This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
SMBs that want to keep all their remote desktop support services on–premises need look no further than NetSupport Manager (NSM), which is one of the best solutions on the market. Cost control is another compelling argument since, unlike cloud-hosted services that incur regular monthly fees, NSM is priced on the number of systems you want to support and its perpetual licensing plans mean you pay only once. Now well into its third decade, NSM benefits from constant development with version 14.1 delivering new features and security enhancements.
NSM delivers a wealth of support tools, including remote control, view and screen sharing, file transfer, text or two-way audio chat and recording facilities, remote application launch and Registry editing tools, plus a highly detailed hardware and software inventory.
Out of the box, NSM defaults to requiring a client’s permission for a support session, and technicians now have the ability to blank the remote screen while viewing it. Value gets a boost, too, with NSM including a full copy of the latest NetSupport School classroom management and training solution, which can be deployed alongside NSM using a custom setup.
Installation is swift. We loaded the NSM Control component on a Windows 11 host in around one minute and used its Deploy tool to scan our entire local network and push the client to all our Windows 10/11 client machines. NetSupport has malware activity covered during this phase, as it will prevent the client executable from running if its name has been changed.
Cloud-hosted solutions lend themselves well to supporting staff in remote offices, but NSM has this covered as well as its Gateway and Connectivity Server components are included in the price. Installed at a remote site, these lightweight services are highly secure: they enforce 256-bit AES session encryption, use a unique key that the client must possess in order to connect to the Gateway, and you can decide which technicians are allowed to access them.
The Control console delivers a wealth of support tools(Image credit: Future)
The Control console is easy to use, with its left tree menu placing clients in various categories and custom groups for swift access. Auto groups are a smart feature, with NSM dynamically sorting clients based on attributes such as their installed OS, NSM client version, enclosure type (including virtual machines) and geographical location.
NSM’s monitor mode is a feature you won’t find in most cloud-hosted products. This displays scalable thumbnails of the clients’ screens so you can watch user activity in real-time. Users needn’t worry about being spied on as when a technician connects, their local NSM app alerts them and they can disconnect at any time.
A remote control session is started by double-clicking on a client icon and this presents a new window with a wealth of support tools in its upper menu. Along with choosing to control, share or passively view their screen, technicians can launch local apps, have text and audio chats, take screen captures, share clipboards, reboot the client, show their Control screen to single or multiple clients and make training recordings and replay them to clients.
Hardware and software inventory includes all apps and hot fixes, with the Task Manager tool providing a list of processes and services that can be remotely stopped, started or paused. NSM’s file distribution tool is another great time saver as it allows technicians to select local files and send them to multiple clients in one go.
NetSupport Manager sets the standard for on-premises hosted support for both local and remote workers. It delivers a remarkable range of support features and its one-time cost per seat will appeal to businesses concerned about ongoing subscription fees.
This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
Dell’s Inspiron 14 Plus is currently the cheapest Copilot+ PC around, but if that’s still too much and your heart is set on an AI PC, then the PCSpecialist Lafité AI AMD may be the answer.
Rather than featuring one of AMD’s new Ryzen AI 300 series chips, PCSpecialist saves a chunk of cash by opting for last year’s AI hotshot, the Ryzen 8845HS. Its NPU offers 16 TOPS compared to the 55 TOPS of the Ryzen AI 370 HX in the trio of Asus laptops on review this month, which means no Recall or Cocreator built into Windows, but you can take advantage of third-party software enhanced for NPUs. So far, that mainly means video-editing and photo-editing software (think removing background noise), plus blurring effects in video calls.
(Image credit: Future)
You’re also buying an eight-core, 16-thread processor, and one that typically stands up well compared to Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H. You can see that in the single-core performance in Geekbench 6, with a result of 2,532 above the 2,349 of the LG gram Pro. I saw the same in Cinebench 2024, where the Lafité scored 105 to 99 of the LG, and it also performed in the multicore section: 871 versus 660. It was only in Geekbench 6’s multicore test that PCSpecialist’s machine came second, with 9,875 to the gram Pro’s 12,646.
PCSpecialist provides 16GB of RAM, leaving one SODIMM socket free. That hampers gaming performance, which you can see in the Lafité’s 1,749 return in 3DMark Time Spy – the Radeon 780M graphics here typically return a score closer to 3,000 – and our gaming benchmarks. At 1080p Low settings, the Lafité returned averages of 28fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Cyberpunk 2077, and 36fps in Dirt 5.
These frame rates should jump by around 50% if you install a second SODIMM.
It’s easy to do this yourself as just a few crosshead screws keep the base in place. You can also replace the 512GB SSD, a budget SolidIGM drive that offers fast 3,515MB/sec sequential reads but 1,606MB/sec writes.
(Image credit: Future)
The budget again shows in the chassis, which is made of metal but doesn’t exude the class of its big-name rivals. It’s also a porky 18.5mm thick and weighs 1.4kg. The 100W power supply is similarly chunky and adds 330g of weight, but it does its job quickly: the Lafité went from empty to 93% in an hour. Battery life is strong for such an affordable gaming laptop, lasting for 12hrs 2mins in our light-use test, but that’s an area where Qualcomm powered laptops are far superior.
You can’t expect a top-grade panel at this price, but PCSpecialist makes a much better pick than Dell with the Inspiron. Not only does this IPS panel produce great whites, it covers 99% of the sRGB gamut with excellent accuracy (an average Delta E of 0.29), and brightness peaks at a respectable 375cd/m2. Add a 120Hz refresh rate and pin-sharp 2,880 x 1,800 resolution and it’s an undoubted highlight. The speakers are again good for the price.
The chunky chassis is made of metal but doesn’t exude class(Image credit: Future)
I’m less enamored by the keyboard, which feels like someone forgot to add the springs, but it’s functional, includes a backlight and suffers from no obvious layout issues. The touchpad is similarly basic, and the buttons too “clicky” for my liking, but again I guide your eyes to this laptop’s asking price. I’m less forgiving about the woeful webcam, with a fuzzy image I’d be embarrassed to use on a call. At least it supports Windows Hello.
