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The shield saw, the star of last year's Doom: The Dark Ages , was my favorite weapon in Doom's entire bloody history. Not content with just sticking a parry in Doom and going for lunch early, id Software instead delivered the world's deadliest beyblade. A merciless disc of death you could frisbee into a screaming demon, or boomerang through entire hordes. The slowest, most lumbering entry of the new-Doom trilogy also starred a 'shield bash' that sent you rushing across the battlefield and slamming into Hell's finest. Slow? Please . Sonic wishes he could move like this.

The shield saw should be patched into Dark Souls immediately. Every other shield in gaming should hang its non-head in shame. What I'm basically trying to get across here is that the shield saw rules. And within the opening hour of Doom: The Dark Ages – Revelations, the FPS' new DLC, id took my shield saw away and snapped it in half.

(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks) It's a bold new step forward for the Doom Slayer, but rather than developers being able to celebrate, the studio is already losing half its staff as part of Xbox's ongoing large-scale layoffs . That includes reportedly putting the future of the id Tech engine itself in jeopardy , and leading developers to question the value of Microsoft's purchase of ZeniMax, which included id owner Bethesda, back in 2021 in the first place. That's all before we even had enough time to tell you this Doom: The Dark Ages expansion is actually super rad. Turns out, big business can be more devastating than any BFG – and that's heartbreaking.

Sawly Missed

(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks) Going dark

(Image credit: Xbox/id Software) In our Doom: The Dark Ages review we said that "the joy of blasting cacodemons with a shotgun is never truly lost, and the over-the-top aesthetic will always elevate the experience".

The Doom Slayer has been sent to Hell-prison, you see, presumably on about four billion demon murder charges. He thankfully gets to keep all the spectacular guns from last year's game, including the one that sprays bone fragments of demon skulls, the shotgun that sounds like the Earth itself splitting in half when you fire it, and that wonderful chainshot that's essentially the grittiest reboot of ball-and-paddle ever.

While it's great to be reunited with all these magnificent murder-toys, the shield saw being taken away truly hurts. Last year this studio trained us to approach Doom in a whole new defensive way, and now it's ripped and torn that option out entirely. Even FromSoftware let us enjoy an entire trilogy of Dark Souls games cowering behind a shield before snatching it away with Sekiro . id barely waited a year.

(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks) So what replaces this divine disc of death? The new chain spear, which is so weedy in appearance compared to a shield/chainsaw hybrid that I thought the game was joking. It looks like the kind of thing the Doom Slayer would use as a toothpick.

The spear actually shares a surprising amount of the shield's functionality. You can hookshot onto obstacles on enemies, like the shield dash. It can parry green attacks, and it stuns enemies you lob it into – though this effect only lasts until its hookshot has finished dragging you towards your victim. Which means you'll now be standing right next to a monster who's no longer stunned and is ready to get revenge. Gee, thanks.

Ah, but I soon discover that where I land is actually in my control. This isn't your bog standard videogame hookshot, wherein you latch onto where you want to go and then simply watch yourself get yanked towards it. No, you're able to swing left, right, and above as you're hooked forward, opening up some sublime new strategies.

The cacodemon, the floating megabrain that caused me so much misery in the main campaign, is now basically a hookshot launch pad for me to ascend myself to bullet heaven. I fling myself over it then unload super shotgun blasts into its grey-going-on-red matter the whole way down, landing in a fresh pile of its giblet-y remains. Bloody bliss.

Revelations also restores the much-missed dash button from Doom Eternal . Not being able to block isn't so bad when you can hurl yourself around or keep flinging yourself into the sky. Better yet, Revelations starts rewarding daring dodges as much as it rewards parries.

Death From Above

(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks) Last-second dodges fill a meter you can spend on executing special moves. I initially opt for a ground slam that damages anything stupid enough to be near where I land. That dash works in the air, too, so I can hook myself up and get an impressive amount of kills in before my feet ever get reacquainted with the ground. Doom has rediscovered its love of sending you airborne and developed a newfound romance with keeping you up there.

Properly engaging with the weapon wheel is friction I'd sorely missed.

