Changes it made to the series' formula, including a clear distinction between Samurai and Ninja styles, as well as a shift to vast explorable open maps, really helped it to stand out from the pack.

Now the game's first of two major expansions, Hell Rising, has arrived. It's not as expansive as Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree or Lies of P: Overture (it took me around 8-10 hours to complete all main missions and a handful of side quests), but it is more Nioh 3 in the best way possible.

Long story short, if you enjoyed Nioh 3 and played it all the way to completion, you'll find a lot more to love about Hell Rising. You can expect all-new enemy types, challenging boss encounters, a new weapon archetype, as well as a sprinkling of added skills, ninjutsu, and onmyo magic.

You will need to be caught up in order to properly access the DLC, though. Hell Rising requires you to have beaten the base game, and you'll want to be rocking a competent endgame build to face its higher difficulty and level recommendations. Enemies hit harder than ever, and bosses are among the toughest in Nioh 3 as a whole. So be sure to kit yourself in Divine tier gear (ideally with your preferred set bonuses) before jumping in.

Beyond the grave

Nioh 3: Hell Rising takes place in 1651 during Japan's short-lived Keian era.

After being appointed Shogun at the end of the base game, protagonist Takechiyo learns of a resurgence of the Crucible and the demonic forces brought on by it. So, they travel to the Keian era with their spirit allies in order to quell the threat for good.

It's a simple setup, but I enjoyed Hell Rising's narrative. New allies join the fight alongside Takechiyo, including Yagyu Jubei and Rodrigo—a swordsman and politician hailing from Spain. New cutscenes typically bookend major boss fights, and I must say a late-game twist has beautifully set up the upcoming second expansion (a release date for which has yet to be revealed).

You do have kind of a test to pass in order to access the DLC proper, and that comes in the form of Yagyu Jubei.

He's essentially the gatekeeper boss for Hell Rising; the game's way of checking if you're truly ready for the challenges ahead. I actually found him to be among the hardest of the new bosses. He's fast, and commands wind and water elemental attacks. Oh, he's also really good at dodging through your ninjutsu techniques, so building up status effects on him is a challenge in and of itself.

Before the fight, though, the DLC almost immediately introduces you to the new Hoko and Shield weapon archetype. I think they're a fantastic addition to Nioh 3's roster of armaments, and there are versions for both Samurai and Ninja styles.

Your gameplan with the Hoko and Shield is to time your strong attacks (and certain Martial Art skills) to negate incoming enemy attacks. They're a more defensive weapon by nature, and its skill tree includes abilities to both engage and disengage enemies at a distance, as well as ranged attacks such as tossing the shield in various ways. It's a high-risk, high-reward weapon type that I ended up using for a decent chunk of the DLC's runtime.

I loved my time with Nioh 3: Hell Rising, and I'm now eagerly anticipating the second expansion and all the additions and new bosses that brings. I do have a couple of issues with Hell Rising, though, that I hope get addressed in future content.

For one, bosses from the base game get reused quite frequently. You'll see many of the base game's yokai bosses at least once in Hell Rising (one particularly annoying one actually appeared twice).

I found it a shame because the DLC's new bosses are all wonderful, engaging challenges. Recycling these older bosses with no noticeable changes felt like padding, and weren't much of a challenge beyond their larger health pools and higher attack power.

There were also some particularly mean enemy ambushes late on in the DLC, particularly in the Crucible zone that acts as its capstone. You'll be shoved into tight corridors and tiny rooms fairly frequently here, as mobs of yokai swarm in. It was the only time during the DLC that I felt the game was being just a touch unfair.

Should I play Nioh 3: Hell Rising?

Play it if...

Don't play it if...

Accessibility features

Nioh 3: Hell Rising's accessibility features remain the same as they were in the base game. For more information, check out our full Nioh 3 review in order to get a brief overview of what's on offer.

How I reviewed Nioh 3: Hell Rising

Nioh 3: Hell Rising took me approximately 8-10 hours to finish on my first playthrough of it. That included all main missions and bosses, exploring most of the new map, and completing a handful of side quests.

I played the expansion on PC, carrying my base game character from my original Nioh 3 review into the DLC. I played through Hell Rising with the Valve Steam Controller (2026), and used my RIG 900 Max HS gaming headset for more immersive audio.

First reviewed August 2026

Seven years after its predecessor came to market, the Marshall Stockwell III is here — and wow, what a beauty.

From the moment I unboxed the Stockwell III, I was struck by its quality. Its striking amp-inspired aesthetic, complimented by luxurious PU leather, golden detailing, and a red velvet-infused handle made it likeable from the off. But could its sound live up to its enticing looks?

Well, I’ve spent hours upon hours listening to music and messing around with various features on Marshall’s new speaker, and I’ve got a fair few thoughts. So here’s whether it can compare with some of the best Bluetooth speakers around.

Let’s start with sound quality, an area where the Stockwell III is aiming to make quite the leap from its predecessor. Under the hood, you’ll find one three-inch woofer with 65W class D amplification alongside two 1.75-inch wide-band drivers, which both have 31W of class D amplification. This means that the Stockwell III is incredibly mighty for a speaker of its size, and offers considerably meatier audio than its predecessor could.

The Stockwell III’s impressive power really shines through in its performance — it displays a striking level of confidence with regimented, intent-filled bass, driven mids, and expressive highs that make it an incredibly enjoyable speaker to use.

In Home Meeting by Sadao Watanabe, I was impressed with the fluent and colorful leading sax, which played alongside substantial and weighty funky bass and accurate, precise drums in the treble range. As the track built towards its climax, the Stockwell III managed the swathe of instruments with ease, and backing vocals, guitars, horns, and bass all came together in a cohesive yet nuanced ensemble.

With a deeper track, like Vision of Love by Lewis Taylor, the Stockwell III proved that its power goes a long way. Pumping deep bass pounded through our music testing room with intensity, yet remained controlled and clean. Energetic drums high up in the frequency range also came through with plenty of bite, although neither end of the spectrum overshadowed the finer electronic details in the mid-range.

The Stockwell III can extend down to 54Hz, and although it wasn’t capable of the most full-sounding, consuming sub-bass, I still found that it coped decently with ultra-low frequencies. More generally, the speaker does have a bit of a bass preference, and although this may not be to everyone’s taste, a swift turn of the bass dial can easily get you the sound you’re after.

One thing I will say is that although vocals come through clearly on the Stanmore III, they perhaps lack the warmth and texture that you’ll find from some other premium speakers. To be clear, I still found that vocal-focused tracks sounded great on the Stockwell III, but audiophiles may wish for a bit more detail and depth.

As you’d expect with a recent Marshall release, there's USB-C audio onboard for lossless playback, and the speaker sounds great with a wired connection. There’s also a 3.5mm port if you’d prefer. Unfortunately though, there’s no LDAC for higher-res Bluetooth playback — something we recently saw on the Marshall Acton IV and Marshall Stanmore IV — which would’ve been nice to see.

But a couple of features really help the Stockwell III perform at an excellent level. For example, Dynamic Loudness helps the speaker maintain clarity, even at higher volumes, and I found that the Stockwell III still sounded excellent even when pushing volume up to 90% and beyond. Marshall has also implemented its True Stereophonic 360 sound, intended to make sure it sounds excellent from every angle, and this felt effective to me, resulting in the speaker having no true ‘sweet spot’ — ideal for a party situation, say.

One final thing worth pointing out about sound, is that the Stockwell III technically outputs in stereo. However, the stereo effects aren’t particularly convincing — in part due to the Stockwell III’s limited confines.

So the Stockwell III is a hit in the sound quality department. But how does it fare elsewhere?

Well, when it comes to features, there are quite a few options to uncover. For the moment, the Stockwell III is using the older Marshall Bluetooth app, unlike the newer Marshall software harnessed by the Acton IV, Stanmore IV, and Heston soundbars. This means that you only get a five-band EQ, though this still works well — and the speaker does sound great out of the box.

The app also enables you to use a soundstage mode to reduce or expand the width of sound, you can toggle on Source Mix to play media via wired and Bluetooth connections simultaneously, and you can map a specific EQ configuration to the speaker’s M button. In addition, there’s a placement compensation feature that genuinely makes a difference, as well as USB-C port configuration settings (you can make it charge other devices, play media, or both), and battery preservation options.

Speaking of battery, the Stockwell III is capable of providing 40 hours of playback — double what its predecessor could manage. That’s a phenomenal amount of playtime for a speaker of this size, and a seismic technological advancement, proving that Marshall are still one of the leading audio manufacturers when it comes to battery life.

I’ve spoken a bit about design already, but the Stockwell III is a true joy to behold. It’s also a lot lighter than Marshall’s alternate mid-weight speaker, the Marshall Middleton II, making it feel way more portable. It's also got more amplification power than the Middleton II and in my view, looks more premium — it’s the better mid-weight option overall in my view.

However, this does come at the expense of weaker waterproofing — the Middleton II is IP67 rated, whereas the Stockwell III is only IP55. That's still an improvement on its IPX4-rated predecessor and keeps it protected against splashes and dust ingress, but a lot of competitors shield their devices against full underwater submersion.

But let’s wrap up now. At $249.99 / £199.99 / AU$379, the Stockwell III isn’t the cheapest option on the market, but for its power, and its sound and build quality, it's an excellent value for money choice. At launch, the Stockwell II was priced the same as this new model in the US, but it's actually cheaper in the UK and Australia than its predecessor was at the point of release. With the improvements in acoustics, build, and waterproofing, that’s amazing to see.

Although the Stockwell III leaves out LDAC and is using the older Marshall Bluetooth app at the moment, I still think it’s a brilliant speaker. With confident yet elegant sound, amazing looks, and a fantastic feature-set, it's the best mid-weight Marshall speaker you can buy, and stands as a stellar upgrade over the Stockwell II.

Marshall Stockwell III review: price & release date

• Priced at $249.99 / £199.99 / AU$379
• Released in August 2026

The Marshall Stockwell III was released in August 2026, seven years after the Marshall Stockwell II came to market. It's priced at $249.99 / £199.99 / AU$379, meaning that in the US it costs the same as the Stockwell II did at launch, and it's actually cheaper in the UK and Australia. Considering the vast improvements it provides, that makes it a phenomenal value for money option. It’s available in Black and Brass or in Cream.

Marshall Stockwell III review: specs

Should I buy the Marshall Stockwell III?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Marshall Stockwell III review: also consider

How I tested the Marshall Stockwell III

• Tested over a week-long period
• Mainly streamed tracks over Tidal
• Predominantly made use of Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity

I tested the Marshall Stockwell III over the course of a week, spending hours listening to music and exhausting its various features. I mainly had it connected to my Xiaomi 17 phone, where I streamed tunes over Tidal — predominantly using Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity.

When listening to music, I made sure to play tracks from a wide variety of genres — both from the TechRadar reference playlist and from my own personal library.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, where I serve as our in-house Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve tested all kinds of gadgets, from premium wireless headphones like the Sony 1000X The Collexion through to Dolby Atmos soundbars like the LG Sound Suite Immersive Suite 7 Pro. I’ve also reviewed countless Marshall speakers, including its recent Homeline releases, so I know exactly what to look for when putting the audio specialist’s tech to the test.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: August 2026

The Keychron K8 Ultra 8K is a wireless mechanical keyboard with an impressive spec that hopes to compete with the more premium offerings in the space.

It exhibits the brand’s typical design language, with its sizable keycaps and retro looks. The whole unit is black, save for some grey and green keycaps. To liven things up, it features some bright backlighting with plenty of customization options, although the keycap legends aren’t transparent, so it doesn’t illuminate them. This makes them harder to see in dark environments, which somewhat defeats the backlight’s purpose.

The board base is very thick, which means you have to angle your wrists considerably to reach the tall keys. It’s in dire need of wrist support, which is an oversight since a lot of the best keyboards come with a rest. It’s also quite heavy, thanks to its metal construction. This does help to keep it planted, though, and it’s as solid as you would expect it to be.

To customize the inputs of the K8 Ultra 8K, you’ll have to use Keychron’s Web Launcher. Here you’ll find a reasonable selection of rebinding options, and there’s also a basic but functional SOCD function for altering key priority. It’s a relatively easy app to use, and despite being web-based, it’s quick and responsive; I didn’t encounter any disruptive loading times during my time with it.

In action, the K8 Ultra 8K performs well. The keys are sufficiently damped, although some clickiness remains, which can be a little harsh at times, but mostly they’re satisfying to use. They’re snappy and responsive, too, while being forgiving of accidental nudges. The indents and shape of the keycaps are comfortable and offer a secure hold.

However, the switches of my review unit didn’t have the smoothest of motions. The keys are also spaced quite far apart, which can make reaching certain inputs a stretch. What’s more, the aforementioned angle your wrists are forced to adopt can lead to strain after short periods. I had no issues with connecting the K8 Ultra 8K via 2.4GHz or Bluetooth, and switching between them was quick and easy.

The K8 Ultra 8K is a reasonable price when you consider all that it offers. There are certainly much dearer mechanical keyboards, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, but there are also cheaper ones, such as the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra. However, the K8 Ultra 8K remains a solid choice if you like a substantial board — just pair it with a wrist rest.

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Price & availability

• $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170)
• Available now in three switch types
• Good price for a wireless mechanical keyboard

The K8 Ultra 8K costs $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170) and is available now from Keychron’s website, with shipping rates varying according to region. It can be had with a choice of three switch types: Red, Brown, or Banana. It comes with a braided USB cable, several spare keycaps, and a keycap puller.

This is a good price for a wireless mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable switches. Similar models from bigger names can cost considerably more, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%. However, the performance of that board is far superior, being perhaps the best mechanical keyboard I’ve ever tested. Its switches are a joy to press, while the companion software offers more customizations and tweaks.

If you’re after a more budget-friendly gaming keyboard, the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra is hard to beat for value. It has a surprisingly high-quality design, while its analog switches feel almost as good as mechanical ones, with added actuation adjustments.

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Specs

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Design & features

• Retro look
• Solid, thick, and heavy
• Reasonable web app for customizations

The K8 Ultra 8K adopts Keychron's signature aesthetics, which is to say it has a thick base, tall keycaps, and a black colorway. However, there are a few grey peripheral keys, as well as a green Escape key, to add some contrast.

Allied to its thick chassis is a substantial weight. This helps the K8 Ultra 8K to stay planted, but makes it a chore to move around frequently. Build quality is also impressive, with its metal frame feeling as solid as you would expect it to feel, while the keycaps have only a hint of play.

What’s disappointing about them, though, is their opaque symbols. This means the vivid RGB backlighting doesn’t get a chance to shine through them; in fact, it can actively obscure them in dark environments, which defeats at least part of the backlighting’s purpose. Fortunately, it still shines through the spaces between the keys, and there are plenty of customizable patterns for it.

Like some other Keychron models, the K8 Ultra 8K’s USB port is located on the left side of the unit, rather than at the back. This is an interesting location and can help to reduce the cable interfering with deskspace, depending on your particular setup. The included cable’s jack protrudes slightly from the side, but since it’s L-shaped, it's actually quite discreet. This shape also helps the cable to naturally follow a path less intrusive to deskspace.

Keychron doesn’t offer a downloadable app for the K8 Ultra 8K; instead, you’ll have to use the Keychron Web Launcher via a browser. Quite often, such web apps can be slow and awkward, with frequent loading times and connectivity issues. However, I found Keychron’s fast and easy to use.

