Latest from TechRadar UK in Tablets

I've spent a week with Apple's new iPad mini, and the OLED upgrade is everything I'd hoped for

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: One-minute review

It's been a long time coming, but Apple has finally addressed more than a few people's wish lists with its latest-generation iPad mini. Yes, it's still the smallest iPad in terms of display size, not price, but this upgrade is really about the sum of its parts.

The jump to OLED is the headline upgrade, and paired with a thinner, lighter build and plenty of performance under the hood, it makes a big, big difference. The 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR display is an absolute joy to use; whether I'm watching a film, playing a game, editing photos, or just scrolling through iPadOS, everything looks fantastic.

If you've been holding out for an OLED iPad mini, this is the upgrade you've been waiting for. It's a major improvement, even without ProMotion, and the improved refresh responsiveness makes everyday scrolling and swiping feel that much more seamless.

The design is another big part of the story. At just 5.33mm thick and 254g, the iPad mini is deceptively slim and light. The mini was already the iPad I find easiest to take pretty much anywhere, but this new model is even more comfortable to hold and use for longer stretches. And while it might look familiar, there are some meaningful changes beyond the thinner build. The new IP67 rating adds welcome water and dust resistance, giving the mini more durability for everyday use, and giving you peace of mind if you're sharing it with family members.

It also packs plenty of power. The A20 Pro chip makes multitasking, photo editing, gaming, and even some of Apple's newer AI features, which demand a fair bit of power, feel effortless. Battery life has been solid in my testing, too, getting close to Apple's 10-hour claim, while the N1 chip brings Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. If you opt for the Cellular model, you also get Apple's C2 modem.

Of course, all of this comes at a price. The iPad mini starts at $699, so it's certainly not the cheapest iPad in Apple's lineup. The model I've been testing is the 512GB Wi-Fi and Cellular version with the optional nano-texture display, which comes in at $1,099. That's a considerable investment for a tablet this size, but the mini has never really been about offering the lowest entry price. It's for people who want this particular screen size and the portability that comes with it, and Apple has now managed to squeeze a whole lot more value into this little package.

There are still a couple of things I'd like to see, most notably ProMotion and a more exciting selection of colors. But those small issues don't take away from how much I enjoy using this iPad. The OLED display makes a world of difference, the slimmer build is even better, and the combination of performance, battery life, and added durability makes this a seriously capable little tablet. If you're already a fan of the iPad mini, you'll love a lot about this generation.

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: Specs

iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) specs
	iPad mini (2026)
Starting price	$699 / £699 / AU$1,099
Operating system	iPadOS 27
Chipset	A20 Pro
Storage	128GB / 256GB / 512GB
Display	8.5-inch Super Retina XDR display (OLED 2316 x 1512)
Cameras	12MP wide main, 12MP ultra-wide front
Battery	18.9Wh
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread from Apple N1. 5G Sub-6Ghz and Gigabit LTE on Cellular models with Apple C2.
Weight	255g (Wi-Fi) / 263g (Cellular)
Dimensions	195.3mm x 132.6mm x 5.4mm

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: Pricing and availability

Apple's new iPad mini starts at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099 for the Wi-Fi model, or $849 / £849 / AU$1,349 if you want Wi-Fi and Cellular. Apple began taking preorders on October 28, ahead of the tablet's official launch on November 6, 2026.

You can configure your iPad mini with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. If you want Apple's nano-texture display, you'll need to choose either the 256GB or 512GB model, and that adds $100 / £100 / AU$200 to the price. Apple also includes a polishing cloth in the box with nano-texture models.

Value score: 4 / 5

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: Design

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Super light and thin
This makes for more of an upgrade than you might expect from reading the specs
Still the most portable iPad in the lineup

The new iPad mini is really, really thin — almost deceptively so — and won't weigh your hand down at all. At just 5.33mm thick and 254g, it's noticeably slimmer and lighter than the previous generation, which measured 6.35mm and weighed 295g.

The iPad mini has always been the most portable tablet in Apple's lineup, offering much of the full-size iPad experience in a much smaller package. That's still true here, but the latest model takes that portability even further. It's easy to hold in one hand while scrolling, throw into a bag for a trip to the cafe, and take pretty much anywhere. It's genuinely pocketable when you're wearing a jacket, and, interestingly, weighs less than an iPhone Duo.

The overall design hasn't changed dramatically, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. The slimmer build brings it even closer to offering that 'sheet-of-glass' look and feel, while also making it more comfortable to hold for longer viewing sessions. The display is larger, too, thanks to the slimmer bezels, so you're getting more screen without sacrificing that compact form factor.

On the front, Apple has moved the 12MP Center Stage camera so it's on the top edge when you're holding the mini in landscape orientation, aligning it with the rest of the iPad lineup. There's still no Face ID; Touch ID is built into the power button instead, and it works quickly to unlock the tablet and authorize purchases. The separate volume buttons sit nearby, with their orientation changing depending on how you're holding the iPad.

Flip it around and you'll find the centered Apple logo, rear camera, and Adaptive True Tone flash. The USB-C port is on the bottom when you're holding the mini in portrait mode, and a microphone sits near the Center Stage camera.

One thing you might notice is what's missing here: the speaker grilles. Apple has done away with those cutouts as part of its new Acoustic Audio system, which I'll get into more in the Audio section below. It makes for a much cleaner look, and the change also makes IP67 water and dust resistance possible — a first for the iPad mini, and a welcome addition. I've tested it with a little water, and the iPad stands up just fine; it's nice to know you can take it to the beach or use it in the rain. It's also some useful added durability for a tablet the whole family could easily use.

The one area where I'm a little less enthusiastic is the choice of colors. The A17 Pro iPad mini came in Blue and Purple, while here you can choose between Starlight and Midnight. I've been testing Midnight, which has a very dark blue look, but it does show fingerprints on the rear. Paired with Apple's new TechWoven Folio, though, it makes for a nice-looking setup.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: Display

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

OLED display is a terrific addition
Content looks exceptionally great here, with rich blacks and vibrant colors
Nano-texture pairs really well with OLED and lets you use the iPad mini in any light

It feels like we've been asking Apple to bring an OLED display to the iPad mini for years — it's certainly been a wish of mine — and Apple finally delivered this year. Whether you're coming from the previous-generation iPad mini or older model, this is pretty close to a night-and-day experience.

The 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR display is an absolute joy to use. It's OLED, so blacks are properly inky, colors really pop, and everything looks fantastic. It's a great tablet for running through some tasks, drawing with the Apple Pencil, FaceTiming with family and friends, and especially for watching content.

Admittedly, it's only 0.2 inches larger than the previous display, so you're not getting much extra usable space. But the visuals are much more vibrant, everything looks crisper, and it's a more immersive view. At this size, it's made a real difference in my iPad mini experience.

I found myself editing photos in Pixelmator Pro and Apple's Photos app, drawing in Procreate, and playing games like Mini Metro and Mini Motorways to see how quickly visuals render and how much colors can pop. Watching films like Toy Story 5 or Moana on Disney+ was a blast, too, and the same goes for catching up on Ted Lasso on Apple TV. HDR content, in particular, benefits from the OLED panel, with more pronounced contrast and colors that really jump off the screen. This is a fantastic little movie-watching tablet.

The new mini also gets a brightness boost, with peak brightness reaching 1,200 nits for HDR and 600 nits in everyday use, up from 500 nits on the previous generation. You'll notice that difference indoors and outdoors, especially when watching HDR content. And when you're using the iPad mini outside, that extra brightness paired with NanoTexture makes a big difference.

Which brings us to the optional nano-texture upgrade. Available on the 256GB and 512GB models, it costs an extra $100 / £100 / AU$200, and adds Apple's proprietary, etched coating over the Super Retina XDR display. It's incredibly effective at reducing glare from both natural and artificial light sources, as well as reflections on the screen. Apple has brought this technology to several other products, including the iPad Pro, MacBooks, iMacs, and Studio Displays, and there's also a slightly different implementation on the iPhone Duo.

I've found nano-texture particularly useful in direct sunlight. It effectively mutes reflections and cuts down glare, making the display much easier to see when you're out and about. It also gives the screen a more paper-like feel, which makes using either the Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil USB-C particularly nice. I've found myself bringing the iPad mini along to cafes and meetings to take notes, and its size makes it feel a little like carrying a classic Moleskine notebook.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

It's not a cheap upgrade, and I haven't tested the standard glass and nano-texture versions side by side. But paired with a more portable iPad than the Air or Pro, and one that now has extra durability, it makes the mini even more enjoyable to use when you're out and about.

Another benefit of the move from LCD to OLED is better display responsiveness, even if the display here doesn't quite reach the 120Hz standard of ProMotion. Apple describes this as sub-pixel millisecond control, and in everyday use, scrolling and swiping feel a little more seamless than on the previous generation, and it does make the display feel that bit more fluid.

It's not, however, ProMotion. The iPad mini is still limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, rather than the super-smooth 120Hz you'll find on Apple's Pro models. As I've said in previous iPhone and iPad reviews, if you're not coming from a device with a higher refresh rate, you probably won't miss it. It's an odd omission here, especially at this starting price, but I've still found the iPad mini responsive in use, with no noticeable issues in everyday use.

All in all, the move to OLED makes a big difference. The new mini is a joy to watch content on, and even using iPadOS feels better on this display.

Display score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: Cameras

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

A welcome move for the front-facing camera
Still a 12MP main camera on the back

Like every other iPad in Apple's lineup, and most that came before it, the iPad mini has two cameras. Around the back is a 12MP wide camera paired with an Adaptive True Tone flash. It's nearly identical to the main camera on the previous-generation iPad mini, and if you do choose to take photos with the mini — and it's probably the most acceptable iPad for that — you'll get some good shots. I wouldn't expect it to rival an iPhone 18 Pro or even an iPhone Air, though.

The real upgrade is the camera built into the bezel around the front display. It's now a 12MP Center Stage camera, positioned centrally on the side of the iPad when you're using it in portrait mode, so that when you're holding it horizontally, it's in the right place for video calls. And when you pair the iPad mini with Apple's Folio Case or a third-party alternative, that's generally how you'll have it positioned when propped up.

Performance here is great for video calls, whether you're using Apple's own FaceTime or jumping into a Webex meeting, Slack huddle, or a Zoom or WhatsApp call. I looked clear and stayed in focus, but as someone who likes to walk and talk, I particularly appreciated Center Stage. As I moved around, the camera and onboard software worked together to keep me in the shot, using smart panning and zooming to follow my movements.

Cameras score: 4 / 5

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: Software

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Runs iPadOS 27 out of the box
Full multitasking with windows is great on this form factor
Support for two Apple Pencil models

The iPad mini is running iPadOS 27 out of the box, which certainly brings a lot more to the table than previous versions, particularly anything before iPadOS 26. For starters, the iPad mini supports the new Siri AI beta if you opt in and are in an eligible region. You also get the full windowed app experience that Apple introduced with iPadOS 26.

That means you can have several apps open at once, switch between them, and layer windows on top of each other. The mini's 8.5-inch display isn't the largest canvas for this kind of multitasking, but it feels surprisingly expansive, and can handle several apps at once.

Multitasking felt fast, and I often found myself using the iPad mini for more than just one thing at a time, ranging from streaming content or gaming to productivity tasks like emailing and web browsing. I also used it for creative pursuits, including journaling, drawing, and photo editing, as well as simply settling in with a good read.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

What I really love about the size here is that, this iPad's name notwithstanding, this is not an especially small display. At 8.5 inches it's closer to the size of a classic notebook or book, so it actually feels pretty expansive, especially when you're working between different apps. Some days, though, I connected a keyboard and trackpad and plugged the iPad mini into an external display to give myself another window to work with.

That's a particularly welcome addition, because the mini is no longer limited to simply mirroring its display on an external monitor. You can also extend your workspace, which opens up even more possibilities for multitasking and getting things done.

I found myself pulling images and other assets from Photos, Files, and Messages, then dropping them straight into Pixelmator Pro. Moving between apps and juggling different windows felt effortless, and it's a good example of what the iPad mini can help you do beyond the usual browsing, streaming, and reading.

Of course, a lot of that comes down to the hardware under the hood. I'll touch on this more in the next section, but the iPad mini runs Apple's A20 Pro chip, from the same family of processors as those powering the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo. However, performance differs depending on which storage configuration you choose, so it's worth looking a little closer.

Software score: 4 / 5

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: Performance

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

A20 Pro is very, very fast
Plenty of a runway for demanding tasks
You'll need to pay more for the best version of the chip

As I mentioned above, the iPad mini runs Apple's A20 Pro chip, but there's a tale of two chips here. I've been testing the 512GB model with Wi-Fi and Cellular, which gets the full-fat version of Apple's latest silicon.

If you opt for the 128GB or 256GB configurations, you get a five-core CPU (two super cores and three efficiency cores), a seven-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. The 512GB version, meanwhile, comes equipped with a six-core CPU (two super cores and four efficiency cores), the same seven-core GPU, and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine. That's the same chip configuration as in the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Duo, while the lower-storage models get a slightly more binned-down version.

I don't suspect those extra CPU cores will make a night-and-day difference for most everyday tasks. You might see more of a benefit with particularly processor-intensive workloads or when running more AI locally on-device, but for the vast majority of people even the lower-storage iPad minis should feel plenty fast.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

This is the second generation of iPad mini to get a Pro chip option, and it enables the tablet to tackle higher-performance tasks with ease. In Geekbench 7, my review unit scored 3,998 in single-core tests and 11,485 for multi-core. In Geekbench 6, it scored 4,720 and 12,697, respectively. Those are very impressive results, particularly compared with the scores for the previous-generation iPad mini, which scored 2,829 in single-core and 6,938 in multi-core in Geekbench 6.

Those are impressive numbers on paper, and in real-world testing over the past seven days, the iPad mini has been a champ. Apps open incredibly quickly, photo edits happen without a hitch, and even more demanding tasks, like using the Super Resolution option in Pixelmator Pro, and other power-hungry image upscaling tools, felt effortless. Everything feels very, very responsive, and I haven't found myself waiting around for the iPad mini to catch up.

I also put the Apple Intelligence features through their paces, including Clean Up and Expand Images in Photos, alongside multimodal requests with the new Siri AI beta. I tried a few third-party apps with AI-powered features, too. These are the kinds of tasks where having Apple's latest silicon and Neural Engine come into play, and the iPad mini handled my testing without any noticeable slowdown.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: Battery & connectivity

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

A lot of mileage for a mini iPad
Impressive results in our battery test
Apple's C2 modem serves up faster connectivity

Apple continues to promise all-day battery life with the iPad mini: up to 10 hours of web browsing over Wi-Fi or video, and up to nine hours of web browsing over a cellular data connection. Inside is an 18.9-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, and in my testing I've found it lasts close to 10 hours, depending on what I'm doing.

That's a pretty good result, especially considering the upgraded display. I suspect the OLED panel is more efficient, and paired with the A20 Pro, it makes for a nice combination. In Future PLC's lab battery test, the new iPad mini lasted an impressive 14 hours and 24 minutes. That's a substantial improvement over the previous generation, which managed 10 hours and 36 minutes in the same test.

Connectivity also gets a meaningful upgrade. The iPad mini features Apple's N1 chip, which supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. If you opt for the Cellular model you'll also get Apple's C2 modem, which the company says offers up to 50% faster speeds compared to its previous modem.

I've been testing the cellular connection on Verizon's network in the US, with access to 5G, and it's performed pretty well. Throughout New Jersey, I tracked download speeds ranging from 600 to 1,200Mbps, with upload speeds around 35 to 62Mbps. That's plenty for streaming, downloading files, browsing, and staying connected when I'm away from Wi-Fi.

Battery and connectivity score: 4 / 5

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: Should you buy it?

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	Even with the price increase, you're getting a lot of tablet for your money.	4 / 5
Design	Thinner and lighter, but keeps the classic, ultraportable design the iPad mini is known for.	4.5 / 5
Display	OLED finally arrives on an iPad mini, and the display is excellent, even without ProMotion.	4.5 / 5
Cameras	CenterStage is in the right spot for the front-facing camera, and makes the iPad mini even better for video calls.	4 / 5
Software	iPadOS 27 is still feature-packed, offering true multitasking support, and the iPad mini takes full advantage of this software.	4 / 5
Performance	The A20 Pro makes light work of pretty much every task.	4.5 / 5
Battery and connectivity	Plenty of battery life, with some welcome connectivity upgrades.	4 / 5

Buy it if...

You've been waiting for a better screen
The jump to OLED makes a significant difference for both viewing content and day-to-day use — combined with iPadOS, this display shines.View Deal

You want an ultraportable iPad that doesn't skimp on performance
With one of Apple's newest chips and a super-slim, premium build, the iPad mini feels responsive and comfortable to hold for long periods — this will remain a powerful iPad for years to come.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You don't want to break the bank
The iPad mini starts at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099, and upgrades can quickly put that price over $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,450.View Deal

Apple iPad mini 8.5-inch (2026) review: How I tested

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I've been using iPads since the original launched, so I've seen Apple's smallest tablet evolve quite a bit over the years. I've been testing the 512GB Wi-Fi and Cellular version of the iPad mini (8th Generation with A20 Pro) in Midnight, with the optional NanoTexture finish, for the past seven days.

During that time, I've put it through its paces with a range of apps across entertainment, creative, and productivity, while also exploring many of the features in iPadOS 27. I've also used it with Apple's new TechWoven Folio, alongside both the Apple Pencil USB-C and Apple Pencil Pro, to get a feel for how well the mini works for everyday use, creativity, and getting things done.

First reviewed: November 2026

Amazon's now rolling out its 'Ask this book' AI feature to Kindles

James Rogerson — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:05:55 +0000

Amazon's 'Ask this book' feature is now rolling out to Kindles
It's part of software version 5.20.2
So far, users have only reported this landing on 2026 models, and it might currently be US-exclusive

Amazon launched ‘Ask this book’ almost a year ago now, with this AI-powered tool allowing you to ask questions about what you’re reading. However, it was initially only available for the iOS Kindle app, and only in the US.

Now, though, that availability is widening — at least a little. As spotted by some Reddit users and The eBook Reader, ‘Ask this book’ has started rolling out to certain Kindle models, including the Kindle Colorsoft 2026 and the Kindle Paperwhite 2026. It’s likely that the other 2026 Kindles will also receive this update, though that hasn’t been confirmed.

Indeed, Amazon itself has so far said very little about this rollout. The feature is part of software version 5.20.2, but this doesn’t yet have any release notes, or any confirmation beyond user reports of which models ‘Ask this book’ will actually work with.

(Image credit: Amazon / The eBook Reader)

Unclear availability

So, for now, there’s a question mark over whether the feature is coming to previous Kindle generations — I can say that my Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition 2024 does not yet have the update. But then it’s a UK model, and previously, the feature had only been available in the US — so it also remains to be seen whether other regions will get it.

For now, if you’re curious, you’ll seemingly have to wait and see whether your Kindle gets the update pushed to it — there is no way to force the update currently. The rollout might happen in stages, though, so even if you don’t have it yet, you may still get it. Just make sure Wi-Fi is on so your Kindle can update.

As for the ‘Ask this book’ feature itself, it’s potentially very useful, letting you, for example, ask about the plot or characters of a supported book and receive information based on where you’re up to in it — or for the whole book if you don’t mind spoilers.

As with most AI features, though, it’s also controversial, with Reddit comments about its original launch including “I hate it,” and “this feature is so invasive.” So it’s certainly not for everyone.

The new Apple iPad mini has a smaller battery — but that's a good thing

David Nield — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 14:30:00 +0000

The 8th-gen iPad mini has a 4,900 mAh capacity battery
It's a slight reduction on what we saw with the previous model
However, actual battery life hasn't been reduced

Apple is always rather coy when it comes to the battery capacities in its devices, but European Union regulations mean it has to now publish this data publicly: and we just learned that the new 2026 iPad mini has a battery capacity of 4,900 mAh.

As Notebookcheck points out, that's lower than the 5,034 mAh battery capacity we saw with the 7th-generation iPad mini, which launched in 2024. It's about 97% of what it was previously, so it's not a huge reduction.

That capacity drop needs to be balanced against everything else the new iPad mini brings with it, including an OLED screen for the first time, and a speedy A20 Pro processor (the same as you'll find in the latest iPhone 18 Pro).

Preorders for the smallest Apple tablet are open now, with shipping expected on Friday, November 6. Prices start at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099 for the Wi-Fi only model with 128GB of storage on board, and Midnight (gray) and Starlight (cream) are your color options.

Capacity downgrades can be good, actually

This is the first iPad mini with an OLED screen (Image credit: Apple)

At first glance it might seem disappointing that the new iPad mini has a smaller battery than the old one, but that's only part of the story. As with any modern-day gadget, the battery capacity is only one of the factors affecting battery life.

Apple says the actual battery life on the new tablet hasn't changed: 10 hours between charges for surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching video, or 9 hours of surfing the web if you're connected to the internet via a cellular connection.

So you're not losing any battery life at all — and because the capacity is smaller, the new iPad mini is slightly thinner and a little lighter than its direct predecessor. The reduction in capacity is actually a benefit.

Apple has long managed to squeeze out more battery life from smaller batteries, compared to Android manufacturers, on its phones and tablets, and the trend is continuing on the 8th-gen iPad mini.

You asked how Kindle Colorsoft colors look in Dark Mode — the answer might surprise you

lance.ulanoff@futurenet.com (Lance Ulanoff) — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 20:02:48 +0000

On my recent unboxing of the brand-new Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (the one with the brushed aluminum back), I noticed someone asking about the quality of colors in dark mode, and I realized I didn't have a good answer.

Dark Mode, which became popular on modern screens over the past 15 years or so — a throwback to the original CRT displays — has never been my thing. As a result, I don't use it on phones, browsers, or Kindle e-readers. Still, the more I thought about this question (below). The more I wondered about it.

"This might be a dumb question," started one TikTok commenter, "but do the colors still show when in Dark Mode? I've only seen photos in light mode."

I instantly tried to imagine what a comic or graphic novel might look like in Dark Mode and realized I'd never seen it that way either.

Let's try the Colorsoft Dark mode

The Kindle Colorsoft shares a menu system with the rest of the monochrome Kindles, with the Dark Mode option sitting right up top. You access the quick menu with a swipe down from the top of the display. You can also dig into settings to turn on the control from there.

I turned on Dark Mode on the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition and noticed that my library immediately reversed, turning all the white borders black, but the book, magazine, and graphic novel covers remained untouched. If I opened a book, I saw white text on black pages.

The other thing I noticed is that the screen looked a lot dimmer. Basically, Dark Mode automatically lowers the screen brightness by half.

I opened a graphic novel. As with the rest of the Colosoft interface, the borders around each graphic novel page were black. However, each page was still white, with the untouched color panels inside. Honestly, this makes sense, since I can't imagine any artist would want dark mode reversing their work. It would probably look terrible.

Lance Ulanoff / Future

I could see all the colors, but the pages looked too dim. Fortunately, I could still push the front-lit LEDs brighter (I turned them up to max) to return some of that vibrancy, though I'm not sure if that defeats the purpose of Dark Mode.

The other option is to take advantage of the Kindle Colorsoft's reflective display (unlike an LCD, there are no traditional backlights). If you have a good external light or even sunlight, the page looks great with or without dark mode, which can reduce eye-straining screen glare and save some battery life (not much of an issue with Kindles).

Here's what I learned: Yes, you can still see colors in Dark Mode, but as Amazon confirmed to me, "When setting Colorsoft devices to dark mode, the screen may appear dimmer overall due to the color E-Ink layer."

If the screen looks too dim, adjust the brightness or find a good light source and enjoy your colorful graphic novels.

Oppo Pad 5 review: a solid budget-friendly iPad rival

harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan) — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 17:31:32 +0000

Oppo Pad 5: two-minute review

The Oppo Pad 5 delivers in almost every area that matters. It has a delightfully vibrant display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, a user-friendly interface with years' worth of OS and security updates, and boasts a huge battery life to boot.

I’ve been testing the tablet for three weeks now and, overall, I think that it’s worth the £349 asking price, which gives you 8GB of RAM and 128GB worth of storage. It serves up a bloat-free software experience, looks sleek and surprisingly premium, and even performs pretty decently when all’s said and done.

Sure, the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra processor isn’t the mightiest around, so you shouldn’t expect the sort of performance that the best tablets around can deliver (the Pad 5's bigger brother, the Oppo Pad 5 Pro, has a more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset), but for simple tasks like drawing and note-taking, scrolling on social media, and light gaming, I found it to be perfectly capable.

You’ll notice some occasional hiccups when running more intensive gaming software or using the split view mode with more demanding programs but, for most users, it will almost certainly do the job.

Some aspects of performance could be better, though. For instance, the built-in speakers don’t sound great, and the onboard cameras are hardly the most impressive (though good enough for video calls). My biggest criticism, though, is that the tablet only supports 33W wired charging, which is too slow for a device with a gigantic mAh battery capacity. As a result, you’ll be waiting for a good couple of hours to get to 100% again.

Still, I didn’t need to charge the Oppo Pad 5 very much during testing at all — only a handful of times across a three-week period. And, all in all, I think it offers plenty for £349. It may not have an OLED screen, but the 2.8K LCD display looks great, with punchy colors, solid contrast, and even Dolby Vision support.

The tablet’s standard of build is also pretty admirable — the aluminium frame and understated colour options make it seem more luxurious than it truly is.

Yes, it's not the lightest tablet around, and there’s no stylus or keyboard bundled in here, but I’d still recommend the Oppo Pad 5 overall. It's a relatively stylish option with largely stable performance and a stand-out display, helping it to compete against pricier rivals, such as the iPad 11-inch (2025).

(Image credit: Future)

Oppo Pad 5 review: price & availability

Priced at £349
Available now in the UK
Not sold directly in the US

The Oppo Pad 5 was revealed in 2025, but widespread availability in the UK only came about in 2026. It can't be purchased directly in the US, but could potentially be imported. The tablet is priced at £349, placing it somewhere between the entry level and mid-range categories. It's worth noting, though, that there’s no stylus or keyboard bundled in at this price, so for the full experience you could end up spending upwards of £400 here.

Oppo Pad 5 review: specs

OS	ColorOS 16.0
Chipset	MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra
RAM	8GB
Storage	128GB
Display	12.1-inch LCD (2800 x 1980)
Weight	597g
Battery	10,050mAh
Charging	33W wired
Cameras	8MP rear, 8MP front

(Image credit: Future)

Oppo Pad 5 review: display

12.1-inch LCD screen
2800 x 1980 resolution with 120Hz refresh rate
Solid 900 nits peak brightness

The Oppo Pad 5 has a nice and broad 12.1-inch screen, which is plenty large enough for drawing and playing more intensive games. It has an LCD display rather than OLED, which would’ve been nice to see for deeper black levels and enhanced contrast, but it's common for a more budget-friendly model to opt for LCD.

In terms of resolution, you’re looking at 2.8K on the Oppo Pad 5. There’s also HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, and when I tried watching a movie in the latter format, I was impressed with the detail, vibrancy of colours and quality of contrast on show.

You also get a fairly bright, vivid picture from the Oppo Pad 5, which boasts a peak brightness of 900 nits. I found this to be perfect for brighter indoor spaces, and even moderate outdoor use.

As you may expect, the Oppo Pad 5 has an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz. This makes basic navigation feel silky smooth, and when gaming, will enable you to play select titles at up to 120fps, so long as the software supports this.

Overall, I was impressed with the display of the Oppo Pad 5. It looks surprisingly sharp given its use of an LCD panel, and its replication of rich, punchy colours exceeded my expectations. It was also nice and responsive, well-sized, and relatively bright making it convenient for everyday use.

(Image credit: Future)

Display score: 4/5

Oppo Pad 5 review: design

Solid aluminium frame
Sleek, enticing look…
…but heftier than you may expect

The Oppo Pad 5 is a nice looking tablet, in my view. Its slim, sleek, and its quality aluminium frame makes it seem like a more premium product than it truly is.

I tried the Starlight Black version, which appears to be reliably available in the UK, with a seemingly elusive Aurora Pink alternative also exists. I like the look of the Starlight Black colorway — it's understated and classy, only adding to that sense that this tablet is punching above its weight, at least in the looks department.

One thing I didn’t love about the Oppo Pad 5, though, was its weight. It comes in at 597g, meaning it’s quite hefty in-use. For reference, that makes the Oppo Pad 5 more than 100g heavier than the Apple iPad 11-inch (2025), so if you want ultimate comfort for long usage sessions, you may be better served elsewhere.

As someone who only typically dips in and out of using my tablet, the Oppo Pad 5’s weight was no problem at all, though. And I did like other aspects of its design. For instance, the buttons are fairly small and low-key, which paired with some smart placement, ensured that I never triggered any accidental presses.

Some may find its IP40 dust and waterproof rating a bit underwhelming, though. This means that the tablet resists larger particle ingress, but is not waterproof whatsoever — so you’ll want to keep it well protected and dry at all times.

The underwhelming IP40 rating and weight of this tablet means that it's not quite a design marvel, but its attractive look and solid build quality ensures that it still feels more premium than its price may suggest.

(Image credit: Future)

Design score: 4/5

Oppo Pad 5 review: software

ColorOS delivers an excellent user experience
Next to no bloat whatsoever
Five years of OS and six years of security updates pledged

Here’s where we get to arguably the best part of the Oppo Pad 5 — the fantastic software experience it provides.

Out of the box, this tablet is running Oppo’s ColorOS 16.0 (running on Android 16), which Android users will find familiar and practical. The user interface is well laid out, and even looks relatively stylish. It's seamless to access apps and settings too, and you can easily customize the home screen and switch between button or motion controls during setup.

What’s great to see is that the Oppo Pad 5 has excellent, long-term software support too. It will receive five years of OS updates, as well as six years of security patches. That’s a commendable pledge from Oppo, and means that users can confidently use this tablet for years to come.

Something else I loved about the Oppo Pad 5 was its almost total lack of bloatware. I’ve reviewed many devices where I’ve been met with a slew of unwanted mobile games, shopping apps, and AI slop, but the Oppo Pad 5 shows more respect to its users. There are a few pre-downloaded third-party apps, like Netflix and LinkedIn, but I’d wager that a large chunk of users would actually want these, so the streamlined app selection gets a big tick from me.

Another positive is that the Oppo Pad 5 is far less concerned with the generative AI nonsense that you see elsewhere, including on some of Oppo’s own products. The AI studio is still here, which enables you to generate some imagery, and there are a few other features, like AI Writer (for proof-reading and formatting) and AI-enabled translation, but again, this functionality isn’t being relentlessly pushed onto you.

(Image credit: Future)

Software score: 5/5

Oppo Pad 5 review: performance

Solid yet slightly unremarkable chipset
8GB of RAM enough for multi-tasking
Quad speakers don’t sound great

The Oppo Pad 5 runs well overall, but it’s not going to provide you with totally flawless performance.

It uses the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra processor, which we’ve seen in a bunch of similarly priced rival models, like the OnePlus Pad Go 2. In addition, you get 8GB of RAM, which is easily enough for some basic multi-tasking. And I found the Oppo Pad 5 to run smoothly for the most part, with next to no hiccups when performing basic productivity tasks like note-taking, playing lighter games such as Tetris, or simply scrolling on social media.

I did pick-up on the occasional frame drop with more demanding software, such as 3D mobile games, and some occasional delays when using the split-view mode with Google Chrome, but unless you’re a more intensive user, I think you’ll get by just fine with this model.

One thing that I found to be a little disappointing, though, were the built-in quad speakers. These just don’t sound as refined as I’d hoped, with speech sometimes sounding boxed-in and generally a bit unclear. They’re not plating up super-tinny or shrill sound, sure, and the tablet has excellent codec support for music listening with headphones or speakers, but the built-in sound is lacking.

The built-in cameras are fine enough, though. They’re 8MP on both the front and rear, which is totally adequate for taking video calls, though I didn’t find the results to be overly detailed or natural-looking when snapping some photos.

(Image credit: Future)

Performance score: 3.5/5

Oppo Pad 5 review: battery

Huge 10,050mAh battery
Got me through multiple days of use when testing
Wired charging is disappointingly slow

The Oppo Pad 5 has a huge, 10,050mAh battery capacity, which really impressed me during testing.

Unless you’re an especially intensive user, you’ll easily be able to use the Oppo Pad 5 for multiple days without needing to juice it up whatsoever — I could count on one hand the amount of times I had to charge it across my three weeks of testing. On top of this, you get a number of battery settings, including a power saving, super-power saving, and high-performance mode, and some battery health options.

However, I do have one critique of the Oppo Pad 5 in the battery life department: its underwhelming charging speeds. It supports 33W wired charging, which definitely feels on the low side for a device with a battery this large. After one hour of charging, I discovered that the Oppo Pad 5 hadn’t even hit 50% yet, which is just too slow in my view.

(Image credit: Future)

Battery score: 4/5

Should I buy the Oppo Pad 5?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Display	It may not be OLED, but the display is bright, detailed, and colorful.	4/5
Design	Sleek, attractive, well-made tablet, but lacks waterproofing and is a tad hefty.	4/5
Software	Clean and easy to use UI, excellent OS and security support, next to no bloat.	5/5
Performance	Good enough for light everyday use, but not the most powerful, and built-in speakers could be better.	3.5/5
Battery	Giant battery capacity let down slightly by underwhelming 33W charging.	4/5

Buy it if...

You want a top-tier Android user-experience
The Oppo Pad 5 plates up an excellent software experience, with the neat ColorOS, almost no bloatware whatsoever, and years worth of OS and security updates on the way. If you’re looking for an Android tablet that gives you a seamless user-experience, this is one to go for.

You want seriously long battery life
The Oppo Pad 5 comes equipped with a 10,050mAh capacity battery, meaning it will last for multiple days without needing to be charged, unless you’re an especially intensive user.

Don't buy it if...

You want peak performance
You can get better performance from some of the Oppo Pad 5’s rivals, largely due to its slightly middling chipset — even if it's still steady enough for general everyday use.

You’re looking for something ultra-lightweight
The Oppo Pad 5 is slightly on the heavy side, so if you’re looking for an almost feather-weight model that you can take on the go, it may be worth looking elsewhere.

Oppo Pad 5 review: also consider

	Oppo Pad 5	Apple iPad 11-inch (2025)	OnePlus Pad Go 2
Price	£349	Starts at £429	Starts at £319
OS	ColorOS 16.0	iPadOS 18	OxygenOS 15.0.1
Chipset	MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra	A16	MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra
RAM	8GB	6GB	8GB
Storage	128GB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB	128GB / 256GB
Display	12.1-inch LCD (2800 x 1980)	11-inch LED Backlit (2360 x 1640) IPS LCD	12.1-inch LCD (2800 x 1980)
Weight	597g	475g	597g
Battery	10,050mAh	28.93Wh	10,050mAh
Charging	33W wired	45W wired	33W wired
Cameras	8MP rear, 8MP front	12MP rear, 12MP front	8MP rear, 8MP front

Apple iPad 11-inch (2025)
With ongoing global RAM shortages raging, Apple decided to increase the prices of a lot of its gadgets, and unfortunately, the iPad 11-inch (2025) was among those affected. Now, it starts at £429, but this is still a solid price for the quality on offer. This tablet is stunning, delivers impressive performance, and is lighter than the Oppo Pad 5. Read our full Apple iPad 11-inch (2025) review.

OnePlus Pad Go 2
Just look at that specs table. There are almost no differences whatsoever between the Oppo Pad 5 and the OnePlus Pad Go 2. But if you can grab this one for cheaper, or if you prefer its overall look, it may well be worth picking up instead. It can also be purchased with 256GB of storage in the UK, unlike the Oppo Pad 5. Read our full OnePlus Pad Go 2 review.

How I tested the Oppo Pad 5

(Image credit: Future)

Tested across the course of three weeks
Tried all major features
Used for streaming video, playing games, and doing everyday tasks

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

I used the Oppo Pad 5 as my main tablet across the course of three weeks. During this time, I gradually tested all of its core features and made sure to assess everything from display quality to battery life.

During testing, I tried out video streaming, playing games, and performing everyday tasks to measure the tablet’s performance across the most crucial areas.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing gadgets here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve tested everything from Dolby Atmos soundbars like the Sonos Beam Ultra to phones like the Nothing Phone 4(a). I’ve also reviewed tablets during my time here, such as the Huawei MatePad 11.5.

Read more about how we test
First reviewed: October 2026

What's the tech inside the touchscreen MacBook Pro's 'PROLED XDR' screen? We explain all

Carrie Marshall — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:50:49 +0000

Apple has unveiled its first OLED MacBook Pro laptops, and that means we've got a new bit of display branding: PROLED XDR. You can have the laptop in 14-inch or 16-inch variants, pre-orders are open now for shipping on or after the 6th of November — and we've gone hands-on with them. Literally, because they're also the first touchscreen Macs.

The name 'PROLED XDR' is a new piece of jargon that Apple's debuting with this machine. So what actually is it?

The short answer is that it's a 'Tandem OLED' panel, which means that it uses multiple layers of organic light-emitting diodes — in this case, two layers. Two OLED layers are better than one because the result is considerably brighter than a single-layer OLED: you literally have two OLEDs firing per pixel. It also boosts longevity, because each of the two layers doesn't have to work as hard, so they have a longer lifespan and are more likely to avoid burn-in.

Apple has stayed away from OLED for its MacBook Pro displays in the past, and clearly that's changed. According to Apple that's because PROLED XDR "finally" overcomes the traditional limitations of OLED: low and variable brightness, off-axis color shift and the risk of burn-in from displaying the same interface elements, such as toolbars and palettes, whenever the screen is on.

The confusing thing, however, is that this isn't Apple's first use of Tandem OLED. It used the technology in its shift to OLED in the iPad Pro, but those aren't branded as PROLED XDR. Those are called 'Ultra Retina XDR' displays.

So let's look at the performance differences listed by Apple that put the 'pro' in PROLED.

(Image credit: Apple)

What's so special about PROLED XDR displays

The Tandem OLED inside the new MacBook Pros is very bright, delivering up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness (ie, in a small area of the screen for a short time) and up to 1,000 nits of sustained fullscreen brightness (ie, across the entire screen at once, without having to dim quickly).

The iPad Pro (2025)'s display is also capable of 1,000 nits of fullscreen brightness, but has a rated peak brightness of 1,600 nits — so the MacBook Pro is 25% brighter. That will bring a nice extra boost to clarity in bright HDR scenes, but won't make a huge difference really — the fullscreen brightness is the most important factor, and that's the same on both.

Because it's OLED, it gives you the blackest of black tones — there's no backlight to leak light into areas it shouldn't go — and a very high contrast ratio, in this case 10,000,000:1. That again is an interesting difference from the iPad Pro, which has a claimed contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1.

Why a 5x difference if the brightness is only 25% different? Apple hasn't explicitly said, but it must come down the lowest level of brightness that can be measured on the screen. Doing the math on the iPad's 1,600-nit display with a 2,000,000:1 ratio gives us a lowest brightness of 0.0008 nits. On the PROLED XDR's display, a 2,000-nit panel with a 10,000,000 contrast ratio gives us a lowest brightness of 0.0002 nits.

We can assume this is down to the new panel design, aimed at "minimizing internal reflections common in traditional OLED designs" — so less light is reflected within the panel itself, which could be the difference between those two different black levels.

But if you're looking at 0.0008 nits and 0.0002 nits and thinking the difference must be indistinguishable, then… yes, correct. They will both appear totally black to the human eye when they're supposed to. But it produces a big difference in contrast ratio, because multiplication is overdramatic.

How much more black could this be? The answer is none (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

There are other indications that the MacBook Pro's PROLED XDR display might beat the iPad Pro's in other areas. Apple says it can achieve over 80% of the BT.2020 color gamut, which suggest it's likely to hit close to 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut — the iPad Pro was measured by our lab at around 82% of DCI-P3, so that would be a clear jump here.

The screen is powered by a display engine that's been built into the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which Apple says "continuously compensates each pixel for content, usage, temperature, and ambient conditions".

Refresh rates are variable from 10Hz to 120Hz (with discrete options for film-makers: 47.95Hz, 48Hz, 50Hz, and 59.94Hz), and as we've seen with other Apple products there's a nano-texture glass option for people who'll be working in overly bright environments.

The big selling point here is reference monitor accuracy that you can take wherever you go, making these MacBook Pros ideal for video pros and mobile creatives of all kinds.

So do you need it? If you're making the next Wildwood — go see this movie, it's incredible — or working with high-res, high-quality video then these are by far the best Mac mobile laptops that Apple has ever made. But I suspect most of them will end up with people who aren't video pros, but who really like really good displays. I'd love to see Cyberpunk 2077 on one of these.

If you're technically minded Apple has put together a full technical paper on the new displays, and you can read it right here.

New iPad mini preorders are live — where to find the best deals, trade-in offers and freebies with Apple's latest tablet

james.pickard@futurenet.com (James Pickard) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 17:10:00 +0000

A brand-new iPad Mini is on the way — and preorders have started. If Apple's latest little tablet is on your shopping list and you're looking for the best place to pick one up, I've gathered together where you can buy one right here, including some of the best preorder deals and trade-in offers.

Announced earlier this week, the eighth-generation iPad mini is a much bigger upgrade than we expected. Headline new features include a sharper, brighter, and more vibrant 8.5-inch OLED Super Retina XDR screen, a powerful A20 Pro chip, improved audio, and IP67 water and dust resistance thanks to the new aluminum design.

