When Logitech touted its new keyboard, the Wave Keys, as an ergonomic wonder I was more than a bit skeptical. After all, why would a simple wave design and a wrist mat make this keyboard more distinctive? But did I ever eat my words once I took the Wave Keys for a spin myself. This is a strong claim for a non-mechanical keyboard but it’s convinced me that it could be a strong contender for best keyboard on the market, and easily take the number one spot for best office keyboard.
One of the direct claims from Logitech is that this keyboard’s wave shape makes it instantly approachable and comfortable to use, and it really does. The setup itself is super fast and easy, as you can either choose to use Bluetooth or wireless via a dongle. Simply enter the code that the built-in software provides, and it’s fully connected to your PC or laptop of choice.
From the moment I had the Logitech Wave Keys keyboard running in my home office and placed my hands on it, I was immediately shocked at how downright comfortable and natural it felt. The wave design conforms perfectly to how you naturally rest your wrists and hands in proportion to the keyboard. The wrists are made from memory foam and support said wrists with a heavenly combination of comfort and firmness.
One aspect of this keyboard that may turn off most is the fact that’s not mechanical. And that does have an impact on longevity, as mechanical switches last for millions of clicks on average while the Wave Keys are most likely far less. However, the trade-off is that membrane switches don’t require nearly as much force to push down on as mechanical switches tend to, which means that the average office worker is putting less strain on their fingers and wrists to press down on each key.
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As an aside, the keys themselves have a satisfying clacking sound and feedback to them, similar to an older style keyboard from the 90s. Even better is that, unlike older keyboards, the function keys are customizable using the Logitech software. You can even create shortcuts for repetitive actions, which is another great option for either those with disabilities or those wanting to avoid repetitive movement injuries.
The Logitech Wave Keys initially come in two colors: Graphite and Off-White, with a Rose color coming sometime in 2024. The first two colors are standard fair, the former much more so than the latter. But the Rose is a pretty yet classy light pink that’s sure to stand out in any office setup, which is why I wish that color had been available from the start.
There is another peculiarity in the Wave Keys which is that it’s not a rechargable keyboard. Instead, it’s powered by two AAA batteries, with a pair thankfully included, and according to Logitech it lasts up to three years. While I would have preferred a rechargeable battery, there haven’t been any power issues so far.
For those who are concerned about it, the Wave Keys are made of a significant amount of recycled plastics. The Graphic version is manufactured with 61% recycled plastic, and the Off-White version uses 46% recycled plastic.
Logitech Wave Keys: Price & availability
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How much does it cost? $59.99 (around £49 / AU$94)
When is it available? Graphite and Off-White available October 13, 2023; Rose available in 2024
Where can you get it? Available in the US
Though still affordable, the Logitech Wave Keys are a bit on the pricey side compared to most other membrane keyboards. One of these will set you back $59.99 (around £49 / AU$94), with models only available in the US and in the EU.
Even compared to cheaper mechanical keyboards like the MSI GK50 Elite TKL starting at 64.99 (around £53 / AU$101) or the Logitech G213 Prodigy at $50 (£40, around AU$80), the Wave Keys can seem a bit steep. So if you prefer mechanical, there are options for you.
If you're interested in a combination pack for the full ergonomic package, there's also the Logitech Wave Keys MK670 Combo which includes a Wave Keys Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard and a Signature M550 L Wireless Mouse. That would cost you $79.99 (around £65 / AU$125).
Hopefully, we'll see a more global release for this keyboard in the near future, as many office workers around the world would benefit from such a product.
Logitech Wave Keys: Specs
Should you buy the Wave Keys?
Buy it if...
You need an ergonomic keyboard The unique wave design and memory foam wrist rest both go a long way in making this keyboard comfortable and natural to use.
You need a more budget-minded keyboard Though a bit pricier than many cheaper membrane keyboard options, it's still quite affordable especially compared to most mechanical keyboards.
Don't buy it if...
You want a mechanical keyboard If you are a die-hard mechanical keyboard fan, this is not the option for you.
Wave Keys: Also consider
How I tested the Logitech Wave Keys
I spent about a week testing this keyboard
I tested it for productivity work
I used it extensively in a home office environment
I tested the Logitech Wave Keys keyboard in a home office environment, seeing how well it functioned in purely productivity work. I also carried it around in various bags to test its portability.
The Wave Keys is an ergonomic membrane keyboard that's meant for extensive use over a period of years. I made sure to quality-test it to see if it held up to those standards while maintaining maximum comfort levels.
I've tested a wide range of keyboards including mechanical and membrane ones, and understand how to properly rate and test them out to ensure that they reach a certain level of quality.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
Acer, always a competitor where price is concerned, is better known for cost-effective laptops than high-end gaming PCs, but they’ve been producing some of the best gaming PCs since 2008.
The newest of its Predator line, the Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023), is a monolith of a PC, which is to say it looks like a proper sexy space monolith, except it's nowhere near as quiet. Rather, it’s so loud that if you wanted to go on holiday but couldn’t, you could get part-way there by closing your eyes and make-believing you’re on a plane. That’s how loud the fans get on “gaming mode”.
On the normal power setting, the fans don’t spin up all that often even while gaming – but they definitely will at some point during a gaming session. If you value immersion while playing, you will find it broken by the Orion 7000.
But the PC excels in all other ways, making it one of the best computers we’ve seen in a while. It’s gorgeously designed; particularly its ARGB lighting is lovely. It’s got more ports than a leopard has spots. Its very large chassis is very well laid out, affording you ample opportunity to customize and upgrade the PC in the future.
Performance-wise it delivers everything you could ask for. It performed well in all the benchmarks we ran, and when we very enthusiastically played the brand-new AAA game Starfield at max settings, it was utterly smooth, with nary a frame-drop.
The fans will be a real problem for some. You wouldn’t be able to record live audio on it. Even voice chat is affected. The 2022 version of the Predator Orion 7000 (2023) had the same problem and was criticized for it, so it’s not like Acer didn’t know.
It’s clear what Acer’s priorities were, though: The Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023) is not all that expensive – for a high-end gaming PC, you understand – and Acer has thrown in a decent mouse and keyboard combo. For this decent price, you may well be happy to slap on a good noise canceling headset with directional mic and enjoy the power you’ve bought.
How much does it cost? Starting at $3,000 / £3,300 (about AU$4,655)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
Starting at $3,000 / £3,300 (about AU$4,655), the Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023) is expensive, but considering its specs, the price is actually pretty OK. Acer is known for producing more budget-friendly laptops and PCs, and, for a high-end gaming PC, the Predator Orion 7000 (2023) is not egregiously budget-un-friendly. Anyone looking for a PC armed with an i9 and RTX 4090 is already girded to pay at least this much.
Still, it’s a lot, and you don’t need to spend this much just to play the latest games. If you're looking for anything under $4,000 / £4,00 for the specs of our review unit, then you might want to look at older models like the superb Predator Orion 3000, which we’ve pronounced the best value gaming PC out right now.
Price score: 4 / 5
Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023): Specs
The Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023) comes in four configurations in the US, three elsewhere. The cheapest of the US’s configurations has an i7-13700KF, a RTX 3080, and 10 GB dedicated memory; the other three can be succinctly summed up with GPU numbers: 3090, 4080, and 4090. Of Australia’s three configurations, two have an i9-13900K, and either an RTX 4090, or 4080. UK customers also have three configurations, the cheapest of which comes with an i7 hexadeca-core 3.40GHz and an RTX 4070Ti. The other two configurations come with an i9 and an RTX 4080 or 4090.
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Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023): Design
Humongous chassis
Gorgeous RGB lighting effects
Easy to upgrade
The Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023) is a no-nonsense PC. Its exterior alone proclaims “hard as nails”, meaning it’s serious business, serious gaming business. It scores almost full marks on aesthetics, and no, not simply because of its delicious ARGB – we’re not so shallow we’re completely swept away by a few million colors.
Well, regardless of whether we are or not, the whole package is gorgeous. Its massive ATX chassis is black all over with rounded edges, and the interior is spacious and very neatly arranged. The interior is visible through a crepuscular glass side panel paired with the gorgeous 16.7m ARGB LEDs. To finish is a matte black metal door with a shiny Acer logo printed in black, and topped with mesh.
The front of the chassis has two Predator FrostBlade fans in a raised glass casing with a shiny plastic frame; most of the glass is the same shadowy glass as the side panels, and part of the upper part of the glass is opaque with an Acer logo that lights up blue.
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While it’s gorgeously designed, the Predator Orion 7000 (2023) really is huge. At 485mm x 219mm x 504.8mm and starting at 14Kg in weight, it’s not easy to carry and takes up a lot of space, so you’ll want to recall your manual handling training when you lift it and position it where you can access the back and not have to move it ever.
And it’s designed to keep you from having to. It’s designed to be easily-upgradable. It’s “toolless” – that is, you don’t need tools to access its internals. And its spacious interior means you don’t need to sweat and curse and get cramps while replacing parts.
