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.
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.
Windscribe is one of the best all-rounders in the VPN market. It’s got some handy privacy-boosting tools, the speeds you need to enjoy HD streaming, and apps for pretty much every platform out there. So, even though it can’t quite match up to today’s best VPNs, it’s still worth checking out if you’re on the hunt for something new.
During our hands-on testing, we were impressed by Windscribe’s core features and unblocking power, but we did run into issues with its UI. So, to help you figure out if Windscribe is your match made in heaven, we put its approach to privacy, server network, and overall value for money to the test. Keep reading, and let’s dig in.
Features
Windscribe boasts a generous spread of servers across 69 countries, and 134 cities, all over the world. That’s a decent spread that’ll suit most people’s geo-spoofing needs, but it’s worth noting that NordVPN has it beat with coverage in 118 countries.
There’s a Windscribe for every device out there, too, which is exactly what we like to see from today’s most modern providers. Windscribe is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux, with feature and UI parity remaining consistent across all of its apps. Plus, if you’re looking for a more lightweight option that still packs a privacy-boosting punch, there are also browser extensions available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
In terms of VPN protocols, Windscribe ticks all the right boxes, offering a choice between IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard. Industry-standard AES-256 encryption also ensures that your web traffic is kept safe from cybercriminals and snoopers, while stealth technologies try to obfuscate your VPN usage, perhaps allowing you to get online even in countries that actively block VPN traffic.
ROBERT is Windscribe’s DNS-backed tool to help users block ads, malware, trackers and more (Image credit: Windscribe)
The powerful apps look great and are easy to use for beginners but also include many advanced features including split tunneling (on the desktop as well as mobile devices), MAC address spoofing (a clever way to reduce the chance of being tracked), versatile auto-connect rules, full IPv6 support, and even a command line interface to automate the VPN from scripts.
ROBERT is Windscribe’s DNS-based tool for blocking ads, malware, trackers, and various internet content types like gambling, porn, fake news, clickbait, and so on. How effective is it? We’ll take a look later.
There’s no 24/7 support but Windscribe does have a decent web knowledge base and a helpful support chatbot. You can raise a ticket if you need more advice, and in our experience, replies are detailed and helpful.
New features include Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) that can bypass SNI filtering so others can’t try to view or maybe block the domains you’re trying to access.
While many VPNs offer no control over DNS at all, Windscribe allows you to define which DNS to use when the VPN is connected or disconnected. The latest addition includes support for DNS-over-HTTPS, and as Windscribe also runs Control D (a very configurable DNS service, with a free plan) we expect to see more related features appear over time.
The Android app has a new ‘Decoy Mode’ which is an interesting privacy feature (Image credit: Windscribe)
In addition to paid plans, Windscribe also offers a very generous free plan (Image credit: Windscribe)
Windscribe pricing
Windscribe’s free plan offers a generous 10GB of data transfer a month if you register with your email address, and 2GB if you don’t. You’re limited to 11 countries – North America, across Europe, and Hong Kong – but that’s still far better than some (Hotspot Shield and a few others don’t give you any choice of locations at all).
Upgrading to a commercial plan gets you unlimited data and access to all 110 locations.
One of our favorite things about Windscribe is the fact that it gives users unlimited simultaneous connections to play with. So, if you have a lot of devices you need to protect, or want to share your account with friends and family, you only need to pick up a single subscription. It’s great value for money that you don’t see everywhere.
Prices are fair. Monthly billing is only $9 – many VPNs charge $10-$13. Pay for a year upfront and the price falls to an equivalent $5.75. That’s not cheap but it’s within the range we expect for a premium VPN, and it’s still far lower than some. ExpressVPN and Hide.me both ask $8.32 a month on the annual plan, NordVPN charges $8.29 from the second year.
If low prices are top of your priority list, though, there’s money to be saved elsewhere. As we write this, Private Internet Access has a three-year plan that’s only $2.03 a month for the first term, while Ivacy’s five-year offering is only $1 a month. Sure, we don’t like long-term contracts either, but look at the totals. Hand over $69 to Windscribe and you get one year of protection. Give Ivacy $60 and you’re covered for five.
Windscribe does offer a ‘Build a Plan‘ scheme that cuts costs by allowing you to buy only the locations you need for $1 each. Each location adds 10GB to your free bandwidth allowance, and your plan must have a minimum of two locations.
For example, providing your email address gets you 10GB of data a month. Add the US and UK locations, and you’ll get 30GB of data for $2 a month. You can upgrade to unlimited data for another $1, or a total of just $3 a month, and that’s billed monthly. No need to sign up for years.
If you only use a VPN for occasional short trips, say, that looks like a great deal. Surfshark’s monthly-billed plan is more than four times as expensive at $13, for instance – okay, that’s the full service with all the locations, but if you don’t need them, who cares?
Another option, ScribeForce, enables signing up a group of users (a business, a family) with the same account. There’s a five-user minimum, but you’ll pay just $3 each, billed monthly, for access to the full and unrestricted service.
Unusual add-ons include static IP addresses. Adding a US or Canadian residential IP costs $8 a month (data center IPs are $2) and could greatly improve your chances of accessing any blocked sites, and enable connecting to IP-restricted business and other networks. Once you have a static IP, you can also enable port forwarding in the Windscribe web console.
Whatever your preference, Windscribe supports payments via card, PayPal, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies via CoinPayments.net, along with gift cards and assorted other options via Paymentwall.
Windscribe doesn’t have the lowest headline prices, then, but it’s fairly priced for the features on offer, and there are huge savings to be made if you’re covering multiple users.
There is a small catch in Windscribe’s money-back guarantee, which only covers you for three days and if you’ve used less than 10GB of traffic. So, if you think that might be an issue, download and try the free version before you buy to make sure it delivers what you need.
Windscribe protects your privacy with AES-256 encryption and doesn’t keep logs (Image credit: Windscribe)
Privacy and logging
Windscribe’s privacy features include strong AES-256 encryption, SHA512 authentication, a 4096-bit RSA key, and support for perfect forward secrecy (keys aren’t re-used, so even if a snooper gets hold of a private key, it will only allow them to view data within one session).
The apps use multiple techniques to reduce the chance of data leaks, including redirecting DNS requests through the tunnel to be handled by the VPN server, and optionally using a firewall to block all internet access if the connection drops.
We checked Windscribe’s performance on a Windows 10 system using the websites IPLeak, DNSLeakTest, and DoILeak and found no DNS or other leaks.
Windscribe claims its ROBERT DNS filter can protect your privacy by blocking trackers, but how well does it work? We connected to our nearest server, then tried accessing 156 common trackers, and ROBERT blocked 147. That’s one of the best results we’ve seen. ROBERT did even better at keeping us away from malicious sites, and the ad blocker scored an excellent 93% (most VPN ad blockers managed 40-90%.)
We enabled the Windows app’s firewall (similar to a kill switch) and began using various tricks to forcibly close the VPN connection and see what happened.
We found the app didn’t display a notification to warn that we’d been disconnected. If it wasn’t able to reconnect immediately, that might leave the user with no internet, and no idea why.
This situation probably won’t last long, though, as the app tries to reconnect as soon as it spots the problem, and we were typically online again within a few seconds. This may be a small usability issue, but in privacy terms, the client worked perfectly, handling every oddball situation we threw at it and always protecting our traffic.
Windscribe’s stance on logging is covered in a clearly written and refreshingly short privacy policy which explains what the company does and doesn’t collect.
There’s a tiny amount of very minimal long-term logging, but it’s limited to the total bandwidth you’ve used in a month (essential to manage usage on the free plan), and a timestamp of your last activity on the service to allow identifying inactive accounts.
The system collects some connection details – username, VPN server connected to, time of connection, bandwidth used during the session, number of devices connected – but these are held in the VPN server’s RAM only, and are lost when the session closes.
Other than that, there is no logging of connections, IPs, timestamps or browsing history. Or as the privacy policy puts it, ‘we do not store any logs on who used what IP address, so we cannot tie user activity to any single user.’
Here is some of the data from Windscribe’s transparency report (Image credit: Windscribe)
As there is no data on your activities, Windscribe points out that there’s nothing to share. This is backed up by a transparency report which covers the numbers of DMCA and Law Enforcement data requests over the year, and in both cases states that: ‘Exactly zero requests were complied with due to lack of relevant data.’
This is all good, but we would like to see Windscribe go further. Many VPNs have had their systems publicly audited to check for logging or other privacy issues, and that gives far more reassurance to potential customers than comforting words on a website. We hope that Windscribe (and all other VPN providers for that matter) will soon do the same.
In June 2023, Windscribe’s Co-Founder and CEO, Yegor Sak, was hit with a lawsuit in connection with alleged offences committed by an unknown user. Fast forward to April 2025, and the case was dismissed in court due to a lack of evidence, becoming a landmark victory for no-log VPNs as law enforcement bodies increasingly pressure VPNs to keep lawfully accessible records of user records.
In the meantime, it’s worth remembering that Windscribe gives you 2GB of data per month, for free, without requiring an email address or any other personal data. If you’re just looking to protect email and basic browsing, and can live with the data limit, this automatically gets you more guaranteed anonymity than you’ll have with almost everyone else.
Speed testing is an important part of any VPN review (Image credit: Speedtest.net)
Performance
Our performance tests involved connecting to the nearest Windscribe locations from both a UK data center and US location, each with 1Gbps test connections. We then measured download speeds using benchmarking services including SpeedTest (both the website and command line app), Cloudflare, Measurement Lab, and more. We ran each test using at least two protocols and in both morning and evening sessions.
Crunching the numbers revealed excellent OpenVPN speeds of 270-330Mbps, more than twice what we see with many providers.
Switching to WireGuard accelerated speeds to a blistering 950Mbps+, essentially maxing out our test connection. That puts Windscribe alongside NordVPN, Surfshark, and IPVanish at the top of our performance charts.
