Computing - Organizer

Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL review: gaming performance in a keyboard chassis fit for the office

3:50 am | August 29, 2024

Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL: two-minute review

The Logitech G515 sits on the cheaper end of the brand’s wireless keyboard range, but it is no cheap device. And why would it be? It’s a brilliant gaming keyboard with great-feeling keystrokes and a lovely layout, underpinned by Logitech’s brilliant wireless technology and class-leading software for programming and rebinding keys.

The most impressive thing about the Logitech G515 isn’t what it can do; it’s what it isn’t. While Logitech tends to stick to a less aggressive aesthetic with its gaming range of peripherals, the G515 takes things a step further… to the point where it looks more like a workplace keyboard than one fit for gaming.

That’s a fairly defining trait of many low-profile keyboards (that and the smaller keycaps), but it bleeds through to the rest of the G515 – the keys aren’t very loud and there’s no space for any spare buttons, such as Logitech’s G-Keys (unless you program them in yourself with the G Hub app). There’s not even any dedicated media controls apart from doubled-up keys accessible with the function keys.

The Logitech G515 keyboard on a table — (Image credit: Techradar / Zachariah Kelly)

Available in black and white colorways (with ‘tactile’ and ‘linear’ key types available depending on the market), the Logitech G515 only weighs 880 grams (just under 2 lb). It comes with an included USB-A to USB-C cable for charging and wired use, with a rated battery life of up to 36 hours. It’s quite small, at 368mm long, 150mm wide and 22mm high (14.49 x 5.91 x 0.87 inches) – a size far below many of its counterparts in the Logitech G range.

It comes with Bluetooth support (though it doesn’t list what version), but you’ll likely be using the integrated USB-A wireless dongle more as it’s faster and much more reliable.

Ergonomically the G515 commits no sins. Each key is easy to access, with the CTRL key easily pressed with a pinky or a nimble thumb and the space bar producing as satisfying a press as any other key on the board – no inconsistencies here.

If I could change any one thing about this keyboard, it’s that I’d like a volume wheel fitted to it somewhere here. Logitech’s much smaller TKL 60 keyboard had one off to the side, so I’m not sure why it’s absent here. Considering this keyboard’s bigger size in comparison to the TKL 60, there’s also room for dedicated pause, mute, back and forward buttons, which are also conspicuously missing. The absence of a wrist wrest – integrated or detachable – may also get on some people’s nerves.

Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL review: price and availability

List price of $139.99 / £139.99 / AU$269.95
Tactile/linear keypress options available in some markets
Black and white colorways available

At $139.99 / £139.99 / AU$269.95 apiece, the Logitech G515 is priced well above most other low-profile keyboards, with its closest competitor being the Corsair K70 RGB MK2. The ‘low-profile’ category, which represents keyboards that don’t raise high off of the desk and are made up of thin and short keys. These still aren’t very common for gaming, but obviously the G515 is seeking to change that.

Unfortunately for some buyers, the keyboard doesn’t come with a wrist rest in the box. In some markets, buyers will be limited to the ‘tactile’ key switch option, while in the UK and the US, linear keys are also available at no extra charge (this review is based on the tactile switches, which is the only version available in Australia where I am located).

The side profile of the Logitech G515 keyboard

(Image credit: Techradar / Zachariah Kelly)

Again, unfortunately, there’s no cheaper option. I personally like having the choice of a wired option as it means you don’t have to worry about charging, but Logitech hasn’t provided such an option in any market. You can, however, keep it constantly plugged in using the included USB-A to USB-C cable.

Value: 3 / 5

Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL review: specs

A closeup of the keys on the Logitech G515 keyboard — (Image credit: Techradar / Zachariah Kelly)

Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL review: design and features

Neutral aesthetic
Default lighting profile may annoy users
No wrist support or dedicated media controls

Just because a keyboard is meant for gaming doesn’t mean it needs to look like the quintessential gaming keyboard, and the Logitech G515 epitomizes that ethos. The way this board feels, it seems more intended for somebody who likes tactile, responsive feedback when playing games, but also wants a sensible keyboard for typing away at their job. It feels like the perfect ‘working from home’ gadget – a nice compromise between a gaming accessory and something that might boost your productivity.

The thinner design of the G515 gives it an unassuming feel, more akin to a laptop keyboard than anything else. It’s lightweight but robust, with the keys easily removable for cleaning. Its design is so neutral that Logitech could sell this keyboard alongside its standard range of peripherals without the gaming badge attached – though the signature Gaming Mode button in the top left reminds the user that this is for play as much as it is for work. It sits right beside a button that switches to the dongle and another to switch to Bluetooth.

More on the ‘play’ side of things, every key on this board is backed by a fully customizable RGB light, with the default lighting profile being a breathing blue color, where the keys pulse in brightness on a loop (the WASD keys maintain a solid candy pink). The lights can be turned off by pressing FN + F8 and can be fully customized in the Logitech G app. The default lighting profile can also be changed through the app, so that when you plug this keyboard in, it starts with a different color profile to the usual blue and pink scheme. Changing the color profile would be a good idea if you want to maintain a less gamer-y aesthetic, but I personally found the default color profile to be inoffensive.

Four keys removed from the Logitech G G515 — (Image credit: Techradar / Zachariah Kelly)

It’s a shame, however, that this keyboard doesn’t come with included wrist support. Logitech sells such wrist supports separately if you really want one, but considering how expensive this keyboard is on its own, it could become a hefty investment if you’re kitting out your gaming setup anew.

Even the lack of dedicated media controls feels like a missed opportunity. Instead, the usual pause/play, stop, back, forward, mute, volume down and volume up actions are bound to FN + F9, F10, F11, F12, PRNT, LOCK and P/B respectively. Dedicated media controls are one of the things that I love the most about the brand’s staple G Pro keyboard and it’s a shame that they’re not on this more palatable option.

The keyboard feels brilliant in use, though. The model I was sent for this review features tactile keys, which press just as smoothly as any other Logitech G board of the same style. That’s underselling it from me actually – Logitech’s GX Brown tactile keys (which is what is used here) are by far my favorite from any peripheral manufacturer. They’re perfectly weighted to give you an affirmative response while not requiring too much effort from your fingertips to press in, all the while ensuring each keypress is deliberate. Unfortunately I can’t speak for Logitech’s linear key style, which is also available on this keyboard, but not in Australia (where I am).

The front of the Logitech G G515 keyboard showing the on/off button and USB-C port — (Image credit: Techradar / Zachariah Kelly)

There’s not really much to say about the layout of the keyboard apart from that it’s mastercrafted. There’s a formula that Logitech’s G division follows that doesn’t need to be broken and this is as good an example as ever. The Numpad often gets disregarded in favor of having a smaller board, which I personally prefer and so can’t complain that it’s not available here. Keys feel close enough together to avoid reaching for some, and yet accidental presses of surrounding keys is minimal. Moreover the function row is easily accessible by stationary hands even if you have small mitts.

The shorter key caps that come with the low-profile design may irk some gamers however. It caught me off guard at first just how short these keys were when playing games, but I quickly got used to them and, after a short while, didn’t mind them at all. Some gamers like their keyboards to feel big and robust like props on a sci-fi spaceship, but this keyboard is going for a broader design than that.

Finally on the software, the Logitech G peripheral app is brilliant for allowing you to customize both the lighting of the keyboard’s RGB and keybindings across the board. As already mentioned, RGB profiles can be saved to the board’s memory, however keybindings cannot. There’s nothing out of the ordinary here from Logitech, though the Logitech G app can be a bit daunting for a first-time user. I’d recommend having a good play with it at your leisure.

A closeup of the battery life and caps lock buttons on the Logitech G515 — (Image credit: Techradar / Zachariah Kelly)

Design & Features: 4 / 5

Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL review: performance

Fast, affirmative keys
Brilliant layout
Keys may not be large enough for some gamers

The Logitech G515 is made up of plastic keys covered in a gentle coarse paint that keeps fingertips well positioned for affirmative presses while not being abrasive at all. The tactile Logitech Brown GX keys click in without making too much noise for an office setting, while being firm enough to avoid a mispress.

Pressing the keys feels satisfying and guaranteed – you know you just clicked the button and a light press from a fat thumb or hanging finger won’t be enough. This goes for every key on the board and it feels brilliant.

The Logitech G515 keyboard on a standing desk converter — (Image credit: Techradar / Zachariah Kelly)

The Game Mode button definitely offers a subtle boost in performance in that you won’t fat-finger the Windows key with it's pressed. Switching between the dongle and the Bluetooth module is also quick and is perfect for if you want to use this keyboard with two devices.

The level of programming that you can do with the G515 through G Hub is also pretty great, allowing the user to create whatever keybinds they want (and remove them at any time).

Performance: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL?

Buy it if…

You want a good keyboard for work and games

As far as premium gaming keyboards go, the G515 is best suited as something that can go from writing documents to playing online games quickly.

You want brilliant-feeling keys

Logitech’s Brown GX switches are brilliant – they’re not too firm and they feel satisfying to press without too much effort.

You want a slimline keyboard

The main draw of the G515 is that it’s a low-profile keyboard, which means it has much thinner keys and a much thinner body.

Don’t buy it if…

Money is tight

The G515 is not a cheap keyboard and you may find a better, more affordable option that suits your needs.

You suffer from wrist pain

Logitech doesn’t include a wrist support with the G515, which means you’d have to buy one separately.

You desire dedicated media controls

The G515 doesn’t have a dedicated media control row of buttons or volume slider, instead putting them as function keys in the corner.

Also consider

How I tested the Logitech G515

Used daily for 1 week
Used for gaming and productivity, both in office and at home

From the moment I received the Logitech G515, I started using it in the office, with my testing period lasting about a week. To test in different environments, I even took it home, where I used it to play games such as Alan Wake II, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023), Team Fortress II, Dress To Impress and Concord. For work, I used it for several productivity apps, including typing out this entire review. I also used the Logitech G Hub app to fiddle around with the customizations, changing the colors and setting up my own lighting profiles.

I’ve been a PC gamer for almost my entire life, and have reviewed quite a few peripherals, including different types of keyboards and mice, over the last few years. Several of these have been Logitech products, which has allowed me to compare the G515 to other keyboards from the brand and its competitors as objectively as possible.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed August 2024]

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge review: zippy performance with a great display

7:00 pm | August 28, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Microsoft Surface Laptop | Comments: Off

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Two-minute review

As Samsung's first Windows 11 Copilot+ PC, the Galaxy Book4 Edge has a lot going for it, including momentum in the space with more applications rolling out support. Still, though, the Book4 Edge has some pretty tough competition - some of which has the laptop beat in terms of design and battery life.

The Galaxy Book4 Edge impressed with its lightweight and thin build for the more prominent 16-inch size that we tested. The star, though, alongside plenty of ports, was the vibrant and immersive AMOLED display, which was great for word processing, image editing, building stories, and editing images – as well as for watching movies and TV shows or the occasional video call.

Performance, as we've come to expect from the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, was very impressive and made any task, aside from gaming, run smoothly. It also fixed the problem of a long wait to wake the laptop up from sleep. However, the Book4 Edge lacks overall battery life, so if you need a road warrior, you'd be better served by a Dell XPS 13 or Surface Laptop 7.

Even so, if you're after a big screen, the Galaxy Book4 Edge offers fast performance and deep integration with Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets, which other Copilot laptops cannot match. It's also heavily discounted, making the 14-inch or 16-inch models much more affordable.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Price & availability

How much does it cost? $1,349.99 / £1,399 starting for the 14-inch or $1,449.99 / £1,499 starting for the 16-inch
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Available in the US and UK

Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Edge is currently available directly from the technology giant and authorized resellers like Best Buy in either a 14-inch or a 16-inch size. Know that if you want 1TB of storage or the faster 3.8GHz Snapdragon X Elite processor, you'll need the 16-inch size.

The 14-inch with 512GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and the 3.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite starts at $1,349.99 / £1,399, while the 16-inch with the same specs starts at $1,449.99 / £1,499. You'll need to pay more for the 3.8GHz processor and 1TB of storage at $1,749.99 or £1,699. For either model, though, Samsung is offering some substantial discounts.