The keyboard and touchpad are basic but functional(Image credit: Future)
While I would like more than one USB-C port, which is needed for charging, it is at least USB-C 4. And there are three USB-A ports, two of which support 10Gbits/sec transfers. A 3.5mm jack and full-size SD card slot complete the hardware, with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 covering the wireless side.
I have my criticisms, but the price is simply exceptional. Add in the three-year warranty – even allowing that parts are only covered for the first year – and it’s impossible to argue with. I would immediately buy and fit a matching 16GB Corsair DDR5-4800 SODIMM to give gaming a boost, but otherwise this is a great laptop for those who prioritize specs over slick design.
This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
PCSpecialist’s Quantum Goliath R is an outlier in this group test of workstations, as one of two systems supplied with consumer-grade rather than professional graphics. But that doesn’t mean it’s just a gaming PC. Certain types of content creators – particularly game developers – prefer this anyway.
The GPU in question is an incredibly potent Asus TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition. This sports 16,384 CUDA cores, which is almost as many as the Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada Generation and more than any other Nvidia card here. There’s 24GB of GDDR6X memory with 1,008GB/sec of bandwidth, which is also the highest in the Labs.
PCSpecialist has also gone for the best with the CPU, an Intel Core i9-14900KS. That’s one rung up from the 14900K provided by InterPro. The 14900KS similarly provides eight P-cores (with multithreading) and 16 E-cores (without) and has the same 3.2GHz base clock for the P-cores, with 2.4GHz for the E-cores. However, the P-cores go all the way up to 6.2GHz in Thermal Velocity Boost mode, compared to 6GHz for the 14900K, and the E-cores will hit 4.5GHz instead of 4.4GHz.
The memory allocation is also surprisingly high for a system in this price bracket – 192GB in total, made up of four 48GB DDR5 DIMMs running at 5,200MHz. That leaves no room for upgrades on the Asus ProArt Z790-Creator WiFi motherboard, but you won’t need to anyway.
Like PCSpecialist’s more expensive entry this month, the Quantum Goliath R opts for a fast boot drive and slower but more capacious data drive. In fact, they’re the same drives as the Zircon Extreme. The 4TB Samsung 990 Pro NVMe M.2 device for operating system and apps runs at PCI Express 4 speeds to deliver sustained reading of 7,132MB/sec and sustained writing of 6,846MB/sec with CrystalDiskMark 8. The larger 10TB data drive is a Seagate IronWolf Pro, aimed at business-grade use. This 7,200rpm SATA disk provides reading at 268MB/sec and writing at 264MB/sec – fast for a mechanical disk but pedestrian compared to any SSD.
The Corsair 5000D Airflow chassis is designed for maximum airflow(Image credit: Future)
These components are integrated into a Corsair 5000D Airflow chassis. This is a nice-looking case but relatively orthodox in design, with a tempered glass side. It’s designed for maximum airflow (hence the name) and has mounts for up to four 2.5in SSDs and two 3.5in drives. PCSpecialist has included a 1,000W Corsair RMx Series PSU, which is reassuring considering how much electricity the graphics card on its own will draw at full pelt.
The Quantum Goliath R makes good use of its Intel Core i9’s performance. The PC Pro media benchmarks score of 841 isn’t far off that provided by the 32-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper systems this month, and way ahead of other PCs in the £4,500 price category. The image-editing result of 306 was second fastest, while 816 in video encoding was only beaten by the monster 64-core Armari system. A multitasking score of 1,035 was very close to 32-core systems. With 24 cores and 32 threads, the Core i9 managed only 2,092 in Maxon Cinebench 2024 multi-CPU rendering, but that was the best in this price category, although the Blender Gooseberry render took 318 seconds, notably behind Armari’s £4,500 system.
The consumer-grade graphics have strengths and weaknesses. With the 3D animation workloads in SPECviewperf 2020 it flies, delivering 308 in 3dsmax-07 and 893 in maya-06. However, it’s not so great for CAD or engineering. While 166 in catia-06 and 162 in creo-03 are good, and 738 in solidworks-07 is superb, 54 in snx-04 is about ten times slower than a professional card.
The GPU compute tests show the full power of this accelerator, however, with a massive 34,082 in the Geekbench ML AI inference test and 31,154 with LuxMark 3.1 OpenCL. The Blender Gooseberry frame rendered in just 61 seconds with CUDA, which is the quickest we’ve ever seen.
The PC Specialist Quantum Goliath R is best avoided with this graphics choice if you run Siemens NX software. But if you’re a game developer, SolidWorks CAD creative or 3D animator, the performance, huge memory and capacious storage make it highly recommended.
This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
Zircon is a gemstone not to be confused with the synthetically produced cubic zirconia. Instead, it’s a naturally occurring gold-hewed mineral that comes in a variety of shades. PCSpecialist clearly considers its high-end entry to be a bit of a gem and it’s certainly packed with cutting-edge components.
Despite the return of the non-Pro AMD Ryzen Threadripper, PCSpecialist opted not to go with this variant for the Zircon Extremeworkstation. Instead, it uses the 32-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7975X. This offers 64 threads and runs at the same frequencies as the non-Pro version – a base 4GHz with 5.3GHz boost. However, the Pro processor supports eight-channel memory and has 128 PCI Express 5 lanes, so can offer higher memory bandwidth while supporting many more high-speed peripherals than the vanilla Threadripper.
Strangely, however, although PCSpecialist has included a healthy total of 256GB DDR5 RAM memory running at 4,800MHz, this is supplied as four 64GB DIMMs rather than eight 32GB ones. This means that you can’t take advantage of the extra bandwidth from the eight-channel memory capability unless you add another four DIMMs. On the plus side, while we don’t envisage 256GB feeling like too little during the lifetime of this system, the Asus Pro WS WRX90E Sage SE motherboard has four DIMM slots free for upgrade and seven PCI Express 5 x16 slots, although one of these only operates in x8 speed mode.
