Zetexa is a relatively new eSIM provider founded in 2022 by Krishna Murthy, who has 38 years of experience in telecommunications. In spite of being new, Zetexa has caught the eye of travelers with its value-packed unlimited data plans in 170 countries and 5 regions.
We like that it offers various plans for various durations for each destination – 1, 5, 7, 12, 15, 30, 90, and 180 days. This is, in fact, a lot more than some of the more popular names in the industry. The eSIM is pretty easy to install, too – just scan a QR code and follow the prompts.
However, there aren’t many troubleshooting guides or FAQs on the website yet, but we can absolutely expect that to change very soon. Plus, there's only an online form to connect with the customer support team, meaning you may not find any quick resolution in case you run into a technical problem.
Zetexa: Plans and pricing
Zetexa offers some of the best unlimited data plans around with 4G and 5G connectivity for various validities: 1, 7, 15 days, and so on. Needless to say, the prices depend on the location, with the cheapest destinations being the Americas and Europe.
A real highlight of the service is that for each destination, you get around 15-18 plan options to choose from – one of the highest in the entire eSIM industry.
We also found plans for 5, 12, and 15 days, which you don’t get with other providers. Plus, there are a lot of options for 30- and 90-day plans as well. Let’s look at some popular Zetexa plans.
What's more, Zetexa also offers a 1-day 100 MB trial pack for all of its regional plans. So, let’s say you’re in Europe and are looking for an eSIM provider; you can get Zetexa’s trial plan for just $1.20 (this price depends on your location) to test out its speed and connectivity.
If you're satisfied with the service, you can go ahead and purchase one of its many longer-term Europe plans. Other eSIM providers usually do not provide this option, meaning you may end up wasting your money if their connection speed and service aren’t up to the mark.
However, no provider is perfect, and Zetexa’s downside is that it only offers 5 regional plans – plus there are no global plans as yet, either, which may be a serious letdown for some travelers.
Let’s now look at some of the best features you get with Zetexa.
Unlimited plans
No surprises for the number one spot here, as one of the best things about Zetexa is its unlimited plans. Even better, these plans are flexible and are available for various durations (1, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 15 days) and geographical regions (Asia, Europe, etc.), as well as for specific countries.
The prices depend on your location. For example, a 7-day Europe unlimited plan costs $21.30, whereas a 7-day USA plan costs just $12.10. This makes Zetexa ideal for short international trips, where you do not want to be constantly worried about how much data you've got left.
With modern 4G and 5G speeds, you can end up using your limited data (1 GB, for example) in a span of just 1-2 days. However, with unlimited plans, you’ll always have an active internet connection to assist you while you're out and about.
It's also worth noting that Zetexa’s fair usage policy (FUP) applies to all its plans with unlimited data. So, you get 1 GB of data per day at your network’s speed after which the speed is throttled to 32 kbps. The speed is admittedly not too impressive, but it's still a win-win situation since you’d rather prefer having internet at slower speeds than not having internet at all in a foreign country.
No eKYC Required
You don't need KYC (Know Your Customer) verification to activate and use a Zetexa eSIM. This means that you can get your account up and running within just minutes after you’ve purchased your data plan.
However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, Indian citizens need to provide their password and VISA details. Also, if you’re traveling to the UAE, Israel, Maldives, Poland, or South Korea, you will need to do eKYC.
Zetexa: Installation
Installing a Zetexa eSIM is very straightforward and the steps are more or less the same for both iOS and Android. Once you purchase a data plan from the website, you’ll receive a QR code. Next, follow these steps to install the eSIM on your device:
Make sure to assign calls and SMS to the primary SIM on your device – because Zetexa is a data-only eSIM provider.
Zetexa: Support
(Image credit: Zetexa)
Although Zetexa on its website claims to offer 24/7 customer support, we only found an online form you can fill out to connect to their team. You’ll then have to wait for the support agents to email you back with solutions, which can be a time-consuming process. Plus, in case the conversation stretches to a handful of emails, it's going to take a fair while before you finally find a viable solution.
Now, other eSIM providers like Ubigi and KnowRoaming also offer only an online form for support. However, they also have extensive knowledgebases, with in-depth troubleshooting guides and FAQs on their websites, which solve most customer queries.
However, all that we found on Zetexa’s knowledgebase was an installation guide. The only positive explanation to this is that the platform is still new, so we can surely expect more helpful guides in the near future.
Zetexa: Final verdict
The bottom line is that Zetexa is a good eSIM, especially if you’re looking for unlimited data plans. It offers data plans in 170+ destinations and 5 regions. Plus, there are a lot of subscription options to choose from – from 1-day to 180-day plans.
The prices are pretty affordable, too, especially in the US and Europe. One of the highlights is that you get a 1-day trial plan for every single region, so you can test Zetexa’s speed and connection before you commit to a long-term plan. The eSIM installs easily with just a QR code, which is what we've come to expect from the best of the lot.
However, you don’t get any global plans with Zetexa. Plus, there are no troubleshooting guides or knowledge documents on the website, either, and you can reach out to the support agents only through an online form.
Zetexa: FAQs
What plans do Zetexa eSIM offer?
Zetexa offers a lot of plans that together cover 170+ destinations and a few specific regions, too. Plans range from 1 day to 180 days, and you get more than 15 plan options for each country. Zetexa is also well known for its unlimited data plans – something you don’t get with the majority of eSIM providers. These plans are available for shorter durations, such as 1, 5, 10, 12, and 15 days. However, Zetexa does not offer any global plans as of now.
Is Zetexa eSIM easy to install?
Yes, Zetexa is one of the easiest eSIMs to install. First, you have to buy a data plan from its website, after which you’ll receive a QR code. Then, just scan this code on your Android or iOS device and follow the instructions. At the end of the installation process, switch on data roaming on your device and make sure that you use your primary SIM for calls and SMS since Zetexa is a data-only eSIM.
KnowRoaming has been a well-known name in the telecom industry since 2013 when it launched the groundbreaking Global SIM Sticker. With its eSIM, KnowRoaming offers cost-effective and reliable connections in more than 200 places around the world.
You get excellent shorter duration plans, and its 7- and 15-day plans offer fantastic value for money. Plus, there are some good regional plans, top, covering destinations like Asia, Europe, East Africa, Oceania, Latin America, etc. The eSIM itself is pretty easy to install and use, and all you’ve to do is scan a QR code and follow the prompts.
However, the lack of voice calling and SMS, as well as more expensive 30-day plans than competitors like Ubigi, mean that KnowRoaming isn't perfect. Keep reading this in-depth KnowRoaming review to find out everything about its cost, coverage, setup process, and customer support so that you can ultimately decide if it's the right choice for your next international trip.
KnowRoaming: Plans and pricing
KnowRoaming offers several value-for-money one-time plans starting at just $4. You can choose from plans with various validities – 7, 10, 15, 30, 60, or 180 days, depending on your destination. Here’s a quick look at some of the best KnowRoaming eSIM deals.
While the plans do seem affordable as far as the short duration is concerned, they quickly turn expensive as you increase the number of days. For example, a 30-day USA plan with 10 GB of data will cost you $25.50. With Airhub, however, you can get 15 GB of data for just $11.90.
Plus, we didn’t find any monthly or annual plans with KnowRoaming. So, if you travel frequently or are a digital nomad, KnowRoaming is undoubtedly an expensive pick. What's more, there are no 1-day plans, either.
However, a positive feature that stood out for me is its 25% discount on all purchases for Visa cardholders. Even better, this offer can be used six times per cardholder per year.
Plus, you’ll also get a complimentary KnowRoaming 3GB global package valid in over 150 countries. The plan will be activated when you first use it outside your home country and will remain active for a continuous period of 21 days thereon.
KnowRoaming boasts a short-but-likeable list of eSIM features that cover all the important bases.
Regional plans
KnowRoaming offers some really good regional plans costing as low as $4.50. For instance, I was delighted to find plans for regions like East Africa, West Africa, Latin America, and Oceania – popular regions that not many eSIMs cover.
These plans come in handy when you’re visiting more than one country in a short span (say, 15 or 30 days). However, it’s always advisable to check the countries included in a regional pack before purchasing it.
Tethering
You can use the KnowRoaming eSIM to share data with your travel partner if your device supports a hotspot. This way, only one of you will need to install the eSIM when you're out and about. At the same time, though, it's worth noting that data may run out quickly if several users use it simultaneously.
KnowRoaming: Installation
KnowRoaming can be installed on iOS, Android, and Pixel phones – that's comprehensive coverage and includes just about every mobile device. There are well-detailed PDF documents on the website’s Support page that'll guide you through a step-by-step installation process.
Here’s a quick overview of how you can install the KnowRoaming eSIM on your device:
First, you’ll need to purchase a data plan from the website. Next, you’ll receive a QR code on your email.
Scan the QR code and follow the prompts that pop up on your screen until the setup is complete.
Upon reaching your destination, alter your device's mobile data settings so that it's using the eSIM and activate data roaming on your device. Once this is done, you’re all set to use your new eSIM.
We recommend that you install the eSIM before your departure since you’ll need a stable internet connection for it. You can then turn off your eSIM until you reach your destination. In case you're wondering, your subscription will only be activated when you use your eSIM in the destination country.
If you’re installing the eSIM on an Android device, head over to your Access Point Names (APN) settings and see to it that the option that says APN: globaldata (i.e., no capital letters or spaces) is selected. If not, you can add the APN manually.
KnowRoaming: Support
(Image credit: KnowRoaming)
If you face any issues while using a KnowRoaming eSIM, you can fill out the online form on its website to reach out to its customer support. If you do not get a satisfactory resolution, there’s even a WhatsApp number you can send your query to.
Besides this, we found a lot of FAQs on the website’s Support page with answers on installation, troubleshooting, and general queries. However, the knowledgebase isn’t as extensive as some other providers, such as Ubigi.
There might be some questions that aren’t answered in the FAQs and your only solution then would be filling out the form, as mentioned above, which is admittedly a slow process – an email ticketing system, phone support, or live chat would have been so much better.