What’s more, it offers a reasonable amount of customization. Besides standard key assignments, there are quite a few shortcuts for various system commands and media controls. There’s also a SOCD feature with three different modes, as well as a section for altering the bounce (more commonly referred to as debounce) times of key presses and resets, with sliders for each ranging from 10ms to 50ms, with single millisecond increments selectable.

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Performance

• Tactile and damped switches
• Snappy yet forgiving
• Uncomfortable thickness

True to its mechanical nature, the K8 Ultra 8K is quite a satisfying board to use. The Brown Tactile switches in my review unit were sufficiently damped, though there was some clickiness to them. For the most part I liked this aspect, although hard presses can feel a little harsh. Worse is the roughness of their motion as they travel, which doesn’t feel particularly pleasant. Fortunately, this doesn't completely sap the joy out of presses, and it didn’t affect my performance in any significant way.

The switches are also quite snappy, requiring only a light touch to actuate. Better yet, they’re forgiving at the same time: whenever I accidentally grazed a key I didn’t intend to hit, often it wouldn’t register. This combination makes it ideal for fast typing.

The keycaps themselves are comfortable, thanks to their ergonomic indents, which also provide security. This comfort extends to the space bar, which I could easily hit flush when in the WASD position. That’s not something I can say about every space bar I’ve experienced.

Less comfortable, however, is the wide spacing of the keys. I often welcome this aspect, but I found it too great on the K8 Ultra 8K. Reaching certain keys was a stretch, especially when touch typing, or when trying to reach certain peripheral keys such as R and T when gaming in the WASD position.

The aforementioned thickness of the chassis also creates issues. Combined with the tall keycaps, this means you have to angle your wrists to a large degree, and what’s more I frequently caught my fingers on the edges of keys as I glided around them when typing. I’m not sure I’ve come across a keyboard in more desperate need of wrist support.

On the issue of connectivity, I had no qualms with the K8 Ultra 8K. It connected to my Windows PCs with ease via both Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle. Hot-switching between these devices was also quick and easy, merely requiring the flick of switch on the side of the unit.

Should I buy the Keychron K8 Ultra 8K?

Scorecard

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Also consider

How I tested the Keychron K8 Ultra 8K

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Plentiful keyboard experience

I tested the K8 Ultra 8K for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

One of the games I played was Counter-Strike 2, as it serves as the ideal test for peripherals, since it demands fast and precise inputs.

I’ve been using gaming keyboards for years, and reviewed a great number of them, including other Keychron models as well as those from well-known brands like Razer, SteelSeries, and Corsair.

• First reviewed: August 2026
• Read more about how we test

The Motorola Razr 2026 (or Razr 70, as it’s known in the UK and Europe — currently not available in Australia, although the Razr 70 Ultra is) is your cheapest entry point into the world of 2026-era foldable phones. It undercuts its main rival — the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE — with a cheaper list price, while offering more storage and larger screens.

At $799.99 / £799.99, I wouldn’t go as far as to call the Razr 2026 'cheap', especially as it costs $100 more than its predecessor, the Motorola Razr 2025, in the US. But for those looking for the cheapest current-gen foldable, this is the handset to consider.

I really enjoyed using the Razr 2026 for the weeks I had it in for review. I love the design; the two screens are great, with the external display being genuinely usable; the battery life is solid, while its power and camera performance are fine enough — although it isn't going to blow you away on either count.

My main reservation about the Razr 2026 is that it offers very little in the way of advancement over its predecessor. This sameness makes the price increase hard to justify and left me scratching my head as to why Motorola made such minor upgrades.

At the same time, Motorola hasn’t messed with what was already a winning formula. The cover screen integration is superb — it's much better than Samsung’s — and allowed me to use messaging apps with ease, check Google Maps, see what’s coming up in my diary, and keep a check on my fitness stats, all without opening the phone to use the bigger display.

And it feels great in the hand too, with the compact folded size perfect for small bags and pockets, plus it turns heads.

Battery life is another strong point for the Razr 2026, with the phone able to comfortably deliver a day of use from a single charge. And if you don’t use your phone much, you’ll get a day and a half or more — especially if you mainly use the cover display.

The Razr 2026 isn’t as strong when it comes to performance. There can be a noticeable delay when handing off apps between the two screens, and load times can be on the longer side.

This wouldn’t be an issue if the phone were a couple of hundred dollars/pounds cheaper, but considering the non-foldable devices offering flagship performance you can buy at this price point, it’s not the best value for money.

The cameras also don’t offer a truly flagship experience, but they aren’t bad. Plus, the ability to use the main 50MP snapper as a selfie snapper when the Razr 2026 is closed is a huge plus for those who take a lot of this style of photo.

Overall, then, the Motorola Razr 2026 doesn’t revolutionize the market in any way, but if you’re drawn to this compact form factor, it's the best mid-range flip phone you can buy.

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Price and availability

• Starts at $799.99 / £799.99
• The cheapest of Motorola’s latest foldable phones
• Available in the US and UK, but not currently in Australia or India

The Motorola Razr 2026 is the cheapest of the firm’s four latest foldable phones, sitting at the bottom of a trio of flip foldables (including the Razr Plus 2026 and Razr Ultra 2026), with the book-style Razr Fold at the top of the pricing tree.

At $799.99 / £799.99, the Razr 2026 is also the cheapest, latest-generation flip foldable you can buy, undercutting its only real competition — the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE — by $100 / £50 (although the Samsung can now be found at discounted rates).

It is more expensive than Moto’s most premium Edge-series non-folding handset, with the Edge 70 Pro starting at £749.99 in the UK. Yet it’s cheaper than the non-foldable, flagship Motorola Signature at £1,199.99.

If anything, its biggest competition might well be its siblings. The Moto Razr Plus 2026 and Moto Razr Ultra 2026 offer more power, larger external screens, and better cameras for $300 / £200 and $700 / £400 extra, respectively.

Then there’s the previous-generation phone — the Razr 2025 / Razr 60 — which arrived at $100 less than the 2026 model in the US, and features similar specs. The 2025 model is now discounted, making it a more attractive offering if you can find it in stock.

While the Razr 60 is available to buy in the US, UK and Australia at the time of writing, but please note that the Motorola Razr 70 Ultra is available in Australia and other select markets.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Specs

The Motorola Razr 2026 is the entry-level flip foldable in Moto’s trio of clamshells. If you’re after punchier specs, check out the Razr Plus and Razr Ultra.

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Design

• Delightful compact design feels great in hand
• Premium and solid, despite being the entry-level model

In my mind, clamshell foldables make a lot of sense. They still offer the large-screen smartphone experience we expect from modern devices, but fold down into a more pocketable and small-bag-friendly size.

And with the 3.6-inch external display on the Razr 2026, I’m actually able to interact with key apps without it being annoying, plus you can use the main rear cameras to snap selfies, using the external display as your viewfinder.

As a form factor goes, I dig it — and Motorola has refined its offering since it spearheaded the design with the first Motorola Razr (2019) seven years ago.

The metal frame of the Razr 2026 feels solid and well-built, with the power key and volume buttons on the right falling nicely under thumb and finger.

You get a fingerprint scanner built into the power key, and I found it works nicely, with prompt unlocking even when my digit isn’t expertly placed across the entire surface.

When folded in its clamshell mode, the Razr 2026 feels great in the hand, and the textured rear panel on the Sporting Green model I was sent for review provides useful grip.

The Razr 2026 is available in three further colors, Hematite (grey), Bright White, and Violet Ice (pink), although the latter option doesn’t appear to be available in the UK. For those of you in the US, you get all four hues.

Each color has a different textured finish on its rear, with Hematite sporting a woven-inspired finish, Bright White a geometric finish for a bit of shine, and Violet Ice a wave-like pattern.

I was impressed by how sturdy the Razr 2026 felt, with the hinge stable, if a little on the stiff side — if you’re hoping to easily flick this phone open and closed with one hand, you’ll be disappointed. It requires a little more force to do so, which is a good thing, durability-wise, but it’s slightly less satisfying to use compared to the flip phones of the early 2000s.

And that durability extends to the phone’s water resistance capabilities; it can be immersed in up to 1.5m of water for up to 30 minutes.

As with all foldables, thanks to the moving screen and hinge, the phone's dust rating isn’t as high as on traditional phones. If you’re planning a beach trip, be careful not to get sand in the moving parts of this phone.

Included in the box with the phone is a case, allowing you to add extra protection to the handset if you’re so inclined. The plastic shell will keep the metal edges and textured rear safe from dings, but with the case on, it doesn’t feel as nice in the hand, and it looks a bit like a toy. Aesthetics or protection — pick one.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Display

• 3.6-inch outer display is surprisingly usable
• 6.9-inch foldable display is bright, clear, and colorful

As I’ve already alluded to in this review, the Motorola Razr 2026 (or Razr 70 for those of you in the UK and Europe) has two displays.

First up is the 3.6-inch, almost full HD external screen, which is slightly larger than the 3.4-inch offering on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, and it’s a full square, as opposed to the slightly obscure shape on the Samsung.

The two main cameras and the flash do eat into the screen, but I prefer the overall aesthetic Motorola has carried over from the Razr 2025. Considering its size, it’s surprisingly usable.

I was able to easily check notifications, reply to WhatsApp messages, monitor my location on Google Maps, control music on Spotify, scroll through socials, and keep up to date with World Cup 2026 news and scores. In fact, a lot of the apps on the phone were in some way usable on this cover screen — you can even watch Netflix on it if you really want.

If you opt to spend more money, the Razr Plus 2026 and Razr Ultra 2026 have slightly larger outer displays, at 4 inches respectively, as was the case with Motorola’s 2025 range.

Flip the Razr 2026 open, and you’re greeted with a sizable 6.9-inch flexible LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, and a 1080 x 2640 resolution offering 413 ppi pixel density. Again, this is bigger than the internal screen you’ll find on the Galaxy Flip 7 FE (6.7 inches), and that extra size makes the Razr 2026 pretty tall at 171.3mm.

The taller screen gives the illusion that it’s narrower than other phones, but it is in fact wider than the Flip 7 FE, iPhone 17 Pro, Samsung Galaxy 26, and Google Pixel 10 Pro. If you have smaller hands, you might find the Flip 7 FE is easier to hold.

It’s bright, clear, and colorful, and while it doesn’t have a super high resolution, I found it perfectly acceptable for gaming, video streaming, and general use.

While creases in foldable screens have improved over the years, they've not been eradicated. It’s barely noticeable when looking straight-on at the Razr 2026, so the likelihood is you’ll forget it’s there visually most of the time.

Look at the screen at an angle, though, and you’ll spot the crease — but what’s more obvious is the feel. Scroll social feeds and your thumb will run over the undulation in the display. You might find it a little off-putting at first, but I quickly became accustomed to the feel.

Manufacturers have worked hard to improve the durability of foldable screens, and that’s the case with the Razr 2026, yet you still need to be careful. During setup, you’re warned not to remove the factory-fitted screen protector or use a third-party screen protector on the foldable display, as it could cause issues and will void the warranty.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Cameras

• Dual 50MP (wide and ultra-wide) main cameras, plus 32MP selfie
• Clever use of the flip design allows the main cameras to be selfie snappers

The Motorola Razr 2026 comes with a trio of cameras. Two on the ‘back’ of the device, although when folded closed, the pair of 50MP snappers become front-facing.

There’s a main 50MP, f/1.7 camera, and that’s joined by another 50MP ultra-wide snapper with a 122-degree field of view, allowing you to fit more into frame — great for sprawling landscapes and towering skyscrapers.

The third camera is your traditional front-facing option with a 32MP, f/2.4 lens; however, if you want to take selfies, you’re better off closing the Razr 2026 and using the external display as the viewfinder and the 50MP snappers.

These cameras are a slight downgrade from the Razr Plus 2026 and Razr Ultra 2026, with OIS, Pantone Validated Cameras, improved video recording, and better image processing available on those more expensive phones.

If you want the best photography experience from your flip foldable, you should consider these pricier options, as they are more accomplished in this department.

That’s not to say the Motorola Razr 2026 can’t take decent photos. It certainly can, but you’ll need to be in good light, have a steady hand, and ideally not be shooting moving objects.

General shots when out and about in the city and countryside on sunny days come out nicely, with a good level of detail, balanced exposure, and vibrant colors — at least when shooting at 1x.

One area where the Razr 2026 struggles is capturing moving objects such as pets. I spotted some blurring and a shade of lag after pressing the shutter button, meaning I missed the facial expressions and poses of cats and dogs I was attempting to capture.

The dual-lens setup also allows for a 2x optical zoom, letting you get closer to your subject without having to physically move, along with a 10x digital zoom.

You get reasonable quality at 2x, but colors do look more muted than at 1x. Quality dips significantly once you get into the digital zoom, and I’d advise avoiding zooming past 2x if you want clear pictures.

I really like the ability to use the main cameras of the phone as a selfie camera, as you get better quality results. The 32MP camera on the internal foldable display isn’t bad, though, and it’s perfectly serviceable for video calls and the odd snap — but you’ll get better image quality, lighting, and colors by using the 50MP option.

Overall, the Motorola Razr 2026 can take good photos, but if you’re looking for a premium photography experience from your flip foldable, you’ll want to consider the pricier Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Razr Ultra 2026.

• Cameras score: 3.5 / 5

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Camera samples

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Performance

• MediaTek Dimensity 7450X chipset and 8GB of RAM
• Handles social scrolling and video streaming, but intensive tasks can be slow

As I’ve already mentioned, the Razr 2026 is the baby of Motorola’s trio of flip foldables, and thus it comes with a slight performance disadvantage over its more expensive siblings.

Specifically, you get a MediaTek Dimensity 7450X chipset and 8GB of RAM. The good news is there’s enough power here to run your social apps, video streaming services, and most games without much slowdown.

I did notice apps would sometimes take a moment longer to load compared to non-foldable phones around the same price, several of which come with more power under the hood.

I was able to play Clash Royale without gameplay lag, and while I experienced slowdown in load times when playing Asphalt Legends, actual gameplay wasn’t affected.

Motorola helps to enhance gaming on the Razr 2026 with its Gametime toolkit. It automatically triggers when you fire up a game, with a small icon hiding subtly to the side of the screen.

Give it a tap, and you’ll open up a dashboard through which you can manage performance, block notifications, disable adaptive brightness, record gameplay, and more.

An area where I noticed frequent pauses was when I transitioned from using the app on the interior screen to the exterior screen (and vice versa). The Razr 2026 automatically handles the move between screens for you, but you will need to be patient for a second or so as it sorts itself out.

So, the Razr 2026 isn’t going to give you the best bang-for-buck performance, but for most users it shouldn’t be an issue.

There’s just one storage variant of the Razr 2026, with 256GB included in the handset. For most users, that’ll be plenty, plus Google offers a free 15GB of cloud storage too, allowing you to offload photos and videos from the handset while always having access to them. There’s no physical expandable storage (i.e., microSD) though.

And for your audio needs, there are stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos on the Razr 2026, which kick out at a decent volume, although they do sound a little tinny and there’s nothing really in the way of bass.

That’s not a surprise considering the form factor, and there’s Bluetooth for when you want to pair it with a speaker or headphones for an improved sonic experience.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Software

• Runs Android 16 with a clean overlay, but a few bloat apps
• Includes useful Motorola features and gestures

The Motorola Razr 2026 comes with Android 16, and unlike some manufacturers, Moto’s Android skin is pretty lightweight. In fact, it’s probably the closest interface to stock Android, giving you an almost Google Pixel-like look and feel.

