Ultra-short-throw (UST) projectors have become a practical alternative to massive televisions over the last few years. Instead of dealing with ceiling mounts, running cables through drywall, or worrying about someone walking in front of the projection beam, you can just place a console-sized box on your media cabinet. Push it a few inches from the wall, and you get a 120-inch display.

Xgimi has been a consistent presence in this category, and their latest lineup, the Aura 3 series, updates their offerings with some modern hardware. The company is releasing two versions: the Aura 3 Max and the Aura 3 Pro.

At first glance, these two projectors look identical. They share the same physical design, the same underlying processing technology, and the same goal of replacing a standard living room TV. However, if you look at the specification sheet and the pricing, there is a clear distinction between the two.

Here is a breakdown of how the Xgimi Aura 3 Max compares to the Aura 3 Pro, and how to decide which one makes sense for your space.

What Both Projectors Offer

Before getting into the differences, it is helpful to look at what both of these projectors have in common, as Xgimi has kept the core feature set largely the same across both models.

First is the light engine. Both the Max and the Pro use an RGB Triple Laser setup. This means they rely on dedicated red, green, and blue lasers, which allows them to cover 110% of the BT.2020 color space. In practical terms, this translates to accurate and saturated colors for movies and games.

Speaking of gaming, the Aura 3 series includes support for 4K resolution at a 120Hz refresh rate. Powered by dual Texas Instruments DLPC controllers, this feature is particularly relevant if you own a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X.

Alongside the higher refresh rate, both models support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and AMD FreeSync Premium, while offering a 1ms response time. This makes either projector a viable option for playing fast-paced games on a large screen.

On the optical side, both projectors feature a dual-iris system. An iris physically adjusts the amount of light passing through the lens frame by frame. This helps improve black levels and shadow detail in darker scenes without relying entirely on digital processing, which can sometimes wash out the image.

They also share a 19-element optical glass system with a 0.163:1 throw ratio, meaning you only need to place the projector about eight inches away from the wall to achieve a 120-inch image.

The everyday usability features are also identical. Both come with an 80W Harman Kardon 2.0 channel sound system that supports Dolby Atmos. They also have Google TV built-in, which includes native support for apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video, so you don’t necessarily need to plug in a separate streaming stick. Setup is handled by Xgimi’s automated tools, including auto keystone, auto focus, and wall color adaptation.

Main Differences: Brightness, Contrast and Price

If the two models share so many features, the decision really comes down to how much ambient light you have in your viewing room.

The Aura 3 Max is the higher-end model designed for bright living rooms and larger screen sizes. It outputs 5,700 ISO lumens. If you have a living room with large windows and you want to watch TV during the day without drawing the curtains, this model is built to handle that environment. It also has a higher native contrast ratio of 8,000:1, which helps maintain deeper black levels even with the higher brightness output.

The Aura 3 Pro is designed for more typical viewing environments. It has a lower light output of 4,100 ISO lumens and a native contrast ratio of 7,000:1. To be clear, 4,100 ISO lumens is still quite bright for a home projector and will comfortably handle a moderately lit room. However, if you are projecting onto a wall that gets direct, harsh sunlight, the Pro will show more image washout than the Max.

Then there is the pricing structure. The Aura 3 Max has an MSRP of $4,999 (with an early Kickstarter price of $2,199). The Aura 3 Pro is priced lower, with an MSRP of $3,999 (and an early Kickstarter price of $1,999).

Specs Comparison

Making Your Decision

Choosing between the Aura 3 Max and the Aura 3 Pro is fairly straightforward because Xgimi didn’t restrict software or processing features to the more expensive model. You get the same 4K 120Hz gaming support, the same Google TV interface, and the same audio system regardless of which one you pick.

Your choice should be based on your room’s lighting and your budget. If you are setting up the projector in a basement, a dedicated media room, or a living room where you can easily close the blinds to control ambient light, the Aura 3 Pro is a very practical choice. It saves you money while delivering the same core features.

On the other hand, if you are replacing a TV in a bright, open-concept space and want the best possible daytime visibility, the Aura 3 Max is the better fit. The additional 1,600 ISO lumens will make a noticeable difference in keeping the image clear and visible during the day.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Xgimi Aura 3 Max vs Aura 3 Pro: What’s the Difference Between These UST Projectors? appeared first on Gizmochina.

