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Pharah dunking a basketball in Overwatch 2
Esports

Polish CEO’s company review bombed after stealing hat from a child at tennis game

by admin



A clip of a man snatching stealing a hat meant for a child from tennis player Kamil Majchrzak went viral, and it’s resulted in instant karma for the man identified as Polish CEO Piotr Szczerek.

Some sports fans are more passionate than others when it comes to getting their hands on memorabilia from big games, but most adults wouldn’t stoop to taking something meant to be given to a child by one of their favorite players.

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However, one man did just that, and it was caught on camera for the world to see. Polish millionaire and CEO Piotr Szczerek snatched a hat that was meant for a child right out from under him. This resulted in a massive uproar to try and get that hat to the child it was meant for.

Not only did the young boy get to meet Majchrzak as a result of this whole debacle, but the CEO who snatched the hat is getting his business review bombed on Polish forums.

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Tennis hat thief identified as Polish CEO Piotr Czczerek

The clip went viral all over social media, with the man now identified as Czczerek grabbing the hat right out of Majchrzak’s hand when it was clearly meant for the child rather than him.

Brock, the kid who had the hat stolen, could be seen pleading with Majchrzak, trying to get his attention to no avail. Once people saw what happened, the clip went viral and garnered tens of millions of views.

TERRIBLE! Pro tennis player attempts to give a hat to a child at the US Open. An adult steps in and vultures it. Who does this?

Should there be any punishment? pic.twitter.com/Fgzf591jLa

— Don Lewis (@DonLew87) August 29, 2025

Fortunately, this story does have a happy ending. Majchrzak saw what happened and reached out to the child directly, giving him an autographed hat and meeting him personally.

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The tennis star posted the meeting on his Instagram story, giving Brock his time in the spotlight and showing that he finally got the hat to the person it was intended for.

Kamil Majchrzak

As for Piotr Czczerek, he’s the millionaire CEO of a paving company in Poland called Drogbruk. After being called out for it, he defended himself on a Gowork forum, saying the following:

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“The recent incident at the tennis match has caused a disproportionate online uproar. It’s all about the famous hat, of course. Yes, I took it. Yes, I did it quickly. But as I’ve always said, life is first come, first served,” he claimed.

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“I understand that some people might not like it, but please, let’s not make a global scandal out of the hat. It’s just a hat. If you were faster, you would have it. Regarding online hate, I remind you that insulting a public figure is subject to legal liability. All offensive comments, slander, and insinuations will be analyzed for the possibility of taking the matter to court.

“In the end, chin up, hats off, less venom, more sportsmanship.”

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Hundreds of comments from people on the forum were calling him out, claiming the CEO is a “thief”, “jerk”, and “embarrassing” among other more colorful language.

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Oukitel WP210
Product Reviews

Oukitel WP210 rugged phone review

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Oukitel WP210: 30-second review

Having seen a few rugged phones, they typically fall into one of two categories: either being excessively bulky to achieve extended battery life, or lightweight with less longevity and features.

Curiously, the Oukitel WP210 strikes a sweet spot between these two positions, making it appealing to a few distinct user groups who might be drawn to its blend of ruggedness, performance, and sleek design.

At a weight of 311g and with a relatively slim 13.7mm profile, sized like a standard phone, this is a design that manages to hide its rugged credentials effectively. Yet it still manages to deliver its IP68 / IP69K / MIL-STD-810H ratings, enabling it to handle harsh environments and even submersion.

From an aesthetics angle, this is a rugged phone that isn’t trying to be a Sci-Fi prop or project a military resilience; its carbon-fibre accents, matte polycarbonate shell, and metal frame give it a modern industrial look.

Available in red, black and grey, for a rugged phone, this design is classy while being understated, which is something many business customers will like. It’s styled to appeal to both outdoor adventurers and business professionals – rugged, but not overbuilt.

It features a high-end MediaTek SoC, making apps and the interface slick and responsive. It comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but alas, no Micro SD card expansion beyond that capacity. The 6.7-inch OLED display delivers intense colours and brightness, while the rear camera cluster features the 108MP Samsung S5KHM6, capturing high-quality images and videos.

Having high-end features such as these comes at a cost, but in this design, the asking price from Oukitel is only $399.99 for US customers, which seems like a bargain.

While it might not be the best rugged phone I’ve tested, it’s certainly one of the best value devices in its category.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Oukitel WP210: price and availability

  • How much does it cost? $400/£311
  • When is it out? Available globally
  • Where can you get it? Direct from the maker or via an online retailer

Oukitel sells the WP210 directly, though not in all regions. Currently, US customers can get it directly for $399.99.

However, it isn’t shown on the UK, French or German sites. I’m also seeing it on Amazon.com for $499.99 and Amazon.co.uk for £351.49. Worldwide, it’s available via Aliexpress, too.

The obvious competitors for the WP210 are the Ulefone Armour 30 Pro and its bigger brother, the WP300.

The Oukitel WP300 has a higher battery capacity, but less RAM, a less powerful SoC, and a lower-quality camera. And, it costs almost the same price. The selling point of the WP300 is its detachable second screen, which doubles as a watch.

The Ulefone Armor 30 Pro features a heavier design at 509g, offering more battery capacity and 16GB RAM, but it comes with a less powerful SoC and a lower-quality camera. If you need longer running, it’s an alternative, but it doesn’t offer the same performance levels as the WP210.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Oukitel WP210: Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Item

Spec

CPU:

MediaTek Dimensity 8200 (Octa-core, up to 3.1GHz)

GPU:

Mali-G610 MC6

NPU:

MediaTek NPU 580

RAM:

12GB

Storage:

512GB

Screen:

6.7-inch AMOLED,120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass 5

Resolution:

1080×2412 pixels

SIM:

2x Nano SIM (no TF)

Weight:

311g

Dimensions:

163.6 × 77.85 × 13.7 mm

Rugged Spec:

IP68 IP69K dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min), MIL-STD-810H Certification

Rear cameras:

108MP Samsung S5KHM6 + 2MP GalaxyCore GC02M1 macro + 0.3MP depth

Front camera:

32MP Sony IMX615

Networking:

WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3

OS:

Android 15

Battery:

8800 mAh battery (Max 45W charge wired, 10W reverse)

Colours:

Red, Black, Grey

Oukitel WP210: design

  • Solid construction
  • No headphone jack
  • Lacks TF card expansion

What’s great about this phone design is how relatively normal it feels to use. It’s a classic modern Android phone-sized device, slightly thicker than a standard smartphone.

The metal banding about the outside feels solid and secure, and Oukitel provide it out of the box with a solid plastic bumper already mounted.

From a button perspective, there is nothing to see here. It’s the standard layout, featuring a power and audio rocker on one side and a user-customizable button on the other. In this respect, it’s a design that most people could simply pick up and use, rather than needing to adapt.

One nice feature on a phone this affordable is that the fingerprint reader is embedded under the screen, rather than being located on the power button. This makes the phone much easier to use for left-handed users.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

There are a few oddities which aren’t normal, and one of these is that there is no headphone jack, sadly.

However, there is an IR blaster on the top edge, the usefulness of which is undermined by the fact that no corresponding app is provided for its use. I suspect this should have been in the Oukitel Toolbox, but it might work with third-party tools.

Unusually, the SIM tray is next to the USB-C port on the bottom edge, and not the left side. It can accept two Nano SIMs, but it does not have a MicroSD card slot in the tray.

That’s the single biggest disappointment for those who use extra storage, even if Oukitel did give the phone 512GB of space to cushion that blow.

Overall, the WP210 appears designed not to push anything too radical on the customers, and except for the missing MicroSD functionality, it hits all the key areas that most people are looking for in a rugged phone.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Design score: 4/5

Oukitel WP210: hardware

  • MediaTek Dimensity 7050
  • 16000 mAh battery

The MediaTek Dimensity 8200 is a powerful mid-range system-on-chip (SoC) designed to deliver impressive performance and efficiency for smartphones. It features an octa-core CPU, combining high-performance Cortex-A78 cores with energy-efficient Cortex-A55 cores, along with a Mali-G610 MP6 GPU for enhanced graphics capabilities.

When compared to other mid-range SoCs, such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, the Dimensity 8200 holds its ground with competitive benchmark scores and efficient power consumption. While the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 may have a slight edge in memory bandwidth and higher clock speeds, the Dimensity 8200 offers a balanced performance that caters to both everyday tasks and demanding applications .

Overall, the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 is a solid choice for those seeking a capable and efficient SoC in the mid-range smartphone market, and I’ve seen it previously in the Oukitel WP200 Pro, which, on specification, bears an uncanny resemblance to the WP210.

The WP210 appears to be an externally redesigned WP200 Pro, which, from an economic perspective, makes perfect sense. But the WP200 Pro cost $200 more when it was launched.

Another common feature of the WP200 Pro is the 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, which is rated at 500 nits and features a 120Hz refresh rate.

This display technology offers vibrant colours, deep blacks, and excellent contrast, enhancing the visual experience for users. Additionally, the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, ensuring durability against scratches and impacts. The high refresh rate provides smooth scrolling and fluid animations, making it ideal for both everyday use and gaming. Overall, the OLED display on the WP210 combines durability with impressive visual quality, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a rugged yet visually appealing smartphone.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The last feature I wish to talk about is the battery, which, by rugged phone standards, is on the modest end of the spectrum. 8800mAh is still about twice what a typical phone has, and as we’ll see later in the benchmarks, it provides decent longevity.

The charging capability is 45W using the included charger of that exact specification, and charging takes about 2.5 hours. It can reverse charge at up to 10W, although in the Oukitel marketing material, it’s shown doing this using an addon that then wirelessly charges a tablet. Given that the tablet would undoubtedly have a USB-C port, that would be an idiotic thing to do, as it would further reduce the efficiency of the power transfer.

There isn’t any wireless charging in the phone, even if it looks like the designer made the underside of the phone intentionally flat for that purpose.

To summarise, the SoC is punchy, the screen is lovely, the battery is big enough for the job, and it charges reasonably quickly.

Oukitel WP210: cameras

  • 108MP, 2MP and 0.3MP sensors on the rear
  • 32MP on the front
  • Four cameras in total

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The Oukitel WP210 has four cameras:

Rear camera: 108MP Samsung S5KHM6SX , 2MP GalaxyCore GC02M1 macro, 0.3MP Galaxy Core GC032A
Front camera: 32MP Sony IMX615

This is the identical camera configuration as the WP200 Pro, with the main sensor being the 108MP Samsung S5KHM6SX. This 1/1.67-inch format, 108 MP stacked imager boasts a 0.64 µm pixel pitch, ISOCELL 2.0 technology, and Nonacell Bayer RGB colour filters, according to Samsung.

With a whopping 108 megapixels, this sensor is capable of producing incredibly detailed images or can effectively pixel bin to achieve vibrant colours and HDR contrast. The results, especially in outdoor lighting, can be impressive; however, there are times when the focus system appears to target the wrong object in the shot.

One downside is the absence of optical zoom; instead, the digital zoom transitions can feel quite jarring. The rear camera also lacks wide or telephoto sensors, relying on a somewhat lacklustre 2 MP macro sensor and a 0.3 MP sensor for depth effects. Therefore, the main sensor shoulders the majority of the photographic responsibilities. On a positive note, Oukitel has included a comprehensive camera application that features a full PRO mode for manual controls, alongside options for timelapse, slow-motion, night views, and panoramas.

What I would avoid is a feature that the user-defined button offers, which is to switch into underwater mode. While this phone is rated for full submersion for a limited time period, it’s only to a depth of 1.5M, and that could be difficult to control in the ocean or even a pool.

Under the right conditions, images taken are decent, though they might not stand out as extraordinary. But given the price point of this device, the main sensor is a practical choice that is better than some phones that use 50MP sensors.

On the front, the choice of a 32 MP Sony sensor for selfies might seem excessive, especially since it only records at 1080p. It raises questions about the need for such high resolution for 1080p video, but this sensor does manage to capture good-quality images for those who enjoy digital self-portraits.

It’s worth noting that this phone lacks Widevine L1 video encryption, offering only L3. This limitation means that when streaming from primary services like Netflix or Disney+, you’ll only have access to 480p resolution, even with a fast 5G connection.

In short, the cameras are probably better than one might have anticipated, but they lack the optical focus and stabilisations that premium phones offer these days.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Oukitel WP210 Camera samples

Image 1 of 13

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Oukitel WP210: performance

  • Decent SoC
  • GPU is game-friendly
  • Big battery

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Phone

Header Cell – Column 1

Oukitel WP210

Ulefone Armor 30 Pro

SoC

Row 0 – Cell 1

Dimensity 8200

Dimensity 7300X

GPU

Row 1 – Cell 1

Mali-G610 MC6

Mali-G615 MC2

Mem

Row 2 – Cell 1

MediaTek NPU 580

MediaTek NPU 655

NPU

Row 3 – Cell 1

12GB/512GB

16GB/512GB

Weight

Row 4 – Cell 1

311g

509g

Battery

Row 5 – Cell 1

8800

12800

Geekbench

Single

1246

1030

Row 7 – Cell 0

Multi

3968

3269

Row 8 – Cell 0

OpenCL

4310

2509

Row 9 – Cell 0

Vulkan

4736

2502

GFX

Aztec Open Normal

73

36

Row 11 – Cell 0

Aztec Vulkan Norm.

