Color accuracy is vital for photo and video editors to ensure colors remain true to whatever medium the image is used for or how the audience will display the video. Without proper color correction, videos run the risk of having inconsistent coloring throughout or not the proper coloring when the final product is complete.
Using this display, the image on the screen looks crisp, the user interface feels expansive thanks to the high resolution, and the interface menu is easy to navigate with the BenQ Hockey puck. If you haven't used a high-resolution screen, the added pixels allow for a crisper image and the ability to fit more on a screen overall.
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Unboxing and First Impressions
The design of this monitor is similar to other BenQ monitors we have used in the past. We have come to expect that BenQ monitors will be squared-off with plastic, yet the quality of the framing usually hits above its price point - and the 3205U is no exception. The monitor stand can swivel to allow for portrait mode, angle, tilt, and spin on the base, allowing for the near-perfect angle to be set.
Another element that we found to work brilliantly on this monitor is the KVM and switching. We tested switching between USB-C, HDMI, and Displayport through the Hockey puck. We have learned to love the hockey puck's controls and were thrilled to see that this monitor continues to use it. The hockey puck can be programmed to control quick settings for the monitor, such as colorspace, brightness, and other settings baked into the monitor.
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In Use
We first used this monitor on a quick setup that we created out of necessity. We had no clue what to expect other than a quality screen. We were shocked when we plugged in our primary tester's MacBook: moving from a 13" laptop screen to a 32" high resolution screen was a massive jump. The display felt gigantic due to this high resolution, making the screen feel far larger than its 32 inches of real estate.
As a daily-use monitor, this screen is brilliant. We could fit so much in and there was plenty of room to move things around. The aforementioned KVM switch helped us stay hyper-productive and tidy at our desks. Once we set up the KVM to three different computers, we could switch between all machines with a button, moving over the keyboard and mouse, any connected storage, and any other device plugged in. We even chose to program the dial to scroll between color profiles.
As a monitor focusing on image quality, we knew we had to test out some videos and photos. The images we used looked immaculate, and to the untrained eye, they will look close to perfect. The BenQ 3205U covers 99% of the sRGB and Rec. 709 color spaces, granting remarkably accurate images for how well-priced this monitor is.
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Final Verdict
The BenQ PD3205U is a great monitor for almost any task. It is a phenomenal display for the money, regardless of what you plan on using it for. The quality for the price is outstanding, and the built-in features make it remarkably productive. For those that will use this display for photo or video editing, with the touch of a button on the hockey puck, you can switch between color profiles to ensure you have the perfect color profile. Additionally, if you are working between multiple machines or want to sum down and use one display as your laptop monitor and your reference screen for your camera, you can swap between inputs with that same hockey puck controller in seconds.
Looking for an excellent desk to put your new monitor on? Check out our guide to the best standing desks.
Platform reviewed: PC Available on: PC Release date: 21 June 2023
Trepang2 is a throwback shooter that targets a different era than other retrospective gun-fests, which typically ape the stylings of Quake or Duke Nukem. Instead, developer Trepang Studios wants players to bask in the warm, bloody nostalgia of 2005's F.E.A.R. On its release, Monolith's shooter was celebrated for three things, its landmark enemy AI, its Ringu-inspired nightmare child who could turn people into jam with her mind, and its ability to wring out your entire nervous system through its kinetic, visually spectacular combat.
It's the last of these which Trepang2 tries hardest to replicate, and it does so convincingly. When it comes to bursting virtual braincases amid showers of sparks and flying debris, Trepang2 is every bit a worthy successor to F.E.A.R. It's less effective at recalling the scares and narrative elements weaved into Monolith's action game, although there are flickers of ingenuity scattered across your rampage.
Before you ask, no, you didn't miss Trepang1. The title has little to do with the game's world of shady private military companies and John Woo-esque action sequences. Bizarrely, it refers to a type of sea-cucumber harvested via a method known as "trepanging". The only thematic connection I could think of is that sea cucumbers can eject their stomachs from their bodies, a process known as evisceration. And there's no shortage of internal organs flying around in Trepang2.
Guns galore
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The opening mission is a microcosm of everything Trepang2 does well. Strapped to a chair in a windowless, subterranean cell, you are subject 106, a nameless prisoner of the Horizon corporation with nothing but an orange jumpsuit to your name. Released from captivity by a man dressed like a ninja, you must navigate your way to the surface via a legion of Horizon's heavily armed goons. Luckily 106 is a super-soldier, gifted with superhuman reflexes and the ability to turn themselves invisible.
The intro level starts out slow, with you creeping through shadowy corridors as you evade the flashlights of Horizon's guards. Soon enough you find a pistol, and take on a few enemy squads in the dark where most of the illumination is provided by strobing muzzle flashes. But it isn't until the mission's halfway point where the action kicks off properly, as that's when you unlock Focus, Trepang2's equivalent of bullet-time.
Best Bit
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Grabbing a shotgun, hitting focus and turning a roomful of enemies into quivering piles of goo. Bullet-time may be a familiar mechanic these days, but in the right hands, it's still wonderfully entertaining.
Bullet-time is one of countless systems that have become normalised by modern blockbuster games, but it's been a long time since it was this enjoyable. Like Max Payne and F.E.A.R before it, Trepang2's slow-motion ability is more than just a power-up, it's a reality-altering state.
In bullet-time, the world around you becomes hyperreal, bringing every detail into syrupy focus. The game's austere rooms and spartan corridors are suddenly filled with sparks and dust. Bullets leave liquid trails in their wake, while shockwaves from detonating grenades hang in the air like deadly bubbles, bending the light passing through them. For a few seconds, you can pick your way through your opponents with ease, their blood running like treacle and their screams muffled as if underwater. Then the world lurches back into real-time, and either chaos resumes, or, if you've used your slowed time effectively, everything around you collapses silently to the ground.
