You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/asus-tuf-gaming-h1-headset.1949/

While I may have a headset for every occasion, I feel the budget end of the market is too often overlooked. Where you have some wanting to spend hundreds on wireless functionality and fancy features, you have others after something that’ll get the job done without fuss at a good price. The H1 may just be that headset. 

What first appealed to me about the H1 was its lightweight build paired with a suspension headband reminiscent of what made SteelSeries’ headsets so comfortable. When on your head, they rest comfortably, almost floating above. The band itself feels more rigid than I expected and a bit plasticky despite its elasticity, but it does a good job of keeping the solid frame above from weighing on your head. Thanks to the protein leather earcups not clamping particularly hard to the sides of my head, there was also little additional pressure put onto the arms of my glasses, making the headset an overall win for me in terms of comfort. It is worth noting here that this band is where the headset’s adjustability lives and dies. With no kind of slider of extending band to manually adjust, you’re relying on it to hold the earcups wherever you decide is most comfortable. Having spend some time trying to fault this system, I really do struggle. Whether you prefer your head to be pressed against the plastic frame or stay as far away from it, the suspension band responds fantastically to even minor adjustments. Paired with the earcups’ capability to rotate on the frame to best fit the shape of your head, it’s a really well-fitting headset. It’s a remarkably simple and elegant solution. 

Functionally, the H1 is relatively bare. You have a non-detachable microphone with matching mute button on the left earcup, as well as a volume rocker to adjust how loud the audio you’re listening to is. Though somewhat no-frills, the parts that are there work fine. The biggest flaw here is the complete lack of detachable cables. On top of the microphone, the 3.5mm wire is also directly connected to the headset with no means of removal or replacement should something break. With this being the case, I’d have wanted a cable that feels a bit more durable in oppose to the basic one on offer. I love the ROG Paracord; why can’t we see something like that in ASUS’ TUF range? If I were going to pick a part of this headset to fail first, it’d definitely be this cable. It is worth mentioning you can get a wireless variant of the H1 that does naturally allow you to detach this cable. Even so, with both models you’ll be stuck with an ever-attached microphone, limiting the larger versatility of the headset.

Looking to the audio itself, you have 7.1 surround sound for better immersion in-game, powered by 40mm ASUS Essence drivers. In reality, the headset performs fantastically in a gaming environment. As gaming headsets often do, there appears to be a reasonable focus on bass, but it’s not necessarily overpowering to the point of ruining the headset for more generalist use. That is of course assuming you don’t mind the microphone hanging around for generalist use. When listening to music, I did find the mid ranges a little lacking, with lyrics blending into the backing track a little, but it’s certainly a passible experience.

Though the headset’s wire is a single 3.5mm jack for both its mic and audio, you also get a fairly nice splitter cable included. This actually feels a much higher quality than the cable attached to the headset as a sturdy braided design, and is a nice inclusion to aid in desktop PC use. For your laptops, phones, and miscellaneous consoles, the single 3.5mm plug works fine.

The H1 doesn’t offer much, but for the asking price of £40 I actually rate it as a fantastic budget buy. With both the 3.5mm jack and mic being non-detachable and by extension, non-replaceable, it’s not a headset I would see lasting you forever. Even considering this, if you’re wanting something with an otherwise-solid build quality that’s comfortable and delivers on great sound in-game, they’re one worth looking at.

You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/asus-rog-spatha-x-wireless-gaming-mouse.1948/

This isn’t the first mouse of ASUS’ I’ve looked at. Previously reviewing the Keris, a lightweight wired mouse I praised for its performance and ease of repair thanks to hot swappable click switches, I was left with a great idea of what they can deliver. The Spatha X is at the complete other end of the spectrum to the Keris though. Comparing a lightweight wired model with fairly simple capabilities to the button-heavy mechanical mess of the Spatha X is like night and day, but that’s not to say either is particularly wrong. Being somebody who’s missed something weightier, something I can really wrap my hand around, this really was a breath of fresh air.

Out of the box I battled a flurry of first impressions. It’s huge, it’s heavy, and it looks so pointy! Frankly the mouse looks like a mess, and it baffled me as to how it could be either comfortable or functional. It didn’t take much for me to set aside these early preconceptions though. I put the mouse on my desk and rested my right hand on it. It just fit. The awkward-looking grooves and pointed design gave my fingers a natural place to rest, and allowed me to choose between two styles of use I both find comfortable: having my middle finger on the scroll wheel, and having my middle finger on the right click. The left side of the mouse is a behemoth of functionality I’ll tackle shortly, but before that I want to shine a light on the how impactful the simple stylings of the right side are in improving the larger ergonomics and ease of use. The ridge to the right of the right click provides you with a great resting point, with a small rubber pad making the side of the mouse comfortable if you want to wrap your little finger around it. As a whole, the mouse is the kind of pointed mess a child would look at and think is cool. I don’t have a problem with that though, and that’s because you can tell just how much effort has gone into making the substance live up to the style. It definitely won’t be a look for everybody, but those who enjoy this kind of thing should find some solace in the fact it’s well thought through.

Looking beyond the design and onto what the mouse actually offers, you have your two standard mouse clicks, a DPI button, and a forward and backwards button on the top. On the left side where your thumb naturally rests, you can find an incredibly odd-looking cluster of six additional buttons that are mapped by default to volume up and down, a volume mute toggle, the windows key, and a feature called target focus. There’s a few oddities in that list. First of all, there’s only five things listed. That’s because the smallest key that sits in the middle of this bizarre cluster is mapped to be disabled as standard. It’s an odd choice when even something like a play/pause toggle could have been useful. Next, the target focus feature. I actually quite like this, dramatically lowering the mouse sensitivity while held for better precision with things like sniping in-game. The real elephant in the room for me is the windows key being bound to the easiest to reach button of the entire set. This could be useful on a more standard office mouse, but it’s just too easy to catch in the middle of a game. If it were going to be included, I don’t see why it wasn’t put on the harder to reach middle button that by default does nothing anyway.

One good thing about the Spatha X is that each of the mentioned buttons can be remapped to better meet your needs using ASUS’ ever-delightful Armoury Crate software. It’s incredibly simple to use and outside of allowing you to remap functionality, you can tweak things like DPI, polling rate, and angle snapping to your liking. While it’s worked fantastically for me, I actually managed to convince a friend the Spatha X was worth buying during my time with the mouse. His unit arrived and frankly he shared my love of the design and feel. Where it fell short was in the software; Armoury Crate refused to install, and there’s no solution to be found online. That’s a killer, but having knowledge of it potentially being a problem before buying is a huge benefit. If you’re interested in the mouse, or any ASUS ROG product for that matter, try to download Armoury Crate before buying. It’s better than the mouse turning up and finding you’re stuck with an awkwardly-placed Windows key. If you have a friend capable of running the software, there is a bit of a workaround to be found in the fact the Spatha X has persistent memory for your custom settings. With that in mind, it only needs to be setup once for you to get the most out of it. Even so, crucial software outright failing in this way is unacceptable.

While I’d love to dabble in my understanding of mouse sensors, I find myself a little lost in this instance. It’s an unnamed 19,000 DPI optical sensor that is “specially tuned”. I can translate that to saying it feels great, and the fact the angle snapping is disabled by default is a plus in my book. If you want to have a better look at the tech specs yourself, you can find them below:

• Connectivity – USB 2.0 / RF 2.4GHz
• Resolution – 19,000 DPI
• Max Speed – 400 IPS
• Max Acceleration – 50g
• USB Report Rate – 1000 Hz
• RF 2.4GHz Report Rate – 1000 Hz
• L/R Switch Type – ROG Micro Switches with 70 million-click lifespan

With this being a wireless mouse, there are a few more things of note before closing out the review. Advertising up to 67 hours of battery life if you’re willing to go without the RGB lighting on the scroll wheel and ROG logo (or up to 12 hours with those turned on), this is a mouse that’ll have charge when you need it. I’d be surprised if you ever had to truly utilise its battery though, thanks to an incredibly stylish charging cradle also acting as the wireless dongle needed to use the mouse wirelessly. When you’re not using it, whether you’re done for the day or just watching a video, you can sit it down to charge without having to faff with cables. It’s a neat idea. The charging cradle also provides you with a clear indication light to let you know when the mouse has finished charging.