57

42

Row 12 – Cell 0

Car Chase

60

36

Row 13 – Cell 0

Manhattan 3.1

114

61

PCMark

3.0 Score

13970

11282

Row 15 – Cell 0

Battery

22h 44m

26h 38m

Charge in 30 mins

%

26

42

Passmark

Score

16455

14377

Row 18 – Cell 0

CPU

8490

7142

3DMark

Slingshot OGL

Maxed Out

7238

Row 20 – Cell 0

Slingshot Ex. OGL

Maxed Out

5446

Row 21 – Cell 0

Slingshot Ex. Vulkan

Maxed Out

3814

Row 22 – Cell 0

Wildlife

6023

3284

Row 23 – Cell 0

Nomad Lite

625

360

I chose the Ulefone Armor 30 Pro as the phone to compare with the WP210, because it’s roughly the same price, has a similar profile and also has plenty of RAM and storage.

However, what the 30 Pro lacks is the Dimensity 8200. It uses the Dimensity 7300X instead, and the difference is striking in terms of performance. In many graphical tests, the WP210 is twice the speed of the Armor 30 Pro, and even in pure computing benchmarks, it has about a 20% edge.

Where the Armor 30 Pro is advantaged is with its battery capacity, which is 45% bigger.

However, the flip side of that win, and its increased longevity, is that it takes twice as long to charge the battery, and the battery life wasn’t 45% longer. When you also consider the weight difference, the WP210 is a much better option unless total running time is your only criterion.

Overall, the WP210 delivers the same excellent user experience as its WP200 Pro brother, with the exception that it has more storage and RAM. But the price difference between them makes the WP210 a better value, as it does in comparison to the Ulefone Armor 30 Pro.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Oukitel WP210: Final verdict

There is plenty to like in the WP210, as it manages to magically provide a decent battery life and a punch processor without being the size and weight of a house brick.

Those aspects, along with the OLED screen and 108MP camera, should bring the WP210 plenty of attention, and the mid-range pricing should seal the deal.

I don’t understand why Oukitel left the SD card option from the card slot, or why this is a dramatically more powerful phone than the WP300, but these are mysteries that only the designers at Oukitel could answer.

Overall, for those who want a well-built mid-range rugged phone, you could do substantially worse than the WP210, which surprised this reviewer at numerous points.

It’s also an excellent choice for anyone who fancied the WP200 Pro but didn’t like the price, as it is roughly the same phone with less storage and RAM for a significant cost reduction.

If there is a question mark over this device, it’s the level of support that Oukitel is likely to provide throughout the product’s life. My review phone came with Android 15 installed and a June security update, but it’s worth flagging the trade-off between upfront cost and lifecycle reliability. Only time will tell, but Oukitel is not known for timely Android version upgrades or regular security patches, and its customer service is also not a strong point.

These points are equally applicable to the majority of Chinese rugged phone makers; however, it’s worth noting that two to three years is the typical life cycle of these products, and beyond that point, they are often no longer supported.

Should I buy a Oukitel WP210?

Swipe to scroll horizontallyOukitel WP210 Score Card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Affordable for a phone with these specs

4/5

Design

Not much heavier than an ordinary phone, but rugged and well-featured

4/5

Hardware

Gorgeous OLED screen, 512GB of storage, but no TF expansion

4/5

Camera

Excellent main sensor, slightly undermined by a lack of anti-shake on video capture

4/5

Performance

GGreat performance and decent battery life

4/5

Overall

A practical and effective design that many will love

4/5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also Consider

For more ruggedized devices, we’ve reviewed the best rugged tablets, the best rugged laptops, and the best rugged hard drives

Oukitel WP210: Price Comparison



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Segway Navimow X350 on reviewer's lawn
Product Reviews

Segway Navimow X3 Series robot mower review: ultra-speedy, super-accurate and a dream to control

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Segway Navimow X3 Series: two-minute review

The Segway Navimow X3 Series robot lawn mowers are built specifically for sizeable lawns. And when I say sizeable, I mean sizeable – the range covers lawns from 0.5 acres / 1,500 square meters right up to a massive 2.5 acres / 10,000 square meters. To make them suitable for such vast spaces, these bots are designed to operate quickly, efficiently and accurately, with batteries capacious enough to allow for long mowing periods, without having to make the arduous journey back to the dock to recharge.

To see if this lawnbot could deliver on these promises, I sought out the largest yard I knew of. The lawn at my sister’s home, measures around 1,000 square meters / 0.25 acre (although Segway sent me the X350, which is designed for even larger areas still). The first thing I was struck by is the speed of the mower. It rolls along at quite the pace, navigating with confidence, even when traversing under trees.

The lawnbot itself is really quite large (and the same size as the other X3 Series models), but if you have a lawn big enough to need one, that’s not going to matter so much. It feels solid and high quality, with a friendly orange and grey color scheme and slightly retro-feeling dot-matrix screen to provide key information.

(Image credit: Future)

A big reason as to why the experience of using the Segway Navimow X3 Series is so enjoyable is down to the design of the companion app. It’s intuitive to use, walking you clearly through all the steps required to complete each process, and providing background information – rather than leaving you to figure things out by yourself. There are plenty of setting options to explore, and planning a schedule is straightforward.

In terms of performance, I had no issues. Throughout the test period, the bot behaved exactly as I’d hoped, mowing neatly and within boundaries, taking a logical route and never missing any spots. It also reliably avoided medium (soccer ball-sized) obstacles, although it did mow over a satsuma-sized ball (understandable, given it was sitting below camera height). Since this bot is two-wheel drive rather than four-wheel, it might struggle with especially rough terrain; but for the average yard, it will be absolutely fine.

Overall, a very strong recommendation for those looking for an efficient, fuss-free mower to take care of larger lawns. That’s the short version; read on for my full Segway Navimow X3 Series review.

Segway Navimow X3 review: price & availability

  • List price: from $2,299 / £2,199
  • Available: US, UK, AU
  • Launched: Spring 2025

The Segway Navimow X3 Series was unveiled in spring 2025, and is available to buy in various countries including the US, UK and Australia. You can only purchase direct from Segway Navimow in the US, and in general these lawnbots aren’t stocked widely online (you won’t be adding one to your Amazon Prime order). Instead, you might need to check the Segway Navimow site for distributors local to you.

When it comes to pricing, brace yourself: the Segway Navimow X3 Series doesn’t come cheap. The cheapest in the lineup costs $2,299 / £2,199 at list price, and the priciest is $4,999 / £4,299. That’s a significant investment, and if you don’t have a large yard – or a yearning for ultra-speedy mowing – there are plenty more affordable alternatives. However, for those in need of large-scale mowing, the Navimow’s pricing isn’t too far away from what you’d pay elsewhere on the market.

Let’s say you want something for a 1-acre / 3,000m² lawn. The Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD 3000 costs $2,499 / £2,549 at list price, and the Navimow X330 is $2,799 / £2,599. The LUBA 2 has slightly more advanced features all round, including all-wheel drive and two cutting decks, which makes it a better-value buy at full price. Nevertheless, both are excellent, advanced, high-quality lawnbots.

Overall, my experience with the Navimow X3 series was extremely positive, and it felt well built and thoughtfully designed, so I think for large lawns it’s worth the investment.

  • Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Segway Navimow X3 specs

Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0

Segway Navimow X350 (reviewed)

Segway Navimow X315 (cheapest)

Recommended lawn size:

1.5 acres / 5,000m²

0.5 acre / 1,500㎡

Cutting width:

9.3in / 23.7cm

9.3in / 23.7cm

Cutting height:

0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm

0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm

Drivetrain:

2-wheel drive

2-wheel drive

Incline ability:

50% / 27 degrees

50% / 27 degrees

Waterproof:

IP66

IP66

Lawnbot size (L x W x H):

27.5 x 21.7 x 12.1in / 69.8 x 55 x 30.7cm

27.5 x 21.7 x 12.1in / 69.8 x 55 x 30.7cm

Lawnbot weight:

43.7 lbs / 19.8kg

43.2 lbs / 19.6kg

Charge time:

80 mins

60 mins

Mowing time per charge:

200 mins

120 mins

Cutting blades:

6

6

Segway Navimow X3 review: design

  • Available in versions with different batteries for different lawn sizes
  • On-bot info via a screen, and cameras on three sides for obstacle avoidance
  • Comes with RTK receiver (option to add a second) and charge station

The Segway Navimow X3 Series is a big bot for big lawns. There are a few options in the lineup, all of which are identical in design and specs, except the ones at the top end of the range have a bigger battery and as such are suitable for larger areas. These are the options:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Model

Recommended mowing area

Runtime per charge

Charge time

X315

0.5 acre / 1,500m²

120 mins

60 mins

X330

1 acre / 3,000m²

160 mins

65 mins

X350 (tested)

1.5 acres / 5,000m²

200 mins

80 mins

X390

2.5 acres 10,000m²

240 mins

100 mins

Moving on to the lawnbot itself, and the brand has opted for a friendly look, with a dark gray and bright orange color scheme, and a dot matrix screen to provide key information in real time. On test I found this limited in its practical usefulness, although it is quite fun. There are physical buttons for Go, On/OK and Return to charge, plus a big emergency stop button. However, for the most part you’ll be controlling the bot via the companion app, which I’ll cover in detail in a separate App section below (there’s also support for voice control via Alexa or Google Home, if you prefer).

(Image credit: Future)

The Navimow X350 is rather large, and for the times you might need to manually maneuver it, Segway has added a big handle around the rear of the bot. Unfortunately, there’s no grip area at the front – so unless you stick your hand in the charge slot, which goes against an important lesson I learned as a toddler, you’ll need to make do with crouching and dragging rather than picking it up.

It’s fairly common for modern lawnbots to come equipped with a camera for object identification and avoidance, but the X3 Series has not one, but three: one at the front and one on either side, delivering a 300-degree field of view. Alongside one of the side-mounted cameras you’ll find an Expansion Bay section, where you can attach add-ons. There’s an edge trimmer attachment that already exists in a few countries (I didn’t test this), and open API access means if you have the skills, you can create your own additions.

Also hidden somewhere on the top is a compartment for a tracker, should you wish to add one for added security reasons (there’s also an out-of-bounds alarm, lift alerts and GPS tracking to guard against theft).

(Image credit: Future)

There are two main wheels, plus two smaller wheels at the front. Since this bot is a two-wheel drive machine, it isn’t designed for very uneven terrain, although it can still handle slopes up to 50%, and will be more than up to handling the average yard (or football field).

Flip it over and you’ll find the cutting deck, which consists of six blades mounted on a rotating disc, which can be raised or lowered automatically via the app (it can cut at heights of 0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm). The whole thing is designed to avoid the mechanism becoming clogged up with cuttings. Like most lawnbots, there’s no grass collection here – instead you’re meant to use it regularly enough that the tiny cuttings end up mulching back into the lawn. The Navimow delivers a generous cutting width of 9.3in / 23.7cm.

(Image credit: Future)

Additional components

The X3 Series is at least partially reliant on satellites for navigation, so in the box you also get an RTK receiver to improve the accuracy of the satellite information. You’ll need to find a good spot for this – ideally it needs to sit somewhere high up, with a wide, uninterrupted view of the sky. Since I was only borrowing this machine, I just stuck it on the provided lawn-mount spike, and it worked remarkably well even in this sub-optimal position, as you’ll learn in the Performance section. You can purchase a secondary antenna to act as backup if you have an especially large lawn.

(Image credit: Future)

You’re also provided with a charge station, where your lawnbot will return to juice up. This needs to sit on flat ground, with access to a power source.

The lawnbot is IP66 rated, which means it’s resistant to both water (everything apart from complete submersion) and dust. Even so, I tend to think a plastic garage roof is a good idea for a little extra protection from the elements in the long term.

(Image credit: Future)

Features

Let’s look quickly at what’s going on under the hood. Like most modern lawnbots, the X3 Series doesn’t require boundary wires, but instead uses a combination of RTK satellite navigation, cameras and sensors to find its way around (here’s more on how lawnbots navigate, if you’re interested).

To ensure the bot always knows where it is, even when being used on a palatial lawn, Segway has introduced a number of navigation upgrades. The RTK system has been improved and can apparently deliver 40% better observation, to keep it moving in potential blind spots such as narrow pathways or under rooftops.

