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I tried Lovable – see what I thought of this no-code app development platform
10:20 am | April 24, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Lovable is a relatively new entrant in the rapidly expanding field of no-code platforms that help businesses spin up all kinds of apps without writing a single line of code.

In this review, we will explore Lovable’s features, interface and ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance, pricing, documentation, and how it stands in comparison to its competition.

Lovable: Features

One of the main reasons for Lovable’s growing popularity is its AI app builder.

You describe your app idea in natural language, which the platform will use to create a fully functional app for you. The AI prompt can be as simple as “Create a login page” to something more complex like “Can you build me a CRM app and hook it up to a database, along with an authentication system that allows users to sign up, and log in.”

Once you enter the prompt, Lovable’s AI builder will generate the app’s user interface (UI), along with the backend, complete with the necessary database tables, forms to input customer details, and even set up functionality for viewing, editing, and deleting customer records.

Lovable building an app based on the AI prompt

(Image credit: Lovable)

Going one step ahead, you can also use the AI to further edit and refine your app by describing changes to the AI.

Besides AI, Lovable also offers an array of pre-built templates that you can use as starting points to speed up the development process. These templates cover a wide range of application types, such as marketplaces, CRMs, analytics, cryptocurrency trading, and more.

This is especially helpful if you are a green horn developer, and don’t have a clear idea for the app, or someone who wants to roll out apps quickly.

On the backend, Lovable relies on Supabase, which is an open source alternative to Google’s Firebase platform. It’ll help you add databases, authentication services, and other backend functionalities, to your apps.

You can also hook Lovable to your GitHub, and it’ll transfer your project's code to your GitHub repository for two-way sync of edits. This means the platform will be aware of any manual commits you make in the repo, and roll them into the app on its own. This functionality is somewhat unique, as most other no-code platforms just hold on to the code.

If you don’t have a GitHub repo, you can also view, and even edit the code in Lovable itself.

Lovable: Interface and Ease of Use

Lovable has a simple dashboard with a textbox smack in the middle of the screen where you can describe your app idea.

If you’re new to building apps, Lovable suggests leveraging pre-built styles to improve your app’s appearance. Lovable points to 21st.dev where you can browse pre-built designs, and then copy its prompt into Lovable.

After you’ve described the project, Lovable will tell you how it’ll go about building the initial version of the app, describing its features, and design elements. On the right, it’ll tell you the files it’ll create, and then write the code.

When it’s done spinning up the first iteration, it’ll open it up for preview. You can then tweak the layout, and other aspects of the app via more prompts. For more control, you can even make edits to the different elements inside the app using Lovable’s Figma-like visual editor.

Lovable's edit mode

(Image credit: Lovable)

You can also attach images to guide the AI. For instance, you can browse the designs at Dribble, screenshot the relevant section, upload it to Lovable, and ask it to redesign the relevant section of the app based on the uploaded design.

The dashboard also gives you access to projects that other users have built. Explore a few to see how others have used the AI to refine, and fine tune their apps. You can also use one of the templates to get off the ground, and then refine it with the AI builder.

The intuitive interface makes it fairly simple to navigate through the different pages in your app. You can also easily switch between the manual edit mode, and the AI mode.

Lovable ensures the UI of your app is responsive, and works well on both desktops and mobile devices. You can easily toggle between web, and mobile views to visualize how your app looks across different screen sizes.

Very helpfully the platform also lets you define global styles by adding a system prompt in the project settings’ Knowledge field, such as “make sure all buttons have rounded corners.” From then on, everytime you ask Lovable to add a button, the AI builder will ensure it adheres to this predefined style.

Lovable: Integration and Extensibility

Lovable leverages popular tools and frameworks such as React, Tailwind CSS, and the Vite JavaScript build tool to optimize frontend performance. This helps ensure your app adheres to industry best practices.

As we’ve mentioned before, Lovable natively integrates with Supabase for backend database capabilities, and more. Supabase can also handle things like user authentication, and supports several authentication providers, from plain email signups, to Google logins, and more.

One way to extend your app, is to ask Lovable AI to modify the database to connect the frontend UI to the backend, for instance, to create and save login details. Based on this information, Lovable will then automatically create the appropriate tables as required, and it’ll write the SQL for you.

Lovable's pre-defined templates

(Image credit: Lovable)

You can also instruct Lovable to integrate payment gateways, social media APIs, or data analytics tools directly into your project. Simply ask the AI to "help me integrate Stripe into my app," and then follow its instructions to implement the integration, which basically involves handing it your API keys.

Remember however, Stripe integration doesn’t work in the preview. To test the integration, make sure to first deploy your app. Also refer to the platform’s documentation to see how to make test payments using dummy card details.

If you are looking for something more than simple payments, for instance, subscriptions and role-based access based on payment tiers, Lovable recommends using Supabase.

Besides Stripe, Supabase, and GitHub, Lovable also has a list of over a dozen verified integrations that work well with the platform. These include OpenAI, Anthropic, Replicate, Highcharts, p5.js, Clerk, and more.

Then there are several other unverified integrations, which will work with the platform, but might make you jump through more hoops. There’s Perplexity, Zapier, Google Workspace, Notion, Calendly, SendGrid, Ticketmaster, and others.

Lovable: Deployment and Maintenance

Deploying and maintaining apps built on Lovable is pretty straightforward as well.

After you’ve built and previewed your app, essentially all it takes to deploy it is a single click. By default, your Lovable app is accessible via a Lovable subdomain, but you can also connect it to any custom domain you own.

You can maintain, and debug your apps using the Lovable AI. For most issues, the platform will give you a “Try to fix” button that will automatically solve many issues for you. If that doesn’t work, you can describe the error in detail to the AI, and ask it for directions.

Lovable debugging and fixing errors

(Image credit: Lovable)

One of the best things about Lovable is that it actively monitors your code, and might recommend refactoring your code to make it more scalable, and easier to maintain.

The platform also includes built-in version control, which allows you to track changes, bookmark important versions, and roll back to previous versions, without much effort. This makes it easier to track, and review your progress, and undo any mistakes.

Lovable: Pricing and Documentation

Lovable has a tiered pricing plan, starting with a free tier with limited functionality, followed by several paid plans that offer more features and higher usage limits.

For instance, on the free plan, you can prompt the AI five times/day, with a total limit of 30 messages/month.

The Starter plan costs $20/month and increases this to 100 messages a month, with no daily caps. The Launch plan at $50/month bumps this up to 250 messages, while with the $100/month Scale1 plan you get 500 messages/month, but can pay more for additional messages. All paid plans also enable you to publish your app on custom domains.

