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The Shark PowerPro is the best-value vacuum cleaner I’ve tested – and it’s ideal for most households

9:30 am | November 22, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Tags: AU, UK, US | Comments: Off

Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum: two-minute review

Product info

There are a few different versions of this vacuum, with different product codes:

US: PowerPro Pet IZ373H; PowerPro Flex Reveal IZ382H

UK: PowerPro IZ380UK; PowerPro Pet IZ380UKFDB

AU: PowerPro IZ377H; PowerPro Flex Reveal IZ380H

For this review, I tested the IZ380UK. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.

The Shark PowerPro Cordless is a capable, no-nonsense stick vacuum that prioritizes consistent performance and everyday value over flashy extras. It’s one of the most affordable cordless models we've tested, yet it comes with very few compromises where it matters. And while its build isn’t premium, it's not a barebones vacuum either: one of the key selling points is automatic surface detection, which adjusts power as you move from carpet to hard flooring. It's a very strong contender for TechRadar's best budget vacuums guide.

Despite the budget price, you also get hallmark Shark touches like an anti-hair wrap brushroll, a flexible wand for reaching under furniture, plus a floorhead with built-in LEDs that illuminate dust and dark corners. Taken together, these features – borrowed from pricier models in Shark’s line-up – make the PowerPro feel like a far more rounded tool than its price might suggest.

That’s not to say it’s flawless. In places, the no-frills build betrays its budget status. It all clicks together with solidity, but there are some plastic components that cheapen the experience – particularly the boost trigger.

The appeal here lies in the PowerPro’s stripped-back convenience. You’re getting a functional, reliable vacuum with a handful of well-executed features that are genuinely useful in everyday use.

The interface is foolproof: there are no modes to select. Instead, the Floor Detect head automatically chooses the right setting based on the surface you’re cleaning. All you have to think about is using the Boost trigger at your fingertips. It won't offer dirt detection or edge detection (as found on the best Shark vacuums in the lineup), but this floor-based adjustment is useful nonetheless.

In use, the PowerPro is balanced and maneuverable. The floorhead moves easily over different surfaces, while the hinged wand unlatches to give you flexible reach beneath beds and sofas. Switch to a handheld configuration and the PowerPro is impressively lightweight. It’s slightly bulky for tackling tighter spaces like car footwells, but the crevice attachments help to hit nooks and crannies.

While not as powerful as the Shark PowerDetect cordless, the PowerPro performed impressively well in my cleaning tests. Suction was strong on carpeted floors, lifting both visible debris and ingrained dust without repeated passes. It also handled fine dust and heavier particles on hard floors, though Boost mode was useful for picking up larger pieces. One caveat is that the brush bar sits inset within the floorhead, which means it can struggle to get right into edges along skirting boards.

Battery life is decent, too. Although there's no battery-maximizing Eco mode, in Auto mode I achieved a very decent 40 minute average when cleaning a combination of carpeted and hard flooring. At around 3 hours, the PowerPro is relatively quick to recharge, too. Because the power plugs directly into the removable battery, you could enlist a backup battery if you wanted to extend runtimes.

The Shark PowerPro isn’t the most stylish or advanced stick vacuum on the market, but it might be the best cordless vacuum for budget-conscious shoppers. But with consistently strong performance, good battery life and a few thoughtful features, it’s a strong choice for households who need a no-fuss solution for busting dust. Robust enough for daily use, the PowerPro offers excellent overall value.

Shark PowerPro IZ380UK on test in a home — (Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

Shark PowerPro IZ380UK review: price & availability

List price: $329.99 / £249.99 / AU$399.99
Launch date: 2025
Availability: US, UK, AU

The Shark PowerPro launched in early 2025, and is widely available from Shark and various third-party retailers. At list price, the standard model costs $329.99 in the US, £249.99 in the UK and AU$399.99 in Australia. That puts this model towards the bottom of the mid-range bracket, but at time of writing it's heavily discounted in all territories.

Based on price history, it looks like discounts are fairly common, and you shouldn't have too much trouble picking up the PowerPro for closer to $200 / £180 / AU$300 – which is firmly in TechRadar's budget price bracket, despite it offering several features found on Shark’s pricier models.

There are a few bundle options around with different tools included (for example, the 'Pet' version has a mini motorized cleaner head for furniture), as well as a more advanced 'Flex Reveal' version in some territories. For this review, I tested the IZ380UK version, which ships with crevice and upholstery tools, in addition to the standard floorhead.

Based on the current discounts, the PowerPro is one of the most affordable Shark cordless vacuums, and I think its priced well for what it delivers. As a simple, effective cordless vacuum with a streamlined but useful featureset, it offers excellent value for money in its class.

Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Shark PowerPro specs

Weight (handheld unit w/ no attachments):	7.6 lbs / 3.45kg
Weight (with wand and floorhead):	3.7 lbs / 1.7kg
Dimensions (H x L x W):	45 x 12.4 x 10.4in / 114.3 x 31.6 x 26.4cm
Floorhead width:	8.5in / 21.5cm
Onboard bin capacity:	0.7L
LED headlights:	Yes
Max suction:	Not stated
Max runtime:	50 mins advertised, 40 mins on test
Charge time:	3hrs 30 mins

Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum review: design

No-frills construction feels plasticky but sturdy
Flexible wand and bright floorhead LEDs
No wall mount, but locking floorhead helps it lean steady

The Shark PowerPro follows a practical design philosophy. It doesn’t pretend to be a premium vacuum, but still includes several thoughtful touches that elevate it above basic alternatives. It’s not an ugly unit either, although Shark has focused on functional choices rather than aesthetic refinement.

Out of the box, the PowerPro feels solid enough for daily use. Everything clicks together with a reassuring snap. That said, the construction leans heavily on plastics. Parts like the boost trigger and dustbin release latches feel hollow, while there’s some flex and creak in the casing, giving a clear indication of where costs have been saved. These don’t affect performance, but they do contribute to a less premium impression than pricier Shark models.

The PowerPro follows a familiar cordless stick design. There’s a tidily packaged handheld unit that attaches to a motorized floorhead at the base. Shark’s useful 'MultiFLEX / Flexology' wand is also part of the setup. A latched hinge in the middle allows it to bend, letting you reach more easily beneath furniture without crouching. It’s a feature usually found on Shark’s more expensive cordless models, so it’s a welcome presence at this price point.

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The main unit is very lightweight, and while the wand and floorhead is less so, with that attached it still sits at the lighter end of the stick vacuum market.

The simple handle design isn’t exactly ergonomic, but it’s comfortable enough to maneuver in general use, thanks in part to the lightness of the main unit. It’s slightly too bulky for very tight spaces like car footwells, but the included crevice and upholstery tools help to maximize reach. The accessory set included with the classic model is modest, but it covers most essential tasks around the house.

Controls are deliberately minimal. Because the Floor Detect head automatically adjusts suction based on whether you’re tackling carpet or hard floors, there are no settings to toggle through. There’s just a power button and the boost trigger at the tip of your index finger. Three illuminated icons on top of the handheld unit show which mode is active, while three more on the battery show the charge level. This is less accurate than a digital readout, a feature not commonly found at this price.

At ground level, built-in LEDs illuminate dust and debris on darker surfaces. In contrast to more expensive Shark models like the Shark Detect IW4621KT, these headlights aren’t reactive depending on how well-lit the area is. They’re simply on whenever the vacuum is running, which will be perfectly fine for most users.

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At 0.7L, the dustbin slightly smaller than average, although it fills less quickly than you’d expect. The design of the dustbin itself is slightly unusual. To empty it, you press a latch to remove the entire bin from the handheld unit, before releasing the bottom door via another button. This adds an extra step compared to vacuums with direct drop-bottom bins, but it does help to reduce accidental spillage.

Charging the PowerPro isn’t as neat as it could be. The position of the charging port on top of the battery pack means that the cable trails up and over the handheld unit. It would be more natural if the port were positioned beneath it, but this is a necessary compromise to make the battery removable. The pay-off is that you can disconnect the cell to charge it, unlocking the option to keep several back-up batteries ready to swap in.

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The PowerPro doesn’t include a wall mount or charging dock, which you’d expect to receive with a more expensive model. Instead, you’ll need to lean it up against a wall when you need a pause in cleaning. The unit can’t stand upright on its own at full height, but the floorhead can at least lock at 90 degrees, to stop it rolling away from the wall.

The forward-bending wand also enables you to fold the unit completely in half and lock it that way for more compact storage. These are neat practical touches for a model sold without a stand.

Design score: 4 out of 5

Shark PowerPro IZ380UK review: performance

Solid debris pick-up on carpets and hard floors
Brushroll misses edges
Automatic adjustment based on floor type works well

Performance is where the Shark PowerPro sets itself apart from other budget stick vacuums. On test, it consistently demonstrated effective debris pick-up, removing both surface-level and embedded dirt from carpet with just a single forward-and-back pass.

The Floor Detect head does much of the heavy lifting here. As you move the PowerPro from hard floor to carpet and vice versa, it automatically adjusts the power to suit the surface. The system is quick to respond to changes, with no lag to speak of. Suction is noticeably stronger on carpet, where the floorhead feels like it’s really pulling up dirt.

As a result, the PowerPro performed very well in my carpet tests. Tackling the fine, dry contents of a teabag sprinkled on a medium-pile carpet, the Shark PowerPro collected almost everything in its path with a single pass. The remnants were tidied up on the return sweep. It also dealt well with larger debris. 30g of oats were removed cleanly enough, with little in the way of snow-ploughing or scattering. This is an area where many budget cordless vacuums falter.

The PowerPro didn’t just grab visible debris, either: it also pulled up ingrained dust. After a week of regular use, the bin was still filling with fine grey dust and fluff during my tests, highlighting how effectively the PowerPro can lift deep-set dirt that other vacuums have left behind.

It’s also a strong performer on hard flooring. Fine tea disappeared cleanly from kitchen vinyl, as did drill dust. Standard suction was enough to collect heavier particles like oats, though switching to boost mode did speed things up.

Unlike some vacuums, the PowerPro generally didn’t push debris around or scatter it on hard floors. For the best performance, however, you might want to consider upgrading to a Shark PowerDetect Cordless, which has an extra flap added to the floorhead that specifically enables it to clear large particles on the reverse stroke.

