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Ashampoo Movie Studio Pro 3 video editing software review

7:38 pm | February 17, 2026

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

There are so many video editors out there, from the expensive high-end professional options, to the free ad-laden basic ones, and everything in between.

Ashampoo’s Windows-only Movie Studio Pro 3 is never going to compete against the likes of Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro - while it's a competent tool, it's not up there with the best video editing software I've tested.

But that's not really the point of software like this. It's not trying to become the go-to for full-time creative professionals in the movie industry. But for those who need to quickly edit videos for social media, or anyone just starting out, it's an affordable entry-point into the world of post-production.

So, with that in mind, I took a look at where Movie Studio Pro 3 fits into the landscape and your workflow.

Ashampoo Movie Studio Pro 3: Pricing & plans

Incredibly well-priced
Windows only

It’s unusual for a software package these days to restrict themselves to a single platform, in this case PC users, but if you’re going to curtail your own market, at least it makes some sense to aim for the one with the biggest share of the pie. So if you’re running something other than a Windows machine, you’ll have to find a solution to your video editing needs elsewhere.

As it stands, Movie Studio Pro is compatible with Windows 7 and above, right up to Windows 11. You’ll need at least an Intel Core i3 or comparable processor, and 8GB of RAM, but as always with this type of software, the more powerful your machine, the better it’ll run.

Cost-wise, it’s advertised as being worth $60 / £50 which doesn’t sound too bad, but Ashampoo regularly offer steep discounts; as of this writing, you could grab it for only $18 / £15. Not only that, but you’re also able to download a copy of the software and try it out free for a generous 30 days.

If you already own a previous version of Movie Studio Pro, the upgrade cost is the same discounted price.

So yeah, it’s not free, but the cost of entry is so low, that should not be an impediment to you getting the software.

Ashampoo Movie Studio Pro 3: Basic Trimming

Ashampoo Movie Studio Pro 3 during our video editing software tests — (Image credit: Ashampoo // Future)

‘Cut Commercials’ lets you trim multiple parts of chosen clips
Very easy and intuitive to use

Launch Ashampoo Movie Studio Pro, and you’ll be faced with various options as to how to proceed.

You can open an existing project of course (if you have one), create one from scratch, or use the software’s ‘Wizard’ to, supposedly, speed up the creation process, but the one I thought we’d look at first is intriguingly labelled ‘Cut Commercials’.

Its purpose is to simply trim sections of a chosen clip. This is ideal if all you need is to top and tail some footage, but it also allows you to cut out multiple sections inside the clip itself (hence the ‘Cut Commercials’ moniker).

None of this is automatic. You have to scroll through the footage and manually select each section, but doing this is incredibly easy, even if what you’re removing isn’t a commercial.

Once you’ve selected all that needs to be removed, you then have a choice of resolution, format and quality, all with big friendly buttons.

So far so good. If the rest of the interface is as easy to use and understand, we have a fun and useful video editor on our hands.

Ashampoo Movie Studio Pro 3: Using the Wizard

Easy to insert animated intros and transitions between clips
Not especially useful as a whole

Next, I’m off to see the Wizard, Ashampoo Movie Studio Pro’s Theme Wizard to be precise.

Clicking on that option brings up two more: a ‘Simple’ or ‘Expert’ mode, but that doesn’t alter what the Wizard will do for you - it simply determines the type of interface you’ll be left with once it has done its job.

You get to choose from one of dozens of themes, add a title, select the clips you’d like to use, and put them in the order you’d like them to appear in. Movie Studio Pro will then combine the lot into a short movie, add transitions between each clip, and that’s pretty much the extent of its prowess. It doesn’t even trim the footage. Just puts the whole thing into the timeline. Talk about a rough edit!

I was expecting a Wizard to do more for me than just insert an animated intro and put transitions between clips. Maybe I was expecting too much.

It’s up to you to trim those clips, perhaps change those transitions, and maybe even add a musical score. What the Wizard did is little different than what you could’ve done yourself in a couple of minutes.

It’s barely a time saver, and when you consider all the editing you have to do afterwards, it probably ends up taking up more of your time than if you’d never bothered to use the Wizard in the first place.

Ashampoo Movie Studio Pro 3: Editing process

All the basic options are available here
‘Simple’ mode feels too restrictive for experienced video editors

Cutting a movie yourself is where a video editor should show its true colors. Here again, just like for the Wizard option, we’re offered ‘Simple’ and ‘Expert’ modes.

As you’d expect, ‘Simple’ has some restrictions applied to it to try and make the process easier for beginners, but I found it more frustrating than helpful, truth be told.

For instance, why could I only trim a clip in the timeline by opening a special window? It actually adds a layer of complexity that is not needed for what should be a simple, and all too often used, process.

Frustrations aside, you have easy access to your clips, effects, transitions, animations, and even those themes we saw in the Wizard section, meaning you can build an edit pretty quickly.

If you need to move to ‘Expert’ mode, it’s easy to do so from your ‘Simple’ project: there’s a handy button just for that, effortlessly upgrading your interface to Movie Studio Pro’s highest heights of editing complexity.

Be aware, though, that I couldn’t find a way to move my project back to the simpler editing paradigm. Unlike DaVinci Resolve’s editing levels, once you’ve upgraded, you’ve upgraded for good.

As you’d expect, ‘Expert’ offers you more options. For one thing, the effects, transitions, titles, animations, etc, are all on their separate tracks in the timeline, making it easy to select them, alter them, and move them around. ‘Expert’ even allows you to trim a clip within the timeline itself (hooray).

There is one thing I found quite limiting in either mode: the inability to preview a clip prior to adding it to the project. Sure you can see a thumbnail of it, but it would be good to actually play said clip, and maybe even apply some in and out points to it, for instance.

But no. It can only be seen once it’s added to the timeline. Different apps do things in different ways of course, but I found this particularly restrictive. On the plus side, if you liked the cutting options available in ‘Cut Commercials’, they’re only an icon click away in either mode.

Overall, the options you’re offered are good, you can fine tune an edit, and add enough effects, titles, even subtitles, and more, to make your project look good, but I don’t think the software deserves its ‘Pro’ moniker.

There are other packages that offer you many more options, charge even less for it, and they don’t call themselves ‘Pro’.

On the flip side, proper ‘Pro’ video editors can and are intimidating for novice users. Think of this app as a good step up from the software that usually comes bundled with your machine, and viewed from that perspective, it definitely has a place and a purpose.

Should I buy Ashampoo Movie Studio Pro 3?

Buy it if…

You’re looking for some video editing capabilities beyond what your bundled software offers, you want something that’s easy to use, which doesn’t cost much.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re searching for software that’s more responsive, with more pro tools than this supposedly ‘pro’ software has.

For more editors, we've tested and reviewed the best free video editing software, best video editing software for beginners, and the best video editing apps.

Affinity by Canva (2026) review: Three design tools in one, all for free – but is the software an Adobe-killer?

2:00 pm |

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

I’ve been dipping in and out of Serif Affinity for years now. It always struck me as a very impressive set of apps designed to compete with Adobe’s core offering: Affinity Designer was their answer to Adobe Illustrator, Photo was their Photoshop, and Publisher took on InDesign, all for a remarkably competitive price.

So what do you do for an encore? You get bought out by Canva for $500 million, of course! This happened back in March 2024 and everything went silent - until a few months ago. That's when Affinity merged all three apps into one and dispensed of licenses to become free for all.

I took a look at the all-new Affinity (sometimes known as Affinity by Canva) to see what's going on and how the new, completely free version stacks up.

Try out Affinity by clicking here

Affinity: Pricing & plans

Free to use
Some optional AI tools locked behind a Canva Pro subscription

Price is the biggest change to the all-new Affinity.

It's completely free. No subscriptions, no perpetual licenses. 'Free forever' is the promise. But there’s no such thing as 'forever' in the business world, so how is Canva expected to make its money back from such a huge investment?

The current answer is by offering most tools for free, while restricting some higher end ones behind a paywall. Canva currently have an impressive 200 million total users, out of which 16 million pay for their premium subscription. The company is banking on Affinity luring a few more to it.

As a guide, Canva Pro would cost an individual $15 / €12 a month, or $120 / €110 a year, which will unlock all those AI tools, as well as everything else Canva’s premium side of things already offers.

So yes, in reality, Affinity is more freemium than free. However, these 'advanced' tools are AI-based, and all the tools you used to enjoy - and pay for - in Affinity 1 and 2, are free in 3.

Right now, and especially if you’re not a fan of AI, you can download, install and make use of Affinity 3 without spending any money. That's a heck of a deal for three Adobe-killer apps. And even if you were to fork out for the Pro subscription, it’s far cheaper than what Adobe charges.

Affinity: Interface

Using Affinity by Canva during our review, showing design tools in action — (Image credit: Affinity // Canva // Future)

Superb interface consider it's three apps in one

Launching Affinity for the first time will reveal a slight wrinkle: you need to log in to your Canva account, or create one, before you can use the software. It’s not that big a deal as setting one up is free, and you’ll still be able to access the app when offline.

You may wonder how Affinity manages to combine three apps with vastly different sets of tools, into a single interface. It's achieved by dividing the interface into a number of ‘studios’, which are essentially separate interfaces depending on what you wish to work on.