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As for ports… there’s a really impressive selection both at the back and the top of the chassis: 1x HDMI, 4x USB 2.0, 4x USB 3.1, and 2x USB-C. As for storage, there’s a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and 3TB HDD SATA 3 (and you can have up to 2 of each), and on the top, a 2.5-inch bay for hot-swapping USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C drives (one of our favorite features).
Also, there’s some cool free wallpapers on the Acer Predator site to finish off the look of your PC if you’re interested.
Design score: 4 / 5
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Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023): Performance
The 4090 is superb
Not a single game exists today that cannot be played on it
Very upgradeable
Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023): Benchmarks
Here’s how the Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
The Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023) performs, well, fantastically. It'd be surprising if it didn't. The review unit we received comes with an unlocked AIO liquid-cooled i9-13900KF processor with 24 cores, 32 threads, a stock frequency of 3000MHz and a clocking speed of 5.4GHz, and the scrumptious beast that is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090.
That partnership alone needs no explanation, it is the creme de la creme of gaming parts. Most games we benchmarked it with stayed above 100 FPS even at 4K. A couple managed to tax it at 4K, like Red Dead Redemption 2.
For everyday tasks – browsing, watching Netflix, emailing, programming – well, of course there were no problems. Even playing games while doing most of those things at the same time didn’t disturb the Pool of Performance at all.
The cost is fan noise. When Predator Orion 7000 (2023) gets into full gaming mode they hum in an endless high-speed harmony – as Acer says, hilariously. What they mean is they can’t deny the fans are loud. While voice-chatting, we had to use a headset with noise canceling, and a directional mic, which definitely improved things, but it’s such a shame it’s necessary.
The noise means you won’t always get to appreciate Acer’s DTS:X Ultra audio, which, Acer says, allows you to experience “real-world spatial sound” by transforming your speakers and headset into a 360 degree high-end surround sound system. We can confirm that the sound is full, clear and feels immersive.
Where internet connectivity is concerned Acer has installed its 2.5G “Killer Ethernet” and 6GHz Wi-Fi 6E, so fast and efficient internet access will run whether you want to use Wi-Fi or ethernet to get online.
The Orion 7000 comes preinstalled with Acer’s PredatorSense software. Despite the name it doesn’t alert you to predators or prey but to problems in your system: it’s the obligatory system-specific hardware monitor/configurer, one of the nicest we’ve seen, though; it shows temps and speeds very clearly, and lets you control the fans, power settings, lighting, and the clock speeds without having to go into the BIOS.
Performance score: 5 / 5
Should you buy the Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023)?
Buy it if...
You want a behemoth PC that can take on anything Performance is at the heart of the Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023). It can take on any task from general day-to-day use to intensive gaming sessions. It’s perfect for old, new and future games, so you won’t need a replacement any time soon.
You want an easy-to-upgrade PC The opportunities to upgrade the Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023) are almost endless. With its toolless, spacious chassis, you won’t be fiddling and stressing when you’re ready to tweak it.
Don't buy it if...
You’re looking for a more cost-effective gaming PC The Predator Orion 7000 (2023) is expensive, and understandably so, but if you don’t have enough in your budget to fork out for its cheapest configuration, then there are more-than-decent cheaper alternatives to purchase instead.
Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023): Also consider
If the Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023) has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...
How I tested the Acer Predator Orion 7000 (2023)
I used this beaut as my main gaming PC for almost three weeks
Gaming-wise, I played various games, old and new
I used this beaut as my main gaming PC for almost three weeks. Gaming-wise, I played various games, old and new, mostly very new (Starfield, at max settings, which was glorious, loud at times, but glorious). Benchmark tests were carried out using games like CyberPunk 2077, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and GTA V. I browsed the internet, joined video calls. And I, of course, wrote on it.
There’s very little the Predator Orion 7000 (2023) can’t do. Play your favorite games. The newest titles are nothing to it. Surf the web, watch shows, compile the Linux kernel, hell, do all of those things at once; it’ll look at you serenely like a lion challenged to a fight by a cat.
I have over 25 years of gaming experience and several years of testing gaming peripherals, PCs and laptops under my belt. I don’t just review these things in an “I have a job to do” type of way: I’m their manufacturer’s target audience; I thoroughly, honestly and fairly review and test all units. I pretty much live and breathe games, computers, and all the extras and have opinions about what is good and important, and can identify deficiencies and suggest improvements.
The Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD) is just one of the several Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050-equipped laptops vying for budget-level PC gamers while still offering current-gen level performance. Like those models, the quality of gaming on offer is much better than a lot of other cheap offerings sporting older generations of GPUs such as an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050.
While the Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD) is not necessarily going to top the best gaming laptops, it can certainly compete with the best budget gaming laptops. The question then is how it compares to those more affordable alternatives.
As we’ll see, the Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD) is a solid consideration for cash-strapped gamers since it can handle most gaming tasks without too much sacrifice. There are some drawbacks, but they’re mostly intrinsic to lower-priced gaming laptops. That said, none of those are enough to discount this gaming laptop, especially considering the price.
Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD): Price & availability
How much does it cost? Starting at $1,189.99 / £1,080 / AU$2,199
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD), also designated as model 15APH8, is priced very reasonably. You get an AMD Ryzen 5 7640S, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 8GB RAM, and 1 TB SSD for $1,189.99 / £1,080 / AU$2,199. If you want a little more power, you can upgrade to AMD Ryzen 7 7840S, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, and 1 TB SSD, which will set you back a total of $1,379.99 / £1,300 (Aussies won’t be able to upgrade to the RTX 4060).
The test unit reviewed here is much like the base model but with the more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 7840S, which has 8 cores and 16 threads to the AMD Ryzen 5 7640S’ 6 cores and 12 threads. This upgrade adds $40 / £40 for a price of entry of $1299.99 / £1,120.
Compared to other gaming laptops with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, you can spend a little less if you want. The MSI Katana 15 (2023), for instance, is a bit cheaper at $999 (about £785 / AU$1,543). However, its battery life is a bit worse during everyday non-gaming use, its trackpad is worse, and it has a somewhat cheaper look to it.
Price score: 4 / 5
Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD): Specs
Lenovo has a very limited range of options for the LOQ 15 (AMD) model. You can only choose between two AMD CPUs, the AMD Ryzen 5 7640S and the AMD Ryzen 7 7840S, and you can only choose between two GPUs as well, namely the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060. Likewise, RAM options are either 8GB or 16GB, while you can only choose between 512GB or 1TB for the SSD.
Outside of internal component considerations, there are only two other places where you have options, namely the webcam and the display. And, strangely this is only in the UK. You can upgrade the 720p webcam to 1080p for £10 and you can upgrade from a 1080p @ 144Hz display to a 1440p one with a 165Hz refresh rate. That will cost you £50. Oh, and if you care about RGB lighting, an extra £20 will upgrade the keyboard’s backlighting from white to 4-zone RGB.
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Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD): Design
A bit heavy
Decent display with fast 144Hz refresh rate
Awkward port placement
One of the things that I appreciate about Lenovo gaming laptops is that they have a distinctive look. Just like Razer or Alienware, when you see a gaming laptop from Lenovo, you’ll recognize it as such.
To start, they all seem to come in what Lenovo calls Storm Gray, which is an imposing, brooding color that sounds boring on paper but works much better than a plain matte-black would.
Interestingly, like Alienware laptops, the lid opens up from about an inch into the laptop, meaning there’s a section that juts out. Just like Alienware, this is where some important heat piping is located to keep things cool. And, when under duress, the Lenovo LOQ 15 manages to do a pretty good job of that.
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As this is Lenovo’s budget line, it is on the heavier side, weighing in at 5.3lbs. Compare that with the slightly bigger, slightly better, and slightly more expensive Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and its 5.07lb weight and you’ll see that keeping the weight down is not going to be as much of a factor when the price is lower.
Moving on to the display, it’s not going to wow with color accuracy or HDR, but it’s a solid 1080p IPS panel with 350 nits of brightness. Its best feature is probably its 144Hz refresh rate.
There’s a 1080p webcam that’s adequate if a bit choppy. At least, Lenovo included a manual toggle located on the side of the computer to open or close a privacy shutter.
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The keyboard might not have backlighting, and its travel is not on par with an external keyboard. However, it’s easy and comfortable to type on. The trackpad is similarly capable. Since this is a gaming laptop, you’ll still need a mouse.
Lastly, the port placement is going to be a blessing or a curse depending on your preference. While there’s a USB-C port and 3.5 mm audio jack on the left side and USB-A port to go along with that privacy shutter toggle on the right, most of the ports are on the back. Along with power, an HDMI, ethernet, and two USB ports are centered along the back. This might be great for anyone who likes a clean desk and doesn’t plan on moving their laptop regularly. But, I like to have easy access to all the ports and I found having to reach behind to plug or unplug something to be a chore.