When you do want to use the Spatha X wired you won’t be disappointed by the cables either. I really love the ROG Paracord, and it disappoints me that I can’t buy these cables separately. They flow like a piece of string across my desk and with the Spatha X coming with two, I decided to just repurpose one to keep an Xbox controller plugged into the console. The cable just doesn’t get in the way, it’s magnificent.

As a final note, it’s worth mentioning the same hot-swappable switches of the Keris return here, allowing you to swap them out in a fairly simple process. Pop off four rubber caps, unscrew four screws using the screwdriver included in the box, pop out the switches, and replace with the new ones. Though it’s something you’re unlikely to put much thought into at the start of a mouse’s lifetime, additions like this are great to see when wanting to get the most out of what you’ve paid for. I’d love for this to be common in other brands. 

Can I recommend the Spatha X? Absolutely. If Armoury Crate works on your PC and you’re after a heftier mouse rich with functionality and the comfort to use it, this is a stellar pick. Retailing at £150 in the UK it’s an expensive option, but the features on offer alongside the design and utility make a good case for justifying it.

You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/anbernic-rg351mp.1947/

At this point, Anbernic is well know. Since their early days they’ve gained a reputation for delivering on quality handheld after quality handheld, setting an incredible standard for the market of emulation systems. With the RG351 already having been released as the P, M, and V model, let’s first have a brief look at this series of handhelds and how the MP differs to those before it.

As a site, we’ve actually covered each of the previous 351 models. The P, the original handheld in the series, was the first Anbernic system to sport the RK3326. Enabling solid PS1 emulation, as well as light N64 and PSP action, it was the chip to have when it launched back in 2020. The P model featured a 480×320 display, coming in at a 3:2 aspect ratio, and housed in a plastic shell. Though early models featured a WiFi chip, it was later removed due to issues with speaker noise. All things considered it was a great device and a perfect fit for GBA emulation thanks to its display.

Next on the block was the M model. Rocking largely the same internals as the P before it, the M came encased in a metal shell along with a now-fixed internal WiFi module. You have the same RK3326 and the same 480×320 display, the same layout, and the same controls. Though the metal shell is the major selling point here, giving an already-premium handheld a stellar finish, the fixed WiFi module is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Due to the device having a single Micro SD slot, transferring games can be a pain with Windows not recognising cards formatted for Linux operating systems. Add to this the ability to use RetroAchievements, and you have a relatively solid upgrade to the base hardware.

Featuring again the RK3326 this time in a form factor closer to the original GameBoy, the V model is probably the most interesting deviation in the series. Maintaining the WiFi module of the M model, the V features a more universally retro-suited 4:3 display, as well as a dual Micro SD setup. Outside of the obvious form factor changes, the biggest leap here is allowing you to use two Micro SD cards in the system. Completely skirting the pain of Linux partitions, you’re able to keep one card formatted as an easier to manage Fat32 drive. It’s also worth mentioning that due to limitations in the design, you’re stuck with one analogue stick. This could get in the way of fully appreciating the improved PS1 and N64 performance that would really shine on the 640×480 display.

If you’re interested in reading more about the previous models, you can check out our more in-depth coverage below:

• RG351P Impressions
• RG351M Review
• RG351V Review

With the history lesson over, we can now come to appreciate exactly what the MP brings to the table. Interestingly, you end up with a strange hybrid console, bringing together the pros and cons of its predecessors. At a surface level, you have the same basic layout as the M and P models. Where this differs from these is mostly in its display, packing the same 640×480 screen we enjoyed on the V model. Also coming from the V model is the dual Micro SD support, which is something I really can’t praise enough having fought with Windows and Linux-formatted partitions in the past.

The build quality lives up to everything I’ve heard about Anbernic. It’s phenomenal, and the metalic ocean blue colour that debuted with the MP model is something that looks a lot better in person than in any of their promotional images. Each button has a reasonable amount of resistance and no part of it feels mushy or cheap. As is common with emulation handhelds, you have two analogue sticks of the same variety as the Nintendo Switch’s Joy Cons. While this does mean they may be prone to some of the same issues down the line, it is worth saying you’re unlikely to be relying on them as much with retro titles. In use they do however feel great, and it’s nice to use the left analogue as a D-Pad alternative from time to time.

Setup on the MP is almost as simple as plug and play. If you’re happy with the included EmuELEC operating system and are happy to rely on their generic cards, you can stick some games on the second card and get on with what you bought it for. Not a fan of EmuELEC myself and somewhat untrusting of generic cards, I opted to grab a 16GB and 64GB Sandisk card for the OS and games respectively. Instead of EmuELEC, I downloaded the appropriate distribution of Lakka, wrote it to the smaller card, and was good to go. As operating systems go, Lakka is about as pure a RetroArch experience as you can get. I was first introduced to it with the various efforts to port it to the Switch and it’s not let me down since. The UI looks fantastic on the display, and adding games is as simple as scanning the card. It is worth noting that some ROM hacks and translations won’t be picked up though, so you may need to get comfortable with editing the playlist JSON files to add in games for yourself. It’s not a complicated process, and you’ll only need to mess with it when adding non-standard games.

Probably the standout of the unit, the 640×480 display is absolutely gorgeous. Thanks to that 4:3 aspect ratio, you’re getting an optimal experience with the good majority of home retro consoles. Having mostly used the unit for SNES titles, I can’t fault it. It is worth adding that black bars haven’t ruined anything for me, if you were cautious of trying GameBoy or GBA games. Both of these systems still look great, but if GBA is your focus, the M model may be a better fit thanks to its 3:2 screen. Looking past the screen, there’s only really one standout difference left between the M and MP models, and it’s unfortunately not a good one. The internal WiFi module has once again been removed. 

The MP ticks every other box brilliantly, which is why the lack of built-in WiFi is such a shame. To give credit to Anbernic, the system does ship with a USB C adapter and a USB A WiFi dongle but it’s clunky at best, and far from ideal for people wanting access to RetroAchievements for every play session. I don’t think this would be quite as much of a problem if there were a USB C WiFi dongle that sits a little closer to the system. Thanks to the MP having a separate OTG and DC USB C port, you at least aren’t limited to WiFi when the system isn’t charging. For me at least, achievements aren’t something I look for, and the dongle did fine for the initial setup and FTP test. Regardless it just doesn’t seem an ideal solution for the wider market.

As a slight aside here, it is possible to get a replacement for the bundled dongle and adapter should you end up relying on them and lose them, as well as the included screen protector via Anbernic’s official Aliexpress store. Having messed up my initial screen protector installation I decided to give it a shot, and for around £10 I had it in the UK within a week. I can’t really fault the service, which gives me confidence in their store should replacement parts become available in future, or if I just decide to try something else from their range.

I’m not going to go into too much detail as to what this handheld can and can’t run to avoid covering the same stuff again. From a capability standpoint, it’s exactly on par with its predecessors in the 351 series, and many other handhelds out there running the same chip. I’ve had absolutely no issues running NES, SNES, GB(C), and GBA titles. On top of this, a few N64 titles like Mario 64 run great, but going beyond that you’re likely to encounter issues.

