Trusted Recommends: F1 2022 in pole position, and Garmin races ahead

This week on Trusted Recommends there’s another great selection of well-reviewed tech products from the team, ranging from video games to microwaves.

Trusted Recommends is the weekly column where we hit you with the highlights of all the best products we’ve tested this week – and this time around, you’ll be treated to high-performing smartphones, a muscular gaming laptop, an eminently dependable sports watch, and a top class racing simulator. Let’s get stuck in!

Realme GT Neo 3

The star feature of the Realme GT Neo 3 is, without a doubt, its 150W fast-charging, which sees the handset fully topped up – from zero – in an incredibly rapid twenty minutes and twenty two seconds. That’s far from all it has on offer though, as we were also impressed by the powerful and reliable MediaTek 8100 chipset, and the punchy photos from its wide angle camera.

However, battery life is nothing special, the construction quality feels a bit cheap, and the ultrawide sensor doesn’t hit the same heights as the main snapper.

Trusted Score: 4/5

Realme 9 5G

The second Realme smartphone on our list this week also boasts excellent performance along with 5G connectivity, but that’s not all. The battery life is reliable, and the main camera delivers very good results too.

On the other hand, the Realme 9 5G‘s LCD screen is a bit of a letdown and the camera system isn’t as versatile as we’d like it to be.

Trusted Score: 4/5

1MORE PistonBuds Pro

The 1MORE PistonBuds Pro fit very comfortably into the ear, and once they’re nestled in you’ll appreciate the strong neutral sound profile, and the low latency gaming audio – and what’s more, the battery life lasted us around 8 hours before needing to be returned to the charging case.

Unfortunately though, the touch controls were unreliable and not always responsive, while you’ve not got many EQ customisation options available.

Trusted Score: 4/5

Panasonic TX-40JX850

This accomplished 40-inch 4K TV not only delivers excellent picture performance and wide HDR support, but it also packs decent sound into the bargain as well. There’s a good selection of video streaming apps onboard the Panasonic TX-40JX850, and it is constructed from premium materials – but all that doesn’t come very cheap.

Trusted Score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7

The budget-friendly Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is a good buy for anyone who’s not got much cash to splash around. The display is good for watching media content, it has a very reliable battery life, and the software interface is straightforward to use. That said, you might feel let down by the weak processor and the poor camera.

Trusted Score: 4/5

Smeg MOE34CXIUK Combination Microwave Oven

The Smeg MOE34CXIUK is one of the most powerful and largest microwaves on the market, but it also one of the priciest too. The straightforward control panel and wide variety of functions make it a strong all-rounder, but not all results are perfect. Thriving at reheating and cooking tasks, this Smed appliance shows a little unevenness for defrosting and grilling.

Trusted Score: 4/5

Devialet Dione

This Atmos soundbar packs in thunderous bass performance and immersive audio skills for a great all-in-one system that offers particularly good spatial mode for stereo content.

However, you might find that the Devialet Dione lacks a degree of dynamism and naturalism when it comes to film soundtracks.

Trusted Score: 4/5

Razer Blade 17 (2022)

If you’re after a monstrously powerful gaming laptop, then the Razer Blade 17 should be on your shortlist. The wonderfully high refresh rate should keep the eSports crowd and the massive 17-inch screen guarantees immersion. However, it’s both very expensive, costing over £4000, and very heavy, weighing in at 2.75kg.

Trusted Score: 4/5

MSI MPG Artymis 273CQRX-QD

Offering vibrant, punchy imagery, a good mainstream specification, and lots of features, the MSI MPG Artymis 273CQRX-QD monitor is a well-balanced option that’s bound to suit most users right down to the ground. However, if you happen to be a keen eSports player then you’ll likely want something with even higher specs for your needs.

Trusted Score: 4/5

Insta360 One RS

The Insta360 One RS action camera delivers improved image and audio quality from its predecessor, and it has an extensive toolkit to dip into. We particularly appreciated the ability to jump between linear and 3D video for instance. However, in being a jack of all trades it’s unfortunately a master of none, still being outshone by the best products from GoPro.

Trusted Score: 4/5

F1 2022

F1 2022 is a brilliant game that offers incredibly detailed graphics and an amazing physics engine, meaning that it will be a great fit for beginners and pros alike as you get to grips with an all-new set of regulations.

Downsides include the complete lack of a story mode, which may disappoint players searching for a narrative, and there have been relatively few changes made to career mode.

Trusted Score: 4.5/5

MeacoDry Arete One 10L

The 10L version of the Arete One offers all of the quality dehumidifying features of its big brother (except the ability to automatically empty into a drain), and it works relatively quietly and efficiently. Its neat and compact form factor means that it would be ideal for smaller rooms.

Trusted Score: 4.5/5

Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse

The Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse is an excellent productivity-enabling device. The design is comfortable, alleviating any strain on the wrist, and the accompanying software lets you adjust the DPI. The main downside of this excellent mouse is just its high price.

Trusted Score: 4.5/5

Garmin Forerunner 955

Garmin’s robust distance and fitness tracking is employed to great effect on the Forerunner 955, which also boasts local music support. Health stats and navigation are both very accurate, though this device does not double up as a good smartwatch, and it is far too feature packed to be worthwhile for beginners.

Trusted Score: 4.5/5