The big hitters across the tech world have been launching their wares left, right, and center lately, with some exciting new developments in the realms of computing, photography, and personal care. So this week, we’ve been busy delivering the verdicts on these impressive bits of kit.
These include the Dyson Supersonic r hair dryer, which blew us away – quite literally – with its powerful airflow, and the Dell Plus 14, which represents a significant upgrade over the previous Inspiron model. For the full breakdown on these and our other top tech reviews over the past seven days, read on below.
Dell may have ditched the Inspiron tag from this follow-up model, but it’s given back in other areas, with design and performance enhancements befitting of a successor to one of the most popular laptop lines. It’s also got a decent battery life and is easy to carry around thanks to its slender form.
We were genuinely surprised at just how much of an improvement this new model is, making it one of the best laptops around in terms of value for money. However, if you’re prepared to stray outside the confines of Windows, we think the MacBook Air 13 (M4) beats it on this front. What’s more, if you’re looking for a creative or gaming powerhouse, the Dell 14 Plus isn’t it: it’s best suited for those doing general work and browsing.
Pros
- Great everyday performance
- Fantastic price
- Very portable
- Solid battery life
Cons
- Limited configuration options
- MacBook Air better value
- Trackpad can be tricky
- Display isn’t great
John Loeffler
“What Dell has produced is actually way better than I was expecting, and offers possibly the best value for its price range of any Windows laptop on the market right now.”
Read John’s full Dell 14 Plus review.
Another standout from Dell, the S3225QC is designed for productivity, and in this regard it performs exceptionally well. It has fantastic contrast, thanks to the OLED screen that renders black tones in their full glory, and the overall image quality is excellent.
Its 32-inch size is perfect for designers and creators, and although it’s not expressly built for gamers, we enjoyed playing on it nevertheless. The built-in speakers were also a welcome addition, and they produce really good sound.
We were dismayed by the lack of ports, however, since it only has one HDMI input and one USB-C input – but when you factor in the very reasonable price tag considering what’s on offer here, the S3225QC has a strong claim to be one of the best monitors around in terms of value for money.
Pros
- Terrific OLED picture quality
- Great price for the features on offer
- Awesome in-built sound
Cons
- Only two input ports (HDMI and a DP-alt USB-C port)
- Only one size option
Zachariah Kelly
“Dell’s S3225QC monitor is the company’s first non-gaming QD-OLED, and it’s a productivity machine.”
Read Zachariah’s full Dell S3225QC OLED monitor review.
Originally the preserve of professionals, the Supersonic r is now available for anyone looking to get a salon-grade experience at home. Looking more like a tyre iron than your typical hair dryer, its unique style sets it apart from the best hair dryers – and that’s not the only area where it stands out.
We found it very powerful, but still manageable, thanks to the ergonomic shape and lightweight construction, which makes it easy to direct airflow exactly where you need it. We also liked the magnetic attachments, which live up to Dyson’s reputation for considered product design.
However, we found the controls a tad troublesome, and to achieve its incredibly sleek form, the plug has to take up the slack; as a result, it’s incredibly large and might not fit in everyone’s socket space. It’s also incredibly expensive, but there aren’t too many dryers out there like the Supersonic r.
Pros
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Very easy to direct airflow
- Powerful
- Well-designed, useful attachments
Cons
- Slightly fiddly controls
- Huge plug
Ruth Hamilton
“With a unique pipe-shaped design, the Dyson Supersonic r is lightweight, powerful, and supremely easy to control and direct – even for awkward spots such as the back of your head.”
Read Ruth’s full Dyson Supersonic r review.
If you’re looking for a camera to capture your vlogs, the EOS R50 V is purpose built for the job, with a budget price tag to entice those looking to enter the vlogosphere, with scope for upgrading further down the line thanks to its compatibility with various lenses.
As with the best Canon cameras, we were pleased to see that both still and moving images look fantastic without the need for further enhancement – but if the mood takes you, shooting in RAW and Canon Log is available as well. On top of this, the EOS R50 V is compact, light, and autofocuses very well.
However, the included lens kit isn’t as good as it could be, and it lacks a few other features we would’ve liked to have seen. Still, its price is competitive enough to make it a worthwhile investment.
Pros
- Compact, lightweight build
- Good autofocus
- Great-looking image quality
Cons
- No in-body image stabilization
- Really needs an external mic
- Slow kit lens
Sam Kieldsen
“For beginner vloggers on a budget, but with aspirations towards upgrading their setup with additional lenses in the future, this video-centric mirrorless camera might be the ideal choice.”
Read Philip’s full Canon EOS R50 V review.
As a competitor in the premium smartphone space, the Honor 400 Pro is a tempting proposition, thanks to its eye-catching specs and design.
It’s built to a very high standard, and incorporates some formidable dust and water resistance qualities that even some of the best phones can’t match. Its camera also impressed us, with AI enhancements doing a terrific job of clearing up images shot with high amounts of zoom.
On the downside, the interface tries to emulate Apple’s clean and sleek iOS, but ends up looking a little too cluttered. However, the overall performance-to-price ratio makes it a solid pick for your next upgrade.
Pros
- Excellent display
- Solid camera with powerful AI
- Strong performance
Cons
- Slightly drab, heavy design
- Busy, iOS-aping UI
- Can get faster for the money
Jon Mundy
“The Honor 400 Pro offers up a well-balanced flagship experience, with one or two judicious compromises, for a good chunk of money less than a true flagship.”
Read Jon’s full Honor 400 Pro review.
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lewis.maddison@futurenet.com (Lewis Maddison)