(Image credit: Future)

Inside, two complementary wayfinding systems work together to help the bot find its way about: VSLAM, which relies on recognizable visual cues; and VIO, which is great for new, featureless areas. All of that, added to the wide field of view provided by the three onboard cameras, should mean this bot is an absolute pro when it comes to navigation.

Segway Navimow X3 review: performance

  • Neat, thorough and very speedy mowing
  • Confident, accurate navigation, even under trees
  • Strong obstacle avoidance, although can’t spot very small items

Let’s start with setup, which I found fairly painless. There’s a bit of self-assembly required of the base station and RTK receiver, but if you hook up the app first then it walks you through the process quite clearly (there’s also a paper instruction booklet, if you prefer). The app also guides you through the mapping process.

My test lawn has unclear boundaries and tree coverage, so I opted to create a map manually, by remote-controlling around the perimeter of the area I wanted mowing and then editing the results in-app. I found the process straightforward. If you have a very simple lawn, you’d use AI Assist Mapping, where the bot will automatically map the area for you.

The first thing I was struck by when I started mowing was how speedy the Navimow proved. I was promised efficiency, and the Segway Navimow has delivered. The X3 rolls confidently along at an impressive pace compared to other bots I’ve tested.

I mostly used the Standard speed for my tests, but bumped it up to Efficient at one point but couldn’t really notice a difference. The app states that it’s 0.2m/s faster in this mode, which would be noticeable over time if you were mowing an especially large lawn.

(Image credit: Future)

I was also very impressed by navigation. My test lawn has a number of large trees, which I thought might cause the X3 to get lost – especially given the RTK receiver was just stuck in the ground, rather than elevated above the trees and buildings, as it really should be. However, all the test-runs were free of issues. The bot made its way around confidently, covering the full lawn in a logical pattern. It also accurately avoided a no-mow zone I’d set up in the center of the lawn, on a patch of ground that had recently been re-sown with grass seed. I guess whatever Segway Navimow has done to “improve the RTK performance by 40%” has worked.

(Image credit: Future)

I also ran a couple of specific object avoidance tests by placing large (a toddler’s ride-on car), medium (soccer ball) and small (a tangerine-sized ball) obstacles in the X3’s path. It had no issues spotting the car or football, duly skirting around each one, even when I kicked the football about to try to confuse it, but the smallest ball met a grizzly end beneath the X3’s blades.

We’ve yet to test a lawnbot at TechRadar that can spot small obstacles such as this, so it isn’t a particular failing on Segway Navimow’s part. However, it’s worth noting if you have, for example, a dog that likes to poo in your yard, and you don’t want to spend an afternoon cleaning it out of wheel crevices.

  • Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Segway Navimow X3 review: app

  • Lots of useful explanations and info, with diagrams
  • Plenty of fine-adjustment options
  • Well laid out and easy to navigate

From the off, I was super-impressed with the Segway Navimow app. It provides plenty of information and clear explanations – often with diagrams – to walk you through everything from setup to how to map. Other lawnbot apps I’ve tested use opaque language and leave you to mostly figure things out for yourself, which can be especially confusing if it’s your first robot lawn mower.

(Image credit: Segway Navimow / Future)

Here, however, everything is logically laid out and easy to navigate. There are also plenty of options to fine-tune your mowing. There’s a straightforward schedule-maker, where you can select days, times and zones for cutting. You can also choose between three mowing speeds (Quiet, Standard and Efficient) and grass length (20-70mm, in increments of 5mm).

(Image credit: Segway Navimow / Future)

There’s a section for Map management, where you can split, add or remove sections, or add no-go zones (or, as Segway Navimow whimsically calls them, “BioLife Islands”). It will let you select where you want to start on the map, with the bot cleverly driving itself over to your chosen spot, and then the app will guide you to drive the new boundary line using remote control. I found this process straightforward and logical – again, not always a given.

Segway Navimow also offers a range of “Advanced” features, too. There’s an “Animal friendly” mode that will see the bot stop if it spots an animal and take a new route so as not to disturb it, rather than just skirting around it. You can also toggle on “Traction control” for particularly muddy or challenging terrain.

Should you buy the Segway Navimow X3 Series?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Very much a premium lawnbot, but performance and features help justify the investment.

4 / 5

Design

Rather large, well-built lawnbot with RTK station and charge dock. Two-wheel drive and cameras to the front and both sides, plus a dot matrix screen on the bot itself.

5 / 5

Performance

Neat, fast, efficient mowing. Confident navigation even in challenging conditions, and solid obstacle avoidance (bar very small objects).

4.5 / 5

App

Extremely usable and well designed, with plenty of useful, clear information.

5 / 5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Segway Navimow X3 review: alternatives to consider

Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0

Segway Navimow X330

Mammotion Luba 2 3000

Mammotion Yuka Mini S (US) / Yuka Mini 600 (UK)

Recommended lawn size:

1 acre / 3,000m²

1 acre / 3,000m²

0.15 acres / 600㎡

Cutting width:

9.3in / 23.7cm

15.7in / 40cm

7.5in / 19cm

Cutting height:

0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm

1-2.7in / 2.5-7cm

0.8-2.4in / 2-6cm

Drivetrain:

Two-wheel drive

All-wheel drive

Two-wheel drive

Incline ability:

50% / 27 degrees

80% / 38 degrees

50% / 27 degrees

Waterproof:

IP66

IPX6

IPX6

Lawnbot size (L x W x H):

27.5 x 21.7 x 12.1in / 69.8 x 55 x 30.7cm

27.2 x 20.2 x 27.3in / 69 x 51.3 x 27.3cm

20.7 x 16.3 x 11.1in / 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1cm

Lawnbot weight:

43.7 lbs / 19.8kg

41 lbs / 18.6kg

23.4 lbs / 10.6kg

Charge time:

65 mins

120 mins

90 mins

Mowing time per charge:

160 mins

190 mins

55 mins

Cutting blades:

6

12

5

How I tested the Segway Navimow X3

I tested the X350 model of the Segway Navimow X3 Series. I used it for several weeks in the garden of my sister’s home. The test lawn measures around 1,000 square meters, and has unclear borders and several large trees. I set up the bot myself from scratch, following the instructions in the app, including constructing the charge station and RTK receiver. I mapped the lawn into different mowing zones and added no-mow areas. I assessed the lawnbot based on the neatness and speed of mowing, accuracy of navigation, and general ease of use. I also explored the different options in the app to see the extent to which I could fine-tune settings, and ran object avoidance tests using different-sized obstacles. I then compared all of my findings to other lawnbots I’ve used, while also weighing everything up against the price to gauge whether the bot offers good value for money.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed August 2025



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DT 72 IE in a hand, showcasing the small driver housings
Product Reviews

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review: excellent analytical sound for vocals and guitars, if not for bass heads

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE: Two-minute review

Here’s a thing very few of the best wired earbuds offer, at least in the mass-produced consumer space: specialized tuning for each member of your band – yes, even the bass player. But that’s what Beyerdynamic did at the very start of the year, releasing not one but four sets of IEMs tuned just slightly differently, in a bid to give each of your musician friends what they need.

The set I have under review here is the DT 72 IE, “for guitarists and singers”. These IEMs boast a “subtly tuned bass” so as not to overwhelm during performance. The optimized frequency response here is also listed as between 200-500 Hz to compensate for the occlusion effect. This is a known issue wherein the perception one’s own voice is too loud, hollow, or even boomy due to the ear canal’s obstruction (with said IEMs, funnily enough) and the trapping of sonic vibrations within.

What of the rest of the range? DT 70 IE is billed as the set “for mixing and critical listening”. DT 71 IE is “for drummers and bassists” with a sound signature that Beyerdynamic says “enhances low frequencies while ensuring detailed reproduction of cymbals, percussion and bass guitar overtones”. DT 73 IE is the pair for the orchestral musician, pianist or keyboard player, with extra care taken on treble overtones (there’s a subtle boost from 5kHz upwards).

I think it’s fair to say that given the asking fee of whichever set you pick (which is $499, or anywhere from £431 to £479 in the UK, so around AU$900) these are IEMs for the successful musician – something emphasized by acclaimed jazz pianist, gospel artist and producer Cory Henry and Gina Miles (winner of The Voice Season 23) who both agreed to help showcase the new products in January of this year.

(Image credit: Future)

  • Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE at Sweetwater Sound for $579.99

Am I qualified to give these singer-specific buds a thorough appraisal? I’d say so. It’s been a while, granted, but I’ve performed in several big musicals, films, and a fair few gigs over the years, often with a trusty pair of cheap and cheerful Shure SE215 in (or hanging out of) my ears. Hey, I sang solo and covered leads, y’know…

The Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE are not like my old Shure workhorses, though, reader. This is what I would have bought myself if I’d been making something other than a lowly performer’s wage, and/or had the promise of work engagements lasting for more than six months at a time. The latter is something not even the best of us regularly gets… and I was far from the best.

But let’s put the delicate topics of coin and talent to one side. The DT 72 IE are very well made. The case is fabric but pocketable and holds its shape – the 1.4m cable will not tangle, is near-silent and comes with a 3.5mm termination and 6.35 mm adapter. The headshells are beautifully small. Your accessories are also resoundingly high-end: alongside the five pairs of silicone ear tips, you also get three in Comply memory foam (which I’ll always go for, if they’re offered). You even get a spare set of earwax guards and detailed instructions on how to switch them out, if and when the need arises.

You’ll need to shape the ear hooks yourself, but once you take a moment to get it right, I found them very comfortable and also hardly noticeable (from a visual perspective) once in my ear. So far, so successful.

What about for sound? I fired up my FiiO M23 and a few of my old audition standards. Now, I had no access to the pro mixer, mic or gain stages I used to enjoy, back in the day – so full disclosure: I couldn’t set any of that up. What follows is my analysis of the DT 72 IE as listening devices to analyze my own recorded vocals and also to record a quick demo – en route to a last-minute audition, say.

And, good grief, did I hear extra detail and even a bit of vib to be proud of in my own rendition of The Show Must Go On from 2018, sung as an aerialist/singer in a German Queen tribute show called We Are the Champions. All true, I promise.

It’s as if guitar riffs and my voice has been plucked from the soundstage and held above the mix in a surgical layering system, like items to be admired (or admonished) aside from all else. It’s exactly what your lead vocalist of axe man needs, to hone their craft and I wish I’d had them when performing every day. If I’d had the DT 72 IE, I might’ve realized I was just a touch flat when trying to reach “for waiting up there is the Heaviside layer” on that cruise ship gig…

Any drawbacks to the DT 72 IE sonically? This is an analytical listen, rather than an exciting one. From a listener’s perspective, things can feel just a little flat on occasion. This is because the bass injection has been pulled back and so, dynamically, tracks can feel just a touch uneventful. Beyerdynamic has expressed as much and offers another model for critical listening and/or mixing, but it’s still worth stating for those who want something to lay down tracks with and to listen purely for the pleasure of doing so.

Personally, I love them. If your favorite aspect of recorded music is the lead singer and/or the guitar solos, you may have found the set of IEMs for you. No, they’re not neutral – that’s the whole point.

(Image credit: Future)

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review: Price and release date

  • Released on January 23, 2025
  • Priced $499 / from £431 (around AU$900)

It’s important to state that the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE are not unique – IEMs pitched squarely at vocalists exist (from companies such as Moondrop, 64 Audio and even Sennheiser) and the 64 Audio U12t, for example, costs four times as much as the Beyer product you’re reading about.

The Sennheiser IE 100 Pro, however, (a popular choice among the musicians I know) cost around a fifth of the DT 72 IE’s asking fee. So it really is a mixed bag…

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review: Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Drivers

Dynamic (closed)

Weight

3g per earpiece (without ear tip)

Frequency range

5Hz – 40kHz

Waterproof rating

None

Other features

No in-line mic, plenty of accessories

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

What these earbuds are designed for has been beautifully achieved – no more, no less

5/5

Sound quality

If picking out the vocal or guitar is what you need, they deliver. If you want to listen casually, too, they may not be for you – but that’s hardly fair

4.5/5

Design

Beautifully svelte earpieces and cable, only let down by the need to bend (and re-bend) the ear hooks yourself

4.5/5

Value

To call them ‘mid-range’ feels unfathomable, but the prices you can pay in this niche sector of the market are variable, to say the least

4/5

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review: Also consider

This particular product is a tad niche for TechRadar (we’re not a dedicated musician or performer site, as you’ll know) but personal experience has taught me that Shure’s 215 SE are often the entry-level option here, as are the Sennheiser IE 100 Pro – both of which are a lot cheaper than the model listed above.

Are they as good? No, that wouldn’t be fair given the dearth in price – and that’s the point I want make here: if you have the money, the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE are very, very good for singers and guitarists.

