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The Garmin Forerunner 70 is a Garmin watch that we’ve waited a long time for. This is the natural successor to the Forerunner 55, the watch that was pitched at beginner runners or runners who like to stick to the basics (and can even run a marathon in under two hours, as it was worn by record-breaker Sebastian Sawe).

With such a large time gap between the two watches, it’s hardly surprising to see Garmin make some big changes, not only with the hardware but the software too.

It’s clearly been a task of bringing the 70 in line with other new Forerunner watches, which includes adding an AMOLED display and touchscreen while keeping the full array of physical buttons to give it that traditional running watch feel. While keeping the AMOLED on at all times does dent the battery much quicker, it elevates the software and what it’s like to use the 70 as a smartwatch.

There’s some upgrades to the sensors, and while you don’t get Garmin’s latest multi-band GPS or Gen 5 Elevate optical sensor, the improved GNSS sensor and move from Gen 3 to Gen 4 sensors does deliver strong GPS and heart rate tracking performance still.

The additions made in the training and smartwatch departments also make this feel like a more advanced watch than the Forerunner 55. You now have a watch that has full access to Garmin’s Connect IQ store and brings in some of Garmin’s nicest smartwatch features like morning and evening reports. No you don’t get payments, Bluetooth calls or a music player, but if you’re looking for the basics that go beyond what the 55 offered, the 70’s got you well covered.

It’s also great to see some of Garmin’s best training features. Training Readiness now features on a cheaper Garmin to help you decide when to train and rest. You can now use the 70 to navigate your way. You don’t get full maps, but the breadcrumb navigation still makes it useful to have on your wrist when exploring new surroundings or struggling to get back home after a run.

Those added features do, unsurprisingly, come at an added cost. A cost that does push the Forerunner 70 out of that entry level category into more of a mid-range one. That does mean you can find cheaper alternatives like the Suunto Run or can pay a bit more for the Coros Pace 4 and get newer sensors including dual-band GPS. If you’re sold on Garmin’s software, still want that strong tracking performance and like the idea of having an AMOLED screen and the best smartwatch experience you’ll find on a running watch at this price, those are going to be the biggest reasons to grab the Forerunner 70.

Component

Garmin Forerunner 70

Price

$249.99 USD / £219.99 UK / $399 AUS

Dimensions

42.6mm wide, 11.9mm thick

Weight

40g

Case/bezel

polymer case, polymer bezel

Display

1.2-inch AMOLED Screen, 390 x 390 px resolution

GPS

GNSS, 6 satellite systems

Battery life

Up to 5 days of heavy use, or 13 days typical

Connection

Bluetooth, ANT+

Water resistance

5 ATM

• $249.99 / £219.99 / AU$399
• More expensive than the Forerunner 55
• Cheaper than the Forerunner 170

The Garmin Forerunner 70 has a launch price of $249.99 USD / £219.99 UK / $399 AUS, which puts it firmly in the mid-range running smartwatch category. That’s in contrast to its predecessor the Forerunner 55, which launched with a sub-$200 price tag when it landed back in 2021.

Given there’s been some pretty sizable upgrades with the hardware and software, including adding an AMOLED display and richer smartwatch features, it’s not surprising that the price has leapt up a bit. It does feel like it’s lost a bit of the beginner-friendly appeal of the Forerunner 55 in the process.

The Forerunner 70 was launched alongside the Forerunner 170, which at $299 / £259.99 / AU$479 gives you additional features like contactless payments and a music player, longer battery life and additional sensors like an altimeter.

• Value score: 4/5

• One case size option
• Added AMOLED screen
• Combination of touchscreen and physical buttons

Like the Garmin Forerunner 55, the Forerunner 70 remains a watch that sits pretty small on your wrist. That might be an issue for fans of bigger watches like a Fenix. For runners, typically smaller and lighter is better and that is what you get here.

Garmin has moved up slightly from a 42mm sized-polymer case to a 42.6mm one. It’s just the one case size that’s light to hold and comes in four different colors. Whether you want something plain or like a splash of color, you’re catered for here. The strap attached to the case is pretty typical of the ones you find partnered up to most Garmin Forerunners. It’s a 20mm silicone one that uses a pin mechanism, so you can remove it when the strap included gets sweaty or dirty or you just fancy switching to another color.

Garmin sticks to including five physical buttons for that classic running watch navigation experience. That’s now matched up with a 1.2-inch, 390 x 390 resolution AMOLED touchscreen. That sees Garmin move away from the memory pixel display on another watch line, sacrificing the longer battery life and more impressive viewing angles in brighter outdoor light for that added colour, vibrancy and to be more in keeping with other smartwatches. It’s still going to be a screen you can view comfortably outside when it’s really sunny. You just might need to crank up the brightness to do that, which will have an impact on battery life.

Like the Forerunner 50 and most other more affordable Garmin watches, the Forerunner 70 carries a 5ATM waterproof rating. That makes it safe for swimming and showering with it. There’s only a pool swimming tracking mode as Garmin leaves out open water and triathlon modes. That’ll be disappointing for anyone hoping they could pick this up as an affordable triathlon watch.

