The RevAir hair dryer is designed around the knowledge that curly folks — particularly those with especially curly type four hair like mine — spend more time and energy blow-drying and straightening their hair.
In response, RevAir developed a first-of-its-kind reverse-air dryer that’s extremely easy to use. Instead of the pistol-shaped body or wand form factors we’re used to seeing in some of the best hair dryers and best Dyson Airwrap dupes, the RevAir hair dryer opts for a unique design that looks far more like one of the best vacuum cleaners.
Somewhat similar to the Dyson Airwrap, the RevAir draws air into its wand, using reverse-air suction to gently tug on the hair to dry, stretch and reduce shrinkage. It offers seven tension settings to accommodate a variety of hair types, and uses internal sensors to maintain an even temperature and reduce heat damage.
(Image credit: RevAir)
It’s far from perfect, with its bulky design and loud components, but this vacuum-style dryer is worth the space it takes up, especially when dealing with children’s hair.
Those with braids or who simply want more manageability built into their styling routine may also like how this hair dryer—especially when used briefly—can save you from a literal headache.
With an MSRP of $399 the RevAir appears costly at face value, but if you consider how few and far between devices with such versatility are, and that everyone in the family can use it, then the cost is somewhat justified.
Unfortunately, it’s not sold in the UK or Australia, but it can be imported from the US. It needs a hefty transformer setup to get it working though, and it’s not recommended.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
RevAir hair dryer specs
RevAir hair dryer review: design
Bulky and heavy
Long hose
Seven power settings
The RevAir looks not unlike an old-school vacuum cleaner with a long hose attached to a box (the base). You may have stumbled upon something like it in your grandmother's attic.
Just like those old vacuums, and with all the extra parts, this blow dryer is heavier than average. It weighs 8lbs / 3.6kg, but luckily, you’re not necessarily holding all that weight since the 5.5ft / 1.68m hose is long and lightweight. Probably 80% of the weight is in the base which would sit on a surface like your counter or bed, depending where you’re using it. Altogether, the product is pretty bulky at 7.94 x 7.25 x 7.68in / 20.17 x 18.44 x 19.51cm.
(Image credit: Future)
The wand, which is also larger than most, feels like holding a regular blow dryer. There are seven tension settings, which control the intensity of the suction via a dial on the side of the device. The RevAir also has three heat settings that can be controlled using a switch on the handle: 158F / 70C for low, 220F / 104C for high, and then a cool shot. Two other convenient features are the rack attachment for storing the wand, and the mesh filter basket, which is included in the accessory-laden “total package” bundle from RevAir.
Design score: 3 out of 5
RevAir hair dryer review: performance
Easy to use
Sucks instead of blowing
Dries fast and reduces heat damage
What stood out to me most when testing the RevAir was the ease of use and the time I saved. I still had to detangle my hair by hand after washing, but I felt like the RevAir helped with relaxing the coils so that each section became more manageable. That’s probably the reverse-air technology keeping my hair from getting overly frizzy.
The RevAir works using the opposite technique of a typical blow dryer. It actually sucks the excess water from your hair and that, in turn, helps to seal your cuticle since it’s pulling the hair in its natural direction.
Before using, you may be a little anxious about your hair getting stuck. My 4c hair tends to tangle very easily, but after a few passes, I had no concerns about it getting stuck anywhere in the RevAir. There is nothing in the blow dryer for your hair to get caught on but if you were concerned, you could just turn off the suction.
(Image credit: Future)
I initially didn’t think about using the RevAir for drying braids. I don’t wear braids often, as I’m a swimmer—triathlete, to be exact— and excessive water can weigh down locks, braids, and twists and leave your shirt soaked for hours. However, inserting a braid or plait into the wand is just as easy as it would be to grab a small section. Thus, the RevAir can give you more freedom with hairstyles without sacrificing washes (chlorine is damaging after all).
One downside is that, unlike other modern dryers, the RevAir won’t work for a blowout at home. You can’t “bump” with a brush or the wand like a standard dryer or Dyson Airwrap. Nonetheless, and much like those other tools, you’d have to follow up with a flatiron or a different styling tool anyway for curlier hair types, so that doesn’t take much from the product.
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
Should you buy the RevAir hair dryer?
Buy it if...
Your family has coily hair and you’re seeking manageability
This dryer is perfectly suited for tackling coily hair, so if there’s a lot of that in your home, the RevAir will be your best friend.
You're trying to cut down on drying time and heat damage
The RevAir offers impressively quick drying times and its reverse-air technology serves to protect your locks from heat damage.
You have ample storage space
If space isn’t an issue, the RevAir is among the best products you can use for curly or coily hair.
Don’t buy it if...
You are looking for a portable dryer
With its hefty base, long hose and general form factor, the RevAir is sadly not suited to travel.
You want the look of a blowout
While it comes as close as many of us could hope to salon-styled results, there’s nothing like the real thing.
You won’t use it often
For its price and hefty design, the RevAir is not something to be trifled with; it’s an all-or-nothing kind of hair dryer.
How I tested the RevAir hair dryer
I used the RevAir for about 30 minutes once a month for about six months
I started on freshly cleaned and detangled hair after removing excess water
I sprayed heat protectant spray on each section, which I separated with hair clips
I’ve been testing the RevAir for several months on my thin, medium-length 4c hair, comparing it against my go-to dryer and using my normal daily haircare routine for a fair comparison.
That involves cleaning and detangling my hair, using a cotton t-shirt to soak up excess water and then spraying my sectioned hair with heat protectant.
I’ve been writing about health, wellness and beauty for years, and over that time I’ve identified the most important aspects of value, design and performance that make great products great. This, and my personal hands-on testing, have informed my opinions.
I grew up being photographed with, and taking photographs with, Polaroid cameras, which were pretty much standard fare for family photography in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The Polaroid Go 2 is based on the Polaroid 1000 Land Camera in terms of aesthetics, but with a modernized and miniaturized design. Due to its small size, basic-but-fun features and ease of use, it's a contender for one of the best film cameras you can buy.
The last Polaroid camera I used and reviewed before the Go 2 was the Polaroid z340, which was released back in 2011. This was a digital camera that used a Zink printing system to produce prints with a printed rebate alongside digital image files, and while it was innovative, it lacked the charm and the quality of traditional analog Polaroid prints. The Go 2 rectifies this, taking us back to what makes Polaroid cameras so appealing: true instant analog photography.
The Polaroid Go 2 is available in multiple kits alongside accessories, with the standalone camera costing $80 / £80 / AU$90. You ultimately need some film to get started, so the Starter Set that includes the camera and a Film Double Pack (16 exposures) is potentially a better starting point, and costs $100 / £95 / AU$110. A Film Double Pack X2 (32 exposures) will set you back $40 / £20 / AU$50, and this is available with traditional white or stylish black rebates.
Polaroid Go 2: design
The Go 2 is much smaller than the Polaroid 100 Land Camera it takes its design cues from, being palm-sized but with a much more rounded finish. It's also available in black, white, blue, and red, so you can select the color you prefer. For me, the black finish looks best, contrasting nicely with the red shutter button and the Polaroid rainbow.
The camera is made using 30% recycled polycarbonate and ABS plastics, and the build quality feels good. There is some movement of the film door against its lock on the bottom of the camera when you're holding it, but this doesn’t cause any issues. Loading the camera is incredibly easy, especially if you've used instant cameras in the past; if you haven't, labelled film packs and the quick-start guide will guide you through the process.
Image 1 of 4
(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 4
(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 4
(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 4 of 4
(Image credit: James Abbott)
The viewfinder is surprisingly reliable despite parallax error, which is the difference between what you see through the viewfinder and what the adjacent lens captures. One useful feature of the viewfinder is that the front is mirrored, so you can use it to help compose selfies, which can be taken using either the shutter button or the self-timer.
The camera uses an internal rechargeable battery that's charged via USB-C. Battery life is good, and the remaining charge is indicated by green, orange and red on the LED that shows the camera is switched on. The only downside here is that the battery is built-in, so you can't change or replace it, although this is only likely to be an issue after years of use.
Polaroid Go 2: performance
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 3
(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 3
(Image credit: James Abbott)
The Go 2 couldn’t be easier to use; it's a point-and-shoot camera with automatic exposure and a fixed-focus lens. The lens is made of polycarbonate resin, and produces an equivalent focal length of 51.1mm, which is perfect for this type of camera. The minimum focusing distance is 1.5ft / 45cm, so the Go 2 isn’t at all suited to close-up photography, unfortunately.
The shutter speed is automatically set between 1/300 sec and 1 sec, while the aperture is adjusted between f/9 and f/42. Exposure overall isn’t bad, but I found that images erred slightly towards underexposure, and the camera performs much better in brighter conditions than in low light. There is a flash that helps in low light, but it's not powerful, so its effectiveness is limited. Still, it's better to have than not.
Image quality isn’t quite what I remember of Polaroid cameras, lacking the clarity and color balance I can recall. Sure, it was never perfect from point-and-shoot Polaroid cameras, but it was better. Development time is also advertised as 10-15 minutes, which does appear correct, and this is much longer than Polaroid film of old, which only took a few minutes to develop. I suspect that the chemicals have been changed since then, potentially using a more environmentally friendly and/or less costly formula.
Image 1 of 2
Double exposures captured with the Polaroid Go 2 (Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 2
Double exposures captured with the Polaroid Go 2 (Image credit: James Abbott)
This wait time takes away some of the magical immediacy of using an instant camera, but at the same time it's ultimately not a problem. Prints are 2.62 x 2.12 inches / 66.6 x 53.9mm with a 1.85 x 1.81-inch / 47 x 46mm image area; the small print size is comparable to that of Fujifilm's Instax Mini prints, albeit with Polaroid's square format rather than Fujifilm's rectangular image area.
Prints also typically exhibit more color casts and haziness than I remember, producing a more retro look and feel than Polaroid film from even as late as the early noughties. This isn’t a bad thing though; it certainly taps into the popularity of retro photography effects these days, and I like it.
Two features of the camera that stand out are the self-timer and the ability to capture double exposures. These are activated using specific presses of the flash button, and for double exposures, you're shown a 1 and 2 on the shot remaining screen so you know which shot you're taking. The flash is also activated by default, so if you don’t want or need flash you have to switch it off each time you switch the camera on.
Should I buy the Polaroid Go 2?
(Image credit: James Abbott)
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How I tested the Polaroid Go 2 instant camera
(Image credit: James Abbott)
I tested the Polaroid Go 2 Instant Camera over several days, using it to capture a range of subjects in different lighting conditions. I also tested the few features that the camera has to offer, which are basic, but fun and useful nonetheless.
Since exposure is fully automatic, except for being able to switch the flash on or off, all testing was a point-and-shoot affair, but that's exactly what basic Polaroid cameras are used for – instantaneous simplicity. Having somewhere to safely store exposed prints was a necessity, however.
Having used both Polaroid and Fujifilm Instax cameras in the past, using the Go 2 was as intuitive as I'd hoped, and the small size and light weight of the camera made it much easier to carry around than full-size instant cameras.
CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Processor Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X Storage: 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD Left Ports: DCI-in, HDMI 2.1 FRL, USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C, 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack Right Ports: Micro SD 4.0 card reader, USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) (Triple band) 2x2, Bluetooth 5.4 Audio: Built-in speakers with Harman/Kardon premium audio, Smart Amp technology, built-in array microphone Camera: FHD camera with IR function to support Windows Hello Size: 29.82 x 20.99 x 1.58 ~ 1.77 cm (11.74" x 8.26" x 0.62" ~ 0.70") Weight: 1.38 kg (3.04 lbs) OS Installed: Windows 11 Home Accessories: Includes stylus support with up to 4096 pressure levels
The Asus ProArt PX13 is a compact and powerful laptop designed for creatives. While its hybrid design, enabling it to flip from a laptop to a tablet, isn't unique, its power and features tailored to the creative sector are.
