The iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to have a battery capacity of around 2800 mAh, which is seriously low for 2025, and notably smaller than the iPhone 16’s 3651mAh cell.
That’s according to the popular Weibo account Instant Digital (via MacRumors), which has over 1.4 million followers.
That might seem like a small capacity, however it does fall in line with previous reports that have suggested the iPhone 17 Air will have worse battery life than previous models because it’s so ultra-thin at just 5.5mm and therefore has less internal space for the battery.
Could iOS 26 help?
The account goes on to say that the iPhone 17 Air will still achieve a full day of battery life thanks to the new iOS 26 Adaptive Power Mode.
Having to rely on software tweaks to get through a day is a worrying sign for the phone, although if it does work as expected without too many sacrifices to general performance, then it could make up for the small cell.
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A battery case is not the answer
In another way of possibly avoiding disappointing endurance, Apple has been rumoured to be planning a battery case as an optional accessory for the iPhone 17 Air. Apple released a MagSafe battery pack a few years ago that utilised the magnetic tech to attach to the back, and it has also previously released battery cases that added extra juice and protection.
Having to rely on a case to see extended endurance is worrying. But the biggest issue here is that with the main selling point of the Air being its thin dimensions and light weight, adding even a well-designed battery case will no doubt render those benefits pointless. I might as well just get the standard iPhone 17 model.
Going all in on thin
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumours of the iPhone 17 Air coming with a battery of this size. Online tipster Yeux1122 (via @Jukanlosreve) has previously said as much in a post on X.
The message stated the phone would weigh 145g and have a thickness of just 5.5mm. The leaker does go on to say that some higher-density tech might help alleviate some of the issues arising from a small battery.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to launch in mid-September and will replace the existing ‘Plus’ model in Apple’s line-up. Samsung is also expected to get rid of its ‘Plus’ model when the launch of the Galaxy S26 series rolls around, with an updated version of the Edge expected to take its place.
Opinion
Is having a phone that’s dramatically thin worth the possibility of having a dead device come the evening? I’m not sure it is. Apple will need to do a good job selling the merits of the Air if the battery life is limited.
Try restarting your iPhone to quickly fix your Personal Hotspot if it’s not working.
Check if an iOS or carrier settings update is available, as this can solve hotspot issues.
Make sure your phone plan supports Personal Hotspot, or it won’t work at all.
This article explains the most common causes and ways to fix when an iPhone Personal Hotspot isn’t working.
How to Fix an iPhone Personal Hotspot
If your iPhone Personal Hotspot isn’t working, follow these suggestions—in this order—to get it working again.
These instructions apply to all iPhone models running iOS 16 and up. For older versions of iOS, the basic ideas are the same, but the exact steps may differ.
Turn Personal Hotspot Off and On.If your Personal Hotspot isnât working, a simple reset might help. Turn off your Personal Hotspot and then turn it back on: Tap Settings > Personal Hotspot > move the Allow Others to Join slider to off/white and back to on/green.
Turn Cellular Data On and Off. Reset your cellular data connection by turning it on and off: Tap Settings > Cellular > move the Cellular Data slider to off/white and back to on/green.
Restart the iPhone.A simple restart of your iPhone can often resolve issues. This step applies to every iPhone model.
Update iOS.Ensure your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS, as updates often include bug fixes that could resolve Personal Hotspot issues.
Enable Maximize Compatibility on newer iPhones. For newer models, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot > move the Maximize Compatibility slider to on/green.
Update Carrier Settings to Fix Personal Hotspot. Every iPhone has a hidden set of carrier settings. These settings help your iPhone work with your phone company. Carriers issue updates from time to time, though not as often as iOS updates. If Personal Hotspot isn’t working, check for and install available carrier settings updates.
Confirm Your Phone Plan Includes Personal Hotspot.Check with your phone company to ensure your plan includes the Personal Hotspot feature. If it’s not included, you may need to add it.
Reset Network Settings. The iPhone stores network settings that help control your connection to Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, and other networks. If a problem crops up in your Network Settings, it can cause the Personal Hotspot to stop working. Reset your Network Settings to solve the problem.
Make Sure There Are No Problems With Your Phone Company Account. An issue with your phone company account, like an overdue bill, might prevent Personal Hotspot from working. Check your account for issues and contact your carrier if needed.
Restore iPhone with DFU Mode. If you’ve gotten this far without fixing a Personal Hotspot that’s not working, it’s time for more drastic steps. One of those is to restore your iPhone using DFU Mode. DFU, or Disk Firmware Update, Mode lets your iPhone start up but doesn’t boot up the iOS. Because of that, it enables you to fix iOS at a lower level, which can sometimes solve tricky issues. Begin by making a backup of your iPhone so you don’t lose any data. Then, restore your iPhone to DFU Mode to see if a fresh start fixes the problem.
Of course, these tips only work if your Personal Hotspot is visible. In some cases, the option can disappear entirely from your iPhone. We can also show you how to fix a missing Personal Hotspot.
What to Do If Personal Hotspot Still Isn’t Working
At this point, if Personal Hotspot still isn’t working, it’s time to bring in the experts. You can contact Apple for tech support over the phone or make an appointment for in-person support at your local Apple Store. If anyone can help with a problem this stubborn, it’s Apple.
