The Nutribullet Flip is designed to make the process of blitzing smoothies and shakes as mess-free as possible – and it works. Simply add all your ingredients to the cup, put on the blending lid, before flipping the cup upside down and pressing the power button; then simply flip it back the right way and drink straight from the cup. There's no need to pour out the drink into another vessel, nor remove the cap – and during several weeks of testing, the blender didn't leak at all, even when inverted.
The Flip's blades are positioned at the widest point, which means ingredients don’t become stuck, and the motor is more powerful than that of most personal blenders, which means it tackles ice with ease. During tests, we found that large pieces of fruit (such as frozen strawberries) sometimes required a second 30-second cycle to be completely blended; but the results were usually impressive.
The insulated cup keeps your finished creations cold for hours and you can swap to a lid without the integrated blender if you want to travel light. The Flip comes with a cover to protect the blades, if you decide to switch the cap, which is a nice touch.
Cleanup is extremely straightforward – just add a drop of dish soap and some water, run it for 30 seconds, and then rinse. There's no scrubbing necessary, and food doesn't accumulate around the seal or blades.
During tests, I was able to run it for 13 30-second cycles on a full charge (blending a banana milkshake) before it ran out of juice, so you should be able to use it for several days before having to reach for the USB-C charging cable. Note that thirty seconds after a blending cycle has finished, the Flip will go into sleep mode to conserve power.
The Nutribullet Flip isn't made for solids, and it isn't the cheapest portable blender around. However, if you’re looking for something that will fit in your cup holder in the car and is powerful enough to make an iced coffee in 30 seconds, this is the one for you.
Markings inside the cup help you measure the correct amount of liquid, and make sure it's between the maximum and minimum levels (Image credit: Future)
Nutribullet Flip: price and availability
List price: $99.99 (about £80 / AU$150)
The Nutribullet Flip launched in July 2024, with a list price of $99.99 (about £80 / AU$150). That puts it in between the Ninja Blast at $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$79.99 and the Smeg Personal Blender at $169.95 / £109.95/ AU$199. It's worth bearing in mind that Ninja's blender is considerably less powerful and struggles to blend frozen ingredients, so if you want a portable blender for icy drinks then the Nutribullet Flip may be worth the extra expense.
At the time of writing, the Nutribullet Flip is only available in the US, but you can find it for import via Amazon UK (built to US and Canadian electrical standards).
Value score: 5/5
Nutribullet Flip: specs
Nutribullet Flip: design
The Flip is a new type of personal blender that aims to make the whole experience of making smoothies, shakes and the like as mess-free as possible by positioning the blades and motor in the top of the cup. Once your beverage is blended, you just turn the whole blender upside down, open the sip cap, and start drinking. There’s no need to remove the lid (unless you want to) and no risk of spillage. It’s a similar concept to the Ninja Blast, but while the Blast’s blades are in the bottom, the Flip has them in the lid.
Drinking through the part of the blender that contains the blade might seem strange, but the moving parts are well away from your mouth, so you won't come into contact with them. The blender won’t run with the sip lid open either, so there’s no chance it will activate while you’re enjoying your smoothie.
The blender's blades are in the sip-through lid, but nowhere near the part from which you drink (Image credit: Future)
The box contains the main cup, the blending lid (with the blades and motor), a to-go lid that you can use to minimize weight if you don’t need to blend on the move, a stainless steel drinking straw with a cleaning brush (the lid has a hole to insert the straw), and an instruction booklet. The blender itself is available in black, stainless steel, or white (shown here).
To make your drink, load your ingredients into the cup (making sure that the liquid sits between the "minimum" and "maximum" markings inside), screw the lid into place, flip it upside down, and press the single button to start a 30-second cycle. Unlike some personal blenders, the Flip isn’t made for hot ingredients. It also requires a minimum amount of liquid, so you won’t be using it to make dukkah or crush nuts.
The Nutribullet Flip comes with the blending cap and a light to-go lid for travel, the insulated cup, and a stainless steel straw and cleaning brush (Image credit: Future)
Design score: 5/5
Nutribullet Flip: performance
The Nutribullet Flip isn’t intended for solid food, so I couldn’t run TechRadar's usual full battery of tests; for example, mayonnaise was out of the question, because you can’t pour in oil mid-blend. However, I did whip up several batches of our control smoothie recipe, which consists of almond milk, kale, blueberries and banana.
There were no leaks whatsoever during testing and after one 30-second cycle the smoothie was mostly blended. However, as you can see in the photo below, a chunk of unblended banana remained. Running a second cycle resulted in much better, smoother results.
It was a similar story when making a shake using milk, protein powder, and frozen berries. Nutribullet’s documentation says that the Flip can handle “most frozen fruit”, but the largest strawberries required two cycles to blend completely. Running the blender twice isn’t a big deal, but it might have been nice if there were two settings, one for 30 seconds and one for a minute for tackling tougher tasks; or, the blender defaulted to 45 seconds as a compromise.
There was still a chunk of banana left in the control smoothie after a single blending cycle (left). After two cycles, the drink was fully blended (right) (Image credit: Future)
The Flip performed best when making iced coffee, delivering perfect results. Considering my experience of making a smoothie with frozen berries, I had expected the Flip to require two attempts to crush ice cubes with milk and a shot of espresso; but it took only a single cycle to produce a perfect cold beverage. It proved much more effective than the Ninja Blast, partly thanks to the Flip’s more powerful motor (11.4V compared to 7.4V) and partly due to the design of the blender iteself.
Having the blades at the widest part of the cup means it didn’t suffer the Blast’s issue of ice cubes becoming stuck in the middle. As such, there was no need to shake the Flip mid-blend to loosen things up; it would make a mean espresso martini. Do ensure you heed Nutribullet's warning that never fill more than 25% of the cup's total volume with ice.
Although the Flip is decidedly top-heavy when used with the blending lid attached, it didn't at all feel awkward when being used as a drinking vessel. There’s no risk of any accidents with the mechanics when you're drinking from the blending lid; in fact, you’re so far away from the blade in the lid that you’ll have to hold the Flip at an angle for a few seconds before the liquid runs out if you’ve made a particularly thick drink.
The Nutribullet Flip handles ice well, and made a very good iced coffee on a single 30-second cycle (Image credit: Future)
One of the biggest advantages of the Nutribullet Flip is just how easy it is to clean. Simply squirt in a little dish soap, add some water, and run the blender for a 30-second cycle. Once complete, rinse out the suds and it’s ready to use again - no scrubbing required, with even bits of fruit skin and kale fully removed. The cup and to-go lid are dishwasher-safe, but both proved so quick and easy to clean by hand, I didn't find it necessary to add them to the appliance. Nutribullet warns that you should never try to clean the motor base, blade, and lid unit by immersing it in water or detergent, or putting it in the dishwasher.
I actually found myself using the Flip far more often than I might if it required more intense cleaning. Sure, I could use my usual shaker to prepare my post-run protein drink, but the flip did a better job of mixing the ingredients, and I could even throw in some fruit for good measure.
The Nutribullet Flip is charged via a USB-C cable, and the color of the light indicates the current charge level (Image credit: Future)
The Flip is charges using the USB-C cable supplied in the packaging. The color of the light around the button once you’ve screwed on the lid indicates the current charge level: green is high, orange is medium, and red is low; the color changes during charging, with solid green (not blinking) indicating a full charge. Before using it for the first time, you should charge the Flip for at least two hours.
During blending with ice, the Nutribullet Flip's noise levels reached a maximum of 79dB, which is similar to the Smeg Personal Blender (80dB) and around 10dB quieter than most countertop blenders we’ve tested.
The blades are at the widest point of the blender, meaning ice and ingredients aren't likely to become stuck higher up (Image credit: Future)
According to Nutribullet, the Flip can run up to 15 cycles on a single charge. After fully charging the blender, I added a banana, oat milk and cocoa to the cup, and was able to run 13 complete cycles before it ran out of power. That's pretty close, and means you'll be able to go several days between charges in regular use.
Performance score: 4/5
Nutribullet Flip: should I buy it?
Nutribullet Flip: also consider
Ninja Blast
The Ninja Blast it just as portable as the Nutribullet Flip, but its less powerful motor and cup shape mean it's less capable of blending ice and frozen fruit. It's considerably cheaper, though, so a good budget option, particularly if you'll mostly be blending protein shakes.
Unlike the other two, this blender isn't intended to be carried around; instead, you blend your drink at home inside the bottle, then screw on a lid to take it with you. It's pricier than the other options here, with similar blending performance, but will look more stylish in your kitchen if you keep it there.
I spent two weeks testing the Nutribullet Flip using a variety of different ingredients, both fresh and frozen, and different liquids including water, plant and dairy milks, and juice. For easy comparison with other devices, I used Nutribullet's own Banana Kale Blueberry Freeze recipe, which we use to test all blenders.
I weighed the blender with both of its lids to be certain of its weight, and measured the noise produced by the blender using a decibel meter.
I fully charged the Nutribullet Flip using the supplied USB-C charging cable, then added a banana, cocoa powder, and oat milk, and counted how many full cycles it was able to complete before the battery ran down.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI is Sony’s top Android phone, and it will seem pretty familiar to existing Sony fans. Even with a significant change to the screen aspect ratio versus the Sony Xperia 1 V, using the Xperia 1 VI feels like meeting an old friend.
A lot of the typical Sony strengths and weaknesses are here too. The Sony Xperia 1 VI’s key charm is in the way it rejects several contemporary smartphone trends. It has a headphone jack. It has expandable memory. It doesn’t have a camera cutout in the screen, and Sony hasn’t cut down battery capacity just to make the Xperia 1 VI marginally thinner.
These will all seem smart moves to a good chunk of the phone-buying audience out for something a little different. And you still get high-end camera hardware, a top-tier chip, good speakers, and an eye-catching screen — just about all the usual elements expected of a pricey Android phone.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
The Sony Xperia 1 VI does cost a packet, though, and arguably isn’t hugely competitive considering some of the slightly less advanced parts.
These include slower-than-ideal fast charging, camera processing that still lags a little behind the best for dynamic range optimization and night-time image processing. I also found the rear disappointingly prone to visible scratches, despite the use of high-end toughened glass.
A big part of the appeal here is the handful of features that Sony’s Xperia 1 VI shares with much lower-end phones. There’s still a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD slot built into the SIM tray. These are not expensive features to implement, but are vanishingly rare in phones of this level.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI is a lovely phone, but you had better buy into its specific style for the outlay to be worthwhile.
Sony Xperia 1 VI review: price and availability
Costs £1,299 / AU$1,899
No US availability
512GB storage version available in some territories
The Sony Xperia 1 VI is priced just like its predecessor. But unlike the Sony Xperia 1 V, this phone is not slated for release in the US.
In the UK you’ll pay £1,299, and AU$1,899 in Australia. That gets you a 12GB RAM and 256GB storage configuration. There’s also a 512GB storage version available in some territories. But with a microSD slot onboard, seeking one of these out or paying more for the additional storage may not be all that appealing.
The phone was announced in mid-May 2024, with general availability in June 2024.
Sony Xperia 1 VI review: specs
Here's the Sony Xperia 1 VI spec sheet in full:
Sony Xperia 1 VI review: design
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(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Classic boxy Sony design
Excellent water resistance rating
Scratch-prone rear panel
Samey or confident? The Sony Xperia 1 VI has a design much like the phone before it. This look — a no-nonsense block — has been Sony’s house style since 2012.
Changes therefore come in some of the finer points. The Sony Xperia 1 VI has an embossed, textured glass back, and it comes in red, silver and black, as well as the subdued green seen here. It's more of an ordinary shape too, as Sony’s ultra-long 21:9 screen has been traded for a more standard 19.5:9 aspect ratio.
As usual, Sony makes use of high-grade materials on the Xperia 1 VI. The front and rear glass is Gorilla Glass Victus (Vitus 2 for the front). Unfortunately, the treatment on the rear panel doesn’t seem to be nearly as resilient as the glass itself.
On the first day of use, I managed to put a series of scratches on the back. These stand out because, it would appear, they make the matt finish more shiny. And since then more have appeared.
I didn’t go to the beach or throw the phone around. The Sony Xperia 1 VI just seems unusually susceptible to damage, at least in this particular finish. And I’ve not had many complaints to level at matt glass phones before, even ones whose ruggedization sounds a lot worse on paper.
Other ruggedisation cred here is good, though. The Xperia 1 VI is rated at the IP68 and IP65 standards, meaning it can be submerged in water at a depth of up to 1.5 meters, and can withstand low-pressure water jets; you just need to make sure the SIM tray and its rubber gasket are properly in place.
This is a mid-size phone, but it feels a little larger than its screen size might suggest thanks to its blocky shape, and the way the lack of a camera punch-hole extends the upper-screen border a bit. There’s a combi fingerprint reader/power button on the side rather than an in-screen one and, just like the last generation, it’s not the fastest around to unlock the Xperia 1 VI, being a touch more leisurely than some.
Design score: 3 / 5
Sony Xperia 1 VI review: display
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High maximum brightness
Lower resolution than the last generation
More ordinary shape than before
We tech reviewers like it when a product gets you more, for less money. But less for more money? You might be in trouble.
