The xTool P2 Laser Engraver is one of the most comprehensive laser engraving solutions that I have seen. Sure enough, there is the formidable Glowforge, but with all the additions and ease of use of the xTool P2, it easily stands above its competitor as one of the best laser engravers when it comes to simplicity and ease of use. 

When the xTool P2 arrives there is a little setup time and you should anticipate a good hour to make yourself familiar with the machine and find all the bits and pieces you'll need to get started such as purified water. This isn't just filtered water, you'll need to buy it from your local DIY store, but it's cheap and readily available. This water is mixed with anti-freeze that's then poured into the coolant system; if you have any doubts about the quality of this machine, those are quickly dispelled in the first hour as you set up and get to know your P2. 

Once panels are refitted, and the lid closed on the 600x400 workspace, the machine looks great and ready for business. The machine, before any additions, looks incredibly sleek, and then, to enhance its use, the raiser base can be added along with the absolute essential of the extractor that fits on the back. Then inside, there are more sockets and plugs for the rotary engraver and various other accessories that will enable you to cut, score and engrave everything from greeting cards and signposts to furniture. It really is that versatile.

What makes this laser engrave different from most, aside from the Glowforge is the 55W CO2 laser with a maximum engraving speed of 600mm/s. What gives it the edge over the competition is the xTool Creative Space software which is comprehensive and easy to use, but more than anything, it's xTool's open approach to software with compatibility to LightBurn, meaning that unlike others you don't always have to be online which at times has left the Glowforge offline and redundant.

xTool P2: Design

When you look at the xTool P2, it's clear that the designers prioritised both form and function. With a sleek, black metallic housing that feels robust yet sophisticated, it blends seamlessly into a professional studio or even a home workshop. The machine's dimensions of approximately 1100x750x1100 mm offer a footprint that is surprisingly compact for its capabilities, making it a smart choice for spaces where space is a premium.

The control panel layout is intuitive; even if you're new to laser engraving, you'll find it easy enough to navigate options. Really, there's just the large button to start the engraving and a clear LED screen that shows what's happening; everything else is handled through the software.

The design of the machine is simple with the large protective glass lid enclosing the inner workspace. The weight of the lid is balanced and again reinforces the feeling of high-end quality. As the software can be connected through Wi-Fi there's only the need for the power cable and tube to the extractor fan, nothing else is needed which again makes it nice and neat on a work surface.

If you do want to connect directly, then there is a USB port on the side, but at present although this port is USB Type-C you can't connect directly, rather a USB Type-A to C hub or adapter is required. I've been assured that this will be resolved. 

xTool P2: Features

The xTool P2 sets a high standard with its feature set, and at the price, it really needs to consider the competition. Central to its capabilities is a 20-watt high-precision laser boasting an engraving accuracy of 0.05 mm. Operating within a 445–450 nm wavelength range, the laser is versatile enough to work on various materials, including wood and some metals.

Adaptive power control is another standout aspect, as it dynamically adjusts the laser's power in response to the material and design intricacies. This feature is relatively rare but offers a significant advantage for achieving uniform engraving results; essentially, it means that you can easily engrave curved surfaces such as a wooden bowl while retaining the sharpness of the edge that you'd expect to see on a flat surface.

The optional RA2 Pro add-on deserves a mention. This rotary attachment expands the P2's engraving capabilities to cylindrical objects; while these rotary accessories are common place, this one is really easy to set up and use. You just position it inside the P2, select the options from the software and then place a bottle or metal drinks bottle onto the RA2 and off it goes. A few test subjects are required, but the learning curve is far less than other rotary engravers I've tried. 

Another key feature is pass-through engraving, which enables the P2 to work on materials larger than its internal workspace; this is something that I've seen before and, in principle, is a great idea. My workshop is a little pressed for space, and while it worked, my ability to steady the material through has something to be desired.  

The user interface of the P2 software is what has really warmed me to the P2. It's streets ahead of the software that I use with Glowforge and always works whether the internet connection is good or not. The software strikes a balance between ease of use for beginners and advanced options for professionals. It's designed to be intuitive and feature-rich, with support for materials and accessories; there's also a good stock library of projects to get you started, as well as the connected shop.

Safety is essential with these laser engravers and having looked at multiple open frame designs which are fantastic, there's nothing like the reassurance of an all-enclosed design. Not only is the P2 fully enclosed but as with professional machines there's the ability to attach the extractor fan. What's more built into the P2 are air purifiers and automatic shutoff mechanisms, all adding to the safety element.

Compared to industry competitors like Glowforge or Trotec, the xTool P2 proves competitive, particularly due to its adaptive power control and well-designed software.

xTool P2: Performance

The testing of the P2 has not been quick, not because of anything complicated about the machine more due to the size and mass of accessories that I have with it. Below I've broken down the basics of the machine without all the accessories, and in the future, I'll add a little more about the additions. 

Starting with the easiest and most common of projects which for the most part will be flat materials like wood, acrylic, and leather, the xTool P2 performs exceptionally well. The 20-watt laser module effortlessly carves intricate details onto surfaces, achieving a level of engraving accuracy that is impressive at 0.05 mm. Even at higher speeds, the machine maintains its incredible clarity, ensuring the end product is professional-grade with some of the cleanest burn-free lines that I have ever seen from a consumer engraver. 

Compared to similar models from brands like Glowforge, the xTool P2 not only holds its own but outperforms in the quality of cuts and engraving but also speed and precision of lines. 

This is one of the big out of the box features that I kept to see as curved surfaces can often be challenging for laser engravers. That's not to say they can't do it, just that the precision of the engraving fades as the focus of the laser reduces due to the height of the material. 

Out of the box, the P2 handles slight curves extremely well, far better than most and enables you to engrave wooden bowels and plates with decent success. It's worth noting that this is still limited and the higher walls of a bowl will push the abilities. 

However add in the optional RA2 Pro attachment and you can start to engrave cylindrical objects like glasses, bottles, or even spherical objects.

What I like about this is that, firstly, the accessory sits inside the body of the machine, so no issues with the laser bouncing around the room from metal objects, something I seem to worry about. Still, it's all seamlessly integrated into the software. It is just far easier to use than other systems. 

xTool P2: Engraving quality

The xTool P2 really stands out with its user-friendly approach. There are a few things that I've noted in the three months of use, that mean that this is by far the best laser engraver on the market at present. 

The first is the ease of set-up as mentioned earlier in the review. It does take two to handle the machine into place, and don't let that person leave until you've topped up the system, shifted it around a few times to attach the extractor and then shifted the thing around the workshop a few times before finding a decent final destination. Once the machine is setup it's worth noting that you are never going to want to move it again. 

Once it's in place, it just works; Wi-Fi was set up, the MacBook Pro connected through Wi-Fi, and then that's it. Open the xTool Creative Space software start a new project, pop the material you want into the machine and close the lid, nothing will happen with it open. Then, use the camera preview to align your design, choose the material, select whether to cut or engrave or a bit of both and hit go. Then run to the machine push the button and off you go. 

What has set me back is the difference in the type of project that you can do with the P2. This is a consumer machine and professionals can equally use it sitting in that middle ground. The power means that if you want to dabble in making furniture then with the pass-through function you can, although you may need to double up on the Ply thickness if you do, 12mm feels thick but underweight, 18mm is better. 

Rather than making place mats, you start to think bigger and more elaborate, my one wish was that there was a trace feature where a design could be drawn and then. the machine would be able to convert the drawing to a cutting path. Previous machines have this feature and it's a great time saver, however, there are some licence issues around this which I hope will be resolved. Otherwise, everything else about the machine is incredible. 

However, before you rush out and buy one it's worth revisiting the size and weight issue; you'll need space. Firstly moving it around isn't a one-person job, particularly when you want to test features like the pass-through or set it on a riser. While this isn't a deal-breaker, it requires you to plan your workspace carefully. I positioned the machine on a work surface, which meant I couldn't properly use the pass through, I then had to wait for my neighbour to return from holiday to help shift it, then in the middle of the workshop I was able to use the pass through, only to then wait another day for my neighbour to help me lift it back to the worksurface.

While the size and weight do mean that you need to plan carefully the machine's versatility is a massive advantage for practical, everyday use. 

It's as if it's designed to be the go-to machine for first-timers and seasoned pros. The software interface is intuitive. Advanced features like path splitting, allowing you to specify engrave and cut options more easily, could enhance it further. Currently, the xTool P2 has room for improvement on this front.

When it comes to long-term usability, the build quality suggests that the xTool P2 will be a workhorse for years, I've been using it solidly for three months and the machine has only improved with function over that time. The machine's robust construction is reassuring, especially for those considering it a long-term investment.

Overall, the user experience is incredibly positive, marred only by minor gripes like the machine's weight and a few software limitations. 

xTool P2: Verdict

If you want to invest in a laser engraver, the xTool P2 should be at the top of your list. It's unrivalled in the market for the price point, offering a blend of functionality, user-friendliness, and robust build quality that's hard to beat. Its versatility sets it apart; whether you're engraving flat or curved materials or utilising the RA2 Pro for advanced operations.

While no machine is perfect, the P2's minor flaws—such as its weight and the absence of some advanced software features—pale in comparison to its overall performance and utility. 

It's a machine built with both the amateur and professional in mind. It is backed by extensive documentation and customer support, making it welcoming even for newcomers to the world of laser engraving, I especially liked the large library of projects that are available to help you get started.

The machine's add-ons, especially the RA2 Pro and the riser, are not just accessories but essential components that extend its capabilities significantly. As these are accessories you can add to and expand on the xTool P2 as you're budget allows which I like. I also like the fact that you're not restricted to the xTool software environment and if you want to use third-party software then you can.

The xTool P2 is an excellent long-term investment for anyone serious about laser engraving. It offers a perfect blend of price, performance, and practicality, making it the best laser engraver currently available at this price range. If you're looking for a reliable, high-performing laser engraver, look no further.

• We've been testing to find the best 3D printers 

In use, the K1 is everything you could want a single-extrusion 3D printer to be: fast and accurate. The speed of print production is incredibly fast, but what truly stands out is the print quality. 

With the K1, you also get a refined design. The fully enclosed structure makes it suitable for most locations, and, much like the K1 Max, the touchscreen, cloud printing, and general operation make this one of the best choices for homes, schools, and offices—as long as there's adequate ventilation.

3D printing has evolved, and the current crop of best 3D printers have improved almost every aspect of operation. However, few, if any, have reached the pinnacle of absolute perfection, although some have come close. The Creality K1 and K1 Max represent part of this new generation of 3D printers aimed at those who want to focus on printing rather than tinkering. 

These new machines introduce refined technology and design, featuring Core XY mechanics. In the case of the K1 Max, AI and LiDAR technology come as standard, while the K1 offers these as optional extras. 

What sets these new printers apart from the previous generation are features like speed and accuracy, which are the main headliners. Add to that AI technology, advanced auto bed levelling, seamless ease of use through WiFi and cloud printing, and for some, a fully enclosed environment is an essential few machines offer.

