Reviews

The iMac M4 wasn’t built for this world

Boox Palma 2 review: ain’t broke, not fixed

David Pierce

Nov 24|

Verge Score

Still beautiful. Still good. Still the wrong form factor for basically everybody.

Nathan Edwards

Nov 23|

Peak Design’s Outdoor Backpack is a more versatile everyday bag

SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds review: earbuds for your PlayStation or Xbox

Tom Warren

Nov 22|

Verge Score

The 25L model is an improvement on perfection, but not without some help.

Samsung Galaxy Watch FE review: a bogus bargain

Nov 21|

Verge Score

As an entry-level device, the FE doesn’t quite nail the right mix of price, features, and hardware.

Nov 20|

I got a desk treadmill to relieve stress — instead, it stressed me out

Apple MacBook Pro M4 review: the Pro for everyone

Nov 9|

Verge Score

More ports, more RAM, a nicer screen, and a better webcam for a little less money.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto

Nov 7|

Apple

Apple Mac Mini M4 review: a tiny wonder

Chris Welch

Nov 7|

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D: the best gaming CPU

AMD’s 7800X3D successor is also better at non-gaming workloads this time around.

Tom Warren

Nov 6|

Verge Score

PS5 Pro review: how close is your TV?

Seriously: got a measuring tape?

Sean Hollister

Nov 6|

Astell & Kern SP3000T review: a tube amp in your pocket

The hardware is chunky and the software is clunky, but this is the best portable audio player I’ve ever heard.

Brent Rose

Nov 4|

Rolls-Royce’s first electric vehicle sounds like no other

Rolls-Royce’s first effort might just be the greatest EV on the planet, but it comes at a cost.

Tim Stevens

Nov 3|

For sale, a good night’s sleep, just $4,700

Using the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra has given me the best sleep of my life. I just can’t get over the price and subscription.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition review: Intel excellence inside, middling outside

Nov 2|

Verge Score

The $1,300 ‘Aura Edition’ laptop doesn’t quite live up to its fancy new Lunar Lake processor.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto

Nov 1|

Verge Score

Starlink Mini review: space internet goes ultraportable

Impossibly small, incredibly convenient.

Apple iPad Mini 2024 review: missing pieces

Oct 30|

Verge Score

Apple’s smallest tablet got an upgrade — but it won’t feel like much of one unless Apple Intelligence is better than it seems.

David Pierce

Oct 22|

Stoke Voltaics’ portable electric cookware review

Convenient, capable, and compact — but not cheap.

Oura Ring 4 review: still on top — for now

Oct 19|

Verge Score

Oura furthers its lead among smart rings with hardware and software refinements, but its subscription is still its biggest downside.

Garmin Fenix 8 review: only kind of smart

Oct 15|

Thomas Ricker Oct 14

Voyage 2-in-1 Qi2 charger review.

It’s from Native Union and it fast charges compatible devices like my iPhone 15 Pro, and Air Pods Pro or Apple Watch Ultra — pick two or get a 3-in-1 Qi2 charger instead. The MagSafe compatible magnets keep everything attached and aligned. It folds up super small but at $99 it’s not cheap and you still have to supply a 27W (or above) USB-C PD wall charger.

Score: 7

<em>It feels good and hefty in the hand, but just short of premium which is a problem for the price.</em>

<em>It unfolds and pulls a maximum of 18W when charging only the iPhone to ensure there’s enough left over (due to heat loss) to charge the phone at Qi2’s maximum rate of 15W. The charger pulls a maximum of 21W when adding the Apple Watch Ultra.</em>

<em>Yes, it’ll also charge AirPods Pro and any Qi-compliant device.</em>

<em>USB-C as all things should be in 2024. The sides are held together magnetically. It’ll still charge one device on a table when folded like this.</em>

<em>Here you can see the charger pulling an 18W maximum when only the iPhone is charging. Qi2 is only capable of delivering 15W currently. Apple’s new proprietary magnetic wireless MagSafe can now do 25W. Apple is a Qi contributor so maybe Qi3?</em>

<em>The charger ships with a pouch, nice braided USB-C cable, and the charger. Sorry, this is BYOWC (bring your own wall charger) which is a shame for the price.</em>

1/6

It feels good and hefty in the hand, but just short of premium which is a problem for the price.

Verge Score

The Fenix 8 adds smarter features, but they don’t quite make up for the price hike or lack of LTE.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: light ’em up

Oct 10|

Verge Score

The company’s latest flagship earbuds might lack originality, but they nail sound quality, transparency mode, and voice call performance.

Chris Welch

Oct 9|

Thomas Ricker Oct 5

Qi2 3-in-1 wireless charging station review.