Sony once became famous for putting 4K screens in its high-end phones. The Sony Xperia 1 VI takes the opposite road. It has an elongated 1080p screen, one with a much lower pixel density than its predecessor.
The key question: does it matter? At this size, pixelation isn’t obvious even in small fonts. And thanks to what appears to be careful anti-aliasing, you notice it more as a slight softness when looking close up. I’ll level with you: I didn’t notice until a week into testing when I started looking at this phone’s vital statistics.
However, it’s one reason to drop the Sony Xperia 1 VI down a tier if you’re considering a bunch of these super-expensive phones.
It's otherwise strong, though. The Sony Xperia 1 VI is super-bright, and seems to reach its high brightness mode when outdoors more swiftly than some.
With launch software, it reached 720 nits in ordinary conditions, which increased to around 800 nits after an update. The screen can go brighter when it’s particularly light outside. I could only get my tester tool to register 920 nits (full field white), but others have measured as high as 1,300 nits. Either way, clarity outdoors is great.
This is also a screen made to save power. It’s a 120Hz refresh display, but in its default mode, it drops right down to 15Hz when displaying static content. Sony says it can actually go down to 1Hz, but I’ve only seen it cycle between 15Hz and 120Hz. You can also set it to cycle between 60Hz and 15Hz instead. But after switching, the loss of motion clarity is quite striking.
Display score: 4 / 5
Sony Xperia 1 VI review: cameras
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Excels at shooting subjects very near and very far
Excellent shot-to-shot shooting speed
Night image quality and dynamic range optimization could be improved
The Sony Xperia 1 VI has three rear cameras, with an array not dissimilar to that of the last generation. There’s a standard camera, a dedicated zoom and an ultra-wide.
It’s not all business as usual, though. Previous iterations had multiple camera apps. It was intended to provide both a standard phone experience and one closer to the feeling of using Sony’s Alpha-series mirrorless cameras.
This approach had as much a cluttering effect as anything else. There’s now one key camera app, and it has a Pro mode inside that provides the manual control of the older models. But the one useful “pro” videographer app is apparently making a return at some point in the Xperia 1 VI, according to Sony. To accompany that style, the phone also has a physical shutter button that, just like a “real” camera’s, can be depressed halfway to focus without capturing an image.
The range of the optical zoom camera has changed too, from 3.5x-5.2x to 3.5x-7.1x. This camera even has “telephoto macro” shooting, which simply means the zoom camera’s lens is capable of focusing incredibly close-up for a camera of this type.
It is unnervingly effective, capable of “seeing” the subpixels on a MacBook Air’s display — the red, white and blue components of an LCD’s pixel that make white when shining out concurrently. Those are some serious macro photography chops.
This zoom camera is a blast to use all-round. It’s great for gigs, particularly if there’s a good amount of light or you’re shooting at a festival during the day. There’s a real pro feel to the way the Xperia 1 VI just lets you shoot away at full speed, because it lets the images sit in a queue for processing when there's a spare moment rather than slowing shooting down.
You can tell there’s a drop in lens sharpness at the max zoom. And low-light shooting isn’t amazing. But the sheer shooting flexibility it puts at your fingers is creatively freeing. The Sony Xperia 1 VI is some of the most fun I’ve had with a camera all year. That the zoom also works so well super-close too, only adds to the charm of this little lens and sensor combo.
The main camera’s primary strengths are its charming color reproduction and general decent-looking processing of detail up close. While there’s some evidence of a sharpening technique at work, the overall impression is of a camera happy to appear a little softer and more natural than over-processed and painterly.
The ultra-wide camera isn’t quite as strong. But like all the best ultra-wides in expensive phones, you can switch to it and expect roughly the same character and comparable image quality you’d see from the primary camera. Aside from at night, where the drop in native sensitivity is more obvious.
There are some weaker elements, though. The Sony Xperia 1 VI is more susceptible to overexposure than rivals from Samsung, Xiaomi, and Huawei, for example. This won’t usually be giant parts of the image, just smaller areas a more advanced HDR engine could pick up on.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI is also far from the best in low light. It’s probably the worst contender at the price for simple auto-mode shooting. Sure, the processing brightens images up dramatically and there’s a respectable level of detail. But photos don’t have the level of detail in shadows as seen elsewhere.
Video quality is good but, again, you lose some of the spotlight-pulling features of rivals. You can’t shoot at 8K, which isn’t hugely useful for most folks anyway.
You can, however, shoot at up to 4K, 120 frames per second with all three rear cameras. The telephoto macro mode supports video too, again at up to 4K at 120 frames per second.
The front camera has a 12MP sensor too, and it can produce detailed-looking selfies in reasonable lighting. This selfie camera is nothing revolutionary, but it’s solid.
Camera score: 4 / 5
Sony Xperia 1 VI camera samples
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A zoom camera is ideal for taking photos of cats and dogs, without needing to get too close (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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While the depth of field is very shallow, making shooting tricky, the telephoto macro mode can produce great results (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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The flattening of perspective you can get at the longer zoom ranges can be quite useful for some scenes (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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Here’s a view of London using the ultra-wide camera… (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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… and a photo taken from the same spot at 7.5x zoom to show the range you have to work with (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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The Sony Xperia 1 VI’s primary camera is a dab hand at capturing landscapes (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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The Sony Xperia 1 VI’s primary camera is a dab hand at capturing landscapes (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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Sony is good at avoiding the temptation of amping up nature’s green tones too much, which is quite a common issue (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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The 7.5x zoom mode is super-handy for gigs (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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The 7.5x zoom mode is super-handy for gigs (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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The ultra-wide camera struggles at night, and ends up capturing soft-looking images (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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Fast shot-to-shot capture is highly welcome when you end up with a fast-moving subject (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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The phone doesn’t always deal well with strong contrasts in light levels: rivals would make these lit road signs appear less blown-out (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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Strong light sources at night can cause some not-unappealing lens flare (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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While night images have a pleasantly enhanced appearance, the Xperia does not bring out as much shadow detail as some (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
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Here’s another example of the Sony Xperia 1 VI’s HDR mode failing to avoid overexposing significant parts of the picture (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Sony Xperia 1 VI: software
Avoids the current AI obsession
Potentially useful creativity apps
Fairly normal interface
The Sony Xperia 1 VI runs Android 14 and has a largely inoffensive, not too invasive, custom interface layer grafted on top.
My first reaction to the phone was its app menu wasn't that good-looking; I thought the text looked a little too bolded and inelegant. The Sony Xperia 1 VI provides a decent amount of customization as to how these elements appear, though. You can alter object scaling and font size independently, and some may prefer the Dark mode, which uses lighter text upon a dark background.
Sony’s approach to apps hasn’t changed much this generation either. At a time when Google and Samsung are obsessed with AI, Sony’s angle is still to reference the other parts of Sony as a whole.
Music Pro is a nod to Sony Music. This is a multi-track recorder app, a tiny DAW (digital audio workstation) where other phones might just have the equivalent of a dictaphone.
External Monitor lets the Sony Xperia 1 VI act as a monitor for one of Sony’s Alpha-series mirrorless cameras.
Video Creator is a mini editing suite that lets you edit and put together clips into a larger video project.
All of these are neat ideas, a cut above the low-effort bloat some phones are criticized for including. But they aren’t quite ingenious or developed enough to be considered serious reasons to buy an Xperia 1 VI over a competitor. You’ll find better, more complete-feeling alternatives on Google Play.
Software score: 3 / 5
Sony Xperia 1 VI review: performance
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Significant throttling, which kicks in fast
Great peak performance
Loud and chunky-sounding speakers
The Sony Xperia 1 VI has one of the most powerful chipsets around in 2024, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It beats Apple’s A17 Pro, used in the iPhone 15 Pro, in a lot of tests, and has notably excellent graphics performance.
As you’d expect, then, the Sony Xperia 1 VI feels excellent in use. It’s responsive and fast, and games run great. Titles like Fortnite sing on the phone, as it only can with a true high-end chip.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI also avoids the overheating issues earlier models in this family were subject to. However, a little stress test reveals why.
This phone throttles its performance almost immediately when under strain. 3DMark’s test bench shows a drop in benchmark scores from the first run (which takes a minute), where other rivals will often wait for significant heat to build up before dropping power, if they do so at all.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI settles at 58% of its peak performance, which isn’t great. It’s not as bad as some of the sub-50% results I saw in some of the earliest Snapdragon 8-series phones, mind.
It’s good for gaming, then, but for a phone that’s been partially labeled as a “gaming phone”, you’d hope for high performance that can be sustained for longer.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI’s speakers are an unmitigated hit. They are a stereo pair that get loud and have real meat to their mid-range. I listen to podcasts all the time on my phone, and the robustness of speakers’ voices compared to the last phone I used, the Infinix Note 40 Pro, was truly eye-opening.
Performance score: 3 / 5
Sony Xperia 1 VI review: battery life
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Good battery life, but only light users will see “two-day” use
Slow “fast” charging
Supports relatively slow wireless charging
The Sony Xperia 1 VI has a 5,000mAh battery. It’s an ordinary size for bigger phones in general, but larger than that of plenty of thinness-obsessed flagships.
There’s bad news too, though. As usual for Sony, the Xperia 1 VI does not include a charger. Its charging rate is also pretty poor for 2024, at just 30W. According to my power meter, tested with several different high-power adapters, it only reaches a power draw of 27.5W too.
Even Samsung, which has been slow to adopt higher-power fast charging, offers a 45W standard. As such, Sony only claims the Xperia 1 VI meets the old fast-charging standard of 50% in 30 minutes. And it meets that, sort of, reaching 49% at the 30-minute mark.
It takes 86 minutes to reach 100% and continues receiving power at a lower rate for a while after that. 50% in 30 minutes doesn’t feel like rapid charging anymore — not for this money, anyway.
Real-world stamina is good, and getting a full day of use is no issue. I don’t find this a two-day phone, though; not unless you barely use your Android. A phone with a screen this bright, with a powerful chip, is just capable of too much not to be able to hammer the battery at times. I find the Sony Xperia 10 phones last longer in real use, even if they are markedly worse phones otherwise.
Some will find the Xperia 1 VI lasts longer, though, and real-world stamina is clearly a highlight next to some of the direct competition.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI also supports wireless charging, but again the charging speed isn’t great, coming in at 15W.
Battery score: 3 / 5
Sony Xperia 1 VI review: value
Sony pitches the Xperia 1 VI at the same price as its predecessor, £1,299. It’s among the most expensive phones out there, and its slight deficiencies stand out markedly at the price.
The merely acceptable low-light performance, slow charging and moderate screen resolution are not the most comfortable match for a phone selling at this high a price.
Meanwhile, features like a 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD slot, which are somewhat defunct from many flagship phones, help claw back some value for the Xperia 1 VI but can’t make up for the high price.
Value score: 3 / 5
Should you buy the Sony Xperia 1 VI?
Buy it if...
You want expandable memory Sony goes against the grain by keeping expandable memory as an option even in its flagship phones. That’s always welcome, particularly if you want to avoid relying on Google’s cloud backup to keep your photos safe.
You want a headphone jack Like its predecessors, the Sony Xperia 1 VI has a physical headphone jack, which has been a rarity in higher-end Android phones for almost half a decade at this point.
You want a long-lasting flagship phone Some clever efficiency savings and a respectable-size battery deliver good battery life among flagships. The two-day use Sony claims will be a stretch for most, but it's not out of the realms of possibility for some.
Don't buy it if...
You want the best value flagship The Xperia 1 VI costs a lot, and arguably doesn’t push the envelope in quite enough areas to be considered an entirely sound deal. You have to loosen your grip on the concept of value a little when spending this much regardless, but Sony asks for more faith than most.
You care about fast charging While this phone gets to around 50% charge in 30 minutes as Sony claims, its charging rate feels interminably slow next to that of the flagships from Xiaomi, OnePlus, Honor and so on. Sub-30W charging at this price is not ideal.
You are particular about a hard-wearing finish In theory, the Xperia 1 VI should be one of the toughest mainstream phones around. In practice, its finish is a little too easy to scratch causing irritating surface-level imperfections.
How I tested the Sony Xperia 1 VI
Review test period = 3 weeks
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
I used the Sony Xperia 1 VI as my day-to-day phone for several weeks. During the review period, I took it to a couple of music day festivals, on a hike across the UK’s north downs, and out and about in London.
This real-world normal usage testing was accompanied by more technical benchmark testing, which included seeing how bright the screen could go in multiple environments, testing how powerful the chip is, and how its performance was affected by heat build-up.
The mid-range of the best racing wheels is a tricky space where competing technologies vie for space, but Thrustmaster makes a compelling argument with a wheel, wheelbase, and pedals bundled for $799.99 / £699.99.
That’s a lot pricier than Logitech’s all-conquering G923 bundle, but the advantages are clear: a quick-release system that lets you install new wheels and a particularly refined force feedback sensation that feels somewhere between traditional belt-driven and direct-drive servos. The underlying tech is still belt-driven, but it’s been engineered so carefully to deliver its considerable power smoothly and convincingly, with fewer of those notchy, snappy moments you usually get with belt-driven motors.
