The Haworth Upside Sit-to-Stand desk is a simple yet refined standing desk that can easily blend into most workspaces without looking overly extravagant or flashy.
Granted, it still costs a pretty penny, but it doesn't look overdone or gaudy. The Haworth Upside is understated, minimalist, and professional. But how does it stack up against the best standing desks I've reviewed? I tested it to find out.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Haworth Upside Sit-to-Stand Desk: Pricing and Availability
The Haworth Upside Standing Desk currently starts at $611, 15% off its original price of $719, as I write this paragraph. This price can range from around $1,000, depending on features, sizing, colorways, and whether you opt for the upgraded base type and paddle.
You can also add some accessories directly from Haworth, such as a power module, wire management clips, and a wire tray to catch all your cables and keep them tidy.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Haworth Upside Sit-to-Stand Desk: Unboxing & first impressions
The Haworth Upside Standing desk arrived super well-packaged in its box, ensuring that nothing would be damaged in transit to me. Once I started building, I was able to assemble my desk in just 18 minutes.
True, it's heavy, but I was able to do it by myself. One of the first things I noticed was the paddle. While intuitive, and many desks have had similar paddles, I wish there were a button of some kind so I could easily save multiple heights, just a press away. The paddle does work well, though, especially considering its purpose.
The desk itself is sharp. By sharp, I of course mean in design, as the corners are rounded, ensuring that they are not a sharp point, even though they are sharper than some of the softer-edged designs I have seen. I love the look of a sharper edge, but I also appreciate having them not be sharp to the touch.
This desk is simple, minimalist, and clean. I said it earlier, but that's the best way to describe this desk. There's no frills, nothing flashy, nothing distracting. It's a fantastic desk if you prefer a clean setup.
While you could, I probably wouldn't build out a super complex and fancy setup on this desk, but what I would love to do is have a clean laptop or iPad setup with a notebook, some physical books perhaps, maybe a single monitor setup, with a computer in a stand off to the side, and so on—a clean, simple setup, dedicated to focus and simplicity.
Adding to this simplicity, I love how clean the legs look, and I appreciate that they are more C-shaped than T-shaped. I prefer the C-Shape as it feels like there is more room for my legs. It also helps the legs appear closer to a wall if you are pushed up against it, making the legs look less bulky and stand out less.
The desktop appears to be resistant to scratches, yet it doesn't feel like I'd want to drop anything on it anytime soon. The wood feels a bit soft, but with how I use desks, I'm not too worried.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Haworth Upside Sit-to-Stand Desk: In use
I've had this desk in my rotation of desks for the last 124 days at the time of writing this review. So far, it's been functioning great. There haven't been any issues. I've used this desk for precisely what I mentioned above. It's been a fantastic laptop desk, I've gotten some dedicated writing done here, some project planning, some idea sketching with my iPad, some reading with physical books, and more. It's been an excellent desk for all of that.
The paddle controller was easy to get used to right away. Up is up, down is down. Easy enough. Since this desk appeared simple to me at first glance on the website, I chose the standard, simple paddle, which works just as expected. Up is up, down is down. Suppose you want to upgrade to the programmable paddle. In that case, it adds the ability to display the height and even set vibration alerts to remind you to move throughout the day, according to Haworth's website.
Moving up and down, even while holding the paddle, is smooth and effortless. The desk moves pretty quickly, but it's stable and relatively quiet. What more could you ask for in a standing desk?
Along with the Haworth desk, I also grabbed the Fern ergonomic chair (a review is coming soon) and the Elements 4-function table. This, paired with the Haworth Upside desk, makes for a powerful setup. The Elements 4-function table can serve as a footrest, a side table, an extension of the desk, or a riser for the desk. Expanding the functionality of your Haworth setup even further.
(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
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Haworth Upside Sit-to-Stand Desk: Final verdict
The Haworth Upside Desk is a beautifully simple electric sit-to-stand desk that makes me want to simplify even my most beautiful setup down to the essentials, streamlining everything. This desk is a great fit for home offices or if you have a private office where you can set up your own little space. If you prefer being able to click to a specific height, you'll want to opt for the more expensive paddle, but remember that it's still a paddle, just an upgraded one.
For more professional essentials, we've reviewed the best office chairs for ergonomics and comfort.
Velocity Micro's ProMagix HD80 is a powerhouse desktop computer, with a focus on professional users rather than gamers. That distinction is necessary because gamers notoriously require the best graphics available.
Unlike many of the best workstations I've seen, this computer does not boast the newest GPU; however, it does have a top-of-the-line CPU, ample RAM, solid storage, powerful ports, and effective cooling, making it an excellent machine for productivity and business work that may not be as graphics-intensive.
The GPU is no slouch, but it's not an RTX 5090, so don't expect to game at maximum settings. However, this is a work machine, and sometimes that distinction is still necessary, even in 2025, where the lines between work and home are more blurred than ever.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Velocity Micro ProMagix HD80: Pricing and Availability
The Velocity Micro ProMagix HD80 is a pre-built computer from Velocity Micro. They specialize in building computers to the specifications that are best suited for certain groups of people. A middleman that helps connect great computer hardware with consumers.
This model is meant for business productivity and is spec'd out to cost nearly $7,000. If you are interested in something like this, reach out to Velocity Micro or check out their website for their builds.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Velocity Micro ProMagix HD80: Unboxing & first impressions
The ProMagix HD80 packaging is very well done. It's packed in the box tightly to prevent damage in transit. The box is massive, and since I knew what was inside, I made sure to buddy-lift this box, rather than try to muscle it up myself and risk dropping it. Once I had everything moved to where I needed it, I opened the box and set up the items.
The case build looks fantastic, even on first glance. If you're not familiar with Velocity Micro, the brief answer is that they specialize in building custom PCs for gaming and workstations. They also offer builds like these, where they pre-select a great combination of gear to create a dream setup with a specific outcome in mind. This outcome, of course, is business productivity. One of the things that Velocity Micro is known for is its excellence, and let me tell you, taking a look at the build quality of this PC, I can agree that Velocity Micro has gone above and beyond in assembling this computer with precision, care, and intentionality.
The whole build is simplistic, but not in a cheap way. They intentionally chose to omit the RGB colorways everywhere except for the CPU cooler, as RGB is a pretty clear gaming aesthetic. To further the minimalist branding and loud design, a slight Velocity Micro badge is visible on the glass case, paying homage to the company that built this beast.
The ProMagix HD80 features a solid steel construction with mesh front and top panels, creating overall fantastic airflow for this machine. The internals of this PC feature clean routing and sleek, modular components that are easy to access, service, and upgrade in the future when needed.
The materials chosen are solid and intentionally understated. Velocity Micro understands that this is not intended for gamers; it's not designed for that purpose. It's intended for professionals.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Velocity Micro ProMagix HD80: In use
The design for the ProMagix HD80 from Velocity Micro is intended for creative professionals, specifically those who would use software such as Adobe, CAD, Revit, Blender, and similar applications. The Intel Ultra 9 effortlessly handles any workload I throw at it, thanks to its 64GB of RAM. For large files, the 6TB of storage works great, making it easy to store even massive files on this machine.
Another thing that this machine is excellent for is coding. I was able to run large databases, huge Postman files, and large codebases without any issue. The only spot that I began to notice issues was with GPU-heavy tasks or programs. The RTX 4500 is not the most cutting-edge GPU, but considering the focus of this machine, I'm not too upset. Plus, if you wanted one of the brand-new RTX 5090, you could pop one in here without hardly any work.
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 )
Velocity Micro ProMagix HD80: Final verdict
Velocity Micro's ProMagix HD80 is a beautifully crafted custom build that is ideal for professionals who need to have a machine that they know will perform even with intensive apps and programs, but it's also good to keep in mind that just becuase it's a powerful machine.
If patience is a virtue, the reward for digital creatives is the arrival of the first relatively affordable monitors based on OLED technology. Enter the new 32-inch 4K Asus ProArt PA32UCDM.
At $1,899 or £1,599, this is far from a cheap display. But it's still much more affordable than, say, Apple's Pro Display XDR, which starts at $4,999 without a stand and makes do with inferior—by some measures, at least—LCD panel tech.
In some ways, that's not surprising. The Asus ProArt PA32UCDM uses the same 32-inch 4K QD-OLED panel sourced from Samsung that first appeared in gaming monitors over a year ago, including Asus's own Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM. Those monitors can now be bought for under $800.
What they don't offer, of course, is the full suite of professional-friendly features. And that's exactly what the Asus ProArt PA32UCDM delivers, features like a comprehensive list of colour space presets, Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, hardware calibration, 10-bit colour and more.
Such is the capability of the latest QD-OLED gaming monitors, it's tempting to snag one for productivity work. One reason you might not is garish design. Gaming panels tend to have a slightly adolescent whiff. So, the slick, minimalist and professional aesthetic of the Asus ProArt PA32UCDM is an immediate win.
Some aspects of the design are reminiscent of Apple displays, including the hinge on rear, the sliding support and the neutral colour scheme. Speaking of Apple, while build quality is decent by most standards, the mix of metal and plastic definitely isn't as pleasing as the Apple Studio Display, let alone the much more expensive Apple Pro Display XDR.
For the record, this monitor offers height, tilt and rotation into portrait mode in terms of physical adjustment, but lacks swivel, which is a small pity. Elsewhere, the connectivity on offer is a bit of a mixed bag. On the upside, you get dual Thunderbolt 4 ports with support for display daisy chaining and 96W of power delivery, plus an HDMI 2.1 port with the full 48Gbps bandwidth.
