Desktop gaming PCs have a reputation for being huge, and, to be honest, a lot of them are. However, if you're confident enough to dive into the twisted world of cable management, then a compact build could be a fantastic challenge that pays off as a space-saving monster rig. When the Cooler Master Qube 340 case appeared at Computex earlier this year, I was immediately intrigued, even if I can't afford the full gamut of parts to build inside of it just yet.

Cooler Master provided a sample but did not see the contents of my article before publishing. I'm also refraining from assigning a traditional review score to this case until I can complete a build with a full set of components.

How much does the Qube 340 cost?

For now, the best place to buy the Cooler Master Qube 340 is Newegg at $54.99. It's currently listed by Newegg itself, rather than any third-party sellers, and is in stock at the time of writing. A listing for the Qube 340 in black on Amazon US lists "Newegg Business" as a reseller at $59.49, which isn't worth the extra money. At the time of writing, the white variant of this case is "currently unavailable" on Amazon and is outright missing from Newegg.

What I like about the Qube 340

Ever since the RAM crisis ruined any prospect of affording Valve's Steam Machine gaming PC, I've thought about how I could repurpose some of the spare components I have in storage — and even then, it isn't a huge pile. Still, I knew I'd never manage anything quite as purposefully tiny, but I could come close with a mini ITX build, and the Qube 340 looked perfect on paper.

It came in a huge box, but it feels as compact in person as I'd hoped. The removable handles are also ideal for what I've planned: A desktop that I can set up and take away at a moment's notice, rather than leaving something permanently underneath our TV. Sure, I'll need to buy some more niche parts, like a compatible motherboard, but Cooler Master impressed me out of the box.

My most important consideration was whether the ASRock Challenger Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card I have would fit, depending on my front-fan decisions. I could also use an AIO radiator, but the cheesegrater-esque design of the Qube 340 feels better suited to a traditional air cooler — even if only in aesthetics — plus there's a 140mm 'DF1402512RFLN' fan pre-installed at the rear.

At a glance, there's nothing to worry about, as the 290mm GPU fits with around 78mm to spare. My immediate idea is to have a single 140mm intake fan mounted at the top, pulling cool air into the case and pushing it through a CPU air cooler before exhausting it out the back. Still, I have options, including adding an even longer card, as long as everything is measured correctly.

Next up are cable management and routing options. Like most hobbyists, I prefer to take my time with my own builds and get everything as clean as possible, which is more of a mandatory requirement in a compact case than a preference. While there aren't any dedicated trunking channels, there are a few mounting points for zip ties, so I just need to plan everything carefully.

The front-mounted I/O plate is also removable, so I can move it to the top of the case for easier access and re-route the attached cables from the start. It all depends on my motherboard of choice and how it determines the shortest route for each component, but it's fantastic to have the option. I'll always prefer my power button and front ports to be at the top of the case.

What I don't like about the Qube 340

The build quality is generally great on the outside, with those sturdy carry handles and rubberized feet keeping it steady in a vertical position and similarly when laid flat for construction and upgrades. However, the metal on the inside — particularly around the motherboard tray — is quite thin with some flex, but I doubt I'd ever accidentally bend it in any permanent way.

I found the removable 2.5/3.5-inch drive tray similarly skinny and flexible, but it hardly has to do anything beyond holding my storage in place, and it at least removes with a single thumbscrew. It would likely take a heavy dent from an accidental drop to twist this case out of shape, and though it's well padded in its box, it's still worth checking everything over as soon as you buy one.

Concerns about missing rubber grommets are tempered by the fact that this is a $55 PC case. Not to excuse any internal mishaps that might happen, but again, it feels unlikely given how solid the outer shell is overall. Otherwise, being mostly toolless also raises some concern about the glass side panel, which holds well but is secured only by a single protruding tab.

Should you buy the Qube 340?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want to build a portable mini ITX gaming PC

✅ You're prioritizing airflow with dust protection

You should not buy this if ...

❌ This is your first-ever rig; compact builds are tricky

You can go smaller, but for my first planned adventure into a mini-ITX build, the Qube 340 is exactly what I wanted it to be. If, like me, you're toying with the idea of a compact gaming PC that's easier to move around than a full-sized desktop, I think you'll be quite happy with this incredibly affordable case. Some of my opinions might change once I have enough parts to build inside it, but that won't affect the overall praise I have for Cooler Master on this occasion.

The ROG Strix OLED XG32UQWMS gaming monitor is planned for release in September 2026. ASUS provided a sample, but the company had no input on the article nor saw its contents before publishing.

OLED gaming monitors have been around for a while, but concerns about text clarity and burn-in left me less excited to buy something like the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UQWMS. Given the chance to test an upcoming model from its range shown at Computex earlier this year, I couldn't resist, and my review could be the moment that helps me overcome my apprehension. Here's what I learned.

How much does the 32-inch Strix OLED cost?

The ROG Strix XG32UQWMS is targeting a September launch for $899, with specific US retailers to be confirmed. In the United Kingdom, that converts to £819, with planned third-party resellers including Amazon UK, Currys, and Very. In the meantime, you can sign up for availability notifications on the monitor's official ASUS listing for your region.

Is the 32-inch Strix OLED easy to set up?

I'm a big fan of toolless setups wherever they appear, and ASUS ROG wins points for delivering a straightforward process here. Everything hinged on a push-button release mechanism that either gripped the stand or the VESA mount; I used the former and attached the footplate with a simple thumbscrew.

The display alone weighs 9.92 lbs (4.5 kg), and adding the VESA mount brings the total to 10.64 lbs (4.83 kg) in a mounted setup. Otherwise, the foot plate and strut together weigh 4.54 lbs (2.06 kg), controlling height with a sturdy but not overly stiff response. On my desk, the monitor is 14.46 lbs (6.56 kg) overall.

Attaching the stand gave me a clear view of the ports and navigation via the multi-function button (MFB) located behind the bottom-mounted ASUS ROG logo and its accompanying "Neo" proximity sensor. It's a pretty standard affair that matches rival brands, and its controls should feel familiar to most people.

While there are two HDMI 2.1 ports, a pair of USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 with a hub port, and a headphone jack, there's only a single DisplayPort cable in the box for its matching DP 1.4 port, along with the AC cord. Bundling a free USB-B cable shouldn't be too expensive, and I'm disappointed to see it missing here.

Does the 32-inch Strix OLED look good?

Moving from a 27-inch IPS Alienware monitor to an OLED panel made its benefits immediately obvious, with an experience similar to the one I get from my LG C2 TV in the living room. High contrast, deep blacks, and crisp visuals come with its 4K resolution and that smooth 240Hz refresh rate. Windows 11 adjusted my settings accordingly, and the monitor looks great out of the box.

In motion, the UHD @ 240Hz mode looks fantastic, and I'm left wondering who would ever want to switch to 1080p for the sake of 480Hz on a 32-inch display. I know it has its place in ultra-competitive shooters like Counter-Strike 2 and its many rivals, but 240Hz still feels like plenty to me. If you're the target audience, I think you'll be happy, because FHD gameplay still looks quite good.

Up close, the clarity of on-screen text looks fine; nothing particularly groundbreaking, but nothing looks noticeably fringed when I sit at a comfortable distance in UHD mode. Adjusting ClearType in Windows 11 might give results that better suit you, but I didn't feel like anything looked out of place during my usual daily work and gaming.

The OSD is at least easy to navigate, and I could install the DisplayWidget Center if I really wanted to use a mouse to tweak several settings at once. Otherwise, the "TrueBlack Glossy" panel looks significantly darker at a glance than the other screens in my office, which certainly helps with the deep blacks OLED is famous for, and I found the visible room reflections were tolerable.

Testing the display

Out of the box, the XG32UQWMS defaults to "Racing mode", hitting 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut as advertised, and sRGB accuracy earns a perfect score, while Adobe RGB maxes out at 93%. Without changing settings, a 100% brightness level reached around 306 to 311 nits, so getting it to 330 nits will require a bit of tweaking. On the whole, I'm satisfied with its stock settings.

Should you buy the 32-inch Strix OLED?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want an OLED monitor built for preventing burn-in

✅ You're a competitive gamer who thrives on high refresh rates

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You want an out-of-the-box USB hub monitor

A built-in presence sensor probably sets off alarm bells for some gamers, but the proximity detection is literally there to help protect this OLED panel by switching off when you walk away. That, along with adjustments to uniform brightness and pixel-cleaning settings, helps prevent burn-in, which was my biggest concern with monitors like these. ASUS definitely could have thrown in a free upstream USB cable for its hub, but the display itself is solid, so it still wins praise.

I’m usually not one who likes to compare a new game to others, or someone who combines two games and calls it a “child” of the aforementioned counterparts. But I feel like I would be dishonest with the fans of specific games if I didn’t compare in this case.

Beast of Reincarnation is part NieR: Automata, a touch of Sekiro, with a semblance of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, all combined into a beautiful creation that makes me wonder what Game Freak could really do if they weren’t enthralled by the money they make with Nintendo off their Pokémon games.

The first time I saw the developer of Beast of Reincarnation listed, I was floored by what Game Freak could actually do. For years, they’d been on the receiving end of joke after joke for their lackluster open worlds in Pokémon on Nintendo Switch 1 and 2.

Let’s just say this: Game Freak is actually capable of some astonishing stuff. Beast of Reincarnation is proof that developers can sometimes become victims of their own success, bound to endless cycles of repeat games until they’re able to break free and direct something of their own.

This review was conducted using a pre-release code of Beast of Reincarnation provided to Windows Central by Game Freak. The company had no input or prior knowledge of its content.

Beast of Reincarnation: Story

The year is 4026, and the world as humanity once knew it is gone. Taken by what they call the Blight, the Earth has been largely replaced by some sort of forest-like organism that dominates the landscape and poisons the populace. Humanity still exists, whether as themselves or the husks of iron golems; the world's future hangs in the balance of one they call “Blighted.”

That person is Emma, an 18-year-old both gifted and cursed by the Blight. Known to the rest of humanity as a “Sealer,” Emma has the ability to use the Blight to her advantage. She grows and manipulates it at will to wreak havoc on those around her.

Alongside Emma is Koo, a dog who also suffers from the Blight. Together, Emma and Koo set out alongside a ragtag set of characters to free the land of the Blight by taking on the big bad, the Beast of Reincarnation. A creature that resurrects itself once every 100 years and must be defeated in order for humanity to survive.

To do so, Emma must go about collecting the powers held within the Nushi, boss-like creatures of massive zones Emma will journey to. Each Nushi collected will grant Emma a new power and further improve her strength and capability to defeat the Beast of Reincarnation.

The overall arc is well done and far beyond anything I've seen Game Freak make to date. While it's not on the same level as NieR: Automata or Pragmata in terms of Eastern-developed stories, it's nice to see them create something more than the ever-loving rival-driven Pokémon games.

Beast of Reincarnation: Gameplay and Combat

Beast of Reincarnation comes labeled as an action RPG, but that term doesn’t really cover what kind of action the game entails. From Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Diablo 4 to Kingdom Hearts and The Witcher 3, the ARPG genre is very undefined in terms of what you can expect.

Which is yet another reason why comparing other games is such a compelling approach in this situation. As the combat reflects that of games like Sekiro and NieR: Automata, but it's nothing like something from Diablo!

Either way, what matters most is the answer to the age-old question, “Is it fun?” Yes! I had a blast playing Beast of Reincarnation.

The combat is a bewildering dance of enemy management. Engage foes when ready, keeping them at a distance, or sneaking up on a group to eliminate one before engaging the whole cohort. Balancing that alongside handling your companion, it might sound overwhelming, but it's not.

What I love most about Beast of Reincarnation is how intuitive the controls feel (at least on a controller). Your main weapon attacks, combos, and pet abilities are all within reasonable button combinations that create a sense of power.

I am always the shield or magic guy in Soulslike/ARPG games, so I was pretty terrible with the parries to start. I even gave up playing Sekiro at one point because it wasn’t clicking, and I’m a guy who’s beaten and replayed every other Dark Souls game.

Beast of Reincarnation felt different, or at least, things just finally clicked. After an hour, I felt like I knew what I was doing. A feeling a lot of players have when tackling some of these harder games.

And make no mistake, again, I love these games, but I’m trying to emphasize both the challenge of them as well as the ease of learning. One of the biggest gripes players have with harder games these days is the lack of accessibility or difficulty options, or how hard the games are.

I’ve never been one to believe that games like Sekiro or Dark Souls should have difficulty options, as that would alter the very core principles those games were built on. Beast of Reincarnation isn’t that, but it's also not a game that will hold your hand through every little niche or problem you come across.

Beast is a perfect reincarnation of the ARPG genre in the sense that it delivers a rewarding, challenging experience yet doesn’t punish the player with lost experience, loot, or something else upon death.

The rewards come in waves with a sense of accomplishment as well as wonder on screen as parries land and enemies fall. New weapons, gear, and other items that grant currency for upgrading both your gear and your home base.

Your main weapon is a samurai sword. Upgradable and interchangeable with other similar swords of varying effects you'll find across the landscape.

What I found disappointing in terms of both weapons and combat is that over time it can feel very repetitive. Unlocking combos is a slow process, and weapons aren't all that varied either.

From boss to boss, they look gorgeous, but the combat itself is the general dodge and parry, followed by a finishing move. I find it more frustrating that it seems so much potential was left on the development floor. Even general enemy finishers are mirrored far too often, with every Golem seemingly getting the same backslash attack.

With great horizontal and vertical traversal mechanics, I felt "whelmed" by the combative options to make good use of them. The abilities eventually begin to flesh this out, but they take so long to unlock that by the time you do, you start to wonder if you even have enough time to have fun.

That's not to say it's horrid, not by any means. The combat is serviceable and genuinely fun at times, but the fact that much of the actual development for this game was given to external studios is shown as the entire puzzle doesn't feel as cohesive as it could have.

Walker

Speaking of which, the main base for player operations is known as the Cleanse Walker. This, straight out of Star Wars, metallic vehicle is a host for you and your party, as well as equipment benches, chicken farms, and even a shower for you and your dog, Koo.

Players can find items out in the world that will grant upgrades to these different little Walker areas, like different seeds to plant so your in-Walker cook can help create new dishes that will bolster your stats as well as keep Emma fed. Hitting a point of starvation will cause Emma to lose out on some of her strength, making a general return to your Walker something that will become habit-forming.

You can also increase bonds with other characters and Koo, which grant extra slots for abilities, or other things like new recipes, upgrade paths, etc.

Those abilities for Koo will be essential, as he adds a plethora of abilities that grant multi-target damage, blinding, and other effects. He can also carry healing items and other small-use gadgets that will help Emma in a pinch. Upgrading his bond with Emma will allow for more slots to become available to use. If he dies (not Emma), the slots reset, so be careful!

I actually quite liked these additions granted by the Walker, but as I said with combat, I just wish they'd have more impact on the overall game itself. Once again, it feels like the mechanic is there but never quite reaches its full potential.

Open world-ish

All of this comes neatly packed in a semi-open world. On your pilgrimage, Emma will come across multiple zones of varying size, all of which are open to the player to explore. Checking corners, while not necessary, will lead to treasure chests and Walker upgrade items.

Each new zone comes with a general collection of both corrupted and normal Golems to either fight or buy items from, as well as new enemies packed into different areas that will keep players on their toes, much like the second zone, which literally had me blowing up from self-destructing Golems.

A general Blight-infested look will dawn on each zone, but every one felt very different from the last. The first acting as a training ground of sorts, while leading into narrower, but more vertical areas like an entire city structure with its own underground tunnel system.

What you don’t find on your first go won’t be gone forever, as each zone can be revisited with a simple fast travel back. Meaning anything you might have missed is still up for collection.

The loot isn't game-changing outside of general Walker upgrade materials. What bothered me most was the lack of cool outfits to find! Armor isn't showcased either, as each new outfit

Beast of Reincarnation: Performance and graphics

Here’s where things get a little more complicated. Our main review rig was my Windows PC via Steam, where I run an RTX 5080, 9800X3D, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM. Needless to say, my rig can hang.

On Beast of Reincarnation, I had zero issues running it via my system at 4K with DLSS set to Quality. I was hitting frame rates well above 90, with all the settings maxed out, ray tracing included. When we hop over to Xbox, it’s a different story.

Our own Jez Corden was testing it on his Xbox Series X and reported to me that it was almost unplayable at times. I asked him what kind of frame rate issues he was running into, and in his own words he said, “from 60 FPS down to like 5 FPS,” when running around the open-world zones.

Curiously, I booted up my 4060m laptop, and over there, it ran surprisingly well. At 1080p, I was hitting over 100 FPS with most settings maxed and DLSS 3.5 set to Quality. So, for once, it doesn’t seem to be a bad PC port, but rather a potentially bog-water console port.

We’ve been told that issues will be ironed out come launch, but as of July 28, 2026, when we last tested the Xbox Series X version, it wasn’t doing so well. I can’t imagine the Series S version is much better!

So buyer beware; maybe check out a couple of day-one patches if you’re unsure about the experience you could potentially have playing on console. Sounds like it could be another Crimson Desert situation. Great PC performance, with a couple of patches needed before the game really shines on console.

You'd think as a result, the world would be jaw-droppingly gorgeous, but it's just okay, I guess? Don't get me wrong, the art direction is wonderful, and I do think the game is rather pretty to look at, but for the performance trade-offs we're currently seeing on console, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

Should you buy Beast of Reincarnation?

If you’re a sucker for the following titles, you should absolutely buy this game: NieR: Automata, Sekiro, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Pragmata, Horizon Zero Dawn, Shadow of the Colossus. You get the point.

I think once all the bugs are ironed out, Beast of Reincarnation will become quite a hit with a smaller audience. I don’t believe it’ll reach the heights of something like NieR: Automata, but it's something that I truly feel has the weight to capture said audience with its magic and majesty.

It's also a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, so if you're a subscriber to either, definitely add it to your list.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

HP announced its new Omen Max 45L desktop gaming PC in 2025, and it arrived with several upgrades over previous models.

I'm talking about an upgraded cooling system built on the back of HP's unique "Cryo Chamber." About a new modular power supply with an auto-cleaning fan. About new in-depth overclocking abilities.

The Omen Max 45L recently landed in my office, and I've been using it for a couple of weeks to see what it's all about. Does it make a strong case for itself compared to a DIY build? Does it have enough premium features to warrant a premium price? Here's what you need to know.

HP sent Windows Central a review unit on loan for testing. It had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the HP Omen Max 45L cost?

HP's Omen Max 45L does not come cheap as a direct result of inflated component costs and the general high-end nature of the system.

Looking at HP.com at the time of writing, prices start at $3,489.99 for a model with an AMD Ryzen 7 9700X CPU, NVIDIA RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of Kingston Fury DDR5-6000 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.

Prices climb all the way to $6,499.99 for a model with an AMD Ryzen 9 990X3D CPU, NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPU, 4TB of storage, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM.

The specific unit I'm reviewing costs closer to $5,959.99 before any discounts. At the time of writing, it's $800 off the regular price, bringing it down to $5,159.99. Here's a closer look at the specs that make up the PC I'm testing.

I put together a mock build on PCPartPicker to compare pricing. With the CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, PSU, X870 motherboard, Windows 11, and Lian Li O11 case, you're looking at roughly $4,616. Add some extra ARGB case fans in there, and you might hit $4,800 to $5,000.

Without a discount, HP is charging a lot more for the Omen Max 45L compared to building your own. If you are interested in this PC, I definitely recommend waiting for a deep discount.

Is the HP Omen Max 45L assembled properly with good cable management?

I've been on a run of good luck lately regarding pre-built PCs I tested and reviewed, and I had high hopes for the Omen Max 45L's build quality and cable management.

In the former case, it's a bit of a mixed bag. The PC has a sturdy separate top compartment that can be used to lug around the 50-pound system, quick-release side and front panels, and a pull-off top panel hiding the AiO radiator.

It's easy to get inside the PC without any tools, and I appreciate that there's a removable dust screen for the three front intake fans. I live with two cats and ... you get the idea. I've been using the PC for a couple of weeks, and there was minimal dust to blow out when it came time for photos.

The massive RTX 5080 GPU is held in place with an additional bracket — also removing the need for any bothersome foam packing en route — and I had to make no adjustments out of the box. The PC turned on and booted up as soon as I hit the power button.

There are a couple of areas where the build quality could be better. I noticed immediately that the CPU pump header isn't mounted squarely on the chip. The front panel of the case seems to stick on one side. And the rear side panel doesn't quite match up flush with the rest of the tower unless I really take my time lining it up.

Cable management leaves a lot to be desired

Cable management in the HP Omen Max 45L isn't great. It feels like it was a rushed job, leaving stray cables and extra length on the visible side. Not only does this make for a messy appearance, but it can also interfere with internal air cooling.

Around the back, behind the all-metal panel, things aren't much better. Compared to, say, Maingear's MG-1 MK.II or Acer's Nitro 65, the Omen Max 45L's (normally) hidden cabling is spaghetti.

There's a snarl of cables pinched between the panel and motherboard backing, and another snarl sitting in front of the modular PSU. One thing I can appreciate is that the correct SATA cables are sitting idle in front of the dual (empty) HDD bay for easier connectivity.

How is port selection on the HP Omen Max 45L?

The front of the case hosts four ports and an LED power button. There are two USB-A at 5Gbps each, one USB-C at 10Gbps, and one 3.5mm audio combo jack. Not too bad in terms of convenience for ports often used.

Around back, on the custom HP micro-ATX motherboard, you'll find four USB-A 2.0 ports (with speeds measured in Mbps) as well as two more USB-A at 5Gbps. Two additional USB-C at 10Gbps round out USB connectivity.

HP has a 2.5Gb Ethernet port for wired connectivity, as well as dedicated jacks for line in, line out, and microphone. This is a fairly austere port setup, leaving a lot of space on the board's I/O blank. At least there's an easy CMOS reset button available.

As for the GPU, ports depend on the card you get. The RTX 5080 here has one HDMI 2.1b and three DisplayPort 2.1b.

How does the HP Omen Max 45L's cooling set itself apart from other PCs?

The Omen Max 45L's most prominent feature is its dedicated Cryo Chamber that hosts the AiO CPU cooler's radiator separately from the rest of the PC. The air-gapped setup means that only ambient air is cooling the fins, and the hot air forced out the other side by the fans doesn't enter back into the PC.

It's an admittedly ingenious setup that makes a difference, especially when you're working with flagship GPUs that produce quite a bit of heat that's spilled directly into the main portion of the case. It does, however, add quite a bit of bulk to the case. If you're short on space already, this probably isn't the PC for you.

The Omen Max 45L uses mostly standard parts

A big issue a lot of people have with big-brand pre-built PCs is their insistence on using proprietary hardware inside. I'm talking about parts that can't be easily replaced because they're some weird size or shape.

That's not the case here. Well, not exactly. The motherboard is a custom micro-ATX HP 8E55 using AMD's X870 chipset. It's a standard size that makes for easy replacement, and the case also fits up to a full-size ATX board.

I'm not sure why HP didn't just go for the full-size board in the first place. The massive GPU blocks off a lot of the board, and you'll absolutely be pulling the card out of the case if you have to do anything that involves the secondary SSD or the M.2 Wi-Fi card.

The RTX 5080 is also a custom HP job with a snazzy Omen-styled casing. It performs just as well as any other 5080 out there made by a known brand.

I tested it using 3DMark's Speed Way and Steel Nomad tests and came back with these scores of 8,996 and 8,628, respectively.

There were no surprises from the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, either; it performed as expected in baseline benchmark tests. If you're buying this PC strictly for gaming, I'd recommend sticking with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. It costs $330 less and will deliver incredible gaming performance.

The Samsung SSD isn't the fastest we've tested, but it gets the job done with 6,626 MB/s read and 4,993 MB/s write speeds. Check out these graphs for a comparison to other hardware we've recently tested.

The PSU is actually one of the PC's strong points, which goes against a lot of other pre-built systems. It's a 1200W Platinum-grade option with a Cybenetics Platinum rating. It's fully modular for easy tweaking, it's quiet, and it has a custom reverse fan cleaning tool to spin the dust out of the hardware.

Even the separated AiO cooler can be replaced should the stock HP option that ships with the PC not be up to snuff for your needs.

Does the HP Omen Max 45L have good airflow?

To check airflow and temperatures, I ran a lengthy 3DMark Speed Way stress test. With all panels in place, including the front glass panel, the CPU hit 46 degrees Celsius, and the GPU hit 75 degrees.

With the front glass panel removed, GPU temperatures fell to about 74 degrees Celsius. The CPU, with separated cooling, saw no change. That's a minor difference, and you should have no problems keeping the PC cool as intended.

It's worth noting that the PC runs very quietly. The most noise I could get out of it was during the stress tests, and it peaked at just 47 decibels. That's quieter than most other pre-built PCs I've tested, and you'll hardly notice it's running even under load.

Does the Omen Max 45L come with useful custom software?

The main software to control this PC is HP's Omen Gaming Hub. It serves ads while open (annoying), but it does a decent job of controlling the PC.

The ARGB in the PC seems to have some issues, and I suspect it has to do with HP's firmware. It'll turn off randomly and not turn back on until the PC restarts, or it will reset on its own while using the PC.

HP includes a lot of software I deem unnecessary, including McAfee antivirus, Adobe offers, and Booking.com. It's classic bloatware. That's without mentioning the seven different HP apps that come preinstalled.

It can all be removed, but it's still an annoyance on a PC this expensive, especially when competitors are shipping clean installs of Windows 11.

Should you buy the HP Omen Max 45L?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want a unique and powerful desktop PC for gaming or creative work.

✅ You'd rather not save some money with a DIY build.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You're looking for the best value possible in a pre-built gaming PC.

❌ You want the absolute best cable management and build quality.

There's no question that the HP Omen Max 45L delivers on top-tier performance and cooling. Unfortunately, its assembly and cable management don't feel like they match the high price.

Worse, the PC comes with quite a bit of bloatware, and there are what I suspect are firmware issues that plague the built-in RGB lighting.

The pre-built gaming PC market has come a long way in recent years, and the Omen Max 45L ultimately feels like it's stuck in the past. It won't disappoint those who need a ton of power, but there are plenty of alternatives out there that will deliver a superior product at a similar price.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Magnetic keyboards used to feel like a side quest in the keyboard world. You either bought one from a tiny boutique brand and hoped the firmware wasn’t held together with duct tape, or you ignored the whole category because it felt too experimental.

Now Razer has stepped in with its first Hall Effect Magnetic Huntsman keyboards, and that changes everything. When a company with global retail presence decides magnetic switches matter, it suddenly becomes a lot easier for regular players to try the tech without worrying about sketchy support or limited availability.

After spending time with both the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless ($139) and the smaller Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Mini 65% ($119), I came away impressed. These keyboards feel like Razer embracing magnetic switches in a serious way while keeping the familiar Huntsman feel I already know well.

Razer had no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.

Design and build

Both keyboards share the same DNA: aluminum top plate, doubleshot PBT keycaps, and dense internal foam that gives each keystroke a quieter, more muted sound. Razer told me they added extra lubrication and a “very dense layer of foam to absorb high‑pitch pinging noises,” and I can hear the difference. These boards sound cleaner than the Huntsman AK and even the V3 Pro.

The TKL gives you the arrow keys and navigation cluster, which I prefer for writing and general use. The Mini 65% keeps the arrows but trims the rest, which frees up desk space and feels great for shooters.

Razer confirmed both models have full feature parity, so you’re choosing layout, not capability.

Magnetic switches explained

Hall Effect switches use magnets and sensors to track key travel. There’s no physical contact point, which means the keyboard can detect exactly how far a key has moved. That unlocks features that optical or mechanical switches can’t do as well.

Razer calibrates every switch at the factory. They told me:

"Hall Effect boards are prone to interference from environmental factors… metal desks, magnets, metal objects."

Instead of pretending this isn’t an issue, Razer built a calibration tool directly into Synapse. If your desk or environment causes drift, you can reset the keyboard back to factory accuracy in three guided steps. I didn’t run into interference myself, but I like knowing the fix is built in.

Actuation is fully adjustable from 0.1 mm to 4.0 mm, and you can tune each key individually. I set WASD to 1.2 mm for shooters and left the rest at 2.0 mm for typing. The onboard adjustment tools make this easy.

Razer also claimed:

“We are the most accurate Hall Effect board available to players.”

They admitted true 0.1 mm accuracy is impossible because “pushing two magnets together is damn near impossible,” but their margin of error is small enough that I never noticed inconsistency.

Latency and performance

Razer pairs the switches with true 8000 Hz HyperPolling. They measured the HE Magnetic at 0.6 ms latency, which is only 0.12 ms behind their analog optical switches. That’s impressive for a first‑generation magnetic design and still faster than other Hall Effect keyboards by about eight percent.

I can’t measure latency myself, but the keyboards feel snappy. Movements in Counter‑Strike 2 and Valorant felt crisp, and Rapid Trigger made counter‑strafing easier.

Movement‑focused features

This is where the HE Magnetic line stands out. Razer didn’t just add magnetic sensing. It built a suite of features that take advantage of it.

Rapid Trigger — Keys reset as soon as they start moving upward. This helps you stop moving faster in shooters, which tightens your hitbox and improves accuracy.

Snap Tap — This prevents two directional keys from actuating at the same time. If you press D while holding A, the keyboard prioritizes the latest input. It makes counter‑strafing more reliable.

Snap Flex — You can bind two actions to a single press. For example, pulling a grenade pin and jumping at the same time. It simplifies multi‑key combos.