If like me you’re only really wanting a handheld to push as far as the SNES and GBA, the RK3326 chip still holds strong. If these really are all you’re after, along with a nice screen and a fantastic build quality, the 351MP is a solid choice. With emulation handhelds, there’s always something on the horizon however, and you should always be aware of the fact something better is likely right around the corner. This is true now more than ever with the RK3326 at the end of its era, hopefully soon to step aside to a new generation. Whether you choose to wait or jump in now, I can’t recommend Anbernic’s handheld enough.

You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/asus-tuf-gaming-vg28uql1a-monitor.1944/

I really like monitors. That should come as no surprise, I’m sure most of us do. Littering my desk and illuminating me with an unhealthy heavenly glow, they’re an essential part of day to day life and all the miscellaneous entertainment that comes with it. In such a competitive market for a desk mainstay, you need something to tick your specific boxes, and it needs to do so at the right price. I’m taking a look at the TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A to see what it can offer, and exactly who it’s for.

At the most basic level, we’re looking at a 28 inch 4K (2160p) monitor capable of outputting a marvellous 144 frames per second. With an ultra-low response time of 1ms and supporting variable refresh rates (VRR) in the form of GSync and FreeSync Premium, it’s loaded with everything you’d need for the most high-end of gaming experiences. While my somewhat middling PC (Ryzen 5 3600 paired with an RX 5700 XT) can scrape out some 4K graphics on select games, it isn’t the ideal setup to see what this monitor can offer at its best. With this in mind, while I have been using it as a PC monitor also, the majority of my gaming experience comes from using the display with a Series X console. Thanks to Game Pass, I was able to grab a few games to best experience the joys of higher framerates and high fidelity graphics, even at the same time on occasion!

If I’m going to cut to the chase, the VG28UQL1A is great. Before talking about the display itself, it’s worth shining some light on the number of ports available and what each is capable of. The single DisplayPort 1.4 is for your PC gaming, and is capable of the full 4K/144Hz experience. You then have two HDMI 2.1 ports each capable of 4K/120Hz, which are ideal for the latest console generation and their maximum output. Finally, you have two HDMI 2.0 ports that can handle 4K/60Hz. These were the ones I dedicated to the older or less graphically intensive consoles like the PS4 and Switch. Having five available inputs is an absolute joy, with the display automatically switching to another active source if the one you’re currently using is turned off. Being used to monitors with two or three HDMI inputs at most, it’s been great to not have to juggle cables when wanting to go between Xbox and Switch.

Now I’m not new to 4K displays. When I bought my Series X a few months back, I wanted something at a relatively affordable price that was capable of 4K/60Hz, since there aren’t that many games that currently push the system to its theoretical limits. I ended up settling on LG’s 32UN500. At £299 it offered a good image with ample screen real estate at 32 inches, FreeSync, and some surprisingly decent speakers. How does the VG28UQL1A fare by comparison? It’s better, there’s no doubt there. Due to the smaller screen size, the image feels far more crisp, and the colours on offer feel more vivid than with the 32UN500. It’s also worth mentioning that both monitors do feature some sort of HDR, but from what I understand it isn’t what people would class as “true” HDR. I won’t pretend to know much about the topic but would encourage you to do some digging if this is a sticking point for you. I will say that the ASUS display looks great even with HDR disabled and it’s a good job too, since you may need to have it disabled for various other features to function.

When first testing the ASUS display, I had an issue with the way the it displayed white and contrasted it to other colours, almost creating pools of darkness around tiny brighter specs. This was most noticeable when using my PC with the cursor pushing through the darkness of Steam’s client in an incredibly obtrusive way. What I didn’t realise at the time was that this was in fact a feature enabled by default: Shadow Boost. What it’s supposed to do is make shadows darker around lighter elements to make them stand out on-screen. To its credit it does work quite well during actual gameplay, but it definitely sticks out in more day to day usage. It is worth noting the monitor acts as expected with this feature disabled, but if you do want to see it in motion, I recorded a short clip using a white diamond on a dark background in Paint:

The monitor is packed full of really neat features, but there does seem to be a common theme of misconceptions and a lack of communication as to how everything really works, especially when wanting to use features in tandem. It’s under the GamePlus menu I found some of the most interesting settings. You can display a timer on-screen, show the current FPS, and even add a zoomed crosshair to the middle of your screen, dubbed “Sniper Mode”. I really enjoyed the zoomed crosshair when playing around in Hitman 3, allowing me to pull off incredible shots at long range with little more than a silenced pistol. At first though, this option was completely unavailable. It was unavailable, I think, because the monitor was in racing mode, this being one of many different colour options, grouped under the GameVisual menu, for the display. While playing Hitman however, I couldn’t access the GameVisual menu. It was greyed out. After some crafty Googling, it turns out this is because I had HDR enabled. So to follow this back, because I had HDR enabled, the GameVisual menu was unavailable to me, and because the GameVisual menu was unavailable to me, I couldn’t change to a mode that would allow me to use the sniper feature of a completely different menu. The documentation to explain this? Non-existent. This isn’t the only set of interconnected settings either. For every toggle you enable, three more will become greyed out. It wouldn’t be so much of a problem if you were able to toggle these greyed out settings to automatically disable whatever it was incompatible with but because this isn’t the case. You’re stuck flipping switches until the light you’re looking for magically turns on.

Though the GameVisual settings caused me a reasonable amount of stress here, they do offer some interesting choices. There’s a number of modes aimed to highlight different things for an optimal experience no matter what you’re wanting to use the monitor for. I’m not the kind of person to be constantly changing settings to let me watch a film or view some scenery in a slightly different way though. The mode I ultimately set on was the sRGB mode. Compared to the others, the colours come across in a way I could only describe as a vivid dullness. There’s a bizarre clarity to it I just find really appealing. Out of these options, there is one that deserves a bit of a spotlight, even if it wasn’t necessarily useful to me: MOBA mode. It’s an incredibly simple concept. Dim down every colour to draw emphasis to reds and greens, the colour of health bars in-game. I had a play around with this for a bit of fun and it’s a really cute idea. Not being in the MOBA sphere myself, it’s tough to say how much of a difference it would make to a seasoned player, but on paper it’s a great feature to include.

Outside of the more game-oriented features there’s one big feature I look for when looking to buy a monitor. Though it’s not something important to everybody, at the top of my most wanted list is a picture in picture (PiP) mode, and I’m glad to say the VG28UQL1A features both this and picture by picture (PbP) as available options. Of course, both of these are greyed out if you happen to have VRR enabled, and of course, VRR is enabled by default. The monitor does make some effort in this instance, giving you a warning screen if you happen to enable VRR for yourself down the line to let you know which features will be disabled, but because it’s enabled out of the box, it’s not something you’re likely to know. As far as PiP goes, it’s a fairly standard affair. You can pop another source in any of the four corners of the screen, and pick between the PiP source or the primary source for which you the audio from. It would’ve been nice to see some kind of audio mixing available here, but that’s more of a hope than an expectation, as it’s not something I’ve seen in any other PiP-enabled monitor. It works fine though, and is great for catching up with YouTube while playing more laid-back console games.

One of the more underappreciated features of the monitor comes not from the display itself, but what it’s mounted to: the stand. It’s incredibly stable with a good range of motion to be rotated left and right, up and down, raised and lowered, and even tilted. That’s right, you can use this high end gaming monitor in portrait mode should your twisted heart so desire it. What really stands out here is the flexibility on offer. Naturally you wouldn’t want this to be a full-time portrait monitor, but if you happen to be working from home and want a quick and convenient way to view a document, it’s there. You rotate and you’re done. No mess, no faff, and you can just change it back to normal when you’re done. A good stand goes a long way in supporting a monitor, and I’m glad this one doesn’t disappoint. 

