 keeps the bloatware to a minimum, with only a handful of LG apps preinstalled. Most of these function well for the most part, and refrain from eating into performance or bombarding you with notifications. The LG Recovery and Update can intrude at times with notifications; but, thankfully, most of them are worthy of your attention.

Other LG apps include ThinQ, which, quite frankly, seemed redundant, only letting me contact support; and LG Gram Link, which lets you connect with your mobile device, allowing for file sharing to screen mirroring. Both function well, although the mobile app did have trouble connecting to my network until an update fixed the issue.

LG Gram 17 right side ports

(Image credit: Future)

Mirroring my phone screen on the LG Gram 17 worked well, but keyboard and trackpad inputs were sluggish. You can also duplicate and extend the LG Gram 17 display on your smartphone, and this is more responsive, although I think it would be better to mirror on a tablet than a small smartphone screen. Using the keyboard and trackpad to control my phone was also responsive during my tests, although for some reason I wasn’t able to scroll web pages on the Chrome mobile app.

One of the chief annoyances I had with the LG Gram 17 was the noise. Occasionally – and especially when setting up – there would be a low-end hum, elevating to a higher pitch and louder volume under more intensive workloads. I was almost convinced it was the sound of a hard disk, as it sounded very similar. 

After the initial setup, fan noise became less frequent, but would still rear its ugly head from time to time. In addition, the base of the LG Gram 17 would also on occasion become hot, which would be uncomfortable if using the machine on your lap. Sometimes, even the keys themselves became hot to the touch. This was a real cause for concern, and didn’t instill me with much confidence to use the LG Gram 17 for heavy workloads over long stretches.

As far as the speakers go, they perform well enough, offering a balanced sound without distortion. They don’t have much impact, but compared to most other laptops, they acquit themselves admirably.

LG Gram 17: Battery

LG Gram 17 left side ports

(Image credit: Future)

Although LG doesn’t provide a figure for the battery life of the Gram 17, it does claim it to be “ultra-long”. During my tests, I found it could handle more than a whole day’s worth of work. 

I tested the battery life by using the 3DMark benchmarking tool, as well as playing a 1080p 30fps video on a loop. From a full charge, the LG Gram 17 lasted an impressive 12 hours and 12 minutes before shutting down. 

This means the LG Gram 17 eclipses the Microsoft Surface 7, our current pick as the best laptop overall, which lasted about 10 hours during our tests. It also beats our pick for the best large laptop, the Dell XPS 17 (9730), which managed 9 hours and 5 minutes. 

Should you buy the LG Gram 17?

LG Gram 17 Intel Evo sticker

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want something large but light
It’s impressive how the LG Gram 17 manages to fit a big display in such a light package, making it a lot easier to travel with than you might expect.

You’ll be using it for work
The LG Gram 17 handles office-based tasks well, including intensive ones. It’s also very capable of entertaining you with its hi-res content streaming pedigree.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
There’s no getting away from it: the LG Gram 17 is expensive, and there are cheaper alternatives out there that offer the same performance.

LG Gram 17: Also consider

How I tested the LG Gram 17

  • Tested for one week
  • Performed various tasks and benchmarking
  • Plentiful experience with PC laptops

I tested the LG Gram 17 for about a week, trying out its features and functions. I used it for a variety of tasks, from streaming video and editing photos, to general productivity and browsing. I also worked with it on a desktop and my lap on a sofa, and in various lighting conditions, too. I commuted with it to test its portability.

I put the LG Gram 17 through TechRadar’s benchmarking procedure, which involves using multiple tools repeatedly to test laptops and desktops as thoroughly as possible. These emulate various workloads, from productivity and content editing to gaming.

I have plenty of experience with laptops of all varieties, from Windows machines, MacBooks and Chromebooks. I also have experience testing tablets and using desktop PCs for gaming. 

Read more about how we test.

First reviewed September 2024

Kodak Ektar H35 review: style over substance
2:24 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Cameras Compact Cameras Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Two-minute review

When I was a photography student I used to constantly complain about the cost of film, despite buying my medium-format 120 films in bulk for a discount, with which you only get between 8-12 photos per roll. How little did I realise how expensive film costs would shoot up in the future, and it's the surge in price, together with a spike in analog photography popularity that has led many to half-frame cameras like the Kodak Ektar H35.

