The Sihoo M76A-M101 Ergonomic Office Chair is a lightweight, minimalist chair with one standout feature. It has a clean and simple look, making it suitable for almost any working environment. It is designed to accommodate nearly any body size. My primary team member who uses this chair is 5'1", and it fits her perfectly. What's impressive is that I can also sit comfortably in this chair. Unlike some of the best office chairs designed only for taller individuals, this one can appeal to a wide range of people. Whether you’re short or tall, this chair adjusts to fit your body perfectly, providing the comfort and support needed for long hours at the desk.
Sihoo designed this chair to be lightweight for easy maneuvering, and the breathable mesh keeps you cool even during intense work sessions. Sihoo also added a unique coat rack on the back of this chair. Initially, I thought it was a gimmick, but it turned out super helpful, especially here in Central Illinois, United States, where I live, since the seasons are so dramatic. Coats are needed for a good chunk of the year -- winter, spring, and fall.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Sihoo M76A-M101: Unboxing & first impressions
The Sihoo M76A-M101 comes securely packaged, with all parts neatly organized. The assembly process is straightforward and took about 21 minutes from chair opening to sitting in the chair and adjusting the settings. The chair’s lightweight design is immediately noticeable, making it easy to move even before assembly. Once out of the box, the chair appears modern and sleek, with a design emphasizing functionality over flair. The mesh material feels durable and breathable, and the adjustable components move smoothly. The armrests have a notably cheap feeling; however, they still fulfill their duty. The chair cushion is comfortable, and the backrest is supportive. All around, this is a simple chair. And sometimes, that's precisely what you need — a chair, not a space station.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Sihoo M76A-M101: Design & build quality
Specs
Material: High-quality mesh, sponge cushion Color: Grey Weight: Dimensions: Chair Height: 107 - 125 cm / 42.1 - 49.2 in Chair Back Height: 61 cm / 24 in Seat Depth (back to front): 48 cm / 18.9 in Seat Width: 47 cm / 18.5 in Chair Depth: 69 cm / 27.2 in Armrest Height: 22 cm / 8.66 in Seat Height from Ground: 40.5 - 48.5 cm / 15.94 - 19.1 in Warranty: 3 years
The M76A-M101 chair by Sihoo is designed with ergonomics in mind. It features a sleek, double-jointed headrest that easily adjusts for neck support, and a larger, higher backrest that enhances overall back comfort. The lumbar support is also highly adjustable, ensuring that users can find the right fit for their lower back. This has proven true for taller and shorter users, which is impressive for such a simple chair.
Despite its lightweight nature, the chair feels sturdy. The flip-up armrests are a convenient addition, especially for those who need to fit the chair under a desk or prefer a more open seating space. Although they could drop down and raise like some other popular chairs, flipping them back entirely gets the armrests out of the way, which is helpful in some settings. The breathable mesh used for the backrest and seat ensures that the chair remains cool and comfortable, even during long periods of use. The seat cushion is soft yet supportive, made from a thick sponge wrapped in high-quality mesh.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Sihoo M76A-M101: In use
The Sihoo M76A-M101 ergonomic office chair has been great to use. As mentioned, my team has been using this chair for nearly two months now. This chair shines in its adjustability. The headrest, armrests, and lumbar support can all be customized to the user’s preference, ensuring a comfortable seating experience. The chair also offers a 120° recline for when you need a quick break and need to kick back.
I briefly mentioned it before, but the most unique part of this chair is the coat rack. Specifically, having a coat rack on the back of your chair has proven helpful if used in an office or a home office. Even in warmer months here in Illinois, the coat rack has come in handy for a rain jacket, and soon, it will come in handy for a winter jacket. This helps keep the jacket off the backrest and, therefore, not have you lean back on the coat, especially if it's wet. It’s a small but thoughtful addition that keeps your workspace tidy by providing a place to hang your jacket or even a hat.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
While working in this chair, we found the flip-up armrests super helpful. Flipping up these arms while using the chair with some desks has made it easy to slide the chair under the desk.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Sihoo M76A-M101: Final verdict
The Sihoo M76A-M101 is a well-rounded ergonomic office chair that delivers on comfort, adjustability, and practical features. Its lightweight build and easy assembly make it an attractive option for both home and office use. While the coat rack might not be essential for everyone, it’s a nice touch that adds to the chair’s overall functionality. If you’re looking for a versatile chair that fits a range of heights and needs, the Sihoo M76A-M101 is worth considering.
The Logitech Keys-to-Go 2 is a keyboard that I was excited to try but genuinely thought would be gimmicky since I already operate my day-to-day without a travel keyboard, and until seeing the Keys-to-Go 2, I did not feel as though I was missing out. However, there was something about how Logitech made this portable keyboard that I knew I had to try, and it may answer some questions I had yet to ask.
In short, the Logitech Keys-To-Go 2 is an ultra-slim, travel-friendly Bluetooth keyboard designed for portability without sacrificing functionality. It's ideal for students and professionals looking for a compact typing solution that can work with any Bluetooth-enabled device.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
It offers a significant redesign from its predecessor with improved durability, scissor-switch keys, and a protective flip cover. Additionally, this keyboard gives Mac and Windows-specific keys, which gives it extra utility as one of the best office keyboards around, working wonderfully with either operating system, smartphones, iPads, or Windows tablets (and while I have not tried it personally, I would assume this works well with ChromeOS and pretty much any Bluetooth device that can pair with a Bluetooth Keyboard).
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Logitech Keys-to-Go 2: Price and Availability
The Logitech Keys-to-Go 2 has three color options: Graphite, Pale Gray, and Lilac. The pricing is honestly pretty great at only $80. It's available to buy just about anywhere, and you can purchase through Logitech or Amazon.
Logitech Keys-to-Go 2: Unboxing and First Impressions
At first glance, I stole the keyboard; I was shocked at how small yet capable this keyboard looked. I loved that it's so thin and lightweight while also having a sleek, protective, built-in, flippable cover to add durability. Though the keyboard is (sadly) not rechargeable, Logitech is kind enough to send pre-installed batteries so I can get to work immediately.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Logitech Keys-to-Go 2: Design and Build Quality
Specs
Dimensions: 9.8 x 4.1 x 0.17 inches Weight: 0.48 pounds (222 g) Key Mechanism: Scissor-switch keys with 1mm key travel Connectivity: Bluetooth Low Energy, supports up to 3 devices Compatibility: iOS, iPadOS, Android, Windows, ChromeOS, macOS Battery Life: 36 months with 2 CR2032 coin cell batteries Colors: Graphite, Pale Gray, Lilac Other Features: - Full row of function/media keys - Protective flip cover - Spill-proof, durable design with recycled materials
Logitech proved that this was a portable, lightweight keyboard in their design. The overall footprint is a mere 9.8 x 4.1 x 0.17 inches, which is tiny yet large enough to have a functioning keyboard. For reference, it's only slightly more compact than the standard Apple Magic Keyboard (see photo). The protective cover protects the keys if the keyboard is tossed in a bag and doubles as a stand to elevate and slightly angle the keyboard.
The keycaps are pleasant and smooth to type on. While it is a compact and smaller-than-average keyboard, I only notice fatigue if I type for extended sessions. And, even there, I can't entirely blame fatigue on the keyboard as I also have arthritis in my wrists, so any kink compared to what I am used to can cause accelerated fatigue. With that in mind, I will say that the arrow and punctuation keys are a bit cramped, but nothing terrible.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Logitech Keys-to-Go 2: In Use
As mentioned above, I was not in the market for a portable keyboard. I have tried having a keyboard in my everyday carry bag a few times, which has always felt overkill. I've got a good thing going with my daily and highly productive setup that fits beautifully in my Nomatic Navigator backpack. When I saw the Keys-to-Go 2, I knew I had to try it. I now wouldn't have to worry about a case for a keyboard adding extra bulk, all to protect a keyboard from getting damaged in my bag in the first place. All around, it felt silly. But, with the Keys-to-Go 2, Logitech has included a flap that protects the keys while elevating the keyboard slightly when folded back.
I was off once I hooked up the Bluetooth nodes to my MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and whatever laptop I was testing that day (it rotates regularly) utilizing the three Bluetooth nodes. I propped my laptop up with a Moft case or adhesive stand and got to work. There was something about having even a bit of separation and the ability to prop my laptop up to an angle that would make utilizing the built-in keyboard very uncomfortable, which made working that first day incredible. I got so much done it blew my mind. The keyboard helped immensely, and I stayed comfortable all day long. In the days following this first day of amazement, I could do something similar with my iPad Pro. Yes, I have a magic Keyboard case that I will usually use when I take my iPad somewhere as my only or primary computing device for the day (or hour). However, this time, I took my iPad and the keys-to-go 2, and honestly, it was a great experience. I set up my iPad using my Moft folio case and got to work without skipping a beat -- I even gained a function row of media controls this way, compared to the Magic Keyboard.
Now, for some of the negatives. I don't love that the keyboard is slightly cramped. I see that as an issue for some people. Further, I don't love that this is not rechargeable. Granted, the battery is supposed to last quite a long time, but the ability to recharge with USB-C would still be great (maybe for Keys-to-Go 3?). Other than that, though, this keyboard has been fantastic and has made for a beautiful addition to my backpack that I barely even notice is there because of its tiny size, lightweight design, and cover, so I don't have to worry and remind myself that it is there in fear of breaking it.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Logitech Keys-to-Go 2: Final Verdict
The Logitech Keys-to-Go 2 is ideal for users seeking a portable, durable, and highly capable keyboard. It's compact and responsive, has three Bluetooth notes, a full-function row of keys, and a Mac/Windows layout. While I wish it had a rechargeable battery, it lasts a long time, and I have had no issues. If you're traveling, use a tablet as your primary device, or want a portable keyboard for some other reason, you need to check out the Logitech Keys-to-go 2.
The Twinkly Strings are smart LED string lights that you can use to decorate your Christmas tree or drape anywhere else in your home that's in need of a little festive cheer. Once you've mapped their position using the Twinkly app, you can set them to a solid color, take your pick from dozens of animations, or even use them to create a picture (either a preset from the app, or one of your own).
They come in four lengths: 26.2ft (100 LEDs), 65.6ft (250 LEDs), 105ft (400 LEDs), and 157.5ft (600 LEDs). I tested the 400 LED set, but 250 LEDs would have been ample for my 4ft tall Christmas tree. The LEDs arrive divided in two bundles as shown in the images below, so I hung one set around the tree and the other across the room.
I tested the Twinkly Strings RGB lights, but there's also an RGB+W version, which could be a good choice if you're planning to have the lights up all year round and would therefore enjoy more subtle white lighting at different color temperatures outside the festive period. The RGB lights are available with black or green cables, and if you opt for the RGB+W version, then you can also opt for clear cables that will be less obtrusive when installed more permanently.
