Reviews

The back of the Xiaomi 14 in the included case.

Reviews

Xiaomi 14 Review: A Perfectly Pocketable Flagship Smartphone

Not everyone wants to wrangle a larger smartphone, so it’s always nice to find a slightly smaller flagship, like the Xiaomi 14, that doesn’t feel like a compromise. It boasts all the bells and whistles, including a top-of-the-line processor, a stunning AMOLED display with a dynamic refresh rate, super thin bezels around the display, all-day battery life with fast wired and wireless charging, and an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. Xiaomi’s partnership with photography icon Leica is also a 14 feature, with its Summilux optical lenses, 75mm floating telephoto lens, and Leica photo tuning. Intrigued? Well, let’s dig in!

BougeRV JuiceGo Review: A 240Wh Portable Power Station That Nails Packable Size & Weight

Reviews

BougeRV JuiceGo Review: A 240Wh Portable Power Station That Nails Packable Size & Weight

We’ve reviewed many portable power stations at Gear Diary, and they usually fall into two basic sizes: small and easily portable to use with mobile devices while you’re out and about or much larger and heavier but suitable for off-grid use while camping or at home when power outages strike. The BougeRV JuiceGo 240Wh Portable Power Station I’ve been sent to test is an in-between-sized option that might hit the sweet spot for many campers who don’t want to lug a larger power source. Let’s take a look!

ThermoWorks Signals BBQ Alarm Thermometer Review: Keeps Track of Everything During a Cook

Reviews

ThermoWorks Signals BBQ Alarm Thermometer Review: Keeps Track of Everything During a Cook

When asked about my BBQ technique, I always answer that it’s just heat control from one source to the meat. Monitoring those temperatures is an important tool for creating amazing BBQs, and ThermoWorks specializes in temperature. The ThermoWorks Signals BBQ Alarm Thermometer is an excellent way to get the temps correct for this summer’s cookouts. Signals sends important temperature readings and alarms wirelessly to your smartphone and web dashboard so you can easily monitor and analyze them.

Rocksteady Stadium 2-Speaker and Subwoofer Pack sits on a table in front of two seated women clinking their drinks together.

Reviews

Rocksteady Stadium 2-Speaker and Subwoofer Pack Review: Big Portable Sound

It is the perfect time of year to get outside and enjoy the improving weather. It is also a great time to have a portable speaker ready for any adventure, but what if you want something more than the usual portable speaker can provide? That’s where the Rocksteady Stadium 2-Speaker and Subwoofer Pack shines. Sure, you can bring just one of the Rocksteady Stadium Speakers along, but if you want a bigger stereo sound with more bass oomph than a single portable speaker can provide, this is the perfect solution.

Traeger ModiFIRE Sear Grate Review: Flawless Searing Every Time!

Reviews

Traeger ModiFIRE Sear Grate Review: Flawless Searing Every Time!

Last fall, I reviewed the Traeger Ironwood Series Pellet Grill, which has been a game-changer for my cooking. The ModiFIRE accessories allow for customization and extension of the Ironwood’s uses. I recently had a chance to check out the Traeger ModiFIRE Sear Grate, and it’s added a new angle to my pellet grill cooking.

The GVM PRO-SD300B and accessories

Reviews

GVM PRO-SD300B Review: Excellent Quality Light in a Handsome Package

GVM (Great Video Maker) offers a line of assorted products for videographers and photographers, including monolights, tube lights, panel lights, flexible lights, and pocket lights. They also produce camera sliders, wireless microphones, teleprompters, and other accessories. GVM products are often aggressively priced compared to the competition while offering similar features and overall quality. GVM has certainly stepped it up with their new line of spotlights. This review examines the GVM PRO-SD300B, a 300-watt monolight specifically designed for today’s shooting environments.

WD_Black C50 plugged into an Xbox

Reviews

WD_Black C50 Review: Rugged and Fast Xbox Storage Expansion

Are you looking to supercharge your Xbox Series X|S with extra storage? If so, you’ll want to check out the WD_BLACK C50 Storage Expansion Card. This officially licensed accessory offers a seamless solution for storing today’s larger games. To use it, you insert the card into your console for expanded storage with performance on par with the Xbox’s internal drive. It’s easy to use and definitely fast, but as of now, it is only available in 512GB and 1TB sizes.

SteelSeries Alias Pro XLR Mic Review: Two Excellent Products in One

Reviews

SteelSeries Alias Pro XLR Mic Review: Two Excellent Products in One

SteelSeries has earned a reputation for its high-quality gaming headsets and has now entered the gaming microphone market with two versions of its new Alias microphone. I am testing the SteelSeries Alias Pro, an XLR microphone, and the Stream Mixer interface in this review. A sister product, the SteelSeries Alias, is a USB microphone with an integrated interface.

