The Mobile Pixels Geminos T delivers when it comes to productivity. Having two monitors stacked vertically allows for multiple windows to be open at the same time without the need for either a single widescreen monitor or multiple monitors laid out side by side. The Geminos T is therefore an impressively compact solution for desks that lack width. On the flip side, because the bottom display tilts forward, you really do need a deep desk to accommodate both the display and a keyboard/laptop.
The displays themselves unfortunately top out at 1080p, which is fine for most productivity tasks but nowhere near enough for creatives craving 4K resolution. Each display also has only a 60Hz refresh rate so gamers will want to stay away. Mobile Pixels has purposefully created a set of monitors that are designed for productivity and not for creativity or gaming.
The base doubles up as a hub with plenty of connectivity, including an SD/TF card slot, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C port. Being able to ditch your existing hub further tidies up your desk setup. I would have liked to have seen more USB-C ports rather than USB-A, especially with an increasing number of devices utilizing the latest technology. The hub functionality does make the base rather cumbersome and larger than most monitor stands but that's the trade-off for having a built-in hub.
(Image credit: Future)
The hub provides 100W USB-C pass-through charging capability, enabling users to charge a laptop in just a couple of hours. The only cables you'll need trailing out of your laptop will therefore be the two you need for connecting to the displays. As long as the top display is connected via USB-C, you can make use of the extended capabilities.
The hub also includes two speakers, which provide superior audio quality to most laptops or monitors I've ever used. The audio is loud, sharp, and surprisingly even provides enough bass for enjoying music and videos.
Touch-screen functionality left a lot to be desired. I was able to use the Windows bar to open and close apps but the rest of the display seemed to lack touch-screen capability. This could have been amazing for enhancing productivity and essentially turning the bottom display into a laptop display. Unfortunately, I couldn't benefit from this, although that should be possible.
Ergonomically, the dual-stacked display is okay but not great. The only position in which the top display is natural is if the bottom display is angled at around 45 degrees. I found having the bottom display angled so acutely a little unnatural and uncomfortable for my neck.
For the price of $699.99 / £859.97, I think I would lean towards buying two superior 24-inch monitors and a separate vertical mount system. The 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate really limit the versatility of these displays, effectively restricting users to a purely productivity-focused workflow.
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Price and availability
$1,099.99 / £859.97
Available in US and UK
The Geminos T from Mobile Pixels retails at $1,099.99 in the US and £859.97 in the UK. At the time of writing, the US version was reduced to $699.99 - a pretty hefty discount.
If I'm honest, I think the initial price will put a lot of people off, and I have to wonder how much of a market there is for a high-end productivity-focused monitor solution like this. If you want everything in one neat package, no matter the cost, then this is a great option. But if you're prepared to buy two monitors and a separate vertical mount, then you'll be sure to get displays with better specifications.
Value score: 3 / 5
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Specs
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Design and features
Top monitor slides up/down, bottom monitor tilts
Built-in hub
100w pass through power
When it comes to design, the Geminos T is a really intriguing product. Most people who want two displays tend to put them side by side. This requires a desk-width that accommodates it but it has generally been the go-to setup for users needing more screen real-estate. Ultra-wide monitors have also been born out of this phenomenon. Mobile Pixels is trying to shake things up, especially for those seeking greater productivity.
The Geminos T is a vertically stacked dual-screen desktop monitor connected via a linkage system, with the bottom display supporting multi-touch to provide an efficient and user-friendly way to interact with the computer. We'll come back to the touch screen later.
The top screen shifts up and down, which then forces the bottom screen to tilt. I've never experienced anything like it but I did find it difficult to find a natural position for both. When I had the bottom display perfectly positioned, the top display was too high. When I dropped the top display to make that line up with my eyes, the bottom display was angled too acutely to make it useful. They can even be completely collapsed thanks to the robust hinge system.
(Image credit: Future)
Adjusting the monitor positions is fairly straightforward, although you'll want to handle it with care. Mobile Pixels plasters the entire unit with stickers giving instructions and warnings, which is a little over the top. Unfortunately, the removal of these stickers left a number of residue marks on parts of the monitor and on the webcam. This could easily have been avoided by using some sort of card or alternative labeling solution.
The displays are connected via independent HDMI/USB-C ports, which makes it possible to connect two separate laptops or computers. That being said, considering the hub is only connected to the bottom display, I think this has been primarily designed for use with a single device.
Other than the displays, there is also a built-in hub located in the stand. This is a well-implemented solution for users who have multiple devices and has the added benefit of furthering productivity. Connectivity includes 2 x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 2x HDMI ports, 3.5mm headphone jack, RJ45 Ethernet, TF and SD card slots. This is a good spread of options, although I would have liked to have seen more USB-C ports to ensure the device stays current in the years to come.
(Image credit: Future)
Also included in the hub are a pair of very capable speakers. I was surprised by the level of volume achievable, which was significantly better than my on-board laptop speakers. Even though there are two speakers, they are very close to each other and therefore lack the ability to convert into anything resembling surround sound.
The hub continues to deliver great functionality with 100W passthrough charging through USB-C. This reduces the number of cables you need coming out of your laptop and provides a fast way of getting your devices charged up quickly. In terms of hub capabilities, the Geminos T is indeed very capable, which is probably part of the reason for the inflated price of the product.
The final design element to mention is the webcam, which is located at the top of the upper display. There is a small amount of tilt available on the webcam, making it usable at whatever height you have the top display set to. Unfortunately, due to a label being plastered over it, I was left with glue residue that couldn't be easily removed, rendering the webcam useless - a frustrating flaw with the packaging rather than the product design itself.
Design and features score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Performance
Well-performing 1080p monitors
Poor touch screen
Great hub functionality
The Geminos T performed pretty well in almost all areas, especially if you limit your concerns to productivity applications and workflows rather than gaming and creativity.
The 1080p displays are clear, bright, and vibrant—everything you need from monitors that are not required to represent color 100% accurately. Whenever I test monitors at this resolution, I am always left wanting more, even if I'm only using a document editor or writing emails. At 1080p, everything lacks the sort of crispness that is present in 4K or even 3K displays. In my opinion, we're so used to amazing clarity on our mobile phones at this point that not seeing that same quality on our monitors can leave us feeling a little disappointed.
The 60Hz refresh rate is no major problem in general, but gamers will likely want to steer clear. I think if Mobile Pixels just increased the resolution and refresh rate a little, then they would significantly open themselves up to other markets. There is also no HDR functionality, which might be a limiting factor for some, especially anyone looking to do creative work.
(Image credit: Future)
The bottom display on the Geminos T is advertised as a touchscreen, although I didn't have a great time with it. I only seemed to be able to find touch sensitivity on the bottom Windows bar and not anywhere else on the screen. Considering this is one of the selling points for productive workflows, I was amazed at the problems I was facing. Note that touchscreens are only available on the Geminos T and X models.
The other disappointing part of my experience was with the webcam. After removing one of the stickers that was placed on the webcam, I was left with glue residue on the camera and I couldn't get rid of it. I was therefore unable to effectively test the quality of this part of the device.
I think the Geminos T is so close to being worthy of its high price tag. High-resolution displays, quicker refresh rates, and a better touchscreen would really help cement this stacked monitor solution as a productivity-enhancing machine.
Performance score: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Mobile Pixels Geminos T: Score card
Should I buy the Mobile Pixels Geminos T?
Buy it if...
You need a vertical mount
There aren't too many options on the market for a built-in vertical stacked monitor so the Geminos T is one of your only choices.
You want a foldable monitor solution
The Geminos T enables users to shift the top display up and down while at the same time tilting the bottom display. Both are connected so a change to one monitor affects the other. The two displays can also be completely collapsed flat.
Don't buy it if...
You need a 4K monitor
The Geminos T displays are both 1080p, which is enough for many but not for creatives working with 4K footage or gamers playing 4K games.
You're a gamer
A 60Hz refresh rate is nothing near what is required for modern gaming. The Geminos T is not designed for this market so you'll need to look elsewhere for an alternative solution.
Also consider
BenQ PD2725U
A pricey monitor with excellent color accuracy and a wide range of connectivity options, including Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C. It has a sleek design with thin bezels and an adjustable stand.
A budget-friendly monitor with superb color reproduction and impressive peak brightness. The inclusion of 90W Type-C power delivery makes it useful for minimizing cables out of your laptop.
After setting up the Mobile Pixels Geminos T, I had it as my main monitor for a number of weeks. It's quite imposing so I had to clear my desk first. Knowing that the monitor stack is designed primarily for productivity, I made sure to utilise office applications and web browsing most of the time. I also tested it using other creative applications and watching videos.
I’ve been reviewing computers, peripherals and components for many years for multiple different publications around the world.
The Majority Moto 2.0 is the first record player from the budget audio company: the number isn't a version number but a reference to the built-in 2.0-speaker setup. It is an entire music system in a single box: thanks to its built-in speakers and Bluetooth 5.3, you can stream audio from your phone or computer as well as play records, and even rip them to digital via your PC, thanks to its USB port.
The Majority Moto 2.0 is clearly aimed at someone who doesn't have an existing sound system of any kind and it offers a lot of features for relatively little money. There are, of course, many compromises at its £79 price compared to the best turntables, but the Moto 2.0 is better than you might expect, due in part to the inclusion of a good-quality Audio-Technica cartridge. However, we did experience some quality issues with our review unit that suggest this is a record player that'll need careful handling.
The Moto 2.0 is clearly designed to be your first turntable that covers all the bases: Bluetooth streaming to headphones or speakers and from other devices, USB output for recording, even the ability to play ancient 78s as well as the much more common 45 and 33 and 1/3 speeds.
But you shouldn't expect room-shaking volume from those integrated speakers: they don't go loud because if they did, their vibration would do a Taylor Swift to your tonearm and shake it off. The sub chassis is separate to isolate it from their vibrations and copes fine with the volume levels available, but if you've got a big space or like to listen loud you'll want to connect an amp, or wirelessly connect it to one of the best Bluetooth speakers that you place on a different surface, or to some of the best wireless headphones.
I would encourage people to step up to the similar-but-just-overall-better Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT if you can, which also offers Bluetooth and USB, and is fully automatic, but offers no built-in speakers… however, it's around twice the price of the Majority, so if you want to keep it under £100, this is still a solid choice.
The integrated speakers are very small and fire upwards, so don't expect room-filling audio or earth-shaking bass. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Price and release date
Released in February 2024
Available in UK and Europe
£79.95 / €99.95
Despite a very low price, the Moto 2.0 is packed with features including one very significant one: it comes with an Audio-Technica AT3600L cartridge, which is definitely unusual at this end of the market. That cartridge alone typically retails for around £20, or one-quarter of this entire turntable's price.
For comparison, consider than Pro-Ject's super-cheap (for Pro-Ject) entry-level turntable, the E1, is around £200, and doesn't have speakers, USB, a phono stage or Bluetooth (though more expensive versions do have those things). However, it does sound a lot better as a result, as our Pro-Ject E1 review will attest.
In addition to playing records you can rip them to computer or play from USB. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Features
Bluetooth and USB
Three turntable speeds
Integrated speakers and phono stage
You can't fault the feature list here: it does basically everything a turntable can do.
It has three playing speeds, and while it's not fully automatic, it does have auto-stop. There's an integrated phono stage if you want to connect it to an amp – though as mentioned before, it has its own speakers, so you don't technically need to.
It also has Bluetooth, and this goes in both directions: you can beam your records out to Bluetooth speakers, or you can send music over to the Moto 2.0 and listen over its built-in speakers. There's no aptX or anything else higher-res, though. It also has an aux-out if you prefer the best wired headphones to wireless ones.
And with a USB port on board, you can connect it to a computer and record your vinyl to a digital file – either because you want to preserve rare tracks that aren't available elsewhere, or just to capture the song complete with crackles.
Features score: 5 / 5
You don't have to use the integrated speakers: there are phono outs to connect an amp or powered speakers. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Sound quality
Better than you might expect
Built-in speakers aren't great
Speakers aren't built for bass
There's a limit to how much air two small speakers can push, but while the Moto isn't very loud the sound is pleasant enough on well-recorded records at reasonable levels; it's bass-light but does the job provided you don't turn the volume up too much. Do that and the sound starts to get harsh, the middle frequencies taking over as the speakers struggle.
One key thing the integrated speakers don't do is deliver a sweet spot, that perfect place where the soundstage is at its most immersive. To do that you need the sound waves to be coming towards you and the speakers some distance apart; these speakers are just an album's width apart and send their soundwaves towards the ceiling.
Things improve considerably when you team up the turntable with external, forward facing speakers or a decent set of headphones, but the flaws are more apparent too: there's noticeable mechanical noise in the quieter bits. If you're listening to songs with a lot of sustained notes, such as U2's With Or Without You, you might also notice some slight speed variation. It's not apparent on faster, choppier songs, and vocal vibrato tends to hide it for singing. But it's audible on very clear, sustained tones such as Edge's trademark infinite guitar.