It comes equipped with an AI-enhanced AMD CPU and NVIDI GPU, Windows 11 Home, a 2TB SSD, and 32GB of RAM, it can handle almost anything you throw at it. And if you need additional storage, the PX13 provides extensive connectivity options, including ultra-fast 40GB/s USB4.
Having reviewed the best laptops for photo editing, best laptops for graphic design, and the best video editing laptops, we were impressed with the ProArt's performance. It excelled when running demanding applications like Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Photoshop, and Lightroom, demonstrating its ability to power through intensive tasks effortlessly.
Alongside the AI-enhanced hardware is suite of Asus AI Apps, with the ProArt Creator Hub at its heart. These useful apps, such as MuseTree, which enables you to turn sketches into AI-generated creations, and StoryBoard, a powerful media manager, help you organize your images and videos automatically. The laptop's dual functionality as both a laptop and a tablet, combined with added features like the Asus DialPad for intuitive adjustments, all fine-tune its creative appeal.
Then there's the rugged design that meets military-grade durability standards, ensuring it can withstand more than a knock or two if you're involved with fieldwork or travel. Coupled with that compact and lightweight design, it makes this laptop perfect for if you're a creative professional who needs a portable, powerful computer to handle the latest media files, admin tasks, and even a bit of high-end gaming during work down times.
Few laptops can compete with the ProArt PX13 at this price point and power level. While alternatives like Windows tablets and the MacBook Pro exist, they don't offer the unique features that make the PX13 an excellent choice for creatives.
Asus ProArt PX13: Introduction
The Asus ProArt PX13 has been designed specifically for the creative industry, targeting professionals and content creators who demand high processing power, portability, and flexibility from their devices. With a price tag reflecting its premium features, this laptop stands out for its hybrid design, flipping seamlessly from a laptop to a tablet. This functionality, combined with advanced hardware and software, makes it a formidable tool for creatives and content creators.
A standout feature of the PX13 is its ability to transform into a tablet. While this isn't unique, it's the combination of this feature with software applications and hardware additions, such as an array of ports and the Asus DialPad, tailors this to the creative market.
Under the hood, the PX13 boasts an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Processor 2.0GHz processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, and the AMD XDNA NPU, which significantly boosts performance beyond typical expectations.
The screen is a critical component for creatives. While it's only 13.3 inches, it meets the 100% DCI-P3 colour standard, ensuring vibrant and accurate colour reproduction. The screen's brightness can be adjusted for optimal visibility both indoors and outdoors, making it perfect for fieldwork and studio use.
Durability is another key feature, with the PX13 meeting US MIL-STD 810H military-grade standards. This is particularly reassuring for creatives who know how much wear and tear their equipment can endure, especially during busy photo or video shoots where gear is constantly moved around.
The PX13 is ideal for creators working in the field, allowing them to use it as a standard laptop for administrative tasks and script checks and then switch to editing video and images with ease. Its hybrid design offers the best of both worlds, but does this combination truly meet the practical needs of creatives?
Asus ProArt PX13: Price & availability
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The ProArt PX13 (HN7306WI) costs approximately $2000/£2000 and can be purchased directly from the Asus website and major retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon.
Price: 5/5
Asus ProArt PX13: Design & build
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Asus ProArt PX13 is designed to be compact at; 29.82 x 20.99 x 1.58cm, and weighing in at 1.38kg, making it ideal if you work in the field or travel frequently. Despite its size, it houses a powerful CPU and GPU, along with advanced AI capabilities, offering performance far beyond typical 13-inch laptops.
The build quality is exceptional, with a tough, US MIL-STD 810H military-grade standard, casing that protects against rough handling. The robust hinges allow the screen to flip 360 degrees, transforming the laptop into a tablet. This flexibility of being able to flip from tablet to laptop is enhanced by the full-size keyboard and large trackpad, which includes the innovative Asus DialPad for intuitive control in creative applications such as adjusting brush sizes in Photoshop.
Connectivity is well catered for, with multiple ports, including USB Type-A, USB Type-C, and HDMI, making it easy to connect to external devices and display systems; there's also a MicroSD card slot, ideal for downloading footage from GoPro Hero12 Black and DJI Drones such as the Mavic 3 Pro. The keyboard and touchpad with that DialPad complement the 13.3-inch touchscreen, which supports 4096 pressure levels when used with the Asus Stylus, making it perfect for precise creative work, and it's possible to replicate the effects of traditional art tools.
The touchscreen's slightly glossy finish is less reflective than many others, ensuring visibility outdoors, and is designed to minimize fingerprints. The laptop's design is equally suited for studio and outdoor use, allowing for easy tethering to camera systems and monitors indoors, while outdoors its durable build makes it perfect for field use and travel.
Design: 5/5
Asus ProArt PX13: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
For a laptop with a 13.3-inch screen, the PX13 packs an impressive array of features. Weighing just 1.38 kg, it's compact and slim enough to fit into any standard camera backpack or laptop bag. It comes preinstalled with Windows 11 Home, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of apps, and can be used in laptop, tablet, stand, or tent mode. Asus recommends an upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for business use.
The PX13 features an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, providing up to 50 TOPS, 65W CPU TDP, and speeds up to 5.1 GHz with 12 cores. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM supports real-time ray tracing and AI-enhanced computing, ideal for video editing and 3D design. Additionally, the AMD XDNA NPU boosts AI capabilities, working seamlessly with Windows Copilot and Asus AI applications.
The advanced cooling system, with noticeable venting around the body, keeps the laptop cool even under heavy use. With 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM running at 7500 MHz and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, the PX13 offers robust performance and storage. For video editors, it's worth noting that this laptop features two USB4 ports to attach card readers and external SSDs with a max transfer speed of 40GB/s.
Software such as the ProArt Creator Hub, StoryCube, and MuseTree help you organize and manage files easily with a little AI assistance. The Asus DialPad, integrated into the touchpad, enhances control in creative applications, and the control and settings for this can be adjusted in the Creator Hub software.
The 3K OLED touchscreen (2880 x 1800) meets the DCI-P3 color standard at 100% and supports 4096 pressure levels with the MPP 2.0 stylus. It also boasts certifications for low blue light and colour accuracy.
Connectivity options include a DC-in port, HDMI 2.1, USB4 Type-C, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an SD card reader, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, and another USB4 Type-C port, which are well spaced along each side of the laptop. Wi-Fi 7 ensures high-speed wireless connectivity, though a USB Type-C adapter is needed for wired LAN networks.
Audio is powered by Harman Kardon with Dolby Atmos, featuring a smart amplifier and three microphones for better audio during video conferencing. When it comes to features, the ProArt PX13 is packed with hardware and software enhancements that have been chosen to appeal to the needs of the creative industry.
Features: 5/5
Asus ProArt PX13: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Benchmarks
CrystalDiskMark Read: 5279.99 MB/s CrystalDiskMark Write: 4891.72 MB/s GeekBench CPU Single: 15022 GeekBench CPU Multi: 2852 GeekBench Compute: 110282 PCMark: 7790 CineBench CPU Multi: 19459 CineBench CPU Single: 1952 Fire Strike Overall: 22823 Fire Strike Graphics: 25430 Fire Strike Physics: 27797 Fire Strike Combined: 11203 Time Spy Overall: 9556 Time Spy Graphics: 9491 Time Spy CPU: 9942 Wild Life: 49023 Windows Experience: 8.3
It is a bit surprising that a laptop of this size and price runs on Windows 11 Home rather than Pro, although Asus does recommend an upgrade for business use. Upgrading is easy. However, it does come at an additional cost. During this review, we utilized Windows 11 home and installed various creative apps, including Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve. To push the graphics capability, we also installed a variety of games alongside less processor-intensive application suites such as the Microsoft Office suite.
Starting with basic tasks like browsing the internet and using office applications, the PX13 performs exceptionally well. The small screen is just large enough for working on documents, checking spreadsheets, and browsing the internet. The touchscreen interaction, especially in Excel, allows for quick navigation and adjustments, making it incredibly intuitive. Using the stylus alongside Excel enhances this experience, making it far easier than without the touchscreen capability. If you're used to larger screens then the size of the small 13.3-inch screen will take a little getting used to.
Moving on to Microsoft Word and other Office applications, the laptop operates smoothly with no issues, providing a pleasant enough experience. The adjustable screen brightness is a nice and standard feature, ensuring comfortable usage in various lighting conditions.
Switching to more demanding tasks like editing images within Adobe Photoshop, the laptop handles high-resolution images from the Canon EOS R5C again with ease. Multiplying layers, making adjustments, and applying effects were all managed seamlessly. The integration of the Asus DialPad made brush adjustments intuitive, allowing for natural control over the adjustments, especially when using the dodge and burn tools.
The ability to adjust the brush size with the dial while adjusting the pressure to alter the intensity of the brush made enhancing images far quicker and a more natural process. The combination of the dial and the stylus make a huge difference to the quality of the work.
The stylus's 4096 pressure sensitivity levels make the experience of both enhancing and drawing more like traditional art, enabling precise control and natural-looking artwork.
For video editing, the PX13 excels. We started with 1080p footage shot on the Sony A7 Mark IV, and the laptop handled it effortlessly. Using an external SSD for additional storage, we edited and graded 15-minute sequences in Premiere Pro without issues. Moving on to 4K footage, the laptop again performed well, enabling smooth editing and grading.
Exporting footage for final output and uploading to YouTube was quick, again showing the laptop's power. It's worth noting that even when the laptop was working at full capacity, the fan noise remained acceptable.
The laptop's battery life is about five hours for general tasks. However, when video editing, this drops to around one hour and 10 minutes per charge.
We also tested gaming performance with titles like Tekken 8, Cyberpunk 2077, and Hogwarts Legacy. The PX13 handled these games well, providing a smooth experience even when connected to a larger TV screen.
Finally, benchmark tests backed up what we had experienced in the real world tests with the results seen in the benchmark tests:
Performance: 5/5
Should you buy the Asus ProArt PX13?
The performance of the Asus ProArt PX13 is impressive from the outset. While some laptops and tablets rival its performance, Asus has struck a perfect balance with the PX13, making it highly appealing to the creative industry. Many creatives rely on Apple MacBook Pros, but the prohibitive cost of these machines has led to an increased interest in Windows alternatives. The PX13 packs desirable features into a compact design.
The laptop's durability will appeal to creatives. The PX13 feels robust, and this is reinforced by its meeting military-grade standards. Its hybrid design enables it to quickly flip from a laptop into a tablet and with the addition of the stylus this becomes and increadibly powerful creative tool. One of the stand out feature is that ability to flip the keyboard and while this enables it to switch from PC to tablet that mechanism can also be used to positioned the screen for various uses, such as watching movies or playing games.
The processing power is impressive for such a small machine. It easily handles Microsoft Office applications and excels in creative applications like Photoshop and Lightroom. It also performs well when editing 4K video in Premiere Pro, although additional storage is necessary for larger projects. The 2TB of internal storage and the option to connect external SSDs via USB4 ports ensure that speed and storage capacity should meet your creative needs.
Like all the best 2-in-1 laptops, the Asus ProArt PX13 is a hybrid that converts to a tablet, giving you the best of both worlds, and making it an excellent solution for creatives. Its combination of power, durability, and flexibility makes it an ideal choice for professionals in the creative sector. Whether in the studio, café or on set, this laptop really does work well in adapting to all situations and uses.
