It's very hard to say that a drive that sequentially reads nearly 12,500MB a second doesn't live up to expectations, especially not when its performance everywhere else is better than anything else I've tested, but that sticker on the box of the Samsung 9100 Pro that promises up to 14,800MB/s sticks in the craw of an otherwise perfect M.2 PCIe 5.0 SSD.
Starting at $199.99 for a 1TB capacity drive (about £155/AU$315), the 9100 Pro is Samsung's first 'true' PCIe 5.0 SSD after the Samsung 990 EVO and Samsung 990 EVO Plus. Both those drives are PCIe 5.0, but they only use two PCIe 5.0 lanes, which limits their practical speeds to PCIe 4.0 standards.
The 9100 Pro, meanwhile, is a full-fat PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 drive, meaning its theoretical max speed for sequential reads is upwards of roughly 15,000MB/s and 14,000MB/s for sequential writes (this number has been edging up over the past 3-5 years, so take that theoretical maximum with a grain of salt at this point).
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Samsung promises that its latest drive can hit up to 14,800MB/s sequential read and 13,400MB/s sequential write, and the Samsung 9100 Pro gets there somewhat. It clocks in a max sequential write rate of 13,066MB/s in my testing, but the 9100 Pro's maximum sequential read speed only hit 12,427MB/s. This is still incredibly fast—but, it's not what's promised on the box.
Could that change with BIOS or firmware updates, sure. Possibly. But it's not like other PCIe 5.0 drives like the Crucial T705 aren't hitting close to 14,500MB/s. The T705 hits a max sequential read speed of 14,390MB/s in CrystalDiskMark 8 on the same testbench with a Gigabyte Aorus X870E motherboard, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X processor, and 32GB Corsair Dominator DDR5 running at 6,600MT/s and integrated graphics, so there's no interference from a graphics card.
Meanwhile, compared to its predecessor, the Samsung 990 Pro, the 9100 Pro is a much better overall drive, but there are circumstances where the 990 Pro still manages to outperform its successor such as same and secondary drive copy time and random read and write speeds.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
On balance, the Samsung 9100 Pro isn't the undisputed best SSD you can buy, and for some users (such as gamers or general-use enthusiasts), you will likely be happier with other PCIe 5.0 or even PCIe 4.0 drives on the market, many of which will be cheaper than the 9100 Pro.
That said, this is a drive for professional users and for those who need to save or otherwise write large files to disk regularly, and for that, the Samsung 9100 Pro is the best M.2 SSD on the market.
Gamers won't find much here worth the investment, unfortunately, with even the 990 Pro outperforming the 9100 Pro in 3DMark's SSD benchmark, which is a gaming-exclusive test. It also falls about 17% behind the Corsair MP700 Elite PCIe 5.0 SSD on this benchmark as well.
For general business users, the 9100 Pro is better than its predecessor but lags behind the Crucial T705 in PCMark 10, which tests general productivity speed and performance as well as its performance as a data drive rather than your main system drive.
Given all this, you'd think that the 9100 Pro should score lower, but it really comes in strong on sequential write performance, which is a very big deal for professional users who might need to save media projects that are many, many gigabytes large.
Nothing disrupts a workflow more than a project autosaving for up to half a minute or more, and this is where the 9100 Pro shines. Offering up to 39% faster sequential write performance than the Crucial T705, its nearest competitor in this category, the Samsung 9100 Pro really leans into its pro branding here.
The 9100 Pro unit I tested did not come with a built-in heatsink, so its thermal performance is largely a factor of the excellent PCIe 5.0 heatsink on the Gigabyte Auros X870E motherboard I used for testing (I also used the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and 32GB of Corsair Dominator DDR5 RAM at 6,600MT/s), so I can't speak much to the heatsink's quality in this review.
Also, I tested a 9100 Pro with a 4TB capacity, whereas every other drive I tested had a 2TB capacity. This, in itself, shouldn't impact baseline scores too much, if at all, but it's worth pointing out that while I still consider this an apples-to-apples comparison, it's more of a Cosmic Crisp-to-Red Delicious comparison, so your actual experienced performance might vary slightly from mine.
All that said, the other major problem with this drive is its price. It's an expensive drive, and for a lot of gamers and those who are more interested in faster loading times for their programs and files, the Crucial T705 is simply a better option with comparable write speeds but close-to-max read speeds for a lower price.
If you're looking for a drive that you can use in more of a professional capacity with frequent saves of very large files like video projects or video game packages in Unreal Engine, the Samsung 9100 Pro is the best SSD you're going to get for that purpose and it will absolutely speed up your everyday workflow considerably.
Samsung 9100 Pro: Price & availability
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
How much does it cost? Starting at $199.99 (about £155/AU$315)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The Samsung 9100 Pro is available in the US, UK, and Australia starting on March 18, 2025, for $199.99 (about £155/AU$315) for a 1TB drive.
Higher capacities will cost you more, with the 2TB capacity going for $299.99 (about £230/AU$470)and the 4TB capacity going for $549.99 (about £425/AU$865).
The 9100 Pro 8TB capacity drive is expected to launch in H2 2025, though its price hasn't been released yet.
This puts the 9100 Pro roughly 30% more expensive to start over the Crucial T705 1TB, and slightly more expensive than the launch MSRP of the Samsung 990 Pro it replaces.
Samsung 9100 Pro: Specs
Should you buy the Samsung 9100 Pro?
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Buy it if...
You need pro-level sequential write performance Are you writing 20GB files to disk every time you save your architecture project? This drive is for you.
You want an M.2 SSD with high-capacity options With a 4TB drive available now and 8TB capacity coming later this year, this is one of the most spacious M.2 SSDs on the market.
Don't buy it if...
You're on a budget This is hardly the cheapest PCIe 5.0 drive out there, even at this level of performance.
You're looking for a PS5 SSD If you want a new SSD for your PS5 console, this drive is way too fast for the PS5's PCIe 4.0 interface. You're better off getting the 990 Pro.
Samsung 9100 Pro: Also consider
If my Samsung 9100 Pro review has you looking for other options, here are two more M.2 SSDs to consider...
Crucial T705 The Crucial T705 is the best all-around PCIe 5.0 drive you can buy, with stellar performance across the board and a fairly accessible price point.
Samsung 990 Pro The Samsung 990 Pro is the best PCIe 4.0 SSD going, and for 95% of users, this drive will be more than enough for your needs at a decent enough price.
I used it for gaming, content creation, and general storage use
I used my standard suite of SSD benchmarks as well as daily use
To test the 9100 Pro, I ran it through our standard benchmark suite, including CrystalDiskMark 8, PassMark, PCMark 10, 3DMark, and our proprietary 25GB file copy test.
I used this drive as my main system storage (C:\) drive for over a week on my test bench, where I used it extensively for loading games for graphics card benchmarking purposes, content creation, and more. This included loading games and large batches of photos for editing in Lightroom and Photoshop for various reviews.
I've been testing hardware components for TechRadar for over three years now, including several major SSD reviews from Samsung, PNY, and others, so I know what the latest SSDs are best for and whether they are worth your hard-earned money.
Corsair is no stranger to the world of PC peripherals. Some of my favorite stock gaming keyboards, like the K100 Air, fly Corsair sails. So it's no surprise that the Corsair K70 Pro TKL comes with a certain air of polish and and premium feel that other boards strive to replicate but ultimately can't nail down.
However, this keyboard won't be making its way into my daily-driver arsenal, and it's for two main reasons: no hot-swap support, and a sharp, noisy typing sound.
If this keyboard's pre-lubed Hall effect magnetic switches were hot-swappable, it would solve both issues at once; I'd be able to change up the sound and feel at the pull of a switch.
But not everyone wants to buy and apply all new sets of switches and keycaps. Many gamers just want to take a keyboard out of the box, have it give them an edge over the competition, and look good doing it. The K70 Pro TKL is a fantastic option in that regard.
And, with Corsair's iCUE software, you do have quite a few options for customization when it comes to actuation, RGB lighting, macros, and more. Plus, it's actually pretty intuitive to use, which is more than can be said for most peripheral software.
If you prefer the freedom and safety of full customization, this isn't the board for you. I'd opt for something like the Keychron Q6 Max instead, which, despite its higher price point, offers the ability to repair a switch when it breaks rather than purchasing a whole new keyboard or breaking out a soldering iron. This doesn't give you the performance of Hall effect switches, but honestly, unless you're at the summit of competitive gaming, you're probably not going to notice a discernable difference.
But, if you want to plug and play with some of the best performance and features of any keyboard on the block, the Corsair K70 Pro TKL is your chance.
Corsair K70 Pro TKL: Price & Availability
(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
How much does it cost? $179.99 / £169.99
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK
The price may be a bit hard to swallow at first glance - $180 for a keyboard definitely isn't cheap. But when you compare it to the best gaming keyboards on the market, that price really isn't too far off (in fact it's more affordable than many premium gaming keyboards).
There are two customization options you have before purchasing: choosing between Black and White colorways and selecting either ABS or PBT double-shot keycaps.
ABS keycaps are generally a bit cheaper to produce but the legends aren't as clear and may degrade over time more easily. PBT, which comes with a $10 upcharge, solves those issues.
Corsair K70 Pro TKL: Design
(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
This Corsair board has a lot going for it in terms of design. My review unit came in the black colorway, and you can't get much more classic than that. It provides a nice contrast to the RGB lighting, which I'll touch on more later in this section.
Back to the chassis for now though. It's an interesting mix of plastic - which covers the outside of the keyboard - and an aluminum top plate that gives this TKL keyboard a satisfying blend of lightweight portability and hearty structural integrity.
Underneath that top plate is a sound-dampening layer of silicone, followed by the premium Hall-effect-ready PCB, and then another layer of silicone to keep things quiet.
Unfortunately, I can't say these silicone layers accomplish a whole lot. One of my main gripes with this keyboard is the loud, harsh clacking and pinging sounds as you type.
For some people, this won't matter at all because it's all about features and efficiency. For the mechanical keyboard geeks out there who love to crack open a shell and start stuffing tape and foam inside to get that perfect sound (looking at you, me) you'll probably pass in favor of something more customizable.
Similarly, this board is only available in a USB-C wired version - which won't matter for some and will make a world of difference for others.
Onto the stabilizers: they're plate mounted, which I've gone on record as saying aren't my favorite. While they are still pretty easy to replace, they don't offer the same level of security and acoustic accoutrement that screw-in stabs do. This is apparent every time you hit the rattly space bar and it screeches "ping!" back at you.
(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
There are a lot of upsides, too. I love a vertical volume knob, especially one that lets me mute my audio with a tap. You can also configure this to change RGB brightness and zoom levels, or simply use it as a scroll wheel.
And to the left of that volume knob are two buttons that you can configure in iCUE, Corsair's customization app. These provide some nice functionality like locking into Gaming Mode (which disables the alt-f4 and the Windows key for accidental closures and alt-tabs), and whatever else you assign to the second button.
This is also where you can choose your RGB lighting effects to spice up your setup. There are prebuilt templates like breathing and wave effects, but you can also select individual keys and different effects to create your own designs.
(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
Turning the board over, there are two feet you can flip out for a bit of added height framing a futuristic-looking back plate. These aren't bad, though I tend to go flat-footed with my keyboards anyway.
I'm also a big fan of the TKL form factor because I think it hits all the right areas without eating away all your desk space.
Plus, there's the star of the show: those MGX Hyperdrive magnetic Hall effect switches. While I don't think the average gamer needs them, they are very fast. And you can make them even faster by adjusting actuation levels in iCUE.
They also come pre-lubed, which is awesome to see more keyboard companies adopt. Keychron has been doing it for years, and it's an edge I always gave to its keyboards when reviewing them - it looks like that's changing in recent times, and I'm all for it. It just makes everything feel that much smoother - and doing it yourself is tedious.
The magnetic wrist rest is also a welcome and well-polished addition, and I found the keyboard comfortable to use both with and without it. That's the thing: this keyboard actually feels quite nice to type on if you like a quick, snappy switch - it just needs to clean up the sound and customization departments.
Corsair K70 Pro TKL: Performance
(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)
This is where the Corsair K70 Pro TKL shines. It has all the cool gaming features you can think of and some I guarantee you didn't.
Starting with the formalities, I never noticed any ghosting, double-typing, or any other low-budget keyboard problems here. The K70 Pro TKL was solid through and through.
Onto the cool stuff. Starting with Corsair's "Rapid Trigger" tech, this lets you feed inputs one after the other in rapid succession without having to release the other key. In practice, that means you can "a" and "d" around a corner to jiggle peak quicker than someone using inferior hardware. You can take this even further with adjustable actuation points, which let you activate a keystroke at the drop of a hat.
There's also dual actuation, which lets you assign two functionalities to one key - like walking if you press the key down half way, or sprinting if you put the pedal to the metal.
With these lightning fast key inputs comes the potential for game winning plays, but also mind numbing mistakes. Say you accidentally fat finger your ultimate key in a MOBA or WASD in Counter-Strike 2 when you meant to be holding an angle - it's a double-edged sword.
Thankfully, Corsair thought of this ahead of time and implemented a neat feature that cuts down on those accidental inputs: FlashTap tech. FlashTap lets you "prioritize the first, last, or neither input" when clicking two keys at the same time, which can be a lifesaver. It's disabled by default but can be toggled on with FN + Right Shift.
Combine all of that with Corsair's Axon tech that gives this keyboard a polling rate of 8,000Hz, and you have one seriously speedy keyboard.
Should you buy the Corsair K70 Pro TKL?
Buy it if...
You want peak performance
This keyboard is fast - seriously fast. 8,000Hz polling rate, custom Hall effect key switches, customizable actuation points up to 0.1mm... need I say more?
You want a solid plug-and-play experience
This keyboard comes with a pretty easy setup. Plug it in, download iCUE for any configuration work you want to do, and play.
You like the TKL form factor
I personally love this size board, but some gamers are going to want a numpad for extra functionality, whereas others are going to want to opt for something closer to a 65% layout to save on desk space.
