Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i MacFormat

2026 is here and with all kinds of things to look forward to, from an incredible line-up of new devices and services from Apple that you can expect to see in the year ahead (see p16), to a multitude of brilliant apps that you can get for free (p20) – just the thing if you’re looking to save some money. Those apps could certainly come in handy if you’ve also been lucky enough to get a new Mac laptop or desktop recently, but what’s the best way to back up and move all your data? Luckily, our in-depth guide on p62 should help – in it, you’ll discover some essential tips and tricks to make sure your Mac migration goes smoothly. Talking of new things, now’s a great time of…

AirDrop is a good example of how Apple’s ecosystem “just works” across its devices. Yet that selling point might have lost some of its shimmer, as Google has managed to get AirDrop to work with Android phones, seemingly without Apple’s help – and possibly even without its knowledge. In a blog post, Google explained that QuickShare – Android’s own version of AirDrop – can now send files to an iPhone, with the iPhone user being able to receive the file through the AirDrop interface. It also functions the other way, too. This only works with Google Pixel 10-series devices for now. Google didn’t say it worked with Apple, and its language suggests that it created this cross-platform functionality on its own. For example, Google noted that the feature only works…

Affinity › FROM affinity.studio Available for both Intel and Apple silicon Macs, Canva’s Affinity is a direct rival to Adobe’s Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign apps. It’s a heavyweight photo editor, vector illustration and page layout app that’s perfect for beginners and pros alike. For now it’s just for Macs but an iPad version of Affinity is coming soon. Given the high price of rival apps, there must be a catch – right? Nope: Affinity is free and ad-free, and Canva says it isn’t doing anything sneaky in the background such as using your images to train artificial intelligence. Quite the opposite: Affinity is AI-free unless you subscribe to a premium plan, which unlocks additional tools, enabling you to access AI-powered features, such as generative fills or isolating subjects, as well…

Spam is the scourge of the modern internet, and there are few people yet to be bedevilled by it. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can fight back, and one of them is through using email aliases. These are alternative email addresses that redirect to your main inbox – hand out an alias and your regular email address remains uncompromised. If an address gets spammed, most places let you quickly disable it. Aliases aren’t just useful for countering spam, either; you can use them to filter and organise your incoming messages while maintaining a single inbox, for example. Simple and sophisticated In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to create and use aliases with Gmail, iCloud and Outlook. Gmail’s method is the simplest and merely requires appending a ‘+’…

 Anew Mac promises to open the door to faster, smoother and more efficient computing thanks to its cutting edge chips and the awesome performance of macOS 26 Tahoe. But while you’re sure to have one eye on the future, the other is likely looking to the past. For although you could start afresh or, at least, get your Mac up and running using data from your iPhone or iPad (by selecting ‘Set up with iPhone or iPad’ in the Setup Assistant that appears when you start up a new Mac), you may want to consider what you’re leaving behind. Your old computer will inevitably be packed with data ranging from documents and apps to settings and user accounts – stuff you’ll surely want to transfer to your shiny new machine.…

For those who have opted to use Migration Assistant, then the bulk of the work involved in getting your new Mac up and running has been done. For those of you who have decided to migrate manually, there’s going to be a bit of extra work but, generally, you’re well on the way to enjoying your shiny new machine. Before you ditch your old Mac or PC, though, spend some days (maybe weeks) ensuring that everything has been set up correctly. Although you’ve got a backup, you don’t want to erase your old computer only to find that some vital files have somehow got lost in the migration process. You may also need your old Mac to authorise your new one. Run Windows on Mac Those migrating from a PC could…

Apple Watch may sit on your wrist but it can also get under your skin. Research has shown that activity trackers motivate wearers to walk further and for longer, and scientists point to the effectiveness of gamifying the process of keeping fit. The Watch can monitor movements while working out how long you’ve been exercising and standing. Viewing real-time metrics and the desire to close Activity rings has a strong effect. By wearing an Apple Watch, you’re also able to keep an eye on your overall health. The device can monitor your body in multiple ways, from using an electrical sensor to record your heartbeat and detect irregular heart rhythms, to measuring how hard your lungs are working during a workout. It can review your sleep patterns in the Sleep…

