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Razer Huntsman V2 Analog Keyboard Review: Pressure-Sensitive Swank

Our Verdict

The Razer Huntsman V2 Analog keyboard is premium in its feature set, design and price; although, dedicated macro keys would’ve been nice. Pressure-sensitive keys bring a fine level of control in supported PC games, and they’re highly programmable, from their sensitivity to their reset point and functionality. For those who can put Razer’s new analog optical switches to work, this is as swanky as it gets.

For

Highly customizable analog mechanical switches
Satisfying typing experience
Comfortably padded RGB wrist rest
Handy media controls

Against

Wildly expensive
No macro keys
Customizable actuation could go lower
Limited PC support for analog control

The best gaming keyboards can come in flashy colors, offer high levels of programmability and different typing feels, but they still haven’t ousted controllers or become the cemented leader in gaming control. A big reason for that is the joystick. Not only do joysticks provide a fun, assertive and even nostalgic way to play games, but they also provide a type of input keyboards typically can’t offer: analog input.

It’s been a slow movement, but mechanical keyboard makers have been introducing keyboards with analog input, with keys that are sensitive to how much pressure is applied. Some, like the Wooting lineup, use optical mechanical switches to achieve this. With that in mind, it’s not too surprising to see Razer enter the analog race (crawl?). As one of the leaders in optical mechanical switches, the introduction of the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog with new Razer Analog Optical switches almost makes complete sense. That is, until you see the $250 price tag.

Razer Huntsman V2 Analog Specs

Switches	Razer Analog Optical
Lighting	Per-key RGB
Onboard Storage	4 profiles (no RGB)
Media Keys	Yes
Interface	USB
Cable	USB Type-C, plus USB Type-A for USB passthrough
Additional Ports	1x USB 3.0 passthrough port
Key Caps	Doubleshot PBT
Software	Razer Synapse
Dimensions (LxWxH without wrist rest)	17.53 x 5.52 x 1.71 inches
Extra	USB-C to USB-A Adapter

Razer Analog Optical Switches

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The big difference between analog mechanical switches and standard mechanical switches is how they read key presses. Most keyboards have digital input, meaning that they read either a 0 value (not depressed) or 1 value (depressed). Analog switches can get more specific. They work like a controller joystick in that they’re able to tell how hard you’re pressing a key and report the input appropriately. In a driving game, for example, this could mean a slight left turn when tapping A or a sharp turn when pressing it hard and bottoming out. Or in a FPS game, it could be the difference between creeping forward into a dark room cautiously or sprinting full force ahead.

With Razer’s Synapse software, you can set any of the keyboard’s keys to work like the functions offered via an Xbox controller’s left and right analog joysticks. It’s easy to set W,A,S and D, for example as left joystick up, left down and right, respectively. Afterward, pressing W lightly in a racing game might move your car forward a bit, while pressing it all the way down will rev you up to max speed.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

In this way, the Huntsman V2 Analog can let you play supported games with the same type of control you’d have with a controller with joysticks. But Synapse even offers more customization, letting you select one of its preset configurations or choose what point in key travel represents what analog input value from 0-255.

We’ve seen analog mechanical keyboards before, but the tech isn’t all the same. For example, the Cooler Master MK850 uses Aimpad tech that essentially takes standard Cherry MX Red mechanical switches and applies infrared (IR) tech to a select cluster of keys to give them analog functionality. The Huntsman V2 Analog is more like the Wooting Two in that every switch is analog and also optical mechanical (or optical for short). In general, optical switches activate when their stem crosses a light beam, differing from standard mechanical switches, which actuate via metallic contact.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

With Razer’s analog optical switches, light travels down a triangular opening in the switch’s stem. That opening widens as you press a key. A photosensor in the switch reads how much light is going through that triangle and makes an analog signal in line with how much light is detected.

Adjustable Actuation Points

The Huntsman V2 Analog’s switches also offer adjustable actuation points. If you download Synapse, you can set individual keys actuation points anywhere from 1.5-3.6mm in 0.1mm increments, as well as the reset point. The amount of force required to actuate an input will also change, starting at 54g if set to 1.5mm actuation and reaching a heavy 74g at 3.6mm.

Customizable actuation (not customizable reset) is something we’ve seen in other analog keyboards, like the Wooting Two. You can also find this feature on the SteelSeries Apex Pro OLED, but its SteelSeries OmniPoint switches aren’t pressure-sensitive.

Synapse makes setting your preferred actuation points simple and even offers a real-time pressure gauge. You can press a button as light or hard as you want, and a meter will visually show you your proximity to the 1.5mm actuation minimum or 3.6mm maximum. It’d be nice if the meter also told you how many millimeters you were at with that press (instead of just a representative green bar), but you can also set actuation points by entering a specific number.

One Keystroke, Two Inputs

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

And for the advanced gamer, Razer’s Analog Optical switches also allow for two inputs in one press if you program the feature via software. In the image above, Q works as Q until I bottom out, when it turns into E, letting me to quickly use two of Ashe’s special moves in Overwatch with rapid ease but still allowing me to just stick with just the Q move if desired.

To use any of these features on your PC, you’ll need to play a game with analog input support. The Huntsman V2 Analog’s namesake switch features are only available in PC games that support both mouse/keyboard and controller input if you set a key to a joystick function and try to use it without such a game, that key will do nothing when pressed). We’ll see how much those requirements limit our analog gameplay and how well the switches fare on the battlefield in the Gaming Experience section below.

Design of Razer Huntsman V2 Analog

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Razer’s Huntsman lineup is always pricey, partially due to the optical switches. The Huntsman V2 Analog is on the upper echelon of the upper-tier and carries a very similar design to what it’s replacing as the brand’s most expensive keyboard, the Razer Huntsman Elite. That includes pleasing media keys and a lavish RGB wrist rest. The design here has some legs up on the Huntsman Elite’s design though and, believe it or not, one of its biggest advantages is its wrist rest.

The Huntsman V2 Analog has a fake leather wrist rest that’s also RGB-ready. To set it aglow, all you have to do is plug in the keyboard and magnetically attach the wrist rest to the keyboard. It’ll metallically snap on securely, and thankfully, doesn’t require plugging in an extra cable to light up (like the Huntsman Elite does).

Wrist rests feel like an odd place for RGB because you’ll rarely see it. From my typical seated positions, I couldn’t usually see the RGB running along the wrist rest’s bottom lip or on the left and right sides. Nor could I see the RGB framing the actual keyboard’s on the bottom lip (if the wrist rest’s not attached) and left and right sides and bottom lip (if the wrist rest’s not attached). Sometimes it’d peek out from the bottom lip, especially if I was sitting lower, but I could never see it on the slides.

But with RGB brightness boosted up to about 40%, I got an impactful glow on my desk — even in a sunny room. And from afar or on a stream, the Huntsman V2 Analog’s RGB is definitely impressive. Whether on the deck, wrist rest or keys, the lighting shines with brilliance, clarity and accuracy with what’s programmed via software. Speaking of, you can set effects or colors to individual keys, and the deck and wrist rest carry 40 individual lighting zones total.

But who cares about RGB under your wrists when there’s so much comfort there too? The wrist rest here is Razer’s plushest yet and provides a clean, natural look with its bezel-less design. The filling has a good amount of density but isn’t quite in the firm category. It’s also not as plush and doesn’t have the same squishy, cooling gel feel of our favorite standalone wrist rest, the HyperX Wrist Rest. But in terms of comfort, this is one of the few pack-in wrist rests I’d consider using with other keyboards.

Razer’s Huntsman V2 Analog has two non-detachable USB cables coming out of it. The second one is for the USB 3.0 passthrough port on the left side of the clacker’s deck. These are thick, braided fiber cables, but we’ve encountered bulkier. Cable management is on you, but one nice touch is that this is a USB-C keyboard natively. (The USB passthrough port cable is USB-A). If you don’t have a USB-C port, Razer includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter in the box.

Media controls work wonders on a keyboard, and Razer has nearly perfectly nailed it with the rewind, play/pause, fast forward and volume wheel/mute button. The volume wheel is the real star. It has a tactile scroll with a healthy amount of resistance, so there won’t be accidental spins. There’s a premium feel that makes the wheel seem like it can take a lot of spinning — which is great because playing with this thing makes me feel like a DJ.

Razer even gave the media buttons customizable RGB. The problem is that the inscriptions are hard to read, so you’ll have to memorize them or get the right angle to read the black-on-black writing. This is also the case with the indicator light south of the navigational buttons.

Premium design touches come in the form of an aluminum top plate sitting atop the plastic bottom and doubleshot PBT keycaps that look as good as they feel. If you look very closely, there’s a subtle finish to the top plate that provides a mild shimmer that matches the effect brought on by the keycaps’ visible texture. The keyboard’s overall finish is clean but not fingerprint-proof.

The keycaps specifically, however, fight off fingerprints well, since Razer opted for the pricer PBT plastic option. They’re also doubleshot, or made with two layers of plastic injection mold, ensuring durability and that the writing never fades. The writing is less striking than other gaming keyboards with loud fonts; although the lower-case lettering on some keys adds playfulness.

Razer claims its manufacturing methods allow for the “thinnest font possible on a doubleshot PBT keycap.” There’s light bleed in between the keys and a lot of light reflecting on the button of the FN row particularly at max brightness. But you can curb this by reducing RGB brightness.

Analog Gaming Experience

The Huntsman V2 Analog’s customizable actuation points and double inputs work with any game or app, but for the keys to be pressure-sensitive like a joystick, you’ll need a supported game. Razer told me this is any game that allows for both game/mouse inputs and controllers. Inconveniently, the brand’s yet to share a list of supported games, but a similar tech, Aimpad, has its own list of supported games, which will also likely work with the Razer keyboard’s analog features too. We’ll update this review if Razer shares a list of supported games.