Design score: 4 / 5
Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD): Performance
Good 1080p gaming performance
Great for competitive games
Decent speakers
Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD): Benchmarks
Here's how the Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Port Royal: 4,773; Fire Strike: 19,991; Time Spy: 8,858 GeekBench 6: 2,367 (single-core); 8,157 (multi-core)
25GB File Copy: 27.5 Handbrake 1.6: 6:24 CrossMark: Overall: 1,571 Productivity: 1,588 Creativity: 1,636 Responsiveness: 1,345 Far Cry 61080p (Ultra) 68 fps Cyberpunk 2077: 1080p (Ultra) 21.66 fps Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 6:29:49 PCMark 10 Battery Life (Gaming): 0:46
One of the impressive things about this recent slate of Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050-equipped laptops is the fact that they all are capable of good 1080p performance and that’s certainly the case with the Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD). Obviously, there are plenty of limitations – just look at its performance during our Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark where it got just 22 fps on Ultra. For comparison’s sake, the MSI Katana 15 gets almost 39 fps in the same game, which might be due to the fact that it comes with 16GB to the Lenovo LOQ 15’s 8GB.
In more real-world testing, I was able to get playable though not completely smooth results in Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and Starfield on medium settings. I did experience a little bit of stuttering but it was a minor amount. But, playing those taxing games on low settings was rock solid.
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Outside of these top-tier and well-known resource-heavy games, not to mention two of them are brand new and the other just got a 2.0 update, everything I played including Battlefield 2042 was rock solid. While you probably won’t be hitting that 144 fps that the display is capable of on more taxing games, the hardware is there for competitive games that are a bit more lightweight. For example, Rocket League was smooth as silk.
In essence, this is great for those playing competitive games while good enough to experience heftier AAA titles though with some limitations.
The sound quality of the built-in speakers is very serviceable. It won’t make you give up on your favorite gaming headset, but it still offers a somewhat decent soundstage and frequency response. It will sound a bit boxy and don’t expect rumble, but it’s more than adequate. Plus, there are some controls through the Nahimic app for EQ and spatial audio that are nice if a bit subtle.
Performance score:4 / 5
Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD): Battery life
Quickly drains when gaming
Decent battery life with basic use
When it comes to battery life, the Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD) isn’t setting any gaming laptop precedents. Under a heavy load such as the PCMark 10 Battery Life gaming benchmark, it lasts a paltry 46 minutes. I even experienced its weak battery life inadvertently when I left it unplugged but asleep for a few hours only to find the battery completely empty.
However, for basic use as shown in our Battery Informant benchmark, it can last a decently long six and a half hours. That’s pretty good compared to other gaming laptops not named Rog Zephyrus. Of course, that’s not anything special compared to most other portables.
Battery score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD)?
(Image credit: Lenovo)
Buy it if...
You want good 1080p performance This laptop is more than capable with most games available right now. And, all but the most demanding can run on fairly high settings.
You want to play competitively There’s more than enough power to run any competitive game on max settings. And, the 144Hz refresh rate is perfect for providing a smooth, speedy gaming experience with those titles.
Don't buy it if...
You want excellent performance no matter the game While you can get great performance in some games, there are already some games, as mentioned above, that you can’t play with the settings maxed out. If you want to see a game like Starfield at its full potential, you’ll need something more powerful.
Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD): Also consider
If our Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD) review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...
How I tested the Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD)
Tested for a couple weeks
Pushed it as hard as possible gaming-wise
Played with various settings
I used the Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD) for a couple of weeks, playing several demanding games like Starfield, Hogwards Legacy, Control, and Cyberpunk 2077. While doing so, I ran the games at various settings, particularly at the highest ones with ray tracing on wherever possible, and took note of the results. I also tested each aspect of the laptop from the keyboard and trackpad to the webcam and speakers.
After spending time with the Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD), it’s clear that the company managed to balance solid performance with an accessible price point for those wanting great gaming on a budget.
I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.
The Drop ALT V2 is part of a recent refresh of the original CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT series of mechanical keyboards that were first released in 2018. Drop has made several improvements to the beloved line, adding highly requested features such as stabilizer upgrades, improved sound dampening, new switch options, improvements to lighting, and more. The result is an even higher-quality mechanical keyboard that feels luxurious in every sense of the word, and is easily one of the best mechanical keyboards and one of the best keyboards all round.
I received the Drop ALT V2 low-profile unit, a TKL (TenKeyLess) board that's sufficiently weighty that it could be used as a weapon in an emergency. Crafted from a solid block of aircraft-grade aluminum, this is absolutely a keyboard made to last – which, considering the cost of entry, makes this an investment for the long haul. The chassis and keys are meant to last for millions of clicks over a period of years.
The ALT V2 also features north-facing RGB lighting that glows through the keycaps as well as around the base of the keyboard. Unlike the original Drop ALT, the LED lights are a bit dimmer here, which could be a positive or negative, depending on your preference. In my experience, at times I found it difficult to see the lit letters while typing, but I appreciated the base lighting effect.
That said, the overall typing experience has definitely improved over the older model. The additional layers of foam throughout the keyboard – including Poron top case foam, IXPE switch foam, Poron hot-swap socket foam, and bottom case Poron foam – really do go a long way to improve the typing feel. And thanks to the upgraded stabilizers, the sound has changed as well. While I prefer the sharper keystroke of the older model, others may welcome the more subdued sound this model offers.
I’ve loved the smooth feel of the keycaps, as if my fingers are gliding on air as I type. However, they can feel a bit narrow, which could be an issue for those with thicker fingers or shaky handsI was able to adjust to them relatively quickly and with minimal typos.
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There are two switches to choose from, the Gateron Yellow KS3 Linear switches or Drop Holy Panda X Clear tactile switches. My own keyboard came with the former, and although I’m not the biggest fan of linear switches (my true love lies in tactile), these have felt amazing – the usual mark of quality in Drop switches that I believe only Cherry MX switches can rival.
Since the keys are hot swappable, changing them is much easier too. This means you can customize these keyboards to your heart's content, with the built-in switch plate and hot-swappable PCB. Drop has also upgraded its already great QMK firmware, which already offers programable macros and customized key mapping. Now, Vial and QMK expands compatibility options, with support for the former coming later this year.
Speaking about customization, it's also now possible for hardcore mechanical keyboard enthusiasts to purchase the barebones version of each keyboard, to create a version that's tailor-made to their exact specifications. And if you own the original version of the CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT keyboards, the more cost-effective option would be to order the PCBA + foam kit and Phantom Stabilizers and update your unit to the V2 model without wasting materials.
Like most of Drop’s other keyboards, the ALT V2 comes with two USB Type-C ports: one for the wire to connect to your PC; and the other to connect any other hub device. I'd say the removable cable increases portability, but this isn't entirely accurate when you consider the keyboard's heavy weight.
Drop ALT: Price & availability
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How much does it cost? $200 (around £164 / AU$311)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US
There are two kinds of Drop V2 keyboards available, the fully assembled unit and the barebones edition. The former ranges in price between $180 - $250, while the latter costs $140 - $190. If you own the older versions of the CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT keyboards, the PCBA + foam kit and Phantom Stabilizers are available for purchase starting at $105, allowing you to upgrade your keyboard to the V2 version.
Regardless of which option you choose, these keyboards are expensive, coming at a prices you'd usually associate with high-quality and fully customizable mechanical keyboards made for more serious of enthusiasts. If you’re not someone who likes to tinker with a keyboard to achieve the best possible fit, then you might be better looking elsewhere. There are plenty of options that offer a similar level of typing quality and tactile feedback without making such a dent in your wallet.
The Drop ALT V2 can be picked up via the company's online store. However, both the UK and Australia are out of luck, unless buyers are willing to pay the steep price of importing.
Drop ALT: Specs
Should you buy the Drop ALT?
Buy it if...
You want a high-quality mechanical keyboard Drop is well known for its impeccable keyboard quality, and the ALT V2 is no exception, from its aluminum chassis to its switches and keycaps.
You want a fully customizable keyboard If you're looking for a mechanical keyboard that you can customize to your heart's content, then this model is for you.
Don't buy it if...
You're on a budget If you can't afford to drop two hundred bucks on a single keyboard, then look elsewhere. There are plenty of cheaper models on the market offering similar quality for less.
You live outside the US Unfortunately, Drop's only really retails in the US, so if you're in the UK or Australia, then you'll have to import a unit with all the associated costs.
Drop ALT: Also consider
How I tested the Drop ALT
I spent about a week testing this keyboard
I used it for both work and gaming
I used it extensively in a home-office environment
I tested the Drop ALT keyboard in a home-office environment, evaluating how well it functioned for both work and gaming. I also carried it around in various bags to test its portability.
The Drop ALT is a mechanical keyboard that's meant for extensive use over a period of years. I made sure to assess its quality to see if it held up to those standards, while also reviewing how easy it was to switch out the keycaps and reprogram the RGB lighting.
I've tested a wide range of keyboards over the years, including mechanical units, and understand how to rate and test them out to ensure that they reach a certain level of quality.