(Image credit: Future)

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review: How I tested

  • Tested across two weeks
  • Used at home, listening to my vocal recordings and regular testing tracks
  • Predominantly tested using my iPhone (and hi-res Flac files on my laptop)

I had to go back to 2018 (the last time I sang professionally, and the year before I became a full-time audio journalist) in the name of testing the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE.

I revisited a time when money was tight but professional fulfilment was plentiful. I had work! Lots of it – and I also had a post-grad degree to pay for. I listened to both my own vocals (even the ones recorded quickly as voice memos on my iPhone, to learn a tricksy harmony line in rehearsal) and then to everything from Melissa Etheridge to Ginuwine – both of whom I love for what they’ve given to music.

And know this: the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE were never uncomfortable and always enlightening during my testing.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: August 2025

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE: Price Comparison



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ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: a high-performing, low-priced laptop with a noise problem
Product Reviews

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: a high-performing, low-priced laptop with a noise problem

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025): Two-minute review

The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a gaming laptop that promises top-tier performance at an affordable price. It doesn’t exactly convey its power visually, looking rather muted compared to others in this class. However, it does exude a fair amount of elegance, which belies its budget price tag.

It’s surprisingly thin and free from bulk, although it’s still quite heavy. The lid hinges are pleasingly small, and the bezel around the screen is very minimal – in fact you’ll struggle to find a more slender frame on even the best gaming laptop models.

Build quality is also respectable, although the keyboard doesn’t look the most premium. Thankfully, the keys themselves feel great, offering sufficient dampening, travel, and feedback, which makes them a joy to use when gaming.

And, on that front, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) acquits itself very well. The RTX 5050 in my unit performed remarkably well, achieving very high frame rates with demanding graphics settings selected, although Cyberpunk 2077 labored considerably on the highest preset, with disruptive stutters, lag, and visual glitches. But dropping the settings down slightly improved the experience greatly, while maintaining plenty of visual fidelity.

(Image credit: Future)

  • ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) (2TB 64GB RAM) at Amazon for $1,589.99

More bothersome, however, was the noise the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) generated, which is distractingly loud and pretty much rules out playing without headphones. At least the unit stays relatively cool for the most part, with any heat steering clear from any touchable surface.

The large 16-inch, 1920 x 1200 display of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is certainly good enough to represent AAA games faithfully, but it’s not the best in class, guilty of looking a little washed out at times. It also lacks the high brightness levels of its rivals, and is a little too reflective.

As mentioned, the keys feel great to use when gaming, but the cramped layout – owing to the inclusion of a number pad – can make typing awkward, at least for someone as ham-fisted as me.

This isn’t too big a gripe, though, and if you’re willing to put up with the incessant noise and can settle for gaming at close-to maximum settings, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a respectable performer that won’t break the bank – at least not to the extent other gaming laptops will.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Price & Availability

  • $1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499
  • Available now
  • Well-priced for the spec

The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) starts from $1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499 and is available now. In the US, we couldn’t find a model equipped with an RTX 5050; the base model here appears to start with a 5060 instead.

This is a decent price for a 16-inch laptop with an RTX 5000 series GPU. There are few compromises, too, with the 1920 x 1200 resolution being the main concession. But the overall design and build quality of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) aren’t what you’d call cheap.

However, the Acer Nitro 16 AMD is cheaper by a significant amount. This has a less impressive spec, though: the base Nitro 16 AMD gets an RTX 4050 GPU, an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, and only 512GB of storage. It’s also quite bulky and doesn’t exactly look premium. We were very pleased with its 1080p performance, though, and we also liked its keyboard.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontallyRow 0 – Cell 0

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Base Config

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Maximum Config

Price

$1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499

$1,699.99 / £1,699.99

CPU

AMD Ryzen 7 260 Processor 3.8GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.1 GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)

AMD Ryzen 9 270 Processor 4.0GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.2GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)

GPU

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, 8GB

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, 8GB

RAM

8GB DDR5

32GB DDR5

Storage

1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD

1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD

Display

16-inch, FHD+ 16:10 (1920 x 1200, WUXGA), 165Hz, IPS, Anti-glare display, G-Sync

16-inch, FHD+ 16:10 (1920 x 1200, WUXGA), 165Hz, IPS, Anti-glare display, G-Sync

Ports and Connectivity

1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Battery

90WHrs

90WHrs

Dimensions

13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)

13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)

Weight

4.85lbs (2.20kg)

4.85lbs (2.20kg)

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

  • Surprisingly thin
  • Very thin screen bezel
  • Good-feeling keyboard

To my personal delight, ASUS hasn’t done much to gamify the appearance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). It has a minimal aesthetic and the whole unit looks surprisingly elegant for a gaming machine.

It isn’t saddled with the typical gaming laptop bulk, either. The chassis is pleasingly thin and the rear protrusion is comparatively small. While it’s still quite weighty, again it’s not as heavy as some of its rivals.

The lid hinges look rather smart, and are easy to operate yet provide plenty of stability, while the bezel around the display is very small, allowing almost all of the allotted space to be used.

There are a few missteps in the design, though: the corners of the base are a little too sharp, and the keyboard looks a little cheap. A number pad is also included, which unfortunately makes the whole layout a little more cramped than it otherwise would be. Still, I did appreciate the translucent WASD keys, which distinguishes them from the others.

Underneath the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) are four rubber feet and plastic strips that raise the unit from the surface by a fair amount, which helps to improve airflow.

You’ll find the usual selection of ports on the TUF Gaming A16 (2025), with most of them located on the left side. They’re sensibly ordered, too; I particularly appreciated the headset jack being at the front and the power port at the back.

Along with an ethernet port and an HDMI port, you’ll also find two USB-C ports on the left – one is 3.2 Gen 2 and the other 4, but both support external display connections. On the right are two USB-A ports, which are again logically located, since it makes them amenable to connecting peripherals such as mice.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

  • Impressive AAA performance
  • Quite loud
  • Display not the most vibrant

I was impressed by the overall performance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset – which the game selected by default – I was getting roughly between 175-200fps, depending on the in-game environment.

Turning the preset to Ray Tracing: Ultra naturally resulted in a decrease, but I was still in the respectable region of 115-150fps. Ray Tracing: Overdrive caused a further dip, down to 70-100fps, but with the added bane of significant stuttering and input lag, as well as some strange visual artefacts and pop-in effects. Suffice to say this isn’t a setting I can recommend playing on.

Nonetheless, the above demonstrates a laudable effort on the part of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). However, the price is paid in noise – a loud one. Under load it’s a veritable cacophony, as the fans whir away with considerable force. Needless to say this can be quite disruptive, requiring one of the best PC gaming headsets with strong noise cancellation to drown it out.

At least the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) stays relatively cool. Any heat generated is confined to reasonable temperatures, and concentrated mainly at the very back of the unit – although this can spread to the underside, so if you are using the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) on your lap, your legs might get a little toasty. Mercifully, though, the heat doesn’t encroach on the keyboard or the sides of the chassis, so there’s no chance of scorching your fingers.

The 1920 x 1200 display on my unit provided sufficient sharpness, even at 16 inches, and proved to be very bit as smooth and responsive as you’d expect from its 165Hz refresh rate. Colors appear vibrant enough, but they can look a little washed out at times. What’s more, the maximum brightness level isn’t that high, and reflections can rear their ugly heads under certain lighting conditions.

(Image credit: Future)

The keys are tactile and well damped, and have more travel and resistance than those on your typical laptop, which makes them easy and satisfying to use when gaming. I also appreciated the prominent nub on the W key, making it easy to locate.

While the keys also feel good to type on, the aforementioned cramped layout can hamper the A16’s productivity credentials. I never fully got used to it, and what’s more the large trackpad does encroach on your hand placement, so you need to take care in not pressing down too hard.

The trackpad is smooth and makes for effortless swipes and gestures, but it can be inconsistent in registering taps, sometimes requiring a harder hit than normal. This might be a moot point for many gamers, though, since they’ll likely be pairing the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) with one of the best gaming mice.

Typical of many Asus products, there are a few annoying pop-ups from Armory Crate, as well as some bizarre notifications from Nvidia about display mode changes, which usually appear when booting up a game; for some unknown reason the system frequently thought two displays were connected.

Thankfully, this didn’t seem to affect performance in any way, and Windows at least makes it easy to change projection settings with the Win+P shortcut. Aside from these niggles, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) provides a pretty seamless experience overall, as you might expect given the power on tap.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Battery Life

(Image credit: Future)

The battery life of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is pretty impressive. It managed to last two hours and ten minutes in the PCMark gaming battery test, which is close to the time achieved by the Acer Nitro 16 AMD.

In our movie playback test, where we ran a short film on a continuous loop, it lasted an impressive 12 hours and 18 minutes. What’s more, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is also quick to charge, taking just under two hours to fully replenish.

Should I buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)?

Swipe to scroll horizontallyASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is priced very competitively considering the spec. The relatively low resolution is about the only sacrifice.

4 / 5

Design

It’s surprisingly thin and elegant for a gaming laptop, and it also appears built to a high standard

4 / 5

Performance

The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) delivers high frame rates in AAA titles with demanding settings, although it won’t handle max presets all that well, and the noise is bothersome.

4 / 5

Battery Life

It performed well in our series of battery benchmarks, and it’s fast to charge, too.

4 / 5

Total

The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) seems to have achieved its aim of delivering high performance at a relatively low price point, which makes it a tempting proposition for those on a budget – if they can put up with the noise.

4 / 5

Buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) if…

Don’t buy it if…

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Also Consider

How I tested the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)

  • Tested for a few days
  • Used for gaming and everyday tasks
  • Plentiful PC gaming hardware experience

I tested the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) for a couple of days, during which time I used it for gaming and everyday tasks such as typing and browsing.

I played various games, including Cyberpunk 2077, which is a demanding test for systems and remains a cutting-edge AAA experience. I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to assess the gaming, creative, and productivity credentials of PCs, as well as storage speeds and battery life.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I’ve experienced plenty of systems and hardware. I’ve also reviewed a number of laptops, from gaming machines to those designed for productivity and general use.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025): Price Comparison



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HONOR MagicBook Art 14 2025
Product Reviews

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025 ultrabook review

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025: 30-second review

The Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025 is a direct update to last year’s impressive MagicBook Art 14 2024, and as you would expect, it boosts almost every aspect of the specifications and performance.

The new model is just as slim and light; however, the performance takes a huge leap forward. When it comes to the performance, it’s worth noting that the “Art” is more in the name rather than indicating a creative focus for its use.

The ultrabook’s slimline profile and weight are key features, which meant that throughout the review period I was able to take it comfortably with me without it adding too much weight or bulk; an additional kilo really doesn’t feel like a great deal in a backpack.

There’s also the build quality to consider, which once again feels good and robust. The main chassis is made from aerospace-engineered magnesium alloy, while the keyboard utilises titanium. The ceramic-style surface also gives the machine one of the best aesthetic finishes I have seen, especially with the way it reflects the light.

Away from the build and style of the machine, the performance is equally impressive. Although the “Art” label is once again a little confusing, this really refers to the art of the machine rather than it being aimed at the creative market, such as the ASUS ProArt series.

This laptop is aimed at those looking for a high-end office, lifestyle or general machine that looks great and has a decent amount of power to match.

Through the benchmark and real-world tests, the high-level performance became apparent, and there was no doubt about just how good the new Intel Core Ultra CPUs are. Microsoft Office apps ran quickly, with the high-resolution display affording greater screen real estate for spreadsheets and Word documents. Likewise, utilising cloud-based office applications proved strong with a stable internet connection.

Used for general office work, the machine is exemplary, keeping up with demands placed on it as well as enabling superb audio for media playback. The integrated Arc graphics handled all day-to-day tasks with ease, although it did start to struggle under more intensive tasks such as video production and gaming.

However, as an office-focused machine that’s slimline, lightweight and looks great, there is little to fault in one of the best ultrabooks (and best-looking) on the market.

HONOR MagicBook Art 14 2025: Price & availability

  • How much does it cost? $950 / £950
  • When is it out? Available soon
  • Where can you get it? Widely available

The Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025 will be available soon with several different iterations. No US pricing is available yet, but in the UK, it’s retailing for £1499.99.

You can check it out on Honor’s official site by clicking here.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025: Design

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 225H / Ultra 7 255H
Graphics: Intel Arc Graphics 140T (integrated)
RAM: 32 GB LPDDR5x
Storage: 1 TB or 2 TB SSD
Left Ports: Webcam dock, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4
Right Ports: USB‑A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm audio
Connectivity: Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Audio: 6-speaker setup, DTS spatial audio
Camera: 1080p removable magnetic webcam
Size: 316.8 × 223.6 × 11.3 mm
Weight: 1.03 kg
OS installed: Windows 11 Home
Accessories: USB-C charger, cable, webcam, documentation

The quality of the build, style, design and materials really do stand out. Like the previous version that offered an attractive matte green surface, my review sample of the Art 2025 features a white ceramic finish that accents colours in different environments. It’s instantly striking, sometimes looking like a flat colour and other times as though there’s a gradient.