The effect is enhanced by the physicality of Trepang2's gunplay. Your weapons are frighteningly tactile things, from the deceptively powerful pistol to the almighty Spas-12 shotgun, which as in F.E.A.R is unrivalled for both its efficiency in eliminating enemies, and the mess it makes while doing so. You can also deploy a limited range of melee attacks, from a slide-tackle that's useful for knocking over enemies holding riot-shields, to a double-footed dropkick that you can use to rebound off opponents and launch yourself into the air.
Horror-ish
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Moment-to-moment, Trepang2 is thrilling, so mechanically refined that the game could take place in a concrete box with waves of enemies poured in and it would still be entertaining. This is just as well, because a not-insignificant portion of Trepang2 is essentially structured in this manner. After the superb opening, you're whisked away to a hidden base, where you can select your weapons and pick the next mission you want to undertake. These take the form of five or six campaign missions that are completed in sequence, and an equal number of smaller side missions that give you some leeway in the order you approach them.
Trepang2 seems to lack confidence in its horror, never settling on a particular theme or idea
The story missions are generally well-designed, starting off as Call of Duty-style raids on Horizon facilities, with you often accompanied by friendly soldiers who will help you in certain combat sequences. But these missions are rarely straightforward. Often, they'll segue into horror territory about halfway through, although the game is better at building tension than it is at actually scaring you. Part of the problem is that Trepang2 seems to lack confidence in its horror, never settling on a particular theme or idea. One of the later campaign missions starts off with you evading a genuinely creepy entity, but it then turns into an elongated reference to a popular Internet creepypasta, which is fun in its own way, but undercuts the tension.
(Image credit: Team17)
The fact there are only a half-dozen of these missions also makes the campaign feel disappointingly short. Because of this, there's no real opportunity for the game to build out its fiction. Not that I expect a literary experience from a game about bursting virtual torsos with a big shotgun, but F.E.A.R, at least had a couple of interesting antagonists and a mystery that occasionally felt, well, mysterious. By comparison, Horizon Corporation is both faceless and toothless. Any identifiable threat it throws your way is usually dead by the end of whatever mission you're pursuing, and the overarching plot is patchy at best, borderline incoherent at worst.
Instead, the game bulks out its running time with those side missions. Most of them are worth playing, either for the weapons they unlock, or just for their fun self-contained premises. Indeed, one of these missions features the game's best stab at horror, with you investigating a creepy shack in the middle of nowhere that hides something very weird underneath. Nonetheless, I'd happily sacrifice all these side gigs for two additional campaign missions that better pulled the story's various threads together.
Trepang2 never transcends the game it's inspired by, but it succeeds where all committed disciples should, in preserving ideas that otherwise risked being forgotten in the age of online hero shooters and all-encompassing battle royales. It might not be the biggest or smartest shooter around, but as a flashy action extravaganza, it's a heap of fun while it lasts.
Accessibility features
(Image credit: Team17)
Trepang2 has no dedicated menu for accessibility. There are difficulty options ranging from "Easy" to "Rage Mode", and aim-assist availability on easy and normal difficulties. There is a menu for "cheats", which includes things like infinite reflex and infinite cloak. However, these must be unlocked by completing levels on varying difficulties first, which does not make them useful for accessibility purposes. Subtitles are available for voiced lines, although they are quite small.
How we reviewed
This playthrough of Trepang2 took eight hours to complete, which includes the main story and all side missions. I also tested the game at various difficulty settings, with the "Hard" difficulty feeling best balanced between providing a challenge without overly obstructing progression.
Trepang2 is a gory action-filled FPS that strays from what you'd usually find on ourbest FPS gameslist.
Most Fujifilm Instax cameras follow a similar formula, and we’ve unpacked how to get started with an Instax like the SQ40 in our Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 review. In a nutshell: insert the two CR2 batteries, follow the visual cues to insert the film, open the lens, and away you go.
Fujifilm does old-school design better than most, and the Instax SQ40 is a perfect example of that. Some may prefer the look of the bright and bubbly Instax Mini series, but my preference is for the classic black faux-leather finish of the SQ40.
The silver-effect accents around the lens and shutter button are a nice touch, though I would have gone one step further and included a more pronounced silver top plate. I didn’t have the leather half case while reviewing the SQ40, but judging by the images I've seen it serves to enhance the retro styling even further.
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Again, like the Instax Mini 12, which is the best instant camera for most people, you have a retractable lens with three settings: off, on, and selfie. The difference between on (standard mode) and selife is the focus distance range – you’ll be able to get up close and personal for selfies and macro using the selfie mode, but it won’t focus sharply into the distance like the standard shooting mode does.
There's a small contour on the rear of the camera that gives a bit of grip, and overall the SQ40 is much easier to hold than the Mini 12.
The camera automatically determines the brightness in your pictures using a light meter on the front of the lens, and in general you can expect accurate brightness in your SQ40 prints, unless you’re in bright sunlight, in which the camera can overexpose a little.
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Next to the light meter is a Flash Light sensor for the always-on flash. I’d like a button to deactivate the flash for the times when I don’t want the foreground subjects brightly illuminated, and without that feature I often opt to physically cover the flash as a workaround.
The fixed angle of view is slightly tighter than that of a phone’s main camera – around 35mm in photography terms – and in general you’ll want your subjects to be between 0.3m and 3m from the camera; any further away and they’ll be too small in your prints.
There’s a viewfinder for composing pictures. This isn't physically aligned with the lens, but it has parallax correction, so what you see through the viewfinder is pretty much the composition you’re going to get.
To help compose your selfies, the SQ40 has a tiny mirror on the front of a lens as a visual guide, but given its size it’s only moderately helpful.
Fujifilm Instax SQ40: Performance
Better in bright light than the Instax Mini 12
Lovely washed-out vintage prints
The 62 x 62mm square prints that the SQ40 churns out are perfect in size – equal in height as Instax Mini film but in a wider square format, with the film itself measuring 86mm x 72mm.