Lovable handholds you through a series of illustrated introductory documentation, quick start guides, and video tutorials. They cover everything from helping you write the right AI prompts, to fleshing out your apps by integrating them with Supabase, Stripe, and other verified and unverified services.

You can take your queries to Lovable’s Discord community, while paid users also get access to premium support options.

Lovable: The competition

Lovable shares the space with other AI-assisted no-code app builders.

For instance, Bubble, one of the popular platforms, too has an AI builder, but it places a 300 characters limit to the prompts. Bubble is often touted as a good option for building complex apps, as it offers greater flexibility, but has a steeper learning curve.

Then there’s Softr, which again places a 200 characters limit on its prompts. It’s very user friendly as well, though it might fall short for those of you who need deep customization, and control over their apps.

Lovable's version control system

(Image credit: Lovable)

Hostinger has also recently ventured into the no-code space with their Horizons tool. Just like with Lovable, you can use Horizons to build, edit, and enhance your apps just by using AI. However, Horizons is still under active development, and doesn’t offer all the features, and conveniences you get with Lovable.

Lovable: Final Verdict

Lovable’s extensive use of AI for everything from creating the app, to adding new functionality, and debugging, makes it one of the best no-code platforms for anyone who’s new to building apps.

You’ll have to hone your prompt writing skills to get the most out of the platform, especially if you are on the lower tiers of its paid plans. Based on the list of featured projects, it appears the platform can manage rather complex workflows, which is a definite plus.

All things considered, Lovable’s user-friendly interface, integration capabilities, and extensibility, make it a compelling option for anyone looking to build apps in record time.

These are the best small business website builders

GlassWire review
9:23 pm | April 23, 2025

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

Technology is moving at an increasingly fast pace, requiring more and more data and bandwidth as it does. This means that keeping track of everything that is going on can be challenging, especially if you’re looking to track how much data you’re using and what external threats could have access to your network. Luckily for Windows users, Microsoft has been doing a good job, including its Windows Firewall in its operating system. Windows Firewall is by no means perfect, but it’s more than enough for the average user. However, if you belong to another group of users or are looking to “advance,” then additional firewall tools may be required to give you the granular control and overview of your network.

Enter GlassWire, an application that, among other things, offers better manageability for the Windows Firewall. Some users may argue that a VPN could be an equally suitable solution; however, a VPN mostly protects your privacy and anonymity when you’re online, whereas a firewall takes things a step further. Namely, with a firewall, you can determine which programs should be allowed to access your network and devices. GlassWire does this remarkably well, nevertheless, users who do not have a lot of networking experience may be confused by all of the graphs and data offered by GlassWire.

Downloading and installing the app is as easy as it can be, and as soon as you launch it, the graphing starts. Your network traffic is analyzed and recorded, showing you the last five minutes of activity (for new users). Once you’ve been using the app for some time (day, week), you will get more data and “markers” on your graphs. These markers represent an individual event (i.e., first connection of an app), and they’re clickable so you can glean more information from the events. Graph spikes are also clickable, and unusual activity is also recorded. While all of this is great, if you’re an average user, it can, and does, feel simply overwhelming.

GlassWire

(Image credit: GlassWire)

Features

While internet usage tracking represents the bread and butter of GlassWire, it can do much more. It offers an extra layer of security thanks to its in-depth analysis of each application on your computer, as well as which apps are accessing the internet and how they’re doing this. For each new event, you will get a discrete notification that contains enough information for you to make an educated step towards resolving an issue. Under the GlassWire Protect tab, you can see all of the apps on your PC as well as details such as Version, GW Score, Traffic in/out, Hosts, and download and upload speeds. Here you will also find the Firewall toggle button that lets you turn on or off the firewall functionality, which comes from Windows Firewall. GlassWire interacts with Windows Firewall for program control and reporting, which is a different approach compared to competing solutions such as ZoneAlarm, etc.

GlassWire

(Image credit: GlassWire)

If you want to put an app onto a block list, simply click on the flame icon, or if you want, you can block all network traffic for the app if you do not wish to block the app itself. This way, you can quickly block all connections until you end the mode. If you like granular control over your network access, you can turn on the “ask to connect” mode, where you will be asked to confirm each time a program attempts to access the network. Note, if you have some apps that have already connected to the internet, this mode will not affect them. If some apps you’re using trigger a “this might be malware” alarm, GlassWire gives you the option of submitting the file to VirusTotal. VirusTotal checks the file against dozens of antivirus engines and reports how many of them recognize the file as malware. This is a handy feature, however, you will need to provide your VirusTotal API key to GlassWire (you can find the specific location to enter your API key under the settings menu). Another note, VirusTotal can present you with some false positives, so we would not rely solely on the analysis provided by them.

A short digression, the fact that VirusTotal is used, we would appreciate it if the apps would automatically show a malware score based on what VirusTotal has in its database, but that is not the case; you need to submit files to get some feedback.

If you want to configure what GlassWire monitors, you can do so in the settings under the security tab. You have 15 settings that you can tweak; in the free plan, only four are “unlocked”. By default, most of the settings are on, and GlassWire will notify you when a new device joins the network, or when a program connects for the first time, or even when a remote session starts. Speaking of remote sessions, GlassWire allows you to have a remote connection, even on the free plan (only one, though). If you move onto the paid plan, you will get an unlimited number of remote connections, but also access to something called the Wi-Fi evil twin detection. Hackers use deceitful wireless connections to gain access to devices through Wi-Fi, which means that these malicious actors can use any internet-connected PC/smartphone to create an evil twin Wi-Fi that looks legitimate. The goal is for you to connect using this evil twin and to siphon all of your data. GlassWire protects you by notifying you of any Wi-Fi password loss, the same name Wi-Fi’s or any new hardware.

If you’re a Mac user or an iOS user, you’re out of luck with GlassWire as it is not available for Apple’s ecosystem. On the positive side, you can get it on Android, using Google’s Play Store. On Android, the app looks and feels the same as the one on Windows and has all of the powerful features available on its desktop counterpart. It’s similarly easy to set up, but just like the desktop version, if you want to make additional tweaks, you will have to go for the paid version.

