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I swapped all of my kitchen appliances for this one high tech gadget, and it’s already making me cook more often
1:00 am | October 14, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Multi Cookers Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Thermomix TM7: one-minute review

There are few times I’ve been so excited about a home appliance in my career as a lifestyle gadget reviewer as this; I’ve just finished testing the Thermomix TM7, an incredible, almost all-in-one device that can do everything from kneading bread all the way to sous vide. If you’ve ever lamented about your countertop space, this might just be the appliance for you. Still, there’s an interesting journey to perfection – or even just maximizing this device – that might color your choice to join the hype train.

I’ve tested almost all of the key functions available, and I must say I’m very impressed with the range on offer. Do I think it’s the best possible solution for each and every one? No, but I will say it makes tremendous efforts to cover all bases. I’ve made everything from bread to curry and smoothies using the Thermomix almost exclusively for every step, and I’ve never seen an appliance quite like it.

Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

There are, of course, some trade-offs here. It’s bulky, and having a dishwasher is practically a must if you intend to use it regularly. Owing to its very powerful motor, it can also be pretty loud in use; we shudder to use it past 8pm in case our neighbors think we’re testing jet engines. It’ll also be a massive pain to stash away, so prepare for the Thermomix TM7 to be a mainstay on your countertops. If you can handle these setbacks, you’ll be more than happy to introduce it into regular meal prep and cooking rotation, though.

I’m also divided on the included subscription plan; you have three months of access to Cookidoo, wherein you’ll find ample recipes specifically tailored to the appliance, but after that, you face a $89 / £50 annual subscription fee. Of course, the machine is far from redundant after that period if you choose not to join up, but it will require a lot more manual input. In that sense, I don’t love the long-term landscape for Thermomix fans; especially given its lofty list price. I feel they could offer a little more as part of the base offering to help users, but if you’re willing to dole out further, it’s worth the investment.

All that being said, there’s a lot to love here, and a thriving community of users to support your Thermomix journey. New customers are encouraged to join up for one of the in-person training sessions; personally, I didn’t, and I found it pretty easy to learn the ropes and make best use of the machine, so don’t view that as a compulsory step if the effort to make it to a class is too great. Either way, you end up with a powerful, capable and relatively low-effort kitchen powerhouse.

Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

Thermomix TM7: price and availability

  • Available for $1,699.00 / £1,349 / AU$2,649 direct from Thermomix
  • Encouraged to buy through a Thermomix 'Consultant'

Unlike a majority of the appliances we test and review here at TechRadar, the Thermomix can’t be easily purchased through standard avenues. You won’t find it on the shelves of a department store or lurking on Amazon during Prime Day; instead, you can exclusively buy this appliance from Thermomix itself, either online or through a Consultant, for $1,699.00 / £1,349 / AU$2,649.

What’s a Consultant? Basically, a brand representative who makes a commission from selling and delivering training to new Thermomix customers. Now, I’m not one of these, but you’ll find a fair amount of content online from people who are affiliated with the brand as such.

In addition to the appliance itself, there’s an array of extra tools and accessories that you can purchase to unlock further recipes and cooking methods. The standard package comes with the TM7 base unit, mixing bowl and lid, a Varoma steaming tray, the power cord and three tools: a spatula, butterfly whisk, and simmering basket. You also get three months' access to the Cookidoo platform, which costs $66/£50/AU$89

  • Value score: 3.5/5

Thermomix TM7: specifications

Motor

500W power, speed adjustable from 40 to 10,700 rpm

Materials

High-grade plastic, food compatible housing, stainless steel mixing bowl

Dimensions (base + mixing bowl)

253 mm x 405 mm x 336 mm (WxDxH)

Weight (base + mixing bowl)

6.5kg + 2.1kg (8.6kg total)

Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

Thermomix TM7: design

It’s hard to make a 'pretty' kitchen appliance, but the Thermomix TM7 is far from ugly. Large and in charge, the TM7 is a hefty piece of equipment for your countertops; and given its 8.5kg wight, you’ll probably want to keep it there rather than stash it in the cupboard if you’re looking to use it regularly. It takes up a lot of room, too; it stands at 33.6 x 25.3 x 40.5cm (H x W x D), but you’ll also need to find space for the 13.1 x 38.3 x 27.5 cm Varoma basket and other tools.

While I’ve not tested previous devices, the TM7 is a notable departure from older Thermomix designs. Since 1971, the appliance has seen a fair few design changes, but in the more recent years, it’s stayed fairly consistent until now. A new 10-inch multi-touch display is the headliner here, seated upon the main base and offering a bright surface from which to follow along with recipes. It’s pretty responsive and performs consistently, barring the occasional spot of lag if you're dashing around the screen too quickly.

Above the screen sits the 2.2L stainless steel mixing bowl, clad in a black insulated cover with a large, forward-facing handle. This cover locks in place using a lever mechanism on the right-hand side of the bowl, which keeps the bowl and blade inside secure; I found this could be a little stiff at times, and might be challenging for weaker hands to operate.

Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

At the top of the device sits the lid, which has a removable steam cap so you can mount the Varoma steaming tray on top when needed. The steaming tray is 45% larger than the previous generation, and I found it was ample space to cook enough chicken for a six, maybe even eight-person meal.

One thing I will note about the steaming tray, lid, and outer cover is that the black plastic is an absolute grease-magnet. After cooking, it’s covered in oily marks and smears, and that’s where the dishwasher becomes a vital part of this package. I don’t have one in my apartment, so all cleaning was done manually, and when I tell you I felt cursed by the TM7, I mean it. The lid, in particular, is a real pain to clean by hand, and I had to re-clean it three or four times before I was satisfied the grub was gone.

I’m also not overly keen on the lid design, as it lets out a lot of cooking smells. Having researched older models, that’s a big change that has negatively affected the reception of the device, and while it’s by no means worse than using a saucepan on the stove, it’s definitely worth noting if you’ve got a TM6 or older device you’re not 100% sold on trading in.

  • Design score: 4/5

Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

Thermomix TM7: performance

The real reason you’ll want a Thermomix TM7 is all in the performance. My favorite local chef uses his Thermomix to make a wide range of soups and sauces as well as doughs and batters, and that’s just the beginning of what this tool can do in both personal and professional environments.

This stand mixer-cum-blender-cum-steamer-cum-food processor can even sautee your veggies, meaning there’s way less washing up at the end – so long as, of course, you have a dishwasher.

The screen and Cookidoo app will walk you through each step of cooking, starting with measuring out your ingredients with the built-in scales. These are pretty accurate, providing you’ve got a solid flat surface to place the Thermomix TM7 upon.

Most of the recipes I tested were from Cookidoo, but I’ve got really mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it’s incredibly useful for learning the machine; there’s a great variety of recipes, and I love that you can customize these for your preferences. The customizable home screen and meal planning are genuinely useful, especially for homemakers or power users, and the user experience for following the step-by-step guidance is pretty good.

That being said, I think there’s a lot of room for improvement. Almost every recipe I’ve tried has been way under-seasoned, and there are moments where the instructions aren’t clear enough; pre-heat the oven, sure, but is the suggested temperature for a conventional or fan oven?! Right now, I’m not sure it’s worth the monthly subscription after the initial trial period, though I’ve not actually seen how useful the machine is without it; I’m really hoping it doesn’t render it useless.

A huge miss for me is that you can’t remotely control the Thermomix TM7, despite the Cookidoo platform being accessible on other devices. Thermomix has hinted at this future utility, but I’d ask why they rushed to release the product without it; it feels pretty essential to me in the age of smart devices.

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Thermomix TM7

(Image credit: Future)
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Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 3

Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

I started my Thermomix journey by making some of the recommended starter recipes; Thai peanut chicken with coconut rice, which uses only the Thermomix to cook at each stage (though you will need vessels to put some ingredients aside in at various stages). You begin with the Peanut sauce, putting in sliced garlic, roughly cut ginger and olive oil into the mixing bowl. After a three-second whizz, scrape down the sides and whizz again, before sauteeing the contents.

At this stage, I was already pretty impressed; the blades are incredibly powerful and sharp, able to quickly mince my ingredients to a suitable size, and the machine has saved me from having to turn on the stove and grab a frying pan. You can use this setting manually, too, searing and browning ingredients up to 160°C without needing a recipe from Cookidoo selected.

After adding some liquid ingredients to the mix for the sauce and switching on the machine to cook and slowly stir the contents for five minutes, the sauce is finished and can be put to one side while you make the rest. Now, given there’s another 20 minutes before it’s time to reintroduce the sauce, this is one of the early pitfalls for the Thermomix; concurrent cooking for more complex meals isn’t always a choice.

Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

That being said, I loved that in the next stage, the rice is cooked in the main mixing bowl while the chicken and vegetables cook in the Varoma on top using the steam from below. The con? Well, you have to wash the sticky sauce out of the mixing bowl first, and it’s not as easy as the “quick rinse” suggestion the Cookidoo app makes. It was worth it in the end, though; the results were tender chicken, perfectly cooked rice and delicious (albeit very heavy and unhealthy) peanut sauce. It’s a pretty bitty way to cook the meal; I’d sooner cook the sauce separately in a saucepan while the rice and chicken cook to halve the overall cooking time, but it’s neat to see a meal like this made possible using mostly just the machine itself.

Next up, I tried making another suggested starter recipe: Pão de água, or Portuguese water bread. Using just bread flour, water, yeast and salt, the Thermomix TM7 was able to handle everything from mixing to kneading and even proving the dough. However, the process was a little more mixed, here, in my experience.

Primarily, that’s because of the kneading; nobody wants to watch as an expensive appliance visibly teeters while in use. I don’t think it moves enough here to launch itself in any kind of dangerous way, but it can’t be good for the screen, internals or motor to be jostled so much. If I were regularly making large batches of dough, I’d be seriously considering wedging the machine in somewhere it can’t scuttle out from.

However, I have to say, I was really impressed with the results. The dough proved wonderfully within the mixing bowl, and after a slight mishap (read: user error) that saw me unlock the mixing bowl and pour the blade out with the dough, the bread came out of the oven well-risen, delicious and with excellent texture.

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Thermoix TM7

An unfortunate unlocking event has occurred... (Image credit: Future)
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Thermomix TM7

(Image credit: Future)
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Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)
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Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

Undeterred, I moved on to my next test: mushroom and cannellini bean soup. Here, I wanted to see if the food processing and blending were up to scratch, and they most certainly were. After cooking down the ingredients, the machine blitzed through the contents and left me with wonderfully smooth, tasty soup. The only issue? It was painfully loud while doing so.

Thermomix claims the TM7 has a quieter motor with “noticeably less noise, especially at low speeds”, but that certainly doesn’t extend to more challenging tasks. I was genuinely worried about damaging my ears when standing close to the device, and no wonder; when I crushed frozen berries in the machine to make sorbet, my sound meter measured 99db (equivalent to a subway train) at only the fifth of nine speed settings. With more crumbly contents, that dropped to 87db, and with sugar alone, it was 73db.

Some of this is to do with the powerful blades, but I have to wonder if the vented lid design and mixing bowl shape mean there’s rubbish sound isolation. I haven’t tried previous models to see if the issue is new, but the TM7’s redesign does have less cladding around the side to help prevent sound spillage, which definitely means blending past 8 PM is a non-starter in my apartment building. I will say, though, the sorbet was delicious, and the butterfly whisk attachment to whip it into a smooth texture is excellent.

Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

Overall, it’s a mixed bag for me, and a lot of this comes down to personal preference; if you’re an accomplished cook who just wants a super powerful blend and mixer for handling some of those dishes that need constant stirring and a thin consistency, you’ll love the Thermomix TM7. Similarly, if you’re a homemaker without a great love for cooking (or washing up!) it’s a great way to make a low-effort meal for a whole family. I would argue it could be really useful for those with accessibility needs, too, but unfortunately, the bulky design and size of the device make it hard to lift and operate.

However, if you live in close proximity to neighbors, have children with early bedtimes, don’t own a dishwasher or just really enjoy the art of home cooking, you probably can (and should!) live without the Thermomix TM7.

  • Performance score: 4.5/5

Thermoix TM7

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Thermomix TM7?

Buy it if

You want an easy, almost all-in-one kitchen appliance

The diversity of settings and cooking tools in the Thermomix TM7 makes it one of the most capable appliances available today.

You want some inspiration in the kitchen

The Cookidoo platform grants access to a wide range of recipe ideas for a range of dietary needs, but also gives you the agency to adjust these to your own liking.

You need high-performance blending and food processing

The Thermomix TM7 doesn’t just have great settings; it performs well across the board with them. Blending, in particular, is a real strength.

