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I tested the earbuds that morph from workout headphones to open ‘buds and it works — but that’s only half the story
2:30 pm | February 1, 2026
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro: Two minute review

Usually, when I review a product with a brand-new feature, I use that function for about a week before the novelty wears off. The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro may not be the best earbuds I’ve ever tested, but I’ve been using its key selling point constantly over the testing period, and that at least says something.

Are they a pair of open earbuds? Or are they a pair of standard workout headphones? Yes and yes – these new hearables from Anker’s audio-visual sub-brand Soundcore do both. The bud’s body is adjustable in relation to its loop: you can have them as standard sports buds, or raise the bud somewhat so it’s further out of your ear. Ta-da, you have open earbuds.

In theory, you get the best of both worlds. Put them in open-ear mode and you enjoy your listening while still hearing what’s going on around you. Flick them into standard mode and you can hear your music with no distractions from outside, thanks in part to ANC turning on.

When I first reported on the buds, I guessed that they could be the best fitness earbuds of the year – it’s safe to say I was cautiously optimistic about them. The function is useful: I’d run along a busy road in open mode and close it when I reached a quieter park, or keep it open when cycling to the gym and close it when I got there.

A home-run, then? Not quite – these are the first earbuds I’ve ever seen trying out a form factor like this, and myriad teething problems plague the buds. I don’t think they are the best fitness headphones of the year any more, but it’s still a valiant effort.

Take, for example, the design. The buds aren’t that far from your ear when in open mode, so don’t let in nearly as much sound as rivals. But due to having AirPods-style tip-less ends, the Aerofits aren’t fully in your ear when in ANC mode, and so don’t actually cancel that much sound.

Image 1 of 2

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand, in open mode.

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand, in ANC mode.

(Image credit: Future)

The loop material is also quite flimsy, so the buds wobble a lot, and the buttons are hard to press when in ANC mode (but, admittedly, very easy in open mode).

You need to play around in the settings to get the best of the Aerofit 2 Pro too. The default EQ preset, Soundcore Signature, goes for a misshapen V-shaped sound profile which sounds pretty wonky; go into the equalization menu straight away. The Intelligent Noise Cancellation feature also gets in the way, by messing with your sound constantly; turn this off too.

You probably wouldn’t be buying adjustable buds like this if you weren’t okay with some tweaking, though; just know that you’ll have to be doing it quite a bit.

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IP55

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds), 34 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 6.1

Weight

11g / Charging case: 109g

Driver

11.8mm

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Price and availability

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro case.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Released on January 6, 2026
  • Priced at $179.99 / £179.99 (roughly AU$350)
  • Paying a premium for the novelty

Anker unveiled the Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro at CES 2026 in the first week of the year, and put them on sale immediately after. Perfect for your new year’s fitness resolution.

The earbuds cost $179.99 / £179.99 (roughly AU$350, but they don’t seem to have joined Soundcore’s line-up in Australia). That’s the official price, but mere weeks after release, I’ve seen them discounted by $30 in the US and £10 in the UK.

As open earbuds go, that price is on the higher side of things, but you’re paying to be the first to test this novel kind of tech.

It’s a little higher than the launch price of the first Aerofit Pro, but that device plummeted in price over two years, and we could see the new model drop to similar lows over time.

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Design

Image 1 of 2

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's ear, in open mode.

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's ear, in ANC mode.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Easy to switch between open- and closed-ear fit
  • Weak loop and heavy earpiece affect wear
  • IP55 protection, comes in black, white or purple

I’ve already described the Aerofit 2 Pro’s transforming gimmick; but how does it work? Basically, the sports loop connects to the driver housing via a connector that can be moved around five different settings; each one results in a different angle for the earpiece to sit at, relative to your ear. At the furthest extent, said headshell sits right in your ear, and at the opposite extent it’s hovering high above it. The first two are ANC (in-ear) mode, the latter two open mode, and the middle one is something in between.

I was skeptical about this, but functionally it works really well. Quickly I became adept at opening or closing the buds while they were in my ear, and in no time I was doing so without breaking my stride while on a run. Unfortunately, basically everything about this design (other than the ease of switching) poses problems.

The key one problem is the loop, made out of a thin silicone which just isn’t rigid enough to hold the earbuds in place. When I was running or working out with the buds, I often found that the battery-bearing counterweights would wobble. It was especially noticeable when in ANC mode. They never fell out, but it was an annoying sensation.

This is exacerbated by the buds’ weight. At 11g each, they’re the heaviest than any other open earbuds I remember testing.

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro on a ledge.

(Image credit: Future)

The tip-less design brings with it another problem: the sound leakage on these things, especially in open mode, is significant. Your gym peers will definitely hear what you’re listening to.

Each bud has a button. No, not a sensor or an area you tap and pray something happened: an honest-to-God area that you press in and hear a satisfying ‘click’. Lovely. It’s really easy and simple to use when the bud is in open mode, however when in ANC mode, I found that the pressure needed to press the button instead just pushed it into my ear.

Now that I’m complaining about things: the material used for the end of the bud is a dirt magnet. When it’s in the case or ear it’s fine, but when I put the buds in my pocket or dropped them on the floor, they quickly picked up fluff and particles that were quite hard to clean off. That’s all to say: excuse the review images, I tried my best.

This section is already far too long, but let’s briefly touch on the case. It’s certainly on the big side, even for sports-hook earbuds, and it weighs 109g (including the buds). It has some neat touches: an LED bar gives you an indication of how much charge you have left, and the case also facilitates wireless charging.

  • Design score: 3.5/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Features

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Little noise is cancelled due to design and the ANC algorithm
  • Battery life is 7 / 34 hours with ANC on
  • Several app features including handy EQ presets

Why have I been calling one form of the Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro ‘ANC mode’? That’ll be because when you’re at these extensions, noise cancellation will turn on, ostensibly stopping as much surrounding sound as possible from entering your ears. An anti-open-ear mode, so to speak.

However, the Aerofit run into the same problem as the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC: there’s no rubbery ear tip to create a natural sound-blocking seal, and so the noise cancellation is fighting an impossibly steep uphill battle from the outset. It doesn’t win the battle, and it’s very easy to hear surrounding sounds in this mode – I can hear myself typing this sentence over fairly loud music. It’s not a totally lost cause, and sounds are made quieter, but there’s little meaningful difference between open mode and ANC mode.

ANC mode may do more harm than it’s worth, though, because of Soundcore’s adjustable ANC. This is designed to automatically adjust noise cancellation and many earbuds have similar modes, but on the Soundcore, it had too dramatic an effect on the sound. Frequently, I’d hear dramatic shifts in listening volume or sound profile, and sometimes the volume wouldn’t be able to go very high to compensate for the ANC. On my first run with the buds, I was frustrated with how quiet the max volume was – until I realized it was the noise cancellation running amok. Thankfully this mode can be turned off.

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

Soundcore puts the battery life of the buds at 7 hours in open-ear mode and 5 hours with ANC turned on. My testing suggests these figures could be a little conservative, so I’m not going to knock the buds like I normally would with 5-hour listening time buds.

The Soundcore app brings a few extra features to the earbuds. These include the ability to customize what the touch controls do, a low-latency and a Spatial Audio mode, an equalizer and the ability to make ANC toggling manual instead of automatic.

The equalizer has a healthy selection of presets, most of which make meaningful adjustments to the sound, and there’s also an eight-band custom option too. I particularly like the Volume Booster preset, which doesn’t exactly sound fantastic, but it gives the buds that extra ‘oomph’ that you need with open buds when venturing somewhere noisy.

Pairing the buds to my phone was quick and easy, however I did have the occasional stuttering and connection dropping problems during testing.

  • Features score: 3/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Sound performance

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Single 10.8mm driver
  • Music sounds lifeless
  • Lovely, high max volume

There’s a custom-built 11.8mm driver in each of the Aerofits. Their most impressive feature, though, may be the support for Bluetooth 6.1, which is more advanced than most smartphones you’d be pairing the buds with. That pairs with Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification and a support for LDAC.

When I first started listening to the Aerofit 2 Pro, I was in a quiet home and listening on ANC mode, and I was impressed by a few aspects. There’s decent spacing between instruments, and enough detail to hear the timbre of instruments. Lovely, and unexpected for fitness earbuds like these. However I made the critical mistake of listening to the Soundcore Signature EQ preset for much of my testing period.

This doesn’t sound great: it elevates treble, mutes bass and drops mids almost entirely, like V-shaped sound profile with a lop-sided ‘V’. Uncle Kracker’s In A Little While had distorted guitar that sounded like a fan with a scrap of paper stuck in it, while the chorus of Five More Minutes by The War and Treaty sounded like a duet between vocals and a lawnmower. And treble was far too prominent: Don McCloskey’s First In Flight was constantly jump-scaring me with brass stings.

However, jumping into the EQ preset menu let me salvage my listening experience; I’d recommend buyers to switch straight to ‘Balanced’, or one of the genre-based EQs if you only listen to one kind of music. Balanced levels out that ‘V’ into much more of a flat line, so you can enjoy the high-quality audio without any line or instrument being overwritten.

Max volume for the buds is pretty loud, especially on Volume Booster, but the auto-ANC mode can put a pretty significant upper limit; turn this off.

  • Sound performance score: 4/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Value

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro next to their case.

(Image credit: Future)

Novelty form factor aside, the Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro go for quite a high price, compared to other open earbuds you’d be considering. These aren’t a budget option by any stretch of the imagination – I’d go so far as to call them premium, given that relatively few options exist above the $/£200 threshold.

All considered, it feels a little hard to recommend them for the price – you’re paying for the privilege of testing a new form factor of headphone, not for an especially competitive feature set or sound quality. You're not being ripped off exactly, but it's not a competitive price.

If you can find the Aerofit 2 Pro discounted, though, they’d be well worth considering. They don’t even need an especially meaty price cut; the minor discount already available is a good start.

  • Value score: 3.5/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

The Aerofit's price matches some premium alternatives.

3.5/5

Design

The two-in-one design and switching works well; some other elements don't.

3.5/5

Features

The ANC doesn't work too well and the battery life isn't fantastic, although the app brings some nice additions.

3/5

Sound

Play around with the settings enough, and you can get detailed, expansive audio that'll surprise you compared to other fitness buds.

4/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro: Should I buy?

The Huawei FreeClip 2 buds in a case, leaning on a zippo lighter.

(Image credit: Future)

Buy them if...

The 2-in-1 gimmick appeals
Think you want buds that switch between open and standard sports earbuds? You won't be disappointed by how Anker does it.

You want treble-first sound
The Aerofit aren't bassy buds, and they'll appeal to people who prefer hearing lyrics, spoken words or guitar solos.

You appreciate wireless charging
We don't see wireless charging available on many earbuds cases, especially sports-specific ones. If you like the feature, the Aerofit have you covered.

Don't buy them if...

You have noise that needs cancelling
Even in ANC mode, the noise cancellation of the Aerofit isn't competitive.

You won't use the 2-in-1 design
You're paying a premium for the novel form factor of the Aerofit. If you don't think you'll use it enough, other options will give you more value for money.

Also consider

Component

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro

Shokz OpenFit 2+

Huawei FreeArc

Water resistant

IP55

IP55

IP57

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds), 34 hours (total)

11 hours (earbuds), 48 hours (total)

7 hours (earbuds), 23 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 6.1

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.2

Weight

11g / Charging case: 109g

9.4g / Charging case: 56g

8.9g / Charging case: 67g

Driver

11.8mm

17.3mm

17mm x 12mm

Shokz OpenFit 2+

Our favorite open earbuds right now come from Shokz, and they offer the full package: a stable fit, great sound quality and a solid feature set. Best of all, they either match or undercut the Soundcore depending on where you live.

Read our full Shokz OpenFit 2+ review

Huawei FreeArc

Want an affordable alternative? The Huawei FreeArc cost half the price of the Soundcore, and have fantastic sound. The case is small and the buds fit well.

Read our full Huawei FreeArc review

How I tested

I tested the Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro for just over two weeks in order to write this review. During this time, they were paired with my Android smartphone.

In that time, I used the Soundcore on runs, at the gym and on cylces. But because of their dual-purpose design, also treated them as my everyday headphones in that time, so I listened at home, on public transport, and on walks around my neighborhood. Most of the testing was done on Spotify, YouTube and Prime Video's apps.

I've tested plenty of open earbuds for TechRadar over the last few years, as the audio segment has emerged, as well as countless other earbuds and headphones.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: February 2026
I tested the earbuds that morph from workout headphones to open ‘buds and it works — but that’s only half the story
2:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro: Two minute review

Usually, when I review a product with a brand-new feature, I use that function for about a week before the novelty wears off. The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro may not be the best earbuds I’ve ever tested, but I’ve been using its key selling point constantly over the testing period, and that at least says something.

Are they a pair of open earbuds? Or are they a pair of standard workout headphones? Yes and yes – these new hearables from Anker’s audio-visual sub-brand Soundcore do both. The bud’s body is adjustable in relation to its loop: you can have them as standard sports buds, or raise the bud somewhat so it’s further out of your ear. Ta-da, you have open earbuds.

In theory, you get the best of both worlds. Put them in open-ear mode and you enjoy your listening while still hearing what’s going on around you. Flick them into standard mode and you can hear your music with no distractions from outside, thanks in part to ANC turning on.

When I first reported on the buds, I guessed that they could be the best fitness earbuds of the year – it’s safe to say I was cautiously optimistic about them. The function is useful: I’d run along a busy road in open mode and close it when I reached a quieter park, or keep it open when cycling to the gym and close it when I got there.

A home-run, then? Not quite – these are the first earbuds I’ve ever seen trying out a form factor like this, and myriad teething problems plague the buds. I don’t think they are the best fitness headphones of the year any more, but it’s still a valiant effort.

Take, for example, the design. The buds aren’t that far from your ear when in open mode, so don’t let in nearly as much sound as rivals. But due to having AirPods-style tip-less ends, the Aerofits aren’t fully in your ear when in ANC mode, and so don’t actually cancel that much sound.

Image 1 of 2

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand, in open mode.

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand, in ANC mode.

(Image credit: Future)

The loop material is also quite flimsy, so the buds wobble a lot, and the buttons are hard to press when in ANC mode (but, admittedly, very easy in open mode).

