Edit and customize PDFs in a flexible easy-to-use working environment.

Adobe Acrobat Standard offers all the tools you’d need to edit and manipulate a PDF file (more advanced options are reserved for the Pro version). As it stands, it’s a well designed multi-platform app, with a wealth of easy-to-use features. If you’re looking for a versatile tool – and don’t mind subscribing to it – it’s definitely worth checking out.

Pros

• +Multi-platform
• +Wealth of options
• +Easy to use
• +Flexible and customizable

Cons

• -Not the cheapest of subscriptions
• -Some high end tools reserved for the Pro version
• -Not all formats are supported

Adobe Acrobat – the original PDF reader and editor – today comes in three distinct versions for a variety of different use-cases. But Acrobat Standard with the broadest appeal for document management.

In our Acrobat Reader review, we explored Adobe’s basic PDF viewer, while our Adobe Acrobat Pro review looked at the best-for-business option. Adobe Acrobat Standard sits in the middle of this line-up, as PDF creation and editing software capable of delivering most tools for most users, in both casual and professional settings.

We’ve long-rated Acrobat as the best PDF editor – but how does it compare to the competition in 2024? We put Adobe’s top tool to the test.

ADOBE ACROBAT STANDARD: PRICE & PLANS

Subscription-based software that’s pricier than some of the competition.

As with most Adobe products, you’ll need a subscription to get the most from Acrobat. But it’s not like the the Reader and Pro versions.

As mentioned in our Adobe Acrobat Reader review, Adobe’s basic PDF viewer is free, while Acrobat Pro offers you a free trial. To get to grips with Adobe Acrobat Standard, however, you have to subscribe. There is no free trial, no free anything. Thankfully, you can request a refund after 14 days, but that still requires effort on the subscriber’s part to remember to cancel in time when trying an app out.

Alternatively, you can opt to get Pro’s free trial to get a sense of the Standard offering. Aside from a handful of features such as bulk e-signature requests, and admin tools to manage teams, the toolset is virtually identical.

If you decide Adobe Acrobat Standard is for you, you have a choice from the usual Adobe subscription plans: annual paid monthly, monthly, and annual plans are available (and, as you’d expect, paying upfront for the year is the cheapest option).

The price is quite a lot more expensive than some of its competition, such as Easeus PDF Editor, FoxIt PDF Editor, or ILovePDF, but you get a good amount for your money if you’re a PDF power-user.

Pricing & plans: 3.5/5

ADOBE ACROBAT STANDARD: INTERFACE

Simple, and easy to find the tools you’re after, while offering you a soupçon of customization

If you’re familiar with Adobe Acrobat Reader, you’ll feel right at home in Adobe Acrobat Standard, and the same will be true should you ever jump to Adobe Acrobat Pro. But unlike Acrobat Reader, all the tools on display actually work – rather than a bid to entice you to upgrade. It might be the one of the best free PDF readers for now, but for any real document management, Acrobat Standard or Pro are all but essential.

Acrobat’s sidebar on the left gives you quick access to your files, those you’ve recently worked on or read, those that reside in your online Adobe Cloud Storage, any Agreements you’ve signed or requested a signature for, and files stored on your computer, some support for some of the best cloud storage services, such as Box, Dropbox, GoogleDrive, OneDrive and SharePoint.

Click on ‘Recent’ to see a handful of available tools, like ‘Edit PDF’, ‘Create PDF’, and ‘Combine Files’, but if you want to see all available options, click on the ‘Tools’ tab, to the right of the ‘Home’ tab, top left of the interface. If you’re already in the ‘Recent’ section, you also have an ‘See All Tools’ button to the right which does the same thing.

These tools are listed by category, depending on what you need to do, and their titles are self explanatory: ‘Edit & Create’, ‘Forms & Signature’, ‘Share & Review’, etc. To the right you’ll find a sidebar with another list or commonly used tools. That sidebar is totally customizable: reorder the list by dragging items up or down, remove tools you don’t need, and add some not currently displayed by selecting them from the main list. This helps you focus on the main tools you find yourself using all the time.

Interface: 4/5

ADOBE ACROBAT STANDARD: TOOLS

An example of good design – a wealth of tools are well-organized, versatile, and easy to use, coupled with a flexible interface designed to work the way you do

You may think that Adobe Acrobat Standard only lets you work on one particular function at a time, but this would be to misunderstand the underlying elegance of the software. Sure, each tool has its own icon, and you can customize the sidebar to the right as discussed above, but that doesn’t mean the functionalities are segregated.

Take the ‘Combine Files’ tool for instance. As its name implies, this is where you import multiple PDFs and merge them into one. But what if you’d like to remove some pages, or reorder others? Do you have to click on another icon for that? Well, no. Once you’re in the editing section, you are actually free to do pretty much whatever you like with your PDF. So you can reorder and delete pages from the ‘Combine Files’ section. You can also annotate, or even edit the existing text and images, without having to select another tool. All your editing options are available via the toolbar at the top.

Some tools will reveal another toolbar, like the ‘Edit Text & Images’ icon, but you can do everything you need to do without having to interact with the right sidebar… unless you want to of course.

Access a tool like ‘Combine’, and notice you can use others right from its interface, offering you great flexibility in the way you work (Image credit: Adobe)

It’s this kind of flexibility of working that we love in a well designed app: you’re offered multiple ways of performing the same action, and it’s up to you to decide which one fits your workflow best, without that being forced upon you by a developer.

So, Adobe Acrobat Standard is an incredibly well-designed and flexible software, which aims to help you manipulate, annotate, and edit PDFs. You’re able to do the simplest things, from transforming a PDF into a variety of other formats, such as Word, Excel, JPG, HTML and a few others, to creating a file from scratch, and everything in between, including filing in and signing PDFs. The list is pretty extensive and what’s best is how easy and intuitive the tools are to use.

Considering Adobe created the format, it’s little surprise they’d design a best-in-class application to manipulate it – even in the face of some of the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives. It’s obviously far better than Acrobat Reader which mostly felt to us like an advert for this software. This is Acrobat as you expect it to be, with a wide array of tools to help you work in the PDF format and achieve what you need to achieve – mostly.

There are a few limitations, most of which are covered by the ‘Pro’ version, such as converting files into the PDF format, redacting information, and comparing two versions of a PDF. Such functions are deemed by Adobe to be higher end, and should not be needed by the vast majority of its target audience, unless of course they do, which is where Acrobat Pro comes in.

SHOULD I BUY?

Adobe Acrobat Standard during our review process.

You can transform a PDF file into a wide number of other formats, from Microsoft, to HTML, to images and more besides (Image credit: Adobe)

BUY IT IF…

You need a well designed piece of software that allows you to work with a PDF file, from basic management, to filing in and signing documents, to creating some from scratch.

DON’T BUY IT IF…

You’d rather save money with the best free PDF editors, or your document modifications are more modest – Acrobat is full of features, and you may not need them all.

ADOBE ACROBAT STANDARD: ALTERNATIVES

We’ve tested a range of Acrobat substitutes – and our top-rated apps include:

pdfFiller, a surprisingly feature-rich web-based editing tool.

EaseUS PDF Editor, which offers a low-cost annual subscription compared to PDF24 Creator, which is our favorite, feature-filled PDF tool you can use completely free.

The post Adobe Acrobat Standard (2024) Review appeared first on Review Products.

This rugged laptop has been designed for professional workspaces away from the comfort of office life.

The Durabook S15 is a rugged laptop designed for professionals needing a computer that will work in environments that aren’t always ideal for normally delicate computing equipment, and it can do this without compromising on performance. Its robust construction, complying with MIL-STD-810H standards, ensures reliability in challenging environments, while the high-performance Intel Core processor offers decent computing power. The large 15.6″ FHD DynaVue sunlight-readable display enables easy outdoor screen visibility. Unlike other rugged laptops, the Durabook keeps things lightweight and relatively slimline, making it highly portable, especially with the carry handle. Overall, the S15 is a versatile, durable, and powerful enough computing solution for field and industrial professionals.

