Zyxel WAX630S

The market for wireless access points has undergone a regeneration since the arrival of AX class devices and the increasing popularity of MESH capable solutions.

Instead of monolithic routers, businesses are now deploying ceiling or wall-mounted access points that simplify installation using PoE (Power over Ethernet) technology.

Some of these are very cheap, like the Zyxel NWA90AX we recently covered, or they can be significantly more, like the EnGenius or Netgear Orbi Pro hardware.

Today we’re at the more expensive end of the cost conveyor with our Zyxel WAX630S review, an access point (AP) that costs multiple times that of its NWA90AX brother.

What can Zyxel put in this access point that makes it worth this price?

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(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Price

In the UK, the WAX630S can be found for £448.60, and from authorised US resellers, it has an MSRP of $379.99.

Looking for similar specification hardware, the EnGenius ECW230 costs around £435, undercutting the Zyxel by a few pounds. It is worth noting that the EnGenius ECW230 has four channels on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, whereas the Zyxel design has only dual channels on 2.4GHz.

The equivalent Zyxel design to the ECW230 is the WAX650S, which costs a whopping £744.48 or north of $800 for US customers.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Design and features 

If put alongside the much cheaper NWA90AX, the WAX630S looks practically identical from the outside.

However, the styling continuity is somewhat deceptive, as this is a larger piece of equipment, being 18cm square and 3.9cm thick, compared to the 14cm square and 3.75cm thick NWA90AX.

That extra space inside the case almost doubles the weight of the WAX630S over its little brother, coming in at a hefty 530g.

Having over half a kilogram of router fall on one’s head would be unpleasant, so alongside the router, Zyxel includes a sturdy mounting plate that engages with slots on the underside.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Specs

CPU: Quad-core 1GHz Qualcomm IPQ8071A
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 256MB MXIC
LAN:  Qualcomm QCA8081 / Atheros AR8033
5GHz Radio: Qualcomm Atheros IPQ8072A (4x4)
2GHz Radio: Qualcomm Atheros IPQ8072A (2x2)
Bandwidth: 575 Mbps (2.4GHz) and 2400 Mbps (5GHz)
Band steering: Yes
WDS/MESH: Yes
Load Balancing: Yes
Fast Roaming: Pre-authentication, PMK caching and 802.11r/k/v
Authentication: WPA/WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise/EAP/IEEE 802.1X/RADIUS authentication
LAN: 1 x 1/2.5 Gbps LAN, 1 x 1 Gbps LAN
Power: PoE (802.3) at: power draw 19 W, DC input: 12 VDC 2 A
Size: 180 x 180 x 39mm
Weight: 530g

One helpful aspect is that the mounting is designed to provide support in both vertical and horizontal deployments, allowing the WAX630S to be equally at home on the ceiling as it is on a wall.

Many MESH access point designs are exclusively ceiling-mounted, but the antenna can function in either orientation, providing some much-needed options for those with tricky installations.

The underside of the router has two RJ45 ports, one being specifically for its uplink to the network and the other is an additional LAN port that could be used for local equipment or to extend the network.

The one labelled ‘uplink’ is a 2.5GbE PoE capable port enabling more bandwidth to be distributed over WiFi from the network than we typically see with 1GbE ports, and it also powers the device.

An additional 12v DC inlet is also provided, but a power supply for that isn’t included by Zyxel in the box. For those that need extra security against an electrical fire, this router also has an earth line connection underneath.

The disappointment here is that no PoE injector is provided in the box, and the documentation points customers to use Zyxel’s PoE12-30W injector, an additional $45 accessory.

Other than the 2.5GbE PoE port, this might seem a little underwhelming, but what this AP has inside its white plastic case is much more impressive.

A single cable carries both power and data in this PoE access point, but no power injector is included in the box (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

In use  

Previously when we reviewed wireless equipment, we’ve endeavoured to explain that even if a router may be rated for 1800 or 3000 Mbps of throughput, it can’t practically deliver that performance to a single user.

That’s either because client hardware can only communicate over a single channel or the uplink to the server is restricted by a gigabit LAN port.

The same limitation is present in this hardware, although some of the bottlenecks have been addressed to allow better use of the available bandwidth.

One of the reasons this hardware costs much more than the NWA90AX is the number of concurrent streams that it can operate.

The WAX630S is a platform with dual-radio (dual 4x4+2x2 MIMO) 802.11ax with a maximum data rate of 2975 Mbps.

That’s four streams on the 5GHz for 4x4 and another two on the 2.5GHz for 2x2, and it gets the most out of those streams using Dynamic Channel Selection (DCS), Load Balancing and Smart Client Steering.

Technically, it wouldn’t be able to use all of 2975 Mbps if it was for clients accessing the network resources since the uplink is just 2.5GbE. It’s close enough that most of that bandwidth can be utilised, and there is some left for clients to talk across the access point to each other.

The access point can be configured using a web interface shown here, or using the Cloud-based Nebula service.  (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The other enhancement here is how the antenna array is organised and how this reduces the possibility of interference from other wireless sources by using Basic Service Set (BSS) colouring. This functionality enhances the effectiveness of spatial reuse by adjusting the antenna pattern to avoid the signals being confused with others using the same channel.

Other than overlapping reuse of channels, the other issue that businesses located in cities can encounter is interference from local 5G/4G antenna, and Zyxel put a filter system in this router designed to reduce the impact of those signals.

What all this work ensures is that those that need stable connections shouldn’t be impacted by others either in the same office, in the adjacent building or from the mobile phone mast across the street.

For those with larger locations, this hardware is also designed to manage users moving through the building across multiple access points seamlessly.

Management tools, either local or globally managed using the Nebular control centre service, can implement Load Balancing where limits are set on the maximum number of

clients associated with each AP, and the bandwidth that any one client can utilise.

What this design lacks is a 160Hz backchannel to link other access points over wireless, but given the 2.5GbE PoE LAN port, networking by wireless technology would be a poor architectural choice.

(Image credit: Zyxel )

Performance

Testing an access point like the WX630S is very challenging. The technology adapts in real-time to the signals it detects around it and ever-changing the wireless landscape resulting in something of a moving target for those trying to evaluate it.

Therefore the connection speed by a single client isn’t the most crucial factor, as this unit is more about the quality of the service than the actual maximum speed that anyone client achieves.

What we can say is that within the same room, client speeds of around 500mb/s on 5GHz are achievable and half that in an adjacent room. The 2.4GHz side of this design seems solid, and the distance where a connection is still possible should easily extend outside the property if it is mounted internally on an exterior wall.

Zyxel very kindly documented how the ‘smart antenna’ in this device behaves when mounted on a wall or ceiling and how it compares to the more expensive WAX650S model.

