Cougar Omnes Essential headset review: not the prettiest but pretty great for the price

Cougar Omnes Essential: One-minute review

The Cougar Omnes Essential is Cougar’s latest wireless gaming headset. Cougar is a trusted name when it comes to gaming, and we have previously vouched for its Mars gaming desk. The gaming headset is a pretty modest-looking release that offers just what’s necessary. It promises a lag-free connection, immersive sound, and immense comfort.

The Omnes Essential is available in the US and Australia and costs $99.99 (AU$149). It is compatible with PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox and sports a detachable noise-canceling mic.

For its relatively inexpensive price, you get exactly what you’re paying for in the Omnes Essential headset. You get a 20-hour battery life (12 hours with RGB lighting on), pretty decent sound, great sound imaging, and a set of fairly intuitive controls.

Just don’t expect a very flashy headset with aesthetic appeal. The Cougar Omnes Essential is pretty bland in terms of looks. On the plus side, it is extremely comfortable and feels like a feather on your head. Its mic is recommendable as it delivers sound impressively fast and clear.

Cougar Omnes Essential: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? $99.99 (AU$149)
• Where is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US and Australia

Cougar Omnes Essential: SPECS

Interface: Wireless
Platforms: PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox
Mic: Detachable noise-canceling mic
Surround sound: Compatible with Windows Sonic
Weight: 0.8lbs (403g)

The Cougar Omnes Essential costs $99.99 (AU$149) and is available in the US and Australia. It is currently unavailable in the UK. It looks and feels like a $99 headset offering exactly what you might expect for its relatively budget-friendly price.

The headset offers wide compatibility, cool RGB lighting, and an incredibly comfortable fit. In terms of controls, it’s pretty intuitive and straightforward. Its sound profile is fairly balanced with the highs particularly standing out. Lastly, it’s got a pretty impressive mic that delivers sound clearly and lag-free.

Cougar’s latest wireless headset costs the same as the Corsair HS55 Wireless Core, one of our picks for the best PC gaming headsets. It sports a lightweight design and a brilliant 24-hour battery life. Corsair’s HS80 RGB USB is another great option to consider. Costing the same price as the Omnes Essential, this headset delivers excellent sound quality and a comfortable and sturdy design.

If you’re looking for something mid to high-end, the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is worth considering. It costs $199 (about £179 / AU$280) and features a stutter-free connection, an incredible battery life, and great audio reproduction.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Dua Rashid)

Cougar Omnes Essential: Design

• Sufficiently generous with accessories
• Underwhelming aesthetics except for the RGB lighting
• Very comfortable and lightweight

For its price, the Cougar Omnes Essential comes with a sufficiently generous set of accessories. Cougar didn’t go overboard with the accessories. Nor did they skimp on them. They’re exactly what you’d expect would come with a headset at this price point. You get a 3.5mm to 3.5mm connector, a Type-C to Type-A charging cable, a detachable mic with a 3.5mm jack, and a 2.4GHz USB dongle apart from some necessary paperwork.

The 3.5mm cable is made of woven nylon,looking and feeling premium. It is also sufficiently long, thus ensuring that you’re not uncomfortably tethered to your gaming desk. Though the Omnes Essential is a wireless headset, the connector offers a wired connection for when it runs out of juice and as an alternate option for a completely stutter-free experience. 

Made of rubber, the mic offers complete flexibility to be adjusted according to the user’s ergonomic preferences. What’s better is that it is detachable, which means it allows you to use the headset for purposes other than gaming. 

In terms of looks, the Omnes Essential is a bit clunky. We’re not sure if it’s the cheap metal used, the unexciting design, or the overall bulky aesthetic, but we’re fans of how it looked and felt in our hands. It makes use of a generous amount of metal in its body, and more often than not, metal is used as an ingredient to make peripherals look premium. However, the metal on this didn’t do its job well. It doesn’t exude sophistication or class; instead, it looks and feels rather cheap. 

(Image credit: Future / Dua Rashid)

The rubber extenders and the metal headband look like they’ve been lazily added to the body of the headset without much thought put into them. The overall concept is quite dull. One slightly exciting feature we can point to is the RGB lighting on the cans. The brand name emblazoned on the exterior of both the earcups lights up in RGB colors when the headset is in use.

Ergonomics-wise, the Omnes Essential is excellent. We were shocked when we first donned it. It’s immensely comfortable along with being incredibly lightweight. Considering how bulky it looks, it’s surprising that you barely feel anything when it’s sitting on the top of your head. The memory foam headband under the metal one provides a thick layer of cushioning that doesn’t feel too sharp on your noggin. Another feature we like about the headband is that it’s broad enough to distribute the force applied to it on a larger surface area, hence applying less pressure on your head.

The earcups also offer extremely thick padding and enough space inside to make sure your cartilage doesn’t touch the interior of the cups. The multi-axis adjustment on the Omnes Essential ensures that the cups move not just vertically but horizontally as well. They are capable of being rotated all the way to lie flat around your neck when the headset is not in use. The rubber extenders may look, as mentioned previously, lazily put together, but functionality-wise, they’re great at cups move vertically. 

Apart from delivering comfort, the thick earcup padding also makes sure to provide an impressive level of passive noise isolation. It didn’t mute every ambient sound but quietened them to a good degree.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Dua Rashid)

Cougar Omnes Essential: Performance

• Intuitive and responsive controls
• Pretty balanced sound profile with impressive highs
• A mic that delivers sound quickly and clearly

Most of Omnes Essential’s controls are found on its left earcup. There’s a switch to control RGB lighting, a tactile volume wheel, and a microphone switch that mutes or unmutes the mic. The three controls are followed by two 3.5mm ports: one for the connector and the other for the mic. So, you can say that there is a lot going on with the left earcup. 

However, the controls are designed and laid out intuitively so that they don’t get confusing. During testing, we barely came across any missteps. The two switches are separated by the volume wheel, and our fingers learned that pretty quickly.

The controls are responsive and fast in addition to being intuitive. The mic switch immediately sends a signal to the LED on the mic that lights up when the user has muted themselves. It’s great to be able to quickly check your mute/unmute status on your mic and not have to wonder why your teammates can’t hear you yelling at them in the middle of an intense FPS game. However, the Omnes Essential only allows you to mute yourself when you’re in wireless mode. We know, it doesn’t make sense to us either. The right earcup sports just the power button and the charging port. Holding the button for three seconds powers the headset on or off.