The Kodak Ektar H35 is a point-and-shoot half frame 35mm camera that's as simple as they come. It's part of a fairly recent resurgence of half frame cameras, which is most likely because they provide two exposures for every 35mm frame, which doubles the number of photos you can shoot on a 35mm film. So, that's 48 exposures on a 24 exposure film and 72 on a 36 exposure film.

This is a point-and-shoot camera, much like a disposable camera in many ways including image quality from the lens. The main difference is that you can change the film to reuse the camera, and also the AAA battery that's required to power the built-in flash. The H35 is enjoyable in its simplicity, pocketable, nicely designed and reduces the cost of film. But whether or not it's one of the best film cameras is debatable.

One of the hurdles to this camera for me, alongside other points we'll delve into later is the cost. Remember, this is essentially a stylized disposable camera made reusable, so at $45 / £49 / AU$100 it's not expensive in the wider sense, but it is for what you get in terms of build and image quality, it's arguably overpriced.

Kodak Ektar H35: specs

Kodak Ektar H35: design

The Kodak Ektar H35 may be a Kodak camera by name, but it's actually a licensed use of the trademark and the camera is manufactured by a company called RETO Production. This is neither here nor there because it's a film camera, and it works, but it's worth mentioning that you're not getting a high-quality Kodak camera here.

The H35 is available in four colors: black, brown, sand and sage. I opted for the brown version where the brown leatherette finish set against the brushed chrome, ahem plastic, gives the camera a distinctively 1970s look. Aesthetically, the H35 is a great-looking camera that's bathed in retro charm and is incredibly lightweight and highly portable.

Being made entirely of plastic, except for the electronics used in the battery compartment and for the flash, build quality is pretty low. Like I've said already, it's basically a disposable camera remade as reusable. Although saying that, disposable cameras are probably more robust despite being single-use.

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Kodak Ektar H35 front of camera on a gray sofa

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Kodak Ektar H35 back of camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Kodak Ektar H35 top view on a sofa

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Kodak Ektar H35 with the film door open

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Kodak Ektar H35 with film being loaded

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Kodak Ektar H35 and accessories

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Kodak Ektar H35 in its carry case

(Image credit: James Abbott)

There's a built-in flash that's activated by turning the wheel around the lens. The power output is impressive for such a small flash, and there's a red light on the back of the camera that indicates that the flash is fully powered and ready to be used. But this setup does make it easy to leave the flash on and waste power in the single AAA battery.

One aspect of the camera that you have to get used to, and it doesn’t take long, is that photos are captured in portrait format when shooting with the camera in landscape orientation, and vice versa. The viewfinder is also small, but it's perfectly adequate for composing shots.

Kodak Ektar H35: performance

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Photo of a bridge in Cambridge taken with the Kodak Ektar H35 half frame camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Street photo taken with the Kodak Ektar H35 half frame camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Photo of fruit taken with the Kodak Ektar H35 half frame camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Photo of a street scene taken with the Kodak Ektar H35 half frame camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Photo of cracked paint taken with the Kodak Ektar H35 half frame camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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Street photo taken with the Kodak Ektar H35 half frame camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)

In terms of overall performance, I have to admit that I wasn't impressed in the slightest. Yeah, I'm a film camera snob and prefer higher quality medium-format, but I also know that there are much better half frame cameras available. Some truly vintage half frame cameras, such as the Canon Demi, don't even cost much more than the H35 and they're much better quality in every way, while if you want the latest albeit pricier option, there's the new Pentax 17.

You'll be lucky to get a sharp shot from the H35's fixed focus plastic 22mm lens (an equivalent 35mm focal length when shooting half-frame). The shutter speed is fixed at 1/100 sec with a fixed f/9.5 aperture, so you may now be wondering how this camera can correctly expose shots.

Cameras like this rely on the fact that print film has an exposure latitude of two stops, which means you can get a printable image from a shot that's anywhere between two stops under and two stops overexposed, so a four-stop exposure window.

Image 1 of 3

Street photo of a man with patches on his jacket taken with the Kodak Ektar H35 half frame camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 3

Photo of a no entry sign taken with the Kodak Ektar H35 half frame camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 3

Photo of a spaceship model taken with the Kodak Ektar H35 half frame camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)

Image quality generally is low because you're using such a small amount of celluloid, where fewer silver halide crystals create the image compared to a full 35mm frame. This coupled with the poor lens quality certainly creates a lo-fi aesthetic that some will love and others will hate.

