Power banks are an almost must-have accessory these days, as they offer the easiest way to keep your phone and devices charged when on the go. Power banks come in all shapes and sizes, from compact 10,000 mAh models that are great for quick top ups, through to 20,000 mAh or larger models that can charge a laptop and are ideal for travelling.

Knowing which power bank brands you can trust is very important, as the market is flooded with low-quality products with fake capacities or terrible efficiencies. Every power bank we recommend is rigorously tested to uncover even the smallest flaws. We include the top brands such as Anker, ZMI, Ugreen, INIU, Romoss and Baseus, as well as some hidden gems from lesser known brands.

Power banks come in all shapes and sizes, and larger capacity does mean more weight. But a slim power bank might be ideal for a pocket, whereas a square or blocky shape is better suited to a bag. MagSafe wireless chargers are great for charging an iPhone, but now MagSafe cases are available for everyone you can also use them on other brands such as Pixel phones. We also feature power banks that support fast charging – including for Samsung phones, laptops or gaming devices such as a Steam Deck. And don’t worry, all the power banks we recommend are flight safe so can be taken along on your next trip.

In our reviews below, we will tell you how many charges a power bank will give your phone or laptop, as well as if it does fast charging. We also test other features, like pass-through charging and low current mode. The specs listed on marketplaces such as Amazon are often not very accurate, so we check every last one, and measure the dimensions and weights ourselves.

If you want more information on how to tell what power bank you need, what protocols your device uses, or just want to know more about how to compare power bank capacities, skip to our detailed FAQ at the end of the page.  

The quick list

Want to skip straight to the good bit, and find out which power banks are the best? Take a look below, then check out the detailed review and testing results further down the page. If there's one that suits your needs, our price comparison tool will help you find the best deals.

The best power bank of 2024 in Australia

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best power banks in our list. We've tested each one extensively so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best power bank overall

Featuring a large 25,000 mAh (90 Wh) capacity and a high 100W single port output, the ZMI No.20 is perfect for meeting your varied on-the-go charging needs. The power bank has two USB-C input / outputs – the first USB-C port outputs or charges at 100W (20V, 5A), while the second is limited to 45W (20V, 2.25A) in or out. The third port is USB-A and can also do up to 100W (20V, 5A) for PD spec devices such as laptops, but only with the included ZMI USB-A to USB-C cable. All up you can pull 210W, which means there is no issue fast charging one or more laptops, phones or other devices at the same time.

The No.20 also supports pass-through charging and UPS mode, and has a low current device charging mode. Remaining capacity is shown with a simple light-up percentage display that's easy to read in the sun but a bit bright at night. The plastic build means it’s not too heavy at 580 grams, and while 18.8cm long and 8.1cm wide, the 2.7cm thickness and curved edged makes it easy to slip into a bag. The power bank is quite robust if dropped, but the shiny finish will scratch fairly easily.

In testing, the No.20 could output 87.9% of its capacity at 20V, and 84.9% at 9V, which is an above-average efficiency. Using the two USB-C ports, the ZMI will happily sustain 100W or 100W+45W output without overheating, and runs cool enough to be left in a bag for slower laptop or phone charging. Importantly, the two USB-C ports are 100% independent, which means one won’t disconnect and renegotiate power levels if a new device is plugged into the other USB-C port. Using a 100W charger, the No.20 takes 1.5 hours to recharge, or around 2.5 hours if using the 45W input.

The 210W rating is 20V, 10.5A total using both the first USB-C port and the USB-A port with the ZMI cable. Connecting two 100W laptops works fine because while power use peaks near 200W, the average power use is much lower. UPS mode works well, but it only applies to the USB-C ports (or USB-A at under 12V) so is limited to either 45W output and 100W charging, or 45W charging and up to 100W output. While not overly compact for its capacity, the ZMI isn’t too large either. The ZMI uses high-quality Samsung 21700 cells, so is ideal for long-term heavy use.  

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The best budget power bank

The INIU B6 offers a lot considering the affordable price tag, with a 10,000 mAh (37 Wh) capacity and a 20W (9V, 2.22A) PD 3.0 output, which will fast charge most phones between 1-2 times. The B6 measures in at 13.6 x 7 x 1.5cm, and weighs 210 grams, which is better than average size vs capacity, making it ideal for slipping into a pocket, purse or bag. 

The B6 has a single USB-C port, as well as two USB-A ports and a large easy-to-read capacity display. In the box you get a USB-A to USB-C cable and a carry bag – the latter is handy as the soft-touch coating on the B6 is great to hold but prone to scratches. The soft-touch coating also holds fingerprints and fluff and we do worry if it will go sticky in a few years. The power bank has a useful torch built in – but it's not very bright – and it can be turned on by double pressing the power button. The B6 also has a pull-out phone holder to turn the power bank into a stand when charging. 

The B6 has excellent voltage accuracy and can output 85% of its rated capacity at 20W (9V, 2.22A) and an even better 91% at 5V. These are very impressive results considering the affordable price. The B6 also supports PPS mode from 5V to 11V, at 2A, and 5V to 5.9V at 3A, which allows compatible phones to charge faster and more efficiently. We have given our test B6 extended cyclic testing with no appreciable capacity loss, but it’s worth noting INIU offers a generous three-year warranty.

For those who like the look of the B6 but need a larger capacity, the INIU B5 has the same number of ports, voltages and amperage as the B6, but has a 20,000 mAh (74Wh) battery. It includes the same torch, but no phone holder, and measures in at a larger 13.5 x 7.1 x 2.5cm and weighs 362 grams.  

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The best premium power bank

The Anker 737 is one of only a few premium power banks that caters to the latest high-end laptops with the ability to supply up to 140W (28V, 5A) from the main USB-C port. The 737 is also great for charging phones and other devices, and the second USB-C port does up to 100W (20V, 5A) output, while the USB-A does 18W (9V, 2A). The 737 supports phone charging at 27W (9V, 3A) as well as PPS 5A (3.3V – 21V) for wide compatibility and the fastest possible charging with most devices, including Samsung fast charging.

The 630 gram Anker 737 uses a chunky rather than thin form factor, but we found the 15.7 × 5.5 × 5 cm dimensions were only an issue in slim laptop bags. The power bank has an excellent colour screen that displays remaining capacity, as well as other handy info, including battery health and overall usage stats. In use, the screen tells you the wattage from each port, which is a very useful way to double check if a device is charging correctly. The 737 also includes a low-current device charging mode that's activated by double pressing the power button.

The 737 had no problem sustaining 140W, but does get rather warm. Efficiency suffers a little with sustained high wattage, but voltages remain rock steady and, at 20V, up to an excellent 89% of the rated capacity is available. At 9V 20W, an almost-as-great 87% of the rated capacity is available. Impressively the 737 can charge itself at 140W in a bit over an hour, while charging at 100W, it takes closer to 1.5 hours. The 737 will pass-through up to 90W of power, but won’t charge itself at the same time and does not have a UPS mode. The 737 uses quality 21700 cells and monitors battery health, so is ideal for heavy daily usage. 

Notably the Anker 737 does not have PD spec 12V output from the USB-C ports. (We have seen evidence that suggests Anker will update to a Gen 2 version of the 737, and add 12V/3A PD spec output to improve compatibility with drone battery chargers. We will update this review once we can confirm.)

Best Compact 140W

While not a name that everyone is familiar with, Ugreen has a large range of excellent USB accessories and power banks, including the 140W output, 25,000 mAh (90 Wh) PB205. The power bank stands out as being slightly smaller and lighter than most other premium options with similar capacity, and is a good choice for those who are frequently on the go. Despite the high RRP, the power bank is almost always sold at a discounted price, making it more affordable than it seems.

The Ugreen power bank can output 140W (28V, 5A) from the first USB-C port for rapid charging of some high-end laptops, such as the Macbook Pro. The second USB-C port is 65W and output only, while the USB-A port is up to 18W (9V, 2A). If using both USB-C ports, the first does 100W and the second does 45W for fast charging two devices. Recharging is at up to 65W and takes around 1.5 hours, and pass-through charging is supported. The Ugreen power bank comes with a 100W USB-C to USB-C cable, so those wanting to immediately use it for 140W charging will need to buy an additional cable.

The PB205 measures in at 16 x 8 x 2.7cm, and weighs 505 grams, which is almost 20% smaller and over 10% lighter than its closest rivals with similar specs. The compact nature does mean the power bank tends to run hot, and while it handles peaks of 140W fine, sustained use at high output can result in it dropping back to a lower output wattage. In real-world use, average power use of even a high-end laptop is low enough that heat buildup is not an issue. The PB205 low-current mode and pass-through work as expected, and it gives an excellent 85% of rated capacity if charging a phone at 20W (9V, 2.22A) and 88% at 30W (20V, 1.5A), while sustained 100W gives 82% and 140W (28V, 5A) drops that to a still solid 76%. The power bank uses high-quality 21700 cells, so is well suited to frequent, heavy use.  

If you like the look of this power bank but want something a touch cheaper, Ugreen has a shorter 20,000 mAh (74 Wh) 100W version under model number: ‎25188. 

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Best Slim Form Factor

While an excellent power bank on its own merits, the Blade Pro stands out for its skinny form factor. Combined with the 100W (20V, 5A) output, the Blade Pro is ideal for slipping into a bag to charge a laptop and other devices on the go. The 20,000 mAh (74 Wh) capacity is enough to bring many laptops back to full charge, or charge a phone 3-4 times over. While we love how thin the power bank is, the 13.4 x 13.4 x 2.0 cm dimensions mean this power bank is definitely too large for a pocket. 

The Blade Pro has two USB-C ports that can output 100W, though if both are used at the same time they are limited to 65W+35W. The two USB-A ports can do 30W (12V, 2.5A) or 27W at 9V, 3A. While charging three devices is OK, four means all ports only do 5V. Charging via either USB-C port is at 60W and takes 1 hour 15 minutes, and with a 65W+ charger the power bank supports pass-through charging. You also get a low-current charge mode and a fantastic display that shows the voltage, current and remaining runtime when charging. 

At 20W (9V, 2.22A) the Blade Pro gives an outstanding 91.55% of the rated capacity. At 20V and normal laptop charge rates, this is even better at 93% of the rated capacity. Under a sustained 100W (20V, 5A) load during testing, the Blade Pro will typically renegotiate the output to 65W (20V, 3.25A) at between 50% to 30% remaining capacity due to heat. At these sustained levels efficiency drops, and 54.7Wh (76%) of the rated 74Wh is available. In our real-world testing with a high-power 100W laptop (which averages less than 100W), this safety feature did not engage. With sustained high output the Blade Pro does get warm, so should not be left in a bag while charging a laptop, but is fine if charging a phone. 

If buying the Blade Pro, watch out for the older (non Pro) Blade model, as they look very similar. The older Blade is a great power bank (and a good buy if on special) and it has the same features and outputs as the Pro, but it is larger overall and uses an older cell chemistry. 

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Best compact 10,000mAh

Designed in Germany and built in China, the 4Smarts Pocket Slim power bank has a 10,000 mAh (37 Wh) capacity, but stands out with a 45W output and PPS support from either of the two USB-C ports. This means the power bank can very fast charge many phones while also being able to give a laptop an emergency top up. The 4Smarts power bank is the most compact we have tested in the 10K capacity, and measures in at 7.7 x 5.6 x 2.6cm and weighs just 200 grams. It slips into a pocket just fine, but isn’t as slim as some other (larger overall) power banks. 

The 4Smarts has a percentage style capacity display, and a little green fast-charging indicator. To keep the power bank small, it ditches USB Type-A ports completely, and instead has two USB-C connections. These are on each end, and either can output 45W, though are limited to 20W if both are in use at once. While the power bank can do 45W, this is at 20V, 2.25A and phones will charge at PD spec 9V, 3A (27W) or PPS 3.3V-11V, 4A. This means most phones will very fast charge, but it does fall short of the 45W or higher ultra fast PPS charge rates some phones can handle.

The 4Smarts uses 21700 cells, which typically give excellent longevity even under heavy loads. At up to 27W (9, 3A), 82% of the listed capacity is available, but expect under 80% if discharging at a sustained 45W. While less efficient than bigger power banks, this is an great result for an ultra slim, yet high wattage model. The bank stays cool when charging a phone, but gets quite warm when outputting 45W and should not be used in a bag if charging a laptop. Charging the power bank is via either port at up to 27W (9V, 3A), and takes around 1.5 hours. The power bank also supports pass-through charging at up to 27W, and works as a UPS.    

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The best budget 20,000 mAh

The name might not be familiar, but VRURC is an established brand, and the T2055 is an excellent, affordable 20,000 mAh (74 Wh) power bank that can handle 20W fast charging. The VRURC power bank has a USB-C input/output, three USB-A ports  and both micro USB and Lightning inputs as backup charge options. It also comes with a handy folding USB-C cable, and a little bag for protection.

The power bank measures in at 11.3 x 7 x 2.8 cm, which is quite compact considering the capacity. The plastic shell is nicely curved and quite robust, so the T2055 is a great option for throwing in a bag as a backup. It features a percentage display that shows remaining charge, but does not have a low-current mode.

We gave the T2055 an extended round of cyclic testing to check for poor-quality cells and it held up well with no appreciable drop in capacity. While it is advertised as 22.5W, this is only for Huawei fast charging via USB-A, and USB-C charging is capped at 20W (9V, 2.22A). At 20W, the T2055 outputted an excellent 85% of the rated capacity, which gives it the ability to charge most phones 3-4 times over.