None of the printers on test here were poor. Far from it. If you buy any of them, we doubt you’ll be disappointed with your purchase. One thing that’s made clear by our tests is that integrated ink tanks that are refillable from easy-to-recycle bottles are the future of home printing. Printers equipped with this feature are a little more expensive than regular, cartridge-based models, but over the course of the printer’s life, you save a lot of money on the inks. The Epson printers offer good all-round printing with solid feature sets, and the Canons provide acceptable photo printing and stellar text output. They’re spectacularly cheap, too. Definitely consider one if you’re on a budget, but if you print a lot, watch out for the cartridge costs. The HP…

› £399 › FROM remarkable.com › FEATURES 7.3in screen, 1696x954 resolution @264ppi, 1.7GHz Dual-Core Cortex A55 processor, 64GB storage, 2GB memory, 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, 1x USB-C port, up to 14 days’ battery life; 195.6x107.8x65mm, 235g You can place your notes in folders, just like you would on your Mac For those unfamiliar with reMarkable tablets, they’re digital note-taking devices that do one job, and do it well. Maybe two jobs if you count side-loading ebooks and PDFs and using the reMarkable as an e-reader, but this function is a bonus rather than the heart of the devices’ capabilities. The reMarkable is for handwritten notes, plain and simple. No social media, no incoming notifications to distract you, no downloadable apps to fiddle around with. It’s a digital notepad with excellent…

> £99.99 > FROM logitech.com > FEATURES Logi LightCharge tech, full-size layout with number pad, connects up to three multi-OS devices, customisable Action key, 10m range; 142.9x430.8x20.2 mm, 700g It’s very responsive, feeling just right under your fingers While battery life for wireless keyboards is improving, it’s always annoying when you run out of power while typing. Imagine a keyboard that never runs out of power, and is always ready to go whenever you need it. No plugging into a USB port for recharging, and no disposable batteries to replace. Well imagine no longer – behold the Signature Slim Solar+ wireless keyboard K980. As you’ve probably guessed, the keyboard is charged by solar energy; specifically, the pill-shaped indentation above the keys with ‘logi’ written on it absorbs energy from both…

> Free (offers IAPs) > FROM playdigious.com > NEEDS iOS 15 or later; A12 Bionic chip or later Frustration is tempered by the rush of uncovering the secrets hidden in the glyphs Love learning languages? If so, you’ll feel right at home with Chants of Sennaar. This puzzle game comes with a twist; the real test is not so much finding objects and solving riddles, but unlocking the various languages spoken by the game’s inhabitants. Inspired by the Tower of Babel myth, Chants of Sennaar is set in a vast tower whose inhabitants are separated into castes, each living on a different level and unable to understand their neighbours. As you progress, you work your way up, seeking to unite the people in shared understanding. You go in completely blind, surrounded…

Great ways to make your Mac uniquely yours PLUS: Explore the world in augmented reality ALSO INSIDE… >ON TEST: 6 best VPNs for Mac >24 pages of how-tos and Genius tips >What’s in your Apple kit? We find out … and much more! ISSUE 427 ON SALE 3 FEB 2026 DON’T MISS IT – SUBSCRIBE TODAY! IN PRINT & ON iOS >Your print subscription includes the paper magazine and the digital edition for iPad and iPhone bit.ly/magazinesdirect_macformat ON YOUR MAC >Read digitally on your Mac: subscribe with Zinio at bit.ly/ziniomacf…

Have you received an unexpected call from Apple Support? It could be a scam. As detailed by Broadcom Software’s Eric Moret, there’s a trick whereby scammers send genuine Apple Support tickets, then follow up with a phone call where they try to get you to hand over your Apple Account details. The Apple Support emails originate from Apple’s real website, as anyone can enter any email address into Apple Support and raise a ticket this way. If this happens to you, put the phone down and call Apple directly to check if the problem is real or part of an attempted swindle.…

Apple has named the best App Store apps and games of the year across a range of categories and platforms. That includes titles made for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Arcade, Vision Pro, Apple Watch and Apple TV. There were also 12 winners in the Cultural Impact category, bringing the grand total of winning names to 45. Each device and category contained three finalists. The iPhone apps of the year, for example, were BandLab (a social music recording and mixing app), LADDER (for strength training) and Tiimo, which offers a new take on to-do lists. In a year of AAA releases, the best Mac games were judged to be Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition and Neva. The winers of the Vision Pro apps category, meanwhile, were livestreaming and camera…

