Get exclusive savings when you visit Acer at the Festival of Outdoor Photography this weekend!
And if you visit the festival, you'll also get the chance to visit the Stuff space at the event, presented in association with Acer. It's all about portable power, smart connectivity, and making sure your gear doesn't give up before golden hour. Better yet, you'll get access to some exclusive savings.
Acer's range of Portable Power Stations are perfect for photographers who think lugging a backup generator into the wilds is a bit much. And when you pick up either the 600W or 1800W model, and Acer will chuck in a free solar panel worth up to £399. The offer's valid through 30 June and available via Amazon and Currys.
However, if you're going to the Festival you can get aan exclusive 10% discount on any Acer Power Station purchase made during the event – you just have to swing by the Stuff space at the event, presented in association with Acer.
With long-lasting batteries that can be recharged 3000 times, each Acer Power Station means you can have reliable power wherever you go and keep your kit juiced. They also boast Rapid recharge too so there's not much waiting around. You can charge even the 1800W model in under 2 hours!
But it's not just about keeping things juiced. Acer's also showing off its latest connectivity devices – perfect companions to its freshly announced AI-powered laptops. Whether you're backing up field shots, editing RAWs on the fly, or livestreaming your hike, this is the tech to make your mobile set-up sing.
Join us at the Amateur Photographer Festival of Outdoor Photography
So what can you expect from the festival? It will bring together an incredible selection of world-class experts who will share their knowledge and passion. There will be inspiring talks, photo walks, hands-on workshops and other interactive activities covering everything to do with outdoor photography.
Speakers include wildlife and bird photography experts Tesni Ward, Rachel Bigsby and Tim Flach, renowned landscape photographers Liam Man and Quintin Lake, street specialists Nick Turpin and Damien Demolder. Plus, Chris Coe and Bella Falk on travel plus Peter Dench talking about documentary photography.
And a reminder that as a special promotion we have a STUFF40 code that gives you access to 40% off the full price of all tickets.
The event takes place at the Royal Geographical Society in London's historic South Kensington museum district.
The Amateur Photographer Festival of Outdoor Photography at a glance
Dates: Friday 30 May – Sunday 1 June 2025
Location: The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1 Kensington Gore, London, England – SW7 2AR
Ticket prices before the discount: 1 day £50, 2 days £80, 3 days £100
Get your tickets now: https://www.kelsey.events/FestivalOfOutdoorPhotography and remember to use the code STUFF40 to get the discount.
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Stuff.tv
12 hours ago
- Stuff.tv
I loved the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra's clever cameras – but it's still impossible to recommend
Stuff Verdict It's got a truly outstanding set of cameras, but Huawei's hardware handicaps everywhere else puts the Pura 80 Ultra a long distance behind today's best flagship phones. Pros Phenomenal photography skills, particularly from the zoom lens Distinctive design with top-tier water resistance Rapid wired and wireless charging Cons Restrictive software if you're used to Google services Can't match other flagships on performance Hardware lags behind the competition in several areas Introduction If world-first camera hardware wets your whistle, the Pura 80 Ultra might be your 2025 phone photography highlight. It gives the best smartphones a run for their money with a two-lens telephoto camera that aims to get you closer to the action. Huawei hasn't cut any corners with the other sensors, either, and knows a thing or two about nuanced picture processing. Things aren't quite so rosy elsewhere, with familiar caveats around connectivity, processing power, and software on account of Huawei's ongoing foreign trade troubles – but this is still a flagship phone, and as such commands a flagship price. It'll set you back AED 5099 (roughly $1400/£1050) in the United Arab Emirates, one of the few places outside of China Huawei still has a big presence. After living with one for a few weeks, I've been wowed by the photos it takes – but not enough to overlook the frustrations I experienced elsewhere. How we test smartphones Every phone reviewed on Stuff is used as our main device throughout the testing process. We use industry standard benchmarks and tests, as well as our own years of experience, to judge general performance, battery life, display, sound and camera image quality. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Design & build: sure to stand out Huawei has really leaned into the unique styling established by last year's Pura 70 Ultra, with one of the biggest camera bumps you'll find on any phone. It's needed to make room for the clever zoom lenses, and I like the fact the firm hasn't gone with a giant circular splodge like most other flagships from Chinese brands. The crosshatched faux leather of the outgoing phone has been swapped for an altogether more blingy finish on my Prestige Gold review unit; the sunburst effect on the camera island looks more like something you'd see on a fancy wristwatch. The Golden Black alternative is more subdued, but keeps some gold accents around the lenses – in case their sheer size wasn't already enough to draw attention. In some ways the design is a bit of a throwback, with curved-edge glass on both sides that blends into a rounded aluminium frame. Most rivals have settled on the flat glass, flat frame approach, so in some ways this is a welcome change from the norm. It fits nicely in my hand, while still providing enough to grip onto. That's handy, as this is a rather hefty handset, weighing in at 234g. The screen is covered by Huawei's second-gen Crystal Armor Kunlun glass, which is a lot more scratch-resistant than the original stuff. IP68 and IP69 ratings are also as good as it gets for protection, even if I've still yet to put my phone through enough environmental torture for that to make a difference to its survival. A side-mounted fingerprint sensor/power button combo is unusual on anything but a foldable phone these days, and is another sign Huawei has limited choice when it comes to components not made in-house. It works well enough, but I'd much rather an in-display sensor or secure facial recognition. It's also worth highlighting that the Pura 80 Ultra goes without any sort of 5G connectivity, at least on this global version, which will limit its Western appeal. Screen & sound: looking sharp At a palm-filling 6.8in, the Pura 80 Ultra's quad-curved display hasn't grown at all from its predecessor – but Huawei has managed to squeeze in a few extra rows of pixels. The 2848×1276 panel looks perfectly crisp at arms' length, packing plenty of details into your photos, and the adaptive refresh rate meant scrolling always looked buttery smooth. It's an OLED, so has the vibrant colours and deep, perfect black levels I've come to expect. Tones are more natural than some rivals, but there's a Vivid option in the settings menus if you want a little extra pop. A near enough infinite contrast ratio also works in its favour, giving videos plenty of punch. It's a shame, then, that Limited DRM support meant I was limited to SD content in my streaming apps – and without HDR. Huawei reckons this phone can hit a peak 3000 nits brightness, but it falls way short of that for real-world use. In a side-by-side with a few other current flagships, I thought this was the dimmest of the lot overall, though it still puts out enough light that outdoor visibility wasn't a major issue. The Pura 80 Ultra uses a fairly standard stereo speaker setup, with a down-firing driver doing most of the heavy lifting and an earpiece tweeter as backup. Adding an up-firing grille at the top does help create a more rounded sound, though, and it has plenty of volume on tap. Cameras: new zoom king? Each one of the Pura 80 Ultra's four cameras has some tech worth shouting about. The lead snapper uses a 1-inch sensor, putting it on par with the Oppo Find X8 Ultra and Xiaomi 15 Ultra for sheer size, but pairs it with an f/1.6-4.0 variable aperture for better controlling depth of field – something you get an awful lot of with a sensor so physically big. Laser autofocus and optical image stabilisation also make the grade. The 40MP ultrawide also has autofocus, letting it get as close as 2cm from your subject when doubling as a macro shooter. The 13MP selfie cam may not have a huge pixel count, but its generous field of view and autofocus abilities make it handy for group shots. It's the telephoto that makes the biggest impression. Not only is its 50 MP, 1/1.28in sensor about as physically big as it gets on a phone, but it swaps between two lenses on the fly using a tiny motor to give you 3.7x and 9.4x magnification – without cropping or digital enhancement, or needing two separate sensors. Effectively, this is the most optical zoom you'll get on any smartphone right now. Factor in the ultrawide's expansive field of view and you've got a seriously long focal range to pick from. On a recent foreign trip, the extra magnification really came into its own, letting me get so much closer to buildings and subjects than I'd otherwise