The power bank had no trouble outputting stable voltage at the rated current, and happily charged at 18W (9V, 2A) from any of the inputs, filling up in a touch over 5 hours. We had no problem charging low-current devices such as headphones, and the T2055 stays on at as little as 0.5W. While not expressly supported by VRURC, pass-through charging does work from any of the inputs, and output via USB-C or USB-A.  

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The best 30W power bank

Most affordable power banks top out at 18W or 20W charging, while most modern phones peak around 25W to 30W. The Romoss 4S Pro has you covered with up to 30W (20V, 1.5A) charging and even the ability to top up a laptop. The little power bank has a 10,000 mAh (36 Wh) capacity, so will charge a phone about 1.5 times. It’s quite compact at 11.1 x 6.4 x 2.5 cm, and weighs a pocket-friendly 245 grams. The power bank has a USB-C input / output port, two USB-A connectors, so it can charge three devices at once.

The 4S Pro 30W output is at 20V (1.5A), but most phones will use 9V at up to 3A for 27W. That’s enough to get maximum charge rate in many cases, and has the largest benefit in the first 50% of the charge. The USB-A ports support QC4.0 and can do up to 18W (12V, 1.5A). The 4S Pro has a basic four-LED capacity indicator, and a low current mode. The power bank comes with a USB-A to C cable, but keep in mind you need a USB-C to C cable to get the full 30W. Plugged into a suitable wall charger via USB-C, the 4s Pro will charge back up at 30W in about 1.5 hours. It also has an extra micro USB and Lightning input for 18W (9V, 2A) charging, which can be handy if that’s the only cable available.

In testing, the 4S Pro allowed a Pixel 8 Pro to hit 26W, which is a decent improvement over the 18 or 20W from a lesser power bank. While you can charge a laptop at 20V, it’s best suited for emergencies only and, in our tests with a laptop with a 55 Wh battery, the power bank only took it back to 50% charge. At 27W (9V, 3A) the efficiency is outstanding, with 94.6% of the rated capacity available and, even at 20V (30W), we still got a great 83.8%. Sadly, using both USB-C and USB-A at the same time, all three ports at once does limit the power bank to slower 5V charging but, on the plus side, at 5V 94.9% of the rated capacity is usable.

If you want 30W charging but crave a larger 20,000 mAh (72 Wh) capacity, the Romoss PSW20-392 is worth checking out. 

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The best magnetic wireless power bank

MagSafe compatible cases and accessories are now available for a wide range of phones, making wireless charging even better. The Ugreen magnetic wireless power bank has a 10,000 mAh (37 Wh) capacity and can handle up to 15W Qi wireless charging for Android devices, but Apple devices limit charging to 7.5W. The magnetic grip is strong and works well with MagSafe compatible accessories and devices. At 11.3 x 6.9 x 2 cm and 225 grams, the Ugreen power bank is easily slipped into a pocket – even when attached to a phone. It also has a fold-out kickstand so it can be used as a phone stand in both horizontal and vertical positions.

The power bank also has wired options and can output 20W (9V, 2.22A) from the USB-C port, and 18W (9V/12V, 1.5A) from the USB-A port. The power bank can charge at up to 20W from the USB-C input, and the port is located so it can be used to wirelessly charge a phone while it is charging, or do pass-through charging (though only at 5V) to a device plugged into the USB-A port. The power bank automatically turns on when a phone is placed on it, or can be activated by pressing the power button. 

In testing, the Ugreen power bank gives a top-notch 87.6% of the rated capacity when fast charging at 9V, 20W via USB-C cable. Wireless charging efficiency depends on the exact device and case, but in our tests (on an Android phone with a MagSafe case), overall efficiency drops to about 68%, which is an extra 22% losses vs wired charging. This is a reasonable result, and in line with other wireless chargers we have tested. When charging an Android phone, the power bank has no trouble hitting the full 15W wireless charge rate through a case, or 7.5W for an iPhone. Wireless charging worked well with every Qi compatible device we tested, including AirPods and other headphones. 

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The best 65W power bank

Aimed at those who want a higher-end power bank on a lower budget, the 20,000 mAh (74 Wh), 65W output INIU B62 is a great buy. The power bank has two USB-C ports, plus USB-A, and is ideal for fast-charging phones and laptops. INIU also stands out by providing an impressive three-year warranty. The soft-touch plastic clad power bank measures in at 15 x 7.3 x 2.8cm and while the curved edges make it just barely pocketable, it’s not overly compact considering the capacity.

The first USB-C port (IN/OUT1) does 65W (20V 3.25A) while the second (OUT2) provides 36W (12V 3A), or 45W and 20W (65W total) if used at the same time. The USB-A port (OUT3) can do up to 18W (5V 3A, 9V 2A or 12V 1.5A). The power bank charges in just under 2h at 45W (20V 2.25A) via USB-C, and can do pass-through charging at up to 36W. The B62 has a large percentage style display for remaining capacity and comes with a protective bag plus a 100W USB-C to USB-C cable. Like the smaller INIU B6, it also has a handy slide-out holder to prop your phone up while charging.

The B62 performed well in testing and using IN/OUT1 it gave an excellent 88% efficiency at 20W (9V 2.22A), and up to 88.5% at 20V for laptop charging. It will happily output 65W from full to empty and doesn’t get too warm. Despite not being listed in the spec, the second USB-C port has a secret bonus and supports PPS. It can output from 3.3V - 11V at 4.5A (and happily did so in testing) which makes it ready for super fast charging on PPS compatible devices. The voltage converter that runs OUT2 and OUT3 is not as efficient as OUT1 at low load, so charging from OUT1 is ideal if you don't need PPS. While the B63 is quite robust, the soft-touch plastic and display do scratch quite easily.

If the 20,000 mAh, 65W B62 doesn’t quite meet your needs, the INIU B63 is the same length and width, but slightly thicker and has a 100W output (but no PPS) and larger 25,000 mAh capacity.  

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Power Bank FAQs

How we test power banks

We get hands on with every power bank we can, and only the very best make it into our buyers guide. Every power bank is put though extensive testing in both the lab, and out in the real world. We use equipment such as a ChargerLab POWER-Z KM003C to check the power bank charge voltage and protocol support, as well as for logging capacity tests. We test across the full range of voltages each power bank can supply, but focus on 9V for phone charging and 20V for laptop charging.

The power banks are used to charge actual phones, tablets, laptops and other devices, as well as being connected to a programmable load tester that performs multiple charge cycles. We carry the power banks with us every day, in pockets and bags, and make sure they can stand up to rough and tumble use.

Our comprehensive tests cover much more than listed in each review, and every single power bank we recommend can provide its listed voltages, currents and protocols, gives accurate, ripple-free voltages, and has working safety cutouts if overloaded. All measurements and weights are the values we have checked and recorded, rather than what is on the manufacturer's listing.

All the power banks recommended here remain in active use by TechRadar staff, and are periodically checked to see how they are holding up.  

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What’s more, racing games are great to play on your own and improve your speed and performance, but they’re also a fantastic way to have fun with friends – whether you’re in the same room or playing together online.

Although in the early days a blob of 8-bit pixels that vaguely resembled a Ferrari counted as realism, fast-forward to the present day and we’re spoiled for choice in how we get our high-speed kicks. With more detailed physics than ever, hyper-realistic graphics, and higher levels of immersion (thanks, in part, to the rise of VR). These are all features you’ll find when you play the top titles right now. But don’t worry, if you prefer your racing to be more arcade-y and over-the-top, there's plenty out there for you too.

Best racing games in 2024

Gran Turismo 7 is an excellent upgrade over the PS4's Gran Turismo Sport, packing loads of content, cars, and modes for sim racing fans to dig their driving mitts into. The game offers a sublime driving experience offline, with hundreds of cars and tons of tracks and layouts both real and fictional. Gran Turismo 7's solo experience makes it a contender for one of the best single player games out there, but also one of the best PS5 games full stop.

Overall, it's easy to pour tens, if not hundreds, of hours into Gran Turismo 7 thanks to its moreish progression. A recent update also greatly improved the game's physics model, meaning cars feel better to drive than ever.

The fifth entry in Playground Games' open-world racing series, Forza Horizon 5 takes its festival to Mexico's plains, deserts, jungles, and vibrant towns. It's an inspired and varied setting, carving an identity for itself next to the Australian beaches and outback of Forza Horizon 3 and the rolling British countryside and historical towns featured in Forza Horizon 4.

Forza Horizon 5 is one of the best Xbox Game Pass games available to download, offering buckets of compelling single-player content, and a rewards system that practically showers you with all kinds of vehicles. While much more generous than the rewards of Gran Turismo 7, it's a bit of a double-edged sword. The game's Wheelspin system rewards cars at such a high frequency that you'll never get around to racing in all of them.

In itself a port of Mario Kart 8 on the previous-generation Wii U, this game doesn't just stick a new name on an old game and knock off for lunch. New characters, tweaked graphics enabling 1080p/60fps output while the Nintendo Switch is docked, and a reworked Battle Mode all contribute to this being a massive critical and commercial success and one of the very best Nintendo Switch games you can buy.

A whopping six years on from release, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still receiving new content via the Booster Course Pass. By the end of its run, 48 new and remixed tracks have been added, effectively doubling the amount of circuits in the game.

For PC-exclusive sim racing games, there's still no real competition to iRacing's goliath. The monthly subscription and additional content costs mean it's far from the cheapest racing game on the market, but in this case, you absolutely pay for what you get.

There's excellent online play with solid matchmaking, laser-scanned real-world racetracks, and the most realistic handling model possible – so much so that real race drivers use this sim to learn tracks, practice new cars and handling setups, or just to unwind between races. 

The game has been supported with consistent updates and new content, and despite being ten years old this year, there's still nothing that comes close to the most true-to-life sim racing experience in gaming.

Lego 2K Drive was one of 2023's surprise hits. Coming almost out of nowhere, this spiritual successor to the Lego Racers series hits all the right notes. With an open-world format clearly inspired by Forza Horizon (which in turn has had Lego-themed DLC campaigns), it's easy to get lost for hours exploring each hub and ticking off side objectives.

Of course, it wouldn't really be a Lego game without a degree of customizability. Lego 2K Drive delivers with one of the most robust vehicle builders we've ever seen. Players are able to build intricate vehicles from scratch or follow preset instructions for a helping hand while building street cars, offroad monsters, and speedy boats.

F1 23 is a strong return to form for Codemasters' long-running official racing sim franchise. The Braking Point campaign returns after a year off, and provides newcomers with an excellent hands-on tutorial while also serving a decently compelling narrative.

While Career mode options remain largely the same, it's added the all-new Las Vegas and Qatar tracks, as well as updates for all racing teams and their drivers. It's the most up-to-date F1 experience you can get on console and PC right now.

While some minor things like stilted commentary are a bit irksome, there's much on offer for racing game fans, and plenty to make it well worth any F1 fan's time and money.

Forza Motorsport’s comeback is an impressive one after its divisive seventh entry and a welcome return to the sim-lite formula after back-to-back entries in the Horizon sub-series. With highly accessible racing and gorgeous visuals and lighting, it’s a fantastic Xbox exclusive.

You'll need to head online to get the most out of Forza Motorsport, and once you do, you'll be greeted with a rewarding and challenging loop to work through. If you're a fan of arcade racers, but want something a little bit more involved, with realistic car movement and physics, you really can't go wrong here.

The best racing games - FAQ

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Along with your passport, sunblock, and phone charger, a VPN is a must-have item before you jet off abroad. It will safeguard your private information while you’re online and it’ll enable you to unblock all your favorite sites and services from back home. It’s especially useful if you’re headed to a destination that has strict internet censorship, such as China, North Korea, or Russia.

A quick online search will show you that there are plenty of VPNs that claim to be perfect for travel. But the truth is, not all of them are secure enough to protect your data, unblock streaming services, and go undetected by foreign governments. Luckily, we’ve compared dozens of VPNs to ensure they tick all these boxes for a fair price, while also delivering fast speeds and good customer service. So keep reading to find out our pick of the best travel VPNs.

The 3 best travel VPNs at a glance

If you’re looking for a quick recommendation for the best VPN for travel, take a look at our top three tried-and-tested travel VPNs: 

The best travel VPNs in 2024

The best travel VPN overall: ExpressVPN

If you want the best VPN for travel, you’d struggle to find better than ExpressVPN. With an impressive fleet of over 3,000 servers across 160 locations in 94 countries, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.

It even has servers in locations that have restrictive rules around VPNs, such as China, Iran, and Indonesia. This means that you can still protect your data while traveling to these countries without impacting your speed.

Speaking of protecting your data, ExpressVPN is one of the most privacy-focused VPNs on the market. 

ExpressVPN can unblock location-restricted content from other parts of the world. It has the best coverage we’ve found in the US and Europe. And it has servers across 26 Asia-Pacific regions, giving you no end of options when it comes to accessing the content you want.

Unfortunately, ExpressVPN is one of the more expensive options out there, and it only comes with eight simultaneous connections, which is frustrating, considering the price, but this will probably be sufficient for a lot of users. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it before committing to a lengthy subscription.

The best cheap travel VPN: Surfshark

If you want a solid VPN for travel without breaking the bank, Surfshark is an excellent choice, particularly if you’re going with a large group of people. That’s because Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can all use the same subscription on all your devices at once.

It has a fleet of 3,200 servers in 143 locations across 100 countries. Although this isn’t the largest offering around, it’ll give you plenty of options while you’re traveling abroad.

