The Turtle Beach Atlas Air is up there as one of the best wireless gaming headsets. Its lightweight build houses a plethora of nice features to help put it among some of the best wireless gaming headsets, such as its easy-to-use flip-to-mute mic, floating ear cups, and convenient open-back design.
But outside of convenience, you’re getting crystal-clear audio supported by 40mm drivers with high-fidelity 24-bit audio. Your calls and party chats will be supported with in-built noise reduction and incredibly clear mic output, so your teammates have no excuse when it comes to heeding your instructions.
Its 50-hour battery life isn't to be ignored either. I've spent around 70 hours with the headset and only needed to charge it once, so you’ll rarely need to abruptly stop a gaming session due to low battery. Even then, the quick-charge ability of the headset means you've only got to wait an hour or so for the battery to be fully charged and you can pick up where you left off.
If you're looking for a way to sink even further into your favorite games, this is your way in, especially with compatibility across PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation.
(Image credit: Future)
Turtle Beach Atlas Air: Price and availability
$179.99 / £159.99 / AU$299
The Turtle Beach Atlas Air wireless headset launched on May 19, 2024. Retailing for $179.99 / £159.99 / AU$299, it falls in that upper mid-range category, but well worth the price once you start to consider its capabilities compared to other wireless headsets such as the HyperX Cloud III or the JBL Quantum 360X.
To put it into perspective, the Atlas Air is around $80 / £60 / AU$149 more expensive than the HyperX Cloud III, so it's bound to offer a more extensive range of features as reflected in its price tag. If you're a first-time headset buyer, this price difference can be pretty off-putting. But you're investing in a headset that’s going to last you a while.
To coincide with the launch of the Atlas Air, Turtle Beach also released the Stealth 500 and Stealth 600 wireless headset models. Both of these headsets are more budget-friendly options, which I spent some time with alongside the Atlas Air. While they do seem more inviting for a first-time buyer they lack a huge number of features in comparison. For example, the Atlas Air is capable of delivering a more extensive sound profile. I never experienced audio peaking when in use, which I did with the Stealth 500. I also find the lighter build of the Atlas Air more comfortable after hours of use.
Turtle Beach Atlas Air: Specs
Turtle Beach Atlas Air: Design and features
World's first floating ear cup design
Detachable flip-to-mute mic
Accessible and neat button layout on cups
One thing that stood out to me was the unique floating ear cup design on the Atlas Air. This means that the earcups are fully adjustable to fit your head perfectly, so regardless of how long you're playing, you'll never have to worry about the dull ache your ear feels with a lot of cheaper headsets. In terms of how this design is implemented, the center of both ear cups looks suspended by a few strips of elastic, which gives them more flexibility when wearing for an added layer of comfort.
In addition, the earcups are also made of soft memory foam, which is perfect for any glasses wearer. I'm used to the top of my ears starting to ache after a few hours due to where my glasses sit and the earcups pushing into my ears, but the design of the Atlas Air eliminates this.
(Image credit: Future)
The cups are well equipped with buttons to help customize your experience too, and the layout doesn't feel too congested. I never had to take my headset off to press buttons, which I usually find myself doing if they’re too close together and I've mis-clicked too many times on other headsets.
These buttons match the sturdy build quality of the headset, which makes a good change given how cheap the plastic feels on alternatives like the Stealth 500. The volume scroll wheel also has weight to it, which makes it feel like you've got more control over adjusting the volume. With all that said, then, the build quality alone goes a ways to justify the price tag.
The detachable flip-to-mute mic is another highlight. Usually, I opt for headsets with a mic that slides into the ear cup such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P since detachable mics risk getting lost the second I put them down. In comparison, the Atlas Air’s mic is so easy to set up, and call quality is excellent. The flip-to-mute function is a welcome addition since it's stopped the need to tab between games to mute, and it's an added convenience I'll now look for in future headsets since it's so much easier and faster than having to press a separate button.
Turtle Beach Atlas Air: Performance
Crystal clear audio
Customizable sound profiles for games
Fantastic mic quality
As you'd expect from a fairly expensive wireless headset, the Atlas Air boasts stellar performance which I've only experienced from high-end wireless headsets like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P. 40mm drivers with 24-bit audio quality mean you'll be able to hear a huge range of sounds from whatever you're playing, which will help to immerse you far deeper into whatever you're playing. The extensive range picks up even the slightest of whispers, making stealth missions in games like Assassin's Creed Mirage more thrilling, and alerting you of any distant threats. Plus, natural sounds like birds and wildlife in Red Dead Redemption 2 sound far clearer than if you were listening through speakers, and the surround sound puts you right into Valentine.
To add to the already impressive audio quality, sound profiles available through the Swarm II app can also elevate your gaming experience. These can be useful for games that require a little more attention to audio, such as first-person shooters that rely on you hearing the footsteps of your enemies like Escape from Tarkov or PUBG Battlegrounds. Although they aren't essential to use to get the most out of the headset, they are a welcomed additional feature and something FPS players in particular will benefit from.
If you're more of a co-op gamer, you won't be disappointed by the audio quality of the microphone either. With detachable mics, I usually find the audio a bit crackly which I found was the case with the JBL Quantum 360X. Because of this, I was skeptical when it came to the mic on the Atlas Air. But, I was pleasantly surprised.
Having used a HyperX Cloud III for some time, which we praise as having the best microphone for a wireless headset, I thought it would be hard to beat, but even the people I was speaking to were quick to note how clear the sound was compared to my previous headset. Audio never peaked or cut out, even when speaking at a quieter volume. So despite my gripes with detachable mics in the past thanks to my experience with more budget-friendly headsets, the Atlas Air has convinced me that crystal clear audio without an additional mic is possible. As a result, I've definitely changed my tune after using this headset for 70 hours.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Turtle Beach Atlas Air?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider...
If you're still not sold on the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, we've compared it to two similarly priced wireless gaming headsets.
(Image credit: Future)
How I tested the Turtle Beach Atlas Air
Tested for 70 hours
Tested across PC and console
Compared to other wireless gaming headsets at a similar price
I spent 70 hours testing the Turtle Beach Atlas Air across a variety of games to experience the extent of its audio profile. On PC, I played Overwatch 2, League of Legends, and Genshin Impact and was thoroughly impressed with how clear the audio was - especially in games that required more attention to audio cues like footsteps.
On PlayStation, I used the headset for Red Dead Redemption 2, and Tekken 8, and on Nintendo Switch for Dredge and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Across all platforms the quality of audio was consistent, and there was a lot of background foley I had missed when using just speakers.
To test the microphone, I used the headset for several hours during Discord calls and closely compared it to the quality of other headsets I've used in the past. This also served as a test of the battery life, since the Atlas Air is sold with the promise of 50 hours. Having used the headset straight out of the box, and for 70 hours total, I can confirm the battery lasts as long as promised. But, most importantly it charges incredibly quickly so you'll be able to jump in exactly where you left off in no time.
For a fair comparison, I used the Atlas Air alongside headsets such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P and the HyperX Cloud III to see how it performs and compare the battery life. Both of the headsets I used to compare have been my go-to for a decent number of months, but the Atlas Pro has quickly replaced both in my setup. Outside of its stellar audio, its lightweight sleek design never caused any discomfort, and how easy it is to connect to console and PC was an instant win. Now it's in my setup, it'll take something twice as impressive to replace it.
Gaining remote access to a desktop, laptop, or other device can be beneficial for various purposes. It enables individuals to provide technical support, manage devices remotely, and install new software.
This review will cover everything you need to know about ConnectWise ScreenConnect. This software is considered one of the best in providing remote desktop services, offering remote customer support, unattended access, and machine management capabilities.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect is known for its industry-standard security features, excellent customer support, and impressive screen-sharing tools. However, some users may initially find its user interface confusing. In summary, ConnectWise ScreenConnect is a remote support and access software that allows IT professionals to connect to devices remotely. It facilitates secure remote support, aiding in problem-solving, system updates, and support regardless of the users’ location.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect, once called ConnectWise Control, comes in Support and Access formats. ConnectWise ScreenConnect Support is designed for technicians and IT staff who need remote access to other devices. On the other hand, ConnectWise ScreenConnect Access comes with a selection of remote network management tools. All plans come with a seven-day free trial that enables users to test the software before committing to a subscription.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect offers three different subscription plans. The One plan costs $28 per month and provides access to the software for one technician. The Standard plan costs $43 per month, while the Premium plan costs $53 per month. Both of these plans allow for an unlimited number of licensed technicians and offer simultaneous session capabilities, with the exact number of sessions depending on the plan. All three plans include screen sharing, meeting, and remote management features.
Additionally, ConnectWise ScreenConnect Access is available starting at $31 per month, allowing you to connect up to 25 remote devices. You can connect more devices for an additional fee. However, it's important to note that this plan does not include remote support or meeting features.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect: Asset management
Though not covered here, it’s important to note that ConnectWise ScreenConnect offers a dynamic IT asset management and inventory solution through its ConnectWise PSA platform. This solution is designed to streamline front and back-office operations, manage customer endpoints and data, and enhance cybersecurity and data protection measures. It also incorporates asset discovery tools to facilitate IT asset discovery, improving endpoints and data management.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect, a live asset inventory tool, can significantly assist in maintaining up-to-date spreadsheet inventories of computer assets for clients, potentially improving efficiency in asset management with basic CSV export functionality.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect: Features and utilities
(Image credit: Connectwise ScreenConnect)
ScreenConnect by ConnectWise is a robust remote desktop connection manager that empowers users to perform a wide array of actions. It provides seamless screen sharing and remote support capabilities, allowing users to view the screen of one device on another and offer assistance. For more intricate issues, the platform offers unattended remote access and monitoring features to effectively address them.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect Support also offers a suite of remote meeting tools. Its simple screen-sharing functionality allows users to present their computer screen to a group of connected members. Additionally, the platform enables easy file transfer between connected members, facilitating seamless collaboration.
Moreover, users can enhance their experience with a variety of easily installable extensions and integrations, further expanding the platform's capabilities and usability.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect: Setup
Setting up a new ConnectWise ScreenConnect account is relatively straightforward. You can register for a free trial with minimal personal information such as your email address, and no payment information is required initially. Once registered, you will be taken directly to a web client, where you can start setting up remote access sessions or meetings.
To create a ConnectWise session, you simply need to generate a unique URL and passcode. The device you want to access will then need to navigate to this URL and connect with the provided code. Depending on your operating system, you may be asked to download a desktop or mobile app to facilitate the connection.
To initiate a remote access session or meeting, you just need to navigate to the relevant tab on the left side of the screen and follow the prompts. This intuitive process makes it easy to establish remote connections and collaborate effectively.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect: Interface and performance
(Image credit: Connectwise ScreenConnect)
Starting a ConnectWise ScreenConnect session is relatively straightforward, but the user interface isn’t the most intuitive. One thing that stands out about the web client is its cluttered, text-heavy design. There are necessary tools, but getting started with them can be confusing.
Fortunately, the actual screen share interface is much more beginner-friendly. You will be able to see the device you’re connected to and, depending on permissions, may be able to access it. Additionally, numerous tools, including a chat feature, are available via the icons at the top of the screen.
However, the ConnectWise ScreenConnect user interface is very slow and laggy. Actions made on the connected device can take seconds to appear on screen, which can be frustrating.