Ammo scarcity, something I all but forgot about in The Dark Ages proper, constantly catches me out this time. Probably because all my ammo upgrades from the main campaign are gone, and Revelations is about as difficult as that game's third act right from the starting shot. Not being able to just rely on a couple of guns to get through an encounter, but actually properly engaging with the weapon wheel is friction I'd sorely missed. Oh, I have a weapon called the impaler! Good to see you, old friend. Sorry for, er, completely forgetting you existed. Um… has the shield saw asked about me at all?

Doom has also learnt how to keep a secret again. The Dark Ages' main campaign made the bizarre decision to put almost every collectable on the map screen. Then it had the audacity to cheer 'you found a secret area!' when you walked into the clearly signposted 'secret' area. Imagine if I showed you where my bathroom was and then bellowed "SECRET AREA FOUND" as soon as you entered it. You'd be baffled for a number of reasons. Revelations, somewhat ironically, knows to keep things under wraps so finding its secret areas and bonus pickups actually feel like achievements again.

(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks) You'll want to seek them out, too, to afford the excellent Chain Spear upgrades . There's Deflection, which makes the spear reflect back automatic weapon fire whenever you dash, the slayer twirling it like a dance baton (where was this in Lollipop Chainsaw ?). Tormentor will spin you around an enemy you've got the hook of the spear buried in, perfect for filling them with lead. Upgrade Tormentor again and enemies will also drop ammo and catch fire during that process. Cowards are definitely onto something – shooting someone in the back is immensely satisfying. …What?

So, after a steep learning curve, the Chain Spear definitely won me over. But before it did, something odd happened. The saw shield came crawling back. A few hours in, Revelations returns the shield to you, and now you can switch it out with the spear whenever you want. I was really torn about this. Great as it was to have my favorite toy back, I respected the game a lot more when it locked me into a new playstyle.

Offense is the Best Defence?

(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks) The shield is essentially a safer, steadier bet. Whereas the spear, when used well, can end a brutal battle in seconds. The catch being it can also end the battle for you in seconds. Eventually, you learn when best to switch them out on the fly. Demons who fire automatic guns at me are no match for a spear which can deflect those bullets. Whereas near the end of a long, long onslaught of demons, I appreciate a quick breather behind the shield so I don't lose the last twenty minutes of progress.

Once I truly got a handle on the spear, the shield was reduced to mere cameos, but I still think the game would have benefitted from at least another hour of it being my sole option before tempting me back into the more familiar pleasures of the shield saw.

(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks) It's a minor pacing complaint with what's otherwise a terrific package, an inspired remix of Dark Ages and Eternal that's as exhilarating as Doom has ever been. It's beautiful, the story is… well, much less crap than the main campaign's, and the puzzles can actually be called puzzles this time without being laughed out of the room. Best of all, the core combat is about as good as FPS gunplay gets. Only Saros threatens this one's perch for single-player shooter of the year. I said single-player, Marathon stans. Put away your shield saws…

Imagine owning a studio that can make games of this quality, that last year got three million players on board , and then gutting them more viciously than a demon on the wrong end of a chain spear. Tragically, Xbox's cruel layoffs that are targeting 3,200 roles across several studios may have finally delivered the killing blow to the Doom Slayer. Let's hope Revelations isn't the swansong to a studio of such incredible talent.

Check out our best FPS games ranking for more blasting!

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Apple has ended a popular loophole used when buying an iPhone

It previously let you get an unlocked iPhone on carrier finance

The workaround still works when purchasing an iPad

For many years, there’s been something of an open secret among Apple fans who want to get a new, fully unlocked iPhone deal with affordable carrier financing. Now, though, Apple has ended this workaround, much to the dismay of the Apple userbase — but there’s better news if you’re thinking of getting an iPad on finance.

The iPhone loophole worked like this. While buying an iPhone on finance from a carrier usually meant it was locked to that provider, buying the same device straight from Apple’s website — even when using carrier financing — got you an unlocked phone.

This applied to both T-Mobile and Verizon contracts, although AT&T users were still locked to their carrier. It meant that you could get the benefit of a generous financing offer or trade-in deal without having to stick with one carrier until your device was paid off.

Now, Apple has changed its terms. In the Frequently Asked Questions section on any iPhone purchase page, Apple has inserted some new language: “If you choose to finance an iPhone through the AT&T Installment Plan, T-Mobile Equipment Installment Plan, or Verizon Device Payment Program, your iPhone will be locked to the carrier until paid in full.”