The Omnes Essential headset sounds pretty good. We won’t say that its sound is among the best we’ve heard on a gaming headset, but it’s pretty good for its price. The treble is punchier than the bass, which means your gunshots will sound pretty dramatic but the sound of explosions may not match that energy. 

This isn’t to say that the bass is unpleasant. It just wasn’t the kind of intense bass you feel in your chest and throat. The highs, on the other hand, stands out. They dominate the sound space and retained that punch throughout. The mids are pretty balanced and detailed. They have space and presence to them.

Overall, the soundstage has enough space to let each element shine. It doesn’t sound clustered at any point. Playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on this headset is a pleasurable experience. The sound of footsteps, gunshots, and speech all have their own layer in the orchestra and don’t overlap one another. 

Another feature that made the game enjoyable is the directional sound. Constantly moving between the left and the right earcup, the sound will help you fully immerse in the game environment.

Cougar’s latest headset has definitely hit the home run with its excellent mic. The sound is picked up and delivered fairly fast. The mic also considerably cancels ambient noise and only transfers what’s necessary. Some headsets tend to make your voice sound extra tinny or give it a reverb effect. Thankfully, the Omnes Essential steered clear of both of these issues.

Cougar promises a 20-hour battery life on the Omnes Essential with RGB off and 12 hours when it’s on. The ultimate results depend on your volume, of course. But these aren’t bad as they are, especially considering the fact that you can switch to a wired connection even if the battery dies. Not being able to mute yourself would be the only drawback of that, apart from, of course, being tethered to your gaming PC.

• Performance: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Cougar Omnes Essential?

(Image credit: Future / Dua Rashid)

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Cougar Omnes Essential: Report card

• First reviewed December 2022

How we test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

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Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB review

Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB: Two minute review

With the advent of faster USB standards and flash drives, external storage is incredibly popular, even if it can cost plenty to purchase larger capacity drives.

The Silicon Power A85 is a simple yet effective design that uses an extruded aluminium tube, capped at both ends in plastic to hold a 2.5-inch hard drive and protect it from the elements.

For those with a long memory, we first reviewed it in 2017 here, and remarked on its robust nature.

This construction makes it remarkably resistant to shock damage and the ingress of dust and water that meet IP68 (but not IP69) standards.

A caveat to that protection is that if the A85 is correctly sealed, the most likely point of access for dust and water is the Type-A USB port, covered with a rubber plug when not in use. Therefore for it to have full protection, the cable must be removed, and the plug inserted.

Silicon Power doesn’t provide a carry bag or pouch for the drive and cable, so the cable will be floating around with a heavy drive in whatever holder you decide to put it.

And that cable is an issue because ones with a USB-A connector on both ends aren’t standard, and should it become damaged, replacing it would be problematic.

There is no USB-C adapter included, so those with those ports aren’t supported out of the box.

The final weakness of this design is that it uses a conventional hard drive that is more likely to fail if it is dropped than a solid-state mechanism, uses more power and has slow performance for both reading and writing.

These points are, to a degree, balanced by the impressively low costs of now up to 5TB of capacity, which is only a fraction of what an SSD drive of that scale would cost.

As part of the support provided for this product, Silicon Power has an SP HDD Lock utility that allows the contents of the drive to be password protected, except we couldn’t make it recognise the drive.

We might be wrong, but even if it did work it doesn’t seem to use a hardware encryption feature of the drive but a software equivalent.

The limits of this type of security approach are that once the drive is modified by the utility, it can only be accessed by computers that have the utility installed. Because without it, you can’t enter the password.

A working alternative would be to use Microsoft’s BitLocker functionality, as this is inherent on Windows 10 and 11 at this time.

Overall, this is a low-cost solution ideal for those that want to carry a large amount of data around that aren’t concerned about read-and-write performance or proprietary cables.

With the cost of NAND Flash currently shrinking, it might not be very long before we see external SSDs with the same or greater capacities and better performance than the A85 offers. But today, this looks like an affordable choice.

Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB: Price and availability

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• How much does it cost? $163 / £160
• When is it out? It is available now
• Where can you get it? Can be found on Amazon.com, and other online retailers

Using Amazon as a potential source for the A85, it's generally available in most regions, but it is listed with 1TB, 2TB, 3TB and 4TB alongside the 5TB reviewed here. However, the smaller versions of the drive aren’t available, only the 5TB model.

The cost of around $165 seems reasonable, although Western Digital sells the 5TB version of this Elements external drive for closer to $100/£100. That option doesn’t offer the same crush, dust or water resistance as the A85, but it’s substantially cheaper.

The Seagate Portable drive is a similar cost for the 5TB option, probably revealing this is more about the cost of the raw drive than the enclosure.

At roughly the same price point, LaCie offers its Rugged Mini series, a design that includes both USB-C and Thunderbolt support, and AES hardware encryption but lacks waterproofing.

For those needing an equally tough option, ADATA has a 5TB HD710 design that includes those features and has an integrated cable design, all for around $10 less than the A85.

Overall, the price of the A85 isn’t high, but it’s not a bargain.

• Value: 3/ 5

Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB: Design

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• Brutalist design
• Non-standard cable
• Conventional HDD

The design of the A85 is somewhat brutalist and lacks any great finesse.

A metal tube with plastic ends might fit the robustness and resilience criteria, but it doesn’t imply that much thought went into its styling or aesthetics.

The only way this drive sits flat is on its end, and when placed in this orientation, the cable won’t easily stretch to the ports of a laptop, as it is only 30cm long.

Why it’s so short, this seems to defy logic, since the speed of this drive is low enough that it doesn’t need short cables to perform.

The side is magnetically held in place, so it comes away easily. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

That cable is also one of those USB aberrations where standards become non-standard, with a male USB-A connector on each end. It might adhere to some standards but getting a replacement that won’t damage the drive might prove challenging.

To achieve the quoted IP68 rating for dust and water protection, the A85 has a rubber plug that covers the USB-A female receptacle. Therefore, to have that level of security, the cable must be removed and the plug fully inserted.

Exactly how many times it would take before the connector or plug started to wear is difficult to say. But we’d be very surprised if owners of the A85 would be inclined to remove the cable and reseal it after every use on an ongoing basis.