You need to play around in the settings to get the best of the Aerofit 2 Pro too. The default EQ preset, Soundcore Signature, goes for a misshapen V-shaped sound profile which sounds pretty wonky; go into the equalization menu straight away. The Intelligent Noise Cancellation feature also gets in the way, by messing with your sound constantly; turn this off too.

You probably wouldn’t be buying adjustable buds like this if you weren’t okay with some tweaking, though; just know that you’ll have to be doing it quite a bit.

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IP55

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds), 34 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 6.1

Weight

11g / Charging case: 109g

Driver

11.8mm

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Price and availability

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro case.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Released on January 6, 2026
  • Priced at $179.99 / £179.99 (roughly AU$350)
  • Paying a premium for the novelty

Anker unveiled the Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro at CES 2026 in the first week of the year, and put them on sale immediately after. Perfect for your new year’s fitness resolution.

The earbuds cost $179.99 / £179.99 (roughly AU$350, but they don’t seem to have joined Soundcore’s line-up in Australia). That’s the official price, but mere weeks after release, I’ve seen them discounted by $30 in the US and £10 in the UK.

As open earbuds go, that price is on the higher side of things, but you’re paying to be the first to test this novel kind of tech.

It’s a little higher than the launch price of the first Aerofit Pro, but that device plummeted in price over two years, and we could see the new model drop to similar lows over time.

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Design

Image 1 of 2

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's ear, in open mode.

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's ear, in ANC mode.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Easy to switch between open- and closed-ear fit
  • Weak loop and heavy earpiece affect wear
  • IP55 protection, comes in black, white or purple

I’ve already described the Aerofit 2 Pro’s transforming gimmick; but how does it work? Basically, the sports loop connects to the driver housing via a connector that can be moved around five different settings; each one results in a different angle for the earpiece to sit at, relative to your ear. At the furthest extent, said headshell sits right in your ear, and at the opposite extent it’s hovering high above it. The first two are ANC (in-ear) mode, the latter two open mode, and the middle one is something in between.

I was skeptical about this, but functionally it works really well. Quickly I became adept at opening or closing the buds while they were in my ear, and in no time I was doing so without breaking my stride while on a run. Unfortunately, basically everything about this design (other than the ease of switching) poses problems.

The key one problem is the loop, made out of a thin silicone which just isn’t rigid enough to hold the earbuds in place. When I was running or working out with the buds, I often found that the battery-bearing counterweights would wobble. It was especially noticeable when in ANC mode. They never fell out, but it was an annoying sensation.

This is exacerbated by the buds’ weight. At 11g each, they’re the heaviest than any other open earbuds I remember testing.

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro on a ledge.

(Image credit: Future)

The tip-less design brings with it another problem: the sound leakage on these things, especially in open mode, is significant. Your gym peers will definitely hear what you’re listening to.

Each bud has a button. No, not a sensor or an area you tap and pray something happened: an honest-to-God area that you press in and hear a satisfying ‘click’. Lovely. It’s really easy and simple to use when the bud is in open mode, however when in ANC mode, I found that the pressure needed to press the button instead just pushed it into my ear.

Now that I’m complaining about things: the material used for the end of the bud is a dirt magnet. When it’s in the case or ear it’s fine, but when I put the buds in my pocket or dropped them on the floor, they quickly picked up fluff and particles that were quite hard to clean off. That’s all to say: excuse the review images, I tried my best.

This section is already far too long, but let’s briefly touch on the case. It’s certainly on the big side, even for sports-hook earbuds, and it weighs 109g (including the buds). It has some neat touches: an LED bar gives you an indication of how much charge you have left, and the case also facilitates wireless charging.

  • Design score: 3.5/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Features

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Little noise is cancelled due to design and the ANC algorithm
  • Battery life is 7 / 34 hours with ANC on
  • Several app features including handy EQ presets

Why have I been calling one form of the Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro ‘ANC mode’? That’ll be because when you’re at these extensions, noise cancellation will turn on, ostensibly stopping as much surrounding sound as possible from entering your ears. An anti-open-ear mode, so to speak.

However, the Aerofit run into the same problem as the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC: there’s no rubbery ear tip to create a natural sound-blocking seal, and so the noise cancellation is fighting an impossibly steep uphill battle from the outset. It doesn’t win the battle, and it’s very easy to hear surrounding sounds in this mode – I can hear myself typing this sentence over fairly loud music. It’s not a totally lost cause, and sounds are made quieter, but there’s little meaningful difference between open mode and ANC mode.

ANC mode may do more harm than it’s worth, though, because of Soundcore’s adjustable ANC. This is designed to automatically adjust noise cancellation and many earbuds have similar modes, but on the Soundcore, it had too dramatic an effect on the sound. Frequently, I’d hear dramatic shifts in listening volume or sound profile, and sometimes the volume wouldn’t be able to go very high to compensate for the ANC. On my first run with the buds, I was frustrated with how quiet the max volume was – until I realized it was the noise cancellation running amok. Thankfully this mode can be turned off.

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

Soundcore puts the battery life of the buds at 7 hours in open-ear mode and 5 hours with ANC turned on. My testing suggests these figures could be a little conservative, so I’m not going to knock the buds like I normally would with 5-hour listening time buds.

The Soundcore app brings a few extra features to the earbuds. These include the ability to customize what the touch controls do, a low-latency and a Spatial Audio mode, an equalizer and the ability to make ANC toggling manual instead of automatic.

The equalizer has a healthy selection of presets, most of which make meaningful adjustments to the sound, and there’s also an eight-band custom option too. I particularly like the Volume Booster preset, which doesn’t exactly sound fantastic, but it gives the buds that extra ‘oomph’ that you need with open buds when venturing somewhere noisy.

Pairing the buds to my phone was quick and easy, however I did have the occasional stuttering and connection dropping problems during testing.

  • Features score: 3/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Sound performance

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Single 10.8mm driver
  • Music sounds lifeless
  • Lovely, high max volume

There’s a custom-built 11.8mm driver in each of the Aerofits. Their most impressive feature, though, may be the support for Bluetooth 6.1, which is more advanced than most smartphones you’d be pairing the buds with. That pairs with Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification and a support for LDAC.

When I first started listening to the Aerofit 2 Pro, I was in a quiet home and listening on ANC mode, and I was impressed by a few aspects. There’s decent spacing between instruments, and enough detail to hear the timbre of instruments. Lovely, and unexpected for fitness earbuds like these. However I made the critical mistake of listening to the Soundcore Signature EQ preset for much of my testing period.

This doesn’t sound great: it elevates treble, mutes bass and drops mids almost entirely, like V-shaped sound profile with a lop-sided ‘V’. Uncle Kracker’s In A Little While had distorted guitar that sounded like a fan with a scrap of paper stuck in it, while the chorus of Five More Minutes by The War and Treaty sounded like a duet between vocals and a lawnmower. And treble was far too prominent: Don McCloskey’s First In Flight was constantly jump-scaring me with brass stings.

However, jumping into the EQ preset menu let me salvage my listening experience; I’d recommend buyers to switch straight to ‘Balanced’, or one of the genre-based EQs if you only listen to one kind of music. Balanced levels out that ‘V’ into much more of a flat line, so you can enjoy the high-quality audio without any line or instrument being overwritten.

Max volume for the buds is pretty loud, especially on Volume Booster, but the auto-ANC mode can put a pretty significant upper limit; turn this off.

  • Sound performance score: 4/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: Value

The Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro next to their case.

(Image credit: Future)

Novelty form factor aside, the Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro go for quite a high price, compared to other open earbuds you’d be considering. These aren’t a budget option by any stretch of the imagination – I’d go so far as to call them premium, given that relatively few options exist above the $/£200 threshold.

All considered, it feels a little hard to recommend them for the price – you’re paying for the privilege of testing a new form factor of headphone, not for an especially competitive feature set or sound quality. You're not being ripped off exactly, but it's not a competitive price.

If you can find the Aerofit 2 Pro discounted, though, they’d be well worth considering. They don’t even need an especially meaty price cut; the minor discount already available is a good start.

  • Value score: 3.5/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro review: scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

The Aerofit's price matches some premium alternatives.

3.5/5

Design

The two-in-one design and switching works well; some other elements don't.

3.5/5

Features

The ANC doesn't work too well and the battery life isn't fantastic, although the app brings some nice additions.

3/5

Sound

Play around with the settings enough, and you can get detailed, expansive audio that'll surprise you compared to other fitness buds.

4/5

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro: Should I buy?

The Huawei FreeClip 2 buds in a case, leaning on a zippo lighter.

(Image credit: Future)

Buy them if...

The 2-in-1 gimmick appeals
Think you want buds that switch between open and standard sports earbuds? You won't be disappointed by how Anker does it.

You want treble-first sound
The Aerofit aren't bassy buds, and they'll appeal to people who prefer hearing lyrics, spoken words or guitar solos.

You appreciate wireless charging
We don't see wireless charging available on many earbuds cases, especially sports-specific ones. If you like the feature, the Aerofit have you covered.

Don't buy them if...

You have noise that needs cancelling
Even in ANC mode, the noise cancellation of the Aerofit isn't competitive.

You won't use the 2-in-1 design
You're paying a premium for the novel form factor of the Aerofit. If you don't think you'll use it enough, other options will give you more value for money.

Also consider

Component

Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro

Shokz OpenFit 2+

Huawei FreeArc

Water resistant

IP55

IP55

IP57

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds), 34 hours (total)

11 hours (earbuds), 48 hours (total)

7 hours (earbuds), 23 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 6.1

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.2

Weight

11g / Charging case: 109g

9.4g / Charging case: 56g

8.9g / Charging case: 67g

Driver

11.8mm

17.3mm

17mm x 12mm

Shokz OpenFit 2+

Our favorite open earbuds right now come from Shokz, and they offer the full package: a stable fit, great sound quality and a solid feature set. Best of all, they either match or undercut the Soundcore depending on where you live.

Read our full Shokz OpenFit 2+ review

Huawei FreeArc

Want an affordable alternative? The Huawei FreeArc cost half the price of the Soundcore, and have fantastic sound. The case is small and the buds fit well.

Read our full Huawei FreeArc review

How I tested

I tested the Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro for just over two weeks in order to write this review. During this time, they were paired with my Android smartphone.

In that time, I used the Soundcore on runs, at the gym and on cylces. But because of their dual-purpose design, also treated them as my everyday headphones in that time, so I listened at home, on public transport, and on walks around my neighborhood. Most of the testing was done on Spotify, YouTube and Prime Video's apps.

I've tested plenty of open earbuds for TechRadar over the last few years, as the audio segment has emerged, as well as countless other earbuds and headphones.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: February 2026
‘The tiniest autofocus lens I’ve played with in over 15 years of testing camera gear’ – the cheap Viltrox body cap full-frame lens is surprisingly sharp and has bags of character, but it makes even more sense for APS-C
4:00 am |
Author: admin | Category: Camera Lenses Cameras Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: one-minute review

I mean, the pictures don't do justice as to how impossibly small the Viltrox AF 28mm f4.5 lens is. It's a true body cap lens – meaning that you can have it on your Sony, Nikon or Fujifilm mirrorless camera at all times with no real footprint, ready to go for quick wide-angle snaps.

On several occasions throughout my couple of months with what is the tiniest lens I've ever tested, I thought I had lost it, quite literally mistaking it for a body cap in my gear bag (I was testing multiple lenses at the time).

Yet despite the Viltrox AF 28mm f4.5's minuscule proportions – it measures just 15.3mm in length and is a featherweight 60g – it features autofocus and has a respectable f/4.5 fixed aperture. That's way faster than other body cap / pancake-style lenses I've tried, such as the Panasonic 26mm f/8.

Oh, and did I mention that center detail is surprisingly sharp? That'll be the 6 lens elements in 6 groups crammed inside, two of which are ED and another two being aspherical optics.

Quality falls off somewhat at the corners and lens flare is notable. So if you're looking for technical perfection and supreme versatility, then the fixed focal length, fixed aperture Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 is not for you. What it is, though, is a memorable lens that I'm confident you will grow fond of, and by heck is it cheap.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

Just 15mm in length – Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 is a true body cap lens, with a much faster f/4.5 aperture than other such optics, icncuding the Panasonic 26mm f/8. If you don't mind something a little larger and pricier, then there are f/2.8 alternatives. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: price and availability

  • Available in Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mounts
  • It costs $99 / £90 / AU$169, but Viltrox regular discounts its lenses by 15%
  • There's currently no indication of Canon RF or L-mount versions

The Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 first hit the scene for Sony E-mount in September 2024, and has since been launched in Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mount versions. I wouldn't expect a Canon version since the camera giant sued Viltrox and those bridges feel burned (Nikon is next). Viltrox has joined the L-mount alliance, however, so there could be an L-mount version for Panasonic, Leica, and Sigma cameras – this could be a great pairing with the Lumix S9, for example.

The list price at the Viltrox store and trusted retailers is $99 / £90 / AU$169 (see links to the best prices, below). The 28mm f/4.5 is great value at full price, although I regularly see Viltrox doing site-wide discounts of its lenses, typically around 15% off. I've seen the lens for even less at cheap Chinese import online stores.

I usually include an Also Consider section in my reviews, but being available in three mounts there are too many alternatives to sensibly feature individually. For Nikon cameras, the Z 26mm f/2.8 is one possible, but it's 5x the price, while the 24mm f/1.7 DX (for APS-C) is around 2.5x the price – both are bigger than the Viltrox lens.

Fujifilm has its own XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR, which again costs much more than the Viltrox, plus the wider XF 23mm f/2.8 which was announced alongside the X-E5.

Sony makes a wider-angle 20mm f/2.8, while other third parties include TT Artisans with its AF 27mm f/2.8, which is much like Fujifilm's aforementioned 27mm lens for a much lower price.

For more options, check out my best Sony lenses and best Nikon lenses guides. Let me know in the comments below if a best Fujifilm lenses guide would interest you.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: specs

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 specs

Type:

Wide-angle prime

Mount:

Sony E, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X

Sensor:

Full-frame

Focal length:

28mm (or 42mm effective on Sony, Nikon and Fujifilm APS-C cameras)

Max aperture:

f/4.5

Minimum focus:

0.32m, 0.11x magnification

Filter size:

N/A

Dimensions:

60.3 x 15.3mm

Weight:

From 2.1oz / 60g

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: design

Image 1 of 3

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

Yes, there's autofocus! (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 3

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

But at just 15mm, there's no space for a manual focus ring – this is an autofocus-only lens (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 3 of 3

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

There's a charming slider to employ / hide the lens cap which protects the front lens element (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

This is a playful lens, with plenty of quirks that won me over - one being the slide lens cap, which protects the otherwise non weather-sealed lens from damage. It's just as well the lens cap is built-in, really, because a removable lens cap would be the tiniest of them all, no bigger than a dime. I would give myself less than a week before losing such a thing.