KnowRoaming: Final verdict
Overall, KnowRoaming is undoubtedly a good eSIM, especially if you like traveling for shorter durations (7 or 15 days). There are several affordable plans to choose from, plus you get an excellent selection of regional plans, too, that cover a handful of not-so-popular tourist destinations, like East Africa, West Africa, and Oceania. Put together, KnowRoaming offers eSIM connections in over 200 destinations, meaning it can easily support most people’s travel plans.
However, a significant downside to KnowRoaming is that its plans for longer durations (30 days or more) are more expensive than competitors like Ubigi and Airhub – and it doesn't offer any monthly plans, either.
Customer support is quite decent, and your options include an online contact form and a WhatsApp number. However, there’s no email or phone support, and the FAQ section isn’t as comprehensive as some of the others.
KnowRoaming: FAQs
What plans do I get with KnowRoaming?
KnowRoaming offers various one-time plans for 7, 15, 30, 60, and 180 days starting at just $4. These are available for several regions, including Asia, Europe, and Africa, as well as other not-so-popular regions such as East Africa, West Africa, Latin America, and Oceania. However, you do not get 1-day or monthly plans with KnowRoaming.
When should I install the KnowRoaming eSIM?
We recommend installing the KnowRoaming eSIM before you leave for your destination. This is because the installation process requires a stable internet connection, which you may not get once you land at your destination – unless you find a free public Wi-Fi. Also, installing the eSIM prior to leaving would mean that you’ll only have to enable mobile data on your eSIM to start using your purchased plan upon reaching.
How to install the KnowRoaming eSIM?
To install a KnowRoaming eSIM, you’ll first need to purchase a data plan from its website, after which you'll receive a QR code on your email. Scan this code on the device you want to install the eSIM in and follow the instructions via the prompts that you're shown.
When you reach your destination, turn on mobile data on the eSIM and enable data roaming. Additionally, make sure that you do not accidentally switch off calls and/or SMS on your primary SIM card – since KnowRoaming is a data-only eSIM.
If you’re looking for an effective malware-hunting companion, Avast Free Antivirus might not sound very promising. It’s the most basic product in the Avast range, a cut-down version of its free Avast One Essential security suite with most of the privacy tools stripped out; you’ll surely need more than that, won’t you?
Well, maybe not. AV-Comparatives is an independent lab that regularly runs in-depth tests of all the best antivirus software. Most vendors submit their full-featured paid security suites to be sure they get good results, but Avast sends this edition, Avast Free Antivirus. That shows huge confidence, but it’s easy to see why: this app, its most basic free version, regularly wipes the floor with almost all the paid competition.
Protection rates aren’t the only factor in choosing an antivirus, but they’re a very good start. Keep reading and we’ll dig into the detail, run our own tests, and find out more about whether Avast Free Antivirus could be the right malware hunter for you.
Avast Software Updater is a rare bonus feature. (Image credit: Future)
Avast Free Antivirus: Features
Avast Free Antivirus can’t quite match the likes of Avira Free Security in the length of its feature list, but there’s a very good reason for that: it’s focused almost entirely on core antivirus functionality, and doesn’t waste your time with bonus extras you may never use.
Avast Free doesn’t have a VPN or a password manager, for instance, unlike Avira Free Security. But Avira’s free VPN is horribly limited, with a 500MB data limit a month and no ability to change location, and although its password works, it’s extremely basic and no match for market leaders like Dashlane.
Avast Free does have a few bonus tools. The Network Inspector checks your network for vulnerabilities and finds all its connected devices; the Software Updater looks out for missing security patches, and Avast's Ransomware Shield prevents untrusted apps from modifying files.
Where Avast Free wins out, though, is with its core protection engines. It has full system-wide web protection to block phishing and other malicious websites, for instance; Avira doesn’t include full web protection in the free edition (the best you can do is install extensions for specific browsers.)
(Image credit: Future)
Avast Free Antivirus: Getting Started
If you’re the type of person who runs an app installer and accepts every default setting, then Avast Free Antivirus could cause you a problem. It also installs Avast Secure Browser and sets it as your default browser unless you notice the warning (in suspiciously tiny print) and clear the checkboxes. We’ve no problem with a provider offering extras like this, but they shouldn’t be installed unless you specifically select them.
The Avast Free Antivirus app looks great. The screens are a subdued gray and white, but they’re brought to life with eye-catching splashes of green and orange. Icons are large, and you’re never left wondering what they mean because they all have a text caption. And with animations everywhere - panels moving in from the left, highlights fading up and down as you move the mouse cursor over them - the app feels more like a polished modern website than the usual dull static Windows app.
(Image credit: Future)
There are neat usability touches everywhere. Many free apps don’t highlight which functions you can use and which you can’t, so you’re regularly choosing an option and getting a ‘CAN’T DO THAT UNLESS YOU PAY!!’ screen. Avast makes it instantly clear with an icon at the top right of each button: a padlock means you can’t use it, a down arrow means you can use it but there’s something to install first, and no icon means it’s all yours.
The first time you click any option Avast displays a clear explanation of what it does. (Image credit: Future)
When you click any option for the first time, Avast displays a help page quickly and clearly explaining what the feature does and how to use it. It’s another neat touch which avoids confusion and helps you feel at home right away.
Avast Free Antivirus delivers better protection than most paid products. (Image credit: Future)
Avast Free Antivirus: Protection
We track the performance of all the top antivirus apps as reported by independent testing labs including AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, MRG Effitas and SE Labs. Most providers submit their full-featured paid versions for testing, but Avast sends its free edition, which shows a lot of confidence in its power.
That confidence seems fully justified, too. We keep an aggregate score of antivirus performance across nine major tests, and currently Avast Free Antivirus is equal first with Bitdefender and McAfee. (ESET, F-Secure and Norton are equal fourth, and Avira follows in seventh place.)
Lab results are important, but we’re always keen to run further tests of our own. We began by attempting to access 50 of the latest phishing URLs, as collected by experts at OpenPhish. Avast did a good job, blocking 86% immediately. Bitdefender Antivirus Free was relatively disappointing at 64%. Avira Security Free scored a little better in recent tests with a 90% protection rate, but that was with a browser extension only. Avast Free wins overall because it has system-wide browsing protection which protects every browser and app on your device.
We switched to our malware test, and tried to download some very dangerous files from 50 brand new links. Avast Free did an excellent job, blocking 94% of threats either at the URL level, or when the files hit our hard drive. That couldn’t match Bitdefender Antivirus Free, which blocked 100% of our test threats, but was just ahead of Avira Free’s 90%.
These results can vary significantly depending on the files and links we use, but, on balance, we think they match the independent lab reports: Avast and Bitdefender Free are too closely matched to call, and Avira is just a fraction behind.
Scans are accurate, but are always trying to sell you an upgrade. (Image credit: Future)
Avast Free Antivirus: Comprehensive Antivirus
Avast Free Antivirus automatically monitors your device to detect malicious files as they appear, but if you want to run a manual check, it has more scan types than anyone else, even paid products.
The Smart Scan runs a quick antivirus scan in under a minute, for instance, and also looks for poorly configured system settings which might compromise your security. Bitdefender’s Vulnerability Scan tries to do something similar, but we found Avast spotted more relevant issues and gave better advice.
The catch? Smart Scan also checks for a bunch of performance and other issues which can’t be fixed with the free version, and repeatedly prompts you to upgrade to fix them all (it took us an extra four clicks to get rid of the upselling attempts and return to the dashboard.) It’s a little annoying, and more pushy than most of the competition, but no surprise: you’re getting leading-edge antivirus for free, of course Avast is going to try to sell you an upgrade.
Quick scan not enough? Avast can even run from bootable USB keys. (Image credit: Future)
If you’re looking for something more thorough, the Full System Scan checks your entire device for threats. This can take a very time, perhaps hours, but Avast Scans are faster the second time around.
That’s good, but it’s only the beginning. Avast Free can also run custom scans of whatever files, folders or drives you need, either from the app or the Explorer right-click menu. A Boot-Time scan can remove stealthy threats by checking your system before Windows loads. If that doesn’t work, Avast Free can even create a bootable USB key to scan your device without Windows running, helping catch stealthy threats that you couldn’t remove otherwise. Bitdefender Antivirus Free isn’t nearly as generous, leaving its own Rescue Environment and all but the most essential scan types for paying customers only.
While everyone likes free extras, we much prefer the Avast Free focus on its core antivirus protection. You probably don’t need a horribly limited VPN, but we’ll bet you do need comprehensive malware protection, and that’s where Avast Free Antivirus excels.
Avast Free antivirus: Final verdict
Most top free antivirus apps leave out at least some key features to try and persuade you to upgrade (Avira Free leaves out web protection, Bitdefender Free drops most of its advanced scap types), but not Avast Free Antivirus. It has all the real-time and web filtering technologies you need, and they block more malware than just about anyone else.
If you’re looking for more functionality, though, don’t rule out Avast One Essential. It has the same excellent protection, and includes extras like a free VPN. (Sure, it’s a very limited VPN - no kill switch, can’t change location - but with 5GB of free data a week, it might work for basic browsing.)
The Doro Hemma is a beginner-friendly video doorbell that can transform that knock on the door into something you can respond to, wherever you are. It comes packed with both an adhesive sticker and a wall mount that can be screwed beside your front door, and you can have it up and running within 10 minutes.
The doorbell also comes with a USB-C cable for recharging it, which is necessary after about 10 days of use. The 1080P camera resolution is clear, and it can detect movement, letting you know thanks to notifications sent to your device. The camera also has night vision, so you can have a clear feed when someone visits at night.
After testing the Hemma doorbell for several weeks, I’ve found it to be a great option for those just getting started with using smart home devices. The Doro Hemma app, available to download for free from Apple's App Store and Google’s Play Store, is very straightforward and makes the main features of the doorbell easily accessible in seconds. The Doro Hemma Chime, which can plug into any UK power socket, can ring loudly to alert you that someone has arrived while you're at home.