• Design score: 4/5

• Upgraded Gen 4 Elevate sensor from Forerunner 55
• Includes latest training insights like Training Readiness
• Offers breadcrumb-style navigation

Garmin is pitching the Forerunner 70 as an entry-level running smartwatch, so it’s giving you some running features, but not all that it has to offer.

Like the GPS support, where the Forerunner 70 uses multi-GNSS, as opposed to the latest multi-band GPS included on the Forerunner 570 and above watches. This means you miss out on having improved tracking accuracy when running or moving near tall buildings or locations with a lot of tall trees.

Other hardware improvements include upgrading from the Gen 3 Elevate optical heart rate sensor to the Gen 4 version. That’s actually not the latest version of Garmin’s in-house sensor technology. That’s Gen 5, which gives you added features like ECG heart rate measurements. This will cover continuous monitoring and tracking heart rate during exercise. You can also pair external heart rate monitors to it as well.

In terms of software features, there’s a lot that’s been added to the Forerunner 70 over the Forerunner 55. Along with bringing the UI up to date with other AMOLED-toting Garmins, you’re now getting more smartwatch features. You can set up smart alarms, view morning and evening reports for a summary of your day and recommendations for the following day.

There’s improved notification support for Android users, so now you can view more information being shared in notifications. A big one is the added Connect IQ support: previously, this was restricted to only downloading watch faces. Now you have full access to the storefront to download apps, watch faces and data fields.

There’s plenty that’s been upgraded on the tracking and training front too. You can now follow routes using breadcrumb-style navigation as opposed to the full maps you’ll find on pricier Garmin watches. Garmin has brought in a raft of its latest training metrics and features including Training Readiness, wrist-based running power, more strength-focused training support and this is a watch that’s compatible with Garmin’s Coach. That’s free access to Garmin’s training platform that now comprises running, cycling and strength training plans that can be synced over to the watch.

• Features score: 4/5

• Good GPS despite lack of dual-band
• Smartwatch features work well across Android and iOS
• Heart rate tracking solid with support for external sensors

In terms of tracking your runs, the Forerunner 70 does a sterling job like most other Garmins and not just for running. When I’ve used it for pool swims, indoor rows, treadmill runs and bike sessions, the tracking has been as solid as other Garmins I’ve tested.

Some will be disappointed that Garmin doesn’t include its latest multi-band GPS technology. As I’ve found when using Garmin’s watches with multi-GNSS setups, they still perform better than a lot of dual-band watches. I’d say it’s the same story for the Forerunner 70. It might get a bit more shaky in places with a lot of tall buildings for the GPS technology to deal with, but I’ve been using it alongside the Forerunner 170 and Garmin’s markedly more expensive Garmin Forerunner 970, and the 70 has more than held its own.

It’s a similar story with heart rate tracking. While you’re getting the older Gen 4 version of Garmin’s Elevate optical heart rate sensor technology, that doesn’t equal a bad performance. For steady paced runs and runs in some significantly hotter running conditions, the 70 held up well against Garmin and MyZone heart rate monitor chest straps. It can take a bit longer to match up when you’re easing off during interval work. Overall though, the 70’s older sensor gets the job done, with the option to pair a Bluetooth heart rate sensor to improve performance.

Where Garmin has really bolstered things on the 70 compared to the 55 is the influx of training insights and bringing it more up to speed in terms of smartwatch features. It’s great to see Training Readiness make the cut where previously Garmin had left this useful insight into your preparedness to tackle a tough session off from its more affordable watches. It’s also about the presentation of these features, which is something Garmin does better than the competition. Like the well integrated daily suggested workouts or helping you keep an eye on your recovery time.

While you’re not getting the best that Garmin has to offer in smartwatch features, the added AMOLED touchscreen and general changes made to the user interface does mean it operates better as a smartwatch than most other running-focused smartwatches. The stream of Glances (widgets) offer a nice snapshot of your data, morning and evening report summaries are great additions, while the music playback controls work well with third party music services like Spotify. Unlike the Forerunner 55, you do now have full access to the Garmin Connect IQ store and that means increasing your ability to personalise the watch software with the features, apps and data fields you care most about.

Sleep tracking has been a bit of a weakness for Garmin. Particularly when overreporting sleep duration and the time it’s taken to recognise when you’d fallen asleep. Things thankfully have gotten better and I count the Forerunner 70 in the 'good' camp of sleep trackers. I’ve been wearing it to bed with an Oura Ring 5 and core sleep stats have largely told a similar story about my night’s sleep. The now added sleep coach and recommendation features brings sleep more into the training equation as well as helping you think more about your recovery time between runs and other workouts.

In terms of battery life, you’re unsurprisingly not getting the best Garmin has to offer on that front. What you are getting is a watch that should hold for a week’s worth of training. If you’re using it with the always-on display mode while tracking outdoor runs, you’re going to get less than a week.

GPS battery numbers give you a good amount to play with as well. I found that an hour's worth of running in the best available GPS mode hit the battery by just shy of 10%. That doesn’t add up to the 16 hours promised.