And there's nowhere to click a lens cap on in any case – there's no thread for lens filters, which is normally where a clip-on lens cap sits. Nope, it's the neat slide lens cap only, which I heart.

I was honestly surprised that Viltrox was able to fit such a small, but more so, low-cost lens with autofocus. Sat alongside those electronic contacts (which provide full communication between camera and lens for autofocus, plus metadata) is a USB-C port, which makes future firmware updates possible.

Image 1 of 3

Closeup of the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens, protector covering the lens

There's the lens protector in place (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 3

Closeup of the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens, protector removed

And the lens protector hidden (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 3 of 3

Closeup of the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens

The aperture is fixed to f/4.5, which is a decent all-purpose aperture for portraits and landscapes, but not so helpful in low light (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

On the note of focusing, there's another surprise on the flip side – there's no manual focus option whatsoever. No, this is an autofocus lens only – so you're reliant on your camera's autofocus skills.

Thankfully, I found autofocus performance with my mid-range Nikon full-frame camera to be snappy with the lens – but that's hardly a surprise given how lightweight the 6 tiny lens elements are.

I suppose adding a focus ring for manual focus would increase the bulk of the lens and water down its charm, but it was the feature I missed the most as autofocus can miss the mark occasionally. It's helpful to take control at such times.

Minimum focus is 1.05ft/0.32m, which makes for a 0.11x maximum magnification. In short, the lens's close focusing skills are fairly limiting for such a wide-angle lens. The ability to focus closer is a close second on my wishlist for this lens.

I don't mind the fixed f/4.5 aperture, though – that's right, you can't stop down to increase depth of field. For me, f/4.5 is a decent all-purpose aperture with a full-frame camera – it's shallow enough to blur backgrounds (when your subject / focus distance is close), and deep enough for sharp detail when your focus distance is further. What it's less ideal for, however, is low-light photography.

Image 1 of 2

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens mounted to a Nikon mirrorless camera, outdoors in open nature

And here's the lens attached to a Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera. The camera's grip is longer than the lens! (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 2

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens mounted to a Nikon mirrorless camera, outdoors in open nature

Despite being a mid-range camera, my Z6 II felt a little big for the lens. I reckon a vlogging/rangefinder-style APS-C camera like the Nikon Z30, Sony ZV-E10 II and Fujifilm X-E5 could be an ideal pairing (the lens is currently available in Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mounts, not Canon RF or L-mount). (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

As you can see in the product photo above, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 lens tucks in neatly on a full-frame camera. In fact, the grip on the Z6 II camera I was using for this test is deeper than the lens.

For me, Viltrox's body cap-style lens makes more sense being paired with a smaller camera than the mid-range model, above, and even more sense with an APS-C model rather than full-frame. I'll explain why in a moment.

It's currently made for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Fujifilm X-mount versions, so the kinds of slimline cameras that would suit the lens include the Sony ZV-E10 II / A6700, Fujifilm X-E series / X-M5 and the Nikon Z30 / Zf series. Lumix users will surely hope that an L-mount version is forthcoming, especially since Viltrox joined the L-mount alliance last year.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: Performance

Image 1 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: man in blur beanie hat with autumnal ferns behind him

With a 0.32m minimum focus distance, selfies are possible (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: an old church in the UK

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 3 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: inside an old church, with an open bible on a pew

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 4 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: a dew covered spider's web in long grass

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 5 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: a lone tree in a hilly common

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

As for image quality, I have been pleasantly surprised. Detail is nice and sharp in the center. You'll find plenty other even sharper premium primes, but with a little additional sharpness applied in Adobe Camera Raw, I'm not complaining here at all. On the contrary, I'm impressed.

Sharpness falls off at the corners somewhat, and there's heavy vignetting in the corners, which again benefit from corrections in post. That said, those two notable lens distortions direct the gaze in the center of images and can add character, and as such I've avoided heavy-handed lens corrections and leaned into that style with my sample pictures.

It's these corner lens distortions that also make a strong case for using the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 lens with an APS-C camera, as most of its image quality foibles (technically-speaking) fall outside the 42mm effective frame.

I've not used the lens with an APS-C camera, but if that were all I had done, I'd be even more impressed by the optical quality as those heavier distortions would be outside the frame. And, that tighter perspective with APS-C makes it a compelling everyday lens – you'd never need to take it off the camera.

Image 1 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: bamboo leaves with sunlight bursting through

Sunstars are pronounced (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: tree roots, moss and fallen autumn leaves

Strong light above this scene is leaking into the top left of frame, reducing contrast (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 3 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: portrait silhouette with pronounced light leak

An accidental lens leak. I like it! (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 4 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: an elevated view of a common on a misty morning

Vignetting (light fall-off) is heavy. It's a good idea to dial in ±1EV exposure compensation to avoid images appearing too dark (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 5 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: selfie of a man in front of a tree

When the conditions are easy – outside in bright daylight but in the shade, image quality is perfectly serviceable (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 6 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: a fern sprouting from the base of an old tree, surrounded by moss

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The same sentiment for corner quality can be said for lens flare. Viltrox itself bills the starburst effect as a draw to this lens – it's a pronounced and a little over the top at times, but again, I'm filing this under characterful rather than ugly.

I've been able to get a couple of light leak affects to when shooting towards the sun, too. These are the kind of effects that could do well in 2026 and beyond, where authentic and lo-fi images are trending over technically perfect ones.

The 'flaws' I've drawn out in this review are worth noting, but take them within context; this is a tiny, sub $100 lens. Design drawbacks and optical quirks only add to the charm of a lens that I'm very fond of.

Should I buy the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5?

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens mounted to a Nikon mirrorless camera, outdoors in open nature

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Buy it if...

You want a tiny lens that lives on your camera
Never has the term 'body cap lens' felt so more apt.

You're bored of 'perfect' lenses
It's design is quirky and its images even more so, but not in a gimmicky way – center sharpness is complimented by corner and lens flare distortion.

Don't buy it if...

You're a low light photographer
The fixed f/4.5 aperture is a little limiting in low light.

You're short of lenses
I'd class the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 as a fun backup for pricier, bulkier optics that are more able to deliver in more situations.

How I tested the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
  • Viltrox sent me the Z-mount version of the lens
  • I paired it with a full-frame Nikon Z6 II
  • I've tested the lens over a couple of months, in a wide range of scenarios

I had plenty of time to use the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 lens – at least two months. I paired it with a full-frame Nikon camera, but haven't used it with an APS-C model.

Being a fixed focal length, fixed aperture lens, my testing didn't get bogged down in aperture comparisons and distortion at various focal lengths – I was freed up to use this lens in a very real way.

I've shot everything from portraits to landscapes and everyday observations. I've used the lens in good light and bad, and shot towards and around the sun / strong light sources to check for lens flare characteristics.

First reviewed February 2026

‘The tiniest autofocus lens I’ve played with in over 15 years of testing camera gear’ – the cheap Viltrox body cap full-frame lens is surprisingly sharp and has bags of character
4:00 am |
Author: admin | Category: Camera Lenses Cameras Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: one-minute review

I mean, the pictures don't do justice as to how impossibly small the Viltrox AF 28mm f4.5 lens is. It's a true body cap lens – meaning that you can have it on your Sony, Nikon or Fujifilm mirrorless camera at all times with no real footprint, ready to go for quick wide-angle snaps.

On several occasions throughout my couple of months with what is the tiniest lens I've ever tested, I thought I had lost it, quite literally mistaking it for a body cap in my gear bag (I was testing multiple lenses at the time).

Yet despite the Viltrox AF 28mm f4.5's minuscule proportions – it measures just 15.3mm in length and is a featherweight 60g – it features autofocus and has a respectable f/4.5 fixed aperture. That's way faster than other body cap / pancake-style lenses I've tried, such as the Panasonic 26mm f/8.

Oh, and did I mention that center detail is surprisingly sharp? That'll be the 6 lens elements in 6 groups crammed inside, two of which are ED and another two being aspherical optics.

Quality falls off somewhat at the corners and lens flare is notable. So if you're looking for technical perfection and supreme versatility, then the fixed focal length, fixed aperture Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 is not for you. What it is, though, is a memorable lens that I'm confident you will grow fond of, and by heck is it cheap.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

Just 15mm in length – Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 is a true body cap lens, with a much faster f/4.5 aperture than other such optics, icncuding the Panasonic 26mm f/8. If you don't mind something a little larger and pricier, then there are f/2.8 alternatives. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: price and availability

  • Available in Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mounts
  • It costs $99 / £90 / AU$169, but Viltrox regular discounts its lenses by 15%
  • There's currently no indication of Canon RF or L-mount versions

The Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 first hit the scene for Sony E-mount in September 2024, and has since been launched in Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mount versions. I wouldn't expect a Canon version since the camera giant sued Viltrox and those bridges feel burned (Nikon is next). Viltrox has joined the L-mount alliance, however, so there could be an L-mount version for Panasonic, Leica, and Sigma cameras – this could be a great pairing with the Lumix S9, for example.

The list price at the Viltrox store and trusted retailers is $99 / £90 / AU$169 (see links to the best prices, below). The 28mm f/4.5 is great value at full price, although I regularly see Viltrox doing site-wide discounts of its lenses, typically around 15% off. I've seen the lens for even less at cheap Chinese import online stores.

I usually include an Also Consider section in my reviews, but being available in three mounts there are too many alternatives to sensibly feature individually. For Nikon cameras, the Z 26mm f/2.8 is one possible, but it's 5x the price, while the 24mm f/1.7 DX (for APS-C) is around 2.5x the price – both are bigger than the Viltrox lens.

Fujifilm has its own XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR, which again costs much more than the Viltrox, plus the wider XF 23mm f/2.8 which was announced alongside the X-E5.

Sony makes a wider-angle 20mm f/2.8, while other third parties include TT Artisans with its AF 27mm f/2.8, which is much like Fujifilm's aforementioned 27mm lens for a much lower price.

For more options, check out my best Sony lenses and best Nikon lenses guides. Let me know in the comments below if a best Fujifilm lenses guide would interest you.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: specs

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 specs

Type:

Wide-angle prime

Mount:

Sony E, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X

Sensor:

Full-frame

Focal length:

28mm (or 42mm effective on Sony, Nikon and Fujifilm APS-C cameras)

Max aperture:

f/4.5

Minimum focus:

0.32m, 0.11x magnification

Filter size:

N/A

Dimensions:

60.3 x 15.3mm

Weight:

From 2.1oz / 60g

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: design

Image 1 of 3

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

Yes, there's autofocus! (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 3

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

But at just 15mm, there's no space for a manual focus ring – this is an autofocus-only lens (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 3 of 3

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

There's a charming slider to employ / hide the lens cap which protects the front lens element (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

This is a playful lens, with plenty of quirks that won me over - one being the slide lens cap, which protects the otherwise non weather-sealed lens from damage. It's just as well the lens cap is built-in, really, because a removable lens cap would be the tiniest of them all, no bigger than a dime. I would give myself less than a week before losing such a thing.

And there's nowhere to click a lens cap on in any case – there's no thread for lens filters, which is normally where a clip-on lens cap sits. Nope, it's the neat slide lens cap only, which I heart.

I was honestly surprised that Viltrox was able to fit such a small, but more so, low-cost lens with autofocus. Sat alongside those electronic contacts (which provide full communication between camera and lens for autofocus, plus metadata) is a USB-C port, which makes future firmware updates possible.

Image 1 of 3

Closeup of the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens, protector covering the lens

There's the lens protector in place (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 3

Closeup of the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens, protector removed

And the lens protector hidden (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 3 of 3

Closeup of the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens

The aperture is fixed to f/4.5, which is a decent all-purpose aperture for portraits and landscapes, but not so helpful in low light (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

On the note of focusing, there's another surprise on the flip side – there's no manual focus option whatsoever. No, this is an autofocus lens only – so you're reliant on your camera's autofocus skills.

Thankfully, I found autofocus performance with my mid-range Nikon full-frame camera to be snappy with the lens – but that's hardly a surprise given how lightweight the 6 tiny lens elements are.

I suppose adding a focus ring for manual focus would increase the bulk of the lens and water down its charm, but it was the feature I missed the most as autofocus can miss the mark occasionally. It's helpful to take control at such times.

Minimum focus is 1.05ft/0.32m, which makes for a 0.11x maximum magnification. In short, the lens's close focusing skills are fairly limiting for such a wide-angle lens. The ability to focus closer is a close second on my wishlist for this lens.

I don't mind the fixed f/4.5 aperture, though – that's right, you can't stop down to increase depth of field. For me, f/4.5 is a decent all-purpose aperture with a full-frame camera – it's shallow enough to blur backgrounds (when your subject / focus distance is close), and deep enough for sharp detail when your focus distance is further. What it's less ideal for, however, is low-light photography.

Image 1 of 2

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens mounted to a Nikon mirrorless camera, outdoors in open nature

And here's the lens attached to a Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera. The camera's grip is longer than the lens! (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 2

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens mounted to a Nikon mirrorless camera, outdoors in open nature

Despite being a mid-range camera, my Z6 II felt a little big for the lens. I reckon a vlogging/rangefinder-style APS-C camera like the Nikon Z30, Sony ZV-E10 II and Fujifilm X-E5 could be an ideal pairing (the lens is currently available in Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mounts, not Canon RF or L-mount). (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

As you can see in the product photo above, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 lens tucks in neatly on a full-frame camera. In fact, the grip on the Z6 II camera I was using for this test is deeper than the lens.

For me, Viltrox's body cap-style lens makes more sense being paired with a smaller camera than the mid-range model, above, and even more sense with an APS-C model rather than full-frame. I'll explain why in a moment.

