This review first appeared in issue 345 of PC Pro.
The WAX220 is the latest member of Netgear’s Business Essentials range of Wi-Fi 6 access points (APs) and aims to fill the gap between consumer and enterprise use. Targeting small businesses and home offices that require only a single AP, the WAX220 has a speedy AX4200 rating made up of 600Mbits/sec on the 2.4GHz radio and 3,600Mbits/sec on its 5GHz radio.
Performance is a priority as the WAX220 supports the high-speed Wi-Fi 6 160MHz channels and adds the Wi-Fi 6 Release 2 uplink MU-MIMO feature for faster client upload speeds. Its 2.5GbE LAN port supports a PoE+ power source; you’re expected to provide this as Netgear doesn’t include a 12V DC power adapter, which costs an extra £13.
Build quality is good, with the WAX220 endowed with a finned metal back plate that acts as a heatsink. The kit includes a mounting plate and metal bracket so you can fit it to a wall, a normal ceiling or a suspended ceiling T-bar.
Designed for standalone use, the WAX220 only offers local web browser admin access and doesn’t support Netgear’s Insight cloud management, wireless meshing or captive portals. On the positive side, Netgear claims you can unpack the AP and be up and running in ten minutes.
Netgear’s standalone WAX200 is well built and offers good performance(Image credit: Future)
This is easily achievable. We connected the AP to the lab’s Zyxel XS1930-12HP 10GbE multi-gigabit PoE++ switch and followed the browser’s quick start wizard. In a single screen, you set a new admin password, add your first wireless network, provide an encryption key and wait two minutes while it reboots.
The WAX220 delivered good results in our Wi-Fi 6 real-world performance tests using a Dell Windows 11 Pro workstation with a TP-Link Archer TXE75E Wi-Fi 6/6E PCI-E adapter. Starting with the AP’s 80MHz channels enabled, large file copies between the workstation and a Windows server on our 10GbE LAN averaged 116MB/sec at close range, dropping to 88MB/sec with the AP ten meters away in an adjoining room.
With the 160MHz channels enabled, our test client showed a connection speed of 2.4Gbits/sec. Speed improved nicely with our close range copies averaging 180MB/sec and holding steady at 157MB/sec with the AP moved to the next room.
The AP’s web console isn’t as pretty as the standalone version offered by Netgear’s high-end Insight APs but it does provide easy access to all features. The separate management wireless network improves security and it can be set to close down after it’s been idle for 15 minutes, though the AP must be rebooted to enable it again.
The WAX220 presents a simple web administration console(Image credit: Future)
From the console’s management page you can modify the 2.4GHz and 5GHz channel modes and create up to four wireless SSIDs. For each SSID, you can choose personal WPA2, WPA2/WPA3 or WPA3 encryption and enable the guest network option so connected clients get internet access but can’t see other devices on the same network.
If you want to present a safe open public network, the WAX220 supports opportunistic wireless encryption (OWE), which secures endpoint traffic from eavesdropping without the need for an authentication password. We checked this out on our Windows 11 wireless client where it spotted our guest network had enhanced open security and connected using OWE without any problems.
A simple dashboard shows the AP’s status, a connection table reveals all active clients and you can pull up graphs of CPU usage plus inbound and outbound SSID and LAN traffic over the previous three minutes. There isn’t much else to see, although the AP can scan each radio for external wireless networks and list them.
For a basic standalone Wi-Fi 6 AP, the WAX220 isn’t great value; TP-Link’s faster EAP670 has an AX5400 rating, supports standalone and cloud management modes and can be had for under £150. On the plus side, the WAX220 can be swiftly deployed, delivers good performance, and OWE support makes it easy to provision secure public networks.
This review first appeared in issue 346 of PC Pro.
Poly, now part of HP Inc, is rightly associated with headsets and meeting room systems. With the latest addition to its Voyager range, however, it’s broken free of its reputation to create a pair of wireless in-ear earbuds that users can pair simultaneously with their laptop and phone. You need a USB adapter for the former, Bluetooth for the latter.
The target audience is clear: anyone who attends meetings on the go. However, Poly evidently hopes to tempt businesses to buy them as well as individuals, as IT teams can manage the buds through its Poly Lens software.
The base model is the Voyager Free 60 for £230 inc VAT, but that doesn’t include Teams certification or a USB adapter. Adding both changes the name to the Voyager Free 60 UC and £50 to the price. That comes with a simple case, but the model I tested was the Voyager Free 60+ UC, with a touchscreen case. This gives an at-a-glance view of how much the buds and case are charged, but turns into a mini control system when you’re on a call. You can even mute calls by tapping the speaker icon, but a minor lag meant I kept on pressing it twice by mistake.
You can use the touchscreen case to mute calls(Image credit: Future)
Extra-long stems on the earbuds can also be used to mute or accept a call, or pause/play music, but the real purpose of that extra space is to house three microphones. This also helps with microphone noise cancellation, blocking out both extraneous noise and wind. There’s active noise cancellation on offer, too, but don’t get excited as it’s no match for the equivalent from Sony’s headphones.
Music sound quality also lags behind the best earphones – and there are no controls in the accompanying app to adjust the balance to your liking – but I don’t wish to be overly critical.
The earbuds are fine for listening to music while working, with a decent amount of detail. It’s just that I always got the sense that audio was tuned for voice rather than pumping tracks.
Still, that makes sense for a pair of professional earbuds, and with good battery life – eight hours with ANC on, plus an extra 16 hours from the case – they fulfil that brief extremely well. Are they worth the high asking price? For most people, probably not. But if you’re in meetings all day and need to jump between phone and laptop, they might just answer your call.
This review first appeared in issue 346 of PC Pro.
Sitting on the rung below Brother’s flagship ADS-4900W scanner, the ADS-4700W offers a more affordable alternative to SMBs on tight budgets. It may cost over £200 less than its bigger brother but still delivers an impressive package with a top scan speed of 40ppm, a hefty 6,000-page daily duty cycle and a slightly smaller 80-page ADF.