• Performance score: 4/5

Category

Comment

Score

Value

It’s lost the budget status still attached to the ageing 55, but it offers features in keeping with the closest competition

4/5

Design

A no surprises, sporty-looking Forerunner watch that offers a good AMOLED screen and a full array of physical buttons.

4/5

Features

A running watch capable of tracking more and offering richer training insights than the Forerunner 55

4/5

Performance

Delivers that great Garmin sports tracking with watch software that’s cleaner and more polished than the competition

4/5

You like a small watch

If you like your smartwatches compact and lightweight, the 70 absolutely fits the bill.

You want a Garmin at a good price

It might not have all the bells and whistles of a Forerunner 570 or 970, but if you want a good-performing running watch and sports watch, that’s what you get with the 70.

You want the best Garmin for smartwatch features

You will have to pay more if you want Garmin smartwatch features like contactless payments, LTE and a built-in music player.

You want an affordable triathlon watch

The Forerunner 70 doesn’t include an open water swimming or dedicated triathlon mode for those interested in using it to train across all three multisport disciplines.

Suunto Run

Suunto’s entry-level running watch is cheaper than the Forerunner 70 and while software and smartwatch support isn’t as slick, the core run and sports tracking is very good.

Read our full Suunto Run review

Coros Pace 4

The Pace 4 isn’t that much more expensive than the Forerunner 70 and gives you richer training insights, a triathlon mode and features like dual-band GPS in a similarly compact and lightweight design.

Read our full Coros Pace 4 review

I’ve been wearing the Garmin Forerunner 70 for three weeks, tracking my outdoor and treadmill runs. I’ve also used it for pool swimming and indoor cycling, wearing it alongside other running watches to compare GPS performance. I’ve also been using it alongside a heart rate monitor chest strap to compare heart rate tracking during exercise.

First reviewed: June 2026

Cloud storage is convenient, sure, but monthly subscriptions can mount up exceptionally quickly, especially when your photo library, video collection, and backups continue growing relentlessly year after year.

For many users, building a private cloud has become a practical alternative that provides greater control over data while eliminating recurring storage fees. That's where NAS comes in. Network-attached storage connects directly to your network, creating a centralized location for files, backups, media streaming, and remote access.

Whether you're storing family photos, sharing documents across a small business, or managing large creative projects, a NAS can provide a secure and flexible storage platform.

This four-bay NAS combines a five-core processor, 8GB DDR5 memory, dual high-speed network connections, and NVMe expansion support. With capacity reaching 144TB, it offers fast transfers, private cloud storage, automated backups, and broad cross-platform compatibility.

In the UK: now £480 (was £620)View Deal

With 12TB of capacity, a 7200RPM spindle speed, and CMR technology, this NAS-focused hard drive is built for always-on storage environments. RAID compatibility, a 256MB cache, and dependable multi-user performance make it a popular choice for network storage. This drive pairs perfectly with the DXP4800 Plus 4-Bay Desktop NAS and comes in a range of capacities (of different prices) from 4TB right up to 32TB.

In the UK: now £423View Deal

Built for small and medium-sized businesses, this four-bay NAS combines an eight-core processor, 32GB DDR5 memory, dual 2.5GbE networking, and NVMe caching support. Extensive backup tools, RAID options, and high-speed connectivity help streamline shared storage workloads.

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This 12TB drive combines CMR recording, a 7200RPM spindle speed, and a 256MB cache. Enterprise-focused reliability, RAID support, and consistent performance make it well suited to business and professional storage environments. Available in 8TB-32TB capacities.

In the UK: now £423View Deal

Built for demanding workloads, this four-bay NAS combines a six-core Intel processor, 8GB DDR5 memory, dual high-speed networking, and NVMe expansion. Support for virtualization, Docker, RAID, and up to 144TB of storage makes it ideal for professionals and growing teams.

In the UK: now £620 (was £690)View Deal

This 12TB SAS hard drive features a helium-sealed design, hot-plug support, and PowerBalance technology for efficient operation. FastFormat support and advanced data protection features make it suitable for demanding, always-on workloads.

In the UK: now £640View Deal

The good news is that setting up a private cloud no longer requires enterprise-level hardware or crazy, advanced knowledge. Modern NAS devices are easier to configure than ever, with intuitive software, mobile apps, and automated backup tools that handle much of the heavy lifting.

For individuals looking to replace or supplement cloud services, the Ugreen NASync DXP4800 Plus offers a great starting point.

It delivers plenty of performance for media libraries, personal backups, and home office use, while leaving room for future expansion.

In his hands-on coverage of the product, our expert Mark said the "new NAS brand comes with serious intent" and that it was "exceptionally well-considered and powerful."

Small businesses often require a little more flexibility, especially when multiple employees need access to shared files and backups.

The TerraMaster F4-424 Pro is one of the most capable options in this category, combining fast hardware with business-friendly features that can support growing storage requirements.

In his glowing review, Mark called it the "new powerhouse of the TerraMaster F4 series." He went on to say it was, "probably the most powerful 4-bay NAS available, the F4-424 Pro is ideal for those needing a development tool with plenty of processor performance."