Don't buy it if...
You like switching things up
I enjoy pulling switches out of my board and finding new favorites as I go, but there's no hot swapping here.
You're shopping on a budget
There are plenty of affordable options for great gaming keyboards - this is not one of them.
You care about how your keyboard sounds
If you can distinguish a "thock" from a "clack," your ears probably aren't going to like this one.
Corsair K70 Pro TKL: Also Consider
If our Corsair K70 Pro TKL review has you considering other options, I'd take a look at these...
Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX 65%
If you want Hall effect key switches on a smaller form factor, this board from Asus delivers.
If you don't mind sacrificing some gaming performance for a host of customization options and better sound and feel, the Gamakay TK75 V2 is a solid option that comes in at a fraction of the price.
I replaced my daily driver gaming keyboard with the Corsair K70 Pro TKL for two weeks. I played games from all different genres, performed typing tests to assess n-key rollover and ghosting, and used it for general typing and web browsing.
I've been a PC gamer for more than a decade, and I've reviewed countless keyboards from OEMs like Corsair, Keychron, Das Key, and many more. I frequently mod and customize mechanical keyboards to nail down my favorite feel (until I find my new favorite).
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is a well-performing 24-inch drawing display that offers a natural drawing experience and comes with some great accessories for a surprisingly reasonable price. The most notable of the accessories include the X3 Pro Smart Chip and X3 Pro Slim styli, pre-mounted ACS02 Stand, ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote, and much more.
With 4K resolution and the capability of displaying 16.7 million colors, I could see my photos in more detail than ever before. It was easy to transition between color spaces depending on my task by using the XPPen Pen Tablet driver. The typical color gamut ratio of the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is impressive, covering 99% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, and 98% Display P3. Further color calibration is achievable using the free XPPen Color Master program and a colorimeter, should you want complete control over the output.
(Image credit: Future)
My drawing experience felt satisfyingly natural and free of complications over the hours I tested the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, to the point where it could prove a worthy rival to many of the best drawing tablets. Some key features that made this drawing display such a pleasure to work with include the practically-bordered 526 x 296mm working area, the optimally textured anti-glare etched and anti-fingerprint coated glass surface, and the 60-degree tilt range of the styli. I didn’t encounter any lag or jitter, and although there was a tiny bit of parallax, despite the fully laminated screen, a quick calibration in the settings put this right in moments.
I only encountered minor niggles when testing the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, the worst of which being some brushes requiring much more pressure for the stroke to be visible, though this could be rectified in the relevant design software’s settings. This small misgiving is more than forgivable though, considering the quality, accessories, and performance you get for the low $1,299.99 / £1,199 / AU$1899.99 price tag. If you’ve been eyeing up a Wacom but can’t bring yourself to make such a large investment, the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is the perfect solution, delivering stunning results for a reasonable price.
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: price and availability
Announced: October 22, 2024
List price $1,299.99 / £1,199 / AU$1899.99
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 series, which includes the 4K model I’ve been testing, and a slightly cheaper 165Hz model, was announced on October 22nd, 2024, and is available now on the XPPen website in the US and Australia. I’m sorry to say that we Brits may need to wait a little longer for the 4K model, as at the time of writing delivery isn't expected until mid-June 2025, although there's a handful left in stock at Amazon UK. The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K retails at $1,299.99 / £1,199 / AU$1899.99 but at present, the price has been discounted to $1,065.99 / £1,139.05 / AU$1,557.99 in a Valentine's Day sale.
You get a lot of bang for your buck with the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, as a purchase doesn’t just get you a large-format drawing display, but also the X3 Pro Smart Chip and X3 Pro Slim styli, plus a sturdy dual styli case, an ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote, all the cables you could ask for, and more.
(Image credit: Future)
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: specs
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: design
Sturdy metal stand included
Convenient stylus storage
Three multifunctional buttons on top of display
The overall aesthetic of the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is clean and understated. The working area has been kept practical, with a generously sized border giving me plenty of space for my hand and wrist. The only buttons on the unit itself are three multifunctional ones on the top right that serve as both brightness adjusters and signal changers.
XPPen helpfully includes all the required cables, including HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C to USB-C cables, plus different regional power cables. While this is undeniably convenient, it feels a little excessive, and some of those cables will likely prove redundant for many purchasers. In the name of sustainability, there’s a little more control over the accessories received when purchasing the Wacom One, although one gets a bit of a shock from the new total price once the pen and cable costs have been factored in.
(Image credit: Future)
Once the power and USB-C cables were in place there was a plastic cable cover that helped neaten up the cables and keep the dust at bay, though it took a fair bit of persuasion to clip onto the back of the display. The pen clips on the top of the display worked well, although the holder for the slim was made of a rubber-like material that attracted lint the moment I took it out of the plastic. I was pleased with the premium-feeling stylus case and appreciated that I could stand a stylus in there, as the top of the display was a bit of a reach for me. If there was the option to mount a pen clip on the side too, that would have been ideal.
A very much appreciated accessory that’s included as standard is the ACS02 Stand. It felt and proved very sturdy, which I should hope considering how heavy it is. It was easy to adjust using the central trigger, with an achievable angle range of 16 to 72 degrees. The included glove, on the other hand, isn’t exactly premium, but it did its job well; helping my hand to glide across the surface of the display, removing the chance of any mischief being caused by my palm or rogue fingers.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: performance
Vivid colors and impressive detail
Precise performance with no lag or jitter
Easy and assignable pressure and shortcut customization
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K came to life and happily presented an extension of my desktop, no setting tweaks required. I very much appreciated this straightforward start, due to other displays I've tested that proved a nightmare by refusing to connect and/or sustain a connection. The UX of the XPPen Tablet driver was easy to navigate, and different settings were easy to find and change. I was also grateful how straightforward it was to change the stylus shortcut keys and adjust the pen pressure, and that I could assign different settings to specific applications.
The fully laminated display did a good job of reducing the parallax, but as there was still some present to a degree, I completed the calibration sequence in the settings, which knocked it on the head.
I found the display’s anti-glare etched glass surface delightful to sketch on – it had the right kind of texture to feel like I was drawing on paper. I didn’t find either stylus catching at any point, which was nice to experience from a drawing display. The display is stated to be anti-glare and I’m inclined to agree – even with a bright daylight bulb in my desk lamp, I didn’t encounter any problems with reflections on the screen.
I also (very reluctantly) put my fingers on the screen in a few areas to test the anti-fingerprint coating and no pesky prints were left behind. However, after picking up the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, I could definitely see where my hands had been on the black border. But I’m still satisfied that it didn't pick up any marks while I was working on it, plus the XPPen cleaning cloth removed both fingerprints and dust.
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K can reportedly display 1.07 billion colors and has a typical color gamut ratio of 99% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, and 98% Display P3. For those who want an advanced level of control over the screen’s output, the free XPPen ColorMaster software compatible with this model gives freedom to calibrate in real-time, to ensure the display is producing the most accurate results. The software has been developed with color calibration aficionados Calman and uses their color accuracy engine, but it’s worth noting that a colorimeter is required for complete color calibration.
Colors looked oversaturated in the first instance when looking at some of my photographs (many of which, yes, featured alpacas, if you're asking). This was due to the default color space being set to Adobe RGB, which, predictably, was the best choice for when I was doing graphic design or drawing, but a quick switch to sRGB in the driver settings made my photographs a little less psychedelic.
(Image credit: Future)
The brightness of the display was adequate. I did find myself increasing it to the max level soon after I began testing it, as the desktop was noticeably dimmer than my MacBook screen. However, when I opened a new (startlingly white) document to draw on, I quickly regretted that decision. The quality of the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K’s display was impressive; it delivered great clarity and vibrancy, bringing fond memories back to life while also enhancing the detail in my photos, like the one above of Ernesto the alpaca.
Although drawing slates like the XPPen Magic Drawing Pad are great for the price, I far preferred working with the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K – as one would hope, considering the vast difference in cost. I spent several hours drawing on the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K to get an accurate idea of how well it handled different speeds, motions, and levels of detail. I began by drawing test lines with different brushes, including some very fast strokes, and there was no lag or jitter in sight. At times I used some very texture-heavy brushes in large sizes, the kind that used to fatally offend my previous MacBook, and still, I didn’t encounter any issues with lag. The result of every movement I made was precise, and my stylus strokes felt superbly smooth and natural during the hours I spent sketching, drawing, and writing.
Performance score: 5 / 5
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: stylus
Two pens, each with customizable buttons
Ergonomic, comfortable design
8K pressure sensitivity with programmable curves
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K comes with the X3 Pro Smart Chip and the X3 Pro Slim styli, both of which boast 16,388 pressure levels. While this is twice as much pressure as the styli included with the well-rated Xencelabs Pen Display 16, we're unlikely to be capable of utilizing anything above the 8K industry standard, so a pressure sensitivity of 16,388 isn’t quite as impressive as it may sound.
One issue I encountered was that strokes from certain brushes, such as pencils, didn’t always show up on the canvas, so I found myself needing to put more pressure down than felt necessary. This can be worked around by changing the pressure in the design software’s settings, but it was a little frustrating switching between brushes to find the stylus had seemingly run out of lead.
Both styli felt lightweight, with the Slim stylus weighing 10g, and the Smart Chip weighing 16g, but they were still heavy enough that it felt like working with hollow plastic. The styli can support a satisfying 60-degree tilt. This gave me more control over my line variation and allowed me to write and draw the way I would with a pen.
(Image credit: Future)
There are customizable buttons on both the styli, and they support pen ID recognition, which proved helpful while I was switching between them both during testing,. However, the X3 Pro Slim stylus quickly proved to be my favorite of the two provided, as I loved how it felt like a traditional pen in my hand. To be clear, the X3 Pro Smart Chip stylus is also great, especially as the standard nibs can be swapped out for felt nibs, four of which are included, along with a further ten standard nibs. The X3 Pro Slim stylus has fourteen replacements too, so I can’t see myself needing to purchase replacements any time soon.
The ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote was a great addition to my drawing sessions, for the most part. It sits flat on the desk, and because it’s compact, I could fit it between myself and the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, providing easy access to the customizable keys. There’s also a dial for actions such as zooming in and out and adjusting brush sizes, but I found it inefficient as I couldn’t make adjustments in small increments. The jump between each click of the dial seemed unreasonably large, so it offered imprecise control. Aside from that element, though, I was very fond of the ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote, due to the simple connection process, satisfying scissor switches, and impressive 300-hour battery life.
Stylus Score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K?
Buy it if…
You want a well-performing drawing display without the premium price tag I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect such a fabulous performance from a large format 4K drawing display at such a low price, so I was left a little gobsmacked with how satisfying and natural the drawing experience felt. With similar models from competitors listed for an extra thousand, this drawing display is undoubtedly value for money.
You want a lot of drawing room There’s a vast amount of drawing room on offer with this drawing display, more than I’ve ever gotten to play with before, and now I’m not sure I can ever go back. Plus, the adjustable stand means that you can make the most of the space in a way that’s most comfortable for you.
Don’t buy it if…
Space is limited This drawing display and its metal stand are a goliath in size and weight. I’m fortunate to have a wider-than-average desk, but even so, it proved to be a tad obstructive. It could also prove a bit too much of a chonk to relocate regularly, so a designated space would be ideal.
You want something that can be relocated with ease It’s quite unlikely one would purchase a 24-inch drawing display with a mind to commute with it, but even if it’s a case of moving it on and off a desk, it could prove a little exhausting. A better option would be the aforementioned Xencelabs Pen Display 16, which is not only lighter but comes with a handy carry case, too.
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: also consider
Xencelabs Pen Display 24 The (current) top spot holder in our pick of the best drawing tablets, Xencelabs 24-inch pen display received a glowing five-star rating when we tested it thanks to its fantastic performance, build quality, and accessories. It’s a well-balanced pen display that is perfect for professionals and aspiring digital artists, proving an accessible asset thanks to its affordable price.
Xencelabs Pen Display 16 If you need a tablet that won’t be a space invader and can plausibly carry about, the 4.5-star rated Xencelabs Pen Display 16 would make a great choice. Like XPPen, Xencelabs provides everything needed to get started, along with a convenient carry case. Easy to use with a stunning display and highly customizable controls, this is the perfect alternative if you don’t have the space to spare.
(Image credit: Future)
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: how I tested
I spent many hours drawing on the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K over one week
I used it for photo editing and drawing using Affinity software
I tested for parallax, lag, and jittering, and created some graphic script using various brushes for linework and texture.
During my week testing the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, I tested the ease of setup and usability. I did some photo editing on Affinity Photo, and did lots of experimenting with different settings and tools on Affinity Designer, using my favorites to draw some lettering and add texture. I also tested how the Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K handled other tasks such as locating and previewing files in Finder and opening different file types.
I performed line tests to check for jitter and lag and tested the tilt angle and pressure sensitivity to get a feel for how responsive and realistic the drawing experience was. I also compared the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K and its accessories against previous pen displays I’ve tested, as well as its specs against equivalent products on the market.
In terms of experience, I've used many a drawing tablet over the years, right back to when they were teeny-tiny pads with flimsy plastic pens. I've also had a couple of decades of experience with Affinity (formerly known as Serif), Creative Cloud software, and plenty of programs in between.
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is a well-performing 24-inch drawing display that offers a natural drawing experience and comes with some great accessories for a surprisingly reasonable price. The most notable of the accessories include the X3 Pro Smart Chip and X3 Pro Slim styli, pre-mounted ACS02 Stand, ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote, and much more.
With 4K resolution and the capability of displaying 16.7 million colors, I could see my photos in more detail than ever before. It was easy to transition between color spaces depending on my task by using the XPPen Pen Tablet driver. The typical color gamut ratio of the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is impressive, covering 99% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, and 98% Display P3. Further color calibration is achievable using the free XPPen Color Master program and a colorimeter, should you want complete control over the output.
