LATEST ARTICLES

EDIFIER Showcases Cross-Scenario Audio Innovations at IFA as It Marks 30 Years of Excellence

Andrew Edney
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EDIFIER Showcases Cross-Scenario Audio Innovations at IFA as It Marks 30 Years of Excellence

As EDIFIER celebrates its 30th anniversary, the global audio technology brand arrives at IFA with a vision that goes beyond individual products.

Under the theme “Complete Audio Solutions for Every Listening Scenario,” EDIFIER will present its comprehensive portfolio of
audio products designed to enrich every part of modern life. Founded in Beijing in 1996, EDIFIER has been guided by a simple belief: great sound should be part of everyday life. From its first wooden multimedia speaker to today’s range of personal, home, professional, premium and gaming audio products, the company continues to combine craftsmanship, innovation and acoustic excellence to
deliver outstanding listening experiences wherever people are.

Audio Solutions for Every Lifestyle
Today’s consumers move seamlessly between commuting, working, creating, gaming, relaxing and entertaining. Each scenario calls for a different audio experience, and users increasingly expect products that are purpose-built for the way they live.

EDIFIER’s diverse product portfolio is designed to meet these evolving needs across every listening scenario. From true wireless earbuds for life on the move and portable speakers for outdoor enjoyment, to bookshelf speakers for home entertainment, studio monitors for creators, premium audio for discerning listeners and gaming gear for immersive play, every product is engineered to deliver exceptional performance for its intended use.

While each category serves a distinct purpose, they are united by the same commitment to superior acoustics, thoughtful industrial design and user-focused innovation. Across the entire portfolio, EDIFIER applies a consistent philosophy: technology should enhance everyday listening through excellent sound quality, intuitive functionality and products that fit naturally into modern lifestyles.

At IFA, visitors will experience EDIFIER’s complete range of audio solutions across dedicated product zones, spanning personal audio, home entertainment, professional studio monitoring, premium Hi-Fi and gaming. In addition to the latest product launches, the EDIFIER stand will feature a dedicated Premium Hi-Fi area showcasing the flagship S3000 MKII and the AIRPULSE lineup, alongside a HECATE gaming zone highlighting immersive audio solutions for gamers. Together, these displays demonstrate EDIFIER’s commitment to delivering purpose-built audio solutions for every listening scenario.

IFA Highlights
XR6 Professional Studio Monitor
The EDIFIER XR6 is a professional active studio monitor engineered to deliver accurate, referencegrade sound through advanced acoustic and intelligent calibration technologies. Its standout feature is an integrated room acoustic calibration system that combines onboard DSP with dedicated PC software to optimize performance for different listening environments, ensuring consistent and reliable monitoring. A rigid full aluminum enclosure minimizes resonance and cabinet coloration, while the true three-way acoustic design and high-performance driver units provide exceptional clarity, precise imaging and low distortion. Carefully tuned for a flat on-axis and off-axis frequency response, the XR6 delivers accurate sound reproduction, making it an ideal monitoring solution for professional studios and home creators alike.

M90 Bi-Amped 2.0 Speaker & MW6T Compact Powered Subwoofer
Together, the M90 Bi-Amped 2.0 Speaker and MW6T Compact Powered Subwoofer deliver a complete home audio solution that combines premium sound, versatile connectivity and spaceefficient design. The M90 provides detailed, room-filling stereo sound with 100W RMS output, Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification, and seamless connectivity including HDMI eARC, Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC, USB-C and optical inputs. Complementing the system, the MW6T subwoofer adds powerful, deep bass with 210W RMS output, dual 6.5-inch woofers and room acoustic compensation for balanced performance in any living space. Together, they create an immersive audio experience for music, movies, gaming and everyday entertainment while integrating effortlessly into modern homes.

WH950NB Pro Wireless Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones
The WH950NB Pro combines adaptive hybrid ANC with immersive sound for premium everyday listening. An 8-microphone noise-cancelling system, dual dynamic drivers and spatial audio with head tracking deliver rich, detailed audio, while a six-microphone AI call system, Bluetooth 6.1 and up to 70 hours of battery life (ANC off) ensure seamless performance throughout the day.

STAX SPIRIT Planar Magnetic Headphones
Representing EDIFIER’s premium personal audio lineup, the STAX SPIRIT series delivers highfidelity listening through advanced planar magnetic driver technology. Designed for discerning listeners, creators and music enthusiasts, it combines exceptional detail, low distortion and accurate sound reproduction with wireless convenience and premium craftsmanship. Inspired by decades of acoustic expertise and refined through EDIFIER’s commitment to innovation and design, STAX SPIRIT offers an immersive, reference-quality listening experience for those seeking uncompromising portable audio performance.

