Loop Earplugs review: are the viral noise-dulling earplugs worth it?
We’ve been wearing Loop Earplugs to live music events since October 2023, and here’s our honest review of the noise reduction earplugs everyone’s talking about.
For people who live with ADHD, autism, and misophonia it can be a challenge to experience the same social activities as your peers without worrying about feeling overstimulated or anxious – for example, going to live music concerts. On top of the bustling crowds, there’s obviously the loud music aspect, which can leave some people feeling overwhelmed. As well as potential personal difficulties at gigs, we all know that loud music can negatively affect our hearing (as much as we try to deny it when we’re blasting and singing along to Duran Duran’s Save A Prayer!), so it’s vital that you start protecting your hearing sooner rather than later if you’re a live music regular. Exposure to sounds at 80 dB (decibels) or above to prolonged periods can cause hearing damage, and the average volume at a concert or festival is 100 dB — this can increase to 120 dB for heavier concerts, too. So, what’s a music-loving Digital Writer to do? Loop Earplugs have Certified Hearing Protection; there are seven different types of Loop Earplugs, and they have up to 18 dB (SNR) of coverage. As the RadioTimes.com Technology team endeavour to be as thorough as possible with our reviews, let’s get technical with SNR! SNR is signal-to-noise ratio; signal-to-noise ratio is defined as the power of signal (meaningful input) to the power of background noise (meaningless or unwanted input). Loop Earplugs promise to maintain the great quality of sound while reducing the volume overall, but did they succeed when we tested them? Let’s find out. Buy Loop Earplugs Experience for £29.95 at Loop Earplugs View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Jump to: How did we test Loop Earplugs? Loop Earplugs design Loop Earplugs features Our verdict: Are Loop Earplugs worth it? Where to buy Loop Earplugs in the UK How did we test Loop Earplugs? When it comes to reviewing products, we have hands-on time with them, for example, we spent days with the Honor Watch GS 3, Xiaomi Watch S1 Active and Garmin vívosmart 5, to effectively rate the design, functions, and value for money, and come to an educated verdict. The Technology team are also lucky enough to get hands-on time with new releases, such as the Samsung S24 smartphone to deliver a well-rounded release date page before you spend your hard-earned cash on a product. We’ve been testing the Loop Earplugs Experience since October 2023, and when we tell you we’ve tried out the earplugs at an eclectic range of concerts, we truly mean it. We wore the Loop Earplugs to see indie pop musician The Japanese House at Here at Outernet on October 23rd, during Little Simz’s second night at Alexandra Palace on 11th November, to South East London club night Random Select to watch electronic music trio Theorist, Yskr and Tysk, just to name a few! We wanted to experience a range of locations, from Alexandra Palace to New Cross’ Planet Wax, genres, from grime to alternative, and varying noise levels. With over 26,109 five star reviews, we were excited to put Loop Earplugs to the test. Here is our honest review. Buy Loop Earplugs Experience for £29.95 at Loop Earplugs Do you enjoy listening to audiobooks? Our Audible offers page gets updated monthly with the best deals. Plus, you can currently get three months for 99p per month in this Audible Easter offer. Loop Earplugs design The Loop Earplugs Experience arrived in an recyclable lime green box with hot pink lettering. The words ‘Never Too Loud’ and ‘Loop Experience’ adorn the front, with the back of the box detailing important information such as the Mean SNR (18 dB) and Noise Reduction Rating (7 dB). The Loop Earplugs colour is on the side in black lettering, and there’s also a plastic pull tab on the parallel side which, once pulled, opens the box completely to reveal more detailed information. There’s the Loop Earplugs Instagram handle and a QR code inside which shows you how-to insert videos and warranty information, however, the QR code wouldn’t scan for us. This variation of the Loop Earplugs come in the following colours: Silver, Black, Gold and Rose Gold, and Loop Earplugs have also collaborated with three artists to create the Loop x Andrew Footit collaboration, Tomorrowland collection, and Equinox collection, which boasts Celestial Equinox, Flamingo Flux, and Midnight Sapphire colours. We received the Glorious Gold Loop Earplugs Experience. If we were to select our own Loop Earplugs, we would’ve gone for the Silver version; it’s common that when you receive your first piece of jewellery (for this Digital Writer, they’ve had a silver Saint Christopher necklace since birth), you become either a gold or silver person, and build your jewellery around that. However, we do love the metallic gold colourway of these Loop Earplugs; it looks stylish and sleek, and the loop design is certainly more fashionable than a foam earplug alternative. While testing the Loop Earplugs Experience, we selected the medium size ear tips. Each Loop Earplugs product comes with comfortable, soft-touch silicone ear tips which come in interchangeable sizes, XS, S, M and L. The silicone tips which came with the Glorious Gold Loop Earplugs were matte black ones which matched our matte black carry case. The small, circular matte black carry case will fit one pair of Loop Earplugs inside, and it comes with a small, elasticated loop at the top which will fit around your finger. We’ve found that the loop fits nicely on a keyring, but you could also attach it to a Carabiner, a phone case, or other accessory that you keep close to hand. The carry case comes with a simple ‘loop’ engraved on it, and while we think it’s a nice feature, we’re grateful that the Loop Earplugs don’t have any obvious branding on the earplug itself, as we think that would detract from the simple, stylish design. Buy Loop Earplugs Experience for £29.95 at Loop Earplugs For more reviews, release date pages, and deals, stay up to date with our Technology newsletter. Loop Earplugs features One of the things we anticipated before reviewing the Loop Earplugs was that they’d leave a dull ache in our ears in the same way that glasses, wireless earphones and traditional foam earplugs do. When we’ve worn glasses for the eight hours of work, we notice a pain behind our ears, and the Apple AirPods that many of the Digital Writers wear are slightly uncomfortable after extensive use, too. The silicone ear tip of the Loop Earplug fits inside the ear canal, while the loop itself sits between the conch and the tragus on the outside of your ear to hold it in place. The lightweight, soft-to-the-touch ear tips are comfortable, and you hardly feel them inside your ear. We opted for the medium sized ear tip and have stuck to it ever since first trialling it, however, smaller sized ear tips are recommended for sensitive ears. If you’ve read our What are Loop Earplugs? explainer, you’ll know that Loop Earplugs work by combining an acoustic channel and mesh to filter sound waves instead of blocking them. But does this work in practice? At the Random Select electronic club night, we were incredibly close to the DJ decks, yet the sound didn’t feel uncomfortable, and at Little Simz’s concert in Alexandra Palace, we could still hear every lyric in Gorilla, yet the background noise of the crowd didn’t pull us away from the concert. With Loop Earplugs, the sound quality is just as clear as without the earplugs, but it is at a reduced volume. Although we didn’t test this out, it’s worth mentioning the Loop Mute mechanism; the accessory offers an extra 5 dB of noise reduction. To insert the Loop Mute, simply take it between your thumb and index finger, and gently push it into the centre of your Loop Earplug. If you’re particularly conscious of loud noises, we’d recommend purchasing this accessory. Buy Loop Earplugs Experience for £29.95 at Loop Earplugs Are you in the market for a new music streaming service? Take a look at our Amazon Music Unlimited UK guide. Our verdict: Are Loop Earplugs worth it? The Loop Earplugs are easy to recommend. Loop Earplugs Experience do exactly what they say on the tin: they maintain great sound quality but at a reduced volume, which means that you don’t miss out on a second of the action, yet your hearing is protected and your general comfort is adhered to as they prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by noise. We like that Loop Earplugs look good, too; the earplugs are simple yet fashionable, and they come in a range of colours and designs to match your own personal aesthetic. To compare Loop Earplugs to the traditional foam earplugs, they are essentially a more stylish and more streamlined version — in the sense that you can choose from seven different types of earplugs to focus on experiences, engaging with friends, or sleeping, for example — of mainstream earplugs. This Digital Writer’s dad used to work on the shop floor at an engineering company, so foam earplugs were easily accessible. Foam earplugs block out all noise, which is useful for things such as snoring, noisy neighbours and street noise, but not for phone alarms or people calling you. The foam aspect is also very hit-and-miss, as sometimes the earplugs squash together, and sometimes they don’t. Foam earplugs are also uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods as they are inserted deep inside your ear canal to prevent them falling out. Loop Earplugs combat each failure of the foam earplugs as they’re comfortable, easy to insert, they stay secure in your ear, and look great, too. The Loop Earplugs Experience come in at £29.95 and we think that's great value for money. The earplugs are easy to clean for longevity, and as they sit securely within the ear canal, it's unlikely they'll fall out of your ear. In theory, the Loop Earplugs could last forever! So £29.95 for a lifetime of protected hearing is brilliant value for money. Buy Loop Earplugs Experience for £29.95 at Loop Earplugs If you're a fan of live music, be sure to check out our Going Out page for John Legend tickets, Mumford and Sons tickets, and Stevie Wonder tickets. Where to buy Loop Earplugs in the UK You can purchase Loop Earplugs from the official Loop Earplugs store, and the earplugs we tested were the Loop Earplugs Experience. Buy Loop Earplugs Experience for £29.95 at Loop Earplugs However, there are plenty of other Loop Earplugs variations. Plus, remember you can get 100-day free returns. Buy Loop Earplugs Quiet for £19.95 at Loop Earplugs Buy Loop Earplugs Engage Kids for £29.95 at Loop Earplugs Buy Loop Earplugs Engage for £29.95 at Loop Earplugs Buy Loop Earplugs Engage Plus for £39.95 at Loop Earplugs Buy Loop Earplugs Experience Plus for £39.95 at Loop Earplugs Buy Loop Earplugs Dream for £44.95 at Loop Earplugs Buy Loop Earplugs Switch for £54.95 at Loop Earplugs View Affiliate Playlist on the source website The Technology team stays ahead of the curve with deals on new releases, just take a look at our Samsung Galaxy A Series deals.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 mods – Best KCD2 mods and how to mod the game explained
Just when we thought it couldn't get better...
The launch of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has been met with widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike. The sequel to 2018's Medieval RPG provides players with a hilarious sense of humour in addition to several references to historical politics that pack Henry's story full of memorable moments. With KCD2 releasing on PC, there are several mods players can use to change various mechanics or add even more humour into the mix. Here, find the very best KCD2 mods that are guaranteed to add all kinds of gameplay enhancements. How to use mods in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 explained First things first, how do we use mods in KCD2? If you're familiar with modding, you'll probably be able to figure it out yourself. But we'll walk you through it anyway. Follow these steps: From the "manage" tab on Steam, choose "browse local files" Create a new folder called "mods" in the KingdonComeDeliverance2 folder Manually download the mod from your chosen mod source Extract the file, and paste it in your newly created "mods" folder Take a look at the images below if you're lost: View Gallery on the source website Once these steps are followed, the modification should appear in the game. Where to download mods in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Now you know the process, where do you go to get them? There are plenty of websites where modders share their creations, and one of the most popular is nexusmods.com. We've linked off to all our suggestions below (all on the aforementioned site), so have a browse while you're there! Best mods in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Now you know how to get them working, let's take a look at the best mods for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, from quality of life changes to pure cheats. Unfortunately, you can't turn your horse into Shrek yet, but we're sure that's on the way. Unlimited Saving 2 Let's start with the purely practical. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's saving system isn't unlike the Ink Ribbon system from the old Resident Evils. You have to use one of your Saviour Schnapps every time, which is hardly ideal if you've run out, and need to quit quickly due to a real-life emergency. Use this mod to save whenever you want. You can download it here. Unlimited Weight Radius XP We all know the pain of being over-encumbered in an RPG like this. It sucked in Oblivion almost 20 years ago, and it sucks in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Use this mod to pick up whatever you like, whenever you like. Download it here. Easy Smithing Many of the tasks in the game take a long time, and smithing is one of the most tedious. It's pretty fun the first time, but going through all that hammering every time? We'd rather be doing something else. Download Easy Smithing here so you can spend more time exploring the map. Overpowered Arrows This one's a pure cheat, but there's nothing wrong with a power trip every now and again. Use this mod to increase the strength of your arrows, and potentially one-shot your foes from afar. But beware, your enemy's arrows are stronger too, so it's a double-edged sword. Or, um, double-sided arrow? Download it here. No Player Map Marker Finally, one that actually makes Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 more challenging. The No Player Map Marker mod does exactly what it says on the tin, removing the player marker from the map. They didn't have GPS back then, so why not explore and navigate exactly how Henry would? Definitely more rewarding if you're up for the challenge. Download it here. Aggressive Combat AI If you're wanting even more of a challenge during your KCD2 playthrough, this mod is the one for you. By removing the attack delays on NPCs along with making them more aggressive, duels against opponents become even tricker to overcome. Check it out here. Fast Launch Want to avoid all of the cinematics of KCD2's introduction, the Fast Launch mod is one that is particularly useful. Once installed, there's no cinematics meaning you can get straight into Bohemia as fast as possible. Download it here. Magic Horse Shoes Another KCD2 mod that is worth adding to your collection involves some magic horseshoes. Equip the horseshoes onto your noble steed to earn maximum stats immediately, removing the process of levelling up your four-legged companion. Download it here. Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
When is CoD MW3 coming to Xbox Game Pass? Release date, latest news
After the reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at the Xbox Showcase, it seemed it would be the first Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass, but CoD MW3 has swooped in to take the crown with an official release date being announced. It was a pretty poorly kept secret, all things considered, but it seems Microsoft isn't very watertight when it comes to such matters, perhaps by design so as to gauge interest before committing to strategies. Nevertheless, those who didn't want to fork out for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 but are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass will be able to try it out for no additional cost. Battle Passes will still set you back, but at least you can get a flavour of the multiplayer or simply try out the singleplayer campaign. More options are never a bad thing, but such high-profile big-budget games could push the price of Xbox Game Pass further ever still. In the here and now, however, let's see what the situation for CoD is. Read on! Is CoD MW3 coming to Xbox Game Pass? Yes, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is coming to Xbox Game Pass. It was hardly a secret, as multiple announcements reported on leaks over the course of July. Ever since Microsoft acquired Activision-Blizzard-King last year, people have been keenly awaiting future releases, but also titles from the back catalogue. All three studios have a rich and diverse portfolio of IPs, but none are perhaps quite as alluring as the Call of Duty Games. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is still the most recent mainline entry in the series, so perhaps Microsoft is testing the waters to see how it will fare in order to formulate a strategy for Black Ops 6. If nothing else, it may serve to generate renewed interest in the series and get new fans hooked. But when can you play it? Read on! CoD MW3 Xbox Game Pass release date Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is coming to Xbox Game Pass on Wednesday 24th July 2024. This date specifically was reported on by Tom Henderson for Insider Gaming and was also put forth by Sikamikanico during a recording of the XboxEra Podcast. But now there is official word from Microsoft by way of an announcement. Keep in mind that Xbox Game Pass recently saw a price hike, though, so it might not turn out to be as much of a bargain. This could be the first wave of Activision releases on Xbox Game Pass since Microsoft acquired Activision-Blizzard-King last year. Tom Henderson recently reported on such a thing for Insider Gaming. Hopefully, we see games stretching back into some of the older titles to sate our nostalgia. View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
With 4K streaming in-built, this affordable soundbar offers more than just good sound.
Streaming players are what Roku do best. For over 10 years, the American brand has created devices to make it easier for us to watch our favourite streaming services on the bigger TV screen. Released last year, the Roku Streambar is one of the brand's newest creations and is designed to be a one-stop-shop for upgrading your TV. A combination of a soundbar and smart TV stick in one, the Roku Streambar not only brings apps and channels to your 'non-smart' TV but improves its sound, too. With any amalgamation, there are always doubts around whether these products are promising too much and if they can really deliver on both fronts. So, are you better off spending more on two individual products? Or does the Roku Streambar come through? In short, the Roku Streambar does everything it says it does. It's quick and easy to set-up, voice control makes searching the homepage simple, and both the sound and streaming qualities are excellent. But to answer these questions fully, we put the Roku Streambar to the test. We assessed its streaming quality, sound quality and design, alongside practical factors such as how easy it is to set-up and use. All this is considered against its price tag to decide if its good value for money and worth of a high star rating. Here is our Roku Streambar review as we put this affordable, all-in-one device to the test. Looking for more streaming devices? Read our Amazon Fire TV Cube review, Nvidia Shield TV Pro review and Chromecast with Google TV review. Or head straight over to our best streaming device round-up for our favourites. Jump to: Roku Streambar review: summary What is Roku Streambar? How much is Roku Streambar? Design Sound quality Streaming quality Roku Streambar set-up Difference between Roku Streambar and Roku Premiere Our verdict Where to buy Roku Streambar review: summary It is hard to find fault with the Roku Streambar. At £79.99, it offers brilliant value combining crisp sound with 4K streaming capabilities in one device. Voice control is offered via the remote and works well, particularly excelling when searching the Roku homepage. It offers a great range of streaming services and apps, including Disney+, BT Sport, Spotify, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video. There's no better device to upgrade an old TV with. Price: The Roku Streambar is available forr £79.99 at Amazon and Currys PC World. Key features: 4K streaming Automatically quietens loud adverts Voice remote Works with Alexa and Google Assistant Private Listening mode streams audio to your phone and allows you to listen via your headphones Free extra remote with the Roku mobile app Stream music with Bluetooth and Spotify Connect Access to apps including Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and BT Sport Pros: Great value for money Small soundbar fits into any set-up Can be mounted Produces crisp and well-rounded sound Great choice of channels and apps Cons: No Dolby Vision What is Roku Streambar? The Roku Streambar can be used to upgrade any TV with streaming apps and richer sound. Launched in September 2020, the Roku Streambar is a step up from a traditional streaming device like the Roku Premiere while still providing that same 4K streaming quality. It's both a decent streaming player and soundbar with a good sound and streaming quality, user-friendly homepage for an affordable price. What does Roku Streambar do? The Roku Streambar is designed to give you access to apps and channels such as Amazon Prime Video, Spotify and BT Sport and improve your TV's sound. One remote controls both elements and includes buttons for voice control, volume, pause/play and shortcuts to Spotify and Netflix. 4K HDR streaming Stream music via Bluetooth or Spotify Connect Automatically quietens loud adverts Ability to watch live TV along with streaming services like Netflix, NOW TV, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video Private Listening mode (via Roku app) so that you can listen to your TV audio through your headphones How much is Roku Streambar? The Roku Streambar retails for £79.99 and is available at this price at Amazon, Currys PC World, and Argos. Is Roku Streambar good value for money? The Roku Streambar is brilliant value for money. For an RRP of £129.99, the soundbar delivers 4K streaming quality that does not buffer and well-rounded sound that is a vast improvement on TV-only audio. It is on the smaller side, but the volume and quality of sound were impressive for its size. Plus, considering that soundbars can cost upwards of £800, you're getting a lot of extra features such as voice control for a very affordable price. For a full breakdown on costs, we have a dedicated explainer on Roku's costs. Roku Streambar design Almost half the size of most soundbars, the Roku Streambar should slot into any TV set-up you have without too much reorganising. With curved edges at each end, the sound covers an impressive area and is not noticeably one-directional. And while the Roku Streambar is not strictly designed to be portable, the size and ease of the soundbar's set-up mean that it is no trouble to unplug and move. You should have no problem moving it around the house and switching it to another TV once its in use. Style: With an all-black design, the Roku Streambar has a sleek yet simple design. The brand's name is positioned, also in black, on the front of the soundbar. Robustness: While not particularly heavy, the Roku Streambar feels sturdy. We had no concerns about it getting damaged while moving it about and setting up, and it feels well-balanced, so you do not have to worry about it tipping over or getting knocked. Size: The main hub is only 40cm long, 10cm deep and 8cm tall. It will fit comfortably on any TV stand or can be mounted. The accompanying remote is a tad smaller than a traditional TV one but has all the essentials, including play/pause, volume and home buttons. Roku Streambar sound quality When buying a soundbar, there is nothing more important than sound quality. Yes, the Roku Streambar has more additional features than most, but to do its job well, Roku has to first get the sound quality right. And it has. We saw an immediate improvement from our TV audio as the sound was crisp and well-rounded. The device has four internal speakers to create a rich sound with Dolby Audio. We saw the biggest improvement when it came to background tracks on games, TV shows and music, which were a lot clearer or, in some cases, noticeable for the first time. The volume range is good, too. We rarely had to go above 16 (out of 100) on the volume level, and the sound filled the room. This is helped by the curved shape of the soundbar, which means that the sound isn't only sent directly out of the device's front but to each side, too. Even when the volume was up high, the Roku Streambar had no problem picking up requests when using voice control. The voice control worked best when searching the homepage for apps or channels but was 95% accurate with any request, including pausing and playing TV shows or music. Roku Streambar streaming quality The Roku Streambar offers 4K HDR streaming of apps and channels, including BT Sport, NOW TV and BBC iPlayer. The picture quality was sharp and bright across the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube, and there was no lag. On occasion, a film took a second to load, but this is to be expected and is no different to if it was loaded on a smart TV. A Roku device is a good option if you want a more neutral offering than big entertainment brands such as Amazon or Apple. For example, on the Amazon Fire TV Stick, Amazon Prime Video content is incredibly prominent on the homepage. If you have an Amazon Prime Video membership, this is unlikely to bother you, but if you don't use it very much or at all, you may prefer the more balanced Roku TV homepage. Roku Streambar set-up: how easy is it to use? Roku prides itself on the set-up of its devices being easy, and it is. Everything you need to get started is supplied in the box. This includes the Roku Streambar itself, a remote, power adaptor and cable, high-speed HDMI cable and even two AAA batteries (for the remote). From the box to watching TV, the whole process took just under 18 minutes. This may seem like a while, but this did include all those fiddly elements such as making a Roku account, finding the Wi-Fi password and adding payment details for any subscriptions or downloads. All this considered, we were pretty happy. The instructions were clear, simple and largely prompted via the TV. It is also worth noting that this time would be considerably less if you have a Roku TV because several steps can be bypassed. Finally, we would also suggest downloading the Roku app. Some brand's apps can be a little superfluous, but Roku's actually has a few features that make it worth it. First, it comes with a free extra remote. If you're the type of person who is always losing everything down the back of the sofa, you need this. And second; is the Private Listening mode. Designed to let you watch TV without disrupting others, the feature allows you to stream the TV audio via the app so that you can watch with headphones in. For anyone with an unconventional sleeping pattern, works night shifts or doesn't want to cause too much noise, this function is brilliant. What is the difference between Roku Streambar and Roku Premiere? The two most obvious differences between the Roku Streambar and the Roku Premiere is the size and price of these two streaming players. Because of its additional audio features, the Roku Streambar is over 40cm long and has an RRP of £79.99, while the Roku Premiere is considerably less at £19.99 and is the same size as a fun-size chocolate bar. However, they both function by slotting into the HDMI port in the back of the TV and provide 4K streaming of apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, NOW TV and YouTube. The added benefit of the Roku Streambar is that it will also improve your TV's audio, including quietening overly loud adverts. Beyond this, both have the same Roku TV homepage, voice control and the same great variety of apps. The Roku app is also available with both devices and makes typing out passwords a lot easier. An extra remote is included within the app, along with the Private Listening mode that allows you to listen to the TV audio via the app with headphones. It is a great feature if you have a usual sleeping pattern or don't want to disrupt others in the house. The physical remotes look pretty similar, too, although the Roku Streambar's remote has the addition of TV controls such as volume and power buttons. Deciding between these two devices largely depends on how much you're looking to spend and whether you feel like your TV audio could do with a boost. If you feel like the latter applies to you, buy the Roku Streambar. Otherwise, the Roku Premiere will suit you just fine. If your TV does not have 4K capabilities, we suggest saving a bit of cash and trying out the Roku Express or NOW TV Smart Stick instead. To find out more about the USB-style stick, read our What is a NOW TV Stick explainer. Buy Roku Streambar for £79.99 at Amazon Buy the Roku Premiere for £19.99 at Amazon Our verdict: should you buy Roku Streambar? The Roku Streambar is punching way beyond its price tag. For £99.99, you not only get 4K streaming and access to apps such as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Spotify and YouTube, but also richer sound quality. The Roku Streambar is almost half the size of most soundbars, but it still delivers well-rounded sound that is noticeably better than that of a TV alone. Plus, the size means that it will fit into any TV set-up no problem. Admittedly, if you're trying to fill a cinema-sized room with sound, the Roku Streambar will likely fall a little short, but if you're simply upgrading a TV that has seen better days, there's no better device than the Roku Streambar. It goes way beyond any offering from even the best streaming stick for only marginally more than the Amazon Fire TV Cube. The streaming quality is great, with no lag and voice control via the app remote means that you can search the homepage hands-free. Roku has quickly become known as the go-to brand for affordable streaming devices, and the Roku Streambar is a true representation of this. Design: 4/5 Sound quality: 4/5 Streaming quality: 4/5 Set-up: 5/5 Value for money: 5/5 Overall: 4.5/5 Where to buy Roku Streambar The Roku Streambar is available at several retailers. £79.99 at Amazon £79.99 at Currys PC World £79.99 at Argos Looking to upgrade your TV setup? Head over to our best smart TV guide for advice on the best TV to buy. Then take a look at our best streaming service recommendations for something new to watch.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Series release date, UK pricing and how to buy today
Samsung has advanced its S Series with the all new Samsung Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra smartphones. We got hands-on to bring you the low-down on the features and specs, and the all important release date.
After rumours had been swirling for a little while, earlier this month, at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 event, fans finally laid eyes on the brand new Samsung Galaxy S23 Series. Last year, we saw the S22 Series advance on the smartphones which came before, coming fully equipped with a battery which lasted more than a day, an S Pen, and an unrivalled camera with advanced Nightography (Samsung’s night mode camera). This year, Samsung has upped its game in terms of the camera and has pledged to be more sustainable with a new eco-conscious design. Plus, the new S23 Series promises a better gaming experience. The S23 comes in three different models: the S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra. It also comes in four different colour variations: Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender. Unusually, the colours are all naturally-sourced from plants as part of Samsung’s eco-conscious motive and its plan to be carbon neutral by 2025. Like other Samsung smartphones, the new S23 Series is Samsung Knox-protected and promises five years of security updates. If you’re a Samsung user, you’ll know how easy it is to see what’s at risk and what’s not, which offers much-needed peace of mind. The brand new Samsung S23 smartphones are jam-packed with new specifications and features, as well as a freshly shaped curvature on the S23 Ultra, so let’s get stuck in with the finer details to see if this new range of smartphones is right for you. We've also put together a dedicated best Samsung Galaxy S23 deals page to help you get the top prices on the brand new smartphone. As well as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Series, Samsung has also launched four brand-new Book3s, and you can find out all about them in our Samsung Galaxy Book3 release date UK page. The Book3 series includes the first device of its kind, the Galaxy Book3 Ultra, which includes the new Nvidia GeForce RTX, a visual computing platform. Due to the new computing platform, the Book3 Ultra had a later release date than the other devices, pushing it back to Valentine's Day (14th February). For Samsung smartphone reviews, be sure to check out the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review. Plus, take a look at the latest smartphones with the Samsung Galaxy A34 UK release date page. If you'd like to save on Samsung tech, take a look at the top Samsung offers this month and for more deals for this month, you can find all about when does Amazon Spring Sale end? Jump to: UK release date Hands-on review Design Features How to buy in the UK Save £600 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 If you know Samsung phones, you’ll know that the Galaxy Z series is seriously pricey. Now, the Z Fold 3, Samsung's most expensive yet, is available at nearly 40 per cent less thanks to the Amazon Spring Sale. With a 7.6-inch foldable display, an S-pen, 5G and more, this phone is now selling at £999 (down from £1,599). Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 | £1,599 £999 (save £600 or 38%) Samsung Galaxy S23 Series release date and UK price The Samsung Galaxy S23 Series was available to pre-order from Wednesday 1st February until Thursday 16th February, and the smartphones are available to buy outright from today (Friday 17th February). If you pre-ordered a new S23 smartphone before 16th February, Samsung doubled the phone’s storage. However, if you missed the boat on this one, don't worry. There are still some fantastic incentives to purchase the new Galaxy S23 smartphone, such as six months free Disney Plus if you buy through Samsung directly. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £849 at Samsung Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £1,149 at Samsung Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £1,249 at Samsung For more Disney Plus offers, check out our guide for this month. Samsung Galaxy S23 Series hands-on review The RadioTimes.com tech team got hands-on with the new S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra smartphones at the recent Samsung event in north London. We spent a lot of time trying out the new functions, particularly the camera. One of the most fun experiences from the Samsung hands-on was taking photos on the S23 Ultra. Like with the Samsung Galaxy Note10 and Note10+, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra includes an S Pen for you to take photos with. Simply remove the pen from the phone, click on it to take a photo, swipe up or down with an arm motion to change the camera from front to back, then swish side to side to change the mode, for example to video or to portrait. Also, with the S Pen, you can use it to write notes and pin them to your wallpaper, which is super handy for things such as shopping lists. All three S23 smartphones performed well, with the S23 being a clear stand-out in terms of its camera features. However, as you know with the Samsung Ultra devices, they’re pretty large to say the least. Although it sounds trivial, it is important to own a device which you feel comfortable holding. So, if usability is more important than high-end specs, opt for the S23 or S23+. Samsung Galaxy S23 Series design: what does it look like? The all-new S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra smartphones come in four different colourways: Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender, and all colours are sourced from plants as part of Samsung’s eco-conscious initiative. On top of that, the S23 Series includes 12 recycled internal and external components ⁠— a 100 per cent increase on the S22’s six recycled internal components ⁠— and it utilises recycled fishing nets with the aim of preventing 15 tons entering the ocean this year. The S23 has a 6.1-inch display, and the S23+ boasts a 6.6-inch display. Both are flat, whereas the S23 Ultra includes a 6.8-inch, newly-shaped curvature display. Plus, the S23 Series is the first smartphone to incorporate the durable Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 in its design. The newest gorilla glass can withstand drops on tougher surfaces, such as concrete, which offers peace of mind for those of us who can be a little careless with our phones! Samsung Galaxy S23 Series specs: what features are new? From the hands-on session, one of the features Samsung was particularly keen to push was the improved camera. The 200MP back-facing camera is high-quality enough to print out photos and blow them up onto canvases, and the 12MP front-facing camera has super HDR, so your selfies will look as flawless as you do. The brand new adaptive pixel sensor and double OIS camera improves taking photos in the dark as it creates more stability in comparison to the S22. The astro hyperlapse is fantastic for taking photos of the night sky, too, with no professional equipment needed. The adaptive VDIS improves video quality in dimly lit settings by analysing movements and breaking them down so they’re not blurry. The S23 also promises a better gaming experience. With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, the S23 processes graphics faster than the S22. The new battery life — 5,000mAh for the S23 Ultra, 4,700mAh for the S23+, and 3,900mAh for the S23 — means more gaming time (the joy!). Plus, the S23 automatically adjusts and enhances the colour and light when you’re gaming in different lights. Want to carry on gaming after dark? That’s no problem with the S23. Samsung has also partnered with Google on certain features. For example, you can use Google Meet on video calls, coupled with Samsung Notes to edit documents, which is perfect if you’re a student or working remotely. How to buy the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Series in the UK Pre-orders were open from Wednesday 1st February until Thursday 16th February. You're able to buy a brand-new Galaxy S23 smartphone outright from today (Friday 17th February). You can buy the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Series from Samsung: Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £849 at Samsung Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £1,149 at Samsung Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £1,249 at Samsung Plus, buy the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Series from a range of other UK retailers. John Lewis: Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £899 at John Lewis Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £1,149 at John Lewis Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £1,399 at John Lewis Currys: Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £899 at Currys Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £1,149 at Currys Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £1,399 at Currys JD Williams: Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £899 at JD Williams Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £1,149 at JD Williams Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £1,399 at JD Williams Very: Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £849 at Very Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £1,049 at Very Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £1,249 at Very Argos: Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £849 at Argos Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £1,049 at Argos Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £1,399 at Argos If buying outright isn't for you, there are a number of networks that offer the brand new Samsung Galaxy S23 Series on a monthly contract. Carphone Warehouse: Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £26.99 a month at Carphone Warehouse Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £47 a month at Carphone Warehouse Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £59 a month at Carphone Warehouse Sky Mobile: Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £31 a month at Sky Mobile Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £39 a month at Sky Mobile Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £47 a month at Sky Mobile Three: Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 from £23 a month at Three Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ from £28 a month at Three Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from £52.33 a month at Three If you're after a PC, Samsung launched the all new Book3 on Wednesday 1st February, with the Book3 Ultra available to pre-order from Tuesday 14th February. Take a look at the price, specifications, and how to buy now via our Samsung Galaxy Book3 UK release date page. Stay up to date with our Technology page for more release date news and best lists, like best budget smartphones and best smartphones for older people.