Causes of iPhone Personal Hotspot Not Working
The problem with Personal Hotspot might be related to your iPhone’s connection to cellular data networks. If your phone is having trouble connecting to those networks, Personal Hotspot might not work either.
Newer iPhones have different networking features and options than earlier devices, including 5G. These options can sometimes cause a problem for older models connecting to them.
FAQ
How do I make my iPhone hotspot faster?
Turn on Maximize Compatibility and move your other devices closer to your iPhone. If necessary, update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS.
How do I check my hotspot usage on iPhone?
To check your iPhone hotspot’s data usage, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot. Tap a connected device to see how much data it has used.
How do I change the hotspot name on my iPhone?
To change your hotspot’s name, you must change the name of your iPhone. Go to Settings > General > About > Name. Tap X next to the current name, then enter a new one.
Reports on Down Detector indicate that the issue is starting to resolve, which may mean that OpenAI’s efforts to fix it are progressing smoothly. As of 9:10AM ET, Down Detector in the US shows 164 reports, and in the UK at 9:12AM shows 81 reports.
Both of those fall within the normal range for reports that don’t necessarily indicate a larger issue. Considering OpenAI has confirmed an ongoing issue, it likely means we’re closer to a full resolution.
OpenAI’s status page indicates that this partial outage has been ongoing for 37 minutes and that most of the issues are related to conversations with ChatGPT. Meaning that the AI might be erroring out when responding to a query from you or just not responding at all.
OpenAI confirms there’s an issue
OpenAI has been quick to confirm issues, providing an update that it has identified the issue as of 8:38AM ET. Here’s the full message on the status page.
Elevated errors on ChatGPT for all paid users
We have identified that users are experiencing elevated errors for the impacted services.
We are working on implementing a mitigation.
It’s listed as a partial outage that’s still ongoing and is mostly impacting paid users. I have my own ChatGPT Plus account and haven’t encountered any issues as of yet, although reports on Down Detector are still in the low thousands – 1,500 in the US and approximately 700 in the UK.
It’s possible that this has a shorter-lasting impact on ChatGPT’s services this morning.
Meta says it won’t sign the European Union’s artificial intelligence code of practice agreement, warning that “Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI.” The code published by the EU on July 10th is a voluntary set of guidelines to help companies follow the AI Act’s rules around general-purpose AI before they come into effect in a few weeks.
“We have carefully reviewed the European Commission’s Code of Practice for general-purpose AI (GPAI) models and Meta won’t be signing it,” Meta’s global affairs chief, Joel Kaplan, said via a statement on LinkedIn. “This Code introduces a number of legal uncertainties for model developers, as well as measures which go far beyond the scope of the AI Act.”
While the code of practice itself isn’t legally enforced, the EU says that general-purpose AI model providers who sign it will benefit from a “reduced administrative burden and increased legal certainty,” compared to providers that may otherwise be subject to more regulatory scrutiny. OpenAI announced its intention to sign the agreement on July 11th.
This comes ahead of AI Act rules coming into force on August 2nd that require general-purpose AI providers to be transparent about training and security risks for their models, and abide by EU and national copyright laws. The EU can fine companies that violate the AI Act up to seven percent of their annual sales.
Kaplan says that Meta is concerned that the EU’s landmark AI rulebook will act to throttle frontier model development and deployment in Europe, stunting European companies that comply with the bloc’s regulations. These concerns echo those raised in a letter signed by more than 45 companies and organizations last month, including Airbus, Mercedes-Benz, Philips, and ASML, that urged the EU to postpone the implementation of its landmark AI Act regulation for two years to address uncertainty around compliance.
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
TerraMaster F4: 30-second review
Terramaster has effectively carved out a niche in the NAS world with a combination of well-constructed hardware that supports a feature-rich environment and is aggressively priced.
As a result, it has attracted many home and small business customers who wouldn’t pay Synology, Asustor, or QNAP prices, but wanted solid equipment to manage and distribute data.
The F4 SSD isn’t the first SSD-based NAS that TerraMaster has produced, but it immediately stands out as something distinctly mainstream, significantly cheaper than the majority of products in this sector.
This small box can mount four PCIe Gen 3 NVMe drives, providing a total capacity of 32TB, and then distribute them over the network using a 5GbE LAN port.
The core of this solution is an Intel N85 processor, and it comes with 8GB of DDR5 memory, which is easily upgradable to 32GB by the user.
It utilises TerraMaster’s own TOS 6.0 operating system, although you don’t invalidate your hardware warranty if you use a third-party NAS OS, such as TrueNAS SCALE, Proxmox, etc.
With all this flexibility for a modest price, what’s the catch here?
The issue with this system is that the CPU’s power is on the low side, and therefore, it wouldn’t be ideal for running multiple simultaneous applications, Docker containers, or virtual machines.
At best, this hardware is best for primary tasks with perhaps a secondary role, but accept that file serving will take much of the power in this machine.
However, even with those limitations, this is a neat and helpful platform for those who want a tiny, silent and efficient NAS solution.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
TerraMaster F4: Price and availability
How much does it cost? From $400/£380
When is it out? Available now
Where can you get it? Direct from the makers or through an online retailer
Unlike some brands, TerraMaster is widely available and also sells its hardware directly from its website.