(Image credit: Future)
My drawing experience felt satisfyingly natural and free of complications over the hours I tested the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, to the point where it could prove a worthy rival to many of the best drawing tablets. Some key features that made this drawing display such a pleasure to work with include the practically-bordered 526 x 296mm working area, the optimally textured anti-glare etched and anti-fingerprint coated glass surface, and the 60-degree tilt range of the styli. I didn’t encounter any lag or jitter, and although there was a tiny bit of parallax, despite the fully laminated screen, a quick calibration in the settings put this right in moments.
I only encountered minor niggles when testing the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, the worst of which being some brushes requiring much more pressure for the stroke to be visible, though this could be rectified in the relevant design software’s settings. This small misgiving is more than forgivable though, considering the quality, accessories, and performance you get for the low $1,299.99 / £1,199 / AU$1899.99 price tag. If you’ve been eyeing up a Wacom but can’t bring yourself to make such a large investment, the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is the perfect solution, delivering stunning results for a reasonable price.
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: price and availability
Announced: October 22, 2024
List price $1,299.99 / £1,199 / AU$1899.99
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 series, which includes the 4K model I’ve been testing, and a slightly cheaper 165Hz model, was announced on October 22nd, 2024, and is available now on the XPPen website in the US and Australia. I’m sorry to say that we Brits may need to wait a little longer for the 4K model, as at the time of writing delivery isn't expected until mid-June 2025, although there's a handful left in stock at Amazon UK. The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K retails at $1,299.99 / £1,199 / AU$1899.99 but at present, the price has been discounted to $1,065.99 / £1,139.05 / AU$1,557.99 in a Valentine's Day sale.
You get a lot of bang for your buck with the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, as a purchase doesn’t just get you a large-format drawing display, but also the X3 Pro Smart Chip and X3 Pro Slim styli, plus a sturdy dual styli case, an ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote, all the cables you could ask for, and more.
(Image credit: Future)
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: specs
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: design
Sturdy metal stand included
Convenient stylus storage
Three multifunctional buttons on top of display
The overall aesthetic of the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K is clean and understated. The working area has been kept practical, with a generously sized border giving me plenty of space for my hand and wrist. The only buttons on the unit itself are three multifunctional ones on the top right that serve as both brightness adjusters and signal changers.
XPPen helpfully includes all the required cables, including HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C to USB-C cables, plus different regional power cables. While this is undeniably convenient, it feels a little excessive, and some of those cables will likely prove redundant for many purchasers. In the name of sustainability, there’s a little more control over the accessories received when purchasing the Wacom One, although one gets a bit of a shock from the new total price once the pen and cable costs have been factored in.
(Image credit: Future)
Once the power and USB-C cables were in place there was a plastic cable cover that helped neaten up the cables and keep the dust at bay, though it took a fair bit of persuasion to clip onto the back of the display. The pen clips on the top of the display worked well, although the holder for the slim was made of a rubber-like material that attracted lint the moment I took it out of the plastic. I was pleased with the premium-feeling stylus case and appreciated that I could stand a stylus in there, as the top of the display was a bit of a reach for me. If there was the option to mount a pen clip on the side too, that would have been ideal.
A very much appreciated accessory that’s included as standard is the ACS02 Stand. It felt and proved very sturdy, which I should hope considering how heavy it is. It was easy to adjust using the central trigger, with an achievable angle range of 16 to 72 degrees. The included glove, on the other hand, isn’t exactly premium, but it did its job well; helping my hand to glide across the surface of the display, removing the chance of any mischief being caused by my palm or rogue fingers.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: performance
Vivid colors and impressive detail
Precise performance with no lag or jitter
Easy and assignable pressure and shortcut customization
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K came to life and happily presented an extension of my desktop, no setting tweaks required. I very much appreciated this straightforward start, due to other displays I've tested that proved a nightmare by refusing to connect and/or sustain a connection. The UX of the XPPen Tablet driver was easy to navigate, and different settings were easy to find and change. I was also grateful how straightforward it was to change the stylus shortcut keys and adjust the pen pressure, and that I could assign different settings to specific applications.
The fully laminated display did a good job of reducing the parallax, but as there was still some present to a degree, I completed the calibration sequence in the settings, which knocked it on the head.
I found the display’s anti-glare etched glass surface delightful to sketch on – it had the right kind of texture to feel like I was drawing on paper. I didn’t find either stylus catching at any point, which was nice to experience from a drawing display. The display is stated to be anti-glare and I’m inclined to agree – even with a bright daylight bulb in my desk lamp, I didn’t encounter any problems with reflections on the screen.
I also (very reluctantly) put my fingers on the screen in a few areas to test the anti-fingerprint coating and no pesky prints were left behind. However, after picking up the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, I could definitely see where my hands had been on the black border. But I’m still satisfied that it didn't pick up any marks while I was working on it, plus the XPPen cleaning cloth removed both fingerprints and dust.
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K can reportedly display 1.07 billion colors and has a typical color gamut ratio of 99% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, and 98% Display P3. For those who want an advanced level of control over the screen’s output, the free XPPen ColorMaster software compatible with this model gives freedom to calibrate in real-time, to ensure the display is producing the most accurate results. The software has been developed with color calibration aficionados Calman and uses their color accuracy engine, but it’s worth noting that a colorimeter is required for complete color calibration.
Colors looked oversaturated in the first instance when looking at some of my photographs (many of which, yes, featured alpacas, if you're asking). This was due to the default color space being set to Adobe RGB, which, predictably, was the best choice for when I was doing graphic design or drawing, but a quick switch to sRGB in the driver settings made my photographs a little less psychedelic.
(Image credit: Future)
The brightness of the display was adequate. I did find myself increasing it to the max level soon after I began testing it, as the desktop was noticeably dimmer than my MacBook screen. However, when I opened a new (startlingly white) document to draw on, I quickly regretted that decision. The quality of the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K’s display was impressive; it delivered great clarity and vibrancy, bringing fond memories back to life while also enhancing the detail in my photos, like the one above of Ernesto the alpaca.
Although drawing slates like the XPPen Magic Drawing Pad are great for the price, I far preferred working with the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K – as one would hope, considering the vast difference in cost. I spent several hours drawing on the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K to get an accurate idea of how well it handled different speeds, motions, and levels of detail. I began by drawing test lines with different brushes, including some very fast strokes, and there was no lag or jitter in sight. At times I used some very texture-heavy brushes in large sizes, the kind that used to fatally offend my previous MacBook, and still, I didn’t encounter any issues with lag. The result of every movement I made was precise, and my stylus strokes felt superbly smooth and natural during the hours I spent sketching, drawing, and writing.
Performance score: 5 / 5
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: stylus
Two pens, each with customizable buttons
Ergonomic, comfortable design
8K pressure sensitivity with programmable curves
The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K comes with the X3 Pro Smart Chip and the X3 Pro Slim styli, both of which boast 16,388 pressure levels. While this is twice as much pressure as the styli included with the well-rated Xencelabs Pen Display 16, we're unlikely to be capable of utilizing anything above the 8K industry standard, so a pressure sensitivity of 16,388 isn’t quite as impressive as it may sound.
One issue I encountered was that strokes from certain brushes, such as pencils, didn’t always show up on the canvas, so I found myself needing to put more pressure down than felt necessary. This can be worked around by changing the pressure in the design software’s settings, but it was a little frustrating switching between brushes to find the stylus had seemingly run out of lead.
Both styli felt lightweight, with the Slim stylus weighing 10g, and the Smart Chip weighing 16g, but they were still heavy enough that it felt like working with hollow plastic. The styli can support a satisfying 60-degree tilt. This gave me more control over my line variation and allowed me to write and draw the way I would with a pen.
(Image credit: Future)
There are customizable buttons on both the styli, and they support pen ID recognition, which proved helpful while I was switching between them both during testing,. However, the X3 Pro Slim stylus quickly proved to be my favorite of the two provided, as I loved how it felt like a traditional pen in my hand. To be clear, the X3 Pro Smart Chip stylus is also great, especially as the standard nibs can be swapped out for felt nibs, four of which are included, along with a further ten standard nibs. The X3 Pro Slim stylus has fourteen replacements too, so I can’t see myself needing to purchase replacements any time soon.
The ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote was a great addition to my drawing sessions, for the most part. It sits flat on the desk, and because it’s compact, I could fit it between myself and the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, providing easy access to the customizable keys. There’s also a dial for actions such as zooming in and out and adjusting brush sizes, but I found it inefficient as I couldn’t make adjustments in small increments. The jump between each click of the dial seemed unreasonably large, so it offered imprecise control. Aside from that element, though, I was very fond of the ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote, due to the simple connection process, satisfying scissor switches, and impressive 300-hour battery life.
Stylus Score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K?
Buy it if…
You want a well-performing drawing display without the premium price tag I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect such a fabulous performance from a large format 4K drawing display at such a low price, so I was left a little gobsmacked with how satisfying and natural the drawing experience felt. With similar models from competitors listed for an extra thousand, this drawing display is undoubtedly value for money.
You want a lot of drawing room There’s a vast amount of drawing room on offer with this drawing display, more than I’ve ever gotten to play with before, and now I’m not sure I can ever go back. Plus, the adjustable stand means that you can make the most of the space in a way that’s most comfortable for you.
Don’t buy it if…
Space is limited This drawing display and its metal stand are a goliath in size and weight. I’m fortunate to have a wider-than-average desk, but even so, it proved to be a tad obstructive. It could also prove a bit too much of a chonk to relocate regularly, so a designated space would be ideal.
You want something that can be relocated with ease It’s quite unlikely one would purchase a 24-inch drawing display with a mind to commute with it, but even if it’s a case of moving it on and off a desk, it could prove a little exhausting. A better option would be the aforementioned Xencelabs Pen Display 16, which is not only lighter but comes with a handy carry case, too.
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: also consider
Xencelabs Pen Display 24 The (current) top spot holder in our pick of the best drawing tablets, Xencelabs 24-inch pen display received a glowing five-star rating when we tested it thanks to its fantastic performance, build quality, and accessories. It’s a well-balanced pen display that is perfect for professionals and aspiring digital artists, proving an accessible asset thanks to its affordable price.
Xencelabs Pen Display 16 If you need a tablet that won’t be a space invader and can plausibly carry about, the 4.5-star rated Xencelabs Pen Display 16 would make a great choice. Like XPPen, Xencelabs provides everything needed to get started, along with a convenient carry case. Easy to use with a stunning display and highly customizable controls, this is the perfect alternative if you don’t have the space to spare.
(Image credit: Future)
XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K review: how I tested
I spent many hours drawing on the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K over one week
I used it for photo editing and drawing using Affinity software
I tested for parallax, lag, and jittering, and created some graphic script using various brushes for linework and texture.
During my week testing the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K, I tested the ease of setup and usability. I did some photo editing on Affinity Photo, and did lots of experimenting with different settings and tools on Affinity Designer, using my favorites to draw some lettering and add texture. I also tested how the Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K handled other tasks such as locating and previewing files in Finder and opening different file types.
I performed line tests to check for jitter and lag and tested the tilt angle and pressure sensitivity to get a feel for how responsive and realistic the drawing experience was. I also compared the XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 4K and its accessories against previous pen displays I’ve tested, as well as its specs against equivalent products on the market.
In terms of experience, I've used many a drawing tablet over the years, right back to when they were teeny-tiny pads with flimsy plastic pens. I've also had a couple of decades of experience with Affinity (formerly known as Serif), Creative Cloud software, and plenty of programs in between.
The Technet Laptop Cooling Pad is an inexpensive cooling solution for any heavy-duty tasks you throw at your laptop, whether you’re gaming or rendering 3D animation. It rocks two fans capable of up to 1800rpm and is compatible with laptops up to 17 inches.
As those fans would suggest, the Technet Laptop Cooling Pad offers genuinely impressive cooling. The baseline 3D Mark Stress Test I ran on our Acer Predator Helios 300 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 saw its temperature rise from 20.2°C to 52.1°C, an increase of 31.9°C. With the Tecknet running at its highest output, our gaming laptop hit a high of 41.8°C, a much more modest warming of 17.9°C. That’s one of the best results I’ve seen in my testing so far.
With this kind of cooling, you’d expect some pretty serious fan noise from the Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad. However, in my experience it wasn't too disruptive – while the noise was noticeable, it didn’t distract from the tunes I was listening to.
And this was borne out by empirical testing – 10 minutes into the stress test, I measured the noise levels from three inches away and the combined noise of the cooling pad and laptop was quieter at 58dB than the 60dB benchmark of the laptop’s fans working alone. At my head height (21 inches away), this evened out a little, registering a little louder at 45dB combined compared to 42dB alone. Still, this rivals some of the best laptop cooling pads.
The Tecknet felt comfortable to use. The ergonomics were just right for me, with its angle allowing me to comfortably rest my wrists without any flexion or extension.
Speaking purely aesthetically, its looks are perhaps a little on the basic side – it’s essentially just made of textured matt plastic and a grille over the fans. You won’t see them most of the time, but when in use the fans are lit by a subtle blue light, which I think looks a bit more classy than some of the flamboyant RGB lighting its rivals opt for. One slight worry I do have, though, is the textured grips that hold your laptop in place. While my laptop didn’t slip around too much during testing, I have concerns about how well they’ll keep one in place during extra vigorous gaming sessions.
Ultimately, though, I can’t argue with the results. Despite being toward the cheaper end of the spectrum at $19.99 / £19.99, the Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad offers seriously decent performance, even if it doesn't look quite as fancy as more stereotypically gaming-focused cooling solutions. All in all, it's definitely worth the spend if your biggest priority is shaving off those degrees for as little dough as possible.
(Image credit: Future)
Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad review: specs
(Image credit: Future)
Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad review: price and availability
Released August 18, 2015
MSRP of $29.99 / £24.99
The Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad first went on sale on August 18, 2015, and is still available now. It retails for an MSRP of $29.99 / £24.99, but there are plenty of deals out there. It’s currently on sale for $26.99 on Amazon US, while you can buy it direct from Tecknet in the UK for just £12.49, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for bargains.
