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I tested the world’s first f/1.4 135mm prime, and it’s a portrait photographer’s dream
4:00 am | January 31, 2026
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
I’ve finally found the only gimbal I need — here’s why the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro is my go-to stabilizer for every camera I own
2:00 am |
Author: admin | Category: Camera Accessories Cameras Computers Gadgets Phone Accessories Phones | Comments: Off

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro: two-minute review

If you’re serious about video capture, there’s a good chance that a gimbal is on your ever-growing shopping list. And if you’re looking for something that can support one of the best cameras for YouTube and general video capture, the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro is an option you might want to consider.

This is a pro-spec gimbal that comes with a built-in camera for AI subject tracking and remote viewing, a touchscreen remote, impressive battery life, and a respectable 5.51lbs / 2.5kg maximum payload. It’s packed with features, and the Pro kit comes with a range of useful accessories for not much more than the price of the standalone Pro option.

The MT3 Pro even features a detachable 1.4-inch touchscreen remote, which can be used to control the gimbal from up to 32.8ft / 10m, with the ability to see what the AI tracking camera sees. This is fantastic, whether you’re capturing yourself or simply working at a distance from the camera. You can, of course, also access many gimbal settings via the remote, and there’s a mount that attaches the remote to the multi-angle arm that’s included in the pro kit.

Image 1 of 3

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro side view with a camera attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 3

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro view from above with a camera attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 3

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro detachable remote with 1.4in screen

(Image credit: James Abbott)

In terms of build quality, there’s no faulting the MT3 Pro. It feels like a quality product, as you’d hope and expect for the price. It’s a surprisingly compact gimbal considering it has a maximum payload of 5.51lbs / 2.5kg, which is enough to support a range of different cameras and necessary accessories up to some professional options.

The MT3 Pro is comfortable to hold thanks to the contoured grip and the weight of just 2.36lbs / 1.07kg. Plus, the included mini tripod acts as both a stand and an extended handle / grip. The Pro kit also comes with a multi-angle handle, which is perfect for adding stability in ‘side handle mode’ and for capturing low-angle shots in ‘briefcase mode’. Another useful feature is the ability to switch the camera to portrait mode in a matter of seconds, without having to rebalance the gimbal.

A great aspect of the MT3 Pro is that it comes with everything you need to attach and stabilize smartphones, action cameras, compact cameras and larger mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, and video cameras. For most professionals and advanced users, a mirrorless or video camera will be the obvious camera of choice, but you never know when you may need to attach an action camera or smartphone, so this functionality remains useful – if you shoot just with a phone, however, you'll find a better alternative in our best phone gimbals guide which includes Hohem's own iSteady M7 in top spot.

Image 1 of 2

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro being held in suitcase mode

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 2

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro being held

(Image credit: James Abbott)

The camera mount is Arca-Swiss compatible, which means you can attach your camera and camera cage to the gimbal. Like all gimbals, the MT3 Pro conveniently folds flat for transport and storage. Parts of the MT3 Pro are Teflon-coated, intended to make balancing easier when adjusting the tilt, roll and pan arms. The MT3 Pro was easy enough to balance, and the arms certainly moved with ease during the process.

One of the more interesting features is the AI subject tracking for humans, pets, vehicles, and pretty much any subject you might want to capture. The subject tracking works well, incredibly well, when it comes to locking onto subjects as you move around them, or if the subject itself moves – the gimbal will follow. 'Any subject' may seem vague, but during my testing I was able to select literally anything, and the MT3 Pro would dutifully lock on to it.

The gimbal achieves success here thanks to its 2MP AI camera. This not only allows the gimbal to see the subjects it's tracking, but, as previously mentioned, it also provides a live view of what’s happening in front of the camera. It’s not a live feed from the camera, but it remains useful by allowing you to select the subject to be tracked. You can set custom follow speeds to make the MT3 Pro quicker and generally more responsive when required. You can also use hand gestures to control some functionality of the gimbal, which is useful for vloggers.

The Hohem Joy app allows you to perform several tasks, including updating firmware, controlling the gimbal wirelessly, setting up shooting tasks such as timelapses, and smartphone camera control when stabilizing your smartphone. It’s not the best app of its kind, but it could be worse, and I was surprised to find a firmware update available for the pre-sale MT3 Pro I was testing.

Image 1 of 2

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro close up of the follow focus motor

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 2

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro closeup of the light

(Image credit: James Abbott)

One thing I did find tricky with the MT3 Pro is that some features and functions are tucked away behind multiple button presses, as well as being accessible on the remote. This is fine if you use gimbals daily, but for less frequent users it will take some time to learn what one, two, three or four presses, or a long press, of a button does. Not a dealbreaker, for sure – just something to be aware of.

The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro is an impressive and useful gimbal thanks to these features and others, including the Spot Mini Motor, which can be set up to add easy motorized focusing of your lens / follow focus. This is only available in the Pro kit. Standard features include control of compatible cameras, and there’s also a built-in light. This has Kelvin and brightness control, and although it’s not the brightest it does add useful fill light in some situations.

This and the AI subject tracking will of course take their toll on battery life, but Hohem claims that the 4350mAh battery can provide up to 20 hours of use when these features aren’t being used. I wasn’t able to fully test that claim, but a single charge did more than cover my testing period, which spanned a couple of weeks and multiple shoots.

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro review: price and availability

The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro was announced on January 6 2026, alongside the Hohem iSteady MT3. The latter is a less expensive option with a lower maximum payload and fewer features. The iSteady MT3 models will initially be available in the United States with pre-orders open now. Hohem has suggested that a wider release to the UK, Australia and other regions could follow in March/April.

I reviewed the iSteady MT3 Pro kit, which costs $549, while the iSteady MT3 Pro costs $449. Without listing everything you get in the Pro kit, in addition to what comes with the MT3 Pro, you also receive a carry case, multi-angle handle, a focus motor and associated accessories, among other items, and for just $100 more it's an attractive option. We'll update this page when we have details of pricing and availability for regions outside the US.

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro review: specs

Dimensions:

Folded: 8.5 x 11.6 x 2.6 inches / 216 x 295 x 65mm / Unfolded: 13.3 x 5.9 x 7.8 inches / 338 x 150 x 199mm

Weight:

2.36lbs / 1070g

Max payload:

5.51lbs / 2.5kg

Verical shooting:

Yes

Compatible phone width:

58 to 90mm

Connectivity:

USB-C / Bluetooth

Battery life:

Up to 20 hours (without AI tracking)

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro review: also consider

Hohem iSteady M7

If you only need a gimbal for stabilizing your smartphone, the Hohem iSteady M7 can support devices that weigh up to 1.1lbs / 500g, so even the Max and Ultra models of the phone world can be kept steady. It also features a telescopic extension, AI subject tracking and a detachable touchscreen remote.

Read our Hohem iSteady M7 review

DJI RS4 Mini

The DJI RS4 Mini is a more entry-level option than the MT3 Pro, but comes in at a lower price while retaining DJI’s signature quality. It also features AI subject tracking, and a maximum payload of 4.4lbs / 2kg. The arms are on the stiff side when it comes to balancing, but it’s otherwise a worthy consideration if you’re on a budget. DJI also has the pricier RS4 in its range, and more recently announced the RS5.

Read our DJI RS4 Mini review

Should I buy the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro?

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro with its light on

(Image credit: James Abbott)

Buy it if...

You want excellent subject tracking
The AI-powered subject tracking, along with the live view from the AI camera, is fantastic for keeping your camera locked onto the subject, whether that’s you or anything else.

You use multiple cameras
If you shoot with a range of different camera formats, including your smartphone, the MT3 Pro has you covered, with mounts for phones and action cameras included.

You need long battery life
With a battery life up to 20 hours when you’re not using AI tracking modes, you should, in theory, be able to get a day’s shooting out of the MT3 Pro.

Don't buy it if...

You only shoot video with a smartphone
With its 5.51lbs / 2.5kg maximum payload, this is a gimbal that’s designed to support up to full-frame mirrorless cameras. A phone-only gimbal would be a more cost-effective option if that's all you use.

You’re on a budget
The iSteady MT3 Pro certainly isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for in terms of features. However, if you’re on a budget, less expensive alternatives are available, including the iSteady MT3.

You rarely shoot handheld
If you only occasionally shoot handheld, a camera cage with handles could be a great option that saves cash. You will need extremely steady hands, though.

How I tested the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro

  • I tested it over a couple of weeks
  • I paired it with a range of cameras
  • I tested all of its features

The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro was tested over a couple of weeks indoors and out, with my smartphone, compact camera and full-frame mirrorless cameras, and with video accessories attached. The gimbal was tested according to what I was shooting, but emphasis was placed upon overall stability and the effectiveness of the AI-powered subject tracking. I also tested the touchscreen remote, the spot mini motor for focus control, and the other accessories included in the kit.

First reviewed January 2026

I’ve finally found the only gimbal I need — here’s why the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro is my go-to stabilizer for every camera I own
2:00 am |
Author: admin | Category: Camera Accessories Cameras Computers Gadgets Phone Accessories Phones | Comments: Off

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro: two-minute review

If you’re serious about video capture, there’s a good chance that a gimbal is on your ever-growing shopping list. And if you’re looking for something that can support one of the best cameras for YouTube and general video capture, the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro is an option you might want to consider.

This is a pro-spec gimbal that comes with a built-in camera for AI subject tracking and remote viewing, a touchscreen remote, impressive battery life, and a respectable 5.51lbs / 2.5kg maximum payload. It’s packed with features, and the Pro kit comes with a range of useful accessories for not much more than the price of the standalone Pro option.

The MT3 Pro even features a detachable 1.4-inch touchscreen remote, which can be used to control the gimbal from up to 32.8ft / 10m, with the ability to see what the AI tracking camera sees. This is fantastic, whether you’re capturing yourself or simply working at a distance from the camera. You can, of course, also access many gimbal settings via the remote, and there’s a mount that attaches the remote to the multi-angle arm that’s included in the pro kit.

Image 1 of 3

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro side view with a camera attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 3

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro view from above with a camera attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 3

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro detachable remote with 1.4in screen

(Image credit: James Abbott)

In terms of build quality, there’s no faulting the MT3 Pro. It feels like a quality product, as you’d hope and expect for the price. It’s a surprisingly compact gimbal considering it has a maximum payload of 5.51lbs / 2.5kg, which is enough to support a range of different cameras and necessary accessories up to some professional options.