This one’s the $79.99 Kuxiu X40Q tri-folding magnetic wireless charger, but it’s available under many names and prices on Amazon or Temu. I love the design having owned a less-powerful no-name Qi version for about a year. It folds up super small for travel and unfurls into a “Z” to simultaneously charge my iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods while I sleep, all from a single USB-C cable.

<em>The box says it charges iPhones at 15W and Apple Watches and AirPods at 5W each. In practice, I was seeing it pull a maximum of 14W when charging only my iPhone 15 Pro and no more than 23W total when charging the phone, AirPods Pro, and Apple Watch Ultra simultaneously.</em>

<em>A reasonably strong MagSafe-compatible magnet holds the iPhone in place vertically or horizontally to take advantage of StandBy mode. There’s a weaker magnet on the folding Apple Watch puck, while the AirPods are held in place by gravity.</em>

<em>The aluminum alloy charging stand feels heavy in the hand, while the hinges have good resistance to maintain whatever shape you fold the stand into. </em>

<em>Here, you can read the rated specs for this Qi2 wireless charging stand branded with Kuxiu, model X40Q.</em>

<em>It ships with a 36W USB-C charger, cable, and carrying case.</em>

<em>It pulls as much as 23W when charging three devices, in my testing. Usually, it pulls less, however, which is normal.</em>

<em>The iPhone pulling 14W, just shy of the 15W maximum allowed by Qi2. Thanks, heat.</em>

<em>It can still charge in this shape if you only need to charge your iPhone. An LED indicator on the back next to the USB-C jack lights up briefly and then turns off so it doesn’t interrupt your sleep.</em>

<em>I love how small and portable this 3-in-1 stand is. A soft touch coating adds to the tactility, giving the overall build a feeling of high quality.</em>

1/9

The box says it charges iPhones at 15W and Apple Watches and AirPods at 5W each. In practice, I was seeing it pull a maximum of 14W when charging only my iPhone 15 Pro and no more than 23W total when charging the phone, AirPods Pro, and Apple Watch Ultra simultaneously.

Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge

Tech

The Pentax 17 is low-stakes analog photography fun that doesn’t feel like a toy

Antonio G. Di Benedetto

Oct 4|

Thomas Ricker Oct 3

Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro review.

At $449, this all-in-one Google TV projector is a good choice if portability is important and you already own a battery with USB-C PD 3.0 output. The speaker is good enough, and the auto-positioned 1080p image looks best at night but remains watchable during the day. A $499 bundle incudes a wobbly PowerBase Stand for about two hours of playback. Mine toppled over onto concrete but the projector survived!

<em>The MoGo 3 Pro can automatically hunt for the best image placement, level it, square off the corners, and focus it all while avoiding obstacles. Xgimi makes it easy to then tweak its best guess placement or turn off the ISA 2.0 tech entirely.</em>

<em>It’s small but not that small, measuring 299 x 159 x 145mm and 1.1kg. And you still have to provide power because this is BYOB: bring your own battery.</em>

<em>The projector can rotate up to 120 degrees which is not enough to point the image at the ceiling. </em>

<em>It can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker when in Ambient Light mode (slightly opened) with colors that seem to flicker instead of actually syncing to the beat of the music. </em>

<em>If you’re not happy with the sound produced by the integrated 2 x 5W speakers at the base of the unit, you can pair your own over Bluetooth 5.1. The MoGo 3 Pro also has GoogleCast built-in, but you’ll need to install MagiCast for Apple’s AirPlay support. </em>

<em>Even in Eco mode you get a decently bright and large image that can be enjoyed during the day, so long as it’s not too sunny outside. A brighter Performance mode takes better advantage of its maximum output of 450 ISO lumens but it’s only available when powered by the included 65W AC wall adapter. Unfortunately, this mode also causes the fan to kick on at a very loud 67dB, which is about as loud as a microwave!</em>

<em>I had to manually adjust the image to fit into this oddball space at dusk. Here, I’d turn off the ISA 2.0 tech at startup or when the unit is moved to avoid having to resize everything manually again.</em>

<em>The PowerBase Stand consists of two 16.1-inch sections to create a short tripod or a longer 26.1-inch tripod with 20,000mAh battery. In my testing, that’s enough power for about two-hours of continuous playback when the projector is in Eco mode.</em>

<em>A better look at everything that comes in the box with the $499 PowerBase Stand bundle.</em>

<em>ISA 2.0 automatic keystone correction kicking in. This can be set to happen at startup, when the device is moved, or never.</em>

<em>This flap doesn’t always close which is annoying. Otherwise the build quality is pretty good, if a little too plastic-y.</em>

<em>The USB and Micro HDMI (ARC supported) ports.</em>

<em>Attaching the </em><a href="https://us.xgimi.com/products/xgimi-creative-optical-filter"><em>$49 Creative Optical Filter</em></a><em> to the front of the projector and downloading the XGIMI Wall app lets you project giant magnified lightshows around your space. Cute, but only worthwhile in very dark rooms. You don’t need this.</em>

1/14

The MoGo 3 Pro can automatically hunt for the best image placement, level it, square off the corners, and focus it all while avoiding obstacles. Xgimi makes it easy to then tweak its best guess placement or turn off the ISA 2.0 tech entirely.

Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge

We tested six smart rings, and there’s a clear winner

Six smart rings for the wearable reviewer, but only one ring could rule them all.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review: big upgrade, much smaller earbuds

Oct 1|

Thomas Ricker Sep 26

ESR Geo wallet with Apple Find My review.

The $44 Geo Wallet looks like a normal-sized wallet but has Apple’s location tracking built-in so you don’t have to carry a thick AirTag or one of those bulky “credit-card sized” trackers. The wallet can’t be located with Apple’s “Find Nearby” ultra-wideband tech but it shows up on a map and emits a decently-loud tone when left in a cab or just down the hall.

<em>The Geo Wallet is average sized, and definitely not freakishly large even after stuffing it full of cards and cash. If you find the Indiegogo listing annoying (it is), ESR will start open sales on Amazon around mid-October.</em>

<em>The tracker is under the flap and produces an audible tone that’s a little louder than an AirTag which should help you locate the wallet when lost.</em>

<em>The battery will last for up to five months on a two-hour charge from a proprietary pogo pin charger... which I lost. Too bad the charger doesn’t also have Find My built-in.</em>

<em>Divider for receipts and whatnot.</em>

<em>This is my </em><a href="https://www.exentri.com/shop/13-view-all-wallets/"><em>Exentri</em></a><em> wallet — </em><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/4/21080075/valentines-day-gift-guide-tech-gadgets-games-home-ideas-2020"><em>a Verge favorite</em></a><em> — which makes the Geo Wallet look giant by comparison.</em>

<em>I live in a cashless society so I rarely need to bring my wallet anywhere. That makes its size less of an issue and being able to find it more important.</em>

1/7

The Geo Wallet is average sized, and definitely not freakishly large even after stuffing it full of cards and cash. If you find the Indiegogo listing annoying (it is), ESR will start open sales on Amazon around mid-October.

Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge

Verge Score

With a slew of improvements led by a far more comfortable design, Google’s latest earbuds are a compelling upgrade for Pixel owners.

Chris Welch

Sep 25|

Thomas Ricker Sep 25

Torras iPhone 15 Pro case review.

Instead of buying the new iPhone 16, I decided to change the look of my trusty iPhone 15 Pro instead. The name might suck, but I’ve fallen in deep like with the $39.99 Torras 360-degree Ostand R Rotated Stand MagSafe Case anyway.

I had no idea I was a kickstand guy!

<em>I’ve never had a kickstand for my phone before, but now I don’t want to be without it. It’s great for video calls, watching videos, or just keeping an eye on notifications. </em>

<em>Buying cases online is tricky because you never know if it feels grippy in the hand or if the sides form enough of a lip around the display and camera cluster to offer meaningful protection. The Torras case does all that.</em>

<em>I had never heard of Torras before the company contacted me. You?</em>

<em>The black case comes with easy to install orange and green buttons in the box that have good bounce.</em>

<em>Orange metallic buttons are far superior to green.</em>

<em>The plastic feels soft and grippy. Its magnets also attach confidently to Qi2 and MagSafe chargers. </em>

<em>The kickstand ring is useful when a more secure grip of the phone is desired.</em>

<em>I like that the ring snaps back against the case with a hearty thunk. </em>

<em>The ring lays completely flat when not in use and extends easily with a fingernail. </em>

<em>I do worry that I might accidentally snap the tiny hinge if the kickstand is bent too far. But after a summer of usage, it’s not been a problem so far.</em>

<em>The case sits high enough around the edges to protect the expensive display.</em>

<em>The camera cutout is basic but also high enough to offer protection for those lenses.</em>

1/13

I’ve never had a kickstand for my phone before, but now I don’t want to be without it. It’s great for video calls, watching videos, or just keeping an eye on notifications.

Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge

Verge Score

Google TV Streamer review: smarter than your average set-top box

With more storage, a (slightly) faster processor, and some proper smart home chops, Google’s new take on the Chromecast is its best attempt at a streaming device yet.

David Pierce

and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Sep 23|

Ford

Ford’s new Digital Experience brings Android and Apple into balance

Umar Shakir

Sep 21|

This little box provides on-demand power when off the grid

Sep 21|

Richard Lawler Sep 21

Let’s just start with the camera.

There’s a lot more to the iPhone 16 Pro and the Apple Intelligence-less launch version of iOS 18, but if you need a reason to consider upgrading now, it might be that confusing camera.