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5 › From £1,200 › From bang-olufsen.com It might look like the kind of thing you’d put an artisanal picnic lunch in, but the Beosound A5 is actually the world’s classiest portable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker. Available in Nordic Weave (£1,200), Century Weave (£1,250), Oak or Dark Oak (£1,400), and Spaced Aluminium (£1,600) finishes, the speaker offers 360° sound via its two-way speaker system, which comprises a 70W tweeter, 2x 70W full-range drivers and a 70W bass woofer. As well as offering multi-room support via AirPlay, the speaker can also be teamed with a second Beosound A5 for stereo sound, and has Active Room Compensation so it can tune itself to match the acoustics of the room it’s placed in. Not only that, but the BeoSound A5…

AppCleaner › FROM freemacsoft.net One of the odd things about macOS is that there’s no dedicated app uninstaller. You remove apps by dragging them from the Applications folder into the Bin, but that can leave a lot of bits behind. AppCleaner is designed to solve that. Drag an app onto the window and AppCleaner will remove not just the app but its associated files. DaVinci Resolve › FROM blackmagicdesign.com› ALSO ON iPad Fancy getting your hands on the same post-production software used to make many award-winning movies? That’s exactly what the free version of DaVinci Resolve offers. It’s a non-linear editing platform featuring fast editing, cinema-grade colour correction and a host of effects, and the free version is offered up in the hope that you’ll love it so much you’ll…

Anything iPhone can do, iPad can do too – but that larger screen gives you even more real estate for all kinds of apps. Your iPad makes a superb canvas for sketching, and its larger screen makes it much better for video editing than even the largest iPhone Pro Max. It can become a finger-friendly keyboard for making music, and a digital magazine that pulls articles from everywhere. And it’s also a brilliant playground for children, coding and children who want to code. iMovie › FROM apple.com/uk› ALSO ON iPhone, Mac iMovie is still our first recommendation for Mac, iPad and iPhone movie making. Apple’s app has inspired generations of movie makers, and the latest version retains its trademark ease of use while taking full advantage of Apple’s cutting-edge cameras.…

› Master Apple shortcuts macOS › Cmd is the Command key. › Alt or Opt is the Option key. › Ctrl is the Control key, also shown as ‘^’ in shortcuts in the menu bar. › The thick, outlined up arrow is the Shift key. › The thin, left arrow or outlined pointer with ‘X’ inside is the Delete key, which deletes to the left. Pressing the Function key (Fn) and the Delete key deletes to the right. › The thin, right arrow key with a small vertical line at the end is the Tab key, which shifts the focus between some controls. iOS › A tap is a brief contact of (usually) one finger on your device’s screen. › To drag is to move a finger across the screen…

In the first two parts of our iMovie series, we explained how to create slickly edited video sequences complete with titles, transitions and layered picture-in-picture effects. However, compelling visuals are only half of the movie story; sound is the other. Often, poor-quality sound lets the side down, with levels that are either too loud or quiet, or drowned out by music and unwanted background noises such as traffic. In this tutorial, we’ll explain how you can use iMovie’s audio editing tools on Mac to give your audio tracks a post-production polish, adjusting volume to make quiet bits sound louder while reducing distorting peaks. You’ll also learn how to unify multiple clips by adding a music soundtrack that automatically dips in volume when people speak. We’ll show you how to layer…

Apple’s M5 chip is mightily impressive. It’s a huge leap forward when compared to the M4, offering up to 30% faster graphics performance and, in the case of the 10-core CPU, up to 15% faster multithreaded performance. When it was announced as the chip powering the new 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Apple Vision Pro, the M5 had many in the tech industry salivating over its potential. The fact it also includes Neural Accelerators only increased the excitement. Neural Accelerators make a big difference to the overall performance of Apple’s ARM-based system-on-a-chip (SoC) and you will have likely encountered the term before… In September 2025, the Cupertino giant unveiled the A19 Pro chip for the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max; it too contains Neural…

When migrating from one Mac to another, it makes sense to protect your files. This entails backing up your computer to keep your apps, photos, music, emails and documents safe and it means you’ll have a copy of your data should anything go wrong during the migration process. You may find you’re already keeping backups on your old Mac since Apple’s iCloud can be used to automatically sync your data. To check if this has been set up, click Finder on your old Mac and look for iCloud Drive in the sidebar. If it’s not there, it doesn’t necessarily mean iCloud is not set up: just click Finder › Settings › Sidebar and tick iCloud Drive if the option is available. Data handling If that still draws a blank or, if…