In terms of handling, the H35 couldn’t be easier to load with film and use, being a point-and-shoot camera. You can pretty much switch your brain off while using it. When shooting I found it as easy as that, but one thing I did experience was stiffness in the film advance dial when winding the film on. This came and went, but with the all-plastic construction, I did wonder how much stress was being put on the film advance mechanism.

It didn't stop there either; when rewinding the film, the flimsy handle on the dial at the bottom of the camera didn’t feel robust at all, quite the opposite. So once again, I was left wondering how many films you could put through the camera before something breaks. Plastic construction will undoubtedly help to keep the price of the camera down, but I'd rather pay a bit more for something that's better built with the potential to last longer – ideally for years.

Should I buy the Kodak Ektar H35?

Kodak Ektar H35 close-up of the front of the camera

(Image credit: James Abbott)

Buy it if...

You want to shoot lo-fi analog photography
If you want a lo-fi aesthetic in your shots, the blurry and low-quality images produced by the H35 should be just what you're looking for.

You want to cut film costs
With 48 exposures on a 24 exposure film and 72 on a 36 exposure film, shooting with a half frame camera will effectively cut your film and processing costs in half.

You'd like simplicity
You can't get any easier than a point-and-shoot camera like the H35, so you don't need you're nervous about exposing film correctly.

Don't buy it if...

You'd like better quality photos
All half-frame cameras have quality limitations, but the plastic lens of the H35 compounds this, so for better analog image quality consider a 35mm camera instead.

You'd like a camera that will last
The H35 doesn’t feel like it will last very long based on the cheap build quality. There are better options out there both new and second-hand, and not always for much more money.

You don't want film costs
Despite getting twice the number of shots per roll of film than with 35mm, film these days is expensive, as is processing and scanning. The cost per film quickly adds up.

How I tested the Kodak Ektar H35

Kodak Ektar H35 close-up of the front

(Image credit: James Abbott)
  • One roll of film
  • Point-and-shoot pictures of a city center

I tested the Kodak Ektar H35 over a couple of hours walking around a city like a tourist shooting a range of subjects in different lighting conditions. Being a point-and-shoot camera with only a flash that can be turned on and off, it was simply a case of shooting and seeing how the photos came out at the end.

With this in mind, my main focus was on the handling and build quality of the camera since these were tangible at the point of shooting. A roll of film was enough to get an idea of these aspects of the camera because you have to go through the whole process of loading, exposing, winding on and then rewinding the film manually before processing the film.

First reviewed September 2024

Govee Floor Lamp Pro review: stunning smart lighting for any occasion
12:53 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Tags: | Comments: Off

Govee Floor Lamp Pro: one-minute review

If you’re looking for a standing floor lamp with a bunch of smart features, a vast array of lighting moods, and a built-in Bluetooth speaker, you’ll struggle to do better than the Govee Floor Lamp Pro. That’s partly because it’s the only floor lamp that currently offers this feature set, but also because it’s rather good.

It’s not without its quirks and certainly not perfect, but the lamp shines (literally) when it comes to adding ambiance to your home, replete with some fun features that set it apart from more serious offerings. If you're looking for an affordable way to liven up your space, it's one of the best smart lights around.

Govee Floor Lamp Pro illuminated white in dark room

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro requires some self-assembly, but feels solid once put together (Image credit: Future)

Out of the box, the first thing I was struck by was the assembly. My current favorite floor lamp is the Philips Hue Signe Gradient Floor Lamp, a pricey HomeKit offering with a range of lighting moods and a premium design. While that lamp comes pre-assembled (and ships in a commensurately large box), the Govee alternative comes in bits.

You’ll need to attach four metal strips to the base using a series of metal brackets held in place by screws. Once that’s done, you connect the wiggly tube that holds the lighting magic and stuff it into the metal shell. The assembly wasn’t overly complicated, it’s definitely a bit finicky and might turn off users who just want a plug-and-play lamp right out of the box.

While the overall design of the Govee Floor Lamp Pro feels solid, it doesn’t exude the quality of a Philips Hue fixture. The metal feels a little bit cheap and the electronic connection between base and light didn't fill me with confidence. Once built however, the overall design feels sturdy and solid, and while it doesn’t feel like a premium light fixture like the Hue, it’s also around half the price.  

