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Most large enterprises have already experimented with AI in some form.
They have tested copilots, automated workflows, analytics platforms, content generation tools and customer service assistants, and initial reactions are often positive. Demonstrations create excitement, leadership teams engage quickly and investment follows.
Yet many organizations still struggle to move beyond isolated successes. Adoption slows, usage becomes inconsistent and AI initiatives gradually lose visibility inside day-to-day operations.
What begins as a strategic priority often becomes another innovation program that never fully reshapes the business.
At that point, organizations frequently conclude that the technology is not mature enough.
In reality, the bigger obstacle is often structural rather than technical. AI adoption rarely fails because the tools are incapable.
More commonly, organizations fail to adapt their operating models, incentives and decision-making structures to support meaningful change.
Fragmented ownership weakens adoptionOne of the biggest barriers to enterprise AI adoption is unclear accountability: technology teams manage IT infrastructure, governance, security and vendor relationships; innovation teams run pilots; individual business units experiment independently; and senior executives communicate ambition and strategic direction. Yet in many organizations, nobody owns AI adoption from end to end.
But without clear ownership tied to operational outcomes, AI initiatives often become disconnected from how work actually happens. Teams are encouraged to experiment but lack the authority to redesign processes or redefine how decisions are made. Pilots move forward without long-term accountability and successful experiments fail to scale beyond individual departments.
As a result, AI can exist inside the organisation without becoming embedded into its operating model. The technology itself may function well, but adoption stalls because no one is responsible for turning experimentation into lasting behavioral change.
Why technology teams cannot solve this aloneThis challenge becomes particularly visible inside platform, data and IT functions. These teams are frequently tasked with enabling enterprise AI adoption by assessing vendors, integrating systems, securing data environments and establishing governance frameworks. At the same time, they are expected to minimize operational risk and ensure compliance requirements are met.
However, they rarely control how individual departments actually work. Technology teams cannot independently redesign sales processes, restructure customer support operations or redefine HR workflows. They can provide tools and infrastructure, but they are not usually empowered to drive organizational change across business functions.
That imbalance creates predictable tension. If AI deployments introduce operational or security risks, technology teams are held accountable. But if adoption slows because departments resist changing established processes, responsibility becomes far less clear.
Over time, this dynamic naturally encourages caution. Teams carrying significant risk without the authority to control it often become more conservative in how aggressively they push transformation initiatives forward.
Incentives matter more than strategy documentsMany organizations also underestimate how strongly incentives shape adoption behavior. A customer service team may be encouraged to use AI tools at the same time as being measured primarily on ticket throughput and response speed. Marketing teams may be asked to experiment with AI-generated content while facing scrutiny over even minor inconsistencies in tone or branding.
Compliance teams could be expected to support innovation even though they’re evaluated almost entirely on risk reduction. In each case, employees respond rationally to the incentives in front of them.
Meaningful AI integration almost always creates short-term disruption. Teams need time to test workflows, adjust processes and learn how humans and AI systems operate together effectively. Productivity can temporarily decline before long-term gains become visible.
If organizations continue rewarding operational stability above all else, employees will avoid experimentation regardless of how ambitious leadership messaging may be.
This is one reason many “AI-first” strategies struggle to move beyond isolated use cases. Declaring strategic intent is relatively easy. Adjusting performance frameworks, redefining accountability and creating room for experimentation is far more difficult.
Unclear governance creates hesitationAnother major obstacle to adoption is uncertainty around governance and operational boundaries. Many organizations still have not clearly defined what AI represents within their broader operating model. Is it an individual productivity layer? A centrally governed capability? A feature embedded into existing enterprise platforms? Or a specialist function managed by dedicated teams? When those questions remain unanswered, ambiguity spreads quickly.
Employees become unsure what usage is permitted, while managers struggle to establish consistent expectations. Technology, legal and compliance teams disagree on where accountability begins and ends - and in practice, this uncertainty often slows adoption more than technical limitations do.
Clear governance does not need to eliminate experimentation. In fact, successful organizations usually balance flexibility with oversight. Employees are far more likely to engage confidently with AI systems when they understand where experimentation is encouraged and where stricter controls apply. Without that clarity, even capable tools can remain underused.
AI transformation is an operational challengeFor CIOs and senior technology leaders, this requires an important shift in perspective. AI transformation is often framed primarily as a technology modernization effort focused on infrastructure, integration and data readiness. Those foundations remain essential. Without them, large-scale deployment is impossible. However, technical readiness alone does not determine adoption outcomes.
The organizations making meaningful progress with AI tend to treat it as an operational redesign challenge rather than simply a software rollout. They integrate AI into existing workflows, align ownership with accountability and adapt governance structures to support new ways of working.
This also explains why many AI programs gradually shift from transformational ambitions into smaller experimental efforts. Experimentation is organizationally safer because it avoids forcing structural change. Unfortunately, it also limits long-term impact.
Successful organizations tend to share several characteristics. They establish clear executive accountability for measurable outcomes linked to AI adoption. Rather than prioritizing short-term stability, they align incentives with workflow evolution. By integrating AI directly into operational systems, they aren’t left to rely on disconnected standalone tools. And they define governance boundaries clearly enough that employees understand how AI should be used.
Notably, none of these are primarily technical decisions. They are organizational and leadership choices.
The real question organizations need to answerWhen AI initiatives underperform, organizations often focus first on the technology itself. Vendors are reassessed, models are compared and infrastructure decisions are revisited. Sometimes, those issues do genuinely matter. Often, however, the technology is functioning adequately while the organisation surrounding it has not evolved enough to support adoption at scale.
That distinction is crucial because organizational barriers are solvable. Accountability can be clarified. Incentives can be redesigned. Governance structures can be simplified. Operational ownership can be aligned more effectively with responsibility.
Ultimately, adopting AI means changing how work gets done across the business. And that means the question facing enterprises today is no longer whether AI technology is capable enough to deliver value. It is whether they are prepared to redesign themselves around it.
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The Tank 5 represents the most complete version of a concept that 8849 has been refining for several generations. Where earlier models asked buyers to accept trade-offs between size, battery and projector quality, the Tank 5 attempts to resolve all three at once. The result is something that genuinely has no mainstream equivalent.
There is a very specific kind of person the 8849 Tank 5 is made for. They work far from mains power. They need a phone that survives punishment. And occasionally, they want to project something onto a wall, a tent, or the side of a cliff face. For that person, no mainstream smartphone comes close.
Where previous models asked buyers to accept mid-range processors and modest projection quality, the Tank 5 brings flagship silicon to the category for the first time. The MediaTek Dimensity 9400e is a genuine top-tier chip in 2026 terms, and finding it in a device this rugged at this price is a pleasant surprise.
The headline numbers are hard to ignore. A 17,600mAh battery. A 3K AMOLED display peaking at 3000 nits. A 2K TI DLP projector with 220-lumen output and laser autofocus to four metres. Triple 50-megapixel rear cameras. Android 16 out of the box. On paper, this reads like a wish list written by someone who spends more time on a mountainside than in a meeting room.
The catch, as ever, is the physical reality. At 715 grams and nearly 34 millimetres thick, the Tank 5 is not a device you slip into a jacket pocket. It is a tool. And like any serious tool, it rewards the user who actually needs what it offers.
Is this one of the best rugged phones? That entirely depends on what features you value. For those who don’t care about size and weight but want battery capacity, exotic features and colourful display, this is certainly a contender.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)8849 Tank 5: price and availability- How much does it cost? $900/£697/€809
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Direct from the maker or via an online retailer
The Tank 5 launches at $999.99 in pre-order configuration with the standard retail price listed at $1,599.99. However, now that those numbers have come down somewhat, with the US pricing at $899.99. In the UK, it’s £696.87, and across Europe it is €808.52, direct from the 8849tech website.
To put that into perspective, the Tank X launched at $549.99 early bird against a $1,049.99 RRP. The Tank 5, therefore, represents a substantial step up in cost, but is justified by improvements in specification.
Currently, the Tank X costs $699.99 from Amazon.com and £599 via Amazon.co.uk, making the Tank 5 pricing less of an uplift for those in the UK.
When considering alternatives, it's worth noting that remarkably few phones have a projector, and none of them has one with the same specification as the DLP unit in this phone.
Other than the Tank X and Tank 4 Pro by 8849, rugged phones with projectors include the Ulefone Armour 34 Pro Plus and Oukitel WP100 Titan. From Amazon.com, the Tank 4 Pro is $789.99, and the Ulefone Armor 34 Pro Plus is $594.99. The Oukitel WP100 Titan isn’t available from Amazon, but can be bought directly from the makers for $869.99.