Even if the cable is detached, if water gets to the cable, that might corrode that part and stop the drive from working.

What we didn’t determine was the origin of the mechanism inside, although the number of potential suspects building 2.5-inch 5TB mechanisms is a short list. Our guess is Toshiba, but it could so easily be another brand.

Whatever company made it, this is a no-frills 5TB mechanism without any NAND caching or other enhancements, and it doesn’t report having hardware encryption.

The simplicity of this design enables it to work with almost any system that has USB 2.0 or better ports, although the performance isn’t anything special.

• Design: 2 / 5

Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB: Features

• Robust enclosure
• 5TB of space
• Encryption tool doesn’t work

The features of a metal tube with a hard drive inside it aren’t obvious, though Silicon Power does make much of the physical abuse that the A85 can take without that being transferred to the drive inside.

It’s worth saying that, however it is enclosed, a conventional hard drive will never be as robust as a solid-state mechanism since it has moving parts that can break under high g-force loadings.

Equally, while IP68 ratings do provide some confidence that the A85 can withstand the environment, the water protection won’t protect the contents much beyond a metre or for any prolonged period at less depth.

The 5TB review hardware weighed 390g, including the cable, and won’t float, so dropping it into water deeper than 1m is probably fatal even if the cable is removed and the rubber plug is firmly in place.

As with many IP68 and IP69-rated devices, the protection that is afforded might avoid some unfortunate accidents or a generally dusty/wet environment, but there are practical limitations.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The other feature of this drive is that Silicon Power offers a utility that can be used to software encrypt the contents with a password. The SP HDD lock utility, V1.0.6.5, is a basic tool that hasn’t been updated since 2018. It uses a single password to access the contents, so is designed for one individual to use.

We’d love to tell you more, but when installed, it refused to recognise the A85 as a suitable drive ending that experiment abruptly.

If it had worked, the issue with using a tool like this one is that it assumes all machines the drive will be connected to have it installed and that they also use a version of Windows that it is compatible with. Better if similar technology is available using Microsoft BitLocker, which doesn’t need installing on current Windows platforms to work, and does work on this drive.

• Features: 2 / 5

Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB: Performance

CrystalDiskMark 8.0.4 Benchmark (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• Slow
• Lacks hardware encryption

If like this reviewer, you’ve been testing USB drives based on NVMe technology for the past few years, the performance of the A85 is poor.

That’s probably an unfair criticism since this uses a physical hard drive, but the speed of reading and writing compared with hybrid or NAND SSD technology is striking.

In our tests, the best speeds we achieved were using CrystalDiskMark 8.0.4., and it peaked at 124MB/s reading and 121MB/s writing.

For those who are curious, 121 megabytes is roughly 1/37,000ths of the 4.5TB that is on this drive. And, therefore if it could sustain 121MB/s, it would take around 10.2 hours to fill the drive.

For perspective on that speed, a good NVMe drive, like the Crucial X8 4TB, would move that amount of data in just over an hour, but it costs twice as much.

We tested it with several file transfer tools and benchmarks, but the results were consistently this low. By using a hybrid drive or some caching components in the USB interface, the performance of the drive could have been enhanced, but Silicon Power didn’t consider it to be worth the extra effort and expense that would involve.

(Image credit: Silicon Power)

• Performance: 2 / 5

It doesn’t seem obvious what market the A85 is best suited to appeal to five years after it first appeared, even with a 5TB option. It’s not stylish, fast or has any special features other than its tough and has an IP68 rating.

And, the price isn’t competitive enough, considering that G-Drive and LaCie are offering the same drive size at a similar price but with notably superior build quality.

This product represents a narrow window of opportunity before cheap large, capacity NAND drives arrive and wash away the economic arguments for smaller conventional hard drives.

But this era is closing, and it might be worth waiting for cheap 4TB NVMe drives that will arrive later this year and provide larger capacities but with the performance benefits of solid-state technology.

Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB: Report card

Should you buy a Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB?

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

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JBL Endurance Peak II review: almost the perfect workout headphones

JBL Endurance Peak II: One-minute review

The JBL Endurance Peak II are serious earbuds for serious workouts. They provide the fit and comfort that will get you through just about any exercise routine without having to adjust or mess with them. And, the sound quality with its big bass will keep your heart pumping to get through that last rep or the last 100 yards of a difficult run.

In essence, they do just enough right that most people in the market for the best running headphones or the best workout headphones will be happy with them. Of course, the JBL Endurance Peak II aren’t perfect as they lack a lot of the features that we’ve come to expect on the best earbuds such as active noise cancellation or app support. But, considering their sub-$100 price, these omissions are necessary evils. And, if you’re using these exclusively for workouts, they’re generally not missed.

JBL Endurance Peak II: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? $99.95 (£104.99 / AU$149.99)
• Where is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, the UK, and Australia

JBL Endurance Peak II: SPECS

Interface: Bluetooth 5.0
Battery life: 6 hours per earbuds, 30 hours total with case
Noise cancellation: Passive Noise Cancellation
Water resistance: IPX7
Weight: 0.5 oz (13g) per earbud

Though the JBL Endurance Peak II aren’t going to break any records when it comes to budget workout headphones, an imaginary award we would give to an offering from JLab, their affordable price tag of $99.95 (£104.99 / AU$149.99) makes these earbuds a much more accessible pair than a lot of the competition.

The Beats Fit Pro, which we’re big fans of, do come with many more features such as active noise cancellation and ambient or passthrough mode but will also cost you twice as much at $199 (£199 / AU$299.95). If you want to stick with JBL, the JBL Reflect Aero are also much more feature-filled than the Endurance Peak II and aren’t that much more ($149 / £119), especially for those in the UK. However, they don’t come with those ear hooks for the incredibly secure fit that the Endurance Peak II have.

• Value: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

JBL Endurance Peak II: Design

• The fit is incredibly secure and mostly comfortable
• They’re light on features like ambient or transparency mode

What sets the JBL Endurance Peak II apart from most other earbuds are those large hooks that go around the ear. Sure, you can get these earbuds in three colors: black, blue, and white. But, these JBL earbuds are generally utilitarian in aesthetics. If you’re looking at these, it’s for functionality during a workout. And, thanks to those ear hooks, the Endurance Peak II are instantly among the better options out there, no matter how intense the workout.