It is also worth considering the Surface Laptop 7 since the 13-inch and 15-inch models are cheaper and have similar specs.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Specs

Specs: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Design

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge laptop's keyboard and trackpad — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

A big, expansive display housed in an ultra-slim, lightweight build
Plenty of ports
AMOLED screen is immersive and super punchy with colors

With a sleek aluminum build in a shade that Samsung has coined Sapphire Blue – truthfully mostly gray and silver with a dash of blue – the Galaxy Book4 Edge looks right at home alongside its other laptops. Mirroring Microsoft’s Surface Laptop lineup or many of Apple’s best MacBooks, the Book4 Edge also comes in two sizes: 14-inch or 16-inch.

I’ve spent several weeks with the bigger 16-inch, and while it offers an immersive experience from an AMOLED display, it’s strikingly lightweight and thin. Even with that large screen, it still feels very portable, thanks to a thin, tapered frame that allows for a good mix of ports. It's 0.48 inches thick and weighs just 3.4 grams, which makes it pretty lightweight for a laptop of this caliber. Furthermore, it’s a balanced weight that makes it easy to lift with just one hand and place on your lap for working on the fly.

However, with the 16-inch display, I’d say place it on a table at home or
a tray if you're out and about on a train or plane. The display here is one of my favorite aspects; Samsung has never been a slouch. Like Apple’s Mini LED Super Retina XDR displays on MacBook Pro, this AMOLED here is vibrant and punchy with colors but also delivers crisp, inky blacks for text. Everything pops, and if you’re into watching films or content on a laptop, it flies here well. It’s pretty accurate for image editing, and the boon over a Mac and competing laptops is the touch-enabled screen.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge's left-side port selection — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

You can easily connect to an external monitor if you need more real estate, though, as Samsung didn’t skimp on any ports here. The left side has an HDMI and two USB-C ports, while the right has a micro SD card slot, headphone jack, and USB-A port. The latter is nice to see on a modern, ultra-thin laptop in 2024.

Under the display in the main hull of the Galaxy Book4 Edge is a full-size keyboard with a function row and a number pad that feels cramped on the right hand side. It seems like a last-minute addition that didn't shake out in practice. The rest of the keys are a bit more expectedly sized and comfortable enough to type on, but there is significant travel here. To that effect, the keys don’t recoil a tremendous amount.

On the other hand, the trackpad is quite spacious and easy to navigate around the 16-inch AMOLED screen. With one swipe, you can quickly move a file from the top left to the bottom right.

So yes, any 16-inch laptop will be a behemoth, but Samsung’s approach was to slim it down and cut the weight. That’s effectively done here, so while the 16-inch Galaxy Book4 Edge is large, it has a bit of grace thanks to its lightweight and ultra-slim build that reminds me of Windows Ultrabooks from yonder.

Design: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Performance

An open Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge resting on a countertop — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Copilot works well here
Deep integration with Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets for some really handy functionality
If the app is compatible, performance will fly

Like other AI PCs – including Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7 or Dell’s XPS 13 – the Galaxy Book4 Edge is powered by Qualcomm’s latest and greatest, the Snapdragon X Elite. In short, Windows 11 really moves here. It’s faster to wake from sleep, it can last a heck of a lot longer in multi-day standby, optimized applications open much faster, and it feels a lot more instantaneous in everyday use.

Of course, aside from general performance, the chip is also here to power some of the new AI features under the Copilot brand; there is even the dedicated key sandwiched between “ALT” and the number keys. Pressing it instantly (I’d say well under a second) brings up the Copilot app, which lets you chat with the assistant. From there, you can select a style for conversation – creative, balanced, or precise – and you’re off. Copilot was quick in my testing to provide topical answers on events, fast calculations, and even less specific ones. It will also employ “Designer” using DALL-E-3 to create images, be it a turtle underwater or a particular style of art recreation of a favorite city. Regardless of the answer, you’ll want to double-check it, though, since it’s AI and misinformation is possible.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge screen open to Copilot features — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

One Copilot feature that’s missing is Recall, though, as Microsoft is still working on it. With this promised feature, Windows will take screenshots and create a history of sorts. In its original form, this would have happened automatically, which caused some outcry, especially from a privacy perspective. If you’re keen to try it now, it’s available via the Windows Insider Program, but it’s still in beta and isn’t designed for everyday use. When it does roll out, you’ll be able to opt in or out of it.

Performance here is mostly in line with other Copilot laptops, namely thanks to a similar, if not the same, Snapdragon X Elite processor inside. Applications open quickly, and tasks are completed promptly, especially for optimized software. You will still encounter applications that aren’t, though, even to the degree where you might not be able to install them. The hope is that adoption will continue to grow, and that developers will roll out updates; Adobe is already working on updating its suite beyond Photoshop.

Samsung did some legwork here, though, and rolled out some really nice ecosystem features. If you have a Galaxy phone, this likely makes the Galaxy Book4 Edge the best AI PC to invest in – that can be doubled down if you have a Galaxy Tab since that can be used to extend your screen – no cables required.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge screen open to Samsung apps — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Benchmarks

Here's how the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark Steel Nomad: 586; Fire Strike: 6,003; Time Spy: 2,174; Wild Life Unlimited: 29,078
GeekBench 6.3: 2,935 (single-core); 15,818 (multi-core)
25GB File Copy: 24.59 seconds
HandBrake 4k to 1080p encoding: 5:00 minutes
CrossMark Overall: 1,485; Productivity: 1,411; Creativity: 1,590; Responsiveness: 1,409
Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 9:56:24
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, Ultra): 24 fps; (1080p, Low): 21 fps

These Samsung apps are built-in, but you can find them under the Galaxy Book Experience. Folks with a Galaxy Z Flip or S will be right at home with Samsung Notes, Studio, SmartThings, Quick Share, and Phone Link. This lets you seamlessly bring elements from your phone to your laptop, like texts appearing on both, using your keyboard to respond on either, and even quickly sharing files between the two devices.

It all works pretty seamlessly, but the star is being able to control your Galaxy phone on the Book4 Edge, just like the forthcoming iPhone Mirroring app for macOS Sequoia. It wasn’t without a hitch, and I did experience a crash, but when it works, it’s convenient, especially if you left your phone charging in another room.

Even with this Galaxy-specific experience running alongside other Windows apps, you’ll be hard-pressed to make this laptop slow down or get overly hot. As you’d expect from a Windows laptop with the latest Qualcomm chips, performance is fast, and that goes for productivity or creative experiences. This means that the Book4 Edge is suitable for work and play if compatible.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Battery

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge's numpad and stickers — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Doesn't last as long as other Copilot laptops

Performance boosts aside, the other promised advantage of a Copilot laptop is greatly improved battery life. The Surface Laptop 7 in our review hit the mark with 15 hours in our battery test, while the Dell XPS 13 hit up to 20 hours. The latter is the best we’ve tested out of these new Windows laptops and beats out the Galaxy Book4 Edge by quite a bit.

In our standard video playback loop to test battery life, Samsung’s Galaxy Book4 Edge lasts just shy of 10 hours at 9 hours and 56 minutes. It could be the AMOLED display, the larger size, or a smaller battery cell inside, but that is not the longest battery life by any stretch of the imagination…especially at this price point.

However, in qualitative use, you can get a full workday out of it if you can top it off at some point, mainly if you’re pushing it a bit harder with specific applications, as that will drain the power faster.

One big advantage, though, as I noted above, is that it does wake up pretty instantaneously from sleep, whether that be after a few minutes, hours, or days. Gone are the days of waiting for this to reboot.

Battery score: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge?

Buy it if...

You want a big, vibrant screen
If you're looking for a large-screen laptop with excellent visuals, look no further than the Galaxy Book4 Edge. Its vibrant and punchy AMOLED screen looks great in nearly any viewing condition.

You're in the Samsung ecosystem
Unlike any other Copilot PC, the Galaxy Book4 Edge offers custom-made functionality that works with Galaxy phones and tablets.

Don't buy it if...

You want long battery life
If you want a long runtime that can easily last a day, even with more intensive use cases, you'd be better served with a Surface Laptop 7 or Dell XPS 13.

You want a smaller screen

If you don't need a large display, you'll save some money by opting for a 13-inch Copilot laptop like the Surface Laptop 7.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Also consider

If you're aren't sold on Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Edge, consider these three alternative laptops.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7

Just like the Galaxy Book4 Edge, the Surface Laptop 7 comes in two sizes – 13-inch or 15-inch – with excellent performance from the Snapdragon X Elite chip, all packaged in a slightly more premium build.

Check out our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 review.

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge

I've spent nearly a month using the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge for work with applications like Edge, Slack, AirTable, the Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Chrome, as well as for play with countless applications. TechRadar ran a set of qualitative benchmarks to gauge performance. I matched those with my everyday performance in several scenarios, including being connected to power or running off battery indoors and outdoors.

To get a feel for the design, I used it in various locations and tested traveling with it with three backpacks to get a sense of versatility. I also wrote this review and countless other stories using the integrated keyboard and viewing them back on the display. I paid close attention to the Copilot experience and others that use the NPU in the Snapdragon X Elite processor.

To get a sense of the ecosystem integration, I used the Galaxy Book4 Edge alongside a Galaxy S24 Ultra, a Galaxy Tab, and a Galaxy Z Fold 5 to test the functionality with experiences like Quick Share, working with Samsung Notes, and mirroring my phone screen to the laptop.

HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam: premium results for a premium price

8:32 pm | August 27, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Peripherals & Accessories Webcams | Tags: HP | Comments: Off

HP 960 4K Streaming webcam: Two-minute review

Most of my experience with the HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam was overwhelmingly positive. It began as soon as I took the device out of the box and the theme continued right through all of my testing.

The first thing I noticed was that this doesn't look like your standard webcam. Rather than the longest side being its width, this webcam is actually much longer in depth. This provides the necessary room for the lens and sensor that are required to deliver a superior image quality.

The camera itself boasts a very capable f/2.0 18mm lens that really is the star of the show. The pill-shaped metal case guarantees not just aesthetic appeal but also the required strength to withstand any knocks that come its way. The rest of the unit is made of plastic, but it's strong enough to ensure nothing is going to easily break.

HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam Close-up — (Image credit: Future)

Everything about the design oozes class, with beautiful trims and details added to the front and back of the head of the webcam itself. I also love the simple color palette featuring a mix of grey, black, and white - it really looks the part.

The webcam tilts a full 90 degrees, making it possible to focus on the subject no matter what the angle of your laptop screen or monitor. The hinge has just the right level of friction to move smoothly but also stay in a fixed position. The hinge quality continues across the main leg, ensuring it can clamp securely onto any display. It is also able to rotate 360 degrees for extra flexibility in terms of pointing toward the subject, wherever it may be.

And now I come to pretty much the only negative thing about this webcam. Because of its depth and overall weight, the center of gravity is actually a lot further back than most webcams. This means you'll want to make sure you have a substantial enough display to avoid it getting pulled down by the weight. You'll be absolutely fine with a standard monitor and most laptops, but unfortunately, I had problems with it on my MacBook Pro 14-inch. My notebook's display just wasn't beefy enough to hold it in place.

HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam Side View from the Rear — (Image credit: Future)

The USB-C port for the cable is located at the back of the webcam, and the lead is detachable. This is perfect for travel purposes and for mitigating the impact of a broken cable (you can just replace the cord, rather than the device being as good as done for with an integrated cable). The cable goes from the USB-C port at the webcam end to a USB-A port at the computer. If you only have USB-C ports on your PC, then you'll need an adapter.

The webcam also has a nice detachable privacy cover that fits over the entire front panel. This connects magnetically, making snapping it into place an oddly satisfying experience. It's good that the cover is removable, because otherwise it would ruin the appearance rather, but on the downside, this also means there's a risk of the cover getting lost.

Other than a standard mount on top of a monitor, the webcam can also be mounted on a tripod using the 1/4-inch 20 thread that is located underneath. Considering this is a webcam for live streaming and video clip recording, the presence of this tripod thread is indeed very welcome.

HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam Hinge — (Image credit: Future)

Regarding this HP webcam's image quality, suffice it to say that I was very impressed. The camera is able to handle almost all lighting conditions incredibly well. My main test was to compare natural lighting conditions versus low light, and the camera was able to deliver an impressive image in both situations. This demonstrates the quality of both the lens and the sensor.

The webcam is also able to deliver fantastic results when the shot includes a wide dynamic range between highlights and lowlights. With the HDR setting activated in the software, AI is able to bring back detail where it would otherwise be blown out or lost.