Dynamic Keystroke — Up to four actions can be assigned to a single key based on press depth and release. This is powerful and a little scary. I’m curious to see what players come up with.

Dual‑Keypress Priority — This keeps diagonal movement stable. If you’re holding W and A, pressing D won’t override the movement until you release A.

Good Molly, that's a lot of software tech, but while it may not make a difference if you play Brotato (like me; don't judge, it's great), for first-person competitive shooters, it all can absolutely improve your performance and enjoyment of the game. There is a bit of a learning curve here, and all of that is optional to use, but while Razer sometimes catches flak for Synapse, I can't help but feel these are some real value-plays.

Now, some of these are "launch-exclusive" to the HE Magnetic line, for now, but Razer hinted that these features will eventually trickle out to other Huntsman keyboards, likely in the coming months.

TKL vs Mini 65%

I think most people buying keyboards today know Tenkeyless (TKL) versus Mini 65%, but just in case you don't, here's the recap, as I’ve used both layouts for years, and the choice is simple.

Choose the TKL if:

• You type a lot
• You want dedicated navigation keys
• You prefer a familiar layout

Choose the Mini 65% if:

• You want more mouse space
• You travel or attend LANs
• You want a compact gaming setup

Both keyboards have identical features. You’re choosing workflow, not capability.

Personally, I go TKL or even Compact / 96% Full‑Size like the 2026 Razer Huntsman Signature Edition ($499), as I like having media keys and arrow keys but detest numberpads.

Mini-65% is adorable and shockingly portable (great!), but you may end up missing some functions if you use it for more than competitive-ish gaming. No arrow keys is a move; let's just say that.

You can see my recent review of the other Huntsman TKL, aka the Razer Huntsman V3 TKL 8khz ($169), for an optical-switch option.

Either way, it's great that Razer gives you the choice.

Pricing and competition

The new Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic TKL is $139.99, and the Mini is $119.99. That’s cheaper than Razer’s Pro models and competitive with other magnetic keyboards. Some boutique Hall Effect boards cost more and don’t have Razer’s distribution or warranty support. That alone makes these easier to recommend.

Launch date is today, July 30, so they should be available globally and shipping out to third-party sellers, including Amazon (HE Magnetic TKL; HE Magnetic Mini 65%) and Best Buy.

Typing and sound

Typing feels smooth and consistent. The foam and lubrication help, and the magnetic sensing gives each key a clean, predictable feel. I prefer deeper actuation for writing, and the keyboards handled that well.

Gaming felt great with shallow actuation and Rapid Trigger.

Should you buy the Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You play competitive shooters

✅ You want adjustable actuation

✅ You want movement‑priority features

✅ You like what Razer is cookin'

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You only need a simple keyboard

❌ You don’t care about magnetic sensing

❌ You prefer optical switches

❌You want wireless options

I give the Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic line a 4.5 out of 5. Razer took magnetic switches and made them accessible, polished, and backed by a major brand. The keyboards feel great, the features matter, and the layouts cover both mainstream and compact preferences.

The Huntsman family may be getting crowded, but these new models earn their place, and we'll be updating our best gaming keyboards guide shortly.

And as someone who has gone through something like 5 of these Huntsman variations in the past months, all I can say is I don't think I'll be jumping to anything else anytime soon. Even as someone who does more gaming on their MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and Xbox Series X, these Huntsman just feel good to use, whether for typing or gaming.

This is my first foray into the world of 8BitDo accessories, happened upon only as the entire range of classic Xbox retro green accessories caught my eye last year. The full range, which consists of a keyboard, mouse, and controller, makes for quite a collection for fans of the original Xbox, especially as we wait for Xbox to make its own 'X25' gear, which I'm sure will be considerably more expensive.

First up on my testing docket was this 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Xbox Controller in Jade, and while I'm a bit bummed that not one of those 3 modes includes true wireless for Xbox, this is still a fine piece of kit for PC players (especially if you are also looking at that sexy keyboard and want to match).

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: Price, availability and specs

The 8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode (Jade Edition) comes in at an MSRP of $69.99 (frequently on sale around $54.99–$59.99 at major retailers like Best Buy).

Here's what you get under the hood:

• Tri-mode connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and USB-C wired connection
• Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11, Android, and iOS
• Hall Effect anti-drift sticks & Hall Effect analog triggers
• Membrane ABXY buttons and traditional D-pad
• Two remappable pro back paddle buttons
• 4 integrated rumble motors (impulse trigger rumble + grip vibration)
• Custom Profile Switcher: Holds up to 3 custom configurations via 8BitDo Ultimate Software
• Included charging dock: Houses the 2.4GHz USB receiver

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: What's good

First off, we have to talk about the obvious aesthetic pull of this controller. As a bonafide millennial, obviously the translucent green hue speaks to me. I gravitate toward translucent tech, as it reminds me of when tech was less boring and more prone to black-and-white combos. Combined with the matching green Xbox guide button, it’s one of the cleanest-looking controllers I’ve put on my desk in a long time. Overall, this controller would make a fantastic pairing with the 8BitDo retro green keyboard and mouse if you want to build out a complete, cohesive PC desktop setup with those lovely Xbox retro colors.

Ergonomically, despite being smaller than what I usually reach for, it feels wonderfully crafted in the hand. I tend to grimace when I see anything outside the standard Xbox controller shape and layout, but this is a little more compact and surprisingly comfortable; your experience may vary if you have huge hands. The general weight and size are a bonus for me, though, as I've packed the controller on a couple of hotel trips now for use with my laptop, and even with the charging dock, it takes up so little room.

The build quality feels tight, sturdy, and light, featuring a very subtle textured grip on the back (though a little too subtle for my preference).

The sticks use Hall Effect technology, meaning stick drift shouldn't be an issue down the line, a massive upgrade over Microsoft's stock controllers that still refuse to incorporate this.

Connecting it to the official 8BitDo Ultimate Software app directly on your Xbox or PC is also seamless. The app gives you full control to remap the face and rear paddle buttons, fine-tune trigger sensitivity, and adjust stick dead zones with ease, saving up to 3 custom profiles on the fly.

Then there is the charging setup. 8BitDo was ahead of the game when it came to including bundled charging docks with budget controllers, and has been doing it long before other brands. Dropping the pad onto the cradle at the end of a session so it’s fully charged and ready to go for the next day, without messing with external play-and-charge kits or AA batteries, is a convenience feature I never get tired of. I'm always impressed to see it in a sub-$100 controller.

You do also get a code for 1 month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in the box, though it's only for new customers (I couldn't stack it on my existing subscription booo!)

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: What's bad

I feel like I've repeated this same point now on many a third-party controller, but it really grinds my gears when they are advertised as for Xbox, complete with the logo, to be wired only for the console. It often catches me out, and I imagine it would the average consumer too who doesn't understand the stranglehold that Microsoft keeps on their wireless technology.

This only works via a wired USB-C connection when playing on an Xbox console. The 2.4GHz wireless dongle and Bluetooth modes are strictly reserved for PC, Android, and iOS devices. Having just experienced the true wireless couch freedom of the GameSir T7 Pro on my Xbox, being tethered to my console with a long cable here just means this is a non-starter for me when I'm playing on my console. There are other better options now.

Speaking of that cable... 8BitDo decided to bundle a standard black cable and black charging dock with this edition. When you buy a special translucent Jade controller, having it sit on a plain black dock with a plain black cord hanging out of it does look a little jarring, especially when 8BitDo has made beautifully color-matched accessories for their other special editions; look at the Rare 40th Edition and Lavender Dusk, for example.

On the gameplay front, the controller lacks features that are fast becoming standard at this price point. There are no physical trigger stops, meaning shooter fans can't shorten their trigger pulls for rapid firing, and like I've previously mentioned, the texture on the grips is far too subtle, and I'd prefer a rougher texture, if not rubber.

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: The competition

At $69.99, the Jade 3-mode controller is being squeezed from both sides of the controller price wars, and I'd say for just $20 more you'd get more connectivity (wireless for Xbox) with the following two options...

The GameSir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl costs a little more at $79.99, but you're also getting the benefit of it working wirelessly with Xbox, the more up-to-date TMR stick tech, and those trigger stops that are missing from the 8BitDo option. It's an acquired taste when it comes to the design, but its value for money can't be beat.

For those who bleed green and just have their heart set on the OG Xbox colors, it could well be worth waiting until November for the official Xbox Series X25 controller to be released. However, the price is still unknown, and it will not have the bells and whistles of an included charging dock and Hall Effect sticks.

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want that full retro green PC setup

This will pair stunningly well with the green keyboard and mouse 8BitDo provides, so it will be a no-brainer for collectors

✅ You like more compact hardware

It may be a little smaller than your standard pad, but this makes it great for travel and those with smaller hands.

✅ You want a controller primarily for PC and mobile

If you jump between PC, Steam Deck, or mobile devices, the wireless 2.4GHz dongle and Bluetooth toggles work like a charm.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You want a wireless controller for your Xbox console

IHaving to plug a wire across your living room floor to play on Xbox completely defeats the point of buying a "wireless" pad.

❌ You play competitive shooters or racing games

The lack of physical trigger stops and tactile micro-switch buttons means it's not built for ultra-fast response times.

As my very first experience with an 8BitDo controller, the Ultimate 3-Mode (Jade Edition) is a bit of a heartbreaker. On one hand, it’s a compact, perfectly formed pad that easily stands out as one of the prettiest third-party controllers on the market. If you are building out a dedicated PC setup alongside 8BitDo's retro green keyboard and mouse, it’s a match made in heaven.

However, arriving right after I tested the GameSir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl — which proved that budget-friendly controllers can give us true wireless Xbox gaming — being tied down by a cable on console is a real bummer. If you pick it up on sale for around $55 for PC or casual desktop play, you’ll undoubtedly love it. But for pure Xbox console players who want couch freedom, there are simply more feature-packed wireless options sitting on shelves right now.

I've never really had much interest in "business" laptops, because most of the time they are boring as hell. Featuring plastic exteriors with subpar displays and creaky hinges, I've always said they actually bring down the overall reputation of the Windows laptop ecosystem.

For years and years, business laptops were boring, but ASUS' new ExpertBook Ultra is the first business-class laptop I've used that has given me second thought. It's a beautiful machine, made out of premium materials and with a thin and light design that you might find on a high-end consumer focused flagship laptop.

It's the first business laptop I've used that made me want to keep using it. I was excited to unbox and set up this machine, even though it's designed for office workers and business professionals. I can't say I've ever felt this way about Dell's or HP's business focused laptops.

I've been using the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra for the last month, and this is my full review.

Specs & Price

The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is available now from ASUS for an eyewatering $3,599.99. This will net you the same spec reviewed here, with an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, 32GB RAM, and an Intel B390 GPU. That also includes the Tandem OLED 3K display. Of course, that is ludicrously expensive, so my advice is to wait for sales or try your luck at a third-party retailers like Best Buy.

It's available in both black and light-gray colorways, and in this review we spent time with the light-gray model which I think looks best.

What I love

Kicking things off, let's talk about design. In a word, I love the design of the ExpertBook. It's proof that business laptops need not be boring and corporate. The ExpertBook is anything but, featuring ultra-thin bezels and a unique finish on the chassis that ASUS calls Nano Ceramic Technology.

This Nano Ceramic feels amazing. It provides a distinct, silky matte texture to the whole device, which makes it easy to grip and does a fantastic job at hiding fingerprints and scratches. The device itself is also shockingly light and thin, coming in at just 0.99 kg and measuring a razor-thin 10.9 mm in profile. It's an almost impossibly light device, easily maneuverable with one hand and disappears when placed into any backpack, making it an excellent travel companion.

Simply put, the laptop strikes a great balance between executive minimalism and futuristic flair. That futuristic flair is best showcased when opening the laptop. Every time you open it, a lightbar that exists below the display will light up to let you know that the laptop is booting or waking up from sleep. ASUS calls this bar the "ExpertLumi" lighting system, and it provides an ambient glow whenever the device is booting or restarting.

You can turn off the ExpertLumi bar if you don't like it, but honestly, why would you. It's something unique about the device which I love, and it's not used often enough for it to be annoying. It's there when you boot up, or power off, and that's about it.

Above the ExpertLumi bar is the incredible 3K Tandem OLED 14-inch display. It's arguably the best thing about this laptop, offering great color contrast, colors that pop, and a high 120Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling and animations super smooth.

The display also features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, complete with a matte finish that's designed to remove reflections and make the screen easy to see outdoors. It works wonders, with this laptop being one of the best when it comes to viewing it outdoors on a sunny day.

With that said, the matte finish does mean text and image clarity is slightly reduced. It's not the end of the world, and the display is still plenty sharp, but if you're used to high-resolution glossy displays like myself, the matte finish on this display will make text seem a little fuzzier around the edges.

In regards to the keyboard and trackpad, I have no notes. Both are perfect and feel incredibly satisfying to use. The trackpad is a haptic one, which is tuned perfectly so that it feels natural to use. Its design is also quite unique, as the trackpad itself runs all the way to the very edge of the device.

That means the trackpad hangs over the edge of the device, which doubles as a convenient place to place your finger when prying the lid open. On that subject, the lid is openable with one-hand, for those who care about that sort of thing. The keyboard is excellent to type on, with a quiet yet tactile feel that makes typing easy.

Coming onto the ports selection, I'm happy. There's plenty of ports on this device, all of which are well spec'd. We have two Thunerbolt 4 Type-C ports, supporting up to 40Gbps of data, as well as one USB-A 3.2 Gen2 port 1x full-sized HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The only port I'd say it's missing that I wish it had is an ethernet jack, but I'm content without one.

The webcam, microphone, and speakers are also great, which you'd hope would be the case on a business-focused laptop. Image quality is crisp and clear in well lit environments, with the picture only getting a little noisy in low-light environments. Perfectly acceptable for video calls at work.

What's not good

The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is mostly great, which means I have very little to talk about that I'd class as "not good" about the ExpertBook. One issue that plagued my review unit it the laptop's hinge, which was very loose out of the box, so much so that the device wouldn't stay at a usable angle when typing.

This is a pretty big issue, but ASUS was quick to assure me that this was simply a pre-production issue and would not be the case on final units, which are now shipping. I can confirm that retail units that I have tested do not have this problem, though it's worth keeping an eye out just in case. If your laptop's hinge is super loose to the point where it won't stay upright when typing, make sure you get it exchanged.

The only other "issue" which isn't really an issue is the matte finish on the display. It really does come down to personal preference here, and I just prefer glossy screens over matte finishes. The matte finish on this display takes away from the color contrast you usually get on OLED displays, colors are a little more washed out and text and images are a little less sharp around the edges.

I wish ASUS offered the ExpertBook Ultra with multiple display configurations so I could choose one without the matte finish.

I think the real big problem with this laptop is its price. It's $3,599, which is an absurd price which, even when a laptop is this good, isn't worth it. The ongoing component shortage is the reason why pricing is this high, but as a result this is a super hard recommend to anyone that isn't buying these in bulk for a fleet of executives and managers.

Performance & Battery

Powering things under the hood, we have an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H paired with 32GB RAM and an Intel Arc B390 GPU. This is a very well equipped PC with plenty of power under the hood for day to day productivity tasks, multitasking, and even video and photo editing and rendering.

In fact the Intel B390 GPU in here is more than just your typical integrated graphics. It balances efficiency with power, resulting in an integrated graphics chip that is surprisingly capable at gaming when settings are lowered to 1080p medium. With that in mind, this is not a gaming laptop and should not be judged as one.

Although the device is super thin, the ExpertBook is still plenty capable. It keeps that Intel Core Ultra cool, allowing the CPU to boost up to 50W TDP in Turbo Mode without thermal throttling issues. In day-to-day productivity tasks involving handling dozens of browser tabs, streaming 4K video, compiling code, and running local AI tasks via its 50 TOPS NPU, the machine stays remarkably quiet (under 28 dB in Balanced mode) and snappy.

In regards to battery life, this laptop will last you all day on a single charge with no sweat for your usual day to day productivity task workflows. Obviously, that number will be less if you're doing high-intensity tasks, but for the most part you should be able to leave your charger at home for an office-based productivity workday.

Conclusion

You should buy this PC if...

✅ You want a lightweight flagship Windows laptop

✅ You need a PC with an anti-reflective screen and Tandem OLED

✅ You need lots of ports on your laptop

You should not buy this PC if...

❌ You prefer glossy displays

❌ You don't want to spend over $3,000 on a laptop

❌ You're a hardcore gamer who wants to game

Ultimately, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is an incredible laptop, but at $3,599, it's not something I can recommend most people go out and buy. It's just too expensive for what it is, even if it is an almost perfect thin and light laptop.

If we ignore that stupidly high price tag, I have very little to complain about here. The Nano Ceramic material that coats the chassis is unique and looks and feels amazing. Its lightweighted-ness is also otherworldly, and the Tandem OLED display is to die for, even with its matte finish which I'm not a huge fan of.

If you can find the ExpertBook Ultra on sale for less than $2,500, this gets a recommendation from me. Anything more than that, and I think you should probably look elsewhere as there are many other laptops that cost lest that do a great job at matching the ExpertBook Ultra in design and performance.

The Razer Seiren V3 Chroma 32‑Bit DSP is the newest version of Razer’s RGB‑forward USB microphone, and it arrives as a clear replacement for the regular Seiren V3 Chroma. The big change is the move to 32‑bit digital signal processing, which gives the mic more headroom, cleaner handling of loud moments, and a more controlled sound overall.

This is the same processing approach used in my recently reviewed Seiren V3 Pro ($249.99), only now it is available in a much more affordable and more colorful package.

At $119.99 at Razer.com or $119.99 at Best Buy, the Seiren V3 Chroma 32‑Bit DSP sits in a comfortable middle ground. It is priced well below the V3 Pro and still offers a strong mix of sound quality, software features, and visual flair. For streamers and creators who want a simple USB setup that still feels premium, this is an appealing option.

I've also used it on the latest Windows Central podcast for a live listen, if you want to hear it in action.

Razer had no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.

Design and Build

The design is familiar. Razer kept the same cylindrical body, perforated grille, and large RGB ring that made the previous Chroma model stand out. The lighting is bright and smooth, and it can be customized through Synapse or Chroma Studio. You can turn it off, set a single color, or go full rainbow if you want your mic to look like it is hosting a small nightclub. It is definitely aimed at gamers and streamers, but the lighting can be subtle if you prefer a calmer desk.

The build quality feels solid. The tap‑to‑mute sensor on top is responsive, and the USB‑C port is a welcome modern touch. The mic comes in three colors, including Quartz and White, which gives you more flexibility if you want your setup to look coordinated.

Setup and Synapse Integration

Setup is simple. Plug it in, open Synapse, and the mic is ready. The standout feature is the new Synapse tuning wizard. It takes about thirty seconds to run and asks a few basic questions about your environment and how far the mic is from your mouth. It then adjusts gain, noise reduction, EQ, and other settings automatically. This is genuinely useful because you can rerun it whenever your room changes. If you stream at different times of day or move between spaces, this quick calibration keeps your sound consistent.

The EQ tools are also impressive. You can use presets or dive into a full parametric EQ with multiple bands, filters, and vocal enhancements. The interface is clear and responsive, and the changes are easy to hear. The mic reacts quickly, and the live preview makes fine‑tuning straightforward.

Audio Quality

The Seiren V3 Chroma 32‑Bit DSP sounds very good for a USB condenser. The 32‑bit processing gives it more dynamic range and helps prevent clipping when you get loud or move around. The onboard DSP handles compression, limiting, and noise reduction without relying on your PC. This keeps the sound smooth and controlled, even in rooms that are not acoustically treated.

Compared to the regular Seiren V3 Chroma, the difference is noticeable. The older model could sound thin or harsh if pushed too hard. The new DSP version feels more stable and more forgiving. You can raise the gain without worrying about distortion, and the noise floor stays low.

You can listen to the Seiren V3 Chroma 32bit DSP in action in the above video from Windows Central Podcast #399.

Compared to the Seiren V3 Pro, the Chroma 32‑Bit DSP is closer than expected. The Pro still has the advantage of a larger dynamic capsule and the option for XLR, which gives it more depth and flexibility. However, for everyday streaming, podcasting, and voice chat, the Chroma 32‑Bit DSP holds its own. I may stick with it personally because I like the lighting and the overall look, and the sound quality is perfectly fine for my needs.

Features and Performance

The mic includes a supercardioid condenser capsule that focuses on your voice and reduces background noise. The tap‑to‑mute sensor works well and gives clear visual feedback. The AI noise suppression and automatic EQ features help clean up fan noise, keyboard clicks, and room reflections. These tools are similar to what you get on the V3 Pro, only now they are available at a lower price.

The RGB lighting can react to game events, chat interactions, or audio levels. You can also map double‑tap and triple‑tap gestures to lighting changes or audio settings. This is fun and practical because you can adjust things quickly without opening software.

RGB Customization

The RGB lighting is a big part of the identity of this mic. It looks great on camera and adds personality to your setup. Some people will roll their eyes at the idea of RGB on a microphone, but it is hard to deny that it looks cool. You can keep it subtle or go full streamer mode. The lighting is smooth, colorful, and easy to control.

Price and Value

At $119.99, the Seiren V3 Chroma 32‑Bit DSP is priced competitively. It costs less than the Seiren V3 Pro and still offers many of the same processing features. It also competes well with other USB mics in this range, including the HyperX QuadCast S and Elgato Wave:3. The RGB lighting gives it a unique advantage if you want your setup to stand out.

The Quartz and White versions cost slightly more, but the color options are nice to have. The mic feels like a good value for streamers who want strong sound quality and a bit of visual flair.

Should you buy Razer Seiren V3 Chroma 32-bit DSP?

You should buy it if ...

✅ You don't need XLR.

✅ You use Razer Synapse/Chroma and want full integration.

✅ You need onboard DSP (32‑bit float, AI noise removal) to cut post‑work.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ RGB is just not a thing for you.

❌ You want to expand to XLR setups later.

❌You need full feature parity on macOS without Windows Synapse.

The Razer Seiren V3 Chroma 32‑Bit DSP is a smart upgrade to the original Chroma model. The move to 32‑bit DSP gives it a more polished sound, and the Synapse tuning wizard makes setup simple.

The RGB lighting is fun and customizable, and the overall package feels well balanced for the price. And if you hate RGB, or don't want it for certain occasions, just turn it off; it's no big deal.

This is a great choice for streamers and creators who want strong audio quality without dealing with complex gear like XLR. It looks good, sounds good, and is easy to use.

If you want a mic that brings personality to your desk and still performs at a high level, this one is easy to recommend.

Will I stick to it over the Razer Serien V3 Chroma Pro? Yeah, I think I will. The RGB is fun to use, matches my Razer Soma Chroma gaming chair, and the sound quality works for my needs.

The HP OMEN is now under HyperX, so don't worry, you aren't imagining things. It's part of a simple rebrand that happened a while ago, and now the gaming side is fully transitioning over while the designs generally remain the same. This time around, the HyperX OMEN 15 opts for a mid-range RTX 5050 laptop GPU from NVIDIA and cleverly pairs it with a 120Hz OLED display for strong contrast.

Various models come with cheaper components, but this modern offering tempts with ~$700 discounts directly from HP to offset what would otherwise be an off-putting MSRP. Still, can any gaming laptop really be worth spending thousands of dollars, or is that money better spent elsewhere? I spent a week with a sample to find out, and this is what I discovered in my testing.

How much does the OMEN 15 cost?

You can buy the HP OMEN 15 in a wealth of varying specs directly from HP, including previous models with Intel's 14th Gen mobile "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors from 2024 and AMD's Ryzen 8000 Series "Dragon Range Refresh" from 2025. Modern equivalents with the same Intel Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" chips as my sample start at $1,999.99.

An exact match to the Intel-based spec tested in this review, with an NVIDIA RTX 5070 GPU, is $2,799.99 $2,099.99 at the time of writing. However, an AMD-based variant with the same GPU but with lower-spec 16 GB of RAM and a lower-resolution 2.5K display currently sells for $2,099.99. Alternatively, you can find multiple HyperX OMEN variants at Best Buy.

Is the OMEN 15 well made?

If you removed the Intel, NVIDIA, and 120Hz refresh rate stickers from the OMEN 15, it would look quite plain apart from a small 'OMEN' logo on the left and a subtle "O15" branding on the bottom right. There aren't any speaker grilles on the top, and the display has a tolerable bezel that stays quite thin on the sides. It's hefty at 5.02 lbs, but it likely wouldn't spend much time on your lap.

Huge cooling vents cover the rear side of its chassis, and the same applies underneath to keep the fans moving cool air over its power-hungry CPU and GPU. Rear-facing HDMI-out and USB-C ports support external monitors and charging alternatives, while the 200W AC adapter connects to a barrel jack on the left side alongside a USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port and headphone jack.

The right side features one more USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port and an Ethernet port for wired networking if you'd rather use it over the built-in Wi-Fi 7. Otherwise, the 5.7-inch mechanical touchpad is fine, though it loses physical click feedback around the top quarter. The keyboard is decent, and its sleek 4-zone RGB backlight looks quite hypnotic during gameplay.

For some reason, HyperX is another brand convinced that gamers want a number pad on their gaming laptops, so my typing experience is permanently shifted to the left. It isn't a big deal in games that mostly use the WASD keys, but everyday use feels strange. As always, I'd have much preferred larger, more powerful speakers over a few extra keys, as the audio experience is lacking in low-end bass.

How bright is the OLED display?

Using a colorimeter showed the OMEN 15 reaching 503 nits at 100% brightness without HDR, matching the 500 rating advertised by HyperX. Similarly, the OLED display scored 100% in color accuracy for the P3 gamut, and again for sRGB, with Adobe RGB scoring a respectable 92%. The screen does everything that it claims, and it looks great while it's doing it. A comfortable 250 nits rests around 66% brightness, but it can definitely go higher.

How fast is the OMEN 15?

I tested Cyberpunk 2077 at the OMEN 15's native 2880 x 1800 resolution, with the refresh rate set to its default 120 Hz, across a few graphical presets. The 'High' preset averaged 47 FPS without ray tracing after disabling resolution scaling and frame generation, which is a decent baseline for anything above 1080p. Switching the scaling option to DLSS with the 'Transformer Model' set to auto brings that up to 70 FPS without frame generation, and 111 FPS with 2X.

Using the default settings in the 'Ray Tracing: Low' preset with DLSS set to auto and frame generation at 2X, I was able to hit an average of 90 FPS in the benchmark. That gives a reasonable 40+ FPS baseline powering NVIDIA's "fake frames", and it delivers a finished product above a comfortable 60 FPS in the actual game. 'Ray Tracing: Overdrive' only just manages 32 FPS with DLSS set to performance, so tweak to your own preferences.

Elsewhere, Black Myth: Wukong without ray tracing averages 36 FPS in its dedicated benchmark tool with the 'High' preset at 100% of the OMEN 15's native resolution without frame generation, or 95 FPS when DLSS is set to 60% and frame generation is enabled. Ray tracing set to its 'medium' profile doesn't significantly wreck the DLSS-boosted performance, so the same upscaling and frame-generation combo still manages 69 FPS for a pleasing in-between.

In multiplayer titles, Counter-Strike 2 breathes easy with its 'High' visual preset at native resolution, generally maintaining over 100 FPS while spectating entire matches across various maps. It's a similar story in Apex Legends, which stays above 120 FPS with V-Sync disabled and everything else in the 'high' or 'enabled' territory. If you're into competitive shooters, you'll be quite happy with the OMEN 15 running at a smooth 120 Hz. No sweat.

Performance benchmarks

The Core Ultra 9 386H is part of Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 range, codenamed Panther Lake, with the 'H' meaning "highest performance". It's a 16-core, 16-thread mobile processor with a 20W base TDP and a boost up to 80W. Since it also includes an NPU rated up to 50 TOPS, the OMEN 15 is technically classified as a Copilot+ PC — though I doubt many PC gamers care.

Regardless, the CPU here is fast and capable, performing close to what we saw in the new ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo with the same chip and landing between Razer's Ryzen AI 9 365-based Blade 14 and its Ryzen AI 9 HX 370-based Blade 16. That's great company to be in, even if the OMEN 15 ever-so-slightly lags behind the Zephyrus. There's more than enough power here to back up the RTX 5070.

Speaking of NVIDIA's laptop GPU, the RTX 5070 L falls within the same margin of error as the aforementioned Blade 14 from 2025. It comes with 8GB of VRAM instead of the 12GB in its desktop equivalent or the upgraded mobile version, and this laptop chip is around 31.3% slower than a full-sized, "real" RTX 5070 — all totally normal side effects of NVIDIA's naming convention.

Finally, the PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD inside is from Samsung, delivering just under 5,000 MB/s read speeds, and closer to 4,000 MB/s write speeds. It's passable, but lower than I'd like for a laptop at this price, especially given that an entry-level Alienware 15 manages read speeds above 7,000 MB/s. The OMEN 15 never showed any perceptible signs of slow boots or sluggish disk activity, but it's worth mentioning.

Should you buy the OMEN 15?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want an OLED gaming laptop for modern titles

✅ You're into competitive FPS and other esports games

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You're regularly playing in public places without headphones

It's telling that the OMEN 15 dropped $700 off its listing price around the time of reviews, suggesting this is the price it should have been from the beginning. It certainly feels more like a ~$1,999 gaming laptop, given the relatively mid-range GPU, though the bonus of 32GB of RAM shouldn't be ignored in this miserable era of memory shortages. That, and the OLED 120Hz display looks absolutely gorgeous.