The lights are positioned on springy, zig-zag-shaped wires, which are easy to hang and position. They don't become tangled as easily as conventional string lights; the shape of the wire makes them easy to bundle up once you're done, then secure each bundle with the Velcro tie included in the box. Although I had the black version, the wires weren't very visible when tucked among the tree branches.
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I tested the 105ft Twinkly Strings with RGB LEDs (Image credit: Future)
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The strings are divided into two bundles connected by a length of cable, which allows you to spread them out more easily (Image credit: Future)
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The zig-zag shape of the cable allows it to stretch (Image credit: Future)
Once you've draped the Strings to your liking, open the Twinkly app on your phone (you'll need to create an account if you haven't used it before), switch on the lights and hold the button on the controller until the light turns turquoise. The app will then be able to find the lights, and you can connect them to your home Wi-Fi network. This worked perfectly during my tests, as it did with the Twinkly Line LED strip that I also tested recently.
When that's done and you've installed any necessary firmware updates as prompted, you'll be asked to use your camera to map their layout so that the software can assign the correct color to each bulb to create gradients, patterns and pictures. There are two ways to do this: Easy Mapping, which requires a simple straight-on view of your lights, works fine if they'll mostly be viewed from one angle; and Advanced Mapping, which uses images from multiple angles, and would be useful if you've positioned your Christmas tree in the center of the room or wrapped the lights around something outdoors.
There are two ways to map the Twinkly Strings: Easy, which only requires a front-on view of the lights, and Advanced, which uses images from various different angles (Image credit: Future)
Simple mapping worked just fine for my tree, which was against a wall. Interestingly, the software was able to deduce where the lights on the back were positioned well enough to project a smooth gradient onto the wall, as you can see in this review's main image.
The various preset animations work well, and you can create a playlist that will store them on the Strings' in-line controller, so you don't have to open the app each time you want to change them. Pressing the button on the controller will cycle through your saved options, and holding it will switch them off.
You can save your favorite light settings to the Twinkly Strings' controller as playlists (Image credit: Future)
Some of the preset animations can be synced to music, as indicated by a musical note beside its name. This uses input from your phone, or from the Twinkly Music sound sensor dongle, which is available to buy separately. It would be nice if there was a microphone integrated into the controller, particularly since the Music dongle requires a USB power supply and the lights will already be using one of your electrical outlets.
I also experimented with using the Twinkly Strings to display a picture, but my tree was too small for this to work well. You could get the general idea, but there weren't enough lights visible at once to create a "canvas" with a sufficiently high resolution. It would be much more effective on a larger tree using the full complement of lights.
The Twinkly Strings work with all the major smart home platforms, and I had no issues at all connecting them to Google Home. The app found them immediately and added them to my living room. I was then able to use them like any other smart lights, and create automations that would turn on all the lights in the room at once with a voice command (such as "Merry Christmas"), or at a particular time.
Once you've chosen an animation in the Twinkly app, you can see how it will be mapped to your lights and make changes (Image credit: Future)
If you only have room for a smaller tree (under 4ft) then you may find that the smallest size (26.2ft) is too long, so you might prefer to opt for the shorter Twinkly Dots.
Covering extra large areas isn't a problem, though. While you can't add extensions to the Twinkly Strings, you can group multiple Twinkly products via the app and use them all together as a massive "canvas".
Twinkly Strings: price and availability
The Twinkly Strings are available globally direct from Twinkly, or from third-party retailers such as Amazon. The price depends on the length of the string, and whether you opt for the RGB or RGB+W lights.
These prices are around a third less than the equivalent Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Festavia string lights.
Govee (Twinkly's main rival for the best smart lights on a budget) doesn't have a product that's an exact equivalent – its Christmas String Lights are more like the Twinkly Dots, with LED beads inside a flexible tube that can be wrapped around objects.
The lights are very attractive in use, and the various sparkling animations are particularly festive (Image credit: Future)
Twinkly Strings: specs
Should you buy the Twinkly Strings?
Buy it if
You want lights you can use all year round
The Twinkly Strings can be used indoors or out, and the RGB+W version have clear cables that will blend into your decor when not in use – they'll be practically invisible until you're ready to get in the party mood.
You like to go all-out at Christmas
One of the biggest advantages of Twinkly's smart lights is the ability to connect multiple devices together via the app and use them all together to create a massive display.
Don't buy it if
You only want to liven up a small area
Even the shortest Twinkly Strings is 26.2ft long, with 100 bulbs, and it can't be cut to length. If you want to jazz up a smaller area, the Twinkly Dots may be a better choice. They come in a 9.8ft version with 60 LEDs.
You want to keep it classic
The Twinkly Strings offer so many fun options, it would be a shame not to make the most of them by experimenting with colors, animations, and sound reactivity. They can do a classic twinkling effect, but if that's all you want then the smart Strings will be overkill.
Twinkly Strings: also consider
Still not sold on the Twinkly Strings? Here are two other options you might want to consider.
Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights
Like the Twinkly Strings, these festive lights are a more affordable alternative to the Philips Hue Festavia strings. They only come in one length, but it should be suitable for a typical 6ft Christmas tree. Unlike many smart string lights, these are Matter-compatible to help future-proof your festive setup.
These lights take the form of LED "beads" encased in a clear, flexible cable. They're easier to drape than conventional string lights – but the cable is quite noticeable, particularly on a small tree. They're bright and vibrant, though, and make a fun display.
To test the Twinkly Strings, I wound one half of the 105ft length around a 4ft artificial Christmas tree, and strung the other half across the length of my living room. I used the Twinkly app for Android to connect them to my home Wi-Fi network. and tested both the simple and advanced mapping options to address the LEDs.
I used them together with the Twinkly Line LED strip, connecting the two devices in the Twinkly app, where I could control them as a single device. I also connected them to my Google Home setup and created custom automations to control them.
The tough phone market is highly competitive, with each model striving to distinguish itself from the other. The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra's Walkie-Talkie edition sets itself apart from most other mobiles with a set of usual features, such as Walkie-Talkie, FM Radio, and Endoscope accessory option, combined with an ultra-tough, outdoor-ready design.
While many rugged phones are built tough, the Armor 26 Ultra stands out with its additional functions and features. The headline feature is the phone's ability to function as a walkie-talkie, supporting both mobile radio and DMR modes with UHF or VHF antennas. These antennas are included in the box, providing flexibility for different types of communication and are especially useful where the network signal is low.
In addition to standard apps for streaming services and video conferencing, the Armor 26 Ultra includes a standard FM radio, allowing you to tune into traditional wireless radio stations without relying on digital connections.
If these features haven't already marked this phone out as something a bit different, then the range of accessories takes its use a step further. Alongside the usual cases and straps, there's a plug-in endoscope, which is invaluable for seeing around bends, inside walls, or behind sinks.
Performance-wise, the Armor 26 Ultra is solid. It runs a mid-level mobile processor and GPU that's more than enough for most applications and the slightly older Android 13 OS. However, at the core, this phone is designed for work purposes. Its build quality ensures it can withstand being trampled, bashed, thrown, dropped from heights, and submerged in water, making it one of the toughest smartphones available.
The added features, like the plug-in endoscope, are innovative, though the method of attaching it by means of small screws is fiddly, but once installed it's extremely handy. The UHF walkie-talkie feature and FM radio, on the other hand, are well thought through, with a dedicated antenna for UHF or VHF needing to be fitted depending on the system you and the team are using. Using the walkie-talkie feature requires another Armor 26 Ultra or compatible walkie-talkie, but once channels are confirmed, the operation is simple with a recording feature that adds to the functionality.
Ultimately, the Armor 26 Ultra is unique compared to the best rugged phones we've reviewed. It's perfectly suited for businesses with employees working on-site, and it offers durability and several communication options, from standard 5G mobile networks to more traditional Walkie-Talkies.
Where can you get it? You can get it directly from https://www.ulefone.com/
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra is priced at approximately $699, making it a premium option in the rugged smartphone market. It is available for purchase directly from the Ulefone official website by clicking here and through various online retailers such as Amazon and AliExpress.
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra is purpose-built for outdoor use, with every detail designed for ruggedness. The phone is significantly larger and heavier than, say, an iPhone 15 Pro measuring in at 179 x 83 x 25.5 mm and weighing 600g. This size is matched by a robust design featuring angular lines and yellow accents that all come together to emphasise its tough, outdoorsy nature. The exterior is made from hard rubberised plastic that provides shock protection against knocks and drops.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Reflecting the intended market for which the phone is designed there are a range of accessories including a holster-style phone case that clips onto a belt making it ideal for on-site use. The phone's front features a large 6.7-inch touchscreen display, accompanied by a small front camera for video calls. The back houses a tri-camera setup, including a 200MP main camera and a substantial speaker unit that ensures loud audio for the walkie-talkie feature and FM radio.
On the left side, the phone features a dual SIM and TF microSD card slot, a yellow walkie-talkie shortcut button, and contacts for connecting the optional endoscope. The base includes a USB Type-C port for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The right side has a red SOS button, a power button with biometric fingerprint recognition, and volume controls. Finally, a flap on the top conceals the socket for UHF or VHF antennas to enable the walkie-talkie functionality.
While the size and weight of the phone are large and relatively weighty, it has been ergonomically designed and is comfortable and easy to hold.
Design: 5 / 5
Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra Walkie-Talkie: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
15,600mAh battery
IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810H certification
When it comes to features, the Armor 26 Ultra is packed with more than most. Starting with its tough credentials, it has IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810H certification, which means it's waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof. It also stands up to military-grade drop testing, making this phone suitable for use on building sites or as a great option if you're hiking off the beaten trail and need a phone that can survive all elements and conditions. To ensure the screen stays intact even after a big drop, it features Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which also offers increased scratch resistance with a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.
The 6.78-inch Full HD screen has a 120Hz refresh rate, providing smooth motion graphic when gaming or watching videos. The multi-touch display features IPS technology which produces a clear crisp and bright image. The phone supports 5G networks, enabling fast connections to mobile networks for quick downloading of content and files, provided there is a signal, otherwise there's Wifi 6 support if available and the Walkie-Talkie feature.
Powering the phone is the MediaTek Dimensity 8020 chip with an octa-core CPU and advanced Mali-G77 MC9 GPU, with processing speeds up to 2.6 GHz. It comes with up to 12 GB of LPDDR4X RAM (12 GB + 12 GB Virtual RAM) and 512 GB of UFS 3.1 ROM, expandable to 2 TB with a TF microSD card.
Imaging is another standout feature with a 200-megapixel main camera that uses a Samsung ISOCELL HP3 1/1.4" sensor and EIS for blur-free images. There's a 64-megapixel night vision camera with a Night Elf Ultra 3.0 algorithm and two IR LEDs, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide macro lens with a 117.3° field of view. On the front there's a 50MP Selfie camera.