No matter what you listen on, the sound is slightly boxy and cluttered in the way so many budget audio products are: everything's doing its best but the overall result lacks the spaciousness, separation and sparkle that you get with better-quality gear.
A lot depends on what you're listening to: give it some yacht rock with some expensive-studio smoothness and it's really rather nice, although the lush arrangements of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours lose some of their sparkle here with an emphasis on the cookie-tin snare drums and rubber-band bass.
More electronic pop such as Sigrid's second album is fun when it's well separated but feels claustrophobic in the busier tracks: there's a lack of air and low-end separation, with harshness creeping in as you turn the volume up. That harshness is particularly apparent with heavier genres of music, especially modern rock featuring brick-wall compression designed to make everything louder than everything else.
This isn't an audiophile product. But it's a fun one, especially if you skip the built-in speakers and hook up something more substantial either by Bluetooth or via an amp: connecting the turntable to an Ultimate Ears Wonderboom added some of the bass the built-in speakers lacked, and connecting the Moto to my Onkyo amp and Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf speakers was better still. Is it up there with turntables that cost four times the price or more? Absolutely not. But with decent speakers it doesn't sound like it cost £80 either.
Sound quality score: 3 / 5
Unusually for a turntable this affordable, you get a pretty decent Audio-Technica cartridge. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Design
Unusual platter placement
Integrated speakers and lots of connectivity
Feels a bit fragile
The Moto 2.0 comes in a dark wood effect with black hardware, with the wooden section overhanging the front and sides of the chassis. The two built-in speakers are behind circular black grilles facing directly upwards from the top front of the turntable and the controls are on the front and sides. On top of the dampened sprung platter there's a slipmat to keep your records in place.
The Moto 2.0 is smaller than many turntables, at just 38cm wide compared to the much more common 43cm. And the platter is smaller than usual too, at 20cm/8 inches. The speaker placement means the platter is oddly positioned: instead of sitting centrally it's off-centre, nearer the back than the front. That means if you're playing 12-inch records they will extend beyond the rear border of the turntable and through a space in the back of the dust cover.
There are some issues, however. The plastics here are cheap-looking, especially at the speed switch, and the tonearm is very thin and feels eminently breakable. Between these and the upfiring speaker design that doesn't lend itself to ideal audio quality, there are definitely flaws to how this is put together.
Design score: 3 / 5
The tonearm is very thin and doesn't have tracking force adjustment or anti-skid. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Usability and setup
All you need to do is plug it in
Switches and controls are around the edge
Doesn't get much easier
This turntable is all about simplicity, and because everything's in one unit all you need to do is remove the protective cover from the stylus and the plastic wire from the tonearm, plug the power supply into the wall and turn it on. So for a user-friendly beginner turntable, you can't get much better than that.
The two most important controls – the on/volume and the audio source – are both on the front along with the 3.5mm headphone socket. Other connection options are easily accessed along the edges, so no usability struggles there.
Frankly, it doesn't get any easier for your first turntable than this.
Usability and setup score: 5 / 5
The Moto 2.0 is really plug and play: select the source and turn the Moto on via the volume dial. (Image credit: Future)
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Value
You get a lot for your money...
...but you're paying for features you might not use
Quality is limited, though
The sub-£100 turntable market should probably be labelled "here be monsters", but the Majority is not one of them: you'd be hard pushed to get a better value turntable at this price. It's less than half of the price we'd typically expect to pay for a decent budget turntable.
However, the trade-off for that low price is audio quality, especially if you're going to be listening via the integrated speakers: they're okay but they're not great. If you're serious about sound quality you might want to save a little longer for something like the Pro-Ject E1 if you want to go the hi-fi route, or the Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT if you want to stick with something with Bluetooth and USB. Or scour the second-hand market for a bargain.
Value score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the Majority Moto 2.0?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Majority Moto 2.0 review: Also consider
How I tested the Majority Moto 2.0
Tested at home for two weeks with more than a dozen new and used records
Tested solo, on headphones and through an external amp and speakers
Streamed Apple Music from iPhone
I tested the Majority Moto 2.0 at home, focusing on its vinyl performance and listening intensely to records I know inside-out across a range of genres from the most polished productions to ragged punk rock. I also streamed Apple Music from my iPhone to test its streaming prowess.
When I connected the Moto 2.0 to other equipment I used Beyedynamic wired headphones, which are known for their relatively flat performance (so reveal the sound of the underlying player well), and an Onkyo amp with the direct setting engaged to bypass the bass and treble circuits. The amp was connected to a set of Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf speakers, giving the Moto access to some pretty sweet-sounding hardware in order to show what it's capable of.
The compact and durable JBL Go 4 makes for a good poolside companion. It’s the latest, May 2024-issue model in the Go range, and is one of the first JBL speakers to feature Auracast, along with the Clip 5 and the Xtreme 4 – both of which are happy members of our best Bluetooth speakers buying guide. It's reasonably priced at $49.95 / £39.99 / $59.95 and is available to purchase in the US, UK, and Australia from the official JBL website, and from Amazon for $49.95 / £34.99 / AU$59.95 at the time of writing.
The JBL Go 4 comes in Black, White, Red, Blue, Purple, Pink, or Squad (i.e. camo) in the US, UK, and Australia. Additional color variations are available in the US and Australia, including Sand, and Black and Orange – which also has a lot of light blue on it, as it happens. I was given a sample of the Red Go 4 to test out and one thing’s for certain: though it may be little, if you go for this or one of the other bolder colors you won’t lose sight of it easily.
The front and back of the eye-catching little speaker are covered in woven fabric, with silicone panels on the top and sides in which the various buttons and the USB-C charging port are housed, and textured silicone areas on the back and bottom that provide stability whether the speaker is placed upright or on its back. The buttons in the top and left-hand panels include a play/pause button and volume controls, and the power, Bluetooth, and Auracast buttons. I have to give JBL some bonus points for taking a sustainable approach by using recycled fabric and plastic in parts of the speaker, and for using packaging that’s largely paper-based and printed using soy ink.
(Image credit: Future)
There’s a small fabric and silicone loop fixed around the top-right corner of the speaker that did come in handy, although I needed to use a hook or separate carabiner to hang it from, which was not as helpful as the integrated carabiner on the JBL Clip 5 or the multiway strap on the Sony XB100.
At a dinky size of 3.7 x 3.0 x 1.7 inches / 94 x 78 x 42 mm and weighing just 11oz / 190g, this speaker would make a useful little music companion. Due to its IP67 rating, it’s safe to use at a pool party or at the beach – we can confirm that it continues to work after it’s submerged in water, as we gave it a good dunking in the TechRadar testing tank.
The JBL Portable app is intuitive, and its attractive design makes it satisfying to use and simple to navigate. The app can connect to any compatible JBL speaker, with each speaker displayed on the My Products page (provided they’re powered on). From this page, you can also skip over to the PartyTogether area to add other JBL speakers into the mix for amplified sound.
(Image credit: Future)
Once I selected the Go 4 from the product page, I could see the battery level and enable PlaytimeBoost, which is designed to boost the volume of the music while consuming less battery by disabling the EQ. There’s also a Product Information section, Stereo Group mode for connecting two speakers together in stereo, and the four preset equalizer profiles: JBL Signature, Chill, Energetic, and Vocal, plus the Custom EQ profile.
The stated battery life of the Go 4 is seven hours. Now, I’m used to some speakers not quite going the distance, which is often covered by caveats on the brand's website; however, this speaker went above and beyond, lasting for nearly 10 hours of continuous music playing at 50% volume on the default JBL signature EQ preset.
At one point I experienced a small issue when the Go 4 wouldn’t play music from our FiiO M11S music player or a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4. Both devices could connect to the Go 4 and were shown as playing music, but no sound was coming out of the speaker. Taking a leaf out of the operations manual of IT help desks everywhere, I turned the speaker off and on again, and fortunately that fixed the issue straight away.
(Image credit: Future)
The overall listening experience was fine; nothing groundbreaking, but perfectly adequate for the price. When music is played using the default JBL Signature EQ profile the depth and clarity are lacking somewhat, but I was able to make improvements by implementing the other EQ presets or by employing a custom EQ. If you’re used to higher-end speakers, you may find this lower-quality sound a chore to listen to, but for those who just want something compact that they can throw in a bag when they want to enjoy tunes on the go, it’s great.
This tiny speaker can reach a good level of volume for its size. At 50% it’s loud enough to dance around your kitchen to, but if you’re doing any noisy cooking you may need to bump it up a bit. The speaker’s orientation makes a noticeable difference to the sound quality, particularly for tracks with high levels of treble or bass. Most users would naturally want to stand it on its base as advertised, but I found that the best sound was achieved with the speaker lying on its back. This is also the best position if you’re listening with others, as the sound is firing upward rather than in one direction.
(Image credit: Future)
When listening to Black Eye by Allie X, I found the bass wasn’t dynamic enough, and the beat fell flat so the track lost the powerful rhythm that’s usually present when listening through more bass-heavy alternatives such as the Tribit XSound Plus 2 speaker. The vocals also got a little lost amid the different elements as they all seemed to fight for center stage.
I tried the Vocal EQ to see if it would make an improvement, but I found it instead distorted all elements of the track, so it appears this setting wouldn’t be a great one to use when listening to music. There was a slightly noticeable increase in vocal clarity and prominence when enabled for podcasts and other vocal-focused content, however. Going back to Black Eye, the best EQ profile by far was Energetic – the vocal clarity was much improved, and the other elements sounded like they’d been pushed back in line.
The same was true when listening to St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins, and I Want You by Moloko. On the default JBL Signature EQ, everything felt flat, but the Energetic preset does exactly what it says on the label, giving everything a little boost where needed.
(Image credit: Future)
The JBL Signature EQ was adequate for listening to slower and more relaxing tracks, and the output was softened further after switching to the Chill EQ preset, which pulls the highs down so you aren’t hit with any harsh notes when you’re trying to unwind. This EQ delivered a pleasant listening experience when playing Where’s My Love (Alternative Version) by SYML.
Overall, if you aren’t particularly fussed about sound quality and you’re just looking for a cheap and cheerful little speaker that’s durable enough to handle a rainy day or a beach party, the JBL Go 4 is a solid choice. There are a lot of good alternatives available though, so I’d recommend checking out our selection of the best waterproof speakers and best cheap Bluetooth speaker deals to see if anything else catches your eye.
(Image credit: Future)
JBL Go 4 review: Price and availability
$49.95 / £39.99 / $59.95
Available now in the US, UK, and Australia
Released in May 2024, the JBL Go 4 is the latest model in the JBL Go range, following on from the Go 3. It’s available for purchase from the official JBL website for $49.95 / £39.99 / AU$59.95, and from Amazon for $49.95 / £34.99 / AU$59.95 at the time of writing.
As mentioned, it has plenty of competition in this price range – in particular, there’s the five-star rated Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 that massively impressed our reviewer considering the $59.99 / £59.99 price tag. However, if your budget maxes out at $50 / £40 and you just want something small, durable, and a bit jazzy, then the JBL Go 4 is a good choice.
JBL Go 4 review: Specs
Should I buy the JBL Go 4?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
JBL Go 4 review: Also consider
How I tested the JBL Go 4
I tested the speaker over several months
I listened to a variety of music genres and podcasts
I played music continuously to test the battery life
I tested the JBL Go 4 over a few months. I listened to a variety of music genres, as well as the TechRadar testing playlist, which includes tracks that feature a range of musical styles and textures, including complex and layered instrumentals, deep bass, and delicate vocals, to enable me to determine the speaker's ability to handle different frequencies.
I played our TechRadar playlist on Tidal continuously at 50% volume using the default JBL signature EQ preset to test whether the battery could last up to the claimed seven hours.
I also used it to listen to music and podcasts in the TechRadar office, our music testing room, and at home, using Spotify and Tidal from an iPhone 12 Pro and a OnePlus Pad Go.
For this review, I tested the UK version. Please note, there may be minor differences between different countries' models.
The Shark NeverChange (or if you're in the UK, the NeverChange5) is an air purifier with a difference, thanks to the washable outer filters, which, in theory, will extend the life of the HEPA filter to five years. As well as this, it has the novelty of scented purifying thanks its Odor Neutralizing Technology, which is in essence a fragranced cartridge that fits into the top of the purifier.
I tested one out to see how it compares the rest of the best air purifiers on the market. It's quiet and easy to use, but while there were noticeable improvements to the air quality, its lack of air quality tracking and inability to detect smaller particles or volatile organic compounds meant that it wasn't efficient in clearing the air or reducing odors when left to its own devices. Read on for my full review of the Shark NeverChange below.
