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8 of XDA's favorite products from February 2024
It was an exciting month for new releases and thorough reviews, and you'll find the best ones here.
February is a great time to be a fan of technology, because it falls right in the middle of two of the biggest consumer electronics shows of the year: CES and MWC Barcelona. That means the reviews team at XDA had its hands full providing great analysis of tech products, both new and old. If you missed anything, we've rounded up our top eight products that were reviewed in the month of February. From great laptops, to excellent power supplies, to superb chargers, we saw a little bit of everything last month. These products listed below are the ones that stood as the best in their respective categories, so you won't be disappointed by them. Without further ado, let's get right into XDA's favorite products from February 2024.
Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM02 review: A powerful mini PC with a great design
The Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM02 is another mini PC from Ayaneo, and it's capable of quite a bit more than the first.
Ayaneo has continued to impress me over the last year with its multitude of stellar releases, particularly in the gaming handheld landscape. The company has gone from strength to strength, releasing the Ayaneo 2S, Ayaneo Kun, and then entering the mini PC market with the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01. Now we're getting the AM02, a successor that packs a Ryzen 7840HS, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage.
TP-Link Deco XE75 review: Wi-Fi 6E for cheap
The TP-Link Deco XE75 is a great way to get WI-Fi 6E for cheap, and it's a stellar product in its own right, too.
If you want to build a mesh network and aren't sure where to start, you're probably summing up some of the more affordable options. That's exactly what I did, as up until recently I was using a Wi-Fi 5-based Google Home mesh network. I wanted to increase my speeds though, as I have gigabit internet that would maximize at around 300Mbps over my previous mesh network. That's why I decided to go with Wi-Fi 6E, and I purchased the TP-Link Deco XE75 myself.
Ayaneo Slide review: The best compact PC gaming handheld
The Ayaneo Slide is one of the best gaming handhelds, and is the best compact gaming handheld on the market.
Ayaneo has been launching some weird and wacky products in recent months, with a ton of gaming handhelds being the vast majority of it. With the Ayaneo 2S, the Ayaneo Kun, the Ayaneo Flip, and the Ayaneo AM01 to name a few, the company has been trying a lot of different things. The Ayaneo Slide is one of the more interesting ones, and surprisingly, it's actually a very good handheld.
XDA's favorite gadgets from December 2023: Steam Deck OLED, HP Envy Move, and more
We closed out 2023 with a ton of great reviews
December was relatively slow in terms of the new product releases, but most of us here at XDA had our hands full, with plenty of gadgets to test. We managed to get our hands on some exciting products to grade before the holidays, including a good mix of laptops, desktops, PC components, and more. Many of these reviews may have flown under your radar thanks to the holiday buzz over the last few weeks, so below is a list of some of our favorite devices we enjoyed testing this month.
Antec P20C ARGB review: A simple E-ATX chassis with solid features
Excellent compatibility for a budget-friendly price.
The Antec P20C ARGB is a mid-tower E-ATX gaming chassis that manages to stand out in the sea of PC cases out there with the right mix of features for the price. This performance-centric case offers excellent value for money with plenty of room for complex cooling solutions, a unique metal mesh design, and a ton of nice-to-have elements like dust filters, a GPU bracket, and more. It's not necessarily a head-turner like the Fractal Design North is, but its clean looks and subtle finishing touches make it a perfect case for setups in both professional and minimal settings.
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming OC review: Big on size and performance
Don't let this graphics card slide under your radar.
The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GPU has a bit of a history as it was originally announced as an RTX 4080 12GB before Nvidia decided to "unlaunch" it and rework it into its final form. It's essentially the same GPU as the ill-fated RTX 4080 12GB, complete with the same specifications on the board. It is, however, $100 cheaper, making it a fantastic option for those who are looking to game comfortably at up to 2K, or even 4K.
Logitech StreamCam review: A great webcam you should get on sale
The Logitech StreamCam is a great no frills webcam, but it's a bit expensive at its full MSRP.
Logitech has always been known for decent enough webcams, and until recently I had used the Logitech C270 from around ten years ago as my primary webcam. When it finally stopped working I had to pick up a new one, and I figured I'd stick with what I knew and picked up the Logitech StreamCam on sale. I'm glad that I did, but there are probably better options when looking at the StreamCam at its full MSRP.
Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01 review: A mini PC that you can use as a NAS or console
The Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01 is a genuinely great mini PC with a lot to love, though there are some weird software kinks at first.
When it comes to PC gaming handhelds, Ayaneo has been ahead of the pack. The Ayaneo Kun is the best overall PC gaming handheld that you can get, though it comes at a premium. The company is now taking that expertise to mini PCs, with the company's first being the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01. It packs up to an AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a very... inspired look.
The guiding principle behind all of our reviews at XDA is trust. Every aspect of the process is inspired by the fact that there’s a big responsibility that goes along with helping someone to choose the right product to buy. This core tenet guides everything from the way we test products to never allowing outside factors to have any input on our reviews.
Steam Deck OLED review: More than just a screen upgrade
The Steam Deck OLED dropped by surprise recently, and it's a fantastic handheld that's more than just a screen upgrade.
