Expect in-depth tech reviews, comparisons, unboxings and hands-on features with fresh new UK smartphones, laptops, wearables, apps and other new gadgets. With over a decade of experience reviewing technology, UK journalist Chris Barraclough has written for Tech Radar and dozens of PC/smartphone publications, and edited Mobile Choice magazine. Like Unbox Therapy, Supersaf, MKBHD and others, he has also spent several years presenting tech-based YouTube videos for the likes of Tech Radar and Recombu. We don't just pull things out of boxes here. We dive deep into those smartphones, gaming machines, smartwatches and other tech - Chris uses each device as it was intended for a proper real-life review, and doesn't just cover the shiny expensive stuff. You'll find budget kit as well, because we're not all minted. Why not be a sport and give that subscribe button a jolly good poke too. Cheers! Email address provided for PR requests - we are NOT hiring editors, thumbnail artists etc!
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Reviewing the OnePlus Watch 3, an upgraded version of the best Wear OS smartwatch (I reckon, at least) for 2025. With a boost to the battery capacity, rotating crown and other tweaks, the OnePlus Watch 3 is my favourite wrist rocket now. Check out my reviews of the other greatest smartwatches right now for alternatives!
UPDATE: In our briefing we were told a UK price of £299. This is actually now £319, apologies for the last minute change.
While the Pixel Watch 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 struggle to make it through a day or two, the brilliant OnePlus Watch 3 can survive four full days with all features active. That's thanks to the dual chipset design, LTPO display and other great features. Wear OS is handled by Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5, while basic tasks including health tracking use a low-powered BES chip.
Wear OS is of course as user friendly as always, and less buggy now on the OnePlus Watch 3 at launch. Performance is excellent and the massive OLED display is a stunner, but this smartwatch certainly isn't designed for smaller wrists.
I've reviewed loads of OnePlus Watch 3 rivals right here on Tech Spurt, Pixel Watch 3 and Samsung's Galaxy Watch 7 included. Hit subscribe for more smartwatch shenanigans in 2025!
OnePlus Watch 3 Review Chapters:
0:00 - Blather
0:34 - Design
2:25 - Display
3:18 - OHealth app
3:58 - Wear OS
4:33 - Watch faces
5:53 - Notifications
6:56 - Google Assistant
8:01 - Health tracking
10:05 - Sports modes
11:20 - Sleep tracking
11:44 - Performance
12:17 - Battery life
13:50 - Verdict
Unboxing the Vivo V50, with a 24-hour review of the camera tech, gaming performance with Wuthering Waves and full FunTouch tour. The Vivo V50 global phone isn't joined by a Pro model for a change. Here's what's new vs the V40 for the 2025 mid-ranger.
First, you've got another dual lens Zeiss camera setup. This is pretty good for family shots etc but the Vivo V50's default vivid mode won't be for everyone. You've also got Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 performance, so gamers can play the likes of Genshin Impact. Just don't expect a silky smooth frame rate.
Battery life is great thanks to the massive 6000mAh cell. So you can stream video or game on the Vivo V50 for hours on a charge. Plus that design is more rugged than ever. And of course you've got a FunTouch experience, which some might find more fun than others.
So that's my 24 hour review of the Vivo V50 smartphone, a capable mid-range mobile with Zeiss camera setup and some of the best battery life around. Are you tempted? Let us know below!
Vivo V50 Unboxing Chapters:
0:00 - Where's the Pro?
0:46 - Design
2:53 - Features & FunTouch
4:42 - Display & audio
6:17 - Performance & gaming
8:29 - Battery life
10:00 - Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G is launching in March 2025, if leaks and rumours are on the money - but how does this fresh mid-range phone compare vs the A55? Here's a closer look ahead of the official Samsung A56 5G unveiling, as well as my unboxing and review.
Well, the biggest upgrade should be to the performance and battery life. Last year's phone was a bit 'meh' in those areas, but the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G should upgrade the gaming chops with an Exynos 1580. This not only boosts the GPU, but also improves the overall efficiency - or so say early leaks.
The camera tech appears to be identical, at least on paper. Samsung's Galaxy A56 sports the same hardware although you can also expect a bevy of AI type tools and features. Samsung is sticking with that iPhone-esque flat edge design too, complete with full water resistance.
Battery life will hopefully improve despite the Samsung A56 once again packing a 5000mAh cell. Charging will still be tediously slow however, while OneUI 7.1 won't win over anyone who dislikes Samsung's Galaxy A55.