Shark NeverChange review: price & availability
List price: $249.99 / £249.99
Available now in the US and UK; not available in Australia
At $249.99 / £249.99, the Shark NeverChange isn’t a budget air purifier. It’s available for purchase in the US and the UK via the Shark website and Amazon; but it's not currently sold in Australia. It’s sold under two different product names – the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier HP152 in the US, and Shark NeverChange5 Air Purifier HP150UK in the UK.
The Shark NeverChange air purifier doesn’t have a companion app, which is often offered by cheaper alternatives. The potential $300 / £200 saving from longer-lasting filters and the innovative odor-control cartridges could explain the higher price; but unfortunately, these don’t make up for the Shark NeverChange's somewhat lackluster performance overall.
Value for money score: 3 out of 5
Shark NeverChange review specs
Shark NeverChange review: design
Anti-Odor technology
HEPA filters last up to 5 years
No handles
There were several comments made around the office regarding the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier's looks. Some likened it to a futuristic plant pot, others a waste paper bin, and one of my teammates thought it looked more like an explosive device from a sci-fi game. The NeverChange isn’t the most unattractive appliance in the world, but Shark doesn’t appear to have been concerned about the NeverChange blending in. It has a space-age aesthetic about it, with two round LED screens – one on the top, and the other on the front – and an angular shape thanks to the extra filters that live on the sides of the purifier's body.
For this review, I tested the UK version, which is available in white. The US version is available in charcoal gray. The shoulders of the air purifier body are a bit of a dust-magnet, and the gloss-black LED screen on the top panel also attracts dust and fibers, as does the black plastic grate on which it sits.
On a positive note, the setup process was quick and simple. Before powering the air purifier on, the HEPA filter first needed to be removed from its plastic bag. The NeverChange was easy to turn over as it is lightweight, and the locking mechanism felt sturdy but was easy to undo. Once the filter had been replaced, it was just a case of plug-and-play.
The size of the Shark NeverChange is neither oversized nor subtle. It’s about the size of a large plant pot, measuring 9 x 10 x 15 inches / 237 x 266 x 385mm, and it weighs around 7lbs / 3.4kg.
(Image credit: Future)
Sitting on the top of the air purifier is the circular control panel, which was responsive and simple to use. From here, I could adjust the fan speed, or engage Auto mode, which is supposed to adjust the fan speed based on real-time air quality. For peace of mind, there's a child lock and a shut-off timer. The status of air purity and the life remaining on the dust filters are available via the information button.
The Anti-Odor dial and cartridge came packaged inside a cardboard box and a ring-pull tin can, which is a good solution for sealing in the fragrance while remaining recyclable. The cartridge and dial housing were easy to unpack and install. To set the intensity of the fragrance, I just needed to twist the dial counterclockwise until it was at the desired setting.
Due to its size and shape, the lack of handles on this air purifier proved frustrating. At first glance, there appear to be some on either side; but these are in fact the DebrisDefence filters. These pull out easily for cleaning, so I wouldn’t recommend using them as handles. There are holes near the base that are also tempting to use to pick the purifier up, but these are only made of thin plastic and aren’t comfortable to hold.
(Image credit: Future)
The LED display's brightness could be altered using a button on the control panel, which I could cycle between three different intensities. The brightest setting was easy to see in both daylight and indoor lighting, but when using the NeverChange at bedtime, I found the dimmest light setting wasn’t ideal. While it worked well to dim the display, the bright blue ring indicating the air quality was over 85% wasn’t good for sleep hygiene purposes. The only other option was to have the LED displays off completely, which I doubt will be an issue for most, but isn’t ideal if you want to keep an eye on air purity readings overnight.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Shark NeverChange review: features
Long-lasting filters
Dust filter monitor incorrect
No app support
The standout feature of the Shark NeverChange is undoubtedly the potential longevity of the HEPA filter. This is achievable thanks to the additional mesh DebrisDefence filters located on either side of the HEPA filter; these are washable, so they’re essentially reusable barriers that take some of the strain off of the HEPA filter. Thanks to this feature, Shark claims it’s possible to save up to $300 / £200 in replacement filter costs over five years.
Another unique feature is the 'Odor Neutralizer Technology'. This one of this brand's USPs, and also appears in today's best Shark vacuums. Technically, it's designed to remove bad odors rather than create a fragrance per se, and it takes the form of a lightly scented puck, which is inserted into the top of the air purifier. The intensity of the fragrance / neutralization can be easily adjusted by twisting the canister using the integrated handle.
The fragrance of the odor-neutralizer canister is pleasant enough; it reminds me of a subtle masculine aftershave. It helps keep things fresh, but I think I'd prefer if Shark embraced the scent side of things a bit more, and offered some different options, such as a linen or floral scent.
The Shark NeverChange can purify up to 650sq ft / 60sq m in one hour.
(Image credit: Future)
The ambient air is monitored by the air purifier’s Clean Sense IQ, which is supposed to automatically react to changes in the environment – an increase or decrease in dust, pollen, and smoke levels, for example. However, it cannot detect or relay humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like some air purifiers can. The NeverChange filter does contain activated carbon, though, which by nature is supposed to absorb VOCs, so these should still be filtered out.
The Dust Filter Life button didn’t seem to do much. Having used the Shark NeverChange for only a short time, it would just say “check dust filters” when pressed; but the dust filters were clean. I tried pulling them out and replacing them a couple of times, but it made no difference.
It’s disappointing that there’s no app support with the Shark NeverChange. You have to be physically close enough to the unit to view the reading or change the settings, which can be inconvenient. Plus, this is unhelpful for tracking the air quality throughout the day and night. This lack of app and Bluetooth connectivity is surprising, since cheaper air purifiers such as the Levoit 300S offer near-live air quality data and remote control of the settings.
Features score: 3.5 out of 5
Shark NeverChange review: performance
Unreliable IAQ readings
Did not tackle odors
Filtered dust and aerosol during testing
It’s hard to say for certain how well an air purifier works without some scientific testing, but I tested the Shark NeverChange in different environments and considered its reactions when presented with dust and dry shampoo.
I’ll start by saying that I had a major niggle with this purifier. That niggle was that the NeverChange seemed to be overly optimistic with its readings. The air-quality readings were 100% most of the time, and when this figure did drop slightly on occasion, the different particle readings still read as 0. I struggle to believe that there are no dust particles in our busy office or in my home – and, since I live in the countryside, there will most certainly be pollen in the air, so I wasn’t impressed by this lack of particle detection.
I performed a direct comparison with the Welov P200 Pro in the TechRadar reviews office. The NeverChange maintained that all particle readings were at 0; however, the Welov P200 Pro gave a reading of 10 PM2.5 – particles such as dust or pollen, which the NeverChange is supposed to detect and respond to.
We wanted to be sure that the purifier was actually capable of detecting contaminants, to ensure that it wasn’t a faulty unit. To do this, we took it outside and placed it directly behind my car's exhaust pipe. I can confirm that it had no problem detecting the drop in air quality here, as one would hope it would! At least now I knew that it wasn’t stuck on 100%, which I’d noticed some consumers claiming in their reviews.
The main issue with the reading sitting at 100% is that when the purifier is in Auto mode, with a reading of 100% for more than five minutes, the Eco feature puts into standby. While I welcome this energy-saving feature, when the purifier seemed convinced the air quality was always 100%, it rarely did anything without manual intervention.
(Image credit: Future)
When we introduced dust into the atmosphere around the Shark NeverChange, by repeatedly kicking up the corner of a rug in one of our testing rooms, it took the unit around 40 seconds to register it. The unit dropped the reading to 92%, leading the fan to increase to speed 2. Since the fan was running at a low speed, volume levels didn’t rise too much; however, it took several minutes for the air quality to return to the 96% it started on. This was slower than the Welov P200 Pro, which – although far noisier – purified the air to pre-dust levels in around a minute.
I also sprayed dry shampoo near the sensor on the back of the NeverChange to test it. This rise in airborne particulate matter was detected within seconds, dropping the air quality on the LED screen to 81% and showing the red indicator ring to communicate that the air quality was poor. The purifier automatically upped the fan speed to level 3, returning a reading of 100% within two minutes.
Experimenting further to see how the NeverChange would deal with cooking smells, I microwaved a BBQ calzone (don’t judge me) with the air purifier set to Auto mode; it made no difference to the level of odor. I then left the purifier on the highest fan setting for a few hours – again, the odor in the room remained unchanged. Apart from the strange overlapping scent of the fragrance canister from the NeverChange, which actually just made the smell more unpleasant.
(Image credit: Future)
I tried leaving the NeverChange on Auto when I went to bed. When the reading occasionally dropped under 100%, the unit would kick up to fan speed level 2, the noise from which made it more difficult to fall asleep. So I manually set it to fan speed 1 instead; this wasn’t the end of the world, as at least this would guarantee that the purifier wouldn’t go into Eco mode overnight. Thankfully, on the lowest fan speed, the NeverChange was pleasingly quiet and din't disturb my sleep. On waking, the air in my bedroom felt fresh, and I noticed that I had been less snuffly than usual, which made a nice change.
Using a decibel meter on my iPhone 12 Pro, I recorded the quietest fan speed at 38dB, which is comparable to light rain. Fan speed 3 was 55dB, a sound level similar to a dishwasher; the highest fan speed was 68dB, the same as the noise of traveling in a car at 60mph.
Performance score: 2.5 out of 5
Should I buy the Shark NeverChange?
Buy it if...
You don’t want to regularly change filters The key selling point of the NeverChange is the long life of the HEPA filter, thanks to the DebrisDefence feature. So if you’re the type of person who never quite gets around to ordering a replacement, this would be a good option for you.
You want some subtle fragrance The NeverChange has an integrated cartridge that can be easily turned to adjust the level of scent that it releases.
You want quiet purification With the lowest fan speed being no louder than the sound of light rain, the NeverChange shouldn’t disturb your sleep. At top fan speed, it’s only about as loud as a vacuum cleaner.
Don't buy it if...
You don’t want extra parts to clean While the dust filters help prolong the life of the HEPA filter, for the air purifier to work efficiently, they'll need to be regularly checked and cleaned.
You want to be kept informed There are cheaper air purifiers on the market that offer app support, so it’s a shame that Shark doesn't do the same –especially considering the NeverChange's high price.
You’re on a budget If you were hoping for a lower-cost solution, or the NeverChange is missing some of the features you’re looking for, take a look at our list of the best air purifiers for alternatives that may be better suit your needs.
Shark NeverChange review: Also consider
Levoit Core 300S Competitors such as the lower-priced Levoit Core 300S True HEPA air purifier come with a companion app that will inform you of a drop in air quality remotely, allowing you to change the settings or perform other functions even when you’re away from home. It’s worth noting that it only purifies about half the area of the NeverChange unit; but with a four-and-a-half-star rating, it’s a great option.
Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact It’s more expensive, but if you have the money to spend then the four-star-rated Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact could be a satisfying alternative. With control solely via remote control, it offers an impressive 10 fan speeds, and the integrated sensors analyze the air every second using an algorithm. This higher-end aesthetic purifier doubles as a cooling fan and offers up additional info such as ambient temperature and humidity level, too.
How I tested the Shark NeverChange
I used the Shark NeverChange for one week
I tested it in multiple environments
I observed its reaction to dust and aerosols
I tested the Shark NeverChange in the TechRadar reviews office and music testing room, as well as in my bedroom and kitchen at home.
I monitored how effectively it detected and purified airborne contaminants such as dust and dry shampoo, and how well it tackled food odors when using the microwave.
I left the NeverChange running in my bedroom overnight to assess its noise levels, using a decibel meter on my phone to gauge levels, and evaluated its controls and how easy it was to change the filter.
For this review, I tested the UK version. Please note, there may be minor differences between different countries' models.
The Shark NeverChange (or if you're in the UK, the NeverChange5) is an air purifier with a difference, thanks to the washable outer filters, which, in theory, will extend the life of the HEPA filter to five years. As well as this, it has the novelty of scented purifying thanks its Odor Neutralizing Technology, which is in essence a fragranced cartridge that fits into the top of the purifier.
I tested one out to see how it compares the rest of the best air purifiers on the market. It's quiet and easy to use, but while there were noticeable improvements to the air quality, its lack of air quality tracking and inability to detect smaller particles or volatile organic compounds meant that it wasn't efficient in clearing the air or reducing odors when left to its own devices. Read on for my full review of the Shark NeverChange below.
Shark NeverChange review: price & availability
List price: $249.99 / £249.99
Available now in the US and UK; not available in Australia
At $249.99 / £249.99, the Shark NeverChange isn’t a budget air purifier. It’s available for purchase in the US and the UK via the Shark website and Amazon; but it's not currently sold in Australia. It’s sold under two different product names – the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier HP152 in the US, and Shark NeverChange5 Air Purifier HP150UK in the UK.