Auto exposure parameters are 1/2 sec with slow sync flash, which is ideal for flash portraits indoors, and up to 1/400 sec, which gives more headroom in bright sunlight than the Instax Mini, which tops out at 1/250 sec and washes out (overexposes) more often.
You don't buy an instant camera for technical quality, but for the best possible results you’ll want to keep subjects close to the camera, and make sure the camera is in the correct shooting mode for the focus distance, or else your subjects won’t be in sharp focus. For example, the selfie mode’s focus distance is between 0.3 to 0.5m, and anything beyond that will produce soft images.
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The sample gallery (above) shows the sort of aesthetic quality you can expect from any Instax camera – that's a lovely desaturated vintage look, and the SQ40 is no exception.
Digitizing your prints is as simple as taking them, courtesy of the 'Instax Up!’ app. All the pictures in the sample gallery were digitized using the app, which includes guides for all film types, including the SQ40’s square format, and handy features like Remove Reflections.
Fujifilm Instax SQ40: Price and release date
List price $149.99 / £134.99 / AU$229
2 x 10-sheet pack of regular Instax Square film costs $24.99 / £16.99 / AU$34.95
The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ40 has a list price of $149.99 / £134.99 / AU$229, and is available from the end of June.
Instant photography doesn’t end with the cost of the camera of course, and there’s no such thing as cheap instant film. However, you won’t find better value than Instax.
A regular twin pack (2 x 10 sheets) of Square color film costs $24.99 / £16.99 / AU$34.95, and it's also available with different colored borders, including Rainbow, plus a Monochrome version of the film (prices vary).
Alongside the launch of the SQ40, Fujifilm has added a Sunset variety of its Square film, featuring soft color gradients which the company says are “reminiscent of a serene sunset”. This costs $15.75 / £10.99 / AU$26.95 for a single pack of 10 sheets.
Price score 3.5/5
Fujifilm Instax SQ40: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Fujifilm Instax SQ40: also consider
If our SQ40 review has you interested in instant cameras, here are a couple of other options to consider...
Fujifilm Instax SQ40: How I tested
A day in the city
A few packs of film
I haven’t needed much time with the Instax SQ40 to form my opinions about it. I’ve reviewed plenty of Instax cameras down the years, and the point-and-shoot models like the SQ40 are simple cameras that offer a fun and intuitive user experience.
The only real choice you have to make when using the SQ40 is if you want to use the standard mode or the closeup shooting mode. You also quickly learn what are the types of pictures that work for instant photography at this print size, and those that don’t. You’ll want subjects to fill the frame, so moderate closeups, bold buildings for example.
If Qobuz was a member of your circle of friends, it would be the strong-minded one. You know the type, the slightly eccentric leader who's ferociously talented and admirably principled. Qobuz is the friend who does things their own way and in their own time, or not at all.
The French music service (which also offers any music lover the chance to rent and purchase hi-res music even if they don't subscribe) was founded in September 2007 but took its sweet time to travel and expand. In fact, it only launched in the US in May 2019 and only arrived in Australia in April 2021.
The name comes from an ancient bowed musical instrument called kobyz, which has two strings made of horsehair. Although Qobuz is happy to look back into music history, it's thoroughly modern in its output of hi-res files – more so even than some of the best music streaming services we've tested. In 2013, Qobuz received the Hi-Res Audio certification from the Japan Audio Society (JAS), which guarantees that audio streams delivered by Qobuz meet the criteria and standards defined by the JAS. It took Apple Music an awful long time to catch up now, didn't it?
And anyone who takes issue with Spotify's minuscule $0.003—$0.005 per stream payments to artists might just have found the ideal service for them. In April 2020, during the early months of the Covid-19 crisis, Qobuz gave 100% of the revenue from each new subscriber’s first paid month straight back to the rights holders.
All of which is pretty refreshing, no? Add to this the clear Hi Res Audio stickers on all available content along with clearly displayed resolution on each track, plus the fact that Qobuz ditched MP3s years ago to focus solely on lossless streaming and it's a compelling proposition.
It's not the most sociable choice out there mind you (you won't find any AI DJs or Wrapped-style festival lineup posters for sharing on social media) but if you know what you like and you're as strong-minded as Qobuz itself, you may have met your ideal musical match.
For balance, it's worth noting that since June 2021 Apple Music's offering has included Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos as well as fun extras such as Apple Music Sing and even a free-to-subscribers Apple Music Classical app, all of which is made even better if you own an Apple source device and a set of the best AirPods to listen with. There's none of that with Qobuz. It is toying with THX, but at the time of writing there isn't an awful lot of it.
Meanwhile, Spotify has been promising its own high-fidelity audio service, Spotify HiFi, for years now – and we'll be honest, we think it's never coming – but Spotify AI DJ is kind of fun, if you like that kind of thing. And you won't find that with Qobuz.
Ultimately, it'll come down to whether you like Qobuz's admirable commitment to the best resolution and interesting extras such as a magazine, which includes news pieces and interviews with artists, all for slightly more than Spotify or Apple Music per month. We like Qobuz a lot. It's kookier than Tidal, the interface is less jumbled than Apple Music and the music quality easily trounces anything in Spotify's catalog. Oh, and it's cheaper than Tidal's similar offering.
Qobuz' Discover homepage (desktop) is clear and easy to navigate(Image credit: Future)
What is Qobuz?
Qobuz is a music streaming subscription service and download/rental music site.
It launched in 2007 in France and has since spread to 24 countries, but it is probably a relative newcomer in your territory compared to the likes of Spotify. While it focuses on music you can stream, you can also purchase and download albums or tracks to listen to offline and keep forever – in various resolutions. While you don't need a subscription at all to do this (the Qobuz Store lets you search for and purchase content simply by creating an account), paying for Qobuz's top Sublime tier, rather than the regular Studio tier, gets you discounts of up to 60% on any purchases you do make.