However, the USB hub only offers a single USB-A and USB-C port, and Asus has fitted this display with neither a DisplayPort input nor a headphone jack. The former is arguably catered for courtesy of DisplayPort Alt Mode over the Thunderbolt interface. But for some setups, an actual DisplayPort socket would be handy. Likewise the absent headphone output.
Along with the broader display capabilities and specs, you get 10-bit per channel colour, Dolby Vision support, hardware calibration and a full suite of OLED panel protection features including a proximity sensor for automatically dimming the display when not in use. In the comprehensive OSD menu you can choose between four, eight and 12-hour panel refresh cycles.
Asus ProArt PA32UCDM: Performance
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Stunning HDR highs
Limited full-screen brightness
Needs calibration for demanding workflows
On paper, this display has so much going for it. It starts with the basic proposition of 4K resolution on a 32-inch display, which is obviously ideal for many pro workflows, provides plenty of working space and bodes well for aspects like font rendering.
To that you can add the various upsides of OLED technology, which is only now beginning to enter the pro display market. Notably, that includes perfect per-pixel lighting the likes of which no LCD monitor can replicate, ditto the exceptional pixel speed and near-perfect viewing angles. Oh and outstanding colour extension, particularly from Samsung's OLED tech, which benefits from colour-enhancing quantum dot technology, hence the "QD-OLED" moniker.
Combine that with the aforementioned 4K image detail and precision and, well, what a recipe. For the most part, what an experience, too. At its best, this is an exceptional display. Bright highlights in HDR video content, for instance, absolutely zing. The colour vibrancy is fantastic, too, and a clear step above LG's WOLED panels, which are the main alternative to Samsung QD-OLED. All of this is heightened by the glossy panel coating, which really lets the OLED technology sing.
This is not, however, a perfect display. For starters, It suffers the same limitations as all OLED panels, primarily limited brightness when large sections of the panel are being lit up. Asus provides a uniform brightness mode for SDR content. That allows for a maximum of 250 nits. For many uses and applications, that's enough.
However, it's a little less than you might want in bright ambient conditions. However, where the limited brightness performance is really apparent is with HDR content. The claimed peak 1,000 nit HDR capability is only available across 3% of the panel. Light up 10% of the panel and the brightness dips to 400 nits.
The consequence is that this monitor, like all existing OLEDs, can look utterly stellar when displaying a mostly dark image with small, super-bright highlights. But it can lack a little pop when rendering brighter scenes. Moreover, if you run the screen in HDR mode on the Windows or Mac desktop, there's significant brightness variation, when, for instance, you resize a mainly white application window.
For the record, the image detail and font rendering isn't as good as displays with greater pixel density, such as various 27-inch 5K2K panels and Apple's 6K Pro Display XDR. What's more, Asus's factory calibration does leave a tiny bit to be desired. It's a little over saturated out of the box and also very slightly crushes some shadow details.
Of course, if your workflows require the ultimate in accuracy, you'll be calibrating this monitor in any case and that eventuality is well catered for courtesy of a hardware 3D LUT, Asus's own ProArt calibration and support for third party calibration tools including CalMAN Autocal.
It's also worth noting that this is a very, very fast display. It supports 240 Hz refresh and offers a claimed 0.1ms response. This isn't a monitor aimed at gaming, but it's pretty much as good as gaming-centric monitors based on the same panel.
Finally, the Asus ProArt PA32UCDM does have a cooling fan that runs in max brightness HDR mode. But it's barely audible.
Asus ProArt PA32UCDM: Final verdict
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The transition of OLED into monitors aimed at digital creatives and other pros has taken a little longer than expected. But it's now happening and this Asus display is an excellent showcase of what the technology brings.
Thanks to the perfect per-pixel lighting, at its best the HDR performance totally blows away any LCD-based monitor, even one with mini-LED full-array dimming. The colours are explosive, in a good way, the viewing angles pretty much perfect. Combine that with the 4K pixel grid and features like Thunderbolt 4 with daisy chaining support you have a very compelling display for creative tasks.
The brightness limitations of current OLED tech, however, mean that this isn't a cheap alternative for authoring pro-grade HDR content. Like all other OLEDs, it simply can't sustain sufficient brightness across enough of the panel. Slightly patchy factory calibration is another weakness, though only slight and mitigated by excellent calibration support.
All told, this is a very welcome addition to the pro monitor market. It's not perfect, but it does bring some genuinely new abilities to the class. Mini-LED monitors still rule for full-screen brightness. And for now, there aren't very many format and resolution options available with OLED panels in the pro market. But this is almost certainly just the beginning for OLED technology aimed at creative pros.
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 is an expensive and feature-light print-only inkjet with all the emphasis on print quality. It’s large enough to take 13” x 19" A3+ sheet paper, but small enough to share your desk.
There’s no touchscreen, no auto-duplex mode and the print speed is slower than its nearest rival, the Epson SureColor SC-P600. However, with ten cartridges delivering Canon’s industry-leading pigment ink through 7,680 nozzles, this could be one of the best large format printers enthusiast and professional photographers can buy.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310: Design and build
(Image credit: Canon // Future)
Specs
Type: color inkjet photo printer
Functions: Print only
Connectivity: Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi
Data storage slots: none
Print speed: A3+ in 4min 15sec
Max paper size: A3+, 13” x 19"
Print quality: 4,800 x 2,400 dpi
Memory: 1GB
Apple AirPrint: yes
Consumables included: 10 x 14.4ml cartridges
Dimensions/Weight: 639 x 379 x 200 mm (WxDxH)/31.7lb/14.4kg
The torpedo-shaped Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 looks very much like a scaled down version of the rugged and uncompromising Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100, which of course it is. While the flagship model takes A2+ sheets, its baby brother takes paper half that size and is cheaper by about a third. The compact design is the same, with two paper inputs and sturdy paper feed trays that fold neatly away to leave a compact unit that’s only 14 inches high and 19 inches deep. But be warned, with the flaps extended those dimensions grow to 16 inches and 33 inches.
The top-loading tray can hold up to 100 sheets of A4, or 50 sheets of A3 plain paper, while the rear-loading manual feed is for single sheets of any size up to A3+. The ten inkjet cartridges are tucked away inside and can be accessed somewhat awkwardly by lifting the printer’s bonnet. By necessity, the cavity and the cartridges are much smaller than those of the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 I reviewed.
That upward-facing three-inch color display is not a touchscreen, unfortunately, and there are no frontal slots for a USB thumb drive, or the memory card from your Canon camera. At the rear are ports for a USB data cable and Ethernet cable. The whole unit is covered in textured plastic and it feels like it’s built to last.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310: Features & specifications
(Image credit: Canon // Future)
This is a pure photo printer, so there’s no scanner and few additional features. There’s no touchscreen, USB Host port or Bluetooth connectivity for instance and no auto-duplex mode. It might seem surprising that a printer costing over $700 can’t turn over a sheet of paper, until you understand that the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 is all about image quality.
To achieve a maximum print resolution of 4,800 x 2,400 dpi a total of 7,680 nozzles spray minute droplets from ten individual inkjet cartridges. That’s 768 per color. In addition to the usual four colors, C/M/Y and photo black, you also have PC/PM/GY/R/CO and matt black. This makes for a much wider gamut and more natural and realistic shading.
Printing is rather slow at more than four minutes for one A3+ print, but Canon’s paper compatibility is especially versatile. The main input tray on top can handle any kind of paper from Canon’s 5” square photo paper to borderless A3+ prints of 13”x19”. Canon’s menu of paper presets offers no less than 29 choices, including Photo Paper Plus Glossy II, Premium Fine Art Rough and matt. You can load up to 100 sheets of A4 in this tray, or 50 sheets of A3.
There’s also a manual feed tray, which takes one single sheet at a time and here you can load envelopes or heavy card up to 380 g/m2 or 0.6mm thick. There’s actually a third input tray stored underneath the printer which makes it possible to print on blank CDs, for the few who still do that.
The only media this printer can’t handle is roll paper. Without the roll-adapters you find on some large format printers, you can only load sheets of cut paper. Fortunately, this does include 13-inch-wide banners of paper up to 70 inches long.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310: Setup and operation
(Image credit: Canon // Future)
The setup procedure is the same as most other inkjet printers, but it takes slightly longer as there are so many cartridges to load. The supplied quick-start manual is very brief and clear, but Canon also has a helpful iOS/Android app to help you get going. This app makes it easy to connect your phone to the printer’s 5GHz Wi-Fi, then the printer to your local Wi-Fi network.
Having loaded the ten supplied cartridges, plus some paper and chosen a language for the on-screen menu, you then have to wait a few minutes while the inks are agitated before you can print your first page. It does this automatically from time to time to ensure the best ink flow.
It’s a pity there’s no touchscreen interface, but the 3-inch color display and familiar navigation wheel buttons are large enough that accessing the onscreen menu to make your paper selection or set security options is quite easy to do at the printer. It’s worth mentioning here that Canon has ditched all internal polystyrene packaging in favor of more sustainable cardboard.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310: Performance
(Image credit: Canon // Future)
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 prints slowly, but the results are well worth waiting for. I found that connecting by USB cable (not included) was slightly faster than with Wi-Fi. Canon’s quoted print rate of just over four minutes for an A3+ photo proved accurate enough, and it’s the same speed if you print in black and white or color. While that sounds slow, we should remember that the printer is crunching the data of very large images and Canon’s L-COA PRO processor is actually working hard and more importantly, it’s not making mistakes.
If you were considering using this machine to double as your office printer for running out plain text documents, you might want to think again. Its black and white text output is unremarkable, except for its slowness. And without auto-duplex, you have to turn each sheet yourself. With color photos, on the other hand, the results are excellent across the board.
