Articles by Alastair Jennings

Alastair is a photographer, filmmaker and tech writer who has been working in the publishing industry since the late 1990s. For more than 25 years he has covered photography, video and technology across Future's photography, technology and gaming brands, and worked on many of the company's launch titles. Based in the south of England, Alastair now runs a photography and video production company and lectures in TV and film. When not on set or in the classroom, Alastair can usually be found prototyping and prop building with the aid of 3D printing as well as advising companies on social video strategy and creative workflows which gives him the tech insight behind the reviews.

Articles by: Alastair Jennings

Viaim OpenNote review: I wore this open-ear voice recorder all day, and its AI meeting summaries proved invaluable

By Alastair Jennings Published 17 July 26

Recommended

Open-ear design is more comfortable and social than standard earphones, but music is secondary to the AI feature set.

Best mini PCs of 2026: Compact desktop power for business, creative, and gaming setups

By Christian Guyton Last updated 16 July 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.

Bambu Lab A2L review: This 3D printer makes large-format printing look easy

By Alastair Jennings Published 14 July 26

Recommended

Large-format multi-filament printer from the market leaders at a great price. What more could you want?

D-Link G572 review: This SIM-ready 5G router is a valuable fallback for my weak home internet

By Alastair Jennings Published 5 July 26

Recommended

A SIM-ready 5G router with BE7200 Wi-Fi 7, 2.5GbE WAN, and automatic failover.

Unihertz Titan 2 Elite review: This 5G business phone with a BlackBerry-style keyboard made my mobile work feel faster

By Alastair Jennings Published 4 July 26

A pocketable 5G Android phone with real QWERTY keyboard, AMOLED, and serious shortcut power.

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TCL PlayCube review: I used this portable projector for business presentations and watching movies, and it’s brilliantly simple

By Alastair Jennings Published 4 July 26

Recommended

A compact 1080p projector with Google TV, battery power, and a clever rotating body, enabling big-screen viewing in a backpack-friendly cube.

Asus ProArt PZ14 review: This surprisingly powerful tablet PC transformed my creative workflow

By Alastair Jennings Published 2 July 26

Recommended

This tablet PC is not just for browsing the internet and editing; it features a full version of Windows and, combined with a powerful AI CPU, offers a complete solution.

Bosgame VTI-490 review: This mini PC packs in more power than expected and handled network editing like a workstation

By Alastair Jennings Published 2 July 26

Recommended

The VTI-490's cyberpunk design hints at a gaming mini PC, but its performance is more like that of a creative workstation.

Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD review: One of the simplest and cheapest hardware-encrypted drive for protecting files I've ever tested

By Alastair Jennings Published 2 July 26

Designed for mobile phones and laptops, this secure, portable SSD features an ingenious NFC lock that can be activated via a dedicated app

Plugable 10-in-1 USB-C Hub review: This sleek and durable dock transformed my two-port laptop into a capable desktop workstation

By Alastair Jennings Published 1 July 26

Recommended

Boost the connection options for your slimline laptop with this USB hub that will boost your port options to 10, including impressive 2.5GbE Ethernet and HDMI 2.1.

GMKtec NucBox K17 review: A highly capable AI mini PC that balances performances for day-to-day office tasks

By Alastair Jennings Published 1 July 26

Recommended

Compact mini PC with performance and design that makes it a great choice for the office with the latest AI enhanced hardware.

Best rugged tablet of 2026: Tested for real-world durability

By Steve Clark Last updated 27 June 26

Updated Water resistant, drop-proof and shockproof - these IP-rated durable devices let you power through the job, whatever the real-world throws at you.

Best 3D printers of 2026: I tested over 50 top machines for modeling, miniatures, crafting, prototyping, and more

By Alastair Jennings Last updated 9 June 26

Updated My studio workbench has see everything from cheap 3D printers to the latest top-end models on the market.

Best rugged phones of 2026: The most durable drop-proof and waterproof smartphones for tough jobs

By Steve Clark Last updated 8 June 26

Buying Guide From drop tests and battery life to performance benchmarking, we tested the most durable smartphones for work.

Lepow 16in Quad Monitor for Laptop review: This truly portable, backpack-friendly display system is ready to transform any workspace

By Alastair Jennings Published 8 June 26

These 16-inch modular panels use an innovative Transformer connector to create a flexible quad-screen workstation that connects directly to your laptop and fits neatly into a backpack.

Ugreen NASync DXP4800 GT NAS review: An AMD-powered 4-bay personal cloud storage NAS with dual 10GbE that comfortably undercuts both Synology and QNAP

By Alastair Jennings Published 8 June 26

Editor's Choice

10GbE NAS that enable network video editing and ultra fast transfer speeds that far surpasses the competition.

LaCie 8big Pro5 review: I tested LaCie’s huge 256TB DAS solution, and it's ideal for 8K video editing but it comes with a price tag that's just as big

By Alastair Jennings Published 6 June 26

Editor's Choice

The LaCie 8big Pro5 is a RAID-ready DAS solution that offers huge amounts of storage that’s easy to manage and use, both in the studio and on set.

Seagate FireCuda X Vault review: Large capacity and decent transfer rates make this external hard drive a great solution for video and photography

By Alastair Jennings Published 5 June 26

Recommended

A bus-powered desktop drive at this price is unusual, but performance and reliability are superb, and the reduction in cables also keeps your desk tidy.

LincPlus LincStation E1 NAS review: An impressive 2+2 bay NAS — but the LincOS still feels like it's in development

By Alastair Jennings Published 28 May 26

The LincStation E1 offers huge potential, but with a fast developing OS it's full feature set is still waiting to be rolled out.

Oscal Pilot 6 review: A durable design and added extras make this a serious contender in the rugged phone market

By Alastair Jennings Published 28 May 26

Recommended

Thermal imaging and a 108MP camera headline the impressive specs, although networking is limited to 4G

Geekom A9 Max mini PC (2026) review: The latest update to the powerful AI mini PC is a desktop-class computer with workstation-level performance

By Alastair Jennings Published 26 May 26

Recommended

This compact premium mini PC has been built with AI and creative workloads in mind.

Best laser engravers of 2026: My top picks tested for speed and precision

By Alastair Jennings Last updated 19 May 26

Updated I reviewed the best laser engraving machines for precision, speed, and performance in the home, studio, or workshop - and these are my top recommendations.

Lepow TriScreen Pro review: This 27in 4K monitor with dual detachable 16in side screens is a space-saver for your desk

By Alastair Jennings Published 18 April 26

Stuck for desk space but still want a triple monitor solution? I think I’ve found the solution

Creality Sermoon S1 review: This pro-grade 3D scanner produced impressive results, but my tests revealed a huge learning curve

By Alastair Jennings Published 18 April 26

Well-specced 3D scanner with triple light modes, 0.02mm accuracy, and AI-powered software, just be prepared for a steep learning curve.

UGreen NASync iDX6011 Pro NAS review: An AI-powered NAS combines workstation-class hardware with genuinely useful local AI

By Alastair Jennings Published 17 April 26

Recommended

Powerful six-bay AI enhanced NAS featuring specifications that you’d usually see in a PC.

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