Looking Ahead
As EDIFIER celebrates its 30th anniversary, the company remains committed to enriching everyday life through exceptional sound. By combining acoustic engineering, innovative technology and thoughtful design, EDIFIER continues to develop purpose-built audio solutions that meet the evolving needs of listeners across every environment. Whether commuting, working, creating, gaming, relaxing or enjoying premium Hi-Fi, EDIFIER is dedicated to delivering the right audio solution for every listening scenario—today and for the decades ahead.

Review: Edifier MR4.5 Bi-amped Studio Monitor Speakers

Andrew Edney
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Review: Edifier MR4.5 Bi-amped Studio Monitor Speakers

Here is our review of the Edifier MR4.5 Bi-amped Studio Monitor Speakers.

The new MR4.5 – a new studio monitor designed for creators, producers and music enthusiasts seeking professional-grade sound in a versatile desktop speaker.

Positioned between the popular MR4 and flagship MR5, the MR4.5 delivers accurate, balanced audio for music production, video editing, content creation and everyday listening. Its bi-amplified design, Hi-Res Audio certification and wide frequency response ensure users hear every detail with precision.

Features

  • Flat frequency response from 50Hz to 40kHz
  • 80W (RMS) total output power, with SPL up to 98dB (@ 1 meter)
  • Fine-tuned 4.5″ mid-bass drivers and 1″ silk dome tweeters
  • Full digital signal processing, 2-way active crossover, and DRC
  • Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified
  • Multiple settings for room acoustic compensation
  • Balanced XLR, balanced TRS, RCA, and AUX inputs, with a headphone output socket
  • Bluetooth V6.0 audio receiver supporting multipoint connection
  • Dual preset sound modes and customizable EQs by the EDIFIER ConneX App
  • The MDF cabinet effectively reduces distortion and resonance

What’s in the box?

You get the speakers, the cabling to connect the two and a quick start guide.

A Closer Look

Final thoughts

The first thing you notice with the MR4.5s is that they don’t look or feel like budget desktop speakers. The cabinets are solid, the white finish on my review pair is clean without looking clinical, and the dimpled tweeter waveguide up front gives them a bit of visual character rather than just being a plain grille. Around the back is where things get interesting: alongside the XLR, TRS, RCA, and AUX inputs, you’ve got a high knob and a low knob for shaping the top and bottom end by up to 6dB, which is a genuinely useful thing to have physically on hand rather than buried in software.

Speaking of software, the ConneX app is where the room compensation lives. Desks and shelves do all sorts of unhelpful things to bass response, and being able to dial that back in from your phone rather than fiddling blindly with a knob is a nice touch. Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint means you can have your laptop and your phone both paired at once and switch between them without re-pairing every time, which sounds like a small thing until you’re actually doing it several times a day.

Sound-wise, these are genuinely impressive for the price. The frequency response is rated flat from 50Hz to 40kHz, and while I can’t verify that with lab equipment on my desk, what I can tell you is that the mid-bass drivers hit with real authority for their size and the silk dome tweeters keep the top end smooth rather than harsh. Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification means you’re not losing much even over Bluetooth with LDAC, which isn’t something you could say about most desktop speakers in this price range a couple of years ago. Vocals sit forward and clear, cymbals don’t turn into a wash of noise, and even at higher volumes the 80W of total power doesn’t seem to run out of headroom.

What I like most about the MR4.5s is that they don’t force you to choose a lane. Plug in over XLR from an audio interface and they behave like proper near-field monitors for mixing. Hook up over Bluetooth from your phone and they’re perfectly happy being a very good pair of desktop speakers for music while you work. The rear EQ knobs and the app-based room compensation mean you can actually tune them to your space rather than just hoping for the best, and the build quality feels well beyond what £199.99 usually buys you.

Are they going to replace a dedicated pair of flagship studio monitors for serious mixing work? Probably not. But for anyone who wants one set of speakers that can competently handle both work and play, the Edifier MR4.5 makes a very strong case for itself. Recommended.

The Edifier MR4.5 is available now in either Black or White for £199.99.

You can learn more from the Edifier website.

Review: UGREEN MagFlow Pro Magnetic Power Bank

Andrew Edney
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Review: UGREEN MagFlow Pro Magnetic Power Bank

Here is our review of the UGREEN MagFlow Pro Magnetic Power Bank.

