Computers - Organizer

I tested the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 projector, and it’s got a bright picture, but it’s pricey for an all-in-one

8:00 pm | August 3, 2025

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 : One minute review

The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is a very capable projector. It comes in one of the more stylish designs I’ve seen for this class of projector, separating itself even from the latest group of more design-conscious models.

The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 features a powerful RGB laser projection system that beams a bright enough picture for use in different environments. Its color is excellent, and it benefits from an optical zoom for more flexible placement.

For gamers, the VisionMaster Pro 2 can switch to a low-latency mode or even drop down to 1080p resolution to run at 240Hz. Alas, its speakers don’t quite live up to the visual performance, but that’s typical even for the best projectors.

All that capability comes at a price, with the VisionMaster Pro 2 listed for $2,999. This places it on the high end for this type of compact enthusiast home projector, even surpassing the Hisense C2 Ultra, which is nearly as capable and features an integrated gimbal stand and an additional speaker. Because of that, I’d point most people to the Hisense instead, but the VisionMaster Pro 2 still has the edge in terms of connectivity and looks, and it doesn’t disappoint when it comes to picture quality.

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Price & release date

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 with remote — Valerion's remote control is larger and more polished-looking than the ones you’ll typically find on Android and Google TV projectors (Image credit: Future)

Release date: December 2024
Price: $2,999

The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 was released at the end of 2024. It launched with a price of $2,999, but has seen some discounts since then, including the July Amazon Prime Day sales event, where it dropped to the $2,599 range. The VisionMaster Pro 2 is available directly from Valerion as well as from Amazon.

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Specs

Screen sizes supported:	40-300 inches
Brightness (specified):	3,300 ISO lumens
HDR support:	Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Optical technology:	Three-laser DLP
Smart TV:	Google TV
Connections:	2x HDMI 2.1, 1x HDMI 2.0 (with eARC), 1x USB-A 3.0, 1x USB-A 2.0, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio out, optical digital audio out
Dimensions (H x W x D):	7.30 x 10.20 x 9.20 inches
Weight:	15.4 pounds

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 top surface controls — A mute switch is provided on the projector's top surface for turning off the built-in mic used for Google voice commands (Image credit: Future)

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Design & features

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 inputs — The projector's extensive connections include two HDMI 2.1 ports plus a third with HDMI eARC support (Image credit: Future)

Elegant design with a simple kickstand
Built-in speakers and Google TV
Optical zoom

The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is gorgeously built. It has a metal chassis with ribs wrapping all around the sides and top of the device, giving it the appearance of a metal heat sink. The front and back are simpler, flat slabs of what feels like high-quality plastic (almost to the point that it could be glass).

Interestingly, Valerion includes a cover on the back to conceal its ports. This does give it a cleaner look, but only when it’s not in use, as you can’t even plug in the power if the cover is in place.

The VisionMaster Pro 2 includes a simple, heavy-duty foot underneath near the front that can prop it up to adjust the angle, and the back has two more little feet that can screw out to adjust the tilt. This isn’t quite as useful as the gimbal stands found on some competitors like the Hisense C2 Ultra, but Valerion does sell a quality metal unit of its own (a $139 option) that can attach to the VisionMaster Pro 2 and give it full-range tilting capabilities, and even the option to flip completely upside-down — helpful if you’re doing a mantel or bookshelf placement).

While the gimbal or foot can help adjust the projection somewhat, the projector’s optical zoom can be even more useful. This lets the VisionMaster Pro 2 shift from a 0.9:1 throw ratio up to 1.5:1. The projector can perform plenty of automated setup adjustments, like focus, keystone correction, and obstacle avoidance as well.

The VisionMaster Pro 2 supports the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats and is IMAX Enhanced. The projector offers Wi-Fi 6E connectivity for fast and stable wireless networking, though Ethernet is also available.

For this class of projector, the VisionMaster Pro 2 has a surprising selection of ports. Where many competitors would offer just two HDMI ports, the VisionMaster Pro 2 has three: two HDMI 2.1 and one HDMI 2.0 with eARC support. There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack, an optical digital audio output, and two USB-A ports for data or powering dongles.

Like other laser projectors, the VisionMaster Pro 2 has an eye protection feature that is meant to dim the laser if someone stands in its path. But this feature proved incredibly inconsistent in my use. Sometimes the system's eye protection feature activates for no reason, and other times it's not nearly sensitive enough about things obviously out in front of it. Even when it seems to be working as intended, it’s rather slow to kick in.

To get up and running quickly, the projector offers Google TV and has a pair of built-in speakers, giving you everything you need to start streaming. And since this is the kind of projector you might take on the go, Valerion has included a carrying case made out of rigid styrofoam.

Valerion has put a bit of extra effort into its remote control, which is larger and more polished-looking than you’ll typically find on Android and Google TV projectors. It offers the standard navigation controls, a Google Assistant button, volume buttons, shortcuts to a handful of streaming services, and a dedicated input source button. There’s even some backlighting, but it doesn’t cover all of the buttons. The volume buttons are also not differentiated from a handful of other buttons, so you can’t just feel them out without also memorizing where they are.

The projector can also listen for voice commands, responding to a quick “Hey, Google.” And if you don’t want the projector to listen, there’s a mute switch on the top.

Design & features score: 4/5

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Picture & sound quality

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 showing image from Avatar

An RGB laser light engine gives the picture the potential for dazzling color (Image credit: Future)

Bright and colorful picture
Strong contrast
Smooth-running operating system

The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 beams an excellent-looking picture. It's plenty bright for even fairly well-lit rooms, though dark scenes don’t look as good. It also has strong contrast that can be further enhanced by changing some of the default picture settings.

The triple-laser light source has the same advantages I’ve seen from other projectors like the Hisense C2 Ultra and Hisense PX3-Pro, giving the picture the potential for truly dazzling color. The VisionMaster Pro 2 isn’t inclined to overdo the color in its main HDR and SDR picture presets, however, instead keeping it more balanced and natural.

Like many other projectors, the VisionMaster Pro 2 comes out of the box with some unfortunate motion smoothing enabled. This may serve to smooth out panning shots in movies, but it also introduces so many weird motion artifacts that it calls for disabling. The lowest motion setting, Film, avoids the most distracting artifacts while still looking smooth with camera movement. The projector also provides an option to customize the motion smoothing with two adjustable settings, letting you dial it in as you like.

Black levels are decently low, but not low enough that the letterbox bars in widescreen movies look truly black. But with a few tweaks to the settings, specifically enabling active contrast and dynamic laser luminance, the overall brightness can dim down for wonderfully deep black levels in dark scenes. This doesn’t play well with subtitles, however, as they’ll sometimes brighten the picture up.

The display is also up to snuff for gaming. It can deliver 4K 60Hz with reasonably low input lag in its game mode. And for those who want to really dial up the gaming performance, it can drop down to 1080p and run at up to 240Hz for ultra-smooth visuals.

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 support foot — Two adjustable feet can be used for tilt correction during setup (Image credit: Future)

The speakers inside the VisionMaster Pro 2 aren’t bad, putting out enough sound to fill a small room. They sound fairly full, too, but there’s little getting around the narrow soundstage they present. Even simple stereo sound isn’t presented well. And occasionally, deeper voices can sound a little resonant, giving them an unnatural quality.

One easy-to-overlook aspect of projector performance that the VisionMaster Pro 2 deserves credit for is its operating system. It runs Google TV like many other projectors, but appears to have a faster processor and more memory to help it run smoother than some of its competition. This makes it much easier to use the projector, whether you’re browsing Google TV or just want to quickly switch over to another input.

Picture and sound quality score: 4/5

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Value

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 on table with case and plant — The projector's sturdy styrofoam case can be used for transport (Image credit: Future)

Highly integrated package
On the expensive end for projectors in this class
All-in-one design enhances value

The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is expensive, but you get a lot for that money. It presents a more colorful and bigger image than most TVs, and compared to 100-inch TVs, it’s not so expensive. That said, it is on the expensive side for this category of projector. The Hisense C2 Ultra is just as pricey, though it has an integrated gimbal stand. It has also seen more discounts in the time since its launch than the VisionMaster Pro 2 has.

Still, the VisionMaster Pro 2 can do plenty. Its projection system is flexible, and it’s good for casual viewing in bright rooms, while delivering cinematic quality in dark rooms. You can opt for 4K with broad HDR support or zoom along at 1080p 240Hz for high-speed gaming. Also, having the Google TV smart TV system baked in never hurts, especially when it runs as smoothly as it does here.

It’s just a shame the VisionMaster Pro 2’s speakers aren’t better, and that it doesn’t come with a more adjustable stand.

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2?

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 on table — (Image credit: Future)

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design and features	Simple but elegant design, and packs plenty of features for a fully-integrated system. The remote could be better, as could the eye protection	4/5
Picture and sound quality	An excellent picture with plenty of tools to adjust it to your liking. It even runs Google TV well, but the speakers don’t keep up	4/5
Value	Faces the diminishing returns of high-end products, but is still a good value thanks to its ability to beam a huge, bright, and colorful image from an all-in-one device.	4/5

Buy it if...

You want a powerful and flexible
The VisionMaster Pro 2 has an excellent projection system. It beams brightly and has rich color and strong contrast. Thanks to its zoom lens, you should have an easier time placing it without having to crop the imageView Deal

You want a gaming projector
While the VisionMaster Pro 2 is fantastic for home cinema, it’s also strong for gaming. If you want a projector that can do both quite well, it has you covered.View Deal

You like your tech to be pretty
One thing that sets the VisionMaster Pro 2 apart is how elegant it looks. The metal chassis is something to behold, and the remote looks pretty classy as well. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You’re not too picky about visuals
The VisionMaster Pro 2 provides an excellent picture, but it comes at a high price. If you don’t need all the brightness and color this projector offers, there are much cheaper models that can otherwise tick a lot of the same boxes.View Deal

You don’t care for Google TV
For some, Google TV will be an advantage. But if you don’t need it, the Hisense C2 Ultra offers just about everything that the VisionMaster Pro 2 does, has a few extra features (like a “subwoofer” and gimbal stand), and tends to be cheaper.View Deal

You want one projector to handle everything
The VisionMaster Pro 2 is brilliant as far as visuals go, and it even has a good, smooth-running streaming platform. But its speakers don;t come close to matching the projection quality.View Deal

Also consider

Comparison: portable projectors
	Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2	BenQ GP520	Hisense C2 Ultra	JMGO N1S Pro 4K
Price:	$2,999	$1,499	$2,999	$1,999
Screen sizes supported:	40 to 300 inches	50 to 180 inches	65-300 inches	85 to 180 inches
Brightness (specified):	3,000 ISO lumens	2,600 lumens	3,000 lumens	2,400 lumens
HDR support	HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision	HDR10+, HLG	Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG	HDR10, HLG
Optical technology:	RGB Laser DLP	LED DLP	RGB Laser DLP	RGB Laser DLP
Smart TV:	Google TV	Google TV	Vidaa OS	Google TV
Connections:	2x HDMI 2.1, 1x HDMI 2.0 with eARC, 1x optical, 1x 3.5mm	2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 1x USB-C (PD Out, DP In, 2x USB-A 1x 3.5mm	2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 2x USB-A, 1x S/PDIF, Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm, Bluetooth	HDMI x2 (x1 eARC), USB-A (power), 3.5mm

BenQ GP520

At half the price, the BenQ GP520 naturally makes some trade-offs. It’s not as elegant, not as bright, not as colorful, and doesn’t have as extensive support for HDR formats. But if you just want to go big with 4K, it can do that job pretty well.

Read our BenQ GP520 review View Deal

JMGO N1S Pro

If you’re watching in a dark room anyway and don’t mind a little slower Google TV experience, the JMGO N1S Pro will let you save a good deal of money while still getting a gorgeous 4K picture from an RGB laser projection system. You’ll miss out on optical zoom and 1080p 240Hz capabilities, though.

Read our JMGO N1S Pro reviewView Deal

Hisense C2 Ultra

Almost the VisionMaster Pro 2’s equal in every way (including price), the Hisense C2 Ultra is a solid alternative. It runs its own VIDAA OS, but it’s a quick one. It also has a built-in gimbal stand and a bonus “subwoofer” speaker. And since the C2 Ultra is a little bit older (don’t worry, not by much), it has had an opportunity for discounts.

Read our Hisense C2 Ultra reviewView Deal

How I tested the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2

Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions
Presented the display with a variety of media and formats
I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade

I tested the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with streamed nsd Blu-ray content, HDR and non-HDR, and PC gameplay.

My testing evaluates the projector’s performance with respect to its price and competition from other models I and colleagues at TechRadar have tested.

I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer.

First reviewed: July, 2025
Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 proves that I don’t need a Steam Deck anymore

3:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Consoles & PC Gadgets Gaming Nintendo | Tags: Nintendo Switch | Comments: Off

I don’t envy CD Projekt Red. The task of cramming a gigantic open-world role-playing game (RPG) into a highly compressed package for a new portable console in time for launch day must have been a daunting one.

Even so, the developer has managed something spectacular with Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, which stands apart as easily the most ambitious and accomplished Nintendo Switch 2 port yet.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2
Release date: June 5, 2025

This is the definitive Cyberpunk 2077 package, complete with its superb Phantom Liberty expansion and almost five years of content updates. I must admit that I was less than thrilled with the game back at launch in 2020 thanks to its abysmal performance, bugs, and countless missing features, but today, having been thoroughly polished up, it's without a doubt one of the best RPGs around and offers hundreds of hours of entertainment.

Play your way

The player character in Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on Nintendo Switch 2. — (Image credit: CD Projekt)

If you’ve never tried Cyberpunk 2077 before, the Switch 2 version is a worthy place to start. Set in a nightmarish vision of the not-too-distant future, you are V - a fully customizable protagonist. The character creator here is fantastic, thanks in no small part to the sheer number of post-launch additions like new hairstyles and make-up options that it received, and equips you with everything that you need to achieve your desired look.

You could easily spend hours carefully tweaking its many, many sliders, or simply opt for something from the robust selection of presets to jump right in. After nailing your appearance, you’re asked to select a Life Path, effectively your character backstory.

Best bit

The physical version of Cyberpunk 2077 on Nintendo Switch 2. — (Image credit: Nintendo)

In a world of Game-Key Card releases, you have to give some credit to CD Projekt Red. The physical Nintendo Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition comes loaded on a 64GB cartridge, letting you play without a download right out of the box.