The cover these in a spec comparison, the Tank X offers a slower Dimensity 8200 SoC and a lower resolution 1080p projector. The Tank 4 Pro only has a Dimensity 8300 SoC, but only a 720p projector. And the Ulefone Armor 34 Pro has the slowest processor, with a Dimensity 7300, and a weird projector resolution of 854 x 480. And finally, the Oukitel WP100 Titan has the same processor as the 34 Pro, and the same odd resolution to its 100 lumen projector.
Most of these have more battery capacity than the Tank 5, but critically, their projectors don’t come close to being a match.
Based purely on value for money, the 8849 Tank 5 is a winner.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)- Value score: 4.5/5
Item
Spec
Processor
MediaTek Dimensity 9400e, 4nm, octa-core (1x Cortex-X4 at 3.4GHz + 3x X4 at 2.85GHz + 4x A720 at 2.0GHz)
GPU
Immortalis-G720 MC12
RAM
18GB LPDDR5X (plus 18GB virtual)
Storage
512GB UFS 4.0, microSD expandable to 2TB
Display
6.73-inch AMOLED, 3200x1440px (3K), 120Hz, 3000 nits (local peak), Panda Glass
Main Camera
50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN1, PDAF, f/1.8, 4K30fps
Telephoto
50MP, 3x optical zoom, OIS
Night Vision
50MP with 4x infrared LEDs
Front Camera
32MP OmniVision OV32B40, f/1.7, 1080p video
Battery
17,600mAh dual-cell
Charging
120W wired (full charge approx. 90 min), 25W reverse charge
Projector
TI DLP, 2K resolution, 220 lumens, 4m laser autofocus, 4-point keystone correction
OS
Android 16
5G
SA/NSA, including bands n77/n78
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth
5.4
NFC
Yes
SIM
eSIM + Dual Nano SIM
GPS
Dual-frequency L1+L5, multi-constellation
USB
USB-C (DisplayPort 1.4 Alt Mode)
Rugged Rating
IP68, MIL-STD-810H
Dimensions
177.1 x 87 x 33.8mm
Weight
715g
Colours
Black
8849 Tank 5: Design- Thick and heavy
- Vents for projector on both sides
Pick up the Tank 5, and the sheer physical commitment of it registers immediately. At 177.1 x 87 x 33.8mm and 715 grams, this device sits somewhere between a phone and a piece of site equipment. The chassis combines brushed metal plates, rubberised TPU corner armour and polycarbonate panels, and the build quality throughout is excellent. Seams are tight. There is no flex anywhere. It feels, correctly, like something engineered to survive conditions that would end a normal phone's life in seconds.
The layout of the Tank 5 is dictated by one thing above all others: cooling. The projector needs active thermal management, and the ventilation grille that serves it runs across a significant portion of the left frame. That grille is not a cosmetic addition. It is a structural constraint, and it shapes where every other control can go. The volume controls and shortcut buttons sit above it, pushed into the upper corner.
Below it, separated by a visible gap of bare metal, sit red and silver programmable buttons. The vent physically cleaves the left side into two distinct groups. It is an honest piece of industrial design. Nothing is where it is by accident, but you need to be careful where you place your fingers when the projector is running.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)The right side tells another story. A second vent grille occupies the upper portion, again serving the projector cooling system, and below it, the frame is noticeably cleaner with only a single large silver power key with its integrated fingerprint sensor. The visual contrast between the two sides is immediate. Where the left side is busy by necessity, the right side breathes.
The rear is where the Tank 5 makes its most direct statement of intent. The camping light bar dominates the centre of the chassis, a wide rectangular strip that illuminates with 1200 lumens and RGB warning modes. Above it sits the camera module, with two main lenses at the top right, the night vision lens below left and four infrared LEDs in a horizontal strip. The "TANK PROJECTOR INSIDE" text sits between the camera cluster and the lamp, which is either endearing or unnecessary depending on your tolerance for that kind of thing. The projector aperture itself is at the top edge, along with another flashlight and the SIM card slot.
Compared to the Tank X, the Tank 5 is a more resolved design. The Tank X was 91.8mm wide and 750 grams. The Tank 5 pulls back to 87mm and 715 grams. Those numbers sound modest, but the difference in hand is real. The Tank X sat at the outer limit of a comfortable two-handed span. The Tank 5 comes back just enough to feel deliberate.
What has not changed is the fundamental reality of the form factor. This is not going into any conventional pocket. A jacket chest pocket, a belt holster or a vehicle mount is the practical answer for daily carry. That is the honest consequence of fitting a projector, a 17,600mAh battery and an active cooling system into a single chassis, and the Tank 5 makes no apology for it.
Design score: 3.5/5
8849 Tank 5: Hardware- MediaTek Dimensity 9400e
- AMOLED display
- 17600 mAh fast charge battery
The Dimensity 9400e is an important specification decision. Most rugged phones at this price use mid-range silicon from three to four years ago. The Tank X stepped up to the Dimensity 8200, and that was already a significant advance. The 9400e goes further still, using a 4nm process with Cortex-X4 architecture.
The 'e' suffix indicates a slightly binned or optimised version of the full 9400. In practice, real-world performance at this specification level is well beyond anything a rugged phone buyer has previously been able to access at this price point. The comparison with the Immortalis-G720 MC12 GPU is also notable for mobile gaming and sustained workloads.
The Tank X, launched in February 2026, was the first 8849 device to achieve 1080p DLP projection at 220 lumens. The Tank 5 carries that hardware forward and adds 2K output with laser autofocus rated to four metres. That four-metre figure is a meaningful practical upgrade, because how far away from the wall you can get dictates the size of the projection. Earlier models topped out at three metres, and the keystone correction has been expanded from two to four points. What this means in practice is a more practical outdoor cinema experience.
The 220-lumen figure also requires context, as it's extremely competitive within this product category, where some devices can only manage 100 lumen. The Ulefone Armor 34 Pro, a direct rival, managed 150 lumens at a lower resolution. However, any projector of this size still demands reasonable darkness for a clear image. The spec sheet implies more than the physics can deliver in daylight, as it needs to be twilight outside or in a shaded room for a good experience. But, this is more than any other brand is currently offering.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)My only complaint about the projector is that not long after it is activated, the cooling fan starts up and can be a little noisy. This won’t be a problem if you are projecting an action blockbuster, but it isn’t ideal for anything with quiet audio and dialogue.
Earlier Tank models used AMOLED panels, but the Tank 5 moves to a 3200x1440 native resolution. The 3000 nits peak brightness is a headline figure borrowed from premium consumer phones, and the results are spectacular.
Considering how good the display is, that 8849 went with Panda Glass to protect it, and not stronger Gorilla Glass Victus is disappointing.
That choice looks entirely cost-driven, but conversely, the battery technology used in the Tank 5 doesn’t hold back.
Seventeen thousand six hundred milliamp hours is a substantial number, even by rugged phone standards. The Tank 4 used an 11,600mAh cell. The Tank X brought the 17,600mAh configuration back after the Tank 3 and Tank 3 Pro sat at around 23,800mAh. The Tank 5 pairs that 17,600mAh capacity with 120W charging, which can be recharged in just over 90 minutes, incredibly. It does this by using a dual-cell design, so it works like two 8800mAh batteries.
The addition of 25W reverse charging makes the Tank 5 a practical field power bank. At that capacity, it can top up a standard 5000mAh smartphone three times over. For field workers and outdoor users, this is a genuinely compelling capability, even if you lose some of the capacity in the transfer.
Another full-cream feature is Wi-Fi 7. Most rugged phones ship with Wi-Fi 6 at best. The inclusion of eSIM alongside dual nano SIM slots gives the Tank 5 flexibility that neither predecessor offered. For travellers, the combination of eSIM, dual-frequency GPS and extensive 5G band support is a strong package. The addition of eSIM also means you can ditch one of the physical Nano SIMs, fit a MicroSD card in the tray, and still have two network services.
With a few minor exceptions, the specifications of the Tank 5 place it in the premium rugged phone bracket.
- Hardware score: 4.5/5
- 50MP main + 50MP telephoto + 50MP night vision
- 32MP on the front
- Four cameras in total
The 8849 Tank 5 has four cameras:
Rear camera: 50MP Samsung ISOCELL S5KGN1SP, 50MP OmniVision OV50C40, 50MP OmniVision OV50D40
Front camera: 32MP OV32B40
The camera cluster on the Tank 5 is a significant rethink compared to what came before it. On the Tank X, the three sensors were arranged in a vertical strip, with the 8MP telephoto the obvious weak link in the lineup.
The Tank 5 design addresses this directly with all three rear sensors now 50 megapixels, and this is a much more balanced package.