The asking price for the only available SKU is $399.99 on Amazon in the United States and £379.99 on Amazon in the United Kingdom. That’s $200 less than the larger F8 model, and half the price of the F8 Plus.
That’s dramatically cheaper than the Ugreen NASync DXP480T, which costs about double this and still only takes four NVMe drives. However, that machine has a much more powerful i5 platform, a 10GbE LAN port and Thunderbolt.
The Asustor Flashstor 6 FS6706T is slightly more expensive, offering a six-drive option with increased processing power and dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, but it comes with only 4GB of memory.
Closer to the Ugreen option in price is the QNAP TBS-464-8G for $589.99 from Amazon, powered by the Intel Celeron N5105/N5095. The downside of that option is, other than the price, that the 8GB of RAM is not upgradable.
However, not all competitor devices are sold as NAS. One competitive alternative is the Minisforum MS-01-S1260 Mini Workstation, a mini PC that utilises the Core i5-12600H processor, supports three M.2 2280 drives, and features dual 2.5GbE LAN ports and USB4.
In a barebones configuration where the customer must provide an operating system, RAM, and storage, the MS-01-S1260 can be purchased for just $399.99 on Amazon, and there are SKUs that feature more powerful Core i9 CPUs.
Excluding mini-computers overlapping NAS territory, the TerraMaster F4 is the cheapest mainstream branded SSD NAS around, and represents excellent value for money.
But, only if the use case doesn’t require significant amounts of processing power.
The design and layout of this machine seem vaguely familiar, as it employs a concept similar to that of the Beelink Me mini system I recently reviewed.
What they share is a cooling solution where the case acts as a chimney, drawing cool air from below, gathering heat as it rises over the motherboard and M.2 storage before being expelled out of the top.
In the F4, the air is propelled by two almost silent 50mm fans on the bottom, and the book-like form factor is arranged with the M.2 slots on one side and the processor and memory on the other.
What’s slightly different is that the front face of the unit, where it says TerraMaster F4, is clearly not the end that should be facing you. As all the ports and the power button are at the opposite end, which is the rear.
What’s great about this unit over some other NAS is how easy it is to get inside to add drives and upgrade memory. A single thumbscrew on the rear releases the outer skin, allowing it to slide off easily.
With this plastic shell removed, the M.2 slots and the memory are available, and this doesn’t require any tools. However, TerraMaster does include a screwdriver, which is useful for those easy-to-misplace M.2 screws, and thankfully, some spares are included in the box.
I’m surprised that the designers didn’t use a sprung plastic retainer, like those on the Asustor Flashstor 6 FS6706T, as it would have made this design entirely tool-free.
According to TerraMaster, the M.2 slots are designed for up to 8TB drives, and there is sufficient room for modules with integrated heatsinks to be used. What I recommend is that if you use any double-sided modules, you should add a heatsink to them, as there’s no thermal pad connecting them to the case, which is mostly made of plastic.
For those wondering what the best drives to use are, TerraMaster has a good selection of approved brands and models in stark contrast to the own-brand path that Synology has recently taken.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
Interestingly, I used an idiosyncratic mix of brands in my testing, some of which weren’t on this list, but I didn’t have any issues. The only ones the makers suggest to avoid are S500PRO modules by Fanxiang, and that’s across all their NAS boxes that can accept M.2 modules.
The only limitation on physical size for the F4 is that all drives must be NVMe and 2280, as there are no retainer positions for 2260, 2242, or 2230 drives.
If I were deploying one of these on a budget, I’d be considering using a drive like the Crucial P3, where the 4TB model can be found for under $220. Using these, a system with 16TB of storage can be constructed for close to $ 1,200, and as SSD NAS go, that’s cheap.
The strength of this design lies in its relatively low power consumption and vertical tube topology, which make for a simple-to-deploy and nearly silent NAS.
For those who would like a small NAS to sit on their desk, perhaps to keep a live backup of a running system, the F4 is ideal in many respects.
TerraMaster F4: Features
Intel N95 CPU
No ECC memory
Only 9 PCIe Lanes
When Intel first introduced the Atom series of processors, many wondered why customers would purchase such low-power systems. These days, platforms that are scaled back to run 24/7 or deliver just enough performance for the primary task are common.
The Intel N95 is where low-power computing took Intel, and it’s not anything you would ideally wish to use on a desktop computer.
While it does have an integrated GPU with sixteen execution units, this processor is more limited by its four-core CPU, which doesn’t support hyperthreading. Four cores on Windows 11 would be a nightmare, but for the custom Linux platform of TOS 6.0, it is sufficient. Additionally, with 8GB of RAM, expandable to 32GB, it is also more than enough for file-serving duties.
However, the wall and running into that barrier are never too far away with the N95, and this isn’t a system that would enjoy being pre-loaded with demanding applications. Those who put Plex on it don’t expect it to do that and also run a torrent client, a mail server and three Docker containers, because it won’t be smooth sailing.
Precisely where the N95 runs out of road entirely depends on how demanding the apps are, but if you want to run many applications, then there are alternatives that use more powerful Intel and AMD processors that will be better choices.
The other limitations of the N95 are that it can only address a single memory module and has limited PCIe Express lanes. There is only one memory channel, and thankfully, TerraMaster engineers used a DDR5 module on it to maximise bandwidth.