It’s not completely devoid of Motorola’s touch. First, the bad: there are a number of pre-installed apps that are forced on you out of the box. On my UK model, I got Amazon Music, LinkedIn, Perplexity, Opera, Adobe Scan, FIFA Heroes, Google Home, and Google Health (Fitbit). Thankfully, they can be uninstalled if you don’t want them, but it’s a touch annoying to have them thrust upon you in the first place.

With that out of the way, we can focus on the good parts of the software, and Motorola’s cover screen implementation is simply fantastic. It functions as a small phone. It’s easy to navigate and add apps to, and if you swipe sideways, there are various panels you can set up, with each one acting like a home screen widget.

That means things like music controls, fitness targets, the weather forecast, and upcoming calendar entries can be just a swipe away. No need to open the app or even unfold the phone. This all works really well, and I loved using the exterior screen because of it. It’s a far better setup than on Samsung’s Flip series.

Plus, if you start using an app on the cover screen — Google Maps, for example — opening the phone will see the app transition to the large display, allowing you to continue what you’re doing without interruption (and vice versa).

Motorola’s clever gestures are also included; a double twist of the wrist will open the camera app, while a double-chop motion will trigger the touch. These gestures are simple, yet wholly effective.

Google’s Gemini is the default AI assistant on the Razr 2026, but Moto AI is also included if you’d prefer to use Motorola’s own LLM.

One negative on the software side of the Razr 2026 is the ongoing support for the phone. Motorola has committed to three years of OS updates for the Razr 2026, which would mean that after 2029 it won’t get new versions of Android.

When the likes of Google and Samsung are offering seven years of updates, three feels particularly stingy for a premium phone. That puts a potentially limiting lifespan on the handset, although it will get security upgrades for five years, which helps soften the blow.

• Software score: 4.5 / 5

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Battery

• 4,800mAh is an upgrade, but it lasts the same as its predecessor
• You can get over a day of usage from the Razr 2026's battery

One of the main upgrades on the Razr 2026 over its predecessor is its battery, with a 4,800mAh silicon-carbon power pack squeezed inside this clamshell design. That’s 300mAh more than the battery in the Razr 2025, and it means you get solid usage before the need to find a charger.

Motorola claims the Razr 2026 offers “over 36 hours on a single charge”, which I found to be achievable in certain use cases.

I found the Motorola Razr 2026 would easily last a full day on a single charge, from 7am to 11pm, with around 30-40% left in the tank as I climbed into bed. It meant that, even if I forgot to plug in the charger, the phone would survive the night and still give me a few hours of use the next day before it died.

With lighter use, and a focus on using the cover display more than the larger screen, the Razr 2026 can deliver between a day and a half and two days of battery life.

If you push the phone harder, such as with lengthy TikTok doom-scrolling sessions or intensive gameplay, the battery does drain faster, and you’ll likely end up needing to charge the Razr 2026 each night.

While the battery is bigger, the phone's longevity remains pretty much the same as its predecessor's. I’d have liked to see a more consistent day-and-a-half-plus of battery life, considering the increase in capacity and newer chipset, but the Razr 2026 still performs well.

When it comes to recharging, 30W wired support provides fast top-ups, although you’ll have to supply your own charging block to reach these speeds. During my tests, I saw the Razr 2026 replenish 9% of its battery in five minutes, 30% in 20 minutes, and 40% in 30 minutes. After an hour, I’d managed to gain back 70% of charge.

While that’s not the fastest charging on the market, it’s quick enough to give you a significant amount of battery before heading out. There’s also 15W wireless charging available if you have a charging pad at home, at work, or in your car.

If you’re looking for strong battery performance, the Razr 2026 outperforms the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, which comes with a 4,000mAh battery and 25W wired charging.

• Battery score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Motorola Razr 2026?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Motorola Razr 2026 review: Also consider

How I tested the Motorola Razr 2026

• Used for two weeks as my personal device
• Day-to-day scrolling social, checking emails, and sending messages
• More intensive video streaming, gaming, and work tasks

I used the Motorola Razr 2026 as my personal device for two weeks, using a Three UK SIM card. During my time with the phone, I used it as I would day-to-day, from scrolling social media, checking emails, and sending messages to streaming video, playing games, and getting work done.

All these tasks were done over Wi-Fi at home, and over a mobile network when out and about. I coupled the variety of locations with high- and low-usage days to get a proper feel for battery life in the real world, and also tested wired and wireless charging.

I took the phone everywhere with me, snapping photos at a variety of locations and in a range of lighting situations.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: July 2026

I liked TP-Link’s BE3200 range extender, which helped to tackle the Wi-Fi deadspot in my office quickly and easily, and at a competitive price.

However, the BE3200 is very much an entry-level option for Wi-Fi 7, with a relatively modest top speed of 3.2Gbps. If you’re looking for something a little faster for gaming or streaming 4K video then you could consider the BE6300 model, which doubles that speed without doubling the price.

Both range extenders keep the price down by sticking with dual-band Wi-Fi, which uses just the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequency bands, but omits the high-speed 6.0GHz band that is available with the fastest Wi-Fi 7 models.

But, as the name suggests, the BE6300 is still almost twice as fast as the BE3200, stepping up to a top speed of 6.3Gbps, which should be more than fast enough for most home users.

As you’ve probably guessed, the term ‘BE6300’ refers to the speed of the range extender, but it’s also known by the model number RE403BE, so keep your eyes peeled if you’re buying online.

TP-Link BE6300 review: Price & release date

• Where is it available? US-only
• Available Now
• Price: $149.99

The BE6300 is currently only available in the US. You can’t buy it direct from TP-Link either, so you’ll need to shop around online, with the average price sitting at around $149.99.

Oddly, though, there is a similar model called the BE6500 (model RE605BE) available in the UK and Australia. This is slightly faster than the BE6300 that we review here, with a top speed of 6.5Gbps, and costs £188.00/AU$265.

TP-Link BE6300 review: Specs

TP-Link BE6300 review: Design

Unsurprisingly, the BE6300 looks very similar to its little brother, with a chunky, white rectangular design that plugs straight into any convenient mains power supply.

However, the extra speed of this model means that it requires a little more power and the BE5300 is therefore quite a bit larger, and also sprouts an extra pair of antennae – four in total - to boost performance.

The body of the BE6300 measures 161mm high, but unfolding the top and bottom antennae extends that to a full 261mm. It’s wider too, at 81mm, which means that the bulky device could block any adjacent power sockets if you have two or more sockets that sit close together.

You’ll also need plenty of room if you want to use the Ethernet port that's located on the right-hand side of the range extender. Mind you, it’s possible to plug the BE6300 into a mains extender, rather than plugging it straight into a wall socket, although that’s not a very neat solution as it leaves you with additional cables trailing on the floor.

TP-Link BE6300 review: Features

As mentioned, the BE6300 provides dual-band Wi-Fi 7, using the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequency bands with a top speed of 6.3Gbps.

It may not support the high-speed 6.0GHz band, but it does include a Wi-Fi 7 feature called MLO – multi-link operation – that allows computers and mobile devices with Wi-Fi 7 to boost performance by transmitting data on both bands simultaneously. The Ethernet port on this model is faster too, now running at 2.5Gbps.

As we’ve seen before, TP-Link’s Tether app is well designed and easy to use, making it easy to get started even if you’ve never used a range extender before. It recommends that you initially plug the BE6300 into a power socket close to your main broadband router in order to avoid any interference during the initial set-up process.

The app is then able to automatically detect the range extender and guides you through the process of connecting it to both the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz networks set up by your main router.

If you want to keep things simple then you can tell the range extender to just use the same network name and password as your original network, or you can give the range extender a new name and password for extra security.

Once that’s done you can unplug the range extender and move it closer to the room where you need to boost the Wi-Fi signal. The app can help here too, by checking the strength of the Wi-Fi signal so that you can find the best spot to place it.

The app can also show you all the devices that are connected to the range extender, and allows you to block devices, such as a child’s tablet or smartphone at night-time. There’s also an Eco mode that helps to reduce power consumption, and you can schedule a time for the range extender to turn itself off as well.

TP-Link BE6300 review: Performance

I have a Wi-Fi deadspot in an office at the back of my building, and when I tested the less expensive BE3200, I found that its 2.4GHz band couldn’t quite achieve the full speed of 150Mbps provided by my office broadband service.

That was no longer a problem when I set up the BE6300 in a nearby hallway, and it was easily able to maintain a smooth 150Mbps for both the Ookla Speed Test and for file downloads from Steam. Needless to say, the faster 5.0GHz band worked equally well, cruising along at 150Mbps throughout all my tests.

Not everyone will need a range extender with a speed of 6.3Gbps, so many homes will still get perfectly good performance from a less expensive range extender such as the BE3200. But, if you do need strong performance for gaming or streaming video, then the BE6300 fits the bill at a competitive price.

Should you buy the TP-Link BE6300?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed August 2026

Until now, DJI's compact wireless mic lineup has had a clear budget option in the Mic Mini series and a clear flagship in the Mic series, with a gulf of features and price separating the two. The Mic Mini 2S changes things, and slots right into that gulf. It's not quite a flagship-killer, but with this release, DJI now has three tiers of small wireless mic — and this middle one is very appealing.

Much of the flagship DJI Mic 3's DNA has trickled down into the Mic Mini 2S: internal recording, 32-bit float support, AI-driven noise cancellation, adaptive gain modes, fast file transfers. These were all things that, until now, meant paying a premium. The Mini 2S borrows them wholesale, wraps them in the same pocket-sized transmitter and case as the standard Mic Mini 2, and undercuts the Mic 3 comfortably on price.

Audio quality is superb. Whether I was recording via the receiver connected to a camera or going wireless direct to an OsmoAudio device, the results were clean, full-bodied and detailed. An impressive feat for a supposedly budget offering.

Noise cancellation is another highlight. The new AI-assisted system handled everything I threw at it, from a droning desk fan to a chatter-filled pub garden, with a level of polish that puts some real distance between the Mini 2S and its S-less little sibling. It's not quite at the level of the class-leading Insta360 Mic Pro, but it's a comfortable step up from the standard Mic Mini 2's basic noise reduction.

Having tested both the Mic Mini 2 and Mic 3 extensively as well as the Mini 2S, I'd say the average creator might struggle to justify paying the Mic 3 premium now. Those with more demanding needs still have reasons to look past the Mini 2S, though: the Mic 3 offers more than double the onboard storage per transmitter, a touchscreen receiver display for on-the-fly monitoring, dual-file recording, onboard timecode, and more granular gain control — stuff which probably matters for professional productions.

For everyone else, the Mini 2S is the new sweet spot in DJI's range. It's a tiny mic that really punches above its weight.

DJI Mic Mini 2S: price and release date

• Released August 4 2026, priced from £59 / AU$99 to £183 / AU$328
• Sold in four separate bundles, plus individual transmitters, charging cases and cover sets
• Available globally — aside from in the US

The Mic Mini 2S launched globally on August 4 2026, not long after the Mic Mini 2's April 2026 arrival. I say "globally", but as with every other DJI product released recently, it isn't officially available in the US, with the company blaming ongoing regulatory hurdles.

The Mini 2S comes in a wide range of configurations. At the low end, a single transmitter (TX) costs £59 / AU$99, while receivers (RX) add to the cost. The core bundles are the DJI Mic Mini 2S (1 TX + 1 RX) and the DJI Mic Mini 2S (1 TX + 1 Mobile RX + Charging Case), both priced at £79 / AU$149. Stepping up, the DJI Mic Mini 2S (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) costs £169 / AU$279, while the priciest option, at £183 / AU$328, has 2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case as well as a Mobile RX.

It's a big price jump over the Mic Mini 2, where equivalent bundles cost roughly half as much: £29 for a standalone transmitter and £89 for the full 2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case kit. It also puts the Mini 2S's 2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case at the same price as the entry-level Mic 3 bundle (£169 for 1 TX + 1 RX).

DJI Mic Mini 2S: specs

DJI Mic Mini 2S: Design

• Looks nearly identical to the Mic Mini 2
• Features swappable magnetic covers in range of colors
• Redesigned charging case now fits the 3.5mm cable

If you've seen the Mic Mini 2, you already know what the Mini 2S looks like. DJI has barely touched the exterior: the transmitters are the same size with the same interchangeable magnetic front covers (available in the same range of colors, from timeless black to a fetching shade of magenta). The receiver, too, is essentially unchanged, which means there's no onboard display to keep an eye on gain or adjust settings; you'll need to open up the Mimo app on your smartphone to do that.

The family resemblance is generally no bad thing. At just 0.4oz / 12g with a cover attached, I barely noticed the transmitter magnet-attached to my shirt, and I couldn't feel it at all when clipped to the peak of a baseball cap. The detachable clip still rotates through 360 degrees (in 90-degree increments) so the mic capsule can be aimed correctly whichever way you've mounted it, and the magnet option remains handy for thinner fabrics where a clip might snag.

There is one small but positive design change: DJI has found room for the 3.5mm cable inside the charging case (something the Mic Mini 2's case couldn't manage) which means the entire two-transmitter setup, cables, windshields and mounting options included, now fits in one pocketable case. With portability being a huge part of the appeal for a mic like this, it's a step in the right direction.

DJI Mic Mini 2S: Performance

• Offers internal recording with 14.5GB of storage space on transmitters
• Includes AI noise cancelling, improving on the Mic Mini 2's system
• Transmitter battery life roughly in line with Mic Mini 2's, and better than Mic 3's

The Mic Mini 2S's marquee upgrade over the Mic Mini 2 is internal recording, which I think is a huge deal. Every previous Mic Mini had to transmit to something — either a receiver, or an OsmoAudio device — to be of any use, but the Mini 2S transmitter can function just fine all on its own. With around 14.5GB of usable storage on each transmitter, it can store up to 28 hours of 24-bit recordings, or around 22 hours of 32-bit float recordings.

For those who aren't familiar, 32-bit float (which is available on the DJI Mic 3 but not the Mic Mini or Mini 2) doesn't inherently make your recordings sound better, but rather dramatically widens the available dynamic range. If levels unexpectedly spike or dip during a recording, 32-bit float gives you far more room to correct for that in post without clipping or losing detail. It's less about raw quality and more about insuring you're covered when recording in unpredictable environments.

Another upgrade over the Mic Mini 2 is 4TX + 1RX support, meaning you can record from four separate transmitters onto a single receiver. I'd say this is a much more situational addition: handy if you're recording podcasts, panel discussions or similar, but not something most solo creators will need day to day.

File transfers are roughly twice as fast as the Mic Mini 2's when pulling recordings off the transmitter via the charging case. If you're regularly transferring lengthy 32-bit float recordings, those saved minutes might add up — but again, it's a situational improvement.

Noise canceling is where I noticed the clearest real-world improvement over the Mic Mini 2. The Mini 2S's AI-assisted system does a better job than the older mic's more basic noise reduction: it very nearly eliminated a loud desk fan running in my office, and noticeably cut through background chatter when I tested it in a busy pub garden so that my and my wife's voices remained nice and clear. For context, I still rate the Insta360 Mic Pro as the best noise-canceling wireless mic I've tested, but it also costs considerably more than this.

Alongside noise canceling, the Mini 2S also gets DJI's adaptive gain features, Clipping Control and Loudness Balance (previously available on the DJI Mic 3 but not the Mic Mini 2). The former automatically pulls back gain to stop sudden loud moments from distorting, while the latter lifts quieter sounds to even out levels — useful if you're recording somewhere volume might swing unpredictably.