Pros

• +High-end performance
• +Durable design
• +Bright display for outdoor use

Cons

• -Not waterproof
• -Average camera
• -Limited processing power

DURABOOK S15: 30-SECOND REVIEW

SPECS:-

• CPU: Intel Core i5 (12th Gen)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe; Optional NVIDIA Quadro T1000
• RAM: 32GB – Up to 64GB (4800 MHz DDR5)
• Storage: 500GB (256GB-2TB NVMe PCIe SSD; Optional 2nd/3rd storage)
• Rear Ports: Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 (Type A/C), HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, Serial, Nano-SIM, DC-In
• Front Ports: Audio in/out, microSD card
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth V5.3; Optional GPS, 4G/5G
• Audio: Integrated microphone, High Definition Audio, Speakers
• Camera: Optional 2.0/5.0 MP; IR for Windows Hello
• Size: 375mm x 273mm x 29.5mm; Weight: 2.6kg
• OS installed: Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
• Accessories: Various, including SSDs, Docking Stations, Adapters

The Durabook S15 strikes a fine balance between rugged durability and a sleek, slimline design. Its build quality is reassuring and reinforces its capability to withstand challenging conditions; it’s also a reflection of its rugged aesthetics.

WIth plenty of experience testing the best rugged laptops, one aspect that really stands out is how this model is impressively adaptable, offering customisation options, including CPU and GPU variations at the time of purchase. Our test of the base model, equipped with an Intel i5 CPU and Intel Iris XE GPU, demonstrated sufficient flexibility with ample RAM, 32GB, and storage expansion options. Despite not being waterproof, its IP5X rating highlights its resilience in tough environments.

In use, the S15 effortlessly handles office tasks and internet browsing, with Windows operating smoothly across various applications. However, its base GPU does show limitations when pushed with graphically intensive tasks, a gap filled by the optional NVIDIA Quadro T1000 variant for those needing extra power. Durability tests, including repeated drop tests, underscore its robustness, easily surviving falls from typical working heights.

In essence, the Durabook S15 very much feels like that link between the refined style of the best business laptops we’ve tried and the durability of full-on rugged models. While it may struggle with high-end gaming or demanding CAD applications, its core strength lies in its tough build and operational flexibility. Durabook offers enhanced versions if you are looking for additional power, which makes the S15 a versatile choice for professionals who require a durable yet capable laptop.

DURABOOK S15: PRICE & AVAILABILITY

The Durabook S15 Semi-Rugged Laptop is available online from both the official Durabook site and elsewhere. Expect prices of around $2000 / £1800 plus.

Score: 4/5

DURABOOK S15: DESIGN & BUILD

The Durabook S15’s design is instantly recognisable as rugged, with the style highlighting the durable nature of the machine and how it is tailored to demanding field environments. Its exterior is notably tough, featuring a large, easy-to-use lever lock on the lid that ensures the laptop remains closed even when dropped, and it’s designed in such a way that it’s unlikely to be accidentally released.

The laptop’s build quality is reflected in design elements such as the toughened corners and overall sturdy construction. It is designed to withstand a significantly higher degree of physical stress compared to standard laptops, including resistance to knocks, scratches, and bashes, of which it sustained quite a few through the test.

This durability is not just superficial; the attention to detail extends to the protection of vital components. All ports on the S15 are safeguarded by strong plastic doors, ensuring they remain free from dust and damage. This includes the expansion slot, which is versatile enough to accommodate traditional optical drives or a range of other drive types, such as NVMe SSDs. The laptop even supports RAID array configurations, demonstrating Durabook’s commitment to providing flexible and practical solutions for field use.

One user-friendly feature is the inclusion of a convenient carry handle, making the laptop extremely easy to transport. This may seem like a minor addition, but for professionals working in field conditions, such convenience is invaluable. Overall, the Durabook S15’s design and build quality clearly reflect a deep understanding of the challenging environments it is intended for, offering a highly functional and robust computer for on-site professionals.

Design: 4.5/5

DURABOOK S15: FEATURES

The Durabook S15 is a decent blend of rugged durability and computing power, designed to meet the needs of professionals in demanding field environments. One of the standout features of the S15 is its incredibly thin and light profile, which is unusual for a rugged laptop. Despite weighing just 2.6kg and being only 29.5mm thin, it does not compromise on strength. It can endure a 4-foot drop and is both IP5X and MIL-STD-810H certified, ensuring reliability in challenging field conditions.

When using laptops outside, being able to see the screen clearly is essential, and here, the S15 features a 15.6-inch Full HD DynaVue sunlight-readable display, offering up to 1,000 nits brightness, making it perfect for outdoor use. Inside powering the graphics is Intel Iris Xe graphics, offering the average graphics processing speed that’s required for standard Windows operation. For professionals needing more graphics power, such as in rendering or CAD applications, there’s an option to upgrade to the NVIDIA Quadro T1000 at the time of purchase.

Mobility is a key aspect of the S15’s design, with options for 4G LTE or 5G cellular connections, along with Bluetooth V5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. For remote workers, the optional built-in GPS is a great addition, providing accurate location tracking. The laptop also features a long-life battery, capable of operating up to 12 hours of standard use, and the option of a bridge battery for swapping in the field, which is crucial for many industries.

Beyond just being a laptop, the S15 can transform into a mobile workstation. It can be equipped with up to three storage drives, supporting RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations. The flexibility extends to its media bay, which can be converted into an ExpressCard 54 slot, broadening its use.

The connectivity and security features of the S15 include an array of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Type-A/-C, HDMI, and VGA, ensuring easy connection in any work setting. Security is paramount, with multi-factor authentication options like Windows Hello webcam, RFID/NFC, smartcard, and fingerprint readers safeguarding sensitive data.

The ergonomic design of the S15 includes a 98-key membrane keyboard with a dedicated numeric keypad and optional LED backlight. Finally, the S15 offers expandability, and it can be configured with a dedicated graphics card for specialised tasks like graphics rendering and CAD programs and configured with additional connectivity options like a 2nd RJ-45 and a 2nd RS-232 port, making it an adaptable tool in an evolving mobile work environment. These are all added at the time of purchase and are not additions to the laptop you can make later.

Features: 4/5

DURABOOK S15: PERFORMANCE

BENCHMARKS

• Crystal Disk Read: 3647.40MB/s
• Crystal Disk Write: 2200.13MB/s
• GeekBench CPU Single: 3970
• GeekBench CPU Multi: 1871
• GeekBench Compute: 8727
• PC Mark: 4314
• CineBench CPU Multi: 4147
• CineBench CPU Single: 1374
• Fire Strike Overall: 2581
• Fire Strike Graphics: 3053
• Fire Strike Physics: 9825
• Fire Strike Combined: 791
• Time Spy Overall: 929
• Time Spy Graphics: 830
• Time Spy CPU: 2895
• Wild Life: 5757
• Windows Experience: 8.1

The Durabook S15 delivers a robust performance across various benchmarks, indicative of its capabilities in handling a range of tasks from basic to moderately demanding applications.

In terms of storage performance, the Crystal Disk scores are quite impressive. The read speed of 3647.40MB/s and write speed of 2200.13MB/s suggest that the S15 is more than capable of handling large files and data-intensive operations swiftly, making it suitable for applications that require quick data access and processing.

The Geekbench scores offer a glimpse into the CPU’s capability. A single-core score of 3970 and a multi-core score of 1871 demonstrate that while the S15 is competent in handling everyday tasks efficiently, it might face some limitations in heavily multi-threaded applications. The computed score of 8727 further underscores its adequacy for general computing tasks.

In the CineBench tests, which are more focused on the CPU’s rendering capabilities, the S15 scores 4147 in multi-core and 1374 in single-core tests. These scores reflect its ability to manage moderately demanding rendering tasks, although it may not be the top choice for highly complex rendering work.

The graphics performance, as indicated by the Fire Strike and Time Spy benchmarks, shows a decent capability with overall scores of 2581 and 929, respectively. The laptop seems to handle standard graphical tasks well, but it might not be optimal for high-end gaming or advanced 3D rendering. The Wild Life score of 5757 further reinforces this perspective.

