Apple 15-inch MacBook Pro, Lenovo ThinkPad T490s, Honor 20, and more: Reviews round-up

It's somewhat redundant to point out that the 15-inch MacBook Pro is seriously expensive, as that's simply par for the course with Apple. But, thankfully, it's also powerful enough to justify that price and ensure that it earns its keep when you're on the road. And, as always, the slimline and lightweight design of the MacBook Pro is in a class of its own.

For more see: Apple 15-inch MacBook Pro (2019) review: 8-core power and portability, at a price

Build quality and portability are attractions, while long battery life and rapid charge support are real deal-makers. However, users of graphics-heavy apps should note that there's no discrete GPU option, and if you want premium features such as a WQHD screen, a 1TB hard drive, or the new ThinkPad Pro dock, you'll end up with a hefty price tag.

For more see: Lenovo ThinkPad T490s review: A high-quality 14-inch business laptop with all-day battery life

The Honor 20 series, launched in the spring, comprises three handsets, including the mid-range £399.99 Honor 20. It's a competent mid-range smartphone that stands up well to similarly priced competition. The Huawei connection is the only factor that might give prospective users pause for thought.

For more see: Honor 20, hands on: A high-quality mid-range smartphone, with complications courtesy of Huawei

It's expensive for an office monitor, but the large 4K display of the Brilliance 329P9H is well suited for presentations, video editing and graphics work. However, its greatest strength is the versatility of its built-in USB-C dock, which will appeal to any business user who works with both a desktop and laptop PC in their office.

For more see: Philips Brilliance LCD Monitor with USB-C Dock (329P9H), hands on: 32-inch 4K display with unmatched connectivity

The Q800Pro is great value for its sub-$300 price tag. Get yourself the optional rear view camera for under $100 too for front and rear protection, configure geo-fencing zones and alerts, and make sure the phone in the car has its hotspot enabled. You can then sit back and relax knowing that your car is as protected as possible with this very unobtrusive device.

For more see: Thinkware Q800Pro: Unobtrusive, with great tracking features via the cloud

There's little doubt that the MiniBook does everything that a larger laptop of similar specification can do, despite all of the components being squeezed into such a small package. If your laptop spends most of its time hooked up to a monitor, keyboard and mouse via a USB-C hub, and is only used out and about for media consumption and light productivity, then the MiniBook's small form factor makes sense.

For more see: Chuwi MiniBook review: A small and almost perfectly formed 8-inch UMPC

The Tecra A50 isn't a 'special' laptop in any way. It's neither ultra-thin nor ultra-light, and it has a humdrum Full-HD 15.6-inch screen. It's designed to do a job, and to do that effectively. The inclusion of a number pad on the keyboard, legacy and forward-looking ports, and a solid build are all significant plus points. 

For more see: Dynabook Tecra A50 EC 11H, hands on: A 15.6-inch business workhorse with all-day battery life

There's no denying the quality of its 4K (if not HDR) display, but equally, there's no denying that this machine is badly hamstrung by its puny Atom chipset. If it had a Core M chip or even a Celeron N4100 we'd recommend it, despite the lack of a USB-C port and poor battery life. As it is, we'd rather have either the LapBook SE or AeroBook from Chuwi. 

For more see: Chuwi LapBook Plus review: Nice 4K screen, shame about the processing power

The Logitech Zone Wireless Plus is comfortable to wear, and its controls are easy to understand and use. Audio quality is good across all the different use cases, and we got as good an experience when working as when at leisure. A hard case for transportation would be appreciated, though.

For more see: Logitech Zone Wireless Plus, hands on: A comfortable and functional headset for work and play

There's a significant market for headsets that can double up for work and leisure. On the all-important metric of sound quality, the Sennheiser MB 360 UC scores highly. Battery life is good, too. We found both fit and usability a little suspect but others may disagree, so try before you buy. 

For more see: Sennheiser MB 360 UC, hands on: A Bluetooth headset for multiple use cases

While the Jaybird Vista is optimised for sports use, they also work flawlessly for the commuter, business traveler, or anyone else looking for a great quality, fully wireless earbud experience. Video playback is flawless, with the ability to customise the audio experience for various scenarios being a huge selling point for the Vista.

For more see: Jaybird Vista review: A fully wireless sport-focused headset worthy of the brand

The Garmin Edge 530 is a solid bike computer for commuters, road bikers, and mountain bikers. With the easy mounting system and various mount options, it is also easy to move the pair of devices around between different bike platforms.

For more see: Garmin Edge 530 and Varia RTL510 review: Keeping your bike commute safe and enhancing your outdoor fun

If you want better coverage and more sophisticated options for home or business use, the Netgear Orbi is a better choice. But the AmpliFi Instant System is a basic budget option for simple mesh wi-fi that should satisfy many less-demanding users.

For more see: AmpliFi Instant System, hands on: A basic budget system for simple mesh wi-fi

Wyze Bulb is an easy recommendation. It's affordable, reliable, and integrates with other services without any issues. $70 is the total cost for a Wyze Cam V2 security camera, a Wyze Sense starter kit, and four Wyze Bulbs. A similar setup from Ring, Nest, or even Samsung would cost hundreds of dollars, not counting the monthly subscription fees.

For more see: Wyze Bulb review: An $8 smart home accessory that shines bright

This is not an automated robot cleaner. You need to lift the robot off its charging station each time you want to use it, fill it with water, and take it to the area you want to have cleaned. But this is a superb addition to any home or office with hard flooring — and if you hate washing floors — and have $250 to spare, go and buy one of these. You will not be disappointed.

For more see: ILIFE Shinebot W400 floor washing robot: For everyone who hates washing floors