There are three to choose from: a wandering nomad, a high-flying corporate fixer, or a basic street thug. Each one dramatically alters the game’s opening, which can spice up subsequent playthroughs, but has a limited impact outside of that. You get a few new dialogue options every now and then, plus the odd unique quest or too, but you shouldn’t expect a radically different experience.

Thankfully, the massive skill trees offer more than enough variety to make repeat playthroughs worthwhile. They’re packed with interesting abilities and cater to a wide range of playstyles. I’ve been an unstoppable axe-wielding giant with the ability to take hits like a fridge, a nimble hacker picking off opponents one at a time completely undetected, and a flashy gunslinger landing deadly critical hits with my pistols.

The option to outfit your character with a range of Cyberware (futuristic body enhancements) brings an even greater level of fine-tuning. From enhanced eyesight to super-powered jumps and electric punches, you may be spoiled for choice, but you’re not going to struggle to find one that suits your desired approach.

Back in the neon streets

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on Nintendo Switch 2. — (Image credit: CD Projekt)

The Night City setting has always been a visual treat, and it holds up surprisingly well on Nintendo Switch 2. You have two graphics presets to choose from; the standard Quality and Performance modes, but, uniquely, the option to choose a different one for either handheld or docked play. Both target a 1080p picture when docked, with Quality aiming for 30fps and Performance going for 40fps.

Although you do benefit from slightly prettier lighting and reflections in Quality, I would recommend Performance mode all the way when docked, as the framerate is not only higher but less prone to small drops. The resolution can take a noticeable hit every now and then, especially in busier firefights, but never enough to truly spoil the experience.

It’s a huge improvement compared to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of Cyberpunk 2077 either way, and doesn’t feel too far off from the kind of performance you would expect on the Xbox Series S - a great result for a portable, slim machine.

Performance is also my preference in handheld mode, where it targets 720p at 40fps. The resolution is a little higher in Quality mode, but I don’t think it’s worth losing performance over. Visuals have been noticeably dialed down in handheld compared to docked, but honestly it can be hard to spot many of the cutbacks on the far smaller 7.9inch Nintendo Switch 2 screen compared to a 4K TV.

The game certainly holds up significantly better than The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, another sprawling RPG from the same studio, did back on the original Nintendo Switch. That was undeniably an impressive port too, but the much lower-power hardware led to far more compromised visuals.

Unfortunately, it does fall apart a little when you get to the content from the Phantom Liberty expansion. The neon-lit district of Dogtown pushes the Nintendo Switch 2 to its absolute limits, especially if you start trading fire with its many armed goons. Again, the performance never renders the game unplayable - but it’s noticeably more jagged.

Overall, this handheld performance still puts the Nintendo Switch 2 firmly ahead of its biggest competitor: the Steam Deck OLED. Moving from my Steam Deck to Nintendo Switch 2, the difference was night a day. Playing on Nintendo Switch 2 felt smoother and the visuals were much more consistent throughout.

The higher resolution 1080p screen of the Nintendo Switch 2 also leads to a significantly more crisp picture, though the Steam Deck OLED’s OLED panel does offer brighter colors on the whole.

Hack and slash

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition also takes full advantage of a wealth of Nintendo Switch 2 hardware features. There’s support for motion controls with the Joy-Con 2 controllers, allowing you to slash enemies with melee weapons by swinging your arms or aim weapons more precisely with the in-built gyroscope. Mouse controls are also present, which is a blessing if you like to run around with a sniper rifle.

The smart progression sharing system even lets you seamlessly continue your saves from PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. This is a game changer for a title of this size, and a fantastic reason to buy on Nintendo Switch 2. Nothing quite beats the feeling of playing for a few hours on PC before heading out for a flight safe in the knowledge that you can pick up exactly where you left off on the move.

This all results in a Nintendo Switch 2 launch game that’s easy to recommend. It’s a real showcase of the system’s technical chops, utilizes its exclusive features well, and, on top of all that, hosts a rich RPG experience with plenty to do and lots of reasons to replay.

Should I play Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition?

Play it if…

You’ve never played Cyberpunk 2077 before
This Ultimate Edition is the perfect starting point if you’ve never tried Cyberpunk before. You get all of the content right out of the box, including the Phantom Liberty expansion. You also benefit from many past content updates and fixes.View Deal

You already adore the game and want to play it on the move
Thanks to the progression sharing system, you can jump straight into your existing saves from PC, PlayStation, or Xbox which makes the Nintendo Switch 2 version a great way to continue playing while you’re out and about.View Deal

You want a meaty launch title
Cyberpunk 2077 is a massive experience that you can easily sink hundreds of hours into. If you’re only buying a few Nintendo Switch 2 launch games and want the most bang for your buck, this one is a must.View Deal

Don’t play it if…

You want the very smoothest performance
Look, the Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t the PS5 Pro. In fact, it performs worse than even the base PS5 even when it's in docked mode. Don’t go into this version expecting the smoothest possible performance or the best looking visuals or you’ll be disappointed.View Deal

Accessibility features

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition features a dedicated accessibility menu with plenty of options. This includes interface customization, such as the ability to enable different colorblind modes (protanopia, tritanopia, and deuteranopia), increase the size of HUD elements, or remove visual effects.

Subtitles are featured throughout the game, with options to change the size and appearance of them. There are also plenty of difficulty options, plus aim assist features for those who find the combat a challenge.

How I reviewed Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

I played Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for more than 15 hours on Nintendo Switch 2. During this time I endeavoured to complete as much content as possible and compared my experience to my testing of the PlayStation 5 and PC versions of the game.

I tested both docked and handheld mode, taking the Nintendo Switch 2 out and about on a variety of trips. While on planes or trains, I relied on my trusty pair of Final VR500 earbuds for audio. When playing in docked mode, I used either the Joy-Con 2 controllers or the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.

First reviewed August 2025

This compact lawnbot saved me from a summer of strenuous mowing

11:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: AU, Europe, UK, US | Comments: Off

View or buy at Mammotion US / Mammotion UK / Mammotion AU

Mammotion Yuka Mini: two-minute review

Product info

This model is available in a few slightly different variant:

US: Mini S, Mini 600H, Mini 800H
UK: Mini 600, Yuka Mini 800
AU: Mini 800, Mini 600

For this review, I tested the Mini 600 UK version. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.

The Mammotion Yuka Mini is a relatively compact, simple and affordable robotic mower for small to medium-sized lawns. There are a few different options, but for this review I tested the Mini 600 (called the Mini S in the US) for yards that are 0.15 acres / 600㎡ in size.

While it's far from the fanciest lawnbot on the market, it handled various obstacles impressively well. My parents' yard comprises uneven areas, trees, awkwardly placed beds, and a brook; but none of these posed an issue for the Yuka Mini during tests. It navigated accurately, avoided unexpected obstacles impressively well, and never got lost or tried to take a swim.

I was also extremely happy with the mowing itself. It left the yard looking far neater than if I'd cut it manually, with the grass evenly trimmed and faux-stripes created by the logical mowing route. It operated quietly enough that I could happily read a book nearby, and while not exactly lightning-fast, it has proved sufficiently speedy to tackle the lawn size for which it's designed in an efficient manner.

The impressive performance is hampered somewhat by the brand experience. The app feels basic and a little unintuitive. The instructions provided for setup aren't clear enough for lawnbot newbies – who should also note that finding a good spot for your charge station and RTK receiver is key. During tests I also found the bot would sometimes lose connection, needing to be carried back to within Wi-Fi range before it could be instructed.

Nevertheless, once I'd managed to get everything up and running, I found myself forgetting the minor pain of setup very quickly. I really can't overstate how much time and effort this little bot has saved over the past few weeks, and the lawn looks neater than ever. Overall, for the price it's a very solid investment.

That's the short version; read on for my full Mammotion Yuka Mini review.

Mammotion Yuka Mini 600 in reviewer's yard — (Image credit: Future)

Mammotion Yuka Mini review: price & versions

List price: from $1,099 / £849 / AU$1,499
Launched: February 2025
Available: US, UK, AU, Europe

In the US, you have a few options in the Yuka Mini range. The equivalent to the model I've reviewed here is the Mini S, which costs $1,099 and is designed for yards of 0.15 acres / 600 square meters in size. Alternatively, you can opt for a H-series model, which can deal with taller grass. In that line is the Mini 600H for $1,099 or the Mini 800H for $1,299.

In the UK and Australia, you have the Mini 600 (reviewed here) for £849 / AU$1,499. If you have a slightly larger garden, you can go for the Yuka Mini 800 for £1,049 / AU$1,899. I've spotted discounts in all territories; it's not too difficult to avoid paying full whack if you're patient.

While not an especially cheap purchase, I think it offers decent value for money. Build quality is solid and performance is reliable, and this compact lawnbot really is a big effort-saver.

In terms of rival brands, Husqvarna's bots are geared towards larger yards. At time of writing, it has its Automower 115H (which can mow up to 0.4 acres) for $699.99, then prices hop straight up to $1,999.99 for the Automower 415X (up to 0.37 acres).

The Eufy E15 is suitable for yards up to 0.2 acres and is much pricier, at $1,799.99 / £1,499. However, it's a different kind of bot because it uses self-drive car tech rather than satellites to navigate, and therefore is significantly easier to set up.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Mammotion Yuka Mini specs

Product:	Yuka Mini S (US) / Yuka Mini 600 (UK)
Recommended lawn size:	0.15 acres / 600㎡
Max lawn size:	0.2 acres / 800㎡
Cutting width:	7.5in / 19cm
Cutting height:	0.8-2.4in / 2-6cm
Drivetrain:	2-wheel drive
Max zones:	15
Incline ability:	50% / 27 degrees
Waterproof:	IPX6
Lawnbot size (L x W x H):	20.7 x 16.3 x 11.1in / 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1cm
Lawnbot weight:	23.4 lbs / 10.6kg
Mowing area per charge:	0.04 acres / 150㎡
Charge time:	90 mins
Mowing time per charge:	55 mins

Mammotion Yuka Mini review: design

Relatively compact, lightweight bot with five cutting blades
Comes with an RTK receiver and charge station (garage roof is extra)
AI-equipped, front-mounted camera for object avoidance

The Mammotion Yuka setup comprises three elements: a charge station, an RTK receiver and the lawnbot itself.

Let's start with the robot. It's fairly compact in size, with a plastic upper shell and two chunky, deep-tread wheels to help it traverse uneven ground. On the top is a large control panel that includes a knob to manually adjust cutting height, some simple press buttons, and a big red emergency stop button. There's also an AI-powered camera to help with object identification and avoidance. The whole thing is waterproof to IPX-6 (i.e. it will be fine even in a downpour).

Flip it over and you'll find two smaller front wheels and a spinning cutting deck that holds five ultra-sharp blades. Mammotion has thoughtfully included a ridged grip section at the front and back – well away from those blades – to enable you to safely and securely pick up the robot, if you need to move it past an area that isn't accessible by driving. It's compact and light enough that most able-bodied people should be able to carry it without too much trouble.

The battery tucks in the back of the bot and is detachable, should you need to replace it further down the line.

The charge station is where the bot returns to dock. It's a black plastic base with raised charge contacts, and plastic ground screws are provided to secure it into the ground. It's potentially worth investing in a "garage roof" to provide protection; despite being waterproof, prolonged exposure to the elements will surely limit the lawnbot's lifespan in the longer term.

You'll want to think about where the charge station will live before buying. It can't go just anywhere, but the literature that comes with the lawnbot isn't great at explaining this. The charge station needs to be somewhere relatively flat, with a clear route to mowing areas, and access to a power outlet. While it doesn't need line-of-sight to the lawnbot (it will communicate via radio signal), it does need at least some view of the sky, so that the bot can talk to the satellites when docked. I struggled to find somewhere suitable initially.

Finally, the RTK station. This essentially helps make the satellite positioning data more accurate, and is important if you don't want your bot to end up in a flower bed. It looks like a small-ish rounded dome with an antenna protruding downwards – not too obtrusive, but I set it up in my parents' garden and the feedback from my mum was that she wished it wasn't white, because it sticks out too much and spoils her view. (I think she has a point.)

You'll also want to figure out where the RTK station will live before making your purchase. It's best positioned high up, with a clear view of the sky in as many directions as possible. It also needs to be connected to a power source.

There is an option that means you don't need to install the RTK receiver. The Yuka Mini can map and navigate using a "NetRTK and 4G module" – at the time of writing it's free to use, but this added functionality typically comes with a subscription fee. I did not test this option, and I'm not sure if it's suitable for any garden or if there are requirements.

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Mammotion Yuka Mini review: performance

Neat, even cutting and impressively quiet in use
Navigation was accurate throughout my testing period
Setup and initial use can be confusing if you're not familiar with lawnbots

Moving on to how well the Yuka Mini performed in practice. I'll start with setup, and the results of my cutting tests.

Setup

The Yuka Mini was the first robot lawn mower I'd tested, and I found initial setup rather painful. Information is lacking from Mammotion (I feel this area could do with improvement), so if you're in this boat too, prepare to do a bit of independent research before embarking on setup. The key things are to find a good spot for your charge station and RTK receiver, as I've discussed above.

With that done, it's a case of mapping your space. There are two options here: manual (for complex mowing areas) and automatic (for simple areas with clear boundaries). My parents' yard, where I tested this bot, includes various grassy areas. The main one includes uneven areas of green, large mid-lawn beds, and has a brook running down one side, so I mapped it manually.

This involved driving the bot carefully around the perimeter of the lawn, using my phone as the remote control. Once I was done, I added no-go zones around any fixed obstructions (trees, beds, patio areas) within the lawn, again by driving over and around them. If you're used to robot vacuums, this mapping process feels much more old-school, but there's no denying it's pretty fun.

The yard at the front of the house is simpler, with no waterways for the bot to fall into, so I took a chance on automatic mapping. I was impressed – the lawnbot mapped the space quickly and figured out the borders of the beds accurately. Note that you can't map very small areas.

I added routes between connected areas, to enable the bot to find its way back to the base. For some areas – for example, that front yard – it wasn't possible to create a path back to the charge station. I was still able to map and mow these areas, but I had to carry the robot back to the charge base area once it was done, and it would yell at me that the robot was tilted as I did so.