Intel claims it can address up to 16GB, while TerraMaster says 32GB, but whichever is correct, they both agree it doesn’t support ECC memory, unfortunately.
I believe, and this may be misinformation, that the standard memory model of the N95 allows only 16 GB. The additional 16GB of memory can be used for things like virtual machines.
If you don’t intend to use VMs, then putting more than 16GB in the F4 is probably pointless.
Even 16GB is a good amount of memory for a small server, especially when you consider that the drives in this unit don’t require much caching to perform well.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
A bigger issue is the PCIe lanes, since these dictate exactly how much data can flow through the system and to externally connected devices.
With only nine PCIe 3.0 lanes, there isn’t enough bandwidth for the SSDs to have the full X4 lanes that modern NVMe drives are designed for. Two of the slots have been downgraded to X2, while the other two remain at X1. Therefore, it’s a futile exercise to populate these slots with modules meant for PCIe 4.0, since they will be downgraded to PCIe 3.0 by the system.
Being pragmatic, achieving 1GB/s from two drives and possibly 2GB/s from two others is still well beyond the performance required to saturate the 5GB/s of the single LAN port fully.
As there were no PCIe lanes left to add a card slot, the only way to get more network bandwidth is by using USB adapters. There are relatively inexpensive 5GbE adapters that can utilise USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, but I cannot personally confirm whether they would work on this platform.
Again, if you want better than a single 5GbE LAN connection and more PCIe lanes for faster drives, then this probably isn’t the NAS for you.
Overall, the F4 makes the most of its hardware, but this machine won’t break any records for having excess performance on tap or for its responsiveness.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
TerraMaster F4: Software
TOS 6.0
Applications
Yes to TrueNAS and UnRaid
For those who started with TerraMaster early on, and I’m happy to say that includes me, the evolution of the TerraMaster OS, or TOS, has been impressive.
Now in its sixth incarnation, this is a pretty mature platform that offers a wide range of functionality and applications.
While it doesn’t quite reach the levels of polish that Synology prides itself on, the feature set of TOS 6.0 ticks plenty of boxes.
One interesting change of direction that TerraMaster isn’t unique in taking is a shift away from first-party applications to those that are installed either as Docker-packaged containers or as virtual machines. Some compiled TOS apps, such as Qtorrent and Plex, are available on the TerraMaster application store. However, you can install later versions of these tools by finding the Docker container and using it instead.
While TerraMaster isn’t competing with the likes of QNAP and Synology for the number of available apps on its platform, there is more than enough for the majority of customers, and it isn’t a closed environment that requires approved tools.
TOS 6.0 isn’t for everyone, but TerraMaster is one of those NAS makers that is entirely customer-focused and is happy for their hardware to be used with TrueNAS Scale, UnRaid, Proxmox, or any other NAS OS the owner wishes. You won’t receive software support from TerraMaster if you opt for this approach, but hardware issues are still covered during the warranty period.
It’s interesting to see that TerraMaster and Ugreen are both pitching the ‘NAS-your-way’ approach, whereas other brands seem less confident about allowing alternatives into their playgrounds. This direction appears opposed to where Synology is heading, where the turnkey solution comes with much stricter limits on what you can and can’t do.
This is certainly more customer-friendly, but will it lead to a future where NAS makers no longer bother with a branded OS and instead offer a pre-loading service of a popular third-party OS? Only time will tell.
In short, TOS 6.0 offers a plethora of features that cover the majority of tasks that NAS commonly use, and if these don’t quite match your needs, the ability to run Docker containers and VMs is a viable answer.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
TerraMaster F4: Final verdict
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
There are good things about the F4, and some other things that aren’t wonderful.
Unless you kludge a NUC into a mini server, this is undoubtedly one of the most affordable SSD NAS options available. However, being realistic, the cost of the F4 is likely to be dwarfed by that of the M.2 modules unless you only install 1TB or smaller drives in it.
If you can afford to populate this with 8TB modules, or even 4TB, then you might get more performance in return by investing in an Asustor or Ugreen SSD NAS.
The other issue here is that the Intel N95 limits the system’s capabilities somewhat, as it lacks the performance to handle multiple apps or Docker containers. It also dictates that there is no USB4/Thunderbolt, which on other systems can be used to locally network to a host PC while the LAN ports support other users.
The natural space this device occupies is either as a network location for live synchronisation or as a directly connected external storage system. In both these scenarios, the 5GbE LAN port can deliver and retrieve data at over 500MB/s, making it as fast as a USB 3.2 Gen 1 attached SSD. The lure is that it can offer capacities much larger than even the biggest USB-connected SSDs, which typically only offer 8TB as their largest option.
Outside of this use, justifying the investment becomes tougher, since this doesn’t have the power to be an all-purpose NAS or the LAN connections to handle a 10GbE network.
Should I buy a TerraMaster F4?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Value
Inexpensive, if you ignore the M.2 modules
4 / 5
Design
Elegant chiney cooling and easy access
4 / 5
Features
5GbE LAN, 8GB of RAM, but only a four-core CPU
3 / 5
Software
TOS 6 has plenty to like
4 / 5
Overall
Some improvements, removed features at twice the price
4 / 5
Buy it if…
Don’t Buy it if…
Also Consider
For more storage solutions, we’ve reviewed the best NAS hard drives and the best NAS devices.