Professionals and demanding users managing larger workloads could benefit from stepping up to the Ugreen DXP4800 Pro.

Mark's review called the model's arrive "timely" and said it provided a "subtle upgrade from the Plus model, yet these changes have significant implications for this network-attached storage device."

With more processing power, higher memory limits, and support for advanced workloads, it can handle everything from virtualization to large-scale content storage.

Of course, choosing the NAS itself is only part of the equation. Pairing the right enclosure with reliable drives can make a huge difference in performance, capacity, and long-term reliability.

In this guide, we'll walk through the best NAS options for individuals, small businesses, and professional users, along with the storage drives we recommend to go with them for building a private cloud that fits your needs and budget.

For more picks, check out our guides to the best NAS devices, best NAS hard drives and best NAS and media server distros.

Q: What is a NAS?

A NAS, or Network Attached Storage, is a dedicated storage device connected to a network that allows multiple users and devices to access files from a central location. It provides shared storage for documents, photos, videos, backups, and business data without requiring a full server setup.

Q: Why would an individual user need a NAS?

Anyone with a growing collection of files can benefit from a NAS. It provides a private location for photos, videos, documents, and backups while making content available across computers, smartphones, and tablets. Many home users also use NAS systems for media streaming, remote access, and automatic backups.

Q: What features are important for personal NAS systems?

Most personal users should focus on storage capacity, ease of setup, backup tools, and support for multiple drives. Features such as RAID protection, mobile apps, and cloud synchronization can provide additional convenience and data protection.

Q: How does NAS benefit small and medium-sized businesses?

SMBs often need centralized file storage that employees can access from different locations. A NAS can simplify collaboration, automate backups, manage permissions, and reduce dependence on external storage devices. It also offers a more affordable alternative to dedicated servers for many organizations.

Q: What should SMBs look for when choosing a NAS?

Businesses should consider scalability, user management, backup options, security features, and network performance. Support for virtualization, file versioning, and integration with business applications can also be valuable as storage requirements increase.

Q: How does enterprise NAS differ from consumer and SMB solutions?

Enterprise NAS platforms are built for much larger workloads, higher performance requirements, and larger user counts. They often include advanced redundancy, failover protection, high-speed networking, and support for petabytes of storage.

These systems are commonly deployed in data centers, large organizations, and environments where downtime isn't acceptable.

Q: Is NAS secure?

Modern NAS systems offer encryption, user permissions, multi-factor authentication, and backup tools to help protect data. Security still depends on proper configuration, software updates, and strong access controls.

Q: Can a NAS grow with changing storage needs?

Many NAS platforms support additional drives, expansion units, and capacity upgrades, allowing storage resources to increase as requirements change.

Getting started with a NAS device is easier than many first-time buyers expect and is essentially a dedicated storage system that connects to your home or office network, allowing multiple users and devices to access files from a central location.

Before you begin, think about how you'll use it. Simple file storage and backups require less processing power than tasks such as media streaming, virtualization or surveillance recording.

The next step is choosing the right hardware. Select a NAS enclosure with enough drive bays to accommodate both your current storage needs and future expansion.

When selecting hard drives, look for models specifically designed for NAS environments, as these are built to handle continuous operation and multi-drive workloads.

Consider using RAID for redundancy, which can help protect your data if a drive fails, although RAID should never be treated as a substitute for proper backups.

Once your hardware is assembled, connect the NAS to your router and follow the manufacturer's setup wizard.

Most modern NAS platforms provide straightforward web-based interfaces that guide you through creating storage pools, shared folders and user accounts. Be sure to enable automatic updates and configure backup jobs early in the process.

With a little planning, a NAS can become the central hub for file storage, backups, media libraries and collaboration across your network.

• Shop all NAS devices at Amazon
• Shop all NAS devices at Amazon.co.uk

• Microsoft Teams reveals more on new Facilitator AI tol
• Facilitator will monitor your Teams meetings and act as a manager and assistant
• It can help fill in knowledge gaps, but raises concern over privacy

Microsoft Teams is set to roll out Facilitator, a new AI-powered tool which will look to help better manage your calls, and fill in any potential knowledge gaps which pop up during a meeting.

However, in order to do so, the tool will need to be activated to listen and watch all of your meetings, so it knows when to interfere and chip in.

This has already led some observers to worry about the tool's privacy and security limits, but Microsoft says the tool will be turned off by default, meaning users will actively have to switch it on.

“We are introducing a new Microsoft Teams Facilitator capability that proactively detects and resolves knowledge gaps during meetings,” an update on the company's admin portal noted.

“Facilitator can identify when participants ask questions or express uncertainty and retrieve and share relevant answers using web search in the meeting chat.”

The company laid out a host of possible use cases where Facilitator may come in handy - such as monitoring an agenda in a meeting invite to help keep everyone on track, displaying the information in a sidebar.

Facilitator can also start a timer to make sure everyone stays focused on the key points of an agenda, which can be lengthened, paused or reset depending on the need. Anyone joining the call late can ask the tool for a quick summary of what has already been discussed, and quickly search for relevant information.