To sum it all up, the VG28UQL1A is a magnificent display packed with a great assortment of small features to build up to a great product. Can I recommend it though? I’m just not sure. While the retail price of £750 may come as a bit of a sting, it’s not unreasonable for what’s on offer. The real question is whether you’ll actually be using what’s on offer to its fullest. With only a handful of Series X games capable of a native 4K image at a higher framerate and the PC hardware required to match this output being several times more expensive than this monitor, my advice would be to wait. In time these fantastic displays will reach a point where they’re affordable to the masses, and in that time there’ll be the games and hardware to warrant actually buying them. If higher framerates are important to you, you can find 1440p monitors at half the price of this with just as many great features; best of all your rig will probably be able to run games to match the monitor’s potential without having to mortgage your house. I really do love this monitor, but now isn’t the time where it excels. The VG28UQL1A has me excited for the future, even if I don’t quite think it has a place now.

You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/lucidsound-ls15x-wireless-gaming-headset.1942/

I’ve only had one chance to try a LucidSound headset before and I had a great time. A flexible and premium product packed with a plethora of features, it did a good job in justifying its high price as an Xbox and Bluetooth headset. Looking now to the more affordable side of their offerings, I was eager to look at the LS15X to see how it stands up considering the price difference of $150.

Though my experience with LucidSound only goes as far as the LS50X, it is worth saying that as a site, we have previously covered the PlayStation counterpart to this headset, the LS15P. If you’re interested in another set of thoughts, you can check out the review here. Be aware the formatting is a little messed up due to the site’s recent update though! Looking at the headset on review there, it’s hard to believe it’s largely the same product. What makes the headset I’m holding stand out above all is the colour; it’s a perfect match with the official Xbox ‘Shock Blue’ design, and it really is stunning to look at.

Taking it out of the box for the first time I was a little conflicted. Compared to the more premium model I still have handy, there are some positive and negative changes. As a whole it feels cheaper. The entire build is plastic and while it appears to have all the same earcup dials and buttons, they don’t feel quite as satisfying to use. The quality matches the price, and retailing at $99, it’s not to say they feel cheap or flimsy, but there’s certainly a disparity to be noted. From a design standpoint, there is one improvement worth mentioning however in the headband padding. It’s really quite comfortable, and the additional cushioning is perfectly positioned to alleviate stress over longer sessions. This was something the LS50X couldn’t quite do for me. Though I have already mentioned the colour, I feel it necessary to reiterate just how well they’ve colour matched the Shock Blue Xbox controller. They were apparently so confident in this colour matching that they sent along a headphone stand and official controller as a part of the press pack for me to see for myself. I can’t fault it, and it goes a surprising way in giving the headset a sense of credibility to back up its officially licenced moniker.

So while it’s really quite similar to the LS50X, sans its high-end finish, you’re probably wondering what separates them. $150 would be a significant difference if that were all there were to it. The most significant omission for me is the lack of multi-device connectivity. As one of my favourite aspects of the LS50X, it’s a shame not to see it on this cheaper variant, but not too surprising given the price difference. What is a bit of a surprise however is the complete lack of Bluetooth connectivity; if you want to use the LS15X wirelessly, you’re stuck with its dongle, and that dongle will only work on a PC or Xbox. Such limitations in connectivity hold back the headset drastically, but there is a question to be asked. Would they have been a good generalist headset anyway?

Thanks to the detachable microphone, they certainly look the part of a normal set of headphones. I’d go as far as to say they look great, avoiding the gaming aesthetic that perhaps doesn’t belong in the world beyond your gaming setup. When it comes to audio quality though, there’s a lot to be desired. Having originally used he headset with my Series X, I really had no complaints. When playing Dark Souls Remastered, everything sounded as it should. The bonfires crackled, the boss music roared. Where I noticed something was off was when connecting them to my PC and putting some music through them. For the lack of a better term, lyrical music sounded muddy. The voices blurred with the backing track and no single part manages to stand out. It just didn’t sound good. It’s possible some of this could be resolved if you’re willing to mess with an EQ on whatever device you’re connected to, but for a more casual consumer it’s hard to recommend for anything outside of gaming.

Also of note is the 3.5mm jack present on the left earcup, something that was surprisingly absent from the LS50X. Though I still wouldn’t recommend it for generalist use, it is worth noting this enables compatibility beyond the Xbox and PC, albeit with limited functionality. When using the 3.5mm jack, you basically miss out on any of the features you get from the device being powered on. This means the earcup no longer works to control volume and the few EQ options available on the headset itself are out of reach. It’s not that much to lose if you do find yourself needing to use them in a pinch, or just want to use them on a wider variety of devices.

All in all, the LS15X are a hard sell for me. The audio quality should be at the heart of any headset, but I’ve found myself entirely underwhelmed on this occasion. They’re comfortable and they’re designed magnificently as to look and feel official, but only being able to enjoy using them for games is a killer, even for a gaming headset. At $99 I expect something more versatile, even if much of that cost comes from the premium of being a licenced Xbox headset. I’d be happy if I got these as a gift, and I might even recommend them as a gift for somebody you know who owns a matching Shock Blue Xbox controller. Really though, there are better products at a similar price.

You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/super-monkey-ball-banana-mania.1936/

Originally created by Amusement Vision in 2001, Super Monkey Ball is a long-running series with a simple to grasp concept. Get your ball-encased monkey to the goal, and do it quickly. Against the clock and your only form of control being rotating the world itself, the original games gained a reputation for themselves in their deceptively-gruelling difficulty. As an anthology of the first Super Monkey Ball, Super Monkey Ball 2, and the additional stages of Super Monkey Ball Deluxe, as well as a colossal collection of series minigames and bonus modes, Banana Mania serves as an accessible way to jump into some classic levels. Just how do they hold up 20 years later?

To cut to the chase, the levels themselves are just as good as they always were, and boy do you have a lot of them to get through. It’s a mammoth task getting through two story modes, and ten challenge modes of varying difficulty. If you’re a fan of the old games but haven’t played in a while you’ll feel right at home, and be able to recognise all your favourites on show. With the game now running in Unity though, it should be noted there are some differences from the original outings. For my casual eye it feels just as good as it always did, but for series veterans who have perhaps revisited the original titles more frequently, you should expect your muscle memory to be a little off. Weirdly, the part that took the most adjustment for me was trying out the non-monkey characters. My mind just couldn’t rationalise rings, apples, or random pill bottles where bananas should be. 

There’s more to the game than just the levels though, with missions being a surprising breath of fresh air to areas of the game I’ve otherwise become really quite familiar with. In the story modes you have three or four additional challenges to attempt on top of the usual monkey into goal tape objective. Each level usually having missions to beat it in a set amount of time, collect a certain number of bananas, and beating it without any helper functions, you’re also tasked with finding hidden goals from time to time. Where in the original games’ story modes these green goals would serve no purpose, their actual use being skipping levels in the challenge mode, you’re incentivised to try out new things you may have previously overlooked. The banana objectives in particular stand out for this. There are a good number of levels across both games that are simple to rush through, but for those stopping to smell the bananas, things get complicated. The earliest example of this I could find is on 1-5 of Super Monkey Ball’s story, Conveyers. Where you can beat the stage incredibly easily by holding up on your analogue stick and using the starting momentum to pass straight over the titular conveyer belts, you soon find how powerful they are after you lose speed to collect bananas. The more I play, the more I discover small pieces and gems nestled within levels I had once zoomed through. It’s really refreshing and adds a layer of replayability to a previously once-and-done mode.