Lastly, the Windows Experience score of 8.1 is a good indicator of the laptop’s overall capability to provide a smooth user experience for most typical applications and tasks.

The Durabook S15 appears to be a solid performer for everyday professional tasks, including data management and basic graphical applications. It offers quick storage speeds and decent CPU and GPU performance, making it a reliable choice for professionals who require a rugged laptop with balanced performance features. However, for highly demanding graphical or rendering tasks, it might be worth considering models with higher-spec CPUs and GPUs.

As well as the standard computing performance test, this is a tough laptop, and as such, the durability of the S15 also needed to be tested. In the product description, Durabook highlights that the laptop is IP5X rated and drop-proof to 4 feet.

In the first test, the laptop was used in a CNC, laser and 3D print workshop, left between the Bambu Labs A1 and the SnapMaker Artisan with CNC tooling. It was left open to the debris created by the two machines. While most laptops will withstand this amount of dust, it can render keys and ports blocked. Here, due to the design of the keyboard, the dust was not an issue, and a quick shake and vacuum quickly returned the machine to an almost new condition. Likewise, the plastic port covers did their job of keeping dust out.

The next test was to see how the laptop would cope with being used in light rain. It’s worth noting that this is not a waterproof laptop, so time in the rain was kept to five minutes. Here again, the laptop functioned without issue and continued to work after the product shot without issue.

The final test was the drop test here, measuring four feet off the floor. The laptop was dropped, then dropped again, rotated, dropped, etc. and aside from a nasty crack as it hit the stone and then the wooden floor on countless occasions, it seemed to be absolutely fine.

Performance: 3.5/5

SHOULD YOU BUY THE DURABOOK S15?

Deciding whether to purchase the Durabook S15 hinges on your specific needs. Its rugged design, MIL-STD-810H and IP5X certifications make it an ideal if you’re a field professional working in uncontrolled environments, workshops, warehouses and factories.

The inclusion of a 15.6” Full HD DynaVue display and options for Intel Iris Xe or NVIDIA Quadro T1000 graphics make it versatile for a range of professional tasks. Moreover, its lightweight and slim profile defies the typical rugged laptop stereotype, enhancing portability.

However, the S15 might not be the best fit for those requiring a machine for advanced gaming or intensive multimedia tasks like high-end video editing or 3D rendering nor should it be as that’s not it’s key market. While it performs well in standard and moderately demanding applications, its capabilities in handling extremely graphics-intensive tasks are limited. Additionally, the investment cost, which starts relatively high, should be considered, especially if your requirements are more aligned with general computing rather than rugged field use.

Buy it if…

You’re working in the field.

If you’re a professional working in demanding field conditions or rough environments, the Durabook S15 is an excellent choice. Its rugged design, reliable performance, and durable build make it ideal for handling the rigours of outdoor or industrial work.

You have expansive storage needs.

If you require a laptop with versatile storage options, the Durabook S15 is a great choice. It supports up to three storage drives, including options for NVMe PCIe SSDs and traditional SATA SSDs, providing ample space and fast data access.

Don’t buy it if…

You need a machine for advanced gaming and graphics.

The Durabook S15, while robust and efficient for standard tasks, isn’t built for advanced gaming. Its graphics capabilities are limited, making it unsuitable for high-end gaming experiences.

You’re creating complex multimedia projects.

Professionals in fields requiring intensive multimedia creation, like high-resolution video editing or 3D rendering, might find the S15’s performance restrictive. It’s designed more for durability than for high-end creative tasks.

The post Durabook S15 Review appeared first on Review Products.

Read and annotate PDFs for free.

If you’re looking for a free PDF reader which allows you to read such files, fill in and sign forms, and even annotate documents, all while remaining within the Adobe ecosystem, then this app is for you… shame about all the prompts to constantly entice you to upgrade to Acrobat Pro.

Pros

• +Free
• +Multiplatform
• +Easy to use

Cons

• -Disruptive prompts to upgrade
• -Advanced tools are a carrot for Acrobat Pro subscription

The PDF format was created by Adobe Systems, and introduced at the Windows and OS/2 Conference in January 1993. It became an open standard in 2008, which enabled other companies to make PDF-compatible software. However, Adobe Acrobat Reader remains the venerable original – but is it still one of the best free PDF readers we’ve tested? We’re going to take a look.

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: PRICE & PLANS

It’s totally free, but there’s a price to pay in the form numerous prompts urging you to try out Acrobat Pro

There are multiple versions of Acrobat: Reader, Standard, and Pro. Each offers an increasing number of features, each comes in its own dedicated application, and we’ll therefore review them separately.

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC at Amazon for ₹234.82

Reader is the simplest of the bunch, offering the most basic functions, and is designed to be accessed by as many people as possible. As a result, it is offered completely free of charge. Shame about the constant prompts to get you to upgrade, though. It does distract from the otherwise pleasant workflow.

Pricing & plans: 3.5/5

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: INTERFACE

The software’s main window is clean and simple showing you a handful of tools, while reminding you to upgrade to Acrobat Pro

A large clear interface offering you tools which you can’t actually use unless you log on or pay

The interface looks clean and simple. To the left you’ve got a sidebar showing links to various functions, such as any recent documents you’ve worked with within the app, access to your Adobe Cloud Storage, any Agreement documents you’ve dealt with, and links to file storage, either on your hard drive, or via many of the best cloud storage providers, such as Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and SharePoint.

The bulk of the interface to the right will depend on which menu is selected in the sidebar, with ‘Recent’ offering you some tools such as adding comments to a PDF, request an e-signature, or fill and sign a document yourself. You can also open a PDF and simply read it.

The ‘Online Cloud Storage’, which takes up a fair chunk of the sidebar, is only effective when you’ve signed in with your Adobe ID. Top right and lower left are also permanent adverts for you to “try Acrobat Pro, free for 7 days”. You’ll also find a small ‘Create’ tab, top left. This is where you’ll find one of the best Word to PDF converters – but it also works with images. It’s a great tool, for sure… except this isn’t actually available for free: you would have to upgrade to either Standard or Pro to take advantage of such a feature.

But that’s not the only hidden prompt to upgrade you’ll find dotted around the interface. There are many enticing tools offering you to Convert a PDF into a Microsoft format, or Edit a PDF for instance, but none are actually available unless you pay for Standard or Pro.

All of this must be great from a marketing point of view, but is far from user friendly. In fact, the interface feels way too big for the small amount of features you actually have access to with Acrobat Reader.

Interface: 2/5

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: ONLINE ADVANTAGES

Once you’ve logged in, you can easily set up documents and send them for others to fill in and sign – all for free

A generous amount of online storage, and an easier way to request e-signatures. What’s not to like?

Adobe Acrobat Reader really wants you to sign in, so let’s sign in. This can be done any time you select a tool that cannot work without being online, or simply by clicking on the ‘sign in’ button, top right of the interface, just above the large blue ‘Try Acrobat Pro’ button.

The most obvious bonus is gaining access to your ‘Adobe Cloud Storage’. Adobe very generously offers you 2GB of free storage. It’s yours forever. No need to pay for anything in order to get it. So that’s great.

We have to say, though, this is some of the best eSignature software in a PDF reader. Once you’ve signed up and signed in, it’s really easy to add text and signature fields to a document which can then be sent to other people, all handled through Adobe’s Cloud Storage. The recipients do not need an account themselves. This can be most useful.

Online advantages: 4/5

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: FREE TOOLS

Reading a PDF, annotating it, drawing on it, inserting notes, it’s all very easy to achieve.

Let’s take a look at what you can actually do with Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can of course open and read a PDF. This is a very simple function, which offers you the ability to scroll through the document and even search for specific words.

On top of that, you can add comments, make annotations, draw on the page, add shapes, that sort of thing. It’s all incredibly easy to use. You’re even able to change the colour and thickness of what you’re applying to the page.

To the left you’ll find a sidebar, containing tools, most of which you can’t use without paying – again. The little blue asterisk is there, but only when you hover over the menu you’re interested in, so as to hide the fact you can’t actually have access to what’s on offer.