The boost trigger deserves a special mention. While designed as a temporary power uplift rather than an always-on mode, it provides a genuinely significant increase in suction. I found it especially useful for tackling stubborn debris in carpet fibers and lifting heavier crumbs on hard floors. Running in Boost mode does cut battery life considerably, but for targeted use, it’s a welcome addition.

Edge performance is one area where the PowerPro shows some limitations. The brushroll is inset slightly within the floorhead, which means the suction window doesn’t reach right up to the bottom of cabinets and furniture.

When I scattered tea and oats along a skirting board, a thin strip remained even after a high-powered pass. This is a limitation of the head design rather than the power, and it means you’ll need to use the crevice tool for spotless edges.

The Floor Detect head features Shark’s anti-hair wrap head, with built-in rubber fins designed to stop strands from tangling around the brush bar. Over several weeks of running the PowerPro across carpets where longer human hair had been shed naturally, it worked very well.

The brushroll stayed broadly free from tangles and I didn’t need to cut away any wrapped strands, which is something many cheaper sticks struggle with. It’s another feature typically found on Shark’s pricier models that works just as effectively here.

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Noise is well-controlled, too. Those rubber fins produce a low rumble on carpet as they whizz around inside the floorhead, while the handheld unit generates a relatively modest whine that only becomes pronounced when Boost mode is active.

To my ears, the PowerPro is quieter than other cordless vacuums I’ve tested. It’s not exactly hushed, but it avoids the harsh, high-pitched tones common among budget sticks. This makes it a better choice for households where noise sensitivity is a factor.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Shark PowerPro review: battery

No Eco mode, average of 40 mins in Auto
Boost mode reduces battery life to <15 minutes
Battery removable, and can be charged independently

Shark quotes the PowerPro's battery life at 50 minutes. In reality, run-time varies a fair bit based on what and where you vacuum. Cleaning carpets is more power-hungry than hard floors, for example, while liberal use of the boost trigger will put a serious dent in the performance figures.

Unlike other Shark vacuums, the PowerPro doesn’t have an low-powered Eco setting. Because of this, you can’t force it to be more frugal by disabling the Floor Detect mode. Instead, it will always assess the surface it’s running over and adjust power accordingly.

As a result, you’ll get longer battery life if your home has hard floors throughout, versus one that’s clad primarily with carpet. My own home has an even balance of the two, meaning the numbers I achieved in my tests should be fairly representative of real-world performance across different surfaces.

Over several runs, I consistently netted between 35 and 45 minutes from full to flat. Taking the average as 40 minutes, that unsurprisingly comes in lower than the official number. It also puts the PowerPro a step below the best cordless vacuums when it comes to longevity – although do bear in mind that the given runtimes will almost always be for the Eco mode.

For me, 40 minutes felt like a healthy amount of time for a single stint and a competitive number for the price category. It’s certainly enough to cover a single-story home and have some charge left in the tank.

The more modest capacity also gives the PowerPro a shorter charge time than other models. Shark says it takes “approximately 3 hours” to fully charge the IZ380UK, which proved an accurate figure in my experience. While that’s hardly instantaneous, many vacuums take significantly longer.

Using Boost mode does have a considerable effect on battery life. Keeping my finger held on the trigger brought the number down to around 15 minutes. That's actually a strong runtime for a Boost mode – but it still reflects the fact that it’s intended to be used as a brief uplift for tougher debris, rather than an always-on solution for high-powered cleaning.

The PowerPro also benefits from a removable battery. The cell itself can be charged while detached from the vacuum. This means you can extend runtime by keeping a second back-up battery charged, ready to swap in when the first one runs flat.

Battery life score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	A budget vacuum that represents excellent value, given its solid performance and surface detection smarts.	4.5 / 5
Design	The no-frills build feels plasticky in places, but it’s sturdy enough. A wall-mount would make charging neater, given the vacuum can’t stand up on its own.	4 / 5
Performance	Strong pickup and surface detection works well, with Boost mode available for tackling more stubborn debris. The brushroll doesn’t get right into corners.	4 / 5
Battery	No Eco mode, but an average of 40 minutes in Auto is very decent, as is the ~15 mins in Boost. Recharge is speedy.	4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a great-value vacuum
With impressive suction, solid battery life and decent build quality at a competitive price, the Shark PowerPro ticks a lot of boxes for the money.

You prefer a simpler interface
With just two modes, a power button and a Boost trigger to master, the Shark PowerPro is more straightforward than many vacuums on the market.

You want a lightweight vacuum
In handheld mode the PowerPro is impressively light, and even with the (rather chunky) wand attached, it's on the lighter side for a stick vacuum.

Don't buy it if...

You need all the bells and whistles
While it has a Floor Detect head with built-in lights, you don’t get the edge detection smarts or charging dock of premium Shark vacuums.

You want premium build quality
The plastic body is robust enough to shake off bumps around the house, but the boost trigger and bin release latch feel cheaper than rivals.

You expect perfect pick-up
The floorhead does a great job of sucking up dust, it's not as powerful as the PowerDetect, and the brushroll doesn’t get right into corners either.

How I tested the Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum

Used as my main vacuum cleaner for a month
Tested across hard and carpeted floors at home
Conducted standardized tests for debris pick-up

I tested the Shark PowerPro IZ380UK over a period of several weeks. I used it as my main vacuum cleaner in my own home, which has a mix of both carpeted and hard surfaces. Before running any formal tests, I used the PowerPro for ordinary daily cleaning to get an understanding of its general performance, noise levels, maneuverability and battery life.

I then moved on to running the PowerPro through TechRadar’s standard vacuum testing protocol. To assess fine dust pick-up, I sprinkled the contents of a dry teabag on both carpet and hard flooring, then passed over the area with the PowerPro on its standard setting. For a trial with larger debris, I repeated the process with a bag of oats. I only switched to Boost mode if the floorhead failed to collect everything on the first pass.

To test edge performance, I distributed tea and oats along skirting boards then checked how much was left behind when I ran the floorhead flush along them. I also evaluated hair pick-up by running the anti-hair wrap brushroll over areas of carpet home to longer strands, to see whether any tangled around the brush bar.

I measured battery life first by charging the vacuum to full, then running it continuously across a mix of surfaces until it powered down. I then charged it fully again to confirm the recharge time, before repeating the process to get an accurate average of battery life. I also ran similar trials using boost mode to verify the higher-powered run-time.

Finally, In tested the included crevice and upholstery tools on furniture, stairs and inside a car footwell to evaluate how effectively they picked up dirt, as well as the balance and reach of the unit as a handheld tool. Throughout my tests, I also paid attention to functionality and ease of use, especially when it came to regular actions in real-world situations, like emptying the bin.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed November 2025

Black Friday Top Picks: tablets, laptops and smartwatches in the US

1:59 am | November 21, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: US | Comments: Off

Happy Black Friday, everyone. Now let’s see what’s good. Note that we have smartphone deals in a separate post, here we will focus on the best tablet, laptop, smartwatch and other offers for the US market. Note that Black Friday sales will run for a whole week, leading up to the actual Black Friday (and there’s Cyber Monday after that, but all in due time). Here are some shortcuts to jump straight to the section you care about: Tablets Smartwatches Smart rings Laptops Amazon tablets Amazon e-readers Tablets The large Ultra rarely gets discounted, but the small...

Black Friday: here are the best smartphone deals for the US

5:58 pm | November 20, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: Black Friday, US | Comments: Off

Black Friday is upon us – a whole week of it, in fact. Here are the best smartphone deals that we found in the US. Note that we will cover tablets, smartwatches, laptops and other devices in a separate post. All Pixel phones are on sale, but not all offers make sense. So, let’s start with the base Google Pixel 10 – it’s the first generation where the vanilla model has a tele camera, though the 5x/112mm 10.8MP unit is pretty basic. For that and other reasons, you may want to consider the Pro. Here’s a detailed comparison between the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro. ...

Black Friday: here are the best smartphone deals for the US

5:58 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: Black Friday, US | Comments: Off

I tested the DJI Osmo Action 6, and it’s faster, brighter, and hot on GoPro’s heels

3:00 pm | November 18, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Action Cameras Cameras Computers Gadgets | Tags: DJI, LCD, US | Comments: Off

DJI Osmo Action 6: two-minute review

When you think of action cameras, GoPro will likely spring to mind before DJI. While it wasn’t a complete surprise that the latter company, best known for its drones, made the move into the action cam market, it's had to do a lot of work over the past few years to catch up, and offer something that stands out from the competition.

The GoPro Hero 13 Black is arguably the action camera all others will currently be judged against, so DJI’s latest model in the Osmo series, the Osmo Action 6, has a lot to prove. That said, the quality of its predecessors, most notably the Osmo Action 5 Pro, has been hard to ignore, and based on my experience with that camera I had great expectations going into this review.

Fresh from reviewing the entry-level GoPro Lit Hero and Insta360 X4 Air, I was immediately impressed by the Osmo Action 6’s user-friendliness; the menus are easy to navigate, and the screens are a breeze to work with. Images and video also look amazing on these high-quality monitors, so reviewing the fruits of my shooting sessions was a pleasure.

Image quality is superb, benefiting from a larger 1/1.1-inch sensor, which produces excellent detail and color rendition in good lighting and stand-out noise performance as ambient light levels fall. I’d happily use the Osmo Action 6 as my main carry-everywhere camera, or as a backup to a mirrorless system for capturing unique perspectives from places those larger cameras simply can’t go.

The DJI Osmo Action 6 action camera — The DJI Osmo Action 6 is a similar size to earlier models, despite featuring a larger sensor inside (Image credit: Future/Peter Fenech)

I thoroughly enjoyed using the additional accessories, such as the Macro Lens, ND Filter Set, and FOV Boost Lens, which make the whole system feel pro-grade and versatile. If you're a fan of the GoPro mods, you’ll be happy to see DJI making efforts to expand the modular compatibility of its action cameras. Once you add in the streamlined compatibility with the wireless DJI microphones, I see the Osmo Action 6 as an indicator of great things to come.