Black and white photos look especially impressive thanks to the use of matte black and grey inks in addition to photo black to help achieve strong contrast and improved greyscale. Color photos also look remarkably lifelike thanks to the wide color gamut, natural shading and fine detail reproduction. Just like the similar, Epson SureColor SC-P600, Canon is using nine inks to great effect. However, Canon’s additional cartridge containing the chroma optimizer appears to give it an advantage when it comes to the glossy finish. It really is hard to fault the Canon’s output onto coated photo paper and it makes the company’s longevity claim of up to 200 years light resistance believable.
Canon sells a very wide selection of printer paper, all of which is supported by this printer. I tried out Pro Platinum, Pro Luster, Plus Glossy II, Matte and Premium Fine Art. That last paper is quite thick and only works in the multi-purpose tray at the rear which has the flatter paper path. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but the glossier finishes tend to take the fullest advantage of this printer’s capabilities, in my opinion.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310: Consumables
The big catch with this superb photo printer, is the cost of its consumables. Canon’s 5100 cartridges are specific to this model and it costs around US$130 (or £150) for a new set and they’re not big cartridges.
The volume is just 14.4ml which is a fraction the capacity of the larger Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 at 80ml per cartridge. Canon’s estimates for the yield of these little cartridges is complicated by the fact that no two colors yield the same figure, but broadly speaking, you can hope to print up to fifty A3+ photos before needing to replace one or more of them.
That’s a higher ongoing cost than the Epson SureColor SC-P600, but Canon’s newly reformulated LUCIA PRO II pigment inks are industry leading in their longevity and the image quality looks superior. If you need to print a higher volume of photos, an ink tank alternative such as the excellent Epson EcoTank ET-8550 would be a better bet.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310: Maintenance
(Image credit: Canon // Future)
If left standing unused for long periods, the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 is as susceptible to drying out as any other inkjet and it has the usual maintenance programs built into the menu to solve this. These are basically cleaning cycles that flushes ink through the 7,680 nozzles to unblock them and given the cost of the ink, you won’t want to run these cycles too often.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310: Final verdict
(Image credit: Canon // Future)
Any enthusiast or professional photographer will appreciate the print quality of this premium A3+ photo printer. The nine reformulated LUCIA PRO II pigment inks plus the innovative chroma optimizer combine to give you exceptionally realistic images on coated photo paper. I’ll have to take Canon’s word about the industry leading 200-year longevity of its prints, but they certainly look great.
The printer itself feels robust and well designed with only the essential features such as Wi-Fi with AirPrint compatibility. There’s no touchscreen, no USB Host port and it can’t even auto-duplex, but it does have a very wide media compatibility that takes in everything from blank CDs and 4x6-inch photo paper, to rough A3+ card and 70-inch-long banners. The only thing it can’t print on are paper rolls.
The ink cartridges specific to this model are small and expensive, but if you don’t mind paying for prints that look as good as a professional print shop and last even longer, the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 is worth the investment.
Psiphon is not a traditional VPN – it’s a censorship circumvention tool developed by the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab. Created in 2006 to help citizens access blocked content in restrictive countries, Psiphon has gained plenty of traction among activists in censored regions like Myanmar, Iran, and China.
The service is completely free with unlimited data, but comes with a paid upgrade to access high-speed servers. We’ve found several use cases where Psiphon would be pretty handy, but it comes with some extensive caveats if you’re expecting the features you’d get from one of the best VPNs on the market.
Read on, and we’ll get into the instances where we would recommend Psiphon, and why we’d mostly recommend you look elsewhere.
Features
First up, we should point out that Psiphon doesn’t work like a VPN by default. Instead, Psiphon offers a unique hybrid approach combining VPN, SSH, and proxy technologies into a single circumvention tool.
It has two distinct modes: a proxy mode for basic web browsing and a VPN mode that tunnels all device traffic. When you boot up Psiphon, any app that runs through a SOCKS proxy is automatically configured to run traffic through the Psiphon servers. This mode is designed to access blocked sites, but it won’t disguise your browsing traffic. Anyone monitoring your network will be able to see the data you’re sending from your device.
On top of the default SSH tunnel used to power the proxy mode, you also have the option for “SSH+,” which automatically switches between different connection methods (SSH, HTTP, HTTPS) to maintain access when your proxy tunnel is blocked.
It’s an obfuscation technique that sends your traffic with an extra protocol built on top, essentially disguising your connection to the proxy as communication with a normal web server. There’s also a form of automatic multi-hop built in under the hood, which automatically routes your traffic through the best tunnels on the way to the endpoint you specify. This makes it particularly effective at bypassing the Great Firewall of China and other sophisticated censorship systems.
Split tunneling is available in a limited form. You can choose not to proxy local sites, but that’s about it. There’s no way to customise which apps use Psiphon and which don’t, as well as no way to specify individual websites you want the VPN to ignore.
The Android version includes a "MalAware" feature that detects certain types of malware in data traffic by comparing your requests against known IPs and domains that serve malware. It gives you a pretty specific readout of what threats you’re possibly being served with, although it’s not a full anti-virus solution. MalAware can only warn you; it can’t remove malware from your device.
If you’re unhappy with your current speeds, Psiphon uses a virtual currency system called "PsiCash" that you can either earn by watching advertisements or purchase to temporarily boost connection speeds.
Features score: 6/10
Server network
Psiphon operates a modest network of servers across just 28 countries, with the vast majority concentrated in Europe. There are just two servers available for North America and three in Asia.
If you want to connect to Africa, the Middle East, or Oceania, you’re out of luck. All of the servers are also country-level, so you won’t be able to switch if the server you’re connected to isn’t giving you the performance you want.
We suspect Psiphon operates several thousand servers, but it’s unclear what the exact number is. Given their relatively small global presence and slow speed results, we have to assume most of these are pretty outdated.
Server network score: 3/10
Psiphon displays its available locations in a list as opposed to on a map like many other VPN providers do (Image credit: Psiphon)
Apps
Psiphon provides applications for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Although there are some methods available to run Psiphon as a Linux VPN, none of these are official. You’ll have to download a third-party solution instead that modifies the core Psiphon files, so go ahead at your own risk.
Design-wise, the Windows application features some particularly dated interface choices, which make it reminiscent of software from the early 2000s. It’s not pretty by any means, but it’s functional enough.
The options are clearly laid out from the dashboard, but the PsiCash menu is presented to you twice on the main page. However, once you get to the settings menu, the actual settings are buried within sub-menus that aren't clearly labeled, which makes it pretty complex if you aren’t already familiar with general networking concepts.
Psiphon's mobile apps feature an entirely different user interface from their desktop counterparts (Image credit: Psiphon)
,The mobile applications offer a somewhat more modern design but are also pretty clunky and unintuitive. On Android, you get additional features like the MalAware detection system and device-wide tunneling options. However, the iOS version is more restricted, making it the weakest version of Psiphon.
Installation is straightforward across all platforms and no account registration is required to use the basic service. However, if you want to purchase speed boosts, you must provide payment information and an email address.
Ultimately, all versions of Psiphon suffer from the same fundamental limitations: the absence of essential VPN features like kill switches, DNS leak protection, and reliable connection stability.
Apps score: 5/10
Ease of use
Psiphon is relatively easy to set up and use as long as you’re not installing it on Linux. You won’t need to provide any details to get the basic version of Psiphon up and running, so all you have to do is download and run an executable on Windows. That makes it highly portable if you need a VPN you can deploy in any situation.
On Android and iOS, you’ll need to install it from the Play or Apple store, but other than that, the process remains the same. All in all, it's a pretty decent VPN for beginners.
However, the automatic browser launching feature is pretty annoying, and there’s no option to turn it off. Worse, if you haven’t got a SpeedBoost enabled, it actually serves you ads from Psiphon’s partners. If you’re concerned about being tracked by advertising agencies, this is the worst tool you could use.
It’s also hard to find the server you want to connect to, as they’re not listed in alphabetical order. You’ll have to scroll through a list of random servers to find the correct one, which is just an unnecessary issue that seems fairly easy to fix.
Ease of use score: 5/10
Speed and performance
We recognise that Psiphon's a free service that’s being run with a very specific use case in mind: getting around content blocks for web content. However, the performance speeds we recorded on Psiphon’s free version were nigh unusable.
It shouldn’t be a surprise, as the free version is limited to just 2 Mbps, and these speeds make HD video streaming impossible. Page loading times were excessive, too, and video content buffered constantly. Frankly, Psiphon’s speed makes the service impractical for anything beyond basic text-based web browsing. It is not the fastest VPN on the block.
Things got a little bit better when we upgraded to Psiphon Fast, but even these speeds were significantly poorer than what we’d expect from top-tier VPNs. With Psiphon SpeedBoost enabled, we clocked maximum speeds of 35.9 Mbps.
This is just about workable if you’re only trying to stream a single 4K video, but with anything else taking up your bandwidth, Psiphon isn’t able to take the strain. Even with the SpeedBoost enabled, we found that connection stability on the VPN wasn’t particularly solid.
It’s also important to remember this is a temporary boost. You’re paying for this upgrade, whereas most top-tier VPN providers just give you unlimited data to play with for the sake of a subscription.
Speed and performance score: 1/10
Unblocking
We’ve been able to access some of the major streaming sites using Psiphon, but the speeds make it difficult to recommend as a streaming VPN.
It worked with Netflix US and UK, as well as Disney+, but that’s about it. Psiphon doesn’t have a particularly large set of servers to choose from, so we couldn’t do tests on some of the regional streaming sites we’d usually take for a spin. Even if we could connect, the speeds are so poor that it wouldn’t be worth sticking around to watch a show. Even on Netflix, our speeds were unwatchable.