The K1 ticks almost all the boxes. While the AI camera and LiDAR sensor are inexpensive optional additions, the only significant feature missing is multi-filament capability. However, if speed and accuracy are your priorities, this printer already looks hard to beat.

Creality K1: Design

Over the years, I've examined many 3D printers, each with its array of shapes, sizes, and designs—both open and closed. In my experience, and after recommending these machines to individuals and institutions, the features that trump everything else are speed, accuracy, and an enclosed environment.

Teachers and businesses need a printer that's both quick and precise. Safety is a concern, so an enclosed design is a must. It also needs to fit within a tight budget.

This is exactly where the K1 shines. Its fully enclosed design comes with a hinged door that securely seals off the build area, keeping curious fingers and noses at bay. 

The touchscreen interface is another major advantage. Intuitive and well-organised, it allows you to adjust settings, calibrate, and select prints, all in a user-friendly manner we've all become accustomed to through mobile phones.

Mechanically speaking, the intelligent bed levelling is reliably accurate, and the loading filament at the start is straightforward, thanks to the touchscreen.

Once your print is done, just open the door, remove your creation from the flexible print platform, and you're ready for the next job. Plus, the printer comes with WiFi as standard so that you can send prints directly from your desktop or mobile.

The K1's size is another crucial design feature. With a footprint of 355mm x 355mm, it's compact enough to fit comfortably on most work surfaces, requiring just a bit of extra depth—around 20mm—for the filament reel at the back.

Its enclosed design also makes it ideal for printing specialist materials like ABS, which perform better in a sealed environment. However, if you're using PLA and the room temperature exceeds 30ºC, the top of the printer can be removed to help cool the build chamber—a feature I didn't have to use during the test period in the UK.

Lastly, for a small additional cost, you can purchase the AI Camera and LiDAR Sensor. This plug-in unit enhances both print quality and reliability, and the camera feature lets you monitor the printing process. For this review, I primarily used the K1 as it comes out of the box, later installing the camera to assess any significant differences.

Creality K1: Features

First up is speed, a quality that can make or break your 3D printing experience. The Creality K1 takes it up a notch, capable of reaching speeds as high as 600mm/s with an acceleration rate of 20,000mm/s². Creality highlights the K1 as a game-changer, showing printing speeds up to 12 times ahead of the average FFF 3D printers. However, this should be taken with a pinch of salt as those are the last-generation printers, and the present crop of similar-priced models is pretty much on par with the K1. 

The hot end, of course, has quite a bit to do with that speed; it warms up to 200℃ in less than a minute and can then hold that temperature steadily as you print at those faster rates. 

The K1 Max has a large print volume of 300x300x300mm compared with the K1 at 220x220x250mm. Hence, a reduction but still large in terms of the competition and provides a generous space to print larger objects or multiple smaller items simultaneously. An important factor is the footprint, which measures 355x355x480mm, ensuring that it doesn't take up much room on the work surface. What I do like is that although the construction is solid, it's relatively lightweight at 12.5kg, making it relatively easy to move around if need be.

Accuracy is as important; with a layer height of 0.1-0.35mm and a printing accuracy of 100±0.1mm, it should be able to handle intricate designs and fine detail. The dual-gear direct drive extruder further enhances this, providing consistent filament feeding and enabling instant compatibility with a good range of materials.

The printer supports a wide range of filaments from PLA and PETG to more advanced materials like TPU and PA. The nozzle is versatile, and while it comes with a standard 0.4mm nozzle, it's compatible with 0.6/0.8mm ones.

Auto-levelling and input shaping is a simple tap on the touch screen to calibrate and then automatic after the initial setup. The 4.3-inch touchscreen makes navigation and control easy, and Creality has developed one of the most intuitive interfaces of any 3D printer.

Connectivity is another strong point. File transfers can be accomplished via a USB drive or WiFi. It's compatible with different slicing software like Creality Print, Cura, and PrusaSlicer, so for more advanced users, there is a bit more flexibility.

Optional features like an AI Camera and LiDAR are available, and having added this towards the end of the test, I would highly recommend it. These features are backed by a robust dual-core 1.2GHz CPU that powers the Creality OS, allowing for a seamless operation that you can remotely control and monitor.

Lastly, it's energy-efficient with a rated power of 350W and offers features like power loss recovery and filament runout sensor; this compares with the power-hungry K1 Max at 1000W.

Creality K1: Performance

Due to the nature of the machine and the materials provided, the majority of this test was run using Creality's Hyper Series of PLA, which I can highly recommend for the quality of the finish it delivers.

The initial prints all turned out well, and they were slightly faster than more traditional printers, aligning closely with competitors like Bambu Labs and the K1 Max. Comparing the start-up times between the K1 and K1 Max reveals some differences: the K1's 350W power supply takes a tad longer to reach the optimal temperature compared to the K1 Max's 1000W.

Once the machine hits the right temperature, it springs into action. The effects of input shaping made possible through the Kipper firmware, are evident in the fine surface finish of the models. The robust build and precision of the machine are reflected in the accuracy of the prints.

Another noteworthy point is the Creality Print software. While it has received mixed reviews due to the limitations imposed by the Klipper firmware it's based on; these restrictions are generally not a concern for most users. That said, a nod of recognition to Klipper from Creality would be welcome.

Software aside, Creality Print is exceptional. I have both the K1 and K1 Max grouped within the software, each equipped with cameras, allowing me to send and monitor prints for both from a single interface. There's also room to add more printers. For businesses seeking a cost-effective, high-quality 3D print farm, this could well be the solution—at a fraction of the cost of competitors like Ultimaker.

Cloud printing simplifies the entire process, and the ability to remotely monitor the printers as they work at speed—thanks to the added camera option—makes a world of difference.

Visually, the K1's print quality is on par with the K1 Max. However, it's only upon close inspection of the test prints that we can fully appreciate the capabilities of this printer.

The surface finish is excellent in doubt due to the input shaper and the dimension accuracy shown in the test results. The only drawback was the slight feathering in the fine flow test, which with a little fine tuning it was possible to resolve. Overall the prints do look very clean. 

Creality K1: Verdict

The Creality K1 is a superb single-extrusion 3D printer that impresses with its speed, accuracy, and refined design. While it lacks multi-filament support and some advanced features out of the box, there are affordable optional upgrades like an AI camera and LiDAR sensor that easily bridge that gap. 

This AI camera does make a difference to the print process and while I didn't see any obvious signs of a cleaner print, the ability to remotely observe the print process was a huge advantage. 

Whether you're a hobbyist, educator, or professional, the K1 offers an exceptional 3D printing experience without breaking the bank. Overall, it's hard to beat in its class and comes highly recommended.

• Best 3D modeling software: Testing tools for bringing creations to life

The AnkerMake software is the heart of the machine, designed for those who just want to get on with printing. If you're looking to delve under the hood, you may want to look elsewhere.

While the AnkerMake may resemble other open-frame 3D printers, it's in a league of its own. The print quality is exceptional, and its speed and accuracy set a new industry benchmark. If it were enclosed, it would be near perfect.

The AnkerMake M5C arrives almost flat-packed, requiring only minimal assembly. The construction is a breeze; a couple of bolts secure the uprights to the base, and a few cable connections later, you're ready to power on and let the machine do the rest.

This ease of use sets the tone for how the printer operates: it's fast and efficient. If you're someone who enjoys tinkering with mechanical settings, this printer might not be your cup of tea. However, no amount of tweaking will likely yield better prints than what it already produces.

The software is largely locked down, with an emphasis on basic settings. While advanced options are available, the out-of-the-box settings proved more than satisfactory throughout our test.

One notable feature is its supposed one-button operation. In reality, most functionalities are managed through Slicer software on a computer or the accompanying app, so you'll always need a device on hand. The button's primary function is as an emergency stop, although it can be programmed for other tasks via the app.

Simplicity is the cornerstone of this single-extrusion printer. Despite its entry-level price point, the speed and efficiency of the machine, coupled with its solid build, make it a strong recommendation for anyone in the market for the best 3D printers.

AnkerMake M5C: Design

The open-frame design is a common feature of 3D printers, a natural evolution from Open Source to consumer-ready models. While this design is convenient for tinkering, it presents challenges for use in schools, homes with kids or pets, or anywhere people might reach into the machine. Fumes can also be a concern, even when using the latest PLAs.

For me, the open-frame design excels in workshop or garage settings but falls short for home or office use. While most manufacturers offer enclosures for their open-frame models, none is currently available for the M5C.

The build quality of the machine is outstanding, embodying simplicity and robustness. One of its key selling points is its purported one-button operation. While not entirely accurate, since the app or desktop slicer software is required, it keeps things straightforward. Loading filament, calibration, and other basic tasks are mostly automated, making it an ideal choice for 3D printing newcomers. Anker also provides an extensive range of starter prints, boosting users' confidence in the printing process.

The M5C offers direct printing via a USB Type-C drive, simplifying the process even further for many. The one-button design is quite versatile and can be customised through the app to perform various functions. While the machine is beginner-friendly, Anker hasn't entirely restricted the software, allowing compatibility with either Cura or PRUSA slicer for those who are more experienced. This printer really is a powerhouse in terms of speed, accuracy, and finish quality, all the more remarkable given its price and the absence of features like a camera or AI learning.

The M5C stands out for its quality and versatility despite lacking some of the more advanced features found in pricier models. It's a solid, exceptionally well-refined machine that offers excellent value for money.

AnkerMake: Features

When it comes to print size, the AnkerMake M5C offers a comfortable 220×220×250 mm workspace. This should be sufficient for most hobbyists and professionals alike, giving you the flexibility to take on various projects. 

The printer's speed is one of its standout features, clocking in at an impressive 500 mm/s with an acceleration of 5000 mm/s². To put it into perspective, you can complete a standard Benchy print in just 17 minutes, as quoted by Anker, and actually, this is almost spot on. This is a notable advantage for anyone wanting to produce quality prints in a short time frame.

When it comes to material compatibility, the M5C is incredibly versatile, from PLA to more exotic materials such as PA-CF, which I must admit I haven't yet tried. The build plate reaches a maximum temperature of 100℃, accommodating a wide range of filament types, although again, an enclosure would help further the printing potential.

The all-metal hotend and brass 0.4 mm nozzle is pretty standard with a maximum hotend temperature of 300℃; this should handle most common materials.

Connectivity is also well-thought-out, offering options like WiFi, Bluetooth, and USB-C. Overall, the M5C is a well-rounded machine that offers speed versatility and is user-friendly.

Before I delve into the print quality, there's one additional feature that I need to highlight, and that's the V6. Through this review, I've highlighted the fact that this is a single filament machine, which it is, but check through the specifications for this and the M5, and you'll see mention of the V6. This is an additional machine that isn't yet available but will enable you to print with up to six colours at any one time, and that's impressive. I hope to add more information about the AnkerMake V6 in the near future, but if this arrives, this could propel this machine into another league.

AnkerMake M5C: Performance

There are a few printers where you can sense something special from the first layer. This usually manifests in the precision of that initial layer, resembling a skilled line drawing rather than a mere extrusion. As each layer builds upon the last, that level of accuracy remains consistent; there are no dips, breaks, or bubbles, just evenly laid-out plastic on the build plate.

