There are no reasons to consider picking up a copy of Tamagotchi Plaza, especially if you just got your hands on a Nintendo Switch 2.
Review info
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch Release date: June 27, 2025
It’s a basic collection of boring, uninspired minigames that all ultimately just boil down to hitting the same few buttons for minutes at a time. This is paired with a laughably tiny hub world, that’s conspicuously devoid of activities and an absolute nightmare to customize or upgrade.
It all feels like something that you would find in a free mobile phone game, not a $49.99 / £44.99 release for a brand new console.
Sure, the serviceable graphics and abundance of Tamagotchi characters might prove enough to entertain a very small child for an hour or two, but with games like Mario Kart World and recent Donkey Kong Bananzaon the scene there’s no real reason not to spend your time and money more wisely and go for one of them instead.
Again and again
(Image credit: Bandai Namco)
A spiritual successor to the Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop series on Nintendo DS, Tamagotchi Plaza is ostensibly about helping out in the various shops of a cute Tamagotchi town. This is accomplished through the completion of short minigames, of which there are 12 - one for each shop.
The first thing that you’ll notice is that none of them feature tutorials. You’re just expected to work out what you’re meant to do from the get-go, though this omission isn’t much of an impediment given just how simple the minigames are.
The first I tried involves cooking galettes (the flat, French pastry) by looking at an image of a customer’s desired order and mindlessly hitting buttons to bake the crust and fill it with the desired ingredients.
Accompanied by annoying sound effects which I later found can, mercifully, be turned off in the settings menu and protracted, overly slow animations, it becomes stale almost instantly.
The others are all a similar story: helping out in the personal gym, for example, involves spamming the shoulder buttons at a set pace, while the afternoon tea shop is simply dragging and dropping a few items on a table.
(Image credit: Bandai Namco)
The only one that I find remotely entertaining was the dentist minigame, which has you drilling Tamagotchi teeth to weed out creepy little critters causing decay and even this just involved selecting options from a menu and hitting a button.
On the other end of the spectrum is the manga shop minigame, which is just nonsensical. You’re meant to design manga panels by dragging and dropping a few pre-made assets into position, but the scoring, measured on a scale of zero to three stars, doesn’t seem to correlate to anything other than how many characters you manage to cram on the screen.
If you keep grinding a particular minigame enough, you’re eventually offered the chance to upgrade it. This introduces some new options, which does break up the monotony somewhat, but takes quite a long time to appear and isn’t substantial enough to justify the effort.
Switch it up
(Image credit: Bandai Namco)
There are three additional minigames exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game too. They’re unlocked after you’ve spent some time in the initial 12 and utilize the Joy-Con 2 mouse control features. These are the strongest of the bunch, with the likes of the shuriken shop which has you using the Joy-Con 2 to aim ninja stars providing a few minutes of fun.
Unfortunately, it’s not enough to redeem the overall package and is nowhere near as interesting as some of the neat hardware tricks found in software like Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.
Best bit
(Image credit: Bandai Namco)
There are more than 100 Tamagotchi characters here, with unique models and even the odd bit of dialogue.
Outside of minigames, there’s a small hub area to explore. Aside from the occasional conversation with another Tamagotchi, it’s empty and bland. You can upgrade it using currency earned from minigames, but progress is painfully slow and adding a few trees or the odd square here and there just isn’t worth the effort.
There’s also some light story content, centred around the protagonist being recruited to help improve the town so that it’s selected as the site of the Tamagotchi festival, but it’s basic and spread incredibly thin.
At the very least, I can say that Tamagotchi Plaza has no shortage of characters. There are more than a hundred Tamagotchis to discover, all with unique models that look quite nice. I just wish that this same amount of effort was put into literally every other facet of the game too.
Should I play Tamagotchi Plaza?
Play it if…
You find it super cheap Tamagotchi Plaza might be worth buying if you find it at a heavy discount. The time spent trying each of the minigames a few times could justify a few bucks if you’re shopping for a child.
Don’t play it if…
You’re more than four years old There’s no way that anything in Tamagotchi Plaza could entertain anyone over the age of about four. If you’re able to read this, I would recommend giving it a miss.
Accessibility
There are no accessibility features in Tamagotchi Plaza. In fact, there’s barely a settings menu at all. You can adjust the game’s volume (with separate settings for music, sound, and voices) and change the direction of the camera controls, but that’s it.
How I reviewed Tamagotchi Plaza
I subjected myself to more than four hours of Tamagotchi Plaza on Nintendo Switch 2, which is roughly four hours more than any reasonable person would play it for.
I tried every minigame in the package, and spent some time exploring the tiny world. I carefully evaluated the amount of fun that I was having at every juncture and compared my experience to my testing of other Nintendo Switch 2 games like Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World.
The Humanscale Float Micro is the smallest Humanscale desk, offering a beautiful and straightforward workspace for a laptop or notebook, but not much more. It's a minimalist side table that can easily slide over a couch, making it an excellent solution for short working sessions, but not a fantastic option for a dedicated workspace. While this is a premium piece in every way, the functionality is nice.
The mechanics are smooth, the materials are incredibly high quality, and the design is quite aesthetically pleasing. Suppose you're looking for a multi-functional end table that can transform your living space, reading nook, family room, or other area into a compact workspace in a pinch, or for some light work on vacation. In that case, this desk is a spectacular way to do it -- just know there's a price that comes with such a design and company.
Humanscale is a company I have been familiar with for a while, and it has always been associated with luxury in my mind. I am hoping to see more of their gear in person in the future, but for now, the Humanscale Float Micro is an excellent introduction to who they are and what they do.
This is the smallest desk I have ever seen as an independent product. I have seen smaller workspaces, such as the seat-back table on an airplane, but I have never seen one this small as a standalone item. Nevertheless, this is still more expensive than most desks on the list of best standing desks. This communicates that Humanscale is a high-end, luxury brand. Some companies can afford to have a hefty price tag, and from what I can see so far, Humanscale is one of those companies. Their materials are phenomenal, the build quality is spectacular, the functionality is superb, and the design is beautiful.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Humanscale Float Micro: Pricing and Availability
The Humanscale Float Micro has models available for around $765, but some models and specifications are currently being sold for $ 1,300. These desks ship directly from Humanscale and offer a variety of accessories, including locking casters, as options. There are several colorways and a couple of material options to choose from, all of which affect the pricing of the Float Micro.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Humanscale Float Micro: Unboxing & first impressions
The Humanscale Float Micro had the most straightforward assembly process of any product I have ever received. And I am being genuinely honest about that. It arrived fully assembled, and all I had to do was cut the box open, pull out the desk, and start adjusting the size to what I wanted.
From the first moment I touched the desk, I realized the materials were premium and of high quality. I even noticed, without seeing the price tag, that this desk was going to be a more premium offering due to its materials and design language.
I understand that some homes, offices, and areas may not be able to accommodate a dedicated workspace, and while I genuinely enjoy building out workspaces, some people are not in a position to have one. That's where something like this comes along. It transforms any space into a spot to get some work done on your laptop in no time at all, and with minimal effort.
As I mentioned earlier, the build quality of this desk is exquisite. The height adjustment, while not electric, is spring-assisted and incredibly smooth. I understand that they would not want to add an electric function to this desk, as it would require stepping back in terms of simplicity and ease of use by introducing the need for power input. However, at the same time, it would be nice.
Instead, the desk utilizes a pneumatic lifting system, which is still nearly instantaneous and is much easier to maintain, as well as more manageable to work with.
The desk's offset design is also an interesting feature. After very brief use, I can tell that it's offset to fit under furniture more easily, making this a great idea yet again for a living space or a multi-purpose area.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Humanscale Float Micro: In use
I've used this simple desk in a few areas. I have used it in my living room for exactly what I expect this has been made for, to add a steady workspace for my laptop while I am on the couch. I have also used this in my office as a workspace from a comfy chair in the corner.
I have used this in a more traditional workspace to help with making a desk for a meeting area that did not have enough desks, and I have used it in other odd places as a height-adjustable end table, or desk all without having any issues with the desk itself. The hight range seems to be great, the design fits in anywhere and when adding my laptop I have a great amount of space, making it so I can put my iPad mini, iPhone or something simple on the desktop with me, allowing for functional work.
I even wanted to test this desk a bit, so I took the desk and used it at one of the companies I work with and tried to build out a desk system on it. I mounted power to the underside of the desktop, I added a vertical monitor on a monitor arm, and then an iMac to the main function of the desk, plugging into a docking station that I also mounted under the desktop. Even with this full setup on the desk, I could still fit a mouse, keyboard and had enough wiggle room to still use the mouse appropriately.
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design
Sleek and minimal
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use
Very easy to use
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Practicality
Practical for some
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price
Highly priced
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Humanscale Float Micro: Final verdict
The Humanscale Float Micro is a unique desk. It's premium, yet tiny. It's functional yet minimalist. All the while, it's expensive, but clearly premium and it will clearly last. So, if you are looking for a simple desk to add to your living room, co-working space, comfy chair, or in other areas, you should check out the Humanscale Float Micro on Humanscale's website, today.
For more pro essentials, we've reviewed the best office chairs for comfort and ergonomics.
The Fujifilm X-E5 is a significant leap forward for Fujifilm’s X-E series, elevating it from its budget-friendly beginnings to the loftier heights of the mid-range.
At $1,699 / £1,299 / AU$2,699 body-only it’s significantly pricier than its predecessor. But that hike brings with it some serious upgrades – and not only in the shape of the 40.2MP X-Trans CMOS 5 sensor (which is the same as the one you’ll find in the X100VI).