The controls on the wheel feel premium and long-lasting, particularly the four notched dials, which are really handy for mapping traction control, brake balance, engine modes, and fuel maps. Being a licensed wheel for Gran Turismo 7 and pitched as one of the best PS5 racing wheels, the giant ‘GT’ logo at the center of the wheel won’t be to everyone’s taste, and the overall look of the wheel - and particularly the plasticky pedal base - does this bundle a disservice. Despite the high volume of plastic and a slightly ‘gamey’ look this is up to the task for serious sim racers, who’ll appreciate the ability to fit different wheels for different disciplines.
(Image credit: Future)
Thrustmaster T-GT II: Price and availability
$799.99 / £699.99 (around) AU$1,221.99
Sits between entry-level force feedback and direct drive wheels
Pricier but more feature-laden than a G923
It might look like a lot of money for a non-direct drive wheel at first glance, but it all makes sense after a few hot laps. The wiser money would be spent investing in a Fanatec Ready2Race McLaren bundle for the same price, but ongoing stock availability issues make that a tricky purchase as of summer 2024.
Thrustmaster T-GT II: Specs
Thrustmaster T-GT II: Design and features
Looks inspired by Gran Turismo
Bulky servo
Feels better than it looks
There’s a line in the sand in sim racing gear. On one side, Moza and Fanatec have decided to take their visual cues directly from motorsport, rather than gaming peripherals. Their wheels and pedals look like they’ve been crowbarred out of a racing car and attached to your desk. On the other, Logitech and Thrustmaster - who also make a broad range of gaming peripherals besides wheels - have a design philosophy that sits closer to gaming mice, gaming keyboards, and gaming headsets.
Who’s right? That’s totally subjective, of course. To me the less automotive appearance of the T-GT II comes off as a bit less premium than this bundle really is, particularly the plastic casing around the servo and on the pedal base, which really doesn’t look like it should be part of an $800 / £700 racing bundle.
(Image credit: Future)
However, these aesthetic missteps have no bearing on the performance of either the wheels or pedals, and since the wheel’s detachable, you could replace it with a more motorsport-inspired option like Thrustmaster’s Ferrari SF100 if you like.
The wheel itself is finished in nicely stitched pleather which makes for a grippy surface while you’re racing, with no need for racing gloves, unlike pricier Alcantara-finished wheels which can get a bit crispy over time if you subject them to your palm sweat.
Being a PlayStation-compatible wheel as well as PC, all the DualSense controller’s inputs are mapped onto input buttons on the wheel itself, including two tiny analog sticks. Four dials complete the input array on the wheel face, and satisfyingly chunky paddle shifters with magnetic actuation sit at the rear. All the buttons feel substantial and the dials in particular are a joy to use, notched and manufactured from aluminum for a lovely weighty feel. The analog sticks and d-pad feel flimsy by comparison, but I didn’t find myself using them - there are plenty of other buttons to map important inputs to.
Those four dials are the stars of the show. They’re placed conveniently within thumb’s reach, and having four of them is especially useful in games like Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC), where I find myself adjusting traction control and brake bias frequently from lap to lap as track conditions and tire wear levels evolve. It’s rare to find more than two dials on wheels at this price, and I find myself missing having four now when I use other wheels.
The pedals don’t feature a load cell design, so you can’t swap out the cells to adjust the resistance, but they are built with convincing resistance per pedal. The brake is particularly well-judged for stiffness, and you can add an additional rubber stay for some increased resistance right at the end of its path of travel.
Thrustmaster T-GT II: Performance
Powerful but smooth force feedback delivery
Easy to calibrate
Recognized by most racing games
Let’s quickly state the obvious: although this wheel was designed in collaboration with Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital and bears the PlayStation racer’s branding, it’s compatible across pretty much every racing game you throw at it on PS5 or PC. Assetto Corsa Competizione and F1 24 had profiles ready to go as soon as I loaded them up with the T-GT II connected, and I had no problems setting it up in The Crew Motorfest or Forza Horizon 5. You’d expect pretty much universal support across racing titles in 2024, and this wheel delivers it.
What discerns the force feedback on this wheel from the perennially popular Logitech G923, and indeed Thrustmaster’s own cheaper wheels, is the smoothness and detail of its feedback. It’s a subtle difference, not quite akin to the jump from belt-driven to direct-drive wheels, but it’s particularly noticeable in demanding sims like Assetto Corsa Competizione, whose force feedback implementation is absolutely exemplary. You can feel when your platform’s on the very limit, and rather than getting those snappy moments that feel like something inside the servo has let go, the T-GT II’s wheel stays smooth even when it’s doling out extremely forceful feedback.
In some instances, it feels too strong. In most games, the centering spring strength needed some adjustment using a combination of in-game settings and Thrustmaster’s own Control Panel software, and in ACC in particular I ended up reducing it down to as little as 20 per cent in order to find a realistic feel. However, once you do get a convincing feel dialed in, the detail and fidelity you feel through your hands is extremely impressive.
(Image credit: Future)
What about Gran Turismo 7? As you’d expect, it’s excellent with this wheel. Polyphony’s is a particularly weighty handling model in the first place, and it’s perfectly tuned to this wheel when you connect it to your PS5.
However, the fact remains that direct-drive wheel bundles are available at the same price point, and that makes life difficult for this particular wheel. It’s demonstrably better than its belt-driven contemporaries from other manufacturers, and lower down the Thrustmaster range. But it’s no match for a setup built around Fanatec’s CSL direct drive servo. Cheaper Fanatec bundles than the T-GT II generally feature an inferior two-pedal set, but the Ready2Race McLaren bundle uses a three-pedal base with load cells, and the McLaren GT-style wheel feels more luxurious and automotive than this model.
The best mandate for opting for this instead of a Fanatec bundle, then, is that you play primarily on PS5, put in a lot of hours with Gran Turismo 7, and want to use the same setup for some PC sim racing.
Should I buy the Thrustmaster T-GT II?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
Gran Turismo 7 is your go-to racing sim This wheel’s PS5 and PC compatible, and designed in partnership with Polyphony to work especially well in GT7. Drifting a Demio never felt better.
You like a powerful force feedback sensation The centering spring is set heavy by default, and there’s a lot of power behind the feedback going into your hands.
You plan to swap between multiple wheels Like to race rally titles as well as F1 games and GT? Thrustmaster’s add-on wheels are a solid option for making your rig more customizable, all using the T-GT II wheelbase.
Don't buy it if...
You race on Xbox It’s not Xbox-compatible, simple as that. Fanatec and Logitech offer better PC/Xbox bundles for the money.
Direct drive bundles are within your budget As impressive as the sensation is for a belt-driven motor, DD is a superior feel and it’s available for roughly the same outlay.
You’re new to sim racing It’s a lot of money for a racing bundle, and the benefits to its feel are subtle. Logitech’s G923 is better suited to beginners, and comes in PC/Xbox and PC/PlayStation varieties.
Also consider...
If the Thrustmaster T-GT II isn’t quite what you’re after, alert yourself to these other candidates.
Thrustmaster T248 A cheaper, less powerful option that’s great for newcomers, if lacking centering spring snap. Surprisingly good pedals for the price, too.
Logitech G923 It’s ubiquitous for a reason. Well-built, a smart button layout, and Trueforce feedback add something extra to supported games when it comes to detailed articulation.
We installed the T-GT II into our Playseat and used it as our daily driver in Assetto Corsa Competizione, Gran Turismo 7, The Crew Motorfest, and Forza Horizon 5 for a month of virtual racing on both PC and PlayStation 5. You don’t want to know how much of a hassle it was to get the rig downstairs in front of the PS5...
The Victrola Eastwood II is, in many ways, the ideal first turntable. It is an eminently attractive, well-featured all-in-one hi-fi solution that beats plenty of its competitors on a number of metrics. But is it one of the best turntables for the money? Well, bi-directional Bluetooth connectivity, a mini-but-mighty built-in amp and a truly plug-and-play setup routine together make the Eastwood II a formidable entrant to the entry level sector, at least…
That Bluetooth connectivity is the main draw here, as the Eastwood II is capable of both receiving and sending audio via its respective Bluetooth and Vinyl Stream modes – as well as acting as a conventional player with RCA and headphone aux outputs on the rear. Using each mode is easy to the point foolproof-i-ness, and switching between them as simple as clicking the Eastwood’s single rotary encoder/button.
An Audio-Technica cartridge furnishes this starter turntable with surprising fidelity, too - but, despite these worthy merits, the Eastwood II has its fair share of disappointments. Cheap materials and a flimsy-feeling tonearm system with no counterweight inspire less confidence in the Eastwood II’s handling of your records, and the motor serving the turntable’s plastic platter is prone to instability – with often-audible impacts on the turntable’s sound performance.
Functional elements of the Eastwood II leave you wanting, too, from a dust cover that catches your records to a fundamental missed opportunity with the Bluetooth setting. While a versatile first turntable, this won’t be the one for everyone – particularly not record owners looking to upgrade an existing hi-fi system.
In spite of these gripes, the Eastwood II is a great choice for the teenage or student bedroom – and a smart aesthetic addition to most any space too. At a shade over £100/under $100, it’s also hard to beat budget-wise!
Victrola Eastwood II review: Price and release date
$99.99 / £119 / €129.99 (around AU$146)
Launched on July 31, 2024
As intimated by its title, the Eastwood II is a successor model to Victrola’s Eastwood hybrid turntable. The design principles and core functionality remain the same, but material improvements and a sleeker aesthetic set the Eastwood II apart from its predecessor. There are two styles of Eastwood II available as of August 2024 – a striking Black, and a cool mid-century-ish Walnut – the latter of which is the unit reviewed here.
Both colourways sell at $99/£119/€129.99, which is around AU$146, give or take, or a pleasingly cheap price for its build and capabilities. The price goes some way to describing some of the material decisions made here, but equivalently-priced turntables with better tonearms and platters do not have any of the bells and whistles offered by this highly-accessible hi-fi alternative.
Victrola Eastwood II review: Specs
Victrola Eastwood II turntable review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Three-speed playback
Near-comprehensive Bluetooth connectivity
Not as versatile as it could be
Let’s start with the basics: the Eastwood II is a semi-automatic, belt-drive turntable capable of playing 33 1/3, 45 and 78rpm records. The turntable part of it is simple as can be, comprising two selectors for record speed and toggling an auto-stop function (which stops the motor when the tonearm reaches the end of the record), and a lever for the tonearm lift. All these controls are embedded by the tonearm pivot, leaving the record’s base clear and clutter-free – save for a single rotary encoder knob.
This simplicity belies the Eastwood II’s selling point – its near-comprehensive connectivity. Three modes afford you a great deal of versatility for a relatively inexpensive all-in-one unit. Vinyl mode lets you listen to records via its built-in speakers, on headphones via an aux output or on your hi-fi via RCA outputs; Bluetooth mode lets you stream music from your phone or laptop to the turntable; Vinyl Stream mode lets you stream a record from the turntable to a Bluetooth receiver of your choice.
The single rotary encoder knob controls most everything mode-related, and is foolproof in its function; pressing and holding turns the unit on, clicking cycles through the unit’s three modes, and turning the knob controls the volume of the onboard amplifier. Not only is it foolproof, but it’s very satisfying to use indeed. In amongst this connectivity, though, there’s a gap which makes the Eastwood II feel less capable than it is.
The Bluetooth mode of the turntable does not work with its RCA outputs, presumably due to the RCA outs being fed by an always-on phono pre-amp for the record player – meaning you cannot use your wired hi-fi system when streaming audio. The ability to do this might only be meaningful to a select few owners, but to this reviewer, its lack feels almost arbitrary – particularly as enabling the Bluetooth mode to kill the preamp would be a trivial thing to engineer. A little more thought into this Bluetooth mode might have made this a much more seamless hi-fi companion, as well as a self-contained unit.
Of course, this is a self-contained unit, and most will be buying this as a one-and-done solution for playing records. Good, then, that a built-in amplifier and speaker system is plenty loud! For Bluetooth audio, the Eastwood II uses the default A2DP standard; while audiophiles might balk at the lack of aptX utilisation, there are few situations where that additional fidelity would really achieve anything. As such, the Eastwood II is (almost) everything it needs to be.
Features score: 4/5
Victrola Eastwood II turntable review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future)
Great-sounding entry-level cartridge
Rich mid-range and crisp highs
Powerful, somewhat boxy internal amp/speakers
In a vacuum, the vinyl-playing bit of the Eastwood II is great for the price. The Audio-Technica AT-3600LA cartridge with which it ships is a cut above those often found on other budget turntables. The difference is best illustrated through a dedicated hi-fi system, via the RCA port on the back – which was my first experience of the Eastwood II, and a joyfully positive one at that.
Wye Oak’s Civilian + Cut All The Wires: 2009-2011 double LP was well-represented, with touching, even tactile softness in the quieter moments of We Were Wealth, and a full-throated bombast to the explosive end of Electricity and the drums-and-thrum of Black Is The Color. There’s middy richness and a crisp treble, and even some solid low-end representation (even if a tad indistinct in places). This representation is hampered somewhat, though, by the sometimes-unstable performance of the turntables motor, which caused some obvious wowing or warbling in places.