The two primary lenses sit at the top right of the module in a paired arrangement, noticeably larger than the sensors below. The night vision camera sits below and to the left, with the four infrared LEDs arranged in a horizontal strip beneath it. It is a purposeful, asymmetric layout that prioritises the main imaging hardware without pretending everything is equal.
The main sensor is a Samsung ISOCELL GN1 with phase detection autofocus. That’s a well-regarded chip with a strong track record on mainstream flagship devices. It is a genuine step up from the Sony sensor used on the Tank X, which, while capable, was hampered by the overall image processing pipeline more than the sensor itself. The GN1 brings improved low-light capture and better dynamic range handling. It might not be the 108MP sensor we’ve seen elsewhere, but the arrangement is decent and effective.
The caveat to this choice is that, while there is a PRO mode in the camera application, there are relatively few other special modes or HDR. This camera doesn’t do panoramas or slow motion, though it can do timelapse and super-resolution.
Video capture can be in resolutions up to 4K, but there is no control over the framerate, irrespective of the capture resolution.
The telephoto upgrade is the most important change for practical use. Going from 8MP to 50MP with optical image stabilisation transforms what the camera can do at a distance. The Tank X telephoto was essentially a crop tool dressed up as a lens. The Tank 5 telephoto is a genuine optical system with 3x zoom, and OIS means it remains usable in the kind of low-stability field conditions this phone is designed for. Hiking, construction sites, and vehicle-mounted use. All of these benefit from stabilisation in ways that a rugged phone buyer will actually notice.
The night vision camera is the one area where the upgrade is less straightforward. The Tank X used a 64MP OmniVision sensor for its night vision work, paired with four IR LEDs. The Tank 5 drops to a 50MP sensor for that role, but it's just as effective. The megapixel reduction is not inherently a problem, as night vision performance depends far more on sensor size, IR LED power, and processing than on raw resolution.
The front camera remains unchanged from Tank X, a 32MP with an OmniVision OV32B40 sensor and an f/1.7 aperture. A competent selfie and video-call solution by definition.
What the cluster cannot do is match a photography-focused flagship. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or Pixel 9 Pro operate in a different league for computational photography, colour science and video processing.
That comparison is not unfair, but it is also largely irrelevant. The Tank 5 camera system is built for documenting field conditions, capturing evidence, seeing in the dark and shooting at range from an unstable platform. On those terms, it is well-equipped, and the results are better than those of some phones with more megapixels to play with.
One disappointment is that with a camera that can capture 4K video, and play that back nicely on the AMOLED screen, you won’t be using that display to see high-quality streams, because 8849 wouldn’t pay for Widevine L1 encryption.
8849 Tank 5 Camera samplesMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark Pickavance- Camera score: 4/5
- 4nm SoC
- Premium performance
Phone
8849 Tank 5
8849 Tank X
SoC
MediaTek Dimensity 9400E
MediaTek Dimensity 8200
GPU
ARM Immortalis-G720 MC12
Mali-G610 MC6
NPU
MediaTek NPU 790
MediaTek NPU 580
Memory
16GB/512GB
16GB/512GB
Weight
750g
Battery
17600
17600
Geekbench
Single
2097
1260
Multi
6536
3939
OpenCL
12943
4056
Vulkan
14916
4517
PCMark
3.0 Score
18477
15637
Battery
32h 25m (14%)
32h 48m (20% left)
Charge 30
%
46
11
Passmark
Score
25227
17045
CPU
11866
8623
3DMark
Slingshot OGL
Maxed Out
Maxed Out
Slingshot Ex. OGL
Maxed Out
Maxed Out
Slingshot Ex. Vulkan
Maxed Out
Maxed Out
Wildlife
Maxed Out
6343
Nomad Lite
1820
632
With so few competitors in this niche, it seemed logical to compare this 8849 to its predecessor, the Tank X.
And what we quickly learn here is that the Dimensity 9400e is a beast compared to the Dimensity 8200, outperforming it in every respect. The most sobering score is the 3DMark Nomad Lite performance, where it is nearly 300% better at this demanding benchmark.
But the other takeaway here is that you can have a more powerful SoC, without it impacting the power consumption dramatically. With the same battery capacity, the running time is remarkably similar to that of the Tank X, even though it does more over that time.
But where the Tank 5 really shows the most dramatic improvement is in the recharging of the battery, which took hours on the Tank X, and can be done in close to 90 minutes on the Tank 5. In just thirty minutes, being able to recover 46% of the battery is excellent.
Overall, the Tank 5 is a top-tier performer for whatever apps you wish to install.
- Performance score: 4.5/5
The 8849 Tank 5 is the most technically accomplished rugged projector phone yet made. It takes the Tank X's headline concept and delivers a genuine performance upgrade at every level. The Dimensity 9400e is fast. The 3K AMOLED display is bright. The 17,600mAh battery is enormous. The projector is now 2K capable with laser autofocus at four metres.
None of that comes without compromise.
The device is very heavy, and the projector still benefits from darkness, whatever the spec sheet implies. And the lack of a published software update policy is a concern worth flagging for any buyer planning to keep this device for several years.
For the specific buyer this device is designed for, the Tank 5 is a compelling proposition. It does things no other phone can match in a single chassis. That remains, as it has been throughout the Tank series, both its greatest strength and its clearest self-selection filter.
Yes, it might have the ideal characteristics to make a decent boat anchor, but when you pack this much technology into a phone, it was never going to be lightweight and slim.
Should I buy a 8849 Tank 5?8849 Tank 5 Score CardAttributes
Notes
Rating
Value
Probably the right price for a phone with such high specs.
4.5/5
Design
Thick and heavy, but nicely finished and presented.
4/5
Hardware
Excellent SoC, gorgeous AMOLED display and fast charging battery
4.5/5
Camera
Practical sensors for those recording for the workplace
4/5
Performance
Powerful Dimensity 9400e and full charge in 90 minutes battery
4.5/5
Overall
Best phone with a projector so far
4.5/5
Buy it if...You love adventure
This is the perfect device if you work or adventure in environments where battery life is critical and multi-day use without a charger is a regular requirement. I’m not sure you would want to hike with hardware this heavy, but for a rugged device for capturing images and video and then projecting them, it's exceptional.
You carry lots of data or apps
With 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, this phone is ideal for those who like to carry data and install numerous apps. And, if you give up a SIM card slot, you can add a MicroSD card for even more space.
You travel light
For some, a phone weighing more than 700g is a practical dealbreaker, and it's so big that it won't easily fit in a pocket. It could be a serious issue if you fall into water.
You don't need a projector
The cost of this device is tied to its feature set, and so if you don't want the projector, there seems little point in buying this. Other rugged designs with this SoC, memory and storage are available for less than 8849 is asking for the Tank 5.
8849 Tank X
A predecessor to the Tank X. It features a less powerful SoC, a lower resolution and brightness projector, but the same battery capacity. The biggest weakness of this design is how slowly, compared to the Tank 5, the battery recharges. However, it is a little cheaper for those looking to save money.
Check out my full 8849 Tank X review
ThinkPhone 25 by Motorola
The ThinkPhone 25 offers a powerful SoC, robust package, practical form factor, high-quality camera sensors and decent battery life at a mid-range price point. But, it’s not available in the USA, sadly.
Read our ThinkPhone 25 by Motorola reviewView Deal
For more ruggedized devices, we've reviewed the best rugged tablets, the best rugged laptops, and the best rugged hard drives
- US DOJ has seized nearly 400 domains
- The sites were being used to illegally stream World Cup games
- Users of the sites were exposed to malware, data theft, and other threats
Almost 400 domains have been seized as part of Operation Offsides - a coordinated global effort to take down sites illegally streaming the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The sites were seized by the US Justice Department's Criminal Division for violating copyright and intellectual property law.
The takedowns were coordinated by members of the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) network.
US and friends enforce the offside ruleMany of the seized domains now display a banner explaining that the website was seized as part of Operation Offsides. “This action was taken to protect consumers and enforce intellectual property rights worldwide,” the banner states.
(Image credit: U.S. Justice Department)Back in May 2026, the FBI warned that thousands of domains were being registered ahead of the World Cup, with most set up with the intention to scam fans looking for cheap tickets, access to streaming services, and those looking for discounted merchandise. It appears that Operation Offside was focused on disrupting streaming sites in particular, rather than taking down the wider scam networks associated with these domains.
“We have seized hundreds of domains, used to illegally stream World Cup matches for profit, to disrupt the international networks that profit from the global popularity of the World Cup,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
“This operation illustrates the Department’s respect for intellectual property rights and the responsibility of the United States as a host nation to protect the FIFA World Cup from criminals. The Criminal Division will continue to disrupt and, where appropriate, seek to prosecute these sites and the subjects responsible for this criminal activity.”