The AnkerMake is one of the finest I've seen in this respect. As those initial layers go down, the accuracy of the extrusion and head movement is evident. Reaching this point does take a little time; the printer runs its checks, whirs considerably, and then springs into action at quite a pace. But that preliminary checking pays dividends. Upon removing the first model from the flexible build plate, the print quality is immediately apparent.

Firstly, there's minimal fine filament stringing, and the surfaces look incredibly smooth. When it comes to bridging, a slight bow is all that's noticeable. In short, the print quality is absolutely outstanding, especially considering the printer's affordability.

As I ran through my usual test prints, my admiration for the machine's capabilities grew. Granted, the fans do create some noise, slightly louder than some other models, but it's a minor trade-off for such speed and quality. 

Aesthetically, the prints look fantastic, confirming my initial expectations in the print tests. 

AnkerMake M5C: Verdict

The results from the tests confirm what I had visually anticipated: the AnkerMake M5C is an extremely fine printer with incredible potential. Considering Anker only manufactures two printers, the M5C and the M5, this entry-level offering is quite impressive. 

However, a few things did niggle at me. First, there's no option for an enclosure. While the open-frame design suits many users, an optional enclosure would have been a nice touch. 

Second, the lack of a physical interface could be considered a drawback. Aside from printing the latest file from a USB stick directly, you need to rely on either the app or the desktop software. In practice, this hasn't been an issue; one of my all-time favourite printers, the CEL-UK RoboxDual, is also screenless. Plus, the M5C comes with wireless connectivity straight out of the box.

What truly sets this printer apart is its ease of operation. Over the six weeks I've used it, it's been nearly flawless. The only hiccup occurred when the room temperature dropped to around 10 degrees Celsius, prompting an alert about less-than-ideal conditions. A minor annoyance is the auto bed levelling at the start of each print, but it consistently ensures excellent print adhesion. Fan noise is there, but it serves the essential function of cooling the filament at the necessary speed.

A year or so ago, this printer would have stood out as one of the best on the market, regardless of price. However, times have changed. We now expect more in terms of speed, filament options, safety, and features. This printer remains in contention solely because of its superb print quality, but going forward, printers will need something more to distinguish themselves.

As mentioned in the features section, there is also the imminent release of the AnkerMake V6 to consider. The ability to print up to six materials per print will not only put this in line with the formidable Bambu Labs A1 Mini, but with an additional two filaments as standard, that would make this an incredibly interesting machine. 

Currently, the AnkerMake M5C remains exceptional and is a bargain at its price point. You won't be disappointed. 

• Best 3D modeling software: Testing out the top tools for bringing creations to life

There are almost innumerable ways in which hackers can get a hold of our most sensitive data, and their techniques keep evolving daily. A hack can occur through public Wi-Fi, malware, an accidental download of a compromised document file, or a hacker simply guessing our weak password. Such breaches can be costly, especially if you’re running a business. According to Statista, cybercrime costs climbed to $8.44 trillion in 2022, with predictions that this grim trend will continue growing. 

New York-based KeepSolid offers us MonoDefense Cybersecurity Suit, a comprehensive solution comprising VPN Unlimited, Passwarden, KeepSolid SmartDNS, and KeepSolid DNS Firewall. However, there is no antivirus and anti-malware solution that could have completed an otherwise solid number of bundled apps. Nevertheless, MonoDefense kicks things off by being available on almost all popular platforms, especially their VPN solution. 

The software stands out because it continuously monitors your activities and identifies any bad behavior or activity. It uses algorithms for threat detection, analysis, and machine learning to protect against potential threats. MonoDefense offers a variety of applications that work together seamlessly to protect your presence. Although these apps are bundled together, you will need to download them separately. 

While this may seem a bit inconvenient initially, it has the advantage of allowing you to choose the apps you want, which helps prevent unnecessary clutter on your device. Furthermore, the user experience remains enjoyable as the applications are well-designed, easy to navigate, and visually appealing. We personally found the smooth transition between screens within each app fast and impressive.

The entire bundle adds up to a comprehensive online shield covering all major desktop and mobile devices. There are some advantages to getting a bundled package of security software, such as cost savings, as you can often find KeepSolid’s bundle on sale for a lifetime deal at just $199.99, which is great value if you run a small business and need one complete solution to cover your security needs. Furthermore, having a single bundle ensures that the data is being shared between these apps. Such an approach can speed up your work and reduce the cumbersome tasks of switching between various security solutions just to set up everything properly. Finally, you can manage it all from a single source of truth and ensure you’re taking appropriate action to shield your family or employees.

Plans and pricing

MonoDefense offers three distinct pricing plans tailored for various needs, though equally limited to “only” five active devices. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee across all plans, which is a great option if you’re looking to give it a go. Note you can pay using all popular credit cards, Gpay, PayPal (for which you get a 10% discount), or you can use BitPay.

Notably, the monthly plan will bill you $11.99 and could be a great option for those looking to test out the suite or for those who plan on using it for a limited time when they are, for example, traveling and expect to be using public Wi-Fi or unsecured networks. 

Likewise, the yearly plan will offer the same functionalities, but you get to pay $79.99 (or $6.66 per month), which is a great option if you’re looking to save some money and are sure you will be using the suite features for a full year. Finally, the lifetime plan, which is usually $399.99, is currently discounted to $199.99, making it great value for users looking to protect their digital assets across various instances. 

Regardless of which plan you go for, you will receive access to the entire bundle of apps, all of which you will have to pick, choose, download, and install if you want to use. Luckily, the process is not that time-consuming, and the setup is straightforward.

VPN Unlimited

Kicking things off with VPN Unlimited, it represents the main pillar of MonoDefense, an app that offers over 3,000 servers worldwide, spanning over 80 countries. Its main job is to give users peace of mind when they’re using the web while in the background, protecting sensitive information and preventing unauthorized access. VPN Unlimited ensures the protection of your privacy by using VPN protocols. It doesn't offer options like PPTP or L2TP; instead, you can choose from WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2.

Moreover, it includes KeepSolid's Wise technology. This innovative feature adds a layer of encryption and obfuscation to the OpenVPN protocol. It may slightly alter the routing of your connection compared to a typical setup. While this might result in a reduction in speeds, it has the advantage of bypassing VPN detection and blocking methods commonly used in countries like China. As a result, you can establish connections from anywhere.

With its zero-logging policy and unlimited bandwidth, VPN Unlimited ensures safety for the end users. For streamers among us, there is the Blogger Mode, which allows obfuscation of IP addresses, prevents IP tracking, and prevents DDoS attacks while streaming. This mode is also great when using public Wi-Fi spots where security may not be top-notch.

Furthermore, it offers additional security features in the form of:

• DNS Firewall - When you activate this feature, the DNS Firewall will automatically block websites preventing access to them. 
• Kill Switch - The kill switch is available on most platforms except for macOS, browser extensions, and Windows Phones. It ensures that your internet connection is automatically disconnected if your VPN connection drops.
• Split tunneling - Currently, VPN Unlimited only supports split tunneling on Android devices, which they refer to as App Exceptions. With this feature, you can select which applications bypass the VPN tunnel and have internet access.

VPN Unlimited is particularly notable among VPN providers because of its dedication to offering a great streaming experience. They understand the importance of having streaming capabilities, which is why they have a special section that highlights servers specifically optimized for popular platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ HBO Now, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Popcornflix, Rai.TV and Sony Crackle. When you choose a platform, VPN Unlimited optimizes your connection and effortlessly connects you to the appropriate server for uninterrupted streaming.

The VPN provides three server locations specifically designed for P2P usage. It works seamlessly with known P2P applications like BitTorrent, uTorrent, and Vuze. Furthermore, it comes with a SOCKS5 proxy that changes your IP address without encryption, leading to faster download speeds. Keep in mind that KeepSolid has been ordered to ban torrenting as it has been accused by film studios to encourage the illegal practice. If you’re using one of the US based servers, you will be banned from visiting torrenting sites. It is safe to assume that the company is offering torrenting reluctantly, which is why the three servers you can use for torrenting are located in Romania, France and Canada. If you’re looking for a VPN specifically for torrenting IPVanish is a much better option. 

VPN Unlimited prides itself on its encryption method, known as AES 256, which is widely recognized as unbreakable. This advanced cipher has earned the trust of the US government ensuring its robustness. Furthermore VPN Unlimited offers a feature called VPN kill switch function. In the event of a connection drop this feature automatically blocks traffic to safeguard your true IP address from being exposed. However, it could further enhance its security by providing its DNS servers instead of relying on Google Public DNS. Although Google Public DNS is still considered efficient and secure, having proprietary DNS servers would be an advantage for VPN Unlimited.

Finally, the user experience was acceptable since the VPN is supported on all major devices (and can be manually configured for routers and NAS) as well as browsers. After the initial installation, users are greeted by a sleek, uncluttered, and modern UI whose main functionalities are just a click or tap away. 

While it does have some drawbacks compared to competitors such as NordVPN, it can still find a niche for itself with users that don’t need advanced features or more than five devices with a single account. All in all, VPN Unlimited gets a passing grade but leaves some things to be desired in the fields of connection speed and stability, P2P features, and more advanced security measures.

Passwarden

KeepSolid Passwarden is among the best password managers out there, with a broad set of features that can be an ideal choice for individuals, families, and businesses. It is by far the best application in the bundle, and while it tends to be expensive when you buy it outside of the bundle, the current lifetime offer of $199.99 for the entire bundle could be a great option if you need the other apps offered alongside it.

As with the VPN, the setup process is straightforward, with the app available on Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, as an extension for popular browsers and even as a web app. Once installed, the setup process is pretty much similar to most password managers: you create a master password, save your recovery key, and import passwords from browsers/tools/CSV files.

Passwarden takes its organizational cue from the Windows Folders filing system and renames it into Vaults. Inside of them, it stores, organizes, and secures all of your data. A Vault can hold account login information, personal information, payment data, and even encrypted notes. Since a single Vault is a separate entity, a neat feature is that you can share a single Vault with family members or co-workers and not expose your entire Passwarden account to them. Furthermore, the password generation feature really stands out. With just one click, it can create difficult-to-crack passwords, and the best part is that you have the option to set parameters such as character length, digits, symbols and upper/lower letters.

Passwarden might not be the obvious choice given the presence of other notable password managers on the market. However, it's apparent that significant time and effort have been invested in its designs resulting in a consistent user experience, across devices. Even the browser extensions look appealing. One slight disappointment is the lack of ability to create custom data types or customize input fields for existing categories. This should not discourage you from using Passwarden if its features appeal to you. It's worth noting that this is a common feature found in competing applications. It's evident that Passwarden primarily caters to consumers since there is a scarcity of business plans. It's surprising that KeepSolid has yet to announce any plans for integrating passkeys into their ecosystem, particularly considering that many competitors have already done so. The increasing trend of third-party access to passkeys in 2023 makes this omission more noticeable.