It’s well connected, too, offering USB 3, wired or wireless access, though for the latter it supports only 2.4GHz networks (not 802.11a/n 5GHz like the ADS-4900W). There are no compromises with the user interface, though: the same slick 10.9cm color LCD touchscreen offers a wealth of user-friendly scan features.
Installation takes around 30 minutes per PC, with Brother’s downloadable utility getting you started by loading the drivers, iPrint&Scan app and firmware update tool. It also adds Brother’s Utilities app, which you use to download and install Nuance’s PaperPort 14 SE digital file cabinet and Kofax’s Power PDF 3 OCR and document conversion tool.
The large LCD touchscreen offers a wealth of features(Image credit: Future)
The ADS-4700W can be remotely managed via its web browser console and you can monitor it and all other networked Brother devices with the free BRAdmin 4 SNMP-based software. Mobile users also get in on the scanning act; the free Mobile Connect iOS and Android apps remotely connect to the scanner, pull in scans and offer to save them locally or email them as JPEGs and PDFs.
Brother provides the best cloud support as the ADS-4700W can send documents directly to SharePoint Online, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, OneNote, Evernote and Box accounts. They’re simple to set up from Brother’s Web Connect portal, where we registered our Dropbox account, entered the unique 11-digit code at the scanner’s touchscreen and PIN-protected local access.
Walk-up scan features are outstanding. Documents can be sent directly to any networked PC that has Brother’s software installed just by selecting them from the touchscreen. The scanner’s web console can be used to create up to 25 profiles for scans to FTP and SharePoint sites, email servers and network shares, with each destination appearing in the touchscreen.
The touchscreen allows you to create up to 56 scan shortcuts grouped under six custom tabs. Enable the setting lock feature in the web console and shortcut access can then be restricted by requiring a username and PIN.
The scanner comes with the user-friendly iPrint&Scan app(Image credit: Future)
The iPrint&Scan app streamlines desktop scanning with one-touch workflows that define local, cloud, email or other apps as destinations. Add settings such as a resolution and searchable PDF (sPDF) output and you can register them with the scanner so they appear in its touchscreen workflow menu listed under the host’s name for easy selection.
Our tests showed the ADS-4700W was slightly faster than the quoted speeds, with duplex greyscale and color scans of 50 bank statements at 200 and 300dpi delivering between 44 and 46ppm. We chose sPDF for our output format and had to wait two minutes after each scan had finished for the iPrint&Scan OCR service to convert them.
Moving to 600dpi saw speeds drop to 11.6ppm, but you won’t need this for general document archiving as scans at 200dpi produce good-quality, accurate sPDFs. Paper handling is impeccable, too, with the scanner handling our stacks of statements, flimsy courier tear-offs and till receipts without any jams.
The ADS-4700W is a fine choice for small businesses, with an impressive range of scanning features at an affordable price. Performance is good, output quality can’t be faulted and the versatile LCD touchscreen menus provide great walk-up scan services.
This review first appeared in issue 346 of PC Pro.
The first version of the ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED was one impressive beast. Not content with whacking in a cutting-edge AMD Ryzen processor and GeForce RTX 3070 graphics, it offered the novel combination of a built-in dial and glorious 16in OLED panel. This year’s update isn’t radical, but improvements all round make it even more appealing to the creative professionals that Asus is targeting.
I have only one disappointment: at the time that Asus announced this update, it also shared details of a 3D version of the laptop. Just like the Acer SpatialLabs View screens I reviewed two months ago, the ProArt Studiobook 16 3D OLED (note the “3D”) creates stereoscopic 3D images without the need for glasses. Such technology works fantastically, using eye-tracking software and micro lenses to beam slightly different images to each eye. When you want to switch back to 2D, it only takes one click.
Sadly, if that appeals then you must wait for a launch “later this year”. For now, you must make do with the non-3D version. And you will need to still wait until mid-June for that, at which point it will become available from Scan (code LN135615).
The 3,200 x 2,000 OLED screen is sharp, with rich colors and deep blacks(Image credit: Future)
Screening success
In terms of color accuracy and coverage, Asus throws everything it can at the screens in its ProArt range. Here, that includes Calman Verified and Pantone Validated certifications, with the guarantee that each panel’s average Delta E (a measure of color accuracy) will be under two. Our panel’s accuracy was even better: it averaged 0.51 and had a maximum Delta E of 1.12.
Color coverage is superb, too. You have a choice of color profiles, including DCI-P3, where it covered 99% of the gamut. Print designers who prefer to work in the Adobe RGB space should stick to the Native profile, with 98% coverage.
But what really matters about this OLED panel is that it’s gorgeous. You benefit from incredible sharpness thanks to a resolution of 3,200 x 2,000, and whether you’re watching a film or editing photos you’ll fall in love with the rich colors and deep blacks. While a peak brightness of 363cd/m2 may not sound noteworthy, support for DisplayHDR’s True Black 500 shows that it can go higher in localized areas in supported content.
The design is solid but understated, with just a subtle ProArt logo on the lid(Image credit: Future)
Gaming prowess
That includes games, and with a 120Hz refresh rate and 0.2ms response time there’s much here for gamers to love. The Studiobook ships with Nvidia’s Studio drivers rather than its Game Ready option, but it’s easy enough to switch if gaming is your preference.
Its results in our 1080p gaming benchmark suite were predictably high: 186fps in F1 22, 144fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, 101fps in Metro Exodus and 88fps in Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition. Those are all at High settings. Switching to the native resolution of 3,200 x 2,000 saw those figures drop to 105fps, 94fps, 56fps and 45fps.
All our results were with the Studio drivers and the laptop in “MSHybrid” mode, where it automatically switches between discrete and integrated graphics. You can choose to use only the discrete GPU, but that made no difference to our results so I suggest sticking with the default.