The MT3 Pro is comfortable to hold thanks to the contoured grip and the weight of just 2.36lbs / 1.07kg. Plus, the included mini tripod acts as both a stand and an extended handle / grip. The Pro kit also comes with a multi-angle handle, which is perfect for adding stability in ‘side handle mode’ and for capturing low-angle shots in ‘briefcase mode’. Another useful feature is the ability to switch the camera to portrait mode in a matter of seconds, without having to rebalance the gimbal.

A great aspect of the MT3 Pro is that it comes with everything you need to attach and stabilize smartphones, action cameras, compact cameras and larger mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, and video cameras. For most professionals and advanced users, a mirrorless or video camera will be the obvious camera of choice, but you never know when you may need to attach an action camera or smartphone, so this functionality remains useful – if you shoot just with a phone, however, you'll find a better alternative in our best phone gimbals guide which includes Hohem's own iSteady M7 in top spot.

Image 1 of 2

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro being held in suitcase mode

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 2

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro being held

(Image credit: James Abbott)

The camera mount is Arca-Swiss compatible, which means you can attach your camera and camera cage to the gimbal. Like all gimbals, the MT3 Pro conveniently folds flat for transport and storage. Parts of the MT3 Pro are Teflon-coated, intended to make balancing easier when adjusting the tilt, roll and pan arms. The MT3 Pro was easy enough to balance, and the arms certainly moved with ease during the process.

One of the more interesting features is the AI subject tracking for humans, pets, vehicles, and pretty much any subject you might want to capture. The subject tracking works well, incredibly well, when it comes to locking onto subjects as you move around them, or if the subject itself moves – the gimbal will follow. 'Any subject' may seem vague, but during my testing I was able to select literally anything, and the MT3 Pro would dutifully lock on to it.

The gimbal achieves success here thanks to its 2MP AI camera. This not only allows the gimbal to see the subjects it's tracking, but, as previously mentioned, it also provides a live view of what’s happening in front of the camera. It’s not a live feed from the camera, but it remains useful by allowing you to select the subject to be tracked. You can set custom follow speeds to make the MT3 Pro quicker and generally more responsive when required. You can also use hand gestures to control some functionality of the gimbal, which is useful for vloggers.

The Hohem Joy app allows you to perform several tasks, including updating firmware, controlling the gimbal wirelessly, setting up shooting tasks such as timelapses, and smartphone camera control when stabilizing your smartphone. It’s not the best app of its kind, but it could be worse, and I was surprised to find a firmware update available for the pre-sale MT3 Pro I was testing.

Image 1 of 2

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro close up of the follow focus motor

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 2

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro closeup of the light

(Image credit: James Abbott)

One thing I did find tricky with the MT3 Pro is that some features and functions are tucked away behind multiple button presses, as well as being accessible on the remote. This is fine if you use gimbals daily, but for less frequent users it will take some time to learn what one, two, three or four presses, or a long press, of a button does. Not a dealbreaker, for sure – just something to be aware of.

The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro is an impressive and useful gimbal thanks to these features and others, including the Spot Mini Motor, which can be set up to add easy motorized focusing of your lens / follow focus. This is only available in the Pro kit. Standard features include control of compatible cameras, and there’s also a built-in light. This has Kelvin and brightness control, and although it’s not the brightest it does add useful fill light in some situations.

This and the AI subject tracking will of course take their toll on battery life, but Hohem claims that the 4350mAh battery can provide up to 20 hours of use when these features aren’t being used. I wasn’t able to fully test that claim, but a single charge did more than cover my testing period, which spanned a couple of weeks and multiple shoots.

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro review: price and availability

The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro was announced on January 6 2026, alongside the Hohem iSteady MT3. The latter is a less expensive option with a lower maximum payload and fewer features. The iSteady MT3 models will initially be available in the United States with pre-orders open now. Hohem has suggested that a wider release to the UK, Australia and other regions could follow in March/April.

I reviewed the iSteady MT3 Pro kit, which costs $549, while the iSteady MT3 Pro costs $449. Without listing everything you get in the Pro kit, in addition to what comes with the MT3 Pro, you also receive a carry case, multi-angle handle, a focus motor and associated accessories, among other items, and for just $100 more it's an attractive option. We'll update this page when we have details of pricing and availability for regions outside the US.

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro review: specs

Dimensions:

Folded: 8.5 x 11.6 x 2.6 inches / 216 x 295 x 65mm / Unfolded: 13.3 x 5.9 x 7.8 inches / 338 x 150 x 199mm

Weight:

2.36lbs / 1070g

Max payload:

5.51lbs / 2.5kg

Verical shooting:

Yes

Compatible phone width:

58 to 90mm

Connectivity:

USB-C / Bluetooth

Battery life:

Up to 20 hours (without AI tracking)

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro review: also consider

Hohem iSteady M7

If you only need a gimbal for stabilizing your smartphone, the Hohem iSteady M7 can support devices that weigh up to 1.1lbs / 500g, so even the Max and Ultra models of the phone world can be kept steady. It also features a telescopic extension, AI subject tracking and a detachable touchscreen remote.

Read our Hohem iSteady M7 review

DJI RS4 Mini

The DJI RS4 Mini is a more entry-level option than the MT3 Pro, but comes in at a lower price while retaining DJI’s signature quality. It also features AI subject tracking, and a maximum payload of 4.4lbs / 2kg. The arms are on the stiff side when it comes to balancing, but it’s otherwise a worthy consideration if you’re on a budget. DJI also has the pricier RS4 in its range, and more recently announced the RS5.

Read our DJI RS4 Mini review

Should I buy the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro?

Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro with its light on

(Image credit: James Abbott)

Buy it if...

You want excellent subject tracking
The AI-powered subject tracking, along with the live view from the AI camera, is fantastic for keeping your camera locked onto the subject, whether that’s you or anything else.

You use multiple cameras
If you shoot with a range of different camera formats, including your smartphone, the MT3 Pro has you covered, with mounts for phones and action cameras included.

You need long battery life
With a battery life up to 20 hours when you’re not using AI tracking modes, you should, in theory, be able to get a day’s shooting out of the MT3 Pro.

Don't buy it if...

You only shoot video with a smartphone
With its 5.51lbs / 2.5kg maximum payload, this is a gimbal that’s designed to support up to full-frame mirrorless cameras. A phone-only gimbal would be a more cost-effective option if that's all you use.

You’re on a budget
The iSteady MT3 Pro certainly isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for in terms of features. However, if you’re on a budget, less expensive alternatives are available, including the iSteady MT3.

You rarely shoot handheld
If you only occasionally shoot handheld, a camera cage with handles could be a great option that saves cash. You will need extremely steady hands, though.

How I tested the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro

  • I tested it over a couple of weeks
  • I paired it with a range of cameras
  • I tested all of its features

The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro was tested over a couple of weeks indoors and out, with my smartphone, compact camera and full-frame mirrorless cameras, and with video accessories attached. The gimbal was tested according to what I was shooting, but emphasis was placed upon overall stability and the effectiveness of the AI-powered subject tracking. I also tested the touchscreen remote, the spot mini motor for focus control, and the other accessories included in the kit.

First reviewed January 2026

Cairn’s complete dedication to its arduous climb may turn off many, but I found it to be a fulfilling, gratifying, and thoughtful adventure
5:00 pm | January 29, 2026
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Comments: Off

In Cairn, almost every person Aava meets as she ascends Mount Kami and every loved one who leaves her messages from back home, all continuously ask the same question: “Why are you attempting this climb?” It’s a question I kept asking myself when another slip cost me many minutes of careful progress, when my backpack was bereft of food and drink, and when I couldn’t see a clear path upwards. We shared the same answer, though. Sheer stubbornness and dogged determination to reach the top of the damn thing.

It’s amazing what innate and primal feelings an ultimately pointless challenge to climb a big mountain can draw out from us. It’s the same push that’s driven people into keyboard-smashing and mouse-crushing rage just to complete Bennett Foddy’s ridiculous climbers GIRP and Getting Over It.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, PC
Release date: January 29, 2026

Cairn, the climbing adventure from French-based developers, The Game Bakers, thrives on exactly that same desire to conquer a seemingly insurmountable task. And it fully commits to that idea. Sure, there is a well-written story, some charming characters, and a few other elements thrown in, but this is a game where you’ll spend 15 hours or more carefully and deliberately climbing a mountain – and probably falling a few dozen times, too.

Why do we fall, Bruce?

Screenshot from Cairn

(Image credit: Future / The Game Bakers)

It starts, though, in a climbing gym. A place that’s very familiar to me, as I’ve been indoor bouldering for over three years now. While there’s a minimal UI and no in-depth tutorial, the controls and the objective are obvious here, with clearly labelled handholds to guide you.

Best bit

Screenshot from Cairn

(Image credit: Future / The Game Bakers)

Of course, successfully completing a climb is unquestionably the most satisfying part of the game, but I was surprised by how much time I spent in the game's photo mode, too. Usually, I wouldn't look twice, but Cairn offers so many picture-worthy vistas and moments that I lost count of the number of times I took a break to enjoy the scenery and beautiful environment crafted by The Game Bakers.

Getting to grips with the controls doesn’t take too long. You simply control one limb at a time, move it to where you want to go within reach, and press a button to set it down in that position, with Aava grasping an edge or planting her foot if possible. I did experience some clipping through the walls and unnatural limb positions, but these glitches seem inevitable when there’s so much freedom to choose your path.

The game automatically picks which limb it feels is best to move each time based on your balance and weight distribution. I found it works well the majority of the time, though it can cause issues in more panicked moments if the wrong body part you didn’t want to move suddenly comes away from the wall and leaves you in trouble. There is an option to choose which specific limb to use manually, which I made the most of when tackling some risky sections, but you shouldn’t need it for every movement.

I do like to think that my climbing experience helped me to understand and work out an approach to some of the game’s problems, especially when I got to exploit some ideas or techniques that I’ve picked up or seen implemented by others. I think that speaks to The Game Baker’s dedication to getting its core climbing mechanics right, that you can find your way through some routes with genuine climbing technique.

Screenshot from Cairn

(Image credit: Future / The Game Bakers)

This isn’t intended as a boast, but I do wonder how well Cairn will play out to someone with zero experience of or interest in climbing. We are far from the obvious handholds and clearly directed paths of an Uncharted or an Assassin’s Creed game, a further step from the more arcade-y and puzzle-based climbs of Jusant, and not even close to the ludicrousness of a Bennett Foddy-like.