All those upgrades do come at a more considerable cost, though, as the iPad mini starts at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099 for the standard WiFi version with 128GB of storage. That's $200 / £200 / AU$300 more than the launch price of the previous iPad mini. There are also 256GB and 512GB versions available if you want more room for files and applications.

With that increase in price, it's more important than ever to find a good deal if you want to preorder the new iPad Mini. Here are the best ones I've found so far from retailers, networks, and mobile operators — and I'll continue adding any new offers when I spot them.

iPad mini preorders in the US

Apple Store: from $699 — or lease from $14.99 a month with Apple Upgrade
The Apple Store is naturally one of the first places to check for new iPad Mini preorders. Without any special discounts, the tablet is simply available to buy from $699. However, if you have a device to trade in, you can get a discount of up to $915. You can also make use of the Apple Upgrade service to lease your iPad Mini from as little as $14.99 a month for 36 months.View Deal

Amazon: preorder now from $699
Amazon has added the latest mini to its iPad lineup. Unsurprisingly, there are no discounts available on any models at this point, although Apple tech has sometimes been given a small discount at the retailer ahead of launch in the past. I'll keep an eye out for any offers.View Deal

Best Buy: from $399 with trade-in — plus free Best Buy gift card
Best Buy now has the new iPad Mini available for preorder, and as expected, it's got one of the strongest offers from the big retailers. On top of a discount of up to $300 when you trade in an existing iPad, you also get a $50 Best Buy gift card with your order. Not bad to put towards some accessories, or something from the retailer's upcoming Black Friday sale.View Deal

Walmart: iPad mini from $699
Walmart has all versions of the new iPad mini available to preorder, though the high-capacity 512GB Starlight model has already sold out. It's another retailer that doesn't have any deals on the new tablet, although it has offered small discounts of up to $50 on some Apple tech in the past at the preorder phase. We'll have to see if that's repeated ahead of launch.

B&H Photo: preorders live from $699
Specialist electronics retailer B&H Photo has the new iPad mini ready to order before the tablets go out for shipping by November 8. I thought this could be a good place to shop, as there have been small discounts of up to $50 on some models during previous iPad launches at this retailer. However, there's no sign of anything like that right now, so full price it is.View Deal

iPad mini preorders in the UK

Apple Store: from £699 or £58.25 per month – plus, save up to £840 with trade-in
Over in the UK, you can now preorder the new iPad mini at the official Apple Store. The tablet starts at the recommended price of £699, but there is also the option to pay on finance from £58.25 per month at 0% interest if that suits you better and you can keep up with the payments. If you have an existing device you want to trade in, then you can save up to £840, too. That's likely one of the highest trade-in discounts we'll see.View Deal

Amazon: listed but unavailable
Amazon has a listing page live for the new iPad mini in the UK, but it's currently temporarily unavailable to preorder. It'll be one to keep an eye on, as stock could pop up at any minute. The mega-retailer rarely offers trade-in rebates on many products, so this likely won't be the best place to shop if you have a device to sell for an upgrade.View Deal

Currys: preorders live with free Apple subscriptions
The new iPad mini is now available at Currys. The devices are full price, as expected, but you do get a handy freebie included with your purchase. Specifically, it's up to two months of Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and Apple Fitness Plus for free. A decent extra to pair with your new tablet for some music or gaming.View Deal

EE: available now from £45 per month
UK mobile network EE has the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air to pre-order. You can add either product to your existing mobile contract and pay it off monthly with prices starting at £45 per month for the 11-inch iPad Air. All of these models are 5G ready so a SIM is also included in the price, with data bundles from 5GB to unlimited available to choose from for existing customers.View Deal

Also check...

EE: preorders TBC
Vodafone: preorders TBC

iPad mini preorders in Australia

Apple Store: preorders live – save up to AU$1,370 with trade-in
If you're Down Under, preorders for the new iPad mini are open at the official Apple Store, with a starting price of AU$1,099. Apple AU typically doesn't offer any preorder deals, but if you have an existing device you can trade in, you could save up to AU$1,370 on your new purchase.View Deal

Amazon AU: check the latest availability
Amazon Australia has already set up a massive store page with all the new iPads listed, although each one is shown as currently unavailable. We think that those models will become available to buy from May 15. While Amazon doesn't offer trade-in options, it's typically the best place to shop for an Apple device as you could find it for the best price, even brand-new releases.View Deal

JB Hi-Fi: preorders open
Popular Aussie retailer JB Hi-Fi and kicked off its preorder campaign for the new iPad range, with shipping also commencing on May 15. There are no preorder offers to be had, but JB Hi-Fi has its own trade-in program that could see you save a little money. You can get a quote in-store or online.View Deal

This 'waterproof' rugged Android tablet has two features no other slates have — a LAN port and HDMI connector

Efosa Udinmwen — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 01:05:00 +0000

Ethernet and HDMI connections distinguish the rugged tablet from similar options
A 20,080mAh battery accompanies 20W charging and lengthy endurance
The 10.4-inch display combines 120Hz refresh with 1200 × 1920 resolution

Rugtake has introduced the T3 Pro, a rugged Android tablet featuring dedicated connections rarely found together on similar devices.

The first is the RJ45 LAN port, which provides wired Ethernet access without requiring adapters, making physical network connectivity available directly through the tablet.

A separate HDMI connector supports video output to compatible monitors and projectors, eliminating the need for wireless casting or additional display adapters.

Display, processing hardware, and battery capacity

The rugged tablet carries a 10.4-inch IPS panel with 1200×1920 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, which together yield a pixel density of 225 PPI.

Brightness is rated at 450cd/㎡ and contrast at 1500:1, though the listing gives no reading for visibility under direct sunlight outdoors.

A Spreadtrum G100 processor built with 6nm technology drives the device, and its eight cores reach speeds of 2.3GHz.

Graphics processing relies on the Mali G57 GPU, while Widevine L1 support enables higher resolution playback through compatible protected streaming services.

Although advertised with 30GB RAM, the tablet contains only 6GB physical memory, supplemented by 24GB allocated from its internal storage.

This distinction matters because virtual memory uses storage resources and cannot deliver the same performance characteristics as equivalent amounts of physical RAM.

Its built-in storage reaches 256GB, with microSD card expansion supporting capacities up to 2TB for additional applications, photographs and other files.

An integrated camping lamp produces 380 lumens and includes an SOS signalling function with illumination endurance reaching 240 hours.

On the rear, this device uses a dual camera setup which includes a 20MP primary camera and a dedicated night vision sensor, while a 16MP camera is available for selfies.

The camera supports phase detection autofocus, HDR processing, portrait effects, and underwater photography, while videos can be captured at 1080p resolution.

Rugged construction and outdoor functionality

Designed for demanding environments, the tablet supports IP68 and IP69K protection alongside MIL STD 810H compliance for physical durability.

This implies that it is resistant to dust, water exposure, and certain environmental scenarios to certain levels.

The T3 Pro chassis measures 250.46 × 160.23 × 18.5mm, with grey and black finishes accompanied by a stand and carrying strap.

For cellular communication, the device supports two Nano SIM cards, 4G networks, alongside dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0.

Additional wireless capabilities include NFC for compatible contactless services, while four satellite navigation systems provide geographical information during travel and outdoor activities.

The device also includes FM radio functionality, glove operation and facial recognition, expanding the available controls beyond conventional touchscreen interaction methods.

Under the hood, it hosts a huge 20,080mAh battery, while 20W USB-C charging provides replenishment without the faster charging rates available elsewhere.

According to the company, on full charge, this device lasts three to five days of regular usage, about 60 days of standby operation, and 48 hours of continuous calling.

The Rugtake T3 Pro currently appears with a $0.00 price on its product page, yet buyers in the US can place an order.

The figure does not mean the tablet is free, and it most likely signals a reservation or preorder while the retail price remains unannounced.

It’s cheaper to buy the iPhone 18 Pro and new iPad mini than it is to buy a single iPhone Duo — but the money misses the point

axel.metz@futurenet.com (Axel Metz) — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000

It’s been an exceptionally busy few months for Apple. In just seven weeks, the Cupertino giant has refreshed its store shelves with the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Duo, HomePod mini 2, HomeView, OLED iPad mini, iMac M6, and MacBook Pro M6.

That’s eight new products for your perusal, but by offering more choice than ever, Apple has also thrown up some unique new buying conundrums.

For instance, if it’s cheaper to buy an iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s new iPad mini than it is to buy the iPhone Duo (spoiler: it is), should you? That’s the argument currently doing the rounds on Reddit and TechRadar sister site Tom’s Guide, where my colleague says the iPhone 18 Pro/iPad mini combo is “cheaper and better” than Apple’s first foldable.

I can absolutely see the logic in this position. The iPhone 18 Pro costs $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,099. The new OLED iPad mini costs $699 / £699 / AU$1,099. Together, they cost $1,898 / £1,898 / AU$3,198, while a single iPhone Duo costs $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,499. You’d be getting two great products instead of one, and saving $101 / £101 / AU$301 in the process.

The iPhone 18 Pro (left) and iPhone Duo (right) (Image credit: Apple / Future)

The iPhone 18 Pro is also a better phone in many ways than the iPhone Duo. It’s thinner, lighter, has better cameras, and doesn’t rely on Touch ID. The OLED iPad mini, meanwhile, offers a Duo-comparable entertainment experience, and can even be equipped with the same Nano-Texture display technology as Apple’s first foldable. So buying the Pro and mini over the Duo is a no-brainer, right?

Well, I'm not so sure. The fundamental difference between these two purchase decisions is that one involves two devices, and the other only one. These are not like-for-like experiences. Owning and using an iPhone 18 Pro alongside an iPad mini is not comparable to the experience of owning and using a single iPhone Duo. But, crucially, the reverse is true.

The Duo is a compromise, yes, but it still offers an undeniably iPad-like experience in pocketable form. You’re paying a premium for its versatility and portability. The whole point of the Duo (and foldables generally) is that it lets you experience a tablet whenever and wherever you are. It’s like using a spork while camping to save you packing a spoon and a fork. Or buying a Range Rover Sport instead of a Ferrari and a family-sized minivan.

The iPhone Duo offers an iPad-like experience in pocketable form (Image credit: Getty Images / Benjamin Fanjoy / Stringer)

The new iPad mini is small, sure — but are you really going to walk around with an 8.5-inch tablet in your pocket? Tom’s Guide’s assertion that “Apple has inadvertently priced its own foldable out of the market for anyone willing to carry a small bag” makes a rather big assumption about the number of people willing to carry a small bag on their person at all times. I am not one of those people, and I don’t know many of them.

All this being said, I am no great iPhone Duo defender. For me, the compromises of getting an iPad-like experience in an iPhone-sized device are, at the time of writing, too great, and I would personally rather stick with my iPhone 18 Pro (and, yes, maybe even buy an iPad mini for watching movies in bed or on the plane).

But that does not mean I think I'd be recreating the experience of owning the iPhone Duo by buying two separate Apple products — watching movies in bed or on the plane is not the same as watching movies wherever I please.

So, yes: buying the iPhone 18 Pro and the new iPad mini might be better value for money than buying a single iPhone Duo, but value and compatibility are two different things. There’s definitely something to be said for owning one device that offers the best of both worlds, and anyone considering the iPhone Duo should remember that before being swayed one way or the other.

Meet the TechRadar Product of the Year 2026 winners

TechRadar — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 20:05:44 +0000

Though 2026 has been a tumultuous time for technology when it comes to price hikes and shortages, the tech that's reached us has been excellent — in fact, it's been a banner year in most areas, just with some downsides for your wallet.

We've already crowned the best tech of the year as chosen by you in our TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 — but this is where we let our experts have their say.

Our writers and editors chose their favorite products in nearly 100 categories, ranging across all the kinds of products we review. In some cases, we agree with the readers; in lots of cases, we don't. So read on to see which gadgets we rate as being the most impressive of the last 12 months.

Phones & tablets

Phone of the Year

Apple iPhone 18 Pro

Wherever you look, the iPhone 18 Pro excels. It might not have the biggest camera sensor or the longest-lasting battery of any phone on the market, but it does offer a near-unrivaled combination of premium flagship features. From its variable aperture feature and pro-level video capabilities to its phenomenal performance and gorgeous display, the 18 Pro is the Swiss Army knife of 2026 smartphones.

Read our full iPhone 18 Pro review

Phone Brand of the Year

Honor

The Chinese company has brought something competitive to the table at every turn in 2026. The Honor Magic 8 Pro is an extremely capable flagship. The Magic V6 is easily one of the best foldables you can buy. The Honor 600 series offers some serious value for money in the mid-range sector. The MagicPad 4 is an iPad-beating tablet in several ways. And the Robot Phone is, well, the Robot Phone. Honor’s products aren’t globally available in the same way as, say, Apple's or Samsung’s, but those who have tried the brand’s phones and tablets will know about their level of hardware quality.

Phones Innovation of the Year

Honor Robot Phone

Sticking with Honor, it’s hard to see past the Robot Phone as the most exciting Phones Innovation of the Year in 2026. There's been some competition from foldables in this area this year, but Honor deserves credit for bringing something wildly different to the market (in China, at least). Will we ever see the Robot Phone and its fully motorized mechanical gimbal arm in Western markets? I doubt it — but that doesn’t make it any less exciting.

Read our Honor Robot Phone hands-on

Best Value Phone

Motorola Edge 70 Fusion

The Motorola Edge 70 Fusion is in another world for pure value compared to most phones — for example, compared to the iPhone 17e, it costs almost exactly half the price and offers an extra camera, a much larger battery, faster charging, and a higher display refresh rate. The Edge 70 Fusion is not a flashy phone, but it certainly punches above its budget price tag.

Best Mid-Range Phone

Apple iPhone 17

The Apple iPhone 17 is over 12 months old now (it just slips into this year’s eligibility window), and it wasn’t replaced with a successor in September — but it didn’t need to be. With its 120Hz refresh rate, two great rear cameras, powerful A19 chipset, and still-industry-leading Center Stage selfie camera, the iPhone 17 is still the iPhone we recommend to most people.

Best Folding Phone

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the only globally available passport-shaped foldable we’ve tested fully (and that's eligible for this year's awards), and it's earned our pick as the Best Folding Phone of the year. We were skeptical about the practicality of the Z Fold 8’s stumpy form factor, but after living with the phone for a month, we came around to its charming oddness.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z fold 8 review

Best Flip Phone

Motorola Razr Ultra 2026

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 (or Motorola Razr 70 Ultra, as it’s called in certain regions) is, for us, the best phone you can buy in this category. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 has better software, a newer chipset, and is slightly more affordable — but the latest Razr Ultra has a larger battery, faster charging, and better cameras. It’s a close-run thing, but this is the flip phone we'd choose.

Best Camera Phone

Oppo Find X9 Ultra

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is an absolute beast of a camera phone. It boasts a 200MP main lens, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, a 200MP 3x telephoto lens, and a 50MP 10x telephoto (f/3.5) lens, which is a combination that helped it beat the Galaxy S26 Ultra and hold its own against even the Lumix TZ300 and Nikon Z8 in our head-to-head comparisons. It’s heavy, thick, and eye-wateringly expensive, but the Find X9 Ultra is the closest we’ve come to a truly camera-rivaling smartphone.

Read our full Oppo Find X9 Ultra review

Best Gaming Phone

RedMagic 11 Pro

If you’re looking for an unashamedly gamer-y smartphone, it doesn’t get much better than the RedMagic 11 Pro. With its exposed water-cooling system, capacitive shoulder buttons, powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, and gorgeous 6.85-inch OLED display, it’s more handheld console than phone.

Read our full RedMagic 11 Pro review

Best AI Phone

Google Pixel 11 Pro

Even though Google’s latest Pixel series doesn’t bring much newness to the table, it’s hard to argue against the Pixel 11 Pro’s status as the Best AI Phone money can buy. There’s Camera Coach, Magic Cue, Magic Editor, Magic Capture, Rambler, and, of course, system-wide Gemini integration to take advantage of with Google’s latest flagship. If AI is your jam, the Pixel 11 Pro should be your phone.

Read our full Google Pixel 11 Pro review

Best Phone Accessory

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P

Phone gimbals aren’t the flashiest products around, but the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P deserves credit for being one of the best phone accessories money can buy. As we noted in our review, the 8P adds a remote control and even better tracking capabilities to the already impressive Osmo Mobile 8 formula, and as such, it’s an easy recommendation for content creators.

Read our full DJI Osmo Mobile 8P review

Best Tablet

Honor MagicPad 4

The Android tablet market is a real mix of good, bad, and terrible right now, but the Honor MagicPad 4 surprised us by being a genuinely iPad-rivaling slate in testing this year. For a lower price than the latest iPad Air, the MagicPad 4 offers a thin and lightweight design, a stunning OLED screen, an excellent eight-speaker stereo setup, and near-unbeatable update support. Here’s hoping Honor continues its hot streak into 2027.

Read our full Honor MagicPad 4 review

Best eReader

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025)

The last 12 months have seen plenty of great ereaders and digital note-takers come to market, but the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) has become our go-to recommendation for those after an ereader/notebook hybrid. It's pricey, yes, but the Scribe’s 11-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display is a joy to behold.

Read our full Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) review

Cameras & drones

Camera of the Year

Sony A7R VI

Perfect ratings are rare, but the A7R VI earned five stars with its 66.8MP stacked full-frame sensor, image stabilization, new processor and improved subject-detection autofocus, which combine for class-leading quality and performance. Whether you shoot landscape photography or action, the A7R VI can handle it all, and its excellent handling and new and improved battery was the cherry on the cake. Our verdict? "Sony can stop making cameras now."

Read our full Sony A7R VI review

Brand of the Year

Sony

Following a relatively quiet year, Sony has stood out in 2026 with three top cameras and a raft of new lenses. We gave a perfect five-star rating to the Sony A7R VI, which received high praise from our veteran Cameras Editor who said it had "no weaknesses". The A7 V took top spot in our best mirrorless cameras guide, while the RX10 V revived bridge cameras and extended Sony’s lead at the top in this category. Add Sony’s stellar macro lens to the mix and this award was inevitable.

Camera Innovation of the Year

Antigravity A1

The Antigravity A1 was a first-of-its-kind drone, one that can shoot true 360 degree video thanks to its dual camera array. The Insta360-backed company effectively gave us an airborne Insta360 X5, with immersive 8K video recording that sees in every direction. At the launch event, we donned the company’s goggles and followed racing cars around a track, and the whole experience was intuitive — but most of all immersive. You don’t need to worry about framing the shot, because that happens later using Insta360’s clever software, which can frame and compile videos after the fact.

Read our full Antigravity A1 review

Best Beginner Camera

OM System PEN

It was a tight call between the OM System PEN and the Lumix L10, but ultimately we felt that the PEN is the better starting point for beginner photographers, at a much lower price point. Not only is the PEN easy on the eye, but it features image stabilization, a rangefinder-style EVF, a weatherproof body, and a host of clever computational photography modes that smartphone upgrades will feel at home with, and that encourage creativity. A huge choice of lenses and a new weatherproof kit lens complete the package.

Read our OM System PEN review

Best Mid-range camera

Sony A7 V

The mid-range full-frame category is fiercely contested by Canon, Nikon, Sony and Panasonic, but Sony stole back its crown with the new A7 V, in a year that Canon also released the stellar EOS R6 Mark III. Between those two 5-star cameras, we felt the A7 V had the (slight) edge overall; there's nothing to choose in terms of resolution, but the A7 V has a partially stacked sensor for what should be quicker readout speeds, plus snappier subject detection autofocus, wider dynamic range, versatile flip-and-tilt screen, and class-leading battery life.

Read our Sony A7 V review

Best Professional Camera

Sony A7R VI

It’s actually been a quiet year in the professional camera category, but that's probably good for the other companies, because the A7R VI would’ve been hard for anyone to compete with. It ups the bar with a class-leading 66.8MP full-frame stacked sensor that's backed up with the power, speed and pro-grade body that make the camera a formidable tool in any pro photography scenario. We shot landscape, portrait and wildlife photography, and the pro camera thrived in all situations.

Read our full Sony A7R VI review

Best Compact and Instant Camera

Ricoh GR IV

Being intimately familiar with the GR III, we were super excited about the GR IV launch and the upgrades it would bring. A new 26MP APS-C sensor with five-axis stabilization and improved battery life topped the improvements, but we’ll have to keep fingers crossed for next time for the improved build quality, a tilt screen and built-in-flash we wished for. Even still, the GR IV can shoot the best quality photos from a truly pocketable camera, with a dedicated Monochrome edition that came alter to boot. The price hike stung, but no other brand is making a compact like Ricoh is.

Read our Ricoh GR IV review

Best Action and Vlogging Camera

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

It’s been a busy year in this category, with Insta360 and DJI in particular trading blows. First came DJI's Pocket 4, which was a modest upgrade of the Pocket 3, but DJI had something extra special up its sleeve; a twin-lens gimbal camera Pocket 4P, which would change the game for vlogging. Insta360 then tried to steal DJI’s thunder with its innovative Luna Ultra's twin lenses and removable remote module — but DJI's Pocket 4P feels like the more polished of the two, and the one we have found ourselves turning to more often for shooting stabilized 4K content.

Read our DJI Osmo Pocket 4P review

Best Camera Lens

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art

Lenses is a competitive category year after year, and 2025-2026 was no different, with a top Sony macro optic, Nikon's slimmed down 70-200mm f/2.8 and a number of superb-value Viltrox optics. However, we must recognize innovation and give credit where it's due, which is why Sigma’s first 135mm telephoto lens with a f/1.4 aperture blew us away. Bulky, yes, but we gave it five stars in our review, calling the 135mm F1.4 DG / Art the 'bokeh master' — if you want the dreamiest portraits, look no further.

Read our Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art review

Best Camera Accessory

Insta360 Mic Pro

DJI and Insta360 have been trading blows all year, but it was Insta360’s Mic Pro that was the final piece of the jigsaw for the 360 camera maker’s ecosystem. Insta360 fans using the likes of the class leading X6 360-degree camera, Ace Pro 2 action cam and Luna Ultra vlogging cameras can enjoy all the benefits of direct compatibility with one of the best wireless mics we’ve ever tested — mixing and matching their camera with a third party mic is no longer necessary. And what a mic it was — the Mic Pro has DJI-beating noise cancellation and an eye-catching, customizable e ink display.

Read our Insta360 Mic Pro review

Best Drone

DJI Avata 360

First came the Antigravity A1 drone, and then came the DJI Avata 360, which felt like the more polished and versatile 360-degree drone of the two. Where the A1 has two fixed lenses to capture 360-degree footage, the Avata 360’s twin lenses are mounted to a gimbal which can rotate 90 degrees to switch between regular (front-facing) single-lens and top/bottom facing 360-degree use. The product also joins DJI's existing Avata ecosystem, which already includes superb FPV goggles and motion controller accessories. Bottom line — the A1 came first, but the Avata 360 upped the bar, and it costs much less.

Read our DJI Avata 360 review

Computing

Laptop of the Year

Apple MacBook Neo

If there's one laptop that has made the biggest impact in 2026, then it's the MacBook Neo. When Apple announced its brand-new MacBook earlier this year, along with the impressively-affordable starting price of $599 / £599 / AU$1,049, it sent shockwaves through the industry. That might sound like hyperbole, but by releasing a budget laptop that still features a premium-feeling (and looking) design and without too many compromises when it comes to features and performance, the MacBook Neo shook rival PC makers out of their complacency and got them to up their budget laptop game. We had numerous laptop makers freely admit that they were releasing $600 laptops to challenge the MacBook Neo. For the sheer impact alone, the MacBook Neo has to be our pick as laptop of the year.

Read our full MacBook Neo review

Computing Brand of the Year

Nvidia

Once again, Nvidia has dominated the computing industry this year — all without releasing a new consumer graphics card. While the AI bubble, and Nvidia's role in it, continues to have a huge impact on the computing industry, the company has continued to innovate. DLSS 4.5 brought improved image quality to Nvidia's upscaling tech, while also introducing 6x Multi Frame Generation that can help improve gaming performance, especially on lower-end cards. Nvidia also released RTX Spark, its Arm-based System-on-Chip (SoC) aimed at taking on Apple's M-series chips, especially in regards to creative and local AI tasks. Even its controversial DLSS 5 feature has won over some critics since its announcement.

Best Computing Innovation

Intel Arc G3 Extreme

This year's release of the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip — yes, another SoC, this time one that's been specifically designed for mobile gaming devices by concentrating on graphics performance and power efficiency. So, it's not surprising that it is the beating heart of many of the most powerful and exciting PC gaming handhelds that have come out this year, including the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, Acer Predator Atlas 8, and OneXPlayer 3. They're all expensive, sadly, but they offer truly brilliant gaming performance in even the most graphically-intensive titles, and the Intel chip is why.

Best Value Laptop

Dell XPS 13 (2026)

While we were very tempted to give the MacBook Neo our award for the best value laptop of 2026, we've actually gone for one of the laptops it influenced: this year's XPS 13. In the past, Dell's XPS 13 laptop was a premium thin and light laptop, but Dell relaunched it as an affordable alternative to Apple's laptop, initially targeting the same $600 starting price. This isn't a conspiracy — Dell explicitly compared the XPS 13 to the MacBook Neo when showing off the laptop to us. The reason we're giving the XPS 13 the edge is that it feels like Dell made fewer compromises with its affordable laptop, especially when it comes to backlit keyboard and faster USB-C ports.

Read our full Dell XPS 13 (2026) review

Best AI Laptop

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra

Pretty much any laptop these days ships with some form of AI feature included, even baked into the operating system — but of all the laptops that have come out this year, the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra is, in our view, the best AI laptop because it doesn't just settle for adding AI features from other companies. Instead, Samsung has included its own Galaxy AI features, which offer additional tools, and work across its laptops, smartphones, and tablets. While not every Galaxy AI feature is a killer app, it shows a level of ambition and investment that many of its competitors lack.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra review

Best Gaming Laptop

Razer Blade 18

Razer has been putting out excellent gaming laptops for years, marrying cutting-edge technology with thin and light designs that banish any memory of big and bulky gaming laptops of yore. This year's Razer Blade 18 is no exception, offering almost desktop-levels of performance thanks to some of the most powerful components on the market today, with up to an RTX 5090 GPU and 128GB of DDR5 RAM. You can throw any game at this thing and it'll handle it like a champ, and its large 18-inch display offers UHD+ resolution at 240Hz, and FHD+ at an incredibly fast 440Hz, for unbelievably slick performance in games.

Read our full Razer Blade 18 (2026) review

Best PC Gaming Handheld

MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

While all the Intel Arc G3 Extreme-powered PC gaming handhelds that we saw at Computex were impressive, one stood out: the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. Not only was it one of the first handheld to come with Intel's latest hardware, but MSI completely redesigned the device itself to make it feel more comfortable and responsive when playing. This bore out in our full review, which highlighted the incredible performance (for a handheld) and the bright and vibrant screen that really made the games look spectacular.

Read our full MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review

Best Gaming Keyboard

Corsair Makr Pro 75

Reliability, performance, and build quality are all incredibly important considerations in a keyboard, and the Corsair Makr Pro 75 ticks every box. Its Corsair MGX Hyperdrive magnetic hot-swappable hall effect switches are an absolute joy to type on, and the overall build quality is exceptional (if a little heavy). It's expensive, and the software isn't great, but when crowning 2026's top gaming keyboard, there was only one choice here.

Read our full Corsair Makr Pro 75 review

Best Gaming Mouse

Razer Naga V3 Pro

The Razer Naga V3 Pro is an incredibly versatile gaming mouse that, thanks to its swappable side plates that offer gamers two, six, or 12 additional buttons, will appeal to almost any one, no matter what time of games you play. We use this mouse with the six-button side plate (which is easily attached via magnets) for quick access to macros and shortcuts while playing current obsession Planet Coaster 2. The mouse feels very comfortable to use, the 50K optical sensor offers fantastic control and with an 8,000Hz polling rate, even when used wirelessly, this is a mouse that can give you a serious competitive advantage.

Read our full Razer Naga V3 Pro review

Best Gaming Monitor

Alienware AW3426DW QD-OLED

The Alienware AW3426DW is an ultra-wide gaming monitor with a stunning five-layer tandem OLED panel that offers incredible, vision-spanning image quality. It supports Dolby Vision HDR, and a very fast 280Hz refresh rate that makes it a great choice for fast and frantic competitive games. The 3440x1440 (offering a 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio) offers plenty of detail without putting too much strain on your GPU, and that wider field of vision, along with the fast refresh rate, could make a huge difference when playing.

Read our full Alienware AW3426DW QD-OLED review

Gaming

Gaming Device of the Year

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite

The Arctis Nova Elite is the best gaming headset we've ever tested. It's simply that good. It's not just a headset that has you covered by collecting features you'll find elsewhere altogether either; this is a genuinely individual beast. The design and build are of premium materials: SteelSeries has made a custom Carbon Fiber driver with a brass surround ring for spectacular hi-res audio. Connectivity is all you could ever want in terms of need and convenience, and the whole experience is absolutely fantastic. A world-beater of a gaming headset and device that is peerless.

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite review

Gaming Brand of the Year

Asus

With an enormous number and diversity of products being launched by the gaming brand, from first attempts at desktop soundbars to quality PC gaming handheld follow-ups, and more excellent gaming monitors with the latest panels in that you can shake a stick at, Asus has been the hardware brand to beat this past year.

Gaming Innovation of the Year

Nvidia DLSS 4.5

With PC gaming becoming increasingly demanding, DLSS has never been more important, and DLSS 4.5 is one of the biggest leaps forward for upscaling tech yet. It delivers such high image quality and clarity that you can barely tell the difference between Quality and Performance modes, helping supported games like Doom: The Dark Ages and Arc Raiders look better and run better than ever before.

Best Console Accessory

Corsair Novablade Pro

A pleasant surprise in the past year or so's gaming hardware releases, the Novablade Pro leverless fightstick is a fantastic game controller that oozes quality and prioritizes customization to make life easier and better for fighting game players.

Read our full Corsair Novablade Pro review

Best Gaming Service

Amazon Luna

With hardware prices spiraling out of control, cloud gaming has never been a more attractive proposition — and Amazon continues to offer one of the best services in the space. This year saw Amazon Luna games integrated directly into the Prime Video app on Fire TV devices, making it easier than ever to access great games wherever you are.

Read our full Amazon Luna review from 2024

Best Gaming Controller

8BitDo Pro 3

The 8BitDo Pro 3 looks like a small upgrade compared to the Pro 2, but in real-world use, the improvements are simply astronomical. 8BitDo has crammed drift-eliminating TMR thumbsticks, magnetic hot-swappable face buttons, trigger locks, and an extra pair of optional remappable buttons into a versatile, budget-friendly package that is miles ahead of the competition.

Read our full 8BitDo Pro 3 review

Best Gaming Headset

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite

The best gaming headset we've ever tested. The Nova Elite raises the bar for premium, do-it-all, high-end gaming headsets, and this ticks every box from feature set to battery life, and from connectivity to audio quality, design, and build.

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite review

Best Gaming Chair

Secretlab Atlas

Secretlab's latest chair is a hit. This practical task chair offers the brand's supreme materials and build quality in a less gaming-oriented format, making it perfect for your work-from-home setup. It's attractive, comfortable, and feature-packed — what more could you ask from your seat?

Read our full Secretlab Atlas review

TV & home theater

TV of the Year

LG C6

In terms of all-around performance, features and versatility balanced with price, the C6 is the best TV around. When we tested it next to its predecessor, the LG C5, it was a noticeable upgrade: one that's rare to come across, and that was helped by LG adding its highest-end image processing. If you want a TV that can do it all, the C6 is that TV. Few TVs have impressed me as much this year as the C6, and that's why it takes the top spot.

Read our full LG C6 review

Home Entertainment Brand of the Year

Sony

Sony released two RGB LED TVs this year after years of teasing, and both of them were best-in-class, and are the TVs that most have me believing that OLED really should watch its back based on where this technology could do. Outside of this, the brand has also produced some excellent soundbars and speakers across the board, including the ground-breaking Bravia Theater Trio wireless LCR system, which is something we've been hoping to see a company make for years.

Home Entertainment Innovation of the Year

Sony True RGB

RGB TVs have been the big buzz of the TV world in 2026, and while it's been a mostly mixed bag, Sony's version called 'True RGB' stands above the rest. While it delivers spellbinding colors and superb brightness, it's the OLED-level black tones that impressed me most. I've tested Sony's two True RGB TVs and it's the best that dark and high-contrast scenes have ever looked on a backlit TV. In terms of innovation, it doesn't get more impressive than this in 2026.

Best Gaming TV

LG C6

For gaming, there's no better option in 2026 than the LG C6. Not only does it have a full list of features — 4K at up to 165Hz, full variable refresh rate support, and Dolby Vision Gaming — and fantastic performance, but it's also available in 42-83-inch sizes to suit all gaming spaces. When I played games on the C6, I had a fantastic time thanks to its buttery-smooth response times and excellent picture quality. There are other great gaming TVs around, but none delivers such a good all-round experience for the same price.

Read our full LG C6 review

Best TV for Sound

Sony Bravia 9 II

While TV sound is often a mixed bag, no other TV delivers better built-in audio in 2026 than the Sony Bravia 9 II. It delivers impeccable detail and clarity with a wide soundstage and pinpoint accuracy. Watching our reference scenes just impressed us across the board — very few other TVs have ever delivered such a level of audio authenticity.

Read our full Sony Bravia 9 II review

Best OLED TV

LG C6

Our TV of the Year is also the best OLED TV of 2026. More premium models may deliver better picture or more features, but none deliver a more complete package that's a significant step above their predecessor for a seriously competitive price. The C6 is a jack-of-all-trades TV that ticks every box a user could need across a wide range of sizes, and no other OLED has impressed me as much as the LG C6 when compared to last year's models.

Read our full LG C6 review

Best Mini-LED TV

Sony Bravia 9 II

RGB mini-LED is the next step in the evolution of mini-LED and no other TV this year does it better than the Sony Bravia 9 II. It delivers fantastic backlight control, OLED-rivaling black tones, vibrant, rich colors and realistic detail. No backlit TV has ever wowed our reviewers more than the Bravia 9 II, and it's an exciting sign for the future of mini-LED.

Read our full Sony Bravia 9 II review

Best Value TV

TCL QM7L/C7L

It really doesn't get better in terms of bang-for-your-buck value than the TCL QM7L (US model) and TCL C7L (UK and Australian version). The new SQD panel delivers great brightness and color, as well as excellent backlight control. Its great for gaming for a near-full suite of features, and it has credible built-in sound. The real highlight however is its price-to-size ratio, where you can get a big screen at a ridiculously affordable price, given how good the picture looks. If you want the best value, the QM7L/C7L is our top pick.

Read our full TCL QM7L review

Best Projector

Hisense XR10

This projector simply creates the most impressive pictures you can expect from a living-room-friendly projector — anything beyond this requires going pro. It's bright enough to work for lit rooms as well as dark-room viewing, and looks fantastic in both cases — and it even has a slick decor-friendly design. Sure, it lacks 120Hz at 4K, but cinephiles won't care — and this is made for cinephiles, make no mistake. Our full review will land shortly.

Best Soundbar

Sonos Beam Ultra

This wasn't the only soundbar this year to earn a rare five-star rating, but it's the one with the most 'wow' factor, because it's hard to believe such an expansive sound is coming from such a small design. The Dolby Atmos effect reaches a scale you'd never expect for a compact bar, and does it with clarity and precision of spatial audio. This feels like a premium bar, but with a mid-range price, and that's why it earns this award.

Read our full Sonos Beam Ultra review

Best Wireless Home Theater Speakers

Sony Bravia Theater Trio

This is product option we've wanted for so long: a wireless LCR system (meaning left, center, right channels) that's as easy to set up as a soundbar, but with the better width and impact that you get from a separates system. And that's what you get here: tons of power, a super-immersive Dolby Atmos experience, and a sense of scale to match a projector screen or giant-screen TV in a way a soundbar can't match. It's the wireless living home theater dream come true, especially with its easy expansion to add rears and subs. Our full review is coming soon.

Streaming

Streaming Service of the Year

HBO Max

Three years on after winning our coveted Best Streaming Service of the Year crown, HBO Max has done it again — and with good reason. Its long-overdue launch in multiple European nations, including the UK and Ireland, and the introduction of new user-friendly features are two such reasons why it was an early contender for this year’s prize. Throw in its unrivaled catalog of unmissable new shows and returning TV favorites, ongoing movie-exclusive partnership with acclaimed indie studio A24, and ever-expanding live sports coverage, though, and no other platform came close to besting it.

Best for Movies

Prime Video

Movie lovers should flock to Prime Video, as it boasts a library of over 20,000 movies in the US. The streaming service regularly adds new movies from Hollywood blockbusters, independent films, and classic cinema across the years, as well as its own Prime Video Original movies. Recent additions include the romantic comedy Love of Your Life and survival horror The Devil's Mouth.

Best for Documentaries

Netflix

Considering Netflix has everything from true crime to celebrity-fronted food documentaries, it's the place to be if you love all things real life. There's plenty of shocking stories of scandals, murders, mysteries and more, as well as lighter options for those in need of some escapism. Whatever you're after, Netflix probably has it. Recent must-see documentaries include a nail-biting series called Worst Neighbor Ever and the shocking Titan: The OceanGate Disaster.

Best for TV Shows

Apple TV was the most awarded streaming service at the 2026 Emmys, with many of its original series being hailed as the best. We’re inclined to agree, considering the quality of Apple TV shows has been consistently excellent across the board. Whether you want a mind boggling thriller like Severance or a horror comedy like Widow’s Bay, there’s plenty on offer for all tastes.

Best Free Streaming Service

Tubi or not Tubi? That’s the question we ask ourselves who should win our annual Best Free Streaming Service of the Year award. Well, this year, it is Tubi. Supported on over 30 devices — the most of any ad-supporting video on demand (AVOD) service — it’s available to every kind of person working to every kind of budget. Add in its movie and TV show catalogs, which number hundreds of thousands of offerings covering numerous genres, as well as its ongoing featuring of myriad live television channels and networks, and it’s the 2026 people’s AVOD champion.

Audio

Headphones of the Year

Apple AirPods Max 2

As we said in our full review, these cans are "doubtless the best noise-cancelling iPhone headphones on the planet" — and we weren't expecting to love them as much as we did. Aside from the USB-C lossless audio and incredible comfort, they also boast some of the best voice capture on any headphones we've ever experienced. This was a really hot year for headphones, the AirPods Max 2 still lag behind the competition for battery life (and the weird bra case continues to mystify) — but that they won out should tell you just how good they are in every other way.

Read our full AirPods Max 2 review

Audio Brand of the Year

iFi

Hi-res specialist iFi isn't afraid of conquering the whole hi-fi market, serving up launches such as the excellent five-star elite iFi iDSD GR2 and the cheap and cheerful Go Cable this year. We love seeing this hard-working visionary outfit in full flow. Whatever level you're at, it's got something for you — and it's hard to look past a brand that hires out London's Tower Bridge, gets its entire team into black tuxedoes, plasters the walls with the word 'Phantom' so it feels as if 007 himself could drop in at any minute and then unveils the most stunning-sounding flagship DAC we've ever heard. Bravo, iFi. For you, the world is not enough…

Audio Innovation of the Year

Cambridge L/R S speakers

Before I heard these speakers, I thought Cambridge had taken a big risk here. Then, I gave them a thorough listen and I knew they were winners. The L/R S is a genuinely active stereo speaker system, so it does not involve a powered primary speaker and a dumb counterpart to make a pair. OK, only the primary speaker receives power, but there are two channels of amplification for each speaker. Then, there's a full DSP crossover which acts as a PWM signal to each amp — and that's before the bespoke four-conductor cable to connect the primary speaker to the secondary! Might we call them over-engineered? Maybe — or you could simply call Cambridge's work ethic ‘admirable’, as I do.

Read our full Cambridge L/R S review

Best Wireless Headphones

Nothing Headphone (a)

There's something so untethered about Nothing's approach to audio architecture and design that it makes these cans downright joyous in their appeal — we actually have the pair with yellow accents (you can call them over-easy eggs if you like, that actually makes me dig them even more). The company upgraded and finessed the audio compared to the original Headphone (1), while keeping the excellent on-ear controls (the roller for volume is a true highlight) stellar battery life, very good ANC and truly useful app — then somehow shaved a load off the price. A deserved winner.

Read our full Nothing Headphone (a) review

Best Wireless Earbuds

Soundpeats H3

These delightfully different, affordable and sonically superb buds from Soundpeats sound better than some buds at twice their price (and at around $129 / £129, they're really quite humbly priced), thanks to their triple-driver array per bud, a secure fit, plus aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless and LDAC support. Audiophile on a budget? Add this name to your list.

Read our full Soundpeats H3 review

Best Open Earbuds

Shokz OpenFit Pro

Our Audio Editor uses these superb, if pricey, open earbuds multiple times per week, and it's hard to look past the personal recommendation. The fit is sports-worthy (aided by extra optional bands in the box, useful for sports that require a different fit, such as tennis) but they're also office-friendly and professional in terms of design — and the excellent active noise reduction is as unusual as it is class-leading. As far as I'm concerned, Shokz served an ace here.

Read our full Shokz Openfit Pro review

Best Value Headphones

CMF Headphone Pro

We knew we loved these minty fresh cans as soon as we slipped them over our ears. Would you expect hearing tests for a personalized sound profile, LDAC support, an excellent volume 'roller' control on the right ear cup, glorious build quality, zealous wireless sound, exemplary battery life and 3.5mm hi-res wired listening for under $100 / £100? The design flair, energetic audio quality and additional perks won this race.