For a long time, portable chargers served a single, straightforward purpose: providing extra battery life for your phone or tablet when you were away from a wall outlet. You bought a battery pack, plugged in your device, and that was the extent of its functionality. However, the power banks released in 2026 show a shift in how manufacturers are approaching these accessories.

Instead of just increasing battery capacity or charging speeds, companies are integrating secondary features to make these devices more useful in everyday situations. From built-in internet hotspots to location tracking, here is a look at eight recent power banks that combine standard charging capabilities with practical additional tools.

Ugreen MagFlow Pro

Wireless charging naturally generates heat, which can slow down charging speeds and affect battery health over time. Ugreen’s MagFlow Pro, priced at $149.99, attempts to manage this issue by integrating a liquid-cooled micro-pump system into a 10,000mAh power bank.

The device uses a phase-change thermal storage material to absorb heat. When temperatures rise, an internal micro-pump circulates coolant to draw heat away from the warmest areas of the phone and the battery pack.

It supports 25W Qi2 magnetic wireless charging and includes two 45W USB-C options (one built-in cable and one port). There is also a transparent section on the casing that allows you to see the coolant system in operation.

Baseus EnerGeek GX11

Aimed at frequent travelers and remote workers, the Baseus EnerGeek GX11 combines a 20,000mAh battery with an integrated 4G hotspot. Available for $129.99, the device uses CloudSIM technology to connect to local cellular networks in over 150 countries, removing the need for a physical SIM card.

It can support up to 10 device connections simultaneously, offering download speeds up to 150 Mbps.

On the charging side, it provides a maximum output of 67W, which is sufficient for charging most standard laptops, and features a built-in USB-C cable that doubles as a carrying lanyard.

Belkin 10,000mAh 45W Night Light

Belkin has taken a practical approach with its latest 10,000mAh battery pack, currently available in China for around $49. Alongside standard charging features, this 45W power bank includes a pop-out LED light.

The light features a built-in motion sensor and touch controls to adjust brightness. It can be used as a simple bedside night light, a small fill light for video calls, or an emergency light using its SOS flashing mode.

Because LED lights require very little power, using the light function does not significantly drain the 10,000mAh battery. It also includes a built-in braided USB-C cable and a digital display for battery percentage.

Nimble Sharepower Portable Charger

The Nimble Sharepower, priced at $79.95, offers a modular design that allows the power bank to be physically split into two separate units. When connected via its magnetic pogo-pin system, it functions as a single 10,000mAh power bank with a total output of 35W, capable of charging up to three devices.

When pulled apart, it becomes two independent 5,000mAh chargers, each providing up to 20W of power. One half features a built-in braided USB-C cable and an extra port, while the other half includes a foldable USB-C connector that plugs directly into the bottom of a smartphone.

This design is particularly useful if you need to share a charger with someone else without sharing the same physical space.

Cuktech Modular Fan Plus

Cuktech’s CP Modular Fan Plus is a portable cooling device that doubles as a fast-charging power bank. Using a proprietary magnetic interface, the fan connects to a 10,000mAh battery base.

The fan utilizes a high-speed three-phase brushless motor to deliver wind speeds up to 11 m/s, and it operates relatively quietly due to acoustic tuning (ranging from 50dB to 66dB depending on the setting).

When you need to charge a device, the base functions as a power bank with 33W output and 27W input. It also supports pass-through charging, so you can run the fan while the battery itself is plugged into a wall outlet.

Portronics Power Shutter Air 20K

The Portronics Power Shutter Air 20K is a 20,000mAh power bank that consolidates several charging standards into one device. Priced at around $26 (Rs. 2,499), it features a camera-lens-style magnetic pad that supports 15W Qi2 wireless charging.

For wired connections, it offers a 20W USB-C Power Delivery output and includes a built-in, detachable USB-C cable. Additionally, it allocates a specific 2.5W output for charging an Apple Watch and 5W for wireless earbuds.

If you have multiple devices with different charging requirements, this power bank reduces the need to carry separate cables and adapters.

Huawei 12,000mAh 100W Power Bank

Misplacing a power bank is a common issue, which Huawei addresses by integrating Bluetooth tracking into its new 12,000mAh All-in-One Power Bank (priced around $59). Working within Huawei’s HarmonyOS ecosystem, the power bank communicates with your smartphone.