Platform reviewed: PC Available on: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Release date: August 20 (TBC for Xbox)
Chinese games are increasingly making a name for themselves on a global scale, although their impact beyond domestic borders has been mostly limited to the free-to-play scene through titles heavily influenced by Japanese anime. This is in part reflective of tastes within the Chinese market generally, a sector dominated by PC, mobile and free-to-play gaming, although as a result of this divergence in tastes it has made it difficult for titles beyond those like Hoyoverse’s Genshin Impact to resonate internationally. Could Black Myth: Wukong change all that?
It’s difficult to say. While the game has certainly captured imaginations pre-release for its richly-detailed worlds inspired by historical China and Journey to the West, even as it has dealt with controversy over its sexist and misogynistic remarks against female players, from a gameplay perspective the final experience is one that feels lacking in numerous key areas. While it certainly looks capable of standing toe-to-toe with the biggest Western AAA titles of the moment, actually sitting down with the game is a different story.
Although no means without merit, this is a game that is screaming for more polish and refinement in its moment-to-moment gameplay. Instead of feeling truly immersed in this journey through classical China, every strength the game had is compounded and diluted by a plethora of other issues that accumulated in a frustrating case of form over function.
Mythol-ouch-ical
(Image credit: Game Science)
Playing as the Destined One, you face various Yaoguai that roam this mythical world, exploring everywhere from barren desert-like landscapes to towering mountains and dense forests as you face and harness the powers of Chinese mythological beings and enact revenge. The journey of the novel which inspired it has been adapted cross-culturally and across every medium for centuries, so it should come as no surprise that the tale of revenge and into new worlds feels right at home in a game. It’s perfect subject matter for adaptation, although in this case its adaptation is surprisingly lacking in story and character.
Narrative is certainly not the focus here. Mythological beings both friend or foe rarely feature for more than a single-scene cameo, and without deep prior knowledge of Chinese myth, the fact each is meticulously recreated from Chinese legend means little. The game barely builds these beings to feel as omnipotent or powerful as they really are; a surprising choice when emphasizing their status would certainly have elevated the stakes of some battles. Journey to the West tales are dominated by the joys of the characters accompanying Son Wukong, and with creatures of myth barely more than an obstacle for a single boss fight before being forgotten and without a companion by your side, this is stripped for something solitary and unfortunately cold.
Best bit
(Image credit: Game Science)
Although the fights themselves are a mixed bag, the boss designs are a consistent treat, taking their cues from Chinese mythology but imbuing it with a new perspective on a classic tale.
Worse, this lack of character and lack of true introduction to any mythological being we fight robs the game of drive or a clear end goal, and it often feels aimless as you wander through environments unsure what the point is of continuing on our path. It feels unbalanced, an issue which permeates much of the game far beyond its lacking story.
Although often described as a soulslike adventure, this is much more of a typical action adventure in the realm of titles like Bayonetta in terms of action (albeit with a staff as your solitary weapon of choice). A few familiar mechanics pioneered by Dark Souls have clearly influenced and been integrated into the title: your flask in this instance is a gourd you consume in the heat of battle to restore your health.
Still, this is otherwise a traditional action title, fast-paced and combo-driven without the deliberately-laborious nature of uninterrupted animations that allows for more reaction-based action and freedom. A well-timed dodge and a good counter means more, but learning a boss’ strategy is similarly key to victory - button mashing won’t be enough.
Yet it is possible to have too much of a good thing, and the impact of overcoming a boss fight is lost when your game is little more than a 30-40 hour boss gauntlet. For all the world is visually impressive at a glance, it soon becomes clear that much of its beauty is mere set dressing, as we continue through a railroaded corridor with little room for deviation from the path for much of our adventure. In the moments where players could diverge from the path, it felt almost discouraged due to the game’s baffling lack of a map, often leaving me lost on where to go next or fighting waves of enemies thinking I found the answer, only to reach a dead end.
Then again, even if we did have a map, it would simply emphasize how little time we have to adore the stunning scenery. It’s only by getting lost that there’s time to appreciate these environments, as you otherwise spend little more than a minute or two walking through a few brief corridors before being thrust into yet-another battle arena for a mini-boss or major opponent. Boss fights are an overabundance to the point of robbing us of exploration and puzzles, with many chapters hitting double-figures and throwing them at you in such frequency they merge into an amorphous blob where few are memorable by the time the credits roll.
Boss Myth: Wukong
(Image credit: Game Science)
The bosses that do stick out in my memory unfortunately do so for the wrong reasons. A lack of polish in some fights leaves them feeling unfair, especially when it comes to the game’s numerous optional side-bosses. In the Black Bear Guai fight I felt I finally turned a corner in my struggles to overcome this boss as I understood his pattern of abilities. As he jumped in the air, I moved out of the way of his momentum, sure I would dodge, only for him to contort his momentum to my new location in a way that would seem impossible considering his movement and trajectory.
In a fight against the electrical Tiger Vanguard I would find it difficult to dodge his attacks without reaching higher ground on rocks placed inside the arena. Yet it would also be possible for him to destroy these platforms and leave no solace from his attacks, often causing my inevitable demise in a manner that felt undeserved.
(Image credit: Game Science)
In cases where these boss fights don’t feel unpolished, they simply lacked an excitement or edge to make them feel anything more than average. It’s an unfortunate summary for much of the game. There’s little here that will offend, and indeed it's easy to find joy in aspects of Black Myth: Wukong’s world, visuals and combo-driven action. One of the major factors that got me through the game to its end was how refreshing it felt to see this Chinese setting come to life, bringing to life a world and mythology so rarely portrayed and explored in the medium despite the rich tapestry any game in this setting can explore. At times the way this culture is brought to life left me slack-jawed in awe.
At others I’m merely left frustrated. It’s a lack of polish and time that makes this a game difficult to recommend without numerous caveats. The groundwork for greatness is here. With fewer, more refined boss fights, more expansive environments accompanied by a map to help players when they’re lost, and a bit more story to give the whole adventure direction and purpose, I truly believe there is potential for something special in Game Science’s next project provided the lessons from this experience are internalized.
As things stand, I’m reminded of a nostalgic era of PS2 AA action titles with exceptionally high levels of polish and that’s no bad thing! These were not always the most refined games in the world, often lacking a spark to elevate them into the realm of greatness, but there was always fun to be had in such experiences. I expected more, and don’t think I’m alone in this.
Accessibility
The game is mostly lacking in accessibility settings, with controls unable to be customized except when using keyboard and mouse, though it does offer a colorblind mode. Subtitles are available for dialogue, but text is small, difficult to read in many circumstances, and can’t be altered.
Should I play Black Myth: Wukong?
Play it if...
Boss fights are your thing
The game is full of major fights and spectacle, so if that’s what you seek you won’t be disappointed.
Don't play it if...
You prefer variety and polish There’s joy to be found in what is here, but you have to overcome the game's quirks to find that fun and strategy.
How we reviewed Black Myth: Wukong
I completed the game in just over thirty hours using an Asus ROG Ally on its 30W Turbo setting at Medium-Low graphics. The game was able to run at 60fps with only occasional drops in this configuration. This setup also allowed for the game to be played both on a large monitor and on the handheld device itself.
The Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D (Confusingly, Panasonic seems to call it the latter, but it most retailers call it the former) is an updated variant on the Lumix FZ80 bridge camera launched back in 2017. The new version has been refreshed with USB-C charging and improved resolution for the EVF and rear screen. Otherwise, it’s pretty much the same camera, so it’s more of a relaunch than a new camera.
The specifications look pretty spectacular on paper, including a huge 60x zoom, a very useful 20mm equivalent wide-angle capability, 4K video, and Panasonic’s clever 4K Photo modes, which can grab an 8MP still from a continuous 4K video sequence, or focus on a subject after you’ve shot it by capturing a short video sequence with multiple focus points.
They key drawback with cameras of this type, though, is the sensor size. The FZ80D / FZ82D uses a tiny 1/2.3-inch sensor no bigger than those in a smartphone, as it’s the only way to get this incredible zoom range in an affordable, portable camera.
This impacts heavily on the image quality, and it’s compounded by a drop-off in lens performance at long zoom settings. At short-to-medium zoom settings images are about as good as those from a smartphone, but by the time you reach the longest zoom setting – which is probably one of the reasons why you bought the FZ80D / FZ82D – the definition has fallen through the floor, and is not really adequate.
The FZ80D / FZ82D delivers a huge list of features for the money, but its plasticky build quality, and especially its variable performance, could leave you disappointed. It does an awful lot, but it does none of it very well.
The Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D is priced at $478 / £429 / AU$699, and is available now. That puts it at a similar price to some of the cheaper best beginner mirrorless cameras, but none of these will come with zoom lenses that match the Panasonic’s zoom range – such lenses don't exist for mirrorless cameras, although of course you can swap lenses on a mirrorless camera, and there are telephotos available that give you something like the same reach. The difference is the image quality – images from the FZ80D / FZ82D do not approach the quality of those from the best mirrorless cameras, and you don’t need to be an expert to see the difference.
The Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D definitely looks the real deal. It’s the same size and shape as an old-school beginner DSLR like a Canon EOS Rebel, for example, with the same rounded corners and big viewfinder housing on the top. The difference is apparent when you turn it on and use the zoom lever to extend that huge 60x zoom – you could never do that on a DSLR.
The body does have a plasticky feel, though the dials and buttons work pretty well. There’s only one control dial rather than two, which is often the case with beginner-oriented cameras, and there’s no spinning dial around the four-way pad on the back, which is actually a bit of a relief since these seldom work well.
While the FZ80D / FZ82D does have improved EVF and rear screen resolution compared to the original FZ80, it’s not all good news. For a start, there’s no eye sensor to detect when you’ve taken the camera from your eye – if you want to compose a shot on the rear screen instead you have to press a button next to the viewfinder.
Worse, the rear screen is fixed – it doesn’t even have a tilt mechanism. That’s a real surprise in an era when just about every camera has some kind of rear screen articulation, and it’s going to make the FZ80D awkward for low-angle shots or video. Cheaply made but not cheap – that’s not a good combination.
Happily there’s not too much else to complain about. The menus are big, clear, and easily navigated, and the main mode dial has custom settings for those who like to shoot with specific setups. The memory card slot is next to the battery in the base of the camera, which is always a bit of a nuisance, but pretty normal in a lower-end camera.
Design-wise, the FZ80D / FZ82D is a mixed bag. It’s a good size and fits your hand well, but the finish and controls have a budget feel, and the viewing system is primitive.
The major disappointment with the Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D is its performance at longer zoom settings, which is especially annoying because the huge zoom range is probably what convinced you to buy this camera. It does indeed zoom to an amazing 1200mm-equivalent (in full-frame terms) focal length, but by this point the image detail is very soft and there’s visible color fringing around object outlines. In fact, judging by the processed look of fine details and textures, it looks as if there’s some heavy image processing going on at the long zoom settings to try to compensate for the lens’s limitations.
This doesn’t just affect the maximum zoom setting. You can see the fine detail rendition starting to fall away even at 400mm-equivalent, and it just gets worse from there. I wouldn’t use the FZ80D / FZ82D past its 400mm setting for this reason, which means a lot of the focal range would be wasted for me.
There’s another issue with shooting at the 1200mm-equivalent maximum zoom: camera shake. The FZ80D / FZ82D does have image stabilization, and this works well at shorter focal lengths. But at 1200mm, it just can’t cope – if you try to shoot handheld the viewfinder image leaps all over the place, and even if you brace the camera against a wall or railing, getting a sharp-ish shot at this focal length is a lottery.
At shorter focal lengths and for everyday subjects, the FZ80D / FZ82D performs pretty well. Images look sharp, crisp, and clear, though highlight detail in bright skies is often lost, and the camera does not have the HDR modes that smartphones have. You might think it’ll be a step up if you switch from a smartphone to a bridge camera like this, but in some respects it’s a step down.