Qobuz can lay claim to being the first ever service to offer 16- and 24-bit audio files for both streaming and download, and having the biggest hi-res catalog right now, but it does come at a slight premium compared to several of its rivals.
Also, the ecosystem is stronger than you might think, especially if you've yet to become acquainted. There's a web player (to listen direct from your browser), applications for Mac, iOS and Android, integration with hi-fi heavy hitters such as Roon software, Bowers & Wilkins and Bang & Olufsen hi-fi products, Chromecast (to listen to Qobuz on all your devices using Google Cast) and Samsung TV to stream Qobuz direct from the TV. Oh, and you can listen to Qobuz directly in your car with CarPlay or Android Auto.
And it's not just music streaming and downloading! Within Qobuz's Oeuvre, there's also Qobuz Magazine, which includes features, news, tutorials and hi-fi product reviews.
Like all that but want a few social features? In March 2023, Qobuz launched something called Qobuz Club to check that particular box – in its own way. Qobuz Club is free to all Qobuz account holders, which means you don't actually need to be paying for a subscription to either Studio or Sublime to join in. It's billed as an “interactive forum” enabling users to “convene with like-minded listeners on topics such as music discovery and recommendations, as well as hardware and hi-fi advice”.
So basically, this is Qobuz moving away from AI and algorithm recommendations (think Spotify's counterfactual machine learning) and over towards the advice, tips, enthusiasm and opinions of actual, real-life human beings. And we like it.
Qobuz: pricing and subscription
A Qobuz Studio subscription costs $12.99 / £12.99 / AU$24.99 per month
A Qobuz Sublime subscription costs $17.99 / £17.99 / AU$29.99 per month
One-month free trial
You can start listening to Qobuz now with a free trial, which lasts one month. If you love it after the trial period and know you want to commit to 12 months, you can save a little on the quoted monthly subscription fees above by paying one annual lump sum. This costs $129.99 / £129.99 / AUS24.99 per year for Studio or $179.99 / £179.99 / AU$299.99 for Sublime, and comes down to around $10.83 / £10.83 for Studio per month or $15 / £15 per month for Sublime.
Notably, there’s no free ad-based streaming tier available as there is with Spotify (or Tidal in the US), although you can buy digital albums from Qobuz and enter the Qobuz Club simply by creating an account.
Qobuz also offers Studio Duo, Studio Family, Sublime Duo and Sublime Family tiers, which start at $14.99 / £14.99 a month for Studio Duo (when you pay for a whole year upfront). Yes, it's a little confusing, but if you and your significant other both want hi-res streaming, Studio Duo is probably the best value option there is here.
Both Qobuz Studio and Qobuz Sublime get you Studio quality streaming (FLAC 24-Bit up to 192 kHz), over 100 million tracks, original editorial content and offline listening. What does Sublime get you that Studio doesn't? Discounts on hi-res purchases of up to 60%, so if you're planning regular visits to the download store on Qobuz, it's good value.
This pricing makes Qobuz more expensive than Apple Music ($9.99 / £9.99 / AU$11.99 per month) and Spotify (also $9.99 / £9.99 / AU$11.99 per month), but cheaper than Tidal's HiFi Plus tier, which is most comparable to Qobuz Studio (because Tidal doesn't offer a download site). Tidal HiFi Plus costs $19.99 / £19.99 / AU$23.99.
Qobuz app for iOS is clean and easy to navigate(Image credit: Future)
Qobuz: audio quality
FLAC 24-Bit up to 192 kHz (aka hi-res, which is better than CD quality audio)
Billed as the biggest hi-res catalog in the world
Hi-Res tracks and resolution clearly displayed, which beats the competition
Qobuz's entire catalog is available in either CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) or better, at up to a maximum bit-depth and sampling frequency of 24-bit/192kHz – and remember, anything better than CD quality is considered high resolution audio.
Qobuz's trump card is that it has the biggest hi-res collection of any streaming service, available on any device (as long as your kit is up to scratch) without limitation. And it sounds good across the board – clear, agile, nuanced and as crisp through the leading edges as the artist (as well as whoever was at the mixing desk) intended.
Refreshingly, along with the Hi-Res Audio yellow sticker you'll see as you scroll albums and tracks, Qobuz gives you the figures too (with 24-bit/44.1kHz coming up a lot, in our searches) or sometimes just 'CD-quality' written underneath a track. Other streaming services group the vague resolution using terms such as 'lossless', 'SD' and 'HD'; Qobuz gives it to you straight up.
Now, if you're listening on even the best noise-cancelling headphones, you might want to go wired and maybe nab one of the best portable DACs to boot when listening to Qobuz's beyond-CD offerings. Why? Because as with Apple Music's Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless tracks, Bluetooth connectivity applies its own limitations on quality and it still isn't quite good enough to get those hi-res files at their full potential.
Many music streaming services are upping their game to bring subscribers better music quality. Apple Music and Tidal already offer their own form of hi-res audio; Apple Music uses its own AAC and ALAC formats, Tidal favors MQA and Qobuz is a FLAC house – and because FLAC is a lossless compression format, the files sound good.
Although several streaming services are following suit with better quality audio, certain platforms also offer more immersive content with Spatial Audio (Apple Music), 360 Reality Audio (Tidal) and Dolby Atmos (both of the above).
In addition, Amazon Music HD has a "3D Audio" offering. On its FAQ page, Amazon writes: "We support over 750 tracks mastered in Dolby Atmos and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio codecs from some of the world’s biggest artists."
Qobuz is still relatively slow on the uptake with three-dimensional audio, but when it does go 3D, it prefers THX. Available to anyone listening from a device of their choice over any headphones, THX Spatial Audio uses advanced signal processing to place sounds "out of the head" and transform conventional audio with realistic acoustics ensuring a unique listening experience.