The killer feature is that HyperX (HP) is backing up that smooth refresh rate with hardware that can actually reach it with a fitting frame rate. Sure, you have to lean on NVIDIA's DLSS suite in some games, but its RTX 50 Series benefits the most from all that anyway. It's a loud machine, though that's a recurring theme in even the best gaming laptops, and a pair of headphones lets you focus on the vibrant gameplay and ignore the lackluster speakers.

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Recently, I've found myself a bit irritated by my dbrand Xbox Ally Killswitch case. It's not bad, but its bulk and sandpaper-feeling finish made me wonder if there are viable alternatives out there. I found myself hitting up an old friend, JSAUX, who steered me right during my Steam Deck and ROG Ally days, to see what they had on offer.

I purchased the latest JSAUX ModCase from the company's website last week, and it arrived promptly a few days later. My dbrand case set me back $75 when I picked it up; this JSAUX option cost $38 on Amazon by comparison. Despite how much I'd paid for the dbrand case, it adheres so tightly to the chassis that removing it felt virtually impossible without scissors ... so I thought I'd go all in and risk it on JSAUX's option. Turns out that I have no regrets whatsoever.

The JSAUX ModCase for Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X is by a country mile far better value, with superior features and a far better feel in the hand than dbrand's apparently more "premium" offering. I would argue that this is, without a doubt, the best Xbox Ally accessory probably every owner should buy.

Better feel, features, and value

The JSAUX ModCase continues the firm's long-standing tradition of supporting handheld gaming PCs, with accessories for everything from the Steam Deck to the Nintendo Switch. At the time I'd purchased the dbrand option, JSAUX wasn't offering an Xbox Ally case, but since they've finally jumped on board, I thought I'd give it a try.

Immediately you'll notice the better feel here. The ModCase has smoother, less abrasive texturing on the grips. For some reason, dbrand insists on using a sandpaper-style finish on its grips, which feels very unpleasant. The JSAUX ModCase is also noticeably lighter, although that'll likely be because it uses more rubber over hard plastics. The dbrand Killswitch would probably win in a ballistics test, given that it has hard plastics at more pressure points within the shell, but I think the JSAUX option is more ergonomic.

The JSAUX option is by no means a slouch in the hardiness department, though. The back panel is hard plastic, rather than rubber, and the corners and grips adhere closely to the Xbox Ally's most vulnerable corners. It also comes with a detachable front cover shell to protect the screen in travel.

If you have an Xbox Ally or Ally X, this is the case you should pick

The Xbox Ally's weird shape likely makes it odd to develop products for; it's definitely designed with ergonomics in mind above all, and that's ideally what a PC gaming handheld should do. However, it does have some somewhat irritating design flaws. The soft plastics creak and groan under strain, and although I've been using it for a year, I'm not exactly confident to take it on the go without some form of protection.

Given how expensive these devices can be, you absolutely should consider putting a case on it if you are a frequent user and heavy traveler/commuter. The JSAUX option is something I will personally guarantee to not disappoint. It simply has a better feel than alternative options; its modular nature makes for a lot of additional functionality for enthusiasts, and it's just simply better value. I'm not sure I could ever recommend alternatives that cost over 33% more for little to no discernible gain.

JSAUX has a banger here, and every Xbox Ally / Xbox Ally X owner should take note.

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A full 25 years after the launch of Microsoft's first-ever Xbox console, it's arguably quite fitting that one of the firm's largest new game releases in 2026 is Halo: Campaign Evolved — a remake of the original Halo title that launched with that system, helped propel it into the video game zeitgeist, and kicked off what would grow to become one of the most recognizable science fiction franchises in all of entertainment.

Despite being a colossal Halo fan, I couldn't help but have a bit of a tepid response to Campaign Evolved when Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) announced it last year, largely because I'm more interested in Halo Infinite getting a proper follow up and also because Halo: Combat Evolved already got a remaster in 2011.

Still, I resolved to give the new remake a fair shake, as Combat Evolved Anniversary radically and controversially changed the first game's atmosphere in ways I disliked, and Campaign Evolved is notable for being the first Halo project built on Unreal Engine 5. Plus, it also features a three brand new prequel missions in which the Master Chief and the fan-favorite Sergeant Johnson go on a covert operation, introducing a new self-contained story.

Thus, I went into an opportunity to review it with an open mind, hoping for a more faithful modernization of the original experience, a successful adaptation of the series' unique gameplay feel to a new engine, and fun and fresh content to dive into. And now that I've played through the game extensively, I'm happy to report that the remake offers all of this — though I'd be lying if I said it hasn't left me wanting in some ways.

This review was conducted with the Windows PC version of Halo: Campaign Evolved, and made possible thanks to an Xbox PC review code provided by Microsoft and Xbox. The company did not see the contents of this review before publication.

Halo: Campaign Evolved review — Story

The Master Chief's adventure across Alpha Halo in which the crew of the downed UNSC Pillar of Autumn fight for humanity's survival against both the alien Covenant empire and the grotesque parasitic Flood threat remains largely unchanged in Campaign Evolved.

There are a few minor tweaks to the narrative and there's a bit of new dialogue here and there — along with rerecorded voice lines from Steve Downes (Master Chief), Jen Taylor (Cortana), and others — but overall, this story is identical to the one first told 25 years ago, with no radical changes to speak of.

What has changed, though, is how much of it is presented, as the remake features bespoke pre-rendered cinematics instead of the original game's in-engine cutscenes. I feel that all but one of these were done fairly well, though some of the transitions between them and gameplay can be rather abrupt and shots occasionally linger longer than you'd expect them to. Regardless, they generally look great, though I do ultimately prefer the original scenes.

As for Operation: METEORITE — the story that unfolds over the course of the three new prequel missions in which Chief and Sergeant Johnson infiltrate a Covenant ship to learn where the heart of the alien dominion lies — its narrative is solid, though some of its dialogue was dramatically campy to the point where I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Even so, its characters and plot are perfectly serviceable, and I'm curious to see if a loose thread it ends with will be woven into another tale in the future.

Halo: Campaign Evolved review — Gameplay

Gameplay changes are one of the key things that distinguish remakes from remasters like Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary that strictly update visuals and audio, and Campaign Evolved makes several that elevate the original experience.

For starters, many mechanics, enemy behaviors, and types introduced in Halo's sequels have been implemented in Campaign Evolved, including sprinting, vehicle hijacking and seat-swapping, overcharged Plasma Pistol shots temporarily disabling vehicles, suicide Grunts, Jackal snipers, and Flood tank forms. Also, you can hold onto powerups like the Overshield or Active Camo and use them when desired, rather than when picking them up.

Together with weapons like the Energy Sword, Fuel Rod Gun, SMG, Beam Rifle, Needle Rifle, and Sentinel Beam that weren't available in the classic title, these additions deepen the sandbox and spice up Combat Evolved's encounters without making them feel wildly different. Crucially, their inclusion is carefully balanced and remarkably thoughtful, and made for a truly great playthrough (I recommend Heroic difficulty for the best balance of challenge and satisfying gameplay flow).

Campaign Evolved also makes a variety of changes to level design, with those made in the latter half of the game — including the infamous The Library mission — far more significant compared to others. One of the biggest issues with the original Halo is that its later levels are woefully repetitive and excessively reuse locations from past missions, and that's been addressed wonderfully with a variety of creative new spaces here. I'm a fan of every single rework in the remake, and I expect many others will feel similarly.

I also very much enjoyed playing through the three new prequel missions, which have the iconic Battle Rifle and notably throw the Covenant's Brutes — ape-like berserker shock troops — into the mix. Similar to their past iterations, Brutes have their own set of weapons (Spiker, Brute Plasma Rifle) and fill a tanky melee brawler role. This time around, though, they also have a frenzy mechanic you can engage with (for spoiler reasons, I won't go into detail about how to do so).

Causing a Brute to frenzy will fully heal it and drive it into an enraged state, during which it throws its weapon away and starts sprinting after you to pummel you with lethal melee attacks. However, it will also target other Covenant units while frenzied, which can make it easier to contend with large groups of foes. Figuring out when to frenzy Brutes and avoid doing so added an engaging layer of strategy to Operation: METEORITE that I loved.

By default, Brutes are exclusively found in the new missions, though you can find a Skull — one of 42 in the remake — that makes them spawn in the main campaign as well. These Skulls allow you to shake up gameplay with a huge variety of interesting and wacky modifiers, and are at the heart of the Campaign Remix feature that lets you randomize enemy and weapon placements while also roll for which Skulls you have on or choose them manually.

All in all, I'm extremely pleased with how Campaign Evolved plays, and how replayable it is, too. What frustrates me, however, is that it's a strictly campaign-only experience, without multiplayer of any kind outside of campaign co-op (which does support four players online, up from two in the past). I can understand not having PvP multiplayer given the campaign focus, but for $50, Halo's beloved wave-based PvE mode Firefight should absolutely be here.

The remake's customization system for Master Chief and weapon skins also feels very lazy and tacked on, with no cosmetics available to unlock through actual gameplay. The only way to get them is by preordering or purchasing the $70 Premium Edition ($67.09 at Loaded); not having things players can earn through gameplay achievement is a massive missed opportunity.

Halo: Campaign Evolved review — Presentation and performance

Halo Studios announced back in 2024 that all future Halo projects would be developed with Unreal Engine 5, and Halo: Campaign Evolved is the first game to use it instead of something proprietary like Halo Infinite's Slipspace Engine. Next to developer familiarity with such a widely used tool, increased visual fidelity has long been thought of as one of the largest upsides of that decision, and it's been proven so by this remake.

Campaign Evolved modernizes the classic Xbox flagship in breathtaking detail, with some of the sharpest and most visually striking textures and lighting effects I've ever seen put to screen. Everything from the weapons in Master Chief's hands to the legions of diverse aliens he's tasked with battling through are the best they've ever looked, as are the sights of Alpha Halo's vibrant skyboxes and its dreary Flood-infested depths.

It's truly shocking how much detail the remake manages to cram into each and every level, and the best part is that nearly all of it feels authentic to the original game's visual style. I have my nitpicks — Covenant vehicles are too vibrantly purple and some reload animations lack the style of classic versions, for example — but overall, the game looks phenomenal.

Campaign Evolved's remastered soundtrack is also a treat and is similarly faithful, and notably, versions of tracks from several different Halo games feature in the trio of bonus missions. The sound design is also mostly top notch; melee strikes lack oomph and I don't love the sound of the Magnum and Sniper Rifle, but every other weapon, vehicle, and grenade sounds fantastic, and the way audio reverberates around every hallway, cavern, and battlefield is ear candy.

But while Unreal Engine 5 is at the heart of Halo: Campaign Evolved's terrific presentation, it's a tool that's notorious for its performance issues — and sadly, the remake has some of its own to speak of.

I've been playing the game on my PC that's equipped with an i5-12600K CPU, an RTX 4070 Ti SUPER GPU, and 32GB of DDR4 RAM, and have been running it with Ultra settings with DLSS Super Resolution on an ultrawide 3440x1440 monitor. Generally, I get about 60-80 FPS, which seems about where my rig should be based on the official recommended specs.

However, it's not uncommon that my framerate drops down to the 50s and even into the 40s in larger spaces and engagements, and that can be rather jarring. Turning the settings down some and using Frame Generation can help with this, but even so: expect some FPS dips.

A few of my colleagues here at Windows Central have reported running into performance problems on Xbox as well, with shadows and reflections sometimes looking fuzzy and pixelated on Performance Mode being a particularly noteworthy issue. Hopefully the day one patch for the remake irons wrinkles like these out.

Halo: Campaign Evolved review — Conclusion

I went into Halo: Campaign Evolved with one big question: was it worth making?

In the end, I feel that it was, both to give Combat Evolved a high-quality remake it deserves and to prove Halo on Unreal Engine is a viable path forward for the series (it's also a great introduction to the franchise for PlayStation players, though I doubt we'll ever see Halo on Sony's consoles again).

Halo Studios has accomplished both of those objectives in my view, even though the remake's performance issues do show it has room for improvement when it comes to optimizing the series on Unreal Engine. The absence of additional content like Firefight is also majorly disappointing, as is the underbaked player customization system.

With all that said, Campaign Evolved ultimately delivers an incredible reimagining of the original Halo, enhancing it with jaw-dropping audiovisual presentation, carefully considered gameplay and level additions, an enjoyable new three-mission story, and a suite of over three dozen collectible Skulls for tons of replay value. For $50, I wanted more ... but I've had a ton of fun with what we got.

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It's been a while since I last reviewed a GameSir controller. Despite the brand being indisputably my first choice for a budget-friendly option, I often felt like I was repeating myself regarding what I liked and disliked. Great controllers, packing in the latest TMR stick technology, yet would always fall at the final hurdle: missing wireless on Xbox.

Well, recently the GameSir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl caught my eye, not just because of its gorgeous pastel cotton candy colors, but because it states wireless for Xbox on the box. In my experience, wireless GameSir controllers have typically required a cable to the console, but I was over the moon to find out this one simply needed a dongle to work wirelessly.

Could this finally be my perfect GameSir controller? Well, spoiler: nearly! But let me elaborate.

Gamesir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl: Price, availability and specs

The GameSir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl comes in at a respectable $89.99 MSRP, which isn't as cheap as many others within the brand's range, but it's also pretty damn cheap for a controller with TMR sticks. At the time of writing, it was out of stock on GameSir's official website, and for some reason, was listed at $135.00.

Now, I haven't been told of any price increases, so I can only include that as a placeholder until the controller comes back into stock. It's also available on Amazon, though it moves in and out of stock sporadically. It seems that, despite the controller having what I would say is a "love or hate it" design, it's actually very popular.

The controller comes with a charging dock, and for specs, I'll break down what you get for your ~$90:

• Tri-mode connectivity (so it works on Xbox, PC, and Android, combining Bluetooth, a 2.4 GHz dongle, and a USB-C cable if you need it
• GameSir's magnetic TMR sticks, so there's no worry of stick drift
• Hall-Effect analog triggers and dual-stage trigger stops
• Two rear remappable buttons
• Membrane ABXY and D-pad
• 4 integrated rumble motors
• 6-axis gyroscope for PC
• 1,050 mAh battery
• RGB lighting!

Gamesir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl: What's good

Whether a design is "good" or "bad" comes down to personal taste. I love some pastel colors, and this design is really eye-catching — certainly better than anything I could put together in the Xbox Design Lab for twice the cost, so I am down with the "Sugar Whirl" aesthetic. On to using the controller, it's remarkably lightweight for a wireless joypad, but not so light it feels cheap. It's a real pleasure to use, and feels ergonomically sound in the hand.

The sticks, being TMR, are smooth as butter to use. If you don't know what TMR is, it's the very scientific-sounding "tunneling magnetoresistance", which, in short, is the most recent version of the Hall-Effect.

The longer explanation is that, instead of relying on physical contact to judge movement, they use magnetic fields and electrical resistance. Much more precise for shooting and racing games, hence the "pro" tag on this controller. Do I need TMR sticks to play PalWorld and Diablo 4? Absolutely not, but it feels good, and because of the tech, I don't need to worry about stick drift six months down the line.

While I do prefer having trigger stops with 3 settings, having 2 isn't a deal breaker, and they are pretty effective. The rear buttons, like with all GameSir controllers I've tried, also sit in the perfect position for my middle fingers, and the textured plastic on the handles keeps the controller secure in my hands.

Not that I play many sweaty shooter sessions — but I've endured heatwave after heatwave here in the United Kingdom.

The charging dock is simply lovely, and the controller snaps into place for charging when I'm not using it (though it could be more magnetic and firm like Razer if I had to nitpick; but at this price, I can't complain).

I don't have to worry about messing with play-and-charge kits or changing batteries. It also has a hidden compartment to house the USB dongle, which saves me from losing it amongst the myriad other dongles in my house.

Speaking of USB dongles, yes, this does require that to be wireless with Xbox, but I can say that it still powers on your Xbox from the controller. Besides, being able to store the dongle away when not using it, in a place that actually makes sense, means I can't be mad at it not being Microsoft's proprietary tech — which they keep under lock and key.

I'm just over the moon to finally have a GameSir controller I can both use and recommend that works wirelessly and seamlessly with my Xbox.

Gamesir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl: What's bad

Unfortunately, in true GameSir fashion, they can never give me absolutely everything I love about their controllers in ONE controller. They give wireless in one hand, but take away the micro-switch buttons I love from the Kaleid range.

So the ABXY and D-pad buttons are fine, but I know they can do SO much better because membrane just feels lacking after using the clicky loveliness of microswitch. Additionally, controllers like the GameSir G7 Pro have a rubberized finish on the grips, which just feels that bit more premium, like the Elite controllers, and this controller relies simply on a textured back.

If these two things were changed, this controller would have gone from a 4.5 to a 5 for me, but at a 4.5 it's still a bloody great controller, and I'm using it as my daily driver right now despite those two nitpicks.

Gamesir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl: The competition

At $89.99, the T7 Pro Sugar Whirl sits in a very specific, fiercely competitive sweet spot. It is no longer a bare-bones budget option, but it undercuts the heavy hitters like the Xbox Elite Series 2 by a mile. If you love the dock but aren't entirely sold on the pastel aesthetics or the membrane buttons, here are two of its biggest rivals to consider:

The 8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Xbox Controller (Hall-Effect Edition) is priced at $69.99 and is what I would consider the most direct competitor to this on the market (for which I also have a review coming up soon).

Like the Sugar Whirl, the 8BitDo Ultimate offers true wireless Xbox play via a 2.4GHz dongle and comes bundled with its own seamless charging dock.

While it features standard Hall-Effect sticks instead of the slightly newer TMR tech, you would be hard-pressed to notice the difference in daily gameplay.

Where it beats the GameSir is the price, coming in around $20 cheaper, and its body features a slightly more traditional, textured matte finish. However, its back buttons are a bit smaller and more recessed, meaning the GameSir still wins out on rear-button ergonomics. It also unfortunately needs a wire to be used with Xbox.

I've no experience with the Flydigi range, but I'd be remiss not to mention the Flydigi Vader 4 Pro, which comes up in pretty much any controller enthusiast conversation.

If you simply want reasonably priced, and crucially, mechanical microswitch buttons, you can grab this for $79.99.

It has a mouse-click tactile response, as well as adjustable sticks that let you adjust the resistance to your taste. It doesn't come with a charging dock out of the box, but it's a solid choice around this price range and I'm told it can be made wireless with Xbox with some third-party USB-dongles that mimic what the GameSir one does.

Gamesir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You've been waiting for a wireless Xbox controller from GameSir

You can finally ditch the long USB-C cable across the living room floor; the included 2.4GHz dongle gives you seamless, couch-friendly wireless play.

✅ You want a premium charging setup on a budget

The included charging dock with its hidden dongle storage is so convenient for keeping your setup tidy and ensuring you never pick up a dead controller.

✅ You are tired of stick drift

The cutting-edge TMR magnetic sticks mean you get top-tier precision for shooting or racing games without worrying about the sticks wearing down six months down the line.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You absolutely love clicky, mechanical face buttons

If you've been spoiled by the micro-switches on GameSir's Kaleid range, the traditional membrane ABXY buttons and D-pad on this model might feel a bit too mushy for your taste.

❌ The pastel aesthetic isn't your vibe

The 'Sugar Whirl' design is a "love it or hate it" look. If you prefer a stealthy, understated controller on your desk, this bright palette will stick out like a sore thumb.

Ultimately, the GameSir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl has officially stolen the crown as my new daily driver, and it’s going to take something pretty special to dethrone it.

While it still represents that classic GameSir dilemma, giving me wireless freedom in one hand while snatching away my beloved micro-switch buttons with the other, it gets closer to perfection than any budget controller has the right to.

I remain endlessly hopeful that one day the team at GameSir will finally combine all my favorite features into a single, flawless pad, but until that day comes, this is a pretty damn close second.

It’s genuinely brilliant to see them constantly showing up Microsoft by packing this much high-tier tech into a sub-$90 bundle, and long may it continue.

I've been reviewing Turtle Beach headsets for a long time. The firm has a huge array of products for Xbox and PC gamers, hitting every price point and use case. Many of Turtle Beach's products have easily landed on our best Xbox and PC gaming headsets lists. Where I've personally found Turtle Beach to be most exciting is on the higher-end, where the firm has a tendency to really push the envelope with regards to functionality and value.

The Stealth Pro II absolutely encompasses that. Yes, it isn't cheap, but it comes in at a comparable price to lifestyle Bluetooth headsets that offer far less functionality and features, often with subpar durability and audio.

With the Stealth Pro II, I'm sitting here well and truly asking myself if this headset isn't just a competitor in the gaming space, but also the general everyday lifestyle space. With a subtle and stylish design, obscene amounts of functionality, and absolutely crystalline audio — the Stealth Pro II could be (should be) your next Xbox / PC gaming headset pick.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II — Specs and Price

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II headset is a monster on paper, boasting an impressive array of features, functions, and premium-end specs.

Here's an overview of what you can expect to get out of the box.

At $349.99, it's not exactly what I'd call cheap, but that seems to have become the standard for headsets that are really pushing the bar when it comes to premium audio and "do everything" specs.

You can swap between two 40-hour batteries, with one permanently charged and ready to go in the transmitter dock. It comes with an additional USB transmitter for PC, with the main charge dock functioning as the radio for Xbox. It also sports Bluetooth 5.3 audio with LDAC, with simultaneous mixing with a USB sound source. It grabs the Hi-Res certification that has become all the rage lately, and boasts a massive speaker upgrade over the previous gen, with dual 60mm drivers and a huge frequency spectrum from 10Hz to 40kHz.

What's it like to actually use, though?

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II — Design and Comfort

I think this is quite easily Turtle Beach's most attractive headset design. The Stealth Pro of yesteryear was fantastic, but it was still quite bulky in that typical "gamer" way, designed for isolation rather than fashion. Somehow, the 'Beach has managed to thread both needles with a single line here. Absolutely stunning engineering and design here.

The brushed metal speaker plates look great on the outside, and there remains a very subtle Turtle Beach imprint that stays out of the way and won't cramp anyone's style. The speakers are accented with the same metallic trims, and the headband connects with these bending connectors that look very futuristic.

The microphone is simultaneously flip-to-mute and detachable, allowing you to go fully wireless. It has internal microphones as well for taking calls on the go without using the full mic boom.

The tapered cans reduce the visible footprint of the headset, which I feel reduces its visible "bulk" over some of Turtle Beach's previous attempts at a headset like this. And this is without compromising on speaker size or features. The 60mm drivers are a noticeable upgrade over the previous model, with separated tweeters and woofers.

On comfort, this is the only part where I think more attention could've been paid. The headband is made of this odd nylon mesh which, while looking pretty, is actually quite tight and uncomfortable over longer sessions. I imagine it's something one could get used to, but it seems like an odd oversight given how painstaking the rest of the design work is. The mesh is also great at trapping dust and is a bit difficult to clean effectively. Additionally, it doesn't seem to be replaceable ... so if you rip it somehow, you're kind of screwed.

I'm also not a huge fan of the fabric material used on the cushions. While it is comfortable, Turtle Beach's previous materials felt a little smoother on the skin. I am someone who vastly prefers leatherette over fabric, though, so take that as you will.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II — Features and Audio

Where this headset absolutely dominates is audio. This is by a country mile the best-sounding headset Turtle Beach has ever produced. As I write this, I'm listening to Tool at maximum volume and enjoying my very own personal concert in an absolutely vast virtual soundscape with impressive separation, thundering, warm bass, and enjoying distortion-free treble, mids, and highs.

The intros on songs I've been intimately acquainted with for decades come through with details I've not experienced prior. Regardless of what I threw at it, from thundering double bass-peddle metal tracks to haunting electronica, it has been a really really fun time testing this headset out. For music and cinematic delivery, this headset is goosebumps-inducingly good, truly ethereal, regardless of genre. For lifestyle and daily mobile use, it also rocks up with active noise canceling, which is very good too. I put it through its paces with noisy fans and my air filter on maximum settings, and felt myself fully isolated with my Spotify playlist.

But what about gaming?

You can indeed expect a similarly amazing experience in games, too. Rocking up with Overwatch and the review build of Halo Campaign Evolved was as immersive as you might expect. Halo's intro music somehow never fails to enchant, and it's only elevated with a good sound system like these.

Where things get even more impressive, particularly in competitive play, is with Turtle Beach's famed SuperHuman Hearing.

Using the bundled Swarm II app, you can set it to focus either on footsteps or gunshots; there's also a legacy setting for those who prefer the old-school profile. SuperHuman Hearing does negatively impact the "cinematic" feel of games, creating an unnatural soundscape — but that's entirely the point. It's supposed to look for and emphasize sound cues that will give you a tactical advantage. And it does work. Games that are already designed with tactical sound design have always worked well with Turtle Beach's SuperHuman Hearing system, but with this headset it hits another level. If Battlefield 6 or Overwatch were Olympic sports, this headset would probably get you banned for cheating.

Another part of this headset that's utterly impressive is the microphone. It's detachable and sports flip-to-mute capabilities as mentioned, but it also has a miniature shock protector, which I've simply never seen before in a gaming headset.

Above is an audio sample with the headset's AI-powered noise cancellation feature turned on. In the first half, you can hear my voice come through clearly despite having a fan blowing directly on the mic, which is impressive. It sounds a lot better without the fan on, of course, but the clarity is rock solid for gaming comms.

I think I'd even be comfortable dropping my XLR mic and using this headset for actual game streaming, which is not something I find myself saying often these days. Turtle Beach really nailed it across the board when it comes to audio here.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II — Should you buy it?

I absolutely adore this headset. The sound is a true pleasure, and it's always a joy when a headset like this delivers so much. It makes the review process fun, as I have an excuse to listen to several albums and play several games as part of my "extensive" testing process ...

I was a bit disappointed with the headband and materials on the earcups. I'm also a bit disappointed that Turtle Beach still can't seem to nail dual-USB sound source mixing, although I admit the requirement for that is pretty niche, and not something 99% of people will actually use. Being able to mix Bluetooth in simultaneously with your Xbox or PC is a nice consolation, though.

✅ You should buy this if:

• You want best-in-class audio on a multi-platform gaming headset.
• You're willing to pay a premium for things like ANC and high-end specs.
• You're a fan of Turtle Beach's SuperHuman Hearing feature.

❌ You should skip this if:

• You want simultaneous USB audio mixing (consider the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro instead.)
• You want to save a bit of cash and ditch some of the frills (consider the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 (Gen 3) instead.)

Where this headset just shines above all is the sound delivery. The soundscape is incredibly immersive for its category, and the microphone is also a cut above what I'd typically expect from a gaming headset.

At this price point, there aren't really a ton of competitors out there worth considering in this range. I absolutely don't think you'll be disappointed with this if you're a dedicated Xbox and PC gamer who wants a bit of Bluetooth and music capabilities on the side. This is an immaculate "do everything" headset that definitely feels worth the price of admission for me.

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An entry-level Alienware PC almost sounds like a contradiction; it's long been the all-out brand you could choose when money isn't a concern, and you'd rather have a guarantee your games will run. So, does the Alienware 15 need to exist, or is it just competing with the tantalizingly new category of high-end gaming handhelds?

Including NVIDIA's RTX 5050 graphics certainly piqued my interest, because until now, I've never seen what this low-end laptop GPU can actually do. Is it worth picking the 50 Series chip for the benefit of cutting-edge DLSS upscaling, or is it too weak to be worth your time? I had so many questions, and these are the conclusions I reached from my testing for this review.

How much does the Alienware 15 cost?

The Alienware 15 starts at $1,399.99 on Dell.com, featuring the same AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor as my sample but with a previous-generation NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 discrete graphics card. Memory and storage remain at 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, but upgrading to an RTX 5050 GPU increases the price to $1,459.99.

A third and final variant of the AMD model increases storage to 1TB with an RTX 5060 GPU for $1,849.99, but the CPU remains the Ryzen 7 260. Alternatively, an Intel-based Alienware 15 starts at $1,499.99 on Dell.com with a Core 7-240H CPU, RTX 5050 GPU, and 16GB/512GB of memory and storage, though you can upgrade to RTX 5060 graphics and a 32GB/1TB RAM and SSD combo.

In the United Kingdom, the AMD-based Alienware 15 starts at £829.00 with a less powerful Ryzen 5 220 processor, RTX 3050 graphics, and 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. At the time of writing, an Intel-based Alienware 15 starts at £849.01 with a Core 5-210H CPU, RTX 3050 GPU, and the same 8GB/512GB RAM/SSD.

Is the Alienware 15 well made?

The Alienware 15 is a bit of a mixed bag, starting with a relatively plain exterior design featuring an iridescent alien head logo and thick air vent panels underneath, synonymous with the capable cooling you'll see in this category. And while its most striking first impression is how heavy it is — at 4.89 lbs (2.22 kg) — it still isn't much different from its rivals. Gaming laptops are just heavy.

Its 15.3-inch screen sits on a gapped hinge, which looks strange at first glance, but I can feel airflow around the gap while it's in use, so it makes sense. The backlit keyboard is unremarkable, sticking to a single color and including a number pad that I'm sure most gamers will never use, and, as usual, I wish the space had been saved for larger speakers.

Admittedly, despite my gripes with the lack of any significant bass response, the sheer volume of the fans during games likely nullifies the appeal of its speakers anyway. As with all gaming laptops, I'm recommending you use headphones here. A small 5.5-inch mechanical touchpad only clicks properly in the bottom half, but you'll probably use a dedicated mouse for most games.

A 3.5mm audio jack pairs with a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port on the right side, while a single USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 is available on the left side, along with two traditional USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports for dongles, HDMI-out 2.1 for external monitors, and gigabit Ethernet for wired networking. The 180W AC adapter needs an old-school barrel jack, but you can charge up to 100W with USB-C.