Not least because using integrated graphics will squeeze some extra life from the 90W battery. The Studiobook is a power-hungry beast, and the best result I saw was in PCMark’s idle test where it kept going for 6hrs 36mins. It lasted around five hours in both the video-rundown and light-use office tests, while switching to gaming reduced life to a mere 1hr 34mins. Those results are typical of a Windows workstation such as this, but the 16in MacBook Pro lasted for almost 20 hours in our video-rundown test.
(Image credit: Future)
Power on tap
Portability is hardly this product’s forte anyway. Quite aside from the 2.4kg weight of the laptop, you should allow for the 740g power supply. In return for the bulk, however, you’re buying an incredibly powerful system. Let’s start with a Core i9-13980HX processor, complete with eight P-cores that max out at 5.6GHz and 16 E-cores with a peak 4GHz frequency. That’s 32 threads ready to tackle any suitable task, which is why it reached 24,801 in Cinebench R23 and 21,043 in Geekbench 5. The MacBook Pro, by contrast, scored 14,700 and 15,061 in those tests.
Mind you, the Studiobook has the advantage of 64GB of DDR5-5200 RAM to the MacBook’s 32GB. And having two M.2 Gen4 SSDs in a RAID0 configuration is never going to hurt: these scorched through CrystalMark 8’s sequential tests with 7,015MB/sec reads and 6,431MB/sec writes. The only downside, especially compared to MacBooks powered by Apple’s M2 chips, is that the fans kick in as soon as tasks become demanding.
You can admire those fans for yourself by removing the ten Torx screws that secure the base. Doing so reveals how easy it will be to replace the memory and SSDs should the need ever arise; not something that’s possible to do on the latest MacBooks.
The Asus Dial below the keys could transform the way you work(Image credit: Future)
Touching interface
Asus also leans into another advantage of Windows laptops: support for touch. The screen is responsive to fingers, of course, but Asus includes one of its active styluses in the box. This works on the touchpad too, so it’s a shame that this isn’t even bigger. Still, a 6in diagonal provides room to play, and the haptic technology built in works brilliantly.
Then there’s the Asus Dial. Invest time to learn how it works and this could become an integral part of your daily workflow. Especially if you use Adobe’s Creative Cloud: the dial can scrub through timelines in Adobe Premiere Pro, adjust brush sizes in Photoshop and make minute adjustments in Lightroom. Anything where it’s useful to make granular or sweeping changes.
It’s also possible to put the Asus Dial to use in Windows and other apps, perhaps to adjust the volume, brightness and cycle through open tabs in your web browser. It’s hard to imagine these will make a great deal of difference to your daily life, though, so the dial is most useful if you’re using creative tools on a daily basis.
The included stylus offers another way of interacting with the laptop(Image credit: Future)
One minor annoyance is that you must load up two different Asus tools to tweak settings. There’s the ProArt Creator Hub, where you control the dial settings and access calibration tools for the screen. But you also have MyAsus, which offers a bunch more options – some of which, such as switching between performance modes, are duplicated in the ProArt Creator Hub. Both have different aesthetics, so they clearly haven’t been designed by the same teams.
When it comes to the hardware’s aesthetics, though, I have no criticisms. There’s none of the RGB bling found on many Asus gaming laptops, just a sleek and understated design. The metal lid is unadorned by fussy logos, with a subtle “ProArt” the only branding on show. It’s even covered with anti-fingerprint coating to keep the black finish looking swish.
This is one solidly built laptop, too, with Gorilla Glass to protect the screen and the promise of testing to military grade standards. These include shock, vibration and extreme temperatures. Nor can I complain about connectivity, with a generous helping of ports – including two Thunderbolt 4 and 2.5Gb Ethernet – and Wi-Fi 6E. And both the 1080p webcam and the speakers are from the top-quality drawer.
There’s no shortage of ports on offer, despite the slender chassis(Image credit: Future)
Final thoughts
This is a great update to the Studiobook and one that should particularly appeal to 3D designers – when that model becomes available. It will then be possible to rapidly iterate through prototypes: design, get feedback, tweak. If you can take advantage of the Asus Dial, the stylus and the sheer firepower within this laptop, then it could be a transformative purchase.
For everyone else, it’s probably overkill. Especially at this price. But if you like the idea of the integrated dial, then Google for “ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED” and you’ll find cheaper options based on last year’s silicon.
The ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED has a unique design, and if you need its skillset then you can be assured of top components and build quality throughout.
While we already have a round up of the best portable monitors you can find, Acer aims to shake up the rankings with its Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor. This device, similar in fashion to other portable monitors, is small, lightweight and can be folded up to be taken with you on the go.
However what sets the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor apart is the fact that it has two connected monitors, as the name suggests, for those who need the extra screen space.
One of the first things I noticed when unboxing the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor is that the device is actually quite heavy, weighing in at over double that of my MacBook Air. Coming in at 2.33kg (5.14 lbs), it definitely isn’t too heavy to take on the go, but it’s by no means the lightest thing in your backpack and very well may make your bag quite hefty when combined with your current laptop.
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
The Acer PD3 Dual-Screen can be opened up like a laptop and used either horizontally or vertically. Initially I was worried the stand would be quite flimsy, but it's stable and holds up the device perfectly fine. In terms of design, the Acer PD3 dual-screen is very sleek and simple. Contained in a black, metal chassis, the device is simple and blends in seamlessly with any set up.
At 2.45cm (0.96in) thick, the device is quite chunky when compared to other laptops and portable monitors on the market. However, it’s worth noting that it's not this thick all the way around, with a large chunk of the monitor being quite thin, which makes it feel somewhat slimmer than it is.
The ports on the monitor are actually located underneath the stand, meaning the stand has to be pulled out in order to access them. While this isn’t the biggest deal in the world, it’s somewhat frustrating at times as you don’t always need to have the stand pulled out to have the monitor stood up.
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
Despite being an LCD panel, the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor looks absolutely fantastic with a great range of colors and blacks. However one downside is the 250 nits screen, which isn’t the brightest, particularly when using the device on the go in different lighting environments. My laptop, which I used in conjunction with this monitor, has a screen brightness of 500 nits which makes the monitor appear even less bright in comparison.