The camera supports three fields of view, including 78, 90, and 100 degrees. This level of flexibility enables users to focus or zoom out where needed. Framing can also be controlled automatically using the impressive AI-powered auto-framing feature. This is one of the best abilities provided by the webcam, as it's able to track between head, head and shoulder, or upper body, with the software deciding where to crop.

This framing feature is both smooth and reliable, although it does take a couple of seconds to react to you moving in the shot. In future versions, I would love to see it be able to instantly respond and smoothly track the subject without this delay.

HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam Back View — (Image credit: Future)

Audio quality follows in much the same vein as video quality. There are two microphones, one located on each side of the webcam. The dual-mic setup allows for distortion- and noise-free output that is far superior to what you would expect from most webcams. It does a fantastic job of canceling out background noise and instead focusing on the voice of the subject. You won't need a separate microphone when using the HP 960.

This is the webcam that has it all. There are a few improvements to be made, including the overall weight, and the response time of the auto-framing feature, but I'm being pretty picky on those points. The HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam is one of the best in its class - it's well-designed and built, plus it delivers excellent video and audio quality. If you need a webcam that doubles up as a capable video camera, then this is well worth considering.

HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam on a Desk, Side-on — (Image credit: Future)

Image 1 of 2

HP 960 4K Streaming webcam — HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam under good lighting conditions (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 2

HP 960 4K Streaming webcam: Price & availability

How much does it cost? $219.99 / £180 / AU$295
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? It's on sale globally

The HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam is available worldwide for $219.99 / £180 / AU$295. The price puts it comfortably between the Opal Tadpole webcam and the Elgato Facecam Pro. In other words, HP's 960 is a premium offering towards the top end of the webcam market.

It is yet to be seen whether this device will knock the Osbot Tiny 2 off the 'best premium' spot in our best webcams buying guide but it's certainly in with a chance. For the money, you get a 4K resolution, high-quality noise-free audio, and a ton of software features for pushing the camera to its highest level.

If you're hunting for something more budget-friendly then take a look at either the Logitech C920 or the HP 325 FHD webcam.

Value: 4 / 5

HP 960 4K Streaming webcam: Specs

Should you buy the HP 960 4K Streaming webcam?

HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam Held in a Hand — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want a 4K webcam
For the price, this is one of the best 4K webcams around. The picture quality across 720p, 1080p, and 2160p is incredibly good.

You want auto-framing
This is definitely one of the strengths of this HP webcam. The AI-powered auto-framing is reliable and effective. If you want a webcam that does the framing for you, then this is a great option.

You need a webcam that does it all
The HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam is a perfect fit for live streaming, video conferencing, and video clip recording. It's a fantastic all-rounder thanks to its capable camera and dual microphone.

Don't buy it if...

You want an affordable webcam
While you definitely get what you pay for, this webcam is far from cheap. If you're happy with lower video and audio quality, then there are certainly much more affordable alternatives.

You need something that's travel-friendly
No webcam is going to be particularly cumbersome, but compared to others, the HP 960 is definitely on the larger and heavier side of things.

HP 960 4K Streaming webcam: Also consider

How I tested the HP 960 4K Streaming webcam

I used the webcam with FaceTime and Google Meet
I tested general performance as well as special features
I made sure to test it under a variety of lighting conditions

From the moment of unboxing, I loved testing the HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam. It feels great in the hand, is a premium product, and is a joy to use.

I tested the webcam with popular video call apps FaceTime and Google Meet to put the device through its paces. I tried the HP 960 on both my small MacBook Pro 14-inch laptop as well as an MSI Prestige 16 alternative. This helped me determine how the weight of the device would affect different laptops.

I was also sure to test the webcam across different lighting conditions, including bright and low-lit rooms.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed in August 2024

HP 325 FHD webcam: A budget-friendly choice with solid image quality

2:08 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Peripherals & Accessories Webcams | Tags: FHD, HP | Comments: Off

HP 325 FHD webcam: Two-minute review

The HP 325 FHD is a surprisingly good-looking webcam. The left and right edges are fully curved, giving a nice pill shape to the overall look. The camera is dead center in the chassis, with the HP logo to the left and the microphone to the right. Everything about the webcam head design is well-balanced and appealing.

The USB-A cable is hardwired to the webcam, which is nice for convenience, but it does mean that if any part of that cable breaks, then you've lost the whole device. The fact that the cord comes out of the back also means that the overall aesthetic is slightly affected for the worse.

The webcam head is able to rotate 360 degrees thanks to the ball head mechanism, and it rotates beautifully smoothly, staying in whichever position you leave it in. There is also a privacy monitor clip that can be attached to the camera. This is a removable part, which means the chances of losing it are somewhat high (depending on how careful you are, naturally).

HP 325 FHD webcam — (Image credit: Future)

After unboxing the device, it's very clear why this webcam is so affordable. Almost every part of the HP 325 FHD is plastic and it's about as far from premium as it could get. This is no problem for the main webcam unit, as it's robust enough. I tried to crush it, bend it, and warp it, but it resisted admirably.

The hinge, on the other hand, feels pretty cheap, and I could have broken it if I tried. The hinge could also benefit from being stiffer so that it clamps more strongly on the laptop. I really liked the Opal Tadpole webcam because of the spring-loaded clip (the hinged part includes rubber pads, to keep your laptop or monitor free from scratches).

The final notable part of the design is the 1/4-20 UNC thread that is located on the bottom of the webcam. This makes it possible to attach the webcam to a tripod if you want to use it for streaming an event or something similar.

Moving away from the design and build quality, let's discuss the image quality. In reality, it's not too bad, but you really need to help it along the journey. Given poor lighting, this camera really comes up short. But with natural daylight that is evenly spread across your face, the webcam performs absolutely fine. That said, we also have to remember that this webcam is under $35 (£50 / AU$50) - and temper our expectations accordingly.

The 1080p resolution sets this webcam apart from a lot of its competitors and the additional pixels on top of 720p help push it up a little in terms of image quality.

Some webcams are incredibly good at managing a wide dynamic range but this isn't one of those cameras. If you need a lens and sensor that will deliver results no matter what setting you're in, then I would stay away from the HP 325 FHD webcam.

One of the positive points of the camera is that it has a 66-degree viewing angle. This is ideal for those who want to get multiple people into a shot, including couples who are on FaceTime with their relatives or teams in a business meeting.

When we're on a video call, we don't just want to look great – we also want to sound great. This is where the HP 325 FHD webcam really starts to struggle. The single microphone array just isn't enough to avoid distortion and noise, which makes it pretty much unusable for audio. Instead, you'll want a separate microphone that delivers better results.

Overall, the HP 325 FHD webcam struggles with some elements of its build quality, the lack of quality in low light, and the poor audio performance. But there's also a lot that's commendable here: the price makes it impressively affordable, the webcam looks great, and it provides a good level of image quality if the lighting conditions are right.

Image 1 of 2

Image 2 of 2

HP 325 FHD webcam: Price & availability

How much does it cost? $34 / £49.78 / AU$51
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? The US, UK, and Australia

The HP 325 FHD webcam is available in the US, UK, and Australia. Priced at $34 / £49.78 / AU$51, this webcam is definitely budget-friendly, but there are cheaper options out there. It's currently part of our best webcams buying guide, sitting in the 'best budget' category.

Entry-level options usually top out at 720p resolution, whereas this HP webcam boasts 1080p. You might think it should therefore attract a higher price tag, but actually, given the overall image and video quality, this price seems a decent enough fit – the HP 325 FHD is great value overall.

If you're after a more premium product, then you'll want to take a look at something like the Elgato Facecam Pro or Logitech C920.

Value: 4.5 / 5

HP 325 FHD webcam: Specs

Should you buy the HP 325 FHD webcam?

Buy it if...

You want a cheap webcam
At $34 / £49.78 / AU$51 you'll only find a few alternatives that are any cheaper. That 1080p video resolution helps the HP 325 FHD webcam stand out from some of its budget competitors.

You want a travel webcam
The HP 325 FHD is small, lightweight and folds up into a compact size. If you need a travel webcam then this hits the spot.

You want a trusted brand
HP has been in the tech industry for decades and is well-regarded in many markets. The firm might not be as well-known for webcams but it's still a household name.

Don't buy it if...

You want a 4K webcam
The HP 325 FHD webcam tops out at 1080p and even at that resolution it only offers reasonable picture quality if the lighting is really good.

You're usually in low-light settings
The HP 325 FHD webcam doesn't perform well when light is lacking. If your office space or studio doesn't have good lighting then you'll need a webcam that performs better in these environments.

HP 325 FHD webcam: Also consider

How I tested the HP 325 FHD webcam

I used the webcam with FaceTime
I tested its general performance as well as special features
I tested the camera under a variety of lighting conditions

This webcam from HP was incredibly easy to set up, and I was up and running in no time. I tested every feature available using FaceTime, and made sure to give the camera a good run in different lighting conditions, including bright and low-lit rooms.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed in August 2024

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) review: incredible versatility and screens, held back by poor cooling

7:00 pm | August 25, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops | Tags: CPU, OLED, SSD | Comments: Off

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024): Two-minute review

The Zenbook Duo has always been a bit of a curious laptop. These Asus portables lie on the fringes of what you’d expect from high-end premium notebooks, bringing something of a gimmick to the forefront to differentiate the Zenbook.

For the uninitiated, the Duo in the name refers to the fact that this Zenbook packs two separate screens. Now this specific edition for 2024 has twin OLED panels, both offering a 2,880 x 1,800 resolution at a 120Hz refresh rate. Both screens are 14 inches, and both are fixed together, with the laptop’s internal hardware interlinked between the two displays. Keyboard and mouse support is provided by a Bluetooth solution that can simultaneously pseudo “wirelessly” charge off the bottom display as well (there’s a pin connector basically).

The Asus Zenbook Duo laptop photographed on a wooden desk. — (Image credit: Future)

It’s a very different laptop design, then, and one that brings some major caveats with it. In particular, cooling with the Zenbook Duo takes a hit because of the real-estate that those twin screens take up, and the need for this device to be relatively thin. Higher spec models of the Zenbook Duo (2024), like the one we’re reviewing here, are decent enough in short-term bursts of activity, but struggle with any form of prolonged and demanding CPU workloads. Gaming in particular feels sluggish and is often on the verge of being unplayable, even at 1080p resolution with medium settings.

Still, pricing isn’t entirely unreasonable. In the US the Zenbook Duo (2024) retails on average for around $1,829, and in the UK about £2,000 or so, and you get some serious hardware in the laptop. It is, however, still more of a MacBook alternative rather than a serious work machine, and certainly not one of the best laptops around. For that, you’ll need to look at the Asus Zenbook Pro instead.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024): Price and availability

How much does it cost? $1,829 / £2,000
When is it available? It's on sale now
Where can you get it? Newegg in the US, or Currys in the UK

At least on the surface, the Zenbook Duo appears to be remarkably good value for money. In our review model, Asus crammed in an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (Meteor Lake) processor with six performance cores, eight efficiency cores and two low-power cores (22-threads in total). This CPU has a rated maximum clock speed of 5.1GHz, and sports a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for accelerating AI tasks. You get 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM (soldered, of course), and for storage you’re looking at a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD.

The biggest selling point, though, has to be those twin OLED displays. They’re vibrant, punchy, and really do make this laptop a joy to use, helping to justify the price tag.

There are a number of different Zenbook Duo (2024) models out there right now, and you can pick up one with a Core Ultra 7 processor, and a 1TB SSD plus 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM for a lot less than our review model here. Although be warned that lower-end variant does come with lower resolution (1080p) screens (and a slower refresh rate).

Price: 4 / 5

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024): Specs

Here are the specs for the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) at a glance.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024): Design

OLED screens are phenomenal
It all feels impressively premium
Some interesting hardware decisions

Okay, let me be clear here. I’ve been testing laptops for years, and have toyed around with a number of top-tier premium solutions, many of which have been Asus devices. The Zenbook Duo, from a purely physical perspective, is an absolutely outstanding notebook. Those dual screens are beautifully crisp, with an impressive response time (7.6ms MPRT when tested), and a buttery smooth refresh rate to cap it all. They’re bright, colorful, and gorgeous to behold.

The Duo’s not short on ports either, certainly not for a slim laptop. You get two USB Type-C, one USB-A (rated at 5Gbps), HDMI out, and a 4-pole 3.5mm analog jack as well. The keyboard (plus trackpad) is a Bluetooth affair, and, although not exactly thrilling with a simple design, it’s got an impressive battery life, and connects seamlessly to the Duo via magnets (and also charges pseudo-wirelessly via a pogo-pin off the Zenbook, as well).