We got our hands on Google's new phone to see if it's worth your cash. Here's our verdict.
Google unveiled the new Pixel 7 recently and it's got people talking. It treads the line between value and quality more effectively than some big-name competitors and we were excited to get our hands on it for testing. In this review we'll explain what we found during testing and our final conclusions. First, it's worth noting that the new Google Pixel 7 represents not just a step forward for Google's smartphone technology, but also the real start for its hardware ecosystem. The phone was unveiled alongside the Pixel 7 Pro, the Pixel tablet and the long-awaited Pixel Watch. It's not a shock that Google is following other brands down this avenue, but the fact the company can unite its hardware and software on a deeper level than some competitors makes the range an interesting proposition. Read on for our complete review, or use the links below to zone in on particular aspects of the phone's performance. Jump to: Google Pixel 7 review: Summary What is the Google Pixel 7? How much is the Google Pixel 7? Google Pixel 7 features Google Pixel 7 display Google Pixel 7 battery Google Pixel 7 camera Google Pixel 7 design Our verdict Where to buy Google Pixel 7 Google Pixel 7 review: Summary There's an awful lot to like about the Google Pixel 7. During our time testing the phone we've found very few drawbacks, though fans of fast charging and zoom photography may want to look elsewhere. Overall, thanks to the stand-out camera and slick user experience, it's one of the best value smartphones out there right now. Key features: Google Tensor G2 chip 6.3 inch AMOLED display Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Android 13 IP68 dust/water resistant 90Hz AMOLED display 8GB of RAM 128GB or 256GB of storage Pros: Amazing camera Speedy new processor Brilliant value Google software and Google hardware combine with great results Slick interface and user experience Accessible and easy to use Cons: Display only 90Hz No optical zoom Unremarkable fast-charging What is the Google Pixel 7? The Google Pixel 7 is Google's newest smartphone. It combines Google software and Google hardware, all gelled together by Google's own Android operating system. Because Google made all three of those elements, they bond together more smoothly than some competing phones. For example, competing Samsung devices, though impressive, have to lay their own software and operating system skin over Google's Android OS. As a result, Google essentially acts as the middle-man for many other handsets, where here, Google's own tech all fits together seamlessly and it feels as if the middle-man has been cut out. We're left with a brilliantly smooth user experience. How much is the Google Pixel 7? The standard Pixel 7 starts at £599 and offers great value at that price point relative to the competition. That's for the version with 128GB of storage, there's also a 256GB edition for £699. Comparably, Apple's iPhone 14 starts at £849 for the 128GB version and it's £959 for the 256GB version. However Apple offer more storage options, with a 512GB option also available for £1,179. If you want to go a little more up-market, of course there's the Google Pixel 7 Pro. That starts at £849 for the 128GB version and offers an even better camera and a larger display. Google Pixel 7 features The real stand-out 'feature' of the Pixel 7 is the way its new Google Tensor G2 processor powers sophisticated Google AI – and everything that that AI can deliver. This process results in some really smart features like Clear Call, which eliminates background noise on phone calls and Live Translate, which is immensely impressive. Simply point your phone camera at some text in another language and Google AI takes over, translating it in front of your eyes into the language you've chosen. More generally though, the improved processor further beefs up Google's hardware offering. Now, your camera has even more AI back-up, you can play demanding games without a hitch and performance remains silky smooth. Sure, it's not a gaming phone and they're still just about the best in their niche, but this can deliver most high-end mobile games without a hitch. The general software experience is improved too. For example, Google's voice assistant is more accurate and responsive, dealing with different accents and volumes. Navigation is speedy and smooth and fingerprint recognition is sped up too. Every aspect of the UI is well designed and it's easy to use apps, save and move files, capture content and more. Overall it's a great package that's led by this software experience and just seems to understand users. One way in which that understanding and care for users is shown is the oft-offered demo videos. Hop into a new Google app, or a new area of the phone and you'll more than likely be offered a demo video. For those in the know they're easy to turn down, but they also help to explain slightly confusing navigational elements, or similar, that many other manufacturers presume every user knows. It's a nice touch. Bloatware is skipped too and generally it just feels like Google has considered what users actually want from this phone. There's attention to detail in spades. It's accessible and easy to use too, with functions to help those who are hard of hearing, or even blind. On top of that Google promises three years of OS updates, which offers a level of peace of mind. It's a good thing too, as the Pixel 6 was known to carry one or two bugs, so there's plenty of chance for any on the Pixel 7 to be ironed out. However, the offering is slightly behind Samsung which now offers four years of updates with new devices. Google Pixel 7 display The display is one of the few slight drawbacks of the Google Pixel 7 and honestly, it's still good. It's a blip though, at least on paper – that 90Hz refresh rate leaves it lagging behind the 120Hz refresh rate displays of the competition. Many cheaper competitors even offer this feature. This means scrolling isn't quite as smooth as those competitors and gamers may prefer a higher refresh rate screen, but for general everyday use you're unlikely to find this a major drawback. Otherwise the display is good. It's a 6.3-inch AMOLED panel offering HDR10+ resolution and it's protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. Brightness has been improved on both the 7 and 7 Pro. Overall, to look at it's not the very best display out there, but it's solid. Google Pixel 7 battery Battery isn't the Pixel 7's strongest suit but again, it's not a bad performance. It carries a 4355mAh battery and supports 30W wired fast-charging or 20W wireless fast charging. However, there's no fast charger in the box, just USB-C to USB-C cable and an adaptor for one end, USB-C to USB-A. During testing we found that the Google Pixel 7's battery actually lasted pretty well. Just as with other aspects of the phone, power efficiency has seen a boost thanks to the efficiency of the new Tensor G2 processor. The phone comfortably lasts a day and a half before needing to recharge, lighter users can see it manage two. Google Pixel 7 camera The Google Tensor G2 chip has levelled up Google's already-impressive camera offering. Now, night-shooting is stunning and image processing better than ever. After taking a shot, the phone will pause for a moment as the image processing works its magic and the results are hugely impressive. Yes, many phones deliver the same thing – a pause and then a processed image – but Google's market-leading AI means that the image processing is absolutely elite. It becomes easy and pain-free to snap away and trust the processor to give you the very best image possible. Honestly, the Pixel 7 is one of the best, most easy-to-use aim and shoot phone cameras on the market today. The ultrawide camera isn't the phones strongest offering but photos still look good and it's very simple to use. Another camera feature Google is keen to shout about is Real Tone photography. This uses AI to accurately reproduce a wider array of natural skin colours than other cameras can manage. We've seen a wide variety of examples of this tech, pitched against competition from Apple and elsewhere, that demonstrate its efficacy. Also, there's a fantastic 'unblur' feature which makes it easy to sharpen up blurry photos. The phone can also stitch together images taken with the main and ultrawide lenses to further sharpen rear-camera shooting. These features and more make the Google Pixel 7's camera one of the most remarkable out there — especially at this price. Video shooting was a slight drawback of the Pixel 6 range but it's been improved massively on the Pixel 7, with sharper detail, better colour and an impressive auto-focus feature. Notably though, the phone does lack a zoom camera. However we found that it could still harness its AI and capture reasonably good detail at 5x -8x distances using digital zoom. If you're desperate for zoom photography you'll need to upgrade to the Pro, which packs much of the same base tech as the standard Pixel 7 but adds a 5x zoom camera and some other snazzy features. Google Pixel 7 design The Google Pixel 7's look is a little divisive. Personally, we really liked it. It looks and feels premium and it doesn't feel over-sized, or too weighty. However, that camera module on the back always sparked comments during our tests and not all of them were positive. Basically, it still makes the phone look kind of like Robocop until you put the case on – and that does seem to put some would-be users off slightly. If you like the look and feel of the phone as we did, then the rest of the design notes are fairly straightforward. It's available in lime green, white, or black. Or, as Google is calling those shades, 'lemongrass', 'snow' and 'obsidian'. The Pro model is available in 'hazel', 'snow' and 'obsidian'. Hazel is a sort of greeny-grey shade with gold coloured trim around the metallic edges and on the camera bump. Our verdict The Google Pixel 7 is a phone that's easy to recommend. It undercuts other phones with the same level of performance and offers an amazing range of features driven by Google's increasingly intelligent AI. The camera is simple to use, the processor is powerful and the user experience is silky smooth. It's also a phone that's easy to recommend for people who aren't the techiest, or who aren't used to smartphones, thanks to its range of intuitive controls, demos and accessibility features. How is Google charging less money for more phone performance? Essentially software is picking up some of the heavy lifting that's done by expensive hardware on other handsets. The result is a brilliantly well-rounded device that offers both value and performance. Where to buy Google Pixel 7 The Pixel 7 is now available at a wide range of UK retailers following its full release. Check out the links below for the latest pricing and availability. Google Pixel 7 | from £599 at Amazon Google Pixel 7 | from £599 at John Lewis Google Pixel 7 | from £599 at Argos Google Pixel 7 | from £599 at Currys It's also worth considering the Pro model, if you've got the budget. It offers a larger display, a little more power and a few extra features. Google Pixel 7 Pro | from £849 at Amazon Google Pixel 7 Pro | from £849 at Argos Google Pixel 7 Pro | from £849 at John Lewis Google Pixel 7 Pro | from £849 at Currys For more on tech and the latest deals head over to our technology section, or check out our round-up of the best smartphones to buy in 2022.
We've been testing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Here are our thoughts.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is one of the most unusual and exciting devices we've seen in 2022. It folds open to reveal a large screen which places it oddly in the middle-ground between phone and tablet. That large screen is an interesting, versatile tool that we thoroughly enjoyed testing. We've had a lengthy hands-on test with the phone and we're ready to render our verdict, answering that all important question: Is it worth your cash? Read on for our thoughts or use the links below to focus in on a certain aspect of the phone's performance, or the latest prices. Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 at Samsung Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 at Amazon Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 at John Lewis Jump to: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review: summary What is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4? How much is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4? Z Fold 4 features Z Fold 4 display Z Fold 4 battery Z Fold 4 camera Z Fold 4 design Our verdict Where to buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review: summary Key features: Folding AMOLED display Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor 12GB RAM Triple camera array: 50MP, 12MP, 10MP Additional 10MP cover display camera 4MP under-display selfie camera Gorilla Glass Victus Plus cover screen and rear IPX8 water resistance Android 12L + One UI software Pros: Large display great for content streaming Taskbar offers a familiar and intuitive experience Improved camera Improved battery life Slimmer handset Cons: Poor under display selfie camera Very expensive Many apps are not optimised for this screen type Still very thick Display creases and picks up fingerprints easily Battery life could be better What is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4? Samsung recently released two impressive foldables and this is the larger of the two, dwarfing the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4. It's a large smartphone that folds in two, meaning you get a much larger display when it's open. There's also a smaller 'cover screen' for one-handed use. This is ideal for quickly answering messages or snapping photos, but you'll want to open the device up and make use of that lovely, large internal display for more detailed work. How much is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4? Perhaps the biggest drawback of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is its huge price tag. Starting at £1,649 for 256GB of memory with 12GB of RAM, that goes up to £1,769 for 512GB of storage and a jaw-dropping £2,019 for the 1TB version. That's one expensive phone. However, right now in the UK market, it's almost unique. Huawei has produced similar foldables in other markets and there is the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 — which received mixed reviews on release but has been improved by software fixes. However, other than that, the Fold 4 is more or less in a class of its own right now. That doesn't necessarily mean it's amazing, but if you want this specific kind of device, your choices are limited. Z Fold 4 features The Z Fold 4 is a powerful package, boasting 12GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset running Android 12L — a version of Android 12 for larger-screened devices — with Samsung's One UI overlay. It's silky smooth to use and all that power makes it easy and fairly intuitive to multi-task. There are plenty of durability features to give you peace of mind, too. There's IPX8 water resistance and both the cover screen and the rear panel are made of Gorilla Glass Victus Plus. The separate screens bring a new level of customisation and versatility. For instance, you can set-up entirely different home screens on your cover screen and larger, inner screen. It's also got stereo speakers, two SIM card slots, 5G connectivity and up to 15W wireless charging. Z Fold 4 display The display is both the phone's biggest asset and its most frustrating drawback, depending on how able you are to cope with its crease, its fingerprint-magnetising qualities and how much you value having a larger tablet-style display wherever you go. Notably, the thinner, more flexible material used to make the folding display marks up much more easily than a traditional smartphone screen. We found this quite frustrating, but it's by no means a huge drawback. The folding 7.6-inch AMOLED panel offers a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+. It's really very impressive if you don't mind the endless fingerprint marks and the crease. Streaming content from Netflix, YouTube and Amazon was suddenly much more appealing than it would be on a smaller, traditional smartphone screen. It also helps with tasks like image editing, or reading and though an S-Pen isn't included, it is compatible with one for note-making. Z Fold 4 battery Despite its huge size, the Fold 4 doesn't offer a particularly large battery. It also has several displays — and potentially app multi-tasking — to power with it. The 4400mAh battery can charge at a maximum speed of 25W, which isn't exactly lightning fast. Plus, there's no mains adaptor in the box. The battery is okay and generally gets through the day with a little to spare, given light to moderate use, in our experience. If you want to sip at the power and make it last longer, then the small outer display is your friend. Really, though this all represents an improvement on the previous Fold, we can't say that the battery-life or charging is a strong suit for the Fold 4. It is compatible with 15W wireless charging at least, but overall, the battery performance is middle of the road. Z Fold 4 camera The rear camera array is a point of improvement on the Galaxy Fold 3. A new 50MP sensor is partnered by a 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP telephoto snapper. There's also a 4MP under-display camera and a 10MP camera on the cover display. With five sensors at your fingertips, you won't be short of cameras. However, some of them perform better than others and ultimately the under-display camera is best forgotten. There's also a 3x optical zoom and a 30x digital zoom, but the latter doesn't measure up to the quality of the Samsung Galay S22 Ultra, which offers a better camera system overall. During our testing we enjoyed using the camera but found that its zoom functions did feel limited. Detail was quickly lost when zooming in on subjects. The large display also comes in useful when taking photos. Partially fold the screen in the camera app and one half will show you the shots you've just taken, allowing for easy editing and shot selection. There's also the option to half fold the screen and place it on the floor while shooting video, giving you an interesting low-angle shot and the ability to film yourself without a tripod, or somewhere to lean your phone. Z Fold 4 design The hinge is slimmed down and the whole device is marginally less bulky, but it still feels far heftier than most phones. The phone has a premium feel thanks to the understated camera array and glass back panel, but this is slightly eroded by quite how easily the folding display marks up. It's also one of the heaviest smartphones out there right now. From a purely aesthetic stand-point, the Fold 4 will be divisive. For foldable fans, it's a great iterative improvement on the Fold 3, but not too much has changed and any thoughts on the design will be entirely shaped by whether you're pro or anti the big size, the hinge and the folding display. For our part, we think it's a nice looking but overly large phone, but if you have use-cases in mind that suit that large display perfectly, then it may be worth carrying around the extra bulk. Our verdict The Fold 4 is an expensive, acquired taste and you'll have to put up with one or two irritations to reap its rewards. The screen marks up annoyingly easily and the crease remains, the battery isn't as strong as we'd hoped either, but viewing videos, photos and reading content on that large folding display is a joy. If it's sheer camera performance you're after from your Samsung, then get the S22 Ultra instead. While the camera is improved here, it's still not Samsung's best. If you want something a little more unusual that offers great bonuses with productivity apps and content streaming, then this might be the phone for you. Ultimately, while slick, powerful and impressive, the Fold 4 still represents an innovative, new technology that hasn't quite been perfected. If you have the budget to pay for that and find it appealing enough to accept its small flaws, then it's well worth considering as a purchase. Where to buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is available from a range of UK retailers. Check out the latest pricing and availability below. Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 at Samsung Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 at Amazon Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 at John Lewis For more on top-rated phones, check out our latest on how to buy the iPhone 14 in the UK, or this special iPhone 14 offer we've hunted down for you.
Here's Apple's latest iPhone. We got hands-on to see how it compares to the rest of the range and the Android competition.
It's that time again. There's a brand new iPhone — Apple's all-new iPhone 14 — but should you buy it? The RadioTimes.com team have been testing out the latest iteration of one of the world's most popular phones. It's got one or two flaws and some amazing features, but is it worth your cash? We're taking a look under the hood to find out. Read on for our full review of the iPhone 14 or use the links below to zone in on a certain aspect of the phone's performance. You can also check out this impressive early iPhone 14 offer from Sky Mobile here, or our new iPhone 14 Pro review. Jump to: iPhone 14 review: summary What is the iPhone 14? How much is the iPhone 14? iPhone 14 features iPhone 14 display iPhone 14 battery iPhone 14 camera iPhone 14 design Our verdict Where to buy iPhone 14 iPhone 14 review: summary The iPhone 14 isn't a huge improvement on its predecessor, the iPhone 13, but there are some nice additions and overall it's a very, very capable device as we've come to expect from Apple. However, viewed in the context of the wider range it's hard it falls in an awkward mid-ground between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 14 Pro. During our tests, we liked the display, the camera and the overall experience. It's all backed up by good internals and performance Key features: A15 Bionic chip Two 12MP rear cameras 12MP selfie camera Crash and fall detection IP68 rating 6GB RAM 128, 256 or 512GB of storage Pros: A15 chip is still smooth and fast New crash detection feature Good performance Improved main camera Improved battery life Cons: No new A16 chip Not a big improvement on the iPhone 13 Expensive 60Hz display What is the iPhone 14? Plain and simple, the iPhone 14 is the base entry-level phone of the new iPhone 14 family. Sure, there's the SE if you want to go cheaper, but the iPhone 14 kicks off this range proper. Its bigger brother is the iPhone 14 Plus, which performs the same but offers a larger 6.7-inch display to the 6.1-inch display of the standard phone. Similarly, the more expensive Pro and Pro Max phones perform similarly and are differentiated by their sizing. How much is the iPhone 14? The iPhone 14 starts from £849, with the larger Plus starting at £949. You can pay extra for more storage up to a massive 1 terabyte. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max start at £1099 and £1199 respectively. Again, these prices increase depending on how much storage you want your phone to have. Right now, the iPhone seems to land itself in a tricky place with that pricing. The iPhone 13 starts at £649 for the mini or £749 for the standard iPhone 13 and honestly, the consensus seems to be that the iPhone 14 is not a huge leap forward from the 13. Sure it's got one more GPU core giving its processor some extra welly and it's got new safety features and a bit of a camera boost, but really you won't notice a huge difference as that same A15 chip powers everything. As a result, when focusing on price, it's tempting to suggest either saving some extra cash for the powerful and impressive iPhone 14 Pro, or going for one of last year's models. Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at John Lewis Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at Amazon Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at Currys The iPhone 14 is also available in a contract from the likes of Carphone Warehouse, Sky, EE and Vodafone. Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at Sky Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at Carphone Warehouse Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at EE Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at Vodafone iPhone 14 features While the A15 Bionic chip remains, the phone packs an extra GPU core compared to the iPhone 13, making it more equivalent with the iPhone 13 under the hood. We ran some benchmarking tests against a £799 Android flagship from another company and found the A15 was still streets ahead in terms of performance. Apple was keen to laud its new safety features and some of them are pretty impressive. Crash detection is a great addition — though thankfully one we didn't test during our time with the phone. It uses a new gyroscope and accelerometer to detect whether you've been in a car crash and then alerts emergency services, using the appropriate language wherever you are in the world. It's a great tool for peace of mind. There's also a satellite SOS feature that looks pretty cool. Unfortunately, it's only rolling out in the USA at the moment. However, there has been a suggestion this could make it to some other countries by the end of the year and the UK may or may not be included, as reported by 9to5Mac. Of course, the phone is MagSafe compatible and charges with a lightning cable, despite increasing pressure on Apple to change their ports to USBC. The phone comes with a lightning cable but no mains adaptor. If you're swapping from an Android phone to an iPhone then your iPhone will prompt you to use the 'Move to iOS' app. We tried this with several different iPhone and Android phones and had mixed results, which was disappointing. As ever, making the jump from Android to iOS — or vice versa — is awkward. Interestingly, US versions of the new iPhone won't have a SIM tray. It's a sign of the times but UK users won't have to adapt just yet. iPhone 14 display The iPhone 14's display doesn't look bad at all, but it's not cutting edge, especially for its price point. Yes, it's got Dolby Vision and the Super Retina XDR OLED panel offers HDR10 resolution which looks great, but the 60Hz refresh rate pales in comparison to similarly-priced competitors. This means it's much less smooth than that 120Hz ProMotion display on the Pro and Pro Max models. It's not the end of the world but there are competitors offering phones half the price of the iPhone — and less — with 120Hz displays. The standard iPhone 14 has kept the notch of previous phones, rather than adopting the Dynamic Island found on the new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. That's a bit of a shame, given that the Dynamic Island feels like one of the most innovative elements of the new line-up. Of course, it's understandable that Apple see the need to separate the two phones though iPhone 14 battery As we mentioned, you'll get a lightning cable in the box but no mains adaptor. It seems Apple may begrudgingly switch to USBC charging with the next iPhone, but the lightning port remains for now. It's compatible with 20W fast charging which can charge the phone up to 50% in half an hour. During our tes,t two hours of video streaming depleted the battery by 14%. That's reasonably efficient. However, start multi-tasking across apps and battery life can vary a little. Apple keeps its battery claims relatively vague, offering 'all-day battery life' and the battery life in the 14 is improved on the 13. However, the slightly larger iPhone 14 Plus is the best in the range when it comes to battery life, according to Apple. iPhone 14 camera Of course, as ever, the iPhone 14 offers a very good camera. The rear camera bump is fairly small, housing two 12MP sensors that can shoot 4K video, there's another on the front. Those numbers won't blow anyone away, but thanks to Apple's sophisticated image processing technology and algorithms it's easy to take fantastic photographs. New apertures give better low-light performance and an all-new action mode helps stabilise shaky videos taken on the move. This is great for those who want to film sporting events, or similar moving scenes, during which the cameraperson has to be on the move as well as the subjects. Effectively it's like using a gimbal without having to take one along. Check out some camera samples below. Be aware though, these have had to be compressed slightly in order to be displayed in this format. They still give a general feel of the phone's camera capabilities. View Gallery on the source website iPhone 14 design There's not too much to say on the design of the iPhone 14. Guess what, it looks like an iPhone? It's almost identical to the iPhone 13 but very, very slightly wider. The camera bump on the back is also near-identical, but just different enough that an iPhone 13 case won't fit — which is convenient for anyone who sells iPhone 14 cases. The two camera lenses on the rear protrude a little less than the three on the Pro model and the finish is a little glossier. You'll also notice they have quite a different hand-feel in that the Pro feels like a heavier device and of course, is finished a little more nicely. Our verdict: should you buy the iPhone 14 The iPhone 14 is an impressive device, but it doesn't seem like a good value purchase. Given the improvements from the iPhone 13 are small, iterative steps, it seems more sensible to either shell out for the much-improved Pro or save money and buy an iPhone 13. The older phone is — after all — only a year old and still very, very impressive. That said, if you're upgrading from an iPhone that's older than a 12 or 13, it might be worth considering the iPhone 14 in your calculations. Where to buy iPhone 14 in the UK The iPhone 14 is available from a wide range of UK retailers: Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at John Lewis Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at Amazon Buy the iPhone 14 from £849 at Currys If you fancy saving up a few more pounds and getting yourself the iPhone 14 Pro, find the latest pricing and availability below. Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at John Lewis Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at Amazon Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at Currys Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at Argos For more on smartphones, check out our recent Oppo Reno 8 Pro review, or read our thoughts on the Honor 70. For more top tech, head over to our Technology homepage.
Here are our thoughts on the impressive new iPhone 14 Pro after an extended test.
The new iPhone line-up is here. Predictably, as it does every year, Apple released its newest iPhones in September and now they're some of the best smartphones on the market. They're also some of the most expensive though and it's worth doing your research before diving head-first into a purchase. Apple has slightly shuffled around its iPhone line-up this year, removing the 'mini' and adding a 'Plus'. So, before we start this review, it's worth noting how these relate to each other. Simply, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus perform the same, but the Plus is bigger. It packs a 6.7-inch display, to the 6.1-inch display of the standard new iPhone. Similarly, the Pro and Pro Max offer the same performance, but differ in size. The Pro has a 6.1-inch display while the Pro Max has a 6.7-inch panel. Got it? Okay. Let's take a look at the iPhone 14 Pro. The RadioTimes.com team has got hands-on with the all-new Pro model to see how it compares to the competition and whether it's worth your cash. Want to see how it stands up to its predecessor, take a look at our iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 comparison and iPhone 13 Pro review. Jump to: iPhone 14 Pro review: summary What is the iPhone 14 Pro? How much is the iPhone 14 Pro? iPhone 14 Pro features iPhone 14 Pro display iPhone 14 Pro battery iPhone 14 Pro camera iPhone 14 Pro design Our verdict Where to buy iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 14 Pro review: summary There is an awful lot to like about the iPhone 14 Pro. Unless you're dying to have a bigger display then it's the stand-out phone in Apple's new line-up. It's also one of the very best smartphones available right now. While the iPhone 14 feels a little like it's re-hashing old ground, the iPhone 14 Pro does enough to feel fresh. The new dynamic island is genuinely innovative and makes for a more seamless experience that will only expand as more apps become compatible with the feature. Elsewhere we loved the power and performance and the phone made it easy to take amazing photographs and video. Read on for our thoughts on conclusions after a full test of the new iPhone 14 Pro. Key features: A16 Bionic chip Lots of power New Dynamic Island Three rear cameras: 48MP, 12MP, 12MP TrueDepth 12MP front camera 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of RAM IP68 rating iOS 16 Pros: Powerful new A16 chip Great performance Amazing camera New Action Mode for on-the-go video New crash detection feature New always on display Innovative Dynamic Island Cons: Expensive Satellite SOS feature currently US-only What is the iPhone 14 Pro? Sitting in between the iPhone 14 Plus and the iPhone 14 Pro Max price-wise, the iPhone 14 Pro is essentially a more powerful big brother to the standard iPhone. It offers new features like the dynamic island and an always-on display but costs a little more too. Perhaps the most significant difference between the standard iPhone 14 and the 14 Pro is its processor. Under the hood, the standard iPhone 14 carries the same A15 Bionic chip that powered the iPhone 13 Pro, whereas the iPhone 14 has the all-new A16 Bionic. How much is the iPhone 14 Pro? The iPhone 14 Pro starts at £1099 for 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It's £1209 for 256GB of storage, £1428 for 512GB and £1649 for 1TB of storage. There is one inconvenient oddity about this year's pricing — in the USA the iPhone 14 Pro costs $999. Factor in the exchange rate on top of that cheaper price and us Brits aren't doing too well. If you want a larger display the iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at £1199 for 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It's £1309 for 256GB, £1528 for 512GB and £1749 for 1TB. Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at John Lewis Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at Amazon Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at Currys Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at Argos The new iPhone 14 models are also available on contract at the likes of Carphone Warehouse, Sky, EE and Vodafone. Buy the iPhone 14 Pro at Carphone Warehouse Buy the iPhone 14 Pro at Sky Buy the iPhone 14 Pro at Vodafone Buy the iPhone 14 Pro at EE iPhone 14 Pro features Whether or not it's the most important feature on the new iPhone 14 Pro, the 'dynamic island' is certainly the most discussed. Taking the place of the notch which previously housed the selfie camera and facial recognition tech, the dynamic island does that, adding a new TrueDepth camera system and a small morphing cut-out section in the display which houses alerts and background apps. It's fairly useful and intuitive, allowing you to pause and play music and access other background processes. Apple has big plans for the dynamic island and wants to make it compatible with even more third-party apps. You'll be able to check sporting scores, check on that ride-hailing app and much more. The feature more central to the phone's performance is that A16 Bionic chip. As stated, the Pro and Pro Max have Apple's all-new silicon, while the standard iPhone 14 and the Plus stick with the A15 that is featured in the iPhone 13 series. The latest iPhones also pack some interesting new safety features. After adding fall detect on the iPhone 13, Apple has now added crash detect to the iPhone 14 series. This feature uses new gyroscopes and accelerometers which can detect if you are in a severe car crash and then alert the emergency services, playing a message out-loud to the person who answers in the language of whichever country you happen to be in. While that innovative new feature impressed us, the accompanying satellite SOS feature got more mixed reviews. Why? Because it's only available in the US at launch, though it may come to more countries before the end of this year, as reported by 9to5Mac. The upcoming feature uses satellites and allows you to signal for help if you're lost or in trouble, even if you have no phone signal or WiFi. Apple says this feature is included free for two years, but that seems to imply it will be a paid extra afterwards. It's also worth noting that if you aim to switch from an Android phone to your new iPhone, the Apple device will prompt you to use the 'Move to iOS' app. We tried this across several different iPhones and Android devices with mixed results. The long-lived struggle of moving from Android to iPhone, or vice versa, is still alive and kicking. iPhone 14 Pro display The new iPhone 14 Pro offers a crisp, smooth display. Apple's LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display is impressive and easy to use. There's now an always-on display option too, allowing you to check the time or your notifications without unlocking the phone. It's a nice new touch but also something that's been present on plenty of Android competitors for a long time now. Then there's the refresh rate. While the standard iPhone 14 is locked at 60Hz, the Pro has a 120Hz refresh rate and the ability to scale that right down to 1Hz for the always-on display. It's a nice touch and means you can check the time, or notifications, with a glance and without unlocking your phone. Of course, the immediately noticeable change in the display is the all-new 'Dynamic Island' which replaces the oft-discussed 'notch' from previous iPhones. Now, it's a pill-shaped cut-out housing the selfie camera face ID sensors. However, a portion of the screen around it is also reserved for a small morphing display within a display which changes shape and size depending on how you use it. This shows off notifications and background processes, like the music you're listening to, timers you have set, or similar tasks. Apple says it's going to be made compatible with more apps soon too, so you'll be able to keep track of sporting scores or track a taxi you ordered, for example. The Dynamic Island seems to have split opinion a little but it's well-animated and intuitive to use. During testing, we found it added a new level of ease to interacting with background apps and overall it felt genuinely innovative. iPhone 14 Pro battery It will surprise some users to learn that the battery in the iPhone 14 Pro is only a relatively small one at 3200mAh. However, while battery life isn't the phone's strong point, it's not as short-lived as that small cell might suggest. That's because of the great power efficiency of Apple's A16 Bionic chip. Apple still likes to keep its battery-related claims vague, throwing around the term "all-day battery" an awful lot. During testing, we found the battery performed passably. Three hours of mixed but intensive use — including music and video streaming — only drained the battery by 10%. That's a pretty impressive performance. Apple tells us the best battery in the whole line-up is actually in the iPhone 14 Plus. This is because its larger size allows for a larger battery but it doesn't put the extra demands on the battery that the Pro and Pro Max phones do with their more sophisticated processors and higher performance. iPhone 14 Pro camera We tested the camera of the iPhone 14 Pro alongside that of the standard iPhone 14 and a flagship Android device. The difference between that standard and Pro phones was immediately obvious, with a better zoom function that retains detail and much-improved macro photography. It was also streets ahead of the Android flagship in many respects. The camera is an improvement on the 13 Pro, going from a 12MP sensor to a beefier 48MP offering. This Quad Pixel sensor combines four pixels together in rendering each image to give you more detail and better low-light shooting. Apple's new 'Photonic Engine' is another impressive layer of AI that boosts image processing even further, delivering more quality and versatility. Essentially this engine takes details from more stages of the processing of the photo, leaving you with a clearer final image. The camera has made impressive leaps forward in low-light shooting and offers good zoom photography too. There's a 3x optical zoom and 15x digital zoom. Both retain detail impressively when zoomed in without necessarily being the best in their field When it comes to video the Pro is no slouch. The new Action Mode is fantastic for content creators, essentially offering a gimbal experience without using a physical one. This mode cuts out shake from camera shots where the camera-person was on the move, shooting action shots, sports and similar. It's also possible to shoot in ProRAW mode for those who want a professional experience with the ability to edit and adapt their images as they see fit. We road-tested the camera across photo and video modes with some pleasing results. You can see some samples of the resulting photos below but bear in mind they've been slightly compressed in order to be shown in this format. View Gallery on the source website iPhone 14 Pro design With its 6.1-inch display, the iPhone 14 Pro is exactly the same size and width as the standard iPhone 14. It's got a little more weight and heft to it though, a bigger camera array and an extra sheen of quality. The finish on the back panel is more satin-esque compared to the glossier finish on the standard phone and the Apple logo is a little more subtle too. Another plus is that that nicely finished backing doesn't mark up with greasy fingerprints, which can be a big bugbear for some would-be buyers and has plagued several Android flagships this year. The standard phone doesn't do too badly in this respect either but the Pro is ahead. Generally, it has a really high-quality look and feel. From the glass back panel and the surgical-grade steel frame to the frosted finish. Our verdict: should you buy the iPhone 14 Pro? The only real drawbacks of the iPhone 14 Pro are its hefty price tag and the fact that — if you're currently an Android user — migrating to iOS is still a pain in the behind. Otherwise, the iPhone 14 Pro impressed us at every turn. As soon as you pick it up it has a feeling of solid quality. It's intuitive to use and the performance is silky smooth across a huge range of tasks, from gaming to streaming, to video capture and much more. Overall it's a hugely capable device that can deliver for almost any user. If you're a fan of iOS and Apple products then this is the iPhone to get in 2022. It's still awkward to switch from Android, but if any phone is going to tempt you it's this one. Where to buy iPhone 14 Pro The iPhone 14 Pro is available to buy from a wide range of UK retailers right now, as is the Pro Max — if you like the sound of that larger display for streaming content and playing games. Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at John Lewis Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at Amazon Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at Currys Buy the iPhone 14 Pro from £1049 at Argos For more on smartphones, check out our recent Oppo Reno 8 Pro review, or read our thoughts on the Honor 70. For more top tech, head over to our Technology homepage.