Lighter-weight records, like my pressing of Andy Shauf’s The Party, seemed to fare worse, wearing said warble a little more prominently on their respective sleeves. Opening track The Magician, full of enigmatic piano chords and drawn-out clarinets, would sound great if not for seemingly-random dips in playback speed that tugged on those legato notes; closer to the spindle, album closer Martha Sways suffered from a warbly near-vibrato that similarly killed my immersion. In short, this probably isn’t the turntable for active listeners.
As for the built-in amp and speakers, through which most users will do their listening, there is a lot to like. The amp is plenty powerful for filling a room, though there’s little headroom when the volume gets pushed. Nick Drake’s Pink Moon is clear and breathy, with some surprisingly sonorous guitar representation, but the overrepresented upper mids have a tendency to squash and crunch a bit when things get louder. The speakers sound a tad boxy (perhaps an unavoidable characteristic for smaller all-in-ones of the Eastwood II’s ilk), but a snappy high end and bloomy low end create a surprisingly fulsome version of this boxiness.
As for headphone listening, there’s a real sense of clarity in the reproduction – albeit at the expense of some bassy heft, which is found wanting when I revisit Wye Oak’s Black Is The Color. All round, the Eastwood II is clearly a capable budget unit, with some pleasant surprises that are unfortunately caveated by some not-so-pleasant limitations.
Sound quality score: 3/5
Victrola Eastwood II turntable review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Swanky mid-century-ish looks
Smart dust lid, imperfectly executed
Brittle-feeling in places
Eschewing the all-too-common faux-leather-and-shiny-bits design of throwback suitcase record players, the Eastwood II chooses modernity for its aesthetics – at least, a form of mid-century modernity, with a charming fabric front and some wood-effect side panels that together look effortless.
Functionally speaking, the Eastwood’s design is both smart and simple. There’s no convoluted setting-up, nor any real confusion as to how to get it working straight away; it’s the most plug-and-play it could possibly be, and great for it too. However, despite how easy it is to get installed and in use, the Eastwood is still hamstrung by some design oversights that make daily use less-than seamless. One major gripe relates to the turntable’s lid.
The smart part is that, since 12” records extend beyond the smaller size of the unit’s base, the lid has cut-outs to accommodate these extraneous segments. This is, in principle, a nifty flourish that makes playing records with the lid closed feel sleek, even dynamic. But the rear cut-out isn’t deep enough, and catches the back of your 12”s whenever you try to place them; something nifty in principle becomes frustrating in practice.
To Victrola’s credit, you can tell they’ve attempted to fix this already – the rear cut-out is deeper than the others, to create more room for placing records – but it sadly wasn’t quite enough. This is something of a theme with the Eastwood II, where great ideas and intentions are met with unfortunate execution.
Though the Eastwood II boasts upgraded materials from its predecessor model, there are still inexpensive plastics in use, which make for a brittle feel. This is most obvious when handling the tonearm, which is at once flimsily light in-hand and heavy-handed on-vinyl. A heavier, counterweighted tonearm would inspire more confidence, but seems a tall order at this price and with this many internal features.
Design score: 3.5/5
Victrola Eastwood II turntable review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
Beats many equivalent models for sound quality
Great jumping-on point for new vinyl owners
Tough to justify for certain consumers
The Victrola Eastwood II is on the cheaper side of the Bluetooth turntable spectrum, and cheap even against a majority of all-in-one turntable solutions on the market. For those that beat it on price, the Eastwood II beats them handily on sound, thanks to that Audio-Technica cartridge and capable internal amplifiers. It’s also extremely easy to use, and hence a great jumping-on point for those new to vinyl (or even just after a bedroom speaker system).
However, the three-figure price point might be a tad tough to justify for slightly more seasoned buyers. Little oversights in design and function add up, rendering this visibly-sleek tabletop hi-fi a little less sleek to use. Also, the tonearm’s cheap construction can be found in units half the Eastwood II’s price.
Value score: 3.5/5
Should you buy the Victrola Eastwood II?
Buy it if...
You’re looking for your first turntable It’s the perfect introduction to playing records, being simple to use and great-sounding for its price – better, indeed, than similar players in its price bracket.
You don’t have a hifi system yet Everything’s in-house here! No need for separate amps or speakers, and not even any need to cables to play music from your phone or computer.
Don't buy it if...
You’re an active listener This player’s warble and wow are difficult to ignore, particularly on cheaper pressings.
You want an all-in-one addition to your hi-fi If you’ve already got a hi-fi amp, you can get a better stand-alone record player at this price – besides which, a missed opportunity with the Bluetooth setting means this won’t act as a receiver for your hi-fi.
Victrola Eastwood II turntable: Also consider
Lenco LS-410 Lenco’s LS-410 is a similar kind of all-in-one turntable, albeit lacking Victrola’s fun Vinyl Stream technology. For a little more money (and for sacrificing this essential aspect), you can have a Bluetooth-enabled turntable with a slightly more stable platter and a counterweighted tonearm. See our full Lenco LS-410 review
Pro-Ject Juke Box E1 While significantly pricier than the Eastwood II, the Pro-Ject is much closer to a bona fide home hi-fi – with a solid platter, stable belt-drive system, powerful built-in amplifiers and a Bluetooth receiver that doesn’t discriminate. Read our full Pro-Ject Juke Box E1 review
How I tested the Victrola Eastwood II turntable
Tested for 4 weeks, as primary turntable in living room
Tested with Cambridge Audio amp and Celestion speakers, Audio-Technica headphones and a Soundcore Bluetooth speaker
The Eastwood II was put through its paces via my tried-and-true Cambridge Audio Azur 540r amplifier, which feeds two Celestion F1 bookshelf speakers. For headphone listening, I trialled the unit with a wired pair of Audio-Technica ATH-M40xs, and for its Vinyl Stream connectivity I paired it with a Soundcore Motion 300.
The records I chose to listen with are records I know back-to-front, meaning I can fairly evaluate differences in sound and playback – both with respect to different turntable modes, and with respect to other turntables.
The HP EliteBook 845 G11 is a sleek, silver 14in enterprise laptop that means business. This premium WIndows 11 unit features an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor and Radeon 780M Graphics, 32GB RAM, and 512GB storage - which is more than enough to power productivity throughout the day.
As one of the best business laptop lines out there, the EliteBook is smart and professional, with MacBook pretensions once you crack open the lid to expose a well-spaced, backlit keyboard of black against the silver frame. In use, it’s comfortable and intuitive (any typos are strictly my own), although as with so many thin laptops, key travel can feel stubby and shallow.
I’ve always had a hit-and-miss experience with HP laptops - they often feel cheap and plasticky, lids soft and hollow, keys shallow. So there was relief taking hold of the all-metal EliteBook 845 G11. In hand, it doesn’t feel quite as nice or durable as the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s I recently reviewed, but there’s a comforting robustness and weightiness to the device.
Performance-wise, this laptop offers exactly what you’d expect, and everything you hoped. It blazes through the likes of web browsing, Microsoft Office and G Suite apps. I experienced no performance-related issues, whether writing and editing in the notoriously resource-hungry Chrome or taking conference video calls. Having said that, during prolonged use, both the underside and palm rests get fairly warm, which is especially noticeable when the device is charging.
Overall, an excellent business laptop, with plenty of scope for coding, use on campus, and regular home use, too. The lack of decent GPU renders this laptop less useful for high-resolution video editing and 3D rendering. But CPU and RAM are more than sufficient to deliver a smooth experience for everyday office tasks.
(Image credit: HP)
HP EliteBook 845 G11: Price & availability
You should have no difficulty picking up the HP EliteBook 845 G11, which is widely available from online retailers and direct from HP. Even older EliteBooks are readily available. Prices for the laptop start at $1790 / £1200.
(Image credit: HP)
HP EliteBook 845 G11: Design & features
Specs
Processor: Up to AMD Ryzen 7 Pro RAM: Up to 64GB Storage: Up to 2TB PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe M.2 SSD Display: 14" WUXGA IPS (1920 x 1200) Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x smart card reader, 1x nano-sim slot, 1x security lock slot Operating System: Windows 11 Pro Weight: From 1.42 kg (3.14 lb) Battery Life: Up to 10 hours
Weighing in at 1.42kg, measuring 12.4 x 8.83 x 0.64in, the HP EliteBook 845 G11 has a good weight and feel. Constructed with an all-metal chassis “based on high quality aluminum and magnesium” according to the manufacturer, I felt this was a laptop that can take a few knocks on the commute, or being shunted from hot-desk to hot-desk.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, 14in is the ideal size for a business laptop. Not too small, not too bulky, perfect for extended use without weighing you down too much. This EliteBook fits nicely into this category. Here, the display on the base model is a 14in anti-glare rocking a 1920x1200 resolution and a disappointingly average 300nits brightness. That’s fine in the home and office, but you’ll struggle more to see the screen outdoors in bright light. On the other hand, HP offers a range of alternative panels, with low blue light and touch features, and 400, 500, and 800nits options.
Above the panel is a 5MP webcam that does the job but not much more. Again, you can upgrade to the 5MP IR webcam, or strip out the camera if you never again want to endure another Zoom presentation. What I especially like here is the physical camera cover - fast becoming a necessity for business laptops. Neatly sliding the ridged switch to the left ‘grays out’ camera, disabling it in the settings rather than simply masking the lens.
(Image credit: HP)
Using the keyboard is a comfortable experience. It features a backlight of soft white, which automatically turns off to preserve the battery after a few minutes of inactivity, for low-light and night-time use. Keys are not too spongy like for instance the Microsoft Surface, but gentle and firm enough to take a battering when bashing out a report, spreadsheet, or writing a laptop review. While it can’t quite compare to the excellent keyboards you typically find on the best Lenovo ThinkPad laptops - by far the best I’ve used on any business laptop - the spacious design really lets the fingers flow, creating a good rhythm when typing. The welcome addition of a keyboard backlight of soft white, which automatically turns off to preserve the battery after a few minutes of inactivity. I did experience a few near-misses with the arrow and Pg Up/Pg Dn keys so clustered together, but these were few and far between.
The trackpad is broad, allowing for sweeping gestures without being hindered by physical buttons here. Just be careful not to brush the palm of your hand against it while typing, as I did on occasion, sending the cursor to all kinds of unwanted places.
For everyday usage, connectivity is good. It’s a thin laptop, and thin laptops typically mean as few ports as possible, but you’ll still find a HDMI, two USB Type-A 5Gbps ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, nano-SIM card slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack. You may still need to invest in any of the best laptop docking stations, although there’s plenty of space here to connect key peripherals or hook up a second monitor.
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(Image credit: HP)
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(Image credit: HP)
HP EliteBook 845 G11: Performance
I tested this laptop for normal business use - the type the HP EliteBook 845 G11 is built for, straight out of the box. Running plenty of Google Docs and Sheets, jumping into the odd meeting, light photo editing, opening more tabs than necessary open in the web browser. And, of course, in time honored tradition, writing this review on the laptop. Equipped with all that RAM, the EliteBook breezed through all these tasks in almost total silence.
I can’t say it’s the best laptop for photo editing. If you’re a pro, a dedicated content creation station like the MacBook Pro will serve you better - not least because the screen’s brightness and 100% sRGB color space coverage leaves something to be desired in a professional design setting. But for undemanding Photoshop work, social media imagery, lower resolution video editing for your website, HP’s machine capably serves its purpose.
Battery life was ok - I got around 6-7 hours of use, getting through most of the day before I needed to charge up. And that was under standard operation - mostly Google Docs and content management systems. That’s pretty standard for a laptop like this, which has to balance heavy batteries with portability, but I would’ve liked to see it last a bit longer.
As mentioned, the laptop did run warm after a lot of use, even more so than the Lenovo T14s. This was the only real issue I found, and an expected one at that for a powerful business laptop like this. Otherwise, for productivity and performance, the EliteBook 845 G11 shines.
(Image credit: HP)
HP EliteBook 845 G11: Final verdict
There’s a lot to like about the HP EliteBook 845 G11, and not much to dislike here. It’s well-built, well-designed machine that easily handled all the tasks I threw at it. I also found the keyboard very comfortable to use even over long periods - and while it’s not quite up to ThinkPad standards in this department, in almost every other way, the EliteBook gives Lenovo’s business line-up a serious run for its money.
The screen may be a deal-breaker for some - with its average 300nits brightness and low color space coverage, it’s not going to suit those who need to do more than basic image editing and creating online assets. But with plenty of RAM and a powerful CPU, my whole experience using this as a day-to-day business laptop was seamless and silent. At times, it did get hot around the underside and palm rests, but not to the point where the laptop became unusable or too uncomfortable. Elsewhere, though, this is a very well-built machine that, though not a rugged device with an assortment of IP and MIL-STD ratings, feels reliable and robust.
(Image credit: HP)
Should I buy the HP EliteBook 845 G11?
