There was a lot to love about the MacBook Neo when it first launched, not least its price. While unfortunately, that has now increased by £100 (we can thank the AI boom for that), it’s still a very capable laptop that offers a couple of pleasing quirks that other MacBooks in Apple’s range don’t.

There's a colour-matched keyboard, for starters, and similarly matched menus in macOS.

But while Apple clearly had colour in mind when it designed the MacBook Neo, given it’s the only MacBook to be offered in brighter and more vibrant colours than grey and silver (the Sky Blue MacBook Air is an exception, though this is basically a bluey silver), the company doesn’t have any official matching accessories available to complement the Blush and Citrus Neo options.

What do the Satechi MacBook Neo accessories offer?

But don’t worry, renowned accessory manufacturer Satechi has come to the rescue.

As spotted by Yanko Design, Satechi has a MacBook Neo Collection that features three accessories, all of which are available in the four Neo colours: Indigo, Citrus, Blush and Silver. There are two USB-C hubs and a wireless mouse.

Now, if you’ve been considering the MacBook Neo, or you have already invested, you’ll understand why a USB-C hub might come in handy. The entry-level MacBook only has two USB-C ports of its own (plus a 3.5mm headphone jack), but the Satechi USB-C Snap Hub connects to both, allowing it to then sit flush against the side of the Neo.

It has a colour-matched aluminium finish on top and the same soft-touch ABS material as the Neo’s keyboard underneath. It then replaces the Neo’s two USB-C ports with six different alternatives, including a 4K/60Hz HDMI output, USB-A, USB-C, SD and microSD card slots, and 45W pass-through for charging.

The OntheGo 5-in-1 Multiport Adapter, meanwhile, is circular, connects to one of the Neo’s single USB-C ports via a braided cable, and its ports include a 4K/60Hz HDMI output, 60W USB-C pass-through charging, dual 5Gbps data ports, and an SD card reader.

It also has a magnetic base so it will snap onto the back of a MagSafe-compatible iPhone or the lid of the Neo.

Last but not least, the Slim EX Wireless Mouse has a colour-matched aluminium body, a USB-C rechargeable battery, quiet click switches and a precision-machined scroll wheel.

The Satechi MacBook Neo collection is available in the US now, with the USB-C Snap Hub and OntheGo 5-in-1 Multiport Adapter both costing $44.99, while the Slim EX Wireless Mouse costs $29.99. UK availability has not yet been announced.

Mondays aren’t usually a day most people would say they enjoy all that much, but they are always a good day for Apple rumours. Why? Because Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman publishes his Power On newsletter on Sundays, and it usually has a little bit of gossip on what we can expect from the Cupertino-based company over the next couple of months.

This week, the hot topic is the Apple Pencil – or Pencils, plural. That might not be quite as exciting as a folding iPhone, or speculation on what the next hero colour could be for the iPhone 18 Pro models, but the Apple Pencil is still a great accessory for anyone who likes drawing on an iPad.

What's the latest for Apple Pencil?

Gurman claims in his latest newsletter that Apple is working on two new Apple Pencil models. The two stylus options are expected to be announced next year alongside the next version of the iPad Pro so there’s still a little time to wait, but they are expected to succeed the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and the Apple Pencil Pro.

According to Gurman, who has an uncannily good track record with Apple rumours, the new models will feature “new battery systems”. It’s thought this is to meet upcoming EU requirements aimed at making batteries user replaceable.

It is unclear whether how the new Apple Pencil models will meet the guidelines, but we suspect more details will leak over the upcoming months. After all, the regulations come into force in February next year.

Gurman didn’t offer any further details on what other features the new Apple Pencils might offer, but we would be surprised if there weren’t more improvements coming other than just a battery upgrade.

The Apple Pencil with USB-C arrived in November 2023, and it stands as the entry-level model, while the Apple Pencil Pro sits at the top of the Pencil range, launched in May 2024.

For now, nothing has been confirmed by Apple, but if you’re hoping for new Apple Pencil models, we hope this news made your Monday a little better.

Beats has expanded its charging cable lineup with a vibrant new Power Pink colourway, proving that even one of tech's most mundane accessories can become a statement piece.

The new finish lands across the company's woven USB cables just over a year after Beats surprised everyone by entering the charging accessory market.

At the time, the Apple-owned brand transformed the humble charging cable into something a little more design-led, complete with colourful finishes and the return of its quirky Pill People marketing campaign.

The name might sound familiar to outdoor enthusiasts, as Power Pink is also one of YETI's popular seasonal colourways.

Whether that's coincidence or inspiration, it shows Beats is embracing the same idea that has worked so well for lifestyle brands: keep familiar products feeling fresh through eye-catching new colours rather than constantly reinventing the hardware.

More than just a pretty cable

Available in USB-C-to-USB-C and USB-A-to-USB-C configurations, the new cables retain the same braided construction introduced with the original range.

Beats says the tangle-free woven exterior has undergone thousands of hours of testing and has been reinforced to help resist fraying, making it a more durable alternative to the standard cables that often end up bundled with devices.

The 1.5-metre USB-C to USB-C version supports charging speeds of up to 60W, while the new 3-metre model increases that to 240W for compatible devices.

Both transfer data at USB 2.0 speeds and can also handle audio, CarPlay and syncing duties.

The USB-A to USB-C cable supports up to 15W charging on compatible iPhone and iPad models, along with USB 2.0 data transfer.

The new cables can be matched with products such as the Pink Beats Pill speaker, Pink Powerbeats Fit and Pink Beats Solo 4 headphones, giving users the option to colour-coordinate everything from their desk setup to their gym bag.

Beats' Power Pink cables go on sale today via Apple UK and Apple US, priced at £18.99 / $18.99 for the 1.5-metre versions and £29.99 / $29.99 for the new 3-metre USB-C to USB-C model.

EU and AU prices and availability TBC.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who's getting fed up with having to pay a monthly fee for everything in life, from streaming services and wearable subscriptions to creative software and more.

None of these is a huge expense on its own, but once you add them all up, you realise you're steadily losing money on things you don't necessarily need.

After a sobering look at my bank account at the end of May, I decided I had to do something about it. I tallied up my subscriptions, and even though I don't think the number is excessive, I realised I could cut a few without having a huge impact on my sanity.

When I say cutting, I really mean replacing. My Adobe CC subscription runs until the end of November, and cancelling early would mean paying for the privilege, so that one is staying for now.

When I do cancel it, I'll still need photo editing software for work, so I'll probably switch to an option that doesn't require a monthly fee, such as Affinity Photo.

The convenience tax

As with most subscription-free alternatives, though, there's usually a trade-off. You might save money in the long run, but you'll often have to sacrifice a little convenience or find workarounds to achieve the same results.

One of the most popular ways to escape subscriptions is to take things offline, whether that's buying your favourite films on physical discs or listening to music on vinyl or CD. That comes with its own costs: you need to build a library and buy something to play it on.

Thankfully, physical media has seen a resurgence in recent years, so it's easy enough to buy new players instead of hunting down ageing second-hand hardware. The downside is that some modern players cost a small fortune, although there are still affordable options if you're willing to shop around.

Cloud control

Another major subscription expense is cloud storage. I have a 2TB iCloud plan, costing me more than £100 a year, largely because I couldn't be bothered to delete old photos and videos as I went.

As my iPhone filled up, Apple kindly suggested I upgrade my storage and offload everything to iCloud. It's incredibly convenient, and before long I'd forgotten I ever had storage issues.

It took about a week for my phone to upload everything, replacing my originals with low-resolution thumbnails. I wasn't the biggest fan of this approach, but I accepted it as the price of freeing up local storage.

I didn't want to lose my photos and videos, but I also didn't want to keep paying to store them forever, so I started looking into alternatives.

Eventually, I settled on the Lexar ES5, a 1TB portable SSD that's compact, works well with iPhones and integrates perfectly with my MacBook. Plus, it's IP65-rated and supposedly drop-resistant up to 3 metres (I haven't tried throwing it around, though).

Exit wounds

In my head, the process was simple: download the Lexar app, plug in the SSD, back everything up and cancel iCloud. In reality, it took almost as long to get my media out of iCloud as it did to upload it in the first place.

Apple certainly doesn't make the process easy. The Lexar app can't back up directly from iCloud, so you first have to download everything back onto your phone before transferring it to the SSD.

The catch? My phone didn't have enough free storage, which is exactly why I'd moved everything into iCloud in the first place.

The solution was to disable Optimise iPhone Storage and wait for Apple to download everything again. You can't prioritise certain files, choose which downloads first, or even clearly see what's already been restored.

At the same time, you have to back everything up to the Lexar drive and figure out which files are safe to delete. Thankfully, media that's already downloaded no longer has the little cloud arrow on its thumbnail.

Once those files are backed up, they can be deleted. Unfortunately, iCloud downloads files seemingly at random, so you're constantly checking what's available, backing it up and deleting it before repeating the whole process.

Then there's another step: repeatedly emptying the Recently Deleted folder to actually reclaim storage.

Hot swap

Thankfully, the Lexar ES5's transfer speeds are lightning fast. Thousands of files move across in minutes, which is impressive considering it's a tiny passive SSD that's barely larger than a keyring. Better still, the Lexar app is refreshingly simple to use, making the whole experience a little less frustrating.

The passive design comes with one drawback. Because the SSD draws power directly from the iPhone, both devices heat up quickly, so you need to work fairly fast. Thankfully, the speedy transfer rates mean each backup session doesn't take long.

The project also made me realise just how much redundant data my phone stores. Apple Wallet alone takes up more than 3GB, apparently for Apple Pay transaction data, and there's no way to clear it.

Apple also found another way to fill my MacBook. The Photos app had quietly downloaded all 11,000-plus photos and videos from iCloud, consuming almost 100GB of storage. Once everything was safely backed up to the Lexar, I deleted the lot.

It has to be said that buying the Lexar ES5 costs roughly a year and a half's worth of iCloud, so there is an upfront price to pay for escaping subscriptions. It also only solves one of my recurring monthly payments, and I still have plenty more to tackle.

One step at a time, as they say. Even if breaking free means paying the occasional lump sum for a gadget or piece of software, I'd rather buy my way out of subscriptions than keep renting the same convenience year after year.

You can check out the ES5 Portable SSD at Lexar (if you're interested).

Anker has unveiled a Pokémon-themed tech collection to mark the beloved franchise's 30th anniversary, and it might just be one of the most irresistible ranges of charging accessories we've seen (though the bar here is admittedly low).

There's a problem with the range, however, but I'll get to that in a minute.

What is included in Anker's Pokémon collection?

The range comprises five products, all featuring cameos from Pikachu and Eevee.

Leading the charge (see what I did there) is the 70W USB Fast Charger in a Pikachu edition.

This charger has a yellow body with the iconic electric mouse's silhouette, a gold-tinted panel around its ports, a foldable plug (always handy), two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and enough power to juice up everything from your smartphone to a laptop.

It even ships with a braided USB-C cable and a Pikachu-shaped cable tidy, which is not just practical but so very charming.

Joining that charger is a Pikachu Travel Adapter compatible with over 200 countries, and offering two USB-A and two USB-C ports alongside an AC outlet.

A matching Travel Pouch (black with a yellow Pikachu in the corner) rounds out the Pikachu side of the collection, offering a tidy way to carry your gadgets with a handy rear pocket included.

But I haven’t mentioned the best products yet: the Soundcore C50i open-ear earbuds, which are available in both Pikachu and Eevee versions. These ear-cuff style buds weigh 5.5g per ear, claim to deliver up to 28 hours of playback, and feature a two-tone design.

So what's the catch ('em all)? The entire collection is currently exclusive to Japan, with no confirmed international release.

Everything is listed as "Coming Soon" on the Anker Japan website ahead of an early July 2026 launch.

For reference, the Pikachu fast charger costs ¥7,990 (around £40), the travel charger costs ¥5,990 (around £28) and the travel pouch costs ¥7,990 (around £19). The earbuds are listed as ¥13,990 (around £70) each.

Here’s hoping Anker sees sense and brings them all west, too.

It’s been a busy week for RedMagic. The company not only announced its latest Android gaming phone in China in the form of the RedMagic 11S Pro, but has also revealed a power bank that should please airline cabin crew.

Power banks didn’t used to be an issue on planes, but more recently, they have been mentioned in the pre-takeoff announcement. They were already banned from hold luggage, but on a flight to Amsterdam last week, our British Airways cabin crew announced that power banks shouldn’t be in the overhead lockers either.

Instead, they needed to be switched off and be with you at your seat rather than tucked inside your carry on luggage.

What does the RedMagic Deuterium Power Card Pro power bank offer?

Well, RedMagic seems to be trying to combat the new airline regulations with its Deuterium Power Card Pro. It not only offers a pleasing honeycomb aluminium body, but a flight mode button too.

Spotted by Yanko Design, the Deuterium Power Card Pro power bank features a rectangular display at the bottom to tell you how much charge you have left, while AI-assisted thermal management will apparently keep an eye on surface temperatures when wireless charging thanks to the five-layer heat dissipation system.

The power bank has a 25W wireless pad along with a 45W wired output in a slim metal body. This has a H21 honeycomb pattern engraved into it.

On the rest of the design front, there is a Chinese character for deuterium to tie this power bank in with RedMagic’s other Deuterium accessory line, while chamfered edges suggest the look has been more considered than most power banks.

There’s just one catch: the RedMagic Deuterium Power Card Pro is currently not yet available to buy.

Pricing and a release date for China hasn’t even been revealed yet, so it’s not clear how much it will cost in the UK if it makes it over here. If so, it comes in 5,000mAh and 10,000mAh capacity options.

You have to love a personal crusade, and while I don't know for sure that Sony's entire Reon personal air conditioning lineup is the brainchild of one particularly passionate executive, it gives me that vibe. After all, we're now a few years into Sony refreshing its Reon offering on a near-annual basis, without my ever having spotted one in the wild.

That's hugely anecdotal, of course, and Sony must be selling enough Reons to justify continuing with its R&D – as evidenced by the new, revamped Reon Pocket Pro, which joins the lineup today. It's launching as the new flagship at the top of the Reon range, with a price tag of £199 or €229.

The changes this time around are fairly subtle if you're not looking that closely. The new Pocket Pro looks much like the old one, but closer inspection reveals more ergonomics and customisability. For one thing, the main outlet vent at the top of the little unit now has the ability to change its angle, giving you more control over where it vents out.

The neckband, which keeps the Pocket Pro in place at the top of your back, is also sturdier and should keep it more stable now. That's just part of why it should have around 20% better cooling performance than the last model, although in truth, that isn't the craziest leap forward ever.

Another nice change is that the included remote is also now around 18% smaller than the last version, making it even more pocketable or stowable – attached to a keyring or lanyard, it shouldn't be an obstruction at all.

The aim here, of course, is that you can wear the Reon Pocket Pro all day to regulate your temperature in hot conditions or cold, since it can both cool and warm. Those who've tried the Reon say it's surprisingly effective, but I can't say I've ever had the privilege.

The fact remains that at £200 this is way pricier than a normal personal fan, which will likely mean it continues as a niche option rather than a mainstream one, but it's frankly quite fun to see Sony continuing to commit to an oddball device like this. Plus, of course, the climate crisis means that its utility will probably only go up over time.

Over the last year, I've come to rely on a piece of tech I've had for a while – one of Anker's first MagGo power banks, which I regularly need to top up my iPhone 15 Pro's battery. This 5,000mAh battery has been a star for me, but Anker just launched a new version that completely blows it out of the water.

The new version's full name is somewhat clunky: Anker Nano Power Bank (5K, MagGo, Slim). Still, it does very much get across what's so good about the power bank. It's the same as those that went before, but even slimmer than ever, to the point where it beggars belief.

The new Nano is just 0.86cm thick and has a totally flat surface on one side where it magnetically attaches to compatible phones (like those with MagSafe from Apple). It's fully Qi2 certified, but the charging speeds are also impressive. It can wirelessly charge phones at up to 15W, or wired at 20W – bafflingly good performance for its size.

The bank comes in black, white or gold and is priced at £49.99, which is nothing to sniff at. You could get a substantially higher-capacity power bank for the same price, but nothing that comes close in terms of convenience. I've been walking around with the new Nano in my pocket without even knowing it's there, since it's so thin. You can order it now from Anker if it sounds like it could be a lifesaver for your more battery-sapping days.

Also launching today is a new mainline Anker Nano Charger (130W, 6 Ports). This charging brick essentially bundles together multiple chargers into one, with more than enough capacity to charge a couple of laptops at once without any dip in power to either of them.

This is probably ideal for some desktop organisation, or if you charge multiple devices by your bedside or at any other single location. With this, you can get rid of some plugs to make life a little simpler. It also comes in at £49.99 and is available now from Anker directly.

When Apple unveiled the iPhone 16e recently, it marked a special moment for the brand. It was the first release of 2025 for the Cupertino-based company, and also flagged a moment where it had finally welcomed its budget-conscious handset into the numbered, core series.

Still, there was something missing from that launch. Leaks and rumours from before the event had suggested that a new Apple AirTag might also arrive there, though there was nothing to be seen.

Fear not, though – it still looks set to come soon. According to a leaker on Twitter called Kosutami, the new device will launch in either May or June. That narrows the expected launch window even further – previous rumours had suggested a broader Spring release.

So, what is going to change with the AirTag 2? Well, according to previous rumours and reports, the new device looks set offer better range, an updated wireless chip and improved privacy features. That's said to include design changes to make the speaker harder to remove.

It's not the only new devices, either. The same tipster also noted that the HomePad – Apple's new home hub device – and the AirPods Pro 3 are to be expected soon. The earbuds are more likely to come later in the year if historic release schedules are to be followed, but the others could conceivably arrive in the same window.

That comes as reports suggest that the brand could unveil two new phones next year, too. The iPhone Fold is listed as part of that, though the other device remains a mystery.

That would be the second year in a row, with the aforementioned iPhone 16e launched recently, and the iPhone 17 Air anticipated to debut in the Autumn. It's clearly a time for change at Apple, with many new product lines opening up in the near future.

Meta’s Ray-Ban current smart glasses collaboration has been around since 2023 (longer if you consider the original Ray-Ban Stories). Since then though, the range has increased, with different styles and colours, as well as an expansion of features.

