Worst Valentine’s Day gifts 2016 14 February is Valentine’s Day, and with it comes an influx of gift suggestions from companies trying to take advantage of the occasion. According to eHarmony research, Brits spent £1.9bn on Valentine’s Day gifts in 2015, and this year’s figure is expected to rise even further. But there are some items that we just don’t think cut it as a Valentine’s Day gift, so here we’re sharing some of the worst around....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Sleek, understated design Excellent display Strong triple camera 120W wired charging Cons Poor battery life Irritating software No IP rating Our Verdict The Xiaomi 12 Pro has an awful lot going for it, with a sleek design, fast charging, and decent camera – but bad battery and so-so software hold it back from true greatness. Best Prices Today: Xiaomi 12 Pro Forget the name: the Xiaomi 12 Pro is really the direct successor to last year’s Xiaomi Mi 11....

Earlier this year we saw the introduction of the Redmi Note 11 range and now Xiaomi has added two more models into the mix with the Pro+ and 11S 5G. These join the Redmi Note 11 , 11S, Pro and Pro 5G SKUs to add more choice for consumers, although perhaps some confusion as well – especially when there is already a Pro model with 5G. Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G “With the launch of Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G, Xiaomi is pushing the legacy of Redmi Note Series one step further by delivering a performance that exceeds expectations,” said Xiaomi....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros 5G on a budget Decent performance Long battery life Cons Cheap rear design Clunky fingerprint sensor 60Hz refresh rate Our Verdict The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T is a great affordable 5G option – but if you’re not bothered about 5G then there are better budget phones out there. Best Prices Today: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T The Redmi Note 9T is the latest phone in Xiaomi’s budget range, boasting 5G capability....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Powerful vacuuming Effective mopping Avoids all obstacles Cons Dust bag in base can’t be emptied and re-used No extra bags included Fairly pricey Our Verdict The Xiaomi Robot Vacuum 5 Pro is a powerful and easy to use robot vacuum cleaner with a mopping function (including washing and drying its own mop pads) and automatic emptying. It leaves your home sparkling clean, gets into corners and along skirting boards, and avoids all obstacles in its path....

Welcome back to the wasteland – the second instalment of Fallout is here. Expect plenty more violent clashes and bizarre post-nuclear war mutants, lurking in the ruins of the world. After setting up some new mysteries in season 1’s finale, season 2 has kicked off with a bang. But what else can you expect from 2025’s edition of Fallout? We’ve got everything you need to know, including when the next episode drops....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict One of the fastest USB-C PD power banks we’ve come across, and certainly one of the best designed. Zendure’s 45W A6PD stands out for its extreme energy efficiency and ability to hold a charge for six months just as much as it does its good-looking rugged design. Not the cheapest laptop power bank you’ll find, but absolutely one of the best. Best Prices Today: Zendure A6PD This is the first Zendure power bank we’ve tested with a USB-C input/output, but while Zendure is late to the party it has come in style with the A6PD....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2015 is very sound anti-malware software. Although the scan rate is low, since the impact on the system is low, this probably won’t matter. The range of facilities offered in the suite includes most of the things you’d want, though we’d like to see the Privacy bar in a version that will work with Chrome. Best Prices Today: ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2015 ZoneAlarm has a long heritage as a supplier of internet security software and the latest version of its Internet Security Suite includes a lot of useful components....

The modern smartphone is arguably defined by its camera, or cameras to be exact – most handsets have several. They’re capable of snapping high-quality images with minimal setup, and can even allow an inexperienced photographer to get a truly magical shot. But despite this point-and-shoot potential, there’s a lot more you can do with your smartphone ‘s camera. Just as a lot of work has gone into the hardware, developers have spent a long time making sure the native Android camera app is one of the most dynamic things on your device....

As we learnt in advance, Xiaomi has given the 14 series of smartphones a global launch at MWC 2024 and I have thoughts. Xiaomi kindly sent me a regular Xiaomi 14, the entry-level option below the 14 Pro and 14 Ultra and although I haven’t had it long enough to bring you a full review here are my initial impressions. After 24 hours, at the time of writing, there are several things I noticed about the Chinese tech giant’s latest flagship smartphone....