Here's our verdict on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4.
Want a phone that stands out from the crowd and offers high-performing internals? Samsung reckons its new Z Flip 4 is ideal for users who want to express themselves with their phone choice. Now, the RadioTimes.com team has been hands-on with the phone to put it through its paces and figure out if it's worth your money. The Samsung Galaxy Z Series offers Samung's most innovative folding technology. In the case of the Flip, this allows for a remarkably compact form-factor when folded closed, as well as promoting some interesting camera features. It's packed with high performing tech too, but all this comes at a price — a pretty hefty price, too — which starts at £999. Be sure to check out the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Carphone Warehouse deals too. So, is the Flip 4 a gimmick, or is it genuinely innovative? Let's dive in and find out. Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 from £999 at Samsung Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 from £999 at Currys Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 from £999 at Amazon Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 from £999 at John Lewis Jump to: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review: summary What is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4? How much is the Samsung Galazy Z Flip 4? Z Flip 4 features Z Flip 4 display Z Flip 4 battery Z Flip 4 camera Z Flip 4 design Our verdict Where to buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review: summary Alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, this is one of Samsung's latest foldables. As ever, it's packed with good internals and useful features, as we've come to expect from Samsung. The design is a little divisive and won't please everyone, but it's sleek too and ideal for those who want a more compact handset. It's also got an interesting array of camera modes and uses, which flex even further thanks to that foldable display. Key features: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor 8GB RAM 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage Dual 12MP main cameras 10MP selfie camera 4K video shooting 6.7-inch AMOLED display 120Hz refresh rate IPX8 water resistance Pros: The best premium compact phone out there Sleek and tactile design Powerful processor Adaptable camera Cons: Not a huge advancement on the Flip 3 Expensive Display crease may irritate some users Battery life could be better What is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4? The Z Flip 4 is one of Samsung's latest pair of foldables, having released alongside the Samsung Galazy Z Fold 4. Both are innovative, powerful and expensive. We've put the Flip through its paces to see if it's worth your cash. How much is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4? One of the drawbacks of the Z Flip 4 is that it's quite expensive, starting at £999 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It's £1,059 for the 256GB of storage version and £1,199 for the 512GB handset. They all have the same 8GB of RAM. The 'bespoke edition' is more customisable, but only comes in the £1,099 configuration. Z Flip 4 features As you'd expect of a phone in this price bracket, the Flip 4 is feature-rich. It's got IPX8 water resistance, a 120Hz folding AMOLED display, the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor and much more. It's got fingerprint and face recognition for security too, and these largely work smoothly and reliably. Though once the phone offered only the words "no face detected" on an attempted opening. Our writer tried not to take too much personal offence. All joking aside, the Z Flip 4 really has a lot to offer. The design is slightly divisive, but in terms of internals and features, it's a very strong offering. That said, you can get even better in the S22 Ultra. Check out our full Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review for more info on that handset. As a side note, Samsung seems to have acknowledged some user irritation around bloatware. During set-up, we were given the option to 'review additional apps' as a final part of the process. This gave the option to untick unnecessary apps like Samsung Internet Browser and Samsung TV Plus, which most users will likely already have preferred alternatives in mind for. One or two bloatware apps still snuck onto the device though — for example, Samsung Free, which seemed determined to offer us podcasts in languages we don't speak. However, this is a minor gripe and overall the setup experience with the Flip was smooth and easy, even though we transferred data from a non-Samsung Android phone. Z Flip 4 display The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 offers two displays. The classic 6.7-inch inner display and a small 'cover display' which offers notifications and background app updates. Samsung claims the outer display is positive from a wellness point of view, in that it cuts down your screen time by allowing you to quickly check messages, the time or background apps without diving headlong into the device's full function set — and likely getting distracted by social media, or similar. Certainly, it has its uses and offers a level of handiness for pausing and playing music and similar tasks. As regards the main display, it's a nice 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED panel. The only complaint really is that the crease in the middle is fairly noticeable. Whether or not this irritates you is very much a personal reaction. During our tests, we didn't mind the crease. But I've spoken to other users and testers who found it drove them to distraction at times. Z Flip 4 battery The battery capacity is improved from the Z Flip 3, up from 3300mAh to 3700mAh. Fast charging is also improved. From 15W to 25W, which Samsung claims can charge 50 per cent in just 30 minutes. However, as per Samsung's new tradition, there is no fast charger in the box, just a cable. On the one hand, this is more environmental, but on the other, you'll have to shell out more if you want fast-charging facilities. Ultimately, thanks to its compact size, the Z Flip 4 has to compromise a little on battery size and hence battery life. It's not its strongest asset. Z Flip 4 camera When it comes to firepower, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4's camera arsenal isn't going to astound anyone. There are two 12MP sensors on the back and a 10MP selfie camera, but don't count out the Flip 4 just yet. What backs up those cameras is Samsung's ever-impressive image processing facilities, meaning it's easy to take fantastic, colourful, well-lit shots. Plus there are plenty of intuitive, fun and unusual ways to use the camera, thanks to the folding screen. Partially fold the phone while using the camera and one half will essentially become a second display, showing you the shots you've just taken, allowing you to edit and discard shots, or informing your next shooting choice. Likewise, you can hold the phone sideways and shoot 4K video with it in a camcorder-esque style, or lay it on the ground partially folded, for a low-angle shot. In terms of shooting quality, the phone really can't best its big non-folding brother, the S22 Ultra, but photos look nice, crisp and colourful. Z Flip 4 design Say what you like about the design. Divisive as it may be, it is sleek. The action of closing the phone shut — sometimes accompanied by a small sound — is satisfying and you're left with a wonderfully tactile little block. Slip it into your pocket and you'll barely know it's there, especially when compared to the in-fashion 6.7-inch flagship displays on offer everywhere else. So, if you've been dying to find a more compact phone to carry on your person, the Flip 4 could be the answer, but it's worth remembering the Google Pixel 6a if size is a key criteria for you. At less than half the price it delivers a fantastic Android experience in a small and tactile package, albeit a less premium one. Check out our Google Pixel 6a review for more info. Samsung says the hinge and bezels are slimmer and they are, slightly. It's not an earth-shattering re-design, but a re-development of a phone that already looked and felt pretty good. Our verdict In terms of internals, power and performance, the Flip offers less than Samsung's £1,149 S22 Ultra, but capably competes with the standard S22 and S22 Plus. Really, the difference-maker is its design and those who choose it will likely do so on that basis. In terms of that design, the Flip is an acquired taste. Realistically the hinge and folding screen still add more in cost than they do in practicality, because they are still relatively new and innovative technologies. All the same, that doesn't stop the phone from being very good indeed. So, if you've got a little room in your phone budget and you want something that's both capable and compact, then the Z Flip 4 is a great option. Where to buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is available from a wide range of UK retailers right now, starting at £999. Samsung is also offering 12 months of Disney Plus for those who buy before 30th September, or £250 off when you trade in any smartphone until 31st October. Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 from £999 at Samsung Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 from £999 at Currys Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 from £999 at Amazon Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 from £999 at John Lewis For more on top-rated phones, check out our latest on how to buy the iPhone 14 in the UK, or this special iPhone 14 offer we've hunted down for you.
We're taking a look at the new EarFun Air S wireless earbuds to see if they're worth your cash. Our team put the buds through wireless testing and here are our thoughts.
Chinese audio brand EarFun has released a new wireless earbuds offering, the Earfun Air S. We've been quite impressed with previous entries from the brand — notably the EarFun Free Pro — so the RadioTimes.com team were eager to get hands-on with these earbuds and see if they're worth your hard-earned cash. Notably, it's not too much cash in the grand scheme of things. These earbuds sit in the mid-range of what's on the market today but offer a good all-round experience. We thoroughly tested the buds in a range of situations, from exercising to calls and content streaming. Read on for our thoughts and a full verdict on the EarFun Air S. Buy EarFun Air S for £59.99 (or £44.99 with code EFAIRS25 until 15th September) at Amazon EarFun Air S review: Summary What are EarFun Air S? How much are EarFun Air S? Features and design Sound quality Battery life EarFun Air S: Our verdict Where to buy EarFun Air S Earfun Air S review: summary Key features: Active noise cancellation Qualcomm TrueWireless connection technology 10mm wool composite dynamic drivers Low latency mode Around six hours battery life, plus 24 hours charge in the case IPX5 sweat and water resistance Touch controls Pros: Punchy, listenable sound quality Nicely designed, light earbuds Solid internals Good value Cons: Hit-and-miss touch controls Relatively large and plastic-y case What are Earfun Air S? The EarFun Air S are a pair of mid-range wireless earbuds that connect easily to your phone, or other devices. Their charging case keeps the battery topped up when you're not listening to anything and they're well suited to music streaming, making calls and more. How much are EarFun Air S? The EarFun Air S earbuds cost £59.99, placing them firmly in the mid-range. The cheapest options among the best budget earbuds right now are the JLab Go Air Pop, priced at just £19.99. At the top of the market, we find Sony's WF-1000XM4 buds and other similar over-£200 models that are competing to claim the best wireless earbuds crown. Buy EarFun Air S for £59.99 (or £44.99 with code EFAIRS25 until 15th September) at Amazon EarFun Air S features and design The buds themselves are well designed and feel reasonably high quality. They fit nicely in the ear and are easy to pop in and out of their charging case. The case itself, however, feels a little more on the cheap plastic-y side. It's not awful, but it's not the most pocketable earbud case we've come across and it scratches easily. The ANC generally delivered and was good enough to drown out all but the very noisiest trains and environments. Generall,y the EarFun Air S always managed to cope with their surroundings — with only one very, very noisy tube journey providing an exception. There's an ambient sound mode too, for those who prefer it. EarFun Air S sound quality The 10mm wool composite dynamic drivers in the EarFun Air S deliver a very listenable sound. While that driver size isn't impressive without context it is, for example, the same as those in the AirPods Pro and larger than the drivers in the new Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds. Size doesn't always equate to quality, but in this case we felt like the EarFun buds delivered good value in the sound quality stakes. As a mid-range earbud, they're fantastic for music streaming. The lyrics of Chaise Longue and Wet Dream by Wet Leg were crystal clear and punchy, layered guitar and bass felt distinct and absorbing. The earbuds offered a good volume range and satisfied across genres, delivering the thrashing riffs of Master of Puppets with just as much poise as the sparkling mid-tones of Nanci Griffith's I Wish it Would Rain. Bass felt satisfyingly punchy throughout our time with these new EarFun buds. Mos Def's Mathematics and Bicep's Glue were delivered with all the thumps, bumps and bass we expected and sounded commendably good for £60 earbuds. EarFun Air S battery life EarFun claims the earbuds offer around six hours of charge with 24 more hours in the charging case. During our tests, this about measured up with our experience. We used them on several long journeys without completely draining the battery and ultimately, our usage and the batteries' limits just about matched up with what EarFun told us to expect. Our verdict: should you buy the EarFun Air S? Put it this way — we've tested earbuds that cost more and sounded worse. At £60, these are really solid wireless earbuds that we enjoyed listening to. Due to a delay in their release date we got longer to test them than we'd planned for and many weeks later the charm hasn't faded. Qualcomm internals are always a comforting addition, too, and we didn't hit any technical snags in our time with the EarFun Air S. Where to buy EarFun Air S The EarFun Air S saw their launch delayed in the United Kingdom but will be going on sale on 2nd September 2022. If you buy a pair before September 15th and use the code EFAIRS25 you can save 25% and bag yourself a pair for just £44.99, instead of that already reasonable £59.99 Buy EarFun Air S for £59.99 (or £44.99 with code EFAIRS25 until 15th September) at Amazon For the latest news, reviews and deals, check out the RadioTimes.com Technology section. Looking for present ideas? Head to our tech gifts guide.
We've tested out Honor's latest mid-range phone to see if it's worth your cash. Here's our verdict.
The Honor 70 has landed. It's a light, slim, sleek new handset from Honor with plenty of style. But does it have the substance to back it up? We've been putting the new smartphone through its paces to find out. No longer a Huawei sub-brand, Honor struck out on its own in 2020 after being sold to Shenzhen Zhixin New Information. This was mainly a by-product of US sanctions on Huawei, which left the Chinese phone manufacturer unable to equip its devices with Google services — which are the backbone of most popular Android phones. Now, that's history and two years on Honor has begun carving its own niche with plenty of technically sound, Google-powered phones. The Honor 70 is the latest of those, offering notable features like fast charging and a 120Hz OLED display. We've been using Honor's newest smartphone for a little while now and weighing up whether it's a good investment for you. If you are looking for something slightly cheaper, check out our review of the Google Pixel 6a, which offers a smooth UI but less in terms of its display. Or, read on for our full assessment of the Honor 70. Buy Honor 70 from £479.99 at Amazon Buy Honor 70 from £479.99 at Currys Buy Honor 70 from £479.99 at Argos Jump to: Honor 70 review: summary What is the Honor 70? How much is the Honor 70? Honor 70 features Honor 70 display Honor 70 battery Honor 70 camera Honor 70 design Our verdict Where to buy Honor 70 Honor 70 review: summary The Honor 70 is essentially the successor to the Honor 50, which we have There was an Honor 60 but it didn't get a full UK release, so this is the first of the brand's mid-rangers to reach the UK in earnest for a little while. It's slightly evolved on the style of the 50 and 60, which looked similar, but the camera bump is altered and for our money, the whole thing looks and feels a bit more premium. Key features: Snapdragon 778G Plus processor 54MP, 50MP and 2MP rear cameras 32MP selfie camera 8GB RAM + 128GB or 256GB of storage 'Solo Cut Mode' video recording 4800mAh battery 66W fast charger in the box Pros: Solid camera offering 4K video shooting with 'Solo Cut Mode' Smooth hi-res display Slim and light Sleek design Cons: No IP rating Glossy backing attracts marks UI slightly less slick than some competitors What is the Honor 70? The Honor 70 is the latest mid-range smartphone from Honor, a former sub-brand of Huawei. It offers a good range of specs and features alongside some technical compromises that help it slot into its mid-range price bracket. How much is the Honor 70? There are two options — you can grab the smaller-capacity 128GB Honor 70 for £479.99 or if you want more storage there's the 256GB version for £529.99. This pitches it around the current price of the Google Pixel 6, which is a tough, tough phone to compete with in our book. It also draws a comparison with the Nothing Phone (1) both in terms of price and internals, as they share a processor. Buy Honor 70 from £479.99 at Amazon Buy Honor 70 from £479.99 at Currys Buy Honor 70 from £479.99 at Argos Honor 70 specs and features The Honor 70 comes with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. When you fire it up things are pretty straightforward and it's easy to move your files and apps from another Android phone. However, you will get some bloatware and Honor's OS — Magic UI 6 — is particularly pushy around some options like gesture controls. Everything is powered by a mid-range Snapdragon chipset, the 778G Plus, the same as that found in the Nothing Phone (1). The chip was launched in October 2021 and is not an ultra high-performance processor, but everything runs smoothly, image processing is good and we didn't encounter any technical issues during our testing period. If you're a hyper-competitive online gamer it might not be the processor — and hence phone — for you, but otherwise it covers most bases. Elsewhere, there's a bit of a camera change-up. Increasingly, phone companies have come to the realisation that 'less is more' when it comes to megapixels, at least to a certain extent. No longer are brands competing to cram in as many MP as possible and Honor has cut the main camera on the 70 down from a 104MP sensor — previously found on the 50 and 60 models — to a 54MP sensor from Sony, which makes its debut in this handset. Honor 70 display The 6.67-inch OLED display is one of the phone's better features. It curves away pleasingly at the edges, boosting that narrow bezel 'edge-to-edge' feel and offering full HD+ resolution. The panel has a 120Hz refresh rate and feels notably smooth to use. Of course, this refresh rate is increasingly an industry standard, but some key — and highly recommendable — competitors don't have it. For example, the Google Pixel 6 only offers 90Hz, despite being one of our favourite Android phones. Honor 70 camera The phone's main camera is that 54MP IMX800 sensor from Sony. This is the first phone it's appeared in and we think it's made a pretty convincing debut. There's also a 50MP camera that shoots ultra-wide or macro shots and a 2MP depth sensor. The depth sensor seems unnecessary and is likely added to offer a third camera for visual reasons, as is the current trend. We tried the cameras out for ourselves and found them easy to use and pretty capable. Check out the gallery below to see some photos we snapped using the Honor 70. Please bear in mind that, unfortunately, we have had to compress these images slightly to display them in this format on the site. However, they still provide a good indication of the Honor 70's shooting abilities. View Gallery on the source website 'Solo Cut Mode' is a feature that Honor is keen to champion — and in fairness, it seems like an innovation that creators will enjoy. It allows users to record two different videos at once, for example: one with the rear camera and one with the front, or one in landscape and one portrait while using different zoom levels. As you shoot, the different options for each video are displayed and you can swap between them on the fly. It's an interesting new addition that gives new flexibility to content creators. Honor 70 battery Our tests found that the battery in the Honor 70 easily lasts for more than a full day of moderate use. A day including downloads, streaming music and video content, note making, alarms and reminders, browsing social media and taking photographs was more than manageable. It offers a 4800mAh battery, up from the 4300mAh of the Honor 50. That combined with the fast-charging facility meant that battery life never became a pressing issue during our time with the phone. During our test, we gave the phone half an hour to recharge as much power as it could using the out-of-the-box 66W charger and in that time it went from 30% to 76%. That's pretty impressive, without necessarily breaking any records. It's a really useful option to have though and it made our test period go smoothly. Honor 70 design When it comes to styling Honor hasn't always embraced subtlety. Their flagship phone — the Honor Magic 4 Pro — was unveiled at MWC 2022 and divided opinion with its huge circular camera array. It was an odd styling choice on an otherwise impressive phone. This time around Honor has pulled back on the reigns slightly, offering a more reserved, but still distinctive look. Any phone's styling is subjective of course, but we like the new look. That said, we tested the black version, but the diamond-effect alternative looks a little gaudy. For the record, there's also a green option. The Honor 70 feels even slimmer and sleeker than the Honor 50 and still carries that distinctive screen, which curves away on both of its long edges. It's only 7.91mm thick. The rear of the phone is glossy, with two protruding circular camera bumps which hold three sensors, plus a flash. Unfortunately, the shiny backing of the phone does pick up marks easily, just as the similarly finished Honor flagship — the Honor Magic 4 Pro — did. Combine that with the fact its not the grippiest phone in the world and clumsy, or fingerprint-averse users may want to make use of a phone case, especially as the phone lacks an IP rating. Thankfully, Honor has provided a case with the phone. It's a basic, clear plastic model that gives a little bit of extra protection. However, it does somewhat do away with that appealingly sleek hand-feel. Our verdict: should you buy the Honor 70? If you want a good display and camera in a slim light package that offers fast charging, the Honor 70 is a good option. Of course, the lack of an IP rating remains a concern and there are doubts around how fragile that slim, light body might be. Battery performance is good and there's a strong feature set. We encountered no issues with overall performance. However, it is worth noting that the chip powering this phone isn't the latest tech available. That's part of the mid-range phone compromise. In summary, if you're a competitive online gamer who needs the very latest processor then this phone isn't for you. Likewise, if you're very clumsy and drop your phone all the time, you'll at least need a serious case for some peace of mind. Otherwise, the display, camera and charging features of this phone make it an appealing mid-range proposition, though it's going up against some tough competitors in the price bracket, including the newly reduced Google Pixel 6. Where to buy the Honor 70 The Honor 70 was unveiled on the 25th of August and went on general sale today, 2nd September. Now, there is a range of UK retailers where you can pick up the Honor 70 including Amazon and Currys. Pick up the Honor 7 before the 16th of September and you'll also get a free pair of Honor Earbuds 3 Pro. Buy Honor 70 from £479.99 at Amazon Buy Honor 70 from £479.99 at Currys Buy Honor 70 from £479.99 at Argos We've also provided buying links below for the Google Pixel 6, which has seen price reductions and been brought into the same price bracket at the Honor 70. Be aware it doesn't have the same ultra-responsive 120Hz display, but otherwise we preferred the UI and rated the Pixel 6 as one of the best Android phones out there. undefined Still comparing phones? Check out our best smartphone, best Android phone and best iPhone guides to help you choose. For the latest news, reviews, and deals, check out our Technology section and consider signing up to receive our tech newsletter.
Oppo's newest smartphone, the Reno 8 Pro, packs some impressive specs and an eye-catching design. We got our hands on the new device to see if it's worth your cash.
The Reno 8 Pro is a new upper mid-range offering from Oppo with stand-out camera tech and an impressive design. Oppo is keen for its newest phones — the Oppo Reno 8 Series — to be adopted by content creators, vloggers and social media influencers. As a result, it offers impressive image processing, a 32MP selfie camera and a range of supporting specs and features. We got our hands on the Oppo Reno 8 Pro to test out its creative credentials and see if it might also appeal to a wider audience. While it doesn't pack absolutely everything that a top flagship would offer, it's a pretty impressive phone. It looks good too, with a sleek design and a back panel made from one piece of glass which seamlessly incorporates its camera module. We put the new Reno 8 Pro smartphone through its paces with a variety of a camera and battery tests. Read on to find out why we think it's one of the best Oppo phones you can buy. Oppo Reno 8 Pro review: Summary What is the Oppo Reno 8 Pro? How much is the Oppo Reno 8 Pro? Oppo Reno 8 Pro features Oppo Reno 8 Pro display Oppo Reno 8 Pro battery Oppo Reno 8 Pro camera Oppo Reno 8 Pro design Our verdict Where to buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro Oppo Reno 8 Pro review: summary The Reno 8 Pro offers up some impressive tech in a well designed body. Its Mediatek Dimensity 8100 processor can handle an array of tough tasks – and backed up with 8GB of RAM, we didn't encounter any performance issues throughout our tests. During particularly tough tasks the phone did heat up slightly, but this is the case for most competitors too and we never encountered an app shutting down, or similar, because of overheating. We were impressed by the image processing capabilities that MariSilicon X technology has given the phone. Colours were bright and the Reno 8 Pro's photos impressed us, other than the zoom function. Zoom photography fell a little flat but otherwise, the smartphone offers good photography and video capabilities. Those creators and creatives that Oppo had in mind will particularly like features like selfie auto-focus, automatic portrait re-touching and 4K Ultra Night Video. However, on the flip side, the phone only offers one storage option — 256GB — which could frustrate those capturing and keeping a lot of video content. There's no expandable storage either, unless you downscale to the Reno 8 Lite. Key features: Mediatek Dimensity 8100 processor 8GB RAM 256GB storage MariSilicon X image processing 80W SuperVooc charging Color OS 12.1.1 (based on Android 12) 4500mAh battery 6.7-inch HDR10+ display 120Hz refresh rate 5G connectivity Pros: Sleek and eye-catching design Good camera with powerful image processing 4K video shooting Bright, clear and responsive 120Hz display Speedy fast-charge facility Cons: Hit-and-miss zoom photography Can heat up during intensive use Only one storage option (256GB) What is the Oppo Reno 8 Pro? The Reno 8 Pro is Oppo's latest addition to the Reno series. This new entry in the series is pitched towards creative users, according to Oppo, but it's also kitted out with the right specs and equipment to please a wider audience including gamers, content streamers and everyday users. Across our testing, we used the phone with a variety of apps, used its camera in different environments and loaded up some demanding games, too. Generally the phone performed well, with one or two small flaws. Read on for our full assessment of the Reno 8 Pro. How much is the Oppo Reno 8 Pro? The Reno 8 Series includes the Reno 8 Pro (£599), the Reno 8 (£419) and the Reno 8 Lite (£319). The Oppo Reno 8 Pro UK release date is 1st September, after being revealed at a launch event on 31st August. This places the Pro into competition with the likes of the Google Pixel 6 — which released at £599 but is now available for less — the upcoming Honor 70, and the £769 Samsung Galaxy S22. Yes, the Samsung is a bit more expensive, but Samsung's guaranteed trade-in offer knocks off £150 in exchange for your old phone, at the time of writing. Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Sky Mobile Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at EE Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Currys Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Carphone Warehouse Oppo Reno 8 Pro features The Oppo Reno 8 Pro comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of memory. That's the same specs as the standard Reno 8, but the standard model misses out on some camera facilities and carries a slightly more basic processor. Processor wise, the Pro carries the Mediatek Dimensity 8100 Max chip, which Oppo says will provide "flagship level performance". That's a slightly vague claim, but during our time with the phone it largely performed well and we didn't experience any glitches or issues. One of the real stand-out features of the Pro is its MariSilicon X powered image processing, which can work wonders with your photos. We'll discuss this in more depth later. Oppo has also thought about gamers when making the new Reno 8 Pro. It's the first Reno phone to suppose PUBG's 90Hz refresh rate mode, which can help you stay competitive online. Also, games can be updated in the background easily so you don't have to watch a loading screen. We tested this facility out and it worked just fine, but the phone got quite hot while downloading Genshin Impact — a title notorious for testing out phone hardware. The Multi-Screen Connect feature allows you to hook up your phone to your laptop or PC and create up to three clones of your smartphone on that secondary device. This allows to you work across multiple apps and can speed up tasks like photo and video editing. Oppo Reno 8 Pro display The display is one of the Oppo Reno 8 Pro's stand-out features. We switched to this phone after using a handset with a slightly a lower refresh rate and a lower resolution. Firing up the Oppo afterwards was a joy and the display is fantastic. We tried it out across social media, photo editing and content streaming, and it persistently performed well – particularly for streaming content. The 6.7-inch LTPS OLED panel offers FHD+ picture quality and a 120Hz refresh rate, meaning it's not only great looking but smooth to use, too. Oppo Reno 8 Pro battery The Reno 8 Pro packs a 4500mAh battery, the same one that's in the standard Reno 8. In the box, there's also a chunky and impressive 80W SuperVooc charger which Oppo told us is capable of charging 50 per cent in just 11 minutes. When we tested out the fast charging facility for ourselves, it re-charged the battery by 10 per cent in just under four minutes, which is remarkably quick. Charging from 70 per cent to 100 per cent took just 15 minutes during our testing and ultimately left us very impressed. The phone and charger heated up very slightly during this process, but that's to be expected. Oppo Reno 8 Pro camera The Reno 8 Pro carries a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera and a 2MP macro camera. These are supported by a beefy 32MP selfie camera which Oppo has prioritised because, as the brand says, the phone is targeted at creators who like to be both in-front of and behind the camera. Ultimately, one of the big selling points of this phone is that new MariSilicon X image processing, which can work wonders with both photo and video. We compared the Oppo Reno 8 Pro's camera to that of a well-liked flagship phone and it held its own despite being a cheaper handset. Colours really pop, in a way reminiscent of Samsung's famously bright and colourful image processing. Whether or not you like that effect from your camera is a matter of taste, but the MariSilicon X image processing definitely brought our snaps to life. Sticklers will note that the bright colours can leave the image feeling like it's been processed though, rather than offering a natural image. The phone offers a 20x digital zoom, but zoomed photos quickly lose detail and we much preferred the results of the main camera at 1x or 2x magnification. There's also a range of night photography and video settings that make your late-night snaps clearer and easier to work with. MariSilicon X allows the phone to shoot AI 4K video which is crisp and clear. The video capabilities really impressed us and — just as with photography — shots are deeply colourful and nicely detailed. Oppo Reno 8 Pro design We liked the design of the Reno Pro 8. It has a refined, premium look about it and the rear panel is made of one piece glass, giving it a seamless, sleek feeling in the hand. On the front, there's a 93.4 per cent screen-to-body ratio, thanks to those slim bezels. Then, the chunky flat sides are the next thing you'll notice. They give it a similar grip to an iPhone and mean it rests in the hand nicely, a factor Oppo were keen to emphasise. It's true, though. However the company also claimed the phone was very, very resistant to any fingerprints or marks and this seemed less the case during our tests. Certainly, it picked up fingerprints anyway. It didn't seem easy to scratch though and survived living in a pocket with keys and change without picking up any unwanted marks. The Pro handset it available is Glazed Green or Glazed Black. Our verdict: should you buy the Oppo Reno 8 Pro? Overall, the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is an impressive phone and we especially enjoyed using its camera. Colours stand out and it's easy to take great shots using the natural 1x and 2x magnification. Of course, zoom in a little further and the digital zoom comes into play. This impressed us far less, but most users won't need this as often as they need the standard, non-zoomed camera. The AI 4K video shooting is great too, and will impress Oppo's target audience of creators. We love the design for the most part: it sits nicely in the hand, offering a firm grip, and it's easy to use. That one-piece back panel is eye catching and doesn't fare too badly in the marking-up stakes. The display really shines, too. It's great for content streaming and gaming and looks crisp and clear all the time. The high screen-to-body ratio also adds to the phone's premium feel. Really, the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is a good fit for those who want solid photography and the ability to fire up games and charge speedily on the go. Right now, with offers on the Samsung S22 and Google Pixel 6, it might not be the very, very best value phone out there around this price bracket, but it's got an awful lot to commend it. The mix of appealing design and impressive internals will no-doubt convince some buyers. Where to buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro The Oppo Reno 8 Pro is available at a wide variety of UK retailers, online and in-store. If you buy a Reno 8 Pro before 28th September, you'll also get an Oppo Pad Air tablet worth £239 for free. Check out the links below for the latest on UK pricing and availability. Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Sky Mobile Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at EE Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Currys Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Carphone Warehouse For news, reviews, and deals, check out the RadioTimes.com Technology section.
Google Pixel 6a review: the littlest Pixel punches above its weight
The Google Pixel 6a offers Google's slick, appealing user experience in a compact and affordable package.