Buy it if…
You want a reliable device for business
The HP EliteBook 845 G11 is built for business, with the specs to prove it. For processor-intensive work that requires plenty of RAM for a seamless experience, this laptop delivers.
You want a robust laptop
It may not be a true rugged laptop, but with an all-metal chassis, this EliteBook feels good in the hand and ready to tackle the fiercest of commutes.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re on a budget
The EliteBook 845 G11 has a large price-tag with specs to suit - if you’re on a budget or simply don’t need this sort of power, HP’s offering may not be the best choice.
You want the best keyboard on a laptop
It’s subjective, of course, and there’s nothing wrong with the EliteBook’s layout and design - but as a professional writer, I still gravitate towards ThinkPads when it comes to the best typing experience on a business laptop.
The Mobile Pixels Geminos T delivers when it comes to productivity. Having two monitors stacked vertically allows for multiple windows to be open at the same time without the need for either a single widescreen monitor or multiple monitors laid out side by side. The Geminos T is therefore an impressively compact solution for desks that lack width. On the flip side, because the bottom display tilts forward, you really do need a deep desk to accommodate both the display and a keyboard/laptop.
The displays themselves unfortunately top out at 1080p, which is fine for most productivity tasks but nowhere near enough for creatives craving 4K resolution. Each display also has only a 60Hz refresh rate so gamers will want to stay away. Mobile Pixels has purposefully created a set of monitors that are designed for productivity and not for creativity or gaming.
The base doubles up as a hub with plenty of connectivity, including an SD/TF card slot, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C port. Being able to ditch your existing hub further tidies up your desk setup. I would have liked to have seen more USB-C ports rather than USB-A, especially with an increasing number of devices utilizing the latest technology. The hub functionality does make the base rather cumbersome and larger than most monitor stands but that's the trade-off for having a built-in hub.
(Image credit: Future)
The hub provides 100W USB-C pass-through charging capability, enabling users to charge a laptop in just a couple of hours. The only cables you'll need trailing out of your laptop will therefore be the two you need for connecting to the displays. As long as the top display is connected via USB-C, you can make use of the extended capabilities.
The hub also includes two speakers, which provide superior audio quality to most laptops or monitors I've ever used. The audio is loud, sharp, and surprisingly even provides enough bass for enjoying music and videos.
Touch-screen functionality left a lot to be desired. I was able to use the Windows bar to open and close apps but the rest of the display seemed to lack touch-screen capability. This could have been amazing for enhancing productivity and essentially turning the bottom display into a laptop display. Unfortunately, I couldn't benefit from this, although that should be possible.
Ergonomically, the dual-stacked display is okay but not great. The only position in which the top display is natural is if the bottom display is angled at around 45 degrees. I found having the bottom display angled so acutely a little unnatural and uncomfortable for my neck.
For the price of $699.99 / £859.97, I think I would lean towards buying two superior 24-inch monitors and a separate vertical mount system. The 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate really limit the versatility of these displays, effectively restricting users to a purely productivity-focused workflow.
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Price and availability
$1,099.99 / £859.97
Available in US and UK
The Geminos T from Mobile Pixels retails at $1,099.99 in the US and £859.97 in the UK. At the time of writing, the US version was reduced to $699.99 - a pretty hefty discount.
If I'm honest, I think the initial price will put a lot of people off, and I have to wonder how much of a market there is for a high-end productivity-focused monitor solution like this. If you want everything in one neat package, no matter the cost, then this is a great option. But if you're prepared to buy two monitors and a separate vertical mount, then you'll be sure to get displays with better specifications.
Value score: 3 / 5
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Specs
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Design and features
Top monitor slides up/down, bottom monitor tilts
Built-in hub
100w pass through power
When it comes to design, the Geminos T is a really intriguing product. Most people who want two displays tend to put them side by side. This requires a desk-width that accommodates it but it has generally been the go-to setup for users needing more screen real-estate. Ultra-wide monitors have also been born out of this phenomenon. Mobile Pixels is trying to shake things up, especially for those seeking greater productivity.
The Geminos T is a vertically stacked dual-screen desktop monitor connected via a linkage system, with the bottom display supporting multi-touch to provide an efficient and user-friendly way to interact with the computer. We'll come back to the touch screen later.
The top screen shifts up and down, which then forces the bottom screen to tilt. I've never experienced anything like it but I did find it difficult to find a natural position for both. When I had the bottom display perfectly positioned, the top display was too high. When I dropped the top display to make that line up with my eyes, the bottom display was angled too acutely to make it useful. They can even be completely collapsed thanks to the robust hinge system.
(Image credit: Future)
Adjusting the monitor positions is fairly straightforward, although you'll want to handle it with care. Mobile Pixels plasters the entire unit with stickers giving instructions and warnings, which is a little over the top. Unfortunately, the removal of these stickers left a number of residue marks on parts of the monitor and on the webcam. This could easily have been avoided by using some sort of card or alternative labeling solution.
The displays are connected via independent HDMI/USB-C ports, which makes it possible to connect two separate laptops or computers. That being said, considering the hub is only connected to the bottom display, I think this has been primarily designed for use with a single device.
Other than the displays, there is also a built-in hub located in the stand. This is a well-implemented solution for users who have multiple devices and has the added benefit of furthering productivity. Connectivity includes 2 x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 2x HDMI ports, 3.5mm headphone jack, RJ45 Ethernet, TF and SD card slots. This is a good spread of options, although I would have liked to have seen more USB-C ports to ensure the device stays current in the years to come.
(Image credit: Future)
Also included in the hub are a pair of very capable speakers. I was surprised by the level of volume achievable, which was significantly better than my on-board laptop speakers. Even though there are two speakers, they are very close to each other and therefore lack the ability to convert into anything resembling surround sound.
The hub continues to deliver great functionality with 100W passthrough charging through USB-C. This reduces the number of cables you need coming out of your laptop and provides a fast way of getting your devices charged up quickly. In terms of hub capabilities, the Geminos T is indeed very capable, which is probably part of the reason for the inflated price of the product.
The final design element to mention is the webcam, which is located at the top of the upper display. There is a small amount of tilt available on the webcam, making it usable at whatever height you have the top display set to. Unfortunately, due to a label being plastered over it, I was left with glue residue that couldn't be easily removed, rendering the webcam useless - a frustrating flaw with the packaging rather than the product design itself.
Design and features score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Performance
Well-performing 1080p monitors
Poor touch screen
Great hub functionality
The Geminos T performed pretty well in almost all areas, especially if you limit your concerns to productivity applications and workflows rather than gaming and creativity.
The 1080p displays are clear, bright, and vibrant—everything you need from monitors that are not required to represent color 100% accurately. Whenever I test monitors at this resolution, I am always left wanting more, even if I'm only using a document editor or writing emails. At 1080p, everything lacks the sort of crispness that is present in 4K or even 3K displays. In my opinion, we're so used to amazing clarity on our mobile phones at this point that not seeing that same quality on our monitors can leave us feeling a little disappointed.
The 60Hz refresh rate is no major problem in general, but gamers will likely want to steer clear. I think if Mobile Pixels just increased the resolution and refresh rate a little, then they would significantly open themselves up to other markets. There is also no HDR functionality, which might be a limiting factor for some, especially anyone looking to do creative work.
(Image credit: Future)
The bottom display on the Geminos T is advertised as a touchscreen, although I didn't have a great time with it. I only seemed to be able to find touch sensitivity on the bottom Windows bar and not anywhere else on the screen. Considering this is one of the selling points for productive workflows, I was amazed at the problems I was facing. Note that touchscreens are only available on the Geminos T and X models.
The other disappointing part of my experience was with the webcam. After removing one of the stickers that was placed on the webcam, I was left with glue residue on the camera and I couldn't get rid of it. I was therefore unable to effectively test the quality of this part of the device.
I think the Geminos T is so close to being worthy of its high price tag. High-resolution displays, quicker refresh rates, and a better touchscreen would really help cement this stacked monitor solution as a productivity-enhancing machine.
Performance score: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Score card
Should I buy the Mobile Pixels Geminos T?
Buy it if...
You need a vertical mount
There aren't too many options on the market for a built-in vertical stacked monitor so the Geminos T is one of your only choices.
You want a foldable monitor solution
The Geminos T enables users to shift the top display up and down while at the same time tilting the bottom display. Both are connected so a change to one monitor affects the other. The two displays can also be completely collapsed flat.
Don't buy it if...
You need a 4K monitor
The Geminos T displays are both 1080p, which is enough for many but not for creatives working with 4K footage or gamers playing 4K games.
You're a gamer
A 60Hz refresh rate is nothing near what is required for modern gaming. The Geminos T is not designed for this market so you'll need to look elsewhere for an alternative solution.
Also consider
BenQ PD2725U
A pricey monitor with excellent color accuracy and a wide range of connectivity options, including Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C. It has a sleek design with thin bezels and an adjustable stand.
A budget-friendly monitor with superb color reproduction and impressive peak brightness. The inclusion of 90W Type-C power delivery makes it useful for minimizing cables out of your laptop.
After setting up the Mobile Pixels Geminos T, I had it as my main monitor for a number of weeks. It's quite imposing so I had to clear my desk first. Knowing that the monitor stack is designed primarily for productivity, I made sure to utilise office applications and web browsing most of the time. I also tested it using other creative applications and watching videos.
I’ve been reviewing computers, peripherals and components for many years for multiple different publications around the world.
The Ninja Luxe Café is a three-in-one bean-to-cup coffee machine that makes espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew. With its grind size suggestions based on the type of drink, a weight-based dosage system, and an automatic milk frother, much of the guesswork when it comes to perfecting your brew is taken out of the equation It’s perfect for novices who are just beginning to dip their toes in the espresso world. But the real question is, does the Ninja Luxe Café actually deliver on its claim? And I’m happy to report that, for the most part, it does.
Ninja has been in the small kitchen gadget game for a while now, with a range of pod and drip coffee machines including the Ninja DualBrew Pro, but the Luxe Café is its first foray into bean-to-cup espresso machines - a field that's currently dominated by brands like Breville and De’Longhi. In fact, the Luxe Café goes head to head with one of Breville’s most popular semi-automatic espresso machines, the Breville the Barista Express - and in my opinion, it comes out ahead thanks to the lower price tag, foolproof espresso system, and ability to also brew drip coffee.
The Ninja Luxe Café looks and feels much more expensive than its is (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
As soon as I took the Ninja Luxe Café out of its packaging, it looked and felt like a far more expensive machine. Though bulky, its sleek stainless steel body with black accents fit right into my kitchen. Given all that’s happening on this coffee maker, with its wealth of features and massive display, it’s a little intimidating at first but surprisingly easy to master.
The range of tools (like a funnel that does a decent job at keeping grinds in the filter and Luxe basket for quad shots and coffee brews) are nice inclusions, and Ninja has added a space to store these tools and more when not in use. Talk about convenience. However, it’s missing a hot water line for americanos, tea, and other beverages, I wish one could’ve been incorporated in some way.
The machine has storage for accessories like the funnel and extra basket for quad shots (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
The Ninja Luxe Café looks the part of a quality bean-to-cup machine, and luckily, it performs just as great. The grind size suggestions and weight-based dosage system were a huge boon, ensuring I had the perfect espresso pull every time with a lovely golden crema and strong, smooth taste. On the coffee side, the hot coffee and cold brew turned out great with minimal effort, as I never needed to measure out the proper amount of ground coffee or determine the proper grind size. However, the four different coffee settings were a bit gimmicky and unnecessary. A cold brew and classic coffee would’ve been fine.
When I wanted to make a latte, cappuccino, or flat white, the automatic milk frother settings almost always worked with my 2% milk, creating a lovely microfoam with no skill needed. Unfortunately, the frother didn’t perform as well with oat milk, not a major surprise, as this is the case with many plant-based milks. A cold foam setting is also available but didn’t work with either of my milks. I missed the manual option for steaming milk with a steam wand, as I love extra hot drinks and practicing my steaming technique.
The automatic milk frother produced creamy microfoam with no skill needed, but worked better with dairy than plant-based substitutes (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
Overall, if you’re a beginner who wants a quality, great value espresso machine that makes it easy to pull the perfect shot, the Ninja Luxe Café is for you. Even experienced at-home baristas will appreciate the excellent results this machine delivers. And it’s hard to beat the bonus of brewing tasty classic coffee and cold brew too.
Ninja Luxe Café review: price and availability
List price: $499.99 (about £400 / AU$750)
Launch date: June 2024
Availability: US
The Ninja Luxe Café’s launch price was $499.99 (about £400 / AU$750), and at the time of writing it is only available in the US. It can be purchased directly from the manufacturer's website, or from third-party retailers including Best Buy and Amazon. This bean-to-cup machine was only recently released, don’t expect to find any major discounts for at least a few months.
Sitting right at a mid-range price point in the wider market, the Ninja Luxe Café’s versatility, solid performance, ease of use, and stunning build quality punch far above its weight. I would’ve expected this machine to cost far more, and it’s sure to give the ever-popular Breville The Barista Express a run for its money, especially since Breville’s offering costs $200 more and does less.