In many cases, the networks of fake domains offering cheap or free access to streaming services are run by cybercriminals deliberately operating at a loss in order to attract users to their services. In return for accessing the streaming site, the domain will use the user’s local network as an exit node for the cybercriminal network, obscuring their traffic and making it appear legitimate.
Unfortunately for the user, who may think they have just found free access to every World Cup game, their network and IP address could be used to distribute malware, cybercriminal communications, and illegal content such as stolen data and exploitative materials - including child sex abuse material.
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max is the world’s thinnest 13-inch+ tablet, and rivals the 13-inch iPad Pro (2025) and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra for portable power. It’s lighter than both of those competitors, and offers a stunning display on which to make use of its impressive performance credentials.
You’d be forgiven, then, for thinking Apple and Samsung might be looking nervously over their shoulders. The MatePad Pro Max is beautifully made, and I prefer its design to that of Apple’s best iPads. Early signs suggest this could be one of the best tablets around. Yet like its smaller sibling, the Huawei MatePad 12X, this slate is almost impossible to recommend in a practical sense. More on that in a moment.
The 13.2-inch display comes with Huawei’s PaperMatte technology. Not only does this make it feel lovely to touch, but it also has fantastic anti-reflective properties. I can sit outside in the sun and still easily use this tablet.
It’s great for video streaming and gaming, with enough grunt under the hood to run PUBG Mobile on high graphical settings without signs of slowdown.
(Image credit: Future)There’s a keyboard case included in the box — something you don’t get from Apple or Samsung — which helps to boost the productivity credentials of this slate. And you also get a 100W charging block, allowing you to replenish over 60% of its battery in under 30 minutes.
Battery life is solid, with many hours of use possible — around eight hours of continuous online gaming, for example — and reverse charging means you can use the tablet to top-up your phone. Even the cameras are better than some rivals’.
Huawei’s own Harmony OS software is similar to iPadOS and Android, and it’s intuitive to use for the most part. But it’s in the company’s App Gallery where the real issue with this slate lies. With no access to Google Mobile Services (GMS), the MatePad Pro Max has a severe lack of mainstream apps.
That means no Google apps, no Meta apps (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Threads), and no X (formerly Twitter), ChatGPT, Claude, Spotify, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Amazon, and more.
This unfortunately means that, even with its excellent design and display, solid battery life, and premium performance, the Huawei MatePad Pro Max is only going to work for a small subset of users with very specific needs that don’t rely on major applications.
Huawei MatePad Pro Max review: price and availability- Release June 30, 2026 in the UK
- Price starts at £999 — cheaper than Apple and Samsung rivals
- Includes keyboard case
- Not available in the US or Australia
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max starts at £999.99 (around $1,300 / AU$1,800) and, unlike rival tablets, it comes with a keyboard case and 100W charging block in the box.
That’s comfortably cheaper than the 13-inch iPad Pro (starting at £1,299) and the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (starting at £1,269), for hardware that’s just as good, if not better. But it’s the lack of mainstream apps that hampers this tablet’s value proposition.
The MatePad Pro Max is available now on the Huawei UK website. As with many Huawei devices, the MatePad Pro Max is not available in the US or Australia.
- Value: 4 / 5
Weight
499g / 509g
Display
13.2-inch, OLED (3000 x 2000), PaperMatte
Operating system
HarmonyOS 4.3
Chipset
Kirin T93 Pro
Memory (RAM)
12GB
Storage
256GB / 512GB
Battery
9,760mAh
Charging
66W wired
Cameras
50MP rear, 12MP front
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, USB Type-C 3.1
Colors
Blue, Space Grey
Huawei MatePad Pro Max review: displayFutureFuture- Brilliant, colorful OLED screen
- Works great in bright sunlight
- PaperMatte finish feels premium
I love the 13.2-inch display on the MatePad Pro Max. My model comes with the firm’s PaperMatte technology, providing a slick, smooth feeling under the finger and a screen that’s still brilliantly visible in bright sunlight.
The OLED panel pumps out punchy colors, while the 144Hz refresh rate keeps scrolling and gameplay feeling smooth.
The screen comfortably goes toe-to-toe with those of the iPad Pro 13-inch and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, with the Huawei’s display even boasting a higher resolution (3000 x 2000) and pixel density (273ppi) than those of its two mainstream rivals.
Peak brightness matches the iPad and Galaxy Tab at 1600 nits, and the MatePad Pro Max also has the slimmest bezels of the three, giving it an impressive 91.4% screen-to-body ratio.
All this means you get a superb viewing experience with this tablet. Whether I was watching 4K videos or playing PUBG with the graphics turned way up, it was a visual feast for the eyes.
- Display: 4.5 / 5
- Sleek premium design
- Thinner and lighter than Apple and Samsung rivals
- Keyboard case included, but design could be better
It’s not just the screen that looks great on the Huawei MatePad Pro Max, with this tablet also packing a seriously slim design.
At just 4.7mm thick, you’d be forgiven for thinking it might feel a little fragile — but worry not. The metal unibody chassis is solid and the build quality is top-notch — as it should be for the price — and if the Huawei brand was scrubbed off, I reckon I could convince a few people this was the new iPad design. That’s how good the MatePad Pro Max looks and feels.
There’s still that 13.2-inch screen to squeeze into the chassis, but with super-slim bezels, Huawei has managed to keep the dimensions of this slate to the absolute minimum, at 289.3 x 196.3mm.
These numbers make the MatePad Pro Max the world’s thinnest 13-inch+ tablet — a niche title, sure, but a win for Huawei nonetheless.
And for a big screen tablet, the MatePad Pro Max is light too, tipping the scales at 499g (or 509g with the PaperMatte display). That’s lighter than the 13-inch iPad Pro (579g) and the (admittedly larger) Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (692g).
That meant I was able to hold the MatePad Pro Max comfortably for multiple rounds of PUBG Mobile without the tablet feeling taxing in my hands.
There’s a fingerprint scanner built into the power key on the top edge of the slate, and it recognized my digit quickly, promptly unlocking the tablet. If anything, this scanner performed better than Touch ID on my iPad Air (2022).
FutureFutureI like the placement of the MatePad Pro Max’s 12MP front-facing camera; it’s in the middle of the top landscape side of the screen, nestled into the super slim bezel, meaning no annoying notch in the display. However, with Teams, Zoom, WhatsApp, and Google Meet all unavailable in Huawei’s App Gallery, the number of video calls you’ll be doing on the MatePad Pro Max might be limited.
The inclusion of a keyboard case in the box is good to see, as it means you don’t have to spend more money on the accessory, and unlike the one that came with the MatePad 12X 2025, this one has a trackpad for easier navigation.
It features a series of useful touchpad controls. Swipe three fingers up to return home, three fingers from side to switch apps, and three fingers up and hold to enter a multi-task view. It makes the tablet far more user-friendly when in this laptop mode.
It’s not as well designed as Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad, though. The movement required to magnetically lock the tablet in place when opening it up isn’t the smoothest, with a slightly confused double-hinge design on the case. Even after weeks of use, I still hadn’t mastered the movement each time I opened it up.
FutureFutureFutureThe good news is this keyboard case doubles as a protective case, which is always welcome when you’re spending big bucks on a premium tablet, although the slate’s productivity is severely hampered by the limited app selection.
If you want greater creative control, Huawei sells the M-Pencil Pro stylus separately. It magnetically clings to the top landscape edge of the MatePad Pro Max, with an oval pad that guides its placement. There’s also a dedicated space for it in the keyboard case, keeping it safe if you slide the tablet into a bag.
- Design: 4.5 / 5
- Major limitations when it comes to apps
- App Gallery is missing many big names
- Interface is clean and intuitive
As good as the hardware is on the Huawei MatePad Pro Max, it’s hampered by a heap of software-related trouble. The Trump administration placed the Chinese brand on the 'entity list' back in 2019, which effectively banned Huawei from using any Google products or services on its devices.
That means the MatePad Pro Max does not have access to Google Play Services, the Play Store, or any Google applications; there’s no Drive, Maps, YouTube, Photos, Gmail, Gemini, and so on.
Instead, we get Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4.3 operating system and the firm’s App Gallery store, where you can download applications. The trouble is, the app selection here is extremely limited.
As I’ve mentioned, there are no Google apps, but other major players are missing too, including Meta’s suite of apps (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Threads), X (formerly Twitter), ChatGPT, Claude, Spotify, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Amazon, and more.
Some big names you can download and install from Huawei’s App Gallery include Snapchat, TikTok, CapCut, Temu, and Telegram. You can also get Microsoft 365 and Outlook if you’re looking for established productivity tools.