We pride ourselves on our independent and rigorous review-testing process, paying long-term attention to the products we assess, and ensuring our reviews are updated and maintained. Regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Collection aren’t officially called the Ray-Ban Stories 2, but they might as well be. They take everything that made the original Meta and Ray-Ban collaboration stand out, while improving upon those glasses to become worthy successors.
You’ll find improved design options, with two frame styles, five frame colors, and a slew of lens options that allow you to customize your glasses between over 150 different combinations. The charging case, meanwhile, looks more classically Ray-Ban without losing any of the functionality of the case that came with the Ray-Ban Stories.
The cameras get a resolution bump up to 12MP, and image stabilization has been improved to help keep your recordings from looking too shaky. The built-in speaker’s audio has also been given a boost, and there’s a handy voice assistant that lets you control the glasses hands-free.
I had the chance to try out the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses ahead of their launch, and while I want to spend more time with them before passing a final verdict, I’ve been impressed by the improvements I saw. That said, I feel these glasses won’t be a good fit for everyone – especially at $299 / £299 (Australian pricing to be confirmed). Unless you can think of a reason why you need these glasses yesterday, you might want to pass on them.
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: Price and availability
The new Ray-Ban Meta Collection Smart Glasses are on preorder from September 27 until their October 17 release date, and they’re available for $299 / £299 (Australian pricing to be confirmed). If you want to pick up a pair with Transitions or Polarized lenses this will cost you a little more, at £379 (US and Australian pricing to be confirmed) and £329 (US and Australian pricing to be confirmed) respectively.
(Image credit: Future)
This price is the same as the launch price for the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses, which were the first collaboration between Meta (then Facebook) and Ray-Ban, and is roughly on par with other smart glasses I’ve seen and tested. Just note that these are a very different kind of smart glasses to something like the Xreal Air glasses, so make sure you investigate your options before you order a pair.
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: Design
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses come in two shapes, and a range of different color options to suit different tastes.
Fans of the iconic Ray-Ban look can pick up a pair of Wayfarers (in standard or large sizes), or you can opt for the brand-new Headliner style that’s been created specially for this collaboration. Both styles come in matte or glossy black, or you can choose a translucent material that comes in black, turquoise, or orange so that you can show off the technology inside your new specs – kind of like that translucent purple GameBoy you always wanted.
You can also outfit the glasses with a massive variety of lenses, from clear to prescription to polarized and a bunch more. All in all there are over 150 different combinations of frames and lenses, so you should be able to find one that suits you perfectly. No matter which combo you choose, the glasses have an IPX4 water resistance rating and boast 32GB of storage, which is enough for roughly 500 photos, and 100 30-second videos.
There are so many different style options for these smart glasses (Image credit: Meta)
The camera is positioned on the right edge of the frame, just in front of the right arm. It also has a fairly large and noticeable light next to it, which activates whenever you’re recording a video or taking a picture so that people around you know when the camera is and isn’t on.
Best of all, the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses feel just as lightweight as a regular pair of glasses. The Wayfarers come in at just 48.6g (or 50.8g for the large frames) and the Headliner frame weighs 49.2g, so it shouldn’t be a challenge to wear these for long stretches.
Before I round off the design section of this hands-on review, I need to highlight the charging case – I love it. It looks just like a classic Ray-Ban case, but it has a USB-C port on the bottom and it can provide your smart glasses with an additional 32 hours of use thanks to its internal battery. It only takes 75 minutes to charge the glasses from 0% to full, or you can reach 50% in 22 minutes, which isn’t too bad.
On their own, the smart glasses can hold four hours of charge. This isn’t particularly impressive compared to smartwatches, for example, but considering the small size of the glasses it’s not a huge surprise.
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: Performance
Smart glasses aren’t just a fashion accessory, they need to be functional too – and based on my brief demo session with these Ray-Ban spectacles I’d say they do a good job of being a useful gadget.
(Image credit: Future)
Its 12MP cameras won’t produce images as crisp as the 50MP snappers found on most mid-range smartphones, though I found that images and 1080p video captured on the glasses looked fine. There’s also a huge advantage over your phone in that you don’t have to hold a phone while recording, which allows you to take a more active part in the footage you’re capturing.
And you can seemingly get involved without too much fear of creating a super-shaky video. While I didn’t give the glasses a massive challenge in the demo, I wasn’t focused on keeping my head still either, yet I noticed that video playback looked reasonably steady for a camera worn on my face.
Audio from the glasses’ speakers also sounds pretty good. I didn’t have the chance to listen to the full range of tracks I normally rely on to get a feel for a gadget’s audio chops, but what I heard didn’t sound half-bad, and best of all audio leakage doesn’t seem to be much of a concern.
I tried out the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses at the same time as someone else, and I couldn’t hear their music while I was standing fairly close to them (and it was apparently playing at moderate volumes).
I need to spend more time with the glasses before I issue my final verdict on their performance. Beyond giving the camera and speakers a more in-depth test, I also want to put the microphone array through its paces. While the audio I recorded did sound clear, I was testing the glasses out in a room with very little noise – I don’t know how well they'll fare outside if I’m trying to record on a windy day or while I’m doing something active and breathing hard.
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: Features
(Image credit: Meta)
The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses have two new features that you won’t find on the Ray-Ban Stories that came before them.
The first is a simple voice assistant that allows you to record videos or snap pictures by speaking (using the wake word ‘Meta’). If you’re connected to your smartphone you can also ask the assistant to start a call with someone in your contacts, or send them a picture of where you are.
The second is the ability to easily set up an Instagram or Facebook livestream that shows viewers a live feed from your glasses. I was able to set up a test livestream on Instagram, and literally at the push of a button I could swap from the smartphone’s camera to the connected Ray-Ban Meta glasses I was wearing. I hope this feature is extended to other services like YouTube and Twitch too.
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: Initial verdict
The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Collection offers solid improvements over the Ray-Ban Stories in every single way. That said, I’m still not sure how comfortable people will feel about having a camera always on their face, or how those around you will feel about the camera either.
I need to test them further, but based on my demo I feel like these glasses exist to serve a specific use case. If you can think of ways in which these will enrich your life then the $299 / £299 (Australian pricing to be confirmed) might seem reasonable. However, if you like the idea of smart glasses, but don’t have an immediate idea of how you might use these glasses, you might want to think twice about putting in a preorder.
I’ve not spent a lot of time with the Meta Quest 3, but my roughly 30-minute demo with the new headset has given me a taste of what it has in store for users when it launches on October 10 – and I’m already hungry for more.
The improved performance and graphics provided by the new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2, the slimmed-down design, and the superior mixed reality experience it offers combine to create a VR gadget that feels like an excellent successor to the Oculus Quest 2.
Yes, the Quest 3 is pricier than the Quest 2 was at launch (coming in at $499.99 / £479.99, Australian pricing to be confirmed by Meta) for its cheapest model instead of $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$509.99) but its improvements certainly seem to justify the higher cost.
I’ll need to spend more time with the headset to get a proper feel for how it stacks up against the competition, but I already feel this may be the best VR headset out there; maybe finally replacing the ol’ reliable Oculus Quest 2, which has been my go-to headset recommendation for people looking to try what VR has to offer.
Meta Quest 3: Price and availability
Meta Quest 3 preorders went live on September 27 – the same day as Meta Connect 2023 – ahead of the official release date on October 10. You can choose between two models: a 128GB model at $499.99 / £479.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed by Meta) and a 512GB option for $649.99 / £619.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed by Meta). The only difference between the two is the on-board storage, so which one is best for you will depend on how many VR games and apps you want to have installed at any one time.
(Image credit: Meta)
Based on my experience with VR the 128GB model should be sufficient for most users. VR apps are generally fairly small in terms of file size, which means you should be able to download a lot before you fill up the headset. If you somehow do fill up the storage it’s also fairly easy to delete and redownload software quickly, as long as you have a decent internet connection.
That said, VR games are going up in scale, so 128GB might not go as far in the Quest 3 era. If you don’t like swapping out digital games, and you plan to use the Quest 3 a lot, you might need to invest in the larger model.
It’s also worth noting that the Quest 3 is pricier than the Oculus Quest 2 – which currently starts at $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$509.99 for the 128GB model – although as you’d hope for from a newer gadget the Quest 3 does offer some solid improvements that seem to justify the price.
Meta Quest 3: Performance
The Meta Quest 3 owes most of its performance improvements to the new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset that powers it – which Qualcomm describes as a literal “game changer” for XR. Other upgrades are the new 2064 x 2208 pixel displays (one per eye) and the bump to 8GB of RAM, from 6GB on the Quest 2.
According to Qualcomm and Meta, the new XR2 is able to deliver two-and-a-half times better graphical performance compared to the Gen 1 chip found in the Oculus Quest 2, while simultaneously delivering 50% better GPU efficiency – which should help to keep the headset from overheating, and the battery from draining too quickly.