So that in a nutshell is the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G. Let us know what you reckon below!
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Chapters:
0:00 - Chin up, Sammy
1:33 - Samsung Galaxy A56 leaks
7:43 - Viewer comments
14:48 - Next week
Reviewing the best smartwatches of 2025, including WearOS rivals the Pixel Watch 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra, to OnePlus, Xiaomi and Huawei's latest wearables. Here's my top 15 favourite smartwatches that I've personally tested, which aren't the Apple Watch!
Let us know your thoughts on the greatest wearables of 2025 down below.
The Pixel Watch 3 is a respectable upgrade over the previous generation, despite the lack of sapphire glass and the still troublesome battery life (for the 41mm model). The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra is better for longevity and boasts a more rugged design, thankfully.
As well as quite a few premium devices, I've tested some budget friendly fitness trackers and great value efforts like the Nothing Watch Pro and Xiaomi's Redmi Watch 5 series. From the Ticwatch Pro 5 Enduro to the OnePlus Watch 2 and 2r, here's the best smartwatch options for battery life, gym use and more.
If you have a ridiculous amount of cash you might prefer the Huawei Watch Ultimate, which is a sleek and super-tough outdoor/diving smartwatch. For less cash, try the diverse selection of GT 5 wrist rockets - in two sizes and many designs. And then on a tight budget, the best around is Nothing Watch Pro.
What's your own favourite smartwatch as we prance our way through 2025? Let us know below!
Best Smartwatches Winter 2024 Chapters:
0:00 - The bit everyone skips
0:43 - Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra
2:06 - Samsung alternatives
3:06- Google Pixel Watch 3
5:12 - Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 5, Enduro & Atlas
6:46 - OnePlus Watch 2 & 2r
8:43 - Huawei Watch GT5 & Pro
10:05 - Huawei Watch D2
10:46 - Huawei Watch Fit 3
11:29 - Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro
12:29 - Xiaomi Watch S3
13:11 - Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 series
13:48 - Nothing Watch Pro
14:38 - Withings Scan Watch 2
Reviewing Egg solar panels and setup in the UK, to see if this home energy installation is a good idea in a country best known for gloom! In part one, we take a look at the whole planning and install process, so you know what to expect when you order solar panels.
Thanks to Egg for providing the solar panels for testing and review. You can check out their offerings over at: http://egg.com
Stay tuned for further videos in the coming months, highlighting how effective this smart energy setup actually is. We'll be taking a look at how much power those solar panels generate, how to store it to minimise your electricity bills, and how to sell back to the grid.
Solar Panels Installation Chapters:
0:00 - Solar? In Blighty??
0:47 - Who is Egg?
2:12 - Planning
3:20 - Installation
4:58 - And off we go!
The Sky Glass Gen 2 TV just launched in London, and here's all the major updates vs the original model! Sky Glass 2 offers the same user experience, but now with a boosted Quantum Dot display and upgraded audio. It goes on sale from Feb 12 in the UK, stay tuned for my Sky Glass Gen 2 review!
Reviewing the Samsung Galaxy S25 after three weeks of play, including one week of using as my full-time phone. That camera tech, battery capacity and charging and most of the other Samsung Galaxy S25 specs are unchanged vs the S24. But does the Snapdragon 8 Elite performance make a big difference and does this smartphone deserve all the hate?
The main upgrade for the Samsung S25 is that Snapdragon 8 Elite performance. Gaming is now a significantly smoother experience, while battery life also seems to have improved for this 2025 Galaxy phone. Meanwhile you also have that AI-dense OneUI 7.1 experience on board the Samsung Galaxy S25. Great news if you like to translate stuff, or can't be bothered to read an entire webpage.
However, most other aspects of this Sammy smartphone are all too familiar. The Samsung Galaxy S25's camera isn't as impressive as many other flagship phones in 2025. I saw way too much noise in my photos, while pics of moving subjects and portrait shots usually fail to impress.
So, what's your thoughts on the Samsung S25? It's still one of the only mini mobiles out there, but the Xiaomi 15 and Pixel 9a aren't far off now!
Samsung Galaxy S25 Review Chapters:
0:00 - So. Much. Hate.
0:41 - Design
2:44 - Display & audio
5:13 - Performance & gaming
6:59 - Battery life
9:11 - OneUI 7 & features
11:31 - Another gripe. Or two.