The phone is powered by a huge 15,600mAh battery, offering up to 1,750 hours of standby time, 56 hours of talk time, and 23 hours of video playback. The rated capacity is actually 7,800mAh with a high voltage of 7.74V, claimed to be equivalent to the larger capacity. Such a large battery could take a long time to charge, but thankfully, the phone comes with a 120W flash charger. It can also charge through the PD protocol with a Type-C to Type-C cable. One of the notable accessories available for the Armor 26 Ultra is the 33W fast charging dock, allowing you to pop the phone into the dock for automatic charging when connected to AC power. This setup is similar to most walkie-talkies and reinforces the phone's design for building sites and similar trades.
A nice feature of this large-capacity battery is reverse charging. If your earbuds, watch, or other devices need a power boost, simply connect them to the phone via a USB cable, and they can use the phone's charge.
The smartphone apps included enhance its features, making it more versatile than other rugged phones. These include the camera app to connect to the endoscope for inspecting hard-to-reach places, the walkie-talkie app for direct communication, and the FM radio app for listening to traditional radio stations even without a digital signal.
Features: 5 / 5
Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra Walkie-Talkie: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Excellent processing power
Plenty of storage options
When testing the performance of the Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra, it was essential to consider both its durability and functionality in various applications.
The first aspect to investigate is the build quality and toughness, given its certifications. The Armor 26 Ultra claims to withstand harsh conditions, and our tests confirmed this. The phone was dropped from 1.5 meters onto a hard surface multiple times. Despite its 600g weight causing significant impact, the phone survived with minimal damage. It endured being thrown, trampled on different surfaces, and sustained scratches and dirt without any functional issues.
For water resistance, we submerged the phone in a river for 30 minutes. After ensuring all ports were sealed, we retrieved the phone, wiped it clean, and it functioned perfectly.
Next, we assessed the Armor 26 Ultra's additional features, such as the endoscope and walkie-talkie functions. Attaching the endoscope was a bit cumbersome, requiring the unscrewing of a bolt on the side to connect the contacts. Once connected and secured, the endoscope provided a clear 720p HD view, allowing users to inspect hard-to-reach areas with the built in LED light helping to throw some illumination where needed. This feature is particularly useful for trades that require detailed inspections in confined spaces.
The walkie-talkie function was tested by pairing the phone with an existing UHF walkie-talkie system. Setting the UHF antenna, included in the box, to the correct frequency was straightforward. The communication was clear, and the ability to record conversations for later review could be a valuable feature.
Switching the phoens testing to actual use and it seemed that the data processing capabilities were good with it able to handle everyday tasks with ease. Using standard applications like Google Docs, the phone was able to handle the review and editing of documents with ease and the large touchscreen made navigating those documents as well as browsing the internet easy.
In terms of processing power, the Armor 26 Ultra surpassed expectations for a rugged phone. It handled more intensive applications like Adobe Lightroom and CapCut without issue, enabling quick image enhancements and social media edits. The 5G connectivity ensured fast upload speeds, and it was tested on the Vodafone network in the UK. Benchmarking results showed that while it may not compete with high-end smartphones like the iPhone 15 Pro, it performed exceptionally well compared to other rugged smartphones, often surpassing their performance.
Overall, the Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra proves to be a highly durable options perfect for all weather conditions and ideally suited to trade and construction sites.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Performance: 3 / 5
Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra Walkie-Talkie: Final verdict
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra offers far more than most rugged smartphones. Its tough design ensures it can withstand more abuse than most, and it also surpasses other rugged phones in durability and build quality. The unique feature set, including the ability to convert the phone into a fully functional walkie-talkie, makes it an excellent choice for use on building sites, allowing multiple Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra's Walkie-Talkie Edition devices to keep everyone on-site updated.
For individual tradespeople, the plug-in two-meter endoscope enables the ability to inspect of areas that would otherwise be impossible to access. The built-in traditional wireless radio adds to its overall appeal, especially in locations where internet connections are weak or non-existent.
While the processing power doesn't match that of high-end smartphones, it is sufficient for browsing the internet, making calls, and utilising the various handy accessories available for this phone. For these uses, it has ample power.
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra's Walkie-Talkie Edition is a solid choice for use on building sites and by tradespeople. It provides a an excellent option for communication through both standard mobile networks and through the UHF/VHF walkie-talkie function, making it a great choice anyone who needs a rugged smartphone.
Should you buy a Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra Walkie-Talkie?
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Buy it if...
You want a rugged phone for on-site
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra is perfect for construction sites with its durable build, walkie-talkie function, and robust communication tools.
You want specialized inspection tools
Tradespeople needing to inspect hard-to-reach areas will find the endoscope functionality invaluable, making tasks easier and more efficient.
Don't buy it if...
You need a lightweight smartphone
If portability is a priority, the Armor 26 Ultra's substantial size and weight might be a drawback, making it cumbersome for everyday use.
You need high-end performance for apps
For those who need top-tier processing power for intensive applications, the Armor 26 Ultra may fall short compared to flagship smartphones.
The tough phone market is highly competitive, with each model striving to distinguish itself from the other. The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra's Walkie-Talkie edition sets itself apart from most other mobiles with a set of usual features, such as Walkie-Talkie, FM Radio, and Endoscope accessory option, combined with an ultra-tough, outdoor-ready design.
While many rugged phones are built tough, the Armor 26 Ultra stands out with its additional functions and features. The headline feature is the phone's ability to function as a walkie-talkie, supporting both mobile radio and DMR modes with UHF or VHF antennas. These antennas are included in the box, providing flexibility for different types of communication and are especially useful where the network signal is low.
In addition to standard apps for streaming services and video conferencing, the Armor 26 Ultra includes a standard FM radio, allowing you to tune into traditional wireless radio stations without relying on digital connections.
If these features haven't already marked this phone out as something a bit different, then the range of accessories takes its use a step further. Alongside the usual cases and straps, there's a plug-in endoscope, which is invaluable for seeing around bends, inside walls, or behind sinks.
Performance-wise, the Armor 26 Ultra is solid. It runs a mid-level mobile processor and GPU that's more than enough for most applications and the slightly older Android 13 OS. However, at the core, this phone is designed for work purposes. Its build quality ensures it can withstand being trampled, bashed, thrown, dropped from heights, and submerged in water, making it one of the toughest smartphones available.
The added features, like the plug-in endoscope, are innovative, though the method of attaching it by means of small screws is fiddly, but once installed it's extremely handy. The UHF walkie-talkie feature and FM radio, on the other hand, are well thought through, with a dedicated antenna for UHF or VHF needing to be fitted depending on the system you and the team are using. Using the walkie-talkie feature requires another Armor 26 Ultra or compatible walkie-talkie, but once channels are confirmed, the operation is simple with a recording feature that adds to the functionality.
Ultimately, the Armor 26 Ultra is unique compared to the best rugged phones we've reviewed. It's perfectly suited for businesses with employees working on-site, and it offers durability and several communication options, from standard 5G mobile networks to more traditional Walkie-Talkies.
Where can you get it? You can get it directly from https://www.ulefone.com/
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra is priced at approximately $699, making it a premium option in the rugged smartphone market. It is available for purchase directly from the Ulefone official website by clicking here and through various online retailers such as Amazon and AliExpress.
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra is purpose-built for outdoor use, with every detail designed for ruggedness. The phone is significantly larger and heavier than, say, an iPhone 15 Pro measuring in at 179 x 83 x 25.5 mm and weighing 600g. This size is matched by a robust design featuring angular lines and yellow accents that all come together to emphasise its tough, outdoorsy nature. The exterior is made from hard rubberised plastic that provides shock protection against knocks and drops.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Reflecting the intended market for which the phone is designed there are a range of accessories including a holster-style phone case that clips onto a belt making it ideal for on-site use. The phone's front features a large 6.7-inch touchscreen display, accompanied by a small front camera for video calls. The back houses a tri-camera setup, including a 200MP main camera and a substantial speaker unit that ensures loud audio for the walkie-talkie feature and FM radio.
On the left side, the phone features a dual SIM and TF microSD card slot, a yellow walkie-talkie shortcut button, and contacts for connecting the optional endoscope. The base includes a USB Type-C port for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The right side has a red SOS button, a power button with biometric fingerprint recognition, and volume controls. Finally, a flap on the top conceals the socket for UHF or VHF antennas to enable the walkie-talkie functionality.
While the size and weight of the phone are large and relatively weighty, it has been ergonomically designed and is comfortable and easy to hold.
Design: 5 / 5
Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra Walkie-Talkie: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
15,600mAh battery
IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810H certification
When it comes to features, the Armor 26 Ultra is packed with more than most. Starting with its tough credentials, it has IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810H certification, which means it's waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof. It also stands up to military-grade drop testing, making this phone suitable for use on building sites or as a great option if you're hiking off the beaten trail and need a phone that can survive all elements and conditions. To ensure the screen stays intact even after a big drop, it features Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which also offers increased scratch resistance with a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.
The 6.78-inch Full HD screen has a 120Hz refresh rate, providing smooth motion graphic when gaming or watching videos. The multi-touch display features IPS technology which produces a clear crisp and bright image. The phone supports 5G networks, enabling fast connections to mobile networks for quick downloading of content and files, provided there is a signal, otherwise there's Wifi 6 support if available and the Walkie-Talkie feature.
Powering the phone is the MediaTek Dimensity 8020 chip with an octa-core CPU and advanced Mali-G77 MC9 GPU, with processing speeds up to 2.6 GHz. It comes with up to 12 GB of LPDDR4X RAM (12 GB + 12 GB Virtual RAM) and 512 GB of UFS 3.1 ROM, expandable to 2 TB with a TF microSD card.
Imaging is another standout feature with a 200-megapixel main camera that uses a Samsung ISOCELL HP3 1/1.4" sensor and EIS for blur-free images. There's a 64-megapixel night vision camera with a Night Elf Ultra 3.0 algorithm and two IR LEDs, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide macro lens with a 117.3° field of view. On the front there's a 50MP Selfie camera.
The phone is powered by a huge 15,600mAh battery, offering up to 1,750 hours of standby time, 56 hours of talk time, and 23 hours of video playback. The rated capacity is actually 7,800mAh with a high voltage of 7.74V, claimed to be equivalent to the larger capacity. Such a large battery could take a long time to charge, but thankfully, the phone comes with a 120W flash charger. It can also charge through the PD protocol with a Type-C to Type-C cable. One of the notable accessories available for the Armor 26 Ultra is the 33W fast charging dock, allowing you to pop the phone into the dock for automatic charging when connected to AC power. This setup is similar to most walkie-talkies and reinforces the phone's design for building sites and similar trades.