I was very impressed with this robot's cutting performance. It mowed each lawn zone neatly and evenly, leaving faux stripes in its path. It appeared to take a logical path, too, mowing in parallel lines over the main body of each lawn area and then looping around the perimeter to catch the edges.

There were very occasionally narrow strips between lines that remained uncut, but these could be taken care of by remote-control mowing after the task was complete, or (more commonly for me) left to be caught on the next mowing session.

The Yuka Mini also proved very quiet in operation, and significantly quieter than a traditional mower. I was able to happily sit on a sun lounger on the patio and read my book while it took care of the adjacent lawn – surely, the ideal scenario anyone is hoping for when they purchase one of these.

Once everything was set up properly, I didn't encounter any issues with navigation; the lawnbot never got lost or ended up somewhere it should not be, and it reliably returned to its base once a task was complete – or if it ran out of juice mid-mow. It had no trouble traversing really quite steep ground, and was able to mow quite close to the sloped edge of the brook without taking a dip. (Initially, I left a large border for fear the Yuka Mini would go for a swim, but once I'd used it for a while and seen how well it navigated, I shifted the perimeter closer to the water.)

Object avoidance is solid, too. If I stood in front of the bot while it was mowing, it would duly pause and make its way around me before continuing.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Mammotion Yuka Mini review: app

App is fine but on the basic side, and lacks some fine-tuned controls
Not the most logical layout, with some functions hard to find
Functional, once you've figured out the quirks

Most control for the Yuka Mini comes via the companion app. Overall I found it fine, but not amazing. I'm more used to testing robot vacuums, and in comparison to most of the robovac apps I've used, the Mammotion app felt a little clunky and simplistic. Settings aren't always where you'd expect to find them; there were some spelling errors in the text (not the end of the world, but indicative of a lack of care); and the instructions weren't always clear.

For example, the bot is apparently designed to straddle the edges of paths, so you don't end up with an uncut border. I expected this to be an option you could toggle on or off in the app, but it's not. (It's only suitable for paths that are perfectly flat, and the ones in my test yard don't fit this requirement.) There's a decent range of adjustment options, but they're a little tucked away and not accessible if the bot has lost connection to the internet.

Screenshots from Mammotion Yuka Mini app — Click to see large version (Image credit: Mammotion)

The map is also very simplistic; just a cutting area, with nothing else specified. I imagined you might be able to indicate a tree, a flower bed or a pond – if not to adjust how the lawnbot behaves at that border, then at least to help you understand where you are on the map. This is not an option, however.

I found if I was a long way from the lawnbot, the app would regularly lose contact. If the robot wasn't cutting at the time, I'd have to carry the bot back to within Wi-Fi range before I could instruct it. If it was cutting at the time, it would continue on with its task, but I couldn't watch its progress. This felt a little risky, although I guess I'd only be getting very basic information anyway.

All that said, once I'd figured out where things were, the app was usable and did what I needed it to. Middling marks.

App score: 3 out of 5

Should you buy the Mammotion Yuka Mini?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Not cheap, but relatively affordable in the market, and there are deals to be had. Product feels high quality.	4 / 5
Design	Relatively compact and lightweight lawnbot. Navigates using satellites and an RTK receiver, although there is also a paid-for 4G navigation option.	4.5 / 5
Performance	Neat, quiet and thorough mowing, and reliable navigation and object avoidance. Setup a little confusing.	4 / 5
App	Rather basic, slightly unintuitive and lacks fine controls, although generally does what you need it to do.	3 / 5

Buy it if...

You have a small to medium-sized yard
The Yuka Mini I tested is designed for spaces of around 0.15 acres / 600㎡ in size, and there's also a version for up to 0.2 acres / 800㎡. The relatively compact design won't overwhelm a smaller yard.

You're looking for something affordable
A lot of lawnbots cost thousands, whereas this bot is far more affordable – especially if you snag one of the semi-regular deals.

Don't buy it if...

You want the crème de la crème of the range
This little bot performed great in my tests, but it isn't as advanced as the Mammotion Luba 2, which has all the latest bells and whistles you could hope for.

You have a very large yard
The bot I tested is designed for yards of around 0.15 acres / 600㎡, although alternatives in the Yuka Mini range can manage up to 0.2 acres / 800㎡. There are plenty of options that cater to bigger yards, offering wider cutting decks and longer runtimes, if that won't suffice.

You're a total technophobe
I found setup a little painful, and the basic app and lack of clear instructions from Mammotion don't help. If you want a lawnbot that will do it all for you, take a look at the Dreame E15.

Mammotion Yuka Mini: alternatives to consider

	Mammotion Yuka Mini 600	Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD 1000
Recommended lawn size:	0.15 acres / 600㎡	0.25 acres / 1,000㎡
Max lawn size:	0.2 acres / 800㎡	0.3 acres / 1,012㎡
Cutting width:	7.5in / 19cm	15.7in / 40cm
Cutting height:	0.8-2.4in / 2-6cm, mechanical	1 - 2.7in / 2.5-7cm, motorized
Drivetrain:	Two-wheel drive	All-wheel drive
Max zones:	15	10
Incline ability:	50% (27°)	80% (38°)
Waterproof:	IPX6	IPX6 & IPX7
Lawnbot size (L x W x H):	20.7 x 16.3 x 11.1in / 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1cm	27.2 x 20.2 x 10.7in / 69 x 51.3 x 27.3cm
Lawnbot weight:	23.4lbs / 10.6kg	37.7lbs / 17.1 kg
Mow time per charge:	55 mins	120 mins

Mammotion LUBA 2 robot mower

The LUBA is an altogether fancier, more tech-packed option from Mammotion. There are various versions that can manage large yards, and it offers longer runtimes and four-wheel drive for trickier terrain.

Read our full Mammotion LUBA 2 robot mower review.

How I tested the Mammotion Yuka Mini

I set up the Mammotion Yuka Mini in my parents' yard, which includes three main grassy areas. There are various obstacles, including patio areas, beds in the middle of the lawn, trees and a brook. I set it up using the instructions provided (supplemented by my own research, when that didn't go to plan), mapped the area, and ran several mowing tests over the course of a few days. It was then used as the primary mower over the course of the month that followed, with me visiting regularly to check on progress. I assessed it based on the neatness of cutting, accuracy of navigation, and ease of use.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed July 2025

We’ve found the best pair of durable all-rounder running shoes you can buy this year – say hello to the Saucony Ride 18

11:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Comments: Off

Saucony Ride 18: One minute review

I must admit I wasn’t a huge fan of the Saucony Ride 17. While it was a solid all-rounder, I found the internal molding quite intrusive and it always felt like I was wearing a support shoe rather than a neutral trainer. In the end, it just didn’t work for me, and I passed it on to a friend (who loved it!).

As a result, I was hesitant to try the Ride 18, even though I knew it was a popular model with plenty of great credentials, but I was pleasantly surprised. With just a few subtle tweaks, Saucony has created a far more comfortable shoe which seems to mold to my feet perfectly.

It just goes to show that small changes can make all the difference. Increased structure in the upper, a touch more heel cushioning and bonus foam content are particular highlights. Best of all, the trainer comes at an affordable price, meaning it’s a great value-for-money workhorse, perfect for those easy and long runs.

Much like Brooks Ghost, the Ride 18 is likely to remain a firm favorite for those looking for a cushioned ride. It’s been a complete game changer for me and the Ride 18 is now my go-to road shoe for easy runs and everyday training.

Saucony Ride 18 review: Specifications

Component	Saucony Ride 18
Weight	Around 228g (Womens) 259g (Men’s)
Upper	Engineered mesh with inner sleeve
Midsole	PWRRUN+Foam
Outsole	Durable Rubber
Heel-to-toe drop	8mm

Saucony Ride 18 review: Price and availability

$145 USD / £130 GBP / AU$239.99
Affordable considering it's a workhorse
Frequently found on sale

The Saucony Ride 18 is one of the more affordable road shoes. Priced at $145 USD / £130 GBP / AU$239.99, it can be found at discounted prices, but limited sizes are available.

We’ve spotted it as cheap as £105.00 in the UK at Sports Direct (link) (sportsdirect.com), at $144.95 in the US on Road Runner Sports (link) (roadrunnersports.com), and as low as AU$210 on Sports Direct Australia (link) (au.sportsdirect.com).

Value score: 4.5/5

Saucony Ride 18 review: Design

Extra cushioning foam
More pronounced grooving
No more heel pull-tab

The Saucony Ride 18 retains much of the DNA that made its predecessor popular, yet introduces a series of subtle refinements that combine to deliver a more responsive and comfortable ride. The trainer still employs an 8mm heel-to-toe drop, a specification that appeals to runners seeking a balanced transition without the feeling of a pronounced incline. Underfoot, the PWRRUN+ midsole material has been enhanced with additional cushioning foam, resulting in improved energy return despite a marginal reduction in overall weight. This increased foam content not only makes the shoe feel livelier underfoot, but also boosts the comfort factor.

A closer look at the outsole reveals more pronounced grooving compared with the Ride 17. The more numerous flex grooves provide enhanced grip on a variety of surfaces and encourage a more stable, confident stride. The redesigned tread pattern also appears more wear-resistant, suggesting it will maintain performance over a longer lifespan.

Above the midsole, the engineered knit upper has been reworked to offer greater stretch and conformity around the foot. The device-knit construction wraps the midfoot snugly, eliminating the noticeable internal arch of the previous model and providing a smoother, more uniform pressure distribution. An extra layer of padding in the heel collar further secures the foot in place, preventing slippage without causing discomfort or hotspots during extended runs.

In the forefoot, the generous yet not cumbersome toe-box volume allows natural toe splay without feeling loose. The tongue padding has been optimized to strike a balance between comfort and minimalism, offering enough cushioning to prevent lace-bite without bulking up. The lace system now includes an additional eyelet, enabling various lockdown configurations for a personalized fit. The heel pull-tab has been removed, but this always appeared to be superfluous to me, anyway.

Overall, the Ride 18’s design updates – enhanced foam, refined tread, adaptive upper and tailored fit – combine into a package that feels soft, light and supportive.

Design score: 4/5

Saucony Ride 18 review: Performance

Solid track shoe
Handles light trails as well as roads
Good for most distances

I put the Saucony Ride 18 through its paces on both my regular road runs and interval track sessions, where I was doing 400m and 800m reps, or pacing athletes to smash 5k PBs. On the track, the shoe felt exceptionally smooth and consistent, offering just enough pop from the responsive midsole to sustain a metronomic pace without fatigue. Transitions from heel to toe remained fluid, even when shifting speeds between repeats.

Despite its track prowess, the Ride 18 proved versatile enough for road outings and light trail adventures. The reliable cushioning and grip inspired confidence on varied surfaces, making the pair trustworthy for anything from a brisk parkrun to a 20-mile long run. The outsole’s traction handled damp tarmac and gravel alike.

Although capable in general interval sessions, the Ride 18 does still lack the ultra-lightweight feel and snappy responsiveness of a dedicated racing flat or carbon-plated shoe (but then again, it’s not designed for this kind of running). But for everyday training, tempo runs and mixed-surface routes it strikes an impressive balance of comfort, stability and performance.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Saucony Ride 18: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You value everyday versatility

The Ride 18 adapts from road to light trail, and from speed to easy running, without missing a beat, making it your go-to trainer for mixed workouts.

You appreciate consistent cushioning

Its balanced PWRRUN Plus midsole delivers a soft, reliable bounce mile after mile, keeping your legs feeling fresh.

You need a snug, secure fit

An adaptive knit upper and padded heel collar hold your foot comfortably in place, so you can focus on your stride.

Don't buy it if...

You demand razor-sharp responsiveness

For race-day flats or super-snappy speed sessions, the Ride 18 feels a touch too plush and mellow.

You’re tackling ultras

While it’s durable, the cushioning isn’t as luxurious as specialist long-distance models, so your feet may tire on very long runs.

You prefer hardcore off-road

For technical trails or deep mud, you’ll want deeper lugs and reinforced protection that this pair can’t provide.

Also consider

Altra FWD Via

Our previous favorite slow, all-rounder shoe

Read our full Altra FWD Via review

Saucony Ride 17

The previous iteration which can now be found quite cheaply.

Read our full Saucony Ride 17 review

First reviewed: July 2025

The Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal is the drip coffee maker I’ve been waiting for all my life

8:00 pm | August 2, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: two-minute review

If you enjoy drip coffee, this machine should be right at the top of your list. Sold under the brand name Sage in the UK, and Breville elsewhere in the world, the Luxe Brewer Thermal is a compact machine that does the basics extremely well, while also offering a set of carefully curated customization options, yet never making things unnecessarily complicated.

As the name suggests, one of the Luxe Brewer Thermal's standout features is its insulated carafe, which is the best I've ever used. All companies claim that their double-walled carafes will keep your freshly brewed drinks hot for hours on end, but this one actually does. Even four hours after brewing, the outside of the jug was cold to the touch and the coffee within remained the optimal temperature for drinking, despite having prepared a half quantity (larger volumes hold their heat even better).

Want to wake up to freshly brewed coffee? There's a delayed start timer, too, which can be easily set in a couple of seconds.

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal brew options — The Luxe Brewer Thermal offers hot and cold brewing, with customizable brew settings (Image credit: Future)

The removable water tank is another great feature, and is easy to lift away for refilling at the sink. No more struggling to pour water into your machine when it's on the kitchen counter. The only downside is that the tank's handle is quite small and not particularly ergonomic, although that's quite a minor quibble.

The handles on the carafe and basket assembly are far more robust, and the machine is supplied with flat-bottomed and cone-shaped filters so you can make your choice depending on how large a batch you're planning to prepare. A handy printed guide will help you pick the appropriate shape, as well as measure out the optimum quantities of ground coffee and water.

You can tweak hot brewing options (including brew time and temperature) or try cold-brewing your coffee over 24 hours for a more sweet and mellow flavor.

There's nothing excessively complicated here – just the fundamentals executed extremely well. If you're a filter fan, you won't be disappointed.

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: price and availability

The Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal (known as the Breville Luxe Brewer Thermal outside the UK) launched in June 2025 with a list price of $349.95 / £249.95. It isn't sold in Australia at the time of writing, but will soon be available for AU$579. You'll find today's best deals listed below.