The Shark NeverChange air purifier doesn’t have a companion app, which is often offered by cheaper alternatives. The potential $300 / £200 saving from longer-lasting filters and the innovative odor-control cartridges could explain the higher price; but unfortunately, these don’t make up for the Shark NeverChange's somewhat lackluster performance overall.
Value for money score: 3 out of 5
Shark NeverChange review specs
Shark NeverChange review: design
Anti-Odor technology
HEPA filters last up to 5 years
No handles
There were several comments made around the office regarding the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier's looks. Some likened it to a futuristic plant pot, others a waste paper bin, and one of my teammates thought it looked more like an explosive device from a sci-fi game. The NeverChange isn’t the most unattractive appliance in the world, but Shark doesn’t appear to have been concerned about the NeverChange blending in. It has a space-age aesthetic about it, with two round LED screens – one on the top, and the other on the front – and an angular shape thanks to the extra filters that live on the sides of the purifier's body.
For this review, I tested the UK version, which is available in white. The US version is available in charcoal gray. The shoulders of the air purifier body are a bit of a dust-magnet, and the gloss-black LED screen on the top panel also attracts dust and fibers, as does the black plastic grate on which it sits.
On a positive note, the setup process was quick and simple. Before powering the air purifier on, the HEPA filter first needed to be removed from its plastic bag. The NeverChange was easy to turn over as it is lightweight, and the locking mechanism felt sturdy but was easy to undo. Once the filter had been replaced, it was just a case of plug-and-play.
The size of the Shark NeverChange is neither oversized nor subtle. It’s about the size of a large plant pot, measuring 9 x 10 x 15 inches / 237 x 266 x 385mm, and it weighs around 7lbs / 3.4kg.
(Image credit: Future)
Sitting on the top of the air purifier is the circular control panel, which was responsive and simple to use. From here, I could adjust the fan speed, or engage Auto mode, which is supposed to adjust the fan speed based on real-time air quality. For peace of mind, there's a child lock and a shut-off timer. The status of air purity and the life remaining on the dust filters are available via the information button.
The Anti-Odor dial and cartridge came packaged inside a cardboard box and a ring-pull tin can, which is a good solution for sealing in the fragrance while remaining recyclable. The cartridge and dial housing were easy to unpack and install. To set the intensity of the fragrance, I just needed to twist the dial counterclockwise until it was at the desired setting.
Due to its size and shape, the lack of handles on this air purifier proved frustrating. At first glance, there appear to be some on either side; but these are in fact the DebrisDefence filters. These pull out easily for cleaning, so I wouldn’t recommend using them as handles. There are holes near the base that are also tempting to use to pick the purifier up, but these are only made of thin plastic and aren’t comfortable to hold.
(Image credit: Future)
The LED display's brightness could be altered using a button on the control panel, which I could cycle between three different intensities. The brightest setting was easy to see in both daylight and indoor lighting, but when using the NeverChange at bedtime, I found the dimmest light setting wasn’t ideal. While it worked well to dim the display, the bright blue ring indicating the air quality was over 85% wasn’t good for sleep hygiene purposes. The only other option was to have the LED displays off completely, which I doubt will be an issue for most, but isn’t ideal if you want to keep an eye on air purity readings overnight.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Shark NeverChange review: features
Long-lasting filters
Dust filter monitor incorrect
No app support
The standout feature of the Shark NeverChange is undoubtedly the potential longevity of the HEPA filter. This is achievable thanks to the additional mesh DebrisDefence filters located on either side of the HEPA filter; these are washable, so they’re essentially reusable barriers that take some of the strain off of the HEPA filter. Thanks to this feature, Shark claims it’s possible to save up to $300 / £200 in replacement filter costs over five years.
Another unique feature is the 'Odor Neutralizer Technology'. This one of this brand's USPs, and also appears in today's best Shark vacuums. Technically, it's designed to remove bad odors rather than create a fragrance per se, and it takes the form of a lightly scented puck, which is inserted into the top of the air purifier. The intensity of the fragrance / neutralization can be easily adjusted by twisting the canister using the integrated handle.
The fragrance of the odor-neutralizer canister is pleasant enough; it reminds me of a subtle masculine aftershave. It helps keep things fresh, but I think I'd prefer if Shark embraced the scent side of things a bit more, and offered some different options, such as a linen or floral scent.
The Shark NeverChange can purify up to 650sq ft / 60sq m in one hour.
(Image credit: Future)
The ambient air is monitored by the air purifier’s Clean Sense IQ, which is supposed to automatically react to changes in the environment – an increase or decrease in dust, pollen, and smoke levels, for example. However, it cannot detect or relay humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like some air purifiers can. The NeverChange filter does contain activated carbon, though, which by nature is supposed to absorb VOCs, so these should still be filtered out.
The Dust Filter Life button didn’t seem to do much. Having used the Shark NeverChange for only a short time, it would just say “check dust filters” when pressed; but the dust filters were clean. I tried pulling them out and replacing them a couple of times, but it made no difference.
It’s disappointing that there’s no app support with the Shark NeverChange. You have to be physically close enough to the unit to view the reading or change the settings, which can be inconvenient. Plus, this is unhelpful for tracking the air quality throughout the day and night. This lack of app and Bluetooth connectivity is surprising, since cheaper air purifiers such as the Levoit 300S offer near-live air quality data and remote control of the settings.
Features score: 3.5 out of 5
Shark NeverChange review: performance
Unreliable IAQ readings
Did not tackle odors
Filtered dust and aerosol during testing
It’s hard to say for certain how well an air purifier works without some scientific testing, but I tested the Shark NeverChange in different environments and considered its reactions when presented with dust and dry shampoo.
I’ll start by saying that I had a major niggle with this purifier. That niggle was that the NeverChange seemed to be overly optimistic with its readings. The air-quality readings were 100% most of the time, and when this figure did drop slightly on occasion, the different particle readings still read as 0. I struggle to believe that there are no dust particles in our busy office or in my home – and, since I live in the countryside, there will most certainly be pollen in the air, so I wasn’t impressed by this lack of particle detection.
I performed a direct comparison with the Welov P200 Pro in the TechRadar reviews office. The NeverChange maintained that all particle readings were at 0; however, the Welov P200 Pro gave a reading of 10 PM2.5 – particles such as dust or pollen, which the NeverChange is supposed to detect and respond to.
We wanted to be sure that the purifier was actually capable of detecting contaminants, to ensure that it wasn’t a faulty unit. To do this, we took it outside and placed it directly behind my car's exhaust pipe. I can confirm that it had no problem detecting the drop in air quality here, as one would hope it would! At least now I knew that it wasn’t stuck on 100%, which I’d noticed some consumers claiming in their reviews.
The main issue with the reading sitting at 100% is that when the purifier is in Auto mode, with a reading of 100% for more than five minutes, the Eco feature puts into standby. While I welcome this energy-saving feature, when the purifier seemed convinced the air quality was always 100%, it rarely did anything without manual intervention.
(Image credit: Future)
When we introduced dust into the atmosphere around the Shark NeverChange, by repeatedly kicking up the corner of a rug in one of our testing rooms, it took the unit around 40 seconds to register it. The unit dropped the reading to 92%, leading the fan to increase to speed 2. Since the fan was running at a low speed, volume levels didn’t rise too much; however, it took several minutes for the air quality to return to the 96% it started on. This was slower than the Welov P200 Pro, which – although far noisier – purified the air to pre-dust levels in around a minute.
I also sprayed dry shampoo near the sensor on the back of the NeverChange to test it. This rise in airborne particulate matter was detected within seconds, dropping the air quality on the LED screen to 81% and showing the red indicator ring to communicate that the air quality was poor. The purifier automatically upped the fan speed to level 3, returning a reading of 100% within two minutes.
Experimenting further to see how the NeverChange would deal with cooking smells, I microwaved a BBQ calzone (don’t judge me) with the air purifier set to Auto mode; it made no difference to the level of odor. I then left the purifier on the highest fan setting for a few hours – again, the odor in the room remained unchanged. Apart from the strange overlapping scent of the fragrance canister from the NeverChange, which actually just made the smell more unpleasant.
(Image credit: Future)
I tried leaving the NeverChange on Auto when I went to bed. When the reading occasionally dropped under 100%, the unit would kick up to fan speed level 2, the noise from which made it more difficult to fall asleep. So I manually set it to fan speed 1 instead; this wasn’t the end of the world, as at least this would guarantee that the purifier wouldn’t go into Eco mode overnight. Thankfully, on the lowest fan speed, the NeverChange was pleasingly quiet and din't disturb my sleep. On waking, the air in my bedroom felt fresh, and I noticed that I had been less snuffly than usual, which made a nice change.
Using a decibel meter on my iPhone 12 Pro, I recorded the quietest fan speed at 38dB, which is comparable to light rain. Fan speed 3 was 55dB, a sound level similar to a dishwasher; the highest fan speed was 68dB, the same as the noise of traveling in a car at 60mph.
Performance score: 2.5 out of 5
Should I buy the Shark NeverChange?
Buy it if...
You don’t want to regularly change filters The key selling point of the NeverChange is the long life of the HEPA filter, thanks to the DebrisDefence feature. So if you’re the type of person who never quite gets around to ordering a replacement, this would be a good option for you.
You want some subtle fragrance The NeverChange has an integrated cartridge that can be easily turned to adjust the level of scent that it releases.
You want quiet purification With the lowest fan speed being no louder than the sound of light rain, the NeverChange shouldn’t disturb your sleep. At top fan speed, it’s only about as loud as a vacuum cleaner.
Don't buy it if...
You don’t want extra parts to clean While the dust filters help prolong the life of the HEPA filter, for the air purifier to work efficiently, they'll need to be regularly checked and cleaned.
You want to be kept informed There are cheaper air purifiers on the market that offer app support, so it’s a shame that Shark doesn't do the same –especially considering the NeverChange's high price.
You’re on a budget If you were hoping for a lower-cost solution, or the NeverChange is missing some of the features you’re looking for, take a look at our list of the best air purifiers for alternatives that may be better suit your needs.
Shark NeverChange review: Also consider
Levoit Core 300S Competitors such as the lower-priced Levoit Core 300S True HEPA air purifier come with a companion app that will inform you of a drop in air quality remotely, allowing you to change the settings or perform other functions even when you’re away from home. It’s worth noting that it only purifies about half the area of the NeverChange unit; but with a four-and-a-half-star rating, it’s a great option.
Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact It’s more expensive, but if you have the money to spend then the four-star-rated Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact could be a satisfying alternative. With control solely via remote control, it offers an impressive 10 fan speeds, and the integrated sensors analyze the air every second using an algorithm. This higher-end aesthetic purifier doubles as a cooling fan and offers up additional info such as ambient temperature and humidity level, too.
How I tested the Shark NeverChange
I used the Shark NeverChange for one week
I tested it in multiple environments
I observed its reaction to dust and aerosols
I tested the Shark NeverChange in the TechRadar reviews office and music testing room, as well as in my bedroom and kitchen at home.
I monitored how effectively it detected and purified airborne contaminants such as dust and dry shampoo, and how well it tackled food odors when using the microwave.
I left the NeverChange running in my bedroom overnight to assess its noise levels, using a decibel meter on my phone to gauge levels, and evaluated its controls and how easy it was to change the filter.
With the resurrection of the Razr and introduction of the Edge series, Motorola has made quite the comeback. Competing with companies like Google and Samsung for the claim of best Android phone, with multiple appearances in our list of the best cheap phones and best foldable phones, Motorola has extended its purple patch with the Edge 50 Pro. While it’s difficult to call it cheap at £599.99 / AU$999, I so thoroughly enjoyed my time with this handset that I think it deserves a place in our best phones list.
Coming in a few design variants – two vegan leather Black Beauty and Luxe Lavender colors, and the sleek Moonlight Pearl – the Motorola Edge 50 Pro immediately differentiates itself from the Edge 40 Pro with those flashier options, but it's also lighter and thinner than its predecessor while remaining similarly designed. One of the key positive differences is the rear camera bump. What was previously a discolored block that jutted out of the Edge 40 Pro is now an aesthetically pleasing ridged design that matches the phone’s color.
Before I go on, I should mention that the Motorola Edge 40 Pro was the brand's flagship device in 2023. So, while it has retained its naming rule, the Edge 50 Pro now sits between the budget Edge 50 Fusion and flagship Edge 50 Ultra, which is currently only available in the UK and select locations. As of writing, the only offering in the United States is the Motorola Edge 2024, which has specs that differ slightly from the Fusion.
(Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
For a mid-range device, the Edge 50 Pro impresses – starting with its stunning curved 6.7-inch OLED screen. And while the curved edges and the accidental touches they induce won't be to everyone's liking, the 2,000-nit brightness, 1220 x 2712 resolution and Pantone-validated colors go a long way in providing an immersive experience when watching content on the go. I also love how the display flows into the aluminum frame, adding to the premium look of the device.