It's currently made for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Fujifilm X-mount versions, so the kinds of slimline cameras that would suit the lens include the Sony ZV-E10 II / A6700, Fujifilm X-E series / X-M5 and the Nikon Z30 / Zf series. Lumix users will surely hope that an L-mount version is forthcoming, especially since Viltrox joined the L-mount alliance last year.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5: Performance

Image 1 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: man in blur beanie hat with autumnal ferns behind him

With a 0.32m minimum focus distance, selfies are possible (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: an old church in the UK

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 3 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: inside an old church, with an open bible on a pew

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 4 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: a dew covered spider's web in long grass

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 5 of 5

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: a lone tree in a hilly common

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

As for image quality, I have been pleasantly surprised. Detail is nice and sharp in the center. You'll find plenty other even sharper premium primes, but with a little additional sharpness applied in Adobe Camera Raw, I'm not complaining here at all. On the contrary, I'm impressed.

Sharpness falls off at the corners somewhat, and there's heavy vignetting in the corners, which again benefit from corrections in post. That said, those two notable lens distortions direct the gaze in the center of images and can add character, and as such I've avoided heavy-handed lens corrections and leaned into that style with my sample pictures.

It's these corner lens distortions that also make a strong case for using the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 lens with an APS-C camera, as most of its image quality foibles (technically-speaking) fall outside the 42mm effective frame.

I've not used the lens with an APS-C camera, but if that were all I had done, I'd be even more impressed by the optical quality as those heavier distortions would be outside the frame. And, that tighter perspective with APS-C makes it a compelling everyday lens – you'd never need to take it off the camera.

Image 1 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: bamboo leaves with sunlight bursting through

Sunstars are pronounced (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 2 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: tree roots, moss and fallen autumn leaves

Strong light above this scene is leaking into the top left of frame, reducing contrast (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 3 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: portrait silhouette with pronounced light leak

An accidental lens leak. I like it! (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 4 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: an elevated view of a common on a misty morning

Vignetting (light fall-off) is heavy. It's a good idea to dial in ±1EV exposure compensation to avoid images appearing too dark (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 5 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: selfie of a man in front of a tree

When the conditions are easy – outside in bright daylight but in the shade, image quality is perfectly serviceable (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Image 6 of 6

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 image gallery: a fern sprouting from the base of an old tree, surrounded by moss

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The same sentiment for corner quality can be said for lens flare. Viltrox itself bills the starburst effect as a draw to this lens – it's a pronounced and a little over the top at times, but again, I'm filing this under characterful rather than ugly.

I've been able to get a couple of light leak affects to when shooting towards the sun, too. These are the kind of effects that could do well in 2026 and beyond, where authentic and lo-fi images are trending over technically perfect ones.

The 'flaws' I've drawn out in this review are worth noting, but take them within context; this is a tiny, sub $100 lens. Design drawbacks and optical quirks only add to the charm of a lens that I'm very fond of.

Should I buy the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5?

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens mounted to a Nikon mirrorless camera, outdoors in open nature

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Buy it if...

You want a tiny lens that lives on your camera
Never has the term 'body cap lens' felt so more apt.

You're bored of 'perfect' lenses
It's design is quirky and its images even more so, but not in a gimmicky way – center sharpness is complimented by corner and lens flare distortion.

Don't buy it if...

You're a low light photographer
The fixed f/4.5 aperture is a little limiting in low light.

You're short of lenses
I'd class the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 as a fun backup for pricier, bulkier optics that are more able to deliver in more situations.

How I tested the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 body cap lens in photographer's hand

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
  • Viltrox sent me the Z-mount version of the lens
  • I paired it with a full-frame Nikon Z6 II
  • I've tested the lens over a couple of months, in a wide range of scenarios

I had plenty of time to use the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 lens – at least two months. I paired it with a full-frame Nikon camera, but haven't used it with an APS-C model.

Being a fixed focal length, fixed aperture lens, my testing didn't get bogged down in aperture comparisons and distortion at various focal lengths – I was freed up to use this lens in a very real way.

I've shot everything from portraits to landscapes and everyday observations. I've used the lens in good light and bad, and shot towards and around the sun / strong light sources to check for lens flare characteristics.

First reviewed February 2026

FiiO’s new elite hi-res audio player will delight you, provided you serve it only the best –but disappoint it at your peril
2:30 pm | January 31, 2026
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Portable Media Players | Tags: | Comments: Off

FiiO M27: Two-minute review

If there’s a stone FiiO has left unturned in the way it’s specified and built the M27 digital audio player, it’s invisible.

This is a portable(ish) music player for which the word ‘uncompromised’ is almost an understatement. Specification is thorough to the point of exhaustion. Twin ESS Sabre DACS with 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 compatibility, aptX Lossless and LDAC for Bluetooth, balanced and unbalanced analogue outputs, a super-slick Android 13 operating experience, a whole host of modes that allow the M27 to work as a USB DAC, a digital transport, a desktop system host and more besides… the list goes on.

So if you want a player (a big and heavy player, let’s be honest) with enough power to drive even the trickiest of headphones, with battery life that’s approaching ‘epic’, and that arrives with its own little desktop charging stand with integrated cooling fan, you’ve come to the right place.

All of this would count for very little, though, if the FiiO M27 didn’t have it where it really counts. Happily, this is a great-sounding machine – or, at least, it is if you treat it respectfully. Hi-res stuff enjoys amazing detail resolution, expansive soundstaging, sky-high dynamic response and the sort of singularity of presentation that makes every listen an event. Lower-resolution stuff, though, is basically exposed to ridicule. So don’t imagine the M27 is about to flatter your choices if your choices are incorrect…

Among the best MP3 players on the market then? Oh, without a doubt.

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Price and release date

  • Released November 2025
  • Priced $1,799 / £1,499 / AU$2,699

The FiiO M27 launched in the middle of November 2025, and in the United Kingdom it’s priced at £1,499. In the United States it sells for $1,799, while in Australia you’re looking at AU$2,699.

And just because it’s possible to pay plenty more than this for a premium digital audio player, that doesn’t mean the M27 hangs out anywhere near the ‘affordable’ category…

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Features

  • Twin ESS Sabre ES9039S PRO DAC chipsets
  • Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Lossless, Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast support
  • 9200mAh battery

FiiO never knowingly underspecifies its products – so when it’s going all-out to create a class-leading, market-defining digital audio player, it follows that the feature-count here is significant.

For the M27, FiiO has leaned heavily on Qualcomm’s expertise. The machine features the company’s QCS6490 chipset with Snapdragon 770G architecture. Along with eight (count ‘em!) Kryo 670 cores and an Adrena 642L GPU, this arrangement promises lightning-fast response times, effortless multitasking and a solid foundation for streaming and playback no matter the size or type of the digital audio file the player is dealing with.

Qualcomm’s QCC5181 chipset makes an appearance too. It facilitates Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connectivity when the M27 is acting as a receiver, and allows for aptX Lossless and LDAC codec compatibility as well as Auracast and Bluetooth LE Audio. The FiiO will also function as a Bluetooth transmitter – in this direction it’s running Bluetooth 5.2 with support for aptX Adaptive and LDAC.

There’s more. Qualcomm’s Dragonwing AI platform, allows the M27 to offer a 31-band PEQ at resolutions up to 32bit/384kHz (among other things), global ‘All to DSD’ functionality for bitrates from DSD64 to DSD256, and fully controllable end-to-end audio processing.

The crucial business of digital-to-analogue conversion is taken care of by a couple of ESS Sabre ES9039 PRO chipsets that are good to go with resolutions of up to 32bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512. They’re supported by sixth (and latest) generation of FiiO’s ‘Digital Audio Purification System’, which deploys a new FPGA and dual RIVER femtosecond crystal oscillators in a drive for vanishingly low jitter and optimal timing accuracy.

The M27 features a replaceable 9200mAh battery, which is a) good news where product longevity is concerned, and b) a massive amount of power. It translates to eight hours of playback via a balanced output or a touch over nine from an unbalanced alternative – and it also allows for power outputs big enough to drive even the most truculent headphones. And on the subject of big power outputs, if you connect the M27 to mains power via a fast charger and select ‘Ultra High Gain’ mode, a giddy 10,000mW of power is available.

Naturally the list goes on (and on). The M27 features a six-stage fully differential audio circuit – it doubles up on the high-quality components like signal relays, volume control chips and TI op-amps in order to independently process each channel of audio information, and then drives them via discrete power supplies. It has a high-current, low-loss, MOSFET-managed power path with big energy storage capacitors; it has copper heatsinks; it has a graphite vapour chamber and graphene thermal conduction pads integrated into the chassis to enable effective cooling.

And it has more besides. But for the sake of brevity, it’s probably enough to know that FiiO has left nothing – by which I mean nothing – to chance where the specification of the M27 is concerned.

Features score: 5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Sound quality

  • Remarkably complete and articulate rendition of hi-res audio files
  • Deeply impressive powers of resolution and organisation
  • Almost comically intolerant of lower resolution stuff

I’m guessing that anyone who’s thinking of dropping this sort of money on a digital audio player is well served for properly high-resolution digital audio content. I certainly hope so – because while the way the M27 handles hi-res stuff is thoroughly enjoyable and deeply impressive, it’s got next-to-no time for stuff that dips below the magic 16bit/44.1kHz point.

So while a 24bit/192kHz file of David Bowie’s Low (which has somehow just had its 50th birthday) is delivered in the most eloquent, revealing and utterly engaging manner, the same content streamed as a 320kbps file via Spotify sounds almost as if the M27 is taking it personally.

Big files are lavishly detailed, arranged on a large and convincingly defined soundstage, and are laid out with considerable ‘left/right’ distance available and quite a lot of ‘front/back’ too. The spaces between elements of the recording are carefully observed, and even if the music involves few participants on this very big stage there’s a tangible sense of ‘togetherness’ about the way the FiiO presents it. The unity of its delivery makes for a confident and believable overall performance.

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

It’s possible to fiddle with the sonic characteristics of the M27 quite extensively, of course - but leave well enough alone and the player has a neutral, uncoloured tonality that makes for a naturalistic presentation. The attention to detail it exhibits means texture and timbre of instruments and of voices are made apparent, and the low-level dynamic variations or harmonic under- and overtones are made apparent every time.

Frequency response, too, is convincing – from the deep, hard-hitting and endless varied bottom end to the bright, attacking top, the FiiO gives every area fair weighting and representation. And in the midrange, it communicates in the most direct and unequivocal manner – if there’s even a transient, minor detail concerning tone, technique, attitude or character in a voice, you can be sure the M27 is handing it over.

Those low frequencies are beautifully shaped and their attack and decay is observed in the hawk-like manner. As a result, rhythmic expression is almost casually correct and momentum levels are always appropriate to the material. Add in apparently limitless dynamic headroom and the full account of big shifts in volume or intensity that results, and the M27 goes quite a distance towards the accolade of ‘best pound-for-pound digital audio player on the market’ it craves.

Lower the tone, though, and cue up some lower-resolution content and the FiiO can’t really disguise its disdain. It’s a bit like watching Lewis Hamilton drive a bog-standard hatchback around a racing track: he’ll wring the maximum out of it, but at the same time he’s got one hand on the wheel, he’s checking his look in the rear-view mirror… it’s too easy.

Give the M27 a stream from Spotify’s free tier and it quite ruthlessly exposes the compression and its knock-on effects where dynamics, detail levels, harmonic accuracy and all the rest of it are concerned. You might be thinking 'Well, it would, no?' but honestly some players try to make the best of this sort of content. The FiiO M27 is simply not one of those players.

Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Design

  • Titanium or aluminium alloy chassis
  • 157 x 85 x 28mm (HxWxD)
  • 6in 1080p touchscreen

Until you see and hold it, the fact the M27 measures 157 x 85 x 28mm (HxWxD) and weighs somewhere between 550g and 630g (depending on your choice of chassis material – aluminium alloy or titanium are available) might seem a little abstract.

And then you see it and hold it, and you realise the FiiO is not ‘portable’ in the way lots of less expensive digital audio players are ‘portable’. This is a hefty unit, and the shirt pocket that’s strong enough to accommodate it has yet to be invented. Think of it in terms of ‘small desktop device’ rather than ‘pocket-friendly go-anywhere player’ and you won’t be far wrong.

Mind you, FiiO has gone to considerable lengths to make sure the look and feel also says ‘premium’ as much as it says ‘chunky’. The industrial design is interesting – angular and pointy but not threateningly so – and the choice of metals for the chassis (titanium or aluminium alloy) is a nice touch too. The front of the M27 is basically all Gorilla Glass-covered 6in 1080p touchscreen display, and the rear panel is a marble-effect slice of glass fibre. FiiO supplies a snug-fitting real leather case to help keep your M27 in tip-top condition. No mention is made of a vegetarian option.

Build quality is unarguable – the FiiO feels solid and made to last. The asking price insists on a certain standard of finish, of course, and it’s a standard the M27 comfortably surpasses.

Design score: 5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Usability and setup

  • Android 13 OS
  • Six functionality modes
  • Fan-assisted charging stand

Accessing the full and exhaustive list of functions and options available to the M27 user can be done via the touchscreen. The FiiO is running an almost complete version of Android 13 as on operating system, and it’s just as swift and responsive to use as the prodigious processing power promises.

There are also a selection of physical controls, though, along with a comprehensive suite of inputs and outputs. On the upper edge of the chassis there’s a big turn/press dial dealing with power on/off and volume control. There are three analogue outputs/headphone sockets up here, too: 3.5mm and 6.3mm balanced connections with a 4.4mm balanced alternative inbetween. On the bottom there’s space for a full-size Toslink digital optical output, a coaxial on an RCA socket (it can function as either an in- or an output), two microSD card slots (each of which can accept cards of up to 2TB capacity), a ’hold’ switch to disable all physical and touch-controls, a switch to turn ‘desktop mode’ on or off, and three USB-C slots. One is for either charging the battery, or powering the M27 from the mains. One is for charging and also for data transfer. The third, which is designated ‘USB HOST’, allows connection to an external DAC if you wish to use your player as a digital transport.

‘Desktop mode’, by the way, bypasses the battery entirely when the M27 is connected to mains power, which obviously has benefits for the life of the battery. The other functionality modes are ‘Android’ (which allows access to third-party streaming apps), ‘Pure Music’ (only the FiiO Music app is available), ‘USB DAC’ (so the player can act as a soundcard for external devices), ‘AirPlay’ (no explanation necessary) ,‘Bluetooth Receiving’ (which turns the M27 into a Bluetooth amplifier), and ‘Coaxial Decoding’ (which allows digital information incoming via the coaxial socket to access the FiiO’s D-to-A circuitry). Something for everyone, I think we can agree.