The Doro Hemma app is available for iOS and Android, and makes it easy to set up and operate your doorbell (Image credit: Future)
However, there are a few drawbacks. The doorbell detects any movement. This can be a hassle if you live in an apartment block and people walk past your door frequently, so be prepared for a bunch of notifications to alert you if 'movement' is enabled. Additionally, the lack of support for HomeKit, Apple’s smart home framework, is disappointing. This means you can’t check someone at the door while managing your smart lights or Apple TV in the Home app, nor can you use Siri to view the video feed.
That said, Doro’s Hemma Doorbell is still a great entry-level device if you’re new to smart home appliances, especially for £150 (about $200/AU$300) with no monthly subscription fee. Combine that with an easy-to-use app that lets you respond to someone at the door at any time, anywhere, the Hemma is an easy contender to be featured in our guide to the best video doorbells.
The Doro Hemma can be attached to your doorframe with an adhesive strip if you don't want to drill holes (Image credit: Future)
Doro Hemma Doorbell: price and availability
List price: £150 (about $200 / AU$300)
The Doro Hemma Doorbell is available for £150 on Doro's UK website, which is a fair price for what it offers, and about average for a battery-operated video doorbell. Inside the box, you'll find the doorbell, a plug to amplify the bell chime, an adhesive to stick the doorbell to a wall, a mount if you prefer to screw it to a wall, and an instruction manual.
There are no extra accessories for the Hemma Doorbell - it’s a straightforward smart home appliance that focuses on one job to respond to those knocking on your front door - but that's what makes this doorbell so appealing. There's also no monthly subscription fee to access its full features, unlike many other video doorbells.
The Doro Hemma isn't available outside the UK at the time of writing.
Value score: 4.5/5
Doro Hemma Doorbell: specs
The bottom cover releases to reveal the USB-C charging port, but doesn't detach completely so it can't get lost (Image credit: Future)
Doro Hemma Doorbell review: Design
Easy to set up
Great app to check video footage
Rechargeable battery
The Doro Hemma is a video doorbell and nothing more. It's designed for people who don’t own a variety of smart home products, and don't necessarily choose to keep up to date with the latest smartphones. Instead, Doro has made a doorbell that simply shows you who's at the door through a video feed and respond accordingly.
The Hemma Doorbell delivers on that with a clear HD camera and a responsive button that produces a clear chime and a flashing green light when pressed. Its white casing may clash with certain doors, but perhaps that’s the point. This doorbell must be seen, otherwise visitors may end up knocking on the door, wondering why no one is answering.
The battery isn’t removable, so expect to charge the Hemma Doorbell through its USB-C port about once every 10 days. Thankfully, you’ll get a helpful notification sent to your device that it needs charging, so it won't run our of juice unexpectedly.
You'll receive a notification when someone rings the Doro Hemma doorbell (Image credit: Future)
The Doro Hemma app, available on Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, is well made for someone who doesn’t use their smartphone often. Its clean layout means that every option and toggle is a press away, as well as offering the ability to watch the live video feed from the doorbell at any time. A couple of features stand out, safety-wise. The 'Assist' function can divert the video feed to a friend or relative, so they can answer the stranger at the door if needed. There's also a 'Siren' button in the app that will generate a loud noise from the doorbell, alerting anyone nearby if you feel unsafe.
Overall, the Hemma app is intuitively designed that empowers the most inexperienced tech user, enabling them to manage a video feed or call someone for help if needed.
Design score: 4.5
Doro Hemma Doorbell: performance
Good wireless connectivity
Virtually no delay when speaking with visitors via mobile app
Motion detection slightly too sensitive
Once the Doro Hemma Doorbell is installed near your front door and set up using the instructions in the mobile app, it’s time to put it through its paces.
As long as there’s an active internet connection, you can reach the doorbell through the Hemma app on an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone to glance at the video feed. During testing the feed always displayed perfectly, whether I was using a Wi-Fi network or mobile data. I could easily see the outside of my apartment while listening to anything in the area if I wanted to, without any issues.
When someone presses the doorbell button, a chime will play thanks to the plug that will be nearby, and your phone will receive a notification that someone is at the door. The chime is loud and hard to miss, and if you’re away from home, pressing on the notification will open the Hemma app lets you respond to the person at the door by speaking to them.
The delay on the video feed was minimal - it was similar to having a chat through FaceTime or Google Meet. The audio was impressively clear too, whether I used my iPhone's speaker or wireless earbuds, making it easy to speak with visitors.
There's minimal delay on the video feed, which makes it easy to hold a conversation with visitors through the app when you're away from home (Image credit: Future)
However, I recommend switching off the motion detection feature. I found it to be very sensitive, sending constant notifications to my iPhone whenever something went by my front door. Whether it was someone who lives in an apartment adjacent to me, or kids running by, the notifications would pile up. If you don't live in a detached house, consider deactivating it.
Overall, Doro’s Hemma Doorbell is a straightforward product that does its job well, especially for those new to smart home appliances. The doorbell easily alerts users that someone is at the door via a great app, as well as the great quality of the video and audio that it provides.
Doro Hemma Doorbell not for you? Try out one of these alternatives...
Doro Hemma Doorbell review: How I tested
I tested the Doro Hemma Doorbell for several weeks, using the Hemma app on my iPhone 15 Pro Max and Pixel 4a handsets.
I attached the Doro Hemma Doorbell to the side of my front door with the supplied adhesive with the ‘detect movement’ setting enabled to make sure it worked. After a while, I turned it off once it was proven to be the case.
I used the Hemma app to open the video feed on a Wi-Fi, public Wi-Fi, and 5G Cellular connection to test the quality of the feed. I also tested the audio when family knocked on to see how clear my wife and I sounded across the different internet connections.
The video was captured thanks to the storage in the Doro Hemma Doorbell and replayed on my iPhone and Apple TV to see how it looked.
The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i solves a problem for that small subset of users always frustrated with the limited amount of screen most laptops offer. And while using an external monitor is the easiest and most mainstream way to solve that problem, you’re either dealing with one that stays at home, or is an extra item to carry with you as is the case with the best portable monitors.
The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i then is probably among the best laptops for those who want to be able to compose an email or article without having to switch over to a different window to look something up. It’s also great for anyone looking to do some light photo editing that feels restricted on a regular notebook.
Though it’s among the best Ultrabooks, in my estimation at least, it’s not the most powerful. Since it utilizes integrated graphics, it’s not quite there for those hoping to also edit videos on the road. And that’s a pity considering the price tag that this comes with, but that’s also the price you pay for having two gorgeous screens, a chic aesthetic, and a bunch of accessories that can turn this laptop into a pseudo-desktop experience.
Basically, this laptop is a fantastic computer experience that some will absolutely love and most will find to be too much computer. For me, it’s just about perfect.
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
How much does it cost? Starting at $1,980 / £1,965 / AU$4,499
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK and Australia
In short, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is expensive. Yes, you’re paying for not one, but two OLED touchscreens with high resolutions, as well as the unique form factor. There’s also been plenty of care put into its design and aesthetics, not to mention that it comes with a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and stylus along with a keyboard carrying case that turns into a stand.
But, its under-the-hood specs are not that of a $2,000 / £2,000 computer, so it does feel overpriced, even if OLED panels are going to increase the price of any computer that they come with. At least, the upgrades are fairly benign as going from 16GB of RAM to 32GB is $57 difference and going from a 512GB to a 1TB SSD is just $30.
Of course, if you’re in the UK, you have to accept both upgrades in tandem, but it’s only a £55 difference. If you’re in Australia, you’re unfortunately limited to the most basic model.
Currently, there’s really only one laptop to compare the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i to (discounting its previous iteration that’s basically the same thing with a slightly weaker processor and different port selection). That laptop is the ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED. It starts at basically the same price point – $1,999.99 / £1,999.99 (about AU$3,134.28) – but has a slightly different approach to the whole two-screen setup, where one is smaller than the other and you can’t switch between a landscape and portrait mode like you can with the Yoga Book 9i. If you want to a deeper dive between the two models, we did put the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo and the Yoga Book 9i’s previous version in a head-to-head comparison.
Value: 4 / 5
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i: Specs
The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is fairly limited in upgrades. There’s just one CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U, as well as its integrated graphics on offer. The only real customizations or upgrades available are with the RAM and SSD, where you can choose between 16 or 32GB and 512GB or 1TB, respectively.
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i: Design
Gorgeous inside and out
Comes with bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and stylus
Limited amount of ports
The Yoga Book 9i can be used in landscape mode (pictured) or portrait mode. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Whether opened or closed, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is gorgeous. Its metallic Tidal Teal colorway covers not only the outer shell of the laptop itself, but the Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and stylus that come with. The whole setup is almost as pretty as its two bright, vibrant OLED screens, connected by a thin panel housing the dual two-watt speakers.
Speaking of, those panels are touch-sensitive. This allows you to interact with it digitally (as in your fingers), with the stylus, or to place it in “laptop mode” so that the lower screen sits where a keyboard would typically sit. This way, you don’t have to carry all the extras with you if you don’t. You would just use a particular eight-finger tap gesture to pull up a virtual keyboard.
To go along with the touchscreens, this is essentially a 2-in-1 notebook, so you can flip into tablet mode, which disengages one of the screens, or place it in tent mode, etc. However, I prefer using the stand, which doubles as the keyboard cover and carrying case to prop up the two screens. You can use the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i in either landscape mode, where one screen sits atop the other, or in portrait mode, where they’re side-by-side. I prefer the former, though I can see the latter being very useful to programmers or anyone needing to see two different windows next to each other.
Yoga Book 9i in portrait mode (Image credit: Future / James Holland)
It’s a unique experience, really only hampered by its price. And while I’ve heard of some having issues with the previous generation when in laptop mode, because programs would pop up in front of the virtual keyboard, I have not had that happen to me.
Laptop mode really only falls short insofar that using a virtual keyboard kind of stinks. There’s no tactile feedback and you’re probably going to have to look at it to know where all the keys are. At least it pulls up a virtual trackpad as well.