With the WAX630S, there is very little difference in performance between the two orientations. With the WAX650S, the signal performance is marginally better wall mounting and worse ceiling mounting.

Our general assessment of this device is that performance is good, while not spectacular.

Much effort has gone into this hardware resisting the myriad of invading signals that a typical city installation brings. But, only installation on your premises can determine if those mechanisms work in that specific context, with so many variables at play.

While Zyxel has designed the WAX630S to give it the best possible chance, there are no guarantees with wireless networking.

(Image credit: Zyxel )

Final verdict 

Before we talk about what’s good about this device, let’s first delve into a curious twist in the logic of how these devices have been priced.

As a six-stream capable access point, the WAX630S is priced at $379.99, but its bigger WAX650S brother is double that amount for an additional two extra streams.

Ignoring that the WAX650S has a better processor, would one of them be capable of handling the same amount of traffic as two WAX630S? No, not even close.

Because unless the location has numerous interference issues, each of the WAX630S could use completely different channels and antenna patterns to stop them from interfering with each other. And combined, they’d have 5Gbit of Ethernet backhaul to the network and 12 streams.

The problem is that when you go down this divide-and-conquer rabbit hole, it's easy to suddenly start thinking that multiple cheaper four-stream capable AP might be a better direction. It would offer more coverage, greater throughput, more concurrent users, and greater resilience than a single massively multi-stream device.

Obviously, there are downsides to this approach in terms of cabling, the switch and a more complicated installation. Even from this perspective, it hints that the WAX630S is probably overpriced, and the WAX650S is dramatically overpriced.

If the WAX630S has a mitigating feature, it’s the 2.5GbE PoE connection, as the cheaper four-stream access points of this type generally only offer 1GbE LAN. But paying triple the cost for an extra two streams and that 2.5GbE LAN port is probably spending too much.

What’s more worrying is that Zyxel priced this device slightly higher than the EnGenius ECW230, an 8-stream capable AP from a highly respected brand.

If the WAX630S was $299.99, its specification might make more sense, but it’s not.

The extra value that this hardware has to offer is the subscription-free cloud management that Zyxel offers with the Nebula control centre, the flexible floor or wall installation and a reputation for delivering reliable and well-considered hardware.

These are reasonable justifications, but they might not be enough to make this AP the one that IT Managers will gravitate to.

• Also take a look at the best Mesh Routers 2021 for the home

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Doogee S98 rugged smartphone

60 second review

This is the second smartphone with a secondary display that we are reviewing. The first one was the Unihertz TickTock 5G smartphone which was launched on Kickstarter late 2021 and still has some supply issues. Doogee is dipping its toes with the secondary display feature with a second rugged phone, the S98. Truth be told, we prefer the implementation on the V20, a superior - but also more expensive - smartphone from the same vendor. Given the price tag of the S98 however, we’re pleasantly surprised by the hardware spec sheet which anchors it solidly in the midrange basket: 8GB RAM, 256GB storage and  three cameras at the rear including a 64-megapixel shooter.

Doogee S98 : Pricing and availability

The Doogee S98 is available direct from the manufacturer’s site for $340 (about £/AU$), that’s $160 saving off its suggested retail price. At the time of writing, there was a couple of weeks delay from the three global warehouses currently stocking the smartphone. It is available in wine red, classic black and phantom gray colors. AliExpress sold it for as little as $260 (about £/AU$) on special so it might be worth shopping around. Remember that these prices exclude local taxes and handling fees that may be levied by third parties.

(Image credit: Future)

Doogee S98 : Design

There’s not a lot to write about the design of the S98. It is a tried and trusted template with an industrial design that uses a metal framework covered with rubber for shock protection.

(Image credit: Future)

Given the size of its display (6.3-inch) and its large battery capacity, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this is a big phone - 172 x 82 x 15.5mm for a weight of 320g which is about the size of two other rivals, the Oukitel WP17 and the Ulefone Armor 10 5G. The main attraction is at the rear; a circular 30mm display lodged between four sensors and the LED flash, more on that later. 

(Image credit: Future)

The front screen is a 6.3-inch display with a full HD+ resolution, a pinhole selfie camera sensor and a Corning Gorilla glass overlay (the rear display also gets it).

(Image credit: Future)

On the left is the SIM card slot and a customizable button while the right has a volume rocker, a power button and a separate fingerprint reader (we’d prefer to have both combined).

(Image credit: Future)

A flap hides a USB Type-C connector on the bottom edge. As expected, the S98 adheres to IP68/IP69 and MIL-STD 810G guidelines.

(Image credit: Future)

Doogee S98 : Hardware

Spec Sheet

The Doogee S98 comes with the following hardware:

CPU: Helio G96

GPU: Arm Mali-G57

RAM: 8GB

Storage: 256GB

Screen size: 6.3-inch 

Resolution: 2340x1080

Weight: 320g

Dimensions: 172 x 82 x 15.5mm

Rear camera: 64MP, 20MP, 8MP

Front camera: 16MP

OS: Android 12

Battery: 6Ah

The S98 features a Mediatek Helio G96 system-on-chip which is similar to the Dimensity 700, only slightly slower, using a more mature manufacturing node and without 5G. It is supported by 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB UFS 2.2 storage. 

Doogee used a 64-megapixel Samsung camera sensor for the main snapper, a 20-megapixel Sony IMX350 night vision camera, an 8-megapixel Samsung wide-angle camera and a 16-megapixel Samsung camera for the front-facing one. Other than a charger and a cable, you get a warranty card, a screen protector and a user manual. The 6Ah battery supports fast charging (33W) and wireless charging (18W).

(Image credit: Future)

Doogee S98: Performance and in use

Benchmarks

This is how the Doogee S98 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

PCMark (Work 2.0): 9524

Passmark: 6686

Passmark CPU: 3188

Geekbench: 501 (single); 1729 (multi)

3DMark  Wild Life: 1168 (Vulkan); 329 (Extreme)

We didn’t have high hopes for the S98 as it is based on a mid range processor. Benchmark results show that it is slightly faster than devices powered by the G95 and a bit slower than handsets based on the Dimensity 700. So expect it to be good enough for most tasks with a bit of gaming on the side.

Other than the stock Android 12 build, the S98 comes with the standard set of apps usually found on Mediatek-powered smartphones: the ubiquitous toolbox (with a pedometer, compass etc), the Easy Launcher (for senior users), GameSpace and Children Space; these create virtual environments for the targeted users with various levels of lockdown capabilities (e.g access to apps or mobile network).

(Image credit: Future)

You can configure the rear display at the back and even switch it off. In terms of features, you can pick up calls and control the music player and that’s about it. We leveled the same sort of criticism against the TickTock 5G; there’s no compelling reason to use the rear screen as it is not a power saving e-ink display (like the Hisense A5) and doesn’t have a killer app.

