Reviews - page 4

With the Anker Nano Power Bank (5K, MagGo, Slim), thin is definitely in. Measuring just 0.34 inches deep, the Qi2 power bank attaches magnetically to MagSafe iPhones and delivers enough juice to get you through a frantic afternoon on the go.

At just 5,000 mAh, it won’t take modern iPhone batteries all the way to 100%. But it will power up a dead iPhone from zero to 20% in a little over 20 minutes. And it does so while attached comfortably to the phone, without the excessive heat generated by some competing power banks.

Ever been stranded with a dead iPhone in a crucial moment? Finding the best power banks for Apple devices can be the difference between staying connected and watching your screen go black. Thankfully, the market is loaded with great portable power banks that can keep your iPhone and other Apple devices powered up on the go. We rounded up the top 10 power banks for Apple users, including two of the fastest Qi2.2 models available so far. 

Apple Watch SE 3 is a huge upgrade, packing an always-on display, a new processor, fast charging, gesture support and many more improvements. It’s so good that it presents a problem for Apple Watch buyers: is there a reason to pay more to get a Series 11?

After a week with the SE 3, I’m blown away at how much I got for $249. Here’s why.

In testing the latest AirPods Pro 3 for this review, I found Apple’s high-end earbuds deliver remarkable audio quality and practically unbelievable active noise cancellation. Add to that a heart rate monitor that’s on par with the Apple Watch’s sensor, and Apple has made the best earbuds around even better.

The biggest upgrade is the AirPods Pro 3’s new foam-infused ear tips. They help increase the earbuds’ noise cancellation to uncanny levels. Plus, somehow, the audio quality sounds punchier than ever. I get better sound out of Apple’s tiny earbuds than from some over-ear headphones.

Here’s how the AirPods Pro 3 stack up to their predecessors.

For the first time ever, Apple released a Pro iPhone where “pro” means professional, not premium. The wafer-thin iPhone Air swiped the coveted premium device seat this year, but the iPhone 17 Pro still sits at the head of the table.
With its upgraded pro features and a new, no-nonsense design, the iPhone 17 Pro delivers the goods for people who need maximum power.

The iPhone Air is what the people say they’ve been asking for: something new. This is the first iPhone in a long time that will truly shock you when you take it out of the box and hold it in your hand.

That means cutting a few things you’ve come to expect from the iPhone: the second speaker, the second (and third) rear cameras … but also, the thickness and weight. And the more time I spent with the iPhone Air, the more I appreciated what was still there: the super-bright and big display, the improved front camera and, most surprisingly, the battery life.

Here’s my experience switching from the iPhone 16 Pro to the iPhone Air. It’s a path I think you might enjoy taking, too. Keep reading or watch our video review.

Apple put an always-on screen in the iPhone 17 and improved the display’s refresh rate to 120 Hz. Plus, the selfie cam got a brilliant new feature. There are plenty of other enhancements too — including double the storage capacity! — which all combine to make Apple’s new base-model iPhone a welcome upgrade for those ready to move up from an aging device.

This is the first time I’ve regularly used a basic iOS model in almost a decade. I’m impressed with what Apple offers for $799. It’s really made me question the need for a Pro model. Here’s why.

Professional photographer Austin Mann dropped another edition of his annual iPhone Pro camera reviews Wednesday. He took his new iPhone 17 Pro up into northern Italy’s Dolomite Mountains during a biking, cycling and paragliding trip. Stunning photography resulted.

“At Apple’s keynote last week, I was most interested in the new 48-megapixel 4x telephoto lens, the 8x telephoto lens, Center Stage selfie mode, 4K ProRes Log at 120FPS and the new Photographic Style, Bright,” he wrote. “As always, Apple’s presentation is full of flashy new tech, but I always have one question: How will this new tech make our pictures and videos better?”

Find his in-depth video and a link to his full review with many more photos below.

With my history of back trouble, I relied on standing desks and kneeling chairs way back when you hardly ever saw such things in offices. But since then standing desks have become essential in the modern workspace, offering flexibility and health benefits for anyone who spends long hours at a computer. This Uplift Standing Desk V3 review looks at the latest in Uplift’s well-regarded line of adjustable workstations, released Wednesday. 

In a nutshell, if you can afford it, this thing rocks. And the base version is actually pretty affordable. It’ll lift up any Mac setup in more ways than one. 

Early reviews of the iPhone 17 lineup say the 2025 models bring Apple’s most significant generational upgrade in years, despite some caveats here and there.

The series spans four models, each targeting different user priorities, from the newly capable base model to the ultra-thin iPhone Air and the two powerhouse Pro variants.

Early reviews of Apple Watch Series 11 seem to agree that while it looks just like its predecessor, this incremental update delivers meaningful improvements in some areas.

The biggest upgrade: longer battery life. But those with an Apple Watch Series 9 or 10 can skip this round unless you really want the six-hour battery boost. Check out review notes and review videos below.

The just-launched LaCie Rugged SSD4 from Seagate is for “creators working beyond the four walls of a studio.” It’s designed to stand up to punishment while offering terabytes of storage and USB4 data transfer speeds. That’s fast enough for iPhone Pro users to record ProRes 4K video.

I put the SSD through real-world testing. Here’s how it came out.