Value for money score: 5 out of 5
Ninja Luxe Café review: specs
Ninja Luxe Café review: design
Stunning, sturdy build
Massive display
Helpful storage features
Lacks hot water line
Besides one glaring omission, I have almost no notes on the design of the Ninja Luxe Café. Like any bean-to-cup machine, it’s definitely not compact and takes up a good chunk of counter space and just fits under my kitchen cabinets, measuring 12.99 x 13.39 x 14.57in / 330 x 340 x 370mm (L x W x H). That’s just a little bit bigger than the most recent semi-automatic espresso machine I’ve been using, the Casabrews 5700Pro. At least Ninja’s offering is extremely versatile, making the most of that extra space it takes up. Weighing 25.73lb / 11.67kg, it’s also quite heavy, so I tried to move it around as little as possible.
The Ninja Luxe Café calibrates itself. so you don't need to spend time experimenting to get the perfect espresso pull (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
As soon as I removed the Ninja Luxe Café from the box, I was struck by its sleekness, offering a stainless steel finish with black accents. Even the packaging for the tools oozed elegance. It was far nicer than I expected considering the reasonable price tag. It truly looks and feels like something that should be twice that price. Each component was sturdy and built to last.
Setting up this bean-to-cup machine was on par with others I tested, taking me just over 20 minutes to have my first shot of espresso ready to go. However, the Luxe Café is unique, as it calibrates itself, so you don’t need to experiment with different grind sizes for a great espresso pull. The hardness of your water is even taken into account, helping to perfect the extraction. If you’ve never used an at home espresso machine before, it’s a little overwhelming initially. A few instructional videos and an instruction book were helpful in navigating the Luxe Café.
The machine comes with a tamper and funnel (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
After it was put together, I played around with the design features. Ninja thought of almost everything. The accessory storage was probably my favorite, as it’s a rarity on espresso machines. It drives me crazy to have components lying around waiting to be lost. A handy little door on the side of the machine opens up, letting you store a few cleaning tools, along with the double and Luxe baskets for the portafilter. The opposite side of the machine houses the tamper and funnel – which helps prevent grinds from getting everywhere while grinding – for ultra-easy access.
On top of the machine sits the removable bean hopper/grinder with a UV-protective lid to keep the beans fresher longer with an easy-to-use dial for adjusting grind size on the side, while around the back is a removable 70oz water reservoir. The water reservoir doesn’t appear to have any major filter, or the option to add one – a slight disappointment – and isn’t the easiest to reach given the location at the back of the machine under my cabinets. That’s not dissimilar to other coffee makers. Still, it holds a good amount of water. I refilled it only a couple of times per week after making about three beverages a day.
All the action happens at the front of the machine, and its most striking feature is the massive display running almost its entire width. The display lacks touch control, but a wealth of buttons and a couple of knobs made navigating relatively simple after familiarizing myself with the system.
Above the grinder, the display informs you of the current and recommended grind sizes based on the type of brew. Red warnings will even light up if the funnel, hopper, or portafiler aren’t installed or the coffee beans are out. It’s honestly pretty foolproof.
The machine will warn you if there are no beans, or the portafilter isn't inserted (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
The center of the display right above the group head, which securely holds the portafilter during brewing, is where the type of brew is selected. On the espresso side, double, quad, and cold-press options are available, and the coffee side features a classic, rich, over-ice, and cold brew setting, along with various size options. Also at the center is the progress bar – a handy little tool that informs how far along in grinding, brewing, or milk frothing you are. Similar to the red warnings on the grinding side of the display, a rinse notification will display when the group head needs a quick clean.
Finally, above the frother are the milk frothing settings. Unlike many semi-automatic brewers, this one lets you select foam levels and milk type: dairy or plant-based. I only had to add the milk to the jug with an integrated whisk and place it in its designated location with the steam wand inserted. The jug even has size markings inside and outside, so you get the proper milk levels. The steam wand automatically purges after frothing, though a 'purge' button is available. This side of the display also indicates when the water reservoir needs to be filled.
A progress bar on the front of the machine shows how far along it is with grinding, brewing, or milk frothing (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
At the base of the Ninja Luxe Café is the main drip tray and a separate center drip tray. It felt unnecessarily complicated being two components. However, having a separate center drip tray makes it possible to use larger travel mugs. On the side of the main drip tray is a tiny indicator, letting you know when it’s full and needs emptying. I had to empty it every few days of use. Beyond the removable center drip tray, another sturdy adjustable cup tray can be set at different levels, depending on the vessel – a handy addition that prevents splashing.
It truly seems that Ninja thought of everything when crafting the Luxe Café, except for a water line. I love having a hot water option to make an americano, tea, or other warm beverage. Integrating one into the steam wand or elsewhere would’ve brought the machine near perfection level in terms of design. Instead, I relied on a kettle, something I never had to do with my usual espresso machine.
The machine comes with two baskets: double and Luxe, the latter of which is for quad shots (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
As for the accessories, the portafilter also doubles as a brewer for the coffee settings on the machine. It comes with two baskets: double and Luxe. When using the coffee settings or brewing a quad shot, the Luxe basket must be installed. Like most portafilters, it’s a bit of a struggle to swap baskets, but that ensures they remain securely in place when dumping grinds. Unfortunately, it costs extra for the knock box to remove the grinds. Luckily, the grinds come out relatively easy with just a few whacks against the garbage can.
Beyond the portafilter, many of the other accessories deal with maintenance. A descaling powder, a cleaning disc, a cleaning brush, and a couple of cleaning tablets ensure the machine remains in tip-top shape.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Ninja Luxe Café review: performance
Handy grind size suggestions and automatic weight-based dosage
Consistently great espresso pulls and coffee brews
Quick and easy to use
The Ninja Luxe Café is far easier to master than other semi-automatic espresso machines; even novices should figure it out quickly. That’s, in large part, thanks to the machine’s ability to automatically suggest grind sizes based on the type of drink brewed, the weight-based dosage system for the perfect amount of grinds depending on the drink, and the hands-free frother to dial in the ideal amount of microfoam.
Admittedly, the whole system is a little overwhelming initially, especially the large display and various controls. But, after a couple of brews, I had it down to a science and had to do far less experimenting with grind size than usual to pull the perfect espresso shot, wasting less pricey coffee beans and time. Regular coffee always requires less effort for a solid brew, and this machine delivered a great classic cup of joe on the first try.
Seven different types of brews are available with Ninja Luxe Café. On the espresso side is a double, quad, and cold-pressed extraction, while coffee can be brewed classic, rich, over-ice, and cold brew. I tested out every setting to see how each stacked up.
Each pull yielded consistent results (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
I started with the double espresso shot, my most used setting over the testing period. Installing the double basket on the portafilter required a little muscle while the funnel easily latches on top. Inserting the portafilter into the grinder will automatically adjust the brew setting options based on the installed basket. With the double basket, only a double or cold-pressed extraction was available. Turning the large main knob lets you select the setting. If the funnel isn’t on when the portafilter is inserted into the grinder, a warning will pop up – I forgot to use it many times.
The machine then tells you the ideal grind size for the espresso pull, and you can adjust to the suggested grind size using a knob on the side of the machine. I adjusted accordingly and started the grind. The progress bar at the center of the display let me know how far along in the process I was.
After grinding, it was time to brew. I used the tamper with the funnel still attached to level the freshly ground coffee. It did a successful job of keeping the grinds in the basket most of the time, but on several occasions, a good deal of grinds managed to escape. This usually happened when the basket was extremely full, or I inserted the tamper too fast.
Besides rinsing the portafilter, emptying the drip tray, and wiping down the machine, there isn’t much hands-on cleaning required (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
Placing the portafilter securely into the group head takes some effort, and I usually had to hold the body of the coffee maker to prevent the whole setup from moving. From there, I moved the handy little adjustable cup tray to fit my mug and pressed the large center knob to begin the brew, watching the progress bar begin to flash. Less than a minute later, a beep indicated that my double-shot espresso was ready. The whole process is quiet too, averaging about 60dB, so you don’t need to worry about waking others in the household for an early morning caffeine fix.
The espresso shot had a thick golden crema that could briefly hold a small sprinkling of granulated sugar before falling through. The crema then reformed after; a tell-tale sign of great pull. Its taste was equally wonderful, rich, and smooth with a slight acidity.
Without fail, each espresso pull after my initial yielded similar results, including the quad shot and cold-pressed extraction. However, the cold-pressed extraction only reached about 80°F compared to the 120°F for the other two espresso shot settings. It also took slightly longer to brew at 2.5 minutes but was perfect for my iced lattes and prevented ice melt. Of course, results will also vary based on the type of coffee beans used. I stuck with quality beans from Stumptown and Groundwork during my testing.
The automatic milk frother works very well, but there's no way to steam your milk manually if you prefer (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
Brewing coffee follows a similar process, although the larger Luxe basket will always be installed and there’s no need to use the tamper. The grind sizes for all the coffee brews were significantly larger than the espresso, and there are various brew size options from six oz to 18 oz. The Ninja Luxe Café automatically adjusts the amount of beans it grinds based on the brew size and weight. It’s honestly hard to beat the convenience of not needing to measure out anything ever.
The coffee brews took longer than the espresso pulls, at around three to six minutes, depending on the setting and size. The results were consistently flavorful with just a slight bitterness, never watered down which was one of my fears. However, if you asked me to differentiate between the 'rich' and 'classic' settings, I wouldn’t be able to. Each tasted great and had a temperature of around 160°F. The same goes for the 'over-ice' and 'cold brew'. Both settings brewed the coffee at a lower temperature around 100°F, but I couldn’t tell you the difference between the two. The Ninja DualBrew Pro I reviewed in 2023 had similar setting options and results. It all just seems sort of gimmicky on an otherwise awesome machine.
The versatile Ninja Luxe Café is a little larger than the semi-automatic Casabrews 5700Pro, but much more affordable (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
Beyond brewing espresso and coffee, the Ninja Luxe Café offers a hands-free milk frother for those coffeehouse-style drinks at home. It’s sometimes a struggle to get the perfect microfoam from a steam wand, and this takes all the guesswork away. The milk jug has an integrated whisk, and when combined with a steam wand on the machine, frothing was easier than ever. I could even choose between four presets: steamed milk, thin froth, thick froth, and cold foam.
I tested all the froth presets with both 2% milk and oat milk. With 2% milk, the frothing settings worked just as expected (for the most part). The steamed milk yielded little foam just warming the milk, the thin froth had a nice bit of microfoam ideal for latte art and flat whites, while the thick froth had a nice fluffy foam on top that lasted the entire time I drank my cappuccino. Unfortunately, the oat milk struggled to form much of a microfoam, even on the thick froth setting. But these results aren’t uncommon for plant-based milks, so I don’t fully fault the machine. I also failed to create a cold foam, as heavy cream is required for that setting.
My biggest issue with the milk frother is you can’t control the steam wand yourself. I’m a big fan of extra hot beverages during the colder months, and with the Ninja Luxe Café, it isn’t possible to heat the milk a little longer for extra warmth or even test the waters of frothing milk with a steam wand unassisted. Sure, it’s nice to have everything pretty automatic, but sometimes, especially for the more experienced, the option for a little more freedom would’ve been a welcome addition.
You'll occasionally need to fill the water reservoir with a decaling solution, or insert the cleaning disc and tablet into the portafilter (Image credit: Danielle Abraham)
When it comes to maintenance, the Luxe Café attempts to keep things as simple as possible. Besides rinsing the portafilter, emptying the drip tray, and wiping down the machine, there isn’t much hands-on cleaning that needs to be done. Even after several weeks of use, the machine looked is good as new besides a few splashes of coffee on the front panel and grinds in the drip tray.
Occasionally, the coffee maker's internals will need a thorough cleaning, but the most you will have to do is either fill the water reservoir with a descaling solution or insert the cleaning disc and tablet into the portafilter, and press a few buttons after. It’s all very manageable.
Overall, the Ninja Luxe Café delivered on its promises of uncomplicating espresso. It consistently created quality espresso and made things simpler by intuitively dosing and providing the correct grind level for the perfect pull, something you’d be hard-pressed to find on other semi-automatic espresso machines at this price point. The milk frother made it possible to create some near-coffeehouse-level lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites at home, which in the long run could end up saving you a ton of money. Plus, it's a nice bonus to get delicious regular and iced coffee brews from the same machine — a feature you don’t see in most mid-range bean-to-cup offerings.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Should you buy the Ninja Luxe Café?
Buy it if
You love a variety of coffee-based beverages This bean-to-cup machine not only pulls double and quad espresso shots but offers classic, rich, over-ice, and cold brew coffee brews. It also comes with four presets for hands-free frothing, letting you create coffeehouse-style beverages at home.
You want an intuitive, easy-to-use machine The Ninja Luxe Café takes the guesswork out of pulling espresso shots, brewing coffee, and frothing milk. Even novices will get the hang of it quickly, as the machine tells you the ideal grind size and weighs the proper dosage for your selected drink. The frother is also hands-free for the perfect microfoam and steamed milk to add to drinks
You want tasty, fresh espresso and coffee Given this is a bean-to-cup machine, the built-in grinder ensures the freshest cup of joe, while the intuitive dosage and grinding system, make perfecting your drink simple. You’ll consistently enjoy rich espresso with a lovely golden crema and strong coffee.