The autofocus is nice and snappy, and there’s a macro mode for close-up shots, which makes this camera even more versatile. The 4K Photo mode is good for extracting single frames from extended bursts, and the Post Focus mode is almost uncanny in the way it lets you choose the focus point after you’ve taken the shot. In fact, here the camera is capturing a short video with a focus that shifts from near to far, so it’s not magic after all – it just feels like it.
The issue with the 4K Photo and Post Focus modes is that they're based around 4K video capture, which means the images you extract are just 8 megapixels. If you want to capture a full-resolution sequence you’ll need to switch to the high-speed shooting mode, which tops out at 10fps, and that’s with the focus fixed on the first frame. 4K Photo mode aside, the FZ80D / FZ82D is okay for action sequences, but not great.
It did okay in my ISO tests, though. You can see fine details and textures start to slip away by ISO 400, but even at ISO 3200 images look reasonable as long as you don’t blow them up too much. This is where the FZ80D’s small sensor really holds it back; on a DSLR or mirrorless camera you'd be able to go way beyond these ISO settings before starting to lose quality.
Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D: Sample images
Here’s a gallery showing our penguin at different focal length settings: 1200mm, 800mm, 400mm, 200mm, 100mm, 50mm and 20mm, moving the tripod nearer each time to keep the penguin more or less the same size in the frame to check for image quality at different zoom settings.
Image 1 of 7
Panasonic FZ80D at 1200mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 2 of 7
Panasonic FZ80D at 800mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 3 of 7
Panasonic FZ80D at 400mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 4 of 7
(Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Panasonic FZ80D at 200mm
Image 5 of 7
Panasonic FZ80D at 100mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 6 of 7
Panasonic FZ80D at 50mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 7 of 7
Panasonic FZ80D at 20mm (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Here are some more sample images shot at a range of focal lengths, and which are more representative of casual day-to-day photography.
Image 1 of 7
The 20mm wide-angle setting is wider than most lenses go and undeniably useful. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 2 of 7
Here's an overall shot of a scene at 20mm. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 3 of 7
And here's a zoomed-in shot of a water lily in the foreground – it's not very sharp. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 4 of 7
It is useful to be able to pick out interesting details at a distance. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 5 of 7
The colors and exposures are good, but the FZ80D is prone to blowing out highlights in bright skies. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 6 of 7
You don't really need the FZ80D's zoom range for shots like this, and it's not exactly inconspicuous. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Image 7 of 7
The FZ80D is certainly versatile, as you can get up close for short-range subjects too. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
The FZ80D / FZ82D covers a zoom range wider and longer than most people will ever need, with a macro mode for close-ups, 4K video and more.
You’re on a tight budget and still experimenting
The FZ80D / FZ82D is cheaper than all but a few low-end mirrorless cameras, and none of them can match its zoom range. It might help you decide which direction to take in your photography.
You’re not that bothered by outright image quality
Lots of people aren’t. It’s only at longer zoom settings that the FZ80D / FZ82D starts to fall apart, and in regular shooting it can hold its own against a smartphone.
Don't buy it if...
You’re looking for a ‘second’ camera
If your main camera is a DSLR or mirrorless system, you’re unlikely to be happy with the results from the FZ80D / FZ82D, despite its do-it all convenience.
You don’t really need that huge zoom range
Look instead at bridge cameras with larger 1-inch sensors. They cost more and the zoom ranges may be shorter, but the image quality will be a whole lot better.
You’re looking for a handy ‘travel’ camera
The FZ80D / FZ82D is too big for a coat pocket and the image quality is not good enough for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. It’s not small enough and, to be honest, not good enough.
• I shot the same subject at different zoom settings with the camera on a tripod and the ISO set to 80 for absolute best quality
• I also tested the camera’s ISO performance using a tripod
• I checked the image stabilization across the zoom range
• I shot a range of subjects at different zoom settings handheld to get a feel for the kind of results average users can expect
The key feature of the Panasonic FZ80D / FZ82D is its massive 60x zoom range, but this is of limited use if it can’t maintain a good level of image quality at longer zoom settings. This is a regular failing of long-range bridge cameras, and likely to be a major disappointment for users who bought the camera specifically for that range.
It was also important to check the overall image quality and ISO performance. The FZ80D / FZ82D has a 1/2.3-inch sensor that's far smaller than the sensors in even cheap mirrorless cameras, and this can be a serious limiting factor.
The Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 Hair Multi-styler is a Dyson Airwrap dupe that’s easy to use and doesn’t weigh heavy on your arm. This will be welcome news to those whose hair features kinks or coils; when your hair is dense, the quicker the blow-dry, the better.
The styler has a sleek look and a thin wand – a popular form factor right now among the best hair dryers – but at a fraction of the price of some of its competitors (the Sharper Image costs $269 vs the Dyson Airwrap’s $499). It has six attachments, including brushes and a detangler for drying, smoothing, and adding body. While barrel brushes aren’t ideal for blowing out coarser hair, the paddle-style brush is perfect for blow-drying and smoothing textured hair. For anyone who’s broken a comb, the detangler is quite sturdy and ready to go on a journey with you. As for the curling attachments, someone with Type 4 hair can volumize fine locks or even give yourself a “bump,” no matter the length - and that’s no easy feat for a more affordable Dyson Airwrap dupe.
Using a vortex or “Coanda technology” to wrap and circulate the air through your hair, the Sharper Image Revel dries hair at a pretty quiet 73.8dB. My husband could not hear me using it from downstairs.
All of the attachments are easy to use, and you simply twist the top of the detangler to extend the comb. Note that those with curly hair may still need a separate blow dryer for diffusing, since this styler doesn’t come with one. However, on a low heat setting, you may be able to stretch out your curls somewhat.
In fact, if you’re looking to stretch hair or do a silk press at home with less heat damage, the 6-in-1 styler is a solid choice without the hefty price tag.
The Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 can be purchased at Sharper Image stores, and on sites such as Amazon, Walmart, and QVC at an MSRP $269.99.
Value-wise, the Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 comes in at almost half the price of the Dyson Airwrap – the gold standard for multi-stylers – while still offering great performance across a variety of hair types. Also if you shop around you may well be able to get it even cheaper; at the time of writing it's available for just $198 at Amazon and also at Walmart.
Overall, the Sharper Image Revel styler looks like a curling iron in receipt of a makeover to bring it up to date. An all-rubberized cylinder means you can hold it wherever it’s most comfortable for you. It offers three adjustable heat and power settings, as well as a cold shot. Much like the original Dyson Airwrap, the airflow curlers have a left and right-side option; you have to switch the barrel to change the direction of your curls.
The Revel arrives with six attachments: an airflow curler, hair dryer and detangler, volumizing brush, smoothing brush, and styling brush. Overall, even with the largest attachment, the styler weighs only 1.6lbs – which is wonderfully lightweight and less than the blow dryer that I typically use to diffuse and stretch my hair every so often.
(Image credit: Sharper Image)
At 17.9 inches, the Sharper Image Revel is quite long, but this also makes it well suited to longer hair. Adding the attachments is simple: twist in place, and remove by pushing the button on the back. At the top, you’ll find the on/off and cold shot buttons. At the end of the handle you’ll find an easy-to-read heat symbol and fan symbol to control speed and temperature.
The power cord is extremely long, which is pretty convenient for styling but awkward for storing the tool away.
I tested the Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 Multi-Styler on my medium-length, fine Type 4c hair. Before I got started, I divided my hair into four sections and applied a heat protectant. Once I completed styling, I applied a finishing spray. I wasn’t trying to achieve a silk press look, but if I were, I’d need a hair spray that would provide shine and frizziness. Also, it would likely take some practice with the Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 to achieve hair that looks like you’ve just stepped out of a blow-dry bar.
I was able to dry my entire head in about 25 minutes, which may seem quite lengthy; but when you consider that it usually takes over an hour to dry and flat-iron my hair, the Sharper Image Revel made good time. Note, though, that my 4c hair is fine, which means it could take someone with more dense, thicker hair longer. Also, my hair did become poofy the second I walked out into the humidity, but on a positive note, the next time I washed and dried my hair, I didn’t notice any heat damage.
The benefit of using a blow dryer and styling system together is that your hair doesn’t have to be 100% dry for you to start to style it. Blow dry it enough to smooth it, then you can allow your hair to dry into a cute spiral or wave. However, I’d advise being gentle with hair to avoid causing damage to your natural curls. I say that as someone who tried to drag the detangler tool through hair without starting with a wide-tooth comb.
Inevitably, I had to take a step back and take my time working my way from the end up to the roots to prepare it for drying. Ultimately I used the detangler attachment as my last step, instead of my first step for detangling, and I will note that it was refreshing that the teeth of the detangler didn’t break like the teeth of many blow dryers and combs I’ve tried in the past.
(Image credit: Sharper Image)
The success you have with the Sharper Image Revel’s two curling barrels will depend on how straight you’ve managed to get your hair; otherwise, you risk getting them becoming stuck in your hair!
Overall, the Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 is a quality product that can save you much time. Styling Type 4 hair of any length can take hours, so any tools that can at least cut down drying time will help. As far as achieving a “straight” look with the Sharper Image Revel, depending on your hair type, one may have to slightly lower their expectations in terms of owning just a single tool that can do it all.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Should you buy the Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 Multi-Styler?
Buy it if...
You’re looking for flexible styling options without a time commitment
With the Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1, stretching hair or giving yourself a blowout doesn’t need to take hours.
You’re just looking to stretch your hair
The Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 is a great stretching tool, offering a lightweight form factor and effective results.
You want a cost-effective multi-styler
At almost half the price of Dyson’s Airwrap, the Revel 6-in-1 offers great value for money.
Don’t buy it if...
You strictly diffuse hair or only blowout hair yearly
The Revel 6-in-1 doesn’t come with a diffuser, so if you regularly or exclusively diffuse hair, it isn’t for you.
You strictly wear braids
If you only ever have braids or other protective styles, you won’t get much use out of this. Similarly, don’t buy if you strictly get silk presses or blowouts at the salon.
How I tested the Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 Multi-Styler
I used the Revel for several months on medium-length, fine Type 4c hair
I started on freshly washed, detangled hair and removed excess water
I separated hair into sections and used a heat protectant spray
I tested the Sharper Image Revel 6-in-1 on my medium-length, fine Type 4c hair for several months, stretching and blow drying hair as I normally would
Having washed and detangled hair, I used a cotton t-shirt to remove excess moisture before sectioning hair and spraying it with heat protectant spray before drying and styling. I used my old faithful blow dryer as a reference point for comparing drying speed and performance.
I’ve been writing about health, wellness and beauty for years, and during that time I’ve tried a variety of products that help to inform my assessment of the performance, design and value of different devices.
The idea that the man who operates turntable hero Pro-Ject might require another brand building and selling record players might seem an odd one – but Heinz Lichtenegger (for it is he) sees Rekkord Audio as the perfect method of filling in gaps in the Pro-Ject line-up. Specifically those gaps marked ‘automatic operation’.
So the Rekkord Audio F300 (hand-made, like the rest of the Rekkord Audio range, in the Black Forest) is a fully automatic turntable, arrives with its cartridge and even its belt pre-fitted, and is about as close to ‘plug and play’ as a product of this type ever gets. It’s properly built and finished, too – so the asking price seems absolutely fair enough.
Or. at least, it does until you get down to the business of actually ‘playing a record’. The F300 is a fine-sounding device in many ways – it’s detailed and forgiving, able to flow through rhythms and tempos with complete assurance, and creates a convincing soundstage on which the action can unfold.