The Mic Mini 2S's audio quality is superb no matter how you use it. It supports quality up to 96kHz/24-bit with the receiver connected to a camera, or up to 48kHz/24-bit over a direct OsmoAudio connection, plus the aforementioned 32-bit float. Frankly, I don't think most people (myself definitely included) would be able to reliably pick a Mini 2S recording out from one made on the considerably pricier flagship Mic 3, which says a lot about how good this is for a supposedly budget microphone.

On the battery life front, things are roughly the same as they were on the Mic Mini 2: a transmitter can record for a round 11 hours on a full charge, while the receiver can keep going for around ten. With two transmitters, the receiver and a charging case, you can expect around 40 hours of combined use before needing to track down a power socket.

That's a bit worse than the Mic Mini 2 (which offers 11.5 hours, 10 hours and 48 hours across the transmitter, receiver and charging case), but much better than the Mic 3 (8 hours, 10 hours and 28 hours respectively).

Should I buy the DJI Mic Mini 2S?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

DJI Mic Mini 2S: also consider

How I tested the DJI Mic Mini 2S

• Two weeks of testing indoors and outdoors
• Connected to Panasonic Lumix GH6, iPhone 13, OnePlus Pad and DJI Osmo Action 6
• Also tested using internal recording without a receiver or camera

I was sent a review sample of the DJI Mic Mini 2S (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) kit, and tested it for a couple of weeks, putting it through its paces in a range of indoor and outdoor conditions from quiet offices to windy walks and busy public spaces. I paired it with my Panasonic Lumix GH6 mirrorless camera, my iPhone 13, a OnePlus Pad tablet and the DJI Osmo Action 6 via OsmoAudio, testing both wireless transmission and manual connections. I also tested the Mini 2S's headline new feature directly, using the transmitter as a standalone recorder with no receiver or camera involved at all.

• First reviewed: August 2026
• Read more about how we test

Wi-Fi 8 may be looming on the horizon, but routers and range extenders that use Wi-Fi 7 can still be pretty expensive.

One way of keeping prices down is to provide basic dual-band support, which uses the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequency bands while omitting the high-performance 6.0GHz band.

Dual-band routers and range extenders can still perform well, though, as we’ve seen with TP-Link’s BE3200 and BE6300 extenders. But, if you want to pay a little extra in order to get maximum performance then you could step up to its top-of-the-range BE10000 model.

This is a tri-band range extender that adds support for the 6.0GHz band, boosting the maximum Wi-Fi speed to a blazing 10Gbps. You’ll need computers or mobile devices that have Wi-Fi 7 – or Wi-Fi 6E, which also supports the 6.0GHz band – to get the full benefit of the BE10000, but it could be a great option for boosting the Wi-Fi connection for gaming or streaming video in one or two rooms that suffer from a Wi-Fi ‘deadspot’ within your home.

TP-Link BE10000 review: Price & release date

• Where is it available? US-only
• Available Now
• Price: $199.99

The BE10000 is currently only available in the US, and you can’t buy it directly from TP-Link’s own web site so you’ll need to shop around online or try to find it in a local bricks-and-mortar retailer. Online prices also seem to vary a lot too. TP-Link quotes a price of $199.99, but we’ve seen prices ranging from $149 - $249, so it’s definitely worth comparing prices before buying.

The BE10000 is not available in the UK or Australia, although there is a similar model called the BE11000 available in those regions that – you won’t be surprised to find - runs at 11Gbps.

However, this is priced at a rather hefty £299.99/$449, which is considerably higher than the price of the BE10000 in the US, even if you take into account the slightly faster speed of 11Gbps.

TP-Link BE10000 review: Specs

TP-Link BE10000 review: Features

At first glance, the BE10000 looks very similar to the dual-band BE6300, with a bulky rectangular design and four large antennae. However, the BE10000 is even larger, with the body of the range extender measuring 161mm high, although this increases to a full 350mm with the antennae fully extended.

You’ll need a power socket with plenty of free room around it in order to plug in the BE10000, and I found that it was so wide – at 81mm – that it also blocked the adjacent power socket in my office as well. You’ll also need a bit of extra space if you want to plug an Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port on the side of the range extender.

It may be big and bulky, but the tri-band BE10000 certainly earns its keep. The name implies a Wi-Fi speed of 10Gbps, although it’s actually 10.2Gbps, which is more than fast enough to handle gaming and streaming video, while the 2.5Gbps Ethernet port provides a high-speed wired connection as well.

As always, TP-Link’s Tether app makes it easy to get started. You do need to initially plug the BE10000 into a power socket close to your main broadband router, but the Tether app can then automatically detect the range extender and guide you through the process of linking it to your existing Wi-Fi network.

The app allows you to connect to the 2.4GHz, 5.0GHz and 6.0GHz bands separately, perhaps to devote the fastest 6.0GHz band to a gaming PC that needs maximum performance.

The app’s security features allow you to set different network names and passwords for each band, or you can simply carry on using the same name and password as your main Wi-Fi router. Other features include the ability to boost the power supply to the BE10000 in order to increase the range of its Wi-Fi signal, or you can use Eco Mode to save power instead.

TP-Link BE10000 review: Performance

I have an office that suffers from a Wi-Fi deadspot in my building, but I almost feel that I should apologise to the BE10000 for asking it to tolerate my puny office Wi-Fi.

I placed the range extender in a hallway, about halfway between my main broadband router and the office with the deadspot, and the BE10000 seemed to roll its eyes – or, rather, its blinking LEDs – as it picked up my feeble 150Mbps Wi-Fi signal and boosted it into that office.

Unsurprisingly, the BE10000 was able to hit the full 150Mbps on all three frequency bands, when running the Ookla Speed Test and also downloading large game files from Steam.

Ironically, though, that effortless performance is the only real disadvantage of the BE10000. Its 10.2Gbps Wi-Fi 7 is so fast that few homes really need that level of performance. But, if you have a gaming PC with Wi-Fi 7, or that is used for streaming 4K video, then the BE10000 will eliminate any troublesome Wi-Fi deadspots with no trouble at all.

Should you buy the TP-Link BE6300?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also Consider

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed August 2026

It's unfair to call The Last House the worst movie of the year, but it's definitely not what I expected from the best streaming service, especially considering that Netflix had spent a lot of time promoting it, even creating a billboard featuring a live actor inside. The movie is being promoted everywhere, so it's a shame that it has received largely negative reviews, including mine.

What has been hyped up as a tense thriller about a family sealed inside their home ended up being a massive letdown. I understand that being stuck at home is boring for the characters, but we shouldn't have had to suffer along with them.

The trailer for The Last House spoiled that the family spends years trapped inside their home, not just a few days. Had I not known about that reveal, I might've considered that to be an effective twist in the tale. But I went in already knowing it was about to happen.

I really am trying to find positives here, and the main one is the quality of the acting. Despite the fact that the story drags on, the family dynamic on show here is very believable, particularly from Greta Lee and Wagner Moura, who play parents trying to keep the house in order after a mysterious storm traps them at home.

They do their best to keep calm, even when the windows and doors can't even be opened, by smashing glass or forcing locks. The first 15 minutes of the movie seem promising as they begin to sort out a long-term plan, and then it completely loses control of itself as it trundles towards an unsatisfying conclusion.

The strength of the performances can't save the confusing script, however. The Last House suffers from an identity crisis where it can't quite decide what genre it wants to be. Though billed as a thriller, there aren't many thrills until the rushed final act. It's also not polished enough to be a thought-provoking drama, as I was left with more questions than answers.

There's also some unnecessary (in my opinion) cruelty towards animals, so those who frequent Does The Dog Die? will absolutely want to give this one a miss. I found this scene to be quite jarring, and not in the complimentary way I might apply to other thrillers or horror movies.

I really did expect more from The Last House, especially since the eventual creature design is well done. We don't see nearly enough of the threat, or learn anything about it or why it kept people trapped for years. If you want a proper answer at the end of the movie, you won't get it.

It's always a shame when a trailer or idea looks good, but the final product is not at all what you were expecting. Ultimately, that's my experience with The Last House; it could have been so much better but quickly ran out of steam.

There are far better movies to stream on Netflix, as well as an impressive line-up of new movies in theaters, so you might want to skip this one and find something that will actually deliver on its promise as a thriller.

If you're searching for a high-quality and compact lens for your Sony or Nikon mirrorless camera, then the excellent value Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO is well worth considering.

Compared to Nikon and Sony's own alternatives, the Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 strikes a balance of premium design, compact size and reasonable pricing most compellingly of all.

For $299 / £279 (approximately AU$500), you get a wide-angle prime with bright f/2.8 aperture, rugged metal body that measures just 25.8mm in length, rubber-sealed mount, twin dials and a fabulous magnetic lens cap design.

Not only is the Viltrox lens around half the price of the Nikon alternative, but it packs more features, while Sony's closest alternative is a physically larger and pricier 24mm F2.8.

Viltrox's lens isn't perfect, mind you; optically it's not the sharpest lens I've used and the maximum f/2.8 aperture setting is prone to flare, which reduces contrast. Autofocus can be a little fussy too.

Those drawbacks aside, the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO is another high-quality hit from the established Chinese lens manufacturer that deserves to live on your Sony or Nikon camera.

Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO: price and availability

• Available in Sony E and Nikon Z-mount versions
• It costs $299 / £279 (around AU$500), with a 10% discount at launch
• A magnetic lens cap and filter is supplied

The Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO full-frame lens launched for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z mount mirrorless cameras. It can also be used with either's APS-C cameras, with which it has an effective 39mm focal length. The lens costs $299 / £279 (not directly available in Australia), but I regularly see 10-15% discounts on the Viltrox site and at Amazon. At the time of writing, there's 10% off the 26mm lens.

Viltrox has another autofocus pancake lens, the 28mm f/4.5, which is just one third of the price. However, that lens is much more basic, and for a fair comparison on value, consider Nikon's own 26mm f/2.8 pancake lens, which has a slightly simpler design yet is almost double the price.

Sony's choices are much more varied — there are low-cost (and lower quality) options such as the 20mm F2.8, while premium options such as the 24mm F2.8 are pricier and physically much larger. TTArtisan sells a AF 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens that costs around $130 / £110 less, but I've not tested that lens.

So while the 26mm F2.8 EVO is hardly cheap for a Viltrox lens, it is still excellent value considering its quality and the available alternatives. I think it's an excellent quality to size and price ratio. For other primes, check out my best Sony lenses and best Nikon lenses guides.

Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO: specs

Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO: design

• Just 25.8mm in length and 6oz / 170g
• Metal components, rubber-sealed mount
• Clever magnetic lens hood

Lightweight, rugged and convenient, the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO fits the bill for everyday photography.

It's clearly made from premium materials, with a metal barrel and rear mount with rubber seal to keep out moisture and dust.

And despite its compact dimensions, the lens fits an impressive number of controls, squeezing in focus and aperture control rings. Unsurprisingly, each ring is very narrow, and getting a secure grip on the focus ring is a little fiddly, but I certainly prefer having those shrunk-down controls rather than none at all.

The aperture ring is clicked with no option to de-click it for video use. Again, I'm not surprised about this given how small the lens is — there really is no spare space to fit this control.

Like all recent Viltrox lenses, the 26mm pancake features a USB-C port in its rear mount, through which firmware updates can be installed.

The simple optical construction comprises eight elements in six groups, and includes two aspherical elements. The front lens element is tiny. In fact, the 43mm filter thread isn't even built into the lens itself, but the supplied lens hood.

Said dual-purpose lens hood is suitably compact, but I found it didn't provide the sort of protection against lens flare that I would hope for (more on this in the performance section).

The lens hood has a neat trick up its sleeve mind you — it's magnetic. The supplied lens cap snaps onto the lens hood magnetically, doing away with the traditional pinch lock lens cap design. The hood screws onto the lens, but you can bypass the hood because the front of the lens is also magnetic.

Viltrox's neat magnetic system is a revelation, and I hope other lens manufacturers follow suit. It might not be suitable for all lens types mind you, say those with floating lens elements which use electromagnetism, such as Viltrox's own 85mm F1.4 Pro.

Close focusing goes down to 0.2m, which delivers a maximum 0.2x magnification. This is no close up lens, therefore, but I've certainly tested plenty of lenses with a lesser maximum magnification factor.

At launch, the 26mm lens is available in Sony E and Nikon Z-mount versions. There's no word yet on L-mount or X-mount versions (nor Canon RF, as per usual).

To truly appreciate the benefit of its compact dimensions and lightweight 6oz / 170g design, cameras such as the Sony A7C series and the Nikon Z f series are a good bet. And as a full-frame lens, you can also use it with APS-C cameras with a 1.5x crop factor, such as the Sony A6700 and Nikon Z50 II. It could be a fabulous option with the Lumix S9 or Sigma BF too, should an L-mount version land.

Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO: Performance

• Bright maximum f/2.8, but risk of strong lens flare at this setting
• Detail is impressively sharp for such a small lens
• Autofocus is decent, but I've used snappier lenses

Viltrox's smaller 28mm F4.5 lens wins for compact size and price, but for image quality, the 26mm F2.8 EVO is a step up.

True, it's not the sharpest lens I've ever used, but optical quality impresses, especially given how small and lightweight the lens is.

I regularly used the lens' maximum f/2.8 aperture setting, with which it's possible to get shallow depth of field and pleasant enough bokeh. There's no discernible drop in sharpness at this setting from the peak f/5.6 to f/8 settings, either.

However, lens flare is prominent at f/2.8 when shooting towards the sun and strong light sources, which massively reduces contrast. In some scenarios I rather liked the effect — it was at times characterful and dreamy. At other times, I wished the distortion was better controlled.

Vignetting (darker corners) is also visible at f/2.8, though nothing too dramatic, and remains even up to f/8. The worst of these lens distortions would be less noticeable when pairing the lens with an APS-C camera where the outer portion of the image is cropped out. Otherwise, using f/4 to f/11 aperture settings delivered impressively sharp images, generally free from severe lens distortion.

I tested the lens exclusively with a Nikon Z6 II camera. Not the latest mirrorless camera by any means (that'll be the Z6 III), but one with snappy autofocus and subject detection modes. Even still, I found myself fighting focus hunting more than usual when using the Viltrox lens, compared to a lens like, say, my Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 S.

I'll try the Viltrox 26mm lens with another camera when I get the chance, but so far I'm not fully impressed with its autofocus performance.

Should I buy the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO

• Viltrox sent me the Z-mount version of the 26mm lens
• I paired it with my own full-frame Nikon Z6 II
• I regularly used the lens for a month, across a wide range of scenarios

I used the Z-mount version of the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO lens with my own Nikon Z6 II full-frame mirrorless camera regularly over the course of one month. My main focus was real world use over technical studio-based tests, though I typically use lenses in scenarios that test their technical capabilities.

For example, I took the same photo in a sequence to see how quality compares using each of the lens' full aperture settings, starting at f/2.8 through to f/16. I checked for bokeh, lens distortion and sharpness at each setting, too.

I was particularly keen to check quality of the maximum f/2.8 aperture, and how the lens copes in strong daylight, especially with such a small lens hood supplied. I photographed landscapes, portraits and documentary-style moments.

First reviewed August 2026

I’ve tested a fair few of the more expensive options we recommend in our best open earbuds roundup, such as the Cleer Arc 5 and, more recently, the Shokz OpenDots Air.

