Reviews Archives - Page 6 of 13

March 26, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

MacBook Neo Review UK 2026: Is Apple’s Budget Laptop Worth It?

Last updated: 26 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Cool Factor: 4/5 — Stone cold

This MacBook Neo review UK is the one we never thought we'd write. Apple making a genuinely affordable laptop? At £599? It felt unlikely right up until the moment we unboxed our Citrus-coloured unit and realised it was actually real. After spending several weeks travelling, working, and bingeing shows on it, we can confidently say this is one of the most interesting Apple products in years. However, it's not without its quirks, and at least one cost-cutting decision that feels properly annoying.

Published by Stiv in Commuter, Reviews, Student, Tech News, Technology lover

Tags: A18 Pro, apple, Apple Intelligence, budget laptop, laptop review, MacBook 2026, MacBook Neo, MacBook Neo UK

March 25, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Sentia Cask Review: Is This Alcohol-Free Whiskey Alternative Worth It?

Last updated: March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Cool Factor

★★★★★

5 out of 5

There's a version of a Friday evening that doesn't end with a fuzzy head, a 3am regret spiral, and a Saturday written off. The Sentia Cask review you're about to read is about exactly that version. Sentia Cask is a 0.5% ABV whiskey alternative built on a double-strength blend of GABA-enhancing botanicals — and we've been drinking it. Neat, with ginger beer, ginger ale, and soda. Here's the honest verdict.

Published by Stiv in Drink connoisseur, Reviews, Self-care Champion

Tags: alcohol-free review, alcohol-free spirits, functional drinks, GABA drinks, non-alcoholic whiskey, sentia cask, sober curious

March 24, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Apple Studio Display XDR Review: Is £2,999 Worth It?

Last updated: March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional, financial, or purchasing advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

The Apple Studio Display XDR review everybody has been waiting for. Seven years on from the Pro Display XDR, Apple has finally returned to the professional monitor space -- and this time, at a price that won't require a second mortgage. Sort of. At £2,999, the Studio Display XDR is still a serious investment, but for the first time in a long while, Apple's premium display actually makes sense for a wider audience of creatives and professionals. Whether it makes sense for you is a different question entirely.

Cool Factor

★★★★☆

4 out of 5 — Stone cold

Published by Stiv in Apple, Reviews, Technology lover

Tags: apple, creative tech, designers, HDR, Mac, mini-LED, monitor, review, studio display

March 23, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Conceptual Art and Christine Kozlov at Raven Row Review

Last updated: 22 March 2026

By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Cool Factor: 3/5

The Christine Kozlov Raven Row exhibition is a sprawling deep dive into the work and world of one of conceptual art's most overlooked figures. Housed in the gorgeous 18th-century rooms of Raven Row gallery in Spitalfields, Conceptual Art and Christine Kozlov brings together an expansive collection of Kozlov's output alongside works by her peers, including On Kawara, Lawrence Weiner, Joseph Kosuth, and Art & Language. It's free, it's ambitious, and it's open until 26 April 2026. But does it hold together as a show? Our honest verdict below.

Published by Tristan in Art Lovers, Artists, Arts & Culture, Reviews

Tags: Art & Language, art review, Christine Kozlov, conceptual art, free London gallery, Lawrence Weiner, London exhibitions, On Kawara, Raven Row, Spitalfields

March 23, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL Review | Worth £219 in the UK?

Last updated: March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

The Fairbuds XL review you didn't expect to go like this: Fairphone's over-ear headphones are not the compromise you'd assume. The sound is genuinely fun, the build is impressively sustainable, and there is a single control feature that every major headphone maker should have nicked by now and somehow hasn't. They're not perfect — the ANC and feature set have real limitations — but as a statement of intent about what consumer electronics could look like, these headphones are hard to argue with.

Cool Factor

★★★★☆

4 out of 5 — Stone cold

Published by Stiv in Audiophiles, Reviews, Technology lover

Tags: audio, eco-friendly, fairphone, headphones, noise cancelling, review, sustainable tech, wireless headphones

March 22, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

William Nicholson at Pallant House Gallery Review

Last updated: 21 March 2026

By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

The William Nicholson exhibition at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester is the first major survey of this extraordinary painter in more than 20 years. Spanning his entire career, from bold graphic posters to luminous still lifes and tender portraits, it makes a compelling case for Nicholson as one of Modern British art's most underrated figures. A friend who studied at the Royal College of Art tipped us off, and they were right. This is a show that rewards close looking, and Chichester itself makes for a brilliant day out.