The internal hardware is a little bit on the curious side, however. This particular model comes with the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, which is quite a thirsty – and toasty – chip. It has an NPU built in, making the processor somewhat more potent at handling AI operations (although nowhere near as powerful as a dedicated GPU), but it does require some serious cooling to keep all that potency in check. I’ll talk a little bit more about that later.

Other specs include 32GB of LPDDR5X soldered memory clocking in at an impressive 7,647MHz, and a 2TB WD SN740 M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD, which although hefty in capacity, does lack in some respects in terms of performance (I’ll come back to that, too).

Overall build quality is impressive, with tiny screen bezels, and the integrated webcam isn’t obtuse by any means. Asus has really done an incredible job of making this feel and act like a premium device.

You can use the Zenbook Duo in all manner of configurations. Detach the keyboard and run it wirelessly and you’ve got a flat screen on your table, and one propped up in front of you. Alternatively, you can pop the stand out on the bottom screen (the underside of the laptop) and perch both screens up on a table fairly seamlessly. You can also disable that bottom screen entirely by positioning the keyboard on top of it too, and even flip it onto its side, and run both displays in portrait mode, side-by-side.

It’s just a fantastically seamless experience all round really, and it’s a party trick that never quite gets old. Although one thing to note: if you do flip the Zenbook so both screens are portrait, you lose access to at least some of those ports on the bottom.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024): Performance

Day-to-day use is fine
CPU throttles during longer more intense workloads
SSD performance is underwhelming

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) benchmarks

Here's how the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) performed in our suite of industry-standard benchmarks and game tests.

Geekbench 6:
Single - 2,330
Multi - 11,645
3DMark:
Night Raid - 23,008
Solar Bay - 11,989
CrossMark:
Productivity - 1,533
Creativity - 2,060
Responsiveness - 1,350
Overall -1,709
Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p - 17.8fps (Medium)
Total War: Warhammer III:
1080p - 16.3 (Medium)
Final Fantasy XIV:
1080p - 37.3 (Medium)
CrystalDiskMark:
Read: 5,242MB/s
Write: 4,813MB/s
Cinebench R24:
Single-core - 106
Multi-core - 429
PCMark 10 Battery Test: 8h 4m

I ran the Zenbook Duo through a gamut of tests to really weigh up its worth and see just how it performs, covering everything from longer creative CPU workloads, to gaming, to AI operations and everything between. Across the board, the Asus laptop is pretty average, which is a challenging thing to say when looking at an $1,800 laptop. Clearly the bulk of the manufacturing cost is spent on the displays.

The Core Ultra 9 185H is a hot and hungry CPU by its very design. Run the Zenbook Duo through any relatively short benchmark, like Geekbench 6 or CrossMark, and it’ll typically spit out some fairly decent numbers. Geekbench gives it a score of around 11,645, and by comparison, Asus’s Vivobook S 15, with its Arm-based Snapdragon X processor, flirts with 13,864 (19% faster) in that test. The Acer Swift Go 14, with its Core Ultra 5 125H, manages 10,809 (7% slower) as well.

Throw something a little more intense at the Duo, though, and soon enough the heat issues become apparent. In Cinebench 2024 the Zenbook Duo scored a paltry 429 in the multi-core test. The Core Ultra 5 in the Acer Swift managed 636, and the Vivobook S 15 an impressive 925 by comparison. That is a big difference, and it’s mostly down to clock speed falling off a cliff as the Zenbook throttles under the thermal load.

Then there’s the storage. Top-line sequential figures generally come out fairly well here. The 2TB drive produces 5,242MB/s read and 4,813MB/s write speeds, about on par with an average PCIe 4.0 SSD in a laptop, most likely due to a larger onboard cache. Where it falls apart a little is in the random 4K writes. The SN740 managed only 120MB/s whereas the 500GB Kingston drive in the Swift hit 227MB/s, and the drive in the Vivobook S reached 211MB/s. Random 4K benchmarking reflects Windows and game-loading performance, so that’s not so great to see here.

Speaking of gaming, at 1080p on medium presets, it is possible to eke out some semi-tolerable performance. Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail managed 37.3 frames per second (fps), but Total War Warhammer 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 (without XeSS and no ray tracing) were both under the 20 fps mark. Enable XeSS and Cyberpunk jumps up to a 26 fps average, but it’s still not exactly comfortable for many modern titles. The results are predictably worse at the Duo’s native resolution on low graphical presets, with even Final Fantasy’s Dawntrail benchmark clocking in at just 22.1 fps.

For AI testing I used UL Procyon’s AI Computer Vision benchmark with Float16 accuracy. Under CPU power alone, and in Windows’ Machine Learning API, the Zenbook Duo scored just 28, whereas again the Core Ultra 5 in the Swift Go managed 32 by comparison. Matters do improve if you switch to using the integrated GPU in that scenario, with the Zenbook landing 230 versus the Swift’s 194, but it’s still not a patch on a dedicated GPU which typically reaches well above the 1,000 mark, if not much higher (an RTX 4080, for reference, nets a score of around 1,940).

For day-to-day work then, the Zenbook Duo is a good pick. Its crisp displays and smooth desktop experience are beautiful to behold. However, if you are looking at any major rendering operation, or something that involves consistent workloads over a longer period of time, you are going to be severely limited by that Core Ultra 9 chip. Unfortunately, the difference between the Core Ultra 7 and the Ultra 9 mostly comes down to professional-grade features, rather than a reduction in core count, so you’re not likely to see improved performance with lower spec models either.

Performance: 2.5 / 5

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024): Battery life

Battery life is solid
Intel chips still lag behind Arm, though

The Zenbook Duo comes with a 75WHr battery as standard, paired with a 65W charger. It’s rapid enough to charge up, although not the fastest by any means. I used the Zenbook Duo as my daily driver for around two weeks or so, and found it to be more than adequate for holding a day’s worth of charge in the office.

I also benchmarked it utilizing a mixture of tests in PCMark 10. The video test in particular, with 50% screen brightness and no audio, managed just over eight hours before the device hit 3% charge. Gaming, as you’d probably expect, was far more demanding (and tested at 75% screen brightness), lasting for only a smidge over two hours before meeting the same fate.

That’s not bad, all things considered – and the fact Asus has even managed to cram in a 75WHr battery is nothing short of impressive. The Acer Swift, which has a 65WHr battery (about 13% smaller), only lasted for six hours in PCMark’s video test. Still, in both scenarios those are solid numbers, certainly for laptops with x86 chips. Neither of them, however, hold a candle to the Snapdragon X Elite in the Vivobook S 15, which lasted a phenomenal 12 hours.

Battery: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024)?

Buy it if...

You’re looking for a versatile notebook with stunning screens
There’s no denying those twin 3K OLED panels are phenomenal to look at, with high refresh rates, a solid response time, and beautifully crisp colors. These screens themselves make the Zenbook Duo a tempting proposition.

You want a premium notebook ideal for office productivity work
The Duo is perfect for those looking for a Windows alternative to a mid-range MacBook. It might not have the clout of an Arm processor, but if you’re not into that, this Zenbook will have you covered.

Don't buy it if...

You’re a creative with longer, more demanding, workloads
Rendering video? Working with large datasets? Managing AI workloads? This isn’t the laptop for you. Thermal throttling seriously hinders its overall performance by no small margin.

You’re looking for the best battery life
Similarly, Intel’s Core Ultra series may be better than its past mobile CPU offerings, and those from AMD, but Meteor Lake still doesn’t hold a candle to the Snapdragon processors now out in the wild.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024): Also consider

Asus Vivobook S 15 Copilot+
It’s the Arm-based Snapdragon chip in this notebook that really dominates in performance terms, but it’s all bundled together with a beautiful design, plus phenomenal pricing.

Read the full Asus Vivobook S 15 Copilot+ review

Acer Swift Go 14
This laptop is far more affordable than the Asus Zenbook Duo. What it lacks in extra screens, it makes up for with stellar performance for the price – plus it’s still an OLED display here, too.

Read the full Acer Swift Go 14 review

How I tested the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024)

Used the laptop for two weeks as my daily driver
Tested it for work and gaming
Ran a whole gamut of benchmarks

With all the laptops I get in for review, I aim to use them for at least two weeks as my daily driver, answering emails, using them for work, doing a bit of light content streaming (Netflix, YouTube and Spotify), as well as some light Photoshop work and gaming too. I also run them through a myriad of benchmarks designed to push the laptops to the absolute limit of their potential, to ensure that they perform well in any scenario, not just day-to-day office use.

I’ve been reviewing laptops and PCs for well over nine years now, and have evaluated many, many devices in that time. Intel’s Core Ultra chips are certainly a step in the right direction, but I can’t help but feel that the time of x86 chips might be coming to an end.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed August 2024

Mobile Pixels Geminos T: A vertical stacking monitor solution that needs perfecting

7:00 pm | August 24, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Monitors Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: UK, US | Comments: Off

Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Two-minute review

The Mobile Pixels Geminos T delivers when it comes to productivity. Having two monitors stacked vertically allows for multiple windows to be open at the same time without the need for either a single widescreen monitor or multiple monitors laid out side by side. The Geminos T is therefore an impressively compact solution for desks that lack width. On the flip side, because the bottom display tilts forward, you really do need a deep desk to accommodate both the display and a keyboard/laptop.

The displays themselves unfortunately top out at 1080p, which is fine for most productivity tasks but nowhere near enough for creatives craving 4K resolution. Each display also has only a 60Hz refresh rate so gamers will want to stay away. Mobile Pixels has purposefully created a set of monitors that are designed for productivity and not for creativity or gaming.

The base doubles up as a hub with plenty of connectivity, including an SD/TF card slot, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C port. Being able to ditch your existing hub further tidies up your desk setup. I would have liked to have seen more USB-C ports rather than USB-A, especially with an increasing number of devices utilizing the latest technology. The hub functionality does make the base rather cumbersome and larger than most monitor stands but that's the trade-off for having a built-in hub.

Mobile Pixels Geminos T — (Image credit: Future)

The hub provides 100W USB-C pass-through charging capability, enabling users to charge a laptop in just a couple of hours. The only cables you'll need trailing out of your laptop will therefore be the two you need for connecting to the displays. As long as the top display is connected via USB-C, you can make use of the extended capabilities.

The hub also includes two speakers, which provide superior audio quality to most laptops or monitors I've ever used. The audio is loud, sharp, and surprisingly even provides enough bass for enjoying music and videos.

Touch-screen functionality left a lot to be desired. I was able to use the Windows bar to open and close apps but the rest of the display seemed to lack touch-screen capability. This could have been amazing for enhancing productivity and essentially turning the bottom display into a laptop display. Unfortunately, I couldn't benefit from this, although that should be possible.

Ergonomically, the dual-stacked display is okay but not great. The only position in which the top display is natural is if the bottom display is angled at around 45 degrees. I found having the bottom display angled so acutely a little unnatural and uncomfortable for my neck.

For the price of $699.99 / £859.97, I think I would lean towards buying two superior 24-inch monitors and a separate vertical mount system. The 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate really limit the versatility of these displays, effectively restricting users to a purely productivity-focused workflow.

Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Price and availability

$1,099.99 / £859.97
Available in US and UK

The Geminos T from Mobile Pixels retails at $1,099.99 in the US and £859.97 in the UK. At the time of writing, the US version was reduced to $699.99 - a pretty hefty discount.

If I'm honest, I think the initial price will put a lot of people off, and I have to wonder how much of a market there is for a high-end productivity-focused monitor solution like this. If you want everything in one neat package, no matter the cost, then this is a great option. But if you're prepared to buy two monitors and a separate vertical mount, then you'll be sure to get displays with better specifications.

Value score: 3 / 5

Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Specs

Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Design and features

Top monitor slides up/down, bottom monitor tilts
Built-in hub
100w pass through power

When it comes to design, the Geminos T is a really intriguing product. Most people who want two displays tend to put them side by side. This requires a desk-width that accommodates it but it has generally been the go-to setup for users needing more screen real-estate. Ultra-wide monitors have also been born out of this phenomenon. Mobile Pixels is trying to shake things up, especially for those seeking greater productivity.

The Geminos T is a vertically stacked dual-screen desktop monitor connected via a linkage system, with the bottom display supporting multi-touch to provide an efficient and user-friendly way to interact with the computer. We'll come back to the touch screen later.