With each screen coming in at 1920 x 1080p, it seems perfect as I didn’t have to worry about screen sizes and ratios changing when plugging my laptop in - which has the same resolution screen.
When using the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor, it sufficed perfectly fine. It was easy to use, essentially just being plug and play with it syncing up to my laptop practically instantly.
It’s worth noting that the device can be VESA mounted - and while I didn’t mount it myself since I used it mainly on the go, it’s interesting that you can add it to a single monitor arm for a dual screened display, saving you even more space on your desk if needed.
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
It was easy enough to chuck the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor in my bag and use it in different locations but I will say it wasn’t something I was comfortable pulling out while on a long train journey or in a coffee shop. The device itself is pretty large and looks quite elaborate so I didn’t find myself using it often when away from a desk. It was fine enough to take to my workspace, where it’s normal to use multiple screens.
However, considering the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen requires its own power outlet to work, it's not something which would be very easy to use on the go anyway. It comes with its own 45W power adaptor which plugs into the device via USB-C. This was frustrating as it meant I also needed to ensure I had the power supply with me when taking the device, which adds even more weight to my bag.
Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
How much does it cost? $449.99 / £469.99
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK
While quite pricey, the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor is definitely a more premium option when it comes to these devices. At just under $450 (£469.99), it’s much more expensive than alternative portable monitor options like the AOC 16T3EA portable monitor which costs $129 / £187. However, the AOC 16T3EA is a single screened monitor, whereas the Acer PD3 is dual-screened.
Alternative dual-screen options like the Uperfect Portable Monitor come in at a similar price point to the Acer PD3, at around $449.99 / £449.99. This places the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor an average priced option for the functionality, but it’s currently hard to judge as there aren’t many alternatives on the market just yet.
Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor: Specs
Here are the specs for the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor at a glance.
Should I buy the Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor?
Buy it if...
You need multiple displays for the workplace or regular business trips.
If you are going between a home and place of work or need more displays for a trip, then this is a great option.
You want something very simple to set up
Being plug and play, you don’t have to spend time setting this device up each time you use it.
Don't buy it if...
You want something ultra lightweight
The device is quite heavy and adding the weight of the power supply makes your bag even heavier.
You want a device to use while commuting or in public
Considering this monitor needs an extra plug, and is quite large and elaborate, it likely won’t be something you use on the go.
Acer PD3 Dual-Screen Portable Monitor: Also consider
AOC 16T3EA
The AOC 16T3EA portable monitor is only a single screened display, but is significantly cheaper at $129 / £187. It’s also much lighter at 830g, making it easier to take on the go with you and doesn’t require its own power connector which is even less weight in your bag and easier to use.
The Arzopa Z1RC is a cheap and cheerful portable monitor, rated our best portable monitor option. Coming in at $120 / £129, it wont set you back as much as Acer’s edition, but again is only single screened.
I spent a few weeks using the Acer PD3 dual-screen monitor alongside my laptop as a secondary display. I attempted to use the device on the go and take it to different locations with me.
I primarily used the device for working and productivity purposes like editing photos, responding to emails and writing articles. I also used the monitor to watch videos and movies to see how well it displayed different colours.
I’ve tested a range of different displays, monitors and portable devices over the years.
This review first appeared in issue 347 of PC Pro.
Video conferencing (VC) continues to enjoy unprecedented growth levels since the pandemic, and Biamp now wants a piece of the action. It makes its play for the small to medium-sized meeting room market with the imposing Parlé VBC 2500.
Measuring nearly one metre in length, this all-in-one conferencing bar takes a lot of the technology Biamp has developed over its 46 years in the professional audio-visual (AV) space and hands it to SMBs. Whereas most competing VC bars offer a beam-forming array made up of five or six microphones, the VBC 2500 boasts a highly accurate beam-tracking array comprising 27 microphone elements.
It sports a 4K UHD camera capable of delivering up to a 2160p resolution at 30fps and teams this with a wide 120° field of view (FoV) plus digital pan, tilt, zoom (PTZ) functions with 5x zoom capabilities. The camera incorporates a mechanical shutter that automatically obscures the view when a meeting has finished or a user disables video from their UC app.
The VBC 2500 delivers great video quality and its digital auto-framing is rapid(Image credit: Future)
Sound output is a cut above the rest, too, as Biamp has designed the speaker array to accurately reproduce human speech. The array comprises a pair of 20W speakers in sealed enclosures plus passive radiators to improve bass, and it uses active distortion compensation to ensure a flat response.
Placement options are plentiful: the VBC 2500 has an integral hinged desk stand and the kit includes a metal wall-mount bracket. Behind the rear removable panel is an external power supply socket plus a USB-C host connection port – for BYOD operations you can connect the VBC 2500 to Biamp’s optional Devio SCR-10 desktop unit.
A standout feature is Biamp’s automated room configuration: simply plug the bar in, press the Launch button underneath and stand back. The bar measures the room’s acoustics by emitting a series of sounds that wouldn’t be out of place in a 1950s sci-fi movie.
It uses the audio feedback to optimize the mic array, speakers and integral digital sound processor (DSP) specifically to its environment. The upshot is that anyone can set up the VBC 2500, and the same process is used if it’s moved to another room.
Installation took seconds. We plugged the VBC 2500 into a USB port on a Windows 10 Pro host and all necessary drivers were automatically loaded. As to which VC software platform to use, the choice is yours – the VBC 2500 is UVC (USB video class) compliant and we had no problems using it with Skype, Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
The imposing Parlé VBC 2500 is supremely easy to set up(Image credit: Future)
Video settings can be tweaked to suit using Biamp’s free Camera Controller app. Auto-framing and backlight compensation can be disabled, PTZ functions manually operated, the image mirrored or flipped, UC profiles for Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom applied and three presets saved for further use.