The glasses now come in three styles, from the classic Wayfair design to the rounder Skyler and retro Headliner models. There’s also a range of frame colours and lenses to choose from. I opted for the Headliner, in what it calls the Shiny Jeans Transparent finish with dusty red lenses. This is one of 10 combinations available (32 across all three styles) on the Meta website, in addition to prescription lenses and transitions.

It’s an impressive range that caters for all styles and types of use. The prescription models mean could even replace your regular glasses or your screen/reading glasses. So how comfortable are they to wear and what advantages do they offer?

The biggest feature – or at least the most obvious – is the camera. The 12MP unit is mounted on the left side of the frame (as you wear them). What looks like a second camera on the right-hand side is actually the capture LED that eliminates to show you’re taking a picture and balances the design.

The camera allows you to take 12MP photos and HD videos (1424x1888 pixels) of up to 3 minutes. These can then be automatically downloaded to your phone through the Meta View app when connected over Bluetooth. However, the glasses contain 32GB of storage, which will hold up to 500 photos and 100 30-second videos.

It’s not just photography that these glasses are good for. They also feature open-ear speakers in the arms that deliver clear audio discreetly to your ears, allowing you to take phone calls, listen to music or converse with the virtual voice assistant. There’s also a touch-sensitive panel on the right arm that lets you control the volume, as well as play, pause and launch your music.

Using the Hey Meta command you can access Meta AI to access a range of functions including making calls and texts, translating phrases or asking general questions. Some questions require the glasses to be paired to your phone to have an internet connection – like live currency rates – but all in all, it’s pretty good.

There are more functions coming too. Back in September 2024, Meta announced that it was bringing live translation, and in the US you can already use Meta AI questions about what you’re looking at. That’s something that’s not available in the UK yet but hopefully will be coming soon.

I tried the glasses out for a week while in Las Vegas for the CES show, which allowed me to put them to the test in a sunny environment. While the quality of the image and video the glasses create isn’t as good as my phone, I did find the function useful – especially when I didn’t want to look like a tourist taking pictures.

The audio is surprisingly good for an open-ear system, and while no match for a decent pair of in-ear headphones, was more than adequate to provide a soundtrack to my longer walks between meetings along the strip.

While four hours of charge doesn’t sound like much, I found it plenty for the time I had the glasses on, and as the case holds an additional 32 hours of charge, it tops up the glasses whenever you return the glasses to them – and can be easily recharged overnight by USB-C.

I’d love to see live directions added to the list of functions as I feel that’s the biggest thing it’s missing. Though, if you could get the Meta AI Vision to use face recognition and let me know the names of people I can’t quite remember, that would be a game changer.

Returning to my regular sunglasses and computer glasses now somehow feels boring. I miss the ability to snap a quick photo and sneakily turn on a little bit of Taylor Swift to soundtrack my afternoon. If you need to wear glasses, they might as well be smart glasses, and the Ray-Ban Meta Headliners are some of the best out there right now.

When it comes to the best webcams on the market, Logitech is always likely to be in the conversation – and the C920 Pro HD is well worth a look if you're after something that's more affordable, not quite top of the range, yet still very capable in all the key areas that matter.

Not everyone wants to pay a lot for a webcam upgrade – and some of the most expensive can run well into three figures. As we'll explain in this review, however, the Logitech C920 Pro HD hits a sweet spot when it comes to price versus the video quality and features you get in return.

A decent webcam is only part of a quality home office setup of course. If you need some more buying advice, then you should check out our guides to the best 4K monitors and the best mesh Wi-Fi systems (essential for keeping your webcam feed nice and stable).

Logitech C920 Pro HD: price & availability

The Logitech C920 Pro HD is available to buy now – and the shopping widget embedded above will take you straight to the best deals on the web at the moment.

At the time of writing, it's available for around the £60 / $60 mark, and in the UK you can pick it up from retailers including Argos, Currys, and Amazon.

Logitech C920 Pro HD: design & setup

The Logitech C920 Pro HD comes well packaged in a compact box, in which you get the webcam, a USB-A cable, and a bracket/tripod as one fixed whole. There's no USB-C adapter included here, so if you only have USB-A ports on your laptop or desktop then you're going to have to find an adapter of your own.

As webcams go, it's not the most appealing we've ever seen – and it's a little chunkier and more angular than some of the other models on the market. It's flat and wide, but doesn't weigh much, at 162g. The USB-A cable is a generous length, giving you 1.5 metres of wire to work with to position the webcam.

While it might not be particularly stylish looking, it's certainly well built and put together – as you would expect from Logitech. The stand attached to the webcam lets you place it on a flat desk surface or attach it to a monitor or laptop lid, and there are a couple of extra folding parts that mean it's always stable and secure when you've got it into position.

Getting it up and running in Windows, macOS or ChromeOS couldn't really be any easier: just plug it in and it'll be recognised by the video calling apps on your system. There is companion software that you can download and use if you wish, which lets you fine-tune settings such as brightness, sharpness, and contrast.

Logitech C920 Pro HD: features & performance

When the Logitech C920 Pro HD is in use, there's a reassuring glow from two blue lights either side of the camera. But there's no physical privacy shutter here – if you're really paranoid about someone peering through your webcam when they shouldn't be, you'll have to unplug it or leave it face down when it's not in use.

Audio and video performance isn't flawless but is very good, with the video feed quality topping out at 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) at 30 frames per second – which you can lower to 720p (HD Ready) if you're really struggling for internet bandwidth. The webcam handles low-light conditions reasonably well, while the auto-focus is nice and speedy and accurate as you move around.

Dive a little deeper into the included software, and you get an impressive amount of control – the auto-focus and auto-exposure options can be tweaked, there's an anti-flicker setting if you need it, and you can play around with a variety of different filters for your feed – just like the old days of Instagram!

The Logitech C920 Pro HD certainly didn't let us down on any of the video calls we tested it with, and the 78-degree field of view is more than enough for general video chatting. You can step away from your desk to some extent and still be seen and heard, which isn't always the case when it comes to budget webcams.

Logitech C920 Pro HD: verdict

People buy webcams for all kinds of reasons – work meetings, livestreaming on YouTube, attending online classes – and a lot of the time you don't need the latest and greatest 4K resolution. As long as the image and sound from your webcam is crisp and clear you'll be fine, and the Logitech C920 Pro HD definitely delivers in that regard.

You're going to miss out on some advanced features offered by more flagship webcams at the moment though. Automatic zooming and panning lacks, for example. If you do a lot of presentations for work or you're starting a side hustle with a cookery show on YouTube, this tracking feature might be a must-have.

If not, the Logitech C920 Pro HD is going to serve you well. It's difficult to fault the built quality, the reliability, or the bundled software here. It also stands out in terms of its low pricing – the money you save on a webcam can be put towards something else that you're looking to upgrade instead.

Also consider

There are plenty of decent options out there if you're looking for webcams that offer value for money: the Anker PowerConf C200, for example, is available for around the same price as this Logitech model and brings a slightly better 2K video resolution, an adjustable field of view, and has a physical privacy shutter too.

If you're able to spend a little more, then the Dell Webcam Pro is a model worth getting on your shortlist. It has an appealing design, a 2K video resolution, and an integrated tripod mount in case you want it to stand it separately rather than having it on your laptop screen.

Project Starline might sound like some kind of downloadable content for a video game. But, no, it's Google's bold attempt to create a videoconferencing tool that's designed to give you the feeling of being face-to-face – even when you're not. This is way beyond the best webcams, that's for sure. 

But it won't be found in some far-away galaxy. From next year, with the help of HP, Project Starline will begin rolling out. And while it's no working-from-home dream – the whole point is that it's an office install – it looks like a major upgrade to how we communicate. And following Zoom's boom in popularity during 'that period' we don't like to talk about, this looks like a next-level solution. 

Project Starline is adjacent to the usual technology stories that I cover here at T3, because this isn't a consumer product. You can't just nip down the store and buy one. But HP is taking reservations from 'interested parties' within the commercial world.

With the WFH wheels falling off in certain companies' future plans – the office beckons – yet multi-nationals still having the need for enhanced comms between sites, Project Starline is something that could affect many of us – and improve our lives for the better. 

So how can Project Starline create realistic, lifelike imagery akin to that in the trailer above? There are some buzzwords of the moment here, but it's relevant: artificial intelligence (AI) is used to help create a three-dimensional image, while audio processing is designed to deliver a noise-cancelled and spatial audio environment, just like being there. 

It doesn't hurt that HP has expertise in computing, with AI, audio and video all second nature for the company. Plonk a massive screen into the equation and Project Starline's booth-like install sees it come to life. You'll need someone at the other end of the line with the same setup, though, so this might be a niche rollout at first – but I'd certainly love to give it a go.

Western Digital has introduced an external SSD with an enormous storage capacity – it's largest yet.

The SanDisk Desktop Drive now comes with 8TB of space and perhaps the best news is that the price isn't as crazy as you'd think.

We're all using many more files these days, at much bigger sizes, so extra storage is welcome – especially when using a laptop that is hard to expand otherwise. And, considering how quickly we need to access them, SSD is almost a must.

The new drive has read speeds up to 1GB/s, which is up to four times faster than a traditional external hard drive, and write speeds of up to 900MB/s. That's essential if you're pulling 8K video, for example, and want the experience to work as if its stored internally.

The Desktop Drive uses USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2) so is only limited by the ports on your PC or MacBook. You also get a USB-C to USB-A cable included, although connecting it to standard USB will naturally reduce the speeds.

It comes with exFAT formatting as default, so is plug and play, although you can reformat it to whichever standard you need. It also works with Apple Time Machine "from the box".

The 8TB SanDisk Desktop Drive is available from the Western Digital website now, priced at £633.99 in the UK, $699.99 in the States.

However, if you don't need that much storage and want to save a bit of cash, there's a 4TB version too, priced at £359.99 / $379.99.

Both sizes come with a 3-year limited warranty.

If you also have an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, there's also a sale on the WD_Black C50 Expansion Card at present. You can introduce an extra 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage to your console at a healthy discount.

Check out the offers below.

I have strong opinions about chargers, which is why I'm not invited to many parties. And when it comes to car chargers those opinions are even stronger, because I hate chargers that are fiddly, slow, or that fall off when I go around corners. So i'm intrigued by some new chargers from ESR, including what the firm says is the world's first Qi2 (pronounced "key 2") car charger.

I've got an ESR charger in my car that's very similar to this one, but mine is solely MagSafe rather than the more compatible Qi2, which will also work for Qi2 compatible Android phones. I can attest that it stays put and doesn't take up too much dashboard space. However for now this is best considered for iPhones from the iPhone 12 onwards: because Qi2 is based on MagSafe, Android adoption hasn't really begun yet.

Qi2 charging wherever you may roam

The Qi2 car charger delivers 15W wireless charging and has a strong vent mount with a support arm that stops it falling off, and you can also mount it on top of the dash. It's easy to adjust for good viewing angles and it's relatively cheap: the RRP is $29.99 / £35.99 but it's currently around 25% off on Amazon.

It's part of a whole family of new ESR chargers that also includes a Qi2 travel charger, a 3-in-1 model with 15W charging for your iPhone, 5W for your Apple Watch and another 5W for your AirPods. It also has a small USB-C charger for your watch that you can attach to devices such as your iPhone 15, enabling you to top up your Apple Watch from your phone or a power bank. That one's currently $64.99 on Amazon US and £62.99 on Amazon UK.

Last but not least there's a desktop charger for home or work. It too is a 3-in-1 for phone, watch and earbuds, and again the power is 15W for phone and 5W apiece for watch and earbuds. The magnetic stand enables you to choose portrait mode for FaceTime or landscape for Standby Mode. You can have that one in black or white for $72.99; it's coming to the UK for a similar price soon.

Here at T3, I review a lot of gaming laptops, and that's where you encounter a phenomenon that isn't usually associated with phones. Overheating. These laptops often have huge (and noisy) vents with powerful fans to keep things cool, but you can't do that with a phone. 

Whether you've got one of the best gaming phones or just a normal one that can be hot stuff, the Redmagic V5 Cooler Pro could be the answer. Plus with MagSafe certification, iPhone users can cool off a little too. With the iPhone 15's focused on gaming with significant raytracing upgrades in particular, this could be a match made in heaven. 

Sporting a rather nifty cyberpunk design with plenty of RGB lighting (phew) the cooler combines liquid cooling technology with a 7-blade fan to help your phone keep its composure. It can reduce your phone's temperature by up 35 degrees Celsius and go as cold as a glacial -12. Brrr. It doesn't dilly-dally either with Redmagic stating that it can drop the temperature from 28 degrees to 0 degrees in just 30 seconds.  

A phone overheating is more than just uncomfortable to touch. It could be damaging the core components too, so this mini-fridge for your mobile might be a lifesaver. With summer coming up especially it is hard for your phone to catch a minute to cool down when we use them all the time. 

Weighing just 100g and able to work as a kickstand too, the Cooler may have an outlandish style, but it's not impractical. It's out today. 

If you're an iPhone owner and not lucky enough to have an iPhone 15, then you won't yet know the joys of USB-C. Having universal compatibility with pretty much every device is one of the biggest conveniences of modern life. 

Gamers with older iPhones have often had to miss out on leading accessories and instead rely on traditional touch controls which both obscreen your screen and lack precision. There's nothing worse than playing a tense, competitive, game and fat-fingering the home menu or completely pressing the wrong button. Luckily, the folks at Backbone have a solution to the problem. 

They have today released the brand new Backbone One Lightning (2nd Gen) to offer a stylish solution for serious mobile gaming. This is just in time with Call of Duty: Warzone just announced. If you don't have one of the best gaming phones, this is an essential upgrade - having triggers in particular is a massive boost on mobile shooters. 

For those who'd rather a familiar controller setup to your console, you can even get the new Backbone PlayStation Edition - lightning (2nd Gen) which features the familiar PS5 controller layout and essentially turns your phone into a PlayStation Portal. Of course, you can even play PS5 games with this setup using remote play. If you were feeling really rebellious, you'd stream Xbox Game Pass titles while using the PlayStation controller. 

These are the second generation of Backbone's lightning-supported controllers, so what's new? Well according to Backbone changes include "new magnetic adapters to support many popular phone cases, an improved ergonomic design, enhanced phone stability," and "a reshaped D-Pad"

Of course, if you're just the type to play Candy Crush and the like on your phone that's fine, but the Backbone isn't for you. It's designed for those who want to go beyond the bog standard mobile gaming experience. 

The webcam world is almost unrecognisable from a few years ago – the rise of flexible working and video calling has meant having a good external webcam feels necessary even if you own one of the best laptops going (only recently have integrated webcams begun to improve). 

Logitech has been a webcam stalwart for ages, delivering many of the best webcam options, but it hasn't always aimed for the top end of the market – something the MX Brio, the company's 2024 flagship, addresses by undeniably being one of the best video conference cameras going. 

We've been using the Logitech MX Brio as our go-to webcam for a couple of weeks to see if it's truly worth its asking price or not...

Logitech MX Brio: Price & availability 

Logitech has now released the MX Brio, so you can pick it up yourself whenever you like, and it's gone bold with the pricing at £220 / $199 / €229 / $AUD is to be confirmed. 

That fits with the MX lineup that Logitech sells, which is very much aimed at professionals who want the best possible equipment, but there's no disguising how premium it is. It's in direct competition with the likes of the Obsbot Tiny 4K or Insta360 Link at the top of the market.

Logitech MX Brio review: Design & features

If you've ever used one of Logitech's MX mouse options or keyboards, you'll know that those two letters are basically a byword for sheer quality. There's a reason that the Logitech MX Master 3S tops lists the industry over – it's unbelievably good. 

Solid build quality is part of that expectation, and Logitech knocks that out of the park with the MX Brio. It's one of the classiest webcams we've ever tested, looking almost like it's been milled out of one piece of sturdy metal.

It's really solid and weighty, with a chunky lens that's a little bigger than the body it sits in front of, and a set of microphones that you can see around it for pick-up. 

That lens is also a privacy switch – rotating its outer edge lets you close or open a shutter when you're not on a call. At the back of the webcam, there's a USB-C port to connect the chunky cable it comes with.

The bottom of the webcam is a protruding magnet that's extremely strong – it clips into a magnetised slot on the included mount, which is easy to arrange. If you prefer, there's also threading to mount it onto a variety of third-party arms or other arrangements.

That magnetised setup makes it easy to angle the webcam to the left or right, while that included mount has the ability to tilt backwards and forward, too, all of which come in handy when you're looking to frame yourself right. You can even tilt the camera down to show your desk, provided it's anchored carefully enough to not overbalance. 

It's pretty hard to imagine a webcam feeling higher quality than this, honestly, at least where its construction is concerned – so if you care about materials and attention to detail, you'll be impressed.

Logitech MX Brio review: Performance

Looking at a webcam from the outside is all well and good, but it's a deeply functional bit of kit, and the real proof is in the video calling. On that front, the MX Brio is unsurprisingly excellent, with a suite of impressive calibration options that all look great.

Most people will probably spring for either its 4K capture at 30 frames per second or 1080p at 60 frames per second, both of which look excellent (we would tend to go for that 60fps option just for a more smooth and natural look in meetings). 

Logitech has paid attention to the details, too - it has an absolute host of options for you to tinker with in the LogiTune or Logi Options+ apps, each of which can control the camera (it'll also work in the Logi G Hub app if you use that with gaming accessories instead).

The app lets you select your chosen resolution, but also the viewing angle (which maxes out at 90 degrees but can be set to 78 or 65 degrees instead), and you can also set a zoom level. This is perfect for cropping your frame to keep a stack of laundry or an unmade bed out of view. 

It also hosts a wide range of other smaller features and options, from autofocus and auto exposure settings to an HDR toggle and the ability to completely customise your sharpness, saturation, contrast and brightness preferences. 

This makes finding the right image pretty straightforward for those who care, although we also found all the auto-adjustments more than satisfactory for everyday use. Still images don't always show the full picture, but this shot demonstrates a situation with harsh outside light on one side and shows the MX Brio coping admirably (I almost cracked a smile, honest):

Face detection works great, too, and there's an auto-framing option a bit like Apple's Centre Stage if you want to use it, which similarly is solid enough. 

Microphone pickup is also really great – you'll sound impressively clear and precise on calls, even with some background noise. It won't beat a proper external microphone, but why should it?