Features

  • 45W Fast Charge & 30W Self‑Recharge: 45W USB‑C output powers laptops and phones; 30W input refills the bank fast. Charges iPhone 17 Pro Max from 0 to 65% in just 30 mins – perfect for quick top‑ups 
  • CryoPulse Multi‑Layer Cooling: Liquid layer cooling-advanced heat dissipation keeps temperatures low even during 25W wireless charging, preventing throttling and extending battery life for safer, consistent power 
  • Smart Digital Display: Real‑time readout shows charging wattage, battery level, and total cycle count – always know your status at a glance, no guessing 
  • Qi2 Certified Magnetic Wireless: 25W fast wireless charging with ultra‑strong magnets that lock your phone in perfect alignment – stable, efficient, and hassle‑free every time 
  • Built‑in Cable & Carry Strap: The integrated USB‑C cable doubles as a durable carry strap, tested over 10,000 bends – always have a cord ready, tangle‑free and convenient 
  • Universal Device Compatibility: Works with iPhone 17/16/15–12, Pixel 10/Pro/XL, Galaxy S25/S26, iPad, AirPods, and all USB‑C gear – delivers up to 25W for the latest models

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

Inside the box you’ll find the MagFlow Pro power bank itself, with its built-in USB-C cable already attached and ready to go.

The magnets are the first thing you notice. Line the bank up anywhere near the back of a Qi2-compatible phone and it snaps into place on its own, no fumbling required. That alignment matters more than it sounds like it should, since a wireless charger that’s even slightly off-centre can quietly drop from a fast charge down to a trickle without you noticing.

The built-in cable is the other clever touch. Rather than digging around for a loose USB-C lead, it folds out from the side of the bank and doubles as a strap for carrying the thing around your wrist or clipped to a bag. UGREEN says it’s been tested past 10,000 bends, and it feels solid enough in hand that this isn’t just a spec sheet number.

Charging speed is where the MagFlow Pro earns its “Pro” badge. UGREEN quotes an iPhone 17 Pro Max going from 0 to 65% in around 30 minutes on the wired 45W output, and while your mileage will vary depending on the phone and cable path, that’s a genuinely fast top-up for a power bank this size. The 25W wireless side is no slouch either, and the CryoPulse cooling system is there specifically to stop that speed from tailing off once the bank starts warming up, which is the usual trade-off with high-wattage magnetic charging.

Don’t worry if you’re the type who wants to know exactly what’s happening mid-charge. The digital display sits flush on the front and cycles through wattage, remaining battery and how many charge cycles the bank has been through, so you’re never just guessing whether it’s actually delivering 25W or quietly throttling.

The UGREEN MagFlow Pro is a power bank built around convenience as much as raw numbers. The 10,000mAh capacity won’t be the biggest you can buy, but the combination of strong magnetic alignment, a built-in cable that doubles as a strap, and a display that actually tells you what’s going on puts it ahead of most magnetic banks that skip those details. The 45W wired output and 30W self-recharge speed mean it keeps up with laptops as well as phones, and the CryoPulse cooling gives it a bit more staying power under sustained use than most Qi2 chargers offer.

The UGREEN MagFlow Pro Magnetic Power Bank is available later this month priced around £109.99, and you can pre-order it now.

You can learn more from the UGREEEN website.

Review: UGREEN MagFlow 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Wireless Charger

Andrew Edney
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Review: UGREEN MagFlow 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Wireless Charger

Here is our review of the UGREEN MagFlow 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Wireless Charger.

The foldable charger measures 60 × 72 × 27mm when closed, fitting into a pocket or bag. Open, it delivers up to 25W to iPhone and 5W to AirPods simultaneously, with ThermalGuard regulating heat. A wider anti-slip earbuds pad simplifies placement, while cool-touch glass surface improves comfort. 

Features

  • Ultra Fast Qi2 25W Magnetic Charger: The Qi2-certified fast wireless charger for Magsafe delivers up to 25W, charging iPhone 17 Pro Max to 50% in around 30 minutes — 2.7x faster than a standard 7.5W Qi wireless charging station 
  • Foldable & Double as Phone Stand: UGREEN 2-in-1 foldable magnetic wireless charger – Magsafe compatible stand folds down to pocket size (2.37 x 2.86 x 1.05 in) and flips into a sturdy magnetic stand — ideal for StandBy mode, video calls and hands-free browsing whilst charging 
  • Powerful Magnetic Hold: Strong built-in magnets keep your iPhone perfectly aligned on the Qi2 25W wireless charging for magsafe station stably, uninterrupted charging — no slipping, no misalignment, no waking up to a half-charged phone 
  • Stays Cool, Charges Safely: The 2 in 1 magsafe compatibale charger stantion features premium glass charging surface dissipates heat, whilst Thermal Guard monitors the temperature 200 times per second, backed by 8-layer safety protection including foreign object detection (FOD), overcharge, overcurrent and short-circuit protection 
  • Wide Compatibility & Important Notes: The fast Qi2 magnetic wireless charger stand Works with iPhone 17/16/15-12 Series, iPhone Air, AirPods/AirPods Pro and Qi-enabled Galaxy and Pixel phones. NOTE: After an iOS update, restart your iPhone to maintain optimal wireless charging speed. For the best charging performance, use a single-port 45W or higher PD car charger (not included)