Design-wise the X-E5 nails the retro look, and with its aluminum top plate and minimalist controls it really feels like a premium product. Compact, handsome and lightweight, it’s ideal for travel and street shooters, and the new Film Simulation dial and customizable front lever give it added control finesse. That said, the camera isn’t weather-sealed and offers limited grip, making it less suited to challenging environments or big lenses.
The viewfinder and touchscreen feel slightly outdated, too. The OLED EVF is small and lacks the crispness I’ve seen on some rivals, while the flip-up screen can be obstructed by accessories in the hot shoe, which could be an annoyance for vloggers and video shooters. That said, I found both to be functional for stills photography.
The X-E5 can be purchased in a bundle with this nifty, space-saving 23mm pancake lens. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
The star addition to the feature list is in-body image stabilization (IBIS), appearing for the first time in the X-E line. It’s a game changer for low-light shooting and handheld video, at least compared with the X-E4. The autofocus system has been upgraded too, and now offers subject tracking not only for humans but animals, vehicles and more.
Shooting performance is solid: 20fps burst with electronic shutter (with crop), 13fps uncropped or 8fps with the mechanical shutter. And thanks to the inclusion of 20 of Fuji’s signature Film Simulation modes, it's easy to get incredible-looking shots straight out of the camera. The color science, as with all X-series cameras, is a real strong point.
Video quality is excellent, with 6.2K 30p and 4K 60p 10-bit capture, including access to F-Log profiles for added dynamic range. But there are caveats: the camera tends to overheat with extended video shooting, it lacks a proper headphone jack, and that tilting screen remains an ergonomic obstacle for self-shooters. For me the X-E5 is best thought of as a photography-first tool, with video as a very capable bonus feature.
In short, the Fujifilm X-E5 is a compact and beautifully built mirrorless camera that delivers superb images, reliable autofocus and welcome stabilization. It's not cheap, and it's not perfect (video-first shooters and all-weather adventurers should look elsewhere), but for travel, street and everyday stills photography, it's a delight.
Fujifilm X-E5: price and availability
$1,699 / £1,299 / AU$2,699 body-only
Significantly pricier than X-E4 was at launch
Available in a kit with new XF23mm lens
The Fujifilm X-E5 was launched on June 12 2025, alongside a new pancake lens, the XF23mmF.28 R WR.
Pricing starts at $1,699 / £1,299 / AU$2,699 body-only, or $1,899 / £1,549 / AU$3,049 for a bundle with the lens. Perhaps the most notable thing about the price is how much higher it is than the Fujifilm X-E4’s was at launch: it cost $949 / £799 / AU$1,399 body-only, or $1,049 / £949 / AU$1,799 in a kit with a pancake lens. Yes, that was back in 2021, but this is still a significant increase that far outstrips inflation.
There are various factors that affect pricing, from general inflation to recently introduced tariffs. However, I think the main reason for the bump here is simply that Fujifilm deems the X-E5 is a more premium product than its predecessor – and given the improvements made to features and spec, it’s hard to argue with that.
It’s clear that the X-E5 isn’t the entry-level option the X-E4 was; this is now very much a mid-range option. I think the price reflects that, and I think the lens bundle in particular represents a pretty good deal.
Price score 4/5
Fujifilm X-E5: specs
Sensor:
40.2MP X-Trans CMOS 5 HR APS-C
Video:
6.2K 30p, 4K 60p, FHD 240p, 10-bit
Cont. shooting:
Up to 20fps electronic shutter, up to 8fps mechanical shutter
Viewfinder:
2.36m-dot OLED
LCD:
3-inch 1.62m-dot tilting touchscreen
Battery (CIPA rating):
Up to 400 shots or 45 minutes of video capture
Weight:
445g / 15.7oz
Dimensions:
124.9 x 72.9 x 39.1mm / 4.92 x 2.87 x 1.54 inches
Fujifilm X-E5: design and handling
Weighs just 535g / 18.9oz with XF23mm lens
Not weatherproof
Tilting touchscreen and OLED viewfinder
The Fujifilm X-E5 sports similar rangefinder styling to previous models in the series, but with some big advances in design and build quality. As soon as I picked up the camera I realized it felt nothing like a plasticky 'budget' option; it’s solid and hefty, thanks to the new aluminum top plate, while the included braided rope strap looks and feels very modish indeed.
I still found the camera body to be compact and lightweight for a mirrorless model however, and with the new pancake lens attached it makes for a strikingly portable setup that I think would be perfect for street or travel photography. I should say, though, that despite its build-quality improvements this still isn’t a fully weather-sealed camera, so should be used cautiously in rainy conditions. I think that’s a shame, as it somewhat detracts from its travel-friendly nature.
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The compact size and flat body shape have an impact on ergonomics, of course; there’s not a great deal to grip onto here bar a small moulded bump at the front and back on the right side. With a small lens attached things feel comfortable enough, but I suspect fitting larger lenses will result in balance and handling challenges. This camera certainly seems designed for use with small primes and short zooms rather than longer, heavier lenses.
Controls-wise, things remain fairly minimalist, particularly on the rear of the camera – that’s always been typical of the X-E series and I think it suits the aesthetic well, and I had few problems accessing settings I wished to change.
There are a couple of notable additions I really enjoyed using: firstly, the Film Simulation dial on the top plate, which displays the current selection through a little circular window and supports up to three custom recipes plus the standard range of Fuji’s film-aping filters.
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Second is the lever on the front – a feature borrowed from X100- and X-Pro series cameras. It can be customized to suit the user’s preferences, adding a great deal of additional control to what appears to be a very controls-light camera.
The X-E5’s rear touchscreen and viewfinder feel outdated alongside other recent cameras. The screen, for instance, has a flip-up design rather than full tilt-and-swivel vari-angle, which means it can be blocked by anything mounted on the hot shoe when flipped up to face forward. Got a flash or shotgun mic fitted? You won’t be able to see much of the screen. Other than that, I found it bright, sharp and easy to use.
The OLED viewfinder is small and fairly low-resolution compared with say, the Fujifilm X100VI’s, and its eyepiece does little to block out exterior distractions. That’s not to say it’s not perfectly serviceable – it just seems a little behind the times.
Storage is courtesy of a single SD card slot alongside the battery slot on the bottom of the camera, while physical connections comprise a 3.5mm mic/remote input, a USB-C port for charging, storage and headphone hook-up, and micro HDMI.
Design and handling score 4/5
Fujifilm X-E5: features and performance
5-axis sensor-shift IBIS now included
Subject-detection autofocus recognizing animals, cars and more
Continuous shooting up to 20fps
Perhaps the biggest feature upgrade the X-E5 boasts over its predecessor is five-axis in-body stabilization (IBIS). The X-E4 had no internal mechanism to counter camera shake, so IBIS is a significant boost to its capabilities.
The sensor-shifting mechanism adds up to seven stops of compensation according to Fujifilm, and I found it very useful for slower shutter speed photos (i.e., in low-light conditions) and handheld video capture. It would have been nice to have some longer lenses to test with it, but I have no complaints about its effectiveness with the 24mm pancake.
As well as the sensor-shift tech, users also have the option to use two further digital stabilization modes for video capture, which apply a successive crop to the image.
Continuous shooting has been slowed down slightly from the X-E4, albeit only in electronic shutter mode, and perhaps as a result of the X-E5’s higher sensor resolution, it can’t match the X-E4’s 30fps maximum speed. It can now shoot at up to 20fps in this mode (which applies a 1.29x crop to the image), at up to 13fps electronically with no crop, or at up to 8fps with the mechanical shutter (also uncropped). That’s perfectly respectable in my book, particularly as those speeds are now paired with a much improved autofocus setup.
The X-E4 had human face and eye detection and tracking, but the X-E5 adds subject detection for animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, bikes, airplanes and trains. In testing I found that it reliably tracked moving subjects across the frame, and as they moved towards or away from the camera or in and out of view. It might not quite match the speed and laser-like accuracy of the systems on the latest high-end Canon, Sony or Nikon cameras, but it’s a good, dependable setup.
Battery life doesn’t look particularly impressive on paper, with the X-E5 having a CIPA rating of 400 shots or just 45 minutes of video recording on a full charge. But in practice (shooting mainly photos) I found it felt fairly generous, and rarely had to recharge the camera during my time with it.
Perhaps yet more evidence that this is a photography-first camera is that it has a tendency to overheat and shut down when used to shoot longer video clips. I set the video quality to 4K 60fps and found that the X-E5 only managed to record 14.5 minutes before turning itself off to cool down.
Features and performance score: 4/5
Fujifilm X-E5: image and video quality
40.2MP X-Trans CMOS 5 APS-C sensor
4:2:2 10-bit video up to 6.2K and 14-bit RAW photo capture
20 customizable Film Simulation modes
The X-E5 is built around a 40.2MP APS-C sensor that represents a fairly large resolution jump over the X-E4’s 26MP sensor. It’s the same sensor as you’ll find in the highly coveted Fujifilm X100VI compact, but instead of that camera's fixed lens you can use any piece of X-mount glass you like.
As well as its 40.2MP stills (which can be captured in JPEG or 14-bit raw), the X-E5 can capture video at up to 6.2K 30fps or 4K 60fps 4:2:2 10-bit quality, plus Full HD at up to 240fps for slow-motion playback.
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I’m hugely impressed with the X-E5’s photography performance. As mentioned above, it comes with a selection of film simulation modes (20 in all), allowing users to instantly give their images a style and aesthetic reminiscent of analog film types.