› £999 FROM samsung.com› FEATURES 32-inch QD-OLED display, 4K resolution (3840x2160 @166ppi), 240Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and DisplayHDR TrueBlack, 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x USB-A ports, 1x USB-B port The key feature of the G81SF is, of course, that 32-inch OLED display We’re big fans of Samsung’s M8 monitor, which provides a very affordable alternative to Apple’s expensive Studio Display. The M8 does make a few compromises, though, in order to keep its price below the £500 mark. If you’re looking for a more high-end display then the company’s Odyssey range fits the bill while still offering competitive prices. Samsung’s model numbering system is a bit of a mess, though, and there are several monitors in the Odyssey range that have similar features and model…

› Free › FROM affinity.studio › NEEDS macOS 10.15 or later, 8GB RAM Affinity’s ability to open InDesign template files makes it even more attractive First things first: yes, it’s free. You’ll need a premium Canva subscription if you want to use its artificial intelligence (AI) features, but then those have never been what Affinity is all about. The purchase of Britain’s Serif by Australia’s Canva has led to this, the three pro-grade Affinity creativity apps – a vector illustration program, a photo editor, and a desktop publishing package originally designed for Mac (an iPad version is ‘coming soon’) brought together as one app. You’ll be looking for the catch, but as far as we can see there isn’t one. The new Affinity takes Affinity Designer, Photo and Publisher, ups…

> £29.99 > FROM satechi.net > FEATURES Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, rechargeable battery, 3-device memory, DPI control An external mouse is a useful thing, even if you are using a laptop. It can give you more flexibility and, thanks to the excellent cursor support and the new windowing features in iPadOS 26, it’s also a great way to power up your iPad workflow. Satechi’s new Bluetooth mouse arrives together with its companion Bluetooth iPad keyboard (in the same black and white colour options). It costs just £29.99; Apple’s Magic Mouse costs £79, and this mouse is slightly lighter to carry around. The mouse charges over USB-C and its internal rechargeable battery – so much more convenient than removable batteries – gives up to 80 hours use on a single charge. Pairing…

> £65.99 > FROM oneodio.com > FEATURES Bluetooth 6.0 with AAC, active noise cancellation (ANC), up to 75 hours of battery life between recharges, USB-C port for charging/audio OneOdio makes a wide range of affordable headphones that it mostly sells via Amazon and other online retailers. The company’s low-cost approach is reflected in the fact that most of its headphones don’t include an app to allow you to adjust the sound or settings. The Focus A6 headphones, however, aim a little higher, providing a well-built over-ear set with active noise-cancellation and a decent app for £65.99. That price makes this one of the most affordable noise-cancelling headphone sets we’ve seen, but OneOdio hasn’t made too many compromises to keep the price down. The adjustable headband is made of steel, and…

iMac > From £1,299 In October 2024, Apple updated its 24in iMac with the M4 chip, giving it the wonders of Apple Intelligence. You can choose between an 8-core CPU/8-core GPU at entry-level, or an 10-core CPU/10-core GPU on the midrange and top-tier versions. The entry model now comes with 16GB of memory as standard, configurable to 24GB; the mid-and top-tier versions are configurable to 24 or 32GB (32GB only available with 512GB or more of storage). The solid-state drive (SSD) storage starts at 256GB on entry-level and mid-range versions, and 512GB on the top-tier iMac, although you can add up to 1TB of storage on the entry-level model and up to 2TB on mid-range and top-tier models. You still get a 4.5K (4480x2520) Retina display, with top-tier models upgradeable…

Given the state of Apple Intelligence on iPhone compared with the artificial intelligence (AI) Google is offering on Android phones, it seemed almost inevitable that John Giannandrea, Apple’s senior vice president for Machine Learning and AI Strategy, would one day be persuaded by Tim Cook that he didn’t need to turn up to work again. This month, Giannandrea stepped down from his position and Amar Subramanya joined Apple as vice president of AI, reporting directly to Craig Federighi. Right now, Google has Gemini 3 Pro, an advanced AI chatbot that can answer pretty much any question you throw at it. It also has Nano Banana Pro, arguably the best mobile image generator out there. Apple, meanwhile, has Siri, which still struggles to tell the difference between “set a timer” and…