The size and weight of ultrabooks are always important factors, and here the machine measures 316.77 x 223.63mm x 11.5mm and weighs approximately 1.03kg, much the same as the previous version. Once again, the chassis is made from aerospace-grade magnesium alloy with a triangular topology that helps provide the strength of the design. Titanium alloy is used for the keyboard, and there’s an aluminium alloy fan inside, helping to keep the components cool while also keeping the weight down.

Around the edges of the machine, there’s a small but good selection of ports including USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, USB4/Thunderbolt 4, USB-A 3.0, HDMI 2.1 and 3.5mm audio jack.

The screen is one of the big features of this machine. At 14.6 inches with a resolution of 3120×2080, it’s also a touchscreen and offers a massive 1600 nits of brightness, making it a great solution for use at a café or other outdoor venue.

While the laptop isn’t designed for creative use, it still offers decent colour accuracy with 100% DCI-P3, 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 60/120Hz refresh rate.

Another feature I liked in the previous model that once again appears here is the removable webcam. This inserts into the side of the laptop and can be removed and popped on top as required. This means there’s no break in the screen or thick bezel to house the camera, it’s a great solution and one that obviously increases security as well.

On biometrics, the laptop features a dedicated fingerprint recognition key in the top right of the keyboard, enabling fast access when needed.

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Delving into the features of this ultrabook, there’s a little bit more to this machine than most. Firstly, there’s the ultra-slim design that houses the Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor 255H and integrated Intel Arc 140T GPU. The machine is available in a series of configurations depending on your needs, with the review sample featuring a 1TB SSD and 32GB of LPDDR5x 8400MT/s.

One of the fetaures that I liked when I reviewed the precious version was the small detachable magnetic webcam. While the quality is relatively low at 2.1MP and a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080, this is more than enough for most conference calls. What I do like is that it can also be placed to face forward or backwards.

The screen is superb and fully touchscreen, and the hinge has been designed to enable easy one-hand opening and offers a good range of movement, although it won’t lie fully flat.

In use, complementing the screen are the six small DTS audio speakers that give good depth of sound in line with other premium laptops.

Despite the sleek design, the keyboard and touchpad are full-sized, with only the up and down cursor key half sized. The touchpad is also large and responsive, with several preset gestures for volume, brightness, screenshots and more.

Alongside the impressive array of features, there’s enough processing potential to take the workflow beyond spreadsheets. As this machine offers the latest AI-enabled CPU, it can handle more than most machines of this size. HONOR has ensured the internal cooling can cope and it stays impressively quite at just 3dB.

Overall, when it comes to features, from aesthetics, build materials to ports and connectivity, this is a machine clearly focused on those looking for a premium work laptop with plenty of power.

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

CrystalDiskMark Read: 7114.89MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 6352.79MB/s
Geekbench CPU Multi: 2659
Geekbench CPU Single: 13615
Geekbench GPU: 32073
PCMark Overall: 5752
Cinebench CPU Multi: 14375
Cinebench CPU Single: 1970
Fire Strike Overall: 8436
Fire Strike Graphics: 9128
Fire Strike Physics: 27605
Fire Strike Combined: 3233
Time Spy Overall: 4323
Time Spy Graphics: 3933
Time Spy CPU: 9884
Wild Life Overall: 25169
Steel Nomad Overall: 839
Windows Experience Overall: 8.4

From the outset, the MagicBook Art 14 2025 impressed, especially with Windows 11 Home edition installed as standard. Opening apps and general use felt fast and responsive, and the quality of the screen and touchscreen responsiveness stood out.

One aspect that impressed me was the power of the small speakers, that despite the slim chassis, they delivered a decent depth of sound.

Opening large spreadsheets, I found that the increased resolution enabled easier viewing of more content than expected from a laptop this size. The screen throughout is a strong feature, with the 1600 nits maximum brightness allowing it to be seen in most situations, even outside a café. However, as is common with office-focused machines, the reflective surface did reduce visibility in bright environments.

For office and Windows-based tasks, including web browsing and multimedia playback, this machine performs as well as any I’ve used. This was reflected in a Windows Experience score of 8.4, one of the highest I’ve recorded.

RAM and storage are well balanced, and during testing, the machine easily handled switching between multiple apps. When using CapCut to edit a quick video, the speed of the SSD really stood out. While it doesn’t quite reach PCIe 5.0 speeds, with read speeds of 7114MB/s and write speeds of 6352.79MB/s, it is still one of the fastest laptop SSDs I’ve used, this also means it boots up exceptionally fast.

As I started to push the system further, the CPU performance boost became clear. The Cinebench Multi result of 14375 showed that CapCut, Lightroom and Photoshop were all handled easily. Even with multiple layers and high-resolution images from the Canon EOS R5 C, performance remained good. However, storage became an issue, and I needed an external SSD. Fortunately, the Thunderbolt 4 port enables ultrafast SSDs, such as the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5, to be connected.

Impressed by the image enhancement, I moved on to video editing. iPhone 15 Pro 4K footage was handled well in CapCut, allowing fast social media edits with some complexity. However, switching to Log3 footage from a Sony A7 IV pushed the machine to its limits, and performance began to falter.

Having reached the limits for work, I tested a few games. I was initially surprised that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle loaded, but while initially playable, there were plenty of dropped frames and frequent crashes. Other newer titles also struggled, though I did manage a round of DiRT Rally.

When pushed, the fans do kick in, but they remain well-balanced and quiet.

The final note is on the 60W battery, which provided around 4 to 6 hours during multimedia, office and light creative work. For pure office use, I’d expect closer to the quoted 10 hours. Gaming would naturally yield much less.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

HONOR MagicBook Art 14 2025: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025 is an impressive ultrabook that will suit anyone looking for a powerful, premium machine for office and general use.

The aesthetics are stunning, and I think that this is one of the best-looking ultrabooks available, with a slimline design and lightweight build that means it will easily slip into a backpack or laptop bag without adding much bulk.

In the office or on the move, there are plenty of connectivity options, and while there’s no network port, Wi-Fi speed and signal strength proved impressive during testing.

In use, the screen really impressed with its large, bright, crisp display and touchscreen functionality. I just wish it would fold flat or, better yet, fold over to be used as a straight tablet.

The power for most tasks is impressive. As long as you don’t plan on playing the latest games or editing high-bitrate, high-resolution video, it can handle most creative applications. When it comes to Windows and Microsoft Office, this laptop handles everything with ease with the best Windows Experience score I’ve seen which was ultimately reflected in the real world use.

If you’re after a premium ultrabook, the MagicBook Art 14 2025 is a great option.

Should I buy a HONOR MagicBook Art 14 2025?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Value

A premium laptop with a price and build quality to match

4

Design

The materials ensure that the laptop remains lightweight and strong, with one of the nicest finishes I’ve seen

5

Features

A strong set of features for a powerful laptop for general use, while remaining compact

5

Performance

Keeping in mind this is a high-performance office machine, it supplies power where needed

4.5

Overalls

Outstanding machine for office and general use with a great look and premium feel

4.5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

For more professional picks, we’ve reviewed the best business computers and best business laptops around.

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025: Price Comparison



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Kirby Star-Crossed World Review - Forgotten Land Gets Bigger, Only Slightly Better
Game Reviews

Kirby Star-Crossed World Review – Forgotten Land Gets Bigger, Only Slightly Better

by admin



Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World occupies a strange space in the spate of Switch 2 upgrades. Its upgrades to the original game are relatively modest, offering small performance improvements to a game that already ran well in the first place. But its new content is among the most expansive, consisting of a new mini-campaign that threads itself through original stages and culminates in even tougher challenges than in the main game. It doesn’t revitalize the experience in the same way that the Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom upgrades do on Switch 2. Instead, it adds even more of what made the original so great.

When you start up your existing save in Star-Crossed World, you’ll be greeted by a new island centered on an ominous dark heart, the Fallen Star Volcano. Helpless Starry creatures have been scattered throughout the world, and at the same time, star crystals have fallen that transformed stages and enemies, so being the helpful demigod that he is, Kirby volunteers to rescue the Starries.

Functionally, this means revisiting stages from the original Forgotten Land that have been given new crystalized variants. Those alternative stages coexist along the originals, so they can be selected separately. There are usually two crystal stages per world, making this new campaign about one-third the size of the original campaign. And while pieces of the stages will be recognizable, they mostly feel extremely different. You access new parts of stages by activating crystal touchpoints, which make new crystalline paths to follow.

The crystal effect gives the stages a lovely sparkling feel that looks a little better than the original Switch game. Though not a massive improvement, it’s a nice enhancement that helps the Switch 2 upgrade feel worthwhile. The one drawback is that this crystal effect is the commonality throughout all the stages, which has the result of making the stages visually similar. There’s still variance when you’re following a crystal path through a neon-lit casino versus a craggy volcano, of course, but the crystals mean they look more alike than in the original game.

The Star-Crossed stages largely offer similar challenges to the original, with some tougher enemies that seem primed for the abilities you’ve probably upgraded from the original game. As in the original, the standout are the “mouthful” segments, like a giant gear that lets you climb up across walls or a sandwich board that turns on its side to let you glide down a hill snowboard-style. Those are some of the most inventive and challenging segments across both games, and they’re sprinkled in just enough to make them feel special. The new mouthful forms do accentuate the lack of any new copy abilities for Kirby, though.

The new stages are littered with Starries–you get them for completing the stage but also find hidden ones scattered around, and get rewarded with a Starry for completing hidden objectives. For more experienced players, I found it fun to thoroughly scour stages and try to get them all–or as many as I could–on my first try. Nintendo falls back on its old habits by gating progress behind your current Starry count, but there’s plenty of reason to replay stages to find all of the little creatures. And if you’re really struggling, you can visit a Waddle-Dee in your home base to get tips on hunting down any that you’re missing. Another Waddle-Dee revives the gacha mechanic with trophies of the new environments and crystalized enemies, giving you something to spend the new Starry coins on.

Kirby and Elfilin look out at Fallen Star Volcano

Gallery

As you progress through the Star-Crossed World, the dark heart at the center of the Fallen Star Volcano slowly gets enveloped in crystals. Once you’ve finished the regular Starry stages, a new challenge opens that may even be tougher than anything in the main Forgotten Land campaign. It’s a surprisingly sudden difficulty spike, albeit one that felt like a nice end-cap to the entire Forgotten Land experience.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World takes an already-great game and gives you more of it. The upgrade doesn’t feel as essential as the Zelda Switch 2 Edition games, because those helped ambitious games run more smoothly and fully realize their original potential. But it is more substantial than either of those, by nature of adding new story content and stages to explore. Kirby and the Forgotten Land was already a platforming buffet, and this add-on is a great reason to go back for seconds.



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MSI Datamag stuck to a metal support
Product Reviews

MSI Datamag portable SSD review

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

MSI Datamag: 30-second review

The MSI Datamag is a rare portable SSD that combines real-world speed with a genuinely useful design twist. The 20Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface keeps transfers moving fast and in testing the drive very comfortably met and exceeded its rated read and write speeds.

It’s quick to launch projects, back up big shoots and handle transfer tasks without fuss and is a notable step above 10Gbps rivals that top out under 1,000MB/s.

The standout feature is the magnetic mount. Snap it to an iPhone or any MagSafe-compatible case or use the included stick-on rings to park it on laptops, rigs or consoles. Cable management is easy thanks to the included short and long USB-C leads plus a USB-C to USB-A adapter for older gear.

The compact square shell uses aluminum as a heat spreader and the finned edges help the drive stay cool in sustained work. In extended stress runs I saw consistent throughput and no throttling.

Two quick caveats: you need a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port for full speed and there’s no stated IP rating, so treat it as a tough metal portable drive rather than a truly ruggedized model.

The MSI Datamag uses a metal shell and connects via USB-C, though includes an adapter to USB-A (Image credit: Future)

  • MSI Datamag (1TB SSD) at Newegg for $105.44

Price and availability vary by region but it generally compares well for the performance on offer – especially considering the five-year warranty that adds some extra peace of mind.

If you want a compact fast drive that mounts neatly on a phone or workstation without extra fuss, the Datamag is an easy pick for everyday use. You can pay more for flagship USB4 drives that are a shade quicker or spend less on 10Gbps options but few match the overall blend of speed, thermals and magnetic attachment convenience.

MSI Datamag: Pricing and availability

  • How much does it cost? 2TB: $160 / £160 / AU$269
  • When is it out? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in most major markets including the US, UK and Australia

The MSI Datamag 20Gbps isn’t always stocked at all retailers, so start with your local MSI website and its Where to Buy page or check your country’s authorized retail partners for current options.

It’s generally easier to find in Australia and the UK while US availability varies by capacity and retailer.