A nice feature of this large-capacity battery is reverse charging. If your earbuds, watch, or other devices need a power boost, simply connect them to the phone via a USB cable, and they can use the phone's charge.
The smartphone apps included enhance its features, making it more versatile than other rugged phones. These include the camera app to connect to the endoscope for inspecting hard-to-reach places, the walkie-talkie app for direct communication, and the FM radio app for listening to traditional radio stations even without a digital signal.
Features: 5 / 5
Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra Walkie-Talkie: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Excellent processing power
Plenty of storage options
When testing the performance of the Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra, it was essential to consider both its durability and functionality in various applications.
The first aspect to investigate is the build quality and toughness, given its certifications. The Armor 26 Ultra claims to withstand harsh conditions, and our tests confirmed this. The phone was dropped from 1.5 meters onto a hard surface multiple times. Despite its 600g weight causing significant impact, the phone survived with minimal damage. It endured being thrown, trampled on different surfaces, and sustained scratches and dirt without any functional issues.
For water resistance, we submerged the phone in a river for 30 minutes. After ensuring all ports were sealed, we retrieved the phone, wiped it clean, and it functioned perfectly.
Next, we assessed the Armor 26 Ultra's additional features, such as the endoscope and walkie-talkie functions. Attaching the endoscope was a bit cumbersome, requiring the unscrewing of a bolt on the side to connect the contacts. Once connected and secured, the endoscope provided a clear 720p HD view, allowing users to inspect hard-to-reach areas with the built in LED light helping to throw some illumination where needed. This feature is particularly useful for trades that require detailed inspections in confined spaces.
The walkie-talkie function was tested by pairing the phone with an existing UHF walkie-talkie system. Setting the UHF antenna, included in the box, to the correct frequency was straightforward. The communication was clear, and the ability to record conversations for later review could be a valuable feature.
Switching the phoens testing to actual use and it seemed that the data processing capabilities were good with it able to handle everyday tasks with ease. Using standard applications like Google Docs, the phone was able to handle the review and editing of documents with ease and the large touchscreen made navigating those documents as well as browsing the internet easy.
In terms of processing power, the Armor 26 Ultra surpassed expectations for a rugged phone. It handled more intensive applications like Adobe Lightroom and CapCut without issue, enabling quick image enhancements and social media edits. The 5G connectivity ensured fast upload speeds, and it was tested on the Vodafone network in the UK. Benchmarking results showed that while it may not compete with high-end smartphones like the iPhone 15 Pro, it performed exceptionally well compared to other rugged smartphones, often surpassing their performance.
Overall, the Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra proves to be a highly durable options perfect for all weather conditions and ideally suited to trade and construction sites.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Performance: 3 / 5
Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra Walkie-Talkie: Final verdict
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra offers far more than most rugged smartphones. Its tough design ensures it can withstand more abuse than most, and it also surpasses other rugged phones in durability and build quality. The unique feature set, including the ability to convert the phone into a fully functional walkie-talkie, makes it an excellent choice for use on building sites, allowing multiple Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra's Walkie-Talkie Edition devices to keep everyone on-site updated.
For individual tradespeople, the plug-in two-meter endoscope enables the ability to inspect of areas that would otherwise be impossible to access. The built-in traditional wireless radio adds to its overall appeal, especially in locations where internet connections are weak or non-existent.
While the processing power doesn't match that of high-end smartphones, it is sufficient for browsing the internet, making calls, and utilising the various handy accessories available for this phone. For these uses, it has ample power.
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra's Walkie-Talkie Edition is a solid choice for use on building sites and by tradespeople. It provides a an excellent option for communication through both standard mobile networks and through the UHF/VHF walkie-talkie function, making it a great choice anyone who needs a rugged smartphone.
Should you buy a Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra Walkie-Talkie?
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Buy it if...
You want a rugged phone for on-site
The Ulefone Armor 26 Ultra is perfect for construction sites with its durable build, walkie-talkie function, and robust communication tools.
You want specialized inspection tools
Tradespeople needing to inspect hard-to-reach areas will find the endoscope functionality invaluable, making tasks easier and more efficient.
Don't buy it if...
You need a lightweight smartphone
If portability is a priority, the Armor 26 Ultra's substantial size and weight might be a drawback, making it cumbersome for everyday use.
You need high-end performance for apps
For those who need top-tier processing power for intensive applications, the Armor 26 Ultra may fall short compared to flagship smartphones.
The Narwal Freo X Plus is a budget-friendly robot vacuum and mop that does many things well, but a few things fairly badly. If you're just looking at the pros and cons list, the score of this review might not make sense as there are plenty more positives than negatives – but those few negatives can make for a frustrating experience.
If you're willing to put in the time to understand this model, it could potentially be one of the best robot vacuums for you, especially if you're on a budget. After all, most of the best vacuums that include mopping ability are not going to be this cheap, unless you get something manual like the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce. When it comes to robot vacuums specifically, the price tag for great performance, feature set, and overall functionality goes way up.
The vacuuming performance of the Narwal Freo X Plus is very solid. However, like most budget models that just pull a single stationary pad across the floor, its mopping capability is just passable. Still, you'll generally end up with clean floors.
However, the Narwal Freo X Plus seems to have a mind of its own. Unless you just set it to clean your whole space in the most thorough way possible, you'll end up with incomplete cleaning cycles. Or it might decide to head off on a different, unassigned job.
At least it has a tiny base station, so that the Narwal Freo X Plus is easier to place than most robot vacuums. Another added benefit is that it's possible to pair and use through a voice assistant like Alexa. All in all, the Narwal Freo X Plus is a somewhat capable robot vacuum that comes with some frustrating aspects, such as its erratic cleaning behavior. But they may be worth dealing with if you're on a budget, or just want to be able to do a basic, whole-home clean.
Everything you'll find in the box (Image credit: Future)
Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: price & availability
List price: $399.99 / AU$899 (about £310)
Launch date: March 2024
Available: US and Australia
The Narwal Freo X Plus is available in the US and Australia, with a list form of $399.99 / AU$899. That puts it in TechRadar's budget price bracket, which is particularly significant when you consider it offers mopping as well as vacuuming functionality. Of course, whether it's a good value buy or not will depend on whether you're okay dealing with its navigational quirks. It will still deliver fairly clean floors, but can be a pain to deal with.
This is not necessarily unique to the Narwal Freo X Plus, as the recently reviewed Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus came with its own quirky frustrations, not to mention weaker suction power than the Narwal, and it comes with a higher $649.99 / £499 / AU$999 price tag. It is, however, available in the UK unlike the Narwal, and comes with better mopping ability.
One of the strange things about the Narwal Freo X Plus is the fact that the company's flagship, Narwal Freo X Ultra, offers much better cleaning performance along with a range of other bells and whistles. Granted, that one is far more expensive (the Ultra costs $1,399.99 / AU$2,299 – about £1,110), but it's strange to see issues with the software given that it's coming from the same company.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Narwal Freo X Plus specs
Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: design
Compact base station
Two side brushes and an anti-tangling brush roll
Single, stationary mop pad
When taking a look at the Narwal Freo X Plus' design, the first thing that jumps out is in regards to its teeny, tiny base station. Since its only function is to charge the robot vacuum and give it a place to rest, it doesn't need to do a lot. Still, it's cute in its own way, not to mention makes it easier to find a good place in your space for the robot vacuum. Bigger models with self-emptying dustbins and water reservoirs, such as the flagship Narwal mentioned earlier, need a lot more space (although, of course, there are benefits of having these capabilities built-in).
Because it doesn't have self-empty capabilities, the dock is compact (Image credit: Future)
As far as the robot vacuum itself, it has the typical rounded shape. There are two side brushes instead of one, giving it a leg up on the vacuuming front compared to models that only have one side brush. The main brush roll is of the anti-tangling kind so you won't find it wrapped with hair, something that's not always considered on budget robot vacuums.
The underside of the Freo X Plus, with side brushes unclipped (Image credit: Future)
The mop pad is of the single, flat variety that sits along the bottom back half of the unit. While it does apply some downward pressure, it doesn't do much in the way of scrubbing. I'll talk a little more about how this affects its performance below, but just know that this is normal for budget models and that more expensive ones seem to completely abandon this approach in favor of dual spinning mop pads.
Regarding the manual controls, there are just two buttons – a power button and a home button, each with a secondary function (start/pause/resume cleaning and child lock, respectively).
Remove the magnetic cover to reveal water reservoir and dust cup (Image credit: Future)
The Narwal Freo X Plus is a fairly sleek looking robot vacuum in its all-white aesthetic. That's partially because it covers its small water reservoir and dustbin with a glossy white top that stays in place due to some cleverly placed magnets. Both the reservoir and dustbin are easily removable and easy to fill up or empty, respectively.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: performance
Very good vacuuming
Mopping is just okay
Erratic behavior in how it cleans
There are a couple different factors to consider with a robot vacuum's performance, but the core one is vacuuming. Luckily, the Narwal Freo X Plus does a very good job here. Thanks to having two side brushes, it's able to get debris on either side of it. Since it has an anti-tangle brushroll, it's able to tackle aside from charge cords (the kryptonite of all robot vacuums).
The dustbin is easy to empty (Image credit: Future)
I ran this robot vacuum in a house with two French Bulldogs as well as four adult humans, two of whom have long hair, and it did a great job keeping the floor clean, picking up everything from smaller dust-like particles to debris the size of a leaf. It also picked up hair without issue and without any tangling. I even tested it with a pile of sugar and cereal and it took one pass to suck it all up.
The Freo X sucked up both fine debris and chunkier spillages with ease (Image credit: Future)
I used it on tile, hardwood floors, and a small but thick bath mat. In terms of just vacuuming, this robot vacuum has the goods regardless of the surface. The Narwal Freo X Plus has 7800 Pa of suction power, which isn't the highest on the market, but based on my tests is still enough to deal with most household cleaning requirements.
Mopping performance is a little weaker (Image credit: Future)
Its mopping capability is a little less stellar. I would actually describe it as okay. Since it has the one pad, it's only applying downward pressure. So, somewhat dried pieces of mud in the foyer that a robot vacuum with spinning mop pads would pick up are unaffected. More frustratingly, unless I used the highest mopping humidity setting, it didn't always wet the entire area it mopped, leaving slightly streaky results. If you are going to use this robot vacuum for mopping, my recommendation is to use the highest settings and be prepared to regularly refill the water reservoir.
As far as getting to the edges, it does well with vacuuming, thanks to those two side brushes, but doesn't really get all that close when mopping.
It gets nice and close to the edges of rooms when vacuuming (Image credit: Future)
The object avoidance, on the other hand, is pretty good. It won't necessarily give a wide berth to any randomly placed object but it will brush up against it. When I placed the bath mat down, the Narwal Freo X Plus vacuumed right up to it on all sides before deciding it could tackle it. Only then did it vacuum it.