It all adds up to basically exactly what Logitech was promising: a superb and reliable all-in-one solution that is ideal for professionals but can certainly flex to streaming or broadcasts pretty easily.

Logitech MX Brio review: Verdict

The MX Brio is a really impressive webcam, one that excels in regular use and will doubtless be reliable for years to come. Its picture and sound quality are both great, and it's built just so, so nicely.

That all has to come in the context of its price, though, which is pretty massive. But this is a best-in-class professional webcam, so it's all relative, even if Logitech itself makes other 1080p webcams that are drastically more affordable and still really great (not least the excellent Brio 500).

Overall, the MX Brio is a fantastic webcam for demanding users – the chunky price tag clearly attests to that – and if you're seeking best-of-best and are willing to pay for that, Logitech has a prime choice here that few others can match.

Also consider

If you've got no issue with spending this much on a webcam and want one that has a few more tricks up its sleeve, the Insta360 Link has auto-panning and tilting to keep you in frame – which feels impressively futuristic.

For those who want a great experience that comes without quite as much of a hit to their wallet, the aforementioned Logitech Brio 500 is a brilliant 1080p webcam with similarly solid performance – but far less premium materials than the MX Brio.

If you've had to take an important work meeting without one of the best webcams or one of the best video conference cameras, I have some bad news for you. You probably looked like a blurry, out of focus, mess. 

However, Logitech is determined to fight this epidemic and has just released the Logitech MX Brio webcam, a high-end camera with impressive specs. You'll no longer be the laughing stock of the (virtual) water cooler when everyone can see you in crisp 4K. 

That's not the only trick up this little webcam's sleeve. It boasts the choice of either 4K video at 30 FPS or 1080p at 60FPS with an 8.5 MP sensor and two supporting microphones with AI noise cancelling to help you look and sound like your best. 

Because you can't always work in a pristine TV studio-style environment, Logitech has also prioritised performance in poorly lit conditions. In fact the MX Brio is twice as effective in such situations as its predecessor, the Brio 4K. Colour stays vibrant and faces stay clear. 

Of course, you don't always want your camera fixed to your face. If you have some important documents or work on your desk, you can pivot the camera down to 'show mode' to let everyone see what you're working on. With a super speedy autofocus, it won't take long for everyone to see clearly when switching between how mode and regular use. Of course, sometimes we don't want to be seen at all and that's ok too. The MX Brio features a manual shutter that you can close by hand for peace of mind. 

Certified for Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet, the MX Brio is flexible enough to work however you do and you can even adjust settings like FOV and colour balance manually using a choice of Logitech's Options+ (for individual use), G Hub (for gamers) or Tune (for enterprise).

The MX Brio is available now for  $199.99/€229.99/£219.99.

Although we've been hearing about it for around a year now, it's taken quite a while for the new Qi2 wireless charging standard to actually make its way to devices that you can buy. 

One of the latest to be unveiled (but not yet available to pre-order) comes from the classy team at Native Union, which has shared some details with 9to5Mac. 

The charger is called the Voyage, and has a lovely folded-over design that lets it unclip and unfold to house two charging pads - one for your Apple Watch, and one for your iPhone 15 (or previous model). 

It'll be available in black, green and yellow when it launches, in what looks like a leather or leatherette finish, and it has a pretty unobtrusive little USB-C port that serves as its power connection when you plug it in for a charging session. 

The side housing the Apple Watch charger is pretty obvious thanks to its unchanged white puck charger (which can be flicked up to charge your watch in Nightstand Mode), and the one opposite is the Qi2 pad. 

This textured pad should work with any wirelessly-charging device but is particularly great on any phone (like the last few generations of iPhone) that uses a magnetic charging system such as MagSafe. 

After all, that's the key component of Qi2 compared to older Qi charging - it now has magnets to click your phone into place and ensure the best seal as your phone wirelessly charges. 

If that sounds similar to MagSafe in the first place, it is - Apple was apparently instrumental in helping to design the new charging standard, and shared details on how MagSafe works in order to help move things along. 

Just like so many other Qi2 chargers that have been detailed recently, though, we haven't got a price or a release date for the Voyage. Native Union says it's coming soon, but anyone in the world of tech knows that could mean weeks or months. 

That means we'll have to stay alert for more news from Native Union about the Voyage - after all, it looks like a pretty classy and simple solution for anyone travelling with an iPhone and an Apple Watch. 

There are standard webcams, and then there are the best webcams: feature-packed, high-resolution models that go above and beyond what you might expect from a device like this, and the Obsbot Tiny 2 webcam certainly falls into that second category.

You might remember we've previously been very impressed by the Obsbot Tiny 4K, and this is the follow-up, with the same 4K video recording but a few more goodies – such as voice control and a larger camera sensor – wrapped up in a more compact form-factor.

It costs as much as you would expect for something so sophisticated, but our full Obsbot Tiny 2 review will help you decide whether or not this is the right upgrade for you – and you might want to shop for one of the best 4K monitors or best keyboards as well while you're at it.

Obsbot Tiny 2: price & availability

The Obsbot Tiny 2 is available to buy now – and it will set you back in the region of £270 / $330 for the webcam on its own, or £320 / $370 for the webcam with a bundled remote control, but check the widgets on this page for the most up-to-date pricing. In the UK, you can pick up the Obsbot Tiny 2 from retailers including Amazon and Obsbot itself.

Obsbot Tiny 2 review: design & setup

The Obsbot Tiny 2 is a dinky little webcam, with a base and rotating arm that enables it to point in any direction it likes, without any manual interference from you. With dimensions of 62 x 47 x 44mm you could stuff a couple of them inside a soft drink can, and the device weighs just 96g without its mount.

Speaking of the mount, it lets you attach the webcam to a monitor if you don't want it standing separately on your desk – and we very much like the magnetic top of the mount, making for easy attaching and detaching. Between the base and the mount, you've got a lot of flexibility when it comes to positioning the Obsbot Tiny 2.

Around the back of the webcam there's a USB-C port, and you get a USB-C-to-USB-C cable included in the box (as well as a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter). The device will work right away, as soon as you connect it to a Windows or MacOS machine, but for all the extra bells and whistles you need to install the free software from the Obsbot website.

That extra software gives you a stack of extra options. Everything from background blur to manual pan and zoom controls. As an added aesthetic touch, there's a discrete ring light around the webcam's stand when everything is operational and working properly, which we think adds to the visual appeal and tells you the status of the device.

Obsbot Tiny 2 review: features & performance

One of the main upgrades that the Obsbot Tiny 2 brings over its predecessor is the increase in the camera sensor size: though the resolution remains at 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels), more light gets captured thanks to this sensor.

We'll admit to not seeing a huge difference – the Obsbot Tiny 4K camera was great too – but there's no doubting the video quality on offer here, or the speed and accuracy of the focusing.

The video feed you get from this webcam is crisp, clear, and free from any artefacts. Try as we might, we couldn't get it to show a bad picture, even in low-light conditions. Based on our testing, unless you're in complete darkness, this webcam is going to give you a picture that you can work with on your video calls. Audio quality is top-tier as well, with two omnidirectional mics built into the front of the unit.

What's more, you get just about every webcam feature you could want. It'll automatically track your face or upper body, you can control it via hand gestures, and it'll respond to basic voice commands. You can tweak the picture in all kinds of ways, add background blur, save preset camera locations, and more besides.

All of this worked flawlessly in our time with the Obsbot, and the bundled software is some of the most comprehensive we've seen. The only aspect we weren't sure about were the 'Beauty' filters, which can smooth out wrinkles or even change your body shape – they feel a bit unnecessary, but they're often included in gadgets from Asia (which is where the Obsbot Tiny 2 originates).

Obsbot Tiny 2 review: Verdict

If you want the very best video and audio quality from your webcam, then the Obsbot Tiny 2 has to be somewhere near the top of your shortlist: it's another stunningly good webcam from Obsbot, and if you're getting by with the webcam that came built into your laptop or desktop monitor, you're definitely going to notice the huge upgrade here.

It's worth mentioning that there's the option of a remote control, which was included in our review bundle. You know that you're dealing with a premium-level webcam when it comes with its own remote, and this gives you even more options for operating the device when you're stood up and making a presentation, leading a yoga session, or whatever it is you're doing.

You'll certainly stand out on your next group Zoom or Teams call with the Obsbot Tiny 2 installed. You'll have a sharper picture, better audio, and flawless face tracking, so if you spend a lot of time on video calls or live streaming and want to look your best, we'd definitely recommend this as an upgrade. If, that is, you can justify the cost for your needs.

Also consider

The Insta360 Link remains one of the best webcams we've tested in recent times – and like the Obsbot Tiny 2, it comes with a host of features, including face tracking that ensures you're always in the frame. It's another webcam that's comfortable capturing video in low-light conditions too.

It's worth bearing in mind that the Obsbot Tiny 4K is still available to buy for slightly less cash, so if you don't need all of the extras here – voice control, for example – then you can save yourself some money and still get the high-quality 4K video feed and the cool automatic tracking.

Why is it that USB and HDMI cables hardly ever reveal what standard they are? Different standards make a huge difference to things like data and charging speeds and, in the case of HDMI, factors like maximum supported resolutions and refresh rates. When you’re desperately trying to connect something to your new 4K or 8K TV you might really want to know if your cable is the latest HDMI 2.1b or, if not, which one of the dozen or so different standards that preceded it. It’s difficult if not impossible to tell. USB is as bad. 

It’s now notched up somewhere between 7 and 17 different versions (depending on how you classify them) from the original 1.1 to the latest USB4 Gen 3x2. And that’s before you consider the similar-looking Thunderbolt cables that are faster still and also often incognito. 

How can all this effort have gone into setting ever-improving standards without ensuring a simple means to tell one cable from another? It can’t be that difficult. Chargers have info on voltage, wattage and what pin does what. Your clothes advise on the temperature of washing and drying. 

Forecourt pumps don’t leave you guessing whether you’re filling with petrol or diesel, normal octane or super unleaded. But cables usually tell you absolutely nothing. There have been a few half-hearted attempts to provide clarity over the years - colour codes on USB-A plugs for example - but they now appear hopelessly inadequate when faced with the sheer number of standards available. It would only need some tiny logo moulded into the plug or a very discreet label to provide the much-needed clarity.

While we’re at it it would also be good to have more frequent and clearer labelling of what standards the equipment you’re connecting together supports too, either on the port itself or the interface. My laptop tells me my USB and HDMI spec through the Device Manager but my TV doesn’t for example.

There’s also the e-waste implications of this wanton anonymity to consider. I’ve accumulated cupboards full of cables over the years but I’m reluctant to take them to the tip for responsible recycling if I don’t know whether they’re truly obsolete.

Though possibly less frequently encountered, Ethernet cables aren’t any better. Can you tell the difference between a 100 Mbps Cat 5 and a 10 Gbps Cat 6a, let alone some ancient Cat 3? And what sort of power transmission it supports.

Cables are vital, though. Everything needs connecting together and wi-fi and Bluetooth can’t cope with all the links required. Reluctant though I am to argue for more red tape, maybe this is an area of life where we do actually need some regulation.

In its absence perhaps the only way ahead is to test and label the wretched things yourself. Separate cable testers, which look rather like multimeters, are available for USB, HDMI and Ethernet cables. They may not have all the answers but they’ll certainly shed some light on what a given cable is capable of. Though at anything between a tenner and a hundred quid each they represent a significant and unnecessary amount of trouble and expense to provide information that should be readily apparent from a quick glance at the label.

Whether you work from home or play the occasional PC game, you should really consider adding a headphone DAC (digital to analogue converter) to your setup. It can ensure you're getting the best personalised audio performance no matter whether you are listening to the bangs of Call of Duty or the dulcet tones of Dua Lipa.

However, you might be reticent in adding yet another box to your desktop, no matter how small.

Well, that's where the FiiO KB3 comes in. The Hi-Res Hi-Fi keyboard not only features RGB lighting and swappable key-caps, it features built-in DAC/amp functionality.

In fact, you get two low-noise SGM8262 op-amps and a duo of CS43131 DACs. These essentially ensure you are getting the best audio playback from your PC or Mac, or iOS / Android device.

Indeed, the audio tech is capable of handling audio of up to 384 kHz / 32-bit, so is plenty high resolution enough to ensure a lossless experience no matter what you through at it. There are also 3.5mm and 4.4mm Balanced headphone out ports, so it can connect to different audiophile-standard over-ears.

The amp is also capable of providing up to 550mW of output power. While the keyboard itself has been designed to absorb shocks and reduce noise.

The keys are also built using Gateron G Pro 3.0 yellow switches, so are responsive and tangible – like many robust gaming keyboards out there.

And FiiO hasn't stopped there. It has also added dual USB ports too, for connection to a mouse or another accessory – such as external storage. In short, the FiiO KB3 Hi-Res Hi-Fi keyboard is an all-in-one that could help reduce the clutter on your desk.

It'll be available to purchase later this month in either Midnight Black or Morning Silver, priced at £139 / $149 / €169.

FiiO also ranges a selection of other audio products on its website, including open planar magnetic headphones for those who take their music a little more seriously.

When it comes to picking one of the best webcams, you want something that's easy to set up, that offers high-resolution video and audio, and that looks stylish – and the Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K is aiming to tick all of those particular boxes plus some others too!

Our Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K review, conducted over several days of testing, will tell you everything you need to know about this webcam, from the price you'll have to pay to the features it brings along with it. So don't part with your cash until you've read right through.

Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K: price & availability

Consult the widgets embedded on this page to find the best Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K prices currently on offer on the web. At the time of writing that's about £45/$60.

If you're doing your shopping in the UK, then you can pick up the Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K from retailers including Amazon, or directly from Creative itself.

Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K review: design & setup

The Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K is a flat little oblong that can sit freely on a desk or perch on top of your monitor or laptop screen – there's also the traditional tripod attachment screw hole underneath if you want to attach it to a tripod, although you don't get one included and Creative doesn't offer one as an official accessory.

It's light to hold, weighing in at 103 grams, and measures 106 x 58 x 53mm. In terms of its aesthetics, it's rather dull and unassuming, but then again it is a webcam – you don't really need it to dazzle in terms of its design. What we do like is that you can tilt and rotate it to get the perfect angle for your next video-calling appearance.

There's a generous 1.8 metre USB-A cable attached, and as soon as you plug it in, you're good to go on either Windows or macOS. However, the accompanying Creative App, which enables a few more tweaks, is Windows only. It takes some digging around to find it on the Creative website, and you'll need to restart your computer after installing it.

You do get a lens cover for extra privacy, which you need to manually put on and take off – otherwise it just dangles in front of the webcam, which doesn't look great. On top, there are buttons for muting the mics and enabling the backlight compensation feature, which lets you adjust for different lighting conditions.

Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K review: features & performance

Despite its affordable price, this is currently the best webcam Creative makes, given its 4K Ultra-HD resolution. You also get a 95-degree field of view, so can fit lots into the frame, plus two built-in mics. Simple white LED lights let you know when the microphone is enabled and when the camera is in use.

We have no complaints at all about the video quality, which is sharp and fluid, and the camera coped well with different lighting conditions during testing. The device also did a good job of picking up our voice and transmitting it clearly, even when we were walking around our desk and not sat right in front of the computer.

The manual focus adjustment – which works by turning the ring around the camera – is a little fiddly, but at least it's there. Likewise the backlight compensation: it would be better if these features worked automatically without you having to reach for the webcam, but they do give you a certain amount of additional control. More advanced webcams will have these kinds of features built-in, of course, but they'll set you back more cash too.

As for the Creative App for Windows, it doesn't bring a whole lot to the table. You can adjust brightness, contrast, white balance and exposure, but you don't even get a preview inside the app itself. This certainly isn't a software package for people who'd like a lot of tweaking options and features for their webcam.

Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K review: verdict

The Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K is a perfectly solid webcam option: it nets you 4K video and decent audio at a very respectable price. That single sentence sums up what a lot of people are going to be looking for when shopping for a webcam.

No, you don't get the advanced face-tracking or autofocus features that some more sophisticated webcams offer, but then again those devices do cost considerably more.

A lot of you will already have some kind of webcam installed on your computer, so an upgrade isn't a necessity for everyone. But if you're stuck with something that's just 720p resolution then we'd say the Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K's resolution bump makes it well worth considering.

Also consider

As we alluded to above, there are more advanced and expensive webcams out there. The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is one such example. You're going to have to pay significantly more to buy one, but this is a serious bit of kit with 4K resolution, automatic face-tracking, background blurring, and an adjustable field of view.

If you'd rather keep shopping down at the more budget end of the webcam market, then the Anker PowerConf C200 should probably be somewhere on your shortlist. It's around the same price as the Creative webcam, and while the video resolution is only 2K, it still delivers strong in terms of high-quality video and audio.

Apple will reportedly launch a trio of new Magic accessories when it announced the latest addition to its iMac range next month, it is said.

New Apple Magic Mouse, Trackpad and Keyboard models will become available and for one very good reason – they'll each sport USB-C.

Having switched to the charging standard for its new iPhone 15 and AirPods Pro releases, Apple will eventually turn to it for every device it makes. That's because a European Union mandate will be in affect from 2024, requiring all wireless "portable" devices to offer USB-C charging.

Apple is getting ahead of the game and switching all of its products ahead of time.

That doesn't mean there will be many other enhancements or upgrades, if at all.

The new AirPods Pro 2 simply switch the charging case for one that supports USB-C, for example. There's a couple of very minor additions, but nothing that is worthy of consideration for those with the current equivalent.

Bloomberg's Apple expert, Mark Gurman, predicts the same will be the case with the new Magic accessories. He implies in his Power On newsletter (via MySmartPrice) that the port swap over will be the only major change this time around.

That, for us, is fine when tit comes to the Trackpad and Keyboard. However, we've been after a redesign for the Magic Mouse for a while – one that takes the port away from the underside of the device and onto the end. That way you could still use it while charging, something that's impossible as things currently stand.

The current Mouse houses the Lightning charge port underneath, so you have to flip it over to connect and, once plugged in, it cannot operate.

Gurman also suggests we'll be getting new MagSafe Battery Pack and MagSafe Duo Charger accessories soon, with Lightning swapped for USB-C ports again.

And, it's inevitable that a new pair of Apple AirPods Max are in the pipeline, with the existing model now almost three years old. We expect there to be several additional extras coming with them when they launch though, not just a new charging port.