Passwarden utilizes 256-bit AES encryption to ensure the safety of your data. Your master password remains confidential to you alone, and for added security, you have the option to enable two-factor authentication when logging into your account, though there is no SSO option. Passwarden boasts an additional unique security feature known as duress mode. This allows you to create a separate master password, which can be used if you find yourself compelled to log into your account under duress. When logging in using this password, your Passwarden account will only display a limited selection of vaults that you have designated as non-essential. While it may not be frequently utilized, it provides peace of mind, knowing it's available if ever needed.

The app offers sharing features, making it a suitable choice for teams. However, it may not fully meet the requirements of organizations. If you are seeking password management and SSO capabilities, LastPass for business could be an option to consider. They have various plans available starting at $4 per user per month. Another noteworthy alternative is Bitwarden, which allows businesses to securely store passwords in a location behind a firewall or proxy.

Passwarden ensures customers receive 24/7 support, through email and live chat providing assistance. Moreover, their website includes a FAQ section and a comprehensive collection of manuals for their applications. However, it's worth mentioning that phone support is not available with Passwarden.

Ultimately, Passwarden serves as a password manager that greatly benefits families or small teams. However, for individuals, it may be more challenging to justify its use since there are alternatives that offer comparable or even superior features in certain cases. Nevertheless, if families and teams prioritize bundled solutions with password security measures, Passwarden could still be an option for them.

KeepSolid SmartDNS

DNS technology revolves around the alteration of your Domain Name Server (DNS) to bypass internet censorship. Its purpose is to deceive streaming services into believing that your requests are originating from a location where their content is accessible. This technology offers two distinct advantages in comparison to proxy servers. Firstly, it solely affects the portion of your internet traffic that could potentially reveal your identity (i.e., your DNS queries). Secondly, it does not impact your IP address, thereby eliminating any issues related to IP-based security authentication.

KeepSolid’s SmartDNS allows users to circumvent geo-restrictions easily as well as to stream content on devices that lack built-in VPN support, such as TVs, routers, media players, and gaming consoles. The list of supported devices is quite impressive. Though unlike a VPN, this smart DNS tool doesn't modify your IP address or encrypt your data. It's worth mentioning that this also means it doesn't offer privacy protection or prevent throttling, but it has a neat feature in the form of DNS leak prevention, which should ensure that your DNS requests are secure and private.

The setup process itself is fairly simple. Registration takes a few minutes, or you can simply use the KeepSolid ID if you’ve created it for one of the other apps from the bundle. After that, you will be all set to use the DNS on an unlimited number of devices. Speed-wise, it did well, though more distant servers experienced a drop off in transfer speeds, despite the company claiming that it is the fastest DNS on the market.  

The user interface, in general, is pretty straightforward, but its simplicity really shines on mobile phones, where you can connect to a dedicated location with a single swipe. Another commendable aspect is that there are no advertisements, which some competing solutions have implemented despite you actually paying for the solution. 

If you are unsure about the service, the app offers a 7-day free trial, which we would encourage you to try. During that time, you can test out your desired regions and see if the speeds match what the company is advertising and your needs as well. We feel that trying it out outside the bundle will give you the best approach to properly value the app as a standalone solution. In the bundle itself, it neatly hides behind the powerful functions of the VPN and nicely complements what it has to offer. Without the bundle, it would be difficult to recommend the service as there are better alternatives at a similar price point that combine advanced security features, which are simply a must for a modern DNS solution.

KeepSolid DNS Firewall

The KeepSolid DNS Firewall provides a solution to protect users of KeepSolid VPN Unlimited from online threats. Along with defending against DNS attacks, it allows users to customize their settings by blocking domains. For KeepSolid VPN Unlimited users, using the DNS Firewall is a simple process. If you haven't installed the app yet, you can download it for your device's operating system using the company website. To access the subscribed features, you'll need to create an account or use the one you created for the other apps from the bundle.

When it comes to blocking websites, the KeepSolid DNS Firewall performs well. The option to block websites based on categories is particularly user-friendly for those who are not very tech-savvy. Parents can also take advantage of this feature to prevent their children from accessing content when using the VPN. You have the option to prevent access to certain content by utilizing a pre-determined selection of content categories, or you can establish your own customized list of restricted content for specific domains. This can be done by either creating a blacklist or a whitelist. 

While the Firewall boasts phishing protection, accessing some known phishing sites was not blocked. We tried with additional settings and still managed to access the sites, though our browser alerted us that we might be potentially visiting a phishing site. Of course, this can be easily resolved by creating a list of sites you wish the Firewall to block access to, though we would argue that the app should do it on its own. After all, we are paying for protection, and we should not have to manually add phishing sites and hold the app's hand through this process.

Performance-wise, you will be enjoying fast, reliable DNS resolution with minimal impact on browsing speeds. In our experience, we did not see any significant slowdowns while performing bandwidth-heavy tasks such as 4K video streaming or online gaming. If you’re getting the app in the bundle, you will have to configure the VPN solution initially to make use of the full functionality of the Firewall. We would recommend setting up the VPN initially, followed by the DNS app and, finally, the Firewall, if you’re setting up the entire bundle all at once. 

If you’re looking at the DNS Firewall as a separate solution, be prepared to pay $1.99 per month, $9.99 a year, or $99.99 for a lifetime deal. As a bundle, obviously, you get the best deal, but it is worth mentioning that KeepSolid’s Firewall solution is not as expensive as a standalone solution. If you have a need to just have a firewall solution, then getting an annual subscription might be your best value for money.  

Access to great documentation for all of their solution makes running the apps fairly simple, but if you do get stuck, there is an option for email support. While we would appreciate phone or live chat options, email doesn’t seem like a bad option, seeing that users online haven’t had issues getting their complaints resolved via email. 

All in all, DNS Firewall is a passable protection solution, thanks to its real-time monitoring features, which will flag most intrusion attempts, but be mindful of phishing websites. You can easily create your own list of blacklisted known phishing websites if you’re not satisfied with their detection out of the box. As part of the bundle, it complements other solutions nicely, as a standalone app, it is on the cheaper side, and for that reason alone, it can be recommended, despite lacking some premium features offered by industry-leading solutions.

Authenticator

Depending only on a password is no longer enough as hackers are becoming more sophisticated. Therefore, it has become commonplace to include security measures, like two-factor authentication, into your arsenal. A great example of this is the Authenticator app, which regularly changes its code similar to a bank token. This dynamic feature of the app makes it highly difficult for unauthorized individuals to gain access to your account without permission.

MonoDefense offers its version of the Authenticator app, with an uninventive name “Authenticator” by KeepSolid. It is free and available only for iOS and Android, making its addition to the bundle more of a marketing ploy to make the package look complete.  

Once you install the app itself, adding 2FA to your account and linking it with the MonoDefense Authenticator is pretty simple. You tap on the plus sign and follow the prompts on the phone and the website you’re trying to activate 2FA on. You can also pair services by scanning a QR code.

For those looking to get the bundle, a neat feature in the mobile app itself is a link to getting all other apps installed on your phone, so you don’t have to search for them in the app store. Moreover, the app offers a biometrics setup so you can unlock the Authenticator using your face or fingerprint. To round things out, you can also export or import your settings into the app and use the app as a widget on your phone.

All of the onboarding (read, help) will redirect you to KeepSolid’s website, which is dedicated to the Authenticator FAQ. Through the app, you will also have the ability to reach out to the support team, but if you have ever used an Authenticator app, there is actually little to no reason to reach out or reach for an FAQ, the entire process is quite simple.

In the end, would we recommend you use KeepSolid’s Authenticator to replace your existing one? Not really. If you already have an authenticator app, there is almost no reason to switch to KeepSolid unless you want to have the bundle completed and you want to use one brand for all of your security features. Note most Authenticators are free anyway.

Final verdict

MonoDefense is a cybersecurity solution that offers users a range of tools to safeguard their online activities. Its password manager allows users to securely store and manage all their passwords in one location, ensuring unique credentials for every account. With the VPN feature, users can browse the internet anonymously. With security protecting their sensitive data from prying eyes. Adding a layer of protection, the DNS firewall actively blocks websites and helps prevent malware infections. Additionally, the smart DNS service enables users to access geo-restricted content by bypassing limitations. While MonoDefense may not include antivirus scanning capabilities or additional features such as controls or system optimization tools, it truly excels in its core functionalities – providing effective cybersecurity solutions for both individuals and businesses alike.

It is by no means a perfect solution since each app it offers in its bundle has certain elements that need improving, though it is hard to fault the lifetime plan when it is on sale for $199.99. Sure, there is the marketing trick of including a free app in the bundle, but if we disregard that, it can still be considered good value for money. Especially if you’re a small business that doesn’t have a techy savvy person, but you need online security tools that are easy to manage, are affordable, and offer a single design philosophy behind each app.

In our experience, the best app in the bundle is Passwarden. It is clear that a lot of thought has been put into the app. It also has its drawbacks, as it lacks some features that are common among competitors, but it does offer a full, feature-packed app that can offer tremendous value for families or teams that juggle multiple log-ins and a lot of sensitive information. VPN Unlimited is also a solid choice, it does the basics pretty well, stumbles through some advanced features, and flat-out misses premium features offered by the likes of NordVPN.

With all of that being said, we would give MonoDefense Cybersecurity Suite a passable grade, especially if you’re getting the lifetime bundle deal at a discount. For a single user, there are better options in the market, some free, some premium, that can compete with MonoDefense solutions on the price, but beat it out on almost all other aspects.

The need for robust digital security has never been more urgent. Identity theft, data breaches, phishing scams, malware, and privacy invasions are not just abstract concepts; they are tangible risks that can lead to significant financial loss, emotional distress, and long-term damage to one's reputation.

For families, the stakes are even higher, as protecting children from online predators, cyberbullying, and inappropriate content becomes a paramount concern. Without adequate protection, sensitive personal information, from financial details and health records to social security numbers and even children's identities, can become vulnerable targets for cybercriminals.

This is where comprehensive digital security solutions like Aura Digital Security come into play. Aura aims to simplify safeguarding your digital footprint by offering an all-in-one approach to online protection.

This introduction sets the stage for a deeper dive into Aura Digital Security, exploring its features, benefits, and how it stands as a potential bulwark against the ever-evolving threats lurking in the digital world.

As we navigate the complexities of modern online life, understanding and implementing effective digital security measures is no longer optional—it's an absolute necessity for peace of mind and the preservation of personal data.

Aura distinguishes itself by providing a comprehensive package for identity protection and online security across all its plans. Its plans are flexible to cater to different household sizes, including individuals, couples, and families. The family plan is a great option for households with children, as it covers up to five adults and an unlimited number of children. Price-wise, the plans range from $12 per month with annual billing to $50 per month with the monthly payment option and the highest plan.

Aura's dedication to safeguarding your personal information, irrespective of whether you're an individual, a couple, or a family, positions them as a prominent player in the discussion surrounding identity theft protection. Offering $1 million insurance and 24/7 customer support across all plans, Aura's unwavering commitment to protecting customers from cybercrime makes them a reliable partner. The company's recent update to its software and offering suite presents an opportunity for a comprehensive review. Throughout this review, we will explore every aspect Aura offers and evaluate its suitability as the ideal digital security system for you and your family.

