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Dreame’s X50 Ultra Complete can climb stairs, but its rigorous edge cleaning is what makes it my top robovac of 2025

8:00 am | July 6, 2025

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete: two-minute review

Dreame’s latest robot vacuum, the X50 Ultra Complete, sets a new standard for the best robot vacuums, offering a litany of genuinely useful features and excellent cleaning results. It’s low-maintenance, thorough and features all of the bolts and whistles you’d expect from a premium robot vacuum.

While its 2.4in / 6cm threshold-hopping legs have been the main talking point, it's this robot's cleaning performance that prompted me to award it such a high score. It's highly capable at both mopping and vacuuming, though its battery life does leave something to be desired. Plus, its DToF sensor tower can quickly sink into the main body of the vacuum when it needs to clean beneath low-threshold furnishings.

From its extending side brush and mop pads to its excellent mapping, the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete makes full use of its arsenal of cleaning tools, rounded out by efficient 20,000Pa suction. This powerful robovac only really struggles when faced with fine powders on high-pile or tightly bound low-pile carpets; a fairly common issue for vacuums of all shapes and sizes.

When it comes to object detection and avoidance, the X50 Ultra performed fairly well, although it missed crumpled up paper and shorter wires on occasion. It also failed to spot (fake) pet poop during one test – turning on Pet mode helped improve matters.

If you can stretch your budget to buy the X50, you won’t be disappointed in its value proposition. It’s fantastically low-maintenance, the app is easy to use and the results speak for themselves. That's the short version; read on for my full Dreame X50 Ultra Complete review.

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete robot vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete: price & availability

Announced January 2025, on sale from spring 2025
List price: $1,699.99 / £1,299 / AU$2,999

At its $1,699.99 / £1,299.00 / AU$2,999.00 list price, the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete is one of the most expensive robot vacuums you can buy today. It's available to buy directly from Dreame, as well as via third-party retailers such as Amazon.

Thankfully, Dreame isn’t afraid of a good deal, and in the months since its release I've seen the price drop by $340 / £150 / AU$200. At its list price, it’s toeing the line of being overpriced, but its early deals make for a strong value proposition. It's fairly common for flagship bots to cost well into the four figures these days, and the features here are in line with (or exceed) what you'd get elsewhere for a similar price.

Plus, Dreame is generous with accessories. Out of the box, you not only get the vacuum and base (which are pre-loaded with a dust bag, filters, a side brush and brush rolls), but you also get a full bottle of Dreame’s Multi-surface floor cleaner, two pre-loaded mop pads and ten replacement pads, two spare side brushes, two spare roller brushes, three spare filters and a cleaning brush for the water tanks, making for low maintenance costs in the first year or so.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete specs

Max suction:	20,000Pa
Robot diameter:	13.8in / 35cm
Robot height:	3.5in / 8.9cm (with puck retracted)
Dock dimensions (W x D x H):	13.4 x 10.2 x 23.2 in / 34 x 26 x 59cm (excluding ramp)
Max threshold clearance:	2.4 in / 6cm
Onboard dustbin volume:	300ml
Onboard water tank capacity:	80ml
Dock dust bag volume:	3.2L
Dock water tank capacity:	4.5L clean / 4L dirty
Base type:	Charge, self-empty, refill water, wash mop pads, clean and dry mop pads, dispense detergent, self-clean

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete: design

Robot's navigation puck can retract to enter low spaces
Underneath are tiny legs to hoist the bot over tall thresholds
Comprehensive dock with heated mop cleaning and UV light treatment

Looks-wise, the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete doesn’t break any conventions. Both the vacuum and its dock are fairly neutral, clad in either white or black with gold or gunmetal accents.

The base is slim at 13.4 x 10.2 x 23.2 in / 34 x 26 x 59cm – although you'll need to add space for the ramp and maneuvering room for the robot to dock. Lift up its lid and you’ll find both the fresh and waste water tanks, while the dust bag and detergent tank are behind the accent panel on the front of the base. It’s also compatible with the Dreame Water Hookup Kit if you wanted a fully automated water refill and drainage system, which is a nice added benefit; I didn’t test this for my review, but broadly speaking, these hookup systems are fairly reliable.

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete robot vacuum and dock — (Image credit: Future)

Behind the scenes, there’s a lot more going on in the base; it's self-emptying and refilling, but also packs cleaning tech for both the dust bin and mop pads, offering heated water mop wetting and hot air drying as well as UV light treatment for bacteria removal.

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete — (Image credit: Future)

The robot itself similarly manages to pack ample features and functionality into its relatively compact body. It benefits from the direct time of flight (DToF) sensors situated within the sensor tower for accurate navigation and mapping. This can sink into the robovac in order to reach beneath low-clearance furniture, where it relies on its front-facing camera for navigation and obstacle detection instead. You can remove the lid of the robot vacuum to access the dust bin and set up QR code.

The underside is where the action happens. Here is where you’ll find its array of cleaning tools. Let’s get the bad news out of the way; while the extending side-arm is fantastic for edge cleaning, my robovac nemesis as a long-haired person are bristled side-arms. Hair is easily tangled, but I’ve yet to test a robovac where I don’t face this problem. Thankfully, the dual brush rollers (Dreame calls these the Hypersteam Detangling Duobrush) are super effective, making light work of pet and human hair alike.

You’ll also find the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete’s golden goose amidst the cleaning tools: two stumpy 'legs' that allow the vacuum to safely propel itself over small thresholds and furniture legs.

Design score: 5 out of 5

Dreame X50 Ultra: performance

Thorough vacuuming, superb mopping, and excellent edge cleaning
Threshold clearing is impressive, but descents are alarmingly noisy
Pop-down puck consistently identified low thresholds

After a painless five-minute setup and quick mapping, the Dreame X50 Ultra is a dream-e come true, passing almost all of my standard robovac tests with flying colors.

Let's start with the special features. The tiny legs could be a game-changer for anyone with tall thresholds. The vacuum will square up against the surface and extend its legs to vault itself up and on to the surface. This part is a little slow, but overall works extremely well. You can see it in action below (filmed at a press event, where I could capture a clearer view of the mechanism in action).

Moving downhill is a little less graceful, and involves charging off the ledge and landing with an alarming crash.

The pop-down puck also worked well on test. I found it consistently identified low-threshold obstacles and receded into the vacuum. The inaccessible area beneath my sofa has never been cleaner.

Cleaning tests

Now on to the general cleaning performance. For this, I ran a range of vacuuming and mopping tests on different floor types.

On hard floors, the X50 Ultra Complete was easily able to collect a majority of the large, small and powder debris on its first pass of the area. While its side brush did send some debris flying, the vacuum returned for second and third rounds of cleaning to collect any mess it had missed the first time around. The story was much the same on my low and high-pile carpets, though as I’d expect, there was some residue left behind from the powder and fine debris.

When it comes to mopping, I was most impressed with the X50 Ultra, offering the most thorough mopping I’ve experienced so far, with ample controls in-app to customize your clean. I put the X50 Ultra to the test with sticky spills, wet spills and dried-on stains, and it cleaned each with ease, though did leave some small streaks. You can either mix in the Dreame-approved detergent directly to the water tank or use the built-in automated detergent tank; I found both worked well.

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Edge cleaning is similarly impressive, thanks to the extending side-arm and mop pads, which paired with the X50 Ultra Complete’s excellent mapping to offer the most rigorous edge clean I’ve personally experienced.

The X50 Ultra Complete successfully identified all of the flooring types in my apartment, automatically adjusting the level of suction and mopping based on floor type and dirt levels. It features the increasingly popular mop-pad-lifting tech that keeps your carpets from getting soggy.

Broadly speaking, its obstacle detection is solid, though there were some exceptions; you’ll want to make sure small obstacles like shorter wires, crumpled paper and socks are cleared before setting of the X50 Ultra Complete.

Poop detection, however, has a quirk. Before I turned on Pet mode, the X50 Ultra Complete repeatedly failed to spot and avoid my mock pet poop. Instead, it barreled headfirst into the fake feces multiple times, especially when navigating between rooms, in low-light or on dark backdrops. However, its dodge rate improved significantly with Pet mode turned on. The X50 was able to avoid my fake pet poop 95% of the time with this mode on. (This is one of the settings we recommend you adjust when using any robot vacuum.)

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My apartment's skirting boards are difficult to clean even by hand, but the Dreame X50 made a solid attempt when confronted with high voluems fine powder. For spot cleans, it's excellent.

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Similarly, floor type and dirt detection worked really well for me, and while I’ve seen some reviewers found it didn’t always clock carpet, I didn’t face that issue in my testing. As a result, I also found the lift-off mop pads worked well and kept my carpets nice and dry.