Over the last few weeks, T3’s Back to Class month has been providing you with everything you need to go back to your work or studies in September – whether that’s advice on the best laptop to buy, what type of e-bike is most suited to you or which is the best watch to keep you on schedule. 

Whether you tend to work at home, at an office or library, or in a mixture of places, there are some simple changes that will make a huge difference to your day-to-day. 

Here's how to improve your office setup – don't underestimate the power of a few accessories! A keyboard can speed up your typing, a mouse will improve your browsing, a new monitor will do wonders for your eyes, a pair of the best noise-cancelling headphones can help you focus and a webcam will boost the quality of your calls. 

1.  Buy a new keyboard

Anyone who spends a lot of time typing – be that emails, essays or notes – will undoubtedly need one of the best keyboards. Not only will it help you get the words down faster but it’ll be better for your wrists, and if you use a laptop, it’ll extend the longevity of your built-in keys. 

If you work in different spots throughout the week, the Logitech MX Keys Mini is a fantastic wireless keyboard which is compact and portable as well as stylish. It’s a small tenkeyless keyboard that connects up to three devices at once over Bluetooth, and the battery will last up to 10 days with the backlights turned on, or up to five months with it turned off. We loved typing on it when we tried it out because the keys have a circular dish to match your fingertips as you press down on them. 

For those who aren't so fussed about having a wireless keyboard, or for those who game in their spare time, the Das Keyboard 5QS will be the better choice. It's one of the best gaming keyboards, having picked up 5-stars in its T3 review. You can expect high-quality construction, premium switches and keys, and smart notification features. 

On a budget? The Logitech G413 TKL SE is a wired keyboard that doesn’t cost the earth. It’s well-made and reliable for use across work and play.

 2. Use a mouse

If you're on your computer at all during the day then you’ll benefit from using a mouse. Spending too much time on your laptop trackpad isn’t healthy for your fingers or for your wrist, and it'll give you a lot less control over the cursor. A wireless mouse will more often than not be the best choice because it’s more practical and more portable than one that connects to your computer with a wire. 

Wireless mice tend to come in more shapes and sizes as well, for example, you could consider one of the best vertical mice if you do a lot of creative work. 

You’ll be able to use a wireless mouse from much further away from your device, and some will let you connect to a few devices at once, switching between them at a press of a button. 

We recommend the Logitech MX Anywhere 3 because it’s very well priced, it’s small so won’t be a hassle to slip into your bag and the design is excellent with a sturdy scroll wheel. 

If you are looking for an ergonomic vertical mouse then the DXT02W Rechargeable Wireless Precision Mouse is about as good as they get. Both left- and right-handed users will get on with it, there are four adjustable DPI modes for precision and the rapid charge feature will give you two hours of juice after just 30 seconds plugged in!

For those who don’t want to spend too much on a new mouse, the Microsoft Bluetooth Ergonomic Mouse is a lot cheaper and does the job. We tried it out and reported that it was both comfortable and accurate – what more could you need? 

3. Do your work on a monitor

Every home office should have a monitor – it’ll give you more screen real-estate to work with, it’ll be better for your posture, and it’s likely to be kinder on the eyes as well. You’ll get the nicest experience with one of the best 4K monitors, but they tend to be pricier than a more standard (and cheaper, usually) Full HD display. 

One of the best gaming monitors is a must for those who plan to use it during the day and for play, or if you are a creator then you might want to consider one of the best ultrawide monitors instead. 

For most people, the Dell Ultrasharp 27 4K USB-C Hub Monitor (U2723QE) is our top pick. We tried it out and thought that the image was crystal clear, we were impressed by the number of available ports, and we loved the fact that you can connect up to three computers and switch between them from the keyboard. 

Gamers will prefer something like the LG 27GP950-B. It’s a fair amount more expensive but this 27-inch display comes loaded with top-end specs that will be perfect for speedy gaming, including an HDMI 2.1 and a 144Hz refresh rate.

If you don’t want to spend too much cash then the AOC U27P2CA 4K monitor should be at the top of your list. You can move it around by changing the height and the tilt of the display, and you get a decent selection of ports. Naturally, with the price being quite low, there are some sacrifices to be made like the underwhelming design and stripped-back specs – but if you plan to use it for your studies then it'll tick all your boxes.

4. Headphones can help you focus

Offices, cafes and study spaces can be noisy and distracting – so you’ll need some of the best headphones to keep you focused. But that’s not all they’re good for, the commute will become a lot more bearable and they can make your calls sound more pleasant too. 

You’ll need to decide between over-ear and in-ear headphones – which you choose will come down to what you intend to use them for and which style you prefer. 

The best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy right now are the Sony WH-1000XM5, a pair of over-ear cans which boast everything from comfort to outstanding audio and seriously good ANC. Granted they don’t come cheap but they’re totally worth it – and will last you for years to come!

The best noise-cancelling earbuds are the Sony WF-1000XM4 because they impress in almost every way with effective noise cancelling, excellent sound, a subtle design and a long-lasting battery. Because they’ve now been succeeded by a new XM5 model, you can find some good deals on these right now – which makes them even more convincing than ever. 

If you’re hoping to keep the price low then you’ll be better off buying the JBL Tune 660NC. They sit on top of your ears but still manage to do a great job of cutting out distracting sounds, and they look pretty cool too. 

5.  Make video calls using a webcam

Last but not least, a new webcam will change the game when it comes to both video calls and content creation.

The Obsbot Tiny 4K is likely to be the most suitable choice for the masses, not only is the picture quality top tier but you get loads of really useful extra features like subject tracking and you can control the shot using hand gestures too. 

Or, if you're happy to spend a bit more cash then you literally can't beat the Insta360 Link because the quality will blow you away, and you get some seriously advanced features like automatic tracking for your head, torso or entire body.

You don’t need to spend loads of money to get a decent webcam, though. Take the Logitech StreamCam: it’s not too pricey but will still deliver much better image and microphone quality than the standard laptop webcam. 

Games peripherals maker 8BitDo does things a bit differently to rivals. While it ranges a collection of controllers and other accessories, they tend to be designed with a retro feel and aesthetic in mind. And yet, they'll feature bang up-to-the-date tech to make life more simple.

There's no better example of this than the forthcoming 8BitDo Retro Wireless Mechanical Keyboard. Not only is it as clicky and substantial as the sort of keyboards I used several decades ago, the decals and colour theme is entirely based on the Japanese Famicom console that essentially took gaming to a new level in the 80s.

A version based on the US and UK Nintendo Entertainment System is also in the works, so you get to choose between them. But, when we saw them side-by-side at Gamescom 2023, it was the Fami Edition that had the edge for us.

The Japanese console sported a different shape and colour scheme to the global NES and that's reflected in the build and buttons on the keyboard. It is rendered in scarlet, beige and black.

The name strip across the top pays homage to the similar strips on the face of the Famicom. And, as an extra touch, the keys feature Japanese characters as well as English letters. You don't get that on the standard N Edition.

In terms of features, the keyboard comes with heavy duty switches and hot swappable buttons. The keys can be reassigned by the user, thanks to dedicated software from the manufacturer, and there's 2,000mAh rechargeable Li-on battery inside. This lasts up to 200 hours of use and takes 4 hours to charge from flat.

You can connect the device to either an Android or Windows source using Bluetooth or 2.4G Wi-FI (the latter using an included adapter that is otherwise neatly stored in its own slot underneath).

There is hugely satisfying travel when a button is pressed, and the mappable dual super buttons feel substantial and robust. Basically, we'd be happy to use the Retro Keyboard for gaming or general productivity.

The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard will be available from the end of October, priced at £89 / $99.99 for either of the two models.

We're looking forward to giving it more of a test in the near future.

As summer draws to a close, it’s time to start thinking about what’s next – and for most that means heading back to work or to your studies. T3’s Back to Class month can help you prepare with tips, tricks and products that will give you the best start to the new school year. 

One office accessory that you might not have considered yet is a new webcam, especially if your laptop has one built-in. But anyone who spends a lot of time on video calls, or who plans to make any content this year, should invest in one of the best webcams.

Here's why: standalone webcams come in much higher resolutions than the standard 720p offered by most of the best laptops, some webcams even come with 4K capture. You'll therefore get sharper details, more accurate colours and an overall brighter shot. The picture will look a lot better – which ultimately means you’ll look a lot better – and the improved quality will also make it easier for those on the other end to stay focused on you. 

Most webcams allow you to swivel or tilt the camera, while some let you adjust the field of view too. Not only will that produce a more flattering shot but it'll also give you control over your background so you get more say over what’s included, and what isn’t.

Perhaps the most compelling reason to buy a new webcam is that you’ll get tonnes more features than your laptop camera can offer, such as digital zoom, auto framing and effective noise-cancellation on the microphone. Plus they tend to have more sophisticated privacy features like encryption to keep your footage secure and security software updates to fix any issues. Pretty much all of them will have the ability to be switched off as well or will have a shutter to cover the lens when you aren't using it.

If you're considering investing in a new webcam, these are three of the best you can buy right now.

1. Best webcam for most people: Obsbot Tiny 4K

Most people will get on well with the Obsbot Tiny 4K because it does just about everything you could possibly need it to, and it works with both Windows and macOS. The camera itself isn’t exactly discreet, despite the name it's quite a substantial bit of kit, but it’s worth it when you take into account everything it has to offer. 

In T3’s Obsbot Tiny 4K review, we were impressed by both the audio and the 4K video quality. To add to that you get a few handy extras: it can track your face around the room, for instance, and you can control the tracking and the zoom using hand gestures. If you’re after quality then this will be an excellent choice.  

2. Best premium webcam: Insta360 Link 

Those who are willing to splash out on the very best-of-the-best should buy the Insta360 Link, a webcam with lots of smarts added to the mix. This stylish little shooter offers crystal clear 4K resolution even in low-light settings, automatic tracking for your head, torso or entire body, and you can control the output using hand gestures (for instance, make an L shape with your hand to action zoom). In terms of features, it doesn't really get better than this. 

But who exactly is this for? In the Insta360 Link review, we came to the conclusion that this will be perfect for anyone who makes a lot of presentations, creates content like YouTube videos, or for those who spend a lot of their day-to-day on video calls.

3. Best budget webcam: Logitech StreamCam

Dropping hundreds on a new webcam might seem a bit out of the question, in which case you should buy something cheaper, such as the Logitech StreamCam. With 1080p resolution (that's Full HD, not the high-resolution 4K Ultra-HD), dual front-facing microphones and lots of control through the Logitech Capture software, you still get a lot of bang for your buck. 

Awarded 5-stars in our Logitech StreamCam review, we had a lot of good to say about it. You get clear, sharp images and audio, the set-up is as easy as plugging in the USB-C cable and the software lets you control everything from the automatic exposure to the white balance, brightness, contrast and level of zoom. It’ll be ideal for video calling and it’ll even pass for content creation, so long as you don't need 4K resolution anyway. 

As our list of the best webcams shows, there are webcams, and then there are webcams – and the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is definitely pitched towards the premium end of the market, for those who are looking to spend more money on a device for more quality in return.

Sure, most people are going to be content with the camera built into their laptop screen or one given to them at work, but if you spend a lot of time on video calls and need superior video resolution and features, then there are some very decent webcam upgrades out there.

If you're keen to upgrade other parts of your home office at the same time as getting a new webcam, we've got lots of advice to help you: after reading this review, check out our guides to the best standing desks and the best 4K monitors to jazz up your home office for the better.

Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra: price & availability

The widget embedded above should guide you straight to the best online deals you can currently get for the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra: at the time we're writing this review, it's retailing for £300/$300, but you may be able to get it more cheaply. The webcam is out now and available to buy, and in the UK you can buy it directly from the Razer online store.

Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra review: design & setup

The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is rather chunky as webcams go – like a thick, oversized medallion. It's not too big in the grand scheme of things, however, and it's relatively light – you just might want to think about how much it'll dominate the top of your laptop lid via the built-in L-shaped mount. You can of course also just put it on your desk if you prefer, and there's a tripod mount in the base too.

To give you an idea of its size, the main body of the webcam stands 96.2mm high and is 76.8mm wide, while the weight comes in at 345g. It feels substantial when you pick it up and use it, and feels like a solid piece of hardware. The size won't be to everyone's tastes, but it's hard to argue that it doesn't look stylish – like a DSLR camera lens separated from the actual camera.

In the box there's a good quality, braided USB-C-to-USB-A cable, a lens cover for the camera, and should you want to make absolutely sure no one is spying on you over the internet there's also has a built-in privacy shutter that you can put in place by twisting the front of the camera. The packaging is well done, as is always the case with Razer, and the device is fully supported in the box with lots of foam surroundings.

The webcam works in any webcam-ready application as soon as you plug it in, but you'll also be prompted to download the Razer Synapse software for Windows – Synapse is also available for macOS, but only an older, less advanced version. This gives you access to settings covering the video resolution, the brightness and contrast of the picture, noise reduction and low-light management, and more. You can also install firmware updates through the software.

Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra review: features & performance

Razer is aiming the Kiyo Pro Ultra at professional live streamers and anyone else who needs that level of quality: whether you're on Twitch all day playing games or on Zoom all day presenting slides, this is a webcam that can make sure you're always looking your best: face tracking auto-focus and auto-exposure are two of the key features here, though the webcam won't follow your face around the room like some other models do.

Also of note is the 1/1.2-inch Sony Starvis 2 sensor, the largest in a webcam – and as any photographer will tell you, the larger the sensor, the more light you can capture, resulting in less image noise and a cleaner-looking picture. There's an adjustable 72-degree to 82-degree field-of-view, and a wide f/1.7 aperture that means the camera can apply a shallow depth of field effect (blurring the background at the hardware level with no software trickery required).

That's all great on paper, and we're pleased to report the actual experience of using the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra matches up to the promise. Video is noticeably sharp and smooth, the webcam copes exceptionally well with a variety of lighting scenarios (including low light), and the auto-focus and auto-exposure features work very much as advertised. You're paying quite a bit for this webcam, but you're getting a lot back in return.

We tested the webcam in a variety of scenarios and found it was ultra-responsive in terms of adjusting focus and exposure and so on – if the lights go out, it only takes a second to adapt. The bokeh effect is well done and not too severe, while the high dynamic range (HDR) performance is impressive too, ensuring that the details in darker and lighter parts of the picture don't get completely lost.

Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra review: verdict

Razer promises that the raw, 30fps 4K footage taken by the Kiyo Pro Ultra can be converted directly to uncompressed 24fps 4K footage for streaming – and whether that appeals to you or means nothing to you will go a long way to telling you if this is the webcam for you. As far as image and video quality is concerned, it's difficult to beat.

The accompanying software works well (on Windows at least), the features covering focus, exposure, bokeh and HDR all work as advertised and can really come in handy, and the inclusion of both a privacy shutter and a lens cover is a nice touch. There's really not much to complain about when it comes to this webcam, and it's likely to be a significant improvement over whatever came built into your laptop.

It doesn't quite do everything though: it can't rotate on its own, like some of its competitors can, so it won't be able to follow you around the room. Sound capture is good rather than outstanding. And then there's the price too – it's not outrageous when you look at other premium-level webcams out there, but it is perhaps more than the average person wants to spend on a peripheral.

We wholeheartedly recommend the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra for anyone who's looking for a serious webcam upgrade and who needs that 4K resolution, and we think that anyone who tries it out is going to be impressed. At the same time it's not quite the best webcam upgrade for everyone.

Also consider

There are lots of top-quality webcams on the market at the moment. The Jabra PanaCast 20 offers a 4K resolution and will cost you a little bit less than the Razer. It offers top-notch video and images, and comes with a selection of useful smart features too, including intelligent auto-focus and intelligent zoom to always keep your face in the frame (even though the camera itself doesn't move).

The Insta360 Link might be the best 4K webcam we've tested. It can actually swivel independently, so keeping you in the centre of the frame is no problem – very handy for those online yoga classes or business presentations. It does retail for a slightly higher price than the Razer model we've reviewed here, but it's smaller and arguably gives you more in the way of features.

When it comes to the best smart trackers, there's really only one which comes to mind. The Apple AirTag is arguably the most prominent model on the market. Similarly to how vacuum cleaners are referred to as Hoovers, the brand name has become synonymous with the market segment as a whole.

Now, reports suggest Apple may be working on a second generation of the popular device. That's according to Ming-Chi Kuo, a tech analyst with a phenomenal track record for leaking new products, particularly Apple ones.

According to Kuo, the AirTag 2 will likely go into production towards the end of 2024. There's very little known about how the device will differ from the current model. However, Kuo does suggest that the update may provide additional support for the spatial computing ecosystem the brand debuted with the Apple Vision Pro.

In a tweet, Kuo said, "I believe that spatial computing is a new ecosystem that Apple wants to build, using Vision Pro as the core to integrate other devices, including AirTag 2."

While nothing has been confirmed, it's reasonable to expect that the device will get a new chip. It's possible that there will be a redesign, too. The shape and size of the current AirTag is good, but if things could be made more compact, it could offer a further selling point.

It's not the only device which is said to get an upgrade. We've heard about improvements to the iPhone 15 range, which could include a more efficient ultra-wide band chip. That's said to help with connectivity on the mixed reality headset, which Apple unveiled earlier this year.

Regardless of the motive behind the spec bump, it should be good for users. While the connected ecosystem may have inspired it, the improvements should still be useful, whether you're a spatial computing fan or not.

We still have a long time for news of feature upgrades to trickle out. If production is rumoured to start in Q4 of 2024, we're still over a year away from seeing them. 

When it comes to choosing the best webcams, the Anker PowerConf C200 sets out a straightforward deal: you get a solid webcam that performs well when attached to Windows or macOS, and you don't have to spend a huge amount of money to buy one.

You miss out on some of the more advanced features available on the high-end 4K webcams, but in terms of value for money it's an excellent proposition. Our full Anker PowerConf C200 review will help inform you as to whether or not this is the webcam for you.

If you need more help kitting out your home office after you've bought yourself a new webcam, we've got plenty of other buying guides for you to check out: take a look at our lists of the best keyboards, the best 4K monitors, and the best standing desks you can buy.

Anker PowerConf C200: price & availability

The Anker PowerConf C200 is available to buy now for around £60 in the UK and $70 in the US, although the widgets embedded on this page should give you the lowest prices currently on offer on the web. In the UK, you can pick up the webcam from retailers including Amazon and Anker direct.