My personal favorite, going back to my time using the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 almost a decade ago, has always been Classic Chrome, and I found myself defaulting to it as my go-to setting for standard shots. But there are plenty of other interesting Film Simulations that I enjoyed testing too, like the desaturated Eterna Bleach Bypass and the ultra-punchy monochrome Acros, which can be set with yellow, red, or green filters to further enhance its look.
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There are plenty of options in the menus for adjusting these Simulation recipes in order to find results you like, or you can of course just shoot in raw and process the images yourself in Lightroom or similar. I also tried this, and found the huge raw files provided superb platforms for heavy image adjustments and corrections. Whether you want a camera that produces excellent point-and-shoot results or gives you the basis for heavy editing, the X-E5 fits the bill.
Video quality is also excellent, and offers videographers the same selection of Film Simulation modes as well as F-Log and F-Log2, two flat profiles that work as a solid base for color grading and correction in post-production. It also supports bit rates of up to 200Mbps. There are several reasons why the X-E5 isn’t ideal for video (the lack of a 3.5mm headphone socket, the tilting screen being blocked by anything on the hotshoe, the tendency to overheat), but actual image quality isn’t one.
Image and video quality score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Fujifilm X100VI: Test scorecard
Fujifilm X100VI
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Price
A big price bump over the X-E4, but given the improvements it feels warranted.
4 / 5
Design
Stylish and compact, with more metal than previous X-E models – but not weatherproof.
4 / 5
Feature and performance
Image stabilization and autofocus are excellent, even if other aspects are a little more average.
4 / 5
Image quality
A superb sensor and winning color science deliver superb images straight out of the camera.
4.5 / 5
Should I buy the Fujifilm X-E5?
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Buy it if...
You want a chic, ultra-compact mirrorless camera The X-E5 is small, lightweight and handsome – and its X-mount means it can be used with lots of excellent lenses, so it’s more versatile than most premium compact cameras.
You primarily shoot with small or lightweight lenses Balance-wise, the X-E5’s body is more suited to small primes and zooms than larger, heavier lenses. If you’re a sports or wildlife photographer, you may find the handling unwieldy with those longer lenses.
You adore Fujifilm’s color science Fujifilm’s Film Simulation modes are color magic, and the X-E5’s nifty selection dial makes them easier to choose (and use) than on any other Fujifilm camera to date.
Don't buy it if...
You’re primarily a video shooter While video quality is excellent, the X-E5’s design imposes some limitations on videographers that may cause frustration. It’s fine for the odd clip, but making a film on it would be a struggle.
You need to shoot in all conditions The lack of weather sealing is a concern here, particularly for those buying the X-E5 as a travel camera. It’s a pity it can’t be used in rain showers or in dusty desert conditions.
You're seeking a cheap entry-level camera The X-E4 was relatively inexpensive, but the X-E5 feels like a mid-range model and comes with a price tag to match. Cheap it most certainly isn’t.
Fujifilm X100VI: Also consider
(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)
If our Fujifilm X-E5 review has inspired you to think about other options, here are two other cameras to consider…
Fujifilm X100VI The X100VI is one of the most desirable compact cameras around, and it’s based on the same processor as the X-E5, but has a fixed lens. The X100VI may be a little less versatile as a result, but its 23mm f/2 lens, LED flash and better screen and viewfinder definitely make it worth a look.
Nikon Zf Oozing retro charm, the Zf is available at a similar price to the X-E5 but comes with flagship-level stabilization, burst speeds, autofocus and more, with a raft of new features recently being added via firmware update. It’s also got a full-frame sensor, with all the advantages that brings.
I used the camera and new XF23mm f/2.8 lens over two-week period
I tested them in various lighting conditions
I focused mainly on still photography, but shot video too
Fujifilm loaned me the X-E5 and new Fujinon XF23mm f/2.8 pancake lens for a period of two weeks, which gave me plenty of time to field-test the camera in a variety of situations, although the wide-angle lens meant I didn’t attempt any sports or wildlife photography (unless you count snapping some insects in my garden). I took the camera with me on various walks and trips, allowing me to test it in a range of lighting conditions and situations.
While the X-E5 supports both photo and video capture, I felt that I should concentrate mainly on the former, as the camera (particularly with this lens) feels geared more towards stills photography than amateur moviemaking. That being said, I did test the various video modes during my time with the X-E5.
When it comes to professional video editing, the first software that likely comes to mind would be Adobe Premiere Pro; some might come up with Avid Media Composer; Mac users would probably point to Final Cut Pro.
But did you know there’s another option that offers professional grade tools at an unbeatable price? That option is Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve.
It's not just one of the best free video editing software tools out there - it's some of the best video editing software we've ever tested, period. There are no compromises here. Packed with pro-grade features for creative professionals, for what you get here (absolutely loads), it's impressive that it doesn't cost a cent.
DaVinci Resolve: Pricing & plans
You can’t beat free, especially for a professional-grade product, but if you want even more power, then grab the ‘Studio’ version for just under $300
Why does it have an unbeatable price? Put simply, because it's free. That’s right: you don’t pay anything to get your hands on a powerful video editor, which also comes with media management, impressive colour grading, compositing and sound editing tools, and not an ad or watermark in sight.
How can such a tool be free? Likely because it's heavily subsided by Blackmagic Design’s extensive hardware portfolio. But surely it must have some limitations, right? Well yes, there are, but frankly they may not be seen as a hindrance to most editors: the biggest limitation is restricting exports to 4K and 60fps.
If that clashes with your workflow, then you should consider DaVinci Resolve Studio, which raises the ceiling to 32K and 120fps, and includes a host of other advances features, including HDR10+ formats, digital cinema packages for theatrical distribution, including a host of advanced AI tools which have been released with version 20. Studio will cost you just under $300 - all future updates, large or small, are included in that one-off fee.
This review’s focus is on the free version, which you can download for your PC, Mac and Linux machine, which you can get by clicking here.
Score: 4.5/5
DaVinci Resolve: Interface
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
A wealth of editing tools wrapped inside a very well organised interface, coupled with detailed online video tutorials. Perfect for pros and novices alike
DaVinci Resolve is a big app. As we’ve mentioned above, not only can you edit a video project with it, but you have access to other features that would often be offered as a separate dedicated program. In order to facilitate working with so many tools, Resolve is broken down into seven different categories, which are referred to as ‘Pages’.
These are organized in the order in which your project progresses: you import and sort out your clips in the ‘Media’ page, then use ‘Cut’ or ‘Edit’ to build your project; after that, ‘Fusion’ is where you assemble complex special effects, followed by ‘Color’ for colour correction, ‘Fairlight’ to work on your audio, and finally, ‘Deliver’ to export your work and share it with others.
It’s all very well designed and straightforward, with perhaps the exception of ‘Cut’ and ‘Edit’. Why would anyone need two separate pages to cut a movie? The answer is simple: one is to do quick work, while the other offers more tools and additional precision. ‘Cut’ can also be seen as an introduction to Resolve, for those with little to no previous experience with video editing.
You can easily switch from one to the other, using tools in ‘Edit’ that aren’t available in ‘Cut’, then moving back to ‘Cut’ to carry on in a simplified environment (you can still see the effects of the tools you used in ‘Edit’ even if you can’t access and alter these effects while in ‘Cut’).
If you’re an experienced editor, you’ll acclimatise to Resolve’s way of working in little time, but newcomers to this art might well feel overwhelmed by the sheer power at their disposal - this is not your basic run of the mill limited free app.
But don't panic and run for the hills, as this software can and does grow with your skills and confidence - being able to switch between the basic ‘Cut’ to the more advanced ‘Edit’ is testament to that. And to help you on your journey, Blackmagic Design offer a detailed series of tutorials, complete with project files, on their website, again, completely for free (click here).
Score: 5/5
DaVinci Resolve: Features
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
So many new features designed to improve, enhance and add to your editing experience. Sadly (but unsurprisingly) the best ones are kept for paying customers
DaVinci Resolve was recently updated to version 20, and the number of new and improved features is huge - the list is far too long for us to discuss each in turn. Instead, you can check what’s new here. We’ll discuss here the ones that struck a chord with us the most.
Version 19 was released only a year ago, and the improvements are stark… although, as you’d expect, Blackmagic Design have unsurprisingly kept the best for their paid-for Studio version. Need another incentive to upgrade? How about getting Studio to automatically edit a Multicam project for you? Or get it to retime a score so it fits the exact length you’re after? Or how about feeding it a script and let AI edit a scene for you based on the clips you’ve imported, complete with multiple takes spread across multiple layers so you can choose between them?
But fret not: the free version of Resolve also comes with a host of new and very useful features, which will greatly improve your workflow. For instance, you can now (finally!) easily extract a multi-layered PSD file and work with its layers individually in the Edit page’s timeline (prior to 20, this was only possible in the Fusion page).
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
You can record a voice over directly from the Cut and Edit pages, with controls located just above the timeline. You’ve even got numerous options, such as a countdown timer, being able to choose from all connected microphones (even your iPhone), where to save the recording and on which layer to display it, for instance.
The text tools have received some love too. Your text can (finally!) wrap inside a text box, and there’s a new ‘multi text’ clip within which multiple text boxes can be created, enabling you to create complex titles without cluttering your timeline.
If you’re working with multiple timelines within a single project, you’ll likely appreciate being able to open a second one in the source viewer. This is nothing new, but 20 allows you to also edit that timeline from there, enabling you to see two timelines at once, switch between them and edit either (to help you differentiate them, the playhead changes colour from red to blue depending on which timeline you’re in).
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
And we’ve got just enough time to gush over the revamped keyframe tools. They’ve been greatly improved and are now available in multiple locations, depending on your preferred way of working.