It's worth bringing Amazon's HD tracks into the debate too. These have a bit depth and sample rate of 16bit/44.1kHz (CD-quality) and an average bitrate of 850 kbps. Ultra HD tracks have a bit depth of 24 bits and sample rates ranging from 44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz – so an average bitrate of 3730 kbps.
Qobuz: music catalog
100 million tracks
Very limited THX immersive audio content
Claimed catalog now equals that of Spotify/Apple Music
Qobuz claims there are more than 100 million tracks available to stream on its site – which, at the time of writing, equals Spotify's collection and Apple Music's declared catalog.
In the past, we have knocked Qobuz for the holes in its catalog compared with Spotify and Apple Music; it doesn't matter how good the resolution of the song you don't want is, if it doesn't carry the one track you do desire. Based on our searches now, that has changed. Of course, your journey and musical tastes may vary wildly and that's why one-month trials exist, but we want to give Qobuz credit here – a lot has changed.
What Qobuz doesn't offer is podcasts or audiobooks – you need to go elsewhere for those. What it does offer that lots of services don't is an online magazine (remember those?) with video interviews, news stories, long-form 'panorama' features on musical genres, music history, artists and such as well as hi-fi tutorials and reviews. Because one way to learn about the music you might like is to read about it while you stream.
Radio? No, although under the playlists tab you'll find various 'moods' or options for 'listening with' your favorite acts, to the point that it almost feels like a dedicated station.
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Qobuz: platforms and apps
Homescreen and tabs are easy to navigate
A dedicated hi-res tab is refreshing
As mentioned, can listen to Qobuz on all kinds of devices including iPhone, iPad, Android, tablet, CarPlay, PC, Android, Samsung Smart TV and your Google Cast device.
As well as the web player (to listen directly from your browser), there are applications for Mac, iOS and Android integration with hi-fi heavy hitters such as Roon software, Bowers & Wilkins and Bang & Olufsen hi-fi products, Chromecast (to listen to Qobuz on all your devices using Google Cast) and Samsung TV to stream Qobuz direct from the TV. Oh, and you can listen to Qobuz directly in your car with CarPlay or Android Auto.
And across all of them, the design is simple and likeable – much easier to navigate than Apple Music's congested design. A lovely touch is the dedicated Hi-Res playlist under the playlists tab (right after 'All'), which actually groups together the newest hi-res offerings from Qobuz. Where so many streaming sites keep things shrouded in mystery here, forcing you to go looking specifically for a specific track to see if you're lucky enough to get it in a higher resolution, Qobuz is honest, open and helpful. It might sound like a small detail, but to the audiophile it's a huge plus to have a hi-res roundup such as this.
Across the top bar of the desktop app and web player, you'll see tabs for Discover, Magazine, My Playlists, Favourites and Purchases. On mobile, it's Discover, Magazine, My Qobuz, Imports, and a search bar. All easy, all likeable – in fact Qobuz's simple and clean design is one of our favorites across all streaming services.
Qobuz: playlists and recommendations
My Weekly Q gets mixed reviews
Qobuz Magazine offers valuable extra content
Spotify has the edge with niche mixes and AI DJs
In terms of discovering new music, Qobuz is not a front-runner in the way Spotify is. For example, the big green giant can curate niche mixes especially for you if you discover a penchant for goblincore or pagode, say. Qobuz cannot do that. And neither does it ask for you to select ever multiplying bubbles containing the names of genres or acts you already like in the way that Apple Music does upon first signing up.
That said, Qobuz does offer My Weekly Q, a selection of tracks curated and available for you every Friday. Any good? That depends. Reviews are mixed, with some users vehemently preferring Spotify and claiming that Qobuz's algorithm and subsequent suggestions are based much more on their location and age, rather than what they actually listen to. For our money, the tracks we received were refreshing and we actually did discover a few new new bands we liked – particularly German soul and hip-hop bands, since you ask.
There are human-curated playlists here for the discerning listener too. Think 'A History of Rock: 1951' or '50 Jazz tracks to test your speakers' and our favorite offering hands-down is the Hi-Res collection – a thing we desperately wish other streaming services would offer.
Essentially, if you know the kind of music you want and you just want to love it more, you'll enjoy Qobuz. And any fresh discoveries on top of that just add to the fun, right?
Formerly known as Keep Truckin’, in 2022, this company changed its name to Motive after building the company with the former name for the prior 9 years. The reason for the name change was that they wanted to apply the services they could provide, namely connectivity and automation, across more than just the trucking industry, such as to agriculture, energy and field service. The goal was to be able to scale these businesses via an integrated platform for managing the physical operations.
Motive is a larger player in fleet management operations, with over 120,000 customers served, covering the whole spectrum from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, with everything in between. Among its clients, Motive can count Flying Star Transport, Kansas City Limousine, Sierra Mountain Express, and West Coast Distributing. Motive claims that its customers through its technology have a 22% reduction in accidents, a 20% improvement in utilization, and an impressive 25% reduction in insurance premiums.
Motive fleet management: Pricing
Motive is unfortunately yet another example of opaque pricing in this area of fleet management. On their website, we were not able to find any specific prices, nor were we able to discern the pricing structure or tiers available of plans. Rather, the company expects potential customers to be in touch for a custom quote. While we respect the process of pricing the plan once you understand the needs, and that a new customer may not even be aware of what the options are, we still think that some more information upfront to potential customers would benefit everyone.
Searching around the internet, we are able to glean some info, although it may not be the latest prices. Still, at least it gives a ballpark of what to expect.
The Motive ELD runs a one-time cost of approximately $150 for the device, with subscription fees starting at about $25 each month. Electronic logs can range in price from free on up to $50 per month. Overall, these prices look to be affordable among fleet management plans, and with the insurance and accident reduction benefits indicated, can easily pay for themselves over time.
Motive fleet management: Features
Motive Fleet Management is a comprehensive solution designed to help businesses efficiently manage their vehicle fleets. Here are some key features typically associated with Motive Fleet Management:
Vehicle Tracking and GPS: Fleet management systems typically include GPS technology to track and monitor the location of vehicles in real-time. This feature enables businesses to have a clear overview of their fleet's movements, optimize routes, and improve overall efficiency.