To try out the switches’ pressure sensitivity, I turned to Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V), hoping to get the same amount of vehicular control I get when playing the game on-console. Have you ever tried to drive like a sane person in GTA V? It’s a game in itself, and with pressure-sensitive input, I was able to get the fine level of control needed to do this successfully.

With the WASD cluster set to control navigation, I was able to tap A to make a light turn instead of one that sharply veered me offroad into local prostitutes. With the A and D keys set to turn my heisted vehicles left and right, a light tap helped me slowly accelerate to the left, and I can hold the key at that level to maintain speed. If I needed to swerve or turn sharply, bottoming out quickly got the wheels turned as far as possible.

Feeling natural and comfortable while keeping a key pressed, say, halfway, will take some getting used to though. Since these switches are linear, at first it felt challenging to maintain just the right amount of pressure to achieve the amount of acceleration I wanted with my car.

Linear switches are great for fast, interruption-free input, but I’d love to see an analog mechanical switch with tactile feedback. It may be easier to keep the key half-pressed (or so) comfortably if there’s a bump along the travel that can serve as a resting point. Full disclosure: I generally prefer tactile switches over linear ones.

General Gaming Experience on Razer Huntsman V2 Analog

Even if you’re not playing a game that supports our review focus’ analog features, there’s a potential advantage to be had in the Huntsman V2 Analog’s customizable actuation points. The most popular linear switch, Cherry MX Reds, have a 2mm actuation point, 4mm total travel and require 45g. Since you can set the Huntsman V2 Analog’s switches to have an actuation point as low as 1.5mm, your fingers can have 0.5mm less to travel to register an input. On top of that, the reset point is also customizable, so you can really get the feel you want. Actuation force is greater than Cherry Reds though, with the Razer switches ranging from 54g with 1.5mm actuation and maxing at 74g.

But in terms of keyboards with customizable actuation points, we’ve seen shorter. The Apex Pro OLED’s OmniPoint switches can actuate at 0.4-3.6mm. And the hard-to-find Wooting Two can actuate from 0.1-4mm with 65g of force. At 0.1mm you’d have to be careful not to accidentally brush up on a key and add accidental pressure, but for very skilled and quick gamers, it’d be nice to have 0.1-1.5mm actuation points be an option.

In general, the keyboard’s well-spaced layout and premium keycaps with their pleasant sound and slip-0resistant texture made long hours of game a breeze.

One of the keyboard’s most unique features is the ability to assign two functions to one key press. With the right execution, this can be fun and efficient and let you complete your two tasks quicker.

I used this trick in Overwatch with the E key. I set the keyboard so that pressing the E key down 1.5mm served as pressing E, which makes Ashe throw dynamite. Then, if I continued pressing E down to 3.6mm, the input would change to Q, which fires Ashe’s shotgun. Being able to hit E and Q in one stroke let me throw dynamite and then quickly shoot it, so it’d instantly explode in an enemy’s face. I could set a macro like this on many mechanical gaming keyboards, but then I wouldn’t have the option to not use the shotgun if, for instance, my aim was off, and I, therefore, didn’t want to waste a shot making it explode.

Again, I’d like to see how tactile, instead of linear switches, might make this feature easier to leverage. With a tactile switch, I could set the secondary input to a point after the bump, which would bring a clearer distinction between input 1 and input 2.

Typing Experience on Razer Huntsman V2 Analog

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Huntsman V2 Analog debuts Razer’s Analog Optical mechanical switches, which have a lot of tricks to them, as we detailed above. But in their simplest form, they’re linear switches. One of the best parts is that the typing experience is, somewhat, up to you. No matter what, you’ll have linear presses that go down smoothly with no bump or clicking noise along the way. But with the ability to set each switch’s actuation point from 1.5-3.6mm, you can decide if an input requires a light press or nearly bottoming out. Lighter actuation points can make for quicker input, while requiring a harder press may help avoid accidental inputs.

Linear switches are known to have zero clickiness, but the doubleshot PBT keycaps make a delightful noise that reminds me of someone writing with chalk. The spacebar is especially loud with a slightly higher and more hollow noise to it.

The switches are also specced for 4mm total travel and actuate with 54-74g of force. For comparison, the linear analog optical switches found in the Wooting Two, Flaretech Linear55 Reds, can also have a 1.5-3.6mm actuation point, have 4mm total travel and require 55g of force to actuate.

To see how different actuation points can affect my typing performance, I tried the 10fastfingers.com typing test at the lowest and highest actuation settings With a 1.5mm actuation point, my best time was 126 words per minute (wpm) and my accuracy about 1% shy of my average. With actuation set to 3.6mm, my best time was also 126 wpm, with less than a 1% drop in accuracy.

I’m an aggressive typer, so when typing a lot, I’m usually bottoming out. As a result, bringing up the actuation point didn’t make a big difference for me, since I probably continued bottoming out anyway. That said, I have experienced speed boosts with a more dramatic drop in actuation point, specifically with the SteelSeries Apex Pro, which can drop to 0.4mm. But if you’re someone who types lightly and isn’t frequently bottoming out, you may be able to pick up speed by reducing the actuation point.

In general use, using the higher actuation point was noticeably different. Sometimes I’d try to tap something like backspace or an arrow key, and it wouldn’t register. I’m used to bottoming out when typing, but having keys like the function row and navigation keys also require this much fore felt unnatural. Thankfully, Razer’s Synapse software lets you set actuation points for each key, allowing me to bring some down to a lighter 1.5mm. With only a light tap required to make actions like take a screenshot, I felt more productive.

With Synapse, it’s easy to set up different profiles and settings for different uses. For example, my work profile has typing keys set to 2mm, with navigational keys, the FN row and numpad at a lighter 1.5mm. I love firmly asserting a space or enter, so those keys are at 3.6mm.

Features and Software on Razer Huntsman V2 Analog

Razer’s Synapse software is essential for adjusting the Huntsman V2 Analog switches’ actuation point but also offers other customization options.

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The Customize menu lets you assign different functions to each key and even the media controls. The scroll wheel even has three programmable functions (scroll up, down or press in). There’s a massive range of options, from launching programs and switching profiles or RGB, to macros. You can even assign mouse functions to the keyboard. And if you assign a button as the Razer HyperShift key, every key will offer an additional function when you’re holding down that key. This all equates to a massive amount of input customization, even without the analog features.

You can turn off or change RGB brightness without software, but to toggle presets or make your own effects, you’ll need Synapse. If you open Synapse’s Chroma Studio add-in, you get a complex UI that lets you make advanced per-key RGB effects after you get the hang of it.

Considering the Huntsman V2 Analog’s high price, we’re happy to see Razer include 5 onboard memory profiles. Once set up in Synapse, you can plug the keyboard into another PC, and it’ll remember up to 4 profiles without having to download Synapse again. You can toggle through the profiles quickly by pressing FN and menu, and the keyboard will flash the profile’s color to let you know where you’re at. Unfortunately, these profiles won’t remember your RGB settings.

If you do download Synapse, you can save as many profiles as you want and set them to automatically launch with specific games or other apps.

Bottom Line

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

At $250, the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog is one of the most expensive gaming keyboards you can get. And it does a lot to try to earn that title. With premium keycaps, a wrist rest with RGB and comfort to match,a delicious typing experience and advanced gaming features, like onboard memory, it leaves out very little.

A big part of the cost is the analog switches. These are immediately useful in letting you set actuation points, allowing for a more customized experience that may aid in productivity. But you’ll be limited to PC games that take both keyboard / mouse and controller input, making this investment a bit harder.

Unlike some other analog keyboards, such as the $160 Cooler Master MK850, Razer thoughtfully included analog keys in every switch. But we would’ve sacrificed that to get a more attainable price. There’s also a cheaper full-keyboard analog alternative in the Wooting Two, which is $160 as of writing and hot-swappable with either linear or clicky switches.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro, meanwhile, isn’t a true analog keyboard, nor is it optical (if that matters to you). But it does offer arguably the most frequently usable feature of the Huntsman V2 Analog switches: customizable actuation points across the board. It’s also cheaper (currently $180).

In the $200 range alone, there’s also, naturally, tough competition. If you’re willing to spend that much, the Corsair K100 RGB may have more usable bonuses, like a control wheel and macro keys. There’s no analog input or customizable actuation, but the linear switches are optical.

So, unless you know how you’ll put the Huntsman V2 Analog’s pricey switches to good use, there are probably other keyboards that’ll give you more use for your money.

But ultimately, as both an analog keyboard and premium gaming peripheral, the Huntsman V2 Analog checks off nearly every box. We just wish it’d check the ‘expensive’ box a little less hard.

Check Out the Funky PCB On EVGA’s GeForce RTX 3090 Kingpin GPU

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Designed for extreme overclocking, EVGA’s Kingpin edition graphics cards are arguably among the most complex and impressive pieces of hardware available today. Unfortunately, these cards are only sold to EVGA’s Elite Members, and reviews of KPE products are rare, so very few people get to see these boards up close, making a review of the GeForce RTX 3090 Kingpin published by the South Korean Quasar Zone website (via @harukaze5719) even more valuable for hardware enthusiasts.

Since EVGA’s GeForce RTX 3090 Kingpin is a factory overclocked graphics board that is ready for extreme overclocking using liquid nitrogen (LN2), it isn’t particularly surprising that the card is faster than other Nvidia GA102-based AIBs. The board also comes with a hybrid cooling solution that cools down its GPU, memory, and voltage regulating module (VRM), so it is a great overclocker right out of the box, too.