The overall experience of using ConnectWise ScreenConnect is a bit cumbersome due to the slow and laggy user interface. However, once you get used to the layout and tools, it can be a useful tool for remote access and support.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect: Security
You will enjoy various security features if you choose to use ConnectWise ScreenConnect. All data transfer between devices is protected by strong encryption (AES-256). The ConnectWise ScreenConnect application is also fully self-hosted, providing complete security control. ConnectWise ScreenConnect offers various tools to prevent unauthorized logins, including two-factor authentication, brute-force attack prevention, and session timeout.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect: Support
If you need help setting up or managing your new remote access, ConnectWise ScreenConnect's great support resources will benefit you. Unlike many small software providers, ConnectWise offers 24/7 live chat support. It is a little slow, but the agents are friendly and knowledgeable. Email ticket submission is also available. Their support team is known for their attentiveness and willingness to provide assistance with any technical issues you might encounter.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect: Pros and cons
When it comes to remote access tools, security is a top priority. ConnectWise ScreenConnect excels in this area with features such as AES-256 session encryption, two-factor authentication, and role-based permissions. These safeguards ensure that only authorized personnel can access connections and that data remains secure.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect is known for its fast connectivity and reliability. It offers rapid device connections and a seamless experience with minimal lag, which is crucial during support sessions where efficiency is critical.
An appealing aspect of ConnectWise ScreenConnect is its high customization level. Users can brand the tool with their company's logo and colors, creating a professional look for client interactions.
With support for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android, ConnectWise ScreenConnect enables support across various devices and operating systems, essential in today's diverse tech environment.
The interface is intuitive and user-friendly, allowing support staff and end-users to navigate the software without a steep learning curve.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect is not just an essential remote desktop tool. It offers file transfer capabilities, remote printing, session recording, and the integration of command-line interfaces during sessions, making it a powerful tool for comprehensive remote support.
While it offers many features, ConnectWise ScreenConnect's cost may be a barrier for small businesses or individual IT consultants with limited budgets.
For some users, while the basic features of ConnectWise ScreenConnect are easy to grasp, the more advanced functionality may come with a steeper learning curve, requiring proper training and familiarization to utilize the system to its full potential.
Although no system is entirely immune to glitches, users have reported occasional bugs or connectivity issues with ConnectWise ScreenConnect, though these complaints are relatively rare.
Some users have noted that ConnectWise ScreenConnect can be resource-intensive, especially when running on older machines or those with limited computing power.
While mobile devices are supported, some users find the mobile app experience less smooth than the desktop version, suggesting a need for continued improvement.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect: Final verdict
ConnectWise ScreenConnect is a robust remote computer access program with some drawbacks. Although the pricing structure is transparent, it may not be the most cost-effective option available. On the positive side, ConnectWise ScreenConnect offers a variety of additional features for remote access, support, and team meetings. However, the web user interface is cluttered, and there can be noticeable lag sometimes. Despite these issues, the software has good customer support and robust security features, making it a worthy option.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect is a reliable choice for remote support and access. It is known for its security features, reliability, customization options, and broad platform support. While its pricing and complex advanced features may be a drawback, its advantages make it popular among many IT professionals.
For organizations considering remote support software, weighing these pros and cons against your specific needs and resources is essential. A trial or demo will provide firsthand insight into how the software fits your workflow.
Overall, ConnectWise ScreenConnect is a strong option for businesses looking for a secure and reliable remote support solution. The platform's robust security features, excellent customer support, and wide platform support make it a compelling choice. However, potential users should be aware of the cluttered web user interface and occasional lag issues, which might impact the user experience. It's important to thoroughly evaluate the software's suitability for your organization's unique requirements before making a decision.
What to look for in a remote desktop solution
In today's interconnected world, remote access to computers has become essential for many businesses and individuals. Remote desktop solutions play a crucial role in bridging geographical distances, enabling support, file access, and full-scale operations from a distance. With numerous options available, it's important to consider key factors when choosing remote desktop software. Here's a comprehensive guide:
Ease of Setup and Use: Look for a solution with a simple installation process and an intuitive user interface to maximize productivity.
Quick Connectivity: Consider solutions that offer features like 'unattended access' to establish connections without needing physical presence at the host machine.
Versatility: Ensure the remote desktop solution supports various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile platforms like Android and iOS.
End-to-End Encryption: Prioritize robust encryption to safeguard against unauthorized access and data breaches when accessing devices remotely.
Authentication Mechanisms: Advanced authentication options such as two-factor authentication (2FA) or one-time access codes add layers of security, reducing the risk of compromise.
Speed and Responsiveness: Opt for a remote desktop tool that provides high performance without lags, especially for resource-intensive applications.
Stable Connection: Choose a reliable remote desktop application that maintains performance under less-than-optimal network conditions.
File Transfer: Ensure the software supports straightforward, drag-and-drop file transfers for efficient data exchange.
Multi-Monitor Support: Look for a remote desktop solution that allows seamless access to multiple monitors without complicated workarounds.
Session Recording: Consider solutions that offer session recording for training and security purposes.
Customer Support and Resources: Prioritize providers offering comprehensive support through multiple channels, such as live chat, email, or phone, along with a robust knowledge base or community forums.
Pricing and Licensing: Evaluate the cost relative to the features offered, considering factors such as free versions with limited capabilities, subscription fees, and additional charges for premium features.
Choosing the right remote desktop solution involves a thoughtful consideration of factors such as ease of use, cross-platform support, security, performance, features, support, and pricing. Making an informed choice upfront can lead to a smooth, secure, and efficient remote work experience, minimizing future frustrations.
The competition
There are numerous great alternatives to ConnectWise ScreenConnect that are worth considering. For example, TeamViewer is more expensive but offers significantly better performance and a more user-friendly interface.
Remote Utilities for Windows is an excellent alternative for those seeking a free remote access tool. It comes with a range of premium features and enables connecting up to 10 devices. Unfortunately, though, it doesn’t have Mac computers.
The Seagate Game Drive for PS5 is a product that exists to cater to a very specific need. It’s undeniably one of the best PS5 external hard drives right now, but is inherently quite limited compared to some of the best SSDs for PS5.
The most important thing to know is that this drive cannot be used to directly play PlayStation 5 games. It can store them, though the data will need to be copied back to your internal storage before you’re able to jump in. This can take some time depending on the size of the game but, crucially, will be much speedier than a full download for the majority of people. The best way to use an external hard drive is therefore as an alternative to deleting your games, especially if it’s something that you’re likely to return to at a later date.
To give you a real-world example, I recently completed the brilliant Alan Wake 2. It takes up a whopping 90.23GB on my internal storage, which is space that I would much rather have available for other things. That said, I know that a new downloadable content (DLC) expansion is on the way - and would rather not spend hours waiting to download the entire game again when it drops. The best course of action here is to move the game to the external hard drive, freeing up space and meaning that I can still quickly copy it back to play in future.
Given that the Seagate Game Drive for PS5 comes in a hefty 2TB or 5TB capacity, you won’t need to worry about it filling up with your unused games any time soon. Although you undeniably pay a premium for the PlayStation branding here, it’s also cheaper than many PS5-compatible internal SSD drives in those capacities - making it a good lower-cost alternative. Then there's the fact that it’s incredibly quick to set up: you simply plug it into your PS5 via the included Micro USB cable, follow some on-screen prompts, and you’re ready to go in a matter of seconds.
The quality of the design of the Seagate Game Drive for PS5 also shouldn’t be understated. It's sleek, modern, and looks great sitting next to your console thanks to its white exterior and blue LED lighting. If you’re after an external hard drive for your PS5, or even PS4, then you simply can’t go wrong with this.
(Image credit: Future)
Seagate Game Drive for PS5: Price and availability
2TB costs $79.99 / £84.48 / AU$169.95
5TB costs $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$279.95
Available at Amazon and other retailers
The Seagate Game Drive for PS5 is available in two capacities: 2TB and 5TB. The 2TB model costs $79.99 / £84.48 / AU$169.95, while the 5TB one is $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$279.95. Given its sheer size, the 5TB model is definitely the best value option as it should provide more than enough space for most game libraries.
The drive is available at Amazon and a wide range of other retailers including Best Buy, Walmart, and Gamestop in the US as well as Argos and Game in the UK. If a store sells PS5 games or accessories, it’s likely to also stock this drive making it very easy to get your hands on.
Seagate Game Drive for PS5: Specs
Seagate Game Drive for PS5: Design and features
As far as external hard drives go, the Seagate Game Drive for PS5 has a very attractive overall design. Its rectangular form factor is relatively compact and should be easy to unobtrusively place in your existing setup. The top half of the drive is a plain white, matching the look of the PS5, while its base is black. A small PlayStation logo is present in the very top left-hand corner of its front with a corresponding Seagate logo in the bottom right. The only other thing of note is a blue LED strip, which gently illuminates the surface below the drive.
It’s compatible with PS5, PS4, and PC right out of the box with an included Micro USB cable which plugs into a smaller connector on the rear of the drive. The connector is next to a small LED indicator, which lights up when the drive is receiving power. While not stated by the manufacturer, it is also compatible with Xbox consoles, though will need to be reformatted if you intend to switch systems.
Although the drive cannot play PS5 games, it can be used to play PS4 titles either via backwards compatibility or on a PS4 console. This works well, though there is a noticeable difference in performance for those with a PS5. Expect longer load times compared to when you’re playing a PS4 game on the internal PS5 storage.
(Image credit: Future)
Seagate Game Drive for PS5: Performance
The performance of the Seagate Game Drive for PS5 is pretty much exactly what you would expect from your average external gaming hard drive. It’s slower than much pricier external SSD options, but is fast enough to copy large games in respectable times. The aforementioned 90.23GB installation of Alan Wake 2, for example, took 16 minutes and 46 seconds to copy over to the drive in its entirety. A large PS4 game, like the 67.21GB Dishonored 2, took 12 minutes and 28 seconds.
Going down a notch, the PS4 version of Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone, which comes to 38.30GB with plenty of add-ons, transferred in 7 minutes and 20 seconds. The recently released Alone in the Dark remake, which is 30.67GB, took 5 minutes and 22 seconds. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess comes in 28.28GB and took just 3 minutes 49 seconds. Stray, which is only 7.31GB, was copied in 1 minute and 13 seconds. Finally, the tiny 1.63GB of Angry Birds Star Wars took just 22 seconds to transfer.
Though those who want to move around very large titles multiple times a week might be better off with something a little speedier such as the Crucial X6, all of these times were still significantly faster than a download on my home internet.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Seagate Game Drive for PS5?
Buy it if...
You want an easy storage upgrade Setting up the Seagate Game Drive for PS5 is as easy as plugging it into your PS5 with the included cable and following some quick on-screen instructions. It’s the way to go if you want to avoid a more complex internal SSD installation.
You value aesthetics There are cheaper external hard drives out there, but the value of the Seagate Game Drive for PS5’s looks is worth bearing in mind. This is the best choice if you’re after a hard drive that will match your console aesthetically.
Don't buy it if...
You want a drive to play PS5 games No external hard drives can be used to play PS5 games directly. While they are compatible with PS4 titles, they can only be used to store the latest releases between uses.
Also consider...
If you’re not keen on the Seagate Game Drive for PS5 then you should consider these two strong alternatives.
Toshiba Canvio Flex If you want an affordable 1TB option, then consider the Toshiba Canvio Flex. It offers a Type-C cable which can plug directly into the front port of your PS5 and comes with a 3-year warranty.
WD My Passport Ultra The WD My Passport Ultra is available in a wide range of configurations and colorways. It uses a Type-C connector rather than Micro USB, which makes it worthwhile for those who prefer the more modern cable standard.
I tested the Seagate Game Drive for PS5 for two weeks during which time I used it as my primary PS5 external storage device. I spent a considerable number of hours assessing its performance in real-world scenarios by copying a wide range of PS5 and PS4 titles to and from it and timing the results.
I compared the results against other storage options, including external SSD drives like the WD Black P40. I also used the external hard drive to play a number of PS4 titles, including Dishonored 2and Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective and compared my experience to playing those same games on the console's internal storage.
The Edge is Lofree’s attempt to make a mechanical keyboard as thin and as light as possible, and in that respect, it largely succeeds. But when you set aside this stated goal, is it actually a keyboard you’ll want to use?