Not all entry-level luxury SUVs deliver the upscale experience buyers expect, but this one does. With refined design, smooth performance, and thoughtful features, it punches well above its weight in the luxury segment.
Step inside, and you’re greeted by a cabin that feels anything but entry-level. High-quality materials, intuitive tech, and a minimalist aesthetic create an environment that rivals more expensive models. On the road, it offers a composed ride, confident handling, and just enough power to feel spirited.
What really sets this compact luxury SUV apart is how effortlessly it blends a premium feel with everyday usability. It’s comfortable, stylish, and practical, making it an excellent choice for buyers who want upscale features without stretching their budget.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including TopSpeed and the EPA.
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Volvo’s XC40 is Reasonably Affordable For a Luxury Crossover
Volvo is a brand that doesn’t necessarily carry all that much clout in the luxury world, with people generally opting for flashier options. Despite the Swedish brand’s low-key approach, we think that they develop some of the most impressive premium vehicles on the market. Even their most affordable crossover, the XC40, clearly demonstrates this, and it is more affordable than a lot of its rivals.
2025 Trims and Pricing
Model
Starting MSRP
Core
$41,945
Plus
$46,795
Ultra
$50,595
The Volvo XC40 has one of the lowest starting prices in the subcompact SUV segment, with many of its core rivals costing a couple of thousands higher. Even more impressive is the fact that the Swedish crossover comes so well-equipped, with a plethora of standard features that come as extra-cost options if you were to go for its competitors. This includes a bevy of safety and driver assist features.
The Core model comes pretty stacked in terms of features for the price, and we wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to stick with the most affordable model. However, if you’re looking for the high-end features that truly define the luxury segment, then the Plus is the way to go. It tacks on things like high-quality leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, and a striking Orrefors crystal gear selector, among other things.
Changes For 2025
Volvo hasn’t made all that many changes to their subcompact SUV for the 2025 model year. They have, however, added a new paint option for you to choose from, namely Sand Dune, which replaces Bright Dusk. The Core model no longer comes with the Dark Theme interior, but it does gain power-folding rear seats as a standard feature instead. They have also renamed the top trim, changing it from Ultimate to Ultra. Finally, front-wheel drive has been axed as an option, with all 2025 XC40’s coming standard with all-wheel drive instead.
Warranties and After-Sales Support
Limited Warranty – Four Years or 50,000 Miles
Powertrain Warranty – Four Years or 50,000 Miles
Complimentary Maintenance – Three Years or 36,000 Miles
Volvo’s included warranty coverage is not mind-blowing, but it is reasonable. The bumper-to-bumper coverage on offer is slightly above average for this segment, with the powertrain warranty being slightly below average. What is impressive, though, is the fact that the Swedish brand includes three years of scheduled maintenance visits as part of your purchase.
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A Refined, Minimalist Interior Packed With Premium Materials Awaits You
Volvo
Volvo is a brand that embodies the phrase “money doesn’t shout, it whispers”. Where a lot of other luxury automakers aim to be as flashy as possible, sometimes coming across as kitsch, the XC40 lets its exceptional build quality, comfortable materials, and plentiful features speak for themselves. In our opinion, there are few right now who do luxury as well as Volvo.
Interior Dimensions and Comfort
Front Row Headroom
37.6 Inches
Front Row Legroom
40.9 Inches
Second Row Headroom
38.3 Inches
Second Row Legroom
36.1 Inches
Cargo Capacity (Behind Third Row)
34.9 Cubic Feet
For a subcompact crossover, the Volvo XC40 is impressively spacious. Those in the front seats are obviously treated the best, with a ton of legroom. However, those relegated to the back seats won’t find all that much to complain about, with more legroom than you would find in the Volvo’s rivals. Cargo capacity is also exceptional, with a ton of space behind the second row. Fold the rear seats down, and you can get a total of 65.7 cubic feet.
Volvo has a pretty cohesive design ideology across their entire lineup, one that they have spent a lot of time cultivating. While the minimalist approach is certainly evident, the XC40 does feature a hint of playfulness. The star of the show, though, is the high-end materials used throughout the cabin. When fully kitted, it comes with plenty of comfort features, including heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone climate control with an air purification system.
Infotainment and Technology
Core in Volvo’s design identity right now is the portrait layout of the infotainment screens in their vehicles. The XC40 features a nine-inch touchscreen that sits dab in the middle of the dashboard, regardless of which model you opt for. While there are a few physical buttons, most of the cabin’s core functions can be accessed via this touchscreen. Voice controls are also available though. Every XC40 also comes with a 12.3-inch digital gauge display.
The XC40 features a number of USB ports, which can be used to connect your phone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Volvo doesn’t currently offer wireless connectivity for these features, unfortunately. A standard eight-speaker sound system will satisfy most, but a 13-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system is available on top trims.
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The XC40 Is Perky, Efficient, and Packed With Safety Features
Volvo
Volvo is known around the world for building some of the safest cars on the road. In the modern age, they have innovated some of the industry’s most impressive safety features. This all helps to make the XC40 one of the sturdiest vehicles that you can buy today. Don’t think this makes it boring, though, with the subcompact SUV featuring a peppy powertrain.