be able to. 3.7x zoom snaps are wonderfully detailed, with very little noise and plenty of dynamic range. Swapping to the other lens retains lots of detail and colours are consistent, though the image processing is clearly doing a lot of heavy lifting for distant subjects; buildings can look overly smooth and there's more sharpening at play than I expected for optical magnification. Used for close-ups, there's a gorgeous amount of bokeh blur on show – so much so I'd regularly use it instead of the main camera, which can create dreamy depth in its sleep when using its widest aperture. Left to its own devices the main camera tends to stick around f/2.0, and you've got to dive into the Pro mode if you want to set the aperture manually. For the most part I was fine with auto mode, where it spat out some wonderfully detailed images in pretty much all lighting conditions. It helps that there's oodles of dynamic range, aided by the way it takes three frames per HDR image rather than two now. Colours are impactful, there's ample contrast, and you have a handful of distinctive photographic styles just a swipe away if you fancy a more filmic look. I did think that white balance could be a little hit-or-miss, and that was true across the board, not just the main lens. But there's no doubting it rubs shoulders with the very best cameraphones in good light. At night, the main camera continues to capture impressive amounts of detail, even without needing the extra second or two afforded by the dedicated Night mode. White balance can once again be a bit variable, but colours are otherwise pretty natural and noise is kept well in check. The telephoto is at the top of its game here, at least at 3.7x. I got some impressively clean and detailed shots of subjects who refused to stay still, despite there being very little light. At 9.4x the processing is again easier to spot, but the over-sharpening and smoothed-out details wouldn't stop me sharing my snaps on social media. Software experience: heard it all before Outside of China, the Pura 80 Ultra runs Huawei's EMUI 15 interface, on top of what's effectively Android 12 – except with all of the Google bits stripped out. You can side-load some of them back in if you're determined, and a few third-party apps make the process a bit smoother, but features like Quickshare and Google Wallet payments will always be locked off. That'll be an instant deal-breaker for the majority of Western phone buyers. Huawei has an extensive selection of own-brand apps to make up for it, and the AppGallery marketplace is there to fill the remaining gaps – except with such a small user base compared to the Google Play Store, big-name developers have little reason to get on board. There are a few recognisable apps, but I struggled to find alternatives to even half of what I have installed on my personal phone. More frustrating is how keen everything is to chuck an advert your way. The video player, ebook reader app and Themes store are desperate for your to part with some cash, and there's way too much pre-installed bloat for a flagship phone. Huawei's Celia voice assistant can't be replaced with Google Gemini, and its abilities are more limited here than on the Chinese-market handset. There's very little in the way of AI apps or features anywhere else. The overall styling doesn't feel too far removed from the previous EMUI generation, with all your apps scattered across various homescreens rather than stashed in a drawer, and split notifications and quick settings screens based on which side of the screen you swipe down from. Dig deeper and you'll find a bunch of gesture-based controls, floating shortcut menus, and a 75:25 split-screen option for multitasking. There's no word on what customers can expect in terms of long-term updates – if indeed it can expect any at all, given the outdated version of Android Huawei is forced to use on its global devices. Performance & battery life: the hand you're dealt It might've landed with a new generation of home-grown Huawei silicon, but the Pura 80 Ultra's Kirin 9020 chipset is based on comparatively old tech. The eight-core CPU is built on a 7nm architecture, while the rest of the phone world is using far more efficient 3nm. Even paired with a generous 16GB of RAM, that puts it on the back foot in terms of raw performance. Synthetic benchmark scores put it some 50% slower than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and its Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. It sits behind every single flagship phone I've tested in 2025, and on paper has the oomph you'd expect from a mid-range device costing less than half the cash. There's no support for modern graphics standards like Vulkan, so I wasn't able to run