How fast is the Alienware 15?

Starting with Counter-Strike 2, the game recommends 'High' settings with AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution and vsync disabled for native, uncapped rendering at 1920 x 1200. While spectating a few rounds on Dust II, I saw the frame rate remain around the 165 FPS target when I was connected to AC power and Alienware's 'Performance' mode was active.

However, the laptop's fans were extremely loud throughout, keeping the CPU and GPU temperatures at around 68 °C and 60 °C, respectively. Switching to 'Stealth' mode reduced the fan speed, but no amount of graphical tweaks brought them down to a comfortable, more inconspicuous level. This is a loud laptop, and you'll have to get used to wearing headphones when you're gaming.

In Cyberpunk 2077, I found that the 'High' preset with ray tracing and upscaling disabled most consistently achieved a native 60 FPS baseline in the game's built-in benchmark. Of course, the game supports DLSS 4.5, so setting Super Resolution to 'Balanced' and Multi Frame Generation (MFG) to 4X in the 'Ray Tracing: Low' preset has the Alienware 15 scaling to 171 FPS, up from ~42 FPS.

I have to assume you're considering a gaming laptop with NVIDIA's RTX 50 Series graphics to take advantage of realistic, ray-traced lighting. Luckily, that is quite possible with the RTX 5050 in the Alienware 15, depending on your feelings around MFG and "fake frames". If, on the other hand, you don't care so much about those visual luxuries, then it runs quite smoothly without ray tracing.

For other popular multiplayer titles, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS generally runs above 60 FPS with the 'High' preset at render scale 100, but you can push it to 165 FPS or higher by switching to the 'Medium' preset and further lowering some settings. Similarly, Apex Legends can reach 165 FPS and beyond with a little time spent in the settings, but the laptop's fans will be loud.

Performance benchmarks

To put the specs of Alienware's cheapest laptop into perspective, the Ryzen 7 260 is a "Hawk Point" processor built on AMD's previous-generation Zen 4 architecture and ranks as the second-fastest CPU in the Ryzen 200 Series mobile range. That 8-core, 16-thread chip pairs with NVIDIA's entry-level RTX 50 Series mobile GPU, the GeForce RTX 5050.

However, benchmarking the Alienware 15's CPU in Geekbench 6 burst performance tests placed the Ryzen 7 260 even lower than I perhaps expected, even falling below the original ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld from 2024. Cinebench 2024 failed to run any extended CPU stress tests after complaints of insufficient memory, so there's sadly no reprieve for this processor.

Testing the RTX 5050 across 3DMark's full gamut of GPU-centric tests yields a reasonably consistent and unsurprising conclusion: it's faster than the last-gen RTX 4050, but of course, it still falls behind the 4060. If you were choosing between a gaming laptop with an older GPU, such as an RTX 3060, and the 5050 in this Alienware 15, you'd choose the Alienware.

Finally, the PCIe Gen 4 SSD hits around 7,023 MB/s read speeds in CrystalDiskMark, while write speeds drop closer to 5,962 MB/s. It's a fast drive, and one that sees the Alienware 15 running neck-and-neck with the high-end Alienware m18 R2 from 2024. The 512 GB SSD has limited storage capacity, but it performs as expected.

Does the Alienware 15 have any issues?

Above all, the most significant issue I had during my time with the Alienware 15 was its limited 512 GB SSD, reporting a usable 477 GB with only 332 GB of free space on its first boot into Windows 11. It simply isn't enough, and no amount of optimizations offered by the pre-installed 'SupportAssist' app can help that. After installing only four games, I was out of space.

Alienware advertises "user-upgradeable options" for "up to 1TB PCIe SSD (Gen4) storage", promoting "the flexibility to adapt for whatever comes next", but the ongoing memory crisis stunts that notion. It isn't Alienware's (or Dell's) fault, but I quickly learned that 512 GB isn't good enough in a gaming laptop, and upgrades are extremely expensive in 2026.

Otherwise, the loud fans (~58 dBA) are difficult to ignore and will likely annoy anyone around you. Booting into a game switches the Alienware 15 into 'Performance' mode via the Alienware Command Center companion app, which quickly ramps up the fan speed. Profiles like 'Stealth' mode advertise the laptop as "ideal for any environment", but it's only true if you aren't gaming.

Despite the fans working as hard as they can, the keyboard still gets quite warm during gaming, and it felt a little uncomfortable after a while. I could solve it by plugging in my Steam Controller or by using an external keyboard and mouse, but at that point it feels like I'm hardly using the laptop. Using a thermal camera, I detected a temperature of 46°C around the WASD keys — not abnormal for a gaming laptop, but not exactly ideal either.

Should you buy the Alienware 15?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want a modern, entry-level NVIDIA gaming laptop

✅ You don't have space for a full-sized desktop PC

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You're looking for quiet, portable AAA gaming

The biggest problem with entry-level gaming laptops is that they immediately compete with high-end gaming handhelds, like the Xbox Ally X, which will be more tempting for its versatility alone. However, if you're looking for a stay-at-home gaming machine that occasionally travels with you — with an 180W AC adapter included — the Alienware 15 keeps up with modern gaming by leaning heavily on NVIDIA's RTX 5050 GPU.

Its 512 GB of storage will fill up fast, so you'll either have to be happy with regularly switching between installed games from your library, or rely on an external hard drive to transfer backups. This laptop is loud, restrained, and heavy, but it will play your games, particularly so if they support NVIDIA's latest DLSS upscaling technology. If you're pondering the Alienware 15 on a budget because it's on sale, then I say go for it.

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I'm a big fan of Intel's laptop-centric mobile processors, and I'll jump at the chance to test more of its modern Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" range. Acer isn't my usual go-to manufacturer for Windows laptops, but it's one that has pleasantly surprised me in the past. So, is the Swift Go 16 AI worth your money? Here's what I thought after a week of testing.

How much does the Swift Go 16 AI cost?

You can buy the Swift Go 16 AI for $1,599.99 from Acer.com with the same specs as my sample and in the same color. However, at the time of writing, a cheaper listing at Best Buy for $1,399 offers a lighter-colored "Vapor Silver" variant with the same CPU, RAM, and storage components.

In the United Kingdom, a listing on Acer.co.uk for £1,299.99 cuts the RAM and storage to 16GB and 512GB — half of the US equivalent — and is not currently listed at any other major retailer. Importantly, the UK variant does not include an AC power adapter (charger), due to Acer's sustainability pledge.

Is the Swift Go 16 AI a good laptop?

My first impressions of the Swift Go 16 AI were quite positive, as the 16-inch laptop weighs around 2.95 lbs (1.34 kg) and is quite thin at 150mm (200mm with the rubber feet). That's lighter and thinner than a 16-inch MacBook Pro, presuming Apple doesn't include rubber feet in its own measurements. The chassis lid is also reasonably subtle, with a dark, reflective 'Acer' logo alongside geometric lines in its design.

So, despite being larger than the 14-inch laptops I'm used to, it's off to a good start as the lid opens with a single finger to reveal a vibrant OLED panel and a backlit keyboard with a number pad. Plus, the 0.68 in (175 cm) mechanical trackpad has a clever quirk in that the illuminated 'Swift Series' logo is actually a mode switcher that changes the touchpad to tappable media buttons and video meeting controls when you swipe a finger over it.

It's entirely optional, and you can disable the touchpad mode switching in the pre-installed AcerSense companion app if you want to, along with the specific logo backlight. There's a key beside F12 dedicated to that specific app, and then another, configurable 'My Key' that can launch just about anything, including apps, Windows commands, or a direct web link to Windows Central. Otherwise, the Copilot key lights up when it detects NPU activity — clever.

The webcam is impressive for a built-in option, with Windows Hello compatibility for facial-recognition logins and Human Presence Detection (HPD) to optionally lock the screen if I walk away or even dim the brightness when I look away. A multi-microphone array pairs well with the camera, making me sound remarkably good in meetings, to the point where I wouldn't bother traveling with a plug-in alternative.

Does the Swift Go 16 AI have any issues?

My list of downsides is quite short, but it splits into hardware and software gripes for the Swift Go 16 AI. The former is the smallest, as some chassis flex around the keyboard and screen is a byproduct of making such a thin laptop, but the lackluster speaker performance is disappointing for a 16-inch model. Audio isn't terrible, but the slight hint of bass response doesn't hold up to music or cinematic videos.

For the latter, the software experience suffers from heavy bloatware. Advertisements for Booking.com, Dropbox, and a mobile game, Forge of Empires, are all pinned to the taskbar upon first boot, while the Start menu includes more games like Elvenar, a third-party Solitaire, Amazing Block Blast, Google Play Games beta, and McAfee. I'd recommend uninstalling it all, leaving only Acer's self-made apps.

Finally, the touchpad exhibits a subtle delay in cursor movement, which feels stranger the more I use it. While it won't be obvious to everyone, I noticed this "mouse lag" from the start, and switching from my Surface Laptop Go 2 to the Swift Go 16 AI makes it even more apparent. It's not the end of the world, but it's enough to deter me from making this my primary laptop. Again, its impact will vary between users, but it's worth highlighting.

How fast is the Swift Go 16 AI?

My sample of the Swift Go 16 AI features an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 processor, part of the company's "Panther Lake" chip family, serving as the latest Core Ultra Series 3 range for x86-64 Windows laptops. It contains the same 8-core, 8-thread CPU as the 14-inch Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition I tested recently, and benchmark results place it in the same range.

Cinebench results show Acer moves slightly ahead of Lenovo in extended multi-core stress testing, presumably owing to its larger chassis and more substantial CPU cooling solution. The opposite is true in burst performance benchmarks in Geekbench 6, but the single- and multi-core scores are within a comparable window.

As expected, the Swift Go 16 AI ranks slightly ahead of the 15.3-inch Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, which uses a lower-power 8c/8t Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor from the previous "Lunar Lake" Core Ultra Series 2 range. Plus, it outperforms Qualcomm's 8-core Snapdragon X found inside the first ASUS Zenbook A14, and the Snapdragon X Plus in the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1.

It's a decent effort, and it places where it should. On top of that, Acer includes an NVMe PCIe 4.0 solid-state drive that hits over 7,000 MB/s read speeds, putting it firmly in my self-appointed "fast" category that helps simplify the numbers for anyone who doesn't care to know about SSD speeds. If you buy the Swift Go 16 AI, you'll get a capable laptop that boots quickly and performs well.

Battery life

The 71 Whr battery in the Swift Go AI (detected as 71,031 mWh) delivers what I would call "all-day" performance, even if it slightly underperformed compared to my expectations for another Intel Panther Lake-based laptop. PCMark 10 tests repeatedly failed, so generating a battery report in Windows 11 was my best indicator, showing estimates ranging from 8 to 14 hours on a full charge.

I kept the display at around 82% brightness as I worked on the Swift Go 16 AI, a value that targeted 250 nits based on my colorimeter tests. The OLED panel maxed out at 300 nits and achieved 100% sRGB color accuracy, plus 100% of the P3 and 91% of the Adobe RGB gamuts. So, the Swift Go 16 AI has a beautifully color-accurate panel, but not an especially bright screen.

Should you buy the Swift Go 16 AI?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want an affordable but modern OLED laptop

✅ You're a hybrid worker with regular video meetings

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You're looking for a dedicated content creation or gaming PC

Acer offers a great range of modern features in the Swift Go 16 AI, including one of Intel's latest Core Ultra Series 3 processors with fantastic power efficiency, 32GB of plentiful RAM, a vibrant OLED display, and a great webcam with presence detection. That alone makes it an attractive option, but extras like its huge, quirky touchpad also help offset its downsides.

There are strong competitors in the current Windows laptop landscape, but Acer has pleasantly surprised me with what otherwise seemed like yet another AI-centric Copilot+ PC. You get a fast CPU, fast RAM, fast storage, and even fast Wi-Fi 7 — extremely capable components inside an otherwise pedestrian chassis. It's already tempting, but future discounts will make this one irresistible.

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We all knew this day would come. Razer has spent the last decade spreading its glowing tendrils into every conceivable corner of the tech world, putting colorful lights on everything from mousepads to beverage coasters. A fully illuminated gaming chair was always a matter of when, not if.

Enter the Razer Soma Chroma, announced on June 25th. It is a product that answers a question absolutely nobody was asking, yet it manages to be completely awesome in execution. Is a neon-soaked headrest necessary to hit your headshots in Valorant? Not even slightly. Is it a hilarious, beautifully built piece of functional performance art? Absolutely.

While the minimalist crowd might scoff at the pure absurdity of a glowing chair, it is exactly this kind of unhinged commitment to a design identity that keeps me in this game. I love to see companies take genuine risks and lean heavily into who they are, and Razer did not blink here.

Razer had no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.

The Evil Throne Visual Aesthetic

Setting up the Soma Chroma is an absolute breeze. From cracking open the massive cardboard box to actually parking my rear end in the seat, the entire assembly process took me less than 10 minutes. The parts clear out easily, the bolts line up beautifully, and the 6 cm PU caster wheels pop right into the powder-coated steel base without throwing a tantrum. Once assembled, those wheels roll smoothly across both hard floors and rugs alike without any annoying stuttering.

When you finally stand back and look at it, the visual payoff is immediate. The standout feature is the pair of prominent RGB wings framing the headrest area.

Sitting in this chair makes you feel like an antagonist plotting world domination while waiting for your casual matchmaking lobby to fill up. As you can see in the above photos, the lighting strip is perfectly uniform, incredibly bright, and creates a spectacular glow that looks brilliant on a stream camera or reflecting off a dark wall.

Comfort for the Long Haul

Beyond the light show, a chair actually needs to work as a piece of furniture. I spent the last 10 days using the Soma Chroma as my daily driver, logging a punishing 8 hours a day for multiple days, and my back has been perfectly happy.

Razer opted for a dual-density cold-cured foam setup for the cushion. There is a noticeably softer outer layer that immediately contours to your body when you sit down, which sits directly on top of a much firmer base layer that keeps the chair from bottoming out over long sessions. The built-in ergonomic lumbar arch provides great passive support to your lower spine, encouraging a healthy posture without requiring constant manual adjustments.

Instead of the premium leatherette styling found on the Iskur line, the Soma Chroma utilizes a soft cloth fabric upholstery. You can see the distinct paneled layout of the fabric seat base. The material feels cozy, gentle, and broken-in right out of the box, though it does tend to collect a bit of back heat.

On particularly warm summer days, you might find yourself wishing for a bit more ventilation. It's also a magnet for pet hair, if you have furry friends as I do.

My biggest critique lands squarely on the armrests. The chair features basic 2D armrests that only allow for height adjustments and generic inward or outward angling. If you are moving over from a high-end chair with 3D or 4D armrests, the lack of forward, backward, or lateral sliding movements feels like an unfortunate omission on a $499.99 piece of hardware.

Controlling the Light Show

Connecting the chair to your PC is as familiar as any other Razer peripheral. You can use Bluetooth for a quick mobile hookup, or plug in the included 2.4GHz wireless USB Type-A dongle for a low-latency connection to your rig.

Once connected, the Synapse software gives you complete control over the 16.8 million colors. You can easily adjust the overall brightness slider, toggle power-saving sleep timers to dim the lights during inactivity, or launch Chroma Studio to synchronize your seating with game-reactive profiles.

You can see in the photo below how you can use multiple colors at once and use preset motion settings like Ripple, Starlight, Reactive, or Static to give the effect you want. In that photo, I went with Windows Central's colors, which is fun. Most of my photos here are static, simply because having Ripple or Wave enabled, which looks awesome, may be distracting if you're on a professional web call versus streaming on Twitch.

If you already own other hardware like my just-reviewed Seiren V3 Pro microphone, the Huntsman V3 Pro TKL, or the ultra-premium Huntsman Signature Edition, the ability to sync your entire room's theme together creates an incredibly cohesive ecosystem.

If you prefer to adjust things on the fly without minimizing your game, there is a physical control panel stitched directly into the fabric on the top of the headrest. The buttons are clicky and responsive, allowing you to turn the RGB on or off, cycle through effects, and tweak brightness.

The comedy here is that you cannot actually see or easily reach these buttons blindly while sitting down. You have to get up out of the chair to make physical adjustments, making Razer Synapse the vastly superior option for mid-game tweaks.

Powering Your RGB

Because dangling a long power cable off a spinning, rolling desk chair is an absolute recipe for disaster, Razer designed the Soma Chroma to run completely wirelessly via a clever hidden feature. There is a dedicated zipper pocket built directly into the rear of the seat base. This pocket allows you to tuck away a standard USB Type-C power bank (not included), keeping your setup clean and cord-free.

If you absolutely despise dealing with batteries, you can buy a Razer Type-C extension cable separately for about $19.99 on Amazon to plug the chair straight into a wall outlet. This gives you an always-on light show, but it obviously creates a massive trip hazard if you like to spin around or roll across your room.

Fortunately, running it wirelessly is shockingly viable. During my 10 days of evaluation, I hooked the chair up to a standard 49.6WHr battery pack. After two full, continuous workdays consisting of 16 total hours of use with the RGB strips cranked to absolute maximum brightness, the battery pack was only down by roughly 50%. That means you can easily expect a massive 30-plus hours of glorious neon illumination before you ever need to think about pulling the battery pack out to recharge it.

Missing Perks and Future Upgrades

It is worth noting that the standard Soma Chroma does not feature any internal haptic feedback. If you want your seat to rumble alongside your games, you will need to buy an additional add-on pad like the recently reviewed Razer Freyja cushion.

Knowing Razer's historic release patterns, I am completely confident that we will eventually see a premium Soma Chroma "Pro" down the line that integrates both the fancy lighting strips and full-body haptic motors into a single package. When that inevitably happens, it will likely cost a small fortune, which makes the $499.99 entry fee for this model feel relatively reasonable for the wild novelty and comfort it brings to the table.

Razer Soma Chroma review: My final thoughts

✅ You should buy this if ...

• You want peak gamer aesthetic (or like fun).
• You want a solid, comfortable gaming chair
• You already have a lot of Razer accessories to pair with it

❌ You should not buy this if ...

• You work in an office, or need something more professional
• You prefer leatherette materials
• You don't want to charge/power yet-another-accessory

The Razer Soma Chroma is an absolute blast of a gaming chair. It takes a ridiculous concept and executes it with high-quality materials, stable wireless connectivity, and genuine ergonomic support. It might not be a necessary upgrade for the casual office worker, but for the enthusiast who wants to lean completely into the ultimate battlestation aesthetic, it delivers exactly what it promises.

• Back to the top ⤴

Alienware makes gaming laptops and desktops, sure, but the line I enjoy looking at most is its QD-OLED gaming monitors. They're immensely popular after being the first to market in 2022; they're generally well-rated, and they're usually competitively priced.

One of the most popular Alienware gaming monitors is the AW3425DW, and it has now received a significant update for 2026. Dell let me get my hands on the new AW3426DW ultrawide monitor early so I could get a true feel of what it's like, and I'm here to share my thoughts on whether or not it's worth a buy.

Dell had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the Alienware AW3426DW cost?

The AW3426DW launched at $799.99 — which is the same price at which the last-gen AW3425DW made its debut — and it's also launching at £709 in the United Kingdom.

It's worth noting that the older model is currently sitting at $649.99 after a $150 discount, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that price drop stick around now that the new model is here.

Here's a closer look at the specs that make up the Alienware AW3426DW.

A generational upgrade for Alienware's iconic ultrawide

Compared to the older AW3425DW model we reviewed favorably last year, there are several standout improvements in the new AW3426DW.

The main change arrives for the Quantum Dot-Organic Light Emitting Diode (QD-OLED) panel. It's using Samsung's new fifth-gen Penta Tandem tech that was revealed earlier this year, which the company says has twice as long a lifespan as well as 1.3 times better brightness. Text should be easier to read, and there are improvements to dark colors in bright ambient light. More on that below.

Alongside the higher brightness, the monitor now has an anti-reflective coating to better combat glare. And, finally, the refresh rate has been raised from 240Hz to 280Hz.

What I like about the Alienware AW3426DW

From a purely design standpoint, the Alienware AW3426DW hasn't changed much compared to the AW3425DW. Its case has a pleasant Interstellar Indigo color scheme, with minimal interruptions on the back panel.

An Alienware head logo is off to the left of the stand, and there's the secondary AI logo on the other side. These logos are surrounded by venting, altogether offering a clean look.

For a bit of extra jazz, the Alienware head has customizable lighting. The same applies to the monitor's power button on the bottom edge of the casing.

The front of the monitor features Alienware branding, and that's basically it. Bezels are nice and slim, and the rounded stand seems like a perfect pairing.

On that note, the stand is plenty sturdy. It doesn't offer much rotation (this is an ultrawide, after all), but there's enough tilt and swivel to keep me happy. If I were keeping the screen, it'd go onto my MSI dual-arm VESA mount thanks to 100x100mm compatibility.

All OSD settings are controlled with a single joystick. There are a ton of menu options to play around with should you want to tweak the picture, and the monitor includes quite a few presets for different tasks and gaming styles. You can also change shortcuts for easier control.

Smart HDR, Dolby Vision, refresh rates, and much more are all customizable. You can choose how the monitor handles multiple inputs. And, for those who game and work on the same screen, I'm happy to report that the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) and Picture-by-Picture (PbP) features work flawlessly.

The older AW3425DW's OSD menu, or "Command Center," had issues with freezing and closing randomly, but I've not seen those issues in the newer AW3426DW model.

How is the Alienware AW3426DW's color and brightness?

Thanks to the new fifth-gen QD-OLED panel, Alienware's flagship line of ultrawide gaming monitors has never looked better.

One of the biggest complaints about the older model was that black colors often appeared purple when in a bright room. That's been significantly improved here, and it seems that no matter how much light is falling on the screen, dark colors remain dark.

This latest model includes a new anti-reflective finish that Dell says reduces glare by up to 30%. I can't test for that precisely, but I can say that the only time I had issues with glare was in a sun-drenched room with direct light hitting the screen. If you're in an office or a gaming room, you should have no issues.

It also helps that brightness has gone up from a 250-nit cap to 300 nits. Whereas the AW3425DW tested for roughly 252 nits of brightness, I saw the AW3426DW hit 330 nits in SDR, and it goes up to about 1,300 nits with HDR enabled. This additional brightness pushes its HDR certification up to VESA DisplayHDR 500.

You can see for yourself the brightness, color, contrast, and white point ratings in the above chart that I pulled from my SpyderX Pro colorimeter.

Color reproduction has actually improved slightly compared to the previous generation. Whereas we previously tested for 97% P3 and 94% AdobeRGB coverage, the new model hits 99% and 95%, respectively. It otherwise remains at 100% sRGB.

Is Alienware's AW3426DW good for gaming?

Thanks to a curved panel, an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio, a 3440x1440 resolution, a 280Hz refresh rate, and a 0.02ms response time, the Alienware AW3426DW is an outstanding gaming monitor.

The resolution hits the sweet spot for most gamers, and once you go ultrawide, you'll find it's very hard to go back to a 16:9 aspect ratio. The 280Hz refresh rate has plenty of ceiling for high-end performance hardware, and it's fast enough that you shouldn't mind using it for competitive titles.

Because it's an ultrawide with room for (at least) three separate windows, it's also great for productivity. Text is easier to read with this generation of QD-OLED panel, and you might be surprised at how crisp everything looks if you're coming from an older model.

What I dislike about the Alienware AW3426DW

There's not much to dislike about this monitor from a display quality standpoint. But there are some drawbacks you should know about before buying.

The port selection is notably a bit lacking. There's no 3.5mm audio jack (and no built-in speakers), and for data, there's just USB-C (15W) and USB-A, feeding off an upstream USB-B port.

Video inputs include dual HDMI 2.1 with Fixed Rate Link (FRL) for uncompressed 4K@120Hz gaming, but the single DisplayPort is 1.4 standard with Display Stream Compression (DSC). Some newer monitors are shipping with DP 2.1 with less compression, and I'd say it only really matters for enthusiasts.

Should you buy the Alienware AW3426DW?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You're looking for a competitively priced ultrawide gaming monitor featuring fifth-gen QD-OLED tech.

✅ You have a gaming PC that can handle a 3440x1440 resolution and that can make use of a 280Hz refresh rate.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You're a competitive gamer who mostly plays at a 16:9 aspect ratio.

❌ You just want a QD-OLED ultrawide and don't care about the generation (go with the AW3425DW from last year that's now usually cheaper).

I loved my time with the Alienware AW3426DW, and it's something I'll recommend to anyone who's searching out a new QD-OLED ultrawide for gaming.

The 280Hz refresh rate is perfect for most people, the fifth-gen panel is better than ever, and the overall design is sleek and balanced.

Although some might complain that the port selection isn't generous enough or that the RGB lighting is lacking, others might not mind those drawbacks nearly as much.

And considering how many perks the monitor has, it's easy to see why this line of monitors from Alienware is so popular. I have to return the review sample, but the AW3426DW is at the top of my list for when it comes time to upgrade.

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I'm a huge fan of all-in-one computers, and have pretty much daily driven one ever since Microsoft launched the first Surface Studio in 2016. Everyone agrees that the Surface Studio is in a league of its own when it comes to AiO design, and while other OEMs have tried to match it, none have come close.

So when Microsoft killed off the Surface Studio, I was incredibly sad. Although I never really used the Surface Studio's unique canvas hinge, I did very much enjoy its design and display, and so when the time came to replace it, I was never entirely satisfied with my options. I moved to the HP Envy 32, then the HP Envy 34, before switching to a Lenovo Yoga AiO 32 line last year.

I've been happily daily-driving my Lenovo Yoga AiO 32 for over a year, and while it looked good on a desk, it wasn't a head turner. Well, it appears Lenovo has taken that criticism to heart, as the follow-up is a complete redesign that puts sexy front and center.

The new Lenovo Yoga AiO i 32 Aura Edition is a true sight to behold. Complete with a transparent display chin that incorporates RGB lighting, a new upside-down V-shaped stand that's unlike anything I've ever seen, an incredibly thin but capable computer built into said stand, and the best display I've ever seen on an all-in-one.

I've been daily driving this AiO for the last three weeks, and this is my full review.

This review was made possible via a review sample supplied by Lenovo. The company had no editorial input and did not view the contents of this review before publication.

Yoga AiO i 32 Aura Edition: Price and specs

The Lenovo Yoga AiO i 32 Aura Edition is a mouthful of a name, but it does make it easy to find online. You can find the device available for purchase directly on Lenovo's website for an eyewatering $3,097.99. There's only one configuration available, so there's no wiggle room on that price for now.

That configuration comes with an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, paired with 32GB RAM and 1TB m.2 SSD storage. It also includes the Intel Arc B390 GPU, which drives the incredible 32-inch 4K OLED panel at 165Hz. Unfortunately, there are no configurations with a dedicated GPU from NVIDIA or AMD.

Yoga AiO i 32 Aura Edition: What I like

In a word, the Lenovo Yoga i AiO 32 Aura Edition is sexy. It's probably the best-looking desktop computer you can buy right now, and that's thanks to its absolutely insane design that places the entire computer in the stand that holds the screen up, allowing the display to take all your attention.

From a normal sitting position, you can't even see the stand. Unlike traditional stands that have a base that sits on the desk, the AiO's stand is more like a kickstand, with the weight of the display leaning against the stand, and the bottom of both the stand and the display chin making contact with the desk to form an upside-down V shape.

This is unique on its own, but when paired with the awesome-looking transparent display chin, the result is an all-encompassing 4K OLED display that looks like it floats. It's honestly super mesmerizing, and with the built-in RGB lighting enabled that shines through the transparent chin, the whole thing just looks amazing.

That RGB lighting can be controlled via Lenovo's included Vantage app, or by Windows itself using Microsoft's new Dynamic Lighting feature. This is the first time I've been able to use Windows 11's native RGB controls, and they're quick and awesome. You have a number of settings, including gradients that let you choose two colors to alternate between, and it's overall very easy to set up.

It's an incredibly eye-catching design that will turn heads whenever someone who has never seen it before comes across it. While the light-up chin is the first thing they'll notice, the second thing they'll be blown away by is the sheer quality of the 4K OLED display that sits on top of it.

This 32-inch 4K OLED panel is amazing. It's a true 10-bit panel at 165Hz, making Windows animations and scrolling look super smooth and games feel incredible to play. This is undoubtedly the best display you can find on an all-in-one PC right now, blowing the iMac and the last-gen Lenovo 32-inch AiO out of the water.

Colors simply pop on this screen. It's also incredibly color accurate, with a 99% DCI‑P3 and 100% sRGB rating making it great for video editors and photo artists. It's plenty bright, with up to 1,000 nits peak brightness in HDR content too. The display is surrounded by thin uniform bezels, with a metal frame that's cold to the touch and feels incredibly premium.

On the right side of the display is a USB-C port, which makes plugging in flash drives and other peripherals super easy and convenient. There's also a 3.5mm audio jack on this same display edge, which is nice for plugging in headphones. The rest of the ports are located on the stand, most of which are at the very back.

On the stand, you'll find a single USB-A port on the side of the stand, which is designed for a wireless keyboard and mouse dongle (but you can plug anything into it) behind a door. On the back, there are two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and that's it. I do wish there was maybe an additional USB-A and USB-C port, and an Ethernet jack wouldn't have gone amiss either.

Along the top of the display is a 16MP webcam that looks great and is a significant upgrade over the last gen Lenovo AiO. It's much clearer, and Windows Hello face unlock works a little faster as a result. There's a webcam kill switch on the right side of the display that's easy to reach for when you don't want anyone looking at you.