To be clear, Psiphon's strength lies in bypassing government censorship rather than commercial geo-blocking. It has historically proven effective at accessing social media platforms, news websites, and communication tools in countries with heavy internet restrictions. While it’s worked in the past to uncensor sites for Chinese netizens, it’s unclear if it’s currently effective.
Torrenting support is practically non-existent due to speed limitations and the service's focus on web browsing rather than file sharing. The 2 Mbps speed cap makes downloading large files impractical, and the frequent connection drops in VPN mode further complicate P2P activities.
While torrenting does work, Psiphon blocks everything outside of a specific set of common ports for port forwarding, meaning you’d have to tunnel your torrenting use through the service if you wanted to get the best connectivity.. All in all, forget about using Psiphon as a torrenting VPN.
Unblocking score: 3/10
Privacy and security
Psiphon's privacy and security practices are actually somewhat of a mixed bag. If you approached it with modern VPN standards in mind, it would automatically fail.
There is no kill switch protection on any platform, meaning internet traffic continues unprotected when VPN connections drop. You also can’t specify which apps you want covered by the VPN tunnel, either.
The L2TP/IPSec protocol it employs is secure enough as it’s covered by AES-256 encryption, but it’s still considered less secure than modern alternatives like WireGuard or OpenVPN.
So, no kill-switch, no split tunnelling, and underpowered VPN protocols. If you’re looking for privacy, look elsewhere.
Psiphon is very upfront about the information it collects on its users (Image credit: Psiphon)
It’s also important to state that this is not a no-logs browser service. While Psiphon doesn’t collect browsing activity, it does collect and retain metadata related to the service, including connection times, device information, and bandwidth usage.
In some cases, this includes the domain visited. Psiphon also uses AWS in part to support its infrastructure, which creates a serious problem from a privacy point of view, as Amazon will log every IP that uses its services.
That’s somewhat worrying, considering Psiphon operates from Canada, which is a Five Eyes surveillance alliance member. In the event law enforcement from this jurisdiction comes knocking on Psiphon’s doors, it’s quite likely they’d be obliged to hand over a significant amount of data, which could correlate your activities from elsewhere on the internet.
That said, the most alarming privacy issue we’ve come across is a DNS leak in Psiphon’s VPN service. Psiphon claims it has taken particular care when choosing the DNS servers the app can connect to, ensuring they’re all picked from a vetted whitelist.
Unfortunately, we found that we could see our home IP address even with Psiphon active while using a DNS leak tool. We recognise that Psiphon isn’t built as a privacy tool, but DNS leaks simply aren’t acceptable when you’re offering VPN functionality.
On the plus side, Psiphon has undergone several independent security audits by reputable firms, including iSEC Partners, 7A Security, and, most recently, Cure53 in 2019. These audits found several flaws in Psiphon’s core VPN technology, all of which have since been fixed. Apart from the weaknesses identified, each audit has suggested that overall, Psiphon is quite secure.
Privacy and security score: 4/10
Track record
Since its 2006 inception at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, Psiphon has built a reputation specifically within the internet freedom community rather than the broader VPN market.
For example, during the 2021 Myanmar protests, Psiphon's user base surged from approximately 5,000 to 1.6 million monthly users, reflecting previous usage spikes after internet blackouts in Belarus and Azerbaijan. Clearly, in areas where internet freedom is on the line, Psiphon works.
That’s one reason you’ll have heard about it less than some of the big-name VPN providers. Psiphon is first and foremost a censorship bypass tool, rather than an all-in-one VPN. However, you also won’t have heard about it because there’s little to be said against Psiphon’s track record.
It hasn’t suffered any major security breaches, and the app has a completely clean rating when run through the CVE list, indicating that researchers in the wild haven’t found exploits for the app. That’s pretty impressive, considering Psiphon has been running for close to a decade and a half.
Track record score: 8/10
Customer support
Psiphon offers pretty minimal customer support. While there is a basic FAQ section on the website, it’s not easily accessible, and the dated nature of some of the questions suggests that it hasn’t been updated in a while.
There is no live chat or phone support, so if you’ve got an issue, you’ll need to send out an email request and hope someone gets back to you. One thing we did like is that Psiphon runs an email service that will send you back a bunch of country-specific links to download the app if your access to the main site is blocked.
It is somewhat odd, given Psiphon’s position as a VPN for users in restrictive countries, that there are no community forums and practically no useful user guides to help with installation.
Don’t expect extensive customer support from Psiphon. If you need a VPN that walks you through the setup process and keeps 24/7 customer support on hand, you’re better off investing in a premium VPN like ExpressVPN instead.
Customer support score: 3/10
Pricing and plans
Psiphon operates on a freemium model with the core service available at no cost. The free version includes unlimited data usage but caps speeds at 2 Mbps and includes advertisements whenever you boot up the VPN. Simple enough. What isn’t simple is Psiphon’s paid plan.
You can pay for Psiphon in two ways. On mobile, Psiphon can handle payment subscriptions through the app store. These are pretty self-explanatory: $2.99 per week, $10 per month, or $72 per year. These subscriptions remove advertisements and increase speed limits, although the performance you’ll get is significantly below the standard set by other premium VPN.
There’s also the PsiCash system, which we’re not a huge fan of. Instead of buying a subscription, PsiCash allows you to activate an on-demand boost to your VPN speeds. You have to purchase an amount of PsiCash, which is then credited to your account. You can then spend the PsiCash on temporary speed boosts for 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month.
The cost is significantly higher than just buying a subscription and requires you to create a separate PsiCash account to manage your funds, but it’s the only way to access the speed boost on Windows. PsiCash is somewhat unique in that you can also earn credits by watching ads, but we haven’t investigated this at length.
Pricing and plans score: 5/10
Should you use Psiphon?
It’s very difficult to recommend Psiphon as a generic VPN solution. It’s clearly built for a specific need, and it’s hard to say that Psiphon’s useless when it could be the lifeline for someone in a heavily censored country.
It’s been built to be super simple to download and deploy without any payment necessary, so we can see some use cases where it’d work. For example, if you're an activist journalist and need access to news and communication platforms at a moment’s notice, Psiphon may also be right for you.
Otherwise, there are a few serious things wrong here. The speeds are subpar for anything other than browsing the internet, there are several outstanding questions about both technical privacy and the privacy policy, and the payment scheme is confusing, to say the least.
If you need free VPN functionality, you should consider alternatives like Windscribe Free or ProtonVPN's free tier instead. Both of these providers offer better security practices and improved speeds.
Overall score: 43/100
Psiphon alternatives
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Ever since I moved my Tribesigns Mobile Height Adjustable Desk to the second story of my house, I have had the Dell Pro 32 in the dead center of the desktop. I didn't expect to like this monitor as much as I do. It would be an entry-level option with the technical specs of 4K, but it wouldn't be something I would want to use.
However, what I have discovered is that this display has quickly become one that I have come to love using. I expected to rotate this monitor out with the others I am testing, but instead, I have set those monitors up in other areas for now, so I could conduct a full review with this display.
The Dell Pro 32 Plus, in short, is a massive, yet affordable 4K USB-C hub monitor that is perfect for productivity. It's a business monitor. That's clear. And while it could be integrated into a larger setup relatively easily, this monitor screams simplicity, as in that scenario, it can do it all and do it well.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Dell Pro 32 Plus: Pricing and Availability
Dell's new naming structure with the Pro monitor can mean various things, but this P3225QE model is specifically a 32-inch 4K UHD (3840x2160) USB-C Hub Monitor.
You can purchase one for just $599.99 from Dell's website, or you can find it at a handful of third-party retailers as well. I've seen this monitor drop well below the MSRP for deals, so be sure to keep an eye out for them if you're in the market for a monitor.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Dell Pro 32 Plus: Unboxing & first impressions
The packaging for Dell is always pretty straightforward. They have recently adopted a more sustainable packaging style, which is a nice change. Still, I am always concerned about the reliability, as companies continue to move in that direction. Regardless, my monitor arrived in one piece, and I was able to set it up in a matter of seconds. Then, I took it to the Tribesigns desk, and that's where it has stayed for over 100 days.
This display is sleek. The base is still just alright, nothing fancy, but nothing wrong with it either, it's just not my favorite. The ports are easily accessible on the back; there are two ports within a pop-up on the left-hand side of the monitor for easy port access, and the buttons are off to the right. The bezels are minimal, with the Dell branding positioned small and centered on the bottom bezel. However, outside of that, this display is clean and sleek.
Dell Pro 32 Plus: Design & Build Quality
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Specs
Display: 31.5 inches Resolution: 3840×2160 Color: 99 % sRGB Brightness: 350 nits ResponseTime: 8 ms (normal), 5 ms (Fast Mode) Ports: DP1.4, HDMI2.1, USB‑C up (DP alt + 90 W PD), USB‑C + 3 USB‑A, RJ‑45
This display is classic Dell in my mind. A great basic monitor. Nothing overly flashy, nothing that's going to give out in a few years, but something that works, works well, looks clean and straightforward, and will work with just about any device.
Yes, Dell updated its naming conventions, but this is just Dell continuing to do what Dell does well.
The build quality is solid. Over the last 100+ days, nothing has broken, worn down, seemed loose, or damaged; nothing has malfunctioned. It's been a fantastic companion during this time.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )
Dell Pro 32 Plus: In use
As I mentioned above, I initially grabbed this display for a quick working session on the Tribesigns desk. However, that was over 100 days ago, and I have used this monitor extensively since then. When I say a lot, I'll admit that I have put in some intense late nights, working from home while my kids play, on this floor of our house, and even quite a few early mornings where I didn't want to go all the way down to my basement office to get some work done. It's been a busy season for me, and this monitor has helped me navigate it as the near-perfect 4K display, and a truly impressive competitor in the budget or basic tier of 4K displays.