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

The magnets are the first thing you notice. Line your iPhone up anywhere near the charging surface and it snaps into place on its own, no fumbling about trying to find the sweet spot like you do with some cheaper pads. Once it’s locked on, it stays put, even if you nudge the desk or pick your phone up to glance at a notification and set it back down.

Charging speed is where the MagFlow actually earns its keep. UGREEN says it’ll take an iPhone 17 Pro Max to 50% in around 30 minutes, which lines up with what we saw in daily use, and it’s a genuinely noticeable step up from a standard 7.5W Qi pad. Just remember that 25W figure depends on you supplying a 45W or higher USB-C adapter yourself, as it’s not in the box, so don’t expect that speed if you’re plugging it into whatever old 5W brick you’ve got lying around.

Folding the charger flat and slipping it into a bag is easy enough that it actually becomes a habit, and flipping it back out into a stand is just as quick. Propped up in stand mode it’s sturdy enough for StandBy mode, video calls or watching something hands-free on the sofa, and it doesn’t wobble or tip over if you tap the screen.

The glass charging surface stays cool to the touch even during a long charge, which is down to the Thermal Guard checking the temperature 200 times a second, and the 8-layer safety protection (foreign object detection included) means you don’t need to think twice about leaving it plugged in overnight or tossing your keys down next to it by mistake.

Compatibility is broad too – anything from the iPhone 12 up through the 17 Series works, along with the iPhone Air, AirPods and AirPods Pro, and Qi-enabled Galaxy and Pixel phones if you’re not on iPhone. That’s a lot of ground covered for one charger.

The UGREEN MagFlow 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Wireless Charger is available now priced around £43.99.

You can learn more from the UGREEEN website.

Review: UGREEN Nexode Pro Smart Display Desktop Charger

Andrew Edney
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Review: UGREEN Nexode Pro Smart Display Desktop Charger

Power up your entire desk with the UGREEN Nexode Pro Smart Display Desktop Charger, an 8-port GaN charging station designed for people who are done hunting for spare plug sockets.

Features

  • 300W 8-in-1 GaN Charging Station: With 6*USB-C ，1*USB-A and 1*DC ports share a blistering 300W total output. It only takes 28 minutes to charge two MacBook Pros from 0% to 50%. The GaN desktop charging station consolidates bulky adapters into one sleek unit to keep your home office desk impeccably tidy 
  • PD 140W Fast Charging: The USB-C 300W laptop charger features USB-C1/C2/C3 ports that support up to 140W of high-efficiency ultra-fast charging when used individually. This means it can charge your iPhone 17 Pro Max from 0% to 65% in just 30 minutes, delivering an exceptionally fast and efficient charge 
  • TFT Display & App Control — Monitor real-time wattage, voltage, current, active charging protocol and temperature — both total and per-port — at a glance on the built-in screen. Tap into the app to switch between Fast, Low-Temp, Port Priority and Custom modes, tweak screen brightness to suit your desk setup, and set a sleep timer so the display dims automatically overnight 
  • Full-Core Protection System — This USB C GaN charger checks internal temperature 200 times every second, shielding your MacBook, iPhone, iPad and other devices from overcurrent, overvoltage, short-circuit and overheating in real time. The flame-retardant casing and graphene-copper heat sink keep things cool , so you can fast-charge your full desk setup overnight 
  • Universal Compatibility: Covers over 1,000 devices: MacBook series, ThinkPad, XPS, HP laptops, iPad Pro, iPhone 17-8, Galaxy S/A, Pixel, Surface Pro, Steam Deck, Switch, AirPods and more. With PPS, PD 3.1 and QC support, every device charges at the right speed — just plug in and go

Final Thoughts

The first thing you notice about the Nexode Pro is that little screen sitting front and centre. It’s not just there to look clever – it actually tells you something useful. Plug in a laptop and a phone at the same time and the display updates instantly, showing exactly how many watts are going to each port. No more guessing whether your charger is actually pushing full speed or quietly throttling in the background.

Build quality feels solid rather than flashy. The casing is matte, the vents are generous, and the whole thing stays reassuringly cool even when you’ve got two MacBook Pros hammering away on the C1 and C2 ports at once. UGREEN has clearly leaned on the GaN tech here to keep things compact – this is a lot of charger for a fairly small footprint on your desk.