We can only measure the speeds for our test locations, of course, and you may see different results. If performance is a top priority for you, using the free version gives you the chance to check local speeds (from the 11 free locations) without as much as handing over your email address.
Alternatively, Windscribe’s ‘Build A Plan’ option could give you a month of unlimited traffic to a couple of locations for only $3, a low-priced way to run all the intensive speed testing you need.
Windscribe was able to unblock Netflix for all but one of the regions we tried (Image credit: Netflix)
Netflix and streaming
Connecting to a VPN server in another country may, in theory, allow you to access content you wouldn’t otherwise be able to view.
Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple, as many content providers now attempt to detect and block visitors they think are using a VPN.
To test a VPN’s unblocking abilities, we log into at least three Windscribe servers in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan, then try to access local Netflix content and other streaming services.
Windscribe scored full marks in our UK tests, getting us into BBC iPlayer, ITV, and Channel 4.
The perfect record continued in Australia, as we managed to stream TV from 9Now and 10 Play.
Windscribe followed up by unblocking US Disney Plus, and allowing us to stream whatever we liked. The good news finally ended with US Amazon Prime Video, which detected our VPN use and locked us out.
Windscribe still managed to end on the highest of high notes, though, by unblocking every Netflix library we tried: the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan.
Failing only one of our test sites is a very impressive result. If only a 100% track record will do, though, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Private Internet Access, ProtonVPN, PureVPN, and Surfshark all unblocked every one of our test services in their last review.
Windscribe fully supports P2P and torrenting (Image credit: BitTorrent)
Torrents
VPN providers generally don’t boast about their torrent support, and it can be a challenge to figure out what you’re allowed to do. TunnelBear was so quiet about its P2P policy that we had to email tech support to ask.
Windscribe is much more open and transparent. Just point your browser at the company’s Status page and you’ll see its full list of locations, which of them support P2P (most) and which of them don’t (India, Lithuania, Russia, and South Africa, at the time of writing).
Your options are just as clear in the Windscribe apps. Locations where torrents aren’t allowed are marked with the same crossed-out ‘P2P’, but select anything else and you can download whatever and whenever you like.
We don’t like to take a provider’s website promises for granted, even when they’re from a VPN we trust, so we tried downloading torrents from three P2P-approved servers. Everything ran smoothly, and our downloads completed with no connection or performance issues at all.
Factor in Windscribe’s free plan and various anonymous payment options (cryptocurrencies, gift cards), along with its decent performance levels, and the company makes a great torrenting choice.
Windscribe offers clients for most major platforms (Image credit: Windscribe)
Client setup
Tapping the ‘Get Started’ button on the Windscribe site took us to the Download page. The website detected and highlighted the best choice for our laptop – the Windows client and Chrome extension – but there were also links to downloads for Mac, Android, and iOS, extensions for Firefox and Edge. Plus guides to cover setup on routers, Linux, Kodi, Amazon Fire TV, and other devices.
Still not enough? No problem. Paying customers get tools to build custom configuration files for OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2. These can be used to manually set up connections with third-party apps, routers, and more.
Installing the Windows app is easy. You’re able to create an account just by entering a username and password, which gets you 2GB of data a month. Hand over your email, too, and you get 10GB. Tweet about Windscribe, just once, and you get an excellent 15GB a month forever (not just a one-off.)
To put all that in perspective, TunnelBear’s generosity stops with a 2GB monthly data allowance, and Avira Phantom VPN’s free package gives you a tiny 500MB.
Windscribe’s Windows app features a smartly designed interface (Image credit: Windscribe)
Windows app
Windscribe’s Windows app has real visual panache, with rounded corners and classy flag backgrounds (check the screenshot above) to highlight your current location.
It’s more cluttered than most, with plenty of text, icons, and buttons crammed into a very small space, but there’s also been real thought put into the design and overall it works well. Hover your mouse over an icon, for instance, and a tooltip explains what it’s about.
Windscribe’s full location list shows you countries to begin with, which can be expanded to view available servers (Image credit: Windscribe)
The app displays your current protocol and port, always helpful, but it’s not just a static label. Click it and you can change the protocol and settings to whatever you need. The app even offers to set the protocol as a default for that network. So, if you have to use one protocol to get online at the library and another at the coffee shop, you don’t have to change them manually. Once you’ve connected, allow the app to save your settings for that network, and it’ll automatically connect next time.
Tapping Locations displays the full location list. This opens with a list of countries and you can expand any of these to view its available servers. Each server has a latency indicator to help you find the fastest option. You can also mark countries as Favorites, displaying them at the top of the list for zero-scroll reconnections later.
The Windows client has lots of useful expert-level settings (Image credit: Windscribe)
The interface is very configurable. You can order locations by alphabet, latency, or location. You can even display latency as bars or figures, have the interface docked or a free-floating window, display notifications for events or hide them, and the list goes on.
There are many interesting connectivity features, and these are often as tweakable as the UI.
Windscribe gives you plenty of choices when it comes to VPN protocols (Image credit: Windscribe)
Supported protocols include WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth, and WStunnel, connection times were speedy at 1-2 seconds, and the app uses helpful notifications to tell you when you’re connected, and when you’re not.
OpenVPN is securely configured with AES-256-GCM encryption and SHA512 authentication. We couldn’t find any issues with Windscribe’s WireGuard setup, and it’s good to see IKEv2 connections that don’t store your credentials and are configured to use maximum-strength encryption so that they’re not vulnerable to theft.
Split tunneling allows you to decide which traffic is routed through the VPN, and which bypasses it. Unlike most VPNs, this isn’t just for apps, you can set up rules for specific IP addresses and host names, too.
Unusual extras include the ability to set up your device as a Wi-Fi hotspot (if your OS and network adapter supports it), or as a proxy gateway for use by TVs, gaming consoles, or anything else that can work with a proxy server.
One surprising feature is that Windscribe’s desktop clients can import custom OpenVPN and WireGuard configuration files from other providers, and then display those servers alongside their own. If you use another VPN but its app is underpowered, you might be able to use Windscribe’s instead. You don’t need a subscription.
There’s a lot to like here, especially for advanced users who like to tweak every aspect of their VPN. If you can find the settings you need, that is. We got lost several times scrolling up and down, clicking various icons, opening drop-down lists, and generally trying to figure out what’s what.
If you’re happy with the basics, the good news is you won’t even see most of the complexities unless you go looking. As long as you can choose a country from a list and click a Connect button, Windscribe’s apps will work just fine.
Windscribe’s Mac app is an impressive piece of work (Image credit: Windscribe)
Mac app
If you’re a Mac user then you’ll doubtless be very familiar with VPN providers largely ignoring all your needs, saving their best features for Windows and leaving you with the bare minimum. But here’s some good news: Windscribe hates that approach just as much as you do, and its Mac app is as close a match to the Windows edition as anyone could expect.
Take the interface, for instance. There are no pointless variations, no ‘do it this way on Windows, but that way on Mac’ rules to remember. It’s the same stylish look, the same icons, the same main menus, and almost the same options, all in the same order.
Mac VPN apps generally don’t have as many advanced features as Windows, mostly because Apple’s security model doesn’t give them as much control over your device. Seems like no-one told Windscribe this, though, because its Mac app has all the key features we saw on Windows: WireGuard support, the firewall (kill switch), custom DNS settings, MAC spoofing, split tunneling, port and protocol options, network allow-listing, proxy support and more.
If your VPN needs are simple, or you’re just not interested in the low-level tech, all this power might sound intimidating. No need to worry, though: unless you click the Menu icon and go exploring, you’ll never even know these options are there.
Whether you fine-tune every setting or ignore them entirely, the Mac app is generally very easy to use. Tap the On/Off button and you’re speedily connected to your nearest server, then tap again to disconnect, and there’s a list of other locations if you need them.
The app still looks a little more complex than some of the competition, just because it has more icons, buttons and status information. But, generally, it’s a well-designed mix of functionality and ease of use, and a must-see for any Mac user looking for a little extra power.
The mobile apps are good, too (Image credit: Windscribe)
Mobile apps
Windscribe’s Android app follows a similar design to the Windows version, with the same gorgeous background flags, the big On/Off button, and details on your new IP and preferred protocol.
A list of countries (expandable to city level) makes it easy to find the server you want. You can switch to list Favorites and specialist Streaming locations. There’s also a Custom Config list that might enable using other VPN servers with Windscribe’s interface and features.
A comprehensive Preferences screen comes absolutely stuffed with features. The Connection panel alone enables choosing between WireGuard, OpenVPN UDP, TCP, IKEv2 or Stealth, and selecting your preferred port, as well as choosing which apps use the VPN, and which don’t (split tunneling). It also provides integration with Android’s Always-On feature to let you set up a system-wide kill switch, or enable GPS spoofing, define a packet size, allow or block local network traffic, and more.
A Network Whitelisting tool enables automatically connecting to Windscribe whenever untrusted networks are accessed while ignoring others. So, for instance, you can configure the service to automatically connect when you access Wi-Fi on the train, but stay offline when you’re at home or work.
Windscribe’s iOS app earned bonus points immediately for an unusual privacy plus. The app detects your external IP and network but can blur them, ensuring you won’t give away clues to your identity if you share a screenshot.
Although the app can’t match the Windows edition for power, it still has wide protocol support, kill switch, and ad, malware, and content blocking. That’s already outperforming most iOS apps, but it’s Windscribe’s more unusual options that really help it stand out from the crowd. Most VPN apps can’t access servers from another provider, for instance, or allow you to set a preferred protocol depending on the network you connect to.
Windscribe even offers browser extensions for most popular web browsers (Image credit: Windscribe)
Browser extensions
Windscribe’s Chrome, Edge, and Firefox extensions provide a quick and easy way to connect to the VPN from your browser. This has its limitations – they’re simple proxies and only protect your browser traffic – but if you only need the VPN for basic browsing tasks, they’re your most convenient and straightforward option.