When it’s done with clean-up, the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete returns to its base for self-cleaning and drying, which I was really impressed with. It not only washes the pads with hot water, but also dries them, and uses dual UV lamp bacteria removal technology to keep both the mop pads and the dust bag fresh and clean. Overall, it’s pretty low-maintenance, benefiting further from its effective dual-roller Hypersteam Detangling Duobrush requiring little-to-no hair removal. The side brush, however, is prone to clumps of tangled hair.

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete on a hard wood floor — (Image credit: Future)

One of its only other failings is the battery life; Dreame quotes a 200 minute runtime on quiet mode and a 4.5-hour recharge. When tested in my home, I got an average of 90 minutes use out of the vacuum, which is certainly lower than I’d hope for such a pricey device. I’d assume that’s down to some of the more intelligent features, given the Dreame X40 Ultra features the same 6400 mAh battery but fared better in our testing.

Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should I buy the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete?

Value

While pricey, the Dreame X50's extensive featurelist helps justify the price tag. Plus, it’s already attracting discounts.

Design

The Dreame X50 is well and truly decked out with an arsenal of cleaning tools, including threshold-clearing legs and a pop-down puck.

Performance

4.5

Excellent vacuuming and mopping, and especially good at edge cleaning. Slightly meagre battery life.

Buy it if...

You have lots of low-clearance furniture

Its receding sensor tower gives the X50 Ultra Complete much more mobility to reach and clean beneath low furniture.View Deal

You want superior edge cleaning

I was super impressed with the X50 Ultra Complete’s extending side brush and mop pads, which left my dusty corners cleaner than they’ve been in months.View Deal

You want a seriously low-maintenance robovac

It’s self-cleaning, has pretty effective dual brush rollers when it comes to crushing hair and broadly speaking does well at navigating the home, plus the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete comes with an arsenal of spare parts. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You have a larger space

While it will return to base to recharge automatically mid-clean, the limited battery life means cleaning will take longer than usual.View Deal

You’ve got a messy home

Broadly, its object detection and navigation specs are great, but the X50 Ultra Complete did struggle on occasion with smaller obstacles, pet poop and the edges of rugs.View Deal

You’re on a budget

At an eyewateringly high price point even during sales, this is far from a budget robovac.View Deal

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete: also consider

Roborock Saros 10

The Roborock Saros 10 is probably the most direct competitor to Dreame’s X50 Ultra as of writing, with similar features and functions and also offering great performance. However, it doesn’t have rotating mop pads and can only cross 4cm thresholds, despite being at a very similar price point.

Read our full Roborock Saros 10 review View Deal

Eufy X10 Pro Omni

At time of writing, this bot sits at the top of our best robot vacuum ranking as the model we recommend to most people. It's significantly cheaper than the Saros 10 but not as cutting-edge. There's no pop-up puck here; threshold clearance is much lower; it can't dispense detergent; plus the dock is significantly less stylish. However, it still cleans extremely well, and the mop is great (it uses the dual spinning pads).

Read our full Eufy X10 Pro Omni review View Deal

How I tested the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete

I used the Dreame X50 Ultra for two months as my primary robot vacuum, completing regular cleaning cycles in addition to my deeper testing. To test pickup performance, I used everything from fine powder (cornflour) to oats and grains to see how well the vacuum clears up debris both in the middle and at the edges of rooms. To test mopping performance, I made wet, sticky and dry spills for the device to clean up, and I also left various obstacles around my flat to test navigation and object detection.I’ve been testing robot vacuums for three years, and in that time I’ve tried everything from cheaper models to premium devices like the Dreame X50 Ultra, which means I’ve got a solid understanding of what makes a robot vacuum worth the money.

Here's more on how we test robot vacuums

If Philips Hue is too expensive, the HDMI Sync Box and TV Backlight set from WiZ is a cheap and effective alternative

10:00 pm | July 5, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Tags: HDMI, TV | Comments: Off

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight: two-minute review

The first step of setting up my WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit was actually removing my Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror Kit, as that was what I had been using for TV accent lighting prior to the test period. Both Nanoleaf and WiZ are among the best smart light brands and so being able to directly compare the two was a valuable asset for the review process.

I’ll admit I was a little sad to put the old Nanoleaf light strip into storage but I really wasn’t going to miss the camera that used to linger above my screen. Luckily, the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit doesn’t have any unwelcome distractions like that, and the setup was a good deal cleaner too.

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight — The light strip's corner pieces are cleverly designed to accommodate different screen sizes (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)

My television is 55 inches, and it was definitely the smallest screen the 55-65” kit could fit on. In fact, I had to readjust my positioning a couple of times to avoid any sections of the LED strip going beyond the TV’s edge. Thanks to the adhesive clips and weirdly ingenious corner sections included with the kit, I was to achieve an application that I was confident would last.

Alongside the included LCD light strip, I also tested the Sync Box’s functionality with other WiZ products, including the Gradient Light Bars. The app has a clever and easy-to-use function where you essentially tell it where your extra lights are in relation to your television and that dictates how its colors shift. Sure enough, the synced lights change in line with the light strip, further expanding the glowing halo around whatever episode of Kitchen Nightmares I happen to be watching.

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When it got to actually testing the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit, I encountered a bit of a problem: my partner and I are the kind of adult children who own at least one of every current gen console, so the singular HDMI 2.0 port included with the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit was just not going to cut it.

Thankfully, the sync box supports the use of switch splitters, meaning you can expand your number of inputs provided you’re happy to spend a little extra. Depending on how many more ports you need, HDMI splitters can set you back about $10 to $50, so keep that added cost in mind if you plan to use the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit while gaming across multiple platforms.

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Skull and Bones is undoubtedly not one of gaming’s greats, but it happened to be one my partner was playing at the time – and, in its defence, it does have an open world that delivers a good deal of color information for the sync box to work with. As I expected, the deep grey-blue of the game’s sea was reflected really beautifully on the wall behind my screen, but what was particularly impressive was when a blast of lightning cut across the game’s skybox.

This in-game weather phenomenon prompted a localised shock of white light to cut across my walls, adding a fabulous sense of drama to what was otherwise rather goofy game.

On the other hand, playing Dead by Daylight on a map with a grimy, rust colored palette intermittently produced the most random shade of violet. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for some good bisexual lighting at the best of times, but I’d appreciate it if my light strip stuck just a tad closer to the script.

One mechanic in Dead by Daylight involves the appearance of what’s called a ‘terror radius’, causing a blood-red glow to emit from another player’s character. When the sync box picked up the terror radius, it looked superb and truly enhanced the thrill of the chase. The only problem was, it didn’t activate all that reliably.

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Some kind of colored light was always present and enhancing the atmosphere of my media setup, but there were times where I’d pay especially close attention to the WiZ light strip’s output and realise how arbitrary its choices were. I navigated the WiZ app (which as mentioned in my WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp review, is a breeze) and tried to force a firmware update, hoping this would resolve these quirks. Unfortunately, it seems like the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit has a tiny rebellious streak that can’t be quashed.

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight: specifications

Connectivity	Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only), Bluetooth
Smart home compatibility	Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Matter
Supported resolution	4K at 60hz
Supported HDR formats	HDR10+, Dolby Vision
Supported screen sizes	55-65 inch or 75-80 inch
Brightness	Not specified
Color temperature	2,700-6,500k
Total LED strip length	8.5ft / 2.6m

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight: price and availability

55-65 inch kit price: $89 / £79.99
75-85” inch price: $109 / £99.99
Where to buy: Amazon, WiZ (US only)

The 55-65” WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit costs $89, while the larger 85” model comes with a bit of a premium at $109. Both can be purchased on the WiZ site or on Amazon.

If you’re in the UK, you can browse WiZ products on the website but when it comes to actually popping them in your basket, you’ll have to head to Amazon. Here, you can pick up the 65” kit for £79.99 and the 85” kit for £99.99.

Should you buy the WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight

Buy it if

You like your TV experience more theatrical

Screen mirroring smart lights transform your living space to match the vibe of the show, film, or game you’re enjoying; it’s fun, it’s flashy, and it’s a little silly. If that sounds like your jam, you know what to add to your shopping list.

You’re on a budget

Whereas some HDMI sync boxes can cost you close to $250, the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit is just $90 (or $109 if you’re opting for the larger size). This is an especially attractive option if you’ve recently splashed the cash on a new TV.

You don’t want a camera

While Nanoleaf offers a screen-mirroring smart light kit that’s similarly-priced, it relies on information from a camera feed instead of a HDMI input. Depending on the layout of your TV, you can have the camera below or above your screen but either way, it’s a little distracting.

Don't buy it if

You rely on smart TV streaming apps

Given the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit bases its screen mirroring on data from a HDMI source, you can’t use it in tandem with smart TV apps. If you watch the majority of your media directly on your TV instead of a console or cable box, you might want to explore other smart light options.