There aren’t many different options available, with most retailers only offering it with blue lighting and detailing. However, Amazon US does currently offer it with red lighting and highlights, so if that’s more your bag, it’s worth snapping that option up.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad?
Buy it if…
You want impressive cooling Able to keep our testing laptop a full 14°C cooler even during a 3D stress test, this cooling pad is seriously frosty. It should go a long way to stop your laptop overheating, even during the most demanding gaming sessions.
You want reduced noise Thanks to those ultra-quiet fans, this cooling doesn’t come at the cost of loads of noise. In fact, the Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad seems to be no louder than our testing laptop’s built-in fans.
Don’t buy it if…
You want souped-up gaming aesthetics If you want psychedelic RGB lighting and the sharp, angular geometry typical of most gaming equipment, you might be disappointed here. The Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad has understated blue lighting and is made of relatively basic materials, so it’s more for cooling than drooling over.
You want to ensure your laptop will stay put Unlike some cooling pads with physical rests for keeping your laptop in place, the Tecknet only offers some textured grips. These are not a guarantee your laptop won’t slip during vigorous gaming sessions.
Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad review: also consider
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad The TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad looks stunning, with its vibrant RGB lighting and quality build, while the braces at its bottom end keep your laptop firmly in place. It didn’t quite manage to keep up with the Tecknet’s cooling in our test, allowing our laptop to warm up by 22.8°C, but it was just as quiet. If you’re willing to spend $29.99 / £29.77, this will definitely earn you some extra style points.
How I tested the Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad
Tested it over several days
Used a thermal camera to measure temperature difference before and after test
Used a sound level meter to measure fan noise 10 minutes into test
I spent several days testing and using the Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad. I ran it through several standardized benchmarks that we use for all laptop cooling pads. I checked the temperature of the hottest point of our Acer Predator Helios 300 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 testing laptop using a handheld thermal camera, ran a 15-minute 3DMark Stress Test with the cooling pad on its highest setting, then checked its temperature again.
To test the noise it generated, I used a sound level meter to check the noise generated 10 minutes into the test both with the laptop alone and with the laptop cooler running. I tested this from three inches to get an accurate reading of the noise generated, as well as from my head height to gain a reading of how loud it will sound in practice.
In terms of my experience, I’ve been a committed gamer and laptop user for over 30 years, and I’ve been covering tech and gadgets as a journalist for well over a decade.
The basic notion of a 4K gaming monitor based on Samsung's QD-OLED panel tech isn't new. But for 2025, it's been shrunk down from 32 inches to 27 inches. We give you the new Alienware 27 AW2725Q QD-OLED.
The new 27-inch version of Samsung's QD-OLED panel delivers the latest five-layer tandem OLED structure. However, apart from high pixel density, the rest of the specs look very familiar, including the 250-nit full-screen brightness, 0.03ms response and 240Hz refresh rate.
This monitor also debuts Alienware's new design language. Dubbed "AW30" and supposedly inspired by extraterrestrial phenomena and the Aurora Borealis, the reality is a lot of dark blue plastic, soft, curved shapes, plus the signature RGB-lit alien head logo.
However, if this isn't physically the most exciting looking monitor known to mankind, the new high-DPI OLED panel promises to be spectacular. Time to find out what it's actually like and where it ranks among the best gaming monitors in 2025.
Where can you get it? Available in the US with UK and Australia following in April
At $899, the Alienware 27 AW2725Q is currently $200 cheaper than Alienware's own 32-inch 4K OLED, the AW3225QF. That means there's some savings to be had from the smaller form factor.
However, that's only true within the Alienware ecosystem, as there are 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitors using exactly the same panel as the 32-inch AW3225QF for pretty much exactly the same price as this 27-inch model.
Moreover, this remains an extremely expensive display for a mere 27-inch monitor. If pixel density is an absolute top priority, then it might just make sense. Otherwise, a 32-inch QD-OLED for similar money is surely more appealing. And if you really don't care about pixel density, 34-inch and even 49-inch ultrawides can again be had for a similar sticker price.
Alienware 27 AW2725Q QD-OLED: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Aside from debuting Samsung's 27-inch 4K QD-OLED tech, the Alienware 27 AW2725Q is also rolling out Alienware's new AW30 design language. Alienware says it is "crafted to evoke a sense of mystery and transcendence." Frankly, that's a tiny bit hyperbolic.
Not that the Alienware 27 AW2725Q is a bad looking display. But the new AW30 design language isn't a comprehensive success. In this iteration, AW30 translates into mostly dark blue plastic that's infused with just a hint of metallic fleck. The shapes and design flourishes are soft and organic with a slightly dated 90s vibe.
(Image credit: Future)
Indeed, the signature RGB-lit alien head logo on the rear is the only obvious carry over from the previous Alienware aesthetic which, in all candour, we prefer. Overall, the look and feel isn't especially impactful or premium.
That said, it is well enough built and the AW2725Q boasts a fully adjustable stand and good ergonomics. What's more, for the most part those design considerations only apply to the rear of this monitor, which you generally aren't looking at. Up front, the slim bezels on three sides of the QD-OLED panel and glossy panel coating ensure it looks bang up to date.
Alienware 27 AW2725Q QD-OLED: Features
(Image credit: Future)
The star of the show is the new 27-inch 4K Samsung QD-OLED panel. It boasts Samsung's latest five-layer tandem OLED structure. In larger panel formats, it helps to increase brightness, but the very small pixels of this high-density display mean that brightness is essentially the same as previous QD-OLEDs.
Specs like the 240Hz refresh and 0.03ms response are likewise dead ringers for existing 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitors. So, the main attraction here on paper is the 166DPI pixel density, which is far higher than the 109DPI of, say, a 27-inch 1440p monitor.
(Image credit: Future)
Elsewhere, this isn't the most highly specified monitor when it comes to connectivity. You do get both two HDMI 2.1 ports, plus DisplayPort 1.4, all of which will do the full 240Hz refresh rate. But there's no USB-C input and thus no facility for docking a laptop with this monitor and keeping it charged.
Still, there is a USB hub which you can hook up to your PC, which offers three USB-A and one USB-C downstream ports. For the record, the Alienware 27 AW2725Q is also covered by Dell's Three-year Advanced Exchange Service warranty which includes cover for OLED burn-in.
Rounding things out as you'd expect from this class of gaming display, there's support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, plus Alienware Command Center, which is a Windows app that allows you to control some functionality from within Windows.
Alienware 27 AW2725Q QD-OLED: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
When this new class of 27-inch K QD-OLED was announced, it was pretty exciting, what with it using Samsung's latest five-layer tandem OLED tech. In practice, that aspect arguably underwhelms.
Not that the OLEDness here is anything less that you'd expect. Rather, it looks just like what you'd expect in terms of full screen brightness and peak HDR sizzle. This screen isn't a step on in that regard.
So, full screen brightness is adequate rather than excellent. That said, HDR performance in darker game scenes is just fantastic. There's a nighttime scene in Cyberpunk 2077 located on a gantry by a rocket that is the perfect illustration.
You get great detail in the shadows right next to the fluorescent light fittings that pop out with such intensity and precision. The glossy screen coating only enhances that sense of epic contrast. No LCD-based display comes even close, not even those with full-array local dimming.
(Image credit: Future)
Outdoor game scenes are less impressive, albeit still pretty good. Then there's the lightning fast pixel response. In fact, response is essentially a solved problem with these OLED monitors. The 240Hz refresh rate makes for very fluid visuals, too, plus excellent input latency. Of course, you'll need one heck of a graphics card to drive modern games at 4K, even with upscaling. But if you've got one, you'll love this monitor.
But what of the other key benefit, that high pixel density? On the Windows desktop, fonts look super crisp and sharp, despite the OLED panel's non-standard triangular pixel substructure. But in game? Honestly, there's not much subjective benefit compared to a 32-inch 4K OLED. And of course this screen is smaller and less immersive. If space is at a premium, then this 27-inch form factor is a clear benefit over a 32-inch option. Otherwise, we'd go 32-inch for the larger, more cinematic experience.
On a pair of final related notes, another area where this new-gen QD-OLED panel is essentially the same as previous generations is the purplish tinge to the panel itself in really bright ambient light. It slightly detracts from the sense of contrast and, again only slightly, undermines black levels. It's not a deal breaker, but is worth being aware of.
The other related issue is the color balance marginally tilted towards warmth. Again, it's not a major issue and for most people you'd barely notice it first and then quickly adjust to it if you have. But those who knowingly and clearly prefer a monitor with a truly neutral color temperature, it might be problematic.
Alienware 27 AW2725Q QD-OLED: Specs
Should I buy the Alienware 27 AW2725Q QD-OLED?
Buy it if...
You want a high-DPI OLED experience
At last, OLED panel tech is available with really good pixel density thanks to this new class of 27-inch 4K QD-OLED monitors.View Deal
You love HDR sizzle
When it comes to HDR visuals, no LCD monitor comes close to the high-contrast experience on offer from an OLED monitor with a glossy panel coating.View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You want stellar value
$899 for a 27-inch monitor is masses, even for one this good. That's especially true when a 32-inch 4K OLED can be had for the same price.View Deal
You like large, cinematic visuals
Here in 2025, a 27-inch monitor isn't exactly massive. For a really immersive experience, a 32-inch 4K model would be better, as would 34-inch or 49-inch Ultrawides.View Deal
Also Consider
Alienware AW3225QF
This 32-inch 4K QD-OLED is a little more expensive. But then it's larger and more immersive. Uniquely among the 4K 32-inch OLEDs on the market, this monitor is curved.
Hard to believe, but this massive 49-inch QD-OLED monitor isn't all that much more expensive. The pixel density is much lower, but the immersion levels are off the map.
I ran the Alienware 27 AW2725Q QD-OLED as my primary display for a week. I used it for absolutely everything including getting stuff done for work, watching YouTube and movies and, of course, games.
I've reviewed just about every OLED gaming monitor out there, and certainly every panel type, so this new class of 27-inch 4K QD-OLED is particularly interesting. Assessing things like full screen brightness is critical, as is getting to grips with the high-DPI experience.
I was also keen to double check that this new OLED was up to scratch for metrics like pixel response and latency while delivering that signature OLED HDR experience. Checking out Alienware's new design language was intriguing, too.
The MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) is the latest edition of Apple’s large-screen thin and light laptop, launched alongside the smaller MacBook Air 13-inch (M4). Many of us have been waiting for Apple’s most popular laptops to get the powerful M4 chip since it debuted last year with the iPad Pro.
Since then, we’ve had M4 versions of the MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac mini, which has left MacBook Air fans (and there are a lot of them, with the MacBook Air being the most popular Mac product) waiting for their turn.
It’s perhaps understandable that some people might feel like the M4 MacBook Airs are an afterthought, with Apple taking so long to bring its latest chip to its most affordable laptops, but it seems Apple has settled into this release schedule. After all, the M3 MacBook Air (in both 13-inch and 15-inch configurations) launched pretty much exactly a year ago, in March 2024.
It seems Apple doesn’t want to get into another controversy by releasing a new MacBook model less than a year after the previous one. It did that with the MacBook Pro M3, which launched around nine months after the MacBook Pro M2, and it got a lot of flak for that.
By spacing the launches out for a year, it’s less likely to annoy people who have bought the previous model, and I get the feeling that Apple’s made the calculation that because the MacBook Air is aimed at a more casual, mainstream audience, there’s less clamor to get the latest and greatest hardware.
To be fair, that’s probably the right call, and no one who has an M3 MacBook Air should feel the need to upgrade to the M4 model. We go into more depth about what the M4 brings to the MacBook Air in our MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review, but this release is more of a refinement than a complete reimagining.
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When a laptop is as good as the MacBook Air (in either size), then that’s no bad thing at all, and if you’re looking for a new laptop, especially coming from a much older MacBook or Windows laptop, then there’s a very good chance that you’ll absolutely love the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4).
With a starting price of $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,099, Apple gave us all a pleasant surprise, as like the 13-inch model, the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) has actually had a price cut, as the base model of the 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 started at $1,299 / £1,399 / AU$2,199.
A better model for less money is fantastic to see, especially these days where things seem to be getting ever more expensive, and I’ve got to give Apple credit for this. One of the best things about the MacBook Air is its affordability compared to laptops of a similar spec, and it’s great to see that Apple understands this.
This lower price does come at some cost, however, as unlike with previous generations, Apple is no longer officially selling any of the older MacBook Airs. When the MacBook Air M2 came out, for example, Apple reduced the price of the M1 model and sold it as a more affordable option, and the same thing happened with the M3 model (the M2 model got a price cut).
Instead, Apple is only selling the M4 models of the new MacBook Airs, so if you want to buy direct from the company, there’s no cheaper option available. However, third party retailers will continue to sell older MacBook Airs as they clear their inventory, and we’ve already seen some impressive MacBook Air deals since the announcement of the M4 model.
The base model of the 15-inch MacBook Air comes with the M4 chip with a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage – similar to the base model of the new 13-inch MacBook Air, except the cheapest configuration of the smaller MacBook comes with an 8-core CPU.
Otherwise, in many ways the M4 MacBook Air 15-inch is the same as the 13-inch model, but with a larger screen, and therefore larger overall size. Even the sharpness of the two screens are essentially the same, due to the larger 15.3-inch screen coming with a higher resolution of 2880 x 1864 which works out at 224 pixels per inch, compared to the 13.6-inch screen’s 2560 x 1664 resolution, which also offers 224 pixels per inch.
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This means the screens offer the same level of sharpness, and with the other similarities of the hardware, it really boils down to which screen size you’d prefer. The 15-inch MacBook Air offers a larger screen that some people will find more comfortable to work on, while the 13-inch model’s smaller size will appeal more to people who want a laptop they can rely on while traveling.