The extensions make an immediate positive impression, courtesy of a stylish interface along the lines of the desktop and mobile apps. The basic operations work much as you’d expect. Autopilot mode enables connecting to the best location with a click, you’re able to choose countries or individual cities from a list, and set your most commonly used cities as Favorites.
There are some nifty privacy features with the extensions (Image credit: Windscribe)
Need more? The extension can block WebRTC leaks, fake your GPS location, time zone, and language to match your chosen Windscribe server, keep switching your browser user agent to make you more difficult to track, stop websites begging you to let them show notifications, and even delete first or third-party cookies when you close the tab.
The browser extensions support Windscribe’s ad and malware-blocking tool ROBERT, even for free users. Known malicious and phishing sites, bandwidth-sapping ads, trackers, social media widgets, and other nasties can all be exterminated in a click or two.
The sheer volume of options can make the extensions look complicated but Windscribe does a lot to help. A small start-up tutorial explains which buttons do what, and a useful additional introduction is that the many settings each have a sentence or two describing what they’re all about.
Put it all together and this is a very capable extension that delivers far more than you’ll get with other VPN providers, and even many standalone Chrome privacy extensions. Don’t just take our word for it – the excellent 4.7 rating on the Chrome store suggests most users agree.
Windscribe has a knowledgebase but it’s rather lacking (Image credit: Windscribe)
Support
If you have any technical troubles, Windscribe’s support site is a good place to begin looking for answers. Resources start with collections of articles on common topics, including ‘getting started’ guides, technical troubleshooting, billing questions, and some general FAQs.
These tutorials don’t always have the range and depth we’d like, but they more than cover the basics. The Android setup guide doesn’t just say ‘go install the app at Google Play’, for instance, as we often see with lesser providers. It quickly explains what a VPN is for, gives a link to the Play Store, an alternative direct APK download if you need it, and covers the setup and usage basics, complete with helpful screenshots.
If your problem isn’t covered by the website, you can always contact support directly via a ticket system (there’s no live chat). In our experience, replies can sometimes take around a day to arrive. When they do, they’re friendly, accurate, and complete. We think they’re generally well worth the wait.
Windscribe review: Final verdict
Windscribe is a likable VPN, with good-looking and powerful apps, expert-level features, and one of the most generous free VPN plans around. The array of advanced options and settings means this probably isn’t the best choice for newcomers or anyone only looking for the VPN basics. If you’re unsure about Winscribe, there’s an easy and risk-free way to find out for sure. Just install the free version and see how it works for you.
Upon receiving the Lettuce Grow Indoor Farmstand in the mail, I did not expect that I’d be enjoying some tea before I’d even unwrapped all the parts.
“Is that … Zooey Deschanel? With a Dollar Tree Property Brother?” my husband asked, peering over my shoulder as I unpacked various tubes and parts. And indeed, among the boxes was a glossy handout of a slightly younger-looking Zooey, standing with a man who did vaguely resemble her current husband, Jonathan Scott, of Property Brothers fame. Turns out it was her ex-husband, film producer Jacob Pechenik, with whom she had created this indoor hydroponic gardening system in 2019.
Even though they split shortly thereafter, they continued to run Lettuce Grow together after their 2020 divorce, and an Instagram photo from July 1 even shows Deschanel flanked by Pechenik on one side and Scott on the other, debuting a Lettuce Grow collab with Costco. Apparently Pechenik runs day-to-day operations and Deschanel continues to promote the company through social media, according to a 2023 People interview with the former couple. If Scott has thoughts on this whole setup, he hasn’t shared them publicly. (Deschanel and Pechenik have two children together.)
Anyway, perhaps as befitting a celebrity endorsement, the Lettuce Grow is quite dramatic-looking for an indoor hydroponic garden, evoking a giant, space-age version of the terra cotta strawberry planter you probably remember from your grandma’s house. Even better, it delivers on its promises of growing many plants and vegetables indoors—even peppers and tomatoes—within a small footprint. There are, of course, a few caveats.
Bringing Outdoors Indoors
Photograph: Kat Merck
As far as indoor hydroponic garden assemblies go, Lettuce Grow’s was easy enough for pretty much anyone to figure out—second-easiest of the four systems I’m currently testing, behind only the Gardyn (9/10, WIRED Recommends). There are seven versions of the Farmstand: outdoor or indoor, each in small (18 plant slots), medium (24 plant slots), or large (36 plant slots); and the smaller indoor Nook, with 20 plant slots. I tested the medium, 24-slot indoor version for six weeks in a low-light corner near my downstairs bathroom.
When you buy a Farmstand, you also get credits for ordering live, pre-grown seedlings that you can buy later, at a time of your choosing. I recommend ordering after you’ve received and assembled your Farmstand. The selection (you get to choose) spans about 100 flowers, herbs, greens, and vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers, though once you’ve ordered you might want to make sure you have some insecticide on hand.
Like most indoor gardening systems, the indoor Farmstand’s LED lights and pump run on a timer. My Farmstand included two old-school analog timers, the kind with the infuriating little prongs that must be toggled. Lettuce Grow offers a smart timer upgrade for $24, which I also tested. The company also has an app, which kept disconnecting from the device and which I ended up abandoning halfway through. Of these, I preferred the smart timer, and I was able to set the lights to turn off at night. (They must run for 14 hours, but you can set which hours.) I set the pump to run every hour on the hour. (Note that the water sprayed by the pump does make a startlingly loud splashing sound due to the Farmstand’s cavernous interior, so you may not want it in a home office or bedroom or anywhere the noise could become a disturbance.)
I especially dig the Sportage’s new boomerang-shaped LED light signature.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
The latest iteration of the
Kia Sportage
gets a major glow-up. Kia has been aggressively pushing the design of its vehicles to the point that this muscular 2023 Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige looks of a completely different lineage to the cute, small SUV it replaces. (Heck, it’s barely recognizable as a
Kia’s
.) And behind that wild styling is a sweet new hybrid powertrain, vastly improved cabin tech and the automaker’s latest driver-assistance technology.
Like
Head-turning, spacious design
Smooth and efficient new hybrid system
Excellent mix of standard and optional safety tech
Don’t like
Upgraded tech loses wireless CarPlay, Android Auto
All-wheel drive efficiency penalty
Potentially better plug-in model is right around the corner
Head-turning new look
The new Sportage is larger than before at 183.5 inches from bumper to bumper — 7.1 inches longer than the outgoing model — and has an extra 3.4 inches between its axles, bringing the new wheelbase to 108.5 inches. Sharply creased shoulders, more muscular flanks and horizontal grille and rear bumper elements create the illusion of a much broader stance, despite the 73.4-inch wide SUV only being 0.4 inches wider than its forebear. Overall, the new look is more mature with a good balance of proportions familiar to modern
SUVs
in this class with thoughtful and challenging design details that turn heads wherever the Sportage goes.
The growth spurt makes room for a more spacious interior. The Sportage Hybrid now boasts more legroom than the
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
, particularly on the second row where it’s gained a 3.5-inch advantage (41.3 inches versus the
RAV4’s
37.8 inches). And even with the battery pack costing a bit of cargo capacity versus the non-hybrid model, the 39.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the Sportage Hybrid’s optional hands-free liftgate (73.7 cubes with the seats folded flat) is still very generous for this class, beating the RAV4 Hybrid’s 37.5 cubic feet.
Despite being called Shadow Matte Gray, this example’s optional $595 exterior finish is more satin than true matte and, frankly, more premium-looking for it. The top SX Prestige spec feels like it was designed with this finish in mind, complementing the paint with satin chrome accents on the grille and window surrounds and contrasting with glossy black trim around the body and wheel arches. And while the LX and EX trim levels come with machine-finish 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels, respectively, the SX Prestige features practically color-matched matte gray 18s with 235/60 all-season tires.
1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid
The Sportage Hybrid is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 mated to a 44-kilowatt electric motor and a 1.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-polymer battery. Together, they make a total of 227 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque which is routed through a 6-speed automatic transmission to either the front wheels or an optional all-wheel-drive system with a locking center differential for light off-road use. This is essentially the same hybrid powertrain from the outstanding Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, but with one more pony, so if you don’t love the Kia’s look, maybe the
Hyundai
will tickle your fancy.
User-selectable drive modes (Normal, Eco and Sport) allow broad customization of the Sportage Hybrid’s responsiveness. Meanwhile, standard paddle shifters grant more precise control over the transmission’s behavior, but I almost never need them given the hybrid SUV’s comfort-tuned suspension favoring a more relaxed driving style.
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Front-wheel drive is more efficient, but EX and SX Prestige models come standard with all-wheel drive.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
The hybrid is the most powerful Sportage variant (for now), being substantially more potent than the 187-hp 2.5-liter engine in the non-hybrid. I’m impressed with the smooth acceleration and solid passing power. The 1.6-liter engine doesn’t deliver the most pleasant wide-open-throttle auditory experience, but it is a lot less drone-y than most CVT-equipped
hybrids
and, during light cruising and city driving, the Sportage Hybrid is satisfyingly quiet.
It’s also fuel-efficient. The front-drive Sportage Hybrid averages 42 mpg in the city, 48 mpg highway and 43 mpg combined according to the EPA’s estimates. Adding all-wheel drive knocks the numbers for my example down to a tidy 38 mpg across the board. Over a 149-mile mix of performance testing and relaxed cruising, I averaged 35.5 mpg — not too far off the mark.
Wait for the PHEV?
Of course, if you’re as impressed with the Sportage Hybrid’s performance as I am, it may be worth waiting for the upcoming plug-in hybrid model expected to launch later this year. The PHEV swaps in a bigger 7.2-kWh battery pack that can be recharged at an outlet or charging station for up to 32 miles of electric range before reverting to gasoline hybrid operation, which should boost overall efficiency. It should also be a touch more powerful thanks to its 67-kW electric motor.