Close-up of Govee Floor Lamp Pro's illuminated base

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro supports 16+ million colors (Image credit: Future)

Using the Govee Floor Lamp Pro takes the form of Govee’s own app, available on iPhone and Android. There’s no HomeKit or Matter support, but Alexa and Google Home users do benefit from compatibility. As a HomeKit user myself, all my testing was done through Govee’s app. While it’s not going to win any Apple Design Awards any time soon, the app enables connecting your lamp to your home Wi-Fi network, which was seamless, and then all of the lighting options. The Govee Floor Lamp Pro supports some 16 million colors in a plethora of configurations, scenes, and settings. 

Govee Floor Lamp Pro base illuminated white

You're not limited to the color wheel picker; you can also pick warm or cool white ambient lighting (Image credit: Future)

You can choose any block color from a range of presets or a color wheel, and there’s a simple Illumination section for ambient, natural light for reading and beyond. Like other Govee products, the Floor Lamp Pro can also tune into music, either through its built-in microphone or from your mobile device as it’s playing, providing rhythmic lighting to match your tunes.

There’s also a DIY section where you can try other people’s cool scenes, and a finger sketch option where you can create your own combinations. There’s also a cool Scenes section, my personal favorite, which draws various colors together into scenes such as sunrise, sunset, aurora, and others. 

Govee Floor Lamp Pro illuminated white beside nightstand with books

You can use it as a directional lamp, but the Govee Floor Lamp Pro works best when used to wash a corner of a room or a wall with light (Image credit: Future)

As you can see, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro offers practically infinite possibilities when it comes to lighting your home. It’s useful for parties, gaming, office work and reading, or literally anything else you can think of. There are settings for brightness and color, timers, and literally anything else you can think of. Immensely versatile, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro is useful in almost any situation. 

By nature of its design, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro lends itself best to wall washing. It’s most effective when used to bathe a surface or a corner of your home in ambient light. It does work as a directional lamp, but you’ll be missing out on a lot of the fun and functionality of the device. The Pro’s design over previous Govee offerings means it's a lot taller and has a much wider luminous cross-section, putting out a ton of light all in one place.

Remote control for Govee Floor Lamp Pro

The Floor Lamp Pro comes with a physical remote control, which attaches to the lamp via a magnetic clamp (Image credit: Future)

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro ships with a couple of nifty features you won’t find on rivals that really make it stand out. While the app is delightfully comprehensive and versatile, sometimes you just want to turn the light on, pick a color, and be done with it. To that end, there’s a handy remote that lets you control the power, brightness, or the color and temperature of your light. Without even touching your phone you can turn on the light in seconds, pick from a range of colors, and be on your way. There’s even a magnetic clamp you can use to attach your remote to the body of the lamp, keeping it safe and secure. 

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro’s party piece is the Bluetooth speaker built into its base. It’s not audiophile quality, but it can be used via Bluetooth from your smartphone or tablet to play music or podcasts. It’s got a reasonable range of audio and is nice for a bit of bedroom mood music or as the centerpiece for an impromptu party. The speaker also powers the app’s onboard ambient white noise, although the quality of these left a lot to be desired, you probably won’t want to use any of them. 

Overall, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro is a brilliantly versatile and comprehensive smart lamp. It might not boast the premium fit and finish of a Philips Hue alternative, but it’s a lot cheaper and just as cheerful. 

Phone with app showing controls for Govee Floor Lamp Pro

The app includes fun features including a finger-sketching option that you can use to create your own lighting scenes (Image credit: Future)

Govee Floor Lamp pro: specs

Govee Floor Lamp Pro: price and availability

  • List price: $219 / £219 (about AU$320)
  • Discounts often available

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro can be found on Govee’s website in both the UK and the US, retailing at $219 / £219 (about AU$320). However, it’s usually discounted to around $185 / £170 (about AU$270), so it pays to shop around for a bit of a bargain.

It can also be picked up on Amazon for a similar price, again with discounts down to $199 / £170 (about AU$290). That’s a pretty decent price for a well-equipped lamp with lots of features. To put that into perspective, Philips Hue’s Signe Gradient lamp retails for $329 / £279 (about AU$480). The latter comes assembled and has a more premium build, but the Govee alternative will do much the same job of lighting your space and comes with the added benefit of a built-in Bluetooth speaker and a remote. 