If you leave the battery behind, your phone will send an alert, and you can view its last known location on a map, including floor-level positioning. Beyond tracking, it supports 100W bidirectional fast charging, meaning it can charge a compatible laptop quickly and be recharged just as fast.

It also features a durable built-in liquid silicone cable and ceramic insulation for thermal management.

Portronics Vayu 7.0

The Portronics Vayu 7.0 (around $22) is primarily a portable tire inflator, but it includes power bank functionality for emergencies. It features a 150 PSI compressor with preset inflation modes for cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and sports balls, automatically stopping when the target pressure is reached.

Inside the compact frame are dual 2,000mAh batteries (4,000mAh total) that power the compressor. However, the device also includes a 5V/1A USB output, allowing it to charge a smartphone if you are stranded without another power source.

It is rounded out by an integrated LED flashlight with an SOS mode, making it a highly practical tool to keep in a vehicle.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post The 8 Coolest Power Banks Launched in 2026 That Do Way More Than Charge Your Phone appeared first on Gizmochina.

If you’ve ever stood in an airport security line frantically Googling whether your brick-sized portable charger is going to get you pulled aside, you’re not alone. Power banks are the lifeblood of modern travel, keeping our phones, tablets, and laptops alive during grueling layovers and cross-country flights. But as battery capacities have ballooned, so have the safety regulations.

In 2026, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and global aviation authorities have cracked down harder than ever on lithium-ion batteries. The era of tossing a massive, unbranded battery pack into your suitcase is over. If you don’t know the rules, you risk losing your expensive gear to a TSA bin forever.

Here is your ultimate guide to flying with power banks in 2026, complete with the math you need to know, airline-specific quirks, and the best flight-approved chargers you can buy right now.

The Quick Rule of Thumb

Don’t have time to read the fine print before boarding? Here is your 30-second survival guide:

Carry-on Only: Zero power banks are allowed in checked luggage. Period. If you check a bag with a power bank inside, it will be removed, and your bag might be delayed.

The Magic Number is 100Wh: Batteries under 100Wh (roughly 26,800 mAh) are allowed by default.

The Two-Unit Limit: The 2026 ICAO baseline restricts passengers to a maximum of two power banks total.

Do Not Plug Into the Plane: You are strictly prohibited from recharging your power bank using the in-seat aircraft power outlets. (Charging your phone from the plane is fine; charging the battery pack from the plane is a fire hazard).

The mAh to Wh Calculator

Aviation regulators don’t care about milliamp-hours (mAh), which is how power banks are marketed. They care about Watt-hours (Wh). To figure out if your charger is legal, you have to do a little math.

Here is the formula:

Wh = (mAh × 3.7) / 1000

Most power banks operate at a nominal voltage of 3.7V. If your power bank doesn’t explicitly list the Wh rating on the chassis, use this cheat sheet:

• 10,000 mAh = 37 Wh (Totally safe)
• 20,000 mAh = 74 Wh (Totally safe)
• 26,800 mAh = ≈99.1 Wh (The absolute maximum allowed without airline permission)
• 30,000 mAh+ = 111 Wh (Danger zone. Requires prior airline approval, and anything over 160 Wh is globally banned).

Master Airline Comparison Table (2026 Rules)

While the ICAO sets the baseline, individual airlines can (and do) enforce stricter rules. Some carriers have outright banned using power banks to charge devices while in the air due to thermal runaway fears. Others have slashed the unit limit down to one.

Note: If your power bank has a capacity between 101 Wh and 160 Wh, you must contact the airline before your flight to obtain written approval.

The Seizure Trap: Why Security Confiscates Power Banks

Even if your battery is perfectly legal, airport security can still confiscate it. The number one reason? The label is worn off.

TSA and international security agents are trained to look for the printed Wh or mAh rating on the device. If you’ve had your power bank for years and the text has rubbed off from tumbling around in your backpack, security will assume it exceeds the limit and throw it in the trash. There is no arguing your way out of this.

Other reasons for confiscation include exposed or damaged ports, swollen chassis (spicy pillows), and exceeding the airline’s strict unit count.