But a new release has me wondering why you’d spend much more money on a form factor which, honestly, hasn’t changed that much.

When I tested the Baseus Inspire XC1 last year, I thought they were a great affordable alternative to the best on the market, but the brand said “hold my beer” with its newer, even-cheaper buds.

These are the Baseus Bowie MC2, which cost much less than the XC1; they’re some of the lowest-cost open earbuds I’ve tested to date, but you’re not getting too much of a feature or audio downgrade with the greatly-reduced price.

Is that because these are secretly super-buds, or because, at the end of the day, there’s really not much scope for variation in any earbuds of this form factor? I’m starting to come down in the latter camp, and the Bowie MC2 is a good example of why I’d personally pick a cheap pair of cuff-style buds over a premium proposition.

The Baseus do what you’d need for sports-targeted clip-on buds, and throw in precisely nothing you won’t need. The battery life is respectably long, netting you over 11 hours of listening on a single charge, and at least 55 hours when you factor in the charging case. Perfect.

The buds are comfortable to wear for long stretches, with the harder plastic arch of the XC1 swapped out for softer silicone, and a little soft pad around the bud making sure these don’t rub or scratch at all. They’re also pretty light, at 5.1g each.

While audiophiles won’t be impressed by the sound here, which emphasizes a hefty low-end over neutrality and sonic nuance (unusual in an open design, but it’s what you’d expect from workout-focused buds), I imagine many buyers will be happy with what they hear. The sound doesn’t match the XC1 though; there’s no Bose tuning or dual drivers.

One gripe I have is with the charging case. It’s a little bigger than I’m used to with clip-style buds, but it also has magnets that only let you use the right bud in the right gap, and the left bud in the left recess, which makes returning the buds a little finicky (unlike 'regular' wireless earbuds, most clip-style buds let you put 'em in either side to charge). Said case is also a serious fingerprint magnet, which might not annoy many people, but it quickly made my review sample look a bit grubby, and to me it matters.

A fingerprint-gathering charging case? Is that really what I’m complaining about here? The fact that that’s where I’ve gone suggests these are pretty decent for the price.

Baseus Bowie MC2 review: Price and release date

• Launched in early July, 2026
• Sells for $79.99 / £89.99 (about AU$180)
• Only a few more affordable options

The Baseus Bowie MC2 were released in early July 2026, less than a year on from the release of the XC1. I’m going to keep comparing these products, because that’s my reference point, but the Inspire line is slightly different to the Bowie lineup, so these aren’t direct siblings — more like cousins, if you will.

You can buy the Bowie MC2 for $79.99 / £89.99 (about AU$180, but they’re not available in Australia yet). In the US, I’ve already seen discounts on the buds, down to $59.99, a mere month after their launch.

The price makes the buds pretty affordable, sitting well below the $/£100 line that I usually to denote budget options. Their only serious budget rival is the Soundpeats Clip1, which go for $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$79.99.

Baseus Bowie MC2 review: Specs

Baseus Bowie MC2 review: Features

• Fantastic 11+ hour battery life
• Baseus app has EQ and presets...
• ... but not much else

As someone who rarely remembers to charge tech, I love the battery life of the Baseus Bowie MC2. The buds are great for longer exercises; the case is great for longer holidays.

Baseus puts the buds battery life at 11.5 hours, but that’s if you use its bass boosting tech. Turn that off, and you get at least an hour more. That’s a surprisingly great stamina flex for these little buds. The case also has a fantastic life: 55 hours, or 60 if you’re not listening with super-bass. Those numbers are all much higher than average for this kind of product. You love to see it.

Your battery might drop quicker than expected, though. I found that putting the earbuds in the case didn’t turn them off, as with the vast majority of other buds out there. I had to manually stop the music playing for them to time out.

The features section is where we’d normally discuss ANC… except for open earbuds, which generally don’t include the tech. So why am I bringing it up? Well, call me crazy, but I feel like the ear cushion here does muffle surrounding sound a little bit. Not a huge amount, but as someone who’s tested ANC (and, more relevantly, bad ANC), I feel like it mutes a little sound.

You can use the Baseus app for some extra features, if you want — saying that, I don’t remember the last time I used a companion app for earbuds that feels this janky, with oddly-translated phrases and a layout that doesn’t cater for various phone sizes.

It’s a little barebones, as these apps go, but it has the basics. There’s an equalizer, with eight presets or an eight-band custom mode, a low-latency mode, set-up for multipoint connectivity, the ability to change what the on-ear controls do, and a few other small tweaks. The main one is toggling of Bass Boost, not that you’d ever want to turn that off.

I’d recommend downloading the app if you don’t like the Baseus Bowie MC2’s default sound profile, but if you’re happy, there’s not much need to take up the phone space.

• Features score: 3.5/5

Baseus Bowie MC2 review: Design

• Lightweight and comfortable
• Ear cushions bring some benefits
• A few minor charging case quirks

Let’s start with the case, shall we? It’s a 52g pebble which charges via a USB-C port and comes in white, black or blue (like the buds themselves).

I’m not sold on this case. It feels like it’s made from cheap plastic, and the lid feels a little fragile when you open it. I feel like I could snap it off if I'm not careful. The case is also a real fingerprint magnet, which admittedly won’t annoy many people, but I’d have liked something cleaner-looking.

The real annoyance of the case is in its magnets. You see, most cuff earbuds don’t assign one as the left and one as the right bud; they’re identical, after all, so you can put whichever bud you want in whichever slot. Not on the Baseus, though. Magnets stop you putting the wrong bud in the wrong gap, so when you return them to the case, it’s a game of trial and error to get the right one in the right slot. A game which only takes a matter of seconds, admittedly, but it’s a minor annoyance that I’ve not found in alternatives.

Now, onto the buds. They’re pretty light, at 5.1g each, and thanks to the soft material making up the arch, they’re more flexible than many alternatives I’ve tested. They’re IP67-rated too, so they should survive full immersion in shallow water for a limited time, along with a healthy dose of dust.

Like all cuff-style open earbuds, they consist of a large-housing counterweight which sits behind your ear, the arch, and a bud which rests in your ear well (never into your ear canal). But there’s something novel: the bud comes with an ear cushion, to stop it rubbing when you run. Admittedly, this is a problem I’ve never personally faced, but it’s good to see there are innovations yet to be made in this form factor. Like the case, the cushion picks up dirt, though. Swings and roundabouts.

There are touch controls on the earbuds, including a physical button, but I found it incredibly hard to press while on the go. I’d invariably end up twisting the bud or pulling it off my ear, instead of triggering the function.

• Design score: 4/5

Baseus Bowie MC2 review: Sound quality

• Single 11mm driver per bud
• Bass tech gives low-end heft
• LDAC support, but only if you deactivate bass

Baseus has loaded the Bowie MC2 with a custom-built 11mm dynamic driver, so you’re not getting the dual-driver system of some alternative Baseus open-ears. Instead of using a dedicated low-end driver, the brand is using what it calls ‘SuperBass 3.0’ to solve the ear problem.

What ear problem? Well, while all open-ears use directional audio to beam sound into your ear, it’s a little harder with lower frequencies which aren’t conducted as well by air (and remember, there's no seal betwixt ear tip and ear canal in this design). Different brands use different solutions to ensure their open earbuds still offer some level of bass in playback, and Baseus has gone for something it calls SuperBass. This ramps up the power of the low-end frequencies, while trying to retain some clarity.

As you can imagine, then, the sound profile of the MC2 heavily favors the lower-end. Bass is prominent, and fairly well-rounded too, offering a reasonably energetic rhythm to accompany your workout.

I won’t pretend that bass doesn’t sit above other instruments here. In something like Michigan Rattlers’ Time to Move On, the bass guitar is audible above the acoustic guitar it’s meant to accompany. Kasabian’s Superpowers sounds like a duet between a man and his bass guitar. These buds aren’t for people who like a neutral sound profile.

Whether or not you use the EQ to remove some bass, you’ll be surprised to learn that there are no significant audio trade-offs in the mid-range or high-end. Both retain more detail and clarity than you’d expect from bass-heavy buds… mostly. They can sometimes struggle with dissonance from hi-hats or twangy guitars in certain songs, but for the most part, I was impressed.

If you have a good Android phone, you can listen via LDAC, but this’ll drop the battery life somewhat. However you can’t use it if you’ve got that bass-boosting mode enabled, so you’ll have to make a choice about which you opt for.

• Sound quality: 3.5/5

Baseus Bowie MC2 review: Value

• Undercut key rivals from Shokz and Bose
• A few alternatives cost even less though…

These are some of the cheapest open earbuds I’ve tested, and they do all the same things that premium options do. They’re comfy, they last for a while, the play music. Tick, tick, tick. Why shell out twice as much for a name-brand model?

Honestly, there’s not really much reason to pay more for other buds. However that goes both ways: there’s a more affordable version of these called the Bowie MC2 Air, which is even cheaper, and it’s worth checking that model out too (though I haven’t tested it).

• Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Baseus Bowie MC2?

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

Baseus Bowie MC2 review: Also consider

Looking for other affordable clip-style earbuds? Here are a few we've tested and would recommend.

How I tested the Baseus Bowie MC2

• Tested for two weeks
• Paired with Android phones for music, podcasts, movies and games
• Used during multiple activities, including sports

I tested the Baseus Bowie MC2 for just over two weeks to put them through our paces. That's the minimum time we'd take to test out an audio product like this.

Over this period I tested them for a range of activities including gym sessions and runs, as well as on walks around my local area and trips further afield on public transport.

The earbuds were paired to two different Android phones over the testing process, and were mainly used for Spotify and Tidal tracks. I did conduct some calls, play some games and watch some TV using them though.

I've been reviewing tech for TechRadar since early 2019, and have tested countless open earbuds in that time. That includes past models from Baseus, and some of the rivals I cite in this review.

• First reviewed in August 2026

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

But what does it promise, exactly? Now, compared to a lot of AI photo editors, things here are a little different. This isn't a platform for touching up your holiday snaps or brightening up social media posts.

The emphasis here is on business use. Effectively, if you run an online store or similar, then you use Photoroom to transform staid, dull product shots into more enticing and engaging imagery that pops off the page.

Keen to see how it's developed since we last reviewed it three years ago - AI has come a long way since then - I tried out the platform to see what I could create.

Photoroom: Pricing & plans

• Online service via browser, iOS and Android app
• Aimed at businesses large and small
• Reasonably priced subscriptions and free trial

You can check out Photoroom by clicking here.

The platform is available online through a dedicated app for your iPhone or Android phone, or if you’re working on a computer, via your favourite web browser. Unlike many I've tested, you're not restricted to either Chrome or Edge here.

As with any online service, you need to subscribe to it to use it with a monthly cost billed annually. Photoroom comes in three tiers.

‘Pro', recommended for ‘solopreneurs’, will cost you $13 per month, billed annually. This level grants you 4,250 AI credits monthly, allows you to perform 1,000 exports, and comes with Photoroom’s standard set of tools.

The middle tier is ‘Max’ and is designed for small businesses. For $35 a month (again, billed annually - all tiers are), your credits are upped to 12,000, your exports to 3,000, and the advanced ‘Video Generator’ tool is now available.

Finally, there’s 'Ultra', for “growing brands”. You’re given 20,000 AI credits,10,000 exports, and can create videos and images in 4K, all for $100 a month.

If you’re looking for a more bespoke option, there’s a tailor-made Enterprise tier, with a tailor-made cost to match.

I recommend checking prices as Photoroom often offer discounts on those standard prices. Plus, you can try any of these tiers free for seven days, although don’t forget to cancel your trial before that should you decide not to carry on with the service and you’re needlessly charged a hefty sum for your forgetfulness.

Photoroom was generous enough to grant me access to their Ultra tier, so let’s see what it’s capable of, and what you can do with all those AI credits.

• Pricing & plans: 4 / 5

Photoroom: Interface

• Simple, well designed, and clear interface
• Easy ways to import images and work on them
• For an online service, I was impressed

The interface is simple and well organised. Once you’ve logged in to your account, you’ll find a sidebar to the left which contains various tools you need.

Thiss includes all the AI tools in your arsenal, templates, a direct link to your Shopify account if you have one, a batch tool so you can work on up to 250 images at once, a Brand Kit where you keep all your assets, and a Design section where your products’ photos are stored.

All the AI tools, which are essentially all your editing tools, are easy to use: you select one, upload a new photo or select one already in your account, apply the effect and you’re done.

There is one thing that I found surprising: Photoroom supports HEIC, the High Efficiency Image Container. It’s a highly compressed image format that’s been around since 2015 and has been increasingly prevalent since Apple made it the default image format for their iPhones in 2017.

The reason I make a point of mentioning this is because far too many services still do not support it, forcing any image or photo saved as an HEIC to be converted into either a JPEG or PNG prior to import. There is no such issue here, saving you time and frustration.

• Interface: 4.5 / 5

Photoroom: Tools

• On the whole, the AI tools do an absolutely excellent job
• Impressive ways to transform passable shots into something potential customers will love
• But... not all tools are created equal

Such a service succeeds on the strength of its tools, and Photoroom iss betting the farm on AI for this. But AI is a very generic term these days. Is it really artificial intelligence to remove an image’s background?

I’d put it more in the “complex algorithm does a very good job with what it’s given” category. Same with removing objects or people from a photograph and replacing it with an artificially generated background that blends with the existing one.

Such tools already existed before “AI” became an all-encompassing marketing brand. Or, taking inspiration from Monty Python's The Life of Brian, “it’s not AI, it’s a very clever tool”.

But whether it’s AI or not is less important than how these tools fare: I found the achieved results to be excellent. More often than not in apps like Photoshop or Pixelmator Pro, I end up having to touch up the output of similar tools, but here, it was essentially a one-click wonder.

Tools that really impressed me were definitely more AI based. Say you want to sell a shirt, which you’ve photographed on a surface, with as few wrinkles as you can manage… except you know how it is: such layouts are never really good enough.

Well fret no more: Photoroom has a tool that digitally irons your shirt for you, transforming your amateurish-looking photo into a meticulously smooth out product. Couple that with the background remover tool, and you’re well on your way to have a professional looking photograph.

But why stop there? Photoroom has a bunch of AI-generated models who can wear your outfit for you. There’s even what they call a ‘ghost mannequin’ to puff up your shirt so customers can see what it would look like on someone, without being distracted by an actual (or virtual) person wearing it.

I found all this pretty incredible, and that’s just scratching the surface. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows though: for instance, Photoroom has a Video Generator.

Select a photo, browse through all available templates, maybe even type in a prompt if you need, and the AI will get to work… this is where I encountered the familiar “AI tries way too hard yet fails miserably” syndrome.

Some templates removed my test products from the usual confines of physical reality, sometimes in a most disturbing way. Or they just didn’t work at all as expected. I trust the team working hard on this aspect of the service (what I was able to use bore no relation to their intro video about it, so things are moving fast in this arena), but for now, maybe stick with still images, where the results are truly impressive.

Photoroom: AI credits

• Set number of monthly credits, so use them wisely
• Many common AI tools don't cost any credits at all
• However, sometimes, the requested action won’t work, so try, try again

As you’d expect, most AI tools will cost you credits. A video generation goes for 500 (money not well spent for now), Exporting an image at 2K or 4K will cost you 135 and 240 credits respectively, adding an AI background to an image is worth 5 credits, and so forth.