It took a little time, but the Freo X eventually realized it could vacuum my bathmat (Image credit: Future)
Where the Narwal Freo X Plus falls short is in how it decides to clean. When I use the Freo Advice setting in the app, it will take the strangest path. Maybe it's only picking up certain debris on its sensor, but it will clean up maybe 20% of the area that it should. Also concerning, when I run to only clean a particular room, it will decide to move onto another room after finishing its initial job and start vacuuming there instead of returning to the base station. It's frustrating enough that I would rather have it clean the entire space instead of attempting to do any kind of spot cleaning.
Performance score: 3.5 out of 5
Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: app
Easy-to-use app
Mapping has some shortcomings
Works well with third-party voice support
The Narwal Freo app is pretty straightforward to use, from setup to choosing the kind of cleaning you want to accomplish (vacuum only, vacuum and mop, and vacuum then mop). It's also a fairly attractive looking app. I didn't ever feel lost navigating to various settings, whether it's adjusting the specific cleaning settings such as suction power or mopping humidity or opening up the schedule to plan a cleaning.
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
The map is pretty easy to use, and you can even see a 3D representation of your mapped space. Of course, it suffers from the same editing shortfalls of a lot of robot vacuum apps, where you're limited on how you partition your space. If you have an open or semi-open floor plan like the space that I often test in, you'll only be able to partition once as you can't section a partitioned space in half.
Erratic route-planning in action (left) and issues with open-plan spaces (right) (Image credit: Future)
On the bright side, setting it up with third-party control – I tested it with Amazon Alexa – was fairly easy to do. The only quirk is knowing the very specific phrases that it can understand. “Alexa, run the robot vacuum” doesn't work, while “Alexa, ask my robot to start cleaning” does.
App score: 4 out of 5
Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: battery
Very long battery life
Will return to base when getting low
Possibly because the Narwal Freo X Plus is a bit lighter on features than more expensive units or possibly because it doesn't have spinning mop pads, its battery life of up to 254 minutes is quite a bit longer than what I usually see with robot vacuums. For reference, most units these days have up to 210 minutes of use.
While that's more than enough battery life for even fairly large spaces, the robot vacuum will return to its base when necessary for an extra charge before continuing on with its task if it's running out of juice.
Battery score: 5 out of 5
Should you buy the Narwal Freo X Plus robot vacuum?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: also consider
Narwal Freo X Ultra If you want the full-fat version of what Narwal has to offer, the Freo X Ultra is a much more robust cleaning experience with spinning mop pads that self-clean, a self-emptying base station with clean and dirty water reservoirs, and a whole host of features. It's also much, much more expensive.
To test the Narwal Freo X Plus, I used it for a couple weeks to vacuum and mop the hardwood floors and a bath mat (to simulate carpeting) in my house. I also tested all the features listed in the app, from mapping to scheduling. I took note of how well the vacuum cleaned the edges of a room as well as around obstacles, not to mention running how the handheld vacuum performed.
The Backforce V Plus is the latest in the line of gaming chairs that can also function as an office chair.
Like so many of the best office chair models we've reviewed, it is designed with both gamers and professionals in mind, blending the two worlds seamlessly. The mix of customizable features, comfort, lumbar support, personalization options, and eco-friendly materials make up a fantastic option for consumers.
Backforce V Plus: Price and Availability
The Backforce V Plus is available for around €499 (roughly $535), with shipping options primarily in Europe. Custom patches and other upgrades can add to the cost. The chair’s price places it in the higher mid-range, competing with some top-tier gaming chairs, but with the unique appeal of eco-friendly materials. It's currently available from the official website by clicking here.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Backforce V Plus: Unboxing and First Impressions
The Backforce V Plus Chair arrives in a dense yet relatively compact box. The chair took a while to build, even for someone who spends quite a bit of time building chairs. The tools and diagrams aren't user-friendly, so allocate some extra time to read the instructions carefully. It took me about 1-2 hours to fully assemble, and having an additional set of hands to help lift and fit parts together is highly recommended.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Once assembled, the chair looks impressive—sleek, stylish, and clearly designed with durability in mind, but the effort required to get it there could be off-putting for some.
Backforce V Plus: Design and Build Quality
Specs
Weight Capacity: 130 kg Height Range: 1.51 m to 1.92 m Materials: Recycled PET fabric, plastic base Armrests: 4D adjustable Warranty: 10 years Price: €499
The Backforce V Plus chair is known for its robust build, made possible by recycled PET fabric. It also offers customization options, such as velcro patches on the backrest's shoulder area, adding a fun gamer element and allowing users to personalize their chairs.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
However, its heavy and bulky design may not be suitable for those with limited space, as it's challenging to maneuver, especially in smaller areas. The chair's eco-friendly materials, including Oeko-Tex 100-certified fabric, make it stand out from competitors, but some users may find the texture slightly rough for long sessions. Despite having a plastic base, as opposed to the aluminum bases of its competitors, the chair remains sturdy and well-built.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Backforce V Plus: In Use
After assembly, the V Plus provides comfortable and ergonomic support. The adjustable lumbar support and synchro-tilt mechanism offer personalized back support, making long gaming or work sessions easier on the body. The armrests are flexible but lack resistance, making them prone to unexpected shifting. We had to be careful not to lean on them aggressively during testing. Despite its sturdy build, the chair's weight makes moving difficult, and the lack of softer fabric limits all-day comfort. While we appreciate using recycled materials, the rough texture might only suit some. Some members of my team don't mind it, while others find the rough material uncomfortable.
Regarding other features, the seat depth and tilt adjustments are intuitive, allowing customization based on body type and preference. One of my team members, who is 5 feet 6 inches tall, has adjusted the backrest, seat depth, armrests, and seat height to fit perfectly.
Initially, the chair felt firm and supportive, perhaps too much so. However, over time, it has softened up.
Backforce V Plus: Final Verdict
The Backforce V Plus is a well-built, comfortable, and eco-friendly gaming chair with strong ergonomic features and customizable options. However, it has its flaws: some buyers may be put off by the challenging assembly process and high price. For those who value durability, sustainability, and personalization, it's a worthy investment.
If you're looking for a home office chair suitable for gaming, this chair is a good option for your home workspace. Additionally, this chair could be an excellent fit if you want the gamer look. However, if you're not into gaming and don't like the gamer aesthetic, there may be a better chair for you.
Nothing has already confirmed that its next flagship smartphone – the Nothing Phone 3 – won't be making its debut until 2025, but that doesn't mean fans of the brand aren't without new phones to get excited about in the meantime.
In March, we were introduced to the Nothing Phone 2a: a device with all the sensibilities of the current top-tier Nothing Phone 2, but with more modest hardware and a price tag to match. It did well – very well in fact, becoming the brand's best-selling smartphone to date, and proving that a market exists for the company's distinct design aesthetics and forward-looking user experience in a more affordable package.
It's this success (and the long wait for another flagship phone from the company) that likely led to the creation of the Nothing Phone 2a Plus: a new variant of the 2a, announced only four months after the original's arrival.
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
The 2a Plus is much the same phone as its namesake, but rather than being a larger-screened version of the 2a, the 'Plus' in this instance actually refers to the slight uplift in performance, camera hardware, and battery tech boasted by this refreshed model over the standard iteration; although it does also come with a price increase to match.
On sale from September 10 for $50 / £50 / AU$40 more than the equivalent storage capacity Phone 2a, the 2a Plus remains mostly unchanged; with the same transparent polycarbonate-backed design (this time with extra metallic detailing), the same strong 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, the same rear cameras, same battery capacity, and same software promise.
The higher asking price buys you, among other things, a beefier Dimensity 7350 Pro chip, which delivers on the promised benchmarks of 10% better CPU performance and 30% greater graphical performance, compared to the more modest MediaTek chip powering the standard Phone 2a. You also get 50W charging, compared to 45W on the 2a that's – as you might expect – fractionally quicker (a full charge takes just under, compared to just over, an hour), and a new higher-resolution 50MP front camera (compared to a 32MP snapper on the 2a), which serves up more detail; not to mention the Plus boasts a richer shooting experience, thanks to a new AI-supported 'Vivid' mode.
All in all, the question is not whether Phone 2a users have been short-changed and if there's any point in upgrading (there isn't). Instead, the Nothing Phone 2a Plus edges the needle closer to the performance of the company's current flagship (especially graphically) for a lot less, whereas we saw the standard model as more of an improvement on the original Nothing Phone 1, as you'll read in our original Nothing Phone 2a review.
You still pay a premium for that Nothing aesthetic and unique Glyph lighting, though, meaning similarly-priced rivals offer more in areas like software support, faster charging, or a superior viewing experience, but at the expense of the sense of style that Nothing has cultivated with its products.
Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Priced at $399 / £399 / AU$639
On sale from September 10, 2024
US availability via Nothing Beta Program
The Nothing Phone 2a Plus comes in a sole 12GB RAM / 256GB storage variant, which means, in most markets, it comes in at a single price (you can get it with 8GB or 12GB of RAM in India). In Nothing's homeland of the UK, the phone costs £399 (direct from Nothing), £50 more than the original asking price of an equivalent 256GB standard Phone 2a.
Even in the short months since the standard 2a debuted, however, the company has already officially cut its price in key markets. A 256GB 2a costs £329 at the time of writing, meaning you actually pay £70 more for the Plus today.
The assumption is that the Phone 2a will remain on sale until Nothing runs out of stock, at which point the 2a Plus will be the company's sole mid-ranger (the newer phone should also come with a price reduction of its own by that point).
In the US, as with the Phone 2a, the 2a Plus is currently only available through the company's Beta Program. Despite being competitively priced in the market, there are caveats to purchasing this phone in the region; namely a significantly shorter 14-day return period and – as the devices being sold are international models – incomplete support for US carrier bands (i.e. spotty cellular connectivity with major US networks).
If, like the Phone 2, Nothing decides to launch the 2a Plus Stateside officially, the model sold will feature more complete US carrier support, but the company hasn't announced any such plans at the time of writing.
Value score: 4 / 5
Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Specs
Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Design
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Iconic Nothing aesthetic
IP54-certified polycarbonate body
Repels scuffs well but back attracts smudges
While the Phone 2a marked a slight departure from the company's previous smartphones, with its main dual camera placed transversely along the center line of the phone's back, rather than being offset in the corner, it otherwise carried across all the hallmarks of the Nothing's now-established design language.
The Phone 2a Plus echoes the standard model's dimensions, weight, and aesthetic identically; there's a transparent polycarbonate back, under which you'll find tracks of faux circuitry, a cluster of diffused LEDs around the camera, which make up the phone's Glyph Interface, and a matte plastic frame, with a power button set into the right side and large volume up and down keys along the left edge.