In my time using this display, the picture and clarity have been spectacular. I have my MacBook Pro scaled all the way to "More Space", pushing every single pixel to the maximum so that I can fit the most content on my monitor. Since I work on a 13-inch MacBook Pro throughout the day, I take full advantage of a bigger display when I can. I haven't had any issues with scaling, with blurred text, or any other visual problems. Everything has scaled beautifully with macOS; everything is sharp and clear.
Directly behind my left shoulder, while I work at this desk, is a lamp. If this monitor weren't matte, I'd be blinded by the reflection of the light. However, because of the matte finish, I can work with very little distraction, and most of the time, I can work without even noticing the lamp.
Since probably the second week, maybe the first week of having this desk setup I have had the front ports visible and I have used it to plug in a USB-C cable to charge my Logitech MX Keys Mini, Logitech MX Anywhere, my iPad mini 7, or any other device I have that needs a quick charge. On the back, I have a cheap lightbar from Amazon plugged into one of the USB-A ports and then the lightbar is sitting atop the monitor shining down on the workspace, though I'm contemplating adding my BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 from my office up here. Beyond that, I have a USB-C cable running to my MacBook Pro, which is sitting in one of my favorite vertical laptop stands of all time, the Grovemade Wood MacBook Dock in Walnut. If I am running another laptop from this desk, I'll plug it into the same port, which is part of what makes a USB-C monitor so wonderful.
In these 100+ days I have had only one complaint, which is that on a super sunny day, if the sun is hitting the screen I have wished it would get a little bit brighter. However, outside of that, this display can do just about everything else needed and then some in the realm of business. I've even done some light gaming on this to see how it was and everything felt fine. But, in the professional space, this monitor can get just about everything you need done in a minimalist workspace, or as a part of a larger workspace if needed.
It's worth noting that this display is USB-C and not Thunderbolt, but then again, I have yet to notice a situation to where I would need Thunderbolt bad enough to expet my monitor to have it, especially not a basic monitor that is designed for business productivity work.
(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
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dell Pro 32 Plus: Final verdict
The Dell Pro 32 Plus knocks it out of the park with the essentials in what I'd expect in a 4K monitor as a whole, let alone one that is also at a reasonable price. This display has great color, crisp text and images, decent ports, great resolution, a clean and modern look and okay brightness. Truly, what more could you ask for in a USB-C monitor for that money? If you're in the market for a 4K USB-C display, as long as you're trying to work on it, rather than game, this display is one that should be considered in your research.
If you need a fast and fully featured multifunction printer at a sensible price for your business or home office, I’d recommend the Xerox C235. It’s a mid-price printer retailing around $400 (£275), which is at the affordable end of Xerox’s own laser line-up.
With a print rate of 24 pages per minute (22ppm outside the US) it’s faster than any inkjet and it comes with strong security features, a large touchscreen and a high monthly print volume that all suggest it would function well as a workgroup printer in a shared office. It’s a compact desktop design capable of holding 50 sheets of letter or A4 paper in its ADF (automatic document feed), another 250 sheets in its main tray, and a single sheet in its multi-purpose tray.
There’s frustratingly little toner in the box, but high-yield cartridges for this model are available and they’re fairly economical, so if it lives up to Xerox’s usual standard for print quality, this could be a very safe purchase. Let’s find out.
Dimensions/Weight: 411 x 349 x 344 mm (WxDxH)/19.4kg
This conveniently compact MFD (multifunction device) weighs almost 43lbs or 20kg and it feels as sturdy as Xerox’s more expensive machines. The desktop design is small enough to share your desk, but too big and heavy to sit on a shelf or stow away after use. The main tray at the bottom can hold 250 sheets of paper and, unfortunately, you cannot add paper cassettes to this mode. The single-sheet multi-purpose tray is at the front for easy access and the 50-sheet ADF sits on top, above the scanner.
The large 7.1-inch touchscreen display is angled upwards for easy viewing and beside it is a USB Host port for printing from, or scanning to a flash memory drive. Connections for an Ethernet, fax modem and USB data cables are at the rear with the power cable port. It’s a very familiar form factor and its two-tone off-white casing with rounded-off corners looks functional rather than stylish. It’s your typical Xerox design.
Xerox C235: Features & specifications
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(Image credit: Xerox // Future)
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(Image credit: Xerox // Future)
This variant of the Xerox C235, or C235dni comes with all the features essential for use in a shared office and a couple of extras. That includes duplex printing, scalable copying, a fax facility, a multi-purpose input for single print jobs, integrated Wi-Fi with AirPrint and Chromebook compatibility, and some strong security software. The extras are a color touchscreen interface and USB Host port for walk-up printing from a thumb drive. Note that the C235dw variant has no fax facility.
I can think of a few features that I’d like to have seen at this price. There’s no Bluetooth or NFC connectivity, for instance, no automatic two-side scanning, and only 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (not 5GHz). To be fair, it’s almost the same feature set as the slightly more expensive Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw. However, Canon beats this Xerox on three key points. With a maximum print speed of 24ppm (timed using letter-sized paper), the Xerox is slower, and it cannot be upgraded by adding paper cassettes as you can with the Canon.
It also ships with way less toner. The setup cartridges that come with the Xerox yield a measly 500 black pages and 500 color, compared with Canon’s 2,300 black and 1,200 color pages.
Xerox C235: Setup and operation
(Image credit: Xerox // Future)
I had no problem setting up the Xerox C235. The printed quick start guide is clear, but it’s unlikely you’ll need it. The four cartridges come pre-loaded, so it’s simply a case of removing all the orange packaging tape, loading your paper and plugging in.
The printer’s touchscreen display will tell you when to input the date and your Wi-Fi password. Alternatively, you can download the helpful iOS/Android app called Xerox Easy Assist, which will connect you to your Wi-Fi network without bothering with passwords.
The conveniently angled touchscreen interface is a lot smaller than those found on Xerox’s more expensive models, but it is sensitive and makes the Xerox C235 an easy printer to operate. The paper tray slides smoothly and the multi-purpose slot is handily located at the front.
Xerox C235: Performance
The print quality is up to Xerox’s usual high standard, with uniformly bold and precise pages of text emerging reliably and promptly every time. For a laser printer, it’s rather slow to print, but it’s faster than the best inkjet printers and probably fast enough for any small to medium sized business. It also produces a finer finish than any inkjet when it comes to printing crisp characters on plain paper.
The Xerox C235 is also good at producing eye-catching color documents, maps and line drawings thanks to its vivid colored toner. Glossy photo paper for laser printers is harder to find than inkjet photo paper, but it is available and Xerox has a paper setting to support it. In fact, it is better than most lasers at recognizing paper types with 17 different presets to choose from.
But like nearly all laser printers, the print resolution is limited to 600 x 600 dpi and it’s not able to deliver the enhanced resolution and fine detail needed for photography. It’s good enough for printing handouts and mixed media documents, but the dots that make up the images will always be visible.
The ADF proved perfectly capable of pulling in piles of documents and copying them as single-sided or duplex duplicates, and it was hard to tell the copy from the original. Without the ability to duplex scan, however, did mean turning each document to copy the other side. If you want automatic 2-sided scanning, you’ll need to step up to the Xerox C325, or Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw.
Xerox C235: Consumables
(Image credit: Xerox // Future)
The CPP (cost per page) for this printer is about average for a laser printer at around 3 cents (2p) per black page, and 12 cents (9p) per color page. That’s for standard yield cartridges. The setup cartridges in the box contain considerably less toner and will only yield up to 500 pages per cartridge. That seems pretty mean at a time when most ink tank printers are shipping with enough bottled ink for around 10,000 pages.
Xerox C235: Maintenance
Being a laser printer, you won’t need to worry about it drying out if left unused, but you will need to change the drum cartridges as they run out and replace the waste toner container when prompted by the printer. This container costs around US$20 (£18) and Xerox reckons it’s good for around 30,000 prints.
Xerox C235: Final verdict
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(Image credit: Xerox // Future)
The Xerox C235 put in a strong enough performance to justify its US$400 (£275) price tag and proved itself a reliable and easy to operate multifunction printer. Xerox has come up with a solid and compact design that would fit well in any home or small office and given it the features it needs to serve a workgroup in a small business.
It’s a pity there’s no scope to upgrade the 250-sheet paper capacity and the miserly amount of toner in the supplied setup cartridges is annoying, but the rest is all good. The touchscreen makes it easy to use, the front-loading multi-purpose tray and USB Host port are very convenient and the print quality is excellent.
The Marshall Kilburn III is the latest entry in the brand's mid-sized Bluetooth speaker range, aiming to combine huge, impactful audio with a pleasingly portable design. It’s also a model that hopes to outdo its predecessor, delivering far superior battery life, refined looks, and revamped acoustics. But that all comes with quite a bump up in price. So, is the Kilburn III truly worth the additional spend?
Well, given the truly swathing improvements across the board, I honestly believe that the answer is "yes". Some of the upgrades here are totally game-changing, none more so than the boost to battery life. The Marshall Kilburn III can offer 50 hours – yes, 50 hours – of playtime, which is more than double its predecessor, at just over 20 hours. That bolstered battery life means that the Kilburn III has more playtime than any other Marshall speaker – and far more than the majority of competition in this size and price category.