You can see them top left, either as a list, or as curves (which makes it so much easier to tweak them - you can even hold down the shift key to restrict their movement, allowing for much greater precision). These keyframes are also available in the timeline itself, giving you a greater visual feel for how they affect the clips in question.
Let’s be honest: this is just scratching the surface. Blackmagic Design have worked hard to deliver a significant update to Resolve (and especially Resolve Studio), and despite the fact the best tools are reserved for paying customers, those on an extremely tight budget haven’t been abandoned.
Resolve is an incredibly powerful application, with complex tools, from video editing, to image compositing, colour correction and audio manipulation. If you’re serious about filmmaking but have to watch your budget, downloading DaVinci Resolve should be a no brainer.
Score: 4/5
Should I try DaVinci Resolve?
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
Try it if...
You need a professional grade video editing solution with advanced compositing tools, audio manipulation, extensive colour correction, and you’re on a seriously tight budget
Don't try it if...
You don’t like free software with no ads and no watermark. Seriously, the only reason you shouldn’t try it is if you’re not interested in video editing.
As its name suggests, Adobe Premiere Pro is for professionals, or at the very least, people who are super serious about video editing, and want control over every aspect of their project, right down to the individual pixel…
But what about the rest of us, those who want to create with something simple, but also have fun with the process? That’s where Premiere Elements comes in.
However, while the 2025 version comes with a great new interface, there's also a big catch we can't ignore: your purchase is limited to three years' use.
Adobe Premiere Elements: Pricing & plans
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
A good price for an easy to use video editing application. Well.. it would be a good price were your purchase not limited to three years - after which your licence expires. This isn’t a purchase: it’s a rental
Unlike Adobe’s professional portfolio, you don’t need to subscribe to the software in order to use it: you can grab Premiere Elements for just under $100 (or £87), or get it bundled with Photoshop Elements for $150 (£131).
You can download the software for Mac or Windows directly from Adobe by clicking here.
You’re even granted a 7-day trial to check out the software, although you’ll have a great big “created with trial version” plastered all across your clips during that period.
If you’re happy with what you see, you’ll need to redeem your purchase. Unfortunately there’s an annoying hoop you have to jump through, as you don’t get to put your code in the software itself, but online through a special page here.
And, frustratingly enough for us, even though we were logged in with our AdobeID and the code was recognised online, our software kept insisting it was still in trial mode. Hopefully this may just be an isolated incident, or linked to the fact ours was a review copy, but we would be remiss if we didn’t mention it here (we used our free 7 days to put the software through its paces, hence the unsightly watermark in the screenshots).
Sadly, there’s an even bigger issue we have to highlight: despite the fact you’re paying a one-off fee, and Adobe clearly refers to it as a ‘purchase’ that you are ‘buying’, you don’t get to own that software for as long as you want. Back in the day, that is what a “one-off fee” was.
As long as your computer’s hardware and OS remained compatible with the software, that fee would’ve been all you had to pay. You didn’t even need to buy any future upgrades if you didn’t want them. One fee, one app, job done.
But Adobe is changing that. That $100 (or $150 for the bundle) only gives you a license for 3 years from the date of purchase. After that, the software becomes inoperable.
So, this is no longer a purchase, but a long-term rental, paid in advance. That’s a very underhand way of introducing subscriptions to their non-professional apps.
If you’re looking for a cheap video editor, there are alternatives. For instance, DaVinci Resolve may look intimidating from a newcomer’s perspective, but it’s free, has no registration issues, and is way more powerful than Premiere Elements - although you will be venturing away from the Adobe ecosystem. Even Adobe's quick-and-easy Premiere Rush is free (see our Adobe Premiere Rush review here).
Score: 2/5
Adobe Premiere Elements: Interface
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
A redesigned interface that still offers the same ease of use we’ve grown accustomed to, but with a sleeker finish, and more logical repositioning of tools
OK, enough ranting. Let’s take a look at the software. As before, the interface is split into three, depending on your skill level, from ‘Quick’, to ‘Guided’, to ‘Advanced’. ‘Quick’ is designed for both beginners and those wishing to edit fast. As such, it offers a reduced set of tools and options. ‘Guided’ provides a series of tutorials to help you learn more about the software and editing in general, while ‘Advanced’ offers the full range of what Premiere Elements has to offer, which is reflected by a more intricate interface.
You can also switch from light to dark mode, which granted is not new, but the fact you can do so without having to restart the program is a definite plus. So far so good. The main issue here though, is that compared to the last time we checked out the software, everything looks radically different. In fact, Premiere Elements now looks more like Premiere Pro, complete with a totally customisable interface including tearaway windows, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it may necessitate existing users having to reacquaint themselves with their software. It also does away with the simplified, less intimidating look, it had before.
Despite that, you should find Premiere Elements to be easy to use. For instance although ‘Quick’ offers fewer tools, they can be found in the same location in the ‘Advanced’ interface. This makes it easy to switch between the two. Editing in any interface is pretty much all about dragging and dropping, the sidebar on the right offers you many changeable parameters, which you can animate through the use of keyframes, even in ‘Quick’ mode.
All in all, Premiere Elements is an elegant and well designed video editor with more than enough tools to satisfy even the most demanding amateur.
Score: 4.5/5
Adobe Premiere Elements: Updates
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
Improvements to existing tools, and welcome new features. It might not look like a lot, but it’s all for the better, and we certainly can’t complain about that
Aside from the new coat of paint, Premiere Elements 2025 brings a few new tools to the table, while improving existing ones. One of these is the voice-over narration tool which is no longer in the sidebar, but can be triggered directly from the Timeline: you’ll find a microphone icon at the start of any audio layer. Click on it and the recording will start (after 3 seconds) wherever the playhead is located.
Premiere Elements 2025 hosts a load of new title templates in the left sidebar, including direct access to a hundred from Adobe Stock. All those we randomly checked were free to use.
The colour correction tool has been revamped, with a host of new changeable parameters, even allowing you to set the white balance by using an eye dropper to click anywhere on your footage. Simple and effective and actually used by many if not most of Premiere Elements’ competition, so it’s about time we’ve finally got it here. You’ll also find a bunch of new filters (referred to as Video Effects) which apply a colour style to your footage.
One new feature we particularly liked is the ‘Time Stretch’ tool. Retiming a clip is nothing new, but here Premiere Elements does it as effortlessly as possible. It comes as a new icon to the left of the Timeline, along with other editing tools. With it selected, when you drag the edge of a clip in the timeline, you no longer alter its in and out points, but you retime the clip.
You can tell (in ‘Advanced’, but puzzlingly not in ‘Quick’) what you’ve done thanks to a percentage value next to the clip’s name in the timeline. This is so incredibly easy to do. If you need to be more precise, right-click on the clip, and choose ‘Time Stretch’ from the menu to reveal a floating window from which you can type in a percentage, or specific duration.
And a very useful addition for those upgrading from an older version, is the fact projects created with a previous version can now be opened in this one. They will have to be updated, and some effects or filters won’t be preserved, but having to make a few fixes is a lot better than being denied access to the work you did previously.
Score: 4/5
Should I buy Adobe Premiere Elements?
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
Buy it if...
You need a versatile video editor that isn’t too complex while allowing you to have simple to advanced tools, depending on my needs and skill.
Don't buy it if...
You don’t like the idea that your software will expire in 3 years despite having paid for it, and the interface looks too much like the Pro version for your liking.
Premiere Pro is Adobe’s high end video editor, so it’s not for everyone. Heck, even regular old Premiere Elements can feel too powerful to some.
Isn’t there something incredibly simple that can work on both computers and mobile devices? Enter Adobe Premiere Rush.
As the name implies, it's all about cutting content quickly. It's ranked among our best video editing apps, with its emphasis on ease-of-use and simplicity for creating social media or marketing content. I took a look at the latest version to see how it fares.
Adobe Premiere Rush: Pricing & plans
An app that’s free to use, is multi-platform, and easy to download and install. Can’t get much better than that
Getting your hands on a simple video editor is one thing, but everyone will ask, “how much will this cost me?”
And there’s good news here too: Adobe Premiere Rush is actually free. You do need to set up an Adobe ID in order to use it (if you don’t already have one), but this is free too. It also comes bundled free with other Adobe apps if you're already a subscriber.
You can download Rush for your computer via the Creative Cloud app, and for your mobile device via its app store or by clicking here.
Clean, simple and effective.
Score: 5/5
Adobe Premiere Rush: Interface
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
Premiere Rush’s interface remains very similar on various devices, and although icons may be located in different areas, it will take you seconds to transfer your skills from one machine to another
We were pleasantly surprised to see that the interface is remarkably similar whether you’re working on a computer, phone or tablet. It’s not identical, mind, as the aim is to play to each platform’s strengths, but at least the tools are grouped together.
For instance, those to control and manipulate Graphics. Effects, Colour correction, Speed adjustments, Audio and Cropping can be found top right on a computer, but at the bottom of the screen on a phone. Icons to control expanding the audio layers, revealing control tracks, cutting, deleting and duplicating a selected clip, are all on a sidebar lower left of the interface on a computer. Those tools will also be at the bottom of a phone’s screen, separated from the others by a divider line.
This may feel like the interface is different, but such changes are actually minor, and as the icons are identical, it will take you seconds to recognise what you’re after and learn where they are positioned when moving from one device to another.
Perhaps the biggest difference between devices is how the playhead behaves. On a computer, it acts as you would expect a video editor’s playhead to: click and drag it to another location to skim through your footage, or click on another location on your timeline for it to jump to that point. On a mobile device, that playhead remains fixed at the centre: the project itself moves left or right as you place your finger on the screen and drag left or right.