The challenge modes have these missions too, but they’re a little more rigid in how they test you. For each difficulty level, you have three missions: beat the difficulty, beat it without using any helper functions, and beat it within a set number of lives. On top of this, your time in beating the challenge mode is recorded for you to try to beat in future. It’s nice and it’s presented well, but for the challenge modes I can’t help but feel a large part of the challenge has been removed from the game with disappearance of lives. In the original titles these modes were a huge challenge, particularly on higher difficulties, due to the limitations on how many attempts you could have before having to start over. It was tough, terribly so, but it made the completion all that much sweeter. I can’t think of a better example of this than watching Twitch streamer Atrioc spend more than an hour on the 30 stage advanced course of the first game. It took several attempts, but with dedication and passion, you could see the pride and unbridled joy that came with beating it. It’s not to say there’s no satisfaction to be found now, and you can still have that same challenge and progression as you replay the mode and see your lives used go down and down, but I would’ve loved for there to be an option or an additional mode where you’re fighting against a life counter. A part of me wants to relive the frustration of falling within reach of the end, and the satisfaction of later overcoming that frustration. It’s a shame players new to the series won’t get to go through this.

On top of the standard content from the first two games, Banana Mania rolls the extra mile by offering a nice variety of additional modes, each with a small assortment of levels. In large, these function in the same way the missions do in providing a new way to play existing levels, as well as giving you access to a few levels you can’t find elsewhere. You have a mode where you need to collect every banana, you have a mode where you need to avoid bananas, and by far the most interesting to me, you have a mode where you can play a handful of levels in reverse. Each of these modes are stellar in shaking up the formula and they leave me wanting more. If DLC were put out with level packs for these modes, I’d definitely check them out.

But wait, there’s more! Rounding off this spherical package is a collection of minigames you know and love. From Monkey Bowling to Monkey Billiards to Monkey Golf, you have a set of 12 fantastic and varied games to play alongside the main event. I’ve found these a little hit and miss, with some games not quite meeting the expectations of my nostalgia-fuelled memories. Monkey Baseball feels unnecessarily precise, and Monkey Target just doesn’t feel like it used to. I imagine it’s just a case of adapting to new changes and a slightly different feel for these otherwise familiar games, but it’s certainly a culture shock to my aged system. Regardless, I’m happy to see so many of them available in one place, and all available for multiplayer action.

Having received a copy of the game on Switch to review and buying the game on the Series X myself, I’ve had a good opportunity to see how it plays on both ends of the console spectrum. In large the game runs fine on the Switch, and it’s a great option for those wanting the best portable Monkey Ball experience. I did notice the game feel choppy in a select few levels that featured rain and fire effects, but outside of those it’s hard to pick it apart. Running on the Xbox the graphics look a fair bit cleaner, but when you’re focused on your simian sphere they’re hardly what you’re paying attention to. If I had to pick a version to recommend though, it’d probably be the PC release. For some reason it’s £10 cheaper than its console counterparts, making an already compelling package that much more so at just £25. However you choose to play, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

All in all though, Banana Mania is a great game that brings the golden era of Super Monkey Ball right back into the spotlight. It’s an fantastic package full of classic content to be enjoyed by all at a more than reasonable price. Whether you want to kill 30 minutes or 30 hours, these balls are worth taking for a spin.

You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/powera-spectra-enhanced-wired-switch-controller.1929/

When it comes to unnecessary features on a controller, lights would be the top of my list. Lighting just isn’t necessary on something that by design shouldn’t be the centre of your attention, but there was something so enchanting about the Xbox Spectra controller we’ve previously covered. When I was offered the chance to look at its Switch counterpart, I wasn’t going to pass up the chance.

Taking the controller out of the box it’s nothing special. It has a fairly standard Switch Pro Controller design, featuring all the buttons you’d need to enjoy games on the system. It’s satisfying to hold and has a pleasant soft-matte finish that prevents fingerprints from lingering. On top of the usual buttons, you have PowerA’s staple remappable buttons hiding on the grips. They’re something I really do hope take off since I find them far more comfortable than the more premium-seeming paddles you see in a fair number of high end controllers. Grip buttons by contrast are something I’ve only really come across with PowerA, though that’s not to say other companies I’m unaware of haven’t been experimenting.

As with their previous products, no software is required to use these with mapping and remapping done using a button on the back of the controller. They’re simple to use and you can swap them out on the fly to suit whichever game you’re playing; they were a lifesaver when trying to adjust to the awkward control scheme of Girls und Panzer Dream Tank Match DX.

Right next to the remapping button is another extra to manage the controller’s signature feature: the lighting. My first impressions were incredibly mixed. Having seen the Spectra Infinity reviewed previously, I had expectations and some excitement for a full and brazen rainbow aesthetic; I wanted something entirely unnecessary and over the top. What I hadn’t realised is that having multiple colours going at once was a feature exclusive to the Infinity variant, with this model not existing for the Switch. It’s a shame to see what feels like a lesser product being put out when PowerA have shown they’re capable of more, but I plugged it in anyway, and frankly it looked great. You can still set this controller to cycle through colours though if that’s something you’d want. 

The bars of colour wrapping around the controller and its key buttons are incredibly vivid without having a degree of brightness that could negatively pull your attention away from the screen. It’s more a feeling of “wow that’s neat” than anything else. The lighting isn’t enough to make you think the controller is something ridiculously premium, but it does almost seem too good for what the controller costs, coming in at £29.99.

I can carry this sentiment through to the rest of the controller really. PowerA make some genuinely great controllers, and the quality on show here more than reflects that. Buttons have a satisfying press with no overwhelming mushiness or clickiness. They feel like they need just a but more force to activate than an official Pro Controller, which will be to the taste of some and distaste of others. The D-Pad is pleasant to use, though still falls short of the Pokken Pro pad, which is my personal gold standard of D-Pads. Each direction feels defined enough for general menuing in a pinch, but I wouldn’t trust it to get me through a tight level in Mario Maker 2 without being caught out by a phantom up input. It’s functional, but by no means exceptional.

Something I’ve pointed out in my other PowerA controller reviews, the analogue sticks stick out (if you’ll pardon the pun) as something really quite special. Of every controller I’ve tried, official or otherwise, they have the smoothest movement when rotated against the casing. This is something that most people won’t think they care about, and really most people probably don’t. Having said that, it’s just one factor that builds up to a fantastic user experience.

With the Spectra, you really only have a few negative points to pick out. First, it’s exclusively wired. It’s not something I really hold against the controller, since it’s exactly what it’s advertised as, but the lack of a wireless alternative may come as a disappointment to some. With it being wired, it also means you’re missing a few crucial Pro Controller features in NFC, and more importantly, gyro. What really hurts me though isn’t its wired limitations, it’s the wire they chose to limit it to. Micro USB. In 2021. It hurts me to type it, and I was disappointed to see it. To give due credit, it’s a great braided cable with a nice locking design to keep it tightly connected to the controller in use. If you leave it in the controller, you might not notice it, but it’s still something I’m not overly fond of.

All in all though, the Spectra is a fantastic controller that only goes to reiterate what we’ve said in our previous reviews. PowerA has consistently delivered on quality third party offerings at a price that’s reasonable, and the Switch Spectra controller is no different. If you’re wanting something for your player two, or just want something handy you won’t have to worry about charging, it’s an incredibly compelling device.

You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/epos-h3-hybrid-gaming-headset.1919/

When I took a look at EPOS’ wired H3 headset earlier this year, I praised it as one of the most comfortable headsets I’d used to date. Thanks to its oval earcups and incredibly lightweight design, it proudly sat atop my head for hours at a time with no strain or pain. I still think the H3 is a fantastic and worthwhile choice if you’re looking for a wired headset, but what if you want something more? It’s time to look at the hybrid option.

At a glance it really doesn’t look like much has changed. Outside of the fact this review unit is black, while my original H3 review unit was white (both models are available in both colours), everything looks quite similar. You have the same oval earcups, the same bulky microphone, and the same overall aesthetic. There are some changes though. The headband feels far more premium, featuring some sort of mesh-like fabric on the outside. The inside of the headband still has that same comfortable padding that moulds to even the most dome-like of heads too, providing what is still one of the nicest headphone experiences I’ve come across when worn for an extended period.