It’s a particularly strong choice if you’re visiting a country where VPNs are restricted, such as China. This is thanks to Surfshark’s NoBorders mode, which switches on automatically whenever it detects restrictions on your network. It will then present you with a list of servers that are strong enough to bypass the restrictions.

Surfshark is also brilliant at accessing geo-blocked sites and services. Plus, if streaming is important to you, you’ll really appreciate Surfshark’s unbeatable speeds. You can try it out risk-free thanks to Surfshark’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

The best travel VPN for groups: Private Internet Access

If you’re after a VPN while you’re abroad, you won’t go far wrong with PIA. With over 20,000 servers across 84 countries, you’ll never be far away from a server. It even has a server in every single US state, making it a fantastic choice if you’re traveling around the US. 

Even though it doesn’t have servers in quite as many countries as some of the other providers on our list, it has them in many locations where VPNs are restricted, such as China and Turkey. However, if you’re traveling to Iran, Cuba, Syria, or Myanmar, PIA won’t be able to bypass the restrictions. So make sure you check it works in your destination before you sign up,

PIA comes with unlimited simultaneous connections. So you and your travel companions can all use it on as many devices as you like while only paying for one subscription. Considering how cheap PIA is, this gives you excellent value for money.

Sadly, it’s not as fast as NordVPN or Surfshark. But its speeds are adequate for most online activities, including streaming. Speaking of which, PIA was able to bypass region restrictions on every streaming service we tested, apart from 10Play.

If you want to try it out, PIA offers a free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Other quality travel VPNs I've tested

NordVPN might be the perfect travel VPN for you but it depends on where you’re going. Due to the fact it has servers in a comparatively small number of countries, it may not suit your plans. So make sure you check your destination is covered before choosing NordVPN.

However, if you’re happy with the list of server locations, NordVPN is a fantastic choice. Its obfuscated servers make it a perfect VPN for China, Iran, and other locations where VPNs are restricted. It works by disguising VPN traffic to make it look like regular traffic, so it can go undetected. This also makes it ideal for unblocking region-restricted content.

Elsewhere, it delivers consistently fast speeds thanks to NordVPN’s unique Wireguard-based protocol, NordLynx. If you’re traveling solo or with one or two others, it’s a strong and reliable solution that won’t let you down. You can try it out before committing, thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you’re looking for your first travel VPN, CyberGhost is a solid choice, thanks to its simple, intuitive interface, cheap price plans, and generous 45-day money-back guarantee. On top of this, it offers a huge selection of 11,700+ servers in 91 countries, so you’ll almost certainly be able to access secure servers at your destination.

Despite its low monthly cost, CyberGhost has some of the fastest speeds around, beating the likes of ExpressVPN and PIA. Better yet, CyberGhost can unblock local banking apps with ease, which means you can do secure online banking without worrying about hackers.

However, it’s not quite as adept at unblocking location-restricted streaming services. In our testing, we found that it struggled to unblock the UK versions of Disney Plus and Netflix.

It also doesn’t have the most reliable customer service, unlike NordVPN and ExpressVPN. It’s pretty good for the price, however, and if you want to try it out, you get a full 45-day money-back guarantee, giving you plenty of time to decide.

How to choose the right travel VPN

When choosing the best travel VPN, you’ll need one that will successfully spoof your true IP address and make it appear as though you’re in a different location. This will prevent third parties, including foreign governments, from being able to see your online activity or restrict your internet usage. Therefore, you’ll want a VPN with plenty of robust security features to prevent anyone from being able to view any of your data.

It’s also important to check whether or not it has a good range of secure servers at your destination. If you’re headed somewhere that restricts VPNs, such as China, Iran, or Russia, you’ll also need one that has obfuscated servers so you can access the content you want without detection.

On top of this, a good travel VPN will be able to unblock region-restricted sites and services from around the world. If you’re traveling as part of a large group, it’s a sensible idea to pick a provider that offers enough simultaneous connections for everyone.

How we test travel VPNs

Before recommending the best VPNs for travel, we put all the market-leading providers through a rigorous testing process before selecting the best options.

Our expert team of in-house testers try out a huge range of options and decide on the best ones. We trial desktop and mobile apps on all major operating systems and check all of the settings in each app to ensure it works well.

We also run further tests every six months to keep our findings completely up to date and to ensure we’ve tested out any new features. And we test each VPN to see if it can consistently unblock all the major streaming services.

For more details, see our full methodology on how we test VPNs.

Travel VPN FAQs

The best phone for you will be the phone that does everything you need, whether you want something simple and capable like the Apple iPhone 15, or a feature-packed technology marvel like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, our best phone all around to start 2024. No matter what you need, we've got recommendations for all of the best phones available right now. 

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is such a supremely powerful, capable device that we had to make it our top pick, but there is still plenty of room for improvement at the top. We're loving the latest iOS 17 software found on the best iPhones, including the iPhone 15 Pro Max, our premium iPhone pick. Samsung has a lot to learn when it comes to software. 

Still, the Galaxy S24 Ultra earns top marks for its amazing battery life, superior performance, and improved durability, and it does so much more than other phones that it's almost a class by itself. It can actually replace a laptop computer, and the S Pen is much more than a simple stylus. 

In 2023, Samsung and Google set a new standard with promises to support the latest flagship phones for seven years of Android OS and security updates. That's a major leap forward, and even beats Apple's traditional five years of support. We'll see if Apple tries to match the Android world, and if other Android phone makers can keep up. 

The best phones you can buy aren't just the most expensive flagship phones, though. You can find great performance and excellent cameras on phones that cost hundreds less, like Google's Pixel 8 Pro and phones from OnePlus. If you don't care as much about cameras, you can even get a cool foldable phone in the Motorola Razr Ultra for less than a new iPhone. 

If you don't find a model that takes your fancy among the below options, check out our brand-specific rankings instead. We’ve reviewed all the latest handsets, and detailed the best Samsung phones, best iPhones, and best Google Pixel phones elsewhere on TechRadar.

Quick List

The best phone in 2024 

Below, you'll find full write-ups for each of the best phones in our list. We've tested each model extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best overall phone

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra takes smartphone features to the extreme, then keeps going. It's a top-performing phone, the best phone you can buy overall in so many ways. It has better battery life and performance than the iPhone, more versatile cameras than any other Android, and it packs features we don't see in smartphones these days, like the Samsung DeX desktop environment. 

Design: The differences between the Galaxy S24 Ultra and last year's phone are subtle but significant. The S24 Ultra is a big slab of phone, now more flat than before, and that makes it easier to see in bright light and easier to use, especially with the S Pen. Unfortunately, it's still a gigantic device, and titanium didn't help Samsung shed weight. 

Display: You won't find a better all-around display on a smartphone than the bright OLED screen on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. You can find a bit brighter, a bit faster, but the anti-glare finish helps in bright light, and Samsung's display is colorful and sharp for every task.

Camera: Samsung has done more work behind the scenes on its Galaxy S24 Ultra cameras than on the spec sheet, and the results pay off with better images in every setting. Portrait and landscape photos are much better, but even zoom shots have been improved, though we do miss that extra 10X zoom.

Performance: If you need the fastest phone, this is the one to buy. In our benchmark tests and real world gaming and photo editing, the Galaxy S24 Ultra was the fastest phone we've ever used, even beating the iPhone 15 Pro, which is a first for Android phones since Apple starting baking its own chipsets. 

Battery life: You can easily use the Galaxy S24 Ultra for two days of normal use, and it lasted through a full day of intense usage with no trouble. The battery hasn't gotten any bigger, Samsung is just better at managing power on this phone than ever before.  

Value for money: The Galaxy S24 Ultra is more expensive than last year, and you don't get a lot more for the money, but what you get is a big deal. Samsung promises seven years of software updates, including major Android OS updates, and that makes this phone a better value than any Samsung Galaxy Ultra to come before. 

Read our full Galaxy S24 Ultra review

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The best phone for most people

Apple's iPhone 15 marks the most significant step up for a base iPhone in several years, earning its place as the best value phone money can buy today.

Design: The iPhone 15 does what the iPhone 14 did not: it moves the base model forward with a refreshed chassis design, a brand-new (and eye-catching) rear glass panel, and a compatibility-improving USB-C port.

Display: The iPhone 15's 6.1-inch Super XDR OLED display is bright and responsive, however, as on the iPhone 14, its refresh rate is locked to 60Hz. You do get Apple's Dynamic Island this time around, though.

Camera: There are still just two lenses on the back of the iPhone 15, but one of them is vastly improved over the iPhone 14. The 12MP ultrawide is basically the same, but the main camera is now the same 48MP lens that you'll find on the excellent iPhone 14 Pro (and indeed the iPhone 15 Pro).

Performance: The iPhone 15 uses the iPhone 14 Pro's superfast A16 Bionic chipset, which should provide more than enough power for most iPhone owners (for context, the latter was the most powerful handset of 2022).

Battery life: The iPhone 15 is rated for 20 hours of video playback, 80 hours of audio-only, and a 50% recharge in 30 minutes with the optional 20W charger. In our testing, we were able to use the phone casually for a full day. 

Value for money: In recent years, Apple's standard models have felt like minor upgrades that pale in comparison to their respective Pro-level counterparts, but the iPhone 15 bucks that trend by being a genuinely great value product.

Read our full iPhone 15 review

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The best iPhone

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is indisputably the best iPhone money can buy right now, so for Apple fans with a bottomless supply of cash, this is the top choice. The smaller iPhone 15 Pro is also an exceptional handset that's worth considering if you prefer its more practical 6.1-inch size, but since the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max offers a 5x periscope zoom lens, the latter phone is the objectively superior device.

Design: As with its smaller sibling, the iPhone 15 Pro boasts a gorgeous titanium design that can withstand unwelcome drops more effectively than its predecessor. The addition of a USB-C port and configurable Action button makes this a more versatile device, too.

Display: The iPhone 15 Pro Max packs an excellent 6.7-inch Super XDR OLED screen (with ProMotion), which is unchanged from the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Camera: In addition to that aforementioned 5x periscope zoom lens – which marks the first of its kind on an iPhone – the iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a 48MP quad-pixel main lens and a 12MP ultra-wide lens, making it the most capable and versatile iPhone yet for mobile photographers.

Performance: Apple's all-new A17 Pro chipset delivers mobile gaming performance that's comparable to some high-end PCs (yes, really). Along with the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the most powerful phone on the market.

Battery life: The iPhone 15 Pro Max managed 28 hours of mixed-use in our testing, with the phone recharging to 50% in just over 30 minutes. That's pretty good going for a phone of this size and power, but others charge faster.

Value for money: As with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is an exceptionally expensive handset that can never truly be considered good value for money. That said, you're still getting a whole lot of phone for the price.

Read our full iPhone 15 Pro Max review

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The best Pixel phone

The Pixel 8 Pro is Google’s most ambitious Pixel yet, with some serious camera upgrades that will satisfy even pro photogs, and a Tensor G3 chipset custom built to run Google’s machine learning features. Google is so confident in this phone’s performance that it is promising an unprecedented seven years of major updates, longer than any other phone maker supports its phones, currently. 

Design: The Pixel 8 Pro is more rounded on the corners, and more flat on the display. This makes the phone easier to hold, while also giving you a better view of your content. The finish is lovely, and the colors are more classy and inviting than unusual and modern. This is the nicest Pixel phone Google has made so far, which is good because it has largely made the same phone three times now.

Display: The Pixel 8 Pro display is a standout feature this year, and Google has even endowed it with its own branding: Super Actua. The Pixel 8 Pro can reach 2,400 nits at peak brightness, and still pumps out 1,600 nits when you aren’t in direct sunlight. In almost every way, the Pixel 8 Pro display beats that of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Camera: Compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, some photos looked better when shot with the Pixel 8 Pro, but others, especially night pics and low-light images, looked better taken with the iPhone. That’s surprising, but there are still some reasons for Google to brag. Only the Pixel 8 Pro has Magic Editor, which combines generative AI with Google's Magic Eraser to fix and change images with a little too much ease. 

Performance: In terms of raw performance, pushing games and graphics to new heights, the Pixel 8 Pro does just fine, but it won’t win any competitions. It handled all of my favorite games and ran high-resolution videos smoothly, but everything looked better on phones like the iPhone 15 Pro or Android phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Battery life: The Pixel 8 Pro had no trouble lasting through a full day of use. That should come as no surprise, since it has a larger battery than either the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus or the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. Google really packed in the biggest cell it could fit, and you’ll need to buy a gaming phone to find bigger.

Value for money: Google can be liberal with discounts, especially around the sales season. More than with any other brand, I recommend waiting for a deal when you’re considering a Pixel phone, because as good as the phone is now, it feels like an even better buy for a few hundred dollars or pounds less. 

Read our full Google Pixel 8 Pro review 

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The best budget phone

While you might expect the Pixel 7a would be our budget phone pick, Google has given the Pixel 7 such good discounts throughout the past year that it is worth paying more, though you may not have to. Even though the Pixel 6a is still on sale at a great low price, for better durability, wireless charging, and much better photography, the Pixel 7 is worth spending just a bit more to buy. 

Design: The Pixel 7 looks like the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 8, but there are different color options every year, and we like the lemongrass hue offered for this phone. The camera bar is metal and tinted depending on the color you buy, and it has a great look for a budget device. Plus, it is rated IP68 for water resistance, which is a huge improvement over the previous model. 