This plays to each device’s strengths, as a limited screen real estate demands compromises. One thing to bear in mind: you can only edit in the portrait orientation for a phone.
Score: 4.5/5
Adobe Premiere Rush: Editing
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
Rush’s way of editing is similar to CapCut or Final Cut Pro, and if you’re used to that, you’ll feel right at home, otherwise it will take you a few minutes to get used to it. But this is undeniably a powerful way to edit precisely and with speed
The aim of Premiere Rush is to help you create a project very quickly and with that in mind, it uses what Final Cut Pro and CapCut users would recognise as a ‘magnetic timeline’, which means when you alter the length of a clip in your project, you don’t end up with a gap between it and any clip that you’d added further along the timeline. Instead, they all move to fill that gap. Extend a clip and they’re all pushed forward. You can easily swap the order of the clips and no gap is ever left in your timeline. This actually helps you build an edit incredibly quickly.
By default, it looks like you can only work with a single layer of audio and video, which also helps give a user the impression that this is a simple app. Although you can certainly work with it like that, Premiere Rush actually supports up to 4 layers of video and 3 of audio, allowing you to place clips over others, thereby creating much more complex projects.
Incidentally, this magnetic timeline we described above, only works on the first layer. When you add a clip above another, that upper clip will actually attach itself to a lower one. Delete the lower clip and that upper clip will be gone too. Move that lower clip to another location, and this will also move the upper clip(s) connected to it. This is something worth bearing in mind as it could easily confuse a novice editor or one not used to this way of working.
Score: 4.5/5
Adobe Premiere Rush: Effects
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
An acceptable range of effects, with some useful features, although some, like ‘Speed’ feel very primitive by today’s standards
Premiere Rush comes with a handful of effects, such as animated overlays, be they text layers, lower thirds, or animated transitions, and they are all applied on a second layer (meaning if you didn’t already know you could work with multiple layers in Rush, that would’ve been a big clue!) Each graphic is fully customisable with changeable parameters appearing when you select it (to the right on a computer, at the bottom on a phone).
Aside from those animated transitions, you’ll also find a handful of ‘standard’ ones in the Effects section, along with Pan and Zoom, and Reframe tools. We were somewhat disappointed the Pan and Zoom tool only worked on photos.
We quite liked that you can make colour adjustments, either based on filters or through manual alterations, and save those changes as new presets you can use and apply on other clips.
Sadly, we found the speed alteration tool to be very basic. We couldn’t detect any frame blending. Instead, the slower the clip became the more the video stuttered, as frames were simply copied to accommodate for the increased length.
Score: 3.5/5
Adobe Premiere Rush: Sharing & syncing
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
You can upload your project to various social media sites, as well as saving a copy to your hard drive, but the loss of syncing between devices is puzzling and sorely missed
When it comes to sharing, you can export your project to your local drive, or upload it to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or Behance. You even have access to some advanced format settings if you need them, which is great for pro users.
There is however a feature that is no longer present and feels like a great loss: you used to be able to sync your project between various devices, as long as they were all logged in to the same Adobe ID. This allowed you to work on your phone, and continue editing on your computer, and vice versa, giving you great flexibility. Sadly, Adobe nuked that functionality in 2024.
We could understand that this would’ve been seen as an advanced feature for a free app, but why not preserve it for those who pay for one of Adobe’s various subscription packages? Killing it for all was very disappointing.
Score: 3/5
Should I try Adobe Premiere Rush?
(Image credit: Adobe // Future)
Try it if...
You’re looking for a video editor that’s easy to use, which is compatible across multiple devices, and is free
Don't try it if...
You need more powerful effects tools, don’t like the concept of a ‘magnetic timeline’, and don’t like the loss of functionality.
The Hinomi H1 Pro has more adjustability than I know what to do with. There are adjustments for nearly every portion of the chair. It's the kind of chair that if you need a chair, period, this one can solve what you need it for. The arms can fold up and away, or be dialled in to exactly what you may want, the backrest can be fine-tuned to fit your needs, the piston itself can be swapped for a taller one to suit all heights, and even if you don't have storage for a chair at your desk you can fold this chair in half, something I have never seen before, and you can then tuck it away under your desk space to save on that room.
Of all of the features that this chair packs into a reasonably priced chair, the folding is by far the best for me - it's a feature not even found on most of the best office chairs around.
While most people adjust the chair to fit the arms under the desk, others may adapt the desk to raise it slightly to accommodate the arms (if they have a standing desk). But, a third option arises with the H1 Pro: you can keep your desk exactly as is, and you can fold the chair completely away underneath the desk, making room for whatever else you may have planned in that space.
This is a fantastic solution if you're crammed for space, if your office is multi-purpose, or if you're particular about your workspace and want to ensure that others don't try to sit at your desk out of sheer confusion about what's happening to your chair.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Hinomi H1 Pro: Pricing and Availability
The Hinomi H1 Pro retails for around $580, with the ability to ship globally directly from Hinomi's website. You can also find this chair widely available on third-party sites, such as Amazon.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Hinomi H1 Pro: Unboxing & first impressions
The chair arrived nearly fully assembled, requiring only about 5 minutes of effort on my part to set it up. The build overall feels solid, though I was a bit weary of the abundance of plastic parts.
It may be because the grey color is a bit dull, since I opted for the flagship Ice Green colorway, or maybe it's just my mind playing tricks on me, but at first glance, the grey looks a bit cheap, though it feels fine.
The Ice Green mesh feels comfortable, neither too rough on the skin nor too soft, yet firm enough to provide support as needed.
Hinomi H1 Pro: Design & Build Quality
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Specs
Weight Capacity: 300 lb Adjustments: 3D lumbar (height + tension), 5D armrests, recline to 136°, seat depth, headrest TiltAngles: recline to 136°
The Hinomi H1 Pro also features a unique design. I don't know what it is. It does everything at once, but in doing so, it looks a tad gimmicky. However, the features it offers are helpful. That's where I can land; this chair may look different, but its functionality makes up for it. This is the chair that won't be in an executive's corner office, but it could be in their home office, providing the comfort they want.
The plastic design helps keep the weight down on the chair; however, under load and stress, I have occasionally heard a squeak, which I don't love. But, again, the flip to that statement is that this chair is rated for up to 300 lbs, and even when I put the chair to the test and had a friend of mine who is 305lbs sit down in this chair, there were no issues, no damage, no failures in functionality, nor discomfort. My friend asked if he could keep the chair, as most are not as comfortable, especially for people of his size.
I mentioned it briefly above, but another element that makes this chair interesting is its highly adjustable, nearly modular nature. The armrests can fold away entirely, the chair has a leg rest, and it has the option to fold flat. This is quite impressive for a single chair to accomplish all of this at once.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Hinomi H1 Pro: In use
I've had this chair in my ever-so-robust rotation of chairs for 123 days now. In that time, I've put in plenty of hours working in this chair, even for hours on end. So far, the chair has performed wonderfully. I haven't noticed any issues with the features, the adjustments, or the previously mentioned folding mechanism.
Although I was concerned that the plastic pieces would break easily, I have yet to experience any damage to the chair. With that being said, I've had some team members sit on this chair and mention that the lumbar support is not comfortable for them, no matter how many times I try to adjust everything for them.
Speaking of adjustments, the footrest has been great, the recline has been smooth and easy, the armrests have been pretty good as well, sometimes coming in clutch with needing to push an arm back and out of the way entirely for specific occasions.
I've used the folding feature more often than I expected. I thought I'd use it from time to time, to move things around or try it out. However, even in my home office/studio space, where I have plenty of room, I have found it highly convenient to fold this chair down and push it out of the way under a desk I'm testing, so I can bring in more gear to test. This ability would be invaluable for smaller home offices, guest rooms, condos, apartments, and other similar spaces.
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design
Sleek and minimal
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use
Very easy to use
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Practicality
Practical for some
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price
Highly priced
⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Hinomi H1 Pro: Final verdict
The Hinomi H1 Pro is a highly adjustable ergonomic chair featuring comfortable mesh, a convenient folding ability, a legrest, and an excellent warranty. However, it may not look like the fanciest chair, but once you sit in it, you'll see just how comfortable and adjustable it is. If you're in the market for a chair that saves space while offering high levels of adjustability, check out the H1 Pro.
The budget headphones market is becoming increasingly competitive. As more manufacturers cut the cost of their cans, it’s now relatively easy to snag yourself a decent pair of over-ears for well under $100. And the Happy Plugs Play Pro definitely fit into this savings-conscious category.
These cans may not quite compete with the very best cheap headphones out there, but they still provide relatively strong audio and okay(ish) ANC (active noise cancellation). The Play Pro also rock an unfussy yet attractive design that looks classier than you’d expect at such a reasonable price. As for comfort, these are some of the most comfy headphones I’ve ever worn. Really.
Despite housing five internal mics to assist with the ANC, the Play Pro aren’t great at shielding your ears from external sounds. Getting any noise-cancelling features in a cheap pair of cans is obviously welcome, no question. Still, there’s no disguising that there are far better options out there – like the superb Earfun Wave Pro, which are actually a little cheaper than Happy Plugs’ headphones.
Battery life with the Play Pro is borderline stellar. Switch off ANC and you can squeeze 50 hours of juice out of these cans, which is more than respectable. It’s just a pity there’s no idle mode on show here, meaning you have to remember to switch them off manually or they’ll stay paired to your smartphone/tablet.
Whatever device you’re planning to pair the Play Pro with over Bluetooth, you should know Happy Plugs hasn’t provided any software to let you tweak or set custom audio profiles. With no app available, you’re stuck with the default audio experience the company has created. To the Swedish firm’s credit, the Play Pro actually sound pretty good, with these over-ears’ potent bass being a particular highlight.