Across the casing of the earcups, you may notice there are a few additional ports and buttons. Where the original H3 was very much plug and play, the Hybrid gives you a range of options worthy of its moniker, these largely housed on the left earcup. You have a USB C port, the same assumedly proprietary jack that gives you a 3.5mm plug on the other end, and a power button. The main drawback of the headset to me comes from the power button and the necessity for the device to always be turned on to be used, even if you’re indulging in a wired connection. This isn’t so much a problem if connecting to a PC using the USB C port, since the headset will be charging at the same time. With a 3.5mm jack though, it just feels odd. There’s some solace to be found here in the 24 hour battery life advertised. As long as you remember to charge the headset every so often, you’re unlikely to run into issues.

As mentioned, you have two wired options when wanting to use the H3 Hybrid in a 3.5mm and USB C connection. On top of these, you’re also able to use Bluetooth to wirelessly pair to your device of choice. It all sounds quite standard on paper, but the Hybrid headset takes my favourite feature from my time using the LucidSound LS50X: the ability to connect to multiple devices simultaneously. It’s marvellous, even if it isn’t implemented quite as seamlessly as in the LS50X. Unlike the LS50X, one of the devices has to be wired, and the other has to be Bluetooth. On top of this, the more limited controls makes it a little more difficult to balance the audio of both devices when compared to the earcup dials of the LS50X. Having said that though, it’s a great feature for any wireless headset, and something that would be essential to me if I didn’t already own a mixer.

The out of box sound quality itself doesn’t seem to have changed all that much from the original H3 headset to my untrained ear, and that’s not a terrible thing. As previously said, it sounds fine, and ticks my box of game audio just sounding as I expect it to. No enhancements, no fancy AI manipulating it, just normal. If you are somebody interested in tweaking though, EPOS has their own Gaming Suite software with plenty to play with. Outside of the EQ, you also have a number of settings for the microphone, including a side tone slider. While I’m really not a fan of side tone, this is a headset I can at least acknowledge a use of it thanks to just how well the earcups isolate you from external sound. As with the H3, there’s no active noise cancelling, but I definitely wouldn’t hear somebody knocking on the front door if I were wearing these.

One final change from the original H3 headset is in the Hybrid’s detachable microphone and dual-microphone setup. Now the microphone in itself looks and feels just as it did before. A point I didn’t note in my original review is the interesting build of it, featuring a rigid base and end, with the central part being adjustable. It’s a really great design that allows you to get the microphone how you like it without making it a challenge to twist back up when you’re done. What makes the detachable nature of the microphone such a game changer for me is in the value it adds to the package in terms of versatility. While the headset still remains somewhat bulky, without the microphone attached I’d consider it at least viable to take with you on the go, and because of the microphone lurking within the earcup you’d still be able to take calls should the need arise.

All in all the H3 Hybrid is a fantastic upgrade from the original H3 model, but these upgrades do come at a cost. Jumping up from £89 to £149, you move into a far more competitive market of premium devices. Can the H3 Hybrid hold its own among this crowd? To an extent I believe so, and I largely think it’s propped up by its ability to connect to multiple devices at one time. They sound great and feel great, and if you’re looking for a more versatile way to enjoy what made the H3 so great, the extra £60 is more than worth it. If wireless connectivity and additional versatility isn’t so much of a requirement for you though, the original H3 is still available and still something I’d recommend.

You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/redmagic-6s-pro.1911/

I’m quite fond of RedMagic as a brand. Having bought and covered the 5S last year for its emulation capabilities, I’m fortunate enough to have been sent the RedMagic 6S Pro prior to its launch to explore what’s new, and whether this one’s worth a look. Having used the phone for almost a month now I’m excited to show it off for its gaming goodness in what I hope to be a more in-depth review.

First Impressions

Unboxing a RedMagic phone is always a joy. Where other brands strive for minimalist perfection with clean and simple designs, likely to draw focus to the phone itself, RedMagic instead decides to throw paint against the wall. Featuring unusual and eye-catching designs, they have a genuine appeal to them and are one of the things I look forward to each time I see a new release from them. It’s over the top, it’s unnecessary, but it’s something I’ve come to know and appreciate them for. While this design is a little more muted than the 5S box I have handy, it still stays true to my expectations.

Lurking within are your standard assortment of the phone itself, a case, a USB C to USB C cable, and perhaps increasingly-rarely, a 30W wall plug. Unfortunately I’ve not been able to use the plug since the model I received came with a US one, but I’ve had no issues in continuing to use the 18W plug that came with the 5S. The feel of the phone in my hand is almost identical to the 5S in weight and size, which surprised me given that the screen is actually bigger. The included case also has an exposed back much unlike the case of the 5S, which does go some way in solving the lack of synergy between the accessories of the product I previously criticised the phone for. With a new “dual-core” Ice Dock available, I’d be hopeful that it can just sit on top of the case.

Hardware & Design

Looking at the design of the phone, it shares a fair bit with its predecessors, the RedMagic 6 and 6 Pro. Coming from the 5S myself, there are a few changes to get used to. The most notable of these for me is the bizarre placement of the volume rocker on the left side of the device. It’s not something I’ve personally seen before and despite being a minor decision, really does confuse me when the phone is on my desk. Thanks to the almost-symmetrical design it’s really difficult to tell which way it’s facing when sat in sleep mode. You’ll also notice the buttons a little lower down than your average phone, this to make room for the signature feature: a physical fan. Sitting where you’d usually find a power button on other devices, it pulls air in from the right side and spits it out on the left. It still seems like a bit of a gimmick, but if it even keeps the phone a degree cooler during intense sessions, it’s a success in my books.

The colour options of the 6S Pro are disappointingly standard. Where I could enjoy the completely outlandish red and blue with the 5S, you’re more limited to black here. I will give due credit and commend the more premium model for its transparent back and RGB fan though. I think transparent tech is a great trend that unfortunately fell out of fashion after the days of the N64 and GBA had passed. Being able to see some of the internals is great fun, and adding a centrepiece to it in the form of an RGB fan brings it all together wonderfully from the renders I’ve seen.

As you might expect from a new gaming phone, what lies under the hood is some of the best portable technology available to the mobile market. The 6S Pro is stacked. Featuring the latest and greatest Snapdragon 888+, it comes equipped to tackle the most challenging of Android titles and emulation challenges. Add to this the same 165Hz display of the RedMagic 6 series and two unnecessarily-responsive touchpad shoulder triggers and you have everything you need to enjoy powerful portable gaming. There is one particularly odd addition to the mix here in the form of a new mappable area on the back of the phone. Situated between the RedMagic writing and the Nubia logo, there’s a small strip you can activate by sliding it. While I didn’t find a way to comfortably use it, there could be some utility here for people with smaller hands who perhaps would struggle to grip the phone in a way as to be able to reach both of the shoulder triggers. It could also be useful for those more familiar with claw grips than myself.

Red Magic OS & Game Space

Red Magic OS, the phone’s Android skin, hasn’t changed much since I last visited it. And that’s not necessarily the best thing. At its core, the experience is typical Android. You have a decent assortment of customisation options and anybody familiar with the operating system will feel at home. For those coming from iOS, you can also use a layout more closely resembling Apple’s with all your apps on the home screen; pretty standard stuff.

There are however some bugs, and these bugs have been around for many iterations of the RedMagic line. Having used the 5S as my daily driver for a decent amount of time, there were some I noticed straight away. One of the more irritating things for me was the appearance of a blank page on my home screen that could not be removed. After some trial and error, I found this bug was caused by you disabling the setting to automatically place new app icons on the home screen. Enabling that and deleting the icons manually, the extra screen plagues you no longer. There’s also a quirk with certain notifications not being dismissible, these seemingly limited to music streaming apps. The only one I’ve noticed it with was YouTube Music, though I’ve seen reports of it affecting Spotify too. These notifications are hidden away and only accessible once the notification menu is fully expanded though, so it’s not so much of an issue to me.