Toggling between them is done through a menu, top left of the window. By default, you have ‘Vector’ (for Illustrator-type work), ‘Pixel’ (what’s where your photo editor tools are located), ‘Layout’ (where your desktop publishing software tools can be found). And, of course, ‘Canva AI’ if you pay the subscription for AI-laced tools.

But that’s not all.

Click on the three dots to the right of that menu, and you’ll find other workspaces are available, such as ‘slice’, ‘color grading’ and ‘compositing’, and you’ve even got the ability to create your own ‘Studio’, starting by cloning an existing one, and modifying it until it only contains the tools you need.

In that respect, this is a very elegant design. Better still, while working on a project, you can effortlessly switch between studios without having to save your work or anything. You’re in ‘Pixel’ and need to add some curves, just click on ‘Vector’ and carry on working. It’s that simple.

Furthermore, to help designers along in their Affinity journey, mouse over any tool and you’ll get some information about its purpose. Big deal you might think: almost every other software program does that.

True… except here, they go into great detail for each of them, and if that’s not enough for you, there’s a ‘learn more’ button that opens a ‘Help’ window with even more information.

A feature I quite liked deals with additional tools hidden in a single icon. Just like with Adobe, you can tell there’s more there thanks to a little chevron lower right of the icon. In other apps, were you to click on it, it would reveal the additional tools in a sub palette; select the one you need and that extended menu promptly disappears.

Here, it opens up a floating window, making it easy to access those tools again and again should you need to. Click on a different tool’s chevron, and its additional tools will overwrite the previous selection in that floating window, so you won’t end up with a proliferation of floating windows, which can only be a good thing.

All in all, I felt the interface was well designed and considering Affinity now does the job of three apps in one, it all works impressively well.

Affinity: Importing from Adobe

Importing Adobe projects works - mostly
More complex files can take a while

Importing Adobe documents into Affinity wasn’t as seamless as I had hoped. Now don’t get me wrong, it works, and it works pretty well - for the most part - but there are flaws.

For one thing, although Affinity is broadly on par with Adobe’s tool palette, some are missing. If you created documents with those missing tools, the result may not be replicated perfectly as you import your file into Affinity. For instance, Smart Objects fall into that category.

Another hindrance I found is based on the fact Adobe doesn’t solely make use of the fonts installed on your computer, but also relies on Adobe Fonts, a collection of cloud-based typefaces. If you use those in your work, it won’t come as a surprise to see that those won’t transfer over when you open your project in Affinity. But as long as you only use fonts installed on your computer, you’ll bypass that problem.

Affinity can read PSD (Photoshop) and AI (Illustrator) files without too much problem. INDD (InDesign) ones however, can’t be read. In order to open them, you need to export your work from InDesign into the IDML format (InDesign Markup Language). It’s frustrating, but it’s nothing new: this was the case for when Affinity Publisher existed, before it was merged into this all-in-one new version.

Finally, the worst part of importing I experienced, was the wait. Go to File > Open, select the document you want and… nothing happens. Or at least, nothing seems to open.

You get no progress bar, no nothing, so I was left with the impression that it didn’t work. I tried again, and again, and again… and then after a while all those files eventually opened, one after the other.

This does show Affinity can handle multiple commands at once, which is not a bad thing, but it would be good to know something is happening which you wait for the file to open. Now this doesn’t happen for every document, but the more complex it is, the more likely you’ll have to wait, with no clue as to when your project will eventually deign to appear.

Affinity: Tools

A huge selection of tools
All well organized with helpful assistants

If you’re used to other design tools, you’ll understand the concept right away. You have a sidebar where all the tools you need are located (these change depending on which studio you’re in as mentioned above).

On the other side of the interface is your contextual inspector, showing you all your changeable parameters, along with your project’s layers, and more. At this rate, you’ve seen one image processing app, you’ve seen them all.

And yes, don’t expect Affinity to possess all the tools Adobe cram into its own software. Adobe is renowned for that. But to be frank, the overwhelming majority of users don’t use all these tools, and if the one you need happens to be missing from Affinity, chances are there are other ways of doing the same - or similar - thing.

But it’s the little things that I greatly appreciated. Say you want to add a new object to an existing project. You get your paint brush, start drawing, only to realise you forgot to create a new layer and are messing up an existing part of your work.

So, you have to undo what you did, and start again. Well that doesn’t happen with Affinity, as a little clever assistant just automatically creates a new layer as you start drawing. It’s not a big deal really, but it makes using this software a more enjoyable experience.

Now of course, as I keep mentioning, some tools are missing if you’re used to Adobe. I brought up Start Objects earlier on, but a bigger omission is the lack of Curve tools in Illustrator - sorry, I meant Vector. You can use the Pen tool instead, but if you’re migrating, it’s another adaptation you need to make. Thankfully, a lot of the keyboard shortcuts are the same, greatly easing the transition.

If you’re upgrading from Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher, you might be puzzled as to where the filters have gone to in the Pixel Studio: they’re still there, but now they’re located in the menu bar’s Pixel menu, which means you gain access to those filters whichever Studio you’re in, so you could apply one of them to a vector layer if you wish (doing this will get an assistant to automatically rasterise the selected layer for you).

Since you can so easily go from a vector layer to a rasterised one, you’ll be pleased to learn that Affinity can also do the reverse, thanks to its impressive Trace tool. Select the layer you wish to alter, activate the tool, tweak the couple of parameters, check the result before applying it, and you’re good to go. I found the outcome to be remarkably good.

One thing to bear in mind, is that Affinity Photo - now the Pixel section of Affinity - is designed to be a competitor to Photoshop, not Lightroom. As such, it has no file management capabilities, so you’ll need to get yourself a separate app to sort out your images on your computer - or failing that, just be very good at maintaining order in your computer’s file system.

Affinity: Premium AI

Tools designed for subscription don’t feel good enough to achieve that goal - for now

All of the above is free. It’s a huge gamble, but one that will certainly benefit those who are tired of renting their software by paying expensive ongoing subscriptions to the likes of Adobe and others to gain access to creative tools.

But Canva hopes that you will choose to take advantage of the Premium subscription to gain access to the AI tools now added to Affinity. These include features such as AI-based object selection, generative fill, upscaling, generative edit, portrait blur, lighting, colorise and depth tools.

To be honest, they’re not show stoppers, must-haves, revolutionary tent pole features. In fact, compared to the tools available for free, these feel pretty average at best.

Still, it’s early days, and Affinity may well release over time tools that feel indispensable and worth their - let’s face it - quite affordable subscription. But today doesn’t feel like it’s that day.

Should I download Affinity?

Get it if…

You’re looking for powerful image compositing tools that are free with no strings attached, that combine the best of raster, vector and page layout design, in an impressively well made interface.

Don’t get it if…

You’re 100% wedded to Adobe’s portfolio, and regularly rely on the tools Adobe has, but Affinity lacks.

For more tools, we've tested the best graphic design software you can get.

I became a master of stealth in Styx: Blades of Greed and finished my playthrough with hundreds of guards kicked off cliffs, countless coins pilfered, and a full arsenal of magical abilities

12:00 pm |

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

Styx: Blades of Greed isn’t an Assassin’s Creed game. It’s not a Sniper Elite, a Hitman, or part of any of the other popular stealth action franchises that have received new entries in the last couple of years. This is a proper, old-fashioned stealth game - the kind that you really don’t see much of anymore.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S
Release date: February 19, 2026

The focus is entirely on the act of sneaking, surreptitiously sticking to shadows, and creeping around environments in order to avoid detection entirely, rather than trying to blend in or silently take out enemies from afar.

As the titular green goblin Styx, you’re certainly not a fighter, and detection means an almost certain demise. Sure, you can fend for yourself against one or even two low-level enemies in a pinch, but your health pool is extremely limited, and open combat quickly spirals out of control as more guards are alerted by the sound of the fray.

You can hardly break out of a crouch when you’re moving around maps, as your footsteps alone are enough to trigger a chain reaction that inevitably ends with you getting skewered by an army of heavily armed goons. It sounds frustrating, and believe me, it sometimes is, but I simply wouldn’t have it any other way.

Nothing beats the satisfaction of pulling off the perfect heist, and some smart quality-of-life features stop the experience from ever becoming too exasperating.

Styx and stones

A Styx: Blades of Greed screenshot showing Styx sneaking around outside some wooden fortifications. — (Image credit: Nacon)

Its big innovation is a clever, quick save system. You might see the phrase ‘save scumming’ (the practice of frequently reloading saves made before your mistakes) tossed around as a derogatory term in discussions about other titles, but in Styx: Blades of Greed, it’s not only necessary for success, but actively encouraged.

It’s instant and bound to pressing down the left thumbstick on your controller, with a successful save signaled by a small on-screen notification that doesn’t break your immersion. Get slashed by a guard, fall off a ledge, or accidentally come into contact with water (goblins dissolve instantly like the Wicked Witch of the West, apparently), and you’re back to your save point after just a brief loading screen.

It’s a little awkward at first, but after a few hours, saving every time you make any significant progress becomes second nature, and it’s absolutely liberating.

A Styx: Blades of Greed screenshot showing Styx lurking menacing behind an NPC guard. — (Image credit: Nacon)

Rather than annoyingly setting you back, deaths become your signal to experiment. "What would happen if I tossed an acid trap on that carpet just as the guard saw me?” “Can I actually take out that worker without his mate seeing me?” “Would that falling chandelier really land on that armored patrol if I timed it just right?"