Aura: Plans and pricing

Aura offers competitive pricing across its family, individual, and couple plans. Choosing an annual contract over a month-to-month contract results in substantial savings. Customers can take advantage of the 14-day free trial to determine the value of the plans. Furthermore, all pricing options offered by Aura are competitive within the industry.

The Individual and Couple plans offer similar coverage in terms of features. Consider the Individual plan's features and multiply them by two for the Couple plan. The Family plan, however, provides the most value. It extends coverage to a maximum of five adults, each enjoying all the Individual plan features.

Uniquely, the Family plan includes child SSN monitoring to safeguard any children in the household. This protection extends to an unlimited number of children as long as they reside with you.

Additionally, the family plan offers exclusive digital safety features that are unavailable in individual or couple plans. These features cater specifically to families. For example, parental control software allows parents to monitor and manage their children's internet usage and devices. Furthermore, the Aura app incorporates vital protection against cyberbullying and online predators, which is crucial in today's digital landscape.

Now, let's take a closer look at each subscription plan.

In terms of pricing, Aura's family plan exceeds the industry average. However, it provides more features than a standard family identity protection plan. If you don't require all of the additional features, you may want to consider Identity Guard's family coverage. Identity Guard offers a leaner, more affordable option that aims to protect as many family members as Aura, but with a reduced set of features.

When comparing the pricing of Aura to platform suites that offer 10 license subscriptions, Aura is situated at the higher end in terms of cost. Trend Micro, F-Secure, and McAfee offer subscriptions for a lower price, ranging from five to twenty dollars less, while Norton 360 with LifeLock, which also includes identity protection like Aura, is priced at $99.99 for 10 licenses. Panda Dome Premium, on the other hand, charges $75 annually.

During the sign-up process for Aura, you'll provide your payment details. Auto-charging will occur either monthly or annually, based on your selected payment option. If you don't cancel auto-renewal before the renewal date, you'll be charged for the next billing period. This applies even if you opted for the 14-day trial period. To avoid charges, cancel your subscription before the trial period ends if you don't intend to continue using Aura.

Canceling Aura can be done effortlessly either online or by contacting customer support. To cancel online, navigate to the "Membership" section by clicking on the "Gear" icon. Approximately in the center of the subsequent page, you'll find the "Cancel Membership" button. At this point, you'll be presented with a customer service phone number or the option to continue canceling online. Follow the prompts online, and your subscription will be terminated without hassle. However, some users have reported continued charges after cancellation. While we can't verify this claim, it's wise to keep copies of cancellation confirmation emails and monitor your credit card statements for any suspicious charges. Given customer support's prompt response, any misunderstandings should be resolved swiftly through proper communication.

To begin your Aura journey, select a plan that suits your needs and click 'Start Free Trial.' You'll be prompted to enter your email address. Next, we'll need some basic personal information to create your account. Please provide your full name, home address, phone number, date of birth, and social security number. Ensure accuracy, as this information will be used to generate personalized results.

Confirm your chosen pricing plan and proceed to payment using your credit card or PayPal. A verification code will be sent to your email. Enter it into the designated field to continue.

Next, initiate the Aura setup scan, which begins with a dark web check. Afterward, activate privacy protection. Once enabled, complete the safety checklist by turning on credit, financial, and identity protection services. Upon finishing the setup, Aura will inform you about what's being monitored, and you're ready to explore the platform.

Features

In terms of identity protection, credit monitoring plays a crucial role. Malicious actors can exploit your Social Security number and credit history for nefarious purposes, often without your knowledge until it's too late. Aura Credit Monitoring offers a comprehensive solution that combines primary identity protection and secondary credit monitoring. This service empowers users to conveniently lock their credit directly from the Aura dashboard without contacting Experian.

To access your credit report, simply click on "Me" at the top of the homepage and navigate to the "Credit" section. Here, you'll find the "Report" icon, which will lead you to your detailed credit report. The solution monitors all three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax), ensuring the most accurate and prompt alerts if someone attempts to open a new credit card or bank account in your name or uses your credit card for a loan.

Aura simplifies credit management by offering a credit lock feature with Experian and a credit score tracker to enhance your credit profile. Under the "Credit" section, you can freeze your credit at all three credit bureaus, and if you apply for credit, you can "unfreeze" it from the same section.

Additionally, Aura provides a detailed graph of your credit score, explaining the factors that influence it. It offers suggestions for improving your score, such as reducing balances and resolving identified issues.

The central control panel allows you to monitor your credit score, track sensitive information online, and access tools to protect against identity theft, including links to credit bureaus and child credit safeguarding tools.

Aura Credit Monitoring also helps prevent child identity theft by guiding users through the process of freezing their child's credit until they reach adulthood, protecting their credit scores from potential damage.

Aura distinguishes itself from other credit reporting companies by offering free annual credit reports. Unlike many competitors, Aura doesn't provide the option to purchase credit reports from any of the three major credit bureaus. However, Aura's services extend beyond credit monitoring. It also enables users to monitor their investment and bank accounts. You can conveniently set transaction limits for monitoring, ensuring you're not overwhelmed with unnecessary alerts.

With Aura's monitoring feature, you can safeguard your financial accounts, including checking, savings, retirement, and credit cards, from fraudulent activities. Set parameters for account monitoring to promptly address any unauthorized transactions. Simply enter the information of the accounts you want to track by clicking on "Me" and selecting "Transactions." To add more accounts, click "Add More" and enter their details.

Aura partners with Plaid to verify your accounts. Log into your account through Plaid to complete the verification process. Once verified, Aura employs Transaction Monitoring methods to closely monitor your transactions for suspicious activities like large purchases, cash withdrawals, and balance transfers. It's important to note that Aura doesn't block these transactions but sends you notifications whenever they occur. You can set a threshold amount to trigger transaction alerts.

Additionally, Aura provides notifications if any of your personal details, such as your Social Security number, are compromised or at risk.

In case of identity theft, Aura provides insurance coverage up to $1 million to assist individuals with the associated costs. This coverage amount has become an industry standard, and Aura adheres to it. The insurance policy helps users cover costs related to lost wages while attempting to reclaim their identity, qualified stolen funds across multiple accounts, and expenses for professional services such as accountants or private investigators.

It's important to note that Aura will not provide a lump sum of $1 million to address all issues. Instead, individuals can seek reimbursement for incurred costs upon providing proof of their losses. The reimbursement amount will be equivalent to the documented losses or costs.

Aura offers a 24/7 customer service team for assistance in situations involving suspected identity theft or additional inquiries. If identity theft occurs, Aura deploys its White Glove Fraud Resolution team based in the United States. This team collaborates with the affected customer to develop a plan for restoring their identity and resolving the issues.

To file a claim against Aura's $1 million insurance policy, individuals can visit the "Benefits" section by clicking on the "Gear" icon and selecting "$1M Identity Theft Insurance."

The Family plan extends protection to your children's Social Security numbers through basic monitoring. Aura's impressive dark web monitoring goes beyond online searches. It can automatically change your passwords using its built-in password manager if it detects security breaches, all with a simple click. Additionally, it safeguards against tax refund fraud.

Beyond credit and identity monitoring, Aura keeps tabs on data brokers, junk mail providers, and spam providers. It can even request the removal of your data from these sources. For added security, the Safe Browsing extension allows you to browse the web without leaving a digital trace.

Aura's alerts keep users informed about identified issues. These alerts match what the user entered into the ID theft protection software, encouraging thorough and detailed input for optimal results. Alerts are categorized for quick overviews and protection tips. Urgent notification delivery options, such as email, SMS, and others, can be set up under "Alert Preferences" in the upper right corner via the gear icon.

Aura's alerts include those related to its requests to Data Brokers on the user's behalf. These entities gather and profit from personal data, often leading to spam messages after sharing email addresses across various sites. Data removal from Data Brokers depends on their jurisdiction and data laws. Aura simplifies this process, making it easier for users to locate and remove their data. To monitor progress, visit the "Vault" and select the "Data Broker Removal" section.

Additionally, Aura regularly reminds Data Brokers to remove the user's data if it's collected again through automated site scrapers or scripts. This proactive approach ensures ongoing protection for the user's personal information.

Aura provides ongoing monitoring of your home and personal property, such as vehicles, to detect any changes that could indicate potential illegal activities. It automatically gathers information about all properties you've owned in the last 20 years by searching through public records. The tracked property details include names on the property deed, lienholders, the official address, tax assessments, and assessed value. While you can access information about loans related to properties you've owned, loans taken out after selling a property won't be visible.

Aura's public records tracking can identify fraudulent activities if someone steals your identity and opens home loans using your property's value. It is essential to review this information regularly to spot irregularities that might indicate attempted identity theft.

To access these documents, select the "Vault" tab on the page's top section. Then, choose "Home and Property" from the menu. Additionally, if you own various property types, such as motor vehicles, they may also be listed on the Home and Property page. You can view a comprehensive record of all cars registered in your name over the past two decades, including their Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs).

Aura also monitors the sex offender registry and alerts you of any changes concerning your home address. This means you'll be notified if a known sex offender moves into your neighborhood.

For secure document storage, Aura's Vault offers a convenient solution. Simply scan or photograph your documents and upload them to the encrypted vault. A search function helps you quickly locate files. Consider storing important documents like living wills, last wills, testaments, powers of attorney, court documents, and proof of purchase.

The Vault's Personal Data section provides a secure space for identity and health-related information. Save items such as birth certificates, driver's licenses, email addresses, phone numbers, gamertags, passports, Social Security numbers, and health insurance cards. Aura also monitors the internet for any compromises or misuse of this information.

To access or add items, click the 'Vault' tab, then select 'Personal Data.' Modify existing data or add new items using the plus sign icon. The search bar helps you navigate your stored documents.

With Aura's lost wallet protection feature, you can quickly cancel credit cards and restore access to crucial documents stored in your wallet by utilizing your stored information. In case of a lost wallet, navigate to the "Benefits" section by clicking the "Gear" icon and select the "Lost Wallet Remediation" box. Aura's customer service phone number will be provided, offering assistance in managing the situation. Additionally, a list of recommended steps is available for your convenience. Remember, filing a police report is essential for recovering a lost or stolen wallet as it serves as a vital resource for identity theft claims.

Furthermore, Aura's Call Assistant app, available for smartphones, uses AI to identify and filter spam calls and text messages. It effectively blocks vishing attacks and allows you to listen to transcribed voice messages before answering unfamiliar calls. This prevents you from missing important appointments or deliveries.

The Call Assistant is designed to filter out deceptive calls and serve as a gatekeeper, ensuring you focus on legitimate calls. It identifies spam and scam calls, including those related to deliveries and appointments.

Aura's call protection features go beyond the Call Assistant. It uses layered screening to protect against calls and expensive phone scams. The SMS protection feature filters out unwanted texts and directs them to a junk folder. Additionally, Aura verifies links in text messages for malware or phishing threats.

To access the app, scan the QR code provided in the 'Me' section of your Aura account on your smartphone. If you're on an individual or couple plan, you may need to contact customer service for activation.