Some of these services are available via the web browser. I was able to watch YouTube videos, access social media, and browse Amazon just fine — but some things are blocked entirely, such as editing Google Drive documents.
It means you’ll need to carefully consider whether the MatePad Pro Max will be able to deliver what you need from a tablet.
(Image credit: Future)Huawei does offer some apps of its own to help ease the lack of established names on the App Gallery. Petal Maps, as the name suggests, is its version of Apple and Google Maps. There isn’t a satellite or street view, although you do get navigation and live traffic data.
It’s serviceable enough, but lacks the features of its established rivals, and that’s the case for many of Huawei’s own apps. The Notes app is a basic word processor, while NotePad is designed more for quicker things — similar to Google Keep. If you’re used to the big-brand apps, though, you’ll find the ones on the MatePar Pro Max aren’t as encompassing.
Huawei’s HarmonyOS interface isn’t all that different from iPadOS and Android, with a familiar look and feel, meaning there’s no real learning curve when it comes to using the tablet. It’s pretty slick under the finger, although it doesn’t have the same level of zip and polish as Apple’s iPad Pro slates.
- Software: 2 / 5
- Kirin T93 Pro chipset and 12GB of RAM
- Can handle games on high graphics settings
- Impressive speakers offer surround sound
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max is powered by Huawei’s own Kirin T93 Pro chipset and is ably assisted by 12GB of RAM.
The result is a powerful tablet that could handle everything I threw at it, from social media, web browsing, and downloading large applications, to high-def gaming, sketching with the M-Pencil Pro, and 4K video playback.
Even with multiple applications running together, and utilizing the multi-tasking side-by-side view, there were no significant signs of slowdown. PUBG Mobile, on high graphical settings, loaded quickly and ran smoothly, ensuring my Winner Winner Chicken Dinner streak remained intact.
And during my long PUBG sessions, another positive was the MatePad Pro Max’s ability to keep itself relatively cool, with the slate boasting excellent heat dissipation.
I didn’t have any noticeable performance issues during my testing time, but the slate doesn’t feel as slick as the iPad Pro 13, which feels better optimized for the Apple-made chip inside.
Another impressive aspect of the tablet is its six-speaker system, which delivers a convincing surround sound experience. The bass is weak, as is expected from a tablet that’s so thin, but audio quality is otherwise very good. The speakers are better than the ones on my iPad Air, for what it’s worth.
The M-Pencil Pro stylus is really comfortable to use on the MatePad Pro Max. It glides nicely across the screen when handwriting notes, and it’s comfortable to hold for extended sketching sessions. The tablet itself isn’t brilliantly designed for note-taking, though. Place it on a flat surface, and the rear camera bump means the tablet rocks annoyingly as you move the M-Pencil around the screen.
Pop it in the keyboard case, and the angle the screen sits at isn’t natural for handwriting or sketching either. You can fold the tablet back on the case and place it on a desk, which provides you with a steady surface, but if you forget it, then you’re back to a wobbly mess.
Now, I’d never recommend someone use their tablet as a camera — they’re big, bulky, and usually no better than the smartphone in your pocket at taking pictures. However, the 50MP rear camera on the MatePad Pro Max is one of the better ones I’ve used on this form factor.
It offers 5x and 10x zoom with only minimal quality degradation, and in good light outdoors, it’s capable of taking some nice shots. It’s the size of this 13.2-inch slate that hampers the experience — it’s cumbersome to hold up and take around with you versus your phone.
- Performance: 4 / 5
- 9,760mAh high-silicon anode battery
- 100W Turbo Charge plug included in the box
- Replenish over 40% in 20 minutes
Battery life on the Huawei MatePad Pro Max is solid, but not quite category-leading. You get a 9,760mAh high-silicon anode battery, which is actually smaller than the cell found in the iPad Pro 13 (10,290mAh).
That shouldn’t be a worry, though. I played PUBG for two hours on high graphics settings, and the MatePad Pro Max lost 20% of its charge in that time.
If we extrapolate that out, it means you’re looking at at least eight hours of demanding gameplay on a single charge — great news for gamers and those looking to perform intense productivity tasks on the slate.
You’ll get much longer if you’re only using the tablet for occasional web browsing, social scrolling, and the odd video stream, though. I’d feel comfortable taking the MatePad Pro Max on a long-haul flight, for example, as the battery should remain solid.
Huawei has packed in 66W charging too, to help replenish the large battery. And it was great to find a 100W Turbo Charge block included in the box, meaning I didn’t have to dig out my own. Apple and Samsung don’t include this with their tablets, so well done, Huawei.
During my charging tests, I was getting around 10% battery returned after 5 minutes, 20% after 10 minutes, and 45% in just 20 minutes. After 30 minutes, the MatePad Pro Max had replenished 65% of its battery — a useful result if you’re looking for a quick top-up before heading out.
Another handy feature is the tablet’s reverse charging capabilities. If you find your smartphone is running low on juice, you can connect it to the MatePad Pro Max via USB-C cable, and the tablet will provide your handset with a top-up.
- Battery: 4 / 5
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
Cheaper than its Apple and Samsung rivals, plus you get a keyboard case and 100W charging block in the box. It’s a good package, but the software shortcomings mean it’s not 5/5 in terms of overall value.
4 / 5
Display
Gorgeous display with excellent anti-glare finish makes it easy to use outdoors in sunlight. Bright, crisp, and colorful, with very slender bezels.
4.5 / 5
Design
Premium metal chassis that’s wonderfully thin and light, making it easy to slip into a bag. The front-facing camera smartly tucked into the landscape bezel is a nice touch.
4.5 / 5
Software
This is the MatePad Pro Max’s Achilles heel, and could well be a deal breaker for many. The lack of Google Play services and an App Gallery store missing so many big names makes it severely limited versus the Apple and Android competition.
2 / 5
Performance
There’s plenty of power under the hood for gaming, social scrolling, emails, and video streaming. It’s not quite as lightning fast under the finger as Apple’s latest M-powered iPad Pros, but there’s enough for most users.
4 / 5
Battery
Solid battery life can offer eight hours of gaming at high graphics settings, while the 66W charging can replenish it blisteringly quickly. Reverse charging is a handy extra, allowing you to top up your phone.
4 / 5
Buy it ifYou want a beautiful, big-screen slate
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max offers up a premium build that’s pleasingly thin and light, while the display is something to marvel at — it’s great for video streaming and gaming. I loved being able to comfortably use the tablet outdoors in the sun, as its anti-reflective screen works a treat.View Deal
You want to take photos with your tablet
Cameras on tablets tend to be more of an afterthought than a standout feature, but the MatePad Pro Max doesn’t do a bad job here. If you have a high-end smartphone, that will still be better than this tablet, but if you’re someone who wants to take pictures with your slate, this is a decent option.View Deal
You need a tablet that charges quickly and charges your phone
With the 100W charging block included in the box, you’ll get 65% battery returned to the slate in just half an hour. Even a 10-minute charge gets you 20%, which is handy if you notice you could do with a bit extra in the tank before heading out the door. Plus, connect your phone via USB-C cable to the MatePad Pro Max, and it’ll charge your handset too.View Deal
You want access to all your apps
Huawei’s limited App Gallery means there are numerous big-name apps that simply aren’t available on the MatePad Pro Max, and that severely limits the productivity and entertainment value of this tablet. You’ll have to look elsewhere to guarantee you’ll get all the apps you need.View Deal
You want a premium keyboard case
Huawei has upped its keyboard case game here, and the fact that it’s included in the box is a massive win. Yet, the dual hinge design is awkward to use, and the keys feel a little stiff under the finger. Apple’s Magic Keyboard, while considerably more expensive, provides a better all-around experience — though you’ll have to buy a pricey iPad as well.View Deal
If you're not sold on what the Huawei MatePad Pro Max has to offer, there are a handful of similarly priced alternatives to consider.
iPad Pro 13-inch (2025)
The iPad Pro is still the gold standard in the tablet world, combining premium design, a gorgeous display, and the most comprehensive app library for this form factor. Sure, it’s expensive, as are the keyboard and Pencil accessories, but you really do get what you pay for — and there are no restrictions on apps here.
Read our review of the smaller iPad Pro 11-inch (2025)
Samsung Galaxy S11 Ultra
If you’re after a big-screen Android tablet with access to Google’s full suite of services, the 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is an impressive slate. While it’s an improvement over its predecessor, the MediaTek chipset used here is disappointing. That said, if you want a tablet to play a lot of games, is easy to work on, or want a bigger screen to sketch, doodle, and noodle around with AI, the S11 Ultra fits the bill.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra review
How I tested the Huawei MatePad Pro Max- Tested over several weeks
- Played games, browsed the web, scrolled social, snapped pictures
- Also tested the keyboard case and M-Penci Pro stylus
I used the Huawei MatePad Pro Max as my main tablet for several weeks, testing out its core features, app availability, and performance.