Best bit

A Styx: Blades of Greed showing — (Image credit: Nacon)

In this instalment Styx is more mobile than ever before, with an incredibly fast default move speed and rapid double jump. It makes scurrying across open rooftops or darting down empty corridors a joy, and really helps you feel like a devious little goblin.

The game’s three main levels are mammoth and filled with multiple avenues of approach that really reward trying new approaches. With endless ledges, chimneys, the undersides of tables, inside barrels or chests, and maintenance passages, you’re never short of places to hide, and making full use of every available spot in order to infiltrate somewhere flawlessly is satisfying.

Don’t be worried about the fact that there are ‘only’ three maps either. Side quests and collectibles incentivize you to scour them thoroughly, and an intelligent metroidvania-esque progression system sees you gradually acquire new traversal tools like grapple hooks or gliders that open up vast new zones in them to explore.

Each story chapter also ends in unique, more linear segments that are a refreshing change of pace after such openness and help you get acquainted with each new mechanic as they come.

Carrot and Styx

A Styx: Blades of Greed screenshot showing Styx hiding from guards in a dimly lit corner. — (Image credit: Nacon)

Styx is a seasoned master of infiltration, so he has a wealth of abilities to play around with that are unlocked through a modest but impactful upgrade tree. The most interesting of these are tied to your acquisition of Quartz, the sinister new material that Styx and his rag-tag crew of allies are pursuing.

Mind control has you manually piloting adversaries that would otherwise be too powerful to defeat and commanding them to jump to their deaths, while slowing down time helps you escape otherwise impossible situations in a flash.

This is on top of some returning favorites from the past Styx games, like invisibility, throwable clones that latch on to the faces of foes, plus basic tools like throwable bottles, acid mines, and more. It’s perfectly possible to get through the game without using the majority of these, but fully engaging with every tool at your disposal invites exciting gameplay possibilities.

It’s unfortunate that there are plenty of jagged edges here that might trip up those coming over from more casual stealth experiences. I really appreciate the commitment to make Styx: Blades of Greed a faithful sequel to both Master of Shadows and Shards of Darkness (not to mention a prequel to Of Orcs and Men), but it’s almost too faithful at times when the last instalment was almost ten years ago.

Without knowledge of the previous entries, the otherwise surprisingly decent story isn’t going to make a lick of sense, and many of its coolest moments, like returning to the ruins of an old map, simply won’t resonate.

A Styx: Blades of Greed screenshot showing Styx about to drop a load of heavy boxes on some enemies. — (Image credit: Nacon)

Even true Styx heads like me might struggle to stay fully engaged with it, given the fairly dire voice acting, though. The performance for the protagonist is excellent, especially his many ironically charming one-liners, but the lines for side characters and NPCs are often amateurish. Cutscenes feel cheaply animated, with stilted motion and odd cuts that never seem to flow quite right.

There’s plenty of more general jankiness to get past, too, from frame rate stutters and typos in subtitles to bugs that see you fall through the floor, get seen through solid objects, or have the entire game crash without warning. Thanks to its strong foundations, the experience was never truly spoiled for me, but I do hope there are some patches in the works to make everything more stable.

Should I play Styx: Blades of Greed?

Play it if...

You want a true stealth experience
Fighting back if you’re caught? Forget about it. Styx: Blades of Greed is a true stealth game that’s all about using the tools at your disposal to infiltrate areas undetected - and very satisfying if that’s what you’re looking for.

You’ve played the other games
The story of Styx: Blades of Greed would probably be impenetrable for a newcomer, but if you’re a true Styx head like me, you’ll love diving back into the universe and appreciate the call-backs to other games.

Don't play it if...

You’re not willing to overlook rough edges
This is not a high-budget game, so some level of jankiness should be expected. Still, there are plenty of issues with performance, crashes, and a wealth of bugs to overcome if you want to get to the good stuff.

Accessibility features

Styx: Blades of Greed has three difficulty levels, in addition to a modest accessibility menu. Aside from the option to disable controller vibration, all of the settings relate to color blindness.

There are three vision filters: deuteranopia, protanopia, and tritanopia. Subtitles are enabled throughout the game by default.

How I reviewed Styx: Blades of Greed

I went full goblin and played more than 20 hours of Styx: Blades of Greed on PC over the course of a few days. During this time, I completed the entire game, thoroughly explored all of the levels, tested every single ability, and worked my way through many of the side quests.

The keyboard and mouse support is pretty dire, so I relied on a DualSense Wireless Controller to play in addition to my Astro A20 X gaming headset.

I reviewed the game at full graphics settings on my system, which is a 5070 Ti-powered model from retailer Scan that features a compact Corsair 2000d RGB Airflow case, Asus ROG Strix B860-I Gaming Wifi motherboard, Intel Core Ultra 7 265K CPU, a 2TB WD Black SN770 SSD, 32GB of DDR5 Corsair Vengeance RAM, and an Nvidia 5070 Ti manufactured by Asus.

First reviewed February 2026

I became a master of stealth in Styx: Blades of Greed and finished my playthrough with hundreds of guards kicked off cliffs, countless coins pilfered, and a full arsenal of magical abilities

12:00 pm |

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

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S
Release date: February 19, 2026

Nothing beats the satisfaction of pulling off the perfect heist, and some smart quality-of-life features stop the experience from ever becoming too exasperating.

Styx and stones

Its big innovation is a clever quick save system. You might see the phrase ‘save scumming’ (the practice of frequently reloading saves made before your mistakes) tossed around as a derogatory term in discussions about other titles, but in Styx: Blades of Greed, it’s not only necessary for success, but actively encouraged.

It’s a little awkward at first, but after a few hours, saving every time you make any significant progress becomes second nature, and it’s absolutely liberating.

Best bit

Each story chapter also ends in unique, more linear segments that are a refreshing change of pace after such openness and help you get acquainted with each new mechanic as they come.

Carrot and Styx

Should I play Styx: Blades of Greed?

Play it if...

Don't play it if...

Accessibility features

Styx: Blades of Greed has three difficulty levels, in addition to a modest accessibility menu. Aside from the option to disable controller vibration, all of the settings relate to color blindness.

There are three vision filters: deuteranopia, protanopia, and tritanopia. Subtitles are enabled throughout the game by default.

How I reviewed Styx: Blades of Greed

The keyboard and mouse support is pretty dire, so I relied on a DualSense Wireless Controller to play in addition to my Astro A20 X gaming headset.

First reviewed February 2026

The Fractal Scape has no business offering this many features for a wireless headset at this price

2:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: PC, RGB | Comments: Off

Fractal Scape review: one-minute review

The bar keeps being raised in gaming peripherals lately, and as such, there’s no room for overpriced or feature-bloated models whose specs don’t translate to a great user experience. Fractal Design clearly knows this very well as it enters the wireless gaming headset market with a $200 model that looks like something Apple would try to sell you for $500, and comes with a charging dock and feature set that you’ll be more accustomed to seeing from pricer Astro headsets.

The looks will be a big selling point for many, as you’d expect from Fractal and its reputation for understated, Scandi-style PC cases. Available in both black and white, it’s got a grown-up look quite apart from the gaming peripherals of yesteryear, and with a detachable mic and Bluetooth connectivity, you can quite comfortably leave the house wearing the Fractal Design Scape as your smartphone’s headset without broadcasting an overstated ‘gamer gear’ look to the world and its judging eyes.

Also included is a wireless charging station, which will juice up the headset with up to 40 hours of use when RGB is disabled, and up to 24 when it’s enabled. Taking the headset out of the magnetic dock automatically powers it on, which feels like an incredibly decadent feature for this price.

While the materials and design generally lend themselves well to comfort – with a particular shout-out due to the high-grade memory foam earcup covers – this definitely favors a smaller head size, and I have concerns about the amount of padding on the headband itself. If you’ve got a larger head, you may start to feel the headband dig in during longer sessions.

It’s not perfect then, but that imperfection is effectively offset by how generous Fractal has been by adding not just a detachable boom mic but a built-in omnidirectional mic too. Not to mention fundamentally crisp and clear sound with some meaty bass response.

Fractal Scape wireless headset sat on a table in its charging dock. — (Image credit: Future)

Fractal Scape review: price & availability

List price: $199.99 / £169.99 (around AU$285)
Astro-like features for a far lower price
Priced competitively against Razer Blackshark V2 Pro and PlayStation Pulse Elite

The price point is a big win for Fractal out of the gates. How the manufacturer has managed to bundle a high-quality headset and charging station that look ready to sit in the window of an Apple store is anyone’s guess, but somehow that very thing has been achieved. The choice of two mics and strong construction materials and finish quality are further bonuses that make this a frontrunner in the $150-$200 market.

The competition? Probably still two members of the old guard. PlayStation’s official PS5 Pulse Elite headset features similarly elegant looks and hassle-free wireless operation, while Razer’s older Blackshark V2 is more of an all-rounder that features similar device compatibility to the Scape.

A close-up of the Fractal Scape's plush ear cups — (Image credit: Future)

Fractal Scape review: Specs

	Fractal Design Scape
Price	$199.99 / £169.99 / around AU$285
Weight	11.8.oz / 338g
Compatibility	PC, Mac, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS/Android
Connection type	2,4 GHz Wireless via USB-A dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, Wired via USB-C to USB-A cable
Battery life	40 hours RGB off, 24 hours RGB on
Microphone	1x detachable unidirectional 50–16 000 Hz, 1x omnidirectional (built-in)

Fractal Scape review: Design & features

Typically minimalist looks
Wireless dock will beautify your desk
Sensible controls layout

Fractal’s headset was never going to be an aggressive, overwrought affair. Its cases are recognizable for their elegant minimalism, and the same is very much true of this Scape. It’s reminiscent at first glance of Steelseries’ Arctis range, but has a ‘debadged’ look and the most minimal of RGB zones that carries through the Scandi operation’s less is more philosophy.