Display: The Pixel 7 has a Full HD+ resolution and 20:9 aspect ratio, and it runs at up to 1000 nits in normal use, and can push to 1400 nits at its peak (25% brighter than that of the Pixel 6's display) for better visibility in bright surroundings. 

Camera: With the Pixel 7 you're getting the same 50MP main camera as the Pixel 7 Pro, as well as a similar 12MP ultra-wide. You also get the same 10.8MP punch-hole selfie snapper, plus 4K video recording up to 60fps and support for 10-bit HDR video capture for better colors, brightness and contrast. But hardware is only one part of the puzzle here and it's the phones image processing and camera software that plays a big part of the Pixel photography experience. 

Performance: The Pixel 7 doesn't have the raw power to match phones powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip, such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, the difference isn't likely to be all that significant in real-world use. All in all, while it may not have the raw horsepower of an iPhone or newer Galaxy, the Pixel 7 can hold its own, especially where AI tasks are concerned.

Battery life: The 4,355mAh battery in the Google Pixel 7 may sound large, but we wish it was bigger, especially as it's technically a capacity reduction compared to the 4,614mAh battery inside its predecessor. We had no trouble getting the phone to last all day, and ended most days at around 15%, with usage including streaming, gaming, and extended TikTok sessions.

Value for money: Don't buy this phone for the full suggested retail price. Google and Amazon both offer deals on this phone often, and you can buy it for less than $449 / £449 / AU$749 often. Amazon sold this phone for that price more than two months of the last year. Get the best deal on the best budget with a little patience. 

Read our full Google Pixel 7 review

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The best value phone

Previously, iPhones haven’t been synonymous with strong battery life, but during every day of our testing we’ve been hard-pressed to run the iPhone 13 out of juice. Apple has finally cracked it when it comes to battery life, and it's now far better than it has been on previous iPhone iterations. But that's not to say the iPhone 13 skimps on power with the A15 Bionic chip and its accompanying 4GB of RAM easily capable of handling modern games and multitasking apps. 

Design: The iPhone 13 features a flat-edge design, which debuted with the iPhone 12 range. That means the design is a touch more angular than the rounded finish of previous iterations, but the phone is still comfortable to use one-handed. iP68 water and dust resistance should mean the iPhone 13 can survive a sudden downpour or a trip to the beach, 

Display: The display on the iPhone 13 is 6.1 inches, with a resolution of 2532 x 1170. It’s a Super Retina XDR OLED display made by Apple, and it makes for a clear and bright image – the  brightness has been improved on the iPhone 13, and it can hold its own against other smartphones in direct sunlight. 

Camera: You’ve got two cameras on the rear: a 12MP wide camera with an aperture of f/1.6, and a 12MP ultrawide camera with a f/2.4 aperture and a 120-degree field of view. Just be aware the lack of a telephoto camera means you'll be limited on optical zooming options for photos.

Performance: Apple has made another big step up here, but it’s most noticeable in benchmarking results. The everyday experience is largely the same, but it’ll be a marked step up from much older iPhone models. The A15 Bionic chipset is teamed with 4GB of RAM, and that’s enough to keep it running at full tilt. 

Battery life: During our testing time, the iPhone 13 made it through every day with enough charge in the tank to keep going for at least another couple of hours. This isn’t the best battery life you’ll find in a smartphone – many Android alternatives will be able to last longer – but this is a big step up for Apple from previous iPhone models, and it’ll make the iPhone a more compelling option for many potential buyers.

Value for money: The iPhone 13 is the cheapest iPhone model you can buy that doesn't have the old Home button, and it's still quite a powerful and capable phone, with some of the best power management ever in an iPhone. It isn't cheap, and you can find Android phones cheaper, but Apple treats every iPhone like the best iPhone, giving them all the same great software update features. 

Read our full Apple iPhone 13 review

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The best camera phone

The OnePlus 11 returns to the company’s roots, delivering premium performance and a few impressive specs while trading other features for a price cut versus the big name competitors. That means the OnePlus 11 is cheaper than the flagships from Samsung and Apple, and OnePlus doesn’t confuse its lineup with Pro and Plus versions, either. It’s got everything OnePlus does well, and it works great.

Design: The OnePlus 11 is a slim phone, with a glossy finish if you buy the green color. The camera array dominates the back and will stand out among iPhones and Galaxys. Sadly, the phone isn’t IP68 rated for water resistance. The phone keeps the popular mute switch to silence the noise in a hurry.

Display: The display on the OnePlus 11 really pops. The AMOLED screen can refresh up to 120Hz, and the smooth rate is noticeable playing fast games with tons of particle effects. It supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for color accuracy. It could be brighter, but it’s otherwise fantastic.

Camera: The Hasselblad-branded camera setup on the OnePlus 11 isn’t for everyone. We managed to grab some amazing portraits, and landscape photos looked excellent, but photos had a distinct look and feel to them. The camera can’t handle versatile shots like distant zoom or macro close-ups.

Performance: The OnePlus 11 was the first phone we tried with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform, and though its rival at the time, Samsung’s Galaxy S23, is a hair faster, the difference isn’t noticeable except in benchmark numbers. The OnePlus 11 is snappy and efficient, doing a great job with games and apps alike.

Battery life: Battery life is decent in its own right, but when it comes to charging it's a champion. With the included (!) charger, you can fill the battery in less than 30 minutes. It’s even faster outside of the US, where higher voltage rules. There’s no wireless charging, though.

Value for money: Like the best OnePlus phones of the past, the OnePlus 11 offers great performance for a solid value. It isn’t the cheapest flagship on this list, but for the money you get a huge screen, unique cameras, and other standout features you won’t find elsewhere.

Read our full OnePlus 11 review

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The best clamshell foldable

The Motorola Razr Plus (or the Razr 40 Ultra outside the US) is more than just the best foldable phone you can buy (as far as flip phones go); it’s an entirely new category of smartphone, offering more than any handset before it. With the phone shut, it's a compact miniature communicator, a pocket mirror, and a palm-sized map. This is the phone that finally justifies folding a display in half, and it makes you wonder when the rest of the best phone makers will catch up.

Design: When folded, the two halves of the phone smack together like pursed lips, with a gentle curve around the edges that still manages to cleave together in a sealed crease. Perhaps it's the Viva Magenta hue that adds to this impression. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, by comparison, seems boxy and square. The Razr Plus shows no visible gap when closed, unlike every competing flip phone that came before it.

Display: This is the first flip phone that isn’t paying lip service to the cover screen. This isn’t a screen that’s just for checking the weather or simple notifications, and neither is it there to just show cute animations. This is the real deal. You can run full apps on this display. That said, if the Motorola Razr Plus didn’t have the great external display it would still be a standout for its big folding internal screen

Camera: All around, this phone has all the hallmarks of a low-quality camera. In photos of flowers, the camera blew out red tones until the details were mostly gone. Taking photos in the woods, stems and leaves in the background were either unnaturally blurry or digitally oversharpened, with deep black lines dividing objects.

Performance: If all you care about are benchmark scores, the Motorola Razr Plus won’t be the phone to pick. Thankfully, real-world performance tells a different story than I expected from the specs, and even though this phone uses the same platform as last year (or perhaps because it does), it performs better than the previous Razr, and better than you'd expect.

Battery life: Motorola has done the best it could in fitting a large battery inside the thin folding shell of the Razr Plus. It's even managed to fit a larger battery into the folding frame than you’ll find in the iPhone 15 Pro, though Apple manages power slightly better. We couldn’t quite make it through a full day on a full charge with the Motorola Razr Plus, though that's probably because the phone was just so much fun to use.

Value for money: The Razr Plus is expensive, but it’s the first clamshell foldable phone that we’d recommend to anyone and everyone, not just people asking about flip phones, or folks who want the coolest new thing.

Read our full Motorola Razr Plus review

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The best tablet foldable

The OnePlus Open is the newest phone on this list, and we consider it to be among the best foldable phones (if not the best foldable phone) money can buy right now. Sure, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 offers myriad more special features, and the Google Pixel Fold utilizes the power of Android in a way that only Google-made phones can, but in almost every other department, the OnePlus Open is the best there is.

Design: For us, this the first tablet foldable phone that simply feels right. All the ‘Folds’ that came before feel wrong being too narrow or squat. The Open, however, hits the design sweet spot, and it's the most important improvement OnePlus could have made to the foldable form factor. If you’re paying twice as much for a phone, you shouldn’t feel like it’s the wrong size half the time. 
Display: The two displays on the OnePlus Open are a marvel to behold, and both of them are just as good as the flagship phone or tablet they’ll replace in your collection. The cover display is 6.3 inches, with LTPO 3.0 technology that can slow down to 10Hz for a low-power, always-on mode. The inner display is a huge 7.82-inch screen with a variable 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate, which has almost the same screen area as an iPad Mini (2021).

Camera: On every other foldable phone, the size limitations of the fold-in-half design have resulted in cameras that range from inferior to downright awful. The OnePlus Open has the best cameras of the bunch, and comes close to being as good as the best flat camera phones, closer than any foldable we've used so far.

Performance: The OnePlus Open uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, so it's as powerful as other flagship phones using that same processor, like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Sure, faster chipsets now exist, but you'll have absolutely no trouble juggling multiple applications on this phone. Mind you, its gaming performance doesn't compare to the best Android phones on the market.

Battery life: The OnePlus Open can last you a full day, if you're judicious with your usage. With a two-cell design the Open has an overall battery capacity of 4,805mAh, which is some 200mAh below other foldables. But with some smart power management features, OnePlus can get sold battery life out of these cells without needing to make the phone bigger and bulkier. 

Value for money: At $1,699, this is not a cheap phone, but that price is still some $100 less than the starting price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold. What's more, OnePlus is offering a deal for the full life of the OnePlus Open that gives you at least $200 off if you trade in any phone.

Read our full OnePlus Open review

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FAQs

How we test

We've only included phones on this list that we've thoroughly tested, and our testing regiment is deep and detailed. We test every aspect of a phone that you might use from day-to-day, then we dive deeper to discover all of the hidden features.

We test phones for battery life and charging, speed and performance, and especially for camera capabilities. We make sure that phones deliver on their manufacturer's promise. If it says a phone can charge in 30 minutes, we break out the stopwatch.

We've seen every phone around, so we have a good idea of how each model stacks up to one another. We use both iPhone and Android, from the most expensive models to the most affordable, so we know what you're getting, no matter what you pay. We make sure the phones deliver what we'd expect for the cost.

Once we're done, we don't stop. We keep updating our reviews as we learn more, and as the phones are updated. Our reviews are always fresh, so check back before you buy to make sure you're getting the latest opinion on the best phones you can buy.

The best open ear headphones, also known as the best air conduction headphones, are designed to deliver quality sound while keeping you aware of your surroundings. They work by not placing any tech within your ear canal. This means open ear headphones are a solid choice for outdoor runners or anyone else who wants to hear what's going on in their immediate environment. They're also a good idea for people who don't like the feeling of buds or silicone tips in their ear canals.

Open ear headphones aren't new. But only recently have they become a major focus for a number of audio tech and fitness tech brands, so although the category is emerging, there isn't a great deal of choice just yet. A few of the earbuds in our guide perform well, but aren't perfect – they certainly won't give the best earbuds a run for their money in terms of sound. There are also teething issues with design; open ear buds aren't anchored in place with an in-ear bud, which means new design choices are being made with earhooks, headphones and even clamps. 

Although there may not be many open ear headphones to choose from, we've selected several of our top picks below. We've had chance to test many of these headphones ourselves, but if you can't find a link to a full review it'll be coming soon. So if you're looking for an alternative to the best running headphones or best bone conduction headphones, then read on to find out which open ear headphones are right for you.

The quick list

Best open ear headphones for most people

Shokz is known for creating some of the best bone conduction headphones, but the OpenFit buds prove it's just as adept at air conduction tech. In our review, we said that these earbuds are capable of "delivering quality audio almost as good as in-ear buds" but with plenty of awareness of your surroundings.

Unlike similar designs, the earhooks are soft and flexible, providing a stable fit. This fit wasn't perfect – especially when I was wearing glasses – but they stayed put throughout most workouts. The Shokz OpenFit are not the cheapest option in this guide, but if you're looking for a dependable pair of air conduction earbuds that fit well and deliver solid sound, you can't go wrong here. 

Read our full Shokz OpenFit review

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Best premium open ear headphones

Bose is one of the best audio tech brands in the world, so it's no surprise that its first pair of open ear buds, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, are seriously impressive. We haven't had chance to put these buds to the test properly yet. But in our review, we found they tick all of the boxes – but obviously come with a premium Bose price tag to match.

Unlike other buds in this list, the Bose Ultra Open buds hook onto the side of your ear's helix. The battery cylinder then tucks behind your ear. During our testing, we thought they felt a little wobbly but never fell off – they might just need a bit of getting used to, which we'll find out in our full review that's coming soon.

As you'd expect from a pair of Bose buds – even those with an open ear design – the Ultra Open sound great. These truly seem like the best air conduction headphones to beat, but they're significantly more expensive than rivals so will only appeal to those who can pay premium.

Read our initial Bose Ultra Open hands-on review 

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Best open ear headphones for battery

One of the older pairs of buds in our list, the OpenRock Pro from OneOdio have an earhook style, similar to the Shokz OpenFit at the top of the guide and the 1More S50 below. During our testing, we found this design to be comfortable. We even said they're among the best-fitting workout buds we've tested, which is really saying something.

We commented that audio quality isn't the best here, but will do for most people. They're our top pick for battery life, which is among the best of the bunch at 19 hours from the buds themselves and 46 hours with the case too. This makes them a great choice if you're considering open ear buds for more than just working out. These will see you through from commuting, a day at the office and a workout. 