Well, the most important metric – the typing feel – gets the Edge off to a positive start. Lofree has used custom Kailh POM linear switches underneath its low-profile keycaps, resulting in a soft, smooth action. It’s fast and comfortable, and we very rarely “bottomed out” when typing, meaning no sore fingers at the end of the day. It results in a quiet, satisfying typing sound that Lofree describes as “library-friendly.” We wouldn’t argue with that.
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(Image credit: Future)
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The Lofree Edge uses a compact 84-key layout that pushes the arrow keys close to the main body of the keys. That can make finding the right key a little tricky if you’re not used to this layout. It wasn’t a massive problem in games, though – the keys have enough of a raised bump to make finding them by touch simple enough, and games that extensively use the arrow keys are fairly rare.
Lofree has made the Edge as slimline as possible, cutting out extra weight and bulk so that it’s almost as thin as a MacBook Air. You get a magnesium chassis with many holes punched out of the back, low-profile keycaps, and cut-down key switches. Its chassis (excluding the keys) measures 31.9x15.5x1.3cm at its widest (or 1.8cm thick, including the keys). That makes it a dash thicker than the MacBook Air, but it’s close. And at 481g, it’s exceptionally lightweight.
(Image credit: Future)
However, a byproduct of this process is that the Edge doesn’t feel as high-end as Lofree’s superb Flow keyboard. Yet, at the same time, it is priced much higher, which doesn’t sit well. At the time of writing, the Edge was undergoing crowdfunding on Kickstarter, where it was priced at $129. Yet its regular price will be $249, much higher than the $159 Lofree Flow. Given that state of affairs, we’d pick the Flow every time.
The Edge’s keycaps are made from PBT plastic rather than the more standard ABS, which gives them a slightly textured feel and should help them ward off key shine. It adds to the premium feel of the keyboard, but there is a very noticeable drawback: it’s rare to find PBT keycaps that let backlighting shine through. In the Edge’s case, it’s difficult to see the key legends in dim lighting, a problem exacerbated by Lofree’s decision to use razor-thin lettering on each key. This is much less of a problem on the Flow as it uses thicker key lettering.
The keys’ font choice contributes to the “edgy” aesthetic of the keyboard (perhaps inspiring – or inspired by – the Edge name), which is added to by the exposed screws and carbon fiber top surface. It feels like something out of the late 1990s or early 2000s, like Neo used it to jack into the Matrix. It’s not exactly to my taste, and I’d much rather take legible lettering over this look.
(Image credit: Future)
One thing I do appreciate, though, is the Edge’s ability to switch between up to three connected devices via Bluetooth on the fly. It can also flip between macOS and Windows layouts with a quick key press. That flexibility means key mappings are always where you expect them to be, no matter which operating system you use.
Lofree also offers a free Configurator app alongside the keyboard. When I tested it (before the Kickstarter campaign had finished), it was extremely rudimentary. Some features didn’t seem to work at all, while others were hard to use due to a confusing workflow and poorly translated text. This is definitely a weak spot for the Edge.
On the back of the device is a toggle that lets you switch between Bluetooth and wired modes, and there’s also a USB-C port for the wired connection. You get two flip-up feet that let you adjust the angle from flat to slightly raised, although the difference between the two is not huge.
If portability is your first priority for a keyboard, the Lofree Edge is a contender. But it’s not just about compactness, as it offers a surprisingly pleasing typing experience for its slender key profile. However, its high price is hard to justify, and its stylized design will cause opinions to split.
Lofree Edge: Price & availability
(Image credit: Future)
The Lofree Edge is currently available on Kickstarter, where the price is listed as $129. That translates to about £102/$195 AUD. The Kickstarter page indicates that the regular price will be $249 (about £198/$376 AUD) once crowdfunding is over.
That regular price will make it expensive, even for normally pricey mechanical keyboards, and much costlier than the $159 Lofree Flow. The reduced crowdfunding price is more reasonable.
Should you buy the Lofree Edge?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy the Lofree Edge if...
Don't buy it if...
Lofree Edge: Also consider
How I tested the Lofree Edge
I tested the Lofree Edge over the course of about a week. This included writing articles, browsing the web, and playing games. I used the keyboard on both Windows and macOS and tried switching between different devices and layouts on the go.
Sitting at the more affordable end of Nikon’s range of full-frame models, the Z6 III is designed to be an all-rounder, which can tackle a variety of subjects, whether that’s for photo or video.
What makes it more affordable is its 24.5MP sensor, which is just shy of half that of other pricier models in the line-up, including the Z7 II, the Z8 and the Z9. However, it's an exciting new “partially stacked” sensor, which unleashes ultra fast shooting speeds available, making this a real powerhouse when it comes to sports and action - and marking a major improvement on its predecessor, the Z6 II.
There’s up to an incredible 120fps shooting available - with some big caveats - but up to 20fps at full resolution in raw with full AF/AE. In practice, this turns out to be more than you’ll need for most types of action and returns a fantastic hit rate where almost every shot is in focus thanks to the superb autofocusing system which has been brought over from the Z8 and Z9 cameras.
With the 24-120mm f/4 lens, a great all-rounder lens that suits the Z6 III incredibly well (Image credit: Amy Davies)
For video, there’s now 6K up to 60fps available, as well as 4K at a range of frame rates up to 120fps. Being able to create oversampled video at 4K thanks to its 6K shooting ability will be appealing to lots of content creators, and gives you scope to get more shooting angles from whatever lenses you have.
In terms of body design and layout, much has stayed the same or similar since the Z6 II, however the III is now toting a fully articulating screen, making it far more suited to video work than ever before.
We’ve also got a brand new viewfinder and it's Nikon's best yet, with a 5,760k-dot resolution and an ultra-wide color gamut, plus a 60fps refresh rate. These specs all combine to make the Z6 III’s viewfinder one of the best experiences on the market.
The Nikon Z6 III has a new fully articulated screen (Image credit: Amy Davies)
Image quality doesn’t show a revolutionary improvement from the Z6 II, which is pretty much as we’d expect. However, it's easier to get the shots you want thanks to improved autofocus and burst shooting performance, so while individual shots might not be an improvement in terms of things like dynamic range, color and detail, the fact that you can get more shots in focus is what makes the big difference. Video quality is also great.
When it comes to pricing, the Z6 III is more affordable than the Z8 and Z9, but you will be paying a premium for how much better it is than the Z6 II, especially considering that camera is now on sale since the Z6 III was announced. In fact, you’ll also be paying a premium right now over the high-resolution Z7 II. Between those two cameras, it’s up to you to decide whether you want high resolution at the expense of speed, or the other way around.
If you mainly shoot landscapes and other still subjects, the Z7 II might be the better choice, but if you ever shoot anything moving - or at least think you might - then the Z6 III is a much better choice.
Nikon Z6 III: release date and price
Body only price is $2,496 / £2,699 / AU$4499
Available now
The Z6 series has always been on the more affordable end of Nikon’s pro-spec line-up. Although it’s higher in value than the Z5 series, it’s generally cheaper than the Z7, Z8 or Z9 cameras. That said, the feature-packed Z6 III will set you back more than its predecessor did at launch by around 25%, and with the Z6 II on sale, the Z6 III is £1000/$1000 more expensive for the body only version at the time of this review. Right now, the Z6 II feels like a comparative bargain, especially if you can live without some of the Z6 III's improved autofocusing and burst rates.
The Z6 III is also currently more expensive than the Z7 II, so if you need higher resolution, you might opt for that model instead - again though, you’ll be missing out on things like fast shooting. If Nikon hasn't given up on the Z7 series, we could see a speedier Z7 III, but that would be treading a little too close to the Z8 and we think a new Z7 model is unlikely.
Perhaps the best thing to compare the Z6 III within Nikon’s own line-up is the Z8, with which it shares similar focusing capabilities. Here you’ll need to fork out an additional £600, and use a larger and heavier camera - but you do get higher resolution.
In the end, it likely comes down to speed vs resolution. If you need speed, go for the Z6 III, if you need resolution, the Z7 II or the Z8 if you can stretch to that is the best choice.
What about compared to other brands? Well, the Z6 III is significantly more expensive than its current main competitors, the Canon EOS R6 II, or the Sony A7 IV - both models which are also ripe for an upgrade. Although more expensive, you will get more for your money from the Z6 III, so if you’re particularly after some of its impressive features, then it’s likely to be worth the extra expense.
Price score: 4/5
The Nikon Z6 III's side on profile - it's pretty similar to the previous Nikon Z6 II (Image credit: Amy Davies)
Nikon Z6 III: design and handling
New vari-angle touchscreen
Super high-res EVF
Chunkier grip
New additional battery grip
If you’re looking for a fast Nikon, then you might have had your head turned by the Nikon Z8 or even the Nikon Z9, but then been quickly put off by the size of either of those models. The Z6 III is a a much more easy-to-manage size than either the Z8 or the Z9, although it's little heavier than its predecessor (760g vs 705g body only) – that's mostly down to the chunkier hand grip which I'm all for because it gives a secure hold.
Layout and button placement remains largely unchanged from the Z6 II, with a mode dial to the left of the viewfinder, plus all of your regularly used buttons and dials on the right hand side. A relatively minor tweak, but one which makes a decent bit of difference, is the drive mode and playback buttons have been swapped over. This means you can hit playback with your right thumb, rather than having to bring in your left hand to quickly scroll through the images you’ve just taken. I find this particularly handy when I’m shooting and want to have a quick check in the viewfinder that whatever I’ve just photographed is in focus - then I can have another go if something hasn’t come out quite right.
The Nikon Z6 III's new articulating screen is handy for a variety of reasons (Image credit: Amy Davies)
Overall, the Z6 III is a fairly intuitive camera to use with everything pretty much where you’d like it to be. A useful joystick can be employed to move the AF point around, an "i" button houses a host of quick settings, and the rear and front dials work in tandem to control shutter speed and aperture.
Elsewhere, a pretty big difference compared with the old Z6 II is the new screen, which is now a fully articulated device designed to appeal to the video crowd. It’s also useful for shooting things like selfies, or anything awkwardly positioned that you want to frame vertically. Previously, we had a tilting display, which personally I prefer for stills, but I can see why articulating made more sense in this all-rounder model. The size and resolution of the screen, at 3.2”/2100k-dots remains the same as in the Z6 II.
Nikon Z6 III key specs
Sensor: 24.5MP AF System: Hybrid phase-detection / contrast AF EVF: 0.5in, 5760k-dot UXGA OLED electronic viewfinder, 0.8x magnification ISO range: 100-64000 (50-204800 extended) Video: 6K 60p / 4K 120p / Full HD 240p LCD: Vari-angle TFT touch-sensitive, 2100k-dot Max burst: 120fps (crop mode) Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 Weight: 670g (body only), 760g (with battery and memory card)
The EVF has also had a bit of a glow-up. While the previous 3,690k-dot resolution EVF of the Z6 II was by no means bad to use, once you look through the 5,670k-dot device found on the Z6 III, you might find the Z6 II's viewfinder has been well and truly ruined for you. Not only is the Z6 III's high in resolution, it has also got an ultra-wide color gamut (DCI-P3, the first time this has been used in a mirrorless camera), and a fast 60fps refresh rate for a smooth display even shooting at high frame rates.
As with the Z6 II, we’ve got dual memory card slots. One is for CFExpress B, and is also compatible with the older XQD format. Another is the more widely used SD format with support for the faster UHS-II version, which is good news for anyone who doesn’t necessarily want to fork out on expensive memory cards to use this camera.
The screen can also be folded away when not in use (Image credit: Amy Davies)
If you want extra battery power, or better handling when shooting vertically, there’s an optional MB-N14 battery grip you can also buy. If you’ve already got an older battery grip, it’s a bit annoying that the old MB-N11 or MB-N12 battery grips from previous Z series models aren’t compatible here, though. On the plus side, the MB-N14 is compatible with both the newer and older models, so if you’re toting a multi-device setup, you can at least swap between the two.