I did recently discover something that does improve the overall user experience though, and that’s the ability to swap out your launcher. Now, you’re probably thinking this was an obvious first choice if Nubia’s standard launcher is disappointing, but until recently I didn’t think it was actually possible. If you just download a launcher and try to set it as the default one using the usual prompt, it doesn’t work at all, taking you back to the standard launcher when you press the home button. To get around this you need to navigate to the following:

Settings > Applications > App info > “…” in top-right corner > Default app settings > Desktop

Through this totally intuitive assortment of options, I was able to set Nova as my launcher, giving me a good bit more in the way of customisation and ironing out a few of the rough patches. It should be noted that changing the launcher doesn’t have an effect on your notifications though, so you’ll be stuck with the streaming apps showing up there.

One very notable improvement for me comes from the changes to Game Space and perhaps more importantly, the fact you don’t have to use it at all to reap its benefits. On paper I like Game Space. Having an enclosed space to give you easy access to your games with extra tweaks and settings is exactly the kind of thing that should set a gaming phone apart from a more generalist device. The end product ends up being something else though. It’s just too rough around the edges to be something I’d want to use regularly thanks to its unpolished UI and almost entirely-untranslated menus. I will cut a little slack here, this is a pre-release unit, and I’m hopeful there will be an update before the phone launches to at least provide some kind of basic translation. Having said that, I can all but guarantee it won’t be great. There’s occasionally some charm to be found in dismissing a low battery notification by saying “I know”, but really it’s just an unnecessary mark of low quality Nubia could avoid by getting a decent translation team in.

As mentioned though, you can avoid Game Space altogether once you’ve been in it to mark your appropriate apps as games. As long as you’ve done this, the apps will boot as if you’re in Game Space either way, giving you access to the useful control panel of macros, framerate display, and mappable device buttons. Though even this limited part of Game Space suffers from the same poor translation, a lot of it is genuinely useful regardless. Giving Call of Duty Mobile a go for the first time, I’m left questioning how you’re supposed to comfortably play without some kind of shoulder triggers to aim and shoot.

What would really make the 6S Pro thrive as a gaming phone to me would be the inclusion of a dedicated desktop mode for when using the device with a monitor. Though you can plug it into any display and have the screen be mirrored without issue, fitting a 20:9 image on a 16:9 monitor just doesn’t cut it for me, and results in huge borders should you want to watch or play 16:9 content. I did have a play with the experimental desktop mode you can find in the Android developer settings, and I have to say as a prospect it’s a promising one. With companies like Samsung and Huawei including a polished version of this as standard with their range of phones, it’s a huge shame to see Nubia not go the extra mile here given the work creating Game Space must have been. While I do think the 6S Pro does enough to be a great phone, the versatility of a real desktop mode would have made it something more, and I really want more companies to explore this. Modern phones have so much power, why not use it to the fullest?

Benchmarking Results

For benchmarking, I’ve included test results from Geekbench 5 and AnTuTu below. As somebody who isn’t incredibly technically-minded, I don’t have much commentary to add here outside of saying the Snapdragon 888+ is probably the best mobile CPU on the market at the moment, and the scores do reflect that when stacking them up against more mainstream flagship devices. Though the 888+ is the best out there, it should however be noted it is an incredibly minor upgrade from the standard 888, so if you have one of those, the marginal performance boost will likely not be worth putting the money down for a new phone.

For the Geekbench 5 results, you’re looking at a single-core score of 1146 and a multi-core score of 3704. Running the compute benchmark, you get a score of 4698 using OpenCL, and 4061 using Vulkan.

For the AnTuTu results, the overall score sits at 863789, reportedly defeating 99% of users. To break that down, the CPU score is 223353, the GPU score is 327140, the memory score is 141296, and the UX score is 172000.

Gaming Overview

It might surprise you to see just how short the gaming section is on a gaming phone review, and that’s because there really isn’t much to talk about. As mobile devices go the 6S Pro is really the cream of the crop, and hasn’t struggled with any Android titles I’ve thrown at it yet. Genshin Impact maintains a steady 60 frames per second at the absolute maximum of settings, which leads me to lament the lack of controller support for the Android version. I’d be interested to see just how far this phone could push the game if it ever allows for an unlocked framerate.

It should go without saying that apps like Dead Cells, Disgaea 1 Complete, Forager, and Stardew Valley also run like a dream. The reason I list these ones specifically is because they all support controllers, and I’ve been having a great time playing them with my Razer Kishi plugged in. Despite the hefty 6.8 inch 20:9 display, the Kishi will just manage to wrap around the device, giving you a good grip to enjoy a good range of games. I’ve also spent a good bit of time with the likes of Geforce Now and Game Pass on the go using this setup.

Emulation performance is naturally fantastic too. Much like the 5S I looked at previously, the 6S Pro has handled everything I’ve thrown at it exceptionally, with it able to play Wii games at 1.5x and 2x resolution. The one game I’ve come across that this phone does struggle with is F-Zero on the GameCube. Regardless of which version of Dolphin I’ve tried (MMJR2 being my version of choice), I see significant drops at almost every part of the game. I am happy to see Fortune Street run at full speed now though, as the only game I tried on the 5S that wouldn’t run well for reasons far beyond my comprehension.

Camera Performance

Of all the areas I wasn’t expecting to be impressed by, the cameras were at the top of the list. When I originally covered the 5S last year, I somewhat glossed over this part of the phone, writing it off as a subpar non-focus for a gaming-centric device. To some extent, the same remains true in the 6S Pro. When comparing to a modern flagship or even a midrange more generalist device, you may be left wanting. There’s little in the way of fancy additions. You have no crazy zoom, no telephoto lens, and no weird AI features being talked about. What it does have is a three camera array, featuring a 64MP Samsung sensor at the top, an 8MP ultrawide sensor in the middle, and a 2MP macro sensor at the bottom. I’d likely be doing the sensors a disservice to attempting to talk about them in-depth, so instead I’ll cut right to the chase and get into how they perform.

Having just returned from a trip to Northern Ireland to see family, I had a great chance to try the camera out to its fullest with a nice assortment of buildings and beaches at various times of day. Frankly I’m really impressed. You can browse the pictures below.

The camera app itself is fairly intuitive for any Android users, but there are a few caveats of note. First of all, there’s the watermark. I decided to leave it on for the sake of this review, but it’s something there by default that could be easy to miss if you just pick up the phone for the first time and find yourself needing to snap a quick picture. I’ve not seen other phone brands stamp images this way so it’s odd, even if it is easy to disable. Secondly, the phone’s 64MP camera mode is hidden away in the “Phone ratio” choices of the camera app settings. This one is something I almost missed, just assuming the phone was giving me its best as I was happily taking pictures on the beach. Much like the comments on the Xiaomi 11T’s camera though, I can completely understand why this isn’t an option as standard. As well as producing huge images of between 15 and 35mb, there’s also a noticeable delay when taking a picture of around half a second. It didn’t get in the way of my picture taking, but I can see it being an irritation if I were stuck with it all the time. Whenever you close the app, the phone resets the camera mode to the non-64MP mode, which is handy given the delay. It would have been nice for this to be an option however. Much like the OS, the camera app is also littered with odd translations and limited explanation. There’s a special setting for “Intelligent Beauty” and I really couldn’t tell you what it does.

Day to Day Usage

As a daily driver, the 6S Pro has done me well for the past month or so. With a fantastic 5050mAh battery you’re able to get around two days of light usage out of a single charge, with around one day of what I would call regular usage. Using the included 30W plug, you’re able to get right back to 100% in just 65 minutes though, so to many who live their lives around plug sockets, battery life is becoming less and less of a common issue.