Asset and Maintenance Management: Fleet management systems often offer tools to track and manage the maintenance and servicing schedules of vehicles. This feature helps businesses ensure that vehicles are properly maintained, reducing the risk of breakdowns and maximizing their lifespan.
Fuel Management: Effective fuel management is critical for fleet operations. Fleet management software may include features that help monitor fuel consumption, identify inefficient driving patterns, and detect instances of fuel theft or unauthorized usage. These capabilities enable businesses to reduce fuel costs and improve overall fuel efficiency.
Driver Behavior Monitoring: Many fleet management systems incorporate driver behavior monitoring to encourage safe and responsible driving. These systems can provide insights into factors such as speeding, harsh braking, and aggressive acceleration. By monitoring and addressing poor driving habits, businesses can enhance safety, reduce accidents, and minimize vehicle wear and tear.
Route Planning and Optimization: Optimizing routes is essential for fleet efficiency. Fleet management systems can analyze traffic patterns, road conditions, and other factors to suggest the most efficient routes for drivers. This feature helps minimize fuel consumption, reduce travel time, and enhance customer service by ensuring timely deliveries.
Vehicle Diagnostics: Fleet management solutions may integrate with the vehicle's onboard diagnostics system to monitor the health and performance of individual vehicles. This allows businesses to proactively identify maintenance issues, schedule repairs, and avoid costly breakdowns.
Reporting and Analytics: Fleet management systems often provide comprehensive reporting and analytics tools. These features enable businesses to generate customized reports, analyze fleet performance metrics, and gain valuable insights into areas for improvement. Data-driven decision-making helps optimize fleet operations, reduce costs, and increase overall productivity.
Integration and Scalability: Fleet management solutions can integrate with other business systems, such as accounting or dispatching software, to streamline operations and improve data accuracy. Additionally, these systems are often scalable, allowing businesses to easily add or remove vehicles and adapt to changing fleet sizes and requirements.
It's important to note that specific features may vary depending on the fleet management software provider and the needs of the business.
Motive fleet management: Support
The support for Motive is decent. There is 24/7 direct support available with a toll free number listed. There is also the option for a chat that starts with a bot, and can transition to support as needed. Finally, there is a direct email address. This is pretty complete, with the only options missing ones that are less used these days, such as snail mail and fax. While we appreciate that the hours are listed as 24/7, there is no turnaround time indicated.
There is also a Help Center for those that want the resources to deal with the problem themselves, which includes a search bar. It consists of a series of FAQ’s, organized around multiple categories including Dispatch & Workflow, Tracking & Telematics and Maintenance. We did not find any webinars, or video content.
Motive fleet management: Final verdict
Motive has an overall C- rating with the Better Business Bureau, and the 1 star rating, almost 100 complaints in the last year and that it is not accredited back this up. Aside from that, we like the feature set, and the 24/7 phone support, but would like to see some more pricing info upfront.
Most people know Roku for its streaming boxes and sticks – like the Roku Streaming Stick 4K – as well as the company’s smart interface, which can be found in TVs from brands like TCL, Hisense and others. Back in March of 2023, the company also started selling its own Roku-branded TVs, and as with its streamers, they are priced at a level that most people can afford.
There are two lines of Roku TVs: the Plus Series and the Select Series. Both are inexpensive compared to other sets, but the Plus Series is more feature-packed and consequently priced a bit higher. I was sent a 65-inch Plus model to review, and as a longtime Roku user, I was very curious to see how this $649 set would stack up against other 4K TVs I’ve recently tested.
Along with the company’s own smart TV interface, Plus Series TVs feature AirPlay for wireless streaming from devices and work with Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also conduct hands-free voice searches using the remote control’s built-in mic by first saying “Hey Roku” or by pressing a button on the remote and speaking your search directly.
Plus Series TVs use a QLED display panel with a full-array local dimming backlight, and there’s support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG high dynamic range. The 65-inch model I tested doesn’t offer nearly the same peak brightness as QLED TVs with a mini-LED backlight, but it has a local dimming feature that's effective enough to deliver images with strong contrast.
All new Roku TVs have a native 60Hz refresh rate. And while we normally recommend 120Hz 4K TVs for gaming, the Plus Series had an impressive 11.5 ms measured input lag when its Game mode was enabled.
The design of Plus Series sets are basic though, and they come with side-mounted support feet that can’t be height-adjusted. Inputs include 4 HDMI 2.0 ports (1 with eARC) along with an RF connection for an antenna and an optical digital audio output.
Audio on the Plus Series is also basic, with the TV sporting two bottom-mounted speakers. And while the sound is perfectly satisfactory given the TV’s price, the company offers several inexpensive options to enhance audio quality, including a 2-channel soundbar that connects wirelessly with the TV, and wireless surround sound and subwoofer speakers.
Between the company’s own The Roku Channel and a Live TV portal with an enormous amount of free streaming channels that can be browsed in a grid format with TV broadcasts pulled in by antenna, there’s plenty available to watch here, much of it free. Even so, the Roku smart TV interface provides almost every streaming service app you could possibly want, and it also supports personal photo streaming, with an option to add pictures directly from your phone.
Roku Plus Series TV review: price and release date
Release date: March, 2023
55R6A5R: $499
65R6A5R: $649
75R6A5R: $999
The Plus Series models are the step-up offerings in the Roku TV lineup. They are available in 55-, 65-, and 75-screen sizes, and are only sold in the US at Best Buy stores and online.
Pricing for the Roku Plus Series TVs is in the same approximate range as budget models from Hisense, TCL, and Amazon Fire TVs, all of which also feature QLED screen tech, and in some instances a local dimming backlight similar to Roku Plus series models.