Read our full CMF Headphone Pro review

Best Value Earbuds

JLab JBuds Mini ANC

Look at them! The JLab JBuds Mini ANC's one perceived failing stems from their biggest selling point: because they're tiny enough to fit on a keyring (they are the smallest ANC earbuds on the planet), you might think they're little more than junk. I'm here to tell you emphatically that they are not — in fact, they're so far from junk that you can't lose them. They're the first earbuds to have support for Apple's Find My network. I don't think any rival came particularly close to the value you get here for $39 / £39 — our full review is coming soon.

Best Value Open Earbuds

Baseus Bowie MC2

We think a Labyrinth-era Bowie (that's 1986, to save you the bother of checking) in full Goblin King Jareth regalia would've put these dark, cuff-style open earbuds on without a second thought — and he'd have looked fantastic in them. These cheap clip-style buds often had us wondering whether you even need to spend more on a flagship set from class-leaders such as Shokz or Bose. If all you need is good sound with surprisingly regimented, impactful bass (and you're prepared to forego expensive extras) these Baseus buds are a winner.

Read our full Baseus Bowie MC2 review

Best Wired Headphones

Meze Audio Strada

We're going for a set of stunning racing green closed-back headphones that sound as airy and spacious as open-back headphones, except nobody hears your playlist. As a closed-back option, they're also relatively easy to drive and they're capable of supremely detailed, organized and thoroughly addictive audio.

Read our full Meze Audio Strada review

Best Wired Earbuds

Sennheiser CX 80U

I said it before (because these were your choice too, dearest reader) and I'll say it again: when people ask me, "What's the cheapest way to get better sound from my phone?" my first response is to suggest these delightfully inexpensive 2026-release USB-C wired earbuds. For around $35 / £30 you really cannot do better. You don't get volume controls on the in-line remote and the mic doesn't deliver crystal-clear calls, as our Sennheiser CX 80U review explains. What you do get is acutely nimble but impactful bass, clear mids and sparkling, appealing highs. Pair that with their surprisingly effective passive noise isolation and you’re looking at an incredibly good pair of wired buds for the money.

Best Bluetooth Speaker

JBL Xtreme 5

Do you want a Bluetooth speaker you'll be able to slip into a purse and take to the park for a podcast, or do you want a party-ready beast with a shoulder strap all of its own? Because JBL's Xtreme 5 is in the latter camp, but if that's what you want, you'll be delighted with it. This is one of the best bigger Bluetooth belters we've ever tested — as our five-star JBL Xtreme 5 review will impress upon you at great length. OK, enough talk: let's dance!

Best Wireless Speaker

Denon Home 400

I got a chance to hear this speaker among its siblings (the Home 200 and 600) at launch, and it is my favorite of Denon's 2026 wireless home trio. It is also the best-looking new wireless speaker on the market, for me (it's about the size of a chopping-board rack or bread bin, fitting neatly on shelves and bookcases while serving up delicious sound). Another great feature is that during setup, you are encouraged to list where the speaker is placed — far from a wall, close to one wall or in a corner — within the HEOS companion app. You can then opt for a 'pure' stereo hi-fi mix, or add 'width' to boost the horizontal spaciousness of the sound field. The spatial and directional stuff is a lot of fun to play with and, as our full Denon Home 400 review explains, provided you don't rely on a voice assistant to do your bidding at home (I do not) it's a hugely talented wireless speaker.

Best Portable Audio Player

Astell & Kern PD5

I absolutely get why the TR readership chose Astell & Kern's newest 'entry level' hi-res audio player, called the A&K PD5 (I put 'entry level' in quotation marks because A&K's definition and ours may well differ). And while I've been lucky enough to listen to the May 2026-release flagship Astell & Kern SP4000T, very briefly — and I have to tell you, it's excellent — it is a huge chunk of cash. This option is far more palatable from a purely financial perspective and is still a fantastically gifted DAP. We gave the PD5's wonky, quirky SR35 older sibling a glowing five-star review, and now this glorious successor is here in a more conventional form factor. Our full review is almost here, but here's a spoiler alert: it's good news. I predicted this category would be won by Activo's parent company, and so it has come to pass — the hi-res DAP specialist is truly bossing the quality portable music machine market.

Best Turntable

Fluance RT87

This is a player for the purist, and so it is pretty light on convenience-focused features — there's no built-in phono preamp, for example — but we don’t think that is a bad thing. The Fluance RT87 is designed for someone who is ready to enter a more serious vinyl listening state and is prepared for manual tone arm adjustment and tweaking to make the turntable as flat as possible using the provided bubble level. This means you won't damage your particularly irreplaceable presses when you spin them — that's the kind of person this turntable is aimed at, and it nails that brief.

See our full Fluance RT87 review

Best DAC

iFi iDSD GR2

When we chose iFi as our Audio Brand of the Year, one of the key deciding factors was this phenomenal digital-analog-converter. It's all stunning design, punchy power, exceptional performance, and a bright TFT display for extra features. I love iFi's dedication to K2HD restorative mastering tech, and its fan-fave XBass and XSpace filters. This DAC even has a lower asking price than its xDSD Gryphon predecessor at launch. It would be churlish to ask for much more than that in 2026.

Read our full iFi iDSD GR2 review

Best Stereo Speakers

Dali Sonik 1

While these may be small and budget-friendly, sonically they’re huge and luxurious. Think clear-headed, stunning vocals with more room to breathe than should be possible at this level, plus tangible transients through to a deep, thrumming low-end. They are far from the first of this type of speaker, and they certainly won’t be the last — but they’re emphatically among the best currently on the market, especially at such a wallet-friendly price.

Read our full Dali Sonik 1 review

Health & Fitness tech

Health & Fitness Device of the year

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro

Expensive the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro may be, but the ultimate adventure smartwatch is one of the best devices Garmin has ever produced, building on years of technical advancements. It's a money-no-object powerhouse with amazing build quality: the all-titanium case houses a powerful battery, behind the super-tough sapphire crystal lies a vibrant AMOLED screen, and during my test runs against a heart rate monitor it's consistently accurate. I've been wearing the 43mm version non-stop since getting my testing unit — a clear indicator that it's first in line for valuable wrist real estate this year.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 9 Pro review

Health & Fitness Brand of the Year

Garmin

Garmin has had a strong 2026. It's revamped its cycling range, brought out a few new features such as AI-powered nutrition tracking to justify the cost of its Garmin Connect+ service, and has developed a few extremely well-reviewed gadgets — notably, the screenless Garmin Cirqa fitness tracker and the top-flight Garmin Fenix 9 series, both of which feature in this list to no-one's surprise. It remains the brand to beat in the endurance world, but the Cirqa shows that it's making inroads with the gym crowd too.

Health & Fitness Innovation of the Year

Huawei Watch D3

This watch advances the smartwatch-as-medical-device category further into refinement, boasting more than its signature medical-grade blood pressure cuff technology. With emergency fall detection, blood pressure trends, sleep tracking and six days of battery life compared to the Apple Watch's 24 hours, it's the watch I recommend to people looking for a health-orientated smartwatch for seniors. It's all packed into a sleek Apple-inspired design.

Read our full Huawei Watch D3 review

Best Smartwatch

Apple Watch Ultra 4

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 retains its crown for another year as this year's top smartwatch. Like every other Apple Watch Ultra model before it, this is an iterative update to an already-excellent watch, rather than a top-down redesign, but did we expect anything else from Apple? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. What has changed is the back of the watch: a redesigned LED Health Sensing System ensures better-than-ever accuracy and more frequent heart rate readings, enabling improved sleep tracking (along with a boost in battery life, as you're less likely to take it off to charge it) and the new Readiness Score.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 4 review

Best Running Watch

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro

The Garmin Fenix 9 Pro is back. The redesigned Maps feature places you right into the middle of things, mimicking your perspective to reduce the glance-to-interpretation delay when you're trying to find your way on long runs, which even the Apple Watch doesn't do. It's a triathlon athlete or ultra marathon's dream watch thanks to its trail features, while its battery life is more impressive than the Ultra 4. Recommended workouts based on your Training Readiness score and Garmin Coach training plans are the icing on the cake.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 9 Pro review

Best Fitness Tracker

Garmin Cirqa

The Garmin Cirqa narrowly beats up the Fitbit Air: even though it's more expensive up-front, the lack of reliance on a subscription service and its tactile button (just click it to start tracking, no messing around with the app) means it's the screenless fitness tracker of choice this year, and the best new fitness tracker overall.

Read our full Garmin Cirqa review

Best Smart Ring

Oura Ring 5

The competition was super-hot this year, but Oura came back swinging with the Oura Ring 5. It's thinner than ever, which is so important in a smart ring, earning top marks for design in our review. Its slickly-orientated app and smorgasbord of metrics justify the ongoing, mandatory subscription, making this a great premium smart ring option.

Read our full Oura Ring 5 review

Best Electric Toothbrush

Suri Core 1.0

The Suri Core 1.0 takes the original Suri brush's elegant, simplified aesthetics and environmental credentials, and manages to cut a few corners to shave some money off the price. A bio-plastic handle rather than aluminium, and a slightly less powerful motor and battery, helps keep the Core affordable. You can still recycle the brush heads for free, and the unit still looks nice and stylish, especially with its slick magnetic mount. Its battery life will last over a month between charges.

Read our full Suri Core 1.0 review

Best Connected Fitness Tech

Withings BodyScan 2

Withings is a brand that's quietly been making excellent health products for years, from discreet hybrid smartwatches to under-mattress sleep analyzers and, well, smart scales. The Withings BodyScan 2, with its handle creating a circular current and offering a comprehensive list of 40 different metrics, is not just its best yet, but our best smart scale at the premium tier. It tracks blood oxygen levels, hypertension risk and estimates your vascular age. And you thought scales were just for BMI!

Read our full Withings BodyScan 2 review

Home tech

Home Device of the Year

DJI Romo P

The Romo P is DJI's first robot vacuum, but you wouldn't know from its performance. It offers the best obstacle avoidance of any robovac we've tested, as well as superb wet cleaning on hard floors, and very good vacuuming on carpet. It gets our seal of approval as this year's best robot vacuum, if your wallet can take the hit.

Read our full DJI Romo P review

Home Tech Brand of the Year

Philips Hue

Philips Hue is the biggest name in smart lighting for a reason, and this year it's become more accessible than ever with the launch of Hue Essential — a range of budget-friendly bulbs and LED strips that are an affordable entry to the smart lighting ecosystem. Meanwhile, power users can enjoy AI-powered lighting tools thanks to the new Hue Bridge Pro, which supports over 150 lights in a single network.

Home Tech Innovation of the Year

Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool

The smartest fan we’ve tested this year, the Dyson Find+Follow uses AI to track you as you move around the room, ensuring you’re kept cool and comfortable at all times. It blew us away with its 350 degrees of oscillation, super quiet operation, and smooth air flow — and its voice and app controls make operating it a breeze.

Read our full Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool review

Best Home Light Tech

Philips Hue Omniglow Strip Light

The Omniglow uses tiny micro LEDs to produce a seamless gradient unlike any LED lightstrip we’ve seen before — and it looks amazing. Not only are the individual LEDs invisible, it’s also incredibly bright, and looks particularly stunning when flowing from one color to the next in a Dynamic Scene. One of the most exciting smart lights I’ve seen in recent years.

Read our Philips Hue Omniglow review

Best Home Security Device

Aqara Camera Hub G350

It might look like a children’s toy, but the Aqara Camera Hub G350 is a serious home security camera, and one you can trust to guard a whole room thanks to its 360-degree panning. Despite its cute looks, the G350 is packing a 4K wide-angle camera, plus a 2.5k telephoto lens for getting up close. It’s compatible with all the main smart home ecosystems, and you can store footage on an SD card so there’s no subscription necessary. And, for some reason, it has detachable bunny ears. What more could you want?

Read our full Aqara Camera Hub G350 review

Best Robot Vacuum

DJI Romo P

DJI's first robot vacuum is a triumph — the company has put its expertise in obstacle-detection to good use, and the DJI Romo P is the best robovac we've ever tested when it comes to avoiding common hazards. Its cleaning is top-notch as well, with its mopping function proving particularly effective at removing tough spills from hard flooring.

Read our full DJI Romo P review

Best Vacuum

Roborock F25 Ultra

The F25 Ultra packs a lot more cleaning power than your typical wet/dry vacuum, with steam-cleaning, hot-water degreasing, and powerful suction to tackle huge amounts of dirt and water. Its power-assisted wheels make it feel surprisingly nimble too. Perfect for households with pets, children, or both — your floors won't know what hit them.

Read our full Roborock F25 Ultra review

Best Air Fryer

Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer Convection Oven Toaster

This is much more than just an air fryer — it’s a full countertop oven, with an extra-large cooking area that can accommodate an entire pizza or chicken. It cooks astonishingly fast, with 10 dedicated modes, and produced perfect fries, vegetables, quesadillas, and even bagels during our tests. It looks great as well, and you can open the French doors one-handed for easy access.

Read our full Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer Convection Oven Toaster review

Best Coffee Machine

Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2

The classiest coffee maker we've tested in the last 12 months, and the one I'd be proudest to have in my own kitchen, the Meraki Gen 2 is a pleasure to use, automating certain parts of the brewing process without taking over, and helping you hone your own barista skills. The results? Sensational coffee, provided your wallet can stand the hit.

Read our full Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2 review

Best Value Coffee Machine

Philips Baristina

If you're looking for an affordable coffee maker, you can't go wrong with the Philips Baristina — an innovative little appliance that combines the best features of manual and automatic espresso machines. It handles the whole brewing process for you, but without the awkward maintenance of your typical bean-to-cup machine. Look for the version bundled with a milk frother and you'll never bother buying takeout coffee again.

Read our full Philips Baristina review

Best Fan

Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool

Dyson's smartest fan to date, the Find+Follow tracks your movement as you walk around the room, and makes sure its airflow is always angled in your direction. The airflow is smooth and quiet, which makes the Find+Follow an ideal choice for night time as well, and the filtration system effectively removes dirt and allergens while it's keeping you comfortable.

Read our full Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool review

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: this ereader is like an old book with a new cover

sharmishta.sarkar@futurenet.com (Sharmishta Sarkar) — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:15:15 +0000

Amazon Kindle (2026): Two-minute review

When Amazon announced its 2026 range of Kindles on October 1, I balked at the prices, particularly for the entry-level model. Then again, I should have expected it, given the current cost of components. The days of Kindles being the affordable ereader are long gone now.

Yet the 2026 entry-level Kindle does go some way in justifying its higher price compared to its predecessor thanks to all new hardware that includes new colors — now also in an aluminum chassis that gets you double the storage (32GB) — as well as a thinner and even lighter design. The power button being moved to the right edge is also a welcome change that made my colleague Lance Ulanoff especially happy.

The design changes also include the screen now lying flush with the bezels and the display offering better contrast that improves text sharpness. However, I noticed a tiny bit of light bleeding on the top edge of the screen when reading in dark mode, which Amazon has acknowledge is a flaw, and the slim bezels don't offer enough space for the thumb to rest, thus triggering accidental page turns.

The page-turn speed here hasn't visibly improved over the 2024 model, but general navigation has. Amazon says the 2026 base Kindle is 30% faster than the previous model and, while that's hard to measure, I can attest that many other functions on the latter, like opening books, accessing the Kindle Store and going through settings, and are definitely faster.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

That's all that's new here, though, which is why I said the 2026 Kindle only goes 'some' way in justifying its cost. At launch, when I began my testing of this Kindle, there were no new software features to distinguish it from previous generations. However, Amazon released a new firmware just a couple of days before the publication of this review that has made a small change to how some books appear in the library tab — all titles within a series are now grouped together. This software update has also been rolled out to the previous Kindle generation, so you really aren't missing much if you don't upgrade... except for the slight increase in speed and the new screen.

There is still no warm light or auto-adjusting brightness for evening reading, and neither is there any waterproofing, not even on the aluminum version which has a screwed on back panel rather than the plastic one's pop-off option.

Yes, the rear panels can be removed now to allow users to change the battery when needed, in compliance with EU regulations, but I haven't seen any official battery packs being sold as yet. Battery life, however, is lackluster compared to the Kindle Paperwhite (both 2024 and the newer release) — it's practically half, which makes the aluminum Kindle especially harder to recommend over the 2026 Paperwhite as the prices aren't all that different.

So while I can appreciate that a new Kindle would cost more, I'm struggling to find value in it, more so because the Kobo Clara BW comes with waterproofing and warm light temperatures at a similar price to the plastic 16GB Kindle, albeit in a now two-year-old device.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: price & availability

First announced October 2026
Available in major markets, including the US, UK and Australia
List price from $149.99 / £134.99 / AU$279

With a starting price of $149.99 / £134.99 in the US and the UK for the ad-supported 16GB plastic Kindle, it's still a cheaper option compared to the 2024 release of the Kobo Clara BW that retails for $159.99 / £149.99. However, you get a few more features with the latter that the new 2026 release of the entry-level Kindle still doesn't get you — namely, warm light and waterproofing.

If you don't want the ads, then you need to tack on another $20 / £15 to that cost, which shifts the price dynamic between the Kindle and its Kobo counterpart.

In Australia, only the ad-free version of the Kindles has always been available and the starting price is now AU$279, which is AU$10 more than the Kobo Clara BW.

The 32GB Kindle Aluminum (yes, that's what Amazon is calling it in the US and is the model sent to TechRadar for this review) is ad-free by default and will set you back $189.99 / £169.99 / AU$299. Given the 2026 Kindle Paperwhite costs just another $10 / £15 / AU$50 (with ads in the US and UK), I'm struggling to see the value in the shiny new aluminum Kindle.

• Value score: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: specs

Display type:	E Ink (possibly Carta 1300)
Screen size:	6 inches
Resolution:	300ppi
Processor:	unknown
Frontlight:	Yes, white light only
Storage:	16GB / 32GB
Battery:	up to 6 weeks (capacity unknown)
Water protection:	None
Software:	Linux based
Connectivity:	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C
File support:	6 natively; 1 audio
Dimensions:	108 x 152.8 x 6.85 mm (4.3 x 6.0 x 0.3 inches)
Weight:	140g (4.9 oz) for plastic finish; 162g (5.7 oz) for aluminum

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: Design & display

Shiny, new hardware, including fresh colors and a new aluminum model
Thinner, lighter and more compact than before
Gorgeous new display with better contrast and sharper text

I might have been disappointed with the 2024 edition of the base Kindle, saying it wasn't really an 'upgrade' just because it came in a lovely new color, but that's not the case with the 2026 release. This time, the entry-level Kindle truly is a worthwhile upgrade — at least in terms of hardware. Nearly everything about it is brand-spanking new and I love it.

The most obvious difference between the previous Kindle generations and the 2026 model(s) is the new chassis. Now available in two finishes — plastic and aluminum — and lovely new colors (Ube and the usual Graphite for the former, Alpine Sky and Seaglass Green for the latter), there's more choice where the base Kindle is concerned.

The other point of difference, and not just between generations but also between the two finishes, is that the aluminum version comes with 32GB of storage (like the Signature Editions of the Paperwhite and Colorsoft) and is ad-free by default in the US and the UK.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

While I personally didn't mind the power/sleep button on the bottom edge of the Kindle, now having it just below the top right corner is a good move, putting the cheapest Kindle in the new range on a similar design footing as the current Kindle Scribes.

The flush screen on both the plastic and metal Kindles makes it look modern and more premium, although the thin side bezels triggered numerous accidental page turns during my testing. I also noticed a small amount of light bleed on the top edge of the review unit sent to me, visible in dark mode. This has been discussed on Reddit and Amazon has acknowledged there is a flaw and is ready to exchange any units with such issues.

Impressively, though, the screen and the aluminum body aren't fingerprint magnets, which is my biggest relief compared to, say, the 2024 edition of the Kindle Paperwhite that showed off every oily smudge on the front and back.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Another hardware difference — and a first for Amazon — is the replaceable battery. On the plastic model, the rear panel just pops open, but you will need tiny hex screwdriver to remove the aluminum panel if you ever need to change the battery. This is accordance to EU regulations, but I am yet to see official replacement batteries being listed on Amazon. It's early days yet, and a Kindle battery typically lasts about 10 years, so I'd expect to see official listings down the line.

In comparison, though, Kobo's 2024 ereaders — namely, the Libra Colour, Clara BW and Clara Colour — have even better repairability, with screens and motherboards also replaceable. So if longevity is important to you, Amazon still has a way to go to impress its Kindle users.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

As much as I love the new colors, the star of the show here is the upgraded display. The entry-level Kindle finally gets the E Ink Carta 1300 screen tech that the 2024 model missed out on.

Admittedly it still lacks warm LEDs, which is disappointing, but despite that it's the sharpest display on the entry-level Kindle that I've seen to date. It also boasts better contrast where blacks are blacker, even the background in dark mode, and that gives text better clarity overall.

Alongside the lack of warm hues for the frontlight, the entry-level Kindle still doesn't have waterproofing, which is probably for the best at least for the plastic model where the rear pops right off to access the battery. However, it would have been nice if Amazon had deigned to provide at least one of these missing features on the aluminum version to justify the higher price tag, especially since there are hardly any new software features to speak of here.

Design & display score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: Software

Books in a series are now grouped together in the Library tab
Additional wallpapers are nice
Not much else is new with the latest software release

If you've been using an older Kindle, you'll be intimately familiar with navigating around the 2026 release as well. At the start of my two-week testing of the new Kindle, seemingly nothing had changed with the release of the software version 5.20.1.0.1. However, just a day before this review was published, Amazon released firmware 5.20.1.02 and the only new feature here that I've come across is books in a series being grouped together in the Library tab.

There is, however, a caveat here — only items purchased or borrowed from the Kindle Store (or from Kindle+, previous Kindle Unlimited) are arranged this way. If you've sideloaded books in a series via, say, the Send To Kindle platform, they will still appear as individual titles.

This latest firmware at the time of writing has also been rolled out to the 2024 11th-generation Kindle, so this new feature will also be available on the older model.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I do appreciate that Amazon has added more wallpapers now, some which debuted on the 2025 releases of the Kindle Scribe. You can still choose to show the book covers if you don't want to cycle through the wallpapers when the device is sleeping.

The lack of significant new features on the Kindle is not a bad thing, although it would have been nice to have something different — perhaps reading stats like Kobo offers. However, the Kindle UX remains very simple to navigate around even if you're a first-time user — there is just the home screen and the library tabs, with the rest of the features and settings accessible by swiping down from the top edge of the screen.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

I still find the home screen to be too wound up in Amazon's ecosystem and looks quite cluttered compared to Kobo's homepage setup, but it at least makes it easy to find your next read if you source your content from the Kindle Store. In the same vein, if you are a Prime member or have a Kindle+ subscription, you'll be able to find something new right from the homepage based on your previous reading habits.

Audible support is no longer restricted to select countries at launch, like it was for the 2024 Kindles. Meaning if you're in, say, Australia, you can absolutely listen to Audible audiobooks by pairing the Kindle to a set of wireless headphones or earbuds (or even a Bluetooth speaker).

WhisperSync will continue narration on any Alexa-supported speaker too if you prefer to move on from using the Kindle, like when you're perhaps fixing dinner and, in a similar vein, if you ever change your Kindle to a newer device, your entire library is already available the moment you sign into your Amazon account (something I wish Kobo would offer).

• Software score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: Performance

Excellent reading experience
General navigation is faster compared to previous generation
Same battery life as previous model, which is disappointing compared to the Paperwhite

New hardware aside, the overall performance from the 2026 Kindle is also better, making it a true upgrade that I was expecting to see in 2024. Amazon, however, hasn't revealed whether there's an upgraded processor under the hood but I suspect there would be, even if it's a small update.

While page-turn speed is more or less the same on the 2024 and 2026 Kindles, all other navigation and functionality happens just that much quicker on the latter, including ebook load times. Even automatic screen refreshes are so quick that I barely registered most of them — similar to what I experienced in my 3rd-generation Kindle Scribe (2025) review.

This speedy performance adds to the excellent reading experience, where the darker background in both regular and dark mode adds better contrast and makes text look sharper.

That said, I personally find 6-inch ereaders too small, and prefer the 7-inch or 8-inch ones — the sweet spot in terms of screen real estate, not too small and not too large. If you prefer larger fonts, you'll end up turning pages more often and that will then eat into the battery life of the Kindle.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

And that has not changed from the 2024 model. Battery life is still up to 6 weeks according to Amazon, based on just 30 minutes of reading per day. That is doable, if you leave Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off, switch off the frontlight completely and don't keep browsing the Kindle Store or doing anything else except read.

In my testing, where I read for 4-5 hours a day for two weeks, had Wi-Fi always on and screen brightness set to level 7 in regular mode (relatively low), I had to charge the Kindle every 2 to 3 days, which got a little annoying considering the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite I have gives me double the battery life.

Charging the battery is quick, though, with the device going from 11% to full in just about an hour when plugged into a 25W USB-C outlet and using a good-quality C-to-C cable. Three attempts at topping from 10% or 11% battery gave me the same results.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle (2026)?

Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	As lovely as the new hardware is, the 2026 Paperwhite isn't much more expensive than the 2026 Kindle (especially the aluminum version), making it a hard sell.	3 / 5
Design & display	A full revamp of the hardware and an updated screen makes this a good upgrade from an aging Kindle.	4.5 / 5
Software	Not much has changed here, so it's still an easy-to-use interface. But the lack of new software features is still disappointing.	4 / 5
Performance	Overall navigation and speed of loading books is visibly quicker compared to older generations. Battery life could have been better though.	4 / 5

Buy it if...

You're using a very old Kindle that now feels slow and clunky

For its entry-level model, Amazon has definitely done a good job with making the 2026 Kindle a worthy upgrade, if you can handle the higher price.

You want the most compact, lightest Kindle made to date

The entry-level Kindles have always been the most portable options in Amazon's ereader range, but the 2026 editions are smaller still, although the aluminum version isn't quite the lightest.

You care about device longevity

It may not be as repairable as Kobo's more popular ereaders, but at least being able to change out the battery — if official stock is made available globally — ensures your ereader will last way longer than the usual 10 years.

Don't buy it if...

Value for money is important

Admittedly the new hardware makes the 2026 Kindle a worthy upgrade over the 2024 model but, the latter — as long as it's available to buy — is cheaper and will continue getting new software features that are released for its successor, at least for a few years longer. Moreover, Kobo offers more features for around the same price, making the 2026 Kindle harder to recommend.

You prefer reading with larger fonts

Given its limited battery life and smaller screen size, you'll be better off opting for a 7-inch or 8-inch ereader with better battery capacity to support more frequent page turns.

You read a lot on holiday, by the pool or in the bath

I wouldn't recommend dropping any ereader in the ocean as salt water corrodes, but if you do read on the beach, by the pool, in the bath or just by the kitchen sink (hey, maybe you do), I'd recommend opting for an ereader that has waterproofing.

Amazon Kindle (2026) review: Alternatives

The 2026 edition of the base Amazon Kindle is good — a very worthy upgrade. However, its price might make you stop and think. So if you're keen on alternatives, I would consider the 2026 Kindle Paperwhite better value than the Kindle Aluminum, for example. I haven't tested the new Paperwhite yet, but from the existing crop of tried and tested models, the below two options are my top picks and are still some of the best ereaders you can buy.

Kobo Clara BW

As I've already mentioned earlier in this review, this 6-inch counterpart to the Kindle offers more features for around the same price as the 2026 release and is far more repairable than any Kindle. It might feel slower compared to the 2026 Kindle because it's now over two years old (at the time of publication of this review), but it's still a fabulous E Ink tablet with very good per-dollar value.
Read my full Kobo Clara BW review for more information

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)

For as long as this model is on the market, it's the better buy. You get a larger screen, waterproofing, warm LEDs, auto-adjusting screen light, a very good screen, excellent performance and better battery life than the 2026 Kindle.
Read my in-depth Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review to learn more

How I tested the Amazon Kindle (2026)

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

No matter the circumstances, I generally read for at least a few hours a day, so it wasn't much different when it came to testing the 2026 Kindle. I used it for two and a half weeks, reading every single day for 4 to 5 hours.

While I already have an Amazon library accessible on any Kindle as soon as I sign in, I also used the Send To Kindle app to add a few more titles for good measure. Most of the titles I read on the 2026 Kindle were borrowed from Kindle+ though. This also allowed me to try out audiobooks on the device. I paired the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones to the Kindle and also a JBL Charge 5 speaker for this purpose.

During testing, I changed screen brightness regularly to see how much affect it had on battery life, while also noting how browsing the Kindle Store affected the same. I also made a note of how much battery was lost when the device was sleeping.

Unfortunately I couldn't find the right screwdriver to access the battery under the Kindle Aluminum sent for this review, so I can't speak to how easy it would be to swap out an old pack for a new one.

Oppo Pad 5 Pro review: a premium, big-screen tablet without the price tag

johnmccannfreelance@gmail.com (John McCann) — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:51:20 +0000

Oppo Pad 5 Pro: One-minute review

If you’re after a big-screen tablet with a premium design, a huge battery, and a price tag that won’t bankrupt you, the Oppo Pad 5 Pro makes a compelling case as one of the best tablets on the market.

It also arrives with an initially puzzling spec configuration. The Pad 5 Pro is the successor to the Oppo Pad 3 Pro, which landed in 2025 with a smaller screen (12 inches) and 12GB of RAM. This time around, however, Oppo has increased the tablet's screen size but slashed its RAM capacity to 8GB.

That means the Pad 5 Pro has a lower power ceiling than its predecessor for multitasking and resource-intensive productivity tasks, but Oppo has almost certainly made this decision as a result of the ongoing global RAM shortage, which is pushing up memory prices. Had the Pad 5 Pro been equipped with 12GB of RAM, it would almost certainly be significantly more expensive.

And it’s not all bad news for the Pad 5 Pro's power credentials, as its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset can handle pretty much everything you throw at it. The Pad 3 Pro, by contrast, uses a still-powerful but older Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Leading Version chipset, so what you lose in RAM, you gain in CPU power.

The tablet's 7:5 aspect ratio display also makes the Pad 5 Pro a great productivity companion. The ColorOS 16 interface has excellent multitasking tools, and I love the ability to use the tablet as a screen for your laptop.

I also enjoyed holding the tablet vertically and reading articles, with its 144Hz refresh rate allowing for smooth scrolling, and the screen's bezel providing a place to rest my thumb.

With the Pad 5 Pro back in landscape, the expansive screen was great for my PUBG: Mobile sessions and streaming videos. Plus, with eight speakers built into the slender frame, the Pad 5 Pro has surprisingly good audio.

Then there’s the whopping 13,380mAh battery that’ll give you multiple days of use from a single charge with moderate use, and a solid two days with more intensive activity.

As big-screen tablets go, then, the Oppo Pad 5 Pro has a lot to offer that makes it easy to recommend.

Oppo Pad 5 Pro review: Price and availability

(Image credit: John McCann / TechRadar)

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro costs £699, less than the 13-inch iPad Air (M4)
Available in the UK and Europe with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro costs £699, making it slightly more expensive than Apple’s entry-level iPad 11-inch (2025) (£429), but comfortably cheaper than the firm’s iPad Air 13-inch (2025) (£949) and Samsung’s 12.6-inch Galaxy Tab S12 Plus (£1,399). Its closest competitor, price-wise, is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus (£689).

At £699, the Pad 5 Pro also costs £200 more than its predecessor. Sure, it has a bigger screen, a larger battery, and an updated chipset — but as mentioned, it also has less RAM. You're still getting decent bang for your buck, but last year's Pad 3 Pro was a better value proposition overall.

At the time of writing (October 2026), Oppo is running a £100-off promotion on the Pad 5 Pro, taking the asking price down to £599. At that figure, it's a steal.

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro is currently available in the UK and Europe. If you’re reading this review in North America or Australia, then bad news: this tablet is not currently sold in your region.

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro is available in a single configuration: 8GB RAM with 256GB of storage, and Wi-Fi only. Unlike Apple’s iPads and Samsung’s Galaxy Tabs, there is no cellular option here.

If you want to enhance your experience, Oppo offers case and stylus accessories for the tablet. The Oppo Pad 5 Pro Smart Keyboard case (£299), as the name suggests, provides you with a full QWERTY keyboard and stand in a similar design to Apple’s Magic Keyboard.

The Smart Case (£29.90) provides front and back protection and an origami-style folding flag for various stand orientations.

Meanwhile, the Oppo Pencil 3 Pro (£79.90) comes with 16,000 levels of pressure sensitivity — more than the Apple Pencil series — and an industry-first felt tip for a realistic writing-on-paper-like experience.

Value score: 4 / 5

Oppo Pad 5 Pro: Specs

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro boasts a number of key spec upgrades over its predecessor — but it's also saddled with a notable downgrade.

Oppo’s increased the screen size to 13.2 inches, and the display resolution gets a bump too, with the LCD screen now offering a 3392 x 2400 (3.4K) pixel resolution, 315 ppi, and a peak brightness of 1,000 nits.

Battery capacity is now a meaty 13,380mAh with 80W fast charging, while Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset runs the show. There’s 256GB of storage too, plus eight speakers and two microphones, all packed into a supremely slim 5.94mm body.

The downgrade comes in the RAM department. The Pad 3 Pro packed 12GB of RAM, but for the Oppo Pad 5 Pro, you’re getting just 8GB. For a tablet that’s supposedly offering a PC-level experience and plenty of AI productivity tools, this is a disappointment, but not a deal-breaker.

Oppo Pad 5 Pro
Dimensions:	289.71 x 209.76 x 5.94mm
Weight:	672g
Screen:	13.2-inch, LCD, 7:5
Resolution:	3392 x 2400 (3.4K), 315 ppi
Refresh rate:	144Hz adaptive refresh rate
Peak brightness:	1,000 nits
Chipset:	Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
RAM:	8GB LPDDR5X
Storage:	256GB
OS:	Android 16 w/ ColorOS 16
Main camera:	13MP, EIS
Front camera:	8MP, EIS
Battery:	13,380mAh
Charging:	80W wired (SuperVOOC)
Colors:	Mocha Brown

Oppo Pad 5 Pro review: Design

John McCann / TechRadar

Slim, premium design that looks great
Just one color option, but Mocha Brown works
It’s almost 100g heavier than the 13-inch iPad Pro

In the battle of the big-screen tablets, there’s not much to choose between the Apple, Oppo, and Samsung slates in terms of design.

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro is a great-looking and feeling premium tablet. Its flat edges mimic the latest iPad design, while its ultra-slim profile means it slips seamlessly into a bag.

At 5.94mm thick, the Pad 5 Pro is certainly slender, but it’s not as svelte as the pricier iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) or Samsung Galaxy S12 Ultra, which are both just 5.1mm slim.

This isn't a particularly big issue, although at 672g, there’s some weight behind this supersized slate: the Pad 5 Pro is almost 100g heavier than the iPad Pro 13 (M5) and its predecessor, the Pad 3 Pro. A lightweight, compact tablet this is not.

Oppo claims the all-metal unibody is designed to feel "as natural and effortless to hold as a magazine." While it’s certainly heavier than the T3 magazine I had to hand, I did enjoy holding the tablet during use. There are no sharp edges, and so long as you’re okay with the weight, it’s comfortable in the hand.

(Image credit: John McCann / TechRadar)

I especially liked using it in portrait when reading articles, and while the bezels around the screen might appear to be on the large side, they provided an accommodating space for my thumb to rest.

Oppo has continued the single-color trend it employed for this tablet’s predecessor, with the Pad 5 Pro available in just one hue: Mocha Brown. Now, brown isn’t the first color that jumps to mind for a tablet, but I must say it looks smart here. Plus, a single color choice at least means a simpler buying journey.

There’s a front-facing camera positioned along the landscape edge of the screen, which is the premier position for video calls when in a protective case or keyboard stand, while a pill-shaped island on the rear houses the 13MP rear snapper and flash.

The only buttons on this tablet are a power key and two volume buttons, while a USB-C port provides wired charging and data transfer access.

On the rear, you’ll also find three pogo pin connectors, allowing you to connect the tablet to the optional Smart Keyboard accessory. And on the top edge, there’s a subtle oval indentation to guide you when magnetically attaching the optional Oppo Pencil 3 Pro stylus to the slate when not in use.

Oppo’s also managed to pack eight speakers into the Pad 5 Pro, four on each short side, and there are two microphones to pick up your voice during video calls.

There’s no fingerprint scanner either under the display or built into the power switch, with Oppo instead opting for face unlock smarts.

Design score: 4 / 5

Oppo Pad 5 Pro review: Display

(Image credit: John McCann / TechRadar)

Huge 13.2-inch, 3.4K display
Great for multitasking, gaming, and video streaming
Supports HDR for Netflix and Prime Video, plus Dolby Vision

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro's display measures a whopping 13.2 inches, making it bigger than Apple’s largest iPad Pro. This supersized screen ensures you have plenty of real estate for your apps, games, videos, and work tasks.

Oppo has stuck with an LCD panel for the screen here, which will likely help keep overall costs down, but it does mean you don’t get the same deep black levels as you do with Samsung’s AMOLED screens.

Resolution isn’t an issue, though, with the 3.4K panel offering a pixel density of 315ppi — that's much higher than you'll get on the pricier iPad Pro (265ppi) and Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra (239ppi).

Oppo uses what it calls the “A4 golden ratio” for the screen — specifically, it's a 7:5 screen aspect ratio that makes reading articles, checking documents, and reviewing presentations very comfortable.

The adaptive refresh rate up to 144Hz means scrolling, swiping, and sliding around the interface and apps feels fluid; great when you’re moving through long documents or fast-moving comment sections.

Fire up a streaming service, though, and 16:9 and 21:9 videos result in large black bars above and below the action. Still, this isn't deal-breaking for the experience, and with HDR for Netflix and Prime Video, along with Dolby Vision support, content looks great.

The Pad 5 Pro's large screen size means it’s an excellent tablet to use away from home, especially when on the move for work. It’s easy to run apps side-by-side without them feeling cramped, and I enjoyed using Oppo’s O+Connect software with my laptop to enable the Pad 5 Pro as a second display.

(Image credit: John McCann / TechRadar)

Plus, the plentiful display real estate was beneficial when I fired up PUBG: Mobile, giving me an expansive view of the battlefield and plenty of space for the on-screen buttons and HUD.

With a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, I was able to use the Pad 5 Pro outside without much in the way of reflections or glare. In direct sunlight, you might struggle to see the screen a little, but positioned on a sun lounger in the shade, this tablet works nicely.

Display score: 4.5 / 5

Oppo Pad 5 Pro review: Software

(Image credit: John McCann / TechRadar)

ColorOS 16 provides excellent customization and multitasking
AI tools are included, but usefulness varies

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro is an Android tablet at heart, with Oppo’s own ColorOS 16 interface laid on top. And Oppo says the tablet will get an upgrade to ColorOS 17 in November 2026.

The good news is Oppo’s UI is a highly accomplished offering these days. It’s pretty close to stock Android, while offering extra layers of customization and features on top. The result is a tablet that’s enhanced by the software Oppo makes.

If you like to fine-tune your experience, the Oppo Pad 5 Pro has plenty of options in the Settings menu, but you don't need to dive into them. This tablet also works great out of the box with the default settings.

And, mercifully, Oppo has kept pre-loaded applications to a minimum, with just a handful forced on you from the off — apps such as Netflix, WPS Office, LinkedIn, and TikTok. The good news is these can be uninstalled easily if you’d rather not have them.

I like how easy it is to get two (or three) apps side by side on screen — tap the three dots at the top of the screen when in an app, select Split View, and you're away. Coupled with the big screen, this multitasking functionality makes the Pad 5 Pro an excellent productivity machine that students and mobile workers will find intuitive and helpful.

And as I mentioned briefly in the display section, productivity can be further enhanced with O+ Connect, which allows you to sync your Mac or Windows laptop to the Pad 5 Pro to use it to transfer documents, mirror displays, or act as a second screen. It works wired and wirelessly, so you don’t need to remember cables every time.

Considering how slim the Pad 5 Pro is, it’s not a huge ask to slide this tablet into your bag with your work or study laptop, giving you excellent flexibility.

(Image credit: John McCann / TechRadar)

There are AI tools on board too, including the now-familiar Circle to Search feature, but Oppo also has AI Smart Circle. When using the optional Pencil 3 Pro, pressing and holding the stylus on the screen will highlight content, allowing you to annotate, save, or share it.

From there, you can access additional AI tools, including AI Painter (which helps you enhance images you find). The tools work and can be fun to use, but their mileage will vary depending on your use cases.

Software score: 4.5 / 5

Oppo Pad 5 Pro review: Performance

(Image credit: John McCann / TechRadar)

A mixed bag of specs, but enough power for most
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and 8GB of RAM
Comfortably handles three apps on screen at the same time

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro performance specs are a bit of a mixed bag. First, the good: you get Qualcomm's latest, top-of-the-line chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

That means plenty of raw power under the hood and enough smarts for various AI workflows, whether you’re a Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, or other LLM user.

What’s less impressive is the amount of RAM you get. With its predecessor, the Pad 3 Pro (there was no 4 model), you got 12GB of RAM. On the Pad 5 Pro, however, Oppo has downgraded this capacity to 8GB.

We can’t be too cross with Oppo, though. There’s a global shortage of RAM, which in turn is pushing up prices, and its scarcity is leaving manufacturers in a tricky position when it comes to balancing power and price.

I suspect if Oppo did include 12GB of RAM in the Pad 5 Pro, its asking price would be much higher, and to be fair to the tablet, it handled everything I threw at it with ease.