Best Flight-Approved Power Banks (2026 Buyer’s Guide)

If your current charger is looking a little worse for wear, or you just want to guarantee you won’t get hassled at the security checkpoint, here are the best flight-approved power banks you can buy right now. We’ve curated the top tier of Anker’s 2026 lineup, perfectly tailored for the modern traveler.

The Pocket/Daily Driver: Anker MagGo Power Bank (10K, Slim)

Specs: 10,000 mAh | ≈37 Wh | 15W Qi2 Wireless Charging

Why we love it: If you hate carrying cables, this is your holy grail. It is an ultra-slim magnetic power bank that snaps right onto the back of your MagSafe-compatible iPhone. Thanks to the Qi2 standard, it delivers up to 15W of wireless power, matching the charging speed of official Apple MagSafe chargers, while keeping thermals incredibly low. At just 37 Wh, it falls comfortably within TSA’s 100 Wh limit and easily slips into a front pocket or a crowded sling bag.

The Travel All-Rounder: Anker Laptop Power Bank (25K, 165W)

Specs: 25,000 mAh | 90 Wh | 165W Total Output

Why we love it: This is the sweet spot for digital nomads. At 90 Wh, it sits comfortably below the 100 Wh airline limit while packing enough capacity to charge a 15-inch MacBook Air from zero to full. The best part? It features two built-in retractable USB-C cables, so you never have to worry about forgetting your charging cable in a hotel room again. With a maximum single-port output of 100W and a smart display that shows real-time battery and charging statistics, it makes an excellent travel companion.

The Max Legal Capacity: Anker Prime Power Bank (26K, 300W)

Specs: 26,250 mAh | ≈97 Wh | 300W Total Output

Why we love it: If you want to get as close as possible to the airline’s 100 Wh limit without entering the category that requires prior airline approval, the Anker Prime 26K is an absolute powerhouse. It features an impressive 300W total output, allowing you to fast-charge two laptops and a phone simultaneously. Even more impressive is its 250W dual-port input. When connected to two compatible high-speed chargers, it can recharge to 50% in just 13 minutes. It also features Bluetooth app control, allowing you to monitor real-time charging statistics from your phone. It is an excellent choice for travelers who need maximum charging power while staying within the standard 100 Wh limit.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Can I fly with this power bank? Airline-by-airline rules for 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

For a long time, smart speakers were mostly used for setting kitchen timers, checking the weather, or casually turning off the lights. While the hardware steadily improved, the voice assistants inside them often struggled with anything beyond basic, rigid commands. This year, however, the landscape has noticeably shifted. The major tech companies have started integrating generative AI and large language models into their audio hardware, making these devices much better at understanding natural conversation.

Apple, Google, Amazon, and Sonos have all updated their lineups for 2026. The focus is no longer just on audio quality, though that remains important. Instead, the updates center on visual intelligence, built-in networking features, and voice assistants that can actually follow a train of thought. If you are looking to update your home audio setup this year, here is a look at the best smart speakers currently available.

Apple HomePod Mini 2

Apple’s original HomePod Mini remained largely unchanged for years, but the new HomePod Mini 2 brings some much-needed updates, primarily through the introduction of Siri AI. Built on Apple’s Foundation Models, the updated assistant is noticeably better at handling conversational requests.

It can recognize up to six different voices in a household and pull context from your personal devices, meaning you can ask it to find a recipe a friend texted you, and it will actually know what you are talking about.

On the hardware side, Apple added a feature called Sound Glow. The flat touch panel on the top of the speaker now illuminates and pulses with colors that match the album artwork of the music you are playing. It is a nice visual touch for a device that otherwise looks very similar to its predecessor.

Audio performance remains solid for its 3.3-inch size, and Apple has added a new home theater feature: if you own the latest Apple TV 4K, you can now link four HomePod Mini 2 speakers together for a surround sound setup. It is a logical choice if your home is already built around the Apple ecosystem.

Price: $149

Google Home Speaker

Google has moved away from the Nest Audio branding, consolidating its smart home efforts under the new Google Home Speaker. Priced at $99.99, this device serves as the primary hardware for Google’s Gemini for Home AI.

The main benefit of the Gemini integration is flexibility. You no longer have to speak in strict command formulas. You can give the speaker a multi-step request, or even change your mind in the middle of a sentence (for example, asking it to turn on the living room lights, but then correcting yourself to ask for the kitchen lights instead), and it will understand.