Should I buy the Doogee S98?

Also consider

The dual-screen TickTock from Unihertz which is more expensive and has half the system memory. On the other hand, it has 5G connectivity thanks to the Mediatek Dimensity 700. The TickTock also misses out on wireless charging, a new Android 12 OS and the night vision camera.

Alternatively, the Doogee V20 is a worthy alternative to the S98 at a higher price. It keeps all the good bits (256GB storage, 8GB RAM, 64-megapixel camera, night vision) and adds 5G capabilities and a design that is less industrial and more intune with a consumer audience.

First reviewed April 2022

• Need a smartphone that can take a beating and doesn't require a case? Check out our full list of the best rugged smartphones

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Hover domain registration service

Hover is a domain name registrar headquartered in Ontario, Canada. It's a subsidiary of Tucows, a publicly-traded American-Canadian internet services provider. Tucows formed Hover in 2008 by merging three domain registration services it already owned; NetIdentity, It's Your Domain (IYD), and Domain Direct.

Hover is primarily a platform for domain name registration. But, it also offers additional services like email web boxes and email forwarding. 

We tested Hover extensively to give you a detailed, unbiased review. We scored the platform based on specific criteria, including features, pricing, customer support, ease of use, etc.

(Image credit: Hover)

Plans and pricing

Hover charges varying prices for different domain name extensions. Its domain names cost anywhere between $5 and $50 annually—generic extensions like .COM and .NET cost $10 to $20 annually, and atypical ones like .IO cost $30 to $40 annually. Hover sometimes offers steep discounts for specific domain name extensions, dropping their first-year prices to under $5.

Hover charges $5 yearly for a custom email using your domain name. It also requires additional storage fees; $20 per year for 10GB or $29 annually for 1TB.

Features

Hover's main feature is domain name registration. You can search for any domain name you want and buy it on the platform if it's available. Hover supports over 300 domain name extensions, including generic ones like .COM and .NET and uncommon ones like .APP, .CLUB, and .IO. There are countless uses for domain names. It's useful for individuals and organizations. 

Hover also lets you transfer a domain name from another registrar onto its platform. This feature is helpful if you have domain names on other platforms that you want to move to one spot and manage easily. Hover does not charge any fees for transferring domains. It only charges one year of additional registration added to whenever your domain is set to expire. 

Domain name transfers to Hover typically take one to two weeks, depending on various factors, such as the specific domain extension. Every domain you want to transfer to Hover must be registered for at least 60 days elsewhere. This rule is standard across the domain name industry. 

(Image credit: Hover)

Hover automatically includes WHOIS privacy protection in every domain name purchase. It means that people can't look up your information in the WHOIS database. This feature helps prevent spammers from contacting you easily.

(Image credit: Hover)

Email

Hover enables customers to create custom emails using their domain names. Custom emails look more professional than bland emails, mainly for organizations. You'd rather have "[email protected]" than "[email protected]." 

Hover's email client works like any other email client. It just has a different interface. You can send and receive emails as usual. The platform has anti-spam tools to help detect and filter out illegitimate emails. You can create custom rules to keep your inbox in check. It also supports automatic email forwarding.

Hover charges $5 yearly for every custom email, and you can create as many as you want. You have to pay for storage; $20 annually for 10GB and $29 yearly for 1TB.  

(Image credit: Hover)

Hover Connect

Hover does not offer a web hosting or website builder service, which is a drawback compared to rival platforms. However, the company tries to make up for that with "Hover Connect," which connects your domain directly to third-party platforms. 

Hover Connect enables you to connect your Hover domain directly to third-party web hosting and publishing tools, e.g., Ecwid, Jimdo, and Weebly. 

Security

Hover has security measures and protocols to protect user accounts from compromise. An example is two-factor authentication (2FA), which requires two distinct modes of identification before logging into an account. 

(Image credit: Hover)

Interface and in use

Hover has a user-friendly interface. The platform is easy to understand and navigate for most users. Registering and managing a domain name with it is pretty easy. The webmail interface is also user-friendly. 

Customer support

Hover offers customer support through email and telephone, and it's excellent. You can dial the support line and instantly get in touch with an actual customer support representative to help you whenever you're facing a problem, unlike many platforms that give automated responses. If you inquire through email, expect a reply in less than 24 hours. 

(Image credit: Hover)

Judging by the response time, Hover's customer support is top-notch. The platform also has an extensive Knowledge Base where you can learn the ins and outs of registering a domain, transferring a domain, setting up a custom email, etc. 

The competition

Hover's main competitors include Domain.com, Google Domains, and Namecheap. Hover's domain name registration services are pretty expensive compared to these rivals. However, Hover stands above these competitors in user-friendliness.

Final verdict

Hover is a suitable domain name registrar. You can use it to find and register any domain name with ease or transfer a domain from elsewhere to its platform. The platform is user-friendly and offers straightforward pricing for customers. It also provides privacy protection for domain registrations, which is helpful. 

However, Hover has some noticeable drawbacks, such as being relatively expensive and offering no web hosting or website builder service.

• Find the perfect domain name for your website with the best domain registrars

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Final Audio UX3000

One-minute review

It’s been an indecently long time coming, but at last Final Audio has launched a pair of wireless active noise-cancelling over-ear headphones. And, what’s more, the company has gone straight onto the top table.

Jump to

Price and release date

Design and features

Audio performance

Should I buy them?

The Final Audio UX3000 don’t look or feel anything special, despite an interesting finish to most of the plastics used in their construction. But their specifications, which includes aptX Low Latency Bluetooth, a long battery life, and active noise cancellation, go a long way towards making up for it. Plus, their relatively modest size and weight makes them a realistic proposition for anyone that wants to listen in comfort.

Once they’re on your head, there’s almost nothing to take issue with. Yes, the noise-cancelling here is good, not great - but their dynamism, detail retrieval and, ultimately, their musicality make the UX3000 an engaging and thoroughly enjoyable listen. No genre is off-limits here - these headphones like all the music you like.

If you’ve been after a pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones but have baulked at the price of the class leaders, then Final Audio has some good news for you. Read on for our full Final Audio UX3000 review.

The Final Audio UX3000 offer great specs for the price. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Final Audio UX3000: price and release date

• Available now
• $149 / £119 (about AU$200)

The Final Audio UX3000 wireless active noise-cancelling over-ear headphones are on sale now for $149 / £119. Australian pricing is still to be confirmed, but that works out at around AU$200. 

This is approaching entry level for wireless headphones with active noise-cancellation circuitry, but that’s not to say the UX3000 have the field clear. The Jabra Elite 85h only cost a little more, and the vibrant Urbanista Miami cost a little less. 