However, there are potential trade-offs to consider: Making room for more battery will cost the PHEV 1.8 inches of rear legroom and 2.1 cubic feet of cargo space — though, it’ll still finish ahead of the RAV4 by both metrics. There’s also the higher expected price and potentially more limited availability to consider. Still, if it’s anywhere near as good as the Hyundai Tucson PHEV — which it almost certainly will be with the same powertrain and tech — the Sportage PHEV will be worth the wait.
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The hybrid is great, but I reckon the plug-in version coming later this year will be worth waiting for.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
Dual-screen cabin tech
The Sportage’s cockpit is home to Kia’s now-familiar dual-display infotainment system that bonds two screens to a single curved glass panel stretching halfway across the dashboard. This is essentially the same infotainment setup we’ve seen previously in the Kia EV6, but with the EV-specific menus swapped out for hybrid screens.
The left display is home to the standard 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and information display. The right is where you’ll find the latest generation of Kia’s UVO touchscreen infotainment. The base LX trim features an 8-inch touchscreen, while EX and SX Prestige step up to a 12.3-inch display with navigation. I’m a fan of this system’s logical and familiar menu system, the user-customizable ‘star’ shortcut buttons on the steering wheel and dashboard and its unique, weird features like the ability to record audio memos or listen to nature sounds on the go.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard for all models with wireless connectivity on the base LX spec’s 8-inch system, but not the big-screen EX or SX Prestige models. This is an odd omission that makes the wireless phone charger added at these trim levels feel slightly less useful, but not quite a deal breaker.
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Inside, you’ll find improved tech, but also much nicer cabin materials like the SX Prestige’s perforated and quilted SynTex seats.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
Standard Drivewise driving aids
Regardless of trim, all 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrids come standard with the automaker’s Drivewise driver aid suite. This rolls in lane-keeping assist, forward-collision avoidance with braking assist, blind-spot monitoring, auto-braking rear cross-traffic alert and rear park distance sensors. Other optional safety features that come online with the SX Prestige trim include adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, Kia’s blind spot view cameras and surround-view parking cameras, as well as 360-degree parking distance sensors with collision avoidance brake assist.
The SX Prestige also adds Kia’s Remote Smart Parking, a feature that allows the driver to move the Sportage straight forward or in reverse while standing curbside. For safety, the system uses the distance sensors to prevent collisions with obstructions or pedestrians and only operates when the driver is close to the vehicle. It’s nowhere near as complex as, say,
Tesla’s
Summon promises, but it’s also extremely simple to operate. Just line the car up with a narrow parking spot, hop out and hold a button on the key fob to guide the Sportage home. As a person living with a garage that mostly goes unused because most cars won’t fit while still being able to open their doors, I’d use this feature every day given the chance.
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At the upper trim levels, opting for the hybrid system is almost a no-brainer.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
The one to get
The 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid starts at $28,585 (including $1,295 destination) for the base Hybrid LX, a $1,300 premium over the same non-hybrid spec. Add $1,800 if you want all-wheel drive, but only if you think you’ll really need it for your climate; the base Sportage Hybrid is potentially much more cost and fuel efficient without it. EX and SX Prestige models roll all-wheel drive into their respective $32,285 and $37,485 price tags, simplifying packaging somewhat and reducing the hybrid tax to as low as $900 for the top SX spec — choosing the hybrid is almost a no-brainer at this grade.
Including paint and carpeted floor mats, my example comes in at $38,235 as tested — over $4,000 less than RAV4 Hybrid Limited when comparably equipped. So not only is the 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid one of the top picks in its class with excellent performance and outstanding design inside and out, it’s one of the best values, too.
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.
When it comes to professional video editing, the first software that likely comes to mind would be Adobe Premiere Pro; some might come up with Avid Media Composer; Mac users would probably point to Final Cut Pro.
But did you know there’s another option that offers professional grade tools at an unbeatable price? That option is Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve.
It’s not just one of the best free video editing software tools out there – it’s some of the best video editing software we’ve ever tested, period. There are no compromises here. Packed with pro-grade features for creative professionals, for what you get here (absolutely loads), it’s impressive that it doesn’t cost a cent.
DaVinci Resolve: Pricing & plans
You can’t beat free, especially for a professional-grade product, but if you want even more power, then grab the ‘Studio’ version for just under $300
Why does it have an unbeatable price? Put simply, because it’s free. That’s right: you don’t pay anything to get your hands on a powerful video editor, which also comes with media management, impressive colour grading, compositing and sound editing tools, and not an ad or watermark in sight.
How can such a tool be free? Likely because it’s heavily subsided by Blackmagic Design’s extensive hardware portfolio. But surely it must have some limitations, right? Well yes, there are, but frankly they may not be seen as a hindrance to most editors: the biggest limitation is restricting exports to 4K and 60fps.
If that clashes with your workflow, then you should consider DaVinci Resolve Studio, which raises the ceiling to 32K and 120fps, and includes a host of other advances features, including HDR10+ formats, digital cinema packages for theatrical distribution, including a host of advanced AI tools which have been released with version 20. Studio will cost you just under $300 – all future updates, large or small, are included in that one-off fee.
This review’s focus is on the free version, which you can download for your PC, Mac and Linux machine, which you can get by clicking here.
DaVinci Resolve: Interface
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
A wealth of editing tools wrapped inside a very well organised interface, coupled with detailed online video tutorials. Perfect for pros and novices alike
DaVinci Resolve is a big app. As we’ve mentioned above, not only can you edit a video project with it, but you have access to other features that would often be offered as a separate dedicated program. In order to facilitate working with so many tools, Resolve is broken down into seven different categories, which are referred to as ‘Pages’.
These are organized in the order in which your project progresses: you import and sort out your clips in the ‘Media’ page, then use ‘Cut’ or ‘Edit’ to build your project; after that, ‘Fusion’ is where you assemble complex special effects, followed by ‘Color’ for colour correction, ‘Fairlight’ to work on your audio, and finally, ‘Deliver’ to export your work and share it with others.
It’s all very well designed and straightforward, with perhaps the exception of ‘Cut’ and ‘Edit’. Why would anyone need two separate pages to cut a movie? The answer is simple: one is to do quick work, while the other offers more tools and additional precision. ‘Cut’ can also be seen as an introduction to Resolve, for those with little to no previous experience with video editing.
You can easily switch from one to the other, using tools in ‘Edit’ that aren’t available in ‘Cut’, then moving back to ‘Cut’ to carry on in a simplified environment (you can still see the effects of the tools you used in ‘Edit’ even if you can’t access and alter these effects while in ‘Cut’).
If you’re an experienced editor, you’ll acclimatise to Resolve’s way of working in little time, but newcomers to this art might well feel overwhelmed by the sheer power at their disposal – this is not your basic run of the mill limited free app.
But don’t panic and run for the hills, as this software can and does grow with your skills and confidence – being able to switch between the basic ‘Cut’ to the more advanced ‘Edit’ is testament to that. And to help you on your journey, Blackmagic Design offer a detailed series of tutorials, complete with project files, on their website, again, completely for free (click here).
DaVinci Resolve: Features
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
So many new features designed to improve, enhance and add to your editing experience. Sadly (but unsurprisingly) the best ones are kept for paying customers
DaVinci Resolve was recently updated to version 20, and the number of new and improved features is huge – the list is far too long for us to discuss each in turn. Instead, you can check what’s new here. We’ll discuss here the ones that struck a chord with us the most.
Version 19 was released only a year ago, and the improvements are stark… although, as you’d expect, Blackmagic Design have unsurprisingly kept the best for their paid-for Studio version. Need another incentive to upgrade? How about getting Studio to automatically edit a Multicam project for you? Or get it to retime a score so it fits the exact length you’re after? Or how about feeding it a script and let AI edit a scene for you based on the clips you’ve imported, complete with multiple takes spread across multiple layers so you can choose between them?
But fret not: the free version of Resolve also comes with a host of new and very useful features, which will greatly improve your workflow. For instance, you can now (finally!) easily extract a multi-layered PSD file and work with its layers individually in the Edit page’s timeline (prior to 20, this was only possible in the Fusion page).
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
You can record a voice over directly from the Cut and Edit pages, with controls located just above the timeline. You’ve even got numerous options, such as a countdown timer, being able to choose from all connected microphones (even your iPhone), where to save the recording and on which layer to display it, for instance.
The text tools have received some love too. Your text can (finally!) wrap inside a text box, and there’s a new ‘multi text’ clip within which multiple text boxes can be created, enabling you to create complex titles without cluttering your timeline.
If you’re working with multiple timelines within a single project, you’ll likely appreciate being able to open a second one in the source viewer. This is nothing new, but 20 allows you to also edit that timeline from there, enabling you to see two timelines at once, switch between them and edit either (to help you differentiate them, the playhead changes colour from red to blue depending on which timeline you’re in).
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
And we’ve got just enough time to gush over the revamped keyframe tools. They’ve been greatly improved and are now available in multiple locations, depending on your preferred way of working.
You can see them top left, either as a list, or as curves (which makes it so much easier to tweak them – you can even hold down the shift key to restrict their movement, allowing for much greater precision). These keyframes are also available in the timeline itself, giving you a greater visual feel for how they affect the clips in question.
Let’s be honest: this is just scratching the surface. Blackmagic Design have worked hard to deliver a significant update to Resolve (and especially Resolve Studio), and despite the fact the best tools are reserved for paying customers, those on an extremely tight budget haven’t been abandoned.
Resolve is an incredibly powerful application, with complex tools, from video editing, to image compositing, colour correction and audio manipulation. If you’re serious about filmmaking but have to watch your budget, downloading DaVinci Resolve should be a no brainer.
Should I try DaVinci Resolve?