Aura's parental control app offers a comprehensive suite of features to keep children safe online while providing parents with peace of mind and control over their children's digital experiences. A key to this is Aura's parental control app, widely regarded as one of the best in its class for ensuring children's safety and well-being. The app's design prioritizes quick setup and ease of use. To get started, simply scan a QR code on each device and specify your child's age, as the app is legally permitted to work only with children under 18.

With the app, parents gain comprehensive control over device usage within their household. The screen time analytics feature allows parents to track and limit family members' screen time, effectively reducing phone usage and distractions. Additionally, the app offers impressive alerts that notify parents of instances of cyberbullying or dangerous encounters in gaming.

The secure gaming features are powered by Kidas, a startup with which Aura has a strategic partnership. The Circle technology, an award-winning solution, serves as the foundation of the parental control app, preventing children from accessing objectionable content and providing valuable insights for parents. This feature sets Aura apart from many other ID protection solutions on the market.

For added family security, the app includes identity theft protection and a vault for securely storing and sharing confidential documents. Furthermore, parents can customize restrictions or block over 100 apps, games, and websites through the child or teen filter.

One of the standout features of this parental control app is the ability to tailor restrictions to your child's specific needs. You can block inappropriate news sites, influencers on YouTube, and more. These restrictions are pre-defined based on your child's age, but you can further customize them. If your child attempts to access blocked apps or websites, you'll receive a notification in the "Blocked Activity" feed on your phone. Additionally, you can allow your child to access certain content for a limited time. After the time expires, the content will be automatically blocked.

It's important to understand that most streaming apps don't permit control at the app level, so a movie downloaded in full will remain accessible for your child to watch until it finishes. However, any further activity on that streaming app will be blocked at the network level.

While some critics have highlighted the lack of live tracking in Aura's parental control app, the developers are working on adding this feature. In the meantime, the option to pause the internet can act as a partial substitute for live tracking. With the family plan covering unlimited children, this app provides great value for large households.
Aura has added a new Dynamic Dashboard feature to its parental control app. This feature highlights important information, allowing parents to quickly see all blocked apps and sites in chronological order from the main screen.

Additionally, parents can now preview the app's functions before installing it on their protected devices. This preview helps parents better understand the app's features and make informed decisions about its use.

Finally, the latest update includes enhancements to the already useful content filtering options. These tweaks make the content filtering options a one-stop shop for quick and easy content tailoring, ensuring that children are protected from inappropriate content online.

Once you've protected your identity, documents, and funds, and are monitoring relevant information through Aura, the next step is to secure your Aura account. To enhance the protection of your "source of truth," you have the option to activate two-factor authentication (2FA) on your account.

This step is crucial because it provides an additional layer of security, especially if you have a habit of saving passwords in your browser. This practice can make your account vulnerable if someone else uses your computer and the login credentials automatically populate. Moreover, if your password is compromised, without 2FA, you could be locked out of your account.

You will be prompted to set up 2FA when you initially sign up for Aura's services. If you choose to do it later, here's how: Click the "Gear" icon, navigate to "Account Details," scroll to the bottom, and click "Enable" next to the 2FA option. Follow the simple on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

Interface and in use

Aura is a stunning example of contemporary design, striking a balance between aesthetics and functionality, although it still leaves room for enhancement. One of the most critical aspects that could elevate the user experience is the visibility of alerts at the heart of the service. Unfortunately, these vital notifications are tucked away in a menu, requiring extra clicks to uncover their valuable insights. This obscurity undermines their urgency and overall effectiveness. Imagine transforming the innocuous "Passwords" widget into a prominent alerts display, offering users an immediate glimpse into their most pressing security concerns. Additionally, the home screen misses an opportunity by not prominently featuring dark web monitoring, an essential service that deserves to be front and center in addressing users' security anxieties.

While these observations may stem from individual preferences, the lack of customization options in Aura could certainly be regarded as a limitation. Allowing users the freedom to curate their home screen—selecting the widgets that matter most to them—would greatly enhance both usability and overall satisfaction. Nevertheless, Aura's interface still shines brightly compared to its competitors, demonstrating a commendable commitment to quality.

Recently, Aura underwent a significant design overhaul, resulting in an improved and remarkably streamlined user experience. The new layout reduces the frustration of navigating through a maze of menus, providing direct access to a curated list of alerts from a dedicated section. This makes it easier for users to keep their finger on the pulse of their personal security. Moreover, the web admin interface impressively distills complex information into concise summaries, along with tailored recommendations to bolster protection. Navigating the app becomes a breeze as users become familiar with the intuitive menu structure.

At its core, Aura's popularity can be traced to its exceptional identity theft protection services, which are the main attraction for many subscribers. While features such as a VPN and dark web monitoring are presented as valuable additions, their effectiveness largely hinges on individual user preferences. Tech enthusiasts, in particular, might find themselves yearning for a more modular home screen that allows for bespoke widget placements, enabling them to craft their ideal app experience. However, it’s vital to appreciate that users come with varying priorities, and Aura may very well strike a chord with those who prioritize identity protection above all else.

For users seeking assistance, Aura features a dedicated "Get Help" link conveniently positioned in the upper right corner of the interface. This resource provides thorough guidance on navigating and leveraging specific functionalities, ensuring that help is always just a click away.

In our performance evaluation, we sampled Aura on both Chrome and Edge browsers, and we were delighted to experience a smooth and uninterrupted interface devoid of lags or glitches. Given the shared architecture of these browsers, we anticipate that Aura will deliver a similarly stellar experience on other popular platforms like Firefox and Opera.

A standout feature of Aura is its automatic logout mechanism, which activates after a brief period of inactivity. This is particularly advantageous for users like us, who often juggle multiple tabs and might inadvertently leave sensitive sessions exposed.

The desktop application encompassing Aura's Antivirus, VPN, and Safe Gaming functionalities will be explored in greater detail in subsequent sections. In terms of design, the application embodies modern design principles with a polished, intuitive layout. The left sidebar features a clear rail menu with easily recognizable icons, guiding users through the app’s myriad functionalities effortlessly. Central to this interface are the key features, such as toggling the antivirus on and off and initiating device scans, which are prominently displayed for user convenience. While the application strives for consistency across both Windows and Mac platforms, it is worth noting that the Mac version does lack certain features, which we will elaborate on in later discussions. Ultimately, Aura's unwavering dedication to providing an exceptional user experience and sleek interface solidify its position as a formidable player in the identity protection market.

Antivirus

To enhance online security, Aura provides various services, including antivirus software, VPN, and password management. The antivirus component offers robust malware detection capabilities, with industry experts suggesting that Aura licenses Avira's software for file scanning. However, information indicates that Aura has shifted to an internal solution, although a previous third-party solution was used (unspecified).

Aura's malware scanner performs on par with competitors, allowing for on-demand scans and real-time malware detection. Users can choose between Quick, Full, or Custom scans, but there's no option for scan scheduling or logs.

A unique feature of Aura's solution is the Smart Network feature. Leveraging AI, it aims to identify and block emerging threats. This feature goes beyond basic blocking by referencing known risky site lists. However, there's a machine learning aspect to the list. Aura's model analyzes browsing habits, searching for signs of phishing or malware on websites. This analysis is then scored, and the list is updated with newly detected sites. This implies that Aura potentially retrieves and updates the list based on publicly available information shared by other antivirus providers.

Moreover, Aura claims that its protection operates at the network level to provide greater coverage and accuracy. This approach helps safeguard users from risky domains before they become widely known as potential threats.

Aura's antivirus software lacks scores from Independent Antivirus Labs, which is generally not a positive indication. In terms of isolating a prepared set of viruses, Aura exhibited mediocre performance, trailing behind well-established competitors in the market. As best as we can tell, Aura has not undergone testing by an independent antivirus lab, so we still await more public results regarding some objective scoring of their proprietary AV engine.

In terms of the software's user interface, Aura presents an underwhelming experience. The interface consists of a plain white screen accompanied by a rail menu on the left side. This menu provides access to settings, the home screen, and various scan options. When a scan is initiated, a scan progress window is displayed, indicating the percentage of completion. However, this percentage can sometimes be misleading. In certain instances, the progress bar may remain stuck at a particular percentage point for several seconds before suddenly jumping to completion. In other cases, it functions as expected. It is unclear whether this behavior is a bug or an intended feature of the scan progress window.

Additionally, using Aura's antivirus on a Mac can lead to a disappointing user interface (UI) experience. Some essential icons and settings, such as the "Auto-scan" option, appear to be missing. This limits users to performing only Quick or Custom scans, depriving them of real-time protection. Frequent crashes may also occur, leading to the need to relaunch the app or even being thrown out of it altogether. It's possible that these issues are specific to our Mac instance, and other users may have a different experience. Nonetheless, the overall impression of Aura's antivirus on a Mac is not particularly remarkable.

Aura provides a comprehensive security solution for mobile devices. For Android, it offers a single app that combines an identity and privacy manager with an antivirus scanner. The main screen features a magnifying glass icon for initiating scans, and the bottom section showcases secure apps installed on the phone. The "Gear" icon in the upper right corner leads to a simple settings page, where users can enable Safe Browsing in Google Chrome and view a list of ignored threats.

Unlike most Android security products, Aura lacks anti-theft features. However, it does include essential security capabilities like antivirus protection, app privacy analysis, device configuration checks, and SIM card change notifications.

For iOS devices, Aura does not offer dedicated antivirus features due to the platform's robust built-in security measures. Instead, the Aura app focuses on providing a VPN, password manager, and other security components.

Aura's Android antivirus solution stands out for its simplicity, while its iOS app offers a range of security features to protect user data and privacy.

When it comes to defending against phishing scams, Aura utilizes Safe Browsing through a web extension. This feature empowers users to navigate the web confidently by automatically blocking malicious websites or phishing attempts aimed at stealing personal and financial data. Moreover, if a user attempts to access a potentially harmful website, Aura promptly intervenes, preventing access and providing a detailed explanation as to why the site was flagged as potentially malicious. It is important to note that Aura primarily relies on a blacklist approach, similar to most antivirus solutions.

VPN

Aura includes a VPN in its suite. The settings are in the Online Security panel, with industry experts claiming that Aura licensed Hotspot Shield VPN for their VPN needs, but there is no confirmation or denial by either party on this.

The Online Security feature can only be turned on or off. There is no option to manually select a server; instead, the fastest, closest to you in the US will be assigned. Split tunneling, which allows certain traffic to bypass the encrypted VPN connection, is not available. We experienced a speed slowdown of 2-5%, depending on the time of day, which is similar to other dedicated VPN services.

The Online Security page provides details on the location of the server used and the security level of your internet connection. Although you can configure Aura to automatically activate Online Security when connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi networks, this feature may not be practical. For comprehensive protection against websites and online fraud, it's generally advisable to keep Online Security enabled at all times. However, it's crucial to remember that certain activities, such as accessing websites, streaming content, or playing games, may not be compatible with a VPN connection and could result in losing protection.