The Kingpin’s PCB is perhaps the most impressive thing about the card. Considering that EVGA’s KPE products are developed for extreme overclockers that demand absolutely the best, the PCB design of EVGA’s top-of-the-range card is considerably more complex than Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3090 Founders Edition.

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While Nvidia’s board features a 20-phase VRM, EVGA opted for a 23-phase VRM that uses MPS’ MP86956 60A power stages. The regular RTX 3090 FE card comes with a single 12-pin connector that can deliver up to 300W of power, whereas you can feed the RTX 3090 KPE AIB up to 450W using three eight-pin power connectors. EVGA’s RTX 3090 KPE PCB also contains isolated components using special elements to make signals cleaner to guarantee better overclocking potential.

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To give owners of the GeForce RTX 3090 Kingpin the ultimate control over all aspects of the board’s operation, it features EVGA’s proprietary header for voltage monitoring using Probe-IT or EVBot meters as well as 10 sensors to monitor GPU, memory, and VRM temperatures, something no other board has.

EVGA’s GeForce RTX 3090 Kingpin Hybrid Gaming graphics card is currently listed for $2,069.99 on the company’s website. Unfortunately, it is out of stock and is only available to EVGA’s Elite Members.

Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master Preview: Remastered for Z590

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While we still don’t have an Intel Rocket Lake-S Core i9-11900K CPU to use for testing, the Intel Z590 motherboards are arriving in our labs and on store shelves. So while we await the ability to talk benchmarks, we’ll be walking in detail through the features of these brand-new boards. First up on our bench was the ASRock Z590 Steel Legend 6E Wi-Fi, and now we have the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master to dive into.

The latest version of this premium motherboard line includes an incredibly robust VRM, ultra-fast Wi-Fi and wired networking, premium audio, and more. While we don’t have exact pricing information at the time of this writing, the Z490 version came in just under $400, which is around where we expect the Z590 version to land, if not slightly higher.

Gigabyte’s current Z590 product stack consists of 13 models. There are familiar SKUs and a couple of new ones. Starting with the Aorus line, we have the Aorus Xtreme (and potentially a Waterforce version), Aorus Master, Aorus Ultra, and the Aorus Elite. Gigabyte brings back the Vision boards (for creators) and their familiar white shrouds. The Z590 Gaming X and a couple of boards from the budget Ultra Durable (UD) series are also listed. New for Z590 is the Pro AX board, which looks to slot somewhere in the mid-range. Gigabyte will also release the Z590 Aorus Tachyon, an overbuilt motherboard designed for extreme overclocking.

We’re not allowed to list any performance metrics for Rocket Lake (not that we have a CPU at this time) as the embargo wasn’t up when we wrote this article. All we’ve seen at this point are rumors and a claim from Intel of a significant increase to IPC, but the core count was lowered from 10 cores/20 threads in Comet Lake (i9-10900K) to 8 cores/16 threads in the yet-to-be-released i9-11900K. To that end, we’ll stick with specifications and features, adding a full review that includes benchmarking, overclocking and power consumption shortly.

The Z590 Aorus Master looks the part of a premium motherboard, with brushed-aluminum shrouds covering the PCIe/M.2/chipset area. The VRM heatsink and its NanoCarbon Fin-Array II provide a nice contrast against the smooth finish on the board’s bottom. Along with Wi-Fi 6E integration, it also includes an Aquantia based 10GbE, while most others use 2.5 GbE. The Aorus Master includes a premium Realtek ALC1220 audio solution with an integrated DAC, three M.2 sockets, reinforced PCIe and memory slots and 10 total USB ports, including a rear USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port. We’ll cover those features and much more in detail below. But first, here are full the specs from Gigabyte.

Specifications – Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master

Socket	AM4
Chipset	Z590
Form Factor	ATX
Voltage Regulator	19 Phase (18+1, 90A MOSFETs)
Video Ports	(1) DisplayPort v1.2
USB Ports	(1) USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, Type-C (20 Gbps)
	(5) USB 3.2 Gen 2, Type-A (10 Gbps)
	(4) USB 3.2 Gen 1, Type-A (5 Gbps)
Network Jacks	(1) 10 GbE
Audio Jacks	(5) Analog + SPDIF
Legacy Ports/Jacks	✗
Other Ports/Jack	✗
PCIe x16	(2) v4.0 x16, (x16/x0 or x8/x8
	(1) v3.0 x4
PCIe x8	✗
PCIe x4	✗
PCIe x1	✗
CrossFire/SLI	AMD Quad GPU Crossfire and 2-Way Crossfire
DIMM slots	(4) DDR4 5000+, 128GB Capacity
M.2 slots	(1) PCIe 4.0 x4 / PCIe (up to 110mm)
	(1) PCIe 3.0 x4 / PCIe + SATA (up to 110mm)
	(1) PCIe 3.0 x4 / PCIe + SATA (up to 110mm)
U.2 Ports	✗
SATA Ports	(6) SATA3 6 Gbps (RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10)
USB Headers	(1) USB v3.2 Gen 2 (Front Panel Type-C)
	(2) USB v3.2 Gen 1
	(2) USB v2.0
Fan/Pump Headers	(10) 4-Pin
RGB Headers	(2) aRGB (3-pin)
	(2) RGB (4-pin)
Legacy Interfaces	✗
Other Interfaces	FP-Audio, TPM
Diagnostics Panel	Yes, 2-character debug LED, and 4-LED ‘Status LED’ display
Internal Button/Switch	Power, Reset, BIOS switch, SB switch
SATA Controllers	✗
Ethernet Controller(s)	(1) Aquantia AQC107 (10 GbE)
Wi-Fi / Bluetooth	Intel WiFi-6E AX210 (802.11ax, 2×2, MU-MIMO, OFDMA, BT 5.2)
USB Controllers	Realtek RTS5411E, ASMedia 1074
HD Audio Codec	Realtek ALC1220-VB
DDL/DTS Connect	✗ / DTS:X Ultra
Warranty	3 Years

Opening up the retail packaging, along with the board, you’re greeted by a slew of included accessories. The Aorus Master contains the basics (guides, driver CD, SATA cables) and a few other things that make this board a complete package. Below is a full list of all included accessories.

Installation Guide
User’s Manual
G-connector
Sticker sheet / Aorus badge
Wi-Fi Antenna
(4) SATA cables
(3) Screws for M.2 sockets
(2) Temperature probes
Microphone
RGB extension cable

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After taking the Z590 Aorus Master out of the box, its weight was immediately apparent, with the shrouds, heatsinks and backplate making up the majority of that weight. The board sports a matte-black PCB, with black and grey shrouds covering the PCIe/M.2 area and two VRM heatsinks with fins connected by a heatpipe. The chipset heatsink has the Aorus Eagle branding lit up, while the rear IO shroud arches over the left VRM bank with more RGB LED lighting. The Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0 application handles RGB control. Overall, the Aorus Master has a premium appearance and shouldn’t have much issue fitting in with most build themes.

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Looking at the board’s top half, we’ll first focus on the VRM heatsinks. They are physically small compared to most boards, but don’t let that fool you. The fin array uses a louvered stacked-fin design Gigabyte says increases surface area by 300% and improves thermal efficiency with better airflow and heat exchange. An 8mm heat pipe also connects them to share the load. Additionally, a small fan located under the rear IO shroud actively keeps the VRMs cool. The fan here wasn’t loud, but was undoubtedly audible at default settings.

We saw a similar configuration in the previous generation, which worked out well with an i9-10900K, so it should do well with the Rocket Lake flagship, too. We’ve already seen reports indicating the i9-11900K has a similar power profile to its predecessor. Feeding power to the VRMs is two reinforced 8-pin EPS connectors (one required).

To the right of the socket, things start to get busy. We see four reinforced DRAM slots supporting up to 128GB of RAM. Oddly enough, the specifications only list support up to DDR4 3200 MHz, the platform’s limit. But further down the webpage, it lists DDR4 5000. I find it odd it is listed this way, though it does set up an expectation that anything above 3200 MHz is overclocking and not guaranteed to work.

Above the DRAM slots are eight voltage read points covering various relevant voltages. This includes read points for the CPU Vcore, VccSA, VccIO, DRAM, and a few others. When you’re pushing the limits and using sub-ambient cooling methods, knowing exactly what voltage the component is getting (software can be inaccurate) is quite helpful.

Above those on the top edge are four fan headers (next to the EPS connectors is a fifth) of 10. According to the manual, all CPU fan and pump headers support 2A/24W each. You shouldn’t have any issues powering fans and a water cooling pump. Gigabyte doesn’t mention if these headers use auto-sensing (for DC or PWM control), but they handled both when set to ‘auto’ in the BIOS. Both a PWM and DC controlled fan worked without intervention.

The first two (of four) RGB LED headers live to the fan headers’ right. The Z590 Aorus Master includes two 3-pin ARGB headers and two 4-pin RGB headers. Since this board takes a minimal approach to RGB lighting, you’ll need to use these to add more bling to your rig.

We find the power button and 2-character debug LED for troubleshooting POST issues on the right edge. Below is a reinforced 24-pin ATX connector for power to the board, another fan header and a 2-pin temperature probe header. Just below all of that are two USB 3.2 Gen1 headers and a single USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C front-panel header for additional USB ports.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Gigabyte chose to go with a 19-phase setup for the Vcore and SOC on the power delivery front. Controlling power is an Intersil ISL6929 buck controller that manages up to 12 discrete channels. The controller then sends the power to ISL6617A phase doublers and the 19 90A ISL99390B MOSFETs. This is one of the more robust VRMs we’ve seen on a mid-range board allowing for a whopping 1,620A available for the CPU. You won’t have any trouble running any compatible CPU, including using sub-ambient overclocking.