The dock features magnetic connections that keep the headset in place and carries through the understated look, guaranteed to bring some culture and sophistication to your desk, no matter how many Funko Pops it’s sharing the real estate with. A USB-A dongle is hidden on the underside of that dock so that you can plug the dongle into the dock and use the USB cable from the dock to your device’s USB port, keeping things nice and clean and giving you a bit more choice over where to position the dock.

In addition to the usual physical controls at the rear of each earcup (power, wireless/Bluetooth connection, and mic mute on the left, RGB on/off on the right), there’s a ‘control crown’ in the upper-left rear which controls volume and provides some multimedia controls for pausing music and skipping tracks. While every other control works well, feels sturdy, and is easy to find without having to take off the headset, I find the control crown a bit fiddly. It’s too small to make precise volume changes easily, and pressing and holding the crown to pause or skip feels awkward.

With that said, it’s extremely impressive that the two mic options have bespoke mute mechanics. The boom arm is flip-to-mute, whereas the built-in omnidirectional is controlled with a button.

A look at the Fractal Scape's plush headband — (Image credit: Future)

Fractal Scape review: Performance

Strong and precise sound
Great battery performance
Headband comfort can be an issue

Great care has clearly been taken to build a lot of comfort into these cans. That’s most evident when you give the earcup cushions a squeeze and find the most luxuriously squishy memory foam pads you ever squished. This is seriously high-grade material, equivalent to flagship Bose models.

And it’s a vital piece of the comfort puzzle, because the Scape offsets its middleweight heft (11.9oz / 338g is on the lighter side of average for wireless sets now) with a lot of clamping force. The idea is that the tighter the earcups clamp around your ears, the less weight hangs from the headband on top of your head. Plus, you get a nice bit of passive noise cancellation and a tight acoustic chamber for low-end frequencies to resonate in.

A closer look at the Fractal Scape's design and ear cups — (Image credit: Future)

That works on two of three fronts. It’s great at blocking out noise, and the bass response sounds full-bodied. But personally, I still notice the weight of the headband during longer sessions, and when I examine its construction, I find considerably less padding and considerably lower-grade cushion material.

It’s still absolutely possible to adjust the Scape so that it sits comfortably for marathon sessions, by extending the headband as big as possible and thereby placing more emphasis on the horizontal clamping force. But it’s something to keep in mind if your mind is kept within a larger skull.

The sound quality isn’t audiophile stuff, but with a standard-issue 20Hz-20KHz frequency response range, its drivers are more than capable of articulating power, detail, and nuance all at the same time in your game mix. Even with a Discord buddy shouting callouts with their 2011 headset mic.

The battery goes for just as long as the specs suggest, and during my real-world testing, I found more than 40 hours could transpire before I got the beeps. It’s so welcome to have an RGB off button on the headset rather than having to delve into Fractal’s (actually very decent, zero-footprint, web-only) software app, and similarly, I found that enabling the lighting didn’t quite reduce the charge life down to 24 hours. Perhaps I like to play at a lower volume than Fractal does.

Onto the choice of mics. It’s a double-edged sword, this feature, because although it’s incredible value to have two inputs on one headset, the noise cancellation on the unidirectional boom mic isn’t very strong, and external noises can leak into your voice chat. That’s even more true when using the omnidirectional mic, obviously. So: yes to dual mic design, no to the noise cancellation. This is the sort of thing that can be remedied in firmware updates, though, and I really hope it is because otherwise this is an exemplary package, and it’s priced low enough to have established brands like Razer, Logitech G, and Corsair worried.

A side shot of the Fractal Scape headphones, showcasing the attached microphone. — (Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Fractal Scape?

Buy it if...

Your desk needs a centerpiece
The Scape’s wireless charging dock exemplifies the same Scandi minimalism that Fractal made its name with in the case market.

You’re not into flashy RGB
It’s very handy to have an RGB off mode and save some battery life instead.

You like talking but hate boom mics.
There’s a choice of a detachable unidirectional boom mic and a built-in omnidirectional, giving you a very rare choice of outputs.

Don't buy it if...

You’ve got a large head
This headset’s built around a particularly snug fit. Works great on smaller heads, but bigger craniums may notice the headband digging in.

You play in a noisy space
The noise cancelling on the boom mic still allows some ambience through, and even more so when using the omnidirectional option.

You want one headset to rule them all
The combination of a wireless docking station and a lack of Xbox compatibility means this isn’t the all-in-one battlestation headset you’re looking for.

Also consider...

Does this Fractal leave you in two minds? Consider these premium wireless alternatives.

	Fractal Scape	Razer BlackShark V2 Pro	PlayStation Pulse Elite
Price	$199.99 / £169.99 / around AU$285	$199 / £199 / AU$349	$149.99 / £129.99 / AU$239.95
Weight	11.84oz / 338g	11.2oz / 320g	12.1oz / 347g
Compatibility	PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, iOS/Android	PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch	PS5, PlayStation Portal, PC, Mac
Connection type	2.4 GHz Wireless via USB-A dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, Wired via USB-C to USB-A cable	Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless (Hyperspeed dongle)	Wireless (PlayStation Link via dongle), Wired (3.5mm audio jack), Bluetooth
Battery life	40 hours RGB off, 24 hours RGB on	70 hours	30 hours

PlayStation Pulse Elite
Sony doesn’t do its official console peripherals by half measures. Not only is the Pulse Elite an object d’art, but its specs stack up very competitively among other wireless headsets in the $150-$200 bracket.

For more information, check out our full SteelSeries PlayStation Pulse Elite review

Razer Blackshark V2 Pro
It’s no longer the latest and greatest Blackshark in Razer’s pool, but it’s still pretty great. Wireless, full of features and boasting a ridiculous 70-hour battery life, the V2 can usually be found for less than retail now, too.

For more information, check out our full Razer Blackshark V2 Pro review

How I tested the Fractal Scape

Weeks of daily use on PC, PS5 and iPhone
All connection types tested
Tested in online games, Discord comms, and work calls

This being a wireless product with a ton of usability options, including an on/off RGB battery saving setting, it was important to stress-test the Scape’s stated battery capacity and wireless stability.

That meant tracking hours of use without charge, putting in some long mountaineering sessions in Cairn, and plenty of Discord walk-and-talks to test out the wireless range.

First reviewed February 2026

Funny games

An in-game screenshot from first-person shooter High on Life 2 — (Image credit: Squanch Games)

Chances are, how you felt about High on Life came down to its stars, the talking guns known as Gatlians. Personally, I found Justin Roiland's Kenny to be nigh-unbearable thanks to the voice performance being the annoying voice he does in Rick and Morty.

High on Life 2 brings most of the sentient weapon cast back, and while I still find Betsy Sodaro's Skweezy to be a bit too much, the return of Michael Cusack as Knifey and Tim Robinson as Creature were welcome returns. And the new additions – namely Ralph Ineson as Sheath and the duo of Travis and Jan – are the highlights of the game.

Comedy is rough in games, but High on Life 2, for the most part, is a far funnier joke. There are still occasional stinkers that made me roll my eyes, but for the most part, I found myself chuckling more, be it from the random non-player character (NPC) dialogue, dumb side quests, or the news reports from Jason Testicles recounting what you just did on a mission. Although my absolute favorite jokes in the game were ones that were so dumb, like your hideout having a "Crane Machine" based around sitcom Frasier or a subplot about Jar Jar Binks (no relation).

Skate or die

Where High on Life 2 steps up the most, however, is the gameplay. Gone is the slow, clunky, awkward shooter of the original, and it's all thanks to a plank of wood. High on Life 2's skateboarding mechanic is a game-changer; levels have ample opportunity for you to grind and slide about while dispatching enemies at will. What was once sluggish now feels akin to arena shooters of years past and is uber satisfying once you get skating down. Although it really would've benefited from gyro aiming.

My only wish is that the guns felt as good as the skating. While some of them get a lot better once you've stacked them with upgrades (Creature is a strong example of this), for the most part, the guns – mostly Skweezy and Gus – lack much impact. Gus, in particular, is a contender for one of the worst-feeling shotguns I've used in a shooter for how weak he feels, to the point where I only ever really used him for his disk ability, which I loved. Just like with the comedic chops, the new guns introduced in this game, like Sheath – which is a Halo Battle Rifle – and Bowie – shocker, a bow – were the highlights of the game.

A screenshot from High on Life 2 — (Image credit: Squanch Games)

High on Life 2 has an incredible intro that packs a ton of storytelling and gags into an effective tutorial segment, chronicling the G3 killer at the height of their fame before the events of the game bring it all crashing down.

High on Life 2's peak is its boss fights. The majority of them are thoroughly enjoyable and wholly unique, from your standard gunfights to puzzle-based encounters and a final boss that is a true gauntlet of how well you know your weapons. Senator Muppy Doo in particular is a highlight, as it has him embed himself in your suit, and you have to continue the fight through the pause and settings menus, with a conclusion that I can't say I've ever seen in a game (well, I have, but it'll make sense when you get there).