The app is where the Nexode Pro earns its “smart” name. Pairing takes a minute, and once it’s connected you can dig into per-port settings, tweak the screen brightness, set a sleep timer so the display doesn’t glow all night, or pick a Low-Temp mode if you’d rather prioritise longevity over raw speed. It’s a level of control you don’t usually get from a desktop charger, and it’s genuinely handy rather than gimmicky.

Charging speed is really the headline here, and it lives up to it. Getting two MacBook Pros to 50% in under half an hour is no small thing, and the same goes for the iPhone 17 Pro Max hitting 65% in 30 minutes. With 300W split across eight ports, there’s enough headroom to top up a laptop, a tablet and a couple of phones all at the same time without anything slowing to a crawl.

UGREEN says the Nexode Pro covers over 1,000 devices, and that tracks with what’s on offer: MacBooks, ThinkPads, XPS and HP laptops, iPad Pro, iPhones from the 8 through to the 17 range, Galaxy phones, Pixel, Surface Pro, Steam Deck, Switch and AirPods are all catered for, thanks to broad PPS, PD 3.1 and QC support. For anyone juggling a desk full of devices from different brands, that’s exactly the kind of flexibility you want.

The safety features are worth a mention too. Checking internal temperature 200 times a second sounds like overkill until you remember this thing is pushing 300W through a single brick sitting a few inches from your keyboard. Between the flame-retardant casing and the graphene-copper heat sink, it’s clear UGREEN built this with peace of mind in mind, not just speed.

If there’s a catch, it’s that eight ports of 300W performance isn’t cheap, and this is very much a charger for people who actually need to charge multiple demanding devices at once rather than a single phone overnight. But for a home office or a shared desk with laptops, tablets and phones all competing for power, the Nexode Pro handles it without breaking a sweat.

The UGREEN Nexode Pro Smart Display Desktop Charger is available now priced at £159.99.

You can learn more from the UGREEN website.

Review: UGREEN MagFlow Pro Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand

Andrew Edney
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Review: UGREEN MagFlow Pro Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand

Keep your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods topped up from a single stand with the UGREEN MagFlow Pro, a 3-in-1 magnetic charger built for anyone who’s fed up with a desk full of tangled cables.

Powered by Qi2.2 certification and built-in magnets for perfect MagSafe alignment, it delivers up to 25W to compatible iPhones, with 5W going to your Apple Watch and another 5W to your AirPods at the same time.

What sets the MagFlow Pro apart is UGREEN’s CryoPulse TEC Active Cooling system. Instead of relying on a basic fan, it uses a thermoelectric cooler to pull surface temperatures down as low as 11°C, up to 18°C cooler than a standard charger, all while running at under 15dB so it won’t distract you while you work. A small smart display sits front and centre, giving you a real-time read on charging status, temperature and power distribution, and a double-tap toggles the fan and screen on or off.

Features

  • CryoPulse TEC Active Cooling: The Qi2.2 wireless charger for MagSafe built-in thermoelectric cooler keeps your phone cool for safer, more stable wireless fast charging — surface temperature as low as 11°C, up to 18°C cooler than non-cooled chargers, and quieter than 15dB, so peak speeds last longer 
  • 3-in-1 Fast 25W Wireless Charger: Powers your iPhone, iWatch and AirPods at once on a single desktop stand. Qi2.2 25W magnetic fast wireless charging takes iPhone 17 Pro Max to 50% in just 26 minutes — 3x faster than standard 7.5W. NOTE: After an iOS update, restart your iPhone to maintain optimal wireless charging speed 
  • Smart Display & One-Touch Control: The MagSafe compatible charger Stand features a clear screen shows real-time charging status — phone surface temperature, 25W phone power, 5W earbuds and 5W watch power. Double-tap to toggle the cooling fan or display, long-press to adjust brightness 
  • Adjustable Multi-Angle Stand: Tilt the magnetic phone stand up to 90°and rotate 360°for the perfect angle — MagSafe compatible charger station is ideal for FaceTime, video calls or watching media while charging. Powerful built-in magnets keep your iPhone perfectly aligned and secure on your desk or bedside table 
  • Widly Compatible & Safe: Delivers 25W to iPhone 17/16 Series, 20W to iPhone Air, 15W to iPhone 12–15, Pixel and Galaxy, plus 5W to AirPods and iWatch. Eight-layer protection with foreign object detection and Thermal Guard monitoring 200 times per second

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

The MagFlow Pro feels solidly built the moment you pick it up, and the magnetic alignment does exactly what it should — set your iPhone anywhere near the puck and it snaps into place with a satisfying click, no fiddling required. The stand tilts up to 90° and swivels the full 360°, so whether you want it upright for Face ID and video calls or angled flat on the desk, it’s a quick adjustment either way.