Roku Plus Series TV review: Specs
Back panel inputs include two side-mounted HDMI 2.0 ports (one with eARC), two bottom-mounted HDMI 2.0 ports, an optical digital output, and an antenna connection.(Image credit: Future)
Roku Plus Series TV review: features
Roku smart TV interface and voice remote
Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG high dynamic range
Four HDMI inputs, one with enhanced audio return channel (eARC)
Roku Plus Series TVs feature the company’s popular smart TV interface, which is easy to navigate compared to other options. It provides an extensive amount of streaming apps to select from, and includes The Roku Channel and the Live TV portal for streaming free ad-supported TV shows and movies. Live TV also lets you integrate TV channels tuned by an indoor TV antenna.
Plus Series TVs support AirPlay for wireless streaming from iPhones and iPads, and they also work with Alexa and Google Assisant. They include voice remote pro features, a rechargeable battery and it has a built-in mic that allows for hands-free voice searches (the built-in mic can also be easily disabled using a switch located on the remote).
A QLED display panel with a native 60Hz refresh rate is used for the Plus series, and there’s a full-array local dimming backlight for enhanced contrast. High dynamic range support includes Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HLG. A Game mode is also provided that reduces input lag when gaming with a connected console.
The set’s four HDMI inputs include one that supports HDMI eARC for a soundbar connection, and there’s an optical digital audio output and an RF input to connect an antenna. When viewing TV broadcasts, you can pause and rewind live TV for up to 90 minutes when a 16GB USB flash drive is plugged into the set’s USB port. Roku TVs also support a wireless audio connection to the company’s Roku Smart soundbar.
Roku’s features package for its Plus Series is fairly basic overall compared to other TVs, but it includes a solid array of video performance basics such as a QLED display panel and full array local dimming backlight.
Features Score: 3.5/5
The new Max is one of the many streaming apps available in the Roku smart TV interface(Image credit: Future)
Roku Plus Series TV review: picture quality
Average brightness
Deep blacks with detailed shadows
Some screen reflections
The 65-inch Roku Plus Series TV I tested delivered an average brightness level for a QLED TV, with peak brightness topping out at 556 nits (measured on a 10% white window test pattern) in its Standard HDR picture mode, and 533 nits in Dark HDR mode. To put those numbers into perspective, the TCL 6-series TV, a model with a mini-LED backlight, can hit 1,326 nits peak brightness, while the LG C3 OLED TV tops out at 830 nits.
A full-array local dimming backlight on the Plus Series enabled it to display deep blacks, though it didn’t hit the 0 IRE full black that OLED TVs and the best mini-LED models are capable of, with maximum contrast measuring 20,500:1. Even so, blacks looked strikingly deep in most movie clips I watched, and backlight 'blooming' artifacts were surprisingly minimal given the set’s low price. For most of my testing I kept the Micro Contrast setting at High, which delivered the best black depth and shadow detail.
The color balance in the Movie picture mode’s default Warm color temperature setting was slightly blue-ish, with most Delta E values measuring in the 3-4 range (we typically look for these to dip below 3). Measurements made with Portrait’s Calman display calibration software also showed coverage of DCI-P3 (the color space used for mastering 4K Blu-rays and digital cinema releases) to be 95.8%, and BT.2020 to be 81.3%. These are very good results, and closely match what was measured on the TCL 6-Series TV.
Roku’s Plus Series set had a fair amount of screen reflectivity, with reflections visible when viewing in a room with bright overhead lights. Picture contrast and color saturation also weren’t as solid when viewing from off-center seats, though that effect is common with LCD-based TVs like the Plus Series.
I watched several scenes from 4K Blu-ray discs that I typically use for testing on the Roku Plus Series, starting out with the Spears & Munsil Ultra HD Benchmark (the just-released new version). Viewing the 4,000 nits version of the montage sequence, some clipping artifacts were visible with the set’s Dynamic Tone Mapping setting active, though the issue disappeared when I watched a version graded at 1,000 nits – a more typical peak brightness for programs with HDR. Otherwise, images in the montage looked clean, crisp and had rich color, though the strongest highlights lacked some of the visual punch I’ve seen when watching the same material on brighter TVs.
Next up was No Time to Die, the James Bond film from 2021. Shadows looked deep and solid in the early scenes where Bond and Madeleine arrive in Italy, and in a later one where 007 walks across a craggy hill toward the resting place of Vesper Lynd with the camera panning along, the motion was smooth with almost no blurring artifacts.
Dune also looked very good on the Roku TV, with the set’s processor managing to deliver a detailed and noise-free picture even in difficult scenes like one where Paul walks through a dark and misty environment with Lady Jessica following an interrogation by the Reverend Mother. I’ve seen other, much more expensive TVs trip up on this sequence, which made the Roku’s handling of it all the more impressive.
With Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse now out in theaters, it seemed appropriate to give 2018’s Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse a spin on the Roku Plus TV. This film has an incredible range of color, and images are enlivened with finely detailed textures throughout that give it a printed comic book look. The Roku conveyed all of it in a convincing manner, with images looking impressively dynamic for such an affordable TV.
Picture quality score: 4/5
Inputs can be accessed from the main Roku TV interface (Image credit: Future)
Roku Plus Series TV review: sound quality
Two downfiring speakers
Average TV sound quality
Can make a wireless soundbar connection
Roku Plus Series use two down-firing speakers and the sound quality is average – you can easily hear dialogue and there’s a good overall balance, but otherwise dynamic movie soundtracks tend to flatten out during loud scenes.
Roku sells a two-channel Roku TV wireless soundbar ($150), which is designed specifically for its TVs and can be connected wirelessly (surround speakers and a subwoofer can also be added for a wireless 4.1-channel setup). Roku sent me its wireless soundbar to try out, and setting it up was incredibly easy. Configuration and control of the soundbar is carried out using the voice remote pro, with sound presets selectable via the TV’s menus.