What really makes this model stand out – even compared to some of the best Bluetooth speakers – is its stellar audio performance. But let me be clear, other enhancements, such as an IP54 dust- and water-resistance rating, sleeker overall build and a premium gold control panel all come together to make the Kilburn III so much better than its predecessor, the Marshall Kilburn II.
Yes, the Kilburn III has fully reengineered acoustics, as well as bolstered 360-degree stereophonic sound. And the results from these adjustments are astonishingly good. This speaker served up incredibly clean, impactful bass, fantastically expressive mids, and energetic treble. No matter the genre of music you throw at it – it could be classical, it could be house, it could be rock – the Kilburn III nails it all, with beautifully full-sounding, omni-directional audio that’s seriously addictive.
It's also super-easy to adjust sound to your taste, either using the tactile knobs on top of the speaker, or via the Marshall app. The companion software opens up a number of EQ presets, a five-band equalizer, and even Placement Compensation, which optimizes audio for your space. It really is so easy to forge a sound that’s tailored to you, wherever you’re listening.
There are a bunch more features to unlock, too, such as battery preservation, Auracast, and charging bank functionality – which enables you to charge your phone through the Kilburn III’s USB-C port.
Arguably, though, the biggest draw of this model is its stunning looks. We’ve come to expect boundless beauty from Marshall over the years, with its eye-catching retro, amp-inspired design work translating beautifully into the world of speakers, headphones, and now even soundbars, following the launch of the five star-rated Marshall Heston 120. And it's no different with the Kilburn III.
Unlike the Kilburn II, gorgeous golden details used here for the logo and the controls really hammer home a premium feel. Pair that with neat speaker grilles on the front and reverse sides, pleasant knob and switch controls, as well as a red velvet-infused strap, and you’re looking at a masterclass in design.
The catch, as I flagged earlier, is that you’ll have to splash a fair amount of cash for the Kilburn III’s services. It will set you back $379 / £299 / AU$599 – which is by no means cheap. And it's also $80 / £50 / AU$100 more than the Kilburn II cost at launch. Having said that, the improvements are seismic and this is a model that's right up there with premium rivals such as the Sonos Move 2 and Bose SoundLink Max.
All in all, the Marshall Kilburn III is an exemplary Bluetooth speaker that absolutely aces everything that matters most. Amazing sound? Check. Luxury looks? Check. And a tasty set of features? Also, check.
Sure, if you want an option that’s perfect for taking to the beach, its IP54 durability may not quite do the trick, and I’d point you in the direction of our best waterproof speakers guide. But if you want a true statement piece with class-leading battery life and audacious audio, this is one of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market.
(Image credit: Future)
Marshall Kilburn III review: price and release date
$379 / £299 / AU$599
Launched in May 2025
The Marshall Kilburn III first released at the end of May 2025, almost seven years after its predecessor, the Kilburn II. It has a list price of $379 / £299 / AU$599, which is $80 / £50 / AU$100 more than the Kilburn II at the point of release. But the price reflects a slew of improvements, which I’ll tackle in depth below.
You can grab the Kilburn III in either Black & Brass or Cream, but the variant you select should have little to no impact on the price you pay for the speaker.
Marshall Kilburn III review: specs
Weight
6.2lbs / 2.8kg
Dimensions
10.7 x 5.9 x 6.7 inches /
273 x 150 x 169mm
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3, AUX
Battery life
50 hours
Speaker drivers
1x 30W woofer; 2x 10W full ranges
Waterproofing
IP54
(Image credit: Future)
Marshall Kilburn III review: features
Effective Placement Compensation
Nifty companion app with decent EQ options
Colossal battery life
The Marshall Kilburn III has many of the key features you’d be looking for in a modern Bluetooth speaker. You get all the basics, such as multi-point connectivity and fast-pairing, but there’s so much more to unlock in the Marshall app.
For instance, there’s Placement Compensation, where you can state if the speaker is positioned close to an edge, a wall or corner, and the speaker will adapt its audio output accordingly. I tried all of the different calibrations and found that the adjustments all make a significant difference, so ensure that you have the right setup for your space.
There are also some tasty EQ options to sink your teeth into. Yes, gone are the days of simply making adjustments to the bass and treble; Marshall has included a five-band equalizer here, enabling you to make a custom EQ that's to your taste. Alternatively, you can pick from a number of presets, such as bass, mid, and treble boost.
Some other nuggets include: battery preservation options, such as the choice to lower charging speed if temperature is outside the ideal range; Auracast broadcast tune-in; and M-button customization, which enables you to alter the function of the "M" shortcut on the speaker’s control panel.
The bottom line is, all of the crucial features are present – and super-easy to play around with in the Marshall app. Although, there are a few omissions that you’ll find on rival speakers.
For instance, there’s no built-in mic for high-quality, hands-free calling, something you’ll find on a model such as the Sony ULT Field 3. In addition, there’s no multi-speaker pairing (ie. no JBL PartyBoost equivalent), so if 100% volume isn’t enough or you want to create a multi-room setup over Bluetooth, it may be worth checking out a larger option in our guide to the best party speakers. I don’t typically keep multiple units of the same speaker at hand, and I prefer to keep calls more private, meaning neither of these missing features bothered me all too much.
Perhaps the best feature of this speaker, though, is its ridiculously long battery life. It delivers 50 hours of playtime, which is far, far more than most rivals in its price and weight class. Even the brilliant JBL Xtreme 4 can only just knock out 30 hours with PlayTime Boost active. Combine that with the ability to charge external devices via the speaker’s USB-C port, and you’re looking at a true powerhouse.
Features score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Marshall Kilburn III review: sound quality
"True" 360-degree stereophonic sound
Incredible bass output
But overall sound is still brilliantly balanced
I was lucky enough to have the chance to try the Kilburn III out early at Marshall’s HQ in Stockholm, Sweden, so I already had a decent idea of this speaker’s talents. However, having spent a bit more time with it at our music testing room at Future Labs, I have realized that the Kilburn III is even better than I’d first thought.
One of the first things that struck me about this speaker was its booming bass output – something I also loved about the brand’s Heston 120 soundbar. When blasting Keep That Groove by Vitess, the pumping low-end was translated ultra-cleanly, with no noticeable distortion or muffling. Bass didn't ever overpower synths or vocals, and I didn’t even feel the need to activate the Bass Boost EQ mode!
The Kilburn III treated me to clear audio, even when I pumped out the tunes seriously loudly. For instance, when playing One-Winged Angel by Nobuo Uematsu, the piercing strings, ominous bass drums, and fear-inducing vocals culminated beautifully, never outshining one another. This is in part thanks to the Kilburn III’s dynamic loudness tech, which automatically adjusts bass, mids, and treble, so you don’t lose out on any detail.
Speaking of which, the Kilburn III is able to put up a pleasingly intricate performance, even though it lacks any "hi-res" Bluetooth codec support such as LDAC or aptX Adaptive. Leading sax from In The Pocket by Eric Darius danced through our testing room, sounding tonally accurate and unrestricted, resulting in a nuanced and expressive interpretation of the track. And thanks to the speaker’s "true" stereophonic sound, it didn’t matter where I was listening from – I got full-sounding, clear audio at every angle.
Even instrument separation surprised me after throwing on Vantablack by Intervals, with in-your-face electric guitar sounds well defined in the mix, even with a deep, powerful bassline and thrashing drums running throughout.
I really did throw a huge variety of tracks at the Kilburn III, and I was truly blown away by its ability to effortlessly handle anything sent its way.
With an all-action rock banger such as Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz, intertwining guitars sounded satisfyingly forward, with drums expertly positioned for a next-level listening experience. And with an upbeat dance track – something perhaps not associated with Marshall – such as A Fresh Energy by Gaskin, pumping bass was never lethargic, while higher-pitched percussive elements came through with incredible vibrancy.
The Kilburn III really is a Jack of all trades…but it's also a master of each one.
Sound quality score: 5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Marshall Kilburn III review: design
Stunning amp-inspired looks
Excellent physical controls
IP54 waterproofing is better, but nothing special
I already own the Marshall Stanmore III and have always adored the way it looks in my living room setup. I just love the retro feel of the amp-inspired design Marshall uses for its speakers, so you won’t be shocked to hear I very much like the look of the Kilburn III.
It has a premium-looking faux leather outercasing, stunningly finished speaker grilles on its front and reverse side, a gold-plated control panel, and sleek handle that has a red velvet underside. I didn’t so much like the white logo and black control panel on the Kilburn II – but this new model feels far more high-end, and it's one that is going to look like a true statement piece in any living space.
When I spoke to Marshall about the Kilburn III, that sense of the speaker being a "statement piece" was strong in the mind. I was assured that the speaker wasn't meant to compete with the company's rugged models – think the Marshall Middleton or Marshall Emberton III. And that may explain its sort of "meh" waterproof rating.
The Kilburn III is just IP54 dust- and waterproof-rated, meaning it's only really protected against splashing water, not water jets or full on submersion. Of course, a lot of portable Bluetooth speakers are now IP67-rated – sometimes higher – so if you’re looking for the most rough-and-ready model around, you should probably look elsewhere.
Regardless, there are other design aspects of the Kilburn III of which I am a fan. First of all, the tactile knobs on top of the speaker are incredibly effective and well built. You can alter volume, bass, or treble levels with these. There’s also a pin control, which makes a return from other Marshall models, for switching the speaker on or off. Perhaps the most interesting physical control, though, is the "M" button, which can be set to a variety of functions – such as sifting through EQ options – via the Marshall app.
On the reverse side of the speaker, you'll also find a USB-C port to charge the speaker or external devices, as well as a 3.5mm AUX port if you want to indulge in wired listening.