The Bluetooth accessories, however, are a pleasure to use. The keyboard is compact and clips on to the stand magnetically to stay stable. And though it’s tiny, its keys are not, so I never felt cramped typing on it. It’s not going to match up with the best mechanical keyboards, but it’s good enough to type up this article.
The mouse is fairly minimalist, but works as needed, not to mention feels fairly accurate. It also has the added benefit of being able to wirelessly connect to two devices, so you can use it with other laptops or computers if you like.
While I’m not a big stylus user, it was nice to the touch – they all have that textured aluminum feel - and seemed responsive during use.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
The port selection here is a little bit of a letdown, especially considering that the previous iteration had a decent amount of variety. This version of the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i falls squarely into the MacBook Air-style less is more camp with its three Thunderbolt 4 ports. There’s not even a headphone jack.
As far as physical controls go, there are just two – a power button and a privacy shutter button, the latter of which I appreciate being included.
Design: 4.5 / 5
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i: Performance
Great for day-to-day tasks, not so much for demanding ones
Two equally visually stunning screens
Surprisingly good sound for a laptop
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i: Benchmarks
Here's how the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Fire Strike: 4921; Time Spy: 2208; Night Raid: 18128
When it comes to the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i’s performance, it’s quite excellent for day-to-day tasks, powered by the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and 16 or 32GB of RAM. I was able to have multiple tabs open at once, including having streaming video playing at the same time as I was doing work.
But, since it just has integrated Intel Arc graphics, it can’t do a whole lot of heavy lifting. If you think of this laptop as a unique Ultrabook with extra screen real estate, that’s not really an issue. If you want to do demanding tasks, such as video editing, you’re not really going to do it.
While you can certainly take a look at our benchmarks to confirm this, I did a little testing with video games. I found out that this laptop even struggles with older titles. Consider the fact that it manages under 20 fps in Sid Meier's Civilization VI.
Now, no one looking at this computer is going to think "gaming laptop," but it’s just a good way to test how much power this laptop has. If you do photo editing, you’ll be fine as long as you’re not converting or editing batch files. If you want to do video editing, this is probably not the way to go.
And that’s a shame because the two 13.3-inch OLED screens look so good. Not only does it have color coverage of 191.2% sRGB and 135.4% DCI-P3 through testing (Lenovo actually rates it 100% DCI-P3), but it has an incredibly accurate screen with a Delta E < 0.27 (the closer to zero the better).
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
The screens also have a VESA-certified DisplayHDR True Black 500 rating, so the contrasts in shadows really pop out. Both screens are pretty bright at 400 nits. If you want superlatives, the two panels look gorgeous, with an eye-poppingly wide range of colors.
Surprisingly, the sound quality is pretty good for a laptop. No, it’s not going to compete with external speakers, but typically laptop speakers sound hollow and like they’re coming from a small, thin box (because they are). Here, the sound is actually fairly full, just missing some low end.
If you’re considering this laptop for work and do a lot of video conferencing, know that the webcam is pretty sharp, though not the smoothest with a 1440p resolution at 30Hz.
Lastly, like every laptop these days, you have some AI functionality such as Copilot built in. The AI elements that anyone will notice are more of a Windows thing, and is still somewhat half-baked, so don’t use that for too much consideration when looking at this laptop.
Performance: 4.5 / 5
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i: Battery life
Decent but not great battery life
Slight drop in battery life going from laptop mode to dual-screen
When one thinks of Ultrabooks these days, long battery life is usually a given. However, with the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, you can’t quite expect to get 13 or 14 hours of use on a single charge. And if you think about it, it’s not surprising given that it’s powering two screens. On top of that, in my (anecdotal) experience, OLED panels seem to require a little more juice.
Still, the seven and a half hours that it can reach up to in laptop mode is pretty decent when keeping that in mind. The battery life drops down to six hours and 45 minutes in two screen mode, which is surprisingly minimal. You need to remember, however, that the second screen is still on and in use in this mode, though it’s usually just showing the virtual keyboard instead of something more active or vibrant.
Battery life: 4 / 5
Should I buy the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i?
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Buy it if…
You want gorgeous screens
Two OLED screens are better than one, and the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i proves it. Plus, the extra screen real estate might be a game changer for certain people who need to have multiple tabs open at once.
You need extra screen real estate
You could get an external, portable monitor to pair with your laptop, but that’s cumbersome. With this laptop, you have two 13.3-inch screens that you can use in multiple modes.
You want something shiny
Let’s be honest, most of us want a device that looks good. If you’re willing to splurge, this laptop is an eye-catcher. No doubt, it will be for others if you pull this out at a cafe.
Don’t buy it if…
You don’t want to spend two grand
If you’re not willing to splurge or need to stretch your cash, this is not the laptop for you. A lot of what you’re paying for is the unique layout and two OLED panels.
You don’t want to deal with extra devices
While you can use the Yoga Book 9i in laptop mode, it really comes alive with all its accessories. However, if you want to travel light and not worry about keeping track of them all, get a more traditional means of computing conveyance.
Also Consider
If our Lenovo Yoga Book 9i review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...
ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED takes a slightly different approach to the whole two-screen thing. If you want a laptop without the need of carrying a mouse, keyboard, stylus, and stand, this might be the way to go. Unfortunately, it’s just as pricey.
If that second screen is a nice addition but not that important, the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) might be a better way to go. It has excellent performance with a long battery life, and is a great looking laptop that’s incredibly lightweight.
I used the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i for three weeks in a number of different ways. I broke it out it for work, including typing up this review (along with the requisite online research). I used it to stream video. I even did some light gaming, mainly running such as Poirot: The London Cases and Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst (which it basically couldn’t run). I used the different modes to see how the experience would change, played around with the HDR, and took the webcam for a whirl.
After spending time with the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, it’s clear that this is perfect for those who want extra screen real estate without dealing with an external, portable monitor or those who want something a little different, whether as a status symbol or just something that offers a different experience.
I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.
The Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer is a petite styler that performs surprisingly well considering its small size. In my hunt for the best hair dryer, I've yet to come across a compact styler that truly delivers full power and perfect performance, but the Dreame Pocket comes tantalizingly close.
Despite weighing just 10.5oz / 300g and measuring a tiny 1.97 x 5.71 x 7.91in / 5 x 14.5 x 20.1cm, it has all the power and versatility of a full-sized styler. Its high-speed motor operates at 110,000 RPM and generates a powerful airflow of 70 m/s, all while keeping noise levels below 80dB. It provides five modes to suit different hair types and needs, ranging from Cold, Warm and Hot to the Instant Cold Air cool shot, and Hot & Cold Cycling mode designed to reduce potential heat damage. It comes with two attachments: the Unfrizz nozzle for sleek, straight hair, and the Curling nozzle for creating curls or waves.
In my tests, it took 3 minutes and 45 seconds on average to rough dry my long, thin hair using the dryer's Warm mode, on Low speed. This dropped to just 2 minutes and 35 seconds on Warm mode at High speed. The drying time increased slightly to 4 minutes and 5 seconds, on average, when using the Cycling Mode on High speed but the improvement in hair quality was worth this small time sacrifice.
(Image credit: Future)
And all this is before we even get to the fact the Dreame Pocker dryer is foldable. This not only only means it can be easily stored inside its Dreame-branded storage bag ready for travelling, but it also allows you to adjust how the dryer is used. For example, when the dryer is in the "7" shape, it can be used on its own, or with the Unfrizz nozzle attached. You can then extend the barrel up into a "1" shape before attaching the Curling nozzle and turning the dryer into a curling wand. This hinged design additionally allows you to change the angle of the barrel mid-style, to help you dry hard-to-reach areas and bring a high-level of precision and control.
The dryer isn't perfect, though. The performance of the Curling nozzle lets it down, and the attachments themselves are so clunky that they detract from the effort that has been made to pack a whole load of power into such a compact shape. That doesn't mean the Dreame Pocket isn't a good investment. Whether you need a quick touch-up on the go, or a full styling session at home, this hair dryer delivers professional results in a compact package. Just don't expect miracles.
The $159.99 / €159 Dreame Pocket hair dryer is the latest launch in Dreame's growing hair care range, joining the $99 / €79 Dreame Gleam, and $129 / €129 Dreame Glory.
It's sold in the US as well as in a select number of countries in continental Europe from the Dreame website, and Amazon. The folding dryer is available in a Titanium Gold color and ships with two attachments – the Unfrizz Nozzle, and Curling Nozzle – as standard.
Its price and power puts the Pocket dryer in the mid-range bracket, sandwiched between the likes of the $129 T3 Featherweight and the $149.99 BaByliss Pro Portofino. Its folding design and compact, lightweight shape also position it in the travel dryer category, where its rivals include the $139 Drybar Baby Buttercup and the $199 GHD Flight+, while the attachments even draw comparisons with the Shark FlexStyle and even the Dyson Airwrap.
As a result, the Dreame Pocket stands largely in a category of its own and this enhances its value for money and versatility. It's not cheap but these features go a long way towards justifying its price tag.
Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5
Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer specs
Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer review: design
3-in-1 folding design
5 modes and 2 airflow speeds
Curling and Unfrizz attachments
Comes with storage bag
The first thing I noticed about the Dreame Pocket hair dryer, other than just how light and compact it is at 10oz / 300g, was its folding design. Other foldable dryers tend to mask or disguise the folding mechanism. Dreame instead makes a feature of it by not only designing the hinge in chrome, while the rest of the dryer is a brushed gold color, but also in showing almost the full hinge itself.
(Image credit: Future)
The mechanism is incredibly smooth and the barrel locks securely into place, whether you're using it as a standard dryer, in the so-called "7" shape; extending the barrel upwards into a "1" shape with the Curling nozzle attached; or when you're folding it in half, into an "N" shape, ready to pack into a bag. The Pocket dryer measures 1.97 × 5.71 × 7.91in / 5 × 14 × 20.1cm.