Don't buy it if

You don’t have a dishwasher

I cannot impress upon you how annoying it was to clean without one. The many fiddly components, the smudge magnet plastic materials and its heft make hand washing a real chore.View Deal

You hate subscriptions

Cookidoo comes at an added cost of $65/£50/AU$89, which is way less than your average streaming service, but more than some will be able to stomach given the device’s lofty list price.View Deal

How I tested the Thermomix TM7

I used the Thermomix as many times as possible to cook for myself over a three week period, trying both the in-app recipes as well as manual mode. To test the features as advertised, I opted to try most of the recipes from Cookidoo's 7-day crash course, which helped to understand the machine's abilities.

I made bread, baked goods, full meals, sauces, soups, stews and desserts in the Thermomix TM7, comparing the experience of each against my cooking experience. I'm a confident home cook with experience in cooking almost all of the meals I tried by hand, comparing my experience to traditional methods as well as methods that use a range of the best kitchen appliances.

I've been testing home appliances for years now, and in that time I've tried a huge range of the best blenders, best air fryers, best food processors and beyond. I've developed a keen sense for value, performance and good design through my testing experience.

Meze Audio 105 Silva are the bucolic listening headphones audiophiles will adore –the Romanian answer to ‘hygge’
12:30 am |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones | Comments: Off

Meze Audio 105 Silva: Two-minute review

The Meze Audio 105 Silva are open-back headphones that don’t act like open-back headphones – and I think I’m a fan. Where open-backs usually trade bassy fullness for structure and measure, the 105 Silva do a bang-up job of reinforcing low-end for a gratifyingly pillowy result; this pillow lies beneath some of the best treble performance I’ve heard in a mid-range pair of headphones, too, with beautifully-balanced air and a keen-yet-forgiving transient response.

These headphones excel as at-home headphones, and especially so if you’ve a tranche of remastered jazz records to listen through. The more brick-wall limited a song is, though, the less fun you’re likely to have with these, dynamics-hungry as they are.

The 105 Silva are also as gratifyingly comfortable as any of the best wired headphones, with a well-designed self-adjusting headband and some decadent velour-enrobed ear-cushions to slip yourself between. I think Meze Audio have achieved almost precisely that which they aimed to achieve with this mid-range set, but that the narrow soundstage and fluffy low end could turn some fundamentalist open-back adherents away. More for me, maybe!

Meze Audio 105 Silva headphones on a light wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

Meze Audio 105 Silva review: Price and release date

  • Released July 23, 2025
  • $499 / £469 / AU$999

Meze Audio has been mucking up the hi-fi industry since 2010, and, in my opinion, has done for headphones what Pro-Ject did for turntables back in the 00s – just see the much-pricier Meze Audio Poet for reference, at a cool $2,000 / £1,899 / AU$3,550.

And the 105 Silva are much cheaper than their excellent siblings – think high-quality European design, assembled in Europe and sold at a price that makes you go “wait what? OK!”.

I make no attempt to hide my love for Meze headphones past, be they the 99 Classics that still get use in my studio, or the ultra-high-end Poet that blew me away not too long ago. The Silva sits between these two, being a mid-range pair of open-back headphones designed exclusively for the cosy, immersive listen.

The Meze Audio 105 Silva are the second pair of headphones in the 105 series, and a clear development on the 105 AER that came before. Gone are the art deco PC-ABS earcups, replaced with a fetching mid-century walnut-heavy design; gone is the close, sumptuous tuning of the 50mm dynamic drivers, replaced with a brighter, broader and altogether more ‘fidelitous’ approach (if I may neologise).

Silva is a Romanian word, meaning ‘forest’. Meze Audio wants you to look at those sumptuous walnut ear cups and envision nature; to slip between those outrageously-comfortable ear pads and feel safety; to experience the softness of its sound profile and feel nurtured. Can such bucolic Transylvanian headphones promise such bucolic Transylvanian serenity?

Meze Audio 105 Silva headphones on a light wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

Meze Audio 105 Silva review: Features

  • 5Hz - 30kHz frequency response
  • 42 ohms impedance
  • USB-C DAC adapter

Meze Audio’s 105 Silva headphones are passive, open-back listening headphones – the ideal platform for at-home enjoyment of your eclectic record collection, your esoteric FLAC library or your immersive audiovisual storytelling experience. No schmancy tech gimmicks here; just great sound and you.

The 105 Silva deliver that great sound through some prodigiously-engineered 50mm drivers. A carbon fibre-reinforced cellulose composite dome combines durability with a lightness of weight, making for a considered reproduction of high-end information and a clever attenuation of unwanted resonances; the dome is encircled by a semicrystalline polymer torus, titanium-coated for fast attack and precisely grooved for more resonance control.

The result is a pair of headphones that exists in two states simultaneously: tension and relaxation, taut transients and thrumming bass. But more on this shortly. For specs, you’ll find an impressive frequency range of 5Hz - 30kHz and a 42-ohm impedance; the latter’s a tiny bit disappointing, if only for the fact that these aren’t smartphone fare. There’s more potential posed by driving these drivers a little harder from your hi-fi than there is convenience for keeping the impedance low, in my humble and completely subjective opinion.

Being passive headphones, the 105 Silva are of course wired for sound, and use dual-twisted, Kevlar-wrapped OFC cable to supply said wiring. Each ear cup hosts a mono TS port, so you can attach and detach with ease for transport; you can also be sure that each channel of audio is robustly connected. It’s naked, minimal and minimises points of failure all-round – all of which amount to top marks from me.

For those of that use smartphones for all things audio, you can still enjoy the 105 Silva out of the box, too; Meze Audio has lovingly included a custom 3.5mm TRS to USB-C adapter, which includes its own DAC. This is the techiest thing you’ll find in the box, and a good thing too.

  • Features score: 4 / 5

Meze Audio 105 Silva headphones on a light wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

Meze Audio 105 Silva review: Sound quality

  • High-end response is peerless for the price
  • Nice, airy mid-range
  • Bass surprisingly fulsome

As you would expect from most open-back headphones above a certain budget-price threshold, the Meze Audio 105 Silva are a pair dead-set on tactility. Between some measured soundstaging and delightful transient control, these cans deliver something comfortingly immersive above all else.

World Brain’s Minute papillon is a lassez-faire melange of syncopated synths, je-ne-cest-quoi ambiance and other such French-transplant turns of Romantic phrase; the 105 Silva resolve its light-stab electric pianos and dead-straight drums with a playful air. High-end information is delivered with space and grace, sharp enough to carve out its own place in your ears but soft enough not to insist upon itself in the process.

Andy Shauf’s debut collection of small-folk heartbreakers The Bearer Of Bad News, meanwhile, is a good carrier for both the dynamic potential of the 105 Silva and their incredible stereo imaging; I’m Not Falling Asleep is all slurred clarinets and ever-resonating piano before a huge, sparse beat and Shauf’s plaintive tone.

Separation between elements is impressive, too. The end section of I’m Not Falling Asleep is just voices and clarinets in stereo-spread choral harmony, and Shauf’s stacked voices seem as if to coast above the woodwinds like an air-hockey puck would on one of the good machines.

A little later in the record, Wendell Walker brings some excellent resolution of distance; close-strummed guitars and distant piano bass, diametrically opposed but united with a gloriously-staged, wrap-around drumkit that spikes up through the warmth with polish, presence and power. Even with the most maximalist, blown-out feats of electro-pop heft in my library – particularly, Normalize by Gelli Haha – there’s a palpable sense of space behind the sausaged synth-basses and punching-bag-to-the-face kicks.

Well-spaced as these elements are, there is a surprisingly close limit to their spread. These aren’t the widest headphones I’ve tried, sure, but the surprise is that I’ve heard wider closed-backs. Indeed, the 105 Silva, to me, exhibit some behaviours more redolent of closed-back designs than others.

This is reinforced by the overall bass response of those carefully-tuned 50mm drivers. Though brighter and airier than 105 drivers prior, here the low end is still suitably springy, and enjoys an unusual bloomy fullness. Open-backs typically don’t possess this fulsomeness, as they allow that placeless subby energy to dissipate outwards; here, though, there’s a sense of constructive interference usually reserved for closed-back systems. And it’s kind of glorious.

The 105 Silva do seem to respond better to some sounds than others. The aforementioned Normalize suffers for its brick-walled, low-dynamic clown-pop maximalism, where the Silva seems not quite sure on how to handle the lack of real movement. Listening to high-dynamic live-instrument arrangements, like Billy Valentine And The Universal Truth’s jazzy re-imagining of We People Who Are Darker Than Blue, feels like finally unlocking the Universal Truth of these headphones; the thing they were designed for.

The 50mm drivers handle bloomy double-bass with active measure, as if an occult hand were manually pushing the fader up for moments of “a-ha!” crescendo. The transient response is keen but not sharp, and the breath behind each saxophonic missive a textural delight. ‘Cosiness’ seems the ultimate state these headphones strive for.

  • Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

Meze Audio 105 Silva headphones on a light wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

Meze Audio 105 Silva review: Design

  • Gorgeous-looking things
  • Gratifyingly simple practical design
  • And deeply comfortable, too

These headphones are an obvious winner in the aesthetics camp; have you seen them?! Everything about the design is tasteful, from the materials and proportionality of the earcups to the highly-satisfying minimalism of the metal bands that connect them. Walnut, pleather and velour present a united front of understatedly decadent luxury – an enticing wear if ever you saw them.

Speaking of wearing them, the 105 Silva’s headband is a lightweight and lightly-cushioned self-adjusting affair. I’m extremely impressed, again, by the coincident simplicity and practicality on display here. There’s no aggressive ratcheting or re-adjustment; the 105 Silva simply rests exactly where it needs to, with a softness of touch a far cry from the intrusive clamp other such headphones deign to visit upon your potentially-sensitive bonce.

Speaking of sensitivity, I have known no headphone more comfortable than a Meze Audio headphone – especially with the plush, velour-enrobed ear-cushions provided on the 105 Silva. Similar comfort has been experienced on Sennheiser ‘phones past, but none so gratifyingly smooth about the concha.

The 105 Silva come in a sturdy contoured fabric hardcase, with a reassuring firmness and even more reassuringly weatherproof zip; if you did fancy taking these out and about, this right here is a trustworthy receptacle for such adventures. There’s also a neatly-designed cylindrical soft case within, for your cables and adapters and whatnot – so designed to nestle within the Silva’s headband, and to not risk any jostle-related damage in transit. It’s a simple gesture, but one that sparks a not-inconsiderable amount of joy in me.

In all, there’s nothing really to fault the 105 Silva on design-wise. There’s comfort by the spade, eye-candy by the trowel and simplicity at the core of it all. A serene pair.

  • Design score: 5 / 5

Meze Audio 105 Silva headphones on a light wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

Meze Audio 105 Silva review: Value

  • Incredible comfort in the listening experience
  • …but one you pay a price for
  • Sound profile could be divisive, too

Value’s always a difficult thing to pin down with audio products, and especially so when the audio product in question isn’t all-singing, all-dancing. It’s easier to signal that something’s worth the whack when it’s got more features than you’ve got fingers, even if those features exist on products one tenth the price.

So, when it comes to a pair of passive headphones like the Meze Audio 105 Silva, there’s a lot of figurative weight in one place: the quality of the listening experience. I’m in no position to say that you need to spend this much money in order to have fun with your music collection – but, if you like the sound of soft tactility hand-in-hand with thick sonority, maybe it would help.

Bear in mind, too, that this unique listening experience is backed up by a prioritisation of listening comfort, and by attention-to-detail in pursuing the same. There’s balance in that self-adjusting headband, and in those Goldilocks ear-cushions. All this, steeped in minimal mid-century modern aesthetic, as if to say, “Romania does hygge too”.

I’ve had more fun with cheaper headphones before, and I’ve had far less fun with more expensive headphones too. I do think the 105 Silva have a great deal going for them aesthetically and ergonomically, which goes a long way to justifying their position in the market; the sound, though, is the singular thing about which most decisions ought to pivot – and the Silva’s unique performance could make this subjective decision either really easy, or really hard, for the prospective buyer.

  • Value score: 4 / 5

Meze Audio 105 Silva headphones on a light wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

Meze Audio 105 Silva review: Should you buy them?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The inclusion of a custom 3.5mm TRS to USB-C adapter, which has its own DAC, is a classy touch

4 / 5

Sound quality

The 105 Silva excel with respect to high-end reproduction, with all the ear-candy detail you could ask for. The bass is a little more bloomy than you might expect from open-backs, but this is (often, at least) to their credit.

4.5 / 5

Design

These are some singularly fetching headphones, with that tasteful walnut-imbued mid-century earcup design and that minimal-yet-maximal PU leather headband. You won’t begrudge having these adorn your desk, to say the least. 

5 / 5

Value

The 105 Silva offer incredible comfort, both literally and with respect to sound profile. That bloomy bass could be enough to switch some off, but the rest is Goldilocks-level balance.

4 / 5

Meze Audio 105 Silva headphones on a light wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

Buy them if...