Should you buy the Govee Floor Lamp Pro?

Buy it if...

You’re a Google Home or Alexa user

This lamp is a great option for smart home users with systems powered by Google Home or Amazon Alexa.

Don't buy it if... 

Govee Floor Lamp Pro: also consider

Not sold on the Govee Floor Lamp Pro? Here are two other smart floor lamps you should consider.

How I tested the Govee Floor Lamp Pro

  • I used the Govee Floor Lamp Pro for several days
  • I connected it to my home Wi-Fi network and used its app extensively
  • I tested all of its features including the speakers

I've used the Govee Floor Lamp Pro for three weeks, mostly as a nightstand in my bedroom. I placed it in various positions throughout my home, including in various different corners and settings. 

I used the Govee app extensively to control the lamp after pairing it with my iPhone, going through all of the various settings, color options, and features. 

I have five years of smart home journalism experience and have extensively tested a broad range of smart home products including smart lights, plugs, speakers, and more. I have also tested other smart lamps in this specific product category field, notably the Philips Hue Signe Gradient and the Govee Floor Lamp 2, which has helped to inform my review. Read more about how we test.

First reviewed September 2024

Samsung Q60D review: a solid QLED TV under pressure by entry-level mini-LED TVs
6:00 pm | September 22, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Samsung Q60D: Two minute review

The Samsung Q60D is a budget QLED TV that delivers good picture quality and gaming performance and is a fine entry-level option for those looking to save money. It’s missing some key features and faces plenty of more affordable competition, however, so it’s not going to beat the best TVs anytime soon.

Picture quality on the Q60D is fairly good overall, with punchy but natural colors and solid contrast. Detail is where the Q60D shines, with crisp textures serving as the Q60D’s best aspect. With a QLED panel and standard LED backlight, black levels won’t rival those of the best OLED TVs, but they are better than the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, another affordable QLED TV. There’s some motion blur when watching sport and shadow detail is lacking compared to sets that benefit from better backlights, but the picture is good overall for a TV at this price.

The Q60D has a basic 2.0-channel, 20W speaker array. Speech is clear and there’s good sound placement thanks to Samsung’s OTS Lite feature, but the sound lacks the bass heft and virtual surround you’ll get from the best TVs for sound. For those looking to use it for more than casual viewing, I’d recommend one of the best soundbars. 

Gaming on the Q60D is fun enough, with the TV’s decent gaming performance helped by a low 9.6ms input lag time and a clean picture. However, with no support for 120Hz or VRR, it lacks key features of the best gaming TVs, though it does support ALLM and has Samsung’s useful Gaming Hub. 

The Q60D is fairly priced for what it offers and is available in 43-85-inch screen sizes (a 32-inch model is also available in the US). However, it faces competition from cheap mini-LED TVs such as the Hisense U6N and Hisense U7N, and the TCL C805 (in the UK), all of which benefit from more gaming features, Dolby Vision HDR support and mini-LED backlights. 

Samsung Q60D with orange butterfly on screen

The Samsung Q60D delivers surprisingly crisp details.  (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Prices & release date

  • Released April 2024 
  • 32-inch: $479.99 
  • 43-inch: $529.99 / £479 
  • 50-inch: $599.99 / £549 
  • 55-inch: $749.99 / £599 / AU$1,195 
  • 65-inch $799.99 / £899 / AU$1,495 
  • 75-inch: $999.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,995 
  • 85-inch: $1,699.99 / £1,699 / AU$2,995 

The Samsung Q60D is the entry-level QLED series in Samsung’s 2024 TV range, sitting below the Q70D and Q80D. 

Since release, Q60D prices have fallen across every screen size in every region and it’s regularly on sale both through Samsung and other retailers. We’ve seen the 50-inch model we tested for as low as £479 in the UK – more than £200 off from its initial £699. In the US, prices have dropped roughly $200 across the range. 

Samsung Q60D review: Specs

Samsung Q60D review: Benchmark results

Samsung Q60D connectivity panel

The Samsung Q60D includes three HDMI ports, but none support 4K 120Hz or VRR.  (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Features

  • 4K QLED ‘Dual LED’ panel  
  • Tizen smart TV platform 
  • HDR10+ high dynamic range support  

The Q60D features a QLED panel that uses quantum dot tech to improve brightness and color detail over standard LED TVs. It also features what Samsung calls ‘Dual LED’ tech, which aims to boost contrast. It comes with Samsung’s Quantum Processor Lite 4K processor, with the more premium NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor available starting in the step-up Q80D series. 