The AiO comes with a nice keyboard and mouse as well. These are automatically paired with the PC when you unbox, as the wireless dongle comes plugged in from the factory. The keyboard is hefty but premium-feeling, featuring a chiclet-style typing experience that's quiet yet satisfying.

Yoga AiO i 32 Aura Edition: What I don't like

Unfortunately, there are some things about the Lenovo Yoga AiO 32 Aura Edition that aren't my favorite. While this device is overall amazing and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone, that does come with a few caveats.

First of all, the design of this computer does have a few trade-offs. Firstly, the space required to set up the computer optimally on your desk is a significantly larger area than your usual AiO that sits on a normal stand with a base. The upside-down V-shape nature means that to angle the screen comfortably, you need to widen the gap between the two points of contact on the desk.

This isn't going to be an issue if you have a large desk, but for those on smaller desks, you might find the display ends up being slightly too close to you, or the stand ends up uncomfortably close to the edge of the desk. The underside of the stand is covered in a grippy texture, so it won't slide anywhere, but it's still a little unnerving.

You also lose usable desk space with this design. Sure, you can put things behind the display between it and the stand if you wanted, but that would mean you'll need to reach around the display whenever you need access to whatever it is you've put behind it. Plus, the transparent chin means you can see all the mess behind there at all times.

On the subject of that transparent chin. I love it, I really do, but my goodness, is it a dust and fingerprint magnet. Be prepared to be cleaning it on the daily. I don't know how fingerprints even end up there, as I'm never actively touching the chin, but somehow I'm always cleaning them off.

This design also results in the position of the ports being really difficult to reach. While there is a single USB-C port on the side of the display, which is super easy to access and great to have, all the other ports are on the stand, most of which are at the back on the very bottom. This makes them basically impossible to reach when sitting in front of the display.

I complained about the position of the ports on the last-gen AiO from Lenovo, but at least on that device you could reach through the display stand to get to the ports from a sitting position. On this new model, you have no choice but to get up, lean around the display, and fondle your way into plugging your peripheral in. It's quite annoying.

I'd also argue that for a device being targeted at creators, it's quite lacking in the port section. There are just two USB-C and three USB-A ports on the whole device, four of which are on the back. Plus, there's no Ethernet jack for wired internet, and no SD card reader of any kind. I do wish that it had an SD card reader at the very least.

The last thing I don't like about the AiO is the built-in speaker system. In my testing, I can't help but think there's something wrong with them. Whenever the audio channel is open, an audible hissing/whooshing noise is present. This noise is present regardless of the audio being played, but is more noticeable when the volume is on medium or low settings. It's even audible when the device is muted and an audio track is playing, and it goes away entirely when the audio channel is closed.

It's so noticeable that I reached out to Lenovo to request a new review unit, thinking mine was defective, only to find the second sample has the same problem. So, I don't know if this is a hardware defect or something that can be fixed via firmware updates. I couldn't tell you what's causing the noise, but it is there.

If you've ordered one of these AiOs, let me know if this issue is present on your unit, or if I just somehow received two defective models back to back. This problem is easily solved by using an external set of speakers, which is what I do, completely bypassing the built-in speaker system. Still, it's not something you should have to put up with when paying this amount of money for a device, so if yours has this issue and you're unhappy, be sure to return it.

Yoga AiO i 32 Aura Edition: Performance

This AiO is one that strikes a perfect balance between performance and quiet operation. This thing is whisper-quiet for 99% of the time you'll be using it, with the fans only spinning up under heavy sustained load for long periods. Even when on full blast, the fans aren't offensively loud.

Powered by the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H (Core Ultra Series 3) and Intel Arc B390 GPU, this AiO is well equipped to handle your usual day-to-day tasks, as well as high-intensity tasks such as video and photo editing, rendering, and 3D modeling. It's even a competent gaming machine, though I wouldn't buy one for dedicated gaming.

The Intel Core Ultra X7 358H CPU is where this machine truly shines, flexing massive numbers in multi-threaded tasks thanks to its advanced architectural efficiency. With a Geekbench single-core score of 2,851 and a multicore score of 16,964, it breezily handles heavy multitasking, AI workloads, and complex data processing.

In everyday productivity, it achieved a CrossMark score of 2,128, which means it has snappy execution across office applications. For rendering workloads, the Cinebench benchmarks reveal a single-core score of 501 and a robust multicore score of 4,927. The device has minimal thermal throttling, and as mentioned above, rarely gets loud.

The inclusion of the Intel Arc B390 GPU elevates this machine beyond your usual standard integrated graphics. It's a highly efficient, modern graphics solution that I'd describe as more than good enough for light to moderate gaming, intensive content creation, and smooth video editing. Here are our 3DMark benchmark results:

It's clear that the Intel B390 isn't going to be great at running the latest games at their highest settings at 4K 120Hz, but bumping things down to medium-high graphics settings and 1080p or 1440p will result in a perfectly fine gaming experience, which should be more than enough for those who are only gaming casually on their PCs.

Games like Halo: The Master Chief Collection or Hitman run great on the AiO. Cyberpunk 2077 also runs really well when set to 1440p high settings. Older games like GTA V run at high frame rates with all their settings maxed out, even at 4K. So it really will come down to the kind of games you play and how graphically intensive they are.

The Intel B390 is a step above your typical integrated graphics, but it's no dedicated GPU from NVIDIA or AMD. So expectations should be tempered if you're looking to game. Most modern games should run more than fine if you set their graphics settings to medium 1080p. It's fair to say the Intel B390 is better served for content creators, being an excellent GPU for rendering video, 3D models, and more.

I do wish Lenovo offered the PC with the option of being configured with a dedicated GPU, as the B390 on its own might be disappointing for some, especially at these prices.

The last-gen flagship Lenovo Yoga AiO featured an NVIDIA RTX 4050, which provides roughly the same level of performance as the Intel B390, but I've found that some games run slightly better with smoother frame rates on the older NVIDIA card. So we're not seeing any real performance upgrades across generations, outside of the fact that the Intel B390 is a more efficient GPU overall.

For storage speeds, the CrystalDiskMark results are top-tier, clocking in at an impressive 7,008.27 MB/s read and 5,807.32 MB/s write speeds. This should mean boot times, app loading, and file transfers stay nice and fast.

Conclusion

You should buy this PC if...

✅ You want a beautiful Windows all-in-one

✅ You want one of the best OLED displays on a Windows PC

✅ You're a creator who focuses on video and photo editing

You should not buy this PC if...

❌ You have a small desk

❌ You frequently need to plug in and unplug peripherals

❌ You rely heavily on built-in speakers

❌ You're a hardcore gamer who wants to game

Overall, I believe the Lenovo Yoga i AiO 32 Aura Edition is an almost perfect all-in-one. It's definitely at the top of the list when it comes to an aesthetic design point, but those design choices aren't without their own minor annoyances. For me, I'm happy to sacrifice easy port access in exchange for sheer beauty.

With that said, there's clearly a problem with the built-in audio setup on two of the units I tested. Once again, I'm hoping that this issue is software-related and can be fixed via a firmware update. Some may not even notice the hissing noise, but it's very audible and distracting for me.

The lack of a dedicated GPU option may also upset some people, especially those that are wanting to game. While the Intel Arc B390 is good, it's by no means great, especially for the over $3,000 you'll be paying for this PC new.

Those issues aside, I have to say that this AiO is the first one I've used since the Surface Studio that has blown me away. It's just jaw-droppingly good to look at, and it's something I'm proud to have sitting on my desk. There's nothing boring or corporate about it; it's simply mesmerizing.

The design, paired with the glorious 4K 165Hz OLED panel and great performance under the hood, results in an incredible experience at a high cost, which unfortunately can't be helped given the ongoing component pricing crisis. If Lenovo is able to get the speaker issue sorted, this device is a clear winner in my book.

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As it is, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag is one of the greatest Assassin’s Creed games ever made. Buckling gameplay from bow to stern, Black Flag is the title that set a pirate craze in the world. To the point that Ubisoft spent well over a decade developing the cursed game Skull and Bones.

Even with the dastardly failure of the game, Ubisoft’s vision of a pirate game has crawled its way back in the form of the Black Flag remake, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. As a player who gained every single achievement in the original game, you can bet your coin that I had high expectations when it came to this remake.

I’m happy to say that a little over a dozen years after the original game, Resynced is back to claim the piracy title.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced: The Story

You’re Edward Kenway, the ever-loving and charismatic privateer with a dashing Welsh accent. Driven by dreams of wealth for his wife and glory to boot, Edward sets sail for the West Indies in search of riches beyond measure.

From the start, Edward finds himself in turmoil under a naval encounter that sees his world unraveled and shipwrecked. A shady figure by the name of Duncan Walpole crosses paths with Edward, and an entire world beyond the realm of piracy unfolds before him. One of the shadow and ancient struggles between the Templars and Assassins. The fight between true freedom and control.

Within hours, players will find themselves commanding their very own vessel, the Jackdaw. A versatile ship under the command of a man with legendary pirate friends like Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch, Anne Bonny, Charles Vane, and more. With his trusty crew and mythical friends, Edward looks to create a pirate paradise free from the control of the outside world.

Along this path, Edward discovers the Observatory, Black Flag’s integral piece left behind by the First Civilization that both Assassins and Templars are fighting for. A device that could potentially locate any person across the globe, powers beyond Edward’s imagination begin to clash, with him caught right in the middle.

With everything at stake, Black Flag Resynced, like the game before it, does a wonderful job of depicting a struggle of self-discovery as Edward grapples with his own ambitions as they come at odds with protecting what truly matters in the world.

Unlike the original Black Flag, none of the original modern-day storyline is present. Instead, the entire game is set from beginning to end within the eyes and confines of Edward Kenway. No more will the player find themselves going through the motions of some Abstergo office.

On top of the original story, players can expect extra epilogue missions as well that add more to the world of Edward Kenway.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced: Sail beyond the original

Everything you loved from the original Black Flag returns in Resynced, alongside a plethora of new activities to explore. From new locations to entirely new end-game missions that expand upon the original story, Resynced is more than just a remake, all while packing itself into a single game.

Modern-day stories have been replaced by Rifts, which are optional quests within the Animus that provide players with a unique “what-if” perspective shift. I won’t spoil anything, but a single one of these missions is far better than all of the modern-day experiences found in the original game, combined.

Alongside the main story, side-quests have also been expanded upon. With entirely new missions that give a better glimpse into some of the game’s most iconic characters, as well as other contracts that begin to number beyond what I’m willing to write about. Needless to say, even players who come fresh from the original will find tons of newly packed story content in Resynced!

With all the newly minted narrative pieces, Ubisoft also delivered the goods when it came to combat on foot and on the high seas. First, let’s talk about Edward’s expanded repertoire.

Edward’s melee capabilities have been expanded with perfect parries and heavy attacks. Now, when an enemy takes a parryable swing at Edward, a perfectly timed parry will open them up for a devastating finisher.

Players can also add heavy attacks to their swashbuckling swings to engage in melee beatdowns on enemies on their heels. These heavy hits are multi-enemy swings that apply to all melee weapons in the game.

Another fantastic “addition” is the rope dart, a mechanic that was part of the original, but many players felt was unlocked far too late in the game to be of any use. Correcting this mistake, Ubisoft has unlocked it for use within the first few hours of gameplay, as well as expanding on its combat capabilities.

Naval combat, as I said earlier, has also been heavily expanded. Each and every weapon on the Jackdaw now has an added secondary fire mode that drastically changes how the weapon performs. For instance, let's talk about the heated shot for the broadside cannons.

Rather than a single please-don’t-miss-shot, the heated-shot is a close-quarters monster. Enabling a rapid-fire “fire” shot that barrages the enemy with flaming cannonballs. The heated-shot is an up-close face melter when it comes to naval combat, and something I could never go back to the original without.

That’s just one of the added secondary weapons as well, with the upfront chain shots, swivel gun, mortars, and fire barrels all getting some fantastic additions to their arsenals. Open-water combat that was once perfection is now peak perfection.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced: Looks and runs amazingly

Very rarely do I get to see a remake that captures the magic of the original while surpassing it in every way. Generally, there’s always something that seems to throw me off, something that the new team felt was needed but doesn’t quite fit the world of the initial creation.

Having played through the entirety of the original Black Flag in 2013, I went into Resynced immediately astonished. The world I had once known has been captured and enhanced in ways my nostalgia-driven mind thinks the original always looked.

Iconic cities like Nassau have been overhauled with incredibly new, detailed textures and meshes, all while triggering memory circuits in my brain I thought had been long lost. My first time on shore activated something in my head that I assumed I had completely forgotten. The buildings all fit perfectly in their places as I had once remembered them.

Even trees contain the same pathways I once ran through, while paths leading from ships initiate the same but greatly updated animations of the originals. The entire Resynced experience is absolutely breathtaking in terms of how closely the world has been reimagined while remaining faithful to its predecessor.

With that, you’d think a massive performance hit would come as well, but as someone playing on PC through Ubisoft Connect, it didn’t!

I’m happy to report that I achieved well over 120 frames per second on my build with a little DLSS Quality and Nvidia Frame Generation set to 2x. I know, I know, “frame generation sucks!” I’m here to tell you that as a competitive player, frame generation is perfectly fine in this case, given the native performance I was getting was well beyond 60 fps.

My current build is an RTX 5080, 9800X3D, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM. I was running the game on the Very High preset for most of my gameplay. I bumped it to Ultra settings with ray-tracing and field-of-view maxed, and Resynced still managed to maintain an average of 110+ frames per second.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced: Should you buy it?

If you loved the original game, then yes, you definitely should. If you've never played it, but love that older-school Assassin's Creed formula, then yes, you should too!

For everyone else, it really comes down to what you're looking for in a game.

While Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is massive, players can adhere to most of the mainline story without too much side-tracking. So if these larger-than-life open-world games aren't your cup of tea, just know that Black Flag Resynced can be played as a sort of linear experience.

For collectathon people like myself, Resynced isn’t quite as bad as the latest Legend of Zelda entries, but you’ll definitely be busy running around each and every island, crossing off the to-do checklist you’re presented with. Especially if you want to grab every cosmetic as I do.

Then there’s an added layer of their new Animus Hub that was originally introduced with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. More points mean more unlocks, which all just feels like an expanded version of their original Ubisoft Uplay Store.

At the end of the day, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is everything I’ve ever loved about the series, now dressed to the Blackbeard nines and bursting with new features to keep gamers busy for days. Sure, I’ve been overwhelmed by the treasure trove of things to do, but not once have I played without a grin plastered across my face.

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Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

ASUS' Snapdragon-based Zenbook became immediately iconic when its first A14 iteration was revealed at CES 2025, and it still won us over after an unfortunate $100 price increase when we tested a real-world sample for our Zenbook A14 (2025) review. Well, now it's back again, and it's packing the latest Snapdragon X2 Elite processor in yet another premium (but compact) Windows on ARM laptop. So, is it worth $2,000, or should you stick with the previous generation?

How much does the Zenbook A14 cost?

ASUS lists the Zenbook A14 (UX3407) on its official storefront for $1,999.99, with a Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-88-100) processor, 32GB of LPDDR5X-9523 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The 14-inch non-touch OLED display runs at 1920 x 1200 resolution with a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz, in a 16:10 aspect ratio. Depending on when you buy, it'll come pre-installed with at least Windows 11 26H1, built exclusively for Qualcomm's processors.

Better yet, you can pick up the Zenbook A14 for just $1,349.99 at Best Buy with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, or for $1,799.99 at Best Buy with the same 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD as the ASUS store configuration. Naturally, if you're looking for the best deal, Best Buy currently offers the best value for money and, at the time of writing, better availability. Also consider the $1,699.99 Zenbook A16.

Is the Zenbook A14 a good laptop?

Above all, the most astonishing reaction I had when first unboxing the Zenbook A14 was its weight. ASUS lists the laptop at 2.18 lbs (0.99 kg), and my own scales showed it flicker between that and a perfect kilogram, so its "light as air" marketing tagline is legit, even if it is marginally heavier than last year's Zenbook A14 (2.16 lbs). For comparison, a 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) is 2.7 lbs.

ASUS still uses a "Ceraluminum" (ceramic-aluminum) coating on its Zenbook chassis, and to great effect. There can be some mild flex in the ultra-skinny screen, but the laptop's body is firm and sturdy, keeping the subtle 'Zabriskie Beige' color with a reflective logo on its lid. Its 1200p display maxes out at 60Hz, but the Lumina OLED panel looks as great as ever.

Testing the display with a colorimeter showed a maximum full-screen brightness of 407 nits, while ASUS maintains it'll reach a "peak" brightness of 600 nits in portions of the screen. Color accuracy is superb, covering 100% of the sRGB and P3 gamuts, while Adobe RGB hits 94%, making the Zenbook A14 a great choice for creators concerned with accurate color representation.

Port selection hasn't changed this year, so I still have access to dual Type-C USB4 ports alongside HDMI 2.1 and a 3.5 combo audio jack on the left side, plus a full-size USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port on the right. The keyboard feels serviceable with a 1.3 mm travel distance, just as it did on the Zenbook A16 I tested recently, and it pairs with a satisfyingly smooth glass mechanical touchpad.

Does the Zenbook A14 have any issues?

ASUS still preloads some apps into its Windows 11 image on Zenbook laptops, including advertisements for Adobe and Dropbox that are automatically pinned to your Start menu. Both are easy to remove via the right-click context menu and are largely overshadowed by the useful MyASUS companion app. So, while it isn't totally clean, I can give the Zenbook A14 a passing grade here.

Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X2 Elite processor offers its Hexagon NPU rated at up to 80 TOPS. However, aside from Microsoft's excellent Click To Do and a handful of other Copilot+ PC features, the Zenbook A14 doesn't offer much for stock local AI beyond media management with ASUS StoryCube. If you already use NPU-supported apps, then you'll benefit here. If you don't, then you won't.

However, the webcam is decent, even if it understandably drains the battery faster during video meetings. Windows Studio Effects is one of the few features that uses the NPU, and HPD (Human Presence Detection) can dim the screen when I'm not looking. An IR sensor also lets the camera use Windows Hello for fast, secure face-based logins, and it works quickly when I open the lid.

The speakers in the new Zenbook A14 are decent, but they don't seem to produce as much bass as its larger Zenbook A16 sibling, for obvious reasons. They're still better than many other laptops I've tried, as ASUS keeps winning my general praise for its audio efforts. I wouldn't rely on them for everything, but it's a passable experience for streaming videos.

How fast is the Zenbook A14?

The new Zenbook A14 opts for Qualcomm's impressive Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-88-100) processor, and it benefits greatly from it. Burst CPU performance tests in Geekbench 6 show it outperforming Apple's M5 chip in the 14-inch MacBook Pro, and even edging slightly ahead of Lenovo's fantastic Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) with the same SoC.

Comparatively, the 2026 model shreds its 2025 Zenbook A14 predecessor and the first-generation Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) it used, and the generational improvement is still evident in the extended Cinebench 2024 CPU stress tests. It even outpaces Intel's Panther Lake chips in the Surface Laptop 8 for Business and holds its own against the gaming-centric ROG Flow Z13.

Battery life

ASUS claims the Zenbook A14 can deliver "over 33 hours of uninterrupted use" (in a 1080p video playback scenario under controlled conditions), but the highest I could reach was 23 hours and 38 minutes in PCMark 10's equivalent test. It still has the same-sized 70Whr battery as last year's model, and after using the 2026 model for a week or so, generating a Windows Battery Report estimates 17 hours of use after a full charge.

Should you buy the Zenbook A14?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You need a lightweight, compact Windows laptop

✅ You rely on CPU-heavy apps and workflows

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You can go bigger — try the Zenbook A16

This 2026 revision builds on everything the Zenbook A14 achieved last year, making the CPU even better and adding Wi-Fi 7 for good measure. Sure, I'd have liked a brighter high-end on its OLED panel, but the cost-saving measures here are meant to keep this 14-inch laptop appealing in a category full of strong competitors — though the sharp generational cost increase still stings.

It's a Windows on ARM laptop with an ARM64 processor, and there is still a (mostly undeserved) stigma around software compatibility. If you're reliant on an old printer or scanner, double-check your drivers before buying; but otherwise, you have nothing to worry about. If you can hold out for a sale, as we recommended for its previous model, the new A14 is a stellar option.

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Acer's Nitro 65 arrives at a time when the PC market is undergoing major stress caused by RAM, storage, and other component shortages.

Nevertheless, the Nitro 65's pricing remains reasonable, its performance is spot on, the case is far better than I expected, and it uses (mostly) regular parts that you can upgrade or replace yourself without much effort.

I've been using the PC for a couple of weeks, and while it's mainly been a positive experience, there are a couple of quirks that you need to know about before buying.

Acer sent Windows Central a review unit on loan for testing. It had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the Acer Nitro 65 cost?

The Acer Nitro 65 model I'm reviewing, with Ryzen 9 9900X CPU, RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD, costs $2,304.99 regularly at Best Buy, although it seems to enjoy frequent sales that drop it closer to $2,100 or less.

I'm always curious to see how that compares to building your own system, so I went ahead and put something together using the same (or as similar as possible) components.

I used a $150 HYTE X50 case (because it's awesome), a $120 motherboard, and left about $200 to $300 for a 1TB SSD. That comes out to $350 to $450 on top of the $1,611 cost at PCPartPicker. Add some RGB case fans and other small accessories, and you're looking at a similar cost compared to building your own system.

If you like the look of the PC but don't need quite as much performance, models with an AMD Ryzen 7 8700F CPU and either an NVIDIA RTX 5060 or an AMD Radeon 9060 XT range from $1,100 to $1,600, depending on available discounts.

Here's a closer look at the specs in the unit I'm reviewing.

Is the Acer Nitro 65 built well with good cable management?

Acer is definitely making money on the Nitro 65, but as I laid out above, the margin isn't as big as some might expect. So, where are the corners being cut to make up the difference?

The first thing that stands out to me is the no-name PSU. It's non-modular, making it harder to upgrade, and it's tough to judge what sort of quality it is.

Acer lists it as 850W 80+ Gold, which just means it's fairly energy efficient and has plenty of power for the installed hardware and for future upgrades. Its actual durability remains questionable. If I were buying this PC, I'd definitely replace the PSU with something else before the one-year warranty ran out.

The other off-brand piece is the Nitro-branded CPU air cooler. But as we'll see, it does a decent job of keeping the 9900X cool under load. If you prefer liquid cooling, the 35L case can easily accommodate the extra hardware.

The good news is that the PC is otherwise well put together and uses standard components that you can buy yourself for upgrades and repairs. No wacky motherboard designs. No off-brand GPUs. No sketchy memory.

Acer uses Kingston Fury Beast DDR5-6000 RGB RAM here in a dual-channel config, the RTX 5070 is a standard Gigabyte WindForce option, and the M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD is from Lexar.

Now, there's no guarantee that these exact same components will be used in your model, but I did run some benchmarks to see how the specific parts in my review unit perform. More on that below.

A case for RGB lovers ... with plenty of snazzy glass

Rounded cases seem to be coming into style lately, and the Nitro 65's custom 35L tower is quite attractive. Tempered glass runs from the front to the back along two sides, rounded at the corners. Just below the glass is an embedded RGB strip that diffuses light. It's completely customizable and syncs up with the rest of the lighting.

The other RGB lives in the two main intake fans, the RAM, the CPU cooler fan, and the single exhaust fan. It's more than enough for me, and I appreciate that it can be turned off entirely if not customized to your liking.

Front I/O includes dual USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1) and a single USB-C 3.2 (Gen 1) port, all running at 5Gbps. There's also a 3.5mm audio jack next to the power button. It would be nice to have 10Gbps ports here, but it's not a dealbreaker. The rear I/O is, like a normal PC, dependent on the motherboard and GPU.

Something I love is the inclusion of a magnetic dust cover on the top of the PC. It'd come in most handy with an AiO, but I appreciate it here anyway. The side intake fans have a dual-screen setup — one directly behind the fans and another on the back panel — while the PSU has its own dust cover on the bottom.

These small additions help keep dust out of your PC, and because they're removable, they're much easier to clean than something fixed.

Some pre-built PCs skimp on connectivity, but not here. The Gigabyte motherboard offers Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for cutting-edge wireless, and there's a 2.5Gb Ethernet port to handle wired connections.

How is the Nitro 65's cable management and assembly?

The Nitro 65 comes packed with expanding foam around the CPU cooler and GPU, with an extra foam insert around the GPU to keep it stable; it otherwise has no additional support.

There are no evident problems with assembly, and because it's packed in so tightly, I made no adjustments before booting the PC for the first time.

Pulling off the back panel reveals rather tidy cable management. Zip ties are used, so you'll likely need to clip and replace those if you decide to make some internal changes, but there are a couple of Velcro strips thrown in around the main channels.

Because the PSU isn't modular, there's some snarl below the internal riser, but it's not visible from the front.

As for the visible cabling, it's all properly installed with no extra slack that could block airflow. The GPU power cable has its own exit in the PSU riser, and plenty of cutouts around the motherboard should make for easy upgrades in the future.

Overall, it's a clean look behind the glass, and the cabling that's hidden is actually a lot better than I was expecting.

The Nitro 65 keeps cool under pressure

The Nitro 65 has some solid performance hardware inside, and I'm happy to report it keeps its cool under load. The two intake fans point toward the side of the case, but the rounded front glass helps curve that air toward the back.

I ran a Speed Way stress test on components first with the side glass panel removed. The CPU was able to remain between about 60.8 and 61.6 degrees Celsius, while the GPU sat at about 68 to 70 degrees. It came out to 99.2% frame stability.

With the glass panel back in place, I reran the same test. CPU temps climbed to roughly 63 to 65 degrees Celsius, while the GPU hit about 70 to 72 degrees. That's an expected rise, and it's not out of the ordinary. Frame stability fell slightly to 98.8%.

One note on the CPU cooler: the single fan gets a bit louder than I'd like when it's under load, but it seems to even off with sustained effort. Still, it'd be better if Acer used an AiO liquid cooler here as the standard.

Does Acer's Nitro 65 perform as expected?

I'm focusing less on performance here since the PC uses standard components. The RTX 5070 and the Ryzen 9 9900X perform just like they should.

Here are some benchmarks so you can see how the hardware compares to other stuff we've recently tested.

Note that I've included two Ryzen 9 9900X scores in one graph. The higher score comes from testing we did on an open test bench using an NZXT Kraken AiO liquid cooler. That could explain some of the multi-core performance difference.

As for the Lexar GPU, it reached 6,052MB/s read and 5,063MB/s write speeds in my testing. These aren't the fastest speeds ever for a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, but they're perfectly acceptable for gaming.

I found this PC to load everything quite quickly, no doubt aided by 32GB of DDR5 RAM. I'm also happy to see that there's a minimum of bloatware on the PC, arriving with a rather clean version of Windows 11 Home.

Should you buy the Acer Nitro 65?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You're in search of a capable mid-size gaming desktop with decent cooling and strong performance.

✅ You're a fan of RGB lighting.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You'd rather save a bit of money and build your own system.

❌ You'd rather take your games on the go with a laptop or handheld.

Acer's Nitro 65 impressed me in more ways than one. The custom case is gorgeous, especially with that rounded glass front, and it has lots of room inside for future upgrades. The diffused RGB strip around the case adds some flair.

Assembly and cable management are, I'd say, above average for a pre-built, and Acer using standard parts (other than the PSU) is a definite boon for those who like to keep their PC running as long as possible.

👉 Best Desktop PCs of 2026: Our top-rated pre-builts for gaming, work, and home use

Extra touches like removable dust screens, internal RGB lighting, and magnetic panel clasps don't go unnoticed.

Bottom line? If you'd rather not build your own gaming PC, Acer's Nitro 65 is something I recommend. It won't cost much more than buying the parts yourself, and it arrives ready to go as soon as it's unboxed. Acer even tosses in an RGB keyboard and mouse to get you started.

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HP's OmniBook lineup includes a wide range of laptops targeting a wide range of users, and the OmniBook 3 16" is one of the most affordable of the bunch.

Assuming you aren't maxing it out with RAM and storage, you can get a Snapdragon X chip and a large 16-inch screen for around $500, often less with the right discount. Unfortunately, with higher-spec'd models, the display, build quality, and features don't quite measure up to other PCs competing in the same price range.

I've been using HP's OmniBook 3 for a couple of weeks to get to know it inside and out; here's what you need to know before buying.

HP had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the HP OmniBook 3 cost?

HP's OmniBook 3 16" starts as low as $699.99 without any discounts; however, HP basically designed this PC to be on sale almost all the time, and you can usually get this baseline model for a lot less.

At the time of writing this review, a model with Snapdragon X (X1-26) System-on-Chip (SoC), 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and 2K IPS display costs $399 at Walmart.

The model I'm reviewing represents a significant upgrade in a couple of key areas. It has a 2K OLED display, 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a 1TB SSD. For some reason, HP omits the OLED display as an option in its configurator, so I can only give a price for this same setup with an IPS touch display. It's regularly $1,729.99, but is down to $1,259.99 at the time of writing.

That's not exactly cheap, and as I found, this is sort of a tale of two tiers. On one hand, if you're buying the laptop for around $500, it's a great deal. On the other hand, if you're spending around $1,500, you could do better elsewhere.

Here's a look at the exact specs that are in my OmniBook 3 16" review unit.

Sleek design, but a bit creaky

The OmniBook 3 is a 16-inch laptop that's sized more like a 14-incher, and it's relatively thin at 0.58 inches (1.47cm). Thanks to a mix of aluminum and plastic, it weighs in at about 3.65 pounds (1.65kg), a respectable number for a device this size. Despite its large display, it's actually quite easy to tote around.