You can fold up the Final Audio UX3000 for easy portability.  (Image credit: TechRadar)

Final Audio UX3000: design and features

• Bluetooth 5 with aptX Low Latency
• 35 hours of battery life 
• Google Assistant and Siri support

Final Audio seems to have aimed for nothing more radical than ‘compact’ and ‘nicely textured’ with the design of the UX3000. These are pleasantly light headphones, fold up neatly (there’s a soft carry-pouch provided in the box) and feature earcups that don’t threaten to engulf the smaller-headed among us. 

Despite their minimal weight, the UX300 feel sturdy. All the moving parts seem robust, and all contact points feature nicely judged padding beneath soft faux-leather. All the parts that aren’t padded are made from hard plastic, with Final Audio using a ‘shibo’ finish - ‘shibo’ is an old Japanese word meaning ‘a wrinkle on the surface of paper or leather’, and it serves to make the UX3000 a slightly more interesting visual proposition than most price-comparable alternatives.

The left earcup features a USB-C input for charging, and an ‘on/off’ button for active noise cancellation. The UX3000 should last for 35 hours from a single charge if ANC is switched off, and 25 hours or so if it’s switched on. From flat, they can be fully charged in around two-and-a-half hours - there’s no facility for wireless charging. The headphones can be used with ANC switched on even if there’s no incoming signal, which Final Audio rather charmingly refers to this as an ‘earmuff’ function. 

The earcups of the Final Audio UX3000 feature a 'shibo' finish. (Image credit: TechRadar)

On the right earcup, there’s a 3.5mm analogue input for hard-wired listening, and three useful control buttons. One covers ‘power on/off’, ‘Bluetooth pairing’, ‘answer/end/reject call’ and ‘activate voice assistant’ (Siri and Google Assistant are both supported). The other two deal with ‘volume up/down’, ‘skip forwards/backwards’ and ‘play/pause’.

Each earcup has both internal and external mics, handling calls, voice-assistant interaction and active noise cancellation. Final Audio reckons its ‘hybrid’ noise cancellation methodology offers class-leading noise suppression and audio reproduction that’s unaffected by the ANC - the full-range driver inside each earcup has been specifically designed to withstand the stresses placed on it by working ANC circuitry.

Wireless connectivity is via Bluetooth 5, and there’s compatibility with SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX Low Latency codecs.     

You can charge the UX3000 via USB-C. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Final Audio UX3000: audio performance

• Detailed and dynamic 
• Nice tonal balance 
• Unflustered by tricky rhythms and tempos 

We may as well cut to the chase here: keep the asking price uppermost in your mind and the  Final Audio UX3000 are a very accomplished pair of headphones indeed. They’re not remotely flashy in the way they sound, and they don’t try to impress you with overconfident bass or in-your-face soundstaging. Instead, they offer accuracy and fidelity. That means they’re not the most exciting listen at first - give them just a little time, though, and their even-handed, balanced and insightful attitude is very persuasive indeed.

Key specs

Acoustic design: Closed

Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz

Drivers: Dynamic

Battery life: 35 hours

Active noise cancellation? Yes

Extra features: aptX Low Latency, multipoint connectivity

It doesn’t quite give you the whole story, but once through PJ Harvey’s Man-Size reveals a great deal about what makes the UX3000 such a compelling pair of headphones. The remarkable immediacy of the track is delivered in full, with the transient distortion around the guitar and percussion sounds given due (but not overstated) prominence. The gritted-teeth attack of the voice and drums is tangible, and the overall sense of musicians performing as a unit, in the same place and at the same time, is more apparent here than through any price-comparable wireless headphones.

Tonality is expertly judged, with convincing integration from top to bottom. Bass sounds are full and solid, with straight-edged punch and plenty of detail - and that’s equally true of the crisply substantial top end. In between, the midrange communicates eloquently - again, detail levels are high, and the singer’s character and technique are given full expression.

The tonality of the UX3000 headphones is expertly judged. (Image credit: TechRadar)

The soundstage the UX3000 generate isn’t the most expansive, but neither is it constricted - and it’s really well defined. As well as ‘left-to-right’, the Final have no problem describing ‘front-to-back’ on the stage, and there’s no blurring of individual positions on it. They have no problem handling the classic indie ‘quiet/LOUD/LOUDER’ dynamics of the recording, but are subtle and observant enough to deal with the harmonic variations from one plectrum-strum to the next too. 

Switching to David ‘Fathead’ Newman’s What’s New? allows the UX3000 to showcase the rest of their talents. They’re absolutely assured where the languid rhythm and eased-back tempo of the recording are concerned, expressing it with real positivity and confidence. Plucked notes from stand-up bass have weight, depth and detail to spare, but they’re controlled with proper authority. And when the uber-Ron Burgundy jazz flute really gets into its stride, the Final stay sweet and musical where lesser designs can become strident. 

There are few downsides to the way the UX3000 perform. In absolute terms they could resolve the top of the frequency range a little more fully than they do, but we’re really reaching for criticisms now - and let’s not forget that asking price, shall we?

The active noise cancellation is effective enough at dealing with the majority of external distractions - obviously we’re not talking about Bose-type levels of noise negation, but then we’re not talking about Bose money either. And the fact the Final can remove a lot of ambient sound without changing their sonic attitude in the slightest puts them ahead of any number of rivals, too.

Should I buy the Final Audio UX3000?

The Final Audio UX3000 don't remove all ambient sound, but the noise cancellation is still decent. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Also consider

Not convinced by our Final Audio UX3000 review? We've picked out three more pairs of over-ear headphones for you to consider:

First reviewed: April 2022

• Looking for something cheaper? Read our guide to the best budget headphones you can buy today

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Network Solutions domain registration service

Network Solutions is an American domain name registrar and web hosting service founded over four decades ago. It's one of the biggest web hosting platforms, with nearly 7 million domain registrations. The company is a subsidiary of Web.com, a web hosting giant.  

Domain name registration is Network Solutions' primary service, but it provides complimentary offerings like web hosting, web design, online marketing, and search engine optimization.

We tested the ins and outs of Network Solutions to give you a comprehensive, impartial review. We assessed the platform based on specific factors, including pricing, customer support, features, ease of use, etc. 

Plans and pricing

Network Solutions charges varying fees for different services. Its domain names start at $10 upward. The generic ones like .com, .net, and .org cost between $10-$20 annually, while uncommon ones like .app, .club, and .tips cost between $20-$40 yearly. Network Solutions' domain name prices are competitive.

Network Solutions offers web hosting services for $4 to $40 per month. It offers four hosting plans; Starter ($4 monthly), Essential ($10 monthly), Professional ($35 monthly), and Premium ($41 monthly). 