It can also create a document based on a particular topic discussed during a call, helping kick-start a new project or brainstorm ideas, as helping you manage any action items assigned by capturing details in the Notes app.

For those on the move, Facilitator can also instantly capture, transcribe, and organize in-person meeting notes, complete with speaker distinction and actionable recaps, directly from your mobile device.

Once a call is done, Facilitator can also review any content it generated during the meeting, which can be accessed in a separate recap menu, and shared among participants.

Facilitator is in public preview for selected customers now - the company added that a Microsoft 365 Copilot license will be required to add Facilitator to a meeting or turn it on during a meeting. However, any meeting participant (excluding external participants) can see all real-time updates in Chat and Notes.

Via WindowsLatest

• The Blood Message trailer shown in the Summer Game Fest 2026 live show was a surprising highlight
• It demonstrated impressive visual fidelity and cinematic combat, which many fans praised in the comments
• Director of global publishing Jeff Hu says the team is "very excited" by the warm reception

For many, Blood Message was a surprising highlight of the Summer Game Fest 2026 live show. Its latest story trailer was extremely visually impressive, showing off a high level of visual fidelity and glimpses of incredibly cinematic combat.

The footage has now racked up more than three million views on the official Blood Message YouTube channel, with an extremely warm reception from fans.

There are hundreds of comments from viewers, with many praising everything from the realistic graphics to the Ancient China setting. "This looks incredible!" wrote one commenter. "Also, love the attention to detail on historical clothing, arms, and armor."

Another added that "If the gameplay graphics and combat are similar to this, it's going to be the game of the generation, period."

One simply put: "This is how I imagined next gen".

The trailer was soon followed by the release of 19 minutes of pure gameplay footage, which is now sitting at over 10 million views on YouTube.

It seems to have left some viewers in awe, with one writing: "The way the camera dynamically adapts to the environment and the flow of combat is unreal! The transitions are so seamless I can't even comprehend how they pulled it off. I’ve literally never seen anything like this before."

In an exclusive interview with TechRadar Gaming, senior director of global publishing Jeff Hu said that the team has been basking in the praise.

"We saw some YouTube reactions," he revealed. "We are very excited to see that they love this story, love our game, and love the combat itself. It gives us a very big confidence [boost]."

We'll have to wait and see whether this confidence is well placed when Blood Message launches on consoles and PC at a later date.

Palantir CEO Alex Karp has hit out at the state of the AI industry, saying it was "effing insane" that the technology is being used in areas such as military and national security.

In a heated interview with CNBC Squawk Box, the controversial billionaire also hit out at top AI firms such as OpenAI, claiming he had spoken to major CEOs outside of the industry who were "livid" at how some companies are doing business.

Karp also accused some major AI companies of imposing a “wealth tax” on businesses by charging high fees for their services, all while collecting data which may be used to improve their own AI models and tools.

Karp's ire was particularly focused on the token model being used by the likes of Anthropic and OpenAI, especially as costs continue to rise, but companies look for a better return on their investment.

“I’m not throwing shade at them, but something has gone completely wrong,” he said. “The basic view among enterprises in this country is I’m going to chillax and waste my time with tokens.”

This includes a range of Chinese firms, with Karp warning the US not to underestimate the speed of progress being seen at its great rival.

Rising AI prices have led many businesses to pivot towards building and training their own models, rather than relying on outside providers, with so-called "open weight" models able to perform at a fraction of the cost.

Karp's frustration was clearly visible, with one CNBC host commenting, “You sound pretty angry,” with the CEO responding, “This is the voice of American business that is being channeled through me.” 

To shore up its own support, Palantir recently announced a major partnership with Nvidia which will see the latter's AI services used to create custom models for US government agencies.

“What aligns me with Nvidia, and I think is what the technical customers want, which is control over their compute, their models, their data stack and their alpha,” Karp told CNBC. “They want to know they own the means of production. It’s not being transferred to someone else.”

This follows recent criticism by the US government of firms such as Anthropic, whose Mythos 5 and Fable 5 AI models were deemed a national security risk and shut down shortly after release.

Karp went on to criticize the US government for its reliance on AI companies in creating new technology for the military and national security.

“Are we really going to outsource the battlefield of this country to the consensus view in Silicon Valley? That is effing insane," he noted.

The best streaming services have added plenty of new movies to their library in July and, as always, there are some horror gems among them.

Many of these horror movies were released at the beginning of July, meaning you can stream them immediately. Others require a bit of a wait, but based on their trailers alone, I'm sure they'll be worth it.

Here are the horror movies I recommend checking out in July 2026.

When: July 1
Where: Netflix (US); rent or buy (UK, AU)

Talk to Me was a hugely successful debut from filmmaking brothers Danny and Michael Philippou. After starting out on YouTube, they released this feature film and scared people all over the world.

It follows a group of teenagers as they discover they can contact spirits via a mysterious embalmed hand. They become hooked on the thrill of it until a seemingly innocent party game gets out of control and someone unleashes terrifying supernatural forces. Their second movie, Bring Her Back, is just as good, and you can find it on HBO Max.