Pricing

GlassWire pricing

(Image credit: GlassWire)

You can get GlassWire completely free, with a lot of powerful features, and for most, this should be enough. However, if you’re looking for additional features, you can opt for a paid plan that starts at $2.99 for one license. While the free plan covers basic monitoring like real-time traffic, anomaly detection, and new device alerts, Premium significantly expands the toolset. It unlocks unlimited bandwidth history, full access to historical alerts, and advanced threat detection features like ARP spoofing detection, system file monitoring, and proxy settings alerts. Users can also customize and automate firewall behavior with features like unlimited app blocking, lockdown mode, and firewall profiles. For privacy-focused users, Premium offers DNS server monitoring and unlimited remote device connections. It also includes exportable usage data, an interactive network map, and dedicated customer support. Finally, the icing on the cake is the fact that the premium version also unlocks theme selection, offering roughly 13 additional themes. While the price is not that steep, the usability of the premium features comes down to the professionals who require all of the additional bells and whistles.

Protection

It’s worth noting that GlassWire is not an antivirus replacement, but a companion tool that adds a crucial layer of network-level visibility and early threat detection. The usability and blocking rate depend on your settings and how you utilize the app. There have not been any independent laboratory tests of the application, but since it uses the Windows Firewall API, its performance and effectiveness could be generally assessed within the context of the overall Windows security infrastructure, rather than through isolated testing. We tend to recommend Windows Firewall as the go-to firewall solution for most users, believing that it’s more than enough to protect you online, so take that for what it's worth.

Ease of use

GlassWire is generally pleasing to the eye, and we enjoyed using it. The icons and settings are well laid out and logical; however, if you’re newer to the world of networking and security, all of the colors, graphs, and information can be overwhelming. An additional positive remark we would like to make here is the notifications. Most firewalls tend to bombard you with notifications, alerts, bells, and various sounds; not GlassWire, they’ve managed to implement a discreet system of notifications which we enjoyed very much. If you’re one of those people who simply have to have a notification presented to them at each activity, GlassWire somewhat allows this if you go for the ask to connect mode.

Final verdict

As far as third-party firewall apps go, GlassWire offers a unique approach and a unique experience by relying on the Windows Firewall API. It’s easy to install and get working out of the box, but interpreting all of the data requires some “advanced” computer knowledge that is not common among PC users. If you’re an average user who has never even fired up Windows Firewall settings, then keep enjoying your browsing experience and skip over any additional firewall tools. GlassWire is not for you!

On the other hand, if you’re a competitive gamer looking to squeeze the last iota of performance from your network, analyzing your networking with a tool like GlassWire makes a lot of sense. We also see security professionals benefiting from such a tool, especially under the paid plan, since it offers a granular approach to tweaking your network and devices on it. We’re sure others can benefit from the app, but paying for more licenses certainly has to have a business value behind it.

All in all, GlassWire is a great addition to Windows Firewall. The fact that you have a free forever version gives you a great opportunity to test it out or even use it fully without the need to make a purchase. The developers behind the app are active across various developer forums, giving us confidence that user feedback is appreciated and updates are going to keep coming.

I tested Adalo – see what I thought of this no-code app builder
1:47 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Adalo is one of the popular no-code app builders that you can use to create mobile and web apps without writing any code. The platform offers a rich set of features and an intuitive interface that help make it a compelling option for anyone looking to roll out apps quickly.

In this review, we’ll examine Adalo's features, interface, ease of use, how it stacks up against the competition, and more to help you determine whether it’s the right option for you.

Adalo: Features

Adalo offers a wide range of features that help make it stand out among its no-code peers.

For starters, Adalo offers a variety of pre-designed templates for different types of apps, such as food ordering apps, ecommerce apps, coaching apps, appointment apps, and more. These templates are customizable and can help you save a lot of design time.

List of pre-built templates available in Adalo

(Image credit: Adalo)

One of its core user experience features is its intuitive drag-and-drop builder. You can use it to add all kinds of elements and user interface (UI) components without writing any code. Adalo offers dozens of commonly-used components, including buttons, text, lists, images, forms, and navigation bars. You simply drag elements from an organized side menu and place them wherever you want inside your app.

Furthermore, Adalo also has a component marketplace that lists even more components that help make your app more professional. Here you’ll get everything from integrations with third-party services like Stripe for payment processing to user authentication with Google, and Apple, as well as things like QR code generators, in-app purchase widgets, and more.

Adalo also integrates with popular third-party services through Zapier. This allows you to connect your apps with tools like Gmail, Google Sheets, Slack, and others.

Best of all, you can use Adalo to create both mobile and web apps with responsive design features, which helps your apps look great whether on mobile devices, tablets, and desktops. And once you’ve designed and tested your app, Adalo will also help you publish it directly to both Google Play and Apple’s App Store.

Adalo: Interface and Ease of Use

Adalo’s interface is designed with non-technical users in mind. The builder is intuitive and logically organized, with panels and menus clearly arranged in sections to ease navigation.

The platform has a clean and straightforward dashboard, from where you can create new apps with just a few clicks.

Adalo's list of available components

(Image credit: Adalo)

You can use Adalo’s app designer to build your app’s UI by simply dragging and dropping elements. When you select a component, the designer lets you customize its properties to help you tailor their appearance and functionality, and resize and position it as required. You can also easily assign actions to components, for example, to navigate to a different screen.

You can also easily add multiple screens for your app, such as a login screen, a home screen, and more, and switch and customize them individually. Adalo provides a built-in preview mode that allows you to test your app and see how it looks and functions on a simulated device.

Adalo: Integration and Extensibility

As we’ve mentioned before, Adalo offers a component marketplace where you can download additional components. The marketplace lists both free and paid components.

Adalo also supports a variety of third-party integrations, which will help expand an app’s functionality and connect with other popular tools and services. For instance, Adalo integrates with Stripe, which enables you to set up payment systems inside your apps.

List of integrations available in Adalo

(Image credit: Adalo)

The highlight is the platform’s integration with Zapier that expands Adalo’s connectivity to thousands of other apps that it doesn’t support natively. Thanks to this integration, you can automate workflows and transfer data seamlessly between Adalo and all kinds of external services such as Google Sheets, Slack, Trello, SendGrid, Salesforce, and thousands more.

Furthermore, advanced users can also create custom actions to connect with external APIs for more control, and functionality.

Adalo: Deployment and Maintenance

When it comes to web apps, you can use Adalo to literally deploy them with a single click. Once your web app is ready, you can deploy it directly as a web app under Adalo’s subdomain, or in a custom domain of your own.

Adalo also allows you to publish your apps as native mobile apps on both iOS and Android app stores. But going about this is a bit more involved than deploying a web app as this requires following the respective store’s submission guidelines, which includes creating developer accounts on Apple’s Developer Program and Google Play Console, and submitting the apps for review.