One big difference between the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Airs is that the larger MacBook comes with six built-in speakers with force-cancelling woofers, while the smaller laptop makes do with four speakers, and no force-cancelling.
So, the 15-inch MacBook Air with M4 offers a much richer and more immersive sound experience, while the woofers offer deeper bass without shaking or vibrating the MacBook. The sound is certainly impressive considering the thin and light design of the 15-inch MacBook Air – it’s certainly one of the best sounding laptops you can buy, and if audio quality is of the utmost importance to you, then you will likely be better off buying the 15-inch model rather than the 13-inch.
There have also been some slight design tweaks since the last generation of MacBook Airs. The MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) (as with the 13-inch model) now comes with a 12MP Center Stage webcam. When broadcasting, you can move around and the Center Stage camera will keep you in frame (within reason – you can’t move too far). It does a decent job, and the video quality is clean and crisp.
The new webcam also supports Desk View, which cleverly keeps you in shot, while also showing your desk in another shot. This can be useful if you’re demonstrating something to an audience, and previously you’d need two cameras to achieve the same effect – one to shoot you from the front, the second angled to shoot your hands.
While not everyone is going to make use of this feature, it’s pretty clever, and works well. The new webcam also uses the M4 chip to offer machine learning-enhanced video effects such as Studio Light, which adjusts the lighting, brightness and contrast of your footage to give you a more professional look. It’s similar to the Windows Studio Effects tool found in Windows 11 laptops which come with AI-capable processors.
The new M4-powered MacBook Airs also come with a new color choice: Sky Blue. Don’t go thinking this is a vibrant, iMac-like hue, however. It’s a more subtle, metallic color with a hint of blue, and while understated, I do like it (Apple was kind enough to send me a review unit in the new color). The MagSafe charge cable comes in a color that matches the color of the MacBook Air, which is a nice touch.
Overall, the new MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) is an excellent thin and light laptop, and one of the best 15-inch laptops you can currently buy. However, if you have an M3, or even M2, version, there’s not much different that will make you feel the need to upgrade. That’s no particular slight on the M4 chip, but rather a testament to how good the M2 and M3 remain.
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Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review: Price and availability
In a very welcome move, Apple has released the new MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) at a lower price than the M3 model launched at, beginning at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,099, which gives you an M4 chip with a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage.
If you’re a student, then you can get a further price cut which makes the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) much better value, and even without that discount, you’ll be hard pushed to find a 15-inch laptop that offers the same level of performance, design and build quality for a similar price. A recent model of the Dell XPS 15, for example, launched at $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,498.
In fact, the only competition the 15-inch MacBook Air with M4 has is… the 13-inch model, which offers similar levels of performance, but with a smaller screen and fewer built-in speakers, and starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699. As impressed as I am with the price of the 15-inch MacBook Air, I’m not sure the larger screen, better sound and two extra CPU cores justify the extra $200 / £200 / AU$400.
Unlike with previous generations, where Apple continued selling an earlier model as a more affordable option, it’s no longer selling M2 or M3 MacBook Airs, and while third party retailers will continue selling those models whilst stock lasts, the M4 models are now the only option available to buy direct from Apple, which means you have less choice if you want to get a cheaper MacBook.
The good news is that since the launch of the M4 MacBook Airs, we’ve seen some fantastic deals on the older models already.
Price: 4.5 / 5
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review: Specs
Here are the specs for the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) at a glance.
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review: Design
New Sky Blue color
Upgraded webcam
Otherwise same design
Since getting a major design overhaul with the M2 model back in 2022, Apple has pretty much stuck to the same design for its MacBook Air releases, with the 15-inch model essentially looking identical to the 13-inch model – just larger.
This is pretty much true with the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4), which largely keeps the look of the M3 model, but with a few welcome tweaks. The lack of a major new look isn’t too much of an issue, as the design remains stylish and modern.
With dimensions of 0.45 x 13.40 x 9.35 inches (1.15 x 34.04 x 23.76cm) and a weight of 3.3lbs (1.51kg), it remains an impressively slim and light 15-inch laptop, though the smaller dimensions of the 13-inch MacBook Air mean that’s the laptop I’d recommend to people who want the most portable machine.
While some rival laptop makers are putting out stylish and incredibly light laptops, especially LG with its ‘gram’ lineup of laptops, the 15-inch MacBook Air is unmistakably a premium Apple product with a stylish design and solid build quality.
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On the left-hand side are two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a MagSafe 3 charging port (which contains magnets which makes plugging and unplugging the power connector convenient – and protects the MacBook from damage should the cable be yanked out by accident), and on the right-hand side is a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The Thunderbolt 4 ports offer speeds of up to 40Gb/s, and while it would have been nice to have faster Thunderbolt 5 ports, for most people this will be plenty fast enough for transferring large files to and from an external hard drive.
It’s not the best selection of ports, and we’ve seen rival thin and light laptops feature a greater array of ports, such as HDMI, without sacrificing their svelte looks, but at least the inclusion of the MagSafe 3 port means you don’t have to give up one of the Thunderbolt 4 ports when charging (though you can still use a USB-C charger to top up the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4)’s battery if you leave your MagSafe charger at home.
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There have been a few changes to the design, however. For a start, the webcam is now a 12MP Center Stage camera which also offers the Desk View feature, which effectively splits your footage into two – a front-on portrait shot, and a wide angled view of your hands and desk. The image quality is excellent (boosted by the M4 chip), though the divisive ‘notch’ that surrounds the webcam and dips down into the screen remains.
This has been a part of the MacBook Air’s design for three years now, so most people who had a problem with this have likely made peace with its inclusion, and I’ve never had an issue with it, but it’s worth pointing out, especially as there are rival Windows 11 laptops that include just as good a webcam into thin bezels without needing a notch.
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Another very minor design change is with the keyboard. It remains backlit, with a Touch ID button for quickly logging into macOS or confirming Apple Pay payments using a fingerprint, and is comfortable to use (and no longer plagued by stuck keys, which older MacBooks sometimes suffered from). What’s changed, however, is the mute icon on the F10 key, which has changed from a symbol of a speaker to a symbol of a speaker with a line through it.
This might seem like a minor change, but it’s actually one I welcome, as it means the symbol now matches the icon that appears on screen when you mute the sound of the laptop. It also matches what most other devices use as a mute symbol, and also means the mute button and the volume down button (which also has a speaker icon) are less easily confused, as they now look more distinct.
The biggest design change, however, is the new Sky Blue color. Apple sent me the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) in this color, and you’ll be able to see what it looks like in the photos that accompany this review. It’s a subtle, metallic color that means it doesn’t look out of place next to the existing Midnight, Starlight and Silver colors, and while it’s not as vibrant as the iMac colors, it does mean it looks professional, while offering a hint of personality. It’s always nice to see the braided MagSafe cable that’s included in the package match the color of the MacBook Air you choose as well.
Overall, the design of the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) remains stylish, thin and portable. If you’re looking for a 15-inch laptop with a premium look, then you’ll be very happy with the design of this machine.
Design: 4 / 5
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review: Performance
Very good performance
M4 remains impressive
Big leap over Intel Macs
While the design of the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) feels like an iterative update over the previous model, the hardware and performance of the new MacBook Air… also feels like a limited leap rather than a generational one.
In some ways this is to be expected due to Apple’s yearly release schedule for its M-class chips. There’s only so many improvements and refinements you can make, and unlike with an iPhone, you’re unlikely to want to upgrade your laptop every year or so.
What this means is that if you already own an M3-powered MacBook Air, the performance upgrade you’re going to get by moving to the M4 isn’t going to be huge.
This is why in most of Apple’s marketing and documentation for the new MacBook Air 15-inch (M4), the company highlights the performance gains over the 13-inch MacBook Air with an Intel Core i7 processor from around 2020.
According to Apple, the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) offers around 20 times the performance of the Intel MacBook Air in certain tasks. Meanwhile, the difference between the M3 and M4 MacBook Air, according to Apple’s own figures, is much more modest (I’m talking single digit increases).
Having used both the M2 and M3 MacBook Airs extensively, as well as my time testing the M4 MacBook Air, I have to say that there was little noticeable performance difference. Pretty much every app, and the macOS operating system itself, ran smoothly, and almost every major application now supports the Arm-based M4 chip natively, which meant I didn’t need to rely on the Rosetta 2 tool which allows apps designed for Intel Macs to run (which comes with a slight hit to performance).
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Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) benchmarks
Here's how the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) performed in our suite of industry-standard benchmarks and game tests.
Geekbench 6.4: Single - 3,799 Multi - 14,921 Blackmagic Disk Speed Test: Read: 3,012.5MB/s Write: 3,335.1MB/s Cinebench: Single-core - 172 Multi-core - 904 GPU - 3,860 Battery life test: 15 hours 14 minutes
More intensive tasks, such as editing 4K raw footage in Premiere Pro, saw a bigger improvement, but, again, not enough to warrant upgrading from the M3. Most people looking to buy a MacBook Air won’t be performing heavy duty tasks with it, but for day-to-day use, the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) is truly excellent. The efficiency of the M4 chip means that it is also once again fanless, so the MacBook Air remains silent throughout use – a lovely change from many Windows 11 laptops that like to whirr up their fans seemingly at the drop of a hat.
The screen remains excellent, with bright, vivid colors, though an increasing number of competitors, such as the Asus Vivobook S 15 Copilot+ threaten to beat Apple here with support for OLED screen technology which makes a huge difference to image quality. We’re also seeing an increasing number of 4K laptops that offer sharper resolutions as well.
That’s not to say that the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4)’s screen is bad – far from it – but rivals are catching up fast at this price point. A new feature with the M4 chip is that the MacBook Air can now support two external displays at once, while also powering its built-in screen as well – a welcome tweak that people who like to use multiple monitors at once will be very pleased with.
Where the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) remains a leader in its class is with the audio. Watching shows and movies in Apple TV+ looked good, but sounded even better thanks to the six-speaker sound system offers a depth and clarity that other thin and light laptops can’t match. In movies especially, the six speakers offer a wide soundstage, with sound effects coming from either side of the screen. Apple also talks up the spatial audio abilities of the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4)’s speakers, and while it doesn’t compare to my physical Dolby Atmos home theatre setup, there are still moments of impressive immersion as the sound envelops you. Considering the slimline design of the 15-inch MacBook Air, this is very impressive.
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What does disappoint, slightly, is that Apple has stuck with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless networking and peripheral connections, two last-gen technologies that lack some of the features and performance that Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 offer.
Overall, the performance of the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) is superb for the price, and if you’re coming from an Intel-based MacBook, or even a traditional Windows 11 laptop, then you’re going to be very impressed with what the new MacBook Air offers.
However, if you already have an M2 or M3 MacBook Air, I don’t think there’s enough of a performance leap to justify upgrading just yet – and I’d recommend holding out for the (almost) inevitable M5-powered MacBook Air which could land sometime next year.
Performance: 4 / 5
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review: Battery life
Apple promises 18 hours
We found it lasted over 15 hours
Slightly longer battery life than the 13-inch model
Ever since Apple switched from Intel hardware to its own Arm-based M-series chips, I’ve been incredibly impressed with the power efficiency of the MacBook Air. Even when performing complex tasks, the performance of the new MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) didn’t drop when on battery power (some laptops will throttle performance to prolong battery life), and in our battery life benchmark tests, it easily cleared 15 hours of continuous use.
This means you can confidently use the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) for several work days without worrying about plugging it in – something I did myself while testing.
Because of the bigger body, Apple has added a larger battery to the 15-inch MacBook Air compared to the 13-inch model, and this resulted in a slightly longer battery life for the 15-inch MacBook Air, though the extra energy needed to power the larger screen means there’s not a huge amount in it.
Battery: 4.5 / 5
Should you buy the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4)?
Buy it if...
You want a 15-inch laptop Apple has done it again, and the new MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) is the best 15-inch laptop you can buy.
You want a laptop that lasts several work days The battery life of this laptop is excellent, and you should be able to use it over several work days on a single charge.
You have an Intel-based MacBook If you have an old Intel-based MacBook, then the new M4 MacBook Air will offer a tremendous upgrade.
Don't buy it if...
You have an M2 or M3 MacBook While the M4 chip is a great performer, you don't need to upgrade if you have an M2 or M3 MacBook, as the leap isn't quite worth it.
You prefer Windows 11 As you'd expect, the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) runs macOS, Apple's own operating system. If you want to stick with Windows 11, look elsewhere.
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4): Also consider
Mac mini (M4) Like the sound of the M4 chip, but want something cheaper? The Mac mini from late 2024 is a great, affordable choice that comes with the same M4 hardware that the 15-inch MacBook Air has. It's a desktop PC, however, so it's not as portable.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) The 13-inch MacBook Air has also got an M4 makeover, and offers very similar performance but in a smaller form factor, making it a great choice if you want a more easily portable laptop to travel with.
I've used the MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) over the past week as my main work laptop, writing most of this review on it, as well as browsing the web, attending meetings via video call and running our suite of benchmarks. I also played around with video and photo editing during my time with the laptop. I've been reviewing MacBooks for TechRadar for well over a decade, and have extensively used and tested all models of Apple's M-series chips.
How do you make the best MacBook, and arguably one of the best laptops on the market, better? You could redesign it, but that’s a move fraught with potential downsides; if the current design is popular, you risk disenfranchising fans. In that case, making small changes, especially under-the-hood ones, is probably the smart move, and it’s clearly Apple’s strategy.
The MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) is virtually indistinguishable from the M3 model. Apple has left the exquisite keyboard and responsive trackpad untouched, and the same goes for the brilliant Liquid Retina display. The 2.7lbs. weight is unchanged, and even the two Thunderbolt 4 ports are essentially the same. Visually, the only thing that's new is a new color option, and the Sky Blue finish is a subtle hue that can, depending on the light, look almost gray, but a second glance always reveals that pleasing almost pastel-like azure. It’s a color that should sell out fast.