Despite the Threadripper Pro having a significantly higher price than the equivalent Threadripper, PCSpecialist has still managed to include AMD’s flagship graphics acceleration. The Radeon Pro W7900 has 6,144 Stream processors and a huge 48GB of GDDR6 frame buffer with 864GB/sec of bandwidth.
(Image credit: Future)
PCSpecialist has taken a traditional approach to storage with the Zircon Extreme, providing one faster, smaller drive for the operating system and apps allied with a larger, slower one for general data. The former is hardly small, however. It’s a 4TB Samsung 990 Pro NVMe M.2 unit, although this is a PCI Express 4 drive, delivering 7,463MB/sec sustained reading and 6,985MB/sec sustained writing in CrystalDiskMark 8. The data drive is a 10TB Seagate IronWolf Pro 7,200rpm conventional hard drive, capable of 262MB/sec reading and 258MB/sec writing. This enterprise-grade disk comes with a three-year data recovery service and a 2.5 million-hour MTBF backed by a five-year warranty.
The chassis is also conventional – a Fractal Define 7 XL. This is the larger sibling of the case supplied by InterPro this month. This version includes eight 2.5/3.5in drive brackets and two 2.5in brackets, with up to 23 drive positions possible. PCSpecialist has equipped the chassis with a potent 1,000W Corsair RMx series PSU, so you can happily add power-hungry components to this system.
The chassis includes eight 2.5/3.5in drive brackets and two 2.5in brackets(Image credit: Future)
Unsurprisingly, with the same number of cores of the same generation as the Scan £10,000 system’s AMD Ryzen Threadripper, the Threadripper Pro in the Zircon Extreme performs very similarly in CPU tests. The PC Pro media benchmarks score of 866 is just one point lower, with identical video-encoding and multitasking results of 816 and 1,096 respectively. Only the image-editing score drops behind at 274. The Cinebench 2024 multi-CPU rendering score of 3,493 is a tad ahead of the Scan, too, although the Blender Gooseberry frame took 165 seconds, around 10 seconds longer. We can’t help thinking that all these results would have been higher had PCSpecialist taken advantage of the Threadripper Pro’s eight-channel memory.
The flagship Radeon Pro W7900 certainly shows how much AMD has to offer graphics acceleration these days, though. The SPECviewperf 2020 scores of 291 in 3dsmax-07 and 1,057 in maya-06 make this the fastest system for 3D animation viewsets this month. CAD and engineering workloads are also impressive, with 210 in catia-06, 278 in creo-03, 772 in snx-04 and 598 in solidworks-07, although these aren’t the fastest in every area. The GPU also delivers the second-best inferencing performance with Geekbench ML at 28,093 and a third best 17,255 in LuxMark 3.1 OpenCL.
Overall, this is a very competent system from PCSpecialist with great performance across the board, but spending extra on the Pro version of the Threadripper without providing eight memory DIMMs is a missed opportunity.
This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
AMD was just in the process of launching its Ryzen 9000 Series processors as we were putting this Labs test together, and we’ve managed to squeeze our first look into the roundup. It comes from Scan in the form of the 3XS GWP A1-R24 workstation.
Just as the 14th generation of Intel Core CPUs don’t make any radical changes over the 13th generation, the Ryzen 9000 doesn’t diverge greatly on paper from the 7000 series, with core counts still ranging from six to 16. Even the clock rates haven’t progressed. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X in the Scan system is a 12-core CPU with a base 4.4GHz clock and 5.6GHz boost. The 7900X it replaces has a 4.7GHz base clock and 5.6GHz boost. The 16-core 9950X is similarly no on-paper leap over its 7950X predecessor.
However, the CPU is now produced on a 4nm process instead of 5nm, which should enable more cores to run closer to boost speeds than the previous generation. There’s also support for 5,600MHz memory instead of 5,200MHz. Scan has gone even further, supplying 64GB of 6,000MHz DDR5 RAM as two 32GB DIMMs, leaving two slots free for upgrade on the Asus ProArt B650-Creator motherboard.
(Image credit: Future)
Scan has managed to go one better than the 4000-series Nvidia RTX graphics we would normally expect at this price and includes the 4500 Ada Generation instead. This sports 7,680 CUDA cores compared to 6,144 for the 4000, and 24GB of ECC-backed GDDR6 frame buffer operating at 432GB/sec, compared to 20GB at 360GB/sec.
The storage is more modest, however. Only one drive has been included, although it’s a fast one. The 2TB Corsair MP700 NVMe M.2 unit operates at PCI Express 5 speeds to deliver an impressive sustained read speed of 12,278MB/sec in CrystalDiskMark 8, with sustained writing of 7,904MB/sec.
Scan has opted for the regular version of the Fractal North Charcoal chassis with the A1-R24. This is a stylish case with wooden slats down the front that make it look more like designer furniture than a PC. The chassis offers a couple of 2.5/3.5in drive mounts, and a couple of 2.5in-only ones, should you need to expand the storage. The PSU included is the 750W Corsair RMX750, which isn’t hugely potent but should be enough for this set of components.
Wooden slats on the front of the case make it look more like designer furniture than a PC(Image credit: Future)
This system had the fewest cores of any entry this month – half as many as the Intel workstations – but it wasn’t the slowest, showing the capability of the new Ryzen 9000 series. The PC Pro media benchmark result of 761 beat the 24-core Intel CPU supplied by InterPro and the 16-core AMD processor from the previous Ryzen generation in the Armari Magnetar PrMM16R9. This includes the best image-editing result this month of 359, competent video encoding of 716, and multitasking of 924, which wasn’t far behind the 32-core systems in the test. The Cinebench 2024 multi-CPU rendering result of 1,873 was the slowest this month, but only 6% behind the Armari’s Ryzen 9 7950X, which has a third more cores. Notably, the single-core Cinebench result was 16% faster. Similarly, the Blender Gooseberry frame render took 324 seconds, which sits in between the two 24-core Intel CPUs this month – despite having half the cores. This bodes well for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X when it arrives.