some of my usual gaming tests. It also gets rather toasty when pushed for even a short amount of time, limiting its number-crunching abilities even further. Huawei Pura 80 Ultra benchmark scores Geekbench 6 single-core 1250 Geekbench 6 multi-core 3552 Geekbench AI 1454 PCMark Work 3.0 9733 3Dmark WIld Life Extreme 1534 Benchmarks and real-world performance are two different things, and for the most part the Pura 80 Ultra felt reasonably responsive when swiping through homescreens and opening apps. It just lacks the instant reaction times you expect of a flagship phone. Gaming was also mediocre, with the titles I tried largely defaulting to medium settings. The Pura 80 Ultra available outside of China has a smaller 5170mAh battery than the one on sale at home, which gets a much beefier 5700mAh cell. When combined with a processor that's a bit behind the times, that doesn't make for especially impressive longevity. I was able to make it through a day of typical use, but had to use the battery saver to make it to bedtime. Looping video sees it drain several hours faster than a Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, which isn't exactly a stamina champ itself. On the plus side, this phone is seriously quick to charge when you've got a compatible power brick or wireless charging pad. It'll manage 100W over USB-C, or 80W wirelessly – though the latter is only with a specific Huawei charging pad, which I didn't have access to for testing. A full wired top-up in under 45 minutes is still an excellent result, besting pretty much every other 2025 flagship. Huawei Pura 80 Ultra verdict As much as I was blown away by the Pura 80 Ultra's photographic ability, cameras are just one piece of the flagship phone puzzle. Taken as a whole, there are unfortunately too many hardware letdowns here, on top of the already restrictive software. There's only so much Huawei can do in-house, and without access to current-gen components, the firm has fallen behind on performance and battery life. The Pura 80 Ultra still gets plenty right, like its top-tier water resistance and lightning-fast charging speeds. I'm sure the distinctive design will earn plenty of fans, too. But for Western audiences, who take 5G connectivity as a given and use Google services on the daily, this will always be a seriously niche proposition. Stuff Says… Score: 3/5 It's got a truly outstanding set of cameras, but Huawei's hardware handicaps everywhere else puts the Pura 80 Ultra a long distance behind today's best flagship phones. Pros Phenomenal photography skills, particularly from the zoom lens Distinctive design with top-tier water resistance Rapid wired and wireless charging Cons Restrictive software if you're used to Google services Can't match other flagships on performance Hardware lags behind the competition in several areas Huawei Pura 80 Ultra technical specifications Screen 6.8in, 2848×1276 OLED w/ 1-120Hz CPU Huawei Kirin 9020 Memory 16GB RAM Cameras 50MP w/ 1-inch sensor, f/1.6-4.0 aperture, dual pixel PDAF, OIS + 50MP, f/2.4 telephoto w/ 3.7x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS – switchable to 12.5MP, f/3.6, 9.4x optical zoom + 40MP, f/2.2 ultrawide w/ autofocus rear 13MP, f/2.0 w/ autofocus front Storage 512GB/1TB on-board Operating system Android w/ EMUI Battery 5170mAh w/ 10W wired, 80W wireless charging Dimensions 163x76x8.3 mm, 234g
Stuff.tv
2 days ago
- Stuff.tv
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI has my must-have gaming laptop features for sensible money
Stuff Verdict A whole lot of gaming laptop for your money, with a stunner of a screen (if you pick the right spec). The Predator Helios Neo 16S AI doesn't wow like some pricier rivals on the design front, though. Pros Plenty powerful for gaming and desktop duties Slim build and sensible weight for taking on the move Extensive connectivity for a 16in laptop Cons Design and build can't match sleeker rivals Battery life is pretty basic OLED hikes the price a lot Introduction While some gaming laptop brands take the one-and-done approach, Acer goes the other direction: across Nitro, Triton and Helios, there's seemingly something in its extensive Predator line-up to appeal to any budget. Draw a line straight through the middle and you'll probably hit the Predator Helios Neo 16S AI. Not quite a desktop replacement, not quite a super-slim travel companion, it's more a best-of-both machine – but one that hasn't skimped on hardware one bit. An Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics put it squarely up against the Asus Zephyrus G16 and Razer Blade 16, except you're getting better connectivity here – and spending less cash. Considerably less if you forego the OLED screen for an IPS panel – though having now sat in front of one for the last few weeks, I think you owe it to your eyeballs to stick with the former. The bigger question is whether the Helios Neo's more mainstream styling and materials choices hold it back against the decidedly more sleek competition. How we test laptops Every laptop reviewed on Stuff is tested using industry standard benchmarks and apps to assess performance and battery life. We use our years of experience to judge display, sound and general usability. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Design & build: corporate gig OK, the Predator Helios Neo 16S AI clearly stands out from Acer's more businesslike Aspire laptops. It has a few gaming laptop hallmarks, like the light-up predator logo etched onto the lid and the 'chin' at the rear that provides extra room for cooling kit, ventilation, and connectivity. But it's far from the most streamlined machines doing the rounds right now. The sharp angles look a bit busy in places, and the mix of materials mark it out as a more mid-range gaming laptop compared to the metal unibody builds from Asus and Razer. The lid in particular is a real fingerprint magnet. Still, Acer has done well to keep the dimensions in check, meaning this 16in machine is satisfyingly slim. Not counting the tapered edges, it's a sliver under 20mm. Even with the larger footprint created by that protruding rear section, this is a laptop I'd be happy to sling in a bag and take on the move. At 2.3kg it's not exactly a featherweight – and even less so once you take the power brick into account – but it has an edge over dedicated desktop replacement machines. Stashing the power and HDMI ports in the rear section helps minimise cable clutter when used at a desk. You also get two USB-C ports, with one able to handle display output. I'd have preferred a full-size SD card reader instead of the microSD slot Acer stuck on the left side of the laptop, along with the Ethernet port, single USB-A, and 3.5mm headset port – but that's only because my digital camera uses one. Two more USB-As on the right side complete the set. Keyboard & touchpad: squeezy does it I'm not a fan of numerical keypads being squeezed into gaming laptops; the space they take up could be filled with upward-firing speakers, or rows of customisable macro keys. The Predator Helios Neo 16S AI does at least have a few multimedia keys, and a single shortcut that loads Acer's PredatorSense software, but it still eats into the amount of room the QWERTY keys have to play with. That's not to say typing felt especially cramped; more that I felt off-centre from the screen, which isn't an issue on the Razer Blade 16. The keys themselves naturally have per-key backlighting you can customise to your heart's content; the way it shines both through and around each key means you'll never struggle to spot a particular character or symbol. They're all a good size, with a suitably bouncy action and reasonable amount of key travel. Mechanical switches aren't a thing at this price, but equally I didn't feel I had to rush for my desktop keyboard when working. One button sits in isolation above the keyboard tray, where you won't accidentally press it – unlike the power button, which is perilously close to the multimedia controls for my liking, even if you've got to hold it down for a second or two before the laptop enters sleep mode. This one either toggles through power modes (quiet, balanced, performance, turbo) when on battery power, or toggles turbo on and off while connected to the mains. I was underwhelmed by the touchpad, which feels quite plasticky and has more friction than some of the nicer glass touchpads I've tried recently. I know gamers are just going to plug in a mouse or a controller, but it's not even that great to use on the Windows desktop. Screen & sound: colour me impressed Acer has done a great job in keeping the Predator Helios Neo 16S AI's screen bezels skinny, so your attention is focused entirely on the gorgeous OLED panel. There's still some room at the top for a Windows Hello-ready 1080p webcam, which you'll want to make use of as there's no fingerprint sensor on board. The 16in display's 2560p resolution is a great pick for the GPU, not needing nearly as much grunt as a 4K panel but still being a step up in clarity from 1080p. It also means you're more likely to take advantage of the 240Hz maximum refresh rate, which is wonderfully smooth. Text, icons and images on the Windows desktop look perfectly sharp, and viewing angles are top-tier. There's plenty of hinge tilt, too. Colour coverage is fantastic, and accurate too; creative sorts will have no worries about working on this laptop. The OLED tech delivers perfect blacks and fantastic contrast, which made a big impression