But it’s ‘action’ that exposes the Rekkord Audio’s few shortcomings and marrs its bid to enter our best turntables buying guide. It’s not an especially dynamic listen when it comes to tracking shifts in volume or intensity, and it’s overtly short of outright ‘punch’ when it comes to describing bass sounds.
So ultimately it comes down to your own personal scenario. That there are more complete-sounding turntables available at this sort of money is undeniable. But if the fully automatic convenience of the F300 excites you (and that's understandable – nobody likes harming vinyl), it’s currently about as good as you’re going to get at the price.
Rekkord Audio F300 review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Rekkord Audio)
The Rekkord Audio F300 automatic turntable is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it sells for £549. It’s available to American customers for $599, but currently no price is quoted for the Australian market – if exchange rates are anything to go by, you’re looking at AU$1,049 or something quite like it.
There's no shortage of well-regarded turntables from well-regarded brands available at this sort of money, chief of which might be the excellent ProJect Debut Carbon Evo. But Rekkord Audio reckons it has a worthwhile point of difference…
Rekkord Audio F300 review: Features
Fully automatic operation
Audio Technica AT91 moving magnet cartridge
Captive RCA connections and grounding lead
The obvious feature, and the feature Rekkord Audio is understandably most pleased about, is its fully automatic operation. Hands not as steady as they used to be? Hand/eye coordination not all it might be? The F300 is here to help.
Better still, the F300 is not only fully automatic but it’s quiet and reliable with it. Set the controls to the desired rpm, and press the ‘start’ control – the Rekkord Audio takes care of the rest. About my only gripe concerns the F300’s insistence that 12in discs spin at 33.3rpm and 7in discs at 45rpm. So, anyone who wants to listen to a 45rpm 12in single will have to cue it up manually and take it off manually at the end of the side. Which takes a bit of the shine off the ownership experience, no two ways about it.
(Image credit: Rekkord Audio)
The F300 is hard-wired for stereo RCA and grounding wire connections, which adds to its ‘plug-and-play’ credentials but does mean you’ve no possibility of upgrading. The Audio Technica AT91 cartridge that arrives pre-adjusted and attached to the headshell that is, in turn, pre-attached to the 211mm low-mass aluminium tonearm is a very capable item – but again, it seems optimised for the role and upgrading doesn’t seem to have been factored in. Still, all you need to do is adjust tracking weight and dial in the appropriate anti-skate setting, and the F300 is good to go. Added to the automatic operation, it makes the whole ownership experience about as painless as it realistically can be. Even the belt that moves the aluminium platter is pre-fitted when you take the player out of its packaging.
Features: 4.5/5
Rekkord Audio F300 review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Rekkord Audio)
Nicely tranquil and fluent sound
Good detail retrieval and pleasant rhythmic expression
Not especially dynamic or at all punchy
There’s a Paul Simon song that opens with the line, “Well, I’m accustomed to a smooth ride”. It seems unlikely to me that he is referencing the Rekkord Audio F300 (especially as the song in question is getting on for 35 years old), but nevertheless it sprang to mind when I first heard the F300 in action, and I haven’t been able to shift it.
Because if there’s one thing the F300 offers, it’s a smooth ride. In fact, you could do a lot worse than listen to something like The Rhythm of the Saints (the Paul Simon album from which that line is taken) if you want to hear the Rekkord Audio at its most comfortable and consequently at its best. It fairly glides along in the most natural and unforced manner, handling rhythms and tempos with a deft certainty, digging out plenty of detail at every stage and offering plenty of midrange insight. It has a fair amount of bite at the top of the frequency range, creates a large and plausible soundstage, and has a slightly-warmer-than-neutral tonality that suits the material well.
There’s a pleasing unity to its presentation, and it gives every aspect of the frequency range equal billing. It’s alert to even very minor details, and is able to contextualise them both in terms of their weighting and their position on the stage.
(Image credit: Rekkord Audio)
Unfortunately, it’s not even remotely difficult to take the F300 out of its comfort zone where it is, obviously, far less comfortable. A heavyweight reissue of Aphex Twin’s timeless Selected Ambient Works 85 - 92 makes the point in unequivocal fashion – the F300 may be alert to small dynamic variations in instruments or voices, but it’s not all that adept at dealing with the big dynamic shifts associated with changes in attack or intensity. The distance between the quietest and loudest moment of this record is no distance at all when described by the Rekkord Audio.
Equally problematic is the relative lack of low-end punch the F300 is able to summon. It has no problem expressing the rhythms of this recording with positivity, but the best it can summon is a sort of mild ‘shove’ where you just know the music wants to hit with greater determination. This lack of rigour, allied to the easy-going overall nature of the F300’s delivery, conspires to serve up a presentation that’s probably most politely described as ‘tepid’. Which is no one’s idea of what Aphex Twin should sound like, let’s face it.
Sound: 3/5
Rekkord Audio F300 review: Design
Perspex dust-cover
Single-piece MDF plinth
Decoupled sub-chassis
(Image credit: Rekkord Audio)
It’s not easy to make a mainstream record player look anything other than ‘a rectangle with a circle on it’ – and Rekkord Audio hasn’t tried. The F300 looks exactly as you might expect, in a good way.
It’s very nicely built and finished, though, and feels the part just as much as it looks it. The three available finishes (satin black or silver are available as well as the ‘stirling oak’ wood veneer of my review sample) look good, and in the case of the wood veneer model there’s a degree of tactility in the fairly deep grain, too. The plinth is of a single, relative chunky, piece of MDF – a material valued for its rejection of resonances – and the clear Perspex dust-cover on top of it is mildly angled and consequently mildly interesting in visual terms.
The F300 is distinct from the less expensive models in the Rekkord Audio line-up thanks to the floating sub-chassis that’s visible beneath the aluminium platter. The platter itself, the tonearm assembly and the components that control the automatic operation are all decoupled from the main body of the chassis – and so the theoretical benefits where isolation from internal and external vibrations are obvious.
Design: 4.5/5
Rekkord Audio F300 review: Usability and setup
(Image credit: Future/Simon Lucas)
Minimal user input into set-up
Even more minimal input needed when playing a record
...Sit back and listen
It’s hard to know how setting up or operating the F300 could be any simpler or more straightforward. If you can’t get a sound out of this record player within minutes of taking it from its box, you should probably have a word with yourself.
There’s a wall-wart mains adapter in the packaging that needs to be plugged in. The captive RCA leads and grounding lead need to be attached to your amplifier, wireless speaker or what-have-you. The aluminium platter needs positioning, the counterweight needs adjusting – as does the anti-skate control. And then you just need to take the plastic guard off the cartridge. You are now set up.
And, of course, the whole point of the F300 relative to most of its rivals is its ease of usability. Select the speed at which you’d like the platter to turn. And then, having put a record on the platter, push ‘start’. The job is very much done.
Usability and setup: 5
Rekkord Audio F300 review: Value
As a painless-to-own, easy-to-use turntable that’s properly built and finished, it’s difficult in the extreme to fault the value that Rekkord Audio is offering with the F300. Whether or not it sounds like the money’s-worth is, admittedly, a slightly different question - the answer will depend quite strongly on whether you consider the words “laid back” to be especially positive or not…
Should I buy the Rekkord Audio F300?
Buy it if...
You value convenience
The F300 is as convenient as they currently come.
You admire good engineering
There’s no arguing with the quality of construction here, nor the standard of the engineering involved.
You like an easy-going sound
To be honest, ‘easy-going’ is to understate it somewhat.
Don't buy it if...
You own a lot of 12in singles
Rekkord Audio is adamant: 12in records turn at 33.3rpm, 7in records at 45rpm.
You enjoy upgrading your equipment
The captive leads and the cosy nature of the relationship between tonearm and cartridge don’t lend themselves to upgrades.
You admire a punchy sound
You have a stack of choice if you want a more assertive-sounding turntable. None of the alternatives are automatic, though.
Rekkord Audio F300 review: Also consider
If it’s the automatic operation that’s brought you this deep into the Rekkord Audio F300 review, you won’t find too many alternatives that perform to this sort of standard. If, however, you’re simply in the market for the best-sounding turntable this sort of money can buy, you most definitely have options – Pro-Ject and Rega (see in particular the Rega Planar PL1) are probably the most high-profile turntable brands with very capable machines at this sort of price.
How I tested the Rekkord Audio F300
I plugged its captive RCA connections into my Naim Uniti Star amplifier via a Cambridge Audio phono stage, from where it played through a pair of Audiovector QR-1 SE loudspeakers, and also into the ‘aux’ input of a KEF LS60 wireless speaker system. I played 12in and 7in records of all types, all vintages and various conditions (although I steered clear of those LPs it appears someone has been eating off). And I didn’t stop for the thick end of a week.
I’ve generally been a fan of Ecovacs robot vacuums, so I was a little nonplussed testing the Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus. It’s not a bad vacuum by any means – its 4 out of 5 rating here should make that clear. It’s just that it’s much more stripped-down than a lot of other options out there, whether from Ecovacs or otherwise.
Some of the compromises made to keep the price down mean that it's hard to recommend this as one of the best robot vacuums for those working with a limited budget. Now, its cleaning prowess is pretty good as is its mopping capability. And, the fact that you have to remove the mopping pad if you only want to vacuum , then put it back on if you want to both vacuum and mop, is par for the course for something in this price range.
(Image credit: Future)
However, its operation is on the louder side, the robot vacuum gets stuck exiting its base station if it’s too close to any furniture, and its vacuuming prowess is not ideal if you’re trying to clean up an actual mess (I’ll elaborate on that later).
Still, it does share some characteristics of the best vacuum cleaners in this form factor, such as a long battery life and smart home features through Google Assistant or Alexa. It’s not bad for the price, and, being an Ecovacs product, you’re certain to find it with a pretty decent discount sooner or later.
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus specs
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus review: price & availability
List price: $649.99 / £499 / AU$999
Available: US, UK, and Australia
If you’re new to the world of robot vacuums with mopping capabilities, the Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus’ list price of $649.99 / £499 / AU$999 may seem expensive. However, if you look at some of the more fully featured models we’ve reviewed, it becomes clear fairly quickly that this is actually a pretty good price.
Realistically, you’re going to have to pay $500 / £500+ for anything with mopping functionality. For example, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop has an almost identical form factor, including a similar clip-on mopping pad, and will set you back just a little more with an MSRP of $699 (about £559 / AU$1,054). That said, the Deebot N10 Plus has a much better battery life, although it runs a little louder.
If you want an example of a more fully-featured model to really get an idea of the Deebot N10 Plus’ value (or you’re considering splurging), take a look at the Narwal Freo X Ultra. It’s much pricier at $1,399.99 / AU$ 2,299 (about £1,110), but it has double the suction power, quieter operation, and a clean and dirty water reservoir in the base station. The base station auto-fills the robot vacuum's water tank as well as self-emptying its dustbin, and it'll also wash and dry the mopping pads. Also worth noting is the fact that the mopping pads retract so that it can just vacuum carpeting areas and then vacuum and mop hard flooring without having to swap anything out, unlike the Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus.
If you want to stay in the Ecovacs family but want to opt for a more expensive model, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo is an impressive unit for $1,199.99 (about £950 / AU$1,800), but at the time of writing it's only available in the US.
Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus review: design
Has two side brushes and a brush roll that gets tangled in hair
Mopping pad clips on
Base station needs a good amount of clearance
The Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus, available only in all white, doesn’t really break any molds. The actual robot vacuum has two side brushes, which makes it much more effective at sweeping up debris at the edges of a room, an obvious improvement over the single side brush that a lot of models come with.
(Image credit: Future)
The brushroll underneath that actually picks everything up is easily accessible, thankfully, since it does collect hair easily and will need to be untangled regularly. That said, even when wrapped in hair, it still seems to get the job done.