The GPU-based performance from the Nvidia RTX 4500 Ada Generation unsurprisingly sits between the 4000 and 5000 we have in other systems. The SPECviewperf 2020 scores of 206 in 3dsmax-07 and 729 in maya-06 promise great 3D animation, while 165 in catia-06, 226 in creo-03, 789 in snx-04 and 491 in solidworks-07 mean CAD and engineering will be smooth. The Geekbench ML result of 24,416 means AI inference is midway between the other Nvidia cards, as is 15,285 with LuxMark 3.1 OpenCL.
With just 12 cores against systems boasting 16 or 24 in this price category, and 32 or 64 in the higher class, the Scan 3XS GWP A1-R24 acquits itself surprisingly well, showing that the AMD Ryzen 9000 series is a welcome upgrade over the 7000 series. Had this system included the 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X, it could have been our Labs Winner.
This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
Scan is the second manufacturer this month to take advantage of the return of the non-Pro AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPU. However, Scan has opted for a lesser model than Armari, enabling more potent graphics acceleration and a different performance balance as a result for this workstation.
Specifically, Scan chose the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X. This is the 32-core variant, which offers 64 threads and a base clock of 4GHz with a 5.3GHz boost. Of course, with AMD processors that have Precision Boost Overdrive enabled, the actual frequency will depend dynamically on power and temperature. Otherwise, the specifications are the same as the Armari CPU, with quad-channel memory support and 48 PCI Express 5 lanes plus 24 PCI Express 4 lanes.
With a cheaper processor than Armari, Scan has spent some of its savings on providing double the memory. There are four 64GB GDDR5 DIMMs, enabling quad-channel bandwidth and running at 4,000MHz. These are ECC modules, too, for enhanced stability. The Asus PRO WS TRX50 Sage WiFi motherboard supports a maximum of 1TB, but you probably won’t need any more memory in the lifetime of this system.
Another area where Scan has spent its CPU savings is in the graphics acceleration. We’ve seen 6000-series Nvidia RTX GPUs in the higher workstation price category before, but Scan has gone one rung down to the 5000 Ada Generation. This has a huge 12,800 CUDA cores and 32GB of ECC-backed GDDR6 frame buffer delivering 576GB/sec throughput.
Scan hasn’t entirely pushed the boat out when it comes to storage, however, with only a single drive included. It’s still relatively large and very fast, though. The 4TB Corsair MP700 NVMe M.2 unit operates at PCI Express 5 speeds, delivering 12,354MB/sec sustained reading and 11,758MB/sec sustained writing when we tested it in CrystalDiskMark.
(Image credit: Future)
If you need more, the good-looking Fractal North XL chassis offers two 2.5in drive mounts and two 2.5/3.5in mounts, so you can easily add more. The North XL’s wooden slatted front bears a more than passing resemblance to a freestanding heating unit created by a leading Swedish interior designer. Scan has also included a 1,000W Corsair RMx1000 PSU, which should handle all the powerful components with aplomb.
With half the cores of Armari’s high-end entry this month, the Scan system was never going to get close to it in CPU tests where this was the key aspect. The overall PC Pro media benchmarks score of 867 is still the second highest this month, with superb results of 281 in image editing, 816 in video encoding and 1,096 in multitasking. The Maxon Cinebench 2024 multi-CPU result of 3,459 falls marginally behind the PCSpecialist Zircon Extreme, coming third in the Labs. The Scan took 155 seconds to complete the Blender Gooseberry render, the second fastest.
The Fractal North XL chassis contains a 1,000W Corsair RMx1000 PSU(Image credit: Future)
While the Scan system can’t compete with Armari’s 64 cores, its more powerful GPU makes it one of the best this month for real-time viewport acceleration and GPU-assisted computation. The Nvidia RTX 5000 Ada Generation provides very competitive SPECviewperf 2020 3D animation results of 255 in 3dsmax-07 and 814 in maya-06. CAD and engineering workloads are even better catered for, with 202 in catia-06, 222 in creo-03, an incredible 1,210 in snx-04 and 609 in solidworks-07. But the W7900 is significantly faster in 3D animation.
The GPU delivers an impressive 27,069 for inferencing with Geekbench ML and 20,282 with LuxMark 3.1 OpenCL. To underline the power of this GPU, when rendered on CUDA the Blender Gooseberry frame took only 75 seconds to output – the second fastest GPU result we’ve seen.
The Scan GWP A1-TR64 is a more balanced system than Armari’s £10,000 offering. It’s also about £500 cheaper. However, the Armari is not so behind on graphics acceleration as it is ahead on CPU tasks, and that gives it the win overall. Scan still earns five stars and a Recommended award for good reason: if your workflow is more skewed towards intensive real-time viewsets and GPU accelerated computation, it’s a better choice. And it looks great, too.
This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
Zyxel’s Nebula NFWA505 is designed to deliver wire-free internet access. This compact desktop Wi-Fi router teams up 5G with Wi-Fi 6 services and targets a wide audience including small businesses, SOHOs, mobile workers, pop-up stores and those that can’t get decent fixed-line broadband speeds.
The FWA505 replaces Zyxel’s older NR5101, but is more competitively priced and sees a design refresh, with all ports arranged vertically at the rear. The status LEDs have been moved from the base to the front of the unit and it also sports a pair of smaller TS-9 connectors at the back for optional external aerials.
Two gigabit ports are provided, with the first offering LAN or automatic WAN failover services and the second used for connecting other devices to its network. Its Wi-Fi 6 AP is AX1800-rated and delivers speeds of up to 1,200Mbits/sec on its 5GHZ radio and 573Mbits/sec on the 2.4GHz one.