In the US, the Luxe Brewer Thermal launched alongside the Luxe Brewer Glass, which (as its name suggests) comes with a glass jug rather than an insulated carafe. The Luxe Brewer Glass is slightly cheaper, at $319.95.

For American coffee-drinkers, this is about the same price as the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker, which costs $365. The Aiden has some advanced features such as automatic water temperature adjustment and bloom time, which the Luxe Brewer Thermal lacks. However, in my experience, the Aiden doesn't have such a well-insulated carafe. During tests, coffee brewed with the Aiden began to go noticeably cold within an hour.

In the UK, the Aiden is considerably more expensive than the Luxe Brewer Thermal, with a list price of £365.

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: specifications

Dimensions (H x W x D)	16 x 14.7 x 7 inches / 40.77 x 37.24 x 17.7cm
Weight	10.3lbs / 4.68kg
Water tank capacity	60floz / 1.7 liters
Filter baskets	Two (cone and flat-bottomed)
Brewing modes	Two (hot and cold)
Timer	Yes
Insulated carafe	Yes
Hotplate	No

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: design

The Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal is a smart, modern-looking drip coffee machine with a brushed metallic finish and a surprisingly small footprint (just 14.7 x 7 inches / 37.24 x 17.7cm), which makes it a good option for compact kitchens. If you like the idea of having a drip machine alongside your espresso maker, but had been wondering how to fit it in, it could be the perfect solution.

One of its best features is its removeable water tank, which you can easily carry to the sink to refill. Its wide opening makes it easy to fill without spills and splashes. The tank has a small handle on the side that's just large enough to loop a finger through. It helps with removing the tank from the machine, but isn't enough to support its weight once full, so you'll need to support the tank with your other hand.

Image 1 of 2

Water tank removed from Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal — The Luxe Brewer Thermal has a removable water tank, which is very convenient, although its handle is quite small (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 2

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal water tank with filter installed — The machine is supplied with a filter, and replacements are available to buy direct from Sage (Image credit: Future)

For users with mobility issues, it might have been nice if the tank had a larger, more ergonomic handle like those on the basket and carafe, which are both robust and easy to carry (even when the carafe is full).

The Luxe Brewer Thermal is supplied with a water hardness testing strip (the results of which are used for the machine's initial configuration) and a water filter that connects to an adapter and pushes into the bottom of the tank. Most filter machines I've tested don't come with a filter, so this is an added boon.

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal with reusable mesh filter and filter papers — The machine cones with a reusable mesh flat-bottomed filter, plus filter papers if you want easier cleanup and finer filtering (Image credit: Future)

The machine comes with two filter baskets – one cone and one flat-bottomed – plus a set of flat-bottomed filter papers, and a reusable mesh cone filter. The instructions warn you to use either paper filters or the mesh one, but not both together. Cone filter papers are readily available from supermarkets, so I don't think it's a problem that these aren't supplied.

The Luxe Brewer Thermal is available in several different colors, although your options will vary depending on where you buy it. In the UK, it's only available in Stainless Steel; but coffee fans in the US can also choose Black Truffle, Sea Salt (white), Damson Blue, and Olive Tapenade. When it launches in Australia, it will be available in Stainless Steel and Black Truffle.

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: performance

The Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal is super simple to set up and use. You start by using the water testing strip to determine the hardness of your tap water; then soak the water filter in water for five minutes, fit its adapter, and twist it into place at the bottom of the water tank. You'll then be able to set the water hardness on the machine, along with the time, which will be used for the delayed start function. Allow it to run a quick rinse cycle, and you're ready to brew.

The printed instructions supplied with the machine are quite basic, with Ikea-style illustrations, but there are much more detailed directions available online, which will cover anything you're uncertain about.

Using the Luxe Brewer Thermal is pretty self-explanatory, particularly thanks to a chart that lists how much water and ground coffee to use when brewing a particular number of cups, and whether to use the cone or flat-bottomed basket.

Image 1 of 2

Adjusting lid of Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal carafe — The lid of the carafe can be locked to prevent accidental pouring (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 2

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal carafe — The carafe is extremely well insulated, keeping freshly brewed coffee hot for hours (Image credit: Future)

Once you've hit "brew", the machine will quickly and quietly get to work; the only particularly noticeable noise comes at the end of the brewing cycle, when the pump is draining the last few dregs of water from the tank. Once complete, the Luxe Brewer Thermal will beep to let you know your coffee is ready.

The thermal carafe is particularly impressive. The more coffee you brew, the better it will hold its heat. Having said that, even when I prepared only half a carafe, the contents were still at 149ºC / 65ºF after four hours. That's slightly hotter than you'd want for drinking immediately without a splash of cold milk. In fact, the first time I used the Luxe Brewer Thermal, I wasn't sure it had actually finished because even though it was full of piping-hot coffee, the outside of the jug was cold to the touch.

Once you've brewed a pot, the machine’s display will show how long ago it was made, which is handy for households with multiple coffee-drinkers.

Adjusting brew settings on Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal — Brew settings are adjustable if you want to tweak the flavor of your coffee, with options including bloom time and brew temperature (Image credit: Future)

I also like its large, ergonomically designed handle, which matches that of the brew basket assembly, and makes it easy to carry and pour even when full.

The default settings worked very well with my freshly bought and ground beans, but if you find the flavor isn't quite to your taste, selecting the "custom" option will let you tweak the bloom volume (the amount of hot water dispensed onto the ground coffee for pre-infusion), bloom time (how long the coffee is allowed to pre-infuse), brew temperature, and flow rate (how rapidly the water is dispensed onto the coffee).

The Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal is also capable of cold-brewing, but you might not be able to see this option on the screen at first. That's because the coffee needs to steep in the basket for 24 hours, and the basket has a maximum capacity of four cups. If there's too much water in the machine's tank, it won't be offered.

Setting delayed start on Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal — The Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal has a dedicated button for delayed start. Just tap it, use the dial to set the timer, and it's ready to go (Image credit: Future)

Before cold-brewing, you'll be prompted to remove the lid from the carafe so the water remains in the brew basket, and the timer will begin counting down. Once the 24 hours are up, you can position the lidded carafe to release your brew. As you would expect from cold-brew made the conventional way, the flavor is pleasingly rounded and rich, with a sweeter profile than coffee prepared hot.

It's simple, but very well executed, like all of this machine's features. Although there’s a selection of customization options, there are no unnecessary frills. Drip coffee shouldn’t be complicated, and with the Luxe Brewer Thermal, it isn’t.

Should you buy the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal

Buy it if

You really enjoy drip coffee

The Luxe Brewer Thermal will do your beans justice, and keep your batch brew hot for hours without stewing it on a hotplate. You can fine-tune brew settings if you want; but, ultimately, it keeps things simple and does them very well.

You enjoy authentic cold-brew

There's no shortage of coffee makers that claim to make authentic-tasting cold-brewed coffee, but the Luxe Brewer Thermal does it the traditional way by steeping the grounds for 24 hours. It's easy, convenient, and makes virtually no mess.

Don't buy it if

You want a traditional-looking batch brewer

The Luxe Brewer Thermal has a distinctly modern look with its brushed metal finish and clean lines. If you want a more conventional-looking brewer, take a look at the Moccamaster KBGV Select instead (see below).

You want the cheapest option

The Luxe Brewer Thermal carries a mid-range price tag, and there are definitely cheaper options available, although they don't offer the same performance.

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal is the right coffee maker for you, here are two other options to consider:

Moccamaster KBGV Select

The Moccamaster comes highly recommended if you want a more striking machine, although it relies on a hotplate rather than an insulated carafe to keep your drink hot, and stewing for 100 minutes can have a detrimental effect on the taste of your drink.

Read our full Moccamaster KBGV Select review

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker

I really wanted to love the super-smart Aiden, which automatically calculates the optimum brew settings for your beans, but it's let down by an insulated carafe that just doesn't hold the heat like the Luxe Brewer Thermal's pitcher.

Read our full Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker review

How I tested the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal

I used the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal with tap water and the supplied water filter, with the machine set to the recommended water hardness setting. I used freshly bought coffee from a local roaster (a blend of Brazilian and Columbian beans), ground at home immediately before using.

I used the machine on its default hot brewing settings, then experimented with adjusting options including bloom temperature, bloom time, and brew temperatures. I also used the delayed start function to start brewing first thing in the morning, and used the cold-brew function several times, comparing the taste of coffee brewed this way to prepared hot.

After brewing a batch of hot coffee, I tested the temperature every hour with a chef's thermometer to see how well the carafe retained heat.

For more details, see how TechRadar tests, rates, and reviews products.

First reviewed July 2025

I’ve tested more than a hundred laptops in my career, and the Dell 16 Premium is the only MacBook Pro rival worth considering

5:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, CPU, GPU, RTX | Comments: Off

Dell 16 Premium: One-minute review

The Dell 16 Premium is Dell’s newest flagship machine for professionals, creatives, and developers who demand a blend of portability, performance, and polish, and it has a pretty high bar to clear.

Its predecessor, the Dell XPS 16, was consistently one of the best laptops produced in every year it was available, and a lot of XPS fans were disappointed to hear about its rebranding. But, at the end of the day, that’s really all it is, as the 16 Premium is everything people loved about the XPS 16 in recent years along with some fancy new tricks.

Starting at $1,799.99 / £1,699 / AU$4,379.10, the Dell 16 Premium isn’t necessarily cheap, but it is fairly in line with similar creative-focused laptops like the MacBook Pro, and given how often Dell has sales on its laptops, you can often find it for much cheaper than the competition.

There are a few configuration options available, but you do start off with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU with Intel Arc 140V graphics, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 16.3-inch non-touch 2K display. From there, you can add in RTX 5050, RTX 5060, and RTX 5070 GPUs, depending on the region, and configure it up to 64GB memory and 4TB SSD storage (though these options will limit which GPU you can pick).

Right now, the Dell 16 Premium is on sale starting at $1,549.99 in the US, while the review configuration is available for $2,799.99, a $400 discount.View Deal

What truly sets it apart, though, is the outstanding 16.3-inch 4K OLED touchscreen with 120Hz refresh rate, perfect for high-res content creation, editing, and media consumption, though the OLED display will substantially cut into the device’s battery life.

With premium build quality, great speakers, and modern I/O, this laptop nails almost everything it sets out to do, though its borderless touchpad and keyless function bar design remain controversial.

All that said, chances are you’re really looking for performance with this laptop, and here, the unit I reviewed often ran circles around the competing MacBook Pro 16-inch with M4 Pro, especially in creative workloads where the MacBook Pro’s strong industry reputation does a lot of heavy lifting. In this regard, the Dell 16 Premium is easily the best laptop for creative pros who want MacBook Pro performance on a Windows 11 device.

Dell 16 Premium: Price & availability

A Dell 16 Premium on a table — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much does it cost? Starts at $1,799.99 / £1,699 / AU$4,379.10
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia through Dell’s website and other retailers.

The Dell 16 Premium is available now in the US, UK, and Australia through Dell’s official website and major retailers. Prices start at $1,799 in the US, £1,699 in the UK, and AU$4,379.10 in Australia.

Upgrading the configuration can significantly increase the price, but even when the price is maxed out, the highest level configuration is still substantially less than a competing MacBook Pro 16-inch with M4 Pro, much less one with an M4 Max chip.

Value: 4 / 5

Dell 16 Premium: Specs

Up to RTX 5070 GPU
Up to Thunderbolt 5
Wi-Fi 7

Dell offers multiple configurations of the Dell 16 Premium laptop across different regions. The starting models include a Core Ultra 7 processor, 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, 512GB SSD, and integrated Intel Arc graphics (Australia starts with an RTX 5050 GPU), as well as a 2K IPS non-touch display.

Dell 16 Premium Base Specs
	US	UK	Australia
Price	$1,799.99 at Dell.com	£1,699 at Dell.com	AU$5,353.60 at Dell.com
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 7 255H	Intel Core Ultra 7 255H	Intel Core Ultra 7 255H
GPU	Integrated Intel Arc 140T	Integrated Intel Arc 140T	Nvidia RTX 5050
Memory	16GB LPDDR5x - 7467MT/s	16GB LPDDR5x - 7467MT/s	16GB LPDDR5x - 7467MT/s
Storage	512GB PCIe NVMe	512GB PCIe NVMe	512GB PCIe NVMe
Display	16.3-inch non-touch 2K IPS 120Hz	16.3-inch non-touch 2K IPS 120Hz	16.3-inch non-touch 2K IPS 120Hz
Ports	1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 3 x Thunderbolt 4 Gen 2 (DP 2.1, Power Delivery), 1 x microSDXC 7.1	1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 3 x Thunderbolt 4 Gen 2 (DP 2.1, Power Delivery), 1 x microSDXC 7.1	1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 3 x Thunderbolt 4 Gen 2 (DP 2.1, Power Delivery), 1 x microSDXC 7.1
Battery	99.5WHr	99.5WHr	99.5WHr
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.4
Camera	1080p IR camera	1080p IR camera	1080p IR camera
Weight	4.56 lbs \| 2.06kg	4.56 lbs \| 2.06kg	4.56 lbs \| 2.06kg
Dimensions	14.1 x 9.4 x 0.75 ins \| 358.1 x 240 x 19mm	14.1 x 9.4 x 0.75 ins \| 358.1 x 240 x 19mm	14.1 x 9.4 x 0.75 ins \| 358.1 x 240 x 19mm

The max spec on the 16 Premium vary by region, with the US topping out at an RTX 5070 GPU, which also comes with three Thunderbolt 5 ports rather than the three Thunderbolt 4 ports on RTX 5060 models and lower. In the UK and Australia, there are no RTX 5070 configurations available yet, but they do max out with a 4TB PCIe SSD. All models max out at a UHD+ (2400p) OLED panel with 100% DCI-P3 color coverage.