Acrobat Reader can detect fields that need to be filled in, making it easy for you to complete and sign a digital form

When it comes to filling in and signing a form yourself, Adobe Acrobat Reader will automatically highlight the sections that are designed for you to fill in, and if they haven’t been set for you by the sender, you can click on a button and Acrobat Reader will detect the fields automatically. We found this saves a lot of time – your mileage may vary, but we found that automatic detection to be almost flawless.

It’s a shame that many of the other best free PDF editors and readers offer more tools without charge. Apple Preview for instance allows you to combine PDFs, reorder pages, take pages out, place pages into new documents, and convert any file it can open into a PDF. These should be seen as basic functions, not premium ones. Sadly, Adobe thinks you must subscribe in order to gain access to those.

Free tools: 4/5

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: PAID TOOLS

Why offer tools you can’t actually use unless you upgrade to a different piece of Adobe software?

Adobe Acrobat Reader showcases 28 different tools, which sounds fantastic, but the vast majority of these can only really be accessed by upgrading the app to Standard or Pro. Very useful tools like ‘Scan & OCR’, ‘Convert to PDF’, ‘Redact a PDF’, ‘Combine Files’ and many more are there for you to look at, but not for you to use. This is exceedingly frustrating.

Thankfully, those ‘premium’ tools have a small blue asterisk next to their icon to help you discern them. Puzzlingly, ‘Request a Signature’ has such an icon, yet you can use it for free. This leaves 7 tools (8 if you count ‘Request a Signature’) free for you to use. It is frustrating to see this, especially since Adobe’s professional tools are so exceedingly good. Such tactics shouldn’t be needed.

The activity, linked to a document, will show you who has read it and signed it – an easy to follow digital paper trail

BUY IT IF…

You want a PDF reader that offers you a few basic functions that work well, while constantly reminding you its paid-for alternatives have more advanced tools available.

DON’T BUY IT IF…

You don’t want to be constantly reminded of other Adobe apps you can purchase that would allow you to use most of the tools Acrobat Reader displays, but restricts.

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: ALTERNATIVES

We’ve tested the best PDF readers for Windows, the best PDF readers for Android, and the best PDF readers for Mac. So, if you’re looking for an alternative to Reader, we know what to look out for.

First, check our Adobe Acrobat Standard review (or our Acrobat Pro review for business use). This full-featured PDF editor is a vastly superior proposition, packed with all the tools you’ll need for creating, editing, and collaborating on PDF documents.

In our experience, the closest competition – a free PDF reader with a good set of tools – we recommend checking out our Apple Preview review for macOS users and our PDF24 Creator review – it’s one of the best PDF editors on the market and doesn’t cost anything.

The post Adobe Acrobat Reader (2024) Review appeared first on Review Products.

A premium travel tripod offering simple yet outstanding performance.

The Gitzo tripod kit Traveler series 1 is a travel tripod that oozes quality and provides smooth and positive operation with a maximum working height comparable to full-size tripods. It may be expensive, but Gitzo is one of those brands that manufacturers products that could easily last a lifetime. So, in the long term, this could in fact be a highly cost-effective travel tripod.

Pros

• +Excellent build quality
• +Smooth and solid operation
• +Tall, sturdy and lightweight

Cons

• -Expensive
• -No carry bag included
• -Only offers standard features
• Two-Minute Review

Gitzo tripods need no introduction as a premium option, and the Gitzo tripod Traveler series 1 (4 sections) being reviewed here is a travel tripod made for professional use thanks to its excellent build quality, tall height and light weight. This is one of those tripods that doesn’t look remarkable in any way, but as soon as you use it the smoothness of operation alongside the quality materials used identify it as a high-end travel tripod.

With this in mind and before we get into the specifics, the Traveler series 1 is expensive at $680 / £539 / AU$1,154.95. But this is a tripod that could easily last a lifetime thanks to the build quality and the availability of spare parts if something needs to be replaced. Spare part availability isn’t unusual in the tripod world, but when you’re paying this much money for a small tripod it’s reassuring to know that you can replace parts as and when required.

Despite the high price, this tripod doesn’t include a carry bag or case which some photographers may miss. It’s not a major downside because in reality, many photographers simply attach their tripods to a backpack while walking or carry them in their hand, and the Gitzo does include a well-made shoulder strap which is extremely useful.

Gitzo tripods and heads have some, well, utilitarian naming conventions and the official name of the Gitzo tripod kit Traveler, series 1, 4 sections is the GK1545T-82TQD which is a Traveler tripod/head kit that includes the GT1545T Tripod and the GH1382TQD Center Ball Head. I’ve only outlined these names to make it easier to find the kit we’re looking at here because retailers title the kit differently based on their own naming styles.

The Gitzo Traveler Kit is incredibly well made and oozes quality alongside providing stable support up to 64.4in / 163.5cm with the center column extended. This provides a maximum working height comparable to some full-size tripods, which is impressive for a travel tripod that’s just 16.7in / 42.5cm long when folded with a weight of 3.19lbs / 1.45kg.

The minimum height is 12.8in / 32.4cm, although you can get lower with the short plastic center column that’s included with the legs splayed out flat, or by inserting the standard center column into the legs upside down.

Going with four section rigid carbon fiber legs rather than five sections improves overall stability. This, of course, results in a slightly longer folded length, but the positive trade-off here is the additional stability fewer leg sections naturally provide because this means that the sections have a larger diameter.

The maximum payload is 22lbs / 10kg, so the tripod can support a wide range of camera and lens combinations although Gitzo does recommend that 200mm is the maximum focal length that should be used with the tripod and head.

You could undoubtedly go beyond this given the maximum payload, but travel tripod heads are typically smaller than those designed for full-size tripods. So, even when they can accommodate longer focal length lenses, it’s often not going to provide the most reliable shooting experience.

The head itself, like the legs, is exceptionally well made. There’s no friction control for the ball mechanism, but the main locking control provides this depending on how loose it is and a pan lock controls the stiff yet smooth panning movement.

It’s a simple ball head, but it does everything you need and does it smoothly. The plate used is also Arca Swiss compatible so you can use plates from other tripod heads and L brackets. The head can also be tilted over 90 degrees for portrait format shooting with one notch that allows this. This is ultimately a head where the adage ‘less is more’ is at play, but it does what it does well and can’t be faulted for this.

Twist locks for the legs and control knobs on the ball head and the centre column feature a rubberized grip that is comfortable to use, effective and doesn’t require too much twisting to lock and unlock. This doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re adjusting a tripod, speed and comfort can make a huge difference over a long day of shooting.

It feels almost strange to enjoy using a tripod – camera supports are hardly glamorous, they simply need to hold a camera securely. However, the level of quality and the smooth and positive level of operation afforded by the Gitzo make it a premium option worth considering if your budget stretches that far.

It may be is expensive, but it’s far from being one of the most expensive options available. Believe it or not, there are tripods available that cost upwards of $1000 / £1000 so in this context, the Gitzo is arguably well-priced.

Should I buy the Gitzo tripod kit Traveler series 1?

Buy it if…

You want a high-end travel tripod – In the world of tripods, you often get what you pay for so spending as much as you can afford will ultimately get you the best tripod for your budget. The Gitzo tripod Traveler series 1 is, without a doubt, a high-end option.

You need a robust travel tripod – The Gitzo tripod Traveler series 1 may be expensive, but it provides excellent stability and the overall quality means it should provide many years of faithful service.

You use an L bracket –  L brackets that allow you to quickly switch between horizontal and vertical shooting typically use the Arca Swiss style attachment – which is the type of mount the inclluded ball head uses.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re on a budget – At $680 / £539 / AU$1,154.95, the Gitzo Traveler Kit is expensive and will be out of reach for some photographers, but there are many great quality options available at around half of this price if you’re on a budget.

You don’t require a tall travel tripod – With a maximum working height of 64.4in / 163.5cm the Gitzo is tall for a travel tripod, which is extremely useful. But if you never shoot at this height you could find a shorter and even lighter option.