while I was blasting demons in Doom: The Dark Ages' dimly-lit hallways. Doubly so when you activate HDR, which gives highlights an extra boost. This isn't the brightest laptop I've tried lately, but the peak 400 nits is still a decent showing. My biggest issue is with the extremely glossy screen coating. It practically becomes a mirror if you're sat behind a window or bright light source, with really distracting reflections. The stereo speakers put in a decent performance, with reasonable volume. There's not really much in the way of bass, and it can't shout loud enough to drown out the internal fans when they're going full chat, so a headset is still the way to go. Performance & battery life: plays it safe There are a few different versions of the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI out there, with varying amounts of RAM and storage, but most are packing Intel's Core Ultra 9 275HX processor. My review unit pairs the 24-core chip with 32GB of memory and a 2TB NVMe SSD. It's a potent combination on the Windows desktop, delivering more grunt than the equivalent AMD Ryzen CPU in most of my tests, though not by a huge margin. I've also seen rival laptops with more effective cooling – or that are more willing to provide extra volts – sore higher with the same silicon. The Medion Erazer Beast 16 X1 could be a marginally better choice if you'll be rendering a lot of videos. Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI productivity benchmark scores Geekbench 6 single-core 3149 Geekbench 6 multi-core 16898 Geekbench AI 10402 The main event is of course the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. Nvidia's third-rung laptop graphics chip has 12GB of dedicated video memory, and is perfectly equipped to handle games at the Predator's 2560×1600 native resolution. Counter Strike 2 sat comfortably in the 150+ frames per second region, which means this laptop will excel at pretty much any esport title. Older games that don't use ray tracing are no match for it, either. More demanding games see the frame rate dip under the magic 60fps, with Cyberpunk 2077 asking a lot even before you switch on ray tracing. The RT Overdrive preset tanked to 14.7fps, but Nvidia's DLSS upscaling can more than double performance with very little penalty to image quality. Multi-frame generation is new secret sauce on top, taking a 35.9fps average with purely DLSS enabled to a fantastic 117fps. Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI gaming benchmark scores Native rendering (2560×1600) DLSS upscaling 3DMark Steel Nomad 3614 N/A Gears Tactics 90.0fps N/A Cyberpunk 2077 (RT Overdrive) 14.7fps 35.9fps Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, RT off) 51.7fps 118.3fps Shadow of the Tomb Raider (RT on) 73fps 113fps Shadow of the Tomb Raider (RT off) 114fps 148fps The Predator's cooling ability and power management aren't quite as hardcore as some of the chunkier, more desk-bound gaming laptops I've tried, so the scores here are slightly lower across the board. It does keep thermals in check, so marathon gaming sessions don't lead to performance dips, but the dual fans spin up to pretty loud levels to achieve it. Where the Predator Helios Neo 16S AI falls down slightly as a go-anywhere machine is battery life. Intel's latest-gen silicon isn't nearly as power efficient as AMD's current CPUs, and the 76Wh cell inside it isn't the biggest. I saw roughly five hours of video playback, but more typical desktop use saw it drained sooner. Gaming will eat up a charge in under two. The Ryzen-powered Razer Blade 16 remains my top pick for gaming laptop longevity. Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI verdict How much do you care about aesthetics? While I'd personally pay that little bit extra for the sleek styling of an Asus Zephyrus or Razer Blade, plenty of gamers will be more bothered about the hardware inside their laptops rather than how they look on the outside. If you fall into the latter camp, the Predator Helios Neo 16S AI is absolutely worth a look. It has ample amounts of power on tap, a GPU that's well matched to the resolution of that gorgeous OLED screen, and enough ports to replace your desktop tower – yet is still just about portable enough to take travelling. Loud fans and merely OK battery life mean it isn't fully multi-purpose, but it gets very close. Considering how much it undercuts its rivals, those are compromises you could happily live with. Stuff Says… Score: 4/5 It's a whole lot of gaming laptop for your money, with a stunner of a screen (if you pick the right spec). The Predator Helios Neo 16S AI doesn't wow like some pricier rivals on the design front, though. Pros Plenty powerful for gaming and desktop duties Slim build and sensible weight for taking on the move Extensive connectivity for a 16in laptop Cons Design and build can't match sleeker rivals Battery life is pretty basic OLED hikes the price a lot Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI technical specifications Screen 16in, 2560×1600 240Hz OLED Processor Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX Memory 32GB RAM Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070ti Storage 2TB SSD Operating system Windows 11 Connectivity 1x 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, HDMI, Ethernet, 3.5mm, microSD card reader Battery 76Wh Dimensions 357x276x19.9mm 2.3kg