(Image credit: Future)
On the rear of the cylindrical barrel is a curved filter, and there are just two controls on the dryer's handle – the Airflow switch, and a Mode selection button. This buttons are used to control Pocket's two airflow speeds, Low and High, and its five temperature modes:
Cold
Warm
Hot
Instant Cold Air Mode
Hot & Cold Cycling Mode
The Cold, Warm and Hot modes are relatively self-explanatory. The Instant Cold Air mode is effectively a Cool Shot that allows you to blast your hair with cold air instantly, without having to re-cycle through the modes to reach the dedicated Cold setting. As the name suggests, the Hot and Cold Cycling Mode then cycles between hot and cold air as you style your hair, in a bid to reduce potential heat damage. I first used this feature on the BaByliss Air Wand and while it increases the styling time slightly, it makes a noticeable difference to the finish and feel of your hair.
(Image credit: Future)
It's easy to see at a glance which mode you're using on the Dreame Pocket, thanks to color-coded LEDs on the Mode selection button. A solid blue light represents Cold mode. Press the button again and you'll see a solid orange light which represents Warm mode. A solid red light represents Hot mode, and the lights will repeatedly flash between red and blue on the Cycling Mode. To enable the Instant Cold Air mode, just press and hold the button until the light turns blue. Note that once you stop pressing and holding the button, the dryer will return to whichever mode was previously selected.
The hair dryer comes with two attachments, designed to create and set a range of straight, wavy and curly styles, and which both lock in to place on the Pocket's barrel using magnets. The Curling Nozzle looks almost identical to the curling wand attachment on the Shark FlexStyle, and it uses the same coanda effect found on both the FlexStyle and Dyson Airwrap to pull the hair and wrap it around the barrel. This dries the hair and sets it into a curl or wave, depending on how tight you wrap the hair, and how long you hold it in place.
(Image credit: Future)
Dreame's Unfrizz Nozzle reminds me of the Flyaway attachment found on the Dyson Supersonic. It uses the Coanda effect to draw the hair towards the attachment, before using the so-called Bernoulli effect to reduce frizz and flyaways. The Bernoulli effect means that the faster the air, the lower the pressure. When used on the Pocket dryer, this effect helps calm flyaway hairs, causing them to lie flat.
Both attachments are large compared to the compact dryer, and look almost out of place when attached. The Curling nozzle alone is the same height as the entire dryer and this detracts slightly from the travel-friendly nature of the whole setup. To put this into perspective, the dryer ships with a small Dreame-branded, waterproof storage bag which is only just big enough to store the dryer and its 5ft / 1.5m cord. You need to do some clever packing in order to get the zip to do up with the attachments inside, and even then, it's tight.
To truly appeal to all hair types, I would have liked to see the Dreame Pocket ship with a diffuser, but this is a minor point. Also, the Pocket is not dual voltage, unlike the GHD Flight+, which may limit its usability in regions with different electrical standards.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer review: performance
1000-watt motor
High-speed motor operates at 110,000RPM
79dB average noise
There is very often a trade-off in power and performance when you buy a travel hair dryer, or even a compact dryer for that fact. This is not the case with the Dreame Pocket. I was amazed – and I don't use that word lightly – with how well this dryer performed on my longer, fine hair.
The airflow speed, even on Low, does a fantastic job of drying the hair quickly without blasting it into submission. Despite the small barrel and grille, the hair dryer manages to cover a large amount of hair as it dries, and being able to grip the handle completely provides a high level of precision and control, as does the fact you can subtly alter the angle of the barrel to direct the airflow. I had worried that the location of the buttons would cause me to knock them mid-style by accident, but this wasn't the case. They're perfectly positioned to be able to apply enough pressure to change the mode, without ever getting in the way.
(Image credit: Future)
In my tests, it took 3 minutes and 45 seconds on average to rough dry my hair using the Warm mode, on Low speed. This dropped to just 2 minutes and 35 seconds on Warm mode at High speed. The drying time increased slightly to 4 minutes and 5 seconds, on average, when using the Cycling Mode on High speed.
I experimented with all of the various combinations of airflow speeds versus modes and the best results I achieved were using the Pocket Dryer on Cycling mode at High speed. The smooth and sleek finish it creates is worth the slightly longer drying times, plus after four weeks of use, my hair felt and looked healthier. Adding the Unfrizz nozzle to the mix then further enhanced just how smooth and healthy my hair looked. This nozzle takes a little getting used to as you run it along the shaft of the hair but it makes a noticeable difference. It also helps bring second-day and even bed-hair under control.
(Image credit: Future)
I had less success with the Curling nozzle, however. I've never rated the Airwrap all that highly because I find its curling wands to be poor, and I had the same issue with the Pocket dryer. To get the best results, your hair can't be too dry or too wet and getting this balance right is an art in itself. The Pocket's Curling nozzle does a better job, in my opinion, of pulling the hair into place than the Dyson, but it's still too unwieldy and temperamental for my liking. I get much quicker, better, long-lasting results with my curling tong. I also found the weight distribution to be a little unbalanced when using the Pocket in the "1" shape and this added to my frustrations. This is a major flaw in an otherwise fantastic dryer.
(Image credit: Future)
On the plus side, the magnets do a great job of keeping the attachments locked in place when you need them to, while allowing you to swap the nozzles in and out easily and safely while styling. And the final positive feature of note on the Pocket dryer is how quiet it is. There is little difference, noise-wise, between the Low and High speed settings with both averaging just 79dB during my review period. It is easy to have a conversation, or hear your music or TV while using this dryer.
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
Should you buy the Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if….
How I tested the Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer
I used the Dreame Pocket as my go-to styler over the course of four weeks at home and during a weekend trip away. I used it most mornings as a replacement for my usual hair dryer – the Revlon One Step – to dry and style my long, thin hair. For travel testing, I packed the dryer in its storage bag and included it in my carry-on luggage for a weekend trip.
To thoroughly test the dryer, I experimented with the full range of speed and temperature combinations, and nozzles. I paid close attention to the dryer’s features, how fast and effectively each of the modes and attachments worked, and how easy it was to use. I measured the decibel levels of the dryer on Low and High speeds throughout the testing period to achieve an average noise score.
GeForce Now (GFN) is a monster cloud game streaming service. With three distinct payment tiers – each providing access to gaming rigs of differing power levels and over 1,800 top games to play through them – it's one of the most comprehensive cloud gaming services around. It's not without its downfalls, and it may be better suited to a specific kind of gamer, but there's a lot to like about GeForce Now. Not least the ability to play games in all their Ray Traced glory on an RTX 4080 equivalent rig, from wherever you have good internet access.
One big draw for GFN users is the option of a free tier, and even a reasonably priced day pass should the mood strike you on your day off. In fact, there's a great deal of choice for GFN users depending on what you're willing to spend. Spend nothing and there's going to be a couple of big caveats. For one thing, Nvidia reserves the right to sell free tier users' data (including your IP address) to its partners. Aside from that little nugget, GeForce Now's free tier offers only one-hour-long sessions with ads between them, which means depending on the game you're playing and the server popularity, you could be waiting in a queue for a while each time you're booted to the lobby.
Still, as long as you can find a machine that meets the low-as-anything system requirements (and you can see the text) you're good to go either in a browser or with the GeForce Now app. I've been playing Doom: Eternal and Dishonored 2 on my Samsung Galaxy A15 from home, which while a little awkward with the small UI, is super convenient. The bottom line here is, yeah, GFN is portable as heck.
Of course, your experience on any tier is going to depend on how stable your internet connection is. And while most normal coffee shops might pose an issue, you'll be hard-pressed to find an internet cafe today that doesn't provide the minimum 25Mbps needed for 1080p gaming at 60fps. Gaming on IOS or Android is even easier provided you play games with a resizable UI, since dropping to 720p requires just 15Mbps internet speeds. That said, I would recommend using an Ethernet cable whatever device you're using, especially if you're going to attempt any kind of competitive gaming, because you just don't know when the Wi-Fi will drop out.
Working with 70Mbps for most of my time playing over Wi-Fi, I did see a bit of a packet loss spike when my partner started downloading movies. Otherwise, I had no major issues playing in 4K at 120fps without an Ethernet cable.
That was with the Ultimate Tier, which gives exclusive access to Nvidia's RTX 4080 servers. And while the top tier of GeForce now is a little more expensive than its main contender Amazon Luna, Nvidia has done the honorable thing in keeping the Ultimate tier down at the same price as it would have been to play with an RTX 3080. And as far as hardware goes, Amazon can't contend with GeForce Now. Its Tesla T4 GPU servers sit closer to the RTX 2080 Super in terms of real-world performance, which means missing out on a whole two generations of gaming advancement.
GeForce now remains one of the most convenient, reliable, and straightforward game streaming services considering the reasonable system and internet speed requirements, and simple, fairly priced payment tiers. 4K streaming at 120fps is the cherry on the cake.
(Image credit: Nvidia)
Nvidia GeForce Now: Price and availability
Free Tier isn't actually that bad
$9.99 / £9.99 per month for Priority, or Ultimate tier for $19.99 / £19.99
Day passes are a little expensive
GeForce Now is the same price across the board for US and UK users and is available in loads of other countries across the globe with differing tier options. For the UK and US, you can choose from Free, Priority, and Ultimate tiers which are limited to one-, 6-, or 8-hour sessions, respectively, with increasing server priority and hardware specs at the higher end.
Nvidia's choice to opt for a straight-up three-tier subscription means there's no confusion over what you're paying for. You can't add extra bundled channels for Ubisoft, Retro, or Family games like Amazon Luna allows, but it's simple and easy to understand. The ability to purchase each game individually on your platform of choice through GFN means you won't lose access to your games, too.
As long as you already have bursting Epic, Xbox, Ubisoft, and Steam libraries, and no high-powered gaming rig to play them, GeForce Now Ultimate is well worth the fee. That's especially true considering it's the same price as the RTX 3080 tier was previously. If you already have a middling gaming rig and don't go out much, it's probably not worth the price of a subscription just to add a few fps and some RTX capabilities to your games.
The fact you can jump in and try out GeForce Now for free is a great option, though, if you've already spent your cash on a new game.
There's also the option of both Priority and Ultimate day passes – 24 hours of gaming for £3.99/£3.99 or £7.99/$7.99. Compared to the monthly price, these are a little pricey for just 24 hours of game time.