The change hasn’t gone down well with Apple users, who have been lamenting the more restrictive practices that are now in force. On Reddit , comments have ranged from “no idea why carrier locking is still legal,” while another posted commented that the situation is “sad, I was buying phones this way since 2022.”

This situation is not present in every country. Since December 2021 in the UK, regulators have prohibited mobile networks from selling new handsets that are locked to their network. Go to Apple’s UK online store and you won’t see the wording about an iPhone being locked or unlocked.

Better news for iPad buyers

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) If you’re still interested in getting an Apple device on finance, there’s another option, as Apple has just introduced a 36-month option when buying any of the best iPads equipped with Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity direct from Apple. This offer appears at checkout on Apple’s website and is available for the iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro.

While Apple offers interest-free financing using Apple Card, that spreads the cost over 12 months. The 36-month option means your monthly repayments will be lower, although you also have to factor in the additional cost of cellular service and any extras like an activation fee.

Your current options are AT&T or Verizon. Interestingly, though, you won’t be locked to the carrier while the repayment period is ongoing, as Apple says “You can switch carriers when you purchase an iPad directly from Apple and choose carrier financing as your payment option.” That makes this iPad deal very similar to the recently shuttered iPhone workaround, and it’s unknown if or when Apple will end this loophole.

Aside from Apple, you can also buy an iPad with a 36-month financing plan from carriers. And as noted by AppleInsider , this sometimes involves bill credit or other offers that lower the cost of the iPad, meaning you could get a better deal by not going through Apple itself — although doing so likely means you’ll be locked into using that carrier, rather than being free to switch when buying from Apple. As ever with this sort of thing, shop around to see if you can get a bargain.

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Medion Signium 27 S1: One-minute review

I'm a big fan of all-in-one (AIO) PCs, so I was pretty eager to get my hands on the Medion Signium 27 S1. I've long been a big proponent of the idea that we need more budget options in the PC hardware market, and with the current pricing crisis surrounding PC components like RAM and GPUs, reasonably priced systems are more important than ever.

Unfortunately, my excitement to review the Signium 27 S1 may have been somewhat misplaced. This certainly isn't a bad AIO desktop, offering decent (if unspectacular) performance in a clean, compact design. But there are a few too many small flaws here that make it difficult for me to recommend it wholeheartedly; if you're looking for one of the best all-in-one computers , this probably isn't it, though I do still think it can fill a certain niche in the market.

(Image credit: Future) For the uninitiated, Medion is a German electronics company that cut its teeth producing budget PCs and notebooks in the 2010s and was recently purchased by Lenovo (whose leadership appears content to let Medion keep doing what it was already doing). I've tested some of Medion's gaming laptops in the past, and while they rarely wow, they're typically pretty good in terms of value for money.

And to be fair, the Signium 27 S1 is indeed good value for money. Its design language (particularly of the bundled keyboard and mouse) is clearly meant to evoke the Apple iMac 24-inch M4 , and if you're only looking to do basic everyday tasks on your PC, it can offer a similar experience to Apple's excellent AIO for a far lower price. But if you crave the high-end build quality of Apple hardware or want a PC that can handle more demanding workloads, this won't be the right one for you.

Medion Signium 27 S1: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future) How much does it cost? Starting at $875 / £649 (around AU$1,250)

When is it available? Available now

Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

With a starting price of $875 / £649 (around AU$1,250), the Medion Signium 27 S1 is aggressively positioned in the all-in-one PC market, undercutting similar offerings from the likes of Lenovo and MSI.

There are a few different configurations available, which seem to vary greatly from region to region. My review unit uses an Intel Core 7 240H, while the cheapest configuration available uses the Core 5 210H. 1TB of storage comes as standard, which is very nice for the price, with 16GB of RAM in the lowest configuration and 32GB in my review model.

The closest comparison is the HP OmniStudio X , which costs $830 for the 27-inch 1080p configuration with an Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU. The HP AIO offers superior build quality and very marginally better performance, which makes it a more attractive option for US shoppers – but Medion wins in Europe and Australia, since that super-budget configuration of the OmniStudio X is only available in the US.

The only real problem with the Signium 27 S1 from a purchasing standpoint is availability. It's available exclusively through Aldi (yes, that Aldi) in the US and Australia, which means the prices above are pretty much just guidelines since Aldi retains the power to adjust the price on a per-store basis – though of course, you may well find one for cheaper. Fortunately for UK consumers, you can get it through Amazon or directly from Medion's website.