As with all Samsung TVs, the Q60D supports the HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats, but not Dolby Vision. For Dolby Vision support in a similar price range, look to the Amazon Omni QLED. 

For sound, the Q60D has a basic 2.0-channel speaker array totaling 20W of power and features a ‘Lite’ version of the Object Tracking System (OTS) that can be found in Samsung’s more premium sets. It also supports Adaptive Sound and the Q Symphony feature that can combine the TV’s speakers with those in a compatible Samsung soundbar. 

For gaming, the Q60D comes with Samsung’s Gaming Hub, with support for Cloud gaming apps from Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now and more. It also features ALLM but does not support 4K 120Hz or VRR.

The Q60D uses Samsung’s Tizen platform for its smart TV interface. Tizen provides access to popular streaming apps such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney Plus. In the UK, it also supports BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and Freeview apps, although live TV services are handled by Samsung’s own TV Plus system rather than Freeview. 

  • Features score: 4/5

Samsung Q60D with sunset on screen

The Samsung Q60D's contrast is richer than anticipated, with a good balance between light and dark tones.  (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Picture quality

  • Punchy colors  
  • Refined detail  
  • Middling black levels and contrast 

When measuring peak brightness, the 50-inch Q60D yielded results of 417 nits and 384 nits in Standard and Filmmaker Modes respectively on a 10% HDR white window. This is lower than the rival Amazon Omni QLED, which hit 531 nits and 402 nits in its same picture modes on the same tests, though it’s worth noting the Amazon TV was a 65-inch model.

Measuring the Q60D’s HDR color gamut coverage, it yielded results of 71% and 92.9% for BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 color spaces respectively in Filmmaker Mode. While those are not the best results, they are still decent for a budget TV and actually put it in line with mini-LED sets such as the Samsung QN85D and Hisense U6N. 

The Q60D did a decent job displaying standard-definition images on its 50-inch screen, though it’s likely that textures would be fuzzier on larger screen sizes. High-definition content fared better, showing clearer-looking textures.

Moving onto 4K HDR sources, I first viewed a stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Disney Plus to test the Q60D’s colors. In the throne room fight scene, which is filled with bright reds, the Q60D displayed plenty of punch while also maintaining a natural look. And in the opening race sequence of Ready Player One, colors were vivid, even though they lacked some of the same brightness I’ve seen on more premium TVs.

Samsung Q60D with geyser on screen

The Samsung Q60D thrives with bright images.  (Image credit: Future)

The Batman is a challenging movie for many TVs due to its numerous dark scenes. Viewed with regular room lighting, the Q60D demonstrated good contrast throughout and decent enough black levels, especially for a QLED set. In the opening crime scene, there was good shadow detail with no black crush. Light sources, such as lamps, were balanced well within the scene's dimly lit surroundings. 

Viewing this same scene in darker lighting conditions, blacks took on more of a gray look with a cloudy wash over the whole screen. However, black levels were still better than expected and better than those of the Amazon Omni QLED. 

Viewing black-and-white scenes in Oppenheimer, the Q60D did a better job displaying the film’s wide range of brighter whites and grays over the black tones. 

The Q60D demonstrated refined-looking textures and details. In scenes from The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick, facial features were clearly defined, and details in clothing also had a more realistic look than I anticipated for a budget QLED TV. Watching demo footage from the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark Blu-ray, details in landscapes, cityscapes and close-up shots of animals looked authentic throughout. 

When I watched an HD stream of a Soccer game on Prime Video, the Q60D delivered acceptable motion handling. I found that setting judder reduction in the motion section of the picture settings to a lower amount, say 2 or 3, was better than having it set to full, though some may prefer the smoother processing. Regardless, there was still some judder and blur present due to the TV’s 60Hz panel. If you’re a sports fan, you’ll be better off looking at the best TVs for sport, such as the Samsung QN90D. 

The Q60D’s motion handling with movies was much better. Watching Top Gun: Maverick, it did a solid job with the quick panning shots and tumbling cameras during the training missions and Darkstar opening scene. There was still occasional judder, but it didn’t detract from the viewing experience. 