Network Solutions offers a website builder free to everyone who purchases a hosting plan. However, it requires payment for the web builder's e-commerce features. The company provides three e-commerce web builder plans; Starter ($30 monthly), Standard ($55 monthly), and Premium ($100 monthly). Starter, Standard, and Premium, respectively, let you list up to 25, 300, and 100,000 products on your online store.

Network Solutions also offers SSL certificates to protect your website for $50 to $580 annually. It provides six SSL plans; UCC ($50 yearly), Xpress ($60 yearly), Basic ($125 yearly), Advanced ($200 annually), Extended ($399 yearly), and Wildcard ($580 yearly). 

Features

Network Solutions is an all-in-one web hosting platform with many features, including;

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Domain name registration

Network Solutions lets you register available domain names. Just go to the website and search for any domain name you want. If it's available, you can grab it immediately. Network Solutions supports hundreds of TLDs, including regular ones like .com, .net, and .co and rare ones like .VIP, .website, and .expert.

Whenever you register a domain on Network Solutions, you can also pay for private registration so that no one would be able to fetch your contact information from the WHOIS database. Doing so helps prevent spammers from contacting you. 

Likewise, you can also search the WHOIS database for information about domain name owners. But, you wouldn't find anything if a domain name owner has enabled private registration.

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions also lets you transfer domain names you registered elsewhere to its platform. It charges a one-time fee for that service. 

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Web Hosting

Network Solutions offers web hosting services for users. You don't need to venture elsewhere after registering your domain when you can also host your website on the same platform. Network Solutions' cloud hosting is reliable and secure. 

Network Solutions offers four hosting plans; Starter ($4 monthly), Essential ($10 monthly), Professional ($35 monthly), and Premium ($41 monthly). The Starter plan includes one website, 15GB of disk space, and 5 email boxes. Essential consists of 3 websites, 300GB of disk space, and 1000 email boxes. The Professional and Premium plans include 10 websites, unlimited disk space, and unlimited websites. 

All Network Solutions hosting plans include a free business LLC formation service. It entails free legal assistance for customers to form limited liability companies for their businesses. Typically, you'll pay hundreds of dollars in legal fees for this service, but Network Solutions offers it free. Also, all its plans above Starter include a free domain name.

Network Solutions' hosting is compatible with many open-source applications, including MySQL, Joomla, Drupal, Ruby on Rails, and WordPress. It also includes SiteLock for malware protection and CodeGuard for automatic website backups. 

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Website Builder

Network Solutions offer a free website builder to all customers. You can use this website builder to create functional, appealing websites without much technical work. However, Network Solutions requires payment for the web builder's e-commerce features, and they're pretty expensive ($30 to $100 monthly). 

The e-commerce package allows you to set up an online store quickly without much stress. It integrates with a handful of payment gateways (e.g., PayPal) so you can easily collect payments from your shoppers. It also includes tools for online marketing, inventory management, and accounting.

Interface and in use

Network Solutions has a user interface that's a bit clunky. The interface isn't as modern as what you'll find on some competing web hosting platforms and thus is harder to use. We think that the platform's user interface could use a lot of improvement. 

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Customer support

Network Solutions offers customer support through telephone. There are separate support lines for US-based and foreign users. The company does not have any other customer support channels, which is a drawback. Telephone lines are prone to clogging in the face of too much demand.

The competition

Network Solutions' main competitors include Namecheap, Bluehost, and Domain.com. It's pretty expensive and lags in user-friendliness compared to these competitors.

Final verdict

Network Solutions is a suitable domain name registrar and web hosting service. It offers a broad range of domain name extensions and excellent uptime for hosting customers. However, we observed a significant drawback in its aggressive upselling. The platform uses some dark patterns to encourage you to purchase additional products. 

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Dynadot domain registration service

Dynadot is a privately-held domain registrar and web hosting company headquartered in the US and has additional offices in Canada and China. The company was founded in 2002 by a software engineer named Todd Han.

Dynadot's primary service is domain name registration. It supports over 500 domain name extensions. The platform also includes a website builder customers can use to create good-looking websites with minimal technical work. Likewise, Dynadot provides professional email services.

We tested Dynadot to give you a detailed, unbiased review. We evaluated the web hosting platform based on specific criteria, including features, ease of use, customer support, user-friendliness, etc.

(Image credit: Dynadot)

Plans and pricing

Dynadot charges between $10 and $100 annually for domain names. Generic domain name extensions like .COM and .NET cost $10 to $20 yearly, while atypical ones like .HEALTH costs $50 to $100 yearly. But, some atypical domain name extensions cost less than $10 annually. These are often new ones Dynadot runs promos for to attract customers.

You can also buy specific domain names through an auction-like process at Dynadot. Likewise, Dynadot offers a domain marketplace where owners and sellers can negotiate prices directly.

Dynadot's website builder has three paid plans; Basic ($10 yearly), Pro ($30 yearly), and Business ($100 yearly). Its email service costs $16 annually. The platform also offers SSL certificates for $17 to $80 yearly.

Features

Dynadot lets you search for any available domain and buy it straight away. Just head to the website and type your desired domain in the search bar. If it's available, you can proceed to buy it immediately. Dynadot supports various payment options, including PayPal, Skrill, Alipay, bank wire transfers, and credit/debit cards.

(Image credit: Dynadot)

Dynadot also lets you participate in domain name auctions. The auctions are usually premium, high-value domains. There's also an online marketplace where you can negotiate prices directly with a seller. Likewise, Dynadot lets you place backorders for a desired domain name that's already taken. Then, Dynadot would immediately alert you if it ever becomes available. However, multiple people can place backorders for the same domain, making the process highly competitive.

You can transfer domain names registered elsewhere to Dynadot. Any domain name you want to transfer must be at least 60 days old. The transfer process is quick and straightforward, and it takes 1-2 weeks to complete.

Dynadot provides free privacy protection for any domain name registered on its platform. This protection blocks your contact information from the WHOIS database, so people can't easily contact you.

(Image credit: Dynadot)

Website Builder

Dynadot provides a website builder for customers to create functional websites with little technical work. It's a drag-and-drop builder with no coding required. You can choose from various templates for your website and customize them to suit your tastes. The website builder includes tools for users to launch online stores. It has integrations with multiple payment gateways to let users collect payments. You can also include product reviews on your online store.

Dynadot lets you add custom CSS and JavaScript codes to your website if you have the technical expertise. Any website you build with Dynadot is automatically mobile-optimized.

Email

Dynadot lets you create custom email addresses using your domain names. You can create an unlimited number of email addresses.

(Image credit: Dynadot)

SSL Certificates

Dynadot offers SSL certificates for users to protect their websites.

(Image credit: Dynadot)

Interface and in use

Dynadot has an intuitive interface. Buying a domain name through the platform is quick and straightforward. Its website builder is also easy to use. Its webmail service works well, enabling you to send and receive emails conveniently and look professional, thanks to having a custom domain.