There's quite a bit of flex to the body, and when pressed, it creaks loudly. It's a shame, because it's really a sleek laptop. Thankfully, the lid seems to have a lot more rigidity, helping protect the OLED panel.

Port selection benefits multi-monitor setups

The thermal setup is ideal, with cool air pulling in through a large intake on the bottom and exhausting out the back edge, just behind the hinge. There's no hot air blowing on your hands, and because it's a Snapdragon chip inside, the system doesn't get particularly hot. More on that below.

On the left side of the PC is an HDMI 2.1 port for native video support, one USB-A (5Gbps), and dual USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) ports at 10Gbps each. Of course, I wish these ports were at least USB4 — Thunderbolt 4 is generally reserved for Intel systems — for faster transfers. Still, they support DP 1.4 video if you're looking to run multiple external displays.

The right side of the laptop is home to an additional USB-A (5Gbps) port and a 3.5mm audio jack.

So-so speakers, nice webcam

Dual speakers installed on the underside of the laptop, toward the front, fail to impress. They're not particularly loud or full, and other budget laptops do a way better job of audio.

The 1080p webcam, on the other hand, offers a clear picture that only gets better with Windows Studio Effects powered by the laptop's NPU. An IR sensor allows for facial biometric security via Windows Hello, upping security.

A full keyboard and large touchpad make for easy productivity

The OmniBook 3 has a keyboard that's above average for a laptop that starts at such a low price. Key travel is excellent, the backlight is bright, and the number pad makes for easy productivity.

And although the touchpad isn't haptic, a feature reserved for premium laptops, it has a satisfying click and tracks without issue.

The only thing I'll mention is that HP doesn't offer the backlit version of the keyboard as the default in all models. For some reason, you have to manually select it when configuring. It doesn't add any costs from what I can see, and I don't know why it's not just a default feature.

Colorful OLED display struggles with glare

My review unit features a 16-inch OLED non-touch display with a 1920x1200 (FHD+) resolution. This is the screen I'd recommend everyone get, but unfortunately, it seems like touch and non-touch IPS panels at the same resolution are far more common.

The bezels are fairly thin, although they're of the raised plastic sort rather than a seamless glass covering.

Testing the OLED display with a SpyderX Pro colorimeter, I got back 100% sRGB, 92% AdobeRGB, and 99% DCI-P3 color reproduction, all excellent results, especially for a budget laptop. Color and contrast are indeed superb, and you'll be missing out on it if you're forced into the IPS options.

Brightness could be better, with the OLED screen topping out just higher than 300 nits. That seems to be the limit for the IPS panels as well. Despite an anti-glare finish, the display struggles in bright rooms.

Last-gen Snapdragon still delivers incredible battery life

There's no other way to say it; the OmniBook 3 16's battery life is incredible. Yes, my review unit has the slightly more power-efficient OLED display that seems very hard to find right now, and yes, the PC is using one of Qualcomm's most affordable chips.

Regardless, the larger chassis fits a sizable 68Wh battery, and because the Snapdragon X sips power, I was seeing full — and I mean full — days of mixed use without needing a charge.

For example, I began streaming a YouTube video at noon. That night, it was still going strong, and the battery hadn't yet dipped below 70%. I left it going, and it was still playing the next morning.

The official Windows battery report suggests about 38 hours of life from a charge, but of course, my streaming test skewed that result. I'd put it at around 25-30 hours, and that's being conservative.

Snapdragon X performance is also impressive

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chip is indeed efficient, but it's also now a generation behind the X2 hardware released earlier this year.

For most users, that shouldn't matter. The chip competes quite well with Intel's Core Ultra 7 256V CPU in Geekbench 6, both for single- and multi-core scores. Better yet, I saw almost no performance drop when switching from AC to battery power.

Cinebench also delivered surprising results, with the Snapdragon X again coming out ahead of the Core Ultra 7 256V and Ryzen 7 8840U.

A rather quick M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD rounds out the performance hardware, hitting 7,073MB/s read and 5,705MB/s write speeds in CrystalDiskMark.

The laptop runs cool and quiet no matter what, and I don't actually recall hearing the fans kick on until I was running benchmark software.

Should you buy the HP OmniBook 3?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You can find a great deal for somewhere around $500-$700 (or less).

✅ You need a 16-inch screen and a number pad to better handle multitasking and productivity.

✅ You want a laptop with outstanding battery life.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You're looking for a PC with a discrete graphics card.

❌ You don't often use a number pad and want a more compact PC that's easier to fit into a bag.

The OmniBook 3 16" is kind of an odd case, and it's not being helped by the ongoing RAM and storage crisis.

On one hand, you can sometimes find models with 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage for as little as $399. Such is the case at Walmart at the time of writing this review. That's an outstanding deal, and at this price, it's an easy recommendation.

On the other hand, if there aren't any discounts available, you might be looking at spending $1,500+ if you spec up the RAM and storage. I know that component prices are high, but I don't think this PC has the build or feature quality to warrant that type of price. I'd suggest looking at alternatives before making a final decision.

The fact that most models now come with an inferior IPS display that's not as bright or colorful — I really hope OLED returns as a common option when configuring — doesn't help.

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The Razer Seiren V3 Pro arrives as a pro‑level streaming microphone that finally feels like the centerpiece of Razer’s recent run of impressive peripherals. It pairs studio‑grade hardware — a large 30 mm dynamic capsule, USB‑C and XLR outputs, and tactile controls — with deep Synapse software and Chroma RGB flair, aiming to satisfy both serious creators and RGB enthusiasts.

This review cuts through the marketing: I’ll show what the mic actually sounds like, how its software and features stack up against rivals, and whether it’s worth swapping in for your current setup.

Razer had no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.

What it is

The Razer Seiren V3 Pro ($249.99 / €289.99) is a hybrid dynamic microphone tailored specifically for streamers, podcasters, and music producers.

At its heart sits a custom 30 mm dynamic capsule purpose-built to capture broadcast-style depth and natural warmth.

Structurally, it features a robust, resonance-resistant zinc unibody frame paired with an integrated, vibration-dampened adjustable arm mount.

To round out its premium aesthetic, it includes a gorgeous Razer Chroma RGB lighting ring that doubles as a real-time status and live mute indicator, which can be enabled by the mic button.

Quick set up

Unboxing the Razer Seiren V3 Pro is refreshingly simple. Unlike many high-end microphones that leave you scrambling to buy external accessories, this mic is entirely ready to rock right out of the box.

It features an included desktop stand, a built-in shock absorber, and a removable pop filter. Just plug it in via the included USB Type-C cable, complete a quick configuration, and you are up and running.

If you want to jump into the pro tier immediately, you can just as easily route an XLR cable (not included) straight from the base into an audio interface or mixer.

It’s a frictionless setup that gives you studio-grade enhancements with zero technical expertise required.

How it's different

The Seiren V3 Pro separates itself from the pack by flawlessly bridging mainstream USB convenience and professional XLR performance.

Its primary direct competitor in this hybrid category is the HyperX Flipcast, which we've also reviewed. However, the Seiren V3 Pro secures a massive hardware victory right away: it includes a high-quality desktop stand and integrated shock mount in the box, whereas the Flipcast notoriously ships without a stand or boom arm, forcing an immediate extra purchase.

Furthermore, the software support here is on an entirely different level. While HyperX’s NGENUITY app offers rudimentary controls, Razer Synapse unlocks deep, granular audio customization:

• 32-Bit Float Support: Available via Synapse, this format captures a dramatically wider dynamic range to effectively eliminate digital clipping and distortion.
• Advanced Audio DSP: Houses an advanced parametric EQ, noise gate, compressor, limiter, and AI noise remover directly powered by an onboard hardware engine.
• Synapse Advanced Mixing: Allows for multi-channel stream routing right within the application interface.

What it's great at

The biggest hardware triumph here is the dual-connectivity workflow. Having both USB-C and XLR connections on one microphone offers massive advantages, though it comes with standard hybrid trade-offs:

• The Pros: It provides immense versatility. Newcomers can start with a simple, plug-and-play desktop configuration and seamlessly transition into an advanced analog signal chain down the road without buying a new microphone. Interestingly, you can keep both the USB and XLR cables plugged in simultaneously and dynamically switch between them on your Windows PC.
• The Cons: You are paying a premium for dual internal electronics, and advanced Synapse software functions (like 32-bit float, the parametric EQ, and advanced mixing) are strictly limited to the digital USB connection.

During testing, there wasn't a noticeable difference in tonal warmth when swapping between the two connections, but the USB interface emerged as the clear favorite for me purely because it unlocks Synapse's superior sound features and DSP suite.

My experience otherwise with the mic has been great. You can hear it in action in the short review video accompanying this article, as well as on our recent Windows Central Podcast, Episode #396.

For now, I plan to keep using this mic over my HyperX ProCast. While the ProCast is an excellent, gold-sputtered large-diaphragm XLR condenser, it is strictly analog, requires 48V phantom power, and entirely lacks the modern digital conveniences, RGB integration, and software agility that make the Seiren V3 Pro so effortless to use daily.

Plus, while the ProCast had an original MSRP of $199.99 and dropped as low as $99.99 on sale, it now appears to be discontinued and increasingly hard to find, completely out of stock at both Best Buy and HyperX.

The Razer Synapse software features offer brilliant audio tuning, particularly the automatic environment noise test and AI noise remover. They do a spectacular job of silencing background hums and room reflections.

The Razer Synapse setup here was awesome: Hit a button and record yourself talking for 10 seconds. Hit another button and say nothing for 10 seconds. Then answer a few questions, e.g., what is your goal here (streamer, podcast, general, etc.) and what do you have fans running, environmental noise, etc. From that data, the system suggests your tuning, which you can then accept, and you're done. You can re-run the process anytime in Synapse should anything change.

The only minor catch is that the aggressive noise cancellation can occasionally cut your voice out a bit during quieter moments. Because of this, some manual tweaking of the noise gate threshold may still be needed to get it dialed in perfectly.

Finally, if you are already invested in Razer’s ecosystem—sporting a Razer keyboard, mouse, or monitor—adding this mic beautifully completes the package. The Chroma RGB ring integrates flawlessly into your existing lighting profiles, satisfying RGB enthusiasts while giving clear visual feedback on your live mute status via the tap-to-mute sensor.

Who's it for

This microphone is built for the forward-thinking content creator. It is perfect for game streamers, podcasters, and hybrid musicians who want beautiful aesthetic flair and USB simplicity today, but demand the studio-grade security of an XLR output as their production setup grows.

Should you buy the Razer Seiren V3 Pro?

You should buy it if ...

✅ You want USB‑C now, XLR later.

✅ You use Razer Synapse/Chroma and want full integration.

✅ You need onboard DSP (32‑bit float, AI noise removal) to cut post‑work.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You prefer a pure XLR, software‑free workflow.

❌ You’re on a tight budget and don’t need RGB or Synapse.

❌You need full feature parity on macOS without Windows Synapse.

Admittedly, my "you should not buy ifs" here are nitpicky. You can just use this as an XLR mic with a software-free workflow if you want and not worry about USB or software. But there are also more affordable XLR-only mics, hence the con.

At $249.99, Razer positions the Seiren V3 Pro firmly in the higher-end premium tier compared to the HyperX Flipcast (which currently sits at $179.99 against a $229.99 MSRP) and the now-evaporated ProCast.

However, for me, the incredible Razer Synapse DSP more than makes up for that higher cost. The sheer quality of the out-of-the-box hardware processing saves massive time in post-production. I didn't expect that to be the big selling point, but it's clever software and the kind of "don't think about it" setups I prefer.

While you could look at other heavy hitters at this price point like the Shure MV7+ or SteelSeries Alias Pro, Razer brings an unmatched physical build quality, out-of-the-box completeness, and ecosystem synergy to your desk. It delivers studio sound, simply and effortlessly.

If you told me a year ago that an Intel‑powered gaming handheld would be sitting on my desk in 2026, absolutely clowning AMD’s best silicon, I’d have told you to lay off the spice. Yet here we are. Computex 2026 teased it, Cale Hunt went hands‑on, and now the retail MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is in front of me.

Let’s be honest: MSI’s first handheld felt like a prototype that slipped out the side door. Instead of giving up, MSI regrouped, teamed up with Intel, and came back with a device that blows past every expectation.

But before we go any deeper, we need to talk about the price. Global supply chain chaos has sent high‑density RAM and NAND costs into orbit, and premium hardware is paying the bill. In a sane market, this machine would likely land around $1,299. Instead, it’s $1,799 at Best Buy—firmly in ultra‑premium territory.

Is it worth the jump? Let’s break it down.

MSI and Intel had no input, nor did they see the contents of this review prior to publication.

Specs and Configuration Options

Under the hood, MSI has radically re-architected its core layout, abandoning general-purpose laptop chips to pivot entirely to handheld-optimized architecture.

Design, Ergonomics, and Upgradeability

The physical layout of the Claw 8 EX AI+ is a massive love letter to Xbox fans. MSI completely reshaped the side chassis into a beautifully sloped, flared grip design that heavily mimics the curvature of an official Xbox controller. It contours perfectly to the natural resting shape of your hands, making extended, multi-hour gaming sessions an absolute breeze.

Even better, the actual weight distribution is the sweet spot. Coming in at 785 grams, the Claw 8 EX AI+ feels surprisingly nimble in the hands. When compared directly to the behemoth scale of something like the Lenovo Legion Go 2 at 854g/1.88lbs (it has a kickstand for a reason, folks)—which goes out of its way to adopt a massive, thick, and substantially heavy tablet aesthetic to accommodate its 8.8-inch display.

The MSI variant is vastly easier to slip into a travel bag without feeling like you packed a concrete brick. (Trust me, I've ditched Legion Go 2 for travel multiple times, but it's awesome on the couch).

On the upgrade front, MSI has finally listened to reviewers. The storage slot has graduated to a full-sized M.2 2280 slot, meaning you aren’t locked into paying premium prices for tiny, obscure storage drives. Pop out six standard Phillips head screws on the back shell cover, and you can swap out the internal SSD in less than five minutes.

RAM, however, is integrated, but 32GB should be enough.

Display

The Claw 8 EX AI+’s 8‑inch screen is one of the system’s strongest components. MSI uses a roomy 16:10 panel at a crisp FHD+ (1920x1200), giving you about 38% more usable space than comparable 7‑inch handhelds—huge for readability and UI-heavy games.

The IPS-level touchscreen hits 500 nits and covers 100% of sRGB for vivid, accurate color. Its standout feature, though, is native VRR from 48Hz to 120Hz, letting the display track fluctuating frame rates in real time to eliminate tearing and micro‑stutters for consistently smooth gameplay.

At this price tier, the lack of an OLED panel is the one obvious drawback. If you bounce between this and a Steam Deck OLED, you’ll notice the missing infinite contrast and true blacks in a dark room. But once you’re actually in a game and pushing high, stable refresh rates, the brightness and responsiveness take over. The gray floors fade from your mind, and the experience becomes all about the smooth, fast motion on screen.

Buttons, Joysticks, and Elite Audio

Controls are a premium highlight here. MSI went all-in on specialized Hall-Effect analog sticks and triggers. Because they utilize magnetic positioning instead of physical carbon contacts, the threat of stick drift is permanently eradicated. The action on the triggers feels smooth and progressively weighted, while the face buttons feature beautifully rounded edge boundaries to keep your thumbs from feeling sore after hammering out combos.

The standard directional pad also received a massive overhaul, implementing a tactile metal dome component underneath the casing. It delivers an incredibly clicky, distinct feedback loop that completely wipes away the mushy, missed-input sensations from past generations.

There's no capacitive touchpad for mouse cursor control in Windows or precision aiming. Do I care? No, I turned it off on Legion Go 2, but I get how some people want it, so I'm mentioning it here.

Perhaps the biggest surprise, though, is the acoustic and haptic transformation. Historically, speakers and vibrating feedback have been clear weak points across MSI’s portable portfolio. Not anymore. The dual 2W speaker array outputs genuine, punchy high-res audio that maintains depth even at high volume levels.

Paired with an upgraded Voice Coil Motor (VCM) driving refined HD haptics, the physical immersion matches anything currently on the market.

With Bluetooth Core 6.0 and LE Audio onboard, pairing wireless earbuds like the Galaxy Buds4 delivers low‑latency, battery‑friendly audio with no noticeable delay. The Claw 8 EX AI+ also supports Windows 11 Super Wideband Stereo, so your sound won’t collapse into muddy mono when you’re using a mic for in‑game chat. And with Shared Audio broadcasting, you can stream to multiple compatible earbuds at once with zero hassle.

Performance: Intel Arc G3 Extreme Crowned King

As a nerdy refresher, the Intel Arc G3 Extreme is Intel's very first purpose-built SoC engineered from the ground up specifically for handheld gaming form factors. Rather than simply shoving a generic, power-hungry laptop processor into a portable shell, Intel completely re-architected this silicon to optimize the power-to-performance ratio at typical handheld wattages. It cleverly shifts the hardware balance directly toward graphics throughput by scaling up to 12 Xe-cores on its Xe3-based B390 GPU while dropping the heavy CPU core count down to just two performance cores. This intentional asymmetry leaves massive thermal and electrical headroom for its 96 integrated XMX AI Engines to work their upscaling magic.

Better yet, the chip introduces Intelligent Bias Control (IBC) v3.5. This proprietary firmware engine perfectly optimizes power sharing between the CPU and GPU, and it even utilizes a clever trick called "P-core parking" to turn off the power-hungry performance cores entirely at 14W and under, ensuring your battery juice goes where it matters most: pumping out maximum frame rates.

For the past few years, AMD has comfortably monopolized premium mobile gaming graphics, but Intel’s new XeSS architecture drops an absolute tactical nuke on that narrative.

3DMark Time Spy & Synthesis Testing

Look at our lab-tested benchmarks below:

• MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ (Intel Arc G3 Extreme): 6,726
• ASUS Xbox Ally X (Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme): 4,029
• MSI Claw 8 AI+ (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V): 3,882
• Lenovo Legion Go 2 (Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme): 3,795

A score of 6,726 on a handheld profile is a jaw-dropping result, representing an aggregate jump that flies completely past AMD's flagship Z2 Extreme silicon.

3DMark Fire Strike & Torture Run Results

To push this chip further, I threw the classic Fire Strike benchmark at the Arc B390 GPU. The results speak for themselves:

• Fire Strike Overall Score: 13,340
• Graphics Score: 16,735
• Physics Score: 24,513

The monitoring loop stayed remarkably consistent, and 3DMark’s integrated engine estimates real-world game performance for titles like Battlefield V at a smooth 120+ FPS at 1080p Ultra settings.

Geekbench 6 Compute & General Performance

The AI Engine acts as the device's intelligent, set-and-forget autopilot, leveraging real-time behavioral analysis to dynamically adjust power settings and hardware configurations (defaulting to a flexible 25W ceiling during gaming) to maximize performance on the fly.

In stark contrast, Endurance mode is a highly restricted efficiency preset designed strictly to squeeze out every drop of battery life. While the AI Engine dynamically scales performance upwards to match the game's demands, shifting to Endurance mode clamps the platform down to a rigid 15W target and automatically triggers Intel’s Endurance Gaming profile, enforcing a stable 30 FPS cap on battery to extend your playtime up to 11 hours on lighter titles.

Here's what that looks like in Geekbench:

• MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ (Intel G3 Extreme - AI Engine): Multi-Core: 13,210 / Single-Core: 2,574
• MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ (Intel G3 Extreme - Endurance): Multi-Core: 10,129 / Single-Core: 1,983

Even under a highly restricted energy curve, the restricted multi-core target hits 10,129, keeping processing capability completely clear of bottleneck thresholds.

Turning to the SSD, storage performance is similarly blinding, with CrystalDiskMark validating peak sequential read limits hitting a clean 6,997 MB/s.

Intel XeSS Feature Test & In-Game Frame Rates

The true magic happens when you leverage Intel's hardware-level AI upscaling. Running the native 3DMark Intel XeSS Feature Test (using XeSS 1.3.1 Balanced at a 2.0x scaling factor) shows exactly what the architecture is capable of:

• XeSS Off: 26.82 FPS
• XeSS On: 51.80 FPS
• Performance Explosion: +93.2%

Real-world gaming translates perfectly to these synthetic gains. Launching the graphically punishing 007 First Light with the console dialed directly into its integrated AI Engine mode, I ran natively at full 1920x1200 resolution at High settings and consistently locked down a blisteringly fast 130+ FPS when plugged in.

Even more absurd was the experience playing LEGO Batman: Legacy of The Dark Knight. The game regularly hit 150 FPS with fluid frame pacing.

How is 150 FPS beneficial on a physical 120Hz panel profile? It comes down to Intel's XeSS 3 Multi-Frame Generation (XeSS-MFG) engine. The chip utilizes internal AI matrices to interpolate synthetic smoothing frames directly between every traditionally rendered frame. Because the platform features a hardware-level Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) window extending up to 120Hz, pushing frames above the panel refresh ceiling completely eliminates frame delivery micro-stuttering, ensuring ultra-responsive inputs and perfect pacing.

Of course, results for XeSS will vary based on the game (if it's supported), whether you're plugged in, and what modes (including custom) you have set. I did have some mixed results with DOOM: The Dark Ages, which was running above 60 FPS one night, but fell below 30 on the next level despite XeSS being enabled.

To understand how big a leap Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme really is, look at this custom Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark. On AMD handhelds like the ROG Ally X or Legion Go 2, turning on ray tracing usually drops you into a sub‑30 FPS slideshow even at a soft 720p. Here, the Claw 8 EX AI+ is running at its full 1920×1200 resolution on the Ray Tracing: Low preset with XeSS Super Resolution 2.0 set to Auto, and it still averages 46.6 FPS with a minimum of 38.1 FPS.

See a clip from Cyberpunk 2077 with the above settings on the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ below:

This is where the Arc B390 GPU and its 12 dedicated Ray Tracing Units show their advantage. Instead of choking on ray‑traced shadows and lighting, the G3 Extreme architecture handles the workload with an efficiency AMD’s current mobile silicon cannot match.

Holding a stable, genuinely playable 40+ FPS at 1200p with ray tracing enabled is unheard of for any other handheld today, and it proves Intel did not just build a faster chip. They built a smarter one.

When you stack the Claw up against Valve’s Steam Machine, the hardware contrast becomes even more fascinating. Looking at the benchmark breakdown above, both devices run neck-and-neck in single-core metrics (a 2,574 for the Claw versus a 2,579 for the Steam Machine's Custom APU), but the Intel Arc G3 Extreme leaves Valve in the absolute dust on multi-threaded workloads, flexing an eye-watering multi-core score of 13,210 over the Steam Machine’s 8,680. This doesn't even account for the GPU difference, which will also favor Intel.

Unfortunately, much like the Claw, the Steam Machine (starting at $1,049) is a premium engineering marvel suffering from historically terrible macroeconomic timing—both launched directly into a brutal global supply crunch that bloated retail pricing, making a direct cost comparison a bit of an exercise in wallet masochism. It's a cosmic shame that, through no fault of their own, bad timing and bloated component markets might prevent casual players from seeing just how hard this new Intel portable silicon kicks.

Manual Mode: For the Tinkers (But You Really Don't Need It)

For the hardware purists who insist on micromanaging their silicon, MSI Center M includes a robust Manual mode that unlocks granular sliders for the chip's PL1 and PL2 power levels.

For the uninitiated, PL1 (Power Limit 1) dictates the maximum sustained wattage the processor can draw during long-term gameplay, while PL2 (Power Limit 2) establishes the absolute ceiling for short-term burst power. In Manual mode, you can crank PL1 up to 35W and push PL2 to a blistering 45W to squeeze every single drop of performance out of a heavy title—just make sure PL2 stays at least 2W higher than PL1 so Intel’s power management algorithms don't choke. Alternatively, you can drop them into the single digits to slam the brakes on power consumption for lighter indie titles.

However, a quick note for the average reader: I rarely ever touched Manual mode. I use a gaming handheld to actually play games, not to spend 30 minutes acting like an IT admin configuring power registries before launching a level. Thankfully, you don't have to. The default AI Engine setting is brilliantly "set it and forget it," handling the heavy lifting and power shifting so smoothly on the fly that it renders manual tweaking strictly optional for anyone who values their free time.

But hey, cool on Intel and MSI for making it easy to go all out and tweak the chip!

Thermals and Fan Noise

High performance doesn't mean a melted chassis. Thanks to MSI's custom Cooler Boost HyperFlow architecture (love these names, btw)—which seals internal pathways to draw cold air directly over hotspots while isolating grip boundaries—this device stays remarkably chilly.

Our FLIR thermal array capture maps external chassis heat dissipation flawlessly under extended benchmarking loops:

• Front grip surface area: 96.3°F or 35.7°C (Perfect comfort territory)
• Rear grip chassis boundary: 92°F or 33.3°C (Literally cooler than your own body temperature)
• Display base intersection hotspot: 106.5°F or 41.4°C (Warm to the touch, but completely out of micro-stuttering finger range)
• Recessed exhaust vent interior: 130°F or 54.4°C (Where the actual dragon spirit lives, safely away from your hands)

The physical thermal reading confirms your hands remain entirely cool, completely isolated from internal hotspots. While the localized zone at the very base of the display glass reads at 106.5°F, it remains warm rather than hot, safely out of reach during normal use.

Even measuring directly inside the deep-set cooling channels yields 130°F, yet the felt air volume dissipates cleanly away from you. The internal acoustic profile is equally stellar: the dual fans emit a gentle, low-frequency airflow "whoosh" instead of a whiny, high-pitched jet engine shriek.

Software, Connectivity, and the Mini-PC Hybrid Trick

MSI Center M has matured beautifully, but can still be a bit awkward, and I hope to see some improvements (I may end up adding Winhanced at some point). The software utility integrates seamlessly across massive digital clients including Steam, Xbox, Epic, and Battle.net. It's simple and basic, but the whole Windows 11/launcher/various gaming libraries thing/switching is still a bit underbaked, but making improvements.

Triggering the native full-screen Xbox mode layout overlay brings up a clean, translucent quick-access console dashboard that only handles half the panel layout, avoiding disruptive gameplay pauses. They did a great job here.

From this single overlay window, a user can instantly adjust hardware properties:

• Swap operational profiles on the fly between AI Engine, Endurance, or full user-defined Manual tuning controls.
• Purge non-essential active memory via Free Up Memory sweeps.
• Fire up high-bitrate screen recording capture or toggle ambient Mystic Light RGB analog stick arrays.

The long‑standing Windows Modern Standby curse is finally gone. As far as I can tell, putting the Claw 8 EX AI+ to sleep with the fingerprint/power button triggers a proper hibernate state, or rather, the buttons/triggers/joystick don't wake it. But when I hit that button, it stays off and standby battery drain was minimal, which is a nice change.

The fingerprint reader can be a little picky about angle, but once you get the feel for it, it’s fast and consistent.

Intel's Wi-Fi 7 R2 on here is a beast. I have a Wi-Fi 7 router (TP-Link Tri-Band BE19000), and this thing just sucked down so much data when downloading big games like Cyberpunk 2077 that it even affected my TV streaming. Good stuff.

My only gripe is that, for some reason, my Xbox games are not showing up in MSI Center M, though I can, of course, access them via the Xbox app. I chalk this up to some early bugs, and hopefully some updates will iron those out.

The Ultimate Dual-Use Mini-PC Killer

Because this is an Intel architecture design instead of AMD, you get dual full-bandwidth Thunderbolt 4 ports. This unlocks a highly lucrative dual-use scenario. Dropping the Claw 8 EX AI+ onto a single-cable desk setup completely transforms the handheld experience into a premium desktop workstation environment.

When stacked up against custom high-end discrete desktop boxes like the Geekom A9 Max AI Mini PC (which utilizes mobile AMD Ryzen AI architecture), the Claw 8 EX AI+ matches or exceeds its functional productivity output while preserving complete, uncompromised on-the-go portability. It's a phenomenally versatile desktop replacement machine.

While the A9 Max AI outpaces the Arc G3 Extreme in CPU (see above), I'm confident the reverse will be true for GPU performance and the Intel B390 (we'll try to get some actual comparisons in an update to this).

Battery Life

The massive 80Whr ultra-capacity battery module integrated inside the shell handles power delivery exceptionally well.

Testing the console under heavy loads while running on the custom Endurance Mode setting—which dynamically caps rendering properties and shifts core priority to energy-efficient architecture—and maintaining screen brightness at a very vivid 45% setting (roughly 225 nits of total display output), the platform delivered a solid 3.5 hours of continuous triple-A gameplay. Switching over to casual indie titles or retro emulation easily pushes the operational lifespan past the 5-hour mark.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?

Look, if your bank account can handle the entry point and you are looking for absolute top-tier, uncompromised technical performance in a highly ergonomic package, yes, absolutely buy it. Intel and MSI have created a generational performance jump that sets a brand-new benchmark for portable PC gaming. The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is friggin' awesome.

If you're a normal working Joe, then of course not; that'd be financially irresponsible.

And that's my only real regret with the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+: a vast majority of gamers won't be able to experience it. This device is THE watershed milestone our portable community has spent years waiting for—a true, uncompromised hardware revelation where you can load a visually dense, modern triple-A blockbuster and play it at 100+ FPS in the palm of your hand without a single structural sacrifice.

MSI and Intel have finally delivered the holy grail payload we've been begging for from day one. It is an absolute masterpiece of engineering brilliance, hitting the market at a time when raw component pricing is absolutely screwing it up. If you have the enthusiast means to jump on it, don't hesitate. This is the future, right now.