The top of the Nikon Z6 III - its a sensible and intuitive layout on the whole (Image credit: Amy Davies)
The playback button used to be here where the delete button is now found - a sensible swap (Image credit: Amy Davies)
The Z6 III has two memory card slots available (Image credit: Amy Davies)
Design score: 4.5/5
Nikon Z6 III: features and performance
Up to 120fps shooting with Pre-Release Capture
World’s first partially-stacked 24.5MP sensor
8-stops in-camera image stabilization
3D tracking and subject detection focus, plus focusing down to -10EV
6K video up to 60fps
New Nikon Imaging Cloud service
The Z6 series has always been Nikon’s “all-rounder”, with a lower resolution sensor than the likes of the Z7 and the Z8/Z9, at a more attractive price and more-rounded feature set.
With the Z6 III, you really do get an incredibly versatile piece of kit that's markedly more powerful for landscapes to sports and action, as well as meeting video and content creators needs too.
Although resolution has stayed on the “low” side at 24.5MP (only by comparison with the super high-resolutions we’ve become a little bit spoiled by), we now have what’s known as a “partially-stacked” sensor which has been designed to be fast, without quite such a high-cost as we’d expect from a fully-stacked sensor found in the Z8 or Z9 camera. It’s also got the same EXPEED 7 processor as found in the Z8 and Z9.
So, while the Z6 III's sensor is still not quite as speedy as the Z8/Z9, it’s still 3.5x quicker than that found in the Z6 II, and what’s more, it’s better equipped to deal with rolling shutter distortion that you might expect to see when recording moving subjects.
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You can shoot at 20fps in raw with full AF/AE (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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Alternatively, up to 120fps is available in crop mode - as shown here (Image credit: Amy Davies)
As a result, we get up to a ludicrously fast 120fps shooting available - though you will have to shoot DX (APS-C) format JPEGs which end up at only 10MP. You do get full AF/AE while recording though.
For full-frame shooting, up to 60fps is available (JPEG only), which should still be more than you really need for most types of moving subject. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also pre-release capture which will start recording frames before you’ve even fully engaged the shutter button - super handy if you’re not sure exactly when a piece of action is about to begin. If you want RAWs to go along with JPEGs, you can shoot at 20fps with the electronic shutter.
Having super-fast frame rates is no good without a great AF system to go with it and there's good news there too. You get the latest autofocusing system available from Nikon, as seen in the Z8 and Z9, to give you 3D tracking and subject-detection options including humans, animals and a range of vehicles.
It’s got to the point now where I’ve stopped using single-point AF, and leave it on automatic subject recognition and let the camera decide for me at least half of the time. If I’m photographing anything that is likely to move around the frame, such as my baby or my dog, then it just makes sense to let the tracking do what it does best and keep up with them.
Also new is the ability to focus down to -10EV, making it superb at locking onto the subject in low-light too. There’s no messing about here.
Image stabilization has also been given a boost, with the Z6 III benefiting from the same 8-stop system as seen in the Nikon Zf. This 8-stops is measured using the 24-120mm f/4S that I’ve been using myself during this review. I’ve found that I can happily shoot with the telephoto end of this lens, at a fairly narrow aperture, in less than perfect lighting conditions and still get sharp shots almost all of the time, and the same is true of using longer lenses too.
Content creators who crave decent video specs should find a lot to like about the Z6 III too, with this being a real hybrid shooter. There’s 6K recording and a variety of different frame rates, plus the ability to shoot at different bit rates and codecs including Nikon’s N-raw, Pro Res Raw HQ, ProRes 422HQ / H.265, H.264 codecs in 12-bit raw, and 10-bit log recording.
OK, so there’s no 8K available, but 6K gives you lots of flexibility to crop in and produce oversampled 4K video, which is the quality most people require right now. Other functions here include 240p slow-motion, up to 120 minutes of record time, and the ability to use an external mic as a line-level input for recording sound directly in camera as you go. Having the screen now articulating means that those who want to record pieces to camera can do so easily, too.
It’s worth mentioning Nikon’s new Imaging Cloud service here. This is an instant backup and transfer service that will store your images for free for up to 30 days after they’re first transferred. It’s a neat way to back up your images on the fly, and only requires setting up the service once. Then, so long as you can connect freely to a WiFi network you can use it easily - although it's worth noting that if you need to login via a web browser it won’t work, which could be a problem in public locations such as cafes and hotels.
As part of Nikon's new cloud service, you also get color-profile image recipes which can be transferred to the camera, as well as firmware updates that can be transmitted and either installed automatically or manually. For now, this is only available for the Z6 III, but it is due to come to other Nikon models at a later date.
Features and performance score: 5/5
Nikon Z6 III: image and video quality
Similar performance to Nikon Zf
Great detail and and sharpness
Good colors and dynamic range
Excellent video results
Although there will always be those who are drawn to very high resolution cameras, models such as the Z6 III show that you don’t necessarily need all those megapixels to still get excellent shots - and there’s actually plenty of benefits to sticking on the low side too.
Pair the Z6 III with excellent Nikon Z glass and you'll find that you’ve got some incredibly sharp images, and while you don’t have the kind of fine-grain detail you’d expect from the likes of the Z7 II, the Z8 or the Z9, for most ordinary all-rounders, you’ve got plenty to be getting on with here.
That said, with the lower pixel count, shooting in DX (APS-C) crop mode leaves you with only 10MP, which is a bit less usable than you would get from the same setup with Nikon's 45MP cameras. If this is something you think you’ll find yourself doing frequently, you might want to consider whether it’s worth paying the extra cash for the Z8.
That said, it really does depend on what you intend to do with your images. I’ve taken some impressively sharp images of my dog using the 120fps DX-crop mode, which are - as you might imagine - more than fine to share on social media, or print at what you might call “normal” sizes (A3 or below).
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Eye-detection works on different species, including birds (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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You can still achieve finely detailed shots even with a lower resolution sensor (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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Shot at a high ISO (64000), the JPEG has come out pretty cleanly (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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(Image credit: Amy Davies)
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Eye-detect tracking AF is useful for portraits - especially of erratic subjects (Image credit: Amy Davies)
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(Image credit: Amy Davies)
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(Image credit: Amy Davies)
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(Image credit: Amy Davies)
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(Image credit: Amy Davies)
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(Image credit: Amy Davies)
There have been some reports that the new partially stacked sensor found inside the Z6 III performs worse for dynamic range than the predecessor, the Z6 II, in lab tests. While that may be true, it’s not something I can say I’ve noticed in my real-world shots, and I’ve actually found the colors and dynamic range to be excellent.
Most of the time the “Auto” Picture Style results in colors which are a decent blend of vibrant and realistic - if you're shooting in raw you’ve got plenty of scope to adjust colors exactly how you want after the fact, too. Nikon’s Active D-Lighting does a great job of producing well-balanced exposures that require minimal post-production tweaking too, with good detail in the shadows and keeping blown-out highlights under control. Similarly, automatic white balance generally produces accurate results in a variety of situations.
It’s often the case that lower resolution sensors perform better in low light situations, so if that’s something you do quite a bit of, the Z6 III could be a good choice. I’ve found it to produce very clean images in low light situations, with even very high ISO shots (such as ISO 64000) resulting in a high-detail, low noise JPEG. There’s more noise in the corresponding raw file, which gives you the option to tweak noise-reduction settings as you see fit.
Overall, image quality here is pretty similar to the Nikon Zf, which also has a 24.5MP sensor, as well as the Z6 II. There was never really an issue with the quality of the final image from the Z6 II, but it was undeniably more difficult to get what you desired if you were shooting fast-moving subjects - in short the new sensor and focusing system makes the journey to a great picture far more achievable.
4K video sample
6K video sample
Video quality is just as great as picture quality, with plenty of detail and very little in the way of rolling shutter effect, thanks to the new sensor. You don’t have 8K video here, but the 6K option is excellent, as is the oversampled 4K. The internal mic is fine for clips on the fly, coping relatively well with some background noise. Of course, serious content creators will likely invest in external audio kit. Either way, there’s really a lot for hybrid content creators to get their teeth into here.
Image quality score: 5/5
Nikon Z6 III: testing scorecard
Should I buy the Nikon Z6 III?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Nikon Z6 III: also consider
How I tested the Nikon Z6 III
Three week-review period
Paired with 24-120mm f/4, 50mm f/1.8, 14-28mm f/2.8 and 70-180mm f/2.8 lenses
I’ve had three weeks with the Nikon Z6 III, having previously used all of Nikon’s Z series since the format was first introduced in 2018.
During my two weeks with the Z6 III, I have tried it in a number of different shooting situations. I’ve photographed landscapes and interiors to get a feel for general image quality. I photographed my dog in action to give fast shooting and AF capability a good test run, as well as photographing birds to check that the Eye AF works across different species. I also photographed my daughter in a number of different situations to get a feel for how portraiture feels with the Z6 III.
I have been using the Z6 III with four different lenses. The 24-120mm f/4 lens was chosen for its versatility and used most frequently. It was joined by the 70-180mm f/2.8 lens for action and (fairly close) wildlife, as well as portraits, the 14-28mm f/2.8 for interiors and landscapes and the 50mm f/1.8 for portraits, street and candid shots.
Howdy VPN is a confusing service, to say the least. The free VPN doesn't offer anything close to a traditional VPN provider at first glance – and the more I dig, the more I'm convinced that you should leave Howdy VPN alone. Keep reading, and I'll explain why it can't compete with today's best VPN services.
HowdyVPN: the basics
First off, let's go over the basics. Who is behind Howdy VPN? Unfortunately, I don't know.
Combing through the terms of service, privacy policy, and disclaimer only told me that the company is seemingly based in the Netherlands – or is at least subject to Dutch law. Beyond that, there’s not much more to know. The website itself is registered in Indonesia and you can reach out via a single Gmail address, but that's all I could find. It's not a great start.
I was expecting to find a traditional VPN provider, but as soon as I landed on the Howdy VPN website I realized I was looking at something entirely different. The website is light on details, but offers a few services you wouldn't expect to see side-by-side with each other.
Figuring out who Howdy VPN is for isn't straightforward, either. The VPN offers free networking services – which means there's a free VPN and a free VPN service, free RDP service, and something called "Find SNI", which initially perplexed me.
Each page offers virtually no information about what these tools do. Instead, they're bloated with loads of unrelated Chat-GPT-generated text about cryptocurrency and VPNs. Needless to say, this isn't very user-friendly. If you're not already aware of what these tools do, Howdy VPN won’t be of any help to you whatsoever.
Howdy VPN: features
Howdy VPN's selection of features worries me – it's like the VPN is throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. So, with that in mind, I decided to take a closer look at the VPN tool.
There are actually two on offer – Howdy VPN and "Trojan VPN", which immediately rang some alarm bells. Upon closer inspection, I can see why it's called this, but it's still worrying.
Howdy VPN offers two free VPNs. The default VPN is available for seven days from the point you sign up for it, with unlimited bandwidth and a "no-logs" policy that I'm not entirely confident in.
The "Game" VPN provides lower latency at the cost of reduced maximum speeds and is available for thirty days instead of seven. Either way, you'll see a list of servers you can scroll through to see where each is located and the total number of users connected to the server.
Once you've clicked through, you'll be presented with an options menu that allows you to set your username and password for the VPN, along with something called an "SNI" or "Bug Host". I'll dig into this more when I cover the SNI finder but, for now, clicking through the remaining options generates an OpenVPN config file that you'll then need to load into a third-party client.
Howdy VPN doesn't actually offer a VPN client of its own – and I think it's a little misleading to call it a VPN provider.