Video quality at 1080p is impressive, and we found the image was sharp and clear with great contrast and color balance. Backlight compensation works well, as does auto-framing, with the camera snapping to the active speaker in a couple of seconds and tracking them if they moved around the meeting room.
Audio quality is even better – this is easily the best-sounding VC bar we’ve yet tested. Biamp’s speaker technology delivers a superb sound, with a warm, deep bass, natural-sounding voices and none of the shrillness you’ll find with smaller VC bars.
It’s loud, too, as we had to drop volume levels to 40% for our 24 square meter meeting room. Crank it up to maximum and it’ll go with you as the sound doesn’t break up at all.
The Parlé VBC 2500 isn’t as versatile as Logitech’s Rally Bar, which offers BYOD and standalone modes courtesy of its Android OS, but Biamp can’t be beaten for presentation quality. Video and audio are exceptionally good, digital auto-framing is fast and the smart launch mode makes meeting room setup a piece of cake.
This review first appeared in issue 348 of PC Pro.
The WS AR-X6700 makes good use of its £4,500 budget, with a solid balance of components. Workstation Specialists has chosen the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, which offers 16 cores and 32 threads, with a base 4.5GHz clock and boost up to 5.7GHz. This is backed by 64GB of RAM, provided as two DIMMs, so there’s room to upgrade. It’s 5,200MHz DDR5, which the Ryzen 7000 series now supports.
Graphics acceleration comes from the Nvidia RTX A5000. With a hefty 8,192 CUDA cores and 24GB of GDDR6 frame buffer on a 384-bit bus offering 768GB/sec of bandwidth, it’s a potent workstation accelerator. Its quartet of DisplayPort 1.4a connections support up to four 4K screens at 120Hz, or two 8K screens at 60Hz.
Apart from the decidedly skinny Lenovo chassis, the Fractal Design Define C Tempered Glass case here is the most compact this month. There’s still room for a couple of 3.5in or 2.5in drives, plus up to three 2.5in units. The only storage supplied, however, is a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro NVMe SSD, which when tested with CrystalDiskMark 8.0.4 delivered competent 7,457MB/sec sustained reading and 6,915MB/sec writing.
(Image credit: Future)
The overall result in the PC Pro benchmarks of 731 is superb compared to systems from any previous year, but in this month’s company it’s joint second slowest. For everyday tasks, Intel’s Core i9-13900K has the lead. The multicore rendering result in Maxon Cinebench R23 of 36,030 is similarly both excellent while still being third slowest this month. The Blender Gooseberry render took 282 seconds with the CPU, however, which is more competitive.
Sadly, with so many powerful systems in this test, the Nvidia RTX 5000 manages performance only in the middle of the pack. Looking at the SPECviewperf 2020 v3.1 results, the score of 178 in 3dsmax-07 is the third slowest, although 535 in maya-06 is a bit higher up the rankings. Only Lenovo’s P620, with its RTX A4000, consistently falls behind. The OpenCL rendering result in LuxMark 3.1 of 15,489 is in line with our expectations for an RTX A5000, while GPU rendering with Blender took 148 seconds, which is also mid-range.
Overall, while the Workstation Specialists WS AR-X6700 is well put together and specified, it doesn’t have the leading performance of this month’s Labs Winner.
Apps help businesses engage and connect with customers in a more personalized way. However, building apps can be complex and expensive, creating a huge blocker for many businesses. This is where app builder platforms can help.
Wix, best known as one of the best website builders on the planet, also offers a great app building platform. Wix App Builder is the company's DIY mobile app creation platform. It allows users to build native apps for iOS and Android, without coding.
In June 2024, Wix upgraded the platform by adding an AI-powered chatbot. You simply describe your app goals and the AI generates a customized app with all features and layouts included. The platform manages everything from design to deployment, including submitting the app to Apple's App Store and Google Play.
Users can create apps with logos and design elements, as long as they have a paid subscription. The premium Branded App Plan starts at $99 per month. However, you may be able to get this cheaper with one of our Wix promo codes. There are also separate registration fees for publishing the app: $99 annually for Apple's App Store and a one-time $25 fee for Google Play. What makes Wix App Builder unique is its smooth integration with Wix websites. It allows real-time syncing between website and app content, with automated updates to avoid confusion.
(Image credit: Wix)
Wix App Builder: Pricing & plans
Starting in 2025, the Wix App Builder is a part of the premium Branded App Plan, which starts at $99/month. This plan gives you access to essential tools to create, launch, and maintain a native mobile app. It includes AI-driven design tools, customization features, and deployment help. You can create apps for both iOS and Android. The plan also offers features for stores, bookings, forums, and more business solutions. If you already use a Wix website builder plan (ranging from $17 to $159 per month when billed annually), App Builder can be an added investment for mobile growth.
But keep in mind that there are extra costs for app publication beyond the Wix fee. You’ll need to pay Apple’s App Store registration fee of about $99 per year. Google Play also has a one-time developer fee of $25. These fees go directly to Apple and Google, not Wix, and you must pay them to publish any app, no matter how it was created. Plus, your app must meet Apple and Google’s approval requirements, which can be another challenge.
Wix App Builder: Features
Wix App Builder has always been easy to use, but the newly-added AI-powered features from 2024 take this even further. Users can create custom mobile apps simply by chatting with an AI. You describe your goals and vision. The chatbot then asks about business needs, desired features, and branding. Based on this, it generates a complete mobile app, which you can tweak via the visual editor.
Wix offers many customization options for branding and design. Users can create a unique app icon and tailor the layout to fit their vision. Beyond looks, Wix App Builder integrates with hundreds of business solutions. This includes ecommerce, booking systems, forums, membership areas, and notifications.
A key feature is automatic synchronization between the website and app. This means any updates made on a Wix website show up instantly in the mobile app. It removes the hassle of managing content on multiple platforms. Plus the system also takes care of updates, ensuring compatibility with the latest iOS and Android versions. All of this greatly reduces the technical work usually needed to keep mobile apps running smoothly.