(Image credit: Blackmagic Design // Future)
Try it if…
You need a professional grade video editing solution with advanced compositing tools, audio manipulation, extensive colour correction, and you’re on a seriously tight budget
Don’t try it if…
You don’t like free software with no ads and no watermark. Seriously, the only reason you shouldn’t try it is if you’re not interested in video editing.
For more creative software, we’ve tested and reviewed the best video editing software for beginners and the best video editing apps for mobile devices.
While mainstream products like the new Grecale SUV will ultimately be
Maserati’s
bread and butter, what’s an Italian carmaker without an exotic flagship? The MC20 is an incredible return to form for a storied brand left to languish. And if this sort of visceral experience is what Maserati is capable of when it gives 110%, then we have a lot to look forward to in the future.
Like
Looks like a proper exotic
Perfectly balanced chassis
Potent twin-turbo V6 engine
Don’t like
So many options should be standard
Cramped interior
V6 sounds bad
Literally everything about this supercar is new. The single-piece carbon-fiber chassis comes from race car maker Dallara, and combined with lightweight body panels and a polycarbonate engine cover, the MC20 hits the road with a curb weight of just 3,306 pounds. Mounted amidships, Maserati’s new Nettuno 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 cranks out 621 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 538 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm, and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is perfectly in sync with this dynamite powerplant.
What’s amazing is how little turbo lag there is, especially considering the 3,000-rpm torque peak. The transmission isn’t janky when pulling away from a stop, either; the MC20 just rockets forward with authority, and it’ll hit 60 mph before you can say “three Mississippi.” If there’s a single complaint to register about the engine it’s that there’s no masking the unpleasant sound of a V6, though the loud exhaust and metallic pop-suck-woosh-bang noises directly behind your ears certainly make up for a lot.
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Maserati’s new Nettuno V6 is a champ.
Tyler Clemmensen/CNET
Oh, props to Maserati for fitting the MC20 with paddle shifters you’ll actually want to use. Not only are they mounted to the steering column (the correct way), the tactile click they offer is super-satisfying. There’s absolutely no lag between the movement of your fingers and the subsequent gear change, and whether driving at slow speeds or fast, the paddles really do add to the overall experience.
No surprise, the MC20 is an absolute firecracker when driven hard. It almost seems to shrink around you, like you forget that this car is as long and wide as it is when you’re just getting into the groove of driving. The most impressive thing is how light this coupe feels at high speeds, almost like the chassis is hollow or like it’s going to lift off the ground. Never fear, there’s a ton of downforce keeping the MC20 glued to the road at all times, and the 245/35 front and 305/30 rear tires have oodles of grip. Those forged 20-inch wheels are a $5,500 option, by the way.
Speaking of options, if you want an electronic limited-slip differential, that’ll be $2,300, and honestly, this should just be standard. You absolutely want this rear-axle torque distribution to make the most of the MC20’s grip while cornering, especially since this helps rein in any oversteer. The steering itself is great — light and quick with lots of sensations running through your hands — and the optional carbon-ceramic brakes offer immense stopping power without noticeable front-end dive or skittishness.
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Tyler Clemmensen/CNET
All of the MC20’s individual performance aspects are great, but it’s the way everything works together that makes this Maserati so special. You feel like you’re part of the car, part of the road, part of the environment. While some supercars can feel clinical to the point of sterility, the MC20 feels alive and emotional. It’s way more than a numbers car designed to look good at Cars & Coffee.
On the other hand, the MC20 in its default GT mode and the ride is actually amicable to “normal car” driving. Keeping the standard sport seats is definitely recommended if you’ll routinely be traveling long distances in the MC20, but I suppose the $7,000 one-piece carbon buckets will give you more cool guy cred while showing off. The dihedral doors will definitely elicit some youthful oohs and aahs, but be careful: The lower sill just behind the door sticks way out. What I’m saying is, don’t immediately turn around after you get out or you’ll slam your foot into that painfully pointy piece of trim. (You bruised me, MC20!)
Living with the MC20 is exactly what you’d expect. There’s basically no storage space inside the cabin and the overall passenger accommodations are pretty tight. The rear window looks super-cool with the Trident logo cutout, but visibility out the back is utterly hopeless, so I’m glad Maserati fits a digital rearview mirror as standard. There’s a $4,000 electronic front suspension lift that you will absolutely need to use all of the time, and the combined frunk and trunk space is kind of weak, but I don’t imagine grocery runs are a regular use case for an MC20.
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Such a pretty car.
Tyler Clemmensen/CNET
Cabin tech includes a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster that is easy to read and packed with information, and there’s a 10.3-inch central touchscreen that runs the finicky Maserati Intelligent Assist software. The icons are small and tough to accurately hit, and responses to inputs are often laggy. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, thankfully. Just use those.
The MC20 costs $212,000 to start, but good luck keeping your out-the-door price anywhere close to that. This test car has three-layer Blu Infinito paint ($4,500), a carbon fiber engine cover ($5,000), a black roof ($4,000 — seriously), upgraded leather and Alcantara ($1,000), heated seats ($500), a premium audio system ($4,000) and carbon ceramic brakes ($10,000) with red calipers ($1,200). Plus a few other odds and ends, the as-tested price is $256,050.
But who cares? Every other mid-engine supercar is going to cost just as much, and even more practical sports cars like a Porsche 911 Turbo S start above $200,000. Nobody is buying a Maserati MC20 because it’s a smart value. This is a purchase made out of pure emotion, and that’s what the MC20 is all about.
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.
LG S95AR soundbar: One minute review
The S95AR with its included accessories (Image credit: Future)
The LG S95AR is the successor to the already great LG S95TR soundbar system. There are a few good improvements, but at a couple of hundred dollars more, it can also seem redundant.
That said, if you don’t already own the LG S95TR, then I can enthusiastically recommend the LG S95AR, as it ranks among the best soundbars available, not to mention one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. This 9.1.5-channel system not only offers incredibly immersive surround sound and spatial audio, but it does so with plenty of power and clarity.
The LG S95AR’s feature set is about as impressive as on any soundbar I’ve tested, with AI Room Calibration that’s good enough to rival Sonos soundbars. On top of all of that, it’s very easy to set up.
I have some small nitpicks with the S95AR, such as its use of basic LED indicators to let you know when the volume or settings have changed instead of having a full LED display. And, of course, its price is going to be prohibitive for a lot of people. But if you can handle the high price, you’ll be impressed.
LG S95AR soundbar review: Price & release date
The S95AR soundbar with its included wireless subwoofer (dog not included) (Image credit: Future)
Price: $1,699.99 (about £1,260 / AU$2,610)
Released in April 2025
While I wouldn’t call it a soft launch, the LG S95AR Soundbar is currently only available in the US. If you’re located in one of the fifty states (or Puerto Rico and Guam), getting the LG S95AR will set you back a hefty $1,699.99 (about £1,260 / AUD$2,610).
The LG S95TR, this model’s predecessor, was also originally available only in the US, but has gone worldwide with a slightly better (but not by much) pricing of $1,499.99 / £1,699 / AU$1,699.
Both models come with a large soundbar, two rear speakers with multiple drivers, and a powerful subwoofer. They’re almost exactly the same, except that the S95AR has a redesigned subwoofer and better integration between the soundbar system and LG TVs. Oh, and there’s a new app, but more on that later.
LG S95AR soundbar review: Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Dimensions (W x H x D)
Soundbar: 49.2 x 2.5 x 5.3 in (1250 x 63.5 x 134.6mm); subwoofer: 7.9 x 16 x 15.9 in (200 x 406 x 404mm); rear speakers: 6.3 x 8.8 x 5.6 in (160 x 223.5 x 142mm)
Speaker channels
9.1.5
Connections:
2x HDMI (1 with eARC), optical, digital, Bluetooth, USB type-A
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X
Yes/Yes
Sub included
Yes
Rear speakers included
Yes
Features
4K @ 120Hz passthrough, Wi-Fi Streaming, Voice assistant support, AI room calibration, LG WOW Orchestra, LG WOW Interface, WOW Cast
LG S95AR soundbar review: Features
Ports include two HDMI (one with eARC/ARC) and optical digital (Image credit: Future)
First-party features for LG TVs
Wi-Fi Streaming and Alexa/Google Assistant support
AI Room Calibration
There are several features of the S95AR that only owners of compatible LG TVs can access, which I wasn’t able to test with my non-LG TV. (You can tell which ones they are, because they start with the prefix “WOW.”) WOW Orchestra, for instance, combines an LG TV’s speakers with the LG S95AR for an even more immersive audio experience. And the WOW interface allows you to use one remote to control the soundbar’s functions as well as the TV’s via an onscreen interface. Lastly, WOW Cast lets you make a lossless wireless audio connection between the soundbar and specific LG TVs.
Luckily, there are plenty of features still accessible for non-LG TV owners. Wi-Fi streaming via Apple AirPlay 2 is available, as is Alexa and Google Assistant support. There are some gaming-related features as well, such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), as well as 4K, HDR10, and Dolby Vision support on the HDMI passthrough port.
Along with supporting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, the LG S95AR can handle high-resolution audio, making this soundbar as capable of giving an immersive listening experience for music as it is for movies. There’s even what LG calls Smart Up-mixing that utilizes all the speakers for stereo audio playback.
What really puts the LG S95AR over the top in the feature department is its AI Room Calibration Pro, which I also appreciated when I reviewed the LG S95TR. Using LG’s app, you sit in the ideal listening spot (most likely your couch), and the soundbar will send out test tones. The app then measures the response and calibrates the soundbar’s audio output for your room. It’s pretty cool!
After calibration, the soundbar’s “AI Sound Pro Mode” will reflect the calibration. Speaking of sound modes, all the usual suspects are here, such as Cinema, Sports, etc., but the two I like to highlight are Night Mode and Clear Voice Mode. Both work very well, with Night mode compressing the audio to limit spikes without losing sound fidelity and Clear Voice mode pushing the dialogue level without distorting the frequency range, something that often happens with these types of modes.