Then, there's the Trojan VPN based on TrojanGFW, an obfuscation service designed to evade deep packet inspection by tunneling your VPN traffic through an HTTPS tunnel. I was suspicious, seeing as Howdy VPN also offers "free RDP" services, that this was a Remote Access Trojan service, but it's relatively harmless. There's a quota system in place of a timed lockout, so when you sign up for a Trojan VPN server you'll only get around 30 GB or so of data before your account details stop working.
The VPN service requires you to visit a separate site that doesn't seem to be working, so I can't comment on it. Howdy VPN does have a bunch of additional servers with a bunch of obfuscation guarantees, including RDP servers that let you connect to a remote desktop to use as a proxy host.
However, the tool that really caught my eye was the "Find SNI" option.
Howdy VPN: Find SNI
There's hardly anything on the Howdy VPN website about what Find SNI is or what it does. In fact, the provider is weirdly coy about the tool, stating:
"We know you need this, but we can't show it to just anyone to make sure it will last longer so you'll have to figure out how to use this feature."
The Find SNO tool itself gave me a list of partially censored host names and, upon clicking through to one, I was presented with a captcha. Completing the captcha uncensored the host, giving me a full hostname and data about whether the IP associated with it was accessible, and a set of HTTP response headers. Weird. Really weird.
I managed to put two and two together after some digging and found what Howdy VPN was actually offering as a website. To give you the relevant context, I need to touch on bug hosts and how ISPs connect you to the internet.
When you connect to an ISP, your account is granted access to the World Wide Web – so long as you have a valid subscription. If you avoid paying your ISP bills for long enough, it'll cut off your internet connectivity. However, because your ISP does want you to pay your bills (and pay them as soon as possible), the username and password tied to your router will still be valid – it's just that your internet has been restricted so you can only access your ISP’s home page. All the requests you make to other hosts are processed by your ISP and dropped.
You'll see something similar if you try to access the internet without a data plan on mobile data, or if you're accessing a paid public router. Only certain websites are accessible without a subscription. I'll call these "zero-rated" websites, but they can be all sorts of different pages available for different reasons: think public health sites, government portals, and CDN hosts.
The important thing to note is that your ISP will allow you to connect to them without paying a subscription.
Here's where it gets tricky. The "SNI" I've been talking about is the Server Name Indicator and a key part of the TLS transaction that tells the server you're connecting to which website you want to visit. This makes SSL certification bookkeeping easier for servers that host multiple sites on the same IP, but that's not why we care about it today. Remember, you're advertising which hostname you want to connect to ahead of time. The ISP will read it and authorize your connection if it's to a zero-rated site, or drop the traffic otherwise.
What sites like Howdy VPN allow you to do is create a TLS connection through an SSL VPN that spoofs your traffic – making it seem as though it's heading to a zero-rated website through the SNI indicator before being sent on to the real destination by the VPN server. This is a massive violation of your ISP’s ToS by the way, if not outright illegal.
In the context of offering completely free VPN and VPS servers, I have no doubt that there's something weird going on here.
There's no third-party audit to validate Howdy VPN's privacy policy and, as a result, I'd have to assume that it's logging your traffic by default. In fact, there's no mention of what happens to the data that's passed through the free VPN servers – and I think this is a total failure to make explicit what it is you're giving up in return for the free service.
Howdy VPN: verdict
When I dug a little deeper into who actually providers Howdy VPN, I found two more websites: fastssh.com, which hosts most of the tutorial content for Howdy VPN on a separate blog space, and sshkit.com, which offers similar services.
There's a whole web of free VPN and SSH services associated with each other that all seem to do the same thing, all seemingly kept alive by aggressive website marketing popups and ad marketing agreements with Google.
As far as I can tell, it all falls under the ZXC brand, which operates several websites from the same hosting cluster in Indonesia. I can't say whether ZXC is just monetizing additional excess server capacity or up to something more nefarious – but if everything I've covered so far hasn't been enough to put you off, then let me make it clear: don't use Howdy VPN.
The complete lack of transparency surrounding the site, alongside some really suspect services and a total disregard for normal monetization practices, means I wouldn’t touch the service with a ten-foot pole. Plus, it looks like you can only sign up for Howdy VPN via telegram, which is the icing on the cake.
I'd instead recommend that you check out a legitimate VPN service that won't sell your data as soon as you fork it over – like NordVPN.
NordVPN is the polar opposite of Howdy VPN in about every way I can think of. You'll get top-not encryption that'll keep personal data out of the hands of snoopers, an audited and airtight privacy policy, and some of the fastest speeds I've seen a VPN hit. Plus, if you're in the market for a streaming VPN, NordVPN leads the pack – and you can try it for yourself with its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Alternatively, if you'd rather stick to a free VPN, there are much better options out there. Proton VPN (designed by the minds behind Proton Mail) is a privacy-focused service that offers unlimited data with no catches; no ads, no tracking, just a really, truly, free service. The caveat is that you'll only have access to servers in three locations, and it's not as fast as other premium providers, but Proton VPN's free tier is more than enough for anyone wanting to shore up their digital security as they go about their day-to-day browsing.
The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 wireless over-ear noise-cancelling headphones enter a sector of the market as cutthroat as they come – that of best noise-cancelling headphones. It’s a category that’s been ruled (at least in the under-$350 sub-sector) by Sony's XM-suffixed cans for some time now, but Cambridge Audio reckons it’s got what it takes to snatch the crown.
And, on paper at least, it’s off to a great start. Specification, from Class AB amplification to aptX Lossless compatibility, is impressive. Battery life, at up to 100 hours if you leave the ANC alone (not a typo, we mean one hundred), is the best around. Having Matt Berry as one of your options for ‘audible feedback’ is nothing less than a stroke of genius.
And the good news keeps coming. The P100 are flawlessly built and finished, from materials that are both tactile and reasonably up-market. Comfort is good. Ignore the relative size of the travel case and there’s nothing to take issue with here.
To seal the deal, the sound they make is endlessly listenable. There’s a stack of detail, a wide-open soundstaging, vaulting dynamic potency and an engaging, lively overall attitude that will keep you coming back for more. And with that epic battery life, of course, there’s plenty of ‘more’ to enjoy.
'Southwark' is the one you want, on the right there… (Image credit: Cambridge Audio )
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review: Price & release date
Released on July 15, 2024
Priced $279 / £229 / AU$479
The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 wireless over-ear headphones have been available via Cambridge's website since they were announced on July 3, 2024, but every other stockist has had to wait until July 15 to offer them for sale.
At $279 / £229 / AU$479 they’re keenly priced when you consider how extensively they’re specified, that’s for sure – but don’t go thinking that there aren’t impressively specified alternatives from equally well-regarded brands at very, very similar money. Chief of those would be the Sony WH-1000XM5, which can be yours for a little more than the P100 these days (rather than a lot more, which is what they were when they launched), at around $329 / £319 / AU$549.
Then, there's the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, which arrived in August 2022 and can be found for even closer to the Cambridge Audio P100's price, at around $299 / £269 / AU$450 in today's money.
However, at the risk of stating the blinkin' obvious, the P100 are brand new July 2024 cans. And a quick glance at our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review proves that Cambridge has priced them ever-so aggressively; Bose's top-tier October 2023-issue over-ears arrived with a price tag of $429 / £449 / AU$649. Food for thought, then.
Striking wooden ear cups in an otherwise so-very-Grado build (Image credit: Future)
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review: Specs
(Image credit: Future)
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review: Features
Class AB amplification
Up to 100 hours of battery life
Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX Lossless compatibility
No matter what else happens during the course of this review, there’s no arguing with the way Cambridge Audio has specified the Melomania P100. And just because the company has plenty of previous where the features-per-pound ratio is concerned, that’s no reason to take it for granted – instead, let’s just take a moment to marvel at what these headphones offer relative to the money they cost.
Battery life is as good a place as any to start. I won’t pretend I wasn’t mildly sceptical about the quoted figures when these headphones first arrived, but having lived with them for a good while, and on a number of different continents, I can’t disagree. The P100 will run for 60 hours with active noise-cancellation switched on, and an epic 100 hours if it’s switched off. Yes, you have to be listening at unremarkable volume levels – but the fact remains, these numbers are achievable. And they’re way beyond what the vast majority of price-comparable rivals can offer. And should you be negligent enough to allow the worst to happen, five minutes on the power is good for a couple of ANC-enabled playback or four hours with it switched off.
The technology taking advantage of this prodigious battery life is equally impressive. Wireless connectivity, for example, is taken care of by Bluetooth 5.3 and there’s multipoint connectivity along with aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codec compatibility – so as well as lossy 24bit/96kHz file-streaming, there’s lossless 16bit/44.1kHz resolution available to those with an appropriate source player.
Unlike most Class D-toting alternatives, the Melomania P100 use hi-fi-tastic Class AB amplification – the same sort of technology deployed in its hugely successful CX range of full-size stereo amplifiers. This is used to power a couple of 40mm full-range dynamic drivers made from a three-layer composite arrangement of polyurethane sandwiched between polyether ether ketone.
A total of six mics take care of active noise-cancellation, voice-assistant interaction and telephony – Cambridge Audio has deployed Qualcomm cVc echo-cancelling and noise suppression technology in an effort to maximise call quality. The ANC itself is a hybrid system, with ‘low’, ‘mid’ and ‘high’ settings available alongside a ‘transparency’ mode.
Some wireless headphones at this sort of money like to make it obvious that certain things are beneath them. Some wireless headphones will take a 320kbps MP3 file from Spotify’s free tier and basically hold it up for ridicule. The Melomania P100 are not those headphones.
Obviously they prefer some 16bit/44.1kHz FLAC file action from Qobuz or Tidal. Obviously they prefer being hard-wired to a DAC/headphone amp churning out the 24bit/192kHz stuff even more. But they don’t judge – give them what you’ve got and they’ll do their best with it.
And ‘their best’ turns out to be very agreeable indeed. During the course of this test I listened to (for example) Jersey Girl by Tom Waits as a 320kbps MP3, Salt in the Wound by boygenius as a 16bt/44.1kHz FLAC file and a 24bit/192kHz FLAC file of David Bowie’s Sound and Vision – and the Melomania P100 are never less than entertaining and quite often impressively insightful.
Dynamic headroom, for instance, is considerable – so where the broad strokes of ‘quiet’ modulating to ‘loud’ are concerned, the Cambridge Audio are more than capable of keeping up. It doesn’t matter the increase in intensity, the P100 can track it without discernible stress. And the more subtle harmonic variations apparent in a voice or an instrument from note to note are picked up on just as readily. But while the P100 extract and contextualise a huge amount of detail from any given recording, they’re not analytical for the sake of it. More than anything, they’re an energetic and thoroughly engaging listen.
(Image credit: Future)
From the top of the frequency range to the bottom, the Cambridge Audio are convincingly integrated and unwilling have any favorites. The bottom end is substantial, and it packs a punch – but there’s control to go along with the presence, and attack is so straight-edged that rhythms are expressed with real confidence. The opposite end has plenty of bite, but it’s not in any way thin or undernourished. There’s substance to treble sounds (as well as a whole lot of variation) to balance out their brilliance. And in between, the midrange manages to secure a little pocket of space in which to operate without sounding estranged from the rest of the frequency information – and has an eloquent, revealing way with a vocalist that allows character and attitude full expression.
Soundstaging is good, both in the simple size and impressive definition of the area. And despite the amount of room that’s available, there’s a tight unity and togetherness about the way the P100 present a recording. Tonally, the sound is fractionally warmer than ‘neutral’ – but this is a characteristic much more than it is a shortcoming.
Really, it’s only where active noise-cancellation is concerned that the Cambridge Audio are anything less than fully and quite aggressively competitive. The ANC here is very acceptable, don’t get me wrong – it will do a job on external distractions of all types, and without leaving a counter-signal or shift in tonality in its wake. But there continues to be no two ways about it: if you want the best noise-cancellation available at a given price (and you don’t mind some sacrifices in other areas) you buy a pair of Bose.