On the left side of the player you’ll find a few physical control buttons: skip forwards, skip backwards, play/pause and a user-definable ‘multifunction’ control. On the right there’s a fairly large patch behind which the FiiO stores its wireless antennae. And on both sides there’s an area for some completely gratuitous lighting effects.

The M27 is supplied with a neat desktop charging stand with its own line-up of USB-C connections as well as an integrated fan to keep the M27 cool. The protective leather case features a stainless steel hollow-cut panel on its rear, backed by a gel pack, in a further effort to make sure the player runs cool.

Usability and setup score: 5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Value

Fundamentally, the M27 doesn’t do anything that a less affordable digital audio player (not least from the FiiO catalogue) can’t do. But that’s slightly besides the point: the M27 is not only a fine-sounding player with a stack of wider functionality where desktop and full-system use are concerned, but it’s a quite luxurious accessory in the manner of some nice jewellery or a handmade pair of shoes.

If you’re a hard-nosed, clear-eyed consumer than you’ll struggle to make a case for the M27 – but if you value the intangibles as much as, well, the tangibles, there’s an awful lot to like (and to covet, quite frankly) about this FiiO machine.

Value score: 5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

Should I buy the FiiO M27?

Buy it if... 

You’re after an uncompromised hi-res audio experience
The M27 can handle dizzily high resolutions and deliver them either digitally or via a selection of analogue outputs

You own a lot of digital audio content
The ability to up the storage here by as much as 4TB means you should never find yourself short of memory

You like nice things
It’s hard to quantify ‘pride of ownership’ but you know it when you feel it

Don't buy it if... 

You think ‘value for money’ is a live consideration
FiiO itself can offer a huge proportion of the M27’s talents from devices costing considerably less than this

You have a strong idea of what ‘portable’ means
Yes, you can carry the M27 from one place to another easily enough - but don’t imagine it’s going to slip into the back pocket of your jeans

You’re vegetarian
There’s no alternative to the real leather case FiiO supplies – the M27 arrives with it pre-fitted, just to really drive home the point…View Deal

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Also consider

Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000T
You’ve come this far, so you may as well go the whole hog; I reviewed the Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000 for the website a couple of years ago, and it remains an extraordinarily capable device that’s a match for the FiiO M27 in every way. Well, in every way in sonic terms, anyway – FiiO has, not for the first time, managed to undercut its most obvious rival where price is concerned, and as a result your choice of ‘extraordinary digital audio player’ is not as cut-and-dried as it once was.
See my Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000T review

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

How I tested the FiiO M27

I downloaded Qobuz and Tidal streaming service apps from the Google Play store, and slotted a 512GB SanDisk microSD card (filled with hi-res audio content) into one of the two microSD card slots.

I connected the player to wired and wireless headphones of appropriate quality (the Sennheiser IE900 on a 4.4mm balanced connection proved particularly sympathetic), and I also used it as a desktop DAC. And then I listened to lots of different types of music, stored in many different formats and at a variety of resolutions.

  • First reviewed in January 2026
FiiO’s new elite hi-res audio player will delight you, provided you serve it only the best –but disappoint it at your peril
2:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Portable Media Players | Tags: | Comments: Off

FiiO M27: Two-minute review

If there’s a stone FiiO has left unturned in the way it’s specified and built the M27 digital audio player, it’s invisible.

This is a portable(ish) music player for which the word ‘uncompromised’ is almost an understatement. Specification is thorough to the point of exhaustion. Twin ESS Sabre DACS with 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 compatibility, aptX Lossless and LDAC for Bluetooth, balanced and unbalanced analogue outputs, a super-slick Android 13 operating experience, a whole host of modes that allow the M27 to work as a USB DAC, a digital transport, a desktop system host and more besides… the list goes on.

So if you want a player (a big and heavy player, let’s be honest) with enough power to drive even the trickiest of headphones, with battery life that’s approaching ‘epic’, and that arrives with its own little desktop charging stand with integrated cooling fan, you’ve come to the right place.

All of this would count for very little, though, if the FiiO M27 didn’t have it where it really counts. Happily, this is a great-sounding machine – or, at least, it is if you treat it respectfully. Hi-res stuff enjoys amazing detail resolution, expansive soundstaging, sky-high dynamic response and the sort of singularity of presentation that makes every listen an event. Lower-resolution stuff, though, is basically exposed to ridicule. So don’t imagine the M27 is about to flatter your choices if your choices are incorrect…

Among the best MP3 players on the market then? Oh, without a doubt.

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Price and release date

  • Released November 2025
  • Priced $1,799 / £1,499 / AU$2,699

The FiiO M27 launched in the middle of November 2025, and in the United Kingdom it’s priced at £1,499. In the United States it sells for $1,799, while in Australia you’re looking at AU$2,699.

And just because it’s possible to pay plenty more than this for a premium digital audio player, that doesn’t mean the M27 hangs out anywhere near the ‘affordable’ category…

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Features

  • Twin ESS Sabre ES9039S PRO DAC chipsets
  • Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Lossless, Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast support
  • 9200mAh battery

FiiO never knowingly underspecifies its products – so when it’s going all-out to create a class-leading, market-defining digital audio player, it follows that the feature-count here is significant.

For the M27, FiiO has leaned heavily on Qualcomm’s expertise. The machine features the company’s QCS6490 chipset with Snapdragon 770G architecture. Along with eight (count ‘em!) Kryo 670 cores and an Adrena 642L GPU, this arrangement promises lightning-fast response times, effortless multitasking and a solid foundation for streaming and playback no matter the size or type of the digital audio file the player is dealing with.

Qualcomm’s QCC5181 chipset makes an appearance too. It facilitates Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connectivity when the M27 is acting as a receiver, and allows for aptX Lossless and LDAC codec compatibility as well as Auracast and Bluetooth LE Audio. The FiiO will also function as a Bluetooth transmitter – in this direction it’s running Bluetooth 5.2 with support for aptX Adaptive and LDAC.

There’s more. Qualcomm’s Dragonwing AI platform, allows the M27 to offer a 31-band PEQ at resolutions up to 32bit/384kHz (among other things), global ‘All to DSD’ functionality for bitrates from DSD64 to DSD256, and fully controllable end-to-end audio processing.

The crucial business of digital-to-analogue conversion is taken care of by a couple of ESS Sabre ES9039 PRO chipsets that are good to go with resolutions of up to 32bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512. They’re supported by sixth (and latest) generation of FiiO’s ‘Digital Audio Purification System’, which deploys a new FPGA and dual RIVER femtosecond crystal oscillators in a drive for vanishingly low jitter and optimal timing accuracy.

The M27 features a replaceable 9200mAh battery, which is a) good news where product longevity is concerned, and b) a massive amount of power. It translates to eight hours of playback via a balanced output or a touch over nine from an unbalanced alternative – and it also allows for power outputs big enough to drive even the most truculent headphones. And on the subject of big power outputs, if you connect the M27 to mains power via a fast charger and select ‘Ultra High Gain’ mode, a giddy 10,000mW of power is available.

Naturally the list goes on (and on). The M27 features a six-stage fully differential audio circuit – it doubles up on the high-quality components like signal relays, volume control chips and TI op-amps in order to independently process each channel of audio information, and then drives them via discrete power supplies. It has a high-current, low-loss, MOSFET-managed power path with big energy storage capacitors; it has copper heatsinks; it has a graphite vapour chamber and graphene thermal conduction pads integrated into the chassis to enable effective cooling.

And it has more besides. But for the sake of brevity, it’s probably enough to know that FiiO has left nothing – by which I mean nothing – to chance where the specification of the M27 is concerned.

Features score: 5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Sound quality

  • Remarkably complete and articulate rendition of hi-res audio files
  • Deeply impressive powers of resolution and organisation
  • Almost comically intolerant of lower resolution stuff

I’m guessing that anyone who’s thinking of dropping this sort of money on a digital audio player is well served for properly high-resolution digital audio content. I certainly hope so – because while the way the M27 handles hi-res stuff is thoroughly enjoyable and deeply impressive, it’s got next-to-no time for stuff that dips below the magic 16bit/44.1kHz point.

So while a 24bit/192kHz file of David Bowie’s Low (which has somehow just had its 50th birthday) is delivered in the most eloquent, revealing and utterly engaging manner, the same content streamed as a 320kbps file via Spotify sounds almost as if the M27 is taking it personally.

Big files are lavishly detailed, arranged on a large and convincingly defined soundstage, and are laid out with considerable ‘left/right’ distance available and quite a lot of ‘front/back’ too. The spaces between elements of the recording are carefully observed, and even if the music involves few participants on this very big stage there’s a tangible sense of ‘togetherness’ about the way the FiiO presents it. The unity of its delivery makes for a confident and believable overall performance.

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

It’s possible to fiddle with the sonic characteristics of the M27 quite extensively, of course - but leave well enough alone and the player has a neutral, uncoloured tonality that makes for a naturalistic presentation. The attention to detail it exhibits means texture and timbre of instruments and of voices are made apparent, and the low-level dynamic variations or harmonic under- and overtones are made apparent every time.

Frequency response, too, is convincing – from the deep, hard-hitting and endless varied bottom end to the bright, attacking top, the FiiO gives every area fair weighting and representation. And in the midrange, it communicates in the most direct and unequivocal manner – if there’s even a transient, minor detail concerning tone, technique, attitude or character in a voice, you can be sure the M27 is handing it over.

Those low frequencies are beautifully shaped and their attack and decay is observed in the hawk-like manner. As a result, rhythmic expression is almost casually correct and momentum levels are always appropriate to the material. Add in apparently limitless dynamic headroom and the full account of big shifts in volume or intensity that results, and the M27 goes quite a distance towards the accolade of ‘best pound-for-pound digital audio player on the market’ it craves.

Lower the tone, though, and cue up some lower-resolution content and the FiiO can’t really disguise its disdain. It’s a bit like watching Lewis Hamilton drive a bog-standard hatchback around a racing track: he’ll wring the maximum out of it, but at the same time he’s got one hand on the wheel, he’s checking his look in the rear-view mirror… it’s too easy.

Give the M27 a stream from Spotify’s free tier and it quite ruthlessly exposes the compression and its knock-on effects where dynamics, detail levels, harmonic accuracy and all the rest of it are concerned. You might be thinking 'Well, it would, no?' but honestly some players try to make the best of this sort of content. The FiiO M27 is simply not one of those players.

Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Design

  • Titanium or aluminium alloy chassis
  • 157 x 85 x 28mm (HxWxD)
  • 6in 1080p touchscreen

Until you see and hold it, the fact the M27 measures 157 x 85 x 28mm (HxWxD) and weighs somewhere between 550g and 630g (depending on your choice of chassis material – aluminium alloy or titanium are available) might seem a little abstract.

And then you see it and hold it, and you realise the FiiO is not ‘portable’ in the way lots of less expensive digital audio players are ‘portable’. This is a hefty unit, and the shirt pocket that’s strong enough to accommodate it has yet to be invented. Think of it in terms of ‘small desktop device’ rather than ‘pocket-friendly go-anywhere player’ and you won’t be far wrong.

Mind you, FiiO has gone to considerable lengths to make sure the look and feel also says ‘premium’ as much as it says ‘chunky’. The industrial design is interesting – angular and pointy but not threateningly so – and the choice of metals for the chassis (titanium or aluminium alloy) is a nice touch too. The front of the M27 is basically all Gorilla Glass-covered 6in 1080p touchscreen display, and the rear panel is a marble-effect slice of glass fibre. FiiO supplies a snug-fitting real leather case to help keep your M27 in tip-top condition. No mention is made of a vegetarian option.

Build quality is unarguable – the FiiO feels solid and made to last. The asking price insists on a certain standard of finish, of course, and it’s a standard the M27 comfortably surpasses.

Design score: 5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Usability and setup

  • Android 13 OS
  • Six functionality modes
  • Fan-assisted charging stand

Accessing the full and exhaustive list of functions and options available to the M27 user can be done via the touchscreen. The FiiO is running an almost complete version of Android 13 as on operating system, and it’s just as swift and responsive to use as the prodigious processing power promises.

There are also a selection of physical controls, though, along with a comprehensive suite of inputs and outputs. On the upper edge of the chassis there’s a big turn/press dial dealing with power on/off and volume control. There are three analogue outputs/headphone sockets up here, too: 3.5mm and 6.3mm balanced connections with a 4.4mm balanced alternative inbetween. On the bottom there’s space for a full-size Toslink digital optical output, a coaxial on an RCA socket (it can function as either an in- or an output), two microSD card slots (each of which can accept cards of up to 2TB capacity), a ’hold’ switch to disable all physical and touch-controls, a switch to turn ‘desktop mode’ on or off, and three USB-C slots. One is for either charging the battery, or powering the M27 from the mains. One is for charging and also for data transfer. The third, which is designated ‘USB HOST’, allows connection to an external DAC if you wish to use your player as a digital transport.

‘Desktop mode’, by the way, bypasses the battery entirely when the M27 is connected to mains power, which obviously has benefits for the life of the battery. The other functionality modes are ‘Android’ (which allows access to third-party streaming apps), ‘Pure Music’ (only the FiiO Music app is available), ‘USB DAC’ (so the player can act as a soundcard for external devices), ‘AirPlay’ (no explanation necessary) ,‘Bluetooth Receiving’ (which turns the M27 into a Bluetooth amplifier), and ‘Coaxial Decoding’ (which allows digital information incoming via the coaxial socket to access the FiiO’s D-to-A circuitry). Something for everyone, I think we can agree.

On the left side of the player you’ll find a few physical control buttons: skip forwards, skip backwards, play/pause and a user-definable ‘multifunction’ control. On the right there’s a fairly large patch behind which the FiiO stores its wireless antennae. And on both sides there’s an area for some completely gratuitous lighting effects.

The M27 is supplied with a neat desktop charging stand with its own line-up of USB-C connections as well as an integrated fan to keep the M27 cool. The protective leather case features a stainless steel hollow-cut panel on its rear, backed by a gel pack, in a further effort to make sure the player runs cool.

Usability and setup score: 5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Value

Fundamentally, the M27 doesn’t do anything that a less affordable digital audio player (not least from the FiiO catalogue) can’t do. But that’s slightly besides the point: the M27 is not only a fine-sounding player with a stack of wider functionality where desktop and full-system use are concerned, but it’s a quite luxurious accessory in the manner of some nice jewellery or a handmade pair of shoes.