It's in the color department where Nothing has set the 2a and 2a Plus apart visually. While the standard phone arrived in black or Milk (white) – both variants also sported a red accent – the 2a Plus can be bought in either Black or Grey, with that circuitry no longer color-matching the bodywork, and instead sporting a more eye-catching reflective silver finish.
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(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
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(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
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(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
It's a simple and effective way to distinguish the Plus from the standard 2a, and it feels a little more premium, too. However, I do miss the cleaner look of both launch finishes of the standard 2a (especially Milk).
In the hand, the proportions and weight of the 2a Plus make it a surprisingly comfortable phone to use one-handed. For its size, it feels beautifully put together, especially for a device that is, externally, mostly polycarbonate. Scuffs and scrapes are repelled surprisingly well; I just wish it didn't hold onto smudges so readily.
Nothing goes into some detail on the stress testing the 2a line is subjected to, for peace of mind, but the build is also independently certified against dust and water ingress with an IP54 rating; not quite as advanced as high-end devices, but perfectly at home for use in wet weather and the like.
Design score: 4 / 5
Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Display
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
6.7-inch 120Hz Full HD+ OLED
Protected by Gorilla Glass 5
Sluggish in-display optical fingerprint sensor
Sticking with aesthetics, Nothing's love for flexible OLED panels grants the Phone 2a Plus balanced bezels around its flat 6.7-inch Full HD+ (1084 x 2412) screen; framing things neatly with a 91.65% screen-to-body ratio (for comparison, the pricier Galaxy A55 sports a 86.9% ratio).
The display is protected by both a factory-fitted screen protector and Gorilla Glass 5 (i.e. not Corning's latest and greatest, but respectable in terms of both impact and scratch protection), and after several weeks of use, my device only picked up one or two superficial abrasions.
That upgraded front-facing camera sits neatly at the center of the panel's top edge, while an optical under-display fingerprint sensor hangs down near the bottom bezel. Practically, I think the sensor placement is a little too low, and, surprisingly, the response time of this particular fingerprint reader is well behind what I've come to expect from the technology. We're talking milliseconds here, but I hope Nothing works to improve read speed via subsequent updates, as it lags behind the quality of the rest of the experience served up by the 2a Plus.
The Phone 2a (left), Phone 2a Plus (center) and Phone 2 (right) (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
As for the panel itself, it's the same screen found on the standard 2a, with nice colors, contrast, and a respectable 1,100-nit average maximum brightness (with a 1,300-nit peak). Other reviewers have reported fractionally better brightness scores from the panel on the 2a Plus, compared to the 2a, but anecdotally I never saw a noticeable difference while testing them side by side; both are visible in bright conditions, even if there is plenty of room for improvement.
While the use of OLED tech ensures nice vibrant colors and deep blacks, the 2a Plus doesn't pack LTPO tech, meaning the 120Hz refresh can step down to 30Hz, but no lower, and in fairly sizable increments, too. In practice, the OS tends to err on the side of fluidity, even if that means higher power consumption (you do have the ability to cap it at 60Hz manually, if you prefer).
Nothing doesn't grant a huge amount of control over customizing the viewing experience, beyond including always-on display (AoD) support and Night Light (which warms display color temperature when it's dark or late). You have Alive or Standard color profiles to choose between, with a warm-to-cool slider, too, but again, while appreciated, this is a comparatively bare-bones take on display personalization, compared to what you'd find on equivalent Xiaomi.
Nothing AI news widget is novel but has provenance issues
Nothing OS fast found a home among fans, thanks to its distinct, minimalist aesthetic, monochrome icon and widget theming, and as the means of interaction with the defining functional design feature of the brand's phones: the Glyph Interface.
Since the original Nothing Phone, the company has continued to build out this experience with new functionality, without straying from the path; ensuring a consistent experience across all its devices at all price points (from the top-tier Phone 2, down to the recently released affordable CMF Phone 1).
Like the standard Phone 2a, the 2a Plus arrives on Android 14 but sports the latest (at the time of writing) Nothing OS 2.6. The experience is as great as every other Nothing Phone, with the look and feel being one of its major draws. It's really nice to use, slick, and responsive on the 2a Plus thanks to that high refresh rate display. The ability to have supersized folders and app icons is a nice, unique bit of personalization and the native widgets are oozing with the dot matrix charm that embodies Nothing OS' visual style.
The new News widget, introduced in Nothing OS 2.6 (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
One of the most interesting additions in Nothing OS 2.6 is a new news widget. Add it to your home screen and select as many topics as you like from a shortlist of seven during the initial setup screen (these include business, entertainment, sports, technology, and more).
Once set up, tap the widget each day to hear an impressively convincing AI-generated version of Nothing's CFO Tim Holbrow read out various stories, covering your chosen topics. It's a novel and convenient way to digest current affairs, and a meaningful implementation of free AI functionality that few other mid-rangers come close to offering. There are, however, some obvious drawbacks.
For one, you have no idea about the provenance of the stories being read out. Even during setup, the widget never cites its sources, and there's no way to dive deeper or access the source material on a story Tim just read to you. There's the obvious risk of AI hallucination to consider with a tool like this, too, not to mention the ethical quandary of fair attribution to the journalists whose work this widget has scraped for content.
While I like the method of delivery, here's hoping subsequent updates iron out at least some of the pitfalls with this otherwise capable news widget.
The 2a Plus' Glyph Interface lit up in darkness (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Despite its lower standing in Nothing's smartphone portfolio, the 2a Plus doesn't lose out on the brand's signature Glyph Interface – the diffused LED segments around the phone's rear camera.
There are far fewer than on the Phone 2, but the trio that are present still fulfill all the same functions: as visual indicators for incoming calls and notifications when the phone is face down, to represent timers and ETAs on supported apps, and as a softer fill light when shooting video. You can also create your own Glyph patterns by downloading Nothing's Glyph Composer app, which is a fun bonus.
While not everyone will appreciate a phone that flashes (you can disable it if you don't like the Glyphs at all), it's another novel and aesthetic-defining characteristic of Nothing's phones and I appreciate its presence; although I wish more third-party developers put it to use, as it doesn't feel like it's being utilized to its full potential.
The Glyph Interfaces on the Nothing Phone 2a (left), Phone 2a Plus (center) and Phone 2 (right) (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
When it comes to software updates, Nothing is great at constantly pushing fixes and features to its devices; it's far more prolific than bigger brands like Motorola or Sony, and they should take note, as it constantly feels like your phone is improving. Nothing's also great at granting its users early access to Android betas, ahead of each OS' full release, which right now means you can technically already get your hands on Android 15, if you're willing to hazard its unfinished state.
The flip side is that software promises have become increasingly competitive in the market, with Apple and, more recently, the likes of OnePlus, Samsung and Google pushing for five, six or even seven years of support on its latest devices.
In the case of the Phone 2a Plus, the promise of three years of OS updates and four years of security updates seems acceptable for the phone's mid-range standing, but looks like a much weaker proposition on the more expensive Phone 2. If Nothing has the resources, being able to up those numbers would keep it competitive.
Software score: 4 / 5
Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Camera
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Same dual 50MP rear sensors as Phone 2a
Upgraded 50MP front camera
New Vivid Mode with real time analysis
The Phone 2a's distinct rear dual 50MP sensors (a Samsung GN9 for the main sensor and a Samsung JN1 for the ultra-wide) remain unchanged from the standard Phone 2a, as does the Imagiq 765 ISP (image signal processor) handling things behind the scenes; despite the change in silicon between the two phones.
The more prominent difference is the upgraded front camera, which sees the 2a's 32MP snapper traded for another 50MP JN1 (yes, the same sensor used by the ultra-wide). The result is higher-resolution selfies with a different capture profile and the ability to shoot 4K video on the phone's front, too.
Nothing Phone 2a Plus camera samples
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Side by side, selfies taken on the 2a Plus display greater detail and dynamic range in well-lit scenes. However, the fact that shots are captured at 50MP natively, and not pixel-binned, means blurring and detail loss in low light conditions is prevalent.
Portrait shooting across the front and back sensors can be hit and miss, too, with edge detection from the Portrait Optimizer within Nothing's TrueLens Engine (i.e. its camera software) tripping up from time to time. Otherwise, results are good.
Another camera addition that remains unique to the Phone 2a Plus is Vivid Mode; not even the Phone 2 running the same version of Nothing OS has this feature, at the time of writing. Not only does Vivid Mode change the color science employed to achieve more saturated shots, but it also uses AI to analyze what's in-frame and serves up real-time insight into what it's actually doing.
Within Vivid Mode, the 'result' section grants real-time AI-generated insight into how the camera is processing whatever's in frame. (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
It's another novel use of AI, but one that shows Nothing is thinking about new ways to enhance the mobile photography experience and also give the user more insight into how to compose shots and what to consider. Vivid Mode lends itself well to further improving low-light shots, too.
Camera score: 3.5 / 5
Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Performance
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
3nm MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro chipset
8GB / 12GB RAM w/ RAM Booster up to 20GB
Sole 256GB storage variant (non-expandable)
One of the three tentpole upgrades – and perhaps the most significant – that the 2a Plus lords over the standard 2a is a new chipset. MediaTek has once again supplied Nothing with an exclusive variant of its mobile silicon variant, which promises a 10% CPU uptick and up to a 30% graphical performance boost, compared to the Dimensity 7200 Pro that powers the vanilla Phone 2a.
In practice, my benchmark results suggest more modest improvements (about 3.5% better in CPU, 6% in AI, and 12% in GPU performance). That said, this doesn't detract from the fact that this Dimensity 7350 Pro-powered phone is more capable outright; scoring closely to the original Phone 1, as well as more recent rivals, like Samsung's Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A54, along with the Tensor G2-powered Google's Pixel 7 line.
By default, high-fidelity 3D titles like Zenless Zone Zero default to 'low' graphical settings at 30fps and deliver perfectly consistent performance at that level. If you want to dial things up to 'high' at 60fps, though, the 7350 Pro seems happy to be pushed in short bursts; you'll just start to notice heat build-up (there is a vapor chamber to help internal cooling) and the occasional dropped frame after about 20 to 30-minutes of play time, as I did.
Nothing is keeping things simple with a single 256GB (non-expandable) storage option in all markets, with most of the world getting 12GB of RAM. You can also use the RAM Booster tech in Nothing OS to allocate some of that storage as additional memory to give you up to an additional 8GB of virtual RAM), if desired, allowing more apps to remain in suspension in the background.
Beyond the engine of the phone, the performance of its asymmetrical stereo speaker setup also surprised and impressed, with a much fuller and clearer sound than you'd expect for a mid-ranger such as the Plus, not to mention some usable bass, too.