The other two significant changes are to the hardware. Replacing the FaceTime camera is the new 12MP Center Stage Camera. It’s an ultra-wide lens in a screen notch that can keep you in the frame during video calls, and it’s a nice-to-have though not earth-shattering update.
There’s also the M4 chip, which adds cores and performance over the M3 Apple silicon it replaces. Like the M3, this is a fast, efficient, 3-nanometer chip with plenty of headroom for AAA gaming, video editing, music creation and, of course, Apple Intelligence.
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From one perspective, the biggest upgrade might be in the value space. Apple doubled the base memory from 8GB of unified memory to 16GB while reducing the price to $999 / £999 / AU$1,699. That’s a shocking, and very welcome, turn of events. The best MacBook is now back to its pre–MacBook Air M3 price, and better value because of it.
It really is hard to find any fault with the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4). It’s lightweight, attractive, powerful, easy to use, and up for anything. I gamed, streamed video, browsed the web, answered email, texted friends, conducted FaceTime calls, edited video, practiced guitar, and wrote this review on it. I’m not concerned about the lack of design changes, and I like the new color, the Center Stage Camera, and especially the price. I would not be surprised to see the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) rise to the very top of our best laptops list.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review: Price and availability
Starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699
Lower launch price than the discontinued M3 model
M2 and M3 models no longer on the Apple Store, but M2 MacBooks can be found at third-party retailers
Rarely do I get to write about a price drop for a new product that arrives with feature enhancements. Usually, we get the same or sometimes a little less for the money. That is not the case with the MacBook Air 13-inch M4.
Even though Apple hasn't radically refreshed its best MacBook, the updates in performance, memory, and video conferencing, plus a new color, hit all the right notes – and when paired with a now $100 (in the US) lower price, they have me singing a happy tune.
Funnily enough, the first 3lb MacBook Air – the one that slid out of a manilla envelope in 2008 – cost $1,799. It would take a few years for it to hit that $999 sweet spot, which it maintained until recently.
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Sometimes that $999 got you a lower-end Intel Core I, but in the age of Apple silicon we’re getting great performance and efficiency at an excellent price.
The MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) comes in three base configurations. If you upgrade to the $1,199 / £1,199 model the GPU gets a bump from eight to 10 cores, and the storage doubles to 512GB. Go for the $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,399 top-tier model and the base unified memory is increased from 16GB to 24GB, and you can get up to 2TB of storage. Whichever option you go for, you can upgrade the RAM to 32GB.
It’s available in the new Sky Blue (like my 256GB review unit), Midnight, Starlight, and Silver. Apple has discontinued Space Gray (for now).
Apple unveiled the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) on March 5, 2025, and the laptop starts shipping on March 12.
Price score: 4.5/5
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review: Specs
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) comes in three pre-configured options.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review: Design
No major redesign
Sky Blue is subtle but attractive
Excellent construction, materials, keyboard, and trackpad
There are still some who mourn the passing of the original MacBook Air’s wedge design, the one that started at a more than half inch (1.61 cm) at one end and ended at 0.16 inches (4.064mm) at the other. That design remains so popular that the M1 model featuring it is still a top seller at Walmart.
I’ve moved on. The MacBook Air M4 is just 2.7lbs / 1.24kg, and at 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches / 30.41 x 21.5 x 1.13cm, is thinner than the OG MacBook Air was at its thickest point. This is a laptop that's built for your backpack and, yes, it’s light enough that you might forget it’s there.
Everything about the MacBook Air M4 feels premium. The 100% recycled aluminum enclosure is light but solid and has all the exacting tolerances Apple is known for. It’s a finely machined, eye-catching piece of hardware, and few laptops can match its elegance.
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The backlit keyboard is an absolute pleasure to type on, and has remarkable travel and response for such a thin design. It includes all your function keys and a multipurpose power / sleep / Touch ID button that’s useful for unlocking the MacBook Air and logging into various apps and services with your registered fingertips.
I do prefer the Microsoft Surface Laptop’s Windows Hello feature, which lets you log on using your face in much the way you do with Face ID on any of the best iPhones, although I don’t have to touch anything because I set the MacBook Air to unlock automatically with my Apple Watch.
While Apple hasn't redesigned the keyboard, there is one small change that you might not notice at first glance: the mute key now features a speaker icon with a line through it, which matches what you see on-screen when you press the key. It's a small but clarifying change.
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There’s ample room to rest your palms, and the glass-covered multi-touch trackpad is huge and responsive.
Ports and other elements are unchanged from the last two MacBook Air generations. There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left side with up to 40GBps of throughput and which are capable of driving two external screens, even with the MacBook Air lid open. Next to those is the MagSafe charging port, and on the right side is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
The four-speaker stereo sound system is hidden in the hinge below the display. It can fill a room with bright, crisp audio, although it mostly lacks bass (the 15-inch model offers a 6-speaker sound system with force-cancelling sound woofers).
Design score: 4.5/5
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review: Display and Center Stage
With one exception, the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air’s display is identical to the last generation. It’s still a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina panel with 2560 x 1664 resolution and 500 nits of sustained brightness, which in my experience is viewable in direct sunlight, and support for one billion colors. It’s a fantastic display for everything from gaming to streaming to content creation.
There is a notch at the top for the camera, but most apps do not wrap around that cutout, and it’s not distracting on the desktop.
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The notch also contains the new 12MP Center Stage Camera. The idea here is that the lens is an ultra-wide camera, but for the purposes of video conferencing it crops to an undistorted rectangle. Then, as you move around, the frame moves around to keep you in the frame. If you like to get up and walk around, or people walk in and out of the video conversation, this can be tremendously useful, and it worked well for me as long as I didn't stray too far out of frame. If you need the camera to stay still (as I do when I use the 1080p camera to go on TV), you can easily turn Center Stage off.
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Compared to Microsoft’s excellent Surface Laptop 7, the screen is missing one feature: touch. I used Surface laptops for years, and I did enjoy being able to touch and even draw on the display with a dedicated Bluetooth pen. Apple has steadfastly resisted introducing touch on its MacBook line – and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs didn’t think it made sense. If you require that kind of multipurpose device, you may want to consider the M4 iPad Pro 13-inch plus a Magic Keyboard.
Display score: 4.5/5
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review: macOS and Apple Intelligence
macOS Sequoia is a rich, deep, and well-organized platform
Everything is well integrated into Apple's wider ecosystem
Apple Intelligence can be useful, but it's not yet compelling
With macOS Sequoia, Apple has built one of the most consistent and stable desktop platforms on the planet. It virtually never crashes, and it’s full of useful features.
The latest version is mostly a refinement of the platform, but if it’s been a while since you’ve upgraded you will notice feature enhancement like better widgets and window-management tools, the excellent new Passwords app, and audio transcription on Notes.
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What’s more, macOS makes excellent use of the M4’s power.
At one point I ran Garage Band, and I was pleased to discover that not only could I use the MacBook Air to tune my guitar, but it could also tell me if I was playing my chords correctly. I also used Pixelmator Pro image and video editor (now owned by Apple) to effortlessly apply complex masks.
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Of course, the big news on the software side is Apple Intelligence, Apple’s own brand of AI, which is supported by the M4’s 16-core neural engine.
It enables features like Image Playground, which lets you imagine wild scenes that can include representations of you and others from your Photos library. It’s good fun, but I still struggle to see the utility, and I wonder when Apple will offer a more open-range image-generation platform, one that enables me to describe a complex scene in a prompt and get a result. Most Windows laptops running Copilot can do this.
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Writing Tools, which is available in Apple's native text composition apps like Notes and Mail, is useful, especially if you struggle to write clear, cogent sentences. It's of limited utility to me.
Similarly, Siri got a few nice upgrades, like the ability to respond to text prompts and better handle broken speech patterns, but it's still unable to carry on longer conversations or learn anything about you, and you still can't use it to comprehensively control your MacBook. What’s worse is that promised updates to Siri that would have made it a more able competitor to ChatGPT and Gemini have failed to materialize. At least Siri can now tap into ChatGPT (if you allow it) for more complex queries.
Safari is an excellent browser, but I still find myself using Chrome.
Software score: 4/5
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review: Performance
M4 has more CPU cores than the M3 that preceded it
Ample power
Decent but not massive performance upgrade
Excellent platform and increasing Apple Intelligence capabilities
Benchmarks
Here’s how the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
Geekbench 6.2.2 Single-Core: 3679; Multi-Core: 14430 Geekbench Metal score (8-core GPU): 48515 Cinebench 2024 Single-core: 165; Multi-core: 652 Battery life (web surfing): 14 hours 51 minutes, and 59 seconds
For comparison, here’s how the MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
Ever since Apple switched from Intel to Apple silicon we’ve seen significant gains in performance and efficiency. The power of these lightweight laptops and the M-class chips can appear limitless, and all-day battery life is now usually a given.
Of course, the world has not stood still. Some Windows laptops are now arriving with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, and these ultraportables often nearly match Apple silicon for performance and battery life.
The M4 10-core CPU and 8-Core GPU backed by 16GB of unified memory inside my test system generally outperformed the X Elite on single-core scores but are now matched for multi-core performance.
These are just numbers of course, and I prefer to rely on real-world performance. In my tests, the MacBook Air 13 and its M4 chip handled everything I threw at it. It can be difficult to stress out the system – I played the AAA game Lies of Pi at maximum settings and it was smooth as butter, thanks no doubt in part to the new Game Mode that optimizes performance for gaming.
I highly recommend getting a controller (I use one designed for the Xbox), but regardless, the new MacBook Air offers a great gaming experience with thrilling, smooth graphics, and excellent sound.
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
I often ran the game alongside multiple background apps, including Final Cut Pro. I had no trouble editing four 4K 30fps streams at once, but when I loaded up four 4K 120fps clips, I did notice some stuttering on video playback, although as this is not a considerably more expensive MacBook Pro, that doesn’t concern me.
I noticed in my benchmarking that the Metal Score on the MacBook Air M3 was slightly higher than that of the M4 system, but that’s because I had a 10-core GPU on the older MacBook and just an eight-core GPU on the new M4 system. You can, as I noted earlier in the price section, pay a bit more for the two extra cores. It’s worth noting, though, that the differences in performance between the M3 10 Core and M4 8-Core GPU were minimal.
The system supports WiFi 6e and Bluetooth 5.3, which is good, if not entirely forward-leaning – I'd like to see WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review: Battery life
14 hours battery life (web activities)
Effectively lasts all day (mixed use)
Charges to 50% in 90 minutes; 100% in three hours
Apple is promising up to 18 hours of battery life from the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4), which is mostly a test of how long the laptop can play 1080p video for; for comparison, Microsoft promises 20 hours from its Surface Laptop 7 for a similar task. The MacBook Air 13 M4’s real-world battery life numbers will vary significantly when performing a mix of sometimes CPU-intensive tasks.
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(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
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(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
In my tests, which included playing games (which made the base of the laptop quite warm), editing video, opening multiple browser windows and streaming video, battery life came in around eight hours. That’s quite good for a hard day of work, and especially for such a thin and light laptop. In our Future Labs test, which is primarily web browsing, the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) managed 14 hours, 51 minutes, which is about 30 minutes longer than the M3 but for slightly different tasks.
Overall, you're getting good, all-day battery life, but your experience will vary based on the tasks you perform.
After I drained the laptop to zero, I recharged it with the included 30W charger (the more expensive 24GB model comes with a 35W charger) and (matching Sky Blue) woven MagSafe charger to 50% in 90 minutes, and 100% in three-and-a-half hours.
Battery score: 5/5
Should you buy the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)?
Buy it if...
You want the best ultraportable experience The MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) might look the same as last year's model, but it's a definite upgrade – and that price makes it a winner.
You like your laptops thin and light At 0.44 inches / 1.13cm thick and just 2.7lbs /1.24kg, the new 13-inch Air is a perfect backpack companion.
You need a good blend of power and efficiency The MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) packs more than enough power for most users and you can bank on all-day battery life.
Don't buy it if...
You want a touchscreen Apple may never introduce a touchscreen MacBook. For that, look to the Surface Laptop, or an iPad Pro paired with a Magic Keyboard.
You want more AI Apple Intelligence is showing promise, but it still pales in comparison to what you'll find on some Windows Laptops with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review: Also consider
If our Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) The MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) is virtually the same as the 13-inch model in every aspect except size (and screen size), but the base model does start with two extra GPU cores. It also gets a price reduction compared to the M3 model, so if screen real estate matters to you, this is the MacBook Air to go for.
Dell XPS 13 Plus Its thin and light design, stunning OLED screen, great sound quality, and comfortable keyboard make this a premium Windows 11 laptop that in many ways rivals the MacBook Air. However, it’s prone to overheating, and the touch bar is divisive.
I used the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) for five days
I worked, played, listened, edited, and wrote this review on it
I usually ran multiple apps at once
After receiving my MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review unit I immediately unboxed it and began testing, and it did not leave my side for much of the next five days.
I ran benchmarks, installed multiple apps, and then began using it to edit images and video, play AAA games, listen to music, stream movies and shows, answer email, browse the web, and generate words and images with Apple Intelligence.
I've been reviewing technology for over 30 years, and I've tested everything from DOS-based word processors to Apple's Vision Pro. I've reviewed laptops of all stripes, including traditional clamshells and convertibles. I regularly work on macOS but also use the Windows platform almost every day – I like to keep my hands in all the ecosystems.
Apple’s announcement of a new Mac Studio for 2025 took a lot of people by surprise. While many of us had assumed (correctly) that Apple was gearing up to announce new M4-powered MacBook Airs, few were expecting a new Mac Studio.
That’s understandable – by its very nature, the Mac Studio is a product that's aimed at a more niche market than a thin and light laptop. Mac Studio devices are powerful, professional-grade computers that offer a level of performance that was once only found in Mac Pro desktop PCs, but built into a stylish and compact body that looks like a super-sized (yet still small) Mac mini.