Performance Specifications
Engine
2.0-Liter Turbocharged Inline-Four
Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
Horsepower
247 HP
Torque
258 LB-FT
Driveline
FWD or AWD
0-60 MPH
6.1 Seconds
Top Speed
114 MPH
Every XC40 comes with the same powertrain. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine sits under the hood, assisted by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. As mentioned already, Volvo has gotten rid of front-wheel drive models for 2025, meaning that every new model comes standard with all-wheel drive. This setup means that the crossover is quicker off the line than you would expect.
Everything in the XC40 operated smoothly. From the slick-shifting eight-speed automatic to the finely tuned suspension. It may not be as athletic as some rivals, but it handles twists and turns in the road with plenty of confidence. Ride quality is superb, with the suspension eating up most of the bumps in the road without any complaints. One of the most impressive things about this little SUV is the fact that it comes with a tow rating of 3,500 pounds, an extreme rarity in this segment.
Fuel Economy
Model
City
Highway
Combined
XC40 AWD
23 MPG
30 MPG
26 MPG
The XC40 may not be the most efficient vehicle in its class, but it doesn’t perform badly by any means. If outright efficiency is what you’re after, then you may be better served opting for the BMW X1 or the Mercedes-Benz GLA. Given the power that is on offer here, though, it feels like a pretty fair trade off.
Key Safety and Driver Assist Features
City Safety Collision Avoidance
Lane Keeping Aid
Rear Collision Warning & Mitigation
Blind Spot Information System
Adaptive Cruise Control
Volvo is king when it comes to safety on the road, with a ton of standard features making their way into the XC40. Things like automated emergency braking and blind-spot assistance are standard features. The Volvo also has an interesting feature where it tightens the seatbelts and flashes its lights when it predicts a collision, preparing you and your passengers for impact. Semi-autonomous driving is also available in the XC40.
It has performed excellently in crash testing, with the NHTSA scoring the crossover five stars out of five for safety.
I absolutely, positively, cannot sleep without ambient noise. I’m not sure when that neurotic prerequisite for sleep took root, but it’s here now, and I regard it as a fact of life. As you might imagine, that quirk is fine when I’m at home since I have plenty of noise machines at my disposal—an air conditioner, a smart speaker, and tons of earbuds—to fill the haunting silence that prevents me from sleep like unresolved vengeance prevents a ghost from passing on. But when I’m not at home, things get tricky.
Usually, if I’m at my parents’ house or traveling, I’ll whip out my phone and play my main guy Erik Eriksson’s “White Noise 3 Hour Long” on Spotify. It’s truly the most important composition ever made for extremely personal reasons (it’s just 3 hours of white noise that plays on repeat). This technique works in a pinch, but it also kind of sucks. My phone speakers aren’t good, and it kills my battery big time. It also may subject others to what they may regard as “annoying-ass noise.” It’s not ideal, but sleeping with regular earbuds also sucks big time—in fact, it hurts. Regular wireless earbuds aren’t meant to be slept with, since their shape causes them to press into your ears, which then causes a phenomenon known as “ouch.” For those reasons, there’s a new category of earbuds, and Soundcore decided to throw its hat into that ring.
Soundcore Sleep A30
Surprisingly good at blocking out unwanted noise.
Pros
Good noise cancellation
Lots of in-app sound options
Clever trick for extending battery life
Cons
No earbud is comfortable long-term
Still some noise bleed
The $229 Soundcore Sleep A30 are the successor to the A20 wireless earbuds, and they’re designed specifically for sleep. When I say “specifically” here, I mean very specifically. Everything from the buds’ features to the shape is meant to help you block out noise or soothe you to sleep. Speaking of the shape, it’ll probably be the first thing you notice. Instead of regular earbuds that have stems and bulbs, the Sleep A30 are flat. This is critical for ensuring that the buds don’t bother the f**k out of your ears while you’re lying down. As a side sleeper, that design is especially important since my head—even with a cushy pillow—ends up putting lots of pressure on one ear. Because of that, the first thing I wanted to test was how they felt in my ears.
The verdict? Pretty good, but note the “pretty” part. While the Sleep A30 are far and away the only earbuds I would ever venture to wear in my ears all night long, they still get a little uncomfortable with longer periods of use. There’s an unavoidable discomfort with sticking something in your ear that even Soundcore’s emphasis on design can’t fully mitigate. Don’t get me wrong, that slight discomfort is by no means a dealbreaker, but it is something to keep in mind if you’re very sensitive to that sort of thing. It’s even less of a dealbreaker, however, when you factor in how well these earbuds actually work.
The first thing you need to know feature-wise about the Sleep A30 is that they’re the first pair of active noise cancellation (ANC) earbuds for sleep, which puts the emphasis on being able to block out disruptive sounds. How exactly you block those sounds depends on what you choose via Soundcore’s corresponding app. If you’re looking for something soothing, there’s a selection of “AI Brainwave Audio,” which are binaural beats that are supposed to trick your brain into a calm state with the right frequencies. Audio selections in this category include Starry Sky, Ocean, and Forest, which are all long, droning synth sounds played over an ambient nature backdrop.