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

The ear hooks are rubberized appendages that have enough give to comfortably fit around different size ears yet stiff enough that once secured, they won’t budge. In our testing, we can say that these didn’t move at all. And, we’ve tried out all sorts of earbuds including the traditional variety and those with wings such as the aforementioned Beats Fit Pro.

Of course, as solid and secure as that fit is, its comfort comes with a time limit. Since these earbuds are essentially locked into place around the ear and push the ear tip into our ear, it does start to exert some pressure after an hour or so. It’s a bit of a necessary trade-off. However, if you’re looking for a pair of earbuds to also use for everyday use whether on a commute or around the house, you might want to look elsewhere. But, for workouts, this tight fit is worth it.

While the JBL Endurance Peak II is light on a lot of features that we see on mid-tier earbuds such as active noise cancellation or app support, the only real feature we miss is some kind of ambient or transparency mode. Passive noise cancellation is more than adequate to block out noise, but when we’re out and about for a job, being able to hear traffic is critical to stay safe.

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Yet, these earbuds are not devoid of features. They come with capacitive touch controls so you can pause music, adjust volume, answer a call, and more. And, they can be used in mono mode as well. You can use either earbud on its own to listen to music or jump on a call.

Lastly, as these are meant to weather the elements of most workouts, they come with an IPX7 rating. While that’s considered waterproof, don’t go swimming with these as they can’t survive long bouts underwater (you need an IPX8 rating for that) but they’ll handle sweat or brief submersion without taking on any damage.

• Design: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

JBL Endurance Peak II: Performance

• Good but not great sound quality
• Above-average battery life

Though the JBL Endurance Peak II won’t win any awards for audiophile-like audio quality, they sound pretty good, especially for the price. There’s quite a bit of low-end though not much sub-bass extension, the mids are balanced enough that they sound full without sounding too rich, and the high end is present without sounding harsh though we do find it a bit indistinct sounding, as it doesn’t have as much detail as we would like.

Going back to that low end, it’s intentionally bumped up to help you with your workouts. While we prefer more neutral-sounding headphones, that low-end is not egregiously out of balance. However, if you want to tame it, you’ll have to use a third-party EQ or built-in EQ on your phone to do so.

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Though we’ve described these earbuds as being light on features, they thankfully still include the capability to take calls. And, they’re not bad. Our experience has generally been that almost all headphones and earbuds (excluding headsets with a boom mic) sound worse than speaking directly through a phone and rating the quality is a matter of how big that gap in performance is. So, with the JBL Endurance Peak II, the speaker does sound a little hollow and a little far away but is still very audible to the listener. In our estimation, that’s above average for a pair of earbuds.

Another feature that we consider to be above average is their battery life. The earbuds’ six hours of use without needing a charge is hardly world-beating but is inline with the Airpods Pro (with the Airpods’ ANC off). And, the additional 24 hours that the case provides is similarly on par. And, considering that these should mainly be used for exercising, that’s more than enough for anyone not running a triathlon.

• Performance: 4 / 5

Should I buy the JBL Endurance Peak II?

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

JBL Endurance Peak II: Report card

• First reviewed December 2022

How we test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

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Nokia T10 review

Two-minute review

As we saw with the Nokia T20, under the guidance of parent company HMD Global, the Nokia brand is back in the budget tablet market. While the Nokia T10 we're reviewing here comes a year after the Nokia T20, this tablet is actually smaller and even more affordable than its predecessor.

In other words, it's a cheap and cheerful tablet designed to act as entertainment for the kids or something you can use to check your email or binge-watch the latest must-see streaming show. What you have here is very much an Amazon Fire 7 (2022) competitor, with pricing and specs to match.

As is the case when choosing the best smartphone for your needs or the most suitable laptop for your next upgrade, picking out the perfect tablet for you involves working out where on the performance vs price line you want to land. The low price of the Nokia T10 is definitely its biggest selling point, and as a result of that you're not going to get the sharpest screen or the speediest performance.

When it comes to the display and the internal specs, we're talking about just about good enough rather than anything special. Don't expect to jump between apps or complete demanding tasks very quickly at all, but this is a tablet that does the basics well enough, and a lot of people won't want a lot more than that. If you're just checking social media and watching videos on the sofa, you'll be fine.

On the plus side, the battery life is better than average, and the Android 12 software that comes on board is clean and largely bloat-free. If you're planning to give this tablet to younger children, that's something that Android can now handle during the setup process, giving you access to parental controls through your own Google account.

If you need a cheap tablet for consuming content and some casual browsing of the web and your social feeds, the Nokia T10 fits the bill. If you're interested in serious levels of productivity, image and video editing, and high-end gaming on your next tablet, you're going to be better off looking elsewhere.

Nokia T10 price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Out now
• Costs $170 / £129 / AU$319

The Nokia T10 is out and available to buy now in the UK and the US: you'll need to pay $170 or thereabouts for it in the US, and somewhere in the region of £129 to pick it up in the UK. In Australia it retails for AU$319.

That's a competitive price point for everything you get in return, and you might be able to find further reductions online.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Nokia T10 design and display

(Image credit: Future)

• Sturdy and built to last
• Looks plain and cheap
• The screen is adequate but lacking in brightness and resolution

The Nokia T10 looks very much like what it is: a cheap Android tablet. It's relatively chunky with its 9mm thickness, and its looks are about as plain as they come – although its Ocean Blue backing does catch the eye more than black or gray would. 

It tips the scales at 375 grams, which isn't too bad, but you're not going to confuse this for a premium-level Android tablet or iPad when you pick it up.

Smaller tablets don't seem to be all that popular – it feels as though Apple is somewhat reluctant when it comes to keeping the iPad mini line going, for example – and with a screen size of 8 inches this is one of the smaller slates on the market.

We actually quite like this size, which is fine for holding in one hand when necessary, but it's something of a subjective choice. It also depends what you're going to do with the tablet: there's plenty of room for watching videos, but not so much for editing spreadsheets.

At a typical brightness of 360 nits, the IPS LCD display panel isn't top of the line when it comes to brightness, and the 1280 x 800 pixel resolution is rather underwhelming too.

It's here that you can see that the savings on costs have been made, but it's still a screen that holds up well in any kind of light except bright outdoor sunlight – where you might struggle to see what's on the display. The thickness of the display bezels again indicate the low price of the tablet.