(Image credit: Gigabyte)

The bottom half of the board is mostly covered in shrouds hiding all the unsightly but necessary bits. On the far left side, under the shrouds, you’ll find the Realtek ALC1220-VB codec along with an ESS Sabre ESS 9118 DAC and audiophile-grade WIMA and Nichicon Fine Gold capacitors. With the premium audio codec and DAC, an overwhelming majority of users will find the audio perfectly acceptable.

We’ll find the PCIe slots and M.2 sockets in the middle of the board. Starting with the PCIe sockets, there are a total of three full-length slots (all reinforced). The first and second slots are wired for PCIe 4.0, with the primary (top) slot wired for x16 and the bottom maxes out at x8. Gigabyte says this configuration supports AMD Quad-GPU Cand 2-Way Crossfire. We didn’t see a mention of SLI support even though the lane count supports it. The bottom full-length slot is fed from the chipset and runs at PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds. Since the board does without x1 slots, this is the only expansion slot available if you’re using a triple-slot video card. Anything less than that allows you to use the second slot.

Hidden under the shrouds around the PCIe slots are three M.2 sockets. Unique to this setup is the Aorus M.2 Thermal Guard II, which uses a double-sided heatsink design to help cool M.2 SSD devices with double-sided flash. With these devices’ capacities rising and more using flash on both sides, this is a good value-add.

The top socket (M2A_CPU) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4 devices up to 110mm long. The second and third sockets, M2P_SB and M2M_SB, support both SATA and PCIe 3.0 x3 modules up to 110mm long. When using a SATA-based SSD on M2P_SB, SATA port 1 will be disabled. When M2M_SB (bottom socket) is in use, SATA ports 4/5 get disabled.

To the right of the PCIe area is the chipset heatsink with the Aorus falcon lit up with RGB LEDs from below. There’s a total of six SATA ports that support RAID0, 1, 5 and 10. Sitting on the right edge are two Thunderbolt headers (5-pin and 3-pin) to connect to a Gigabyte Thunderbolt add-in card. Finally, in the bottom-right corner is the Status LED display. The four LEDs labeled CPU, DRAM, BOOT and VGA light up during the POST process. If something hangs during that time, the LED where the problem resides stays lit, identifying the problem area. This is good to have, even with the debug LED at the top of the board.

Across the board’s bottom are several headers, including more USB ports, fan headers and more. Below is the full list, from left to right:

Front-panel audio
BIOS switch
Dual/Single BIOS switch
ARGB header
RGB header
TPM header
(2) USB 2.0 headers
Noise sensor header
Reset button
(3) Fan headers
Front panel header
Clear CMOS button

(Image credit: Gigabyte)

The Z590 Aorus Master comes with a pre-installed rear IO panel full of ports and buttons. To start, there are a total of 10 USB ports out back, which should be plenty for most users. You have a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port, five USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports and four USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports. There is a single DisplayPort output for those who would like to use the CPU’s integrated graphics. The audio stack consists of five gold-plated analog jacks and a SPDIF out. On the networking side is the Aquantia 10 GbE port and the Wi-Fi antenna. Last but not least is a Clear CMOS button and a Q-Flash button, the latter designed for flashing the BIOS without a CPU.

Firmware

The Z590 Aorus Master BIOS theme doesn’t look any different from the Z490 versions. The Aorus board still uses the black and orange theme we’re familiar with. We’ve captured a majority of the BIOS screens to share with you. Like other board partners, Gigabyte includes an Easy Mode for high-level monitoring and adjustments, along with an Advanced section. The BIOS is well organized, with many of the more commonly used functions easily accessible without drilling down multiple levels to find them. In the end, the BIOS works well and is easy to navigate and read.

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Software

Gigabyte includes a few applications designed for various functions, including RGB lighting control, audio, system monitoring, and overclocking. Below, we’ve captured several screenshots of the App Center, @BIOS, SIV, RGB Fusion and Easy Tune.

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Future Tests and Final Thoughts

With the release of Z590, we’re in a bit of a pickle in that we have boards in our hands, but not the Rocket Lake CPU designed for it. We know most of these boards should perform similarly to our previous Z490 motherboard reviews. And while there are exceptions, they are mostly at the bottom of the product stack. To that end, we’re posting these as detailed previews until we get data using a Rocket Lake processor.

Once we receive a Rocket Lake CPU and as soon as any embargos have expired, we’ll fill in the data points, including the benchmarking/performance results, as well as overclocking/power and VRM temperatures.

We’ll also be updating our test system hardware to include a PCIe 4.0 video card and storage. This way, we can utilize the platform to its fullest using the fastest protocols it supports. We will also update to the latest Windows 10 64-bit OS (20H2) with all threat mitigations applied, as well as updating the video card driver and use the newest release when we start this testing. We use the latest non-beta motherboard BIOS available to the public unless otherwise noted.

While we do not have performance results from the yet-to-be-released Rocket Lake CPU, we’re sure the 90A VRMs will handle the i9-11900K processor without issue. We quickly tested the i9-10900K and found the board quite capable with that CPU, easily allowing the 5.2 GHz overclock we set. For now, we’ll focus on features, price, and appearance until we gather performance data from the new CPU.

(Image credit: Gigabyte)

The Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master is a well-rounded solution, bringing a lot of premium features to the table. Baked into the chipset is USB 3.2 Gen2x2 support, and on the network side, a 10 GbE port and Intel’s Wi-Fi 6E AX210 card are basically the best you can get out of the box. The 90A 18-phase VRM for the processor does not have any issues with an overclocked Comet-Lake CPU, so the new Rocket-Lake CPUs at the same TDP shouldn’t have a problem. This board can be used for sub-ambient overclocking (though the Gigabyte Z590 Tachyon is the purpose-built board by Gigabyte for such a thing).

Since Z590 added native PCIe 4.0 support (with Rocket Lake CPUs only) and additional PCIe lanes, we’ll see more boards with up to three M.2 sockets, just like the less-expensive Steel Legend has. The Aorus Master sports one PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) slot and two PCIe 3.0 x4 (32 Gbps) slots. Add to that the six SATA ports and nearly everyone’s storage needs should be covered. The 10 USB ports on the rear IO include a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port and should be plenty for most users.

If I had to pick out something that needs improvement, I would like to see more expansion slots. As it stands, there is only one full-length PCIe slot. The $400-plus price tag will also likely put off budget users. While Gigabyte hasn’t listed an exact price for the Aorus Master, the Z490 version came in at just under $400. We expect the Z590 version to be at that point or a little higher.

Compared to similarly priced peers (think ASRock Z590 Taichi, MSI MEG Z590 Unify and the Asus ROG Strix Z590-E Gaming WiFi ), the Gigabyte Aorus Z590 Master covers all the bases. If you prefer the latest audio codec and four M.2 sockets, instead of three, the Asus Z590-E Gaming has you taken care of. If you need ultra-fast networking, Gigabyte has you covered with its 10 GbE. All of the comparable boards are certainly capable and include quite a bit of features at this price point, so it comes down to the price, appearance, and features you need.

In the end, The Gigabyte Aorus Z590 Master is, like most Z590 motherboards, an iterative update from Z490. You get Rocket Lake support out of the box, superior power delivery, ultra-fast networking, and a premium appearance. If you’re looking for a Z590 motherboard around the $400 price point, The Z590 Aorus Master should be on your shortlist. Stay tuned for benchmarking, overclocking, and power results using the new Rocket Lake CPU short list.

Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards for 2021

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Mechanical keyboard enthusiasts can spend hundreds of dollars on boards with limited-run backplates, obscure switches,and bespoke keycaps. Some high-end pre-built models, including the best gaming keyboards and best wireless keyboards, can also pass the $100 mark pretty quickly. But that doesn’t mean the joys of mechanical switches are exclusive to the deep-pocketed–there are some budget mechanical keyboards worth buying.

Before we get to our picks for the best budget mechanical keyboards, though, here are a few tips for shopping around.

Choose your form factor. When looking for the best budget mechanical keyboard, many will be either full-sized with a number pad or tenkeyless (TKL) without one. Those who spend a lot of time working in spreadsheets probably can’t imagine using a keyboard without a number pad, but those who are more likely to spend their time gaming might appreciate the extra space afforded by a TKL design. There are also 60% keyboards that omit the arrow and navigational keys, giving you the most desk space but appealing to a smaller crowd, due to the more limited functionality.

Choose your switch type. Mechanical switches aren’t all created equal. Different switches feature varying actuation points, travel distances,and types of feedback. There are three main categories of mechanical switches you should know:

Linear switches are easy to depress because there’s no tactile bump along the way to bottoming out. Many gamers prefer linear switches because they’re easy to press repeatedly quickly and tend to be quiet. These are often Red or Black.

Tactile switches feature a noticeable bump that offers clear feedback before bottoming out and, in many cases, increase the required actuation force. Many typists prefer tactile keyboards because they make it easier to feel each keypress. Common examples include Brown and Clear switches.

Clicky switches are tactile switches but also make noise when they hit the bump in the keypress. These are preferred by people who A) work alone or B) want to subject everyone around them to a cacophony of click-clacks for some reason. These are often Blue, Green or White.

There’s a wide range of options within each category, but these categories should apply to the vast majority of mechanical switches. Manufacturers are often kind enough to break down their switches into those categories, and they’re usually color-coded as well. Some examples include:

Consider a switch tester. The wide variety of mechanical switches available can make buying a keyboard seem daunting. Although it’s possible to change mechanical keyboard switches, it’s a notable hassle. Luckily, there are many switch testers on the market that make it easier to experiment with a variety of switches–the exact mix depends on the tester–before committing to a specific one. It’s an added up-front cost but cheaper than replacing a keyboard that features switches you don’t like.

Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard You Can Buy Today

The Cooler Master CK552 is the best budget mechanical keyboard, boasting great features and switch selection. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

1. Cooler Master CK552

Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard

Switches: Gateron Red, Blue or Brown | Backlight: Per-key RGB | Type: Full-sized | Size: 18.1 x 5.3 x 1.6 inches (460 x 135 x 41mm) | Weight: 1.9 pounds (850g)

Beautiful RGB backlighting

Solid aluminum top plate

Variety of available switch types

Red switches can be easy to mis-press

The Cooler Master CK552 is the best budget mechanical keyboard for most. It’s a full-sized gaming keyboard with RGB backlighting, an aluminum top plate, and a 5.9-foot (1.8m) USB 2.0 cable. It includes a good selection of switch types: Gateron Brown (tactile), Blue (clicky) and Red (linear), which are all said to be able to withstand up to 50 million key presses without failure.

My review unit came equipped with Gateron Red switches that proved responsive during gaming–so much so that I occasionally pressed a key I didn’t mean to. That also means it stumbled a bit during heavy typing sessions. Choosing a different switch type could help, and Cooler Master makes the keyboard with tactile Brown or clicky Blue switches too, but they aren’t as easy to find online as of writing.

Good for gamers and enthusiasts, the CK552 features on-board memory that can store up to four profiles and on-the-fly controls that make it easy to record macros and control the backlighting. It’s also compatible with the Cooler Master Portal utility, which offers more granular controls over many of the same areas but isn’t as robust as rivals, such as Razer Synapse. Still, this dual approach should appeal to people who don’t like to install a bunch of software and those who want greater control over their peripherals.

If you want to game on the best budget TKL mechanical keyboard, check out the HyperX Alloy FPS Pro. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. HyperX Alloy FPS Pro

Best Budget TKL Mechanical Keyboard for Gaming

Switches: Cherry MX Brown or Blue | Backlight: Red | Type: Full-sized | Size: 14.1 x 5.1 x 1.4 inches (358 x 130 x 36mm) | Weight: 1.8 pounds (816g)

Compact shape, detachable cable make for easy transport

Cherry MX switches are slightly better than rivals

Solid steel construction should withstand heated gaming sessions

Red-only backlighting

Keycaps show noticeable shine after limited use

The HyperX Alloy FPS Pro (currently available for $70) was made with esports in mind, making one of the best budget mechanical keyboards for gamers. It features a compact TKL design, a detachable USB cable and solid steel construction that should allow it to travel well. Those features alone would allow it to stand out from other keyboards on this list, but HyperX didn’t stop at the Alloy FPS Pro’s portability.

The Alloy FPS Pro is available with Cherry MX-branded linear Red or clicky Blue Switches, and that also helps it stand out from other budget mechanical keyboards. There’s nothing wrong with most manufacturers’ switches, but Cherry’s are still seen as the best of the best–at least in the mainstream consumer market. (Don’t worry, enthusiasts, we wouldn’t besmirch your Zealios or the new Panda switches from the Glorious PC Gaming Race.)

HyperX also decked out the Alloy FPS Pro with n-key rollover and 100% anti-ghosting as well as red backlighting with a variety of effects. All of these features combined led to some of the best and most comfortable gaming sessions I had during the course of preparing this round-up. The Alloy FPS Pro was responsive, fit perfectly with the rest of my setup and felt like the natural choice for gaming.

It would be nice to see RGB backlighting and some dedicated media keys, but from a pure gaming standpoint, it’s hard to beat the Alloy FPS Pro at this price point.

The Logitech K840 Mechanical keyboard helps you stay on budget and get work done. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Logitech K840 Mechanical

Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard for Productivity

Switches: Romer-G | Backlight: None | Type: Full-sized | Size: 17.5 x 5.2 x 1.4 inches (445 x 132 x 34.3mm) | Weight: 2 pounds (910g)

Comfortable Romer-G switches rated for 70 million clicks

Minimalist design suitable for any desk

Quieter than most keyboards with tactile mechanical switches

No backlighting

On the larger, heavier side

The Logitech K840 Mechanical keyboard features the company’s proprietary Romer-G mechanical switches that have proven fairly divisive among consumers. Some people appreciate the switch’s tactile feel, which is quite distinct from other tactile switches, while others think it feels a little “mushy. The switches have 3.2mm total travel, actuating at 1.5mm with 45 grams of force, compared to the more traditional Cherry MX Brown’s 4mm total travel, 2mm actuation point and 55 grams of force. I’ve used Romer-G switches almost daily for the last several years, and it’s safe to say that I’m in the former camp.

Little else about the K840 should prove divisive. The keyboard features an anodized aluminum top plate, which helps with durability and a more premium look, plus a 5.9-foot (1.8m) braided cable. Flip-out feet make it easy to adjust the typing angle. Logitech also threw in a 26-key rollover that should eliminate registration errors and features customizable function keys, and the keyboard is compatible with the Logitech Options configuration software available on Windows and macOS.

Unfortunately the K840 doesn’t feature any backlighting, which will disappoint anyone who wants to click-clack late into the night, but that’s the only true disappointment here. Plus, the lack of RGB combined with its mute design makes it fitting for the workplace. With a numpad, navigational keys and tactile quiet switches, there’s no excuse not to get work done. This is a solidly built keyboard that I found comfortable to type on, even though it’s a bit larger than what I’m used to.

The Logitech K840 Mechanical also works for gaming in a pinch, although I found it too wide to use comfortably with my large mousepad. Someone with a smaller mousepad–or, perhaps, just wider shoulders–might be okay. Everyone else would probably be better served with a more svelte option.

If you type a lot and need more desk space, you’ll want a budget TKL keyboard like the Aukey KM-G14. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Aukey KM-G14

Best Budget TKL Mechanical Keyboard for Typing

Switches: Outemu Blue | Backlight: RGB | Type: Tenkeyless | Size: 14.1 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches (357 x 138 x 36mm) | Weight: 2.3 pounds (1.1kg)

Satisfying–but not deafening–clicky switches

Ergonomic design well-suited to touch typing

RGB backlighting

Still a bit loud for intense gameplay

Heavy for a TKL board

Not as durable as other options

The Aukey KM-G14 was the only clicky keyboard I tested that didn’t make me want to “accidentally” spill something on top of it. The clicks are still pronounced, sure, but they’re closer to the pleasant pinging end of the spectrum than the “unbearable clacking” end. Pretty much everything else about the keyboard was also a welcome surprise, given its price.

Aukey equipped the KM-G14 with RGB backlighting and full n-key rollover. It also used double-shot ABS keycaps, which is surprising given how cheap this mechanical keyboard is. Still, the KM-G14 comes with a keycap puller to make it easier to swap out the keycaps with something a little snazzier, which was a nice touch and something I wish some other manufacturers had thought to include with their more-unfortunate-looking keycaps.

While this is marketed as a gaming keyboard, I’m recommending it for typing, simply because the clicks proved to be distracting to me and my teammates while I played games like Valorant and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. There are no tactile or linear switch options here that would be less distracting. People who prefer single-player games–or who don’t mind griefing their teammates every time they press a key–will find a fine gaming keyboard here as well.

If you want something for both work and play, the Havit KB487L is one of the best budget mechanical keyboards. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

5. Havit KB487L

Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard for Mixed Use

Switches: Outemu Red | Backlight: None | Type: Tenkeyless | Size: 15.7 x 7 x 1.9 inches (398 x 177 x 48mm) | Weight: 2.3 pounds (1kg)

Attractive design with distinctive keycaps

Unique layout that bridges the TKL and full form factors

Responsive linear switches that are great for gaming

Lack of switch options

Unique layout won’t be for everyone

The Havit KB487L doesn’t fit neatly into any other category, but it’s such an interesting keyboard that we had to include it here. It’s a standard TKL shape, but instead of having the usual cluster of shortcut keys along the right-hand side, it has a number pad. This leads to a ‘have your cake and eat it too’ design that offers the space-saving advantages of a TKL keyboard but doesn’t actually consign spreadsheet lovers to using the number row. I didn’t notice the difference during everyday use–I rarely use either the shortcut cluster or the number pad–but it’s almost certain to throw off anyone who’s used to a more traditional layout.

Havit also equipped the KB487L with durable PBT keycaps that felt nicer than any of the other keycaps I poked, prodded and pressed in the course of preparing this round-up. They also boast a unique black, white, and orange color scheme that allow the KB487L to stand out among the sea of monochromatically faced keyboards currently available. This doesn’t look or feel like a budget mechanical keyboard.

Luckily the KB487L’s beauty is more than skin deep. I didn’t notice any mis-pressed keys throughout multiple days of playing Valorant or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and those games make it pretty easy to tell when you’re doing something wrong with the keyboard, namely by making what should have clearly been a headshot fly off somewhere between the lost cities of Atlantis and Narnia. It still wasn’t my preferred experience, but I liked it more than most linear switch equipped options.

MORE: Best Gaming Keyboards

MORE: Best Wireless Keyboards

Specifications: Corsair MP600 Pro 1 TB SSD
Brand:	Corsair
Model:	CSSD-F1000GBMP600PRO
Capacity:	1000 GB (931 GB usable) 24 GB additional overprovisioning
Controller:	Phison PS5018-E18
Flash:	Micron 96-Layer 3D TLC IA7BG64AIA
DRAM:	1x 1 GB SKHynix DDR4-2666 H5AN8G6NCJR-VKC
Endurance:	700 TBW
Form Factor:	M.2 2280
Interface:	PCIe Gen 4 x4, NVMe 1.3
Device ID:	Corsair MP600 PRO
Firmware:	EIFM21.1
Warranty:	5 years
Price at Time of Review:	$225 / 23 cents per GB

Amazfit GTS 2 review: Amazing or overpriced?