You value comfort
The 105 Silva are astonishingly comfortable listening headphones, both literally and figuratively. They hug your face and they hug your inner ear in near-equal measure, with plush cushioning and plusher bass.

You like jazz
The secret to the 105 Silva is fully revealed with dynamic music and largely-acoustic instrumentation; between a silky mid-range, musical handling of transients and a robust low-end that rises to the occasion, you have a pair of headphones that buries your face lovingly in jazz arrangements.

Don't buy them if...

You’re choosing open-backs for the soundstage
Despite their open-back nature, the Poet do not quite ‘breathe’ the same as other open-backs this writer has tried and enjoyed. I’m reminded more of closed-back headphones by the fit and feel, as well as the dimensionality of sound.

You’re looking for a wide soundstage
The soundstaging is fun, particularly with ticky-tacky high-end flourishes, but ultimately the 105 Silva sit quite close to your ears on the width front. There are wider ‘phones out there!

Meze Audio Poet review: Also consider

Meze Audio 105 Silva

Meze Audio 105 AER

Sennheiser HD 505

Type:

Over-ear

Over-ear

Over-ear

Open-back or closed-back:

Open-back

Open-back

Open-back

Driver:

50mm dynamic; bio-cellulose, titanium-coated semicrystalline polymer

50mm dynamic, bio-cellulose, PEEK

38mm dynamic

Frequency range:

5Hz - 30kHz

5Hz - 30kHz

12Hz to 38.5kHz

Impedance:

42 ohms

42 ohms

120 ohms

Connector:

Dual 3.5mm TS output

Dual 3.5mm TS output

Proprietary locking cable output

Weight:

354g

336g

237g

Extras:

Carry case, soft pouch for cables, 3.5mm TRS to dual 3.5mm TS cable, 3.5mm TRS to USB-C adapter w/ integrated DAC, 3.5mm TRS to 6.35mm TRS adapter

Carry case, soft pouch for cables, 3.5mm TRS to dual 3.5mm TS cable, 3.5mm TRS to USB-C adapter w/ integrated DAC, 3.5mm TRS to 6.35mm TRS adapter

Drawstring pouch, stereo cable with 3.5mm TRS plug, 3.5mm TRS to 6.35mm TRS adapter

Meze Audio 105 AER
Meze Audio's 105 AER are a slightly cheaper member of the same open-back over-ear family, with a darker tuning and hence, a little less width than the Silva. If you like a more intimate headphone experience – and don't mind eschewing some tasteful walnut in the process – the AER resolves excellently.
Read our Meze Audio 105 AER review for more

Sennheiser HD 505
The Sennheiser HD 505 set of open-back headphones is decidedly cheaper than Meze’s 105 Silva – and wears that affordability a little more readily on its sleeve, too – but doesn’t disappoint when it comes to fidelity. If you’re wanting a more accessible introduction to the open-back format, this is a good starting point.
See our in-depth Sennheiser HD 505 review for more

Meze Audio 105 Silva review: How I tested

  • Tested for 3 week(s)
  • Used as listening headphones, at home
  • Predominantly tested via Edifier MR5 headphone output, through Universal Audio Volt 4 interface

The Meze Audio 105 Silva spent three weeks adorning my fancy new Ikea desk, in my attic office. There, they were my primary set of headphones for focused listening to my digital library of FLACs and 320kbps MP3s – with some ancillary listening on Spotify – via my Volt 4 audio interface and Edifier’s MR5 monitor speakers’ headphone output.

Windows 11 review
2:03 pm | October 13, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Software Windows | Comments: Off

Microsoft’s Windows 11 has had its fair share of ups and downs since its 2021 release. Heralded as a new era for the operating system, it’s seen plenty of updates since launch, even before Copilot AI arrived. With Windows 10 now in its End of Life phase (which means it is no longer supported by Microsoft), more users will be encouraged to update, and the good news is that they’ll be greeted with a solid upgrade.

Fluent Design, Windows 11’s theme, remains front and center here, with the biggest changes found with the Start menu, now placed in the middle of the taskbar. Redesigned to help find files and apps more easily, it’s seen a fair share of updates since 2021. In addition, many Windows apps now have long-overdue upgrades, such as Paint and Notepad, with some powerful new features (many AI-powered) that have transformed these once-basic apps.

But with Microsoft’s Copilot AI seemingly taking over Windows and the company’s other products, it looks like Windows 11 is facing another regeneration, but some faults remain. Before you download and install the operating system, here are our updated thoughts on using Windows 11 since its 2021 debut.

Windows 11 screenshot

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

Microsoft Windows 11: Price and availability

  • Free upgrade for Windows 10 users
  • $119/£119/AU$249 for the Home version

Good news for Windows 10 owners: Windows 11 is a free upgrade, as long as the system requirements are met.

If you're not upgrading, or are installing Windows 11 on a formatted drive, expect to pay $119/£119/AU$249 for the Home version, or a $99 upgrade for Pro, or a full version in the UK for £219.

Windows 11 Pro has several features that can help secure your system if it gets lost or stolen. One feature is called BitLocker encryption, which will lock down your Windows 11 device, barring anyone from accessing your data.

But for most users, there’s no need for FOMO with the Pro version. There are third-party apps like VeraCrypt that can do the same function. Plus, if you use Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud service, your data can be backed up remotely and securely anyway.

Screenshot showing Windows 11's Start menu

(Image credit: Future)

Microsoft Windows 11: A Fluent design

Windows 11’s big redesign was touted by Microsoft back in 2021 as a new beginning for Windows, and that has somewhat proved to be true. Called 'Fluent Design', it’s full of light blues, animations, and glass-like additions that make it feel like the natural (and more popular) successor to Windows 8’s Metro design.

But Fluent goes deeper than just the windows and Start menu you initially see. Context menus that appear when you right-click on a mouse now feature more useful information you can select, and tabs in File Explorer mean you don’t need multiple windows open that inevitably clutter your screen.

Other apps like Paint and Notepad have seen long-overdue makeovers thanks to Fluent Design, too. Everything looks and feels modern, and there’s also a Dark Mode that makes the updated legacy apps look fresh and new.

Windows 11 screenshot showing how little has changed in some menus

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

But it’s only when you go deeper that the similarities to Microsoft Windows 10 remain. For example, if you right-click in a folder and bring up the ‘Properties’ menu, you’ll find the same settings as before, but with rounded buttons and a new icon.

After a while it dawns on you: this is a reskin of Windows 10. While it’s a great step forward, more work needs to be done. Getting rid of the Ribbon interface in File Explorer and other built-in apps is a good start, as you now have ten icons on the toolbar instead of four tabs and countless settings found in Windows 10 and previous versions that used the Ribbon interface.

It’s one example of Windows 11 where it’s a great first step, there just needs to be a giant leap for more.

Screenshot showing Windows 11's widget menu

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

Widgets make a return from Windows Vista, but are wedged in the sidebar, and don’t offer much in terms of productivity. Worse still, when adding new ones, the preview images are pixelated, and sometimes look as if they’re a weird mishmash of internet pop-ups from yesteryear.

The Start menu, however, is the star of the show. Since its 1995 debut in Windows 95, this iconic part of the operating system has slowly evolved, but in Windows 11, it’s been given a full refresh and is now front and center, and clicking the Windows icon will bring up several helpful sections: recommended files, pinned apps, and a button to show all installed apps.

Since Windows 11’s 2021 release, the Start menu has seen several improvements, such as enabling more apps to be shown, a new section for showing connected devices like your smartphone, and the ability to show apps in a grid. It builds on Microsoft’s overall theme of productivity, and despite some users wanting the Start menu of old, it feels like a natural progression from where it all started (pun intended) 30 years ago.

Ultimately, Fluent Design remains a solid upgrade from Windows 10's look. It even puts Apple’s latest macOS update, Tahoe, which has a divisive Liquid Glass design, to shame, as Apple's refresh currently fails on feel and lacks in function. As things stand with Windows 11, Fluent succeeds at both.

Microsoft Windows 11: Artificial Intelligence

Screenshot showing Windows 11's Copilot app

(Image credit: Future / Shutterstock)

2023 was a big year for Microsoft. It revealed Copilot, its AI platform that’s now tightly intergrated (and hard to ignore) across Windows 11. Much like rival tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthopic’s Claude, you can ask Copilot to rewrite your emails to sound more professional, generate images, remove subjects in existing photos, and much more.

Copilot is also everywhere in Microsoft 365’s Office suite, helping you create and manage spreadsheets, create reports from Teams meetings, and, according to Microsoft, saving you time to focus on other tasks within a project.

However impressive it may seem in 2025, AI has a long way to go before it can be considered a trusted, reliable tool. In our testing with Copilot, it got confused many times when looking through a document for grammar mistakes, and it generated a spreadsheet with too many errors to count.

As a virtual assistant, much like how Google Assistant, Siri, and even Microsoft's previous attempt, Cortana, work, it’s great for short queries. For accessibility, it’s useful as a screen reader in various Windows 11 apps, but it feels like there’s a missed opportunity with how AI can help Windows 11's accessibility features.

For now, it's best to use Copilot and AI as a whole as an experiment. It’s still far too early to judge just how useful AI will be in our day-to-day lives, and despite being everywhere in Windows 11, it still feels like a bit of a gimmick.

Screenshot showing Windows 11's Accessibility menu

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

Microsoft Windows 11: Accessibility

To its credit, Microsoft has been laser-focused on making Windows and its devices as accessible as possible. In Windows 11, there are a large number of accessibility features that can help users, such as the magnifier tool that can make apps and files bigger, audio alerts for visually impaired users that can notify them when a message box appears, and much more.

However, as noted earlier, while accessibility and AI work together in the Windows 11 of 2025, it doesn't feel like Microsoft is fully taking advantage of the opportunities AI offers for accessibility.

Still, what is there for now is very helpful. AI-generated captioning for videos is great, as well as an AI-powered search that can let visually impaired users describe photos in detail. Narrator can now read out contextual descriptions, meaning objects, people, and more can be identified to help give users far more helpful context.

Essentially, you can customize Windows 11 to suit your needs if you have a hearing, motor, visual, or non-visual disability. But there’s a lot of scope for Microsoft to go further when it comes to AI and accessibility.

Windows 11 screenshot showing Start menu

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

Microsoft Windows 11: Built-In apps

For years, a common theme in major Windows releases has been the feeling that built-in apps have been left to the wayside, but not so with Windows 11. Since its launch, we’ve seen improvements in apps like Paint, Clock, Snipping Tool, Notepad, Photos, and To-Do. All of these apps have been updated with the Fluent Design look, as well as features like tabs, dark mode, and Copilot integration, which will please anyone upgrading to Windows 11.

However, in 2025, some apps still look like they belong in Windows 10, such as Calculator and Weather, which have not received the upgrades that the other built-in apps have had.

When compared to macOS Tahoe, especially with its new Liquid Glass design, every app here looks fresh, albeit glitchy in places. But there’s far more cohesion in Apple’s OS, something that Microsoft should re-focus on.

Screenshot showing Windows 11's Notepad app

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

In addition to built-in apps getting a glow-up, some new apps have been added since Windows 11's launch. Windows Media Player returned in 2022, allowing you to play your music, watch videos, and create playlists, but classic visualizations (a key feature of the original app) are sadly absent.

Clipchamp is a lightweight video tool, introduced in 2022, which is great for editing short videos to post on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. Phone Link also saw a major update in recent years, adding support for the best iPhones (alongside Android devices), letting your phone notifications show on your PC, reply to messages, make calls, and sync your photos. It’s a big advantage for those who own an iPhone and a Windows PC, making it far easier for these devices to talk to one another.

Overall, all of these apps look great in Windows 11, and it's good to see Microsoft revist some of the older apps that once felt like they had been abandoned. Combined with the ability to use Android devices and iPhones on a PC, Microsoft is building on its mantra of Windows as a service with these improvements to Windows 11 in 2025.

Screenshot showing the Microsoft Store in Windows 11

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

Microsoft Windows 11: Microsoft Store

A big highlight of Windows 11’s original release was the redesigned Microsoft Store. If you’re upgrading from Windows 10 due to its End of Life, this may be one of the biggest differences you’ll notice. Now redesigned, it’s become a more reliable place to download install all of your apps, like iTunes and ChatGPT, as well as games like Ninja Gaiden 4.

Everything looks clean and is easy to browse, with a helpful search bar placed at the top so you can always find the app you want. Recently, an ‘AI Hub’ was added to the sidebar, showcasing all the apps with AI features. It’s helpful, but it doesn’t add much to your productivity or creativity, to be honest.

Windows 11 screenshot

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

With Apple launching its Mac App Store back in 2012, a lot of us have been waiting for Microsoft to offer something similar. Since 2021, the Microsoft Store has been updated and improved, and it’s now a great storefront in 2025 to easily find apps and games, making it straightforward for new users to download their apps quickly, all in one place.