In the MagSafe-friendly portable SSD niche there are only a few direct rivals and among 20Gbps-class drives the Datamag is competitive, but some almost as fast models do undercut it on price.

The MSI Datamag uses a tough aluminum shell (Image credit: Future)

MSI Datamag: Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Model No.

S78-440Q870-P83

Controller

Phison PS2251-U18

Capacities

1TB / 2TB / 4TB

Capacity tested

2TB

Tested sequential performance (Read/Write)

1642 / 1514 MB/s

Connection

USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20Gbps) on USB-C

IP Rating

None

Dimensions

66 x 66 x 13 mm (W x H x D)

Weight

81g

Power source

USB-bus power

Warranty

5-year limited warranty

MSI Datamag: Design

  • MagSafe compatible
  • USB-C with USB-A adapter
  • Aluminum heatsink

The Datamag looks and feels purpose-built rather than being just another generic plastic-wrapped portable SSD. MSI uses a compact square footprint with trimmed corners and a radial brushed top that keeps fingerprints in check and gives the logo a low-key finish.

The aluminum enclosure doubles as a heat spreader and the ribbed edge detailing is more than cosmetic, helping the drive shed heat during long writes. It’s a tidy pocketable shape that doesn’t snag cables in a bag and the single USB-C port sits flush so it’s easy to pack.

The headline design trick is the magnetic mounting system. On an iPhone or any MagSafe compatabile phone (and that now includes the Pixel 10 thanks to Pixelsnap) it snaps on securely and for non-magnetic surfaces MSI includes two stick-on metal rings in black and white. That makes the Datamag handy on varied rigs, claptops, consoles and other devices since you can park it exactly where you want it and keep the cable strain-free.

MSI also bundles both long and short USB-C cables plus a USB-C to USB-A adapter, so you can go access it on older devices, or just have a bit of versatility when you run out of ports. The lanyard loop in the corner is a small but smart touch for tethering for extra security.

At 66 x 66 x 13mm (2.60 x 2.60 x 0.51 inches) and 81g (0.179lb), the Datamag carries a reassuring heft without feeling bulky. The square puck format spreads weight across a phone well, so it stays put during handheld shooting and the rounded edges keep it comfortable against a palm.

There’s no stated IP rating, so treat it as a solid metal portable rather than a true rugged drive. Overall the design is simple, durable and very practical.

Image 1 of 2

The MSI Datamag comes with two stick-on magnetic rings for attaching it to any surface. (Image credit: Future)The MSI Datamag is MagSafe compatible so can be attached to device like iPhones(Image credit: Future)

MSI Datamag: Performance

  • Great performance
  • No throttling

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Rated sequential read

1600 MB/s

Rated sequential write

1500 MB/s

ATTO peak read

1660 MB/s

ATTO peak write

1860 MB/s

Sustained read in Windows

1642 MB/s

Sustained write in Windows

1514 MB/s

Thermal throttling in 30-minute read/write test

None

Aside from magnetic wizardry, performance is the Datamag’s calling card and the 20Gbps USB interface and Phison PS2251-U18 controller deliver impressive throughput.

In the ATTO benchmark I saw peaks of 1,660MB/s reads and 1,860MB/s writes, while sustained transfers in Windows managed 1,642MB/s read and 1,514MB/s write. That’s comfortably above the rated 1,600 / 1,500MB/s and well ahead of 10Gbps rivals like the SanDisk Extreme and Samsung T7 that top out near 1,000MB/s. In comparison, higher-tier 20Gbps options such as the SanDisk Extreme Pro can read a touch faster at around 1,900MB/s and of course USB4 drives are even faster.

The aluminum body with finned edges helped keep temps in check and I saw no throttling in a 30-minute mixed read and write run. For large media copies, camera offloads and scratch disk use the Datamag feels snappy and dependable under load.

MSI Datamag: Final verdict

MSI’s Datamag is a portable SSD that feels ready for real-world workloads. It’s fast in everyday tasks, doesn’t slow down on long transfers and stays cool thanks to the metal shell.

The square pocketable design is easy to carry every day and the magnetic mount and included rings make it quick to attach to a phone or other equipment.

Pricing is decent for the class and the five-year warranty is a great bonus. If you want speed with a smart attachment system, the Datamag delivers dependable 20Gbps performance in a compact easy-to-mount package.

Should I buy the MSI Datamag?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Value

Well priced considering the features

4.5 / 5

Design

Sturdy metal build with magnetic attachment

4 / 5

Performance

Excellent read / write speeds with no throttling

4.5 / 5

Overall

A very unique and handy drive with performance to match

4.5 / 5

The MSI Datamag has chunky fins in the aluminum shell to aid cooling (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

For more options, we’ve tested out the fastest external SSDs you can get right now.

MSI Datamag: Price Comparison



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Agent 47 peers through window blinders at his target.
Game Reviews

Hitman World Of Assassination Review: Stealth At Its Best

by admin


My favorite moment in the nearly 100 hours I’ve spent with Hitman World of Assassination arrived right around the 80-hour mark. I had been on a terrible streak in Freelancer, the game’s roguelike mode. Sloppy in my stealth and assassination skills, I’d taken out my target, but was seen doing it–and I still needed to extract. Freelancer mode sometimes requires messiness, a willingness to just get the job done by any means necessary. That’s hard for someone prone to perfectionism such as myself. And I had been too messy this time. Now the guards are after me, popping off shots as I race down the corridors of a fancy hotel in Thailand. I duck into an empty bedroom to hide. The doors burst open; the guards have followed me. I move around the corner, just out of sight.

A lone guard wanders into the room, my gun’s sights following his head as he moves. If he sees me, I’ll need to pull the trigger with haste and precision. There’s obviously no bullet-time mechanic in Hitman, but the rush of adrenaline, of needing to stay alive so as to not ruin my streak of successful kills and keep the excellent equipment I’ve found on this run, make every second feel like an eternity. My gun continues to trace this guard’s head. I realize that if I pull the trigger, I’ll also need to contend with the three guards in the adjacent room. I imagine what that will look like. Several contingency plans run through my head as I consider the myriad ways I can escape this situation, and just how ugly things might get if I need to do so with guns blazing.

The guard leaves the room. They didn’t see me. I see the rest of the guards leave my immediate area on the map and breathe a sigh of relief. I have time now to wait for the alarms to go quiet. But my disguise as a hotel worker has been compromised. I sneak into the adjacent room and grab the one guard who has yet to leave, knock him out, and steal his clothes. I tuck his body out of sight and mosey onto the extraction point as I watch folks drag some of the poor bastards who got in my way out in body bags. I extract. There were a million ways this all could’ve gone down, but on this particular run, this was the story that the various elements of the emergent sandbox that is Hitman told. I return to my residence, load up another job and prepare as best I can, though I have no idea how the next one will turn out.

© Screenshot: IOI / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

Hitman World of Assassination is an epic package of three single-player campaigns, a variety of challenges both developer- and user-made strewn across several maps in its Contracts mode, and a riveting roguelike experience called Freelancer that aims to simulate the ultimate fantasy of assuming the role of the world’s most deadly assassin, with the worst members of society right in his crosshairs.

The WoA update followed the release of 2021’s Hitman 3. The three recent and excellent campaigns from 2016 onwards are well-preserved, improved even, with tweaks made to the gameplay formula over the years. It makes for an excellent source of nearly endless stealth challenges using Hitman’s elegantly violent interplay of sneaking, subterfuge, stalking, stabbing, suffocating, and shooting. The violence sometimes takes on a comical role (one mission had me throwing butcher knives into the skulls of guards while wearing a friggin’ rabbit mask), but aside from some gentle sci-fi elements, the fiction is grounded in a dark reality that mirrors our own. It’s a world of brutal corporate powers, state actors with ill intentions, and secret societies aiming to construct a global order that secures the places of the rich and powerful while leaving the rest of us to be ignored or, in some cases, much worse. Agent 47 finds himself, along with his handler Diana, in a position to deal back some justice. A single assassination won’t itself change the world, but a continued pattern that strikes fear into the hearts of those who otherwise would never know it? Delivering that is your role as this mysterious, red-tye-wearing man with a barcode tattoo on the back of his head.

Deadly wetwork

Hitman’s stealth is incredibly satisfying, though its mechanics are slightly less sophisticated than what you’d find in something like Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Solid V. Your footsteps, for example, won’t give you away nearly as much as they would for a Sam Fisher. But much as I enjoy the challenge of a more realistic stealth sim, realism is not always a prerequisite for a good time. (Metal Gear Solid, after all, didn’t have enemies hearing your footsteps until Snake Eater.) Besides, Hitman itself isn’t short on the challenge of remaining unseen, or, in Agent 47’s case, only being seen while wearing someone else’s clothes. The game otherwise contains many stealth trappings you’ve seen in other games: lockers and boxes to hide in, tall grass to duck under, the chore of hiding unconscious or dead bodies. In my 100 or so hours with the game, resources like tall grass don’t feel as easy to exploit as they do in, say, an Assassin’s Creed or Horizon game, but there’s still a familiar pattern here with their inclusion.

© Screenshot: IOI / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

I dove into World of Assassination by starting with the campaigns, Hitman (2016), Hitman 2, and Hitman 3. Hitman’s campaigns can make for a solid introduction, but the story-based mission structure can detract from the more-unscripted, stealth sandbox that beats at the heart of this game. On normal difficulties, each mission will prompt you with a suggestion to follow a narrative thread that, while often containing some very well-written and amusing story material, can feel a little on rails. These scenarios, often, rely on you changing outfits to disguise yourself, so you’re not so much sneaking around corners as you are committing a serious case of identity theft. Furthermore, when in an alerted state, Agent 47 can die rather quickly, so straying from that path can feel intimidating. The narrative moments are often well written and amusing, so it’s a good time, just not the kind of shadowy wetwork I tend to gravitate to.

It can be hard to get out of a bad situation. Hitman’s environments, typically, are well populated, often packed with civilians who are quick to run to a guard if they catch you doing something weird, or even if they spot you walking around with a butcher knife. The places you’re infiltrating are unassuming locations for the most part: a dance club, an upscale hospital, a fashion show. And you always have a target, typically one who has a nefarious agenda. Even the game’s roguelike Freelancer mode, which reuses maps from the story-based campaigns, gives you targets who follow a routine. And the more challenging missions of that mode require you to pick your target out of a group of wandering suspects, looking for tells based on intel you’re given at the start. So your job involves more than just getting into some well-guarded area without drawing attention to yourself; you also need to find the right opportunity to take action after studying the behavior of your targets and determining the most efficient, or most hilarious, means of killing them. You’re going to need to adhere to some kind of structure for yourself, a routine of how you engage with enemies, how you manage your inventory, how you enter and leave rooms, and when you choose to open fire as opposed to running away. Improvisation is often only as good as the discipline you practice leading up to moments of uncertainty.

That, to me, is key to what makes Hitman and many other stealth games work: It’s the joy of adhering to form, of approaching situations cautiously, with awareness, so that you’re prepared to respond to anything with a degree of competency and strategy, always aiming to get the situation under your control as opposed to just reacting to incoming action like you typically do in a standard shooter. Sure, Hitman’s gunplay is smooth enough that you can get into some John Wick-esque situations, but you’re bordering on a fail state when you do (though it’s also extremely easy to line up shots if you can force guards into a choke point where they can’t easily flank you).

© Screenshot: IOI / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

Always having that central objective, your target(s), helps direct the stealth gameplay into something meaningful. You’re not just sneaking for the thrill of breaking into some place you’re not supposed to be: You have a purpose, and that purpose isn’t a static thing that will never move. Playing Hitman well is about juggling time management, staying hidden, staying focused, and having a willingness to exploit an opportunity that you may not have expected.

And while the main campaigns are satisfying (though I found the nuances of the plot a little hard to follow, especially during Hitman 2), its roguelike mode, Freelancer, is where I’ve spent the majority of my time and will continue to do so. It’s a wildly compulsive forever-game that I still struggle to put down, even after hitting a three-digit hour count.

That said, there are some pain points worth mentioning. To start, Agent 47 is slow. His “sprint” is a jog at best and it feels a little strange sometimes that you can’t just book it to the exit when you’re under fire. Having a faster sprint might really interrupt the flow of the game, so I get not having it, but it still feels off. There’s also a weird issue where if you grab an enemy while climbing the stairs, even if you’re directly behind them, you’ll almost always get spotted by them and thus ruin a Silent Assassin run. Also, needing to use a thrown object to make noise and distract an enemy feels silly, as if Agent 47 couldn’t whistle or knock on a wall. And lastly, you’ll probably make a ton of use of Agent 47’s see-through-walls “Instinct.” Not only am I not a fan of this feature in modern stealth games as I feel it removes a huge part of the challenge of keeping track of your enemies, but it also coats the screen in a dull gray tone that isn’t pleasant to look at. For a feature that gets used so much, it could’ve used something with a bit of a cooler color. Make it blue and a little shimmery or something, I dunno. Anything but the monotone gray.