(Pocket-lint) – Huami has been turning out various smartwatches that sit under its Amazfit brand, with the square-shape GTS 2 sitting at the top of its fashion watch category.

That GTS family also includes the cheaper GTS 2e and the GTS 2 Mini. If you want the best in terms of features and a stylish design then the GTS 2 is the one to look at.

Along with making some welcome changes in the design department, the GTS 2 also performs more like a smartwatch than the original GTS did, bringing smart assistants and a music player into the mix. But that’s also seen the price creep up, so does it warrant its worth?

Design & Display

Display: 1.65-inch, 348 x 442 resolution
Measures 42.8 x 35.6 x 9.7mm
Size options: 42mm only
5ATM waterproofing

Like the original GTS, the GTS 2 goes square – much like an Apple Watch – but you certainly wouldn’t mistake if for a Series 6 or an SE.

That doesn’t mean you don’t get an attractive smartwatch for your money, though. There are notable improvements with the materials used and the design of the display that gives the GTS 2 a more stylish look compared to its predecessor.

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You’re getting a 42mm watch case with a matte titanium alloy used around the display, with plastic on the back where the sensors and charging points lie. That’s paired up with a removable 20mm silicone strap.

There’s the pick of black, grey or gold looks, which does mean you have fewer colour options to pick from than the first GTS, but you do still have that option to switch up things in the strap department if you prefer to go for an overall more formal watch look.

What has really elevated the look of the GTS 2 is its display, which is made from 3D curved glass that creates a more unified look with the watch case. Overall it just makes it feel like a much nicer watch to wear.

That screen measures in with the same 1.65-inches and offers the same resolution as the GTS and, again, it’s a really good quality display. It’s nice and responsive to swipes and taps, isn’t a fingerprint magnet, and offers great sharpness and colours. The viewing angles are strong too, plus there’s an always-on display mode option if you want that screen on full-time.

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Away from using the touchscreen, there’s a solitary button that sits closer to the watch body to help create that more streamlined look. As a package it’s got the same 5ATM water resistant rating, which means it’s safe to swim and shower with it (as that rating is good for 50 metres depth).

While the first GTS definitely had a more sporty look and feel to it, that curved screen and titanium addition certainly makes the GTS 2 a more attractive proposition. It’s no Apple Watch, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction for the GTS range.

Software & Performance

Customizable watch faces
Works with Android and iOS

Once again, Huami is using its own operating system to run the software and doesn’t divulge details of the processor or components. The performance is satisfying on the whole, whether that’s getting around menu screens or putting its key features to work.

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The software experience hasn’t dramatically changed over the first GTS. The selection of customisable watch faces have certainly been better optimised for that curved display and getting to menu screens or your notifications are done in the same manner. There’s widgets to show off elements like your daily activity stats and weather forecasts.

Best Garmin watch 2021: Fenix, Forerunner and Vivo compared

By Chris Hall
·
4 February 2021

Huami’s smartwatches are generally very easy to get to grips with and that doesn’t really change with the GTS 2.

When you need to sync your data or tinker with settings you can’t access on the watch, you’ll now have to head to the Zepp companion app, which is a rebranded Amazfit app. Huami now owns Zepp, the sports tech brand that made its name using sports tracking sensors for baseball and golf.

Getting setup is pretty straightforward, especially if you take the QR code scanning route to pairing it with your phone. We used it with Oppo and Realme Android phones and didn’t have issues with syncing or pairing. While it’s a device you can use with iPhone too, pairing with an Android device will give you the optimal experience.

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The two most important area of the app is the main Homepage where you can delve deeper into your health, fitness and exercise stats. The dedicated devices page is where you can adjust settings, such as notification support, set health monitoring modes, and get hold of more watch faces.

Sports & Fitness Tracking

GPS and Glonass satellite systems
Automatic exercise recognition
Built-in heart rate monitor
24/7 fitness tracking
Blood oxygen read

Like the GTS, the GTS 2 is well equipped as far as tracking your health, fitness and exercise. It has added a new improved heart rate sensor – BioTracker 2 PPG – and ramped up the number of sports with exercise recognition support also in tow.

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On the sensor count, there’s GPS and GLONASS to accurately track outdoor activities, and the same motion sensors as included in the GTS. Huami’s new sensor can read blood oxygen (SpO2) levels – but that blood oxygen sensor, much like the one on Huawei, Garmin, Fitbit and Apple’s smartwatches, is not designed for medical purposes.

That sensor delivers resting heart rate, continuous monitoring, and heart rate during exercise. It also powers its PAI Health Assessment, which shifts the emphasis on raising your heart rate regularly as opposed to focusing on nailing your daily step counts.

There’s no 90 sports modes, which is significantly up from the 12 included on the GTS. That includes core sports like running, cycling and swimming (pool and open water), along with tracking support for skiing and climbing.

In terms of that tracking performance indoors and outdoors, accuracy definitely feels better suited to someone who has a more casual approach to fitness. Accuracy for things like GPS and heart rate feel better suited to steady paced workouts. As soon as you up the intensity, whether that’s running or riding for longer distances, those key sensors do have a tendency to falter. Heart rate testing against a Garmin HRM Pro heart rate chest strap monitor showed that the GTS 2’s sensor struggles to handle the sudden spikes and drops in heart rate with high intensity training.

Pocket-lint

It definitely does a better impression as a daily fitness tracker if you care mainly about steps, continuous heart rate monitoring and tracking sleep. Daily step counts were in the ballpark of the step counts we tracked on a Fitbit Sense and you’ll still get those inactivity alerts buzzing you to keep moving during the day.

For sleep, the GTS 2 posted similar sleep duration periods as the Sense and similar breakdowns of sleep stages, including REM sleep. There’s some nice additional insights and tips to improve sleep quality and is definitely one of the GTS 2’s strengths.

Smartwatch features

View notifications
Built-in music player
Offline voice assistant
Microphone and speaker
Phone calls over Bluetooth

The GTS was pretty light on smartwatch features, so thankfully that’s changed with the GTS 2.

Pocket-lint

You still have notifications that are still not actionable while multiple notifications from the same app can still bunch up as was the case on the GTS. There’s also weather forecasts, the ability to set alarms and access to music controls, with the latter accessible during workouts.

Huami has added in a microphone and speaker, which brings a collection of new features into the mix. It means you can now take phone calls when connected to your phone via Bluetooth. More interestingly is the introduction of a smart assistant that works without a data connection.

The new offline voice assistant will give you control of core watch features like turning settings on and off or to start a workout. The commands supported are all listed on the watch and the assistant can be woken up in a variety of ways including turning it on as soon as you raise your wrist. It’s an assistant that works well and is responsive to commands, making it a useful feature to have when you’ve got your hands full.

Pocket-lint

The other big feature is the built-in music player, giving you 3GB of storage to fit in roughly 300-600 songs. To get that music onto the watch, you’ll need to sync it over from the Zepp companion app. Currently, it only supports music you own and doesn’t work with any music streaming services. If you own a lot of music and it’s already piled onto your phone, then you’ll no doubt appreciate its inclusion as a feature. Hopefully though, Huami will add some streaming service support as well to make it even more useful.

Battery Life

Up to 20 days in basic watch mode
Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode
3.5 days in heavy usage

Huami has included a bigger 246mAh battery on the GTS 2, which is capable of giving you around a week of use in typical scenarios – and up to 20 days when you disable features like Bluetooth and heart rate monitoring. If you put features into play like the always-on display mode, that battery is likely to drop to around three days or so.

Pocket-lint

Based on our experience, you can get that week of use, but if you’re making use of all of those new features, it’s more likely to be a few days shorter than that. Features like continuous heart rate monitoring, advanced sleep monitoring, keeping the screen bright and having a steady stream of notifications, will see it fall short of that seven days. If you’re willing to compromise on what features are enabled, you can go further.

GPS tracking battery life is an impressive 25 hours, which betters a lot of more expensive GPS-packing smartwatches and sports watches. Putting that GPS to good use doesn’t horribly drain the battery either.

When you do hit zero there’s an identical charger to the one used on the GTS to get things powered back up. It takes 2.5 hours to get to 100 per cent, though, which certainly doesn’t make it the snappiest of chargers.

Verdict

While the first GTS offered great value for money at a price point where it stood up well against the competition, the GTS 2 is promising to be a better smartwatch – but a pricier one too.

It certainly steps things up in the looks department, while features such as the offline voice assistant is a great new addition. However, the music player is going to have limited appeal until it can partner up with some streaming services. And while fitness tracking is once again solid, you won’t get high-end accuracy for tracking sports and active heart rate.

All in all, the GTS 2 is a transformation for the series – and a decent one at that. But at the now elevated price point you’ll be able to find a more complete smartwatch experience elsewhere, which is why the original GTS scored better than this follow-up.

Also consider

Fitbit Versa 2

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While not its latest product, this watch offers richer music and notification features, plus all the great fitness tracking and health features you would expect from a Fitbit watch.

Read our review

Huawei Watch GT 2e

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Huawei offers a step up in sports tracking features and is capable of giving you weeks of battery life with its full gamut of features in play.

Read our review

Writing by Michael Sawh. Editing by Mike Lowe.

Phanteks P360A Review: An RGB Bargain

Our Verdict

Phanteks’ P360A is an excellent, affordable residence for a moderate build, and it comes with a whole lot of good-looking RGB too!