It also retains short-term conversational memory, so you do not have to repeat the wake word for follow-up questions. The speaker itself is wrapped in a 3D-knit fabric made from recycled materials and features an underglow light ring to indicate when it is listening. It also supports Matter and Thread 1.3, allowing it to serve as a central hub for a Google-based smart home.

Price: $99.99

Amazon Echo Studio with Home Camera

Amazon has taken a different approach with the new Echo Studio with Home Camera. It retains the high-end audio hardware of the standard Echo Studio, including a high-excursion woofer, Dolby Atmos support, and room adaptation technology that adjusts the equalizer based on your room’s acoustics. The notable change is the addition of a built-in camera.

This camera gives Alexa visual context. You can hold up a product, like a box of cereal, and ask Alexa to reorder it, or show it a board game and ask for a summary of the rules. It also functions as a basic security camera, allowing you to check in on your room through the Alexa app when you are not home.

Amazon has also confirmed a future update that will let the speaker pair with compatible Fire TVs for video calls. Priced at $249.99, it is a niche device that offers a glimpse of how smart speakers could evolve with visual awareness of their surroundings.

Price: $249.99

Amazon Echo Dot 2026

While the Echo Studio focuses on new camera features, the 2026 Echo Dot is built entirely around household utility. Amazon has added a built-in eero Wi-Fi extender to the device, which can add up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to an existing eero mesh network. It also functions as a smart home hub right out of the box.

Internally, the new Echo Dot runs on Amazon’s custom AZ3 silicon, which includes an AI accelerator designed to process voice commands locally. This helps the speaker filter out background noise and respond to requests a bit faster.

Amazon claims the new model delivers 50% more bass than its predecessor. Priced at $99.99, it is a practical choice for those who want to extend their Wi-Fi coverage while adding smart home controls.

Price: $99.99

Sonos Play

Sonos continues to focus on audio fidelity and multi-room integration with the new Sonos Play. Designed to be a versatile entry point into the Sonos system, the Play functions as both a standard home speaker and a portable Bluetooth speaker. It supports over 100 streaming services directly through the Sonos app, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal.

While on your home Wi-Fi, it supports Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, and it features both Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa for hands-free commands. When you leave your network, it seamlessly switches to Bluetooth 5.3 for offline listening.

It comes with a charging base for everyday indoor use, but you can pick it up and take it outside thanks to its built-in battery, which lasts up to 24 hours. It has an IP67 rating, meaning it is fully dustproof and waterproof, and it even includes a USB-C port that can be used to charge your phone.

The audio is powered by three class-H digital amplifiers and uses Sonos’ Trueplay technology to automatically tune the sound to your environment using its built-in microphones.

It is the most expensive speaker on this list, but it offers a lot of flexibility for people who want one device that works just as well in the living room as it does in the backyard.

Price: $299

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post The Best Smart Speakers in 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Buying a pair of headphones in 2026 is not simply about sound quality anymore. Active noise cancelation, battery life, comfort, microphone performance, and sound customization can all make a huge difference to the overall experience. But don’t fret, we have hand-picked seven of the best headphones you can look at, across segments and features.

How to buy a headphone in 2026

Choose a pair of headphones by first considering your budget, then the features you want and the sound you like. If you’re a regular public transport user, work in noisy environments or just want to focus on your music without distractions then active noise cancelation (ANC) is worth investing in.

The sound quality is also important, but the best audio profile is based on your listening habits. Some headphones have more bass, which is good for electronic music and hip-hop, others are more balanced with clear vocals and details in the instruments.

Battery life is another factor to consider, especially if you travel frequently or use your headphones throughout the day. Comfort also matters, as tight headbands, heavy earcups or insufficient cushioning can become uncomfortable during long listening sessions.

If you regularly attend online meetings or take calls on the go, look for headphones with good microphone performance and effective background noise reduction. Features like Multipoint connectivity are useful if you switch between your smartphone and laptop, while support for wired listening can come in handy when the battery runs out or you want to connect to a compatible device.

Finally, check for app support, equaliser settings and audio codec compatibility if you want greater control over your listening experience. The idea is to find a pair that offers the right balance of sound, comfort and features for your budget, rather than paying extra for features you may rarely use.