DJI Osmo Action 6 specs

DJI Osmo Action 6 Specs:
Type:	Action camera
Sensor:	1/1.1-inch CMOS
LCDs:	OLED, Front: 1.46-inch/ Rear: 2.5-inch
Memory:	50GB internal/ MicroSD
Lens:	155-degree FOV, f/2 - f/4
Video:	Up to 4K/120p, FHD/240p
Photo:	38MP
Dimensions:	72.8 x 47.2 x 33.1mm
Weight:	5.3oz / 149g

DJI Osmo Action 6: Price and availability

Released November 18; not available in US at launch
Osmo Action 6 Standard Combo costs £329 / AU$669
Osmo Action 6 Adventure Combo costs for £415 / AU$839

DJI's Osmo Action 6 is available now, priced at £329 / AU$669 for the Standard Combo, while the prices rises to £415 / AU$839 for the Adventure Combo which adds two batteries, an extra quick-release mount and locking screw, battery case and 1.5m extension rod to the standard bundle.

Like recent DJI products, it's not available in the US at launch. A DJI spokesperson gave us the following statement:

"The DJI Osmo Action 6 will not be officially available in the US market through official websites following the global launch on 18th November. DJI remains committed to the U.S. market and is optimizing our strategy to best serve our customers amidst evolving local conditions."

Price score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo Action 6: Design

Larger 2.5-inch rear LCD
IP68-rated weather and waterproofing
Waterproof to 20m

If you’ve used the Osmo Action 6’s predecessors, such as the DJI Osmo Action 3 DJI Osmo Action 4, or DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, there aren’t any drastic surprises in store for you design-wise. The body is a little bit larger, most notably in its width, measuring 72.8 x 47.2 x 33.1mm to the Osmo Action 5 Pro’s 70.5 x 44.2 x 32.8mm. It might be noticeable if you hold both cameras side-by-side, but in real-world terms it won’t make a huge difference to the handling experience.

The Osmo Action 6 remains super portable and lightweight, despite the inclusion of a larger sensor, which is impressive. As you’d expect from an action camera, it can be fitted into a coat pocket for easy transport or use on the move. However, fresh from testing the tiny GoPro Lit Hero, the Osmo Action 6 did feel quite chunky by comparison. This is a much higher-end product, however, featuring a larger CMOS unit, a lens aperture that's both adjustable and brighter, and a front LCD, all of which are missing from the entry-level GoPro.

I was immediately drawn to the 2.5-inch main LCD screen, which feels much bigger in use than the rival GoPro Hero 13 Black’s 2.27-inch monitor. Although this is still too small to get a truely precise idea of sharpness, it’s much nicer to look at than the screens on earlier models, and matches those on cameras like the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, which we ranked as the best premium action camera.

The screen itself was highly responsive in my tests, and I found it easy to access settings and navigate menus, even when the camera was wet or covered in a dusting of ground coffee (see the sample video below for context). I reckon I’d find it more practical to work with the Osmo Action 6 in cold weather than the native-portrait-orientation Insta360 X5 or Insta360 X4 Air.

Both the front and rear LCDs are crisp and easy to read in brighter light too. While smaller and lower-resolution, the front screen (1.46-inch, 342 x 342 pixels) is still useful, and doesn’t feel like an extra gimmicky feature that DJI threw in but which is ultimately pointless. I remember feeling that the front LCD on the GoPro Hero 9 Black was so laggy that there were times it was barely worth being there, for example.

The large shutter release is easy to locate without looking, speeding up operation. Also, I like DJI’s choice to place the microSD card slot in the battery bay, rather than alongside the USB-C port, something which proved fiddly and frustrating on the GoPro Lit Hero. I always appreciate integrated storage in a camera too, of which the Osmo Action 6 provides plenty at 50GB.

Design score:4.5/5

DJI Osmo Action 6: Performance

Impressive four-hour battery life
Effective RockSteady 3 and 3+ stabilization with reduced cropping
Excellent connectivity with external DJI mics

DJI claims a battery life of 240 minutes for the Osmo Action 6, similar to the Action 5 Pro. Shooting inside and out, I found that a single charge lasted about four hours using a mix of 1080p and 4K resolutions, across the various modes. This is impressive, although as the temperature dropped, so too did the battery life, so if you plan to work away from a power source for any length of time I’d still advise taking a few extra batteries.

The RockSteady image stabilization system also has an impact on battery longevity, although in my tests, this wasn’t anything major. The system itself is effective. While not a replacement for a gimbal, I found I could create commendable tracking shots free from micro vibrations. The same was true with POV walking shots.

The Osmo Action 6 continued to perform well after being submerged in water, with the screen remaining responsive. Once it was removed from the water the lens quickly repelled remaining droplets, as did the body, making the camera easy to dry off.

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The camera features voice control, which is either ideal or an irritation depending on the environment. When it worked, being able to give the Osmo Action 6 a voice command such as “start recording” helped free up my hands, while reducing the amount of footage I had to trim as I positioned the camera for my shots. On several occasions, it didn’t respond, or I didn’t realise it hadn’t stopped recording after a command at the end of the shot. If the microphone is obscured in any way, it produces mixed results.

Speaking of sound, I was surprised by the quality of the internal microphone. While an external mic like the DJI Mic Mini gives you more versatility, as well as depth of audio, the built-in mic didn’t have the thin sound common to similar mics on other small cameras.

If you own the Mic Mini or DJI Mic 2, connecting them to the Osmo Action 6 couldn’t be easier. Simply pressing and holding the link button on the mics themselves until the indicator light flashes blue is all it takes to get audio recording off-camera, giving video that extra professional edge.

Performance score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo Action 6: Image quality

Larger sensor enables better low-light performance than Osmo Action 5 Pro
10-bit and D-Log M modes enable pro-level grading
Slightly aggressive default in-camera noise reduction/sharpening

Along with smartphones, I think that action cameras best demonstrate how far sensor and processor technology have come over the past decade or so. By mirrorless camera standards, the 1/1.1-type sensor housed in the Osmo Action 6 is small, at around 14mm on the diagonal, yet in my testing it produced better results than a high-end compact camera from circa 2014.

The Osmo Action 6 sees a big jump in sensor size from the 1/1.3-type CMOS of the Action 5 Pro, but uses a similar resolution of 38MP for still images.. This allows for greater pixel pitch (the distance from the center of one pixel to its neighbors), which benefits light-gathering capacity; the pixel size is 2.4 micrometers. An image measuring 7168 x 5376 is still quite a lot of pixels for this sensor format, but while I wasn’t amazed by the camera’s low-light performance, nor did I find it especially problematic.

Detail in stills becomes a little smudged from around ISO 800 and above, shooting in gloomy indoor lighting, but outdoors, or in direct artificial light, noise levels are kept at respectable levels for an action camera. Colors are also still quite punchy.

Video footage, meanwhile, is excellent in moderate low light. There is noise visible, but the grain size looks very fine, meaning it’s easier to ignore in areas of the image containing flat tones. I thought in-camera processing coped well, minimizing noise without obliterating texture.

A woodland scene captured on the DJI Osmo Action 6 camera — The auto White Balance system is fairly accurate, even when faced with strong fall colors (Image credit: Future)

I did notice that some quite excessive sharpening is applied in some circumstances, no doubt to counteract any noise-reduction related degradation. It isn’t a deal-breaker, but you might want to turn down the default sharpening (known as Texture in the Image Adjustment menu) for a more organic look.

The SuperNight mode is designed to produce a brighter image in low-light conditions by increasing the exposure digitally, then applying AI noise-reduction processes to minimize grain. This produces footage with significantly less texture, so I wouldn’t recommend it if your video is likely to be viewed on a larger screen, where this effect will be far more noticeable. In everyday shooting scenarios, or for social media, however, it captures brighter shadows, so it's useful for shooting around cities. There's a lot less distracting noise, too.

I enjoyed using the Slow Motion mode as a means of capturing share-ready footage in-camera; however, for professional uses, I’d recommend switching to a higher frame rate, shooting your footage, and manually applying the Slow Mo effect in editing.

I really appreciated the Color Recovery feature when shooting in D-Log M, which allows you to preview how the footage would look with a profile applied. This doesn’t bake in any edit settings, but merely gives you an idea of the final image after grading.

All of the shooting conditions mentioned above would be challenging for any camera, and once you take the DJI Osmo Action 6 out into bright daylight, the quality is superb. Combined with the flexibility of the Log mode, it’s possible to capture excellent levels of detail and natural colors.

GoPro Hero 13 Black users might bemoan the ‘limited’ 4K resolution here, in favor of the 5.3K available on that model, but 4K is fine in all but the most specific of situations. I still shoot in Full HD as standard when creating content for social platforms, unless I know that for some reason I’ll need to crop or recompose my frame in DaVinci Resolve. The workflow is faster, and viewers are unlikely to perceive a difference in Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, for instance.

Image quality score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo Action 6: testing scorecard

Insta360 X4 Air
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Price	Considering it's technically an upgrade to the X4, the X4 Air is significantly cheaper, which is welcome. There is the matter of the DJI Osmo 360, though.	4.5/5
Design	Everything is logically placed and the controls are easy to access. It's a proven design that continues to work well for DJI.	4.5/5
Performance	The LCDs are responsive and attractive, while the RockSteady stabilization system is highly effective.	4.5/5
Image quality	Yes, there may be no 8K, but 4K and FHD footage is sharp, clean, and punchy. The larger sensor is doing its job, and the Osmo Action 6 is a great competitor to the GoPro Hero 13 Black.	4.5/5

Should I buy the DJI Osmo Action 6?

Buy it if...

You aren't married to GoPro

While it makes sense to stick to GoPro if you already own plenty of mods, the Osmo Action 6 represents the direction DJI is heading with its action cameras, and there's plenty to like. View Deal

You want high-end imagery

There are a lot of features and functions to play with, so a pro user will find something for every shooting occasion. Make the most of the low-light performance and slo-mo functions for advanced projects.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want a simple camera

The camera is designed for experienced videographers, so all of those features and functions might prove to be intimidating if you haven't used them before. There might be too much here if you want a point-and-shoot model.View Deal

You have lots of GoPro accessories

DJI is hoping to build its own follower base, so it you already own and frequently use GoPro mods, across an advanced system, you might not want to start from scratch with an incompatible camera. There are currently fewer accessories in the DJI ecosystem too, which is worth bearing in mind if you need something specific.View Deal

Also consider

Insta360 X5

The top-of-the-range model in the Insta360 family, the X5 is larger but more powerful. It enables recording up to 5.7K at 60fps, and features dual 1/1.28-inch sensors with larger pixels and greater light-gathering capacity. It also features the newer PureVideo mode that's missing on the X4 and X4 Air, providing superior performance under poor lighting. The build quality and control layout are familiar, but with the added benefit of a larger LCD. If you want to shoot 360-degree video as well as shooting in extreme conditions, this is the best option.