For

So much RGB
Includes well-featured standalone D-RGB controller
Chart-leading thermal performance
Excellent case for simple ATX systems
Just $65

Against

Materials are kinda cheap
No real intake filtration

Go to page:

Features and Specifications

Whenever a new case comes out with a price point that’s below $100, I get a little excited. When its $25 below that, it gets me pretty excited. So just imagine my joy when Phanteks sent me the P360A, which carries an MSRP of just $70 but is available for a few dollars less if you shop around.

Add to that an absolutely brilliant, vibrant, and lavish RGB implementation with two fans, an LED strip and a genuinely effective controller. My day has been made, and if you’re in the market for a case for a budget-oriented system but still want it to look good, this case is for you.

Of course, clear shortcuts have been taken to bring this kind of feature set to the table at this price. The sheet metal is quite thin, the paint job on the interior doesn’t ooze quality like more expensive cases, and the case doesn’t even include basic essentials such as a power LED, HDD LED, or a reset switch. There’s no USB Type-C to be found here, either.

However, none of those things really matter at this price – when finished, a system in the P360A genuinely looks good, cools well, and it’s easy to assemble. In case you haven’t guessed yet, the Phanteks P360A is easily deserving of a spot on our Best PC Cases list as Best Budget ATX case. Let’s find out why, shall we?

Specifications

Type	Mid-Tower ATX
Motherboard Support	Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX
Dimensions (HxWxD)	18.5 x 7.8 x 17.7 inches (465 x 200 x 455 mm)
Max GPU Length	15.7 inches (400 mm)
CPU Cooler Height	6.3 inches (160 mm)
Max PSU Length	9.8 inches (250 mm)
External Bays	✗
Internal Bays	2x 3.5-inch
	2x 2.5-inch
Expansion Slots	7x
Front I/O	2x USB 3.0, 3.5 mm Audio/Mic Combo
Other	Tempered Glass Panel, D-RGB Controller
Front Fans	2x 130 mm (Up to 2x 140mm, 2x 120mm)
Rear Fans	None (Up to 1x 120mm)
Top Fans	None (Up to 2x 140mm)
Bottom Fans	✗
Side Fans	✗
RGB	Yes, Two Fans, LED Strip, D-RGB Controller Included
Damping	No
Warranty	1 Year

Features

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Touring around the exterior of the Phanteks P360A, it is immediately clear that this is a budget case. The sheet metal and glass panel are thin and the latter doesn’t quite line up with at the back of the case. And the PSU shroud is external, allowing for a smaller glass panel. Regardless, these shortcuts don’t take much away from the final look of the product, as the paint job on the outside is nice. The mesh intake is also well-manufactured, and as you’ll see later, there is a very nice RGB strip along the bottom of the side panel.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Phanteks doesn’t bother with a power LED, HDD LED or reset switches – all of that costs money and is rarely important anyway, so why bother when the funds can go to RGB instead? Front IO is covered by two USB 3.0 ports and separate headphone and mic jacks. The power button is at the center, and the two buttons you see below the USB ports are the RGB mode and RGB color selectors.

Internal Layout

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Inside the P360A there is space for up to an ATX motherboard and long graphics cards up to 400mm (15.75 inches), so you’ll be able to fit very powerful gaming systems in here. Storage options aren’t lavish, but then again that isn’t the focus of this chassis. There’s room for two 3.5-inch drives that slide in from the front, and two 2.5-inch drives behind the motherboard tray. You can buy an optional third tray to add a third 2.5-inch drive.

You’ll notice that on the interior, the paint job isn’t quite as nice as the outside, but it’s nothing to be concerned about.

The connectivity for the RGB is also found inside. The fans and LED strip all connect through Phanteks’ own 3-pin headers, but a ‘standard’ header is present to connect additional RGB devices not from Phanteks, and you can opt to connect the RGB to your motherboard and override the built-in controller. But in all fairness, what’s here is quite a good controller – there’s no need to shop for a board that has an A-RGB header, which can help you save some money.

Cooling

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Another spot where Phanteks cut costs is in the filtration – or rather, lack thereof. Of course, the marketing lingo is all about how the front panel filters without the need of a filter, but we both know that’s to cut the cost of a real air filter. The front has a 1mm perforation, which should take care of the worst offenders, but stuff will still get through more than a dedicated filter. Of course, the lack of removable filtration will be good for cooling.

That being said, you have to evaluate these things on a per-use-case basis. If you’re like me, and you run your PC for 12+ hours a day, you obviously want to pass on the P360A because you’ll be cleaning out the interior far too often. But if you only play games on it for a couple hours a day or so, the amount of dust that accumulates in the system will be far lower, so won’t be as much of an issue. Fortunately, there is a filter at the top above the radiator exhaust to protect from falling dust and debris, which will protect the system from passive pollution. The power supply also has its own filter to spare cleanup jobs there.

However, cooling is another area where the P360A differs from the P300A. It comes with two RGB fans instead of one non-RGB spinner, and the top radiator mount supports up to 240mm radiators instead of only a 120mm unit – something many buyers may appreciate. Theoretically, the case should also be able to fit a 280mm cooler at the top, but you’ll undoubtedly run into the VRM coolers or tall memory with the vast majority of motherboards, so I’d recommend you stick with a 240mm AIO at the largest.

If you’re dead-set on a 280mm radiator though, you can mount it at the front, but I don’t see why you would want to get rid of the pretty fans that are included.

Current page:

Features and Specifications

Next Page Hardware Installation

Specifications
CPU Support:	AMD AM4 socket Ryzen 3000, 4000 G-Series, and 5000 series processors
Power Design:	CPU Power: 16-phase Memory Power: 2-phase
Chipset:	AMD X570
Integrated Graphics:	Dependent on installed CPU
Memory:	4x DIMM, support for up to dual channel DDR4-4666+(OC) MHz
BIOS:	AMI UEFI BIOS
Expansion Slots:	3x PCIe 4.0 x16 slots (x16/x0/x0 or x8/x8/x0 or x8/x4/x4) 1x PCIe 4.0 x1 slots
Storage:	8x SATA 6 Gb/s port 3x M.2 port (SATA3/PCIe 4.0 x4)
Networking:	1x Killer E3100G 2.5 Gb LAN 1x Killer AX1650x 802.11ax WiFi
Rear Ports:	2x Antenna ports 1x HDMI port 1x Clear CMOS Button 1x BIOS Flashback Button 1x Optical SPDIF out port 1x LAN (RJ45) port 1x USB 3.1 (Gen2) Type-C port 1x USB 3.1 (Gen2) Type-A port 4x USB 3.1 (Gen1) ports 2x USB 2.0 ports 5x 3.5 mm Audio jacks 1x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard combo port
Audio:	1x Realtek ALC1220 Codec
Fan Headers:	6x 4-pin
Form Factor:	ATX Form Factor: 12.0 x 9.6 in.; 30.5 x 24.4 cm
Exclusive Features:	ASRock Super Alloy XXL Aluminum Alloy Heatsink Premium 60A Power Choke 50A Dr.MOS Premium Memory Alloy Choke Nichicon 12K Black Caps I/O Armor High Density Glass Fabric PCB 2 oz copper PCB Killer 2.5G LAN Killer 802.11ax WiFi Killer DoubleShot™ Pro ASRock steel Slot Gen4 ASRock Full Coverage M.2 Heatsink ASRock Ultra USB Power ASRock Full Spike Protection (for all USB, Audio, LAN Ports) ASRock Live Update & APP Shop

(Image credit: Spotify)

As of February 2021, Spotify boasts 155 million Premium subscribers and 345 million monthly active users. The platform has long been the world’s most popular music streaming service, and with good cause – it got in on the ground floor and its simple interface and vast library make it a compelling choice even in the face of stiff competition from Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, YouTube Music, Amazon Music Unlimited and others.

But are you getting the most from your Spotify membership?

We’ve compiled a list of our favourite Spotify features, tips and tricks to help you get the most out of the service – from mastering offline listening to getting the best possible sound quality, sharing your music to filtering your recommendations. Some of these are only for Spotify Premium subscribers only though, so if you want the full experience, you’ll have to cough up the £9.99 per month…

Spotify Connect: what is it? How can you get it?
Tidal vs Spotify: which is better?

Set up

1. Get the best sound quality

First things first: head to the settings menu (below your account name, top right, and although it’s set to ‘automatic’ by default, you can change the music quality – choose Low (24kbps), Medium (96 kbps), High (160 kbps) or Very High (320 kbps). Admittedly, these aren’t going to sound as sweet as lossless Tidal Master or Qobuz files, and taking the Very High path might take up more of your data allowance to stream. But that’s a small price to pay for better listening.

2. Save music for offline listening

Spotify Premium users can download tracks to listen to offline. Not only does this save you valuable data, it also means you can listen where you don’t have mobile reception. Win-win. Save your playlists in the best possible quality, naturally. Hit the three dots then select ‘download’ on Android, or select the playlist then hit ‘download’ at the top on Apple.

3. Create a new playlist

To create a new playlist, head into the playlist category in ‘Your Library’. At the top you’ll find an music icon with a plus sign on it (Android), or tap ‘Edit’ and then ‘Create’ (iOS) start your brand new playlist. On the desktop app, you’ll see a plus-sign and ‘New Playlist in the bottom-left, underneath any playlists you’ve already created.

4. Transfer your music from other apps

You can transfer your existing playlists on other music services to Spotify. The Soundiiz website is a great way to get it done and supports all the services you’d expect.

Interface

5. See your stats

Click on your profile icon in the top left to see who’s following you and who you’re following. It will also show your most recently listened-to artists and public playlists.

6. Sort your now-playing queue

Cue tracks in Spotify by selecting ‘add to queue’ from the three dots next to the track title. On iOS? You can also swipe right on a track to add it to your now-playing playlist.