Design score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Marshall Kilburn III review: value
More expensive than its predecessor…
…but a seismic improvement across the board
Well-priced against rivals
I’ve flagged it a couple of times in this review, but the Marshall Kilburn III is significantly more expensive than its predecessor. Given the sheer scale and breadth of improvements, though, I think it’s totally worth it.
Battery life is much improved, it has a more premium design, and the re-engineered acoustics have taken the revamped Kilburn to new heights. Even around that $400 / £300 / AU$600 zone, it sounds well-worth every penny.
And even against some similar-sized competitors, I wouldn’t consider the Kilburn III to be overpriced. For instance, 2024’s JBL Xtreme 4 launched at $379 / £329 / AU$499, and after testing both models side-by-side, I'd give Marshall’s effort the slight edge sonically. Of course, given its age, you can often find the JBL Xtreme 4 on sale now, though.
On top of that, this model is cheaper than the Bose SoundLink Max at the point of release, which often still goes for the full $399 / £399 / AU$599. So, the Kilburn III is far from the priciest in its weight class.
Value score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Marshall Kilburn III?
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
Some small omissions can’t overshadow amazing battery life and in-app functions.
4.5/5
Sound quality
Beautifully balanced audio even at high volumes, no matter the listening angle.
5/5
Design
Attractive amp-inspired design with gorgeous golden details.
4.5/5
Value
A price bump over its predecessor, but sounds, looks, and feels well-worth it.
4.5/5
Buy it if...
You love the Marshall aesthetic The Kilburn III stays faithful to the traditional Marshall aesthetic with its retro-looking amp-inspired design, adding a golden control panel and logo, upgraded tactile knobs, and a pin-style power switch, to make the Kilburn III a real beauty.
You need plenty of battery life Arguably the most impressive aspect of this Bluetooth speaker is its outrageously long battery life. With 50 hours of playtime, depending on listening volume, there's more than enough juice to keep the party running into the next day…and maybe the day after that, too.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a budget The Marshall Kilburn III is an expensive speaker, and significantly pricier than its predecessor. Of course, I think there's enough to justify that hike; but if you’re on a budget, consider models such as the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 and the Marshall Kilburn II – both of which we’ve tested and enjoyed.
You want a big, powerful party speaker The Kilburn III can get pretty loud, displaying great bass output given its size. But for gigantic, yet talented, sound, nothing beats the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2. It can even double up as a karaoke machine – what more could you want?
Marshall Kilburn III review: also consider
Marshall Kilburn III
JBL Xtreme 4
Bose SoundLink Max
Price
$379 / £299 / AU$599
$379 / £329 / AU$499
$399 / £399 / AU$599
Weight
6.2lbs / 2.8kg
4.63 lbs / 2.1kg
4.7lbs / 2.1kg
Dimensions
10.7 x 5.9 x 6.7 inches /
273 x 150 x 169mm
11.7 x 5.9 x 5.6 inches / 297 x 149 x 141mm
4.7 x 10.4 x 4.1 inches / 120 x 265 x 105mm
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3, AUX
Bluetooth 5.3
Bluetooth 5.3
Battery life
50 hours
24 hours (plus up to 6 hours more with Playtime Boost)
20 hours
Speaker drivers
1 x 30W woofer; 2 x 10W full ranges
2 x 30W woofers, 2 x 20W tweeters
2 x 89mm transducers, 1 x 23mm transducer, 2x passive radiators
Waterproofing
IP54
IP67
IP67
JBL Xtreme 4 I still rate the JBL Xtreme 4 as one of the best party speakers around. I used it for comparison testing against the Kilburn III, and it still displays that clear, responsive, impactful sound that I remembered from last year. This model is a little more rugged, boasting an IP67 waterproof rating. On top of that, it can be found on sale fairly regularly now, so you should be able to grab it for less than the Kilburn III. Read our full JBL Xtreme 4 review.
Bose SoundLink Max If you want big, bold, balanced audio, the Bose SoundLink Max is a top-tier option. Again, this one’s IP67-rated, so it’s a little better protected against the elements. It’s gorgeous, too, much like the other speakers in the SoundLink line – but there’s a severe drop off in battery life when you compare this to the Kilburn III. On occasion, you can find the SoundLink Max for $100 / £100 off, so if Bose has your heart, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for a sale. Read our full Bose SoundLink Max review.
Marshall Kilburn III review: how I tested
(Image credit: Future)
Tested for one week
Mainly used in our music testing facility at Future Labs
Predominantly tested using Tidal
I tested the Marshall Kilburn III over a week-long period, making use of its full set of features, playing hours of music, and assessing all aspects of its design. I mainly used the speaker in our music testing room at Future Labs, so that I could judge audio quality in an isolated, controlled environment.
When blasting tunes, I mainly used Tidal, but I occasionally played songs over Spotify too. As always, I started the testing process by streaming tracks from our carefully curated TechRadar reference playlist, but I also listened to a ton of tracks from my own personal library. I ran a comparison test with the JBL Xtreme 4 to assess aspects such as sub-bass output, instrument separation, and sonic detail.
I’ve tested all sorts of audio equipment during my time at TechRadar, from flagship headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM6, through to home cinema products such as the Marshall Heston 120. I’ve reviewed an array of speakers along the way from brands such as Sony, JBL, and, of course, Marshall. As a result, I’m more than familiar with the Kilburn III’s rivals, as well as what it takes for a speaker to stand out in a highly competitive market.
ScalaCube has long been one of the best Minecraft server hosting options available. It offers a selection of products, all the features you could need, and some easy one-click install solutions.
In our ScalaCube review, we explain exactly why this host holds such a large share of the market. The cheapest plan costs less than a cup of coffee, while there are extensive options for those with more ambitious plans and a growing community. What more could you need?
ScalaCube plans and pricing
ScalaCube has nine different subscription options, covering different budgets. For American and European servers, Premium plans range from $2 to $96 a month for the first month, renewing at $5 to $192.
The cheapest plan comes with 768MB RAM and 10 player slots. That plan won't suffice for most needs but there are mid-range options such as 6GB RAM and 100 player slots for $18 per month (increasing to $36), right up to the $96 plan which has 600 player slots and 32GB RAM.
A dedicated IP costs a $20 one-off fee with automated backups costing a $10 one-off fee.
ScalaCube features
ScalaCube focuses on Minecraft hosting, and its products are backed by a suite of premium features. Some of the most notable are listed below.
One-click modpack installation
With ScalaCube, you will have access to one-click installations for more than a thousand modpacks. These include standard packs, Spigot, PaperMC, CurseForge, and more. You can also create and upload your own custom modpack if you would like to.
Server monitoring
On your ScalaCube dashboard, you will find a monitoring tab that enables you to keep track of your server’s RAM and storage usage. You can use this to help you decide whether or not you’re using the correct plan for your needs.
Interface and in-use
To start with ScalaCube, simply select the plan you want to sign up for and work through the checkout process. This is very straightforward, and you shouldn’t have any issues. The main dashboard is simple but easy to navigate and familiarize yourself with.
ScalaCube’s main dashboard is intuitive and easy to navigate (Image credit: ScalaCube)
One thing worth noting is that ScalaCube’s servers can take a significant amount of time to deploy. Expect to wait at least ten minutes, but this could stretch to an even longer period of time in some cases.
The server management dashboard is packed full of a great selection of tools, including a backup system, FTP/SSH access, and a Minecraft launcher. Installing a new game server takes just a few clicks, and it’s a very straightforward process in general.
The server management dashboard is packed full of tools (Image credit: ScalaCube)
Support
ScalaCube’s customer service is limited to online ticketing. You need to be signed in to your account to submit a ticket, and this is done from your main dashboard. The support team is only active from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (GMT+2).
There are a number of self-help resources available via the support page. Here, you will find dozens of Minecraft tutorials outlining how to create your server, the best ways to configure it, and various other popular actions.
ScalaCraft has many tutorials to help you get started (Image credit: ScalaCube)
Alternatives to ScalaCube
ScalaCube is a top-rated Minecraft host, and its free plan stands out as one of the best we’ve seen, but there are numerous alternatives worth considering.
For example, Hostinger offers powerful Minecraft hosting at much lower prices than ScalaCube, making it a great option for those on a tight budget. Setup is very straightforward, and you will benefit from the Game Panel, which enables you to create a new server in just a few minutes. There are numerous server types, and prices start at just $4.99 monthly (on a 24-month plan) for 4GB RAM and 1 vCPU core.
Another popular option is MCProHosting, which enables you to host and switch between multiple games on the same server—a feature that ScalaCube doesn’t have. This makes it a great choice for those who like to switch between Minecraft and other games such as ARK, CS GO, Starbound, and Rust. 24/7 support is available if you run into any problems.
Final verdict
Overall, ScalaCube presents as one of the best Minecraft hosts available. Its free plan is great for those looking to create their first server, while its premium options cater to users of all skill levels. There are some small flaws, like limited customer service. But overall, there’s a lot to like here, and we’d highly recommend giving ScalaCube a try.
When I think "gaming laptop," I think of a portable machine with just enough juice to squeeze out 60 FPS in modern titles at medium settings. The MSI Titan 18 HX AI, however, seeks to break that mold and offer something closer to a desktop replacement, boasting a tagline of "total dominance."
With enough power under the hood to crank out 90+ FPS in fairly demanding titles like NBA 2K25 and Black Myth: Wukong, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI lives up to its name. It's a behemoth of a laptop, weighing in at 7.93 lbs (3.6kg) and sporting an RTX 50-series GPU.
