
Do you really need an expensive fan to stay cool? I tested 5 handheld models from £17 to £130, and one budget pick stole the show
THE SO WHAT
A budget handheld fan outperforming pricier models is a reminder that consumer hardware differentiation is fragile when the core tech is commoditized. If you’re in devices, lean harder on ecosystem, software, and service hooks — not just marginal hardware improvements.
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