Microsoft Windows 11: Other new features

Microsoft didn’t stop improving Windows 11 with Fluent Design, brand new apps, and a huge AI push with Copilot. There are new features scattered across the operating system that have been there since 2021, and subsequent updates have continued to bring new features.

Snap Groups can ‘snap’ windows to a section of the screen. This is more suited to touch-screen devices, but it works well regardless of whether you’re working with more than three apps at once.

Windows 11 screenshot

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

Better multi-monitor support came to Windows 11 with its 2021 release, but there have been even more improvements since. A new taskbar on your second monitor will now appear, showing the time, date, and Notification Center, leaving more room for more apps on the main monitor. This is currently available as an optional update.

If you regularly send files over by email or a cloud service, you’ll likely be bundling them into compressed zip files. In Windows 11, other formats are available, like .7z and .RAR, which can result in better compression and smaller file sizes.

Even a smaller feature like scrolling the mouse wheel over the volume icon in the taskbar to control the level of sound is welcome in Windows 11. In addition, Virtual Desktops lets you change backgrounds and switch between app-filled screens instantly, as well as HDR support for compatible monitors and themes for the touchscreen keyboard.

As of October 2025, versions 24H2 and 25H2 have brought more refinements to Windows 11. This includes better Narration feautres, an AI Agent in the Settings app that lets you ask Copilot to enable or disable a feature, and the ability to pin favorite apps to the share window. Although these may sound minor, they add up to how you use Windows, and could benefit your productivity.

Windows 11 continues to evolve since its 2021 launch, and Microsoft is still bringing out new features and refining others, which is a welcome move.

Screenshot of Xbox app

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

Microsoft Windows 11: Gaming

Previously, gaming on Windows using Microsoft's services could be a frustrating affair, from the Games on Windows Live debacle in Windows Vista to the barebones Xbox app in Windows 10. But Microsoft clearly wanted to have gaming as a tentpole feature in Windows 11, and it’s succeeded, as well as setting the foundations for its entry into the handheld market.

The Xbox app can let you chat to friends, add new ones, and create parties so you can play together in a bunch of games. These can be titles you own, to playing a game via the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. The app is well-made, which looks modern thanks to its green and blue aesthetic, and is tightly integrated with the games you play on your Xbox Series S/X console.

Screenshot showing the new Game bar in Windows 11

(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)

Another aspect is Game Bar, which can be summoned by pressing both the Windows and G keys together. Initially just a helpful way to capture your gaming moments when Windows 11 launched, it’s been vastly improved upon since. Now, you have a helpful overview of how your PC is running via its own task manager, which lets you capture images and videos, and control the inputs and outputs of your audio devices.

In addition, Copilot can, according to Microsoft, help you progress through a game, as well as recommend new titles, but it’s a feature I feel is best left switched off for now. Otherwise, Game Bar is a very useful tool that can help when playing any game via the Xbox app or third-party storefronts like Steam and the Epic Games Store.

However, Microsoft is launching its first handheld in collaboration with Asus later this month, called the ROG Xbox Ally. Coming in two models, it’s powered by Windows 11, but it ships with a user interface called the ‘Xbox Full-Screen Experience’. Building off the Xbox app and Game Bar, it’s a clean way of browsing and playing your game library without having to use Windows 11's interface, which doesn't work well on small screens. It’s long overdue from Microsoft, especially as Valve has its rival SteamOS operating system on its Steam Deck handheld, which is also coming to other devices, like the Lenovo Legion Go S.

Although the ‘Xbox Full-Screen Experience’ isn’t available until a future Windows 11 update in 2026, time will tell how it will fare on Windows-powered devices like tablets and laptops.

Overall, though, Windows 11 is now in a strong position for gaming, especially for handhelds. Compared to how Apple has been slow to bring more games to its platform, Microsoft has been making it far easier for developers and players alike to play and manage titles in Windows 11, with more improvements coming.

Microsoft Windows 11: Final verdict

In our initial review of Windows 11, we mentioned how Fluent Design seemed like a reskin of Windows 10, but it was a good foundation to build the future of Windows on.

Five years since its debut, AI has become a huge part of not just Windows 11, but Microsoft’s entire ecosystem, with the company working on integrating Copilot into the operating system, as well as its pre-installed apps. The jury is still out on AI, but for accessibility and as a chatbot for minor tasks, it can be useful.

Microsoft has maintained a steady pace in updating Windows 11, adding tabs in File Explorer, the return of Windows Media Player, huge improvements to gaming with the Game Bar, and soon the ‘Xbox Full-Screen Experience’. It’s impressive that at this point, many were expecting Windows 12 to be here by now.

But, who needs Windows 12, if Windows 11 continues to evolve like this? Microsoft has followed Apple’s old mantra of keeping the version number the same, like Mac OS X, but brought in significant updates annually. It’s helped Windows 11 become more refined, more bug-free, and more innovative — to the point where it’s closing the gap with Apple.

In 2025, Windows 11 is a great operating system, and if you use a Windows-powered device that’s currently on Windows 10, it’s probably time to consider an upgrade and take advantage of what Windows 11 has to offer. As things stand, Windows 11 has earned its place as a new classic in Microsoft’s lineup, ready to embrace what AI and handheld gaming will offer in the future.

First reviewed February 2022, updated October 2025

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter scratched my JRPG itch in the best way, and is easily one of 2025’s greatest remakes
11:00 pm | October 12, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Comments: Off

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a remake of the classic Japanese role-playing game (JRPG), The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, which was first released 21 years ago. Developer Nihon Falcom has modernized its 2004 title with full English voice acting, an overhauled combat system, and multiple quality of life improvements, bringing it to just about every modern platform you can imagine.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Nintendo Switch (physical and digital); Nintendo Switch 2, PC (digital only)
Release date: September 19, 2025

Now, I’ll put my cards on the table. I’m totally new to the Trails series. Sure, I predominantly play role-playing games (RPGs), but I simply hadn’t found the time to sink my teeth into it. But Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter appeared to be the ultimate entry point. Why? Firstly, it’s a remake of the very first part of the Trails story – but it's also got a smooth, up-to-date UI and graphics, making it very easy to get into for new players like me.

And after hours and hours exploring the Liberl Kingdom, I have to say, I’m so happy that I got the opportunity to dive into a Trails game. Yes, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a very apt remake, with addictive combat, an engaging plot, and brilliant visuals. Here’s a rundown of my experience with the game, and why I think it's among the best RPGs of 2025.

Brace yourself for an epic journey

Characters adventuring in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter follows the journey of Estelle Bright and her adopted brother, Joshua Bright, as they aim to track down their missing father and become Senior Bracers – essentially protectors of the peace.

As the tale unfolds, Estelle and Joshua find themselves embroiled in something much deeper than a simple search and rescue. I won’t spoil what’s to come, of course, but the game isn’t short on twists and turns. Although things take a while to get going – the opening is pretty lengthy – the narrative remains intriguing throughout. Cutscenes never feel overlong or convoluted, either, so rest assured, you’re in for an engaging adventure.

Estelle and Joshua make for interesting dual protagonists – Estelle is the explosive, fiery, energetic type, who’s all action. Meanwhile, Joshua appears more measured and introverted, resulting in some humorous conflicts, especially earlier on.

Best bit

Capture of battle in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

Without question, my favorite moment was defeating the boss in the game’s prologue – yes, really! I lost a fair few times here, which forced me to get a better understanding of the game’s combat and orbment system. After some learning, levelling, and restrategizing, I finally got my victory. If that’s not a good example of rewarding combat, I don’t know what is.

I will say that a few characters – Estelle included – do have that stereotypical over-the-top anime energy. This can be a little intense in moments, and may wear some players down, but it rarely bothered me, personally.

And the English voice acting is delivered to a high standard – every character’s personality is communicated with genuine passion and care. This adds so much texture to the various individuals you meet throughout the game, and it's a very welcome improvement from the 2004 original.

However, there are some segments – even in the main story – where scenes aren’t voice-acted, or bizarrely, only partially voice-acted. For instance, I encountered a non-player character (NPC) whose lines were voiced entirely, while those of Estelle, Joshua, and company were not. This resulted in a kind of awkward viewing experience, slightly reducing my immersion in the scene.

A Liberl dose of upgrades

Estelle Bright in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

It's not only voice acting that elevates the Trails in the Sky experience, though. Just about every other area has been significantly upgraded, making the game a lot more appealing than its original counterpart.

Perhaps the most obvious thing is that the visuals have received a major revamp. And I’m a huge fan of this new look.

Character models looked fantastic on the PS5 version of the game, environments are bursting with color, and elements such as shadows appear natural. That’s not to mention the fact that the game ran just about flawlessly for me, with a smooth frame rate and short loading screens throughout my playtime, even when fast-traveling or playing in the handy high-speed mode.

I massively appreciated the graphical quality here – especially when you consider that the original game used chibi-style sprites in combat and cutscenes, rather than fully fledged 3D models.

Capture of battle in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

Something else I loved about this remake was its revamped original soundtrack. The music in Trails 1st Chapter is a beautiful mixture of funky, emotive, and invigorating, with almost every track complementing your battles or exploration down to a T. I also adore the fact that you can cycle between standard, arranged, or original background music – that sort of optionality is seriously commendable.

One more thing I want to shout out is the improved UI. I found the various menus in the game to be extremely easy to navigate through, whether I was equipping new gear, cooking up a new dish, or viewing my status. Everything about this game is silky smooth; it really is a joy to play.

The only aspect that I’d argue could’ve been improved would be the localization. There are some grammatical and translation errors littered throughout the text displayed throughout the game. I’ll admit that this is a small issue, especially as the voice acting is ultra-clean and the story has been faithfully re-created.

Chain…follow-up…I just can’t stop

Joshua Bright in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

I’ve been excited to discuss this game’s combat because it seriously impressed me. There are two ways to battle through Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter: quick battle, real-time action-based combat; and command battle, a turn-based, more slow-paced approach.

It’s great fun to dive headfirst into scuffs via quick battle. I had a blast slashing up my opponents, charging up almighty crafts, and weaving around incoming attacks. If you stun an enemy, you can even switch into command battle and fight with an advantage over your foes, making it easier to clean up normal encounters quickly and load up on exp.

Command battle is the default for boss and mini-boss encounters. Turn order is displayed on the side of the screen, and on each turn you can decide whether to: cast an art, like a healing or attack magic; leather your opponent with a craft – a strong physical attack; use an item, shield, or flee. You’ll also get the chance to follow up or chain attack your enemies for huge damage. It took me a while to get used to this system, but when I nailed down the right arts, I was able to withstand harsh strings of enemy attacks and then launch a deadly counter-offensive.

You’ll need to get used to the orbment and quartz system if you want to stand a chance against some bosses, too – there are some difficulty spikes that are punishing to say the least.

The orbment system essentially requires you to string a range of gems together in a specific pattern in order to unlock new arts. Some, like Earth Guard, proved almost necessary for me to get through some tough battles in the early game – if you’re struggling, I’d suggest re-evaluating your build-out in this department, as well as purchasing better gear at an in-game shop.

Orbment in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

If you’re still struggling after re-stratagizing, don’t fear! You can simply turn down the difficulty, which ranges from Very Easy all the way up to Nightmare. As an experienced RPG player, I went with Normal – but this was by no means without its challenges.

Yep, I got my fair share of kickings during my playthrough. Sometimes, I was left dumbfounded as to how I could possibly survive such high-damage attacks and whittle down some imposing health bars. But the orbment system really does encourage experimentation, and when you finally nail down the right strategy, victory is oh so satisfying.

Sure, the game is going to ask some tough questions of you – but it’s also going to give you the tools to find the right answers. And in the end? That makes for exceptionally satisfying gameplay.

As someone who was experiencing a Trails game for the first time, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this title. But truly, it blew my expectations out of the water. With a mixture of gorgeous graphics, addictive combat, a whimsical world, and a gripping plot, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a top-class JRPG.

But not only that, it's also a top-class remake. There are just so many improvements – a new UI, battle mechanics, visual style…I could go on. And it rarely feels like Nihon Falcom takes any half-measures. There are some small localization errors and some offbeat partially-voiced segments, sure. And some may find the difficulty spikes to be intimidating.

Still, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is one of the best remakes of 2025, and one of the best JRPGs I’ve played this year, no question. If you’re a fan of the genre, this is an easy recommendation, and if you’ve ever wanted to get into the Trails series, now is the time to do it!

Should you play Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter?

Man with flowers singing with Estelle watching on in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

Play it if...

You want to get into the Trails series
As a remake of the first chapter in the Trails series, this is the ideal entry point for any new player. On top of that, the up-to-date visuals and user-friendly quality of life changes make this title highly accessible for modern players.

You want action-packed combat with a hint of turn-based goodness
We’ve seen a few games combine turn-based and action combat systems lately – think Metaphor: Refantazio, for example. And like Atlus’ masterpiece, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter does a great job of balancing action and strategy too. Mastering each battle type is highly satisfying, and the variation keeps battles fresh.