Don't buy it if
You want to brew large quantities of coffee
You’re limited to 18oz coffee brews, so don’t expect to make carafes for offices or larger households. It’s best for individual cups.
You want a hot water line The Ninja Luxe Café lacks a dedicated hot water line. That means, you’ll have to look elsewhere when making tea, americanos, and other hot drinks. It would’ve been nice to have the option included on the steam wand like other espresso machines.
You’re looking for a compact coffee maker Like many bean-to-cup machines, this is big, bulky, and heavy. If you’re tight on counter space, finding a smaller, more portable option may better suit your needs.
Ninja Luxe Café: also consider
If you're not sure about the Ninja Luxe Café, here are a couple of other options to think about
Casabrews 5700Pro
Another all-in-one machine that does everything from grinding beans to steaming milk, with the useful addition of a hot water line for brewing tea - something the Ninja Luxe Café lacks - and a mighty 20 bars of pressure. The downside is that it's twice the price.
This machine (branded as Sage in the UK) makes manual controls easy enough for beginners to master, and you'll get perfect results every time once you've spent some time getting to grips with its settings. It also offers 15 bars of pressure compared to nine for the Ninja Luxe Café.
I used the Ninja Luxe Café for several weeks at home, making two to three coffee drinks per day using high quality Stumtown and Groundwork coffee beans. During testing, I noted flavors, consistency, temperature, time to brew, and noise levels. Beyond drinking the espresso and coffee black, I tried the different milk frother presets with both dairy and plant-based milk, observing the foam levels and differences between settings. In the end, I tested almost every setting on the bean-to-cup machine and observed how it held up to usage.
In the world of AI image generation Midjourney is a legend. Launched in July 2022 the platform quickly established itself as a leader in the market.
Relying on its own home baked diffusion model based on Stable Diffusion, the service soared in popularity, becoming the best AI image generator we’ve reviewed. This despite, or maybe because of, its quirky user interface choice. Instead of a flash looking dashboard, we were forced to schlep over to Discord and enter our image prompts behind an /imagine motif, and a long indeterminate queuing system. Positively artisanal.
Midjourney offers a Basic plan starting at $10 a month, which provides 3 hours of 'open public' fast image generation via a member gallery. It’s a basic plan with few bells and whistles, but it gets the job done. The three other plans start at $30 a month up to $120 and offer faster generation, private images and more generation concurrency.
All plans come with some useful editing options. For instance, the platform has a two-click out-painting (zoom out) function and the ability to upscale images. These features allow users to expand their images or improve resolution on demand, making it easier to create high-quality images without needing advanced graphic design skills.
If you need more control over your images, you can tweak the prompt with custom zooms and use the image remix and canvas variation buttons. Again using these features can be a little clunky because of the Discord interface, but Midjourney users seem to be a forgiving bunch.
Pricing & plans: 4/5
Midjourney: Art style
(Image credit: Midjourney)
As one of the best AI art generators we've tested, a stand-out feature for Midjourney is its distinctive artistic style. The platform excels in delivering images with a unique flair and particular attention to lighting and texture. The results are not just good—they’re often stunning. Typing in a prompt like "a gorgeous tiger sitting on a deserted beach at sunset," for example yields images that are both visually striking and detailed.
What sets Midjourney apart from other AI image generators is its ability to add artistry into every image. You can tell an Midjourney creation from a mile away, which is either a good or bad thing depending on your religion. But it does make Midjourney particularly appealing to artists and designers who need AI help, but don’t really want to admit it.
Art style: 5/5
Midjourney: User interface & experience
(Image credit: Midjourney)
To use the service, you need to sign up to the Midjourney Discord chat channel. Once logged in, you trigger image generation with the phrase '/imagine' followed by your text prompt. It’s not the most user-friendly process, and feels a bit clunky, but it kind of works.
This slightly odd interface poses both challenges and opportunities. On one hand it limits the platform’s accessibility to those who are familiar with, or willing to learn, how to navigate Discord. On the other, it fosters a community of users who are forced to share their prompts and images, creating a collaborative environment where users can learn from each other. This community aspect is actually quite cool, and inspirational at times.
This interface is currently the only way to interact with Midjourney, but there is a promise of a new dashboard arriving soon as highlighted on the showcase home page. Hopefully this new upgrade will also include an easier way to access and manage user accounts.
Interface & experience: 3.5/5
Midjourney: Community & collaboration
(Image credit: Midjourney)
One of the unsung features of Midjourney is its strong community aspect, delivered through the Discord channels. Users share their prompts and generated images in the chat, allowing for a collaborative environment where users can learn from each other’s successes and failures. It’s a great way for newcomers to learn through feedback, and for experts to act as mentors and help people improve their skills.
It’s also a double-edged sword of course. It means on the lower plans your generated images are public by default, which could be a drawback for those who value privacy or are creating images for confidential commercial purposes. Spend more money, get more privacy.
The Discord community is also the first line of technical support, where users can ask questions, share tips, and troubleshoot common issues. While this peer-group model is useful, it does lack the reliability of a dedicated customer support team. You can get direct support, but it’s limited. Thankfully there are some solid tutorials and help FAQs which you can use.
Despite its quirks, Midjourney produces exceptional images. However, like any image generator, getting the best results requires trial and error and not a little patience. I found that generating a final image would typically take several attempts, via the Variations button (v1, v2 etc) and/or the Upscale option which allows for out-painting (zoom out) functionality. Surprisingly that is the extent of the editing apart from some limited image variations or crude inpainting options.
Learning which prompts yield the best results is like digital gardening. You sow your prompt, observe the results, and tweak or harvest accordingly. This iterative process can be time-consuming, but it’s also rewarding. Over time, you develop a better understanding of how to craft prompts that produce the best images in the shortest time.
Two years is a long time in AI, and where Midjourney once led a very small pack of image generators back in 2022, now there are significant rivals arriving almost every month. The latest, Flux AI, is a spectacular image service which seems to have grabbed the quality crown – at least for now. This means that in order to keep up, Midjourney is going to have to improve its interface, provide more flexible editing or offer some other meaningful changes. It's a merciless market, as many other image generation services have discovered to their cost. Can the best AI tool for images stay top of the pile? We’ll be intrigued to see where the service goes next.
Community & collaboration: 5/5
Midjourney: Final verdict
Midjourney is a superb veteran in the AI image generation space, delivering images that are more than just good—they're artistic. The interface, while decidedly old-school and a bit cumbersome, shouldn't deter you if you're willing to navigate through Discord to access the platform's capabilities. Patience and practice will go a long way in getting the best results from this powerful tool. However, it remains to be seen how long this market dominance will continue.
QD-OLED 4K gaming screens these days are becoming more numerous. That can make it particularly difficult to pin down a model that’s just right for you, with the right spec, at the right price. Fortunately, Alienware’s AW3225QF might well be the best gaming monitor of the bunch, certainly today. It’s not cheap, but the build quality, image quality, specs, warranties, and overall design do give it a considerable edge in contrast to some of its competition, and go a long way to justify its price tag.
Top-line stats are out of this world. The true panel size actually falls at around 31.6 inches, giving you a pixel density of 139.87 dpi. Combine that with a 240Hz max refresh rate, broad color depth thanks to that impressive individual illuminated QD-OLED tech, and a solid 250-nits brightness on SDR content, plus a 2.1 ms MPRT response time, and this thing soon becomes a top-tier choice rather rapidly.
If you’ve got the graphical horsepower to drive it at 4K, gaming it on is unlike anything else. Even without HDR, titles like The Witcher 3, Elden Ring, and Cyberpunk 2077 look and feel exceptional. Textures are crisp and sharp, anti-aliasing smooth as butter, and that refresh rate combined with G-Sync (or FreeSync) just delivers an event unlike any other. Is this the best gaming monitor money can buy? On PC, it’s a close bet.
Still, that price tag is a lot to swallow, and for some, the 32-inch 16:9 form factor can be particularly difficult to adapt to, especially if you’re used to the 21:9 or ultrawide aspect ratios. While the 240Hz refresh rate takes it beyond what the modern consoles can achieve, it’s still a belter of a PS5 monitor or Xbox Series X monitor; it will automatically pivot to 120Hz and you still get that brilliant image quality, colors, curved immersion and everything else the monitor offers.
(Image credit: Future/Zak Storey)
Alienware AW3225QF: Price and availability
Seriously pricey
Readily available from parent company Dell
Flagship spec is unmatched
You can buy Alienware’s AW3225QF both in the US and the UK right now and it’s readily available at parent company Dell. It’s based on Samsung’s QD-OLED panel tech, as a result, there are five total models out there from different brands and manufacturers, all with effectively the same screen at their core.
Alienware’s is the second most expensive offering with both the Gigabyte Aorus FO32U2P and Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM coming in joint first, for typically an extra $100 / £100 added on top. MSI’s MPG 321URX QD-OLED is the cheapest of the bunch, but again only by $50-100 so not exactly bank-breaking, and you do get a worse stand if you’re going that route.
Otherwise, top-line specs remain the same, 3840x2160 resolution over a 31.6-inch panel, 240Hz max refresh rate, and 0.03ms gray-to-gray response time, all packed into a 16:9 aspect ratio. Alienware’s stand and cabling solution does look the slickest out of the lot, and it’s opted for a curved screen, giving it a unique edge over the competition.
Alienware AW3225QF: Specs
(Image credit: Future/Zak Storey)
Alienware AW3225QF: Design and features
3rd Gen OLED delivers hard
Super-low response times leads to no ghosting
HDR in Windows is carnage still
Straight out of the box, the AW3225QF is a thing of beauty to behold. General construction is a breeze, the stand comes in two parts, the main neck, and the base. You attach those two together and secure them with a single thick screw at the bottom. Then with the panel carefully placed on a table or desk, you slide and click the stand into place behind it and you’re done. There’s a release button on the back, and that’s about it. Super fast, super easy. At the base of the panel itself, there’s a removable cover to hide all your cable management, and a hollowed-out segment of the stand helps run your cables and keep everything hidden and out of the way behind the monitor.
The stand is seriously sweet, with a wide-based stance, decked out in a matt white plastic that does give it somewhat of an imperial empire vibe, but it works really incredibly well for an aesthetic. On the rear of the panel, Alienware’s baked in some fairly minimal RGB lighting. It’s okay, and not particularly bright, which feels like a bit of a misstep, certainly with the amount of RGB LED ambient lighting solutions out there right now.
But let’s be clear here, it’s the panel on this 4K gaming monitor that’s the show stopper. It’s a beautiful design, with thin bezels and a slight curve to it (1700R) with a 31.6-inch radius and a gloss finish. There’s some Alienware branding at the very bottom of the screen, but once again in no way is it distracting or even that visible.
(Image credit: Future/Zak Storey)
Still, it’s the top-line spec of the thing that really draws you in. The AW3225QF packs in a 3840x2160 resolution into that 31.6-inches, complete with 240Hz refresh (DSC enabled) and a 0.03ms gray-to-gray response time (2.1 ms MPRT in testing). The panel itself is actually Samsung Display’s QD-OLED third gen, which was showcased first at CES in January 2024. Compared to second-gen, it features a Quantum Enhancer AI processor that’s bespoke for each panel directly, Samsung claims this should increase panel durability by a factor of two, along with providing improved brightness and power efficiency over the last-gen models. Samsung’s also using a new Pico-inkjet printer technology to produce a higher quality quantum-dot layer (the part of the panel that applies the color to each pixel), which is now more accurate and efficient, making it cheaper and easier to mass produce the screen tech. That means we should see the price of these panels fall dramatically over the course of the year.
On top of that barrage of specs there, the AW3225QF also features G-Sync certification, Free-Sync support, and Vesa’s AdaptiveSync certification eliminating screen tearing, alongside HDR support for Dolby Vision and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400.
(Image credit: Future/Zak Storey)
Alienware AW3225QF: Performance
Outstanding gaming experience
240Hz is a game changer
HDR in Windows is still underwhelming
I’ve been testing gaming and professional monitors since I started in tech journalism many years ago, and I can wholeheartedly say that this screen is something else.
240Hz refresh rate, combined with a 4K resolution and that super low 2.1 ms MPRT, it’s just outstanding. There’s not a moment in game, certainly on PC, where you’re not impressed by it. Going from 60Hz to 120 or 144Hz feels good, really good. It’s smooth, but you can tell there’s still judder there. Going to 240Hz though, it’s like frames become incomparable at that point. It’s as close to real life as it gets, in how fluid it is, as long as your graphics card can drive it at that refresh rate, and that is going to be the bigger challenge.
We do have tech to help alleviate some of those issues. DLSS and FSR, along with Nvidia’s Frame Generation tech make a massive difference here. Still even with the very best of that tech-enabled, and in its lowest configuration, if you take something like an RTX 4080 Super, and run Cyberpunk 2077 with DLSS in its Ultra Performance mode (and put up with the terrible anti-aliasing as a result) you’re still not going to max out that 240Hz refresh rate. AAA titles require a seriously beefy graphics card. That said, if you’re playing older games, or less graphically intense titles that don’t have 200 rays bouncing around the environment, it’s unlike anything else, and arguably becomes one of the best high-refresh gaming monitors as a result. Ghosting is non-existent, every test I ran it through I couldn’t spot any of it, but that is a tell-tale trait of a good OLED panel after all.