Sound quality score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review: Design
Vegan leather earpads and headband
Black or white finishes
Physical, rather than touch, controls
Sensibly, there are no shocks to be had where the design of the Melomania P100 is concerned. They look, and feel, like a reasonably upmarket pair of wireless over-ear headphones. Although personally, I much prefer the black finish to the white – it’s more harmonious, somehow.
Anyway, the P100 are very agreeably built and finished, from a nice mixture of memory foam and vegan leather for the (detachable) earpads, more vegan leather on the outside of the headband with sturdy, nicely padded fabric on the inside. The adjustment mechanism is concealed inside the headband, and the arms, yokes and outer portion of the earcups are all of aluminium. An all-in weight of 330g is pretty ordinary by prevailing standards, and the nicely judged clamping force means the headphones are comfortable on the head for a good long time. Certainly for longer than it takes for the earpads to heat your ears up, that’s for sure.
There are a few physical controls distributed around the edges of each earcup. On the left there’s a slider that covers ‘power on/off’ and ‘Bluetooth pairing’, and a button that allows you to cycle through your ANC options (‘off’, ‘on’ or ‘transparency’) or summon your voice assistant. There’s also a USB-C socket for charging the battery, and it can also be used for data transfer – Cambridge Audio supplies nice USB-C / USB-C and USB-C / 3.5mm cables in the P100’s robust, but not especially compact, travel case. On the right earcup is the usual three-button strip, dealing with ‘play/pause’, ‘skip forwards/backwards’ and ‘volume up/down’.
Other functionality is accessed via the ‘Melomania Connect’ app that’s free for iOS and Android. Here’s where you check for firmware updates, check on battery life, and select the level of noise-cancellation you’d prefer. It has a seven-band equaliser with half-a-dozen presets and the facility to save plenty of your own custom settings. It’s where you can switch ‘automatic play/pause’ on or off and enable ‘gaming mode’ (which will reduce latency to less than 80m/s). And it’s where you get to select the sort of audible feedback you’d like – switch it off, have tones tell you what’s what, or choose from one of nine different languages.
Actually, there’s no difference in the language if you select ‘English’ or ‘Southwark’, but the latter, as with the Melomania M100 true wireless earbuds, is voiced by actor Matt Berry. This is as worthwhile a unique selling point as I think I’ve ever encountered – I’ve been using these headphones for quite a while now and am still nowhere near bored of hearing “device one… disconnected” delivered in the fruitiest voice imaginable.
It’s worth taking a moment to appreciate Cambridge Audio’s commitment to ‘circularity’ of design here. The P100 packaging is plastic-free and 100 percent recyclable. The battery and the earpads are replaceable by the end user, using standard tools. 50% of the plastics used in the construction of the headphones, and 100 percent of the rare earth neodymium in the drivers, are recycled. None of which is to be sniffed at.
Design score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review: Value
Remarkably thorough specification
Frankly staggering battery life
Great across-the-board sound quality
When you line the Melomania P100 up against pretty much any price-comparable competitor (and quite a few that cost a bit more), the value for money they represent can’t really be argued with.
Specification is ahead of the curve, battery life is as good as it currently gets, build quality and the standard of finish can’t be argued with. And the sound they make – detailed, direct and endlessly listenable – is profoundly competitive too.
Value score: 5/5
Should I buy the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100?
Buy them if...
Don't buy them if...
(Image credit: Future)
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review: Also consider
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones If you want the best ANC in the business, plus proprietary spatial audio profiles to mix right into it, Bose's flagship over-ear proposition could be for you. You'll need to pay quite a bit more, take a big hit on battery life and forego USB-C audio though… See our in-depth Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review for more info.
How I tested the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100
Using iOS and Android devices
Using a variety of Bluetooth codecs
With music of many types
During well over a week of pretty much constant use, the Melomania P100 were connected to a MacBook Pro, an iPhone 14 Pro and a Samsung Galaxy S23 in order to listen to as many different codecs and sources of music as realistically possible. The music, naturally, was of many different file types, sizes and styles. Active noise-cancellation was tested by taking the Cambridge Audio with me on several journeys on public transport – which also helped me test the claims for battery life.
People are quick to label any stem-toting wireless earbud as ‘AirPods clones’ but Samsung isn’t doing itself any favors to deflect the term with its Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. They look like what you'd get if you threw Apple’s earbuds and a Toblerone into a blender. Can we see past their oh-so-familiar design if they're the best earbuds out there? Of course. But let's not jump the gun.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are Samsung’s new-for-2024 top-end earbuds, launched alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 at a launch event in July of the year, and they fill a void in the company’s line-up given that the Buds 2 Pro were getting long in the tooth.
If you know anything about Samsung’s line-up, you’re probably expecting big things from a product boasting the Korean tech giant’s name, as well as the word ‘Pro’ thrown in for good measure, and you won't be left high and dry with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
Frankly, these earbuds sound fantastic, with some of the best sound in any earbuds I’ve tested. The V-shaped audio means you’re getting meaty bass but also defined treble, so whether you’re listening to the highest opera or the lowest synthwave you’re going to be enjoying your music.
There’s no need to worry about background noises getting in the way either, with the powerful noise cancellation of the buds doing an amazing job at eradicating noises around you. I was really impressed with how the Buds 3 Pro didn’t just reduce the prominence of noises around me, but stopped me noticing many of them at all.
And I know I’ve been down on the AirPods’ – sorry, the Galaxy Buds’ – design, but it’s a popular shape in the wireless earbuds sector for a reason. The Buds 3 Pro are comfortable to wear, are light enough that they stay stuck in your ear and look pretty svelte too.
Some issues from our Galaxy Buds 2 Pro have been fixed too, including my personal sticking point: the low battery life. The Buds 3 Pro last a little longer in use but the case battery life has seen more noticeable increases, making the 3 Pro much better suited for longer journeys.
That’s a lot of praise, but it’s worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro aren’t for everyone. Not only is the high price prohibitively expensive for those who aren’t die-hard audiophiles (or get the Buds as part of a purchase incentive with a Galaxy phone), but some of the really cool features are locked behind an annoying wall.
This wall is ownership of a Samsung Galaxy device – not any old Samsung blower but a recent Galaxy S, Galaxy Z or Tab S device too, as per our handy compatibility explainer. If you don’t have such a device you can’t use Samsung's new AI features such as the language interpreter, improved codec support, the voice restorer or the smart dynamic ANC. Sure, it makes sense that the translation feature would only be available using AI computation on a Galaxy phone (and the levelled-up 24-bit/96kHz streaming support over Bluetooth uses Samsung's new and proprietary SSC UHQ codec), but dynamic ANC is commonplace in earbuds at half the Buds 3 Pro’s price.
Yes, Apple is also known for its closed ecosystem, which bans Android phone users from using AirPods' best features (Find My, head-tracked Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and so on), but did Samsung really need to take that leaf from Apple’s book?
None of these features are highlights of the buds, either, and you’d get a similar experience using the Buds 3 Pro when paired to any other mobile. Take that as you will.
One other ‘scandal’ that I should probably flag in this introduction is that many early adopters of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro found themselves breaking the eartips in a range of dramatic ways. This is because the proprietary system which connects the tips to the buds holds onto them too tightly, and the tips themselves are pretty fragile, so it’s easy to accidentally rip the tips when you’re trying to replace them with a different size. I’ve found a way to reliably replace them which you can read about below, but it’s indicative of the manufacturing issues which caused the buds’ release to be delayed.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future)
Unveiled on July 10, 2024, alongside Buds 3
Cost $249 / £219 (roughly AU$380)
Price increase over 2022 Buds 2 Pro
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro were announced on July 10, 2024 alongside other products, including the non-Pro alternatives. At the time of writing, release date delays mean you can pre-order them, but in the UK at least Samsung's checkout informs you to 'Order now to receive from 22 August'.
You can pick up the buds for $249 / £219 (roughly AU$380, with exact Australian pricing pending), so they’re pricey buds which also present a small price hike over their $229 / £219 / AU$349 predecessors. The Buds 3 are much cheaper at $179 / £159 / AU$229, but at a time when competition is fierce and most manufacturers are shaving extra dollars (or pounds) off new propositions, a $20 increase is a bold strategy from Samsung.
Depending on where you live, these buds are therefore as expensive as, or slightly cheaper than, the $249 / £229 / AU$399 AirPods Pro 2 – but bear in mind that the Apple earbuds' advanced age means they're now regularly available for less than those quoted prices.
You’ll be able to find more competitors below, but know for now that these are some of the priciest earbuds that general consumers might opt to buy. Deep-wallet audiophiles have plenty more options though.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Specs
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
6-hour buds battery, 30-hour with case, longer with ANC off
Noise cancellation is heavy-duty and impressive
Galaxy-exclusive features aren't all that handy
One of our biggest gripes with the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro was their limited battery life; you’ll be glad to know that the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro improve on that staying power. It’s not a huge increase, but it’s something.
According to Samsung the buds will last for 6 hours if ANC is turned on, and an extra hour on top of that if it’s off. After my testing, I’d concur with this estimate – though when I tried to do unbroken playback tests, the buds would turn off when out of my ear for 15 minutes, even when auto-detect was turned off. The charging case rounds those totals up to 26 (ANC on) or 30 (ANC off) hours of stamina, and you can charge this case wirelessly as well as with a USB-C cable.
I can see how some people would consider 6 hours still far too short for an earbud's battery life, and I’m in the same camp. That’s why the battery life isn’t on the review’s ‘cons’ list any more, but hasn’t made it to the ‘pros’ one.
So what of that ANC, or Active Noise Cancellation? Generally, it’s really great – the buds throw a blanket over whatever background noise is going on when you’re trying to listen to music. I’ve just moved into a flat backing onto a rail line and I could rarely tell when trains were passing when using the earbuds. This was on the maximum intensity mode, of course, but the others work well if you still want some surrounding awareness.
The Samsung Wearable app does offer two further modes: Ambient and Adaptive (the latter exclusive to Samsung users, more on that later). Ostensibly the former is to allow certain background noises to penetrate a mid-level noise cancellation, while the latter changes your ANC based on your environment, but in practice these both seemed to have exactly the same result.
Wearable, the Buds’ companion app, is a little barebones compared to the wider world of earbuds tie-in software. It lets you tweak with the ANC, change on-ear controls, tweak with an equaliser and do a few other small tasks, but I didn’t find myself using it very much. In fact, of the two phones I tested the Galaxy Buds alongside, for one of them (the non-Galaxy one) I didn’t even download the app, and found the buds worked just fine.
So let’s get onto that Samsung-related issue, which you’ve already seen listed in the ‘cons’ section of the review.
(Image credit: Future)
The Galaxy AI features, which include the adaptive ANC, a feature which restores crackling voice in poor-quality calls and a much-touted live audio translation feature, are all exclusive to people who own a top-end Samsung smartphone. Already, non-Samsung users may be closing their web page… but this ‘con’ isn’t as much of a ‘con’ as you’d think, for better or worse.
As I’ve mentioned, the adaptive ANC didn’t seem to add much, and I didn’t get to test the call quality improver since I didn’t experience any bad phone calls over testing. I tried to use the translation feature but I couldn’t see how the buds really added anything to the apps’ equation. The way it’s meant to work is that you can say something in one language and it’s translated into another, so two people who speak different languages can maintain a conversation. And that’s true without the earbuds, so you don’t need to buy them to use the feature.
This is all to say, the Galaxy AI features aren’t really that important in the overall picture of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, so your lack of a Samsung smartphone shouldn’t put you off buying the earbuds. Some other exclusive features that don’t fall under the Galaxy AI umbrella include multipoint pairing to two Galaxy devices only, better quality audio using Samsung's 24-bit/96kHz new SSC UHQ codec, and audio casting to various devices. I only used the Buds alongside one Samsung device so couldn’t use most of these.