Don't play it if...

You’re not a massive fan of the ‘anime-inspired’ vibe
If you don’t really dig the anime-inspired tropes you’ll find in a lot of JRPGs, this title may not be to your tastes. Personally, I’m accustomed to this style, so it was no issue for me, but some may be turned off by aspects like the visual and comedic style of Trails.

You want something to play with a short runtime
As is the case with many JRPGs, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter requires a fair time investment if you want to complete the main story and a good portion of side content. Sure, it’s not the 100-hour-plus epic you’ll experience with games like Persona 5 Royal, for instance, but if you want a quick game to dip into, this won’t be it.

Accessibility features

You can adjust the subtitle language to English, German, French, or Spanish, and select either English or Japanese voice acting. There are a number of ways to customize the camera’s behavior, too, such as normal or inverted configurations, camera movement speed, and camera distance.

On top of this, there are difficulty options, including a Very Easy mode if you just want to focus on the game’s story. Unfortunately, there is no colorblind mode.

How I reviewed Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter:

Estelle Bright watching a ship in the sky in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

I spent more than 30 hours playing Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, predominantly focusing on the main story, but also picking up a few side quests here and there. I played the game on Normal difficulty throughout my time with it.

When playing Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter on PS5, I had my console connected up to the Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and used the Samsung HW-Q800D soundbar. On occasion, I also dipped into the game via remote play on my Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, but this was pretty rare.

On a personal note, I’ve reviewed a variety of games here at TechRadar, including recent releases like Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army and Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. I'm also a life-long fan of JRPGs, with some of my favorite games including Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, Persona 3 Reload, and Final Fantasy VII (the original, of course).

First reviewed September-October 2025

WEFFORT’s Motorized Smart Shades are smooth and quiet, with plenty of options to ensure they suit your home
7:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home | Comments: Off

WEFFORT Smart Shades: one-minute review

WEFFORT offers a ton of different smart shade options, including roller, cellular, zebra, roman, sheer, outdoor, woven wood, drapes, and more. Within each category, you’ll find a variety of neutral colorways and differing degrees of light filtration/blocking. I ordered the 60% light-filtering Lattice Series Roman Shades in white for two identical windows in the same room.

You can choose to charge your blinds via a wall charger or a solar charger; I got one of each. You also choose your home’s ecosystem; I chose Apple’s HomeKit but it also works with Google, Amazon Alexa, Samsung, and several others. You can also get a remote control – either one-channel, five-channel, or 15-channel.

Installation initially went relatively smoothly, though the included screws are low quality and the threads will strip if you’re not careful. The major hiccup, however, was that one of the strings wasn’t wrapped around the motor correctly, so the blind would not lower all the way on one side. After some back-and-forth with customer service, who provided detailed instructions and videos, I was able to get it working properly.

Once that was done, the blinds worked like a dream. I set up an automation, so the blinds open each day at sunrise and close each day at sunset. I also utilized the remote control and Siri voice activation. They work exactly as expected.

WEFFORT Smart Shades - two of them, closed, with sunlight filtering through

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

WEFFORT Smart Shades: price and availability

  • Starts relatively inexpensive
  • Order directly from site or Amazon
  • Gets fairly pricey with customizations

You can order WEFFORT Smart Shades from WEFFORT's website or from Amazon in the US. You'll be able to see all of your options more easily if you order directly from WEFFORT, though you might find some sale prices though Amazon.

The shades start at $119.99 USD (about £90 / AU$180). I ordered two shades for two pretty large identical windows. I selected the 60% light-filtering Lattice Series Roman Shades in white with a battery motor (as opposed to hard-wired) and measured for an outside mount. I added a five-channel remote control, solar charging panel, and chose the HomeKit Motor over Thread. All told, my total was $1,013.94 (about £750 / AU$540) for two shades.

  • Value score: 4/5

WEFFORT Smart Shades: design

  • Had some hiccups with installation
  • Shades look fine, if not luxurious
  • Smooth and quiet operation

You'll need a drill and the know-how to use it in order to install the blinds. Note that the included screws are not up to the quality of the rest of the kit; if you're not careful, you can strip them pretty easily. But the trickiest part was that one of the strings that control the blinds got out of place, which meant that one of the shades would not lower all the way. Eventually, with help from WEFFORT's customer service, I was able to fix the string and get the shades working correctly.

WEFFORT Smart Shades back view

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

You can order the shades with whatever sort of smart home ecosystem you like, whether you prefer Apple HomeKit, Samsung, Google, Amazon Alexa, Homey, Hubitat, or something else. However, for this kind of customization, you'll want to order from WEFFORT directly. Custom orders on Amazon can be a bit tricky.

I set mine up with Apple's HomeKit, there was no need to download any other app to get this done. In addition to controlling the shades via HomeKit and Siri, they can also be controlled via remote control.

WEFFORT Smart Shades closeup of valance

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I ordered 60% light-filtering shades, and that's what I got. The light filters through pleasantly, but the harshest rays of summer middays are blocked when I want.

As for the aesthetics, well, these don't look or feel like super expensive shades. The fabric of the shades is more like plastic than anything. The string that raises and lowers the shades is very thin. The valance is functional-looking, not anything special. It all looks fine though; I don't need shades to look fancy, I need them to work. And they do work. Operation is smooth, quiet, and flawless.

  • Design score: 4/5

WEFFORT Smart Shades: performance

  • Set up with Apple, Amazon, Samsung, Google, and more
  • Control with your phone, your voice, or remote control
  • They just work

When you place your order, be sure to choose your motor type carefully. The Standard Motor uses just the remote control. The Zigbee motor works with Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Hubitat and other Zigbee 3.0 Hubs. The Z-Wave motor can be used with Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, and Hubitat. The Matter motor works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Samsung, and Google. The HomeKit motor just works with the Apple ecosystem.

WEFFORT Smart Shades setup screenshots

(Image credit: Future)

I found the shades easy to set up with Apple's HomeKit without having to download any other apps. Once set up, you can tell Siri to open and close your blinds, or use the app to choose the exact percentage open you want them.

You can set up Scenes and Automations to have the blinds open and close when or under what circumstances you prefer. I like my blinds to open at sunrise and close at sunset; once I set that Automation I can forget about it and the blinds do just that.

WEFFORT Smart Shades looking up at motor

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

As I mentioned earlier, I did have an issue with a twisted string at first. I'm not sure if the shades came that way or if that happened during installation. With the string twisted, the blinds would not fully lower. I did speak with customer service via email; they sent me instructions and videos until I was able to fix the issue. Since then, everything has worked flawlessly.

  • Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the WEFFORT Smart Shades?

WEFFORT Smart Shades score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

They start out fairly cheap but get pricey with custom options

4/5

Design

More functional than fancy

4/5

Performance

Get through setup and these shades perform like a dream

4.5/5

Buy it if

You like many options for control

You can choose from a variety of motors so you can use just about any brand of smart home digital assistant. Or you can go old school and just use a remote control.

You want differing kinds of window coverings

WEFFORT offers a variety of smart shades, blinds, and drapes in various colors and light-filtering levels.

You want to set it and forget it

Set up Automations and Scenes so the blinds open and close at the time or in the specific situation you choose and you'll never have to think about them again.View Deal

Don't buy it if

You're looking for a bargain

You can get some basic shades pretty inexpensively, but once you go up in size and add upgrades, the price climbs quickly.

You want a no-brainer setup

You'll need to be handy with a drill and have a little techy know-how. I initially had a twisted string that didn't allow full closure, but worked through it.

You need easy removal

These do get drilled into the wall, so they may not be ideal for renters.View Deal

WEFFORT Smart Shades: also consider

Want some other, similar options to check out? Here are a couple of TechRadar favorites to consider.

SmartWings Smart Blinds

These are fairly similar to WEFFORT blinds, but maybe you'll see some different options you like more here. Read our SmartWings Smart Blinds review to find out.View Deal

GrayWind Smart Blinds

GrayWind and WEFFORT are sister companies, and I found them to be fairly similar. Again, you may find some different options here, so it could be worth checking out. Here's our GrayWind Smart Blinds review.View Deal

SwitchBot Blind Tilt

This renter-friendly, budget-friendly option attaches to your existing blinds and doesn't even require a drill. Read our SwitchBot Blind Tilt review to learn more.View Deal

How I tested the WEFFORT Smart Shades

I installed the WEFFORT Smart Shades on two different windows in my dining room and tested them over two weeks. I opened and closed them a variety of ways, including using the remote control, the HomeKit App on my iPhone, and voice commands to Siri. I also set up an Automation to open the shades at sunrise and close them at sunset.

For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.

First reviewed October 2025

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A variety of images showing WEFFORT Smart Shades

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
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A variety of images showing WEFFORT Smart Shades

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
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A variety of images showing WEFFORT Smart Shades

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
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A variety of images showing WEFFORT Smart Shades

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
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A variety of images showing WEFFORT Smart Shades

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
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A variety of images showing WEFFORT Smart Shades

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
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A variety of images showing WEFFORT Smart Shades

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
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A variety of images showing WEFFORT Smart Shades

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
I tested the Freewell Real Locking filter kit, and now it’s my go-to filter system for photography and video
4:00 pm | October 11, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Camera Accessories Cameras Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit: two-minute review

Filters are an essential element of photography and video because, for the most part, they allow you to control exposure. Whether you’re aiming to manipulate shutter speed or to shoot at wider apertures than should be possible, filters are the way to achieve the desired results.

The Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit is a comprehensive filter kit built around a variable ND/polarizer and an ND32 filter, with a couple of video haze filters thrown in for good measure. This is a stackable kit, allowing you to combine multiple filters as required. Where this kit differs from others is in how the filters clip together and to the adaptor ring, rather than being magnetic.

Freewell rightly says clip attaching is a more secure system than magnetic, and results in less accidental adjustment of the variable ND. The only negatives to the system are that it’s not quite as convenient as magnetic systems, and you have to make sure the filter being attached is secure.

There are two Real Locking VND/CPL kits available: the Mega Kit and the All Day kit. I tested the Mega Kit, shooting both photos and videos to see how the kit as a whole and the individual filters perform. First, you have the base ring, and these are available from 49mm to 82mm with a lens cap that can be used with the ring left in place on the lens if desired. The filters are 82mm, so the adaptor rings step down, allowing you to use them across multiple lenses.

Image 1 of 4

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 4

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 4

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 4 of 4

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit

(Image credit: James Abbott)

You can use the Mist filters, ND32 or any of the other separately available filters individually on the Base Ring. The variable ND is paired up with the polarizing filter, and using the two together works surprisingly well. To adjust the polarizing effect, you have to rotate the entire filter by releasing the rubber locking grips and turning it until the desired effect is reached. Then, to adjust the variable ND, you simply move the marker to the desired strength, which ranges from three to seven stops.

The kit also comes with an ND32 filter, which features a five-stop light-reducing density. This can be used in isolation or paired with the VND for up to a 12-stop light blocking density, so a couple of stops over a Big Stopper. With the VND at up to seven stops, there’s no color cast visible in photos, although there is a tiny hint of red or magenta when the ND32 is also attached.

When I say minor, I do mean minor – the color cast is only just visible to the color-trained eye, and this can be easily removed in editing software. When the ND32 is used in isolation, there is a slight cast that looks a little red, minimal again, like when stacked with the VND.

Image 1 of 3

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 3

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 3

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit

(Image credit: James Abbott)

The ND filters are great for video, offering the ability to quickly control exposure while maintaining the correct shutter speed for capturing movement – the 180-degree rule. For landscape photography, you can extend exposure times to smooth water and blur clouds, while the filters also make it possible to shoot at larger apertures in bright conditions.

There’s no specific information about the glass construction of the filters, but you can see that they are coated, and image quality when using them is excellent. Color rendition is also excellent, with only the extremely minor aforementioned color cast issue. The two mist filters also work well and do what they’re claimed to do.

The Glow Mist 1/4 Filter blooms highlights slightly, smooths contrast and adds a cinematic haze without losing sharpness. With this filter, the haze spreads into midtones. In the examples below, you’ll see the sun star of the filter-free version remains, but with a bloom in the centre.

The Snow Mist 1/4 filter blooms highlights more than the Glow Mist 1/4 Filter and also smooths contrast, but with less spread into the midtones. This filter has completely bloomed the sun star into a circular highlight. Both of these filters can be used for all types of photography to apply cinematic haze effects, alongside being used for video capture.