As the model name indicates, the FWA505 can be cloud-managed from Zyxel’s Nebula Control Center (NCC), and the price includes a one-year Pro Pack license, with subsequent years costing around £28. You’ll need to familiarize yourself with its local web console, though, as unlike Zyxel’s fully compliant Nebula wireless APs and security routers, the FWA505 doesn’t broadcast cloud SSIDs and can only be configured from its own interface.
Two gigabit ports are provided on the rear of the router(Image credit: Future)
It’s easy enough to deploy as the web interface loads a wizard to get you started. Zyxel supplied our review unit with a Vodafone 5G SIM installed in the micro-SIM slot in the base, which provided instant cellular internet access.
The web console opens with a dashboard showing the status of local and internet connections, cellular status and details of wireless networks. A default SSID is provided for both radios and, although it uses the weaker WPA2 encryption, the encryption key is randomly generated and you can easily swap to the more secure WPA3.
Up to four SSIDs are supported, with three secure guest wireless networks already configured for you. These can be modified as required with the Guest WiFi tickbox enabling L2 isolation so users on these SSIDs only get internet access.
Network security is present and correct, with the router’s firewall offering three protection levels that can be quickly selected using a slider bar. Custom firewall rules comprising protocols, port numbers and ACL (access control list) entries can be created, while parental control profiles limit internet access to specific days and times and enforce URL and keyword blocking.
The gigabit WAN port can be used for internet access and teamed up with the mobile SIM for failover. We tested this by pulling the cable out and the router automatically swapped over to its 5G SIM in one minute.
The FWA505 also delivers respectable wireless speeds. Copies of a 25GB test file between a Windows 11 Pro workstation equipped with a TP-Link Archer TBE550E Wi-Fi 7 adapter and a server on the gigabit LAN averaged 107MB/sec at close range, dropping to 85MB/sec with the router ten meters away in an adjoining room.
Nebula provides remote access to its local web console from the cloud(Image credit: Future)
Adding the FWA505 to our NCC account was simple as we scanned its QR code from an iPad running the Nebula iOS app. A mobile router status widget is added to the site dashboard and selecting it provides more hardware details, a location map and remote firmware upgrade services, plus views of WAN and cellular status and information about wired and wireless clients.
The NCC Pro Pack license increases traffic monitoring from 24 hours to 30 days but, more importantly, enables a remote configurator. Select this from the router’s Live Tools section and it will establish a secure HTTPS remote web console session so you can access all its settings.
Any small business and remote workers that want to go completely wireless will find the Zyxel Nebula FWA505 an affordable solution. It’s well designed, easy to use, delivers respectable wireless performance and can be remotely managed from Zyxel’s Nebula cloud portal.
OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: 30-second review
Specs
Capacities Available: 480GB Size: 20mm x 28mm x 2.8mm Weight: 10g Enclosure Material: Metal casing Connector: CFexpress TypeA to B adapter included Technology: CFexpress 4.0 Warranty: 3 years Rated R/W Speeds (MB/s): Up to 1850MB/s read, 1700MB/s write Software Bundle: Free software bundle
The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro memory card is designed for the latest Sony Alpha and Cinema Line cameras that support the CFexpress Type-A card format. At present, Sony is the only manufacturer to adopt Type-A cards, with most other manufacturers opting for the larger CFexpress Type-B cards.
The format is closer in size to the common SD card format, but with the build quality, speed and capacity that we've seen from all models of CFexpress. This new Atlas Pro card offers some of the fastest transfer rates that we've seen for the format, with read speeds of up to 1700MB/s and 1500MB/s write speeds, which makes it a solid choice for shooting high-resolution images and video on the latest cameras. While its smaller size limits compatibility with CFexpress Type-A slots, OWC includes a CFexpress Type-B adapter that enables the card to be used in standard Type-B readers. However, this doesn't enable the card to be used in cameras that accept the Type-B format of CFexpress even though the card will fit the slot
Aside from the speed and capacity that the CFexpress cards offer over SD cards when it comes to durability, there's just no comparison. To cope with the increased demands of the latest cameras, the memory cards' build quality is on another level, with the metal casing boosting protection against physical damage and also aiding with heat dissipation. The 480GB version of the card that we've looked at in this review offers a decent amount of storage, which is ideal for capturing images on the Sony A7 IV and plenty of 4K video. If you are looking for a card primarily for video, then the larger-capacity card would probably be a good idea.
When it comes to cost, the price is higher compared to similar-sized SD cards, which balances out when you take into consideration the boost in performance and quality that the card offers. While it is only Sony that utilises the Type-A format at present, with Sony's line of still and video cameras leading the field in many sectors, there is a huge market for decent Type-A cards, and at present, there is a small amount of choice out there. However, backed by OWC quality, a robust performance throughout the test and the OWC software suite that helps to maintain the health and integrity of the card, if you're a professional photographer or videographer using one of Sony's latest cameras, then this should be your number one go-to.
OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: Price & availability
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro is available through OWC's official website and select online retailers.
Score: 4/5
OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: Design & build
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro is designed for the latest Sony Alpha and Cinema Line cameras. It is tailored towards professionals rather than enthusiasts, enabling that camera to process high-resolution video and still at the camera's full potential. At the same time, enthusiasts will still benefit from the enhanced performance compared with the SD equivalent that most cameras will also accept, such as the Sony A7 IV that was used through this test, the rugged metal casing and robust build of the OWC type-A card help to ensure the additional durability that will reassure professionals and helps to protect the card against physical damage.
As professional photographers and videographers will testify, this additional durability offered by CFexpress cards is important when working in demanding environments where equipment can be subjected to all sorts of conditions and not always delicately handled.
The card's compact size adheres to the standard design profile of Type-A cards, and as such, it fits perfectly into the Sony A7 IV's CFexpress Type-A slot without issue. A nice touch from OWC is the inclusion of the Type-A to B adapter, which means that you can utilise the OWC Type-B card readers without needing to purchase a dedicated reader for this single card type.