Dell 16 Premium Max Specs
	US	UK	Australia
Price	$3,199.99 at Dell.com	£2,899 at Dell.com	AU$7,089.50 at Dell.com
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 7 255H	Intel Core Ultra 7 255H	Intel Core Ultra 7 255H
GPU	Nvidia RTX 5070	Nvidia RTX 5060	Nvidia RTX 5060
Memory	32GB LPDDR5x - 8400MT/s	32GB LPDDR5x - 7467MT/s	32GB LPDDR5x - 7467MT/s
Storage	1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe	4TB M.2 PCIe NVMe	4TB M.2 PCIe NVMe
Display	16.3-inch Touch 4K OLED 120Hz	16.3-inch Touch 4K OLED 120Hz	16.3-inch Touch 4K OLED 120Hz
Ports	1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 3 x Thunderbolt 5 (DP 2.1, Power Delivery), 1 x microSDXC 7.1	1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 3 x Thunderbolt 4 Gen 2 (DP 2.1, Power Delivery), 1 x microSDXC 7.1	1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 3 x Thunderbolt 4 Gen 2 (DP 2.1, Power Delivery), 1 x microSDXC 7.1
Battery	99.5WHr	99.5WHr	99.5WHr
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.4
Camera	1080p IR camera	1080p IR camera	1080p IR camera
Weight	4.65 lbs \| 2.11kg	4.65 lbs \| 2.11kg	4.65 lbs \| 2.11kg
Dimensions	14.1 x 9.4 x 0.75 ins \| 358.1 x 240 x 19mm	14.1 x 9.4 x 0.75 ins \| 358.1 x 240 x 19mm	14.1 x 9.4 x 0.75 ins \| 358.1 x 240 x 19mm

All configurations come with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, a substantial boost over the rival MacBook Pro 16-inch, as well as a microSDXC 7.1 slot.

The configuration I tested for review is the maximum configuration available in the US.

Specs: 5 / 5

Dell 16 Premium: Design

Gorgeous OLED display
Excellent port selection
Trackpad and function key row still controversial

Design-wise, there is little difference between the Dell 16 Premium and the Dell XPS 16 it replaces. The same borderless trackpad and keyless function bar remain from the XPS, and for the most part, the form factor is essentially unchanged.

The touchbar is definitely one of the more controversial design choices of the Dell 16 Premium, held over from the earlier XPS redesign from 2023. It's a bit of an accessibility challenge for those who struggle with low vision, as the only thing that indicates where a given function key is is a backlit label on a completely smooth and flat glossy surface.

Even if you don't have limited vision though, if there's an especially bright light (say, a sunny day outside), finding any given F-key might be challenging.

Likewise, the borderless trackpad isn't great either, and for similar reasons. It takes some time to learn and figure out where exactly the trackpad is, but once you do, it works pretty well.

The keyboard is ok. It's never been the best feature on the Dell XPS line, but it's not terrible and functions well enough.

For ports, you get at least three Thunderbolt 4 Gen 2 ports, a MicroSD card slot, and a 3.5mm combo jack. This is about as much as you can expect on a chassis this size, and while it would be nice to have a USB-A port, there is an adapter dongle that you can buy while configuring your laptop (about $35) that lets you get HDMI 2.0 and USB-A 3.0 connectivity if your have a mouse and monitor that require it.

The audio is pretty good on the 16 Premium, largely thanks to the top-firing speakers, but it's not spectacular. If you plan on working on audio projects, a headset would be advised.

The webcam is a 1080p IR camera, meaning that it's compatible with Windows Hello, and it's fairly good for video conferencing and the like. That said, it lacks a physical privacy shutter, which isn't really acceptable in 2025, so I have to take some points off for that.

While it might seem like I have a lot of complaints about the design of the 16 Premium, I only highlight the above issues because they are somewhat controversial in some corners, as is the rebranding away from XPS to Premium.

I get those concerns, but in my estimation, this is an exceptionally built laptop, and the issues I have with it don't detract that much from the overall quality of the device. If you opt for the OLED panel rather than the base IPS, pretty much every other consideration feels like nitpicking for a device that looks and feels great—better than the MacBook Pro in many ways.

Design: 4 / 5

Dell 16 Premium: Performance

Often outperforms the MacBook Pro 16-inch with M4 Pro
Discrete RTX GPU embarrasses the MacBook Pro in several workloads
Not a bad gaming laptop either

Ultimately, if you're paying this much for this laptop, performance is going to be front of mind, especially since this is really targeted toward the MacBook Pro creative crowd.

In that regard, the 16 Premium might even be a better creative laptop than the MacBook Pro 16-inch, despite the strong performance of the MacBook Pro 16-inch in some areas.

In terms of synthetic CPU performance, the MacBook Pro 16-inch with M4 Pro greatly outperforms the Dell 16 Premium in workloads like GeekBench 6.4.

However, once you start adding in real-world tests that actually test its performance in workloads creatives and gamers are actually interested in, the MacBook Pro only wins out in our PugetBench Photoshop benchmarks. Otherwise, the RTX 5070 GPU in the 16 Premium wrecks the MacBook Pro 16-inch just about everywhere else.

Now, the MacBook Pro 16-inch can be configured with an M4 Max chip, which might substantially change the comparative assessment, but it would add more than a grand to the price you'd pay compared to the best Dell 16 Premium.

Plus, even though the MacBook Pro 16 can now play Cyberpunk 2077 natively, Macs just aren't serious PC gaming devices. They've come a long way in recent years, but you simply don't have anything concerns about that with the Dell 16 Premium. If a game is on Steam, the Dell 16 Premium will be able to play it, something that even the best MacBook will never be able to claim.

Performance: 5 / 5

Dell 16 Premium: Battery Life

How long does it last on a single charge? 5 hours, 18 minutes

So, there is a major caveat when it comes to battery life on the 16 Premium unit I tested. OLED displays are notoriously unforgiving toward battery life. Add in the power-hungry RTX 5070 GPU, and we are really talking about battery life that is just slightly better than you'd find with the best gaming laptops.

With a max battery life of about 9 hours, according to Dell, the OLED configuration cannot keep pace with the MacBook Pro 16-inch, which can make it about 20 hours on a charge in our testing. In my testing, the Dell 16 Premium only gets about 5 hours in mixed use, and at best, about 2.5 hours under heavy load.

Of course, the MacBook Pro 16-inch isn't going to make it 20 hours if it's playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider or rendering a 4K video overnight on battery power, so the difference between the two laptops is probably closer than my tests show. But there's no getting around the fact that the MacBook Pro 16-inch is going to last far longer than the Dell 16 Premium, and that's something to consider.

Battery Life: 3 / 5

Should you buy the Dell 16 Premium?

Dell 16 Premium Scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	Premium priced, but delivers excellent performance and features	4 / 5
Specs	Lots of options, including powerful GPUs with Thunderbolt 5 and a gorgeous OLED display.	5 / 5
Design	Though it has great port selection, display, and aesthetics, there are legacy issues from its XPS heritage.	4.5 / 5
Performance	Simply outstanding performance across every workload, beating out the MacBook Pro 16-inch in all but a few cases.	5 / 5
Battery Life	Not great if you get an OLED panel, but better than other similar laptops with its specs.	3 / 5
Final Score	On balance, if the Dell 16 Premium fixed some of its design issues, it would be a true MacBook Pro killer, but it does battle Apple's best to a draw.	4.3 / 5

Buy the Dell 16 Premium if...

You want a high-performance laptop with discrete graphics
With up to an RTX 5070, the Dell 16 Premium has outstanding configuration options for top-tier performance.

You need a stunning OLED display for creative work
The OLED display option is simply gorgeous and fantastic for creative pros.

Don't buy it if...

You need long battery life
The battery life on the 16 Premium is not great, but it's in line with what you'd expect for an OLED laptop.

You're on a tight budget
The base spec for this laptop starts out expensive and only gets pricier the better you configure it.

Also consider

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
If you're considering the Dell 16 Premium, the only other laptop worth considering is the MacBook Pro 16-inch, especially if you're a creative pro.

Read our full Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro) review

How I tested the Dell 16 Premium

I spent about two weeks with the Dell 16 Premium
I used it for everyday work and creative tasks
I ran it through our standard battery of benchmark tests

I used the Dell 16 Premium for everyday work and creative tasks for about two weeks, including writing this review and editing all the photos therein on the device.

I put it through our standard battery of benchmark tests, as well as used it for everything from creative work to gaming to really push it to its limits.

I've tested several dozen laptops for TechRadar over the past several years, so I am very familiar with what makes a laptop a great value for its market, and my extensive experience gives me insight that lets me better assess its benchmark results.

First reviewed August 2025

I wore this $80 / £80 AI-powered Apple Watch rival for two months, and I still love it

5:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: Fitbit Charge, Garmin Forerunner, GPS | Comments: Off

Amazfit Bip 6: One minute review

I was eager to get my hands on the budget-friendly Amazfit Bip 6 to see if it matches up to the likes of the CMF Watch 2 Pro or Amazfit Active 2, our five-star best cheap smartwatch pick. When we reviewed the Amazfit Bip smartwatch back in 2019, we praised its amazing value, stylish design, and excellent companion app. Now at version 6, the Bip 6 is better than ever.

Across the board, the Bip 6 delivers. A sleek design, copious number of workout options, and onboard GPS all contribute to delivering a smartwatch that rivals many of the best smartwatches and fitness trackers. That’s not all the Bip 6 can do though, and it’s not quite all positive. However, considering its low price, it certainly delivers where it counts.

Amazfit Bip 6: Specifications

Price:	$79.99 US / £79.90 UK / AU$169
Dimensions:	46.3 x 40.2 x 10.45mm
Weight:	27.9g without strap
Case/Bezel:	Aluminum alloy and fiber-reinforced polymer
Display:	Size: 1.97-inch AMOLED 390x450px PPI 302
GPS:	Yes
Battery life:	Up to 14-days battery life
Connection:	Bluetooth
Water resistance:	5 ATM

Amazfit Bip 6: Price and availability

$79.99 US / £79.90 UK
An impressively good watch for the price

The Amazfit Bip 6 smartwatch is one of a growing number of budget-friendly smartwatches that deliver surprisingly good specs. You can pick it up for only $79.99 US / £79.90 UK with available colorways including black, red, and stone. By way of comparison, the five-star Amazfit Active 2 costs $99.99 US / £99.99 UK. AU pricing is TBC.

Value score: 4.5/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Design

1.97-inch AMOLED display
Liquid silicone strap
5 ATM water resistance

Let’s turn our attention to the design and build quality of this watch. Straight out the box, I was amazed by how good it looked. I had seen pictures of it, but because of the low price I was expecting to receive a poorly-built smartwatch. Sorry for my pessimism, Amazfit, you’ve ended up exceeding my expectations.

The frame is made of aluminum alloy while the case is fiber-reinforced polymer. It’s ever-so-slightly larger than the Bip 5, although not noticeably. I appreciated how flush it sat on my wrist and is light enough to blend into the background, even when exercising.

This smooth, bevelled metal case houses a gorgeous 1.97-inch AMOLED display which is an upgrade from the TFT on the previous iteration. This results in higher contrast, vibrant colors, and lower power consumption. And at a peak brightness of 2000 nits, I had no problem viewing the screen in even the brightest of lighting conditions.

The screen has a 380 x 450 resolution and 302 PPI, which isn’t far short of the Apple Watch Ultra. All of this is protected by 2.5D tempered glass so you don’t have to worry about it smashing – within reason, that is.

The watch is operated with two buttons located on the right-hand side of the case. They are large enough to be easily locatable but not big enough to get in the way. Personally, I love wearing a smartwatch with a crown button because it helps me navigate through the long list of workout options. As much as I missed it on the Bip 6, I soon got used to swiping the touchscreen instead.

The liquid silicone strap is comfortable, although a little awkward to put on. This is because the process of tucking the strap away actually clamps the watch in tighter. This made it difficult to reliably find the right position for the catch time after time. To provide a high level of choice and individuality, the strap can be purchased in a variety of different colors including black, charcoal, stone, red, and blush.

The Bip 6 has a water-resistance grade of 5 ATM, which means it can withstand water pressure down to 50 meters. Despite this, it’s not designed to be taken swimming for long periods of time or for intense water sports. I’m not doing either of those but have worn it in the shower and not encountered any problems at all.

Design score: 4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Features

24/7 Health monitoring and over 140 activity modes
Make and answer calls
Track progress through the Zepp app

As well as an AMOLED display, 5ATM water resistance, and on-board GPS, the Bip 6 delivers an impressive range of health monitoring and more activity modes than you could shake a stick at, alongside functionality for making and answering phone calls.

First up is Amazfit's BioTracker technology, enabling round-the-clock health monitoring. This includes heart rate, blood-oxygen levels, stress levels, and sleep quality. There’s nothing out of the ordinary or particularly special but strong for a budget smartwatch.

Things get a little more exciting when we get into activity modes. Not only are there over 140 of them including running, cycling, and swimming, but there’s also a dedicated HYROX race mode. I’ve never actually partaken in one of these races but if you’re into HYROX,this would be the ideal smartwatch for you. Tracking through the series of 1km runs and various functional fitness tests would be a nightmare on any other smartwatch, but with the Bip 6 all parts of the set order of exercises are handled for you.

Thanks to a built-in microphone and Bluetooth technology, the Bip 6 is able to make and answer calls like a pro. You’ll also be able to receive notifications and reply to texts using Zepp Flow.

Health tracking and activity records can be accessed through the watch but the most extensive insights are available through the Zepp app. If you’d like even more advanced wellness information then you’ll have to subscribe to Zepp Aura inside of the Zepp app itself.

Features score: 4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Performance

Single-frequency GPS, but accurate
Zepp flow streamlines using the phone
Positive user-experience

In terms of using the smartwatch, everything was very positive. The watch wakes up quickly and reliably when the wrist is rotated and the interface is adequately responsive. The watch lost pairing with the app a few times but re-pairing was quick and painfree. Data such as notifications and weather information were also delivered promptly and effficiently.

The Bip 6 also features built-in GPS, although it’s only single frequency at this price. Despite the lack of dual-frequency GNSS technology I found the Bip 6 to be both reliable and accurate. If you need super accurate tracking even through densely built-up areas then you’ll be better off with a dual-frequency watch such as the Garmin Forerunner 255 instead. That being said, I did take the Bip 6 into a dense forest and it had no problems picking up GPS within seconds.

During walks, runs, and cycling, I tested the Bip 6 alongside the Suunto Race S which is my usual tracking preference. I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the results were comparable, including heart rate, pace, distance traveled, and more. I also love how granular the Zepp app presents all this data, with in-depth graphics, plenty of stats, and bar chart dials. Being able to compare similar types of workouts over a period of time was also very helpful.

The Bip 6 also supports offline maps which helps when you know signal is going to be sketchy. By downloading unknown routes ahead of time, I was able to guarantee that navigation wouldn’t be a problem.