There are maps and guides you can find in some areas of the mountain, but these offer little more than a difficulty gradient and an intended line up increasingly treacherous rock faces of Kam – the specifics of how you follow it are up to you to solve. And you don’t really get feedback on your moves until you’ve made them. Something that may look good could actually put Aava under huge stress, her arms and legs shaking as the camera slowly zooms in to warn you that a fall is imminent unless you change something.

A meditative state

Screenshot from Cairn

(Image credit: Future / The Game Bakers)

So, Cairn isn’t easy, and the path to the top is littered with reminders of past climbers who have abandoned their ascent, gone missing during a climb, or died attempting the challenge.

And yet, even in the face of all this, Aava and I continue to press on, because it’s so satisfying when everything goes just right. We’re unleashing the same screams of anguish, exclamations of exhaustion, and bursts of expletives every time we fall, but also entering the same meditative state when seeing a wall and unleashing the same roars of triumph after finally nailing a tricky section.

You’re rewarded for exploring areas or routes away from the obvious path as well, with a stunning vista that shows off the clean art style and gives the minimal audio a chance to stand out. You can also find food, items, secrets, and hidden points of interest that help further reveal Aava’s character, the lore of the mountain, and the lives of the community that used to live on it.

What I like most about this is that Cairn plays these straight. There are perhaps elements of mysticism and fantasy at play, but there is no grand reveal or bonkers conspiracy hidden in the mountain; instead, the aim is to simply expand the world, understand Aava better, and have a rest between climbs.

Screenshot from Cairn

(Image credit: Future / The Game Bakers)

These moments of downtime, when you can set up your bivouac, are also when you need to engage most with the game’s survival elements. Foraging for food, collecting water, maintaining your health, and mending your climbing gear are all important parts to ensure you reach the top.

I could take or leave these distractions, which aren’t too obtrusive but also not massively engaging. Luckily, there’s a toggle to turn them off completely if you’d prefer, as well as a couple of other assist features that offer better fall protection and more auto-saves.

Much like The Game Bakers’ brilliant boss rush gauntlet, Furi, there’s a level of dedication to a singular idea in Cairn that might put off many who don’t gel with the concept. And even I’ll admit that the game’s punishing nature did make me want to give up multiple times – especially in its gruelling final sections.

But it all comes back to that repeated question: why climb the mountain? Well, when I climb, there’s little else quite so satisfying when you flash a route or puzzle a path through a seemingly impossible problem. When it clicks, Cairn offers exactly that, just on a much grander scale, and somewhere where I can experience it without giving up the safety of a comfy crash mat.

Should you play Cairn?

Play it if…

You play games for the challenge
Cairn isn’t easy, so if you get a lot of satisfaction from games that pit you against tough challenges to overcome, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here.

You appreciate a good story and atmosphere
While it’s not the focus, I was drawn in by Cairn’s story, characters and atmosphere, which gives the game an excellent framework around all the climbing.

You’re a climber
Beginner, intermediate, and expert climbers will all find a lot to like in Cairn, thanks to its clear love of and dedication to the sport.

Don’t play it if…

You want a light and silly climber
As I said, this is nothing like the no-less-challenging but breezier climbing games we’ve seen before, and definitely not as forgiving as a puzzle platformer.

You’re irritated by survival mechanics
The game’s survival elements are fairly light touch, and you can completely disable them if you want, but if you want the full experience, they can be a small irritant.

You’re scared of heights
This one goes without saying, right?

Accessibility

Cairn offers fully remappable controls and size options for subtitles. Outside of that, the rest of the accessibility features are all to do with adjusting the difficulty of the climbing mechanics and intensity of the game’s survival systems.

With the former, you can switch on more obvious feedback when you grab holds and automatically skip some quick time events. For the latter, you can simply turn features on or off, including the need to eat or drink, the need to stock up and maintain your climbing equipment, the ability to quickly recover from a fall, and add more regular auto-saves.

How I reviewed Cairn

I played Cairn for around 18 hours on a PlayStation 5 Pro on a Samsung S90C OLED TV using a DualSense Wireless Controller. I also played a couple of sessions on the PlayStation Portal, which worked well but was a bit more fiddly than I would have preferred.

Audio was played through a Samsung HW-Q930C soundbar or SteelSeries Arctic Nova 7, which helped pick out the minimal yet effective audio design throughout the game.

While the main game took 15 hours to complete, there are reasons for multiple playthroughs if you want to find more secrets, try different routes, or tackle the terrifying 'free solo' mode, where you can't use pitons.

First reviewed January 2026

Bridgerton season 4 part 1 review: Benedict might be the catch of the season, but someone else should be instead — and that’s enough to keep me hooked for part 2
11:01 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Netflix Streaming | Comments: Off

Sometimes, you're simply better off being a young and wild bohemian lothario, loitering in seedy bars and waking up with more than one woman in your bed. Bridgerton season 4 part 1 puts an abrupt stop to Benedict's (Luke Thompson) foolhardy days, and there's a part of me that wonders if things are best left the way they are.

Our first four episodes of the new season have a real 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' energy to them, and not just because Netflix has annoyingly decided to split season 4 in half. While Benedict and new character Sophie (Yerin Ha) charmingly embark on a touch-and-go romance, everything else around them feels like more of the same.

Depending on how much you love Bridgerton, this is either a blessing or a curse. The fact that season 4 sticks so rigidly to its tried and tested format means that we're not really being offered anything new – if you've seen any of the past three seasons, you've seen this one.

Not only that, but Benedict and Sophie's courtship is a blatant rip-off of Cinderella (or perhaps more accurately, the 2004 movie A Cinderella Story). The creative move to a generic fairy tale feels like a low blow for a show that was once at the pioneering forefront of modern period dramas.

But don't worry too much, we're not being completely cheated out of seductive drama. As our four episodes progress, the chemistry between our love interests is undeniable, even if Benedict frequently acts like a total man-child. However, I don't think Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) should have named him as the catch of the season, because that title clearly goes to Violet (Ruth Gemmell).

Benedict is not the beating heart of Bridgerton season 4 part 1, and he's messing things up with Sophie already

I don't need to explain too much story here if you know your Disney princesses. Violet is absolutely sick of the fact that Benedict makes no effort to find a wife, and she's determined to make him her project for the social season.

Across the way, maid Sophie works for fellow new arrival Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung), who immediately inserts herself into the story as a scheming new villain. Araminta functions as our wicked stepmother, stewing furiously when Sophie sneaks off to the first masquerade ball of the season. She steals Benedict's heart while she's there, prompting a town-wide search for the mysterious masked woman without a glove.

Despite it being completely obvious to anyone with eyes that Sophie was that girl, the initial search to bring Benedict and Sophie together is painfully laborious. It's a narrative we've seen in play thousands of times, and nothing about this version is remarkable or authentic. However, the payoff is worth it once they admit their feelings to one another.

Benedict and Sophie are from two completely different worlds, but when they're away from society, they've got all-timer potential. They truly bring out the best in each other, but the second someone else catches wind, the cracks start to show. It's astonishing how Benedict can bring himself up and let himself down in the same breath, and if I were Sophie, I'd be steering well clear of him.

But if all our girls chose to stay single, we wouldn't have a show, would we? Eloise (Claudia Jessie) has siloed herself to the metaphorical shelf, and I wish she could peacefully live the single girl life she's so desperately to cling onto. Francesca (Hannah Dodd) is sexually unfulfilled, while Lady Agatha (Adjoa Andoh) is embroiled in a seemingly pointless feud with Queen Charlotte.

Woe is to be a woman in Bridgerton, if you ask me... except for my new hero, Violet.

Violet is the real star of Bridgerton season 4 – part 2 better treat her amazingly well

Lord Anderson holds Violet's hand

I'm rooting for you, girl. (Image credit: Netflix)

All too often, the older woman is overlooked when it comes to being romantically viable. I'm not talking about the Samantha Jones, Sex and the City type of older woman, but the quietly doting mother who's been pigeonholed into her identity by her circumstances, not who she is. Lady Violet Bridgerton falls into the latter category, but season 4 part 1 is her chance to shine.

Even before Bridgerton started, Violet was a woman on the sidelines. A loyal widow to the husband she lost some years before, her life has been her children, even when it comes to her social standing. She throws lavish parties purely in the hope that she can marry her kids off, never stopping to exist as an individual.

But along comes Lord Anderson (Daniel Francis), intent on getting into Violet's heart and knickers. He's ever the gentleman, taking things as slowly as Violet needs while she comes to the gradual realization that life is indeed for living. Their hidden romance isn't the butt of an elaborate joke but a prize to be sought after, growing in importance as the episodes continue.

We can talk about Benedict, Sophie, or any other youngster until the cows come home, but that is where the real magic is happening. Dynamics that incorporate the effortless representation that you didn't know you needed is what creator Shonda Rhimes does so well. This is women writing for women, in a space where women feel seen, safe, and satisfied all in one. That, my friends, is priceless, no matter how mundane the big picture has become.

It's Violet alone who has me hooked for Bridgerton season 4 part 2, dropping in a month's time. I hope Netflix treats her the way that she should be treated, let alone Lord Anderson.

As for Sophie, she's still got the threat of Benedict's lewd behavior and Araminta's devious plans hanging over her head... but surely a girl will catch a break sooner or later, right?

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Alienware 16X Aurora
7:00 pm | January 28, 2026
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Consoles & PC Gadgets Gaming Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops PC Gaming | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Alienware 16X Aurora: Two minute review

Compared to the Area-51 line of gaming laptops from Alienware, the 16X Aurora is more about simple on-the-go power than benchmark-breaking performance. Starting at $899 (£1,449, AU $2,549), the Alienware 16X Aurora serves as one of the best gaming laptops you can buy under $1K, thanks to its Intel Core 7, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, and 16GB DDR5 RAM. It’s enough to play any big AAA title at 1080p with respectable frame rates, do some light creative content curation, and perform general computing tasks.

Despite all of that, it remains just as portable as a MacBook Air or Razer Blade 16 while maintaining solid performance power alongside the cool design Alienware has spent the past several decades being known for.

The look of the 16X Aurora features anodized aluminum on the top and bottom panels beyond the magnesium alloy interior frame, which balances a nice weight of around 5.66 pounds (2.57 kg) with less than an inch in height when closed. A beautiful deep blue colorway and smooth curvatures around the edges remain in line with Alienware’s design philosophy. Adding a nice amount of ports (no SD Card slot, unfortunately) makes this gaming laptop something that both PC gamers and creators can appreciate.

Alienware 16X Aurora on a desk

(Image credit: Future)

This is why the mid-tier configuration (which is the model Alienware sent to me for review) of the 16X Aurora provides great 1440p performance and portability that allows the laptop, alongside its pretty chunky power adapter brick, to sit in a standard-sized laptop backpack. What we have is an Intel Core Ultra 9, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 laptop GPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD storage.