Though this is a robot vacuum with mopping functionality, the Deebot N10 Plus requires a bit of manual labor that you won’t find on more expensive units. Not to make it sound like hard work because it’s not, but you have to clip on the mop pad when you want to utilize that feature, then you have to unclip it whenever you want to use it on carpeting. It will however avoid any kind of carpeting when the mop pad is in use. You also have to fill up the water reservoir in the vacuum itself regularly.
(Image credit: Future)
In fact, I learned that lesson the hard way when I originally set up the base station in a room with carpeting and the Deebot N10 Plus would get stuck on the carpet every time it tried to run. While it’s not that much work, this is not the set-it-and-forget-it type of robot vacuum. Of course, that’s to be expected at this price point when you add in mopping.
Speaking of the base station, it’s kind of cute in its petite, somewhat slim design. It has just enough room for a dust bag, since it does have a self-emptying capability. The only other thing worth mentioning is that the bottom plate that the robot vacuum sits on when at rest is at an angle.
(Image credit: Future)
And when you have the base station too close to a piece of furniture (a chair in my case), the robot vacuum will try to exit off to the side of that bottom plate instead of going straight back, which results in it getting stuck. It’s frustrating, but easily fixable if you give the base station a good amount of clearance on either side.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus review: performance
Good for maintenance cleaning
Vacuuming gets to the edges, mopping does not
Runs a bit on the loud side
Most robot vacuums are great for keeping the daily buildup of dirt at bay, while not providing true deep cleaning. That’s certainly the case with the Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus. You’re still going to need to deep clean from time to time, and you'll still need to grab a more traditional vacuum when dealing with unforeseen messes.
(Image credit: Future)
When vacuuming, for instance, the Deebot N10 Plus does a great job of keeping the floor clean, picking up dander and hair. As mentioned above, hair does get tangled in the brush roll, so you’ll have to clean that out from time to time. However, I didn’t find that that affected its ability to suction up debris.
Image 1 of 2
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus cleaning up cereal (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus cleaning up seasoning (Image credit: Future)
I did also test this robot vacuum with a bunch of cereal and, while it managed to suck up a good amount of it, it didn’t get it all, seemingly not detecting that there was still debris on the floor. It did, at least, get edges.
Mopping is pretty good with its single mop pad that vibrates on the floor as it moves along, but again, you’re not going to get a deep clean – models I’ve tested with spinning mop pads seem to get a little deeper (they’re also twice the price usually). But it’s good enough. However, the mop pad, being in a static position, isn’t able to get to the edges of rooms the way the side brushes are.
(Image credit: Future)
Be aware that you’re going to have to wash the mop pad every now and then as there’s no automatic cleaning on hand. Also of note is the fact that it runs a little bit on the loud side, registering around 65dB at full power.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus review: app
Straightforward in setup and use
Accurately maps and can save maps for multiple floors
Limited partitioning can be an issue for open floor plans
Whether it’s going through the setup or just running the Deebot N10 Plus remotely, the Ecovacs app is fairly straightforward to use. There are a small amount of additional settings you can work with, such as adjusting when it self-empties into the base station, or creating a schedule.
It’s worth noting that, unlike most apps I’ve used for robot vacuums, adjusting cleaning modes is hidden behind a “cleaning preference” button instead of being right on the front page. However, once you’ve pulled that page up, it follows the same format.
(Image credit: Future / Ecovacs)
Since I tend to get stuck on mapping features with these apps, I want to dig into that a little bit. Not only does the robot do a good job of mapping out the space, but the app will automatically break up what’s been mapped into rooms. On top of that, you can save different maps so that you can use the Deebot N10 Plus on different floors without having to remap when you move it.
Merging and dividing rooms in the app is easy, though it suffers from using a line tool for dividing, meaning that you’re limited in how much you can partition what it considers to be a single space. That can be an issue with those with open floor plans.
App score: 4.5 out of 5
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus review: battery life
Can last up to 300 minutes
Still plenty of battery life on highest settings
The battery life on hand here is pretty impressive as it lasts between 200 to 300 minutes (or three and a half to five hours) depending on the intensity of the cleaning mode and whether it’s also mopping. Since the Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus uses a static mop pad for the mopping functionality, it doesn’t even seem to impact the battery life all that much.
Since it does have such a long battery life, it does take a while to charge back up: about six and a half hours. That can be a pain if you find yourself in a similar situation as I have, where the robot vacuum gets stuck on an area rug with tassels and runs down the battery trying to escape / waiting for rescue. That said, when I was faced with that situation, it still had some juice left unlike other robot vacuums that I’ve found in similar situations (and they all get stuck on tassels, too).
Battery score: 5 out of 5
Should you buy the Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus?
Buy it if…
You have limited funds
When it comes to robot vacuums with mopping ability, the Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus is about as affordable as it gets without going with an older generation model.
You want a robot vacuum that you can use on multiple floors
Since it can save multiple maps, you can use it on multiple floors without having to remap – a nice feature to have on hand.
You want something to just keep the daily dirt at bay
While not quite on par with the best robot vacuums in deep cleaning prowess, it's good for preventing dirt from building up on a day-to-day basis.
Don’t buy it if…
You want to set it and forget it
Yes, you can schedule cleanings and it has auto-empty. But, you have to remove the mop pad if you want it to go over carpeting and add it back on for mopping, not to mention you have to regularly fill the water reservoir on the robot vacuum itself.
You have a cramped space
While the Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus’ base station is small, it needs a good amount of clearance to operate properly, otherwise you’ll be dealing with a robot vacuum that routinely gets stuck in its own base station.
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus review: also consider
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1
While the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 may have disappointing battery life – it is an older model, after all – it vacuums and mops very well. Of course, you do have to switch out the backplate when you want to vacuum your carpets. But it is a bit quieter in operation compared with the Deebot N10 Plus.
The Narwal Freo X Ultra is among the pricier robot vacuums out there, but it’s absolutely packed with features including the ability to be used as a remote drone / security camera. It also comes with a fairly striking base station that could be its own conversation piece. It’s not the best at mopping the edges of a room, but it’s pretty powerful in its cleaning performance otherwise.
To test the Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus, I used it for a couple of weeks to vacuum and mop the hardwood floors and carpeting in my house. I focused on how well the vacuum cleaned the edges of a room as well as around obstacles, not to mention pick up different sized debris. I also tested the features listed in the app, most notably the mapping.
I’ve reviewed quite a few Boox ereaders over the last few years and have always been impressed by their design and the versatility of having Android as an operating system. The Go series carries on this tradition with the 7-inch Boox Go Color 7 ereader, which is essentially a color version of the Onyx Boox Page.
They’re both quite similar physically, featuring page-turn buttons on the wider bezel, flush screens and a plastic build, but the Go Color 7 features a textured rear panel that makes it grippier to hold, and that’s a good thing as it’s quite a thin device (6.4mm / 0.25 inch thickness). The texture also means you won’t see any fingerprints on the rear of the ereader but, sadly, the smooth front panel is a magnet for smudges.
Onyx says that the Go Color 7 is water resistant, but doesn’t provide any rating to suggest how much moisture it can survive. My suspicion is that it might just be splashproof and not submersible as the Kindles and Kobos are, but that’s better than the Page which has no waterproofing at all.
Physically, the Go Color 7 is a lovely device, although I personally would have preferred a little space between the two page-turn buttons, but that’s me nitpicking. What really lets this ereader down is its usability.
For starters, the black-and-white text, which has a resolution of 300ppi, lacks contrast and sharpness as compared to the Kobo Libra Colour, despite both ereaders using the same E Ink Kaleido 3 screen technology. Adding weight (or Enhancement as Onyx calls it) does absolutely nothing. Colors face a similar problem, and they’re noticeably more muted on the Boox compared to the Kobo, and any text in color comic panels, for example, isn't as sharp. If you make adjustments to the color, which Onyx lets you do but isn’t possible on the Kobo, they reveal a lot of texture on the page background that detracts from the reading experience.
That’s not to say the readability is bad – it could be better – but it’s compounded by a whole lot of other software flaws. For example: tap-to-turn doesn’t auto rotate when you turn the device (when you swap hands); the default fonts folder isn’t linked to Storage to make sideloaded fonts work easily; and you have to jump through hoops to use a wired connection for file transfers when using an Apple PC (MacBook or iMac).
These issues become cumulative and make using the Go Color 7 far from enjoyable and hard for me to recommend, at least not till Onyx releases firmware updates to fix some of the software problems that plagues this ereader. It also means that despite the versatility of having the Google Play Store at your fingertips, the higher price tag compared to its Kobo competitor doesn’t add any value.
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Onyx Boox Go Color 7 review: price and availability
Announced June 2024
Launch price of $249.99 / €279.99 / AU$459
Available to buy directly from the Boox Shop and at select retailers
The Boox devices aren’t known for their affordability, but can offer bang for buck because of how versatile they can be on account of running Android. So it’s not surprising that the Boox Go Color 7 comes into the market with a price tag of $249.99 / €279.99 (about £239) / AU$459, which is the same price as the Boox Page (the B&W version of the Go) in the US and the European Union, but AU$40 more expensive in Australia. If you purchase it directly from the Boox Shop, it’s possible to get a little discount, but I think the Kobo Libra Colour offers more bang for your hard-earned buck.
With writing capabilities and a more optimized display that offers both superior sharpness and color saturation, in my opinion the Kobo Libra Colour for $219.99 / £219.99 / AU$359.95 is the better device. Even if you pay extra to buy the Kobo Stylus 2 to take advantage of the note-taking features, it’s still the better purchase on account of its more intuitive user experience and fewer software issues.
• Value score: 3 / 5
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Onyx Boox Go Color 7 review: specs
Onyx Boox Go Color 7 review: design and display
Slim design with plastic build
Page-turn buttons
7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 display doesn’t seem to be optimized for reading
With a similar aesthetic to the Boox Page, the Go Color 7 has a lovely slim profile with an even thickness of only 6.4mm (0.25 inches). That’s just marginally thicker than the Page (6mm / 0.24 inches), but they both weigh in at a mere 195g and don’t put any pressure on the hand or wrist during long reading sessions.
The Go Color 7 takes it a step further by offering a little extra grip via a textured rear panel, which I found good to have as it makes holding the device a little more secure than the Page. However, I personally prefer the asymmetric thickness of the Kobo Libra series and the Kindle Oasis – this ensures your thumb is more securely placed on or near the page-turn buttons and is a little more ergonomic. With the Go Color 7 and the Page, I found I had to keep shifting my grip marginally every few minutes to avoid building up fatigue in the thumb joint and wrist. So while the slim profile is lovely to look at, it’s not ergonomic for single-hand use. I also think Onyx should consider adding a small gap between the two buttons – an issue I also had with the Page – to make each easier to find by touch and improve the ergonomics.
Subtle Boox branding on the rear of the Onyx Boox Go Color 7 (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
What I really love about the buttons is the ability to customize them on a per-app basis. You can set one of three specific functions for all the apps you have on the device (including those downloaded from the Play Store), choosing between page-turn for library or reading apps, set them to scrolling (which is great for web browsing), or use them as volume controls for music or audiobooks. You can even set secondary functions for long presses if you want to via the Settings pane.
Despite having the page-turn buttons, you can use tap-to-turn via the screen if you prefer. However, I found that this functionality doesn’t auto-rotate when using NeoReader (the native library app). It does work for third-party reading apps like Kindle or Kobo, however.
Along with the page-turn buttons, the Go Color 7 also features a single speaker and a mic, housed at the top and bottom of the edge bordering the broader bezel. There’s even a microSD tray that can add more storage to the already-available 64GB. This is handy if you like audiobooks – audio files are typically larger than ebooks, so can eat through onboard storage quite quickly. The top edge houses a small power button.