The second category of audio is “Snore Masking,” which is obviously designed to block out any snorers nearby. These sounds drop the synths and double down on the nature sound effects like “Whistling Winds” or “Himalayan Downpour.” There’s one called “Urban Breeze” that I enjoy since it feels like a soundscape that could be happening right outside my window. If none of those are what you’re looking for, though, you can use the “White Noise” tab to create your own tracks by combining sounds like light rain and campfire. Or, I don’t know, get real weird and go with boiling soup over the sound of a keyboard typing. There are no rules in the create-your-own section, and I love that.
But enough about the sounds, let’s talk about whether they can actually protect you from the horrors of snoring. To test that, I ran the Sleep A30 through some noise tests while lying down. To start, I turned on my AC at full blast, laid my head down on the pillow, and selected one of the snore-masking audio tracks. Not going to lie, the Sleep A30 shut out my AC noise (which, by the way, is just a couple of feet from my bed) entirely. But AC noise isn’t really my priority; in fact, I kind of like the natural (or unnatural, I guess) white noise it lends. Snoring is the real enemy here, and I’m sure many people interested in buying these buds would agree.
To test that, I pulled up a looped YouTube video of a man snoring LOUDLY and played it at full volume on a MacBook Pro next to me. On this test, the Sleep A30 also performed well, though they didn’t drown out the snoring entirely. Everyone is different, but for me, I think the noise cancelling was more than adequate if you’re trying to get to sleep, though I guess that depends on what kind of snoring you’re dealing with. Overall, I would say that I was surprised with the level of noise cancellation the Sleep A30 brings to the table, and while I don’t encounter snoring a lot in my life, I would definitely want these buds by my side if I did.
If you’re wondering about battery life, there are some caveats here to note. While the Sleep A30 buds are rated for 9 hours of playback with ANC on, that actually doesn’t apply to audio you’re streaming via Bluetooth. While streaming via Bluetooth, that figure drops down to 6.5 hours of audio playback. To get the full 9 hours (a normal night’s rest for most people), you need to stream audio locally. That means you’ll have to download one of the audio tracks you want to listen to by pressing the down arrow button in the app, which downloads the sound to the actual earbuds. With the audio in your buds, you should be able to sleep all night without any battery disasters. Downloading airplane noises took about 45 seconds for me, which wasn’t that bad. It’s a quirk of the buds, obviously, but also kind of a smart and relatively painless workaround to a battery life problem that all earbuds with ANC face.
Ultimately, the Sleep A30 buds are designed to do just one thing, and that’s block out noise and help you sleep. On that front, I think Soundcore is succeeding. They’re not perfect, but for what’s basically a nonexistent category of sleep-focused earbuds, they feel genuinely effective and thoughtful. It definitely doesn’t hurt to have a companion app that’s full of various sounds and features, and augments the hardware in all the ways companion software should. If you’re often in bed with a snorer, and you need a little relief, I think it’s worth springing for the Sleep A30. They might just save you a few restless nights, or shit, maybe your marriage.
A Kickstarter was successfully funded, and orders are currently closed for the Sleep A30, but Gizmodo will update this review when more information on future stock is available.
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I spent a few weeks lying in wait around my house, stalking it. My poor OmniGrip got into trouble all the time. I spent a morning wrestling the arm out of our freestanding toilet paper holder in the bathroom. It pulled all the kitchen towels off the rack. The emergency stop button (and the child lock) work, but you still have to pry the item out of its claw.
Roborock has acknowledged in an email that there are many weird limitations to OmniGrip. For example, it does not recognize shoes that aren’t on a hard surface, so it can’t pick up a flip-flop on carpet. Sometimes it picks something up and immediately puts it back down again.
If you want to pick something up remotely, you have to position the robot vacuum carefully until the desired object is within a “blue zone” in the camera view. Even without acknowledging that it’s hard to navigate in the app without any dead reckoning, the vacuum failed several times to recognize a crumpled tissue in the blue zone at all. Also, for the time being, the app warns you to be physically near the vacuum. That pretty much negates the “playing with your lonely pet from the office” ideal use case.
After a month in my chaotic house, the Saros Z70’s machine learning is so confused that it simply doesn’t sort anything at all. Most days, it cleans, then turns around in a circle and says, “Sorting failed” before returning home to sulk. That’s not to say that it can’t work; these problems seem like they could be fixed with a few software updates. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work well right now.
Run Time
ScreenshotRoborock Saros Z70 via Adrienne So
As far as the rest of the robot vacuum goes, the one major difference between the Saros Z70 and the Saros 10R is that the battery life is much shorter on the arm-wielding bot. Whereas the Saros 10R can usually clean the whole first floor of my house in one go, the Saros Z70 often returns to the dock mid-clean to recharge; my 9 am scheduled clean can last until 2 or 3 pm. This isn’t a problem for me, but it could be a factor if you start your vacuum after dinner and want it to be done before you go to bed.
Roborock has the best navigation system I’ve tested so far. The proprietary name is StarSight Autonomous 2.0, and it’s basically lidar—pulsed lasers that give the robot real-time information as it navigates around your house. It also has a camera on the mechanical arm (hence, why it got tangled up in the toilet paper holder) as well as on the front of the vacuum, but like all Roborock vacuums, it adheres to TÜV Rheinland security standards and the ETSI EN 303 645 cybersecurity standards, so I feel OK with it moving around my house.