If you’re a hard-nosed, clear-eyed consumer than you’ll struggle to make a case for the M27 – but if you value the intangibles as much as, well, the tangibles, there’s an awful lot to like (and to covet, quite frankly) about this FiiO machine.

Value score: 5 / 5

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

Should I buy the FiiO M27?

Buy it if... 

You’re after an uncompromised hi-res audio experience
The M27 can handle dizzily high resolutions and deliver them either digitally or via a selection of analogue outputs

You own a lot of digital audio content
The ability to up the storage here by as much as 4TB means you should never find yourself short of memory

You like nice things
It’s hard to quantify ‘pride of ownership’ but you know it when you feel it

Don't buy it if... 

You think ‘value for money’ is a live consideration
FiiO itself can offer a huge proportion of the M27’s talents from devices costing considerably less than this

You have a strong idea of what ‘portable’ means
Yes, you can carry the M27 from one place to another easily enough - but don’t imagine it’s going to slip into the back pocket of your jeans

You’re vegetarian
There’s no alternative to the real leather case FiiO supplies – the M27 arrives with it pre-fitted, just to really drive home the point…View Deal

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

FiiO M27 review: Also consider

Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000T
You’ve come this far, so you may as well go the whole hog; I reviewed the Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000 for the website a couple of years ago, and it remains an extraordinarily capable device that’s a match for the FiiO M27 in every way. Well, in every way in sonic terms, anyway – FiiO has, not for the first time, managed to undercut its most obvious rival where price is concerned, and as a result your choice of ‘extraordinary digital audio player’ is not as cut-and-dried as it once was.
See my Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000T review

The FiiO M27 player with screen and dial showing, and content on the screen, on beige or yellow background

(Image credit: Simon Lucas / Future)

How I tested the FiiO M27

I downloaded Qobuz and Tidal streaming service apps from the Google Play store, and slotted a 512GB SanDisk microSD card (filled with hi-res audio content) into one of the two microSD card slots.

I connected the player to wired and wireless headphones of appropriate quality (the Sennheiser IE900 on a 4.4mm balanced connection proved particularly sympathetic), and I also used it as a desktop DAC. And then I listened to lots of different types of music, stored in many different formats and at a variety of resolutions.

  • First reviewed in January 2026
I tested the KYY X90E laptop screen extender – a heavyweight dual-screen portable monitor with a lightweight price-tag
10:15 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

KYY X90E Portable Monitor: 30-second review

KYY is a Chinese hardware maker specialising in portable displays, and the X90E is one of its latest releases.

Described by the makers as a ‘triple laptop screen extender’, more accurately, this is two monitors in a single package, designed to provide three times the normal screen space when used in conjunction with the monitor that the laptop already has.

Its hinged structure places a 15.6-inch 1080p display to the left and the right of the laptop, and connects via a single USB cable.

It can be configured to mirror the contents, so others can see your laptop display from different viewpoints, or provide an extended desktop.

Power can be sourced directly from the laptop, or for extended use, a small USB-C power supply is included.

The obvious limitation of this platform is that it assumes the laptop has USB-C with an ALT-DP capability or Thunderbolt 3 or 4. And, according to KYY, its designed exclusively for Windows PCs, and doesn’t work with Apple MacBook hardware.

At a little over $300 from the makers, and weighing 2.2kg, any purchaser needs to be convinced that the price and the additional carry are worth it for their productivity.

Despite a few limitations at this price point, it’s an obvious candidate for one of the best portable monitors on a budget that we’ve reviewed.

KYY X90E Portable Monitor: Price and availability

KYY X90E Portable Monitor

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
  • How much does it cost? $240/£230
  • When is it out? It available now
  • Where can you get it? Direct from KYY or via online retailers like Amazon

As with previous KYY products, buying directly from the maker isn’t the cheapest way to get the K3 portable monitor. It's selling for $309.99 direct from KYY.

On Amazon.com, it can be found for a standard price of $239.99 - a 20% discount on its official $299.99 list price.

However, on Amazon.co.uk, the same hardware is £229.99, making it slightly more costly to those in the UK. KYY doesn’t sell on the French or German versions of Amazon, but it should be possible to find it in Europe from another online reseller.

Those looking for this hardware should be aware that KYY also makes the X90A and X90D models with different specifications, so make sure you have the X90E variant before clicking the 'buy' button.

Moving away from the KYY brand, there is a collection of remarkably similar products from other Chinese display makers, and some are more expensive, and others slightly cheaper.

Those willing to use 14-inch displays instead of the 15.6-inch displays the X90E offers can be under $200, and ones with three extra displays (making four in total) can be nearer $450.

At the Amazon.com price, this is not a major investment, even if it’s only used sparingly, placing the KYY X90E in the affordable category.

  • Value: 4 / 5

KYY X90E Portable Monitor: Specs

Model:

X90E

Screen Size:

2x 15.6-inch corner to corner

Resolution:

1920 x 1080

Compatibility:

TB4, TB3, USB 4.0, USB-C

Number of Ports:

2

Ports:

2x USB-C (data and power)

Quoted colour spec:

85% NTSC

Quoted contrast:

1200:1

Panel depth:

6 (Hi FRC)

Display Technology:

IPS

Brightness:

300 nits

Size:

388 x 227 x 30mm

Weight:

‎2200g

Accessories included

1x USB-C to USB-A Cable, 1x USB-C to USB-C Cable, 5V 3A 15W Power Adapter

Touch capable

No

Maximum refresh

60Hz

KYY X90E Portable Monitor: Design

KYY X90E Portable Monitor

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
  • Structural integrity
  • Various display arrangements
  • Single cable connectivity

Out of the box, my first impressions of the X90E were positive. It’s constructed like Soviet-era infrastructure, with a metal skin on all non-display surfaces and two remarkably robust hinges linking the two monitors to a central support plate and foot.

The only downside of the rugged construction is that at 2.2kg, this isn’t a minor item to include in a laptop bag, and you will need one made for a 17-inch laptop to fit it.

When it’s unfolded, the width of the whole unit is a whopping 115cm, although you can make it slightly narrower by adjusting the hinges.

The standard orientation is to place the laptop in the middle and have an extra display on either side, but there are various other options, including rotating them back to provide left and right presentation screens, and also folding one screen away.

You can also use that one screen mode in portrait mode, if you like to mix your orientations.

One curiosity about this solution is that instead of there being one OSD and menu controls, each monitor has its own. I can’t seriously think of a scenario where you would configure one screen to have different brightness, contrast or colour temperature than the other, but this system has that capability.

On the subject of OSD menus, these ones don’t have a large amount of features, and the way they are navigated with buttons is painful. What I fail to understand is that these menus look unchanged from the first ones that appeared on tube monitors twenty-five years ago, same horrible fonts, same insipid colours. The maker's logic appears to be that people will only use it once, so there is little point in making it any better.

In this instance, a menu option to ‘copy to other screen’ might have been a smart choice, but clearly, the menu is something that comes with the display panels, and they’re gloriously unaware of each other.

KYY X90E Portable Monitor

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

A feature that I liked much more was that both these displays can be connected using a single USB-C cable to the laptop. That one cable supports ALT-DP to send data to both screens, and also power. The downside of having the one-cable solution is that the screen on a laptop is one of the biggest power consumers, and having three could whittle the battery capacity down rather rapidly.

If you have multiple USB-C ports, you could power the laptop, which might have enough power to drive the external monitors and recharge the battery, or you can use the included 15W PSU to power the monitors directly.

There are only two USB-C inputs on the X90E, one is for connecting and the other is for power, so it’s not possible to give one screen each to two laptops, sadly.

It’s also not on the menu for any laptop that hasn’t got USB-C (or Thunderbolt) or USB-C that supports video output, because there is no HDMI input. While this solution using USB-C is plug and play, requiring no drivers to function, to achieve those standards its exclusively for Windows PCs (7,8.1,10 and 11), and won’t work with Apple MacBook systems.

Overall, the design of the X90E is focused on a specific customer profile who uses a modern Windows laptop with a display between 14-inch and 17-inch. And, while that might seem a little niche, from a percentage viewpoint, it’s a reasonable price for those who might want more screens added to their mobile systems.

  • Design: 3.5 / 5

KYY X90E Portable Monitor

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

KYY X90E Portable Monitor: Performance

  • Better than 300 nits
  • 82% sRGB

Colour Gamut

Percentage

sRGB

82%

AdobeRGB

64%

P3

63%

NTSC

61%

Rec2020

46%

Gamma

2.2

Brightness/Contrast

Maximum Brightness

312.7

Maximum Contrast

900:1

When comparing these displays, we need to be mindful that these are inexpensive IPS technology panels, and therefore, they can’t hold a candle to OLED or MicroLED technology in terms of contrast and colour representation.

That said, the panels on the X90E were significantly better than those on the KYY K3 I previously tested, suggesting that this maker has developed improved designs.

I’m going to assume that the makers quoted 85% NTSC colour gamut is a misunderstanding, because in my tests, that number was closer to 61%. I suspect it got mixed up with the sRGB, as that’s much closer to 85%.

I say that because while the contrast isn’t the 1200:1 that KYY predicts, the brightness of these panels is almost exactly what they claim.

What information isn’t presented here is the uniformity of luminosity, which isn’t wonderful. The rear illumination of this panel is in the middle, with each of the corners being around 15% less illuminated at 100% brightness.

One curiosity I noticed was that the default White Point on these displays is 7600, not the typical 6500. The OSD doesn’t offer specific temperatures, only ‘cool’, ‘warm’ and ‘user’ definable via R, G and B settings.

Looking at this panel overall, it has decent contrast, gamut and tone response, excellent colour accuracy and uniformity, but suffers from the aforementioned luminance uniformity.

Had the backlighting been more diffuse, this might have been a great result.

I’d summarise the X90E as better than anticipated, but hardly something that those working professionally with colour might gravitate to. But for office work and presentation, in an office with blinds, it's definitely a workable option.

KYY X90E Portable Monitor

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
  • Performance: 4 / 5

KYY X90E Portable Monitor: Final verdict

I recall being shocked by how usable the KYY K3 was, but the X90E is an even better solution and an implausibly low price. Yes, it’s on the heavy side, and it won’t work with anything other than a Windows laptop with USB-C or Thunderbolt, but it's hard to argue with its value proposition.

An HDMI input to allow another system to share the screens would have been a nice option, or to allow both the USB-C ports to act as inputs. But that these aren’t included, along with speakers at this price point, isn’t a huge surprise.

If you need to triple your screen space and don’t mind another 2.2kg of luggage, then the KYY X90E might be the right choice for you.

KYY X90E Portable Monitor

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

KYY X90E Portable Monitor: Report card

Value

Cheap from online retailers

4 / 5

Design

Hinges allow for numerous screen layouts

3.5 / 5

Performance

Other than brightness uniformity, these are decent monitors

4 / 5

Total

Excellent value for money if you don’t mind some connection limitations

4 / 5

Should you buy a KYY X90E Portable Monitor?

KYY X90E Portable Monitor

(Image credit: KYY)

Buy it if...

You need extra screens
Attach one cable and you have three screens not one, it's that simple, mostly. These 15.6-inch panels can be used in many ways and can be powered separately.

Don’t buy if...

You need color accuracy
This monitor has a limited colour gamut for a portable display, although the colours it does include are mostly represented well. If you are promoting a product where colour is essential, then this probably isn't the best choice.

You have a laptop without USB-C
This hardware doesn't need a driver to work, but it does require a Windows PC with a USB-C port or Thunderbolt that supports ALT-DP mode. Apple MacBook owners aren't included.

For more options, we've reviewed the best monitors for a dual-screen set-up.

This Nintendo Switch 2 case may not be the most stylish, but its storage space and low price impressed me
7:00 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Consoles & PC Gadgets Gaming Gaming Accessories Nintendo | Tags: | Comments: Off

Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2: review

Looking to protect your precious new Nintendo system? Then the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2 could be worth checking out. This soft case is licensed by Nintendo itself, and has a range of compartments to help you organize your gaming gear – so is it worth picking up?

Well, if you’re not a massive fan of hard cases, it may tempt you. Yes, this is a pretty soft model, although it does still have a solid amount of padding to keep your console safe. You’ll find said padding on either side of the console compartment, which will soak up any impact in the event that you drop the case.

However, there are two other compartments – one in the center of the case, and a net in the front. These aren’t protected by much padding at all. So if you’re housing accessories in there, they may not be as well protected as they’d be in tougher models like the official Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case, which is in our guide to the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories.

Still, there’s plenty of room to house the power cable and adapter and a couple of other gadgets, like the official Nintendo Switch 2 Camera and a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, for example. As a mid-sized case, this one’s not really big enough for your dock – I was able to cram it in, but it was a bit of a tight fit. Other than the three main compartments, there are also six slots for Nintendo Switch 2 or original Switch games, which isn't the most I’ve ever seen, but plenty if you’re going on a short trip.

Person opening up the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2

(Image credit: Future)

When it comes to this case’s design, I have fairly mixed feelings. One thing I do like is the handle, which adapts in length when you lift it up – as seen on the Hori Adventure Pack for Nintendo Switch 2. The handle also flows around the edge of the case, meaning you can pick the case up by its side if you'd prefer. On top of that, the zip is secure, and a hook and loop fastener inside the case keeps your console in place effectively.

However, I’m not a huge fan of how this thing looks. It reminds me of a purse – and not a particularly stylish one. The square-patterned design, the soft feel, the puffed-out appearance… it just doesn’t do it for me. Another thing worth noting is that the fabric exterior is very prone to picking up dust and fibers, which isn’t an issue I face with the official Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case & Screen Protector.

In spite of that, this is still a pretty well-priced case overall. The Puff Pouch comes in with a list price of $29.99 / £24.99 / AU$49.95, but I’ve seen it going for less in some territories – it’s going for as little as £17.50 with some retailers in the UK. Is it the most durable or stylish case I’ve tested? No. But the Hori Puff Pouch should still keep your console nice and safe, and provides a very decent amount of storage – soft case lovers should at least consider it at this price.

Person grabbing the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2

(Image credit: Future)

Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2 review: price & specs

Price

$29.99 / £24.99 / AU$49.95

Dimensions

12.3 x 7 x 3.9in / 313 x 178 x 100mm

Weight

0.4lbs / 186g

Number of game card slots

6

Compartments

3

Handle

Yes

Color

Black

Person grabbing handle on Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Not the sleekest or sturdiest, prone to picking up dust, but decent padding and handle.