Also, the breadth of dumb side stuff returns. You can still go to the movies, but this time around, there's a selection of emulated retro games (with classics like Super 3D Noah's Ark, Bible Adventures, and Gourmet Warriors) as well as the likes of speed dating, the comedy club, and helping out random citizens around the world. I got super into the skateboarding time trials present in each of the hub areas, trying to get the highest times possible, and I spent an embarrassing amount of time watching old commercials in my room (but the Glover N64 commercial popped me big time).

The King Is Half-Undressed

Unfortunately, High on Life 2 feels like it could've used a little longer in the oven. Firstly, the visuals – while generally good-looking stylistically – have that smeared-in vaseline look at times. I also found the game either way too bright or impossible to see when I had HDR enabled, with no way to actually adjust the HDR in-game aside from a general gamma slider, so I had to disable it from the console settings to make it less obnoxious.

Performance issues weren't always present, but when the framerate issues hit, they really hit. There's a specific boss that takes place in a field, which is probably the longest boss fight in the game as it is, but the framerate absolutely tanked during this segment, making what should've been a highlight to cap off a great section of the game an annoyance.

This was on PS5 Pro too, mind you, so I can't imagine what the base PS5 or Xbox Series S versions are like. There isn't even a performance option either, just which upscaling mode you wish to use – but frankly, I didn't see a difference between PSSR and TSR in either performance or looks.

Worst of all, however, were the glitches. Multiple times, I would get stuck in the maps or fall through the ground, including one where I was amid a great side quest about going to the zoo with another character, but once I reloaded my last checkpoint, I was locked out of the mission. I also would occasionally get random freezing; while the game never crashed, these could last for a good 20 seconds at their worst. The glitches got even worse towards the end of the game, with the final boss bugging out on me multiple times, between my weapons entirely locking up or the ground just straight up disappearing, sending me into a freefall.

High On Life 2 won me over in ways I didn't expect when it was first announced. It's a funnier, bolder, and – crucially – faster sequel that turns it from a novelty into a strong FPS contender in its own right. But it's also a game that could've seriously used some more time in development as far as performance is concerned.

Aside from those issues, it's a wonderfully imaginative FPS campaign with a Ratchet & Clank-esque level of playfulness when it comes to weapons, set pieces, and levels, and it has turned me from a naysayer to someone who is looking forward to the next one.

Should you play High on Life 2?

Play it if...

You're after a unique, fast-paced FPS experience
High on Life 2 takes you through some wonderfully varied levels that make the game feel like it's at a breakneck pace. And the addition of skateboarding makes for blissful movement that feels ultra satisfying once you get it down.

You liked the first game
High on Life 2 is just High on Life, but bigger, funnier, and more confident. It feels like a game that is exactly what a sequel should be, meaningfully building on what worked in the original while targeting its shortcomings.

Don't pt if...

You're sensitive to performance issues
High On Life 2 really could benefit from some extra polish; the visuals can look rough in places, the framerate absolutely tanks itself during certain moments, and the glitches are plentiful.

You really don't like the humor of the first
I didn't love the original game's humor, but there were still some funny jokes in there, even if they were marred by annoying characters or poor delivery. While I'd say it's better on the whole, humor is still pretty similar this time around, with awkward over-the-top exposition, and more.

Accessibility features

High on Life 2 has a number of accessibility features, like speaking indicators, subtitles, and UI size options, and an option for "hyper legible text" for the subtitles, which gives it a bolder font.

There are colorblind options for Deuteranope, Protanope, and Tritanope with a slider to tune how severe these are. But conversely, a lack of rebindable controls and lackluster input settings fall a bit flat.

How I reviewed High on Life 2

I played High on Life 2 for 18 hours. In this time, I finished the main campaign, all of the skating challenges, and delved into a good amount of side content like the trip to the zoo, escape room, and comedy club.

I played the game on a PS5 Pro between a Samsung Q60D TV with a Samsung HW-T450 soundbar and a Samsung Odyssey G5 gaming monitor with a PlayStation Pulse 3D Headset.

First reviewed February 2026

I tested the Miofive Mirror 1 for a month – it’s the 4K dash cam could replace your rearview mirror (if it fits)

4:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Dash Cams Gadgets Vehicle Tech | Comments: Off

Miofive Mirror 1: two-minute review

While I’ve tried plenty of the best dash cams on the market, I’ve spent less time using one of the alternatives – a mirror dash cam, such as the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam. It's a chunky hunk of kit, being designed to fit over a standard issue rear view mirror, using one of three different mounting options. It can be strapped, stuck or screwed on, but no matter which option is employed, the result is the same – this is a large gadget.

The Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam differs from traditional offerings in the design department, but it’s actually a refreshing variation on the theme. This gadget delivers the same functionality found on a traditional dash cam but everything is presented slightly differently.

Adding to the appeal is the way it can be an electronic rear-view mirror as well as offering a view out of the front too, or indeed, a split combination of the two. Both views also get recorded in a continuous loop process, much like a typical dash cam.

The Miofive Mirror 1 comes with an impressive specification, and sizable price tag. There are twin Sony sensors for the cameras; a 4K (3840 × 2160 30fps) IMX415 Starvis 2 for the front and a 2K (2560 × 1440 30fps) IMX675 for the rear unit, capable of capturing crips footage for regular day time driving as well as after dark scenarios – these sensors have proven performance characteristics. What they see is also presented on the mirror screen, which is an expansive 11.26-inch modestly curved display that features anti-glare capabilities.

Miofive Mirror Dash Cam — (Image credit: Future)

As a premium device, the Miofive Mirror 1 also boasts excellent connectivity features, including 5GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, which means moving those high-resolution files is quick and easy – Miofive says up to 7MB per second, while data itself can be managed by an accompanying no frills Miofive app.

The Miofive Mirror 1 dash cam also packs sophisticated and in vogue AI-driven driver assistance features and functions, which are all easily accessed via the touchscreen. These include warnings for abrupt acceleration or braking, lane departure and ‘Stop and Go’ traffic movement.

Along with those bang-up-to-date features, the Miofive Mirror 1 comes with everything needed to keep it running. There’s a super capacitor-based power supply plus the unit can be powered off a 12V socket or, if preferred, hardwired to exploit its functionality more comprehensively. Hardwire features include the 24-hour parking monitor aspect.

Miofive also packs a 128GB microSD card into the mirror’s media slot so, aside from some wiring chores initially, the unit is pretty much ready to go.

Miofive Mirror 1: price and availability

The Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Camera currently costs $299.99 on Amazon in the US. Meanwhile, the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Camera is also available to buy from Amazon UK for £259.99, at the time of writing. Normally, the regular UK list price is £299.99, which is comparable to other likeminded mirror dash cam models with similar specs. Cheaper mirror dash cam alternatives can be found too, but I think the quality of construction makes the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam seem like decent value.

Miofive Mirror 1: specs

Miofive Mirror specs
Video	Front: 4K UHD (3840×2160p) @30 fps Rear: 2K QHD (2560×1440p) @30 fps
Field of view (FOV)	140 degrees front / 140 degrees rear
Storage	MicroSD up to 512GB
GPS	Yes
Parking mode	Yes, with constant power cable, not included
App support	Miofive app
Dimensions	‎31 x 7 x 2 cm / 12.2 x 2.76 x 0.79 inches
Weight	1.01 lbs / 498g
Battery	No

Miofive Mirror 1: Design

While the ample screen real estate offered by the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam, which has overall dimensions of 2.2 x 2.76 x 0.79 inches / 31 x 7 x 2 cm, is impressive, its size should be kept in mind by anyone with a smaller windscreen. In a compact or small sports car, the 11.26-inch IPS touchscreen might feel a little bit too obtrusive. Even in a larger vehicle, such as an SUV, the mirror construction is bulky. However, it looks and feels nicely designed and reasonably durable.

The same can be said for all of the various accessories and ancillary components needed to get the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam installed and operating. Miofive offers three different ways to mount the mirror unit, which is essentially stuck in place over an existing rear-view mirror. I chose the rubberised strap method which worked well, didn’t vibrate or move on the go and was temporary enough to let the unit be removed from my test vehicle.

A more permanent option is using the supplied screws to fasten it in place, while bonding is another long-term method. I suggest using the rubberised strap method initially, just in case the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam isn’t quite the right fit for your needs. The box contains all the other wiring and connectors needed to hook up to the power, including a 12V plug for that port and colour coded harnessing for connecting peripherals.

The peripherals include a small rear-view camera, which can be stuck in place using a sticky pad on the camera's base and subsequently angled for optimal capture. The other accessory that requires connection to the crop of wires is the GPS unit. Everything is basically finished in grey or black plastic, while most of the cabling is black too. This can be fed behind trim using the usual method just like any other dash cam. There’s just a little more to hide away.

Miofive Mirror 1: Performance

Once I had all of the wiring plumbed in, the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam was actually very simple and straightforward to set up. The media card was already in the slot, and I followed best practice and formatted the card following initial power up. From there, the mirrored screen area displayed an array of small icons, plus a split view. To the left was a view of the read ahead and to the right, a view to the rear of the car. I left it in this default mode for testing purposes although views can be tweaked to suit individual preferences.

The picture quality looks less good in my photos but, in reality, the quality of the lenses was easy to see with clear and sharp images from each angle even in decidedly gloomy conditions. Miofive has done a decent job of including a solid level of control options, via screen icons when the cameras are on. This meant it was easy to tap and change anything, such as brightness, before setting off.