Read our full OneOdio OpenRock Pro review

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Best open ear headphones on a budget

The 1More Fit S50 deliver good quality sound, we were impressed with the clarity of voices, bass and volume that they delivered during our testing. We've also got a design built for workouts here, thanks to an IPX7 sweat-resistant rating. 

However, we felt let down by the fit. Although the earhook design delivered when we tried the Shokz OpenFit – as well as in early tests of the Emeet AirFlow below – we couldn't achieve a stable and consistent fit with the 1More Fit S50. There's a chance they'll fare better for those with biggers ears that don't wear glasses, however. 

They're cheaper than most rivals on this list, which is why they're our budget pick. But only consider them if you're already a fan of an earhook-like design.

Read our full 1More Fit S50 review

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Best open ear headphones for calls

We're currently testing the Emeet AirFlow and will be publishing a full review over the next few weeks. So far, we've been really impressed with the design. Earhooks are rarely perfect, but these feel firm and stable. We'll update you once we've taken them running and to the gym.

Audio performance doesn't shine as much as the buds at the top of this list, but we're already enjoying these buds for clear voices, both during calls and when listening to podcasts. These might be our favorite option if you want open ear headphone that aren't just made for the gym, but will suit walking, commuting and using regularly at the office, too.

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Best open ear headphones for stability

We haven't tested the Oladance OWS Sports headphones ourselves yet, but we'll have a review to share within the next few weeks. Until then, we have high hopes that the Oladance OWS Sports will be our top choice for more intense workouts, running and overall stability. This is thanks to the neckband/headband-style design, which makes them look similar to the best bone conduction headphones.

These sports headphones also boast a high water-resistant rating, 5 hours of battery life, muti-point pairing and a slick, nice-looking design. We'll let you know if these buds are as good as they sound when we test them. 

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How to choose the best open ear headphones for you

Air conduction tech and open ear headphones have been around for several years, but only recently have audio tech companies both big and small pumped significant time and energy into releasing open-ear devices.

This means there isn't a huge amount of choice about which air conduction headphones and open ear buds to buy. It's not like the best wireless earbuds or best noise cancelling headphones in which most audio brands have at least one pair and there's a massive range to suit all budgets and preferences.

Having said that, our guide above proves there is some choice depending on what you're looking for – and your options will only grow as more brands enter this space.

The first thing to consider is whether open ear buds are for you. As you can tell from many of our reviews above, there's a trade-off here in terms of sound quality and fit for an open ear design, which means you need to care about hearing what's going on around you.

As always, one of the other major factors to consider is your budget. We don't have a huge range of choice at present, but there are some cheaper options. Having said that, the cheaper options on this list are the ones we had most fit issues with, like the 1More S50. 

You'll see that, at least at the time of writing, air conduction tech comes in several different form factors. There are devices that stay in place with earhooks that fit around the back of your ear, like the Shokz OpenFit. Then there are those that fit around the outer ear in a different way, take a look at the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, which "clamp" on the side of your ear. Finally, there are devices that look similar to the best bone conduction headphones and they have a band around your neck connecting them and keeping them in place.

These designs aren't all that common, which means we don't expect you to immediately know which will suit you. But consider whether you've got on well with earhook designs in the past – these can cause problems for those with smaller ears or anyone who wears glasses. And if you've tried a pair of bone conduction headphones before, you'll know whether you like the headband. 

Otherwise, it is worth pointing out that you're taking a gamble on whether the fit of the different buds are right for you. This means if you don't have money to spare and only want a reliable fit, it might be worth trying some of the best workout headphones or best running headphones. Bone conduction headphones don't have the same method of conducting sound, pumping it through your temples with transducers rather than blasting sound through the air around your ears, but you may want to give those a go instead.

How we test the best air conduction headphones

We've had chance to test several of the best air conduction headphones in this guide. We've made it clear which we haven't had chance to review yet, but rest assured that all of the ones mentioned here will be tested over the next month.

This means we know what to expect from the best air conduction headphones when it comes to key features, design and fit, battery life, audio performance and more.

During our testing, we focused a lot on fit. Open ear headphones face a unique challenge in that they need to stay put on your ear and yet don't have a snug over-ear design or in-ear bud to keep them in place. Brands have compensated for this with ear hooks, headbands or other methods, but they don't always suit everyone. 

With this in mind, we paid close attention to their fit in a range of scenarios, including working, commuting, walking and working out. We made sure to put all of the headphones above through their paces with several different gym workouts, outdoor runs and exercises given that many are created to appeal to amateur athletes and outdoor runners.

You're never going to get the kind of immersive sound you'd expect from the best noise cancelling headphones with these devices, but that's not the point. We were keen to assess the buds for audio quality, checking whether there's decent sound and clarity on offer, even if it's not immersive. We also weighed this audio performance up against the amount of ambient noise you can hear and whether each pair of buds made us feel more aware of our surroundings, as they're designed to do.

Finally, we're not at the point where one pair of open ear headphones tick all of the boxes like you'll find in other TechRadar headphone buying guides. But we also considered the whole package and whether some of these buds deserved higher ratings based on handy design choices, like water resistance, longevity, like battery life.

Anyone looking for the best earbuds for small ears know that finding comfort and a secure seal is not as simple as just using the smaller ear tips supplied in the box. We small-eared types know that the narrowness of our ear canals is just one annoyance. Actually, the size of our concha (that recess in the middle of our outer ear) and tragus (the pointy bit above it, at the opening of the ear canal) and what they can accommodate are far more pressing issues when it comes to finding non-painful earbuds for smaller ears.

Pocketable earbuds that won't stay in without excessive force are no fun. I know this because I've been testing the best wireless earbuds across all prices – including the best budget wireless earbuds – for years now, giving all the big names a chance to show that they're good for small ears too, even when packing advanced features such as active noise cancellation (ANC).

These are my pick of the best earbuds for smaller ears, for every budget and whatever your priority, based on that experience. I can sport these earbuds without issue for long listening sessions, so I'm confident that you can too.

The quick list

Want to cut to the good bit – ie. exactly which earbuds are best for smaller ears? Below, you’ll find a concise roundup of the models that get our collective nod. You can also jump to a bigger write-up of each product.

The best earbuds for small ears

The best earbuds for small ears overall

I know, I know: Sony's earbuds didn't start out small – some of us struggled to achieve a secure fit and seal with early WF-1000XM iterations, didn't we? But Sony listened to our feedback, and things have changed. The LinkBuds S are small and beautifully designed, to the point that they sit practically flush with my tragus when worn, so no gust of wind can dislodge them. 

Leaving their tiny size to one side for a moment, the May 2022-issue LinkBuds S use the same V1 processor to combine noise cancellation and audio processing as the one in the (more expensive, and bigger) former flagship Sony WF-1000XM4, but here it's working with a new 5mm full-range dynamic driver – which is also smaller than the XM4.

What makes them my top choice for most people with small ears? While the LinkBuds S may be small, their spec-sheet is pretty big. With the exception of multipoint pairing, it's basically a full house as far as perks go. Noise cancellation can be turned on or off using the capacitive touch surface on each earpiece (which works well, despite their diminutive size) and an Ambient sound option offers 20 different increments, handled by Sony's Headphone Connect app – again, the same one as used by Sony's flagship earbuds.

Why the less-than perfect review score? Sonically, they could benefit from an extra ounce of zeal, verve and punch. That said, they're perfectly musical and enjoyable thanks to the relatively detailed sound, openness across the frequencies, and reassuringly chunky performance through the low-end – I'd just like more dynamic potency through the leading edges of notes). Yes, it's splitting hairs, but that's my job…

Read our full Sony LinkBuds S review

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The best budget earbuds for people with small ears

Just quickly glance at the stat above, the one that says 3.3g. Isn't that incredible for the weight of a driver-housing, battery toting true wireless earbud? It's not only 1.5g lighter than the Sony LinkBuds S' weight per bud (listed above as our top choice for smaller ears), but the lightest we've ever heard of. 

For reference, the Sony WF-1000XM4 weigh 7.3g each, more than twice as heavy. At the other end of the scale, the January 2022-issue 1More ComfoBuds Mini previously got the nod for the lightest earbuds we've ever tested, at just 3.7g per earpiece, but each JLab JBuds Mini earpiece comes in at almost half a gram lighter – and when it comes to something that sits inside the delicate creases and wells of your smallish ear for many hours, it actually counts. 

These September 2023-launch earbuds are enough to bring on an attack of cute aggression they're so tiny; put the case on your keyring (JLab has thoughtfully supplied one, in the box) and you'll barely notice your listening gear is there. 

And if they're going to live next to your keys, it helps to know you're getting an IP55 rating for rain and dust ingress. You also get multipoint (something much pricier flagship earbuds still lack – Bose, we're looking at you) and a very good companion app. What don't you get? Active noise cancellation, which will be a deal-breaker for many – although the passive isolation is better than you'd expect. And for such a low price, we wouldn't really expect it anyway.

Sonically speaking, they're good – and that is nothing short of incredible for this money, aided by the option to tweak the EQ in the app. They suffer just fractionally through the low end for clout and impact, but it's a minor shortfall at this ultra-budget level.

Read our full JLab JBuds Mini review

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The best high-end earbuds for small ears

If you like nice things (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with liking nice things), you'll like Montblanc's bijou and beautifully crafted earbuds. There's hi-res codec support – aptX Adaptive, to be precise – and the sound has been tuned by designer (of legendary headphones, including the Sennheiser HD 600) Axel Grell. Yes, it's high-end stuff.

You also get IPX4 water resistance and an app that offers a five band EQ tab, unusual noise cancellation and ambient features and auto-off wearer detection plus a lovely  representation of the remaining battery life in each bud.

If you're happy to pay a premium for the quality build, finish and iconic snowcap emblem within earbuds that sound good, I support you – yes, sonically they tick all the boxes for depth and neutrality when listening to higher-resolution music files.

The only fly in the ointment is the MTB 03's noise cancellation, which is good rather than excellent. In lesser-priced earbuds it wouldn't be a huge issue, but for this money one might hope for the near 'bubble of silence' performance you get from the (much bigger) Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra – because the Montblanc buds are priced to compete with the best. And in the battle for quietness, the clear winner is Bose… but as I mentioned above, those earbuds are pretty huge. Montblanc's will work nicely for small ears without sacrificing audio fidelity.

Read our full Montblanc MTB 03 review

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The best small earbuds for budget noise cancellation

Remember, I have small ears. So believe me when I say that if it's affordable Sony noise-cancelling earbuds you're after and your ears are on the small side, you won't be disappointed with the Sony WF-C700N. 

They're not the last word in audiophile-grade sound (you only get standard-quality SBC and AAC codec support rather than anything hi-res, although Sony has included in its entry-level DSEE upscaler to make Spotify tracks sound better) and if you want higher-resolution support in a design that celebrates a smaller ear, you will need to invest more. That said, you do get Sony 360 Reality support here, which is even better if you pay for Tidal – because that music streaming platform has a wealth of content presented in Sony's object-based immersive format.

What you need to know is that they're lovely and small and they simply shouldn't be this good for the money – specifically for sound and active noise cancellation. One key omission on the spec-sheet is auto-off feature when you remove them, but for this money it's a compromise I'm more than happy to make. It's also a shame that you only get one extra charge of them from the case, compared to two or three with most models here, but that's balanced out by them offering excellent longevity in the buds from each charge.

Sony's Headphones Connect app gives you control of the active noise cancellation, including Adaptive Sound Control optimized according to what you're doing – yes, the C700N essentially learn how you tend to use them, then try to get with the schedule, so you can have lighter noise blocking in the office than when travelling. And even then, you can tweak it all in the app. When ANC is on, all but the loudest noises are softened, leaving me genuinely immersed in my playlists. Given the size of the earpieces, it's no mean feat.

Read our full Sony WF-C700N review

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The best smaller earbuds for Samsung owners

Up until the tablet and smartphone giant unveiled the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Samsung's record with earbuds, er, wasn't great. But forget shiny kidney bean-shaped buds and other quirky design flourishes, the Pro 2 are compact, comfortable and all business.

First off, the basics are spot on: excellent active noise cancellation, voice detect, wearer detection and customizable on-ear controls – all of which work very well indeed – plus IPX7 water ingress protection.

But if you own a Samsung Galaxy device (and thus, access to the Samsung Wearable companion app and home-screen widget) you also get easy spatial audio with optional head-tracking, plus end-to-end 24-bit high-res audio, which is quite a rarity.

For the smaller-eared wearer, the improved fit and lightness here is also winning – the Buds Pro 2 are 15% smaller than Samsung's last effort and 0.8g lighter per earpiece (5.5g vs the 6.3g Buds Pro) – but more importantly, the design fits me simply, without having to repeat that overly-aggressive twist-and-hope-to-lock-em-in technique some of us know only too well. 

The only downside here at the time of writing is that an updated iteration on these August 2022-issue earbuds is expected in August 2024 – here's what we know about the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro so far. Then again, that means we're seeing some huge discounts on this still-excellent older model…

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review

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The best wired earbuds for small ears

If you've ever nosed through an audiophile publication or Reddit thread, you'll likely know about these wildly successful, multi-award winning entry-level wired earbuds. Despite their 2018 release date, they're still serving up magical sound for the level. Note that these are 3.5mm terminated (meaning they use a regular headphone jack) but if you want a USB-C version, that's called the SoundMagic E11D. 