Nvidia GeForce Now: Specs
(Image credit: Nvidia)
Nvidia GeForce Now: Features and interface
Clunky UI with a controller
Easy to drop in and out of games that would eat up storage
Server timeout means queuing & reloading mods
No matter your platform, the Amazon Luna interface is simple and easy to navigate. It shares a lot in common with video streaming services, as each game is presented through a panel where you can then view a trailer or further details. When you’ve found a game that you want to try, you simply hit the prominent “Play now” button and wait a few moments for it to begin. Some titles take a little longer than others to start, but I found that I could get into most games in under twenty seconds which is an impressive result.
When you’re in-game, you can hit a shortcut to open a basic overlay that displays the option to quit or begin live streaming via Twitch. In addition to capturing your gameplay, the Twitch streaming option supports external microphones and webcams giving you everything that you need to capture your reactions. Multiplayer games also allow you to start a Luna Couch session. This gives you a short code that you can share with your friends, allowing them to quickly jump into your game without the need for their own subscription. It’s a fantastic feature and one that I found worked surprisingly well, even while playing with friends with less reliable internet connections.
Games can be played using touch-screen controls, a compatible controller such as an Xbox Wireless Controller, or a keyboard and mouse if you’re on PC. You also have the option to use your phone as a wireless controller via the Luna Controller app in a pinch, though the lack of physical inputs and cumbersome layout make this a little more trouble than it's worth.
If you're struggling to find games to play, the Luna home screen lets you sort games by a variety of criteria, including different genres and age ratings. You can save your favorites to the ‘Playlist’ tab, making for a simple way to keep track of any longer games that you might want to dip in and out of.
(Image credit: Nvidia)
Nvidia GeForce Now: Game library
Heaps of online multiplayer games
Not so many retro games
Mod lovers beware the free tier
For GeForce Now players, there are more than 1,800 games to choose from at the time of writing. Sure, there are going to be a few games in your library that aren't supported, but your average gamer will find most of their favorites up there. In particular, there are a lot of competitive online games compared to other streaming services.
Against Xbox Game Pass, the number of games available is tenfold for GFN players, and while GeForce Now doesn't give access to as many retro games or versatile bundle options as something like Amazon Luna, it lets you make the most of the hardware it offers through a vast and relevant library.
There are even a good deal of strategy games for those who, like me, aren't big into role-playing games (RPGs) and online battle royale games, though you'll likely want to avoid getting the free tier if you rely on lots of mods. You'll need to redownload your mod library every session, so the fact-free tier is limited to an hour could see you downloading your game's entire mod library once per hour. It makes the free tier far less appealing for us sandboxers.
Should I use GeForce Now?
Use it if…
You want access to a high-spec rig for less GeForce Now is a brilliant budget alternative if you can't afford the upfront cost to build your own RTX 4080-powered gaming PC.
Don’t use it if…
You play games with heaps of mods Timeout and you'll have to spend a while reinstalling your mods list onto the virtual machine. This happens each time your session restarts and it can be painful if you're in it for the convenience. Vanilla gamers won't have to worry.
Also consider...
Still not sure that you're desperate for 4K gaming at 120fps? Here’s how GeForce Now compares to two other cloud game streaming services.
Amazon Luna Amazon Luna is one of the best alternatives if you're not big on current, competitive multiplayer titles. There's more retro games to pick from, and more package options so you can customise your experience. It doesn't allow for 4K gaming, however, and is available in far fewer countries.
Xbox Cloud Gaming While the Xbox Cloud Gaming library is nowhere near as vast, there are loads of great deals for members. EA Play membership is included with the Ultimate version and it's a little cheaper for us UK folks at the high end. Although it doesn't come with 4K 120fps capability it's also one to consider for those switching between PC and Xbox a lot.
Played a few hours a day of Baldur's Gate 3, Hellblade, and Ark Survival: Evolved over 186 Mbps Ethernet on a low-spec laptop
Went wireless with the Nvidia Shield and laptop to check the stability over 70Mb/s 5GHz Wi-Fi
Tested packet loss while downloading movies
Taking GeForce Now out and about to places with different internet speeds was important to get a sense of its portability and reliability when lots of strangers were also there flicking through TikTok. I also tested it around the house on a few different devices, from the Nvidia Shield to a low-spec laptop with no dedicated graphics card, and even my Samsung Galaxy A15.
I made sure to check how downloading large files over the same Wi-Fi router would affect it, and whether it was stable when moving around the house, checking my internet speeds in each room over 5GHz Wi-Fi. I also tested over Ethernet connection on both my crap work laptop and my own RTX 3060 PC to see if it was worth adding the Ultimate tier to improve visuals.
The idea of taking the crucial business of digital-to-analogue conversion duties away from your smartphone (which has plenty of other stuff to be getting on with) and doing it properly using a dedicated USB dongle is not a new one – our guide to the best portable and desktop DACs is proof. And the idea of making the price of this USB dongle as aggressive as possible is not especially new, either. But Chinese specialist Hidizs thinks that with the S8 Pro Robin, it has perfected the balance between ‘price’ and ‘performance’.
Certainly this little device looks more expensive than it is, both on paper and in the palm. Specification that includes a balanced architecture DAC arrangement from Cirrus Logic, proper hi-res audio 32bit/384kHz and DSD256 compatibility, and balanced and unbalanced outputs all bode well, as do low weight, tidy dimensions and build quality that makes good use of glass and aluminium.
And up to a point, the Hidizs S8 Pro Robin makes good on its promises. The sound it delivers via a pair of Sennheiser IE900 IEMs when compared to that handed over by an Android smartphone and an Apple laptop is altogether bigger, more detailed, better organised and more dynamic. Where all of these things are concerned, it’s an unarguable step forward.
It doesn’t take long to reveal one or two shortcomings, though. The S8 Pro Robin is no fan of the sort of squashed MP3 files that are Spotify’s stock in trade – it makes the compression they have undergone obvious, and compared to the work it does when given something of 16bit/44.1kHz resolution or above to deal with, they sound rather flat and undemonstrative.
And no matter the quality of the digital audio file you ask the Hidizs to deal with, it renders the top of the frequency range thin and hard. Treble sounds are edgy and splashy, and only get edgier and splashier the louder you listen. This skewing of the frequency range makes the S8 Pro Robin sound rather lopsided, and its top-end characteristics are tiring.
(Image credit: Future)
Hidizs S8 Pro Robin review: Price and release date
Released in May 2024
Priced $79 / £59 / AU$119
The Hidizs S8 Pro Robin USB DAC/headphone amp is available now, having hit shelves (in most regions, at least) in May 2024, and in the United Kingdom it sells for £59. In the United States it goes for $79, while in Australia it costs AU$119.
This is not a lot of money for a USB DAC/headphone amp, it hardly needs saying – our favourites from the likes of Astell & Kern and Helm Audio cost well into three figures. But then again, a bargain is only a bargain if it’s fit for purpose…
Hidizs S8 Pro Robin review: Features
32bit Cirrus Logic DACs
3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs
Supports up to 32bit/384kHz and DSD256 resolutions
Yes, the S8 Pro Robin is small and affordable. But that hasn’t prevented Hidizs from including quite a number of highlights where features are concerned.
For example, the S8 Pro Robin is compatible with pretty much any operating system – attach it to a source of music using the USB-C slot on the bottom and it can play nicely with Windows, every Apple OS, Android and Harmony. And at the opposite end of its little chassis there are both 3.5mm and 4.4mm output sockets - so headphones with balanced or unbalanced terminations can be connected.
It’s in between, though, that the real action is. The Hidizs uses balanced DAC architecture via a couple of 32bit Cirrus Logic CS43131 chipsets, and this allows it to support PCM up to 32bit/384kHz resolution and DSD256. Which means it has its Hi-Res Audio certification and the badge to prove it.
Six digital filters offer a small degree of input into the eventual sound of the S8 Pro Robin – these can be accessed by simultaneously pressing the ‘volume up’ and ‘volume down’ buttons on the side of the chassis. The indicator light on the glass front panel briefly flashes in one of six different colours to let you know which particular filter you’ve selected, before it reverts to a colour that indicates the type and size of digital audio file you’re listening to.
Features score: 5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Hidizs S8 Pro Robin review: Design
Aluminium frame
58 x 23 x 11mm (HxWxD)
17g
Hidizs has done the sensible thing, and made the S8 Pro Robin as small and light as realistically possible. At just 17g you won’t even notice it in your pocket, and at 58 x 23 x 11mm (HxWxD) it’s about as unobtrusive as these things ever get.
It’s nicely built and finished, too. The frame is aluminium, and the front and back panels are of glass - it’s quite a tactile little thing. On the front there’s an illuminated company logo, and on one side three little control buttons. The bigger button in the centre is ‘play/pause’, and it has a volume control on either side. Press both ‘volume up’ and ‘volume down’ together and you can cycle through your filter options.
Design score: 5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Hidizs S8 Pro Robin review: Sound quality
Enough power to drive even quite tricky headphones
Open and detailed presentation
Insubstantial top end can get tiring
The most important job the S8 Pro Robin has to do is make your headphones (and we truly hope you've chosen something from our best wired earbuds or best wired headphones buying guides here) sound better than when they’re plugged directly into your laptop or smartphone – and it can most certainly do this. Plugged into an Apple MacBook Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra at one end and a pair of Sennheiser IE600 at the other, the difference the Hidizs can make to your experience is significant.
A 16bit/44.1kHz FLAC file of Mary Lattimore’s We Wave From Our Boats sounds fuller, more open and quite a lot more detailed in every department. There’s greater heft to low frequencies, a more spacious rendering of the midrange and a whole lot more bite and attack at the top of the frequency range (which, as I’ll get to, is not an entirely positive trait). Dynamic headroom is improved, soundstaging is more convincing, and there’s greater positivity to the way rhythms are expressed.