Customer support

Dynadot offers customer support through live chat, email, and telephone, and they're pretty reliable. You can contact human support representatives directly when you encounter difficulties with the platform. These reps are experienced and likely to help you find solutions. Dynadot's telephone and live chat support channels give instant answers but are vulnerable to clogging if there's too much demand. If you send an email inquiry, expect a response within 24 hours.

(Image credit: Dynadot)

Dynadot also has a detailed FAQ page on its website. This page contains solutions to frequently occurring challenges and is ideally the first place to consult before talking directly to a support rep if you don't find the answers you want. 

The competition

Dynadot's main competitors include Bluehost, Domain.com, and Network Solutions. Dynadot offers comparable features to these competitors. 

Final verdict

Dynadot is a good enough domain registrar and web hosting company. It supports a broad range of domain name extensions, and some of them are pretty affordable. Dynadot also offers a website builder for customers to create websites with little technical work. However, this web builder has rather limited features and bland templates.

Dynadot also offers limited hosting plans for websites built using its web builder. It's a good platform for registering domain names but not for building versatile websites.

• Find the perfect domain name for your website with the best domain registrars

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Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW

One-minute review

How can you possibly differentiate one pair of true wireless earbuds from all the other similarly priced true wireless earbuds that are already on the market? Well, if you’re Audio-Technica and the earbuds in question are the ATH-CKS50TW, you’ll point to a) enormous battery life, b) extensive specifications, and c) eloquent, revealing sound. 

Jump to

Price and release date

Design and features

Audio performance

Should I buy them?

Points a), b) and c) are all fair enough. The ATH-CKS50TW are reasonably small and light, which means they’re comfortable. The battery life is better than most alternative designs. The spec highlights - Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive, 9mm full-range drivers, a full-function control app - are not to be sniffed at. And the sound they make, all sky-high detail levels and rock-solid soundstaging, is never short of enjoyable.

Of course, you’ll probably gloss over the active noise-cancelling, which isn’t quiet class-leading, and the rather grainy rhythmic expression that the ATH-CKS50TW serve up. After all, nothing’s perfect - especially not where true wireless earbuds at this sort of money are concerned. Read on for our full Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW review.

The Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW have a lot of competition at this price. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW: price and release date

• Available now
• $199 / £149 / AU$249

The Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW (trips off the tongue, doesn’t it?) are on sale now for $199 / £149 / AU$249.

You know as well as we do that the world is full of true wireless in-ear headphones at this sort of money. Some are by brands with reputations greater even than that of Audio-Technica, some are by brands you may conceivably never have heard of - but all want you to put your money their way. So - as if it needs stating - Audio-Technica has its work cut out if it’s going to make a convincing case for the ATH-CKS50TW.

You get a very, very long battery life with the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW: design and features

• Substantial battery life 
• Comprehensive control app
• Compact and comfortable 

The Audio-Technica are lozenge-shaped wireless earbuds (as opposed to the stem-dangling alternative), and they use the long-established ‘twist-to-lock’ method of fitting. They’re reasonably compact, fairly light, and they live in a discreet and nicely curvaceous charging case. Nothing about the way they look or fit is going to alarm anyone.

On the inside, the CKS50 are fitted with big (9mm) full-range dynamic drivers, fed by Bluetooth 5.2 wireless connectivity that’s compatible with Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive codec. That high-quality connection can be maintained for a heck of a long time between charges, too - the Audio-Technica earbuds are good for 20 hours of playback (15 with active noise-cancellation switched on) and the charging case holds another 30 hours or so. 

So, when the little voice announces “battery level: high” as you take the earbuds from the case and push them into your ears, you can be certain of hearing that message for a very long time before you use USB-C or any Qi-certified wireless pad to charge them. Should the worst happen, though, just 10 minutes of charging is good for 90 minutes of playback.

The CKS50 are IPX4-certified against moisture ingress, and their multipoint connectivity means they can connect to, say, a smartphone and a laptop at the same time. 

You can tweak the EQ settings in the accompanying app. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Control is available either via the earbuds themselves or Audio-Technica’s extremely thorough ‘Connect’ app. The app features four EQ presets, along with the facility for the user to define their own using the five-band adjuster. It also lets you select between ‘noise-cancelling on/off/hear-through’, adjust volume levels (as well as choose between 16-, 32- or 64-step volume increments), alter the left/right balance, switch ‘side tone’ (which allows you to hear yourself when making or receiving a call) on or off, and set up the earbuds to work with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio spatial sound algorithm.

The app also lets the wearer define the function of the control buttons on each earbud. Rather than the more usual capacitive touch-surface, the Audio-Technica use actual push buttons - there is one on the top edge of each earbud. The positivity of the action is reassuring, but there’s no doubt the position and fit of the earbuds (which is so crucial to the eventual sound) can be compromised by pushing the buttons. 

The Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW feature physical control buttons. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW: audio performance

• Balanced, poised and informative sound 
• Good detail levels and plenty of dynamic headroom
• Noise cancellation could be more effective  

As with any headphones that give the user a degree of control over the way they sound, it’s possible to skew the sound of the CKS50 quite comprehensively via the EQ adjustment. But as with almost every pair of headphones with this facility, the flat settings the audio engineers decided on is the best way to hear the Audio-Technica. You can most certainly make them sound different, but you can’t make them sound any better.

Key specs

Acoustic design: Closed

Weight: 8g

Drivers: 9mm dynamic

Battery life: 20 hours (earbuds) 30 hours (charging case)

Extra features: Active noise cancellation, in-app equalizer, aptX Adaptive

So with the EQ settings left well alone and a TIDAL stream of The Raincoats’ Fairytale in the Supermarket, the CKS50 are a sprightly, informative and engaging listen. The rudimentary musicianship and the straightforward vigor of the performance are expressed fully, and the sense of unity of performance and musicians interacting is tangible. Every area of the frequency range is given its due prominence, and the Audio-Technica neither overstate or underplay any part of it.

Bass notes are nicely shaped, packed with information of tone and timbre, and are decently straight-edged where attack and decay are concerned. The opposite end is this close to overconfidence, but never quite gets there - instead, treble sounds have just about acceptable levels of bite and shine. In between, the midrange fidelity the CKS50 are capable of makes every wavering note and approximate pitching of the vocal lines in this song sound immediate and quite endearing.

Switch to what might well be this recording’s 21st-century equivalent (Being in Love by Wet Leg) and the Audio-Technica get to showcase their dynamic potency, their ability to create a convincing soundstage and, again, their happy ability to put even the most transient details into proper context. But it also highlights a slight, but definite, suggestion of lumpiness to the way the CKS50 handle rhythms - they’re no disaster in this respect, but neither are they the most sinuous or expressive earbuds this sort of money can buy.