It’s a shame that Samsung has opted to put some of the features you’re paying for behind a pay-wall, especially when perks like adaptive ANC and multi-point pairing are commonplace in cheaper earbuds, but I don’t imagine many Samsung customers will use these either feature.
A few Galaxy Buds 3 Pro features are open to everyone, and they’re pretty handy. The 360 audio works well for immersive sound, with head tracking adding a little bit for those who don’t find it disconcerting, plus an earbud fit test helps you work out which tips to use (if you think you can handle changing them!).
The buds pack Bluetooth 5.4 which is reliable and can let you listen over relatively long distances from your phone. Through the entire testing process I didn’t have a single issue with drop-outs or connection problems.
One final thing I want to flag is that, unlike the vast majority of earbuds, wear detection doesn’t come enabled by default. For a large part of the testing I thought the buds didn’t have it; they do, you just need to toggle it on in the app.
Features score: 4/5
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
AirPods lookalikes with Toblerone stem
Sit comfortably in ears, but replacing tips is a nightmare
5.4g per bud and 46.5g for case, with IP57 protection
For the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, Samsung has steered away from the pebble-body design ethos of the Buds 2 Pro towards a more AirPods Pro-like design, featuring a tip, a small body and stems that point down towards the floor.
The design is close in plenty of ways to those Apple ones, with tips that point down at an angle, the clean white design of the default model and even the silver trim around the edges of the stem. The only major difference is that instead of being rounded, the stem is prismic like a Toblerone chocolate bar.
White isn’t the only color option, as there’s also a black one for sale, and each has a small hint of color in the form of red and blue dots that correlate to spaces in the charging case, so you know which bud goes where.
The stems also have what Samsung is calling a 'blade light', or a small LED strip over the ridge to act as an indicator. Of what? I couldn’t tell, and given that you can’t see the earbuds when they’re in use, it seems like a gimmicky feature to me. You can use the stems for controls too: swiping up and down to change the volume was easy but due to the prism shape of the stem, trying to pinch it to pause music was a faff.
(Image credit: Future)
Each earbud weighs a gentle 5.4g and I found they fit quite comfortably and reliably in the ear, never falling out or causing earache from the weight. They’re IP57 rated, which means they’re protected from dust to a limited degree, and will survive immersion in water of up to 1 meter deep for a short amount of time.
A major problem with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, that we’ve already covered extensively, pertains to replacing the eartips. Samsung uses a home-brewed clasping system to hold its tips in place, that’s similar to something Apple does but is different to the vast majority of earbuds manufacturers.
To put it simply, the eartips are held in place incredibly firmly, and are pretty hard to remove from the buds when you want to change sizes. People have reported tearing the tips when trying to remove them, and I gouged out a chunk with my nail by accident when trying to do the same. I found that the best way to remove the tips is to pinch as near to the buds themselves as possible when pulling, but honestly if you are worried about the risk of breaking your earbuds, you may consider looking at the non-Pro options instead.
The other design aspect of the Buds 3 Pro is the case, a lightweight 46.5g plastic container that’s not too big. It has an LED charging light, USB-C charging port, reset button; the usual accoutrements. As a fan of see-through charging cases I was happy to see a little viewing port in the Buds’ case.
Design score: 3.5/5
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Sound quality
Bass-heavy sound
Treble is lacking
Equalizer lets you tweak sound to an extent
(Image credit: Future)
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are some of the best wireless earbuds I’ve tested for sound, and they’ve got a grocery list of fancy-sounding technologies to back up that statement.
There’s the Samsung Seamless Codec, which compresses and decodes music of up to 24-bit/96kHz when used with Samsung Galaxy S23 or later, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 / Z Flip 5 or later, or Tab S9 series. The company calls this Ultra High Quality Sound (note the caps!) and it cetainly is that. Then, there's the two-way speaker which includes both a woofer and tweeter, plus Adaptive EQ which uses AI to detect your listening and tweak the equalizer as a result (another Galaxy-locked device which curiously I couldn’t find on my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra).
Whatever jargon Samsung throws at you, and however much you understand it, there’s one thing to say for sure: the Buds 3 Pro sound great.
(Image credit: Future)
The Buds have a V-shaped sound, which means that both the bass and treble are elevated and distinct, while the mids are just a little stepped back. Some could consider this the optimal type of sound signature as it caters to both bass-heads and treble fans. Listening to a song, you can appreciate the bassline and drum kicks just as much as the vocal melody or guitar solo, and music is dynamic and full of energy as a result. It creates a wide sound stage and you feel that different instruments are really around you.
If I were being pedantic, I’d say the that the treble sounds just a little more elevated than the bass, and you can ‘feel’ the bass a bit more than you can ‘hear’ it, but this is nit-picking for sure.
As is the natural effect of V-shaped audio, mid sounds are a little further back in the mix. I’m personally a fan of the mids (a mid fan? Or does that sound like I’m only half a fan?) so this was a shame, but I found the equalizer was handy and let me bring them up in the mix. The presets will also be useful here.
I was impressed by the maximum volume of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: too many earbuds think an audible level of output is optional, but Samsung clearly disagrees. You can get a nice meaty output if you want, and I didn’t linger too long in the higher-volume areas for fear of harming my hearing.
Sound quality: 4.5/5
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
Top-tier earbuds that come with a fittingly high price
More affordable options exist
It’s hard to keep a straight face when considering the value proposition of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, given that they’re some of the most expensive earbuds designed for general consumers.
There’s no doubt that these are top-end earbuds, especially in the audio quality and noise cancellation departments, and if money is no concern then you’re looking in the right place for your new set of buds.
But if you want to make sure your cash goes as far as it possibly can, there are a plethora of more affordable options that offer competitive sound, a bigger range of features and a longer-lasting battery life. Plus, most let you change the eartips without shredding them…
Value: 3.5/5
Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro?
Buy them if...
You have a diverse music taste I found the Buds 3 Pro's sound profile was just as appropriate for rock as it is for jazz, hip-hop, folk, classical, spoken word and so on.
Don’t buy them if…
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Also consider
How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
(Image credit: Future)
Tested for 2 weeks
Tested at home, in the office and on walks
I used the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro for over two weeks to test them, and together we enjoyed a wide range of trials and tribulations.
Paired alongside (varyingly) a Xiaomi Mi Note 10 or Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, I used them in the office, on walks around neighbourhoods of varying noise levels, on trains, on a run once and also while in my new flat (that backs onto a railway and is also under a flight path. I know).
They got to cancel a lot of noise, and I generally relied on the top-tier form of ANC on the Buds 3 Pro as a result. In terms of EQ, I generally relied on the default option but did play around a little bit for testing purposes.
I mostly listened using Tidal, Spotify, Netflix or YouTube, mainly relying on the former for testing with music and audio books.
My tech reviewing history for TechRadar spans more than five years now, including countless earbuds and other Samsung products; in fact the first ever launch event I attended was for the original Samsung Galaxy Buds (and the Galaxy S10). So I've got a wealth of experience with gadgets such as this.
The most notable thing about the Asus ROG Carnyx is that this gaming microphone is absolutely huge. It measures about 10.2 inches / 26 cm tall when used in conjunction with its included stand. Its base is roughly 4.7 inches / 12 cm across at its widest point too, which means that this model is likely going to be a little too large for many setups. I even struggled to position it on my roomy desk, opting to place it off to the side rather than in front of me so as to not block part of my monitor with its tall height.
That said, it’s going to be a very compelling option if you have the space. Its build feels impressively high-quality, with plenty of durable metal elements, and its design is sleek and incorporates eye-catching RGB elements that would be perfect for content creators. The microphone also features a small number of on board controls that allow you to tweak overall volume, enable a high-pass filter, and mute it easily, all of which are responsive and very intuitive.
On top of all this it offers superb sound, on par with many of the best microphones for streaming, which will make it an ideal choice for those looking to upgrade their streaming setup or just after an easy-to-use plug-and-play option for more general online gaming.
(Image credit: Future)
Asus ROG Carnyx: Price and availability
$179.99 / £169.99 / around AU$299
Available at Amazon
The Asus ROG Carnyx costs $179.99 / £169.99 / around AU$299 and is available from both Amazon and Asus in the US and UK. This price puts it right at the top of the scale when it comes to USB microphones, as it’s significantly more expensive than favorites like the Blue Yeti or Audio-Technica AT2020USB-X.
The price is most comparable to the likes of the SteelSeries Alias and, much like that model, you’re undeniably paying a premium for the overall design and ROG name. Whether this is worth it for you will depend on your personal aesthetic preferences and any potential loyalty to the brand.
Asus ROG Carnyx: Specs
Asus ROG Carnyx: Design and features
Every aspect of the Asus ROG Carnyx’s design is large and heavy but feels impressively durable as a result. Its base is constructed from a robust metal which is fashioned into wide angular shapes that lend it a very modern appearance. The bottom of the base, which has a rubberized grippy underside, is etched with some subtle ‘Republic of Gamers’ branding in addition to a grill-like pattern that gives it a great texture. The grill displays a shiny ROG logo too, which is a classy touch.
The base connects the capsule using a traditional shock mount, suspending it with elasticated fabric to reduce low-frequency noise caused by any movement of your surface. A large adjustment knob allows you to change the angle of the mount by roughly 60 degrees, though I found this to be incredibly difficult to loosen out of the box.
(Image credit: Future)
The capsule itself is predominantly constructed from a smooth plastic and is a cylindrical shape. There’s a small ROG logo embossed on it, right below a volume adjustment knob and three white LED indicators. These denote whether the high-pass filter (which helps to block out other low-frequency sounds) is active and whether the adjustment knob will affect your current recording audio level or the volume from the 3.5mm audio jack present on the capsule’s rear. The audio knob can be pressed down with a satisfying click to alternate between modes or disable the high-pass filter.
Above this is a wire mesh that glows with an impressive RGB effect. Your choice of color and some more general settings can be adjusted in the accompanying Armory Crate software. This software is mostly functional, but offers very few features that cannot be controlled directly on the microphone itself and has a disappointingly limited and dated design for a such recently released and pricey product.
On the top of the capsule you’ll find a touch-sensitive button that can be used to quickly mute the microphone - an intuitive, easy to reach location. Muting the microphone causes the RGB lighting to turn a bright red, which provides a helpful way to check whether your microphone is currently muted (though this can be disabled via the software if you prefer).
(Image credit: Asus ROG)
Asus ROG Carnyx: Performance
The Asus ROG Carnyx connects to your PC with a braided 3m USB-C cable and can be used in a plug-and-play capacity without any software. This makes it incredibly easy to set up and it performs fantastically in this out-of-the-box configuration. It provides clear sound and does a remarkably good job of removing any background noise. After slightly tweaking the gain level using the adjustment knob and enabling the high-pass filter, it successfully managed to drown out the low hum of fans on a hot day, in addition to any passing cars and trains.
You can still squeeze comparable sound out of cheaper alternatives, like the Blue Yeti, though this will require some software and considerably more effort. As a simple, all-in-one solution, the Asus ROG Carnyx certainly delivers.
The recording quality is comfortably high enough for content creation when the microphone is positioned a couple of inches in front of you, though the cardioid pickup pattern will make this model unsuitable for recording something with multiple speakers, for example a podcast. When you’re shopping in this price range you can easily find other models, like the JBL Quantum Stream Studio, which offer a wide selection of possible patterns that would be much better suited to this purpose.
On some particularly warm summer days I did notice that the top of the capsule inexplicably became quite hot to the touch. This is presumably due to a combination of the toasty weather and excess heat from the LED lighting and, while a little disconcerting, did not seem to affect performance in any tangible way.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Asus ROG Carnyx?
Buy it if...
You value simplicity The Asus ROG Carnyx is expensive, but it’s a capable all-in-one solution that’s easy to set up and use right out of the box.