3/5

Storage

Well-sized compartments with six game slots, not really large enough for dock.

4/5

Value

Not the most secure or stylish, but moderately priced.

3.5/5

Buy it if…

You want a cost-efficient option
The Puff Pouch has a list price of $29.99 / £24.99 / AU$49.95, but I’ve already seen it going on sale for less. It offers a good deal of quality for the price you pay, so it’s worth checking out if you’re on a budget.

You’re not a lover of the hard cases
If you’re not a huge fan of hard cases, then the Puff Pouch is a nice option. It’s soft, but well-padded, meaning that it’ll still protect your console effectively.

Don’t buy it if…

You need a case that will house your dock
Although you could potentially cram your dock into the Hori Puff Pouch, it would be a real tight fit, and not particularly secure. If you need a true all-in-one option, I’d suggest checking out the Nacon Protection Case XL for Nintendo Switch 2, or Nintendo’s official alternative – I’ve listed the latter in the ‘Also consider’ section if you want more details.

You’re looking for something super stylish
I’m not a huge lover of the Puff Pouch’s design. It looks a little like a purse to me, and not a particularly beautiful one. If you want something a little sleeker, my top recommendation would be the official Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case & Screen Protector.

Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2: also consider

Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case
This is the case I use for my Nintendo Switch 2 day in, day out, and it should definitely be on your radar if you need some protection for your console. Nintendo’s official all-in-one case has individual compartments for your system, your dock, Joy-Con 2, a Pro Controller, cables… you name it. It’s spacious, highly protective, and offers top build quality. It’s expensive, and I wish the handle were wider, but for an all-in-one storage solution, it’s about as good as it gets. Read our full Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case review.

Hori Adventure Pack for Nintendo Switch 2
If you’re after a similarly sized option to the Puff Pouch, then I’d recommend checking out the Hori Adventure Pack for Nintendo Switch 2. You can carry this case traditionally with a handle, or switch things up a bit and use it as a cross-body bag. It’s pretty sturdy, has enough room for a handful of accessories, and doesn’t cost all too much either. Read our full Hori Adventure Pack for Nintendo Switch 2 review.

How I tested the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2

Person opening up the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested over the course of multiple days
  • Took with me to the office and on walks
  • Trialed by a Nintendo Switch 2 owner and life-long gamer

I tested the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2 over the course of a couple of days, using it as the primary mode of transport for my system. I also tried slotting a couple of accessories into the case, including the Hori Piranha Plant Camera for Nintendo Switch 2 and a couple of third-party controllers.

To test the case’s durability, I made sure to drop it from a variety of distances and give the exterior a good scratching. Following this, I had a look for any wear and tear, to check if the model was as sturdy as advertised on Nintendo’s online store. I also compared this case to rivals on aspects like storage space and looks.

More generally, I’m a day-one Nintendo Switch 2 owner, a lifelong gamer, and an experienced tech reviewer. I’ve reviewed a whole lot of Switch 2 accessories too – I’m talking everything from cases through to screen protectors like the DBrand Prism 2.0 and cameras like the Hori USB Camera.

I tested the world’s first f/1.4 135mm prime, and it’s a portrait photographer’s dream
4:00 am |
Author: admin | Category: Camera Lenses Cameras Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art: One-minute review

The Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A (2025) builds on the now nine year old Sigma Art 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM. So with nearly a decade of technicological and optical advancements, how does Sigma’s latest cutting-edge 135mm prime up the ante?

For starters, the mount options have vastly changed since last time. The original Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM | Art supported Canon EF and Nikon F DSLR mounts, plus Sony E and L-mount, and eventually Sony’s newer mirrorless FE mount, too. By contrast, the new Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A only supports Sony FE and L-mount for mirrorless cameras at present. While it could come to other mounts at some point in the future, it shows the shift in certain camera manufacturers being a little more restrictive (* cough, looking at you, Canon).

The Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art lens attached to a Sony A7R IV body positioned outdoors on a sunny day on a metal outdoor table with a lattice pattern

(Image credit: Dan Mold)

The price has also changed – 2017’s Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM | A hit the shelves at $1399 / £1399, whereas the new Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A is $1899 / £1649 / AU$3,499, making it between 18-35% more expensive this time around. This isn’t just down to a decade of inflation and tariffs though, some of this cost will be down to its more premium build and redesign, being the world’s fastest 135mm with an f/1.4 maximum aperture.

But what's the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A actually like to use? Well, it's a phenomenal achievement, from the legendary Japanese lens manufacturer – delivering supremely sharp detail and dreamy bokeh, even if this is a particularly hefty optic.

Bottom line – if you need a short telephoto focal length with a super fast f/1.4 aperture, then this will be the one to go for, provided you shoot on the two mounts it’s currently available for and have deep enough pockets to buy one.

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art: Price and availability

  • Priced at $1,899 / £1,649 / AU$3,499
  • Lens hood, tripod foot collar and soft pouch included
  • Announced in September 2025

When it comes to value, the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art is one of the most expensive 135mm primes on the market, though it’s not quite as expensive as the Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS USM which costs $2399 / £2399, or the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena which retails for $2597 / £2179. That being said, sadly the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 isn’t currently available for either Canon RF or Nikon Z mounts presently so it doesn’t offer a more affordable third-party option for Canon or Nikon users.

However, for the Sony FE and L-mount cameras that it is currently available for, it’s one of the more expensive lenses you can go for, but then it is the only 135mm lens on the market with that super wide f/1.4 aperture. If you're willing to pay the premium over a f/1.8 alternative, this lens is a must-have as you’ll be faced with no other options; it is an excellent portrait lens and one that delivers superb image quality.

For photographers looking for something more portable and svelte, the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 or Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 lenses will be better options and one of the best third-party Sony lenses.

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art: Specs

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art specs

Type:

Short telephoto lens

Mount:

L-Mount, Sony FE

Sensor:

Full-frame

Focal length:

135mm

Max aperture:

f/1.4

Minimum focus:

1.1m

Filter size:

105mm

Dimensions:

111.7x135.5mm

Weight:

50.4oz / 1430g

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art: Design

  • Big and hefty, weighing 50.4oz/1430g
  • Houses 17 elements arranged in 13 groups
  • Has a removable Arca-Swiss tripod foot and collar
  • No optical image stabilization

The new Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art is chunky and that’s perhaps none-too-surprising to achieve its momentous f/1.4 maximum aperture. Its diameter of 111.7mm is larger than its competition and its length of 135.5mm makes it about 18% longer than its predecessor. In fact, it's only the Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 and Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena lenses that are longer, at 147.6mm and 139.5mm respectively.

The Sigma 135mm is heavier than its peers too – tipping the scales at 50.4oz/1,430g it’s significantly heavier than other mirrorless full-frame 135mm primes. Many 135mm primes from the likes of Sony, Samyang, Canon and Nikon all come in around 35% lighter or less, though none achieve the coveted f/1.4 aperture of the Sigma, so this is the price you pay for having a faster lens.

A side-on view of the Sigma 135mm f1.4 DG Art lens attached to a Sony A7R IV body on a metal garden table outdoors with lots of bokeh in the background

(Image credit: Dan Mold)

The barrel houses 17 elements arranged in 13 groups, four of which are large FLD glass elements along with strategically placed high dispersion glass which Sigma claims can suppress axial chromatic aberration. There’s also not one but two HLA (High response Linear Actuator) motors which drive the autofocus – the floating focus system allows two lens groups to be moved independently – I'll touch more on how it performs in the next section.

The original Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM | Art lacked image stabilization when it came out nine years ago and unfortunately the new Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A omits this once again. However, while the original launched for predominantly for DSLRs, this new Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A is built with modern mirrorless bodies in-mind, many of which have very good in-body image stabilization (IBIS) which is more effective than optical stabilization (OIS) anyway, so it’s less of an issue that it would have been back then. We also have to remember that adding stabilization to the lens would likely result in the lens being even bigger – something I’m sure Sigma would be keen to avoid with its already very tank-like build.

I got hold of the Sony FE version, though the lens can also be picked up for L-mount alliance cameras, which includes Sigma, Panasonic and Leica bodies. It has a nice brass metal mount with a weather seal around it, showing that the lens has some sealing and protection from the elements, which is to be expected from Sigma’s premium 'Art' range (and this price point).

Sigma 135mm f1.4 DG Art lens attached to a Sony A7R IV body positioned on a metal garden table outdoors with lots of bokeh in the background

The front element of the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A is huge and takes 105mm screw-in filters (Image credit: Dan Mold)

Taking the front lens cap off reveals the huge front element, which has an oil and water repellent coating and also takes enormous 105mm screw-in filters. The front element is so large that the lens barrel protrudes at the front to make space for it (and presumably to protect it). This upshot is that the lens feels secure in the hand, with your supporting hand naturally resting on the focus ring.

A close-up of the focus ring on the Sigma 135mm f1.4 DG Art lens

The focus ring is a bit smaller than its predecessor but it offers plenty of grip and feels secure in the hand. It's smooth to turn, too. (Image credit: Dan Mold)

Speaking of the focus ring, it’s significantly thinner than the old version at just 2cm wide, perhaps showing the shift away from manual focus, especially with how good modern face and eye detection autofocus systems have become in the past decade.

Looking at the new and old Sigma 135mm lenses side by side, the difference in real estate given to the focus ring is quite stark and has to be around half as wide this time around. That being said, its knurled rubber design offers plenty to hold on to and is smooth to turn. With the move to mirrorless, focusing manually is electronic rather than mechanical, which means we also miss out on a focus distance window.

The lens now comes with a tripod foot collar, you'll get a better balance on a monopod/tripod and reduce strain versus handheld shooting. I actually preferred attaching to a monopod while shooting outdoors to give me a more stable platform, especially when nailing such a delicately thin slice of focus shooting wide open at f/1.4.

The collar is removable, and while it can be screwed into a tripod or monopod, the foot has also been machined to work in Arca-Swiss mounts without the need to attach a plate.

A close-up of the tripod foot with Arca-Swiss mount on the Sigma 135mm f1.4 DG Art lens

One nice feature of the Sigma 135mm f1.4 DG Art lens is that it sports a tripod foot and collar. The foot accepts monopods and tripods, though it's also shaped to fit directly into Arca-Swiss mounts without the need for a quick release plate or adapter (Image credit: Dan Mold)

Also on the lens barrel is a switch to flick between AF/MF and there’s an iris ring which can be used to control the lens aperture, complimented by another switch to engage or disable the aperture ring from clicking – a handy feature for videographers who like the smoother un-clicked operation. It can also be locked into the ‘A’ position if you’d prefer not to use it at all and instead set the aperture via the camera body.

A close-up of the iris ring on the Sigma 135mm f1.4 DG Art lens

The lens barrel sports an iris ring for changing the aperture value if you prefer. It can also be locked off at the A position if you prefer to set the aperture in the camera body and it can also be clicked or declicked, the latter is more suitable for video. (Image credit: Dan Mold)

To wrap up, you’ll also find two AFL buttons on the lens, spaced 90-degrees apart from each other, with one on the left and the other on the top of the barrel for easy access when shooting in landscape or portrait orientation. These buttons can be assigned to a range of functions.

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art: Performance

  • Stunning shallow depth of field effects with f/1.4 aperture
  • Good face detection and eye tracking with my Sony test body
  • Some vignetting when shooting wide open at f/1.4

As previoously mentioned, the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DC | Art is a big and chunky lens that's almost twice as heavy as some of its rivals. This does make it a little unwieldy to use and I'd recommend a camera body with in-body image stabilization (IBIS) to reduce camera-shake – I paired it with the Sony A7R V.

If using a smaller body which lacks a vertical grip, I would also recommend adding a battery grip improve balance with the lens – it helps to keep the camera and lens more stable when taking photos in the portrait orientation.

Image 1 of 3

A test shot of a toy metal robot with string lights set up behind it to produce bokeh at different apertures

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.4, 1/3200 sec, ISO1600 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 2 of 3

A test shot of a toy metal robot with string lights set up behind it to produce bokeh at different apertures

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.8, 1/2000 sec, ISO1600 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 3 of 3

A test shot of a toy metal robot with string lights set up behind it to produce bokeh at different apertures

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/2.8, 1/1000 sec, ISO1600 (Image credit: Dan Mold)

The addition of the tripod foot and collar is clearly a welcome addition and will come in use for those shooting on a tripod in a studio or on a monopod for scenarios such as shooting models at an outdoor location, or cars at a racetrack, for example.

Image 1 of 5

Test shots of a female model taken with the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body to show different aperture values

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.4, 1/1250 sec, ISO800 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 2 of 5

Test shots of a female model taken with the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body to show different aperture values

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.8, 1/800 sec, ISO800 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 3 of 5

Test shots of a female model taken with the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body to show different aperture values

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.4, 1/2500 sec, ISO800 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 4 of 5

Test shots of a female model taken with the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body to show different aperture values

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.8, 1/1600 sec, ISO800 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 5 of 5

Test shots of a female model taken with the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body to show different aperture values

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/2.8, 1/640 sec, ISO800 (Image credit: Dan Mold)

Focusing with the compressed 135mm focal length and with the aperture wide open at f/1.4 is a challenge because you’re playing with such a small focus area and very limited depth of field. Luckily, the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DC | Art has quick and accurate focusing through its Dual HLA motors, and nailing focus on the eyes becomes easier when shooting on a tripod or monopod, to eliminate camera-shake.

Your subject will also need to be very steady to avoid subject blur and the focus slipping onto the eyelashes – which is all very well with an accommodating adult, but more of a challenge with animals! You are also somewhat at the mercy of how good the eye detection and subject tracking is on the camera body, but the Sony A7R IV I paired the lens to performed very well.