Move upwards in resolution from there and all of these positives continue to apply. Go in the other direction, though, with a listen to a 320kbps MP3 file of Idles’ Never Fight a Man with a Perm and the S8 Pro Robin can’t hide its dissatisfaction. Its dynamic response is underwhelming, and the overall presentation is, when compared to what it’s capable of with bigger files, flat and undemonstrative. To say that it doesn’t sound like much of an improvement on the unassisted sound of the source players tells you all you need to know.
Still, it’s simple enough to avoid this just by avoiding listening to horribly compressed content from Spotify’s free tier. What’s impossible to avoid is the hard, unyielding nature of the Hidizs’ high-frequency reproduction. The character of the treble sound is at odds with the rest of the frequency range, and the thin, insubstantial top end is tiring and ultimately not especially pleasant to listen to. And don’t, whatever you do, turn the volume up too far – the relentless nature of the high-end reproduction here is just compounded by loudness.
And it’s also worth noting that this top-end unpleasantness is exacerbated by the majority of the filter options that are available here. In fact, there’s only one filter (called ‘deem phasis filter’ on the Hidizs website – I suspect it’s actually a de-emphasis filter, and its corresponding colour on the fascia is blue) that gets anywhere close to calming the DAC’s treble response – and consequently that’s the one I selected when conducting this test.
Sound quality score: 3 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Hidizs S8 Pro Robin review: Value
In some ways, the Hidizs S8 Pro Robin represents unarguable value. For not very much money at all, it can turn your smartphone or laptop into a much more viable source of music, and as such is a gift for your wireless headphones.
Sonically, though, it’s not quite the finished article – and anyone who’s especially sensitive to high-frequency sound is unlikely to enjoy the way it goes about things. All of which means it probably only offers middling value for money.
Value score: 3 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should you buy Hidizs S8 Pro Robin?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Hidizs S8 Pro Robin review: Also consider
How I tested the Hidizs S8 Pro Robin
With an Apple laptop and a Samsung smartphone
With content from Spotify and Tidal
Connected to Sennheiser IE600 headphones via the balanced output
As a process, there’s really not much to describe here. For the best part of a week I listened to the S8 Pro Robin while it was connected to either an Apple MacBook Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra using the USB-C input – Sennheiser IE600 wired in-ear headphones were connected to the 4.4mm balanced output. And then I listened to a variety of music, of a variety of genre and a variety of file types and sizes, from the Spotify and Tidal apps loaded on to both devices.
EZVIZ’s EP3x Pro Doorbell is a smart device that allows you to view and respond to those knocking at your front door at any time. This doorbell has two cameras - one at a 2K resolution to see the person at the door, and another at 1080P that’s angled to display any parcels on your doorstep. The video from these cameras is super clear, especially at night. The doorbell also emits a bright light when it’s dark, providing a colorful night vision video, allowing you to see who was at your front door while you were fast asleep.
Granted, the EP3x Pro looks like a bigger, chunkier cousin of the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, but when you start looking at what EZVIZ’s doorbell offers, you can forgive the bigger size. First off, it’s battery powered, which lasted around four weeks during our tests. You can recharge the doorbell via a USB-C port, but it also comes with a solar charger that you can place beside it to keep it charged. This also means that you can place the doorbell anywhere you want, without having to worry about connecting it to a power cable.
The built-in 32GB storage is another standout feature, allowing the doorbell to record video straight away without a subscription. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to many of the best video doorbells, which often lock cloud services and exclusive features such as recording behind a paywall. It's a welcome approach, especially for users who may be buying a smart doorbell for the first time.
The EZVIZ app guides you through the process of installing the doorbell, and we had it running within minutes (Image credit: Future)
Throughout our time with the EP3x Pro, we used the EZVIZ app, available on both Apple’s App Store and Google's Play Store. The app was required for setting up the smart doorbell, which was a seamless affair. We had it up and running within minutes. The app provides a guided tour of its features, as well as how to maintain the doorbell with software updates and manage the video and audio settings.
One feature worth mentioning is the record list, which lets you play back video clips showing anyone who knocked at your door over the last 30 days. This can be very handy if you need to check on a missed delivery.
The EP3x Pro has two cameras, one of which is angled down to record packages left by your door (Image credit: Future)
EZVIZ EP3x Pro: price and availability
List price: $149.99 / £129.99 (about AU$220)
You can buy EZVIZ’s EP3x Pro Doorbell from Amazon, or direct from EZVIZ. It’s a great price for what this doorbell offers: dual cameras, night vision, great battery life, 32GB internal storage, and the ability to save video clips without a subscription.
The EP3x Pro is a particularly good option if you’re looking for a video doorbell that doesn’t need to be connected to the mains in order to work. Its price tag of $149.99 / £129.99 (about AU$220) and lack of membership fee mean it's also one of the more affordable battery-operated options around.
Value score: 5/5
EZVIZ EP3x Pro: specs
The doorbell can be charged using its USB-C port (Image credit: Future)
EZVIZ EP3x Pro review: design
Dual-lens cameras to get a good view of the person and the package
Battery can be recharged via USB-C or solar charger
Very easy to install
The EZVIZ’s EP3x Pro has a minimalist design that reflects its main purpose: to show you who’s knocking on your door, and let you see packages on your porch.
The dual-lens cameras are very useful when you’re away from home to see who’s visited with a delivery, no matter if it was during the day or the night. Thanks to the EP3x Pro's bright light, visibility was never an issue during my tests.
I also appreciated the solar power attachment, which saves you the hassle of having to charge the EP3x Pro when it’s low on power. Some people may think it's an ugly thing to have beside their front door, but it’s a very useful one.
Installing the EP3x Pro is very straightforward, thanks to the supplied adhesive and mount. Combine that with the very handy dual-lens cameras and you’ve got a smart doorbell that will be a fixture outside any home for years to come.
Design score: 4.5/5
EZVIZ EP3x Pro review: performance
Setting up the EP3x Pro is easy enough, from charging the doorbell via USB-C to mounting it near your front door. The EZVIZ app gives you a helpful step-by-step guide to what the doorbell is capable of, with annotated pictures that describe every button and function in detail to prevent you from pressing the wrong setting.
You can use the EZVIZ app to see up to six months of video clips, thanks to the 32GB of storage that’s built into the EP3x Pro. It’s a welcome addition, as many smart doorbells usually require you to buy a microSD card as well as a monthly subscription to use similar features.
The EZVIZ app sends you notifications when the doorbell detects motion, and allows you to review videos captured by its two cameras (Image credit: Future)
When the doorbell detects motion, it will send a notification to your phone that you can tap to open the app and play any video that the EP3x Pro has captured. It’s a useful feature, and we were able to respond to visitors in real time. However, notifications were sometimes delayed, meaning that we missed someone who had pressed the doorbell. We experienced this when connected to a public Wi-Fi network or 5G, so we suspect this is a bug that EZVIZ should look into.
The built-in battery with the supplied solar attachment is a standout feature. Unlike many other doorbells, which have to be connected to the mains, you can have the EP3x Pro run on solar power without having to worry about it, especially if there are power cuts.
Overall, the EP3x Pro is a fantastic smart doorbell that doesn't require a monthly subscription. Once you’ve bought it, you can take advantage of everything it offers. From that alone, it’s a smart doorbell that’s worth considering.
Performance score: 4.5/5
The EZVIZ EP3x Pro has a clean, minimalist design (Image credit: Future)
Do you think EZVIZ's EP3x Pro isn't for you? Try out one of these alternatives instead...
EZVIZ’s EP3x Pro review: How I tested
I tested the EZVIZ’s EP3x Pro for several weeks, using the EZVIZ app on my iPhone 15 Pro Max on Wi-Fi and cellular connections
I attached the EZVIZ’s EP3x Pro beside my front door with the supplied adhesive. I enabled ‘Intelligent Detection’ to allow the doorbell to spot anyone outside my apartment, so it could send me a notification to my phone if it did.
I used the EZVIZ app to view the video feed on a Wi-Fi, public Wi-Fi, and 5G Cellular connection through my iPhone 15 Pro Max in order to test the quality of the feed. I also tried out the audio when family knocked on to see how clear my wife, son, and I sounded across the different internet connections.
Video was captured thanks to the 32GB built-in storage of the EP3x Pro Doorbell, which was Replayed on my iPhone and Apple TV to see how well it looked.
The Morel Biggie is the smaller sibling of Morel’s Högtalare (Swedish for speaker) – and is ironically named, given its compact size. But don’t let that fool you, because sonically it packs a punch.
It oozes class thanks to its superb engineering, evident from the perfectly planned surfaces on every side. It’s hard to imagine it looking out of place in any home, especially given the myriad colorways available. But home is where you’ll want to keep the Biggie, because even though Morel describes it as a portable speaker, it’s still too big and heavy to be carried around easily.
True to form, the Biggie’s feature set is similarly spartan, even for a Bluetooth-only speaker. One for our best Bluetooth speakers buying guide? Well, there’s no app to control or alter its settings, which is a pretty big omission and one the bulk of the competition (even at much lower price-points) does offer in 2024. There are five buttons for operation, but the only additional interface feature is the battery level indicator. And this is poorly implemented, requiring you to hold both volume buttons to reveal the level via the LEDs of all five buttons, which is far from precise.
As for audio features, the biggie (sorry) is Auracast compatibility, which allows you to join Auracast audio streams, designed for broadcasting to an unlimited number of playback devices. You can also use two Biggies in unison for stereo playback, although I was unable to test this feature as I was only given one unit to review.
The Biggie makes a strong impression on first listen, bellowing out the bass notes and creating a sense of space that rivals some of the best Bluetooth speakers out there. Mids and highs are mostly clear and detailed, but there are too many occasions when that low-end dominates the sonic space, masking the subtleties of other frequencies.
Morel’s dynamic EQ also fails to achieve its goal of optimizing the listening experience depending on volume, and the lack of hi-res codec support means there’s no way to improve the audio further.
Battery life is also average, and during my tests it failed to live up to its claimed 20 hours, ending up closer to 16. Fast charging is available, though, which means going from empty to full takes just two hours and only 20 minutes to get four hours of playback.
As for price, the Biggie is undeniably costly, and it seems most of your money is going towards the superlative build quality. The lack of features could be forgiven if the sound was truly exceptional, but it fails to deliver on that front too.