Value: 4 / 5

Medion Signium 27 S1: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Medion Signium 27 S1 specs Base configuration

Review configuration

Price:

$875 / £649 (around AU$1,250)

$1,150 / £849 (around AU$1,635)

CPU:

Intel Core 5 210H

Intel Core 7 240H

Graphics:

Integrated Intel Arc Graphics

Integrated Intel Arc Graphics

RAM:

16 GB DDR5

32GB DDR5

Storage:

1TB SSD M.2

1 TB SSD M.2

Display:

27" FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, non-touch, 400 nits, 60Hz

27" FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, non-touch, 400 nits, 60Hz

Ports:

Ethernet (RJ45), 2x USB-C, 4x USB-A, HDMI-in, HDMI-out, Combi audio jack

Ethernet (RJ45), 2x USB-C, 4x USB-A, HDMI-in, HDMI-out, Combi audio jack

Wireless:

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Camera:

1080p webcam with privacy shutter

1080p webcam with privacy shutter

Weight:

3.8kg / 8.38lbs

3.8kg / 8.38lbs

Dimensions (H x W x D):

615 × 180 × 480mm

615 × 180 × 480mm

Medion Signium 27 S1: design

(Image credit: Future) Sleek design with easy assembly

Limited range of screen movement

Solid port selection

Gone are the days when AIO PCs were chunky, ugly devices. Now even a budget all-in-one can look good – and the Medion Signium 27 S1 certainly does look good.

Things do begin to fall apart a little once you actually touch it, though. The three buttons on the underside of the display are unsatisfyingly spongey, and although the base is solid metal and feels fairly durable, the rest of the device (including the keyboard and mouse) is made of cheap-feeling plastic. The mount is also very limited, only allowing for a small range of tilt with no height or rotation adjustment.

Still, there are several redeeming features here. The whole thing is very easy to assemble and start using, and the port selection is good for a PC in this price range, with a USB-C and USB-A on the side of the unit for easy access plus another USB-C, three more USB-As, Ethernet, and HDMI inputs and outputs – meaning you can either connect a second display for productivity, or use the whole device as a dumb monitor for a different system.

The webcam is merely passable, providing 1080p recording with pretty washed-out colors. It'll work for Zoom meetings, but don't expect to look good. On the bright side, there's both a physical camera shutter and a kill switch (which is a little redundant) for privacy purposes.

(Image credit: Future) The display is decent enough, more than capable of handling everyday office tasks, and built with nice slim bezels. With a resolution of 1080p, a 60Hz refresh rate, and decidedly average color reproduction, it's not great for gaming or watching movies. The maximum brightness is fine, but again, it could definitely be better. Unsurprisingly, this monitor doesn't support HDR.

The IPS panel used here has a good-quality anti-glare coating, which helps offset the lackluster brightness; I had no problems using it in a brightly-lit room in the middle of the day. Strangely, the display can actually be raised to a 73.5Hz refresh rate, but doing so immediately knocks the resolution down to a blurry 720p, so 60Hz is the effective maximum (as listed on the spec page for the Signium 27 S1).

Surprisingly, the Signium is upgradable, with the option to remove the back panel and swap out the RAM and SSD for higher-spec components should you so desire. My review unit wouldn't really benefit from this kind of bump in performance terms, but being able to add more storage is definitely a plus.

Future Future Future Future Lastly, the Signium 27 S1 comes bundled with a keyboard and mouse, both of which are clearly meant to evoke the aesthetic of Apple's Magic peripherals. They're absolutely nowhere close to Apple's hardware in terms of quality, immediately feeling cheap and tacky under the fingers.

They work , but they're undeniably very far from any of the best keyboards and best mice , especially the keyboard, so you'll most likely want to consider upgrading unless you have a high tolerance for poor-quality technology.

Design: 3.5 / 5

Medion Signium 27 S1: Performance

(Image credit: Future) Good performance for basic workloads

Ill-suited for gaming and creative tasks

Sound quality is poor

Here's how the Medion Signium 27 S1 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

GeekBench 6 (single-core) 2,409; (multi-core): 10,227

3DMark Fire Strike: 4,337; Time Spy: 1,617; Night Raid: 16,686

CrossMark Overall: 1,540; Productivity: 1,473; Responsiveness: 1,287; Creativity: 1,719

Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, High): 16 fps

Without beating around the bush, the performance on offer here is merely alright. If you want a svelte all-in-one desktop for basic office tasks like web browsing, word processing, and video calls, then it can get the job done very competently. It comes with Windows 11 as standard and the usual free trial of Microsoft 365.