When: July 1
Where: Prime Video (US); Paramount+ (UK); rent or buy (AU)

Brad Pitt's zombie movie World War Z is a perfect choice if you want a blend of action and horror. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Max Brooks, and follows Pitt's character Gerry — a former United Nations investigator who travels the world seeking a solution for a zombie apocalypse.

It was a huge box office success at the time of its release, and now you can watch it across the best streaming services. This is one of the zombie movies I go back to, as it's a shot of pure adrenaline.

When: July 1
Where: Netflix (US); rent or buy (UK, AU)

Robert Eggers' The Witch is streaming on Netflix, and considering the trailer for his new movie Werewulf dropped recently, now is the perfect time to watch his first folk horror movie.

Eggers is a huge name in the horror genre now, where he has become known for his love of period settings and mythology. This brilliant horror was also the feature film debut for lead star Anya Taylor-Joy, where she plays a woman who lives in a Puritan family and is accused of being a witch. Keep an eye out for Black Philip too, my favorite character of the bunch.

When: July 1
Where: Paramount+ (US, UK); rent or buy (AU)

Gore Verbinski's The Ring is a remake of the iconic Japanese horror, but it's no less brilliant. The English-language version has become a staple among many horror fans, and now you can relive the terrifying moments on Paramount+.

The well loved (and feared) movie follows a journalist who discovers a cursed VHS tape that causes its viewers to die seven days later. It's a classic for a reason and if you haven't seen it yet, I strongly recommend it.

When: July 17
Where: Shudder (worldwide)

Exit 8 is one of the great liminal-focused horrors that was released this year, and you can now relive the nightmare on Shudder. I loved this adaptation of the classic horror game, as we follow a man trapped in a never-ending subway tunnel.

Despite taking place in one location, it will leave you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out if escape is possible for our poor protagonist, known only as The Lost Man. In my interview with director Genki Kawamura he described it as being "like purgatory", and I couldn't agree more.

When: July 24
Where: Shudder (worldwide)

Saccharine taps into the dangerous world of extreme weight-loss trends, and this one is especially disturbing. We follow Hana, a medical student who begins eating human ashes in an effort to lose weight quickly.

If that wasn't strange enough, it gets even stranger. Hana soon finds herself terrorized by the ghost of the person she's eating, making this a unique and truly frightening supernatural horror movie.

When: July 31
Where: Shudder (worldwide)

Finally, Nightborn arrives on Shudder at the end of the month. Here, Seidi Haarla and Rupert Grint star as new parents living in the Finnish forest. We follow them over the course of one year as they discover that there's something wrong with their baby.

Nightborn explores well-known horror themes like anxieties around motherhood. Director Hanna Bergholm has done this before with the brilliant movie Hatching, and I'm excited to see where her latest story goes.

The popularity of compact portable SSDs has made them a mainstay of storage options; after all, they’re relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and for the most part, simply plug-in ready for use. With the latest design evolution, many models now feature a MagSafe connector, enabling you to attach them directly to the back of your mobile device.

However, this ultraportable and compact design means that whilst you can always carry them with you, and they’re robust enough to do so, they are far easier to lose than more traditional desktop solutions.

There are, of course, software encryption options which, off the shelf, will stop your general user from accessing the contents of your drives. But with a little time and some freely downloadable software from the internet, most software encryption is easy enough to overcome. However, if you do want more security for your portable SSD, for your work files, videos and other content, then the likes of the Lexar Touch Portable SSD, which includes 128-bit AES hardware encryption, are a great option.

Whilst there are many portable SSDs that offer similar levels of file security, this portable SSD differs by featuring an NFC chip that lets you quickly unlock the drive without entering any PIN codes or passwords.

It works through an initial setup: download the Lexar app, connect to the SSD via the included USB-C cable, and set up the simple NFC touch, which will later enable you to quickly unlock the device once it’s connected to either a mobile phone or a computer.

There are a few things to consider: unlike some other secure portable SSDs, this one can only be unlocked by the phone with the app installed. Whilst you do have a recovery process during the setup process, it makes it far more secure than many other options on the market. The fact is, this is hardware encryption, so without unlocking the drive, any machine you plug it into won’t recognise that it is even attached. It’s only once that connection has been made with a tap of the phone that you’ll be able to see and access the contents of the drive.

The hardware encryption is exceptional, and none of my off-the-shelf software could access the contents of the drive.

One downside about secure drives is that speed, and sure enough, speeds are relatively limited; whilst we’ve come to expect SSDs with transfer rates of 1000MB/s+, here you’re lucky to hit 400MB/s for read and far less for write, which also limits how you can use this as a working SSD.

Used alongside all newer iPhones and Android devices, you’ll be able to record video in log video quality perfectly well. But if you switch over to the iPhone 17 Pro, then not all of those log frame rates will be available to you due to those limited transfer rates. Likewise, if you’re thinking this would be a great solution to use in combination with your video cameras when shooting productions, just for an added level of security, then the transfer rate lags a little too much.