Hitman World of Assassination

  • Back-of-the-box quote:

    “Because Mario ain’t gonna get it done!”

  • Developer:

    IO Interactive

  • Type of game:

    Third-person stealth action game.

  • Liked:

    Endless variety of stealth challenges, engaging risk/reward experience in Freelancer.

  • Disliked

    Reliance on “Instinct” view mode, sandbox can sometimes be unpredictable.

  • Release date:

    January 2023: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs (played) June 2025: Switch 2 August 2025: iOS (in episodic form)

  • Played:

    100 hours through the three campaigns, Freelancer, and other challenges.

To be fair, some of these omissions, such as sprinting fast or wall–knocking, would make for a very different game if they were present. Not being able to knock on walls or whistle, as you can in other stealth games, means you need to interact with the game’s item sandbox more. And not being able to run means there’s no get-out-of-jail-free card if you screw up. It makes sense when you consider these omissions as intentional parts of the game’s design, but when three guards are hot on your heels popping off shots, it’s hard not to think, “Why the hell can’t I run?” Oh, you also can’t swim, but that’s okay.

The joys of the Freelance lifestyle

Like most roguelikes, or extraction shooters for that matter, Hitman’s Freelancer mode tasks you with heading into hostile territory to get a job done and come out alive. Fail your mission and you lose all the sweet gear you have on you. And Hitman isn’t short on sweet gear.

© Screenshot: IOI / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

The overall flow works like this: You’ll choose from a list of potential crime syndicates to go after. Each has a bit of fictional dressing on the side that isn’t explored much beyond an initial description that you’re going after human traffickers or organ harvesters. There’s an undeniable Batman quality to the work you’re doing, and after some successful missions, your handler will remark that your actions will make others “think twice before turning to a life of crime.”

But Agent 47 isn’t Batman and isn’t content to just beat up his targets. No, he kills them. And each syndicate has a series of challenges to take on for each kill. These can range from things like only killing targets or only using silenced weapons to earning the Silent Assassin status for never being seen during your run, and more. Some challenges, like using explosives, shotguns, or other loud things, toss stealth out the window in favor of something a bit more daring. I tend not to do these as much since I prefer a stealthier playstyle, but Hitman can be a surprisingly fun run-and-gun game as well, albeit one that usually exists in short bursts as either you or your enemies are likely to go down pretty quickly. You can also stack some prestige challenges on top, which will ask you to use specific weaponry, never change your suit, or kill a target in a specific way.

Sometimes these tasks step on each other. For example, asking me to get a melee kill but then also asking that I only get headshots on my enemies doesn’t exactly work. Each challenge grants money you can spend to purchase better gear, so it’s a bummer when you fail one, but sometimes you have to fail it if it means getting out alive and not losing your progress. That risk of losing progress by failing the mission, which will see you lose all the gear you have on you, means that you’ll need to be prepared to abandon a challenge if it’s asking too much. That risk and reward, combined with the scarcity of the weapons makes each gun you earn feel valuable, and it plays a significant role in how you prepare for each mission.

A silenced sniper rifle, or even a silenced pistol, for example, is an incredibly useful tool. But maybe you know a certain level so well that, when a mission takes you there, you can leave those good weapons at your hideout for when you really need them on a more challenging assignment. Maybe it’s wise to save them for the more intense “showdowns,” where you have to spend more time studying the suspects to determine if they’re the target.

© Screenshot: IOI / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

While the behavior of your standard targets in Freelance mode follows the flow of a Hitman level as it typically pans out, “showdown” missions lead up to a–you guessed it–showdown with a syndicate leader, who will be one of a few different suspects. You’ll learn what they’re wearing, what they’re likely to do during their mission, and what tells will give them away, such as whether they’re prone to allergies, like to smoke, or tend to pace nervously. It’s a fun game of cat and mouse in which you have to figure out who amongst the crowd is your mouse.

Overall, the endless nature of this roguelike mode, packed with its healthy number of maps and a seemingly limitless way they can be used with different targets, weapons, and items, keeps the environments you’ll play over and over again feeling fresh. And the thrill of maintaining momentum on a run, especially as you increase your arsenal, makes for a rewarding game loop that can trap you for hours.

As a veteran of many stealth games, Hitman’s endlessly unpredictable roguelike mode is what appeals to me the most. It’s an experience I can’t easily replicate elsewhere. But there are other challenges that are definitely worth exploring in the World of Assassination package as well, especially as they’ll help you better learn maps and strategies for staying unseen.

Arcade mode, for example, sees you taking on “Elusive Targets,” who, upon failure, can’t be pursued again for several real-world hours. Many of them are only available during certain times as well. These targets might also have specific ways they’ll need to be killed or their levels may come with unique constraints. Contracts mode features both preset and user-made contracts from any of the game’s many levels, often with optional challenges such as the need to use a sniper rifle or explosive device, or to execute someone while wearing a specific disguise.

I haven’t spent nearly as much time on these modes, but they can serve as helpful ways to practice very specific ways of playing, which will teach you skills and techniques that’ll come in handy across any of the game’s modes.

© Screenshot: IOI / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

Hitman World of Assassination offers up an exquisite buffet-style set of amusing and challenging stealth challenges with such an abundance as to be virtually endless. The moment-to-moment stealth gameplay is as challenging as it is rewarding. Agent 47 may feel a little stiffer and slower than someone like Venom Snake from MGSV, but once you get used to the pacing of Hitman, it reveals itself as an engaging stealth game that invites mastery over its interlocking and sometimes unpredictable systems. Time spent in this game is about getting better at the game itself, not just unlocking and collecting cool suits. Whether emerging victorious or suffering defeat, playing the role of Agent 47 is a thrilling and challenging experience that can last for countless hours.



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Razer Blade 18
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Razer Blade 18 review: World-class gaming, priced to match

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Even among top-tier gaming laptops, the Razer Blade 18 stands out with a winning combination of luxury design and raw power. Starting at $3,499 and reaching $5,199 in our fully loaded test unit, it’s clearly not for anyone on a budget. But for those willing to spend a lot, it does a lot to earn its premium, with desktop-like performance, superior build quality, and high-end features like Thunderbolt 5. Its dual-mode display (4K at 240 Hz or FHD at 440 Hz) is an especially unique touch. So while you could spend less and still get one of the best gaming laptops, no other portable blends luxury and capability quite like Blade 18.

Design of the Razer Blade 18

Razer’s laptops have stayed true to their signature design over the years, and for good reason. While no longer groundbreaking, the look remains distinctive, striking a confident balance of high-performance aesthetics without being garish. Familiar hallmarks include the illuminated lid logo, sharp keyboard backlighting that glows from the shadows, and an oversized touchpad.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

  • Razer Blade 18 (1TB 32GB RAM) at Amazon for $4,999

The Blade 18’s chassis is CNC-milled from a solid block of aluminum, resulting in a build that looks and feels exceptional. It exhibits almost no flex, even in the large lid, and the anodized coating helps preserve its color over time.

At 15.74 x 10.84 x 1.1 inches, the Blade 18 is roughly the size of a cafeteria tray. That’s still slimmer and lighter than the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, which measures 15.9 x 12.08 x 1.26 inches and weighs 7.93 pounds, versus the Blade 18’s 7.06 pounds. Still, comparing these two is a bit like debating which elephant is smaller – both are massive machines, clearly built for stationary power rather than true portability.

Razer’s Synapse app allows lighting customization for both the keyboard and lid logo. Flip the laptop over, and you’ll find a first for Razer – a transparent window showcasing the vapor chamber that cools the CPU and GPU, accented by LED lighting. Alienware has done something quite similar with its latest Area 51 laptops. Synapse also allows different lighting settings while on battery. Note that Synapse prevents the lighting from being seen by the Windows Dynamic Lighting app, but this can be overridden.

Image credit: Tom’s Hardware

Image credit: Tom’s Hardware

The Blade 18’s versatile connections start on the left edge, with two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) ports, a Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) port, a 3.5 mm audio jack, a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet jack, and Razer’s proprietary power connector. On the right, you’ll find a Thunderbolt 4 port, an additional USB-A port, an HDMI 2.1 output, and an SD card reader. A Kensington lock slot is tucked into the rear corner for added security. Internally, the laptop offers an Intel BE202 card that supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 wireless.

Razer Blade 18 Specifications

Swipe to scroll horizontally

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX

Graphics

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU (24GB GDDR7, 175 W maximum graphics power, 1,597 MHz boost clock)

Memory

64GB DDR5-5600 (2x 32GB SO-DIMM)

Storage

2x 2TB SSD (Lexar NM790)

Display

18-inch, IPS, 16:10, dual mode (3840 x 2400 at 240 Hz or 1920 x 1200 at 440Hz)

Networking

Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE202, Bluetooth 5.4

Ports

3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, SD card reader

Camera

5MP IR

Battery

99 WHr

Power Adapter

400 W (proprietary connector)

Operating System

Windows 11 Home

Dimensions (WxDxH)

15.74 x 10.84 x 1.1 inches (400 x 275 x 28 mm)

Weight

7.06 pounds (3.10 kg)

Price (as configured)

$5,199.99

Today’s best Razer Blade 18 (2025) deals

Gaming and Graphics on the Razer Blade 18

We tested the Blade 18 equipped with a Core Ultra 275HX processor, GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, and 64GB of DDR5-5600 RAM. With this loadout, it’s hardly surprising the Blade 18 made short work of our benchmark suite.

To test the Blade 18, I played Crysis Remastered at 3840 x 2400 with all visual quality settings maximized, seeing 95 to over 100 frames per second (FPS) in open areas and low-to-mid-80s in forests and more complex scenes. The game was exceptionally smooth and looked outstanding on the Blade’s display.

Now for our formal testing. The Blade 18’s main competitor is the MSI Titan 18 HX AI ($6,379 as tested), which offers the same GPU but a slightly upclocked Core Ultra 9 285HX. We also included two 16-inch laptops: the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (Core Ultra 9 275HX, RTX 5080 175 W, $3,299 as tested) and Razer’s own Blade 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, RTX 5090 160 W, $4,499 as tested). Uniquely, the Blade 16 pairs a lower-wattage Ryzen chip with an RTX 5090.

All laptops are tested at 1920 x 1080, but we also included test runs at the native resolution for each laptop: 3840 x 2400 for our Blade 18 and the Titan 18, and 2560 x 1600 for the Asus and Blade 16.

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Beginning with Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the Highest detail preset, the Blade 18 led the pack at 1080p with an impressive 213 FPS, while the Titan 18 followed closely with 196 FPS. The Asus (177 FPS) and the Blade 16 (166 FPS) weren’t in contention. At the 4K resolution, performance significantly dropped, with the Blade 18 managing a still-playable 75 FPS and the Titan 18 reaching 68 FPS.

In our most demanding test, Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing Ultra preset, the Blade 18 once again secured the pole position at 1080p, delivering 74 FPS, while the Titan 18 followed closely with 71 FPS. The Asus and Blade 16 trailed with respective finishes of 61 FPS and 66 FPS. At 4K, the performance was nearly identical, with the Blade 18 reaching 22 FPS and the Titan 18 hitting 21 FPS.

In Far Cry 6 on the Ultra preset, the Blade 18 continued to top the 1080p charts, delivering 122 FPS, with the MSI close behind at 115 FPS. The Asus followed with 112 FPS, and the Blade 16 trailed at 97 FPS. At 4K, the performance drop was less pronounced in this game, with the Blade 18 at 81 FPS and the MSI at 75 FPS.

In Red Dead Redemption 2 (Medium preset), the Blade 18 produced 132 FPS at 1080p, easily outpacing the only other laptop to complete that resolution, the Blade 16 (94 FPS). It also took top honors at 4K, with 53 FPS versus the MSI’s 50 FPS at 4K.

Last, in Borderlands 3 at the game’s “badass” detail preset, we see the Blade 18 again finished on top at 1080p, producing 189 FPS versus the MSI’s 183 FPS, and outgunning the Asus’ 156 FPS. (Note that we don’t have numbers for the Blade 16 on this test.) It also went on to lead the MSI at 4K, with 76 versus 73 FPS.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

We use Metro Exodus as our gaming laptop stress test. We achieved an average of 143.06 frames per second (FPS) at 1080p across 15 loops using the RTX benchmark preset, with almost no variance between runs, suggesting stable thermal performance.

Summing it up, the Blade 18 demonstrated the highest level of gaming performance we’ve yet seen in a gaming laptop, edging out the massive Titan 18 in every test. While the performance difference likely wouldn’t be noticeable in real-world gaming, the Razer is over $1,000 less expensive than the MSI as tested (though it’s still not remotely affordable for most of us).