I cranked up the graphical settings on PUBG: Mobile and was able to successfully log some Winner Winner Chicken Dinner victories, while 4K video streaming from Disney Plus, Prime Video, and Netflix all worked well and looked great.

Hours of gaming, long video calls, prolonged typing of this review using the Smart Keyboard Case, and TV series binges (series two of The Gentleman, anyone?) were all taken in stride, too.

If you’re looking to complete overly complex graphical or AI tasks, though, the Oppo Pad 5 Pro may start to struggle, so consider a more powerful (and likely pricier) tablet if you fall into this category.

(Image credit: John McCann / TechRadar)

For those of you who do a lot of gaming, the Pad 5 Pro has Oppo’s Game Assistant, allowing you to direct maximum performance to the game you’re playing, with toggles to enhance graphics and framerate too.

And a quick word on this tablet’s eight-speaker setup. They sound great for their size, considering they’re packed into the Pad 5 Pro’s slender frame, offering rich audio and great stereo performance. They’re not going to beat a quality pair of Bluetooth headphones, but they’re more than capable for most use cases.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Oppo Pad 5 Pro review: Battery

(Image credit: John McCann / TechRadar)

Huge 13,380mAh battery
Multi-day use from a single charge is easily achievable
80W fast charging, but you’ll need to provide the block

The Oppo Pad 5 Pro performs very well when it comes to battery life.

Oppo has packed a massive 13,380mAh power pack into the tablet's slender frame, and the sheer capacity on offer translates directly into impressive longevity.

An hour-long PUBG: Mobile gaming session resulted in a 7% drop in battery life, which means the Pad 5 Pro is capable of many hours of gameplay.

Loading up a Dolby Vision-supported movie on Netflix, the Pad 5 Pro dropped 9% in an hour and a half. That was with Wi-Fi connected, brightness at half, and various applications syncing in the background.

Extrapolated out, that's over 10 hours of video streaming, although Oppo claims the Pad 5 Pro can deliver up to 20 hours of video playback. That might be possible on lower brightness settings and with a film file on the tablet itself, but not through everyday streaming.

And when left idle overnight, the Pad 5 Pro lost just 1% in 12 hours.

Battery drain is similar when working and multitasking, with the Pad 5 Pro offering two days of battery life pretty consistently with multiple hours of use each day.

If you use the tablet less, though, you'll find you'll still have battery life days later.

Oppo has also equipped the Pad 5 Pro with its 80W SuperVOOC flash charging, allowing you to top up the mega battery at speed. You'll need a high-powered plug block to achieve the 80W speeds, though — and one isn't provided in the box.

I used a 100W charging block, and the Oppo Pad 5 Pro went from 46% to 54% in 10 minutes, reaching 62% after 20 minutes, and a quarter of the total capacity (3,345mAh) after 30 minutes.

These might not seem like stellar increases on paper, but when you consider the size of the battery inside the Pad 5 Pro, you’re getting hours of use from short charging sessions.

Battery score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Oppo Pad 5 Pro?

Oppo Pad 5 Pro scorecard
Value	Where it’s available, the Oppo Pad 5 Pro is priced to deliver bang for your buck — it’s just a shame that it’s not quite as compellingly priced as its predecessor.	4/5
Design	This big-screen, slimline premium tablet looks and feels the part. It’s well made and packs in eight speakers, but is heavier than the pricier competition.	4/5
Display	The 13.2-inch display provides an excellent viewing experience with a 3.4K resolution, HDR, and Dolby Vision support, plus solid brightness.	4.5/5
Software	ColorOS 16 has a bunch of customization options for those who like to fine tune, excellent multi-tasking features, and a great default settings for those who just want to get going right away.	4.5/5
Performance	The Pad 5 Pro provides enough power to do everything you need, but the drop in RAM and increase in price is a shame. For really intensive tasks, you might need to look elsewhere.	4/5
Battery	The Oppo Pad 5 Pro has excellent battery life. Even with more intensive work days, you should get two days between charges, while lighter use will deliver multi-day use.	4.5/5

Buy it if…

You want a portable streaming and gaming device

With its 3.4K display, eight-speaker system, and Game Assistant performance boost, the Oppo Pad 5 Pro makes Netflix binges and gaming marathons a piece of cake.

You don’t want to overspend on a big screen

Apple’s big-screen iPads are comfortably more expensive than the Oppo Pad 5 Pro, but here you still get a premium design, a great screen, and enough performance for pretty much anything.

You want a great productivity device

With excellent app multitasking, long battery life, and the ability to use the Pad 5 Pro as a second screen with your laptop, it’s a work winner. Splurge on the optional Smart Keyboard Case and Pencil 3 Pro, and it basically becomes a 13.2-inch laptop and sketchpad.

Don’t buy it if…

You want the best tablet apps

Google’s Play Store has a much better selection of tablet-optimized apps than it used to, but Apple’s App Store is still the leader for this form factor. If you want the very best app selection, an iPad is the way to go.

You’re a power user

While the Pad 5 Pro’s cutting-edge Qualcomm chipset will handle most tasks with ease, for power users looking for a device to support intensive workloads, the drop in RAM to 8GB might cause a bottleneck.

Also consider

Apple iPad Air 13-inch (2026)

Apple’s 13-inch iPad Air offers top-notch design, display, and performance credentials. There’s a plentiful app store and a range of accessories too — but the price quickly adds up.

Read our full Apple iPad Air 13-inch (2026) review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus

Samsung has been making Android tablets for a long time, and it's refined its offering over the years. The Tab S10 FE Plus is water-resistant, with a similarly large screen and battery, plus it offers several color options.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus review

	Oppo Pad 5 Pro	iPad Air (13-inch, M4)	Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+
Price	£699	From $949 / £949 / AU$1,599	From $649 / £649 / AU$1,099
Screen	13.2-inch, 3392 x 2400, 315ppi, 144Hz, 1,000 nits (peak)	13-inch, 2732 x 2048, 264ppi, , 60Hz, 600 nits (peak)	13.1-inch, 2880 x 1800, 259ppi, 90Hz, 600 nits (peak)
Chip & RAM	Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 + 8GB RAM	Apple M4 + 12GB RAM	Samsung Exynos 1580 + 8/12GB RAM
Battery	13,380mAh	9,705mAh	10,090mAh

How I tested the Oppo Pad 5 Pro

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
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☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

I used the Oppo Pad 5 Pro as my daily tablet for a week. I used it for a wide variety of activities, including reading articles, sketching with the Pencil 3 Pro, gaming, checking emails, scrolling social, and streaming TV, movies, and music.

I used the Smart Keyboard Case to type the majority of this review, and recharged the slate with slow and fast charging blocks — you’ll want to invest in an 80W+ block if you buy the Pad 5 Pro.

As part of my testing, I engaged in a mix of high- and low- usage days to get a proper sense of the Oppo Pad 5 Pro's excellent battery life. I tried the tablet's AI features and used its cameras for photography indoors and outdoors, as well as for video calls.

Meet the TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 winners — all 100% chosen by you

TechRadar — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 16:55:19 +0000

It's been an excellent year for tech releases, with the arrival of everything from new TV panel developments, to groundbreaking drones, to awesome spatial audio speakers, to a new breed of AI-connected screenless fitness wearable.

It's also been a really difficult year in tech, though, due to the component crisis and rising prices across nearly all products. In the middle of that tension, it only makes sense for us to find out which companies navigated the challenges best by asking the community of tech lovers out there — and so here are the first TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards.

The results are in, so below we've listed the TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 winners winners in every category, all 100% voted by you!

Phones & tablets

Phone of the Year

Apple iPhone 18 Pro

It’s no great surprise that readers chose the iPhone 18 Pro as the Phone of the Year. After all, this — along with the iPhone 18 Pro Max — scored five stars in our review, which is a rating we hardly ever give out to phones. But with its excellent camera system — complete with genuinely useful upgrades like a variable aperture and pro controls — plus an exceptionally fast chipset, great battery life, beautiful new Burgundy and Glacier colors, and a superb screen and software, the iPhone 18 Pro excels in just about every area. So its five stars, and Readers' Phone of the Year award, are well deserved.

Phone Brand of the Year

Apple

Given that the iPhone 18 Pro won Phone of the Year and that Apple’s handsets are well represented among the other Readers’ Choice award winners below, it’s hard to see how any other company could have won Phone Brand of the Year. Apple might not release as many different models as some brands, but it still has a phone for almost everyone — whether you want a high-end flagship, a top-tier gaming phone, a DSLR alternative, something more affordable, or even, this year, a foldable phone (though the Duo was released too late to be eligible for these awards). And not only has Apple covered most of the bases here, but all of its handsets excel and e with genuine upgrades compared to last year’s models.

Phones Innovation of the Year

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Given that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 was the first passport-shaped foldable to arrive on the scene in Western markets this year, it's easy to see why readers voted it as the Phones Innovation of the Year. This new form factor makes it even more pocketable than a book-style foldable, but still gives you a large screen when it’s unfolded. The smaller cover screen also makes it perfect for one-handed use when you don’t need the large inner display, and coupled with flagship performance and high–quality displays, this is a great all-round phone — not just an innovative one.

Best Value Phone

Apple iPhone 17e

The iPhone 17e might not be the cheapest phone, but its lower price makes it highly affordable by iPhone standards, and it comes with double the storage of the iPhone 16e without upping the starting price. Plus, with features like MagSafe and an A19 chipset, you’re getting a lot for your money, so it’s no wonder this was voted Best Value Phone. iPhones tend to get updated for many years and hold their value well too, so this isn’t just good value on day one — it should also serve you well for a long time.

Best Mid-Range Phone

Apple iPhone 17

There’s no base iPhone 18 yet, and it’s a testament to just how good the iPhone 17 still is that readers have voted it the Best Mid-Range Phone. Everything that was good about the iPhone 17 at launch still remains so in 2026 — including its powerful A19 chipset, always-on display with ProMotion, and improved cameras. The iPhone 17’s price hasn’t dropped since launch (in fact, thanks to the ongoing RAM crisis, it's actually gone up), but you’re still getting a lot for your money compared to many other mid-range phones.

Best Folding Phone

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the Readers’ Choice Phone Innovation of the Year, it’s the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra that readers think is the overall Best Folding Phone. This isn’t surprising either, as while the form factor here is nothing new, this is Samsung’s most polished, premium, and feature-packed foldable yet — so much so that it got ‘Ultra’ added to the name. For the first time, the foldable screen is essentially flat, with a near-invisible crease, and the Z Fold 8 Ultra also has a bigger battery, more power, and improved cameras compared to its predecessor, while still being slimmer, making for a phone that lives up to its ‘Ultra’ name.

Best Flip Phone

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

Samsung is clearly still the king of foldables for now in readers’ eyes, since they’ve also voted the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 as the Best Flip Phone. Arguably, this phone didn’t have much competition outside of the Motorola Razr line, but that doesn’t take away from its achievements, including new Horizontal Lock and Fan Cam features, which make it a major upgrade for recording videos. Coupled with a slightly slimmer design than last year, improved software, and a chipset upgrade, it’s no wonder the Z Flip 8 has flipped its way into readers’ hearts.

Best Camera Phone

Apple iPhone 18 Pro

The iPhone 18 Pro — along with the iPhone 18 Pro Max — have some serious camera upgrades, so it makes sense that readers would have voted this the Best Camera Phone. You’re getting a trio of 48MP cameras on the back, covering wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto (4x zoom) views, and in a rare move for phones, the wide snapper also has a variable aperture. That feature, coupled with new pro controls, gives you more power than ever to take control of your shots. But the iPhone 18 Pro still shines for point-and-shoot photography, too, and its cameras capture more detail than ever before.

Best Gaming Phone

Apple iPhone 18 Pro

The iPhone 18 Pro also takes the Readers’ Choice Best Gaming Phone award, and this makes total sense too, given the sheer amount of power on offer here. The phone has a seriously fast A20 Pro chipset paired with improved thermal management — so it can keep cool and maintain its smooth performance even over a lengthy gaming session. On top of that, the App Store simply has a better selection of high-end games than you’ll find over on Android, and they’re usually well optimized for Apple’s hardware.

Best AI Phone

Google Pixel 11 Pro

Between them, Samsung and Apple have swept almost all of these awards — but not quite all of them, as readers voted the Google Pixel 11 Pro as the Best AI Phone. Despite Siri’s recent AI makeover, this makes perfect sense, as Google has spent the last few years improving the Pixel’s AI features and more deeply integrating them into the operating system. The result with the Pixel 11 Pro is a phone with AI everywhere. You can tap into Gemini from any screen, and new features such as Rambler for voice dictation and Magic Capture for photography bring genuinely useful AI-powered upgrades to this phone's core functionality.

Best Phone Accessory

UGreen Qi2 25W Wireless Power Bank

The UGreen Qi2 25W Wireless Power Bank is a top-tier portable charger with speedy 25W wireless charging, an ultra-compact design, and a lightweight feel. As well as wireless charging capabilities, the model has an integrated USB-C cable for charging your devices or the power bank itself, a USB-C port that supports 30W charging, and even a neat little display. Pair that with high build quality and 13-layer protection for safe charging, and you’re looking at one of the best wireless power banks on the market — and TechRadar readers clearly agreed.

Best Tablet

Apple iPad Pro (M5)

The Apple iPad Pro (M5) is a powerhouse of a slate, with that M5 chip delivering what our review described as “amazing performance.” It also has a sumptuous 11-inch screen, a sleek design, and impressive cameras and software. Whether for work or play, this tablet can handle tasks exceptionally well, so it’s a deserving winner.

Best eReader

reMarkable Paper Pure

This isn’t just an ereader, it’s a lightweight, distraction-free writing tablet that’s portable, comfortable, and — according to our reMarkable Paper Pure review — offers a “flawless writing experience.” So while this isn’t necessarily going to be the best choice to read a novel on, if you’re after an epaper tablet to sketch and write on, this is an ideal choice — so it’s no real surprise this was voted Best eReader.

Cameras & drones

Camera of the Year

Sony A7R VI

From a shortlist that included the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, Sony A7 V, Leica M-EV1 and a trio of five-star DJI products, it was the A7R VI that topped your votes, and it’s easy to see why: Sony gave us highly-detailed images and blazing-fast performance in a single, well-designed model, rounding the package off by debuting its first new battery in almost a decade for class-leading endurance. We rarely use the word ‘perfect’, but for many photographers, the Sony A7R VI mirrorless camera will be just that.

Camera Brand of the Year

Sony

Readers voted the A7R VI as a double winner, the A7 V as the Best Mid-range Camera, the RX10 V as the Best Compact Camera and the 100mm F2.8 macro as the Best Lens winner — so it’s little wonder that the camera giant wins the Brand of the Year vote too. And the accolade is fully deserved; other leading brands have had a majorly quiet year by comparison, besides perhaps the relentless DJI. Sony’s mirrorless camera lineup is looking strong, and its lens range is formidable. If you can afford its admittedly pricey gear, it’s the ecosystem that has it all.

Camera Innovation of the Year

Antigravity A1

Antigravity was a complete unknown before this year, but the Insta360-seeded company burst onto the scene with the world's first 360-degree drone, the A1. Pipping DJI to the post, the Antigravity A1 is effectively an Insta360 X5 that flies, which means it shoots crisp 8K video of every angle, and when paired with the company’s goggles and motion controller, gives a flight experience that’s both immersive and intuitive. The possibilities for this tech are truly exciting.

Best Beginner Camera

Fujifilm X-T30 III

Love Fujifilm’s retro design but can’t stretch to the pricey X100 VI or X-E5? In steps the portable Fujifilm X-T30 III, fitted with the company’s entry-level 26MP APS-C sensor for sharp stills, 6K video with 10-bit color depth, a tilt screen, EVF and a flash. It’s an excellent entry point to the Fujifilm X-mount for photography-focused users, with very few rivals at its affordable price point, besides the recent OM PEN. The X-T30 III is set to become one of Fujifilm's best sellers.

Best Mid-range camera

Sony A7 V

The Sony A7 IV held onto top spot in our best mirrorless cameras guide for years and had only recently lost its spot to the Nikon Z6 III, only for Sony to wrestle it back with the mark IV’s successor. The Sony A7 V feels like the complete camera; its new processor, ‘partially stacked’ sensor and improved subject tracking autofocus deliver a boost in stills and video performance, even if the A7 V has the same 33MP resolution as its predecessor. The A7 V is a true all-rounder.

Best Professional Camera

Sony A7R VI

Of course the readers' Camera of the Year also scoops top prize in its individual category. With Canon doing its business last year, and Nikon remaining totally quiet, the A7R VI really stood out. and it's a solid upgrade of the A7R V, with a bump in resolution from 61MP to 66.8MP, but more importantly it’s a quicker stacked sensor that’s ultimately way more versatile. The completely new battery (for class-leading battery life) and Sony’s best autofocus and design yet add further polish to the Sony A7R VI.

Best Compact and Instant Camera

Sony RX10 V

We didn't see it coming, but nine years after the now-discontinued RX10 IV, Sony revived its series of bridge cameras, and made the best even better. It ditched the Cyber-Shot name and brushed up the Sony RX10 V’s design to feel more Alpha, but ultimately the shooting experience from the same 20.1MP 1-inch sensor and 24-600mm F2.8-4 lens combo is entirely familiar, and it's one that many enthusiast wildlife photographers will love. Add the chunkier battery, better autofocus and faster burst shooting, and it’s an even better, albeit pricier, all-in-one camera.

Best Action and Vlogging Camera

Insta 360 Luna Ultra

DJI was busy priming its twin-lens Pocket 4P camera to attempt to change the vlogging camera game, only for Insta360 to steal its thunder with the Luna Ultra, and what an innovative camera it is. Taking the compact, gimbal-mounted camera formula of the Pocket series, the Insta360 Luna Ultra went one step further by adding a 3x telephoto camera, and fitted the device with a clever detachable remote module, which can control the camera remotely and doubles up as a mic. Never has solo vlogging been easier.

Best Camera Lens

Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS

At 10 years old, Sony’s 90mm macro lens was beginning to look a little dated, and so Sony macro photographers were delighted when the company released an entirely new model with a larger than life 1.4x magnification: the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS. Much like the similar Canon 100mm macro lens from 2021, Sony’s doubles up nicely as a portrait lens too, plus it's supported with image stabilization, compatible with teleconverters, and optically it's pretty much flawless.

Best camera accessory

Birdfy Bird Bath Pro

We’ve been reviewing bird feeder cameras for years, but it was the Birdfy Bird Bath Pro that made a splash in 2026 (pun intended). Amid warnings of the part that flat tray bird feeders can play in spreading avian diseases, in stepped this unique bird bath camera, with a more hygienic fountain, and that enabled us to observe a different kind of splashing and preening bird behavior from up close, with the same live feed and app notifications we've come to love from bird feeder cameras. The first generation product needs a little refining, but there's nothing else like it for bird lovers.

Best drone

Antigravity A1

The Antigravity A1 clearly made an impression on readers, picking up its second award here. It’s great to see a company besides DJI entering the drone space, and to do it so well with its first 360–degree drone. The Antigravity A1 shoots 8K video taken from any angle, and delivers an immersive flight experience through its goggles and motion controller. And with firmware updates and new accessories since the product's launch, Antigravity looks like it's just getting started.

Computing

Computing Brand of the Year

Apple

Apple shook up the computing world this year with the introduction of its affordable MacBook Neo, which combined a relatively low price tag with a premium design, all without making too many compromises when it comes to performance. It left Windows competitors scrambling to compete, so we ended up with a range of excellent affordable Windows 11 laptops arriving later — which means Apple had perhaps the biggest impact on computing in 2026, and readers clearly felt it.

Best Computing Innovation

Nvidia DLSS 4.5

Out of all the AI upscaling tech that's been helping PC gamers eke out more performance from their rigs, Nvidia's DLSS is by far the most advanced, and its 4.5 release brings better image quality, while Dynamic Multi Frame Generation does a great job of balancing image quality with high frame rates. Nvidia also added 6X Frame Generation, which allows compatible GPUs to reach incredibly high frame rates.

Best Value Laptop

Apple MacBook Neo

When Apple launched the MacBook Neo earlier this year for $599 / £599 / AU$1,049, it made a huge impact. It was a lower price than many of us were expecting, and no Windows 11 laptop, or Chromebook, that cost similar could compete. Sure, there were compromises to keep the price down, such as a lack of backlit keyboard, slow USB ports and just 8GB of memory, but the overall package offered incredible value for money. So, it was a bit of a shame that Apple increased the price a few months later to $699 / £699, making it less good value. Still, even with the price rise, you won't find a better laptop for the price.

Best AI Laptop

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M5 (2025)

After a few years where it felt like Apple was being left behind, it's beginning to roll out more of its Apple Intelligence (AI) features, and while it's still early days, the results are promising, with many of the tools featuring Apple's signature polish. Because the company has been including its Neural Engine in its chips for years, it actually has a bit of a head start when it comes to on-device AI, and the latest MacBook Pro is a great example of this.

Best Gaming Laptop

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)

Gaming laptops don't come much bigger and brasher than the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026). It features desktop-grade performance thanks to a mighty RTX 5090 laptop GPU, plus a cutting-edge Intel Core Ultra 9 processor. Its huge 18-inch screen is also fantastic, powered by mini-LED technology, which makes modern games look gorgeous. However, all this power comes with a high price tag.

Best PC Gaming Handheld

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20

While some PC gaming handhelds are going all-in on raw performance with cutting-edge components, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 is more of a refinement of the existing ROG Xbox Ally — but that is actually a bit of a masterstroke, as it means it's cheaper than rivals such as MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. Don't think this is a budget device, however, and the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 features some nice improvements such as an OLED screen that looks fantastic, as well as improved buttons and TMR joysticks.

Best Gaming Keyboard

Turtle Beach Command Series KB7 TKL

The Turtle Beach Command Series KB7 TKL is an unusual gaming keyboard, because instead of a physical numpad, it has a built-in touchscreen that can give you quick access to macros, apps, and shortcuts that can give you a competitive edge. Thanks to its 8K polling rate, it's fast and responsive, and when you're not playing games, it feels great to type on as well.

Best Gaming Monitor

Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF is a brilliant gaming monitor for people who are seriously into their competitive esports, thanks to its incredibly fast 500Hz refresh rate. Matched with ultra-low response times, and you have a monitor that will keep up with even the most frantic of games, and the OLED screen tech makes those games look incredible.

Best Gaming Mouse

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike

The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike more than earns its rare five-star rating thanks to its fantastic build quality and lightweight design that makes it feel comfortable no matter what your grip type is. It also features a unique haptic inductive trigger system that lets you fine-tune the mouse buttons to perfectly suit your playstyle.

Gaming

Gaming Device of the Year

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2

The new Stealth Pro 2 headset from Turtle Beach is a fantastic premium headset that builds on everything great about its predecessor. The sound quality is spectacular, of course, but there's now improved battery life and solutions within its dock, a slick new lifestyle-friendly design, and a fantastic microphone all working together at the core of what makes it excel in gaming audio.

Gaming Brand of the Year

Turtle Beach

Gaming hardware behemoth Turtle Beach has released a whole heap of awesome gaming gear and devices in the past year or so, from pushing the boundaries of what a gaming mouse can be, deploying brilliant aesthetics to controllers, all the way to following up one of the best headsets of recent times with a superb successor.

Gaming Innovation of the Year

Turtle Beach MC7

A screen on a mouse?! Outrageous! But also: excellently innovative by Turtle Beach. In terms of changing perceptions about what gaming mice can do, the Command Series MC7 is a brilliant gaming product and should increase the functionality that gaming mice can offer players.

Best Console Accessory

Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race KD3 wheel

Offering a brilliant direct-drive bundle, the KD3 wheel is a fantastic addition to the budget end of the market and offers incredible value for money. The feedback from the 3.2Nm motor, pedal set, and even the aesthetics all play their part in making the VelocityOne Race KD3 a brilliant racing wheel.

Best Gaming Service

Xbox Game Pass

Having its price slashed this year, thankfully, is a big boon to players, and it has meant that Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass subscription still offers good value while also allowing players to jump into the likes of Gears of War: E-Day without paying the full price of a game.

Best Gaming Controller

Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller

This might be the best possible controller for GTA 6. With a delightfully retro pastel aesthetic, this Xbox pad stands apart in a sea of comparatively boring-looking alternatives. It's got beautiful RGB lighting to boot, and competitive specs, including features such as remappable rear buttons and built-in audio controls, to back up the good looks.

Best Gaming Headset

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2

A premium headset that does it all, the Stealth Pro 2 from Turtle Beach is about as close to the full package as gaming headsets have gotten in the past year. It also had a tough act to follow, with its predecessor being so good too, and is worthy of its place as one of the past year's best.

Best Gaming Chair

Secretlab Atlas

Having thoroughly mastered the gaming chair, this year saw Secretlab branch out into something new. The Secretlab Atlas is a strong task chair that's perfect for work, relaxation, and, of course, gaming. The unique design incorporates a fantastic self-adjusting lumbar mechanism, which makes comfortable seating effortless.

TV & home theater

TV of the year

Sony Bravia 9 II

A TV needs to be sensational to stand out from the best TVs of 2026, and the Bravia 9 II is exactly that. Its RGB mini-LED panel delivers OLED-grade contrast and color, but with the brightness of mini-LED — and its audio system means it sounds as good as it looks.

Home Entertainment Brand of the Year

Sony

With multiple gongs in this year's reader-voted awards, it's not a surprise to see Sony pick up the Brand of the Year award too. Sony's focus on making premium products with innovative tech has yielded impressive results across TVs and soundbars, and its RGB technology and wireless speaker systems have been especially worth the wait.

Home Entertainment Innovation of the Year

Sony True RGB

True RGB is Sony's branding for its RGB mini-LED technology. Like other mini-LED displays, True RGB uses a very bright mini-LED backlight to deliver brightness that OLEDs can only dream of. RGB mini-LED takes the tech further, with each LED packing separate, independently controlled red, green and blue diodes instead of a single color. That means much better color accuracy and off-angle viewing. Sony isn't the only company to introduce this tech in 2026, but the way it designed its version has led to the most impressive results.

Best Gaming TV

TCL QM8L

The TCL QM8L is a superb TV for gaming thanks to its support for 4K at up to 144Hz across all four HDMI 2.1 ports, variable refresh rate at up to 288Hz, low latency, and impressive built-in audio as a bonus. We gave it a maximum score for gaming in our review, and said it's "a pleasure to game on" — and clearly the readers agree. This TV is TCL doing what TCL does best: delivering lots of fun for a way lower price than you expect.

Best TV for Sound

Sony Bravia 9 II

It's another win for Sony's flagship, this time for its Acoustic Multi-Audio+ sound system that has two full-range drivers, two subwoofers, two tweeters and a pair of angled beam tweeters to add height. With 80W of power, the Sony Bravia 9 II is impressively loud as well as beautifully detailed, and it sounds terrific in movies and music.

Best OLED TV

LG G6

The LG G6 stood out this year for massively improving its visibility in even very bright rooms, and it set a very high bar for OLED excellence overall this year. The picture quality is outstanding, it's phenomenal for gaming, and webOS remains one of our favorite smart TV platforms.

Best mini-LED TV

Sony Bravia 9 II

RGB mini-LED is spectacular, and right now nobody's doing it quite like Sony. The Bravia 9 II is the best backlit TV we've ever seen, breaking new ground when it comes to color and contrast, but maintaining the realistic, reference look that Sony strives for.

Best Value TV

TCL QM7L

The TCL QM7L is a remarkable achievement, reaching image quality shockingly close to the heights of TCL's flagships for a significantly lower price. Like its award-winning QM8L sibling, it's a superb gaming TV, and it's an excellent all-rounder with a good specification and a generally premium feel.

Best Projector

Anker Soundcore Nebula P1

It looks like you share our view of the Anker Soundcore Nebula P1: it's a lot of fun, and as a package it's hard to beat. The P1 takes the best bits of the much more expensive X1, including its nifty wireless speakers, and boils them down into a much more affordable portable projector package so you can enjoy big-screen fun anywhere.

Best Soundbar

Sonos Beam Ultra

The days when Sonos had the premium soundbar sector to itself are long gone, but the Sonos Beam Ultra puts the company right back at the head of the pack: five out of five stars-good as we detailed in our Sonos Beam Ultra review. It's an Arc Ultra but smaller, delivering superbly detailed and immersive audio in a really small package.

Best Wireless Home Theater Speakers

Sony Bravia Theater Trio

The Sony Bravia Theater Trio is an LCR system, which means it has left, center and right wireless speakers to create a much wider soundstage than the best soundbars alone can deliver. It delivers a powerful, warm and wide sound, and if you add a wireless subwoofer things get even more entertaining. In the world of giant-screen TVs, this is a really tempting option, as our voters clearly felt.

Streaming

Streaming Service of the Year

Netflix

Netflix is always a controversial company, especially when it comes to price hikes — but there's a reason it can get away with all the rises, and that's because it's the best. Its own Netflix Originals continue to excite and delight, it makes smart buys from all around the world, and its documentaries are often superb. Add in excellent parental controls, apps for every conceivable device and a very affordable ad-supported tier and you can see why Netflix is a worthy winner.

Best Streaming Service for Movies

Netflix

Netflix's mix of original movies and bought-in blockbusters in a huge range of genres means there's always some movie magic to stream, whether that's the latest Wallace & Gromit movie (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), Godzilla Minus One, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse or classics such as Jaws. Netflix's current movie catalog features some of the world's most celebrated filmmakers including Alfonso Cuarón, Martin Scorcese, Jane Campion, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Spike Lee and many more.

Best Streaming Service for Documentaries

Netflix

Netflix was quick to recognize the power of documentaries to deliver big drama with very low budgets, and its current slate includes a huge range that stretches from the hard-hitting to the heart-warming. From true crime reconstructions to spectacular shows such as American Symphony, Netflix's documentary department is full of must-watch stories.

Best Streaming Service for TV Series

Apple TV

The recently renamed Apple TV, formerly Apple TV+, may not have the massive catalogs of its streaming rivals, but when your line-up includes the likes of Slow Horses, Pluribus, Small Prophets, Hijack, Shrinking, Severance, Margot's Got Money Troubles, Widows Bay and more, it's clear that you're prizing quality over quantity. Apple's one-tier approach is refreshing: there's no need to pay more for ad-free viewing, higher resolution or spatial audio.

Best Free Streaming Service of the Year

Tubi

Like many readers we're big fans of Tubi: it's one of the finest free ad-supported streamers around, with a huge range of entertainment to choose from. Don't expect the very latest hit shows or blockbusters, but the catalog is impressively large and wide-ranging so there's always something fun to watch — and the ads aren't so frequent that they become irritating.

Audio

Headphones of the Year

Apple AirPods Max 2

As we said in our full AirPods Max 2 review, these cans are "doubtless the best noise-cancelling iPhone headphones on the planet" while also being incredibly comfortable and boasting some of the best voice capture on any headphones we've ever experienced. Clearly the readers felt the same way, and like us were able to overcome the fact that Apple kept that weird, weird case…

Audio Brand of the Year

Bowers & Wilkins

There's something undeniably elite, sophisticated and next-level about B&W's products, whether it's the luxurious five-star PX8 S2 headphones, the deliciously expensive earbuds, or its astounding new-generation Diamond-series speakers. Clearly, the readers agreed that the attention to both design and sound here is a cut above the rest.

Audio Innovation of the Year

Cambridge L/R S speakers

We called this set of bijou active speakers "an immediate pound-for-pound market-leader contender" in our five-star review. There are two channels of amplification for each speaker, and a full DSP crossover which acts as a PWM signal to each amplifier, for astounding accuracy, and custom connecter between the speakers for ensuring all of that comes through appropriately. Are they a tad over-engineered? Perhaps — but this is an innovation award, and it seems like that's exactly what the readers responded to.

Best Wireless Headphones

Sony 1000X The Collexion

What better way to mark a whole decade (yes, we feel old too) since Sony's now modern classic 1000X headphones landed than to distill everything that's ever been great about them into a solo, celebratory product? OK, they're the company's priciest set of wireless Bluetooth headphones yet but, as we said in our Sony 1000X The Collexion review, "their luxurious build, detailed sound, and top-tier comfortability help to justify their price tag."

Best Wireless Earbuds

Sony WF-1000XM6

Another Sony winner, and no one can argue with Sony's detailed sound quality. But Sony's buds are also always a leader due to their features, and the Quick Attention option, should someone need a quick word with you have the ANC on, alone is a good enough reason for the readers to have voted for these buds.

Best Open Earbuds

Shokz OpenFit Pro

We were happy to see that, despite their not-insignificant asking fee, these are getting the recognition they so fully deserve. The fit is secure and fuss free (aided by extra optional bands in the box, which are useful for sports), and the excellent active noise reduction is nothing short of class-leading. Read our full Shokz Openfit Pro review for the full match report, but as far as we're concerned, Shokz hit an ace here.

Best Value Headphones

Sony WH-CH730N

There's a strong set of features in Sony WH-CH730N for the money, plus competent sound and a nifty, foldable design. At such a low price, the all-round quality you get here is impressive, and Sony's budget headphones have been popular for years — evidently, the new model is landing with readers as well.

Best Value Earbuds

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus

Earfun's built up a huge, loyal fanbase owing to its consistently good, affordable earbuds. The Earfun Air Pro 4 do nothing to buck that trend, delivering very good value for money, and premium features. So we're not surprised to see them as the readers' pick, and they're a deserving winner.

Best Value Open Earbuds

Anker Soundcore Aeroclip 2

Yes, we're into second-generation ear cuff-style open earbuds in 2026 and long may they reign! The Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 are a solid upgrade over their predecessors, offering higher-resolution audio, better waterproofing, clearer calls, and a more tailored sound, as we explored in our Soundcore Aeroclip 2 review. They benefit from a bit of extra tuning to sound exciting, but they're a great option for fans of this clip-on design, particularly in the pictured 'Burgundy Red' finish. Very 'new romantic'!

Best Wired Headphones

Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000

A huge win for a set of 58mm open-back drivers and A-T's known wizardry in the game. I'd caveat the win by saying you can't just buy these headphones and expect great sound from your source device — you have to buy a decent amp to drive them too — but we've covered it all in our five-star Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review. Know this: get them properly powered and, as long as you don't care that other people will hear whatever you're listening to, they'll reward you with some of the best audio quality we've ever heard from headphones.

Best Wired Earbuds

Sennheiser CX 80U

When people ask us, "What's the cheapest way to get better sound from my phone?" our response is to name-drop these cheap 2026-release USB-C wired earbuds. For around $35 / £30 you really cannot expect more. OK, you don't get volume controls on the in-line remote and the mic isn't especially good in calls, as we note in our glowing Sennheiser CX 80U review — but you do get agile bass, clarity through mids and vivid, sparkling highs. Pair that with their surprisingly solid noise isolation and you’re looking at an awesome pair of wired buds for music.

Best Bluetooth Speaker

JBL Xtreme 5

JBL seemingly cannot go wrong when it comes to portable speakers, whatever their size — although it's worth noting that this is a big boy… but the triumph is big too. Truth be told, we've never met a JBL Bluetooth speaker we didn't like quite a bit, but this particular model? This is one of the best portable Bluetooth puppies we've ever tested — as our five-star JBL Xtreme 5 review emphasizes — so it's easy to see why the readers picked it.

Best Wireless Speaker

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker

If your budget can stretch to it, there’s just so much to like about the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, and so little to take issue with — and we're happy that you think so too. In our Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review we appreciated the tall, punchy and well-defined spatial audio performance from a winsome and well-made Wi-Fi speaker.

Best Portable Audio Player

Astell & Kern PD5

Astell & Kern's newest 'entry level' hi-res audio player (we put that in quotation marks purely because entry level for A&K may be different for the rest of us…) is a simple and deserved winner here. The hi-res digital audio player specialist knows what it's doing with quality portable music machines.

Best Turntable

Sony PS-LX5BT

This is Sony's joint-newest Bluetooth record player (the slightly pricier of a new duo), and because the PS-LX5BT features Bluetooth transmission via the aptX Adaptive codec, it'll give you better-quality streams if your receiver is up to it. Because of its onboard phono stage, it can also hard-wire to pretty much any system you care to mention — and to top it all off, Sony's made the whole thing automatic where playback is concerned. See our full Sony PS-LX5BT review for the full scoop on why this is the beginner-friendly player to beat — something the readers clearly agreed with.

Best DAC

Astell & Kern AK HC5

In our full-fat review of the HC5, we praised this little hi-res audio DAC for the spacious detail it brought to our portable music game, its classy build and finish and the fact that it really is portable. Essentially, it gives your phone, laptop or even your games console the audio skills of a top-end hi-res music player.

Best Stereo Speakers

Cambridge L/R S

A double win for the colorful little Cambridge speakers! These little beauties also won our readership's Audio Innovation of the Year gong too, and it means Cambridge's gamble with these all-new active speakers (the smallest and most-intriguing in a new three-strong range) has really paid off. As our Cambridge Audio L/R S review and the awards here prove, they're a winner.

Health & Fitness tech

Health and Fitness Device of the Year

Apple Watch Ultra 4

It's always tough to push the Apple Watch Ultra off the top spot, and readers once again voted it to give it the top price, and that's because it's such a comprehensive best-in-class beast of a smartwatch. While it doesn't look much different from last year's design from the front, the Ultra 4's redesigned sensor array means it can record heart rate readings up to 60 times more often as older models, plus it (finally!) gets a Readiness score. It remains the smartwatch to beat for another year at least.

Health & Fitness Brand of the Year

Garmin

Garmin has had a good year. The hugely popular brand went from strength to strength this year, not only delivering another five-star watch with the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro (among other great adventure- and cycling-focused devices), but also delivering the wearable we named the best screenless fitness tracker of 2026 (and there have been quite a few) — the Garmin Cirqa.

Health and Fitness Innovation of the Year

Google Fitbit Air

Despite hot competition (including the Garmin Cirqa), our readers voted the Google Fitbit Air (which came first) the best health tech innovation of 2026. It was quite revolutionary in the fitness tracker field: up until it landed, the screenless space was dominated by the cripplingly expensive Whoop. The Fitbit Air broke this trend and used the power of Google's existing Gemini AI framework to democratize the AI element, delivering it at a lower price, while keeping the basics nice and cheap for under $100 / £90.

Best Smartwatch

Apple Watch Ultra 4

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 hasn't changed a huge amount since last year (or indeed, since its inception), but it's improving on an already-excellent model with increased battery life and a redesigned health-sensing LED array. This new 'Health Sensing System' takes heart rate readings 60x more often during the day, resulting in what Apple says is the most accurate heart rate detection ever on a wearable. Of course, it's also a fantastic smartwatch with a sumptuous screen and useful features.

Best Running Watch

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro

From a technical standpoint, this may be Garmin's finest watch yet, and the one on every serious endurance athlete's Christmas list. The Fenix 9 Pro takes Garmin's excellent Fenix 8 and adds a brighter screen, an all-titanium nano-moulded case, a new green light for improved visibility, better maps, InReach and Solar options, and loads more. We rated it a five-star triumph in our Garmin Fenix 9 Pro review.

Best Fitness Tracker

Garmin Cirqa

Although the Fitbit Air came first, we labelled the Garmin Cirqa as our ideal 'Goldilocks' tracker: cheaper than the Whoop, but more feature-rich than the Fitbit. Garmin's tracker lasts for over a week and features a tactile button to start-stop workouts and alarms, after which you get a haptic notification. This is a terrific way to interact with a screenless device and get assurance your workouts are being tracked, rather than opening up the app to manually start an activity.

Best Smart Ring

Oura Ring 5

Although there were other smart rings released from the likes of RingConn and Circular this year, the Oura won out again this year simply by virtue of its app's powerful smarts. You do need a membership, but Oura is a premium device, and new health insights along with a redesigned, slimmer ring means it's easy to see why the readers voted it as their pick.

Best Electric Toothbrush

Suri Core 1.0

Suri is the toothbrush company that creates simple sonic toothbrushes with sustainable elements, and it's managed to bring the price down a touch with the Suri Core 1.0, becoming more affordable while retaining its Apple-esque, good-looking design ethos. With the magnetic back attachment and simple dual modes, it's unspectacular, but a free brush head recycling program and a slick look go a long way to making it popular.

Best Connected Fitness Tech

Withings BodyScan 2

Withings' top-flight smart scale is this year's best connected tech entry, which offers so much more than just weight. The retractable handle enables the scale to run currents through the whole body, taking heart rate readings and cardiovascular snapshots in addition to all the usual metrics and a new 'vascular age' metric. Its accurate, reliable, and usable by the whole family with multiple profiles.

Home tech

Home Device of the Year

Philips Hue Essential

The Philips Hue Essential series is an affordable entry to smart lighting that doesn’t compromise on quality. Philips Hue Essential bulbs and LED strips are compatible with all devices in the Hue ecosystem, but work equally well on their own, with brightness, color reproduction, and responsiveness that rivals smart lights costing several times the price.

Home Tech Brand of the Year

Philips Hue

It's been an epic year for Philips Hue. At one end of the scale, the brand has made smart lighting more accessible with the budget-friendly Hue Essential series of bulbs and LED strips. At the other end, the new Philips Hue Bridge Pro lets power users connect over 150 lights in a single network and delivers exciting AI features — with lots more on the horizon. Smart lighting has never been so exciting.

Home Tech Innovation of the Year

Philips Hue Essential

If you like the idea of installing smart lights, but have been put off by the price, the Philips Hue Essential series is for you. This innovative collection of smart lights offers all the best features of the Philips Hue system without the hefty price tag, meaning that it's a game-changer for people put off by the price of whole-home smart lighting in the past.