List of layouts available in Adalo

(Image credit: Adalo)

When it comes to updating the apps, any changes made to the web apps are reflected immediately. For iOS and Android mobile apps, updates must go through the usual process of creating a new build, before submitting it to the app stores for approval. You can also integrate Adalo with One Signal via Zapier, for instance, to send push notifications about updates to users.

Adalo: Pricing and Documentation

Adalo offers several pricing tiers, catering to different users from individuals creating simple apps to businesses that need advanced features and scalability.

Adalo’s Free Plan limits you to creating and deploying a single app. As a free user, you can use Adalo to build web apps, but can’t build and publish mobile apps to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Also, apps built on the free plan display Adalo branding.

Adalo pitches the Free Plan as a starting point for individual app designers who want to build simple web apps. You can also use it to explore the platform and its capabilities, before diving into one of its paid plans.

The Starter Plan costs $45/month and gives you the ability to connect your app to a custom domain. You can also use it to design and publish mobile apps. Then there’s the Professional Plan that costs $65/month and comes with enhanced functionality for larger projects, and offers full support for custom API integrations. There’s also the Team Plan that costs $200/month and is designed with collaborative features to help larger teams work together on an app.

Adalo's component's marketplace

(Image credit: Adalo)

In terms of documentation, Adalo provides lots of detailed guides and step-by-step tutorials to help users navigate the platform, learn its features, and build functional apps. There’s also Adalo App Academy that lists over 70 courses covering all aspects of creating apps.

In addition to written documentation, the platform also offers a wide array of video tutorials on its YouTube channel. You can seek support from Adalo’s active community forum, and if you’re on one of the paid plans you can also send your queries directly to Adalo.

Adalo: The competition

Adalo operates in a crowded market of no-code app builders. Some of its main competitors include Thunkable, Glide, and Bubble. Each platform has its strengths and is suited for different types of projects.

The best thing Adalo has going for it is its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, which makes it beginner-friendly. You get the same with Thunkable, which is also designed primarily to build mobile apps.

Bubble too has an easy to navigate interface, and although it offers more advanced customization for full-stack development, it has a steeper learning curve than Adalo. Like Thunable, Bubble too is a good option for creating complex apps, but this also makes them both overkills for users with simpler needs.

Also, while you can use Bubble to create mobile apps, it’s primarily a no-code platform for building web apps. Then there’s Glide, which too can create both web and mobile apps. However it’s designed to quickly turn spreadsheets into simple and functional apps.

Adalo: Final Verdict

Adalo is a powerful and user-friendly no-code app builder that strikes an excellent balance between ease of use and functionality. One of its strongest suites is its ability to create both mobile and web apps without writing any code.

Its drag-and-drop interface, plethora of pre-built components, and integrations with third-party services make it an excellent choice, whether you are a non-technical user, an individual developer, or even small and large businesses. Adalo offers enough flexibility to allow you to quickly prototype, and design a minimum viable product (MVP) to validate your app, as well as build more advanced apps.

While it faces competition from other no-code platforms, Adalo's ease of use and versatility make it a strong contender in the no-code app builder market.

All things considered, Adalo’s primary strength lies in its accessibility, which makes it a great starting point for anyone venturing into the world of app development.

I tested Hostinger Horizons – read what I thought of this no code app development platform
1:38 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Hostinger is a pretty well-known name in the web hosting industry, and it has recently ventured into the no-code space. Hostinger’s no-code platform, Horizons, taps into the demand for web app builders, and uses AI extensively to allow anyone to spin up web apps without writing a single line of code.

In this review, we’ll examine its features, interface, ease of use, target use cases, and how it stands against competitors in the booming no-code space.

Hostinger Horizons: Features

Horizons operates through a simple AI chat interface. You just describe your app idea using natural language, and the platform’s AI will translate it into a working web app. Very helpfully, Horizons supports over 80 languages, which allows even non-English users to build apps using the platform’s AI.

In addition to written prompts, you can also converse with the platform using voice prompts, which again help make Horizons more accessible. You can also upload user interface sketches, and designs to the AI to ensure it understands your requirements.

Like most platforms, Hostinger allows you to publish your apps on a custom domain as well. In fact, Horizons also takes advantage of Hostinger’s infrastructure to offer web hosting, domain services, professional email, and other tools. This helps Horizons pitch itself as an all-in-one solution, which you don’t get with most other no-code platforms.

An AI prompt to create an app

(Image credit: Hostinger)

Web apps created with Hostinger Horizons are responsive, and mobile-friendly, which means they’ll work and look good on desktops, as well as on smartphones. That said, remember that web apps created with the platform can’t be published as native mobile apps on the Google Play Store, or the Apple App Store.

Hostinger Horizons: Interface and Ease of Use

Horizons has a straightforward interface, with an AI text box in the middle of the screen. Enter your prompt, or select from one of the listed example prompts, and let it tip.

It’ll analyze the prompt, break it down into tasks, tell you how it’ll approach the build, before it spins it up. When it’s done, it’ll show you a preview of what it will build. You can then make modifications, or just ask it to build the app as per the preview.

Horizons will also helpfully suggest ideas to help extend the app. For instance, when I asked it to create an ecommerce web app, it suggested I improve it by connecting it to a database for real product data storage, add a shopping cart, and checkout functionality, implement user authentication, and more.

And you can roll these features simply by asking the AI.

Whenever you use the AI to add new functionality, Horizons will also tell you how to test it. Some processes like adding social logins (Google, Facebook, and such) require some running around, but the platform does its best to guide you through the process with clear step-by-step instructions.

Hostinger Horizons: Integration and Extensibility

Horizons builds web apps in Node.js, and creates the necessary HTML, CSS, and JSS files.

You can use Horizons to fuse your app with third-party tools, for things like database management, and user authentication. However, at the moment, these integrations require some effort outside the Horizons tool itself. But, like we said, the platform does its best to lay out the steps for you.

Hostinger Horizons is compatible with the open source Supabase cloud-based database. You’ll need to pass your Supabase details to Hostinger to get them to work together.

Connecting Horizons to Supabase

(Image credit: Hostinger)

You can also add a payment gateway, for instance with Stripe, or Paypal. But again, you’ll need to step out of the Horizons, and share certain details like the Paypal Client ID, or the Stripe Publishable Key with the platform.