For the smaller-eared among us, wires can be attractive for reasons besides their improved sound quality (ditching a Bluetooth connection still means better-quality audio; even an aptX HD connection incurs a degree of 'loss' or compression) because wires tether your precious earbuds to each other – and of course to your source device. Anyone who's ever had to frantically search under their train carriage seat for a popped-out earbud just as they pull into their stop knows the value of this. 

But to call the SoundMagic E11C a safe bet for portable audio is to do these wired earbuds a disservice. Yes, their aluminum dark-metallic design makes them look and feel much more expensive than they are when slipped into your ears – but better than that, they sound move expensive too. They're not the final word in sonic brilliance, (bass and treble can both be less-than-totally-refined), but they're impressive for the price, and it's easy to actually hear what you're listening to thanks to good passive noise blocking.

The silver-plated copper cable is coated in TPE and aside from the environmental benefits of this type of coating (it's a kind of thermoplastic rubber that SoundMagic says has “a reduced environmental impact compared to other commonly used plastics") it also means the cable feels durable and doesn't tangle, which anyone who uses Apple's USB-C EarPods will soon appreciate… 

Read our full SoundMagic E11C review

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The best Apple earbuds for smaller ears

If you're leaning towards an Apple product, there's a reason this particular white stemmed design is so popular these days: it fits most people. And that includes those of us with smaller ears. 

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 offer a powerful audio performance plus high-end noise cancellation in a build that's smaller and more lightweight than plenty of the regular competition. OK, they weigh 5.3g, which is a little heavy given the competition specifically within this bijou budded list, but that includes the well-weighted stem, as well as the driver housing. I've called said stem a 'toothbrush head shape' in previous iterations (up to and including the second-gen. Apple AirPods 2019), but here the tail is a little shorter and tapers around slightly to hug your cheek, which aids with a secure fit.

Noise cancellation? It's among the best in the business. Battery life? Not so much; six hours from the buds is distinctly average – although the 30 hours from the charging case is more impressive.

As always with Apple propositions, iPhone owners are the best-served customers here, thanks to unique features such as head-tracked spatial audio, Find My support including ultra-wideband precision location tracking (so your phone will literally point you to your lost buds) and seamless auto-switching between your Apple devices, which is basically the equivalent of multipoint connectivity on more devices than most – but remember, you need an Apple device to enjoy all of this (and ideally all Apple devices).

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

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How to choose the best smaller earbuds for you

How we test the best earbuds for small ears

Each and every year, we test scores of earbuds at TechRadar, which means we know precisely which perks, features, specs and earbud weights stand out as unusual and remarkable – and naturally, we recognise excellent sound-per-pound value when we hear it. 

We arrive at the fully star-rated verdicts within our reviews by comparing the capabilities (including comfort, sound quality, features, battery life, overall design, noise cancellation and spatial audio processing) of each set of each set of earbuds not just in isolation, but against the very best reference sets at the level – and by 'level' we mean 'for around the same price'. Our reason for being is to know the best product at each price-point, so whether you have $1,500 or $15 to spend, we want you to buy the best thing within your budget. 

We also test the audio performance using myriad musical genres and by streaming from several reference sources (including the gamut of music streaming services, plus downloaded music from dedicated hi-res audio players), using carefully curated playlists which we've been adding to and finessing over many years. 

To test active noise cancellation and transparency modes, we use real-world environments such as public transport, our own bustling offices, flights or our home cities under strict, controlled, like-for-like tests. We do this to ensure that no option unfairly outshines its competition. 

We put our all into what we do (if it's fitness earbuds we're testing, you'd better believe we're out there running that 5k over lunch) and we're truly confident that our star-rated reviews are the best indication of the quality and comfort of the earbuds in this list. 

The latest updates to this guide

22 March, 2024
This guide was created, to help people choose the best earbuds for wearers with small ears, right now.

The best graphics card for video editing comes with ample VRAM for quick access to data and CUDA cores/Stream processors for performing multiple processing tasks at the same time. 

Editing videos is resource-intensive. Without a powerful enough GPU driving it, video editing workflows can grind to a halt. Even the best video editing computers running the best video editing software demands a graphics card capable of keeping up with every frame, every render, every export - believe us, we've tried. 

So, the best video editing graphics cards should increase your productivity and accelerate your workflow. Better yet, they can masterfully render visuals, apply effects, color grading, transitions, and so much more, so much more effortlessly. But with so many options on the market, it’s not an easy task to single out the one tailor-made for you and your budget. 

Our expert reviewers have benchmarked and reviewed the best graphics cards for creators, gamers, and everyday users - and we've picked out the best for video editing. During our review, we've compared core aspects like performance, value for money, and availability so whatever your latest project is, there's a graphics card to fit your video editing flow. 

We're monitoring all the best cheap graphics card prices and deals available right now.

The quick list

What are the best graphics cards for video editing in 2024?

Best graphics card for video editing overall

The RTX 4070 Ti is our pick for best video editing GPU. A value-packed workhorse, this next-gen mid-range graphics card features excellent rendering speeds and editing prowess. In terms of creative work, it's almost as capable as graphics cards that are twice as expensive, and despite technically being a 1440p graphics card, it still manages to be adequately competitive at 4K. 

The 12GB of GDDR6X memory might not be as high as some of the other graphics cards on the list, but it’ll still easily power through most demanding tasks without breaking a sweat, whether that's handling high-resolution videos, detailed and complex effects, or real-time playback and rendering. 

The 4070 Ti is not only more powerful and efficient but also more compact than the previous generation’s RTX 3070 Ti. Despite featuring over twice as many transistors as the 3070 Ti, the 4070 Ti is just about 75% of its size, and even its power consumption at 285W is lower than that of the predecessor in question.

All pro video editing applications, including Adobe Premiere Pro (where the RTX 4070 Ti eclipses the RX 7900 XT by about 17.5%) and creative processes like video production and 3D rendering, will benefit from its 7,680 CUDA cores, and you'll also be able to work with more than one 4K clip at the same time. 

Read our full Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti review 

Best budget graphics card for video editing

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 is the best graphics card for video editors on a budget - a solid, pocket-friendly GPU that, in our experience, doesn't compromise on performance for video editing and low to mid-range gaming.

Needless to say, a budget graphics card will not be able to tackle AAA titles or creative tasks involving 4K visuals. However, if you're a video editor who's just getting started or you won't be moving far beyond the realm of 1080p/FHD video resolution, the RTX 3050’s 8GB GDDR6 VRAM combined with a boosted clock speed of 1,780MHz and 2,560 CUDA cores is going to be more than sufficient for you – it should be, too, as you will only be paying about $250 for it. 

The RTX 3050 can easily hit 60 fps in any 1080p game you throw at it, and it was mighty impressive when our experts tested it with Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, where it was able to churn out a solid 143 fps. 

Despite its low price tag, it comes with ray tracing and DLSS, which is something you won't find in other budget graphics cards, such as the GTX 1650. It's, in fact, about 70% faster than the GTX 1650. 

Yes, this is a card from the previous generation, but it came out pretty late in the cycle. And, all in all, it's a perfect choice for moderate video editing tasks and budget gaming rigs that want a cheap graphics card with respectable performance and support for the latest features.

Read our full Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 review 

Best video editing graphics card for power

If you're in the market for a graphics card capable of chewing through everything – from gaming to the most demanding video edits and 3D rendering tools, like Maya and Blender – there's none better than the GeForce RTX 4090. 

It comes with a massive 24GB VRAM and more than 16,000 CUDA cores, which, combined with a boost clock speed of 2,520 MHz and memory bandwidth of 1,018 GB/s, make it the best-specced graphics card right now, and it's also undoubtedly a very capable card for pro video editors and gamers who deal in 8K visuals. 

In all fairness, though, it's going to be overkill for most video editors. However, if your use case involves heavy gaming, then the RTX 4090 is going to be well worth the splurge for you. 

As you might have already guessed, the pricing on this one is steep, to say the least. Priced at over $1,500 and its equivalent in other currencies, the RTX 4090 is certainly not for those with lean budgets, but it's fair to say that those who can buy it will be future-proofing themselves, thanks to its 8K abilities and unmatchable power under the hood. 

Read our full Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 review 

Best AMD graphics card for video editing

The RX 6900 XT is one of the best AMD graphics cards for video editing, offering great value given its rich catalog of features and top-notch gaming and creative performance, it's a force to reckon with regardless of your use case. 

While AMD’s GDDR6 VRAM may not be as performance-driven as Nvidia’s GDDR6X memory, the former’s excellent ray tracing acceleration and robust computer units, along with its over 5,000 stream processors and a max boost clock for 2,250 MHz mean that the RX 6900 XT is perfectly capable of throwing out ultra-high frame rates when running AAA titles at both 1440p and 4K resolutions.  

A 16GB VRAM will allow creatives to easily run software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Blender and handle a substantial amount of workload without any loss in performance, and that too, over extended periods, which can also be accredited to the card's excellent thermal management.

It's worth noting that the RX 6900 XT shares a lot of similarities to its sibling, the RX 6800 XT. They come with the same architecture, same clocks, same VRAM, and same memory bandwidth, too. However, the recommended power supply for the RX 6900 XT is 100W more, which is, in fact, a minor improvement, but it made it AMD’s fastest GPU at the time of its launch. 

While the RX 6900 XT is certainly the more well-rounded and powerful option, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, which costs about $350 less, can provide more bang for your buck, especially if you're pinching for pennies. 

Best graphics card for 8K video editing

The Nvidia Titan RTX is an astonishingly powerful and fast graphics card, and thanks to its 24GB GDDR6 of VRAM and extra four Streaming Multiprocessors, it's best-suited for data scientists, AI researchers, developers, content creators, and artists, but it's not lightweight, to say the least, and certainly not a budget graphics card. 

Put it side-by-side with its predecessor, the Titan X Pascal, and you'll notice that it comes with twice the VRAM and about 800 more CUDA cores, both of which scream an exponential increase in video editing and gaming performance.  

With 576 Tensor cores (for AI and deep learning) and 72 RT cores (for real-time ray tracing), the Titan RTX does very well to justify its high price tag. Still, given its price and its ability to achieve 11 GigaRays per second and 130 teraflops of deep learning performance, it's easier to recommend it to scientists and animators than an everyday video editor or gamer.

Best video editing graphics card for beginners

The GTX 1660 Super, although slower than the GTX 1660 Ti, is a super affordable graphics card that's tailor-made for entry-level video editing and creative tasks. It's also going to be ideal for budget gamers who want solid 1080p gaming performance – nothing more, nothing less. 

What’s more, it won't ask you to set up a complicated cooling mechanism either, as it's anything but a power-hungry graphics card. Despite lacking RT cores, there's enough support for ray tracing, and you'll easily be able to work with and render Full HD footage. 

That said, 4K and 8K enthusiasts shouldn't even come close to this graphics card, and they will be much better off with more high-end RTX-series cards, which, in all fairness, will cost a lot more than the GTX 1660 Super. 

Besides being a delight for beginners with lean budgets, the GTX 1660 Super is also a solid choice for those with compact PC cases, as you will easily be able to find this graphics card in a shorter board design. 

Read our full Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super review 

Best integrated graphics card for video editing

The Apple Mac mini is our favorite mini PC, especially for content creation, since it has the best integrated graphics card for video editing and other creative tasks. 

The M2 model with a 10-core GPU easily outperforms most PCs and graphics cards as far as editing 8K movie files and making projects in Ableton Live 11 are concerned. And, it's going to be an even better investment for DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro users, as it comes with a Mac pre-installed – of course! 

That said, there's also a 16-core GPU model of the Mac Mini (that comes with the M2 Pro chip), which you can consider for even better handling of video tasks, but that's not to say that the 10-core GPU variant isn't ample – it certainly is going to be more than enough for just about everybody. 

Should you wish to go all-out on an Apple chip for video editing, the M2 Max with two ProRes engines, two video encode engines, and, in totality, 2x faster video encoding than the M2 Pro should fancy your wits. However, that's only available with the MacBook Pro, and there are no Mac mini models with the M2 Max chip. 

Needless to say, a typical GPU comes with both video editing and gaming capabilities, which is something you won't find with the Mac mini. Still, a relatively low price tag makes it a very compelling choice for video editors.

Read our full Apple Mac mini review 

Best graphics cards for video editing: FAQs

How to choose the best video editing graphics cards for you

When it comes to video editing, the right graphics card makes a significant difference in your overall productivity and performance. Depending on your use case, there are a few factors to consider when selecting the top graphic cards for video editing, gaming, or any other tasks.

If you intend to edit short videos, going for a high-end Nvidia or AMD GPU may be unnecessary. However, if your video production work is demanding, it’s only wiser to invest a good amount in graphics cards and get something like the RTX 4070 Ti or the RTX 4090.

If  you're looking for a budget GPU, choose a cheap yet powerful graphics card like the RTX 3050, RTX 3060, GTX 1660 Super, or the AMD Radeon RX 6600.

Compatibility is one of the most important things to consider when making this decision. Graphics cards connect to your motherboard via PCI Express sockets. This means that your motherboard’s PCle speed will have a huge impact on the card’s performance. If your motherboard is unable to move the data fast enough, the GPU won’t be able to make a lot of difference. 

The size of your device also matters. A powerful graphics card will generally have larger heatsinks and fan assembly, thereby requiring more space, which can’t be provided by PCs that have small tower cases. 

Also, it’s not every day that you buy a graphics card, so make sure to factor in the technological advancements in the recent past and in the coming future and purchase a GPU that will future-proof you, last you a long time, and meet all your needs. 