I spent the better part of a month with these cheap – but, crucially, not “cheap-feeling” – cans and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed listening to them. If nothing else, I’ll always remember them for being the headphones I was wearing during the last walk I took my beloved husky on before I had to reluctantly rehome him.
The Play Pro’s reasonably well-balanced audio brought tears to my eyes as I was listening to my all-time favorite song – Sonnet by The Verve – thanks to their loud, fairly punchy soundscape. Here come the waterworks again.
Moving past my doggo sadness, I’ll also give props to the Play Pro for being excellent for hands-free calls. Happy Plugs claims its headphones have a radius of around 50ft, and I experienced no distortion or break up when talking on calls even when I was several rooms away from my phone.
If you don’t want to break the bank on your next set of headphones, the Happy Plugs Play Pro are a solid option that are well worth a look. There’s no denying the likes of the fantastic 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 are superior, though, while the Panasonic RB-M600 are also worth considering, along with the best over-ear headphones on the market.
Happy Plugs Play Pro review: Specifications
Drivers
40mm
Active noise cancellation
Yes
Battery life (quoted)
50 hours (ANC off) 35 hours (ANC on)
Bluetooth type
Bluetooth 5.4
Weight
253g
Waterproofing
IPX4
Happy Plugs Play Pro review: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)
Released in March 2025
RRP of $59.99 / £59.99 / AU$120 (approx.)
The Happy Plugs Play Pro currently retail for $59 / $59 / AU$120 (approx.) – though at the time of writing, availability is limited on the Happy Plugs store. They first launched after CES 2025, and are available in either no-nonsense White or Black colorways.
Be warned: they’re not all that easy to find. Currently, they’re unavailable on Amazon US or UK, though I did find them in stock from retailers like B&Q and Very here in my native Blighty. Seeing as the Play Pro haven’t been out for long, it’s hardly surprising they haven’t dropped below that initial price tag just yet.
Happy Plugs Play Pro review: Features
(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)
Long-lasting battery life
Middling ANC
IPX4 waterproof rating
Look up “no frills” in the dictionary, and you’ll see a picture of the Happy Plugs Play Pro. Not literally, of course, but when it comes to features, it's safe to say these headphones are lacking.
Considering there’s no software or app support, these budget cans' biggest selling point has to be their excellent battery life. Once you juice these pups up, you won’t have to give your charger as much as a glance for days at a time.
With ANC turned off, I found the Happy Plugs’ claim that the Play Pro will last for 50 hours pretty much bang on the money. That’s some impressive sonic stamina for a pair of over-ears that cost less than $60. A word of caution, though – the review sample I’ve been testing wouldn’t enter idle mode when I accidentally left them connected to my iPhone 14 Pro.
Instead, you have to manually hold down the power button to send these cans to sleep. This is a flaw I discovered when I forgot my phone while going to see Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning recently, only to be greeted by a blue power light on the Play Pro once I got back to my apartment after 2 hours and 49 minutes of death-defying Tiny Tom stunts. The lack of a sleep mode is a missing feature that could prove annoying if you mistakenly leave them paired with a device overnight.
As for ANC, Happy Plugs’ cans are obviously no match for the best noise-cancelling headphones at such a change purse-friendly price point. They cost just $59, so I’m simply happy ANC makes the cut at all… even if the execution leaves a lot to be desired.
Do these cheap-and-cheerful over-ears keep out distracting indoor sounds? More or less. Once I clicked the noise-cancelling button – which allows you to switch between ANC and Transparency mode – and ramped the volume up to around 50%, my lobes were mercifully spared the din of my upstairs neighbor’s daily attempts to butcher ever last note of Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street on his saxophone.
The Play Pro’s ANC isn’t anywhere near as effective in outdoor surroundings. During many walks with these over-ears, I was constantly distracted by the rumbling of passing cars and screeches of vexed children, even when my favorite tunes were playing at 100% volume. I appreciate that Happy Plugs has managed to squeeze ANC into these aggressively priced cans, but the end results aren’t impressive.
While I’m giving the firm a pat on the back (albeit not a hearty one), kudos to Happy Plugs for making the Play Pro IPX4 waterproof rated. Granted, it’s been uncommonly warm and dry in my homeland of Scotland recently. Yet the one time I was caught in a brief downpour while wearing these headphones, the passing shower happily didn’t cause any audio distortion.
Features score: 2.5/5
Happy Plugs Play Pro review: Design
(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)
Pleasingly lightweight
Supremely comfortable to wear
Fold up design allows for easy storage
Wearing the Happy Plugs Play Pro is akin to giving your cranium a cuddle. These over-ears are light, breathable and come with foam cushions that are oh-so-kind on the lobes.
I’ve worn these affordable ANC cans for dozens of hours and I’m struggling to recall a more comfortable set of headphones I’ve either owned or tested. As much as I love my Apple AirPods Max, I usually find the cups start to irritate my ears after 90 minutes or so. By contrast, I can cheerily wear the Play Pro for hours on end and forget I still have these budget offerings clamped around my ears.
With a minimalist-yet-sturdy design constructed from matte plastics, these cans definitely feel like they should cost more than $59. The foam used on the cups and the middle of the Play Pro’s adjustable headband may attract a little sweat, but I can handle my ears getting a tad moist when the materials feel this comforting wrapped around my dome. I also dig the silver brushed metal that appears on the band should you extend it.
While it might be a slight stretch to describe the Play Pro as “premium”, they certainly don’t feel cheap. Tipping the scales at a svelte 253g, these cans are easy to carry around, and they’re made even more portable thanks to their fold-up design.
Design score: 4/5
Happy Plugs Play Pro review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)
Resonant, ear-rumbling bass output
Vocals can get drowned out
A lack of software means no EQ tweaks
Unlike Goldilocks, that porridge-stealing scoundrel who had her pick of breakfast options, you’re stuck with the Play Pro’s out-of-the-box audio serving. As there’s no available app, fiddling with EQ settings is off the table. OK, I’ll drop the stupid Three Bears analogy.
At this price, I won’t overly slam Happy Plugs for not providing software options for its sub-$100 over-ears. That’s not just due to the price of the Play Pro; it’s also because these headphones actually sound pretty good even though you can’t tweak their audio profile.
Naturally, the soundscape these cans offer can’t rival the best headphones out there. Yet if funds are tight, you could do way worse than the Play Pro. Bass feels relatively weighty, mostly avoiding that dreaded tinniness often associated with budget headphones, while also stopping short of dominating tracks that rock deeper melodies.
My musical tastes normally run the gamut of old to, well… older. While testing the Play Pro, I forced myself to listen to tracks that were at least semi-contemporary to complement the ageing bangers that prop up my iPhone’s various playlists.
Enter Alex Warren’s Ordinary. The chamber pop mega hit feels like it has dominated the charts for a veritable ice age, even if it was only released this past February.
The stirring percussion of this love song’s chorus is the audio equivalent of the T-Rex’s approaching footsteps in Jurassic Park. And that’s before you get to the singer himself, who has a baritone so deep, it makes the late, great James Earl Jones sound like Alvin or one of his chipmunk bros. I love a lower register and the Play Pro’s bass performance instantly impresses.
Alas, vocals can occasionally get a little drowned out during songs with a lot of instruments. A recent playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077 on my gaming PC inspired me to fire up snappy synthpop melody I Really Want to Stay at Your House by Rosa Walton & Hallie Coggins. Like Ordinary, the Play Pro handle the bass-heavy chorus sections with aplomb, however the song's flatter mid-sections come across as rather flat and muddled.
Not that vocal clarity is something these headphones are incapable of delivering. As someone who obsessively listens to podcasts on a daily basis, I found the Play Pro produced precise audio that was rarely difficult to pick out as long as the voices in question weren’t having to speak over background music.
And no, you spent three hours listening to a movie podcast about surprise ‘80s baby blockbuster, Look Who’s Talking. Don’t ask.
Generally speaking, the Play Pro sound loud and decently punchy. Mid-range audio doesn’t always come across as hugely accurate or detailed, but at this price I’m fairly content with the soundscape Happy Plugs has landed upon with these cans.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
Happy Plugs Play Pro: Value
(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)
Quality cups and sturdy plastic
Travel pouch is appreciated
Like to make a saving without massively compromizing on quality? The Happy Plugs Play Pro hit a pretty good sweet spot between price and performance. Sure, there are better sub-$100 cans out there – the aforementioned Earfun Wave Pro say hello – yet these perfectly decent headphones remain attractive at an alluring $59.
Well-built and with a carry pouch thrown in for good measure, the Play Pro are exactly the sort of affordable, commute-friendly cans you can throw in a bag and not worry about thanks to their price tag.
Sound is solid, their design assured without being garish, and battery performance above and beyond for a cheap pair of headphones. Yes, ANC could perform better, but it can just about get the ambient sound-slaying job done in the right circumstances.
Though I wish Happy Plugs had designed a companion app to allow me to create custom audio profiles, if a lack of such support was necessary to get the Play Pro in at $59 / £59 / AU$120 (approx.), then so be it. On the value front, the Swedish company has done a commendable job with these cheap yet reasonably classy over-ears.
Value score: 4/5
Happy Plugs Play Pro review: scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Features
Impressive battery life, but zero software support and subpar ANC drag the score down.
2.5/5
Design
Fairly stylish, extremely comfortable and easy to reach media controls.
4/5
Sound quality
Punchy without hitting premium territory, big bass makes up for muddled mid-range performance.