The Razer’s other hidden card is its dual-mode display. If a game happens to be too demanding at 4K, or you simply want the smoothest possible experience, it natively supports 1920 x 1200 via a toggle in the Razer Synapse app, which unlocks a near-liquid 440 Hz refresh rate. (See the display section for more.)

Productivity Performance on the Razer Blade 18

We tested the Blade 18 with a Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, 64GB of DDR5-5600 RAM (2x 32GB SO-DIMM modules), and two 2TB SSDs. The SSDs are separate drives in Windows (non-RAID) and are identical (Lexar NM790 in our test unit).

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Geekbench 6 synthetic CPU benchmark saw the Blade 18 topping the single-core scores with 3,127 points, leading the Asus’ 3,071 points and the MSI’s 3,046 points. It took second place in multi-core, producing 20,220 versus the MSI’s commanding 22,082 points. The Core Ultra 9 HX chips in those laptops are clearly faster than the Blade 16’s AMD chip, which finished last with 16,025 multi-core points.

The Blade 18 completed our 4K-to-1080p Handbrake video transcoding test in 2 minutes and 7 seconds, slightly behind MSI’s leading time of 1 minute and 55 seconds, but ahead of Asus at 2 minutes and 24 seconds, and notably faster than the Blade 16, which took 3 minutes and 5 seconds.

In our 25GB file transfer test, the Blade 18’s primary storage drive averaged 1,890.68 MBps, comparable to the Asus at 1,841.41 MBps, and clearly ahead of the Blade 16’s 1,729.51 MBps. MSI remained in a league of its own, thanks to its PCIe 5.0 SSD, which delivered an unmatched average of 2,635.57 MBps. Notably, the Blade 18 does not offer a PCIe 5.0 SSD out of the box, though you won’t notice the difference when loading and playing games. (If you want PCIe 5.0, you’ll have to bring your own drive. See the upgradeability section, below.)

Display on the Razer Blade 18

The Blade 18’s 16:10 display offers dual native modes: 3840 x 2400 at 240 Hz or 1920 x 1200 at a blistering 440 Hz. You can toggle between them in Razer Synapse, though a restart is required to apply the change. Although it’s possible to switch the display resolution in Windows, that doesn’t change the display’s operating mode, which is done at a deeper hardware or driver level.

Unlike typical LCDs, which tend to blur when running at non-native resolutions, Razer’s panel retains sharpness and clarity regardless of the selected mode. FHD on an 18-inch panel doesn’t look as crisp as 4K since you can almost make out the individual pixels, but that’s expected. The only usability issue I encountered when switching modes was that the Windows zoom level stays the same when between resolutions. For instance, I had it at 175% while in 4K, but it stayed this way when I switched to FHD, where I reduced it to 100%. It’s an extra step in the process.

Picture quality is excellent in either mode. While I found the mini-LED display on the MSI Titan HX AI to be much brighter, the Blade 18’s display isn’t lacking for luminance or visual fidelity. Watching Stranger Things, the strong contrast revealed eerie details in shadowy lab scenes, while vibrant colors popped, especially on Dustin’s hat and the Scoops Ahoy uniforms. In Crysis Remastered, the rich color and contrast heightened immersion in lush jungles and shimmering oceans. Switching to FHD at 440 Hz, I fired up Star Wars: Squadrons to get a taste of what a few hundred FPS feels like. The fluid, stutter-free image felt almost like liquid in motion.

The Blade 18 uses Nvidia Advanced Optimus to shift between the Intel CPU’s integrated graphics and the dedicated RTX GPU to save energy. Gamers seeking minimal input lag can force exclusive use of the Nvidia GPU in the Nvidia Control Panel. On the color front, the Syanpse app offers many profile options, including native, DCI-P3, sRGB, REC.709, Adobe RGB, and custom. Notably, Razer factory calibrates the display and includes the calibration report in Syanpse.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Among these laptops, only the Blade 18 and the Asus feature IPS panels, both delivering similar performance with near-complete DCI-P3 color coverage and brightness levels approaching 500 nits. The Blade 16’s OLED panel stands out for its vibrant color reproduction, though it falls slightly short in brightness. In contrast, the MSI’s mini-LED display operates on a different level, reaching a peak brightness of 729.3 nits while matching the Blade 18’s color fidelity. So while the Blade 18 may not lead in any single metric, it still delivers outstanding overall image quality, and offers the dual mode feature described above.

Keyboard and Touchpad on the Razer Blade 18

Previous Razer laptops I reviewed had modern-looking but stiff, shallow keyboards. The Blade 18 maintains the modern look but significantly improves the feel, thanks to a satisfying 1.5 mm of key travel. Although the switches aren’t mechanical, they provide crisp and accurate action – I could easily tell when the keys registered, and sufficient cushioning at the bottom of the keystroke prevents fatigue during long typing sessions. I nearly matched my personal best in MonkeyType, achieving 118 words per minute.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

In terms of layout, I appreciated the full-size top row, although the mismatched arrow key sizes can lead to hitting the wrong key. The three-column number pad isn’t intuitive, but it’s more of a bonus on this laptop, anyway. Disabling number lock provides convenient shortcuts, such as game mode (5) and disabling the touchpad (0), which can also be done with Fn + T. The M1 through M4 keys embedded in the symbols at the top are customizable for macros in the Hypershift section of the Razer Synapse app.

The macro editor allows for repurposing almost any key. It also offers easy customization of game mode, allowing you to toggle the availability of the Windows and CoPilot keys, as well as the Alt + Tab and Alt + F4 shortcuts. Additionally, there’s a toggle to automatically enable game mode while gaming.

The keyboard’s backlighting and customization options through the Razer Chroma app remain the best in the business. You can adjust layered effects, brightness, and colors, and save them in unlimited profiles. Additionally, you can download user-submitted profiles from Razer. Chroma also supports numerous games for in-game effects.

Razer’s touchpad is massive, as it should be on an 18-inch laptop, covering nearly the entire vertical space between the keyboard and the front edge. Its anti-glare surface provides excellent tracking, even when my fingers are slightly damp, and the tactile feedback from physical clicks is both direct and quiet. Razer centered the pad in the palm rest area rather than below the keyboard, which prevents your left palm from touching it with your fingers on the WASD cluster.

Audio on the Razer Blade 18

The Blade 18 packs a six-speaker array – two tweeters, four woofers, and three amps – which results in robust sound. The laptop’s sheer size helps deliver convincing stereo separation, especially while gaming. Volume level is around what you’d expect from an entry-level Bluetooth speaker. It’s perfectly adequate for a laptop, though I noticed volume levels north of 75% didn’t sound noticeably louder than full volume.

The Blade 18 handled a vinyl rip of Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield” with finesse, with the airy drum hits and guitar coming through cleanly, with excellent instrument separation and no vocal distortion. For something bass-heavy, I turned to William Black’s “Bleed 4 U”; while the Blade 18 didn’t thump, it delivered a satisfying low-end grunt. The upward-firing speakers helped with clarity across the board.

That said, with this many speakers, this setup is geared for gaming. In Crysis Remastered, I could easily pinpoint bullets whizzing past as I charged enemy emplacements or enemy chatter as I snuck around unsuspecting soldiers. The full sound added enough punch to explosions and gunfire for a decent sense of immersion. Watching The Marvels gave me a similar vibe, with sharp impacts and abrupt sounds adding a cinematic edge.

Razer’s Synapse app includes meaningful equalizer presets. Switching to Movie mode noticeably widened the sound versus music mode, and I liked that each preset displayed its EQ curve. There’s no auto-switching between modes, but you can create custom bands and save them to a profile.

Upgradeability of the Razer Blade 18

All upgradeability is through the Blade 18’s bottom panel, which is secured by 12 identically sized Torx T4 screws. It took me about two minutes to undo them all, at which point the panel can be hinged off from the rear — no prying needed.

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Blade 18 offers two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots under a peel-off heatsink, next to the rightmost fan, supporting 96GB of memory via two 48GB modules. There are also two M.2 2280 slots for solid-state drives and an M.2 2230 wireless card slot. The battery at the bottom of the unit can also be swapped.

Battery Life on the Razer Blade 18

Although battery life isn’t the primary reason to purchase an 18-inch gaming laptop, it’s convenient to have enough unplugged stamina to watch a movie or two. In our battery test, which includes web browsing, video streaming over Wi-Fi, and OpenGL tests at 150 nits of brightness, the Blade 18 lasted 5 hours and 15 minutes. While it doesn’t match the Asus (6:30) or the Blade 16 (7:21), its real achievement is more than doubling the Titan 18’s runtime of just 2:16. For such a large gaming laptop, this is a very respectable result.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Heat on the Razer Blade 18

The Blade 18 employs a dual-fan cooling system that vents heat through the rear edge, complemented by an auxiliary fan beneath the touchpad. Razer claims it dissipates up to 280 W of power, 175 W from the GPU and 105 W from the CPU. To maximize heat transfer, it uses a vapor chamber on the CPU and GPU, plus an unspecified thermal interface gel.

While the fans are unobtrusive at idle, they ramp up noticeably during gameplay. The built-in speakers can overpower the fans, but gamers who need subtle audio cues, like footsteps, will want to wear closed-back headphones. Overall, I found the noise level on par with other high-end gaming laptops.

Under the Metro Exodus stress test, the Blade 18 grew noticeably warm but remained comfortable to use. Surface temperatures peaked at 100 Fahrenheit between the G and H keys, 96 F on the touchpad, and 106 F along the underside near the rear edge. Internally, the Core Ultra 9 CPU maintained average temperatures of 84 degrees C on its performance cores and 76 C on its efficiency cores, while the RTX 5090 GPU averaged 67 C.

Webcam on the Razer Blade 18

Razer’s webcam stands out from typical gaming laptop fare, offering a sharp 1440p resolution. In my office, with two windows behind me, the image appeared slightly grainy, likely due to the camera’s aggressive detail enhancement. Nonetheless, it handled highlights well and preserved decent color accuracy. The camera also features an infrared sensor for facial recognition via Windows Hello as well as a sliding privacy shutter.

Software and Warranty on the Razer Blade 18

Razer’s familiar Synapse app serves as a control console for any connected Razer devices and a hub to launch any installed game. The Blade 18 shows as its own tab and offers an impressive number of configuration options. As mentioned earlier, it offers a keyboard macro editor, lighting customization for the lid logo, and per-key keyboard backlighting via Razer Chroma, plus display toggles for the dual-display mode and different color space presets. It also offers a battery health optimizer that limits battery charge.

Synapse also offers various performance profiles, including balanced, silent, performance, turbo, and custom. The default balanced mode automatically distributes power between the CPU and GPU, while performance mode optimizes CPU power and turbo mode prioritizes GPU power. Turbo mode can be conveniently enabled using the Fn+P keyboard shortcut. The custom mode allows you to select low, medium, high, or max power levels for either component and enables CPU and GPU overclocking. Additionally, fan curves can be customized.

You can create multiple overclocking profiles for both the CPU and GPU. CPU overclocking includes short max and long max turbo power levels, as well as the turbo boost power time window. CPU voltage offset is available if you disable voltage protection in the BIOS. Meanwhile, GPU overclocking controls include memory and core offsets.

Besides a smattering of Windows 11 default apps, Razer doesn’t install any other software. The laptop has a one-year warranty, though the battery is warrantied for two years.

Razer Blade 18 Configurations

Razer currently offers three Blade 18 configurations, all equipped with the dual-mode 18-inch display and a Core Ultra 9 275HX processor. The base model, priced at $3,499.99, features a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Stepping up to an RTX 5080 raises the price to $4,099.99, keeping the rest of the specifications unchanged.

Models with the RTX 5090 start at $4,899.99, with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. Our $5,199.99 review unit upgrades to 64GB of RAM and adds a second 2TB SSD, doubling total storage to 4TB.

While the Blade 18 remains one of the most expensive laptops on the market, it’s within the price bracket for a laptop with its components, particularly with the RTX 5080 or 5090. Best Buy had the MSI Titan 18 HX AI for $5,999 with similar specifications as our Blade 18, though with 96GB of RAM and a 6TB SSD.

Bottom Line

The Razer Blade 18 sets the benchmark for high-end gaming laptops, excelling in more areas than it doesn’t. Its performance headlines the show, delivering the best in-game numbers we’ve seen from any gaming laptop. Its dual-mode display is another standout, letting gamers choose between a cinematic 4K picture or a lightning-fast 440 Hz refresh rate at FHD without any loss of clarity. Razer’s excellent build quality, surprisingly tactile keyboard, and unique see-through bottom window make it feel every bit the premium machine.

Its closest rival is the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, which offers similar performance but demands even more cash. While MSI’s display is more visually impressive, Razer’s dual-mode versatility wins out in real-world use, and it also offers better speakers and far longer battery life. If you can afford it, the Blade 18 is a world-class, chart-topping gaming laptop.

Razer Blade 18: Price Comparison



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