You need a different head type – If you prefer using a different type of tripod head to a ballhead, you can instead purchase the Gitzo GT1545T Tripod on its own and buy the desired head type, such as geared or 3-way, separately.

How I tested the Gitzo tripod kit Traveler series 1:

The Gitzo tripod Traveler series 1 was tested over a period of time using several different camera and lens combinations to test how the tripod stood up to standard use in travel-oriented scenarios. Cameras used included a premium compact, an APS-C mirrorless camera and a full-frame mirrorless camera. The tripod was also carried around with other photographic kit in my f-stop backpack to evaluate performance over longer shoots such as landscapes.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 15 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve been covering photographic accessories such as tripods for many years. As a professional photographer, I frequently use a range of accessories to enhance my photography and bring my working experience of using these to reviews where I can consider how effective photographic accessories are from both a professional and an enthusiast point of view.

The post Gitzo Tripod Traveler Series 1 Review appeared first on Review Products.

A Perfect Road Trip Companion.

70mai’s Hiker 400 power station makes traveling safer and more convenient thanks to a reliable battery, a powerful AC inverter, and a backup flashlight. To complete this great product, an always-on Bluetooth interface brings the station front panel to the user’s fingertips through a snappy mobile app.

Pros

• +Bluetooth low-energy
• +Quiet
• +Small and lightweight

Cons

• -External power adapter
• -NCM based battery

The 70mai Hiker 400 is what everybody wants in a portable power station. It is tiny, lightweight, and can easily fit in a backpack. The plastic case is tough and integrates a small handle. A single fan provides the necessary airflow for the unit, producing barely any noise during regular operation. The NCM battery is not the best available in terms of lifetime, but with a capacity of 378Wh, it has enough energy to charge a laptop over five times.

The technology behind the 400W inverter yields an efficiency of 74% and limits the amount of energy wasted as heat. A built-in Bluetooth low-energy interface controls the unit over a short distance, allowing turning on the built-in flashlight remotely, among other things. The device features four USB ports, but only one is Type-C. Two AC sockets complete the output section.

The 70mai Hiker 400 is available directly from the 70mai online store for $399, or $1.05 per Wh, a high number for an NMC-type power storage solution. It comes with a limited two-year warranty.

Testing the unit consisted of an initial discharge cycle followed by a complete charge. Input power over time when charging was recorded. The unit was again discharged using an AC load at full inverter capacity. The energy provided, in Wh, when compared to the initial charge, gives an idea of the overall efficiency of the power station.

70MAI HIKER 400: DESIGN

The unit ships with a 90W power adapter, a car charger, and a user manual. A curved handle at the top makes carrying the Hiker 400 around easy but renders storing the unit more cumbersome.

HIKER 400: SPECIFICATIONS

• Battery Chemistry: Lithium NCM
• Battery capacity: 378Wh
• Number of charge cycles: Over 1000
• AC output power: 400W, Surge to 800W
• DC output power: 254W
• Number of AC outlets: 2
• Number of DC outlets: 5
• AC inverter efficiency: 74%
• Number of power inputs: 3
• Fastest charge time: 4 hours
• Additional features: Bluetooth LE, Flashlight, ECO mode
• Weight: 3.9kg
• Volume: 7.7L
• Price: $399

A curved top also means losing the ability to place items like smartphones on a flat surface. The unit is well constructed with quality material. Four rubber pads on the bottom prevent the station from moving when cables are connected. The unit measures 22cm x 17.7cm x 19.7cm for a weight of 3.9kg.

The front panel holds the user interface. A high-contrast segmented LCD shows easy-to-understand information while reducing power consumption. The power gauge is displayed centrally. Input and output power and other measurements have a reasonable one-second refresh rate. Icons for Bluetooth, Eco-mode, and timer indicate what features are enabled.

Five push buttons control the unit. The Power and Function buttons are dual-purpose. A long press on Power will turn the unit on or off, while a short press on Function enables the Eco-mode. A long press on Function places the unit in Bluetooth pairing. The remaining three buttons activate electrical sockets or the flashlight. All push buttons light up when active.

The Hiker 400 supports three charging modes totaling 120W of input power. The most convenient charging method remains through the USB Type-C socket, but it takes four hours to complete. The Anderson and 5525 DC inputs both support 12V or 24V, which makes it easy to use a 100W solar panel. The supplied 19V 90W power adapter will take the longest time to charge.

The station provides four USB sockets. A single Type-C socket supports the power distribution mode of up to 100W. In addition, three USB-A sockets offer 5V for a maximum power of 18W. The other DC outputs are a 5521 and a carport, supplying the same regulated 13.6V supply at 10A. Two 120V AC outputs supply 400W under regular operation and can boost to 800W for short durations.

70MAI HIKER 400: IN USE

The 70mai mobile app, available for Android and Apple phones, enables the station’s remote control but requires registration. Installation of the Hiker 400 is easy thanks to clear on-screen instructions. Two icons representing the Bluetooth and smartphone modes appear on the LCD, indicating that the app is connected to the station. Turning off the station does not disconnect the Bluetooth.

With features such as an Economic mode and a power passthrough, the Hiker 400 makes the most out of its small footprint. In the Economic mode or Eco, the station turns off unused outputs after a predefined time. The power passthrough uses the DC input to power devices connected to the station, bypassing the Lithium battery and reducing its wear.

The power station was tested using programmable AC and DC loads to get its overall efficiency. Ideally, this should be 100%, but due to the heating of internal parts and using an active cooler, this number oscillates around 80%. The Hiker 400 earns a respectable 85% when using the DC output, which decreases to 75% in AC mode. The difference is explained by having the fan operating when using the AC inverter. The noise level of the fan at one meter is around 45 dB.

70MAI HIKER 400: THE COMPETITION

Portable power stations capable of less than 1000W used to be rare, their primary purpose being as an emergency power source on the road or at home. The Hiker 400 is ideal for this situation with its small volume and lightweight. The battery chemistry works down to -10 degrees Celsius, making it hard to use on cold winter days.

The Bluetti EB3A is the power station to beat with a price similar to the Hiker 400. Equipped with Bluetooth, it lacks an Anderson input, which limits the type of solar panel it can work with, and more importantly, the battery is limited to 268Wh.

70MAI HIKER 400: FINAL VERDICT

The Hiker 400 provides good battery capacity and inverter power in a small volume. The unit’s versatility is on full display thanks to the Bluetooth low-energy connection. It is an excellent feature since the device rarely loses connection with a paired smartphone. The well-designed mobile app also stands out with no bugged functionality. At 75% in AC mode, the system’s overall efficiency is what one can expect at this price point.

The battery chemistry could be better, but an NMC type still provides at least two years of full capacity, even with daily charge and discharge cycles. Although we liked the passthrough feature, it could have been better as the power is limited to 120W. Having an external power adapter is also something competition tries to avoid as it means an extra item to carry around.

The post 70Mai Hiker 400 Review appeared first on Review Products.

Feel limited by your laptop’s screen size? The Portable Monitor Flex 14 in offers a quick and easy way to expand your desktop real estate.

The Portable Monitor Flex 14in stands out with a premium build and versatile triple-monitor setup, accommodating 11″ to 18″ laptops. Quick to install and compatible with various systems, it offers solid 1080p performance, good colour rendition, and excellent image quality.

Pros

• +Simple to use
• +Solid build and high-quality materials

Cons

1. -Limited to 1080p resolution
2. -sRGB Colour space
3. -Heavy

THE PORTABLE MONITOR FLEX 14IN: ONE-MINUTE REVIEW

One of the biggest issues with working on a laptop is the relatively small screen size. Even with a larger 16″ screen, the actual real estate quickly disappears as soon as you open more than one window or app. The solution is The Portable Monitor Flex 14in, which is quite unlike any other compact portable monitor.

Firstly, the build quality is designed to partly match the space grey and metal casing of the best MacBook Pro laptops, a design also reflected in many PC laptops. However, while it tries to blend in colour and material with Apple’s design ethos, it doesn’t quite match the quality of Apple’s product design. That’s not to say it’s not well-made; it’s just not as refined as you’d expect from an Apple product

However, it is ingenious. It has dual monitors that fold out on either side of your MacBook 14in or any other laptop, as long as the laptop has a USB Type-C port to connect the display. The power and monitor cable are combined, and if you need extra power, a second USB Type-C port on the monitor allows you to connect it directly to a portable power source or a wall socket.