3.5/5
Value
Sound is decent, materials don’t feel cheap, ANC makes the cut, and battery life excels.
4/5
Happy Plugs Play Pro: Should I buy?
(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)
Buy them if...
You want quality and comfort Well-built, with foam ear cups that practically feel like cushions once you slip them around your head, these cheap headphones feel like they’ve been made with love. If you frequently go on long trips, you’ll love how comfortable these cans are.
You dig big bass The Play Pro bring the bass… and then some. If you listen to a lot of R&B or like musicians with a Darth Vader-esque register, you’ll appreciate the audio output of these over-ears, which do a top notch job of emphasizing lower end tones.
Don't buy them if...
Quality ANC is crucial to you There are so many headphones out there that do noise cancelling more effectively than the Play Pro. While ANC is reasonably effective in quieter indoor situations, go for a walk in a crowded area with these cans and you’ll hear every last bellow, laugh and tire screech.
You like to tweak EQ settings As someone who constantly fiddles with the settings of his Sony Inzone H9, the lack of an app for the Play Pro really bugs me. If the default audio isn’t to your liking when you first unbox these over-ears, there’s nothing you can do about it.
Also consider
Happy Plugs Play Pro
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51
Earfun Wave Life
Drivers
40mm
400m dynamic
40mm
Active noise cancellation
Yes
Yes
Yes
Battery life
50 hours (ANC off); 35 hours (ANC on)
100 hours (ANC off); 65 hours (ANC on)
60 hours (ANC off); 37 house (ANC on)
Weight
253g
246g
264g
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.4
Bluetooth 5.2; 3.5mm
Bluetooth 5.4; USB-C
Waterproofing
IPX4
N/A
N/A
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 The overlord of cheap over-ears sport super-strong sound quality, top-tier ANC for the price and exceptional battery life. For less than $100, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more durable, better-sounding pair of budget headphones. Bravo, 1More. See our full 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review
Earfun Wave Life At around $10 / £10 cheaper than the Play Pro, the Earfun Wave Life offer better ANC and longer-lasting battery life than Happy Plugs’ cans. Audio quality between the two is generally on par, though the winning Earfun app gives these over-ears the edge. See our full Earfun Wave Life review
How I tested
(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)
Tested for three weeks
Used at home, outdoors and during commutes
I tested the Happy Plugs Play Pro over a three-week period. During that time I used these over-ears in different environments, spanning my ground-floor apartment, on walks through the center of my city and on public buses. I primarily connected the headphones to my iPhone 14 Pro – and to a lesser extent my iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) – to listen to my favorite tunes and various podcasts.
While listening to music, I ensured I covered a variety of genres, as outlined in the TechRadar testing playlist. I also tried to connect Happy Plugs’ cans to my Windows 11 laptop via a USB-C cable, but this only charges the headphones – you can’t listen to them over a wired connection.
Portable monitors have become increasingly popular as people are working more flexibly than ever before. Many jobs are allowing hybrid schedules, or the ability to work out of the office, remote work is booming, and some are even learning to make the most of their ability to work from anywhere, knocking out their work from a cafe, a lakehouse, a holiday/vacation location, or visiting family.
However, depending on what you do, some people prefer a screen larger than 14-16 inches for work. That's where portable monitors gained significant traction. Then, people came to realize that having a monitor as thin as a tablet, with a single cable to power it and run the display, can be extremely helpful in many scenarios, including more complex desk setups, niche setups, and semi-portable setups.
While most of the best portable monitors I've tested are more like an additional 13-18-inch screen, the UPerfect UMax 24 is a 24.5-inch panel, as thin as my iPad mini for most of its display, and more comparable to my MacBook Pro at its thickest. It's lightweight, features a built-in stand, and has minimal ports, yet offers enough functionality to get started. It boasts a QHD resolution with a 165 Hz refresh rate. In short, this thing is a beast. It's a desktop-sized monitor that's lightweight enough to bring with you just about anywhere.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
UPerfect UMax 24: Pricing and Availability
The UPerfect UMax 24 can be found on UPerfect's website for $439.99, currently on sale from $540. The UMax 24 can also be purchased from Amazon and a few other retailers.
The screen comes with a two-year warranty and global delivery, making it accessible to almost anyone who wishes to obtain one.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
UPerfect UMax 24: Unboxing & first impressions
I'll be honest, I didn't realize what I was getting into when I grabbed this monitor, nor did I understand how beneficial it could be. It was going to be a big display that wasn't powerful enough to be my main and not portable enough to take with me. Instead, I found that it was a fantastic in-between, giving me a near desktop-level monitor experience but in something that I can toss in the carrying case, easily carry with me around the house, or to a special location or on a road trip, or if needed I could even throw this in a larger bag like a suitcase and fly with it.
Right off the bat, I appreciate the dual USB-C inputs and the HDMI port, although I wish it were a full-size HDMI port instead of Micro-HDMI. However, I can look past that, and I love the kickstand. There is a VESA mounting point, but I'll discuss that further later. What would be super annoying is if this screen didn't have a way to hold itself up, but thankfully, this one does.
At first glance, this thing is impressive. And that feeling only continued once I plugged it in. Even the people around me when I plugged it in had to make comments. The matte display, rich 2K on a massive portable screen —everything. It's beautiful. Of course, I wish it were higher resolution, but I also understand why it isn't. At this size, not everyone wants a 4K display, and creating a 4K portable panel at this size would be more expensive and power-hungry. I'm sure that's just the start of it.
The UMax 24 is well-built. The screen feels sturdy, the matte coating feels and looks of high quality, the bezel is relatively thin, and the kickstand is made of nice metal that stays in place nicely.
The ports come with some adapters to curve the ports around, pointing them towards the middle of the display rather than the outside, which helps enhance the elegant design of this display even more. Lastly, the kickstand tucks away neatly when not in use, making it disappear when not in use.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
UPerfect UMax 24: In use
I talked about my not-so-temporary setup on the second story of my home in previous reviews. This is the setup on the Tribesigns Mobile Standing Desk, which once featured the fantastic Dell Pro 32 monitor. After I finished my review on that display, I expected to change up this area and get rid of this desk. It felt either too built out or not built out enough for what I wanted to do with it. Overall, I didn't need another workspace, but then I remembered the UPERFECT UMax 24 monitor that I was testing as well, and I figured it would make a perfect addition to the setup.
I've tried a ton of setups with this now, I've used the monitor on the desk itself, with the kickstand holding it up. All around, this might be my favorite setup for this simple workstation. I have also tried with a few different monitor arms from MSI, such as their new MAG MT201D. I have also tried BenQ's monitor arm, the BSH01, and a few others, I can't remember the name of. All of these worked well, providing a few different styles and feels for this space. However, since I am going for a super minimalist setup here, driven by the minimalist monitor, I chose to stick with the display's built-in kickstand to hold it up.
Using this display as a workstation, a single monitor for my MacBook Pro has been great. It's crisp and smooth, and thanks to the USB-C connectivity, I can also use this with my iPad Mini, another iPad, a laptop, or even a Nintendo Switch if I want to.
I can run from my laptop of choice with a single USB-C cable to the monitor, and I can see everything. I can also run the monitor off my laptop's battery, and we can get to work very simply. I also wanted to charge while doing this, so I connected a cable to the second USB-C port and ran that line to the wallet outlet.
So far, this monitor has been great for writing content, emails, web browsing, project management, research, and more. While yes, there is a part of me that, of course, wishes this was a higher resolution, what I have noticed is that I don't mind the 2K resolution as much as I thought I would for this specific monitor. It feels right. it feels like if this were 4K it would feel wrong.
Using this monitor in a setup location is an experience. Setting one up in a semi-permanent location has been wonderful. It is, in fact, one of the largest portable monitors around, so it feels like it was meant for this kind of simple setup.
As I mentioned, I have also been able to take this monitor to one of the businesses I work with a handful of times. Carrying it in the second bag feels a bit clunky, but pulling it out and having all that screen real-estate has been fantastic.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design
Minimalistically massive
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use
Incredibly easy to use
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Practicality
Highly practical for those who want more screen
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price
Priced well for the product
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
UPerfect UMax 24: Final verdict
The UPerfect UMax 24 has set out to do the unthinkable, create a portable display that is far larger than most portables, and yet also make it work well enough to be a semi-permanent to permanent setup.
If you're looking for a solid monitor for your desk, and you move a lot, work from anywhere, you have space or budget constraints, or you just like having fun tech, this portable monitor is great for you.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is an ideal desktop replacement with more than enough power to take on just about everything in PC gaming spaces and at max settings for the most part.
While there are some situations you might need to bring some settings down a smidge (cough*Cyberpunk 2077*cough), that’s only really due to the higher resolution OLED panel that only requires a bit of power.
Starting at $2,909.99 / £2,700 / AU$4,999, the Legion Pro 7i comes with an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, Nvidia RTX 50-series GPUs, a 16-inch 2560 x 1600p OLED display, and up to 64GB DDR5 RAM and 2TB PCIe SSD storage.
Along with the performance and OLED screen are a nice assortment of ports, a full keyboard, and a responsive touchpad that is, unfortunately, not ideally aligned.
For some, especially those who don’t take their gaming laptops on the road all that much, this might be among the best gaming laptops out there. But poor battery life might make one take pause if you plan on getting a laptop that you want to use regularly untethered.
Still, if you have the cash and don’t plan on transporting your gaming laptop often (or have a big backpack), the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is worth a look, especially if you want a larger 16-inch screen for your gaming experience.
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i might not be Lenovo’s most expensive gaming laptop – that honor goes to the Legion Pro 9i – but it’s still very expensive. Its most affordable price is a sizable $2,909.99 / £2,700 / AU$4,999.