I played a variety of games, watched 4K HDR videos, snapped photos, ran battery and charging tests, and performed various day-to-day tasks, including web browsing, scrolling social media, and checking emails.
The keyboard case, which is included in the box, was also tested with emails, word processing, and general UI navigation. I was also sent the M-Pencil Pro (and optional extra), and spent time jotting down handwritten notes and sketching cartoons.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed May 2026
There's something rather brilliant about the Dell Tower Plus. When we took this tower desktop for a spin, its powerhouse performance left us stunned. Capable of everything from running office apps to demanding tasks like video editing, it's one of the most configurable and future-proof PCs we've ever tested.
If you're looking for a desktop that can handle demanding workloads without stepping into workstation pricing, Dell has a terrific deal you won't want to miss. Right now, the Dell Tower Plus Desktop has dropped to $1400 (was $1880) at Dell.
Although compact enough to fit comfortably into most home offices, this desktop packs plenty of performance for creative work, productivity, and everyday computing. Whether you're editing photos, producing videos, managing large spreadsheets, or juggling dozens of browser tabs, there's enough power here to keep everything moving smoothly.
Today's top Dell workstation dealPowered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a fast 1TB SSD, this desktop is well suited to creative work, productivity, multitasking, and everyday computing.View Deal
As James said in his review, the Tower Plus Desktop is highly configurable: "You can customize it to be a barebones office computer or a gaming powerhouse and it will excel at both. Regardless of the configuration you get, it’s easily upgradable later on."
The heart of the system on sale is Intel's Core Ultra 7 265 processor, featuring 20 cores and boost speeds of up to 5.3GHz.
Paired with 16GB of DDR5 memory, it delivers the performance needed for multitasking, content creation, and demanding applications without ever slowing you down.
Graphics are provided by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 with 6GB of GDDR6 memory. That gives the system enough horsepower for creative software, GPU-accelerated workloads, and light gaming while also helping speed up video rendering and other graphics-intensive tasks.
The fast 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD gives you plenty of room for applications, documents, photos, and large media libraries. It also helps Windows 11 Home boot quickly while keeping applications responsive throughout the day.
Dell pairs those components with a 460W Platinum-rated power supply, delivering efficient and reliable power to the system.
If you've been thinking about upgrading your home office or creative workspace, this Dell desktop deal offers plenty of performance for considerably less than the usual price. It also strikes a nice balance between everyday usability and creator-friendly performance.
For more top-performers, take a look at our round up of the best Dell business laptops and best business computers we've tested.
Also consider: More Dell desktop PC dealsThis model is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, making it well suited to everyday productivity, multitasking, and office workloads. It pairs Windows 11 Pro with fast DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen4 SSD storage in a professional tower design.View Deal
Featuring an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 32GB of DDR5 memory, and a 1TB NVMe SSD, this desktop is equipped for demanding multitasking, productivity applications, and professional workloads while running Windows 11 Pro.View Deal
Powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor with an integrated NPU, this compact desktop offers solid everyday performance for office work, multitasking, and productivity, backed by 16GB of DDR5 memory, a 512GB SSD, and Windows 11 Pro.View Deal
Organizations are under mounting pressure to do more with less, particularly in highly regulated industries and the public sector.
Budgets remain tight, with recent research highlighting that up to 43% of finance leaders cite tight budgets as their top barrier to achieving goals.
Leadership teams are being asked to modernize operations while maintaining service levels.
In response, many have turned to AI tools.
The logic makes sense. Large language Models and AI-powered automation tools promise faster workflows, reduced administration and meaningful productivity gains for resource-constrained organizations.
Yet productivity gains alone do not automatically translate into operational change.
The AI paradoxThis is the emerging AI job paradox. Organizations are investing in AI to create capacity, but many lack the workforce flexibility needed to absorb, redeploy or realize those gains in practice.
In many cases, the tools and technology are working exactly as intended. Employees are completing tasks faster, administrative workloads are shrinking, and teams are identifying new efficiencies. The challenge is that most organizations still operate within workforce structures designed for a different economic environment.
For years, workforce planning relied heavily on natural attrition as a mechanism for change. Employees would move roles, retire or move to other organizations, creating space for organizations to reshape teams and redistribute work. But that model is now under pressure.
In slower labor markets, employees are moving less frequently, reducing organizations' ability to restructure organically across many sectors, particularly public services and regulated industries where stability is often prioritized. At the same time, organizations are operating under headcount limits, making large-scale restructuring politically, financially, or operationally difficult.
The result is a workforce environment that is less flexible than many AI strategies assume.
This creates a disconnect at the heart of current AI adoption. Organizations can generate efficiency gains through automation, but they often lack a clear mechanism to convert those gains into meaningful organizational capacity. If an AI tool reduces the time needed to complete a task by 30%, what happens next? In many cases, the answer is surprisingly unclear.
The appearance of transformation without altering outcomesWhen the employee remains in the same role, within the same structure, work may become faster, but the organisation itself does not materially change. Productivity increases are identified in theory but struggle to appear in financial performance, service delivery improvements, or workforce optimization.
This is why many early AI programs are creating the appearance of transformation without altering operational outcomes. The risk is that organizations begin to treat AI as a workaround rather than a catalyst for redesign.
The risk is that organizations begin to treat AI as a workaround rather than a catalyst for redesign. That approach may deliver short-term improvements, but limits the long-term value organizations can extract from the technology.
As AI tools reduce administrative effort and streamline repetitive work, organizations gradually accumulate pockets of excess capacity across departments. Without a strategy to redeploy that capacity, the gains are often diluted through inefficiency, duplicated work, or simply absorbed back into existing processes.
In effect, organizations become more efficient at the task level while remaining unchanged at the operational level.
The missing link of capacity governanceFor many organizations, the missing link is capacity governance. Capacity governance means actively managing the operational impact of productivity gains rather than assuming efficiencies will naturally convert into better outcomes. It requires organizations to treat workforce transformation as an operational discipline, not simply a technology initiative.
That involves asking difficult questions about which roles are being reshaped, how can newly created capacity be redirected and which departments are facing growing demand. AI is creating a reality where work should be reorganized, reprioritized and organizations should be able to completely reshape structure and prioritize accordingly. Assessing organizational design and structure is as important as diving into technology and tools being used to creative proactivity and productivity.
Leading organizations are beginning to approach AI adoption in this way by redesigning work around AI-augmented tasks. In practice, this means breaking roles down into component activities and identifying which tasks are best handled by AI, which require human judgement, and where employees can shift toward higher-value work.
For example, a compliance professional may spend less time reviewing routine IT documentation and more time handling complex cases that require interpretation and decision-making. Customer service teams may automate repetitive interactions while focusing human effort on vulnerable or high-priority users. Operational staff may use AI to accelerate reporting and analysis while dedicating more time to strategic planning.
These organizations are actively redesigning workflows and managing workforce capacity in response to the changes AI creates.
An increasingly important shiftThat shift will become increasingly important over the next several years. Across regulated sectors, demographic pressures, budget constraints, and rising service expectations are colliding at the same time as rapid advances in AI capability.
Organizations cannot rely indefinitely on incremental efficiency gains layered onto outdated workforce structures. Nor can they assume AI alone will solve structural productivity challenges.
Without operational redesign, many institutions risk creating a form of productivity stagnation where technology improves individual output but fails to generate meaningful organizational transformation.
There is a broader strategic implication. As AI adoption accelerates, organizations that successfully govern and redeploy capacity will gain a significant operational advantage. They will be able to respond faster to demand shifts, move talent into critical areas more effectively, and create more adaptive workforce models.
Those that fail to address the workforce dimension of AI may find themselves trapped between rising expectations and rigid organizational structures. This is why the future of AI adoption is likely to depend less on the sophistication of the models themselves and more on how organizations choose to reorganize around them.
The next phase of AI will be about building institutions capable of converting efficiency into agility. That requires a willingness to rethink roles and move talent across functions in ways many organizations have historically resisted.
Technology may create the opportunity for productivity gains. But without workforce flexibility and clear capacity governance, many of those gains risk remaining theoretical.
The organizations that recognize AI is not just a technology shift, but operational , will be the ones making those strides forward.
We've featured the best employee management software.
This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.
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Mini PCs rarely arrive with fanfare. The GMKtec EVO-T2 is an exception. It debuted at CES 2026 with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan visiting the booth, testing the unit in person and signing a prototype. His signature wasn’t on my test version, and you can imagine my disappointment.
That kind of endorsement is unusual for a compact desktop from a Chinese OEM, and it signals something real. This is not a routine refresh.