I’m going to come out and say the obvious: this is a backpack. In the grand scheme of technology journalism, dedicating a full review to a textile housing system for my laptop feels kind of daft. Or at least it should.

But if you are getting ready to drop over $100 on a laptop bag, it couldn't hurt to do some actual research. When I first saw Razer’s updated Rogue lineup, my immediate reaction was: "Why on earth would I spend $100-plus on a backpack when the $30 no-brand bag I bought on Amazon two years ago still works completely fine?"

Yet, in a way that only Razer can consistently pull off with their ecosystem accessories, I suddenly get it. Just like what happened with their unassuming USB-C dock, another product category I previously cared absolutely nothing about, I now care a hell of a lot about a simple backpack.

Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: Price, availability and specs

The Razer Rogue Backpack V4 line officially dropped on June 4, 2026, making its way to Razer's official store, and is also available on Amazon. The Rogue V4 comes in two sizes, priced differently depending on what you need.

• Razer Rogue 16” Backpack V4: Retails for $109.99 / £109.99.
• Razer Rogue 18” Backpack V4: Retails for $139.99 / £139.99.

Choosing between them comes down to a quick assessment of your daily haul. The 16” variant is beautifully compact and tailored perfectly for mid-sized setups like the Razer Blade 16.

However, if you are rocking an absolute behemoth of a desktop replacement, like the Razer Blade 18, or you just happen to travel heavy with massive mechanical keyboards and full-sized audio gear, you'll definitely want to step up to the 18” version for that maximum volume capacity.

Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: What's good

Despite my heavy skepticism about whether a premium backpack could actually impress me after years of relying on a bargain-basement Amazon special, I have found myself completely smitten with this Razer number.

And no, it’s not just because it looks great, though I need to mention that the clean matte-black finish, subtle leather-effect accents, and iconic Razer green stitching look incredibly sharp.

When you first unzip this bag, it immediately feels a hell of a lot more intensely engineered than a cheap import. The shoulder straps are seriously reinforced and heavily padded. During particularly chaotic weeks, my everyday carry scales up aggressively. I can be hauling anything from my standard daily laptop to both my personal and work laptops simultaneously, alongside an ROG Ally, a Kindle, a full-sized gaming headset, and all the mandatory cable paraphernalia required to keep them alive.

My normal bargain bag regularly leaves me with aching, sore shoulders under that kind of load because the straps lack substance. The Rogue V4, by contrast, features wide, ergonomically designed padded straps paired with a highly ventilated mesh back panel that distributes dense weight beautifully.

There's also a really neat velcro strip on the front of the bag for attaching badges. My partner has an entirely too large for him Xbox jacket with a stash of gaming related velcro badges that I'm about to raid.

Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: What's bad

When taking a hard look at what I missed from my old, cheap but trusty backpack, my initial critique was that the Rogue V4 seemed to lack an external charging cutout to comfortably feed a power bank cable out to my phone. Alas, as it turns out, when studying the specs, I saw that Razer actually did think of this. The backpack features a fully integrated, stealthy cable passthrough that routes charging cables from the interior to the exterior without leaving your main compartments open. It was simply buried so deeply within the bag's complex ecosystem of pockets that it managed to evade my first few looks (I found it eventually). Just goes to show exactly how many damn pockets, nooks, and crannies this thing has.

Beyond that, the only real negative here is the price tag. At $110 to $140, it's a substantial investment for an accessory that doesn't actually have a processor inside it. However, that premium cost is undeniably reflected in the build quality, heavy-duty zipper tape, and material longevity you will get. If you are a die-hard Razer enthusiast, the Razer tax is a familiar trade-off.

Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: The competition

Almost every major PC manufacturer manufactures a proprietary laptop backpack line to accompany their gaming laptops, though few manage to carry the same streetwear aesthetic appeal as Razer. If you want to keep your accessories strictly brand-loyal, here are a couple of other options in the same ballpark budget.

Hovering right around the $95–$120 mark, depending on active sales, the Legion 16" Armored is Lenovo’s ultimate protective shield. It features an aggressive, weatherproof EVA-molded front armor shell and an ultra-rugged base. It offers excellent structural protection against accidental drops, though its rigid, hard-shell design looks vastly more utilitarian and bulky than the Rogue V4.

Next up is ASUS’s massive 35-liter ROG Ranger alternative built for larger 18-inch rigs. It utilizes an incredibly tough 1260D high-density polyester fabric and excels at raw storage volume, but it lacks the eye-catching looks of the Rogue V4.

Finally, we have Alienware's 18 gaming backpack sitting right in the premium sweet spot at $129.99; this is Dell’s heavyweight champion built explicitly for massive 18-inch desktop replacements. On the inside, it features heavy-duty 360-degree EVA foam cushioning and a soft, anti-scratch Nylex lining to keep your chassis completely pristine.

Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: Should you buy?

You should buy the Razer Rogue V4 if ...

You should not buy the Razer Rogue V4 if ...

Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: Final verdict

Razer has effectively treated a basic textile backpack with the exact same premium material selection and aesthetic precision that they apply to their flagship laptops. They have done the impossible: they made me genuinely care about a piece of luggage. It’s tough, and a dream bag for the meticulously organized. After all, if you've spent hundreds on your tech, what's another $100 on something to house them in? Consider me converted from the bargain basement!

There is something entertaining about a company deciding to build a product simply because it can. Most keyboards exist to hit a price point or fill a slot in a lineup. The new Huntsman Signature Edition ($499) exists because someone at Razer clearly said, “What if we made the most overbuilt Huntsman possible?” and nobody in the room stopped them.

The result is a limited-edition showpiece that feels more like a celebration of the Huntsman platform than a normal retail product. It is expensive, shiny, and completely unnecessary for most people, which also makes it a lot of fun to test.

Update: As this review went live, the first drop of this keyboard sold out in just minutes. You can be notified of the next drop at Razer.com.

Razer had no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.

What it is (and why)

Razer has a habit of letting its engineers run wild on small, high‑end projects that exist mostly to prove what the company is capable of. The $279 Viper Mini Signature Edition was the most recent example. It was a magnesium alloy mouse that felt like a science experiment that somehow escaped the lab. The Huntsman Signature Edition follows the same spirit. It is not meant to replace the Huntsman V3 Pro TKL 8K. It is meant to celebrate how far the Huntsman platform has come and what it can be when the usual limits are removed.

At its core, this is still a Huntsman. You get the same Gen 2 Analog Optical Switches, Rapid Trigger, Snap Tap, adjustable actuation from 0.1 to 4.0 mm, and full 8,000 Hz polling. The Signature Edition takes that foundation and builds a luxury object around it. It is a showcase piece that highlights the engineering behind the Huntsman line and the attention to detail that usually never makes it into a mainstream product.

This is Razer asking a simple question: what happens if we build the ultimate Huntsman with no shortcuts.

What is different about it

The Signature Edition looks and feels like a completely different class of keyboard. The chassis is CNC milled from 6063 aluminum alloy, which gives it a heavier and more substantial feel than the Huntsman Pro TKL 8K.

How heavy? I'm glad you asked, as I weighed it myself. Just the keyboard by itself weighs 3.05 lbs (1.38 kg)! Most premium boards fall between 2.0 and 2.8 lbs. Something like the GMMK Pro is heavier at 3.3 lbs, but that's with a brass plate, for goodness ' sake. And Razer's own Huntsman V3 Pro TKL 8K, which this is based on, is ~1.8 lbs (0.8 kg).

The bottom case and accent pieces go through a physical vapor deposition process and are then polished by hand. Razer says the polishing takes around 50 hours. The result is a mirror finish that looks closer to high‑end watchmaking than gaming hardware. It immediately reminded me of Seiko’s Zaratsu polishing, where artisans spend days creating distortion‑free reflective surfaces. The Signature Edition has that same sense of precision and craft.

The packaging reinforces the idea that this is a special project. The keyboard arrives in a large presentation case with a vegan leather sound dampening mat, a PVD polished triple-headed snake keycap, a cleaning cloth, a keycap puller, magnetic rubber feet, and a Speedflex USB-C cable. It feels more like unboxing a collector’s item than a gaming keyboard.

Inside the chassis, Razer uses a full stack of acoustic materials. There is EPDM foam, EVA foam, an FR4 plate, and a silicone rubber sheet. The switches are individually lubricated and factory calibrated for true 0.1 mm precision. The reviewer’s guide highlights this directly:

The result is a deeper and more controlled sound profile. The Signature Edition has a full, rounded tone that feels closer to a premium custom board than a mass produced gaming keyboard.

How it compares to the Huntsman Pro TKL 8K

The Huntsman Pro TKL 8K is already one of the fastest gaming keyboards available. It uses the same switches and the same 8K polling. It has Rapid Trigger and Snap Tap. It is a performance monster. The Signature Edition does not change the fundamentals. What it changes is the experience around those fundamentals.

The Pro TKL 8K has an aluminum top plate, but the Signature Edition is a full aluminum chassis with hand-polished PVD metal. It is heavier, larger, stiffer, and more refined. The Pro TKL 8K has a sharper, higher-pitched sound. The Signature Edition is deeper and more consistent thanks to the internal foam layers and lubrication. The Pro TKL 8K feels fast and responsive. The Signature Edition feels smooth and controlled.

The Pro TKL 8K arrives in a standard retail box. The Signature Edition arrives in a display case with accessories that feel curated rather than bundled.

Both keyboards deliver the same competitive performance. The Signature Edition simply wraps that performance in craftsmanship and materials that belong in a different category.

tl:dr This isn't the same Huntsman Pro TKL 8K, but in metal. It's completely rebuilt from the ground up, but uses the same design principles and components.

Who should buy it

This is a 499 dollar keyboard. That alone tells you who it is for. It is for enthusiasts who appreciate materials and finishing work. It is for collectors who enjoy limited production hardware. It is for people who want the best version of the Huntsman platform and are willing to pay for it.

It is also worth noting that this is still 100 dollars cheaper than the new ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme 20th Anniversary Edition, which puts the price into perspective. Razer is selling the Signature Edition in limited drops on Razer.com, and only 1,337 units will be made. If you want one, you will need to move quickly.

This is not a keyboard for everyone. It is a keyboard for people who enjoy the idea of owning something rare and overbuilt.

Should you buy it?

You should buy it if ...

✅ You always wanted Razer's best keyboard, but at 3lbs, $499, limited edition, and with polished metal.

✅ You're a hardcore gamer, or someone who only wants the best.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You don't clean your keyboard.

❌ You have to think about that $499.

If you want the best performance for the money, the Huntsman Pro TKL 8K is still the smarter choice. It gives you nearly everything the Signature Edition offers at a much lower price (or see my recent Razer Huntsman V3 TKL 8K review for even more affordability).

The Signature Edition is not about value. It is about craftsmanship, exclusivity, and the satisfaction of using something that feels special.

If that appeals to you, the Signature Edition delivers. If not, the Pro TKL 8K remains the practical pick.

But hey, there's something special here, and I'm glad Razer does stuff like this. For one, it's fun, and two, it often learns from these projects, and from them, that tech could trickle down into its normal projects.

And yeah, it's awesome to just use it for work for typing on, too! It's so solid, stable, and consistent it's like the world's most precise keys built into a rock.

Finally, I should also mention that, for $499, you are getting a 5-year warranty on the Razer Huntsman Signature Edition, compared to the 2-year warranty of its standard keyboards. This is the longest warranty Razer offers on any keyboard and is meant to reflect the premium materials and the limited‑edition nature of the product.

In summary, you can practically hear the moment Razer’s engineers snapped and decided to build a keyboard for the gods, and I think they nailed it.

HP's back with an all new OmniBook Ultra, this time powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X2 Elite, and a new design to boot. I've always loved HP's flagship laptops, and the OmniBook Ultra might just be the best Windows laptop it's ever made.

Its new design is drop dead gorgeous, featuring razer thin edges, a new keyboard design that's amazing to type on, and a best-in-class 14-inch OLED display that makes text and images crisp and clear. It also has plenty of power under the hood, all while offering all day battery life, and then some.

I've been testing the HP OmniBook Ultra over the last few weeks, and this is my full review.

This review was made possible via a review unit supplied by HP. The company had no editorial input and did not view the contents of this review before publication.

Specs and Price

The HP OmniBook Ultra is available now from HP Online and third-party retailers with prices starting at $1,899 for the base model with a Snapdragon X Plus and 16GB RAM.

You can also upgrade to a Snapdragon X2 Elite and 32GB RAM, which will cost $2,399 from HP. The configuration used for this review is one with 64GB RAM and 2TB storage, but this model doesn't appear to be available for sale just yet.

What I love

Getting right down to business, I want to start with the overall design of this laptop. In a word, it's fantastic. In multiple words, it might be one of the prettiest Windows laptops I've ever had through the lab. It's a gorgeous piece of hardware, featuring diamond cut edges that look so sharp and satisfying.

When closed, it looks so sleek and modern. The side of the device where the display hinge is features a brushed metal design with "OMNIBOOK ULTRA" subtly etched into the metal. I'm obsessed with how it looks. I love looking at it, and I love touching it. Everything about this design is premium.

The underside if the device features a unique design that makes it appear thinner than it actually is. The device tapers towards the edges and around the ports so that the part you hold and can see is razer thin. It's only when you hold the laptop up and look underneath do you realize that it's actually thicker than it first appears.

This is accentuated by the color, "Stone Blue," which might be the prettiest blue to ever grace a computer. It looks super stylish, and doesn't overexert itself like some other laptop blues. It's much more muted than the blue on Surface Laptop 7, which I think is actually a good thing. It also does a very good job at hiding fingerprints, which can't be said for all laptops.

That color is carried into the inside of the device, which when opened looks fantastic. The display is flanked by super think bezels, and the keyboard is beautiful too. There's a large haptic trackpad below the keyboard which is also a delight to use, offering the usual haptic feedback options for adjusting how subtle the haptics are.

The only thing that really lets this design down is the usual sticker you find on Windows laptops. My Snapdragon X2 Elite model comes with a Snapdragon sticker, complete with an ugly Copilot+ PC logo. It's minor, but it really takes away from the overall elegant and clean design of the OmniBook Ultra.

Moving onto the display. It's a 14-inch 16:10 OLED panel with a high 120Hz refresh rate and 3K resolution. It's a beautiful and bright panel, with inky deep blacks, high contrast, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and sharp text and images that make looking at webpages and icons super nice. It's also a touchscreen, which we love to see on a Windows laptop.

It can reach a peak brightness of around 500 nits, in our testing reaching 498. In HDR mode, HP rates the display for 1100 nits, which is pretty great I can confirm that HDR mode does pop on this display, though I'm not often watching HDR content.

What's also nice is that the display doesn't have rounded corners. Many high-end laptops these days, including MacBook's will round off the corners of the panel. This looks nice in theory, but in reality you lose genuine screen real-estate by doing this. The OmniBook Ultra has square display corners, so you're not missing out on any pixels.

I love typing on this laptop. There's something about the keyboard that makes it super easy to type on. It's quiet, smooth, lightweight, with enough key travel to be satisfying but not overbearing. It's a new keyboard design for HP laptops, with keys that are much closer together.

However, unlike Dell's keyboard (which I find more difficult to type on) the keys on the OmniBook Ultra are tapered at the edges, which gives them a little separation. This separation makes it easy to type without looking at the keys, as each key is distinctly placed and easily identified with your fingers. I also think it looks nicer than Dell's keyboards.

The port selection is good enough. On the left, we have a USB-C port and 3.5 audio jack, and on the right there's two additional USB-C ports. You won't find USB-A or an SD card reader here, which would've been nice additions, but I understand that to maintain the razer thin design, those ports needed to be omitted.

Webcam is also pretty good. It's a 5MP sensor that looks fine in daylight, but gets quite noisy in low-light environments. It is flanked by IR sensors, which support Windows Hello face unlock which is nice and fast, and much preferred over a fingerprint reader. The device also features wake on approach and screen dimming when you look away, though these are off by default.

What I don't like

Believe it or not, but there's really not a lot to dislike about the HP OmniBook Ultra. If I had to nitpick, I'd say the lack of a USB-A port is a little annoying sometimes, along with the absence of a microSD card reader.

Some will likely dislike that the display is glossy. I personally don'y have an issue with this, but it does mean reflections are very obvious when in a well lit environment. This is something that would be remedied with an anti-reflective or anti-glare coating, or a matte display option.

I also really don't like that Qualcomm insists on placing an ugly sticker on the keyboard deck to represent its silicon. I know OEMs include this because Qualcomm gives them incentive to do so, but I really feel like it detracts from the otherwise perfect appearance of the OmniBook Ultra.

I can also see how some may not love the look or feel of the keyboard. The keys are quite close together, but they are tapered at the edges to give them more of a separated feel. I personally love it, but some of my peers said they weren't huge fans. It'll come down to individual preference.

Lastly, the lack of a 5G option will be an upset for some. I know there is a small but vocal group of people who believe 5G is a must have feature on their Windows laptop, meaning this device won't be a fit for them.

Performance and Battery

Under the hood, the HP OmniBook Ultra is packing Qualcomm's latest SoC in the form of a Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-90-100,) featuring 18 cores and hitting boost speeds up to 5.0 GHz, this processor is capable of chewing through multi-threaded tasks with ease.

My review unit comes with 2TB storage and 64GB RAM too, though I think that's a little overkill. For most people, the configuration with 32GB or even 16GB RAM is likely more than enough for daily tasks and creative work.

In my testing, the OmniBook Ultra is a beast. I was able to edit 4K video on it with no problems, as well as play a few games with smooth framerates at 1440p. It's definitely not a gaming machine, but if you want to play something casually every now and then, it's something this device can handle, assuming there are no compatibility issues with Arm.

In benchmarks, the OmniBook Ultra performed very well. Cinebench 2026 tests resulted in 4,646 points in multi-core, and 632 in single-core. That places is neatly between an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and Apple M4 Max in single-core performance, and and an AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990W and Apple M4 Max in multi-core. It's a seriously capable chip.

Geekbench is a similar story, earning a multi-core score of 20,448 and single-core score of 3,687. Geekbench's GPU test resulted in a score of 39,738 too. In CrossMark, it achieved a score of 1,993. SSD performance is also excellent, with a CrystalDiskMark read score of 10,407.29 MB/s and write score of 7225.54 MB/s, making one of the fastest SSDs in a Windows laptop currently.

Above all else, even under heavy load, the device is whisper quiet. It has a built-in fan, designed around a vapour chamber that does an excellent job at keeping the keyboard deck cool enough to use comfortably under heavy load. The fan does get audible when under sustained load, but it's not loud or overbearing.

Regarding battery life, I was simply blown away. HP rates the OmniBook Ultra as capable of hitting 44 hours on a single charge, and while that's certainly an overestimation, the OmniBook Ultra can easily get you through a work day on a single charge, with plenty of power left to spare.

In my testing, I would usually end the 8 hour work day with about 35-40% battery remaining. That's with about 6-7 hours of screen time conducting day to day tasks such as writing, web browsing, and listening to music. In our controlled battery life tests, it achieved around 22 hours, which is super impressive.

That means real world usage should see you capable of taking the device to work without a charger, and not have to worry about it running out. You can even get through most of the next day too before needing to plug in again. Seriously impressive longevity in this battery, which is a 70Wh cell. Paired with the efficient Qualcomm chip, and you've got a perfect mix of power and efficiency.

When you do find yourself low on power, the OmniBook Ultra supports fast charging, meaning you can juice up from 0% to about 50% in under an hour.

Conclusion

Overall, I think the HP OmniBook Ultra is my new favorite Windows 11 PC in 2026 so far. It's beautiful, powerful, energy efficient, and features most bells and whistles that you might want on a flagship Windows laptop in the current year.

Some will likely find HP's new keyboard design a little controversial, or the lack of an anti-reflective display annoying, but personally I don't have issues with either of these. I prefer glossy displays and I've found HP's new keyboard design to be delightful to use.

You should buy this laptop if...

✅ You want an excellent all-round Windows laptop

✅ You need all day battery life

✅ You want an incredible OLED touchscreen

✅ You want a Windows on Arm PC

You should not buy this laptop if...

❌ You want a laptop with 5G

❌ You need a laptop with an anti-reflective or matte screen

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CHUWI is a Shenzhen-based PC brand that's been around since 2004, delivering affordable devices in the form of laptops, tablets, and, more recently, mini PCs.

While I've tested CHUWI laptops in the past, the AuBox X 256V that the company sent me is its first mini PC I've had a chance to test.

It's super compact, it features a snappy Intel Core Ultra Series 2 CPU, and it has lots of ports to work with.

I've been using the CHUWI AuBox X on my desk for a few weeks now; here's what you need to know before buying.

CHUWI had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the CHUWI AuBox X cost?

CHUWI's AuBox X is available now to buy directly from CHUWI's store.

The more affordable model, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, costs $679 — that's with tax included.

The high-end model that I'm reviewing here, with an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, costs $829. Again, that's with tax included.

CHUWI is offering an exclusive $80 discount for Windows Central readers. When checking out, use code WindowsCentralAuBoxX.

These configurations are effectively locked; if you want more storage, you can upgrade after purchase. Memory is, unfortunately, soldered to the chip and not upgradeable.

Here's a quick look at the specs that make up the CHUWI AuBox X 256V, as reviewed.

Is the CHUWI AuBox X built well?

The AuBox X uses a magnesium alloy chassis, meaning it gets the durability perks of metal without weighing much. Indeed, at just 1.27 pounds (580g) and measuring only 5 inches square, it's one of the tinier PCs we've tested here at Windows Central.

And although it takes up little room on a desk, I appreciate that CHUWI tosses in a VESA mounting panel. You can quickly mount the PC onto the back of a monitor or the underside of a desk, further saving room.

The magnesium shell has venting on either side to feed the single internal fan with cold air, while hot air exhausts out the back. That's an optimal setup.

Unfortunately, the fan does get relatively loud when the CPU is under load. While running Cinebench tests, I measured approximately 61dBA directly behind the PC where hot air exhausts. From about a foot away, the volume dropped to about 51dBA, which is a lot more respectable.

In any case, unless you have the PC mounted under your desk (or elsewhere out of the way), you're going to hear the fan when the PC is working.

The AuBox X's port selection is plentiful, but I wish for more USB-C

This tiny mini PC has more ports than you might expect, but they're not necessarily the ports you want.

The front of the device features a single USB4 port, and that's it for the USB-C form factor, other than the 100W power input on the back.

Otherwise, the front panel has dual USB-A — one 3.2 Gen 2 at 10Gbps and one 3.2 Gen 1 at 5Gbps — a 3.5mm audio jack, and a power button.

Native video output on the back of the PC is decent, with DisplayPort 1.4 and dual HDMI. However, there are some quirks.

Something I've never seen before is a warning that the DP 1.4 port can't be plugged in or out when the PC is turned on; it needs to be powered down before use.

CHUWI also lists both HDMI ports as using the 2.1 standard, yet one is FRL and the other TMDS. Considering TMDS is an HDMI 2.0 technology, it means that you're actually only getting one HDMI 2.1 port with full 48Gbps bandwidth.

This mini PC should nevertheless support three external displays. I tested using one 4K and one 2.5K display, and the PC had no issues.

I appreciate the inclusion of a 2.5Gb Ethernet port for speedy wired internet, and there are plenty of USB-A ports to work with. If only those USB-A ports on the back climbed above 5Gbps.

As I mentioned, it would be nice to have extra USB-C connections on the back of the PC.

How is the CHUWI AuBox X's performance?

Aside from a bit of fan noise, I don't have much to complain about regarding the CHUWI AuBox X's performance.

Its Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU, which launched in late 2024, remains a solid performer with 8 cores and a boost clock up to 4.8GHz. Although it has a base TDP of 17W, CHUWI designed the system to be capable of jumping up to 37W for short bursts. That's as high as this chip goes.

Also on board is an integrated Arc 140V graphics chip, providing a respectable amount of power for such a small device. It compares well to the discrete NVIDIA GTX 1650 and can even give the RTX 3050 a run for its money in certain games. I wouldn't buy this PC for gaming, but it can certainly hold its own in lighter titles.

CHUWI markets the AuBox X as an AI PC, and indeed it is capable of running local models thanks to its Neural Processing Unit (NPU) hitting 47 TOPS of power. The PC is Copilot+ certified.

The biggest drawback in terms of AI (and overall) performance is the capped 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM. There's no way to upgrade memory since it's integrated with the chip; be wary of this limitation when buying for AI workloads.

I ran several benchmark tests to get an idea of general performance compared to other PCs we've recently tested.

In Geekbench 6, the Core Ultra 7 256V that lends itself to the AuBox X 256V's name performed quite well, delivering strong single-core performance and showing plenty of space for all cores to function.

Cinebench 2024 was largely the same, with the Core Ultra 7 256V pulling ahead of the similar 258V. And as for the SSD, well, no complaints from me thanks to stellar read and write speeds.

Cracking open the CHUWI AuBox X 256V to see what's inside

Removing the bottom panel via four captive screws, I took a chance to poke around inside the mini PC.

Presented immediately are three M.2 slots: two for storage and one for the Wi-Fi 6E card. Both SSD slots fit full-size 2280 drives, so no issues there.

The rest of the device is fairly locked down. The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V has integrated RAM, so there's no option to upgrade after purchase.

Should you buy the CHUWI AuBox X?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You're interested in a capable mini PC with AI smarts via the 47 TOPS NPU.

✅ You don't have much space on your desk and want a super compact PC.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You want a PC that can handle a life of gaming.

❌ You want a PC with more upgradeable components; a traditional desktop is still a better choice.

CHUWI's AuBox X 256V is competitively priced at $829, and you can knock a further $80 off by using code WindowsCentralAuBoxX at checkout. The PC is built well, offering solid performance for regular and AI tasks.

My complaints — fan noise, not enough USB-C ports, and a 16GB cap on RAM — should be taken into consideration before buying, but they're certainly not dealbreakers.

If you do want a great mini PC with more RAM, something like the Geekom A9 Max we tested remains a top option. Its Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU is AI-capable, and the system includes 32GB of memory. It does, however, cost $1,399 these days, nearly twice as much as the AuBox X.

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I have reviewed a mountain of Xbox controllers in my time, and it's getting increasingly rare that something truly fresh comes across my desk. That's why I was pleasantly surprised with Flydigi's first Xbox licensed option, dubbed the Vader 5S.

I haven't used a Flydigi product before, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. And I have to admit, I wasn't exactly impressed with the device at first glance.

The controller's gold accents aren't my cup of tea, but the spec sheet makes the design choices much easier to overlook. Is it among the best Xbox controllers you can get? Let's take a look.

Flydigi Vader 5S: Specs and features

The Flydigi Vader 5S has some really impressive specs on paper, and yes, while it is wired, those who don't mind that aspect of it have a lot to enjoy here.

Hall Effect sticks (or TMR) have become a must for me in 2026, so it's good they've ticked off that box. The Xbox Elite controller I purchased only last year has already started to drift, annoyingly (although there are new ways to fix Xbox controller stick drift emerging over time). I sorely hope every Xbox controller being made now and in the future carries Hall Effect or above.

Additionally, we have a mountain of buttons to configure here, which you can do via Flydigi's Space Station for Xbox app. There are two buttons on the reverse, an additional two on the front plate, and two extra bumpers across the top as well.

It has all the standard Xbox buttons on top, including the standard ABXY and the Xbox share button, view, menu, and nexus buttons. Rumors have it that Xbox is adding C and Z buttons as standard for developers to leverage, so Flydigi is well-positioned for the future as well.

We have vibration motors in both the controller and in the triggers, as well as two-stage trigger locks, a 3.5mm audio jack with mute shortcut buttons, and a lengthy braided cable in the box.

The app itself is capable, giving you custom profiles that you can switch out on the fly. You can tailor the RGB light bar across the bottom, configure the buttons to your liking, and set up response curves and things like that.

The best feature here, though, has to be the customizable tension rings. Around each thumbstick is a steel dial that can be turned to increase or decrease motion tension. So, say for example you're playing Call of Duty and want to have a large degree of control over your aiming, you could ramp up the tension on the stick while also increasing the sensitivity in-game, allowing you to make more precise adjustments to your crosshairs.

On the flip side, if you were playing a non-hitscan hero in Overwatch, you could lower the tension to give you a more rapid turning circle for heroes that don't need precision aiming, like Moira or Reinhardt.

It would take some practice, but it would offer some clear advantages for those willing to min-max their playstyle. It's a really cool feature.

Flydigi Vader 5S: Ergonomics and design

You'll be pleased to hear the controller is also fantastic in the hand. It's actually one of the best-feeling controllers I've used, and the shoulder button designs in particular surpass Microsoft's home-grown best.

The buttons and d-pad all have a pleasant and clicky actuation, which also feels great, and the paddles on the back also retain good positioning.

My gripes about the controller all pertain to cosmetics, which is minor ultimately in the grand scheme of things, but if you are someone who takes pride in their gaming setup, you might find this controller difficult to fit in.

The Xbox nexus button placement, for some reason, has these odd gold flecks which look more like dust/dirt. The gold in general is an odd choice, and feels incongruous with how Xbox accessories generally show up. The incongruent design choices even extend to the braided cable, which has inexplicable blue accents, despite the fact that there's no presence of blue anywhere else here.

The loud and gaudy gold accents also undermine the RGB light bar across the bottom ... which, by the way, doesn't even come close to color accuracy. It can't output red, for example, reaching as far as pink only. No colors, besides yellow, really match up with gold, making the RGB lighting pointless. They should've removed it and shaved a pit off the price point instead, probably.