You want a sync box that natively supports multiple HDMI inputs
While you have the option to hook up a switch splitter, the WiZ HDMI Sync Box only supports one HDMI input as standard. If you have multiple gaming consoles, keep in mind you’ll have to drop an extra $30 to allow you quickly change between them.

You’d like illumination from all angles

The light strip included with the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit provides coverage across the top and sides of your TV or monitor. The lack of light on the bottom is barely noticeable on standing TVs but is a good deal more obvious if your TV is wall-mounted.

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight: also consider

If you’re not totally sold on the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit, it might be worth checking out alternatives like the Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit and the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box.

Specification	WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight	Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit	Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 4K
Price	$89 / £79.99 (up to 65 inches) $109 / £99.99 (up to 85 inches)	$99.99 / £81.94 (up to 65 inches) $119.99 / £105.52 (up to 85 inches)	$249.99 / £229.99 (light strips sold separately)
Screen mirroring input	HDMI 2.0 Sync Box (single input)	Camera	HDMI 2.1 Sync Box (four inputs)
Supported resolution	4k at 60hz	N/A	4K at 60hz (8K variant also available)
Supported HDR formats	HDR10+, Dolby Vision	N/A	HDR10+, Dolby Vision
Supported screen size	55-65 inch or 75-85 inch	Up to 65 inch or up to 85 inch	Lights sold separately, Hue Bridge required to link
Smart home compatibility	Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Matter	Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Matter	Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit (Matter compatible if used with Hue Bridge, sold separately)
Light strip length	8.5ft / 2.6m 11.2ft / 3.4m	13.1ft / 4m 17ft / 5.2m	N/A
Brightness	Not specified	1,075 lumens (65 inch variant) 1,122 lumens (85 inch variant)	N/A
Color temperature	2,700-6,500K	2,700-6,500K	N/A

How I tested the WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight

I connected the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit to my TV
I tested the Sync Box using input from my PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X
I experimented with in-app features and controls

During the two weeks I used the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit, I enjoyed a variety of films, tv shows, and video games while observing how the LCD light strip emulated what was onscreen. After assessing the functionality of the light strip alone, I also connected the Sync Box to the WiZ Gradient Light Bars and the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp. For more details, see how we test, rate, and review at TechRadar.

First reviewed July 2025

I reviewed the Logitech MX Brio 705 for Business – and this AI-powered 4K business webcam has every feature I need for the office

9:01 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: FOV | Comments: Off

I'm writing this article in June 2025, and with all that I do, I have never had more virtual meetings in my average workday than I do today. I constantly jump between virtual meetings, in-person meetings, projects, tasks, phone calls, Slack, and more. However, a large portion of many people's day-to-day lives is spent on virtual meetings. It expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic out of necessity. As of 2025, most meetings default to virtual unless otherwise specified. I experienced this today with a client meeting. They assumed we were meeting virtually through my plan, so I headed to them to meet in person.

The reality is that businesses, for the most part, need to be hybrid and flexible. That's where a quality webcam comes into play. Suppose your first impression, handshake, and first words were vital in an in-person interaction. In that case, your camera presence, clarity, and ability to articulate as though you were in the same room are of the highest priority. For me, the Logitech Brio 705 did just that. It elevated my otherwise mediocre virtual presence, which was limited to my main desk, to a whole new level.

Logitech MX Brio 705: Pricing and Availability

The Logitech Brio 705 for Business retails for just under $200 and is available at Logitech, Best Buy, Amazon, and many other retailers. If you are looking for this device to be on a corporate machine that you have control of, it may make sense to sign up for Logitech Sync as well, so it notifies me if anyone is struggling.

Logitech MX Brio 705 for Business: Unboxing & first impressions

One of the first things that I noticed about this camera is that it has a dial on the front around the camera itself to physically close the shutter. Now I have never been the kind of person who would put a camera cover on my MacBook Pro, but I do appreciate seeing camera covers on laptops, and now in webcams. I've heard enough horror stories and rumors to make me feel like that is a good idea to keep things covered up just to protect privacy and help put my mind at ease.

After that revelation, I noticed that the setup is super simple, with a multi-functional base, plus a single cable. The base is great because if you don't need it, it magnetically pops off. This is great for those setups that have a mount. But, for those who don't have a fancy mount in their setup, the base is a great option, allowing you to place the camera on just about any monitor shape or size, or on top of a lightbar from just about any brand if they follow the classic BenQ styling.

Logitech MX Brio 705 for Business: Design & Build Quality

Specs

Resolution: 4K/30fps, 1080p/60, 720p/60;
FOV: 65°/78°/90°
Sensor: 8.5MP Sony STARVIS
Zoom: 4× digital
Mic: Dual beamforming, 1.2 m pickup radius
Connectivity: 1.5 m USB‑C cable
Weight: 4.8 oz w/o clip; 6.2 oz with mount

The design is sleek, it's professional yet stylish, and it looks great for just about any workspace. I've had this set up at my home office, in my product shoot area, in a more traditional "office" space, and it's also small enough that I took it with me on a trip in my backpack so that I could keep great video quality away from my desk.

I'm a really big fan of darker tech, especially the graphite colorway that Logitech used for this camera, so that design choice scores high in my book. Another thing that I have recently been playing with is mounting gear in my setup with my MonoBlocc mounting grid behind my main monitor, the BenQ MA320U, in my home office.

With this mounting system, I was able to remove the base of the camera and add a perfectly placed camera shot up and above my monitor, right by a light bar, to give me the perfect angle every time. And, since the base is magnetic and easy to add back on, when I took this camera off of this workspace and moved it to others I could use the highly adjustable base to make it work just about anywhere.

Logitech MX Brio 705 for Business: In use

For my use case, I have chosen to allow for the re-framing feature, but I slowed it down. I frequently stand at my workstation and when I stand I move around a bit. When it's just me on camera, it's not distracting, but if my camera is constantly re-adjusting to find me and zoom in and zoom out and so on, it's a bit ridiculous.

So, I slowed down the reframing, and that seemed to do the trick beautifully. Personally, I don't have many use-cases for show mode, but I could see this super helpful for those who are physically drawing things, are showing what they are working on, or if you are teaching then this feature could be super nice to be able to better showcase to your online viewers what's going on.

I've noticed that the mics work better than I expected. For years, I was an AirPod-only kind of person for virtual meetings, but as webcams like this have gotten better, for quite a few meetings, I have used the webcam mic. So far, I've heard only positives about the clarity of my audio. I have yet to have anyone mention that it's muffled, unclear, faint, or poor.

One downside for Windows users that I have noticed is the lack of ability to sync with Windows Hello, meaning you'll have to use your laptop's camera for this feature or utilize another login method when docked. It's a bummer for sure, but I also understand why Logitech didn't want to go through that certification process.

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	Minimalist and Powerful	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use	Easy to use on any OS	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Practicality	Great for most	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price	Priced well for the product	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Logitech MX Brio 705 for Business: Final verdict

The Logitech Brio 705 for Business is an excellent option for those seeking a high-quality webcam without breaking the bank. It offers a great combination of visual quality, audio quality, and features without being overloaded with unnecessary ones. If you are looking for a camera for virtual meetings or presentations, or if you want a camera that works in both a designated setup or a setup on the go, check out the Logitech Brio 705 for Business.

After testing the Vari ComfortFlex, this task-focused office chair kept me comfortable even after hours

4:01 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

I've known Vari for its standing desks for a while. Even more than that, I've checked out quite a bit from the company over the years.

Vari offers a wide range of gear, and so far my experience with all of it has been really good. The ComfortFlex is no different. One of the best office chairs I've tried, it offers a great option for those who use their office for long hours, and especially if they use their home office for more than just work.

For many, the home office space doubles as a hobby area, a gaming station, or something similar. This chair is perfect for those scenarios as it offers all-day comfort, a great leg rest for more lounging options, and a premium mesh build with excellent lumbar support and adjustability all around.

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: Pricing and Availability

The ComfortFlex office chair is offered directly on Vari's website for $549. These chairs ship directly from Vari and are wait-listed at the time of writing this article, though I do hope they come back in soon. Vari generously offers a 30-day return window on this chair, and there is a 5-year warranty as well.

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: Unboxing & first impressions

Unboxing this chair was, admittedly, nothing special. The packaging was robust and compact. The assembly took me about 15-minutes and while it was not complex, it is worth noting that the screws were labeled as letters in the kit, but by size in the manual. While this isn't a huge deal, it is a bit annoying.

The build process was actually made more time-consuming due to the massive amount of packaging materials, which is of course a pro, but a bit annoying when assembling.

From the first sit, I loved the mesh, the comfort of the seat and the legrest. Legrests I feel are hard to get right. Either they feel very gimmicky, they are ignored all together, or they are great. This one is great. Not too much but just right.