Valve opened up general availability of the Steam Deck in October last year, and being a gamer, I immediately rushed out to buy one. I loved it, but with a wave of other, more powerful handhelds flooding the market shortly after, the gaming handheld market suddenly heated up. The Steam Deck is undoubtedly one of the best gaming handhelds out there though, and the Steam Deck OLED is every bit as good as its predecessor and then some.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 vs MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus: Neck and neck in every aspect
The MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus made its western debut recently, and how does it fare versus the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1?
MediaTek's Dimensity 9000 Plus chipset was the company's big return to flagship chipsets in the west, and it was a long time coming. The non-Plus version launched in devices like the OPPO Find X5 Pro Dimensity Edition, a China-only exclusive. However, with the advent of the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro came an additional tier above — the Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate. The "Ultimate" moniker obviously implied at the time that it was the superior device, and so, we put both chipsets to the test.
Crucial MX500 SSD review: Good, but not class-leading mass storage for any PC
The Crucial MX500 isn't the absolute fastest SSD around, but it's reliable and available in up to 4TB so you really can store all the things.
There was a time when adding large quantities of storage to your PC would require using 3.5-inch hard drives. However, they're large, clunky, and slow, so it felt like you were dragging your files through a molasses swamp. But they got the job done.
Lenovo Tab M10 Plus 3rd Gen review: Not quite what you'd hope
One bad part outweighs the good for the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus 3rd Gen. But the price could be its tipping point.
There are a lot of Android tablets on the market, but some of the brands that stand out are Samsung and Amazon. They make some of the best Android tablets out right now, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a competent competitor. That's where Lenovo comes in. Its tablets are available in popular price points and sizes, but can it compete?
XDA's favorite gadgets from November 2023: Lenovo, Apple, Alienware, and more
In case you missed any of our measured takes amidst the Black Friday madness.
With all the big showcases and major releases out of the way, it's safe to say that we're approaching the tail end of 2023. The month of November was relatively slow in terms of the new releases, but it was just as busy — if not more — for us here at XDA, as we continued to test and grade the best products while also hunting for the best Black Friday deals to ensure you pick the right products during holiday shopping. From powerful laptops and PCs to some must-have accessories and peripherals to improve your computing experience, we ended up reviewing some amazing products last month that may have flown under your radar amidst all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday madness. So here's a quick look at some of our favorites (in no particular order) that we believe are worth checking out.
Steam Deck review: Still one of the best around
The Steam Deck is an excellent portable handheld gaming console, though it's not perfect for everyone.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard of Valve's Steam Deck. It's a gaming handheld that has one significant leg up over other traditional handhelds in the industry: It plays PC games. Forget the Nintendo Switch. Valve has taken that form factor, strapped rockets to it, and flown further than Nintendo has ever gone.
Lenovo Legion Go review: I want to love it, but I can't
The Lenovo Legion Go should be one of the best gaming handhelds, but it's just nowhere near it.
Gaming handhelds have been all the rage over the past year, with the Steam Deck leading the charge and companies like Ayaneo, Asus, and Lenovo all wanting a slice of the pie. We've put two gaming handhelds from Ayaneo through the ringer already, and for my money, the Ayaneo Kun is the best out there. The Asus ROG Ally is also good, but it has a few issues that prevent it from taking the top spot. Now that Lenovo is here with the Legion Go, how does it fare?
Ayaneo Kun review: The best gaming handheld at a premium price
The Ayaneo Kun is an exceptional gaming handheld that has very few downsides, and we absolutely love it.
Gaming handhelds are all the rage these days, with devices like the Steam Deck challenged by the Asus ROG Ally and the Ayaneo 2S coming out of seemingly nowhere to become one of the best. Ayaneo has been making waves since, and the company has now gone all-out on making an ultimate gaming handheld: the Ayaneo Kun. Packing up to 4TB of storage, up to 64GB of RAM, a massive 8.4-inch 1440p display, and an AMD Ryzen 7840U, it's the company's best yet.
Lenovo Legion Slim 5 14 (2023) review: The 14-inch gaming laptop to beat
A balance of price, features, and performance in a thin and light laptop.
Lenovo has been on an absolute tear lately with its Legion gaming lineup, and its 8th-gen models for 2023 have a wide selection of hardware to suit many different needs. There's the top-tier Lenovo Legion 9i we recently reviewed, which Senior Editor João Carrasqueira called "the best gaming laptop on the market right now," for those with deep pockets. Then there's the Legion Pro lineup for a mix of outright power and functionality, with a wide range of available hardware and displays at varying price points.
Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero review: A premium motherboard at a premium price
It's an exceptional motherboard, but it costs a lot of money.
If you're looking for an LGA 1700 motherboard, your options range from the ultra-pricey to the more affordable. While affordable options typically get the job done, they won't offer additional features by way of PCIe 5.0 lanes, extra I/O ports, or even DDR5 in a lot of cases. If you want to go all out on your motherboard, there are a few options to choose from, and one of them is the Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero. It's an expensive motherboard, but one of the best motherboards, and has literally everything you could want.