Read our in-depth Insta360 X5 review

GoPro Hero 13 Black

While it may have only been an iterative upgrade to its predecessor, the Hero 13 Black is built on an expansive system of accessories. You'll find a mod for every occasion, plus there's a higher-resolution 5.3K video option, while the Osmo Action 6 is limited to 4K. This is the enthusiast's go-to action camera.

Read our in-depth GoPro Hero 13 Blackreview

How I tested the DJI Osmo Action 6

I tested a full production model running release firmware over several days
I mounted the camera on the bundled 1.5-meter extension Rod or Dual-Direction Battery Handle
I recorded videos in varying lighting conditions, both indoors and outside

To ensure I was able to get a true sense of the Osmo Action 6's capabilities, I shot in a range of lighting conditions. My indoor tests involved a vlog-style shoot, testing the sensor's high-ISO performance and the camera's temperature and water resistance (I placed the camera in a freezer and poured cold water over it for a unique POV). I then took the camera out into the countryside, where I filmed close to and underwater. These shoots also gave me the opportunity to use the optional macro lens and FOV Boost lens. All audio was captured using the in-camera mic. Footage was edited in DaVinci Resolve 20.

First reviewed November 2025

The Lavazza Assoluta is a quirky coffee machine that adjusts its own settings to suit your beans – provided you buy the right ones

4:00 pm | November 16, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: Europe, US | Comments: Off

Lavazza Assoluta: two-minute review

The Lavazza Assoluta is a fully automatic espresso machine with an interesting selling point: when you scan the barcode on a pack of Lavazza beans using the smartphone app, the machine automatically optimizes its own brew settings to deliver optimally extracted, well-balanced coffee.

I was somewhat skeptical about how well this would work, particularly since the Assoluta only has two grind sizes (most machines have 15 or more. In practice, however, it does seem to work well. I tested two very different types of Lavazza coffee, and both times the machine extracted a shot of espresso in 30 seconds, which is pretty much ideal.

The downside is that brewing coffee using your own beans will be hit-and-miss (as Lavazza itself warns), so this isn't a machine for anyone who wants to delve into the world of speciality coffee from independent roasters.

Lavazza Assoluta espresso machine making milky drink — (Image credit: Future)

The Assoluta also has an unusual milk-frothing system, consisting of a large glass cup with a lid containing a steam wand and motorized whisk. Fill the mug with milk to the appropriate measuring line, push it under the coffee dispenser, choose a drink, and two minutes later you'll have a latte or cappuccino topped with rich, creamy foam. It works very well, but the lid can't be used with your regular cups. If there's more than one coffee-drinker at home, you might want to pick up another Lavazza cup so you can both enjoy a drink at the same time.

The Assoluta is advertised for £699.95 (about $920 / AU$1,400), but that price drops to £349.95 (about $460 / AU$700) when you also subscribe to Lavazza's coffee delivery service. Since the machine is specifically designed to work with Lavazza's branded coffee, this is a good option for regular coffee-drinkers.

Lavazza Assoluta: specifications

Name	Lavazza Assoluta
Type	Fully automatic bean-to-cup espresso machine
Dimensions (W x H x D)	8.7 x 14 x 17.1 inches / 22 x 35.8 x 43.5cm
Weight	22lbs / 10kg
Water reservoir capacity	1.6 quarts / 1.5 liters
Milk frother	Yes (in cup lid)
Bars of pressure	Not stated
User profiles	n/a

Lavazza Assoluta: price and availability

Available now in Europe
Australian release expected in early 2026
Not expected to launch in the US
Half price with a Lavazza coffee subscription plan

The Lavazza Assoluta is only available in Europe at the time of writing (November 2025), but is expected to arrive in Australia in early 2026. Lavazza currently has no plan to release the machine in the US.

The Assoluta has a list price of £699.95 (about $920 / AU$1,400) when bought alone, or £349.95 (about $460 / AU$700) when you also sign up to Lavazza’s coffee subscription service.

The subscription price is very reasonable, and cheaper than anything in my roundup of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines, but Lavazza’s website doesn’t actually seem to let you buy the machine alone at full price. I’ve enquired about this with Lavazza, and will update this review when I have more information.

Value score: 4.5/5

Lavazza Assoluta: design

Attractive and solidly made
Easy to clean and maintain
Fold-out tray for espresso cups
Glass cup has milk frother in lid

The Lavazza Assoluta is a large, but good-looking automatic espresso machine with a bronze-colored plastic case and bright LED control panel.

When the Lavazza Assoluta is switched on, a light on top illuminates to show its current status (ready to brew, brewing, connecting to Wi-Fi, or requiring attention). Turning the top of the bean hopper left or right will adjust the "aroma", changing the dosage of coffee for a stronger or milder drink.

Using dial to adjust aroma on Lavazza Assoluta espresso machine — Turn the dial on top of the machine a few degrees to adjust the "aroma" (or dosage) (Image credit: Future)

The bean hopper has a control for adjusting the grind size, but there are only two settings: fine and coarse. The finer you grind your beans, the longer it takes for water to pass through. Most espresso machines offer at least 15 settings so you can get exactly the right extraction time for your particular beans, so the fact that this machine offers only two is surprising.

The water tank is solidly made with a sturdy handle, but it’s worth bearing in mind that it lifts out of the back vertically, so you’ll need plenty of space above the machine. If you place the Assoluta under a cabinet, be prepared to slide it out whenever it’s time for a refill.

The left-hand side of the machine has a large panel that provides easy access to the Assoluta’s brewing group for cleaning, and the drip tray pulls out to reveal the dump box for used coffee grounds. The machine won’t warn you when this needs emptying; personally, I recommend doing this at the end of each day, cleaning the box and drip tray, and leaving them out overnight so everything has a chance to dry out.

Lavazza Assoluta espresso machine dispensing espresso — The Assoluta has a small flip-down drip tray for espresso cups (Image credit: Future)

The Assoluta has a small fold-out tray to hold an espresso cup, but if you want to make a milky drink then you’ll need to use the large Lavazza Trasparenza Collection mug supplied in the box.

Unlike most automatic espresso machines, which dispense foamed milk from a carafe, the Assoluta requires you to fill your mug with milk, then place a special lid on top. This lid contains a steam wand and electric whisk, which foam the milk for your lattes and cappuccinos before the Assoluta pours a shot of espresso on top.

Milky drink with thick foam prepared using Lavazza Assoluta — The milk-frothing system works well, but can only be used with Lavazza's own large glass coffee cup (Image credit: Future)

I’ve never seen a system quite like it before, and although it works (read on for more details), it means you can’t use your favorite mugs with the machine, and all your milky drinks will end up being quite large. The cup has minimum and maximum fill lines to indicate how much milk to add.

The fact that the machine only comes with a single mug also means that you’ll be drinking your lattes alone unless you purchase a second Trasparenza cup for $22.70 / £15 (about AU$30).

Design score: 3.5/5

Lavazza Assoluta: performance

Before using the Assoluta for the first time, you’ll need to install the Piacere Lavazza app on your phone, and connect it via Bluetooth. Many of the best espresso machines I’ve tested have their own apps, but these are usually pretty limited. They might allow you to update your machine’s firmware and view its instruction manual, but that’s usually it.

The Piacere Lavazza app is different. Once set up, give it permission to access your phone’s camera, scan the barcode on your bag of Lavazza espresso beans, and it will transmit the optimal brew settings to the Assoluta. The machine will then configure itself accordingly, selecting the ideal dosage and brew temperature. The only thing it can’t adjust itself is grind size, so you’ll need to do that by turning the dial inside the bean hopper as instructed.

Setting up Lavazza Assoluta machine in Lavazza app — Scan the barcode on your coffee with the Piacere Lavazza app to configure the machine (Image credit: Future)

As mentioned above, the Assoluta has just two grind sizes, so I was a bit skeptical about how well it would be able to cope with different bean types. After all, dialling in a coffee grinder is often one of the trickiest parts of making a well-extracted espresso, with even small adjustments making a big difference. However, when I tried it out with different Lavazza beans, I was pleasantly surprised.

The machine I tested came with a pack of Lavazza Espresso Barista Gran Crema coffee beans, and I bought an extra pack of Lavazza Espresso Italiano Classico to see how well it coped with both types. The Barista Gran Crema is made using a blend of light roasted arabica and robusta beans, while the Italiano Classico is 100% arabica and more similar to the coffee I usually choose at home.

Espresso brewed using Lavazza Assoluta espresso machine — Brewing a double-shot of espresso took 30 seconds with both Lavazza blends I tested (Image credit: Future)

I timed how long it took the Assoluta to extract a shot of espresso, and in both cases it took exactly 30 seconds from the moment the pump started, which is pretty much ideal. Although it was lightly roasted, I found that the robusta beans in the Barista Gran Crema gave the coffee a slightly more bitter, traditionally Italian flavor, while the Italiano Classico (which required the finer grind size) was fruitier and sweeter.

I’d have liked to try Lavazza’s whole range with the Assoluta if my budget allowed, but I was impressed at how well the machine dealt with these two very different coffees. The downside is that results with your own coffee are likely to be hit-and-miss. You might find that one of the two grind sizes works reasonably well, but if not, you’re going to be left with a disappointing shot of espresso - and Lavazza does warn you that this might happen. You can’t use your own grinder either, because unlike some bean-to-cup coffee makers, the Assoluta doesn’t have a chute for pre-ground coffee.