It is possible to play music while working out, but you’ll have to download music to the watch first. The lack of support for music streaming services like Spotify means you’ll have to be prepared ahead of time and preload your favorite music onto the watch. I like that it’s possible to listen to music through the watch, but the lack of convenience is a negative for the overall experience.

Image 1 of 8

Image 2 of 8

Image 3 of 8

Image 4 of 8

Image 5 of 8

Image 6 of 8

Image 7 of 8

Image 8 of 8

Battery life is impressive, especially given the price of the watch. The battery capacity has actually been raised from previous models from 300mAh to 340mAh, boosting overall performance and offering 14 days battery life with typical usage. By tracking around one or two activities per day, I found the watch actually lasted between 15 and 20 days.

As soon as I increased that and made use of the GPS more frequently, I quickly found that the battery life dropped to nearer 10 days. Recharging was possible through the custom Amazfit charging attachment that connects to the back of the watch. My only gripe was that there was no USB-C cable included, so you’ll need to source that yourself. A full recharge from empty took 120 minutes.

Finally let’s talk about Zepp Flow. This feature allows users to operate the watch using simple voice commands. Once I became familiar with the range of accepted commands, I found myself hardly using the GUI and associated buttons. I was able to adjust settings, check health data, start workouts, and reply to notifications with ease.

If Sam Altman and Jony Ive have their way, then the future of devices will look very different to what we have today. Devices will likely become entirely unobtrusive and operated solely with the voice. The Bip 6, with Zepp Flow, appears to be a step in that direction and Amazfit has absolutely nailed the implementation. I am excited to see how it pushes this design even further in future iterations.

Performance score: 4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more capable smartwatch at this price point.	4.5/5
Design	A great-looking watch that is comfortable to wear.	4/5
Features	The Bip 6 does all the basics well with little to set it apart from the rest.	4/5
Performance	Accurate GPS and seamless operation using Zepp Flow.	4/5
Total	A well-rounded smartwatch that offers a lot given the budget-friendly price.	4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Should I buy?

Buy if it...

You want your money to go further
At $79.99 US / £79.90 UK you’ll be amazed at how much performance and quality you get for the price.

You like simple and sleek design
The Bip 6 looks more premium than the price tag would suggest. The materials give away its budget status but it still looks nice.

You want GPS tracking
With onboard GPS you’ll be able to track your workouts to your heart’s content.

Don't buy it if...

You’re put off by paid subscriptions
Access to wellness and personalized reports will require Zepp Aura, a subscription-based service.

You need the very best GPS
With single frequency GPS you might find you have problems in densely built-up areas.

Also consider

Fitbit Charge 6

A little bit more expensive but still relatively affordable

Read our full Fitbit Charge 6 review

Garmin Forerunner 165

A more expensive watch, but a better outdoor companion.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 165 review

How I tested

Having worn the Amazfit Bip 6 for two months, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to get a proper feel of what the watch is like in reality. My testing has covered all elements of the watch including ‘smart’ features alongside the health and fitness tracking parts. I’ve also had it on at night to give the sleep tracking a rigorous test. This is a watch that I’ll continue to enjoy wearing, not only from a comfort point of view but also from a performance perspective.

First reviewed: July 2025

FiiO’s wireless little BTR17 headphone DAC and amp is a tour de force at a very attainable price

4:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi | Tags: DAC, LDAC | Comments: Off

FiiO BTR17 review: Two-minute review

Another day, another intriguing FiiO product. Today it’s the BTR17 portable Bluetooth DAC/headphone amplifier, and it seems safe to say it represents another day of FiiO business as usual.

The BTR17 is small, but it’s packed with functionality and specified in a way that seems beyond the tiny physical confines of the device itself. Between Bluetooth 5.4 with top-of-the-shop codec compatibility, a pair of ESS ES9069Q DACs, an disproportionate amount of power when used as a desktop headphone amp, decent battery life, the ability to deal with enormously high-resolution digital audio files, and a choice of balanced or unbalanced headphone outputs, it’s obvious FiiO has endeavoured to do the right thing here.

And that impression of ‘good intentions’ becomes even stronger when you hear the BTR17 in action. There are qualitative differences, of course, between using the FiiO as a wireless receiver and using it as a dongle hard-wired to a smartphone or laptop – but what doesn’t alter no matter the circumstances are the broad strokes of its sonic character.

And generally, it’s a character that’s fast, insightful, properly controlled and very satisfying to listen to. Or, at least, it is if you’re not expecting comparable bass power to the bass speed that’s on display here - the FiiO BTR17 is a rapid, direct listen, but it’s far from the chunkiest sound around. Investigating your options in the menus can bring about some changes in character, but they’re exclusively to the detriment of the device’s fundamental character and attitude.

Come on then, is it still one of the best portable DACs available for this money? Yes, with one caveat (which I'll come to).

If the balance is not to your taste, you’ll look elsewhere/. But those who value speed and dexterity of sound as much as (if not more than) straightforward ‘wallop’ will enjoy the BTR17 no end.

FiiO BTR17 review: Price and release date

FiiO's BTR17 DAC/amp in black, on a gray table, showing PCM resolution in yellow font — (Image credit: Future)

Launched in early November 2024
Priced $219 / £179 / AU$349

The FiiO BTR17 portable Bluetooth DAC/headphone amplifier is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it sells for no more than £179. In the United States it’s currently $219* and in Australia you’re looking at AU$329. So no matter the territory you’re shopping in, the BTR17 seems notable value for money.

If you don't mind wired connections of course, the world isn't exactly hunting high and low for an affordable USB DAC (see the pricier $499 / £449 / AU$769, the iFi GO Bar Kensei, the iFi Go Link Max at just $79 / £79 / AU$139 the five-star iFi hip-dac 3 at $199 / £199 / AU$349 for starters). But nevertheless, the combination of price and wireless specification could win out here…

(*subject to tariff-related change on a seemingly daily basis.)

FiiO BTR17 review: Features

32bit/768kHz and DSD512 support
Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC and aptX Lossless compatibility
650mW + 650mW balanced power for headphone amplification

It shouldn’t really come as any kind of surprise at this point that FiiO has specified one of its products in a manner that might easily shame an equivalent product from an alternative brand. And yet I find I’m still mildly startled but just how far into town FiiO has gone with the BTR17.

Regardless of the way the digital audio information gets on board, either by USB-C or via Bluetooth, it’s dealt with by a pair of ESS ES9069Q DACs that are able to handle every major file type up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 resolution. If you decide to go with Bluetooth, you have the luxury of the 5.4 version with codec compatibility all the way to LDAC and aptX Lossless – the use of a Qualcomm QCC5181 Bluetooth chip to do the necessary means the FiiO is LE Audio-compliant, too.

Use the BTR17 in ‘desktop’ mode with its ‘power in’ USB slot connected to a source of USB power (FiiO provides a little length of monocrystalline silver- and copper-plated eight-strand USB-C / USB-C cable to ensure clean power and accurate data transfer)and it can churn out a substantial 650mW + 650mW of balanced power. This is the sort of output more commonly associated with bigger desktop headphone amps, and is ample to drive even quite truculent headphones.

If you’re using battery power rather than USB-C power, the BTR17 will run for anywhere between seven hours (making a Bluetooth connection, using a power-hungry codec, driving balanced headphones via the 4.4mm output and listening at hefty volume) and ten hours (in ‘phone’ mode, at modest volume, driving headphones via the unbalanced 3.5mm output and listening to stuff of no more than 16bit/44.1kHz resolution). Charging from ‘flat’ to ‘full’ is a 90-minute job.

Unsurprisingly, there’s more – just as there was with the older FiiO BTR7 Bluetooth DAC (which is not to be confused with the newer model you're reading about today). The BTR17 has a three-stage, ten-rail power supply, and it has multi-stage architecture of the type FiiO fits to its pricey digital audio players. It has a ‘driver-free’ mode that means it can connect to a PS5, a Switch or something like that directly, without the need for downloaded drivers. It has integrated DC output and temperature detection to protect the device if conditions take a turn for the abnormal. And I could go on - but let’s just wrap this section up by saying FiiO has laid in on, specification-wise, with a trowel here.

Features score: 5 / 5

FiiO BTR17 review: Sound quality

Great sonic momentum and rhythmic positivity
Detailed and insightful
‘All or nothing’ EQ and filter adjustments

I’ve heard a few DAC/headphone amp devices lately that have sounded muscle-bound and barrel-chested in the manner of a bulldog. The FiiO BTR17, by way of happy contrast, is more of a greyhound.

There’s a rapidity, a kind of entirely naturalistic momentum, to the FiiO’s sound no matter if it’s receiving its digital audio information wirelessly via Bluetooth or through one of its USB-C sockets. A fleet-footed recording like Broadcast’s Black Cat fairly motors along – the BTR17 expresses the rhythm with complete conviction, and the tune stays on the front foot as result. There’s nothing forced about the way it’s presented, though - it doesn’t hang around, but neither does it feel like it’s being prodded forwards.

Part of this impression comes from the way the BTR17 handles the leading edge of low-frequency sounds – there’s no overhang or slurring, instead the FiiO snaps into bass information with real purpose. There are some minor issues at the bottom of the frequency range, and I’ll get to those – but there’s no arguing with the speed this little device can invest a recording with.

This is not at the expense of organisation, either. The FiiO creates a decently spacious and easy-to-understand soundstage, and can spread out even complex recordings to the point that individual elements are easy to highlight. There’s plenty of detail available at every part of the frequency range, and the BTR17 is just as attentive to fleeting and/or very minor occurrences as it is to the broader strokes. The upshot is a presentation that seems very much like it’s the complete picture.

Overall tonality is, in almost every circumstance, quite carefully neutral and uncolored, so if you play a warm and sepia-coloured recording like Johnny Too Bad by The Slickers, or a blue-ish and low-temperature number like Floating World by Zodiac Free Arts Club, what goes in is what comes out. The BTR17, left to its own devices, seems perfectly happy not to stick its oar in.

Integration of the frequency range is good, too, with no area being overplayed. I’ve heard plenty of products like this that will ramp up the bottom end or shove the midrange forwards, but that’s the FiiO’s scene at all.

There’s not an awful lot of meat on the low-frequency bones here, though. The BTR17 can dig fairly deep and hit reasonably hard, but low-end substance is in fairly short supply. Of course, a positive knock-on of this trait is that speed and manoeuvrability I’ve already discussed – but there’s also a downside which anyone who’s interested in bass for the sake of bass will already have worked out for themselves.

There are options in the device’s menus to finesse the EQ settings, of course, and also to investigate various filters – you might think this slightly flyweight presentation could be mitigated somewhat this way. But the effects of each are mild in the extreme, right until the moment they become rather ham-fisted and end up spoiling the carefully shaped low-frequency response. You can make the BTR17 sound weightier than it really wants to if you set your mind to it – but you’ll be affecting its speed and rhythmic positivity at the same time. And not in a good way.

Sound quality: 4 / 5

FiiO BTR17 review: Design

87 x 41 x 16mm (HxWxD)
Black or blue finishes
73g

When a product is sincerely intended to be ‘portable’, design has to take a back seat to ‘getting everything into a package as small and light as is realistically possible’. So apart from the little ledge beneath the 33mm screen on the front of the BTR17 and the mildly interesting ‘turn/push’ control at the top left, its 87 x 41 x 16mm (HxWxD), 73g chassis is entirely unremarkable. And that’s the case regardless of which of the black or blue finishes you choose.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the build quality here, though, nor the standard of finish. The BTR17 is almost entirely plastic, but it’s reasonably tactile and seems made to last.

Design score: 5 / 5

FiiO BTR17 review: Usability and setup

Tiny physical controls
Full-colour screen
Staggeringly in-depth control app

The BTR17’s 33mm display may look unhelpfully small, but it’s a crisp, full-colour IPS job and manages to legibly confirm file type or Bluetooth codec, sample rate, EQ setting, battery life and volume level all at the same time. It also gives access to menus that allow adjustment to gain gradients, audio filters, a choice of EQ presets, screen brightness and so on.

You navigate the menus using the rotary control on the top left edge of the BTR17. It feels and looks good, and operates with pleasant positivity – and it also gives access to volume control, ‘play/pause’ and telephony functions. There are other controls arranged beneath it down the edge of the machine – they are, inevitably, very small, and their labelling is even smaller. But take the time to commit their functions to memory and you can deal with ‘skip forwards/backwards’, ‘power on/off’, select ‘Bluetooth’, ‘phone’ or ‘PC’ your usage mode, and switch ‘desktop’ mode on or off.

Those usage modes have a big part to play in the BTR17’s battery life. In ‘PC’ mode, it’s powered by the computer it’s connected to. In ‘phone’ mode, its internal battery contributes to power supply, which reduces the load on your smartphone. In ‘BT’ mode, all the power is coming from the FiiO’s internal battery.

Physical connection to a computer or a smartphone is via one of the two USB-C slots on the bottom of the BTR17. Either can be used for charging and for data transfer, and one is also for power input when the device is in ‘desktop’ mode. At the opposite end of the device, meanwhile, there are Back in the mainstream world, there are a couple of headphone outputs - one is an unbalanced 3.5mm socket, the other a 4.4mm balanced equivalent.

There’s a huge, almost unnecessarily extensive, amount of functionality available in the ‘FiiO Control’ app. Want to adjust the ‘double-click’ function of those physical ‘skip forwards/backwards’ buttons, or create a custom EQ using a ten-band equaliser, or switch ‘distortion compensation’ in a couple of harmonic ranges on or off, or adjust the channel balance between ‘left’ and ‘right’? This is where you do it. If you want a slider to control the length of time the BTR17’s screen stays on, or how bright it is, or how long it stays switched on while it’s at rest, you can do it here too. Unless you’re the sort of person who can’t rest until they’ve customised the minutiae of their audio equipment’s set-up and performance, it is likely to seem like overkill.

Usability and setup score: 4 / 5

FiiO BTR17 review: Value

You can't pick fault with the value for money
Performs its duties admirably

Obviously it’s important to judge ‘value’ on a basis other than that of ‘how much stuff do I get?” – because while the FiiO BTR17 is necessarily small and light, it’s got a lot of functionality and it performs really well.

Most USB DAC/headphone amps at this sort of money don’t have a wireless aspect to their performance. Very few have a display or a control app, and fewer still have the sort of alacrity of sound the BTR17 can summon. Its sonic attitude will not be for everyone, but for those who are partial, there is excellent value for money to be had here.