Design & build: 5/5
OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: Features
The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro offers read speeds up to 1850MB/s, write speeds up to 1700MB/s, and a minimum sustained write speed of 400MB/s, making it ideal for storing high-resolution image and video files.
The card is also VPG200 certified, which means that it will enable compatible Sony Alpha, FX, and FR7 to work at their maximum settings for video capture using an internal storage solution rather than an external one. This means that it can withstand the capture of 4 and 8K video, with the durable metal casing protecting it from damage while also helping to maintain decent heat dissipation when put under load.
The card also meets all CFexpress Type-A 4.0 specifications, which is an upgrade from the more common Type-A 2.0 specifications, but remains fully backwards compatible. One of the big features of the card is the partnership with OWC's Innergize software that enables you to maintain the health and integrity of the cards; it also means that if compatible updates are released for the card and technology, it's possible to upgrade the cards firmware often boosting the cards performance.
Along with the Type-A cards, the box includes a Type-B adapter. This helps to boost the cards' compatibility with standard readers and means that you can use any OWC Type-B reader or one from another manufacturer with the card. It's also worth highlighting that while the card will fit into cameras such as the Canon EOS R5 C, the technology doesn't enable it to be used.
When it comes to the performance of the OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A, we tested it in the Sony A7 IV and trialled it with the Sony FX6. In both cameras, the card was instantly recognised and ready to go. Compared to using a standard SD card, the speed of the card was instantly apparent as higher resolutions and colour profiles were selected in the cameras.
On the Sony FX6, with the camera quality settings were set to shoot 4K 60fps at 600 Mbps in XAVC-I, S-Cinetone, the card and camera worked without issue. I switched to the Sony A7 IV, and again, the results were impressive. We were able to shoot video at all quality settings without restriction, something that isn't possible with standard SD cards.
Not only was the speed able to keep up with the cameras' demands, but the capacity, even at 480GB, gave plenty of space for footage. However, for these high-quality settings, the 960GB card might be a better option for longer recording period.
Once the real-world tests were complete, it was time to check the performance of our benchmarking software on an Intel Ghost Canyon Nuc 9 i9. Again, the results were impressive with the card installed in the A to B adapter in the OWC Atlas 4.0 CFexpress Type-B card reader.
While the quoted speeds are impressive, we didn't quite meet those in our benchmarking tests. However, the transfer rates were still impressive and far exceeded the speeds that we recorded, which is even possible with the highest-quality SD cards.
Using CrystalDiskMark, the transfer rates hit 1669.89MB/s read and 1457.29MB/s write. The results in the other applications were equally impressive but varied depending on the technologies. Most importantly, the sustained read and write speeds in the AJA System Test recorded write speeds of 1228MB/s and read Speeds of 1495MB/s over 30 minutes.
The real-world test, along with the benchmarks, prove that the OWC Atlas Pro is a great card for your Sony camera. However, what gives the card the edge over other Type-A cards is the Innergize software that helps you to keep an eye on the health of the card. This software download essentially only works with the OWC cards and readers. Once the card is inserted, you'll be able to get a complete health report on that card, erase it, reset it to factory conditions, and upgrade the software. The app is simple to use but can make a huge difference to your workflow, and if you're working professionally, it just gives you that additional piece of mind knowing what your memory card's condition is like.
Performance: 5/5
Should you buy the OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB?
OWC works closely with the creative industry, and through their hardware and software solutions, they are able to offer a small edge on usability that most other manufacturers just can't meet. The quality of the CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro stands out for its high performance over a sustained period, which few other CFexpress type-A cards are able to match.
While the card is expensive, that is just part of the course with this format of card. Realistically, if you need to use the potential speed and abilities of this card, then you're more than likely going to be using it in a professional capacity, so that price really does make sense. The card more than coped with the ability to record 4K RAW and all the Log3 and other formats that we chose to select with the Sony cameras that we had to hand.
Ultimately, the card is exceptional, but what pushes this card beyond the abilities of most is the fact that it comes with the Innergize software and all that entails for the health and integrity of the card. At present there's no other manufacturer that offers anything like this software that essentially helps you to ensure that your card is always fit and ready for action as well as being able to upgrade the firmware, if and when, updates are released.
If you're in the market for a CFexpress Type-A card, while there are other options, the OWC Atlas Pro currently offers the best balance of price, speed, and support.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Buy it if...
You need high-speed performance.
The Atlas Pro provides fast transfer speeds, perfect for high-resolution images and 4K video.
It would help if you had durability.
The robust metal casing protects the card from damage and aids in heat dissipation.
Don't buy it if...
You are looking for a budget-friendly option.
The premium price may need to be lowered for casual users.
You only shoot with non-Sony cameras.
The card is primarily designed for Sony cameras with CFexpress Type-A slots.
Capacities available: 480GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB Size: 12mm x 76 mm x 52 mm Weight: 85g Enclosure material: Aluminum Connector: USB 3.2 Gen 2 Technology: OWC Aura Pro III PCIe 3.0 NVMe M.2 2242 Solid-State Drive Warranty (in years): 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty Rated R/W speeds (MB/s): upto 1011MB/s depends on system Software bundle: OWC Innergize for Mac and Windows
The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron joins the company's range of compact portable storage solutions designed for creatives.
We've tested the best portable SSDs but this one really caught our eye. The overall look and style are minimalistic, with the small design easily slipping into a jacket or kit bag pocket without adding much weight or bulk. The exterior is simple, featuring an all-metal build with a status light on the front, a USB Type-C port at the back, and a logo on top. On the base are two rubber strips along with a model info label.
The simplicity of the design also reflects the toughness of the drive. As soon as you lift it from the desk you can feel the additional weight afforded by that reinforced case. It's not heavy, but it's heavier than you'd expect for such a small device. This extra weight comes from the thick metal casing that is not just designed to protect the drive from minor knocks, but to survive being run over, thrown, and generally subjected to conditions that would ordinarily destroy a drive of this type.
