Posts

I’m an open-ear headphones naysayer, but the Honor Earbuds Open won me over for sound

-
Image
Honor Earbuds Open: One minute review I’ve long been a naysayer of open-ear earbuds, despite (or probably because of) testing a huge number of them. However the first few months of 2025 brought a slew of impressive such buds to make me change my mind, and the Honor Earbuds Open is one of the ringleaders of the operation. While making it onto our list of the best open-ear earbuds is a relatively low bar, the Honors hurdle over it with ease. Open-ear earbuds, for those of you who don’t know, are wireless earbuds that don’t sit in your ear, but rather very near your ear canal, to allow outside noises to get in too (useful for if you want to hear public service announcements on a commute, the noise of traffic that you’re nearby or light conversation). While Shokz popularized the category, most tech brands are now starting to reveal their own takes on an open-fit approach (production of such designs is reportedly up 600%, according to rival Huawei), and Honor is simply the latest comp...
Post a Comment
Read more

I reviewed the MSI Roamii BE Lite – it's affordable Wi-Fi 7, but there's a catch

-
Image
MSI is well known for its gaming laptops and desktops, graphics cards, motherboards, monitors, and other PC components. Fairly recently, they also decided to break into networking, adding a line of routers and mesh Wi-Fi to take on TP-Link and others head-to-head. The biggest selling point that MSI promotes with the Roamii BE Lite is that this is a Wi-Fi 7 Mesh router. Which is great, but the bummer is that there is no 6Ghz channel. So, while it does provide the Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) Standard, it only has 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequencies, no 6Ghz - confusing, I know. The MSI Roamii BE Lite targets users who want affordable Wi-Fi 7 connectivity in their homes (or small businesses) and want a multi-gig WAN/LAN port. Regardless of location, the Roamii BE Lite has excellent security features, which protect your digital assets and family and ensure reliability. As long as you don't require a 6GHz channel, this is one of the best Wi-Fi mesh systems for the money, but for those who want thos...
Post a Comment
Read more

I tested Gtech's first ever straightener, and it's a promising start from the vacuum king

-
Image
Gtech StyleOnic: two-minute review In the hunt for the best hair straighteners, Gtech may not be a brand that immediately jumps to mind. However, with the launch of the StyleOnic Turbo ION hair straightener (and Gtech DryOnic hair dryer alongside) the brand known mainly for its excellent vacuum cleaners has moved into haircare. Designed to reduce frizz, boost shine, and make styling easy, the StyleOnic uses ionic technology and ceramic plates to create smooth, sleek results, and soft curls. It also features an LED display that shows each of the 10 precise temperature controls, ranging from 140 C / 285 F to 230 C / 445 F, making it suitable for a wide range of hair types and styles. In testing, the StyleOnic performed well at straightening my long, fine, naturally-curly hair; heating up quickly and gliding smoothly without snagging. It wasn't as smooth as other straighteners, like the GHD Chronos (learn more in my GHD Chronos review ), but still impressive. The beveled edges m...
Post a Comment
Read more

I tested the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro and it's the closest Android fans can get to an iPad Pro alternative

-
Image
Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: One-minute review If you can count on Chinese tech brand Xiaomi to do one thing in its gadgets, it’s to load them up with top-end spec and then sell them for a relatively competitive price, and that’s exactly what it’s done with the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro. This new mid-range slate is a relative rarity given Xiaomi’s focus on low-end tablets over mid-range ones (it doesn’t sell top-end ones to match the price of the iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 ). It follows the Pad 6 which was released in the west in 2023, and it comes amidst many other Android tab rivals all vying for a spot in our list of the best tablets, including the recent Honor Pad V9 and Oppo Pad 3 Pro . It’s this latter that competes closely with the Xiaomi, in terms of specs and price – more on that later. As is often the case with Xiaomi’s gadgets, the brand has laden the Pad 7 Pro with top-tier specs. It has one of the most powerful chipsets on Android devices right now, plus a screen resoluti...
Post a Comment
Read more

Whether on your desk or in a racing rig, the Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel will satisfy your craving for realistic racing

-
Image
Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel: One-minute review The Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel is an officially licensed, direct drive, 11Nm force feedback-enabled racing wheel that comes in variants compatible with Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 , PlayStation 4, and PC. For this review, I've been testing the PlayStation model. Designed for serious sim racing, it combines extreme analog fidelity with rock-solid build quality and easy-to-reach button placement compared to the previous model, the Logitech G923 . In use, the experience is enhanced through mechanical feedback not just from your virtual wheels, but from your engine too, thanks to Logitech's Trueforce technology, absolutely transforming games like Gran Turismo 7 and EA Sports WRC . The wheel is not compatible with every racing game, and while it does feature a G923 compatibility mode for slightly older games, it can still be a pain getting it to work properly with PC games like rFactor 2 . What isn't a pain, howev...
Post a Comment
Read more