Best Home Light Tech

Philips Hue Essential

Another win for Philips Hue Essential, though this one was inevitable given its other victories here. The Essential light range is affordable and versatile, offering brightness, color, and smart functionality that belies the products' modest price. In side-by-side tests, it’s hard to differentiate between these and their premium counterparts, and they’re fully compatible with automations, scenes, switches and sensors through the Philips Hue app. A perfect entry to smart lighting.

Best Home Security Device

TP-Link Tapo C660

When it comes to home security cameras, the TP-Link Tapo C660 checks off everything on our wishlist: easy installation, extra long battery life topped up with a solar panel, crisp 4K footage, and no subscription necessary to store it all. It’s remarkably affordable too, and if you have a large property, a multi-camera bundle will let you watch over it from all angles. For peace of mind, it's unbeatable.

Best Robot Vacuum

Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai

The ingenious Spot+Scrub Ai is designed to tackle stubborn dried-on stains that other robovacs can’t handle, using artificial intelligence to identify troublesome dirt and then mopping it repeatedly until it’s gone. Its self-cleaning is exceptional too, and overall it’s an excellent choice for little-and-often cleaning that will keep your floors looking immaculate.

Best Vacuum

Dyson V10 Konical Cordless Vacuum and Auto-Empty Dok

A winning pair — the ultra-light and super-maneuverable Dyson V10 Konical funnels hair to the center of the brushroll to prevent it wrapping around the spindle, while the Auto-Empty Dok removes all the hassle and mess of emptying the vacuum’s dust cup. A perfect duo for allergy-sufferers and pet-owners alike.

Best Air Fryer

Ninja Crispi Pro Glass Air Fryer

The Ninja Crispi Pro’s standout features are its clever glass cooking dishes, which let you store, cook, and serve food with no mess or hassle. The air fryer cooks quickly and quietly, whether you’re crisping up a few fries or roasting a whole chicken, and the dishes are a cinch to clean in the dishwasher when you’re done. Air frying should always be this easy.

Best Coffee Machine

Lavazza Assoluta

The Lavazza Assoluta takes the guesswork out of making espresso with a clever system that scans the barcode on your coffee beans, then tweaks the machine’s brew settings accordingly. Its built-in milk frother prepares creamy lattes and macchiatos without the need to master a steam wand, and its drinks menu is fully customizable. Want an extra shot in your cappuccino? No problem!

Best Value Coffee Machine

Philips Baristina

The Philips Baristina makes brewing espresso with fresh beans just as simple as using coffee pods. It handles dosing, grinding and extraction for you, and its ingenious design with a removeable portafilter handle makes it a cinch to clean compared to a typical automatic coffee maker. A perfect entry-level espresso machine — and accessibly priced, too.

Best Fan

Dyson Hot+Cool HF1

This compact fan will serve you well all year round, offering effective cooling during the summer and efficient heating during the colder months. It’s supplied with a remote, but we were most impressed by the Dyson Hot+Cool HF1's mobile app, which made setting timers and schedules a breeze — and even let us pre-heat a room so it was cozy when we arrived home.

Apple’s new iPad mini packs big upgrades into an even smaller design — and I’m loving the results

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 14:54:55 +0000

If you’ve been holding out hope for a new iPad mini, you could say Apple has answered the call. Ahead of its Pro and Tell experience on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 — and precisely two years and three days since it last introduced a mini tablet, the iPad mini 8.3-inch (2024) — Apple has just unveiled the eighth-generation iPad mini, starting at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099.

While rumors had suggested the new mini would get an OLED display, the update packs a bigger punch than that. But central to the refresh is indeed a larger 8.5-inch OLED Super Retina XDR screen. That’s 0.2 inches larger than the previous generation’s Liquid Retina display, made possible by Apple's design team shrinking the bezels by 24% all around while keeping the same overall dimensions.

The Super Retina XDR display is a welcome addition, promising a more immersive view with more vibrant, crisper visuals. And since the iPad mini is often touted as a device to carry around — and is even used in cockpits by pilots — it also gets a brightness boost, now topping out at 1,200 nits, which is a considerable leap over the previous mini's 500 nits. The screen still supports the P3 color gamut and Apple’s True Tone technology, which matches the display’s color temperature to your surroundings.

This new display is, however, still locked to 60Hz, so the iPad Pro remains Apple's only 120Hz-compatible iPad.

Under and around the iPad mini's OLED screen is a new ‘Acoustic Display’ that places custom-designed woofers in the screen for higher peak volume and stronger bass. Tweeters for better high-end audio are also inserted between the aluminum and glass. I’m eager to test this new audio system out, but it’s no doubt an improvement over the previous mini's stereo speakers.

(Image credit: Apple)

Trickling down from the iPad Pro is a Nano-Texture display option. Similar to the screen technology used on the iPhone Duo — and even the iMac, MacBook Pro, and aforementioned iPad Pro — this layer can help block natural and artificial reflections.

I use it daily on a 14-inch MacBook Pro, and with that brightness boost, it'll make the new iPad mini more of a road warrior, even in harsher lighting. You'll need to opt for at least the 256GB model to add Nano Texture, though, and it's a $100 feature, bringing the iPad mini's price from $799 to $899. The tablet still starts at 128GB, which is a tad disappointing.

A big surprise addition is that the new mini's aluminum design adds IP67 water and dust resistance, making it more durable on the go and potentially a better option as a kids' tablet.

The iPad mini is also thinner and lighter than its predecessor, measuring 5.33mm thick and weighing 254g, compared to 6.35mm and 295g, respectively. For those wondering, the iPhone Duo measures the same 5.33mm when unfolded, so the Duo and mini are equal here.

(Image credit: Apple)

Now, if you were hoping for a range of color options, Apple is slimming things down to just two. The new iPad mini comes in Starlight or Midnight, so it’s a fond farewell to Blue, Purple, and Space Gray.

Under the hood, the eighth-generation iPad mini gets a sizable leap to Apple’s 2nm A20 Pro chip, but which chip edition you get depends on your storage configuration.

The 128GB and 256GB models feature a five-core CPU (two super cores and three efficiency cores), a seven-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. The 512GB variant offers a more capable six-core CPU (two super cores and four efficiency cores), the same seven-core GPU, and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine.

If you’re upgrading from an older iPad mini or iPad, you can expect a more noticeable leap in everyday performance, from opening apps and handling daily tasks to exporting files. For those coming from the A17 Pro, Apple promises up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU performance, 4.5x faster AI performance, and 2.7x better graphics performance generation over generation.

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple hasn’t yet confirmed the amount of memory inside the new iPad mini (we may need to wait for reviews or a teardown), but like the latest-generation iPhones, unified memory bandwidth has doubled. All of this should come together to make for an excellent experience on iPadOS 27, with full Siri AI compatibility thrown in for good measure.

And remember, the iPad mini supports the full multitasking experience iPad offers. Compared to the iPhone Duo, you can do more than just split the screen, which makes a big difference.

Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread are all supported here, courtesy of the Apple-made N1 chip. If you opt for a cellular iPad mini, the C2 modem enables cellular connectivity. Apple promises it can deliver up to 50% faster data speeds compared to the previous modem in the seventh-generation iPad mini.

(Image credit: Apple)

Lastly, the 12MP Center Stage camera remains embedded in the now-slimmer bezels around the 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR display. It still sits on the longer side of the iPad mini, like the rest of the lineup, and is joined on the rear by a 12MP camera and Adaptive True Tone flash.

The price you pay

(Image credit: Apple)

Now, Apple has delivered solid updates across the board — a better screen, a new audio system for richer sound, a sizable performance leap, and perhaps the biggest sleeper surprise: IP67 water and dust resistance.

These upgrades do come at a higher price, though: the new iPad mini starts at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099 for Wi-Fi or $849 / £849 / AU$1,349 for Wi-Fi and Cellular. That’s a leap over the previous 7th Gen iPad mini, which started at $499 / £499 / AU$799 at launch, then jumped to $599 / £599 / AU$949 in June this year.

Even so, you get a much better-equipped processor for smooth performance in the near term and the long term, paired with a display that'll be a big jump on its own, no matter what generation you come from.

With audio improvements, a slimmer build, and a Nano-Texture display option, it feels like we're inching closer to an iPad Mini Pro. I also think the dust and water resistance upgrade will be a huge hit with families, and kids generally like the mini's smaller size.

Apple will begin taking orders for the iPad mini on October 28, 2026 — this Wednesday, if you’re counting down the days — at 10:10am PT / 1:10pm ET / 5:10pm GMT, and it will begin shipping on November 6, 2026.

It’s likely that the iPad mini could be joined by a few other devices on that launch date, but for now, it sits between the HomePod mini 2, which arrives on October 30, 2026, and the HomeView or Apple TV 4K, which lands on November 13, 2026.

I can’t wait to get my hands on the new iPad mini and see how it performs, especially compared to the previous generation, and it's small enough to go wherever I go.

As for accessories, it’ll still support the Apple Pencil Pro or the Apple Pencil USB-C, and Apple is shipping a new TechWoven Folio Case in navy blue and taupe. There’s still no official Apple Magic Keyboard, but we’ll no doubt see some third-party options.

I’m keen to know what you think about Apple’s upgrade this time around with the iPad mini, so sound off in the comments below.

Kindle Unlimited rebrand prompts concerns over potential price increases

James Rogerson — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 15:36:26 +0000

Amazon has rebranded Kindle Unlimited as Kindle+
The rebrand also comes with additional audiobooks, though many of these are narrated by AI
The price hasn't changed but some users worry it might go up soon

Kindle Unlimited is no more — instead, you’re now a Kindle+ subscriber, as Amazon has just rebranded its ebook subscription service.

The good news is that the price hasn’t changed, and all the features remain the same too. In fact, you’re actually getting more for your money, because — as reported by ZDNet — there are now significantly more audiobooks included.

The bad news is that many of these new audiobooks are narrated by AI, with Amazon’s Virtual Voice allowing authors to create AI-narrated audio versions of their books at no additional cost.

The Kindle Paperwhite 2024 (Image credit: Future)

A worrying change

Aside from that, this is seemingly the same as Kindle Unlimited, but the name change has made some users wary that a price increase could follow.

Over on Reddit, one user said “I don’t love it. It’s a signal that things will change and it’ll most likely start with the price,” while in another thread about the change, comments included the likes of “wouldn’t be surprised if there is a price rise in the near future,” and “I’m just glad they didn’t Kindle plus on the price. I was scanning that email and just waiting for them to say there was a price increase. Or is this a soft launch on that later?”

Certainly, there’s reason to worry, especially with Amazon now being able to argue that you’re getting more with the subscription (even if much of that extra is AI-generated).

This could also potentially pave the way for tiered pricing — after all, ‘Kindle+’ sounds like a less complete service than ‘Kindle Unlimited’ before it, so maybe a pricier additional tier will be rolled out at some point.

But on the other hand, Amazon might simply have wanted to get away from the arguably confusing ‘Unlimited’ name, since there were in fact limits to what books were available and how many you could access at once. So it remains to be seen whether this is a simple rebrand or something more insidious.

Should I buy a Kindle Scribe or a Kindle Scribe Colorsoft? Here's what you need to know

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Kindles aren't just for reading — Amazon also makes a couple of Kindles that you can scribble notes on. The Kindle Scribe and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft both have a generous, glare-free e-ink screen you can use for reading or writing; they're billed as streamlined, minimalist productivity tools that help you stay focused.

We've been impressed with both e-readers — the Kindle Scribe holds a coveted spot in our best e-readers ranking. However, there are some compromises involved in choosing one of these models rather than a reading-only option. If you're not sure which one to buy, or whether a different Kindle altogether might fit your needs more closely, you're in the right place.

In this guide, I'll provide a handy overview of the Kindle Scribe and Scribe Colorsoft, including how the specs match up and any major downsides for each model, as well as how they compare to the wider Kindle lineup. I'll also round up the different iterations so you can see your options and what they cost. Let's get started...

Kindle Scribe — Overview

The Kindle Scribe is Amazon's black-and-white e-reader with writing support included. We're on our third generation, released in the US in late 2025 and in other territories in early 2026. We awarded it an impressive 4.5 stars in our Kindle Scribe (2025) review.

Probably because it had already had a relatively recent update, the Kindle Scribe wasn't included in the big refresh the rest of the range enjoyed in October 2026 (we now have a classic Kindle 2026, a Kindle Paperwhite 2026 and a Kindle Colorsoft 2026).

The Scribe is basically a Kindle, except that if you want to take notes, you can grab the stylus and scribble down your thoughts. That's probably simplifying it a bit too much — there are a number of writing features to explore, including an adjustable-size Quick Notes pad, various workspace templates, AI-powered handwriting conversion and summary creation tools, and the ability to add notes onto a book (with text wrapping around it) or in a margin column. The newest version also includes Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive connectivity.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

The Kindle Scribe is not just a Kindle Paperwhite with writing functionality, though — it diverges in both design and specs from the reading-only models. For a start, it's much bigger. The screen is 11 inches diagonally, while reading Kindles have a 6-inch or 7-inch screen. It's also heavier, clocking in at around double the weight of the Paperwhite and Colorsoft models (with 7-inch screens). Like the cheapest base model, it isn't waterproof, so it's not good for reading or note-taking in the bath.

In reading mode, the battery life is among the longest on any Kindle, but switch to note-taking, and it drops considerably. Amazon estimates around 3 weeks of writing before you'll need to recharge — still a lot longer than your average tablet, mind you. You can choose from different storage capacities, but keep in mind that all the writing features eat up quite a bit of space.

In some territories, you can choose between a model with a frontlight and one without. If you want to read or write in any lighting conditions, you'll need to stump up for the frontlight version. Assuming you have, you'll be able to choose from a range of color temperatures (from blue-toned to yellow-toned) and there's a sensor that'll adjust brightness automatically depending on your surroundings.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft — Overview

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is essentially a Kindle Scribe, but with color display support. Most of what I've described in the previous section is also relevant here: there's an 11-inch screen (although the overall proportions are slightly different), no waterproofing, a range of storage capacities, and warm or cool backlighting options (you can't opt out of a backlight here).

Due to the color screen, the battery life has taken a further hit: you can expect around eight weeks of reading or two weeks of writing per charge.

Future/Rami Tabari

This is the first-generation model, and it launched at the end of 2025. We awarded it four stars in our Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review, but there are some caveats to be aware of if you're thinking of buying one.

First, you can't use the writing and color capabilities in tandem — so you couldn't take notes on a graphic novel, for instance. Our resident e-reader expert believes that color e-ink just isn't quite there yet, which could be a deal-breaker if you're buying it specifically to enjoy graphic novels.

At this price (high), an iPad or Android tablet is a viable alternative and could deliver better value for money if you're seeking an all-round productivity tool with a colorful screen.

US: Kindle Scribe range

⬇️ Hop down to the UK Kindle Scribe range

Kindle

Scribe (16GB, no front light), Graphite

Amazon

Scribe (32GB, with front light), Graphite

Kindle

Scribe (64GB, with front light), Graphite

Kindle

Scribe Colorsoft (32GB), Graphite

Kindle

Scribe Colorsoft (64GB), Fig

Kindle

Scribe Colorsoft (64GB), Graphite

UK: Kindle Scribe range

⬆️ Hop back to the US Kindle Scribe range

Amazon

Kindle Scribe (32GB)

Kindle

Scribe (64GB)

Kindle

Scribe Colorsoft (32GB) — Graphite

Kindle

Scribe Colorsoft (64GB) — Graphite

Kindle

Scribe Colorsoft (64GB) — Fig

Kindle Scribe vs Scribe Colorsoft: specs

Model:	Kindle Scribe	Kindle Scribe Colorsoft
Current gen:	3rd gen (2025)	1st gen (2026)
Size (W x L x D):	196 x 230 x 5.7mm	189 x 245 x 5.4mm
Weight:	433g	400g
Display:	11-inch glare-free	11-inch glare-free with color display
Resolution:	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)
Storage:	16, 32 or 64GB	32 or 64GB
Battery life:	12 weeks reading / 3 weeks writing	8 weeks reading / 2 weeks writing
Warm light option:	Yes	Yes
Auto brightness adjustment:	Yes	Yes
Waterproof (IPX8):	No	No
Writing capability:	Yes	Yes
Read our review:	Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) review	Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review

How does it compare to the rest of the lineup?

It might be that neither of the Scribe models will be a good fit for your needs. Here's how the two writing options compare to the rest of the Kindle lineup.

Model:	Kindle (2026)	Kindle Aluminum (2026)	Paperwhite (2026)	Paperwhite Signature (2026)	Colorsoft (2026)	Colorsoft Signature (2026)	Kindle Scribe (2025)	Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (2026)
Display:	6-inch glare-free	6-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	11-inch glare-free	11-inch glare-free with color display
Size (W x L x D):	108 x 152.8 x 6.85mm	108 x 152.8 x 6.9 mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	196 x 230 x 5.7mm	189 x 245 x 5.4mm
Weight:	140g	162g	204g	229g	204g	229g	433g	400g
Resolution:	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)
Storage:	16GB	32GB	16GB	32GB	16GB	32GB	16, 32 or 64GB	32 or 64GB
Battery life:	6 weeks	6 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	8 weeks	8 weeks	12 weeks reading / 3 weeks writing	8 weeks reading / 2 weeks writing
Warm light option:	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto brightness adjustment:	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Waterproof (IPX8):	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Writing capability:	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes

Is the new-look Kindle Colorsoft 2026 worth buying? Here's what you need to know

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

The Kindle Colorsoft is Amazon's cheapest color e-reader, and it just got a 2026 update. The new version is thinner and lighter than its predecessor, the Kindle Colorsoft (2024), and features an edge-to-edge 7-inch color display. It's pricier than the black-and-white Kindle Paperwhite, and the color display shortens battery life, but these compromises are worth it for fans of graphic novels and manga.

If you're wondering if a Kindle Colorsoft is the best e-reader for you, you're in the right place. In this article, I'll cover all the key info worth knowing, including what's changed compared to the 2024 version, how the regular and Signature editions differ, and the key pros and cons of this specific e-reader. I've also rounded up all available versions and their current pricing, so you can easily browse your options. Let's go...

Kindle Colorsoft — overview

The Kindle Colorsoft is essentially the same as the Paperwhite, except it can also display color. The display is 300 ppi for black and white and 150 ppi for color, the same as basically every other e-reader. It comes with a 7-inch display, waterproofing to IPX8, and the option of cool- or warm-toned backlighting.

As with the Paperwhite, you can choose between a regular or Signature version. The latter has double the storage (32GB) — it's worth prioritizing this if you want to read a lot of graphic novels, as the files will be significantly bigger than standard books. It also boasts a more premium aluminum back, automatic backlight adjustment and wireless charging. It is heavier than the regular version, though.

There's also a Kids version. This one is hooked up to a Parent Dashboard, from which the parent can do things like view reading progress, adjust age filters, set a device bedtime, and add books from their own account. The price includes a 12-month subscription to Amazon Kids+, which provides unlimited access to a library of thousands of books for children aged 3-12.

2024 vs 2026 Kindle Colorsoft: what's new?

All the 2026 Colorsofts are thinner and lighter than their 2024 counterparts. The display has been tweaked to offer 'edge-to-edge color,' and the power button has been shifted to a more convenient spot on the upper right edge, where it's much less likely to be accidentally triggered. The adult versions now come in a new 'Fig' colorway, and the Kids model has new cover options. Here's how all the main specs compare.

Model:	Colorsoft (2024)	Colorsoft (2026)	Colorsoft Signature (2024)	Colorsoft Signature (2026)
Size (W x L x D):	127.6 x 176.7 x 7.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	127.6 x 176.7 x 7.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm
Weight:	211g	204g	219g	229g
Display:	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	7-inch glare-free w/ color display
Resolution:	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)
Storage:	16GB	16GB	32GB	32GB
Battery life:	8 weeks	8 weeks	8 weeks	8 weeks
Warm light option:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto brightness adjustment:	No	No	Yes	Yes
Waterproof (IPX8):	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Writing capability:	No	No	No	No

Most of the 2024 Kindle Colorsoft range is still available, but if you were thinking of picking up the older model to save a bit of cash, I have bad news.

Not only are the 2024 models no cheaper than their 2026 equivalents, but Amazon has actually bumped up the older models' prices to match the new range's higher list price. Right now, there's no real reason to pick a 2024 model over a 2026 model.

Lance Ulanoff / Future

US: Kindle Colorsoft range

2026 models

⬇️ Hop down to the UK Colorsoft options

Kindle

Colorsoft 16GB (2026) — Graphite

Kindle

Colorsoft Signature 32GB (2026) — Graphite

Kindle

Colorsoft Signature 32GB (2026) — Fig

Kindle

Colorsoft Kids 16GB (2026) — Enchanted Woods

Amazon

Colorsoft Kids 16GB (2026) — Desert Dash Cover

2024 models

Amazon

Colorsoft 16GB (2024, no ads) — Black

Kindle

Colorsoft Signature 32GB (2024) — Metallic Black

Kindle

Colorsoft Kids 16GB (2024) — Fantasy River

Kidnle

Colorsoft Kids 16GB (2024) — Starlight Reading

UK: Kindle Colorsoft range

2026 models

⬆️ Hop back to the US Colorsoft options

Kindle

Colorsoft 16GB (2026) — Graphite

Kindle

Colorsoft Signature 32GB (2026) — Graphite

Kindle

Colorsoft Signature 32GB (2026) — Fig

2024 models

Kindle

Colorsoft 16GB (2024) — Black

Kindle

Colorsoft Signature 32GB (2024) — Metallic Black

Who should buy a Kindle Colorsoft?

Buy a Kindle Colorsoft if...

✅ You read a lot of graphic novels: For graphic novels or books with lots of images, you really need a color screen. The standard version will hold about 30-50 graphic novels (depending on size), while the Signature version will store 60-100, so it's probably worth stumping up for the latter.

✅ You want color highlights: You can color-code your highlighted text on Colorsoft Kindles, which is useful, for example, if you're studying and want to be able to link themes in your reading material.

Don't buy a Kindle Colorsoft if...

❌ You're just reading text-based books: The Colorsoft is basically the color version of a Paperwhite — aside from the color capabilities and resulting shorter battery life, the design and specs are the same. If you're just reading text-based books, you could save yourself a bit of cash and enjoy longer runtimes by opting for the black-and-white Paperwhite.

❌ You want to use your Kindle for note-taking: The Colorsoft doesn't have stylus support. If you want to be able to scribble down notes on your e-reader, you'll need to opt for one of the larger, pricier Scribe models. If you opt for the regular Kindle Scribe, you won't have a color screen, and if you opt for a Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, note that you won't be able to take notes on graphic novels.

Specs compared

Wondering how the Colorsoft compares to the wider Kindle range? Here are the key specs for the full lineup (newest models only)...

Model:	Kindle (2026)	Paperwhite (2026)	Paperwhite Signature (2026)	Colorsoft (2026)	Colorsoft Signature (2026)	Kindle Scribe (2024)	Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (2026)
Display:	6-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	11-inch glare-free	11-inch glare-free with color display
Size (W x L x D):	108 x 152.8 x 6.85mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	196 x 230 x 5.7mm	189 x 245 x 5.4mm
Weight:	140g	204g	229g	204g	229g	433g	400g
Resolution:	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)
Storage:	16GB	16GB	32GB	16GB	32GB	16, 32 or 64GB	32 or 64GB
Battery life:	6 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	8 weeks	8 weeks	12 weeks reading / 3 weeks writing	8 weeks reading / 2 weeks writing
Warm light option:	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto brightness adjustment:	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Waterproof (IPX8):	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Writing capability:	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes

Apple promises to ‘Pro and Tell’ on October 28, and a touchscreen MacBook Pro could finally arrive

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:03:08 +0000

Apple tells us it will 'Pro and Tell' on October 28
The touchscreen MacBook Pro, an iMac with M6, and an iPad mini with an OLED screen are likely incoming
It comes in the middle of an incredibly busy product cycle for Apple

Apple’s on a roll! Just eight days after dropping the HomeView, HomePod mini 2, and Apple TV 4K, and four days before the iPhone Duo starts shipping, the Cupertino-based technology giant is teasing more.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Apple’s SVP of Marketing, Greg Joswiak, writes, “Can’t wait to pro and tell next week,” alongside an Apple logo being drawn. The same graphic was also posted to @HelloApple on Instagram with the caption, “About next week…” The latter gives us the timing and leaves us marking our calendars for a reveal similar to Apple’s recent home product launches. However, Joswiak’s post teases something Pro that could be on the horizon.

Alongside the teasers, Apple has also sent media invites for an experience in LA on October 28, 2026. That’s the same wording the company used to describe its ‘Welcome Home’ event, so I’d suspect there won’t be a formal keynote, but there will be plenty of hands-on time.

The teaser depicts the Apple logo being drawn using an array of colors, mostly silver, white, and blue, with small, vibrant pops of red, orange, and yellow. To me, it looks as though a finger could be drawing the logo, given the overall shape, or perhaps a brush of some sort is being used to create it.

Either way, it points to the likely arrival of new Macs or iPads. Remember, like most of Apple’s products, these devices feature an Apple logo on the back.

Can’t wait to pro and tell next week. https://t.co/3wUkxwq35iOctober 19, 2026

There’s been no shortage of rumors, and it’s likely that Apple will drop a significant update to the MacBook Pro family next week, finally delivering a touchscreen laptop.

That’s something the company has been pretty firm about ruling out, but it seems to have turned a corner if recent reports are to be believed. Both the new 14-inch and 16-inch models are expected to pair the first touchscreen on a Mac with an OLED display, delivering the same vibrant, rich viewing experience as an OLED iPhone or iPad Pro, all within a redesigned, slimmer notebook.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Under the hood, these flagship MacBooks will likely get Apple’s best chips, whether that’s the M6 or the M5 Ultra, which premiered with the Mac mini and Mac Studio in August 2026.

Recent reports also hint that the M6 could be coming to the iMac, which is due for an upgrade after launching with the M4 in 2024. A new entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro could also arrive with a design similar to the current generation, likely featuring the M6 chip instead of the M5 for better performance across the board, particularly for AI tasks.

Alongside the Mac, the iPad could also be in the mix, potentially hinted at by the vibrant colors and what appears to be a finer, brush-drawn Apple logo. Coming shortly after the iPhone Duo starts shipping, a major iPad mini upgrade is also rumored. It could carry a considerably higher price — a reminder that the current model starts at $699 / £699 / AU$949 — and add a ProMotion OLED display, a redesigned body, and a more capable chip under the hood.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

I’ve been wishing for a redesigned iPad mini with Magic Keyboard support and a better screen for a while, so this would be music to my ears, and likely to many others’ too. The iPad lineup is still in pretty good shape, with the Air and Pro models already receiving updates with better processors earlier this year. Besides the iPad mini, the only other model likely due for an upgrade is the entry-level iPad, but it’s unclear whether it will be updated next week.

Either way, we only have a few more days to wait to see what Apple has been working on. After all, the company has promised to ‘Pro and Tell.’ Let me know what you’re most excited about in the comments below.

E Ink announces Kaleido 4 with improved color and brightness for ereaders

James Rogerson — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:41:53 +0000

E Ink has announced the next generation of its color ereader screens
Dubbed Kaleido 4, this technology promises improved clarity, less graininess, and double the colors
So far, it's only been announced for a single ereader, but it's sure to come to others

Hot take: I don’t think color ereaders are very good in general. The colors themselves are muted, and typically — such as with E Ink’s Kaleido 3 tech — they make the screen darker and grainier even when just viewing text. They generally cost a premium, too. As such, I’d always pick a black-and-white ereader for standard books, and a tablet (or actual paper) for anything heavy on color.

But E Ink might soon win me over to color ereaders, as it just announced a new Kaleido 4 display that it claims is brighter than Kaleido 3 and delivers “greater clarity, while reducing the perception of screen graininess.”

If that's true, normal text might actually look up to the standards it does on black-and-white e-readers.

An E Ink Kaleido 4 display (Image credit: E Ink)

Double the colors

Of course, the color element has also been improved here, with E Ink claiming its Kaleido 4 display can produce over 40,000 colors, which is double what the previous generation can manage.

It also has a higher refresh rate, increases white reflectance by 15%, and improves contrast by 50%, while videos can be played at 18fps — though I’d question why anyone would regularly be watching videos on an E Ink screen.

Still, this sounds like a comprehensive upgrade, and one that might make the next generation of Kindle Colorsoft and other color ereaders substantially better. Though since a new Kindle Colorsoft model has only just launched, it might be a while before we see this tech used by Amazon’s ereaders.

For now, Kaleido 4 is only available on Hanvon Technology's M10 C II — a China-only E Ink tablet. But hopefully, some global brands such as Kobo, Boox, and ViWoods will embrace this tech soon.

The Kindle Paperwhite has been refreshed for 2026 — is it still a good buy?

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000

The Paperwhite sits in the middle of Amazon's Kindle e-reader range, and it's one of the many models to have have been blessed with a 2026 upgrade. This is the Kindle I'd probably recommend to most people. For me, it's worth the extra spend compared to the classic, 6-inch Kindle, thanks to upgrades like a larger screen, waterproofing, and the option to change the color temperature on the backlight. Pricier models offer more advanced features, but they're more niche and won't be necessary for many readers.

If you're thinking of buying a Kindle Paperwhite, you've come to the right place. Below, you'll find everything you need to know to figure out if this is the best e-reader for you. I'll cover exactly what's been upgraded from the the previous, 2024 version, and where the strengths and weaknesses are compared to the other options in the Kindle lineup. I'll also round up all the different iterations of the Paperwhite, so you can browse your options and see their current prices. Let's get started...

Kindle Paperwhite — overview

The model up from the classic Kindle is the Kindle Paperwhite. It's still a black-and-white Kindle, but it has a larger screen (7-inches diagonally), and offers several features that are absent from the base model, namely IPX8 waterproofing — which is enough to survive in 2 meters of fresh water for 60 minutes — and the option to switch between warm or cool backlight options. A warm backlight might be a more soothing option if you regularly read on your Kindle when trying to wind down to sleep at night. You can choose between versions with or without homepage adverts.

In the US lineup there are also Signature versions. One major difference between the regular Paperwhite and the Paperwhite Signature is that the latter has double the storage space: 32GB compared to 16GB. For the average reader, this isn't going to be terribly relevant: 16GB of storage equates to around 6,000 books, which is plenty. Graphic novels eat up significantly more space, but if that's your priority, I'd recommend a Colorsoft (which has a color display) rather than a Paperwhite anyway.

The Signature versions also have sensors that enable them to automatically adjust backlight brightness depending on their environment. Brightness is adjustable on the standard Paperwhite, but you'll have to bump it up or down manually. They also offer wireless charging. The Signature Paperwhite is a little heavier than the standard version.

2024 vs 2026 Kindle Paperwhite: what's new?

Compared to the 2024 Paperwhite, the new-gen version is thinner (6.8mm vs 7.8mm) and lighter (204g vs 211g). The power button has also been shifted to the top right, rather than the base, where it was all-too-easy to accidentally press. Here's how all the key specs compare, on both the Signature and standard versions.

Model:	Paperwhite (2024)	Paperwhite (2026)	Paperwhite Signature (2024)	Paperwhite Signature (2026)
Size (W x L x D):	127.5 x 176.7 x 7.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	127.6 x 176.7 x 7.8 mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm
Weight:	211g	204g	214g	229g
Display:	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free
Resolution:	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi
Storage:	16GB	16GB	32GB	32GB
Battery life:	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks
Warm light option:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto brightness adjustment:	No	No	Yes	Yes
Waterproof (IPX8):	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Writing capability:	No	No	No	No

There's also a new colorway: Seaglass Green. It's only available on the Signature models — the standard Paperwhite Kindles are only available in graphite. You can take a look at the new model, from all angles, in the gallery below.

Lance Ulanoff / Future

There are a number of 2024 Paperwhite e-readers still available to buy. If you were hoping to pick one up at a discounted price, you'll be sorely disappointed — they're exactly the same price as their 2026 equivalents.

In fact, Amazon bumped up the pricing on its 2024 lineup around the same time it released the new range, so you'll actually be paying more for most of the 2024 model than you would have done a few months ago. There's no real reason to pick a 2024 model, unless you're in the US and particularly like one of the previous colorways.

US: Kindle Paperwhite range

2026 models

⬇️ Hop down to the UK Paperwhite options

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2026, with ads) — graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2026, without ads) — graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite Signature (32GB, 2026) — Graphite

Amazon

Paperwhite Signature (32GB, 2026) — Seaglass Green

2024 models

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, with ads) — black

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, with ads) – Jade

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, with ads) — Raspberry

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, without ads) — black

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, without ads) – Jade

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, without ads) — Raspberry

Kindle

Paperwhite Signature 32GB (2024) – graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite Signature 32GB (2024) – Jade

Kindle

Paperwhite Signature 32GB (2024) — Raspberry

UK: Kindle Paperwhite range

2026 models

⬆️ Hop back to the US Paperwhite options

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2026, with ads) — graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2026, no ads) — graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite Signature (32GB, 2026, no ads) — Graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite Signature (32GB, 2026, no ads) — Seaglass Green

2024 models

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, with ads) — black

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, no ads) — black

Who should buy a Kindle Paperwhite?

Buy a Kindle Paperwhite if...

✅ You just want to read text-based novels: There's no color option here, but if you're just reading text, it's not really needed.

✅ You'd like a decent-sized screen: One big reason to upgrade from the classic Kindle is for the extra screen real estate — the Paperwhite is 7-inches diagonally, compared to 6 inches on the base model.

✅ You want to read in the tub or by the pool: Another notable upgrade over the base model is IPX8 waterproofing — the Paperwhite can survive a good dunk in the bathtub.

✅ You like to read before bed: You can set the backlight on a Paperwhite to a warm-toned white, which might be more conducive to winding down for sleep — on the classic Kindle, you're stuck with cool-toned white. Opt for a Signature Paperwhite and the display will also dim or brighten automatically.

Don't buy a Kindle Paperwhite if...

❌ You want to read graphic novels: For graphic novels, it's well worth upgrading to the Colorsoft version, which is essentially a Paperwhite but with color capabilities.

❌ You'd like to be able to note-take: For note-taking, you'll need a Scribe model — the standard Kindle Scribe is the most logical alternative to the Paperwhite.

❌ You want the smallest, lightest Kindle: The classic Kindle is the most compact, lightweight model in the lineup.

Specs compared

Curious about how the Paperwhite compares to the rest of the Kindle lineup? Here are all the key specs to consider (newest version of each model only):

Model:	Kindle (2026)	Paperwhite (2026)	Paperwhite Signature (2026)	Colorsoft (2026)	Colorsoft Signature (2026)	Kindle Scribe (2024)	Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (2026)
Display:	6-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	11-inch glare-free	11-inch glare-free with color display
Size (W x L x D):	108 x 152.8 x 6.85mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	196 x 230 x 5.7mm	189 x 245 x 5.4mm
Weight:	140g	204g	229g	204g	229g	433g	400g
Resolution:	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)
Storage:	16GB	16GB	32GB	16GB	32GB	16, 32 or 64GB	32 or 64GB
Battery life:	6 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	8 weeks	8 weeks	12 weeks reading / 3 weeks writing	8 weeks reading / 2 weeks writing
Warm light option:	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto brightness adjustment:	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Waterproof (IPX8):	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Writing capability:	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes

The 6-inch Kindle has had a 2026 upgrade — but is it still a good buy?

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Amazon recently refreshed nearly its entire Kindle lineup, including the 6-inch base model, last upgraded in 2024. If you're in the market for a new Kindle, this might be the one you're drawn to—perhaps because it's the cheapest of the bunch, or for its snazzy new colorways.

This article is here to fill you in on everything you need to know about the classic 6-inch Kindle, so you can make sure it's the right choice for your needs. I'll dig into its features and what it lacks, plus what the 2026 update adds over the 2024 version. I'll also round up all the different models (and their current prices) so you can see all your options in one place.

Before we get started, a quick reminder that Kindle is not the only e-reader around — head to our general best e-reader ranking if you're curious about what other brands are worth considering.

Classic Kindle — overview

Confusingly, the most basic Kindle model is simply called the Kindle. Here, I'll call it the classic Kindle, but that doesn't mean it's an older model — this Kindle has had several upgrades, and a 2026 version exists. It's the only Kindle with a 6-inch screen (measured diagonally, as is standard); the others are 7 inches or larger. For this reason, you'll sometimes see it referred to as the 6-inch Kindle. It's the smallest and lightest of the whole lineup.

The screen has a glare-free finish, the display is black-and-white, it's not waterproof, and it doesn't support writing features. By default, ads will display on the lock screen, but there are some 'no ads' versions available for a slightly higher price. New for 2026 is an aluminum version, with double the storage of the standard model (I'll cover this properly in the following section).

The level up is either the Kindle Paperwhite (black and white) or the Kindle Colorsoft (color). Both have that larger screen, alongside more advanced specs than the classic Kindle.

Lance Ulanoff / Future

Alongside the regular Kindle, Amazon also has a Kids version. The hardware is the same as the adult version, but the parent has access to a dashboard that enables them to keep an eye on their child's reading habits and set schedules. A year's subscription to Amazon Kids+ is included, with unlimited access to thousands of children's titles aimed at ages 3-12. This bundle also includes a protective case in a range of fun designs.

2024 vs 2026 Kindle: what's new?

Amazon has introduced a number of small but welcome upgrades with the 2026 classic Kindle. Compared to its 2024 predecessor, it's thinner, lighter, and more responsive (30% faster, according to Amazon).

There are some new colorways in the lineup, and Amazon has moved the power button from its awkward position on the bottom of the Kindle to the upper right side. Here, it's much less easy to press by accident, and it's an upgrade TechRadar's Lance is especially pleased about.

There is also now an aluminum version. As well as having a more premium build quality, this version has double the storage of the standard classic Kindle (32GB compared to 16GB). Understandably, it's heavier than the standard version, but I'm pleased to see it's almost as thin. You can see how all the main specs compare in the table below.

Model:	Kindle (2024)	Kindle (2026)	Kindle Aluminum (2026)
Size (W x L x D):	108.6 x 157.8 x 8mm	108 x 152.8 x 6.85mm	108 x 152.8 x 6.9 mm
Weight:	158g	140g	162g
Display:	6-inch glare-free	6-inch glare-free	6-inch glare-free
Resolution:	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi
Storage:	16GB	16GB	32GB
Battery life:	6 weeks	6 weeks	6 weeks
Warm light option:	No	No	No
Auto brightness adjustment:	No	No	No
Waterproof (IPX8):	No	No	No
Writing capability:	No	No	No

At the time of writing, there are a number of 2024 models still available to buy. You might expect these to be cheaper, since Amazon is trying to clear its old stock. Alas, that is not the case.

In fact, quite the opposite: Amazon has bumped up the prices on its 2024 range to match the 2026 options. The equivalent models now cost the same, so there's little reason to choose a 2024 classic Kindle over the 2026 version.

US: Classic Kindle range

2026 models

⬇️ Hop down to the UK classic Kindle options

Kindle

16GB (2026, with ads) — Ube

Kindle

16GB (2026, without ads) — Ube

Kindle

16GB (2026, with ads) — Graphite

Kindle

16GB (2026, without ads) — Graphite

Kindle

32GB (2026, without ads) — Alpine Sky, Aluminium

Kindle

32GB (2026, without ads) — Seaglass Green, Aluminium

Kindle

Kids (16GB, 2026)

2024 models

Kindle

16GB (2024, with ads) — black

Kindle

16GB (2024, without ads) — black

Kindle

16GB (2024, with ads) — Matcha

Kindle

16GB (2024, without ads) — Matcha

Kindle

Kids (16GB, 2024)

UK: Classic Kindle range

2026 models

⬆️ Hop back to the US classic Kindle options

Kindle

16GB (2026, with ads) — Ube

Kindle

16GB (2026, without ads) — Ube

Kindle

16GB (2026, with ads) — Graphite

Kindle

16GB (2026, without ads) — Graphite

Kindle

32GB (2026, without ads) — Alpine Sky, Aluminium

Kindle

32GB (2026, without ads) — Seaglass Green, Aluminium

Kindle

Kids (16GB, 2026)

2024 models

Kindle

16GB (2024, with ads) — black

Kindle

16GB (2024, without ads) — black

Kindle

16GB (2024, with ads) — Matcha

Kindle

16GB (2024, without ads) — Matcha

Kindle

Kids (16GB, 2024)

Who should buy a classic Kindle?

Buy a classic Kindle if...

✅ You want the cheapest Kindle: This is the most basic Kindle, and as such, it comes with the smallest price tag. If you fancy levelling up, the next model by price is the Kindle Paperwhite.

✅ You want the most compact option: With its 6-inch screen, the basic Kindle is the smallest and lightest option in the range. All other Kindles have a 7-inch screen or larger.

✅ You'd like a fun colorway: The base model is available in the widest range of colorways — in fact, most of the other Kindles are only made in black or grey.

Don't buy a classic Kindle if...

❌ You want a warm-toned light option: The backlight here is a blue-toned cool white, whereas all other Kindles offer a warm, yellow-toned backlight option. The latter might be more conducive to winding down when reading before bedtime.

❌ You want to read in the bath: The classic Kindle is the only model (aside from the Scribe options) that is not waterproof to IPX8.

❌ You want to read graphic novels: The classic Kindle doesn't support color reading, the screen is the smallest of the lineup, and there's no 32GB option — all of which mean it's not a great choice for graphic novel fans. Check out the Kindle Colorsoft Signature instead.