On the first run with the monitor, a few drivers are needed to ensure the smooth operation of the monitors. Thankfully, The Portable Monitor includes a USB key with all the drivers needed for Mac, PC, and Android, as well as cables.

Once installed, you can connect the monitor and run both monitors from that single cable. This setup does increase the drain on your battery, but you can plug in an external power source if needed.

The OSD menu offers many adjustments over brightness, contrast, sharpness, and other settings. You can also adjust directly through your normal computer settings.

We’ve tested plenty of the best monitors for MacBook Pro, and we can say the quality of the display is excellent in use. On the other hand, this needs to be considered a secondary and tertiary display, especially for MacBooks with their P3 color space and high resolutions. However, the display quality is great and ideal for positioning palettes, browsers, Word documents, and music players that usually get hidden away.

The other major benefit is the articulation of the screens, allowing you to position them in a triangle, so if you’re in a meeting, you can flip the screens around so that people on your left and right can see what you’re discussing.

Overall, it’s a great product, not quite as refined in design as some of the best portable monitors we’ve tried, and the displays should be seen as secondary if you work in the creative sector due to the 1080p resolution and maximum sRGB colour space. However, when it comes to functionality, especially for expanding your workspace and whenever you need to show what you’re doing to others, the flexibility in the positioning of the monitors and the increased workspace is a huge benefit.

THE PORTABLE MONITOR FLEX 14IN: PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

How much does it cost?

$599 / £476

When is it available?

Now

Where can you get it?

It is available for sale in the US, UK and Australia

The Portable Monitor Flex 14in is widely available and can be brought directly from the official website.

Designed as a fold-out monitor system to complement your laptop, the Portable Monitor Flex 14in consists of three sections that fold out, with two monitors attached to a central stand.

The whole unit is made from decent-quality metal that reflects that of the Space Grey MacBook Pros. The build is solid enough, with thick hinges on the monitors that enable the screens to adapt to laptops from 13″ to 16″ without issue, even though the monitor is designed for 14″ screened laptops.

While the overall build is good, there’s a lack of precision, and the finesse of good product design seems to be missing. The component parts are all there, and it does work well, but when folded, there’s space and flex between each of the folded sections where you really feel it should all lay flat. Likewise, the metal stand that folds out is good and solid, but again, there’s some flex when it’s packed away rather than sitting flush in its recess.

In use, the stand folds out, and then the two monitors fold out so that a laptop can be slipped in between the two monitors. The large hinges can then be adjusted to accommodate the size of the monitor that your laptop has. Once all is in position, the USB cable can be attached directly to power and connect the laptop to the monitor.

While these days we’re used to plug and play, it should be noted that before this monitor system can be used, you’ll need to install the drivers. Thankfully, these come in the box with the monitor and take only a few moments to install. Once in place, you can then plug in the monitor and start to configure the screens as needed. On a Mac, this involves delving into the screen options and arranging the monitors so that one sits on the left and the other on the right of the laptop screen, all nice and easy.

Using the Portable Monitor Flex as a triple monitor system is just one use for this device. An equally useful use is in meetings where others need to view your screen. Rather than crowding around, you can fold the Portable Monitor Flex 14in into a triangle of monitors behind your laptop screen, meaning that if you and your colleagues are sitting around a table, you can all view what’s going on. Effectively, then, it’s one of the best monitors for a dual set-up (or even a triple set-up).

Finally, if you just need one monitor rather than two, a quick tap of the mode button allows you to switch one of the screens off or position it in portrait orientation, which can be useful for reviewing documents and content online.

THE PORTABLE MONITOR FLEX 14IN: PERFORMANCE

The initial setup is quite straightforward, with the dual monitor folding out and supported by the stand at the back. The design allows for several usage configurations: as an extension of your laptop’s screen with one on either side, as a triangle of screens behind your laptop screen for others to view your work, or as a single vertical or horizontal screen.

Each configuration can be quickly switched between, with the metal build and large solid hinges providing plenty of flexibility for easy adjustment and positioning. Before you plug in for the first time, the monitor’s software driver needs to be installed. This one-time procedure takes just a couple of minutes and is extremely straightforward, although it is unusual in today’s plug-and-play environment.

As you switch between the different configurations, the screen modes can be selected using the on-screen displays, with = and + symbols on each monitor, allowing you to adjust and change the settings as needed. Likewise, all the usual options and settings are available through the laptop’s OS. By default, the monitors are set to a low resolution, so increasing this to the maximum 1080p is one of the first adjustments that should be made.

Once set up, the screens perform well with a clear, crisp image and plenty of adjustment over the colour and tone. Although the monitor can only display sRGB, it can be adjusted to match well with the MacBook Pro’s monitor. However, the quality of the output means they are great for office documents, browsing the internet, and displaying palettes. Still, they should be avoided for tasks requiring precise colour or tone adjustments.

Overall, the monitors are easy to use, and the additional workspace is definitely a huge advantage. However, if you’re considering this as a screen extension for use on a train, the size—both packed away and when folded out and in use—is a bit obstructive. This solution is more suited for hot desking, moving between offices, or having meetings where flexibility is needed. They’re a great idea and work well in the right environments. The screen quality is good but should not be seen as on par with a P3 high-resolution MacBook screen. These are fine for document review and screen expansion but not for tasks that require absolute colour accuracy.

SHOULD I BUY THE THE PORTABLE MONITOR FLEX 14IN?

The initial idea of this dual-screen system, which sandwiches your laptop screen between two 14″ monitors, sounds and looks great, and in practice, it does work well. However, while the quality of the materials and manufacturing is good, the precision of the product design is somewhat lacking, and this is something that carries through in its use.

Unlike many devices that are simply plug and play, this monitor requires drivers to be installed for use, an unusual step in today’s world. However, once the drivers are installed, everything else is straightforward with an easy setup and connection.

In use, these monitors really come into their own, and through the test, I’ve used them to display emails, music, palettes, and 3D slicer applications, while I’ve used the main laptop screen for tasks that require color accuracy and higher resolutions.

The fact that these have a color space of sRGB and a maximum resolution of 1080p isn’t an issue in practice, and the extra screen space they provide is a huge benefit for all sorts of situations. However, the size and design of the Flex 14″ portable monitor mean that these are not something I would use on a day-to-day basis if I was traveling around or to be used on a train or similar. However, if I was going to a meeting where I knew others would need to see the screen or was hot-desking, then these would be a huge benefit. Overall, it’s a great product, with the feeling that a little more finesse in the product design would elevate this to an absolute essential for many.

Buy it if…

You’re a frequent traveller and multitasker – If you often work remotely and juggle multiple applications, the Portable Monitor Flex 14″ enhances productivity by expanding your digital workspace with its dual-screen setup.

You’re a meeting maestro – Perfect for professionals who present or collaborate in meetings. The monitor’s ability to configure into a triangle view makes sharing your screen with colleagues seamless and effective.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re an aesthetics aficionado – If design precision and a high-end look are paramount to you, the Flex 14’s lack of design refinement compared to premium products like Apple’s may be disappointing.

You’re a resolution and color critic – If your work requires ultra-high resolution and precise colour accuracy, the 1080p sRGB screen of the Flex 14″ may not meet your professional standards.

The post The Portable Monitor Flex 14-inch Review appeared first on Review Products.

Edit PDFs like a Pro.

Adobe Acrobat Pro has a few additional tools in its arsenal that Acrobat Standard lacks, and most of those would be a very useful addition to a professional workflow. It’s definitely worth trying out, but it’s also likely most customers won’t need anything more than the Standard version.

Pros

• +Polished interface
• +Good number of tools
• +Advanced tools for business use
• +Good redaction and security tools

Cons

• -Best for professionals and businesses
• -Some tools really belong in Acrobat Standard

Adobe Acrobat has evolved since its early days as a PDF all-in-one, growing into three separate multi-platform apps:

Acrobat Reader, Standard and Pro.