That’s enough for modern games like Doom: The Dark Ages and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows to be played at nice frame rates and max settings if used in conjunction with Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology. Configuration options don’t get higher than a 5070, as the highest $2,699 price point just increases RAM and SSD storage size. At that price, users are better off getting a gaming laptop with less RAM and SSD storage and going for a higher GPU like a 5070 Ti or 5080.

While the speakers may be below average in sound quality, the other highlight of the 16X Aurora is the beautiful 2560 x 1600 display that also manages to pump out a 240Hz refresh rate. This is definitely perfect for competitive gamers who want to play Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite with the comforts of playing on a gaming desktop. Beyond that, image quality is awesome as well, even if only SDR is available.

One of the biggest things where the 16X Aurora does disappoint is battery life, which is, on average, around four hours. If that wasn’t a big enough issue, charging is relatively slow as well.

Users who don’t mind having to constantly have their battery charger on them at all times are still going to have much to love about the 16X Aurora. Not only does it travel incredibly well space-wise, but it also has enough performance power to play today’s most popular games at good frame rates.

Alienware 16X Aurora: Price and availability

  • How much does it cost? It starts at $899.99 (around £1,449 / AU$2,549)
  • When is it available? Now
  • Where can you get it? From Dell’s online store or other digital retailers

Interested readers can purchase the Alienware 16X Aurora now through Dell’s online store or other digital retailers, including Amazon. The starting price of $899 (£1,449, AU$2,549) provides some solid 1080p performance through the Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 16GB, and 1TB SSD storage, and there are customization options that almost provide parity among the various territories.

The only outlier is the lack of a mid-range review configuration for Australia, requiring 2TB SSD storage when matched with an Intel Core Ultra 9, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, and 32GB DDR5 at AU$3,899. In the US and UK, the configuration I reviewed comes with a 1TB SSD for $1,999.99 (£1,799).

At the highest $2,699 (£2,399, AU$3,899) configuration, you still get the Intel Core Ultra 9 and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 alongside 64GB DDR5 RAM and 4TB SSD storage. One thing that’s constant across all options is the 16-inch 2560 x 1600 display pumping out a 240Hz refresh rate alongside the 1080p webcam.

Alienware 16X Aurora on a desk

(Image credit: Future)

There is value to be had at the lower $899 price point. This places it in direct competition with budget gaming laptops like the Acer Nitro V 15, shaving less than half an inch off the display real estate but providing some outstanding battery life with comparable performance power.

Going into the mid-to-high range options is where the higher prices kick in. However, when you begin looking to spend that kind of money, there are other interesting options. At the highest range of premium laptops, the Razer Blade 16 is what we consider the best overall gaming laptop. Not only does it have the portability and gorgeous display, but can be pushed to 4K-level performance, and also offers better speakers.

  • Value: 2.5 / 5

Alienware 16X Aurora: Specs

The Alienware 16X Aurora is available in several configurations, some of which you can find below:

Alienware 16X Aurora (Review)

Alienware 16X Aurora (Cheapest)

Alienware 16X Aurora (Highest)

Price:

$1,999.99

$899.99

$2,699.99

CPU:

Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX

Intel Core 7 Processor

Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX

Graphics:

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

RAM:

32GB DDR5

16GB DDR5

64GB DDR5

Screen:

16-inch 2560 x 1600 display with 240Hz refresh rate

16-inch 2560 x 1600 display with 240Hz refresh rate

16-inch 2560 x 1600 display with 240Hz refresh rate

Storage:

1TB SSD

1TB SSD

4TB SSD

Ports:

2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports, 2x Type-C, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x universal audio jack (RCA, 3.5 mm), 1x RJ45 Ethernet port, 1X power-adapter port

2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports, 2x Type-C, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x universal audio jack (RCA, 3.5 mm), 1x RJ45 Ethernet port, 1X power-adapter port

2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports, 2x Type-C, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x universal audio jack (RCA, 3.5 mm), 1x RJ45 Ethernet port, 1X power-adapter port

Wireless:

MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 MT7925, 2x2, 802.11be, MU-MIMO, Bluetooth wireless card

MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 MT7925, 2x2, 802.11be, MU-MIMO, Bluetooth wireless card

MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 MT7925, 2x2, 802.11be, MU-MIMO, Bluetooth wireless card

Camera:

1080p at 30 fps, FHD RGB-IR HDR camera, Dual-array microphones

1080p at 30 fps, FHD RGB-IR HDR camera, Dual-array microphones

1080p at 30 fps, FHD RGB-IR HDR camera, Dual-array microphones

Weight:

5.66 pounds (2.57 kg)

5.66 pounds (2.57 kg)

5.66 pounds (2.57 kg)

Dimensions:

0.92 in × 10.45 in × 14.05 in (23.40 mm × 265.43 mm × 356.98 mm)


0.92 in × 10.45 in × 14.05 in (23.40 mm × 265.43 mm × 356.98 mm)

0.92 in × 10.45 in × 14.05 in (23.40 mm × 265.43 mm × 356.98 mm)

Alienware 16X Aurora: Design

  • Weighs 5.66 pounds and less than an inch thick in height when closed
  • Plenty of ports, yet lacks an SD Card slot
  • No biometric security or camera shutter

The Alienware 16X Aurora's design is certainly unique, offering stylish vibes that you're not going to get anywhere else when it comes to gaming laptops in its class.

The deep blue (or 'Interstellar Indigo') color really does blend well with the sleek angles, giving the Alienware 16X Aurora' a unique spaceship aesthetic. The Alienware logo is on the top panel, which is made up of anodized aluminum, as is the bottom of the laptop.

Unlike the Area 51, don’t expect elaborate RGB lighting on anything outside of the single-zone keyboard when opened. Thankfully, there are enough configuration options for color and effects through Alienware’s Command Center app. The interior frame is made up of magnesium alloy, which helps in terms of keeping the 16X Aurora lightweight 5.66 pounds (2.57 kg). When closed, the gaming laptop is less than an inch high at 0.92 inches.

Alienware 16X Aurora on a desk

(Image credit: Future)

On the left-hand side is an Ethernet jack, single USB-A, 3.5 headset jack and a status-indicating LED. That’s matched on the rear with another USB-A, two USB-Cs, and single HDMI port. As mentioned earlier, the lack of an SD Card slot is disappointing, considering the bigger Area 51 laptop has one.

When open, the 16X Aurora features that lovely 16-inch 2560 x 1600 display with a 1080p web camera at the top. It’s a shame that there aren’t any biometric security features in terms of the camera, and the lack of a fingerprint scanner.

Meanwhile, while using the keyboard and touchpad below the speakers feels nice, it would have been good to see it come with mechanical switches like its bigger Area-51 sibling.

  • Design: 4 / 5

Alienware 16X Aurora: Performance

  • Can handle resource-heavy AAA games at 1080p and 1440p
  • Several performance settings through Alienware Command Center
  • Lovely-looking 16-inch 2560 x 1600 display with 240Hz refresh rate

One of the first games that I tested to push 2560x 1600 performance on the Alienware 16X Aurora was Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. An audio/visual masterpiece, it’s a fantastic way to see what a laptop or desktop can do in terms of image quality and frame rate. The 16X Aurora managed to hit an average of 30fps with max settings and around 50fps thanks to Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology.

This was nearly constant with other single-player games as well. I got similar results with Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Black Myth: Wukong on Ultra High settings at around 27fps. Meanwhile, 2025 awards darling Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 worked well on the 16X Aurora, reaching an average of 60fps as well. Finally, Doom: The Dark Ages, provided around 46fps.

Alienware 16X Aurora on a desk

(Image credit: Future)

When it came to multiplayer and competitive games, the Alienware 16X Aurora also provided some solid numbers. Marvel Rivals on ultra settings at native resolution provided an average of 44.7fps. Playing a couple hours of Roblox, every game room performed over 200fps as well. Playing Forza Horizon 5 lent an average frame rate between 60 and 110fps. Even fighters like Street Fighter 6 ran well at max settings with 60fps. As mentioned previously, DLSS, alongside other tech like Frame Generation, can help improve frame rate performance depending on the supported game.

Alienware 16X Aurora Benchmarks

Here's how the Alienware 16X Aurora performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

Geekbench 6 (Multi Core): 19,715; (Single Core): 3,028
Crossmark Overall: 2,321; Productivity: 2,183; Creativity: 2,477; Responsiveness: 2,292
3DMark Fire Strike: 31,480; Steel Nomad: 2,987; Time Spy: 13,594
25GB Copy Test: 1,780 MB/s
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Medium): 43fps
Assassin’s Creed Shadows (1080p, Medium): 63 fps; (1080p, Ultra High) 36fps
Black Myth: Wukong (1080p, Medium) 111fps; (1080p, Cinematic) 45fps

Add Alienware Command Center’s ability into the mix, and general 1440p performance is great when placed in Overdrive mode. At this point, the 16X Aurora’s fans whirr into action while making use of the gaming laptop’s Cryo-Chamber cooling system. One thing that’s for certain is that it doesn’t get loud when performing general gaming tasks, but can turn into a jet engine when pushing specs.

The 16X Aurora can handle modern games at native resolution with strong visual fidelity and competitive performance. Most importantly, games look fantastic on the lovely display. Though it lacks HDR capabilities, image quality and color accuracy is great overall. Playing games with exceptional art design like Dispatch and Lumines Arise are a treat with this display. 100% DCI-P3 and ComfortView Plus makes this great for content creators who use Adobe Suite software, including Photoshop and Premiere Pro. On the other hand, the pure gaming performance of this display is above average as well thanks to its 240Hz refresh rates and G-Sync capabilities.

Alienware 16X Aurora on a desk

(Image credit: Future)

However, it's too bad that the stereo speakers that come inside the 16X Aurora let the laptop down. These speakers feature Dolby Atmos, but often sound hollow while lacking audio nuance. If the cooling fans are engaged at max, hearing anything is incredibly difficult. Listening to music or gaming isn’t a great experience, but audio during video conferences is fairly standard. In adequate lighting conditions alongside a quiet room, using Zoom and Google Meet sessions isn’t that bad. Just don’t expect any webcam software enhancements or the likes here, though the 1080p webcam works well enough.

Taken as a whole, the 16X Aurora delivers a well-rounded experience in terms of game performance and visual quality. Though the audio doesn’t match everything else, that’s what good gaming headsets are for.