That robust build continues throughout the design with the USB Type-C port, which, despite being open to the elements and without a protective rubber cap, still enables the drive to be IP67 certified. The drive is essentially built like a tank and able to survive being crushed (though perhaps not by an actual tank) as well as being submerged in water. Sure enough, in testing, the drive withstood more than most, and even after being run over and submerged, it continued to function without issue.
While the drive's strength is its main feature, speed is another important consideration. Inside is an NVMe SSD, enabling ultra-fast transfer rates. While it doesn't feature the latest connection technology, its data transfer speeds are still impressive and more than enough for HD and 4K video editing, image manipulation, and audio editing.
If you need a drive that can withstand the elements and rough handling while providing ample storage capacity and speed, the OWC Envoy Pro Elektron is an excellent choice—and one of the few with this level of protection.
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron: Price & availability
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron is available in multiple storage capacities, typically ranging from 4800GB to 4TB. Pricing for the drive varies depending on the capacity, starting around £129 ($129 USD) for the 4800GB model and going up to approximately £529 ($529 USD) for the 4TB version. Availability is through major online retailers, including OWC's website, Amazon, and other electronics and computer accessory stores.
Score: 4/5
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron: Design & build
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron has been designed to be small and compact at 12mm x 76mm x 52mm, making it ideal for slipping into a jacket or kit bag pocket, taking up minimal space. While small and extremely simple in design, the all-metal aluminium casing adds a bit of weight at 85g, more than you'd expect from a device of this size but reassuring in terms of durability. With an IP67 rating, this is up there with the best rugged hard drives we've reviewed - a happy middle-ground for who need a robust, portable SSD.
The drive connects via a single cable that handles both data transfer and bus power, which is common for compact external drives. A nice touch from OWC is the inclusion of a USB Type-C cable with a Type-A adapter to maximise compatibility across different machines. On the exterior, there's a status light at the front that glows bright blue when the device is connected and flashes during transfers to indicate that the drive is in use—standard but useful features.
Aside from the single USB Type-C 3.2 port at the back and the status light, there are no other buttons or ports, keeping the exterior sleek and minimalistic. Another nice addition and finishing touch are the two rubber strips on the base, these provide better grip when the drive is placed on a desk or other surfaces, preventing it from sliding around during use.
Design & build: 5/5
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron: Features
OWC is an interesting company, very much driven by the real-world use of its products. It's not difficult to find professionals who swear by OWC gear. The Envoy Pro Elektron is designed as a compact, go-anywhere portable SSD that's simple in design yet capable of quickly transferring and storing large quantities of data, all while withstanding extreme conditions.
Starting with speed, which is usually the headline feature of any external SSD, OWC quotes several different transfer rates for the drive. The blister pack states transfer rates of up to 1011MB/s, while the website cites 996MB/s in real-world tests, highlighting similar benchmarking software to what we use here at techradar.com.
The drive is also USB 3.2 Type-C, offering up to 10GB/s transfer rates via the single bus-powered cable connection. It's great to see OWC opting for the most common generation of USB 3.2, ensuring that on almost every modern system, you'll likely achieve the quoted speeds. This contrasts with many manufacturers that produce drives using USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, which is often throttled back to slower speeds for machines that aren't equiped with that exact connection type.
This connection also means the drive is fully compatible with a wide range of devices, including Macs, PCs, iPad Pros, and Chromebooks.
The standout feature of the drive, as mentioned earlier, is its durability. It is crushproof, dustproof, and waterproof to IP67, meaning it can survive being submerged in water up to 1 metre deep for 30 minutes. The durable, aircraft-grade aluminium casing is impressive and helps dissipate heat when the drive is working hard. As the drive is solid-state, there are no fans, so cooling is entirely passive through the case—this reduces potential points of failure and ensures the drive operates completely silently
Due to its design and connection type, the drive can launch apps on a Mac, which is handy if you have a Mac with a smaller internal SSD and need to offload larger or less frequently used apps to external storage.
It's also worth mentioning that the drive is Innergize enabled, software from OWC. This software enables you to monitor and manage the drive's health and performance and apply firmware updates as they become available
The small Envoy Pro Elektron's size and simplicity means that it hardly adds any weight or bulk to you kit bag. Although the drive feels heavier than expected at first glance, it's still extremely light at 85g—lighter than most larger external hard drives with similar capacity.
The drive includes a 38cm USB Type-C cable, which comes with a handy USB Type-A adapter. Together, they make for a neat package that can easily slip into any small side pocket.
In use the drive connected quickly and for the first test, it was formatted to APFS for use with Mac systems. Upon first connection, the software guides you through the formatting and system compatibility setup, in just a couple of simple clicks you're done and the drive is ready to use. We ran several tests running some of the best video editing software and best audio editors for performance.
Used with Logic and Final Cut Pro X, the drive performed as expected, handling work as a fast, reliable drive with transfer speeds more than sufficient for most 4K ProRes edits. During long editing sessions, the 1TB capacity was slightly limiting, but with 2TB and 4TB versions available, there is greater flexibility. Speed and performance remained consistent throughout, with the drive becoming warm but never hot. Notably, there was no noise from the drive, although the Mac's fans spun up occasionally as the M1 Max processor was pushed.
When switching to a PC, the drive required reformatting to ExFat. In Premiere Pro and Audition, the drive again performed well, handling data transfer demands without issue and becoming warm but again not hot.
In real-world tests, the drive provided the storage and transfer speeds required by the applications. While the 1TB capacity may be limiting for video, it's a good size for audio and image work.
Benchmark testing showed the drive performed exceptionally well, with varying results depending on the application used. Read and write speeds were fast across the board, confirming the drive is an ideal companion for most content creators.
Beyond performance testing, the IP67 rating called for a durability check. The first test was to run over the drive, and aside from a few scratches and some dirt, it survived. Plugged back into the Mac, it was instantly recognised, and performance matched the speeds recorded prior to the test.