There is more to using a phone than how long the screen can stay on though, and I’ve touched on my major gripes in other areas of this review. Thanks to being able to use Nova launcher, I’ve had a certain degree of freedom to get the phone exactly how I like it. I can swap out the gamer-aesthetic stock application icons, I can hide apps I can’t uninstall, and I can avoid a few frustrating bugs. With the 5S, I did come across a bug where phone calls would show as withheld even if registered in the phone’s contacts. That does seem to be resolved here from the calls I have taken, so at least one thing has been fixed since then. What would put me off recommending this more than anything at the moment though is the state of the software translation. It just doesn’t feel complete, and I really hope that is because it isn’t complete yet. I reached out to the PR team for some kind of confirmation of a pre-launch update, but they’re yet to get back to me with anything solid. Nothing the phone does is particularly prohibitive to using it as a daily driver from my experience, but there are a lot of small frustrations that seem like they could have been avoided. And these do add up to an extent. A huge boon in the phone’s favour though is the stunning display and just how smooth 165Hz is in action though. If you’re coming from a 144Hz or even a 120Hz phone the difference might not be much, but for those used to the standard 60Hz it’s night and day.

Closing Thoughts

All things considered, the 6S Pro is a mixed bag for me. It is undoubtedly a phenomenal device with some of the best specs on the market, that much I can’t take away from it. What keeps me from telling you to run out and buy one now however is the current state of the software. I’m almost certain it will get better, but to what extent is what’s so difficult to predict. If you’re just wanting a powerful and portable device at a relatively affordable price (£519 for the model being reviewed), I will say you can’t go wrong for the money.

You can find this review in full at GBAtemp.net:
https://gbatemp.net/review/asus-zenscreen-mb16ac-portable-monitor.1902/

I have too many monitors. I’m not going to beat around the bush on that one. I have monitors on my desk, monitors on the floor, monitors on arms, and even a monitor somehow attached to a flimsy folding table. Monitors are at the heart of my day to day life after all. I work from home on them, I watch videos on them, I play games on them. I’m sure you get the idea. But what about when I want to be productive elsewhere? How can it be feasible to throw a second screen in a bag? Given the banner image above, the answer is clear: a portable monitor.

When it comes to productivity on the go, there really is nothing sweeter than being able to pull a second screen out and get stuck in. In my mind, the apex of this idea is something we already reviewed in the SideTrak. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to what I hoped in both portability and general display quality. To this day, I’m baffled how my eInk tablet can have a better response time than a monitor, but that is the reality. Until sliding mounted monitors can become lighter and frankly just better screens, they will remain a dream for me. What comes next though? If the convenience of having a second screen attached to your laptop just isn’t feasible, what’s the next best thing?

ASUS seem to think they have the case cracked with their impressive range of lightweight and thin screens. The version I have to review today is the ZenScreen MB16AC. It’s a 15.6 inch display coming in at 780g and less than a centimetre in thickness. With it advertised as a portable monitor, I hadn’t quite come to terms with just how big 15.6 inches actually is. Taking it out of the box for the first time it struck me, and I’m a little conflicted. When you have it out on a desk, that additional screen space is undeniably appreciated, but to me this size is just one notch too large to be truly portable. The big use case however is for those already carrying laptops with these large displays. In that scenario, it’s just a case of slotting it in the bag, and thanks to its weight and thickness, I doubt there will be any issues. For those like me, there is some solace in the fact there’s another model available in the MB14AC, which is the 14 inch sibling to what I have to look at with, to my knowledge, an identical feature set.

Alongside the screen, ASUS include a folio case and a USB C cable to enable you to get started straight away. It’s worth noting that with this being a rental review the USB C cable was missing, so I can’t comment on the specifics of that. The folio case however is a bit of a mixed bag. Don’t get me wrong, it’s functional. When you don’t need a stand it protects the screen admirably, and when you need something to prop it up, it offers a number of different positions to best suit your need. It’s even capable of supporting the monitor on its side, which is genuinely great. Have I used it at all with my time with the monitor? I have not. It’s just too finicky. It gets the job done, but boy do you have to fight for it. When I was trying to get things working for the first time, it took me several minutes to just find how it attaches to the device; it does so with magnets if you were curious. I’ve had the monitor propped up against my PSVR box (the most use I’ve had out of my PSVR in months honestly) since I first plugged it in and have had no issues. For my needs, a Surface-like kickstand would have been better suited, but I do understand how this can detract from a larger sense of versatility. Such a stand would make vertical positionings difficult for example. The case is fine, and a necessity for any monitor wanting to call itself portable, but it’s just not quite there for me. Where it’ll shine is with people who have clear desks, who don’t prop their monitors up with the boxes of long-since defunct tech. To get the most out of it, you really just need to have the space to use it and play around, and that’s something I’m lacking.

While getting started with the ZenScreen isn’t quite plug and play, it isn’t far off. Using the single USB C port on the side of the monitor, you can connect it to your PC using either a USB A to USB C or a USB C to USB C cable. Of these bountiful options, I was particularly interested to see how it performed using the more abnormal USB A. For this functionality, you do need to install a driver from ASUS, but once that’s out of the way, it’ll be detected normally and can be adjusted like any other monitor via Windows’ display settings. As a PC companion it does a great job. With the monitor pulling power through the USB connection, it’s ridiculously hassle-free to use once you’ve jumped the initial driver hurdle. I wouldn’t say it’s flawless though; advertising 5ms response time, there is a noticeable difference when used together with my other 4ms monitors. Without the capacity to test response times accurately, I can best describe it as noticeable but not to a degree that impacts day to day use. I have no issues using this for writing reviews (this one in fact!), browsing the internet, or reading manga. The only time you’d really feel this is if you happened to be using the monitor for a game that relied heavily on you being at your quickest. Having said that, this isn’t a gaming monitor. For what it advertises itself as, it performs admirably. If you are wanting something snappier though, as you might have guessed, ASUS have you covered with another of their many models. The MB16AH sports a Micro HDMI port for compatibility beyond your PC, but if you’re really wanting to go all out on gaming, there’s a whole range of ROG Strix monitors, some of which going all the way to 240Hz gaming with a 3ms response time. It’s a baffling labyrinth to look through all of the variants of these monitors. Every time you find yourself wanting a feature, a quick search tends to reveal that ASUS already have a model to support it.

The overall picture quality really blew me away when I turned it on for the first time. The ZenScreen has some of the most vivid colours I’ve ever come across, and produces a delightfully sharp and clear image. The IPS display does a good job in mitigating glare too. While I can still spot outlines of the person peering in on darker images, it’s something I really have to look for. If my vision is focused on text, or any other element on the screen for that matter, it’s something I don’t notice at all. You also have a reasonable assortment of settings to toy with using a somewhat clunky two-button menu navigation system. I don’t know why there couldn’t have been a third button. A third button would give you an option for up, down, and confirm or back. As it is now though, you’re left with an awkward system of navigating a menu like a one-way street, with confirmation relying on you not touching anything for a few seconds. It works, but it’s definitely something that needs work should ASUS look at iterating on the ZenScreen.

Looking at the options themselves you have a fairly standard array of things to change. You have a number of pre-configured modes, a variable blue light filter, colour settings, image settings, and a few miscellaneous system tweaks that are bundled together. There’s a lot to play with but having had my play I’ve found most of the default settings to suit my needs best. The one setting I do recommend trying is the game mode. It just makes the colours pop in a way that makes the monitor incredibly pleasant to look at.

The big question is always the same though: is it worth the money? In some ways it is, and in others it isn’t. What you should be asking yourself before browsing what’s on the market is what you want out of your monitor. Looking just at ASUS’ ZenScreen range, you have monitors ranging from 14 inches to 15.6 inches, some with Micro HDMI ports, some with built-in batteries, some with touch screens. After my time with the MB16AC, I feel confident in saying it’s a quality display at its current price point of around £200.