Anker PowerConf C200 review: design & setup

It's really not going to take you long at all to set up the Anker PowerConf C200: just plug it into a spare USB port on your Windows or macOS computer, and you're up and running. 

There's a USB-C port on the webcam itself, and you get a USB-C-to-USB-A cable in the box, but you can use a standard cable of your own if you prefer – USB-C-to-USB-C, for example, if your laptop or desktop uses the smaller port types.

The webcam will configure itself automatically and doesn't need a separate power cable. However, to get at all of the available functionality, you need to download and install the accompanying app: this lets you tweak settings such as brightness and contrast in a rather rudimentary way, and change the field of view (65 degrees, 78 degrees, 95 degrees) if you want to show more or less of whatever's behind you.

While we're always glad to see some supplied software, we reckon most people can do without it, and to use it you have to register yet another account with yet another company (unless you already have an account with Anker). The programmes that we tested the webcam with managed perfectly well in terms of lighting and focus without the help of the Anker software.

When it comes to the aesthetics, you can tell the Anker PowerConf C200 is a budget option just by looking at it – but it's not exactly ugly. It's compact enough, and the clip is nice and sturdy, but you don't get anything fancy like the ability to swivel it on its stand. That stand has a standard tripod connection on the bottom, in case you want to use it with that particular accessory.

Anker PowerConf C200 review: features & performance

You get a decent set of specs for your money with the Anker PowerConf C200. There's the 2K (2,560 x 1,440 pixel) resolution at 30 frames per second, there's the field of view that goes up to 95 degrees, and there's the built-in autofocus. A physical privacy cover is also good to see – you just slide it across when you want to be sure that you can't be seen, and that no one is peering at you through your webcam.

Those specs translate to very decent performance in use as well. The video quality looks sharp and detailed, and the webcam does well in low-light conditions. It also adjusts quickly – in a second or two – to changes in lighting conditions. The autofocus can get tripped up from time to time, but mostly it's okay. You're not going to have any problems being seen on your next video call, put it that way.

The Anker PowerConf C200 also offers a dual-mic setup and AI-enabled noise cancellation. You can choose 180-degree or 90-degree audio capture as well, if you want to cut out nearby background noises and focus only on what you're saying – in our testing this didn't seem to make a whole lot of difference, but on the whole the mics did a good job of picking up what we were saying and transmitting it clearly.

In short, this Anker is a webcam that impresses in both audio and video quality. Admittedly you can tell the difference when you switch over to a higher-end 4K webcam – in terms of focus, low-light performance, crispness and so on – but bearing in mind the low price that you can purchase the Anker PowerConf C200 for, we think it performs very well.

Anker PowerConf C200 review: verdict

We've tested some high-end webcams here on T3 – the likes of the Jabra PanaCast 20, the Insta360 Link, and the Obsbot Tiny 4K. These devices are packed full with functionality, with superior audio and video quality, and features such as the ability to follow you around the room (if you're presenting something, for example). However, it's also worth bearing in mind that these webcams cost hundreds of pounds or dollars.

The Anker PowerConf C200 is clearly more basic than those premium models, but given its price, it's still great value for money. While it doesn't hit the heights of some of the other models mentioned, it's not going to let you down in terms of the video and audio quality you get. It handles focusing and low light well, and you get some basic tweaks with the accompanying software too.

Whether or not the webcam is going to be a huge upgrade over the one you've already got embedded into your laptop or monitor (if there is one) is one key question you have to ask. This is more suitable for those who don't already have a webcam attached to their computer and who are looking for a solid, affordable option that's going to work simply and easily with any video calling or streaming software.

It's also worth bearing in mind how much video calling you actually do – if you're spending a lot of time in Zoom or Teams every day then it might be worth upgrading to something that's a little bit more expensive and powerful. That said, the Anker PowerConf C200 is still a webcam we would absolutely recommend – it's got decent specs and excellent performance for the price, and you won't be disappointed with it.

Also consider

If you're wondering what you get for a bit more money, the Insta360 Link is available for £320 / $300. It's smaller and smarter than the Anker PowerConf C200, and has automatic swivel and tilt functions that mean it'll keep you in focus and in shot as you move around. There's even an overhead mode for presenting documents that are flat on your desk – these are the sort of extras you get for the extra money.

On the other hand, those of you who'd rather stick to the budget end of the market might want to check out the Logitech Brio 500. It offers a 1080p video resolution, it's small and lightweight, and it comes with software that lets you do some basic picture tweaking. For a good quality upgrade for your computer, it's definitely worth considering as an alternative to the Anker.

With most of the best laptops and tablets packing decent cameras these days, many might not have even considered adding one of the best webcams on the market to their setup. But it's something that's definitely worth consideration.

Today, where most of us sit in virtual meetings all day and interact virtually more than in-person, it's crucial that your webcam is making you look your best. In these situations, a dedicated webcam can make the world of difference.

Today, we're looking at the Dell Webcam Pro. It sits in the middle of Dell's webcam range, just below the Dell UltraSharp Webcam. But it does pack some nifty features of its own, which could make this the best option for you.

Dell Webcam Pro Review: Price and Availability

The Dell Webcam Pro was launched in August 2022. It retails for just over £110 in the UK, while residents in the USA can find them for $129.99, and in Australia for AU$191.40.

Be sure to check the widgets on this page to see pricing where you are, and to ensure you're getting the best deal.

Dell Webcam Pro Review: Design and Features

The Dell Webcam Pro comes in a sleek black finish. It's slightly larger all-around than the UltraSharp, with a 44mm diameter, 92mm length and a 155g weight. It's hardly cumbersome, though, and should be unnoticeable in your bag.

Where this differs from other Dell webcams is the design of the mount. This is attached to the device, and simply folds out from the base of the webcam. Rubber grips on both sides hold the camera in place.

This design makes attaching really easy. Simply open it up and clamp it onto your screen, and you're good to go.

That clamp mechanism also has a tripod mount in the bottom. That's perfect if you want to use the webcam in a different location to your computer, and can help you to achieve more flattering angles with better lighting. It also means there's no need to faff around with multiple mounts for different scenarios – everything is built-in, so just set it up how you want and get going.

On the front, a magnetic privacy cap keeps the camera safe, and also makes sure you're in complete control of when you're on show. That cap will also attach to the back of the device – perfect for making sure you don't lose it!

In terms of tech specs, the Webcam Pro packs a Sony Starvis Sensor and offers resolution up to 2K at 30fps. Dropping down to Full HD and below opens up 60fps capabilities, if that's needed. There's also up to 4x digital zoom, while AI-based auto tracking functionality can help to keep you in the frame as you move around.

Plus, a built-in microphone ensures you're always able to be heard and sound your best. The mic has a range of around 3m (10 feet) so you should be heard even if you tend to move around a fair bit.

Dell Webcam Pro Review: Performance

The Webcam Pro is relatively simple to use. I tested the webcam on both Mac and Windows devices, with varying results. Both have their own dedicated Dell software, which helps to get the best from the device. That includes settings for the resolution and frame rate, as well as the AI-tracking sensitivity.

Generally speaking, the picture quality is great. Motion looks really smooth and detail – as you can see in the image above – is excellent. I did find that the image was blown out by bright backgrounds though. When sitting in front of a window, for example, the camera tended to expose for the background, leaving the subject looking quite dark.

When used against a less bright background, the Webcam Pro was fantastic. You'll definitely notice a marked improvement over built-in webcams.

Dell Webcam Pro Review: Verdict

Overall, the Dell Webcam Pro offers a host of features to make your video calling simpler and higher quality. Image resolution is fantastic and well detailed, making it easier than ever to add a professional flavour to your video content.

Sure, I had a few snags setting it up and in certain lighting conditions, but these were minor. Once you've got the hang of how to use it, you'll never really be troubled by them anyway.

For the price, it's a great option. You'll bag a microphone which the more expensive model doesn't have, and a far more convenient mounting clip. All of that, with a more than sufficient video resolution seems like an easy win.

If you're in the market for a smart tracker, you'll likely think of the Apple AirTag first and foremost. It's arguably the most popular variant, and has gained fans over the years for its compact size and ease of integration with other Apple products like the iPhone and the MacBook.

But it's far from the only option. The Tile tracker range is vast, featuring units sized specifically for applications like fitting into a credit card slot. If you use a Samsung phone, there's also the Samsung SmartTag.

The SmartTag offers the same smart tracking capabilities as the other units. It uses an ultrawide band (UWB) signal to offer a precise location, while augmented reality in the app can help lead you to it with your phone.

It goes one step further, though, integrating with your smart home to enable seamless automation. Via a button on the tracker, users can start a whole range of processes without needing to dive into the app. For example, you could press the button on your tracker to turn the lights on before you get home, or hold it down to turn the heating on and off.

Now, rumours suggest Samsung is working on a new variant of the device, which we'll call the SmartTag 2 for ease. According to specialist Samsung blog, SamMobile, the new model will launch later this year, alongside phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.

It doesn't sound like they're going to be massively different on the surface, but there's some crucial upgrades inside which should make them much more useful. According to the report, the devices will have better wireless range, a stronger signal and a better battery life.

They may not be the most tantalising of upgrades, but they should help to make the SmartTag a much more useful option if you're looking for a smart tracker. The improvement to battery life, in particular, should appease users who were slightly underwhelmed with earlier units.

The Apple AirTag is a remarkably simple concept. A small, disc-shaped object, with built-in tracking functionality, which can be attached to just about anything to keep an eye on its whereabouts. The idea is to keep one in your wallet, or attached to your keys, so that they're as easy to locate as electronic devices like your iPhone or iPad.

To work, the AirTag uses the existing network of Apple devices to provide an accurate location. It works well, thanks in no small part to the sheer volume of Apple devices out there.

But it hasn't always been plain sailing. The devices have been used for far more sinister activities, such as tracking people. Apple have tried to put a stop to this, offering updates designed to deter stalkers.

Now, Google is looking to get in on the location tracking action, with their own device designed in a similar vein. The device – codenamed Google Grogu – would utilise a similar functionality to the AirTag, but make use of the Google Pixel and Google Nest network instead.

The information comes from renowned leaker, Kuba Wojciechowski, who has a fantastic history of providing information for Google devices. In a series of tweets, Kuba unveils a few details about the device. It has an onboard speaker – similar to the AirTag – and provides support for ultra-wide band (UWB) and Bluetooth low energy (BLE).

Beyond that, though, very little is known about them. Kuba suggests that they may see the light of day at the Google I/O event in a few months, although that is conjecture.

Regardless, I think it's a great addition to the Pixel product range. Sure, it's not the heart-stopping instabuy that a new phone or smartwatch would be, but it's a useful addition that makes the overall Pixel ecosystem more appealing. 

Video calling is a lot more commonplace than it used to be, and that means more of us are in the market for one of the best webcams than ever before – and the 4K-capable Insta360 Link webcam certainly has enough about it to earn a mention in that discussion.

Thanks to its 3-axis gimbal, this is a webcam that can follow you around a room and keep you in focus at all times, plus capture everything in 4K resolution. It'll work with just about any video calling app, appearing as a webcam option in Windows or macOS as needed.

Whether you're after one of the best video conference cameras around or you just need something for one-to-one calls, the Insta360 Link has plenty to offer – and a price point that matches the high quality of the video and the number of features that are included.

Insta360 Link review: price & availability

The widgets embedded on this page should give you the latest and the best deals for the Insta360 Link on the web: at the time of writing, the webcam is going to cost you around £320 / $300. In the UK, you can pick one up from retailers including Amazon and Very, as well as from Insta360 directly.

Insta360 Link review: design & setup

We were surprised at how small the Insta360 Link was when we first unboxed it: with its base and clip closed, the webcam measures just 63 x 35 x 45mm and weighs in at 106g, so you can almost hide it in the palm of your hand. Made mostly of black plastic, there's a neat little light strip that runs around the base of the webcam, glowing a comforting green colour when you're live on the video and everything is working correctly.

There's support for plug-and-play operation for both Windows and macOS, but you're going to want to download the free controller app to really get the most out of this webcam – it's how you access all the key features of the device, update the firmware, and so on. The software is occasionally clunky, but it's easy enough to navigate around, and it's available for both Microsoft and Apple's desktop operating systems – which isn't always the case.

In the box with the webcam you get a USB-C to USB-C cable, plus a USB-C to USB-A adapter (a welcome inclusion, with most devices either going for USB-A or USB-C and leaving you to find an adapter for yourself). There's also a quick -start guide that guides you through the functions of the webcam in very tiny print. A small tripod is also available as an optional extra accessory.

Overall we're rather impressed with the design and the aesthetics of the Insta360 Link – as you can see from the pictures in this article, it's a well-made and attractive-looking little gadget that's going to give your desk setup an extra level of sophistication. 

Insta360 Link review: features & performance

It'd perhaps be easier to list the features that the Insta360 Link doesn't have. But we'll do the opposite: this webcam offers a 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution for video and images; adds automatic tracking for your head, torso or entire body (handy for those yoga videos you're thinking about posting to YouTube); and it can also be controlled via hand gestures too – put your hand into an 'L' shape to zoom, for example.

We tested the Insta360 Link with a variety of calls, and the picture and quality was top-notch throughout – especially the crispness and the smoothness of the video. The automatic tracking feature is speedy in operation, with the automatic focus almost as quick. We were able to use the hand gestures with no issues, and the webcam copes well in low-light conditions and in keeping colours well balanced too. The camera's ability to pick up audio wasn't quite as good, but still satisfactory.

We're also impressed by the extras offered by the software, including plenty of picture-tweaking options (like brightness and contrast), the ability to save preset positions so you can get back to them later, and an overhead mode you can use to present materials from your desk. There's also a mode that recognises a whiteboard in the frame, and squares it off so it's easier to see for your audience. If there's something you need a webcam to do, chances are the Insta360 Link can do it.

There were a few occasional quirks we came across though – such as the Windows software not recognising the webcam when it restarted (we had to unplug the device and plug it back in again) – but such issues were few and far between. Generally speaking, the Insta360 Link was a pleasure to use, and is going to be a substantial webcam upgrade from whatever built-in option you've got with your desktop or laptop computer.

Insta360 Link review: verdict

Sure, you might be sitting there thinking that your current webcam does everything you need it to, and maybe you don't need to pay money for anything more – but once you've tried a premium model like the Insta360 Link, it's difficult to go back. What seem like unnecessary extras, from automatic tracking to the ability to cope with a variety of lighting situations, quickly become essentials that you can't live without.

This webcam is going to particularly appeal to anyone who needs to make presentations for a living, whether you're running a dance class from home, you spend your time tutoring kids, or you have a team of employees you need to lead. It really is a significant upgrade, and one of several webcams on the market now that are offering high-end features for a high-end price.

And there is no doubt that the Insta360 Link is expensive – you might well be thinking of all the other stuff you could buy for the same amount of money. If this is within your budget though, it does more than enough to justify the price, and it's an advanced piece of gadgetry that's going to serve you well for years to come... just make sure you do actually need all of the features that it offers.

Also consider

We're seeing quite a few premium-level 4K webcams appear on the market now, offering features like auto-tracking. Consider the Obsbot Tiny 4K for example, which really impressed us in the time that we spent with it. It's a little bit bigger than the Insta360 Link, but also cheaper, so you might consider the compromise worth it.

The Jabra PanaCast 20 is another excellent option, and another one that offers a 4K resolution and the ability to automatically track your face around the room. Like the Obsbot, it's bigger but again also cheaper than the Insta360 Link.

 Are you planning a longer trip into the woods? Traveling with a group of tech-wielding, power-hungry campers? The Biolite BaseCharge 1500 might be the portable power station for you because it offers lots of power storage and many ways to share it with multiple outputs. It is also, for the power capacity it offers, pretty small and light. 

It is not lightweight, though, weighing in at a hefty 26.5 lbs (just over 12Kg) and costing a hefty $1699. But it's great if you need something that can charge a laptop multiple times or run multiple 110V devices. The only downside is that, at 2000 Watts, the maximum output is slightly lower than some similar devices.

BIOLITE BASECHARGE 1500 PORTABLE POWER STATION REVIEW: PRICE & AVAILABILITY 

The Biolite BaseCharge 1500 is available now, priced at $1699. A smaller 622 Watt-hour version, the BaseCharge 600 is also available, priced at $699. The optional 100 Watt solar panel costs $499 and will be available in November. 

BIOLITE BASECHARGE 1500 PORTABLE POWER STATION REVIEW: FEATURES 

The BaseCharge 1500 is a hefty, footstool-sized device that weighs a luggable12.1 KG ( 26.5 lb.) Two handles on the sides make it easy to pick up and carry around in a lift-with-the-knees-not-the-back way. Inside the device are lots of Lithium Ion batteries holding an impressive 1,521 Watt-hours of charge. The whole thing measures 14.4 inches wide, 12.2 inches deep, and 8.8 inches tall, about the same size as a backpack. 

In terms of charge per pound, it is better than many rivals, such as the GoalZero Yeti 1500X (1,516 Watt hours in 20.7kg / 45.64lbs). However, one feature that falls behind is the maximum output: while larger portable power stations can output 2000 Watts, the BaseCharge can only manage a continual 1200 Watts. 

All of the connections for this portable power station are on the front of the device, grouped below the large, clear screen that shows information about the battery, including the charge level as both a percentage and a count of hours to empty: a nice touch that makes it easier to judge the state of the battery at a glance. The display also shows the power coming into and out of the battery in Watts. That’s a useful feature if you are using solar power to charge as you can see how much juice the panels are producing at a glance and move them around for maximum production. 

There are a lot of connections on the front of the BaseCharge 1500: three DC outputs, five USB ports, and three AC outputs. Each group of outputs is only active when you press the label button above the outputs, which has a status light underneath. Let’s look at each type of output in turn. On the top left is a 12V carport socket under a lift-off cover. This can supply up to 100 Watts, so anything designed to plug into the lighter socket on your car should work. 

Next are two 5.5mm 12V DC power ports, each of which can handle up to 10 Amps for 120 Watts. These are designed for 12V devices like RV refrigerators and coolers. 

Next are the four USB ports, two Type-A (the larger rectangular style on older devices) and two Type-C, the newer, smaller, and rounded edge style that most modern cell phones use. Each socket can deliver 5 Volts at 3 Amps for up to 15 Watts of charge. 