The camera, however, is undoubtedly its greatest asset. The Motorola Edge 50 Pro boasts a trio of rear lenses (50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto), an impressive 50MP selfie camera and AI tools for autofocus and automatic tuning that make taking bad photos nigh impossible. There's also a suite of features like Long Exposure Mode and Scan that are both fun and useful, and set up to make photography or scanning documents easy for complete novices. AI features are running rampant here, not only appearing in the camera, but also creating wallpapers that offer the most stylish of users the ability to match their phone to their outfit.
The battery life and charging speed deserve to share the spotlight with the camera here. The included 125W charger will provide 70% battery in just 15 minutes, and its 4,500mAh pack will have no problems seeing you through the day – it easily survived from 5:30am through until 7:30pm during my testing, with plenty of battery still left over. And, if you're ever stuck in a situation where you need your phone to last, it will last multiple days with minimal use (it lasted five whole days with four hours of screen time).
There were a few problems that kept popping up during my time with the Edge 50 Pro, though. While it might not be an issue for everyone, I found the Pearl model – which was sent to me for this review – to be severely lacking in grip, so it might be worth going hands-on before purchasing. And, while I generally enjoyed the curved display, it made taking landscape-orientation photos especially tiresome, as my palm would often hit the 'back' button on the bottom of the screen.
(Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
There was also quite a bit of noticeable stuttering and lag when using the camera app, especially in burst mode. While the photos typically turn out great, the display couldn't keep up. So, those who want to take their photography seriously, and gamers who need lag-free high frame-rate performance might be disappointed.
The biggest thorn in the Motorola Edge 50 Pro's side, though, is that it will only receive three years of software support and four years of security updates. Despite that, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is an exceptional device for the average user. A better processor and longer software support might make this the perfect handset, but you’d likely also be paying more, and that £600 / AU$1,000 mark is a line in the sand that many people won't want to cross.
For just under that price point, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is a sublime mid-range phone that provides a premium experience.
Motorola Edge 50 Pro review: Price and availability
Announced April 16 in the UK and May 23 in Australia
Launch price of £599.99 / AU$999 (unavailable in the US)
Available in three colorways and one storage option
Released in select markets across April and May, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro has a distinct lack of choice when it comes to storage in the UK and Australia – with only some locations like India getting multiple options. UK buyers are stuck with the 512GB model for £599.99, while Aussies have only the 256GB model that will set them back AU$999.
If things weren’t already confusing enough, the US doesn’t get the Edge 50 Pro, but another model called the Motorola Edge 2024, which is almost exactly aligned specs-wise with the Edge 50 Fusion, but with a slightly smaller screen and lighter weight.
Motorola refers to its Edge phones as “uncompromising premium”, and while that's not quite the case with the Edge 50 Pro, which makes some concessions to keep its price down, it's a fantastic option for those looking for a high-quality handset without breaking the bank. It sits on the higher end of what we would deem as a mid-range smartphone, but it’s still well priced considering you get the full package – stunning looks, great camera, decent performance and excellent battery.
Value Score: 4.5/5
Motorola Edge 50 Pro review: Specs
(Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
Here's a quick summary of the key specs:
Motorola Edge 50 Pro review: Design
(Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
Stylish back panel in all three colors
Curved screen makes for wonderful viewing
Too thin and long to comfortably hold and use in one hand
Whether you opt for the more reserved yet equally stylish vegan leather colors or the piquant Moonlight Pearl, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is very pretty. With a large 6.7-inch curved display that blends into its aluminum frame behind which its vegan leather or pearl back sits, it's made for the fashionable phone user.
My favorite design element however – and one that I think is subtly crucial to its elegance – is its rear camera bump. Opting for a ridged design while matching the color and pattern of whichever model you choose, the result is a camera array that looks as if they’re being pushed out of the back of the phone. I think its seamless appearance is much more appealing than the discolored block of the iPhone 15 or spider-like eyes of the Galaxy S24.
(Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
A quick internet search will show that curved phone screens are generally disliked – at least by a loud minority – but I came away liking the curvy Motorola Edge 50 Pro. The screen follows the curved edges, offering a supreme viewing experience, but it’s also what makes its usability a little frustrating – an already-narrow design combined with an end-to-end curved display meant that I had to constantly remain aware of my hand placements to try and reduce accidental touches.
While I was sent the Pearl model for this review, I also got to spend some time with the leather versions and was impressed by how they felt in the hand. Despite having the same narrow design, the texture provided by the leather made them grippier to hold one-handed despite my large mitts. That said, they felt like they'd attract lint and dust, which the sleek acetate Moonlight Pearl Motorola Edge 50 Pro is totally immune to.
The Gorilla Cornish Glass 5 used on the body did put my mind at ease though, knowing it would be safe from a few scrapes – that said, I wasn’t comfortable doing a drop test to see how it would handle a 6-foot plummet to concrete. It's worth noting that there is a One-Handed Mode on the Edge 50 Pro that helps by halving the screen vertically, making it much easier to reach all areas of the (halved) screen with your thumb. It's easy to switch on and off, but the obvious drawback is the loss of half the display. A case could add grip, but not only would that add unwanted bulk and cover up the stylish back panel, but it would like also cover the curved edges of the screen.
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I've yet to meet a phone whose camera bump I really liked. I'm well aware that one of the downsides to phones remaining thin while possessing large sensors is a camera bump, but sue me for getting annoyed when a handset rocks when I place it on a table rear side down. While it's a necessity with modern phones – and I certainly don't want them any thicker – some handsets like iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy A55 do it better than others. The Motorola Edge 50 Pro is not one of those phones, so you'll have to lie it face down, which isn't the worst thing given how charming it is.
This phone screams class and is almost as durable as it is attractive thanks to its Gorilla Glass, aluminum frame and IP68 rating. However, the narrow design and slippery rear panel on the Pearl model hampered my ability to hold it comfortably. If looking to buy a Motorola Edge 50 Pro, I'd opt for a leather model despite the Pearl’s good looks.
Design Score: 4/5
Motorola Edge 50 Pro review: Display
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6.7-inch OLED, 2712 x 1220 resolution
2,000 nit peak brightness
Curved edges can be annoying, but are worth the immersive viewing
The Motorola Edge 50 Pro boasts an OLED display, but instead of using the traditional glass layer, it uses a plastic substrate that makes it a touch more flexible. And this is what has allowed the phone maker to create the curved edge-to-edge viewing on the aptly named Edge 50 Pro. This design choice, as I’ve previously mentioned, make it very easy to accidentally open ads or videos while doing something else.
Despite that, I think that curved 6.7-inch pOLED display makes any video content a joy to watch, whether it’s random YouTube videos of cute kittens or the latest episode of House Of The Dragon. Moreover, Pantone-valided colors (which means what you see on screen is already color optimized and certified by the company that pioneered color matching) makes everything look true-to-life. You will, however, need to remember to change the settings to enable the Pantone colors, otherwise you'll be enjoying Motorola's own vivid colors (the default setting) – which are good in their own right.
The Edge 50 Pro's display also excels outdoors, thanks to its 2,000-nit peak brightness. Doubling that of the Samsung Galaxy A55 and equalling the output of the pricier Google Pixel 8, you'll have no issues watching, reading or taking selfies out in the sun.
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It might be a victim of the phone's design, but I personally didn't like the size of the display, finding it difficult to reach and use all areas of the screen despite having large hands. While I have no issue shifting my grip to get my thumb up to the top corner, I found that the lack of grip on the Pearl model I used for this review made that a slightly nerve-wracking experience.
Nonetheless, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro display is yet another aspect of the phone that is difficult to find too much fault with. Offering as close to a cinematic experience when watching content as a handset this size can, snappy response, as well as beautifully vibrant, true-to-life colors, it provides a stellar user experience and elevates your entertainment of choice.
Display Score: 4.5/5
Motorola Edge 50 Pro review: Software
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Easy and in-depth customization
AI wallpapers are fun, if gimmicky
Gestures are helpful, even if most go unused
The Motorola Edge 50 Pro might be just another phone running Android 14, but it adds enough Moto flair to differentiate itself, thanks to Hello UI.
From the second you power on the Edge 50 Pro and “hello Moto” blazes onto the screen – making full use of the phone's wonderful display I might add – this is very clearly Motorola-tweaked software.
If the first thing on your mind when setting up a new handset is "how can I make this feel like it's mine?", you’ll love the Motorola Edge 50 Pro's offering. As soon as the home screen appears for the first time, you're urged to head into the settings to begin your customizations.
The 'Personalize' tab is boldly sitting in the upper echelon of the Settings pane and, within, there's an almost never-ending pool of personalizations available. From switching up the font – which makes a massive change in and of itself – to wallpapers, icon shapes and colors, you can convert almost every facet of the device to suit you. And, if you're just looking to make a quick all-encompassing change or don’t want to fall down the proverbial customizing rabbit hole, there are five pre-made themes that will change all three facets listed above. During my initial setup, I only changed the icon shape, but the Merlot theme – which turned the control center a winey pink, squared the icons and added a pretty blue and pink wallpaper – was calling my name.
That's just the tip of the iceberg.
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Motorola Edge 50 Pro settings and personalisation (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
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Made with AI wallpaper settings (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
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If you like your wallpaper to match your daily mood, weekly vibe, outfit or your favorite movie, the folks at Motorola have you covered. Not only is there a pool of categorized images to choose from, as well as a bunch of dynamic wallpapers just a download away, but there's even AI-driven help to find the perfect wallpaper for you – and change it as you please. For example, if you think your black T-shirt would be great as a wallpaper on the Edge 50 Pro, just take a photo of it when prompted within settings, and let Moto AI do the rest.
Motorola Edge 50 Pro's software isn't just about aesthetics. Offering a super-intuitive user experience, I found the gestures very helpful, even though I didn't find a lot of use for them. I got the most out of the Shake-To-Torch gesture to turn on the flashlight – not having to open the phone and press a button was surprisingly helpful – and I also enjoyed grabbing screenshots by just tapping the screen with three fingers. With so many options, there's undoubtedly one or two that will enhance your experience.
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It's not all fun and games though – while the actual software on the device is hard to find fault with, Motorola's support of that software is lacking. With Google providing seven years of software support and Samsung matching that for its flagship S-series handsets, any less than that is a little disappointing. Motorola is only going to offer three years of software updates and four years of security support. Heck, even the Galaxy A55, Samsung's much cheaper budget offering, is receiving four years of OS updates. So while Motorola's ongoing support isn't terrible, it's certainly not great.
Software score: 4/5
Motorola Edge 50 Pro review: Cameras
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50MP main, 13MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto
50MP front-facing selfie camera
Pantone-validated color spectrum
A smartphone’s camera is arguably one of its most important features, allowing users to quickly snap a pic for either social media, work, or just take a random shot of that morning muffin you so enjoyed. And for a phone that doesn’t cost the earth (well, almost), I think the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is arguably the best camera phone in the mid-range category.
Aided by what the brand calls Moto AI, which uses adaptive stabilization to automatically adjust for movements when filming or shooting stills, even photos you think will be blurry because your hand is shaking or the subject is moving rapidly, come out crystal clear. Whether you're taking photos of your little one playing, dogs running around the park or flowers blowing in the wind, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro's camera is up to the task even when the person controlling it isn't.
And my experience with the Edge 50 Pro just went from great to impressive the more I tried it. Whether you're using the trio of rear cameras or the 50MP front-facing selfie camera, you really have to try to take a bad photo with the Motorola Edge 50 Pro. The 50MP main camera, 13MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto lens provide plenty of versatility and fun in a variety of scenarios, including macro close-ups and long exposures.
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Long exposure of traffic (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
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The main 50MP camera is excellent, and will be what you're using most of the time. However, I got way more use out of the 10MP telephoto lens than I thought I would, with some excellent results during optimal ambient light conditions, though it does struggle a little in low-light settings. So while you'll have no problems zooming in on your child during their school play, it doesn't cut through a dimly-lit theater as well as the main camera.
The ultra-wide lens gets you a wider field of view, but that comes at the cost of clarity when compared to the main and telephoto lenses. So while it might be tempting for landscape photography, I found myself opting for the clarity of the main lens more often than not.
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Lemons using ultra-wide lens (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
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Macro lemon
If its baseline performance wasn't enough, Motorola has packed the Edge 50 Pro's camera with both helpful and fun features. With Motion, Video, Photo, Portrait, Pro and Scan modes available even before you tap on More, there's a plethora of tools to work with. In my opinion, the Scan mode deserves a special mention.
Scanning documents is one of the great annoyances of life if you don’t own a printer/scanner. There are already some handsets that allow you to use the camera app or, in the case of iOS, the Notes app to ‘scan’ documents, this mode on the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is powered by Adobe Scan and produces some excellent results. All you have to do is point at a document and the Edge 50 Pro will do the rest.