Value score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the FiiO BTR17?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Even allowing for FiiO being FiiO, this thing is comprehensively specified	5/5
Design	It's super small and still has a useful screen	5/5
Sound quality	Detailed, agile, neutral – just could be a tiny bit punchier	4/5
Value	It would be an error to argue with the sound-per-pound value here	5/5

Buy it if...

‘Speed’ and ‘detail’ do it for you where sound is concerned
There’s a dexterity and insight to the way the FiiO presents music that is quite habit-forming after a while

You enjoy a through specification
FiiO has laid it on with the proverbial trowel here - there are alternative products costing much more than this that aren’t specified as impressively

You enjoy an even more thorough control app
'Granular’ is too weak a word to describe the level of influence the app lets you exert over the BTR17

Don't buy it if...

You’re after low-frequency substance
The bass sounds the BTR17 generates are detailed, straight-edged and deep - but they’re not as weighty as some listeners will require

You don’t like having to make choices
What do you want the buttons to do? How long do you want the screen to stay on? How bright would you like it? Decisions, decisions…

Your eyesight isn’t all it used to be
This is a necessarily small product, so don't be surprised if the display and, especially, the physical controls seem all-but invisibleView Deal

FiiO BTR17 review: Also consider

The iFi Go Link Max is a great-sounding USB-C DAC/headphone amp that’s compact and well-made – but it doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity.

Helm Audio’s Bolt USB-C DAC/headphone amp is another great performer and no hardship at all to listen to – but, again, there’s no wireless functionality here.

How I tested the FiiO BTR17

Used while working, while commuting and in the car
Listened in wireless Bluetooth mode, and using wired options

I used the BTR17 as a desktop DAC/headphone amp, connected to my Apple MacBook Pro. I used it connected to an Apple iPhone 14 via its USB-C socket, too, which allowed me to use wired headphones with a device with no headphone socket – and I also connected it wirelessly via Bluetooth to the smartphone, just for the sake of completeness.

I also found it a useful device when in a car with no wireless connectivity – Bluetooth from my smartphone to the FiiO, and the out of the BTR17’s 3.5mm unbalanced headphone socket to the ‘aux’ input of the in-car audio system. In every circumstance, no matter the type of connection or the type of music playing, the little FiiO was always a speedy and revealing listen.

First reviewed: August 2025
Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

The Joy-Con 2 are definitely an improvement, but I’d still prefer almost any other Nintendo Switch 2 controller

3:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Consoles & PC Gadgets Gaming Nintendo | Tags: Nintendo Switch | Comments: Off

Joy-Con 2: one-minute review

The Joy-Con 2 controllers are what you’ll get packaged with your Nintendo Switch 2 console. They differ greatly from the likes of the DualSense or Xbox Wireless Controller in that the Joy-Con 2 are essentially two separate gamepads that can be used either combined as one, or individually for local multiplayer.

From a design standpoint, that makes the Joy-Con 2 quite clever, as was the case with the original model. For families and at social gatherings, they can make access to multiplayer easier - even if their small size doesn’t make for the most comfortable of play sessions.

The Joy-Con 2 controllers do improve things on this front. They’re slightly larger than the 2017 model and more ergonomically sound. Using them both for handheld play, or with the (included) Joy-Con 2 grip, the play experience is serviceable. While I much, much prefer the overall feel of the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, you won’t be hard done by with the Joy-Con 2 thanks to its build quality improvements, convenient magnetic connectors, and decent battery life.

That said, for some Nintendo Switch 2 games, you may be incentivized to opt for the Joy-Con 2 over other controllers. That’s because of the standout new feature: mouse controls. While not a ton of games support this at present, mouse controls work surprisingly well across a variety of surfaces.

Despite the overall improvements, the Joy-Con 2 hasn’t quite managed to escape some design awkwardness of its predecessor. The asymmetrical stick layout just doesn’t sit right with me here, and while I know it would prove irksome for local multiplayer, I found myself wanting a symmetrical stick layout like we see on devices like the Nitro Deck and Steam Deck OLED.

The analog sticks themselves also aren’t much of an improvement. The sticks are still very shallow, and the concave design isn’t particularly comfortable. They’re also not Hall effect, as confirmed by Nintendo itself, so the possibility of stick drift down the line still looms large.

Joy-Con 2 review: price and availability

$94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95
Available at My Nintendo Store
On the expensive side

A single pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers come packaged with Nintendo Switch 2 consoles. However, they can also be purchased separately if you need a spare or you’re looking to get some big multiplayer groups together.

They’re definitely on the expensive side, though, costing $94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95.

That’s $10 pricier than the Switch 2 Pro Controller in the US, but in the UK, they come in at the same £74.99 price. In both regions, the Joy-Con 2 are available to purchase from the My Nintendo Store.

Joy-Con 2 review: Specs

Price	$94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95
Weight	4.7oz / 133g (combined)
Dimensions	4.6 x 1.2 x 0.6in / 116 x 31 x 14mm (each Joy-Con 2)
Compatibility	Nintendo Switch 2
Connection type	Wireless
Battery life	Around 20 hours

Joy-Con 2 review: design and features

Are the Joy-Con 2 controllers a better product overall than its 2017 predecessor? The short answer is yes. Nintendo has largely stuck to its guns with the overall concept, but has refined it for a decidedly more polished experience.

Build quality is a noticeable step-up. The Joy-Con 2 are slightly larger, and thus are much friendlier on larger hands. It’s a smart redesign, considering that kids who played with the original Joy-Con controllers as early as 2017 are a good deal older now.

It also means that adults will have an easier time using a single Joy-Con, though not by much. Wielding a single Joy-Con 2 horizontally is still a bit of a squeeze. Though thankfully, the SL and SR buttons have been made larger to compensate.

The Joy-Con 2 definitely give off a less toy-esque impression. The bold neon red/blue color scheme that many original Switch owners had has been swapped out for a more mundane black, though that red and blue can be found beneath the analog sticks and at the sides where the magnetic connector and SL/SR buttons are housed.

They do look slick, boasting slightly rounder edges than its predecessor. Otherwise, you’re getting a familiar Joy-Con experience here. Analog sticks, directional, and face buttons are all found in the same place. The only big difference here is the addition of the GameChat button for accessing the Switch 2’s bespoke voice chat app.

Unlike the original Joy-Con, there’s no rail system here for connection purposes. Mercifully, this has been swapped for much more elegant magnetic connectors, allowing the Joy-Con 2 to click into the Switch 2 handheld or the Joy-Con 2 grip with ease.

A button nestled next to the triggers also pushes the Joy-Con 2 back out. It remains to be seen if these connectors wearing down over time becomes a bigger issue, especially as the magnetic pull is quite strong. But for now, it’s something I much prefer over the awkward rail system of the first Joy-Con.

Joy-Con 2 review: Performance

The most notable addition to the Joy-Con 2 has to be their mouse controls. By detaching one (or both), they can be turned sideways with the SL/SR buttons facing down and used as a mouse. Some games were heavily advertised with this feature, including Cyberpunk 2077, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition, and Sid Meier’s Civilization 7.

Mouse controls work rather well, and can be used in certain games as well as the Switch 2’s Home dashboard and Nintendo eShop. The lack of a scroll wheel definitely hurts navigation and general usability, but overall sensitivity feels fine, and this can even be adjusted in the system settings if you’d prefer faster or slower cursor movement.

The sensor is decent enough that you can use mouse controls on many surface types, including your own trousers. Though for best results, I’d stick to a flat surface like a desk or table.

For more traditional gameplay, the Joy-Con 2 are serviceable, though it’s not much of a jump from the original Joy-Con controllers. I still find the analog sticks to be uncomfortably shallow, and their slippery concave cap design can make it hard to find purchase while playing more hectic or action-focused titles.

I also lament the return of individual buttons for the d-pad. I understand the decision here - opting for buttons makes them more multiplayer-friendly - but I much prefer a more traditional d-pad like we see on the Switch 2 Pro Controller.

Otherwise, all the gubbins from the original Joy-Con are here, too. That includes gyro aiming support - best used with games like Splatoon 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - and near-field communication (NFC) support for the scanning of amiibo figures and cards.

Battery life holds up decently, as well. I managed roughly 20 hours on a full charge - give or take a couple. This does line up with Nintendo’s official projections, but do note that your mileage will vary here. Each Joy-Con 2 has its own battery, as well, so it’s entirely possible that one could run out of juice before the other.

Should I buy the Joy-Con 2?

Buy it if...

You need a spare pair
You’re getting a pair of Joy-Con 2 in your Switch 2 box, but if you’re keen to get some four-player sessions going in your favorite games, picking up a spare Joy-Con 2 is worthwhile.

Don't buy it if...

You’d prefer a more traditional controller
This is where the Switch 2 Pro Controller comes in. It’s far more comfortable, has a proper d-pad, and features like NFC and gyro aiming. It’s much better-suited to single-player games in this regard. Alternatively, the GameSir Nova Lite makes for an excellent budget pick.

Joy-Con 2 review: Also consider

Consider these two alternatives if you’re looking for a Switch 2-compatible controller that offers something different.

	Joy-Con 2	Switch 2 Pro Controller	GameSir Nova Lite
Price	$94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95	$84.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95	$24.99 / £19.99 / AU$39
Weight	4.7oz / 133g (combined)	8.3oz / 235g	7.2oz / 205g
Dimensions	4.6 x 1.2 x 0.6in / 116 x 31 x 14mm (per Joy-Con 2)	5.8 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 148 x 105 x 60mm	6.1 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 155 x 104 x 61mm
Compatibility	Nintendo Switch 2	Nintendo Switch 2	Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Connection type	Wireless	Wireless (Bluetooth), Wired (USB Type-C)	Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB Type-C)
Battery life	Around 20 hours	Around 40 hours	10-15 hours

Switch 2 Pro Controller
Quite simply, the best Switch 2 controller available now. It’s certainly pricey, but you’re getting sublime build quality, class-leading battery life, and a pair of handy remappable buttons for secondary inputs. A quality controller that every Switch 2 owner should consider buying.

Read our full Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller review

GameSir Nova Lite
For something much more budget-friendly, the GameSir Nova Lite really punches above its weight at its price point. Excellent build quality, Hall effect sticks, and decent battery life make this one well worth considering, and it can connect to Switch 2 via Bluetooth.

Read our full GameSir Nova Lite review

How I tested the Joy-Con 2

Tested for over a month
Played in both handheld mode and with the Joy-Con 2 grip
Compared to the original Joy-Con and the Switch 2 Pro Controller

I’ve tested the Joy-Con 2 regularly since getting my Switch 2 console on launch day (June 5, 2025). I’ve primarily used them in handheld mode when traveling or as part of a cheeky before-bed session. However, I’ve also used them while slotted into the Joy-Con 2 grip, as a more traditional controller.

While I think the Joy-Con 2 are perfectly fine controllers, I found myself preferring the Switch 2 Pro Controller for longer gaming sessions, especially in docked mode. The Pro Controller is one I just find to be more comfortable, and its long-lasting battery life cannot be taken for granted. Still, in local multiplayer environments, the Joy-Con 2 shone thanks to the two controllers acting as separate entities, minimizing the need to dig out other gamepads.

First reviewed July 2025

Huion Kamvas Pro 19: one-minute review

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is a drawing tablet with a huge 19-inch screen, 4K resolution and wide color gamut offering 99% sRGB, 96% Adobe RGB and 98% DCI-P3 coverage. While its $1,099 / £1,099 list price is hardly chump change, you can often get it cheaper, and that price includes a range of accessories, including a shortcut remote, stylus box with two styluses, and a selection of cables. So, is it worth the investment? Well, it would be – if it wasn’t for one fairly critical flaw.

Whether I was sketching or blending colors with paint-like brushes, using the Kamvas 19 Pro was seriously smooth. Not only is it without parallax and completely jitter-free, but it can also register strokes at a steep angle of up to 60 degrees, making it easy to trace wide arcs and circles. Its driver software offers a decent amount of customization, despite not always being the most intuitive to use, and the shortcut remote made accessing all my go-to tools and menu items a breeze.

When it comes to its design, though, the Kamvas Pro 19 is more of a mixed bag. Don’t get me wrong: its screen is capable of seriously impressive color and a detailed 4K resolution, and it's ergonomic enough that I always felt comfortable using it. Unfortunately, it gets marked far too easily, in a way I’ve never seen from the best drawing tablets. After roughly eight hours of sketching, the screen was covered with scrapes and scuffs – while these rubbed off with a screen wipe, it does make me worry that eventually this kind of wear will become permanent.

Aside from this tendency to mark the display, the Huion’s two styluses are actually very decent. They’re lightweight and easy to hold, even during long scribbling sessions, and their programmable shortcut keys minimize the number of times you have to shift to another input. Their customizable pressure sensitivity is also excellent, although I wouldn’t put too much stock in the advertised 16K pressure levels – I’ve honestly never been able to tell much difference in practice from devices that offer 8K.

On paper, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is a very decent device, offering great performance and accessories for a pretty reasonable price. Certainly, with sale prices sometimes offering it for as little as $939 / £879, it is a pretty tempting package. But, try as I might, I can’t ignore how susceptible to wear that screen seems to be. In light of that, you may well find that a device like the XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 is a sounder investment long term.

A closeup of the bottom of the Huion Kamvas Pro 19's screen featuring artwork of recolored fireworks. — (Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: price and availability

Launched January 5, 2024
Retails for $1,099 / £1,099

Released on January 5, 2024, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is available to buy now. While its list price is $1,099 / £1,099, you’re unlikely to pay that – at the time of writing, Huion has it on sale for $939 / £879.

Included for that price is the drawing tablet itself, the Huion Keydial Mini shortcut tool, pen box, Battery-Free Pen PW600, Battery-Free Slim Pen PW600S, and all the cabling you’ll need. If you’re buying in the UK, you’ll get Huion’s Adjustable Stand ST100A bundled in as a free gift, but unfortunately, you’ll have to pay $29.99 for this if you’re in the US.

