Articles by Mark Pickavance

Mark is an expert on 3D printers, drones and phones. He also covers storage, including SSDs, NAS drives and portable hard drives. He started writing in 1986 and has contributed to MicroMart, PC Format, 3D World, among others.

Articles by: Mark Pickavance

I tested the Blackview Oscal Tank 1 - a rugged phone that sports some neat features, but it's also implausibly big and heavy

By Mark Pickavance published 17 February 26

The Blackview Oscal Tank 1 is a heavyweight rugged design ideal for those who need extended battery life.

Hands on: Acer Veriton GN100 AI mini PC workstation - another AI development system using the same Nvidia Grace Blackwell foundations

By Mark Pickavance published 14 February 26

Designed for the development of and use of AI models, the Acer Veriton GN100 uses the Nvidia Blackwell architecture to deliver ultimate performance.

Zettlab D6 Ultra NAS review: Ironically, AI might not be the best feature of this network-attached storage device

By Mark Pickavance published 10 February 26

The Zettlab D6 Ultra is a high-performance NAS with aspirations to become a full-blown AI.

TP-Link Omada SG3218XP-M2 review: TP-Link is moving the bandwidth dial with a switch for Wi-Fi 7 PoE access points

By Mark Pickavance published 9 February 26

Recommended

TP-Link Omada SG3218XP-M2 is an industrial network switch that can be cloud-managed and is perfect for WiFi 7 PoE deployments

I’ve been using the Acer TravelMate P6 14 AI for a couple of months now - and it's easily one of the best ultra-light machines I’ve used

By Mark Pickavance published 6 February 26

The Acer TravelMate P6 14 AI middle-of-the-road laptop that uses a 200-series Core Ultra processor to maximum effect.

I tested the StationPC PocketCloud - a portable NAS that felt like a great idea until I remembered the cost of M.2 storage is skyrocketing

By Mark Pickavance published 1 February 26

The StationPC PocketCloud is a mobile NAS that offers multi-layer backup possibilities.

I tested the KYY X90E laptop screen extender - a heavyweight dual-screen portable monitor with a lightweight price-tag

By Mark Pickavance published 31 January 26

The KYY X90E Portable Monitor is an easy way to give more screen space to a laptop

Hands on: My hands-on experience of the Asus Ascent GX10 was a radical one that is only relevant to those actively engaged in AI development

By Mark Pickavance published 27 January 26

Designed for the development of AI models, the Asus Ascent GX10 breaks conventional PC design rules to deliver a focused solution.

The more I tested the GMKtec NucBox M7 Ultra, the less it looked like it justified its 'Ultra' moniker

By Mark Pickavance published 23 January 26

The GMKtec M7 Ultra is a replacement for earlier M7 designs, but it fails to perform as well

I tested the GTBox T1 - and while the designers did something different with this mini PC, I'm debating whether it was a good idea

By Mark Pickavance published 22 January 26

A uniquely styled mini PC, the GTBox T1 has a powerful platform inside its speaker aesthetics.

I tested the Bosgame BeyondMax M6 - and this mini PC proved you can have high performance without breaking the bank

By Mark Pickavance published 16 January 26

Recommended

Ryzen AI system for under $900

Testing the GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra made me realize just how flexible an entry-level mini PC can be

By Mark Pickavance published 13 January 26

The GMKTec M5 Ultra delivers plenty of functionality at an affordable price for those willing to source their own memory, storage and OS.

Ulefone RugKing rugged phone review

By Mark Pickavance published 11 January 26

The Ulefone RugKing is a lightweight, rugged design ideal for those who need a tough device occasionally.

Geekom A7 Max mini PC review

By Mark Pickavance published 10 January 26

The Geekom A7 Max is a high-quality NUC that needs some extra expenditure on memory to truly shine.

Alliwava GH8 mini PC review

By Mark Pickavance published 10 January 26

The Alliwava GH8 offers excellent performance and functionality at an affordable price

Alliwava U58 mini PC review

By Mark Pickavance published 5 January 26

The Alliwava U58 offers plenty of functionality, but lacks the performance of mini PCs with more modern chips.

RugOne Xever 7 Pro rugged phone review

By Mark Pickavance published 5 January 26

The RugOne Xever 7 Pro is a lightweight, rugged design that uses swapable batteries to extend its operating life.

Best mini PCs of 2026: Compact desktop power for business, creative, and gaming set-ups

By Steve Clark last updated 2 January 26

Buying Guide We tested the best mini computers, thin clients, and NUC boxes to find out which Windows and Apple machines come out top.

Chuwi CoreBook X 7430U laptop review

By Mark Pickavance published 21 December 25

The Chuwi CoreBook X 7430U is a low-cost laptop and tablet using a 7000 series AMD Ryzen mobile processor

Alldocube IWork GT Ultra review

By Mark Pickavance published 18 December 25

The Alldocube IWork GT Ultra is an Intel-based tablet that, with a flexible keyboard, can be used as a highly mobile laptop.

HHKB Professional Classic Type-S keyboard review

By Mark Pickavance published 13 December 25

The HHKB Professional Classic Type-S is a radically deconstructed keyboard design that focuses on compact layout rather than easy adaptability.

Best rugged phones: The most durable drop-proof and waterproof smartphones for tough jobs

By Steve Clark last updated 13 December 25

Buying Guide From drop tests and battery life to performance benchmarking, we tested the best rugged smartphones for durability and work.

Doogee S200 Ultra rugged phone review

By Mark Pickavance published 8 December 25

The Doogee S200 Ultra is yet another evolution of its S200 line of rugged smartphones

Doogee V Max LR rugged phone review

By Mark Pickavance published 7 December 25

The Doogee V Max LR is a monster rugged phone built for those in the construction industry.

Doogee V Max Play rugged phone review

By Mark Pickavance published 7 December 25

This rugged phone is half a house brick of Android power.

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