  • Performance: 4.5 / 5

Alienware 16X Aurora: Battery life

  • Battery life is around four and a half hours
  • Charging takes around two hours
  • Requires a large power brick adaptor

Gaming laptops aren’t known for their long battery lives, and the Alienware 16X Aurora serves well as an example of this. The six-cell 96Wh Lithium-Ion battery on average lasts just a few hours when the laptop is being used for general computing tasks.

During our Web Surfing (Battery Informant) test, we were only able to get 4 hours and 23 minutes of usage before the laptop ran out of juice. During everyday testing, I was able to get around half of that; meaning users are going to have to carry the large adapter with them at all times.

Don’t expect any quick charging out of the 16X Aurora either, as it’ll take around two hours for this to charge to full. Through the USB-C with DisplayPort, users can also charge a power adapter of adequate power; however, GPU performance will be limited.

  • Battery Life: 2.5 / 5

Should you buy the Alienware 16X Aurora?

Alienware 16X Aurora? Scorecard

Value

The lower spec $899 configuration puts it at the top of most laptops within that range, but the higher $1,999 price tag for more powerful configurations are expensive purchases.

4/ 5

Design

That classic Alienware styling is always a winner, in addition to its portability in size and weight. Despite some great port variety, the lack of an SD Card slot and biometric security in some form is an issue.

4 / 5

Performance

At 1080p and 1440p resolutions, this gaming laptop can handle the best in visually arousing AAA games and high frame rate competitive titles.

4.5 / 5

Battery Life

Less than four and a half hours of battery life is good enough for a bi-coastal trip. Anyone needing more is going to need that large power brick with them.

2.5 / 5

Total

Though battery life, speakers and price are concerns, the Alienware 16X Aurora provides good portability with its slim and light design, great performance and a lovely 16-inch display.

4 / 5

Buy the Alienware 16X Aurora if...

You want solid 1080p or 1440p performance
Anyone wanting excellent 1440p performance will appreciate the Intel Core Ultra 9, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 and 32GB DDR5 for many big AAA titles.

You need a lovely display and high frame rates
The 16-inch 2560 x 1600 display is great for playing games and watching or creating content, while also providing a high 240Hz refresh rate.

You want a portable laptop
Weighing less than six pounds while almost an inch thick when closed makes this a great portable gaming laptop. Add those Alienware-specific design elements alongside a slew of ports, and this is one of the coolest-looking laptops in its class.

Don't buy it if...

You need long battery life
Expect around four hours of battery life for general usage. Attempting to play resource-intensive games means significantly less time between charges.

You want better speaker quality
The Dolby-certified speakers lack high volume levels, and are fairly hollow in audio quality.

You want something affordable
The 1080p lower-end Nvidia RTX 5060 configuration at $899 is a great price but our $1999 review configuration with the 5070 and Intel Core Ultra 9 is definitely pricey.

Also consider

If my Alienware 16X Aurora review has you considering other options, here is another laptop to consider:

Razer Blade 16
Anyone looking for style, portability, and serious power may want to look into the Razer Blade 16 if their pocket is deep enough.

Read our full Razer Blade 16 review

Acer Nitro V 15
If absolute power isn’t your primary concern, and affordability is of the most importance, then the Acer Nitro V 15 is a solid option.

Read our full Acer Nitro V 15 review

How I tested the Alienware 16X Aurora

  • Tested the gaming laptop over the span of a week
  • General computing tasks include Google Docs and Tidal
  • Games played include Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, Forza Horizon 5, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Dispatch, Roblox, Neon Inferno, Lumines Arise and Street Fighter 6

During my week with the Alienware 16X Aurora, I split my time between general computing tasks and gaming. Most of my everyday usage of the gaming laptop started with software like Google Chrome and music streaming service Tidal. Google Chrome allowed me to see how the laptop handled day-to-day tasks, alongside how many tabs could be open at once. Tidal was more of a test of speaker quality through a hi-fi audio music streaming service.

When it came to games, I used Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, and Forza Horizon 5 to test more resource-intensive games. Lower resource-intensive games were used to push frame rates and display refresh rates, and these included Street Fighter 6 and Roblox. Games that I used to showcase color vividness in the display included Dispatch, Neon Inferno and Lumines Arise.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed December 2025
I tested the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo – and it’s another impressive machine at an unbelievable price
2:35 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

The Carbon 2 Combo follows hot on the heels of the Centauri Carbon launched last year, and is aimed as a family friendly multicolour filament machine. While we expected the multicolour filament system for the Carbon, this is still in development and is expected later in the year.

The Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is not only a worthy addition to the original Centauri but also offers a slightly different take on the multifilament design, although it doesn’t stray too far away, offering four-filament printing at an extremely budget-friendly price.

When the Centauri Carbon launched, it stood alone as a machine that was exceptionally cheap for what was on offer, and while the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is still an engineering machine that comes in at a relatively low price, it now has competition from most of the other main manufacturers, so it doesn’t stand out to the same degree.

That said, the Carbon 2 Combo is a solid machine with its sturdy build, and unusually for a multifilament machine at this price, an almost completely enclosed design, although the filaments are still left exposed on the outside of the machine before being passed through the Elegoo CANVAS system into the single nozzle head inside.

Having tested the original Carbon and been impressed, this new iteration is certainly exciting, even more so when the quality of the machine is revealed as it’s removed from the box.

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo: Price and availability

The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is available now and can be purchased directly through the Elegoo US website for $449, and via the Elegoo UK website for £399.

  • Value: 5 / 5

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2: Design

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Once again, the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is a solid and slightly weighty machine considering its small size, coming in at 19.69 x 18.90 x 29.25 inches and weighing 42.66 lb.

While the machine itself does look and feel quite small, once you've put the Perspex top in place to make it completely enclosed and popped the four reels onto the side of the machine, it does start to add to the size and bulk of the unit. But it’s still far smaller than many of the larger fully enclosed systems that I’ve reviewed in the last year.

Again, the styling is nicely product-designed with the main framework of the machine being made out of metal, which gives it that sturdiness and weight, essential for COREXY. Likewise, the four filament reel holders on the side slot on brackets are secured through bolting onto the body, and again, they hold firm and tight and have an exceptionally high-quality feel.

The one oddity is the box that sits on top of the machine. It's very much like the protective covers that you use on resin printers and simply slots over the top of the feeder tubes from the CANVAS unit that's bolted to the top right of the machine.

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Compared with the advanced multifilament boxes with filament drying, this all seems just a little bit more basic, but then again, this is a cheaper multifilament machine than some others, and when you compare it against the likes of the newly released Anycubic Kobra X, it does feel like a level up.

That, and the fact that alongside the use of metal for the main frame, it features a glass door and otherwise very clean industrial styling with very Elegoo futuristic graphics, that do give it an enthusiast rather than professional look.

One of the major features that stands out is the new integrated CANVAS system, which needs to be installed when the machine arrives. Essentially, there’s a single bracket that screws into the top of the machine, and the CANVAS is then mounted onto the bracket. Once it’s attached and that Perspex top is put in place, it all feels nice and secure, if not as product-designed as the rest of the machine.

When it comes to control, Elegoo has really worked at slicing software, and it's pretty much in line with the rest of the industry when it comes to functionality and ease of use. But what really stands out is the front-mounted touchscreen, which again is nice and large, clear and easy to navigate. And with RFID filament reels, it’s extremely easy to use, recognising the filaments that you’ve installed, so you don’t need to go in and manually program them.

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
  • Design: 4 / 5

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2: Features

Specs

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Print Technology: Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)
Build Area: 256 × 256 × 256 mm
Nozzle Diameter: 0.4 mm (included)
Maximum Nozzle Temperature: 350 °C
Maximum Heated Bed Temperature: 110 °C
Print Speed: Up to 500 mm/s
Dimensions: 398× 404× 490mm
Filament: PLA,PETG,PLA-CF,ABA, ASA,PC,PA,PET
Weight: 17.65 kg
Minimum Layer Resolution: 0.08mm
Maximum Layer Resolution: 0.48mm
Bed: Heated bed
Print Surface: Flexible build plate (removable and bendable)
Software: ElegooSlicer (recommended)
Input File Formats: STL, OBJ, 3MF, STEP
Output File Format: G-code
Connectivity: USB Drive, Wi-Fi
Input Power: AC 100–240V, 50/60Hz
Rated Power: 1100W @ 220V / 350W @ 110V
Ambient Operating Temperature: 5°C to 40°C

One of the big new features of the Centauri Carbon 2 is, of course, the fact that you can now do multicolour 3D printing. It does this by means of the CANVAS system, which is bolted to the side of the machine with four filaments mounted on the side feeding through into a single nozzle printhead. It looks a little bit different from most other multicoloured systems on the market, but functions much the same.

Like the original Centauri Carbon, this machine is once again aimed at beginners, hobbyists and anyone who's looking for a relatively small, multifilament-ready machine that can handle engineering materials but is slightly limited for space, and, of course, budget.

What surprised us about the original Centauri was that its price did not reflect its quality. It was an absolutely superb machine for not a great deal of money, and once again, the quality of the Centauri Carbon 2 is of exceptionally high quality. Even against other relatively budget multifilament machines, it is in a class of quality of its own.

The biggest innovation of this new machine is the new CANVAS system. This is essentially a box that sits on top of the machine and feeds the filaments mounted on the side of the machine into the Tool head inside. In order to make the machine fully enclosed, or at least the print area, that Perspex box sits on top, essentially making it almost airtight, giving a far more controlled printing environment than that of the open-style printers that are much more common at this end of the market.

One of the aspects that I like about this machine is the design of the CANVAS system. From the outset it’s just easy to use and as soon as you place the filament into the feeder tube, it’s grabbed and pulled through the system. It doesn’t involve you having to manually feed filament through. Once it’s in, you know it's inserted properly, and the machine essentially handles the rest of the process for you.

Another feature now becoming more common across all 3D printers is the RFID-based filament detection. If you're using the Elegoo RFID filament reels, you can essentially just tap these onto the machine over the RFID reader, and the filament will be recognised before it's used in the system. This means you can't accidentally use ABS to print with a PLA profile.

As with many other manufacturers, Elegoo has its 3D print community platform, which enables the easy sharing of 3D print models and the Elegoo community. This also means that you can instantly download files from the NexaPrint platform directly to the printer without needing to do your own modelling or download from other systems, which just helps to streamline the process for those just getting into 3D printing.

Once again, the machine uses the CoreXY mechanism, which makes it incredibly fast compared with the old Cartesian-style machines. And whilst it still makes a noise when printing, it is relatively low, which makes it a good option if you are using this in the home or in a small office.

As we saw in the Centauri Carbon and in most 3D printers these days, there is a 5-inch touchscreen with an intuitive interface that makes it easy to navigate both the prints and the printer settings.