While it's arrived a little later in the lifecycle of the Google Pixel 6 than we perhaps expected, the Pixel 6a is still a tempting value proposition for bargain-hunting smartphone buyers looking at the lower mid-range market. Occasional stand-out deals on the standard, more powerful Google Pixel 6 have undermined that pricing appeal slightly, but finding those deals does need a small slice of luck and good timing. The 6a is a great budget-friendly alternative. Of course, the Google Pixel 7 release date isn't likely to be too far away either, but in the meantime the 6a is offering the Google experience that smartphone fans love at a very reasonable £399. We've taken the 6a for a test drive — using the camera, testing out features, functionality and more — to see if it's worth your cash. Google Pixel 6a review: Summary What is the Google Pixel 6a? How much is the Google Pixel 6a? Google Pixel 6a features Google Pixel 6a display Google Pixel 6a battery Google Pixel 6a camera Google Pixel 6a design Our verdict Where to buy Google Pixel 6a Google Pixel 6a review: summary Pick up the Google Pixel 6a and the first thing that will strike you is its unusually compact shape. We really like it, but it's rare in the current smartphone market that manufacturers opt for a smaller handset. In this case, it sits in the hand wonderfully and is very pocketable. On the back it's rocking the same Robocop-esque styling of recent Pixels, with two camera lenses and a flash incorporated into a protruding rectangular bar. It stands out nicely against the lighter coloured backing options. We tested the white version of the phone and thought the styling was impactful enough to stand out from the crowd, without being garish. When it comes to performance, the littlest Pixel punches above its weight, offering a typically smooth user experience which makes the most of Google's software and offered no performance issues during our tests. Thankfully, the phone also offers 5G, which wasn't the case last time a Pixel a series phone made it to the UK. Key features: 5G connectivity Android 12 (soon to be updated to Android 13) Google Tensor processor Pros: Compact form factor Powerful and slick to use Solid camera Google's Tensor Chip performs well again Cons: Not much cheaper than Pixel 6 No fast-charger included and max charge speed 18W No wireless charging 60Hz display What is the Google Pixel 6a? The Pixel 6a is the essentially the little brother of Google's popular Pixel 6 smartphone. It's cheaper because one or two compromises have been made on the specs sheet, but crucially it still comes with that same Google Tensor chip and Google software, making for a smooth and intuitive user experience. You won't get the same camera, storage options and display, but otherwise the differences aren't always too conspicuous. How much is the Google Pixel 6a? One of the stand-out appeals of the Google Pixel 6a is its relatively low price. It's just £399. That compares well to a lot of the competition, but the appealing pricing has been slightly undermined by the fact you can now get some very good deals on the standard Pixel 6a, bringing it down to around £450 if you time your purchase right. Take a look at the latest Google Pixel 6 prices below. undefined That price-point also puts the Pixel 6a in direct competition with the Samsung A53, which we gave 4.3 stars in our full Samsung A53 review. The Samsung offers a bigger, snappier display and good battery life, plus a similarly solid camera. However we reckon the Pixel 6a has a little more personality. They're closely comparably handsets though and for anyone prioritising a display over other factors, the Samsung is ahead. Google Pixel 6a features If you were drawn to the Google Pixel 6a because of its budget-friendly appeal, then the fact that Google has also promised five years of software updates will please you even further. There won't be any need to rush out and update your phone in a couple of years if this little Pixel is still going strong. Elsewhere, that aforementioned Google Tensor chip does a wonderful job of the heavy lifting. It's the same 5nm chip you'll find in the standard Pixel and even the Pixel 6 Pro. It's lower on power than the other Pixels, though, with just 6GB of RAM. Combine that with the display specs and it's worth noting that this isn't a phone suitable for gamers who want to fire up demanding titles like Genshin Impact, but for everyday use it's more than enough. If you are looking for more of a gamified phone, check out our full review of the Xiaomi Poco F4 GT. Google Pixel 6a display The small, compact, 60Hz display isn't going to wow anyone. We found it simple and enjoyable to use, but at this price-point there are much better displays out there, like the 120Hz AMOLED panel on the Samsung A53. So, for streaming content or firing up basic games, the Samsung is going to have the edge. Seemingly, the display is one area in which Google made a compromise to bring down the price of the 6a and we don't necessarily mind. It's all about what your priorities are in a phone. The 6.1-inch display is nice and compact and it's easy to use with one hand — which is increasingly rare. Google Pixel 6a battery Battery-life is pretty strong but charging is not. That's the long and short of it when it comes to the Pixel 6a's battery and it's clearly one of the areas in which Google has made sacrifices to bring this smartphone down to that £399 starting price. If fast-charging is a huge selling point for you, it might be worth looking elsewhere, but during our testing the solid, dependable battery lasted well and we didn't find ourselves begrudging the lack of a fast-charge facility often. If you're determined to juice up as quickly as possible though, check out alternatives like the £299 Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro, which comes with a 67W fast charger, or the Honor 50, which comes with a 66W fast charger. Google Pixel 6a camera The Pixel isn't going to outgun too many competitors on paper with its two 12MP rear cameras, but Google's powerful image processing means this smartphone can still deliver fantastic images. The phone deals well with low light and delivers pleasing colour and details, despite that small amount of megapixels. We enjoyed testing the camera out and it continues a solid tradition of dependable cameras on Google phones, backed up with that stand-out image processing power. Google Pixel 6a design The camera array on the reverse of the phone — reminiscent of Robocop as it is — might divide option, but the overall look and feel of the phone scored well with us. Pick it up and you will notice that the materials all feel a little cheaper and more plastic-y than Google's more up-market offerings, but that is to be expected. For £399, the 6a still feels like a good quality handset and has a nice, tactile hand-feel. You'll notice slightly bigger bezels around the screen too but, again, this is a cost cutting measure and is often the case in this price bracket. Our verdict: should you buy the Google Pixel 6a? Had the 6a come out a little earlier, it would be getting very, very high marks from us. Now though, with time having moved on, there are discounts on both the Google Pixel 6 and the Samsung A53 which undermine the Pixel 6a's value proposition to some degree. As far as we're concerned, it's a fantastic phone, but at time of writing, the closely comparably Samsung A53 is available £100 cheaper than the 6a and the jump from the 6a up to the 6 is smaller than might be expected. Ultimately though, we loved the user experience of the Pixel 6a, all powered by that impressive Google Tensor chip — and the compact size will be a huge bonus for some that is hard to find elsewhere. Where to buy Google Pixel 6a The Google Pixel 6a is widely available right now at a range of UK retailers. Check out the links below for the latest on pricing and availability. Buy Google Pixel 6a for £389.95 at Amazon Buy Google Pixel 6a for £399 at Currys Buy Google Pixel 6a for £399 at Argos undefined It's worth checking out the competition too, if you're in the hunt for a lower mid-range phone then the Samsung A53 is currently on sale and available for just £299. Buy Samsung Galaxy A53 for £399 £299 (save £100 or 25%) at Amazon Buy Samsung Galaxy A53 for £399 at Currys undefined For more on top tech, head over to our Technology section or check out our guide to the best smartphones to buy in 2022.
Moto G62 review: Amazingly affordable 5G phone
The new Motorola Moto G62 could be the best budget phone the brand is offering right now. We got hands-on to see if it's worth your cash.
Want a new smartphone? Need a solid battery? Don't want to spend much? As ever, Motorola loves ticking those boxes, and the company's latest model is another typical entry to the budget smartphone genre. However, it has one or two interesting features that set it apart, too. As a package, the Moto G62 offers tremendous value and will even challenge the best budget smartphones out there right now. We've had an extended testing period with the phone and tried these features out. In this review, we'll break down the pros, cons and key features. Ultimately, we'll advise you on whether it's worth buying or not. Buy Moto G62 for £199.90 at Amazon Buy Moto G62 for £199.99 at Currys Jump to: Motorola G62 review: Summary What is the Motorola G62? How much is the Motorola G62? Motorola G62 features Motorola G62 display Motorola G62 battery Motorola G62 Camera Motorola G62 Design Our verdict Where to buy Motorola G62 Motorola G62 review: Summary It's not the most powerful phone on the market, but Motorola's Moto G62 offers 5G connectivity for under £200 and that's still pretty rare. For example, our top-rated super affordable phone, the Honor X8, only offers 4G. That makes this a real rival and — for those prioritising connectivity — it's likely to edge in front. It's got a good display too and the handset has a nice, tactile feel, belying that sub-£200 price-point and ranking it among the best Motorola phones in terms of value. The odd selling point of the Moto G62 are its speakers, which can provide Dolby Atmos sound. Crank it up to full volume and the speaker does feel a little richer than budget competitors, but the sound quality isn't exactly going to have audiophiles queuing up. Overall, we're not sure why Motorola was so keen on emphasising this feature above others as the brand has in some marketing elements. After-all, these days it's very easy to get a cheap Bluetooth speaker that sounds much better. Typically of a Motorola, it's also got a chunky battery. That 5000mAh cell gives the phone a good battery life and overall, there's lots to like about the Moto G62. Buy Moto G62 for £199.90 at Amazon Key features: 5G connectivity Snapdragon 480+ processor 120Hz refresh rate display 5000mAh battery Dolby Atmos speakers Pros: 5G for under £200 Responsive 120Hz display Solid battery life Cons: Low power – only 4GB RAM LCD display Disappointing camera zoom function What is the Motorola G62? The latest in Motorola's dynasty of affordable smartphones, the Moto G62 packs a lot into a very affordable package. Of course, some corners have to be cut too, but that's just the nature of a budget smartphone. In this case, the phone is a little down on power with just 4GB of RAM. However, it balances that out with a good battery, 5G connectivity, display and speaker set-up. How much is the Motorola G62? Just £199.99 for a phone with a responsive 120Hz display and 5G connectivity. What's not to like? As long as you temper your expectations (don't expect a rival to the iPhone 13 Pro Max and be aware of the phone's limitations) the Moto G62 offers great value and is a good option for budget smartphone buyers. Buy Moto G62 for £199.90 at Amazon Buy Moto G62 for £199.99 at Currys Motorola G62 features The G62 is powered by a Snapdragon 480+ chip which lends the phone the twin appeal of affordability and 5G. For many, that will be the key selling point. Elsewhere, there are the Dolby Atmos speakers we already mentioned but they don't feel like a fantastic addition to the phone, despite the fuss Motorola has made about them. We liked the 5000mAh battery, the display and the camera, all of which felt very solid for a £200 phone. Of course, a little more RAM wouldn't have gone amiss, but that's the nature of cost-cutting. Something has to be cut! During our test, we didn't hit performance issues, but if you fill up the storage on this phone it's likely to slow down. Also, don't expect to be playing sophisticated games like Genshin Impact or PUBG. Motorola G62 display The display is a slightly mixed bag. Of course, there's that 120Hz refresh rate which keeps things fresh and responsive . It's got adaptive brightness too, to help keep your battery from running down too quickly. However, the Moto G62 will pale in comparison to slightly more expensive phones because of the simple LCD panel that's used. Simply, this is older technology when compared to the stunningly crisp AMOLED displays that now appear on some handsets. This is one of its limitations as a budget smartphone but it's nice to have that refresh rate as a redeeming touch of quality. Motorola G62 battery The 5000mAh keeping the Moto G62 going is one of its big selling points. Battery life is often a key factor in measuring up a good budget smartphone and Motorola often prioritises battery life as a brand. This new Moto is no exception, with a chunky 5000mAh battery that will easily keep the phone chugging away for a day's use. Unfortunately, there's no blistering fast-charge facility included though, with a pretty simple charger and wire in the box. Under testing, the battery held up reasonably well. An hour and a half of constant video and audio streaming, with full-screen brightness, depleted the battery by 15%. Obviously, during more moderate use, the battery life hung on much longer and generally seemed fairly good. Motorola G62 camera As is the norm at the moment, the Moto G62 serves up a triple camera array on its reverse with 50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide and 2MP snappers. On the front there's a 16MP selfie camera. The phone can record video in 1080p quality at 60fps on the main camera, and 30fps using the selfie camera. The camera array is far from revolutionary as we've seen it before in the Motorola G52 — but it does the job pretty well barring a poor zoom function. In practice, the selection of lenses is pretty good. They were easy to use and produced some nice photos during our test. However, the camera's 8x zoom function is next to useless. Upon zooming in, detail was immediately lost and images were unimpressive. Take a look at the photos below for an idea of what the Moto G62's camera can deliver. Unfortunately, images have to be compressed slightly to be shown in this format on our site, but these images still give an impression of the phone's camera performance. View Gallery on the source website Motorola G62 design The Moto G62 is a fairly nice, tactile handset to hold and use. It's not the cheapest-feeling smartphone we've tested in this price bracket and it comes in either 'frosted blue' or 'midnight grey'. The relatively large bezels around the display betray the phone's more budget price-point but don't interfere with the overall experience of using the phone. Of course, they may irritate those who like razor thin bezels and an edge-t0-edge display, but those users probably aren't shopping in Motorola's budget range. Overall, we really like the design and feel of this phone, for the price. Our verdict: Should you buy the Motorola G62? It's a simple story — the Moto G62 isn't for power users but it's a truly fantastic budget option for those who prioritise cost-cutting, 5G connectivity and steady everyday use. The camera and battery performance were good during our testing, considering the phone's price point, and we'll be ranking this among out best budget smartphones and best Motorola smartphones, too. That value proposition just can't be denied. Where to buy Motorola G62 The Moto G62 costs under £200 and is available to buy from UK retailers including Amazon and Currys. Buy Moto G62 for £199.90 at Amazon Buy Moto G62 for £199.99 at Currys undefined For news, reviews, and deals, check out the RadioTimes.com Technology section.
For fitness fanatics who lean on the extreme side of sport, this smartwatch is an excellent choice.
If you’re into fitness and you’re looking for more than a run-of-the-mill fitness tracker, we’d recommend the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active. While we’ve nominated the Garmin Forerunner 45 for the best budget fitness tracker, for its hugely reliable series of tracking features, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is a smarter option for those of you who take fitness more seriously than tracking metrics. Plus, coming in at a similar price as the Garmin Forerunner 45 (the Garmin is £159.99), you definitely get more options for your budget. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has extensive fitness features. The 117 fitness modes include everyday activities like walking, running, and cycling, as well as more unique sports such as curling, darts, and snorkelling. There’s also 19 professional fitness modes, with practices like basketball, tennis and swimming, as well as almost 100 extended fitness modes. There’s never any doubt that your chosen workout is being tracked, too. The built-in dual-band GNSS chip supports five major satellite positioning systems to achieve more accurate positioning, giving you professional statistics. The smartwatch has auto-detection of three outdoor activities (running, walking and cycling) and knows where you are before you start your route. If you’re serious about fitness, you’ll want a smartwatch which is as equally as attentive. Let’s find out if the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is for you. Jump to: Xiaomi Watch S1 Active review: Summary What is the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active? How much is the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active? Xiaomi Watch S1 Active design Xiaomi Watch S1 Active features Xiaomi Watch S1 Active set-up: How easy is it to use? Xiaomi Watch S1 Active vs Xiaomi Watch S1: Which is better? Our verdict: Should you buy the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active? Where to buy Xiaomi Watch S1 Active review: Summary The RadioTimes.com team were impressed with how lightweight this smartwatch is. If you’re wearing a watch to track your fitness, you don’t want to be able to notice you’re wearing a watch; like with uncomfortable clothing, anything to distract you from the task at hand is a big no. The TPU strap is extremely lightweight and comfortable; it’s flexible and smooth, and bends round the wrist easily. The 1.43-inch circular screen is large and fairly thick, which is where the majority of the smartwatch’s 36.3g weight comes from. Unlike the Garmin vívosmart 5 — which made it virtually impossible to tell you were wearing a watch — the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is noticeable on your wrist. However, the smartwatch is comfortable. We tested the Space Black-strapped smartwatch, but the TPU strap also comes in Ocean Blue, and for silicone options, there are Moon White, Orange, Yellow, and Green versions. We can’t speak for all of the straps, but the Space Black one is non-irritable on your skin when you’re sweating. Despite its RRP of £159, you can get your hands on the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active in Space Black, Moon White or Ocean Blue from £139 at selected retailers. The interchangeable Orange, Yellow and Green straps are sold separately. Price: £159 at Xiaomi, £139 at UK retailers Currys and Very, and £145 at Amazon. Key features: Bluetooth enabled for wireless listening Workout autodetection Call and message notifications Camera Breathing regulator Stress tracking Sleep monitoring SpO2 measuring 117 fitness modes including 19 professional ones Pros: Supports iOS and Android devices Up to 24 days battery life Flawless display even in direct sunlight Caters for extreme sports e.g. water skiing, parkour, and archery Built-in dual-band GNSS Contactless payment assisted Cons: Unboxed with 0% charge Automatic five second lock Water resistant not waterproof Medium-weight What is the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active? This smartwatch, targeted at fitness goers, was released to UK audiences in April 2022. It was launched at the same time as the Xiaomi Watch S1, and these two wearables are prices above the predecessor: the Xiaomi Mi Watch. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active retails for £159, whereas the Xiaomi Watch S1 is slightly more expensive at £199, and both are higher in cost than the older Xiaomi Mi Watch (£119). Xiaomi definitely has a signature style when it comes to design. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active, Xiaomi Watch S1, and Mi Watch are sleek, smooth and circular, and the Mi Watch Lite, Redmi Watch 2 Lite, and Redmi Smart Band Pro follow suit yet are more rectangular. The Mi Watch launched in 2020 alongside the Mi Watch Lite. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active connects to the Mi Fitness app on your smartphone via Bluetooth. On the Health screen, you’ll see an overview of your data: calories burnt, steps, how many minutes spent working out, sleep, heart rate, how long you’ve spent moving and standing, blood oxygen levels, stress, and PAI. For those of you who are unsure what PAI is — admittedly, we weren’t certain until recently — it stands for Personal Activity Intelligence. You earn PAI points every time your heart rate increases, so, for example, when doing exercise, and people who achieve at least 100 PAI points per week live a longer life, on average. The Device tab has things such as incoming calls, your emergency contact, and app notifications. Profile includes all of the information you gave the app during launch: your gender, age, height, weight, and so on. There’s also the Workout tab, which we’ll come to in more detail later on. What does the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active do? The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has a whole host of different functions. Here’s what you can expect: Bluetooth enabled for wireless listening Workout autodetection SpO2 blood oxygen monitoring 117 fitness modes including 19 professional fitness ones Dual-band GPS Contactless payments with Mastercard Breathing regulation Stress tracking Sleep measuring Torch Compass Call and message notifications Clock functions: stopwatch, alarm and timer Camera Find my phone 24-day battery life How much is the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active? Valued at £159 on the Xiaomi website, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is more than deserving of its price tag. The 1.43-inch AMOLED high-refresh screen has high-definition graphics and seven different watch faces (with up to 200 downloadable ones); I chose the astronaut one. There are three strap options to accompany the 36.3g metal bezel watch body and glass fibre-reinforced polyamide frame: Moon White (silicone), Ocean Blue, and Space Black (both TPU), and all are the same cost. You can also buy Orange, Yellow and Green straps separately, but these aren’t currently available. The Xiaomi website has told us to check back for strap updates, so we’ll update you as soon as we know. It doesn’t look like there’s a warranty. You have 30 days to return the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active in its original packaging if there’s a manufacturing problem, and 14 days to return the smartwatch if it's in perfect working condition. Mi will cover the return cost. £159 at Xiaomi £139 at Currys £139 at Very £145.21 at Amazon Is the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active good value for money? Without a doubt, keep fit fanatics will think this smartwatch is good value for money, and as the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is primarily aimed at that audience, we would have to agree it has achieved its goal tenfold. We were blown away with how many fitness modes the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active offers: 117 of them, including 19 professional modes. The variety of sports is outstanding, too. The smartwatch tracks activities like darts, tug of war, kite flying, curling, and bobsleigh, as well as more widely-played sports such as tennis, basketball, and HIIT. There’s also close to 100 extended fitness modes. For water babies, there’s swimming, finswimming, water polo, and snorkelling fitness modes amongst others, and the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has 5 ATM water-resistance which means it’s swim friendly up to 50-metres deep for 10-minutes. However, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active doesn’t have an IP (Ingress Protection) rating. This defines how effectively electrical enclosures are sealed against things like dirt, dust and moisture. So although the smartwatch was absolutely fine when we wore it in the shower, we can’t guarantee it’ll be in tip top condition after extreme water sports like snorkelling, especially as it's water-resistant – not waterproof. As well as fitness features, there are health ones, too, including women’s health. You can choose to track your periods on the Mi Fitness app, and your cycle will show on the app and the smartwatch. You can also set reminders around your period via the app, and the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active will display these like notifications. There’s also mental health functions. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has stress detection, and suggests breathing exercises to relieve physical and mental stress. At the risk of proposing something that turns into Her (2013 movie), could smartwatches include more to aid our mental health? For example, a Headspace subscription or ‘good morning’ notifications? There aren’t any extras included with the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active, for example, an interchangeable watch strap or app subscription, but we don’t think add-ons are necessary. The Mi Fitness app required to pair with the smartwatch is free — unlike Fitbit which charges £7.99 a month for its premium subscription to access functions such as sleep and stress tracking. You can sync the smartwatch data with additional apps like Strava and Apple Health, too. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is also durable: exactly what we’d expect from a fitness smartwatch. The frame is glass fibre-reinforced polyamide which is tough, and the TPU and silicone strap options are waterproof and tough, yet lightweight and flexible. Xiaomi Watch S1 Active design The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active design is best described as sleek, and none more so than the all Space Black version. There are 200 watch faces to download, and the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active includes seven options as standard. I chose the astronaut one, and they all come in full colour, which was a nice change to the Garmin vívosmart 5 which exclusively had black and white watch faces. The RadioTimes.com team were impressed with how responsive the smartwatch was, too. The two external buttons, coined ‘Home’ and ‘Sport’, take you to their respective apps. ‘Home’ directs you to the homepage, which includes apps like SpO2, sleep, and weather, whereas ‘Sport’ leads you to a workout. The side button on the bottom right-hand corner operates as your emergency call; click the button three times in a row to call your emergency contact, but remember: you need to have set the contact up in the Mi Fitness app on your smartphone first. It’s also extremely straightforward to navigate between functions. If we had one teeny complaint, it’s that it’s annoying to press the external buttons twice to get to the ‘Home’ and ‘Sport’ screens when the always-on display isn’t activated. We understand it’s to unlock the smartwatch, then to access the relevant screen, but that’s our tiny annoyance. Speaking of the always-on display, this handy feature prevents the smartwatch from locking and allows you to check the time quickly, as the always-on screen is a digital clock. It’s worth noting that the always-on display will deplete the smartwatch’s battery. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has a 12-day battery life with typical usage, a 24-day battery life with battery saver mode, and a 30-hour battery life when in GPS mode. The high-resolution display with 60Hz high refresh screen and high definition graphics is brilliant. Notifications, such as incoming calls, health reminders, and workout notifications, are displayed clearly even in direct sunlight. Xiaomi Watch S1 Active features We’ve already gushed over the extensive fitness features of the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active, but what other day-to-day features does it have? Let’s take a look. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active can connect to WiFi, alerts you to call and message notifications — you also have the option to silence these, too — supports your wireless earphones via Bluetooth, automatically adjusts brightness, has a find your phone option, plus allows you to snap photos on your watch which then appear in your smartphone’s camera roll. You can also use the watch to make contactless payments. In terms of health features, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active lets you monitor your breathing, stress levels, sleep, and blood oxygen levels (SpO2). You can customise the SpO2 monitoring, too, depending on whether you’d like it to track the levels all day or just during sleep. The smartwatch also vibrates when you’ve been sedentary for an hour to remind you to get up and move; don’t worry, though, it’s possible to turn this off when you’re, for example, travelling. You already know this smartwatch has 117 fitness modes including 19 professional ones, such as tennis, basketball and HIIT. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active auto detects some workouts, such as running, and to get started with a workout, simply press the ‘Sport’ button, then push again on your selected workout. You can customise which workouts pop up on the ‘Sport’ screen. For example, if running isn’t your bag but more extreme sports are, simply remove the running workouts and add options from ‘other water sports’ and, for example, ‘winter sports’. The 470mAh large battery and low power consumption means that you get 12-days battery on a typical usage. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active comes with a magnetic disk and USB cable which charges the smartwatch in just two and a half hours. When the smartwatch is charging, simply press either side button and you’ll see what per cent it’s on. Xiaomi Watch S1 Active set-up: How easy is it to use? From box to wrist, the set-up took about 20 minutes and was relatively straightforward. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active packaging initially reminded us of a Swatch watch: it came in a big, long box and was heavy. The smartwatch inside was unusually positioned in a straight line, not wrapped around an imaginary wrist like the Garmin vívosmart 5 or Honor GS 3. The box has a photo of the smartwatch on the front, along with the name across the bottom. Along the side is what Xiaomi believes are the smartwatches stand out features: dual-frequency GPS, blood oxygen monitoring, 5 ATM water resistance, call making via Bluetooth, 100+ exercise modes, crisp and clear AMOLED HD display, and long-lasting battery life. On the back are the finer details: what the watch is, which Android and iOS systems support it, and what’s included in the box. To pair the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active with your smartphone, download Mi Fitness on your smartphone, then create a Mi account. It’s super simple to do this and it’ll ask for statistics, such as your date of birth, gender, weight and height. Turn both the smartphone and smartwatch bluetooths on, then search for the compatible device to pair your phone with. This initially didn’t work for us: we had to delete the app and hard-restart the smartwatch before they connected. We’re sure this was an unlucky inconvenience as the pairing worked seamlessly after the restart. Next, you can set goals to help you on your fitness journey: how many calories per day to burn, how many steps to walk, and how much to move. The box contains a magnetic charging disk, USB charging cable, user manual, TPU strap, warranty notice, and, of course, the smartwatch itself. There isn’t an option to buy a plug. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active vs Xiaomi Watch S1: Which is better? One is ‘Active’, one isn’t. But which is better value for money? Released at the same time, the Xiaomi Watch S1 and its Active companion are similar smartwatches but are different where it matters, which makes you sway towards the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active. Both smartwatches have the same display, a 326ppi high-resolution, with the same 1.43-inch screen. They have similar sleek looks, except the Xiaomi Watch S1 has a stainless steel bezel whereas the Active’s is metal, and the Active’s strap is either TPU or silicone, yet the Xiaomi Watch S1 has two calfskin leather and fluororubber straps included in the box for you to switch between. The bezel and the leather strap make the Xiaomi Watch S1 slightly heavier than the Active, coming in at 52g to the Active’s 36.3g. Although the Xiaomi Watch S1 is 5 ATM water-resistant, like the Active, you have to be mindful that you shouldn’t swim in a leather strap to avoid damaging it. The Xiaomi Watch S1's dome is sapphire glass, whereas the Active is glass fibre-reinforced polyamide. Both smartwatches have the same features: 117 fitness modes, 19 professional fitness modes, always-on heart rate, blood oxygen tracking, sleep and stress monitoring, contactless payments, dual-band GPS, sensors, and emergency contact call. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active retails at £159, and the Xiaomi Watch S1 is available to buy for £199 on the Xiaomi website. The Xiaomi Watch S1 arguably looks smarter with its sapphire glass face and leather strap, however, at £40 more, we don’t think a slightly more stylish exterior is worth it. So with this in mind, we’d recommend the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active. Our verdict: Should you buy the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active? If you’re after a fitness smartwatch, we’d absolutely recommend the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active. This smartwatch is fantastic for fitness fans who like extreme sports too, as the smartwatch has the capability to track your workouts and is extremely durable. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is also great for people who sometimes leave the house without their smartphone, as you can listen to music and make contactless payments on the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active. Design: 4/5 Value for money: 4.5/5 Features (average): 5 Functions: 5 Battery: 5 Ease of set-up: 3 Overall star rating: 4/5 Where to buy the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is available from £139 at UK retailers such as Xiaomi, Currys, Very and Amazon. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active makes an appearance in our best budget smartwatch list, so be sure to check it out. Looking for a saving? Head over to our Disney Plus offers for August.
This new offering from Poco is tailor made for gamers, but is it worth your cash?
Poco is a sub-brand of the Chinese tech brand, Xiaomi, which is well-known for its smartphones. It's increasingly widening the product range on offer to UK consumers, and the Poco range generally, offers some more affordable handsets, often with features that cater to slightly younger users. In this case, the Poco F4 GT has a definite gaming focus but — at £699 — aims a little higher than many other Poco phones. Situated at the highest reaches of the 'mid-range' category, the phone offers some good specs and features, albeit with one or two drawbacks. Read on for our full review of the F4 GT, or use the links below to hop to a specific part of the review. For more smartphone options, take a look at our best smartphones guide. For something more affordable, check out our picks of the best budget smartphones in 2022. Jump to: Poco F4 GT review: Summary What is the Poco F4 GT? How much is the Poco F4 GT? Poco F4 GT features Poco F4 GT display Poco F4 GT battery Camera Design Poco F4 GT: Our verdict Where to buy Poco F4 GT Poco F4 GT vs Poco F4 Poco F4 GT review: Summary Price: £699.99 at Amazon Key features: 128GB or 256GB of storage Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset Corning Gorilla Glass Victus AMOLED HDR10+ display 120Hz refresh rate 64MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro Fingerprint sensor Four stereo speakers 4700mAh battery with 120W fast charge Pros: Innovative pop-up gaming triggers Fast charging Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip Great gaming experience Four stereo speakers Subtler design than other gaming phones Cons: Disappointing camera Battery life could be better Some tacky-feeling elements of design What is the Poco F4 GT? If you've ever wanted a gaming phone but been put off by the unusual designs that normally come with the genre, then Poco has a solution. The Poco F4 GT is a gaming phone with good specs and a subtle design — it's even got shoulder buttons that partially hide away during normal use. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip powering the F4 GT is the latest processor from Qualcomm and features in most of the top Android flagships, so this phone has good internals. It also offers a genuinely impressive gaming experience, but doesn't deliver the same quality when it comes to photography and the feel of the handset itself. How much is the Poco F4 GT? The Poco F4 GT starts at £699. It's a big chunk of change but still comes in cheaper than some of the key competitors in the gaming phone space — for example, the £899 ASUS ROG Phone 5. The RogPhone 5 might have a slight advantage for all-out gaming if that's your only concern when buying the phone, but the Poco is definitely a more subtle and balanced all-rounder. Buy the Poco F4 GT for £699.99 at Amazon Poco F4 GT features The Poco F4 GT's most unusual features are its side-mounted shoulder buttons. Once you've turned the phone around, holding it in landscape orientation, you can flick two small sliding buttons on the top and — with a pleasing click — two shoulder buttons will appear, making the smartphone feel a little more like a gaming handset. We liked this feature and it's a stand-out selling point in some respects, especially if you love playing shooting or racing games on the go. So far we're found that these genres of games benefit most from that shoulder button action. The one drawback of the shoulder buttons is that they're underutilised elsewhere. Yes, you can map them to open up your camera, or audio recording apps for example, but once they're open the triggers offer no further assistance. Surely one of those triggers would be an ideal camera shutter button? At the heart of the phone there's a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, the latest Qualcomm processor going. This is a fantastic addition and is behind much of the phone's impressive gaming performance. Some other phones have seen heat issues when carrying this chip though, and the F4 GT can heat up during extended play sessions. However, we experienced no hard crashes or similar. Elsewhere, the display performs well and an assortment of software features allow users to boost game performance, allotting more power and memory to gaming while that's your focus. We tested out the F4 GT on the infamously demanding title Genshin Impact. It performed well and despite some heating up, there were no slow-downs or stoppages and the F4 GT delivered a fun and consistent experience. Poco F4 GT display The 6.67-inch AMOLED display looks good — it packs HDR10+ and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass for peace of mind. The display is more than capable of delivering across gaming and a huge selection of other apps and uses. Colours are accurate and sharp and the 120Hz refresh rate makes for a smooth experience. Poco F4 GT battery The Poco F4 GT packs a 4700mAh battery. It's good but it won't break any longevity records. The fast charging on the other hand, is fantastic. You can top up from 0-100% in around 20-30 minutes. Poco F4 GT camera Alongside the 64MP main camera there's an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro camera. As a trio, they're not overwhelming and this seems to be the corner that Poco has cut to offer good specs and performance elsewhere. The main camera is passable and will deliver usable photos for social media and similar uses. However, compared to other phones in this price bracket, the camera offering lags behind. Those two supporting cameras don't offer much and there are limited zoom capabilities. Video too is passable but limited. Basically, you're getting a great gaming experience at the expense of a great camera experience. To have both you'll have to spend more and pick up something truly top end — like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra or iPhone 13 Pro Max. Poco F4 GT design The 6.7-inch displays seem to be the norm amongst most new Android phones at present, but the F4 GT does feel a little on the chunky side. That's thanks to the extra roominess of its metal frame, which allows for those extra speakers. It's a trade-off but the speakers do deliver an above-average experience and are great for gaming. It's a trend among gaming phones that speakers remain a focus, where they're not prioritised in more mainstream devices. Elsewhere, the design of this Poco smartphone is largely unsurprising. It's sleek enough, without being the sleekest Poco, or Xiaomi, phone we've seen — and the back does feel plastic-y and cheap. The phone's flash in the shape of a lightning bolt feels gimmick-y and the camera bump features the words 'Freezing speediest'. At face value, this seems to be a mistranslation, which is horrendously amateurish from Poco, but isn't too noticeable when you're using the phone. How did that get past quality control? Our verdict: Should you buy the Poco F4 GT? This is a phone for gamers that escapes some of the overly-garish designs previously offered. So, if you want a gaming phone without marking yourself out as a mobile gamer at all times, this is a great option. What this phone is not is a phone capable of keeping pace with other phone cameras on handsets of the same price. As a result, this is one for the gamers — or at least those who prioritise gaming over photography. Where to buy Poco F4 GT The Poco F4 GT is now available from a range of UK retailers. Take a look at the links below for the latest pricing and availability. Poco F4 GT | £699.99 at Amazon Poco F4 GT | £699 at Xiaomi Latest Deals Poco F4 GT vs Poco F4 If you like the look of the Poco F4 GT but mobile gaming isn't really for you, then there's also the slightly newer Poco F4 which offers a similar experience for a little less cash, albeit without some of the best internals that make up the GT model. It's got a mid-range chip instead of that market leading Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and the cooling technology is slightly older. However the cooling tech will be called into action much less frequently if you're not interested in mobile gaming. It's also got slightly less power, offering 6GB of RAM instead of the 8GB of the GT and doesn't pack those distinctive triggers. They've got the same 6.67-inch HR10+ AMOLED display, though the Poco F4 GT offers Gorilla Glass Victus while the standard F4 offers slightly less tough Gorilla Glass 5. Elsewhere, the design is quite different. The camera module is a little chunkier — despite housing the same 64MP, 8MP and 2MP cameras — and the back is sleek and simple, with a new reflective finish and without the annotations and extras on the back of the GT. We preferred this look but it's definitely a subjective call. It's also very slightly lighter and slimmer than the GT. So overall, the Poco F4 packs some older or lower-grade tech in places — notably that Gorilla Glass and a 67W fast charge — despite being a newer phone. However that price cut places it in a much more affordable bracket. As a result, we'd recommend sticking with the Poco F4 GT if gaming is your priority, but if you'd like to save some cash and don't place huge demands on your phone in day-to-day use, then the Poco F4 is a good alternative. Find buying links below. Buy Poco F4 5G for £429 at Amazon Latest Deals For more smartphones, take a look at our best smartphones guide, or check out our picks of the best budget smartphones in 2022.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Generation) review
Find out if the new Amazon Echo Show 8 improves on its predecessor.