Where it really earns its “Pro” badge is the cooling. Wireless charging usually means a warm phone, but the CryoPulse TEC system keeps things noticeably cooler than a standard pad, and you genuinely can’t hear it running unless the room is dead silent. The little display is a nice touch too — instead of guessing whether your Watch is actually charging, you get status, temperature and power draw right there on the stand, and a double-tap is all it takes to dim it down for the bedroom.

Charging speed holds up well in practice. UGREEN quotes an iPhone 17 Pro Max reaching 50% in around 26 minutes, and while your mileage will depend on the adapter you pair it with, it never felt like a step down from charging with a cable. The Watch and AirPods pucks charge just as reliably alongside the phone, so you can dock all three overnight and wake up to everything full.

Safety is clearly something UGREEN has thought hard about here. Eight layers of protection, foreign object detection and a Thermal Guard checking temperature 200 times a second all sit quietly in the background, and in day-to-day use it simply means you can leave your gear on it overnight without a second thought.

The UGREEN MagFlow Pro Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand is available now priced at £119.99.

You can learn more from the UGREEN website.

A Closer Look at the Creamy Deco Baby Activity Case

Andrew Edney
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A Closer Look at the Creamy Deco Baby Activity Case

Here we take a closer look at the Creamy Deco Baby Activity Case from Canal Toys.

The Creamy Deco Baby Activity Case brings the perfect mix of creativity and on-the-go cuteness. Design your own cool hair clips, trendy keychains and dazzling accessories using vibrant decoration cream and fun colourful designs.

The biggest surprise? It comes with a special edition Creamy Deco Baby, the ultimate collectible! This handy carry case keeps all your tools, charms, & decorations neatly organised, so you can create anywhere, anytime. Mix, swirl, & decorate at home or take your creativity on the go; crafting has never been this fun!

Features

Decorate frames, keychains, hairclips & loads of other accessories

Includes a special edition Creamy Deco Baby

Customise your baby with cute decorations and charms

Includes a stylish carry case to keep your tools and charms organised

Contents: x1 case, x3 decoration tubes, x3 nozzles, x1 tweezers, x1 bag of clay decorations, x1 bag of foil decorations, x7 charms, x3 keychains, x3 acrylic shapes, x3 hairclips, x1 baby, x1 heart blister, x1 instructions

Dimensions: 26.8L x 17W x 12.7H cm

The Creamy Deco Baby Activity Case is available now priced around £14.99 and is aimed at ages 6 and above.

You can buy it from Smyths Toys.

Review: Silicone Protective Case Set

Daniel Waite
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Review: Silicone Protective Case Set

The Silicone Protective Case Set for Nex Playground from JSAUX is as colourful as it is helpful. This exceptional product won’t be on the lips of many people. However, if you are one of the growing fanbase of the fantastic family console, the Nex Playground, this will be a must-have item. I have reviewed JSAUX products before, and their RGB case is still on my Steam Deck. Accordingly, I have a soft spot for this company and its amazing products.

This set comprises a case for the console and a colour-matched sleeve for the remote. The design is colourful, attractive, and perfect for the console’s intended audience. I loved the playful and grippy nature of the silicone material. Moreover, it doesn’t interfere with the console’s usability. Therefore, it is a win-win.

Technical aspects.

I know what you are thinking. “How can a reviewer discuss the technical aspects of a rubber case?” Well, you wouldn’t be wrong, but some key elements need to be discussed. The Silicone Protective Case Set is designed specifically for the Nex Playground. Consequently, it will not work with any other platform. This may seem restrictive, but it’s not that surprising. The protective case protects your console and remote, and the tight nature of the case would be inappropriate for other consoles.

Another key element to mention is the vibrant colours. We’ve all been there where we have lost the remote to a TV, Sky box, or in this case, the Nex Playground. When this happens, tempers fray, and people get a little unhinged. Thankfully, the bright colours ensure that you will not lose your remote behind the sofa or in one of your children’s bedrooms. Subsequently, you can focus on gaming and not searching for key elements of your console.

Build quality.

The Silicone Protective Case Set is extremely well built and designed. I loved the cute finish and how JSAUX has used the console’s design to create a playful and cartoon-like figure. The design fits the console perfectly, and the camera, LED light status, and tactile buttons are not affected. This is the perfect design choice as you get an entertaining finish without a downside.