Horizons says you’ll be able to integrate any backend services to your app built on the platform, as long as the service has an API, and you provide the integration information Horizons asks for. That said, adding certain backend functionality might be easier than others, for the time being, as the platform is still under active development.

Hostinger Horizons: Deployment and Maintenance

After your prompt is entered and the web app is ready, you need to deploy it to make it live. Simply click on the Publish button. As with other no-code platforms, Horizons will publish the app with a random URL to a hostinger subdomain, by default.

But, as usual, you can publish the app to your own custom domain as well. Also, you can unpublish your web app, and can also always come back to it to tune it further, and republish it.

If you’d like to look at the code for your web app, you can use the Export function on the platform to download it. This will roll all the HTML, CSS, and other files into a zip file that it’ll then save on your computer.

Horizons can’t import your code to code sharing websites like GitHub, which is something you can do with Lovable. Also, while you can edit the code offline, there is no way to import it back to Horizons, and continue refining it with its AI.

You can also ask the Horizons AI to help you add your web app to your existing website. It’ll recommend adding the app as an embedded component, but will also offer the option to include the app as an iFrame. As usual, it’ll generate the necessary code for both approaches, along with instructions on how to go about both procedures.

Asking Horizons AI to debug errors in the app

(Image credit: Hostinger)

Horizons also has a version control system, and you can undo a change, or revert to a previous version with a single click. Just like with Lovable, you can also use the Horizons AI to help fix any errors.

If it encounters an error while building the app, the platform will usually give you the Ask to fix button. When pressed, the platform will analyze the error, and try to mend it on its own. You can also copy or describe the error to the AI, and ask it to help you solve it.

Hostinger Horizons: Pricing and Documentation

Hostinger Horizons was rolled out to a limited audience in February, 2025, before its general availability on March 4, 2025.

All existing users with a Hostinger hosting subscription can use Horizons for free with a five messages/day limit.

You will need to have a Horizons subscription plan besides having a hosting plan in order to have a complete experience with building your projects under the tool.

The Starter plan costs $19.99/month, and comes with 100 AI prompts/month. Then there’s the $49.99/month Hobbyist plan with 250 messages, the $99.99/month Hustler plan with 500 messages, and the $199.99 Pro plan with 1000 messages.

You can publish 50 web apps with all the paid plans, and they all also include one month of free hosting, unlimited bandwidth, and 50 mailboxes with 1GB of storage each.

In terms of documentation, Horizons has several official guides that’ll handhold you from building your first app, to integrating it with other services such as Google AdSense. Besides illustrated text tutorials, Hostinger also has a bunch of instructional videos on YouTube. You also get 24/7 customer support with all the paid plans.

Hostinger Horizons: The competition

Hostinger Horizons is the newest entrant in the no-code web app builder market, and faces stiff competition from several well-established platforms.

For starters, there’s Bubble. While Horizons uses AI to generate web apps based on natural language descriptions, Bubble requires users to manually design and configure their apps. Although Bubble has a steeper learning curve than Horizons, it provides more flexibility for building custom web applications.

Then there’s Adalo, which can build both web, and mobile apps. It has a drag-and-drop UI, as well as a plethora of pre-built components to help you put together your apps. While Adalo does offer some AI capabilities, its strength is its mobile app-building capabilities.

Horizons suggesting several ways to improve the app

(Image credit: Hostinger)

Horizons closest competition is with Lovable. Both platforms make extensive use of AI to create, edit, and debug web apps. However, Horizons is still very new to the markets, and doesn’t yet offer all the features you get with Lovable, such as the two-way sync with a GitHub repo.

Hostinger Horizons: Final Verdict

Horizons’ use of AI to cover all aspects of app development, from creation, to editing, makes the platform truly democratic for everyone, including those with no coding experience.

The platform’s support for multilingual, and audio prompts makes it a good option for non-English developers. Also, unlike other platforms it takes advantage of Hostinger’s infrastructure to offer an all-in-one solution to create and deploy your web apps.

However, it’s important to remember that the platform has just debuted, and is constantly being worked on. It doesn’t yet offer the features and conveniences you get with its peers.

But even in its early stage, we’ll definitely suggest all existing Hostinger users to take Horizons for a spin. The platform is evolving rapidly, but since it doesn’t offer a free tier, it might be a good idea to give it some time to refine itself before you jump in to sign up.

I tested Hostinger Horizons – read what I thought of this no code app development platform
1:38 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Hostinger is a pretty well-known name in the web hosting industry, and it has recently ventured into the no-code space. Hostinger’s no-code platform, Horizons, taps into the demand for web app builders, and uses AI extensively to allow anyone to spin up web apps without writing a single line of code.

In this review, we’ll examine its features, interface, ease of use, target use cases, and how it stands against competitors in the booming no-code space.

Hostinger Horizons: Features

Horizons operates through a simple AI chat interface. You just describe your app idea using natural language, and the platform’s AI will translate it into a working web app. Very helpfully, Horizons supports over 80 languages, which allows even non-English users to build apps using the platform’s AI.

In addition to written prompts, you can also converse with the platform using voice prompts, which again help make Horizons more accessible. You can also upload user interface sketches, and designs to the AI to ensure it understands your requirements.

Like most platforms, Hostinger allows you to publish your apps on a custom domain as well. In fact, Horizons also takes advantage of Hostinger’s infrastructure to offer web hosting, domain services, professional email, and other tools. This helps Horizons pitch itself as an all-in-one solution, which you don’t get with most other no-code platforms.

An AI prompt to create an app

(Image credit: Hostinger)

Web apps created with Hostinger Horizons are responsive, and mobile-friendly, which means they’ll work and look good on desktops, as well as on smartphones. That said, remember that web apps created with the platform can’t be published as native mobile apps on the Google Play Store, or the Apple App Store.

Hostinger Horizons: Interface and Ease of Use

Horizons has a straightforward interface, with an AI text box in the middle of the screen. Enter your prompt, or select from one of the listed example prompts, and let it tip.

It’ll analyze the prompt, break it down into tasks, tell you how it’ll approach the build, before it spins it up. When it’s done, it’ll show you a preview of what it will build. You can then make modifications, or just ask it to build the app as per the preview.

Horizons will also helpfully suggest ideas to help extend the app. For instance, when I asked it to create an ecommerce web app, it suggested I improve it by connecting it to a database for real product data storage, add a shopping cart, and checkout functionality, implement user authentication, and more.

And you can roll these features simply by asking the AI.