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: Design & Build Quality

Specs

Weight Capacity: 300 lb
Seat Height: 17.5″–20.75″, width 19.5″, depth adjustable
Tilt Angles: 96°/106°/116° recline lock

The Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair is the kind of chair that fits perfectly in a home office, a corporate office, or a co-working space. It's clean, simple, modern, yet comfortable enough to enjoy working in without wishing for a more comfortable option.

The base is made of aluminum and is sturdy, even with a good amount of weight on it. The mesh lumbar, backrest, and neck portion are all layered in a cool way that looks sleek yet professional.

My one negative I noticed early on is that the armrests feel a bit too firm for my liking, but that could be just me.

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: In use

I've had this chair in my queue and with my team for 110 days at the time of writing this review. It has been used primarily by me, at 6'2", 200lbs, and by another member of the team who is 5'9" and about 150 lbs. For both of us, this chair feels like it's a great fit. The lumbar spine is dynamic and responsive, providing support to both of us, even though we are of different heights. The legrest is great for leaning back while on the phone, reading, grinding away on a laptop, or even gaming.

The armrests are the one grip for both of us, though. They are adjustable in height and width, but they don't pivot inward, so for anyone who likes to pull those in tight, this chair may be a bit frustrating.

In the 100+ hours that we have spent in this chair, we have had no other major frustrations. It's a great chair; it's just as comfortable as it was on day one, and it's still working without any issues.

It's not until you have a chair with a leg rest that you truly appreciate just how great it is. Furthermore, it's not until you have a chair with a legrest in your own home office that you truly understand this. In the comfort of your own home office, you don't usually mind kicking back and taking that meeting reclined, or reading that contract or article while you have your feet up. Or, when you finish working for the day, use the legrest as a way to mentally flip from work to play. No matter how you prefer to do it, this chair is great for users who want some versatility.

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	Minimalist and professional	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use	Easy to use	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Practicality	Great for those wanting a simple chair for their home office	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price	Priced well for the product	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: Final verdict

The Vari ComfortFlex is a great all around chair. It's great for work, it's great for play, it's great for reading, and it's great for pretty much anything you'd do in your home office. It's made wonderful due to the dynamic lumbar, the mesh breathability and the built in retractable footrest, but as long as you don't need to be able ot bring your armrests in, this chair could be perfect for you.

After testing the Vari ComfortFlex, this task-focused office chair kept me comfortable even after hours

4:01 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

I've known Vari for its standing desks for a while. Even more than that, I've checked out quite a bit from the company over the years.

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: Pricing and Availability

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: Unboxing & first impressions

The build process was actually made more time-consuming due to the massive amount of packaging materials, which is of course a pro, but a bit annoying when assembling.

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: Design & Build Quality

Specs

Weight Capacity: 300 lb
Seat Height: 17.5″–20.75″, width 19.5″, depth adjustable
Tilt Angles: 96°/106°/116° recline lock

The base is made of aluminum and is sturdy, even with a good amount of weight on it. The mesh lumbar, backrest, and neck portion are all layered in a cool way that looks sleek yet professional.

My one negative I noticed early on is that the armrests feel a bit too firm for my liking, but that could be just me.

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: In use

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	Minimalist and professional	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use	Easy to use	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Practicality	Great for those wanting a simple chair for their home office	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price	Priced well for the product	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Vari ComfortFlex Office Chair: Final verdict

After 30 hours with Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition, the Nintendo Switch 2 version has almost become my preferred way to play

3:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: Mortal Kombat, Nintendo Switch | Comments: Off

Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Edition marks the fighting game’s availability on Nintendo Switch 2 - as a launch title for the console no less. Back in 2023, I scored Street Fighter 6 five stars in my review, praising everything from its world class visuals to its intense one-on-one battles - backed up by the incredible Drive gauge system that allows for a high skill ceiling.

Review information

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: June 6, 2025 (originally released on June 2, 2023)

On Nintendo Switch 2, that high-quality experience has been replicated for the most part. Seemingly gone are the days of heavily compromised fighting game ports (looking at you, Mortal Kombat 1), as Capcom’s highly scalable RE Engine shows that even the best looking fighting games can still run and play great on a handheld machine.

Now, okay, you’re not quite getting the crystalline image quality of Street Fighter 6 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S or indeed PC. The Switch 2 version does look slightly worse, with noticeable graining and overall lower resolution - exacerbated when blown up on a 4K display. But honestly, it’s not a million miles away from those other versions, and the game is still perfectly readable and maintains a solid 60fps performance where it matters: in those intense online matches as well as most offline modes.

Perhaps obviously, it’s the single-player World Tour mode that suffers the most. Granted, it’s far from perfect on other systems, but you’ll really feel the compromises on Switch 2, with noticeable animation frame limiting on distant non-player characters (NPCs) and a hard 30fps lock during battles - far from ideal.

Still, everything else in the package is comparable. And with full crossplay support and a complete character roster at the time of writing, you can hop into one of the best fighting games on Nintendo Switch 2 and start ranking up just as well as you can on other consoles. Well, so long as you’re using a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller for Classic motion inputs, of course. But more on that later.

The gang's all here

So first off, what’s included in Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Edition on Switch 2? As mentioned, you’re getting the entire roster of fighters. That’s 18 from the launch version, in addition to the four DLC characters from Year 1 (Rashid, A.K.I., Ed, and Akuma) and four from Year 2 (M. Bison, Terry Bogard, Mai Shiranui, and Elena). You’re also getting four DLC stages and a decent amount of Drive Tickets to spend in the game’s shop. Sadly, additional character outfits aren’t included in this package - you’ll have to buy those separately.

Otherwise, this is a feature-complete version of Street Fighter 6. All three main content hubs are here, including the single-player World Tour mode. You’ll also find the Battle Hub for hanging out with player-created avatars and engaging in casual online matches, as well as Fighting Ground where you have access to the bulk of the game’s modes. That includes ranked and unranked online matches, Arcade mode, training, and combo trials for every character.

There are also a couple of modes exclusive to the Switch 2 version of Street Fighter 6, but these are unfortunately novelties that wore off after a couple of tries. Gyro Battle uses the Joy-Con 2’s motion controls for special move inputs, while Calorie Contest also applies those motion inputs to a gimmicky fitness-based mode. Both are inoffensive inclusions, but you likely won’t look at them twice unless you want to get your grandma into Street Fighter, or something.

The Joy (Con) of fighting

How I feel about Street Fighter 6 now hasn’t changed much over the last couple of years. It’s still one of the best fighting games available today, with plenty of content for both casual and hardcore players to sink their teeth into.

That being said, there may be some growing pains for those jumping over to the Switch 2 version, or playing the game for the first time on the new hardware. While the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller is a fine fit for Street Fighter 6’s Classic control scheme (which grants full access to characters’ moves and full motion inputs), the Joy-Con 2 certainly isn’t.

That’s because it’s almost impossible to reliably input directional special moves - especially the likes of the Dragon Punch motion and Zangief’s full-circle Spinning Pile Driver - on the Joy-Con 2’s button-styled d-pad.

However, if you prefer the Modern control scheme, which simplifies special moves to a single direction, you’ll have a much easier time if all you can play with is the Joy-Con 2. And it still helps that Modern is an incredibly well-designed control scheme that’s even preferred by no shortage of professional Street Fighter 6 players, so you absolutely can hop online and learn the game efficiently in this way.

Small world

As for World Tour, Street Fighter 6’s marquee single-player mode, it’s certainly something I’ve still got a soft spot for - but it’s definitely not at its best on Switch 2. In case you’re unaware, World Tour has your player-created avatar exploring 3D environments, getting into fights, and meeting legendary Street Fighter characters in order to level up and learn new moves - all in aid of winning tournaments and becoming the strongest fighter in the world. It’s not without its faults, with plenty of incredibly tanky enemies who love employing cheap tactics like lobbing wrenches from across the screen, but it is a fun diversion from the chaos of the online suites.

While it was never a top performer even on PS5, Xbox, and PC, World Tour on Switch 2 does suffer from some compromises. Draw distance is quite poor, and there’s plenty of choppy animation on distant NPCs. Overworld exploration targets 60fps and does get there frequently, but actual battles are strictly locked to 30fps, which simply feels horrible in a fighting game - even in a more casual-friendly environment.

I’d still say World Tour is worth a playthrough if you haven’t tried it before, as the experience here is far from unplayable. Just be prepared for a massive disconnect in performance between it and the rest of the package, which manages to be incredibly stable on Switch 2.

Should I play Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Edition on Switch 2?

Play it if...

You want a version of the game for portable play
Despite a downgrade in overall image quality, playing Street Fighter 6 in handheld mode is a surprisingly stable experience and one that’s plenty fun whether you’re tucked in bed or out and about.

You want the entire roster at an affordable price
Featuring most of the content released across the game’s first two years - sans old battle passes and character costumes - Years 1-2 Edition is a genuinely great deal.