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Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit filter example photo

No filter (Image credit: James Abbott)
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Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit filter example photo

Glow Mist 1/4 (Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 8

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit filter example photo

Snow Mist 1/4 (Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 4 of 8

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit filter example photo

No Filter (Image credit: James Abbott)
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Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit filter example photo

VND at 7-stops (Image credit: James Abbott)
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Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit filter example photos

VND at 7-stops and the ND32 (12-stops) (Image credit: James Abbott)
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Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit filter example photos

No filter (Image credit: James Abbott)
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Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit filter example photo

Polarizer at full strength (Image credit: James Abbott)

My only minor gripe with the Mega Kit is that when the ND32 and two Mist filters are inserted into the smart leatherette Filters Case with a magnetic clasp, the middle and rear filters are a bit tight when removing them from the case. The case is, however, well-made and stores the entire kit away safely.

The lens caps have NFC built in, which takes you to the freewell website ‘Hub’ for tutorials, user guides and other stuff. It’s a bit of a gimmick and possibly unnecessary, but it’s certainly an innovative and unique feature.

The rear cap, which attaches to the VND/CPL, has a built-in gray card and white balance for color calibration. This, I have to say, is extremely useful, especially for video capture, where you can ensure color consistency when shooting without filters and with filters at different strengths.

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit: key specs

Filter slots

Stackable

Adaptor rings

82mm included (49mm to 82mm available separately)

Polarizing filter

Built into VND

Case included

Yes

Lens cap

Yes

Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit price and availability

There are two Real Locking VND/CPL kits available: the Mega Kit and the All Day kit. These are available now at Amazon and the Freewell website. The All Day Kit is available for $250 at Amazon US and includes the VND3-7/CPL Base, an ND32, an 82mm Base Ring, an NFC Front Lens Cap, a White Balance Back Cap, a Filters Case and a Cleaning Cloth for. The same All Day kit costs £227.43 at Amazon in the UK. Australia price TBC.

The Mega Kit includes all of the above, plus a Snow Mist 1/4 and a Glow Mist 1/4. This kit costs $350 and pricing for both is in USD on the Freewell website, meaning if you live outside the US you'll need to check the exact cost in your own currency at the time of purchase.

The kits aren’t cheap, but they’re priced similarly to magnetic filter kits. Other filters can be purchased separately, as well as additional Base Rings, which come with corresponding NFC Front Lens Caps.

Should I buy the Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit?

NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL front view attached to a lens with a filter attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)

Buy it if...

You require convenience

This is a comprehensive stackable filter solution that can be used with a wide range of lenses.

You’d like portability

You would like a compact and lightweight filter system for photography and video capture.

Don't buy it if...

You need ND grads

If you’d like to use ND graduated filters to control sky exposure, you’ll need a square filter system.

You only need a VND

If you only need a variable ND filter, a simple VND will be a more appropriate and less expensive option.

How I tested the Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit

  • Used for photo and video capture
  • Filters tested individually and stacked
  • Tested in differing light conditions

I tested the Freewell Real Locking VND/CPL Mega Kit over a couple of weeks and used for a variety of photography and video shoots using different lenses with 82mm and 77mm filter threads. I used filters individually and stacked as required to assess performance in a range of configurations.

I also tested the filters in different light conditions to check their effectiveness in regard to the manufacturer's claims, as well as how the effects of the Mist filters work in different situations.

First reviewed October 2025

Audiophiles on a budget need to buy these wireless earbuds now – I’ve tested them and they’re the real deal
1:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: | Comments: Off

Soundpeats H3: Two-minute review

While you’ll most likely know Chinese headphone company Soundpeats from its dime-a-dozen budget buds, this rare foray into the mid-range market is still enough to pique interest… and to open wallets, because let me be clear: these are some of the best cheap headphones I’ve tested all year.

The Soundpeats H3 (no, you’re not expected to have heard of the H2) look like and sound like premium earbuds, and they make easy work of rivals at their price point, such as the AirPods 4.

The unique selling point here is the specs list, as the buds each have three drivers per earpiece (the AirPods, for example, have one) which let them handle the extremes of the audio spectrum with grace. They offer a vivid, insightful and well-defined sound, an expansive soundstage and support for a range of audio codecs.

I personally appreciated how Soundpeats didn’t follow the example set by most other mid-range and budget audio brands: the buds don’t turn the bass up to 11 to excite, at the expense of balanced sound, making them an option that offers something distinct from other buds you might be considering.

Audiophiles on a budget should add this to the shopping list straight away – and I do not write that lightly.

The premium sound is reflected in the design, with both the buds and case looking chic and classy. The earpieces also fit well and I never had problems with them falling out, which isn’t something I can say about many non-stem earbuds.

If there are issues with the Soundpeats H3, or at least reasons to temper your expectations, it’s in the features department. The battery life and active noise cancellation (ANC) are both a little below what I’ve experienced in other similarly-priced earbuds, and I had some app connection troubles (these didn’t affect streaming music, just using Soundpeat’s apps for some extra functionality).

Despite these small setbacks, the Soundpeats H3 are still exemplary earbuds that have certainly earned their way onto personal ‘best headphones’ list of 2025.

Soundpeats H3 review: Price and release date

The Soundpeats H3 on the arm of a sofa.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Released in September 2025
  • Costs $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$142
  • Slightly pricier than AirPods (in most regions)

The Soundpeats H3 were released in September 2025, as a follow-up to 2021’s Soundpeats H2 – given that the new buds cost almost twice as much as their predecessors, and look vastly different too, it seems that the name is the only thing these buds have in common.

The new earbuds cost $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$142 (no, that’s not a typo, the buds are inexplicably cheaper in Australia compared to the rest of the world, given that an exact conversion would put them closer to AU$280).

That’s not cheap cheap like most Soundpeats earbuds, and it means the H3 bumps shoulders with the $129 / £129 / AU$219 AirPods 4, but any buds that serious audiophiles will be considering will cost a fair bit more. Top picks from Sony, Apple and Bose have much higher price tags.

Soundpeats H3 review: Specs

Drivers

12mm + dual balanced armatures

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life (ANC off)

7 hours (buds) 37 hours (case)

Weight

6g (buds) 53g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

IPX5

Soundpeats H3 review: Features

The Soundpeats H3 on the arm of a sofa.

(Image credit: Future)
  • ANC is fine, but can be beaten by rivals
  • 7/37 hour battery life (ANC off)
  • Occasional app connectivity problems

According to Soundpeats, the H3 last for 7 hours of listening time before needing to be charged. From my testing, this figure is presumably with ANC turned off, as I listened with it turned on and just scraped the 5 hour mark.

Soundpeat’s figures continue to 37 hours for the case, which again would be lower if your noise cancelling is hogging all the charge. That’s still a fair amount higher than many other rivals though, so I can’t knock it.

Another case of ‘fine, but not the best’ comes with the noise cancellation, which will certainly take the edge off surrounding sounds but not remove them. Some of the environments I was in when testing the buds included the gym, near busy roads, on the train and on a flight, and the H3’s ANC would rarely totally remove a sound, but was decent at reducing its volume so your music could sit over the top.

I can’t say the same about Transparency mode, however, which seemed to amplify ambient noise while muffling voices – that’s the opposite of what it’s meant to do.

In an apparent attempt to make my testing job harder, Soundpeats offers two different apps which you can use to control the buds (they work independently, so you only need one, but to do my job well I have to test both): there’s the SOUNDPEATS app (all caps in the name, not my excitement) as well as PeatsAudio.

SOUNDPEATS has the same features as PeatsAudio but also a little bit less visual flair… when it picks up the buds, which wasn’t always the case during my testing. Sometimes I had to re-enrol the buds in the app to listen.

You can use the app to toggle what the touch controls do, change the volume and language of voice prompts, turn on LDAC, connect to multiple devices, test your buds’ fit to see if you’re wearing them properly and, in theory, play with a 9-band equalizer. I say ‘in theory’ because every time I tried opening this part of the app, I got an error message in Chinese and also an error screen saying an error occurred in English, so could never try it. This happened even when I reset the app and the earbuds.

PeatsAudio, meanwhile, has most of the features of SOUNDPEATS but the EQ actually worked. I sometimes found that LDAC toggled itself though, once when I was looking at (and not touching) the toggle on the app. Unless I’ve unknowingly been cast in a new Paranormal Activity movie, that’s a possible bug.

  • Features score: 3/5

Soundpeats H3 review: Design

The Soundpeats H3 in a man's ear.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Light, well-fitting buds
  • Handy touch controls
  • Bulky carry case

I’ve never given Soundpeats kudos for original design, mostly because it’s never deserved any, but that’s certainly different now. The Soundpeats H3 have a unique and, dare I say, classy design.

It starts with the charging case, which I’ll readily admit is too big to comfortably fit in a pocket, but it makes up for it with its looks. The shell is transparent so you can see the buds while a gold trim blends well with the black; opening the case reveals the buds as well as a leather-esque patterned design. Admittedly the panel pleading “Hear the difference” looks a little gauche, especially with its inconsistent font that sees the ‘f’s descend to different levels, but this error triggers the editor in me instead of the tech reviewer in me, so I’ll let it slide.

Talking of letting things slide, let’s slide out the buds. These are in-ears with no stem; the whole thing sits in your ear. I’m generally skeptical about the reliability and fit of buds like this, as I’ve tested too many that are too heavy and fall from your ears, but the Soundpeats H3 worked a dream. They sat comfortably in my ear, never falling out and barely being noticeable during listening.

I’m a fan of how the shape of the H3’s body loosely resembles an ear, making the buds look like a part of the body when worn. This has a functional benefit too, with a small raised section at the far side of the body to the bud bearing a little hook, which helps keep the bud in place.

Each bud has a touch control and I found these fairly convenient to use. It feels like you can tap anywhere to trigger the function, instead of on one specific area, so you won’t waste time hammering away at your ear hoping to pause your music.

One thing that could be better here is the waterproofing which, at IPX5, sits below quite a few rivals. That marks the buds as being fine against sweat and rain but not water immersion or jets of water.

  • Design score: 4.5/5

Soundpeats H3 review: Sound quality

  • Three drivers per bud
  • Lovely neutral sound
  • Range of codecs supported

The Soundpeats H3 being held in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

Why do these buds rate so highly? This section. The Soundpeats H3 come with three drivers, more than most rival buds: there’s a 12mm dynamic driver paired with two balanced armatures which in tandem, according to the company, ensure the entire audio spectrum is covered.

It works too, with the H3 perhaps the best-sounding mid-range earbuds I’ve ever tested that don’t have a bass focus (an important distinction given that many rivals focus on powerful bass more than Soundpeats has).

Treble is clearly the focus here. The balance, brimming with clarity and making vocals and higher-frequency instruments sparkle with energy and clarity, is refreshing and insightful. This extends to mids, which get to make a rare and detailed appearance, after getting somewhat overlooked in the vast majority of similarly-priced wireless earbuds.

Lower frequencies aren’t as powerful as on many rival buds, but they’re better-defined too, which more than makes up for it – the integrated bassline these buds provide sits well in the mix without ever dominating or encroaching.

There’s a lovely sound separation going on too, spacing and layering each musical passage and instrument in a way that justifies the use of multiple drivers.

Not content with a solid array of hardware, Soundpeats has included support for a wide variety of wireless audio codecs too, including aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LDAC, AAC and SBC. I only briefly tested with LDAC for fear of running down the battery (unless the app turned it on without telling me…) but the buds’ release at the same time as Spotify Lossless is a lovely little treat for audio reviewers.

  • Sound quality: 4.5/5

Soundpeats H3 review: Value

The Soundpeats H3 being held in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve got an ongoing list of great-value mid-range wireless earbuds that I can recommend to people who ask for my advice – placement on the list boils down to whether or not I’d buy it myself if, god forbid, I stopped getting sent buds to test.

The Soundpeats H3 certainly earn a place on the list. They may not have the features of rivals but the audio chops more than make up for it. They sound great and, more importantly, distinctly different from most same-priced rivals – all for half the price of other audiophile-grade earbuds.

  • Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Soundpeats H3?

The Soundpeats H3 being held in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)
Soundpeats H3 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Middling battery life and ANC, with some app connection problems.

3/5

Design

Attractive and lightweight buds, albeit with a bit of a big case.

4.5/5

Sound quality

The specs list doesn't lie with these well-tuned buds.

4/5

Value

They're not the cheapest buds ever, but they're a lot more affordable than other equally-great sounding buds.

4/5

Buy them if…

You like stem-less buds
It's rare that I rate in-ear buds that don't have stems, as they often have balance or fit issues, but not here.

You like detailed, expansive-sounding tunes
Bass-heads might look away, but we don't need them anyway (jokes! You're very welcome here). These are some of the best-sounding earbuds that don't focus too heavily on 'excitement' via low end clout.

You value codec support
I've tested some great-sounding buds that don't go the extra mile by supporting extra, higher-resolution Bleutooth codecs. Soundpeats has you covered if you want high-quality music wirelessly.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You need top-notch ANC
The noise cancellation isn't terrible, but plenty of other similarly-priced buds will beat the H3 for blocking out background sound.

You're a devout app user
While some earbuds users ignore the app, people who do spend time on PeatsAudio or SOUNDPEATS might find them frustrating.