  • Picture quality score: 4/5

Samsung Q60D with La La Land title card on screen

The Samsung Q60D suffers from limited built-in sound, as heard when watching La La Land.  (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Sound quality

  • Clear speech
  • Good directional sound  
  • Limited bass and soundstage  

The Q60D has a 2.0-channel speaker array with 20W of power. It supports Object Tracking Sound Lite (OTS Lite) and Adaptive Sound, a feature that changes volume based on an analysis of the content being displayed. It also has Q Symphony, a feature that combines the Q60D’s built-in speakers with those in compatible Samsung soundbars for an enhanced audio presentation. There are two sound presets, Standard and Amplify, with Amplify being the best overall and the one I used during testing. 

The Q60D delivered clear dialogue during the chaotic Batmobile chase in The Batman. It also delivered good sound placement, with effects such as tyres, crashes and bullets in the Batmobile chase scene well-placed on the screen and connected to the action.

Other elements of the Q60D’s built-in sound were lacking. Its limited bass meant there was no real impact from the rumbling engines of cars in both The Batman and Ready Player One. And with a limited soundstage, the full, sometimes brash jazz score of La La Land was restrained, with some instruments lost in the mix.

For those looking to use the Q60D as a main TV, a soundbar is recommended. 

  • Sound quality score: 3/5 

Samsung Q60D feet

The 50-inch Q60D I tested came with support feet that could be height-adjusted to fit a soundbar underneath.  (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Design

  • Sleek, slim design  
  • Premium looks for price 
  • SolarCell remote 

The Q60D has a more premium design than you’d expect at this price level, with a sleek, thin profile that's similar to pricey sets such as the Samsung S95D OLED. The rear panel also has a burnished, navy finish that again gives the Q60D a premium look. 

A near bezel-less front allows nearly all of the picture to take up the screen. The 50-inch model I tested came with height-adjustable support feet to fit a soundbar underneath. These felt a little cheap but were very easy to install and provided sturdy enough support. 

The Q60D is supplied with Samsung’s SolarCell remote, which has a solar panel on the rear and a USB-C port at the bottom for charging. It’s good to see this remote, which doesn’t use disposable batteries, supplied with more budget sets in Samsung’s TV range. 

  • Design score: 4/5

Samsung Q60D with game hub on screen

Tizen is divided into various hubs, including the useful Gaming Hub (pictured).  (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Smart TV & menus

  • Tizen smart TV platform 
  • Good range of picture settings 

The Q60D uses Samsung’s Tizen smart TV platform. This is divided into multiple hubs that allow for easy navigation and organization and includes Home, where apps plus TV show and movie recommendations are displayed; Ambient, which lets you select dynamic and static artworks; Game, a hub that houses everything gaming-related including cloud-based apps; and Daily+, which has office, health and home-based apps for daily tasks.

There are a good number of settings available for those who like to adjust picture quality, with preset modes including Standard, Movie, Filmmaker and more. The same can’t be said for audio, which has only two preset modes, Standard and Amplify, and very few settings to adjust. 

  • Smart TV & Menus score: 4/5 

Samsung Q60D with battlefield V on screen

The Samsung Q60D has limited gaming features, but still performs well at 4K 60Hz.  (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Gaming

  • Samsung Gaming Hub and ALLM 
  • No 120Hz or VRR support 
  • 9.6ms input lag time   

The Q60D doesn’t have as many features as the best gaming TVs, with no HDMI 2.1 ports for 120Hz refresh rate and VRR support. It does support 4K 60Hz and ALLM, however, and has Samsung’s Gaming Hub for cloud-based gaming from the likes of Xbox, Luna, and Nvidia GeForce Now. 

Despite its lack of next-gen gaming features, the Q60D’s gaming performance is perfectly fine. Playing Battlefield V, shootouts and battles still felt suitably intense and switching between targets was smooth and judder-free. There are Off, Level 1 and Level 2 Game Motion modes to choose from, though I did not notice a significant difference between the three options. 

Graphically, the Q60D did a solid job. Textures were well-defined and colors had a dynamic look. Contrast was decent, giving objects a sharper appearance, though I did find that HDR tone mapping was a little aggressive in some sequences.