Don't play it if...

You have access to Street Fighter 6 on other systems
As impressive as Street Fighter 6 on Switch 2 is, if you’re able to play the game on PS5, Xbox, or PC, I would still recommend those versions for their better image quality and performance in World Tour mode.

You don’t have the time to learn a fighting game
Street Fighter 6 may be the most popular fighting game out there, but it’s certainly one of the more complex ones with its intricate Drive system, varied character movesets, and no shortage of fighting game-specific terminology.

Accessibility

Street Fighter 6’s accessibility suite is just as impressive on Switch 2 as it is on other consoles and PC. For one, the Modern control scheme is an excellent onboarding tool for players intimidated by the complicated Classic layout. Modern doesn’t give access to a character’s full move list, but it does greatly simplify special move inputs and provides easy combo routes, allowing you to hop online and see success almost right away.

In terms of other accessibility options, there are plenty. Audio options are particularly impressive, with the ability to enable a ‘distance to opponent’ sound to aid players with vision impairments. You can also enable unique sound effects for high, mid, and low attacks, as well as ones for remaining health and Super Art gauge levels.

Sadly, there are no colorblind settings to speak of, and on Switch 2, there are fewer graphical and visual options in general than on other systems.

How I reviewed Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Edition

I played Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 for around 28 hours for this review. That included significant progress in World Tour mode, as well as several rounds of Arcade mode, combo trials, and online matches, both ranked and casual.

In docked mode, playing on an LG CX OLED TV, my controller of choice was the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. I also tested the game in handheld mode using the Joy-Con 2 controllers.

As a huge fighting game fan, I also reviewed the original Street Fighter 6 release on PS5. I’ve also provided reviews for Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, so I feel confident in delivering a review of the Switch 2 port of Street Fighter 6 that’s fair and coming from a standpoint of whether or not it’s worth your time and money.

After 30 hours with Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition, the Nintendo Switch 2 version has almost become my preferred way to play

3:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: Mortal Kombat, Nintendo Switch | Comments: Off

Review information

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: June 6, 2025 (originally released on June 2, 2023)

The gang's all here

The Joy (Con) of fighting

Small world

Should I play Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Edition on Switch 2?

Play it if...

Don't play it if...

Accessibility

Sadly, there are no colorblind settings to speak of, and on Switch 2, there are fewer graphical and visual options in general than on other systems.

How I reviewed Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Edition

In docked mode, playing on an LG CX OLED TV, my controller of choice was the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. I also tested the game in handheld mode using the Joy-Con 2 controllers.

I tested this Sony Dolby Atmos soundbar for a few weeks, and was blown away by its bass

2:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Soundbars Televisions | Tags: Dolby Atmos, TV | Comments: Off

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6: One minute review

Sony Bravia theater bar 6 packaging on floor — The Theater Bar 6's packaging (Image credit: Future)

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 lives up to the ‘Theater’ part of its name. If you want to upgrade your TV’s audio but can’t quite go the full home theater route, the next best thing is a soundbar with a separate subwoofer for extended, theater-like bass. As great as the best soundbars are, not all come with, or even support, external subwoofers, and that low rumble a subwoofer delivers makes the biggest difference between hearing a movie and feeling it.

Dolby Atmos speakers for height effects take the theater experience to the next step, and the Sony Bravia Theater 6, along with having a powerful wireless subwoofer, has upward-firing speakers for immersive spatial audio.

While the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 has some shortcomings – there’s a delayed response when using Sony’s Bravia Connect control app, and the soundbar’s soundstage is a bit narrower than I would like – I still think it’s a strong contender for the best Dolby Atmos soundbar.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 review: Price & release date

Sony Bravia theater bar 6 on floor with accessories — The Theater Bar 6's full set of accessories (Image credit: Future)

Released in April 2025
Price: $649.00 / £449.00 / AU$899

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 soundbar is widely available for $649.00 / £449.00 / AU$899).

That price is far from budget, though the Theater Bar 6 does include a wireless subwoofer, not to mention a good feature set including some first-party integration with Sony Bravia TVs. The soundbar's upward-firing speakers, which let it deliver Dolby Atmos and DTS:X height effects without resorting to virtual processing, add to the cost as well.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 review: Specs

Dimensions (W x H x D)	Bar: 37.5 x 2.63 x 4.38 inch / 950 x 64 x 110 mm, (Sub) 8.27 x 15.28 x 15.28 inch / 210 x 388 x 388 mm
Speaker channels	3.1.2
Connections:	1x HDMI (with eARC), optical, digital, Bluetooth, USB, IR
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X	Yes/Yes
Sub included	Yes
Rear speakers included	No
Features	Bravia Sync, DSEE, app support

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 review: Features

Sony Bravia theater bar 6 ports — Ports include one HDMI with eARC/ARC and optical digital (Image credit: Future)

Can upmix stereo to spatial audio
Night mode is clear while limiting audio spikes
Voice mode is subtle enough not to distort audio

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6’s feature set is a bright spot. There's the aforementioned Bravia Sync (along with an enhanced dialogue mode that can be used with Bravia TVs) and it can upmix stereo audio to spatial audio. There’s Bluetooth connectivity, though no Wi-Fi streaming, and a bunch more features that you’ll find digging through the Sony Bravia Connect app.

Most notably, I want to mention the app’s Night Mode and Voice Mode features. The first does a wonderful job of flattening audio so you can hear it clearly, even though almost all dynamic range has been lost. That makes it perfect for watching when someone else in your home is asleep.

The Voice mode boosts the frequency range where the dialogue in movies and TV shows sits. And it does so without distorting the way the audio sounds, which is usually the case with voice or dialogue modes.

Using the app gives you access to a lot more functions for setting up and adjusting the soundbar. However, there seemed to be a delay with every press when I tested the Theater Bar 6. If I turned up the volume or adjusted the bass level, I had to do it slowly so that the app registered and transmitted each press to the soundbar. I don’t quite understand the lag, as the soundbar has Bluetooth 5.3, which is not that old a Bluetooth standard, and should be sufficient to register a control command quickly.

Features score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 review: Performance

Sony Bravia theater bar 6 screwing in support feet — The Theater Bar 6's support feet are easy to install (Image credit: Future)

Good overall audio quality
Lots of power from subwoofer
Soundstage is a bit narrow

Now to the interesting part. The Theater Bar 6’s sound quality is very good. It’s full without sounding bloated, and the high-end is crisp and clear. Bass from the system’s subwoofer is massive – I had the subwoofer’s level set at 4 out of 10 and still got quite the punch from it. Most listeners will be more than happy with the Theater Bar 6’s sound.

That said, there is one area where the sound falls a little short. The soundstage is a bit narrower than I would like. I tested with action-packed movies, such as The Batman and Deadpool & Wolverine, and I didn’t sense a lot of movement with sound effects. That’s not to say it’s not there. It’s just not dramatic like one would expect from a sound system with the word “Theater” in it.

The Theater Bar 6’s limited soundstage didn’t quite take me out of the experience, but it is certainly a limitation. At least the subwoofer delivers a nice rumble that you can feel, and the Dolby Atmos speakers add some height to the audio. The effect is subtle, but everything just sounds a little taller.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 review: Design

Sony Bravia theater bar 6 wireless subwoofer on wood floor — The Theater Bar 6's wireless subwoofer provides deep, solid bass (Image credit: Future)

Soundbar and subwoofer on the big side
Features upward-firing speakers
Limited port selection

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is essentially two pieces: the soundbar itself and a subwoofer. The soundbar is fairly wide, measuring 37 1/2 inches across, as well as 2 5/8 inches tall and 4 3/8 inches deep (950 x 64 x 110 mm). If you have anything smaller than a 50-inch TV, then this soundbar is too big for it.

It comes in matte black and has a few LED indicators that light up on the lower right side whenever anything is changed. I do prefer an actual LED display that gives more information, but this more minimal way of communicating changes to settings seems to be the norm for most mid-range and budget soundbars.

This is a 3.1.2 system with six total speakers, with five of them in the soundbar itself. The left, center, and right speakers are all, as is expected, front-facing, though I would have expected the left and right to maybe angle out a little. The wo upward-firing speakers align with the left and right ones. Those speakers are angled so that they’ll bounce sound off the ceiling to the listener’s ears.

The port selection is pretty slim here, though that’s not unusual in this price range. Besides power, there’s one HDMI and one optical port. Both ports support quite a few features. For example, the HDMI supports eARC, allowing you to listen to Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content, as well as HDMI CEC, which allows you to use your TV’s remote to control the volume on the soundbar. It also supports Bravia Sync, a feature that requires a Bravia TV.

