With the reveal that a new Apple product – strongly rumored to be the upcoming iPhone SE 4 – is due to drop on February 19, the TechRadar testing labs have been all atwitter… or should that be all anX?… about what might be coming to Apple’s cheapest phone. That doesn’t mean we’ve been neglecting our reviewing duties, though: we’ve got a whole heap of exciting reviews to catch you up on this week.
First of all, we have a doubleheader putting both the Samsung Galaxy 25 and Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus through their respective paces – and with seriously high-octane performance, epic battery life, and improved AI features, we can confirm they are both deeply impressive handsets. On top of that, we’ve been trying out the Hisense U9N, the massive mini-LED TV that offers super bright, contrasty images for mid-market prices. And there are a whole lot more reviews where they came from.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is probably the best Samsung phone for most people right now. It has the best battery life of the S25 lineup, outlasting the Ultra by ten minutes at 18 hours and 45 minutes. Its finish is gorgeous, with our reviewers cooing over the new rich blue colorway in particular. And its screen is stellar – not only is it just a tiny bit smaller than the S25 Ultra’s, at 6.7 inches compared to 6.9 inches, but it rocks the same number of pixels, making it the sharpest display Samsung currently offers.
But really, what makes the Galaxy S25 Plus one of the best phones available right now is its value. Despite costing just a few hundred more than the S25, it’s a significant step up and is much closer to the S25 Ultra in terms of its power and potential. You’re getting a phone that’s capable of much of the same things as its bigger sibling without spending extra money on a few premium features you likely won’t use as much.
For
- More than just a bigger Galaxy S25
- Sharp, bright display
- Nice color options, especially the blue
Against
- Looks just like last year’s phone
- Cameras haven’t improved since 2023
- AI features fail to deliver
Philip Berne
“The Galaxy S25 Plus is the successful middle child, with the longevity of its big Ultra sibling and the affordability of the Galaxy S25. It’s powerful, with a fantastic display and the best battery life on any Samsung phone.”
Read Philip’s full Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review
The Hisense U9N is undoubtedly the brand’s best TV to date. Its mini-LED backlight offers up to 5,300 local dimming zones, enabling it to achieve exceptional contrast with deep, consistent blacks and bright highlights. This bold contrast and its vivid colors are maintained even at off-center viewing angles, while its 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker system is capable of both impressive bass, as well as excellent positioning of dialogue and effects.
What makes it particularly exciting, though, is how good value it is. Both its 75-inch and 85-inch models have already seen some significant reductions from their release prices. Compared to the premium mini-LED screens released by big brands like Samsung and Sony, the U9N is very competitively priced, making it one of the best value ways to get this kind of super-vibrant screen into your living room.
For
- High brightness and refined local dimming
- Powerful 4.1.2-channel speaker system
- Excellent off-center picture quality
Against
- Somewhat pricey
- Some screen glare
Al Griffin
“The Hisense U9N’s picture is incredibly bright, yet refined, and it’s augmented by a powerful built-in 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker system. This TV’s sturdy, yet eye-catching design nicely complements its picture. Overall the U9N is a strong high-end TV.”
Read Al’s full Hisense U9N review
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is, in the words of our reviewer, ‘polished, powerful, and predictable.’ That’s not really a negative with a device that’s this solid, though – it’s the product of incremental improvements over the years, with its sleek design, the elegant yet increasingly skilled One UI 7 interface, and its vibrant, colorful display. Admittedly, its most hyped AI features do seem to have taken a backseat – whether this is a restraint on Samsung’s part or more of a ‘watch this space’ remains to be seen.
Perhaps the most important development here, though, is the Galaxy S25’s performance. Unlike in some of the best phones – we’re looking at you, iPhone 16 – Samsung hasn’t bundled a cheaper chipset into its base-level handset. Instead, it includes the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip as in the Ultra, meaning it runs blisteringly fast. Not bad for the cheapest handset in its line.
For
- Incredible performance and speed
- Battery life outlasts competition
- Sleek, solid design
Against
- Essentially the same phone as last year
- Camera specs a bit stale
- AI doesn’t do as much as Samsung promised
Philip Berne
“The Samsung Galaxy S25 is better than its predecessors in almost every way, and it also beats the iPhone 16 in performance, battery life, and more. Even the Galaxy software and Galaxy AI have gotten better. Right now this is one of the best phones you can buy.”
Read Philip’s full Samsung Galaxy S25 review
The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro owes its form to its iconic predecessor, the near 20-year-old airship-shaped iPod dock. However, inside, it’s received several upgrades over the years, enabling it to compete with many of the best wireless speakers on the market. The Pro offers both aptX Adaptive Bluetooth compatibility and Wi-Fi streaming access via a range of streaming services.
Not only this, but it’s crammed with upgraded hardware, including a reworked tweeter array and the titanium dome unit adapted from the B&W 600 S3 passive speakers, as well as two mid-range drivers and a 150mm bass driver. Backed up by 240 watts of amplification, this gives the Zeppelin plenty of dynamism and detail, while ensuring it sounds tightly integrated across its whole frequency range. For its price, this is a hard speaker to beat.
For
- Open, organized and vigorous sound
- Elegant, classic aesthetic
- Reliable and clear control app
Against
- Not the last word in dynamic extension
- Quite space-hungry
- Not as smart as it could be
Simon Lucas
“The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro both moves the game on a little and does some justice to its lineage at the same time. It’s a very impressive, elite-feeling wireless speaker that produces broad, rich sound.”
Read Simon’s full Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro review
The HP Chromebook Plus has surprisingly powerful specs for a laptop running ChromeOS, yet it manages to preserve the light and thin form factor that’s typical of this kind of device. It’s solidly built and has a construction that actually feels pretty premium despite its comparatively affordable price. On top of this, its display is clear and crisp, offering vibrant color no matter the lighting conditions.
However, Chromebook Plus’s performance makes it a particularly noteworthy candidate for the best Chromebook. Running ChromeOS is smooth and seamless, while productivity apps don’t even make it break a sweat. It’s also comfortably able to stream 4K video and can even manage some impressive gaming performance: we were able to run Asphalt Legends Unite on high graphics settings without us having to pump the brakes. All in all, it’s impressive stuff.
For
- Great all-round performance
- Good display for a Chromebook
- Premium build quality
Against
- Small lid opening angle
- Not convertible
- Typing can feel cramped
Lewis Maddison
“The HP Chromebook Plus is a smooth and fast performer with a great build quality and premium feel. It handles light productivity, streaming and gaming with aplomb. For the size and the price you can regularly find it at, the HP Chromebook Plus is worth adding to your shortlist.”
Read Lewis’s full HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch review
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josh.russell@futurenet.com (Josh Russell)