Stuff.tv
27-07-2025
- Stuff.tv
The Porsche 911 GTS taught me hybrids can be a riot when they want to be
Stuff Verdict Keeps the 911 in the conversation without adding a plug socket. The GTS T-Hybrid is a confident first step towards electrification that's just as dynamic to drive as you'd expect from a Porsche Pros Astounding performance only aided by hybrid system Rides and handles superbly, as a 911 should Luxury cabin feel with plenty of tech Cons Only available with a PDK transmission Introduction Are you one of the small portion of petrolheads that refuse to put the whole 'electrification means the death of combustion' argument in the rear view mirror? Have a blast in the latest 911 GTS. Porsche's new T-Hybrid powerplant will soon change your mind. OK, so one of the world's most recognisable sports cars isn't actually ditching petrol for protons entirely just yet. Porsche's familiar flat-six engine has instead been mated with a single turbocharger – rather than the two seen on the last-gen model – that slots an electric motor between its compressor and turbine. The resulting extra horsepower reduces turbo lag by two thirds at 2000rpm, and improves fuel efficiency to boot. Another e-motor inside the PDK gearbox lends even more assistance when you really get going. Not too shabby for a 50kg kerb weight increase. The first electrified 911 can't use its 1.9kWh battery for propulsion, so you'll still need to head to the Taycan – or wait for the electric Cayman – if you want zero emissions driving. But neither have the sports car pedigree of the GTS. I spend a week with the four-wheel drive Cabriolet, which might just be the best of the bunch. How we test cars Every electric car reviewed on Stuff is tested on a range of road surfaces and, where possible, in varying weather conditions. We use our years of experience to compare with rivals and assess ergonomics, technology features and general usability. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. The styling: subtle evolution The 911 silhouette is as distinctive as ever for this latest generation, albeit a larger one than it used to be. The 992.2 refresh added bolder styling front and rear, including LED Matrix headlights that neatly integrate the indicators, aero-optimised flaps in the front bumper, and an updated LED light bar on the back. You get a few extra black trim accents on the GTS, along with model-specific black alloys – 20in front and 21in rear – that give it a purposeful stance. Then there's the dramatic central dual-exit exhaust, influenced by Porsche's GT division. In the right colour, this car can look properly menacing. Yet it's still a 911 at heart, meaning it can be used for pretty much all your driving needs. I got an infant car seat in the front, my wife in the back seat (just), and the fold-down pushchair fit in the front boot. That officially makes it a family car, dads. Clever packaging also means the extra hybrid gubbins hasn't forced the driving position to change, so you still get the same low-slung view of the road ahead, peeking out over the iconic headlight bulges. You can have one in coupe, cabrio, or targa bodystyles; the latter is only available with four-wheel drive, while the hard- and soft-tops have rear-driven options as well. All have a PDK automatic gearbox, necessary for the hybrid system. Arguably that makes the manual transmission Carrera T more of a driver's car, though I've not driven one to confirm. The Cabriolet's roof retracts in twelve seconds, or more than enough to go tops-off at a set of traffic lights. If they do turn green, you're good to keep the button held up to 31mph. There's very little wind turbulence at 50mph, even with the wind deflector stowed. The drive: electrifying The GTS fires up like any combustion 911, the hybrid system preferring to lurk in the background until called upon by your right foot. Once it is, there's an immediacy to the powertrain that you just don't get elsewhere in the range. The turbocharger fires up almost instantly, letting the flat six put its power down with real ferocity. That's not to say the other cars are lethargic, or