Whenever you use the AI to add new functionality, Horizons will also tell you how to test it. Some processes like adding social logins (Google, Facebook, and such) require some running around, but the platform does its best to guide you through the process with clear step-by-step instructions.

Hostinger Horizons: Integration and Extensibility

Horizons builds web apps in Node.js, and creates the necessary HTML, CSS, and JSS files.

You can use Horizons to fuse your app with third-party tools, for things like database management, and user authentication. However, at the moment, these integrations require some effort outside the Horizons tool itself. But, like we said, the platform does its best to lay out the steps for you.

Hostinger Horizons is compatible with the open source Supabase cloud-based database. You’ll need to pass your Supabase details to Hostinger to get them to work together.

Connecting Horizons to Supabase

(Image credit: Hostinger)

You can also add a payment gateway, for instance with Stripe, or Paypal. But again, you’ll need to step out of the Horizons, and share certain details like the Paypal Client ID, or the Stripe Publishable Key with the platform.

Horizons says you’ll be able to integrate any backend services to your app built on the platform, as long as the service has an API, and you provide the integration information Horizons asks for. That said, adding certain backend functionality might be easier than others, for the time being, as the platform is still under active development.

Hostinger Horizons: Deployment and Maintenance

After your prompt is entered and the web app is ready, you need to deploy it to make it live. Simply click on the Publish button. As with other no-code platforms, Horizons will publish the app with a random URL to a hostinger subdomain, by default.

But, as usual, you can publish the app to your own custom domain as well. Also, you can unpublish your web app, and can also always come back to it to tune it further, and republish it.

If you’d like to look at the code for your web app, you can use the Export function on the platform to download it. This will roll all the HTML, CSS, and other files into a zip file that it’ll then save on your computer.

Horizons can’t import your code to code sharing websites like GitHub, which is something you can do with Lovable. Also, while you can edit the code offline, there is no way to import it back to Horizons, and continue refining it with its AI.

You can also ask the Horizons AI to help you add your web app to your existing website. It’ll recommend adding the app as an embedded component, but will also offer the option to include the app as an iFrame. As usual, it’ll generate the necessary code for both approaches, along with instructions on how to go about both procedures.

Asking Horizons AI to debug errors in the app

(Image credit: Hostinger)

Horizons also has a version control system, and you can undo a change, or revert to a previous version with a single click. Just like with Lovable, you can also use the Horizons AI to help fix any errors.

If it encounters an error while building the app, the platform will usually give you the Ask to fix button. When pressed, the platform will analyze the error, and try to mend it on its own. You can also copy or describe the error to the AI, and ask it to help you solve it.

Hostinger Horizons: Pricing and Documentation

Hostinger Horizons was rolled out to a limited audience in February, 2025, before its general availability on March 4, 2025.

All existing users with a Hostinger hosting subscription can use Horizons for free with a five messages/day limit.

You will need to have a Horizons subscription plan besides having a hosting plan in order to have a complete experience with building your projects under the tool.

The Starter plan costs $19.99/month, and comes with 100 AI prompts/month. Then there’s the $49.99/month Hobbyist plan with 250 messages, the $99.99/month Hustler plan with 500 messages, and the $199.99 Pro plan with 1000 messages.

You can publish 50 web apps with all the paid plans, and they all also include one month of free hosting, unlimited bandwidth, and 50 mailboxes with 1GB of storage each.

In terms of documentation, Horizons has several official guides that’ll handhold you from building your first app, to integrating it with other services such as Google AdSense. Besides illustrated text tutorials, Hostinger also has a bunch of instructional videos on YouTube. You also get 24/7 customer support with all the paid plans.

Hostinger Horizons: The competition

Hostinger Horizons is the newest entrant in the no-code web app builder market, and faces stiff competition from several well-established platforms.

For starters, there’s Bubble. While Horizons uses AI to generate web apps based on natural language descriptions, Bubble requires users to manually design and configure their apps. Although Bubble has a steeper learning curve than Horizons, it provides more flexibility for building custom web applications.

Then there’s Adalo, which can build both web, and mobile apps. It has a drag-and-drop UI, as well as a plethora of pre-built components to help you put together your apps. While Adalo does offer some AI capabilities, its strength is its mobile app-building capabilities.

Horizons suggesting several ways to improve the app

(Image credit: Hostinger)

Horizons closest competition is with Lovable. Both platforms make extensive use of AI to create, edit, and debug web apps. However, Horizons is still very new to the markets, and doesn’t yet offer all the features you get with Lovable, such as the two-way sync with a GitHub repo.

Hostinger Horizons: Final Verdict

Horizons’ use of AI to cover all aspects of app development, from creation, to editing, makes the platform truly democratic for everyone, including those with no coding experience.

The platform’s support for multilingual, and audio prompts makes it a good option for non-English developers. Also, unlike other platforms it takes advantage of Hostinger’s infrastructure to offer an all-in-one solution to create and deploy your web apps.

However, it’s important to remember that the platform has just debuted, and is constantly being worked on. It doesn’t yet offer the features and conveniences you get with its peers.

But even in its early stage, we’ll definitely suggest all existing Hostinger users to take Horizons for a spin. The platform is evolving rapidly, but since it doesn’t offer a free tier, it might be a good idea to give it some time to refine itself before you jump in to sign up.

I tested the Cherry KW 9200 Mini – see what I thought of this travel keyboard
10:43 am |

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

This review first appeared in issue 343 of PC Pro.

While the KW 9100 Slim will never be the subject of yearnful second glances, there’s something cute about the KW 9200 Mini. Perhaps it’s the red detailing around the keys, perhaps the subtle way the Cherry logo sits atop the spacebar, but ultimately it boils down to size. You just want to pick it up and pop it in your bag, so it’s handy that it ships with a fabric carry case for protection during travels.

Not that you need have any worries it will fall apart, as Cherry’s robust build quality is once again evident. There’s a solid metal frame within and durable ABS plastic without, with a two-year warranty and the same claim of ten million activations for each key as the 9100 Slim.

Both boards use Cherry’s SX scissor keys, which are low profile but deliver a satisfying typing action. You can lift the rear with the retractable feet, and again these feel built to last. My biggest adjustment was getting used to the width of the keyboard, but that’s psychological – the active area is identical to a full-size keyboard. The only sacrifice is that the cursor keys eat into the main body, shortening the spacebar in the process.

You also lose out on dedicated shortcut buttons, so the FN key below Enter is pivotal to advanced operations. You’ll need to press this together with F1, F2 and F3 to choose between your three possible connections: 2.4GHz RF via the USB receiver, which cleverly tucks into a slot at the rear of the keyboard, or two Bluetooth partners.