Lavazza Assoluta machine pouring espresso into foamed milk — The milk-foaming system works particularly well with full-fat dairy milk (Image credit: Future)

During my tests, the Assoluta’s unusual milk-frothing system worked best with full-fat dairy milk, and I attained the best results using the thick foam setting. You're instructed to place the lid on the cup so that its steam spout is opposite the handle. The lid never looks like it’s sitting completely flush with the rim of the cup, but in practice this doesn’t seem to matter; I never had any trouble with milk splashing out, even when using the maximum recommended quantity.

It will take about two minutes to foam your milk, after which the machine will pour your coffee through the top and bleep to let you know your drink is ready. Removing the whisk and steam pipe from the cup disturbs the foam and makes the top of your drink look a little untidy, but that’s a very minor quibble. Despite the long steaming time, the milk isn’t overheated, and the Assoluta creates consistently creamy, sweet-tasting foam.

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Creating custom drink using Lavazza app — Creating custom drinks in the Lavazza app is much easier than using a tiny touchscreen (Image credit: Future)

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Hot drink recipes in Lavazza app — You'll find various hot drink recipes in the Lavazza app, which will help you make them using the Assoluta (Image credit: Future)

Steaming and whisking the milk directly in the cup is unusual, but it means that you’re not limited to making coffee with the Assoluta – you can also use it to prepare hot chocolate following the instructions provided in the app, which is packed with recipes. They’re well worth perusing, and work in a similar way to the Cookidoo app for the Thermomix all-in-one cooker, taking you through preparation of your preferred drink step-by-step.

You can also use the app to create custom drink recipes from scratch, adjusting the coffee volume, temperature, aroma (coffee dosage), and milk thickness. The machine itself offers quite a small menu of presets, but the app makes it easy to tinker with brewing options, walking you through the process one step at a time.

Checking coffee consumption stats using Lavazza app — Worried you might be overdoing the caffeine? The Lavazza app keeps track of how much you're drinking (Image credit: Future)

If you're concerned that you might be drinking too much caffeine, the app even keeps track of your consumption over the past day, week, month, and year, with a breakdown of the type of coffee you tend to drink most often. It's a nice extra feature (and potentially eye-opening).

Performance: 4/5

Should you buy the Lavazza Assoluta?

Lavazza Assoluta score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	Very affordable if you also subscribe to Lavazza's coffee subscription service, but not available in the US.	4.5/5
Design	Good-looking and easy to clean, but milk can only be frothed using Lavazza's large lidded mug, plus the grinder has just two settings.	3.5/4
Performance	Brews consistently good coffee with Lavazza's own beans, and customizing drinks using the app is a breeze. You may not be able to achieve good results with other beans. Foamed milk is thick and creamy.	4/5

Buy it if

You like long, milky drinks

You can only prepare lattes and cappuccinos using the Trasparenza Collection Lavazza Mug, which is pretty huge. Great if you want to be able to wrap your hands around a big, warm drink for cozy nights in.

You want simplicity, but don't like pods

If you like the idea of using fresh coffee beans, but don't want the hassle of setting up a coffee machine perfectly to use them, the Assoluta does the calculations for you.

You want to make more than coffee

The Lavazza Assoluta's unusual milk-frothing system is ideal for making hot chocolate drinks, or making milky drinks infused with syrup.

Don't buy it if

You love experimenting with speciality coffees

The Assoluta is designed to be used with Lavazza's own espresso beans, and although you can use your own, the machine only has two grind sizes, so you have very little control when dialling it in.

You're attached to your own coffee cups

The Lavazza Assoluta's milk-frothing system only works with the large glass mug supplied with the machine.

Lavazza Assoluta: also consider

If you're not completely sold on the Lavazza Assoluta, here are two other espresso machines to think about:

Ninja Prestige DualBrew System

This machine gives you both, with a full-size filter coffee maker, a Nespresso machine, and a pull-out milk frother. It's extremely convenient, and particularly handy if you're bleary-eyed and sluggish in the morning.

Read our full Ninja Prestige DualBrew System reviewView Deal

Philips LatteGo 5500 Series

An excellent little bean-to-cup espresso machine for small households, and particularly easy to keep clean and fresh. It brews hot and cold, and offers an impressive menu of 20 different coffee drinks.

Read our full Philips LatteGo 5500 Series reviewView Deal

How I tested the Lavazza Assoluta

I tested the Assoluta with the Lavazza Espresso Barista Gran Crema beans that came packaged with it, as well as Lavazza Espresso Italiano Classico beans, which I bought myself. I made sure that all the beans in the hopper were finished before changing beans, to prevent mixing.

I installed the Piacere Lavazza app on my phone, and used it to choose the correct brewing profile for each type of coffee, then timed how long it took the Assoluta to brew a shot of espresso with each one.

Two bags of Lavazza coffee beans — (Image credit: Future)

I tested the milk frother with both plant-based and dairy milk, and used both regular and thick milk texture settings. I also tried different drink recipes from the Piacere Lavazza app, and used it to make custom beverages.

First reviewed November 2025.

This Shark upright might not be the fanciest vacuum in town, but in terms of cleaning power I can’t fault it

2:30 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Tags: US | Comments: Off

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002: two-minute review

Product info

This is the vacuum on review:

Shark Stratos DuoClean PowerFins Hair Pro Upright Vacuum AZ3002

Shark can be erratic with its naming, so check the product code to make sure you're buying the model you think you're buying. There are similar but slightly different models available in the UK and Australia (I tested a US vacuum).

The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 is a corded upright vacuum that packs plenty of cleaning power. Although bulky and heavy compared to a stick vacuum, it has a modular design that means you can remove the bin and hold it in your hand, while you use the wand on a flexible hose to tackle cleaning tasks off the floor. In floor mode, it will propel itself forwards when switched on, making it easier to drive (although at times it did feel like it was running away from me).

I've been using this vacuum on-and-off for a little over a year, so I've had plenty of opportunity to try it out on different floor types and see how it copes with different cleaning challenges. I'd rate it amongst the best upright vacuums around. It sucks up large and fine debris with ease, and handles hair well, too. It comes with a range of tools that are useful for tackling detail work, and with the pod removed it's easy to slide the wand under furniture and clean thoroughly in tight corners and right up against baseboards.

The main floorhead is kitted out with headlamps to help you spot dirt and fluff in dark corners, as well as an odor-neutralizing puck to keep things smelling fresh. Underneath are two rollers that work in tandem to tackle different floor types – a softer roller helps polish hard floors, and a firm roller with rubber fins helps agitate carpet fibers.

It's not the most advanced Shark Upright, and lacks some of the special features of newer models like the Shark PowerDetect Upright – including an Auto mode, which I missed here. However, it's still an excellent all-rounder, and worthy of consideration if you're hunting for the best vacuum for your needs.

Shark Stratos Upright vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: price & availability

List price: $529.99
Launch date: Unknown
Availability: US

The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 launched several years ago, and is available to buy in the US. There are similar models in the UK and Australia, but with slightly different product codes.

At list price, this vacuum costs $529.99 on the SharkNinja website. It's also available to buy via third party retailers like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy.

That price puts it in TechRadar's mid-range bracket for vacuums in general, but is rather expensive in the context of corded uprights. It's a high-quality vacuum cleaner that works really well and comes with plenty of accessories, so I think the price is justified. There are cheaper, still capable, uprights on the market if it's out of your budget, though.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 specs

Type:	Corded upright
Weight:	22.7 lbs / 10.3kg
Bin size:	1.5 qts / 1.4 L
Size (H x W x L):	46.5 x 11 x 12.2 in / 118.1 x 27.9x 31cm
Filter:	HEPA, felt and washable foam
Max suction:	Not provided
Modes:	Hard floor, Carpet/low pile, Thick carpet/area rug
Cord length:	25 ft / 7.62m
Flexible hose length:	3 ft / 0.9m
Product code:	AZ3002

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: design

Modular design – can remove the motor section and hold in your hand
Floorhead for any floor type, and fitted with odor-neutralizing cartridge
Three suction levels to choose from but no auto mode

The first thing I noticed when unboxing the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 is the plethora of accessories. My review model came with a Crevice tool, Upholstery tool, and HairPro self-cleaning pet power brush for detail cleaning, plus an odor-neutralizer cartridge to slot into the floorhead. I found everything relatively easy to put together without needing to consult the manual.

As is almost always the case with upright vacuums, the Stratos AZ3002 is relatively bulky and heavy – especially compared to the best cordless stick vacuums on the market. However, here you can detach the pod that contains the dust cup and hold it in your hand while you use the wand on a flexible hose, which makes things like cleaning the stairs far easier.

This model is corded, so you'll need to deal with the relative inconvenience of having to unplug and re-plug as you clean. The cord is also shorter than I'd like, at just 25 ft / 7.62m.

One design feature I like is the ability to choose from three suction levels: one for hard flooring, one for low-pile carpet and one for thick carpet. A lot of corded uprights just have one setting, but I appreciate that I can customize the cleaning based on floor type here.

However, it's not the most advanced of the Shark uprights – the Shark PowerDetect Upright has an Auto mode whereby it'll increase or decrease suction based on how much dirt is on the floor. This vacuum will also amp up power when the vacuum nears the edge of a room, and has a floorhead that's designed to be able to pick up chunky debris when it's pulled backwards over it. None of those features are included on the Stratos Upright.

The main floorhead contains two motorized brushrolls that work in harmony to clean different flooring types. In the front is the soft roller, which picks up dust and helps polish hard floors. In the back is the PowerFins roller, which has rubbery fins to agitate carpet fibers, as well as helping to scoop up chunkier debris on hard floors.

One special feature which crops up on a number of the best Shark vacuums is an odor neutralizer cartridge. Here, it sits directly in the main floorhead, and can be rotated to raise or lower the intensity. I'm sensitive to some fragrances, but fortunately, on a low setting, the scent is not overpowering. It's a mild and clean fragrance. If you don't like this feature, the cartridge can be removed and won't affect the vacuum's actual performance.

The dustbin can hold 1.5 quarts / 1.4 liters of dust and debris at a time, which is far more than you'd fit into a cordless stick vacuum, but not as generous as you'll find on some upright models. However, it's nice and easy to empty: simply press the release button on the top of the pod and then push the level on the back to open the lid.

There are two types of filters in the vacuum: the HEPA filter, and the pre-motor filters (foam and felt filters), both of which will need cleaning semi-regularly and eventually replacing.