(Image credit: Wix)
Wix App Builder: Setup
Setting up a mobile app with Wix App Builder is simple and user-friendly. You begin by entering your app title and choosing a color scheme.
Alternatively, with the AI chatbot introduced in 2024, you start by chatting about your business and app goals. First, share your goals for the app. Once the AI confirms the layout, it asks about desired features. No need to use technical terms; just explain the app's purpose. The bot understands and suggests relevant features. You can also upload a logo before the final design is created.
After choosing a template or letting the AI generate the initial app design, you can edit it if you want. The platform has a built-in previewer, allowing users to check the app's user experience before submitting it to app stores. Wix also guides users through the complex submission process for both the App Store and Google Play. Once the app is published, Wix continues to add value by supporting automatic updates and new features.
Wix App Builder: Support
Wix uses the same solid support system for App Builder that helps its website builder customers. The key resource is Wix's Help Center. It has detailed articles, video tutorials, and guides on app creation, submission, and maintenance. These resources are organized into clear sections, which help users find what they need.
For more personal help, Wix offers 24/7 customer support on all paid plans. This includes chat, callback requests, and ticket-based support in multiple languages. Users can reach support through the Wix app or website. Response times vary based on the subscription level.
The support team helps with technical issues, design questions, and app store submission problems. Wix also has video tutorials in its Help Center that guides users through the app creation process. While there is no separate support channel for the App Builder tool, its simple process means most users won't need much technical help.
Wix App Builder review: Final verdict
Wix App Builder is a strong choice for businesses wanting to reach mobile users. It helps them do this without high costs or needing technical skills. The 2024 update adds AI features, making app creation as easy as having a conversation. Users can share their ideas and the system creates a professional app. For those already using Wix, the easy integration and automatic syncing of website and app content save time and avoid duplicate content issues.
However, you should think about the ongoing costs and limits of the platform too. The $99 monthly fee, plus extra app store registration costs, can be a lot for small businesses or startups that aren't already invested in mobile. While the App Builder offers good flexibility, it doesn't allow the same level of customization as custom-developed apps, or even other advanced no-code platforms. It also ties businesses to the Wix ecosystem, so users without an existing Wix website won't find much use here.
In the end, Wix App Builder is a great option that sits between simple app makers and costly custom development. It balances customization, professional features, and ease of use, appealing to small and medium businesses wanting to create simple apps for iOS and Android. For those with Wix websites who want to invest in a dedicated mobile experience, the value is strong despite the higher price.
ZoneAlarm is one of the cybersecurity pioneers, offering its firewall protection not just to businesses but also to consumers back in the 1990s, when consumer firewall wasn’t really a thing. What’s more, it instituted the concept of hardening a device’s firewall against direct attacks, today featuring an inbound intrusion detection system and the ability to control outbound connections by apps.
In 2004, ZoneAlarm, which was developed by Zone Labs, was acquired by Check Point Software Technologies, a major software and combined hardware provider for network, endpoint, mobile, cloud, and data security, as well as security management.
Over the years, ZoneAlarm has changed and adapted its offering (as well as its interface) to be more in line with the times. Nowadays, ZoneAlarm offers three main tiers of its antivirus product, courtesy of Check Point’s powerful cybersecurity platform.
These include ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus, ZoneAlarm Pro Antivirus + Firewall, and ZoneAlarm Extreme Security NextGen, all of which offer different levels of protection and features. The company offers other standalone products, such as ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware.
As it happens, the free version comes equipped with the usual antivirus and anti-spyware function, an advanced firewall (monitoring apps, stopping new and so far unknown attacks), and a two-way firewall (making your PC invisible to hackers) application control, anti-bot, and 24/7 online support - for one PC.
That said, real-time cloud security, anti-phishing, threat extraction, safe browsing, and threat emulation for up to five PCs is reserved for the paid upper tier, Pro Antivirus + Firewall, whereas the top-of-the-line Extreme Security NextGen throws in content filtering, anti-keylogger, anti-ransomware, and mobile security, while supporting up to 50 PCs at the same time.
The ZoneAlarm Pro for one device costs $24.95 for the first year, renewing at $39.95. If you need coverage for three PCs, you can get it at $32.95 per year initially, renewing at $49.95. A five-device service starts at $35.95, renewing at $54.95, 10 devices are covered by a $64.95 payment renewing at $99.95, while the coverage for as many as 50 PCs would cost you just $259.95 for the year one, renewing at $259.95. Do note that Pro Antivirus only supports Windows PC devices, making it a bit of a limited option.
Meanwhile, ZoneAlarm Extreme Security NextGen charges $34.95 for one device during the initial year, increasing it to $59.95 for each subsequent 12-month period of use. For three devices, it charges $42.95 (renewing at $64.95), five devices would cost you $44.95 for the first year ($69.95 for each subsequent year), while 10 devices would set you back by $89.95 during the first year (renewing at $139.95).
You may also get coverage for 25 devices, with this plan at $189.95 initially, after which you’ll pay $289.95 per year, while coverage for 50 devices comes with a price tag of $357.95 for the first year, renewing at $549.95. Extreme Security supports Windows, Android, and iOS devices.
It is also important to note that both carry certain discounts if you take a 2-year subscription. For instance, protecting five devices for the duration of two years will cost you only $61.95 for the first year, which would otherwise cost you $90.90 if you took it on a year-by-year basis. In other words, you’re getting an impressive 68.17% discount.
For the Extreme Security package, the discounts are very similar. In this case, a 2-year subscription package covering five devices goes for $72.95, which is a 63.51% reduction compared to the $114.9 you would pay if you signed up for the package to renew each year.
Finally, both Pro and Extreme Security NextGen have a 30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you enough time to test the service out before making the final decision.
However, the free trial doesn’t give all that much and actually doesn’t differ in any way from the free tier, considering you need to activate it to access more than just its firewall and antivirus features. A pity, as someone might be attracted to actually buying the platform if they had the opportunity to check it out in more depth for free.