As of now, Nvidia and AMD continue to dominate the market, and it’s a safe bet to go for the latest model that fits your budget and needs. Intel continues to stay in the game. However, it's yet to beat Nvidia when it comes to performance and 4K rendering capabilities, and it can only be recommended to users who are in the market for a cheap, integrated GPU in a budget laptop.

How we test the best graphics cards for video editing

We've benchmarked everything from the best 4K graphics cards to the best 1440p graphics cards - so when it comes to identifying the best graphics cards for video editing, we know exactly what to look for. 

Because GPUs are so important to a seamless video editing workflow, our review process features simulated and real-world tests to gauge performance. We use the same hardware, processors, and memory cards while testing the graphics cards. 

To be thorough and recent with our results, we retest all graphics cards of the current generation when a new one comes out. This helps us analyze the gap in performance, pricing, and other factors and gives us a closer view of how value-for-money each graphics card is – we compare each one of them with cards of the previous generation, the next generation (if any), and its close rivals from the current generation. 

We also consider the power and thermal consumption of the card in our testing. Video editing GPUs that easily heat can be troublesome for a hard-core user, which is why we make it a point to mention this whenever necessary. 

If the graphics card in question boasts any extras, like ray tracing, we analyze it on multiple grounds while simultaneously evaluating its impact on the overall performance and then draw a fair verdict based on the use case, which, in this case, is video editing. 

We tested out the best laptops for video editing - and these are the ones that made the final cut 

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The best monitors for trading are an essential part of your setup for navigating the financial markets and doing so profitably. These monitors will load your charts faster, run them without any lags or delays, and put little to no strain on your eyes, thereby allowing you to sit for long hours and execute trades with absolute perfection. 

That said, with so many monitors flooding the market, finding one suitable for your trading style and preferences is nothing short of daunting. 

Our team of reviewers have gone hands-on with some of the best business monitors on the market right now - and if you're into trading, these are the ones we recommend checking out. 

As part of our rigorous review process, we compared screen size, resolution, refresh rates, color accuracy, and more. Whether you need an out-and-out powerhouse with the biggest and brightest display or a budget trading monitor, we've picked out the top models. Paired with the best trading laptops and computers, you'll be unstoppable. 

The quick list

What is the best monitor for trading in 2024?

Best trading monitor overall

The Asus ProArt 32-inch is the best overall trading-friendly monitor. With an impressive refresh rate of 165Hz (a massive jump from the 60Hz maximum refresh rate we got with the Asus ProArt PA32DC), a QHD display, and up to 600 nits of brightness, it's the ideal buy for most beginner and intermediate-level traders looking for a responsive and sharp monitor.

One of the main reasons it bags the top spot is how smooth and lag-free charts run on it. If you want uncompromising performance, this is an excellent option. The 165Hz display is a game-changer for traders who operate on extremely lower and fast-moving timeframes, such as the 5-second or 1-minute chart – timeframes that demand zero lags and absolute smoothness.

The IPS display, which is significantly better than LED, LCD, and VA displays, combined with a 178-degree wide viewing angle, make it perfect for cranking up stock and crypto charts and whether it's the typical green-red candle colors or a quirky blue-black combo, you'll surely enjoy an aesthetic look. 

Not just that, it's one of the most ergonomic monitors on our list – from its height and pivot to its swivel and tilt, you can adjust the screen pretty much any way you want, depending on your chair's height, setup orientation, and more. 

Also, given that it's the only display here that's factory calibrated (since it is Calman verified) and fine-tuned, it's more than capable of handling visually intensive tasks such as video editing and production, making it an all-purpose choice for traders who are also content creators. 

Best 5K trading monitor

There are fewer options better than this super ultrawide 32:9 ratio curved monitor if you want to go all-out on your trading setup and make it look both professional and absolutely breathtaking at the same time. 

You'll be able to load multiple charts on your screen at once – as many as four or even eight, something which isn't quite possible with flat standard-sized screens such as the Asus ProArt. 

While traders who operate on one or two chats at a time may find the extra real estate unnecessary, it's great for multitasking. Trading involves a lot of staring at the charts, so the ultrawide screen and its built-in picture-by-picture functionality allow you to watch a movie or play a game alongside that without having to invest in a second monitor.  

The curved display with a rather impressive 120Hz display is refreshing to look at. While the refresh rate may not be as high as the Asus ProArt, it's pretty commendable, and no matter the pace of your charts, you'll be able to view the candles without any interruptions whatsoever.

It’s also right up there with the top gaming monitors—it comes with a native Game Mode that automatically adjusts the contrast and color setting depending on the game's genre. 

Read our full Samsung Odyssey CRG9 review.

Best budget trading monitor

The Acer 21.5-inch monitor is tailor-made for traders who are at the start of their careers, perhaps in their learning phase. Its sub-$100 pricing makes it super compelling to those pinching for pennies or those who want a secondary monitor to compliment their existing setup. 

Despite the price, it doesn't short-change you and comes with an IPS panel and 75Hz refresh rate – the former is on par with the big hitters on our list, and the latter is nothing to sniff at, either. 

You'll be able to easily load multiple charts (up to four) on your screen and experience little to no viewing difficulties, courtesy of a 178-degree viewing angle. However, the smaller screen size is something you’ll have to consider—multitasking with the charts on is going to be very difficult.  

While it's not VESA compatible (meaning you won't be able to mount it on a wall), we don't consider that a deal breaker since a 21.5-inch display doesn't really warrant that. Coming to the design, the monitor looks anything but cheap, thanks to its ultra-thin structure and an almost bezel-less screen, both of which also make it a highly portable monitor. 

Best value curved trading monitor

If you're after a curved ultrawide monitor but don't quite have the budget for a $1,000-ish Samsung Odyssey like the one above, the LG 34-inch curved display with a 21:9 aspect ratio will be an ideal choice for you. 

The price cut does come with a few compromises, the most major of those being a 60Hz refresh rate – our #1 and #2 picks offer a 165Hz and 120Hz refresh rate, respectively. That said, we didn't notice any on-screen flickering, even when operating the 1-minute timeframe, so it'll pull through nicely for whatever trading style you follow. 

At its price point, it's easily the best option for those who want to load multiple charts on their screen or multitaskers with an aesthetic-looking setup as their priority. After all, the above-par 21:9 experience pips the standard 16:9 ratio, whether that be for day trading, gaming, or streaming your favorite movies and TV shows. 

The tilt and height adjustments are all excellent and easy to use, and while the monitor flickers a little bit, it's not noticeable. We also liked the support for HDR 10 and USC type-C, meaning it's surely one for the long run, and the IPS display is simply one of the best displays out there, so there's certainly no room for nitpicking when it comes to a monitor's primary use case – the display. 

Best high-frequency trading monitor

The BenQ 34-inch MOBIUZ EX3410R curved monitor is on par with the other two curved monitors on our list, and a solid 1440p performance with a near-class-leading 144Hz refresh rate will not leave you wanting for more as far as trading is concerned.

With the fastest response time of all the monitors on my list, this BenQ monitor is certainly one for traders who live and breathe high-frequency trading.

While its VA panel won't give you the kind of viewing angles you can expect from an IPS panel, it'll almost always offer better contrast and deeper black levels so that your chart colors pop out and look really neat. 

Besides offering eye care, the monitor also comes with Brightness Intelligence Technology, which optimizes the display depending on what's running on it to a) give you the best viewing experience possible and b) protect your vision. Trading is categorically known for long screen times, so this is going to come in handy. 

It's also one of the few monitors to come with decent built-in speakers. Yes, monitors certainly don't prioritize their speakers because that's simply not why they're bought, but this BenQ monitor strives to deliver an all-round experience. While it's unreasonable to expect huge pumping from the 5W subwoofer, it's capable of being reasonably loud, depending on the material you play.

Read our full BenQ MOBIUZ EX3410R curved monitor review.

Best display trading monitor

One of the sharpest and most clear displays on our list, the Dell UltraSharp boasts a 27-inch 4K monitor screen, which has more pixels than a 1440p or even a 3440p display, resulting in better image quality. This simply means that charts on your screen will be super neat, with little to no smudging of borders, no matter how much you zoom out. 

The only screen better than Dell UltraSharp's is Samsung Odyssey's 5K screen, but it's almost twice as expensive, so for those on a decent budget and an eye for detail, the Dell UltraSharp picks itself. 

The platinum silver finish is awesome to look at, and thanks to swivel, tilt, pivot, and height adjustment, it's super ergonomic too. Although a 75Hz refresh rate stings a little bit, especially for the price (the BenQ MOBIUZ curved monitor offers a staggering 144Hz refresh rate at a lower price), it comes with a blue light filter, making it ideal for long trading sessions. 

The display size is pretty standard at 16:9, and while a 21:9 or screens with more width are certainly better for viewing stock and crypto charts, they're not as all-purpose as a 16:9 screen. Every single game and movie is made to fit a 16:9 screen, whereas screens with other ratios will show empty, black sections on both sides of the screen when the content being displayed isn't tailored to the screen's ratio.

Read our full Dell UltraSharp U2723QE review. 

Best trading monitor for VESA mounts

The HP 24mh is only second to the Acer 21.5-inch monitor when it comes to affordability, and while it's not the only monitor with VESA mounts as standard, it's one of the best at this price-point. 

Priced at just a few dollars above the $150 mark, this monitor certainly punches above its price point with built-in speakers, VESA compatibility, and a handsome refresh rate of 75Hz.

It's also slightly bigger than the Acer monitor. Not just that, there's also height and tilt adjustment along with a blue light filter—adjust the screen as per your preference and enjoy the ability to monitor stock charts for hours without straining your eyes. 

Although the screen at 1920 x 1080 pixels does feel a little cheap, the monitor's sleek design with minimal bezels does a fantastic job of making a trader want to keep looking at the screen. 

Best trading monitors: FAQs

How to choose the best trading monitor for you

As a trader, a good monitor is certainly indispensable, as it'll help you effortlessly place trades and monitor the markets while reducing lags and buffering, even when you're monitoring charts on the extremely lower timeframes, such as the seconds chart. When making this decision, several factors come into play to ensure you have a setup that optimizes your trading experience.

Firstly, screen size matters quite a bit. Larger screens offer more real estate for charts, indicators, and data analysis. A 27-inch or 32-inch monitor is often considered a sweet spot for trading, providing ample screen space without overwhelming your workspace.

But, you can always go for a curved monitor, which will allow you to monitor multiple charts (or multitask, for that matter) without having to buy multiple monitors.

Next up is panel type, which affects both image quality and viewing angles. In-plane switching (IPS) panels are favored for their accurate color production and wide viewing angles, ensuring consistent visuals from various perspectives. This is crucial for traders who collaborate or work with multiple screens. If color accuracy and reproduction are important, check out the best monitors for photo editing, as these are specifically designed with a better color space coverage.

Resolution is equally important. Opt for monitors with at least a Full HD (1920x1080) resolution to ensure you can view charts and financial data, which are often a lot of numbers presented all at once on the screen. However, if your budget allows, consider upgrading to any of the best 4K monitors (3840x2160) or the best 5K and 8K monitors for even sharper visuals.

What's more, you cannot scoot past response time either, especially if you're involved in high-frequency trading or day trading. Monitors with a refresh rate of at least 60Hz and a response time of 5ms or lower are ideal for trading purposes.

Ergonomics should also play a role in your choice. Adjustable stands that allow you to tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the height of the screens can help you find the most comfortable viewing position. VESA compatibility, although not absolutely necessary, is a good option to have, giving you more freedom to curate your setup the way you want.

Furthermore, connectivity options are vital. Ensure the monitors have necessary ports, such as HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB, to connect to your trading setup, including your computer, laptop, or docking station.

Last but certainly not least, it's super important to consider your budget. While premium monitors offer top-notch features and display, there are also budget-friendly options that can meet your trading needs. Assess your requirements and find monitors that balance features, performance, and cost.

For instance, if you operate the higher timeframes, such as the 4-hour or the daily chart, you don't really need a 140Hz refresh rate display. Similarly, if your memo is just one or two stocks, investing in a massive curved monitor will make little sense.

How we test the best trading monitors

Our team of expert reviewers have tested a wide range of computer monitors and displays, from the best monitors for MacBook Pro to the best video editing monitors for creatives. So, we know exactly what to look for, however you use your screen, 

When we put the best monitors for trading through our rigorous testing process, we aim to deliver comprehensive insights that will help traders make informed decisions. Our testing methodology covers a wide array of criteria, mirroring the diverse needs of traders.

To start things off, we dive into the monitors' specifications, examining factors like resolution, panel type, and refresh rates. These aspects directly impact the quality of the visual data traders rely on daily. 

We believe in comparing monitors side-by-side so that we can give you a clear understanding of how each one stacks up against its competitors, ensuring you can gauge the expected performance of your chosen monitor. 

Next up, we assess the design, build quality, and overall durability of the monitors. If you're dumping hundreds of bucks, you'd naturally want a trading monitor to be able to withstand a few frustrated jolts when the market betrays you while maintaining its visual excellence. 

We also evaluate factors such as connectivity options, size, weight, and height/tilt adjustment. While a lightweight monitor is desirable for minimalistic setups, we also acknowledge that more powerful monitors are usually on the heavier side, and they're also usually the ones where height and tilt adjustment options matter more. 

User experience remains at the forefront of our evaluation. Comfort during extended trading sessions is paramount, and we examine aspects like ergonomics, screen resolution, and panel type to ensure that the monitors contribute positively to your trading experience. 