Design score: 4 out of 5

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: performance

Great suction on both hard floors and carpet
Cleans under low furniture (sofas and beds)
Reaches into tight spaces and above floor places

I was impressed with the powerful suction of the Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum. The company does not specifically list the suction power, but it's strong enough to easily remove debris on both hard floors and carpeted surfaces. While relatively weighty, it also propels itself forwards when turned on, which makes it easier to drive – although sometimes, when steering, it seems like the vacuum is almost going to topple over.

On hard floors, the brushroll is so strong that sometimes, during my tests with instant grits, a few specs would scatter or fly away. This did not happen on carpet, or with heavier types of debris – and I'm not deducting any points for the few scatters.

Throughout my time using the Stratos AZ3002, I never had any issues with hair getting tangled in the brushroll system. I don't have pets, but this vacuum pulled up my own short hairs with ease, and in general I think it'd make a good vacuum for pet hair – corded uprights like this one almost always have more suction than cordless stick vacuums, and I was certainly impressed with this model's cleaning power.

To get a more objective view of the AZ3002's performance, I ran a series of suction tests. In my first test, I opened a packet of dry apple cider tea and scattered it on the floor. I chose the hard floor mode, and the Shark Stratos easily removed it in a single pass.

In the next test, I sprinkled some instant grits on the floor. Still in hard floor mode, the vacuum also removed most of the debris in a single pass. However, in the left side of the photo above, you can see that the vacuum also scattered some of the grits on the floor.

In the third test, I poured some of the instant grits along the edge of the floor to test how closely the Shark Stratos cleans there. The vacuum cleaner removed the vast majority of the grits when vacuuming sideways and those left were picked up when I vacuumed head-on.

On carpet, I performed the same tests with dry apple cider vinegar tea and instant grits. This time, I poured the tea and grits side by side. I switched the setting to carpet/low pile cleaning. The Shark Stratos made easy work of picking up both the tea and grits – one pass is all that was needed for both types of spillage.

I must admit that I don't always remember to switch modes when vacuuming, and I missed having an Auto mode where the vacuum cleaner would adjust itself automatically when going from one type of flooring to the other.

One of my favorite features is the ability to remove the pod and use the vacuum cleaner almost like a stick vacuum. In this configuration, I found it easy to clean under my sideboard as well as under my sofa, and the floorhead was able to clean right up to the baseboards. Such thorough cleaning isn't always a given with an upright vacuum, and I appreciated it here. I also found the vacuum's headlights helped me spot dirt in dark spaces.

I also tried adding the Crevice tool to the end of the main wand. This setup was great for cleaning dust from the HVAC vent covers on the ceiling, as well as in tight spaces like under and on the side of the refrigerator. I found the Upholstery tool very effective for cleaning throw pillows and curtains, as well as any upholstered furniture. Finally, I used the Pet power brush to clean my carpeted stairs.

In all of these scenarios, the Shark Upright Stratos did an excellent job of removing dust and debris in just one forward motion (although I tended to go forward and backward when cleaning anyway).

Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Top of the mid-range bracket, but sometimes discounted. Great features help justify the price.	4 / 5
Design	Bulky, but modular design makes it versatile and it comes with lots of detail tools. Lacks advanced features of other Shark uprights and cord is a bit short.	4 / 5
Performance	Strong suction on hard floors and carpet. Cleans under low furniture, and with attachments, it reaches into tight places and can be used on steps and upholstery.	4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You only plan to have one vacuum

The Shark Stratos Upright is equally effective on both carpet and hard floors, unlike some vacuum cleaners that do better on one or the other type of surface. With the attachments, you can also clean stairs, as well as upholstered items, and in tight places.

You worry about your hardwood floors

The soft roller head is gentle on hard floors so you don't have to worry about the vacuum cleaner being too rough and scratching the surface. As a bonus, the soft roller head also helps to buff the floors.

You don't like emptying the dust bin

The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 has a large dustbin so you'll likely never have to stop in the middle of a cleaning session to empty it. The push button mechanism means you don't have to touch the bin's contents, either.

Don't buy it if...

You struggle with bulky or heavy appliances

All in, this vacuum cleaner weighs 22.7 lbs / 10.3kg. Even with the self-propulsion and fact you can remove and hold the bin pod, it's rather heavy. If you struggle with heavy appliances, a stick vacuum might be a better fit.

You want low-effort cleaning

There are three suction modes here, but you'll need to toggle them manually. More advanced Shark Uprights have an Auto mode that'll do it for you.

You need to vacuum a lot of stairs

While the pod is removable, making it easier to clean stairs, the cord and hose can only stretch so far. A cordless stick vacuum is a better option for stairs.

How I tested the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002

I've had the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 for over a year, and used it on-and-off for months at a time in my two-bedroom home, which has a mix of carpet and hard floors.

For this review I used the Shark Stratos Upright as my primary vacuum cleaner for a couple of weeks, so I could determine cleaning effectiveness in the three modes. I also gauged how easy it was to maneuver the vacuum, and how easy it was to empty and maintain.

To measure performance more specifically, I conducted several tests on both hard floors and carpet, using dry tea and instant grits. I also tested how well the vacuum cleaner was able to clean up against baseboards, and how well it worked with the various attachments to clean stairs, upholstery, and in tight spaces.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed November 2025

I flew the DJI Neo 2 for a week, and this affordable selfie drone feels like a big upgrade over its predecessor

3:00 pm | November 13, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers Drones Gadgets | Tags: DJI, US | Comments: Off

DJI Neo 2: one-minute review

The DJI Neo was a cheap beginner drone that represented a push in a new direction for the brand: it was designed primarily for shooting very short clips and photos for social media, and its size and simplicity (it could be flown without a controller) made it a carry-anywhere device.

A year on, the DJI Neo 2 is here, and I'm happy to report that it retains the core appeal of the original model – affordable, simple and small – while also packing some meaningful improvements.

For me, the headline upgrade is the addition of an omnidirectional obstacle avoidance system. One of the Neo's weaknesses was a tendency to crash, particularly when you were using one of its automated flight modes, but the new setup, with combined vision and LiDAR sensors, makes collisions a lot less likely.

The camera has also been improved, with better image stabilization thanks to a new two-axis gimbal, higher frame-rate options for 4K video, and slightly improved sensitivity. And there's now almost 50GB of onboard storage, up from 22GB on the original model.

For automated flight modes I liked the new onboard screen, which is much more informative and useful than the icon-based indicators on the Neo.

Aside from these tweaks, things are much the same as on the Neo, for better or worse. Flight time is still a little on the short side, so investing in multiple batteries is recommended, while on the control front, the option to supplement autonomous flight with manual control from a smartphone running the DJI Fly app or a full-blooded twin-stick controller makes the Neo 2 far more than a simple selfie drone.

DJI Neo 2: release date and price

Released November 13 2025
Base kit costs £209 / AU$409, Fly More Bundle costs £349 / AU$709
Not officially available in US

DJI announced the Neo 2 on November 13 2025, a little over a year after the launch of the original Neo. It's available to order immediately in most of the world, in the following options:

DJI Neo 2 (drone only) from £209 / AU$409; DJI Neo 2 Fly More Combo, which includes the drone plus three batteries and a charging hub, from £289 / AU$549; DJI Neo 2 Fly More Combo, which includes the above plus an RC-N3 controller, from £349 / AU$709; and DJI Neo 2 Motion Fly More Combo, which includes the batteries and hub plus a motion controller and FPV headset.

When the original Neo arrived last year, it was priced from £169 / AU$299, so the Neo 2 is a slightly pricier prospect. However, given its extra features and functionality, I think the extra cost is justified, and it's still one of the cheapest non-toy drones on the market.

As with all recent DJI products, the Neo 2 is not coming to the US market. DJI has released the following statement: "The DJI Neo 2 will not be officially available in the US market through official websites following the global launch on November 13. DJI remains committed to the U.S. market and is optimizing our strategy to best serve our customers amidst evolving local conditions."

DJI Neo 2: specs

DJI Neo 2 specs
Camera:	12MP 1/2-inch CMOS sensor
Video resolution:	4K
Frame rates:	4K up to 60fps (100fps when using remote control)
Video transmission range:	04 for 10km (FCC), 6km (CE/SRRC/MIC)
Flight modes:	Manual Control, Follow, Skiing Follow, Cycling Follow, SelfieShot, Dronie, Helix, Rocket, Circle, Boomerang, Dolly Zoom, Spotlight
Storage:	49GB on-board
Battery:	1606mAh / up to 19 minutes flight time.
Charger type:	USB-C / Battery charging hub
Weight:	5.6oz / 160g (inc. transceiver)
Dimensions:	167 x 171 x 54mm (inc. transceiver)

DJI Neo 2: design and handling

Non-folding design with enclosed propellers
160g weight with Digital Transceiver fitted (151g without)
49GB of built-in storage

The overall look of the Neo 2 is similar to last year's original – this is a small, non-folding 'whoop'-style quadcopter with integrated propeller guards and a nose-mounted camera. But on closer inspection there are some key differences.

One major departure is an extra pod on the back, complete with rabbit-ear antennas. This is a Digital Transceiver, which comes pre-installed on certain versions of the drone and allows it to connect to DJI accessories like controllers and headsets. Without it, the Neo 2 can only be flown with a smartphone or completely controller-free.

For me, the most welcome change is the inclusion of a small display on the front, which indicates which flight mode the drone is in. It's a big improvement on the Neo's light-up icons, which I always found confusing. This display, along with the three buttons arranged along one side of the drone, makes controller-free flight much simpler this time around, and meant I didn't feel the need to pull out my phone and connect to the DJI Fly app so often.

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These changes haven't greatly affected the shape or weight of the drone compared to the original, and at around 160g with the transceiver or 151g without, it falls well under the key 250g threshold. In the EU, it's a Class 0 model, and with these classifications coming to the UK soon it means the Neo 2 can be flown in most locations, closer than 50m to uninvolved people and over people (but not over crowds).

The build quality is what you'd expect from a DJI drone: despite the lightweight plastic, it feels solid and well built. An included plastic cover fits on to protect the camera when it's not in use, and extra prop guards come pre-installed to protect both the propellers and the fingers of users from harm. These can be removed, should you need to replace the propellers.