Soundpeats H3 review: Also consider

Soundpeats H3

OnePlus Buds 4

AirPods 4

Skullcandy Method 360

Drivers

12mm + dual balanced armatures

11mm + 6mm

Custom Apple design

12mm

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Battery life

12mm + dual balanced armatures

11 hours (buds) 45 hours (case)

5 hours (buds) 30 hours total (with case)

11 hours (earbuds), 29 hours (total)

Weight

6g (buds) 53g (case)

4.73g (buds) 40g (case)

4.3g (buds); 32.3g (case)

11g (buds) 77g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.3

Waterproofing

IPX5

IP55

IP54

IPX4

Apple AirPods 4
Given the similar price, these are a natural competitor, but despite their popularity we're not overwhelmed by the AirPods. Soundpeats H3's audio, look and battery life all win out here.

See our full Apple AirPods 4 review

OnePlus Buds 4
If you want top-notch ANC, these slightly-cheaper buds are what you need, and they're also unlike the Soundpeats in that the audio mix clearly favors bass. They're for a very different kind of user, but that means that if you're not keen on the H3, they might have what you're looking for.

See our full OnePlus Buds 4 review

How I tested the Soundpeats H3

The Soundpeats H3 on the arm of a sofa.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for 21 days
  • Tested at home, in the office and on walks

I tested the Soundpeats H3 for at least three weeks in order to write this review.

For testing, the buds were connected to my Android phone and I used music platforms including Spotify, Tidal, Netflix, YouTube and various games. I tested at home, on walks around my neighborhood and on various modes of transport, including trains and planes.

I've been reviewing gadgets for TechRadar for six years now, including many earbuds across a wide range of prices.

  • First reviewed in October 2025
The CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing is an expensive-looking, super-cheap smartwatch
11:00 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: One minute review

CMF Watch 3 Pro

(Image credit: Future / Luke Baker)

The CMF Watch 3 Pro is Nothing's latest budget smartwatch, and no, that's not a typo. Bizarrely, the naming scheme has changed slightly, and the successor to the CMF Watch Pro 2 is the CMF Watch 3 Pro.

Naming confusion aside, the latest CMF watch brings with it some upgrades. The screen is now 1.42 inches up from 1.32 inches, and it's also slightly brighter, with slimmer bezels. In addition, there's now dual-band GPS onboard for improved workout tracking, a slightly bigger battery and it pairs to the new Nothing X app.

It's not all good news, though. The larger size makes the screen easier to use, but it also means that it may be too large for some wrists, with only one size available. Nothing has also ditched the swappable bezels on this model, and unfortunately, it costs more, too.

Overall, it's a stylish smartwatch with great software, extremely long battery life and plenty of features. Despite the higher MSRP, it's still very affordable. This higher price brings with it tougher competition, and unless you're a huge fan of the CMF styling, this one could be a tough sell.

It certainly doesn't seem worth a buy if you already own the CMF Watch Pro 2, but if you're coming from the original CMF Watch, this is a substantial upgrade. It's not perfect, but I've thoroughly enjoyed using it.

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: Specifications

Component

CMF Watch 3 Pro

Price

$99 / £99 / AU$179

Dimensions

54 x 47 x 15.2mm

Weight

47g including strap

Case/bezel

Aluminum alloy

Display

466 x 466px AMOLED

GPS

Dual-band GPS / GLONASS / Galileo / QZSS / Beidou

Battery life

Up to 13 days

Connection

Bluetooth 5.3

Water resistance

IP68

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: Price and availability

CMF Watch 3 Pro

(Image credit: Future / Luke Baker)
  • £99 in the UK
  • $99 in the US
  • AU$179 in Australia

The CMF Watch 3 Pro carries an MSRP of £99/$99, making it £30 more expensive than the Watch Pro 2, which launched at £/$69 last summer. That increase could be a tough pill to swallow, especially considering the value proposition was one of the key selling points of previous models.

That said, the CMF Watch 3 Pro is already discounted to £79 in the UK, and considering how new it is, you might expect that price gap to close even further in the coming months. Either way, it still remains very affordable for such a feature-packed watch.

  • Value score 4/5

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: Design & display

CMF Watch 3 Pro

(Image credit: Future / Luke Baker)
  • 1.43-inch AMOLED display
  • Dark Grey, Light Grey and Orange options
  • Replaceable liquid silicon wrist strap

The CMF Watch 3 Pro features a 1.43-inch circular AMOLED display, a big increase over the last generation's 1.32-inch display. It also has slimmer bezels, and it's slightly brighter, rated at 670 nits up from 620 nits. This size increase is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it makes the display nicer to look at and easier to interact with. But it also makes the watch very large.

It's still super lightweight, weighing only 47 grams with the strap attached, but it's a chunky unit. I'm a pretty big guy, and I think it looks nice on my wrist, but I certainly wouldn't want to go any bigger. Those with dainty wrists need not apply.

The CMF Watch Pro 2 was a dramatic redesign compared to the original CMF Watch, but with the third iteration, the design feels very familiar. It still has a minimalistic circular design with a single rotating crown that can be pressed like a button on the right-hand side.

One thing that has changed, though, is that the bezel is no longer swappable, so it's crucial that you pick the style that you like best when you buy it. Like before, there are flatter, more angular bezel options, as well as a more curvy version. The Light Gray model I have in for testing has the textured curved bezel: the raised lip should help keep the screen free from scratches, and it looks quite fetching, too.

The body of the watch is made from aluminium, and I think the bezel is too, but it looks and feels a little plasticky, which detracts from an otherwise premium experience.

As for the display itself, it's pretty great. It has a 60Hz refresh rate, which looks smooth enough when you're swiping around the OS, and while most of the OS is black, white and orange, colours look very vibrant when they appear. It's not the brightest display around, but I never had trouble reading it, and given the budget price point, I think the performance is acceptable.

One thing I didn't like so much, though, was the brightness of the always-on display. I usually like to keep the always-on display active, as it means I don't need to raise my wrist to glance at the time. However, this one is so dim and hard to read that it doesn't really seem worth the battery drain.

Like its predecessor, the Watch 3 Pro has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. This means it's well protected against dust, and it can be fully submerged in freshwater, but Nothing doesn't recommend using it for swimming or in the ocean.

  • Design score: 4/5

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: Features

CMF Watch 3 Pro

(Image credit: Future / Luke Baker)
  • 131 sport tracking modes
  • Nothing X app for Android and iOS
  • Essential News and Recording Transcription

The CMF Watch 3 Pro runs Nothing's proprietary software, just like previous models, and the way that it functions is largely unchanged. As with the older models, Nothing's unique design language is present throughout the OS, and if you're a fan, you're sure to love the library of monochromatic minimalist watch faces.

What has changed is the companion app. The CMF Watch 3 Pro pairs with the Nothing X app, rather than the old CMF Watch app. The experience feels more polished, and the app looks nicer, in my opinion, but functionally, it's not that different. I was pleased to see that there are more options for health monitoring now. Rather than just being able to toggle on or off all-day heart rate tracking, you can now choose how frequently the sensor reads your heart rate.

Nothing has continued to add additional exercise tracking modes to the watch, and there are now 131 different options to choose from. This includes extremely niche activities like parkour and parachuting, as well as some sports I've never even heard of, like sepak takraw (a volleyball-like game from Southeast Asia). No matter what you're into, there's a good chance it's here.

There's a new feature called Essential News, which is supposed to read you a daily summary of your preferred news topics using AI, but I just couldn't make it work. That's a shame, as it seems like a cool feature, but I tried on a couple of different phones, and it would always say "Playing", but nothing would happen.

Recording Transcription is another new feature, and thankfully, this one actually worked. Essentially, you can record a voice memo on your watch, and then you can transfer it to your phone, where it will be transcribed into text.

It seems very accurate, but I'm just not really sure what the purpose of it is. I guess if you have a brilliant idea while you're away from your phone, you could use this, but I think there are very few people who will find this feature useful.

Another slight tweak is the music controller now displays album artwork, which is a nice touch. Keep in mind that there's no onboard storage with this watch, though, so you'll need to be paired to your phone to take advantage.

  • Features score: 3/5

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: Performance

CMF Watch 3 Pro

(Image credit: Future / Luke Baker)
  • Up to 13 days of battery life
  • Heart rate, sleep, stress and blood oxygen monitoring
  • Built-in dual-band GPS

One of the biggest functional changes with the Watch 3 Pro is that it now has dual-band GPS rather than single-band. How much this matters to you will depend on where you train, but whether you're in the built-up city streets or deep in the woods, you should be able to enjoy more reliable GPS tracking.

In my experience, mostly tracking walks and bike rides, the GPS was rock-solid. In fact, it was so accurate that it knew which side of the street I was on when I zoomed in on the map. Otherwise, while the array of sensors may have had some hardware upgrades, they perform the same functions as previous CMF releases.

Based on my heart rate readings from my other watches, my average and maximum BPM seemed to be correct. That said, there were a few times when the reading seemed way off, usually when I was wearing the strap slightly loose for comfort. I think you need this cranked down for the best tracking results.

The real star of the show here is the battery life. Nothing says it'll last up to 13 days on a charge, or around 4.5 days with always-on display enabled. I enabled as many features as possible, and used the watch extensively to test all its features, and I still managed well over four days per charge, so these estimations seem very accurate.

I usually wear the Huawei Watch GT5 Pro, so I'm used to exceptional battery life, but even still, the CMF Watch 3 Pro managed to impress with its longevity. If you hate charging your watch, this is an excellent choice.

Charging doesn't take too long either; it's around an hour and a half from flat to full. However, the magnetic charging puck could use a redesign thanks to an extremely flimsy connection, as the slightest of knocks can cause the watch to disconnect. It gets the job done, but it's among my least favourite charging cables.

  • Performance score: 3/5

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

It's more expensive than its predecessor, but it's still a very affordable smartwatch, with a more premium build than much of its competition.

4/5

Design

Stylish, minimalist design, solid build quality, and a spacious OLED panel. However, it may be too large for some.

4/5

Features

Loads of tracking modes, a decent app and some novel additions that may or may not work.

3/5

Performance

Incredible battery life, smooth performance, and fitness metrics that are good enough for casual users.

3/5

Total

It looks the part and it performs well, but with a significant price hike, it's up against some stiff competition.

4/5

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want a stylish watch that doesn't break the bank

The CMF Watch 3 Pro is very affordable, but it still looks very premium. That's true of both the software and the hardware. If you want to make a statement without spending a fortune, it's a good option.

You want long battery life

The battery life on this smartwatch is phenomenal. If you're a light user, it's certainly possible to go 13 days between charges, and if you're coming from a WearOS watch or Apple Watch, that's a serious luxury.

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: Also consider

Component

CMF Watch 3 Pro

Amazfit Active 2

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro

Price

$99 / £99 / AU$179

$99 / £99

£62.99 / $75 / AU$99.99

Dimensions

54 x 47 x 15.2mm

43.9 x 43.9x 9.9mm

43.27 x 32.49 x 10.8mm

Weight

47g including strap

29.5g

24.5g

Case/bezel

Aluminum alloy

Stainless steel bezel, polymer frame

Aluminum frame, high-strength fibre polymer

Display

466 x 466px AMOLED

1.32-inch AMOLED touchscreen

1.74-inch AMOLED touchscreen

GPS

Dual-band GPS / GLONASS / Galileo / QZSS / Beidou

Yes

No

Battery life

Up to 13 days

Up to 10 days

Up to 21 days

Connection

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.2

Bluetooth 5.4

Water resistance

IP68

5ATM

5ATM

Amazfit Active 2

The Amazfit Active 2 has the exact same MSRP and yet comes with some seriously advanced features, including an on-board AI assistant, seriously advanced tracking modes and sleek, slim design.

Read our full Amazfit Active 2 review

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro

While not as advanced as the CMF Watch 3 Pro, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro offers a big, beautiful display and lots of fitness features at a significantly lower price.

Read our full Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro review

CMF Watch 3 Pro by Nothing: How I tested

Our reviewer wore the CMF Watch Pro as his primary smartwatch for over a week, while travelling, commuting and during regular workouts. It was paired with the Oppo Find X8 Ultra for the majority of the testing period, but was also tested with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 to compare.

The tracking results were compared to historical results from the Huawei Watch GT5 Pro, as well as the built-in step counter on the smartphone and the Strava app for GPS accuracy.

I tested Google Docs and found it to be one of the best online word processors you can choose
1:34 pm | October 10, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Tags: | Comments: Off

The best word processors are essential tools for both personal and corporate use. They make it easy to type and edit everyday documents, from contracts to memos, articles, letters, resumes, and many more.

You can download an offline word processor or use an online version like Google Docs. This free tool, provided by Google, allows you to create and edit documents with ease. You can collaborate with other people on the same document and share or download the final work to your device.

