Standalone means the device doesn't require a smartphone to operate.

If the device isn't connected to a smartphone, you may be able to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi.

We recommend translation devices with a CHOICE Expert Rating (our overall score) of more than 70%.

This overall score determines which products we recommend and is based on how well each device scores for translation accuracy (50%), ease of use (30%) and audio quality (20%).

This score is based on how correctly the devices translate five simple sentences into four different languages. It accounts for 50% of the CHOICE Expert Rating, our overall score that determines which products we recommend.

This score is based on how time-consuming it is to get the device or app to translate spoken language. It accounts for 30% of the CHOICE Expert Rating, our overall score that determines which products we recommend.

This score is based on the clarity of the translation provided by the device. It accounts for 20% of the CHOICE Expert Rating, our overall score that determines which products we recommend.

Our tester's notes on what the device is and how it performed.

The recommended retail price as supplied by the manufacturer or the average price you can expect to find the translation device for online.

Some devices will only work when paired to a smartphone app.

This is useful to connect headphones or pair the device to a smartphone.

Battery life can be shown either on the screen or via LED.

What you need to charge your device. Note that most don't come with a charger.

The cable type required to charge the device. Generally it's either USB-C or microUSB.

All of the devices we tested are rechargeable, but with a battery that's integrated and not replaceable.

The height, width and depth of the device in millimetres.

The weight of the device in grams.

The ability to listen to someone talk and translate it to another language.

The number of languages present in the device for translating speech.

Some devices allow you to identify text in an image (using optical character recognition) and translate it to another language.

Approximate number of languages present in image translation mode.

This refers to languages that can be downloaded for offline translation.

Whether there are any pre-loaded phrases you can select straight away.

Are you able to 'favourite' translations that you want to use regularly?

Whether you can access past translations in either text or audible format.

Can you store recordings (e.g. voice memos) on the translator?

Is there a microphone built into the device?

A camera built into the device can be useful for image translation.

Some devices have built-in speakers, whereas others use the speaker on your smartphone to operate.

A headphone jack is not a common feature on consumer-level translation devices.

Does the device have a touchscreen for menu selections?

Is there a volume control on the device?

Wi-Fi support is useful for accessing translation services and downloading language packs.

SIM or eSIM support can be useful when using the translation device when you don't have access to a smartphone.

Can the device work without an active internet connection?