Most of these features are only accessible through LG’s control app, which is fairly easy to navigate. You can even individually adjust the volume of the rear speakers, subwoofer, upward-firing speakers, and the center channel here. My only real gripe is that there’s only a three-band EQ for adjusting audio to taste.
LG S95AR soundbar review: Performance
The system’s rear speakers feature left, right, and upward-firing drivers for Atmos height effects (Image credit: Future)
Sound is a little mid-forward, but clear
Incredibly immersive soundstage
Stereo upmixing to all channels
The S95AR’s sound quality is very, very good – only the most nitpicky audiophiles will find some fault with it. I consider myself audiophile-adjacent, and the only issue I could hear is that its midrange was just a bit forward-sounding. Of course, there is a three-band EQ in the app to help with that.
That said, the midrange is generally well-balanced. This is particularly true with dialogue. You can enhance dialogue, either by turning up the center channel level or using the dialogue mode in the app, but I never really felt the need to. Whether it was when watching a scene from The Batman or Deadpool &Wolverine, or playing a game like Dead Rising 2 where the main character is often talking while a lot of various audio elements (well, zombies) are occupying sonic space, dialogue was consistently clear.
The S95AR’s bass is nice and present. At default settings, it has that “you can feel it before you can hear it” effect, so it blends in nicely with the rest of the frequency range. When watching a blockbuster like Deadpool & Wolverine, there’s a lot of low-end information since half of every set is exploding, but even without turning the subwoofer up and having the soundbar set at a modest volume, I could sense the impact of everything and anything that is supposed to go boom.
The high-end also resolves nicely so that I didn’t miss any details, whether watching a movie, listening to music, or playing a game.
As far as the S95AR’s soundstage goes, it was just as immersive as when I reviewed the S95TR. The surround sound works perfectly – I was a bit unnerved to hear zombies behind me when I booted up Dead Rising 2 – and the upward firing speakers give all the audio elements a sense of height along with the left to right and front to back directionality. It’s quite the experience.
LG S95AR soundbar review: Design
LG’s sub has a 8-inch side-firing woofer that’s helped along with a forward-facing port, which helps with bass extension and output (Image credit: Future)
Soundbar is fairly large
Wireless connectivity
Basic LED indicator display
The LG S95AR is not a small soundbar, and that’s without getting into the fact that this is a four-piece system. The main soundbar is almost fifty inches wide with ten drivers in it – three of them pointing up for Dolby Atmos height effects – and requires a fairly large entertainment console to properly hold it.
The rear speakers are sizable as well, but there’s a good reason for that. Unlike most rear speakers, these don’t have just one driver. They use three – one slightly angled to the right of the speaker, one to the left, and one out of the top for spatial audio or Dolby Atmos effects.
The subwoofer houses an 8-inch side-firing woofer that’s helped along with a forward-facing port, which helps with bass extension and output.
A nice design feature is that all units have recessed power ports with angled power cables so that everything looks flush when installed. Soundbar connections, meanwhile, include optical digital, two HDMI (one of which supports Dolby Vision HDR passthrough), and a USB port.
The soundbar does have a set of capacitive buttons so that everything looks clean, but you can still power on the soundbar, change the volume, change inputs, connect Bluetooth, or enable Wi-Fi (necessary for pairing to the app) without using the remote.
I also want to mention that, like the S95TR before it, there is no display other than three LED indicator lights on the right side of the soundbar that light up and change color depending on what you’re doing, whether it’s adjusting the volume or changing to Bluetooth connectivity.
Speaking of the remote, it has a good feel in the hand and comes with a decent set of controls, though it’s not as robust as the app. Since the soundbar itself just has the three indicator lights, cycling through certain settings via the remote, like different sound modes, is somewhat of a guessing game.
LG S95AR soundbar review: Setup & usability
The S95AR’s remote lets you control basic functions, but more advanced ones are only available in LG’s app (Image credit: Future)
Removing the various pieces from the box takes the longest
Physical setup is incredibly easy
Mounting brackets included
The S95AR comes in a big box. It takes a minute to get all the pieces out as they’re very well packed, with the rear speakers and subwoofer bound in recyclable packing material. But getting all the pieces out of the box (and putting the box away) is the most time-consuming part of the whole setup process. I would estimate it probably took me about 10 minutes at most.
Connecting the soundbar to the TV via the included HDMI cable and power, and then connecting the various other speakers to power (remember, they’re all wireless) took half that time. And, since the rear speakers and subwoofers are paired out of the box, there was no other physical setup besides placing the included batteries into the remote.
I did have to go through one more step, which is connecting the app to the soundbar system. It does take an additional 5 to 10 minutes, but it is mostly just following instructions on a screen. This is a necessary step, however, as the remote can’t access all the features and fine-tuning capabilities found in the app.
If you want to wall-mount the soundbar and rear speakers, LG has helpfully included brackets and screws for both without an extra charge.
Setup & usability score: 5 / 5
LG S95AR soundbar review: Value
All speakers in the system feature recessed power ports for neat installation (Image credit: Future)
Similar-specced soundbars come with similar price tags
Building out a home theater sound system probably costs more
Cheaper surround sound and Dolby Atmos systems available
With a price tag of $1,699.99 (about £1,260 / AUD$2,610), the LG S95AR is expensive. However, that’s par for the course for a flagship soundbar system. The Samsung Q990D, for instance, retailed for $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995 when first released and covers a lot of the same ground, being a feature-filled 11.1.4-channel system.
Of course, building out an actual home theater setup with individual speakers is probably going to cost even more if you get decent speakers. That said, there are cheaper options if you want surround sound and Dolby Atmos, such as the Hisense AX5125H. Being a 5.1.2-channel system, it is not as robust as the LG S95AR, but it goes for a much, much cheaper $299 / £349 (roughly AU$449). Of course, you’re giving up a lot in terms of features as well
Should I buy the LG S95AR soundbar?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Section
Notes
Score
Features
Even if you can’t use the features that only work with LG TVs, there’s a lot to take advantage of, including AI Room Calibration
5 / 5
Performance
The sound quality is immersive and clear, with plenty of low-end rumble
5 / 5
Design
Big, with lots of drivers, including upward-firing ones on the rear speakers. Unfortunately, the LED display is very limited
4.5 / 5
Setup & usability
Easy to set up and quick, too, though you’ll need to use an app to get at more sophisticated setup functions
.5 / 5
Value
Expensive, but priced in line with other flagship soundbar systems
4 / 5
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
LG S95AR soundbar review: Also consider
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0
LG S95AR soundbar
Samsung HW-Q990D
Hisense AX5125H
Price
$1,699.99 (about £1,260 / AUD$2,610)
$1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995
$299 / £349 (roughly AU$449)
Dimensions (w x h x d)
Soundbar: 49.2 x 2.5 x 5.3 in (1250 x 63.5 x 134.6mm); subwoofer: 7.9 x 16 x 15.9 in (200 x 406 x 404mm); rear speakers: 6.3 x 8.8 x 5.6 in (160 x 223.5 x 142mm)
Soundbar: 1309.0 x 595.0 x 277.0 mm (51.3 x 23.4 x 10.9 in), Subwoofer: 220.0 x 413.0 x 410.0 mm (8.6 x 16.2 x 16.1 in), Rear speaker: 129.5 x 201.3 x140.4 mm (5 x 7.9 x 5.5 in)
Soundbar: 36.2 x 18.8 x 3.5 in (920 x 478 x 90mm); Subwoofer: 8.5 x 12.3 x 11.9 in (210.5 x 310 x 300mm); Satellites: 3.6 x 5.7 x 4.3 in (90.1 x 140.5 x 110mm)
Speaker channels
9.1.5
11.1.4
5.1.2
Connections
2x HDMI (1 with eARC), optical digital audio, USB type-A
11.1.4
1x HDMI Out (eARC), 1x HDMI in, optical, USB, 3.5mm AUX
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X
Yes/Yes
Yes/Yes
Yes/Yes
How I tested the LG S95AR soundbar
The S95AR’s indicator lights offer basic control feedback, but a front-panel alphanumeric display would have been a better option (Image credit: Future)
I used the LG S95AR Soundbar for several weeks
Tested with both TV, movies, and music
I used the LG S95AR Soundbar regularly for several weeks with TV, movies, and music. I listened to the different sound modes and I tested the various features.
As has been hopefully expressed in the review, this is a powerful, immersive soundbar that does a very good job of offering an immersive home theater experience and should work for anyone with the budget for it who wants the convenience of a soundbar.
I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years, from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.
I had a blast tooling around in BMW’s new iX, but I’m not sure I’d want to settle down with it just yet.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
The 2023 iX xDrive50 is one of two new electric vehicles BMW launched this year, alongside the i4 sedan. Of the pair, the iX xDrive50 is the bolder play: a completely new vehicle from the ground up, rather than a battery-powered version of an existing model. It also takes much larger risks. Many of those risks pay off in the form of excellent driving dynamics, comfort and range, but some of them don’t. The electric SUV is plagued by some strange and interesting design decisions, and I’m not just talking about its polarizing exterior.
Like
Powerful and responsive electric motors
IRL range easily meets EPA estimates
Gorgeous interior design
Don’t like
It’s kind of weird looking
Steep tech learning curve
One of the priciest in this class
xDrive50 electric powertrain
The iX comes standard with all-wheel drive, pairing a 190-kilowatt electric motor on the front axle with a more powerful 230-kW rear unit. Combined output peaks at 516 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque, enough oomph to silently launch the iX from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The surge of g forces under hard acceleration is impressive, but the benefits of instant, precise electric torque can also be felt when merging on the highway or just casually pulling away from a traffic light. It’s a well-rounded, confidence-inspiring powertrain.