Performance score: 3.5 / 5
Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Battery
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
5,000mAh battery
Fastest-charging Nothing Phone yet, at 50W
7 hours of screen-on time per charge
The 2a Plus is tied for the largest battery capacity on a Nothing Phone, at 5,000mAh, but it trumps the rest of the range – including the Phone 2 and 2a – when it comes to fast charging; with an elevated top speed of 50W.
While we're not approaching OnePlus or Xiaomi numbers here, 50W is decently fast against key competitors; so fast, in fact, that Nothing's own-brand charger 45W can't refill the Phone 2a Plus at full speed. For that, the $39 / £39 CMF Power 65W GaN charger is the next-best thing; especially as Nothing doesn't include a power adapter in-box, just its iconic transparent-ended USB-C cable.
In testing, the Phone 2a Plus reached 40% charge in 15 minutes, over 70% in 30, and a full charge took just under an hour (55 minutes). As you might expect, with only a 5W uptick compared to the standard Phone 2a, the gains in fast-charging are limited; the base 2a hit 30% charge in 15 minutes, just over 60% in 30, and recharged completely in just over an hour, under the same conditions as the Plus.
Screen-on time for the 2a Plus is respectable at 7 hours per charge, which should see most users through a day and a half of use without worry (the Phone 2a offered on average 6 hours and 45 minutes of screen-on time). For added peace of mind, Nothing also states that even after 1,000 charge cycles, the 2a Plus' battery will retain 90% of its original capacity, which is well above the kinds of figures rivals promise; perhaps even an industry-leading claim.
Battery score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the Nothing Phone 2a Plus?
Buy it if...
You want a great-value Nothing experience The Phone 2a Plus distills the full-fat Nothing experience down in all the right ways; from design to user experience.
You want a phone that turns heads Nothing's hardware and software are already eye-catching in a market of black rectangles, but the shiny silver circuitry and Glyph Interface mean the Phone 2a Plus makes a real statement.
Don't buy it if...
You want a meaningful upgrade over the Phone 2a It's hard to reconcile why the Phone 2a Plus exists alongside the Phone 2a, when the upgrades, while appreciated, don't move the needle all that much.
You want a top performing mid-ranger The Phone 2a Plus puts more points into style than many of its direct competitors but, as a result, lags behind on performance; even with a beefier chipset than the standard Phone 2a.
Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Also consider
The specific blend of style and features that make up the Nothing Phone 2a Plus might not be for you after all. If that's the case, what about one of these alternatives?
Samsung Galaxy A35 A more boring design than the Phone 2a Plus conceals comparable performance, better dust and water resistance, an extra camera, and longer software support, all for a little less money.
Xiaomi Poco F6 Faster charging and better water resistance are nice, but the Poco F6 really outshines the 2a Plus on performance. Its near-flagship Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip serves up way more power and even ray tracing support for the same price.
How I tested the Nothing Phone 2a Plus
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Review test period: one month
Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
On receiving the Nothing Phone 2a Plus, I also picked up the Phone 2 and Phone 2a, to make constant comparisons between the three devices. I lived and worked with the Phone 2a Plus for a month, using it as my main phone for everything from social media use to photography and gaming.
I kept track of battery usage each day and ran several benchmark apps to help compare performance against rival devices I did and didn't have to hand.
As a reviewer with 13 years of experience, and having reviewed previous Nothing phones, I felt confident assessing and scoring the Nothing Phone 2a Plus, both relative to other mid-rangers, and in the context of the wider smartphone market.
As a huge fan of both theme parks and computer games, 2016’s Planet Coaster was in many ways a dream game for me. Since playing Bullfrog’s seminal game, Theme Park, back in the mid-90s, first on the Amiga and then on PC, I have been obsessed with theme park management strategy games.
As you can imagine, then, the announcement earlier this year that Planet Coaster 2 was to come in late 2024 (pre-orders are now live, and it launches on November 6, 2024), made me very happy given my history with the PC game and theme park sims.
For context, in Planet Coaster, I vividly remember plotting my parks on paper, then creating them in the game, dividing the map into different themes, just like the beloved theme parks I visited as a kid. Building the parks, and rides, of my dreams (and sometimes my guests’ nightmares) captured some of the magic from those magic kingdoms, but Theme Park also reminded players that these parks aren’t just for fun: they are made to create money.
By placing a French Fries stall, hiking up the salt content, and then putting a drinks stall next to it with inflated prices (and extra ice), I was able to squeeze extra money out of my thirsty punters. As a kid, it was my first lesson that capitalism can be evil… but also fun.
But anyway, while the original Planet Coaster gave me hundreds of hours of enjoyment, there were plenty of things that could be improved. So, when I got the opportunity to have some early time with the sequel, I was keen to jump the queue and see what was new.
(Image credit: Frontier Developments)
Splash back
The biggest change with Planet Coaster 2 is the inclusion of water park features, including pools, flumes, and new themes. Frontier has experience with this, having worked on the Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 expansion pack (old person speak for DLC) Soaked, which added flumes.
Weirdly, I’m not as interested in water parks as theme parks, but being given more things to play with when designing a park is always welcome.
While water park features aren’t the only new things in Planet Coaster 2, it would have been understandable if Frontier had called it a day there. During my time playing the game, it’s clear just how big an undertaking adding water rides has been.
Of course, there are all the additional art assets and models, but it also introduces an entirely new physics system to accurately simulate water, slides, and more.
For players of the original game, creating pools, adding features, and building water slides will feel familiar. Slides are built piece-by-piece in the same way as rollercoasters, and while new players may feel a bit lost, it’s intuitive enough to get the hang of pretty quickly, while also being flexible enough that you can create some pretty spectacular rides in not much time.
(Image credit: Frontier Developments)
Whether or not your guests will want to ride your creations, however, is another question. By testing your rides before they open, you’ll be able to see if the ride works as intended (I.E it doesn’t launch the test dummy into the stratosphere due to a misjudged hump), and you’ll get feedback on how exciting, scary and how nauseous it’ll make the riders. It’s here where the real art of constructing a theme park ride comes in – you’ll need to balance all of those aspects. Too scary and few people will want to ride it, if it makes people too ill then not only will it put people off riding, but you’ll also have to deal with people throwing up all over your lovely park. You can lower these values by making adjustments to the ride – lowing drops and banking corners for example – but if you make the ride too tame, its excitement will drop and people won’t want to ride.
As with the first game, I can tell this part of building your park could be a huge – and enjoyable – time-sink as you try to build the ultimate ride.
In Planet Coaster 2, more customization options allow you to add design elements to the ride, including coaster cars, and while I only had a short time with the game, it’s clear that it’s going to offer a huge amount of tools to help you craft and tweak almost every aspect of your park.
While I wasn’t overly excited by the inclusion of pools and water slides, I ended up really liking them. Building both was fun and intuitive, and the pools especially looked fantastic.
I didn’t notice much of a visual upgrade over Planet Coaster, but that was still a fine-looking game that was both realistic and cartoony. However, the pools in Planet Coaster 2 look fantastic. Clear, realistic water that sparkles under a cloudless sky made me want to crawl through the screen and dive in. It made me nostalgic for the summer – before I remembered that here in the UK we’d just endured one of the wettest and miserable summers in recent memory.
Interestingly, it seems like the weather in Planet Coaster 2 won’t always be perfect. I didn’t see it in action, but the launch trailer shows guests running for shelter during rainy weather, and I noticed a weather forecast icon in the game’s menu.
While the eternally sunny weather of the first game gave us UK players a nice bit of escapism, including different weather conditions for the sequel, more realistic weather in the sequel will add to the realism – and could bring some interesting challenges – and opportunities. Rainy weather could make guest numbers drop, but some carefully placed umbrella stores could help raise profits – especially if you can, like in Rollercoaster Tycoon, up the prices when the rain starts to fall. There’s that evil capitalism working again.
(Image credit: Frontier Developments)
I also got a glimpse of a few new themes – Mythical and Resort – and my mind is already fizzing with ideas of how I can use them in my parks.
Plus ça changing room
As I mentioned earlier, the original Planet Coaster did a lot of things right – but there were plenty of things that needed improvement, and from my short time with Planet Coaster 2, I found some of those were indeed fixed – but I still had a few concerns.
Making paths in the original, for example, could sometimes be annoyingly fiddly, and you could end up with some ugly bodge jobs when trying to make certain things, such as large plazas. The good news is that Planet Coaster 2 mainly fixes this with new path-making tools that make things much more simple, and give you additional settings to tweak, to help you get the desired effects. I found this made creating paths easier – when on the ground, at least. Creating stairs and bridges seemed to be more complicated – but that might just have been me being a bit rusty.
(Image credit: Frontier Developments)
Putting down shops, food stalls, and guest services, such as toilets and new changing rooms (which need to be added for your guests to use the pools), seems a bit over-complicated as well. In the version of Planet Coaster 2 that I played, some shops and facilities were just ‘shells’ – basically empty buildings that were elaborately themed. Placing them in the park didn’t give me the actual facilities themselves – I would have to find those, then either place them in the park, place the shell over them, or add them by editing the shell’s blueprint (the name for ready-made, yet customizable, pre-built elements).
Confusingly, some facilities in the default Planet Coaster theme were included, while other themes just included the shell. I’ll clarify with Frontier about whether this is just because I was playing a limited preview version of the game, or if this will be the case in the full version as well. I hope not.
By searching for the actual shop or facility to add to the shell, I was reminded about another issue that I’ve had with the original Planet Coaster, which seems to be still present in the sequel. It can be difficult to find certain building parts, and while there is a decent tagging system in place that lets you search, you still need to remember where certain things are located, as there are a few different menus where the item could be. Sometimes things are in the ‘Shops and Facilities’ menu. But then there are also the ‘Scenery’ and ‘Building’ menus, which can also have items you need – and you’ll need to remember which menu they are in. When you start expanding the game with DLC, which will be inevitable considering the various expansion packs the original game got, these menus become more unwieldy, so finding things can take even longer.
(Image credit: Frontier Developments)
I was also shown a level in the campaign mode. I felt that the campaign of Planet Coaster was not that engaging – I usually spent my time playing in sandbox mode, with unlimited money. While this gives you more freedom, it also means you miss out on the challenge and management aspects of the game. So, with Planet Coaster 2, I’m hoping to have more reasons to play the campaign and to dig into the (hopefully) more expansive management options.
From what I played, that might not be the case. The level required me to build a park but only in a certain part of the map, for reasons that didn’t make too much sense. However, unless I was being thick (a likely possibility), once in the game I wasn’t given any onscreen guidance for where to build or suggestions on how to hit the goals to allow me to progress. Eventually, a kindly press representative of Frontier took pity on me and informed me I was building in the wrong part of the map.