7. Search for your favourite tunes

Want to find a track from your own library? On mobile, pull down on the screen when you’re in any of the sub-categories (albums, playlists, artists) in the ‘Your Library’ tab to reveal a search bar at the top, complete with filter options. This searches your own saved tracks rather than the whole of Spotify (which is done via the main ‘Search’ icon at the bottom).

8. Listen using the web interface

Not allowed to install software on your work computer? No problem. Head to play.spotify.com and you can listen without installing the Spotify desktop app (or relying on your phone). Take that, overzealous IT department.

9. Master keyboard shortcuts

Did you know you can control Spotify using just your keyboard? The Space bar is play/pause, next track is Control-Right (Control-Command-Right on a Mac), back is Control-Left (Control-Command-Left on a Mac), Volume is Control-Up or -Down (Command-Up or -Down on a Mac) and to create a new playlist press Control-N. And that’s just scratching the surface.

Check out the full list here.

Organising your music

10. Build your own library

There are a couple of ways to build your music library. Adding your favourite tracks to playlists is one way, saving music to your own library is another. Add tracks, albums, artists radio stations, podcasts and playlists by hitting the plus/save sign (either next to the song in the desktop app, or by tapping the three dots on mobile), then access your music via ‘Your Library’.

11. Add music that isn’t on Spotify

Missing out on those artists that are absent from Spotify? Add them yourself. Go to Spotify’s ‘Preferences’ on the desktop app, scroll down and click ‘Add a Source’, then select a folder containing your own music files. You can then see them in your Spotify library – they’ll be under ‘Local Files’ in the left sidebar.

12. Recover a deleted playlist

Spotify’s Account website can help restore playlists that you’ve deleted. Log in, go to ‘Account Settings’, and select ‘Recover Playlists’. Hey presto.

13. Find clean and explicit versions of songs

If you think a lyric sounds unlike the witty line you remember, chances are an expletive was swapped out in favour of a less explicit word. Spotify can help you track down the original. Scroll down and select the pull-down menu on the right-hand side. If it says ‘1 More Release’, that could well be the explicit version.

Music curation

14. Follow some friends

Is your pal always first with the best new music? You can piggyback off their hard work by following them on Spotify. This way you’ll be able to see what they’re listening to, and pass those killer tracks off as your own discoveries. (We suppose they are, in a way.) Select ‘Find Friends’ to locate them, and instantly expand your listening.

15. Share music with friends using Spotify Codes

Spotify Codes is another way to share music. Scan a code on your friend’s phone to download a tune, or import a code posted by an artist to hear their latest single. You can also scan a code from a poster, flyer or billboard. Tap the ‘…’ context menu next to a song, and you’ll see a Spotify Code appear at the bottom of the album artwork. Use the ‘Camera’ icon to scan it, or tap the Code-enhanced artwork and save it to ‘Camera Roll’ for uploading to a social network.

16. Make a collaborative playlist

Maybe you’re putting together a set list for a friend’s wedding or a party. Start a collaborative playlist and everyone can chuck in their tuppence-worth, no matter how misguided. Right-click on the playlist name, and it’ll give you the option of making it collaborative. Then grant friends access to it, and brace yourself for some terrible choices. Alternatively, you can make a playlist secret, too.

17. Let the Radio option open your ears to similar artists

Stuck for what to listen to? ‘Radio’ can help. On desktop, select it from the left-hand pane, then choose ‘Create new station’ and pick an artist, album or playlist you like. Radio will then serve up a selection of artists/songs similar to your choice, that you’ll (hopefully) like. On mobile? Hit the three dots top right when on an artist, album or song and then select ‘Go to Radio’.

18. Filter out the chaff

Yes, of course you want to listen to James Brown. No, you don’t want anything from his Lost ’80s years. Thankfully you can filter out the wilderness era. Type the artist name in the search bar followed by the years that you want to hear (with no spaces). For example “James Brown year:1970-77”.

19. Sort out your search

Use the word “Not” after your search term to omit artists you don’t want, and the “+” symbol or “And” to include those you do.

20. Listen to Spotify’s Weekly Discover Playlist

This is a playlist of 30 tracks Spotify compiles based on your listening habits. It tends to be scarily good. It updates every Monday and sits in the ‘Made For You’ section (or in Browse – Discover, or you could simply type ‘Discover Weekly’ into the search bar). There’s also the Release Radar playlist that updates every Friday with brand new music releases.

21. Listen to your Daily Mixes

Too impatient to wait a whole week? Spotify now offers six Daily Mix playlists that are tailored to users’ listening habits.

22. Check out the What Hi-Fi? playlist

And we have to mention our own playlist… Each month, we update our Spotify playlist so you can see what we’ve been listening to over the past four weeks. It’s a great mix of tunes we use to test our review kit, as well as a few personal favourites from the team. You know it makes sense.

Connecting other devices

23. Listen through your home cinema speakers

Using the Google Chromecast streaming dongle, you can play Spotify through the speakers attached to your TV. Just select ‘Chromecast’ from the ‘Devices Available’ section of the Spotify app and get playing.

24. Control it with your voice

Good news. The Amazon Echo and Echo Dot speakers play nice with Spotify. Just connect your Spotify account in the Alexa app, and then start barking commands like “Alexa, play me some Bowie on Spotify!” and the Echo will do as it’s told. You’ll be grooving to Let’s Dance in no time. If you set Spotify as your preferred streaming service, you won’t even need to request Spotify by name, either. Apple users can control music playback by asking Siri, too.

25. Send music to your speakers with Spotify Connect

Premium subscribers can use their phone as a remote control and play music on connected Spotify Connect speakers, such as Sonos – although certain devices (the PlayStation 4, for example) are happy to work with Spotify Free. Play a song on your phone and make it fullscreen. Select the ‘speaker’ icon at the bottom of the screen, then select your speakers. Instant house party.

26. Listen in your Uber

Connect your Spotify account in the Uber app and you can then take control of your car’s stereo (assuming your driver has allowed it). They’ll love your choice of music, we’re sure…

More features

(Image credit: Spotify)

27. Share songs instantly with anyone

Heard a song you just have to send to a friend? Tap the three dots, then ‘Share’, then send it on to the social media platform (Facebook, Instagram Stories, Skype even), your WhatsApp groups, or simply copy the song link.

28. Preview music on iOS

Tap and hold the title of a track, album or playlist, and you’ll get a preview. On a playlist or album you’ll see the first five tracks – slide over each piece of cover art and you can preview each song.

29. Use private listening to hide your guilty pleasures

Not everyone needs to know about your love of Wang Chung. If you want to keep your listening private, click ‘Settings’ (top right), then ‘Private Session’ on Android or ‘Settings’ then ‘Social’ then ‘Private Session’ on iOS. That way, friends won’t know you’ve spent all morning blissing out to big-haired saxophone-heavy ’80s cheese.

30. Make a playlist tailored to your running speed

Spotify can also pick tracks that are close to the same tempo as your running speed. Start running, pick a running playlist from the ‘Browse’ screen, and Spotify will use your phone’s sensors to select songs to suit your stride. See it in action here.

31. Link to a specific part of a track

If there’s a great solo you want to alert someone to, you don’t have to tell them to skip to 2:53 in the track. Just send them a link and they’ll jump right in at the relevant part. On desktop, copy the track’s URI (uniform resource identifier) by right-clicking the track and selecting ‘Copy Spotify URI’. Then paste it into an email or text message, and add ‘#time2:53’ to the end. When the respondent clicks it, they’ll be transported to exactly the part you were talking about. Magic.

32. Find out about live gigs

OK, large gatherings aren’t the thing right now, but looking ahead: Spotify can help you see your favourite act in the flesh. To see when an act might be playing near you, click ‘Browse’ on your desktop app, then ‘Concerts’ to see which acts you’ve listened to are playing nearby. Going to be out of town? Just change your location to see what’s happening near you.

33. Listen to podcasts

Did you know you can listen to your favourite podcasts on Spotify? Well, now you do. Head to ‘Browse’ and then ‘Podcasts’ (on desktop) to follow your faves, and go to the Podcasts section in ‘Your Library’ to find all your saved podcasts.

Best music streaming services 2021: free streams to hi-res audio
11 of the best Spotify playlists to listen to right now
25 of the best podcasts on Spotify
Listen to the What Hi-Fi? playlist

Our Verdict

For

Against

Razer Huntsman V2 Analog Specs

Razer Analog Optical Switches

Adjustable Actuation Points

One Keystroke, Two Inputs

Design of Razer Huntsman V2 Analog

Analog Gaming Experience

General Gaming Experience on Razer Huntsman V2 Analog

Typing Experience on Razer Huntsman V2 Analog

Features and Software on Razer Huntsman V2 Analog

Bottom Line

Specifications – Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master

Firmware

Software

Future Tests and Final Thoughts

Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard You Can Buy Today

1. Cooler Master CK552

2. HyperX Alloy FPS Pro

3. Logitech K840 Mechanical

4. Aukey KM-G14

5. Havit KB487L

Introduction

Design & Display

Software & Performance

Sports & Fitness Tracking

Smartwatch features

Battery Life

Also consider

Fitbit Versa 2

Huawei Watch GT 2e

Our Verdict

For

Against

Features and Specifications

Specifications

Features

Internal Layout

Cooling

Introduction

Specifications

Fitness+ vs Fiit price

Fitness+ vs Fiit features

Fitness+ vs Fiit app

Fitness+ vs Fiit conclusion

Was a Loss Really Necessary?

Could Sony Not Just Have Built More?

Set up

Interface

Organising your music

Music curation

Connecting other devices

More features

Familiar looks

Wear OS, but with Oppo flavour

Fitness and health

Performance and battery

Also consider

Fossil Gen 5 Garrett

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3