Speaking of which, Meta says the Quest 3’s battery can last for two hours and 12 minutes on average – that sounds about right for a VR headset, but I haven’t yet been able to test the Quest 3’s battery for myself to see how long it lasts. With the included 18W charger the headset can reportedly be charged from 0% to 100% in roughly two hours.
Mixed reality is very impressive on the Quest 3 (Image credit: Meta)
Numbers are one thing, but seeing the Quest 3 headset in action has sold me on the improvements Meta and Qualcomm claim the new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip brings.
Text is notoriously difficult to read in VR, but the usually blurry letters had crisp defined edges that were clearly legible in the experiences I tried, such as Red Matter 2. As a matter of fact, all objects looked sharper, and free from the slight haze that outlines VR objects, causing them to blend together. Shadows and reflections look much more realistic too, which helps to bring VR and MR worlds to life.
In one demo for Red Matter 2, I was able to swap back and forth between the Quest 3 graphics and a Quest 2 emulation, and the difference in the visuals was striking. It was like going back to play one of my favorite PlayStation 1 games and realizing that the graphics are significantly worse than my nostalgia will let me remember. And in Assassin’s Creed Nexus, while the graphics weren’t on par with Red Matter 2, I was impressed by how busy the world felt, with large numbers of responsive NPCs and interactable items filling the space.
I’ll need to spend more time with the Meta Quest 3 to fully test how well it performs, but it does indeed appear to live up to Meta’s promise that this is its most powerful headset yet.
Meta Quest 3: Design
The Meta Quest 3 takes many of its design cues from the Quest 2, albeit with some enhancements that will be greatly appreciated by users.
The headset is a little heavier than its predecessor at 1.14lbs / 515g (the Quest 2 was 1.10lbs / 503g), but it’s a fair bit lighter than the 1.59lb / 722g Meta Quest Pro. It’s 40% slimmer than the Quest 2 though, and with the weight sitting closer to your face it does feel a little easier to wear (this is something I’ll only know for sure after using it for a few sessions that are longer than my 30-minute demo).
A more minor improvement (but one I love) is that IPD adjustments (how far the lenses are apart) are now managed by a little scroll wheel found underneath the headset’s visor. Unlike with the Quest 2, you don’t need to remove your headset to change how far the lenses are apart with the Quest 3, plus you’re not limited to three predetermined presets – you can scroll between a much wider range of options, so you can set the Quest 3’s lenses to suit you perfectly.
You’ll also see from the images that the Meta Quest 3 doesn’t just come in white; you can swap the strap, and some of the plastic casing, for orange and blue options. Unfortunately, these color options cost extra, but if you fall in love with your Quest 3 and want to personalize it they could be fun add-ons to pick up in the future.
The Meta Quest 3's left controller (Image credit: Meta)
Before trying out the Meta Quest 3 I was concerned that the controllers would be an issue. They don’t use a tracking ring, but unlike the Quest Pro’s controllers, which also lack tracking rings, they don’t have internal cameras to replace it.
Instead, the Quest 3’s handsets rely entirely on the headset’s cameras, IR LEDs in the controllers, and AI for tracking. I wasn’t convinced that this would be a suitable alternative, but having used the Quest 3 controllers I can report that they work just fine; in my demo I noticed no differences between using them and using the Quest 2’s controllers, save for the fact I no longer had to worry about a tracking ring bumping into something.
Meta Quest 3: Initial verdict
Like Meta’s previous Quest headsets, the Meta Quest 3 will support every single game and app currently on the Quest store. So if you own an Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2, or a Meta Quest Pro you’ll be able to bring your entire software library to the new headset.
You won’t just be enjoying old VR experiences, however – there are new and exciting mixed reality apps to explore with this headset. The Meta Quest 3’s standout feature is mixed reality with full-color passthrough. This isn’t new to Meta headsets – it first launched with the Meta Quest Pro – but the Quest 3 is the first headset in the affordable Quest line to get the feature. Plus, the Quest 3 does it better than the Pro.
The picture quality is significantly less grainy, and the colors look more vivid than what the Quest Pro’s passthrough produced. While the real world still doesn't look exactly true to life, the Quest 3’s video feed does make it look a lot more so, which I found helped to sell the mixed-reality experiences.
A recreation of what mixed reality looks (Image credit: Meta)
Another boost to MR is the improved AI provided by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2, which in collaboration with the headset’s depth sensor and other external cameras can not only automatically map out your floor, but walls and other objects in the room as well. This allows mixed-reality experiences to interact more realistically with the space around you, and I found this made the feature feel a lot less gimmicky than on other headsets I’ve tried. Usually I ignore MR, but on the Quest 3 I can see myself turning it on as often as games and apps allow – I can’t wait to return to the mixed-reality Stranger Things and Samba de Amigo experiences I played in my demo.
I haven’t yet had the chance to use them, but the Quest 3’s new Augments sound like they’ll be great uses of mixed reality too. These mixed-reality widgets can be used to decorate your real-world space, and offer a range of different features. You can set up portals to your favorite games, get live weather updates for your local area, or just place a pretty-looking sculpture in the space. Best of all, Meta says these Augments will stay where you put them; so if you decorate your space with Augments during one session and then enter mixed reality in the same space on another day, everything will be just how you set it up before.
It’s also now a lot easier to swap between virtual reality and mixed reality – you just double-tap the right side of the headset to change your view.
Meta Quest 3: Initial verdict
The Meta Quest 3 is an impressive VR headset that takes mixed reality very seriously too. While it’s not as affordable as Meta’s Quest 2, it offers enough improvements that I feel it’s higher launch price is justified.
There are a few features I want to spend more time with before passing a final verdict on this new headset, but based on my early impressions this could be not just one of the best standalone VR headsets Meta has made, for most people, it might just be the best VR headset that money can buy.
The MSI GK50 Elite TKL is a keyboard meant for those who want the distinctive feel and responsiveness of a mechanical keyboard but who are looking for more budget options. It balances on an aluminum top plate that’s both sturdy and lightweight, making it easy to carry around. The black metal has a sleek-looking design with the logo etched into the side, giving it an almost sophisticated aesthetic appeal that stands out from other similar keyboards. I do wish there were more colors available to offer more of a variety from the standard gamer look.
This is a wired keyboard, which I’m sure will disappoint the wireless fans but it keeps the price down, which is one of the most important factors. It’s also an option that’s ideal for professional and hardcore gaming as it eliminates any latency and response issues. Even better is that the cable can be detached from the keyboard and easily slipped into the included carrying case.
Though it’s very much a budget mechanical keyboard, being able to remove and customize the keycaps is always a welcome feature. Included in the box are a few spare keycaps as well as a keycap puller, which works well for the smaller keys but is slightly more difficult to use when it comes to removing larger keys like the spacebar.
Despite it being very much a budget mechanical keyboard, being able to remove and customize the keycaps is great. However, there’s no option for customizing the switches or the keys, something that more hardcore mechanical keyboard enthusiasts will miss. But there has to be some trade-off in terms of price versus features.
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Though the switches are no Cherry MX, the Kailh switches in the MSI GK50 Elite TKL are of solid quality and deliver some excellent performance in both gaming and productivity work. There are three different switches to choose from – Blue, Red, and Box White – which offer a different response, pre-travel distance, total travel, and operational force.
While both the Red and Blue switches have a total travel distance of 4mm and an operational force of 50gf, the Blue switches’ pre-travel is 1.9mm versus the Red’s 2mm. Meanwhile, the White Box beats out both with a pre-travel of 1.8mm, a total travel of 3.6mm, and an operational force of 45gf.
The one I tested was the Kailh Blue, which offers clicky feedback versus the more subdued feedback of the linear Red ones. The keyboard also features 6+N key rollover, full keys anti-ghosting, and a keystroke lifespan of over 50+ million clicks.
The keycaps are a bit narrow, which could give both thicker-fingered and differently-abled users some trouble, but the keycaps feel natural to use once you’ve adjusted to them. I will say that even as someone who greatly enjoys loud, clicky keys, it can be a bit annoying to hear these particularly loud ones going off during an intense gaming session. If you’re a frequent gamer, you’d be better off investing in the Red switches instead.
The RGB lighting is bright, flashy, and can be customized in a variety of ways including color and style, though you need to go online and download the MSI Center Microsoft Store app to do so first. This normally wouldn’t be too much trouble but the app is rather buggy and can be a chore to install due to weird errors that crop up during the installation process.
There’s also another issue concerning the lighting. The default RGB setting features an extremely intense strobing effect to the point of eye strain. I don’t suffer from any medical conditions that make me vulnerable to flashing lights, but if a buyer did and connected the keyboard to their PC, it could possibly have serious consequences. It would have made far more sense to have the default setting be a solid and less intense color instead, especially since you need to install the MSI Center to change settings if you want a different effect.