On the top right corner is another USB port. This one is different; it uses the USB Power Delivery (PD) standard, which means it can change the output voltage, depending on what the connected device requests, up to 20V at 5 Amps. This means it can output up to 100W of charge, as much as a heavyweight power adapter for a laptop. It can charge your PD-compatible cell phone or laptop much faster than the other USB ports. So, you can leave the charger for your laptop at home: just bring along a USB-C cable, and you can charge it from the BaseCharge.

This PD port can also work as a power input: you can charge the battery inside the BaseCharge by plugging in a USB PD-compatible power source. That is the quickest way to charge the BaseCharge: when I tested it with a hefty USB power supply for a laptop that could output the full 100 Watts, I could charge the BaseCharge in about 13 hours. 

There are three AC outputs, each offering a standard 3-pin power socket. These three sockets can output 1200 Watts in total or a surge of 2400 Watts. 

Next to the AC outputs is the solar panel & charger input, a standard HPP connector compatible with most portable solar panels. This is also how the included 120 Watt charger connects. This input can handle up to 400 Watts of solar power from up to four portable solar panels connected in series, although that will cost you a bundle. Biolite offers a 100W solar panel for $399, so four panels will cost you about the same as the BaseCharge 1500. 

The only connection not on the front of the device is the wireless charger: plonk a compatible phone on the top of the device when the display is active, and it will start charging from the built-in 10 Watt wireless charger. That’s a bit slower than some: both Samsung and Apple offer wireless chargers for their devices that can charge up to 15 Watts. Still, it’s a great feature to have available.

BIOLITE BASECHARGE 1500 PORTABLE POWER STATION REVIEW: SETUP  & USE 

 The BaseCharge 1500 is a very simple power station: just hit the button to enable the output you want, plug the cable in, and it delivers the juice. The display automatically turns on when you enable an output, and you can turn the display off with the display button next to it.

The BaseCamp 1500 does get a little noisy when it is outputting a lot of power: when I plugged in any 110V device that drew more than a few watts, the fan inside the power station started up with a loud whirr that persisted for as long as the device was running. It is certainly less irritating than a generator, but it is a persistent noise that could be annoying in a quiet campground.  

There is also no cable storage on the BaseCharge 1500 or any included cables. Other portable power stations include a few and offer a space to stash cables, plugs, and other things you will need, but the BaseCharge 1500 does not.

BIOLITE BASECHARGE 1500 PORTABLE POWER STATION REVIEW: PERFORMANCE 

I found that the BaseCharge 1500 performed very well: all of the outputs worked as advertised, and none of the devices I tested it with had any issues with the power output. It charged laptops, phones, and other portable devices, and the AC output worked with heaters, small refrigerators, and power tools. The only problem was that the 110V power output is limited. 

The BaseCharge 1500 does have limitations, though. The 1200 Watt continuous output power is significantly lower than other models: the GoalZero Yeti 1500X has a similar overall capacity but can output 3000 Watts at a time. The 1200 Watt output of the BaseCharge might sound like a lot, but it gets used quickly. When I plugged in a PS5, that took about 350 Watts and a small video projector took about TK watts. So, that’s more than half of the battery's output used to play a bit of Horizon: Forbidden West in the woods. 

If you plan on using your portable power station as battery backup at home, you’ll face a similar problem: a standard domestic fridge will consume between 300 and 700 Watts, so you won’t be able to run more than one or two devices from this. 

I also found a couple of quirks with the BaseCharge. Firstly, the device sometimes seemed to get confused about what was connected. On one occasion, when I turned on the AC ports, the device claimed they were overloaded and disabled them. Nothing was plugged in, though. The problem seemed to solve itself if I left the power station fo

When I connected a USB PD device like a laptop with a battery that was more fully charged than the BaseCharge, the devices swapped roles: the laptop charged the BaseCharge. That’s annoying if you are about to head home and want to use the last bit of juice in the BaseCamp to fully charge your laptop battery to use on the drive home, for instance. You can get around this by using the USB-C output instead, but it would be easy to use the PD connection and end up discharging your laptop if you were not paying attention. 

I also found that just turning on the AC outputs caused a 10 Watt drain on the battery, so remember to turn off the AC outputs unless you are using them: if you left them on by mistake, this would run the battery down eventually. 

Charging the BaseCharge 1500 can be done with either the included 130W wall adapter or with a USB Power Delivery (PD) compatible power adapter. Either way, it takes quite a long time to charge: my tests took 12 hours with the included 130 Watt charger and 16 hours with a 100 Watt USB PD charger.

BIOLITE BASECHARGE 1500 PORTABLE POWER STATION REVIEW: VERDICT 

The BaseCharge 1500 is an interesting portable power station: it has plenty of capacity for the weight and a big selection of outputs to access that charge. It has a lower maximum output than other similar portable power stations, though, and there is nowhere to stash the cables you will need. But it’s a great pick if you are trying to keep the weight of your camping kit down and will mainly use it to charge phones, laptops, and cameras. If you like to take your AV setup with you when camping, however, you might want to look for something bigger with more output for 110V devices. 

BIOLITE BASECHARGE 1500 PORTABLE POWER STATION REVIEW: ALSO CONSIDER 

If you are looking for a decent amount of power in a fairly portable package, several options exist. The Goal Zero Yeto 1500X costs about the same and offers a similar amount of stored power as the BaseCharge 1500 but can output more of this at a time. It is much heavier, though. If you only need to charge a couple of devices like a camera and a cell phone, you might consider a smaller portable power station, like our top-rated Eco Flow River Max. That is much more portable than the BioLite BaseCharge 1500. 

The Apple AirTag is a remarkable device. The concept is effortlessly simple – a small disc-shaped object that features location tracking technology similar to what you might find in the best iPhone, iPad and MacBook models.

By extracting that functionality, and placing it into a portable housing, users can track objects that don't have smart functionality. For example, you can attach an AirTag to your keys or your wallet and keep track of it on the Find My app, just as you would for your tech devices.

But the functionality has a fairly substantial drawback – being able to track objects to within feet of their true location, means you can also track people to within feet of their true location. That's a problem that Apple has been contending with for years, as people misuse the devices to track and stalk people.

There are multiple lawsuits currently open against Apple, from those who say that the Cupertino-based tech giant hasn't done enough to protect against this kind of illicit behaviour. With that in mind, Apple have been continually updating software for the AirTag, with the hope of making it easier to protect against unlawful use.

In the latest firmware update – AirTag firmware 2.0.24 – Apple has improved the way this works. A new feature called Precision Finding will enable your iPhone to notify you when an unknown AirTag is detected moving with you. It works by picking up the signal of an AirTag that isn't tied to your Apple ID and alerting you to its presence. You'll need to have an iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 model in order to enable the feature, and you'll need to be updated to iOS 16.2. 

As part of the update, you'll also get a notification telling you if an AirTag which has been separated from its owner is travelling with you. This will also cause it to emit a noise to help you locate the device.

This Logitech Brio 500 review is overwhelmingly positive - this is a Full HD webcam that’s packed full of handy features - it's sure to open up lots of different ways to make your video calls look better and work better for you. 

Hybrid working has quickly become the new normal, and ultimately that means everyone needs to be set up with a reliable and efficient office at home. 

Logitech champions that with their range of desktop devices ranging from some of the best webcams to the best true wireless earbuds and the best keyboards, but the very best part is that you can match them all up nicely together with similar colourways and intuitive desktop software. 

Here, you’ll find out everything you need to know about the Logitech Brio 500 from details on its design and setup to how I found its performance and extra features. By the end of this, you should be able to tell whether this webcam is right for you, or not. 

Logitech Brio 500 review: price and what’s new 

You can buy the Logitech Brio 500 for $130 in the US, £130 in the UK and about AU$200 in Australia. Take a look at the widgets on this page to see where you can pick one up right now. 

This is significantly cheaper than the Logitech Brio Stream because it drops 4K resolution for FHD, you don’t get HDR and it doesn’t have the same noise cancelling microphones built in, going for noise-reducing microphones instead. 

Logitech Brio 500 review: design and setup 

The Logitech Brio 500 is a good-looking webcam for your PC, made with plastic and tubular in shape, you can match it to the rest of your home office setup because it's available to buy in either Graphite, Off-White or Rose. I tested out the Off-White version which is largely white but also lightly flecked with a grey mount. 

Relatively small and lightweight, the webcam weighs 121g and measures 51.5 x 110 x 45 mm which means that while it is noticeable on top of your monitor, it’s not so big that it becomes an eye sore. 

To attach it to your screen, you just need to wipe the back of your monitor clean, balance the mount on the top bezel, remove the film from the microsuction pad and press it down. The pad is reusable which is great if you plan to use this webcam on different devices. Then, it’s just a case of placing the camera on top of the mount and it'll magnetically snap on. It’s all very easy to do. You can also hook this up to a tripod if you prefer. 

Getting set up with your desktop is just as easy, you literally just need to plug it in using the USB-C cable. My PC automatically found it and got it working. 

The webcam has a couple of design features that are definitely worth knowing about including the physical privacy shutter that you twist down over the lens when you don't want to be seen or the fact that you can move the camera positioning by both panning and tilting the device. 

My only issue with the way the camera moves is that when I was a little too forceful with it, the magnetic attachment keeping the camera on the mount would come detached. I also found the way you twist the privacy shutter down felt a little flimsy although without using it for longer, there's no way to know how long it will last. Those seem like quite minor downfalls in the grand scheme of things, though. 

LED lights on the front of the webcam let you know when the camera is in use - when the video recording is on, you’ll see a white light, but when just the audio is turned on you’ll see a yellow light and if neither is in use then you won’t see a light at all. 

Logitech Brio 500 review: performance and features 

A Full HD webcam that films in 1080p resolution, the Logitech Brio 500 might not deliver the very best image like some top-notch 4K cameras but the quality is still worth writing home about in comparison to most built-in snappers. It has a 4MP lens with the potential for 4x digital zoom and up to a 90° diagonal field of view, and it has autofocus as well. 

In use, I was pleased to see that the video quality was on point. My face looked clear, sharp and well-focused while the colours were bright without being oversaturated even if they could sometimes be a little dull. You could see everything you needed to in the shot whatever the time of day or whatever the weather outside.

One really handy feature is Light Correction which brightens up the image even when you’re sitting in a poorly lit space. Auto framing is another feature to mention because it managed to keep me at the centre of the shot at all times, and it even works when you move around or stand up which will come particularly in handy if you do a lot of presenting on video calls. 

There are tonnes of possibilities in how you use the camera. For example, you can tilt it to face downwards so you can show items or documents that are laid out on your desk to those on the call. It’s as easy as reaching for the camera and pulling it towards you or pushing it away to show yourself on the screen. 

Thanks to the noise-reducing microphones, my colleagues could hear me clearly too. While these microphones won’t go as far to block out distractions as noise-cancelling microphones, I didn’t have any complaints even when I could hear traffic outside.

To get the most out of the Logitech Brio 500 webcam, you’ll need to download the Logi Tune desktop software which will display as a pop-up on the side of the screen so you can adjust it while you're busy on a call.

There you'll be able to control different aspects of the camera including the zoom, brightness, contrast, saturation and sharpness. You can also toggle on different features like the show mode, autofocus, auto exposure, HDR and the auto white balance. There are also a number of filters to choose from. It's laid out in a very straightforward way so it's incredibly intuitive to use.

From the Logi Tune app, you'll actually be able to control some of your other Logitech devices alongside this including your headset, earbuds and dock. It'd be great to incorporate even more devices into it like their mice and keyboards as you will need a separate app downloaded for those.

Logitech Brio 500 review: verdict 

While the Logitech Brio 500 might be quite pricey, it is very much worth it. Not only did it look great sitting on my desk but it delivered on its promises as well, massively improving the quality of my video calls day to day. 

The setup couldn’t be simpler, the software is easy to navigate and the array of features made everything fuss-free. My only issue was that the magnet on the camera wasn't quite strong enough but that’s hardly a dealbreaker in an otherwise excellent piece of home office kit. 

Logitech Brio 500 review: also consider  

If you’re after a killer gaming webcam, then I’d recommend taking a look at the Razer Kiyo Pro instead. It’s actually now a little cheaper than the Logitech Brio 500 and is ideal for work calls during the day and streaming your play in the evening. You get a slightly larger field of view than with the Brio although the number of megapixels in the camera itself is slightly lower. 

One of the most popular webcams is the Logitech StreamCam, again it’s actually a little cheaper than this yet it still boasts fantastic image quality. Do bear in mind that you won’t get the physical privacy shutter as that could be off-putting to some. 

If you're in the market for the best webcams - possibly with headphones to match -so you can work from home and on the go like a pro, then Logitech has good news for you.

That's because the new, officially announced, Brio 500 series webcams and Zone Vibe headphones are now here, and they come in three fetching colours with impressive specifications and reasonable price tags, too.

According to Logitech, these new products have been designed "to meet the evolving needs of hybrid workers", so they're designed to look less corporate-y without sacrificing key work-related features.

You can check out the Logitech Brio 500's design and features in the official video reveal below.

Why Logitech Brio could be good for working from home and on the go

The Brio 500 is designed to make you look and sound your best. There are noise-cancelling mics to eliminate unwanted ambient noise, and the camera has a useful privacy shutter and a clever downwards-facing option you can use to show work that's sitting on your desk. The HD sensor has a 90-degree field of view and automatic light correction and auto-framing to deliver a warmer picture than the often harsh images from traditional webcams – I have an older Logitech webcam and it makes me look like a corpse sometimes – and to keep you centred in the picture if like me you tend to move about when you're talking. The cameras are certified for all the key apps including Teams, Meet and Zoom.

As for the headphones, they include dual omnidirectional mics, speakers with a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz (in music mode) and 40mm drivers. Battery life is a promised 18 hours of talk time and up to 20 hours of talk time. 

The Brio 500 webcams are available now for $129 / £129, and the Zone Vibe headphones go on sale in December with prices ranging from $99/£99 to $129.99.

This Jabra PanaCast 20 review should help you decide if its one of the best webcams around right now – and more specifically, if it's the best webcam upgrade for your needs. It costs a considerable amount, but you do get plenty back in return for your money.

Many of us are now spending a lot more time on video calls than we used to, and while most laptops and plenty of monitors now come with a webcam included, you might consider buying a dedicated device to make sure you're always looking your best.

With a 4K resolution and AI-enhanced image processing, the Jabra PanaCast 20 has a strong claim to being one of the best video conference cameras around – and we'll cover everything from the setup process to the quality of the bundled software right here.

Jabra PanaCast 20 review: price and availability

The Jabra PanaCast 20 is out now, and available to buy in the UK from retailers including Amazon and Onedirect, as well as Jabra itself. Check the widgets embedded on this page, but at the time of writing, the webcam will set you back in the region of £250-£300. The webcam is also available in the US, where you can expect to pay around $300 for it.

Jabra PanaCast 20 review: design and setup

Even the Jabra PanaCast 20 packaging feels top quality: you know this is a premium-level bit of kit as soon as you open it up. As well as the webcam itself, in the box you get a sturdy black carry case, should you be planning on taking this on the road with you, and a USB-C to USB-A cable (the USB-A end goes in your computer, and there's no bundled adapter). At a generous 1.5 metres, the cable is long enough for you to be able to position the webcam just about anywhere you like.

At 136 grams, the webcam is a little heavier than you might expect, but it adds to that impression you get of this being a top-quality hardware device. The clip underneath the webcam is flexible enough to work with laptop lids and monitors of any sort of reasonable size, while the cable drops down the back. As soon as you connect up the cable to your computer the webcam is working and ready to go – and that includes the face tracking technology that keeps you in the centre of the shot.

It's not a particularly big webcam at 160 x 130 x 50mm, but it's not a particularly small one either: you're certainly going to be able to notice that it's there. A single white LED light lets you know when the webcam is active. There's also a physical privacy shutter button that you can slide across when you definitely don't want to be recorded (so you don't have to trust that the webcam isn't recording when it shouldn't be).

You need the free Jabra Direct software package to make the most of the device – unfortunately it's not all that easy to find on the Jabra website, but we got there in the end. It lets you access various features on the app (you can turn the face tracking on and off, for example), take manual control over the zoom and focus of the camera, and upgrade the webcam's firmware when needed too.

Jabra PanaCast 20 review: features and performance

As you would expect from a webcam with a 4K resolution, the picture produced by the Jabra PanaCast 20 is a very good one: the 13 megapixel camera produces video that's crystal clear and very sharp, and we can't fault it. The audio picked up by the three built-in microphones isn't quite as stellar, but it's still perfectly satisfactory, and we don't think anyone is going to have trouble seeing or hearing you on a video call.

There are a few clever tricks that the Jabra PanaCast 20 brings with it. The first is Intelligent Zoom, which zooms and pans automatically to keep your face in the shot (the camera itself doesn't move). This isn't particularly fast, and it isn't flawless (every now and again it gets a bit confused), but on the whole it's rather impressive. We wouldn't recommend moving around a lot on a video chat, but if you need to then this webcam can keep you in the shot. You can turn it off if you don't like it.

Then there's the intelligent lighting optimisation, which brightens up dull scenes through a bit of AI processing. This works really well and can sometimes save you in situations where the lighting isn't quite right. It's also worth mentioning the picture-in-picture mode, which lets you combine a zoomed out and a zoomed in picture – handy for presenting something you're holding in your hands, for example. These are all features you don't necessarily get in cheaper webcams.

When it comes to the Jabra Direct software, again it's well put together. The various functions are all easy to find and use, but at the same time the webcam works pretty well right out of the box – so if you don't want to be fiddling around with menus then you don't have to. It's possible to adjust settings such as brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness and white balance manually too.

Jabra PanaCast 20: verdict

The story of the Jabra PanaCast 20 is pretty straightforward: it's a fantastic webcam that's going to cost you quite a bit of money. Only you can decide whether it's worth the outlay based on what your tech gadget budget is and how much time you're likely to be spending on video calls in the future – but we don't think you're going to be disappointed in terms of the build quality, performance or accompanying software.

Not everyone needs features like Intelligent Zoom of course, and maybe you're perfectly happy with a lower resolution webcam for the occasional chat with your colleagues and distant relatives. If that's your situation, then spending the same amount of money that could get you a pretty decent smartphone might well seem over the top, no matter how many extras get thrown in.