If you plan on buying the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6, make sure you have enough space for the wireless subwoofer, as it’s quite hefty, measuring 8.26 x 15.28 x 15.28 in (210 x 388 x 388 mm). It comes in the same matte black finish, has one plug for power, a forward-facing woofer, and a bass reflex port (the big hole in the front) to extend bass response.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 review: Setup & usability

Sony Bravia theater bar 6 remote control held in hand — The Bravia Theater 6 comes with a basic remote control, but many more sound adjustments are available in the Bravia Connect app (Image credit: Future)

Simple setup
App is straightforward
Remote control is intuitive

The physical setup of the Theater Bar 6 is very easy, just requiring a screwdriver for attaching the rubber feet that raise the soundbar off the surface it’s sitting on by half an inch. Connecting it to a TV just requires either an HDMI or optical cable (Sony includes an HDMI cable).

Subwoofer setup is even easier. After connecting it to power, it automatically links to the soundbar wirelessly (though there are instructions on how to pair if there’s an issue).

Despite my annoyance with the app’s lagging, setting it up and pairing it with the soundbar is also straightforward. There are a number of screens to go through, but there’s nothing confusing, and you just follow the instructions or answer the questions on the screen.

As far as using the soundbar, you either interact with it via the remote or the app, as there are no physical buttons on the unit. The remote is straightforward in its operation, and the Voice mode and Night mode each have their own buttons.

Setup & usability score: 5 / 5

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 review: Value

Sony Bravia theater bar 6 on tv stand with games beneath — The Theater Bar 6 features two upfiring speakers for Atmos height effects (Image credit: Future)

Can find Dolby Atmos models with a subwoofer for cheaper
Priced about right for the quality
Stiff competition from companies like Samsung

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6’s price tag of $649.00 / £449.00 / AU$899 is nowhere near budget. Consider the Hisense AX5125H with its current pricing of $299 / £349 (roughly AU$449). It’s a 5.1.2-channel system, so it not only comes with that subwoofer and upward-firing speakers but two rear speakers for surround sound capability. That said, it doesn’t have an app for any kind of EQ or audio fine-tuning. Even worse, the rear speakers can get overwhelmed and distort. That’s a good reminder that sometimes you do get what you pay for. It’s also worth mentioning that the Hisense originally went for $449 / £499 (roughly AU$599) when it was released in 2023.

A better comparison might be the Samsung HW-Q700C, a 3.1.2-channel soundbar system that goes for $549.99 / £599 / AU$899 that can be upgraded at a later date to surround sound, though getting those extra speakers will add $299 / £249 / AU$349 to the cost. It covers a lot of the same ground as the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6, though the Samsung seems to suffer even more from app-related connectivity issues.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6?

Section	Notes	Score
Features	It can upmix stereo to spatial audio and has solid Night and Voice modes	4.5 / 5
Performance	The soundstage is a bit narrow, but the sound quality is very good, especially the low end, thanks to the powerful subwoofer	4.5 / 5
Design	On the bigger side, and there's no alphanumeric LED display for control feedback	4 / 5
Setup & usability	Everything about using the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is easy and intuitive	5 / 5
Value	A solid mid-range soundbar. You can find cheaper options with similar setups, but the quality may be less	4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want good sound quality
The audio quality is overall very good, especially the low end, and it’s only slightly held back by a narrow soundstage.

You want something easy
The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is powerful and does a lot. Even so, it’s easy to set up, and using it is intuitive.

You want Dolby Atmos
Not only does it sound good, but those upward-firing speakers add some dimensionality to audio. Plus, it can upmix stereo audio to take advantage of those extra speakers.

Don't buy it if...

You want surround sound
Sony’s 3.1.2 channels provide immersive sound, but it’s still not the same as surround sound.

You want a wide stereo image
It’s par for the course with soundbars, but the soundstage here is not particularly wide. If you want a wide stereo image, find a home theater system with actual speakers or a soundbar system with rear speakers.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 review: Also consider

	Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6	Samsung HW-Q700C	Hisense AX5125H	Sony HT-A7000
Price	$649.00 / £449.00 / AU$899	$549.99 / £599 / AU$899	$299 / £349 (roughly AU$449)	$999 / £1,299 / AU$1,699
Dimensions (w x h x d)	Soundbar: 37.5 x 2.63 x 4.38 in (950 x 64 x 110 mm); Subwoofer: 8.27 x 15.28 x 15.28 in (210 x 388 x 388 mm)	Soundbar: 46.5 x 18.5 x 10.7 in (1182 x 468 x 272 mm); Subwoofer: 8 x 13.8 x 11.8 in (205 x 353 x 302 mm)	Soundbar: 36.2 x 18.8 x 3.5 in (920 x 478 x 90mm); Subwoofer: 8.5 x 12.3 x 11.9 in (210.5 x 310 x 300mm); Satellites: 3.6 x 5.7 x 4.3 in (90.1 x 140.5 x 110mm)	51.8 x 3.1 x 5.6 in(1300 x 80 x 142 mm)
Speaker channels	3.1.2	3.1.2	5.1.2	7.1.2
Connections	1x HDMI (with eARC), optical, digital, Bluetooth, USB, IR	1 x HDMI input, 1 x HDMI eARC support, digital optical, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth	1x HDMI Out (eARC), 1x HDMI in, optical, USB, 3.5mm AUX	2 HDMI inputs, one HDMI output with eARC support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes

Samsung HW-Q700C
A 3.1.2-channel system, the Samsung HW-Q700C is a little cheaper and covers a lot of the same ground. It does have similar (but worse) app-connectivity issues, and, like the Sony, it has some features that are only unlocked when used with Samsung TVs.

Read our full Samsung HW-Q700C review

Hisense AX5125H

The Hisense AX5125H comes fairly stripped down in the features department. However, it’s almost half the price while offering a subwoofer, upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers, and rear speakers for surround sound. Unfortunately, audio can overwhelm those rear speakers.

Read our full Hisense AX5125H review

Sony HT-A7000
Sony’s current flagship soundbar ships as a single-bar solution. It still provides 7.1.2 channels and 500W, though, making it one of the most cinematic-sounding single-bar solutions. You can add optional rear and subwoofer speakers too, and it has 4K 120Hz HDMI pass-through.

Read our full Sony HT-A7000 review

How I tested the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6

Sony Bravia theater bar 6 on TV stand — (Image credit: Future)

I used the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 for several weeks
Tested with TV, movies, games, and music

I used the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 regularly for several weeks. I watched movies, shows, games, and listened to music with it. I tested all the various features, especially the various audio modes.

After having tested the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6, it’s clear that it’s an ideal soundbar for anyone who wants a somewhat premium, home theater-type experience without having to pay premium prices.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years, from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

CalDigit Element 5: Pricing and Availability

The CalDigit Element 5 Thunderbolt Hub is available on its website, at major retailers like Amazon, and at many other retailers, shipping worldwide now. You can pick one up for $280, which is expensive; however, it's worth noting that this is brand-new technology with Thunderbolt 5, and the speeds you can transfer with this hub are truly impressive.

So, if you're interested in some of the best transfer speeds available, which you would notice in your workflow, this dock is a steal. If you don't notice the speeds, this dock is probably not for you.

CalDigit Element 5: Unboxing & first impressions

CalDigit did it right with this Docking Station. It's simple, it's robust, it's minimal, and it's powerful. It has simple packaging, which is fitting as it's a relatively simple device. In the package is the Element 5 Hub itself, a Thunderbolt 5 Cable (of course), some rubber feet, and the power cable.

Something that I appreciate is that this dock is designed to be reversible. I've had several docks in the past that I've flipped around to get the ports to line up the way I want them to, specifically the computer in port. Still, then I'm left with the ports I don't want facing that way, too, and the dock is either upside down, spun around, or all around catawampus.

We can't have that - which is why it's super nice that the Element 5 is designed with this in mind. I can easily flip the side port to the computer to be on the left or the right, and I can still flip things around if I want the Thunderbolt ports to face me. Furthermore, if I wanted to, CalDigit suggests daisy-chaining multiple units together to get even more power (and ports) out of your setup.

CalDigit Element 5: Design & Build Quality

Specs

Ports: 1× host TB5 (120 Gb/s), 3× TB5 (80 Gb/s), 2× USB‑C 10 Gb/s, 3× USB‑A 10 Gb/s
Power: 90 W to host
Display Support: Macs: dual 6K/8K60; Windows TB5 PCs: triple 4K60; TB4 PCs: dual displays
Dimensions: 114×70×25 mm; Weight: 0.20 kg

The CalDigit Element 5 is elegant and minimalist, as I have said, but that doesn't mean that it's frail or prone to breaking. This unit feels hefty and robust, like it will last for a long time even when put to heavy use regularly. It helps tidy my desk with its simple design, yet it can also fit in my bag or on the road for a portable setup without any problems.

One thing worth noting is that I really appreciate how CalDigit includes rubber feet to help keep the aluminum from scratching my beautiful wood desk. However, that may not make everyone as excited as I am; in fact, I would hope that most are not as excited as I am about that.