Dipping into the other features and functions – which include Connect Your Phone, Recording Settings, Parking Guard, AI, System Settings, About and Speed Cam Alert –required more thought, but the large color icons worked well. The AI menu option brings up five different functions that can be enabled and set for intensity, like Reverse Assist Line, for example, which is set as Medium by default. These are okay, although I didn’t feel a desperate urge to use them. In fact, Driver Assistance, as one option, is better off disabled as far as I’m concerned.

Overall, the footage recorded by the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam is largely excellent. It's crisp and clear, capturing details nicely enough, and didn’t leave me wanting anything better. The detail presented along the bottom of the footage, including date, time and speed is also perfectly acceptable. Used as a pure front and rear dash cam setup, this is a very good product. And, should you require them, there are plenty of neat tools to enhance the functionality.

One important thing to note is anyone wanting to enjoy the parking monitoring will need to do so by enlisting the services of an optional hardwire kit. This does increase the potential of the bundle, especially for anyone wanting the extra parking features that get unlocked by going down the hardwire route.

Should you buy the Miofive Mirror 1?

Buy it if...

You like the idea of a mirror cam
The Miofive Mirror 1 is a variation on the dash cam theme, but also doubles as an electronic rear-view mirror. However, it might not appeal to everyone, especially those who wear glasses.

You like a complete package
Hardwire kit aside, a real bonus with the Miofive Mirror 1 is the way it has everything in the box to get started, along with a 128GB microSD card.

You want comprehensive coverage
The Miofive Mirror 1 offers both front and rear video surveillance on the move via twin cameras. Both work well and make this unit ideal for anyone needing more substantial coverage.

Don't buy it if...

Conventional dash cams appeal
The Mirofive Mirror 1 is an electronic rear-view mirror that also captures video. The fitting and functionality is therefore more advanced, so it might be a turn-off for anyone requiring a cheap, basic dash cam.

Hard wiring is unappealing
To unlock the Miofive Mirror 1's extra features, the unit requires an extra hardwire kit to be used. This can be fiddly and is also more permanent, so it's less ideal if you need to move the mirror from time to time.

Multiple views are unnecessary
While the Miofive Mirror 1 offers excellent front and fear views within the screen area, and captures said views as well, it might be a little over the top for anyone who just needs a basic 'out front' dash cam perspective.

How I tested the Miofive Mirror 1

I installed the dash cam in a car for an initial period of three to four weeks
I used it for various day and night journeys in all types of weather
I connected it to my phone, downloading recordings to check on quality

I tested the Miofive Mirror 1 dash cam across a period of several weeks. This involved using it in a test vehicle and during a variety of weather conditions. This allowed me to try all of the features and functions, aside from the hardwire options due to it being powered via a 12V power port in a vehicle that was on temporary loan.

On top of that, I downloaded the latest Miofive app, which was installed on an iPhone 17 and used during the installation process and also for file management duties. I also tested the Wi-Fi connectivity between the main camera unit and the app, which based on the size of the 4K video files was a big part of the overall testing procedure and everything worked as anticipated.

First reviewed February 2026

Sick of charging your Apple Watch every day? The Coros Pace 4 offers up to 19 days of battery, and costs less than an SE 3

4:00 pm | February 15, 2026

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: Apple Watch, Garmin Forerunner, Garmin Vivoactive, SE | Comments: Off

Coros Pace 4: One minute review

The Coros Pace 4 continues its predecessor’s mantle as one of the best cheap running watches and is a marked improvement upon the previous-gen Coros Pace 3, which was also one of our best running watches overall. There's a lot to like about the smartwatch, including runners wanting to make an upgrade.

The most significant change between the two models is the movement away from a fairly basic Memory-in-Pixel screen to a vibrant 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen. The resolution has also been increased from 240x240 pixels to 390x390 pixels. This makes the text and graphs substantially sharper, and despite this having an impact upon battery drain, Coros has directly addressed that by increasing the battery capacity.

The watch is aimed at runners, triathletes, and cyclists desiring speed and simplicity. At just 32g (with nylon strap), the Pace 4 is incredibly lightweight and unassuming. The tracking of accurate distances was not pinpoint-sharp, but pace, heart rate, cadence, and other metrics were measured accurately.

That said, this is not a smartwatch for the masses. The lack of everyday smarts, such as music streaming and NFC payments, makes it rather limited for anyone looking for more than a training tool. I wouldn't say this is a negative, though, as not every wearable is for everyone. The Pace 4 sticks close to its running credentials, and at a budget-friendly price of $249 / £229, this makes it a very enticing proposition indeed.

Coros Pace 4: Specifications

Component	Coros Pace 4
Price	$249 USD / £229 UK / $479.95 AUS
Dimensions	43.4 x 43.4 x 11.8 mm
Weight	32g (with Nylon band) / 40g (with Silicone band)
Caze/bezel	Fiber-reinforced polymer (Plastic)
Display	1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen 390 x 390 pixels
GPS	Dual-Frequency GNSS
Battery life	Up to 19 days or 41 hours for High GPS Usage
Connection	Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Water resistance	5 ATM

Coros Pace 4: Price and availability

$249 USD / £229 UK / AU$479.95
A fantastic price for a smartwatch with dual-band GPS and an AMOLED display
Competes well with the Garmin Forerunner 165

The COROS Pace 4, priced at $249 / £229 / AU$479.95, is a lightweight performance running watch that balances high-end features like a vibrant AMOLED display and industry-leading battery life (up to 41 hours of GPS) with a competitive entry-level price tag. The 4.5-star-rated Apple Watch SE 3 is comparably priced, although more targeted at general users rather than runners.

Similarly specced alternatives include the Garmin Forerunner 165 and Suunto Run or if you're looking for a more rugged, outdoor-focused build, then the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro is a good alternative.

Value score 4.5/5

Coros Pace 4: Design

Lightweight build feels basic but comfortable to wear
Bright, high-resolution AMOLED display
Hybrid three-button system

The Coros Pace 4 is small, lightweight, and has a distinctly budget plastic feel. No-one would describe the watch as premium, but that doesn’t mean the choice of materials doesn’t have any benefits. At 32g (with nylon band), it’s beautifully light on the wrist, and a thickness of 11.8mm means it easily slips underneath the sleeve.

At the heart of the Pace 4 is a small 1.2-inch AMOLED screen that is comparable with the Garmin Forerunner 265 and Apple Watch SE 3. With a 1,500-nit brightness and a 390 x 390px resolution, the Pace 4 lacks nothing in outdoor visibility and image sharpness. To keep the device charged, Coros provides a proprietary charger which magnetically attaches to the watch. The charger also contains a built-in keyring, which reduces the chance of losing it.

While Garmin sticks to a traditional five-button layout and Apple relies on a single digital crown and side button, the Pace 4 uses a hybrid three-button system. This includes the signature Coros digital dial plus an Action button, similar to the Apple Watch Ultra 3. These deliver reliable navigation through menus even when your hands are sweaty or you're wearing winter gloves.

At the back of the watch, you'll find a flush-mounted sensor that is flat enough to avoid skin irritation during long periods of wear. I also found it more stable than a lot of smartwatches that I've tested recently. Additionally, its integrated dual-microphone system is a rare design find in this price bracket.

Design Score: 4/5

Coros Pace 4: Features

19 days of daily training and sleep
An innovative voice recording tool
Built-in GPS

The Coros Pace 4 boasts a voice recording tool, excellent battery life, and a dual-frequency GPS system. Beginning with the voice functionality, it's fair to say that most other smartwatches provide a general-purpose voice memo tool, but the Pace 4 is unique in that its voice features are specifically integrated into the athletic training workflow. More specifically, Voice Pins can be added mid-run to specific locations on your route, while Voice Notes are better suited to capturing subjective information after an activity has been completed.

As you’d expect with a running watch, the Pace 4 utilizes an advanced All-Systems dual-frequency GNSS chipset, allowing it to communicate with five major satellite networks (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, and QZSS). The ability to connect across two frequencies is designed to improve positional accuracy in challenging environments such as cities and forests.

The lack of full offline maps is a little disappointing, although breadcrumb-style navigation with turn-by-turn directions for the planned route is available. Another notable feature is its ability to route sync from platforms like Strava.

And finally, battery capabilities. The Pace 4 continues a growing trend of offering long-lasting performance. In terms of advertised numbers, that looks like 19 days of continuous daily use and 41 hours when using the All Systems (High) GPS mode. This is roughly equivalent to the latest Amazfit Balance 2, which features 21 days of continuous daily use and 33 hours of GPS use.

Features Score: 4/5

Coros Pace 4: Performance

Fast and responsive interface
Accurate health tracking
Reasonable GPS performance for a budget-smartwatch

The Coros Pace 4 features an Ambiq Apollo 510 processor, which, compared to its predecessors, is a significant leap in internal processing power and efficiency. This results in a responsive interface that shows no sign of lag when carrying out health measurements or activity tracking. The interface is basic but simple to navigate, with Coros opting to display all non-activity features inside a 'Control Center' interface that displays everything inside one single face of the watch rather than cycling up and down long lists, as is more common with other watch brands.

The advanced processor also powers voice pins and training logs, which form a key part of the Coros Pace experience. Recording these audio notes is simple and quick and a far better solution than using a separate app or paper-based alternative. A next-step improvement would be to introduce an AI feature that is able to transcribe these notes and summarize progress.