All told, though, this is a pretty competitive price when compared to some of the other mid-range drawing tablets I’ve reviewed in recent months. For example, the similarly specced XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 has a list price of $899.99 / £899.99 / AU$1,499.99, while the seriously talented Xencelabs Pen Display 16 goes for $999 / £969 (around AU$1,597) – and that’s without all the accessories that come in the fully kitted out, $1,299 / £1,199 (around AU$2,080) Bundle edition. So the Kamvas Pro 19 is pretty on the money in terms of value.

The side of the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, showing off its ports and stand. — (Image credit: Future)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: specs

Dimensions	17.7 x 10.7 x 0.8 inches (448.9 x 272.4 x 21.3mm)
Active drawing area	14.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)
Weight	2kg
Display resolution	3840 x 2160
Pressure levels	16,384
Compatibility	Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux(Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)

An image of a nautilus shell on the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, in front of a pink background. — (Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: design

Display offers gorgeous color but could be brighter
Screen scuffs and marks to an inexcusable degree
Good range of accessories

Given the price, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19’s display is pretty impressive, making any art I worked on look pleasingly crisp and well-defined. With a 3840 x 2160 resolution across an 18.4-inch screen, it has a pixel density of 238ppi – that’s essentially the same as the slightly pricier XPPen Artist Pro 19, although it’s a fair bit lower than the 275ppi offered by the smaller and spendier Xencelabs Pen Display 16.

While touching up and recoloring some photography in Photoshop, I was impressed by how boldly it expressed colors, with reds, greens and blues in particular looking deliciously punchy thanks to its color gamut coverage of 99% sRGB / 96% Adobe RGB / 98% DCI P3. It’s not quite as bright as some rivals, however: its 220-nit typical brightness is bested by both the XPPen and Xencelabs above, which can hit 250 nits and 300 nits respectively.

There’s more to a drawing tablet than meets the eye, though: how it feels is also important. And while the Kamvas Pro 19’s anti-glare etched glass does a decent job of keeping reflections at bay, I didn’t find its texture to be that impressive. Rather than offering a paper-like bite when sketching, I could barely feel the grain of the glass at all. The only time it really became noticeable was when I was moving the stylus toward the top left, meaning the haptic feedback the display gave was often inconsistent.

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19 screen, showing various scuffs and marks built up during drawing sessions. — (Image credit: Future)

But there was an even bigger issue with the glass – and it’s the source of my only significant reservation about Huion’s slate. While using the erasers on the styluses, I quickly noticed that they seemed to be leaving marks on the glass, which isn’t ideal given how often you might find yourself correcting mistakes. However, it was only when I turned the screen off after a long session of sketching that I noticed the extent of the scraping; the glass was covered with marks from both the stylus nibs and erasers. These can be wiped away, at least superficially, but it does concern me that the glass will eventually sustain permanent wear.

Fortunately, elsewhere, the build quality feels a lot more robust, with the main body of the device feeling sturdy and well put together. At 2kg, it is hefty enough that you may not be all that comfortable sitting it on your lap, but it does have built-in feet that raise it to a nicely ergonomic 20-degree angle. Several height options would have helped me find the absolute best angle, though. To really maximize the ergonomics here, a deeper bezel might have provided more room to rest my wrist. As it was, I felt its 0.78-inch (2cm) screen borders didn’t give me quite enough space to lean on.

Accompanying its two styluses – the three-button Pen PW600 and two-button Slim Pen PW600S – is a supply of standard and felt nibs, as well as a nib changing tool. You also get a Bluetooth-powered shortcut remote, the Keydial Mini, and all of the cabling you’ll need. It doesn’t include any clips for you to rest the styluses or a carry case, but you can get a free stand when you buy it in the UK, which definitely feels like a decent bonus.

When it comes to cabling, the Kamvas allows you to go maximalist or strip things right back. On the upper end of the scale, you can plug the supplied 3-in-2 adapter into your drawing tablet’s power and data ports, then hook the other end into your computer’s USB and HDMI ports and the mains. This will allow you to both sketch and record the slate’s video output to your hard drive. Alternatively, you can simply plug it directly into the mains and hook it up to your laptop – and thanks to its 40W reverse charging, it can charge your laptop in the process, meaning that’s one less cable on your desk.

Design score: 3 / 5

A man's hand holding a stylus and recoloring an image of fireworks on the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, in front of a pink background. — (Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: performance

Accurate strokes without parallax or jitter
Shortcut remote works well
Some user unfriendly quirks to driver software

Carrying out some line tests, I found the Kamvas Pro 19 to be accurate. There's no discernible parallax between the nib of the stylus and the brushes on screen, which is fortunate, as I couldn’t see any obvious way to recalibrate this in the drivers. While there is a little lag when moving the nib quickly, I didn’t find this to be a huge issue in maintaining accurate strokes.

When I got started with some actual artwork, the Kamvas Pro 19 felt fluid and responsive, allowing me to sketch out a nautilus shell with remarkable accuracy. While it didn’t feel quite as natural as when drawing on the Xencelabs Pen Display 16, it was able to register the stylus at up to 60 degrees, making tracing wide, fluid circles and spirals a snap. Additionally, the pressure sensitivity made blending colors using an oil-paint brush a cinch, with that vibrant screen making the pastel peaches and pinks look bold and brilliant.

The Keydial Mini shortcut remote makes it far easier to trigger various functions, without having to reach for the keyboard or mouse. Each key has a wide range of assignable shortcuts – including key combos, mouse click or scroll wheel functions, launching apps, media controls, or system-level functions like show desktop or launch mission control – while the wheel can be assigned to various functions from zooming and scrolling to adjusting parameters like brush size or flow.

The Huion Keydial Mini shortcut remote. — (Image credit: Future)

Broadly speaking, these made it much easier to interact with menus and manipulate the canvas, although I did experience some slightly odd behavior when it came to assigning shortcuts in the driver software. Once you’ve entered a title or key combination, there’s no way to leave the field, and clicking either ‘X’ button wipes what you’ve entered. It took some trial and error for me to work out that you have to just click away from the window to save the shortcut, which is an odd bit of UX design.

Elsewhere, the driver software lets you further customize various settings. You can assign additional shortcuts to the buttons on the styluses. As well as the options listed above for the Keydial Mini, you can also trigger precision mode – this focuses input from the whole screen onto a tiny area for fine control – pan & scroll, and Fixed Pressure Sensitivity, a handy function that holds pressure at the current level when the button is pressed. You can also tailor the styluses’ pressure curves to your needs, choosing between five settings, from soft to hard, or shaping your own curve.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19's stylus case. — (Image credit: Future)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: stylus

Both styluses are light and ergonomic
Increased 16K pressure levels probably unnoticeable for most people
The erasers are great – if you ignore how they mark the screen

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19’s styluses are well-designed and feel comfortable in the hand. No small part of this is due to their light weight and ergonomic shape, both of which make them comfortable to use for long drawing sessions. As a result, I didn’t experience any cramping or strain even when working on artwork for hours at a time. Sadly, they’re not quite as well weighted as XPPen’s X3 Pro Roller Stylus – with its center of gravity right where you grip it, that stylus felt almost weightless when pitching or spinning – but Huion’s pens are still easy to manipulate.

Both the Pen PW600 and the Slim Pen PW600S are capable of recognizing 16,384 pressure levels. That sounds seriously impressive, but I wouldn’t put much stock in this; in practice, I’ve rarely been able to distinguish any difference between 16K and 8K pressure sensitivity. The styluses are remarkably responsive, though, fluidly reproducing the weight of your hand. Using the most extreme curves, I did occasionally find it hard to maintain an even pressure, but that’s inevitable: every slight wobble of your hand is exposed at that high a sensitivity.

Buttons on the styluses are well-placed and make triggering shortcuts a breeze. Yes, I occasionally accidentally triggered them with my fat fingers, but this is an issue I’ve found with most styluses I’ve used, so I’m not going to hold this against Huion. if you find this particularly distracting, you can disable the shortcuts in Huion’s driver software.

The inclusion of an eraser on each of the styluses is appreciated as well, as I much prefer the tactile act of erasing with the stylus tip. However, as I mentioned above, the materials of the erasers are hard enough that they tend to mark the screen – this feels like it could become a real issue over time, and isn’t something I experienced with the erasers on Xencelabs’ pens.

Stylus score: 4 / 5

The top right of the Huion Kamvas Pro 19's screen, featuring the Adobe Photoshop color picker. — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Huion Kamvas Pro 19?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	Ergonomic and comfortable to use, richly colored 4K display – but the screen gets far too easily scuffed for my liking.	3 / 5
Performance	No noticeable parallax or jitter, generous 60-degree tilt recognition, easy-to-use shortcut remote, some odd software quirks in the driver.	4.5 / 5
Stylus	Lightweight and comfortable to hold, handy shortcut keys and eraser, 16K pressure levels hard to differentiate from 8K.	4 / 5
Value	Competitive price, good range of accessories – but is it worth the cost if it eventually succumbs to screen damage?	4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want an expansive, colorful display
At 18.4 inches, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 gives you a huge amount of drawing room. And its wide color gamut means you can be sure every hue you use is as accurate as possible.

You don’t want to be tied down with excess cabling
Not only can you hook up the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 with just one power cable and one USB-C cable, but it also offers 40W reverse charging, meaning you don’t need another cable to keep your laptop juiced.

Don’t buy it if…

You care about having a pristine screen
As I remarked above, my test unit’s display got scuffed pretty quickly during use, particularly while using the styluses’ erasers. If the idea of marks on your drawing tablet sets off alarm bells for you, look elsewhere – or at least pick up a screen protector for it.

You want the brightest display for your spend
With its 220-nit screen, the Kamvas Pro 19 is hardly a dim bulb. But several of its rivals are capable of a typical brightness of at least 250 nits, making them easier to view in stronger light.

The top right corner of the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, showing off its power button and stand. — (Image credit: Future)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: also consider

	Huion Kamvas Pro 19	XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2	Xencelabs Pen Display 16
Dimensions	17.7 x 10.7 x 0.8 inches (448.9 x 272.4 x 21.3mm)	18.1 x 12.1 x 0.8 inches (460 x 306.6 x 21.5mm)	16.1 x 10.2 x 0.47 inches (410 x 259.4 x 12mm)
Active drawing area	14.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)	16.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)	13.55 x 7.6 inches (344.2 x 193.6mm)
Weight	2kg	4.91 lbs (2.23kg)	2.67 lbs (1.21kg)
Display resolution	3840 x 2160	3840 x 2160 pixels	3840 x 2160 pixels
Pressure levels	16,384	16,384	8,192
Compatibility	Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux(Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)	Windows 7 or later; macOS 10.13 or later (latest update); Android (USB3.1 DP1.2); Chrome OS 88 (or later); Linux	PC: Windows 7 or later (latest service pack/build); macOS 10.13 or later (latest update); Linux - Ubuntu 14.04 or above, Debian 9.5, CentOS 7.0 or above, RedHat 7.0 or above

XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2
The XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 rocks pretty similar specs to the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, without costing much more. It offers great color reproduction, an expansive 19-inch display, an identical 4K resolution, two wonderfully well-balanced styluses and a shortcut remote. But the clincher is that its screen doesn’t get scuffed or marked as easily as the Kamvas Pro 19, making it a more reliable choice. Read my full XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 review.

Xencelabs Pen Display 16
While more expensive than either the Huion or the XPPen once you’ve picked up all its accessories, the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 is still a dream drawing tablet. I was seriously impressed with its lightweight portable build, higher pixel density, 300-nit brightness when mains powered and fantastic accessories, ranging from its super-reliable shortcut remote to the packaged carry case. Read my full Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review.

How I tested the Huion Kamvas Pro 19

Tested it over several weeks
Conducted multiple line tests
Used it to work on both sketches and retouching photos

I spent several weeks putting the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 through its paces. First, I used it for a range of line tests to help me assess its accuracy, check its tilt recognition and monitor for issues like parallax or jitter. Additionally, I spent some time tweaking its driver settings to see the kind of control this gave me over the styluses’ pressure sensitivity and various shortcut buttons.

From there, I started creating artworks in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Sketching out a nautilus shell helped me get a sense of how it performed when creating line drawings and using various paint-style brushes. On top of this, I used the Kamvas Pro 19 to touch up several photos, which helped me assess both its utility and its color accuracy.

Having spent several decades creating digital artwork, I’ve got a large amount of experience creating vector art and manipulating photos. On top of this, I spent many years as the editor of a print magazine, meaning I’m well-versed in assessing how well digital artwork performs in terms of color and resolution when compared to printed proofs.

First reviewed: July 2025
Read more about how we test

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 : One minute review

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Price & release date

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Specs

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Design & features

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Picture & sound quality

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 review: Value

Should I buy the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2

Play your way

Back in the neon streets

Hack and slash

Should I play Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition?

Play it if…

Don’t play it if…

Accessibility features

How I reviewed Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

Mammotion Yuka Mini: two-minute review

Mammotion Yuka Mini review: price & versions

Mammotion Yuka Mini specs

Mammotion Yuka Mini review: design

Mammotion Yuka Mini review: performance

Setup

Cutting and navigation performance

Mammotion Yuka Mini review: app

Should you buy the Mammotion Yuka Mini?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Mammotion Yuka Mini: alternatives to consider

How I tested the Mammotion Yuka Mini

Saucony Ride 18: One minute review

Saucony Ride 18 review: Specifications

Saucony Ride 18 review: Price and availability

Saucony Ride 18 review: Design

Saucony Ride 18 review: Performance

Saucony Ride 18: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: two-minute review

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: price and availability

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: specifications

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: design

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: performance

Should you buy the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal: also consider

How I tested the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal

Dell 16 Premium: One-minute review

Dell 16 Premium: Price & availability

Dell 16 Premium: Specs

Dell 16 Premium: Design

Dell 16 Premium: Performance

Dell 16 Premium: Battery Life

Should you buy the Dell 16 Premium?

Buy the Dell 16 Premium if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Dell 16 Premium

Amazfit Bip 6: One minute review

Amazfit Bip 6: Specifications

Amazfit Bip 6: Price and availability

Amazfit Bip 6: Design

Amazfit Bip 6: Features

Amazfit Bip 6: Performance

Amazfit Bip 6: Scorecard

Amazfit Bip 6: Should I buy?

Buy if it...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested

FiiO BTR17 review: Two-minute review

FiiO BTR17 review: Price and release date

FiiO BTR17 review: Features

FiiO BTR17 review: Sound quality

FiiO BTR17 review: Design

FiiO BTR17 review: Usability and setup