If we were being particularly picky then we'd say it would be nice to have a stand option. You can't really put the Jabra PanaCast 20 flat on a surface, because the USB cable slots in underneath, and sometimes it can be handy to be able to position a webcam away from your screen on a desk. That said, the Jabra is easy to clip to just about any screen, and isn't going to move around a lot or fall off.

As with a lot of product categories, from laptops to phones, some people want the very best there is, and money is no object. If that's your case then the Jabra PanaCast 20 is definitely in the top tier of cameras that fit the bill, with outstanding video resolution, lots of customisation options, and some smart features that actually work and can prove useful.

Also consider

Have a look at our best webcams list to see what else is out there at the moment. Take the Obsbot Tiny 4K, which matches the Jabra PanaCast 20 in terms of the 4K resolution, a smart tracking feature, and a high price. The Obsbot is a larger device, but it can be placed on a desk as well as on the top of a monitor or laptop lid, so it might be better suited for your own particular requirements.

You can always rely on Logitech webcams, and the Mevo Start is a brilliant choice if you're a content creator who needs to produce a lot of professional-looking video from your webcam. It can be used completely wirelessly if needed, giving you more freedom for your recording, but like the Obsbot and Jabra models you're going to have to do some saving up in order to be able to afford it.

When it comes to the best webcams and the best video conference cameras, the standard of these devices is only getting higher, as more and more of us work from home at least part of the time, and get more used to having to video call friends, family and colleagues.

As video calling and conferencing has become more common, the standard webcams built into laptop bezels and standalone monitors just aren't cutting it anymore. It's led to a rise in premium-level webcams offering higher resolutions and a stack of additional features.

Enter the Obsbot Tiny 4K, a webcam for Windows and Mac that comes with just about every feature you could want. Our detailed Obsbot Tiny 4K webcam review will tell you everything you need to know about the gadget, from pricing to video and audio quality.

Obsbot Tiny 4K review: price and availability

The Obsbot Tiny 4K webcam is available to buy now: check the widget embedded below for the latest prices online, but at the time of writing you can pick up the device for around £230/$270. In the UK, it's available from retailers including Amazon as well as from Obsbot directly.

Obsbot Tiny 4K review: setup and design

Considering all the tech that's packed inside it, you wouldn't expect the Obsbot Tiny 4K to be all that small (despite the name). Indeed, it is a relatively chunky bit of equipment. You're certainly going to be able to tell it's there, in other words, and it might tip over your laptop screen depending on the display's size and the strength of the hinge. We do like the design of the webcam though: it's nicely sculpted and finished in black.

In the box with the webcam you get a clip for fixing it on top of a monitor, a USB-C cable, and a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter plug. There's also a hard, compact black case that looks like something you might carry a GoPro around in. When you're ready to get going, you simply plug the webcam into a spare USB port, then download the requisite software from the Obsbot website (we tested the webcam on a macOS computer).

With that done you can fire up your favourite video calling app, and the Obsbot Tiny 4K will appear as an option alongside whatever other cameras you've got installed. The software isn't the most intuitive or straightforward that we've ever come across, but it doesn't take long to learn the ropes and get the basics right. You can use the software to control where the webcam is pointing, configure preset positions, and more.

When it comes to the design aesthetic and the setup process overall, there's absolutely nothing to complain about, unless you're after a super-small webcam. It feels like a quality bit of kit as soon as you take it out of the box – and the case and the cables feel premium too – and it can't get much easier in terms of initial configuration than plugging it in and then loading up a video calling app.

Obsbot Tiny 4K review: specs and performance

As the name gives away, the Obsbot Tiny 4K offers a glorious 3840 x 2160 picture resolution, and it can record 4K video at 30 frames per second as well. You get an 86-degree field of view, plus 4x digital zoom that works very nicely, and on the audio side there are built-in dual omni-directional mics with integrated noise reduction. It's an impressive package on paper, and one that you'll struggle to better.

We're pleased to report that it works great in practice as well: the audio and the video captured by this webcam looks top notch. We tested it with a variety of different calling apps, and it operated flawlessly every time. There's also a privacy mode available: when you're not using it, just point the camera down so it faces the base of the unit, and you don't have to worry about being seen when you don't want to be.

Then you get the bonus features. The webcam can track you around the room automatically, and if you're stood up and not at your keyboard then you can control both the tracking and the zoom using hand gestures. All this is handled through the Obsbot app, so you can use these features in any video calling app you like – and in the time we spent with the webcam the face and body tracking worked really well. It is a little slow, but you don't want your fellow video conference attendees getting motion sickness after all.

Dig deeper into the supplied software and there's an HDR (high dynamic range) mode as well as numerous tweaks that can be applied to the picture (contrast, saturation, sharpness and so on). We didn't find the HDR mode made all that much difference, but of course it depends on the environment and the lighting that you're recording in. We'd rather have these settings available than not have them, but we're guessing a lot of people won't use them much – they can be easily hidden if needed.

Obsbot Tiny 4K review: verdict

The Obsbot Tiny 4K is a great webcam – it offers brilliant video and audio, it's packed with features, and it works with both Windows and macOS. All the features that webcams have been gaining in recent times – including being able to automatically track you as you move and image optimisation – are included here, and they all work as advertised. You can get it integrated seamlessly with your favourite video calling app in seconds, too.

Perhaps the biggest case against the Obsbot Tiny 4K is that it costs a significant amount of money. A lot of people won't need all of these features and functions, and won't want to pay this much for a webcam – so if you're perfectly happy with the 720p webcam that's built into your laptop, for example, then this might seem like a lot of extra cash for something a step beyond your requirements.

But if you spend a lot of time on video calls – in particular for work or for your own business – and you have enough to get the best device there is, then the Osbot Tiny 4K is absolutely up there as a contender.

Also consider

Take a peek at our list of the best webcams you can buy and you'll see there are plenty of other options out there. The Trust Teza will give you your 4K video resolution, and it's significantly cheaper than the Obsbot, but you don't get all of the fancy extras such as automatic face tracking and the image customisation options. 

Razer hardware can always be relied upon, and the Razer Kiyo Pro provides many customisation and configuration options for your video feed and multiple mounting options. There is a HDR mode available here, as with the Obsbot, but the resolution only goes up to 1080p rather than 4K – and you don't get the benefit of the automatic face tracking either.

Dell has revamped its entire XPS line-up this year with some impressive specs on the XPS 15 and 17 and next-level looks on the XPS Plus. But it wasn't finished there. Today it announced a new thinner and lighter XPS 13 and an XPS 2-in-1 that will give the tablet-with-removable-keyboard market something to aim at. 

While the Dell XPS 13 Plus is a beautiful-looking machine, the XPS 2-in-1 offers the most portable XPS proposition without sacrificing performance. Unlike previous Dell XPS 2-in-1 models, this hybrid is more tablet, coming with an optional folio keyboard and stand and is compatible with a custom stylus. 

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (9315 2n1) has Wi-Fi 6E and optional 5G connectivity for data on the move. It comes with a choice of i5 or 17 12th generation Intel processors, up to 16GB RAM and up to 1TB storage. Despite its tablet styling, it has a 13-inch 3k (2880x1920) touchscreen display, with 500-nits brightness and featuring DisplayHDR 400. 

The new XPS 13 (9315) is thinner and lighter than previous models. This has been achieved by halving the size of the motherboard and creating a larger flatter battery. The 9315 actually uses technology from cell phones to ensure the smallest components. 

Despite this size reduction, it still offers 12th generation Intel Core processors (either i5 or i7), up to 32GB RAM and up to 2x 1TB storage. There's a choice of display, including both touch and non-touch FHD+ (1920x1080) models and a 4K UHD+ (3840x2400) touch model with 500-nit brightness. The XPs 13 also comes in both platinum and graphite finishes. 

The new XPS 13 (9315) is available in the US and Canada now, priced from $999 (UK and Australian prices and availability to follow). The XPS 13 2-in-1 will be available in the summer with pricing still to be confirmed. 

Google has announced an update to Chromebooks that is good news for anyone trying to make sense of the confusing USB-C cable landscape. 

"We’ve all been there before," says Google. "You try to use a spare USB-C cable to connect a docking station or monitor to your laptop and it just doesn’t seem to work. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have a faulty cable." 

The company is right. While USB-C offers a lot of innovations and will likely become the I/O cable over the coming years, getting the right cable is a minefield, especially if you want to do something "pro" like run multiple monitors. 

Google has a plan if you use a Chromebook though: a notification that explicitly tells you if the USB-C cable isn't up to the task at hand once you've plugged it in. It's available on 'eligible' Chromebooks to begin with. 

Which means what exactly? Google says Chromebooks running 11th or 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs with USB 4 or Thunderbolt capability will be part of this upgrade. The company plans to expand to others at some point in the future, too.

USB-Confusing 

Unlike USB-A cables, USB-C cables come in all shapes and sizes, with a huge variety of functions and abilities. Charging and data speeds can vary across cables, for example. 

How fractured the market is happens to be one of the reasons that Apple got a decent amount of stick for selling a Thunderbolt 4 cable for $150, despite the cable being a unique product that can carry huge amounts of data over two metres. 

Microsoft and Apple would do well to look at Google's example and try to build in features that demystify our new-age connection cables. And with major events forthcoming, such as WWDC 2022, who knows, maybe competitors will also get in on the USB-C speed-alert act. We sure do hope so, as it's a great idea.

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To cut right to the chase of this Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse review, if you want the best mouse for all-day comfort then this is it. 

Designing your home office shouldn’t just be about what looks good, or even what works well, it should also be about staying as comfortable as possible throughout the whole day. The Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse aims to do all three, it may not look much like a conventional computer mouse, but it’s a lot more comfortable. It's the best vertical mouse for small to medium-sized hands. 

In this Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse review, you’ll be able to find out everything you need to know about it, from its price and features to more on its design, setup and performance. 

Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse review: price and availability 

Available to buy right now, the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse will set you back $70 in the US and £70 in the UK, while it's AU$130 in Australia. Take a look at the widgets on this page to see the best deals on it in your region right now and our Logitech discount codes page to help lower the cost.

Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse review: design 

With a raised design, a soft textured rubber grip and a curved thumb rest, the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse is all about comfort. Measuring 71 x 70 x 108mm and weighing 125g, it was built for small to medium-sized hands so will be a good size and shape for women in particular, but it’s likely to feel comfortable for anyone who suffers from wrist discomfort at the end of a long day. 

For those with large hands, the Logitech MX Vertical will be the better choice, it’s basically a bigger version of this. 

Sitting between your thumb and finger, the mouse encourages you to grip it in a relaxed handshake position. When you use it, your hand is upright as opposed to facing down towards your desk, the edge of your thumb is lifted slightly off the table taking the pressure off your wrist and the smooth curves do a great job of letting your hand sit completely naturally. 

My index and middle fingers grip the mouse on its side directly over the left and right clicks with the scroll wheel between them positioned perfectly parallel to where the tip of my fingers start. Below it, there’s the middle button, and just above my thumb lay the chunkier forward and backwards buttons. 

Honestly I was surprised by just how comfortable the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse was, and it made me realise just how uncomfortable standard computer mice actually are. Going between that one day and my usual mouse the next, the difference became more and more obvious. 

My only issues with the design were that while Logitech has clearly put a lot of effort into making this look as good as possible, with the option to buy it in Graphite, Off-White and Rose, it was still was a bit of an eye sore on my desk at home. I’d much prefer to use this when I am in the office. The other issue I found was that when I went to use the forward button I often accidentally clicked the left mouse button at the same time because of how the grip works. 

Left-handed? You can buy a version of the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse designed just for you. 

Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse review: features and performance 

Setting up the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse couldn’t be easier. When you turn it on, as long as Bluetooth is switched on, your computer should automatically detect it and prompt you to connect. Or, if you’d rather the mouse comes with a secure Logi Bolt USB Receiver as well. 

With a 10m wireless range you’ll be able to use this in all sorts of ways and rooms, and you can hook it up to three different devices at once switching between them using the little button on the underside of the mouse. You can see which device you’re connected to using the three tiny LEDs placed above the button. 

Featuring a completely silent magnetic SmartWheel and very soft quiet clicks, this isn’t a mouse that will be distracting to other people around you. 

I found the scroll wheel to be very precise, allow you to navigate down a page in small increments if you need to, or it can skip through pages very quickly when you’re in more of a hurry. 

Another reason I enjoyed using this mouse is because of smoothly it glides across my desk, and I didn’t even need a mousemat to make it feel comfortable. 

Logi Options+ is the adjoining computer software for the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse, it’s available for macOS 10.15 or later and Windows 10 or later. You can use it to assign new controls the buttons, and even to make the settings program-specific like if you wanted to use the middle button as to mute your microphone on Skype and then to skip backwards through pages on the web. Through the app, you can also customise the DPI and see the battery percentage. 

If you want to conserve battery, there’s a little on/off switch on the bottom of the mouse, but the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse should last you about 2 years of use with just one AA battery to power it. 

Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse review: verdict  

As you might have guessed, I was very impressed with the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse and completely understand the need for it now, even though I didn’t before I started using it. 

I might not be so keen on how it looks but I can see that Logitech has tried hard to make it look as nice as possible while maintaining the sensible ergonomic design.

Unlike a lot of conventional computer mice, my hand sat comfortably on the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse all day every day without causing me any discomfort in my wrists at all. I also liked that it’s completely silent to use and that you can hook it up to three devices at once. 

Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse review: also consider  

If you like the sound of the extra features more than the ergonomic design, you might be better off buying the Logitech MX Anywhere 3. It’s shaped more like you’d expect and it’s tiny so you can take it in your laptop bag with you.

Are you a gamer looking for a wireless mouse? The Roccat Kone Pro Air is the best gaming mouse you can buy without a wire. Thanks to its honeycomb design it’s super lightweight and has really cool RGBs. 

I love my iPad, and I love my MacBook Pro. Wouldn't it be great if they were the same device? Well, funnily enough, that's something Apple appears to be at least considering.

Thanks to Patently Apple, we can see some of Apple's bright ideas for blurring the lines between tablets and laptops. In a new patent granted this week, Apple has described a hinged keyboard mechanism that would effectively turn an iPad into a MacBook Pro instead of just attaching a portable keyboard to it.

I know the idea of bringing Macs and iPads together has been dismissed by Apple, but with universal apps, iCloud and Universal Control the specific hardware is feeling less and less important – particularly now that the same kind of Apple Silicon is in both Macs and iPads. So this patent is a fascinating glimpse of where Apple might be headed in the longer term.

One attachment, many modes

The design Apple describes in the patent is a base system with an electromechanical keyboard and a hinged coupler, which would attach to your iPad "in multiple different installation modes", so in addition to a laptop mode you would be able to reverse the display so your device remains usable when it's closed.

According to Apple the base potion may have "one or more input devices (e.g., keyboards, trackpads, touchscreen displays, and the like) for providing inputs to the tablet computing device" and may also have space for a magnetically connected and wireless charging Apple Pencil; it might also have a second display for additional output along the surface of the coupling mechanism. This might be an always-on display, "configured to maintain a static graphical output while in a powerless state", that could show battery life and notifications.

As ever, patents don't necessarily end up as products. But it's interesting to think about what such a device might be like, and whether at heart iPads and Macs could effectively be the same.

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I'm listening to the famous intro of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody but the vocals are coming straight from a keyboard. Every key that's hit produces a new word, following the tune. It's clearly machine made but it's also very impressive. 

This is the new Casiotone CT-S1000V keyboard with vocal synthesis. It's a function that allows the keyboard to take any song lyrics or phrases and turn them into song, matching either words or syllables to each note you play. The lyrics are entered using the Casio Lyric Creator app on your phone or tablet and then transferred to the CT-S1000V via USB. 

There are 22 vocal types to choose from ranging from Daft Punk-style robots to whispered voices and choirs. You can also change the sex and age of the vocal to fine-tune the voice to exactly how you want it. 

With a bit of preparation, you could get it to sing an entire song, or use it to provide a catchy riff for a composition. Casio tells me that the amount of lyrics you can put in is actually unlimited. This has all the power of a voice box, but inside a professional-level keyboard.

Of course, there's more to the Casiotone CT-S1000V than just vocals. This full-size 61-key device has 800 effects to cover a wide range of instruments, 243 built-in rhythms and 50 user-programmable rhythms. There are amp simulators and DSP effects to tweak and you can also sample up to 10 seconds of audio to create more effects and drum beats. There's also an onboard MIDI recorder and the ability to connect up to MIDI software on a computer or mobile device.

For a music creator, the vocal synthesis that this keyboard provides opens up a huge amount of possibilities and saves bringing in extra vocalists to perform on your track. The Casiotone CT-S1000V is priced $449.99 in the US and available in the coming weeks. Global price and availability is still to be confirmed.

The new Rhodes MK8 marks the culmination of 76 years of development. This iconic instrument has an intriguing origin story, followed by a high profile in modern music. The new MK8 from the Rhodes Music Group takes that legacy and refines it, with higher quality materials and components and plenty of customisation options.

The Rhodes was the creation of American inventor, musician, and US Air Force serviceman Harold Rhodes. During WWII, Rhodes was charged with musical education, and his first piano was built for rehabilitating injured airmen. Designed to be compact so it could fit into a hospital ward or a classroom, it used parts salvaged from scrapped B-17 bombers. It was a great success, and Rhodes combined development of the piano with his acclaimed method of teaching for many decades.

From 1959 onwards, Rhodes collaborated with guitar maker Leo Fender to mass-produce and refine the keyboard. Their first product was the Fender Rhodes Piano Bass, the sound of which you can hear at the start of The Doors’ ‘Break on Through’. 

In 1965, the first full-sized Rhodes keyboard was released, the Fender Rhodes MK1, an instrument that produced one of the defining sounds of the pre-synth era. The Rhodes cropped up with clockwork regularity on some of the finest records of the 60s and 70s, in every genre, from Ray Charles to Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder to Miles Davis. You can see Billy Preston use the Fender Rhodes to glue the Beatles’ ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ together in Peter Jackson’s ‘Get Back’ documentary.

The Rhodes was immediately recognisable, a mix between a piano and an organ, with long sustain and a characteristic polyphonic blurring. The electro-mechanical design used hammers to strike a tuning-fork like tine, with the resulting vibrations received by an electro-magnetic pick-up, just like in an electric guitar.