The Nokia T10 certainly feels sturdy and built to last, even if it is cheap and lacks waterproofing. There are two speakers built into the slate, at either side when held in landscape mode. You've then got a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, which is at the bottom if the tablet is in portrait mode, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is at the top.

You've also got a power button on the top and volume buttons high on the right side of the tablet, when you look at it from the front in portrait mode.

• Design score: 3.5/5
• Display score: 3/5

Nokia T10 camera

• A single 8MP sensor on the back and 2MP one on the front
• Images from the main camera can be okay in good light
• Struggles in low light

Most of us aren't really going to buy a tablet to take photos with it, and so it won't matter much that the 8MP camera on the back of the Nokia T10 isn't very good. Images captured by the camera are okay in good light, but tend to be a bit overexposed, and the color balance and autofocus isn't always reliable.

We're not saying you can't get appealing pictures from the Nokia T10, because you can. But you need a steady hand, and plenty of light, and even then there are no guarantees – fine for quickly sharing moments on social media, but not for reliably capturing important memories.

The picture quality gets worse in low light, as you would expect, although to be fair you can still grab some usable images if there's a bit of illumination around.

Perhaps more worrying is that you only get a 2MP selfie snapper on the front, so if you're going to be making video calls with this device, don't expect to be looking your best in terms of resolution.

The selfie camera works fine, and is okay at adapting to changes in lighting for example, but you're likely to get something much more superior in terms of quality from the selfie camera on your phone.

Camera samples

Image 1 of 5

You can get some pretty good pictures with the Nokia T10 (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 5

There's 4x digital zoom available, but it's not much use (Image credit: Future)

Image 3 of 5

Close-ups look okay, though the autofocus sometimes has issues (Image credit: Future)

Image 4 of 5

Colors are usually quite well balanced (Image credit: Future)

Image 5 of 5

Low light shots vary from almost okay to virtually unusable (Image credit: Future)

• Camera score: 2/5

Nokia T10 battery life

• Should offer at least 12 hours of life
• Charges slowly

When streaming video – with the screen at maximum brightness and the volume set quite low – the 5,250mAh battery in the Nokia T10 dips by 8% an hour, which equates to around 12-13 hours of video watching overall.

That's fairly impressive, and dim the screen and you will of course get more than that. In more general use, battery life on the Nokia T10 holds up well: you're going to get at least two or three days out of it with intermittent use, or maybe a day of non-stop gaming.

It's worth noting that there's no wireless charging here, and rather slow 10W charging over a wired connection. These are other areas where you need to accept the trade-off of the low price of the Nokia T10, although the battery life overall is pretty good – a benefit of going with lower powered internal specs and a not-so-dazzling display.

• Battery score: 4/5

Nokia T10 performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Sluggish performance with some stutters
• Everything should just about run

A quick peek at the internal specs of the Nokia T10 – a mid-range Unisoc T606 chipset, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (which you can expand via a microSD card) – and you won't be expecting too much in terms of performance.

Geekbench 5 scores of 308 (single-core), 1175 (multi-core) and 514 (OpenCL) back that up. This is not the tablet to get if you want lightning fast performance.

The tablet is usable, though we suspect it probably wouldn't be if the CPU or RAM was cut back any further. Every app and game will run, just about, but expect a few stutters and some lag when you're trying to quickly switch between apps, move between menus, and launch the most intensive tasks.

Apps take a little longer to launch than you might expect if you've used the same ones on your smartphone, and feel a little less responsive.

Something we do like about the Nokia T10 is the integrated face unlock technology, which works well and saves you from having to enter a password or a PIN every time you want to get to the home screen – it's not something that you often get on a budget tablet, and it's one of the bright spots of the whole package.

• Performance score: 2/5

Nokia T10 software

(Image credit: Nokia)

• Minimal bloat
• Updates to Android 13 and 14 promised

The tablet comes with Android 12 on board, and HMD Global guarantees you'll get two years of main operating system updates (to take you to Android 14) and three years of security updates. We suspect by that stage that the tablet will be sluggish enough that you're going to want to replace it anyway.

We're pleased to report that the Nokia Android experience isn't much different from the stock Android experience, which is the same approach that we've seen on Nokia smartphones like the Nokia G21.

There are a couple of bloatware apps preinstalled – Amazon Shopping and ExpressVPN – but they're easy enough to get rid of if you don't want to use them. Google Assistant is of course here and available, and continues to get better and more useful over time.

• Software score: 4.5/5

Nokia T10 score card

Should I buy the Nokia T10?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

If you're not convinced the Nokia T10 is right for you then consider the following three alternative options.

First reviewed: December 2022

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BenQ PD3420Q Monitor review

As professionals, we rely heavily on our monitors to provide the tools we need to complete our work. 

A high-quality display is essential for tasks such as photo and video editing, design work, and other charges that require precise color accuracy and detail. The BenQ PD3420Q is a 34-inch ultra-wide QHD monitor that aims to provide professionals with precisely that – a reliable and capable display that can easily handle a wide range of tasks. 

Unboxing

Upon unboxing the BenQ PD3420Q, we were immediately impressed by its sleek and stylish design. The monitor has a slim bezel and an elegant stand that gives it a modern and professional appearance. Inside the box, we found the monitor, a power cord, an HDMI cable, a DisplayPort cable, and some documentation. Including both HDMI and DisplayPort cables is a nice touch, as it gives users more flexibility regarding how they want to connect the monitor to their computer.

Back of the monitor, showing cables plugged in (Image credit: Future)

First impressions

Setting up the BenQ PD3420Q was a straightforward process, and we were up and running in no time. The first thing we noticed when turning on the monitor was the excellent image quality. The 34-inch QHD display has a resolution of 3440x1440, which provides plenty of detail and sharpness. The colors were also impressive, with good vibrancy and accuracy. The wide viewing angles were also a plus, as they allowed us to easily view the display from any angle without losing quality.

Minimalist metal base option (Image credit: Future)

Design and build quality

As mentioned, the BenQ PD3420Q has a sleek and stylish design that will look good in any professional setup. The slim bezel and elegant stand give it a modern appearance, and the overall build quality is solid. The monitor feels sturdy and well-made, and the stand allows for easy adjustment of the display's angle and height. The monitor is also VESA mount compatible, so you can mount it on a wall or a monitor arm if desired.