This month has seen the release of two new smart displays from Amazon; two welcome updates to their popular Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8. Naturally, we had to put them to the test, so to see how the smaller device did, head to our Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) review or stick around to find out how the mid-range model fared. Featuring an 8-inch HD touchscreen and a 13MP camera with auto-framing, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) looks on paper to have a lot going for it. But is it an improvement on its predecessor, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (1st Gen), or does the execution of these new features fall short? To answer these questions, we tested the smart display against our rated categories of design, sound quality, ease of set-up and value for money to decide if we think the Amazon Echo Show 8 is worth your money. Here is why the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is one of the best smart displays you can buy right now. To see how other Alexa speakers compare, read our Amazon Echo Dot review and Amazon Echo Show 10 review. Or, head to our best smart speaker round-up. Jump to: Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) review: summary What is Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)? How much is Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)? Design Sound quality Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) set-up Difference between Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) Our verdict Where to buy Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) review: summary The addition of a higher quality 13MP camera and a new auto-framing function makes for a better video call experience. This, combined with the reliably good voice control via Alexa and 8-inch HD touchscreen, makes the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) a brilliant choice, irrelevant of whether this is your first smart display or you're adding to a collection. For most rooms, the Amazon Echo Show 8 feels like the right balance between offering a good screen size to watch Netflix, YouTube and other streaming services while not taking up excessive counter space. This Amazon smart display remains one of the best on offer. Price: The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) costs £119.99 and is available from Amazon, Currys and Very. Key features: 8-inch HD touchscreen 13MP camera that auto-frames for video calls Built-in voice assistant Alexa Works with various streaming services, including Spotify, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix Doubles-up as a digital photo frame Built-in camera cover Pros: Good value for money Brilliant voice assistant with Alexa Bright display Good camera quality Cons: No built-in Zigbee smart home hub What is Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)? The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is the brand's new mid-range smart display. This new device replaces the original Echo Show 8 that was released in 2019. At £119.99, the new Amazon Echo Show 8 has a number of new and improved features, including a higher-spec 13MP camera and a new auto-framing function. However, there's plenty of features that remain the same, including Alexa built-in, numerous Alexa skills, and it still doubles up as a digital photo frame. What does Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) do? The Amazon Echo Show 8 is a step-up from Amazon's smart speakers. While the likes of the Amazon Echo Dot is best suited to playing music, podcasts and responding to various voice commands, the Echo Show 8 is set up for those who are more visual. It enables you to make video calls, watch your favourite Netflix series and see who is at the door via your Ring doorbell. 8-inch HD touchscreen 13MP camera that auto-frames for video calls Built-in voice assistant Alexa Works with various streaming services, including Spotify, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix Doubles-up as a digital photo frame Built-in camera cover How much is Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)? The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) costs £119.99 and is available from retailers including Amazon, Currys and Very. Latest Deals Is Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) good value for money? At £119.99, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is Amazon's mid-range smart display. It's a little more expensive than the smaller Echo Show 5, but it's still over £100 less than the premium Amazon Echo Show 10. However, buying the Echo Show 8 doesn't necessarily mean missing out on features. The Amazon Echo Show 8 is a good balance between being compact and still offering enough screen to be practical. The smart display features comprehensive voice control via Alexa, good video call quality thanks to a 13MP camera and a responsive 8-inch HD touchscreen, making the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) great value for money. Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) design As the brand's mid-range, mid-sized smart display, the Amazon Echo Show 8 can easily fit on the kitchen counter or bedside table. The 8-inch display takes up most of the front of the device, with the 13MP camera in the top right. While the easiest way to control the Echo Show 8 is via Alexa, the smart display also has buttons across the top for covering the camera, muting the microphone and adjusting the volume. It's also obvious when the cover is across the camera lens because it swipes across to reveal a red underside. This means that you can tell from a glance if the camera is available or not. The touchscreen is responsive, and the default text is large enough to be read from a distance. The likes of alarms, reminders and routines can be chosen this way, although we found using the Amazon Alexa app to be easier. The app is extremely user-friendly and the easiest way to control multiple Alexa devices or to make announcements through any multi-room system you set up. Style: Available in Glacier White or Charcoal, the 2nd generation smart display looks extremely similar to its predecessor. Robustness: The Echo Show 8 does have some weight to it to keep it well-balanced but not enough that we'd describe it as heavy. This helps to make it feel well-made. Size: Featuring an 8-inch HD touchscreen, the Echo Show 8 measures 200 mm wide x 135 mm tall x 99 mm deep. Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) sound quality Featuring two 2.0-inch speakers, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is surprisingly good for a mid-range smart display. The device throws out well-balanced music that is of the standard of Amazon's more audio-focused echo speakers. The volume range is also pretty impressive, with the Echo Show 8 able to be turned up extremely loud. This is reassuring if you intend to use the smart display in a large or open-plan space. But, where the device excels is with speech-heavy audio. Podcasts and audiobooks are clear, and all speech is easy to understand, even with background noise. And, Alexa remains one of the best voice assistants on the market. Alexa has no problem hearing commands over loud music or background noise and is quick to respond to any questions with the correct information. Music, audiobooks and podcasts can all be controlled via the touchscreen, physical buttons or the Amazon Alexa app, but we found voice commands via Alexa to be the easiest. This allows you to control the smart display from a distance and is particularly useful when cooking or baking and you don't have a free hand. Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) set-up: how easy is it to use? Setting up the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) takes about 10 minutes and is fairly simple to do. Once the device is plugged in, you are prompted through the set-up process via the touchscreen. At this stage, it includes creating (or logging into) an Amazon account, choosing language settings and connecting to the Wi-Fi. Then, you're ready to go. The majority of the settings are controlled via the Amazon Alexa app. On the app, you can see all your Amazon devices in one place, make announcements through any speaker in the house and add new Alexa skills, including Fitbit, Uber and Netflix. Because the smart display needs to be plugged in to work, you are a little limited about where you can place the Echo Show 8. However, it is a similar story to most smart displays on the market. What is the difference between Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) and Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)? The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) was not the only new smart display to be released in June. The 8-inch smart display was revealed alongside the smaller Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen). Naturally, there are plenty of overlapping features thanks to Alexa, but there are a few differences to consider. First, and perhaps most obviously, is the size difference. The Amazon Echo Show 5 has a smaller 5.5-inch display, while the Echo Show 8 boasts an 8-inch HD touchscreen. This is reflected in the price. The Echo Show 5 is Amazon's cheapest smart display at £74.99. The Echo Show 8 is a little more expensive at £119.99 but still considerably cheaper than the premium Echo Show 10 at £239.99. Beyond this, the Echo Show 8 has a couple of additional features that help justify the price. The first is that the Echo Show 8 has a 13MP camera, a significant step-up from the 2MP camera of the Echo Show 5. This 13MP camera also comes with an auto-framing function for video calls to ensure that you're always centred in the frame even if you need to move about the kitchen. Choosing between the two smart displays will largely depend on your budget and how often you intend to use the camera. If you know you will use the camera daily for video calls or as an indoor security camera, it is worth spending a little more on the Amazon Echo Show 8. Our verdict: should you buy Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) The Amazon Echo Show 8 offers everything you could want from a mid-range smart display. The 8-inch display means it should slot in nicely into most settings without being overbearing. However, it is also big enough that it provides a better alternative to watching Netflix series on your phone and can be used as a digital photo frame when not in active use. It has all the features you'd want from a smart display, including Alexa built-in, a good-quality 13MP camera and a speaker that pumps out impressive sound for its price. Admittedly, it doesn't have a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, which would give you better control over managing your Alexa compatible devices, but that doesn't stop you from being able to connect your smart lights or plugs and using the Echo Show 8 to turn them on or off. Overall, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) continues to improve on the already-popular smart display that was the original Echo Show 8. Whether you're looking to buy your first smart display, or add to your growing collection, the Amazon Echo Show 8 is one of the best you can buy. Rating: Design: 4/5 Sound quality: 4/5 Ease of set-up: 5/5 Value for money: 5/5 Overall: 4.5/5 Where to buy Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Generation) is available at a number of retailers, including Amazon. £119.99 at Amazon £119.99 at Very £119.99 at Currys Latest Deals For more reviews and product guides, head to the Technology section.
The Amazon Fire HD 10 is a flagship device without a flagship price. It has decent power and battery life. Just don’t go thinking it will replace your laptop anytime soon.
Amazon’s entire Fire tablet range has been designed to appeal to the widest possible demographic. The Fire 7 is a cheap and cheerful entry-level device. The HD 8, and HD 8 Plus occupy the lower and higher ends of the mid-range spectrum. There are even Kids Editions in each size. Then there’s the Amazon Fire HD 10. It’s a flagship device without a flagship price. It’s more powerful, with a larger display than its siblings – to appeal to more “pro” tablet users – all while offering the same level of entertainment features. In fact, it’s the only HD Fire tablet that actually has a Full HD screen (more on that later). But are all of these upgrades worth paying three times as much as the Fire 7? Plus, if you’re in the market for a more pro tablet, does Amazon’s flagship tick the boxes? To see how this tablet performs against its smaller sibling, you can read our Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus vs Amazon Fire HD 10 article. In our Amazon Fire HD 10 review, we look at what the 10-inch tablet offers compared to its siblings, we review its performance and display upgrades, and we see if there is still a place for a relatively cheap 10-inch tablet in today’s tablet market. To compare this device with other options, check out our best budget tablet, best tablet and best tablet for kids articles. Jump to: Amazon Fire HD 10 review: summary What is the Amazon Fire HD 10? How much is the Amazon Fire HD 10? Amazon Fire HD 10 features Amazon Fire HD 10 screen and sound quality Amazon Fire HD 10 design Amazon Fire HD 10 set-up Amazon Fire HD 10 battery and performance Our verdict Where to buy Amazon Fire HD 10 review: summary Price: RRP £149.99, now £134.99 Key features: 10-inch Full HD tablet powered by Fire OS – Amazon’s take on Android 32GB or 64GB of storage, both expandable to 512GB via microSD 2GB RAM 12-hour battery life Alexa-built in meaning this tablet can double up as an alternative to the Echo Show 10 Pros: Very affordable way to buy a full HD tablet Wealth of content on tap Easy to setup and use Three gadgets in one – a Fire tablet, Echo Show and Kindle Cons: Doesn’t have the wireless charging seen on the Fire HD 8 Plus Lacks support for native Google apps – including Drive, YouTube and Gmail The Amazon Fire HD 10 is available at Amazon for £134.99 What is the Amazon Fire HD 10? In the wider Amazon devices range, the Amazon Fire HD 10 is positioned as the flagship tablet. It’s more expensive than any of its siblings and promises 30% more power than the previous version. It also claims to have a 12-hour battery life. It comes in at £149.99 (RRP), meaning the HD 10 is three times the price of the entry-level Amazon Fire 7. Yet it’s only £40, and £60 more than the Fire HD 8 Plus and Fire HD 8 respectively. If anything, the Amazon Fire HD 10’s nearest competitor, price-wise, is the £139.99 Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition. For the latter, though, you get a free Amazon Kids+ subscription bundled in, which explains its higher price. All Fire tablets, so the Fire HD 10 included, come with less-than-adequate 2MP cameras on the front and rear, and all are powered by Amazon’s take on Android – Fire OS. This software looks and feels largely like pure Android, albeit with a whole load of Amazon promotions and ads thrown in. However, the biggest difference is the lack of a Google Play Store and namely the lack of native Google apps. This means you can’t download apps for Google Drive, Google Docs, YouTube, Gmail and more. It is possible to access each of these services via Amazon’s pre-installed Silk browser as bookmarks, but the experience is clunky and less than ideal, especially if you’re a heavy Google user. Amazon doesn’t position the Fire HD 10, or any of its Fire tablets for that matter, as being productivity workhorses. They’re built for entertainment, and that’s what Amazon wants you to use them for, meaning the lack of Google apps won’t be a deal breaker for many. For the extra money when buying the Fire HD 10, you get a Full HD screen instead of a regular HD display and an octa-core processor, rather than a dual-core version. These give it both a viewing and power boost. It’s also larger and slightly thicker to accommodate the 10-inch display. Delving into the specs further, you’ll notice that the Fire HD 10 isn’t a flagship device across all categories. It shares the same battery life but doesn’t come with the wireless charging option of the Fire HD 8 Plus. It also has 1GB RAM less than the Plus model. Elsewhere, it charges an hour slower than the Fire HD 8 (four hours vs five). It is possible to expand the built-in 32GB or 64GB storage on the Fire HD 10, but it only accepts microSD cards up to 512GB. This is half the amount of additional storage seen on the Fire HD 10’s cheaper siblings. What does Amazon Fire HD 10 do? Amazon’s Fire HD 10 follows suit with the rest of the range, providing access to cheap, portable entertainment and browsing. As a result, it comes with all of Amazon’s own-brand services – Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Audible and Kindle pre-installed – and the likes of Netflix and BBC iPlayer are a click away via the Amazon App Store. Media streaming with Amazon Prime Video installed by default Netflix, BBC iPlayer, All 4, ITV Hub, SkyGo and Disney+ available from the Amazon App Store Kindle e-reader and access to the Kindle Store, plus Kindle Unlimited (for an extra fee) Show Mode turns the Fire HD 10 into an Echo Show, complete with Alexa Skills Alexa built-in means you can use the Fire HD 10 Kids Edition to control Echo, plus other compatible smart devices, using your voice or the Alexa app Available in black, plum, blue and white How much is Amazon Fire HD 10? Unlike the smaller models in the Fire range, it’s not possible to pay extra to remove the lock screen ads on the Fire HD 10. This means you only get to choose between the 32GB or 64GB model and which colour you want. The Amazon Fire HD 10 price, when bought directly from Amazon, is as follows: Amazon Fire HD 10 32GB storage: £139.49 Amazon Fire HD 10 64GB storage: £167.39 You can also buy the Amazon Fire HD 10 from the following places: Currys: £129 Argos: £179.99 Is the Amazon Fire HD 10 good value for money? If you’re in the market for a cheap 10-inch tablet, even one that offers the hardware and entertainment of the Fire HD 10, £149.99 (RRP) may seem steep. In this respect, Amazon is very much a victim of its own success. By selling tablets so cheaply across the board, it makes a very affordable, Full-HD tablet that would – in normal circumstances – seem like a great deal, feel overpriced. It’s not, though. The Fire HD 10 is almost staggeringly cheaper than some of the rival 10-inch tablets from the likes of Samsung and Huawei. These rivals range from £170 up to £500+ for wildly different specifications. And, of course, Amazon isn’t stupid. It’s actually very shrewd with its tablet pricing strategy. By making the £149.99 10-inch version seem expensive, it makes the Fire HD 8 range more appealing. By pricing the HD 8 Plus at only £20 more than the lower-end HD 8, people almost feel obliged to go for the 8 HD Plus because it feels like such great value for money, comparatively. Amazon may lose out on £40 per sale for the HD 10, but it’s more likely to sell a greater number of the 8 HD Plus, meaning the losses are soon swallowed. All while offering a 10-inch model to those who really care about the better screen. This explains why Amazon added wireless charging to the 8 HD Plus and the 8 HD Plus only and why the expandable storage is better on the Fire HD 8 range. All things considered, the Fire HD 8 Plus represents better value for money than the HD 10, but we’d still recommend the latter. The larger, Full HD display lends itself much better to be a portable entertainment device, and it packs a whole load of punch for relatively very little. Despite what the pricing strategy would have you believe, the Fire HD 10 is still great value for money. Amazon Fire HD 10 features If you’ve read our previous Fire HD 8 review, Fire HD 8 Plus review or even our Fire HD 8 Kids Edition review, the below is going to sound very familiar. The Fire HD 10 runs Fire OS, like all Fire tablets do, which means it also uses Amazon’s bespoke Silk Browser by default. Almost every element of this OS is geared towards making you sign up for various Amazon products and services. Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Audible, Kindle and, of course, the Amazon Shopping app are all front-of-centre on the homepage and throughout the setup process. This, coupled with the lock screen ads, can become a bit much, but it’s ultimately what allows Amazon to price its tablets so low. So we’ll take that hit. A hit we struggle to take, however, is the lack of Google apps. This includes YouTube, Chrome and many more. This won’t feel like a big problem for some people, but it’s worth noting because we missed these apps. The standout feature for us in the Fire HD 10 – as it was in the Fire HD 8 and HD 8 Plus – is Show Mode. Either by asking Alexa to “enable Show Mode”, or enabling it via the on-screen controls, you can transform your HD 10 into an Echo Show 10. Without forking out an additional £240. Show Mode gives you the same full-screen Alexa experience as the original. It replaces the normal menus and app icons with a simple screen that you control with your voice. It’s great for propping the Fire HD 10 up in your kitchen to follow recipe videos, catch up on your favourite shows, ask questions, get weather and news headlines, and make video calls. Plus much more. It’s not an exact like-for-like, of course. The new Echo Show 10’s much better-quality, 13MP camera follows you around the room and keeps you in the frame, thanks to its rotating base. By comparison, the Fire HD 10 has a static, 2MP camera. Measly by comparison. On the plus side, you don’t have to keep the Fire HD 10 plugged into the mains, though. Nor is it £240. We’d go as far as to say the Fire HD 10 in Show Mode is better than a standard Echo Show because of this increased portability. We must warn you, though, if you’re using multiple Alexa-enabled devices – tablets, Echos or more – in the same vicinity, they’ll all spring into action when you call their name. This can get confusing. Amazon Fire HD 10 screen and sound quality As previously mentioned, the Amazon Fire HD 10 is the only Fire tablet to come with a Full HD screen. To be classified as HD, a display needs to have more than 921,000 pixels. To reach full HD status, it must have 2 million, minimum. The Fire 8 HD and 8 HD Plus both have HD screens, but they fall short of the technical definition of Full HD by around 1 million pixels. The Amazon Fire HD 10 has a screen resolution of 1920 x 1200, which equates to 2.3 million pixels. The day-to-day difference isn’t hugely stark, and you don’t really notice the shift unless the HD and Full HD screens are next to each other. The edges on the smaller icons and notifications are much sharper on the HD 10 than on the smaller tablets, but that is also because the screen is larger, so these icons themselves aren’t as small by default. The Full HD screen comes into its own when watching Netflix, Amazon Prime et al. High-quality content looks more crisp and vibrant, while the Full HD makes low-quality shows look even worse. The quality of sound that comes out of the Fire HD 10’s dual speakers is admirable. Just like the other tablets in the Fire range, its sound certainly isn’t loud enough to fill a busy room, but it’s enough to help you watch shows over the sound of your preparing dinner or similar. Thanks to the partnership with Dolby Atmos, the sound is much more well-rounded and less tinny than we’d expect for such a relatively cheap device. Plus, they do a good job of making voices sound clear when audiobooks are being read aloud or during video calls. Amazon Fire HD 10 design The Fire HD 10 has the same overall design as the rest of the Fire tablet range – a fat bezel, chunky shape, rounded corners, and plastic casing. Albeit in a larger size. It may be due to the way you hold the larger 10-inch device or the quality of the Full HD screen, but the Fire HD 10 doesn’t feel as cheap as its siblings. It’s more balanced, meaning it’s more comfortable to hold when used as a Kindle. It’s significantly heavier, too – weighing in at 504g vs the 355g of the Fire HD 8s – which subconsciously gives it a more luxurious, expensive feel. Conversely, despite this extra weight and heft, the Fire HD 10 doesn’t feel as robust as its smaller equivalents. This may be because there is more screen to break, but it’s a strange paradox. In terms of ports on the Fire HD 10, there’s a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, a USB-C charging port and a microphone. Amazon Fire HD 10 set-up Ease-of-use and simple, intuitive screens are at the heart of the Fire tablet range. The HD 10 is no exception. You’re guided through, step-by-step, how to get your Amazon Fire HD 10 connected to your Wi-Fi, signed into your Amazon account, and how to add on various Amazon services (or sign into them, if you’re already a subscriber.) You’re even presented with a screen of popular apps that you can download from the setup screen, rather than having to find them in the Amazon App Store. A series of promotional messages punctuate this setup and, while this is a minor inconvenience, it’s an inconvenience nonetheless. Amazon Fire HD 10 battery life and performance For every tablet we review, we test its battery life by playing an HD video on repeat. We set the brightness to 70% and have aeroplane mode enabled. This video loops from full charge until the battery goes flat. Amazon promises that the Fire HD 10 will last 12 hours, but it fell a little short in our test, reaching 10 hours and 14 minutes. This is a tad disappointing and worse than the battery performance of the 8 HD Plus. It’s only marginally better than the 8 HD. We did have a feeling that the HD 10, with its Full HD screen, would miss the mark by comparison, so this isn’t a huge surprise. The battery lasted a lot longer when using the Amazon Fire HD 10 for everyday tasks. The occasional game of SimCity, catching up with three episodes of a podcast, a video call with our parents, and general browsing for a few hours every day, saw the tablet last into the fourth day. The longest of any of the Fire tablets we’ve tried. This may have something to do with the fact it has a relatively souped-up, octa-core processor, the only processor in the range to have eight cores. Not only does this help improve the performance and reduce the lag, seen on other Fire tablets, but by seemingly optimising the software to work better with this processor means it works more efficiently with the battery, too. Don’t get us wrong. The Fire HD 10 isn’t lightning-fast, but it’s a noticeable improvement on other Fire tablets we’ve tested. It can be a little slow to switch between regular and Show Mode, and there can be delays when loading shows, but by and large, its speed is more than adequate for an entertainment device. Our verdict: should you buy the Amazon Fire HD 10? When tablets first hit the mainstream, a 10-inch display was the default for many manufacturers. It was large enough to distinguish the tablets from the, then, much smaller smartphone displays while positioning the tablets themselves as laptop alternatives. Over time, the screens on tablets (particularly those at the cheaper end) have shrunk, while smartphone screens have grown, and the two devices now occupy a very similar space. Today, you have the choice of smaller, cheaper devices aimed at more general consumers to either compliment or sit in lieu of a larger, more expensive phone. And pricey, 10-inch devices aimed at pro consumers looking to do everything and more on them. Amazon’s Fire HD 10 occupies a welcomed middle-ground. You get a well-balanced, largely well-designed 10-inch device on which to watch your favourite shows. It has enough power to do a range of tasks, and the addition of Show Mode just increases its versatility and appeal. All without charging a fortune for the privilege. Rating: Features: 5/5 Screen and sound quality: 3/5 Design: 4/5 Set-up: 5/5 Battery life and performance: 3/5 Overall rating: 4.2/5 Where to buy the Amazon Fire HD 10 Amazon Currys Want to compare with other Amazon Fire HD models? Check out our Fire HD 8 review, Fire HD 8 Plus review and our Fire HD 8 Kids Edition review to help you decide, or, if you think you might prefer an iPad, check out our Apple iPad Air (2020) review.
Amazon's cheapest Fire TV Stick is simple but effective.
The first Fire TV Stick was released back in 2014, and since then, Amazon has upgraded and expanded its Fire TV range to include three smart TV sticks and the more sophisticated Amazon Fire TV Cube. The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite was one of the newest additions, having been released late last year, becoming the cheapest Fire TV Stick yet at £29.99. But does the price mean you're missing out? Or is there no need to spend any more? In our opinion, the answer largely depends on whether you're willing to spend £10 more. If you are, the result is the Amazon Fire TV Stick, which was also updated last year. For the most part, the features, such as HD streaming and voice control, are the same, but the extra addition of power and volume buttons on the remote do make for a more enjoyable TV experience. If you think having to swap between remotes to turn off the TV or change volume is going to bug you, you may want to think about paying that extra tenner. Otherwise, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is more than capable of streaming all your favourite shows. To find out how this smart TV stick compares to other devices, read our NOW TV Smart Stick review, Nvidia Shield TV Pro review and Roku Express 4K review. Or try our best streaming device round-up for more options. Jump to: Summary What is Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite? How much is Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite? Design Streaming quality Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite set-up Difference between Amazon Fire TV Stick and Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite Our verdict Where to buy Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite review: summary Being the cheapest Amazon Fire TV Stick, you know that it isn't going to have the sophistication of the Amazon Fire TV Cube. After all, the bigger device is nearly four times the price. The Fire TV Stick Lite is simple but still gives you access to the Fire TV homepage, the same good choice apps and channels as all the other Fire TV devices, and HD streaming. The annoyance of having no volume and power buttons is lessened somewhat by circumnavigating it with voice control, but it is a little tiresome. Price: Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is available from Amazon for £29.99. Key features: Full HD streaming Voice search via Alexa Voice Remote Lite Apps available include Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, NOW TV, YouTube and Netflix Pros: Good value for money Plugs into HDMI port and is hidden behind the TV Great choice of apps and channels Voice control makes it easy to navigate Batteries included Cons: No 4K streaming No volume or power buttons on remote Homepage a little heavy on Amazon Prime Video content What is Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite? The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is the cheapest of Amazon's Fire TV devices. For £29.99, the streaming stick offers full HD streaming of on-demand and streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer. With the accompanying voice remote, you can use the Alexa voice button to control your TV and search the Fire TV homepage. What does Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite do? Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite gives you access to various on-demand and streaming services from one device. It is particularly useful for allowing you to stream on older TVs that do not have smart capabilities. Amazon makes four Fire TV devices, and the Fire TV Stick Lite is the cheapest at £29.99. Streaming in full HD Plays live TV along with streaming services like Netflix, NOW TV, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video Stream music from Amazon Music Unlimited, Spotify and BBC Sounds How much is Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite? The Fire TV Stick Lite is Amazon's cheapest smart TV stick and costs £29.99. It is available from Amazon, as well as retailers such as John Lewis and AO. Is Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite good value for money? At £29.99, the Fire TV Stick Lite is the most affordable streaming stick Amazon has made to date. Despite being £10 less than the original Fire TV Stick, the Lite has many of the same key features. Both stream in HD and have the same Fire TV homepage and apps, making the Fire TV Stick Lite good value for money. The one major difference is that the Fire TV Stick Lite does not have power or volume buttons on the remote. If you don't think it will bother you having to switch between remotes, buying the Fire TV Stick Lite will save you a little bit of money, and it is unlikely that you'll feel like Amazon has scrimped on any other areas. Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite design Buying any smart TV device will mean another cable to contend with, but the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is one of the neatest. Like all the other Fire TV Sticks, the Lite plugs straight into the HDMI port in the back of the TV. This means that, for the most part, it is hidden and out of the way. The Voice Remote Lite that comes with the smart TV stick is smaller than a traditional TV remote. The design is extremely simple, with a total of nine buttons, including pause/play and home and an Alexa voice button. The voice control helps side-step the lack of volume buttons and makes the already user-friendly homepage easier to navigate. The Fire TV interface is dominated by Amazon's own apps and channels, especially when it comes to Prime Video shows. Anyone with an Amazon Prime Video membership will therefore find it extremely familiar and intuitive. Style: With an all-black remote and Fire TV Stick Lite, the design is simple but sleek. Robustness: Both the smart TV stick and remote are lightweight and designed to be portable. However, because of this, the device is solid and would travel well. Size: Measuring less than 9cm long and 3cm wide, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is small and easily hidden behind the TV. Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite streaming quality For voice search, Alexa is activated by the ‘microphone/voice’ button at the top of the remote. Fire TV is quick to respond to any request and had no trouble taking us to the requested app the first time. We found the voice search function made navigating the Fire TV homepage simple and quick. As the cheapest Fire TV Stick, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite only offers HD streaming. However, we found that we still enjoyed watching TV shows via the smart TV stick and that there were no buffering or delays between apps. It is worth noting that if you intend to use the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite to bring an old TV back to life, it might not be worth spending any more. The price of more expensive smart TV devices is largely justified because they can stream in 4K – rather than HD like the Fire TV Stick Lite. However, if you do not have a 4K TV, you will not be able to take advantage of these capabilities and therefore, saving some money with a cheaper device like the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite or Roku Express is definitely worth it. Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite set-up: how easy is it to use? The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite comes with all the equipment you need to get started, including AAA batteries and a power adaptor. You do not need to buy anything separately. The whole set up process took approximately 15 minutes, although software updates took up a good chunk of that time. We suggest going to make a cup of tea while you wait. Once the device is out of the box, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite slots into the HDMI port in the back of the TV, instructions will then appear on the TV screen, and you will be prompted through them. This includes entering the Wi-Fi password and logging into an Amazon account. When you are through this initial stage, you can adjust various parental and privacy settings and restore any apps you may have had installed on previous Fire TV devices. The parental settings allow you to filter out any non-age appropriate shows that you may not want younger family members watching on their profile. This is also an opportunity to add any additional apps you may want from first use, although you can add and download additional apps at any time. What is the difference between Amazon Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite? The Amazon Fire TV Stick and its cheaper counterpart, the Fire TV Stick Lite, are almost identical in design and features. For example, both will have the same apps and channels, including the newly-launched IMDb TV, which is free of charge to watch for those with a Fire TV device. However, there are a few key differences that are worth highlighting. The most obvious difference is the price. The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is £10 cheaper than the original Fire TV Stick. With the higher RRP of £39.99, the Amazon Fire TV Stick has additional power and volume buttons on the remote. This allows you to fully control the TV with the Alexa Voice Remote Lite, rather than switching to and from the main TV remote. The lack of volume controls on the Fire TV Stick Lite's remote can be somewhat worked around with the voice controls. Activated by a button on the remote, you can request the Fire TV Stick turn up or down the volume, negating the need for the main TV remote. Our verdict: should you buy Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite? If you have a lot of Amazon subscriptions and you want a cheap device to help you watch them all from one place, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite will do the job. The design of the smart TV stick and remote is simple but provides you with a way to stream a great range of apps and channels in full HD. Because the Fire TV homepage is very heavily geared towards Prime Video content, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite will always better suit those with a membership. Still, there's plenty of other on-demand services to watch too. The only slight annoyance is the lack of power and volume buttons on the remote. Many will be fine switching between remotes to change volume – or use voice control – but if you know it will bother you, you may want to consider spending just £10 extra for the Amazon Fire TV Stick. Design: 3/5 Streaming quality: 3/5 Value for Money: 4/5 Ease of set-up: 4/5 Overall rating: 3.5/5 Where to buy Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is available at several retailers. £29.99 £12.99 (save £15 or 57%) at Amazon £29.95 at John Lewis £29 at AO £29.99 at Very £29.99 at Currys For the latest tech news, guides and deals, check out the Technology section. Looking to upgrade your TV setup? Head over to our best smart TV guide for advice on the best TV to buy.