(Image credit: Future/Zak Storey)
As for general content streaming. Netflix, Amazon Prime. It’s equally such a joy to use, the HDR support is rich and vibrant, and impeccably immersive, the colors are deep and saturated where they need to be, and it’s truly tantalizing. There are problems, however, and that mostly comes down to how Windows handles HDR in particular. On desktop, It’s still a mess, with a cornucopia of settings, and if you don’t get it right it looks and feels washed out in general day-to-day web browsing, and underwhelming on video content. Likewise, Alienware also included an arsenal of HDR profiles and settings on the display itself to further add to the confusion, with some profiles working well in one bright scene, only to fall foul in a darker scene two seconds later. It’s problematic, but still more of a general issue in HDR on PC anyway, with less to do with the actual display itself.
Similarly, there’s a total of 12 different preset modes by default even for SDR content. All of which slightly tweak brightness, contrast, and color warmth. In my opinion, SPORTS or Standard modes are the way to go out of the box.
There's not a noticeable difference between gaming on PS5 and PC with the Alienware AW3225QF. It provides beautiful imagery, excellent gaming performance, and one of the best monitor companions you can get for the current-gen consoles. The only caveat is that, naturally, as it's built with a PC focus, you won't be able to get all the benefits of its top-draw specs, like the maximum refresh rate. If you're you're looking for the absolute best monitor to team with a PS5 or Xbox Series X or gaming on a dual PC and console setup, then it's perfect for you. However, it is worth bearing in mind that you can probably save a few bucks elsewhere for a PS5 monitor if you're savvy in choosing the right spec combination.
Alienware’s AW3225QF is ultimately an exceptional screen. If money is no option, it may well be one of the best gaming monitors out there right now. It's fast, crystal clear, with low latency, and a beautiful color depth and brightness that really does give it an edge over the previous generations of OLED. Better yet it’s leaps and bounds ahead of anything that even the best LCD panel can muster. If you’re after the absolute best of the best, the AW3225QF is it.
(Image credit: Future/Zak Storey)
Should you buy the Alienware AW3225QF?
Buy it if...
You want the best 4K gaming experience available With a super sharp resolution and an outstanding refresh rate, combined with low latency and phenomenal color breadth, the AW3225QF is on another level when it comes to 4K gaming on PC or current-gen console.
You’re concerned about OLED burn-in Not only do Samsung’s third-gen OLED panels come with an enhanced AI chip to double the life expectancy, Alienware’s also include a three-year burn-in warranty as well.
Don't buy it if...
You’re looking for a wallet-friendly QD-OLED model It’s the second highest priced QD-OLED of this generation, with Asus and Gigabyte models pipping it to the post, but only just. There are cheaper options out there.
You want simple HDR HDR in Windows is complicated enough, but multiple HDR profiles don’t help on Alienware’s AW3225QF.
Also consider
If the Alienware AW3225QF isn't quite for you then consider these great alternatives of different screen resolutions to widen your search.
MSI MPG271QRX
Looking for something a little slimmer, easier to drive with your gaming PC, but still packs in that impressive QD-OLED high refresh punch with primo color accuracy? The 271QRX is a good pick, and with a 360Hz refresh rate, it’s truly outstanding to behold.
There’s something to be said for that what twin 27-inch screens side-by-side offers. Samsung cut out the middle bezel and combined two OLED panels into one with the G9, and it is faultless if you’re after a 32:9 gaming behemoth.
Tested for multiple weeks across a variety of games and platforms
Professional industry tests applied
OSD fully explored
To put the AW3225QF through its paces I used it as my primary office monitor for three weeks before testing, and the write-up. I used it side-by-side next to a Viewsonic VP3268a-4K, a professionally calibrated artwork and creative 100% sRGB display.
I tested the AW3225QF through a multitude of different content types, including gaming across The Witcher 3, Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, and Total War: Warhammer III. I also streamed YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime on it, with both SDR and HDR content. Additionally, I tested it using a Playstation 5, and took advantage of Blur Busters array of tests to diagnose any ghosting, or MPRT issues too.
The Majority Moto 2.0 is the first record player from the budget audio company: the number isn't a version number but a reference to the built-in 2.0-speaker setup. It is an entire music system in a single box: thanks to its built-in speakers and Bluetooth 5.3, you can stream audio from your phone or computer as well as play records, and even rip them to digital via your PC, thanks to its USB port.
The Majority Moto 2.0 is clearly aimed at someone who doesn't have an existing sound system of any kind and it offers a lot of features for relatively little money. There are, of course, many compromises at its £79 price compared to the best turntables, but the Moto 2.0 is better than you might expect, due in part to the inclusion of a good-quality Audio-Technica cartridge. However, we did experience some quality issues with our review unit that suggest this is a record player that'll need careful handling.
The Moto 2.0 is clearly designed to be your first turntable that covers all the bases: Bluetooth streaming to headphones or speakers and from other devices, USB output for recording, even the ability to play ancient 78s as well as the much more common 45 and 33 and 1/3 speeds.
But you shouldn't expect room-shaking volume from those integrated speakers: they don't go loud because if they did, their vibration would do a Taylor Swift to your tonearm and shake it off. The sub chassis is separate to isolate it from their vibrations and copes fine with the volume levels available, but if you've got a big space or like to listen loud you'll want to connect an amp, or wirelessly connect it to one of the best Bluetooth speakers that you place on a different surface, or to some of the best wireless headphones.
I would encourage people to step up to the similar-but-just-overall-better Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT if you can, which also offers Bluetooth and USB, and is fully automatic, but offers no built-in speakers… however, it's around twice the price of the Majority, so if you want to keep it under £100, this is still a solid choice.
The integrated speakers are very small and fire upwards, so don't expect room-filling audio or earth-shaking bass. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Price and release date
Released in February 2024
Available in UK and Europe
£79.95 / €99.95
Despite a very low price, the Moto 2.0 is packed with features including one very significant one: it comes with an Audio-Technica AT3600L cartridge, which is definitely unusual at this end of the market. That cartridge alone typically retails for around £20, or one-quarter of this entire turntable's price.
For comparison, consider than Pro-Ject's super-cheap (for Pro-Ject) entry-level turntable, the E1, is around £200, and doesn't have speakers, USB, a phono stage or Bluetooth (though more expensive versions do have those things). However, it does sound a lot better as a result, as our Pro-Ject E1 review will attest.
In addition to playing records you can rip them to computer or play from USB. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Features
Bluetooth and USB
Three turntable speeds
Integrated speakers and phono stage
You can't fault the feature list here: it does basically everything a turntable can do.
It has three playing speeds, and while it's not fully automatic, it does have auto-stop. There's an integrated phono stage if you want to connect it to an amp – though as mentioned before, it has its own speakers, so you don't technically need to.
It also has Bluetooth, and this goes in both directions: you can beam your records out to Bluetooth speakers, or you can send music over to the Moto 2.0 and listen over its built-in speakers. There's no aptX or anything else higher-res, though. It also has an aux-out if you prefer the best wired headphones to wireless ones.
And with a USB port on board, you can connect it to a computer and record your vinyl to a digital file – either because you want to preserve rare tracks that aren't available elsewhere, or just to capture the song complete with crackles.
Features score: 5 / 5
You don't have to use the integrated speakers: there are phono outs to connect an amp or powered speakers. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Sound quality
Better than you might expect
Built-in speakers aren't great
Speakers aren't built for bass
There's a limit to how much air two small speakers can push, but while the Moto isn't very loud the sound is pleasant enough on well-recorded records at reasonable levels; it's bass-light but does the job provided you don't turn the volume up too much. Do that and the sound starts to get harsh, the middle frequencies taking over as the speakers struggle.
One key thing the integrated speakers don't do is deliver a sweet spot, that perfect place where the soundstage is at its most immersive. To do that you need the sound waves to be coming towards you and the speakers some distance apart; these speakers are just an album's width apart and send their soundwaves towards the ceiling.
Things improve considerably when you team up the turntable with external, forward facing speakers or a decent set of headphones, but the flaws are more apparent too: there's noticeable mechanical noise in the quieter bits. If you're listening to songs with a lot of sustained notes, such as U2's With Or Without You, you might also notice some slight speed variation. It's not apparent on faster, choppier songs, and vocal vibrato tends to hide it for singing. But it's audible on very clear, sustained tones such as Edge's trademark infinite guitar.
No matter what you listen on, the sound is slightly boxy and cluttered in the way so many budget audio products are: everything's doing its best but the overall result lacks the spaciousness, separation and sparkle that you get with better-quality gear.
A lot depends on what you're listening to: give it some yacht rock with some expensive-studio smoothness and it's really rather nice, although the lush arrangements of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours lose some of their sparkle here with an emphasis on the cookie-tin snare drums and rubber-band bass.
More electronic pop such as Sigrid's second album is fun when it's well separated but feels claustrophobic in the busier tracks: there's a lack of air and low-end separation, with harshness creeping in as you turn the volume up. That harshness is particularly apparent with heavier genres of music, especially modern rock featuring brick-wall compression designed to make everything louder than everything else.
This isn't an audiophile product. But it's a fun one, especially if you skip the built-in speakers and hook up something more substantial either by Bluetooth or via an amp: connecting the turntable to an Ultimate Ears Wonderboom added some of the bass the built-in speakers lacked, and connecting the Moto to my Onkyo amp and Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf speakers was better still. Is it up there with turntables that cost four times the price or more? Absolutely not. But with decent speakers it doesn't sound like it cost £80 either.
Sound quality score: 3 / 5
Unusually for a turntable this affordable, you get a pretty decent Audio-Technica cartridge. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Design
Unusual platter placement
Integrated speakers and lots of connectivity
Feels a bit fragile
The Moto 2.0 comes in a dark wood effect with black hardware, with the wooden section overhanging the front and sides of the chassis. The two built-in speakers are behind circular black grilles facing directly upwards from the top front of the turntable and the controls are on the front and sides. On top of the dampened sprung platter there's a slipmat to keep your records in place.
The Moto 2.0 is smaller than many turntables, at just 38cm wide compared to the much more common 43cm. And the platter is smaller than usual too, at 20cm/8 inches. The speaker placement means the platter is oddly positioned: instead of sitting centrally it's off-centre, nearer the back than the front. That means if you're playing 12-inch records they will extend beyond the rear border of the turntable and through a space in the back of the dust cover.
There are some issues, however. The plastics here are cheap-looking, especially at the speed switch, and the tonearm is very thin and feels eminently breakable. Between these and the upfiring speaker design that doesn't lend itself to ideal audio quality, there are definitely flaws to how this is put together.
Design score: 3 / 5
The tonearm is very thin and doesn't have tracking force adjustment or anti-skid. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Usability and setup
All you need to do is plug it in
Switches and controls are around the edge
Doesn't get much easier
This turntable is all about simplicity, and because everything's in one unit all you need to do is remove the protective cover from the stylus and the plastic wire from the tonearm, plug the power supply into the wall and turn it on. So for a user-friendly beginner turntable, you can't get much better than that.
The two most important controls – the on/volume and the audio source – are both on the front along with the 3.5mm headphone socket. Other connection options are easily accessed along the edges, so no usability struggles there.
Frankly, it doesn't get any easier for your first turntable than this.
Usability and setup score: 5 / 5
The Moto 2.0 is really plug and play: select the source and turn the Moto on via the volume dial. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Value
You get a lot for your money...
...but you're paying for features you might not use
Quality is limited, though
The sub-£100 turntable market should probably be labelled "here be monsters", but the Majority is not one of them: you'd be hard pushed to get a better value turntable at this price. It's less than half of the price we'd typically expect to pay for a decent budget turntable.
However, the trade-off for that low price is audio quality, especially if you're going to be listening via the integrated speakers: they're okay but they're not great. If you're serious about sound quality you might want to save a little longer for something like the Pro-Ject E1 if you want to go the hi-fi route, or the Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT if you want to stick with something with Bluetooth and USB. Or scour the second-hand market for a bargain.
Value score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the Majority Moto 2.0?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Also consider
How I tested the Majority Moto 2.0
Tested at home for two weeks with more than a dozen new and used records
Tested solo, on headphones and through an external amp and speakers
Streamed Apple Music from iPhone
I tested the Majority Moto 2.0 at home, focusing on its vinyl performance and listening intensely to records I know inside-out across a range of genres from the most polished productions to ragged punk rock. I also streamed Apple Music from my iPhone to test its streaming prowess.
When I connected the Moto 2.0 to other equipment I used Beyedynamic wired headphones, which are known for their relatively flat performance (so reveal the sound of the underlying player well), and an Onkyo amp with the direct setting engaged to bypass the bass and treble circuits. The amp was connected to a set of Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf speakers, giving the Moto access to some pretty sweet-sounding hardware in order to show what it's capable of.