I had no fears about tossing the Neo 2 into my backpack when travelling, although I was a little surprised that the Fly More Combo DJI sent me to review didn't come with some kind of carrying bag or case.

The Neo 2's batteries pop in and out easily, and can be charged either inside the drone or using the optional three-battery hub. The drone has its own USB-C port for both charging and data transfer, and like the original model there's no microSD card slot for storage expansion. The built-in storage has been upgraded though, from the Neo's 22GB to 49GB. That's enough for about 105 minutes of 4K 60fps footage or 175 minutes of 4K 30fps footage.

DJI Neo 2: features and performance

Range of built-in flight modes and QuickShots
Also compatible with DJI controllers
49GB of built-in storage space

The Neo 2 is first and foremost a selfie drone, designed for capturing quick shots of you and yours for your holiday album or social media. To that end, it comes with a range of built-in automated flight modes, plus QuickShots, which is designed to record a video or take a photo while flying in a preset and predictable manner. To see some of these in action, check out the video embedded in the next section of this review.

The Neo 2 also features pretty impressive tracking capabilities, allowing it to follow the user using just its camera, filming as it does so. It can do this while you're on foot, on a bike or even skiing, and having tested the first two methods I can say it's very adept at doing this.

You can set it to follow you at various angles and distances, and I found it easiest to set these using the DJI Fly app, connected to the Neo 2 via Wi-Fi. The drone's own screen and buttons can be used for this too, but it's just simpler and more reliable to do it using your phone in my experience.

I also flew the Neo 2 using touchscreen controls and the DJI Fly app on a smartphone, and the RC-N3 controller. The app flight controls are quite rudimentary, but the drone responded well to them, and I think they're fine for getting it into a particular position for a photo or video.

With the controller, the flight experience becomes much more like a traditional DJI camera drone, and the drone flies nimbly and responsively here – albeit with less wind resistance and speed than a fully-fledged Mini, Air or Mavic drone.

As with the Neo, the Neo 2 is also suitable for FPV flying, if you have a set of compatible DJI Goggles and RC Motion Controller. I wasn't able to test this out personally, unfortunately.

Perhaps the biggest flight upgrade on the Neo 2 is the addition of omnidirectional object sensing, which prevents the drone from crashing into trees, fences and the like during its automated flights. It even uses LiDAR for the forward-facing sensor.

Given that the original had essentially no object avoidance at all, it's a game-changer, and in my tests it worked well. For example, rather than flying into tree branches behind it, I noticed it dropped in altitude to get underneath them – impressive stuff from such a small, affordable drone.

Battery life is about the same as the original Neo: 18 or so minutes in ideal conditions. In real-world use, I found it to be closer to 10 minutes, so if you're planning on flying for extended periods then the Fly More Combo, with its extra batteries and charging cradle, feels like a sensible option.

DJI Neo 2: image and video quality

1/2-inch image sensor
4K video capture up to 100fps
12MP JPEG photography

The Neo 2 offers a modest image quality upgrade, but uses what appears to be the same 12MP 1/2-inch sensor as its predecessor. The camera is now mounted on a new two-axis gimbal which, partnered with the RockSteady electronic image stabilization brought over from the original Neo, manages to keep the horizon level while shooting.

In higher winds, there's a little less stability to the camera than I'd expect from a full-blooded DJI camera drone – but then this isn't one of those, and it performs excellently for a drone in this price bracket.

The camera provides a 119.8-degree field of view, with a full-frame equivalent focal length of 16.5mm, which is wide without adding too much corner distortion. The aperture is fixed at f/2.2, making the camera slightly faster than the Neo's f/2.8 lens. ISO range has been improved too, and now runs from 100 to 12800 in most shooting modes.

The Neo 2 isn't a "serious" camera drone in the same way as many of its DJI stablemates, but can still manage 4K capture at up to 60fps (or 100fps when using a controller). I think the footage and 12MP photos look more than acceptable straight from the camera, but if you're expecting pro-level quality you're going to be disappointed. There are no options to shoot in anything other than the Standard color profile for video, and no RAW option for photos. There's no way to fit ND filters on the camera either.

If you can live with these limitations and take the Neo 2 for what it is, you should be more than happy with its camera performance. I know I was – for such a small and simple drone, it delivers results that are ideal for social media sharing.

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DJI Neo 2 photograph — (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

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DJI Neo 2: testing scorecard

DJI Neo 2
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Price	Not quite as cheap as its predecessor, but still superb value	5/5
Design	Small, lightweight and well constructed	4/5
Performance	Lots of control options, now with obstacle avoidance	5/5
Image and video quality	Simple stuff, but gets the job done	4/5

Should I buy the DJI Neo 2?

Buy it if...

You want a simple, small drone
With the option to fly controller-free, the Neo 2 keeps things beautifully simple – and its obstacle avoidance makes crashing much less likely than was the case with the original Neo.

You’re on a limited budget
The Neo 2 is affordable compared with some of DJI's more advanced drones, especially if you buy the base kit. It's a great way to get into drone flying.

You already own DJI FPV accessories
If you already own a DJI FPV controller (Motion 3 or FPV 3) and DJI Goggles N3 or 3, the Neo 2 gives you a lightweight, restriction-free alternative to the Avata.

Don't buy it if...

You want advanced photo and video capabilities
The Neo 2 is designed with capturing quick shots and clips in mind. Despite its 4K resolution it's not a 'serious' camera drone – you'll need to move further up DJI's range for those.

You want a 'real' FPV drone
While FPV flight is possible by adding a headset and controller, the prohibitive combined cost means you're better off buying a DJI Avata 2 instead. It's better suited to the job too.View Deal

DJI Neo 2: also consider

DJI Mini 5 Pro

If you're more interested in image quality than simplicity and affordability, but still want something small, I don't think there's a better 250g-ish drone than the DJI Mini 5 Pro. Its 1-inch sensor delivers incredible videos and photos, and it's a brilliantly easy drone to fly thanks to a raft of safety features.

Read our in-depth DJI Mini 5 Pro review

HoverAir X1

The HoverAir X1 Pro is perhaps a better overall selfie drone than the DJI Neo 2, thanks to its incredible tracking capabilities and clever folding (and highly pocketable) design. However, it's a lot pricier, and in my opinion that makes it a bit less appealing than the cheap and cheerful Neo 2.

Read our in-depth HoverAir X1 Pro review

How I tested the DJI Neo 2

All main features and functions tested
Flown with the DJI RC-N3 Controller, direct app control and without app
Flown outside in dry but breezy conditions

I tested the DJI Neo 2 outdoors during the autumn of 2025 in the UK, in dry but fairly blustery weather conditions. The aim was to test all the functions, features and flight modes of the drone in real-world situations, in order to properly assess its capabilities and limitations.

Of the control options available on the drone I tested voice control, palm take-off without the use of the DJI Fly app, app control, and the DJI RC-N3 Controller. I was not able to test its FPV abilities, lacking the necessary gear to do so.

First reviewed November 2025

Apple Digital ID is now live for US passports

8:21 am |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: US | Comments: Off

Today, Apple is announcing the launch of Digital ID for US passports. This is accepted at TSA checkpoints at more than 250 airports across the country for in-person identity verification during domestic travel. Apple unsurprisingly promises that "additional Digital ID acceptance use cases" will come in the future. As already implied by the wording above, Digital ID is not a replacement for a physical passport and can't be used for international travel. To add your passport to Apple Wallet, you'll scan the photo page of your passport, and will then be asked to use your iPhone to read...

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 review: A deep dive with the first ever smartwatch to feature sonar communication

7:24 pm | November 11, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: AUS, US | Comments: Off

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: One-minute review

In recent years, Huawei has dedicated itself so aggressively to wearables that in 2025 they shipped more watches than any other brand – including Apple. In the past year I’ve reviewed a number of the best smartwatches from Huawei, including the GT5, the D2 and the Fit 3. I awarded all three an impressive 4.5 stars, which just goes to show what a good track record Huawei has created thus far.

The Ultimate 2 represents Huawei’s most advanced smartwatch to date and is perhaps the pinnacle of what is currently possible with smartwatch technology. It’s packing sonar communications, a world first for a smartwatch, and an X-Tap feature for measuring blood flow through the finger. Huawei has aimed high, and as far as specs on paper go, they’ve achieved exactly what they set out to do. Look out, Apple Watch Ultra 3.

This is not a smartwatch for the casual user but rather a dedicated device for professional athletes and serious recreational fitness enthusiasts. The primary focuses are diving and golfing, although Huawei promotes the watch as being ideal for a much broader range of activities. As you’d expect, there’s also a full set of health tracking capabilities.

As well as rugged and premium materials, performance across the board is very strong, indeed. The display is super-bright, even when being used in direct sunlight. The interface is fast, responsive, and finely tuned for an optimum user experience. GPS tracking is quickly found and always accurate. Extreme waterproofing is engineered to perfection. The positives go on. I think if it could have been made slightly smaller and dealt with the pesky Huawei app side-loading issue, Huawei would have had the perfect package.

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Specifications

Component	Huawei Watch Ultimate 2
Price	£899.99 (Blue) / £799.99 (Black)
Dimensions	47.8 x 47.8 x 12.9 mm (Blue) / 48.5 x 48.5 x 12.9 mm (Black)
Weight	80.5g without strap
Caze/bezel	Zirconium-based Liquid Metal (Amorphous Alloy) / Nanocrystal Ceramic
Display	1.5 inch AMOLED (466 × 466 pixels)
Operating System	HarmonyOS
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, and QZSS
Battery life	4.5 days typical usage, 11 days in power saver mode
Connection	eSIM (for phone-free calls), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, and NFC
Water resistance	20 ATM

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Price and Availability

Blue: £899 / Black: £799
Not available in the US or AUS
It’s expensive, but very advanced

There’s no getting away from it. The Ultimate 2 Blue, at £899, is one of the most expensive smartwatches on the market, only beaten by the likes of the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, which retails for £1,119. If you’d like the Black version, then that retails at £799.

The most similar price is the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which costs £749 and will always be a winner amongst Apple fans. If you’re not concerned about sonar communication but want a premium rugged offering, then the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra for £599 is a great shout and works well with Android phones, being compatible with Google’s Play Store.