I am perpetually impressed by how well the Roborock navigates around obstacles; with two kids and a dog, my house is unusually full of stray items. When the Saros Z70 was running, I deliberately stopped picking up as much as I normally do to see if it got tripped up. Other than a few items that no robot vacuum could have coped with, like my daughter’s doll’s hair, it coped remarkably well.
The two-tone orange/black paint job is a $745 option.
Steven Ewing/CNET
The
Nissan Rogue
gets a major improvement this year, but it’s not something you’ll notice right away. Peep under the hood and you’ll find a brand-new 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-3 engine — a small but mighty powerplant that gives
Nissan’s
best-selling SUV a nice bump in power while also returning better fuel economy.
Like
Excellent turbo engine
Solid fuel economy
Comfortable interior
Good list of standard driving aids
Don’t like
No hybrid or plug-in option
Outdated infotainment tech
This new triple uses the same variable compression technology as Nissan’s larger 2.0-liter turbo I4, an engine that’s optional in the
Altima
sedan and standard in the
Infiniti QX50
and QX55 crossovers. Basically, varying the compression ratio allows the 1.5T to deliver more power at low revs and operate more efficiently while cruising. It’s a trick bit of win-win tech.
The specs back up these merits: The 1.5-liter I3 is rated at 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque, increases of 20 hp and 44 lb-ft over the 2021 Rogue’s 2.5-liter naturally aspirated I4. Meanwhile, fuel economy sees a 3-mpg improvement on the combined cycle, with a base, front-wheel-drive Rogue estimated to return 30 mpg city, 37 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined. A loaded, all-wheel-drive Platinum model like my tester drops those figures to 28 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined, but that’s still better than top-spec versions of the
Honda CR-V
and
Toyota RAV4
.
Nissan reworked the Rogue’s continuously variable transmission to complement the turbo engine, and while the changes aren’t radical, the CVT is both smoother and quieter than before. The Rogue has steering wheel-mounted paddles so you can fake shift through your fake gears if you feel like it, but leave the transmission alone and it’ll do its thing without any fuss. (Those paddles are best left untouched.)
The 2022 Rogue isn’t what I’d call quick, but it certainly accelerates with more authority than the 2021 model. In fact, the throttle might be a little too sensitive, delivering a quick jolt of power while pulling away from stops before mellowing out. Midrange thrust is acceptable — certainly better than the old 2.5-liter engine, at any rate. But the best thing about the 1.5T is that it doesn’t have the 2.0-liter VC-Turbo’s weird power peaks and valleys; the torque delivery is nice and linear aside from that initial jump. Plus, unlike other small-displacement I3s, the Rogue’s engine isn’t prone to harsh noises or unwanted vibrations, both at speed and while idling.
Around town, the Rogue is pleasant to drive. The suspension strikes a nice balance of city comfort without freeway floatiness, and the steering is appropriately tuned — nicely weighted but lacking feedback, not that 99.9% of Rogue buyers will actually care. Instead, these customers will appreciate the Rogue’s long list of standard driver-assistance tech, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and more. All Rogues except the base S come with Nissan’s excellent ProPilot Assist, which combines adaptive cruise control with active lane-keeping tech.
Enlarge Image
Three mighty cylinders.
Steven Ewing/CNET
The Rogue’s multimedia setup is unchanged, meaning there’s a standard 8-inch touchscreen running Nissan’s sorta-outdated infotainment suite, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto built in. A larger 9-inch screen is optional on SL and standard on Platinum trims, though the software within isn’t any better. CarPlay does connect wirelessly with the 9-inch screen, however, and the Platinum has a spiffy 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, plus an optional head-up display.
Obviously my Platinum test car has all the bells and whistles, like quilted leather upholstery wrapping Nissan’s comfy-cushy Zero Gravity seats, a panoramic sunroof, heated seats and a heated steering wheel. But the Rogue’s interior is super nice overall. I love how the rear doors open a full 90 degrees, which is super helpful for people, but also great when I want to put bulky items on the back bench. The relatively boxy shape helps with overall cargo capacity, too, though the Rogue’s 74.1-cubic-foot measurement splits the difference between the smaller RAV4 and larger CR-V.
Enlarge Image
The interior is nicely appointed and quite spacious.
Steven Ewing/CNET
All 2022 Rogue models are slightly more expensive than before, with a base model coming in at $28,445 (including $1,295 for destination). All-wheel drive is a $1,500 upcharge on all trim levels, and a top-of-the-line Platinum AWD like the one pictured here starts at $39,725. Add $745 for the fetching two-tone orange and black paint job, plus $400 for the head-up display and the Rogue tops out at $40,870. Midgrade SV and SL trims are available in the low-to-mid-$30,000 range, so those will be the ones you’ll see most often.
The third-generation Nissan Rogue is a pretty straightforward SUV. It’s not the best looking, most luxurious or most fun-to-drive crossover in the compact class, and unlike many competitors, there are no hybrid or plug-in hybrid options available. Even so, the Rogue is a solid all-around product that doesn’t really do anything poorly. That’ll likely keep it Nissan’s top-selling product, and the new turbo engine only enhances this SUV’s appeal.
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