CalDigit Element 5: In use

The CalDigit Element 5 has been wonderful to use for the last few months. I've had this in my arsenal of gear for the last 120 days, and so far, it has taken every beating I have thrown at it. I have transferred huge data loads with it, I have run multiple displays, I have used it with macOS, Windows, ChromeOS, iPadOS, Dex, and more. It's been a fantastic tool for me, even on my simplest of setups, allowing power when needed, and the ability to tuck away when it's not needed.

For my beefier MacBooks and Dell Precisions that I have been testing, I have been able to appreciate the full 90W power output to charge these beasts of laptops, and for less demanding laptops I have been able to appreciate that it won't drown my comptuer with extra power, but rather tapers off and olny gives the compute what it needs.

The Thunderbolt 5 speeds still blow my mind all around. I can boost mode up to 120Gb/s, I can run up to 6200 MB/s SSD Speeds, I can run up to dual 8K 60Hz monitors on the right computer, and I can run this all from a 180W power supply, while supplying 90W of that to a laptop. It's all a bit insane, especially for how compact this dock is.

Of course, if you're on certain Macs, you won't be able to take advantage of all the display possibilities, but that's old news now. Speaking of old news, if I ever needed to dust off an old disk drive, even my Apple SuperDrive, I can, with confidence, know that this dock will run it. Funny to me that this is still a selling point in 2025, but regardless, it's good to know.

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	Cool and sleek design	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use	Easy to use	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Practicality	Great for those anyone using Thunderbolt	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price	Priced well for the product	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

CalDigit Element 5: Final verdict

If you are aware of the benefits of Thunderbolt 5 in your workflow, odds are you could benefit from this dock. For those who need max speed, where every second of transferring is valuable, and you want max power and display support, then this is your new best friend.

I tested the Panasonic Lumix S1 II for a month, and it’s an incredibly powerful mirrorless camera for video, with Canon and Sony-beating features

2:30 pm | July 4, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers Gadgets Mirrorless Cameras | Tags: AF | Comments: Off

Panasonic Lumix S1 II: two-minute review

The S1 II is Panasonic's most powerful Lumix camera yet, debuting a partially-stacked 24.1MP sensor and an embarrassment of riches for video recording, including 19 pages of video codecs in the menus.

There are 6K and 4K options in various aspect ratios up to 60fps and 120fps respectively, plus a new open gate 5.1K option up to 60fps. Furthermore, ProRes Raw format is available in-camera with bitrates up to 4.2Gbps (that's not a typo), as is a Dynamic Range Boost mode – the latter delivers quite possibly the most detail-rich video I've seen at this price point.

The boost in performance from the partially stacked sensor extends to photography too, with up to 70fps burst shooting (or 10fps using the mechanical shutter) and an option for 1.5 seconds pre-capture.

Both photo and video capture benefit from class-leading in-body image stabilization – the Boost IS mode gave me some of the smoothest handheld videos I've shot – plus Panasonic's most effective autofocus yet, with subject-detection autofocus now extended to 'Urban Sports' such as parkour. Autofocus speed, versatility and accuracy are still not quite as complete as rival cameras such as the Nikon Z6 III, but it's impressive nonetheless.

Panasonic Lumix S1 II mirrorless camera held up to photographer's eye — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

As for the design, the Lumix S1 II's body is identical to the Lumix S1R II's – which is a good thing considering that it's the best Lumix design yet.

I've enjoyed the crisp 5.76m-dot EVF, 1.84m-dot vari-angle touchscreen, durable body and a generous handgrip, complete with vents that keep the camera cool during long record sessions.

The Lumix S1 II feels uncharacteristically expensive for a Lumix, but I'm still struggling to think of a better mirrorless camera at this price point for video-first users – it really is one of the best video cameras. As a photography-first user, the 44.3MP Lumix S1R II is the more obvious choice for me, even if it can't match the S1 II's raw power.

Panasonic also launched the Lumix S1 IIE on the same day as the Lumix S1 II. The two cameras are identical, except that the 'E' version has a regular 24MP full-frame sensor rather than a partially stacked one, which means a slower performance in a few areas and fewer video modes to choose from. It's $500 / £500 cheaper.

I feel like there's much more of a case for the S1 II than there is for the S1 IIE, especially given there's the cheaper Lumix S5 II in the picture, which is yet another 24MP Lumix. The Lumix S1 II is agonizingly close to a five-star rating, but its price point puts it among fierce competition, and takes it down a peg.

Panasonic Lumix S1 II: price and release date

Body-only price is $3,199 / £2,899 / AU$5,299
It was announced on May 13 2025 and is available now
A Lumix S1 IIE version costs $2,499 / £2,399 (about AU$4,100)

The Lumix S1 II was announced on May 13, 2025, and it costs $3,199 / £2,899 / AU$5,299 body-only. The 44.3MP Lumix S1 R II costs $100 / £100 more, while the Nikon Z6 III, which is another obvious alternative, is a fair bit cheaper.

Alongside the Lumix S1 II, Panasonic unveiled the Lumix S1 IIE, which has the same skin and feature set, but a regular 24MP full-frame sensor rather than a partially stacked kind. The S1 II's partially stacked sensor delivers faster performance in several areas, and more video record modes.

Both cameras are available now.

Price score: 4/5

Panasonic Lumix S1 II: specs

Specs
Sensor:	24MP full-frame, partially stacked
Video:	6K 60p, 5.1K 60p, 4K 60p, 4K 120p (1.2x crop), open gate, 10-bit
Cont. shooting	Up to 70fps using electronic shutter, up to 10fps mechanical
Viewfinder:	5.76m-dot OLED
LCD:	3-inch, 1.84m-dot vari-angle LCD touchscreen
Battery (CIPA rating):	Up to 350 shots or up to 130 mins record time
Weight:	1.76lbs / 800g (incl battery and card)
Dimensions:	5.29 x 4.03 x 3.61 inches / 134.3 x 102.3 x 91.8mm

Panasonic Lumix S1 II: design and handling

Rugged body, weighs 1.76lbs / 800g
Clear and detailed 5.76m-dot OLED EVF
Cooling vents for long record times without overheating

We've already reviewed the Lumix S1R II, and the Lumix S1 II's design is essentially identical. At 1.76lbs / 800g, it's a tiny bit heavier – that's because it features a partially stacked sensor – but that's the only real difference.

To briefly recap from our Lumix S1R II review, this second generation of Lumix S1 cameras is slimmed down from the first, being approximately 20% lighter and a little smaller in every dimension.

The S1 II, S1 II and S1R II trio are very comfortable to hold, and the S1 II balances really well with most of Panasonic's L-mount lenses – I had the 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS for this review.

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II mirrorless camera outdoors on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Rear of Panasonic Lumix S1 II mirrorless camera outdoors on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II mirrorless camera's connection ports — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II mirrorless camera outdoors on a wooden surface, touchscreen flipped out — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

I think Panasonic has evolved the design nicely – not only are the new S1 II / S1R II / S1 IIE models the best in the hand yet, but they're rugged, weather-proof, and feature built-in vents to keep them cool – an essential feature for big video hitters like the Lumix S1 II.

There's a slight feel of function over form here: the Lumix S1 II speaks video production work to me, rather than go-out-and-create. That said, the camera handles well in any situation.

As a hybrid mirrorless camera, no stone is left unturned – the Lumix S1 II features full-size HDMI, mic, and headphone ports, plus USB-C charging that doubles up for external SSD connection and recording.

There are twin card slots – one is CFExpress Type B, which you'll need for some of the higher-quality video codecs, and the other is SD UHS-II.

The vari-angle screen can spin around to the front for selfie recording, and the display features a helpful red border prompt during recording, together with front and rear tally lights – these are useful visual aids for busy filmmakers. There are also twin red buttons to start recording: a large one on the front of the camera, and a smaller one on the top.

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Top of Panasonic Lumix S1 II mirrorless camera outdoors on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II mirrorless camera's shooting mode dial — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II mirrorless camera's photo video switch — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II mirrorless camera's battery — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Photographers in particular will enjoy the EVF – it's a bright and detailed 5.76m-dot OLED display. I also like the feel of the rear joystick, especially for navigating autofocus points and modes.

The button layout is all very sensible, and I also appreciate how simple Panasonic menus are (in general). For example, the video mode menu only has six pages in all, so features like image stabilization are easily found.

The same can't be said for video codecs – there are a staggering 19 pages of Full HD, 4K 5.1K, 5.8K and 6K video modes to choose from, with various aspect ratios, bitrates and formats.

Thankfully, it's possible to create custom profiles for your most-used settings, otherwise navigating between the options is a time sink.