It's not the best portable SSD on the market - but it is one of the simplest and cheapest encrypted drives I've ever used. As long as you’re not trying to push what you’re doing with this portable SSD and are just using it to transfer secure files for work, then it is an exceptionally good drive. If you’re looking at it as a portable, secure working drive, those speeds will be limiting.

• How much does it cost? From $100 / £100
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available from retailers including Amazon

The Lexar TouchLock is in 512GB and 1TB capacity models from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, with prices started at $100 / £100.

There's also a 2TB model listed on Lexar's site.

• Value: 5 / 5

Capacity options: 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
Connectivity: USB 3.2 Gen 1, NFC phone authentication
Encryption: 128-bit AES hardware encryption
Size: 1.4oz (40g)
Weight: 3.37 x 2.09 x 0.28in (85.6mm x 53mm x 7mm)

The Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD is a premium storage device designed for use with both your mobile phone and your laptop. The design features a high-quality metal-effect casing that gives the device a good, solid feel, and includes a MagSafe connector on the back that enables it to quickly attach to the back of your mobile phone. Due to the device's slim design, it’s extremely comfortable to hold even with the drive in place.

When it comes to the size and dimensions, it’s extremely light. The unit weighs 1.4oz (40g) for the drive itself (for the one-terabyte version reviewed), and the USB-C cable weighs 7g, bringing the grand total to 47g. In terms of size, it’s obviously been designed to fit neatly on the back of your mobile phone, and it measures 3.37 x 2.09 x 0.28in (85.6mm x 53mm x 7mm).

The drive, as well as being usable with your mobile phone, is compatible with any laptop or, for that matter, desktop PC. It features a standard USB-C connector, and Lexar includes a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter in the box.

What marks this portable SSD out from most others is its NFC security TouchLock, which requires your mobile phone and the Lexar app to be installed to unlock the drive and recognise it by your mobile phone or the computer it’s attached to.

• Design: 4 / 5

As a compact, rugged, lightweight portable storage device, the Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD stands out from the majority of others with features such as dual-layer encryption and fortified data protection.
What this means is that when you connect the portable SSD to your computer or mobile device, unlike most others, it isn’t instantly recognised. Even if you go into Disk Utility to search for connected devices, this portable SSD won’t appear. It is completely locked until you unlock it using the dedicated Lexar app.

Activating NFC and AES encryption for the drive is all handled during the initial setup process, which enables the NFC chip in the portable SSD and your mobile phone to communicate when they’re tapped together, acting as a key to access the drive's contents.

Lexar has ensured that the drive has wide compatibility, so whilst it features a MagSafe connector on the back that enables you to connect it directly to an iPhone, a metal ring is included in the box to attach it to an Android phone. It’s also widely compatible with other mobile phones, tablets and even desktop PCs.

The overall quality is good and solid. Whilst it might not be waterproof, it has been tested to withstand a two-metre drop and, through the test, proved durable enough for everyday use, being carried around in a camera backpack.

Taking a closer look at the lead feature, multilevel encryption, this is essentially 128-bit AES hardware encryption, which gives you far greater security than standard software encryption methods on most drives.

The Lexar Touch Portable SSD pairs an NFC chip with AES hardware encryption, so you can access the drive only after that connection is made. If, for whatever reason, you try to access the drive using another device, like other hardware-encrypted devices that require passwords, without that NFC tap (as with a password), there’s no access to the contents of the drive.

Lexar highlights that the level of encryption makes it ideal for business professionals, government and enterprise users, or everyday users seeking a higher level of security.

One of the things I like about the feature set is that, like other Lexar storage devices compatible with the Lexar app, it offers all the usual backup options that can be configured. So if you want a secure way to back up your mobile phone, it is perfectly possible. All you need to do is set up the process, connect the drive via USB to your mobile phone, tap to unlock with the NFC chip, and then, through the app, select ‘backup’ and the rest will be handled automatically.

One final point here is that, unlike most portable SSDs, security is the key attraction of this drive. Whilst it is relatively fast at around 400MB/s, it’s slower than the likes of the Lexar ES5 Magnetic Portable SSD, which means that whilst it’s great for archiving and backing up your data, it’s not a great option if you’re looking for a working drive.

• Features: 3.5 / 5

AmorphousDiskMark Read: 391.10MB/s
AmorphousDiskMark Write: 221.94MB/s
AJA System Test Lite Read: 266MB/s
AJA System Test Lite Write: 229MB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Read: 383.10MB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Write: 397.49MB/s

Most portable SSDs require little in the way of setup; just plug them in, and the storage will appear, ready for use on your laptop, desktop, or mobile phone. However, with the Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD, it’s not quite as straightforward because you have to set up the drive's security before you can actually mount the storage on the system you’re using. To do this, first connect it to your mobile phone via the USB-C cable, and make sure your mobile phone has an NFC chip; otherwise, you won’t have the key to unlock the drive.

The next step is to download the Lexar app. Then, as long as the SSD is connected, the app will detect the drive when you start it. You then run through the setup process, including the final step: saving your recovery key, a long string of words used if you need to set up the SSD on another device.