12:07 - Cameras
15:50 - Verdict
Reviewing the best budget smartphones in the UK for a cost of £300 or under in 2025, from Samsung, Poco, Xiaomi, Nothing and OnePlus. Here's a mini review of my top ten favourite affordable phones, and please subscribe for more budget mobile unboxings and more!
First up, I absolutely forgot to include the CMF Phone, which is great for just 200 quid. But another great option is that Nothing Phone 2a. This literally flashy smartphone has a bargain price tag now that the Nothing Phone 3a is just around the corner. It's a classy all-round mobile, with a decent camera, slick performance and some great features.
Don't sleep on the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G either, which now costs just £299 in the UK. Again, that's despite some respectable specs and the usual OneUI setup. Otherwise budget phone shoppers should check out the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite, which has an awful name but solid hardware and software.
Many of these best budget smartphones in 2025 can run games like Genshin Impact (albeit on low graphics) or at least Call of Duty and PubG. The likes of the Poco X6 and Xiaomi's Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G also offer long battery life, while the latter is water resistant. And if you're tempted by a more stock Android phone experience, check out Motorola's Edge 50 Fusion, G85 and G35.
So which is your favourite best budget phone under £300 as we saunter through 2025? You can see unboxing and review videos for all of these mobiles and more right here on Tech Spurt!
Best Budget Phones Under £300 2025 Chapters:
0:00 - Budget blowers ahoy
0:41 - Nothing Phone 2a
1:55 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G
3:13 - Poco F6
3:57 - Poco X6 & Pro
4:46 - OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G
6:07 - Motorola Edge 50 Fusion
7:10 - Motorola G85
8:19 - Motorola G35
8:53 - Samsung Galaxy A35 5G
9:58 - HMD Fusion
10:44 - Byyyyyyeeeeee
Apple's iPhone SE 4 is launching in March or April 2025, boasting several upgrades vs the SE3 and with some iPhone 16-style features, like an Action Button and A18 smarts. So can the iPhone SE4 actually prove to be one of the best mid-range smartphones of the year? Let us know using the slightly convoluted Nic Cage scale below!
Various leaks and rumours have shown that this compact phone improves on many aspects of the SE3 model. For one, the iPhone SE 4 will now serve up a proper OLED screen, albeit with the usual oversized notch and 60Hz refresh cap. You'll also get the very best Apple performance (ish), with the A18 chipset running the show. Which means...Apple Intelligence should come packed on the iPhone SE4. Can't wait.
Battery life is hopefully better, plus the camera has been upgraded for the iPhone SE4 to a 48MP sensor. Most likely the same shooter found on the 14 Pro models.
So far, these leaks and rumours actually sound kind of encouraging, right? As in, I don't feel the need to smother myself in Pedigree Chum and leap throat-first into the nearest home for overly violent pitbulls.
Apple iPhone SE 4 Leaks and Rumours Chapters:
0:00 - Countdown...
1:04 - iPhone SE 4
5:24 - Viewer comments
12:40 - Next week
Reviewing Asus' Zenfone 12 Ultra smartphone after one week, including an unboxing, camera tests, gaming verdict with Wuthering Waves and how it compares vs the 11 Ultra. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra will cost from 999 Euros when it goes on sale, UK pricing incoming!
As with other recent 2025 flagship phones, this massive handset leans heavy on its AI features. These are genuinely useful and I love the clean ZenUI experience, but the Zenfone 12 Ultra is a tough sell at this price vs the OnePlus 13 etc. That camera setup is merely fine, for instance, although the gaming chops are solid thanks to the ROG Phone foundations. Battery life is also great, so you will enjoy a full day of play from a single charge.
Most of the specs seem to be the same vs the 11 Ultra from last year, however. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra doesn't upgrade the wireless charging, design, display and many other bits of the hardware compared with the old version. Yes, that camera tech is almost the same too, despite the change to Sony's Lytia sensor for the main shooter. And of course, plenty of AI shenanigans.
So are you tempted by the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra? Let us know below!
Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Unboxing & Review Chapters:
0:00 - They did it again
0:58 - Unboxing
1:24 - Design
3:47 - ZenUI & Features
7:09 - Performance & gaming
8:38 - AI tools
10:24 - Display & audio
12:02 - Battery life
13:24 - Cameras
17:11 - Verdict
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