This confusion, along with not being sure where to find parts to build facilities and how to make paths on higher levels, makes me worried that the interface of Planet Coaster 2 needs a bit of a rethink with more onscreen help and tips. After all, if an (admittedly a bit stupid) longtime player of the original game can get lost, what hope do newcomers have?
(Image credit: Frontier Developments)
Open for business
While some doubts remain, from the time I had with Planet Coaster 2 I am very excited to play the full release when it launches in November. It’s a charming and fun game that’s clearly been made by people who love the subject matter.
I can see myself playing this game a heck of a lot, and I can’t wait to see what the imaginative community makes with the new and improved tools – as before, PC gamers will be able to easily add other user’s creations to their own parks via the Steam Workshop.
As a fun toy that lets my imagination run wild, my inner child could not be more excited for Planet Coaster 2. The part of me that enjoys playing challenging games, however, will need a bit more convincing.
Planet Coaster 2 releases on November 6, 2024, on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.
The Sennheiser Momentum Sport true wireless earbuds follow in the footsteps of Sennheiser’s popular Momentum range (the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 are the most recent) but with added features specially for fitness. The result is a pair of buds that are perfect for sports, with a stable fit, durable build, health sensors, great sound and ANC, and a huge range of features. But they’re not perfect; some might find the features overwhelming, and even if you’re looking for the ultimate sporty pair of buds, there might be better options for you.
Sennheiser is known for its exceptional audio quality, and the Momentum Sport earbuds uphold this reputation. They support high-resolution streaming and are equipped with 10mm drivers, compared to the 7mm drivers found in the brand’s other models. This enhancement allows the earbuds to deliver more power and deeper bass. The sound quality is especially impressive when the Bass Boost profile is activated in the Sennheiser app, making them ideal for sports earbuds where dynamic sound is essential.
Listening to Megan’s Piano by Megan Thee Stallion at the gym, the piano is bright and punchy, while the bass is bouncing and booming. Similarly, Queens of the Stone Age’s Burn the Witch sounds powerful and fun across the range, though cranking up the volume sometimes results in muddied lower frequencies. Overall, the Sennheiser Momentum Sport buds deliver a bold, fun, and engaging sound. The accompanying app offers plenty of customization options, allowing users to adjust EQ settings, select presets, and create their own custom profiles.
Despite the enjoyable listening experience, the audio quality doesn’t quite meet the high standards typically associated with high-end Sennheiser earbuds. While there’s clarity and power, there’s a noticeable lack of richness and detail. The sound is good but not class-leading, which is somewhat disappointing given the price point. When compared to my usual go-to earbuds, the Nothing Ear 2, the Sennheiser Momentum Sport only offers a slight improvement. Now, this is fine because we rate Nothing’s buds. But considering the price, you’d expect a seriously upgraded experience.
I was impressed by the adaptive noise-cancelling (ANC) capabilities of the Sennheiser Momentum Sport. It effectively reduces most background noises, including conversations and transport sounds. However, it’s not the best ANC I’ve tested and doesn’t surpass some of the top contenders in our best noise-cancelling earbuds list. That said, I personally prefer the ANC here for workouts, as it offers solid noise cancellation while still allowing very loud sounds to come through if necessary.
(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)
For instance, while testing these earbuds on a train to the airport, I couldn’t hear the conversations of the people sitting opposite me, and most sounds from the moving train were silenced. However, a loud alarm at one of the stations was still audible, which I find important for safety reasons. Others may prefer a more immersive noise-cancelling experience, but for me, this balance was ideal.
The app allows for extensive customization of the ANC settings, including an anti-wind mode that disables the external mics. This feature was particularly useful for calls and voice notes, ensuring they were clear and free from background noise. There’s also a transparency mode that lets you control the level of ambient sound, which can be activated specifically for calls.
Beyond ANC, the app offers several ways to tailor your listening experience. A fit test helps optimize audio and ANC performance, and the Sound Zones feature allows you to apply different sound settings for different environments, such as work or the gym. While these customization options are great for those who enjoy tweaking their settings, they might feel overwhelming for users who prefer a straightforward experience.
As you’d expect from fitness-focused earbuds, the stability of the Sennheiser Momentum Sport is excellent. If the fit isn’t perfect initially, there are various customization options to help you achieve the right fit. Each earbud has a small silicone band around its main casing, which can be removed and replaced with bands featuring ear fins of different sizes. These ear fins fit under your ear cartilage, providing additional stability. There are three ear fin options and three different silicone eartips to choose from.
I spent considerable time adjusting these different options to find the perfect fit. Although the process was a bit tedious, I was very satisfied with the results once I’d found the ideal combination for my ears. The earbuds remained secure during workouts, walking, and running, providing a reliable fit that I haven’t experienced with other earbuds in a long time.
The secure and stable fit is especially important for those with smaller ears, as the earbuds are a bit large and bulky due to all of the additional onboard technology. Weighing 6.4g each, they’re not particularly heavy but feel different from lighter, mid-range earbuds. After several hours of continuous wear, they did start to feel a bit uncomfortable. However, this took some time, and I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t feel discomfort sooner. While this amount of time is more than enough for a workout, it might not be ideal for all-day wear.
The design of the Sennheiser Momentum Sport earbuds is typical for the brand, featuring a simple aesthetic with minimal branding and clean lines. While some people might find this design a bit plain, it fits well in all sorts of settings and, personally, I appreciate the unobtrusive look. The earbuds are IP55-rated, making them suitable for sweaty workouts, though some other fitness earbuds offer better waterproofing.
One of the standout features of these earbuds is the inclusion of optical health sensors. The earbuds feature heart rate and body temperature tracking, made possible through a partnership with Polar. While other earbuds, like the Bose SoundSport Pulse and Amazfit Powerbuds Pro, have included optical heart rate monitors, the temperature tracking is a new addition. Temperature sensors are relatively new even in the best smartwatches and fitness tech.
(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)
You can quickly check the health readings in the Sennheiser app, but for more detailed information, the Polar Flow app or compatible Polar watches provide better context. The earbuds can also connect to other devices, such as smartwatches or fitness tech, via Bluetooth. Although I didn’t test the earbuds against a chest strap heart rate monitor – considered the gold standard – I compared the heart rate readings to my Apple Watch and the temperature readings to my Ultrahuman Ring Air, both indicating a high level of accuracy from the buds.
Beyond sound and ANC settings, the Sennheiser app is packed with features and customization options, delivering the high-end experience you’d expect. Users can customize gestures and touch controls on the earbuds, although there is no single-tap option and the touch controls can be overly sensitive at times. For example, a thick strand of hair once tangled around the buds and inadvertently activated the controls. Additionally, the app offers a Battery ECO mode to deactivate high-quality streaming and save battery, and a Smart Pause feature that pauses music when you remove an earbud.
The Sennheiser Momentum Sport earbuds come with one of the nicest charging cases I’ve tested. It features a quality build that feels far from plasticky , with a square design and a rubber magnetic lid that closes quietly and satisfyingly. . The earbuds themselves offer six hours of battery life, extending to 24 hours with the fully charged case. This isn’t great battery life, but is standard for high-end sound and lots of features. The charging case is IP54-rated, providing some protection against sprays and dust, though it offers less waterproofing than the earbuds.
My biggest issue with these buds is figuring out who they’re for. If you’re on a budget, they’re expensive. There’s a lot going on with these earbuds, and I worry that some people just don’t need all of these bells and whistles. It might make more sense to get affordable or mid-range earbuds and pair them with one of the best cheap fitness trackers. While I enjoyed experimenting with the health sensor technology, I wonder if anyone willing to spend this much on earbuds and take fitness seriously wouldn’t already have a tracker capable of collecting heart rate data.
That said, there are scenarios where these earbuds might be a good fit. Perhaps you had a capable fitness tracker that broke, or you’ve had it for years and want to replace it. Or maybe you’re a fan of Polar’s ecosystem. There are certainly valid use cases here. If you appreciate the idea of health sensors and would utilize the other features, especially if you’re a fan of Sennheiser’s high-end products, then these earbuds are worth considering. However, for most users, there are better options available at a lower price point.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)
Priced at $329.95/£279.99/AU$529.95
Available from Spring 2024
The Sennheiser Momentum Sport cost $329.95/£279.99/AU$529.95. Although the buds are currently discounted on the Sennheiser website in some regions. At the time of writing, the price in the UK has dropped from £279.99 to £218.49.
This price makes the Sennheiser Momentum Sport expensive as far as true wireless earbuds are concerned. More expensive than some of our top favorite true wireless picks, like the Nothing Ear (a) at $99 / £99 / around AU$192 and our top buds for working out, the Beats Fit Pro at $199 / £199 / AU$299. They’re even a little more expensive than the Apple AirPods Pro 2 at $249 / £229 / AU$399.
However, the Technics EAH-AZ80 that are currently at the top of our best true wireless earbuds guide are similarly priced at $299/£259/AU$499. As are some of the best noise-canceling buds in the world, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds at $299 / £299 / AU$449.
So the price might be high-end, but it isn’t unheard of or out of this world for a quality pair of buds. It still means you should only consider them if you want them for fitness and you love the sound of health sensors and loads of customization options. Anyone else won’t make the most of everything on offer and could find a much cheaper alternative.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport: Specifications
Sennheiser Momentum Sport: Scorecard
Sennheiser Momentum Sport: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
You want loads of customization options
You can tweak the sound, set up different sound profiles and sound zones, change the tips and wings to get the best fit and more. If you like to feel in control, these are the buds for you.
You want buds built for workouts
Everything about these buds is built with fitness in mind, from the super stable fit to the durable build to the added optical health sensors.
You want ultimate stability
Not ideal for very small ears, but otherwise you can achieve a fantastic fit. It’ll take some faffing, but then there’s no budging. So it’s worth it.
Don't buy it if...
You already have a great fitness tracker
There’s a lot to love about these buds beyond their health sensors, but if you already have that covered, there are better, more affordable options.
You want the best sound and ANC
I rate the sound and ANC of these buds, but it’s not the best, and if that’s a priority, you’ll want to look at what rivals have to offer.
You want to save money
There are more savvy ways to get health tracking, good sound and a solid fit with other buds and fitness trackers.
Also consider
Beats Fit Pro
Cheaper than the Sennheiser buds also with solid sound and ANC. They have a smaller build and a similar battery life.
I tested the Sennheiser Momentum Sport buds every day for a month. This gave me the chance to trial them in a range of different situations and environments.
I mostly used them to listen to music and podcasts on my iPhone 14 Pro with Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube music. I tested them when I was traveling abroad, walking around cities and along the beach and jogging in the countryside. I also took them to the gym when I was using the cardio machines and lifting weights.
I’ve tested lots of different headphones and earbuds for more than 12 years now, especially fitness devices. I’m particularly interested in tech that prioritizes ease of use and comfort.