In terms of positional precision, the Pace 4 utilizes an all-satellite, dual-frequency GNSS chipset that has been refined to maintain a lock in difficult environments. I had no problems finding a strong enough signal, even in rural areas and when surrounded by tall buildings.

In distance traveled benchmark tests against the extensively tested Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, I found the Pace 4 to be within 200 meters, not super-accurate but good enough for casual runners. We'll be batch-testing the Coros Pace 4, along with other watches, to better assess accuracy over longer distances in the near future – watch this space. However, it's safe to say the Pace 4 offers a good GPS distance estimation, with a margin for error.

Biometric tracking has also seen a hardware overhaul with a redesigned optical heart rate sensor featuring five LEDs and four photodetectors. This updated array provides reliable health data when compared to the Watch Ultimate 2. That said, I did have to make sure that the watch maintained a snug fit to my skin; otherwise, light leaking onto the sensor caused measurements to jump around.

Despite the move to a 1,500-nit AMOLED screen, the battery efficiency remains a standout, providing up to 41 hours in High GPS mode and 31 hours in Dual-Frequency mode. While using the device to track a few runs and bike rides per week, I was easily able to achieve between ten and fourteen days of usage. The 5 ATM water resistance rating held up when using the watch in wet conditions as well as when submerged in a bowl of water for over a minute.

The Pace 4 is a perfect weight and size for runners and athletes who want their smartwatch to blend into the background. It'll track your vitals and activities to a reasonable accuracy, especially given the price point.

Performance score: 4/5

Coros Pace 4: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	A budget-friendly watch with some higher-end features.	4.5/5
Design	Lightweight and compact but with an unmistakable budget feel.	4/5
Features	Some innovative features are designed around activities, but nothing that’s going to set the world alight.	4/5
Performance	Reasonably accurate health and activity tracking, especially for the price.	4/5

Coros Pace 4: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You’re a runner who loves logging their activities

With voice logging and pins, the Pace 4 is ideally suited to recording your experiences.

You like a lightweight smartwatch that blends into the background

At 32g (nylon strap) the Pace 4 is one of the lightest options on the market.

Don't buy it if...

You like a watch with everyday smarts

There’s no music streaming, NFC payments, and no ability to reply to texts.

You need offline maps

If you’re regularly following complex trails or like to go off-route, then you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Also consider

Garmin Forerunner 165

With premium training features, a good-looking AMOLED touchscreen, and 13 days of battery life, the Forerunner 165 is a similarly priced alternative to the Coros Pace 4.

Read our Garmin Forerunner 165 reviewView Deal

Garmin Vivoactive 5

A smartwatch with more sports and health tracking metrics than most will need while staying compact and easy to see with that stunning AMOLED display. Also reasonably priced.

Read our full Garmin Vivoactive 5 reviewView Deal

How I tested

I used the Coros Pace 4 across the period of several weeks, focusing my activities on running, cycling, walking, and gym cardio. I was specifically, although not exclusively, interested in seeing how much use I would genuinely make of the voice recording features. This is a relatively unique feature that I was keen to check out. I also put it through its paces in terms of GPS accuracy and the effect of its use on battery life. The smartwatch shipped with both nylon and silicone straps, so I tested both. Finally, despite it not being a core feature of the watch, I also tested its sleep tracking abilities.

First reviewed: February 2026

The Mortuary Assistant is my top Shudder recommendation in February – here’s why I liked it so much

3:00 pm |

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

The Mortuary Assistant is now streaming on Shudder and playing in select movie theaters, and you may have already seen a few bad reviews for it. But I had a great time with this adaptation.

It can certainly be daunting when you're adapting a beloved video game for the screen. Markiplier's Iron Lung performed very well at the box office lately, even if it was met with poor critic reviews overall. But the audience turnout proves people are interested in game adaptations in general, which is good news since they keep coming, and Exit 8 will soon be following in its footsteps.

When it comes to The Mortuary Assistant, I think it's best to go into it not expecting an exact replica of the video game. Approaches like that worked for The Last of Us, but here, I actually liked the fact that it doesn't follow the game to the letter. It's very much an adaptation and companion piece to the game, which I highly recommend you play.

Director Jeremiah Kipp told me that The Mortuary Assistant's game developer was ‘enormously supportive’ of the movie, and it certainly shows. While the movie does deviate from the game slightly, the location, vibe, and the character of Rebecca are portrayed incredibly well indeed.

We learn a lot more about Rebecca's character here as she spends a night shift at River Fields Mortuary. It's clear she is devoted to her job and neglects other areas of her life, especially when it comes to the demons of her past. Willa Holland gives a great performance here as someone who seems to be more comfortable with the dead than the living, as she continues to ignore and stuff down the things that have happened to her.

The Mortuary Assistant's creepy Mimic character, with white cracked skin and dark eyes — The Mimic is one of the most iconic creatures in *The Mortuary Assistant*. (Image credit: Dread XP)

Unfortunately, this leads Rebecca to be haunted by an actual demon, which does a very good job at tormenting her. Fan favorite manifestation The Mimic, steals the show here, as it appears to terrorize Rebecca during her terrifying shift. The creature design really is good here, and we're left wondering what is real and what is not, bringing us up close and personal to Rebecca's terror and hallucinations.

Rebecca is finishing her apprenticeship with mortician Raymond Delver (Paul Sparks), and these are the two characters we follow throughout the movie. He is ultimately in charge of finding employees he believes capable of combating the demons located there, and Rebecca is his latest colleague to be met with the horrors.

I do think audiences would benefit from playing the video game too, as it can provide more context. I'm not sure if those who know nothing about the game would get quite as huge a kick out of this, as part of what made this exciting for me was already being a huge fan of the game.

Like many horror movies, there is unfortunately an over-reliance on jump scares at times, and this is a point that is sure to divide audiences. Whether you love them or hate them, you can be the judge of how effective they are.

All in all, this is a strong adaptation, and there's lots for fans of the game to enjoy, especially if you're keen to expand on the lore and backstory. Don't go into this expecting a shot-for-shot remake of the game, and instead, it should be treated as a very worthy expansion.

If you're looking for a great supernatural horror with plenty of scares, and a deeper exploration about character's traumas, this is definitely the movie for you. Director Jeremiah Kipp revealed that "a filmmaker needs a deep personal connection to the material", and you can definitely feel that here.

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I reviewed the Eversolo DAC-Z10, and this DAC/preamp/headphone amp combo reveals details you didn’t know were in your music

2:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers DACs Gadgets Hi-Fi | Comments: Off

Eversolo DAC-Z10: one-minute review

Never let it be said that Eversolo is not ever so serious. The Eversolo DAC-Z10 is an extremely well-specified digital-to-analogue converter, headphone amplifier and system preamplifier in a single package – and while it sells for a significant sum, even compared to the best DACs around, it turns out to represent unarguable value for money.

As well as the full-on specification (which includes four AKM DAC chips, twin RSR ‘ladder’ volume control modules, and no fewer than three independent and heavily shielded linear power supplies), the user interface (via a big touch-screen) is excellent even before you realize it offers a choice of virtual VU meters and dynamic spectrum displays.

There are more than enough digital inputs, plus balanced and unbalanced analog outputs, and an extremely capable discrete headphone amplification module.

And it all works very well indeed. The DAC-Z10 is almost fanatical when it comes to detail retrieval, really holds its own where rhythmic expression, soundstaging and dynamic impetus are concerned, and maintains the tonal balance of the music as originally recorded as much as possible.

In fact, about its biggest shortcoming is how overtly intolerant it is of inferior partners – don’t imagine the DAC-Z10 is about to make a silk purse out of the sow’s ear that is sub-par electronics or loudspeakers. But that's not a real flaw for something that costs this much anyway – you'd expect an expensive DAC to sing with expensive other components, wouldn't you?

The Eversolo DAC-Z10 on a hi-fi rack, showing a frequency range readout on the screen — (Image credit: Simon Lucas)

Eversolo DAC-Z10 review: Price & release date

The Eversolo DAC-Z10 launched during November 2025 and in the United Kingdom it sells for a strangely specific £1,939. In the United States it’s $1,980, while in Australia the going rate is AU$3,339 or thereabouts.

This puts it in line with options from the likes of Denon and NAD – big names in the hi-fi separates space.

The Eversolo DAC-Z10's touchscreen, showing different control options — (Image credit: Simon Lucas)

Eversolo DAC-Z10 review: Features

Numerous digital and analog inputs
Independent left and right channel AKM digital-to-analog conversion modules
Three independent power supplies

Even by Eversolo’s established standards, the DAC-Z10 is extensively specified – ‘lavishly’ may not be too strong a word. It’s difficult to know where to start, really. Maybe on the outside would be best…

At the rear of the DAC-Z10, there are numerous digital and analogue inputs, alongside balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analogue outputs for connection to a power amplifier, powered speakers or what-have-you. There’s also a grounding post for channeling even the most minor electrical interference out of harm’s way.

The digital stuff consists of an IIS (aka I2S) input (featuring eight switchable modes, naturally, and capable of dealing with digital audio resolutions of up to 32bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512), HDMI eARC, USB-B (with multi-core audio processor and again supporting 32bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512), a fully isolated AES/EBU input, and a pair of coaxial and a pair of optical audio inputs (all of which support 24bit/192kHz PCM and DSD64). There’s also wireless connectivity via Bluetooth 5.0, with SBC and AAC codec compatibility.