I was sent the black Go Color 7 for this review, but there’s a white option as well which, I think, looks nicer – all the buttons are silver, adding a little life to the otherwise featureless plastic build. I also think that smudges and fingerprints will be a lot less visible on the white than on the black – the textured rear panel picks up nothing, but the top, smooth bezels are magnets for any oily substance on your fingertips.
Image 1 of 3
The page-turn buttons are close together on the Onyx Boox Go Color 7 (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Image 2 of 3
A speaker and a microSD card add value to the Go Color 7 (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Image 3 of 3
The smooth rear of the Onyx Boox Page (left) shows fingerprint smudges more than the textured rear of the Go Color 7 (right) (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
The 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 display is currently the best color e-paper screen tech available and has been used on my pick of the best ereader you can buy right now – the Kobo Libra Colour. The difference here is that the screen is set flush with the bezels on the Go Color 7, which makes it a little more reflective compared to the sunken display on the Kobo. It also means it picks up a lot of fingerprints when you use the screen for functions like tap-to-turn or the keyboard.
The screen is front-lit, with both white and amber LEDs, so you can adjust from cold to warm hues as you see fit. However, there’s no way to make this transition automatic at a specific time – as is available on the Kindle Oasis and several Kobo models – so that you read in colder light during the day and warmer light for evening or nighttime reading. That said, no Boox tablet has this feature, but you can always find your preferred brightness, then add in a little warmth to suit your needs and leave it at that.
I did, however, find that the screen light isn’t as bright as I’ve seen on other ereaders, Boox models included. For example, a side-by-side comparison with the Boox Page shows the latter can get a lot brighter at full bore, while the Go Color 7 looks like it’s barely at half brightness even though I’ve got the light turned up to the maximum. This isn’t a huge concern, but it could make a difference to some users when reading in certain light conditions.
My biggest concern with the Go Color 7’s display is its lack of sharpness in grayscale and comparatively low saturation when reading in color. I go into more detail in the User Experience section of this review, but it seems like Onyx hasn’t optimized the E Ink Kaleido 3 screen correctly for use. In comparison, the Kobo Libra Colour is sharper and the colors look better on the same screen tech.
• Design & display score: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Onyx Boox Go Color 7: Software
Slim version of Android 12
Full access to the Google Play Store
Microsoft OpenAI Azure GPT-3 available as an AI assistant
Onyx has been using Android as its operating system for a long while, with full Google Play Store access on its devices. The latest version of the OS to be used in Boox tablets is Android 12, which might seem outdated and can be deemed a security concern, but I doubt anyone will be using an ereader like the Go Color 7 for any sensitive transactions.
If you’ve used an Onyx Boox device before, you’ll be quite familiar with the setup on the Go Color 7 – nothing has really changed on that side of things. You get easy access to the library app, the bookstore, device storage, apps and settings via a navigation menu on the bottom of the home screen, and you can experiment with each of them quite easily. The bookstore, however, is not ideal as there’s really not a lot of options available to purchase, so you’re better off using the native browser to purchase content online, which then gets saved to the device.
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Image 2 of 3
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Image 3 of 3
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
There’s a lot going on in the Settings pane, and that can take some time to wrap your head around, but there are settings for each native app as well, accessible when you open them. That said, some of these individual settings are hidden away, which isn’t ideal. The Apps pane is arguably the most intuitive section on the device, and it lists the Play Store separately. You just need to sign in and you’re ready to download any app you see fit for use on the Go Color 7 – in my case, I had the Kobo reading app installed, along with a couple of benchmarking applications I used to get more information on the device. I also downloaded a Mahjong game app for a bit of distraction.
There’s a customizable Floating Toolbar in the library app that I really like. It gives me quick access to some shortcuts, particularly the font styling and menu options for each book. While you can sideload fonts, you will need to create a new Fonts folder within the Storage pane for them to get activated – the existing Fonts folder listed in the Storage menu is not linked correctly and doesn’t work – just one of Boox’s many software failings on the Go Color 7, but this issue plagues all of Onyx’s tablets.
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
You can use a wired connection to transfer files, but I found that Apple devices like MacBooks and iMacs don’t register a Boox device – it’s only possible on a Windows PC. Again, another software issue. I’ve found that the best way to add content to the Go Color 7 is wirelessly by either using BooxDrop or signing into a supported cloud service like Dropbox or Google Drive. However, files downloaded via the cloud don’t seem to get stored anywhere on the device – when plugged into a Windows PC, I found the library to be empty despite having ‘downloaded’ a bunch of EPUB files. Checking the breadcrumbs on the device for the files also show no pathways. I even tried an app called File Manager+ to find the files, but to no avail. So while I can open and read the files I’ve transferred, I actually can’t find them within the device’s internal pathways – another software issue that I haven’t come across on other Boox tablets previously.
To change things up on the Go Series of Boox tablets, Onyx has added an AI Assistant app. This is essentially Microsoft’s OpenAI Azure GPT and you can get it to write you a short story or start a simple conversation. It works fine, but I think it’s superfluous – I never found the need to use it, but did so only for testing purposes.
• Software score: 3 / 5
Colors on the Kobo Libra Colour (right) have a touch more saturation than the Go Color 7 (left) and a lot of grain/texture is visible on the Onyx too (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Onyx Boox Go Color 7: User experience
Nice to use in one hand
Clunky, overwhelming interface
Screen not optimized for readability
One of the best things about a Boox tablet is the native file support, which is handy because you can sideload a heck of a lot of files to read on the Go Color 7. New here is the addition of one used in China for some academic journals, so while it may not have wider appeal, it takes the document file support to 20 – one more than the older models of Boox tablets.
However, having extensive file (and font) support only goes so far if the screen itself hasn’t been fully optimized for reading – the main function that the Go Color 7 should be good at. I found that despite the 7-inch screen having a 300ppi resolution for black-and-white text, the displayed page lacked sharpness and contrast. Edges are fuzzy when compared to the Boox Page and the Kobo Libra Colour, and the latter uses the exact same screen tech.
Onyx allows you to add weight to the text – it’s called Enhancements and is available in the NeoReader (the default library app) settings – but it does absolutely nothing. And I do mean nothing – as you slide to enhance text, there is no visible change at all. This isn’t a problem with the Boox Page, it works just fine there, even for sideloaded fonts. And a side-by-side comparison with the Kobo Libra Colour revealed a marked difference in contrast between the two competitors that you can see in the image below.
A closer look at the difference in color saturation and page texture between the Onyx Boox Go Color 7 (left) and the Kobo Libra Colour (right) (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
The optimization (or lack thereof) of the screen also affects the color saturation which, compared to the Kob Libra Colour is lacking. However, unlike the text Enhancements, the color customizations work. Some users might like the changes these offer, but I personally didn’t like any of the tweaks I made, but I should note that this was because I also had the Libra Colour in front me at the same time and much preferred the default color settings there – so I will admit to a bias in this case.
I tried adjusting the screen’s light to see if that helped with the display issues but the Boox frontlight system isn’t as bright as what you’d find on the latest Kobos or Kindles. Moreover, the light on the Boox is a lot bluer than on a Kobo or Kindle, which I personally didn’t find pleasing. That said, the Boox allows much more warmth to be added to the frontlight compared to a Kobo or Kindle, which can turn a page entirely yellow. If that’s not to your liking, you can opt to read in dark mode, which will reverse the grayscale display colors but not affect anything in full color.
The Onyx Boox Page (right) has a brighter screen light at the same setting than the Onyx Boox Go Color 7 (left) (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
The device can be set to automatically rotate orientation when you swap hands, which also swaps the page-turn buttons accordingly. What it doesn’t do is automatically change the tap-to-turn functionality, which is strange as it works fine on the Boox Page – another software failing on the Go Color 7.
This isn’t the first software issue I’ve listed – all the previous issues I’ve noted previously in this review have a cumulative effect on the user experience, making it rather difficult to recommend the Go Color 7 to anyone looking for a new ereader. Some of these niggles can be solved via firmware updates but Onyx isn’t very good at fixing existing problems, so I won’t be holding my breath.
The image doesn't do it justice, but the text on the Kobo Libra Colour (left) is sharper than the Onyx Boox Go Color 7 (left) when using the exact same font (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
As with all Boox tablets, the user interface requires some getting used to – there’s a lot happening here and it would be nice if Onyx could figure out a way to simplify the settings. Some important settings – like those from NeoReader – are hidden away while there are other not-so-important features that take center stage – like choice of servers (which automatically connects you to the closest option as soon as you set up the device). Using NeoReader as the default library app is also not the most enjoyable – there’s a lot of information included on a page that can be distracting. I’m referring to the battery, time, page numbers and the like shown on the screen when you’re reading. You can choose specific combinations of these, but I found them all to be overkill for a library app – I would prefer to be given the option to select individual bits of information that I want to see rather than combinations (or pairs) of them, just so I can reduce the clutter on a page.
I no longer expect finesse from Onyx’s user interface but what makes these little niggles stand out even more is the Go Color 7’s other software flaws.
• User experience score: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Onyx Boox Go Color 7 review: Performance
Not a lot of ghosting
Impressive battery life
Snappy screen responsiveness
Despite the software problems plaguing this ereader, the Go Color 7 performs well – so well, in fact, that this is the first Onyx device that I’ve tested that hasn’t made me complain about ghosting. That’s not to say it’s entirely gone, but of all the very many Boox tablets I’ve tested over the years, this has the least amount of ghosting issues. It’s most prevalent when using the AI Assistant app, where the keyboard invariably has an underlay of the graphics visible when the app is first opened, and then the shadow of the keyboard remains when the AI-generated response is displayed. That said, I think the AI Assistant app is superfluous on an ereader and really didn’t use it much, so the ghosting didn’t bother me overmuch.
The Go Color 7 uses the 2.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor that has been used to previously power budget phones like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11, Samsung Galaxy A53, Oppo Reno 7 and Realme 9 – when used in a low-power device like an ereader, it’s more than enough to run it smoothly. Paired with an Adreno 610 graphics chip, the Boox Go Color 7 has the exact same specs as the note-taking 10-inch Onyx Boox Note Air 3, which also performed quite well in our tests.
I didn’t notice any lag in opening apps, nor were there any problems with rapidly switching between apps or features. The screen is very responsive, whether you’re tapping to turn a page or typing something via the on-screen keyboard. In fact, it has one of the fastest response times when using the on-screen keyboard to type – it’s still not quite real-time and I don’t expect it to be, but it’s as close to that as is possible for an e-paper display to be.
The black Onyx Boox Go Color 7 (left) beside the slightly larger, white Kobo Libra Colour (right) (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Like other Boox devices, you can, in theory, watch videos and play some mobile games on the Go Color 7, but don’t expect refresh rates and graphics like you’d see on your phone or tablet – E Ink screens aren’t optimized for real-time responsiveness. Even a simple task like scrolling through social media or even the Play Store can cause a few little hiccups as the refresh rate is not high enough for these kinds of tasks. That said, it’s good enough to play something like Solitaire or Mahjong, or browse the internet.
And even with internet usage, there’s more than enough battery life to last you a few weeks before requiring a top-up. There’s a decent 2,300mAh battery pack in the Go Color 7 and, in my tests, that gave me about 5 weeks of use before the level dropped to 19%, and included approximately two hours of reading each day, about 80 minutes of browsing or mobile games and about 3 hours of audio listening. This was also with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switched on at all times, the frontlight set at a little over 50% brightness and the system refresh rate set to 5 taps. That’s not too bad considering I also saw about a 12% battery drain while the device was sleeping across the same time period of 5 weeks.