Of the various presets, the Standard mode proved to be the best for most viewing, and with it selected dialogue gained weight and body while soundtrack elements like music and effects came across with greater clarity and dynamic presence. Given the TV’s low price, this is definitely a situation where you should consider a soundbar, and while there are plenty of great choices on our best soundbars list, the Roku TV wireless soundbar is a perfect match for this TV.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
The 2-channel Roku TV wireless soundbar (shown) provides an easy and inexpensive audio upgrade(Image credit: Future)
Roku Plus Series TV review: design
Basic design
Side-mounted, non-adjustable support feet
Roku voice pro remote with built-in mic
The design of Plus Series TVs is fairly basic, with a thin bezel surrounding the screen’s edges and a thicker bezel at the bottom with a protruding compartment with an IR receiver and multipurpose control button under the Roku logo. Side-mounted feet provide sturdy support, though both their height and horizontal spread can’t be adjusted.
Two of the TV’s HDMI ports are located on an input panel accessible from the side, while the other two are on the panel’s bottom along with the antenna, USB, and Ethernet ports. There’s also a composite-video and RCA-type analog stereo audio input here that lets you connect legacy sources such as a VCR or vintage game console. The bottom HDMI ports were somewhat difficult to access, and could potentially be a challenge when using a stiff cable to connect sources.
The built-in battery of Roku’s compact voice pro remote control can be recharged by connecting it to the TV’s USB port. It has a built-in mic that can either be always on or disabled using a switch located on the remote’s side. The benefit to having the mic always on is that you can do hands-free voice searches by saying “Hey Roku” followed by a request. You can also momentarily activate the mic for searches by pressing the mic button at the remote’s center. Four quick buttons let you instantly access the Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Netflix and Max streaming services, and there are two numbered “shortcut” buttons that can be configured for a range of uses.
Design score: 3.5/5
The Live TV "Favorites" program grid with streaming and broadcast TV channels listed(Image credit: Future)
Roku Plus Series TV review: smart TV & menus
Roku TV interface
Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
Picture adjustments hard to access
Roku’s well-known and well-regarded smart TV interface is one I’m familiar with having spent many years as a Roku owner before making the leap to an Apple TV 4K. It’s a great interface for browsing apps, mainly because everything is right up front and accessible, and it’s easy to add or delete apps.
The Roku Live TV portal is a good way to supplement any streaming services you subscribe to. It offers an abundance of free channels organized in a time-based grid, and you can add broadcast TV channels tuned by an antenna to expand your free TV menu. With so many channels to choose from, it’s a good idea to edit the grid down to a more manageable size – something that the Favorites feature easily lets you do.
The Roku Photo Streams app has received recent enhancements that let you upload images directly from a phone to for viewing on the TV. You can also now edit streams and set screensavers, and the app now supports up to 1,000 images. When it comes to displaying personal photo libraries, the Roku Plus series is no Apple TV 4K, which provides tight integration with that company’s Photos app. Even so, most viewers will find Photo Streams to be sufficient for their needs.
Picture adjustments are carried out by pressing the remote’s asterisk button, which calls up the onscreen setup menus. You can adjust picture settings separately for regular and HDR sources, and those custom settings can also be applied across all of the TV’s inputs. Getting to basic adjustments like Brightness, Contrast and Color can take a lot of button presses, which is something that I found annoying during my time testing the TV's performance.
Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5
The Roku TV remote has a USB rechargeable battery and quick buttons to access select apps(Image credit: Future)
Roku Plus Series TV review: gaming
No cloud gaming apps
Low 11.5 ms input lag
Auto Game Mode
With a native 60Hz refresh rate, the Roku Plus isn’t designed to be a powerhouse gaming TV. There’s also no gaming portal with subscription cloud-based services like you’ll find on Samsung and LG sets, and there’s no support for Bluetooth game controllers.
What Roku Plus TVs do offer gamers is a Game mode that reduces input lag to 11.5ms – an impressive level for a budget TV and one that will satisfy all but competitive gamers. Game mode is automatically enabled when a console input is detected, saving you the trouble of having to turn it on in the TV’s settings menu.
Gaming score: 3/5
The Roku TV Plus isn't the brightest TV, but it has a very good combination of features and performance for the money(Image credit: Future)
Roku Plus Series TV review: value
Very good picture quality for price
Roku interface adds to value
Loads of free (but ad-supported) streaming channels
At just $649, the 65-inch Plus Series TV I tested is a great value. It’s not able to hit the high peak brightness levels some of its budget TV competition manages, particularly models with a mini-LED backlight, and that limitation lessens some of its impact when viewing movies with HDR. But overall, image quality here is very good for the price.
Also adding to the value of Plus Series TVs is the company’s built-in streaming interface, which is clean and easy to navigate and offers pretty much any app you’d want along with a Live TV portal to stream a multitude of free ad-supported channels. You’ll have a tough time not finding something to watch on Roku’s TV, and if you do, you can always use its hands-free voice remote to recommend something.
Value score: 5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Roku Plus Series TV?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if…
Also consider...
TCL 6-Series mini-LED TCL’s 6-Series TVs are a fairly substantial price jump over the Roku Plus Series, but you’re getting a big brightness boost for the money. The 6-Series is also a better option for gaming with next-gen gaming features like 4K 120Hz and VRR.
How I tested the Roku Plus Series TV
(Image credit: Future)
I spent about 15 hours in total measuring and evaluating
Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests
When I test TVs, my first step is to spend a few days using it for casual viewing for break-in and to assess the out-of-box picture presets. The next step is to select the most accurate-looking preset (typically labeled Filmmaker or Movie) and measure the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and they allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.
Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources.
For the Roku Plus Series TV, I used the CalMan ISF workflow, along with the advanced picture menu settings in the Roku control app, to calibrate the image for best accuracy with SDR and HDR sources. Once done, I watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs that I’ve gathered after years of TV and projector testing to assess the TV’s performance, as well as new Dolby Vision-encoded material streamed from sources like Netflix and Max.