There’s a further analog output on the fascia: a 6.3mm single-ended headphone socket. It’s powered by a dedicated amplification module, and automatically detects the impedance of the headphones it’s driving and adjusts gain accordingly.

The internal layout of the Eversolo is no less thorough. Built on the company’s ‘Fully Isolated Architecture’ platform, which isolates the digital and analog domains in a drive for optimal signal purity, the DAC-Z10 features three linear power supplies. One is for the left channel, one for the right, and one for system circuitry – each is isolated from the others in an effort to minimi`e interference.

The DAC-Z10 is big on the concept of independent left and right stereo channels elsewhere, too. For instance, each stereo channel has a dedicated pair of AKM DAC chips – an AK4191 and an AK4499 – so left and right digital signals are kept completely separate from input to conversion.

Volume control uses an independent R2R ‘ladder’ module for each channel, so signal integrity and phase alignment should be uncorrupted, even if the selected volume level is very low or very high.

The Eversolo ‘Precision Core’, which features a temperature-controlled crystal oscillator, phase-locked loop technology and FPGA clock reconstruction, makes up the DAC-Z10 clock system. Despite the extremely thorough attention it has paid to this critical componentry, though, the Eversolo also has an input for an external clock – and with multiple impedance options.

This allows the DAC-Z10 to integrate into super-high end systems that have even more effective clock systems than the one specified here. Either way, though, the DAC-Z10 seems extremely well-served where clocking, and by extension the imaging and transient response of its sound, are concerned.

Features score: 5 / 5

The Eversolo DAC-Z10 on a hi-fi rack, with some virtual VU meters displayed on the screen — (Image credit: Simon Lucas)

Eversolo DAC-Z10 review: Sound quality

Profoundly impressive detail retrieval
Expansive, organized and front-foot sound
Not especially tolerant of less-capable partners

Let’s get the minor negative out of the way first, shall we? The Eversolo DAC-Z10 is not about to indulge in partnering equipment that is less capable than it is. The DAC-Z10 punches above its weight, not below it – so it can hold its own in systems with high price-tags, but it’s not about to make your run-of-the-mill power speakers or wallet-friendly amps into world-beaters. If anything, it’s more likely to expose their shortcomings.

But as long as the stuff before and after the Eversolo in the chain is up to scratch, there’s a whole lot to enjoy about this device – especially where its powers of digital-to-analog conversion are concerned.

Where detail retrieval is concerned, the DAC-Z10 is as good as anything I've heard at anything like the price. No event in a recording is too minor, no harmonic variation is too subtle, no over- or undertone surrounding the fundamental note of an instrument or a voice is too muted to elude it.

The production of Horsegirl’s Phonetics On and On is open and so spare that you might think every shred of information is available even when it’s playing on an unremarkable system – but the Eversolo demonstrates that even deeper subtleties and transients are there, and it has the power to reveal and contextualize them. If you’re after the most complete image possible of your music, the DAC-Z10 is ready and able to give it to you.

It’s more than willing to get out of the way of the music, and of the source machine that’s playing it. So when it comes to tonality and frequency response, the Eversolo tries its utmost to have as little input as possible even though it’s responsible for D-to-A conversion – the sound you get, in these respects, seems very much to be the sound stored on the disc, the digital file or whatever.

What the DAC-Z10 will do is ensure that low frequencies are shaped and controlled to the point that rhythmic expression is coherent and momentum levels never dip below what is appropriate.

It takes care of the minor dynamic variations with just as much ease as it does with every other aspect of detail retrieval – and when the music undergoes big shifts in intensity or volume, as it does during a listen to Daniel Blumberg’s soundtrack to The Brutalist, the Eversolo is able to describe them in full, and in the most articulate manner.

It ensures the top of the frequency range always carries enough substance to prevent its bite becoming problematic, and allows the midrange to project with real confidence.

And the bigger and more information-packed the audio content you serve it, the more impressive the DAC-Z10 sounds. A DSD64 file of Michael Jackon’s Off the Wall sounds positively ferocious once the Eversolo has done with it – the clean, open and pristine recording (especially in 2024 remaster guise) sounds more animated, more immediate, and more engaging than it does via any even vaguely price-comparable alternative. And there are plenty of very capable, vaguely price-comparable, alternatives around.

Sound quality score: 5 / 5

the Eversolo DAC-Z10's connections on the rear — (Image credit: Simon Lucas)

Eversolo DAC-Z10 review: Design

Aluminum chassis
A choice of VU meters, spectrum displays and control dial colors
310x88x365mm / 12.2x3.5x13.4in (WxHxD)

As is only to be expected, given the asking price, the Eversolo DAC-Z10 is carefully constructed from premium materials, and finished to an extremely high standard. Fundamentally it’s simply a rectangular box in the established ‘hi-fi’ manner – but in terms of look, feel and finish it’s a fairly upmarket proposition.

It’s not quite as wide as your average hi-fi separate, but nevertheless Eversolo has found space for an 8.8-inch touchscreen that’s bright, clear and responsive, and is able to display a great deal of information without looking in any way crowded.

It forms the majority of the fascia of a chassis built from aircraft-grade aluminum and coated in a soft(ish)-touch finish that only adds to the impression of refined good taste.

Eversolo has remembered to make sure the design of the DAC-Z10 is enjoyable as well as admirable, too. As well as an exhaustive amount of relevant information, the screen can display a number of different VU meters or dynamic spectrum displays – and the single ‘turn/push’ control dial alongside it can be illuminated in one of quite a few different colors.

Design score: 5 / 5

The Eversolo DAC-Z10's remote control, with basic playback buttons and input selection — (Image credit: Simon Lucas)

Eversolo DAC-Z10 review: Usability & setup

Remote control, app and touchscreen control options
Some end-user tweaking available
Switchable XLR polarity

Despite its wealth of features and extensive functionality, setting up and operating the DAC-Z10 is pretty straightforward. And you have plenty of options, too.

Obviously the first thing to do is make your relevant connections into and out of the device. The DAC-Z10 will support plenty of digital devices, of course, and there’s the ability to route a single analog source through too – which is useful if you’re connecting directly to a power amplifier rather than a pair of powered or active speakers.

It’s worth noting the XLR connections have switchable polarity, which makes system-matching a great deal more straightforward than it otherwise would be. After that it’s just a question of trimming each individual input in terms of volume – every digital input can have a choice of six filters applied, which allows the end user a fair amount of input into the way the quartet of DAC chips performs.

In terms of control, you’ve a gratifying number of well-implemented options. The control wheel, which is a turn/push number, is responsive and reliable, and the same can be said for the weighty little remote control handset that is, in its own way, just as tactile a device as the DAC-Z10 itself. The touchscreen is equally simple and logical to use, and just as reliable in the way it reacts.

Best of all, though, is the ‘Eversolo Control’ app that’s free for iOS and Android. It’s far from the most visually exciting control app around, it’s true – but once you get beyond the relative lack of visual stimulation you’ll find a thorough, stable and eminently useful interface that enables you to control every single aspect of the DAC-Z10’s performance.

Usability & setup score: 5 / 5

The Eversolo DAC-Z10 showing input selection options on the screen — (Image credit: Simon Lucas)

Eversolo DAC-Z10 review: Value

It costs a lot, but it does a lot
Performs as well or better than anything else at the same price
Versatility really adds to its value as a long-term buy

Obviously spending this sort of money on a DAC with preamplification functionality means you have a system that justifies the outlay, and in that case there’s really no arguing with the value for money that’s on offer here.

The amount of things it can do, the range of connections it has, the usefulness of its various control options, and the impeccable quality of its audio mean that its price is very agreeable… to people with this kind of money to spend.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Eversolo DAC-Z10?

Buy it if…

You have digital audio sources that need a proper decoding
Even quite expensive CD players and the like will feel the benefit of the DAC-Z10's audio expression.View Deal

You enjoy a good user interface
The touchscreen and, especially, the control app are as it good as it gets.View Deal

You love a virtual VU meter
Or, even better, a choice of virtual VU meters.View Deal

Don't buy it if…

Graphic design is your passion
The control app may be entirely fit for purpose, but it is tedious in the extreme to look atView Deal

You’re hoping to make an ordinary system sound extraordinary
The Eversolo is not especially tolerant of inferior partners.View Deal

Eversolo DAC-Z10 review: Also consider

Audiolab D9
On a pound-for-pound basis, the D9 DAC/preamplifier is a very decent bet – for a little over half the price of the Eversolo, it gives you a great deal of solid audio competence.View Deal

Chord Hugo TT2
If you’re after something slightly more portable, this an exceptional device – it doesn’t come cheap, though, and it has one of those user interfaces that Chord seems to think is a good idea but the rest of us get madly frustrated by. View Deal

How I tested the Eversolo DAC-Z10

I slotted the Eversolo DAC-Z10 into my reference system – so it took care of the digital-to-analog conversion required by a Rega Apollo CD player, a Naim Uniti Star (meaning internet radio, network streaming and music streaming service content was available), and an Apple MacBook Pro via USB to access digital audio of the highest possible resolution.

It also accepted an analog signal from a pre-amplified Technics SL-1300G turntable. It was connected to a Cambridge Edge W power amplifier via balanced XLR connections, which in turn was connected to Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature loudspeakers on their bespoke FS-700 S3 stands.

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee
First reviewed: February 2026

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