When it comes to nozzle temperature, the machine is capable of going up to 350°C. This is enough for most engineering materials and elevates this above most other entry-level machines. The enclosed print environment also helps with more complex materials such as ABS and nylon, which require a more stable printing environment to avoid warping and other print defects.

As we’ve now seen across the board from other 3D print manufacturers, there are all of the new features that come with these CoreXY machines that we’ve come to expect, including fast printing, smart auto-levelling, temperature control and, most importantly, consistency across the prints regardless of the material used.

  • Features: 4.5 / 5

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2: Performance

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

I started off with the Centauri Carbon 2 by just running through a series of pre-installed models and was impressed instantly with the quality of model it was capable of producing. Checking out the layer quality of the single filament prints showed just how high-quality a printer this is, which is even more impressive considering the price.

Having run through the single filament prints in a relatively short time, I moved on to the multifilament print. Here, they’ve only included a couple to get started with, one of which is the Elegoo logo on a small badge. Again, this printed in a relatively quick time and, like when used for just a single filament print, the machine started its purging process out of the back, with a small pile of filament building up as each colour was swapped through the CANVAS system to create the print.

While the conditions at the moment are exceptionally cold, around 0°C outside and around 19°C in the workshop, that temperature unfortunately does drop, and the humidity is slightly higher due to the time of year, with the constant rain in the UK. This has meant that, through the test, initially I had the reels mounted on the outside of the machine in the workshop, and some very fine filament hair was appearing on the multicoloured print.

I then moved the machine into the office and replaced the filament, at which point the filament hair disappeared, and the print was clean. This is worth considering, as unlike some of the more expensive multifilament printers that keep the filament in a dry box so it stays in top condition, here, while the machine itself is fully enclosed, the filaments are left exposed on the outside. So, if you are in a workshop or studio where temperatures and humidity can drop and build, this is something to be aware of.

Another point to note is that the filament holders on the side hold card reels well and securely, although with some plastic reels, I had a couple of occasions where the Elegoo PLA reel slipped off the holder. I ended up putting a small rubber sticker onto one of the sides of the holder, which just helped to grip the reel's inner a little more robustly.

As the prints came off the print bed, the printer didn’t fail to impress. The multifilament printing quality is exceptionally good, with clean lines, and when I did a print with white and purple, there was very little contamination between those two filaments, which is an issue that I’m increasingly seeing with some of the cheaper multifilament 3D printers.

When it came to some of the more standard 3D printing traits, the quality of the print was exceptionally good, with the dimensional accuracy being well handled, no doubt helped by that enclosed print environment. While there are some small issues, especially with dimensional accuracy, the overall quality is more than enough for most home and small business users, even if you want to make functional parts.

While standard single and multiple printing is all very well and good, this is the Centauri Carbon 2, so it’s designed to work with engineering materials, not just standard PLA. Taking a look at some common filaments, I was pleased to see the Centauri Carbon 2 was once again able to print with these materials as easily as standard ones, and they seemed to feed through the CANVAS system far more reliably than I’ve found with some of the other multifilament options available. Print quality once again was exceptionally good, and dimensional accuracy really stood out, which is impressive considering the price of this machine.

If you are a small business looking to make functional parts on a budget, then the Centauri Carbon 2 really does live up to expectations.

The one issue here is that, while you can print with these advanced materials, compared with the likes of the H2D and some of the other larger machines, your print area is rather limited, but will still give you good flexibility over what it is that you're printing.

For some more advanced users, this is quite a locked-down system, with very little flexibility, especially through the Elegoo slicer, to really dive deep into the machine settings. It’s good to see that there is live printing and remote monitoring through the software, meaning that for small businesses, this is a really good and affordable option.

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

While standard single and multiple printing is all very well and good, this is the Centauri Carbon 2, so it’s designed to work with engineering materials, not just standard PLA. Taking a look at some common filaments, I was pleased to see the Centauri Carbon 2 was once again able to print with these materials as easily as standard ones, and they seemed to feed through the CANVAS system far more reliably than I’ve found with some of the other multifilament options available. Print quality once again was exceptionally good, and dimensional accuracy really stood out, which is impressive considering the price of this machine.

If you are a small business looking to make functional parts on a budget, then the Centauri Carbon 2 really does live up to expectations.

The one issue here is that, while you can print with these advanced materials, compared with the likes of the H2D and some of the other larger machines, your print area is rather limited, but will still give you good flexibility over what it is that you're printing.

For some more advanced users, this is quite a locked-down system, with very little flexibility, especially through the Elegoo slicer, to really dive deep into the machine settings. It’s good to see that there is live printing and remote monitoring through the software, meaning that for small businesses, this is a really good and affordable option.

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2: Print quality

3D print Test 1

Dimensional accuracy - score of 5

Target 25 = X: 24.93mm / 0.07mm Error | Y: 24.85mm / 0.15mm Error
Target 20 = X: 19.97mm / 0.03mm Error | Y: 20.01mm / 0.01mm Error
Target 15 = X: 14.94mm / 0.06mm Error | Y: 14.95mm / 0.05mm Error
Target 10 = X: 9.96mm / 0.04mm Error | Y: 9.88mm / 0.12mm Error
Target 5 = X: 4.99mm / 0.01mm Error | Y: 5.01mm / 0.01mm Error

X Error Average = 0.042
Y Error Average = 0.068
X&Y Error Average = 0.055

Fine Flow Control - score of 5
Fine Negative Features - score of 5
Overhangs - score of 4
Bridging - score of 5
XY resonance - score of 2.5
Z-axis alignment - score of 2.5

Adding up the totals gives a final score of 29 out of 30.

  • Performance: 4.5 / 5

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2: Final verdict

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Elegoo needed to produce a near-perfect machine with the Centauri Carbon 2, as the original had really surprised the market when it arrived due to its quality and price. While there was some upset when it was announced that there would be no multifilament upgrade for the Centauri Carbon, Elegoo have gone some way to address this with a decent upgrade offer for Centauri owners to the Centauri Carbon 2.

While that still hurts a bit, because you are having to buy an all-new machine, the cost of this new model is only a little more than some other manufacturers charge for the multifilament dry boxes and there is a loyalty program from Elegoo which if you are a Centuri Carbon owner is well worth checking out.

When it comes to print quality, the detail and accuracy of the prints really do stand out, and while there are some imperfections, once again considering the level of this printer, especially when you compare it with printers of the same price from other manufacturers, this is exceptional value. Not only does it stand alongside some of the market leaders, but because it's able to handle engineering materials and has that fully enclosed environment, it is still one of the best-value 3D printers on the market.

Now Elegoo have two phenomenal 3D printers: the Centauri, which really takes the market for single filament engineering printing on a budget, and now the Centauri Carbon 2 offering multifilament printing at the same quality with a similarly sized machine. You have two affordable options for home and business that really don’t fail to impress in almost every way.

Should I buy the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2?

Image 1 of 4

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Image 2 of 4

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Image 3 of 4

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Image 4 of 4

Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Value:

Once again, Elegoo has created an exceptional value machine—this time in multifilament printing.

5

Design:

Solid, robust and nicely designed, although the Perspex top does look a little peculiar

4

Features:

For a machine of this price, it’s packed with features and offers far more than the competition.

4.5

Performance:

Decent performance all round—just make sure you keep the filament in excellent condition.

4

Total:

An exceptionally low-cost printer to enable you to print usable multicoloured parts on a budget.

4.5

Buy it if…

You have the Centauri Carbon
If you bought the original and you're not thrilled that the filament upgrade was not available, then the Centauri Carbon 2 is an equally impressive printer with multifilament added.

You're printing engineering materials
It was only a couple of years ago that you'd have to pay well over £1000 for any machine that could print engineering materials. Now, with the Centauri Carbon 2, you have a very affordable option.

Don’t buy it if…

You only print single filaments
While multifilament printing is the direction most are heading, many people still stick to single filament most of the time. If that’s the case, then the Centauri is still a superb option.

You want a modular printer
This is very much an out-of-the-box and use machine. So if you want something more modular, this might not be the best option for you—it’s best used as is.

For more top-performing models, see my guide to the best 3D printers I've tested and reviewed

Grado’s S750 open-back wired headphones offer crystal clarity and a wide soundstage, but the fit isn’t a hit
12:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones | Tags: | Comments: Off

Grado Signature S750 review: two-minute review

The Grado Signature S750 headphones are the latest addition to the audiophile brand's Signature series alongside the HP 100 SE and the S950s, both of which are considerably more expensive. They feature a newly designed S2 driver and the new Grado B Cushion, which reduces the distance between the driver and your ear canal and which also spreads pressure more evenly across the surface of your ear.

These headphones sound sensational at sensible volumes with well-produced music, and they're particularly great with close-miked vocals and rapping. The sound stage they produce is extraordinary, with superb precision and detail.

Easy entrant for our best wired headphones guide, then? Yes, although there are a few points to note: they are quite bright, and can get harsh with poorly produced or highly compressed music. They may also be a little bass-light for some tastes.

Grado Signature S750 headphones shot from an angle on a wooden table

(Image credit: Carrie Marshall / Future)

Grado Signature S750 review: price and release date

  • Released October 2025
  • Priced $1,695 / £1,695 (about AU$3,400)

The Grado S750 headphones were launched in October 2025 and went on sale the following month with a recommended price of $1,695 / £1,695 (about AU$3,400).

This is hardly wallet-friendly territory, is it? At this price, their closest competitors might be the slightly cheaper Shanling HW600 (which might suit those with larger heads). However, this money is far from as expensive as wired over-ear headphones can get – just look to Final, with the $3,499 / £2,999 / AU$5,899 planar magnetic Final D7000…

Grado Signature S750 headphones shot from above on a wooden surface

The new B Cushion brings you very close to the driver for a more immersive experience (Image credit: Carrie Marshall / Future)

Grado Signature S750 review: specs

Transducer type

Dynamic

Drivers

50mm dynamic

Operating principle

Open-back

Headphone connection

4pin Mini XLR

Frequency response

6kHz - 46kHz

Nominal impedance

38 ohms

Extras

Source connection 6.3mm; Signature Gold 12-conductor detachable cable, new B Cushion earpads supplied

Grado Signature S750 review: design

  • Lighter weight than the HP100 SE
  • New Signature Gold braided cable
  • Extra padding on the headband

You'd never mistake these headphones for any other manufacturer's: the S750 have the Grado family looks. But these headphones are over 10% lighter than the HP100 SE, although at 460g they're still quite hefty.