Thankfully though, some tools you’ll use most often, like removing the background of a shot, retouching a photo or performing some image enhancements won’t cost you a thing (beyond your subscription).

You’ll just have to balance what you are given each month with what you hope to achieve in that time period, with the relief that when an action doesn’t work, you won’t have lost any credits - yes, sometimes an error occurs.

However, I found that if I request the same action again - and again - it finally does what I asked it to. Teething problems, I’m sure, and at least it does work impressively well eventually.

Should I buy Photoroom?

Buy it if...

You’re looking to sell a ton of product and want the images advertising your wares to look their best, using a service that is well designed, and is easy to use (when it works)

Don't buy it if...

You don’t want to encourage the proliferation of AI, know your way around Photoshop anyway, and can’t justify yet another subscription, no matter how great some effects are.

How I tested Photoroom

I tested this service on my trusty Apple MacBook Pro. Generally I do my best to check how software works on a variety of devices, both Macs and PCs and portable devices, when needed.

But as this was an online service, whose tools are dependent on servers the main bottleneck would be my fibre connection. I experienced no issues on that score.

Everything was extremely responsive. The free tools were nearly instantaneous, and depending on the complexity of what I was asking the AI to do, it took gradually longer.

Video creation took the longest amount of time, clocking in at around 4 minutes for me. Still, that didn't feel like a long time, when I got it working.

For more creative tools, we tested the best photo editors.

The OnePlus Nord CE5 is an affordable yet premium-feeling handset that punches way above its weight. Although its successor, the CE6, has launched in some markets, OnePlus has confirmed that it and future handsets will no longer sell in the UK. So, in lieu of a newer version, is the CE5 still worth your consideration?

The OnePlus Nord CE5’s design certainly doesn’t make it look bargain basement, but it doesn’t feel super luxe either. While it’s pleasantly tactile under your fingertips, there’s no confusing its plastic edges for metal, and I’m not totally bowled over by the pearlescent effect on the Marble Mist colorway. However, I will grant that it feels solidly made and its vertical camera module looks pretty neat when so many handsets’ lenses look like they’ve been grafted on by Dr. Frankenstein.

Although it’s not a total knockout, the Nord CE5’s display definitely packs a punch given its price. Colors are bold and vivid, making the nature documentaries I was watching seriously pop. Its 387PPI display showed off most images in crisp detail, even if it wasn’t as pin sharp as some of the best phones. On the flip side, whites run a little bit blue for my liking, and the display is not quite bright enough to make up for how reflective its screen is. Still, there was plenty about the screen that dazzled me, figuratively at least.

Under the hood, the Nord CE5 runs the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex chipset. That’s not a current-gen SoC by any means, but I still got great productivity performance out of it. Not only was I able to have myriad apps open, but I also ran Google Docs and a streaming app in split-screen with no noticeable slowdown.

Gaming performance was also pretty stable. Playing lengthy sessions of both Call of Duty: Mobile and Genshin Impact, the Nord CE5 ran very smoothly and showed no hint of lag or jitter. Cranking the graphics settings up to their highest on Genshin Impact did throw up a warning that I was overclocking the CPU, though, so while performance remained stable, you might not want to run things that high. On the plus side, the Nord CE5 didn’t experience all that much warming during this, thanks to its CryoVelocity graphene vapor chamber.

Based on Android 15, the OxygenOS 15.0 that the Nord CE5 runs on is nice and agile. Multitasking is easy thanks to its split-screen mode and there are great shortcuts on offer, like screen-off gestures that let you open the camera or switch on the flashlight by tracing an O or V on the display. On the whole, its AI tools are unobtrusive yet helpful, and OnePlus offers a full six years of software updates. The only thing I don’t love here is the bloat that comes pre-installed — seriously, phone makers, can you stop foisting Temu on me?

For a phone in this price range, the Nord CE5 also offers a very decent camera. Whether I was popping off shots of brilliant yellow roses or the deep blue sky reflected in a river, colors felt vibrant and its HDR performance rendered textures like stonework with a nice depth. Admittedly, its smaller 1/1.95 inch sensor can’t quite rival flagship phones in terms of sheer detail, but it still captured textures and details with real precision. And even though I’d personally prefer at least a 3x lens in my camera, the 2x zoom conveyed excellent detail without showing any distortions or aberrations.

In my book, though, by far the Nord CE5’s strongest feature is its battery. OnePlus has managed to eke more than 20 hours of life out of its 5,200mAh battery, meaning it can happily outlast many of the flagship phones we’ve reviewed in recent times. Not only that, but during my testing I found its 80W SUPERVOOC charging could comfortably juice it up from 0% to 100% in just 59 minutes, which is blisteringly fast.

All in all, the Nord CE5 is a solid, if unexceptional, phone… until you consider its price point. Considering a list price that starts at £299, there are many areas it pulls ahead of similarly priced rivals, while in some areas — chiefly battery life — it can honestly give flagships a run for their money. Ultimately, if your intended spend sits on the border between budget and mid-range phone, the Nord CE5 has plenty of highlights and few enough deficits to make it a worthy investment.

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: Specs

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: Price and availability

• Launched on July 8, 2025
• List price of £299 for 128GB storage or £349 for 256GB
• Succeeded by the Nord CE6 — but that’s not available in the UK

Having launched on July 8, 2025, the OnePlus Nord CE5 is currently available in the UK. While it has technically been supplanted by the OnePlus Nord CE6, released on May 8, 2026, the latter isn't sold in the UK and, with no launch rumored, is unlikely to make it here at all. So that means the Nord CE5 is still the budget OnePlus to aim for if you’re a Brit.

When it comes to cost, the Nord CE5 retails for a list price of £299 for the model with 128GB of storage or £349 for 256GB. That means it leans slightly more toward budget territory than mid-range. You can choose from one of two colorways for that spend, either the minimal Black Infinity version or the iridescent Marble Mist I’ve tested here.

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: design

• Solid, robust-feeling design
• Easy to hold one-handed
• Personally not keen on marble colorway

Overall, I like the build of the OnePlus Nord CE5. While it doesn’t quite feel as premium as more expensive phones — that lightweight plastic trim around its edge can’t compete with my iPhone 16 Pro’s titanium, for example — that flat design still feels comfortable in your hand.

Measuring 6.44 x 2.99 inches / 163.58 x 76.02mm, the Nord CE5 is slightly taller and less broad than some of its affordable rivals, making it easy to hold in one hand — although you might need your second hand to reach the very top of the screen. But, at 0.33 inches / 8.27mm, and 0.32 inches / 8.17mm deep for the Marble Mist / Black Infinity versions respectively, it’s not the thinnest device on the market, with only a few handsets like the Nothing Phone (4a), iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max being thicker.

As I’ve mentioned above, the Nord CE5 comes in two colorways: Black Infinity and Marble Mist. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the pearlescent marble effect — while it sounds premium, in reality it looks a touch gaudy to me. On the plus side, its matte finish feels wonderfully smooth, with just enough of a grain to remain tactile.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the budget price, its design is pretty minimal elsewhere. But that’s actually something of a relief, given how crowded some flagship phones can now feel with their full-width camera modules and bunches of bonus buttons. The Nord CE5’s vertically aligned dual-lens camera module looks neat and nicely self-contained, while it only has a lock button and volume rocker adorning one edge, making it feel lean and sparing.

• Design score: 3.5 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: display

• Vibrant, satisfying colors
• Solid resolution, albeit not flagship sharp
• Lacking in brightness

Measuring 6.77 inches, the OnePlus Nord CE5’s screen is more expansive than that of many flagships. It outstrips the iPhone 17 Pro and Samsung Galaxy 26+ at 6.3 and 6.7 inches respectively, although it’s not quite as extensive as phones like the 6.83-inch Nothing Phone (4a) Pro or the 6.9-inch iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy 26 Ultra.

OnePlus has shared 2392 x 1080 pixels across that display, giving the Nord CE5 a pixel density of 387PPI. Keen to see how that stacks up in practice, I streamed Planet Earth II in 1080p on the Nord CE5 side-by-side with my 460PPI iPhone 16 Pro. During a scene involving a pride of lionesses on the savannah grappling with an African buffalo, the Nord CE5 felt just a tiny bit less crisp, with the drops and spray of water being cast up not feeling quite as sharp as on my premium phone. Most images still look pretty crisp though, even if they’re not quite up to flagship standard.

On paper, the OnePlus Nord CE5 offers 1430 nits peak brightness and a typical brightness of 800 nits. Unfortunately, its display didn’t exactly feel dazzlingly bright to me. Some scenes felt like their white level was a bit too low; for example, the canopy of a jungle looked thicker and more oppressive than it did on other screens. And the whites that are there are a little too cold for my liking, with the white highlights of exposed tree bark looking a little on the blue side.

This isn’t helped by the fact that the Nord CE5’s display is quite reflective. While most phones reflect the lighting in the TechRadar testing labs — they're huge fluorescent ceiling panels — the OnePlus’s display seems to mirror many other objects in the room as well. Without the extra brightness that more expensive models are capable of, it can’t quite overcome local sources of light.

That’s a shame because the Nord CE5’s color fidelity is pretty spot on elsewhere. Watching a Wilson’s bird of paradise trying to court a mate, I was impressed with how vibrantly the display rendered its bright blue crown, red back and yellow mantle, not to mention its bright green fluorescent collar. But thanks to that slight paucity of white highlights, it still doesn’t have quite the HDR pop it otherwise could have.

I’ll give the Nord CE5 credit where it’s due though: the display’s max 120Hz refresh rate ensures that everything looks smoother than an Olympic diver slathered in goose fat. Navigating menus and swiping between apps, everything felt wonderfully fluid and never showed even a hint of judder or slowdown. The device can absolutely rival any premium handset here.

• Display score: 3.5 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: Software

• Great gestures and shortcuts built in
• Unobtrusive AI tools
• Quite a lot of bloat

Running OxygenOS 15.0, based on Android 15, the OnePlus Nord CE5 offers a pretty clean software experience with some seriously clever shortcuts built in. I like being able to swipe down with three fingers to take screenshots, while screen-off gestures that allow you to open the camera by tracing an O or switch on the flashlight by tracing a V are a fun touch. I can also see being able to lift the phone to my ear to auto-answer calls or flip it screen-down to mute them as features I’d end up using a lot.

On top of this, the Nord CE5 offers solid productivity features. For example, the smart sidebar allows you to quickly access your most-used apps by swiping from the top-right of the screen. Split View allows you to drag and drop two windows into a split-screen mode — not only does this feel super fluid to do, but you can easily resize each window by dragging the boundary between them.

It’s a little unfortunate then that OnePlus doesn’t seem able to resist the temptation to burden this otherwise lightweight experience with unnecessary bloat. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not the worst offender in this category. But the Nord CE5 still includes loads of apps that really should not be included by default, like AliExpress, Amazon Music or TikTok. Honestly, phone manufacturers: stop doing this.

The AI features on the Nord CE5 certainly aren’t as extreme as a phone like the Honor 600, with its Image to Video and wild VFX tools, but there are some useful tools available for tweaking your photos. Not only can you remove blur and reflections and upscale the quality of your images, but you can also erase those annoying people who walk straight through your shot and swap in a different expression for that one friend who always seems to have their eyes closed.

Overall, AI features are nicely unobtrusive, which is good news for those who are more AI-agnostic. The Google Gemini app comes pre-installed, offering answers, generative text and images. But if you’re not interested in its help, it’s easy to remove from your home and lockscreen, a pleasingly light-touch approach compared to some of the more gung-ho handsets.

Even if it doesn’t have the most cutting-edge advances, you can be sure the Nord CE5 will last you for the long haul. That’s because OnePlus has committed to providing six years of software support for its handset, something that’s definitely appreciated in an era when more of us are trying to eke more longevity out of our handsets, rather than ditch them every year.

All told, the software the Nord CE5 offers here isn’t groundbreaking. But it’s smooth and super-usable. Just please, OnePlus: shed some of that bloat.

• Software score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: performance

• Not the highest power chipset
• But productivity and gaming largely ran smoothly
• Very capable cooling

Given the OnePlus Nord CE5’s affordable price point, you won’t be surprised to hear that it doesn’t pack a top-of-the-range chipset. Don’t get me wrong: its MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex SoC isn’t bad, offering roughly similar performance to something like the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, but it doesn't offer as much thrust as many current flagship chips. With 8GB of RAM backing this up, I was expecting decent if unexceptional performance here.

And that’s generally what I found. During day-to-day productivity use, the Nord CE5 seems to run smoothly. Dipping in and out of apps, I never found any delays or witnessed anything hanging, no matter how many I opened. I even tried typing part of this review in split-screen mode while streaming What We Do In The Shadows — admittedly, this was atrocious for helping me focus, but both Google Docs and the video were unfaltering, marching on without a single misstep.

The Nord CE5 has surprisingly good gaming performance, given its budget price too. Playing Call of Duty: Mobile with the high-res texture packs, everything ran smoother than cappuccino foam. I played around eight ranked matches back-to-back and at no point did any judder or lag cause me to lose my kill-streak or stop me hoovering up MVP awards.

Genshin Impact was warier of the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex chipset. While I was able to get balanced performance on the Higher graphics setting, switching it up to the Highest setting gave me a warning that I was overclocking the chipset. Despite this, the game still ran without any real issues — it’s possible the game developers were being overcautious, but I’ve obviously not conducted any long-term testing on how this might affect the life of the chip, so I’d urge caution before doing the same.

While some mid-range processors I’ve tested lately have gotten pretty warm during extended play sessions, I’m pleased to say that’s not an issue here. Thanks to its CryoVelocity graphene vapor chamber with a 7041mm² cooling area, the Nord CE5 stayed frosty even with Genshin Impact running at its overclocked settings. So while you might not get flagship-level performance out of the Nord CE5, it packs a pretty decent punch for such a low cost.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: camera

• Lush, vibrant colors
• Pro camera mode built-in
• Only offers 2x optical zoom

For the price, I was expecting the OnePlus Nord CE5’s camera to feel limited, but it’s actually relatively talented. First off, it’s capable of some bold, punchy HDR. One shot I snapped nearing the golden hour of a stone urn on a pedestal showed really deep blacks, while the highlights were warm enough to feel true-to-life.

Thanks to its 50MP resolution main lens, the OnePlus Nord CE5 is capable of crisp resolution, although its 1/1.95 inch sensor can't keep up with those offered by flagships. Zooming into a shot I took of a bumblebee crawling over a thistle, its detail was pleasingly crisp and kept everything wonderfully sharp. But, by comparison, my iPhone 16 Pro picked up every speck of pollen on its fuzzy coat in sharp detail and captured the sun reflected in its glossy black eye.

Colors are also captured with a real vibrance, the petals of a rose rendered in a wonderfully rich pink, for example. Naturally, you can’t expect top-tier chromatic performance here — my iPhone conveyed more range between darker and lighter tones and gave the dappling of each petal more pop. But the Nord CE5 still records delightfully lush hues and at least avoids the shortcut some brands take of oversaturating certain shades to artificially make images seem more vivid.

When taking photos close up, the OnePlus has a much shallower depth of field compared to some phones I’ve used. While that’s useful for creating a wonderful depth effect in your images, it does mean the Nord CE5 sometimes struggles to keep the whole subject in focus — some of the petals of a purple coneflower I shot looked slightly less crisp than on my iPhone, for example. Having said that, I actually quite like its bokeh, which feels much more Gaussian and subtle compared to phones that tend to make their bokeh too sharp and ‘swirly’.