Each software adds an increasing number of features, so, if you just need to view a PDF document, Acrobat Reader is ideal. Acrobat Standard and Pro are best for PDF creation and editing, electronic signing, and a lot more document management options. In most cases, and in our experience, Acrobat Standard is the best PDF editor for most people, while Acrobat Pro adds a few more tools for the business or professional user.

We’ve already taken a look at Reader and Standard – you can check out our Adobe Acrobat Reader review and the Adobe Acrobat Standard review for more. It’s time to finish this PDF trilogy by exploring the capabilities of Adobe Acrobat Pro.

ADOBE ACROBAT PRO: PRICE & PLANS

Pro is the most expensive version of Acrobat, but it’s also included in Adobe’s All Apps Creative Cloud bundle.

It’s not going to be a surprise to learn that Pro is the most expensive Acrobat version – $19.99 / £19.97 a year paid monthly (monthly and annual upfront subscriptions are also available).

Unlike Acrobat Standard though, you can opt for a seven-day free trial, if you’d like to check its features out, but it does involve you initiating a subscription, so don’t forget to cancel it in time if you decide the app’s not for you.

There’s also an alternative way to grab a copy of Acrobat Pro: by getting an All Apps Creative Cloud subscription. It’s more expensive, but bundles the PDF editor with dozens of other apps like Photoshop and Premiere Pro, that all integrate seamlessly. This means that if you already have a subscription to handle your professional creative work (or you need one), you already have the most full featured version of Acrobat.

Pricing & plans: 4/5

ADOBE ACROBAT PRO: INTERFACE & EXPERIENCE

The interface is the same as for Reader and Standard:

clean, simple and efficient

Very elegant and well designed interface, offering you various ways of performing the same action, which gives you the flexibility of using the one that suits you best.

Just like Reader and Standard – and just as you’d hope, expect, dream – Acrobat Pro’s interface is clean, simple, well-designed. We found the tools are easy to locate and use, offering you various ways of working.

All told, this creates a highly flexible interface that works for you. Acrobat Pro doesn’t force you to alter your workflow, to do it the Adobe way or else. It’s a fantastic piece of design, particularly for Standard and Pro. We did find Reader’s interface felt more like an advert for Adobe’s superior PDF editors.

Interface: 4/5

ADOBE ACROBAT PRO: STANDARD TOOLS

All the features available in the Standard edition are present and correct in Pro’s comprehensive toolkit

As you’d expect, all the tools available in Standard can be accessed in Pro. This means you’re able to comment on a PDF, share it with others and track the progress of those files. You can change a PDF’s format, and export it as a Microsoft document (Word, Excel or PowerPoint), turn a PDF into images, convert it to HTML, edit it, change the embedded text and images, create PDFs from scratch, fill in and sign PDFs (it’s some of the best eSignature software we’ve ever tested), and there’s plenty more besides.

You also have the ability to combine multiple PDFs into a single file, reorder pages, and delete some. When it comes to security, adding a password to protect a PDF’s content and prevent others from editing it is a cinch. This is all done in a very intuitive way, and even though you might select a specific tool, you’re able to effortlessly access others without having to leave the confines of said tool.

It’s a very comprehensive, even impressive, feature-set – and that’s just the tools you get in Acrobat Standard.

Tools: 4.5/5

ADOBE ACROBAT PRO: PRO TOOLS

Use Acrobat’s Accessibility tool to check if your file meets the accessibility compliance standard.

Some very useful and obviously professional tools, coupled with others that should really be considered mainstream by now.

While the ‘as-Standard’ tools feel weighty, essential for a PDF power user, we couldn’t shake the sense that some tools labelled as “Pro”, don’t really feel that they belong in a “Pro” category.

Take the ability to turn a scanned paper document into a searchable PDF. Although it’s undoubtedly highly useful to be able to do that, some of the best free PDF editors, and even modern hardware, have been offering such a feature for a while now. Take your iPhone camera: you can take a photo with it and any text contained within it becomes selectable – and all without having to pay a subscription.

Another one which is more understandably a Pro feature, is the ability to create and validate PDFs to meet accessibility standards. This is a very important feature for any business, and once you check a document, you’re given a list of issues to fix to improve a document’s accessibility. Some can be resolved automatically, while others may require a little more work. But, we find it baffling why this is restricted to the Pro version? Wouldn’t this feature be of greater benefit if the Standard version had access to it as well?

Adobe Acrobat Pro during our review process

Redacting sensitive information is so easy to do with Acrobat’s ‘Redact’ tool

Be that as it may, as with other features included with Acrobat, it all works well and is easy to understand. There’s even a menu called ‘Explain’ which sends you to a webpage telling you why there’s a problem, and why it’s important to fix it.

Something that makes more sense in the Pro arena is the ability to compare two versions of a document. Acrobat will give you a summary of the disparity through a visual representation, and even gives you the ability to filter those results to make it clearer what has changed. We could see this as an invaluable tool in anyone’s workflow.

Redaction can also prove highly useful when there’s sensitive information on a PDF you’d rather not share with others. As you’d expect, the way it works is incredibly simple: just highlight all the problematic sections, and once you’re done, click on ‘Apply’.

In addition to blanking out certain passages and images, there’s another little highlight here. You also have the option of automatically removing a document’s metadata, embedded URLs, comments, and more. Adobe calls it ‘sanitising’ and if you’re into not passing on too much data, it’s a one-click wonder.

It’s clear that Adobe Acrobat Pro’s market is much more of a niche one than who they’re aiming for with ‘Standard’. It’s highly likely most people will be more than satisfied with Standard, even though Pro is the one included with the All Apps Creating Cloud subscription. However, if those additional tools are crucial to your workflow, you’ll find them extremely well implemented and easy to use in Acrobat Pro.

SHOULD I BUY?

Have different versions of the same file? ‘Compare Files’ will look at them both and tell you what’s different about them (Image credit: Adobe)

BUY IT IF…

You need advanced PDF editing tools, including redaction, and accessibility compliance, or you already subscribe to Adobe’s Creative Cloud package, which includes it by default.

DON’T BUY IT IF…

You want a simple way to view or make basic alterations to a PDF – in our experience, Pro is equipped with more features than most casual users will need.

ADOBE ACROBAT PRO: ALTERNATIVES

We’ve tested out man of the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives if Pro isn’t for you.

If Acrobat Pro is a bit more than you bargained for, we recommend checking out Adobe Acrobat Standard – it’s a great choice for most people’s PDF needs.

For some other top apps, see our pdfFiller review for a browser-based PDF editor that’s surprisingly full of features. For a free alternative, see our PDF24 Creator review – it’s our favorite free PDF tool and it’s packed full of essential document management tools.

The post Adobe Acrobat Pro (2024) Review appeared first on Review Products.

The common factor between the OnePlus Nord 3 (Review), OnePlus 11R (Review) and iQoo Neo 7 Pro (Review) is that they are all priced under Rs. 40,000 in India, and focus on providing flagship-grade performance. The premium mid-range segment has witnessed a surge of phone launches lately, and if these options were not enough, there is the new Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G to add to the list. Priced at Rs. 39,999, the Reno 10 Pro 5G sits between the baseline Reno 10 5G and the top-of-the-line Reno 10 Pro+ 5G (Review).

While most of the competition aims at offering value-for-money performance, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G has a few tricks up its sleeve to stand out in the crowd. Should you consider buying it? Here is our full review to help you decide.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G price in India

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G has been launched in India in a single storage option. It comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, priced at Rs. 39,999.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G design and display

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro has been launched in two colour options — Silvery Grey and Glossy Purple. We have the latter, which looks quite unique compared to most other recent phones launching in shades of green and black. The phone has a curved rear panel and frame. The glass back of the Oppo Reno 10 Pro offers a premium in-hand feel. What contributes to this further is the fairly slim and lightweight build. The Reno 10 Pro is about 7.89mm thick and weighs 185g. That being said, there are times when the phone has slipped out of my hands due to the smooth finish of the back.