The xDrive50 feels more than potent enough for driving on public roads, but if you need more power (or just have money burning a hole in your pocket),
BMW
added the 610-hp iX M60 to the lineup for the 2023 model year. That’ll pull off the 0-to-60 sprint in just 3.6 seconds — not quick enough to wipe the smirk off of a Tesla Model X Plaid, but it’ll run neck-and-neck with a Model Y Performance or a Mustang Mach-E GT.
The driver has two tools to customize the iX’s performance to their liking: My Modes and regenerative braking. The three My Modes — Personal, Sport and Efficient — primarily control accelerator responsiveness (and by extension, how much energy is used), but they also affect the steering and other vehicle systems. For example, when equipped with the optional Dynamic Handling package, Sport mode can lower the suspension by 0.4 inches for, well, more dynamic handling.
The selected My Mode also affects the optional Iconic Sounds generated by the iX’s speakers. Designed by German film score composer Hans Zimmer, this artificial powertrain noise fills the cabin as the EV accelerates, making use of Shepard tones — an illusion of overlapping sound that seems to infinitely rise in pitch — to create a sci-fi feeling of increasing speed. Sport mode sounds a bit deeper and louder than the other two settings. Alternatively, Iconic Sounds can be disabled altogether for those who prefer silent cruising.
There are four regenerative braking levels with the default being what BMW calls Adaptive Recuperation. This mode uses navigation data, battery level and the distance to the car ahead to determine how much regeneration to apply when lifting off the accelerator. This should net you the most efficient energy recapture but, in practice, it just makes deceleration feel inconsistent, difficult to predict and, at times, jerky. I prefer to choose one of the more consistent static regen modes: low, medium or high. Also, tapping the transmission from D to B mode with high regen enables one-pedal driving, where the iX can slow to a stop without touching the brake pedal — my favorite EV braking method overall.
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Sport is the only customizable My Mode — neither Efficient nor, ironically, Personal can be personalized.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
Range and charging
The iX is powered by a 111.5-kilowatt-hour battery, of which a net 105.2 kWh is usable. Interestingly, the EPA breaks out separate range estimates based on the size of the wheels equipped. The smallest 20-inch wheels earn the best 324-mile rating. Range drops to 305 miles with the 21-inch wheels, but oddly climbs again to 315 miles for the larger 22s. My best guess as to why is the 275/40R22 tire’s stiffer sidewall reduces rolling resistance just enough to make up for the additional rim mass.
Starting with an 80% charge, I cruised for 209 miles before stopping to recharging with 17% remaining. That’s about 10 miles better than I should have based on the EPA’s numbers — still within the margin of error, but even more impressive given my testing including a good chunk of Sport mode driving up twisty mountain roads. Not too bad.
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This is about as open as the iX’s hood gets unless you’re a BMW service technician.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
When it comes time to recharge, the iX pulls up to 195 kW at an appropriately powerful DC fast-charging station. That’s not as fast as a 250-kW Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the 270-kW Porsche Taycan, but it’s quick enough to add 90 miles of range with just a 10-minute session, or to go from a 10% to 80% state of charge in 40 minutes. BMW partnered with EVgo, providing buyers and lessees $100 of charging credit at its stations.
The most cost effective place to charge is at home during off-peak evening hours. On a Level 2 plug, the iX can pull 11 kW, meaning it will charge from flat to full in around 11 hours.
Ride and handling
Extensive use of lightweight materials — like the aluminum and carbon-fiber composite chassis (which are visible when you open the doors or rear hatch) and aluminum suspension components — help keep weight down. Still, the iX is a very heavy machine, tipping the scales at 5,769 pounds as optioned here. Fortunately, much of the weight is beneath the floor in the battery pack. This low center of mass helps the iX stay nice and flat around corners, which means BMW’s engineers could tune the double-wishbone front and five-link rear suspension to be a bit softer for comfort. The SUV soaks up bumps well even on the optional 22s, and this is likely thanks to BMW’s lift-related dampers — hydraulic shock absorbers that progressively vary their damping force as the wheels travel up and down.
This example is equipped with the optional Dynamic Handling package, which adds an auto-leveling air suspension good for preventing sag when towing a braked trailer up to 5,500 pounds — though who knows what havoc that will wreak on your range. As mentioned before, the air suspension automatically lowers to improve stability at high speeds and in sport mode and can be manually raised for 0.8 inches of additional ground clearance at very low speeds. Additionally, this package adds rear-wheel steering that both helps with low-speed agility and highway stability.
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The seats could use more lateral support, but the heated and ventilated buckets are quite comfortable for long hauls and commutes.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
Polarizing design
I’m willing to concede that the eye of another beholder may find beauty somewhere in the iX’s tall wagon proportions, but I don’t find the design very cohesive. For example, the severe L-shaped trim on the front bumper doesn’t seem to line up with any other element of the fascia and feels tacked on in a way that annoys me even more than BMW’s new corporate grille. Most days, I simply don’t enjoy looking at the iX, but sometimes I catch an odd angle and it’s not so bad. (Some of my colleagues have more positive opinions about BMW’s styling.)
I do like that the buck-toothed grille hides a very cool technology: It’s made of a self-healing polymer. Pick up a rock chip or a scratch on its glossy finish and the surface will gradually work its way back to shiny and flush again. Heat accelerates the process, so on a hot summer day (or with some coaxing from a hair dryer), you can watch it heal before your eyes. The BMW roundel just above the grille pops open to reveal a hidden washer fluid reservoir, which would be neat if it weren’t necessary because the iX’s hood requires a service technician to open — a double bummer because it means there’s no frunk. Still, this a more elegant solution than
Mercedes-Benz’s
weird washer fluid fender slot on the EQS and EQE.
The iX’s cabin, on the contrary, is absolutely gorgeous. It makes great use of materials that look fantastic and are tactilely interesting to touch, from the crystal cut glass iDrive control knob and seat adjustment controls to the unique wood veneer capacitive buttons on the center console — all optional. The bucket seats are quite comfy with an upright position that offers great visibility in all directions around the airy greenhouse. Also optional is this model’s electrochromic glass roof that boosts the feeling of spaciousness and goes opaque at the touch of a button to keep the sun off of your head.
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The iX’s cabin looks so good I’m willing to forgive the awkward exterior.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
But all is not well in this aesthetic paradise and a few ergonomic nitpicks stand out. There’s the electronic door release, which is positioned too far forward and high on the door to get good opening leverage. I had to elbow and shoulder the door open awkwardly to get out, while my smaller copilot needed to shove with both hands to muscle it open.
BMW also simplified the iX’s steering wheel controls significantly, using glossy capacitive touch pads surrounding a thumb wheel instead of discrete physical buttons for the cruise control, infotainment and whatnot. Additionally, there doesn’t appear to be a toggle to disable cruise control; the system is always armed and ready for one tap to set or resume your cruising speed. So far so good, but twice when chucking the iX around a corner, my palm contacted the pad while turning the steering wheel 90 degrees, causing the cruise control to unexpectedly resume mid-turn, lurching forward while I scrambled for the brakes. I was able to catch it both times, but it left a sketchy mark on an otherwise exemplary driving experience.
Aside from this ergonomic gripe, the rest of the iX’s optional and standard driver aid features work pretty well. Optional adaptive cruise works in stop-and-go traffic and integrates nicely with the lane-keeping steering assist and the hands-off Traffic Jam Steering Assist that works at speeds below 40 mph. Parking Assistant Professional is also available and can automatically guide the SUV into parallel and perpendicular parking spaces at the touch of a button. There’s standard forward-collision avoidance that can be upgraded to add optional side collision avoidance, too.
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Keep scrolling; there are dozens more nigh-identical looking icons on just this menu screen.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
iDrive 8
The iDrive 8 multimedia software is a step forward from the previous generation, but also two steps backward. The system is still built around a pair of huge displays that now seem to float above the dashboard on struts. The left screen is the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster while the right is a larger, 14.9-inch main touchscreen. iDrive 8 is a responsive system and, like the rest of the iX’s cabin, the high-resolution screens look fantastic and are customizable with themes featuring nature-inspired imagery.
Unfortunately, the menu is a mess of tiny icons. I counted nearly 30 of them on the main screen in no particular order and with extremely flat organization. Rather than, for example, combining FM and Sirius XM radio into one audio sources menu, they both have separate buttons on the home screen that must be found amongst dozens of others at highway speeds. My colleagues reminded me that I could organize the menu myself by dragging the icons around and eight shortcuts can be saved to a favorites menu for quick access, so most users will be able to customize their way around the problem with a bit of tinkering, but it’s a steep learning curve and I think the curated organization of iDrive 7 was a better out-of-the-box experience.
Back in the pros column, there’s standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility with wireless connectivity for both. The iX even supports the latest quick pairing tech for either, so you don’t even need to fiddle with the menus to get paired up and running. There are also six USB type-C charging ports scattered around the cabin (two in the front and four for second-row passengers) and neat little slots perfectly sized to hold mobile phones on the center console and in the doors.
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One of the iX’s coolest features is its self-healing grille. What? I didn’t say it was the best looking feature.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
Price, competition and final thoughts
The 2023 BMW iX xDrive50 starts at $85,095 including the required $995 destination charge. This example rolled into my driveway wearing a $101,075 sticker thanks mostly to $3,500 worth of premium leather upholstery on $1,600 upgraded seats, plus $1,900 for the 22-inch wheels. I’ve also got the $7,700 Ultimate package that rolls nearly every bell and whistle left to get — including the Dynamic Handling upgrades, Iconic Sounds, the glass and wood interior trim, the iX’s complete driver aid suite and more — into one line item.
At that price range, the BMW iX skews more premium than most of its electric SUV competitors. The BMW is significantly more expensive than an Audi E-Tron SUV and Sportback, but it’s also more powerful with nearly 100 miles of additional range. The iX also slots somewhere between Tesla Models X and Y.