Image 1 of 7

Test shots of a sausage dog dachshund with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.4, 1/4000 sec, ISO100 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 2 of 7

Test shots of a sausage dog dachshund with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.4, 1/5000 sec, ISO100 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 3 of 7

Test shots of a sausage dog dachshund with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/2.8, 1/2000 sec, ISO100 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 4 of 7

Test shots of a sausage dog dachshund with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.4, 1/8000 sec, ISO100 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 5 of 7

Test shots of a sausage dog dachshund with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.4, 1/6400 sec, ISO100 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 6 of 7

Test shots of a sausage dog dachshund with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/1.4, 1/8000 sec, ISO100 (Image credit: Dan Mold)
Image 7 of 7

Test shots of a sausage dog dachshund with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens on a Sony A7R IV body

Test shot with Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A: f/4, 1/800 sec, ISO100 (Image credit: Dan Mold)

Optically, the lens is razor sharp when you are able to land the focus exactly where you need it on your subject, while the background bokeh blur is stunningly beautiful, with enormous bokeh circles when shooting wide open. The bokeh is huge, smooth and circular due its 13 bladed aperture, and showed no signs of ugly onion ring defects you can get with cheaper optics.

Vignetting is a minor issue when shooting wide open, although this clears up by f/1.8. There is also a very subtle amount of chromatic aberration on edges of contrast, though both of these issues are very easy to fix in post, and for the most part can be dealt with using the profile corrections in editing software with a single click, so for me they're not a big deal.

Should you buy the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art?

Buy it if...

You want the world's only 135mm f/1.4 lens

The Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | A is the only 135mm lens to boast a wide f/1.4 maximum aperture, so if you need such a tool in your arsenal – this is the one to get

You're looking for a bokeh monster

The 135mm f/1.4 lens is a beast when it comes to producing incredible background blur and beautiful large, smooth and circular bokeh

You shoot with Sony or L-mount bodies

Sadly, the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 is, at the time of review, only available for Sony E and L-mount bodies. If you're a portrait professional shooting on either of these systems, this is a lens to consider if your budget can stretch

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget

This is one of the most expensive 135mm portrait lenses on the market – costing $1899 / £1649 / AU$3,499, you'll need deep pockets!

You prefer small and lightweight lenses

The Sigma 135mm f/1.4 is a chunky and heavy lens and its unwieldy handling makes it difficult to shoot with handheld – a monopod or tripod is often preferred to steady the frame

You don't need the f/1.4 aperture

If you don't shoot in super dim conditions or require the extra shallow depth of field that this lens will give you, there are numerous other options from Sony and third-partiesView Deal

How I tested the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art

  • I used the lens for a month, capturing everything from controlled still-life setups at home to outdoor portraits
  • I paired it with the 61MP Sony A7R V full-frame body, zooming in on images to assess resolution and clarity
  • I took shots throughout the aperture range, focusing up close and further away to judge image sharpness

I used the Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art lens for a month, paired with a Sony A7R V to produce incredibly detailed 61MP files so I could zoom in and thoroughly inspect the image quality.

I shot a range of subjects from indoor still life setups to portrait shoots outdoors with the lens and shot at all of the available apertures to see how image quality and vignetting were handled throughout the aperture range.

I took a range of pictures with in-camera lens corrections both enabled and disabled to see the difference. I also shot in raw and JPEG formats, and gauged how things like corner sharpness and vignetting changed at different aperture values.

  • First reviewed January 2026
I tested the Asus V16 and it’s as portable as large gaming laptops get — but this isn’t the only aspect that impressed me
12:13 pm | January 30, 2026
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Asus V16: Two-minute review

The V16 is a large gaming laptop with a strong spec at an appealing price point. It looks understated yet elegant, thanks to the smooth finish and lack of gaming-related embellishments. The rounded edges and smooth planes further add to its minimalist appeal.

What’s more, the V16 is remarkably sleek by the standards of its class. Despite the large 16-inch size display, its body is very thin and light, making it a contender for the best gaming laptop you can realistically carry around with you.

The build quality of the V16 is also commendable, featuring materials that feel premium and well put-together. It’s more solid than some of its rivals, although it’s perhaps not the sturdiest gaming laptop in existence.

There are enough connectivity options to satisfy most gamers, although the lack of an RJ-45 port might disappoint keen online players. The fact that all but one of the V16’s interfaces are located on the left – and none on the rear – might also be a pain point for some.

Rear three-quarter view of Asus V16 open on desk with pink wall in background

(Image credit: Future)

MyAsus is the utility software bundled with the V16, used to view system information and make performance tweaks. It gets the job done, although the interface and odd loading times make it less polished than rival software.

Thanks to the RTX 4050 in my review unit, the V16 managed to hold its own when contending with today’s AAA titles. I didn’t manage to achieve 60fps at full resolution when playing Cyberpunk 2077, but I still had a smooth and enjoyable experience at around 50fps with Ray Tracing enabled.

Heat made its way onto the keyboard while playing, with the space bar experiencing the most intense temperatures. It was still comfortable to use, though, and more impressively, the fans were relatively hushed.

The 16-inch display on the V16 provides a large vista for showcasing blockbuster titles at their best. The 1920 x 1200 resolution is just about sharp enough for its size too. However, while colors are vibrant enough, they lack the intensity of the best gaming monitors, and reflections can reveal themselves all too readily.

The starting price of the V16 makes it a tempting proposition, although there are others with similar costs that offer a better spec, such as the Acer Nitro V 15, which features an RTX 5050 in its base model instead of a 4050. However, the portable design, large display, and excellent keyboard are all points in the V16’s favor, resulting in a strong contender in the mid-range gaming laptop market.

Asus V16 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of webcam on Asus V16 with pink wall in background

(Image credit: Future)
  • Starting from $949.99 / £849.99 / AU$1,399
  • Available now
  • Some rivals are better value

The Asus V16 starts from $949.99 / £849.99 / AU$1,399 and is available now. The base models in each region differ: the US gets an Intel Core 7 and an RTX 3050, the UK a Core 5 and an RTX 4050, and the Australian a Core 5 and RTX 3050. In the UK, we’ve also seen the RTX 5050 variant on sale for less than the 4050 counterpart.

This is a reasonable starting price for an RTX 40 series-equipped laptop. However, there are some rivals that represent better value, such as the Acer Nitro V 15, which has a significantly lower starting price (in the US, at least) but features an RTX 5050 rather than a 4050. Its display is an inch smaller, though, and it's decidedly bulkier and therefore less portable.

If you want to spend even less money, the MSI Cyborg 15 is a strong budget pick. You’ll have to settle for an RTX 30 series GPU to keep the costs down, but this still offers passable performance, and the overall design and brilliant keyboard of the Cyborg certainly haven’t fallen victim to cost-cutting.

  • Value: 3.5 / 5

Asus V16 review: Specs

Asus V16 review configuration

CPU

Intel Core 5 210H (8 cores) 2.2GHz

GPU

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 6GB

RAM

16GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM

Storage

512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD

Display

16.0-inch, WUXGA (1920 x 1200) 16:10, 144Hz, Anti-glare

Ports and Connectivity

1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack; Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3

Battery

63Wh

Dimensions

14.06 x 9.87 x 0.71 ~ 0.87in (357 x 251 x 18 ~ 22mm)

Weight

4.30lbs / 1.95kg

Asus V16 review: Design

Close-up of right side of keyboard with blue backlighting on Asus V16

(Image credit: Future)
  • Impressively light and thin
  • Decent build quality
  • Sufficient utility software

To look at, the V16 cuts a very un-gamerish figure. Only a small and discreet Asus logo adorns the lid, while the perfectly flat contours, unsullied by any of the protrusions or sharp angles typical for this class of device, further belie its gaming prowess.

Setting the V16 apart even more from its equally large rivals are its weight and dimensions: even the best laptops would envy just how light and thin it is. This makes it much easier to carry around than you might imagine – although you’ll still need plenty of space in your bag to accommodate its 16-inch diagonal.

Materials are impressively premium, too. The chassis has a super smooth finish, while the keys have a very subtle texture that enhances their tactility. What’s more, the whole construction feels quite solid, with minimal – but still noticeable – flexing to the panels.

Port selection on the V16 is adequate. There’s no ethernet port, which online gamers might lament, but you still get an HDMI port and a headset jack. There are also two USB-A ports and one USB-C port, the latter of which supports both power delivery and external displays.

Close-up of left side of keyboard with blue backlighting on Asus V16

(Image credit: Future)

All ports are loaded on the left-hand side, except for one of the USB-A ports, which is on the right. This lack of balance might prove inconvenient depending on your setup, especially for those who like some on the rear.

The utility software for the V16, MyAsus, doesn’t exactly have the most enticing interface, and the fact it shows loading bars every time you open it is a little disconcerting, even if they don't take long. The app contains some useful system information and various settings you can adjust. Along with the usual fan profile selections, you can also adjust the GPU operation, with modes ranging from Standard to Optimized, that control when and where the GPU and integrated graphics are employed.

  • Design: 4.5 / 5

Asus V16 review: Performance

Close-up of left-side ports on Asus V16, on a desk

(Image credit: Future)
  • Smooth but unspectacular performance
  • Surprisingly quiet
  • Excellent keyboard
Asus V16 benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Single Core): 2,400; (Multi Core): 9,093
Cinebench R23 (Multi Core): 11,766
Cinebench R24 (Single Core): 104 (Multi Core): 684
Crossmark Overall: 1,598
3DMark Night Raid: 45,660; Fire Strike: 17,587; Steel Nomad: 1,543; Solar Bay: 30,689; Solar Bay Unlimited: 32,976; Solar Bay Extreme: 6,387; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 3,515
BlackMagicDisk Read: 1,689MB/s; Write: 204MB/s
Civilization VII (1200p, AMD FSR, High): 77fps; (1080p, High): 105fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1200p, Highest, Balanced upscaling): 120fps; (1080p, Highest, SMAA x4, no upscaling): 69fps
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1200p, Ultra): 35fps; (1080p, Ultra): 37fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1200p, Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 60fps; (1080p, Ray Tracing: Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 36fps; (1080p, Ultra, no upscaling): 50fps
Marvel Rivals (1200p, Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 35fps; (1200p, no upscaling, Low): 58fps

The combination of the Intel Core 5 and RTX 4050 in my review unit resulted in respectable, if not outstanding, gaming performance. I got around 50fps when I played Cyberpunk 2077 at the Ray Tracing: Low preset. More importantly, I experienced virtually no slowdown or stuttering, even during busy scenes, which is always something to prize.

A small amount of heat was generated on the keyboard during my play time, but this was never uncomfortable. Oddly enough, the space bar experienced the highest temperatures, rather than the rear, as is the case with many other gaming laptops. Also unusual was the fact that the sides and underneath stayed remarkably cool as well.

As expected, the fans in the V16 whirred continuously while playing demanding titles, but the noise was suppressed quite well. Also, the tone and pitch was far less grating than in other gaming laptops I’ve tried.

The large 16-inch display of the V16 is certainly great for gaming, with the thin bezels around the screen enhancing the visual experience further. The 1200p resolution also offers sufficient sharpness for the size of the screen.

Close-up of right-side USB-A port on Asus V16, on a desk

(Image credit: Future)

Colors are vibrant enough, although they do seem a little washed-out compared to those rendered on the best gaming laptop displays. What’s more, the display can be quite reflective, although minor positional adjustments were enough to remedy this.

I had no qualms with the keyboard, though. The keys are generously spaced (which is impressive given a number pad is present), so they’re comfortable to use, and the WASD keys are easy to locate thanks to their translucent design and subtly different texture.

While they feel clicky and snappy, the keys also have plenty of dampening, so they never feel harsh when you hammer down on them. They also have a pleasing amount of travel, which further enhances their feedback and tactile nature. The above qualities make the keyboard great for typing as well.

The touchpad on the V16 is probably the biggest I’ve seen on a laptop, which is useful for navigation purposes. Yet despite its size, it didn’t get in the way when using the keyboard for either gaming or typing.

  • Performance: 4 / 5

Asus V16 review: Battery Life

Close-up of touchpad on Asus V16, on a desk

(Image credit: Future)
  • Decent battery life
  • Outlasts rivals

For a gaming laptop, the V16 has a respectable battery life. It managed to last over 12 hours during our movie playback tests, which is several hours better than many others in the sector, and almost double that of the Acer Nitro V 15.

It also posted a commendable result in the PCMark Gaming battery test, lasting just shy of two hours. The Nitro V 15, by contrast, managed a little over 90 minutes.

  • Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Asus V16?

Asus V16 Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The three-figure starting price is always good to see in a gaming laptop, but there are a few rivals that offer even better value.

3.5 / 5

Design

For a large gaming laptop, the V16 is phenomenally light and thin. The quality materials and sturdy construction are further plus points.

4.5 / 5

Performance

AAA performance is pretty good, while the keyboard is enjoyably tactile. The large display is also pleasing, although it’s a bit too reflective.

4 / 5

Battery Life

An enduring lifespan for this class of device. It beats many rivals, although it still flags behind more general laptops.

4 / 5

Total

The V16 might not have cutting-edge AAA performance, but it acquits itself well in other areas. It has some strong rivals at this price point, though.

4 / 5

Buy the Asus V16 if...

You want something portable
The thin, lightweight body of the V16 is quite the feat for a gaming laptop, making it much easier to travel with than other similarly-sized rivals.

You want a great keyboard
The deep travel, satisfying clickiness, and generous dampening of the keys make them a joy to use, whether you’re gaming or typing.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best performance
The RTX 4050 in my review unit was good, but no match for the later 50 series GPUs.

You're on a tighter budget
Although the V16 is well-priced, there are cheaper alternatives with less powerful GPUs, if you can settle for them.

Asus V16 review: also consider

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel
The base model of the Nitro V 15 is arguably better value than the V16, since its starting price (in the US at least) is less, yet it boasts the more recent RTX 5050 GPU. It’s an inch smaller than the V16, though, yet is nowhere near as portable. Read our full Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review.

MSI Cyborg 15
If you’re on a really tight gaming laptop budget, the Cyborg 15 could be a great prick. It’s currently one of the best budget gaming laptops around, thanks to its low price point. You’ll have to settle for an older RTX 30 series GPU to keep the costs down, though, which is a significant downgrade on the 40 series options in the V16. Read our full MSI Cyborg 15 review.

How I tested the Asus V16

  • Tested for several days
  • Ran games and benchmarks
  • Extensive gaming laptop experience

I tested the V16 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming and general browsing.

I played Cyberpunk 2077 at various settings, and ran TechRadar's series of benchmarks tests, designed to comprehensively assess all facets of performance. I also tested battery life by running a movie on a continuous loop until the V16 shut down.

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used a number of systems and components during that time. I've also plenty of experience reviewing gaming laptops of all kinds, from budget offerings to state-of-the-art machines.

  • First reviewed: January 2026
  • Read more about how we test
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