7 best headphones in 2026

Soundcore Anker Q20i

The Soundcore Anker Q20i is a good starting point for those looking for wireless headphones with ANC without stretching their budget. Its hybrid noise cancellation, customisable EQ through the Soundcore app, and battery life of up to 40 hours with ANC enabled make it suitable for long hours of usage. It also supports transparency mode, letting you hear your surroundings when needed.

JBL Tune 770NC

If you enjoy bass-heavy music and do not want to charge your headphones frequently, the JBL Tune 770NC is worth considering. Its JBL Pure Bass sound, adaptive ANC and foldable design make it a practical everyday option, while the battery life reaches up to 44 hours with ANC on and 70 hours with it off. It also supports Multipoint connectivity, which is useful for switching between your phone and laptop.

Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N

Sony takes a different approach with the ULT Wear series compared to its regular pair of headphones. Instead of aiming for a restrained sound, these headphones put bass in the spotlight. A dedicated ULT button boosts the low end, making them a good fit for electronic music, hip-hop and bass-heavy playlists. They also offer ANC, an ambient sound mode, multipoint connectivity, and LDAC support for compatible devices. Battery life reaches up to 30 hours with ANC enabled. If you want your music to have more weight and impact, the ULT Wear is a compelling option.

Nothing Headphone (1)

The Nothing Headphone (1) doesn’t look like most other wireless headphones, and that’s part of its appeal. Its distinctive design is paired with tactile controls and audio tuned in collaboration with KEF. You get 40mm drivers, adaptive ANC, LDAC support and sound customisation. Battery life is rated at up to 35 hours with ANC on and 80 hours with it off. USB-C audio and a 3.5mm jack give you wired listening options, too. The Nothing Headphone (1) is worth considering if you want something that stands out visually but still offers the features expected from a premium wireless pair.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

Bose has built its reputation on noise cancellation, and the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are aimed at listeners who want to shut out the world around them. They combine advanced ANC with plush ear cushions, personalised sound and Immersive Audio for a more spacious listening experience. The second generation adds USB-C lossless audio and Cinema Mode for films, while battery life reaches up to 30 hours with ANC enabled and Immersive Audio switched off. These headphones make the most sense for frequent flyers, commuters and anyone who spends long stretches listening to music. They’re a premium purchase, but comfort and noise cancellation are the main reasons to consider them.

Sony WH-1000XM6

Sony WH-1000XM6 is the most versatile option on this list. Its advanced noise cancellation, fuller sound, LDAC support, and multipoint connectivity make it suitable for everything from music and movies to work calls and long-haul flights. Battery life is rated at up to 30 hours with ANC on and 40 hours with it off, which means you can pretty much carry them everywhere you go. Sony also offers plenty of control over sound and ambient listening settings through its companion app.

Sennheiser HDB 630

The Sennheiser HDB 630 is for listeners who want more control over how their music sounds. Its 42mm drivers are paired with a parametric equaliser and crossfeed feature, giving you more room to fine-tune the listening experience. It supports high-resolution audio over USB-C and wired connections, and comes with the BTD 700 Bluetooth USB-C dongle. Features like adaptive ANC and a claimed battery life of up to 60 hours make it practical for everyday use. Unlike headphones that lean heavily on boosted bass or immersive effects, the HDB 630 focuses on detailed playback and sound customisation. It’s an expensive option, but one worth considering if audio quality takes precedence over everything else.

Which are the best budget headphones in 2026?

The Soundcore Anker Q20i is the best budget headphone you can buy right now, as it offers a combination of ANC, app-based sound customisation and long battery life.

Which are the best overall headphones in 2026?

The Sony WH-1000XM6 is our best overall pick for its great sound, excellent noise cancellation, customisation options, and versatile everyday features.

Which are the best premium headphones in 2026?

The Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are our top premium picks, with Sony offering extensive sound customisation and Bose excelling at noise cancellation and comfort.

Which are the best audiophile-grade headphones in 2026?

The Sennheiser HDB 630 is the best audiophile-grade headphone on this list, offering detailed sound, high-resolution audio support, and advanced equaliser controls for listeners who want greater control over their listening experience.

So, which of these headphones is your pick? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Best Headphones in 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

The iQOO Neo 12 and OnePlus Ace 7 have a lot in common, perhaps more than you’d expect from two competing gaming phones. Both come with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, a built-in cooling fan, a 9,000mAh battery, 100W charging, and a display that can reach 185Hz. They also launched just a day apart, making a comparison between the two almost inevitable.