❌ You want to be able to make notes: For note-taking capabilities, you need one of the Kindle Scribe models.

Specs compared

Wondering if one of the pricier Kindles might suit you better? Here's a rundown of the key specs across the full lineup (newest generations only):

Model:	Kindle (2026)	Kindle Aluminum (2026)	Paperwhite (2026)	Paperwhite Signature (2026)	Colorsoft (2026)	Colorsoft Signature (2026)	Kindle Scribe (2024)	Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (2026)
Display:	6-inch glare-free	108 x 152.8 x 6.9 mm	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	11-inch glare-free	11-inch glare-free with color display
Size (W x L x D):	108 x 152.8 x 6.85mm	162g	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	126.8 x 174.7 x 6.8mm	196 x 230 x 5.7mm	189 x 245 x 5.4mm
Weight:	140g	6-inch glare-free	204g	229g	204g	229g	433g	400g
Resolution:	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)
Storage:	16GB	32GB	16GB	32GB	16GB	32GB	16, 32 or 64GB	32 or 64GB
Battery life:	6 weeks	6 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	8 weeks	8 weeks	12 weeks reading / 3 weeks writing	8 weeks reading / 2 weeks writing
Warm light option:	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto brightness adjustment:	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Waterproof (IPX8):	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Writing capability:	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes

Which mini Xteink ereader should you buy? I've compared its 4 models

James Rogerson — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000

The Xteink S4 might be the tiny ereader you’ve been waiting for, as unlike other Xteink devices — and rival products like the Boox Picco — this runs Android.

That comes with various upsides, not least the ability to directly access the Kindle and Kobo apps, the absence of which is something I’ve been lamenting about my Xteink X4 Pro, but it also has some downsides.

So should you wait for this currently China-only ereader to get a global release? Or are you better off sticking with the Xteink X4 Classic, the X4 Pro or the even tinier X3? I’ve compared these devices below, to help answer that question.

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: specs comparison

Below you’ll find a closer look at the key features of every available Xteink model, but first here’s how their core specs compare:

	Xteink S4	Xteink X4 Pro	Xteink X4 Classic	Xteink X3
Dimensions:	6.98mm thick	111 x 69 x 5.95mm	114 x 69 x 4.9mm	97.6 x 63.7 x 5.1mm
Weight:	94g	72g	68g	58g
Display:	4.3-inch, 219ppi	4.3-inch, 219ppi	4.3-inch, 219ppi	3.7-inch, 259ppi
Touchscreen:	Yes	Yes	No	No
Front light:	Yes	Yes	No	No
Storage:	32GB built in	microSD - 16GB included	microSD - 16GB included	microSD - 16GB included
Battery:	1,400mAh	1,100mAh	920mAh	650mAh
Charging:	USB-C	Proprietary	Proprietary	Proprietary
Operating system:	Android 11	Proprietary	Proprietary	Proprietary
Magnets:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: price and availability

The Xteink S4 (Image credit: Xteink)

The Xteink X4 Classic, X4 Pro, and X3 are all available directly from Xteink and from some third-party stores like Amazon. They ship to much of the world, and the cheapest is the Xteink X3, which costs $69 / £69 / AU$102.

Then there’s the Xteink X4 Classic for $79 / £79 / AU$116, while the Xteink X4 Pro will cost you $99 / £99 / AU$146.

The Xteink S4 is so far only available in China, but I’d expect it will cost at least as much as the X4 Pro, if not more.

Pricing
Model	US price	UK price	AU price
Xteink X3	$69	£69	AU$102
Xteink X4 Classic	$79	£79	AU$116
Xteink X4 Pro	$99	£99	AU$146
Xteink S4	TBC	TBC	TBC

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: design

The Xteink X3 (Image credit: Xteink)

All of these devices look similar to each other, as they’re all small rectangles and look a bit like a tiny phone — albeit with larger bezels than most modern smartphones.

They all have buttons and charging ports on the sides, but the Xteink X3 and Xteink X4 Classic each also have two long, narrow buttons on the bezel below the display, while the Xteink X4 Pro and Xteink S4 instead have a single circular button, like a much smaller version of the home button on very old iPhones.

The Xteink X4 Classic and X3 are both available in a choice of Space Black or Mist Gray (the latter of which is sometimes referred to as ‘Frost White’ instead), while the X4 Pro is currently only sold in Space Black, but pictures of it exist in a gray shade too, so that will probably launch sooner or later. In China, the Xteink S4 is available in black and white shades, and it’s likely the color options will be the same when it goes global.

So there’s not much difference there either — the main design difference is in their weight and dimensions. The Xteink X3 is the smallest and lightest of the bunch at 97.6 x 63.7 x 5.1mm and 58g. Then there’s the Xteink X4 Classic at 114 x 69 x 4.9mm and 68g — making it slightly slimmer but otherwise larger.

The Xteink X4 Pro is 111 x 69 x 5.95mm and 72g, so it’s not quite as tall as the X4 Classic but is thicker and heavier than both that and the X3. And then there’s the Xteink S4, which we don’t have full dimensions for yet, but which we know is 6.98mm thick and 95g, making it the thickest and heaviest of them all.

All of these devices have built in magnets though, allowing you to attach them to the back of a phone — though they’re quite vulnerable like that, so you might prefer to put them in a case anyway.

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: display

The Xteink X4 Classic (Image credit: Xteink)

The Xteink S4, X4 Classic, and X4 Pro all have a 4.3-inch screen with 219 pixels per inch, while the Xteink X3 has a smaller 3.7-inch screen with 259 pixels per inch.

So you’re getting a slightly crisper display on the X3, which could make all the difference as personally my X4 Pro isn’t quite as sharp as I’d like — especially when you compare it side-by-side with other devices like the ViWoods AiPaper Reader with its 300ppi display.

On the other hand, you’re also getting a truly tiny screen if you choose the X3, which could be a good or bad thing depending on your preference — it makes this all the more compact, but also means you’ll constantly be turning the page.

Beyond those differences, the Xteink S4 and Xteink X4 Pro have touchscreens — though you can also turn pages with buttons if you prefer — whereas the X3 and X4 Classic are purely reliant on buttons for interactions.

The Xteink S4 and X4 Pro also both have a front light, which the other models lack, meaning these are the only two you can read on without external light sources.

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: performance and software

The Xteink X4 Pro (Image credit: TechRadar)

The Xteink X4 Classic, X4 Pro, and X3 all run a proprietary Linux-based operating system. It’s an operating system that personally I didn’t think much of, and I’m not alone judging by forum comments. But Xteink’s devices can handily be bought with unlocked firmware, making it easy to flash alternative operating systems onto them.

I’m running an open source one called CrossInk, which I’m quite pleased with. But there’s a major limitation with any of the options in that they can’t run the Kindle or Kobo apps (or any other apps), making it harder to get books onto them than with most ereaders — you need to download DRM-free versions or remove the DRM, and then transfer them to the device.

That’s a real pain, and it’s a problem the Xteink S4 solves, as this runs Android 11. And while I can’t yet confirm exactly which apps work with it (since there are sometimes compatibility issues on ereaders), Xteink claims it supports “mainstream reader apps.”

Still, there are two potential problems with this approach as well — one is battery life, which I’ll get into in the next section, and the other is security and support. Android 11 is six years old now, and it could be increasingly vulnerable to bugs and malware, since Google is focused on patching newer releases. Besides which, Android ereaders tend not to receive Android updates anyway, so it may not receive security patches or new Android versions.

Eventually, apps will also stop supporting Android 11, so while Android is likely to give you a slicker experience, having such an old version comes with major drawbacks.

As for storage, the Xteink X4 Pro, X4 Classic, and X3 are all purely reliant on a microSD card — they each come with a 16GB one included, but it’s a low quality one, so you might want to replace it. There’s support for cards of up to 256GB.

The Xteink S4 takes a different approach, with 32GB of built in storage, but Android probably takes up a sizable chunk of that, and there’s seemingly no microSD card slot.

You’re also limited to very few book formats on the Xteink X3, X4 Classic, and X4 Pro, with just EPUB and TXT being supported, alongside JPG and BMP for images (or seemingly just BMP in the case of the Classic). We don’t have a full list of supported formats for the Xteink S4, but the company claims it supports “10+ native formats," so it should have the edge there.

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: battery

The Xteink X4 Classic (Image credit: Xteink)

The Xteink S4 has a 1,400mAh battery, and while we don’t know exactly how long it lasts, Xteink claims its “generous battery keeps sessions long.”

That’s higher capacity than the other models, with the Xteink 4 Pro having an 1,100mAh battery, the X4 Classic having a 920mAh one, and the X3 having just a 650mAh one.

Xteink only appears to have released battery stats for the X3, which it claims can last up to 10-14 days, based on 1-3 hours of reading per day. It’s likely then that even with their larger screens, the Xteink X4 Classic and X4 Pro will last even longer, given their far higher capacity batteries, and that certainly seems to be the case in my experience of the X4 Pro.

Granted, I’m not running stock firmware, which could affect things, but I seem to be getting months off a single charge, albeit with perhaps more like just 30 minutes of reading a day.

You might assume then that the Xteink S4 will last even longer — and perhaps it will — but I’d be surprised, as Android tends to be far more battery hungry than the lightweight operating systems used by the other models. I suspect, based on my experience with the Android-powered ViWoods AiPaper Reader, that the S4 might actually have the worst life of the bunch, but that remains to be seen.

So that’s the other downside of it running Android, but it does have one advantage on the battery front too, as it has a USB-C port, which makes charging convenient. The other models all use an annoying proprietary charger.

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: verdict

The Xteink X4 Pro (Image credit: Xteink)

There’s no clear winner between these devices. If you simply want the smallest and lightest ereader possible, then you should go for the Xteink X3 — especially as that’s also the cheapest.

If you want something a bit bigger — or you think you’d benefit from a touchscreen or a front light — then consider the Xteink X4 Pro. For all of that plus Android, the only option is the as-yet-unreleased Xteink S4 — though that also comes with downsides when it comes to security and potentially battery life.

The only one that’s harder to make a case for is the Xteink X4 Classic. This slots between the X3 and the X4 Pro with a bigger screen than the X3 but no touchscreen or light. Those features I feel are important enough that if you want a bigger screen you should choose the Pro over the Classic unless money is really tight.

Personally, I’m happy with my Xteink X4 Pro, and wouldn’t choose any of the other models over it. Other than the S4 it’s the most full-featured, but the compromises that come with the Xteink S4’s Android version make it unappealing to me. What I really want is a model running Android 17, but even then, if that meant significantly worse battery life I might think twice.

The only things I’m certain I want that the X4 Pro lacks are a sharper screen and USB-C, so hopefully a device that ticks all those boxes is in the works.

Amazon's Alexa Tablet could be the slate to win me back after my disappointing experience with the first-ever Kindle Fire

josephine.watson@futurenet.com (Josephine Watson) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:07:19 +0000

Did Amazon just release one of the best Android tablets you can buy? Perhaps, based on my colleague Axel Metz' hands-on with the new Alexa Tablet, which he reckons could even give some of the best iPads a run for their money.

It's been two years since Amazon last released a Fire tablet, and 15 years since the first model was released — and I thought 2011 would be the first and last time I'd ever purchase one of Amazon's touchscreen tablets.

That might be about to change with the release of this new product range, which ditches FireOS for Android, packs Alexa+ intelligence, and boasts some pretty impressive specs at an approachable price point across its three sizes.

A Kindle, yes, but not Fire

Now, to its credit, the original Kindle Fire was designed to toe the line between Amazon's successful Kindle product range and general-use tablets, but it didn't succeed tremendously at the latter. While many Amazon devices do lean heavily into the world's biggest retailer's... well, retailing, it erred at times on the side of being a dedicated Amazon shopfront, which, for 15-year-old me, wasn't incredibly useful.

Media playback was fine across platforms, e-reading was decent, but the meager app support, clunky FireOS, and painful Silk web browser experience quickly relegated the slate into the pits of my personal e-waste landfill. With little meaningful change to address these woes in the 13 years of Kindle Fires (later rebranded as Fire Tablets) that followed, I never quite forgave Amazon for its misstep into mobile computing.

Times have changed, however, and now I've got my sights set on the new range of Amazon Alexa Tablets.

We discussed the Amazon Alexa Tablet in our latest episode of the TechRadar Podcast, which you can watch below.

For one thing, I use Alexa+ services every day, and while I find the system far from perfect, it is the most user-friendly in terms of smart home device compatibility and accessibility. Plus, on these tablets you can enable Alexa+ to see your screen and offer in-context services, offering seamless interaction with the rest of Amazon's devices; if you find a recipe on your tablet, you can ask Alexa+ to save it, send it to your Echo Show device, and prepare the steps for you to follow while you're cooking.

There's a looming question over how much functionality you lose if you don't have an Alexa+ subscription ($19.99 / £19.99 / AU$29.99 per month, but free for Prime members); however, as I noted in the latest episode of the TechRadar Podcast (which you can watch above), I imagine a lot of the target audience for the product are, like me, pretty bedded in with Amazon's services already.

Regardless, the devices are all the more compelling when you see their prices. The largest and most performant Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro starts at just $499.99 / £449.99 with a 120Hz display, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. There's also an optional Nanomatte display model (much like the internal screen on Apple's new iPhone Duo), starting at $549.99 / £599.99, which is where I'm setting my sights for a more comfortable reading experience.

That's before we get to the optional keyboard attachment and Pro Pen, which open doors for productivity use cases, especially now that software like G Suite will run far better natively. Plus, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 chipset; Amazon says "with up to 16GB of RAM, Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro delivers nearly three times faster processing and nine times faster graphics than any tablet we’ve ever shipped."

You can read the full range of prices and more insights in Axel's aforementioned hands-on with the slates, but suffice it to say, they're coming in hot, and as an Apple device user with an Alexa smart home, I find myself at a real crossroads when it comes to choosing my next device.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Alexa Tablet 11, and Alexa Tablet 8 — plus the new Amazon Kids Tablets — are available to pre-order now and will begin shipping October 19.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is Amazon's first full-Android tablet — and it might rival the iPad Air

axel.metz@futurenet.com (Axel Metz) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Amazon’s Fire tablets have historically been seen as low-cost, low-spec alternatives to the best Android tablets and best iPads, but now the mega-retailer has finally entered the premium tablet market with the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro.

Yes, the ‘Fire’ nomenclature is gone — and, mercifully, Fire OS along with it. The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is the first Amazon tablet to support full Android, meaning users will be able to access the Google Play Store and its millions of streaming, gaming, and productivity apps, including Google Maps, YouTube, and Gmail.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro — which is joined by the smaller Alexa Tablet 11 and Alexa Tablet 8 in a three-product lineup — is also the first Amazon tablet to feature baked-in Alexa+ integration, so it’s got AI chops to rival Apple’s Apple Intelligence-compatible iPads and Samsung’s premium Galaxy tablets.

In other words, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is about as far away from the Amazon Fire Max 11 as the Kindle-maker could have gotten — and Amazon acknowledges that this distinctly premium product marks a dramatic change in strategy for the company.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with the Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard and Alexa Tablet Pro PenFuture

“Without a doubt, this is the biggest leap we've ever made in developing tablets in our history,” Eric Saarnio, Vice President of Amazon Devices International, told me in a briefing for the new Alexa Tablet range. “And I'm incredibly excited about what the team has built.”

Despite their shortcomings, Amazon’s existing Fire tablets have been a hit for the company — “we've sold a ton of tablets over the years, and that’s something we're very proud of,” Saarnio says — but they’re loss-leader products designed to usher customers into Amazon’s digital ecosystem, rather than market-leading tablets in their own right.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, by contrast, is a full-blown premium slate with specs to rival the Apple iPad Air (2026). It features a 12-inch, 120Hz display, up to 16GB of RAM, and 3x more CPU power than any previous Amazon tablet.

The Amazon Alexa Tablet comes in three sizes: 12, 11, and 8.7 inches (Image credit: Future)

Buyers can also choose to equip their Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Amazon’s anti-glare Nanomatte technology, which improves visibility outdoors and makes on-screen text look as if it’s sitting on top of the display (I’ve seen it in person, and it’s not a million miles away from the nano‑texture finish on the iPhone Duo’s inner display).

Why has Amazon pumped such impressive specs (and, presumably, millions of dollars in development costs) into the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro? Because it recognizes that consumer habits are changing, and it wants to offer a one-stop-shop device for streamers, gamers, and productivity-focused users alike.

More than just an entertainment device

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro can be configured with an anti-glare Nanomatte display (Image credit: Amazon)

“The truth is, what people are using tablets for is really starting to evolve — and it’s the power of the cloud that’s changing things,” Saarnio told me.

“The ability to build and code is really powerful, and you can do that [now] from your tablets. And for sure, tablets are there for entertainment, and that's where it all starts. But I do think there’s this evolution starting to happen, where [people are] using tablets just to get things done.

Without a doubt, this is the biggest leap we've ever made in developing tablets in our history.
Eric Saarnio, VP of Amazon Devices International

“When we think about tablets going forward, I don't necessarily think they’re going to be a replacement for a laptop. But I do think they're going to be very powerful tools to both entertain and to help you be productive. And so, as we think about our next era in tablets, we wanted to bake all of that [into one device]. And we really landed on three big things [in the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro].

“First: performant, premium hardware, with exceptional screens that deliver for customers. Second: we're moving to full Android, and [granting] access to the Google Play Store, which will give customers the ability to access millions of apps that they enjoy today. And last but not least: we wanted to give them access to an assistant. So we’ve embedded Alexa+ into the tablet, along with access to everything they love about Amazon. To be clear, this isn't an app that we've added to the tablet: it’s actually baking the Alexa+ experience into it.”

The Dynamic Tab on the Amazon Alexa Tab 8Future

The Alexa Smart Home interface on the Amazon Alexa Tab 8Future

Now available in the US, UK, and Australia, Alexa+ is Amazon’s cloud-based virtual assistant. It can respond to queries in natural language, control your smart home devices, and, of course, seamlessly interact with all other Amazon services. Notably, on the Alexa Tablet range, Alexa+ can look at what's on your screen (when given explicit permission to do so) and provide real-time, in-context assistance, similar to Gemini Live’s screen sharing functionality.

On the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Tablet 11, and Tablet 8, Alexa+ lives in a dedicated Dynamic Tab in the top left corner of the screen, and can be expanded into a full-screen For You tab for more comprehensive interaction.

Alexa+ costs $19.99 / £19.99 / AU$29.99 per month, but is free for Prime members. It’s not yet clear how the service’s deep integration into the Alexa Tablet will function if you’re not subscribed to it.

Interestingly, the Alexa Tablet can also transform into a Kindle for a completely distraction-free experience. When activated, Kindle mode silences notifications, reduces blue light, and extends battery life. It’s particularly effective on the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro when paired with Amazon’s Nanomatte finish.

Kindle mode on the Amazon Alexa Tab 12 ProFuture

“What we think we've invented here is a tablet that doesn't, in any way, force you to compromise,” Saarnio concluded. “It's great for entertainment; it’s intelligent; it's great for productivity and helping you get things done. All in one package. And you get all of this starting at £500.”

That price reveal triggered an audible gasp in my briefing session. $549.99 / £499.99 is an extremely competitive price for a 12-inch tablet with a 120Hz display, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of starting storage. Even the top-end version of the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro (which comes with 16GB of RAM) costs just $679.99 / £599.99 (we’re awaiting confirmation of Australia pricing).

The iPad Air, for reference, starts at $749 / £749 / AU$1,249 following Apple’s June price increases. That device features a more powerful M4 chipset than the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, which runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 8400, but it’s smaller, at 11 inches, and has a static 60Hz display.

@techradar
♬ original sound - TechRadar

As you'll see in the price section, the Alexa Tablet’s specs do get worse as you move down the price ladder (the Alexa Tablet 8, for instance, has a 60Hz refresh rate, 4GB of RAM, and no Nanomatte display option). But the value of the 12 Pro bundles looks, on paper at least, exceptional — $699.99 / £639.99 for the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display (128GB), Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard, and Alexa Tablet Pro Pen is still cheaper than Apple’s entry-level 11-inch iPad Air with 128GB of storage.

The big question, of course, is whether Amazon’s new tablets are any good. I’ve only been hands-on with the top-end Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, and my first impressions are positive — the Nanomatte screen looks great, the tablet’s aluminum construction is thin and light, and its access to the Google Play Store is going to please a lot of people. But we’ll need to put all three new devices through their paces before passing a full verdict on their value for money.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Alexa Tablet 11, and Alexa Tablet 8 — as well as new Amazon Kids Tablets — are available to pre-order now and will begin shipping October 19.

Pricing

The full Amazon Alexa Tablet range (Image credit: Amazon / Future)

Here's the full pricing information for the Amazon Alexa Tablet range (we'll update the below tables with Australia pricing when we have it):

Device	Configuration	Price
Amazon Alexa Tablet 8	4GB / 64GB	$229.99 / £199.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 8	4GB / 128GB	$279.99 / £239.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 11	8GB / 64GB	$329.99 / £289.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 11	8GB / 128GB	$379.99 / £329.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro	8GB / 128GB	$499.99 / £449.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display	8GB / 128GB	$549.99 / £499.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display	16GB / 256GB	$679.99 / £599.99

Accessories	Price
Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard	$149.99 / £129.99
Alexa Tablet Pro Pen	$89.99 / £79.99

Bundles	Price
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard and Alexa Tablet Pro Pen	$649.99 / £589.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display (128GB), Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard and Alexa Tablet Pro Pen	$699.99 / £639.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display (256GB), Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard and Alexa Tablet Pro Pen	$799.99 / £729

Every Amazon Fire tablet is on sale right now — but you might still want to wait

James Rogerson — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000

It wouldn’t be much of an Amazon Prime Day if Amazon’s own devices weren’t on sale, so as you might expect, various Fire tablets are discounted right now, including — depending on your region — the Amazon Fire Max 11, the Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023), the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024), the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro (2023), and the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (2024).

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Amazon’s Fire tablets always act as relatively affordable alternatives to the likes of an iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab, and right now they’re even more of a bargain, with the Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023), for example, now just $72.99 (was $154.99) in the US, while in the UK, the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024) is £64.99 (was £124.99).

But you might want to hold off on buying one of these tablets anyway, as a new model could be about to land. We’ll get into that below, but first, if you can’t wait, here are the deals available right now:

Today's best Amazon Fire tablet deals in the US

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023): was ~~$154.99~~ now $72.99
Harry Potter Amazon Fire HD 10: was ~~$189.99~~ now $132.99
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024): was ~~$129.99~~ now $79.99
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (2024) (with 6 months Kids+): was ~~$169.99~~ now $94.99
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (2024) (with 1-year Kids+): was ~~$179.99~~ now $104.99

Today's best Amazon Fire tablet deals in the UK

Amazon Fire Max 11: was ~~£289.99~~ now £169.99
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro (2023): was ~~£199.99~~ now £114.99
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024): was ~~£124.99~~ now £64.99

Why you might want to wait

The original Amazon Fire Max 11 (Image credit: Amazon)

Amazon Prime Day is traditionally a great time to buy Fire tablets, and that’s largely true this year as well, but it’s worth knowing what you might be missing out on if you do grab one of these deals.

Various leaks have suggested that a new Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet might launch by the end of the year, replacing the current model — which has already been discontinued in the US anyway.

We first heard about this upcoming tablet back in 2025, when we learned that it might run Android rather than Fire OS, meaning you’d have access to the Google Play Store and more apps than you can get on Amazon’s existing Fire tablets.

That said, it might also be priced higher, with that report pointing to a $400 (roughly £300 / AU$575) price tag — and with the RAM crisis ongoing, it’s possible it could be even higher now.

The original Amazon Fire Max 11 (Image credit: Amazon)

Much more recently, this tablet appeared again, with an FCC (Federal Communications Commission) application being filed and spotted by GoodEreader. That was filed in late August, and typically products launch within a few months of the filing, so we’ll likely see the Amazon Fire Max 11 this year.

Its other specs, according to this latest report, apparently include a MediaTek MT8189 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage, making this a low-end to mid-range device — but still more powerful than Amazon’s current Fire tablets.

So, whether this device is worth waiting for will probably depend on how much power you need, whether Android is a big draw, and whether you’re willing to pay for these upgrades.

More Prime Day deals in the US

Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
Fashion: up to 50% off
Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
TVs: from £129.99
Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

Think twice about buying a Kindle this Prime Day — this line of tiny Xteink ereaders is even cheaper

James Rogerson — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Amazon Prime Day, of course, means discounts on various Kindles, but they’re not the only ereaders that are going cheap — you can also get a tiny Xteink X4 Pro, X4 Classic, or X3 at a reduced price.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

These ereaders each have screens of between 3.7 and 4.3 inches, so they’re truly tiny compared to the 6-inch+ Amazon Kindle options. But while you might think you want a book-sized ereader, there’s something to be said for a smaller size — and the temptingly low prices that go with it; the Xteink X3, for example, costs just $58.65 / £62.25 (down from $69 / £79).

In fact, I’m a full-on convert, with my Kindle Colorsoft collecting dust while I read on smaller devices. I’ll explain why below, but first, here’s a look at the current Xteink deals:

Today's best Xteink deals in the US

Xteink X4 Pro: was ~~$99~~ now $89.99
Xteink X4 Classic: was ~~$89~~ now $69.99
Xteink X3: was ~~$69~~ now $58.65

Today's best Xteink deals in the UK

Xteink X4 Pro: was ~~£99~~ now £84.14
Xteink X4 Classic: was ~~£89~~ now £69.99
Xteink X3: was ~~£79~~ now £62.25

Why I love Xteinks, and which I’d buy

The Xteink X4 Classic (Image credit: Xteink)

I’m the proud owner of an Xteink X4 Pro, and I’ve written before about my love of this device, but if anything, the more I use it, the more I like it. At just 72g, it’s so light as to feel like almost nothing at all in your hand, so you won’t feel like you’re getting a workout if you hold it up for an extended reading session.

It’s also tiny (111 x 69 x 5.95mm), so you can easily slip it into a small pocket — or, thanks to its magnetic back, attach it to the rear of your phone, giving you a second screen there to read ebooks on.

Either way, that makes it easy to carry with you everywhere, and I’ve found that means I get a lot more reading done.

The Xteink X3 (Image credit: Xteink)

All that, coupled with impressive battery life and key ereader features like a front light, makes this a device that’s never far from me.

And sure, it is harder to get books onto the Xteink X4 Pro than a Kindle, as you have to sideload them, but that’s my only major complaint with it.

Since buying the Xteink X4 Pro, the Xteink X4 Classic has launched, which has the same 4.3-inch screen, but it’s not a touchscreen, which it is on the Pro, and there’s no front light. Those compromises make it a less appealing device to me — and yes, it’s cheaper, but by ereader standards, none of these models are particularly expensive.

So, my pick would still be the Xteink X4 Pro — or the even smaller 3.7-inch Xteink X3, which also lacks a touchscreen and a light, but could appeal if you want the tiniest ereader possible.

More Prime Day deals in the US

Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
Fashion: up to 50% off
Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
TVs: from £129.99
Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

Someone hacked their 13-year-old Kindle to make a perfect desk assistant

David Nield — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:49:04 +0000

This clever hack turns a Kindle into a handy desk assistant
It features to do lists, app shortcuts, timers, and more
The developer says the source code will be made available

A few days ago, we were treated to some brand new Kindle models for 2026, but one clever Kindle owner has come up with a way of repurposing their 2013 6th-gen Paperwhite model — and the hack has added an impressive number of new features.

As you can see over on Reddit (via XDA Developers), the hack was achieved by jailbreaking the 13-year-old device and adding some custom software on top. It now works as a to do list manager, a Stream Deck-like app launcher, and a Pomodoro timer.

"It stands sideways on my desk next to my laptop, and it's honestly become one of my favourite things on there," writes Redditor Witespace, under a demo video (below). "Just need a proper stand for it now instead of leaning it against something."

One of the more impressive aspects of this bit of DIY engineering is that the Kindle syncs with both a MacBook and a PC, via a Cloudflare web account, and it can switch between the two systems automatically or via a manual button push.

Source code coming soon

I turned my 10+ old kindle into a calm desk assistant
from r/eink

Completed to do tasks slide off screen automatically, and thanks to a calendar sync, the Kindle can provide alerts five minutes ahead of any scheduled meeting. It even provides a button for joining the call with a single tap.

Also of note are a weather app, a dark mode, and a screensaver clock — though it seems the custom Paperwhite software can also disable the screensaver if needed and stay on indefinitely (with the occasional battery recharge where needed).

There are improvements on the way as well: the Redditor has plans to create new shortcuts that link to specific Spotify playlists and Slack channels, while the ability to control lights is also in the pipeline.

The reactions on Reddit are all positive — "great", "cool", and "awesome" are the main superlatives used — and the developer has said they're planning to release the source code on GitHub so anyone can install it on their own ancient Kindle.

Apple's iPads are back on sale and (almost) as cheap as they were before — here's which models I recommend

axel.metz@futurenet.com (Axel Metz) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 10:22:13 +0000

Back in June, Apple raised the price of its iPads due to "significantly higher memory costs," but Amazon Prime Day has at least made these excellent tablets a little more affordable in the short term.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

In the US, for instance, the iPad mini 8.3-inch (2024) is now $499 (was $599), which is equal to its starting price pre-RAM crisis. Frustratingly, the same tablet has been available for as little as $399 in previous Prime Day sales, but with the RAM crisis expected to last at least another three years, the chances of ever seeing such low iPad prices again are extremely slim.

Meanwhile, in the UK, the iPad Air 11-inch (2026) is currently on sale for £669 (was £749). That's not quite as low as its pre-rise £599 price, but it's not far off. Beggars can't be choosers, as the saying goes.

Here's a roundup of all the other iPad deals currently available at Amazon in both the US and UK:

Today's best iPad deals in the US

iPad 11-inch (2025): was ~~$449~~ now $399
iPad mini 8.3-inch (2024): was ~~$599~~ now $499
iPad Air 11-inch (2026): was ~~$749~~ now $649
iPad Air 13-inch (2026): was ~~$949~~ now $849
iPad Pro 11-inch (2024): now ~~$2,099~~ now $1,899
iPad Pro 13-inch (2024): was ~~$1,499~~ now $1,299
iPad Pro 11-inch (2025): now ~~$1,199~~ now $1,099.99
iPad Pro 13-inch (2025): was ~~$1,499~~ now $1,399.99

Today's best iPad deals in the UK

iPad 11-inch (2025): was ~~£429~~ now £409.97
iPad Air 11-inch (2026): was ~~£749~~ now £669
iPad Air 13-inch (2026): was ~~£949~~ now £869
iPad Pro 11-inch (2025): was ~~£1,199~~ now £1,159

How to choose which model to buy

The iPad 11-inch (2025), aka the iPad A16 (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

As for which iPad you should choose, well, that depends on your specific usage habits. We’ve got a dedicated guide to the best iPads elsewhere on TechRadar, but I'll give you a quick rundown of each model's key features here.

The iPad 11-inch (2025) is the model to choose if you want a tablet for streaming movies, scrolling social media, and FaceTiming family and friends. It's not a workhorse by any means, but with an 11-inch LED display and a capable A16 chipset, Apple's most basic iPad is still the best tablet you can get for around the $400 / £400 mark.

The smaller iPad mini 8.3-inch (2024) bumps up the power with a more powerful chipset and Apple Intelligence compatibility, but honestly, you probably won't notice these features unless you're planning on using your iPad as a productivity tool, in which case I'd recommend jumping straight to the iPad Air instead.

The iPad Air 13-inch (2026), aka the iPad Air M4 (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Why? Well, firstly, the iPad Air 13-inch (2026) is available in two more work-friendly sizes than the iPad mini. It's also got a MacBook-level M4 chipset and 12GB of RAM, so it can power through productivity-focused applications and multitask with ease.

If you plan to draw up documents, create presentations, and edit photos, the iPad Air is the model to go for — it hits the sweet spot between value and performance.

Lastly, there's the iPad Pro 11-inch (2025), which you should only be considering if you’re a digital artist or full-time video editor.

The iPad Pro 11-inch (2025), aka the iPad Pro M5 (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

This ridiculously high-spec device has the best display of any tablet on the market (a 120Hz OLED), as well as the most powerful chipset in the Apple M5, making it perfect for 3D modeling and advanced video rendering.

If you’re not planning on doing either of those things, though, then the iPad Pro is the definition of overkill — especially at Apple's post-increase prices.

More Prime Day deals in the US

Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
Fashion: up to 50% off
Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
TVs: from £129.99
Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

PocketBook's new 6-inch Kindle rivals have interchangeable back panels

James Rogerson — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

PocketBook has announced the Verta and Verta Color
These six-inch ereaders have changeable back plates
They're shipping in November at competitive prices

Just a few days ago Amazon launched a new wave of Kindles, and now PocketBook is launching some new competing ereaders of its own — and these have some colorful customization options that Amazon’s don’t.

The ereaders in question are the PocketBook Verta and the PocketBook Verta Color, and while they’re each only sold in one color — Obsidian Black for the Verta and Dark Brown for the Verta Color — you can also buy a selection of five interchangeable back panels in different shades. So you can change the color of your ereader whenever you want.

That aside, these both have 6-inch 1072 x 1448 touchscreens, a front light, a 1,500mAh battery (offering up to two months of life on a single charge), 16GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, and an IPX4 rating for splash resistance. They also both support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, text-to-speech, and numerous book file formats.

And while they run a proprietary operating system, you can use Libby to borrow ebooks, or purchase books through “the world’s most comprehensive English-language UK digital eBook library, with its user-friendly LCP DRM-protected content of 4.5 million eBooks and 90,000 audiobooks.”

They differ in one major way though — the PocketBook Verta Color has a color E Ink Kaleido 3 screen, while the PocketBook Verta has a grayscale E Ink Carta 1300 display.

Color or grayscale at a great price

The PocketBook VertaPocketBook

The PocketBook Verta ColorPocketBook

Replaceable covers for the PocketBook VertaPocketBook

If you like the sound of these, you’ll be able to grab them from November, with the PocketBook Verta costing $185 / £159 (roughly AU$300), while the Verta Color is $195 / £169 (around AU$320).

That puts the Verta at a similar price to the standard Amazon Kindle 2026, and the Verta Color at a far lower price than the latest Kindle Colorsoft. So the Verta Color could be a bit of a bargain.

That said, color ereader screens tend to be darker than black and white ones, and while viewing color content they’re also lower resolution (with the Verta Color dropping to just 536 × 724 when displaying color).

So if you don’t overly care about a color screen, the standard Verta might still be the better choice.

Which black-and-white Kindle should I buy? A speedy guide to the best options

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:54:22 +0000

Looking to buy a new black-and-white Kindle? You have plenty of options to choose from. In fact, perhaps too many, given that they all look roughly the same and it can be tricky to figure out the differences between them all. To help you out, I've put together this handy guide to your options.

There are a handful of key differentiators to know about before we start. The standard black-and-white Kindle has a 6-inch screen; the bigger version is the Paperwhite, which has a 7-inch screen. Opt for a Signature Edition and you'll get twice as much storage (32GB rather than 16GB). Right now, you can choose between the 2024 models and the brand-new-out 2026 models. There are options with homepage ads or you can pay a little more for a version without ads. Finally, there are different colors and materials to choose from. Not all combinations are available in all places, but I've rounded up all the options for the US and the UK below.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

To keep things (relatively) simple, I've focused only on the black-and-white options here. Kindle also makes a range of color ereaders, called the Kindle Colorsoft, as well as ereaders you can make notes on, called the Scribe. Learn more about the full Kindle range here.

Want guidance on which black-and-white Kindle to pick? Hop down past the product cards for my tips on which model(s) will suit different customers. Oh, and today's an especially good time to shop, because it's Amazon Prime Day and there are deals on quite a few Kindles — you'll see the lowest prices below.

US Kindle range

Jump down to the UK Kindle range

6-inch Kindle (2026)

Kindle

16GB (2026, with ads) — Ube

Kindle

16GB (2026, without ads) — Ube

Kindle

16GB (2026, with ads) — Graphite

Kindle

16GB (2026, without ads) — Graphite

Kindle

32GB (2026, without ads) — Alpine Sky, Aluminium

Kindle

32GB (2026, without ads) — Seaglass Green, Aluminium

6-inch Kindle (2024)

Kindle

16GB (2024, with ads) — black

Kindle

16GB (2024, without ads) — black

Kindle

16GB (2024, with ads) — Matcha

Kindle

16GB (2024, without ads) — Matcha

7-inch Kindle Paperwhite (2026)

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2026, with ads) — graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2026, without ads) — graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite Signature 32GB (2024) – graphite

7-inch Kindle Paperwhite (2024)

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, with ads) – Jade

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, without ads) – Jade

Kindle

Paperwhite Signature 32GB (2024) – Jade

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, with ads) — Raspberry

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, without ads) — Raspberry

Kindle

Paperwhite Signature 32GB (2024) — Raspberry

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, with ads) — black

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, without ads) — black

UK Kindle range

6-inch Kindle (2026)

Kindle

16GB (2026, with ads) — Ube

Kindle

16GB (2026, without ads) — Ube

Kindle

16GB (2026, with ads) — Graphite

Kindle

16GB (2026, without ads) — Graphite

Kindle

32GB (2026, without ads) — Alpine Sky, Aluminium

Kindle

32GB (2026, without ads) — Seaglass Green, Aluminium

6-inch Kindle (2024)

Kindle

16GB (2024, with ads) — black

Kindle

16GB (2024, without ads) — black

Kindle

16GB (2024, with ads) — Matcha

Kindle

16GB (2024, without ads) — Matcha

Kindle Paperwhite (7-inch)

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2026, with ads) — graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2026, without ads) — graphite

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, with ads) — black

Kindle

Paperwhite 16GB (2024, without ads) — black

Which black and white Kindle should I buy?

I want the biggest screen

There are only two screen size options in the black-and-white Kindle range: 6 inches for the standard Kindle, or 7 inches for the Kindle Paperwhite. As usual with tech, this is measured diagonally, from corner to corner. If you want the biggest screen, opt for any of the Kindle Paperwhite models.

I want a cool design

If you mean colors, you want to shop for a 6-inch Kindle, and the 2026 range in particular. The latest-gen versions are available in a range of tasty shades, including Ube (a soft purple), Seaglass Green and Alpine Sky (a grey blue). Those last two have an aluminum casing, too.

You can also pick up the Kindle Paperwhite (2024) in a metallic jade or raspberry finishes (in the US only), and the 2024 standard Kindles are available in a fetching Matcha. Otherwise, you're stuck with gray or black.

I want the cheapest option

In the US, most of the 2024 Kindles are all included in the Prime Day sale, with strong discounts across the board. That includes the 6-inch Kindle, 7-inch Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature — but the slight kicker is that the deals are only available on the ad-supported versions. If you're after the cheapest option, it'd be the 2024 6-inch Kindle.

In the UK, the only discounts are on the 2024 6-inch Kindles, but both the ad-supported and no-ads versions are included. The discounts are big, and they're significantly cheaper than any other option. I assume these older versions won't be sticking around for too long, so bargain-hunters should probably pick one up now.

I want the most storage

You need a Kindle 6-inch (2026), aluminum, or — if you're in the US — any of the Paperwhite Signature models. These are the only options available with 32GB of storage. In contrast, the rest of the range is limited to 16GB of storage. I say 'limited', but if you're just reading regular books, a 16GB Kindle should hold around 6,000-8,000 books — surely enough for anyone.

Comic books and audiobooks take up more storage, but I wouldn't recommend a black-and-white Kindle for either of those, anyway. A color ereader is a better choice for comics and manga, and I'd use my phone for audiobooks.

I want the most convenient option

The 2026 Kindle range (regular and Paperwhite) has had one notable usability upgrade: the power button has shifted from the bottom to the top right, solving an issue that has irked many (including our Editor-at-large) for some time. The problem with having the power button on the base of the ereader is that it's all-too-easy to accidentally press when the Kindle is propped up for reading; the new position is happily tucked out of the way.

Those who like to prop their Kindle up to read on will appreciate another new addition to the Kindle ecosystem: the Kindle Click, a Bluetooth powered page-turn remote that can be held in the hand or laid down away from the ereader. It can also be used to adjust brightness and send the Kindle to sleep. This is sold separately, is compatible with Kindles from 2024 and later, and is available for preorder now.

US: pre-order the Kindle Click for $34.99
UK: pre-order the Kindle Click for £31.99

More Prime Day deals in the US

Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
Fashion: up to 50% off
Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
TVs: from £129.99
Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

Which color ereader should you buy this Prime Day? Here are your options

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Thinking of picking up a new color ereader? Now's a good time to shop: there's an Amazon Prime Day event coming up very soon (6-7 October), which means Kindle deals are more than likely. Amazon makes a number of color Kindles these days, and — of course — Kindle isn't the only color ereader option on the market.

In this guide, I'll run you through all the key color ereader options, including Kindles, Kobo ereaders (the main competitor), and a couple more alternatives. You can see all the current prices directly below, followed by a rundown of what you need to know about each model and if you should hang around for a Prime Day deal or not. Finally, there's a specs table to help you compare the models directly.