I found that for my straightforward work, the Signium 27 S1 was very responsive and effective, giving me no noticeable slowdown or issues with productivity. Once I swapped out the mouse and keyboard for something more amenable to my tastes, I actually quite liked working on it.

But for more demanding tasks, like gaming or creative workloads, the Intel Core 7 240H falls short. You can squeeze a bit of casual gaming out of it by tweaking down the graphical settings and using resolution upscaling tools like AMD FSR or Intel XeSS, but don't expect to be playing Cyberpunk 2077 on this PC.

(Image credit: Future) Creative tasks offer similarly lackluster performance. While the Signium is arguably capable of low- to mid-level 3D rendering, digital art, and video processing, it's really not ideal for that sort of work. While not part of our standard benchmarking suite for AIO PCs, I fired up Canva and Photoshop during my testing period and found that it really started to struggle once numerous layers were involved.

Finally, you'll want to get your hands on a decent headset or a set of the best computer speakers if you have any intention of playing audio via this PC. The integrated speakers are weak and tinny with poor noise cancelling, more or less hopeless for anything beyond very basic video playback.

Performance: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Should you buy the Medion Signium 27 S1?

Medion Signium 27 S1 scorecard Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The pricing here is competitive, but availability issues and configuration confusion might turn off some potential buyers.

4 / 5

Design

It looks excellent and offers solid functionality, but the build quality is lackluster.

3.5 / 5

Performance

Performance in basic tasks is good, but don't expect to run any demanding software or get good audio performance from the built-in speakers.

3 / 5

Total score

The Medion Signium 27 S1 offers an undeniably solid value proposition, but fails to impress in a few key areas.

3.5 / 5

Buy the Medion Signium 27 S1 if...

You're on a tight budget

In terms of value for money, this AIO delivers the goods. Few desktop systems can offer this sort of spec sheet at this price point.

You want an attractive all-in-one computer

Despite my issues with the build quality, the Medion Signium 27 S1 looks excellent considering the price point.

You want an extra monitor and an extra PC

Using the Signium 27 S1 as a second monitor is a seamless process, which is a neat bit of additional functionality.

Don't buy it if...

You need strong performance

Even with the upgrade options, there's no real chance that you'll be able to use the Signium 27 S1 for creative workloads or triple-A gaming.

You want good build quality

Although it looks nice at first glance, this isn't a system that was built to a premium standard. The bundled keyboard in particular feels extremely cheap.

Also consider

If my Medion Signium 27 S1 review has you considering other options, here are two other AIO PCs to consider...

Apple iMac 24-inch M4

The Apple iMac 24-inch M4 is the pinnacle of this type of computer and still sets the bar, especially in the looks department. It’s also fairly powerful thanks to Apple’s M4 chip, even though it hasn’t gotten a meaningful update outside of that Apple silicon and upgraded RAM in quite a while.

Read the full Apple iMac 24-inch M4 review

HP OmniStudio X

The lower-spec version of the HP OmniStudio X 27 in the US is probably the closest product to the Signium 27 S1, making it a very strong alternative – plus, it offers higher-spec configurations with discrete graphics, if you're willing to drop a bit more cash.

Read the full HP OmniStudio X review

How I tested the Medion Signium 27 S1

Tested for one work week

Used it for productivity and gaming

Ran it through our standard benchmarking suite, plus some extra tests

I used the Medion Signium 27 S1 as my regular work system for one week, swapping it out for my everyday desktop at home and using it for the usual range of work I do for TechRadar: online research, video calls, and writing reviews like this one.

I also ran our usual selection of benchmark tests (which you can see in the Performance section of this review) as well as firing up some extra programs to do further testing, including Canva, Photoshop, and Cyberpunk 2077 (which ran very poorly, no surprise there).

I've been reviewing PC hardware for more than eight years, testing all kinds of products from desktop computers to individual peripherals. I put every bit of my industry experience into my review process, so you can trust that it's both accurate and impartial.

First reviewed July 2026