It's not going to live out of your backpack - it's going to sit still on your desk and look pretty doing it. But it does offer much more portability than a traditional desktop PC.
As for that massive 18-inch display, it's a joy to game on. The miniLED 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate offer the perfect balance between high refresh rate competitive gaming and high fidelity story gameplay. You're probably not going to hit 4K and 120 FPS in most titles, but the ability to pick is enough for me, especially on a laptop.
There are only a few areas I wish the Titan 18 HX executed differently - namely, the trackpad and cooling system. While the trackpad is a nice size, I found myself muttering under my breath at the accidental inputs and unclear distinction between left- and right-clicks far too often.
As for the cooling system, I can tell you with complete certainty that this is not a fanless laptop. If you've ever heard a jet engine whirring up, you have a good idea of what the MSI Titan 18 HX AI sounds like under load.
And then there's the price. There's no beating around the bush; this system is going to cost you an arm and a leg. But when you consider the hardware on offer in a (somewhat) portable machine, that price point starts to make more sense. Still, it's a tough pill to swallow.
When all is said and done, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI is an incredibly performant machine with a few scant drawbacks and a price point that makes it perfect for a select few.
MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Price and availability
How much does it cost? Starting at $5,799.99 / £5,999.99 / $11,799AU
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? US, UK, and Australia
With great power comes great...asking prices. You get what you pay for with the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, and you get quite a bit. At a starting price point of just under $6,000, with options to upgrade the CPU, RAM, and display for a higher premium, that's going to prove a very high barrier to entry for most.
Frankly, you can find a lot of the best gaming PCs on the market well under that price point and still have some cash left over to get yourself a gaming handheld or decent gaming laptop.
But if you're set on a top-of-the-line laptop, you'll have to pay for it.
It looks like the only model available in Australia is the MSI Titan 18 HX AI Dragon Edition Norse Myth, which features the same set of specs along with a unique graphic on the lid and trackpad.
In terms of design, the first thing you'll notice is how large this laptop really is. It's not afraid to take up space, and at 7.93 lbs (3.6kg), there's some serious heft to it. It's not making our list of the best thin and light gaming laptops anytime soon, but it was never trying to.
Instead, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI's design lends itself more to a desktop replacement than a portable gaming rig. Don't get me wrong, it would still be far easier to lug this laptop around in a large backpack, tote, or suitcase than a traditional gaming PC. But I wouldn't opt for a Titan if you're planning to take your gaming laptop to and from college or a friend's house.
Imposing size aside, the Titan 18 HX looks great. It features an understated black and grey design with subtle accents like an MSI logo on the clamshell lid and light texturing on the speakers and chassis. If you have to have your RGB, you'll be happy to know the Cherry mechanical keyboard is per-key customizable.
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(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
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(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
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(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
Speaking of the keys, this is one of the first gaming laptops that didn't make me want to break out my own typing piece. It does come with a high-pitched metallic pinging sound on some keys that I'm not crazy about, but the typing feel is quite springy and satisfying. Plus, you get a full-sized keyboard with a tenkey numpad and function keys here, which is a big plus for quick adjustments and games that utilize a lot of inputs.
Moving to the port selection, you've got a Kensington security slot, two USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports, and an SD Express card reader on the left side. On the right, you get two Thunderbolt 5 USB-C ports, another USB-A 3.2 Gen2 slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Around the back side, there's an HDMI 2.1 port, an RJ45 slot, and a slot for your 400W power adapter.
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(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
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(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
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(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
Overall, that's a really solid port selection you'd be hard-pressed to complain about. I love seeing the USB-A and USB-C combo here as a lot of PC peripherals (including the best gaming mice) still use that tried and true USB-A connection.
Now, for something I wish were a bit different: the cooling. When I tell you these fans are loud, it doesn't quite do it justice until you've heard them yourself. I had to raise the volume of the game I was playing multiple times just to hear over the whir required to keep that RTX 5090 cool.
This is only when the laptop is under load, so if you're just browsing the web or listening to music, you get a pretty noise-free experience. But this is a gaming laptop after all, and unless you're sticking to Stardew Valley (in which case, don't shell out for this laptop), those fans are going to make themselves known.
Design: 4 / 5
MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Performance
(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
Outstanding 1080p and 1440p performance
Solid 4K capabilities
Offers fast-paced, competitive gaming and gorgeous story gameplay
Performance is the name of the game for the MSI Titan 18 HX AI. With an Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX processor, RTX 5090 laptop GPU, and a whopping 64GB of DDR5 RAM (upgradeable to 96GB), this laptop is the heavyweight main event of the evening.
MSI Titan 18 HX AI Benchmarks
Benchmark
Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core
3,046
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core
22,082
Crossmark Overall
2,269
Crossmark Productivity
2,033
Crossmark Creativity
2,757
Crossmark Responsiveness
1,760
25GB File Copy Transfer Rate (MB/s)
2,636
3DMark Fire Strike
40,374
3DMark Time Spy
22,437
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
15,621
3DMark Time Spy Extreme
11,644
3DMark Speed Way
6,094
3DMark Steel Nomad
5,530
3DMark Port Royal
15,289
Assassin's Creed Shadows (Ultra High, 1080p)
54 fps
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)
59 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)
71 fps
Metro: Exodus (Extreme, 1080p)
93 fps
Monster Hunter Wilds (Very High, 1080p)
87 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very High, 1080p)
196 fps
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)
220 fps
Web Surfing Battery Informant
2:16
PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Test
1:37
I've been on a sports sim kick lately, with titles like NBA 2K25 and Rematch dominating my playtime. While 2K25 is fairly demanding, the Titan chewed through it like nothing, easily spitting out 90-120 FPS at 2K resolution. Rematch, on the other hand, is pretty lightweight, but that just means the 120Hz display can really shine.
I also ran the MSI Titan 18 HX AI through synthetic benchmarks and tested it in several triple-A games, including Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong, and more, which you can check out in the chart above.
Performance definitely takes a hit at 4K, but many of the games are still playable at around 30-70 FPS. Plus, if you tweak a few settings and use upscaling where available, you can definitely land a sweet spot between decent frame rates and gorgeous 4K visuals, even without Frame Generation.
You'll also get a solid rendered FPS at 4K with DLSS 4, so Multi-Frame Generation won't introduce the kind of noticeable input latency that it would on less powerful devices, so feel free to turn it on and maximize the capacity of the 120Hz display when you can.
Performance: 5 / 5
MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Battery life
(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
Considering this is a gaming laptop with a 50 series GPU, Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX and a massive 120Hz display, the battery life here is actually pretty passable. Not to mention that with a machine this bulky, it's going to be plugged in most of the time anyway, so battery life isn't a big concern in my eyes.
It's not going head-to-head with the Razer Blade 16 anytime soon in terms of battery life, so if you're looking to game on the go at 4K without a power bank or outlet nearby, forget it.
But it does buy you about an hour and a half from full charge to dead under moderate stress (at 60Hz with RGB off), and if you need to break it out of your bag to send a few quick emails and watch a little Netflix, it'll get the job done.
Battery life: 3 / 5
Should you buy the MSI Titan 18 HX AI?
MSI Titan 18 HX AI scorecard
Category
Notes
Rating
Value
While you do get a lot of horsepower with the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, the price tag isn't pretty. You're looking at well over $5,000 for a gaming laptop here, even if you do get a mobile RTX 5090.
2.5 / 5
Design
Gripes are far and few between when it comes to design - I wish the trackpad was a bit more consistent, and the fans get very loud under load. But you get a fantastic port selection, gorgeous display, satisfying keyboard, and sleek aesthetics.
4 / 5
Performance
This is where the Titan 18 HX really shines. You can crank the settings at 1080p or 1440p, and even get a respectable 60FPS at 4K with some settings tweaks.
5 / 5
Battery Life
It's a powerful gaming laptop, so you shouldn't expect all-day battery here. But for the hardware under the hood, it's actually pretty decent.
3 / 5
Final score
Overall, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI is a fantastic desktop replacement that offers more portability than a traditional tower PC.
4 / 5
Buy the MSI Titan 18 HX AI if...
You need more portability than a tower PC While "portable" isn't one of the first words I would use to describe the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, it is definitely easier to move than a traditional tower PC, monitor, and peripherals setup.
You want paramount performance from your laptop There's serious power packed into this gaming laptop, including an RTX 5090, Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM.
Don't buy it if...
You're looking for something affordable While the MSI Titan 18 HX AI is many things, affordable is far from one of them. You're going to have to pay for what you get here, and there are plenty of gaming laptops at half the price or cheaper.
You need to move your laptop often While the Titan offers some semblance of portability, it wouldn't be my first pick for tossing in a bag and taking to work or a friend's house.
Also consider
MSI Vector A18 HX A9W The Vector A18 HX A9W is like the Titan's little brother. It still packs a punch in the performance department, but at half the asking price.
Razer Blade 16 (2025) The Razer Blade 16 (2025)is our top pick of the best gaming laptops for a reason - well, several reasons actually. It also comes equipped with an RTX 5090, but comes in at nearly $2,000 cheaper.
I used the MSI Titan 18 HX AI for over three weeks
Gaming, media, and everyday browsing
Our suite of gaming laptop benchmarks, including synthetic and in-game
I used the MSI Titan 18 HX AI A2XWJG as my primary gaming system for three weeks. I played several different titles, including NBA 2K25, Rematch, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. I also put the Titan to the test with everyday browsing and media enjoyment on YouTube, Max, Gmail, and more.
We put the Titan 18 HX through its paces in our suite of gaming laptop benchmarks, including synthetic tests and in-game benchmarking.
If you want to learn more about how we test our laptops and desktops, check out this page.