Ports on the right side of the monitor (Image credit: Future)

In use

We put the BenQ PD3420Q through its paces during our testing, and it performed admirably across various tasks. The image quality remained consistently excellent throughout our tests, with good color accuracy and detail. The ultra-wide QHD display was handy for tasks such as photo editing, as it provided plenty of screen real estate to work with. The 100% sRGB coverage and flicker-free technology were also appreciated, as they helped to reduce eye strain and make our work sessions more comfortable.

Specs

Screen Size: 34 inches
Aspect Ratio: 21:9
Resolution: 3440 x 1440
Brightness: 400 cd/m2
Response Time: 5ms
Viewing Angle: 178/178
Contrast Ratio:1000:1

One feature we particularly appreciated was the low blue light filter, which helps reduce the amount of harmful blue light emitted by the display. This is especially useful for those who work long hours in front of a screen, as it can help to reduce the risk of eye fatigue and other related issues.

In terms of connectivity, the BenQ PD3420Q offers both HDMI and DisplayPort connections, which gives users some flexibility regarding how they want to connect the monitor to their computer. We had no issues with connectivity during our tests, and the display worked seamlessly with our computer.

The BenQ PD3420Q also has several additional features that make it a versatile and powerful monitor. For example, it has a Picture-by-Picture (PBP) feature that allows you to connect two different sources to the monitor and display them side by side. This can be useful for professionals working with multiple sources simultaneously, such as comparing design layouts or working with video and audio files.

The monitor also has a Picture-in-Picture (PIP) feature, which allows you to display a smaller window within the main display. This can be useful for tasks such as video conferencing or keeping an eye on your email while working on something else.

Another feature worth mentioning is the Display Pilot software, which allows you to customize and optimize the display settings to suit your specific needs. The software includes various features such as split-screen options, color temperature adjustments, and more.

In addition to these features, the BenQ PD3420Q has several advanced connectivity options. It has a USB-C port, allowing quick and easy data transfer and charging devices such as laptops and smartphones. It also has a built-in KVM switch, enabling you to control multiple computers using a single keyboard and mouse. This can be particularly useful for professionals working simultaneously with numerous computers.

One potential drawback of the BenQ PD3420Q is its price. It is a high-end monitor with advanced features and impressive specifications, and as such, it comes with a higher price tag that some other alternative options.

While this may be a deal breaker for some, it's worth noting that you get what you pay for, and the BenQ PD3420Q is certainly a top-quality monitor that is well worth the investment for professionals who need a reliable and capable display.

Buttons and joystick controller (Image credit: Future)

Final verdict

Overall, we were very impressed with the BenQ PD3420Q. It's a powerful and feature-packed monitor that is well-suited for professionals who need a high-quality display for their work.

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The image quality is excellent, and the wide range of features and impressive specifications make it a versatile and capable monitor. The sleek design is a nice bonus, and the build quality is solid. The only real drawback is the price, which may be steep for some. 

However, if you're willing to invest in a high-quality display that can handle a variety of tasks with ease, the BenQ PD3420Q is worth considering.

• Looking for a quality monitor stand/desk shelf? Check out our list of the best monitor stands available

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Roccat Vulcan II Mini review: multilayered and mod-friendly

Roccat Vulcan II Mini: One-minute review

Great news, fellow keyboard modders. With the Roccat Vulcan II Mini (and the much-lauded Vulcan II Max) legendary Vulcan line, one of our favorite gaming keyboards, has finally entered the modding world, and it’s about damn time. 

Not that we’re minimizing the Roccat Vulcan II Mini’s many merits, of course. This tiny but mighty mini gaming keyboard is packed with features that prove crucial to gaming – its Game mode and Easy-Shift features, for example, will quickly give you access to game macros and key assignments without disrupting the keyboard’s default functions that you’ll want to use for non-gaming stuff. 

There’s also its 65% form factor, which means you can have a compact keyboard without losing those vital arrow keys. And finally, those low-profile keys combined with that incredibly vibrant RGB lighting makes the keyboard an easy sell.

Still, its modding capabilities are a welcome addition as they add another layer of customizations to this already multilayered keeb. The switches still aren’t hot-swappable, sadly, but you can now slot in third-party keycaps with cross-shaped stems and use a coiled cable, sprucing things up and making it your own (and, that’s exactly what we’ve done, making our Christmas-themed using keycaps from Drop.)

That’s a lot of customizations for a keyboard that sits in the mid-range market. Now all we need from Roccat is to tighten up that still unnecessarily complicated software – and perhaps produce fun, low-profile keycaps in different colors and designs while they’re at it. 

Roccat Vulcan II Mini: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? $149.99 (£129.99, AU$259.95)
• Where is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, the UK, and Australia

Roccat Vulcan II Mini: SPECS

Layout: 65%
Switch: Roccat Titan II Optical Red Switch
Programmable keys: Easy-Shift[+] for programmable layer, 30 multi-function smart keys, mod-ready
Dimensions: 116 x 324 x 31 mm
RGB or backlighting: Yes

Admittedly, the Roccat Vulcan II Mini isn’t what we’d categorize as “cheap,” but hear us out. It’s slightly more affordable than the competition at only $149.99 (£129.99, AU$259.95). Top rivals like the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed, the Corsair K70 Mini Pro Wireless, and the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini will set you back $199.99 (£179.99, AU$299.95), $179.99 (£169.99, AU $299.00), and $179.99 (£169.99, AU$399.00) respectively. 

Granted, each of those mini keyboards have its own set of strengths as well, but looking at the price tags alone, the Roccat Vulcan II Mini is certainly the most affordable of the bunch. Plus, it comes with a terrific feature set and is decently comfortable to type on as well, which make it an excellent value for your money. So, we’re giving this one a 4.5 out of 5. 

• Value: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Roccat Vulcan II Mini: Design

• That sophisticated, attractive Vulcan design is still there, but better
• Compact and lightweight
• Mod-friendly

We’ve been huge fans of the Vulcan line’s elegant look from the beginning, with those low-profile “floating” keys, refined top plate and case, and sleek form. So, we’re happy to see those same elements on the Roccat Vulcan II Mini. 

But, somehow, Roccat’s managed to elevate that look even more. We’re not quite sure if it’s the compact form factor itself or if the RGB lighting is slightly more vibrant than ever, but this one’s somehow more attractive than our beloved Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro. 