MSI GK50 Elite TKL: Price & availability
(Image credit: Future)
How much does it cost? $64.99 for the Red and Blue switches, $74.99 for the Box White switches (around £53 / AU$101 and £61 / AU$117)
When is it available? Available September 26, 2023
Where can you get it? Available in the US
The MSI GK50 Elite TKL will currently be available in the US for $64.99 for the Red and Blue switches and $74.99 for the Box White switches (around £53 / AU$101 and £61 / AU$117). The price difference between the Box White versus the other switches makes sense considering that the Box White is superior when it comes to pre-travel distance, total travel, and operating force.
The keyboard is launching in the US on September 26, 2023, for major retailers including MSI’s official site and Amazon, though currently there’s no release date or official pricing for the UK, Australia, or other countries besides Taiwan.
MSI GK50 Elite TKL: Specs
Should you buy the MSI GK50 Elite TKL?
Buy it if...
You want a good-quality mechanical keyboard It's a solid-quality mechanical keyboard that's lightweight and well-built, with nice responsive switches and solid features.
You need a more budget-minded mechanical keyboard This is a mechanical gaming keyboard that proves that you can have a good quality one without spending over $100.
Don't buy it if...
You want a fully customizable keyboard Unfortunately you can't program the keys or switch out the switches, which might deter some mechanical keyboard fanatics.
You want better software The MSI software is pretty bad, oddly buggy and has tons of installation issues to get past.
MSI GK50 Elite TKL: Also consider
How I tested the MSI GK50 Elite TKL
I spent about a week testing this keyboard
I tested it both for productivity work and gaming
I used it extensively in a home office environment
I tested the MSI GK50 Elite TKL keyboard in a home office environment, seeing how well it functioned in both productivity work and gaming. I also carried it around in various bags to test its portability.
The MSI GK50 Elite TKL is a mechanical keyboard that's meant for extensive use over a period of years. I made sure to quality-test it to see if it held up to those standards, as well as to see how easy it is to pull the keycaps off and how easy it is to reprogram the RGB lighting.
I've tested a wide range of keyboards including mechanical ones, and understand how to properly rate and test them out to ensure that they reach a certain level of quality.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 preview: One-minute review
If you work a lot on the go, there is nothing better than a thin and light laptop that promises an all-day battery life. Certainly, on paper at least, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 promises all that.
It weighs just 2.49 lbs (a tiny uptick of 0.01 lbs from the last model), is a little over a half-inch thick, and is less than 11 inches wide by just over 8 inches deep (slightly longer than the Laptop Go 2).
Microsoft promises it can get up to 15 hours of battery life with "typical device usage," which is two hours more than the last model.
It has a full-sized keyboard, a large enough 12.4-inch touch screen (that's Surface Pen-ready), a spacious trackpad, and looks and feels ready for the road.
The Surface Laptop Go line always seemed to strike the right balance between portability and price. Oddly, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is breaking that mold a bit by raising the price by $200 to $799 in the US (around £649 - we've yet to get UK pricing). That does seem a lot more to pay for a last-gen CPU and what should be table-stakes components.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 preview: Price and availability
How much does it cost? $799 (around £649 / AU$
When is it available? Pre-order now. Ships October 3
Where can you get it? Available in the US. No word yet on global availability
Microsoft is slowly but surely shifting its Go line away from true affordability, raising the price of the Surface Laptop Go 3 ultraportable laptop by $200. Granted, the $599 Surface Laptop Go 2 features half the base memory and storage space (4GB and 128GB SSD, respectively). In addition, the Surface Laptop Go 3 does have a more powerful CPU, the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 running at 2.5Ghz, which is a significant leap from the 1.75Ghz 11th Gen CPU in the last model.
This is also the first Surface Laptop Go to feature a fingerprint reader in all models, rather than select (more expensive) models.
Does all that add up to $200 more value? Maybe. We'll know better after we review Microsoft's new ultraportable.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 preview: Specs
As I noted above, the new Surface Laptop Go is mostly unchanged from the Laptop Go 2. Its dimensions and weight are of negligible difference. As is often the case, it's what's inside that matters.
For this model, Microsoft chose a newer, albeit not the newest, Intel CPU, a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U (and its newer integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics) running at a peppy 2.5GHz. That's backed by double the RAM of the previous model (you could buy a Laptop Go 2 with 8GB, though) and is configurable up to 16GB. There's also a larger base storage drive, (256GB instead of 128GB). There's no option for a larger SSD, though.
The laptop has the same WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 support as the last model. As for the camera, it remains 720p while most others in its class are upgrading to full 1080p cameras.
Overall, I think these new components are mostly good news and could finally make the Surface laptop Go 3 a reasonable choice for the home and office.
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Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 preview: Design
Still stylish
Feels solid
Great keyboard
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I liked the Surface Laptop Go design when I first saw it a few years ago. I still like it today but also think it's aging and doesn't compare all that well to, say, the MacBook Air M2's latest ultra-clean design.
Still, the body feels solid and smooth and the keyboard is large enough to feel comfortable and offers enough travel to provide a satisfying typing experience. The trackpad is large enough to be useful.
Of course, all this could be said about the Surface Laptop Go 2. I'm not sure why Microsoft did almost nothing to refresh the design.
The 12.9-inch screen is not especially high-resolution but it does look great.
I was a little surprised to still see a USB-A port on the side next to the laptop's sole USB-C port. At this point, if you don't give me at least two USB-C ports, I'm not interested. On the plus side, there's also a 3.5mm headphone jack. Finally, you have Microsoft's proprietary Surface Connect charge port.
It's available in Platinum, Ice Blue, Sage, and Sandstone.
I like how you can still open and close it with one hand. Everything about this ultraportable feels well-thought-out and dependable. It's not inspiring but it'll work.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 preview: Performance
A better Intel chip
More memory
Microsoft swapped out the 11th Gen Intel CPU for an Intel Core i5 running at 2.5GHz. That combined with 8GB of RAM should make the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 a much more performant system. At least, that's what I assume. We won't have benchmarks until we get our test unit.
It's also nice to see base storage move up to 256GB, though storage prices have fallen enough that Microsoft could (and maybe should) afford to stick in a half-terabyte drive.
In my brief time with the laptop, I didn't notice any issues launching and running, for instance, Adobe Photoshop Express, but that experience is far from conclusive.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 preview: Battery life
15-hour battery life
All-day use
Microsoft is promising 15 hours of battery life with normal use. What that means is open to interpretation. It could be just video playback, it might also be truly mixed-use.
While we can applaud that the Surface Laptop Go 3 is rated for two hours more battery life than the last model, we won't know the reality of that number until we test the laptop.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 preview: early verdict
Microsoft's Surface Laptop Go 3 is just as light and attractive as the last model but with a much-needed infusion of processor power, RAM, and storage. It even has a fingerprint reader with the base model.
For now, though, it's hard to understand why these incremental upgrades and effectively no other changes required a nearly $200 price hike. We'll reserve final judgment though for our full review.
Make no mistake: the MSI Prestige 13 Evo is a premium laptop. This almost feels like the blueprint for the best ultrabooks, a supremely lightweight but still powerful laptop with a whole host of features and a sleek, minimalist aesthetic.
Coming in either white or gunmetal gray colorways, the Prestige 13 Evo is equipped with almost everything you could want from an ultrabook; a wide variety of physical ports, a large, responsive trackpad, and a selection of useful security features.
Weighing in at just 0.99kg (2.18lbs), this laptop sits in the same weight class as the popular LG Gram, and it's even lighter than the eminently portable M2 MacBook Air. With a 13.3-inch display and a thickness of just 1.7cm, it's phenomenally easy to pick the Prestige 13 Evo up and take it wherever you go - in fact, the AC adapter is also very lightweight, but you won't need to bring that everywhere since this ultrabook also offers some impressive battery life.
(Image credit: Future)
My immediate comparison point for any compact ultrabook like this is the Dell XPS 13, which has long sat among the best laptops out there. MSI's laptop is actually a bit closer in price to the XPS 13 Plus, which I recently reviewed - and I think it just about edges out Dell's competitor thanks to slightly better average performance and a more practical physical design.
The 13th-gen Intel Core CPU at the heart of this laptop more than pulls its weight, giving you the option of some light gaming and creative work alongside the usual productivity tasks we test for on ultrabooks. I was impressed by the smooth, responsive user experience and generally strong performance in our benchmarking suite - more on that later.
(Image credit: Future)
While the stripped-down appearance might not appeal to everyone (the XPS 13 Plus certainly has this one beat purely in terms of aesthetics), it's function over form here; and I personally like the straightforward design choices made by MSI.
If I had to level some criticisms at the MSI Prestige 13 Evo, they'd probably focus on the pricing. At $1,499 (£1,399.99, about AU$2,350) with apparently only one configuration available (though the baseline specs vary a bit between regions), it's undeniably expensive, matching the XPS 13 Plus model I reviewed. At this price point, the Prestige's relatively run-of-the-mill FHD+ display pales a bit in comparison to the 3.5K OLED screen of the Plus - and I mean pales in a literal sense, since it simply can't match the OLED's brightness and rich color density.