Early reviews of AirPods Pro 3 are out, and wow, are they positive. Engadget calls Apple’s latest a “comprehensive update to its best set of earbuds.” Cnet‘s headline perhaps said it best: “Big improvements, same price, no compromises.”

After poring over AirPods Pro 3 reviews from a wide variety of sources, it’s hard to find a negative comment anywhere.

There’s no need to wait: Shop the best iPhone 17 cases available now so you can slide your new device directly into one when it arrives. As you may know, new iPhones are pretty tough. And sure, lots of people go caseless to show off their handset’s sleek lines and cool color.

But imagine you drop it and break it, or crack the edge of the glass without even knowing how it happened — like I did recently with my iPhone 16 Pro (and just weeks ahead of likely trade-in!).

Yes, breakage can be crushing. But fortunately, even though the iPhone lineup 17 just came out, you can already choose from plenty of protective new cases — and avoid my sad fate.

Case makers plan for the new iPhone every year, with plenty of timely new releases. You could go minimal with a thin case that works well with iPhone Air’s sleek design. You might seek extreme impact resistance for the most damaging drops for your iPhone 17, or maybe you’d pick a luxurious leather that only looks better with age. For those looking for durable yet stylish protection for an iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max, you can find a variety of well-crafted options.

We gathered the best iPhone 17 cases you can buy right now — in addition to cases by Apple and its subsidiary Beats — with prices starting as low as $19.

Finding a reliable power bank that actually delivers on its promises isn’t always easy. For this Ugreen MagFlow power bank review, I put the potent, 10,000mAh Qi2.2 power bank through about two weeks of real-world testing with my iPhone and other devices. Whether you’re getting a new iPhone Series 17 model or not, this cutting-edge power bank could be a good choice.

Put your iPhone on the Lululook Ultra-Rise Qi2 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station to charge it at up to 15W, or to watch videos, make calls… whatever you need. Plus, the stand powers up your Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time.
And it looks great on your desk while doing so.
I tested out the multi-device charger in my home office. There’s a lot to like, but there’s a limitation, too.

It’s hard to know where to start on Apple Arcade because the service offers so many titles. But we scoured the catalog and found all the best Apple Arcade games so you can get right to the good stuff.

Check out our latest video or keep reading below to see the best Apple Arcade games. And if you like what you see, you can pick up a subscription here.

Love doesn’t have to be complicated. I can fall for a product just because it’s simply perfect, even though what it does isn’t very complex. That’s what happened with the new Casemade Leather Laptop Case.

It’s made of top-quality cowhide leather, with a wool interior… including a pocket. It zippers closed and cushions the computer without unnecessary bulk.

I’ve been happily carrying my notebook in this case because it’s simply beautiful and designed exactly right for what it does.

While Røde built its reputation on microphones, the Australian company’s first on-ear wired headphones deliver surprising audio quality for everything from studio monitoring to casual listening. This Røde NTH-50 headphones review finds the $99 wired cans challenge what we expect from professional headphones at this price point.

Is Røde’s entrance into the headphone market worth your attention? Let’s find out if these newcomers deserve a spot in your audio setup.

The Kuxiu M30 Magnetic Smart Connector Charger for iPad Pro/Air helps solve the irritating problem of limited iPad ports. It clings to the back of Apple tablets and charges them without taking up the computer’s sole USB-C port. It also reduces wear on the port.

I put the 35W charger through testing in my home office and came away quite satisfied.

And it’s on sale: 20% off!

Rolling Square claims, “Supertiny is the smallest 65W GaN Charger ever.” It’s definitely very small, but can still quickly power up a MacBook or other full-size computer.

I put the claims to the test and came away impressed. I do have one caution, though.

The Winmaxle Mobdel B1 can be a physical keyboard for typing on your iPhone, harking back to the days of the BlackBerry. And because it’s also a motion-sensitive mouse, you can use it with your iPad, too. Either way, it’s a handy little gizmo.

I found multiple uses for the wireless keyboard while I was testing it. But I also ran into a limitation that made it not as useful with my iPad as I hoped.

Adding high-speed plug-in storage capacity to your computer is so easy it’s something every Mac user should consider. Here are some of the best consumer-oriented external SSDs that are designed for portability. Even better: many of these are on sale.

We did hands-in testing for nearly all of these — look for links to our reviews.

While historical dramas often recycle familiar European or American narratives, Apple TV+’s Chief of War breaks cool new ground by exploring less-charted territory. The ambitious production transports viewers to 19th-century Hawaii, offering an authentic indigenous perspective on a pivotal period rarely depicted in mainstream media.

It’s bloody and brilliant. And you end up seeing Jason Momoa’s nearly bare backside so often that you just become numb to it.

Kidding aside, it only takes the first three episodes now available to stream as of Friday to see that Chief of War isn’t just another historical drama. It’s more of a cultural phenomenon that challenges conventional storytelling while delivering the great-looking cinematic work Apple TV+ subscribers have come to expect. The series masterfully weaves together political intrigue, cultural authenticity and human drama in ways that should captivate history buffs, cultural diversity seekers, bloodthirsty battle lovers and pretty much anyone hungry for some fresh storytelling.

The Twelve South Curve Nano is an iPhone stand designed to go with you anywhere. It’s slim and lightweight when folded, but flips open to support your handset when you’re watching video, making a video call and more.
I tried it out with my iPhone 16 Plus, both at home and on the go. Here’s what I found.