The top screen shifts up and down, which then forces the bottom screen to tilt. I've never experienced anything like it but I did find it difficult to find a natural position for both. When I had the bottom display perfectly positioned, the top display was too high. When I dropped the top display to make that line up with my eyes, the bottom display was angled too acutely to make it useful. They can even be completely collapsed thanks to the robust hinge system.

Adjusting the monitor positions is fairly straightforward, although you'll want to handle it with care. Mobile Pixels plasters the entire unit with stickers giving instructions and warnings, which is a little over the top. Unfortunately, the removal of these stickers left a number of residue marks on parts of the monitor and on the webcam. This could easily have been avoided by using some sort of card or alternative labeling solution.

The displays are connected via independent HDMI/USB-C ports, which makes it possible to connect two separate laptops or computers. That being said, considering the hub is only connected to the bottom display, I think this has been primarily designed for use with a single device.

Other than the displays, there is also a built-in hub located in the stand. This is a well-implemented solution for users who have multiple devices and has the added benefit of furthering productivity. Connectivity includes 2 x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 2x HDMI ports, 3.5mm headphone jack, RJ45 Ethernet, TF and SD card slots. This is a good spread of options, although I would have liked to have seen more USB-C ports to ensure the device stays current in the years to come.

Also included in the hub are a pair of very capable speakers. I was surprised by the level of volume achievable, which was significantly better than my on-board laptop speakers. Even though there are two speakers, they are very close to each other and therefore lack the ability to convert into anything resembling surround sound.

The hub continues to deliver great functionality with 100W passthrough charging through USB-C. This reduces the number of cables you need coming out of your laptop and provides a fast way of getting your devices charged up quickly. In terms of hub capabilities, the Geminos T is indeed very capable, which is probably part of the reason for the inflated price of the product.

The final design element to mention is the webcam, which is located at the top of the upper display. There is a small amount of tilt available on the webcam, making it usable at whatever height you have the top display set to. Unfortunately, due to a label being plastered over it, I was left with glue residue that couldn't be easily removed, rendering the webcam useless - a frustrating flaw with the packaging rather than the product design itself.

Design and features score: 4 / 5

Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Performance

Well-performing 1080p monitors
Poor touch screen
Great hub functionality

The Geminos T performed pretty well in almost all areas, especially if you limit your concerns to productivity applications and workflows rather than gaming and creativity.

The 1080p displays are clear, bright, and vibrant—everything you need from monitors that are not required to represent color 100% accurately. Whenever I test monitors at this resolution, I am always left wanting more, even if I'm only using a document editor or writing emails. At 1080p, everything lacks the sort of crispness that is present in 4K or even 3K displays. In my opinion, we're so used to amazing clarity on our mobile phones at this point that not seeing that same quality on our monitors can leave us feeling a little disappointed.

The 60Hz refresh rate is no major problem in general, but gamers will likely want to steer clear. I think if Mobile Pixels just increased the resolution and refresh rate a little, then they would significantly open themselves up to other markets. There is also no HDR functionality, which might be a limiting factor for some, especially anyone looking to do creative work.

The bottom display on the Geminos T is advertised as a touchscreen, although I didn't have a great time with it. I only seemed to be able to find touch sensitivity on the bottom Windows bar and not anywhere else on the screen. Considering this is one of the selling points for productive workflows, I was amazed at the problems I was facing. Note that touchscreens are only available on the Geminos T and X models.

The other disappointing part of my experience was with the webcam. After removing one of the stickers that was placed on the webcam, I was left with glue residue on the camera and I couldn't get rid of it. I was therefore unable to effectively test the quality of this part of the device.

I think the Geminos T is so close to being worthy of its high price tag. High-resolution displays, quicker refresh rates, and a better touchscreen would really help cement this stacked monitor solution as a productivity-enhancing machine.

Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Score card

Should I buy the Mobile Pixels Geminos T?

Buy it if...

You need a vertical mount

There aren't too many options on the market for a built-in vertical stacked monitor so the Geminos T is one of your only choices.

You want a foldable monitor solution

The Geminos T enables users to shift the top display up and down while at the same time tilting the bottom display. Both are connected so a change to one monitor affects the other. The two displays can also be completely collapsed flat.

Don't buy it if...

You need a 4K monitor

The Geminos T displays are both 1080p, which is enough for many but not for creatives working with 4K footage or gamers playing 4K games.

You're a gamer

A 60Hz refresh rate is nothing near what is required for modern gaming. The Geminos T is not designed for this market so you'll need to look elsewhere for an alternative solution.

Also consider

BenQ PD2725U

A pricey monitor with excellent color accuracy and a wide range of connectivity options, including Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C. It has a sleek design with thin bezels and an adjustable stand.

Read our full BenQ PD2725U review

InnoCN 27M2U

A budget-friendly monitor with superb color reproduction and impressive peak brightness. The inclusion of 90W Type-C power delivery makes it useful for minimizing cables out of your laptop.

Read our full InnoCN 27M2U review

How I tested the Mobile Pixels Geminos T

The packaging for the Gigabyte Aorus FO32U2P gaming monitor — (Image credit: Future)

After setting up the Mobile Pixels Geminos T, I had it as my main monitor for a number of weeks. It's quite imposing so I had to clear my desk first. Knowing that the monitor stack is designed primarily for productivity, I made sure to utilise office applications and web browsing most of the time. I also tested it using other creative applications and watching videos.

I’ve been reviewing computers, peripherals and components for many years for multiple different publications around the world.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed July 2024]

HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini review: a small, ergonomic gaming mouse with more heft than meets the eye

1:29 pm | August 14, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Mice Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: PC | Comments: Off

HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini: Two-minute review

The name of the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini appears to be a slapdash assortment of buzzwords, but it at least signals its intentions of being a rapid gaming mouse. HyperX claims it’s 16% smaller than the Pulsefire Haste 2, as well as being a few grams lighter (59g rather than 61g).

As with other HyperX peripherals, the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini keeps to a minimal aesthetic, with only two small logos present. There is also an RGB light around the rim of the scroll wheel, but again, this is reasonably understated compared to other gaming peripherals. The chassis has a more textured feel than you might expect from a gaming mouse, which should help players maintain their grip when things get sweaty.

This isn’t the lightest mini gaming mouse out there, with numerous other examples managing to keep the grams down to the low 50s. What’s more, the weight doesn’t feel evenly distributed, with most of it appearing to be concentrated around the center, making the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini feel heavier than it is.

Immediately apparent when you first grip the mouse is the steep rake of the two main buttons. I found this comfortable as it was conducive to the natural bend in my fingers and knuckles – something I can’t say about other compact gaming mice I’ve experienced. Their deep indentations also help to keep your fingers in place, while the concave sides help secure your overall grip on the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini.

Clicks are more weighted than you might expect compared to some of the best gaming mouse options in this size category, which means rapid firing isn’t as easy to pull off as you might expect, quite ironic given its name. That sloping angle does help to facilitate spamming somewhat, letting you hammer down on the buttons more emphatically, but they’re still not as snappy as I would’ve liked.

The back and forward buttons are quite large for a miniature mouse. They feel firm but are easy to actuate and pleasingly responsive. The scroll wheel is well-notched, and the scroll button offers a secure push for the most part, although I did struggle to actuate it consistently: if you don’t hit the wheel square in the middle, then you’ll encounter a surprising amount of resistance, which can lead to failures in registering your inputs.

Front of HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini — (Image credit: Future)

Despite only having four small PTFE skates in each corner and one around the optical sensor, they’re quite thick, which makes the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini glide smoothly, even over hard surfaces. It’s one of the mouse’s standout features, one that will be sure to please the accuracy-craving FPS sect.

The DPI button is located on the top and can be used to cycle through up to five predefined settings. It can also be customized to perform other functions. I should mention I did experience a strange bug on one of the Windows 10 machines I tested the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini with, where the DPI kept reverting to 800 when left idle for a couple of minutes. This could’ve merely been a quirk of my particular system, and on my main gaming rig – which also uses Windows 10 – I didn’t have this issue.

What might deter some gamers is the maximum polling rate of 1,000Hz, who might not deem this high enough for esports-grade performance. Those who use the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini for casual gaming will most likely not even notice the difference, but the higher polling rate should reduce that all-important latency figure, making movements smoother and therefore more accurate.

Ngenuity is HyperX’s software for customizing the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini, but it is quite limited in what it can do. There are options to change the polling rate, lift-off distance (a binary choice between 1mm and 2mm), and RGB lighting, but there is a distinct lack of system-level and media shortcuts available for binding. Admittedly, this is probably less of a concern for mice than it is for keyboards, but worth mentioning nonetheless. If top-level customization is what you’re after, then Razer provides its peripherals with many more options via its Synapse suite.

Underneath of HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini — (Image credit: Future)

Battery life is a claimed 100 hours, and during my testing, this does appear to hold true. After using the mouse for around three weeks, I didn’t need to recharge it once.

As well as a wireless 2.4GHz dongle, the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini also has the ability to connect via Bluetooth, handy if you want to switch between two devices quickly by using the selector switch underneath. The connection works well, although be warned that if you do connect via Bluetooth, you won’t be able to use it with the Ngenuity software, so your customization options are limited. You can still cycle through your DPI settings with the DPI button, though.

The Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini can also be used in wired mode while charging. The included USB-C to USB-A cable is very light and malleable, which means there is next to no drag to disrupt the experience.

As a gaming tool, the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini is a solid choice, but it ultimately won’t blow you away. It glides excellently and has good ergonomics to offer a secure grip and operation. But the lack of an 8K polling rate will likely irk some potential users, and the clicks are a little too on the heavy side when ultra-quick spamming is called for. This is fast becoming a saturated market, and the fact is there are plenty of high-polling lightweight mice out there from the likes of Razer and other big hitters.

HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini: Price & availability

Side view of HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini — (Image credit: Future)

$79 / £89 / about AU$119
Available in black or white
Cheaper than the competition

The Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini is available now for $79 / £89 (about AU$119) and comes in two colorways: black or white. It’s marginally cheaper than its bigger sibling, the Pulsefire Haste 2, which comes in at $89 / £94 / AU$149.

Confusingly, there’s also the Pulsefire Haste 2 Core, which is even less at $49 / £49 / about AU$73. It looks nearly identical to the standard edition, but there are various differences, including a heavier weight (70g), no inbuilt battery (it uses a single AAA instead), and a lower maximum DPI rate of 12,000.

The Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini has a lower price tag than many of its rivals in the lightweight wireless gaming mice market. There are others in this segment that are over £100, but then there’s the Cooler Master MM311, a bargain pick that undercuts many competitors at $39.99 (about £30 / AU$59) while still offering a very competent package. It is heavier at 77g, though.

The Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed, a similarly lightweight wireless gaming mouse tipping the scales at 55g, is slightly more expensive at $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.95, and it’s full-size. However, it can be upgraded to an 8KHz polling rate with the additional Razer HyperPolling wireless dongle, which costs an extra $29.99 / £29.99 / AU$54.95.

If lightness is a priority for you, then the Pulsar X2v2 commands a similar price but weighs less at 52-54g, and it’s also wireless. There’s also the Razer Viper V3 Pro, which is a full-size mouse but still lighter at 54g, although it is considerably more expensive than the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini. It does have a maximum polling rate of 8KHz, though – an important feature for those who prize smoothness above all else.

HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini: Specs

Should you buy the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini?

Buy it if...

You want secure mouse clicks
The indented mouse buttons make clicks nice and secure, and the drop-off angle makes them ideal for all claw grippers.

You want good ergonomics
The front slope of the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini, coupled with the concave design and the aforementioned indented buttons make it feel better in the hand than many other mini gaming mice I’ve used.

You want multiple connectivity options
The Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini allows for both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wireless connectivity – useful if you want to switch quickly between two devices. And since it comes with an inbuilt battery, you can play and charge simultaneously with the included USB-C to USB-A cable too.

Don't buy it if...

You want a mouse to fill your palms
Unsurprisingly, HyperX specifically aims the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini at those with smaller hands, so those with a larger palm and want something to fill it won’t be catered for here.

You want a pro-level mouse
With a maximum polling rate of 1KHz, the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini might not be smooth enough for those who value this aspect above all else.

You want plenty of functionality
As a stripped-back gaming mouse, there aren’t many extras on the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini. At least the bindable DPI button is on top rather than underneath, as is the case with many other pro-level gaming mice.

HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini: Also consider

How I tested the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini

Tested for 3 weeks
Played a variety of games
10+ years of PC gaming experience

I used the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini for around 3 weeks. During that time, I used it for gaming, casual PC use, and productivity.

I played various FPS titles, including the ever-popular Counter-Strike 2 and the open-world Generation Zero. I also played sedate exploration games, including Botany Manor and Dimhaven, both of which are pretty much the antithesis of competitive shooters.

I used it in both the 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth modes, as well as wired. I used it on a variety of machines, including desktop and laptop PCs.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: July 2024

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD review: this 4K OLED monitor thinks it’s a TV

2:04 pm | August 7, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Monitors Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: HDR, TV | Comments: Off

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD: one-minute review

Gaming monitors that have taken inspiration from Samsung's 32-inch 4K QD-OLED display have been around for a little while. But this is Samsung's own take, the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD. In theory, that should make it the ultimate example of the breed and a nailed-on certainty to top the tables among the best gaming monitors in 2024, right?

It certainly all bodes well. You get Samsung's stunning QD-OLED panel tech combined with crispy 4K resolution and high pixel density, plus a 240Hz refresh. More to the point, this is Samsung using its own QD-OLED panel. In other words, you'd think Samsung knows how to get the best out of it.

Of course, it's far from cheap and hardly looks like good value compared to a much larger 4K OLED TV for about the same money. Speaking of which, it just so happens that TV-style functionality might just be this monitor's greatest flaw. Hold that thought.

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD: price and availability

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD monitor on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

How much does it cost? $1,299 / £1,099 / AU$1,999
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

No 32-inch 4K OLED monitor is cheap. But the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD is still one of the most expensive of this new breed. By way of example, the MSI MPG 321URX can be had for $899, albeit that's such an attractive price it's usually sold out.

There are various other monitors using essentially the same QD-OLED panel from brands like Gigabyte and Alienware that are between $100 and $200 cheaper. That's problematic given this Samsung option is not without its flaws. On a pure value basis, it's hard to recommend.

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD: design

The thin side profile of Samsung's Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD monitor

(Image credit: Future)

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD Key Specs

Screen size: 32-inch
Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
Brightness: 250 nits full screen, 1,000 nits max HDR
Color coverage: 99% DCI-P3
Response time: 0.03ms
Refresh rate: 240Hz
HDR: HDR10
Features: Samsung QD-OLED 3rd Gen panel, Adaptive Sync, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, SmartTV, phase-change cooling

No question, if it's a gaming monitor with a mature, upmarket vibe you're after, look no further than the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD. It's got the same premium design language as other Samsung Odyssey OLED monitors. Put simply, it looks and feels grown up and expensive in a way that most, if not all, of the competition simply doesn't.

With slim and symmetrical bezels on all four sides of the 32-inch QD-OLED panel, it's sleek and modern, too. You do get some programmable RGB lighting on the rear, which is a subtle nod to the monitor's gaming remit. But for the most part, Samsung has sidestepped the usual adolescent gamer design cues in favor of a more mature look.

Design: 5 / 5

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD: features

The back side of the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD monitor — (Image credit: Future)

Up front and center is the 32-inch QD-OLED panel. The big attraction is the combination of 4K resolution and therefore pixel density with the speed and HDR performance of OLED. Samsung rates the monitor at 250 nits for full screen brightness, 1,000 nits for peak HDR, plus 0.03ms for response time. Add in the 240Hz refresh rate and you very much have the same recipe as other 32-inch 4K monitors using this QD-OLED panel.

Where the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD notably differs is its SmartTV functionality. It's what makes this a "Smart Gaming Monitor" in Samsung terms, and it's a bit of a mixed bag. The positives involve the full Samsung SmartTV platform complete with a NQ8 AI Gen3 processor for video upscaling and motion enhancement.

So, assuming you watch your TV over IP rather than using a tuner, then this monitor effectively has full TV functionality with support for all the major streaming apps. The problem is that this functionality has been put up front and center to the extent that the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD ends up feeling like a very small and expensive 32-inch TV.

The on-screen display (OSD) interface kicks you back into the "Smart" functionality at every opportunity. Indeed, there's a certain amount of SmartTV setup you have to go through to even use the monitor as, well, a monitor. The OSD in general also has quite a steep learning curve. It's not nearly as straightforward to access the DisplayPort and HDMI inputs as it should be, and there are multiple and overlapping menus that make adjusting some settings absolutely baffling.

Image 1 of 2

The Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD monitor's small remote control — Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD IR remote (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 2

The connectivity options on the back side of Samsung's G8 Odyssey OLED G80SD — Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD connectivity options (Image credit: Future)

Obviously all of this is something you'd learn to navigate eventually. And the bundled IR remote control does help with accessing some features. But it really shouldn't be this hard or this confusing. It's also a pity because SmartTV would be a welcome extra feature if done right. As it is, it feels like a nuisance if what you mainly want to do, again, is use this monitor as a monitor.

Elsewhere, Samsung has implemented a phase change cooling system for the panel known as Pulsating Heat Pipe, which bodes well for both brightness and panel durability. Speaking of which, Samsung has also implemented various burn-in mitigation features, including logo and taskbar detection.

Finally, along with DisplayPort and HDMI connectivity, there's also USB-C with 90W of power delivery, enabling single-cable functionality with a laptop. So, pretty much all your connectivity needs should be covered.

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD: performance

Samsung G8 OLED G80SD monitor resting on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

The first thing you'll notice in terms of image quality with the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD is that it has a matte anti-glare coating rather than glossy. There are pros and cons to both types of coating, but it's notable that every other monitor based on this QD-OLED 4K panel we are aware of has a glossy finish.

Broadly, glossy coatings maximize contrast, which in turn makes the most of the perfect per-pixel lighting of an OLED screen. The matte panel does detract a little from those characteristically deep and inky blacks. It's also a little odd given that all of Samsung's actual TVs are glossy and Samsung is pitching the SmartTV functionality here. But the matte coating also helps to mitigate the quantum-dot associated greyness these panels can suffer from in strong ambient light.

In the end it's a subjective call. We think glossy coatings really let OLED panels zing. But this is still a mostly stunning monitor. Full-screen brightness is as good as OLED monitor technology currently allows, which means it's about the same as a 250 nit LCD monitor for SDR content. But for HDR games and video, it'll hit 1,000 nits for small highlights. That's some serious sizzle.

The catch is that the calibration in both SDR and HDR modes could be better. Connected to a PC, the SDR colors are oversaturated. The factory default HDR color balance could do with a little tweaking, too. To be clear, this is not a massively wonky monitor in terms of color accuracy. But given the price, you'd be justified in expecting near perfection. And you're not getting that.

That said, you can't argue with the speed. The combination of 240Hz refresh and 0.03ms response makes this a seriously rapid panel. For both latency and pixel response, it's pretty much impeccable. The only catch is that the 4K resolution takes some driving. If you want to hit high frame rates and make the most of that 240Hz refresh at 4K, you're going to need one of the best graphics cards on the market.

Performance: 4 / 5

Should I buy a Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD?

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD resting on a desk with the on-screen display shown — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy if...

Also Consider

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD: Report Card

How I tested the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD

I had the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD as my primary PC and Mac display for two weeks. That meant everything from daily work duties to watching YouTube and streaming services. Oh and gaming - lots of gaming.

The latter is really what this monitor ought to be about, though with the SmartTV functionality dominating proceedings, it's easy to forget that. Along with my usual suite of test images and apps, I used the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD across multiple gaming genres, from shooters to strategy titles.

Most of all, it was intriguing to see how it compared with other 4K OLED monitors. This is the fifth such model I have personally reviewed, so I have a pretty good feel for how they all stack up.

First reviewed August 2024

MSI Modern 14 H review: An affordable business-ready laptop

8:04 am | August 6, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops | Tags: RAM | Comments: Off

MSI MODERN 14 H: Two-minute review

The MSI Modern 14 H is a low-cost, business-focused laptop that aims at providing bang for buck rather than trying to pack in every last feature. The laptop has a 14-inch frame with 31.4 x 23.6 x 1.9cm (12.4 x 9.3 x 0.73 inches) dimensions and weighs 1.6kg (3.53 lbs), making it quite portable but larger than very slim or ultralight models.

The Modern 14 H configuration featured in this review (D13MG-045AU) boasts a relatively powerful Intel i9-13900H CPU with 14 cores, 20 threads and a boost frequency up to 5.4GHz. It also has 16GB of DDR4 3200MHz RAM (upgradeable to 64GB), a 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD and a 53.8Wh battery. The 14-inch display has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 (16:10 ratio) and uses a 60Hz IPS panel with a matte coating and no touchscreen.

Along the left edge, the Modern 14 has the DC power input, a USB-C port (40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort and 100W PD charging), a single USB 3.2 Type-A port and a 3.5mm headset jack. The right side has a vent and a Kensington lock, while the rear has HDMI 2.1, a 1Gb Ethernet connection and two USB-A ports. While I wish there was a USB-C connection on the rear as well as the side, the overall layout of the ports is quite neat. The top and bottom panels are metal, but the rest of the laptop shell is a surprisingly rigid, robust-feeling plastic. The included 90W power brick is a little chunkier than expected, but not outrageously large.

MSI doesn't provide the display brightness or color accuracy, but the screen is perfectly usable for office tasks. It can be laid down almost flat (but not quite a full 180º) and, when combined with the display flip hotkey, makes it easy to show what's on the screen to a person sitting across from you. The 720p webcam is serviceable (and has a physical shutter), but does not support facial recognition and there's no fingerprint reader for fast, secure logins. The keyboard is backlit and comfortable to use despite a little flex, while the trackpad is reasonably large and accurate. The speakers are nothing special but give clear audio and work well for tasks like video meetings.

Equipping the Modern 14 with an Intel i9-13900H is an interesting move, as this slightly older (2023) but relatively powerful CPU isn't often seen in more affordable laptops. Of course, real-world performance also depends on cooling, but the Modern 14 H system allows the the i9-13900H to sustain near-full CPU power in heavy workloads. While normally near-silent, the the fans become audible under load, but aren't too intrusive. The included MSI management software is straightforward and easy to use, and gives a reasonable depth of settings.

The 53.8Wh battery is not especially large, but the MSI laptop can manage a pretty decent 6 hours and 23 minutes unplugged when doing office tasks. Performance is limited to 30W on battery – though it will run at full speed on USB-C. A full charge takes up to 1.5 hours, but 50% capacity can be reached in just over 30 minutes.

Viewed from above, the MSI Modern 14 H screen folded flat — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Price & availability

How much does it cost? $999 / £999 / AU$1,599
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Available in the US, the UK and Australia

The i9-13900H MSI Modern 14 H (D13MG) tested is still hard to buy in the US and UK and costs $999 / £999 where available. It's a little more widely available in Australia, where it will set you back AU$1,599 at full price.

When shopping around, keep in mind that there are many MSI Modern 14 variants that don’t have the mighty Intel i9-13900H CPU. Models equipped with an Intel Core i5, i7, or AMD Ryzen CPUs are still great laptops, but only the H spec offers higher-end performance and 13th Gen CPUs like the i7-13620H and i9-13900H.

For those who want a larger screen, the MSI Modern 15 H (B13M) can be found for a very similar price ($999 / £999 / AU$1,599) and otherwise near-identical spec. Again, the 15 H with the i9-13900H is easiest to buy in Australia, but is available in the US without too much trouble and in the UK from limited retailers.

In Australia, the Modern 14 H stands out as excellent value amongst its often feature-packed but more expensive peers. The comparatively limited availability in the US and UK means the Modern H is often not as price competitive.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

MSI Modern 14 H left side side ports showing the DC input, USB-C, USB-A and 3.5mm audio — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Specs

The Modern 14 H doesn’t have a huge number of configurations, and even then not all are for sale. The main difference are the CPUs available, and the H spec laptops can have the i9-13900H, the i7-13620H and i5-13420H – though only the i9-13900H gets Intel Iris Xe graphics.

Below is the list of specs for the configuration tested for this review:

Specs score: 4 / 5

MSI Modern 14 H screen folded flat and flipped for sharing — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Design

Fold-flat screen
Thunderbolt 4
100W USB-C charging

The Modern 14 does an admirable job of keeping the design simple, with a focus on higher performance at an affordable price, so the lack of an IR webcam for facial login support and no fingerprint reader are minor frustrations. I wish there was a 32GB model available, but at least the laptop uses upgradeable RAM.