You love the ROG brand If you already have a PC gaming setup filled with Asus ROG accessories, the modern design and RGB lighting of the Asus ROG Carnyx will fit right in.
Don't buy it if...
You don’t have the space The only real problem with the Asus ROG Carnyx is that it’s absolutely massive. Given that there are loads of much smaller models on the market, this is one to avoid if you don’t have a lot of desk space going spare.
Also consider...
Still not fully sold on the Asus ROG Carnyx? Here are two other strong gaming microphones to consider.
JBL Quantum Stream Studio The JBL Quantum Stream Studio comes in cheaper than the Asus ROG Carnyx but offers a far greater range of pickup patterns to choose from. The bidirectional and omnidirectional options make it much better suited for creating content with multiple speakers.
SteelSeries Alias The SteelSeries Alias comes in smaller than the Asus ROG Carnyx and boasts an even more attractive design and a very similar set of features for practically the same price.
I used the Asus ROG Carnyx as the primary microphone for my gaming PC for over one month. During that time I engaged in plenty of multiplayer gaming, chatting with friends and teammates on platforms such as Discord. I also used the microphone for daily calls with colleagues during my working day. In order to assess the sound quality, I collected feedback from call participants and recorded myself in a wide variety of settings with different levels of background noise using Audacity.
During my time with the microphone, I made sure to fully test the Armory Crate software and endeavored to try every available feature. I also frequently compared the experience of using this model to my experience testing a wide range of other gaming microphones from across the price spectrum.
If you haven’t heard of Emeet before, you’re not alone. Previously, the company only made other work-based tech products, like cameras and speakers. It also has two pairs of over-ear headphones, but the Emeet Airflow are the brand’s first pair of earbuds.
The Emeet Airflow have an open-ear design, which uses air conduction tech by positioning a small speaker on the outside of your ear, not in your ear canal like most of the best wireless earbuds. This style has become popular over the last few years. Our best open-ear headphones guide is filled with options to suit a range of budgets. Smaller audio tech brands are introducing open-ear designs, and big tech companies like Bose are getting in on the action.
Open-ear headphones are appealing because they free your ear canals, enabling you to listen to music while still hearing sounds around you. The complete opposite proposition to the best noise-cancelling earbuds and best noise-cancelling headphones. Ideal for runners, cyclists or people who generally would like to be more aware of their surroundings in any situation. Like those who need to be on hand at an office or listen out for their kids as they work at home.
They also appeal to people who don’t like the feel and fit of other kinds of headphones. Some people don’t like the stuffed-ear feeling they get from wearing a pair of the best true wireless earbuds in their ear canals. Or the pressure of the cups and headband when they’re wearing over-ears.
But although there’s a lot of appeal to this design, it’s not always easy to get right. I tested many of the buds in our best open-ear headphones guide, and several were a little fiddly to put on when I was also wearing glasses or were unstable when I wore my hair down. So, how did the Emeet Airflow compare?
Surprisingly well. I initially had some minor fit issues when I had to position them behind my ears alongside glasses. But otherwise, they’re a secure and comfortable fit that I prefer over bigger name brands. The audio on offer here isn’t perfect. But for a pair of open ears, the sound is clear, can get loud, and is ideal for a work-based setting.
A couple of added features make the Emeet Airflow unique, including a detachable mic – a bonus for upgrading work calls – and a charging case that claims to clean the buds with UV light.
As long as you’re not expecting sonic excellence – which isn’t really possible where air conduction is concerned – the Emeet Airflow are a surprisingly solid choice of open-ear buds. They’re especially good if you’re looking for a pair of buds predominantly for the office or for making work-based calls, as they straddle the line between buds and a headset.
Emeet Airflow: Price and availability
(Image credit: Becca Caddy)
Cost $179.99 in the US
£129.99 in the UK
About AU$272 in Australia (actual pricing tbc)
The Emeet Airflow cost $179.99 / £129.99 / about AU$272, and they’re available now.
How do they compare to rivals? This price makes the Emeet Airflow a little cheaper than the similar 1More Fit Open Earbuds S50, which cost $149.99 / £149.99 / around AU$290, and a similar price to the JBL Soundgear Sense at $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$231.
The Shokz OpenFit are significantly more expensive at $179.95/£179.99/AU$289. Although the Shokz OpenFit are one of my favorite pairs of open-ear buds, so the elevated price does make some sense.
With this in mind, they’re priced in the mid-range, and I’d say performance-wise that adds up. I think it is possible to find better and cheaper true wireless buds, but if it’s the air-conduction style you want, this price represents good value.
Value score: 4 / 5
Emeet Airflow: Design
(Image credit: Becca Caddy)
Stable fit compared to rivals
Comfortable
Simple design
Looks-wise, the Emeet Airflow have a basic design that I’d describe as quite corporate. That’s probably because they strike me as a buds-meet-headset offering. That’s not to say they look bad or you can’t wear them outside of the office and, again, this is down to personal preference – in fact a few people I spoke to liked the more “serious” look and feel of these buds compared to sportier ones.
There are two large, shiny circles on the buds with the Emeet logo. This is the area you can tap to use touch controls. These worked well, especially because I managed to achieve a secure fit. This means activating a touch control doesn’t throw off the stability.
The buds have large hooks to sit behind your ear and position the speaker next to your ear canal. These hooks have a 1mm titanium memory steel wire inside, which makes them flexible and skin-friendly silicone on the outside. These buds also have stabilizing fins, which you can add for an even more secure fit.
Weighing in at a mere 8.5g per bud, they’re incredibly light and on par with their competitors. The combination of their design, materials, and lightweight form made the Emeet Airflow a joy to wear, especially after I had adjusted them to my liking at the start – a process that took only a minute or two.
Once I had them on, I found myself forgetting about them several times. The Emeet Airflow's design and fit make them perfect for work, but their comfort and stability also make them a great choice for sports and walking. There’s a little movement, but not enough to be a concern.
The only time they moved a little was when I took them to the gym and used the cross trainer – then again, these aren’t explicitly for workouts, and they still fared exceptionally well on a rowing machine, while lifting weights and doing some functional fitness. They also have an IPX5 rating, meaning they're sweat-proof. But although sweat won’t damage them, it might have caused the fit to become a bit loose when I tested them.
This comfortable fit experience elevates them above some key rivals, particularly the 1More Fit S50, a decent pair of open-ear buds that were just not crafted for smaller ears like mine.
Design score: 4 / 5
Emeet Airflow: Features
(Image credit: Becca Caddy)
Multi-point connectivity
Detachable mic
40-hour battery life
The Emeet Airflow has some handy features onboard, cementing them as a solid choice for offices, work and calls.
The most interesting is the detachable mic, which easily slots into a port at the base of the buds – you can pick either side – making them more of a headset-meets-earbuds hybrid. This mic is small and thin, but there’s a little spot for it in the charging case, so you can keep it safe when you’re not using it.
Battery life is good at 8 hours from the buds and 40 hours from the case. This is more-or-less exactly the amount of time I got from them during testing; this varied a little depending on how many calls I made. The more calls, the quicker the battery seemed to drain.
For comparison, the Shokz OpenFit have 7 hours of battery in the buds and 28 hours in the case, so the Emeet outperform them. Then again, the OneOdio OpenRock Pro have an exceptional 19 hours of battery in the buds and 46 hours from the case, so it is possible to get better if long-lasting power from this form factor is a priority.
The charging case isn’t small by true wireless earbuds standards, but it is slim and pocketable. It has a premium look and feel despite feeling like plastic. The case has an added trick up its sleeve as it cleans the earbuds as they charge. Emeet promises the case can sterilize 99.99% of common bacteria. This isn’t common, but I’ve seen similar tech in other true wireless bud cases – given they go into your ear canal it’s probably more necessary there. I doubt anyone would favor the Emeet buds over a rival for this feature, and it is hard to quantify whether it works, but this is down to personal preference.
The Emeet Airflow come with a small USB dongle. This allows you to connect them to a laptop. The process felt a little fiddly and annoying compared to the easy experience I had connecting them to my phone.
Emeet Tune is the accompanying app. It has many simple features, such as showing the status of the buds, allowing you to tweak the EQ, and customizing some on-ear controls.
Features score: 4 / 5
Emeet Airflow: Performance
(Image credit: Becca Caddy)
Sound quality here isn’t excellent, but it’s surprisingly good considering the design of the buds. Music sounded clear and detailed with some richness and even bass – especially at higher volumes, likely due to the large 16.2mm drivers.
Tracks like ‘Back on 74’ by Jungle and ‘Got It Bad’ by Leisure sounded clear and melodic across the range, with bright vocals and pleasing drum beats, even at the highest volumes. Overall, I felt the Emeet Airflow were really well-suited to tracks like this, which are soulful and a little poppy with smooth basslines.
But don’t expect strong bass here or the feeling of immersion you’d get from a different, closed design. I noticed this lack of immersion most distinctly when it came to heavier rock or punk tracks, like ‘Beat Your Heart Out’ from The Distillers and ‘Sick, Sick, Sick’ from Queens of the Stone Age, which sounded fine, but flatter and less lively than other kinds of buds, especially at high volumes.
Emeet says the buds are designed to be anti-sound leakage. I tested this and had to ask a friend to get close to hear the sound. Playing ‘Burn The Witch’ by Queens of the Stone Age at full volume stood around 1 meter away; they could make out sound in that sort of tinny, distant way. To some extent, it’s impossible for no sound leakage with a pair of open ears but I felt like this performance was impressive. This makes me confident to recommend them for wear in most offices – just be wary about cranking the volume up to the limits.
As you’d expect, calls here sound great. This is thanks to the detachable mic, which improved clarity and made calls way more pleasing overall. But it isn’t necessary for decent call quality if you don’t like it because there are two built-in omnidirectional microphones in the buds, too.
Emeet also offers what it calls a “VoiceCore algorithm,” which can filter out noises on both sides of the call up to 50dB. I definitely felt like taking calls with these buds was better than with other air-conduction earbuds I’ve tested.
Performance score: 3.5 / 5
Emeet Airflow: Scorecard
Emeet Airflow: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
You want earbuds for the office These buds are great for work, sitting between buds and a headset. The design is simple, the mic makes calls better and the open-ear design is handy if you need to be readily available.
You’ve been meaning to try an open-ear design They’re not budget, but they’re an affordable option if, for whatever reason, you want to see whether open-ear buds are for you.
Calls are important The detachable mic elevates calls, making them clearer. You don’t need to use it for calls either. There are mics in the buds.
Don't buy it if...
You need them for working out These buds fared surprisingly well on walks and at the gym, but there are more secure options available from the likes of Shokz, as well as bone conduction options, which might suit high impact sports better.
You want audio excellence For a pair of open-ear buds, they perform well. But if you’re wanting top-tier sound or ANC or anything else you’d expect from a higher-end pair of buds, you’ll need to adjust your budget and look elsewhere.
You want a stylish option It’s not that these buds look bad, but there’s a corporate vibe to them that makes them a little less cool and sleek-looking than other options I’ve tested.
Also consider
Shokz OpenFit
These buds deliver good sound, awareness of your surroundings and a solid fit that should suit most people. Go for these if you’ll solely be wearing them for working out.
You'll get a huge 19 hours of battery from these buds, and 46 hours if you have the charging case with you, making these the best choice for all-day wear.
I wore the Emeet Airflow buds every day for three weeks. This gave me the chance to use them in different situations.
I used them to listen to music and podcasts while I was walking around a few different cities and the countryside. As well as on jogs along the beach and when I worked out at the gym.
I paired them with an iPhone 14 Pro and mostly used Spotify and Apple Music to test them. I paired them with a laptop and used them to listen to movies on Mubi and Disney Plus.
I’ve tested lots of different headphones and earbuds over the past 12 years, especially devices that are designed for fitness. I’m particularly interested in audio tech that prioritizes comfort and ease of use.