It charges via USB-C, with no backlight to drain the batteries, but that lack of illumination could be a problem when travelling. This is one of the advantages of the Logitech MX Keys Mini. At least there are LED indicators on the first four function keys (for example, to show which Bluetooth connection has become active) and a smart red LED when Caps lock is on. Unlike its rival it doesn’t support multiple OSes, only Windows.

The KW 9200 Mini isn’t cheap, but it’s cheaper, lighter and slimmer than the MX Keys Mini and – as with the KW 9100 Slim – feels like it should last for years. It would make an excellent companion for business trips.

We also ranked the best business laptops.

I tried the Cherry KW 9100 Slim – read what I thought of this sturdy keyboard
10:35 am |

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

This review first appeared in issue 343 of PC Pro.

Cherry is well known within the gaming community for its mechanical keyboard switches, but any long-time reader will associate the German brand with high-quality keyboards as well. Perhaps, I might dare to venture, keyboards that lean towards the ugly.

Not so the KW9100 Slim. While its square edges, square keys and plain black finish won’t appeal to all, this wireless keyboard will lend any desk a smart, professional look. It’s a solid piece of equipment, and Cherry claims each key has a service life of 10 million actuations. I can’t imagine the key labels will last that long, but they should survive the two years of warranty.

The key action uses Cherry’s SX scissor switch, which is shallow but satisfying. I prefer the action of Logitech’s MX Keys, but the KW 9100 Slim is a fraction quieter. What you don’t get is the Logitech’s backlighting, with the only sign of light being indicators for the Num, Scroll and Caps lock keys.

The upside to this lack of illumination is battery life. I find myself recharging the MX Keys every week, but I suspect the KW 9100 Slim would keep going for a couple of months between charges. This is easy to do, with a USB-C port at the rear, next to a switch that allows you to flick between Bluetooth and the nano USB receiver supplied in the box (this model only supports Windows, but there is a Mac version).

Don’t immediately throw the box away, as hidden within is a magnetic foot that attaches to the rear of the keyboard. So if you like your keyboards to have a raised angle rather than lie entirely flat, you have the option. It snaps on with vigor, so I was never worried it might fall off as I shoved the keyboard around my desk.

There is nothing fancy about this keyboard. It doesn’t have the backlight of its Logitech rival, nor the ability to flick between Bluetooth partners at the press of a button, and its “extras” amount to shortcuts to the default web browser, the Windows calculator and volume controls (although you can program the keys using Cherry’s software). Its looks are equally subdued. But if you’re looking for a reliable, quiet keyboard for an office rollout or your own setup, it does the job and should last for years.

We also rated the best RAM for your PC.

I tested the ViewSonic VP16 OLED – see what I thought of this portable OLED monitor
1:40 pm | April 22, 2025

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

This review first appeared in issue 345 of PC Pro.

There are dozens of 15.6in portable monitors available on Amazon, many costing around £100, so you may wonder why anyone would consider paying over four times that price for the ViewSonic VP16-OLED. The first clue is in the name: including an OLED panel rather than IPS immediately puts this display on a different pedestal.

But the real reason is quality. Cheap portable monitors usually reward you with poor color coverage, low brightness and lackluster color accuracy. What ViewSonic promises is much more in line with a professional monitor. With Pantone validation and a guaranteed average Delta E of less than two, you can be confident of the colors you see. This was borne out in the tests for our review unit, with typical averages of around 0.5.

I say “typical” because this monitor ships with numerous color modes: user, DCI-P3, sRGB, REC.709 and DICOM. DICOM is a medical standard, while REC.709 is used in broadcasting and similar to sRGB. That means it’s conservative in terms of coverage, so for the punchiest colors you should choose DCI-P3.

Full view of the ViewSonic VP16 OLED

Inputs include two USB-C ports and micro-HDMI (Image credit: Future)

When testing such profiles, we’re always looking for it to clamp down on the gamut as much as possible. That’s why it was comforting to see sRGB lock the panel to 96.4% coverage out of a 98.6% volume. So, only a tiny fraction of the colors you see on the VP16-OLED will sit outside the sRGB gamut when you’re in that mode.

Likewise in DCI-P3, where the monitor produced results of 95.4% and 96.9%.

It’s also easy to switch between profiles. ViewSonic places four buttons on the monitor’s base, and the text-based OSD is so simple to navigate that I was left wondering why all monitors don’t follow its lead.

Side view of the ViewSonic VP16 OLED propped up in its standard position

Height adjustment in pictures. STEP 1 Here’s the ViewSonic in its most basic position (Image credit: Future)

The panel’s only minor negative is that it isn’t a true 10-bit display but 8-bit plus FRC. FRC stands for frame rate control, and mimics colors not supported by the 8-bit panel by flashing alternate colors incredibly quickly. It’s effective, but purists prefer 10-bit panels.

ViewSonic has gained DisplayHDR 400 certification for this screen, but don’t expect images to burn your retina. Still, OLED is naturally easier to view in brighter conditions than IPS thanks to its “infinite” contrast ratio, so although the VP16-OLED peaked at 402cd/m2 in our tests I can’t imagine any situation where you won’t be able to see its contents.

There’s even a hood in the box. This is normally included with professional monitors to stop ambient light interfering with colors, but here it’s most useful to keep the screen’s light from interfering with your darker shoots. I was also hoping it would offer protection during travel, but the folding mechanism isn’t quite clever enough to perfectly wrap around the screen.

Side view of the ViewSonic VP16 OLED raised to a moderate height

STEP 2 Then, with a swivel of the stand, it’s raised a few inches (Image credit: Future)

Otherwise, I can’t fault ViewSonic’s design. One of the cleverest elements is the adjustable height stand. The photos below tell most of the story; all I need to add is that it moves smoothly through every stage and locks perfectly into position.

The VP16-OLED doesn’t include a battery, but it can draw power from a host laptop over USB-C or work the other way round: plug in the supplied USB-C power supply and then power your laptop. However, it only delivers 40W, so it’s better suited to keeping a laptop topped up than charging it from empty. There’s also a micro-HDMI input.

Side view of the ViewSonic VP16 OLED set up in its tallest position

STEP 3 And finally it’s at its peak height, elevated by around 100mm (Image credit: Future)

ViewSonic includes a pair of 1W speakers, and as that power rating indicates they aren’t going to fill a room. Sound quality is mediocre – no depth, weak bass – but if you’re on a video shoot and want to check the audio they’ll be up to the job, or you can resort to the 3.5mm jack.