(Image credit: ZoneAlarm)
Setup
Downloading ZoneAlarm Free takes an unusual amount of time. At first, the downloader told us we would have to wait for two hours, changing the time to anywhere between 20 minutes and 20 hours, making our system very sluggish while it was doing this.
As it turns out, we waited for about 30 minutes, which is a lot longer than any other antivirus we had installed before. Still, installing the platform went a lot faster than this (although not nearly as fast compared to the competition).
(Image credit: ZoneAlarm)
Features
ZoneAlarm has gotten its name thanks to its method of controlling program access - by dividing all network connections into so-called ‘zones.’ Hence there are several such zones in ZoneAlarm’s vocabulary: the ‘trusted zone’ which typically includes the user’s local area network and can share resources like files and printers.
Then, there’s the ‘public zone’ that includes everything outside the trusted zone, and in which the user can grant permissions to apps before they try connecting to the Internet (such as before the initial launch) or ZoneAlarm will ask the user to grant these permissions.
Finally, the ‘blocked zone’ is where all the devices, networks, and/or apps that you decided you don’t trust with making traffic to or from end up. The firewall is on by default as soon as you install your ZoneAlarm software, and you don’t need to do anything unless you really want to change the default configuration or temporarily turn off the firewall for any reason.
Having said that, ZoneAlarm’s firewall currently allows access to every program by default, without letting you know when it finds something suspicious. If you want to modify an app’s permissions, you’ll have to go manually digging for it in the Application Control and change the settings yourself for each of the programs.
Open your ZoneAlarm app, and you’ll see a sleek green-white window that provides you with your protection status, a ‘Scan’ button, the time and date of the next automatic scan, as well as four icons - Firewall, Antivirus, Web Secure, and Hacking Protection.
The Firewall itself opens a set of features, including managing the rules for your ‘zones’ or networks (public or trusted), setting up the public and trusted zone sensitivity, as well as observing the previous firewall events, with a button to add a new entry (IP address, IP range, or subnet) as a zone rule. Its above-mentioned ‘Application Permissions’ section lists all the apps on your device and allows you to set the default action to ‘Allow Connection,’ ‘Block Connection,’ or ‘Terminate Process.’ Finally, you can turn on/off the anti-bot service.
Next is the Antivirus section, where you can view the quarantine, add exceptions, start a full scan, scan a particular folder, or schedule a critical (quick scan to identify threats) or full scan (deep scan of the entire system), on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
The Web Secure dashboard features Anti-Phishing, Safe Downloads, and Content Filtering options, whereas the Hacking Protection area contains Anti-Ransomware, Advanced File Protection, and Anti-Keylogger capabilities (none of which is accessible with the free version).
Previously, the ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus offered an entire year of simple identity protection by its partner Identity Guard, with a feature known as Identity Lock to prevent anyone from stealing your sensitive personal data from your device. However, these now seem to be gone.
On top of that, it seems to have also dropped the free Chrome extension, which was a phishing-oriented version of its Web Secure for free users to protect their credentials against phishing attempts and malicious document downloads.
(Image credit: ZoneAlarm)
Protection
Once ZoneAlarm is up and running, its protection begins, automatically updating the virus definitions and running occasional scans, which you’ll only find out from the notifications triggered by these events. Starting a full scan takes about 50 minutes, which is a bit long, but we’ve seen longer.
That said, it doesn’t get any faster with the subsequent scans, which also took about 52 minutes. This means that ZoneAlarm doesn’t use its first full scan to optimize for future procedures, as opposed to some of its competitors.
Upon testing with a recommended malware testing file, ZoneAlarm sprang into action immediately, recognizing the threat and moving it to the quarantine, letting us know what happened with a full-sized popup message that doesn’t go away until you dismiss it. You can reveal further details about the file and click again to access the list of all quarantined files.
The Web Secure mechanism is nothing to write home about, only working in Chrome, and not at all successful against malware-hosting websites - blocking only phishing sites. In other words, ZoneAlarm has no efficient ways to protect us from accessing a dangerous site, something that even the built-in Microsoft Defender can do without much effort.
Meanwhile, the personal firewall that comes equipped with even the free version might be a bit unnecessary, but it’s a nice addition considering it doesn’t cost a thing. ZoneAlarm also has its firewall available as a standalone, free product.
SE Labs hasn’t tested ZoneAlarm since Q4 2019, when it scored 85% in total accuracy rating, 87% in protection rating, 100% in legitimate accuracy rating (how well it tuned its detection engine to classify legitimate applications and URLs), a protection score of 97 points, and receiving a high AAA award.
Similarly, AV-Test did its last test of ZoneAlarm in December 2019, when it tested the paid Pro Antivirus + Firewall product, giving it a 6/6 for protection, a 6/6 for usability, and 4.5/6 for performance, as it underperformed in area of installing frequently used applications.
The same testing firm also analyzed the business version of ZoneAlarm, called Check Point, which lends its virus-defending platform to consumer products, for the period of July - August 2024, awarding it a 6/6 in all three observed areas - protection, performance, and usability, albeit also noting a slightly poorer performance in terms of installation of frequently-used applications.
A bit more recently, MRG-Effitas analyzed ZoneAlarm Mobile Security in Q2 2023, observing 82.30% accuracy in overall non-PUA (‘potentially unwanted applications’) detection, 100% accuracy in PUA detection, 86.76% in detecting trojans, 81.13% in accurately identifying spyware, but missing 100% simulator samples.
(Image credit: MRG-Effitas)
Meanwhile, the most recent test comes from AV-Comparatives, which tested ZoneAlarm Extreme Security NextGen as a non-dedicated fake-shop detecting solution in its Q4 2024 Fake Shops Detection Test, in which its detection rates in November were between 21% and 30%, with no false positives.