that we've entered EV-levels of instant acceleration; more that it makes the engine feel that bit more ready to respond to your inputs. It takes total power to a heady 534bhp, a 60 horsepower gain over the last-gen GTS, and means the Cabriolet driven here manages the 0-62mph sprint in just 3.1 seconds. That doesn't leave much legal room to reach the upper end of the rev range, where the exhaust note lets out an imposing roar even without reaching for the Sport setting. You get just the slightest electrical hum from the hybrid system, and even then you've got to really go searching for it. While the hybrid does add extra weight, on top of that gained by optioning the convertible roof, this is still a wonderfully balanced sports car. With rear-axle steering as standard and a sublimely weighted, Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, you're given ample feedback and you feel properly connected with it as you make swift progress. The four-wheel drive system ensures stability as you attack corners, and propels you out of them with authority. The ride is firm, even in the softest damper setting, but it in no way hampers the driving experience. When called for, the more dynamic modes help you feel hunkered own on the road, giving a reassuring amount of grip but keeping some rear-end playfulness accessible if you go looking for it. The technology: preserves the lineage It would've been easy for Porsche's engineers to draw a line under the outgoing car and go all-in on tech for the 922 generation, but instead the 911 keeps one foot in the past. The 12.6in curved digital dashboard has a classic five dial view reminiscent of the 997-era car, and the Sport Chrono clock hasn't gone anywhere. Sure, I miss having to turn an analogue switch to fire up the engine; pressing a button isn't quite as engaging. But the new dash is far more practical, letting you pick and choose which vital stats get shown next to the tachometer. There are plenty of physical buttons, and while the climate controls take some learning, it all falls easily within reach. I'm not entirely sold on the centre console's high gloss finish, but materials quality is otherwise excellent. The 10.9in central infotainment system is easy to navigate and comprehensive. It's got all the goodies you'd expect, including wireless Android Auto – because while a significant portion of Porsche drivers are also iPhone owners, the firm isn't leaving anyone out. Wireless Apple CarPlay is beamed onto the digital cluster. That said, there are no plans to add the dash-transforming Apple CarPlay Ultra to this generation. Naturally the press car came fully loaded with all the toys, including a Surround View camera with active parking support (that'll be £1298, please) and adaptive cruise control (£1468). The latter doesn't include lane change assist as standard – if you want it, expect to spend an extra £739. The 12-speaker Bose surround sound system will set you back a substantial £1468, but it's a box well worth ticking. Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid verdict I was never in doubt the GTS would be a corker of a 911, but was still surprised at how little it strays from the established formula, despite the extra technology – and extra weight. It's a reassuring sign of what's to come. It also creates a considerable gap to the regular Carrera in terms of potency, which only adds to the driver appeal. The cabriolet wins out for me over the hard-top: it makes even short drives at pedestrian speeds an event, and doesn't entirely sacrifice rear occupant space to achieve it. That said, in coupe form the GTS can be had with a rear spoiler that looks particularly menacing. There's also the small matter of the price: the most powerful non-Turbo 911 will set you back £154,400 before options, or £168,145 as tested here. On the other hand, you're getting faster acceleration than either a McLaren GTS or Ferrari Roma, with quite a bit of change to boot. If you're in the market for a junior supercar, this looks like an excellent addition to your shortlist. Stuff Says… Score: 5/5 Keeps Porsche's iconic sports car in the conversation without adding a plug socket. The 911 GTS T-Hybrid is a confident first step towards electrification that's just as dynamic an experience as you'd expect from the badge. Pros Astounding performance only aided by hybrid system Rides and handles superbly, as a 911 should Luxury cabin feel with plenty of tech Cons Only available with a PDK transmission Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid technical specifications Powertrain 3.6-litre turbocharged flat six petrol engine Battery 1.9kW Power 534bhp Torque 450lb ft 0-60mph 3.1sec Top speed 194mph Fuel economy 25.7-26.4mpg Cargo volume 135 litres