US color ereader links

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft (no ads, 2024)

Read our full review

Pros

Finally, color on a Kindle
Speedy refresh and zooming

Cons

Doesn’t feel premium enough for the price
No way to access Marvel Unlimited or DC Infinite subscriptions

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (64GB)

Amazon

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (32GB)

Kobo

Libra Colour

Read our full review

Pros

Good size for portability and usability
Relatively affordable for a color ereader
Full writing features
Repair kits available

Cons

Couple of functions suffer from lag
Stylus sold separately

Kobo

Clara Colour

Pros

Responsive color display
Compact and lightweight
Good battery life
Relatively affordable

Cons

6 inches can be too small for some users
Black-and-white text lacks contrast

PocketBook

Verse Pro Color

BOOX

Go Color 7 Gen II

UK color ereader links

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft (2024)

Read our full review

Pros

Finally, color on a Kindle
Speedy refresh and zooming

Cons

Doesn’t feel premium enough for the price
No way to access Marvel Unlimited or DC Infinite subscriptions

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft Signature 32 GB (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft Signature (2024)

Amazon

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, 32GB

Amazon

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, 64GB

Kobo

Libra Colour

Kobo

Clara Colour

Pros

Responsive color display
Compact and lightweight
Good battery life
Relatively affordable

Cons

6 inches can be too small for some users
Black-and-white text lacks contrast

PocketBook

Verse Pro Colour

BOOX

Go Color 7 Gen II

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft

The Kindle Colorsoft is Amazon's standard color ereader — essentially, the color version of the Paperwhite. All Kindle Colorcofts have a 7-inch screen, battery life og around 12 weeks, and waterproofing to IPX8. None have writing capabilities.

There are a few Kindle Colorsoft options — the regular (with 16GB of storage) and Signature versions (32GB), both in 2024 and all-new 2026 versions. I'm not sure how long the 2024 versions will be sticking around. The 2026 versions are thinner and lighter, and the power button has been shifted so it's on the side rather than at the bottom. Some options are also available with or without ads.

(Image credit: Amazon)

Will there be a deal?

The announcement of the updated lineup at the start of October has confused things rather. Just prior to the appearance of the new models, Amazon discounted most of the previous range in the UK. These deals are still available, and they're good: up to 44% off. I'm not expecting prices to drop further on these models during Prime Day itself.

In the US, there were no deals to speak of on the now-old Kindle Colorsofts, and that's still the case at time of writing (2 Oct). I am hopeful that they will get a discount during the official Prime Day event.

As for the 2026 models — I'm not sure. A discount so soon after launch feels a little strange, but then again, Amazon almost always drops its Kindle prices during Prime Day events. I'll be watching closely to see what happens.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is a kind of blend of the Kindle Scribe and the Kindle Colorsoft, in that it's a color ereader with writing support. It has a generous 11-inch screen (the largest of any model here), and a price tag that's so lofty you could buy a Colorsoft and a Scribe individually and still get a bit of change from how much you'd spend on a Scribe Colorsoft. It's available in 32GB and 64GB versions, and it hasn't been updated for 2026 — but then, it did only launch in December 2025.

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

Will there be a deal?

Almost certainly. This ereader was included in the June Prime Day event, and because it's not brand new, there's no reason it wouldn't be included this time round too.

In fact, both the 32GB and 64GB versions are already on sale in the UK, each with 30% off — down to £399 and £439.99 respectively. For comparison, the 64GB version only fell to £492.99 in June, so this is a much better deal.

The US deals aren't live yet, but I am expecting them to appear at some point, although perhaps not until Prime Day itself. During the June event, the 64GB version dropped to $519.99 (was $679.99).

However, even with those discounts it's a very pricey tablet. In that bracket, it's worth weighing up whether a BOOX Go Color 7 Gen II, which is also a color ereader with writing support, and in fact operates like a full e-ink tablet, is a better buy.

Kobo Clara / Libra Colour

Kobo is probably the main Kindle alternative. The Clara is the ereader-only version, with a relatively small 6-inch screen, while the Libra can also be used for writing (stylus sold separately), and has a 7-inch screen. We have an article covering the differences between Kindle vs Kobo, but overall we rate this brand really highly. In fact, it's the Kobo Libra Colour that holds the top spot in our best ereader ranking.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Will there be a deal?

Perhaps. Over the most recent Prime Day, the Libra Colour ereader was discounted to $229.99 (was $259.99) in the US. In the UK it stayed at full price (£209.99), though. The Clara Colour didn't get a discount in the US or the UK. At time of writing, both are full price on Amazon.

PocketBook Verse Pro Color

The Verse Pro Colour from PocketBook has a 6-inch screen and 16GB of storage. The battery life is shorter than all the others here (aside, possibly, from the Boox Go Color 7 Gen II, which doesn't provide a runtime) although you'll still get around a month of reading per charge. There are no writing features.

Will there be a deal?

Possibly not. This is a smaller player in the ereader world, and not necessarily a model Amazon would focus on for discounts. We didn't see a deal in the US over Prime Day in June (unfortunately, I don't have the information for the UK).

BOOX Go Color 7 Gen II

BOOX, from parent company Onyx, is more of an e-ink tablet than an ereader specifically. Because these tablets run a full version of Android, you can use them for a variety of tasks, of which reading is just one. As a result, the Go Color 7 Gen II is a relatively pricey color ereader option. It packs 64GB of storage, supports writing functionality, and is not waterproof — so it's no good for reading in the tub.

In our Boox Go Color 7 Gen II review, we weren't too impressed with the display quality on this model. A benefit if you're a current Kindle owner looking to switch is that it's possible to download the Kindle app onto a BOOX, meaning you'd still have access to your current library of books. You'll find more information in my BOOX vs Kobo explainer.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Will there be a deal?

Perhaps not. We didn't see any deals in the US or UK during the most recent Prime Day event.

Specs compared

Amazon has moved the power button on all its new Kindles — and I feel vindicated

lance.ulanoff@futurenet.com (Lance Ulanoff) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Amazon has overhauled its entire Kindle ereader line
They have new materials and a repositioned power button
There are also new accessories, some of which will turn heads

Yes, Amazon has an all-new line of 13th-generation Kindle ereaders. Sure, they're marginally lighter and thinner than ever, with scant display upgrades, newly smooth, flush faces, and some with stamped aluminum unibodies that come in brilliant and quite trendy colors. But can we talk about buttons? Or, rather, one very specific one, the power/sleep button?

Every once in a while, a tech company makes me feel seen, or at least heard. I've been complaining for years about the placement of the Amazon Kindle e-reader's power/sleep button. It sits on the bottom edge, where it's too easy to trip when, say, I prop the Kindle Paperwhite up on a hard surface, or even on my lap or chest while reading.

When I asked Amazon's Kindle hardware lead Kevin Keith about the issue in 2024, he told me there was a need to put the button as close to the ereader's light guide as possible. I accepted that explanation, and grumpily moved on.

Turns out, though, that's not the full story. As I held the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2026 edition in my hands, and marveled at the newly repositioned power button (it's on the right side!) Amazon VP of Design Chris Green told me the reason for the original placement was to keep costs down.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2026Lance Ulanoff / Future

Lance Ulanoff / Future

"The reason why it was at the bottom originally was because it's the lowest-cost location. The main logic board was down at the bottom with the USB....We were trying our hardest to have the lowest carbon footprint, the lowest cost price, to push it all to the benefit of the customer," said Green, who told me he joined Amazon 19 years ago on the day the original Kindle launched. Since then, Green has designed every Amazon hardware product, including these new Kindles.

After I wrote the piece linked above, airing my frustration about the original button placement, readers dragged me for making a mountain out of a molehill. I ended up thinking I was alone in my take. Turns out, Green has been fielding similar complaints for quite some time.

Kindle Colorsoft 2026Lance Ulanoff / Future

Lance Ulanoff / Future

"The amount of people that complained about it with [using it] on treadmills, while sitting, and putting it on the tummy, and all those kinds of things...the worst case is a treadmill, because if you don't tap it, you stab it. And so people were stabbing this display, and the button was moving," said Green.

Amazon's attempts to address the issue without moving the button, by recessing it, shifting it slightly, failed. "The long and short of it is, it's got to go on the side," said Green.

Now every new Kindle in the refreshed lineup has a power/sleep button, on the right side, relatively close to the top edge of the device.

Those new ereaders are:

Kindle e-reader 6-inch entry-level
Kindle e-reader 6-inch Aluminum
Kindle Paperwhite 7-inch
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 7-inch
Kindle Kids
Kindle Colorsoft
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

Across the line, Amazon introduces new colors (Graphite, Alpine Sky, Seaglass Green, Ube), thinner, lighter designs, and new materials. With the exception of the base model Kindle (140g, which is 13% lighter and 6.8mm thick), the lighter and thinner frames can usually be measured by a millimeter here and a gram or two there.

The Paperwhite Signature Edition and Colorsoft, notably, get accelerometers which will recognize if you've turned the reader upside down and will automatically rotate the text. The reader will also support reading in landscape mode, which might be kind of cool for graphic novels.

Lance Ulanoff / Future

Kindle 2026Lance Ulanoff / Future

On the face of its most affordable Kindle, the 6-inch model, Amazon took away the raised bezel for a perfectly flat and smooth all-glass face, which matches the look of all the other Kindles in the new lineup. But Amazon has gone a step further by introducing matching colors to the bezels of the entire Kindle line. So a Ube (purple) Kindle's color will wrap from the back all the way to the front and quite close to the E Ink display.

There was, it turns out, a reason these bezels surrounding the E Ink screen have traditionally been black. That light-absorbing color ensures that the front lights don't bounce off a colored cover and obstruct or weirdly bedazzle your e-reader display.

The solution for this, Keith explained, was first used on Kindle Scribe devices.

"We invented a new edge color technology that does a black mask on the back and, in this case, Ube on the front, and so you're able to get the absorption of the light, but you're also able to get this beautiful color."

Amazon Kindle 6-inch previous model on left new flat bezel on right (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Some of the new e-readers (both entry-level and Paperwhite) feature a chassis material not seen on a Kindle since the discontinued Kindle Oasis: aluminum.

It's a rigid but strong and lightweight stamped aluminum unibody with a 6mm back and 1mm sides; however, it's how Amazon is making it that's interesting.

Where most tech companies are choosing to mill out their aluminum chassis with CNC machines, Green told me Amazon went with stamping. The benefit is that while CNC milling can take 30 minutes, the stamping process takes seconds.

Kindle Aluminum modelLance Ulanoff / Future

Lance Ulanoff / Future

"It's a three-stage process: when we start with a flat sheet, and you stamp it, and then you take this piece, and then you put it into a forge, and you press it... Then you do a light CNC to clean it up. Now what this means is you're literally wasting 60% less material, and you're also wasting 60% less energy," explained Green.

Amazon hasn't really upgraded the software or E Ink displays in any noticeable way, but when I asked Green about the E Ink partnership and how their close association impacts any design and development decisions, he said, "They are obviously a very important partner to us. We have looked at other types of technology. For these types of displays, they're just the best, and we have to work with them."

Green paused for a second and smiled almost wistfully, "Do I wish there were other people out there? Well, let's just say they're the only ones out there."

Amazon, by the way, has gone a little wild with physical buttons in this round of Kindles, or rather with this round of Kindle accessories.

For the new aluminum-backed (and magnetically ready) Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and Colorsoft models, both of which feature a series of connector pins on the back, there's now a cover that adds physical page-turn buttons: the Page-Turn Cover ($79.99).

That's right, Amazon is going full-on retro with a perhaps unintentional nod to the original Kindles, which featured a lot of physical buttons.

Kindle Page-Turn CoverLance Ulanoff / Future

Lance Ulanoff / Future

The Page-Turn Cover snaps onto the back of the Kindle, nestling a bar featuring forward and back page-turn buttons tightly against the right edge of the reader. The case also features a copy of the right-side power button on the outer edge of the case bar.

I gave the case a little test drive, rapidly pressing the forward and back buttons as I watched the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition quickly refresh and turn pages (it's reportedly 30% faster).

Amazon, though, isn't done with buttons. There is yet another accessory, and it takes page turning off the Kindle and puts it in the palm of your hand. It's called the Kindle Click ($34.99) and is, as the name implies, like a remote control for your Kindle.

@techradar
♬ original sound - TechRadar

Looking like a pale, undersized TV remote, it features two large, thumb-pressable buttons on the face for forward and back page turns. There are also two thinner and smaller buttons on the side for brightness control.

While I struggled to understand why anyone would need a remote for a device that's often just 10 inches from their face, Keith explained the thinking behind this unusual accessory.

Kindle ClickLance Ulanoff / Future

Lance Ulanoff / Future

With BookTok inspiring more and more young readers who are creating elaborate setups for reading (sometimes under the covers with special stands for the e-readers), Keith sees a need for gesture-free page turning and brightness control.

"My use case is I work out on an Elliptical, and I used to have to swipe, and now you can just turn the pages," he said, adding that it could be a game changer if you're flying on an airplane and just want to prop up the Kindle and sit back and casually turn pages by pressing the remote. If I start using it while reading on my Kindle, I'm sure to fall asleep reading that much faster; after all, raising my hand to swipe pages is usually all that's keeping me awake.

The 6-inch Kindles, in Ube and Graphite, arrive today (October 1) and are still $149 / £149.99 / AU$279 for the 16GB model. "We really were trying to bring innovation to the lineup and be able to absorb as much of the memory costs as we could to be able to keep our prices affordable," said Keith. The new aluminum chassis Kindle, in Alpine Sky and Seaglass Green, starts with 32GB of storage for $189.99 / £169.99 / AU$299.

The updated 7-inch Kindle Paperwhite (starting at $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$369), Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition ($249.99 / £229.99 / AU$399), and the 32GB Kindle Colorsoft, which starts at $289.99 / £259.99 / AU$449 ($319.99 / £289.99 / AU$499for the 32GB aluminum Signature Edition), arrive October 28.

Samsung launches the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and SmartTag 3

James Rogerson — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 14:21:18 +0000

Samsung has announced the high-end Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and S12 Ultra
The Ultra is slimmer and more powerful than ever
The company has also announced the Galaxy SmartTag 3, complete with iOS support

Samsung’s flagship tablets for 2026 have just launched in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra.

The Ultra is, of course, the top model here, with a 14.6-inch 2960 x 1848, 120Hz AMOLED screen, a slim 5.1mm-thick build, a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset, an 11,600mAh battery with 45W charging, 12GB or 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage.

It also has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, a 13MP wide camera, an 8MP ultra-wide, a 12MP front-facing camera, quad speakers, and an included S Pen stylus.

Samsung has highlighted that this is the company’s slimmest and most powerful tablet yet, with up to 61% faster NPU processing, 19% faster CPU performance, and 17% improved GPU performance compared to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.

So, in short, this should be about the closest an Android tablet can get to the iPad Pro M5 — and you can read our early thoughts on the new device in our Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra hands-on.

(Image credit: Samsung)

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus is similar but with a smaller 12.6-inch 2800 x 1752 screen, a slightly thicker (but lighter) 5.3mm build, a 10,600mAh battery, up to 512GB of storage, no 16GB RAM option, and just a single 13MP rear camera. It’s also a Wi-Fi 6E device, while the Ultra is Wi-Fi 7.

Both of these tablets will be available starting October 7 in a choice of gray or silver shades, with prices starting at £1,199 / $1,200 / AU$1,999 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and £1,399 / $1,400 / AU$2,299 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra.

Those are slightly higher prices than last year’s starting prices, but Samsung is throwing in various subscriptions, including six months of Google AI Pro and Notability, and four months of Photoshop.

From big tablets to a tiny tracker

(Image credit: Samsung)

And that’s not all Samsung has just announced; the company has also launched the SmartTag 3. The big news here is that, for the first time, it offers cross-OS compatibility, meaning it works with both Galaxy and iOS devices.

This AirTag-like tracker is also 35% smaller and 33% lighter than the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2, and it offers up to 550 days of battery with standard use or up to 790 days in Power Saving mode.

It also increases the range of ‘Compass View’ for precision finding, and has a new ‘Place Notification’ feature that lets you define an area and receive an alert when a tagged item moves in or out of it.

It will be available in both white and black, but you’ll have to wait a little longer to get your hands on this device than the new tablets, as while it’s going on sale in South Korea on October 7, it won’t go global until sometime in 2027.

The new Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is here — and I've used it

hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Today Samsung debuted a pair of new Tablets: the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra. I’ve been taking the Ultra for a spin ahead of its October 7 launch and have been loving the massive display.

But the price hike, and minimal upgrades leave me questioning if it really needed it launch.

There’s a lot that’ll be familiar here for owners of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra when it comes to the S12 series. The AMOLED screen is still 14.6-inches with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits peak brightness, the battery is still 11,600mAh with 45W charging (and boasts the same promised 23 hours of video playback as the S11 Ultra), and the S12 Ultra tablet is still IP68 rated meaning it could spend 30 minutes underwater at a depth of 1m and survive the experience.

The tablet is as thin (5.1mm) as it was before, with the same Silver and Gray color options to choose between as before. The only notable change is the chipset — the new 3nm processor boasts an up to 19% faster CPU, 17% better GPU performance, and a 51% improvement to its NPU processing for your AI needs — though there is also a new heat chamber for better heat dissipation, plus a new four-channel speaker setup for more immersive audio than last generation’s dual-speaker build.

I’ve been trying the Ultra model out and enjoying it so far — relying on it as a solid laptop alternative with the book keyboard cover attachment (sold separately), and also as a great mobile gaming and TV-watching device while I travel (a full review will be coming soon) — but considering how similar it is to the last generation, I am left wondering if Samsung should take a leaf out of Apple’s book and abandon its annual refresh approach to Galaxy Tab launches.

(Image credit: Future)

The Tab S12+ is an interesting beast. There was no S11+, so it’s a replacement for the S10+ from 2024, but there’s also no regular S12 launching alongside these models, so it's kind of the successor to the S11 too.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12+ boasts a 12.6-inch AMOLED screen with the same 1,600 nits peak brightness as the Ultra. It also has the same chipset as the Ultra model, but there's a smaller 10,600mAh battery (unsurprising, since it's physically smaller).

Besides the lower battery capcaity and screen size it also lacks the Ultra’s 8MP ultra-wide rear camera — but otherwise has the same 13MP main on its back, and 12MP ultra-wide on its front.

Because the S12+ is billed as a step-up model, despite there not being a base S12 to step up from, it does mean Samsung’s cheapest 2026 model is a lot more pricey than its cheapest 2025 tablet (more on that in a second).

For someone on a budget thinking of upgrading, it’s a real shame the best option from Samsung might be a tablet that’s a year old, but unless we get a regular Tab S12 (I’m not holding my breath) that’s the position we find ourselves in.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)

Coming for the iPad Pro?

As we’ve come to expect in 2026 — though it still stings to see every single time — the tablets will cost more than what has come before. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra will set you back $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,299 — up from $1,299 / £1,269 / AU$2,099 – meanwhile the S12+ costs $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$1,999 for its cheapest model.

For both tablets the cheapest configuration comes with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, with both also having a 512GB model, and the Ultra boasting a 1TB model that also ups the RAM to 16GB, though these configurations will cost more.

At these prices, Samsung is pitching its S12 lineup against Apple’s iPad Pro lines, but thankfully the prices are a little cheaper. Compared with the 2025 iPad Pro launch prices, Samsung’s tablets would be pricier — however Apple hiked its prices by up to $200 / £200 / AU$400, putting its 11-inch iPad Pro on-par with the S12+, and making its the 13-inch iPad Pro $100 / £100 pricier.

Should Apple be worried? (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

There are factors to consider beyond price, of course. The Samsung tablets have larger screens than their respective rivals and a longer quoted battery life, and come with the S Pen stylus in the box, while the Apple Pencil is sold separately.

But Apple’s tech is lighter — 444g and 579g compared with 553g and 692g — and while we need to do some more testing, Apple silicon tends to outperform its rivals.

All that aside, there’s plenty to still love about the S12-series Galaxy Tabs. I’ve been using the Ultra for a couple of weeks now and it’s genuinely a very useful machine. I’m currently writing this story using the tablet and its keyboard attachment (multitasking across documents, web pages, and my photos app with ease).

But again I’m left wondering if it really needed to exist considering the lackluster hardware upgrades and price increase. Right now I’m not sure, but let’s see how I feel when my review is ready

Amazon Kindle 12th Gen leak hints at four color options and a changed design

James Rogerson — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:29:57 +0000

The next basic Amazon Kindle has seemingly leaked
It looks to have some small design changes from the previous model
But it's a shame there's no sign of a new smaller size

It looks like Amazon is gearing up to launch a new Kindle, as images of a new model — which you can see above and below — have been leaked by WinFuture. This is the Amazon Kindle 12th Gen, so it’s the basic model — not a Kindle Paperwhite or Kindle Colorsoft.

From the shared images, it seems this new device will have more rounded corners than the Amazon Kindle (2024), and the power button will be moved from the bottom to the top. The site has also shared that we can expect this Kindle to come in black, green, light blue, and purple shades, and that, interestingly, there might be two versions — one with a recessed screen and one where the display is flush.

Alongside this, Amazon is apparently planning a new Kindle for Kids, though no major changes are expected here, with it apparently being essentially the same as the current device, just shipping with a different cover included.

A leaked image of the Amazon Kindle 2026 (Image credit: WinFuture)

A smaller device could be a big hit

It remains to be seen whether the new 12th-generation Kindle will bring many spec upgrades, but regardless, it’s not the device I want. Lately I’ve fallen in love with compact ereaders like the ViWoods AiPaper Reader and the even smaller Xteink X4 Pro, and I'm spending more time reading on them than my Kindle Colorsoft — but Amazon doesn’t offer anything in these sizes.

So, that’s what I really want to see — especially something truly tiny like the Xteink devices, since one of their main issues is the difficulty in getting books onto them, which presumably isn’t a problem you’d have with a tiny Kindle.

And I’m not alone in this desire — a Reddit thread about this new Kindle leak included comments like “I was kind of hoping for a mini Kindle announcement,” and “I thought I would want a bigger size… until I got a smaller one and practically never touched my Paperwhite again.”

And while these tiny ereaders seem like they should be niche devices, they’re presumably selling well, given that an increasing number of brands like Onyx Boox and Honor have started getting in on them too.

So, hopefully we’ll see a tiny Kindle eventually, but for now, it seems you’ll have to make do with the standard sizes.

The Prime Day Kindle discounts are going live already — here's what you should know before you buy

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:13:44 +0000

Thinking of buying a Kindle in the upcoming Prime Day? It's a good plan — Amazon reliably offers hefty discounts on its own devices during these sales events. The official Prime Day will take place on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October, but if you're in the UK you don't need to wait until then.

This particular event coincides with Amazon updating almost its entire Kindle lineup. We now have new basic Kindle (in regular and aluminum versions), a new Paperwhite (in regular and Signature editions), a new Colorsoft (regular and Signature) and a new Kindle Kids. Only the Scribe options remain the same. All this throws a slight spanner in my deal-predicting works.

In the UK, Amazon discounted almost its entire range (as it existed then), around a week before Prime Day — those deals/models are still live and available to shop, and you'll find them included below. However, when the new versions were added, they all appeared at full price.

In the US, we were still waiting for the Prime Day Kindle deals to appear when Amazon dropped all its 2026 models. Now the new range is live, and there are still no discounts to speak of.

I'm not sure that Amazon will discount its new 2026 models, or by how much, but I'll be keeping a close eye on proceedings and will update this page with any deals I do spot. Want more info? Further down the page I'll run through some buying tips to help you choose the right model for you, plus a guide to what counts as a good discount for a Kindle.

UK: Kindle models

Note: some models are currently on pre-order, for delivery 11 November. At time of writing, there are no aluminum Kindle and no 2026 Signature versions available in the UK.

Amazon

Kindle (2026)

Amazon

Kindle (2024)

Read our full review

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite (without ads, 2026)

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite (without ads, 2024)

Read our full review

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite (with ads, 2026)

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite (with ads, 2024)

Read our full review

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (without ads, 2024)

Read our full review

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft (2024)

Read our full review

Pros

Finally, color on a Kindle
Speedy refresh and zooming

Cons

Doesn’t feel premium enough for the price
No way to access Marvel Unlimited or DC Infinite subscriptions

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2024)

Amazon

Kindle Scribe (32GB)

Read our full review

Pros

Still the best big ereader, with better writing tools
Subtle improvements add up in a big way
AI tools that are [gasp] useful?!

Cons

It’s more expensive without new hardware
It’s got AI, like everything – you can’t escape

Amazon

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft

Read our full review

Pros

Gets the basics right
Color and Scribe features are well-packaged
Large and sharp display

Cons

Pricey
Some features could use updating

US: Kindle models

Amazon

Amazon Kindle 16GB (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Aluminum (2026)

Amazon

Kindle (2024)

Read our full review

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite (2024)

Read our full review

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024)

Read our full review

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft (no ads, 2024)

Read our full review

Pros

Finally, color on a Kindle
Speedy refresh and zooming

Cons

Doesn’t feel premium enough for the price
No way to access Marvel Unlimited or DC Infinite subscriptions

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026)

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2024)

Amazon

Kindle Scribe

Read our full review

Pros

Still the best big ereader, with better writing tools
Subtle improvements add up in a big way
AI tools that are [gasp] useful?!

Cons

It’s more expensive without new hardware
It’s got AI, like everything – you can’t escape

Amazon

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft

Read our full review

Pros

Gets the basics right
Color and Scribe features are well-packaged
Large and sharp display

Cons

Pricey
Some features could use updating

Are the deals any good?

In the UK, the discounts on the previous range are strong deals — around the level I'd expect for Prime Day. I'm not expecting the discounts to increase over Prime Day itself, although it's not impossible. Of course, it might be that you'd prefer a latest-gen model, in which case I'd hang on for Prime Day proper to see if any deals do appear on the 2026 lineup.

Note, too, that there has been a bit of sneakiness on Amazon's part regarding the 2024 Kindle. A number of these models have had their list price inflated, thus making the discount look more significant. Some of the older US models have had a price rise, too.

For reference, here was the pricing (and discounts) on the full 2024 Kindle range during the most recent Amazon Prime Day, in June 2026.

In the UK:

Kindle: £79.99 (was ~~£94.99~~) — 16% off
Kindle Paperwhite (no ads): £134.99 (was ~~£169.99~~) — 21% off
Kindle Paperwhite (with ads): £119.99 (was ~~£159.99~~) — 25% off
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition: £114.99 (was ~~£189.99~~) — 24% off
Kindle Colorsoft: £154.99 (was ~~£239.99~~) — 35% off
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition: £174.99 (was ~~£269.99~~) — 35% off
Kindle Scribe: £379.99 — no discount
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft: £504.99 (was ~~£629.99~~) — 20% off

In the US:

Kindle: $84.99 (was ~~$109.99~~) — 23% off
Kindle Paperwhite: $124.99 (was ~~$159.99~~) — 22% off
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition: $144.99 (was ~~$199.99~~) — 28% off
Kindle Colorsoft (no ads): $159.99 (was ~~$249.99~~) — 36% off
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition: $219.99 (was ~~$279.99~~) — 21% off
Kindle Scribe: $379.99 (was ~~$499.99~~) — 24% off
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft: $519.99 (was ~~$679.99~~) — 24% off

How to choose the right Kindle for you

Amazon Kindles are some of the best e-readers around, and there aren't really any bad options here. When choosing a model, I'd start by deciding between black-and-white (Paperwhite) and color (Colorsoft). If you're a fan of graphic novels, Color is a no-brainer, and it's also useful if you're studying and want to be able to color-code your highlights. However, if you're predominantly just reading text-heavy novels, a black-and-white Kindle might be perfectly fine.

After you've decided that, you'll want to figure out if you also want to be able to use your Kindle for note-taking. All the 'Scribe' options work with a stylus, so you can write as well as read. They have bigger screens than the reading-only options. You'll find more advice in my article exploring how to choose the right Kindle.

Below you can see how the specs compare for each model. All of these key specs remain the same for the 2024 and 2026 Kindle models — the 2026 versions are generally a little lighter and thinner, with smooth, flush displays and a repositioned power button.

Model:	Kindle	Kindle Paperwhite	Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition	Kindle Colorsoft	Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition	Kindle Scribe	Kindle Scribe Colorsoft
Display:	6-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	7-inch glare-free w/ color display	11-inch glare-free	11-inch glare-free with color display
Resolution:	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)	300ppi	300ppi (black and white) / 150ppi (color)
Storage:	16GB	16GB	32GB	16GB	32GB	16, 32 or 64GB	32 or 64GB
Max battery:	6 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	8 weeks	8 weeks	12 weeks reading / 3 weeks writing	8 weeks reading / 2 weeks writing
Waterproof (IPX8):	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Writing capability:	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes

The Honor Life S3 is another tiny ereader that attaches to your phone

James Rogerson — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:36:07 +0000

The Honor Life S3 is a new tiny ereader
It has a 3.68-inch screen and a magnet to attach it to the back of a phone
So far, there's no confirmed global availability

Not so long ago, tiny ereaders like the Xteink X4 Pro seemed like a novel concept, but now, we seem to be hearing more about them than standard-size ereaders; along with the Xteink line, there’s the recently announced Boox Picco, and now Honor is getting in on the act too with the Honor Life S3.

This device was announced alongside the Honor Magic 9 series of phones, and just like Xteink’s products, it can magnetically attach to the back of your phone, essentially giving you a second screen on your handset — though you can also use the Honor Life S3 separately if you simply want a tiny ereader on its own.

It has a 3.68-inch e-paper screen with 259 pixels per inch, and it weighs just 61g and measures 5.6mm thick. So whether you’re attaching it to your phone or just putting it in your pocket, it’s not going to add much bulk or weight.

(Image credit: Honor)

Unlike most rival devices, the Honor Life S3 is entirely touchscreen, with no physical page buttons. Most alternatives either don’t have a touchscreen or have both.

According to GizmoChina it also has a “soft-light eye-protection feature” designed to make it easy on your eyes during lengthy reading sessions, and a battery that’s said to deliver 30 hours of run time in continuous use, and up to a week of life with typical use.

It uses a microSD card for storage, supports most common ebook and document formats, and runs a custom operating system, with the ability to transfer books wirelessly through the Honor Smart Space app.

So, as with most of these tiny ereaders you’re not getting Android, meaning there’s no access to the Kindle or Kobo stores.

Carving out a tiny niche

Overall, the Honor Life S3 sounds like some combination of the Xteink X4 Pro and the Xteink X3, with a touchscreen like the X4 Pro but a screen size that’s closer to the X3, and the magnets that both offer — but which some rivals like the Boox Picco don’t.

The Honor Life S3 is, however, marginally thicker and heavier than the Xteink X3, with that coming in at 5.1mm thick and 58g. There’s not much in it, but that could still make a difference if you want the slimmest and lightest device possible. The Xteink X4 Pro is a bit bigger and heavier, but you’re also getting a larger 4.3-inch screen there.

What the Honor Life S3 might have going for it is that it comes from a more recognizable brand, albeit one that doesn’t currently have a massive presence outside China. Indeed, so far it’s only been announced for China, so it remains to be seen whether you’ll even be able to buy it elsewhere.

Personally, there’s nothing here that would tempt me away from the Xteink X4 Pro that I already have, but if I didn’t already own that device and this was available, I’d certainly consider it.

Leak shows a new iPad mini is on the way, even after Apple's folding iPhone

David Nield — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 13:30:00 +0000

An 8th-gen iPad mini has appeared in Apple code
The device could launch as soon as next month
It might be joined by an updated HomePod mini

Does the official arrival of the iPhone Duo mean the iPad mini will be quietly retired? Not according to fresh Apple leaks that suggest the smallest iPad in the range will be getting a refreshed model sooner rather than later.

This will be the iPad mini 8 if you're keeping count, the successor to the iPad mini 7 that launched in October 2024, and references to it have been spotted in Apple code by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.

The code reveals a couple of images of the upcoming iPad mini, with a landscape front-facing camera that puts it in line with the other iPads, and a small groove cut out of the top of the display glass, which is likely to be for a speaker.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the device could launch next month, matching the October scheduling for several previous iPad mini models. One of the upgrades we're expecting this time around is with water resistance.

Another HomePod mini is coming too

Remember the HomePod mini? (Image credit: TechRadar)

Of course, this will be the first iPad mini to launch in the era of the iPhone Duo, leading one Redditor to describe it as the 'iPhone Duo: unfoldable edition'. The 7th-gen iPad mini's screen measures 8.3 inches, while the iPhone Duo's main display is a similar 7.6 inches.

It seems there's still going to be space in the market for both of them — not least because the iPhone Duo's price starts at $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,499 (with 256GB of storage), while for the current iPad mini it's $599 / £599 / AU$949 (with 128GB of storage).

In further Apple rumor news, the same combination — hidden Apple code found by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris — has turned up some potential new colors for the HomePod mini 2: green, pink, blue, white, and black.

That's quite the departure from the current range (yellow, orange, blue, white, and midnight), and again an October launch is likely. The first HomePod mini was unveiled all the way back in October 2020.

I spent a month with the Huawei MatePad Air, and it's confirmed my one big wish for the next iPad Air

sanujb6@gmail.com (Sanuj Bhatia) — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Huawei, as a brand, is in a very interesting place right now. The company is genuinely innovating on a lot of fronts. It just launched the Mate XT2 tri-folding phone, which brings Samsung-like Privacy Display tech to the tri-folding form factor, as well as the Watch D3, which puts medical-grade blood pressure measurements into an even slimmer smartwatch.

But the problem with Huawei has always been that you can't buy a lot of the company's devices in markets outside Asia. And while that doesn't look like it's changing anytime soon, every once in a while, Huawei does launch some products in the West, and it reminds us (again) of what we're missing from other major hardware makers.

That's exactly what happened with the new Huawei MatePad Air. I usually use my still-going-strong M1 iPad Air (2022) as my main tablet, but I've spent the past month using the MatePad Air as my primary device. And it has shown me the one upgrade Apple could make that would probably convince me to finally buy the next iPad Air.

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / TechRadar)

The MatePad Air itself doesn't look like some groundbreaking new tablet. In fact, Huawei has so many tablets in its lineup that you'd probably have a hard time distinguishing the new MatePad Air from some of the company's other models just by looking at the back.

But flip the MatePad Air around, and that's where, for me, it starts beating a lot of the competition. The MatePad Air comes with a 12-inch OLED display with up to a 144Hz refresh rate and a 1,200-nit peak brightness. But the model I've been testing for the past month is the higher-end PaperMatte version, which can reach up to 2,000 nits.

If you're unfamiliar with Huawei's PaperMatte display technology, it's essentially a special anti-glare treatment on top of the display that, Huawei says, eliminates up to 99% of ambient light reflections. It also gives the screen a more paper-like texture, which feels natural when you're writing with a stylus, while also helping reduce things like eye strain and smudges.

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / TechRadar)

And this display alone is what has made me prefer using the MatePad Air over my iPad Air for the past month.

Think about what you actually do with a tablet. Whether you use an iPad Pro or the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, almost everything revolves around the display. You're watching content, taking notes, making video calls, or reading. For 99% of the time, you're looking at and interacting with a screen.

It's not like the iPad Air's display is bad. It's still a good-looking panel, and I've used my M1 iPad Air for years without any complaints. But Apple hasn't meaningfully upgraded the display technology in a while, and it's starting to show its age.

The iPad Air still uses an LCD panel. It's still stuck at 60Hz, and the bezels are quite thick as well. None of these things really bothered me before, but switching back and forth between it and the MatePad Air made the difference quite obvious.

The 144Hz OLED panel on the MatePad Air is obviously smoother, the colors look great, and the thinner bezels make watching content much nicer. And that PaperMatte display just makes everything twice as nice.

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / TechRadar)

I've used the MatePad Air pretty much everywhere, be it the subway, airplanes, or my home, and not having reflections constantly bouncing off the screen has been great.

And it's not like Apple doesn't know how to do this. The company already offers its nano-texture display on the iPad Pro. The problem is that you need to buy one of the most expensive iPad Pro configurations (specifically, a model with 1TB or more) to even get the option, pushing the price to $1,899 / £1,899 / AU$3,249.

Huawei, on the other hand, makes the upgrade much easier to swallow. In the UK, you get the PaperMatte display regardless of which version of the MatePad Air you choose; the cheapest is just £699.99 (it's not available in the US). You're also getting 256GB of storage on the base model, compared to the 128GB starting storage on the iPad Air.

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / TechRadar)

Of course, the MatePad Air isn't better than the iPad Air at everything. Apple's M-series chips still give the iPad a major performance advantage, and if I'm editing videos or doing other compute-heavy work on a tablet, I'd still rather have the iPad Air.

But most of the time, that's not what I'm doing on my tablet. I mostly use my iPad to watch content and browse the web, and for both of these things, I'd rather have the MatePad Air's display.

Plus, the hardware around the OLED display is pretty impressive, too. At 12 inches, the MatePad Air sits somewhere between Apple's 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models. It weighs just 509g and uses an aluminum frame and back, making it more than 100g lighter than the 13-inch iPad Air.

It's thinner too, measuring just 5.3mm compared to 6.1mm for the larger iPad Air, despite Huawei fitting a 10,100mAh battery inside compared to roughly 9,705mAh on Apple's tablet.

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / TechRadar)

That said, none of this means I'm ready to completely ditch the iPad. I still prefer its performance, app ecosystem, and just how well it works with the rest of my Apple devices. But after a month with the MatePad Air, the one thing I desperately want to take back to my iPad is this display.

Give the next iPad Air an OLED display with (hopefully) an anti-reflective PaperMatte-like option that doesn't burn a hole in my pocket, and my M1 iPad Air might finally have a reason to retire.

Boox vs Kobo: which e-ink tablet should you buy?

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:58:59 +0000

Trying to decide between Kobo and Boox? This guide is here to help. These are two very popular e-ink tablet brands, and both feature in our ranking of the best ereaders. However, there are some distinct differences.

Kobo specializes in ereaders. It has a small range of different models, but all are geared towards reading — and in some cases, can be used for annotating and note-taking. They offer an offline-first experience, and they're almost all waterproof, which is great news if you like to read in the bath.

Boox (from parent company Onyx) is more of an e-ink tablet brand. Boox tablets run a full version of Android, which means you can use them in a wide variety of ways and for many different tasks. It's a particularly good option for those who have a Kindle but are looking to switch, because you can simply install the Kindle app from the Google Play store and then you'll still have access to all your books.

The Boox range is wide and sprawling, and includes a selection of options that are shaped and sized like a phone. It also just launched three new models earlier this week: the Note Air6 C, Note Mini C, and Palma 3.

Below, I'll dig into the two brands in more detail, starting with an overview of the different ranges and then moving into specs comparison and some buying pointers.

Kobo ereaders

Kobo

Libra Colour

Read our full review

Pros

Good size for portability and usability
Relatively affordable for a color ereader
Full writing features
Repair kits available

Cons

Couple of functions suffer from lag
Stylus sold separately

Kobo

Clara Colour

Read our full review

Pros

Responsive color display
Compact and lightweight
Good battery life
Relatively affordable

Cons

6 inches can be too small for some users
Black-and-white text lacks contrast

Kobo

Clara BW

Read our full review

Pros

New E Ink Carta 1300 screen
Compact, lightweight and waterproof
Affordable and repairable

Cons

No cloud file transfer support
Dated, plastic design
6-inch screen can be small for some

Kobo

Elipsa 2E

Boox ereaders

Note for UK readers: some of these models are only available direct from Boox at the moment. On the Boox Europe store, prices are only provided in Euros, but there are UK versions available and it does not look like they're being shipped from abroad.

Boox

Note Air6 C [new]

Boox

Note Air5 C

Boox

Note Mini C [new]

Onyx

Boox Note Max

Onyx Boox

Go 7

Read our full review

Pros

Android 13-based operating system
Excellent E Ink Carta 1300 display
64GB storage
Page-turn buttons
Snappy performance
Stylus support

Cons

Lacks waterproofing
Complicated menu system
Excessive battery drain
Subpar writing experience

Onyx Boox

Go Color 7 Gen II

Onyx Boox

Go 10.3 (gen II)

Onyx

Boox Go 6 (gen II)

Boox

Palma 3 [new]

Boox

Palma 2 Pro

Read our full review

Pros

Pocket-friendly color E Ink design
More versatile than the Palma 2
Excellent case accessory

Cons

Expensive for an ereader
Text isn’t as crisp as on the Palma 2
Stylus sold separately

Boox

Tab X C

Boox vs Kobo: specs compared

Spec notes

There are a few specs I haven't included here, because they aren't helpful when it comes to making a decision between models.

I haven't included battery capacity. This is worth considering, of course, but how it relates to runtime depends heavily on what you're using the tablet for. If you're mainly just reading, with a low backlight, even a small battery will deliver many days of use without needing to recharge. Conversely, lots of note-taking or internet browsing will drain a larger battery relatively quickly.

You also won't find screen resolution here. In almost every case the resolution will be the same: 300ppi in black and white, dropping to 150ppi in color if the ereader supports that. There's a lot more variety in the display technology used, but the categories here aren't standardized so comparing them — especially across brands, using different terms — is very tricky.

Finally, I haven't included supported file formats. Pretty much all of these models offer a wide range of file support, including but not limited to: LIST, PDF, EPUB, EPUB3, MOBI, TXT, CBR, CBZ, and RTF. That's before we get into the support for image and audio formats. If you have a specific file type you're interested in, double check the specs on the brand's own site before buying.

Boox vs Kobo: product lineup

Kobo lineup

Kobo currently has four ereaders in its lineup. The Clara range is the most basic: the screens are the smallest (at 6 inches), the storage is limited to 16GB (which is lower than all the other options here but realistically will still enable you to store more books that you'll ever need), and there's no writing support. You can choose between black-and-white (BW) or color versions.