  • Gaming score: 4/5 

Samsung SolarCell remote

The Q60D comes with Samsung's SolarCell remote control. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Q60D review: Value

  • Fairly priced for picture and performance 
  • Budget mini-LEDs available from TCL and Hisense  
  • Good range of sizes and frequently on sale 

The Q60D delivers good overall performance at a budget price that will suit many people. However, it faces stiff competition from cheap mini-LED TVs that provide more gaming features and better picture quality such as the Hisense U6N and Hisense U7N in the US and UK, and the TCL C805 (UK-only). 

The 55-inch Q60D is priced at $749.99 / £599 / AU$1,195 (prices have dipped below this level before). Hisense’s U6N is priced at $499 / £749 / AU$995, and while it shares similar gaming features, it benefits from a mini-LED backlight and Dolby Vision HDR support. The TCL C805 (available in the UK and Australia) costs  £649 / AU$1,395, and although pricier, it benefits from 4K 120Hz and VRR gaming support and also features a mini-LED backlight and Dolby Vision HDR.

For US and UK customers, there is also the Amazon Omni QLED, which retails for roughly $349 / £399 and benefits from Dolby Vision HDR support, though the Q60D provides a better overall picture. 

Despite tough competition, the Q60D is likely to see major discounts throughout the year, which will bring its value more in line with the models listed above. 

  • Value score: 3.5/5 

Samsung Q60D with hot spring on screen

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Samsung Q60D?

Buy it if...

You want a good picture for the price
The Q60D delivers crisp textures, solid contrast and vivid colors in an affordable TV, beating most similarly priced LED models. 

You want a nice-looking TV
With a slim profile, adjustable feet, and trim bezel, the Q60D looks more premium than its price would suggest. 

You want a budget gaming TV
If you're looking for a gaming TV that performs well with your Nintendo Switch and advanced gaming features don't matter, the Q60D is worth checking out. 

Don't buy it if...

You need good built-in sound
The Q60D delivers clear speech, but its built-in sound lacks in other areas. For more than casual viewing connect a soundbar.  

You need the best gaming TV
Gaming performance is good on the Q60D, but it lacks key features including 4K 120Hz and VRR support that we expect to see in the best gaming TVs. 

You want the best value TV
While prices are likely to drop, the Q60D faces competition from mini-LED TVs such as the Hisense U6N and TCL C805 which offer more but sit at a similar price. 

Also consider

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED
The Omni QLED has similar specs to the Q60D, but supports Dolby Vision HDR, which the Q60D doesn't. It's also frequently on sale for less than the Q60D, though the Q60D has an overall better picture. 

Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review

Samsung Q80D
The Q60D's more premium QLED sibling, the Q80D delivers better pictures, more gaming features, superior performance, and better built-in sound. But you will pay roughly $300 / £300 more for this step-up in quality.

Read our full Samsung Q80D review

Hisense U6N
The Hisense U6N has similar features and specs to the Q60D, but it benefits from Dolby Vision HDR support and a mini-LED backlight for more refined pictures. It's also very similar in price. 

Read our full Hisense U6N review

Samsung Q60D with testing equipment connected, including Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Samsung Q60D

  • Tested in lab with varying lighting conditions
  • Tested using both SDR and HDR sources 
  • Measurements recording using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software 

When testing the Samsung Q60D, I first used it for casual viewing to determine the most accurate picture preset modes (Movie, Filmmaker Mode and in some cases Standard) before moving on to critical viewing. 

I then used a variety of SDR (broadcast TV, DVD, Blu-ray) and HDR (4K streaming and 4K Blu-ray) sources to test the out-of-the-box picture, analyzing color, contrast, motion, black levels, detail and upscaling (for lower resolution sources), using reference scenes. For 4K Blu-ray playback, I used a Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player. 

After critical viewing, I made measurements of brightness (both SDR and HDR), color and grayscale accuracy, and HDR color gamut coverage. To do this, I used a test pattern generator and colorimeter and recorded results using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software. 

Brightness measurements were recorded for both HDR and SDR in nits using 10% and 100% white window patterns. For the color gamut, I recorded the Q60D's BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 coverage. For color and grayscale accuracy, I recorded the Q60D's Delta E values (the margin for error between the test pattern source and what's displayed on the TV) and averaged them. 

I also tested the QN90D's gaming performance using an Xbox Series X and recorded its input lag time with a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag Tester. 

For more information on how we test TVs at TechRadar, check out our guide in the link. 

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