Topping up the battery takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes – that’s with the device plugged into a 65W wall charger and using a USB-A to C cable. If you use a PC dock to plug in the Go Color 7 for a charge, note that this will take a very long time as a dock may not offer the 5W of power needed for normal charging speeds. For example, during my testing, the Go Color 7 took about 9 hours to go from 0% to 100% when plugged into an Anker PC dock.
• Performance score: 4 / 5
Smudges and fingerprints are visible on the smooth broad bezel near the page-turn buttons (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Should I buy the Onyx Boox Go Color 7?
Buy it if...
You want a slim, lightweight ereader
The Go Color 7 is one of the slimmest 7-inch ereaders I’ve tested. It’s also compact and quite light, making it ideal for carrying around.
You like the option of having physical page-turn buttons
The advantage of having physical page-turn buttons on an ereader is that it makes it easy to use single-handed. The Go Color 7 takes it a step further by giving you the option to customize the buttons for other functions, and on a per-app basis too. That’s a lot of versatility.
Don't buy it if...
You care about user experience
As nice as it is physically, the Go Color 7 has too many software flaws that make the user experience far from enjoyable.
Value for money is important
It’s not too expensive for a color ereader, but it doesn’t offer as much as some of its competition. For example, you can get writing features, better sharpness and more saturation from the Kobo Libra Colour at a slightly lower price.
Also consider
If this review has you wondering if there are other options you can check out instead of the Go Color 7, take a look at the three alternatives below. They're great alternatives at approximately the same price point, although note that the Kindle option listed here is from 2019 and Amazon has slowly been removing it from some markets.
Kobo Libra Colour
Arguably the best color ereader on the market, with a streamlined, easy-to-use interface and the note-taking features, the Kobo Libra Colour is also slightly cheaper than the Go Color 7.
Onyx Boox Page
It may not have a color display, but if that’s not an issue, the Boox Page is a better Onyx choice than the Go Color 7. It doesn’t suffer from all the same issues as its Go-series cousin, and has sharper text and a brighter light for better readability.
Amazon Kindle Oasis
It’s a little long in the tooth now, but if the page-turn buttons are important to you, then the Oasis is one gorgeous ereader with a metal chassis. In terms of overall performance, it will be a little slower than newer models, but it’s the ereader that pioneered the asymmetric design that’s perfect for single-hand use.
How I tested the Onyx Boox Go Color 7
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Used as daily ereader for approximately 7 weeks
Sideloaded books, music files and fonts via cloud transfer
Use the AI Assistant to write short stories
As soon as I received the Go Color 7 for this review, I signed into my existing Onyx account to sync files and documents I had on my previous device, then logged into the Google Play Store. I downloaded the Kobo app to access my purchases so I could read and listen to them on the Go Color 7, then downloaded a couple of benchmarking applications – CPU X and Geekbench 6.
I ‘bound’ my Google Drive account to the device to access ebooks I have saved on the cloud, but also used the desktop version of Onyx’s BooxDrop to sideload more content for reading. I had a mix of ebooks and comics, plus a few audiobooks and music files on the device.
I used the Go Color 7 for approximately 7 weeks as my regular ereader, during which time I charged it twice. I also compared it directly with the Onyx Boox Page and the Kobo Libra Colour, both of which I’ve previously tested for TechRadar.
I didn’t find a lot of use for the AI Assistant application but used it a couple of times by asking it to write me short stories based on a premise I provided.
The Sanus VLT7 is a premium tilting TV wall-mount bracket with swivel functionality designed to cover a range of TVs from 42-90-inch sizes, holding up to 150 bls (68Kg) in weight. The Sanus VLT7 is almost identical in spec, but is cheaper. For our tests, however, we used the VLT7.
Installation of the VLT7 is incredibly easy, with a simple three-step process suggested by Sanus taking close to the 30 minutes suggested. The instructions provided are easy to follow and the construction and installation process ran smoothly. You'll need your own tools (mainly a screwdriver and socket wrench) and two people to carry out installation.
The VLT7's build quality is strong, with both the brackets and wall plate feeling reassuringly sturdy and robust. Most of the materials are made from a quality black metal which again feels premium and tough. The covers used to help hold the bracket hooks to the wall plate feel a little cheap and plasticky in comparison to the rest of the bracket, but this is the one complaint in an otherwise solid wall mount.
The VLT7 carries 15 degrees of tilt, and even with the weighty 20kg of the 65-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED feels comfortable at full tilt. A useful 15-degree swivel and 6.8 inches of extension means connections such as HDMI are easily accessible and changeable. Even when not in tilt mode, the VLT7 sits snug to the wall at 2.1 inches distance.
The VLT7 is priced at roughly $189.99 / £89 / AU$225, meaning its decent value for money in the UK, but pricey elsewhere. Although it caters to a large range of sizes, more affordable options are available such as the Mounting Dream MD2268-LK-02, one of the best TV wall-mounts, which also caters to a similar range 37-82 inch TVs, and is priced at $35 / £35 – a quarter of the price.
Sanus VLT7 review: Prices and release date
Priced at $189.99 / £89 / AU$225
First available 2021
Available from major online retailers
The Sanus VLT7-B2 is a tilting and swivel wall mount that fits 42-90-inch TVs. Available from online retailers for $189.99 / £89 / AU$225, it sits at the more premium end of the tilting TV bracket market.
The version we tested from Amazon is referred to as the VLT7. It's the same product but pricier in the UK and Australia, retailing for $189.99 / £129.99 / AU$269.99, so you're best getting the VLT7 if you're in those regions.
Sanus VLT7 review: Specs
Installation of the Sanus VLT7 TV wall-mount is a breeze. (Image credit: Future)
Sanus VLT7 review: Ease of installation
Easy installation process
Two people recommended
Simple instructions
Sanus says that the installation for the VLT7 takes 30 minutes and uses a 3-step process, and during my testing, this was pretty accurate. For our setup, we placed a wooden board onto a stud wall and used the four included lag bolts to hold the back plate in place. A clear template for how to measure is provided.
Installation of the lag bolts and back plate uses a 0.5-inch (13mm) socket wrench and was easy. Two people were required during installation – one to hold the back plate in place, while the other tightened the lag bolts.
The brackets are easily installed onto the back of the TV, with varying height options for different sizes in its vast 42-90 inch range. Included in the box were a large number of M6 and M8 screws (compatibility will vary from TV to TV). For our tests, we used the 65-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, which worked with the provided M6 12mm screws. Spacers are also included in the box if required.
It’s worth noting that you will require your own tools for installation, with the most vital being the socket wrench and screwdriver. Within the instructions, Sanus recommends other tools including a tape measure, pencil and various drill bits depending on the wall type.
Ease of installation score: 4.5 / 5
The Sanus VLT7 feels comfortable even with larger TVs at full tilt (Image credit: Future)
Sanus VLT7 review: Build quality
Premium metal materials
Solid, sturdy feel
Cover on back plate feels cheap
Straight out of the box, the VLT7 feels weighty and premium. Its two brackets and back wall plate are made of a black metal that feels solid when held. Although the rear brackets were light, they still felt reassuringly sturdy during the installation process.
When installed on the wall, the 65-inch Omni QLED, which weighs 45 lbs (20 kg), felt secure on the VLT7 bracket. At full downward tilt, the Omni QLED didn’t feel like it was moving anytime soon. One thing I did notice, however, was that the plastic cover on the back plate (designed to cover the rear hooks) felt a little on the cheap side in comparison to the rest of the metal materials, but this was the only complaint I really had.
The VLT7 may be at the premium end of the wall-mount market, but its durability and solid, secure design make it worth it.
Build quality score: 4.5 / 5
The Sanus VLT7's back plate is large enough to allow space over in-wall plug sockets (Image credit: Future)
Sanus VLT7 review: Design
Good level of tilt and swivel
Wide back plate gives more installation freedom
Fairly snug to the wall
The VLT7 is designed to support larger, weightier TVs. Despite this, it hits a sweet spot of good extension and tilt, and can also fit snug to the wall when not in tilt mode.
With 15 degrees of downward tilt available, the VLT7 will prove useful to those who need to install their TVs high up on the wall. As we’ve already said, you can feel safe knowing that the VLT7 is ready to take the full weight of a TV even at full tilt. When not in tilt mode, the TV will only sit 2.1 inches from the wall and during my testing, that was the case with the 65-inch Omni QLED (although with a large depth overall it did stick out a little more). Another design advantage of the VLT7 is that its tilt function is more ‘automatic’ and doesn’t require manual adjustments each time, something that a budget tilting or full-motion wall-mount such as the Perlesmith PSSFK1 requires.
The VLT7 can also extend by 6.8 inches, giving plenty of access to the rear of the TV to swap any cables or manage connections. With the VLT7 extended and swiveled (again 15 degrees available here), the Omni QLED felt solid. I also tested whether moving a larger TV was doable on my own and thankfully the Omni QLED never felt unsecured.
Another useful design feature is the VLT7’s larger back plate. Although it initially looks cumbersome, the larger design is made with freedom of installation in mind, allowing enough room to accommodate any in-wall plug sockets or devices.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
The Sanus VLT7 with the 65-inch Omni QLED attached. (Image credit: Future)
Sanus VLT7 review: Value
Premium design and materials
Somewhat pricey
Cheaper alternatives available
As the VLT7 is a tilting bracket with swivel that holds 42-90-inch TVs, it requires a robust design and as such sits at the more premium end of the TV wall-mount market. While its design and build quality justify the price to an extent, it’s hard to ignore that there are cheaper alternatives.
The VLT7 retails for $189.99 / £89 / AU$225. Compare that with the Mounting Dream MD-2268, one of the best TV wall-mounts available, and its price becomes a bitter pill to swallow. The MD-2268 doesn’t offer the same features as the VLT7, with a 32-80-inch size range, 8 degrees of tilt, and no swivel, but it’s priced at $35 / £35 – a quarter of the VLT7's price in some regions.
Despite its more premium price, it’s hard to overlook just how sturdy and solid the VLT7 felt, even with the weightier 65-inch Omni QLED attached, and how easy it was to use.
Value score 4 / 5
Sanus VLT7 review: Should you buy it?
Buy it if...
You have a large or heavy TV The VLT7 is compatible with a large range of TV sizes – up to 90 inches – and when tested with a heavier 65-inch set felt reassuringly solid.
You want a good range of tilt With 15 degrees of downward tilt, the VLT7 will be useful in several situations, whether placed up high or compensating for glare in brighter viewing environments.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a budget
The VLT7 is a premium tilting TV wall mount and as such comes with a higher price tag – even higher than some full-motion TV brackets.
You need a full-motion bracket Although the VLT7 can tilt and swivel, it doesn’t have the same level of movement as a full-motion wall-mount for angled viewing.
The VLT7 comes with everything you need except tools. (Image credit: Future)
How I tested the Sanus VLT7
Tested with 65-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED
Tested on a wooden stud board on drywall
Two-person installation
The Sanus VLT7 was installed on a wooden stud board placed over drywall, with holes made using a drill. The back plate was held to the board using a set of lag bolts installed with a socket wrench and the back brackets were installed using a basic Philips screwdriver.
For our testing, we opted to use the Amazon Omni QLED 65-inch to test the build quality and functionality of the VLT7. The Omni QLED is on the heavier side for a 65-inch TV, weighing 45 lbs (20kg) and sits roughly at the midway point of the VLT7's support range.
The VLT7 comes with screws and spacers to attach the bracket to the TV. For the Omni, the relevant sizes were M6 screws12-15mm in length, but this will vary from TV to TV. We had two people work on this installation as this is the safest approach, regardless of TV size.