Judged solely on the driving experience, range and handling, the all-new iX is a spectacular new entry in BMW’s electric car portfolio. However, BMW then went and made so many weird little design decisions — from the steering wheel controls to the weird door openers, the complicated menus and, yes, my aesthetic hang ups — that it doesn’t quite stick the landing as one of my favorites in this class.
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.
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro: two-minute review
(Image credit: Future)
The GuliKit Elves 2 Pro is heavily inspired by the Sega Saturn gamepad, yet it’s embellished with enough modern-day features to make it playable with today’s games and platforms.
Its soft curves look good, as did the colorway I had, with its retro off-white base and multicolored accents. It’s also available in all-black, which lends it a more menacing appearance.
Its shape is more than just for show: it also helps with ergonomics. It fitted the contours of the hand very well, and I found the pronounced dips housing the face buttons and D-pad made it easy to use those inputs.
However, the small overall size of the Elves 2 Pro, coupled with the short length of handles, might deter those who prefer something more substantial. In this regard, the Elves 2 Pro falls short of the best PC controllers.
The build quality, on the other hand, is level with those gamepads. The chassis feels sturdy, and all the buttons are solid yet easy to press. The analog sticks are of a similarly high standard, although they’re shallower and have a smaller traveling circumference than many other modern controllers.
Despite the lack of customization software, there are a surprising number of tweaks you can make on the fly. There’s a settings button that’s used in conjunction with other buttons to adjust various parameters, such as stick sensitivity, D-pad modes, and the Motion Aim Assist.
In action, the Elves 2 Pro performs better than its looks might lead you to believe. The buttons are snappy and responsive, although they’re less damped than you might expect, but satisfying nonetheless. The D-pad is the real highlight, with its thick, circular design allowing for precise inputs and easy rolls without mis-presses – aspects that make it great for fighting games.
Despite their small size, the analog sticks are also a joy to use, with plenty of tactility and accuracy. When I tested the Elves 2 Pro on my Nintendo Switch, I also found the motion controls to be very accurate, although the tracking was worse when using the Motion Aim Assist mode in PC games.
Connectivity is good, and the Bluetooth seemed reliable. Switching between various devices on the fly can be a bother, though, requiring re-pairing at times. Battery life is admirable, lasting for several days in my experience.
The Elves 2 Pro sits somewhere in the middle of the third-party wireless controller market. However, it’s a little disappointing that it lacks certain common features, such as analog triggers, 2.4GHz connectivity, and companion software.
There are better value rivals that offer greater versatility, but if you want a good balance between retro design and modern performance, the Elves 2 Pro is a fine example in the space.
(Image credit: Future)
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: Price and availability
$49.99 / £59.99 (about AU$76)
Available now in two colorways
Middling value compared to rivals
The GuliKit Elves 2 Pro costs $49.99 / £59.99 (about AU$76) and is available now in two colorways: Retro and Black. It comes with a USB-C cable for charging.
This is a middling price for a wireless third-party controller. The multiplatform support is nice to have at this price point, but it’s a shame there are no analog triggers, no 2.4.GHz option, and no software.
You can find more controllers for the same price or less with more features. The GameSir Cyclone 2, for instance, has superior TMR sticks and Hall effect analog triggers, as well as both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity options. It also has a shape similar to the best Xbox controllers, which means it should accommodate more hand sizes.
If you want a gamepad with even more retro appeal, though, Retro-Bit’s Sega Saturn Wireless Pro Controller is probably the better pick. This costs about the same as the Elves 2 Pro, but has the advantage of 2.4GHz connectivity, and it even works with the original Sega Saturn console.
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Price
$49.99 / £59.99 (about AU$76)
Dimensions
5.8 x 3.4 x 1.8in / 147 x 87 x 45mm
Weight
6.7oz / 190g
Compatibility
PC, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS
Connection type
Wireless (Bluetooth), wired (USB-C)
Battery life
About 20 hours
Software
None
(Image credit: Future)
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: design and features
Retro looks
Small with short handles
Surprising number of on-board tweaks
The Elves 2 Pro leans heavily into the retro aesthetic, aping the Sega Saturn controller from 30 years ago. I liked the finish of my review unit, with its off-white base offset nicely by the red shoulder buttons and multicolored face buttons. An all-black colorway is also available, though, if you’d prefer something a bit more menacing.
It’s also just as small as an old controller, which might be a problem for larger hands. I found the handles too short to get a sufficient grip on them, which contrasts drastically with many modern controllers. The diminutive size does at least help with portability, and so does the lightweight construction.
Thankfully, the Elves 2 Pro has plenty of modern touches to redress the balance: the layout is fit for contemporary games, complete as it is with two analog sticks and two shoulder buttons. However, the triggers lack analog capability, which keeps the Elves 2 Pro somewhat rooted in the past – although Nintendo fans won’t be phased by this omission.
Overall build quality is impressive. Despite its light frame, the Elves 2 Pro feels sturdy, while the buttons are solid yet light to press. I also liked the craters on either side housing the face buttons and D-pad, which make for more comfortable thumb placement.
(Image credit: Future)
The analog sticks feel premium, and their soft coating helps with grip. They’re smaller and shallower than those on many other controllers, but I found them to be a good fit for my thumbs nonetheless.
There are a few buttons related to connectivity, which are clear and easy to use. There’s a pairing button on the front and a selector switch on the back to choose the appropriate platform for the Elves 2 Pro to work with.
There’s also a settings button on the front that works in combination with other buttons to give you access to an admirable number of tweaks. You can alter stick sensitivity and vibration modes, as well as swap the A and B buttons with X and Y, and toggle the D-pad between four- or eight-direction mode.
You can also adjust parameters for the Motion Aim Assist on PC and set up Continuous Fire mode. What’s more, there’s a dedicated button on the pad for the Auto Pilot Gaming (APG) mode, which is GuliKit’s name for its macro function. You can record 10 minutes-worth of inputs, which is quite astonishing, by holding this button for three seconds, and playback the sequence by pressing the same APG button. Double-tapping the button lets you play back the macro on a continuous loop.
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: performance
Snappy and responsive buttons
Excellent D-pad
Inconsistent device switching
The overall performance of the Elves 2 Pro is pretty good. The face buttons are responsive and satisfying to use, despite their lack of dampening relative to many other controllers.
The sticks also feel as smooth and as accurate as you would expect given their Hall effect technology, and I personally didn’t find their small size and confined travel an issue – but hardcore console FPS fans might feel differently.
However, it’s the D-pad that stands out most on the Elves 2 Pro. Personally, I usually prefer pronged hats rather than circular ones, as I tend to find them more accurate and less prone to unintended inputs.
But the Elves 2 Pro’s are an exception, as it allows for easy multi-directional rolls while maintaining high levels of accuracy, which I certainly welcomed when playing Tekken 8. It’s also well-damped and has a light actuation, which makes it effortless to use.
I also found the motion controls to be excellent when playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Switch, matching the performance of the best Nintendo Switch controllers in this department. You can also turn on motion controls when playing PC games by activating the Motion Aim Assist mode.
(Image credit: Future)
This allows the gyroscope to replace right stick movements when either L or ZL is held (your typical aim-down-sights buttons). However, when I played Atomfall on PC, the motion controls failed to track with anything like the same levels of accuracy as when using motion controls on Switch.
The Elves 2 Pro’s lack of 2.4GHz connectivity might deter those after pro-level performance, since this standard generally provides better response times. However, I can’t say I experienced any notable lag over Bluetooth with this gamepad, on any platform.
Connecting to various systems is also easy. I had no issues pairing the Elves 2 Pro to my Nintendo Switch or PC. It also connected to my Android phone with the same ease as the best mobile controllers.
Hot-swapping between PC and Switch was also a cinch, requiring a mere flick of the underside selector switch. However, switching between my phone and Switch for some reason proved more onerous, as I had to re-pair the Elves 2 Pro with my Switch. Thankfully, due to the aforementioned pairing process, this isn’t too bothersome, but it’s an aspect worth pointing out all the same.
The battery life of the Elves 2 Pro is admirable, lasting several days according to my testing. GuliKit claims it can last up to 20 hours, and I’m inclined to believe this figure.
Should I buy the GuliKit Elves 2 Pro?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: Also consider
Here are some alternatives to the GuliKit Elves 2 Pro Controller if it doesn’t sound right for you:
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Row 0 – Cell 0
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro
GameSir Cyclone 2
Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Wireless Pro Controller
Price
$49.99 / £59.99 (about AU$76)
$49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79
$49.99 / £44.99 (around AU$78)
Dimensions
5.8 x 3.4 x 1.8in / 147 x 87 x 45mm
6.1 x 4.1 x 2.5in / 156 x 103 x 63mm
5.91 x 3.54 x 1.18in / 150 x 90 x 30mm
Weight
6.7oz / 190g
8.1oz / 229g
13.8oz / 390g
Compatibility
PC, Nintendo Switch, mobile
PC, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS
PC, Nintendo Switch, Sega Saturn
Connection type
Wireless (Bluetooth), wired (USB-C)
Wireless (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz), wired (USB-C)
Wireless (2.4GHz, V2 for Sega Saturn), Wired (USB-C)
Battery life
20 hours
10 hours
15-20 hours
Software
None
GameSir Connect
None
How I tested the GuliKit Elves 2 Pro
Tested for several days
Played on multiple platforms
Extensive controller experience
I tested the Elves 2 Pro for several days, during which time I used it to play multiple games on various platforms.
I played Tekken 8 on PC, which provides a stern test for D-pads and the overall responsiveness of inputs. On Nintendo Switch, I played The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which I used to test the motion controls, among other inputs. I played Atomfall on PC to test the Motion Aim Assist mode, and I played Alien: Isolation on my Google Pixel 7a to test the Elves 2 Pro’s mobile gaming credentials.
I’ve been gaming for decades across all manner of platforms, from retro consoles to the modern PC. I have experienced a number of controllers during this time, and have reviewed a diverse selection of them, too.