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is Roku's latest entry into the streaming stick marketplace. It improves on its predecessor and competes with Amazon's offering in key areas.
When Roku proudly announced the Roku Streaming Stick 4K back in September, it claimed the new device offered its best picture quality yet and a seamless, fast user experience. Now, we've got our hands on the new stick to check these claims out and decide if it's really worth your cash. According to Roku, a new quad-core processor makes the Streaming Stick 4K up to 30% faster than its predecessor. Working alongside upgraded Roku OS 10.5, the stick does work smoothly, delivering content at a moments notice. There's a good library of shows and apps, too, though the full extent of this obviously depends on how many applicable subscriptions you have. To make the most of the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, you'll need some additional app subscriptions on top of Roku's own ad-funded offering. This stick goes head to head with the recently released Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max. For more on streaming sticks, take a look at our in-depth guide to the best streaming device for your TV or see how the cheaper Roku Express 4K and Roku Express compare. Jump to: Roku Streaming Stick 4K review: summary What is the Roku Streaming Stick 4K? How much is the Roku Streaming Stick 4K? Design Streaming quality Roku Streaming Stick 4K set-up Difference between Roku Streaming Stick 4K and Roku Streaming Stick Plus Our verdict Where to buy Roku Streaming Stick 4K review: summary The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is the latest addition to the Roku streaming stick line-up, replacing the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, which first became available back in 2017. According to Roku, the new stick is "more powerful than ever", making for a faster start-up and a more responsive experience. It does feel quick and easy to load up apps, and the stick is a great way to turn a non-smart TV into a smart TV if you haven't upgraded your set for a little while. The addition of HDR10 Plus — which improves colours and contrast — and support for Dolby Vision is noteworthy. It brings the stick in line with its key competitor, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max. To make the most of the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, you will need some additional streaming service subscriptions. While Roku does offer its own range of shows and films — most of which are free to watch as the channel is ad-funded — it's not the most impressive selection. At time of writing, there was definitely a lot of filler in the Roku Channel line-up, including Jason Statham's truly awful fantasy adventure, In the Name of the King, and the equally unappetising White Collar Hooligan 3: Revenge in Rio. Of course, every streaming service is guilty of having some filler titles in the library, but Roku's channel seems a little heavy on these due to the fact it's funded by advertising rather than subscriptions. That said, it's free, and beggars can't be choosers. Channel 4's free streaming service also comes pre-loaded, and 4OD has some great options to bolster your free viewing. After the demise of Quibi, Roku bought up the streaming service's content, and much of it is now available to watch on the Roku Channel. Survive, starring Sophie Turner of Game of Thrones fame, is a real highlight. For sports fans, it's also easy to load up BT Sport, UFC, or NBA, though there is currently no access to Sky Sports, and additional subscriptions are required to access the content these apps offer. What is the Roku Streaming Stick 4K? The Roku Streaming Stick 4K really does what it says on the tin. It's a streaming stick from Roku, offering 4K picture quality. That said, Roku's previous stick also offered 4K picture quality. This one does make further improvements to picture quality though, works smoothly and offers a wide range of content. How much is the Roku Streaming Stick 4K? The Roku Streaming Stick 4K will set you back £49.99. If cost is a real issue, you can pick up the Plus for about £5 less. Comparably, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max has an RRP of £54.99. Amazon is currently selling the stick at £49.49, likely in a bid to undercut Roku. Roku Streaming Stick 4K | £39.99 on Very Roku Streaming Stick 4K | £49.99 on Amazon Roku Streaming Stick Plus | £59.99 £43.19 (save £16.80 or 28%) on Amazon Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max | £54.99 on Amazon Roku Streaming Stick 4K design The stick itself is pretty straightforward, as you'd expect. It slots into the HDMI port and is powered by a separate USB cable. You can plug this into the TVs USB port or use the plug provided. Unfortunately, the stick can't be charged and used without the power chord, which leads to it heating up slightly during use. It would be nice to be able to charge the stick and use it for a few hours without the power chord, but not being able to isn't a huge drawback as it's still compact and portable with the wire. In the box, there's the remote, stick, cable and some handy plug adaptors — so the stick easily fits a UK or European plug. Roku Streaming Stick 4K streaming quality The Streaming Stick 4K was introduced as the stick that would offer Roku's best ever picture quality, and it delivers. While the Roku Streaming Stick Plus did also offer 4K, it didn't come with HDR10 Plus capabilities. That's a great addition and means the stick offers an even crisper picture. Of course, the quality will also depend on the television you pair it with. We didn't encounter any issues with playback interruptions or loading during testing. Everything worked smoothly, and menus were responsive throughout. One issue we did notice during our time with the TV stick, was that it did heat up after extended use. It's not got its own battery, so it has to be plugged in while in use, as explained in the set-up section. This definitely contributes to the heat issue. While this didn't result in any streaming issues during our testing, it is worth noting and could be a cause for concern if using the stick for a lengthy streaming binge session. Roku Streaming Stick 4K set-up The stick itself is fairly simple to set up, but you'll need some AAA batteries for the Roku remote. Simply pop the stick into the HDMI port, plug the USB power cable provided into the TV's USB slot, and plug the other end into the Roku stick to power it up. Then, once you've connected to your WiFi and signed up for — or logged into — Roku, you're all systems go. Enabling other apps is simple, though the exact method varies from app to app. Amazon Prime Video offered an appealingly simple set-up, giving you a QR code to scan with a mobile device. The mobile device — logged into your Amazon account — then asks for permission for the Roku Streaming Stick 4K to login to your account, and access is granted seamlessly. What is the difference between Roku Streaming Stick 4K and Roku Streaming Stick Plus? The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is the direct successor to the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, so it offers boosted performance and adds HDR10 Plus and support for Dolby Vision. It's the best streaming offering from Roku right now, so if you're weighing up which to buy, you're better of with the Streaming Stick 4K. That's especially the case right now, given that the price difference between the two is minimal. Roku Streaming Stick 4K | £39.14 on Amazon Roku Streaming Stick 4K | £39.99 on Very Roku Streaming Stick Plus | £59.99 £43.19 (save £16.80 or 28%) on Amazon Our verdict: should you buy the Roku Streaming Stick 4K? The improvements made to the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, since the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, make it a real competitor to Amazon's offerings. The addition of HDR10 Plus and Dolby Vision means the picture is clearer than ever, and it's a joy to stream your favourite shows onto a 4K TV. Faster menus and better WiFi performance also improve the experience, and ultimately the stick is intuitive and straightforward to use. While simple, that's still a real bonus. Unresponsive and confusing menus can quickly become grating very, very quickly. Overall it's a simple offering that improves on its predecessor, and there's not a lot to choose between the Roku stick and the competition. Perhaps the Roku Channel could offer some more tempting free TV, but overall the stick is well worth the asking price, especially if you have a non-smart TV that could do with an upgrade. Where to buy the Roku Streaming Stick 4K The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is available from a range of retailers, but the Roku Streaming Stick Plus is the only one available at some large retailers at time of writing. Follow the links below to grab yourself a Roku streaming stick or its competitor from Amazon. Roku Streaming Stick 4K | £39.14 on Amazon Roku Streaming Stick 4K | £39.99 on Very Roku Streaming Stick Plus | £59.99 £43.19 (save £16.80 or 28%) on Amazon Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max | £54.99 on Amazon Want more information on how the Amazon Fire TV devices compare? Read our Roku vs Fire TV Stick guide. Or, head to our best smart TV guide.
Amazon Echo Show 15 review: the biggest Alexa display, but is it the best?
The Echo Show 15 is an Alexa display that can be mounted on your wall. How does it compare to the rest of the series? Here's our review.
The Echo Show 15 is a logical next step for Amazon’s smart display series. Having covered the home counter space with Alexa-powered devices of various shapes and sizes over the past few years, the only way is up. Up on the wall, that is. One glance at the Echo Show 15 is all you really need to know its intentions. It’s a wall display to help oversee your smart home, and look good while doing it. With a black border and white bezels that more resembles an artistic frame than a piece of cutting-edge tech, the recently-released device will be a head-turner when placed on a wall of your home – and is especially well-suited to the kitchen. Like the rest of our guide to the best smart speakers, you can ask questions, play music, hear news reports, check recipes, set alarms, make calls and more. Unlike the others, the Echo Show 15 gives you a selection of customizable widgets and the ability to get that big 15.6-inch 1080p display – the largest you can get in an Amazon smart display as of writing – off the counter and onto your wall. The display size isn’t the only thing that's bigger. At £239.99, the Echo Show 15 is also one of the most expensive in the series, and if you want to place it horizontally for some reason, the cost rises by £30 as you have to buy an extra stand. So how does it compare to the other Echo Show devices? What makes it special? And crucially, is it actually worth your money? Here’s our Echo Show 15 review. Jump to: Echo Show 15 review: summary What is Amazon Echo Show 15? How much is Amazon Echo Show 15? Echo Show 15 design Echo Show 15 features and software Echo Show 15 sound quality Echo Show 15 set-up/installation Echo Show 15 and Echo Show 10 Our verdict and rating Where to buy the Echo Show 15 Echo Show 15 review: summary We tested the Echo Show 15 over the course of a week, setting it up inside an office and kitchen while pairing it with devices including a phone via the Alexa app and a Eufy video doorbell, alongside services including Spotify and Prime Video. Almost immediately after opening the box, we had one main question: Is there more to the Echo Show 15 than meets the eye, or is this simply a fancy new design? Ultimately, the Show 15 justifies its existence. It not only provides the typically-solid Alexa experience but doubles as an accessible entertainment centre, while the widgets make it visually pleasing and intuitive to navigate with touch controls and finger swipes - even if most are still a little too limited to be fully enjoyed. The display is big and bright, using a simple layout that’s easy to follow for all types of users and accomplishes its core mission of being a centre-piece for a family to share. Unfortunately, the Echo Show 15 does not have Zigbee compatibility so using it to actually power your smart home is much trickier than it should be. After setup, which takes approximately 10-20 minutes, it's clear that the Echo Show 15 will be best if you are already in Amazon’s ecosystem of devices. In terms of extra apps or widgets, there’s little-to-no wiggle room. The same goes for resizing and placing those widgets around the home screen, and we were constantly having to remember this is not a "proper" tablet when it comes to scrolling through apps – although it thankfully does have YouTube and a web browser. From online shopping to watching video content via Prime to listening to audiobooks, Amazon happily provides all of the add-ons and services you could possibly need. Often at a price or by signing up to a monthly subscription, of course. If you are already a keen user of Amazon’s services, you will likely have a blast with the Echo Show 15, although anyone used to Google Nest devices may find themselves a little lost at first, especially when it comes to navigating the system. For most users, the Show 8 has similar functions at a much more pleasing price point. And while the aesthetic is minimalist – there’s no getting around the fact that this is a beefy, heavy, piece of kit and essentially a digital photo frame on steroids. Subscription cynicism aside, the Echo Show 15 is the logical next step for the smart display series, and one that we hope continues to be refined in its future iterations. While this one doesn’t always hit the mark, it’s still a very promising direction. Price: £239.99 Key features and specs: 15.6-inch Full HD (1080p) smart display Alexa-powered -on screen widgets Five megapixel (MP) camera Portrait or landscape orientation Doubles as digital photo frame Can play YouTube. Netflix, Prime Camera cover switch is built in to frame Comes with wall mount in the box Pros: Great design that looks stylish New widgets are a welcome addition Works well as a smart control centre Wall mounting is a nice change Cons: Rigid widget placement options Touch navigation can be limited Takes up a lot of space when not mounted What is Amazon Echo Show 15? The Echo Show 15 is Amazon’s latest smart display that is powered by Alexa voice assistant technology. Unlike the other devices in the range – Echo Show 8 (£119.99), Echo Show 5 (£74.99) and Echo Show 10 3rd gen (£239.99) – the Echo Show 15 is designed to be a wall-mounted smart home and entertainment centre and stands out among the crowd by being based around interchangeable widgets. How much is Amazon Echo Show 15? The Amazon Echo Show 15 is priced at £239.99. It was released in the UK on 9th December 2021. The official Tilt Stand is sold separately, costing £29.99. Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at Amazon Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at Currys Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at AO Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at John Lewis Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at Argos Echo Show 15 design Whether it's on the wall or the countertop, the Show 15 essentially looks like a giant digital photo frame. Build quality is really good, with the thick black border and crisp white bezels giving off a premium, artistic, vibe. In our opinion, the model is meant to be wall-mounted and looks best at eye level. The fact it also serves as a literal way to display photos means it can seamlessly blend into your home’s décor. On top, you will find the camera cover slider, a button to mute Alexa and the volume controls. Speakers run down each of the sides, and the back is where you will plug in a power adapter and affix the plate for wall placement. Thankfully the front is free from logos or branding – with only the camera visible in the top left corner. It’s stylish, but not what we would describe as a subtle or nimble device - and that will be a pro or a con depending on your own personal design tastes. At 148 x 86 x 73 mm (W x H x D) and weighing 2,215 g – the Echo Show 15 is a bit of a chunky beast. On the wall, this won’t matter at all, but it’s something to be aware of as it lacks the portability of some of the other models in the range. Overall, it’s an attractive design that’s sleek, inoffensive and should work well in most homes. Read more Amazon reviews Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) review Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) review Amazon Echo Show 10 review Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) review Amazon Fire HD 10 review Amazon Fire HD 8 review Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids review Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus review Amazon Fire TV Stick (2020) review Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite review Echo Show 15 features and software Until now, if you had used an Echo Show device you would be familiar with them all. But Amazon has shaken up the formula with the Echo Show 15 by basing the entire main layout around widgets that can be customised, re-ordered and re-sized. There are 14 in total – and from the Widget Gallery menu, you can add them to the home screen with a quick click. You can display up to six at a time, and pressing down on one will bring up a menu that lets you either remove or reorder them. Two of the default widgets – “Calendar & Reminders” and “Music & Audio” – have a large version that switches up the home layout completely by taking up much more real estate on the top left, and instantly limiting the widgets on-screen to four. This will also reduce the size of the left side’s gallery/clock. It’s all personal taste. Here’s the full list of the widgets you get as default: Alexa Suggestions Calendar and reminders Calendar and reminders (large) Cookpad recipe of the day Favourite photos Music and audio Music and audio (large) Reorder suggestions Shopping list Smart home favourites Sticky notes To-do list Weather What to eat In our set-up of choice, we decided to remove the large widget version to give that home screen gallery more room to breathe and to better show off the imagery, which you can change by swiping left or right. We chose to have four widgets on the right: music (via Spotify), weather forecast, shopping list and sticky notes. After a few days of using the device, we think that it works well as a first iteration but we would have liked Amazon to have gone a little bit further with personalisation and customisation. Widgets aren’t resizable and the layout ends up feeling rigid. You feel like you should be able to swipe the entire widget tray away, but it doesn’t let you. You can't change the position of the home screen clock in real-time, and having just two widgets doesn’t reduce the tray to match, it just leaves a menu open. It's can be frustratingly limited at times, and we would like to see a greater variety. However, the Echo Show 15 widgets are a welcome addition overall and the customisation irritants can be hopefully be improved in future software updates. As expected, navigating the Show 15 can be done via touch controls – swiping like a smartphone or tablet – or exclusively by using Alexa. We found that the performance of the device was solid throughout, although slightly less responsive than we would have liked. To be clear, it’s not laggy or sluggish –- but there were some slight loading delays when pressing down on some apps or opening up some of the menus. You can access the main menu by swiping down from the top of the screen, letting you alter settings, alarms, communication features, music, video, routines, smart home controls and more. Here is the full list of every menu option as default: Home Settings Do not disturb Alarms Brightness Notifications widget gallery Discover Communicate Music Smart home Video Routines Photo frame Aside from widgets, one of the next big additions to the Show 15 is Visual ID – which makes you take photos of your face (images are stored on-device) and can then tell who is using it – tailoring reminders, music, reminders etc to that person. It’s a really neat feature, but it is one that’s also rolling out to other Show devices, too. We paired the Echo Show 15 up with a Eufy smart video doorbell and it was a fairly seamless process by following the steps on the Alexa app, which you will definitely need to download to get the best out of the device. After the set-up, we could use the Show 15 to check the live feed of the doorbell. Although there was a slight delay in the feed loading, audio feedback when the button was pressed was immediate. We found the Show 15 to be a great digital frame. Not that you would pay more than £230 for that feature alone, but the choice of pre-set images was nice (we opted for the ‘nature’ pre-set) and you can have it display your own family photos, too. You can access additional features via the Video tab in the menu. It not only provides a portal to watch Amazon Prime Video, but also Netflix, YouTube and a Bing browser. It's a real shame that the Echo Show 15 does not have built-in Zigbee compatibility, unlike the Echo and the Show 10. Zigbee is a smart protocol that essentially lets devices communicate with each other. The fact it's missing from the Echo Show 15 means the device is instantly at a disadvantage as a true smart home hub. Echo Show 15 sound quality We moved to the Amazon Echo Show 15 after a few months of using the smaller and more affordable Echo Dot. To our ear, the overall audio profile coming from the two speakers was similar, and more than loud and clear enough for most users. We tested the speakers using a broad range of music genres – Foo Fighters, Laura Marling, The Villagers and Radiohead – alongside some Prime shows and movies – Bosch, Reacher and The Fast and the Furious. Bass was fine without being muddy, and the volume went louder than we would ever need it to be in a kitchen. There’s not too much customisation via touch controls when a movie is playing, and that includes a lack of volume control on the screen. Still, we didn’t have any major complaints here. While the Echo Show 15 is never going to provide a home cinema experience, it’s more than enough for background music or streaming content. Echo Show 15 set-up and installation Setting up the Echo Show 15 takes a little longer than the other devices in the series if you decide to physically mount it onto a wall – but luckily it comes with all the parts needed to do so: including a metal mount plate and the necessary screw fixtures. While you should use a spirit level (not included but there are phone apps for this) to make sure it’s straight, it comes with a paper template so you can identify the best place for it – and that has a guide for both horizontal or portrait hanging. From there, you drill through the holes in the template then attach the mount using the four screws. At this stage, pop in the power cord (which isn't long so it will need to be close to a socket) and slide the Show 15 onto the metal mounting plate. Make sure to have a glance around your kitchen and make sure it’s far away enough from cabinet doors or appliances – and we highly advise keeping it around the rough eye level of your family members. Remember that everyone is different heights and you don’t want one person to be forced to awkwardly stretch to use the device. Software-side installation is as straightforward as ever – especially if you are in the Amazon ecosystem with other devices and subscription services. Note that you will need an Amazon account to sign in, and you should download the Alexa app. You connect to your home Wi-Fi, set up personal details such as address, name and where the device is located. From there, the Show 15 lets you choose your photo display preferences and goes through a series of software updates if needed. Echo Show 15 vs Echo Show 10: what's the difference? Both the Echo Show 15 and the Echo Show 10 are the same price, costing £239.99 in the UK at the time of writing. So which one is the best Echo model for you? First off is appearance. It’s an obvious point, but the Show 15 is designed to be wall-mounted while the Show 10 will sit on your desk, sideboard or countertop. The Show 15 looks like a fancy photo frame, but the Show 10 has a chunkier round body with a more traditional display that’s similar to the Echo Show 5 and the Echo Show 8. While the new Show 15 offers the Alexa experience on the biggest possible display, the Show 10 has more interesting technology – thanks to Zigbee and a unique mode that automatically tracks your movement to keep the screen in view at all times. The Show 10 has a 10.1-inch display so it’s definitely smaller, but certainly not tiny. Complimenting the tracking tech on the Echo Show 10 is a much better camera (13 MP) compared to the Show 15’s serviceable but disappointing 5MP set-up. The Show 10 comes in black or white colours, while the Show 15 only has one style. Here’s the bottom line: If you have the countertop space and are constantly on video calls, buy the Echo Show 10. It has a better camera and will keep you in the frame with its neat tracking mode. If you want an Alexa smart speaker for the entire family with a big screen that can be kept on your wall, the Echo Show 15 is your choice. Our verdict: should you buy the Echo Show 15? The Echo Show 15 makes sense in the context of the wider series of Alexa smart speakers and marks a natural evolution by moving the device from the countertop to the wall of your home. It’s got the biggest screen out of all the models available in 2022 so far and works brilliantly as a family planner, video player and digital frame. The device is stylish and is likely to turn the heads of your visitors, especially those who aren’t used to seeing such technology so prominently displayed. Some aspects, however, could benefit from a bit more refinement – in particular the widget resizing and customisation, general responsiveness and the ability to add more third-party apps and services. The Show 15 is thicker and heavier than you may expect, and it’s a shame that the tilting stand is not included in the box. While some may see the lack of motion tracking as a downside, we get why it's not included. After all, Amazon has to differentiate it from the Show 10 – although we still would have liked to see Zigbee and a slightly better camera on the Show 15. If you don’t need a large screen, the Echo Show 8 is much more affordable and has similar capabilities. But with the Echo Show 15, Amazon has made an Alexa-powered family pinboard. We do like the vision. So if you don’t mind paying for the luxury and are a big user of Amazon services, this is a great companion for your home. Our rating: Design: 4.5/5 Sound quality: 3.5/5 Ease of set-up: 4/5 Value for money: 3.5/5 Overall rating: 3.9/5 Where to buy the Echo Show 15 The Amazon Echo Show 15 is priced at £239.99. It was released in the UK on 9th December 2021. The official Tilt Stand is sold separately, costing £29.99. Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at Amazon Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at Currys Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at AO Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at John Lewis Buy Amazon Echo Show 15 at Argos For the latest news, reviews, guides, and deals, check out the RadioTimes.com Technology section. The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Generation) review
Everything you need to know about Amazon's new, smallest smart display.
Released on 9th June, the new Amazon Echo Show 5 is the second generation model of the brand's smallest and cheapest smart display. But, how much has the smart display changed from the original? And can the affordable smart display deliver on quality, or are you better off spending a little more? We answer these questions and more in our Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) review. At first glance, it's hard to argue that this new Echo Show 5 doesn't deliver. It features everything from an accurate voice assistant in Alexa to doubling up as a digital photo frame when not in active use. Looking at the smart display's set-up, design, and sound quality, along with features such as voice control and camera quality, we put the Amazon device to the test in our Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) review. And, here is why we think the new Amazon Echo Show 5 is the best choice if you're buying a smart display for the first time. For more on Amazon devices, try our Amazon Fire TV Stick review and Amazon Fire TV Cube review. Or, head straight to our best smart speaker guide. Jump to: Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) review: summary What is Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen)? How much is Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen)? Design Sound quality Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) set-up Difference between Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) and Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) Our verdict Where to buy Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) review: summary The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is one of the brand's newest smart displays. It also happens to be the smallest and most affordable. And while it only has a 5.5-inch touchscreen display, it still has all the features you'd expect from an Amazon device, including voice control via Alexa, a 2MP camera for video calls, and can be connected to other Alexa speakers to make a multi-room system. If you're primarily looking for an Amazon device to play music off, you may be better with the Amazon Echo Dot. But if you want to dip your toes in the world of smart displays, there's no better option than the new Amazon Echo Show 5. Price: The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) costs £74.99 and is available from retailers including Amazon, Currys and Very. Key features: Built-in voice assistant Alexa 2MP camera for video calls and indoor security camera Works with various 'Alexa Skills' including Spotify, Uber, Just Eat and Fitbit Doubles-up as a digital photo frame Built-in camera cover Pros: Compact design Good value for money Brilliant voice assistant with Alexa User-friendly Alexa app Cons: Average camera quality Music occasionally sounds a little tinny What is Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen)? Released on 9th June, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is the second generation model of the brand's smallest smart display. It was released alongside the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) and joined the Amazon Echo Show 10, which was released earlier this year. Unlike a smart speaker, a smart display has a touchscreen that allows you to make video calls, watch TV shows and doubles up as a digital photo frame. What does Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) do? The compact size of the Amazon Echo Show 5 makes it ideal for living on your bedside table, where you can make the most of Alexa to set alarms, reminders and manage routines. It contains all the features you'd expect from an Amazon Echo Dot with the addition of a 5.5-inch touchscreen display. Built-in voice assistant Alexa 2MP camera for video calls and indoor security camera Works with various 'Alexa Skills' including Spotify, Uber, Just Eat and Fitbit Doubles-up as a digital photo frame Built-in camera cover How much is Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen)? The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) costs £74.99 and is available from retailers including Amazon, Currys and Very. Latest Prices Is Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) good value for money? The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is one of the most affordable smart displays on offer. Google's cheapest smart display, the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen), costs £15 more at £89.99. The size of the touchscreen has a significant part to play in the price. The Echo Show 5 is one of the smallest smart displays you can buy with a 5.5-inch screen. In comparison, the Google Nest Hub is a bit bigger at 7-inches. However, beyond this, the Echo Show 5 has many of the same features as the more expensive Amazon devices, including Alexa, a camera for video calls, all the various Alexa skills, and it doubles up as a digital photo frame. There's no doubt that the Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is great value for money. Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) design With a 5.5-inch touchscreen, the Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is Amazon's smallest smart display. The majority of the device has a fabric grill finish, although the top of the screen is lined with buttons to mute the microphone, turn up or down the volume and cover the camera when needed. The compact size makes it perfect for being placed on a bedside table, which should allow you to make the most of the alarms, customisable routines, and reminders that can be controlled via Alexa. However, it is small enough to fit on pretty much any surface without becoming an annoyance. The screen resolution is only 960 x 480, but because of the size, it still looks bright and sharp. The same can be said for the 2MP camera. This isn't the best quality camera, and it can only be used in well-lit conditions, but it is a good improvement on the 1MP camera found in the 1st generation model. For those who would prefer an extra level of privacy, the built-in camera cover is there to be slid across the lens when not in use. Style: Available in three colours (charcoal, white and blue), the design is simple and similar to that of the 1st generation device. Robustness: The smart display is solid and feels well-made. It is weighted and balanced well so that there's no chance of knocking it or it falling over. Size: The Echo Show has a 5.5-inch display and measures 148mm wide x 86mm tall x 73 mm deep. It can easily perch on a bedside table or kitchen counter. Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) sound quality As you would expect with an Alexa device, most of the features are geared towards supporting speech more than music. This means that, on occasion and at high volume, music can sound a little tinny. However, we wouldn't go as far to say the sound quality is bad, and the volume range is brilliant for such a small device. The sound isn't particularly directional either, so you get the same volume and quality of sound from pretty much anywhere in the room. If you want to be able to listen to the occasional playlist while making dinner, the Amazon Echo Show 5 will do a more than good enough job for that. Where the Echo Show 5 really excels, though, is with the audio quality of speech and the voice recognition technology. The quality of podcasts is great, and Alexa remains one of the best AI voice assistants on the market. The voice assistant has no trouble hearing commands over loud music and is quick to respond. Alexa is pretty accurate, too. When asking for the Echo Show 5 to play albums off Spotify, we could generally get away with asking for the album title followed by the phrase 'on Spotify' without having to list the artist as well. It may seem fairly minor, but it does make the commands a lot less of a mouthful. When you'd rather speak to Alexa, the microphone can be muted. Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) set-up: how easy is it to use? From taking the device out of the box to being ready to go, the whole set-up process takes about 10 minutes. Once plugged in, you are prompted through the process via the Echo Show 5's screen. This includes logging into your Amazon account, choosing language preferences and connecting to the Wi-Fi. Then, you're ready to go. To get the most out of the Amazon Echo Show 5, downloading the Amazon Alexa app is recommended. With the app, you can link various Alexa skills to your account, including Fitbit, Spotify, BBC Good Food and Uber, set up routines or manage your preferences for camera and privacy settings. If you want to use the Amazon Echo Show 5 as part of a multi-room system, you can also use the app to make announcements through other smart speakers or displays in the house. Amazon suggests you can use this to tell the whole house dinner is ready without shouting, but you can get as inventive as you like. The smart displays do need to be plugged in to work, so that does limit you a little as to where you can place them, but this is fairly standard with all smart home devices. What is the difference between the new Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) and Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)? The Amazon Echo Show 5 was not the only smart display to be released in June, as the Amazon Echo Show 8 also got an upgrade. The two 2nd generation models have plenty of similarities, but there are a few key differences to be aware of. The two most obvious differences are the size and price. The Amazon Echo Show 5 is the cheaper and smaller of the two, while the Echo Show 8 boasts an 8-inch display and a price tag of £119.99. This means that the Echo Show 8 is almost double the size, providing more room for a bigger speaker system, too. The camera of the Echo Show 8 is also of a higher specification at 13MP, rather than the 2MP of the Echo Show 5. This should improve the picture quality of your video calls, along with the auto-framing feature available with the Echo Show 8 that will keep you centred in the video. However, beyond these differences, the smart displays are extremely similar as they both use Alexa, have the same Alexa skills and can both be used as digital photo frames. Choosing between these two Amazon devices will largely depend on what you want to spend and space limitations. Our verdict: should you buy Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen)? If you're looking for your first smart display, or you're not looking to spend too much, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is a brilliant choice. At £74.99, it is one of the cheapest ways to get all the key smart display features, including video calls, voice control with Alexa, and it even doubles up as a clock and photo frame when not in active use. Its small size makes it perfect for a spot on the bedside table or on a kitchen shelf, and it can be used as an indoor security camera when you're out and about. If you primarily want to use it to play music, you might be better off with an Amazon Echo Dot, but the Echo Show 5 still has an impressive volume range for its size. Plus, the sound quality is more than good enough for casual everyday use when you just want to listen to the radio or Spotify. If you're new to smart displays or just want a small device to add to your collection, the Amazon Echo Show 5 delivers. Rating: Design: 4/5 Sound quality: 3.5/5 Ease of set-up: 4/5 Value for money: 5/5 Overall rating: 4/5 Where to buy Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is available from a number of retailers, including Amazon and Very. £74.99 at Amazon £74.99 at Very £74.99 at Currys For more product reviews and guides, head to the Technology section. Looking for offers? Read our list of the best Amazon Echo deals.
Meet the Amazon Echo Show 10 – the most sophisticated Amazon smart display yet.