Other than the somewhat lackluster display, though, I have very little to dislike here; MSI has knocked it out of the park with this one, and I almost wish I could keep the Prestige 13 Evo forever - my own daily laptop is starting to look a little tired...
MSI Prestige 13 Evo: Price & availability
How much does it cost? $1,499.99 / £1,399.99 / about AU$2,350
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK, no official Australian release yet
MSI's pricing can be somewhat arcane at the best of times, but I've done my best to work this one out for you. There appears to be only one standard model of the MSI Prestige 13 Evo available in western territories, but it's not quite identical across every region.
It looks like my review unit is a UK-only model, but the only significant difference here is that it uses 16GB of DDR5 memory instead of the 32GB found by default in the US-spec version. I've only listed the review model's specs below, but bear in mind that you'll be getting some extra RAM if you buy this laptop in the States.
Since MSI doesn't maintain its own storefronts in the US and UK, you'll need to purchase the Prestige 13 Evo from a reseller like Amazon - for any British readers, you should absolutely check out this deal at Scan.co.uk, which puts the laptop down to just £779.99, a frankly ridiculous deal. Over in the US, the 32GB version is mildly discounted to $1,299.99 at Amazon at the time of writing.
There doesn't appear to be any immediate availability in Australia, so my commiserations go out to our friends down under - your only option will be to import one.
Price score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
MSI Prestige 13 Evo: Specs
As I noted above, our review unit appears to be UK-only; you can't buy the 32GB version here, and I couldn't find the 16GB model for sale anywhere in the US. I've listed the UK spec below, but other than the RAM, it's identical to the US model in every way.
The Intel Core i7-1360P processor has become a staple of many premium ultrabooks recently, and you get plenty of high-speed storage thanks to the 1TB M.2 SSD. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 ensure you're getting the best in wireless connectivity too. Barring the middling display, this is a solid selection of specs.
Specs score: 4.5 / 5
MSI Prestige 13 Evo: Design
Minimalist exterior
Lots of ports and security features
Display really should be a bit better
As far as ultrabooks go, the MSI Prestige 13 Evo isn't particularly exciting - but that's not to say it's bad. The design is straightforward, with a robust screen hinge that gently angles the keyboard towards you when opened and a large touchpad at the bottom.
The exterior construction is plastic (to further serve the goal of reducing the overall weight) but thankfully it doesn't feel cheap, with sturdy rubber feet and minimal flex in the casing when you press firmly on the keyboards.
Speaking of the keyboard - it's a little cramped for my liking, with the bottom-right keys in particularly feeling a tad squished together, but I'm conscious that I have pretty large hands (I'm 6'3", if you were wondering) and most users probably won't have any trouble typing on the Prestige 13 Evo. My partner - who has regular-sized hands - tried it out, and reported no problems with the keyboard. The keys themselves have a good amount of travel and the touchpad feels firm and responsive.
(Image credit: Future)
I mentioned higher up that the display here is sub-par. For the avoidance of doubt, I don't mean it's a poor-quality display exactly, because the maximum brightness and color reproduction are more or less what I'd expect from an IPS panel at this resolution. The anti-glare coating works fine in well-lit environments and I definitely do like the 16:10 aspect ratio, which gives you more screen space for scrolling and the esoteric 1200p resolution.
My beef is more with the fact that if I spend this much on a laptop, I'd expect a slightly better display. Plenty of ultrabooks at this price point offer either higher-resolution screens or superior panel types like OLED or AMOLED; with its bog-standard 60Hz refresh rate and middling contrast, this one failed to impress me even if it was fine in practice for everyday work.
At least the screen bezels are pleasingly thin - with just enough room along the top for a 1080p webcam, something that I did lampoon the Dell XPS 13 Plus for lacking in that review. At this price point, 720p just doesn't cut it. The microphone array and dual speakers are also good, if not mind-blowing.
(Image credit: Future)
Mediocre screen aside, the Prestige 13 Evo excels in virtually every other area when it comes to design. MSI has pleasingly declined to worship at the altar of the MacBook and instead opted for a wide range of physical ports: no USB hub required here, as we've got two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, one conventional USB-A, HDMI video out, a microSD card reader (an increasingly rare inclusion on ultrabooks) and of course the humble 3.5mm audio jack.
The only thing missing here is an Ethernet port, but that shouldn't be necessary thanks to best-in-class WiFi 6E and the latest Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity. Wired internet is mostly reserved for gaming laptops these days, anyway.
Lastly, the Prestige 13 Evo rounds out its feature set with a selection of excellent privacy and security add-ons. We've got a fingerprint scanner built into the power button, an IR camera for facial recognition logins via Windows Hello, and dedicated buttons for shutting off your webcam and microphone - backed up by a physical shutter you can slide over the webcam itself for maximum digital privacy.
These features will best serve professional users who use their laptops to handle potentially sensitive data, but shouldn't be overlooked by less security-focused users; the speedy convenience of Windows Hello is always good.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
MSI Prestige 13 Evo: Performance
Intel Core i7-1360P is strong
Slightly outperforms some rivals with similar specs
Light gaming definitely an option here
MSI Prestige 13 Evo: Laptop benchmarks
Here's how the MSI Prestige 13 Evo performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
I was thoroughly impressed with the performance of the MSI Prestige 13 Evo - even though I've seen the same Intel Core i7-1360P CPU powering other laptops I've reviewed.
Here, the processor seems to be operating at its maximum potential: I saw strong performance across the board in both synthetic benchmarks and practical tests, with the processor even managing to offer some entry-level gaming capabilities in Civilization VI and Valorant - both relatively undemanding titles in terms of hardware requirements, but still great games.
(Image credit: Future)
General use is speedy and lag-free; I could open a dozen tabs in Google Chrome with Steam and Spotify running in the background and didn't experience any slowdown whatsoever.
In synthetic benchmarks like GeekBench 6, the i7-1360P demonstrated excellent single-core performance and solid multi-core results, putting it head and shoulders above its 12th-generation Intel counterparts. The SSD is also relatively speedy at about 1.65GB/s - not the fastest laptop drive I've ever seen, but quick enough to make moving files around a breeze.
It's probably worth noting that the 32GB version available in the US might benefit from its larger memory in certain RAM-intensive workloads, so if you're aiming to do stuff like code compiling, that might be a good pick over ultrabooks with the standard 8GB or 16GB of memory.
(Image credit: Future)
Naturally, the lack of a dedicated graphics card means you won't be doing any high-end gaming or 4K video editing tasks on this laptop, but that's fine - it's a small sacrifice to make for the incredibly thin-and-light design.
Thermal performance is also excellent here; the Prestive 13 Evo has a large perforated section on the underside for venting excess heat, and the interior thermal solution clearly works well - it barely even got warm throughout our testing process.
Performance score:5 / 5
MSI Prestige 13 Evo: Battery
Solid battery life, not quite best-in-class
More than 10 hours of regular use
Compact charger
Battery life is a make-or-break area for many ultrabooks, but thankfully the Prestige 13 Evo delivers. You can get more than 10 hours of everyday use on a single charge, and using features like Windows 11's built-in battery saver mode can let you stretch that time even further.
The battery does drain a little faster if you're doing anything more demanding - for example, playing videos at maximum brightness with the speakers turned up - but overall I was very pleased with the longevity of this ultrabook. It doesn't quite match up to Apple's MacBooks, but it's at least in the same ballpark as the M1 MacBook Air.
The bundled AC adapter is relatively compact too, connecting via USB-C. Strangely, the Prestige 13 Evo also has a proprietary power connector, which was compatible with a different MSI laptop charger I had lying around. With the EU aiming to make USB-C the standard for charging our devices, that sort of port will soon be a distant memory.
Battery score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should you buy the MSI Prestige 13 Evo?
Buy it if...
You want solid Windows performance Barring the powerful M-series silicon found in Apple's MacBook Air, this is some of the best performance you can get from a compact ultrabook - good job putting Intel's 1360P to work, MSI.
You don't want to use a USB hub If laptop makers could stop removing everything except USB-C ports from their devices, I'd be very grateful. The port selection on offer here is strong, with HDMI output for connecting a second display being particularly welcome.
Don't buy it if...
You want a great display While it's far from a complete disaster, at this price point I was really hoping to see a better screen than this. The maximum brightness is good but colors look a little bit washed out compared to other laptops I've seen in the same price range.
MSI Prestige 13 Evo: Also consider
If the MSI Prestige 13 Evo has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...
How I tested the MSI Prestige 13 Evo
Replaced my everyday laptop
Tested productivity work, web browsing, gaming
Used for a full day on battery power
As usual, I swapped out my normal HP Spectre x360 for the MSI Prestige 13 Evo as my everyday work laptop, doing all my typical tasks on it - word processing, video meetings, and web browsing - for several days. I only ever charged it overnight, and didn't run into any battery-related difficulties whatsoever.