While there are some decent Pro camera apps out there that unlock more granular control over your phone’s snapper, I love that OnePlus has already parceled this up in the Nord CE5’s native camera app. Using the Pro setting, I was able to tweak the camera’s ISO and shutter speed, as well as its white balance. For me though, the most invaluable setting is the manual lens’s focus, although this is far harder to set accurately on a phone screen than a DSLR viewfinder, so I do wish OnePlus had created a shortcut for zooming in on the screen while tweaking the focal range.

Night photography on the Nord CE5 is also generally strong. Taking shots at my favorite riverside pub at dusk, it struck a good balance between light and dark, with bright highlights not feeling overblown without compromising the shadows. Occasionally, faces could look a little soft around the edges, but that may have just been my subject not remaining as still as they could have. And at least the phone avoids overexposing night-time images — I’m not Truffaut, so I have no desire to shoot day for night or vice versa.

One area where I’d say the Nord CE5 falls further short of more premium phones is the zoom lenses. While the phone has a decent 2x optical zoom, it did make me realize how dependent I’ve become on my phone’s 5x optical zoom. On the plus side, the Nord CE5’s zoom lenses are crisp and distortion-free — the shots I snapped of flapping sky rats pigeons near a local river rendered their wings in decent detail.

All things considered, the Nord CE5’s camera is very good. Not only is using it an uncluttered experience, but its shots feel a lot truer to life than some of the flashier cams on other mid-market phones.

• Camera score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: battery

• Lengthy 20-hour battery life
• 80W charging fills battery in an hour

OnePlus generally packages outstanding batteries with its handsets, and the Nord CE5 is no exception. The brand suggests you should get several days of normal usage out of the CE5’s 5200mAh battery before needing to charge it.

Eager to put these claims to the test, I set the phone to stream a 2K video at 50% brightness on a loop — after 6 hours it had dropped to 71%, so I’d expect it to last roughly 20 hours and 40 minutes total. Not only does that mean OnePlus’s estimates are pretty on the money, but it also means the Nord CE5 comfortably outlasts many of the best phones on the market, whether premium options like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra or budget bangers like Google Pixel 10a.

But where the OnePlus Nord CE5 really leaves all competition eating its dust is charging. Thanks to OnePlus’s 80W SUPERVOOC charging, topping up this handset feels faster than a pitstop fuel change — hooking it up to a cable and brick rated for up to 100W, it took around 59 minutes to go from 0% to 100%. While that’s not quite as ludicrous as the OnePlus 15’s blistering 120W charging, it still means you could juice it back up in the time it took you to scarf down your lunchtime bagel and boba tea.

So if your biggest priority in a budget phone is that it can last alongside you on your busiest days, the OnePlus Nord CE5 has definitely got you covered.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the OnePlus Nord CE5?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: also consider

How I tested the OnePlus Nord CE5

• Used it over several weeks
• Tested a broad range of features
• Have spent more than 6 years covering phones

I tested the OnePlus Nord CE5 over the course of several weeks. To assess the performance of its display, I watched multiple HDR 4K videos and compared them side-by-side with my iPhone 16 Pro to assess contrast, color and brightness. I tried the camera out in a range of contexts, from shooting flowers with a short focal range to long-distance shots using the zoom.

When weighing up the performance of its chipset, I used the phone for a range of productivity tasks in split-screen mode and played a range of demanding games on their max graphics settings. Finally, to assess battery life, I set the phone to stream a 2K video at 50% brightness for six hours to assess how long it would take to drain the entire battery.

Having covered and reviewed gadgets for more than a decade, I have a lot of experience in this area and have tested a range of phones, tablets and drawing tablets during my time at TechRadar. I’m a keen smartphone photographer, having snapped over 47,000 photos over the last 15 years — a small proportion of which I’d say are actually competently shot — and a reformed smartphone game addict who still periodically falls off the wagon.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: July 2026

Looking to unleash the power of surround sound on your living room without breaking the bank? Then the Ultimea Poseidon D60 surely seems like a tempting proposition. This 5.1 channel system comes with a compact main bar, a small subwoofer, and a couple of surround speakers, enabling you to experience more expansive audio than your TV can provide alone.

Not only that, but the D60 supports Dolby Atmos, has a wide array of connectivity options, and customizable sound. All of that for less than $200 / £200? Seems like a sweet deal.

But is the Ultimea Poseidon D60 actually worth considering? Can it compete with some of the best cheap soundbars around? I spent a few days testing it, and this is my verdict.

First things first, let’s talk setting up. The D60 isn’t especially hard to get up and running. The sub is wireless, and pre-paired to the main soundbar, and both of those units just need to be hooked up with a power cable, as well as an HDMI or digital optical cord for the bar itself. However, the rear speakers are not wireless — you have to connect them up to the subwoofer with RCA cables. Depending on your placement of the sub, this can look pretty messy, and I prefer the solution offered by models like the Majority Bowfell Halo Atmos, where you wire the two surround speakers together with just one linked to a power output.

Otherwise, setup is simple. You can use either the included remote, or Ultimea’s companion app to adjust aspects such as channel levels, EQ settings, source controls and more. The included remote looks and feels a bit cheap and I found that it wasn’t always perfectly responsive, but the D60 does have HDMI CEC support, meaning you can simply use your main TV remote to alter the soundbar’s volume.

More generally, I have to say that the Poseidon D60 does look as cheap as its price suggests. It’s not an eye sore or anything, but each constituent part of the system is very plasticky and does little to stand out in a fairly convoluted market of plain black boxes. The LED display on the bar is also pretty small, and not the clearest.

Something I will applaud about the D60’s design, though, is how diminutive it is. The main bar, sub, and rears are all very small, and can easily fit into a smaller living space. Even in my relatively cramped apartment, the full system seamlessly slotted into my setup and, even if you’re limited on space behind you, the rear speakers can be placed beside the main bar for front surround effects.

But anyway, you must be wondering how the Ultimea Poseidon D60 performs by now, right? Well, in all honesty, it exceeded my expectations.

I started by throwing on my 4K UHD Blu-ray copy of The Boy and the Heron, and there were some positives right out of the gate. In a scene where the protagonist, Mahito, exits his house, the surround speakers did a great job of conjuring up immersion, with the sounds of birds and crickets chirping coming through with impressive clarity. Shortly after, the heron flew towards me on-screen, and the directionality was captured well — I almost jumped back in my seat.

As the heron swooped to the side, the D60 mapped his movement with precision, and it sounded as if he extended past the confines of my screen. As Mahito and the heron conversed, I found that the dialogue was pretty clean too. It wasn’t the most forward or expertly separated, but I had no issue following along — it didn’t sound muffled or tinny as I’ve experienced on other soundbars.

But after this, I was introduced to the D60’s Achilles’ Heel: its bass output. When a horde of fish and amphibians appeared, exclaiming “JOIN US”, it was meant to be accompanied by an all-consuming, almighty bass roar, but this roar sounded more like a meow. The D60 failed to provide the impact I was looking for, even after I turned the level of the sub up a notch.

I found that bass lacked substance as I tuned into other 4K UHD Blu-rays and Dolby Atmos content on streaming services. While dialogue remained consistently tight, and the rear speakers whipped up surprisingly prominent, well-balanced surround effects, the bass always just felt lacking. Why? Well, the sub is small and limited in terms of power output, meaning it can’t provide the impactful low-end you’d expect from pricier options.

Another area where the D60 struggles to compete with some of its rivals is in its lack of height effects. The main soundbar has no upfiring speakers, so the vertical Atmos effects are hardly the most convincing. If you want to experience more substantial height effects while remaining on a budget, then I’d suggest checking out a model like the Hisense AX5125H.

As you may expect, the D60 isn’t the most musically talented, with bass sometimes lacking impact, and guitars or vocals in the mid-range feeling short on texture and definition. But most tracks I threw at the soundbar system were clear enough for background listening, and Bluetooth connectivity makes playing tunes from your phone feel pretty seamless.

Speaking of connectivity, the D60 is pretty versatile. Of course there’s Bluetooth and HDMI eARC, but you also get access to digital optical, AUX, and USB playback. That’s a great line-up for a cheap soundbar, though it's worth noting that there’s no Wi-Fi streaming or HDMI input for connecting devices like games consoles or streaming sticks.

Other features include a 10-band equalizer, as well as a vast array of presets in the Ultimea app, and a bass boost mode. The D60 isn’t offering specialized options like room correction, speech enhancement, or a night mode, but the fundamentals are solid overall.

So, at the end of it all, would I recommend the Ultimea Poseidon D60? It’s a complicated one. If you want surround sound on a budget, then it’s certainly a decent solution. You’re not going to get the most amazing Dolby Atmos effects due to the limitations to height effects, and bass isn’t the most impactful. But the rear speakers work surprisingly well, and you get clearer dialogue than a lot of standalone TVs will offer.

If you’re more particular about your sound, then I think it's worth looking elsewhere. If your budget is flexible, I’d suggest checking out the Samsung HW-Q800F or one of its predecessors for seismic bass and incredible expansiveness, although the aforementioned Hisense AX5125H is another amazing surround sound option if you want something cheaper.

Ultimea Poseidon D60 review: price & release date

• Priced at $169.99 / £199.99 (about AU$240)
• Released in September 2023

The Ultimea Poseidon D60 was released in September 2023, and typically costs around $169.99 / £199.99 (about AU$240). This plants it firmly in the budget category when we’re discussing 5.1 channel surround sound systems. It’s available in a single black colorway.

Ultimea Poseidon D60 review: specs

Should I buy the Ultimea Poseidon D60?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Ultimea Poseidon D60 review: also consider

How I tested the Ultimea Poseidon D60

• Tested across the course of multiple days
• Connected to the Sky Glass Gen 2 TV
• Mainly used HDMI eARC connectivity

I spent a handful of days testing the Ultimea Poseidon D60 at home, using it to watch movies, stream videos, and listen to music. I had the system connected up to my Sky Glass Gen 2 TV via HDMI eARC, although I did test out other connectivity methods such as Bluetooth.

During listening sessions, I made sure to use a range of 4K Blu-rays, which I played using the Sony UBP-X700K Blu-ray player. When listening to music, I steamed tunes via Tidal as well as Spotify, and made sure to try out a range of Dolby Atmos and stereo format tracks.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio-visual gear here at TechRadar, and have reviewed everything from budget-friendly models like the Sony HT-SF150 to premium Dolby Atmos systems like the JBL Bar 1300MK2.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: August 2026

As I'm writing this review, I'm surrounded by an abundance of glowing red stars decorated all over my desk. It's hard not to feel relaxed here, thanks to the beautiful desktop, which can be activated in specific areas by your touch, or turned onto a setting that allows them to twinkle manually all across the glass panel.

When it comes to the best gaming desks or best standing desks, the Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk is suitable for both categories. This makes it a good all-rounder for those wanting to effortlessly move between office work and gaming.

This is my first time using one of Eureka Ergonomic's desks, and I am impressed. The Wonder Glowing Glass Desk has been my daily companion for the past two months as I've written reviews, played games, and completed life admin. It's survived all of this effortlessly, with enough space for me to have both my work laptop and my gaming laptop side by side for those days when I need to switch between the two.

It also has enough room for me to decorate it with personal items to make it look more like "me". I hate having a boring workspace, after all. So aesthetically and functionally, it does tick a lot of boxes.

My main problem is that the desk does feel quite high, even when it's on the lowest setting. This isn't necessarily a fault of Eureka's, but it's a word of warning if you are short and you're looking for a desk to suit your needs. I'm 5ft 4in, and I think anyone under that would struggle with this desk.

I tested the desk with my partner, who is taller than me at around 6ft 3in, and he was able to comfortably use the desk at its lowest setting. If you are on the shorter side, it's worth choosing your chair well to make sure you can work comfortably based on this.

Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk: Price and availability

• Prices start at $899 (around £665)
• Only available in the US, but does ship to the UK
• Available in one size with a black, oak, or black walnut finish

Eureka Ergonomic's Wonder Glowing Glass Desk only comes in one size, but there are price differences when it comes to the materials used on it. The black one (pictured throughout this review) is priced at $899, whereas the oak or black walnut versions are $999.

It's a very well-made and sturdy desk, and has a classic design which means it's right at home in most office spaces. It's also not as large and imposing as other desks of its kind, so it's a good choice if you want a smaller desk that's also under $1,000.

However, it's important to note that the Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk's price tag puts it at the premium end of the market. This pricing is in line with the $949 / £829 Secretlab Magnus Pro XL, depending on which material you choose.

The Wonder Glowing Glass Desk's finish makes it ~$50 more expensive if you go for oak or black walnut, but it works out ~$50 cheaper than Secretlab if you opt for the standard black model.

Ultimately, you are paying for the unique and responsive lighting design across the desk, as well as the materials used. So if you're not really bothered by the glowing features of the desk, you might want to choose a cheaper option. I think this is worth the price given its unique selling point and overall quality.

The Eureka Ergonomic GTG Wave has a similar RGB vibe at a much smaller price of $599.99, without the touch-sensitivity that the Wonder Glowing Glass Desk has. It is also not a standing desk, so it does not boast that additional feature.

If both Eureka Ergonomic and Secretlab are out of budget, however, we recommend the $340 / £360 / AU$420 Flexispot E7, a 5-star rated standing desk which is budget-friendly but does not skimp on the quality.

Eureka Ergonomic primarily sells to the United States, though they do have retail partners in the UK and select European countries; however, our Aussie readers won't be able to get their hands on any of Eureka's products right now, as they currently don't ship to Australia.

Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk: Specs

Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk: Design and features

• Remote control allows you to adjust the light color and patterns
• Dual-motor frame that adjusts from 29.5'' to 47.2'', great for converting to a standing desk
• Beautiful star-like lighting covers the entire desk

By far the biggest selling point of the Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Desk is the starry lighting across the entire thing. It makes it a unique choice and really pretty to look at.

Eureka describes the desk as being an "industry-first luminous desktop that reacts to your touch", and it is seriously cool. It feels more special than your standard RGB setup as it covers the entirety of the desktop and responds to your touch instantly, without any delay. You can draw patterns, drum on the desk, and do other wonderfully distracting things whilst you're meant to be working.

The lighting setup is a fun addition which livens up your workspace whilst still keeping a sleek and polished aesthetic, and you can easily turn the desk lights off to switch between fun and serious. The touch-activated lighting does not make it any less of a professional standing desk; it merely adds to it.

You do need to plug the desk into a socket, of course, but as long as you have one nearby, you can play around with the lights til your heart's content.

If you like, you can also choose to have twinkling lights on the desk without you needing to touch the material. This is a good option if you want to get on with things whilst being surrounded by a starry backdrop that manually moves without needing your input.

It's easy to cycle between the different colors and light patterns thanks to an included remote control, which I'll demonstrate below.

Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk: Performance

• Fits both big and small setups
• Small amount of cable management
• Sturdy, but also very heavy

I have been using the desk for both everyday work and gaming. Even though it is a fairly compact desk and fits nicely into my attic, I should warn you that it is a heavy and also very fragile desk with glass elements. I would strongly suggest you ask someone to help you if you want to take the boxes upstairs, as even before assembly they are cumbersome.

The same can be said for building the desk. This is very much a two-person job, and you need to be extremely careful not to shatter the glass panel on the desktop. Once it is built, however, it is very robust, and I am confident that it will stay stable due to weeks of regular use. It is also easy to build thanks to printed instructions that clearly outline what you need to do.