As we've come to expect from Grado the S750 come with a 6-foot cable with a 6.35mm single-ended plug, connected to the headphones with twin 4-pin balanced XLR. This cable is a new design called Signature Gold, with a braided design that Grado says is softer, more durable and lighter than before. It's still quite hefty, though, and I was conscious of its weight when I was listening at my desk rather than lounging in an armchair.

The S750 have a very similar headband to their siblings, but the headband is 50% more padded than earlier models and is very comfortable during long listens. The assembly makes use of aluminium alloy gimbals, stainless steel height rods and reinforced aluminium junction blocks, and it has rotation limited to 105 degrees to reduce wear for long-term durability.

  • Design score: 5/5

Grado Signature S750 headphones close up showing the headband

The headband is more padded than previous models, making it perfectly comfortable for long listens (Image credit: Carrie Marshall / Future)

Grado Signature S750 review: features

  • New 50mm carbon fiber and paper composite driver
  • New B cushion to reduce distance from driver to ear
  • Easy to drive

The Grado S750 feature a new 50mm S2 driver that uses a carbon fibre and paper composite diaphragm and a lightweight copper-aluminium voice coil. The impedance is 38 ohms and sensitivity is 115 dB, so these are relatively easy headphones to drive. But if you like to listen loud you'll get best results from an amp with reasonable headroom.

In addition to the new driver the other big change here is the new Grado B Cushion, which is designed to shorten the distance between the driver and your ear and which features a smaller interior opening. There are eight slits to improve airflow and open up the sound stage, and the flat surface is designed to distribute pressure more evenly across your ear.

Whether you'll like that very much depends on whether you're a fan of the on-ear fit; as someone who prefers larger ear cups that envelop my ears the B Cushion felt as if it didn't really fit properly. That combined with the 460g weight meant that I couldn't wear the S750s to listen as I worked at my desk: as a varifocals wearer using a tall and wide display I move my head a lot, and the S750s wouldn't stay put. The S750s are compatible with Grado's G, F and L cushions if, like me, you'd prefer a different fit.

  • Features score: 4/5

Grado Signature S750 headphones shot from above to show the grado logo. The headphones are on a wooden surface

We love Grado's design ethos, which reminds us of steampunk (Image credit: Carrie Marshall / Future)

Grado Signature S750 review: sound quality

  • Exceptionally wide soundstage
  • A little bass-light
  • Superb on layered, well-produced music

You know those "I've never heard that before!" moments? The Grados deliver that again and again across a wide range of genres, eras and artists.

Grado describes the sound of the S750s as a "natural musical presentation" and I think that's a good description: there's no attempt to inject false excitement by boosting the low end.

That, and the nature of open-back headphones, means the sound is relatively bass-light – although the low 6Hz frequency floor means you get some nice sub-sonics you can feel, such as fingers hitting an acoustic guitar or damping a bass string. If you're a big fan of pumping EDM or stadium-sized kick drums you might prefer a different set of Grados, though; the bass is clear and well separated but it isn't trying to get a party started.

On tracks such as All Saints' Pure Shores or Christine and The Queens' Tilted, both of which have very strong, deep bass in the verses, the Grados spotlight the vocals and the interesting things going on around them rather than letting the bass overpower them. The spoken section in the latter song is a particular delight, as is the expansive, airy chorus of Kygo and Selena Gomez's It Ain't Me. The high frequencies are bright and airy and the overall spaciousness is well suited to atmospheric, layered widescreen songs such as Radiohead's Burn The Witch, Reckoner and There There, as well as to live and acoustic music.

Open-back headphones are known for their spacious sound, and that's particularly true here: the soundstage that the S750s delivers is wonderfully lifelike with precise positioning, great dynamics and particularly vivid voices on tracks such as Little Simz' Point and Kill, which features intertwined raps, glorious backing vocals and smile-inducing brass that the S750s were absolutely made for. If you're a fan of close-miked singers or rappers, or of breathy woodwinds and bowed cellos, the Grados will give your goosebumps goosebumps.

One of my favourite songs to test headphones with is U2's Vertigo, and it's enormous fun on these headphones: the song's spaced-out mix is even more thrilling on the Grados, with The Edge's crunching guitar and luminous delay sounding like his amp is in the room right next to you.

It's on less bombastic music such as Taylor Swift's Last Great American Dynasty where I really got the grins, though: the Grados do a spectacular job of revealing its subtle musical layers, as they do with the electric piano and atmospherics of The 1975's Somebody Else, the birdsong and burbling synths of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Welcome to the Pleasuredome and the piano stabs, slap bass and strings of The Blue Nile's majestic Tinseltown in the Rain.

While the S750s are great with well-produced music at sensible volume, if your tastes are more punk rock or you just like to listen really loud you're going to want to roll off some of the high frequencies: their brightness can be harsh, especially at higher volume levels where instruments such as the ride cymbal in the intro to Radiohead's Reckoner become wince-inducing.

  • Sound quality score: 5/5

Grado Signature S750 review: value

There's no doubt that these are very expensive headphones: you could buy five pairs of Sennheiser HD 660S2s, nine pairs of Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pros or seventeen pairs of Grado SR80x headphones for the same money.

But they're handmade, beautifully built and considerably cheaper than their Signature range siblings or four-figure planar magnetic rivals such as the Final D7000. They’re made for a very specific and demanding kind of listener who's happy to pay for a premium product. And they do sound sensational.

  • Value score: 4/5

Grado Signature S750: Should you buy them?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Everything's here, but for me, the fit could be better

4 / 5

Sound quality

Expansive, detailed and delicious, albeit occasionally a tad bright

5 / 5

Design

Lighter than you'd imagine and beautifully padded

5 / 5

Value

They're not cheap – but they do sound sensational

4 / 5

Buy them if...

You want to spend less on a Signature
These are the entry-level model in Grado's very premium Signature series, and they're considerably more affordable than their siblings.

You like it close
The positioning and clarity of instruments and voices is exceptional, with close-miked voices so near to your ears they're almost indecent.View Deal

You like it lush
If we were to use one word to describe the sound, it would be "luxurious". View Deal

Don't buy them if...

You're on a budget
Our current pick of the best headphones, the Sennheiser HD-660S2, are a quarter of the price. There are very many high quality open-back headphones that don't cost anywhere near as much as these premium headphones do.View Deal

You want to commute
The relatively hefty weight and on-ear design means these headphones were rather precarious when we moved around. And the sound leakage will make your fellow passengers livid.View Deal

You only listen to Hüsker Dü
These headphones are best suited to well-produced music: think Stevie Wonder, not Steve Albini.View Deal

Grado Signature S750: also consider

Grado Signature S750

Meze Audio 105 Silva

Grado SR80x

Price

$1,695 / £1,695 (about AU$3,400)

$499 / £469 / AU$999

$125 / £130 / AU$179

Type

Open-back on-ears

Open-back over-ears

Open-back on-ears

Drivers

50mm dynamic

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

44mm dynamic

Weight

460g

354g

240g

Impedance

38 ohms

42 ohms

38 ohms

Connectivity

4pin Mini XLR/source connection 6.3mm

Dual 3.5mm TS output

3.5mm headphone jack

Frequency response

6kHz - 46kHz

5Hz - 30kHz

Wired, 3.5mm headphone jack

Extras

Source connection 6.3mm; Signature Gold 12-conductor 6ft detachable cable; new B Cushion ear pads supplied

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

Very few (no case)

Grado's SR80x are a fraction of the cost of the Signature range, but they're still very special. In our Grado SR80x review, we said that they are the best affordable on-ears we've ever tested.

The Meze Audio 105 Silva are our current pick of the best wired headphones for audiophiles. They have a silky low end and excellent mid-range performance. The soundstage isn't as wide as some rivals but the Silva are very precise and involving.

How I tested the Grado S750

  • Tested for 4 weeks
  • Used for music listening and audio mixing and mastering
  • Tested with digital music library and lossless streaming via an SSL audio interface; with vinyl records via an Onkyo amplifier; and with CDs directly into a Marantz CD6007 CD player

I’ve been a recording musician since the 1990s and I’ve been writing about speakers, headphones and other hi-fi since the 2000s. I wanted to experience the Grados both as listening headphones and as working studio headphones. For that latter task, I used the S750s while mixing and mastering songs in Logic Pro, listening via a 32-bit/192kHz SSL 2 audio interface.

I used the same interface to play lots of recorded music, listening to largely uncompressed recordings as well as streaming. I streamed in Apple Lossless where available.

For vinyl playback I connected the Grados to my Onkyo A-910 stereo amplifier. For CDs I listened to my Marantz CD6007 CD player through the same headphone output, and also directly from the CD player's own output.

I spent days testing Acer’s new 16-inch laptop — and sadly AI remains just a gimmick
12:50 pm | January 27, 2026
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Two-minute review

The Acer Aspire 16 AI is a large laptop promising powerful AI features in an elegant body. It certainly looks the part, thanks to the premium materials and finish, as well as the impressively thin chassis. It’s also surprisingly light for a laptop of this size, which further improves its portability.

However, the price paid for this litheness is the somewhat flimsy build quality, falling below the standards of the best laptop constructions. There’s a fair amount of flex to the chassis, while the lid hinge doesn’t offer the greatest stability – although it at least managed to stay planted while I typed.

There are a good number of ports on the Aspire 16 AI, including two USB-C and two USB-A ports. However, the former are located closest to you, a choice I usually lament since it means your power adapter has to cross over with any cable you have plugged in to the USB-A port. It’s also a shame that the card reader is only fit for microSDs.

For day-to-day use, the Aspire 16 AI is very capable. It can handle light productivity and 4K streaming without missing a beat. However, the included AI features are disappointing: they’re either too basic in their functionality or fail to work altogether.

Gaming also proved to be a lackluster experience. Its shared memory GPU can just about handle AAA titles on the lowest settings, and even then you won’t exactly be treated to the smoothest frame rates.

Close-up of camera on Acer Aspire 16 AI on pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Under these kinds of intensive workloads, the Aspire 16 AI can generate a fair amount of heat, but thankfully it’s concentrated underneath, towards the back. Coupled with the hushed fans, the Aspire 16 AI remains comfortable to use in such scenarios.

The display in my review unit, with its OLED technology and 2048 x 1280 resolution, provided a crystal-clear image, rendering colors vividly and delivering high brightness levels. This latter aspect is especially useful for combating reflections, which can be quite prominent.

Thanks to the spacing and satisfying feel of its keys, the keyboard on the Aspire 16 AI is easy to use. However, the number pad keys are too small for my liking, and I wished there was a right Control key, as I find this useful for productivity purposes.