Finally, cost and value-for-money considerations help us appropriately rank our products. We compare each monitor's price to its features and performance, helping you zero in on a trading monitor that's in line with your needs and budget.

We tested the best monitors for programming - and these are our top picks

That's why we've rounded up all the cheap projector deals you can trust. We regularly look to these models for high-quality projector sales, as they make good on their feature lists and still offer great rates. You'll find all these products just below, alongside their lowest prices from around the web - updated every half an hour. 

Why go for a projector instead of a big screen? The benefits of a projector include a more cinematic experience in your home with a massive image, excellent resolution, and relatively low cost. You can get a solid projector for far less than a good 65-inch TV. There are some downsides here, too, including caring for a lamp, lower resolution than today's mid-price TVs, and less-than-stellar performance in a bright room, but the pros far outweigh the cons.

The best projector sales and deals

The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 sits at the top of our best projector list with exceptional image quality thanks to its 4K true resolution and up to 2,700 lumens that deliver brilliant color and brightness. This high-performance projector is perfect for home theaters and can project pictures up to 130 inches. It also includes two HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 120Hz input. While the Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 is expensive, retailing for $4,999 / £4,399 / AU$7,090, it's reasonably priced compared to other brands that offer superior brightness and contrast.

The Samsung Freestyle projector was unveiled in January 2022 as a portable LED projector that retails for $899.99/£999/AU$1,499. The Freestyle projector features a 180-degree design so you can point and play movies, shows, and music on walls, outdoor surfaces, floors, and more. You're also getting powerful audio with 360-degree sound and smart capabilities with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant built-in, so you can use your voice to stream content from apps like Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, and more.

You can probably stop reading right here. This is the best cheap projector you're going to find. Sure, the BenQ TH670 might be a bit more than you were looking to spend, but it's almost impossible to find a better projector in terms of quality versus price. The TH670 has a Full 1080p (1920x1080) resolution, 3,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, 10,000:1 high contrast ratio and built-in speakers. Those speakers could be a hair bit more powerful, but for the price it's hard to complain too much. The projector is capable of images spanning from 60 to 120 inches across and its lamp is rated for 4,000 - 10,000 hours depending on which modes you primarily use. Input-wise it offers Computer in (D-sub 15pin) x 2 (Share with component), Composite Video in (RCA) x 1 and HDMI. Win! 

In a very solid second place is Optoma's excellent HD142X projector. It has a full
1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution, 3,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, 23,000:1 high contrast ratio and built-in 10-watt speakers. It even supports 3D video to boot. Optoma says that the lamp life for the HD142X is somewhere in the ballpark of 8,000 hours – and claims that it would last around 10 years if you watched a two-hour movie every single day. Input-wise the HD141X offers 2 x HDMI (1.4a 3D support) + MHL v1.2, perfect for hooking up a PS4 or 3D Blu-ray player. 

Yes, we're really including two BenQ projectors on this list. While the TH670 is still king of the proverbial projector castle, the W1070 isn't a bad third choice. We say that because it makes a fair amount of trade-offs. Yes, you're still getting the awesome 1080p resolution, but you're also getting the poor 10,000:1 contrast ratio. Worse, though, you're losing a bit of light output (the W1070 only outputs 2,000 ANSI lumens). At least there's still plenty of inputs should you need them – 2 x HDMI, component and VGA inputs are all here. That being said, if a good deal pops up on one of these, this shouldn't be overlooked. 

They may have taken their own sweet time getting here, but 4K projectors using DLP technology are finally starting to arrive. The first of these affordable UHD beasts is the Optoma UHD60, a 4K HDR projector that has all the benefits of a standard DLP projector, plus a few of the perks of a 4K flatscreen. The UHD60 is a prime contender for AV bargain of the year, delivering genuine 4K and HDR thrills at a price that instantly leaves many of its rivals with some serious explaining to do.

So what makes a good deal on projectors?

Look we’re not going to tell you how you should spend your money. That’s not our style. But, what we will say, is that the best projectors are almost always Full HD and come with built-in speakers. If you get both those features and aren’t looking to break the bank, don’t spend more than $650 or £500. You can do better for less. 

That being said, we’ve found a few great projector deals this month that we wanted to bring to your attention – hopefully ending your long hunt for the perfect addition to your home theater setup.

In the internet’s early days, it was much more difficult to build your own web service. You had to buy and maintain your own servers or enter binding long-term contracts with data center operators. This arrangement was inconvenient for most businesses, and the costs were high, meaning people weren’t too willing to take risks. However, cloud computing providers changed the game.

Cloud computing platforms operate servers and rent them to customers on demand. There’s no need to sign any long-term contract, as you only pay for what you use. Anyone can now host their cloud-based app conveniently and affordably. This arrangement is known as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). 

You can rent a server from an IaaS provider and run any operating system or application you want on it. You can decide which locations to rent from to ensure proximity to your users, which, in turn, delivers faster speed.

We tested different IaaS providers to identify the best ones. We narrowed our list based on important factors including pricing, features, performance, ease of use, customer support, etc. The platforms we selected have their pros and cons, but are, overall, the best ones you can choose to host your websites and apps.

We've also listed the best PaaS provider.

The best IaaS provider of 2024 in full:

Best for performance

Google is the tech giant best known for its eponymous search engine. However, it has many other products, including the Google Cloud system. Compute Engine is an IaaS service offered as part of Google Cloud. It lets you deploy and run virtual machines on Google's powerful data center infrastructure.

You can easily create and manage your fleet of virtual machines via Google Compute Engine; the machines ran either run the Windows or Linux operating system. You can live-migrate virtual machines between different hosts without rebooting, meaning your applications will continue running even while the system needs maintenance. 

You can create Confidential virtual machines that encrypt data while in use. Google says the Confidential VMs don’t compromise on performance despite the additional encryption. You can spin up VMs with up to 11.5 TB of RAM and 60 virtual centralized processing units (vCPUs), signaling Google Cloud’s high performance.

Google Compute Engine is known for its very high performance and cost-effectiveness. However, this platform has a steep learning curve, so you might it difficult to use at first. 

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Best for reliability

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s biggest cloud computing provider. The company operates over 125 data centers across the globe, delivering fast performance and reliability with this massive server network.

Amazon EC2 allows you to rent virtual computers from AWS to run your applications. You can choose your operating system, storage space, processor, and many other variables. AWS boasts of being the only cloud provider with 400 Gbps Ethernet networking, meaning unprecedented speeds. It's also the first major cloud provider supporting AMD, Intel, and Arm processors, so you can choose the one that best fits 

your app.

EC2 is pay-as-you-go, so you only pay for the resources you use. However, the pricing structure isn’t straightforward, which makes it difficult to calculate what your final costs will be. AWS is known for being affordable at low usage but expensive if you use significant computing resources.

EC2 has advanced security features to keep your sensitive data safe. Overall, it offers one of the broadest feature sets you can find in an IaaS provider; this is an advantage, but means that you may face difficulty navigating through the numerous features. EC2 is infamous for having a complex interface, and you may need to hire dedicated AWS experts that don’t come cheap.

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Best for affordability

DigitalOcean is a low-cost cloud computing provider that’s ideal for small businesses and individual use. You can rent virtual machines called Droplets and add more when required. The platform promises 99.99% uptime and advanced security features to keep your data safe.

DigitalOcean has very straightforward pricing. Droplets start from $4 per month, which is affordable, and you can deploy them in seconds. You can run any type of app you want with the Droplets.

DigitalOcean also offers Kubernetes clusters starting from $12 per month. You can deploy these clusters without much complexity.

The best thing about DigitalOcean is that it’s much more affordable than the competition. It’s also very easy to use, with an intuitive interface that you’ll likely find easy to navigate. Customer support is great, as often highlighted in user reviews.

However, DigitalOcean doesn’t offer as many complex features as you’ll find on rivals like Compute Engine and Amazon EC2. 

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Best for security

Azure is a cloud computing service offered by Microsoft, the tech giant best known for its Windows operating system. Azure is the second-biggest cloud provider after AWS, with a network of over 100 data centers globally. 

You can rent virtual machines on Azure running either the Windows or Linux operating system. You can deploy different types of software on these servers, e.g., SQL server, and SAP ERP.

Azure has very advanced security to protect you from malicious threats and guarantee secure network traffic. It has thousands of cybersecurity experts constantly identifying and thwarting potential threats. 

This platform is very scalable. You can start from one virtual machine and go as high as you want as long as you pay. Azure virtual machines are known to be affordable, especially at a high scale. It’s pay-as-you-go, so you only pay for the resources you consume, just like with other cloud providers.

A major complaint about Azure is that it has a pretty complex interface. There’s a steep learning curve, but you can get used to it with time. 

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Best for Linux servers

Linode is a cloud hosting provider focused on Linux-powered virtual machines. You can rent powerful CPUs and servers running the Linux operating system, which is preferable for some people.

This platform is self-serve, so you can easily sign up and spin up the servers you need. You can rent CPUs with different levels of storage, RAM, and capacity. For instance, you can rent CPUs that need to be up throughout the day.

The virtual machines you rent can be dedicated or shared. The former is more expensive but gives better performance and speed. The latter is slower but still reliable to run your applications.

Linode is very secure, with bundled distributed denial of service (DDOS) protection and cloud firewalls. You can access many other extra features such as the Domain Name System (DNS) manager and a cloud management app.

Linode offers great value for money and has excellent customer support, as user reviews often point out. The drawback is that it’s limited to Linux and doesn’t offer as many features as you’ll find on rival IaaS providers.

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We've also highlighted the best business intelligence tools.

FAQs

How to choose an Iaas provider 

Cost

Cost is the main consideration when choosing any service. You should choose an IaaS provider that you can afford in the long term to avoid troubles. Different providers have different pricing structures, so study them to identify any potential problems. For instance, some hosts are affordable in the beginning but become costlier as you scale. Always read the fine print to have the full picture of how the pricing works.

Performance and Reliability

Your IaaS provider must be a reliable one. You don’t want something that goes down frequently and causes you to lose money. The servers you rent should also deliver solid performance and make your website or online app load as quickly as possible.

The larger the data center network of your cloud provider, the better their reliability and redundancy. Performance depends on what type of servers they use and the proximity to your users.

Customer Support

Nothing is perfect including IaaS providers. Things can go wrong at any time, and you’ll likely need customer support. You should be able to contact a human support representative from your IaaS host to help you solve your issues. The host should also provide complementary support resources such as FAQs, user guides, video tutorials, and extensive documentation.

What are the essential features of an IaaS provider? 

1. Pay-As-You-Go

The main benefit of IaaS providers is that you don’t have to sign any long-term contracts to rent computing resources. You can just select the ones you want and pay as you go. You only pay for what you use, which makes it convenient and more affordable.

2. Scalability

You should be able to scale your computing needs with ease. Your IaaS provider should handle your increasing data storage and computing needs without hassle. You just need to select the additional resources you need and deploy them.

3. Security

You’ll be uploading sensitive data to your IaaS provider, so it should have sophisticated security features to prevent data leaks and theft. Losing customer data could lead to costly fines and lawsuits and losing sensitive business data could make you lose your competitive advantage.

4. Virtualization

Virtualization means creating virtual versions of computers or servers. One server can host several virtual machines, with each machine acting like its own separate server with distinct features. Your IaaS provider should let you deploy virtualized computing instances to support your app.

More on IaaS

Investing in your own IT infrastructure is a significant cost, regardless as to whether you're a startup or an expanding business. 

It's not just the servers, but all aspects of your network that you will need to buy, and for some companies this can be prohibitive to growth. Even worse is that after a few years this hardware will need replacing as an additional cost.

However, advances in cloud computing mean that an alternative that is now available: Platform as a Service (PaaS), in which a supplier already has their own servers and networks, and you simply rent the resources you need. 

The big advantage is that pricing is much less than if you bought your own hardware, making it much easier for small companies to set up an extensive and professional IT infrastructure at the fraction of the cost.

Additionally, because you are only paying for what you need, there's no over-spend required for redundant systems, as IaaS is fully scaleable for as and when you need it.

How to choose an Iaas provider 

Cost

Cost is the main consideration when choosing any service. You should choose an IaaS provider that you can afford in the long term to avoid troubles. Different providers have different pricing structures, so study them to identify any potential problems. For instance, some hosts are affordable in the beginning but become costlier as you scale. Always read the fine print to have the full picture of how the pricing works.

Performance and Reliability

Your IaaS provider must be a reliable one. You don’t want something that goes down frequently and causes you to lose money. The servers you rent should also deliver solid performance and make your website or online app load as quickly as possible.

The larger the data center network of your cloud provider, the better their reliability and redundancy. Performance depends on what type of servers they use and the proximity to your users.

Customer Support

Nothing is perfect including IaaS providers. Things can go wrong at any time, and you’ll likely need customer support. You should be able to contact a human support representative from your IaaS host to help you solve your issues. The host should also provide complementary support resources such as FAQs, user guides, video tutorials, and extensive documentation.

How we test

We test by evaluating numerous factors. To start with, we look at the feature set, the range of tools available, and what size of businesses this would be ideal for. We consider how easy the setup is, the simplicity of the interface, and whether there's sufficient documentation and tutorials for users to utilize necessary options optimally. 

We assess how well the service integrates with other relevant apps, and check the overall scalability of the service. We also analyze whether there are collaboration features for multiple users, and lastly, we judge the quality of the customer service and the different pricing plans available.

Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.

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