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Edge 50 Pro Camera menu (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
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Scanning a document with the Edge 50 Pro (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
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All the fun and artsy features like Long Exposure, Timelapse, Photo Booth, Spot Capture and Dual Capture reside under the More tab. This is also where you’ll find more professional ones like Ultra-Res, Tilt-shift, Panorama and Night Vision. You can also add any feature you regularly use to the main camera page and remove any you don't touch, giving you quick access to modes you really want. In my case, I found it much easier to use the Macro mode on this phone than any other that I’ve tested previously, thanks to a quick activation option in the settings – and the results were impressive.
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While I was utterly impressed by the photos the Edge 50 Pro took during my testing, I found the camera app itself to be rather sluggish, particularly when used over long durations. It didn't really slow down my ability to take photos or use the device, but I think it will affect the overall experience for some users.
Camera score: 5/5
Motorola Edge 50 Pro review: Performance and Audio
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Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset
12GB RAM
Stereo speakers, tuning by Dolby Atmos
Everyone uses their phone differently – some use it for the basic functions of calls, texts, light gaming and media streaming, while others put their handsets through more intense workouts like 4K video editing or hardcore mobile gaming.
If you belong in the latter camp – meaning you regularly play high-graphics games, watch a lot of high-resolution content on your phone or do a lot of productivity work – you might need to look elsewhere for a more powerful phone. That's not to say the Edge 50 Pro lacks in performance – it doesn’t and far from it – but anything too intense will slow things down.
For the average user, though, there’s smooth and fast gameplay on offer here, plus more than enough system memory to keep several apps running simultaneously. Despite my issues with the camera app becoming sluggish after long periods of use, I didn’t experience too much of a drop in overall performance in general usage.
But that’s what benchmarking is for – to break down and analyze how a phone performs when put through stress tests that mimic different activities, and how it compares to other devices.
In my benchmarking tests, I compared the Motorola Moto Edge 50 Pro with the cheaper Samsung Galaxy A55 and flagship Samsung Galaxy S24.
For reference, the two Geekbench tests measure the processors single-core and multi-core power. 3D Mark:Wildlife tests how your device handles extended periods of heavy use and Sling Shot tests features like instant rendering, uniform buffers, multiple render targets and transform feedback. The higher the score, the better.
The Edge 50 Pro doesn’t necessarily have great processing power, which explains the sluggishness of the camera app – outscored by the Samsung Galaxy A55 – but it showcases its mid-range excellence in its 3D Mark tests, slotting in between the budget option from Samsung and its flagship.
Another area that the Motorola Edge 50 Pro excels at is audio. With Dolby Atmos support, it enhances the cinematic experience when watching videos on the phone. The stereo (or dual) speakers are loud and clear – I could even enjoy music and podcasts while in the shower. And, while I personally don’t watch movies on my phone without headphones, you'd be very happy if you did. If you don't, pairing a set of Bluetooth headphones is utterly easy – it quickly connected to both my third-generation AirPods and my Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.
Performance and Audio score: 4/5
Motorola Edge 50 Pro review: Battery
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125W fast charging
50W wireless charging
Five-minute charge gives you enough battery for the day
I've already taken you through what I think makes the Motorola Edge 50 Pro an excellent phone, but its battery might be its biggest asset. Boasting a capacity of 4,500mAh, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro will easily see you through a regular day of average use, which I define as messaging, social media, emails, browsing, video streaming and a few calls.
During my testing, I found that the Edge 50 Pro dropped to just 65% battery after 6.5 hours of screen time during the day. That was 6.5 hours of YouTube and benchmark tests, and the latter can be very power hungry.
Where the Motorola Edge 50 Pro truly excels is just how dang fast it charges. With the included 125W charger – yes, included – Motorola claims the Edge 50 Pro can charge completely in just 17 minutes. In my tests, my review sample of the Edge 50 Pro went from 20% to 100% in 19.5 minutes.
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Motorola Edge 50 Pro battery settings (Image credit: TechRadar / Max Delaney)
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Motorola claims you'll get 12 hours worth of battery life from just a five-minute charge with Charge Boost activated. From my experience, that claim is true – my phone jumped from 11% to 41% in the five minutes it took me to brush my teeth and comb my hair one morning. And if you were being conservative with your phone use for the day, I have no doubt that would be enough to last the entire day. Need another point of comparison on how good Motorola’s fast-charge feature is? The test unit went from dead to 28% in 30 minutes – which would see you through the day with conservative use.
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The Edge 50 Pro gets quite warm when charging with the 120W charger, but that heat didn't negatively impact performance, nor did it retain the heat for long.
If you're a big proponent of wireless charging, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro has you covered there too, with up to 50W wireless charging support. To achieve that number, though, Motorola says you'll need the Motorola 50W TurboPower Wireless Charging Stand which, at the time of writing, is near impossible to find where the handset is available. I had no issues with my third-party 15W charger, though of course the speed didn't blow me away.
Battery score: 5/5
Should you buy the Motorola Edge 50 Pro?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider...
If this review of the Motorola Edge 50 Pro has left you wondering about other mid-tier alternatives, take a look at a few listed below. I’ve also compiled a specs comparison between them and the Edge 50 Pro for a clearer snapshot.
How I tested the Motorola Edge 50 Pro
Review period: four weeks
Testing included: Everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used: 3D Mark: 3D Mark: Original, 3D Mark: Extreme, 3D Mark: Slingshot Extreme (unlimited), Geekbench 6.2.2, Geekbench, native Android stats
The first step in reviewing the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is the same as any phone, and that means downloading and running benchmark tests. Once that was done, I used it as my daily device – taking it to work, to the gym, on dog walks and pretty much everything else that makes up my everyday life.
From scrolling mindlessly for way too long on the couch, catching its fall with my foot at the gym, listening to podcasts on the bus and being pulled in and out of my bag, I put this phone through its paces to see how it handles the trials and tribulations of life. And, from minor drops onto carpet and unfortunate meetings with the corner of my desk, as well as playing music in a steamy bathroom and getting splashed while doing the dishes, it had no issues.
The final moments with the phone were spent concentrating on battery tests – this included checking how it performed with less-than-average daily use, letting it sit in my bag and only using it for only a couple hours, seeing how quickly it charged from dead, as well as 5-,15- and 30-minute speed tests.
I have tested other budget and mid-range phones for TechRadar previously, which gives me a unique perspective on how the Motorola Edge 50 Pro compares to competitors on the market.
The JBL Clip 5 is reasonably priced at $79.95 / £59.99 / AU$89.95 and is available in the US, the UK, and Australia. Considering that the JBL Go 4 costs $49.95 / £39.99 / AU$59.95, if your budget can stretch to the JBL Clip 5 the extra investment will return big gains in sound quality and volume levels.
From minute one I was impressed with what this compact Bluetooth speaker had to offer. The Clip 5 is a satisfying mix of durability, practicality, and enjoyable sound in a small package. Is it one of the best Bluetooth speakers around? All in good time.
The JBL Clip 5 is covered in woven fabric on the front and back, with a silicone mid-section. It has a large plastic carabiner on the top that's easy to open and clip onto things. I’ve had it hanging from door handles, the bathroom mirror, and shelving units amongst other places, and could easily change up its position to allow for the best listening experience.
There are silicone strips on the back of the speaker body for added stability when the speaker is placed face-up on a surface, and the JBL logo on the front of the speaker is also made from silicone. Above the logo are the play/pause button and the volume up and volume down buttons. These have icons that represent the respective functions – so, a triangular 'play' icon, and plus and minus signs – and I found them satisfying to press. Within the silicone area on the left-hand side of the speaker sit the power, Bluetooth and Auracast buttons.
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This pint-sized speaker measures just 3.4 x 5.3 x 1.8 inches / 86 x 134.5 x 46mm, but at 10 ounces / 285g, it feels a little heavy for its size. It’s a shame that it's only possible to hang the Clip 5 or lie it on its back; there was many an occasion when it would have been more convenient to stand it on its base, but its pebble-like shape makes it unstable.
The speaker has IP67 water and dust protection, meaning I wasn’t limited to where I could listen to tunes. It quickly became my favorite bath-time companion, and the steam was no issue for it. We also did a dunk test in the TechRadar testing tank, after which the Clip 5 continued to function quite happily, so whether you want to listen to tunes on the beach or do karaoke in the shower, it looks like this speaker can handle it. JBL has adopted a sustainable approach with the Clip 5 by incorporating some post-consumer recycled materials in the design. Great stuff.
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If you’ve read my JBL Go 4 versus feature, you’ll already know I’m a fan of the JBL Portable app's user-friendly interface. It has an attractive, easy-to-use design that makes it a snap to view the battery level, use Stereo Group mode to play in stereo from two speakers, or use the PartyTogether mode to add other JBL speakers into the mix for amped-up sound.
Further features on the app include PlaytimeBoost, which is designed to boost the volume of the music without consuming more battery power, a Product Information section, and an EQ settings section. There are four equalizer profile presets: JBL Signature, Chill, Energetic, and Vocal, as well as a customizable EQ profile.
I tested out the Clip 5’s Auracast capabilities by connecting it with a JBL Xtreme 4 and Go 4 speaker. The connection process was easy thanks to PartyTogether mode, and the resulting surround sound effect was impressive. I must admit that my colleague, audio expert Harry Padoan, and I couldn’t help but bop along to the tunes in our music testing room.
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The battery is said to last up to 12 hours on the JBL website. When I tested it by playing our TechRadar testing playlist non-stop at 50% volume, it lasted just under eleven-and-a-half hours, which isn’t bad considering how obnoxiously loud the Clip 5 is when playing at this volume level.
The sound quality of the JBL Clip 5 is pretty impressive considering its size and price. It’s capable of some surprisingly deep bass and delivers this without losing the detail, even when just using the default JBL Signature EQ setting.
When I laid the speaker down, I could feel the bass pounding through the surface it was on. Not only was the bass impactful and dynamic in tracks like Black Eye by Allie X, but it also delivered low-frequency bass impressively well when I listened to Angel by Massive Attack.
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Unfortunately, there was a shortcoming that became apparent when listening to Black Eye. The vocals came across slightly strained and overpowering when listening to the track at 75% volume. They were brought more into proportion when the volume was reduced to 50%; the bass continued to bounce dynamically across the track, and I could still hear the detail in the vocals. I changed to the Energetic EQ preset to see if this made any improvements. While it did what it said on the tin and added some energy to the instrumental element of the track, the vocals continued to have a sharp edge to them. As was also the case with the JBL Go 4, changing over to the Vocal EQ preset just results in all the elements sounding distorted, as if they were recorded underwater.
When listening to Hit the Road Jack by 2WEI and Bri Bryant, the delivery was satisfyingly atmospheric and immersive considering the size of the Clip 5. The different elements layered together well. The bass was dramatic and impactful, and I could hear the finer details in the background of the track as the beat was building up.
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Cheaper speakers can struggle with the treble and intensity of some vocal sections on this track, making them sound tinny and strained. The Clip 5 handled it well, but the tinniness did appear at around 75% volume, which seemed to be a running theme when I listened to various tracks. The song Boom Boom by the same artists sounded good at 75%, with plenty of detail and drama, but the highs again began to feel a little harsh; at 50% volume, everything blended together a bit better. So this definitely wouldn’t make a replacement for a party speaker if you wanted to blast out the tunes at a get-together.
Adagio Per Archi E Organo In Sol Minore by the London Philharmonic Orchestra was a satisfying listen with this speaker; there was a clear distinction between the different notes and instruments, but a slightly tinny edge to the sounds of the organ. This will likely only be noticed by audiophiles who are scrutinizing the sound quality, however. I don’t imagine anyone expects perfection at this price point but, actually, outside of the treble troubles, the Clip 5 is certainly reaching for it.
Another enjoyable listen was I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness. The guitar and vocals sounded great, and everything was well-proportioned. I could easily hear the detail and depth in Justin’s voice, and the instruments layered together well, with nothing stepping out of line or trying to steal the limelight when it shouldn’t have been.
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The difference between the sound quality of the Clip 5 and the cheaper JBL Go 4 is certainly noticeable. While there is of course a $30 price difference to consider, I'd say it’s worth it if you want deeper bass and the ability to blast out some tunes without lugging about a bigger speaker – though there's naturally some sacrifice when it comes to sound quality at the higher end of the volume scale.
If you're still undecided whether the JBL Clip 5 covers all your bases, we’ve curated a list of the best Bluetooth speakers with alternatives suitable for varied budgets and requirements. We also keep track of the best cheap Bluetooth speaker deals, so it's worth checking back now and then to see if there’s money to be saved.