If you have a bigger setup than me and require cable management, the desk does feature some. Underneath the desk are five slots for you to organize your cables, securely fastened in when you assemble the desk. It's hidden away. Due to my minimal setup, I only have one cable running through this, the one that's connected to the desk itself, but it can handle the wiring associated with a more complex PC setup.

The desk also easily converts to a standing one thanks to a touchscreen console on the front of the desk. It is easy to use, and there wasn't any stiffness or delay in converting the desk between the seated and standing positions.

I really can't fault the performance, and in my experience, this is a solid desk that's very nice to use every day. It feels professional and well put together, and everything operates as it should.

Should I buy the Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

Also consider

Not keen on the Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk? Here’s one cheaper gaming desk (without standing conversion) to consider and a much more budget-friendly standing desk.

How I tested the Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk

• Used as my main desk
• Tested over multiple weeks
• Extensive work and play

I used the Eureka Ergonomic Wonder Glowing Glass Desk as my main desk for two months for this review. In that time, I played a huge variety of games on my gaming laptop, and I also did everyday work on my MacBook Air while sitting adn standing at it.

I spent a lot of time playing around with the lights and trying out the different settings, as well as testing it out in both its seated and standing modes.

First reviewed June-August 2026.

Read more about how we test

I’ve been testing it for the past couple of months, and this frankly giant station has all the space you could need. My previous gaming desk always felt too cramped, whereas now I have more freedom than I know what to do with. To this end, while the Aero Pro is just fine as a desk only one person will use, it feels especially good for a shared space — I have enough room for all my gear, and whenever I’m not working from home, my partner has been able to easily set up her laptop to work without needing to shove my gear out the way.

Despite its size, this desk feels supremely stable, even at its max height. I’ve gone as far as to shake the desk a fair amount, and I never had any fear it would collapse and destroy my home setup.

Adjusting the desk’s height is as easy as pushing a button to control the electric motors, and with memory presets it’s no trouble at all to adjust the desk between your preferred settings.

My only gripes are that the lighting it boasts is a tad lackluster and that the price, while more than reasonable for what you get, pushes this desk firmly out of the affordable tier. The size is also something of a double-edged sword — the Aero Pro can consume a more compact room.

That said, if you're looking to pick up a standing desk that’s spacious enough for pretty much any setup, and will encourage you to not stay seated all day, then the Eureka Ergonomic Aero Pro is one to keep your eyes on.

Eureka Ergonomic Aero Pro: Price and Availability

• Prices start at $619 (around £460 / AU$865)
• Only available in the US, but does ship to the UK
• Multiple sizes and material choices available

Premium gaming desks, especially standing desks, don’t come cheap, but the Eureka Ergonomic Aero Pro comes in at a decidedly mid-range price point despite its impressive size and useful features.

The more affordable 63"x23" size option will set you back $619 (around £460 / AU$865), while the larger 72"x23" model I’ve been testing starts at $799 (around £595 / AU$1,115) — with solid wood designs costing more than the MDF alternatives if you’re after something with a little extra style and durability.

The larger size doesn’t just boast more main desk space; it comes with a pull-out under-shelf for your keyboard and mouse, which offers added ergonomic comfort — otherwise both designs are identical in terms of their shape.

As for availability, Eureka Ergonomics primarily sells to the United States, though they do have retail partners in the UK and select European companies — unfortunately, they don’t sell their desks in Australia, so you’re out of luck there for the Aero Pro and the company’s other designs.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Eureka Ergonomic Aero Pro: Specs

Eureka Ergonomic Aero Pro: Design

• Lots of usable space across multiple levels
• Shelves for up to a three monitor setup
• Lighting is a let down

The wing-shaped Aero Pro from Eureka Ergonomics feels at times less like a standing desk and more like a standing station — especially if you opt for the larger 72x23 inch model I’ve been testing. The huge size is more than you could ever need for gaming, working, or streaming, and the winged shape’s slight curve immerses you in your chosen setup (though it’s in an approachable way, rather than seeming like your desk might swallow you whole).

What compounds the sense of spaciousness this desk provides is that not only are you treated to a massive main desk space — which offers plenty of room for a laptop, a desktop music setup, your notebooks, or a playmat for an online TCG match — but you also have a trio of monitor shelves at your disposal.

These are ideal for, well, monitors but also your PC speakers, or something like a streaming setup. I have a dual-monitor setup across two, with my mic, prompter and light attached to the third shelf. On smaller desks this practical but busy setup has felt crowded, but with the Aero Pro I have it all set up neatly with plenty of room left over — my desk feels usable, not cluttered.

This spaciousness also means the desk can easily serve as a shared space. I don’t mean two people using it at once, but when I’ve not been working from home, my partner has found she can come and use this standing desk with no trouble; there’s all the room she could need to set up her laptop without needing to disassemble or move my gear. When I come home, I can just close the laptop lid and get back to using my PC.

Part of this lack of clutter is helped by the larger Aero Pro model’s other upgrade: its fourth shelf. This adjustable one slides out from underneath the desk and is ideal for your keyboard and mouse. I’ve found it helps me find the comfort sweet spot for my PC peripherals, and again keeps the main desk clutter-free.

Whichever size you choose, the Aero Pro comes with a couple of extra design features that range from just fine to very useful. Under the desk you’ll find a hanging controller station on the left which supports a pair of handsets, a cupholder on the right for which I have yet to find a cup/mug/glass that it isn’t an ideal size for, and a pair of brackets which are a massive help for cable management — I use them to support my monitor’s power cable bricks.

Speaking of, I appreciated the various cable management solutions the desk comes with. My current setup isn’t perfect, but I have plenty of tools to make it better, and the only part I feel I’m missing is a bracket to hang my desktop from the desk so that the changing height doesn’t put as much strain on my HDMI cables.

On the desk itself are a pair of small troughs which are perfect for propping up a phone or tablet. Plus, with the small holes in the bottom to run a USB-C cable through, you can charge your gadget up while it’s docked in the desk.

Lastly, there’s under-shelf lighting, though it’s nothing to write home about. It’s a tad annoying to turn/off or change, and even when you do get it working, the lighting isn’t all that bright — limiting their usefulness and aesthetic appeal.

When it comes to assembling this desk, the instructions are easy enough to follow, but I’d highly recommend building this desk in as clear a space as possible, and with a second pair of hands.

I did successfully build this desk entirely on my own without the need for any additional equipment — all of the tools you’ll need come in the Aero Pro’s box. However, I wish I’d given myself more space to assemble this beast and had an extra hand for a couple of portions of the build. (especially when flipping the desk over).

• Design score: 5/5

Eureka Ergonomic Aero Pro: Features

• Adjustable height between 29.5 and 48-inches
• Quiet yet speedy electric motor
• Three memory options you can set to your preferred heights

Of course, the core feature of a standing desk is that it can be raised or lowered so you can use it sitting in a gaming chair or while standing upright. For the Eureka Ergonomic Aero Pro, its lowest height is 29.5 inches, while the max height is 48 inches.

To change the height, there’s an electric motor that is controlled with a simple panel. The Plus and Minus buttons raise or lower the desk height gradually between its extremes, and there’s a trio of memory options which can be set to three preferred heights — and pressing one of these options after it's set will see the Aero Pro automatically adjust itself to the current position.

If you’re worried about squashing anything under your desk, there’s a built-in safety sensor that, based on my testing, works effectively at detecting any obstructions. If the Aero Pro does bump into anything, it will retreat to a safe height so you can make necessary adjustments before telling it to descend again.

Plus the motor is fairly quiet. There's a noticeable whir when it goes, but it’s not especially loud or grating. Though if anyone does find it annoying, the desk’s adjustments are at least fairly speedy.

• Feature score: 4/5

Should I buy the Eureka Ergonomic Aero Pro?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider…

How I tested the Eureka Ergonomic Aero Pro Standing Desk

I used this desk in my home office over a couple of months, relying on it every day for my work, PC gaming, and other desk needs. My partner also shares this office with her own desk, and so I got a sense of how it fits into a more compact space — which is to say, it can take over a room.

As I mentioned earlier in my review, I made sure to assemble this desk entirely on my own to get a sense of how easy/difficult the task is: it’s doable, but getting your partner/housemate/a buddy to lend a hand will make the process a lot smoother.

First reviewed May 2026

Read more about how we test

First things first: the Fosi Audio Merak is not as portable a CD player as you might think by looking at it. Obviously it’s small (28 x 150 x 150mm, HxWxD) and light (less than half a kilogram), but though easily picked up and moved around, it requires mains power to function. So there’s no taking it out and about — unless you also take a powerbank with you, of course. No, the Merak is designed for slotting into an external system or for private domestic listening via headphones.

It manages both of these things thanks to a selection of analog and digital outputs. On the device's front, along with some physical controls and a rather small OLED display, there’s a 3.5mm headphone socket powered by Texas Instruments TPA6120 amplification. But it’s on the rear of the machine where the bulk of the action is.

As well as a 3.5mm line-level analog output, there’s a digital optical socket — so you can connect the Fosi Audio to a system either by letting the player do all the digital-to-analog conversion work, or by bypassing its Cirrus Logic CS4313 DAC chipset altogether. There’s also a USB-C slot for powering the player, a 12v trigger output for use in an appropriate system output, a slider to turn the electronic anti-shock protection on and off, and a USB-A slot.

The USB-A connection functions in both directions. You can plug in an appropriate flash drive and play digital audio files of many types, including FLAC, MP3 and WAV. Or you can load in a CD, plug in a flash drive, let the player know what you’re up to and then rip the CD as lossless 16bit/44.1kHz WAV files.

‘Letting the player know what you’re up to’ can be done in different ways. Six buttons on the front handle ‘power on/off’, ‘play/pause’ and ‘skip (or scroll) forwards or backwards’. They also allow you to scroll through your options for playback (‘repeat’, ‘shuffle’ or ‘sequential’), output mode (digital, analog or headphones) and begin or end CD ripping.

Eventually you’ll commit the number and length of button presses required to access these functions — or you could just use the little remote control handset that’s supplied. It’s slightly less convoluted than the button controls, and has some numerical buttons for direct track access, too.

The volume control, though, is no kind of chore to operate. It’s a big slider along the side of the player, finished in Fosi Audio’s customary orange, and it’s one of the more gratifying physical controls I’ve encountered lately.

Loading a disc is a fully manual process. The lid, which has a nice clear porthole the exact size of a CD, lifts and then it’s just a question of pushing the disc onto the central spindle securely. The lid's hinges feel robust, and the overall standard of build and finish is more than adequate in the context of the asking price.

With a disc of Fusa Riot by Bobby Hughes Experience loaded and playing, the Merak doesn’t take long to establish its credentials as an energetic, positive and quite revealing listen. At the top of the frequency range, in fact, it’s about as positive as it dares to be — there’s a lot of bite and shine to treble sounds, but somehow the Fosi Audio manages to stop just short of hardness or edginess. The midrange communicates well, with the notable levels of detail retrieval making voices sound articulate and characterful. At the bottom of the frequency range there’s a reasonable amount of body and substance, but where the Merak is very assertive at the top end, it plays things fractionally safe where bass is concerned. Low frequencies could easily have a little more impact and drive, but rhythms are nevertheless expressed well thanks to good control of bass attack.

It creates a nicely defined soundstage, and is open enough to allow emphasis for spaces as well as occurrences on the stage. Focus is good, too, no matter if you’re listening through headphones or with the Fosi Audio plugged into a wider system, and there’s sufficient dynamic headroom for a fairly full account of the distance between the most and the least intense passages in a recording.

Take the digital-to-analog duties away from the Fosi Audio by plugging it into an external DAC using its digital optical output and it’s possible to calm the excitable treble response just a little, but the switch also emphasizes just how adept the Merak’s Cirrus Logic circuitry is when it comes to identifying, revealing and contextualizing even the finer details contained on a CD.

And it’s also pretty impressive when it comes to ripping CDs — getting a 16bit/44.1kHz WAV file of your music onto an external USB drive is straightforward. I endured one or two false starts in the course of my testing, but ultimately the copies are faithful and of enjoyable high quality.

Fosi Audio Merak review: Price and release date

• Released on April 10, 2026
• $139 / £129 (approx.) / about AU$199

The Fosi Audio Merak CD player is on sale now, and in the the United States it sells for $129. It goes for around £139 in the United Kingdom, while in Australia it will set you back around AU$199.

Fosi Audio Merak review: Value

If you’re after a truly portable listening experience then the Fosi Audio Merak offers no kind of value whatsoever.

If, however, you want an affordable method of bringing CD-playing smarts to your existing audio system, or fancy being able to listen to your CD collection via headphones without having to plug into a full-size system, the Merak has plenty going for it before you even consider the quality of sound it’s capable of producing.

Should you buy the Fosi Audio Merak?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Fosi Audio Merak review: How I tested

I've been testing audio home entertainment for nearly two decades. Anything that makes a noise, I want to listen to it.

I sat down with the Fosi Audio Merak at home – it needs mains power or a powerbank, remember – and connected it up to my existing system and my market-leading Sennheiser IE 900 wired headphones. It had the best of the best.

Over more than two weeks' testing, I listened to music of various different genres via CDs (obviously) and lossless digital audio files through an external flash drive.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: August 2026

This includes the initial capture, point-cloud fusion, mesh creation, editing, and multi-scan merging, all of which can be handled on the device, which is impressive considering the amount of data being captured. Inside is an eight-core Qualcomm processor with 24GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and the scans appear on a six-inch Full HD touchscreen.

The fact that everything is contained makes a difference to the user compared with wired models. When I reviewed the Sermon S1 earlier this year, the biggest limitation I had was the Y-cable connecting the S1 to the computer, especially when I knocked it mid-scan. As the P1 essentially has an onboard computer and no wires, this isn’t an issue.

Of course, this does mean that the P1 is heavier at 830g compared to the S1's 508g, but shaped a little like an oversized game controller, the shape and extra weight really aren’t an issue when you have that freedom to walk around an object without watching out for the cable catching.

Compared with the Sermon S1, the P1 is a complete device with a scanner and screen that lets you see the scanning process without needing to be constantly connected to a computer or a power source.

There are essentially two scanning modes: blue laser with lines that sweep across the object to be scanned and require markers to be stuck to the object, and then IR for objects where markers can’t be stuck; the scanning quality is also a small step up from the S1, although through the test I’d say they were actually pretty much on a par.

Physically, the large game-controller design of the handset, with its two substantial grips, makes it easy to handle, and at 830g, it’s thankfully not to weighty. As the device is completely standalone, it’s powered by a swappable 3,300mAh battery, with the kit including two; each charges to 80% in 50 minutes.

As you scan, everything is shown on the touchscreen, which is bright and responsive. While the screen is glossy and does show reflections, they weren’t too much and remained easy to see throughout scanning.

Like the Sermon S1, the scanning technique was still the sticking point; it was a test. Again, preparation is important to give yourself a good chance of a decent scan, and pumping light into the screen is also key.

Using the blue lasers to scan, after the initial calibration, marker placement, lighting, and placing marker cubes around the object helped with getting a successful scan. So did elevating on transparent blocks, all helped with the success of the scan.

While having everything in the handset is a step forward, the most significant feature here, as with all scanners, is a slow, methodical approach.

Creality Sermoon P1: Price and Availability

The Sermoon P1 is available direct from Creality in the US for $3299, and in the UK, the Creality store has it in stock for £2799.