Design score: 5/5

Panasonic Lumix S1 II: features and performance

Incredibly effective image stabilization for video
Rapid 70fps burst shooting mode or a more sensible 10fps using mechanical shutter with continuous AF
Average 350-shot battery life
Panasonic's best autofocus performance to date

Panasonic stuck with a contrast-detection-based autofocus system for years when rivals had adopted a hybrid phase / contrast-detection setup, which is more effective for video. It was a big mark against Panasonic's otherwise-excellent video cameras.

Thankfully, Panasonic finally rectified the situation with the Lumix G9 II / Lumix S5 II in 2023, introducing a hybrid autofocus system which Panasonic says is now 1.6x faster in the Lumix S1 II.

Certainly, the Lumix S1 II packs Panasonic's best-ever autofocus, with an increased array of subject-detection modes. I've been shooting anything from grassroots sports to animal portraits with it, and on the whole have been really impressed.

While not scientific, my testing suggests that Panasonic's autofocus is still a little way behind the likes of Canon, Sony and Nikon, but not by much; in simple terms, autofocus performance is no longer a strike against Panasonic. You can see in the gallery below a range of subjects I've photographed, and my hit ratio of sharp shots was roughly 8/10.

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: golden retriever portrait, in bright light — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: guineapig portrait, in golden light — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: backlit portrait — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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What is less ideal is battery life, which is CIPA-rated at 350 shots, or up to 70 minutes record time. I've been able to squeeze more photos out of a fully charged battery than that, and there's on-the-go UBS-C charging too. However, Sony cameras, for example, boast better battery life.

Where the Lumix S1 II really shines is its in-body image stabilization, which is rated up to 7EV. In practice, I've found it to offer the most effective stabilization of any camera for video recording, especially in the Boost IS mode. There's a small crop of the image area in this mode, but handheld videos on the move are silky smooth.

There's also an extremely rapid 70fps burst-shooting mode. Personally, I find this to be overkill for the casual action photography I typically do, but to have a mechanical shutter that ticks over at 10fps for what are essentially unlimited sequences is a great to have.

Overall, the Lumix S1 II is able to sustain its high-speed performance to a level that the Lumix S1R II can't. I photographed a grassroots soccer match at last light (see below), and the camera's speed and autofocus held up well.

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: footballer on sidelines — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: footballer during game at last light — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: footballers in action during game at last light — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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There's the option for data-heavy ProRes RAW video recording in-camera, which further highlights just how powerful a camera the Lumix S1 II is.

I also must commend the new(ish) Lumix Lab app, which is the most reliable camera app Panasonic has made yet. Unlike previous apps, which have frustrated me no end with my previous cameras such as the Lumix GH5, Lumix Lab provides a quick and reliable connection between camera and phone, together with remote control, image upload, and access to Lumix resources such as custom color profiles.

Features and performance score: 4.5/5

Panasonic Lumix S1 II: image and video quality

24MP partially stacked sensor is a great all-rounder
A generous range of video codecs, bitrates and aspect ratios, up to 6K 60p
Color profiles and real-time LUTs can be imported from the Lumix Lab app

If you want the best-possible video quality, you'll struggle to find a better camera than the Lumix S1 II at its price point.

It tops out at 6K resolution, whereas high-resolution alternatives such as the Lumix S1R II, Canon EOS R5 Mark II, Nikon Z8 and Sony A1 II offer 8K, but otherwise the Lumix S1 II's video quality is top-drawer.

Not only does it offer more video formats and bitrates than rivals, but also aspect ratios which are taken from the full height and width of the sensor (open gate) and include 3:2, 4:3, 16:9, 17:9 and 2.4:1.

I've shot with a wide range of the video modes, and you can see what to expect across the various resolutions and frame rates in the (lengthy) sample video, below.

Special mention goes the the Dynamic Boost mode, which delivers quite possibly the best and most detail-rich video quality straight out of the camera that I've seen from a hybrid camera. You lose various features, such as slow-motion frame rates, but for outright quality it's incredible.

Something the Lumix S1 II does better than the higher-resolution Lumix S1R II is handle rolling shutter distortion. Yes, it's a way more capable all-round camera for recording video.

There are also a range of color profiles, including V-Log, plus any number of custom profiles made by pros in the Lumix community, and which can be imported directly to the camera from the Lumix Lab app for video and photo. You can see a range of looks in the photo gallery below.

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II image gallery: male portrait at golden hour, among trees, dappled light — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II image gallery: monochrome street scene in London — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II image gallery: monochrome, River Thames and Big Ben on horizon — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II image gallery: London street scene — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

If you're mainly going to be shooting photos, and appreciate the Lumix S1 II's all-round capabilities, then the Lumix S1 IIE could be a better shout. It's widely reported that partially stacked sensors can have an adverse impact on image quality in low light versus a regular sensor; it's a subtle difference, but images can be a little noisier. I haven't made direct comparisons between the Lumix S1 II and Lumix S1 IIE, but it's something worth thinking about.

Overall, however, I have no complaints regarding the photo quality of the Lumix S1 II. I'm used to full-frame 24MP cameras; they balance speed, performance, and image quality nicely.

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: colorful beach huts — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: flowers along a wall on a city street — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: sailing boats moored in a ruver — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: red arrows planes in the sky performing aerial stunts over the ocean — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: looking out from a beach cave — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: goose by river bank — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: a goose by a river bank — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: closeup of a red rose — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: closeup of a flower — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Panasonic Lumix S1 II sample gallery: backlit window — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image and video quality score: 5/5

Panasonic Lumix S1 II: testing scorecard

Panasonic Lumix S1 II
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Price	Excellent features, but it's pricey for a 24MP Lumix	4/5
Design	Panasonic's best Lumix camera design: it's rugged, easy in the hand and a sensible control layout	5/5
Performance	Partially stacked sensor delivers the speediest performance of any Lumix to date, and its best autofocus, but there's fierce competition at this price point	4.5/5
Image and video quality	Photo quality is decent, but it's the video quality that truly shines	5/5

Should I buy the Panasonic Lumix S1 II?

Buy it if...

Your focus is video, but you shoot photos too
Because of its hybrid design, serious video-only users could be better served overall by a Blackmagic camera than the Lumix S1 II. However, for video quality, especially the dynamic boost mode, I can't think of a better camera for the money, and it's a capable stills camera too.

You want a versatile video camera
There are a staggering 19 pages of video codecs which cover an unmatched choice of resolutions, aspect ratios, bitrates and formats up to 6K, including open gate recording. Panasonic beats Sony, Canon and Nikon on this front.

You need a reliable performer
The Lumix S1 II is rugged, plus it can shoot for sustained periods without overheating.

Don't buy it if...

You want an all-day battery
A 350-shot battery life, or up to 70 minutes record time depending on the video codec, is pretty mediocre. However, USB-C charging on-the-go is possible.

You're a photography-first shooter
It's a capable stills camera for sure, but there's no denying that the Lumix S1 II is geared for video. The Nikon Z6 III has the edge for photography, as does the higher-resolution Lumix S1R II.

You're a casual filmmaker
For many filmmakers, the Lumix S1 II could be overkill. If you don't need the full suite of record modes and features, the Lumix S5 II could be a more cost-effective choice.

Panasonic Lumix S1 II: also consider

Nikon Z6 III

The 24MP partially stacked sensor might be new to Lumix, but we've seen it before in the Nikon Z6 III. Without diving too much into where each model betters the other, it's fair to say that the Lumix S1 II is more-featured packed for video, and the Z6 III more so for photography. Both are incredibly capable hybrid cameras, but the Z6 III is quite a lot cheaper now.

Read our in-depth Nikon Z6 III review

Panasonic Lumix S1R II

With the same design and virtually the same price, the Lumix S1R II is another option. The key difference is the sensor – the Lumix S1R II features a regular 44.3MP unit, the Lumix S1 II a partially stacked 24MP one. Put simply, the Lumix S1R II is better equipped for high-resolution photography and video, whereas the Lumix S1 II is a speedier performer for stills, and overall more geared to video. Both are capable hybrid cameras in their own way.

Read our in-depth: Panasonic Lumix S1R II review

How I tested the Panasonic Lumix S1 II

Panasonic loaned me the Lumix S1 II for one month, together with the 24-105mm F4 lens
My main focus of testing has been the video modes, though I have also used the camera in various photography scenarios
In general, I've tested the camera in fair weather and fair light

I've had a good long time with the Lumix S1 II – over one month in all. Panasonic loaned me a 24-105mm F4 lens for the test, and this was the only lens I used the camera with.

My testing reflects the typical audience for the Lumix S1 II – I've shot a lot of video with it, using the various resolutions, codecs and frame rates, and recording onto a top-spec CFExpress Type B card.

That's not to say I've neglected photography – far from it. I've shot everything from grassroots soccer at last light to animal portraits and everyday subjects, mostly in fair weather and fair light.

First reviewed June 2025

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