Value score: 4.5/5

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Design

One of the largest smartwatches on the market
Premium and rugged materials throughout
Bright and high-resolution AMOLED display

It’s difficult to make any mention of the design without first stating that this is one of the largest smartwatches I’ve ever worn. With a 47.8mm case diameter and a 12.9mm thickness, it’s in the realm of the chunky Garmin Epix Pro (although they range up to 51mm) and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. I get that this is a rugged smartwatch packed full of innovative hardware, but this size of watch won’t be for everyone. I, for one, didn’t like wearing it while exercising. You can see it in the photos, but even on my reasonably sized wrist, the watch looks and feels odd. Slender-wristed folks, you’ve been warned.

That being said, everything else about the design of this watch is incredible. Beginning with a zirconium-based liquid metal case, the Ultimate 2 packs high-performance materials for a premium and rugged build. This metal is strong, hard, and allegedly more corrosion-resistant than stainless steel, which means users will have no problems exposing this watch to saltwater environments, even for long periods of time.

The bezel (blue and white on mine) is nanocrystal ceramic (sometimes dual-color) which is smooth, durable, and most importantly, scratch-resistant. If I'm honest, I think it looks a little too much like a plastic finish, which detracts from the overall premium feel.

The display is a 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED screen made of sapphire glass. You'll be hard-pressed to find a harder or more scratch-resistant material when it comes to smartwatches. I experienced zero scratches or cracks during my few weeks of testing, and I do not expect to have any problems in the future either.

The strap I've been testing is a durable fluoroelastomer strap with a blue/white color combo. It suits the overall watch aesthetic and is flexible enough to get a comfortable fit. It’s ideal for adventuring and exercising, but if you'd prefer a more polished and professional look, then there's also a metal link strap in the box. Huawei also throws in a longer diving strap when you purchase the blue package.

Design score: 4.5/5

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Features

Industry-leading waterproof rating
New X-TAP for PPG and ECG
No third-party apps

One of my biggest bugbears with all Huawei watches is the copious number of legal agreements that have to be agreed to. Rather than providing a single agreement that users consent to before using the watch, Huawei has determined that it's better for users to provide specific consent at the point of using each individual feature. This is the only smartwatch company that seems to do this, and I think it significantly interrupts the user experience.

The diving and water-related features are by far the biggest selling points of the Ultimate 2, and the 20ATM waterproof rating means it can be subjected to rain, swimming, diving, snorkeling, and high-speed watersports. It also boasts a diving certification of 150m.

Despite not being able to test the more extreme parts of these claims, I can confirm that I had no performance issues after submerging it for several minutes. By way of comparison, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 tops out at a waterproof rating of 10ATM, which makes the Ultimate 2 the industry leader at the time of writing.

The Ultimate 2 is also the first smartwatch to feature a sonar-based underwater communication feature, which lets two Ultimate 2s exchange messages up to 30 metres apart. You can say goodbye to traditional forms of underwater communication, although the requirement for both users to need the exact same Huawei watch is limiting. It'll be interesting to see whether the diving industry begins to adopt this technology or whether Huawei has gone more niche than they needed to.

Aside from these groundbreaking features, the Ultimate 2 includes top-level health tracking. It centers around a Distributed Super-Sensing Module that is paired with Huawei’s TruSense system. This combines multiple sensor types (optical, electrical, acoustic, and mechanical) to improve health tracking accuracy.

Huawei has integrated a sensor, named X-TAP, on the side of the watch which measures blood flow through the finger, making it capable of taking ECG and PPG readings. Taking health readings from the wrist has always been notoriously inaccurate, so a feature like this that uses more reputable sensor technology is very welcome indeed.

Features score: 4.5/5

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Performance

Accurate metrics
Between three and eight days of use
Too bulky

We've recently seen a rise in silicon-carbon battery technology that adds silicon to the graphite anode and thereby increases the capacity of the battery. Huawei has brought this new tech to their Ultimate 2 smartwatch, although it's labeled the battery technology 'high-silicon'.

As a result, we're looking at an 867mAh battery rather than the 510mAh battery that was found in the first version of this watch. That's quite the upgrade considering the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra sit just below 600mAh batteries.

While testing the watch, I achieved between three and eight days of use depending on how intensely I was using it and whether I was using GPS on a regular basis. Having always-on-display activated significantly reduced the battery life, but there are no surprises there. My normal smartwatch habit involves performing daily GPS tracking for around 30 minutes, tracking health metrics regularly, and actioning dozens of notifications each day. Doing this drained the battery in just under five days.

The specs state that normal use will result in 3.5 days of use on iOS and 4.5 days on Android. The additional life on Android is on account of having to perform less frequent refreshes to maintain the connection. Either way, having a smartwatch that can last several days between charges is fine by me, especially given the rich feature set.

After comparing it to other Huawei smartwatches and my Suunto Race S during activity tracking, I have to say I was very impressed with both the responsiveness and the accuracy while tracking metrics, including heart rate, SpO2, and ECG.

Huawei has upgraded its Sunflower GPS technology. I tested its GPS capabilities in built-up urban areas as well as in dense woods, and it was capable of finding a signal quickly, with and without fuss. There was absolutely no inaccuracy or drift while tracking my runs and bike rides. If you need GPS that you can rely on, then there are very few watches on the market that will match it.

As accurate as the Ultimate 2 is in terms of tracking exercise, I actually think the watch is just too bulky to make it comfortable for most types of exercise. You certainly wouldn't want to wear it for long periods of time while running, swimming, or when in the gym. As a result, I'm not quite sure who this watch is designed for. If Huawei could reduce it by a few grams and slim it down a little, I'd be giving it a five-star rating without reservations.

If you can cope with the size, you'll be pleased with the user experience. The software, HarmonyOS, is fast and well laid out and integrates surprisingly well with Apple and Android phones. I especially like the addition of text labels to icons, which significantly helped me find features quickly and efficiently. Interaction with calls, texts, and other types of notifications was equally seamless.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	An expensive smartwatch but the technology is very advanced.	4.5/5
Design	It's large but there are premium and rugged materials throughout	4.5/5
Features	A range of innovative features set it apart, including sonar communications.	4.5/5
Performance	Accurate health metrics and solid fitness tracking alongside a reasonable battery life.	4.5/5

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You’re a serious diver that needs the tech to back you up

With a range of diving-specific features, including sonar communication, the Ultimate 2 is hands down the go-to product for divers.

You want finger-based health measurements

The sensor on the side of the watch is capable of measuring blood flow through the finger, a type of measurement that is regarded as more accurate than through the wrist.

Don't buy it if...

You have a slender wrist

It’s big, chunky, and not always that comfortable. This is a watch for larger wrists or medium-sized wrists at a push.

You’re not into diving

With cheaper and more lightweight alternatives, the Ultimate 2 is not ideal for runners and gym enthusiasts.

Also consider

Component	Huawei Watch Ultimate 2	Apple Watch Ultra 2	Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Price	£899.99 (Blue) / £799.99 (Black)	$799 / £799 / AU$1,399	$649 / £599 / AU$1,299
Dimensions	47.8 x 47.8 x 12.9 mm (Blue) / 48.5 x 48.5 x 12.9 mm (Black)	49 x 41 x 14 (mm)	47.4 x 47.4 x 12.1mm
Weight	80.5g without strap	61g	60.5g
Caze/bezel	Zirconium-based Liquid Metal (Amorphous Alloy) / Nanocrystal Ceramic	Titanium	Titanium
Display	1.5 inch AMOLED (466 × 466 pixels)	49mm poly-silicon always-on OLED Retina Display	480 x 480 full-color AMOLED
Operating System	HarmonyOS	watchOS	Wear OS
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, and QZSS	Dual-frequency (unspecified)	Dual-frequency GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
Battery life	4.5 days typical usage, 11 days in power saver mode	36 hours	590mAh, up to 100 hours
Connection	eSIM (for phone-free calls), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, and NFC	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi
Water resistance	20 ATM	Yes, WR100 (diveproof)	10ATM + IP68

Apple Watch Ultra 2

The best all-rounder running smartwatch for iPhone users.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

As above, but for Samsung and Android phone users.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

How we tested

I tested the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 in much the same way as we test all smartwatches here at TechRadar. Over the period of several weeks I wore and interacted with the watch on a daily basis. This included daily activity tracking using the built-in GPS and regular health metrics monitoring, as well as responding to dozens of notifications each day.

In addition to this, I also ran tests on numerous other features found in the watch, including listening to music and playing games. One of the biggest selling points is the set of diving features, including tech that allows for diving down to 150 meters. Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to verify Huawei’s claims that the watch can cope with the pressure at this depth, but I did test its ability to cope with water submersion.

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Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum: two-minute review

Shark PowerPro IZ380UK review: price & availability

Shark PowerPro specs

Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum review: design

Shark PowerPro IZ380UK review: performance

Shark PowerPro review: battery

Should you buy the Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum

DJI Osmo Action 6: two-minute review

DJI Osmo Action 6 specs

DJI Osmo Action 6: Price and availability

DJI Osmo Action 6: Design

DJI Osmo Action 6: Performance

DJI Osmo Action 6: Image quality

DJI Osmo Action 6: testing scorecard

Should I buy the DJI Osmo Action 6?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the DJI Osmo Action 6

Lavazza Assoluta: two-minute review

Lavazza Assoluta: specifications

Lavazza Assoluta: price and availability

Lavazza Assoluta: design

Lavazza Assoluta: performance

Should you buy the Lavazza Assoluta?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Lavazza Assoluta: also consider

How I tested the Lavazza Assoluta

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002: two-minute review

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: price & availability

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 specs

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: design

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: performance

Should you buy the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002

DJI Neo 2: one-minute review

DJI Neo 2: release date and price

DJI Neo 2: specs

DJI Neo 2: design and handling

DJI Neo 2: features and performance

DJI Neo 2: image and video quality

DJI Neo 2: testing scorecard

Should I buy the DJI Neo 2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

DJI Neo 2: also consider

How I tested the DJI Neo 2

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: One-minute review

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Specifications

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Price and Availability

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Design

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Features

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Performance

Scorecard

Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How we tested

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