JBL Clip 5 review: Price & release date
List price: $79.95 / £59.99 / AU$89.95
Available now in the US, UK, and Australia
The JBL Clip 5 was released in June 2024 and is one of JBL’s first speakers to include Auracast capabilities, along with the Xtreme 4 and Go 4. It’s available directly from the JBL website in the US, UK, and Australia for $79.95 / £59.99 / AU$89.95.
JBL Clip 5 review: Specs
Should I buy the JBL Clip 5?
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Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
JBL Clip 5 review: Also consider
How I tested the JBL Clip 5
I tested the speaker over several months
I listened to a variety of music genres and podcasts
I played music continuously to determine battery usage
I tested the JBL Clip 5 over a few months. I listened to a variety of music genres, as well as the TechRadar testing playlist that includes tracks ranging from complex and layered instrumentals to deep bass and delicate vocals. This enabled me to determine the speaker's ability to handle different frequencies.
I played our TechRadar playlist on Tidal continuously at 50% volume using the default JBL signature EQ preset to test whether the battery could last up to 12 hours.
I used it to listen to music and podcasts in the TechRadar office, our music testing room, and at home, using Spotify and Tidal from an iPhone 12 Pro and a OnePlus Pad Go.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless: Two-minute review
If there’s one thing SteelSeries has delivered on when it comes to the Arctis Nova 4, it’s the sound. This thing absolutely slaps when it comes to driving that audio. Bass is well-rounded, with a broad depth to it, without compromising on any of the mids or the high-end treble whatsoever. The mids themselves are surprisingly clean, and the treble doesn’t feel muted like you’d find on other headsets at this price point. What that means is you get an incredibly crisp listening experience, with an EQ that’s entirely reminiscent of a slightly tweaked flat profile that you’d typically expect to see in more pricier HiFi-esque units.
Is it going to blow a $300 audiophile grade headset out of the water? No, it’s not, but it’s a good 85% of the way there, and for such a reasonable outlay it makes it remarkably tantalizing for any gamer who’s just as much into their music as they are fragging scrubs on a Friday.
Overall headset design is great too. From the geometry, to the materials and the branding, and of course the now iconic ski-goggle headband. SteelSeries has leaned into that as well, including a set of stickers in the packaging, along with a few touches here and there to denote its gamer heritage. That’s no bad thing. There’s far too many headsets out there that are “perfect for the office or your gaming den”, so having an option that’s specifically built around that age old pastime that drew us into this hobby of ours to begin with is incredibly refreshing.
So, downsides? The microphone is underwhelming. It’s a retractable bi-directional noise canceling affair, sure. And it captures audio fine. But it just lacks the clarity that you can find on other competing solutions at this price point, which is a little disappointing. It’s very much akin to something from a decade ago, and although you’ll be clearly heard, given the caliber of mics available out there, it just doesn’t quite hit the mark. Additionally, connectivity is just okay. You get a USB-C multi-platform dongle, channeling 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity as standard, along with a couple of cables (mostly intended for charging), but there’s no Bluetooth connectivity here, which feels like a bit of a missed opportunity.
Is this one of the best gaming headsets around though? That’s going to entirely depend on your preferences. For audio, it’s absolutely next-level, and that alone really does elevate the headset to new heights. Still, if you absolutely want top-tier clarity for your raid leading or eSport comps you might want to look elsewhere.
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SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless: Price and availability
$119.99 / £119
UK has the 4X version
Deal pricing makes it exceptional value
As of today, you can pick up the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless without too much hassle in the US. Amazon is your best bet, and it’s often on sale, hitting prices as low as $80 during some of the holiday periods. That makes it an absolute steal if you’re after a wireless gaming headset with stellar battery life.
Things are a little more complicated in the UK however, with the Arctis 4 being surprisingly hard to come by. The far more readily available 4X is around for a similar price though, as an added bonus that X does denote that it officially has Xbox support unlike the standard model.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless: Specs
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless: Design and features
Gamer design is attractive
Exceptionally comfortable
Lack of connectivity
There’s something quite nice about picking up a gaming headset that looks like it was built with gamers in mind. I’m not talking about those cheap plastic things that we often deride as being a bit too gaudy, but something that treats the hobby with a bit of decorum. The shapes, materials and design choices behind the Arctis Nova 4 very much lean into that aesthetic in a way that’s genuinely pleasing to the eye.
This isn’t going to fit in at your office, or on your commute, and honestly that’s no bad thing. We’ve had enough of those ‘professional’ designs at this point; having something that stands-out from the crowd is a nice change of pace. SteelSeries has even gone the whole hog on that front and included a set of stickers in the box too.
The Nova 4 otherwise follows that age-old Arctis styling, with a sleek ski-goggle headband design that allows it to rest and adjust perfectly to your cranium. These do tend to have a habit of weakening over time admittedly (not something I’ve witnessed testing the Nova 4), but you can replace it, and SteelSeries do sell a number of custom ear-pads and bands, giving the headset some serious longevity if you plan on sticking with it for the next few years and beyond.
Overall headset comfort is top-tier, although admittedly it is better suited to those with smaller ears. Still, you can adjust the length and position of the earcups easily enough, and they rotate plenty too, assuring you’ll be more than set regardless of the shape of your skull. Earcup materials are soft and plush, not memory-foam, but still comfortable enough, and although the cloth padding does look a little abrasive at first-glance, they’re far more comfortable than they first appear.
(Image credit: Future)
The microphone is a retractable bidirectional noise-canceling affair. Its tab hides on the left-side of the headset, and, with the headset on, can be difficult to identify by touch. Now, if you’re trying to extract that during an intense online firefight, you’re going to have a bad time. Although more on that in a moment.
Button layout is pretty standard too. You get power-on and mic-mute buttons as well as a volume scroll wheel (with volume thankfully separate to Windows as well, so it can get seriously loud).
As for connectivity, 2.4 GHz wireless is the name of the game, with a rather oblong USB-C dongle included. It’s clearly been designed for consoles first, with its compact form-factor better suited to sitting relatively flush to the Nintendo Switch, PS5 or any other console-esque device. It is however a bit of a pain to stick it in the back of a motherboard’s Rear I/O (I may have accidentally shoved it in a USB Type-A port, and shorted my entire PC at one point). SteelSeries do include a USB extension cable as standard though, so you can eliminate that problem.
(Image credit: Future)
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless: Performance
Exceptional audio quality
Phenomenal when discounted
Microphone is average at best
So, what’s the Arctis Nova 4 like to listen to? Exceptional. Outstanding. Beyond impressive given the price. The bass is deep and well-rounded, it doesn’t cause distortion at any other wave-length, and still has that gaming gravitas that we all love for our epic explosion moments. Mids, likewise, are beautifully balanced, without being too desaturated by the other two ends of the spectrum, and the treble is crisp and clear. Not quite as muffled or muted as some of the other wireless headsets available around this price point. It’s not absolutely perfect, for myself in particular I would’ve loved to have just a touch more crystallization at the very top-end, but that may just be my aging ears.
SteelSeries' Engine software is exceptionally in-depth, and does give you the opportunity to fine tune the audio profile to exactly what you like, along with the usual armada of EQ presets available too, if you’re not a fan of dialing it in just for you (or don’t know where to start).
Otherwise though, what you get with the Nova 4 is an incredibly well-balanced audio profile, with a touch more bass, and a little less treble than you’d find on far more expensive hi-fi options.
Then we get to the microphone, and oh boy. Right now, at this price, even for wireless headsets, there are a number of options out there with outstanding microphones. Some that even come close to sounding like fully dedicated XLR setups. The one in the Arctis Nova 4 Wireless though, despite being “AI Powered” and offering noise-canceling just sounds really mediocre by comparison. If you put this side-by-side with a headset from a decade ago, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference. It works, it’ll pick up your voice, and deliver that in a clear manner, but it lacks the clarity, and the breadth that you’d expect from a headset at this price point, which is really quite disappointing.
Otherwise battery life is about where SteelSeries itself rates it, and I managed a full week of working from the home office without needing to charge.
Ultimately, the Arctis Nova 4 Wireless, for the price, is a solid pick. If audio is the only thing you’re interested in, it’s top-tier, and you can forgive the lackluster microphone as, after all, you’ll still be well-understood. What is worth noting, though, is how low in price the headset tends to go when it’s on offer. I’ve seen it as low as $80 during peak sales periods throughout the year. When it hits that kind of pricing it really does elevate it into some serious top-tier territory.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider...
Here are two alternatives if you’d like to weigh up some other options before deciding on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless.
(Image credit: Future)
How I tested the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless
Tested across multiple consoles
Games, music and media listened to
Software fully explored and configured
I spent over three weeks testing the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Wireless. I switched from my current daily driver combo of the Corsair Virtuoso Pro XT and the Audio-technica ATH-M50xBT and exclusively used the Nova 4 in all of my gaming pursuits.
I’ve got fairly sensitive ears when it comes to audio testing, and prefer a deeper bass note, and higher treble, typically achieved through crystallization effects and similar.
I tested the battery life by charging the Nova 4 to full, then using it exclusively without charging throughout my working week. As for music testing, that was a combination of YouTube Music and Spotify Premium, across all manner of genres to best gauge just how well the drivers performed.
So far we've had leaked pricing for the EU and US, and so today it's time to look at the UK prices for the upcoming Pixel 9 devices. Courtesy of Vodafone, we can do just that, since the operator has published a "Terms and conditions" page for its upcoming Pixel releases.
This tells us that the RRP for the Pixel 9 will be £750 with 128GB and £894 with 256GB. Between August 13 and September 3 you can get the latter at the price of the former. We've seen the same thing advertised in France and the US, so it's no surprise - it looks like all Pixel 9s will get the same "double the storage for...
There’s a comfort in knowing exactly what you’re getting with a phone before you’ve even picked it up, and that’s certainly the case with the OnePlus Nord 4. Given the brand, you know you're getting an Android phone with a focus on performance; given the sub-brand you know it’ll have some competitive features for its mid-range price; and given the '4' you know that the company has been doing this for long enough now to nail the concept.
Chinese company OnePlus created the Nord line as an affordable counterpart to its feature-packed but pricey main series of phones, the most recent of which is the OnePlus 12, and it’s grown into a bustling family of varyingly-priced mobiles.
A brief glance at the OnePlus Nord 4’s specs sheet shows that this is an iterative upgrade over 2023’s OnePlus Nord 3; it takes the same basic design and feature set, improves some of the aspects a little, and throws in a few extra features for good measure.
So you’re getting many of the OnePlus Nord 3 features we liked, including its big, bold, high-res screen and fine camera array. But then there are a few spec improvements: the battery is slightly bigger, the charging is a bit faster, the chipset is newer and quicker, the software is a more recent Android build, and the screen goes quite a bit brighter.
These all bring welcome, even if not especially needed, improvements, and I particularly appreciated the brighter screen and quicker charging during my testing period.
But my favorite part is the new features. OnePlus has made a song and dance about the AI additions to OxygenOS, which let you read auto-summaries of voice recordings or online articles, but I particularly loved a new screen addition called Aqua Touch, which means you can carry on using the display even if your hands are wet. No more annoying mis-touches here.
It’s also worth bearing in mind two things: the OnePlus Nord 4’s base model costs less than the Nord 3 did. And while that 2023 mobile only saw a limited release due to shipping issues, the Nord 4 is a lot easier to buy in most countries.
These considerations make it easier to look past the unchanged screen and the near-identical camera array, which has gained features but lost a lens.
I found it hard to think of ‘cons’ for this OnePlus Nord 4 review; that’s not to say it’s perfect, just that its flaws can be overlooked when you consider its competitive price. Sure, you can ask for better cameras or a more interesting design or wired charging, but it’s unrealistic to expect too much in a phone like this.
A few software problems did detract from my experience using the phone, as did the fact that the high-storage model is quite a bit pricier than the standard one, and the pre-installed bloatware; however, for the price, it’s easy to overlook these.
So the OnePlus Nord 4 continues the Nord-ic tradition of offering lots of power at a low price, and the discount over last year’s model, plus some tweaks across the board, ensure that the newer model is the preferable one to buy.
OnePlus Nord 4 review: price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Released in UK in July 2024; AU launch possible, US unlikely
£429 (roughly $550, AU$820) gets you 12GB RAM, 256GB storage
£529 (roughly $680, AU$1,000) gets you 16GB RAM, 512GB storage
The OnePlus Nord 4 was announced at a launch event in mid-July 2024 ahead of a release in mid-August, alongside the OnePlus Pad 2, OnePlus Watch 2R, and OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro.
The phone hasn’t been announced for the US, and there’s a chance that it won’t be given that OnePlus markets different Nord models in different areas. The phone is listed on the OnePlus Australia website, so it’ll likely be available there, but there’s no pricing yet.
In the UK, two versions of the phone are on sale. The base model comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, and you can pick it up for £429 (roughly $550, AU$820), while if you want more power there’s a 16GB and 512GB alternative for £529 (roughly $680, AU$1,000), which is the model I tested.