If you want writing support and compatibility with Google Drive and Dropbox, you can choose between Libra Colour or an Elipsa 2E. The Libra Colour is the smaller and more basic option. The Elipsa 2E has a large, 10.3 inch screen and comes with a Kobo stylus included. It's the only model in Kobo's lineup to not be waterproof.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Boox lineup

Boox has more options, and includes four main lines: Note, Go, Palma and Tab.

The Boox Note series is rather sprawling, encompassing Mini (small screen), Max (large screen), and Air (medium screen) options. These are billed as all-in-one productivity tools — they're on the thicker side and on the larger options you can snap a magnetic keyboard on. The newest models are the Note Mini C and Air6 C.

The Boox Go series also offers options with different screen sizes, the smallest of which is an ultra-compact 6 inches. These options are marketed as being travel-friendly, and are generally thinner than the Note series. The newest options are the Go 6 (Gen II), the Go 10.3 (Gen II), the Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi, and the Go Color 7 (Gen II).

The Boox Palma models have the size and shape of a phone, with a 6.2-inch screen. They're designed for on-the-go reading and note-taking. The newest options are the Palma 3 and Palma 2 Pro.

The Boox Tab series seems to be limited to just the Tab X C. It's a large ereader tablet with support for a magnetic keyboard.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / Future)

Boox vs Kobo: buying advice

Buy a Kobo if...

✅ You want to read in the bath: Pretty much all Kobo ereaders are waterproof to IPX8 standard, which means they can withstand up to an hour in two meters of water. In contrast, Boox models are 'water-resistant' at best — which means anything more than a sprinkle of water could spell trouble.

✅ Your priority is reading: Kobo's slates are specialized for reading — and occasionally also annotating. If you aren't looking for a general-use tablet, Kobo is a better bet.

✅ You're on a tighter budget: Almost all of Kobo's ereaders are cheaper than Boox's options — and if you don't need the extra functionality offered by Boox, Kobo will be a more cost-effective option.

Buy a Boox if...

✅ You want tablet functionality: Boox ereaders run a full version of Android, which means you can download a variety of apps to unlock up a wide range of functionality, depending on your needs. These tablets aren't just for reading.

✅ You want a pocket-sized option: The Boox Palma models are around the same proportions as a phone — perfect for on-the-go reading and note-taking.

✅ You want the biggest screen: Boox makes a number of slates with 13.3-inch screens, whereas Kobo models top out at 10.3 inches. Boox is the place to go if you're seeking a generously sized ereader.

Vote now in the TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 — Phones & Cameras categories!

TechRadar — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:29:28 +0000

It's time for TechRadar's annual tech awards, and this year we're doing it differently. For the first time, we have a complete set of categories where the winners are chosen 100% by you, the TechRadar readers.

The TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 comprises nearly 100 categories, but we know that not everyone is interested in voting in every one, so on this page you can vote in just our Phones and Cameras categories.

These include tablets, ereaders, drones and more, as well as various phones and cameras awards. You can vote in the survey just below — or follow the links to see other specific categories, or to vote on the full list instead.

The shortlists were chosen by TechRadar's editors based on the best products we've tested or the most popular products of the year. You'll need to vote before 00:01am PST / 03:01am EST / 08:01am BST on Wednesday October 7th 2026 for it to be counted.

Once the deadline has passed at 00:01am PST / 03:01am EST / 08:01am BST on Wednesday October 7th 2026, we'll tally your votes to find the winners in each category.

We'll announce the winners in our big TechRadar Awards 2026 Week, starting Monday October 19th. We'll reveal the winners of the Reader's Choice Awards, as well as the winners of our TechRadar Product of the Year Awards, which are chosen solely by our expert judges.

How many products will do the double? We'll be curious to see — but right now, all you can do is vote for what you think should win, so vote away!

Boox Palma 3 unveiled with Android 16 and a premium build

James Rogerson — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:48:51 +0000

The Boox Palma 3 has been announced
This is a phone-sized ereader with a 6.13-inch screen
Key upgrades include Android 16, stylus support, and a more premium build

If you’re in the market for a phone-sized ereader, you now have another option to consider, as the Boox Palma 3 has just been unveiled — and this successor to the Onyx Boox Palma 2 has some of the key features found on the rival ViWoods AiPaper Reader.

For one thing, just like the ViWoods device, the Boox Palma 3 now has a premium build, with an anodized aluminum frame and a textured fiberglass backplate in place of its plasticky predecessor.

And it’s also had an Android upgrade, launching with a ViWoods AiPaper Reader-matching Android 16, which is up from Android 13 on the Boox Palma 2 and Android 15 on the Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro.

For me, that’s particularly important, as Android versions don’t tend to get updated on these sorts of devices, so you’re typically stuck with whatever software they launch with; old versions of software can mean security issues, and app incompatibility problems can crop up sooner.

Beyond that, the Boox Palma 3 also benefits from active stylus support, so you can use it with the Boox InkSense Plus stylus. The AiPaper Reader doesn’t have stylus support, nor does it come with a camera, whereas here you get a 16MP one, so those are two potential advantages of the Boox Palma 3.

Personally, I’m not sure I’d want to use a stylus on a device this small, nor do I have much use for a camera on an ereader — but it could be handy for scanning documents, if you’re so inclined.

(Image credit: Onyx)

Similar specs and a heavier build

That camera and the rest of the specs, though, are largely in line with those of the Boox Palma 2, including a 6.13-inch 824 x 1648 e-paper touchscreen with 300 pixels per inch, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a microSD card slot, a front light (supporting both warm and cold color tones), a 3,950mAh battery, a USB-C port, a fingerprint sensor, a speaker, and microphones.

But despite being marginally smaller than the Boox Palma 2 at 159 x 78 x 7.8mm, the Palma 3 is actually 25g heavier at 195g.

That also makes it heavier than the 138g ViWoods AiPaper Reader and the 170g Boox Palma 2 Pro — the latter of which additionally gives you a color screen and an extra 2GB of RAM.

So, this may not be a complete home run — or a total upgrade for anyone who owns the Palma 2 Pro.

Indeed, the Palma 3 is actually priced lower than the Palma 2 Pro, coming in at $339.99 (around £250 / AU$475), though a launch discount softens that price to an even lower $319.99 (roughly £235 / AU$450).

There’s no confirmed pricing for other regions yet, but for reference, while the Palma 2 has been discontinued, the Palma 2 Pro sells for $399.99 / $379.99 / AU$679, and its rival, the ViWoods AiPaper Reader, retails for $279 / £254.99 / AU$399.12.

You also can’t actually buy the Boox Palma 3 yet, but the company lists it as coming soon.

This hidden iPadOS 27 setting will make your iPad feel more Mac-like — here's how to enable it

Lloyd Coombes — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:37:02 +0000

Apple has traditionally kept the iPad closer to the iPhone in terms of core functionality (even after it released iPadOS as a standalone software package in 2019), but iPadOS 26 marked a distinct shift towards making the iPad feel more Mac-like.

And honestly, this change in direction made sense. After all, iPads now run MacBook-level M-series chips; the iPad Pro (2025), for instance, uses the M5. They also let you run background exports in creative apps, switch audio sources while podcasting, and complete many more high-level productivity tasks.

One excellent addition in iPadOS 26 was the arrival of the Menu Bar, which acts as a facsimile of the macOS version of the same feature. But having used iPadOS 27, which launches today (September 14), since its launch in beta earlier this year, I can confidently say that this new software package makes the iPad feel more Mac-like than ever — and the Menu Bar is once again responsible for that.

Passing the bar

The Mac-like Menu Bar in iPadOS 27 (Image credit: Future)

As mentioned, the Menu Bar is about as Mac as it gets, offering app-specific options at the top of the iPad screen. It’s as synonymous with macOS as the Dock, and it’s one of the core features that take some getting used to when switching from a Windows PC to a Mac.

On Mac, the Menu Bar is permanent. It sits at the top of the screen for easy access and highlights which app you’re currently using (something that’s particularly useful if you’re juggling multiple apps and keyboard shortcuts), but in iPadOS 26 it wasn’t, meaning it could be just as much of a hindrance as it was a help.

Thankfully, iPadOS 27 ensures the Menu Bar is always available, and while there are still some things I wish I could do on Apple’s tablet, the ability to affix the Menu Bar permanently is a change I welcome.

(Image credit: Future)

To do so, once you’ve updated to iPadOS 27, open Settings and select ‘Multitasking & Gestures’ on the left-hand sidebar. You’ll have to be on the Windowed Apps or Stage Manager option to be able to see the Menu Bar.

From here, look for a toggle labelled ‘Automatically Show and Hide Menu Bar’. If it’s on, turn it off, and you’ll see the Menu Bar consistently across apps, unless you’re watching something in full-screen mode. If you get fed up with it, just toggle that ‘Automatically Show and Hide Menu Bar’ option back on, and it’ll disappear again.

Still a way to go

The Siri AI interface in iPadOS 27 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Once you’ve toggled that setting, you can enjoy having the Menu Bar at the top of your iPad screen, but there are some caveats to be aware of.

For one, it’s not particularly useful if you use your iPad with your finger. The Menu Bar is much more suited to using a mouse, trackpad, or the Apple Pencil. I use the Magic Keyboard and, as ridiculously pricey as it was, this feature makes my whole iPad much more useful.

The other thing to be aware of is that the Menu Bar can’t be customized with third-party apps in the same way that long-running Mac ones like Bartender can. Sadly, it remains static in terms of what you can put on the right-hand side of it. Maybe one day that’ll change, but I can’t see Apple rolling out utility apps on its iPadOS platform anytime soon.

Finally, some nifty features to be aware of: you can still drag down from the right-hand side of the Menu Bar to access the Control Center (which is customizable, thankfully), and the left-hand side still takes you to your notifications (although I do wish this was a column on the side of the screen à la the macOS notification centre, rather than taking up the whole screen).

You can also drag down from the middle of the Menu Bar to access Siri AI, which is new in iPadOS 27 and makes Apple’s voice assistant much more useful.

So, what do you think? Is this the closest we’ll ever get to a MacPad? Or are you sticking with the Mac for now and leaving the iPad for content consumption? Let me know in the comments below.

iOS 27, Siri AI, and iPadOS 27 compatibility explained — here's which devices are supported

axel.metz@futurenet.com (Axel Metz) — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:23:56 +0000

iOS 27 is now rolling out to compatible iPhones, and this year, the list of models supported by Apple's new software update is impressively long.

Typically, Apple leaves a handful of iPhones out in the cold when releasing a new version of iOS — the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max, for instance, couldn't run iOS 26 — but refreshingly, the device requirements for iOS 27 are the same as those for iOS 26.

That means the iPhone SE (2020), iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max — all of which you might have expected to lose support this year — will still be able to run iOS 27, which is an impressive showing of software support on Apple's part.

Alas, the device requirements for Apple Intelligence and Siri AI aren't so straightforward, so in this guide, we've detailed the support list for iOS 27, Apple Intelligence, Siri AI, and iPadOS 27.

iOS 27

Even the iPhone 11 can run iOS 27 (Image credit: Future)

Here’s the full compatibility list for iOS 27:

iPhone SE (2020)
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone SE (2022)
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16e
iPhone 17
iPhone 17 Pro
iPhone 17 Pro Max
iPhone Air
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Duo

iOS 27 is supported by a whopping 33 iPhone models, which, if I'm not mistaken, is the largest-ever single pool of latest-update-compatible models.

What's more, iOS 27 began rolling out to all 33 of these models in one fell swoop on September 14 — Apple didn't ask owners of older iPhones to wait, which is something we've seen Samsung do, for instance, with its One UI updates.

It’s worth noting, however, that even though older models like the iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 support iOS 27, Apple Intelligence — which includes features like Clean Up, Live Translation, and Apple's new AI-powered voice assistant, Siri AI — remains locked to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer.

Siri AI

Siri AI in iOS 27 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

As above, only those iPhones that are already compatible with Apple Intelligence will support Siri AI. The full list is as follows (I've included iPads and MacBooks, too):

iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16e
iPhone 17
iPhone 17 Pro
iPhone 17 Pro Max
iPhone Air
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Duo
iPad models with M1 or later
MacBooks with M1 or later
MacBook Neo

Importantly, though, not all Siri AI features will be available on those iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks.

The Siri AI voice customization interface in iOS 27 (Image credit: Apple / Future)

Specifically, expressive voices and advanced dictation are limited to devices powered by Apple’s "most powerful on-device model," AFM Core Advanced. Those devices are as follows:

iPhone 17 Pro
iPhone 17 Pro Max
iPhone Air
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Duo
iPad Pro models from 2024 and later (7th generation onwards)
iPad Air models from 2026 and later (8th generation onwards)
MacBook Pro models from 2023 and later
MacBook Air models from 2024 and later

Additionally, those iPads and MacBooks will need to be equipped with at least 12GB of memory to be capable of running advanced Siri AI features.

Importantly, Siri AI isn't available in any form on iPhones and iPads in the European Union (EU) or China: "Unfortunately, due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple will not be able to ship Siri AI in the European Union with the release of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. Over the past several months, EU regulators did not accept any of Apple’s proposed solutions to bring Siri AI to the EU while safely supporting other virtual assistants," Apple explained in a blog post.

Interestingly, though, EU users can access Siri AI on macOS 27 and visionOS 27.

So, frustratingly, you'll need to meet quite a few criteria if you're hoping to try the best version of Siri AI on your Apple device.

iPadOS 27

Siri AI in iPadOS 27 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

As for iPads, specifically, the only iPadOS 26-compatible models that don't also support iPadOS 27 are the iPad 10.2-inch (2020), iPad Air 10.5-inch (2019), and iPad mini 7.9-inch (2019).

Here’s the full compatibility list for iPadOS 27:

iPad models from 2021 and later (9th generation onwards)
iPad Air models from 2020 and later (4th generation onwards)
iPad Pro models from 2017 and later (2nd generation onwards)
iPad mini models from 2021 and later (6th generation onwards)

Side note: almost all iPad models are available in multiple sizes and in Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + Cellular configurations, so, in the interest of readability, I’ve grouped the above models into dated categories.

Google quietly ends sales of the 'underrated' Pixel Tablet after just three years

rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies) — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:38:22 +0000

Google has quietly pulled the Pixel tablet from its online store
You can no longer purchase it from third-party retailers, or buy any accessories
Users are disappointed, but not surprised that Google has axed another one of its devices

Google has seemingly pulled the plug on one of its most underrated devices, the Pixel Tablet, and in true Google style, it did this very quietly — leaving users bitterly disappointed.

For starters, the Pixel Tablet’s product listing has disappeared from the Google Store after launching in 2023, leaving users to believe that the company’s flagship tablet is no more. It’s also no longer available to purchase through third-party retailers such as Amazon, and while you can still view it on Best Buy, the listing states that ‘this item is no longer available in new condition’.

Even its array of accessories has run its course on the Google Store. Products such as the Speck SandyShell Case and the Charging Speaker Dock cannot be purchased, and you can only opt in to ‘Get notified’ if they ever come back into stock which, given the absence of the tablet itself, is highly unlikely.

Though the Google Pixel Tablet may not have been as popular as the iPad or other models in the pool of the best tablets, it was still a respected and admired device by those who habituate the Google/ Android ecosystem. Reddit has been a hotspot for users to air their disappointment, but that said, not everyone is entirely surprised about it: ‘It's a shame. It's one of the most underrated products they came out with,’ one user wrote.

For others, it’s more than that. Some believe that Google’s decision to axe its only tablet doesn’t help for maintaining a complete cross-device experience for users, which another user highlights in a Reddit thread (below). It doesn't help if you’ve been toying with the idea of getting a Pixel Tablet to use alongside your Pixel Phone and Pixel Watch.

Comment
from r/GooglePixel

It feels like Google is taking a step back, as opposed to enhancing the user experience. That said, the tech giant’s approach to its Pixel Tablets has always been a bit rocky, and other users are putting the device’s demise down to Google’s total neglect of its tablet range.

As mentioned, the Google Pixel Tablet was unveiled in 2023, starting at $399 / £399 / AU$649, then rumors of a second tablet started floating around, and naturally, we became excited. There were even talks of a third tablet, until word that Google had completely halted its production shut the rumor down. In the end, Google only released the one tablet, leaving both the Pixel Tablet 2 and Pixel Tablet 3 in the dust.

We’re just as disappointed as you, yet equally unsurprised, that yet another perfectly intact Google device has been wiped from the face of the planet. Given the company’s recent decision to retire its lineup of Nest Audio speakers to make room for its upgraded Google Home Speaker, it was only a matter of time before Google would put another device on the firing line.

As it stands, we don’t know what Google’s intentions are moving forward. It could be that, just like its audio devices, Google is either preparing to enter a new era and rethink its approach to tablets — or leave an open void.

We've contacted Google for a comment, and will update this story if/ when we hear back.

Amazon surprises us with its best-ever deal on the Kindle Scribe — get the 4.5-star ereader and e-ink tablet for its lowest-ever price

james.pickard@futurenet.com (James Pickard) — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 11:43:32 +0000

No, it's not Prime Day, and we're still a couple of months away from Black Friday. But out of nowhere, Amazon has dropped the 64GB model of the latest Kindle Scribe to a record-low price. You can head over to the retailer right now to pick up the Kindle Scribe at Amazon for £279.99 (was £429.99).

The previous generation model may have been cheaper than this, but this newer version offers the Premium Pen, new writing features and some genuinely useful AI additions as standard. And while the lower-capacity 16GB model has been discounted more as well, it's only been £15 cheaper, so you don't pay a lot extra for a lot more storage space.

The Kindle Scribe combines the functions of Amazon's immensely popular ereaders with the smooth and natural writing features of e-ink tablets. That means you can enjoy your favourite books while also making annotations, taking notes, reviewing documents, journaling, and creating lists using the included pen.

The device also sports a large 10.2-inch 300ppi glare-free high-resolution display, with an adjustable warm light and auto-changing front light like the Kindle Paperwhite to ensure a clear and comfortable reading experience in all conditions.

Ultimately, if you're looking for an advanced ereader and journal all in one, the Kindle Scribe is a top option.

Today's best Kindle Scribe deal

This is the new lowest-ever price for the Kindle Scribe with 64GB of storage — and just £15 more than the lowest price I've seen for the smaller 16GB version. It combines some of the best features of the Kindle Paperwhite, such as the glare-free and auto-adjusting display, along with the option to take notes, comment on documents, and doodle using the included stylus pen. We were a little disappointed by the original Kindle Scribe because of some missing features, but after some updates and upgrades to this new model, we were happy to award it an impressive 4.5 stars, as it offers good value for such a multi-functional device.View Deal

The Bigme B6 Color is a strong choice if you're after a Kindle Colorsoft alternative — but there's one big downside

dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood) — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 14:08:22 +0000

Bigme B6 Color: Two-minute review

If you’re looking for a cheaper Kindle Colorsoft alternative, then there’s a strong chance you’ll come across the Bigme B6 Color.

This ereader is cheaper but still boasts a six-inch color e-ink screen, 64GB of storage, and 4GB of RAM paired with a MediaTek Helio P35 processor.

That’s an entry-level smartphone SoC from 2018 and would be a poor choice for a standard tablet, but it is actually pretty powerful for an ereader, being significantly faster than the chip found in the Colorsoft or other similarly priced competitors like the Kobo Clara Color.

The Bigme B6 Color needs that added juice because, unlike mainstream options, it runs on a modified version of Android 14 like a standard tablet rather than a locked-down custom OS.

This means you can expect oodles of added functionality like downloading apps from the Google Play Store or reading online articles in the surprisingly capable web browser. If, like me, you’re coming over from a Kindle, you’ll still be able to access your entire library via the Kindle App in addition to exploring new options like Kobo Books or Google Play Books.

Future

The freedom of Android means getting your own ebook files on the Bigme B6 Color is a breeze via the included Type-C cable or by making use of its microSD card slot.

The Bigme B6 Color also boasts a little mono speaker. It’s a bit tinny, but it means you can use the device to listen to audiobooks and podcasts in a pinch. It’s impressively versatile, and all of this functionality is packed into a sleek and premium form factor that is easily pocketable and can be used one-handed.

But what's the reading experience actually like? Text is sharp, and there is minimal ghosting when flicking between pages, so novels are a breeze — even at night, thanks to a backlight with a good level of brightness and adjustable warmth levels.

I’ve had a perfectly pleasant experience with comic books and manga as well. Monochrome illustrations look pin sharp, while the color screen elevates color splashes. I do wish the colors were a little richer, though, as they’re slightly more washed out than on the Colorsoft.

It’s sometimes spoiled by the many bugs in the operating system, but the biggest issue with the Bigme B6 Color is undoubtedly its battery life. Android is much more power-hungry than most ereader operating systems, and it really shows here. With the brightness cranked up, the battery meter steadily ticks down with every page turn.

I managed to squeeze only about five hours out of a single charge flicking through manga on the Kindle app. That was closer to ten hours for a basic PDF novel stored in the system files, which would at least see you through a full week of reading, but it's still a fraction of the multi-week usage a Kindle Colorsoft or Kobo Clara Color would give you.

To make matters worse, the battery life drops quickly when the ereader isn’t even in use. Tossed in my bag with its screen off, it lost about 10% charge each day, so you’re forced to shut it down fully every time you put it away or risk sitting down for a long train ride and finding it out of juice (something that happened to me more than once in even my relatively short testing period).

(Image credit: Future)

Bigme B6 Color review: Price & availability

Costs around $179 / £149 / AU$280
Available via the Bigme website and other retailers
Comes with a case

At the time of writing, I can find the Bigme B6 Color on sale for around $179 / £149 / AU$280. You can find it on the Bigme website in all regions. Shoppers in the US can also find it at Amazon and Newegg, while in the UK it’s also available via JoyBuy. In Australia, you can find it on AliExpress too.

There are three colors available: black, white, and light green. It also comes bundled with a magnetic protective case. It’s a nice case too; my review unit came in black with a navy one, and it attaches neatly to the back via strong magnets and puts the ereader to sleep when closed.

The Bigme B6 Color comes with 64GB of storage, and the value is extremely strong when you consider that the Kindle Colorsoft costs $279.99 / £269.99 / AU$449 for just 32GB of storage and doesn't come with a case.

Value score: 4.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Specs

Display type:	Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink
Screen size:	6-inch
Resolution:	300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color
CPU:	MediaTek Helio P35
Frontlight:	Warm and cold
Storage:	64GB (expandable)
Battery:	2,100 mAh
Speaker:	Mono
Water protection:	None
Software:	Android 14
Connectivity:	WiFI, Bluetooth
File support:	Epub, PDF, etc.
Dimensions:	108 x 149.3 x 6.98mm (4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches)
Weight:	~176g (~6.2oz)

Bigme B6 Color review: Design & display

Compact and lightweight
Color display
Physical buttons… sort of

The Bigme B6 Color is sleek and compact at 108 x 149.3 × 6.98 mm (or 4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches). It’s easy to slip into a pocket or bag.

The back and sides are a matte plastic material that feels pleasant in the hands, while the bezel around the screen is shinier and smoother. The black model that I’ve been testing is quite plain-looking aside from a silver Bigme logo on the rear and a red power button.

If you look closely at the top, you’ll see a small grille for the speaker and a microphone hole. Flipping it over to the bottom reveals the USB Type-C charging port, a small LED charging indicator, and a slot for the microSD card.

Given that Bigme is a smaller brand, I’m really impressed with the build quality overall.

It’s lightweight at under 200g / 7.1oz but reassuringly solid in the hands. The materials used feel equivalent to those by Amazon or Kobo-maker Rakuten — something really worth commending given just how much cheaper the Bigme B6 Color is than those brands’ equivalent models.

(Image credit: Future)

The ereader's six-inch color e-ink display sits above a little row of grey buttons. These aren’t proper buttons in the traditional sense, and they don’t click like those of a Kindle Oasis. Rather, they’re little shortcuts printed on the screen that are tied to certain system apps.

The first opens your library, which shows any ebooks or PDFs you have saved on the device’s storage. The next is an AI button tied to BigmeGPT, an AI assistant of questionable value, but I’ll get on to that in more detail later.

The middle one opens the file manager, and the next takes you to the home screen. The fifth and final button is a settings shortcut.

I’m in two minds about these. On the one hand, some of them are useful to have, like the home screen button or library shortcut, but others, like the AI button, haven’t been pressed more than once or twice in my entire time testing the device.

I couldn’t find a way to rebind the buttons in the system settings, sadly, though even if you could, you would still be stuck with the printed icons.

Design score: 3.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Android software & apps

Freedom of Android
Google Play Store access
Stock apps are poor

Unlike a conventional ereader, the Bigme B6 Color runs on Android 14 and comes with the Google Play Store installed. This allows you to download a wide range of Android apps, all the way from chat services like Discord to social media apps such as Instagram and Facebook, or even some games.

Of course, the screen is a major limitation, and although you can technically watch the latest TechRadar YouTube video on your device, the low refresh rate makes for a pretty unpleasant experience.

That said, Android has some big advantages, namely allowing you to download a wide range of ereader apps. The Kindle app, for example, works fantastically and delivers a comparable experience to using an ereader made by Amazon. Favorites like Libby, which lets you access books from local libraries, are accessible too, and you can even use the ereader’s web browser to download files directly from sites like Internet Archive. Audiobook and podcast apps are also excellent.

The freedom is fantastic and will be a breath of fresh air if you’re used to locked-down ecosystems.

This isn’t a stock version of Android, though. Everything is wrapped in a custom skin created by Bigme, and it’s far from a smooth experience.

(Image credit: Future)

There are lots of stock apps, and some are quite buggy. The built-in BigmeGPT AI, for example, crashes instantly if you lose your internet connection. It’s not particularly useful when it does work either, offering only basic text and image generation features.

There’s also the screen saver app that lets you change the image on your lock screen. I used BigmeGPT to generate a few wacky pictures to use as screensavers, only to discover that it doesn’t seem to work very well when you select an image from system files, often defaulting to the default option (a childish cartoon of some bears sleeping in a forest) instead.

Other stock apps include a basic calendar, music player, dictionary, voice recorder, and translator. They all seem to work alright, but are so basic I can’t imagine them being very useful.

The overall interface also has some issues. System notifications will randomly pop up in Chinese from time to time, and it can all freeze up while you’re in menus. I even had the settings app crash entirely on a few occasions.

Software score: 3/5

Bigme B6 Color review: User experience

Reading is great
But the battery life dampens the experience
Not a tablet replacement

Despite the rough edges in the software, if your number one concern is the reading experience, the Bigme B6 Color does deliver. 300ppi resolution is more than sufficient for the small 6-inch screen and means that text looks very crisp. The backlight is effective too, offering sufficient brightness for reading in dimmer spaces or even a pitch-black room.

As I mentioned earlier, the colors could be better as they look more washed out than those of the Colorsoft, but they’re still decently accurate and help liven up illustrations. Browsing the web is also surprisingly smooth, though the refresh rate does hamper the experience. Even so, you can still browse news websites easily if you want to catch up with current events on the go.

(Image credit: Future)

The biggest issue encountered while trying to use the Bigme B6 Color as my main ereader was its battery life. It really does run out quickly, and I struggled to adjust to plugging it in for a top-up every night, having become used to only charging my Kindle every few weeks.

Although it does run Android, I wouldn’t view the Bigme B6 Color as a replacement for a conventional tablet. You technically can use productivity apps (WPS Office even comes installed out of the box to tempt you), but the experience is poor, again, thanks to that slow refresh rate. To Bigme’s credit, the brand advertises the B6 Color as an ereader rather than anything else — so I’m not deducting any points for this.

User experience score: 3.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Performance

Snappy performance
Usable web browser
You can even watch YouTube videos

The Bigme B6 Color performs fantastically with its 4GB of RAM and MediaTek Helio P35 chipset.

Don’t get me wrong, these would be awful specs for a phone — but on a relatively cheap ereader? Everything is butter smooth as far as an e-ink screen allows. Loading is fast, pages turn with no lag, and it doesn’t immediately lose your place if you send an ereader app to the background. It boots from sleep almost instantly as well.

(Image credit: Future)

I have had no issue accessing my favorite news websites (including TechRadar, of course) using the built-in browser. I even managed to get YouTube videos playing on it, which is pretty impressive for this kind of device. After using the Bigme B6 Color, my usual Kindle feels unbearably sluggish.

Storage is generous out of the box to boot, and, having downloaded a load of books and a handful of apps, I still have more than 40GB of free space left.

Not shabby at all for this price!

Performance score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Bigme B6 Color?

	Bigme B6 Color	Amazon Kindle Colorsoft	Kobo Clara Color
Display type:	Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink	Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink	Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink
Screen size:	6-inch	7-inch	6-inch
Resolution:	300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color	300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color	300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color
CPU:	MediaTek Helio P35	Unspecified dual-core MediaTek	MediaTek MT8113T
Frontlight:	Warm and cold	Warm and cold	Warm and cold
Storage:	64GB (expandable)	32GB	16GB
Battery:	2,100 mAh	2,310 mAh	1,500 mAh
Speaker:	Mono	None	None
Water protection:	None	IPX8 water-resistance	IPX8 water-resistance
Software:	Android 14	Proprietary	Proprietary
Connectivity:	WIFI, Bluetooth	WIFI, Bluetooth	WIFI, Bluetooth
File support:	EPUB, PDF, etc.	EPUB, PDF, AZW3	EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
Dimensions:	108 x 149.3 x 6.98mm (4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches)	127.6 x 176.7 x 7.8 mm (5.02 x 6.96 x 0.31 inches)	112 x 160 x 9.2 mm (6.3 x 4.4 x 0.36 inches)
Weight:	~176g (~6.2oz)	219g (7.73oz)	174g (6.1oz)

Buy it if...

You want an affordable color Android ereader

The Bigme B6 Color is surprisingly cheap for a color ereader running on Android. It's a good buy if you don't want to be locked down to one specific ecosystem.

You don't mind some jank

The software here takes some getting used to and can be buggy at times, but that shouldn't be much of an issue if you're used to fiddling with Android systems.

Don't buy it if...

You need long battery life

The Bigme B6 Color's biggest flaw is its battery life. Avoid picking one up if you need an ereader you can toss in a bag in sleep mode for a few weeks or one you don't have to charge every day or two.

Bigme B6 Color review: Alternatives

Kindle Colorsoft
Far superior battery life makes the Kindle Colorsoft a great alternative to the Bigme B6 Color. You lose the freedom of Android, but gain a much sleeker and smoother experience in return. Bear in mind it is much more expensive, though.

Read our in-depth Kindle Colorsoft review

Kobo Clara Color

The Kindle Clara Color isn't much more expensive than the Bigme B6 Color. Its processor is much slower, however, and it has far more limited storage.

Read our in-depth Kobo Clara Color review

How I tested the Bigme B6 Color

Used as main e-reader for a month
Popular e-reader apps tested
Compared to similar models by brands like Amazon

To review the Bigme B6 Color I used it as my primary e-reader for just over a month. This meant using it for about forty minutes each way on my commutes to and from our office in London, during which I enjoyed a variety of novels, comic books, and manga.

Throughout my time with the e-reader I compared my experience to my hands-on usage of similar devices, including the Amazon Kindle, Amazon Kindle Colorsoft, and Kobo Clara Color.

Boox Picco revealed as a compact rival to the Xteink X4 Pro

James Rogerson — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 11:57:19 +0000

The Boox Picco has been shown off at IFA 2026
It doesn't run Android or have magnets
However, it does at least have a USB-C port

Boox is perhaps the most well-known alternative to Kindle and Kobo, and notably, its Android-powered ereaders don’t lock you into a specific ecosystem. Now, Boox looks set to rival Xteink too, with a new ereader that’s truly tiny.

We’re talking about the Boox Picco, an ereader first teased around six weeks ago that has now been shown off at IFA 2026, complete with far more details than had previously been revealed.

The Boox Picco has a 3.97-inch e-paper touchscreen, physical page-turn buttons (which can be customized to do something else if you prefer), a front light, a microSD card slot, and a USB-C port.

What it doesn’t have, though, is Android, as unlike Boox’s larger ereaders, this device runs a Linux-based operating system, meaning you presumably won’t have access to major apps like the Kindle and Kobo apps.

(Image credit: Android Police)

That means — as with rival devices like the Xteink X4 Pro — you’ll likely have to sideload books and may struggle to get some books running on the device if they have DRM.

Still, Android Police went hands-on with the device and claims the software is promising, complete with a reading stats page, a Pomodoro timer, and a handful of other built-in apps. It also provides several ways to get books onto the Picco, including via a microSD card, USB-C, the cloud, or a local LAN network.

And there are upsides to the Boox Picco skipping Android — its software will be simpler in some ways, and the device could have better battery life than Android-powered alternatives. Still, I’ve really been hoping for a tiny ereader with Android included, so while the lack of Android still leaves this device in line with its main competition, it’s a disappointment to me.

'No' to magnets but 'yes' to USB-C

The Boox Picco also lacks something that the Xteink line has — magnets. This won’t matter to everyone, but if you’re hoping for an ereader you can magnetically attach to the back of your phone, this isn’t it.

But the inclusion of a USB-C port is appreciated, considering the Xteink X4 Pro uses a proprietary charging port.

So this could give the Xteink line a run for its money — at least among people who don’t care about magnets. But a lot will come down to price, which remains unclear. Good Ereader reports that the Picco will cost around $100 (roughly £75 / AU$140), but various sites that went hands-on with the device say the price hasn’t been revealed yet, and instead, some speculate that it will hopefully be priced at around that, so Good Ereader may just have misread their reporting.

The Xteink X4 Pro itself is priced at around that level though, so it would certainly make sense for Boox to aim for something similar. We should find out by November at the latest, as that’s when the Boox Picco is set to begin shipping.

Like-New 64GB Amazon Kindle Scribe with Premium Pen price drop

waynewilliams@onmail.com (Wayne Williams) — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 14:07:53 +0000

The Kindle Scribe is much more than an oversized e-reader, combining a 10.2-inch Kindle display with a digital notebook that you can actually write on. And right now, a Like-New 64GB Metallic Jade Amazon Kindle Scribe with Premium Pen is down to $320 (was $405) at Amazon.

It's one of those devices, like the reMarkable tablets, that we often recommend for professionals looking to take digital handwritten notes. If you're not too fussy about owning a brand new model, you can save a good chunk of money here. Our hardware editor purchased the same Like-New Scribe and, just as Amazon promised, it showed absolutely no signs of use.

In the UK? The same 64GB Like-New Kindle Scribe is down to £270 (was £387) at Amazon.

Like-New Metallic Jade Kindle Scribe (64GB): was $404.99 now $319.99
This Kindle Scribe combines a 10.2-inch 300ppi front-lit Paperwhite display, 64GB storage, Premium Pen, Wi-Fi, USB-C charging, document annotation, AI notebook tools, Active Canvas notes and weeks of battery life.

In the UK: now £270 (was £387)View Deal

If you read a lot but also fill notebooks with ideas, lists, meeting notes or general scribblings, the Scribe can replace both your Kindle e-reader and a pile of paper. The 10.2-inch, 300ppi glare-free display is front-lit, while the Premium Pen requires no charging or setup.

You can write directly on book pages using Active Canvas, annotate imported PDFs and documents, and send files including DOCX and EPUB to the Scribe.

In his four-and-a-half-star review, our expert Philip was impressed that Amazon had "added AI features and… they’re good?!" He explained that "Kindle AI brings better handwriting recognition and note summaries, nothing untoward, and it makes the Kindle Scribe an even more competitive writing tablet, on top of being the best big e-reader you can buy."

Also consider

Like-New Tungsten Kindle Scribe (16GB): was $359.99 now $284.99
This 16GB Kindle Scribe combines a 10.2-inch 300ppi glare-free display, Premium Pen, Active Canvas book annotations, handwritten note conversion, built-in AI summaries, document markup, front lighting, and distraction-free reading and writing.View Deal

Price context & historical value

Amazon has reduced this 64GB Scribe from $404.99 to $319.99, which knocks $85 off the usual price and works out to a discount of about 21%.

This is a Like-New device rather than a brand-new Scribe, although Amazon says these units are refurbished, tested and certified to look and work like new, and they carry the same limited warranty as a new device.

This model has been cheaper in the past however. I've seen it sell for as low as $279 towards the end of 2025 and at the start of this year.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Kindle Scribe if...

You love reading on a Kindle but have always wished you could properly write on one too. The Scribe adds a large digital notebook and Premium Pen while keeping the distraction-free reading experience that makes a Kindle appealing.

❌ Skip the Kindle Scribe if...

You want a tablet that can organize your writing with dedicated apps. The Scribe is deliberately more like intelligent electronic paper, so an iPad will give you far more flexibility for apps and more complex workflows.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

The obvious question is whether “Like-New” should put you off. Our hardware editor Steven bought a Like-New Kindle himself and says it arrived in perfect condition.

That doesn't guarantee every unit will be cosmetically flawless, however, and Amazon notes that Like-New devices may arrive in generic Amazon-branded packaging.

If you're buying it as a gift, that might make the saving less appealing, but if you're buying for yourself, it will likely be fine.

I love the Xteink X4 Pro, but I’d hesitate to recommend it to most people

James Rogerson — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Ever since the Xteink X4 landed in early 2026 I’ve been intrigued by this tiny line of ereaders — I loved the idea of sticking one to the back of my phone and carrying it everywhere, but at that point they just had a few too many missing features for my liking.

Then the Xteink X4 Pro launched, and with the addition of a touchscreen and front light, I decided it was finally time to take the plunge and try one for myself. As a tech lover and early adopter it’s a decision I don’t regret, but this still isn’t quite the device I want it to be.

First impressions — before I turned it on — were positive. This thing is extremely slim and light. It’s 111 x 69 x 5.95mm and 72g, numbers which may or may not mean much to you, but essentially this weighs almost nothing, and it’s thin enough that it doesn’t stick out much beyond the camera bump on my iPhone 16 Pro Max when I use its built-in magnets to stick it to the back.

Fragile and exposed

(Image credit: TechRadar)

The Xteink X4 Pro doesn’t exactly look or feel expensive, but then few ereaders do, and at $109 / £84 / AU$159 (currently reduced to $99 / £76 / AU$145) it doesn’t need to. The back of your phone is also isn't really the place for a more expensive device — if that's where you plan to stick the X4 Pro, then it’s quite exposed.

It ships with a basic flip cover, but I found the magnets weren’t strong enough to securely attach it to my phone while in a case. So if I drop my phone, the Xteink X4 Pro is liable to break.

In fact, even with the magnets, it can shift around a bit and come loose in my pocket, or if I press a button too hard. Maybe it would stay in place better if my phone wasn’t in a case, but that’s not an option for me. So I sort of expect this thing won’t last long, especially as epaper displays tend to be very fragile.

That’s my first issue with it, as even at its fairly low price, it’s not something I want to constantly be replacing. Of course, attaching it to your phone is optional — some people will want to keep it separate, and it’s perhaps better suited to that. But I already have (and love) a phone-sized ViWoods AiPaper Reader, so I don’t really need another standard small ereader, even if this one is even tinier.

No, the magnets were the main draw for me, and coupled with a fairly crisp 4.3-inch touchscreen with a capable front light, this is a pleasure to read books on.

The battery seems long-lasting too, which is good, because — presumably in an effort to keep this as small as possible — this uses a slightly fiddly proprietary charger rather than USB-C.

Restrictive software

(Image credit: TechRadar)

That extensive life is probably partly because of the software — unlike the ViWoods AiPaper Reader or some other compact ereaders, this doesn’t run resource-hungry Android. Instead, it uses Xteink’s own operating system, which is… not good. The interface is ugly and clunky, and it just makes the thing feel a bit unpleasant to use.

But it almost seems like Xteink realizes this, because the version sold on their site is a developer edition, which allows you to very easily flash alternative firmware onto the device.

I did this after all of about half an hour — I already knew I probably would, having seen most owners in the Xteink subreddit seem to ditch the stock software at the first opportunity. But while switching up the interface is easy, choosing which firmware to flash isn’t, as there are a surprising number of options.

So far, I’ve settled on CrossInk, and I’ll probably stick with that as I’m happy enough with it. It gives you a decent amount of customization options and offers more ways of getting books onto the X4 Pro. But that last point is probably my biggest issue with this device, as the lack of Android also means it can’t run the Kindle or Kobo apps.

That means you'll typically have to buy books on another device and then transfer them to the Xteink X4 Pro. And in many cases you’ll also have to remove their DRM first — something which recently became a lot trickier with Kindle books.

So, in other words, getting books onto this is a bit of a chore, and if you already have a library of Kindle books, you might find you can't read them on the Xteink X4 Pro.

That, coupled with the need to flash new firmware to get the most out of it, means I can’t really recommend this to the average ebook reader. It’s very much for people who are comfortable with tech — and ideally people who enjoy fiddling and configuring, rather than having a device that just does exactly what they want out of the box.

Plenty of potential

(Image credit: TechRadar)

But I do fit into those categories, so I’m having fun with the Xteink X4 Pro — and right now it’s my main ereader.

I take it with me everywhere because it’s attached to my phone, and just like the ViWoods AiPaper Reader before it, that means I’m reading in moments when I wouldn’t otherwise, because it’s always present and easy to whip out even when I only have a few minutes to spare.

Still, phone attachment aside, it also fills a very similar role for me to the ViWoods, so I’m not sure I’ll continue using both much. Right now, given all the friction points above, I think I’ll probably find myself returning to the AiPaper Reader.

But the Xteink X4 Pro does almost make that device look big, so on days when I want to travel as light as possible, I might still turn to this. And if the Xteink X5 Pro runs Android, then I might rethink things.