The latest Mac Studio continues that tradition. The design keeps the iconic (and technically impressive, considering the hardware) compact look of previous Mac Studios, with dimensions of 3.7 x 7.7 x 7.7 inches (9.5 x 19.7 x 19.7cm) and a weight starting at 6.1lbs / 2.74kg. It’s a device that would look at home in any modern office or studio, and its size means it can be easily installed, and moved, wherever and whenever you want.
You are, however, missing out on the modular and upgradable nature of desktop PCs. You won’t be able to swap out the GPU or increase the internal storage in a few year’s time – two upgrades which are relatively simple with traditional PCs.
That said, for many people one of the upsides of buying a Mac is that they don't need to fiddle around with internal components, and a lack of upgradability is a small price to pay for a compact device that's well-built and works dependably. And, depending on the configuration options you choose when buying your Mac Studio, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to upgrade for a long, long time.
The new Mac Studio comes with a choice of two chips – one that was expected, and one that has come as quite a surprise.
(Image credit: Future)
The base model of the new Mac Studio features the M4 Max chip – the same chip that debuted late last year in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. There’s no option to have the standard M4 or M4 Pro chips, which is in line with Apple’s pitching the Mac Studio at power users and professionals who need the very highest levels of performance. If your requirements (and budget – I’ll get to prices in a moment) are more modest, then the aforementioned MacBook Pros will be better picks; or if you want a desktop PC, then the brilliant Mac mini from last year will do the trick, and can be configured with either an M4 or M4 Pro chip.
According to Apple, the Mac Studio with M4 Max offers 1.6x faster image processing in Adobe Photoshop compared to the Mac Studio with M1 Max, and 2.1x faster code compilation in Xcode. Video transcoding in the Compressor app is claimed to be 1.2x faster, and video processing in Topaz Video AI 1.6x faster.
While any speed increase that makes workloads faster is welcome, those aren’t mind-blowing numbers, so most people using the now three-year-old Mac Studio (M1 Max) won’t feel any pressing need to upgrade to the M4 Max model, and that will be even more true for owners of the Mac Studio (M2 Max). Apple hasn’t supplied performance comparisons for that model, but you’d imagine the differences are even smaller. That said, you could argue that this speaks to the longevity of these devices, and the high price tag and lack of upgradability of the new Mac Studio becomes easier to swallow if it’s still going strong in 2028 and you have no need or desire to upgrade it.
As with previous M-class releases, the real leap in performance comes when comparing the Mac Studio with M4 Max to an Intel-based Mac, which Apple stopped producing in 2020 with the launch of the M1 chip.
Again according to Apple, you’re getting around 3x the performance with the Mac Studio M4 Max compared to a 27-inch iMac with an Intel Core i9 CPU, with Topaz Video AI processing seeing up to 5x faster video rendering. These are all vague performance promises by Apple, so take them with a grain of salt and refer instead to our benchmark tests below, where you'll be able to see just how well the new Mac Studio performs. Still, taking Apple’s claims as hints of the kind of performance the new Mac Studio is capable of suggests that people using Intel-based Macs will see the biggest benefit from upgrading.
Apple also surprised us by announcing an even more powerful Mac Studio, powered by the brand-new M3 Ultra chip. The reason why this is particularly surprising, and potentially confusing, is that the M3 Ultra is, as the name suggests, based on the previous generation M3 chip architecture, rather than the newer M4.
As with previous Ultra chips, the M3 Ultra is made up of two Max chips (in this case, two M3 Max chips), which are connected via an ultra-fast bridge to turn them into a single, extremely powerful, chip.
So, while you’re getting up to a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 128GB unified memory, 546GB/s memory bandwidth, and 16-core Neural Engine with the M4 Max, the M3 Ultra offers up to a 32-core CPU, 80-core GPU, 512GB unified memory, 819GB/s memory bandwidth, and 32-core Neural Engine.
(Image credit: Future)
Essentially, even with previous-gen tech (the M3 Max was launched in October 2023), the M3 Ultra blows past the M4 Max. Apple hasn’t explained why it went with M3 rather than M4 as the base, though there have been suggestions that the M4 Max lacks the high-speed bridge (known as UltraFusion) needed to combine two of the chips into an M4 Ultra. However, we also heard similar rumors about the M3 Max, and that has been proven to be incorrect with the announcement of the M3 Ultra.
The M3 architecture has seen a few additions with the M3 Ultra, which makes it able to compete feature-wise with the M4 Max. The M3 Ultra now supports Thunderbolt 5 USB-C ports and speeds of up to 120Gbps, and supports up to 512GB of unified memory, both upgrades over the M3 Max.
So, currently, the most powerful Apple silicon is not an M4 chip, but an M3 chip, and that could be a bit confusing – as such, I’m pleased that Apple is being transparent about the M3 Ultra being based on M3 Max chips, rather than fudging the naming conventions to call it an M4 Ultra.
While the Mac Studio with M4 Max will offer performance that most people might not ever need, the M3 Ultra Mac Studio goes even further, promising to offer the kind of performance that will only be needed by large enterprises – think the likes of Pixar when it comes to 3D animation, rather than smaller businesses and individuals, for whom the M4 Max model will likely be more than enough.
Price will also be a factor here, as unsurprisingly these are expensive machines that are professional investments rather than something you’d buy on a whim. The Mac Studio with M4 Max starts at $1,999 / £2,099 / AU$3,499 while the Mac Studio with M3 Ultra starts at $3,999 / £4,199 / AU$6,999 – and these can all be configured to add more power (and cost).
Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra): Price and availability
How much does it cost? M4 Max model starts at $1,999 / £2,099 / AU$3,499
What about the M3 Ultra? M3 Ultra model starts at $3,999 / £4,199 / AU$6,999
When is it available? Available to pre-order now, ships March 12, 2025
Apple announced the new Mac Studio on March 5, 2025, and opened preorders at the same time, with the compact PC going on sale on March 12, 2025 globally.
The base model of the new Mac Studio comes with an M4 Max chip featuring a 14-core CPU, 32-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine, plus 36GB of unified memory and a 512GB SSD, and costs $1,999 / £2,099 / AU$3,499.
This is essentially the same starting price as the previous Apple Mac Studio (M2 Max, though there's a slight price increase for Australian buyers (the M2 Max model cost AU$3,299). It’s good to see launch prices remain the same in the US and UK, and the new Mac Studio remains a lot cheaper than the $6,999 / £7,199 / AU$11,999 Mac Pro, while offering a more compact design and similar, if not better, performance.
The more powerful M3 Ultra model of the new Mac Studio, meanwhile, starts at $3,999 / £4,199 / AU$6,999. That’s quite a leap, but the specs go some way to justify the high price (while also hopefully making it clear that this machine will be overkill for most people). You get the new M3 Ultra chip with a 28-core CPU, 60-core GPU, and 32-core Neural Engine, plus 96GB unified memory, and a 1TB SSD for storage.
As usual, you can configure the new Mac Studio before you buy, and considering that it’s basically impossible to upgrade the hardware within the machine, it’s important to make sure you take this opportunity to adjust the configuration to suit both your needs and your budget. Adding more powerful components does increase the price, sometimes considerably. The fully-maxed-out Mac Studio comes with an M3 Ultra chip with a 32-core CPU, 80-core GPU, and 32-core Neural Engine, 512GB unified memory and 16TB SSD – those are stunning specs, and they come with an equally stunning price tag of $14,099 / $14,299 / AU$22,149.
Of course, you don’t have to max out all of the specs, so you do have some flexibility; but make no mistake, any configuration of the Mac Studio is going to be extremely expensive. You need to see it as an investment for a business or creative professional. For individual users who want a great-performing compact PC, but don’t need nearly the power on offer with the Mac Studio, then I highly recommend the latest Mac mini, which comes with an M4 chip starting at $599 / £599 / AU$999, or with an M4 Pro starting at $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,199. In my view, the M4 Mac mini remains the best Mac Apple has ever made thanks its combination of price, performance, and an all-new design, but creative professionals looking for more power will likely need to choose between the Mac mini M4 Pro or the Mac Studio M4 Max, and in that case the price difference is smaller, though still substantial.
What about non-Mac alternatives? The fact is that there remains no real rival to the Mac Studio in the world of Windows PCs – no one else is making compact workstation PCs that offer professional-grade performance. However, if the size of the machine doesn’t matter, and you don’t mind doing a bit of tinkering, you could put together a workstation PC (or get someone to build it for you) that offers similar levels of performance for less money, although you'd miss out on the Mac Studio’s compact design and ease of use.
Price: 3.5 / 5
Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra): Specs
Here are the specs for the Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra) at a glance.
Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra): Design
Looks the same as previous models on the outside
Now comes with Thunderbolt 5 ports
M3 Ultra model is slightly heavier
Perhaps the biggest selling point of every generation of Mac Studio has been its design, and while the new Mac Studio doesn’t feature any major changes, that remains true.
It’s a testament to Apple’s designers and engineers – and to the power efficiency of M-class chips like the M4 Max and M3 Ultra, which enables Apple to put powerful hardware into compact designs without them overheating.
The latest Mac Studio is unmistakably an Apple product. Its compact dimensions of 3.7 x 7.7 x 7.7 inches / 9.5 x 19.7 x 19.7cm, with a weight starting at 6.1lbs / 2.74kg means it’s easy to find space for it on a desk, and you can hide it behind a monitor if you want, and it also means it’s easy to pick up and move if needed.
The silver body (you don’t get any fun color choices with the Mac Studio, this is all about professionalism) is sleek and minimalist, with a black Apple logo on the top. On the front of the Mac Studio are two USB-C ports (which if you get the model with the M3 Ultra will be Thunderbolt 5), alongside an SDXC memory card slot (always welcome for professional photographers) and a small white LED power light.
(Image credit: Future)
The rear of the Mac Studio features four Thunderbolt 5 USB-C ports, a 10Gb Ethernet port, two USB-A ports for legacy peripherals, a HDMI port and a headphone jack. Much of the rear is a grille-like vent that's used to expel hot air.
The most recent Mac mini got a major design overhaul to make it look more like the Mac Studio, and for the most part the new look was a triumph. However, Apple’s decision to place the Mac mini's power button on the underside of the device did frustrate some people, as you have to lift up the Mac mini to turn it on or off.
The good news is that Apple hasn’t seen fit to move the Mac Studio's power button to the underside of the device to match the new Mac mini – it’s still located on the rear of the Mac Studio on the left.
As someone who likes using big, ugly desktop PCs I’ve never had a problem with having a power button on the front of a device for easy access, and some people might find having the button hidden at the rear makes it a little awkward to reach. It does mean, though, that the Mac Studio’s front looks clean and minimalist, which many Apple fans will appreciate, and at least you don’t have to lift up the Mac Studio to reach the button. If you have other Apple devices, particularly the Studio Display, then the new Mac Studio will fit in brilliantly.
The Mac Studio is made with 30% recycled content, according to Apple, with 100% recycled aluminum used for the case, and doesn’t contain mercury or PVC. The packaging is also entirely fiber-based, and is part of the Apple 2030 project, which aims to make the company’s entire carbon footprint neutral by the end of the decade.
Overall, while some people might be clamoring for a bold redesign, the reason why the latest Mac Studio still looks identical to the first one launched back in 2022 is because, frankly, Apple nailed the design first time. It looks modern, and more stylish than any Windows-based compact PC; and with the Mac mini having recently been redesigned to look more like the Mac Studio, I think this look is going to stick around for a long time.
(Image credit: Future)
The one major drawback with the design is that it’s essentially impossible to open up the Mac Studio and upgrade or repair components. This might not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with Apple’s products, but it does impact the flexibility of the Mac Studio when compared to traditional tower desktop PCs, which are usually quite straightforward to upgrade. It also undermines Apple’s environmental credentials a little, though the company does offer an upgrade program whereby you can trade in your older Mac for money off the new model.
Also, despite the new Mac Studio coming with some of the latest and most powerful components on the market, Apple's designers have for some reason decided to stick with older wireless technology: Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3, which means you're missing out on the performance benefits of Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
While the wireless tech in a professional-grade workstation might not be at the top of most people's list of priorities (you'll likely be using an Ethernet cable for networking), it's still a bit of an odd omission considering the no-holds-barred design approach Apple has taken to the rest of the Mac Studio's design.
Design: 4.5 / 5
Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra): Performance
The M3 Ultra is now the most powerful chip Apple has ever made
It's likely to be overkill for most people
The new Mac Studio remains quiet even when under load
When I learned that Apple was sending me the new Mac Studio with the M3 Ultra chip, I was both excited and apprehensive. Excited because I really wanted to see what such a powerful, even over-the-top, piece of silicon could do.
While the M4 Max chip is certainly no slouch, we’ve had the chance to see how it performs since the launch of last year’s MacBook Pros. However, the M3 Ultra, despite being based on the older M3 Max chip, is entirely uncharted territory, and has the potential to blow Apple's other chips out of the water when it comes to pure performance. The idea that I could play around with this ridiculously powerful hardware and try to push it as hard as possible got my nerd senses tingling.
So why was I also apprehensive? Mainly because how do you begin reviewing a hardware configuration that will be overkill for the needs of maybe 98% of our readers? No matter how good the M3 Ultra is (and I’ll get to just how good it is in a moment), for the vast majority of people I would still recommend they don’t buy it, and instead get the M4 Max model – and for most, the M4 Mac mini would be a much more sensible buy.
In some ways this is Apple’s problem – and it’s a good problem to have. Because its M-series chips have been so good, generational leaps can be less visible to mainstream customers. If you still use a Mac with an M1 or M2 chip there’s a good chance that it’ll still do almost everything you need it to. If not, then upgrading to an M4 Mac, such as the new MacBook Air or the Mac mini (sorry, I keep mentioning it, but I really love that little PC) is a much more affordable option that will keep you chugging along nicely. A smaller percentage of people who need more power for creative applications will find the M4 Max in the MacBook Pro or new Mac Studio more than enough; and if it isn’t enough power, then the M3 Ultra will be extremely welcome.