The Modern 14 H measures in at 31.4 x 23.6 x 1.9cm (12.4 x 9.3 x 0.73 inches), and while it does have chunky rubber feet to ensure adequate cooling space, they don’t cause any issues with even very slim laptop bags. The laptop's 1.6kg (3.53 lbs) feels very light in hand compared to the overall size.

The Modern 14 H layout is quite clean, and I appreciate the way the ports are all on the left and rear (though left handers may feel the opposite!). Still, having an extra USB-C port (with PD charging) on the rear would have been handy. The lack of SD or microSD card reader may also frustrate some buyers. On the plus side, the choice to have the USB-C port support Thunderbolt 4 with 100W PD charging means the Modern 14 H is ideal for connecting to a dock with an extra monitor or other high-speed external devices.

The Modern 14 H has a mostly plastic body, with metal top and bottom panels. The plastic is quite stiff itself and, combined with the metal, the 14-inch form doesn’t exhibit much flex at all. MSI also reports the laptop is rated to the MIL-STD-810H Military Grade Standard for toughness, and I didn't find any compromises that could result in premature failure or wear.

The Modern 14 H uses a 16:10 ratio display to give a small but welcome amount of extra vertical space compared to a 16:9 screen. The resulting resolution is 1920 x 1200, and while that may seem low, the display is quite sharp and perfectly usable in the 14-inch size. The (almost) 180º fold-flat screen is a nice addition, as well as the hotkey for flipping the display orientation to show it to someone sitting opposite. The fold-flat screen also means the laptop works great with a dock and vertical stand, though I do wish the hinge allowed a bit of extra folding so it could lay fully flat.

Design score: 3.5 / 5

MSI Modern 14 H keyboard and trackpad showing the white key backlighting — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Performance

Powerful CPU
Not too noisy
Fast 1TB SSD

MSI Modern 14 H: Benchmarks

Here's how the MSI Modern 14 H performed in the TechRadar suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Time Spy: 1,809

Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 13,337 points; Single-core: 2,029

PCMark 10: 6,510

CrystalDiskMark 8 NVMe: 5,000 MB/s (read); 3,576MB/s (write)

Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, Ultra): 25fps

PCMark 10 Battery life: 6 hours and 25 minutes

1080p video playback battery life: 6 hours and 57 minutes

It’s important to remember the relatively affordable nature of the MSI Modern 14 H when considering the performance. It’s not common to see a higher-end CPU like the Intel Core i9-13900H CPU in a thin and light chassis, though the Modern 14 H opts for DDR4 RAM over DDR5 (both are supported by the CPU) to help keep costs down. The RAM runs at 3200MHz and, in this case, faster DDR5 wouldn’t give much of a performance boost.

The MSI Modern 14 H benchmarks results are excellent and it bested more expensive laptops – even those with the same or a similar CPU. This largely comes back to the MSI engineers making sure the i9-13900H is kept cool enough to run at or above its 45W thermal design power. Unfettered, the CPU can boost up to 115W, but that’s reined in and total system power is limited by the 90W adapter.

The laptop vents hot air out the rear and right side, and at full power that can result in a warmer-than-usual mousing hand. That's delightful in winter perhaps, but not as nice in a hotter environment. The MSI software in 'AI' mode does an admirable job of keeping the laptop as quiet as possible without limiting performance when needed. For those who like manual control, in performance mode, the CPU can sustain the 45W TDP for extended period, and under load the fans are plainly audible but not excessively loud.

Balanced mode drops the CPU power back to 30W, and even with heavy use, the fans are only just able to be heard. Quiet mode limits the CPU to a much more modest 20W, ensuring that even under sustained load the fans never spin fast enough to be audible. Super battery mode limits the CPU to just 15W, making many apps noticeably slower, but it still works well if maximizing battery life during lower impact tasks like video playback.

On battery, the system automatically limits the CPU to 30W – though the impact of this is only noticeable in very CPU-heavy apps. The Modern 14 H doesn’t throttle performance at all when connected to a 100W USB-C charger, and peaks at just over 90W when pushed hard.

The Modern 14 H SSD is reasonably fast overall and the laptop is well suited to work that demands higher-than-average performance. Despite the decently powerful Intel Iris Xe graphics, the overall cooling of the laptop does mean gaming performance is limited. This is expected for a business-focused laptop, but nevertheless you can still get playable frame rates out of older or less demanding games.

Performance score: 4 / 5

The MSI Modern 14 H power brick sitting behind the laptop as a size comparison — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Battery life

6 hours and 25 minutes work when unplugged
6 hours and 57m of video playback

The Modern 14 H has a fairly normal sized 53.8Wh battery and it gives decent but not outstanding battery life. Connected to Wi-Fi, I managed over 6 hours of office work on battery. This isn’t quite enough to get through a full day's work without a charger, but is more than enough to spend plenty of time unplugged. For less demanding tasks like video playback, the Modern 14 H can just reach 7 hours. If working the CPU hard, expect as little as 2 hours on battery, or 3 to 4 hours with medium level workloads.

The Modern 14 H will fast charge on USB-C or using its power adapter, and from 4% charge it can hit 50% in not much more than 30 minutes. A full charge takes around 1.5 hours. The battery charge efficiency is above average, and from 4% capacity it took 59.5Wh to charge the 53.8Wh battery. This means you can fully charge the laptop on a suitable 20,000mAh (74Wh) or larger power bank.

The Modern 14 H doesn’t throttle performance when connected to USB-C – meaning you can get full performance for heavy workloads when on the go by using a power bank. In my testing, a 20,000mAh (74Wh) power bank gives an extra 5 hours or so of demanding work, like video editing.

Battery life score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Modern 14 H?

Buy it if...

You need above-average performance
Thanks to the powerful Intel Core i9-13900H CPU, the Modern 14 H offers better performance compared to several more expensive laptops.

You use a USB-C dock
The Modern 14 H runs at full performance on USB-C, and has a 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 connection with DisplayPort, so is ideal for use with a dock.

You want value for money
Despite the modest price tag, the Modern 14 H offers a mix of features that mean it is well suited to handling heavy workloads.

Don't buy it if...

You need all-day battery life
6 hours on battery is nothing to sneeze at, but it won’t get you through a full day's work without charging along the way.

You can't live without a fancy screen
The Modern 14 H display is perfectly fine for office use and folds back through 180º, but doesn’t wow compared to much more expensive OLED or higher-resolution panels.

You need 32GB of RAM
The MSI Modern 14 H doesn’t have a configuration equipped with 32GB of RAM – though the memory is user upgradable.

MSI Modern 14 H: Also consider

If our MSI Modern 14 H review has you considering other options, here are some other gaming laptops to consider...

How I tested the MSI Modern 14 H

I tested the MSI Modern 14 H for two weeks
I used it both on a desk with a dock, and when on the go
I tested it with benchmarking tools, as well as battery and power logging

I ran the MSI Modern 14 H through the usual comprehensive array of TechRadar benchmarks, as well as using it for actual day to day work.

I used the TechRadar movie test for assessing battery life during video playback, as well as running productivity-focused battery benchmarks. I also logged power use in a variety of scenarios, including when charging from USB-C, or running from a power bank.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed May 2024

Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) review: standout performance at a mid-range price

8:59 am | August 5, 2024

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

Lenovo Legion 5i: Two-minute review

Featuring a Nvidia RTX 4050, 4060 or 4070 GPU and a large 16-inch, 165Hz display, the Legion 5i is built to push your gaming experience to the next level. The laptop is also very capable for daily productivity use and blends in at the office or Uni once you turn off the eye-catching RGB lighting. At 32 x 26 x 2.5 cm (0.99 x 14.16 x 10.33 inches) and weighing 2.3kg (5.1lbs), the 5i just makes it into the range of what I would consider as realistically portable, meaning that it slots into a larger backpack or laptop bag without too much fuss.

At the time of writing, the three Legion 5i GPU variants (4050, 4060 and 4070) are sold with the Core i7-14650HX or i9-14900HX CPUs, up to 32GB of RAM, and a 512GB or 1TB SSD. All three video cards use the full 140W power profile. The 5600MHz DDR5 RAM can be upgraded (the 5i supports 64GB) and is typically (but not always) installed as two DIMMs to give dual-channel performance. The 16-inch display has a 165Hz refresh rate and supports G-Sync, has a 2560 x 1600 resolution, a decent 350-nit brightness and displays an excellent 100% of the sRGB color gamut. There’s also a harder-to-buy 500 nits, 240Hz version of the display available in some regions.

Ports include a single HDMI 2.1 connection, one 10Gbps USB-C port with 140W power delivery and DisplayPort 1.4, a 10Gbps USB-C port with just DisplayPort, 3x USB-A 5Gbps ports (one with always-on power), Gigabit Ethernet, an SD card reader and a 3.5mm headset jack.

Lenovo has put a lot of work into the cooling system in the Legion laptops, and the lessons learnt on the high-end machines are replicated even on the affordable models. The result is one of the best-performing RTX 4070 gaming laptops I've tested – it even bests last year's RTX 4070 Legion 5 Pro in gaming results by up to 7%, and is quieter while doing so. This means the 5i can happily run all but the most demanding games over 100fps at the screen's native resolution without dropping quality too far, or push towards the full 165Hz refresh rate the screen is capable of at 1080p. The Legion 5i is also a very capable work machine, and thanks to the inclusion of 140W USB-C you can get near full productivity performance without having to lug the huge Lenovo power brick around. The 80Wh battery doesn’t give much time unplugged though and, even in efficiency mode, I struggled to get four hours of work done, or reach five hours of video playback.

The Legion 5i gives comprehensive yet easy-to-use control over fan speeds and performance modes – including overclocking. The keyboard and trackpad are both excellent, and the RGB lighting modes are fun but also easily customized. The 1080p webcam is reasonable but doesn’t do facial recognition, and there’s no fingerprint reader either, so logging in feels very dated. The speakers are pretty good (but could be louder) and the overall build quality of the 5i is quite nice, despite the chassis being partially built with plastic rather than metal.

While the Legion 5i hardware is top notch, evaluating the value proposition is made more complex by Lenovo’s choice to use constantly shifting pricing and large rolling discounts across different configurations. Lenovo also doesn’t stock all variants, and many are only available from third-party sellers. I certainly wouldn’t be paying the full list price for the Legion 5i, and I suggest waiting for a (frequent) sale before purchasing.

Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) screen folded back through 180º to lay flat — The Legion 5i display can fold through 180º to lay flat (Image credit: Future)

Lenovo Legion 5i: Price & availability

How much does it cost? Starting from $1,789.99 / £1,614.99 / AU$3,099
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? You can get it in the US, UK, and Australia

At the full list price, the Lenovo Legion 5i doesn’t offer standout value, but at the various Lenovo (and third-party retailer) sale prices, it can be a great buy. Generally speaking, I find the best discounts are often direct from Lenovo, but of course it’s always worth checking your favorite retailer too.

Below is a table of the list pricing for the Legion 5i variants sold directly from Lenovo.

Value score: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion 5i: Specs

Availability varies depending on location, but overall the Legion 5i has a large number of configurations available, although you’ll be hard-pressed to find them all directly from Lenovo. The Lenovo Product Specification Reference is a handy tool to check what variants are available for the Legion 5i.

In the US and UK, the most powerful 5i models include an i9-14900HX CPU, a RTX 4070 GPU, 32GB of RAM and the 500-nit, 240Hz display. While the same model is listed for Australia, at the time of writing it’s not actually available for sale anywhere.

Below is the specs list for the Legion 5i models available direct from Lenovo.

Specs score: 4 / 5

Image 1 of 4

Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) closed on desk showing left hand side ports — The left side ports include USB-A, dual USB-C and 3.5mm audio (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 4

Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) — The right hand side of the laptop features dual USB-A, a microSD card reader, the webcam e-shutter switch and the Gigabit LAN port (Image credit: Future)

Image 3 of 4

Image 4 of 4

Lenovo Legion 5i: Design

Well-balanced hardware
Customizable lighting
Fold-flat display

The Legion 5i is a large laptop, but thanks to relatively slim screen bezels and a fairly smart design, it’s still what I would consider portable enough to be carried on the go everyday. That’s helped by Lenovo’s decision to include 100W USB-C PD charging, so you can leave the big power brick at home if you’re not going to indulge in gaming. (Note that the 5i supports 140W over USB-C with a special Lenovo charger – but more on that below)

The Legion 5i stands out with a display that can fold through 180º to lay flat. I love this design for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it means you can toggle the display upside down and share it with someone sitting across from you. Secondly, it makes it easy to use the laptop in your own unique way. For example, with the Legion 5i plugged into a second screen or dock, and using a keyboard and mouse, I liked to open the screen fully, and place the laptop in a vertical stand. That way the laptop screen is raised to the right level to be placed next to a second screen, plus it leaves the vents unobstructed and takes up very little desk space.