The touchpad is smooth and large, which helps with navigation, but it can get in the way when typing. Also, the one in my review unit felt loose and rattled when clicking, making it awkward to use and suggests signs of poor quality control.

Battery life is somewhat disappointing, and isn’t a patch on that of the smaller 14 AI. In fact, many of its key rivals can outlast it. I only managed to get roughly nine hours from it when playing a movie on a continuous loop.

On the face of it, the Aspire 16 AI might look like good value, but it doesn’t deliver enough to justify its cost. Its slender form and mostly great display aren’t enough to make up for its drawbacks, while other laptops at this price point offer more complete packages.

Acer Aspire 16 AI review: Price & Availability

  • $649.99 / £799.99 / AU$1,499
  • Available now in various configurations
  • Better value rivals exist

The Aspire 16 AI starts from $649.99 / £799.99 / AU$1,499 and is available now. It can be configured with various processors, including Intel and Qualcomm (ARM) chips, with a couple of storage and RAM options to choose from.

Unfortunately, there are better value laptops out there with more power and performance, better suited to heavier workloads. The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) is one such example. Starting prices aren’t as low, but they’re similar to the higher spec models of the Aspire 16 AI. They also have excellent build quality, making them a better value proposition all things considered.

If you want to stick with Windows, the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition is another alternative. Again, it’s similarly priced to the higher-spec variants of the Aspire 16 AI, but offers much better gaming performance, chiefly thanks to its AMD Radeon RX 7600S GPU. It’s no surprise we think it’s one of the best cheap gaming laptops around right now.

  • Value: 3 / 5

Acer Aspire 16 AI review: Specs

Acer Aspire 16 AI Specs

Acer Aspire 16 AI Base Config

Acer Aspire 16 AI Review Config

Price

$649.99 / £799.99 / AU$1,499

£949 (about $1,280, AU$1,960)

CPU

Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100 (8 cores), 3GHz

AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, 2.0GHz (8 cores)

GPU

Qualcomm Adreno GPU (shared memory)

AMD Radeon 860M (shared memory)

RAM

16GB LPDDR5X

16GB LPDDR5X

Storage

512GB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 (M.2)

1TB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 (M.2)

Display

16-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) 16:10 ComfyView (Matte) 120Hz, IPS

16-inch WUXGA+ (2048 x 1280) OLED, 16:10, 120Hz

Ports and Connectivity

2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x headset jack, 1x microSD, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x headset jack, 1x microSD, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

Battery

65Wh

65Wh

Dimensions

14 x 9.8 x 0.6 inch / 355 x 250 x 16mm

14 x 9.8 x 0.6 inch / 355 x 250 x 16mm

Weight

3.4lbs / 1.55kg

3.4lbs / 1.55kg

Acer Aspire 16 AI review: Design

Close-up of keyboard on Acer Aspire 16 AI

(Image credit: Future)
  • Brilliantly thin and light
  • Not the sturdiest
  • Touchpad issues

Thanks to its minimal design, the Aspire 16 AI has sleek looks. The low-shine metallic lid also adds to its elegance, befitting its premium price tag.

It’s pleasingly light and slender, too, making it more portable than you might expect for a 16-inch laptop. The bezel for the display is minuscule as well, which helps to maximize its full potential.

There’s a satisfying click when you close the lid on the Aspire 16 AI, something I haven’t encountered on any other laptop before. The hinge also allows for the screen to recline all the back by 180 degrees, something I’m always happy to see.

However, lid stability isn’t the best, as it’s prone to wobbling, although, thankfully, it remains stable while typing on the keyboard. The overall construction of the Aspire 16 AI isn’t especially impressive, either, with the chassis having a fair amount of flex.

Close-up of touchpad on Acer Aspire 16 AI

(Image credit: Future)

Worse still, the touchpad in my review unit had a horrible rattle, as if some part was loose at the bottom section. It’s possible this issue is confined to my review unit alone – perhaps it had been passed around several journalists before it got to me – but the issue still doesn’t speak highly of its build quality or Acer's quality control.

There’s a varied selection of ports on the Aspire 16 AI, spread evenly across both sides. On the left are two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and an HDMI port. However, I found it inconvenient that the USB-C ports are placed nearest to you, since one has to be used for the power adapter; I much prefer the thick cable for this to trail from the back of the laptop, rather than from the middle, as it does with the Aspire 16 AI.

On the right you’ll find another USB-A port, followed by a combo audio jack and a microSD card reader. It’s a shame the latter can’t accommodate standard SD card sizes, but this is a small grievance.

  • Design: 3.5 / 5

Acer Aspire 16 AI review: Performance

Close-up of left-side ports on Acer Aspire 16 AI, on desk with pink background

(Image credit: Future)
  • Good productivity and streaming performance
  • Poor for gaming
  • Useless AI features

The Aspire 16 AI offers great general performance. It takes light productivity in its stride, from word processing to spreadsheet creation, and multiple browser tabs didn’t cause a problem for me, thanks to the 16GB of RAM in my review unit. Streaming 4K content is well within its grasp, too. I experienced little buffering or slow down, providing a seamless viewing experience in the main.

However, despite what Acer claims, the gaming performance of the Aspire 16 AI is quite poor. With its shared memory, the AMD Radeon GPU didn’t handle AAA titles very well. When I played Cyberpunk 2077 with the default Ray Tracing: Low preset and resolution scaling set to Performance mode, I was getting 20fps on average – not what you’d call playable.

The best I could achieve with the game was about 38fps, but that was at the lowest possible graphics preset and the resolution dropped to 1080p. This at least made it playable, but if you’re expecting to get even moderately close to the performance of the best gaming laptops, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

During my playtime, the Aspire 16 AI generated a fair amount of heat. Fortunately, this was heavily concentrated underneath and at the back, thus steering clear of any parts you might actually touch. Fan noise is also pleasantly subdued.

As when I tested the 14 AI, the AI features the Aspire 16 AI sports are disappointing. The centerpiece appears to be Acer LiveSense, a photo editing and webcam suite with very basic functionality, not to mention a poor UI and frequent glitches.

For more AI features, you’ll have to download Acer Intelligence Space, the brand’s hub. Contrary to when I tested the 14 AI, I managed to install it successfully. However, it didn’t get off to an auspicious start, as a dialog box warned me that I had insufficient memory resources, explaining that it needed 6.5GB free and a total of at least 16GB to execute smoothly.

Close-up of right-hand ports on Acer Aspire 16 AI on table

(Image credit: Future)

I proceeded anyway and was greeted with a clear user interface that revealed the various AI apps I could install. However, a large portion of them seem to be incompatible with the Aspire 16 AI, and those that are were once more very limited in their functionality.

On a more positive note, the 2K OLED display in my review unit was as clear and as vibrant as you might expect. The very shiny coating can cause prominent reflections, but these can be mitigated by the screen’s brightness values (especially if you disable the ‘change brightness based on content’ setting).

The keyboard feels premium, too, thanks to the subtle texture and tight fit of the keys themselves. They’re also light, tactile, and reasonably spaced, although perhaps not to the extent of other laptop keyboards. I didn’t find this aspect to be a problem when typing, but I did while gaming, as it made adopting the WASD more uncomfortable for me.

At least the number pad doesn’t eat into the layout space. However, contrary to many full-sized laptop keyboards I’ve experienced, it’s the number pad itself that feels cramped, with its keys being too narrow to be used easily. Another small but notable gripe I have with the keyboard is the absence of a right Control key, which can be frustrating when performing productivity tasks.

The touchpad performs well enough, with its large and smooth surface making for easy navigation. However, thanks to the aforementioned rattle in its bottom portion, clicks felt unpleasant. It can also get in the way while typing: on occasion, the palm of my thumbs would activate the cursor, although thankfully not clicks or taps.

  • Performance: 3.5 / 5

Acer Aspire 16 AI review: Battery Life

Back of Acer Aspire 16 AI open on table with pink background

(Image credit: Future)
  • Average battery life
  • 14 AI battery life much better
  • Other rivals are better, too

The battery life of the Aspire 16 AI isn’t particularly impressive. It lasted just over nine hours in our movie playback test, which is a middling result. This is a far cry from the time achieved by the 14 AI, which lasted over twice as long, making the Aspire 16 AI even more disappointing by comparison.

What’s more, plenty of its rivals can beat this score, including the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch, which managed over 17 hours, and the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition, which lasted 11 hours.

  • Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Acer Aspire 16 AI?

Acer Aspire 16 AI Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Starting prices are low, but climb up the specs and the value starts to diminish.

3 / 5

Design

Build quality isn’t the best, but it’s impressively thin and light. It looks good, too.

3.5 / 5

Performance

Everyday tasks are dispatched without a hitch, but it can’t cope well with heavier demands, such as gaming. The display is very good, though.

3.5 / 5

Battery Life

Only average, and the smaller 14 AI absolutely obliterates it on this front.

3 / 5

Total

The Aspire 16 AI is a capable workhorse, but its poor GPU, underwhelming AI features, and suspect build quality result in a middling machine.

3 / 5

Buy the Acer Aspire 16 AI if...

You want a large and bright display
The 16-inch OLED on my model looked great, its powerful backlight can overcome its reflective nature.

You want something portable
Despite its large size, the Aspire 16 AI is impressively light and thin, making it easy to carry around.

Don't buy it if...

You’ll be running graphics-intensive apps
The Aspire 16 AI could barely handle AAA gaming at modest settings, saddled as it is with a shared memory GPU.

You want a super-sturdy machine
There’s plenty of flex in the body, and the seemingly broken touchpad on my particular unit was disconcerting.

Acer Aspire 16 AI review: Also Consider

Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition
If you’re after more graphical power but don’t want to spend more for it, the TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition might be the solution. It comes equipped with an AMD Radeon RX 7600S GPU, which is capable of handling AAA titles smoothly, although you may have to forgo Ray Tracing. Read our full Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition review.

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
Unusually for an Apple product, this MacBook Air is actually a great budget pick if you’re after a powerful machine, being among the best laptops for video editing for this reason. Its sumptuous design and display are additional feathers in its creative cap. Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review.

How I tested the Acer Aspire 16 AI

  • Tested for several days
  • Used for various tasks
  • Plentiful laptop reviewing experience

I tested the Aspire 16 AI for several days, during which time I used it for various tasks, from productivity and browsing to streaming and gaming.

I also ran our series of benchmark tests to assess its all-round performance more concretely, and played a movie on a continuous loop while unplugged to see how long its battery lasted.

I have been using laptops for decades, and have reviewed a large and varied selection of them too, ranging in their form factors, price points, and intended purposes.

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