I’ve used Google Docs for a while and can attest to its features, pros, and cons. I thoroughly tested and reviewed it to help you decide if it’s ideal for your personal or business use. Read on to learn what Google Docs offers and how it fares against alternatives.

Google Docs 2

(Image credit: Google)

Google Docs: Plans and pricing

Google Docs is free for personal use. Some restrictions exist, as each Google account is limited to 15 GB of storage across all services. However, 15 GB is more than enough for the average person to create and store all their texts.

However, if you surpass the 15 GB limit, you can purchase a Google One subscription to increase your storage capacity. $20 annually unlocks 100 GB of storage, $100 offers 2 TB, and $250 annually unlocks 5 TB. This storage space can be shared between you and friends or family (whom you invite to join your Google One plan).

Companies can use Google Docs to collaborate and create documents. A Google Workspace subscription provides access to robust storage capacity and numerous Google services, including Docs.

Google Workspace offers three pricing plans – Starter, Standard, and Plus – that unlock 30 GB, 2 TB, and 5 TB of storage per account, respectively. The Starter plan costs $7 per user per month, the Standard plan costs $14 per user per month, and the Plus plan costs $22 per user per month.

A 14-day free trial is available for a Google Workspace subscription. During this trial period, employees can test the ins and outs of Google Docs, although they can also do that by using Google Docs for free from their personal Google accounts.

Google Docs: Features

Google Docs is similar to any document editor you may have worked with. It’s essentially an online version of Microsoft Word, designed for real-time collaboration. The text pane is the most prominent part of the Google Docs interface, and the features are highlighted across the top menu.

Real-time collaboration is the defining feature of Google Docs. Multiple people can work on the same document simultaneously, and every user’s changes can be monitored in real-time.

Every user working on a document has an icon displayed at the top, and their cursor is highlighted on the document. This way, as a document owner, you’ll know exactly who is working on a document and which part they’re working on.

Collaborators can highlight specific words and leave comments and suggestions for each other. When someone creates a suggestion, such as deleting a paragraph or adding a new sentence, you can click the accept button to automatically implement the suggested change or the reject button to ignore the suggestion. You can also reply to a suggestion to provide context.

Likewise, when someone leaves a comment, you can reply to the person and create a back-and-forth conversation thread if needed. Everything is displayed on the same dashboard, and you can view all comment history. This way, you can track all changes made to a document by specific users.

The version history feature allows you to view all previous versions of a document, including its original state. If you don’t like the changes that have been made, you can restore a document to a previous version at a specific date and time.

As a document owner, you control who can access a document and what they can do with it. For instance, you can allow collaborators only to view but not edit or suggest changes. You can enable collaborators to suggest changes but not make final edits.

On the corporate version, you can prevent any user outside your organization from accessing a document. Outsiders with non-organizational email addresses would need explicit permission before accessing a document in this case.

To say I enjoyed the smooth collaboration of Google Docs is an understatement. It’s the best part of using Google Docs – the ability to work together on the same document, despite being physically far apart. It felt like being in the same room with my collaborators.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is raging in this era, and any product that doesn’t incorporate it risks getting left behind. Google has integrated AI features into Google Docs, bringing noticeable improvements compared to when I last reviewed the app.

If subscribed to Google Workspace, employees can switch on the Gemini AI assistant while using Google Docs. This assistant functions as a writing companion, suggesting new words, correcting errors, and refining a document to make it easy to read.

Google Docs 3

(Image credit: Google)

Gemini can generate text based on your prompts, although the text often felt robotic during my test. The good thing is that you can make the final edits to make the generated text sound more human. I enjoyed Gemini’s suggestions and corrections of mistakes I initially overlooked. I can attest to it being a productivity boost when creating and editing texts.

Creating business documents from scratch can be hectic. Often, users don’t know where to begin, but Google Docs provides help. It features a collection of templates that can serve as the foundation of your document. Examples include meeting notes, product roadmaps, project proposals, and sales quotes.

The free version has these templates, albeit in limited numbers. Google Workspace subscribers have access to a much larger template collection. Another advantage for Google Workspace subscribers is the ability to append e-signatures to documents. These signatures are just as legally binding as manually appended ones, so you can use them to sign contracts, invoices, vendor agreements, and other crucial corporate documents.

Google Docs is integrated with many other Google tools, including Drive, Meet, Chat, Tasks, and more. For instance, you can create new Google Docs files directly from Google Drive or upload existing documents into Google Drive and edit them with Google Docs. Any changes you make to Google Docs will be automatically saved to Google Drive.

I earlier mentioned that Google Docs’ collaborative features made me feel like I was in the same room with other people working on my document. It gets even better with the Google Meet integration, which allows you to host video meetings directly within the Docs interface.

You can create a new meeting and invite other collaborators, or join existing meetings created by others. This way, you can pass across vital information while editing a document.

Similarly, you can chat with collaborators in real-time, thanks to the Google Chat integration. If video-conferencing isn’t convenient, chat is a reliable alternative to exchange vital information during collaborative edits.

Another standout feature is Voice Typing, which allowed me to dictate text into my document instead of typing endlessly. This feature is based on Google’s advanced speech-to-text technology. However, don’t expect perfection. It’ll make some mistakes when converting your speech to text, which you’ll have to correct afterwards.

Language translation is also available, based on Google Translate. You can translate text into over 100 languages, but don’t expect perfect translation. When I translated several texts, the system often struggled with context and translating uncommon words. It works for basic use cases, but it isn’t as good as a professional translator.

I’ve discussed a lot about Google Docs’ internal features, but it doesn’t end there. Google Docs notably has “add-ons,” which are third-party integrations created by other developers. Some of these add-ons are free, while others require payment.

Examples of add-ons I used include an AI-based video generator, a plagiarism checker, and a tool for creating detailed diagrams. Depending on your personal or organizational needs, you can select relevant add-ons from the Google Workspace marketplace.

I could spend all day talking about Google Docs’ features, but that would be tiresome. Clearly, Google Docs offers a robust feature set on both the free and personal tiers. It’s one of the best tools you can use for document editing and creation.

Google Docs 4

(Image credit: Google)

Google Docs: Interface and in use

Google Docs has a user-friendly interface that I think anyone can navigate. If you’ve ever used a word processor like Microsoft Word, it feels exactly the same. Even as a new user, the features are neatly arranged in a way you can quickly grasp.

All formatting buttons are arranged across the top menu, and you’ll type in the main body below. The buttons have distinct icons that let you understand them at a glance.

If clicking buttons gets tiring, you can use keyboard shortcuts to achieve the same functionality as many of the buttons. However, these shortcuts can be a steep learning curve, so don’t expect to know them all within a short time. Similarly, Google Docs’ extensive features can present a steep learning curve, but you can understand the advanced features with time.

Google Docs is accessible from your web browser or mobile app. The mobile app allows you to edit documents offline, and you can also enable offline editing on the web browser version. When you reconnect to the internet, any changes made in offline mode will be automatically synced.

Google Docs: Support

Google provides decent support for free users. You won’t have access to direct help, but Google’s help center contains extensive user guides, tutorials, and solutions to common issues encountered on Google Docs.

When I faced any challenges with Google Docs, I consulted the help center and always found a solution. It helps that Google Docs is an intuitive tool that didn’t give me many problems in the first place.

If subscribed to Google Workspace, you have access to significantly more support resources. You can speak directly with a Google support representative to resolve issues. Support reps are available via email or live chat. Companies subscribed to the Enterprise plan have a dedicated account representative who provides swift support.

You can also seek help in Google’s official support forum. This website has fairly active users who exchange solutions to each other’s issues. You can post a question on this forum and receive answers.

Google Docs: The competition

Competition is intense in the document editing software niche. Consumers have endless options when seeking document editing software, but how do they fare against Google Docs?

The main competitor I’d like to highlight is Microsoft 365 (Word Online). Microsoft Word is the most popular offline word processor with which most people are familiar. Under Microsoft 365, you can access an online version of Microsoft Word with similar features to Google Docs.

From my perspective, Google Docs fares better in real-time collaboration than Microsoft Word Online. The latter has collaborative features, but doesn’t feel as smooth as that of Google Docs.

However, Microsoft Word Online beats Google Docs in advanced formatting. It offers a broader range of document editing features than Google Docs, and it supports a wider variety of text file formats.

From my perspective, the strengths of each boil down to Microsoft Word being designed first for offline use, before an online version was later developed. Hence, it excels more at text formatting and features designed for offline use.

In contrast, Google Docs was built as an online collaborative platform from its inception. The developers have honed the collaborative editing features to deliver the smoothest experience.

Google Docs: Final verdict

Google Docs is an excellent choice for document editing. In particular, the free version offers many features that competitors charge money for.

The business version, part of Google Workspace, offers a good bang for your buck when considering the numerous other Google apps you gain access to. Google Docs is one of the best online word editors I recommend for personal and business use.

We've listed the best online collaboration tools .

Roofman review: Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst have incredible chemistry in Toys R Us true tale gone wild
11:00 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Paramount Plus Streaming | Comments: Off

If you've never heard the jaw-dropping true story of Jeffrey Manchester, the new Paramount movie Roofman is about to school you in the best way. Don't expect it to outline the facts, but you'll be guaranteed a good time with this endearingly unhinged slice of Toys R Us-themed entertainment.

Remember the good old days in the nineties and noughties when your parents would take you to the toy store to pick something out, if you'd been really well behaved? My eye always gravitated towards the rows on rows of bikes, wishing I could ride one of the ever-so-shiny frames straight out of the door of the shop.

Turns out that if you were a kid living in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2004, you were likely coming toe-to-toe with Jeffrey Manchester, a convicted criminal who spent six months holed up in the city's Toys R Us after escaping from prison (Manchester was previously sentenced to 45 years incarceration for armed robbery and kidnapping). I swear on my own mother's life that this is what actually happened.

In Roofman, Channing Tatum takes on the role of the charming escapee, and it's undeniably the best performance of his career so far. The Magic Mike star's latest role is much more revealing (not like that) and vulnerable, and frankly, Tatum's portrayal of a man who really loves and wants to do right by his kids makes him the hottest he's ever been.

Roofman makes takes the Jeffrey Manchester story to a new level of entertaining

Here's our basic premise: a man robs 45 (yes, 45) McDonalds stores to provide for his kids after leaving the US Military with no support or direction. After a short time in prison, he uses his onsite job in the woodwork shop to make a fake bottom for their weekly delivery truck to hide in, successfully escaping to you know where.

What's most surprising is that the movie version of Manchester falls in love with one of the Toys R Us workers and integrates himself into her church and family – and again, that's what really happened. Every sequence of events seems so unfeasible that it must have been engineered by director Derek Cianfrance to make a plausible movie narrative, but the work was done for him.

If you've ever thought you could survive on the run, Manchester is proof that even if you pick a smart strategy, you will get stung by love and pick up a lot of cavities along the way. Tatum's connection with Kirsten Dunst's character Leigh isn't only what pulls Manchester away from success, but it's what pulls us more into the storytelling.

Together, they're an unlikely yet exceptional pair. The perfect cross-section between what's right and wrong with suburban America. Although, the two never fully reveal their truth to each other before it's too late to act. Isn't that always the way? Leigh in particular is an intriguing portrayal of what happens when a woman suddenly (and unashamedly) decides to go after what she wants, and how that doesn't always end in a happy ever after.

Take a shot every time you see an A-grade actor being underused

Channing Tatum drinks out of a coffee vat while holding a baby food spoon

Channing Tatum as Jeffrey Manchester in Roofman. (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Tatum's balance between kind-hearted loverman and an intelligent criminal is pitch perfect, and seeing the after-hours dynamics in the most magical store in our cultural zeitgeist is solid entertainment, but there are some flaws.

Most notably, Roofman dips around the two-thirds mark. Once we've established how Manchester hid himself and how he successfully lived a double life with Leigh and her children, we've seen the whole movie. The ending, though I won't spoil it, is pretty guessable, despite the true story certainly being available on Google. There isn't enough substance or momentum to drive us through the 126 minute runtime, and that's to the Paramount movie's detriment.

It goes without saying that none of what we see touches the sides of following what happened in real life (though stay until the end for more on this). However, that doesn't mean we needed key details very obviously spoonfed to us. We find out what happened between Manchester and Leigh because another character literally asks Tatum that question, which is the equivalent of reading stage directions aloud.

On top of this, we've got a stacked cast who barely get any screentime, ranging from Ted Lasso's Juno Temple to The Residence's Uzo Aduba. If a film is going to feature people we desperately want to see, it's unhinged that we have to plead (like this) for it to actually do that.

But are any of us watching Roofman for it to blow us away or to win awards? Of course not. I'd probably recommend watching a YouTube video of Manchester's story instead (until an inevitable Netflix documentary comes out), but Roofman is worth it for Tatum alone. Flawed, funny and flaming good at what he does, and that's what we want from any leading man.

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