Mark Pickavance

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

ZimaBoard 2 personal NAS

IceWhale ZimaBoard 2 mini NAS review

By Mark Pickavance published

Following the original ZimaBoard, version 2 has an improved processor and memory, but the same passively cooled NAS credentials.

Ugreen NASync DXP4800 Pro

Ugreen DXP4800 Pro 4-bay NAS review: A subtle upgrade from the Plus model, yet these changes have significant implications for this network-attached storage device

By Mark Pickavance published

The Ugreen DXP4800 Pro is a sophisticated four-bay NAS at a price that makes sense for both home and small business users.

ZimaCube 2 Personal Cloud NAS

IceWhale ZimaCube 2 Personal Cloud NAS review: A modern, high-performance network-attached storage device with plenty of room to grow

By Mark Pickavance published

Leaving its Kickstarter past behind, IceWhale delivers a second-generation ZimaCube 2 for those who want more of everything in an NAS.

Punkt. MC03

Hands on: The Punkt. MC03 secure rugged phone revealed that it still has some development hurdles to cross before it is ready for Joe Public

By Mark Pickavance last updated

Not yet rated

The Punkt. MC03 is a third-generation design that puts data security front and centre

Beelink EX Mate Pro All-In-One Docking Station

Beelink EX Mate Pro dock & DAS review: An entirely different approach to docking stations

By Mark Pickavance last updated

The Beelink EX Mate Pro All-In-One Docking Station is a USB4 dock that can mount four M.2 NVMe drives internally.

Ulefone Armor Pad 5 Ultra

Ulefone Armor Pad 5 Ultra review: A beast of a rugged tablet with the weight to prove it built for punishing environments and DLP projector to boot

By Mark Pickavance published

The Ulefone Armor Pad 5 Ultra is a truly rugged tablet design with plenty of power, memory storage and even a DLP projector.

Thermal Master P4 thermal camera

Thermal Master P4 review: Easily the best phone-connected thermal camera yet, but it's not perfect

By Mark Pickavance published

The Thermal Master P4 is a thermal camera that connects to an Android phone or PC using USB.

Ulefone RugKing 5 Pro

UleFone RugKing 5 Pro review: While this rugged phone built to a price, it does have some virtues to offset the vices

By Mark Pickavance published

The UleFone RugKing 5 Pro is a robust device with decent battery life, but built to a price specification.

Geekom A9 Max

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

By Christian Guyton last updated

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

InnoCN GA27S1Q

InnoCN GA27S1Q 27-inch monitor review: This QD-OLED panel sports a high refresh rate and a low price tag that should make the big brands nervous

By Mark Pickavance published

The InnoCN GA27S1Q OLED is a low-cost but high-specification OLED monitor that has a foot in both the gaming and business sectors.

8849 Tank X

8849 Tank X rugged phone review: A feature-rich design built around a 1080p DLP projector and a whole lot of weight

By Mark Pickavance published

The 8849 TANK X is a substantial design with plenty of power, memory and storage that’s ideal for an adventurer.

Oscal Pilot 5

Oscal Pilot 5 rugged phone review: A retrograde step for users who rely on their camera

By Mark Pickavance published

A collection of odd hardware choices.

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI

Acer Swift Edge 14 AI laptop review: Another lightweight wonder from the Acer stable

By Mark Pickavance published

The Acer Swift Edge 14 AI is a lightweight laptop that leverages a 200-series Core Ultra processor and LPDDR5X memory.

TP-Link Omada EAP787

I tested the TP-Link Omada EAP787 - an Enterprise-class Wi-Fi 7 ceiling access point for those with infrastructure ambitions

By Mark Pickavance published

Recommended

The TP-Link Omada EAP787 is an Enterprise-class ceiling access point that uses 10GbE PoE++ technology for easy deployment.

Jabra Evolve3 85

I tested the Jabra Evolve3 85 - a professional headset built for the office, priced for the boardroom, yet styled for the street

By Mark Pickavance published

Recommended

The Jabra Evolve3 85 offers all the bells and whistles of a call centre headset while retaining the styling and elegance associated with retail-focused products.

Oukitel WP61 Plus Rugged Smartphone

My testing of the Oukitel WP61 Plus revealed that while it’s not a daily driver, this rugged walkie-talkie phone could be perfect for operating off-grid

By Mark Pickavance published

The Oukitel WP61 Plus is a rugged, heavyweight design ideal for those operating in harsh, remote environments.

D-Link D501 5G NR USB Adapter

D-Link D501 review: This 5G travel router made me wish for better local 5G connectivity, because without it, this is an expensive LTE dongle

By Mark Pickavance published

Recommended

The D-Link D501 is a 5G USB dongle made for home and small-business use that doesn’t require drivers or special ports.

UPERFECT UFree V Battery Wireless Portable Monitor

UPerfect UFree V wireless portable monitor review: Great specification, low price, but a few caveats

By Mark Pickavance published

This wireless portable monitor is an affordable and flexible second monitor designed for those who travel.

Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro

Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro docking station review: Easier to buy than a laptop or PC that has the ports you need for the full Thunderbolt 5 experience

By Mark Pickavance published

The Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro Thunderbolt 5 Dock doubles down on features, but you pay more for it.

GMKtec NucBox K16 mini PC

GMKtec NucBox K16 mini PC review: A curious mixed bag that doesn’t quite justify the asking price

By Mark Pickavance published

The GMKtec NucBox K16 uses an older AMD Ryzen 7 architecture but remains an effective mini PC.

GMKtec NucBox K13 Mini PC

I tested the GMKtec NucBox K13 - and this AI mini PC is an excellent example of what Intel does well

By Mark Pickavance published

The GMKtec NucBox K13 uses a modern Intel Lunar Lake processor and showcases its strengths in the mini-PC space.

GL.iNet Slate 7

GL.iNet Slate 7 portable Wi-Fi 7 travel router review: A brilliant travel router with a few strategic flaws that the makers need to fix

By Mark Pickavance published

Recommended

The GL.iNet Slate 7 is a Wi-Fi 7-capable router designed for home and small-business use that punches above its weight.

Blackview Xplore 2 Satellite Smartphone

I tested the Blackview Xplore 2 Satellite - and this rugged phone can call from remote places, if the stars align

By Mark Pickavance published

The Blackview Xplore 2 Satellite is a heavyweight rugged phone built with the ability to make calls and send messages via the Skylo satellite service.

Blackview Oscal TANK 1

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

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

Acer Veriton GN100

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

By Mark Pickavance published

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

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