Almost four years after the first Amazon Echo Show was revealed, Amazon has released its third iteration – the Amazon Echo Show 10. Joining two other smart displays in the form of the Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8, the Amazon Echo Show 10 is the largest, newest and most advanced Amazon device available. Released in February 2021, the Amazon Echo Show 10 is the first Amazon device to feature a 10-inch touchscreen display that follows you around the room as you chat, tidy or simply get on with your day. The result? The screen should always be in view, no matter how much you move around. In this Amazon Echo Show 10 review, we test out its sound quality, voice recognition technology and design, as well as practicalities such as set-up and how easy it is to use day-to-day. These are assessed against its price tag to decide whether it is worth spending your well-earned cash on. Here is why, despite a few teething issues, the new Echo Show 10 proves that Amazon remains leaps ahead of its competitors when it comes to its smart home technology. Is Alexa your voice assistant of choice? Head over to the best Alexa speakers and best streaming devices guides for our Alexa-powered favourites. To build up your smart home collection, try our best Alexa-compatible devices, too. Jump to: Amazon Echo Show 10 review: summary What is Amazon Echo Show 10? How much is Amazon Echo Show 10? Design Sound quality Amazon Echo Show 10 set-up Difference between Amazon Echo Show 10 and Amazon Echo Show 8 Our verdict Where to buy Amazon Echo Show 10 review: summary Designed to follow you around the room as you chat, cook or tidy, the Amazon Echo Show 10's display can rotate almost 360 degrees. This makes it not only the most advanced Amazon device but one of the most advanced smart displays regardless of brand. For £20 more than the Google Nest Hub Max, the Amazon Echo Show 10 offers sophisticated voice recognition technology, an extensive range of skills and apps, including Spotify, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Uber. All that, and it can double-up as a digital photo frame. Price: The Amazon Echo Show 10 is available at Amazon for £239.99. Key features: Automatically follows the user around the room Built-in camera can be used for security Make video calls via Alexa app or Skype Voice control via Alexa Pros: Responsive 10-inch touchscreen Intelligent voice recognition technology Can be used as a digital photo frame Microphone/camera off buttons Great range of skills and apps available Cons: Occasional issue with locating the user What is Amazon Echo Show 10? The Amazon Echo Show 10 is the brand's most advanced smart display. With a 10.1-inch touchscreen, the Echo Show 10 can be used to make video calls, watch Amazon Prime Video or display your favourite pictures. It also has all the typical smart speaker features you've come to expect from the likes of the Amazon Echo Dot. These include weather, news and traffic updates, along with apps and skills such as Ring, Uber, Spotify, Skype and BBC Sounds. What does Amazon Echo Show 10 do? 13MP camera for video calls Automatically follows the user as they move around the room Can be used as a digital photo frame when not in active use Built-in camera can be used as an indoor security camera Compatible apps (known as Alexa skills) include BBC Sounds, Uber, Netflix and Spotify How much is Amazon Echo Show 10? The Amazon Echo Show 10 is available to buy at Amazon for £239.99. Is Amazon Echo Show 10 good value for money? At £239.99, the Echo Show 10 is Amazon's most expensive Alexa device. However, that price tag takes into account that several features are only available on the Echo Show 10. The first is that the screen automatically follows you as you move around the room so that it is always in view. It is currently the only smart display to offer this function, which is particularly handy during video calls or while cooking. The second consideration is the camera. The Echo Show 10 has a much higher spec camera than the Amazon Echo Show 8 or Echo Show 5. While the Echo Show 8 has just a 1MP camera, the Echo Show 10's is a 13MP camera. This will make a significant difference to your video calls or indoor security footage. Overall, we think the Amazon Echo Show 10 is good value for money considering the range and quality of features it offers. Amazon Echo Show 10 design With a 10.1-inch display, the Amazon Echo Show 10 is the biggest Amazon smart display. The shape is a little different to that of its predecessors as it now comes with a rounded, fabric base to allow the screen to rotate and follow the user around the room, rather than a square design. The elevated screen makes the device feel a lot bigger but does mean any photos, videos, or calls can be seen across the room with ease. Style: Available in two colours, charcoal and glacier white, the Amazon Echo Show 10 has a rounded fabric base. Attached to this is the 10.1-inch HD touchscreen that can rotate up to 360 degrees. Robustness: The Amazon Echo Show 10 is weighty, particularly the base, which has been designed to avoid it toppling over as the display follows you around the room. Size: This Amazon smart display is the biggest the brand makes. It has a 10.1-inch touchscreen, and the base is 6.7-inches in diameter. It also needs additional space cleared around the device to prevent anything from being knocked over when it rotates. Amazon Echo Show 10 sound quality With two 1-inch tweeters and a 3-inch woofer, Amazon has worked hard to improve the sound quality on the new Echo Show 10 compared to its older smart displays. And overall, the sound quality is good. There's a good range of volume, and music sounds crisp and balanced. It is more than good enough for casual everyday use, but if you primarily want to use the display for playing music, you might be better off with a smart speaker like the Google Nest Audio or Amazon Echo Dot. However, where this smart display performs best is when voice recognition technology is involved. Alexa is both responsive and accurate to requests for music, news and weather updates, and even when it comes to random trivia. The Amazon Echo Show 10 works with a huge range of 'Alexa skills' including Uber, BBC Sounds, Fitbit and even Pointless, so you can quiz against your friends and family. The screen is also incredibly responsive to touch. While we found it easier to navigate via voice commands, that does not mean you cannot set-up alarms and reminders manually with the screen itself. The display can also be controlled via the Amazon Alexa app, which is also the easiest way to manage settings, including turning off the motion. Amazon Echo Show 10 set-up: how easy is it to use? From the box, the Amazon Echo Show 10 takes a total of 15 minutes to set-up. As part of Amazon's push to be more sustainable, the smart display arrives in packaging that is 99% wood fibre-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources. Everything to get started is included in the box, which is simply the device and a power cable with an adaptor. To begin setting up, the Echo Show 10 needs to be placed down in the location where you intend for it to stay. A paper cut-out is provided to ensure you have cleared enough space around the device before it is turned on. This ensures the Echo Show 10 will not knock over or break any nearby items. The next step is to turn on the device and follow the instructions on the screen. This will include downloading the Amazon Alexa app and creating an account if you do not already have one. The final element is setting how far you would like the display to rotate and a quick run-through of how to set up features such as alarms and routines. On a couple of occasions following the set-up, the Echo Show 10 struggled to locate us. However, we were prompted to give feedback on the motion, and by the end of the first day of use, the user detection and motion was much more accurate. What is the difference between Amazon Echo Show 10 and Echo Show 8? Our verdict: should you buy Amazon Echo Show 10? The Amazon Echo Show 10 is a combination of well-loved smart home features and new additional flares. The biggest addition is, of course, the display's ability to automatically move with the user as they move around the room, but there's also a new, higher-spec 13MP camera and better sound quality. These join sophisticated voice recognition technology in the form of Alexa, which allows you to set hands-free reminders and alarms, get news updates and make video calls. And when that's all done, the smart display can simply double-up as a digital photo frame or indoor security camera. Yes, at £239.99, there are definitely more affordable smart displays available, but if you want the most advanced device, you need the Amazon Echo Show 10. Where to buy Amazon Echo Show 10 The Amazon Echo Show 10 is available to buy at Amazon for £239.99. Latest Prices For more reviews, head over to our technology section. Or, try our Amazon Echo deals page for the latest offers on Amazon's smart speakers and displays.
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is essentially a repackaged Fire HD 8 that costs £50 more – yet it’s an investment more than worth making in our view.
Before we had kids, we – very naively – said we’d never let our child become reliant on a tablet for entertainment. Fast-forward three years and various scenarios – car journeys, trying to cook dinner, working from home with them in tow, and more – have meant we’ve well and truly backtracked. On the plus side, our toddler now has a firm understanding of technology. He’s also learned things from YouTube Kids that we hadn’t taught him. Singing Happy Birthday to himself at his first birthday party, for instance. The tricky thing is that few brands make tablets designed specifically with children in mind these days. And even fewer pack them full of features and sell them for as relatively cheap as the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition. If you’re in the market for the best tablet for kids, you need to weigh up the price with how robust it is, as well as what protection it offers in terms of apps and parental controls. In our Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition review, we look at the pros and cons of buying this child-friendly tablet versus buying a regular tablet. We compare the Kids Edition with the standard Amazon Fire HD 8. We also get our toddler to test how easy it is to use and how robust it is. Plus, we take a look through the various controls and customisation options to give you peace of mind. Head to our what is Amazon Kids+ explainer next to find out if the child-centric subscription is worth the money. Jump to: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition summary What is the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition? How much is the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition? Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition features Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition screen and sound quality Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition design Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition set-up Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition battery and performance Our verdict Where to buy Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition review: summary Price: £139.99 Key features: Full-featured, 8-inch HD tablet powered by Amazon’s take on Android – Fire OS A child-proof case comes as standard. Available in blue, pink or purple 32GB of storage, expandable to 1TB via microSD 12-hour battery life Every purchase comes with a free, one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ (formerly known as Fire for Kids Unlimited). This usually costs £79 a year, or £49 for Prime members and gives kids unlimited access to child-friendly apps, games and videos Amazon Kids+ includes educational apps for preschool, and key stage 1–3 Parental controls, including screen-time limits, are controlled via the Parent Dashboard available on the Kids+ phone app or via your Amazon account Amazon Fire HD Kids Edition comes with a two-year guarantee, and Amazon will replace the tablet for free if it breaks within this period Pros: Designed with kids first and foremost; it’s not just an adult tablet with child-friendly features tacked on or buried away Easy to set up and use Can be used as an adult tablet by setting up additional profiles Up to four children can share yearly Kids+ subscriptions Three gadgets in one – a Fire tablet, Echo Show and Kindle Cons Not cheap Basic design Sluggish No Google apps – including YouTube Kids The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is available at Amazon for £139.99. What is the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition? At its core, the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is a repackaged Amazon Fire HD 8. It comes with all the features and design elements of the original yet is sold with a kid-friendly case, parental controls enabled by default, and free access to Amazon Kids+. For these additions, you’ll pay an extra £50 on top of the price of a standard Fire HD 8, or £30 more than a Fire HD 8 Plus. This price gap becomes even wider when you consider the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is £90 more expensive than the entry-level Amazon Fire 7. Hardware-wise, the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition has an 8-inch HD screen. It’s powered by a dual-core processor and runs on 2GB of RAM. The tablet itself comes with 32GB storage, but you can expand that up to 1TB with a microSD card. On both, the front and rear is a 2MP camera, and Amazon promises a 12-hour battery life. The main difference between the Kids Edition and the standard Fire HD 8 is that the latter comes in an additional 64GB model. This is largely moot, though, given the fact you can expand both of them up to 1TB. The Fire HD 8 Plus, despite being cheaper, comes with an extra GB of RAM and wireless charging. All Fire tablets are powered by Amazon’s take on Android, called Fire OS, but the Kids Edition comes with an extra layer of parental controls and kid-friendly apps. Even if you don’t subscribe to Amazon Kids+, the Kids Edition has a redesigned web browser designed with child safety and security in mind. Compared to the £50 entry-level Amazon Fire 7, the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition has dual speakers, tuned by Dolby Atmos, rather than a basic mono output, and it’s much faster thanks to having twice the RAM and twice the power. You can also buy a 7-inch Amazon Fire Kids Edition for £99.99 or upgrade to a 10-inch Kids version for £199.99. All Kids Editions of the Fire tablet come with a free year’s Amazon Kids+ subscription and child-friendly case. In our view, however, the 10-inch is too big for smaller hands (it might suit a teenager better) while the 7-inch isn’t powerful enough. The 8-inch Fire HD Kids Edition is the Goldilocks of the bunch. What does the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition do? Amazon has taken the ethos of its standard Fire tablet range – to provide access to cheap and portable entertainment – and made it child-friendly. Signing up to Amazon Kids+ is part of the setup process. You can alternatively download child-friendly apps via the Amazon App Store via your Parent Dashboard. When you switch to an adult profile, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Audible, and Kindle are all pre-installed. Games, apps, books, web videos and a child-friendly web browser are all included as part of your free subscription to Amazon Kids+ Media streaming with Amazon Prime Video installed by default Netflix, BBC iPlayer, All 4, ITV Hub, SkyGo and Disney+ available from the Amazon App Store on an adult profile Kindle e-reader and access to the Kindle Store, plus Kindle Unlimited (for an extra fee) Child-friendly Audible audiobooks on the Kids profile or the full catalogue on an adult profile Show Mode turns the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition into an Echo Show when using an adult profile, complete with Alexa Skills Alexa built-in means you can use the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition to control Echo, plus other compatible smart devices, using your voice or the Alexa app Skip to the deals How much is the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition? The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition price, when bought directly from Amazon, is as follows: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition 32GB storage: £139.99 Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition 32GB storage with BuddyPhones headset: £179.98 (for ages 3-7) and £174.98 (8-15) This price includes a year’s Amazon Kids+ subscription worth £79 (£49 for Amazon Prime members). You can also buy the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition from the following places: Currys: £140 AO.com: £139 You can sign up for Amazon Prime for a 30-day free trial, after which it costs £7.99 a month. Is the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition good value for money? On paper, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition seems expensive. Especially compared to the standard £90 Fire HD 8 and £110 Fire HD 8 Plus. Of course, it’s far cheaper than the £400 iPad Mini, as an example, but £140 is still an investment. In this instance, though, we feel it’s an investment worth making. When you add in all the extras, you’re getting a decent deal. The Fire HD 8 is £89.99; a shock-proof case is around £15; a year’s Amazon Kids+ subscription is, at best, £49 if you already pay for Prime. This takes the total to £154 – a saving of £14. Not huge, but it’s not quite the price difference it first seems. What’s almost priceless, though, is the fact that Amazon has taken a lot of the hassle out of setting up child profiles and navigating through parental controls on multiple apps. You’re also paying for the peace of mind that if it breaks, you’ll get a replacement for free. Adding to this is the fact you can set up multiple profiles on the tablet. This means it can become a family tablet – with a protected adult profile and access to standard apps, alongside the kid-friendly software features. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition features While the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition's hardware specifications are identical to the original HD 8, the software couldn’t look and feel further from it. The Kids Edition runs on a child-friendly version of the original’s Fire OS, which is a take on Android. The small homepage icons and dark colour scheme of the regular version have been replaced by brightly coloured pages and large thumbnails on the Kids Edition. The Recent Apps button has been dropped from the on-screen menu, while a Parents menu has been added in the bottom left-hand corner. Your child’s name and preferred colour scheme are shown on the home page, and you can swipe through to select Games and Apps, Shows, Educational Apps, and more. The most recently watched shows or apps are also shown, allowing your little one to jump straight back into what they were doing last time. The on-screen Home and Back buttons disappear as soon as any app or show is selected to avoid distracting your child or being knocked by accident. The extra money you pay for the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition secures you a year’s free access to Amazon Kids+, and we cannot stress enough how fantastic this service is. It contains all of our toddler’s favourite shows – Peppa Pig, Mister Maker, The Gruffalo, PJ Masks – and various other mainstream, plus more niche titles. All perfectly aimed at younger children. Not only does this make it incredibly easy for children to search, browse and select their shows, it means you don’t have to jump from Disney+ to Netflix to BBC iPlayer and so on, like you do on the standard Amazon Fire HD 8 or other tablets. There are then books your child can read, or that can be read to them, National Geographic collections, games, packs based on various kids’ interests such as cars, dinosaurs, animals and so on. There is even a child-friendly browser that has parental controls and restrictions in place by default. One downside – or an upside, depending on your view – is that the Amazon App Store does not support Google’s suite of apps. This includes YouTube and YouTube Kids. If your children are avid YouTube fans, this may not be the tablet for them. It is possible to watch YouTube via the web browser if need be. However, if you’re trying to wean them off watching hundreds of videos of other children opening Kinder Eggs, then this may be a major positive. Another more significant complaint is that many of the apps and games were too advanced for our toddler. Amazon says that the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is suitable for ages three and up, yet all the games and apps are pretty much lumped together and aren’t categorised by age. Our toddler would often click on games appropriate for his age, in terms of content, but too advanced in terms of controls. This led to quite a few frustrations. On the iPad Mini, he’s learned to press the physical Home button to go back to the main menu. He then selects which app he wants. The disappearing Home button on the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition meant he was shouting for us every few minutes because he’d got bored of the app he was on and couldn’t get out of it. Considering we use a tablet to keep him amused because we need to get on with cooking, or while we’re cleaning up the mess from a recent arts and craft session, this defeated the point somewhat. A major plus point in the Kids Edition’s favour is that you can add multiple profiles, including a profile for yourself. Once you’ve enabled an adult profile, you get the full functionality of the Fire HD 8. This includes Show Mode. Show Mode is the standout feature for us in the 2020 versions of the Fire HD range. Rather than paying extra for an Echo Show 8, simply ask Alexa to enable Show Mode on your Fire HD 8 Kids Edition (with an adult profile selected), and you have a fully-fledged alternative. Show Mode gives you the full-screen Alexa experience. You can use it in your kitchen to get step-by-step recipes, see weather and news headlines from a distance, catch up on your favourite shows hands-free (in the bath, for instance), make video calls and add to your Amazon shopping list. Plus much more. What’s more, because the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition comes with a case and a stand, you don’t have to prop it up against something or pay extra for a dock – like you do with the HD 8 and HD 8 Plus. We should warn you, though, if you’re using it in Show Mode in the same vicinity as any other Alexa-enabled devices when you shout “Alexa”, they’ll all kick in. Eager to come to your assistance. This can get confusing! Skip to the deals Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition screen and sound quality In our Amazon Fire HD 8, and HD 8 Plus reviews, we marked the tablets down slightly because the screens weren’t quite Full HD quality. They fall short of the technical definition of full HD by around 1 million pixels, and they only just qualify officially as HD. When judging the same screen, with the same resolution, on the Kids Edition, this dip in quality feels less important. As adults, many of us are used to 4K screens, but our toddler doesn't know the difference. Even our 10-year-old barely flinched at the fact that the display didn’t match up to our TV's quality. If anything, the quality – considering this is a tablet aimed at kids – feels more than adequate for what it’s being used for. Like on its “adult” sibling tablets, there are areas where the low definition is visible, on smaller icons and notifications particularly. Yet because the software is deliberately bright and colourful, and the buttons are all larger, this is less of an issue on the Kids Edition. The screen is highly reflective, though, which can create some problems. Not to mention the fact it shows up all of your child’s many sticky fingerprints. Thanks to the partnership with Dolby Atmos, the quality of sound that comes out of the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition’s dual speakers is decent. It’s not super loud, but this is a good thing for little ears. At full volume, the sound can become a little tinny on certain games and shows, but the speakers do a good job of making voices sound clear when audiobooks are being read out loud. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition design As the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition has the same overall design as the Fire HD 8 and HD 8 Plus, our critique is the same. It’s basic and looks cheap. This is due to its large bezel, chunky shape and size, rounded corners, and plastic casing. However, with the Kids Edition case attached, you don’t see any of this. It looks cheap and chunky, but then it’s meant to. The shock-proof kid-friendly case is overly big, but that’s deliberate. It’s designed to protect the tablet and make it easy for small hands to grab hold of. The volume controls aren’t easy to access because the case is so thick, but again we imagine that’s deliberate. To keep them out of reach of young users. Plus, the robustness and thickness of the case mean the balancing issues we had with the regular HD 8 models is no longer an issue. Moving onto the ports on the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition, there’s a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, perfect for Amazon’s BuddyPhones headset, a USB-C charging port and a microphone. Skip to the deals Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition set-up The step-by-step guide on the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is straightforward to follow, and you can get multiple profiles added in minutes. You don’t need to set up individual Amazon accounts for your kids; they can just be added to yours. If you've been bought the tablet as a gift and don’t already have an Amazon account, you’ll need to set one up, but even this can be done via the guide. Unlike on the original HD 8 tablets, you don’t need to wade through a series of promotional messages and notices for Amazon’s services. Nor are you met with a host of pre-installed Amazon apps or ads when enabling a kid’s profile. The overriding benefit of buying this tablet for your kids is that you can rest assured, out of the box, this tablet will entertain your children safely and securely without you ever having to tweak and mess with various parental controls. You can, of course, edit these controls in Settings and via the Amazon Parent Dashboard, but if you don’t want to, or you don’t know how they’re protected as standard. Speaking of the parent dashboard, this is a great little app that lets you monitor usage and control screen time remotely, all with a very simple user interface. You can access it via the Amazon Kids+ app on your phone or via your online Amazon account. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition battery life and performance Amazon promises a battery life of 12 hours and, in our looping video test (in which we play an HD video on repeat at 70% brightness and with aeroplane mode enabled), the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition took 10 hours 2 minutes to go from full charge to flat. This is lower than what Amazon promises and three hours lower than the battery life on the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus. However, even though the tablet shares hardware specs with the original Fire HD 8, the Kids Edition battery lasted around an hour longer. When using the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition for everyday tasks – playing a PJ Masks racing game, watching The Gruffalo (for the umpteenth time), helping Mister Maker draw shapes – the tablet lasted days. Literally. It only died by the end of day three. The Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is seemingly running apps and games that are less power-hungry and intense than those used on the standard models, which is reflected in the battery life. Performance-wise, though, the HD 8 Kids Edition is less impressive. It’s as sluggish as its siblings and even more so when you switch between profiles and enable Show Mode. It works fine once enabled, but getting there can feel like a slog. For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. Our verdict: should you buy the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition? Before we started writing this Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition review, we weren’t sure why anyone would buy a tablet aimed specifically at children in this way. Especially not when it costs substantially more than “adult” tablets with identical hardware specs. Yet, just like we backtracked on our toddler ever using a tablet, we’ve backtracked on this. You get the best of all worlds with the Kids Edition – minimal hassle and worry about what your kids are watching, minimal stress about them breaking it, maximum value for money. For £149, you’re effectively getting an Amazon Fire HD 8 (£89.99), a case (£15), an Echo Show 8 (£120) and a year of Amazon Kids+ (£79) – a bundle of products and services that would set you back more £300 if bought separately. Plus, you can’t put a price on being able to drink a hot cup of tea while they amuse themselves for five minutes. Interestingly, all the points we marked the HD 8 and HD 8 Plus down for don’t seem as relevant or as bad on the Kids Edition. It’s not perfect, but the things we’d change are very minor, and given how our toddler has taken to the tablet, he wouldn’t change a thing. Rating: Features: 5/5 Screen and sound quality: 3/5 Design: 4/5 Set-up: 5/5 Battery life and performance: 3/5 Overall rating: 4.3/5 Where to buy Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Buy from Amazon Buy from Currys Buy from AO.com Latest Prices Still comparing tablets? Read our Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus review or our best Android tablet guide. Searching for a tech or tablet deal?
We put the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max through its paces to see if it's worth your cash. Here's what we found.
This is Amazon's best Fire Stick — the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max offers better streaming quality and easy usage, all powered by an improved processor and topped off with WiFi 6 support. Really, it just does what it says on the tin, but it does it very well. You'll find a wide range of apps that are easy to install and use on the Fire Stick 4K Max, offering you plenty of choice in viewing terms. Remember though that to access many of these apps you'll need pre-paid subscriptions on top of the cost of the stick itself. However, there are a few free options like All 4 and Spotify. It's also the perfect device for turning a non-smart TV into a smart TV. Simply slot it into the HDMI port, plug it into the mains and off you go. Suddenly, your old television has so much more functionality and offers easily navigable menus with a wealth of content. Latest Prices Jump to: Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max review: summary What is the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max? How much is the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max? Design Streaming quality Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max set-up Difference between Roku Streaming Stick 4K and Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max Our verdict Where to buy Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max review: summary The Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max is Amazon's best-equipped, highest spec streaming stick. It sits at the top of the table in the Fire TV Stick family and offers 4K HDR10+ streaming quality. There's a wide range of apps including Disney Plus, Netflix, Amazon Prime, All 4, BBC iPlayer, Spotify and many more. It's not hard to find something to suit your tastes. Setting the stick up is simple too, it plugs into the HDMI port on your TV and also into the mains power. Then, you calibrate your remote, install some software and you're ready to go. During testing, we experienced no issues with the reliability and streaming quality of the 4K stick. Of course, remember, it's also dependent on the quality of your television. Menu navigation is pleasingly snappy, thanks to that upgraded processor and we didn't have the irritating waiting times sometimes associated with streaming. There's also the option to play games on your Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max if you have a subscription to Luna, that is. What is the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max? The Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max is a streaming device from Amazon. It's a great way to turn a non-smart TV into a smart TV, offering a range of streaming services, including Amazon's own — Amazon Prime Video — alongside Netflix, BT Sport and many more. It's got full HDR support and offers 4K streaming — as the name suggests. That 4K selling point makes the stick a direct competitor to the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which impressed us in testing. How much is the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max? The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max currently costs £54.99 direct from Amazon. Of course, to make the most of it you'll need a couple of subscriptions to streaming services too. Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max | £54.99 £32.99 (save £22 or 40%) at Amazon Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max | £54.99 at Currys Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max | £54.99 at Argos Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max design The one slightly irritating design flaw of the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max is that it needs to be plugged into the mains, rather than being able to use your TV as a power source via a separate wired connection. The equivalent Roku stick does this and earns a few points in the head-to-head as a result. Other than that small irritation, the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max delivers exactly what you'd expect. The stick is easy to set up and use and comes with a charging cable, plug and remote. The remote does feel slightly on the cheap, plastic-y side but it gets the job done. It's no great beauty, but it will be plugged in behind your telly anyway, so it's not a piece of tech you'll look at often. The main homepage shows off content from a range of sources and allows you to make up a watch list from a variety of apps, which is always welcome. This can help to minimise the time you spend jumping from one app to another, searching for your favourite shows. The more you use the stick, the more Amazon will tailor the homepage suggestions to suit your preferences and viewing habits. That said, during testing the stick definitely had a predisposition to put as much Amazon Prime Video content on that home screen as possible — unsurprisingly. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max streaming quality Once we got the stick connected up to a WiFi network, we encountered no interruptions and streamed content from several providers with consistent picture quality and connection. All-new Amazon original documentary, Rooney, perfectly showed off how Amazon's Fire TV sticks and Prime Video service can work seamlessly together. It works just as well with other streaming platforms too. We fired up Netflix and experienced no issues while streaming The Witcher and Stranger Things. The addition of 4K HDR-compatible streaming is the main selling point of the stick. It's an iterative improvement on its predecessor but this is an improvement that's worth making. Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max set-up: is it easy to use? When you set up your Fire Stick 4K Max you'll need to connect it to the mains power. Connect the TV's USB port and you'll get a message saying that mains power is needed. A power cable and plus are provided for this but it might be a slight irritation if you've already got a huge tangle of wires and plugs behind your TV, as so many of us do. The Fire TV Stick will also install new software, ask you to select a language and then help you set up your remote. After that you select the apps you'd like installed and there's a pretty good choice — oddly Sky News featured but not Sky Sports, though BT Sports, UFC and several other options appear for sports fans. It's all fairly straightforward, especially if you already have an Amazon account. What's the difference between Roku Streaming Stick 4K and Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max? The Roku Streaming Stick 4K and the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max are natural competitors, but the differences between the two are — from a functional perspective — quite minor. Firstly, as we've already discussed, you'll need to plug the Amazon stick into the mains, whereas the Roku stick can cope using a wired connection to your TV. This is a small win for the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. The Roku streaming stick also offers more in the way of free content than the Amazon equivalent, through the ad-funded Roku channel. Much of the content on the channel is filler, but we found some entertaining shows and films there too and it's good to have more free options. The Fire TV Stick combats this by offering gaming through the subscription-based Luna app. Conversely, the Roku stick lacks a notable gaming option. The Fire Stick 4K Max is compatible with VPNs from the get-go, which Roku streaming sticks aren't. That will be a real plus for some viewers. The Amazon stick is a little bigger than its competitor and needs mains power. The remote feels slightly cheap and tacky too, whereas the Roku one is slightly more tactile. These are all minor setbacks and really there's not too much to choose between the pair for most users. Our verdict: should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max? The VPN compatibility of the Fire Stick 4K Max is a notable win over the Roku stick, but there are some downsides too — the cheaper-feeling remote and the need for mains power. Overall, we liked the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max. It's really easy to set up and use and offers a great range of content, plus high-quality streaming. If you find the VPN and gaming options appealing, it's likely to be the choice for you over the Roku device. However, the Roku streaming stick will persuade some with its additional free content. The Amazon stick doesn't have too many bells and whistles, but neither do most competitors. It's a fantastic way to level up an older television and access some top-notch entertainment. Where to buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max We've listed pricing and availability for both the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max and the Roku Streaming Stick 4K below. They're such close competitors that a good deal might be the deciding factor. Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max | £54.99 £32.99 (save £22 or 40%) at Amazon Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max | £54.99 at Currys Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max | £54.99 at Argos Latest Prices Roku Streaming Stick 4K | £49.99 on Very Roku Streaming Stick 4K | £49.99 £29.99 (save £20 or 40%) on Amazon Latest Prices Want more information on how the Amazon Fire TV devices compare? Read our Roku vs Fire TV Stick guide. Or, head to our best smart TV guide.
If you need some sporty wireless earbuds but you're on a tight budget, these could be the ones for you.
There is lots to like about the JLab Go Air Sport. If you're looking for budget buds that are perfect for running or taking to the gym, you could be onto a winner. For under £30 they deliver solid sound, a great fit and a dependable battery. For more options, check out our best budget earbuds guide, or read on for our full appraisal. JLab Go Air Sport review: summary What are JLab Go Air Sport? How much are JLab Go Air Sport? Features and design Sound quality Battery life JLab Go Air Sport: our verdict Where to buy JLab Go Air Sport JLab Go Air Sport review: summary These earbuds are the sporting sister product of JLab's Go Air Pop earbuds, which we reviewed earlier this year. They're both simple, budget-friendly designs that deliver value rather than premium quality. We liked the Go Air Pop Buds, and think Go Air Sport might be even better, though they do cost £10 more. Their budget-conscious place in the market means they're perfectly suited as exercise earbuds — you won't be worried about dropping or damaging them, and their over-ear wing fitting means they stay in place during any activity. What are JLab Go Air Sport? The JLab Go Air Sport earbuds are a budget-friendly pair of wireless earbuds that are ideal for runners and gym-goers thanks to their over-ear wing fitting. Currently, we rank the Beats Powerbeats Pro as the best wireless earbuds for running and exercising in, thanks to their similar over-ear wing and sound quality. However, the Powerbeats Pro cost a whopping £219, and this offering from JLab is much more affordable. How much are JLab Go Air Sport? The JLab Go Air Sport cost just £29.99, making them a fantastically affordable option. You won't get all the bells and whistles of a more expensive pair of earbuds, but they're great for exercising in and certainly won't break the bank. Buy JLab Go Air Sport | £29.99 at Argos Buy JLab Go Air Sport | £29.99 at Amazon Buy JLab Go Air Sport | £29.99 at Currys JLab Go Air Sport features and design In terms of design, these earbuds are quite straightforward. The over-ear wing is well designed and sat just perfectly during testing, keeping the buds in place even during intense activities like running and boxing. The downside of the design is that they look and feel cheap. When it comes to features, the JLab Go Air Sport offers three EQ settings — bass boost, signature and balanced. There's also an IP55 resistance rating, meaning they'll resist sprays of water or sweat and some ingress of dust. During testing, we found no difficulties using the earbuds during sweaty workouts. JLab Go Air Sport sound quality When it comes to sound quality, these earbuds do quite well. Of course, they're not going to blow you away, but nothing in this price bracket will. For the cost, these offer a solid sound and the adjustable EQ settings add a little bit of customisation, too. Compared to other earbuds in the sub £30 price bracket, JLab offers some of the best sound quality there is. JLab Go Air Sport battery life These buds' battery life was good and JLab claims they will last for eight hours, with an additional 24 hours of charge stored in the case. During our testing, these figures seemed about right. The case is a little on the large side and its built-in USB charging cable seems to have divided opinion, but we liked it. At the very least, it stops you from forgetting your charging cable and running out of juice. Our verdict: should you buy JLab Go Air Sport? These are no-frills earbuds for sporty users. They're fantastic in terms of value, but won't wow you when it comes to features — especially if you're used to more up-market offerings. There are loads to like though, from the battery to the snug fit, and these earbuds are a fantastic running or exercising companion — well worth the £29.99 price tag. Where to buy JLab Go Air Sport The Go Air Sport buds are available from Amazon, John Lewis, Argos and Currys for £29.99. You can find the latest pricing and deals via the links below. Buy JLab Go Air Sport | £29.99 at Argos Buy JLab Go Air Sport | £29.99 at Amazon Buy JLab Go Air Sport | £29.99 at Currys For more wireless earbud recommendations, read our dedicated Apple AirPods review and Apple AirPods Pro review. Or head to our Sony WF-1000XM4 vs AirPods Pro guide.
For a smartwatch that monitors your health and tracks your fitness activity, the Garmin vívosmart 5 is second-to-none. Plus, it’s affordable, too.
