myOurReview

Two-minute review Apple’s new MacBook Pro 16-inch isn’t a revolutionary release like the new, smaller, Mac mini (M4, 2024) , and instead is more of a specs refresh for the company’s most powerful laptop. So, you don’t get any new design tweaks with the new model – but you do get the very latest M4-series chips which represent the pinnacle of Apple’s mobile hardware. This is good news for people who are looking for an incredibly powerful workstation laptop that offers exceptional build quality and the kind of performance that many desktop PCs would struggle to achieve. For those of us who have been waiting for the M4 chip to show up in a device that can take full advantage of its power (this year’s iPad Pro , which debuted the M4 chip, is limited by running iPadOS, an operating system designed for tablets, with rather basic apps to match), the 16-inch MacBook Pro Apple announced in October 2024 could be just what you’ve been waiting for – though there are caveats. Both of the ne...

As a huge fan of both theme parks and computer games, 2016’s Planet Coaster was in many ways a dream game for me. Since playing Bullfrog’s seminal game, Theme Park , back in the mid-90s, first on the Amiga and then on PC, I have been obsessed with theme park management strategy games .  As you can imagine, then, the announcement earlier this year that Planet Coaster 2 was to come in late 2024 (pre-orders are now live, and it launches on November 6, 2024), made me very happy given my history with the PC game and theme park sims. For context, in Planet Coaster , I vividly remember plotting my parks on paper, then creating them in the game, dividing the map into different themes, just like the beloved theme parks I visited as a kid. Building the parks, and rides, of my dreams (and sometimes my guests’ nightmares) captured some of the magic from those magic kingdoms, but Theme Park also reminded players that these parks aren’t just for fun: they are made to create money. By pla...

Asus ROG Ally X: Two-minute review The Asus ROG Ally X is the surprise follow-up to the ROG Ally , and is the latest entry in the increasingly-competitive handheld gaming PC market. Since Valve fired the starting gun on this latest arms race with the excellent Steam Deck , various gaming laptop makers have been keen to release their own handhelds, with the likes of MSI and Zotac releasing, or planning to release, their own takes on the form factor. Arguably the breakout star of this new breed of device was the original ROG Ally, which was launched in 2023. Less than a year later, Asus surprised us all by releasing a follow-up, the ROG Ally X. Releasing a new version so soon after the original is an interesting move, and suggests that Asus is following a gaming laptop-like release schedule, upgrading its devices every 12 months or so with the latest components. While this does make some sense – it works for gaming laptops to ensure they maintain a performance edge – it’s also risky...

iPad Pro 13-inch (2024): Two-minute review  Ahead of unveiling the new iPad Pro 13-inch (2024), Apple was hyping up its Let Loose launch event as a ‘different kind of Apple event’ , and the most important iPad launch since the original iPad – and now that the dust has settled, it seems that the hype was largely justified. The iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) – along with the 11-inch model that was also announced – is an incredibly accomplished and versatile device that, as the marketing spiel that accompanies it makes clear, features plenty of ‘firsts’ and ‘bests’ – it’s the first time an Apple M-class chip (the new M4 ) has debuted in an iPad, rather than a Mac; it’s the thinnest-ever Apple device (yes, thinner than the iPod Nano, even); and it has the best screen you can get on a tablet. The iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) is clearly a product made by a market leader at the top of its game – it’s a stunning bit of kit that’s packed with cutting-edge tech, and is a shoo-in for the best tablet...