But the similarities start to break down once you look beyond those headline specifications. The iQOO Neo 12 has a sharper 2K display and a 1TB storage option, while the OnePlus Ace 7 gets a 200MP main camera and an LTPO panel. Their cooling systems are also different, and there are some interesting differences in weight, water resistance, and gaming features.

So, which one actually gives you more for your money? The iQOO Neo 12 launched in China on October 28, followed by the OnePlus Ace 7 on October 29. Here’s how the two compare, from their displays and performance to battery life, cameras, and everything in between. 

The two phones are closer in size than you might expect

Neither phone is particularly small, but their dimensions are surprisingly close. The iQOO Neo 12 measures 163.42 x 75.89mm, while the OnePlus Ace 7 comes in at 162.30 x 77.37mm. The OnePlus is a little shorter but around 1.5mm wider.

Depending on the color, the Neo 12 measures somewhere between 8.50mm and 8.67mm, while the OnePlus comes in at 8.50mm to 8.59mm. Likewise, the iQOO Neo 12 weighs between 225g and 229g, compared with 217g to 223g for the OnePlus Ace 7. 

The finishes are a little more interesting. OnePlus has an aluminum frame and Oppo Crystal Shield glass on the front. Midnight Black and Glossy White have fiberglass backs, while Tempered Fire gets a glass back with a sandblasted finish and a gradient metal frame.

iQOO has gone with Shadow Black, Frostblade Blue, and Contender. The Contender version has a light effect that changes as you tilt the phone, giving it a different look depending on the viewing angle.

OnePlus has the longer list of water-resistance ratings. The Ace 7 carries IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K certifications, while the Neo 12 has IP68 and IP69 ratings. iQOO also says the cooling fan assembly has passed IPX8 and IPX9 tests.

Display: 2K resolution or LTPO?

Here’s one of the bigger differences between the two phones. The iQOO Neo 12 has a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a 3200 x 1440 resolution and 514 PPI. That’s noticeably sharper than the 2772 x 1272 panel on the OnePlus Ace 7, which measures 6.78 inches and has a pixel density of 450 PPI.

In terms of total pixels, the difference is roughly 4.6 million versus 3.5 million. Both panels can reach 185Hz, so neither phone has an advantage in the maximum refresh rate for supported games.

OnePlus does have something iQOO hasn’t confirmed: LTPO technology. The Ace 7’s display can drop to 1Hz and reach 165Hz during regular use, with 185Hz available in games. That gives it more flexibility when the screen doesn’t need to refresh so frequently.

Brightness figures are fairly close, too. iQOO claims 2,200 nits of full-screen peak brightness, while OnePlus lists a 2,000-nit peak and a 1,000-nit default maximum. The OnePlus panel also supports 3840Hz PWM dimming and has TÜV Rheinland Smart Eye Comfort 6.0 certification.

iQOO hasn’t left out eye-care features. The Neo 12 has circularly polarized light 2.0, TÜV Rheinland eye-protection certifications, and a 1-nit sleep screen. The company hasn’t confirmed whether the display supports LTPO, though, so we can’t make a direct comparison of how efficiently the two panels handle lower refresh rates.

If screen sharpness is your priority, the iQOO has the advantage. The OnePlus has a more flexible refresh-rate range, which could help with power consumption during everyday use.

Performance and gaming

Both phones have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a 3nm chip with two cores clocked at around 4.6GHz and six performance cores. An Adreno 840 GPU handles graphics, while LPDDR5X Ultra memory and UFS 4.1 storage take care of RAM and internal storage.

There’s a small catch with the OnePlus, though. The Ace 7 has the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 V Series (SM8850-1-AB), rather than the standard version found in the iQOO Neo 12. OnePlus says both chips share the same architecture. Reports about other phones have described the V Series as a binned version with a smaller GPU, but OnePlus lists the same Adreno 840 name and a 1.2GHz clock.

The gaming chips are another point of difference. iQOO has its Q3 chip, which handles ray tracing, super resolution, and frame interpolation. The company says the Neo 12 can run supported games at 2K resolution and 185fps with all three features enabled.