28 Years Later is one of the biggest zombie movies in years, and it’s the third film in the iconic survival horror trilogy. 28 Days Later, directed by Danny Boyle in 2002, tells the story of a young man, Jim (Cillian Murphy), who awakens from a coma to find himself in a post-apocalyptic world. With the help of a few survivors, he tries to endure a city overrun by a Rage Virus that turns people into bloodthirsty monsters....

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is here to take on the likes of Samsung and Apple and while like many 2025 flagship phones , it’s an iterative edition, there are some key upgrades to be aware of, as well as one downgrade. A big new camera As you probably already know, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a camera-focused phone and it’s unsurprising that the firm has kept things relatively similar to the amazing 14 Ultra in this department....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The C720 doesn’t excel in any particular department, but it scores highly enough in most of them to make it a good all-rounder. Lightweight, fast, cheap, and actually quite a cool looking device. The keyboard is a little underwhelming, but for the money it’s a very easy machine to recommend. Best Prices Today: Acer C720 As you might expect the casing is of course plastic, finished in a smart, bluish grey that does a fair job of simulating metal while feeling strong enough for day to day usage....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Excellent 3:2 display Great battery life Fast performance Cons Slightly spongy keyboard Fan noise at times Our Verdict Acer has hit upon a winning formula with its latest Chromebook offering. The Spin 713 marries excellent components, powerful performance, that 3:2 display and futureproof connectivity with a sensible price. Best Prices Today: Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Acer is a company that has consistently supported the Chromebook platform and over the years it’s released some excellent models....

Acer has refreshed its gaming laptops for 2023, with upgrades to its high-end Predator Helios range, as well as the more affordable Nitro line-up. Tech Advisor got a first look at the new laptops, along with new Swift models . All three ranges are kitted out with the latest 13 th Gen Intel Core Processors along with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs. If you’re after a laptop for seriously long gaming sessions need a device that’s happy to be stretched to its limits, then the Predator Helios range is the one to look at....

At a Glance Our Verdict With a price tag of £89.99 you’re looking at a stylish phone with fairly good specs that’ll certainly do the trick if you intend to use it primarily for phone calls, messaging, social media and browsing the web. Best Prices Today: Acer Liquid Zest Acer has launched a new budget smartphone at MWC 2016 that’ll appeal to the younger generation. The Liquid Zest has specs, features and a design that makes it well-worth the price tag....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Affordable Decent bass Waterproof Cons Confusing app Inaccurate heart-rate reading Fiddly ear-hooks Our Verdict The PowerBuds are far from perfect, but decent sound quality with noise cancellation at an affordable price make them a good all-rounder. Heart rate monitoring is a farce, though. Best Prices Today: Amazfit PowerBuds Huami grows its Amazfit fitness ecosystem with the addition of the PowerBuds wireless earphones which even monitor your heart rate....

Wearable brand Amazfit is expanding its rugged smartwatch line with the T-Rex Ultra, the most premium model in the series so far. This newest member of the T-Rex line is specifically designed to both withstand and accurately track strenuous outdoor activities and adventures. This even includes skydiving and indoor/outdoor freediving – three new sports added specifically for this wearable. Coming in a choice of two colours – Abyss Black and Sahara – this military-grade watch is made from 316L stainless steel and has an AMOLED display, as well as a mud-resistant bridge and buttons....

At a Glance Our Verdict A great-value 3D printer that’s capable of printing very large models in nice quality. It does require some assembly, but it’s not too taxing. Best Prices Today: Anet A8 Plus Although we haven’t reviewed it, Anet’s A8 3D printer is a popular choice for many thanks to its low price and potential for customisation. But it also had its fair share of problems, all of which are fixed in the A8 Plus we’re pleased to say....

Anthem is the latest new IP from EA studio BioWare, best known for the Mass Effect and Dragon Age games. Previously known only by the codename Dylan, Anthem departs from what BioWare is known best for, instead moving towards a cooperative action looter/shooter in the vein of Destiny or The Division. First unveiled at E3 2017 and with more details emerging all the time, we’re starting to piece together more information about BioWare’s next big title....