The Rhodes had two things in its favour; a vast range of tones running from smooth, silvery and easy listening through to gritty and distorted, as well as being far more reliable and portable than other stage pianos. Stacked atop its bespoke suitcase amplifier, it was perfect for touring musicians.

Although it was beloved by artists, the Rhodes had to weather a shifting sea of corporate ownership, as Fender was bought by CBS, then the Rhodes name went briefly to Japanese synth giant Roland. In 1997, Harold Rhodes regained the rights, although he died in 2000 at the age of 89.

Now a new company, Rhodes Music Group Ltd, has brought the Rhodes into the modern age with the MK8. Hand-built by a small team in Leeds, UK, the MK8 combines all the qualities of the classic Rhodes with a total overhaul of every mechanical component. The new model is also fully customisable, with every panel and physical element available in several different colours and finishes, including a rather luxurious walnut. Manufacturing tolerances and finishes are far higher than at any point in the instrument’s lifespan, and the MK8 also comes with a suite of on-board analogue effects, including compressor, drive, chorus, phaser, and delay.

The MK8’s lines reference the simplicity of Harold Rhodes’s originals, in particular the MK1, but have been given a clean contemporary look by Axel Hartmann, a German synthesizer designer with products by Alesis, Moog, Arturia, and Roland to his credit. The Rhodes was a never particularly cheap machine and remains a sought-after second-hand buy.

The care and attention being put into the MK8 revival means this is retro-luxury at its finest, not a machine you’ll want to subject to the rigours of life on the road (unless you have a well-trained team of white-gloved roadies). Finally the Rhodes looks as good as it sounds.

The Rhodes MK8 is available from £8,154.

Find out more at RhodesMusic.com.

The Seagate One Touch SSD is likely to come to your attention if you're looking for one of the best external hard drives or the best SSDs, and it's not difficult to see why: it's very compact, it offers speedy transfer rates, and on top of that it's competitively priced too.

Which external drive is right for you is going to depend on a variety of factors, including how much storage you need, what exactly you're going to be doing with it, and how much you've got to spend – so you might want to weigh all of this up before doing any buying.

Whether you need one of the best external drives for Mac or one of the best external drives for any other purpose, with its high-level specs and speeds and compact design, the Seagate One Touch SSD could be the right pick for you. Read on for our full review.

Seagate One Touch SSD review: design and setup

There are only so many ways you can dress up a portable hard drive, but Seagate manages to make the One Touch SSD look reasonably sleek and stylish. Our review unit came in a bright silver-coloured casing, but you can also pick it up with a black or blue exterior if you prefer. It's also very small, small enough to fit inside your hand – it's like several credit cards stacked up on top of each other.

The official dimensions of the Seagate One Touch SSD are 2.76 inches x 1.97 inches x 0.42 inches, which works out as 70 mm x 50 mm x 11 mm. It's also incredibly light, tipping the scales at a mere 0.1 pounds or 45 grams. It's no exaggeration to say that this is a portable hard drive that you could slip in your pocket and barely notice it was there.

Also in the box are two USB cables – a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable. Both of them are very short, perhaps to go with the ultra-compact size of the drive itself, but you can of course buy a longer one if you need it. One end of the cable plugs into your SSD drive, the other end of the connection goes into your device of choice, and a small white LED light indicates when the drive is successfully linked.

You can start using the drive straight away as soon as it's connected, but Seagate also provides its own software for backup purposes if you need it – it's not the most advanced file transfer application you're ever going to come across, but it's handy to have it included if you're not already using something else for automatic backups.

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Seagate One Touch SSD review: specs and performance

The key spec of the Seagate One Touch SSD is of course the storage, and you can buy this drive with 500GB, 1TB or 2TB of room, with the price going up accordingly (our review unit offered 1TB of space, by the way). Which one is best for you will of course depend on how much data you've got to store, but we think 2TB of storage space is going to be ample for most users in the market for a drive like this.

Another feature that's important to note is support for Windows, macOS and even Android devices, and using the drive is very straightforward on all three platforms. The drive will work with all modern backup software solutions, or you can make use of Seagate's software – or you can just copy files over using File Explorer on Windows or Finder on macOS. If you're making a list of the pros of the Seagate One Touch SSD, then versatility has to be somewhere on it.

Seagate promises a maximum transfer speed of up to 1,030 MB/s, though when you're actually using the drive it's unlikely that you'll see speeds like that. We were able to shift around 10GB of data over from a MacBook Pro to the external drive in around 12 seconds, which gives you an idea of how fast the solid-state drive actually works. You won't be waiting around long to shift substantial amounts of data.

It's worth noting that the very latest  USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard is supported here, which means it should outpace many other older drives – assuming the computer or phone you're using also supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 as well. If you're upgrading from an older USB standard then you're definitely going to notice the difference when it comes to moving files around, especially if you've got a lot of them.

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Seagate One Touch SSD review: price and verdict

There are a lot of good reasons to choose the Seagate One Touch SSD as your next portable hard drive: it's speedy in operation, it's simple to set up and use, it works with a lot of different devices, and it's small enough to fit in your pocket even with the cable attached (not something you can say about many external hard drives). The price is reasonable too – check the widgets on this page for the latest online deals.

External hard drives come in all shapes and sizes to fit a variety of needs. If you need a significant chunk of storage (say 4TB or more) then you might be better going with a more traditional, mechanical HDD drive for your next upgrade. You can also consider the best NAS drives – storage that attaches to your home internet network rather than one individual device, so you can get at it everywhere from any platform (and even from the other side of the world if you need to).

These storage options with more capacity also need more power, however. One of the key reasons to go for the Seagate One Touch SSD is that it's powered by its USB connection, so you don't need a separate cable or adapter for hooking it up to the mains. It's a perfect external hard drive if you need something you can take on the go with you or that will be moved between computers regularly.

Of course we can't vouch for the longevity of the drive after only spending a few days with it, but Seagate knows what it's doing when it comes to digital storage – you can be confident that the One Touch SSD is going to serve you well for as long as you need it to. It just might be the best portable external drive for you at the moment, depending on the price you can find it for and how other models compare in terms of cost.

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There's no doubt that the last two years have changed the way we work. Working from home has gone from being a luxury to the norm and video conferencing is just a part of life. 

Dell hasn't let this go unnoticed and at a press event in New York last week revealed some of its concepts designed to make home and hybrid working easier. These aren't finished products, merely solutions to problems but hopefully, some of this technology will eventually make its way on to final products in the future. 

The one that really impressed me is Dell's Concept Pari. This is a web camera concept that initially sits above the monitor like a mini version of Dell's UltraSharp Webcam. The device wirelessly connects to the computer and so can be removed from the dock and placed on a stand for top-down product demonstrations or held. The really clever part though is that is can also be placed anywhere on the monitor screen to give a more natural eye line when video calling. 

Unfortunately, this requires a special monitor to allow the camera to be placed on the screen at this time but the concept is really impressive. We've all got used to the fact that you don't get proper eye contact in video calls due to people looking down at their screens rather than directly at the camera. This solves that problem and makes the call feel much more natural. 

Concept Flow is a system designed for hybrid working, allowing you to quickly connect your laptop to your static monitor, keyboard and mouse. It uses wireless charging so that when the laptop is placed on a certain point on the desk it automatically starts to charge and connects to your accessories without the need for wires. 

There's also proximity sensors that turn on and off the monitor when you arrive and when you leave the desk. It's definitely a sleeker alternative to having to connect and disconnect a load of wires each time. 

The final concept of the three is Stanza. This is a form of tablet but with a more natural notepad feel, with a natural writing experience when combined with a pen. You can also use the pen to take audio notes which are then converted to text on the screen. Content can be dragged and dropped between the Stanza tablet and a nearby PC and it can even be used as a second screen when working away from home. 

It's an interesting look at how Dell is solving problems and is certainly a hint at the direction it is taking some of its products. Dell also revealed a concept for a sustainable PC design that allowed parts to be easily replaced and broken down for better recycling. I can't wait to see what it has in store in 2022. 

When it comes to picking out the best wireless chargers for iPhone, you're likely to have the official Apple MagSafe Charger somewhere on your shortlist: it is after all the officially sanctioned choice, so you know it's going to work seamlessly with your Apple phone.

Here we'll help you decide whether or not the Apple MagSafe Charger is the best iPhone wireless charger for your needs. We'll cover key specs like the charging speed, and tell you everything else you need to know about it too – including the all-important retail price.

Like all of the other buying guides that we've put together here at T3 – covering everything from the best wireless chargers to the best smartphones, you can rely on us for honesty and accuracy. Read on to see if the Apple MagSafe Charger is a device you should get.

Should I buy the Apple MagSafe Charger?

As the name suggests, this is a MagSafe charger – that means it utilises the MagSafe magnetic charging technology that Apple debuted in 2020, and which comes embedded in all of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models. This will charge any iPhone that supports wireless charging, but only the iPhone 12 or later will get the top speeds (there are still plenty of other wireless chargers out there to pick from).

With that out of the way, there's no doubt that this is one of the better wireless chargers out there for the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 (and it's likely that the iPhone 14 is going to stick with the same MagSafe technology too, so it's reasonably future-proof). For most people, we're happy to recommend it, even if you're going to find charging devices on the market offering more features and perhaps more value.

If the Apple MagSafe Charger meets your needs and your budget, there's really no reason not to buy it. Something to bear in mind is that MagSafe charging technology can work through cases, but they need to be cases that have been specifically designed to be MagSafe compatible – so it's worth double-checking that, if you do have a case on your iPhone, before buying this.

What are the specs of the Apple MagSafe Charger?

Wireless charging mats don't have many specs, which makes choosing between them a little easier. The key spec as far as the Apple MagSafe Charger is concerned is that it can charge up your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 at 15W – pretty speedy as far as wireless charging goes, but not as speedy as plugging in a Lightning cable and connecting your iPhone to mains power directly (this will give you charging speeds of 20-23W).

It's MagSafe compatible of course, as we've already mentioned, but it can charge older iPhones from the iPhone 8 onwards, just at slower speeds. If you're wondering if this is going to fit easily on your desk or wherever you're putting it, you should know that the circular pad measures ‎82 mm x 82 mm x 18 mm (that's 3.24 inches x 3.24 inches x 0.72 inches if you prefer).

As for the weight, if you need to know it, it's 45 grams or 1.6 ounces – it's a very compact and lightweight device that's not going to take up much room on your desk or in a bag. Thanks to that small size and lightness, it's suitable for taking on the road with you if you need a wireless charger that's going to serve you well on your travels (all you need is a USB port or mains adapter to power the pad from).

What are the best features of the Apple MagSafe Charger?

It's worth recapping just exactly what MagSafe is and how it works, because it is such a key feature of this particular wireless charger. It combines wireless charging with magnets, and the key benefits over standard wireless charging are the faster speeds (relative to other Apple products) and the easy alignment and attachment enabled by the magnetic fixtures inside both phone and charger.

That's why you'll see MagSafe chargers that can have your iPhone looking like it's floating in mid-air: it's the magnets that are holding it in place. It's more than a fancy trick though, because it means the wireless charging connection can be properly established and running at the maximum speed to get your iPhone battery juiced up as fast as possible.

And this is a product made by Apple, of course: from iPads to Macs, the Apple brand comes with a certain amount of heft with it. You're guaranteed something that's been well put together and that's going to last you, and that counts for something when you're weighing it up against other wireless chargers (which may be slightly cheaper).

What else do I need to know about the Apple MagSafe Charger?

As we've just mentioned, you are going to be able to find wireless iPhone chargers that are cheaper than the Apple MagSafe Charger, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're going to be better suited to you. Check the widgets embedded on this page for the latest prices and deals online, but at the time of writing the Apple MagSafe Charger is available for £39 / $39 direct from the Apple website.

It's worth noting that you don't get a mains adapter plug included with that, and if you want to buy one from Apple then that'll set you back another £19 / $19. You do get a USB-C cable included with the MagSafe charger, so you can use an existing mains adapter if you've already got one, or you can connect the pad up to a spare USB-C port on a laptop or desktop computer to power it.

The included cable is a metre long (that's about 40 inches) so you get plenty of flexibility when it comes to positioning this. Once it's set up, you simply place your iPhone down on the Apple MagSafe Charger face up, and charging begins. By the way, this will also charge up your AirPods as well, if they're in a wireless charging case – you just pop them down on the charging pad as you would do with your iPhone.

What are the alternatives to the Apple MagSafe Charger?

If you haven't already, take a peek at our best wireless iPhone chargers guide, which will give you an idea of the strong competition that the Apple MagSafe Charger faces when it comes to devices for juicing up your iPhone. Whether you want the MagSafe compatibility or not, there are quite a few alternatives worth checking out.

For now we'd like to highlight the Belkin BoostCharge Pro: it too comes with MagSafe support, and in this case you'll need a MagSafe-compatible iPhone to use with it, otherwise your handset won't be able to attach to the charger. As an added bonus you can charge up your Apple Watch and your AirPods at the same time.

Another product we'd recommend at least considering is the MagSafe Duo Charger, which again is made by Apple – you can buy it direct for £129 / $129 if it appeals. That's significantly more in terms of price, but you do get two charging pads instead of one: it gives you the option of charging your iPhone and your Apple Watch alongside each other, and it folds up neatly if you need to pack it away (you still don't get a mains adapter included in the box though).

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The G-Technology ArmorLock SSD is likely to catch the eye of anyone looking for one of the best SSDs or the best external hard drives at the moment: it wraps 2TB of super-fast solid-state drive storage in a chunky protective shell to guard against damage and drops.

Not only that, but it comes with an accompanying mobile app for Android and iOS that lets you manage access to the drive, erase its contents, and more besides. It's the perfect choice if you want to minimise the chances of anyone else getting hold of your files.

This is also a strong contender for one of the best external drives for Mac at the moment, showing just how impressive and versatile it is. Read on and we'll explain everything you need to know about this portable SSD, from the setup process to the transfer speeds.

G-Technology ArmorLock SSD review: design and setup

As soon as you unbox the G-Technology ArmorLock SSD, you can tell this is a portable USB drive with a little extra something about it: it's clad in thick plastic, and has the appearance of a professional drive you might see in the office of an important government intelligence agency. At 134.37 mm x 81.53 mm x 18.54 mm (5.29 inches x 3.21 inches x 0.73 inches), it won't fit in your pocket, though you can easily hold it in one hand. We don't have an official weight, but it feels nice and light in the hand.

All that extra cladding comes with benefits. The drive is able to survive drops of up to 3 metres (nearly 10 feet) on to a "carpeted concrete floor" should it fall out of your bag or off the edge of a table, while it also comes with IP67 dust and water resistance (so it can survive in a reasonably shallow pool of water for up to 30 minutes). It also comes with 1,000-pound crush resistance, apparently, so you're covered for most accidental mishaps.

You're not going to have any problems setting up the G-Technology ArmorLock SSD: just plug it into a Windows or a Mac computer to get started. You get both USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables included with the drive – albeit rather short ones – so you can connect it up to any laptop without buying anything extra. It's all USB powered too, so there's no need for an extra power brick or a connection to the mains.

In order to move data to and from the G-Technology ArmorLock SSD, you need one of the mobile or desktop apps that Western Digital provides. We'll get into the details of it below, but essentially it means that if your phone is protected by a fingerprint sensor login, then so is this portable SSD drive. You don't need any special technical knowledge to set all of this up – you just install the mobile app, scan the QR code on the drive, and follow the instructions. The app handles firmware updates as well.

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G-Technology ArmorLock SSD review: specs and performance

The first key spec is the 2TB of storage, which is the only storage configuration option available on this particular drive. When it comes to performance meanwhile, Western Digital promises you can get up to 1,000MB/s read and 1,000MB/s write speeds from the G-Technology ArmorLock SSD (it supports up to USB 3.2 Gen 2 over USB-C), and there's special heat management here (helped by an aluminium core) that means those speeds shouldn't be affected by the drive overheating. 

To give you an idea of how that works in the real world, we were able to transfer around 5GB of data to the drive from a 2018 MacBook Pro (supporting USB 3.1 Gen) in around five seconds. The same bundle of files was transferred from a 2021 Windows laptop (with USB 3.1 Gen 1) in roughly 8.5 seconds. This is a drive that you're not going to have to worry about from a performance perspective, and even substantial amounts of data are going to shift over very speedily.

We've mentioned the durability and the robustness of the drive design, and it comes with a stack of security features on the software side too. It comes with 256-bit AES-XTS encryption, and access can be controlled through the accompanying Android, iOS or macOS app – the drive will work with Windows, but you need to run the ArmorLock app on another platform to manage and unlock the drive. If someone else needs temporary or permanent access to the drive, you can manage this too.

What's more, if you lose the drive, you can see where your phone was last connected to it. These are some advanced-level security features, and they work very well in practice, but this all comes with an extra cost attached. If you're not taking your drive out into the great outdoors, or you're not carrying around government secrets on the device, then you might not consider the extra expense to be worth it. If security is a priority on the other hand, then this won't disappoint.

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G-Technology ArmorLock SSD review: price and verdict

The G-Technology ArmorLock SSD absolutely impressed us in just about every aspect of its operation, from its transfer speeds to the ease with which we were able to manage the drive with the AmorLock app. From both the hardware and the software perspectives, this drive is going to keep your data safer and more private than almost anything else – oh and it comes with a five year warranty too.

Performance is towards the high end, with support for the latest and greatest NVMe and USB 3.2 Gen 2 standards. While there are certainly external USB drives that will hit higher benchmark scores than this, you won't be waiting around for too long for your files to transfer in either direction. It'll work across Windows and macOS computers, and it can be controlled using the ArmorLock apps for Android, iOS and macOS, so it's a versatile and flexible piece of hardware too.

Where the G-Technology ArmorLock SSD really shines is in the extra physical protection built around the drive, and the wealth of security-related features you can get at through the ArmorLock app. Being able to manage the devices and the users who can access the disk data is perfect for everything from a top-secret work project to that as-yet-unreleased screenplay that you've been working on.

We do have a few minor complaints – a native app for Windows would be nice, for example – but there's nothing major. All we would say is that you need to be sure that you're going to use the extra security and disk management tools on offer here, because it's definitely more expensive than the average external SSD drive of this capacity. Check the widgets on this page for the latest pricing on the web, but at the time of writing we're seeing it for sale for around £350 / $400 online.

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