They’re similarly not-bad-we-suppose where noise-cancellation is concerned. To be fair, you have to spend a bit more than this if you want to completely remove outside sound from the equation - but nevertheless, the CKS50 can only go so far when it comes to negating ambient sound. Don’t imagine the drone of the train (or the drone of its passengers) won’t be apparent around the edges of the music you’re listening to.  

Should I buy the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW?

The audio performance is great, but the noise cancellation could be better. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Also consider

Not convinced by our Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW review? We've picked out three more pairs of true wireless earbuds for you to consider, too. 

First reviewed: April 2022

• Looking for something cheaper? Read our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds you can buy today

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Garmin Vivosmart 5

Two-minute review

The Garmin Vivosmart 5 is a lightweight fitness tracker that takes the fight directly to Fitbit – and fares well. It's certainly not as attractive as devices like the Fitbit Charge 5 and Fitbit Luxe thanks to its rather utilitarian design and monochrome screen, but it's practical and puts a huge amount of data right at your fingertips.

Key specs

Size: 19.5 x 10.7 x 217mm (small), 19.5 x 10.7 x 255mm (large)
Weight with strap: 24.5g (small), 26.5g (large)
Display type: grayscale OLED
GPS: No
Sports modes: 14 total, 10 available on watch at a time
Operating system: Garmin Watch OS

The most obvious upgrade from the Vivosmart 4 is the larger, higher resolution screen. Garmin makes good use of all that extra space to cram in an impressive array of data – including graphs and charts to show trends, which is something you don't get on many fitness trackers this size. Despite the lack of color to differentiate different pieces of data, it's all clear and easy to interpret at a glance.

Unlike the Fitbit Charge 5, the Vivosmart 5 lacks on-board GPS, meaning it's dependent on a Bluetooth connection to your phone for monitoring your route and pace during outdoor activities. It can also use its on-board accelerometer to estimate distance and pace, but it's only a rough guide and shouldn't be relied upon if you're training for an event.

While some of Fitbit's best features (including advanced sleep and stress insights) are only available if you have a Fitbit Premium subscription, all of Garmin's data and stats are yours to browse free of charge in the excellent Garmin Connect app. You'll also find a selection of guided workouts to follow, plus adaptive training plans for cycling and running. You won't get the vast library of videos that you do with Fitbit's premium service, but Garmin doesn't lock anything behind a paywall.

The Garmin Vivosmart 5 looks very similar to the Vivosmart 4 at first glance, but there are several notable differences, including a new interchangeable band (Image credit: Future)

The Vivosmart 5 isn't quite as beginner-friendly as an entry-level Fitbit, putting statistics front and center, but if you're a bit of a data nerd then that approach will definitely appeal.

The Vivosmart 5 could also be a smart choice if you already own a full-fat Garmin sports watch but find it cumbersome for everyday wear in between training sessions. The Garmin Connect app supports multiple devices, and all your data is pooled together, regardless of which watch you were wearing.

Price and release date

• Released April 2022
• Cost $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$229 at launch

The Garmin Vivosmart 5 was released on 20 April, 2022 – four years after the Vivosmart 4 – with a recommended retail price of $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$229.

That's a standard price for a higher-end fitness tracker, but if you're starting to get serious about running and are looking for a watch with GPS that'll give you guidance on your training, you can currently pick up the excellent Garmin Forerunner 55 for only a little more. 

The Vivosmart 5 is controlled using a physical button and a touchscreen (Image credit: Future)

Battery life

• Seven days in smartwatch mode
• Four days with all sensors and sleep tracking enabled

The Vivosmart 5 offers the same battery life as the Vivosmart 4. Garmin quotes a maximum runtime of seven days in smartwatch mode, but enabling SpO2 monitoring will cut that significantly. In our tests, the watch lasted four days and nights with 24-hour SpO2 monitoring enabled, and tracking one workout per day. We were able to recharge the battery from flat in a little over two hours. 

The Garmin Vivosmart 5 uses the same proprietary charging cable as all the company's recent watches (Image credit: Future)

Design and display

• Larger display than Vivosmart 4
• Available in two sizes
• New physical button on face

First of all, it's worth noting that the Garmin Vivosmart 5 comes in two sizes: small/medium (for wrists with a circumference between 122mm and 188mm), and large (for wrists with a circumference between 148mm and 228mm).

At first glance, both versions look very similar to the Vivosmart 4. The tracker itself has a slim build, and sits in a soft silicone band/case. This time around though, the band is replaceable; just bend the band back a little to pop the tracking unit out, then push it into the new strap – no tools necessary.

The Vivomove 5 lacks the aluminum bezel of its predecessor – a decision that makes it look a little less stylish, but almost certainly helped Garmin's designers save a few precious grams. The small/medium version we tested is just 24.5g including its band, while the large model is 26.5g, making it seriously lightweight.

Garmin has replaced the capacitive button of the Vivosmart 4 with a physical button that's easier to operate while wearing gloves (Image credit: Future)

Garmin has also swapped the capacitive button at the bottom of the watch's face for a physical one. This might seem like a strange choice as it interrupts the device's sleek lines, but it's a decision we welcome because it makes the Vivosmart 5 much easier to operate when you're wearing gloves, or have wet hands (the device is water resistant for swimming, though not for diving or fast watersports).

On the reverse, you'll find the optical heart rate and SpO2 sensors, plus the charging socket. The Vivosmart 5 uses the same proprietary charging cable as all other Garmin devices used in recent years, and it plugs in securely.

Perhaps the most obvious difference between the Vivosmart 5 and its predecessor is its new, larger OLED screen. The Vivosmart 5 has a higher resolution display than its predecessor, but it's still monochrome rather than color. This makes it less striking than the Fitbit Luxe, but Garmin's designers have used the limited space and palette in a smart way, conveying an impressive amount of of data on each screen. Rather than being cut off (as was sometimes the case with the Vivosmart 4), longer snippets of text scroll, and you can see at least three stats on screen at any one time.

The Vivosmart 5 has a significantly larger display than its predecessor, though it's still monochrome rather than color (Image credit: Future)

The Vivosmart 5 also has an ambient light sensor, which adjusts the brightness of the screen dynamically to suit the current conditions. We found it worked well, but it's also possible to pick a brightness level manually, adjust the timeout period before the screen goes to sleep, or even choose always-on mode (though all of these will have an impact on battery life).

Everyday health tracking

• Excellent sleep tracking
• SpO2 monitoring drains battery rapidly
• All-day stress monitoring works well

The Vivosmart 5 monitors sleep automatically, and in our tests it accurately detected when we fell asleep and woke – and its sleep stage tracking largely aligned with that recorded by our Withings Sleep Analyzer. Each morning you'll be presented with a mini report, including a sleep score (based on your sleep duration and time spent in each stage), a tiny weather forecast for the day ahead, and a quick overview of your upcoming calendar eventes. You can explore your sleep data in more detail using the Garmin Connect app. 