Once everything is done, in place and registered, the drive is ready to use. On your mobile phone, you simply plug it in, tap where the NFC chip is, and the SSD will then be ready for use, to back up your files or record video footage if you're using an iPhone with a Lightning port, although there are limitations for the latest iPhone model due to the video file size and data rates.

If, however, you’re connecting it to your laptop or desktop machine, once it’s connected, tap the unlock pad on the drive with your mobile phone's NFC and the drive will unlock and mount.

One thing I noticed right away: for the NFC chip to work and unlock the SSD, you need the Lexar app installed and open. You can’t just pick up your mobile phone and tap the NFC area on the SSD for it to unlock; you need to unlock the phone, access the Lexar app, select the Lexar TouchLock SSD option, and then tap the lock. It’s not a long process, but it’s not the one-touch I was hoping for. However, once the SSD is unlocked, essentially, it’s like any other portable SSD.

As I ran through a series of tests, I noted that the speed, whilst good at around 400MB/s for read speeds, the write speeds on the Mac averaged around 200MB/s, lagging well behind most other recent portable SSDs, and this is no doubt due to the level of security in place. This means it's a great portable SSD for storing and archiving sensitive data. However, if you’re looking at this as a secure working drive, then those transfer rates will be a bit limiting. If you were thinking of using this with one of the many cameras that can utilise external storage, then for many cameras, those transfer rates are below the minimum requirements needed to capture the latest video.

Once I copied some content to the review sample's 1 TB of storage, I unplugged and plugged it into a PC and tried to access the files with a variety of software. Unlike software-encrypted devices that still mount and appear in the drive listings, here the drive wouldn’t be recognised by the computer until the NFC lock was tapped. This made it far more secure than all software-encrypted drives, and a great option.

After giving the drive a good test, there was one big question I had to answer: what if I needed to post my secure files to my accountant, or if I was working on a project that required sending them securely? It seemed the drive itself could be transported, and the contents would be nice and secure, but my main question was: could it be unlocked at the other end without using my phone, which had the NFC key set up?

The simple answer is: while you can set up the Lexar app on another device, you’ll need the recovery key to do so. It does take a little time to select all the options, but as long as you have the recovery key you saved at the outset, you can send it to another party. When they receive the drive, they can install the app, use the recovery key to set it up, and then unlock the drive.

The pure simplicity of the Lexar Touch Portable SSD makes it exceptionally straightforward, and, from my point of view, it’s very much a personal device rather than one to be used by a business. The reason is that you set it up for a single user, and if you are thinking about posting it, then the process is a little convoluted. Other secure drives have a far more fluid system, enabling admin users and user accounts to be set up with different passwords and access levels, whereas here, through the Lexar app device management, you only really get the option to change the name of the drive and the password, so from that perspective, things are rather limited.

However, if you’re looking for a good, solid, very secure portable SSD for everyday use, then the Lexar Touch Portable SSD is a good, lightweight and secure option.

• Performance: 4 / 5

The Lexar Touch Portable SSD is a neat and stylish secure drive that will suit individuals, small businesses, and anyone looking to secure their files. Throughout this review, it was clear that this is more of a personal secure drive than one used by enterprises or larger businesses. There’s no mass management, admin user access, or access rights for different sections of the drive. It’s more just a hardware-encrypted drive, you plug it in and use NFC to lock and unlock.

Once you start to look at it from this perspective, it’s a very solid choice. Considering the cost of secure drives, it’s exceptionally well priced, with a good range of capacities from 512GB to 2TB, which, for most documentation, will be absolutely fine. However, if you are looking to store multimedia and larger files, then that 2TB top capacity might be a little limiting.

Likewise, whilst this is a secure drive, the transfer rates, fast compared with traditional HDDs, are around 400MB/s, slower than a standard SSD. So if you are looking to use this as a working drive, then again, it might be a little limiting.

The MagSafe connector on the back makes it usable with mobile devices. Whilst it’s very good for backing up your mobile phone data and for recording some log video, again, with the latest iPhone 17, those transfer rates are a little limiting.

However, for everyday users looking for a portable SSD that offers far more protection than your average storage device, this is a very compact, lightweight, and secure option.

Value

Compared to the competition, this hardware-encrypted portable SSD is excellent value

5

Design

Stylish, slimline design that makes it ultra-portable and useful with mobile devices

4

Features

A limited range of features focused on simple, easy-to-use security 

3.5

Performance

Excellent hardware encryption security, decent build quality, and okay transfer speed 

4

Overall

An exceptionally well-priced hardware-encrypted drive, great for secure backups

4

Password-free security
You want your drive locked by default, without having to type in passwords or use complex encryption apps.

iPhone-friendly setup
You like the idea of a MagSafe-style drive that can sit neatly on a phone for securely transporting and storing content.

You capture the Log video.
The latest mobile phones require higher transfer rates than this portable SSD can deliver to capture the latest log video.

No advanced options
If you're looking to equip staff with a secure portable SSD, then the lack of administration management will be an issue.

For more storage solutions, we've tested out the best external hard drives and the best rugged drives.