With Aura's Online Security feature, your internet activities are shielded from prying eyes, and your IP address stays concealed, enhancing your anonymity. However, if you're an experienced user seeking a comprehensive VPN solution, Aura's offerings may fall short of your expectations. Additionally, if streaming or bypassing geo-restrictions is your goal, Aura isn't the best choice; consider alternatives like NordVPN. Furthermore, using Aura's VPN for P2P sharing carries the risk of being blocked by your ISP due to the lack of a kill switch function in Aura's solution.

The Online Security VPN feature for mobile phones is integrated into the main Aura app and works like other platforms by blocking harmful and deceptive websites. However, on iOS, it doesn't filter out malicious sites that use a secure HTTPS connection, a tactic often used by phishing sites.

Password manager

Aura's password manager is accessible through the My Aura online console, and if you delay installation, you'll receive reminders. It's available as a browser extension for major browsers and an iOS/Android app. Your Aura sign-up password (master password) will also be the master password for the password manager. To ensure security, use a long, strong password.

When using the app on a mobile device, enabling fingerprint logon can be beneficial as the app frequently times out sessions, necessitating password re-entry. After activating the password manager, you'll be prompted to create your initial saved password, a simple process. We recommend utilizing the browser extension to capture your other passwords as it's more efficient than manual entry. Occasionally, the extension may miss new credentials for storage, but this was uncommon during testing, possibly due to multiple browser tabs being open.

When it comes to password managers, simplicity is paramount, similar to antivirus and VPN services. However, this simplicity may not be universally advantageous. Unlike other password managers on the market, this one lacks the ability to organize saved passwords using tags or custom folders. On the other hand, keeping the auto-save feature enabled makes sense, as the only required action is for the credentials to be stored.

The recent password manager update and its integration with the Vault functionality now provide automated auto-filling options. Previously, filling in credentials was not automated, requiring users to manually copy and paste them from the password vault. This manual process is now obsolete, aligning with modern password management best practices. Additionally, with a single click, users can change their passwords on a large scale if Vault detects that their passwords are exposed on the dark web, enhancing security and convenience.

This one-click solution offers significant benefits. Users would typically need to search the dark web for breached credentials, manually update each compromised account, and repeat this for every account and username/password combination. With Aura, you're alerted to breaches and can easily update all credentials with a single click. The Vault automatically updates your new credentials for auto-filling across websites.

Customer support

Aura's enhanced presentation has significantly improved their exceptional customer service. Now, customers can easily access support through various channels on almost every screen. The company offers 24/7 phone support, email, and live chat options, ensuring prompt resolution of queries. Live chat, a recently introduced feature, is handled by a chatbot during non-US working hours, efficiently addressing basic inquiries. This comprehensive customer support framework ensures quick and convenient assistance whenever needed.

While some users expressed dissatisfaction with Aura's limited chat support during US business hours, it is worth noting that most providers don't even offer a live chat option. This aspect sets Aura apart for its innovative approach to customer support. In contrast, Aura's 24/7 phone support is exceptional. You won't encounter long wait times or be transferred between multiple departments to resolve your issue. Based on our experience, the call agents were knowledgeable, approachable, and helpful, making this our preferred support option when dealing with Aura-related issues.

Undoubtedly, "self-help" resources are available in the form of detailed documents and comprehensive articles. These resources are conveniently accessible by clicking on the "Get Help" link located at the top right corner of most screens. We were pleasantly surprised by the extensive collection of articles and documents under the help section, addressing a wide range of potential scenarios and functionalities. Additionally, Aura's blog on the "Digital Security 101" page provides helpful topics to assist users in staying protected both online and offline.

Firstly, the volume of emails received from Aura has notably decreased, which we believe is beneficial. Previously, most emails were marketing-oriented, with limited practical content. However, the current emails from Aura are more relevant and valuable. It's important to note that when you cancel your Aura subscription, their marketing team may intensify their efforts, leading to an increase in marketing emails aiming to persuade you to return. This approach is commonly observed in various niches and can be attributed to effective customer support, as they seek to understand the reasons for cancellation and identify areas for improvement.

Competition

Aura Digital Security functions as an all-inclusive solution for digital security and identity theft protection, while the market delivers multiple effective competitors that target different aspects of protection. Consumer preference for competitors depends on their ability to match features that include credit monitoring, dark web surveillance, identity restoration services, and bundled cybersecurity tools.

The market features LifeLock as its main alternative under the Norton 360 brand umbrella. The identity protection market recognizes LifeLock as a prominent service that provides strong monitoring capabilities through the dark web, home title, social media tracking, and extensive identity theft insurance coverage. Norton's antivirus software, VPN, and other cybersecurity tools are integrated into most of LifeLock's plans, creating a complete digital security suite. Some users report that LifeLock maintains a solid brand reputation, but they experience higher costs following initial promotional periods, and the company's customer support operates outside of the United States.

Identity Guard is a solid competitor because of its easy-to-use interface and budget-friendly pricing. Identity Guard delivers an extensive suite of features through its monitoring services, which include data breach alerts, dark web protection, and identity theft coverage of up to $1 million in all its subscription plans. The password manager function and several plan choices make Identity Guard suitable for users who want identity theft protection at affordable prices. Identity theft protection users find Identity Guard an excellent choice since it delivers top-quality protection without the high price points of rival services.

IDShield distinguishes itself through its focus on identity restoration services. It provides victims with licensed private investigators for identity fraud recovery. IDShield delivers a complete security package through its monitoring features, ample identity theft insurance coverage, and integrated VPN and password manager. The company provides economical pricing plans, making it an attractive choice for those who want extensive identity theft recovery assistance.

IdentityIQ has gained popularity among other notable alternatives because of its inexpensive first plans and strong capabilities for monitoring identities and applications. IdentityForce provides users with advanced fraud monitoring capabilities, credit protection, medical fraud detection, and personal identity safety scoring features. Individuals who want cybersecurity with identity protection as an optional feature should evaluate Bitdefender Ultimate Security or McAfee+ because they provide comprehensive antivirus and VPN security alongside identity monitoring features. Experian IdentityWorks provides complete credit monitoring alongside identity theft protection through its free basic plan, but users must subscribe to paid plans for full access to features. Aura users should choose their alternative based on personal requirements, financial situation, and their preferred combination of identity protection features with credit monitoring services and digital security tools.

Final verdict

Aura has successfully reorganized and improved its services, establishing itself as one of the leading identity theft protection providers. It offers essential features, including $1 million in insurance coverage to help manage the financial burden of identity restoration. Aura makes identity protection simpler through both basic and advanced features, facilitating the safeguarding of personal information.

In partnership with Experian, Aura provides a credit lock feature that streamlines the process of securing and unlocking your credit. It also includes a credit score tracker to help you monitor your score over time. The updated platform features a graph displaying your credit score and offers personalized suggestions for improvement. The central control panel enables you to keep track of your credit score, access tools to protect against identity theft, and safeguard your children’s credit as well.

Additionally, Aura allows you to monitor your bank and investment accounts, set transaction limits for extra oversight, and actively protect your accounts from fraudulent activities. It vigilantly monitors the web for potential security breaches, automatically changes passwords for enhanced security, and effectively combats tax refund fraud.

Aura's proactive monitoring extends beyond personal information, covering data brokers, junk mail sources, and spam providers. At your request, Aura can assist you in removing your data from these entities. To keep you informed, Aura provides comprehensive alerts that give you insights into your activities and tips for remaining protected. Notifications can be received via email or SMS, based on your preferences. Furthermore, Aura offers a Safe Browsing extension that enhances your online browsing security. Aura Credit Monitoring delivers a holistic package that protects your identity across multiple channels.

Aura's pricing structure includes three tiers: individual, couples, and family. The individual tier is the most affordable, while the couples and family tiers come with higher costs but offer extensive data tracking and unlimited coverage for children, making them an excellent value for larger families.

The well-structured features and pricing tiers position Aura as a compelling choice for those seeking identity theft protection. Recent design updates have made accessing necessary information more convenient, requiring only a few clicks.

While Aura's primary focus is on identity theft, additional features may require a bit more navigation. Nevertheless, the intuitive interface and organized content make it easy to find what you need. Help is readily accessible on most screens, and 24/7 support is available if you require more assistance.

When using Aura's services via a web browser, users are welcomed by a modern and professional interface that facilitates finding information. While the desktop and mobile applications are user-friendly and well-designed, the Mac version would benefit from further refinement to fully showcase the software's potential.

The additional online security features should be viewed as bonuses, as they do not provide the same level of protection offered by dedicated antivirus software or VPNs that can bypass geo-restrictions and support P2P sharing. However, Aura effectively addresses basic security needs, as reflected in the overall effort put into its offerings. The parental control app is noteworthy, featuring comprehensive tools and a modern design, making it one of the best in its category. The password manager has also been revamped, enhancing its usability, although it may still fall short compared to some free password managers available.

While Aura may not be the most affordable identity theft solution, its comprehensive offerings make it competitive with other products in the market. With flexible pricing plans and thorough protection, Aura is a solid choice. Ultimately, the best option will depend on your individual needs and budget considerations.

FAQ

One-minute review

Teamgroup’s latest addition to its roster of 1TB microSD cards is the Pro+ which as its name alludes to targets those looking for more oomph from their removable storage media. The company has the Elite (reviewed two years ago), the Go, the Expert and the Gamer - the first two being slower A1 models and the other three, A2 ones. 

However, the test results suggest that the Pro+ is not faster. Despite boasting some of the best claimed read/write speeds in its category, the Pro+ failed to deliver what it promised with both synthetic and real life performance lacking. And that’s not good enough when you have competitors like Silicon Power Superior that offer slightly better performance at a lower price (in both cases we’re talking of single-digit percentages). 

With plenty of competition both inside its own stable and from other rivals, the Teamgroup Pro+ will have a hard time justifying the current premium it carries over other challengers. 

Teamgroup Pro+: Pricing and availability

• How much does it cost? $53.99 for one, $102.99 for two
• When is it available? Now
• Where can you get it? It is available for sale in the US, UK and Australia

The card is widely available in capacities varying from 128GB to 1TB with a 1.5TB model likely to launch in 2024. Note that multi-pack offers are also available; you can buy the 1TB card either on its own or in pair with the latter costing a bit less. A decent addition to our best microSD buying guide. 

Teamgroup Pro+: Benchmark

The Teamgroup Pro+ microSD card scored lower than expected speeds, varying from 80 to 84.25 MB/s in read and from 79 to 82.25 MB/s in write, a far cry from the very optimistic headline numbers (160 in read and 110 in write). Looking at the small prints though revealed that these speeds could be achieved by using (unnamed) professional card readers, so there’s still some hope. Just don’t expect any miracles should you use this card with the internal readers found in laptops, tablets, smartphones or consumer-grade devices. 

Teamgroup Pro+: Specs

Should I buy the Teamgroup Pro+?

Teamgroup Pro+ alternatives

Silicon Power Superior received a five-star award earlier this year and remains the top dog for this category as the best value for money microSD card around; it remains the cheapest 1TB microSD card on the market right now. It is good enough for the vast majority of tasks out there.