Sure, it's all cosmetic, but it shows that Flydigi didn't really think the visuals or finer details through too much when building this controller.

Flydigi Vader 5S: Competition

The tension rings are a really nice touch here, and it's a far better implementation than I've seen in some other controllers that do similar things. The Xbox Elite controller, for example, requires a tool to adjust the stick tension, which isn't exactly convenient.

The kicker here is that you're paying a fair premium for what is ultimately, potentially, a pretty niche feature. As wired options go, the GameSir G7 HE is probably still a superior value overall, and the GameSir G7 SE is cheaper still, doesn't compromise on the fundamentals, and comes with customizable faceplates for those who are into their aesthetics. There's also the wired Razer Wolverine V3 option, which comes in at the same price point.

Also, in the short term, we are most likely going to see the debut of new Xbox controllers very shortly, in the form of the Xbox Elite Controller Series 3, so you may want to hold off to see what Microsoft has cooked up for us there, too.

Ultimately, you're going to really need to want the tension adjustment feature to justify this one, I would say. And it would be a fair shout. The Flydigi Vader 5S has a fair price at $60 in my opinion, particularly when you factor in the included Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month card it comes with.

Flydigi Vader 5S: Conclusion

Like I said, ultimately this product revolves around its thumbstick tension feature, which is admittedly very good. The design isn't to my personal liking, but that might not be an issue for you. Otherwise, Flydigi nails all of the fundamentals here with superb ergonomics, features, specs, and a very fair price.

There's a ton of competing similar options out there, though. Tension adjustment rings alone might not be enough to see Flydigi across the finish line with this one. Also, I'm not sure what the market is like for wired controllers in 2026 ... wireless is simply too convenient to give up for me personally, but going wired does shave a fair bit off the final price point.

If you pick this up, I highly doubt you'll be disappointed. It's a great option and one I'm happy to recommend. Is it mind-blowing? Probably not. I think Flydigi could've paid more attention to the details, but it's still a fantastic option overall, and a great first entry into its Xbox accessory line-up. I'm pretty intrigued to see what they do next.

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ASUS's Republic of Gamers (ROG) has, over the past 20 years, become one of PC gaming's most recognized brands. Encompassing gaming laptops, desktops, monitors, headsets, peripherals, and more, ROG products find a home in countless gaming rooms.

ASUS is taking advantage of Computex 2026 to highlight two decades of ROG, and it has launched a new 75% ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 mechanical keyboard to celebrate. The keyboard landed on my desk well ahead of launch, and it's been in full use for the past couple of weeks.

ASUS had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 cost?

The ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 makes its debut at $599.99, a full $100 more expensive than the regular, non-anniversary Azoth Extreme model. It's available to pre-order now at Best Buy and Newegg.

The keyboard is expected to launch on July 19, when it will also show up at Amazon and Micro Center.

ASUS is also selling 20th Anniversary ROG Keycap Mystery Boxes for $24.99. These kits come with six randomized special-edition keycaps related to the history of ROG. The kits are available at Best Buy and Newegg.

There's a 1/48 chance of landing a 20th Anniversary Special Edition ROG keycap, but I didn't get so lucky. What I can say is that these special keycaps are top quality, to the point that each one is hand-painted. I'd say pick up a kit of six if you're a real ROG enthusiast; otherwise, stick with your own designs.

What's in the box?

The ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 comes with the keyboard, gold-plated nameplate, USB-C cable, four magnetic feet, keycap puller, switch puller, USB dongle, USB extender, three extra switches, extra silicon pins and foam stickers, and a wrist rest.

A high-end redesign inside and outside

The ASUS Azoth Extreme keyboard isn't exactly new. It's technically been around since 2024 as a flagship mechanical gaming option, but it's never looked as good as this Edition 20 model.

What does that mean? Well, rather than the regular black finish across the board, ASUS has gone heavy on the gold accents and transparent keycaps. Let me break it down.

The outside edges of the keyboard, including the areas around the port outlets and the built-in control, have a gold finish. It's also found on the inner edges that surround the keycaps.

The magnetic feet? The wrist rest baseplate? The control knob? Also finished in gold. ASUS tops it all off with a 24K plated gold nameplate that attaches to the bottom of the keyboard to cover the gasket control and the USB dongle garage.

These accents offset nicely against the otherwise black aluminum alloy chassis, which features a bladed pattern that sort of gives it a carbon fiber look.

Transparent keycaps are a nice touch with the gold and black

Rather than using full black keycaps like on the regular Azoth Extreme, ASUS made a change to transparent caps with black tops. With the right RGB lighting, it sort of looks like a bunch of shining crystals.

A carbon fiber positioning plate surrounds the keycaps, but that's just one layer. Below is a layer of PORON dampening foam, a PORON switch pad, and a silicone pad. This stack dampens annoying "pings" from switches and also helps make typing as comfortable as possible.

I can attest that the Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is the most comfortable keyboard I've ever used for regular work. At this point, I've typed thousands of words on it when not gaming, and I can't get enough of the feel and sound of the switches.

Something I've never had on a keyboard before is an adjustable gasket. With just one toggle, you can transform the typing feel from soft to hard. I keep it on soft while working and switch it to hard when gaming for a more responsive feel.

The only complaint I have has to do with keycap legibility. The black finish on the top and a lack of transparent lettering make it hard to see the font in most conditions. The fully transparent keycaps are not quite so hard to make out (and I do love the custom graphics on most of them), but they're still not perfect.

I can't get enough of the ROG NX Edition 20 mechanical switches

ASUS is offering two different types of switches. I have ROG NX Snow Edition 20 switches, which have the most satisfying, full sound. These switches have a 1.8mm actuation point, 40gf of initial force, and 53gf of total force.

If you prefer a more clacky experience, I'd recommend you stick with ROG NX Storm switches. In any case, the switches come pre-lubed and ready to go. I appreciate that each switch has a "walled" design that helps keep out dust and dirt, and I also love that they're hot-swappable.

On some keyboards, wider keys like the spacebar (with just one switch in the middle) can feel wonky. Not the case here, thanks to stabilizers that keep all keys feeling the same.

Easy to control, easy to customize

In the top-left corner of the keyboard is a 1.47-inch OLED touch display attached to a control knob. The screen is small enough not to be intrusive, but big enough to be legible from a distance.

The screen's animations can be customized through Armoury Crate software, or you can swipe between a bunch of presets. No matter the backdrop, the little screen displays things like Caps Lock, profile, connection, battery, and the function carousel (showing things like volume, brightness, etc.).

Using the control knob next to the screen makes switching between per-key RGB setups easy, and it also controls screen/RGB brightness, music, and volume. You can customize the knob with your own commands as well.

Customize your keys any way you see fit

As long as you don't mind jumping into Armoury Crate on your PC, every key (except Fn) on the ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is customizable. You can also set up any number of macros to help automate your flow.

This is also where you can sync your keyboard's lighting with Aura Sync.

Performance and battery life

The ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 connects with USB-C, Bluetooth, and a 2.4GHz dongle. These modes are easily toggled with a built-in switch.

ASUS uses its proprietary SpeedNova tech for 2.4GHz connections, boosting battery life up to 1,600+ hours with all lighting disabled. At least that's what ASUS claims — I still haven't had to charge in the two weeks I've been using the board.

More realistically, with RGB lighting and OLED display enabled, you should be able to get about four days of constant use out of the board before the battery runs dry.

1,000Hz polling rate can be boosted to 8,000Hz

ASUS includes a nifty little ROG Polling Rate booster dongle in the package. You can plug it into your PC and use it like a wireless dongle, or you can plug the keyboard into your PC through the booster.

Either way, it bumps the stock 1,000Hz polling rate up to 8,000Hz, something I'm sure some competitive gamers can appreciate.

Should you buy the ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 keyboard?

You should buy it if ...

✅ You're a rabid ROG fan and want to celebrate 20 years of gaming hardware.

✅ You're a fan of premium mechanical keyboards that are ideal for work and gaming.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You already have a hard time seeing the lettering on keys.

❌ Your $600 could be better spent on PC performance hardware upgrades.

The ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is hands-down the best mechanical gaming keyboard I've ever used. It's built better than any peripheral I've tested or otherwise purchased myself, and it has everything I need for both gaming and work.

That's really the selling point here, especially at an eye-watering $600; the keyboard is just as good for having fun as it is for typing thousands of words every day. It sounds good, it feels good, and it looks good.

My only qualm has to do with the font visibility on the main set of keycaps. They can be very hard to read, backlight or not, in low-light conditions.

Other than that issue, which is fairly minor for anyone who doesn't have to look down when typing or gaming, the only other impediment is the price tag. The ROG Azoth Extreme was firmly in the enthusiast camp, and a $100 price bump makes it even more so.

ASUS's Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand is turning 20 this year, and to celebrate, the company has launched a 20th Anniversary edition of its ROG Harpe II Extreme gaming mouse at Computex.

I was lucky enough to get the new Edition 20 mouse a couple of weeks ahead of the announcement, so I've had plenty of time to test it out in many a real-world situation. If the idea of a gold-plated mouse tickles your fancy, read on to see if it's worth buying or not.

ASUS had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 cost?

The new ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 mouse makes its debut at $259.99. It's available for pre-order at both Best Buy and Newegg, and it's expected to launch fully on July 19.

After launch, it will also be available at Amazon and Micro Center.

Considering the regular ROG Harpe II Ace, on which this special Edition 20 is based, costs about $170, you're looking at roughly a $90 cost difference.

What's in the box?

Alongside the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 mouse, the special display case has an ROG SpeedNova 8K receiver and extender, an ROG paracord, grip tape, extra mouse slides, stickers, a cleaning cloth, and documentation.

What I love about the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20

The new ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 is based on the Harpe II Ace that launched in late 2025. And just like its sibling ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 keyboard, it's been given a makeover with gold accents, improved internals, and special anniversary branding.

Impeccable design that's comfortable to hold

The Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 has been in use on my desk for gaming and for work for a couple of weeks, and it's just as comfortable to hold at the start of the day as it is at the end.

Its sidewalls are lightly tapered to fit my fingers, and it has an ideal shape that rests firmly under my palm. It's the perfect size for me, though I can see it maybe being a bit too big for those with smaller hands.

I was concerned with how slick the outer transparent shell can be when gaming, but ASUS has that issue covered with included grip stickers you can add if needed.

The mouse's shell primarily has a semi-transparent black finish to help show off the internals. The outside is a little busy, what with all the extra ROG branding in honor of the anniversary, but that's largely the point.

A gold-plated interior ... with RGB lighting

The biggest aesthetic upgrade you get here comes in the form of an inner metal frame with real 24K gold plating.

The layered design helps give the mouse's internals some depth beneath the transparent shell, and it's finished off with an RGB 20th Anniversary ROG logo right in the center of the main internal plate. This logo connects to other RGB via Aura Sync.

Despite the new design, the mouse still only weighs 82 grams. It's one of the lighter mice I've used, and although I'm now used to it, it would be nice to have adjustable weights like other high-end mice.

Scrolling, clicking, and gliding

The mouse's black finish is nicely offset by a gold-colored scroll wheel and metal side buttons. I had no issues with any of the three inputs; the side buttons are perfectly placed for easy control with my thumb, and the scroll wheel is smooth but tactile.

ASUS uses its ROG Optical Micro switches below the main mouse buttons, making the mouse feel incredibly responsive. I also noticed while playing FPS games that it seriously drops the likelihood of double clicks, felt most when tapping fire on a rifle set to full auto.

👉 Best mouse in 2026: The best mice for gaming, ergonomics, and more

These switches are also very durable, with ASUS claiming 100 million clicks before the switches wear out. Not bad.

Flipping the mouse over reveals stylized slides at the front and back of the mouse. These are made of Gorilla Glass for extra durability (nothing worse than your slides wearing away before the mouse is through), but they also make the mouse super smooth.

Here is where you'll also find DPI and pairing buttons, as well as a toggle for 2.4GHz (via the SpeedNova 8K dongle), Bluetooth, or wired connectivity. There's no dongle storage on the mouse; instead, ASUS says to use the (bulky) plastic carrying case when in transit.

The high-performance sensor you want for competitive gaming

I'm getting too old to have a real chance in competitive games, but I can say that the ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 had me playing my best.

ASUS has its premier ROG AimPoint Pro 65K sensor on board, featuring a 65,000 DPI, adjustable lift-off distance (LOD) from 0.7mm to 1.7mm, maximum acceleration of 70g, and a max speed of 800 inches per second (IPS).

The mouse also lets me adjust its polling rate from 1,000Hz all the way up to 8,000Hz, which at the top provides just 0.2ms latency even when used wirelessly.

I didn't really need it for my purposes, but a Zone Mode is available for competitive gamers. It quickly locks the mouse into the top settings so you can jump into a game after work without too many adjustments.

Battery life is excellent

ASUS uses something called dynamic wireless transmission power to boost battery life, and it claims the mouse can go for 195 hours with a 1K polling rate. I still haven't hit that limit, but I've also not yet had to charge the mouse in the two weeks I've had it.

If you bump it up to an 8K polling rate, the battery life falls to about 37 hours. Still a respectable number that won't have you reaching for a cable before every gaming session.

What I don't like about the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20

ASUS really did a great job of overhauling its flagship mouse for ROG's 20th anniversary, and there are just a couple of nitpicks I'd like to mention.

One is the shell's slick feel. Yes, ASUS includes grip tape, but adding it to the mouse kind of interferes with the overall sleek look.

Another nitpick is the lack of a USB garage built into the mouse. I don't want to carry around a bulky plastic carrying case in a bag, and I also don't want to just toss a dongle in there loose.

Finally, I can't skip mentioning the price. I know this mouse is for ROG fanatics who want to help celebrate 20 years of gaming service, and I understand that its performance is superior to the ROG Harpe II Ace on which it's based.

Still, asking $259.99 for one mouse is a bit steep, especially if you're already dropping $600 on a matching keyboard.

Should you buy the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 mouse?

You should buy it if ...

✅ You love the ASUS ROG brand and want to help ring in its 20th anniversary.

✅ You're a competitive PC gamer who wants a high-performance, comfortable mouse.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You have particularly small hands or are left-handed.

❌ You prefer a heavy mouse or a mouse with adjustable weight.

Like the sibling ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 keyboard I reviewed, the new ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 is a special accessory that's not meant for the masses. That helps explain the price, at least.

If you are a ROG fanatic (or simply love the idea of a gaming mouse with some extra flash), I can promise that you're landing one great device. Sure, it has a few little drawbacks, but overall, it's a gaming mouse that has practically every high-performance feature I can think of.

It's comfortable to hold (if a bit slick without grip stickers), the buttons respond as you'd expect and feel nice and snappy, and it has the right sensor and polling rate to keep up with even the fastest reactions.

I had absolutely no expectations whatsoever for 007: First Light, which launches this week on Xbox Play Anywhere and Steam. I come away from this review with a potential pick for my personal Game of the Year.

I'm by no means a hardcore Bond fan, but I do have a fondness for the franchise. I have nostalgic memories watching the classics as a kid, from Goldfinger to GoldenEye (both movie and game). If you're a Brit, Bond is woven into the culture with everyone having at least some generalized awareness of its tropes and cliches.

I'm also, at best, a casual fan of IO, having long been impressed by Hitman, albeit from the sidelines, as a dabbler, and I'm by no means a stealth-assassin aficionado. Despite all of this, I came away from 007: First Light not only blown away by the game's raw quality, but also its thoughtful and authentic story delivery. IO has hit another level.

007: First Light takes what IO built within its dynamic open assassination sandboxes and deftly applies it to something more cinematic — while avoiding feeling overly linear or scripted. It pays raises a vodka martini to Ian Fleming's classic world in spades, remaining unapologetically British in delivery while pulling on contemporary real-world events that should be on everyone's radar.

007: First Light is an absolute masterpiece, and I am elated for the team at IO. There are some rough edges, but nothing a patch or two won't smooth out. I'm more than happy to recommend its beefy, 16+ hour campaign in full to players on Xbox and PC.

007: First Light review — Visuals, design, and performance

007: First Light runs on IOI's proprietary engine known as Glacier, giving 007: First Light a large variety of gameplay modularity and systems, wholly befitting of Bond. It's also not a bad looker, either, with impressive lighting and smoke detailing, and good shadows. I was a little disappointed with the overall performance compromises on Xbox Series X, however. Bond is best served on a high-end PC as usual.

007: First Light offers both performance and quality modes on Xbox Series X, although the frame rate is very poor on quality mode with the review build, with a juddery presentation. I suspect many, if not most, will use performance mode on Xbox Series X|S. In this mode, you do get a smooth 60 FPS throughout the whole game on the X with no noticeable dips, but the resolution takes a beating.

It dynamically scales to maintain pace with the target frame rate, which can result in pixelated presentation in some sequences. It's ultimately a minor gripe, though — and something I'm sure IO will optimize further in subsequent patches.

Clearly, the lion's share of 007: First Light's design work went into its characters. As a cinematic game, this was clearly the right choice. The main characters are evocative and give great performances, although the throwaway NPCs can look a little uncanny at times.

Glacier is still a great engine for creating immersive, realistic human spaces. Some scenes feature dozens of NPCs on-screen simultaneously (as was often true in Hitman), with key NPCs sporting their own behaviors and pathing. IO also continues its penchant for hefty detailing and realism, offering tons of reasons to explore the game's varied and sizeable playspaces.

007: First Light is a stealth game at its core, connecting Hitman-styled stealth sandbox action-puzzle environments between more Bond movie-style cinematic linear sequences. IO executes the blend of gameplay styles effortlessly, with great pacing between the game's bombastic action movie highs and more meticulous, analytical stealth segments.

Taking in 007: First Light's gallery of colorful characters, larger-than-life cinematic highs, and carefully crafted stealth sequences made me almost nostalgic at times. Structurally speaking, I more than once felt like I was a kid playing Metal Gear Solid again, and that's one of the best compliments I can give this game.

007: First Light review — Story and characters

Indeed, I can't praise IOI enough for the overall story delivery here. The quality of the digital acting and cinematic pacing is hard to nail by itself, but marry in the lofty expectations that come with a modern Bond experience ... and you've set yourself a pretty gargantuan challenge. IOI nailed it, through and through. 007: First Light is quite possibly not just the best Bond game ever made, it's also worthy of the best movies from the franchise's celebrated canon. Absolute cinema.

You play as a younger James Bond here. A RAF Aircrewman who found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or perhaps, it was the right place?

Salvaging an MI6 mission gone awry, the rookie Bond ends up inducted into an MI6 training program for his valor and proficiency in the field. The program is set to revive this universe's version of the "00" elite agent program ... although why it was shuttered in the first place is a major plot point.

I won't spoil the game's overarching beats, but throughout 007: First Light, you meet an incredible cast of memorable characters with Hollywood-grade delivery and fantastic dialogue. All of the Bond franchise's signature tropes are not only retained, but celebrated. Everything from Bond's irritatingly charming witticisms, a mysterious femme fatale, spy gadgets from the eccentric Q, and M — almost as new in the job as you, and terminally frustrated by Bond's cavalier antics.

Lenny Kravitz' bombastic crime lord Bawma, and others (spoilers), felt like an attempt to draw on some of Bond's larger-than-life classic villains. Yet, the overarching story 007: First Light tells feels scarily poignant and closer to home than I think many will be prepared for.

007 celebrates many different angles of Bond in a way that only a video game can — offering different Bond styles throughout its various systems, cinematic moments, and characters. Despite all of this, it never feels incohesive, which is incredibly impressive. 007: First Light, for its story alone, is well worth a place among the franchise's biggest and most celebrated movies.

Bond in 007: First Light is as green and reckless as they come, but he gets humbled pretty quickly. His maturity grows throughout the game, shadowed by the cold veteran Greenway, a former "00" relegated to a pencil pusher due to a notoriously botched op.

The way James' relationship and camaraderie grow with the supporting MI6 cast throughout the game was one of 007's high points for me, but what I enjoyed even more was how IOI delivered a contemporary narrative that should feel very relevant to anyone paying attention.

I don't want to spoil where the game takes some of these ideas, but 007: First Light also serves as a pretty stark warning about very, very real risks many of the world's biggest governments are already taking with certain companies and individuals ... I suspect those warnings will not be heeded.

In any case, like any great Bond movie, 007: First Light will run you through the whole gamut of human emotions, and I was fully invested throughout the whole show.

007: First Light review — Gameplay

I generally don't see myself as having the patience for stealth games like Hitman, but 007: First Light offers a vast variety of gameplay styles and opportunities to meet players where they are. Combat is not a "last resort" in 007: First Light.

Indeed, 007: First Light draws inspiration from the Batman Arkham games for its fist fighting. Dodge, parry, grab, and then execute form the basis of combat. But there's also so much more here.

First Light's close-quarters combat is incredibly dynamic, offering contextual opportunities that feel ripped straight out of the movie. What's all the more impressive is that it never feels overly scripted. James will dynamically use the environment to his advantage in combat, and you can throw objects and reach for other tools to stun and incapacitate foes on the fly. Run out of bullets? Throw your gun at them, too.

Oftentimes, I find games tend to put their focus on one specific style of gameplay, but First Light's gunplay is also incredibly robust. You can only wield guns and kill enemies in certain situations, when your "License to Kill" is active — James is bound by the law after all. Thankfully, there's a whole army of terrorists and mercenaries standing between Bond and his goals, with plenty of opportunities to cause mayhem and chaos.

James has various resources he can use in combat. The Q-Watch gadget lets you hack environmental details and set traps, luring enemies or stunning them for a quick stealth take down. You'll also gain focus points for successful actions and activities, which lets you slow down time during gunplay, Max Payne-style, for some slow-motion flourishes.

However, it also lets you use your spy craft persuasion tactics. You can walk up to a group of guards and confidently warn them that you're the IT guy here to check out a faulty server. If you have enough focus points, they'll buy the bluff temporarily at least. However, some smarter and more perceptive guards may be more difficult to persuade ...

The game also has more than its fair share of Hollywood-style set-piece moments. I found myself driving a garbage truck through packed London streets at one point, as mercs swarmed with silenced (and not so silenced) machine guns. There are obligatory car chases, parachute-free skydives, and other unexpected Bond-style "improvisations."

I played the game through on Normal difficulty across around 16 hours of playtime for the campaign. It also has some Metal Gear VR missions-style test levels you can try out, complete with leaderboards for skill expression. I want to also add that it had some of the best tutorial segments I've seen in a game, woven in as slick training montages.

007: First Light felt impeccably polished throughout. I was never disengaged or rushing to completion, even in the slower, stealthier segments — it was often here the characters and world-building shone the most. A huge variety of gameplay locations, gameplay styles, unique activities, set-piece moments, logic puzzles, investigations, platforming, and, honestly, exploration opportunities never left me wanting.

007: First Light review — Conclusion

I am rooting for 007. For one thing, it's becoming rare that we get games like this these days, particularly so at this level. It's even rarer that we get a game based on an existing IP that utterly nails the source material. It's rarer still that a AAA developer can stray from its bread-and-butter comfort zone and reach even higher — while also thoroughly succeeding.

007: First Light is as spectacular a game as it is a true Bond story and experience. The plot, the characters, the gameplay variety and pacing ... when you zoom out, the needle IOI had to thread makes for nothing short of a Herculean task. I hope the market rewards them in droves.

This is quintessential James Bond at its absolute best. Yes, I think there's room for optimization on console, and I have experienced a crash or two; the minor issues I experienced on my run didn't even come close to detracting from the overall package.

The fresh take on the franchise gives IOI a huge amount of runway for future installments (hopefully), and offers an angle underexplored by the movies themselves. It pays thoughtful homage to the franchise's iconic tropes without coming across as forced or ham-fisted, while also putting its own uniquely IOI mark on the legendary canon.

For anyone who has ever loved action-leaning stealth games, cinematic action games, or frankly, James Bond, all up — 007: First Light is absolutely essential.

007: First Light launches on May 27, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC. It's also part of Xbox Play Anywhere for Xbox consoles and the Xbox PC store.

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Look, I am going to be honest with you: I am not a pro gamer. My days of staying up until 4 AM to climb the ranks in a twitch shooter are mostly behind me. But I still love high-end hardware, and there is something undeniably satisfying about using a tool that is over-engineered for its purpose.

The Razer Huntsman V3 TKL 8KHz is exactly that. Priced at $169.99, it sits in a competitive bracket (and not to be confused with the larger, but similar, Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz reviewed last year). It is not cheap, but for the crowd it targets, it is actually quite reasonable. You can find it right now at Best Buy and Amazon, which makes the whole "I want it today" or "I might need to return it if my hands are too small" process incredibly simple.

This keyboard is positioned as a pure competitive tool. While the "regular" V3 Pro TKL has been a staple for a while, this 8KHz version is the new flagship for the speed demons. It feels like Razer took the feedback from the community, looked at the current esports landscape, and decided to turn every dial to eleven.

I've spent the last week with it, and while I technically don't need this keyboard (8kHz browser tab switching, anyone?), I'm going to keep using it, because it's pretty awesome.

What is 8KHz and Why Does It Matter for Gamers?

If you have been following the PC peripheral scene, you have likely heard the term 8KHz or HyperPolling tossed around like a buzzword. For those who do not live in the weeds of technical specs, here is the explainer: most gaming keyboards poll your PC at 1,000Hz, or once every millisecond. The Huntsman V3 TKL 8KHz polls at, well, 8,000Hz. This means the keyboard communicates with your computer every 0.125ms.

Is that overkill? For writing an email, yes. For a high-stakes match in Valorant? It is a genuine advantage.

HyperPolling minimizes input delay and provides a level of synchronicity with on-screen action that 1,000Hz just cannot match. When you combine this with Razer’s 2nd-Gen Analog Optical Switches, which "achieve highly precise input detection by measuring light passing through the entire switch stem," you get a keyboard that reacts before you even realize you have finished the press.

Razer claims these switches offer "2.5x better top deadzone management" than the competition, which is just jargon for saying these keys are incredibly consistent.

Snap Tap and Rapid Trigger Explained

The real magic of the V3 TKL 8KHz lies in the software and logic built into those analog switches. Specifically, we need to talk about Snap Tap and Rapid Trigger.

Snap Tap is Razer’s implementation of SOCD (Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions) resolution, and was announced in 2024. In standard keyboards, if you hold "A" to move left and then press "D" to move right, you might just stop moving entirely. Snap Tap changes the game by prioritizing the latest input. If you are strafing and hit the opposite key, the keyboard instantly registers that new direction without you having to fully release the first key. It makes counter-strafing feel "crispy and responsive," as some pros have noted.

Then there is Rapid Trigger. Standard mechanical switches have a fixed reset point. You have to let the key go past a certain height before you can press it again. With Rapid Trigger, the key resets the instant it starts moving upward, even by as little as 0.1mm. This allows for rapid, repeated inputs that feel like you have been "supercharged." You can also use DKS (Dual-Step Actuation) to map two actions to a single keypress based on how deeply you push it. It is a level of customization that makes the older V2 models look like relics.

Building a Better Huntsman V3 TKL

One of my biggest gripes with previous Razer keyboards was the "pingy" sound or the rattle of the stabilizers. I am happy to report that the V3 TKL 8KHz feels like a significant step up in build quality. Razer has added thick foam dampening and individually lubricated the switches. The result is a much more "muted typing acoustic" that stays in your flow state. The bounce and build quality feel improved over the regular V3 Pro, and the aluminum top plate gives it a premium heft.

The keycaps are textured doubleshot PBT, meaning they are shine-resistant and the legends will not fade. I also love the new onboard configuration. You can actually adjust the actuation height or Rapid Trigger sensitivity directly on the keyboard using the LED array indicator. No more diving into Synapse every five minutes just to tweak a setting. It is a nice touch for those of us who hate having too much background software running.

Razer even includes a nifty guide that you can keep on your desk for easy reference (see above).

Navigating the Razer Huntsman Lineup

Razer now has seven different Huntsman keyboards, and it is getting a bit crowded. You have the V3 Pro (Full), the V3 Pro TKL, the V3 Pro Mini, and now this 8KHz TKL version, not to mention the older V2 models still floating around.

The V3 TKL 8KHz fits in as the specialized "pro" choice. Compared to the V2, you are getting the vastly superior 2nd-Gen Analog switches instead of the standard optical ones. Compared to the regular V3 Pro TKL, you are getting that 8KHz polling and the improved lubrication.

If you are looking for a map through this forest, choose the V3 TKL 8KHz if you want the absolute cutting edge of speed. Choose the Mini if you need desk space. Choose the Full if you actually use a numpad (though, why?).

Should You Buy the Huntsman V3 TKL 8KHz?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You're actually a "pro" or aspiring pro gamer

✅ You prefer TKL, don't need/want media keys or a numberpad

✅ FPS games are your jam

✅ You like what Razer is cookin'

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You're just a regular gamer

❌ You're not a gamer

❌ You have issues with Razer

So, who is this for? If you are a competitive gamer, the answer is a resounding yes. The combination of Snap Tap, 8KHz polling, and Rapid Trigger makes this one of the most advanced gaming tools on the market.

However, I have to make an exception for the productivity crowd. If you just want a great typing keyboard for office work and you game on the side, this might not be your first choice. The switches are linear and very sensitive. Even though the lubrication has improved the sound, it is still a bit loud for a quiet office environment (but not annoying loud, in my opinion, it's just ... you know, audible). Plus, do you really need 8KHz polling to write a spreadsheet? Probably not.

That said, I'm using this 90% for typing at work and absolutely love it, so take that as you will.

But if you want a keyboard that feels like it was built for the podium, this is it. It is a pure competitive tool that happens to be built like a tank.

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