We appreciate a good mini gaming keyboard, but the 65% layout here is even better as you’re still getting that compact, small-footprint form factor without having to frantically rack your brain for the right shortcuts to the arrow keys. Better yet, it’s more lightweight than other top mini gaming keyboards at only 542g, making it the most travel-friendly of the bunch.

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Like any mini gaming keyboard, however, you’ll still need to use shortcuts to access functions that do not have dedicated keys. Luckily, Roccat makes that a less daunting experience thanks to the Smart Keys feature. Pressing on the FN key doesn’t just give you access to the secondary functions, but it highlights them as well on the keycaps with their dedicated LED. This way, you know and can see that they are active, giving you that piece of mind that you’re accessing the right function.

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

The most welcome part of its design, at least for us keyboard modding fans, is the fact that those floating keycaps are now removable so you can replace them with third-party cross-shaped-stemmed keycaps. As is the USB-C cable so you can replace it with a more attractive and easier-to-manage coiled cable. Just bear in mind that replacing the keycaps may ever so slightly change the feel and feedback of those keys, as well as dim that fabulous RGB lighting.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Roccat Vulcan II Mini: Performance

• Some switch resistance and noise
• Great gaming performance with useful features
• Software can feel convoluted if you’re not used to it

The Roccat Vulcan II Mini boasts the brand’s Titan II Optical switches, which not only feel great to type on but also deliver speedy gaming performance and an actuation point of 1.4 mm. Optical switch fans will love them, as will mechanical switch fans. However, we found that some hard-core mechanical keyboard fans are put off by optical switches as they do have a bit more resistance, which is exactly what’s going on here.

Despite being linear switches, you’ll find that the Titan II Optical has a bit more resistance than linear mechanical switches, which means you might fatigue faster when you’re typing. That isn’t to say that it isn’t comfortable to type on, and the short actuation and 45g operating force certainly helps you type more effortlessly. But, if you’re used to mechanical switches, you will notice the difference.

The gaming performance is, naturally, impeccable despite the polling rate being “only” 1,000Hz. Those optical switches are fast and responsive, making games like Control and Kena: Bridge of Spirits more effortless to win in. Of course, since it’s a wired keyboard, there’s no need to worry about higher latency or lags, but we suspect that even if it’s wireless, it’ll still keep up with the more intense parts of these games.

Even if you’re not big on creating macros and remapping, we definitely recommend taking advantage of the Roccat Vulcan II Mini’s Game Mode and Easy-Shift features. Game mode, which you can activate by pressing Fn+Win, gives you a new set of key functions, and Easy-Shift, which you can access by holding down the Caps Lock key while on Game mode, offers another layer of functions. And, you can use both to program faster game responses. Another advantage these features offer is allowing you to keep those default keyboard functions, minimizing disruptions if you’re also using it for work or school.

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Not only are you essentially getting three function layers here, but you can also keep five different profiles, thanks to the onboard storage, which means you can have three different function layers – not to mention, different RGB lighting – for five different games or needs. 

That is, if you have time to program everything. Fair warning: we’ve been using Roccat’s Swarm software, which is what you use for customizations, for quite some time now, and it hasn’t gotten all that easier to navigate and use. It’s fairly extensive, which we appreciate, but if you’re a newbie, there’s definitely a steep learning curve here.

• Performance: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Roccat Vulcan II Mini?

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Roccat Vulcan II Mini: Report card

• First reviewed December 2022

How we test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

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Oppo Reno 8 review

Two-minute review

Oppo's Reno series of mid-range Android phones might not be flashy like the Find X5 Pro or affordable like an A series device, but the useful specs and competitive pricing definitely hold appeal for many. Launched alongside the Oppo Reno 8 Pro, this ‘vanilla’ model marries a relatively affordable price tag with a few key specs.

First off, it has 80W charging, which is pretty fast for a mid-range phone. Sure, some of the fastest mobiles currently available top out at 150W, but 80W is fast enough to feel impressive without ruining a phone’s battery straightaway.

The MediaTek chipset here is powerful enough for most tasks — including games if you don’t need the fanciest graphics — and makes navigating the phone feel pretty snappy.

The display is also good-looking, and big enough for comfortable use without requiring you to overstretch your hand just to pick up the phone. While it misses on one or two top-end features, for a phone at this price, you really can’t complain.

(Image credit: Future)

There are some things to really like about this phone, though it’s certainly not perfect. The angular and iPhone-inspired design makes the handset uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time, and the device won’t set the world on fire from a photography perspective, though its capabilities really aren't that bad for its price point.

We also predict some will be annoyed by the appearance — the Shimmer Gold is certainly eye-catching, reflecting light rays to show the color spectrum at certain angles — but some people just prefer plain-looking phones. There’s also a black option available, but judging by images we've seen (we didn't get one to test), that version still seems quite reflective.

Perhaps the biggest issue with the Oppo Reno 8 is its competition. Even looking outside Oppo’s handsets, at options like the Google Pixel 6a, Samsung Galaxy A53 or iPhone SE (2022), the Oppo Find X5 Lite offers pretty similar specs at a lower price.

That is to say, while the Reno is fine for its price, it’s not exactly eye-catching or flashy in any way that makes it stand out. So if you buy this phone, you won’t really be disappointed, but the grass may really be greener somewhere else.

Oppo Reno 8 price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

With a £419 / AU$999 price tag for its 256GB storage option, the Reno 8 is one of the cheapest phones you can get if you want a large amount of storage.

At that price, it undercuts its Pro sibling by £180 / AU$200, and also costs you less than the iPhone SE (2022) or the Google Pixel 6a, two big-name rivals.

The handset went on sale in late September 2022, though only in Europe and Australia — if you live in the US, you’ll find yourself unable to buy any handset from Oppo.

Oppo Reno 8 design

While the Oppo Reno 8 is a pint-sized version of its Pro sibling, ‘pint-sized’ in the context of smartphones doesn’t mean small — just smaller.

Measuring 160.6 x 73.4 x 7.7 mm, it’s just a hair smaller than its relative, despite having a much smaller screen, and this is because of its thicker bezel. Weighing 179g, it’s pretty light in the hand.