The remote has a colour-matched rope grip to prevent you from dropping it during heated gaming sessions. Think about the Wii and every smashed TV. Well, no one wants a repeat of that madness, so the handy wrist guard prevents accidental slippages from ruining the fun.

The silicone material is particularly hard-wearing, and the colours remain vibrant no matter how tough you use it. The stunning green finish is nice to look at, and I like the unusual bird-like design. Finally, Nex Playground’s active-first approach makes you sweat. This may seem disgusting, but it’s the nature of the beast. Luckily, the remote case is easy to clean without damaging the robust material.

Is the Silicone Protective Case Set worth it?

The Silicone Protective Case Set is a bit of a niche product, but those who own a Nex Playground will want it. Kids are unruly when they get into gaming. Consequently, excitement takes over, and sensibility is out the window. Thankfully, the robust design of this case set keeps your family console unscathed. The case prevents the plastic from becoming damaged, and the vibrant colours help you find it in the most bizarre places. Accordingly, I think it’s great, and I recommend buying it here!

(More information on JSAUX can be found here!)

The Silicone Protective Case Set from JSAUX has been awarded the Movies Games and Tech Gold Award.

(Full disclosure! A sample was provided for a free and unbiased review!)

Review: Feed the Scorchpot

Yusuf Haroon
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Review: Feed the Scorchpot

Following the success of Balatro, there has been a growing surge of different board games in the genre. Feed the Scorchpot is the latest entry into this small but rapidly growing genre. It takes the resource management and the backbone of Settlers of Catan and combines it with the combo scaling of Balatro. It is a clever combination and lets players loose on a puzzle that rewards both careful planning and gleeful rule-breaking. It’s charming, it’s deep, and despite wearing its influences openly, it manages to carve out an identity distinctly its own.

Catan’s Bones, a Different Heartbeat

The game intentionally takes inspiration from the Settlers of Catan, and it is impossible to ignore. Feed the Scorchpot showcases the same hexagonal board layout, resource harvesting, and dice-driven numbers. It also takes clear inspiration from the Balatro DNA. Stacking combos, chasing exponential scoring, and building toward runs that spiral into satisfyingly absurd numbers once the right synergies click into place is the core of the game. Therefore, it is safe to say Feed the Scorchpot borrows from Catan in presentation and texture, while what it borrows from Balatro is its entire sense of escalating, degenerate-in-the-best-way strategy.

Feed the Scorchpot stands out thanks to its dragon-feeding hook. With real charm, it prompts players to hunt down the right combination of buildings, recipes, dice, and tools. The goal of each run is to maximize what you can feed your dragons, and this is well complemented by the sheer number of viable combinations. New interactions are discovered numerous hours into the gam,e and it really adds to the playability aspect of the game. Multiple different dragons add their own distinct challenges and quirks on top of the base systems. This all adds a real sense of scale to Feed the Scorchpot despite its tight and digestible run lengths.

A Curve That Rewards Patience

Feed the Scorchpot does not shy away from its difficulty and leans into it. The early game has a steep learning curve. Most of the early runs will end in defeat before the game’s core mechanics start to even click. Reaching even a basic win can take real repetition for players without deep prior experience in strategy or deckbuilding games. However, once the fundamentals land, the game opens up dramatically. There is far more depth and complexity to the game than suggested initially by its cozy and low-stress presentation. 

The core experience of Feed the Scorchpot is generally well balanced and paced around a twenty-year in-game run. There is also an option for players who are looking for a challenge to keep feeding the dragon well past their natural stopping point. RNG is also a real and undeniable factor in how the curve feels moment to moment. Some runs can go sideways early on due to bad luck, which can make the overall experience bad for the player. It is not a dealbreaker, but it can be annoying enough to mark it as a criticism.

Final Verdict: Style That Matches Its Substance

Presentation is a consistent strength for Feed the Scorchpot. The art and music of the game are also charming, and the hand-drawn visuals are amazing to look at. This overall greatly contributes to how polished the game looks while working in this genre. There’s also a strong sense of humor running through the design. This is especially felt around its more chaotic, rule-breaking strategies, which help keep even repeated, similar-feeling runs from turning into a dry math exercise.

Feed the Scorchpot takes a quickly saturating genre mashup and still finds a genuinely compelling identity within it. This is backed by its charming presentation, satisfying core loop, and combinatorial depth. A steep initial learning curve and some frustration around harsh RNG swings are worth going in aware of, but neither stops this from being one of the stronger entries in the current wave of Balatro-inspired hybrids. For fans of Catan, Balatro, or anyone drawn to games about breaking systems in creative ways, Feed the Scorchpot earns its recommendation easily.