Cool Factor: 4/5 Stone cold

Published by Tristan in Art Lovers, Artists, Arts & Culture, Reviews, Travel lover

Tags: art exhibitions UK, British art, Chichester, days out Sussex, Exhibition review, Modern British art, Pallant House Gallery, still life, William Nicholson

March 21, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Dracula West End Review: Cynthia Erivo Is Spellbinding

Last updated: 29 March 2026

By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

This Dracula West End review has been a long time coming, because it took a while to process what we saw at the Noël Coward Theatre. Cynthia Erivo, alone on stage, playing all 23 characters from Bram Stoker's novel and delivering what is hands down the best piece of theatre we have experienced in years. It is captivating, beautiful, poetic, powerful and absolutely unmissable.

Cool Factor: 5/5

Cool Factor

★★★★★

5 out of 5

Published by Tristan in Arts & Culture, Reviews

Tags: Cynthia Erivo, Dracula, Kip Williams, London theatre, Noel Coward Theatre, one-woman show, reviews, theatre review, West End

March 21, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Monzo vs Chase UK: Which Bank Account Is Better? (2026)

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

After the bigger sign-up bonus?

Chase's refer-a-friend offer pays £50 when you join and deposit £1,000 within 30 days; our referral page walks you through it.

Claim the Chase £50 offer

If you're weighing up Monzo vs Chase in 2026, you're in good company. Both are app-only banks, both are free to open, and both promise to make managing your money less painful. However, once you dig past the slick onboarding screens, the two take noticeably different approaches to savings, cashback and everyday features.

Chase (a trading name of J.P. Morgan Europe Limited) lures new customers with a boosted saver rate and 2% cashback on everyday spending. Monzo, the UK's original fintech darling, counters with powerful budgeting tools, paid plan perks like a free Railcard, and one of the most feature-rich banking apps on the market.

Below, we break down every meaningful difference so you can pick the one that actually fits your life. We also link to both referral offers if you want a bonus for signing up.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Banking, Comparisons, Finance, Investing, Personal finance, Reviews, Saving, Services

Tags: app review, bank comparison, cashback, chase, chase uk, digital bank, fintech, monzo, monzo vs chase, personal finance, savings, uk banking

March 20, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

iPhone 17 vs 17e: Which Should You Buy? (UK Buyer’s Guide)

Last updated: 29 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

The iPhone 17 vs 17e decision is one most UK buyers are wrestling with right now. Apple's 17e landed on 11 March at £599, sitting a full £200 below the standard iPhone 17 at £799. Both run the same A19 chip and pack a 48MP main camera, so on paper they look remarkably similar. However, dig a little deeper and the differences start to matter. Whether you care about refresh rates, camera flexibility or simply getting the best value, this guide breaks down every key difference so you can decide with confidence.

Published by Stiv in Buying Guides, Reviews, Tech News, Technology lover

Tags: apple, iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, iPhone comparison, smartphones, tech, UK buyer's guide

March 20, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Smart Speakers UK: HomePod vs Sonos vs Echo Compared

Last updated: 29 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Choosing the best smart speakers UK buyers can actually get their hands on in 2026 is oddly complicated. Apple wants you all-in on Siri and AirPlay. Sonos wants you to forget about voice assistants and just listen. Amazon wants you to talk to Alexa about literally everything, including your shopping list. Three very different philosophies, three very different ecosystems, and a surprisingly wide range of prices.

This guide cuts through the noise. We compare every current speaker worth considering from Apple, Sonos and Amazon. In particular, we cover sound quality, stereo pairing rules, multi-room setups, app quality, ecosystem lock-in, future-proofing and genuine value for money. Whether you want a single kitchen speaker or a whole-home audio system, we will help you pick the right one.

Published by Stiv in Audiophiles, Buying Guides, Reviews, Tech News, Technology lover

Tags: AirPlay, alexa, Amazon Echo, Dolby Atmos, Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, HomePod, HomePod Mini, multi-room audio, Siri, smart home, smart speakers, Sonos Era 100, Sonos Era 300