Those prices puts this phone in the ‘mid-range’ bracket, where it goes up against rivals including the Google Pixel 8a, Samsung Galaxy A55 and Oppo Reno 12 Pro – particularly the latter, which comes from OnePlus' parent company and has quite a few specs in common with the Nord 4 (more on that at the end of this review).
OnePlus Nord 4 review: specs
The OnePlus Nord 4 is a mid-ranged mobile with specs to match. Here's the spec sheet in full:
OnePlus Nord 4 review: design
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Two-tone body
IP65 rating and metal frame for protection
Camera bumps stick out a fair way
The OnePlus Nord 4 offers a small design twist on the generic Android phone.
Its flagship silver edition comes with a two-tone body: the lower three-fifths has a striped ridged-looking pattern (the effect is just optical, as it feels totally flat to touch) while the top two-thirds that surrounds the camera bumps has the flat look of a typical phone. It's a small touch that makes the Nord look distinct.
Other than that, though, this is barely different to any other phone on the market. It’s pretty big, measuring 162.6 x 75 x 7.9mm, and bang-average in terms of weight, tipping the scales at 199.5g.
Typical for modern-day Androids, it has a USB-C port on the bottom and a power button and volume rocker on the right edge; I’d say the power button is well within reach for hands of varying sizes, although those with smaller mitts might struggle to adjust the volume one-handed. Breaking the norm somewhat, the Nord also has an alert slider (yes, like old OnePlus phones – throwback!) which lets you easily switch between silent, vibrate and full-volume modes. It’s an easy way to ensure that your phone is muted in important meetings or moments, though I found it hard to easily set the slider into the middle position (vibrate), as it tended to jump all the way to the left or right.
The metal frame and rear make the OnePlus Nord 4 feel well-protected from drops and knocks, as does the IP65 rating against dust and beads of water.
With two big camera bumps on the rear for the two lenses, the Nord doesn’t sit flat against a table, but these two protrusions weren’t as distinct as those on many of the phone's rivals; I never caught the camera lenses while sliding the phone into my pocket, for example.
My review unit was the silver model, which seems to be the one shown in promotional materials. There are also black and green options, and these have the same two-tone rear, although the lower part isn’t striped, instead having a matted look.
Design score: 3.5 / 5
OnePlus Nord 4 review: display
(Image credit: Future)
6.74-inch, 1240 x 2772resolution
Bold colors thanks to AMOLED display
Aqua Touch feature lets you use display with wet hands
When you look at the OnePlus Nord 4, you can instantly tell it has a big screen: clocking in at 6.74 inches diagonally, this is certainly a beast. What might surprise you though is the resolution: at 1240 x 2772 (roughly 2.5K) you’re getting more pixels here than on the majority of similarly-priced Android phones.
The display looks good – it's an AMOLED panel with nice vibrant colors that supports HDR10+. The max brightness is apparently 2150 nits, which is very high, although during testing the phone’s display never seemed that bright to me, and I wouldn’t have minded some extra illumination in well-lit conditions.
The refresh rate is 120Hz, which means the screen image updates 120 times per second, which in turn ensures smooth motion when you’re navigating through menus, playing games or watching supported videos.
The display is broken up by a very small punch-hole gap for the front-facing camera; it’s so small that it barely takes any space away from the screen.
A feature OnePlus mentioned in its promotional material for the Nord 4 is Aqua Touch, which means that the display will still pick up your touch well when your hands are wet. I tested this in a few situations that’d normally cause me grief with my normal phone like after a shower, in a mild drizzle of rain and when doing the washing-up, and it always worked perfectly – Aqua Touch is a really impressive addition.
Display score: 4 / 5
OnePlus Nord 4 review: software
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Android 14 with OxygenOS 14.1, and four updates
Good-looking UI and some extra features
Some software bloatware and bugs
Like most of its contemporaries, the OnePlus Nord 4 comes with Android 14 pre-installed, and as a OnePlus phone it has the company’s OxygenOS 14.1 user interface layered over the top.
The company has promised that the phone will see “up to” four updates too, bringing you to at most Android 18, which is a decent amount given that not all rivals at this price point guarantee you even one update.
OnePlus fans love OxygenOS, and it’s not hard to see why. The user interface and menus are attractive, with bold colors and punchy icons, but with enough restraint that your eyes aren’t being overwhelmed with colors and shapes. The quick settings menu is a great example with this, as it makes it easy for you to swipe down and toggle a feature, increase the brightness or turn on Bluetooth.
OxygenOS also brings some unique features. One I always use on OnePlus phones is Zen Space, which lets you soft-lock your mobile while you work so you can concentrate. Some relatively newer ones are available on the Nord 4 too, including a tool which summarizes online articles you’re reading, or audio notes into bullet-list agendas.
The Nord does have some bloatware, with pre-installed games, online retailers and social media platforms already present when you boot up the phone. It’s not nearly as bad as on some other phones at this price I’ve tested, but there’s no such thing as ‘good bloatware’, just ‘not-as-bad bloatware’.
During testing, I faced a few issues that affected my experience of using the phone; I don’t know whether these are limited to my review unit, or the current build of OxygenOS or come from another source, but I encountered them often enough that they bear flagging.
Minor issues include that auto-rotate wouldn’t always work properly, infrequently marooning the device in a horizontal orientation, and that sometimes I’d unlock the phone only for it to think I was trying to turn on the lock screen magazine feature.
An extra that I’m adding to this review at the eleventh hour is that the device struggled to connect to either of the PCs I tried to download its photos to using USB: sometimes my PC wouldn’t recognize any of the images, sometimes it would see a few but not let me download them, and sometimes my computer just wouldn’t detect that the phone was connected to it at all. On a few occasions, trying to open the Nord’s storage through my PC caused Windows to freeze for a little bit.
I go through this process of downloading photos from every phone I test, and I’ve never faced such inexplicable connection issues before. The camera samples you see below were therefore transferred via the cloud and have been compressed a little.
One final issue that I faced was that the phone would frequently lock without me pressing the lock button; it happened a lot during gameplay, and I’d need to hurriedly punch in the pass code when mid-way through a game.
Software score: 3 / 5
OnePlus Nord 4 review: cameras
(Image credit: Future)
50MP main and 8MP ultra-wide cameras, 16MP for selfies
AI scene optimization saves some shots
Magic eraser AI tool has okay results
You get two rear cameras on the OnePlus Nord 4, and one on the front, and they’re clearly not the important bits of this phone.
In terms of the rear array there’s a 50MP f/1.8 main camera joined by an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one with a 112-degree field of view. If you’re a big OnePlus fan you might notice that that's one fewer rear camera than on the Nord 3, but the lack of a 2MP auxiliary camera here is no great loss; the other two cameras are the same.
Hardware-wise, these snappers are fine; they do the job but you’re not going to be uttering ‘wow’ too often at any of the results. Pictures are sufficiently bright and detailed, though they don't have a huge amount of dynamic range.
However I occasionally took a picture that looked distinctly better, and it seemed to be when the scene optimization jumped in to make some tweaks. I’ve included two pictures of flowers which show this well: the stark contrasts between the bright flowers and the shadows in the image really pull out the flora’s vibrancy.
(Image credit: Future)
On the topic of AI, OnePlus has included the same AI eraser tool that most phone brands have adopted, so you can remove unwanted objects from snaps. The mode was good at removing people from a scene, but not as good at actually identifying people to remove in the first place, and often I’d circle people or objects to be removed only for the phone to think I still wanted to keep their legs or hairstyles, or one part of the furniture they were seated on.
On the front you’re looking at a 16MP f/2.4 main camera – it’s nothing to write home about but it’s fit for purpose, letting you take bold selfies (thanks to some ample post-processing). Portrait mode is pretty light-touch, which I appreciate, giving gentle beauty tweaks and a soft bokeh that looks lovely and natural.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a mid-range phone, you’re not getting any unique camera modes here, but the long list of expected ones show up: portrait, panorama, time-lapse, slow-mo, night, pro, pro video (here called Film) and so on. Video recording goes up to 4K at 60fps and down to 720p at 240fps or 1080p at 120fps.
OnePlus Nord 4 camera samples
Camera score: 3 / 5
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OnePlus Nord 4: performance and audio
Really powerful thanks to Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 chipset
Two models: 12GB/256GB or 16GB/512GB
Bluetooth 5.4 or USB-C port for audio
Phone fans might see that the OnePlus Nord 4 totes a Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 chipset, and turn their nose up at the ‘7’ part, which denotes that this is a mid-range processor. I would have been the same if I didn’t begin my testing process with a benchmark test.
In the Geekbench 6 benchmark test, the OnePlus Nord 4 returned a surprisingly powerful multi-core score of 3863, which puts it above most of its same-priced contemporaries and comparable to the top-end powerhouse of yesteryear.
That’s a lot of power for a mid-range phone, and my day-to-day testing matches the high hopes that score instilled in me. The Nord is a beast for gaming, smashing through game after game of Call of Duty Mobile with little problem, even with graphics turned all the way up. I got a bit too into the gaming part of testing the phone as a result…
I was using the 16GB RAM model of phone, which comes with an indulgent 512GB memory, and people using the 12GB / 256GB might have a slightly slower experience when gaming. But I don’t imagine that lower-powered model will offer a drastically different experience for most mobile titles.
Moving on to audio, you may have noticed in the ‘design’ section that I didn’t mention a 3.5mm headphone jack, and that’s because OnePlus has ig-Nord this for its latest phone. Instead you can use the USB-C port with an adaptor for wired audio, the mobile’s Bluetooth 5.4 connection for wireless headphones, earbuds or speakers on the built-in stereo speakers to play out loud. I found the latter fine for mobile gaming and video calls but if you want high-quality sound for streaming TV shows or music, it won’t impress you.
Performance score: 4 / 5
OnePlus Nord 4 review: battery life
Phone easily lasts into second day of use
Blistering 100W charging
No wireless powering
(Image credit: Future)
OnePlus has outfitted the Nord 4 with a giant 5,500mAh battery, which serves its big screen well. The phone easily smashes through a day of use without breaking a sweat, and it works well into day two before you’ll need to charge it up.
This proved true even in the middle of my ‘games testing’ phase, showing that the mobile is a reliable blower for people who need a long-lasting device.
Charging the phone up is incredibly quick, too, with the mobile boasting 100W wired charging. This gets the device from empty to full in less than half an hour (if you have a compatible charger, of course). Incredibly quick.
Battery score: 4 / 5
OnePlus Nord 4 review: value
(Image credit: Future)
If you’re considering the lower-storage version of the OnePlus Nord, I’d say you’re getting great value for money: the processing power, charging speed and good-looking display are all offered for a relatively low cost.
Jump up to 16GB/512GB and there’s quite a price hike, and that muddles the value proposition somewhat; I can see people being skeptical buying the phone for this higher price.
Saying that, if you need lots of storage it’s your only real option (other than cloud storage) so you can justify the price increase that way.
Value score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the OnePlus Nord 4?
Buy it if...
You are a gamer on a budget The Nord offers a lot of power compared to its same-priced rivals, and its attractive display and fast charging are just extra perks to make it a gaming powerhouse.
You often have wet hands The Aqua Touch display is a game-changer in loads of different settings, and if you text in the bath, live somewhere rainy or just spill your Pimm's all the time, you'll notice the difference.
You want a big streaming mobile Not too many cheap phones like this have screens that are both big and attractive, so if you're a Netflix fiend you might find this a great option.
Don't buy it if...
You own the Nord 3 As an iterative update, you really don't need to buy the Nord 4 if you own last year's model, and possibly even the previous Nord flagships unless they're ailing. It's not that huge of an upgrade.
You're a photography fan If you spend ages trying to find the perfect shot with your phone, I don't think the Nord 4 will impress you. It's fine for QR codes, document scanning and snaps to send via WhatsApp though.
OnePlus Nord 4 review: Also consider
While largely positive, this OnePlus Nord 4 review should make it clear that the phone has issues. So here are some other options you may want to consider:
How I tested the OnePlus Nord 4
(Image credit: Future)
Review test period = 2.5 weeks
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
I tested the OnePlus Nord 4 for just shy of three weeks, so I had ample time to put it through its paces.
To test it I used it as though it was my own smartphone: I used it for texting, calling, taking photos, playing games, watching TV shows, checking my hair do and everything else you'd hope your phone would do.
As you can tell by my software gripes, this testing is rigorous, and it also involves some benchmark tests and tools so that we can compare phones against themselves in an objective way.
I've been reviewing smartphones for TechRadar since early 2019, and in that time have used plenty of mobiles from OnePlus, as well as other devices in the price segment. In fact I recently reviewed one of the competitors mentioned above, and moved straight from the Nord 4 onto another OnePlus blower.