The only downside is that Garmin's sleep tracking doesn't account for naps, and if you grab 40 winks in the evening, it can throw out your nightly data. Naps are something Amazfit devices track well, and we've got our fingers crossed that Garmin will update its sleep and recovery algorithms to accommodate them soon.

The Garmin Vivosmart 4 tracks sleep automatically, measuring heart rate, movement, respiration, and stress (Image credit: Future)

You can also choose to enable SpO2 monitoring overnight, or 24 hours a day, but as mentioned earlier, this has a huge impact on battery life. Unless you're particularly concerned about oxygen saturation (if you suspect you may suffer from sleep apnea, or are training at altitude for example), leaving it off may be a sensible compromise.

Garmin combines data from your sleep and daily activities to generate a Body Battery score. Much like Fitbit's readiness score, this is an estimate of how much energy you have to tackle tasks throughout the day, but unlike Fitbit's metric, Garmin devices like the Vivosmart 5 allow you to see changes in real time and adapt your plans on the fly. If you were planning a tough training session but your body battery is running low, it might be wise to take it easier with a more gentle recovery session.

It's a useful tool, and your current Body Battery score is only a tap away on the Vivosmart 5. There's also a handy line graph showing how your score has changed over the last four hours, and a note to inform you whether your Body Battery is 'charging' or 'draining'. It's a lot of data to cram into such a small space, and reduces the need to open the app on your phone for more data.

The Vivosmart 5 displays your current Body Battery score, and tapping this will allow you to see a chart of your energy level over the last four hours (Image credit: Future)

All-day stress monitoring is another helpful feature. Unlike the Fitbit Sense and Charge 5, which measure stress by checking for changes in the electrical conductivity of your stress, the Vivosmart 5 uses an algorithm called Firstbeat Analytics that's based on heart rate variability.

It can't always determine the difference between physical and emotional stress, but is suspended during tracked workouts, so should give you a good general idea of your mental state. If you are starting to feel the tension, the Vivosmart 5 (like all recent Garmin watches) can lead you through a very basic but effective square breathing exercise to lower your heart rate.

The Vivosmart 5 will track your energy level throughout the day, with live updates on the watch itself, and measure stress via heartrate variability (Image credit: Future)

Workout tracking

• Can store 10 workout tracking modes
• No on-board GPS
• Responsive heart rate monitor

First, it's important to note that (like last year's Garmin Lily) the Garmin Vivosmart 5 doesn't have an on-board GPS module. Instead, it uses your phone's GPS chip to track your pace and route during outdoor activities, so if you choose to run or cycle without your handset, you'll only see basic workout stats at the end.

There's a huge range of different sports profiles to choose from, but the little Vivosmart 5 can only store 10 at a time, so you'll need to take a moment to set up your preferred activities in the Garmin Connect app before hitting the pavement, the pool, or the gym. Once that's done, just press the button on the tracker's face, select Activities, and you're ready to get started.

The Vivosmart 5 doesn't have the same heart rate monitor as Garmin's recent sports watches, but it's responsive nonetheless, and its readings largely align with those recorded by the company's pricier wearables (Image credit: Future)

Automatic activity tracking also works well, and you can choose how long the Vivosmart 5 should wait before beginning to record.

However, bear in mind that the device won't connect to your phone's GPS unless you begin monitoring your workout manually. You'll still get distance measured using the device's accelerometer, but it won't be as accurate. In a measured 5km run, it was 150m short, and pace was quite dramatically off during an interval training session.

The Garmin Vivosmart 5 doesn't have on-board GPS, so if your phone isn't within Bluetooth range it can only estimate your pace and distance using its accelerometer (Image credit: Future)

The Vivosmart 5 doesn't use the same heart rate monitor as recent watches like the Fenix 7 and Forerunner 55, but nevertheless it proved accurate and responsive in our interval training tests. You can also choose to broadcast your heart rate to a paired device via ANT+ compatible devices like treadmills (look for the ANT+ logo on your machine or check its manual to find out if yours will play along).

Once your workout is over, data is shared with the Garmin Connect app almost immediately provided your phone is within Bluetooth range. The watch can store data from seven timed activities, so don't worry if you can't sync it straight away.

Other tools

• No on-board music storage
• App and call notifications

The Vivosmart 5 has no on-board music storage, but that's to be expected for a device this small. You can, however, use it as a remote control for your phone's media player, meaning you don't have to dig your handset out of a pocket or armband mid-run when you want to switch tracks.

You can't use it to take calls either (you'll need the Garmin Venu 2 Plus for that). You will, however, be alerted to incoming calls and texts via customizable vibration on your wrist, and you can see small snippets of SMS, email, and app notifications by tapping them when they appear on the Vivosmart 5's display.

Another handy feature is the ability to find your phone using the Vivosmart 5 or vice versa – even if your phone is on silent. It's very loud, and very effective if you're disorganized.

Companion app

• Data syncs almost instantly
• Well organized and easy to understand
• Nothing behind a paywall

Like all Garmin fitness trackers and sports watches, the Vivosmart 5 syncs data with Garmin Connect. The app supports multiple devices, so if you own a chunky GPS watch and are thinking of picking up a Vivosmart to wear in between workouts, you'll have no trouble doing so – all your health and workout data will be collected together, regardless of which device was used to record it.

Garmin Connect is one of the best apps of its type, presenting a huge amount of data in a way that's clear and easy to understand. The app's homescreen is a dashboard containing stats for the current day such as heart rate, stress level, Body Battery (Garmin's name for your energy level), menstrual cycle, and recent workouts. You can add, remove, and rearrange these at will.

Tap any stat or dive into the app's menu, and you can drill down through increasingly detailed data on your health, fitness, and training.

There's no need to pay a subscription fee to see historic data in the Garmin Connect app (Image credit: Future)

Everything in Garmin Connect is free, but if you're thinking of trading in your Fitbit, you should be aware that there are far fewer instructor-led workouts on offer here. If you're a runner or a cyclist then you'll appreciate the adaptive training plans that are designed to help you hit a particular goal (like completing a sportive or setting a new half marathon personal best), but you don't get the huge catalog of video tutorials you do with Fitbit Premium membership.

Which fitness tracker suits you best will depend on the type of experience you're looking for. If you're already happily settled into a workout routine, then the data-rich Vivosmart 5 may be the device for you, but if you want inspiration and more of a community experience then it's worth considering whether Fitbit membership will fit into your monthly budget.

Also consider

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

• Find out how to choose the best running watch for you

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