(Image credit: Future)
To be blunt, the number of people who will need the full power of the Mac Studio with M3 Ultra will be limited. But, if you do need an extremely powerful PC for rendering complex 3D models, animating feature-length films, or even developing and testing games, then the new Mac Studio with M3 Ultra will be a very attractive package indeed.
The Mac Studio Apple sent me to review comes with the highest-end M3 Ultra chip with a 32-core CPU (made up of 24 performance cores and eight efficiency ones), an 80-core GPU and a 32-core Neural Engine. It also has 256GB of unified memory, and a 4TB SSD. While it's not completely maxed out, this is an incredibly powerful bit of kit. The 256GB unified memory doesn’t just act like standard RAM in a PC, but is shared with the 80-core GPU, which means the Mac Studio I’m reviewing is an incredibly powerful device for graphic-intensive tasks. The fact that all this power is contained in a compact body that remains impressively quiet, even when under stress, is particularly impressive.
So it’ll come as no surprise to learn that for regular day-to-day tasks, the Mac Studio absolutely zips by, with macOS Sequoia and apps such as Photoshop running incredibly smoothly. Web browsing with Safari and Chrome, with multiple tabs open, certainly doesn't challenge the Mac Studio. Chrome might still be a memory hog, but with 256GB of the stuff you’re not going to miss a beat.
Even if you buy the Mac Studio in a less powerful configuration, the results will very likely be the same. Of course, you’re not buying an uber-powerful computer like the Mac Studio to browse the web and write up documents. The Mac Studio has been built to handle demanding creative tasks, and it’s here that it really excels.
Editing high-quality 4K footage in Adobe Premiere Pro was extremely quick and smooth, and I was able to scrub through the footage quickly to find points in the timeline, while previewing any changes I made instantly. The super-fast SSD meant that video files were loaded and complex projects saved very, very quickly (using the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test app, the SSD hit write speeds of 7,115.6 and read speeds of 5,799MB/s).
Even when working with large 4K video files and multi-scene projects (while browsing the web and writing up this review at the same time), I never felt like I was ever really pushing the Mac Studio (hence the apprehension I mentioned earlier), as I don’t have access to files and projects from professional movie studios, to pick a more demanding and likely use case for the new Mac Studio.
(Image credit: Future)
Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra) benchmarks
Here's how the Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra) performed in our suite of industry-standard benchmarks and game tests.
Geekbench 6: Single - 3,240 Multi - 28,485 Blackmagic Disk Speed Test: Read: 5,799MB/s Write: 7,115.6MB/s Cinebench: Single-core - 150 Multi-core - 3,015 GPU - 19,663
What I could see, however, is that the real value of the new Mac Studio lies in its potential to speed up creative workflows. If you can create, code, compile and more, so much more quickly, it means projects can be completed more quickly. This could in turn reduce costs for large-scale businesses, and it also allows professionals to take on more clients. Even with the lowest memory configuration for the M3 Ultra model, 96GB, there's plenty of headroom to run multiple tasks simultaneously, which again potentially makes a huge difference to productivity.
Throughout all my testing with the Mac Studio it remained incredibly quiet – a welcome change from the desktop PCs I usually use, which have fans that like to whirr into life at the drop of a hat. During some particularly demanding benchmarks I did notice the top of the Mac Studio got quite hot to touch, but it certainly wasn't alarming – and the fans still remained all but silent. I also didn’t notice any instances of the M3 Ultra being throttled (a process whereby components are deliberately slowed down to avoid overheating, which impacts performance), though again I wasn't subjecting the Mac Studio to industry-level workloads – but I really can’t imagine too many scenarios where the Mac Studio’s performance wouldn't be enough.
This is of course great news for people who need that performance, but it also underscores why the Mac Studio won’t be for everyone, especially considering the price.
Performance: 5 / 5
Should you buy the Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra)?
Buy it if...
You want a compact productivity powerhouse The small size combined with the incredible amount of power the M3 Ultra chip provides means the new Mac Studio really doesn’t have any competition.
You need professional-grade graphics power The new Mac Studio, especially with the M3 Ultra chip, offers a level of performance that will seriously please demanding power users, particularly when it comes to graphics work.
You have an Intel-based Mac Pro or iMac Pro The biggest gap in performance is between the new Mac Studio and Intel-based Macs, so if you’re still using a device with Intel hardware, now might be the perfect time to upgrade.
Don't buy it if...
You don’t need pro-grade performance Even in the case of the M4 Max model, the level of performance the Mac Studio offers is beyond what most individual creatives will need.
You’re on a budget The Mac Studio is an expensive bit of tech, and while the design and performance justify the asking price, if you’re on a tight budget you may be better off looking at more affordable options.
Upgradability is important The compact chassis comes at a price: you’re not able to open up the Mac Studio and swap out components later on. If you want a computer that lets you upgrade and fix the hardware, then a traditional desktop PC will be a better choice.
Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra): Also consider
Mac mini (M4) If you love the idea of a compact PC that's also powerful, but you don't need the raw performance of the Mac Studio, then the latest Mac mini is an absolutely fantastic choice, especially considering the price.
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro/M4 Max) Want a powerful Mac that you can use while traveling? The 16-inch MacBook Pro is a great choice, and if you go for the M4 Max model you're going to get similar levels of performance to the M4 Max version of the Mac Studio.
I used the Mac Studio for editing raw 4K footage and high-resolution photos, as well as other intensive tasks
I've been using the Mac Studio since our review sample came in, using it as my primary work computer. As well as writing this review on it, and using it to perform my regular day-to-day tasks, I used it for intensive workloads, including editing and exporting raw 4K video footage in Adobe Premiere Pro, and photos in Photoshop, with the Mac Studio connected to an Apple Studio Display monitor. I also ran our suite of synthetic benchmarks to help give me an overall view of the Mac Studio's performance. I've been reviewing Macs for TechRadar for the past decade, including the original Mac Studio, as well as a range of Windows-based creative workstations, and my experience has enabled me to thoroughly evaluate Apple's latest Mac Studio.
So the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has something of a high bar to clear given the strength of AMD's first Zen 5 3D V-Cache chip, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, but having spent a week testing this chip, I can say unequivocally that AMD has produced the best processor ever made for the consumer market.
Whether it's gaming, creating, or general productivity work, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D doesn't suffer from the same hang-ups that held its predecessor, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, from completely dominating its competition among the previous generation of processors.
Like its predecessor, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D will sell for $699 / £699 / AU$1,349 when it goes on sale on March 12, 2025. This makes it the most expensive consumer processor on the market, so definitely be prepared to invest quite a bit for this chip, especially if you're upgrading from an Intel or AMD AM4 system. As an AM5 chip, you'll need to upgrade some major components, including motherboard and possibly RAM.
Unlike nearly all other X3D chips besides the 9800X3D and 9900X3D, however, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is fully overclockable thanks to AMD rearchitecting the way the 3D V-cache sits on the compute die, so there's a lot more that this chip can do that other X3D chips can't.
That includes beating out the current champ for the best gaming CPU, the 9800X3D, in most games while also offering substantially better general and creative performance thanks to twice as many processing cores.
That doesn't mean that the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is flawless, as there are some things to caveat here (which I'll get into in more depth below), but as an overall package, you simply won't find a better CPU on the market right now that will let you do just about anything you want exceptionally well while still letting you run a more reasonable cooling solution. Just be prepared to pay a premium for all that performance.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D: Price & availability
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
How much will it cost? US MSRP is $699 / £699 / AU$1,349
When is it available? It goes on sale on March 12, 2025
Where is it available? It will be available in the US, UK, and Australia at launch
The Ryzen 9 9950X3D goes on sale March 12, 2025, for a US MSRP of $699 / £699 / AU$1,349 in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively, making it the most expensive processor on the market.
It comes in at the same price as its predecessor, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D when it launched, and costs $100 more than the Ryzen 9 9900X3D that launches on the same day.
This is also just over $200 more expensive than the Ryzen 7 9800X3D which has nearly the same level of gaming performance (and in some cases surpasses the 9950X3D), so if you are strictly looking for a gaming CPU, the 9800X3D might be the better value.
Compared to Intel's latest flagship processor, meanwhile, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is just over $100 more expensive than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, though that chip requires a whole new motherboard chipset if you're coming from an Intel LGA 1700 chip like the Intel Core i9-12900K, so it might represent a much larger investment overall.
Value: 3.5 / 5
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D: Specs
128MB L3 Cache (96MB + 32MB)
Fully overclockable
Not all processing cores have access to 3D V-cache
Compared to the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, there don't seem to be too many changes spec wise, but there's a lot going on under the hood here.
First, the way the 3D V-cache is seated over the CCX for the 9950X3D differs considerably than with the 7950X3D, specifically that its seated underneath the processing die, rather than above it.
This means that the processing cores are now in 'direct' contact with the lid and cooling solution for the chip, allowing the 9950X3D to be fully overclocked, whereas the V-cache in the 7950X3D sat between the lid and the processing cores, making careful thermal design and limiting necessary and ruling out overclocking.
The 9950X3D does keep the same two-module split in its L3 cache as the 7950X3D, so that only one of the eight-core CCXs in the chip actually has access to the added V-cache (32MB + 64MB), while the other just has access to 32MB.
This had some benefit for more dedicated, directy access for individual cores in use more cache. In the last-gen, this honestly produced somewhat mixed results compared to the 7800X3D, which didn't split the V-cache up this way, leading ultimately to high levels of gaming performance for the 7800X3D.
Whatever issue there was with the 7950X3D looks to have been largely fixed with the 9950X3D, but some hiccups remains, which I'll get to in the performance section.
Beyond that, the 9950X3D has slightly higher base and boost clock speeds, as well as a 50W higher TDP, but its 170W TDP isn't completely unmanageable, especially next to Intel's competing chips.
Specs: 4.5 / 5
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D: Performance
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Almost best-in-class gaming performance
Strong overall performance
While the Ryzen 7 7800X3D was indisputably a better gaming chip than the Ryzen 9 7950X3D by the numbers, I was very curious going into my testing how this chip would fare against the 9800X3D, but I'm happy to report that not only is it better on the whole when it comes to gaming, it's a powerhouse for general computing and creative work as well, making it the best all-around processor on the market right now.
On the synthetic side, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D goes toe-to-toe with the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K in multi-core performance, coming within 2% of Intel's best on average, and chocking up a 10% stronger single-core result than the 285K.
Compared to its predecessor, the 7950X3D, the 9950X3D is about 15% faster in multi-core and single-core performance, while also barely edging out the Ryzen 9 9950X in multi-core performance.
Compared to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the eight-core difference between the two really shows up in the results, with the 9950X3D posting a 61% better multi-core performance, and a roughly 5% better single core score compared to the 9800X3D.
On the creative front, the 9950X3D outclasses Intel's best and anything else in the AMD Ryzen lineup that I've tested overall (we'll see how it fares against the 9900X3D once I've had a chance to test that chip), though it is worth noting that the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is still the better processor for video editing work.
The AMD Ryzen X3D line is all about gaming though, and here, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D posts the best gaming performance of all the chips tested, with one caveat.
In the Total War: Warhammer III Mirrors of Madness benchmark, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D only scores a few fps higher than the non-X3D Ryzen 9 9950X (331 fps to 318 fps, respectively), while also scoring substantially lower than the 9800X3D's 506 fps in that same benchmark. That's a roughly 35% slower showing for the 9950X3D, and given its roughly where the non-X3D chip scored, it's clear that Total War: Warhammer III was running on one of those cores that didn't have access to the extra V-cache.
This is an issue with the Windows process scheduler that might be fixed in time so that games are run on the right cores to leverage the extra cache available, but that's not a guarantee the way it is with the 9800X3D, which gives all cores access to its added V-cache so there aren't similar issues.
It might be a fairly rare occurence, but if your favorite game does take advantage of the extra cache that you're paying a lot of money for, that could be an issue, and it might not be something you'll ever know unless you have a non-X3D 9950X handy to test the way I do.
With that in mind, if all you want is a gaming processor, and you really don't care about any of these other performance categories, you're probably going to be better served by the 9800X3D, as you will get guaranteed gaming performance increases, even if you don't get the same boost in other areas.
While that's a large caveat, it can't take away from the overall performance profile of this chip, which is just astounding pretty much across the board.
If you want the best processor on the market overall, this is it, even with its occasional blips, especially since it runs much cooler than Intel's chips and its power draw is much more acceptable for midrange PCs to manage.
Performance: 4.5 / 5
Should you buy the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D?
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Buy the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D if...
You want spectacular performance no matter the workload While gamers will be especially interested in this chip, it's real strength is that it's strong everywhere.
You want the best gaming performance When using 3D V-cache, this processor's gaming chops are unbeatable.
Don't buy it if...
You want consistent top-tier gaming performance When games run on one of this chip's 3D V-cache cores, you're going to get the best performance possible, but Windows might not assign a game to those cores, so you might miss out on this chip's signature feature.
You're on a budget This chip is crazy expensive, so only buy it if you're flush with cash.
Also consider
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D If you want consistent, top-tier gaming performance, the 9800X3D will get you performance nearly as good as this chip's, though more consistently.
I used the chip as my main workstation processor and used my updated battery of benchmarks to measure its performance
I used it for general productivity, creative, and gaming workloads
I spent about a week with the Ryzen 9 9950X3D as my main workstation CPU, where I ran basic computing workloads as well as extensive creative work, such as Adobe Photoshop.
I also spent as much time as I could gaming with the chip, including titles like Black Myth: Wukong and Civilization VII. I also used my updated suite of benchmark tools including industry standard utilities like Geekbench 6.2, Cyberpunk 2077, and PugetBench for Creators.
I've been reviewing components for TechRadar for three years now, including more than a dozen processor reviews in that time, so you can trust my testing process and recommendations if you're looking for the best processor for your needs and budget.