Talking about ‘pretty light’, you’ll likely have noticed the radiant design of the Reno, with a shiny, silvery pearl color on the back that shows the different colors of the light spectrum as you move it around. This is the Shimmer Gold version that we tested, but a nondescript black version is also available.

(Image credit: Future)

The Reno isn’t too comfortable to hold in the hand, and that’s thanks to its design. Oppo is one of many companies following Apple in giving its phones flat edges and, therefore, angular corners, and it means that when you’re holding the phone, these are digging into your palm. Not pleasant.

Unlike some phones at this price point, the Reno has an in-display fingerprint scanner, which worked fairly well — you won’t be relying on a temperamental side-mounted version here.

Another oddity for the price tag is the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack; while top-end phones have nearly all ditched the design feature, for the most part, it remains alive and well amongst budget mobiles. Not here, though, as the only port is the USB-C one.

Oppo Reno 8 display

The Oppo Reno 8 has a 6.4-inch display, which is a little on the smaller side compared to many other same-priced devices (though it is bigger than those on the Pixel 6a or the iPhone SE).

It’s a FHD+ screen, which means its resolution is 1080 x 2400. It should be noted that that’s by far the most common resolution for smartphones, with many devices from cheap to premium phones possessing the same. That means you’re seeing streamed movies and games with the same number of pixels as someone who paid twice as much — something to take into consideration.

(Image credit: Future)

The screen uses OLED, which means the color contrast is crisp and the brightness can go fairly high; plus blacks look darker than they would on an LCD panel.

One thing worth pointing out is that the refresh rate is ‘only’ 90Hz, so the image refreshes 90 times per second. That’s better than the old standard of 60Hz, which some affordable mobiles still use, but many devices in 2022, including low-end ones, use 120Hz, which makes motion look very smooth.

Oppo Reno 8 cameras

The selling point of the Oppo Reno 8’s camera array is its 50MP main camera.

If you’ve read a review of a mid-range or budget phone in 2022, you’ve probably heard of the Sony IMX766 — even some premium mobiles, like the OnePlus 10T, have launched with it. This is a 50MP sensor that’s fairly large, so it ‘sees’ lots of color and works well in low-light conditions, but doesn’t cost too much, which is why so many phone manufacturers have leapt upon it.

On the Reno 8, the IMX766 works just as well as it does on any other phone boasting it. We took fairly good-looking pictures in dark lighting conditions, and managed to make colorful shots look even bolder.

(Image credit: Future)

Pictures taken on this are actually 12.5MP, thanks to pixel binning, which combines pixels to make a larger one. You can shoot 50MP if you prefer.

But the Oppo’s two other cameras don’t provide anything to write home about. There’s an 8MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2MP macro one. While the former does offer the ability to take wider-angle pictures — if you don’t mind the low resolution, and a rather dull image — the latter doesn’t really contribute anything at all.

There’s no optical zoom, but you can use digital zoom (cropping) up to a surprisingly far, but predictably grainy, 20x.

On the front, there’s a 32MP selfie camera, and it won’t really disappoint. Pictures we took were fairly crisp and bright, though there isn’t the range of effects that you’d find on an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy.

Video recording goes up to 4K 30fps, which is about average for a phone at this price, or up to 120fps if you’re happy to record at 1080p.

We should point out that the Oppo Reno 8’s camera array is identical to that on the Pro model, save for the MariSilicon X neural processing chip for AI. We were down on that phone’s photography performance, but thanks to this device being a lot cheaper, it’s easier to look past the generally middling performance.

Camera samples

Image 1 of 6

A standard (1x) shot taken outdoors. (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 6

A standard (1x) shot taken indoors. (Image credit: Future)

Image 3 of 6

An ultra-wide picture taken; note the colors of the image. (Image credit: Future)

Image 4 of 6

The standard (1x) equivalent of the previous shot; note how much brighter it is. (Image credit: Future)

Image 5 of 6

The digital zoom (2x) equivalent of the previous image. (Image credit: Future)

Image 6 of 6

Another outdoor shot. (Image credit: Future)

Oppo Reno 8 performance and specs

The Reno uses the Dimensity 1300 chipset, a mid-range processor by a company called MediaTek, and while it’s not the most powerful chip you’ll find on a mobile, it’s appropriate for the price and totally fit for purpose.

All but the most demanding games ran well on the phone, with issues only arising when we bumped the graphics on Call of Duty Mobile or PUBG Mobile up to their limits.

The phone also boasts 8GB RAM, which helps for when you’re jumping between loads of different apps on the fly.

In the UK, the phone comes with 256GB storage — that’s double what most mid-range phones get, so you can download loads of apps, videos or photos without having to rely on cloud storage (or deleting older files). There is a 128GB version in some countries, but instead of trying to seek that out, we’d recommend you just enjoy your extra storage.

Oppo Reno 8 software

The Oppo Reno 8 runs Android 12, with Oppo’s ColorOS user interface laid over the top. The main difference between this and stock Android is its appearance — its wallpapers and app icons employ much brighter colors.

(Image credit: Future)

Annoyingly, there’s a lot of bloatware — sorry, pre-installed apps, to give them the technical name — on the phone when it’s first booted up. We had to go on a deleting spree through TikTok, Lords Mobile, Amazon Shopping, Facebook and some games we’d never heard of like Tile Master 3D and Bubble Boxes : Match 3D.

One thing we do like about ColorOS is that the quick-setting menu — which you find by swiping down from the top of the screen, to bring up options like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth — has one of the most logical and easily-scannable designs of any Android fork. As sad as this sounds, it was noticeably quicker to tweak settings than on other devices.

Oppo Reno 8 battery life

From our testing, we’d say the Oppo Reno 8 has a solid battery life — this won’t blow you away with multi-day lasting power, but almost no phone will. Instead, it will reliably see you through a day of use, whether that’s just checking the odd message here and there, or powering through hours of gaming and photo-taking.

It’s a 4,500mAh battery, which is fairly average for a phone with this size of display; any bigger would've resulted in an unwieldy and chunky mobile.

An impressive spec is the phone’s 80W charging, which powers the device from empty to full in just [TIME]. Budget phones rarely get fast charging, and the Reno charges ahead of the competition (pun intended) with this spec.

There’s no wireless charging — that’s an incredibly rare feature in phones at this price.

Should you buy the Oppo Reno 8?

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

• First reviewed October 2022

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