The Legion 5i includes a MUX switch for Advanced Optimus graphics switching. This means the laptop can optimize graphics performance and power use automatically based on need, without needing to restart when switching modes. This is a feature not seen on all mid-range gaming laptops, so it’s a great inclusion from Lenovo.

Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) rear vents showing removable cover — The Legion 5i includes a swappable vent cover (Image credit: Future)

The laptop display shell is made of aluminum, but the Legion 5i opts for plastic on the main chassis to save weight. This is a good choice overall, and the stiff plastic used doesn’t make the laptop feel any less capable of handling bumps or drops. The laptop is equipped with the Legion TrueStrike keyboard (full-sized, with numpad), that’s pleasant to type on thanks to the 1.5mm key travel and lack of bounce. The keyboard has customizable RGB 4-zone backlighting that can be used to add some bling, or toned down to muted colors (or white) if trying to blend in at the office or university.

The Legion 5i has most of the design elements I value in a gaming laptop, such as user-upgradeable RAM and storage. Port selection is also good, with dual USB-C that includes DisplayPort output on both, and USB-C charging on one. At 10Gbps, the data rate is a bit lower than I would like – in comparison the Gen 8 Legion 5i had 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4. You also get three decently fast 5Gbps USB-A ports, one of which has another feature I love – always-on charging, so you can use the laptop to top up the battery on other devices even when it’s off. It’s also nice to see HDMI 2.1 support (up to 8K), as well as Ethernet, a card reader and a 3.5mm headset jack. The ports are well located around the laptop, with plenty of spacing between them ensuring easy access. The HDMI port and USB-C DisplayPort modes are all driven from the Nvidia GPU, rather than the integrated GPU in the CPU.

The choice to include Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax 2x2) means the Legion 5i doesn’t have the absolute fastest networking, but is still relatively futureproof in terms of high-speed connectivity. The Legion 5i includes a privacy e-shutter on the webcam, but it’s not capable of facial recognition for fast Windows login. You don’t get a fingerprint reader either, and this means the Legion 5i feels a little behind the times when logging in – especially considering the price point. The 80Wh battery is decently sized but I’d much preferred to have seen a larger 99Wh battery – as is featured in some competitors – to help eke out a little extra time unplugged.

Design score: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) keyboard and trackpad close up — The Legion 5i keyboard has 4-zone RGB (plus white) LED lighting (Image credit: Future)

Lenovo Legion 5i: Performance

Excellent gaming results
Cooler and quieter than average
Great CPU performance for workstation use

Lenovo Legion 5i: Benchmarks

Here's how the Lenovo Legion 5i performed in the TechRadar suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Speed Way: 3,098 Port Royal: 7,882; Time Spy Extreme: 6,279; Fire Strike Ultra: 7,201.

GeekBench 6.3: 2,856 (single-core); 17,201 (multi-core)

Cinebench R24: 1,301 (multi-core); 121 (single-core)

PCMark 10: 7,960

CrystalDiskMark 8 NVMe: 7,071 MB/s (read); 5,165 MB/s (write)

Red Dead Redemption II: (Ultra 1080p) 89fps

Cyberpunk 2077: 1080p, (Ultra) 72fps; QHD, (Ultra) 54fps

F1 2023: 1080p (Ultra): 77fps

PCMark 10 Battery Life: 4 hours and 1 minute

1080p video playback battery life: 4 hours and 54 minutes

I’ve tested a wide range of similarly priced laptops that use the RTX 4070 GPU and, generally speaking, for the same GPU thermal design power (TGP) and similar CPU / RAM spec, gaming results don’t vary a huge amount. But subtle differences in how manufacturers configure their CPU and GPU power profiles, as well as other design choices, can lead to consistent differences overall.

The Legion 5i control software includes three ‘modes’ – Quiet, Balanced and Performance – which vary the performance levels, as well as the amount of noise and heat created. You can swap between them with the function keys, and they’re also indicated by the color of the power button. Mode changes can also be automatically triggered by certain applications or games. There's also the option to do limited overclocking via the Lenovo control software.

Overall, the Legion 5i gets excellent results and is one of the top RTX 4070 performers I've tested. It’s also very stable, and I had no glitches or strange behavior from the Lenovo software, or problems running any games, benchmarks or applications. The Legion 5i has well-designed power and fan profiles that can help tame the noise while still giving high frame rates. The 5i also has more than enough cooling capacity to keep the GPU working hard without hitting excessive temperatures, and still have headroom for the CPU.

The RTX 4070 is well-equipped for 2560 x 1600 gaming, and can run most games at very playable frame rates without dropping back the details. For especially demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077, set to ultra ray tracing and high texture detail, the Legion 5i manages 54fps, but that can be bumped up to 69fps (with no loss of playability) if DLSS frame generation is turned on. At 1080p with the same settings, the 5i gives 119fps with DLSS on, or around 68fps with it off. Drop back to (still very playable) low ray tracing and detail settings with DLSS on and you can push Cyberpunk 2077 to 158fps – near to the limits of the 165Hz display.

At full pelt the Legion 5i is dumping 160W+ of heat, so it’s not exactly quiet, or cool. Still, the laptop is easily the quietest 16-inch RTX 4070 (140W) model I’ve tested. Importantly the Lenovo engineers have done a great job of cutting out the more annoying higher-pitched noise from the fans, and it sounds closer to a whooshing roar than a vacuum cleaner. It also helps that the noise (and the heat) is directed out the rear, rather than the sides, so isn’t as obvious. That said, you will still want to be using a headset when gaming – especially as the laptop speakers aren’t the loudest.

The Legion 5i does a great job of keeping the heat generated away from the user. The air inlets are located underneath and vented out the rear, so there isn’t a stream of hot air on your hands. At Lenovo Innovate 24, I also got to see first hand how the cooling system is put together, and it has a focus on keeping heat away from areas such as the underside of the keyboard. This is reflected in my testing, where the hottest part is the rear vents and, even after an intense gaming session, the trackpad only peaked at 26ºC / 78.8ºF, the keyboard at 37ºC / 98.6ºF and the underside was 35ºC / 95ºF. Overall this is a great result, and lower than average for this class of laptop.

Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) screen and control software close up — The Legion 5i software gives control over key settings (Image credit: Future)

The powerful Legion 5i cooling system also means the CPU can work to its full potential – making it a very competent workstation when not gaming, and it’s well suited to heavy workloads such as video editing. As a comparison, the i7-14650HX in the Legion 5i has about 30% higher performance than an Intel Ultra 9 185H in heavy multithreaded loads.

Everyday performance on battery is top notch, and most of the time it feels exactly the same as if plugged in. Performance is reduced under heavy loads (or if gaming) of course, because the CPU and GPU are both limited to 50W each when on battery power. For CPU-heavy tasks I saw up to a 30% drop in performance, while gaming suffers a similar reduction in frame rates compared to being plugged in – and only lasts for 57 minutes before the battery runs out!

The Legion 5i can also be run on or charged from USB-C. Using a normal PD charger, the 5i takes up to 100W (20V/5A) and, to get the full 140W, you need a Lenovo USB-C charger capable of non-PD spec compliant 20V/7A. This means a normal 140W (28V/5A) USB-C charger (or power bank) will only charge the 5i at 100W. None of this is an issue real-world as the Legion 5i gives solid performance on USB-C, and happily uses the full amount of power available. Performance on USB-C is similar to running on battery, though the power profiles prioritize the CPU over the GPU. This means workstation use remains snappy when running on USB-C (such as when plugged into a dock) or if charging from a power bank, but don’t expect to do much more than casual gaming without the main Lenovo PSU.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) power supply size comparison at rear of laptop — The 230W PSU for the Legion 5i is slim but large overall (Image credit: Future)

Lenovo Legion 5i: Battery life and Charging

4 hours and 1 minute of regular use when unplugged
4 hours and 54 minutes of video playback
57 minutes of gaming

The Lenovo Legion 5i uses an 80Wh battery, which is decent sized but not quite as good as the 99Wh featured in some competing models. And, to be fair, the Legion 5i is a powerful gaming machine, so battery life is not the highest priority.

Still, 4 hours or so of work unplugged (and around 30 minutes longer if just browsing the internet or watching YouTube videos) is enough to be useful, but still not a great result overall. In contrast, other gaming laptops I've tested with similar spec hardware (including more powerful CPUs) give over 8 hours of video playback with a 99Wh battery. Adjusted for the Legion 5i 80Wh battery, I would expect over 7 hours from the Legion 5i.

When comparing online to other battery-life tests, the results vary widely – from similar results to mine, all the way to video playback of well over 8 hours. This suggests the hardware can be efficient, but the drivers and software are not always switching to less power-hungry modes, and it might take time (and a few software updates) to give a consistent experience.

On the plus side, the Legion 5i offers extra-fast charging and, using the AC PSU, it can top up to 30% battery capacity in just 10 minutes or reach 70% in 30 minutes. In my testing the laptop had no trouble achieving this charge rate – though of course it needs the large PSU to make this happen.

The PSU is pretty chunky and weighs almost a kilogram just by itself, so it’s not great to lug around day to day. Fortunately USB-C charging is not much slower and I found the laptop could reach 50% charge in around 30 minutes, and 70% charge in under 50 minutes. The Legion 5i also charges well from a power bank and is reasonably efficient – though you will need a big 27,000mAh (99Wh) power bank to give the laptop a full charge.

Battery Life and Charging score: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Lenovo Legion 5i?

Buy it if…

You want excellent gaming performance in a relatively portable package
The Legion 5i isn’t exactly tiny, but considering the large 16-inch screen and full performance GPU, it’s still pretty good for carrying every day.

You want CPU performance
The i7-14650HX (or mighty i9-14900HX) CPU combined with the Lenovo cooling system gives high-end performance for workstation or creator use.

You want to use it for more than just gaming
Excellent USB-C performance and the fold-flat screen mean the Lenovo is also a great option for everything that isn’t gaming.

Don’t buy it if...

You want a very portable gaming option
The Legion 5i isn’t too heavy or thick, but if portability is a prime concern, then consider the Lenovo Legion Slim 5. It has a very similar spec but in a slightly thinner, lighter chassis and is also available in a 14-inch model.

You want a more powerful GPU
The Legion 5i is available with a RTX 4070 or below. If you want the RTX 4080 or 4090, you need to look at the Legion Pro 7i or Legion 9i laptops.

You want a very affordable laptop
The Legion 5i is a great-value machine (when discounted), but it’s still a mid-range model. If you crave affordable RTX 4050 and 4060 focused gaming, check out the Lenovo LOQ series.

Lenovo Legion 5i: Also consider

If my Lenovo Legion 5i review has you considering other options, here are some more gaming laptops to consider:

Asus Zephyrus G16
The G16 has the same 16-inch form factor as the Lenovo Legion, though is a bit slimmer and lighter if portability is more important than maximum performance.

Check out the full Asus Zephyrus G16 review

Gigabyte Aorus 16X
Another powerful 16-inch gaming laptop that’s sold with either a RTX 4060 or RTX 4070 GPU, and it gave excellent benchmark results in our testing.

Take a look at the full Gigabyte Aorus 16X review

Acer Predator Helios 18
Want a bigger screen and more powerful GPU? The Acer Predator Helios 18 is worth a look – while normally very pricey, it can be decent value when discounted.

Read the full Acer Predator Helios 18 review

How I tested the Lenovo Legion 5i

I tested the Lenovo Legion for two weeks
I used it both on a desk, and put it in a backpack for travel
I used it for gaming, as well as office productivity work and video editing

I ran the Lenovo Legion 5i through the usual comprehensive array of TechRadar benchmarks, as well as using it for actual day-to-day work at a desk and on the go. I used the TechRadar movie test for assessing battery life during video playback, and a range of productivity battery benchmarks to further gauge battery life. I also logged power use in a variety of scenarios, including when charging from USB-C, and tested the laptop with a variety of USB-C chargers and power banks.