When Apple switched from Intel processors to its own chips in 2020, the difference was night and day. Apple silicon provides far more performance and does so with much lower power consumption, noise and heat levels. So it might sound odd to hear that Apple is considering switching back to Intel chips, but that’s the claim from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Yet things aren’t quite what they seem. According to Kuo, Intel is “expected to begin shipping Apple’s lowest-end M processor as early as 2027,” with shipments potentially taking place in the second or third quarter of that year. The tech analyst cites “industry surveys” to claim that Intel is poised to become an “advanced-node supplier” for Apple’s Mac future chip releases. Specifically, Apple will apparently use Intel’s 18A process,…

[MAC APP] Moonlock From $54/year (about £50/year) Put your Mac in (Moon)lockdown Conventional wisdom used to maintain that Macs don’t get hacked, so they don’t need antivirus software. But today? That’s definitely no longer true. If you’re concerned about the rising tide of Mac malware and are looking for ways to shore up your computer’s defences, Moonlock (moonlock.com) could be a solid option. Made by well-known developer MacPaw, Moonlock is created specifically for macOS and sets out to counter threats to Apple machines. It includes real-time malware protection, an on-demand scanner, a VPN to protect your privacy, a network inspector that can prevent your data being leaked out, and a lot more. It’s notarised by Apple, checked by AV-TEST, and is made by a team that has discovered its fair…

Santa may have been and gone but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still great gifts to be had – so if you got a new Mac, iPhone or iPad for Christmas, picked up an Apple bargain on Black Friday or just feel like treating yourself, there are many great free apps available to give you a very happy new year. In this guide, we’re going to highlight some of the very best free apps for Mac, for iPhone, for iPad and for Apple Watch – and by free we mean free, not demos, time-limited trials or apps that are unusable without buying in-app purchases. While some of the apps here do have paid versions that unlock additional features or just banish adverts, the ones we’ve selected deliver the goods without…

Subscribe online… www.magazinesdirect.com/mac/DN22P Or call 0330 333 1113 and quote ‘DN22P’ Great reasons to subscribe • NEW! Digital access to 130+ issues when you subscribe to print!** • Enjoy the MacFormat print edition for just £31.49 every six months! • Or enjoy six months of MacFormat digital edition for just £26.49! • Delivered direct to your door and device • For more than 25 years, we’ve been helping Apple fans get the most from their kit Keep your subscription rolling today! DIGITAL ONLY £26.49 every six months PRINT & DIGITAL ACCESS £31.49 every six months Terms and conditions: Offer closes 31 March 2026. Please allow up to six weeks for the delivery of your first subscription issue (up to eight weeks overseas). The full subscription rate includes postage and packaging.…

In a world of all-you-can-eat streaming music and algorithmically generated playlists and stations, the idea of the album might seem quaint. But if you miss the days when albums were designed to be experienced as a whole, Longplay (£24.99, longplay.rocks) is a perfect complement to Apple Music. The app presents your collection in ways that bring albums to the fore. The main view is an album wall of cover art. You’re encouraged to play entire albums rather than individual songs. Head to Settings › Playback and you’ll even find an (optional!) ‘Purity’ setting, which blocks track skipping – making the Skip button switch albums rather than tracks. The walkthroughs get you started and show how to sort albums and build collections. They assume you have installed Longplay and allowed it…

Quiche is a highly customisable web browser that lets you add and remove buttons, reorder toolbars, tweak gestures and a whole lot more. The end result is an app that can be made truly yours without the need for compromises. Maybe you want different font sizes, an easily accessible Google Translate button, or to hide the address bar entirely. With Quiche, that’s all possible. The thought of customisable web browser features might sound a little intimidating. Yet reworking the browser is very straightforward: you get previews of every change, and there are plenty of pre-made menus if you don’t fancy getting your hands dirty. Private and radical Aside from creating new layouts and toolbars, there are options for tab settings, the app’s icon, haptic feedback, extending battery life, protecting your…

The thought of moving data from one computer to another can feel daunting but it’s easier than you may imagine. Since 2003, Apple has offered a tool called Migration Assistant which simplifies the process of moving your data, apps and settings to a new Mac. Whether you’re migrating from an old Mac or a Windows PC, you can use it to simplify what could so easily be an arduous task while still having control over what is copied across. You can directly transfer data from one Mac to another over Wi-Fi (which takes longer) or via a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 cable (which accelerates the process). The latter is preferable if you have more than 500GB to transfer – click the Apple menu › System Settings › Network › Thunderbolt Bridge…