Starting out with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD, pricing goes up from there. The review unit I have, upgraded with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 and 2TB SSD, costs $3,559.99 / £2,990.00 / AU$6,839.00, while the maxed-out configuration of Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and 2TB SSD is a jaw-dropping $4,424.49 / £3,900.00 / AU$7,079.00.
As expensive as the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is, larger gaming laptops tend to come with an even heftier price tag. The Origin EON17-X v2 I reviewed last year started at $3,400.00 (about £2,610.00 / AU$5,120.00) for a configuration of Intel Core i9-14900HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, 16GB of RAM, and a 17-inch 1440p@240Hz screen.
Of course, you can customize the lid on the EON17-X v2 with whatever design you want, but this does make the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i look affordable in comparison.
Price: 4 / 5
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Specs
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
No matter which configuration you choose, the CPU you get is the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, a 24-core/24-thread processor with a peak frequency of 5.4GHz.
However, there is some wiggle room with the GPU where you can choose from an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080, or RTX 5090, 32GB or 64GB RAM, and between 1TB or 2TB SSD storage.
21.9mm-26.6mm x 364mm x 275.9mm / 0.86″- 1.04″ x 14.33″ x 10.86″
21.9mm-26.6mm x 364mm x 275.9mm / 0.86″- 1.04″ x 14.33″ x 10.86″
21.9mm-26.6mm x 364mm x 275.9mm / 0.86″- 1.04″ x 14.33″ x 10.86″
Considering that the base configuration is still fairly expensive, it’s no wonder that all the configurations keep the more premium appointments. Specifically, no matter what you do, you’ll get that OLED 1600p @ 240Hz panel with HDR 1000.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Design
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
This is a big computer
Large keyboard, touchpad aligned to the left
Lots of ports including Thunderbolt 4
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is big. It is a 16-inch laptop, after all. It’s fairly imposing in its matte “Eclipse Black” finish with only Legion emblazoned on the back of the lid and Lenovo in silver on the top back as flourishes. It’s also a little over an inch at its thickest.
This is not the most portable of gaming laptops. So, while it makes for a great desktop replacement, leave plenty of space in your backpack if you plan on getting this.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Almost all the venting is underneath and back, so you don’t have to worry about hot air being blown onto you when gaming, assuming you’re using a mouse situated next to the laptop.
Besides the large 16-inch OLED screen, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i comes with a full-size keyboard complete with a ten-key numpad. There aren’t any standalone hotkeys, but plenty of keys have secondary functions, so I didn’t really miss them.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
The keycaps have a quality feel to them with a concave shape and textured feel that makes typing a relative pleasure. I do find the keyboard to feel a little big for some reason and find myself sometimes pressing the wrong button when reaching (mainly when gaming).
The touchpad is not oversized, but it’s set off to the left, which makes sense as the keyboard with the Numpad pushes the natural hand placement to the left as well. However, I’m not a fan of the touchpad’s placement – I would prefer it to be a bit more centered. At least, it’s accurate and responsive.
If you do want to use the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i as a desktop replacement, you’ll be happy to know that the port selection is fairly plentiful. It comes with an HDMI 2.1 port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, and a USB-C port, both of which support DisplayPort 2.1. There are also three USB-A ports and an Ethernet one, along with an eShutter button for privacy’s sake.
Design: 4 / 5
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Performance
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Strong performance that’s limited somewhat by the power-hungry panel
Can run most games at max settings with speedy results
Sound quality is pretty good
Considering the powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and higher-end Nvidia 5000-series GPUs – I tested the model with an RTX 5080 – not to mention a minimum of 32GB of RAM, the gaming performance here is going to be quite robust.
Now, all that hardware has to power the 16-inch OLED panel which has a 2560 x 1600p resolution with a refresh rate of 240Hz. That panel also manages 500 nits of brightness and has HDR 1000 True Black support.
So, that can knock off up to 20 or 30 fps from the Lenovo Legion 7i’s performance if you want to take full advantage of this laptop’s display. It’s worth noting that it also achieves a DCI-P3 of 100%, making this a sharp looking, vibrant display. I definitely preferred running games like South of Midnight, Starfield, RoboCop: Rogue City, and Cyberpunk 2077 at that higher resolution.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Synthetic Benchmarks
Benchmark
Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core
3,103
Geekbench 6.4 Multi Core
19,829
Crossmark Overall
2,163
Crossmark Productivity
1,998
Crossmark Creativity
2,525
Crossmark Responsiveness
1,727
25GB File Copy Transfer Rate (MB/s)
2,030.38
3DMark Fire Strike
34,434
3DMark Time Spy
16,928
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
11,388
3DMark Time Spy Extreme
8,337
3DMark Speed Way
4,301
3DMark Steel Nomad
3,999
3DMark Port Royal
10,958
Speaking of, I was able to run all those games at basically max settings, including Ray Tracing where applicable, with smooth results and crisp, clear images. I didn’t experience any skipping, stuttering, or screen tearing. Any way you cut it, this is a powerful gaming laptop that will hold up.
If you look at our benchmarks, you can get a solid idea of what to expect. Cyberpunk 2077 with everything maxed will look good and will be smooth enough, but won’t really take advantage of that high refresh rate as it gets just an okay 30 fps on average on 1600p, so if you plan on playing at the display's native resolution, make sure to use DLSS for the best experience.
However, there are plenty of games where I can achieve up to and above 100 fps even before compromising on settings.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gaming Benchmarks
Game & settings
Frames per second
Assassin's Creed Shadows (Ultra High, 1080p)
45 fps
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)
45 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)
50 fps
Metro: Exodus (Extreme, 1080p)
63 fps
Monster Hunter Wilds (Very High, 1080p)
73 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very High, 1080p)
163 fps
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)
144 fps
Web Surfing Battery Informant
4:37
PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Test
1:36
As mentioned before, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a four-speaker system. I didn’t mention that it supports Nahimic Audio, so you get some spatial audio support. Laptops often have mediocre audio at best, but this one sounds pretty good.
Besides the usual caveat that laptop speakers will never surpass dedicated headphones or speakers, the sound is full with plenty of clarity. There’s not a lot of rumble (to be expected, of course), but there’s not anything else missing from the frequency range.
Lastly, the webcam with its 5MP resolution looks good and is pretty smooth to boot. If you get this laptop to stream, you might not need to get a dedicated webcam. It’s also nice that it has a privacy eShutter button.
Performance: 4.5 / 5
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Battery life
Suffers from the typical short battery life of a gaming laptop
Doesn’t do a great job of retaining charge while in sleep mode
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Battery Test Results
Web Surfing Battery Informant
4:37 hours
PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Test
1:36 hours
The battery life on gaming laptops is typically not all that great. There are some exceptions, but a powerhouse sporting a 16-inch OLED screen with a 1600p resolution is not going to be one of them.
For proof, just look at our benchmarks. In our web surfing test, it lasted a whopping four and a half hours. That’s not great, but this isn’t a new MacBook Air that lasts almost 15 hours, nor is it supposed to be.
It’s not surprising that in the PCMark 10 gaming benchmark, it lasts just over an hour and a half. If you want extended cordless gaming, you should probably get a Steam Deck (or one of its competitors).
A little more concerning and a little more unexpected is the fact that the battery runs down even when in sleep mode. Now, this is not atypical, but there are plenty of laptops that don’t drop down to 35% battery life after being unplugged for a day, even though they haven’t been used.
Battery life: 3.5 / 5
Should you buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i?
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i scorecard
Category
Notes
Rating
Value
It may start at a hefty two grand asking price, but that’s not unusual for large screen gaming laptops.
4 / 5
Design
This laptop is massive, making it more of a desktop replacement than a portable gaming machine. At least, it has plenty of ports.
4 / 5
Performance
The gaming performance here is pretty great, only really limited by the fact that it also has to power an OLED screen.
4.5 / 5
Battery Life
The battery life is not great, though about what one would expect with a gaming powerhouse. However, it could do better holding a charge when asleep.
3.5 / 5
Final score
Despite a high cost and low battery life, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is a very powerful machine, ideal for those wanting a gaming desktop replacement.
4 / 5
Buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i if...
You want a powerful desktop replacement The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is quite big, and it’s quite powerful. If you’re looking for something that can replace a gaming desktop, this model is more than capable.
You want an OLED screen The OLED screen here comes with a higher resolution and frame rate, not to mention strong HDR support and DCI-P3 color coverage. If you want a good OLED screen with your gaming laptop, you’re certainly getting it here.
You can afford it This laptop has the latest and greatest powerful components (at least for a laptop), so it comes with a hefty price tag. Consider this one if money is no object.
Don't buy it if...
You have a limited budget If you have limited cash for a gaming laptop, then the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is going to be out of your price range, considering its starting price is around 2K.
You want good battery life Gaming laptops typically don’t have good battery life, and this laptop is no different. If you want one that can last a while without being plugged in, there’s a short list of options out there that don’t include this one.
How I tested the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
Tested for a couple weeks
Used it for work, gaming, and streaming
Played different types of games
I used the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i for a couple of weeks, playing all sorts of games including Battlefield 2042, RoboCop: Rogue City, and Cyberpunk 2077, to get a feel for what this laptop is capable of.
I tried them at max settings, including Ray Tracing where applicable, mainly Cyberpunk, to see where their limitations are. I wrote most of this article on it and used it for some day-to-day browsing and streaming.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is ideal for gamers who want a desktop replacement that can handle just about everything gaming-wise and have the budget to afford that kind of gaming rig.
I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.