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro is quite a looker in my opinion. The choice of colours and design combined make it look like a much more expensive smartphone. The shiny metallic finish also does a good job of hiding fingerprints and smudges. While the rear panel is made of glass, the chassis is made of plastic. The phone has its power and volume buttons on the right edge, which are easily accessible if you have fairly large hands.

On the front, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a full-HD+ resolution (2412 x 1080 pixels) and a 20.1:9 aspect ratio. Just like the Vivo V27 Pro (Review), OnePlus 11R (Review) and a few affordable options such as the Motorola Edge 40 (Review), the display on the Reno 10 Pro 5G is curved towards the edges. I did not experience any ghost or accidental touches while scrolling or playing games on the phone.

What I did have an issue with was the single-speaker setup. For a smartphone under Rs. 40,000, it is very basic to have a good dual-speaker setup, and it is a total bummer that Oppo chose to only offer a single speaker in the Reno 10 Pro 5G. Plus, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack either. The bright side is that the speaker is quite loud but the audio experience is not as immersive.

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G has fairly slim bezels around the display

On the bright side, the 120Hz display offers up to 950 nits of peak brightness while consuming HDR content. There is support for HDR playback on YouTube but not on Netflix at the time of writing this. The vibrant 10-bit display offers support for a billion colours. Oppo has opted for an AGC Dragontrail Star 2 glass, which is said to offer 20 percent improved drop resistance compared to Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

I did not experience any major stutters while scrolling through the user interface when the refresh rate setting was set to Auto Switch. There were some software-related issues though, which we will talk about in the next section.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G specifications and software

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G features a Snapdragon 778G SoC with an Adreno 642L GPU. The phone packs a 4,600mAh battery and offers 80W SuperVOOC fast charging. It offers connectivity features such as Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, dual-SIM, IR emitter, etc. The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G comes with 14 5G bands in India.

In terms of software, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G runs the latest ColorOS 13.1, based on Android 13. Oppo’s ColorOS has evolved over the years and has been one of the most preferred options for personalisation and customisation. The Reno 10 Pro continues to give users the option to change wallpapers, adjust front shape and size, change icon shape and size, etc.

There is also support for Android 13’s Material You theme, which matches the system and UI colours with the wallpaper’s colours. Also, Oppo also lets users choose when a bunch of featured colour options for the UI and system icons in the Settings app. More details about ColorOS 13.1 have been shared in our Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ 5G review.

While ColorOS 13.1 is feature-rich, it is plagued with app recommendations and ads through the user interface,  be it the set-up screen, bloatware-loaded app drawer and home screen, or app recommendations in the default browser app. There are also a bunch of not-so-popular games and third-party apps preinstalled. App Market, Oppo’s native App Store, also spams you with multiple notifications, suggesting you install certain applications.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro comes with over 50 preinstalled apps

Oppo seems to have taken feedback and has stated that unwanted apps asking for installation permission when first setting up the phone will be removed to provide a better experience in the next software version. However, Hot Games and Hot Apps, which are Oppo’s native app recommendation folders will continue to be available. Users can hide these folders by going to App Market > General > Tap Settings at the top right corner and disabling the toggle for Hot Apps and Hot Games. You can also disable the recommendations spam by long-pressing on one of the notifications, tapping on ‘More Settings’ and disabling the ‘Allow Notifications’ toggle.

However, there seems to be a need for optimisation as I noticed the screen orientation changing automatically even when the Auto-rotate option was disabled. There were times when I noticed minor jitters while going back to the homescreen. Hopefully, Oppo fixes these issues soon. The Oppo Reno 10 Pro is promised to get two major Android updates and security support for three years.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G performance and battery life

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro features a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC, which we have seen in a few smartphones priced at around Rs. 30,000 in India. The Reno 10 Pro 5G is clearly not the most powerful phone in the segment. However, when it comes to routine tasks such as scrolling through social media, messaging, content consumption, app loading, etc, the chipset can still get the job done.

Casual gaming, too, is doable. However, for the price, the likes of the OnePlus Nord 3 (Review), OnePlus 11R (Review) and iQoo Neo 7 Pro (Review) offer far better gaming performance and value. Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) supports ‘HDR’ graphics and ‘Ultra’ framerate settings. I noticed some stutter when playing with the highest settings but the gameplay was slightly better when the graphics settings were dropped to ‘Balanced’ or ‘HD’. Asphalt 9: Legends, on the other hand, ran quite smoothly.

RAM management is quite good and apps continued to load from where I had left them. The Reno 10 Pro also offers support for up to 8GB of virtual RAM, which is borrowed from the 256GB of internal memory.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro’s in-display fingerprint scanner is placed quite low for comfort

I also ran a few benchmark tests on the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G. It scored 5,89.206 points on AnTuTu (v10). In Geekbench 6, the phone scored 1,013 (single-core test) and 2,669 points (multi-core test). It gets demolished by the competition, with the iQoo Neo 7 Pro scoring 1,263,884 points in AnTuTu (v10). While benchmarks are not the only metric to judge a phone’s performance, it does highlight that raw performance is not the Reno 10 Pro’s forte.

However, when it comes to battery life, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G can last a full day. My average screen-on time (SoT) was about 8 hours and 20 minutes. When there was more than two hours of gameplay involved, the phone returned a SoT of about 6 hours and 50 minutes. In our HD video battery loop test, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro lasted for 20 hours and 44 minutes. The 80W SuperVOOC charger refills the battery completely in about 29 minutes.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G cameras

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G features a triple-camera setup on the back. It has a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 primary camera with support for optical image stabilisation (OIS). The same sensor is found in the flagship OnePlus 11 (Review) and the Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ 5G. The Reno 10 Pro also features an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 32-megapixel telephoto camera with 2X optical zoom. For selfies, there is a 32-megapixel front camera sensor.

Starting with the primary camera, you get good quality images with true-to-life colours. The dynamic range performance is good in most cases. There were times when the exposure in the shadows was not optimal. Night mode shots were well-exposed with little-to-no noise in many scenarios. The highlights were not blown out while trying to retain details in the shadows. In my opinion, the Reno 10 Pro’s primary camera’s low-light performance is among the best in the segment.

The ultra-wide camera’s colour temperature varies compared to the main camera with slightly warmer tones. There is definitely a lack of details, especially around the edges but the camera does a good job with colours and dynamic range.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro ultra-wide camera sample

You also get a 2X telephoto camera which is not as common in the segment. I really liked the telephoto camera’s performance, although there is room for improvement. You get good details and the dynamic range performance is also quite good. Again, the colour temperature is different as telephoto images are slightly cooler compared to the primary camera’s samples.

Portrait mode’s edge detection is excellent. However, the primary camera’s portrait mode makes human skin look a bit red. The telephoto camera’s portrait mode performance, on the other hand is pretty impressive when it comes to colours, edge detection and details. A thing to note though is that there is a shutter lag while taking portrait mode shots, so you need to keep the phone steady and make sure that the subject does not move until you hear the shutter sound.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro portrait mode camera samples (left column: 1X zoom, right column: 2X zoom)

The front camera does a decent job when it comes to getting the skin tone right. Edge detection in portrait mode shots is a hit or miss as I noticed the algorithm blurring out my ear and hair. Low-light portrait mode shots expose the subject quite well and offer good blur, but the details are slightly soft.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro front camera samples (Photo mode vs Portrait mode)

In terms of video, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro can record up to 4K 30fps videos using the rear camera and 1080p 30fps on the front. The rear camera’s footage offers good stability, details and exposure. Video quality from the front camera takes a hit when it comes to dynamic range performance.

Verdict

Oppo Reno 10 Pro is perhaps one of the best designed smartphones under Rs 40,000. It not only looks good but it is also well-built and has a good in-hand feel. The phone scores big points for its good display and battery life. The performance unit is passable for the price as the competition offers far better value. Where the Reno 10 Pro 5G has a slight edge over the competition is its versatile camera system, which also features a good quality telephoto lens.

However, the one area where it struggles is the software experience, which currently does not match the premium price. The phone is also not IP-rated and only has a single speaker.

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