These days, when it comes to buying tech, we’re usually spoiled for choice. There are all sorts of devices from dozens of companies. With home printers, though, there’s only a handful of manufacturers to choose from, most notably HP, Canon and Epson. Kodak stopped making home printers in 2012, and Lexmark only makes business machines nowadays. Despite the paucity of competing manufacturers, those that do make home printers keep each other on their toes with regular new releases and wide product ranges. Here we’re looking at half a dozen generalist home inkjet printers. Not high-volume office machines that almost instantly print and organise your documents, or studio-quality photo printers that do poster-sized prints. Rather, we’re looking at the sort of printer you have next to your Mac for running off a…

› £399 › FROM ruarkaudio.com › FEATURES 1x 20mm tweeter, 1x 85mm mid/bass driver, 2x 25W Class D amplifiers, Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX HD, 1x (RCA) phono input with MM preamp, 1x 3.5mm analogue audio/digital optical input, 1x USB-C port, 1x subwoofer output Connect any USB-C device to stream full-quality digital signal Ruark’s MR1 desktop speakers are very compact, but still feature the company’s trademark high quality build and finish, here in walnut or charcoal colour schemes. The right speaker contains the bulk of the electronics with the left unit connected via a sturdy woven cable. You also get a handy remote control, as well as the physical RotoDial on the top surface which will be familiar to Ruark customers, for controlling connections and volume. There are multiple input modes,…

> £259 > FROM dji.com/uk > FEATURES Modular Tx and Rx microphones with charging case, Bluetooth 5.4, noise cancelling, voice tones, auto level control, lossless transmission and onboard 32-bit backup recording, USB-C port, up to 28 hours’ battery life The system automatically hops between wireless bands to find the strongest signal Perhaps best known for designing drones and gimbals, DJI also makes a range of accessories including the Mic 3, its latest wireless microphone system. It can be purchased in a variety of combinations depending on your needs. Our review setup was the ‘2 Tx (transmitter), 1 Rx (receiver) plus charging case’ option at £259, which is ideal for videographers or anyone recording interviews. The case charges over USB-C and holds up to 28 hours of battery, with 8 hours…

> £49.99 > FROM twelvesouth.co.uk > FEATURES 35W of fast charge, charge two devices at once, 20W via USB-C and 15W wireless, supports StandBy mode; 60mmx60mm deep (including prongs) There’s nothing complicated or esoteric about this plug. Twelve South’s PowerBug is a two-in-one charger that plugs directly into a mains socket. Your wireless-charging iPhone snaps onto it magnetically, and if it’s MagSafe or Qi2 compatible, it charges at a nifty 15W. Underneath the PowerBug is a USB-C port (cables not supplied) which can charge a second device. When charging two things at once, the USB port charges at 20W and the wireless charger at 15W, or if you’re using the USB-C port on its own, it can charge at 35W. PowerBug is solidly built, pleasingly small and available in black…

> £129.99 > FROM arlo.com > FEATURES 2K resolution, 360° pan-tilt stand, wall-mount kit included, weather resistant to IP65 Image quality is very good, and includes black-and-white and colour night vision Arlo’s Essential range of security cameras is designed to provide a more affordable option for people who don’t need advanced features, such as 4K video. Or, in the case of its new Pan-Tilt cameras, support for HomeKit and the Apple Home app. That’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, as Apple users can control the Pan-Tilt camera using the standard Arlo app for mobile devices. What is disappointing, though, is that the UK price of the Pan-Tilt camera isn’t actually very ‘affordable’, costing £129.99 compared to $59.99 in the US. We did contact Arlo on this point, but while the company…

BEST BUYS… EXTERNAL DRIVE SanDisk Desk Drive From £319.99 westerndigital.com >If you need the space (4 or 8TB), nothing else at this price comes close. MF409 OUR TOP 3 WI-FI 7 ROUTERS ASUS ZenWiFi BT8 > £259.99 > MF414 > asus.com/uk TP-Link Deco BE65 > £249.99 > MF414 > tp-link.com/uk Linksys Velop Pro 7 > £399.99 > MF414 > linksys.com POWER CHARGER Anker Prime 250W Charging Station £169.99 anker.com/uk > An excellent charger with tons of power and flexibility for all your devices. MF409 OUR TOP 3 4K DISPLAYS Philips 27E1N1900AE > £249.99 > MF412 > philips.co.uk Dell UltraSharp U2723QE > £540 > MF412 > dell.com BenQ PD2705U > £349.99 > MF412 > benq.eu PRODUCTIVITY Logitech MX Creative Console £199.99 logitech.com > An excellent way to streamline your workflow in…