I also used it casually, taking it out into the backyard on a nice evening to watch some Netflix with my partner and on a different occasion using it to play some Into The Breach, a game I will probably always be quietly addicted to.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
The Rokid Max AR glasses are par for the course when it comes to AR glasses. They offer a lightweight wearable second screen for compatible devices, effectively providing you with a private, portable home theater. They’re not perfect, though.
I'm not a fan of the glasses' design overall, but one major negative aspect of the design isn’t just down to my personal tastes. The bridge of the glasses – the part pressed up against your face – gets hot. It never burns, but it is unpleasant, and the glasses heat up fairly quickly.
Picture-wise, the Rokid glasses are fine – roughly on par with a decent budget projector. This means you’ll get fairly vibrant colors when the brightness is turned up to max, but you’ll need to use the optional lens cover or use them in a dark environment for the best visuals. No matter your setup, contrast in dark scenes is weak, with onscreen details of scenes in shadow or set at night losing any intricacy.
Similarly, audio is passable, but the Rokid Max’s inbuilt speakers lack any kind of force in the bass department, so expect your favorite film score to sound less impactful than you’re used to. There’s also a fair amount of audio leakage, so unless you want everyone around you to hear what you’re watching, we’d recommend using headphones – though headphones aren’t usable with the Rokid Station.
Speaking of the Rokid Station, this add-on may be officially optional, but I’d recommend picking it up if you can. It turns the glasses into a portable Android TV (with a roughly five-hour battery life), giving you access to a host of streaming services. You can also cast videos from your phone to it just like you would with a Chromecast.
Lastly, the Rokid Max AR glasses are slightly more pricey than some of their rivals – such as the Xreal Air glasses – and I don’t feel they offer a better experience for the money. During sales, you've previously been able to pick up a bundle of the glasses and Rokid Station at a reasonable price, so I’d recommend waiting for a deal before buying a pair.
Look, I'm wearing the Rokid Max glasses (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)
Rokid Max AR glasses: Price and availability
The Rokid Max AR glasses usually cost $439 – they’re currently only available in the US unless you ship them internationally – though at the time of writing, they’re on sale for $399 at Amazon.com and the official Rokid store. Both prices are in the same ballpark as similar AR glasses, however, they’re at the higher end of the scale. The Rokid Max glasses cost more than rivals like the Xreal Air AR glasses (at $379) and don’t offer a compelling enough reason to consider them over the competition.
The Rokid Station is an optional add-on (which we’d recommend you pick up with the glasses as they turn it into a standalone Android TV) for $129. Though at the time of writing, the Max and Station can be bought in a bundle for $489, saving you $89. This deal won’t be around forever, but always look out for similar sales, as it’s hard for us to recommend these smart specs at full price. As a pair – at the discounted price – the Rokid Max and Station are a formidable duo compared to the competition, offering simplicity and good performance at a relatively decent price.
In general, we’ve found AR glasses feel a little too much like an early adopter’s gadget. By that, we mean that the price you pay is high for what you get. While they do serve slightly different purposes, it’s hard not to compare AR glasses to a VR headset like the Oculus Quest 2 – which costs as little as $299 and offers considerably more bang for your buck.
Value score: 3/5
Rokid Max AR glasses: Performance
Colors look vibrant with max brightness
Struggles with shadowy scenes
Sound lacks fullness and oomph
The image quality from the Rokid glasses is comparable to a decent budget projector – fine but not faultless.
With the Rokid Max AR, I could enjoy full-HD (1080p) video on a virtual 210-inch screen, which is pretty awesome when just lying back in my bed. In a dark environment, the picture looks solid with decently vivid colors – though I’d recommend setting the brightness to max for the best image. If you’re in a brighter environment, the black cover is a must, as you'll struggle to see what’s happening without it.
Unfortunately, as is the case with other AR glasses, these specs struggle to reproduce dark scenes with clarity. Watching the finale of a film like Spider-Man: Homecoming – where our protagonist faces off against a villain with a dark costume in a dingy warehouse at night – making out details is a challenge. Characters’ facial expressions were sometimes impossible to see when they were in shadow, and the villain’s costume and glider just looked like dark blobs rather than intricate designs.
A mock up of what using the Rokid Max glasses is like (Image credit: Rokid)
A minor annoyance is that the screen can become somewhat blurry at the edges. Generally, this isn’t a problem as the action is in the middle of the screen, but details on the fringes won’t be in focus, which can be an immersion-breaking distraction when you’re trying to enjoy a show.
Audio-wise, the Rokid glasses are passable in terms of mid and higher-range tones, but the bass lacks any kind of oomph to it. That said, if you’re planning to use them for film and TV rather than music videos you should be fine, just expect your favorite scores to sound a little more flat and emotionless than you're used to.
Additionally, audio does leak a considerable amount at moderate to loud volumes, so if you're using the Rokid Max AR glasses in a public space (like on a train during your commute to work), then you need headphones – though headphones will only work if you connect the glasses to your phone, using the glasses and station means you’re forced to use the in-built speakers.
Performance score: 3.5/5
Rokid Max AR glasses: Design
Fit really well
Not my favorite design aesthetically
Get uncomfortably hot
Design-wise, the Rokid Max AR is a mixed bag, with some factors I love and others that are disappointing.
On the positive end, I love the fit of the glasses. They’re comfy to wear at just 75g and come with two interchangeable nose clips. What’s more, they offer 0.00D to -6.00D myopia adjustment wheels for each eye, and you can buy an optional lens attachment at a fairly decent price (the site says they’re usually $30, though I’ve seen them on sale for $15) if you need a bigger adjustment. Ideally, this lens clip would be free, as you also need to provide your own prescription lenses, but at least it’s there if you need it. Not every pair of AR smart glasses is as accessible for prescription glasses wearers.
On the negative end, they suffer the same major design issue I found with the TCL Nxtwear S glasses; the bridge (which is pressed up against your face) gets hot when the device is in use, rather than an outer edge that's not against your skin as with the Xreal AIr glasses. The heat was never painful, but it did get uncomfortable, especially during the hot weather we were experiencing in the UK while I was testing these out.
I also think the glasses are pretty ugly with their bug-eyed look and choice of blue plastic covering. This just gives me an excuse to never remove the optional cover, as it gives the glasses a nicer shape (at least to me).
The Rokid Max AR glasses, station and optional cover (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)
Lastly, while the case is annoyingly close to being perfect, it falls short and is still kind of a failure. Yes, it’s great storage for the glasses and its cables but, ideally, it would also store the Rokid Station. There’s a perfect slot in the base of the case for the station – it fits so precisely that this must be intentional – but then there’s only space to fit the glasses too, and no room for the necessary connector cable that attaches the two pieces together.
I tried shoving everything in to see if it could work but ended up breaking the zip – it’s fixed now, thankfully. No other AR case included with the glasses I’ve tested offers the ability to carry the glasses and adapter in a single pouch; I was hoping Rokid would be different, but I’ve been disappointed again. Maybe a future iteration will finally fix this frustrating problem.
Design score: 2/5
Rokid Max AR glasses: Compatibility
Compatible with devices that support Display Port over USB-C
Rokid Station is easy to use
The Rokid Max glasses are par for the course in terms of compatibility. If your gadget supports Display Port over USB-C, then you can plug these specs in and use them as a second screen. This includes many laptops, smartphones (such as the Samsung Galaxy S23), and even the Steam Deck. To be able to hook up other devices like a Nintendo Switch, PS5, iPhone 14, or PC with only HDMI-out you’ll need to buy additional adapters, which Rokid sells for around $40 each.
You could also pick up the Rokid Station to turn your smart glasses into a smart TV powered by the Android TV OS. This little AR smart glasses hub is really neat and one of the easiest to use that I’ve tested. Once you’ve logged in with your Google account, you can download a range of apps for the best streaming services – including Netflix and Disney Plus. Alternatively, using the in-built Chromecast, you can cast videos from your phone to the Station.
The advantage of this is that your glasses will use the Station’s five-hour battery rather than your smartphone’s. You can even charge the Station while using it, so you can endlessly enjoy your favorite streamed content.
The Rokid Glasses from the side (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)
Should you buy the Rokid Max AR glasses?
Buy it if...
Don’t buy it if...
Also Consider
How I Tested The Rokid Max AR glasses
Used for a couple of weeks
Tested with a range of devices
To test out these AR smart glasses, I used them for a couple of weeks in my home – using them as a second screen for a laptop, smartphone, and the Rokid Station. This was to get a feel for how easy they are to use with a selection of compatible gadgets.
I also made sure to watch a range of content types through the glasses, including music videos, movies, and YouTube videos, to understand the audio and visual capabilities of the Rokid Max glasses. In particular, I made sure to listen to bass-heavy music and very visually dark content, as these can be challenging for AR glasses. During my tests, I also made sure to watch the same content multiple times to get a sense of the glasses' performance with and without the cover in rooms of varying brightness.