Gigastone is a challenger brand that is still earning its stripes. Despite being widely available online from reputable retailers beyond Amazon, I have yet to come across a single independent review of Gigastone products so I’d advise caution. Still it is the only brand that offers a 5-year free data recovery offer on its card.

Sandisk Extreme Pro is far more expensive than the Teamgroup Pro+ and while it earned its editor’s choice award fair and square, one needs to remember that it was three years ago, and that things have moved on significantly, especially when it comes to value for money. 

How I tested the Teamgroup Pro+

After having formatted the Teamgroup Pro+ to exFAT, I test it the same way I test other storage components (external HDD, USB Flash drives etc). I use the latest versions of CrystalDiskMark, Atto, AS SSD and AJA benchmarks, noting the best scores achieved in each. They are all free and can be downloaded by anyone. I then transfer a folder of files, roughly 10GB in size, to get a rough idea of real life performance. I used a Startech USB Type-C card reader (SDMSDRWU3AC), connected to the Type-C connector of a Honor MagicBook laptop. 

Kickstarter hosts another manufacturer that aspires to become the leader in busy 4K UST (Ultra Short Throw) projector market. Ultimea is throwing its hat in the ring with the Thor T60, a larger-than-average projector that aims to distinguish itself from the plethora of other obscure Chinese vendors selling so-called triple laser TV with outlandish specifications.

Its unique selling point holds in one number: 4,000. That’s the amount of lumens the T60 claims to deliver and there’s at least one independent test that backs this number. At the time of writing, it is probably the brightest 4K tri-laser UST projector south of $10,000 which makes it a potential candidate for daylight viewing (don’t expect miracles though).

And boy does it deliver. The brightness difference between, say a Bomaker Polaris 4K and the T60, is significant, especially in reasonably broad daylight and that directly influences the image quality. The end result is a visual feast, a colorful punch in the face, especially if you want to scale to beyond 150-inch diagonal, which tests the projector’s picture performance to breaking point.

Its sticker price puts its squarely in the same league as the LG Cinebeam HU915QE,  JVC DLA-NZ8 and Samsung The Premiere but I expect the inflated price to drop down permanently.

Given its superb cinematic performance, the T60 could be a game changer for businesses as well, especially for exhibitions and live events where the ability to rapidly setup large format displays, without the usual logistical nightmares, could save thousands of man hours.

Just remember though that, no projector however expensive can match a TV - especially an OLED one - in daylight because of the non-emitting nature of the technology. Once curtains are drawn however, these beasts come to life.

Ultimea Thor T60: Price and release date

Ultimea has already surpassed its goal of £40,300 (about AU$77,000, $49,300) at the time of writing with a total of 58 backers committing a staggering £194,679 (about AU$371,500, $238,400) with 31 days to go. The early bird price of the T60 which includes two 3D Glasses currently stands at £3,104 (about AU$5,926, $3,799) with an estimated delivery date of November 2023. 40 units are currently available. All Kickstarter backers also get a free Firestick TV stick or $50 Netflix credit, a nice gesture that I think should be extended.

While we have no reason to believe that this project won’t be successful, it is important to understand the risks associated with crowdfunding. Please do read our feature on this (when crowdfunding campaigns go bad) and Kickstarter’s own paragraph highlighting the risks and challenges associated with this campaign. The Ultimea Thor T60 is expected to be released to backers towards the end of November 2023, beginning of December 2023.

Ultimea Thor T60: Specs

The T60 uses a 0.47-inch TI DMD display chip with a native resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. It claims a brightness of 4000 ANSI lumens, a FOFO of 4000:1 and a color gamut of 120% BT.2020. Ultimea says that it uses a proprietary technology called BrightMX to deliver the quoted brightness. The projector’s throw ratio is 0:21:1 which allows it to display images up to 200 inch diagonally. As expected, it supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 (but not HDR10+) and offers MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation).

Powering it is a built-in Android mini PC with 2GB of RAM and 32GB onboard storage, running Android TV 11 (rather than the more modern looking Google TV) with the latest security update from August 2023. Elsewhere, there’s two front firing 15W audio drivers but no separate bass unit. You do get Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD as well.

Ultimea Thor T60: Design & features

The projector came inside a big box and was protected by foam block. Accessories include a remote control, a manual (English only), the power cord and a small card that offers to extend the warranty by one year and offer lifetime support. The projector has a standard 42-month warranty and a life expectance of 30,000 hours. A nice start although my unit didn’t come with any 3D glasses. They are likely to be passive (side by side, top to bottom) given that they cost only $19 each.

The projector itself is humongous. It weighs about 12 Kg and since its shape is slightly arched, it is up to 650mm wide and up to 365mm deep. Its height - out of the box - stands at 135.5mm; bear in mind that the projector is supported by four rubber feet that can be independently adjusted - so the exact height varies. These double as screw sockets should you want to mount the projector on the ceiling.

The T60 shares the same design as almost all 4K UST projectors: plenty of gaps in the chassis to allow air to cool down the internal components while the display chip rests at an angle behind a thin slide of glass; shame there’s no flap to cover it when not in use. The projector is mostly made of plastic and Ultimea chose a matte color, Space Blue. All ports are located at the rear and include two USB 2.0 ports, two HDMI 2.1 ports (one does eARC), one 10/100 MB/s Ethernet port, SPDIF, AUX, Coaxial and even an RS232 port for diagnostics. The power port is located directly below the ports panel and the power button is located in front and pulsates with a blue light when on standby. There’s Wi-Fi connectivity, likely 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 5.0.

The anonymous remote control lacks the heft and the finish of one you’d expect from a package with a suggested retail price of $6,000. Not enough attention has been paid to this important accessory; it looks anonymous to say the least. Don’t get me wrong, it works and there’s everything that you’d expect but I can’t help but cringe at the cheap plastic. There’s a focus button, plus dedicated ones for Google Play, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. You can’t swap sources and there’s no Netflix or Disney Plus buttons (as there’s no corresponding app - not really Ultimea’s fault though).

When setting up the projector, I noticed that the name Changhong International appeared in the terms and conditions. Changhong is a major OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in the world of projectors and is the likely powerhouse behind Ultimea, competing with Hisense and TCL in China. Before the Thor T60, Changhong released five 4K UST projector models under its own brand and one under the Philips Screeneo banner, the U5. This remains one of the most popular crowdfunded projector projects ever with almost 2,000 backers, contributing a grand total of more than £3.2 million.

Indeed, the T60 appears to be an international version of the D300, Changhong current flagship, but with less memory (2GB vs 3GB) and a quarter of the storage (32GB vs 128GB). 

It is an important hiatus as it reveals the level of expertise - and after sales support - that this company can offer, in theory. The lack of brand recognition remains a real issue as many will balk at the idea of spending a small fortune on a small, unproven product, especially from Kickstarter.

As for all laser TV, this one has eye protection, something you can disable in the settings as well.  If you want a deeper, more technical evaluation of the Ultimea Thor T60, I would recommend reading the write up from AVSForum which delves into the numbers with some enlightening tables and graphs (pun intended).

Design and feature score: 4

Ultimea Thor T60: Picture quality

Out of the box, the projector needs some amount of adjustments. Not something that puts me off but just bear that in mind; expect to spend a couple of hours to get everything finetuned to your expectations. I didn’t go down that rabbit hole but perfectionists will appreciate the trial-and-error exercise.

Below is a graphics that illustrate how the T60 scales from 80-inch to 200-inch. Usually at that size, lesser bright projectors tend to produce much dimmer pictures but not the T60. It held its own when stretched further making a bright, five-foot diagonal display, a reality.

Although this projector can be used in daylight - which I have done - the T60 is best used with black out curtains. The display is dazzling, crisp and sharp after spending some time tweaking the focus (see below) via the remote control - no focus rings involved. The pictures are wonderfully contrasted, perfectly executed even under difficult conditions (see the LG shot of the brewing tea pot). In Top Gun: Maverick, the exhaust flames from the Tomcat’s Jet Engines on the deck of the USS Theodore Rossevelt never looked so fiery and bright.

There’s some significant amount of tweaking available to the user via the picture and projector settings - something that more experienced viewers will appreciate: that includes 8-point picture calibration/keystone correction, Dolby Vision, an 11-point white balance correction and much more.

A word about the photos. They absolutely do not represent what the human eye can capture and should be used merely as a very rough indication of picture quality. You ought to see them in real life where possible. Taking pictures of projector content is fraught with danger. Which is why projector reviews on TechRadar do not contain a lot of photos of content displayed. My pictures were taken using a Samsung Galaxy Flip3 5G at default setting and resolution.

Below are three videos from Ultimea filmed on an iPhone 14 that show
(a) the difference contrast levels in various controlled lighting environments.

https://youtu.be/uEWl-Vtttx0

(b) the visual difference in Dolby Vision mode between bright, vivid and dark.

https://youtu.be/xTMywShEd8Y

(c) how HDR 10 adds visual richness to footage

https://youtu.be/KYPpdAO9Hi0 

Picture quality score: 4.5

Ultimea Thor T60: Sound

There’s only so much you can do with a pair of drivers however good they are. You can’t defy the law of physics, such a projector is best experienced with a full set of speakers, ideally one from our list of the best Dolby Atmos speakers. That said, the combined 30W offer a punchy delivery but ultimately lack the aural complexity of multi-speaker setup. With no real bass to support the T30’s audio performance, watching an action movie like Top Gun: Maverick harks back to the days of stereo. As a side note, the operating noise of the Ultimate T30 is rated at less than 25dB, although that will depend how far you are seated.

Sound score: 3.5

Ultimea Thor T60: Value

The T60 is a very good projector that won’t disappoint even demanding but its price tag puts it at the very top end of the market. Ultimea will argue that paying thousands of dollars extra for the brightest 4K UST projector - on paper - is worth it. The audience targeted by the T60 will most likely not flinch at spending a few more dollars to get the extra lumens. Then there’s the untapped B2B potential which could open the door to a market worth more than $10 billion globally.

For those who will mostly watch content in a dim setup, there are much, much cheaper models out there. As a parenthesis, I feel that the market is crying out for a game changing sub-$1500 true 4K UST model that could really put projectors in the spotlight.

How did I test

When it comes to projectors, at least five variables come into play to determine the viewing experience out of the box:

• the content being viewed
• the person watching the footage
• the ambient brightness
• the projector itself
• the surface on which pictures are displayed

I used my own DIY projector screen which consists of three large plywood sheets painted white (standard Dulux emulsion paint) and is not totally straight - as you can see in the focus photo. No ALR screen here. I used the trailer of Top Gun: Maverick (YouTube 4K)

https://youtu.be/giXco2jaZ_4

And LG’s OLED 2020 video (YouTube, 4K), a tricky footage for projectors because of the amount of dark footage.

https://youtu.be/njX2bu-_Vw4 

Lights were turned off and curtains drawn to keep the viewing experience as consistent as possible. I also stuck an A4 sheet of white paper that appears on most pictures to show the difference in color between my screen and what many would consider to be a white. Just bear in mind that you’re viewing this on another screen.

Should I buy the Ultimea Thor T60?