Review: Theropods

Josh Blackburn-Lane
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Review: Theropods

If you imagine a graph with axes labelled ‘cool to think about’ and ‘terrifying to experience’, then I think dinosaurs would sit at the maximum of both of them. They are undeniably cool, regardless of whether you imagine them with feathers or not. Everyone loves a big lizard*. But as the Jurassic Park series has shown us, them actually being real is terrifying. Lots of teeth and scary noises. Theropods isn’t helping things either. The dinosaurs shown are definitely cool but the game opens with someone being bloodily munched. I think I’ll stick to just seeing them in museums, thanks.

Though the mention of Jurassic Park is interesting, as Theropods feels like it’s part of a slight resurrection of point’n’click games recently. I guess they never truly went extinct, but there have been some top notch ones of late. Theropods is definitely a worthy contender, blending together the aforementioned coolness of dinosaurs, with a spicy sci-fi edge. It’s not the deepest the genre has ever been, both in gameplay and story, but it’s wonderfully pretty and has a fair few smart puzzles. Though it does suffer from what I’ll call, strangely, the ‘spear problem’.

Ground Control To Cavewoman

Theropods opens with us controlling a wee little cavewoman. She’s happily frolicking with her mum and dad in the woods, before a gigantic dinosaur suddenly appears. The dinosaur makes a quick snack of the mum, and the dad and girl are forced to flee. Years later, the tribe’s doing pretty good. That is until a giant glowing meteor hits the mountain and attracts the attention of murderous barbarians, who do what they do best. Meanwhile, in another genre, an astronaut crash-lands on the earth, looking for two things: a power source, and their lost child. The two protagonists eventually meet and join forces to journey back to the mountain and acquire the big glowy rock.

I’d say Theropods is quite brave with its choice of characters, in that neither of them speaks English. So characterisation is done through actions. The cavewoman learns to overcome her fears, for instance, which is shown by how she reacts to events around her. It’s quite nice, though does have some mixed results. I didn’t really buy the astronaut’s arc, for instance, which seemed a little unearned. That might be due to game’s overall brevity though. I wouldn’t say the characters are bad; I was definitely rooting for them and it was nice to see their relationship unfold. It’s just that stripping out dialogue, and limiting cutscenes purely to exposition, means that they begin to feel a little basic. The foot doesn’t come off the action pedal to let them breathe. They both have impeccable aim with a spear, though.

Point’n’Spear

Theropods is a nice blend of the old and new schools of point’n’click. So from the old, we’re picking up every out-of-place looking knick-knack and rubbing them against each other. But from the new, we have a handy button that allows us to see what we can interact with. So we’re not left pouring over pixels, trying to find a magical ladybug or whatever. It’s a blend that works well. It also keeps things relatively simple. We don’t have dialogue, after all, so we don’t have to listen to endless quips as we try and figure out what to do. Still, the simplicity doesn’t mean Theropods skimps on puzzles. There were definitely a few standout ones for me.

I liked one early on where we have to trap a dinosaur, by creating a basic rope trap and then forcing the dino to flee in a specific way. Theropods also shows its sense of humour through puzzles. I did enjoy throwing a tomato directly into the face of a rampaging barbarian. The gameplay shines when we have to put together multiple steps to achieve a goal, like building a raft. It does have a tendency to pad things out with easy solves, though. That’s the ‘Spear Problem’. So many actions are just hitting things with the spear, or using it as a lever. It got to the point where I’d just try the spear on everything first. So the big puzzles are good, but the journey to get to them can feel a bit repetitive.

Theropods – Pretty Pixel Point’n’Clickin’

My complaints are small fries, though, and are completely overshadowed by a big pro: Theropods is gorgeous. If you’ve read any of my previous reviews, you’ll know I’m a fan of pixel art. The art here is lovely. The backgrounds are stunning; full of bright, vibrant colours. The character models look appropriately basic in gameplay and lovely in cutscenes, which gives it a distinct Sierra-esque feel to things. Sound design is pretty lovely too. There are areas like the beach where you can sit back and let it wash over you. Its dinosaurs look great too. Including one scene underwater that looks rather like it’s taking a potshot at Invincible. In a way that’s also very unsettling.

Theropods is a short but sweet adventure. The brevity, and the decision to remove dialogue, does leave it feeling a little shallow at times, but the overall experience is a pleasant one. In a way, it’s refreshing. It’s just you, some nice puzzles, and a couple of people getting to know each other. Couple that with a gorgeous art and you’re set for a pleasant afternoon of running from dinosaurs.

(Theropods‘ Steam Page)

*I know they aren’t really lizards, but I couldn’t think of a better way to describe them. Everyone who matters does love them though.

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