At its core sits Intel's newest Panther Lake architecture. The Core Ultra X7 358H is built on Intel's own 18A process node, making the EVO-T2 one of the first consumer products to ship that fabrication technology at volume. The question every reviewer has to answer is whether the real-world performance justifies a price tag that sits above £1,500 for the standard retail configuration.
The review unit supplied by GMKtec uses the Core Ultra X7 358H with 64GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD, but some SKUs offer the Core Ultra X9 388H for those willing to pay extra.
What GMKtec has here is cutting-edge Intel technology that’s ideal for power users, AI LLM fans, and creatives, all in a remarkably compact package that doesn’t cost a fortune.
With so few brands offering products with Panther Lake silicon, this is easily one of the best Mini PC machines available today.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)GMKtec EVO-T2: Price and availability- How much does it cost? $1899/£1521/€1,700
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Currently, this machine can be obtained directly from GMKtec
The GMKtec EVO-T2 is available direct from the GMKtec US and GMKtec UK websites. I'm also seeing a configuration on Amazon.com.
There appears to be plenty of confusion about the pricing of these products on the GMKtec website, and pricing on Amazon seems only to compound things.
The USA pricing for the X7 is $1,899 for the standard model, but oddly $3,299.99 for the 853GB model. That second price is obviously a mistake, and I’d assume that’s the dollar pricing for the X9 version.
What I can say with some certainty is that on the GMKtec UK website, there are four SKUs: two X7 and two X9 models. And, the X7 358H design with 64GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, as per my review, the hardware is £1,520.99.
There is another X7 version with an 853GB drive, which I’m going to assume is a special partition for running LLMs, and it sells for £1,629. There are two corresponding X9 388H models, which are both priced at £2999.99, curiously. That seems like a ridiculous markup for only a few hundred MHz extra across a couple of clock settings, but that’s what they’re asking.
As a slight sweetener, UK customers are being offered a code that gets them a further £60 off at the time of writing.
European prices are €1.699,99 for the X7, with no X9 stock currently available.
Comparing these prices to anything else is a fraught exercise, since this is the first Mini PC to use this platform, even if Asus has a new NUC 16 Pro planned that uses this chip. And, Minisforum has a new AI X1 Pro model in the pipeline that uses an advanced AMD chip using its Gorgon Point core.
What I might point out is that the GMKtec EVO-T1, which uses the Arrow Lake Core Ultra 9 285H, is only $1,279.99 with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, but it can also be bought barebones with no memory or storage for close to $900.
From a performance perspective, the GMKtec EVO-X2 Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is more powerful, and that, with 64GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, is only another $100 more.
On that basis, the EVO-X2 seems to be a better value than the EVO-T2. And, GMKtec offers a 128GB version of the EVO-X2, for those wishing to blow $3,299.99 on one.
The big issue here is patently the cost of memory, and these platforms all need the faster soldered modules that are currently 400% more than they were only months ago.
I’ve given this a score of 4 out of 5 since you can’t get this hardware anywhere else at this time, and when Asus and Minisforum do come to market, they’re unlikely to undercut GMKtec's price.
- Value: 4 / 5
Model
Intel Core Ultra X7 358H
Architecture
Panther Lake (Intel 18A process)
Cores / Threads
16 cores (4P + 8E + 4LP-E)
P-core Boost
Up to 4.8 GHz
E-core Max
Up to 3.5 GHz
LP-E Core Max
Up to 3.3 GHz
L3 Cache
18MB Intel Smart Cache
TDP Range
25W base / 80W Maximum Turbo Power
AI Performance
Up to 180 TOPS combined (CPU + NPU + GPU)
NPU
NPU 5 (50 TOPS INT8)
Integrated GPU
Intel Arc B390 (Xe3 architecture, TSMC N3E tile)
GPU Cores
12 Xe3 cores
GPU Clock
Up to 2.5 GHz
Display Support
4x 4K via HDMI 2.1 x2 and USB4 x2
RAM
64GB LPDDR5X-8533 soldered
SSD
1TB NVMe
M.2 Slot 1
PCIe 5.0 M.2 2280
M.2 Slot 2
PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280
Max Capacity
Up to 16TB combined
AI SSD
Phison aiDAPTIV+ pseudo-memory extension
USB4 Front
1x 40Gbps with 100W Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alt Mode
USB4 Rear
1x 40Gbps
USB-A
2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB 2.0
HDMI
2x HDMI 2.1 (rear)
DisplayPort
1x DisplayPort 1.4 (rear)
Audio
1x 3.5mm combo jack
OCuLink
1x OCuLink Gen4x4
Ethernet
1x 2.5GbE and 1x 10GbE
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.4
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Cooling
Ice Storm 3.0 active cooling with RGB fan
Power Modes
Silent 35W | Balanced 45W | Performance 60W | Max 80W
PSU Wattage
148.2W
Dimensions
Approx. 103 × 98 × 32 mm
Weight
1273g including PSU
GMKtec EVO-T2: Design- Same enclosure as EVO-T1
- Easy internal access
- No memory upgrades
The case of the EVO-T2 is oddly familiar, as it seems relatively unchanged from the EVO-T1 that I reviewed in August of 2025.
The EVO-T2 continues GMKtec's established squared, compact form factor. The chassis uses a precision surface finish and houses what GMKtec calls its Ice Storm 3.0 cooling system, an active solution with a visible RGB fan. It sits comfortably on a desk or mounts via VESA behind a monitor.
Port placement is well considered. The front panel carries the USB4 port with 100W Power Delivery alongside two USB-A 3.2 connections and one USB-A 2.0. These are the ports users reach for most often, and they are exactly where they should be. The rear houses the second USB4, dual HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, dual Ethernet, the OCuLink port and the audio jack.
That rear panel is dense. It rewards deliberate cable planning rather than improvisation. Quad 4K display support is a genuine differentiator at this size. Creative professionals and multi-monitor users will appreciate having that headroom without needing an external dock.
This hints that the EVO-T2's connectivity specification is exceptional for the category.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Dual Ethernet with 2.5GbE and 10GbE ports on a machine this small opens it to homelab, network-attached storage and professional networking roles that most mini PCs cannot fill. The 10GbE port alone makes this worth serious consideration for anyone who moves large files regularly.
Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 cover wireless needs for the foreseeable future. The front-panel USB4 port carries 40Gbps bandwidth and supports Power Delivery at 100W, which is genuinely practical for desk setups where the EVO-T2 acts as a hub. DisplayPort Alt Mode via USB4 adds display flexibility beyond the two HDMI outputs and the dedicated DisplayPort at the rear.
The OCuLink Gen4x4 port provides a direct PCIe pathway to external GPU enclosures without the bandwidth constraints of USB4. For users who plan to add a discrete GPU later or need GPU-accelerated compute for specific workloads, this is a meaningful long-term expansion option, though not all systems include it.
Internal access requires removing the feet and then four screws. It’s not difficult, but it might have been easier. Inside, you can access the three M.2 slot positions, two already being occupied by the Wi-Fi 7 adapter and the 1TB NVMe drive. One oddity about the two M.2 slots allocated for storage is that the one GMKtec filled with the supplied Gen4 drive is the PCIe 5.0 slot, leaving the PCIe 4.0 slot free. That seems silly, but this isn’t the only mini PC maker doing these things.
For testing, I moved the provided drive to the Gen4 slot and put a Gen5 drive in a slot where it works best. And, if anyone buys one of these, I’d recommend doing that and cloning the drive to the Gen5 module. I’d also suggest you get a Gen5 drive with a heatsink or add one before installation.
There are no memory upgrade options, because all the memory here is soldered to the mainboard.
- Design: 4 / 5
- Intel Core Ultra X7 358H
- Soldered memory
- 180 TOPS AI
Panther Lake is easily Intel's most architecturally interesting mobile platform in years. The Core Ultra X7 358H uses a chiplet design built across three separate tiles. The compute tile is manufactured on Intel's 18A process and incorporates RibbonFET gate-all-around transistors alongside backside power delivery using PowerVia technology. Intel states this reduces voltage drop by around 30 per cent and improves transistor density over the prior generation.
I have a not-unreasonable feeling that this was what the 100 series was meant to be from the outset, and not what actually arrived.
The processor carries 16 cores across three tiers. Four Cougar Cove performance cores handle peak single-threaded workloads and boost to 4.8 GHz. Eight Darkmont efficiency cores manage sustained parallel tasks. Four low-power efficiency cores handle background activity.
It is a sensibly layered approach, and the trickle-down from mobile laptop silicon means the EVO-T2 benefits from extensive driver and platform maturity work done for notebook OEMs.