The Garmin Forerunner 45 is best for fitness in our best budget smartwatch recommendations for its hugely reliable series of fitness trackers and its classic, easy-to-operate exterior, and we had a very good feeling about the Garmin vívosmart 5, too. When it comes to a budget smartwatch for monitoring your health, the Garmin vívosmart 5 is out of this world. It has extensive health features, including heart rate, hydration and respiration tracking, and blood oxygen monitoring, amongst many more. On top of that, the fitness features are great, too. There are preloaded fitness apps and exercises, GPS on the compatible Garmin Connect app on your smartphone, and 5 ATM water resistance so you can wear the Garmin vívosmart 5 in the shower and for swimming. Purchasing a smartwatch is a big decision, even for one such as the Garmin vívosmart 5 which is considered budget. So read on to find out if this smartwatch is the one for you. Jump to: Garmin vívosmart 5 review: summary What is the Garmin vívosmart 5? How much is the Garmin vívosmart 5? Garmin vívosmart 5 design Garmin vívosmart 5 features Garmin vívosmart 5 set-up: how easy is it to use? Garmin vívosmart 5 vs Fitbit Charge 5: which is better? Our verdict: should you buy the Garmin vívosmart 5? Where to buy Garmin vívosmart 5 review: summary The RadioTimes.com team love the look and feel of the Garmin vívosmart 5. The smartwatch we tested had a black, textured silicone strap with a small, acrylic face and one rectangular button at the bottom of the touchscreen. The strap is easily adjustable and, most importantly, it didn’t look cartoonishly big on our tester’s wrist. Some smartwatches, for example, the Honor Watch GS 3, are built for bigger wrists, and it can be a pain when it spins around on your wrist and can make it difficult to pull your sleeve over it. Not the Garmin vívosmart 5 — this smartwatch was wonderfully lightweight and compact. For £129.99, you can get your hands on the small/medium Garmin vívosmart 5 in black, white or cool mint. The large Garmin vívosmart 5 is surprisingly the same price, yet only comes in black. Price: £129.99 at Garmin, plus UK retailers such as John Lewis, Amazon and Currys Key features: Body battery energy monitoring Pulse Ox sensor for blood oxygen (SpO2) Sleep monitoring Stress tracking Women’s health Preloaded fitness apps 5 ATM water-resistant Pros: Extensive health features Assistance5 for incident detection Compatible with iOS and Android devices Social media notifications Week-long battery Easy set-up Cons: Connected (not built-in) GPS Limited fitness activities No music storage Touchscreen is not super responsive No contactless payments What is the Garmin vívosmart 5? The Garmin vívosmart 5’s predecessor, the Garmin vívosmart 4, was released back in 2018 as a simple, easy-to-use fitness tracker. Priced at £79.99, it comes in four colour variations (silver with grey band, midnight with black band, rose gold with berry band, and silver with azure blue band) and includes features such as sleep monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, body energy levels, and timers for certain activities like walking and yoga. Four years later, in May 2022, the Garmin vívosmart 5 dropped. It’s a much more advanced (and slightly pricier) version of the vívosmart 4, yet similarly focuses on monitoring your health and tracking your fitness. The Garmin vívosmart 5 smartwatch pairs with the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone so you can see everything in one place: your heart rate, respiration, hydration and activity all pop up on the main page, along with your stats for each day, plus women’s health details like your menstrual cycle if you decide to set this up. The smartwatch user can select a preloaded challenge to gain a virtual badge, for example, choose to walk 15k in the month of June or join a weekly steps challenge, or they can customise their own challenge. The wearer’s fitness and health news can be accessed on the app, and the calendar breaks down what the wearer did in a day. For example, on 23rd May, our tester walked for 25 minutes, completed two Relax and Focus and Cardio sessions, had a heart rate of between 93 bpm and 132 bpm and drained their body battery by -14. What does the Garmin vívosmart 5 do? The Garmin vívosmart 5 has a range of different functions. Here’s what you can expect. Body battery energy monitoring Pulse Ox sensor for blood oxygen (SpO2) Assistance5 for incident detection Sleep monitoring Stress tracking Women’s health like tracking your menstrual cycle Preloaded fitness apps 5 ATM water-resistant Hydration tracking Respiration tracking Fitness age Seven-day battery life How much is the Garmin vívosmart 5? The Garmin vívosmart 5 has an RRP of £129.99. The smartwatch comes in four variations: small/medium (19.5mm x 10.7mm x 217mm) which fits wrists with a circumference of 122-188mm and comes in three colours: black, white and cool mint. The large version (19.5mm x 10.7mm x 255mm) fits wrists with a circumference of 148-228mm, and only comes in black. It’s easy to swap out the straps on the small/medium model: simply pop out the screen and slide on another coloured strap. The bands are an additional £24.99 each on the Garmin website. All four variations are £129.99 at Garmin, and come with a two-year warranty. You can also pick up the Garmin vívosmart 5 in all colours from Amazon for the retail price £129.99, and Currys offer a two-year guarantee on the Garmin vívosmart 5, too. £129.99 at Garmin £129.99 at Amazon £129.99 at Currys Is the Garmin vívosmart 5 good value for money? The overall functions and quality of the Garmin vívosmart 5 justify the £129.99 price tag. The Garmin vívosmart 5 comes with a two-year warranty. This isn’t immediately obvious when you unbox the smartwatch. However, you can find all of the information on the Garmin website. It’s not necessary to buy add-ons to get the most out of the Garmin vívosmart 5 like it is for its main competitor, the Fitbit Charge 5 (which we’ll come onto in a moment). The Garmin Connect app is free and easy to set up, and that’s where you access all of your health and fitness data, as well as connect with other Garmin smartwatch users. The Garmin vívosmart 5 is pretty durable. The silicone is stretchy and would be difficult to snap. However, the band section around the screen is extremely thin; a positive as it’s easy to swap the bands, and a negative as the sides don’t feel very secure. Although most Garmin smartwatches have Gorilla Glass screens, for example, the Garmin Forerunner 945, the Garmin vívosmart 5 has an acrylic screen. The acrylic keeps the smartwatch lightweight (the small/medium watch is 24.5g and the large is slightly heavier at 26.5g), however, the Gorilla Glass is much more durable. Now in its seventh generation, Gorilla Glass is a brand of chemically strengthened glass which is designed to be thin, light, and damage-proof. The Garmin vívosmart 5’s screen gets smudged easily and, if you hold it to the light, you can see fingerprints all over it. That being said, we’ve tried and failed to scratch the screen. Let’s compare the Garmin vívosmart 5 to its predecessor, the Garmin vívosmart 4. The Garmin vívosmart 4 has a smaller screen which is a lower resolution and isn’t as bright as the Garmin vívosmart 5; the 4 also doesn’t have a touch screen, whereas the 5 does. The Garmin vívosmart 5 naturally has more advanced features, such as incident detection, and a wider range of preloaded fitness and health apps. Priced £50 more expensive than the Garmin vívosmart 4, we think the Garmin vívosmart 5 is worth the 50 quid. Garmin vívosmart 5 design The Garmin vívosmart 5’s aesthetic is best described as minimal. There are 12 watch faces to choose from, and this makes up the smartwatch’s lockscreen. Like everything on the Garmin vívosmart 5’s display, these watch faces are black and white. The Garmin vívosmart 5 isn’t super responsive, and we found that activating the smartwatch by twisting your wrist up and toward your face, and double-tapping the screen, didn’t work as well as pressing the button at the bottom of the screen. The touchscreen, too, isn’t sensitive. Our tester had to press fairly hard to drag and to tap. If you set the brightness to ‘Auto’, the display brightness adapts to the light. You can also manually change the brightness ('1-7', '7' being the brightest), and the Garmin vívosmart 5 warns you that the brighter it is, the more it’ll drain your battery. The same happens when you change the vibration from ‘Auto’ to ‘High’. The black silicone strap is textured, which means it stays still on your wrist — so no spinning here! It’s incredibly lightweight, and our team could wear it for days at a time and barely notice it was on their wrist. There are three other colour variations to choose from, too: silver with grey band, midnight with black band, rose gold with berry band, and silver with azure blue band. Garmin vívosmart 5 features As we’ve mentioned previously, the Garmin vívosmart 5 has health features in abundance, and the fitness functions work brilliantly, too. When completing one of the preloaded activities, for example, an outdoor walk, you can set interval workout and rest times, and then the watch vibrates to remind you to follow each one. With other activities, such as breath activity, the smartwatch displays written instructions coupled with vibrations. The lack of audio is something our tester actually preferred, as they find it startling when a smartwatch talks to them (particularly in public). However, you might prefer to hear instructions rather than read them. We found other features like incident detection particularly impressive for a budget smartwatch. To send an SOS, press and hold the smartwatch’s button until you feel three vibrations. Once triggered, the tracker sends a message with your real-time location to your preloaded emergency contacts. The Garmin vívosmart 5 can also detect incidents, like a fall, during outdoor activities, and will automatically notify your emergency contacts. For these assistance features to work, however, you have to be connected via Bluetooth to the Garmin Connect app. Back to health, the Garmin vívosmart 5 automatically tracks your sleep if you wear it while having a bit of shut-eye. It monitors your total sleep duration, as well as the amount of time you spend in each sleep stage: light, deep and REM. Based on this data, the smartwatch will give you a ‘sleep score’ from 0 to 100, so you can see the overall quality of your kip. The functions on the Garmin vívosmart 5 load quickly and efficiently — zero complaints here. Garmin vívosmart 5 set-up: how easy is it to use? From box to wrist, the Garmin vívosmart 5 set-up was effortless. The grey packaging is neat and simple: the front and two sides show a photo of your chosen watch, the name of the model, and its size, whereas the back has the Garmin logo and a QR code to pair with the Garmin Connect app. To connect your smartphone to the Garmin vívosmart 5 smartwatch (which is compatible with iOS and Android), simply scan the QR code on the back of the box, then install the Garmin Connect app, and enable ‘Allow new connections’ in your smartphone’s settings. Next, create an account on the Garmin Connect app, browse for your smartwatch, then, on your smartphone, type in the code which shows up on the smartwatch. You’re all done in less than 20-minutes. You can add information like your gender, height, weight, sleep schedule, goals and location to enable the smartwatch’s features. The box contains the Garmin vívosmart 5 smartwatch, a quick-start manual, safety and product information, and a 1m charging/data cable. There isn’t an option to buy a plug. Garmin vívosmart 5 vs Fitbit Charge 5: which is better? The Garmin vívosmart 5's biggest competition is the Fitbit Charge 5. The Fitbit Charge 5 is the closest rival to the Garmin vívosmart 5. What the Garmin vívosmart 5 lacks in certain features, for example, built-in GPS, music storage, always-on display and contactless payments, the Fitbit Charge 5 boasts. However, Fitbit charges a premium subscription (£7.99 a month or £79.99 a year) to access functions such as sleep and stress tracking, and fitness challenges, whereas the Garmin vívosmart 5 offers these for free. With some functions lacking in the Garmin vívosmart 5 (which the Fitbit Charge has) and the Fitbit Charge 5 charging you to access features which are available for free with the Garmin vívosmart 5, let's turn our attention to other similarities and differences between the pair. Both fitness trackers have an RRP of £129.99. However, you can purchase the Fitbit Charge 5 for £119 at Currys, and for £113 at Amazon. The Garmin vívosmart 5 and Fitbit Charge 5 come in multiple colour variations. You can get the Garmin vívosmart 5 in silver with grey band, midnight with black band, rose gold with berry band, and silver with azure blue band, and you can choose between black graphite with stainless steel, lunar white with soft gold stainless steel, and steel blue with platinum stainless steel for the Fitbit Charge 5. Where the Garmin vívosmart 5 has a black and white display, the Fitbit Charge 5 has a colour one. However, you can only purchase the Fitbit Charge 5 in one size, yet the Garmin vívosmart 5 is available in 'small/medium' and 'large'. The Fitbit Charge 5's screen is more durable than the Garmin vívosmart 5 as it's made from Gorilla Glass, whereas the latter is acrylic. With this in mind — and despite us enjoying the Garmin vívosmart 5 — we think the Fitbit Charge 5 is better value for money, especially as you can get Fitbit Premium for free for three months. Our verdict: should you buy the Garmin vívosmart 5? Yes. If you’ve read this review and think the Garmin vívosmart 5 is for you, we’d recommend you go for it. The Garmin vívosmart 5 is perfect for anyone who wants to keep an eye on their health and track their fitness. It’s also for people who know they’re likely to keep their smartphone on them when they’re out and about, as the Garmin vívosmart 5 has to be connected to the Garmin Connect app to enable GPS and functions like incident detection. Also, the Garmin vívosmart 5 is unable to do some ‘everyday’ functions like contactless payments. Design: 4 Value for money: 5 Features (average): 4 Functions: 4 Battery: 4 Ease of set-up: 5 Overall star rating: 4/5 Where to buy the Garmin vívosmart 5 The Garmin vívosmart 5 is available for £129.99 at UK retailers such as John Lewis, Currys, Amazon and Garmin. Looking for a saving? Check out our hand-picked Disney Plus offers for this month. Don't forget to read our best budget smartwatch guide.
The Honor Watch GS 3 has fitness and health apps in abundance. But with a classic, not-a-smartwatch watch look, it’s not clear who it's marketed towards.
Honor — previously owned by Huawei — started its collection with smartphones, before adding wearables, such as smartwatches. It previously only sold in China, but the launch of its Vmall online store in 2015 meant that customers in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe could buy Honor products. The RadioTimes.com team has put one of these wearables to test: the Honor Watch GS 3. The Honor Watch GS 3 is a good choice if you’re after a smartwatch to track your fitness and health, however, it probably won't be your first choice. Chinese brand Honor has to compete with the likes of Samsung, Apple and Huawei; if an android user wants to buy a smartwatch, more than likely, they’ll go to Samsung, and if an iOS user wants to buy a smartwatch, they’ll probably go to Apple. Huawei is also a contender for android users, and if you’re a fitness fanatic, you might be inclined to go for a Fitbit or Garmin smartwatch. So where does Honor fit in? What features does this smartwatch have that would make you consider it? It’s worth noting straight away that if you have an iPhone, the Honor Watch GS 3 isn’t compatible with iOS. The Apple Watch SE is Apple’s budget smartwatch, starting from £249, and it’s worth checking that out if you’re an iOS user. Jump to: Honor Watch GS 3 review: summary What is the Honor Watch GS 3? How much is the Honor Watch GS 3? Design Features Honor Watch GS 3 set-up Honor Watch GS 3 vs Huawei GT 2: which is better? Our verdict Where to buy Honor Watch GS 3 review: summary The Honor Watch GS 3 is crafted like a traditional watch, yet has most of the typical smartwatch functions. It’s clear that Honor's aim is to appeal to all generations — those who like a classic design but also have a modern life and rely on technology — by creating a timeless piece. Don’t be deceived by the look of the smartwatch into thinking it’s an everyday watch, the Honor Watch GS 3 is a health and fitness smartwatch. However, it lacks in functions for all three purposes (every day, health and fitness), for example, you can’t use it to pay or monitor the tide for coastal walks. Currently priced from £189.99 to £209.99, the price difference is down to the strap material. The Midnight Black version comes with a 22mm black fluoroelastomer (synthetic rubber) strap, whereas the Classic Gold (the one we tested) and Ocean Blue smartwatches have a brown and blue, respectively, nappa calfskin strap. Price: from £189.99 at Honor Key features: Compass and built-in GPS 5 ATM waterproof 4GB memory Stress and sleep monitors Fast charge: charge for five minutes for a whole day of usage View your activity and fitness history on the Honor Health app Pros: 14-day battery life Over 100 workout modes Route tracking features SpO2 and heart rate monitoring Interactive fitness courses Cons: Not supported with iOS Missing functions Difficult to set up What is the Honor Watch GS 3? The Honor Watch GS 3 launched in the UK in the middle of May 2022. It’s a smartwatch that predominantly tracks the wearer’s health and fitness, while still looking like a traditional watch. The Honor Watch GS3 comes in three variations: Midnight Black, Classic Gold and Ocean Blue. The straps are interchangeable, so you can swap styles. On the Honor Health app (which you have to download onto your smartphone and pair with the watch), there’s a huge selection of watch faces for you to choose from. It has a large watch face, and for our tester, the face was a few millimetres wider than their wrist. When you compare the size of the Honor Watch GS 3 to a Fitbit or the Garmin vívosmart 5, it is significantly bigger. However, as it weighs just 44 grams, it feels light on your wrist and is wearable for long periods of time; we’d be comfortable wearing it all day and overnight, too. The smartwatch’s brightness can be turned up so that you can see the screen in direct sunlight and with sunglasses on. What does the Honor Watch GS 3 do? The Honor Watch GS 3 hosts a range of different functions, particularly health and fitness ones. Here’s what you can expect. Dual-frequency band GNNS Compass and built-in GPS with route trackers and a ‘route back’ function 5 ATM waterproof 4GB memory Bluetooth Microphone and speaker Weather Heart rate monitor supported by an eight-channel heart rate AI engine for improved accuracy SpO2 monitor to track blood oxygen levels Stress and sleep monitors Over 100 workout modes (6 are auto-detected) Three rings on its display: dark blue measures the steps you’re taking with the goal of 10,000, blue measures your activity which should be 30-minutes, and pink measures your hours active with the aim of being active for 12 hours. The idea is to ‘close’ each ring to meet your daily goals Music Text and call notifications 14-day battery life with fast charge: charge for five minutes for a whole day of usage Large selection of watch faces View your activity and fitness history on the Health app How much is the Honor Watch GS 3? The Honor Watch GS 3 starts at £189.99 for the Midnight Black model and goes up to £209.99 for the Classic Gold and Ocean Blue versions. This is down to the watch strap: the Midnight Black has a black fluoroelastomer strap, whereas the Classic Gold and Ocean Blue smartwatches come with a brown and blue nappa calfskin strap, respectively. Buy Honor Watch GS 3 from £189.99 at Honor Is the Honor Watch GS 3 good value for money? No, we don’t think the Honor Watch GS 3 is good value for money. The smartwatch has a lot of health and fitness features, which is great. There are over 100 workout courses, for example, the wearer can choose from 13 running courses and 12 fitness courses, as well as select the workout they’d like to do — anything from outdoor cycling, indoor cycling, and rope skipping to pool swimming, open water swimming, and trail running are included. There’s also the option to record an ‘Other’ workout, such as hula hooping. For the fitness courses, the smartwatch talks you through them step-by-step. There's a voice which describes what to do, an image of the person so you can visualise, and a timer to count down the workout. The health features include heart rate, and stress, sleep and SpO2 monitors. All of which ran smoothly without complaint. So why is the Honor Watch GS 3 not good value for money? We believe if you wanted a smartwatch for fitness, you’d pick one with even more features that are compatible with your fitness lifestyle. For example, a smartwatch that you can wear during extreme sports, such as diving, and for less extreme sports, like swimming. The Honor Watch GS 3 requires you to change the calfskin strap before you hit the water (the rubber one, however, is 5 ATM waterproof). The set-up, which we’ll come to in a moment, was borderline painful. The Honor Watch GS 3 is not compatible with iOS; a fact which isn’t obvious on the website, it says it in small print right at the bottom of the webpage. Does the Honor Watch GS 3 come with a warranty? Yes. From the date of purchase, you have 24 months for the handset, 6 months for the charger, and 3 months for the charging cable. We'd recommend checking out the Fitbit Charge 5. Priced at £129.99 on the Fitbit website, the Fitbit Charge 5 is sleek and easy to use, and comes with premium health and fitness features. The Honor Watch GS 3’s predecessor, the Honor MagicWatch 2 is priced at £159.99. Although the Honor MagicWatch 2 is a bit cheaper, it doesn't have the same functions or as many workout options as the Honor Watch GS 3. Honor Watch GS 3 design The Honor Watch GS 3 has a 1.43-inch AMOLED screen with a 326 PPI resolution. It also has a 10.5mm ultra-curved slim design, and a polished 316L stainless steel watch body. The design is similar to the Honor MagicWatch 2, which has a 42mm watch face in comparison to the Honor Watch GS 3’s 45.9mm one, with its round face and not-a-smartwatch look. Honor watches in general, however, don’t have a distinct look in comparison to other brands such as Apple; the Apple Watch SE, for example, stays within the rounded rectangular tradition of Apple’s wider smartwatch line. There are two buttons on the right-hand side: an upper side button which wakes up the watch screen, accesses the feature list when on the home screen, and returns to the home screen. The lower side button also wakes the watch screen, accesses the workout mode list, and starts the workout process when on the workout list. Both buttons are responsive and work well. The RadioTimes.com team tested the Classic Gold smartwatch. It has a black screen when ‘asleep’, a stainless steel body, a black back, a gold buckle, and a round face. The Honor Watch GS 3 claims to be ‘fingerprint resistant’, which it isn’t. There aren't any lock screen options. You hold down both to turn the smartwatch off and to restart it. The wearer can turn the screen on for up to 20 minutes at a time; to do this, simply head to 'Settings' and tap on 'Screen on'. Once you select your screen on time, you will receive a notification saying: 'Longer screen times mean shorter battery life. Continue?'. Similarly, you can go into 'Settings', then 'Display and brightness' and adjust the brightness from 1-5 (5 being the brightest). The auto-brightness is set at about 3. There isn’t a night mode option. Honor Watch GS 3 features Most of the features we bullet-pointed above performed efficiently and without error. The 100 workout modes on the Honor Watch GS 3 were impressive. We tried out the outdoor and indoor walking workout modes, amongst others, one of the 12 fitness courses, and the ‘Neck and shoulder relaxation' routine: its aim is to reduce body tension in 3 minutes, and it worked! The animated course has an instructor which speaks to you, a timer, and a cartoon figure to show you exactly what to do. There are a few mishaps with the Honor Watch GS 3’s fitness tracking. Six of the workout modes are auto-detected, such as an outside walk. However, it takes 15-minutes of walking before the smartwatch realises. The steps aren’t accurate: one of our testers walked up and down the office floor without any of the steps counting. It turns out, you have to swing your arms more. Also, the wearer can’t see the battery unless they go into the Health app or they unlock the watch and scroll. One of the many watch face options shows it, but it’d be nice if the battery was shown as standard. Honor Watch GS 3 set-up: how easy is it to use? From box to wrist, the set-up process of the Honor Watch GS 3 was tiresome. The box is simple: it contains the watch name with a photo of your chosen watch design on the front. The plain white box is easy to open and, once inside, you’ll see the watch in one half, and the other pieces — a charging disc, charging cable (USB C to USB A) and warranty — in the other half. As we mentioned, the smartwatch isn’t compatible with iOS. Our tester first used their iPhone and, predictably, couldn’t get the watch to pair with it. Our team of four then took it in turns to use their own Android phones to try to pair with the watch. To pair, the wearer needs to download the Honor Health app, then create an account using their email address. The app will send a code to your chosen email address to input into the Health app, then you’ll be able to pair your watch via Bluetooth. For one of the RadioTimes.com team, the verification code was blocked from their email, for another, the verification code came through after an hour. Once the watch was synced with the app, it was pretty smooth-sailing, but the initial pairing was long. The team used a media press pack to set up the watch; if you’re a consumer, there aren’t actually any instructions. There aren't any instructions included in the Honor Watch GS 3 box. A booklet contained in the box tells you to go to a webpage, and click on your product, for example, wearables > Honor Watch GS 3, for the instructions. But as of the date of this review, the Honor Watch GS 3 isn’t there. Honor Watch GS 3 vs Huawei GT 2: which is better? We’d recommend checking out the Huawei GT 2 as a better alternative to the Honor Watch GS 3. The Huawei GT 2 has exactly the same layout and set-up as the Honor Watch GS 3, probably because Huawei used to be Honor's parent company, and it has more features, too, for example, it tells you when the tide is going in and out which is great for coastal walking. The Huawei GT 2 is also cheaper as it's been out for about a year. Get your hands on the Huawei GT 2 at Amazon for £119, at Huawei for £109, and at Currys for £179. Our verdict: should you buy the Honor Watch GS 3? We don’t think you should buy the Honor Watch GS 3. It’s difficult to tell who this watch is marketed towards. The fitness functions are great, but we’re certain that a fitness-conscious buyer would opt for a known fitness brand, such as Garmin or Fitbit. The smartwatch also doesn’t look like a fitness watch, it looks like a watch for everyday use. However, the smartwatch lacks functions such as weather and being able to pay, which would make it a good everyday smartwatch. We recommend you buy the Huawei GT 2 instead as the layout and functions are pretty much exactly the same, except the Huawei smartwatch has a few more functions. With a price tag starting from £109, the Huawei GT 2 is also £80 cheaper than the cheapest Honor Watch GS 3. Design: 3/5 Value for money: 3/5 Features (average): 4.5/5 Functions: 4 Battery: 5 Ease of set-up: 2/5 Overall star rating: 3/5 Where to buy the Honor Watch GS 3 So far, the Honor Watch GS 3 is only available to buy at the HONOR online store from £189.99. Looking for a saving? Check out our hand-picked Disney Plus offers for this month. Don't forget to read our best budget smartwatch guide.
Samsung Galaxy A53 review: the stand-out budget smartphone of 2022?
On the hunt for an affordable mid-range phone? The new Samsung Galaxy A53 could be the perfect fit.
Samsung make some of the very best Android phones on the market, notably the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra — which our reviewers gave 4.5 stars — but if you're looking to bag a great Samsung phone without spending so much, then the all-new Samsung Galaxy A53 could be the perfect handset for you. At just £399 it sits comfortably in the mid-range smartphone bracket but offers a good feature set for the price, as well as reliable performance and a smooth user experience. But is it the right mid-range phone for you? Read on for our in-depth test, or take a look at our best mid-range phones guide to check out the alternatives. Jump to: Samsung Galaxy A53 review: summary What is the Samsung Galaxy A53? How much is the Samsung Galaxy A53? Samsung Galaxy A53 features Samsung Galaxy A53 display Samsung Galaxy A53 battery Camera Design Samsung Galaxy A53: our verdict Where to buy Samsung Galaxy A53 Save 28% on the Samsung Galaxy A53 The Samsung Galaxy A53 mixes top-of-the-range features with some lesser components, resulting in an appealing cocktail of value, performance and design. Right now, you can pick up the Samsung Galaxy A53 with a great 28 per cent discount - it’s down from £399 to £288.99. Samsung Galaxy A53 | £399 £288.99 (save £110.01 or 28%) at Amazon Samsung Galaxy A53 review: summary The Samsung Galaxy A53 is a well-rounded mid-range offering from Samsung, with plenty of notable features, solid performance and a subtly appealing look. It mixes top-of-the-range features with some lesser components, resulting in an appealing cocktail of value, performance and design. Read on for our full conclusions about the phone's display, battery, features and more. Or take a look at our recent review of the Honor X8 if you're looking for something more budget-friendly. Key features: Exynos 1280 processor IP67 rating 120Hz display 5000mAh battery Triple-camera array: 64MP, 12MP, 5MP Pros: Great value 120Hz display Well designed with nice look and feel Expandable storage IP67 rating Good battery life Cons: No plug adaptor or fast charger in box No wireless charging facility Plastic build What is the Samsung Galaxy A53? The Samsung Galaxy A53 is a new mid-range smartphone from Samsung. It's the successor to the A52, which was a highly-rated mid-ranger that wowed fans and reviewers with a pleasing mix of performance and value. The idea behind the A52 and A53 is to offer some top-end features alongside one or two compromises to help keep the price down. We were hugely impressed by the S22 Series, but given that the base Samsung Galaxy S22 phone starts at £769, they won't be for everyone. That said, if you're looking for Samsung phones and you do have a larger budget, you'd best check out our Samsung Galaxy S22+ and S22 Ultra reviews. By our reckoning, the Ultra is one of the very best Android phones out there right now, if not the best. Equally, if you want to go a little cheaper, the new Samsung Galaxy A33 is just £329.99. How much is the Samsung Galaxy A53? The Samsung Galaxy A53 comes in at a much more modest £399. That's almost half of the S22 starting price. That puts it in the same price bracket as the £399.99 Motorola G200 5G, which we gave four stars in our review. At time of writing, there are some great deals on the A53. Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G | £399 £266 (save £133 or 33%) at Amazon Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G | £399 at Carphone Warehouse Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G | £399 at Currys Buy Samsung A53 5G (128GB) | £399 at Argos Other options include the £449 Honor 50, which can now be found slightly cheaper if you shop around. Take a look at the best deals below. Samsung Galaxy A53 features The Samsung Galaxy A53 is reasonably feature-rich for a £400 phone. It's especially well equipped in terms of its display and battery, both of which will be discussed in more detail later. The camera offering is solid and easy to use. Though the 5MP macro lens didn't add much we found it simple to take appealing photos with the main camera array, which is led by a 64MP main camera. The phone's image processing rendered them in the bright, colourful style that's typical of Samsung phones. It's powered by an Exynos 1280 chip — a new 5nm processor from Samsung that seems to fit the bill very well. Alongside that there's 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. If you'd like more storage than that, you're in luck! The A53 is expandable up to a whopping one terabyte of storage, using a MicroSD. There's also a 'RAM Plus' mode, which allocates some storage to be used as RAM, speeding up and smoothing out the phone's ability to multi-task. However, we're not entirely sure this feature made too much of a difference. In terms of bloatware, Samsung doesn't throw too much at you, but the duplicate apps that are there are annoying. For instance — why would anyone want the Samsung Messages app in addition to the standard Messages app? Samsung's own voice assistant 'Bixby' can be a little in-your-face too, when most Android phone users will likely prefer Google's voice assistant. For example, holding the power button down doesn't give power-off and restart options for the phone — it opens Bixby. That was an irritation and seemed like Samsung trying to force its own voice assistant on users. That said, it did little to dent the overall experience of using the A53. Samsung Galaxy A53 display Getting a 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate for this price is pretty good. Of course, there is a small compromise in that the 120Hz refresh rate isn't adaptable, so if you switch on the highest setting the battery will drain faster. The bezels are perhaps a little wide and noticeable but that's only a minor complaint and one that — by and large — comes with the territory price-wise. Generally though, we found the display was a pleasure to use and worked perfectly throughout all the streaming, scrolling and downloading we put it through. Samsung Galaxy A53 battery The A53 comes with a solid 5000mAh battery but no plug adaptor in the box. Instead, there's a USBC to USBC cable, so you'll have to use a plug you've already got, or plug it into a USBC port on a laptop. Samsung's argument for not supplying a charger is seemingly environmental. The company operates on the presumption that everyone probably has a suitable plug, or wire, from another device. If you don't though, this is sure to be an irritant. When it comes to battery performance though, we were impressed. The A53 stood up well in testing and showed a good level of battery life durability. For example, an hour and a half of continuous video streaming drained the battery by 10% and more moderate use cases saw the A53 sip at its battery power pleasingly frugally. Samsung claims the battery lasts two days and that seems more or less correct if you're only a moderate to light user. During our tests, we were impressed with the Samsung's battery life and it was able to flick between tasks easily, without draining the battery too much. Samsung Galaxy A53 camera The A53 packs a solid camera array, housing a 64MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide and a 5MP macro camera. Add to this a 5MP depth sensor and a flash and you've accounted for all five features on the array. As per usual, for a Samsung phone, the camera delivers pleasing but very, very colourful shots. The phone's image processing delivers brighter-than-reality images which look great but are an acquired taste. If you want sheer realism and accuracy, Samsung cameras aren't the pick for you. That said, we thought the images taken on the A53 were impressive by and large. The camera does lack a telephoto zoom function but has a fairly capable — if modest — 2x digital zoom. Finally, the 5MP macro sensor is a little underwhelming but does little to detract from the overall package. Samsung Galaxy A53 design The A53 is sleek and tactile, with a pleasing matte finish on the back. It's a shame it's mainly made from plastic, but seemingly that's one of the necessary sacrifices Samsung made in production to keep costs down. In all fairness — while it is largely plastic — it doesn't feel as 'plasticy' as some plastic-built handsets. The camera bump blends seamlessly into the back panel and is more subtle than many of the 'look at me' cameras on the market right now, (main offenders: the Honor Magic 4 Pro and OnePlus 10 Pro). The phone is available in blue, black, white and peach and all the handset colour options have that matte finish on the reverse. Our verdict: should you buy the Samsung Galaxy A53? The Samsung Galaxy A53 is the best sub-£400 mid-range phone on the market right now, by our reckoning. It's an accomplished handset with across-the-board offerings. From its battery life to its camera, design and display — Samsung has squeezed as much as possible into this £400 phone. Yes, if you can stretch your budget it's worth sizing up a Google Pixel 6 or Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, but in the hunt for a mid-ranger at this price you can't do much better. Where to buy Samsung Galaxy A53 Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G | £399 £266 (save £133 or 33%) at Amazon Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G | £399 at Carphone Warehouse Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G | £399 at Currys Buy Samsung A53 5G (128GB) | £399 at Argos Latest Deals It's worth noting too that — at time of writing — there are some good deals available on the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. If it drops into your budget, it's worth considering over the A53. For the latest news, reviews and deals, check out the RadioTimes.com Technology section. Want a handset for an older relative? Read our guide to the best smartphone for older people.