Vosteed Mini Labrador Lock Knife Review: An Extremely Handy EDC Pocket Knife

Reviews

Vosteed Mini Labrador Lock Knife Review: An Extremely Handy EDC Pocket Knife

Vosteed is quickly becoming a premier knife designer and builder. Since I carry a pocket knife daily, I have enjoyed reviewing their various offerings. Each knife is well-designed, made with premium materials, and stays sharp through lots of tough use. There are many design, color, and size options to choose from. The Vosteed Mini Labrador is a frame lock knife with a 2.73″ 14C28N blade and titanium handle. It is available in gray and black. This everyday carry (EDC)-size knife is a smaller version of the popular Labrador.

AnkerMake M5 Review: 3D Printing Made Easy Enough for Almost Anyone to Do it!

Reviews

AnkerMake M5 Review: 3D Printing Made Easy Enough for Almost Anyone to Do it!

A few years ago, I was sucked into the world of 3D printing with a Creality Ender 3 Pro. I have joked for years that I don’t need a pet; I have a 3D printer because, much like a pet, it is moody, sheds, and often has ailments it can’t explain. But I’ve been testing the AnkerMake M5, and it’s as close as possible to 3D printer perfection!

OnePlus Watch 2 Review: It's Close to Android Smartwatch Perfection

Reviews, Health and Fitness

OnePlus Watch 2 Review: It’s Close to Android Smartwatch Perfection

Android users have long expressed frustration with the lack of compelling Wear OS smartwatch options compared to the seamless integration and features enjoyed by Apple Watch users through the iOS ecosystem. We’ve seen multiple companies try and fail at Android Watches for multiple reasons, including a lack of features or simply horrific battery life. The OnePlus Watch 2 aims to tackle these issues with a premium design that uses a dual-engine architecture with two flagship chipsets to optimize performance so the Watch 2 can deliver up to 100 hours of battery life in Smart Mode with full Google apps integration.

Eufy Video Doorbell E340 and Floodlight Cam E340 Review: Dual Cameras on Your Porch and a Tracking Floodlight Offer Excellent Peace of Mind

Reviews

Eufy Video Doorbell E340 and Floodlight Cam E340 Review: Dual Cameras on Your Porch and a Tracking Floodlight Offer Excellent Peace of Mind

Video doorbells have become a huge product sector after homeowners started being victimized by porch pirates, targeting deliveries from Amazon and other online retailers. In an aim to defeat porch pirates once and for all, there is a new eufy Video Doorbell E340 which offers dual cameras, one facing forward and one facing down, so you can see your packages. For lighting and security in other areas outside the home, there is the eufy Floodlight Cam E340.

The Leica X1 in a Small 3 Legged Thing WRAPZ.

Reviews

3 Legged Thing WRAPZ Review: A Way to Separate, Shield, and Keep Your Gear Dry Without the Need for Custom Cases

How many times have you started to load a bag with gear for an outing, only to realize that you didn’t have a good way to separate and protect your more delicate items, like cameras, lenses, lights, filters, or, in my case, multiple smartphones when I’m going out for a day of taking comparison shots? 3 Legged Thing WRAPZ is a new, versatile solution that keeps your valuable gear separated, shielded, and dry in any environment.

The back of the OPPO Find X7 Ultra as it is held in the author's hand

Reviews

OPPO Find X7 Ultra Review: A Premium Photography Powerhouse, but You Should Expect a Few Trade-offs, Since It’s a Chinese Market Exclusive

There’s a certain allure to having a different smartphone than anyone else, and there are so many interesting phones with amazing hardware that are only meant for the Chinese or other global markets that far too often do not include the United States. The China-exclusive OPPO Find X7 Ultra is just such a device, but there is still much to admire, even if it isn’t specifically meant for the U.S. market.

Vosteed Mini Nightshade Review: Perfect EDC for Your Pocket

Outdoors, Reviews

Vosteed Mini Nightshade Review: Perfect EDC for Your Pocket

A great pocketknife is a handy tool for many daily tasks. If I have pockets, I always have a knife on me. Daily carry can be rough on a pocket knife, so having a sharp, rugged knife is at the top of my list. I was recently sent the Vosteed Mini Nightshade to carry; let’s take a look at its performance.

Lies of P Review: The Emo Pinocchio Experience That Became My 2023 Game of the Year

Reviews, Game Diary

Lies of P Review: The Emo Pinocchio Experience That Became My 2023 Game of the Year

Dear Readers, we may have found the 2023 Game of the Year in Lies of P. I’ll admit, when I first saw the game pop up on Steam, my first reaction was, “What a fricking stupid name.” Once I got over my initial revulsion (and admittedly waited for it to go on a small sale), I dove into the discourse surrounding this game to see if it was something truly worth playing. As far as I knew, it had a gameplay loop reminiscent of the much-accredited Dark Souls franchise, where punishment is your only friend as its core alluring trait.