The gap between the X7 358H and the flagship X9 388H is modest in practice. The 388H adds 0.3 GHz of peak boost. For most productivity and AI workloads, the difference will be within the margin of thermal variation. The X7 is the right choice for a machine where value matters.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)The soldered RAM configuration is the most significant design decision to understand before purchasing. Retail units ship with 64GB of LPDDR5X-8533. The review unit carries 16GB. Neither configuration can be upgraded after purchase. Buyers who anticipate needing more capacity should look at the GMKtec EVO-X2, which uses AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 with up to 128GB of unified memory.
Soldered LPDDR5X enables the higher bandwidth speeds that integrated graphics depend on heavily. The Arc B390 needs fast, wide memory access to perform at its best. The trade-off is permanent capacity. For most professional workflows and AI tasks at the 64GB retail tier, the ceiling should be workable for several years.
Storage is considerably more flexible. The primary M.2 slot runs PCIe 5.0, offering sequential read speeds above 10 GB/s with compatible drives. The secondary slot is PCIe 4.0, still capable of strong throughput for a second drive or overflow storage. Combined capacity can reach 16TB, which opens the machine to NAS-adjacent roles that most mini PCs cannot consider.
GMKtec's headline claim is 180 TOPS of combined AI performance across the CPU, GPU and NPU. The NPU alone contributes 50 TOPS, which represents a meaningful step up from prior Intel generations. The remaining compute performance is divided between the Arc B390 and the CPU cores themselves.
The 180 TOPS figure is a heterogeneous combined total. Real-world AI workload distribution depends heavily on the framework and the model. Not all applications can efficiently split inference across three compute blocks simultaneously. The NPU handles fixed-function acceleration well. More general local inference typically leans more on the GPU or CPU, depending on quantisation level and context window size.
The aiDAPTIV+ AI SSD technology developed with Phison is worth mentioning. It extends available memory by intelligently paging model data between DRAM and NVMe storage. GMKtec claims this allows the EVO-T2 to run models with up to 70 billion parameters locally. For a machine with 64GB of RAM, that is an extraordinary claim. The paging mechanism will introduce latency penalties for data not resident in DRAM, and the practical throughput impact under sustained inference loads has not been verified by me, since I don’t have an aiDAPTIV+ AI SSD.
One thing that did make me wonder about the design of the EVO-T2 was that GMKtec claims that the USB4 port on the front can push out 100W for recharging a laptop. As the PSU is only rated at 148.2W and the system could take 60W, there appears to be a voltage shortfall in that calculation.
Overall, the X7 358H is a dramatic uplift from the 200 series chips that came before it, although AMD has such a significant lead with its Ryzen AI 395 series that it's perhaps too much to ask in one generational change.
- Features: 4.5 / 5
Mini PC
GMKtec EVO-T2
Bosgame M5 AI
CPU
Intel Core Ultra X7 358H
AMD Ryzen AI 395 Max
Cores/Threads
16C 16T
16C 32T
RAM
64GB LPDDR5X 8533
128GB DDR5
SSD
512 GB KINGSTON OM8TAP4512K1-A0
2TB Kingston OM8PGP42048N
Graphics
Intel Arc B390
Radeon 8060S
3DMark
WildLife
45211
70014
FireStrike
14394
26917
TimeSpy
7621
11317
S.Nomad
6172
11201
Cine24
Single
123
115
Multi
1029
1879
Ratio
8.34
16.32
GeekBench 6
Single
2849
2981
Multi
16286
17882
OpenCL
56978
101915
Vulkan
64187
90384
CrystalDisk
Read MB/s
5047
4083
Write MB/s
4498
3639
PCMark 10
Office
10645
9056
WEI
Score
8.9
9.6
Normally, I compare AMD and Intel Mini PCs against their ilk. But as this is a flagship design of a new silicon generation, and the best Intel has to offer, I thought it would be useful to compare it to the top-of-the-line AMD platform.
For those who like the fine details, the EVO-T2 was set into ‘Performance’ mode in the BIOS, rather than balanced or silent. According to GMKtec, there should be a mode above this that consumes 80W, but it was missing from my BIOS. Therefore, it might be possible to get even more out of the EVO-T2, and the BIOS certainly has plenty of features for overclocking some aspects.
The Arc B390 GPU is the headline graphics story in Panther Lake. It uses twelve Xe3 cores built on TSMC's N3E process and clocks up to 2.5 GHz. Intel positions it as delivering 76 per cent more performance than the Arc 140T from the previous Arrow Lake generation and 82 per cent more than AMD's Radeon 890M found in Ryzen AI HX 370 platforms. As usual, Intel ignores the Radeon 8060S in the Ryzen AI 395 Max, which is its true competitor.
And, as the results show, B390 might make Arc 140T and Radeon 890M look poor, but it still can’t run with the Radeon 8060S, not even close.
Obviously, you could use the OcuLink port to add a discrete GPU, but that’s the only way that the EVO-T2 would compete with a Bosgame M5 AI.
And, while all those extra cores in the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H CPU do boost the multi-processing considerably, it still falls short of the AMD Ryzen AI 395 Max.
It did well in the PCMark score, and it also had a better SSD than the Bosgame machine. I inserted a Crucial P510 Gen5 drive into this hardware, and it delivered 10,587MB/s reads and 8,977MB/s writes in the Gen5 M.2 slot, so it could be dramatically better with a small investment.
Overall, Intel is moving in the right direction, but AMD don’t need to worry yet.
- Performance: 4.5 / 5
The EVO-T2 is an impressive piece of equipment that exploits the dramatically better silicon Intel has released with Panther Lake. However, given the modest differences between the X7 358H and the X9 388H, I wouldn’t be rushing to spend the extra on the top model unless money isn't a concern for you.
Where this rig excels is in providing a punchy platform for software development, video editing and running AI LLMs. It would have been nice to have seen Thunderbolt 5 ports on this PC, but the cost of adding this feature appears to be putting mini PC makers off.
At least it has USB4 and an OCuLink port if you want more GPU power.
But the focus here is foremost AI, with GMKtec even deploying a version of OpenClaw to the desktop along with Herdman. While there are free tokens to be had, these are a portal to monthly subscription packages for those who want to fully exploit AI agents.
That seems slightly at odds with the premise of having hardware like the EVO-T2 that can run powerful local AI at no other cost than electricity, and your time to get it trained in your workflows. But agents will always come with extra costs, regardless of where they are launched from.
Getting back to the hardware, this is an exceptional piece of gear that nearly brings Intel back up to AMD’s current level. Although with new AMD hardware soon to launch, this might prove to be a false dawn for them.
What it comes down to here is the price, since all memory and storage costs are artificially inflated.
For those who, for whatever reason, don’t trust AMD, then this is quite clearly the best Intel mini PC technology available, especially for those running local LLMs.
Should you buy a GMKtec EVO-T2?Value
Not cheap, but with this spec it was never going to be
4 / 5
Design
EVO-T1 revisited, but it does have a Gen5 M.2 slot
4 / 5
Features
New CPU technology, new GPU, and plenty of TOPS
4.5 / 5
Performance
New CPU technology, new GPU, and plenty of TOPS
4.5 / 5
Overall
A little powerhouse with so many uses
4.5 / 5
Buy it if...You want power in a small package
This is an excellent choice if you want a compact, quiet desktop that handles everyday tasks and Copilot+ AI features without any cloud dependency. But this system is also ideal for a mini server, hardware firewall and a dozen other tasks.
You want local AI
This is the pinnacle of AI-focused mini PCs available today, and with 180 TOPS of combined compute to suit your workload, the only limitation is memory.
You need more than 64GB of RAM
As the memory in this system cannot be replaced, the 64GB of memory you get out of the box is as much as it will ever have. Whether for LLMs, video editing, or heavy virtualisation, the stock RAM is soldered and permanent, which might not be sufficient for the largest models.
Cost is a concern
The review hardware isn't cheap, and the X9 model is insanely expensive. There are powerful systems based on older technology that you can get for cheaper than the EVO-T2,
Bosgame M5 AI
A massively powerful Mini PC platform that uses the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, with sixteen cores and thirty-two threads. There are two variants with 96GB and 128GB memory, respectively, and 2TB of storage.
Until Gorgon Point silicon arrives, this is the most powerful processor and integrated GPU combination. And, the 96GB model is only slightly more expensive than the X7 version of the EVO-T2.
Read my full review of the Bosgame M5 AI here.
Minisforum UM790 Pro
A powerful AMD system using a Ryzen 9-class processor, supported by the Radeon 780M GPU. Targeted towards creatives and gamers, the expandable memory and dual M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSDs allow you to boost performance according to your requirements, with the standard version already delivering remarkable capabilities.
Check out our Minisforum UM790 Pro review
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