If it’s features you’re after, Sonos’s range of speakers, including the Sonos Roam 2 and Sonos Era 100, offer a ton of options and customizations plus wi-fi support, and cost less than the Biggie. If you want a standout sonic performer, the Audio Pro C20 is one of the best in that department.
(Image credit: Future)
Morel Biggie review: Price & release date
$299 / £299 / $AU499
Multiple colorways
Available worldwide
The Morel Biggie is available now for $299 / £299 / $AU499. It comes in several colorways, ranging from monotones and oak to shades of blue, green, and red. The faux leather strap is either black or brown, depending on the colorway.
It sits towards the higher end of the market, making it more expensive than the Sonos Era 100, our current pick as the best wireless speaker. It is considerably cheaper than the Era 300, though, which is slightly bigger than the Biggie, and features Dolby Atmos support plus multi-room audio using your home wi-fi network, among other technologies.
There are also cheaper alternatives that offer better portability, such as the Sonos Roam 2, our number one pick overall for Bluetooth speakers, and the B&O Beosound A1 Gen 2, which we think is the best for sound quality.
Morel Biggie review: specs
(Image credit: Future)
Morel Biggie review: Features
Bluetooth and 3.5mm AUX playback
Stereo playback possible
No app
In terms of functionality, the Biggie is about as simple as wireless speakers get. There are only five buttons on the Biggie: one for power, two for volume, one for pairing, and one for switching between wired or wireless connections. On the back is a single USB-C port for charging the speaker, which can also be used for charging a phone (although this didn’t work with my Google Pixel 7a). The port doesn’t allow for wired playback, though – there’s a 3.5mm AUX input for that.
There’s also very little in the way of audio enhancements, with no support for Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio, and hi-res codecs like aptX. It is Auracast compatible, which lets you join audio broadcasts that can potentially reach an unlimited number of playback devices. You can use two units together in stereo, but as I only had one test unit, I couldn’t try this out.
There’s only one way to use the Biggie wirelessly and that’s via Bluetooth. While it paired instantly with a FiiO M11S music player, it struggled to connect to my Pixel 7a. It remained stuck in pairing on the first attempt, and on the second it paired but failed to establish a connection, with the Biggie’s pairing button flashing interminably. After pressing the mode select button twice it connected successfully. Of course, minor glitches like this can occur when pairing devices, but I’ve never had an issue pairing the latest audio devices with my phone before, and it’s a blemish on a speaker of this price.
To check the battery level, you have to hold both volume buttons for two seconds. The lights of all five buttons indicate the battery's remaining charge, making for an imprecise measurement – and since there’s no app, it’s the only option. Again, it’s an oversight on a modern-day premium wireless speaker to have no mobile app of any kind.
(Image credit: Future)
There are other issues with the battery indicator too. When I tried checking the level on a full charge, all five buttons flashed very quickly and faintly, which seemed like a glitch of some kind. Also, when holding the two volume buttons together they’re obscured, so when the battery is between 21-40% or 10-20% – which is when only the volume buttons will light – you can’t see the readout until you’ve taken your fingers away. Suffice to say, it’s not the most elegant solution – ironic given it’s designed to preserve the Biggie’s minimalist design.
Morel claims the battery will last up to 20 hours, which is reasonable for a wireless speaker. Things didn’t get off to a good start during my tests, though: after only one hour of continuous playback, it dropped to four lights, indicating a level of between 61-80% (I believe it was closer to the latter figure).
However, for the next five and a half hours of playback, it remained at this level before dropping to about 60%, so thankfully the battery’s rate of depletion didn’t follow its initial trajectory. Extrapolating beyond this figure, though, the Biggie still falls short of its purported lifespan: realistically, it’s closer to 16 hours.
Features score: 2/5
(Image credit: Future)
Morel Biggie review: Sound quality
Full and rich sound
Excessive boom
No hi-res codec support
Given the compact size of the Biggie, the bass sounds are surprisingly full and powerful, with plenty of punch. Highs are crisp and mids are clear for the most part. What’s most impressive is the sense of space the Biggie imparts, doing an admirable job of rendering the kind of experience you’d expect from a much larger speaker.
However, the Biggie is all too prone to excessive amounts of boom, even with the volume low; the so-called dynamic EQ fails to keep the sound in check at all levels as is claimed, and it’s unable to rein in mild distortion at higher levels. The speaker is definitely best experienced at a distance, but even then, that boominess all too often masks the finer details, especially in classical and other string-heavy music.
It’s also a shame that a speaker aiming for the premium end of the market only supports lossy SBC and ACC codecs, losing out on the higher fidelity offered by LDAC, aptX (which the larger Högtalare supports), and others. Using a wired connection via the 3.5mm AUX input doesn’t improve matters either, sounding near-identical to its wireless counterpart.
The volume controls don’t offer enough increments, with the lowest possible setting still too loud and boomy for more discreet listening. They also frequently clash with the volume controls on playback devices, with one overriding the other. A dedicated app could’ve kept volume levels consistent between speaker and source. It could’ve also offered an adjustable EQ for those who like to dial in their preferred settings.
Sound quality score: 3/5
Morel Biggie review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Brilliant build quality
Ultra-minimalist
Weight compromises portability
It’s clear the Biggie is going for the sleek, ultra-minimalist look, with a hint of tradition courtesy of the large faux leather handle – which, together with the strap locks, serves to imitate a pair of headphones, a design choice I have to believe was intentional.
The overall engineering of the Biggie is impeccable, even down to the included USB-C cable. Every edge and fixture is solid and seamless, although the fitting of the back panel in my test model wasn’t quite perfect. Still, it was more than acceptable and barely a cause for complaint.
Every side of the Biggie is completely flat, making it easy to fit anywhere in your home. The four rubber feet are thick and sturdy, keeping the Biggie firmly planted. However, despite Morel claiming it to be a portable speaker, it’s too cumbersome and heavy to take on your travels. Really, this is an indoor speaker meant to be kept in place.
The aforementioned strap can be removed if you want to streamline the Biggie even more, simply by unscrewing the side clamps. There’s an optional wall mount available from Morel, should you wish to declutter your space even more.
The magnetic cloth grill is incredibly slick and, again, feels engineered to the highest standards. A small yet sturdy leather tab can be used to pull the panel off, although it's a little surplus to requirements, more of a style accessory than anything else. The fit and finish of the panel are faultless, and it's an incredibly elegant solution to masking the buttons that sit behind, invisible until the LEDs shine through once powered on.
But despite the quality of the grill, I do worry that the thin cloth will degrade after repeated button presses through it. After only a few days with the Biggie, I began to notice a crease running up the cloth from repeated compressions against the large button panel.
Another issue is that you can’t see the power button when it’s off. Muscle memory will take hold quite quickly, but it’s still a quirky design choice to hide it from view completely and illustrates just how committed Morel is to the Biggie’s minimal aesthetic.
True to the rest of the speaker, the Biggie’s buttons are solid yet light to the touch, with a pleasing clack to the presses. Their fit isn’t quite as perfect as other aspects of the Biggie’s overall construction, but I’m nitpicking here; they’re certainly up to the standards you would expect from a speaker of this price.
Design score: 3.5/5
Morel Biggie review: Value
At $299 / £299 / AU$499, there’s no denying the Biggie is an expensive wireless speaker. It’s more expensive than the Sonos Era 100, our number one pick for the best wireless speaker, which has more features and the brand’s unique ability to create a network of speakers for a complete home setup.
If you’re looking for a more portable experience, then our current pick for the best Bluetooth speaker, the Sonos Roam 2, is cheaper than the Biggie and fits in your luggage nicely thanks to its pill-like shape. It also has an IP67 waterproof rating, making it ideal for travel. Overall, it’s a more versatile performer than the Biggie.
Other similarly premium speakers include the Bose SoundLink Max, which is sturdy and portable but $100 more than the Biggie. Being a hardy, go-anywhere speaker, though, it’s also got an IP67 rating, and a battery life that actually lasts the 20 hours it claims, according to our tests.
Should I buy the Morel Biggie?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You adore minimalism If you want zero fuss in your speaker, then look no further than the Biggie. It’s as clean as they come and fits in virtually any space in any home.
You want a sense of space For such a small unit, the Biggie impresses with its all-encompassing soundscapes. The low-end response is also powerful.
Don't buy it if...
You want the best sound The Biggie gets boomy all too easily, and the lack of any hi-res codec support is a real shame on a speaker this premium.
You want plenty of features There are no extras on the Biggie: you get Bluetooth and wired playback, and a few buttons for control. There’s no app or settings to adjust.
You want portability Despite what Morel says, you’ll struggle to carry the Biggie around comfortably. There are plenty of Bluetooth speakers out there that are much better suited for this purpose.
Morel Biggie review: Also consider
Sonos Era 100 The Sonos Era 100 is at the top of our wireless speaker list for a reason – and that is stellar sound that’s improved even over its sibling, the Sonos One, including better bass tones and a wider broadcast for optimal listening across a larger area. It also undercuts the Biggie on price. Find out more in our Sonos Era 100 review
Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 If you’re after something more budget-friendly, the Tribit is one of the best Bluetooth speakers around. The sound quality belies its tiny size and it comes packed with features, including a power bank function, a built-in strap that can fit on your bike, and a microphone. Read our full Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review
How I tested the Morel Biggie
I tested the Morel Biggie for about a week and tried it with a variety of playback sources, including my phone, a laptop and a music player. I tested both its Bluetooth and wired capabilities.
I mainly listened to music via Tidal, a streaming service that allows for hi-res playback, although this wasn’t applicable in the Biggie’s case, reverting to the SBC/ AAC formats instead. I used TechRadar’s specialized playlist, designed to put audio devices through their paces with a comprehensive mix of genres and sonic styles, ranging from pop and electronic dance, to jazz and classical across multiple eras.
I tested the battery by letting the Biggie run continuously for six hours and took readings about every hour. Since there’s no volume readout, I can’t say exactly what levels I had set but suffice to say, I would describe my sessions as being comfortably loud.