There’s one final downside to this monitor, and that’s its 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. Again, hunt online and you’ll find 4K portable monitors for half the price. Personally, I didn’t find this a problem in practice as text, photos and videos still look sharp at normal viewing distances.

For its target audience, then, this OLED monitor is worth every penny. It’s accurate, flexible and images pack a punch you won’t see from IPS rivals.

We also ranked the best powerful laptops.

I tried out the TP-Link Omada EAP655-Wall – read what I thought of this affordable wall-mount Wi-Fi 6 AP
1:36 pm |

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

This review first appeared in issue 345 of PC Pro.

TP-Link’s EAP655-Wall is designed to offer discrete Wi-Fi 6 services to a wide range of environments, such as meeting rooms, apartments and home offices. This affordable palm-sized package will also appeal to hotels looking to provide in-room network services as it has three gigabit ports in its base and can deliver PoE on the third one – ideal for adding extra room devices such as IP phones.

The EAP655-Wall offers plenty of features for the price. This AX3000 dual-band access point (AP) delivers speeds of up to 2,402Mbits/sec on its 5GHz radio and 574Mbits/sec on the 2.4GHz radio. It also supports the high-speed Wi-Fi 6 160MHz channels, although the AP’s main uplink port is only the gigabit variety so you won’t see their full potential.

Even so, the EAP655-Wall delivered good overall results in our real-world performance tests. We started with its 80MHz channels enabled. Closerange copies of a large file between a Dell Windows 11 Pro workstation equipped with a TP-Link Archer TXE75E Wi-Fi 6E PCI-E card and a server on our 10GbE LAN averaged 94MB/sec, dropping to 77MB/sec with the AP moved ten meters away and into an adjoining room.

With the AP’s 160MHz channels activated, the workstation reported a 2.4Gbits/sec wireless connection. Unsurprisingly, our file copies maxed out the AP’s gigabit port and only increased to 111MB/sec at close range and 91MB/sec at ten meters, although these speeds will easily be good enough for all but the most demanding of users.

Full view of the TP-Link Omada EAP655-Wall

The EAP655-Wall offers lots of features for the price (Image credit: Future)

The AP can be managed in standalone mode, but most businesses will prefer TP-Link’s Omada cloud service as they can manage all their APs from one central web portal. Previously, each site required a hardware or software controller installed locally, but TP-Link now also offers cloud-based controllers with yearly prices starting at £12 per device.

From our main Omada cloud portal account, we viewed all our hardware, software and cloud-based controllers, and selecting the latter took us to its dedicated management console. Before adding the AP to our site, we made sure we’d enabled the cloud-based controller management option from its local web console. We could then import the AP by entering its serial number, naming it and assigning a license. After adoption, access to its local console was disabled and it started broadcasting our site-managed SSIDs.

The site portal presents a detailed dashboard that can be customized with widgets; we added ones to show details such as AP traffic and client distributions, the most active APs, a Wi-Fi summary and 24-hour graphs of client associations and overall wireless traffic. The AP was connected to the lab’s TP-Link TL-SG3210XHP-M2 PoE+ multi-gigabit switch, and we added more widgets to show its active ports, PoE usage and the available power budget.

Desktop screenshot of Omada's management options

The AP can be remotely managed from TP-Link’s Omada platform (Image credit: Future)

Wireless features are extensive, with up to eight SSIDs per radio supported and options to apply mixed WPA2/WPA3 encryption. You can set global or per client and SSID upload and download rate limits, and use guest networks to block users from private networks. Captive portal features are equally good, with profiles used to apply a global password, local user, voucher, Radius or Facebook authentication and add logos, greeting messages and acceptable use policies.

The three gigabit pass-through ports are enabled by default, and PoE services on the third port can be activated by checking this option in the portal’s AP configuration page, although make sure the main LAN port is connected to a PoE+ source. During testing, they worked fine and after connecting a Yealink IP phone to the third port, it duly received power and internet access.

It would have been good to see a 2.5GbE port, but the EAP655-Wall remains a reasonably fast Wi-Fi 6 AP with a good range. It offers a wealth of wireless features for a modest price, cloud management is excellent and its three gigabit downlink ports with extra power delivery make it even more versatile.

We've also ranked the best Wi-Fi extenders.

I tried the Qnap TS-262 – read what I thought of this NAS
1:29 pm |

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

This review first appeared in issue 345 of PC Pro.

Although one of Qnap’s home devices, the Qnap TS-262 is surprisingly well specified for a two-bay device. It has just the one Ethernet port, so no redundancy, but as it’s a 2.5GbE port rather than gigabit you avoid one potential bottleneck. Given that this standard is becoming more and more popular on consumer switches and routers, it’s nice to see this fast connection.

If you do need more speed, there’s a 10GbE port upgrade available via the PCI-E slot, which is accessible when the case is unscrewed. That’s the only time you’ll need a screwdriver, as everything else is accessible via screw-free entry.

For example, pop out both of the hard disk caddies and you’ll see that dual M.2 2280 NVMe PCI-E Gen3 slots are available. These use a simple clip to hold the SSDs in place, so are easy to deal with. Hard disks simply slide into the slot.

As with all Qnap NAS devices, the TS-262 runs its QTS operating system so is compatible with the full range of services that this provides, including the ability to create your own personal storage cloud. There’s an Intel Celeron N4505 processor and 4GB of RAM (non-upgradable), which should prove enough for even heavy use.

There are some extra features you don’t often find on rival NAS devices, including an HDMI 2.0 output. When paired with the compatible remote control, this NAS can be turned into a media streamer, playing video directly from its hard disk. If you have a large collection of films, this might be your best option, but a sleeker option is to install a media server and stream directly from the NAS.

Running over a standard gigabit Ethernet connection, the Qnap TS-262 fell behind the Synology DS723+, when we benchmarked using 22TB hard disks and dual 1TB NVMe drives. However, upgrade that connection to 2.5GbE and things get better, particularly with larger file sizes: running the ATTO benchmark with 2MB files, the TS-262 jumped from 100MB/sec read speeds to 210MB/sec.

There was little difference in the PCMark 10 Storage test, which uses different file transfers and is less dependent on connection speeds.

Synology’s systems are arguably easier to use, but if you want more straightforward file and media sharing, locally and via the cloud, then this NAS is excellent value and fast, particularly when its 2.5GbE port is used.

We've also rated the best Wi-Fi routers.

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