(Image credit: AV-Comparatives)
Final verdict
ZoneAlarm used to have a stellar reputation as the security industry’s pioneer looking out for the consumer back when no one really cared and business data safety was the primary concern. However, it has since degraded and today lags behind its competitors, many of which have much more advanced, faster, and richer platforms in terms of their antivirus and anti-malware capabilities, speed and performance, built-in features, extras, and configuration options. This is perhaps best illustrated by the lack of interest demonstrated by the leading antivirus testing labs, which haven’t been actively reporting on ZoneAlarm’s performance for years. Other than that, it’s a solid firewall solution for the price and ease of use.
Email marketing is a long established method for effective communication with existing and potential customers. Luckily, long gone are the days of complex and time consuming processes needed to send great marketing emails to your lists - this is where email marketing platforms now come in.
Wix is best known for being one of the best website builders on the market. This is mostly thanks to it's super easy to use drag-and-drop website building tools. However, it also offers users a host of other business tools to help them engage customers and grow their businesses - including a helpful email marketing tool.
Wix Email Marketing is the company’s email marketing platform. It lets users create, send, and track email campaigns right from their website dashboard. Originally launched as Wix ShoutOut in 2014, it became part of Wix Ascend before becoming a standalone platform in 2023. This change came when Wix discontinued the Ascend Business Suite. The service starts with a free plan that allows 200 emails per month, offering basic tracking and customer segmentation. Paid plans begin at $10 per month for the Essentials tier (or cheaper with one of our Wix promo codes)
What makes Wix Email Marketing special is its seamless integration with Wix websites. It automatically collects contacts from your site and makes it easy to add website content to emails. This creates a unified marketing approach that is especially useful for small businesses using the Wix ecosystem.
(Image credit: Wix)
Wix Email Marketing: Pricing & plans
As of 2025, Wix Email Marketing offers a free plan and three paid tiers that are separate from Wix website builder plans. The free plan allows up to 200 emails per month. It includes a drag-and-drop editor, templates, basic automation, segmentation, and custom reports. However, all emails will carry Wix branding.
The Essentials plan costs $10 per month. It raises the limit to 500 emails and adds premium features. These features include AI content creation for subject lines and email copy, along with scheduling for optimal send times.
The Core plan is priced at $24 per month. It lets you send up to 5,000 emails monthly and removes Wix branding, which helps in creating a more professional image. You can also share emails on the web using a custom domain, boosting your marketing reach.
For larger businesses, the Advanced plan costs $49 per month. It supports up to 1,000,000 emails each month, making it ideal for companies with big contact lists. This tiered pricing shows Wix's shift after discontinuing the Ascend Business Suite in 2023. It creates a more focused platform for email marketing while integrating other Ascend features into standard website plans.
Wix Email Marketing: Features
Wix Email Marketing features an easy-to-use drag-and-drop email editor, much like its website builder. Users can pick from about 20 ready-made templates for different needs or start fresh. They can customize colors, fonts, and backgrounds to fit their brand. The platform includes AI tools to create catchy email text quickly. It also supports multimedia like videos, images, buttons, and product listings linked to your ecommerce site. All templates work well on both desktop and mobile, ensuring a consistent look.
The service allows for basic automation of triggered emails based on customer actions. Wix sets up relevant automations automatically based on your website features. For example, store owners get payment confirmation emails, while bloggers receive notifications about new posts. Analytics tools track delivery rates, open rates, and clicks in real time. This helps users see what content works best and improve future campaigns. The platform allows customer segmentation for focused messaging. However, advanced options are limited compared to specialized email marketing services. Business users can add company details, taglines, and logos to their emails for consistent branding.
(Image credit: Wix)
Wix Email Marketing: Setup
Setting up Wix Email Marketing is easy, especially for existing users. You can find the tool in the Email Marketing section of the dashboard under Marketing & SEO. Start by choosing a pre-designed template or creating a campaign from scratch. The template library has options for promoting products, sending newsletters, or announcing special offers. The system guides you step-by-step with clear instructions and visuals, making it user-friendly for beginners.
The creation process is simple: first, design the email using the drag-and-drop editor. Then, select recipients either individually or by segments. You can preview and test the email if you want. Finally, publish and send or schedule the campaign.
A key feature for Wix owners is automatic contact collection. The system gathers contacts from your website, including ecommerce customers and form submissions, making it easier to build your email list. But the platform also suggests filtering out inactive contacts before sending campaigns to maintain good deliverability rates.
Wix Email Marketing: Support
Wix Email Marketing uses the same customer support system as Wix. There is no dedicated support for the email tool. All users can access the Help Center, which has detailed articles on using email features, from creating campaigns to maintaining lists. The Email Marketing page also has a thorough FAQ section. This section answers common questions about file types, sharing options, and usage rights.
For direct help, Wix provides 24/7 customer support for all paid plans. Users can submit tickets, request callbacks, or use chat support in over ten languages. Subscribers to the higher-tier Business Elite plan ($159/month) get priority support, faster response times, and a direct phone service hotline.
Wix Email Marketing: Final verdict
Wix Email Marketing is an easy-to-use tool, helping cement Wix's position as one of the best small business website builders. Its biggest strengths include a simple interface, smooth integration with websites, and fair pricing.
Even free users can start email marketing campaigns with ease. AI content creation helps those who struggle to write engaging copy. Plus, automated setup processes make it friendly for marketing newbies. For existing site owners, it’s a great way to begin email marketing without a steep learning curve. The platform has enough features for basic promotional needs.
However, Wix Email Marketing has some drawbacks compared to dedicated services like Mailchimp or AWeber. Advanced users may find its automation options limited. Creating complex customer journeys or triggered campaigns can be a challenge. While customization meets basic needs, it lacks the depth seen in specialized platforms. The free plan is good for testing, but email limits on lower-tier paid plans could hinder growth. The jump from 500 emails on the Essentials plan to 5,000 on the Core plan is a big price jump for scaling.
All in all, Wix Email Marketing is best for small to medium-sized businesses already using Wix. It’s great for those who value ease of use and integration over advanced features. It works well for businesses starting their email marketing journey. However, companies with more complex needs or larger subscriber lists might find it lacking.