Next, the drive was submerged in water for 30 minutes. After drying and clearing water from the port, it was plugged in again and mounted without issue.
After these tests, the drive's exterior showed marks and scratches as expected from such handling, but it continued to perform exceptionally well despite the tough conditions.
Performance: 5/5
Should you buy the OWC Envoy Pro Elektron?
If you need a fast, high-capacity portable SSD, the OWC Envoy Pro Elektron is a great choice on many levels, although you are paying extra for its robust build.
As a portable SSD, its compact size and light weight are appealing. With a range of capacities, it caters to a variety of users—from musicians and photographers to videographers and general content creators. The transfer rates make it an ideal solution for anyone needing a fast working drive capable of handling high-definition multi-track audio and 4K video editing.
What really sets this drive apart is its toughness and small size. You can easily pack it into any bag or jacket pocket without adding noticeable weight. Unlike other SSDs, you don't need to worry about the drive if it gets wet or bashed around in transit—this drive will survive, making it a great choice for those on the road or travelling.
The speed will meet most creative demands for a wide range of users, but the rugged build and IP67 rating will particularly appeal to broadcast industry professionals, content creators, and musicians. The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron serves as a reliable on-the-go storage solution.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Buy it if...
You need a durable, portable SSD.
The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron is designed to withstand tough conditions while delivering fast, reliable storage for on-the-go professionals
You want fast transfer speeds for content creation.
With NVMe SSD and USB 3.2, this drive offers excellent transfer speeds for tasks like 4K video editing, music production, and image manipulation.
Don't buy it if...
You're looking for the latest USB technology.
This drive uses USB 3.2, which is fast but lacks the latest Gen 2x2 speeds found in some competitors.
You need a budget-friendly SSD.
The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron's rugged design and advanced features come at a higher price, which might not be ideal for casual users.
While I could sum up this review in six words – like the PX13 opposite, only bigger – that doesn’t do the ProArt P16 justice. Yes, it shares many of the same design hallmarks and specs as its little brother, but this 16in laptop can justly be called a graphics workstation.
The bigger chassis means more room for fans and cooling systems than the PX13, and the CPU benefits from a maximum thermal design power (TDP) of 70W rather than 65W. Asus evidently can’t make room for a GeForce RTX 4080 within this still-slender chassis, instead sticking to the RTX 4070 found in the top-end PX13. What you do get, if you select the 2TB model, is 64GB of RAM; the 1TB/32GB version costs £2,600 inc VAT.
I tested the more expensive unit, and it was a few per cent ahead of the PX13 throughout my tests. In Cyberpunk 2077 and Dirt 5 it averaged 102fps and 122fps at 1080p High, compared to 91fps and 99fps. It was a similar story in the demanding SPECperfview 2020 viewsets: taking Catia, 3ds Max and Creo as examples, the P16 returned 67, 99 and 110, while the PX13 scored 65, 96 and 109. These scores are admittedly humbled by the towering monsters that are the best workstations.
(Image credit: Future)
Honors were even in our rundown tests, where the P16’s larger 90Wh battery evened out the greater power consumption required by its 16in panel. Here, though, a battery life of around nine hours under light use seems eminently reasonable compared to laptops with similar graphical power – usually gaming laptop machines – and I can’t imagine that many people will want to lug this 1.9kg beast around with them despite its slim dimensions. If you want to use that CPU at full power, you’ll need to find space in your bag for the 200W power supply, too.
This uses a proprietary connector, so both USB-C ports are free for connecting peripherals. The faster USB 4 port sits on the left, alongside HDMI, USB-A and 3.5mm connectors, while a slower USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port is on the right alongside a second USB-A port and full-size SD Express 7 card reader. There’s no RJ45 port, which is a shame when there’s so much spare space, but Wi-Fi 7 offers some compensation.
Asus doesn’t squeeze in a number pad, but don’t expect a roomier keyboard than the PX13 as a result. So far as I could tell, they’re identical from the size of the keys to the half-height cursors and the single-height Enter key. That’s fine when you’re tight for space, as is the case for the PX13, but I would like separate Home, End, PgUp and PgDn keys on a laptop of this size, and for the cursors to be full height and separated out. At least Asus has increased the size of the glass-coated touchpad, which comes complete with the DialPad I describe opposite.
(Image credit: Future)
The main beneficiary of Asus’ decision not to include a number pad is the audio. Speakers sit on either side of the keyboard, with bass, depth and subtlety to match standalone speakers. Then we come to the expanse of screen, with a 3,840 x 2,400 resolution to play with – a fraction beyond 4K. It’s Pantone calibrated while an average Delta E of 0.43 speaks to its colour accuracy. Gamers should note that it peaks at 60Hz while HDR video editors won’t be impressed by a 500cd/m2 peak when viewing HDR content. Asus states a 400cd/m2 maximum for SDR, but I measured a more modest 377cd/m2.
I’ve no complaints about color coverage (100% of DCI-P3) or the level of user control, as the MyAsus app lets you pick from four colour profiles: native, sRGB, DCI-P3 and Display P3. You can also use MyAsus to play around with microphone settings, but I found the mics worked fine in the default mode. As did the 1080p webcam, although streamers might have hoped for a higher resolution.
More surprising is that Asus supplies Windows 11 Home rather than Pro, while a single-year C&R warranty is basic. Thankfully, the P16 is built like a tank, while the matte black metal chassis proved resistant to my fingerprints and scratches.
You can also access this laptop’s internals if you want to upgrade the SSD, or even add a second one in the spare slot. However, all the RAM is embedded on the motherboard, so if you want 64GB, take the hit at the time of purchase. And it is a hit; the main reason this machine doesn’t earn five stars is that I expect near-perfection for this price and, while I can forgive sacrifices in an ultraportable such as the PX13, I’m less forgiving when there’s this much space to play with. All that said, the ProArt P16 is a remarkably well-made and powerful laptop and, niggles aside, it will be a superb workhorse for years to come.