OnePlus has split those jobs across three chips: the T3 touch chip, G3 network chip and P4 display chip. The T3 reportedly improves touch accuracy by 24%.

The touch sampling numbers make for an interesting comparison. iQOO lists a 5,000Hz instantaneous touch sampling rate and a 500Hz multi-finger rate. OnePlus doesn’t share an instantaneous figure, but its multi-finger rate reaches 520Hz. The Ace 7 also has an 800Hz gyroscope sampling rate in game mode, compared with 500Hz on the Neo 12.

Game support is another area where the two brands are making similar promises. iQOO says more than 50 titles support native 185fps gameplay on the Neo 12, while OnePlus lists nearly 40.

Both companies have also published results from hour-long gaming sessions. OnePlus says the Ace 7 averaged around 184 to 185fps in Delta Force over an hour. iQOO claims the Neo 12 maintained an average of 185fps in Call of Duty: Mobile over the same period.

Those results look good on paper, but the games and testing conditions aren’t identical. We’ll need to see how both phones perform in the same games before drawing any conclusions about which one handles sustained gaming better.

Cooling systems

A built-in fan is already a fairly unusual feature on a smartphone, and both companies have put considerable effort into the hardware surrounding it. The two systems aren’t identical, though.

The iQOO Neo 12 has a 17 x 17mm fan with three modes: low noise, intelligent, and high speed. At its highest setting, it can move up to 9,770 cm³ of air per minute. A 3D vapor chamber handles additional heat, with iQOO claiming a 15% improvement in heat dissipation over the Neo 11.

OnePlus has a more complicated arrangement called the Dual-Path Glacier Air-Cooling System. It has two separate airflow paths, with one directing air across a 14-layer fin stack positioned against the chip. The heat exchange area measures 1,264 mm².

The other path sends cool air toward the back cover, so the part of the phone you actually hold doesn’t get as hot. OnePlus says its backward-curved fan blades deliver 40% more airflow at the same noise level. There’s also a 6K vapor chamber, which the company claims improves heat dissipation by another 40%.

Dust is another concern with a fan inside a phone. OnePlus says the Ace 7 has a dust-resistant fan structure that passed a 24-hour test, three times the standard eight-hour test.

The company also claims the chip area stays up to 10 degrees Celsius cooler after an hour of gaming at 185fps with the fan switched on. iQOO hasn’t shared a similar temperature comparison, although it says the Neo 12’s cooling system keeps performance stable under heavy loads.

It’s difficult to say which arrangement works better without testing both phones. OnePlus has shared more details about its cooling hardware, but that doesn’t automatically mean it performs better than iQOO’s setup.

Battery and charging

Both phones have a typical battery capacity of 9,000mAh, which is a lot even by current gaming phone standards. The rated capacities are slightly different, though. The iQOO Neo 12 has an 8,820mAh battery rated at 32.90Wh, while the OnePlus Ace 7 has an 8,775mAh battery rated at 32.74Wh.

That’s a small difference, so battery life will probably depend more on the display, software, and cooling system than those extra 45mAh.

The battery technology isn’t the same, either. iQOO has fifth-generation silicon anode technology and claims the battery retains at least 80% of its capacity after 1,150 charging cycles. OnePlus has gone with a silicon-carbon battery with an energy density of 929Wh/L.

As for battery life, the companies have shared some impressive numbers, but their tests aren’t directly comparable. iQOO claims up to 29.9 hours of short-video playback and around 10 hours of gaming at 185fps. OnePlus reports up to 23.98 hours of video playback at 120Hz and 6.82 hours of Peacekeeper Elite at 185fps.

Both support 100W wired charging. OnePlus says its included charger can take the Ace 7 to 58% in 30 minutes, with the fan running and the screen switched off. iQOO hasn’t shared an equivalent charging time.

Bypass charging is available on both phones, so you can play games while connected to a charger without continuously charging the battery. OnePlus also has a dedicated charging chip, which the company says keeps performance steady when the battery level gets low.

The iQOO Neo 12 has one extra charging feature: OTG reverse charging. OnePlus doesn’t list reverse charging for the Ace 7. Neither phone supports wireless charging.

Cameras

The OnePlus Ace 7 has the bigger number on its camera specification sheet. Its 200MP main camera has a 1/1.56-inch sensor, an f/1.8 aperture, and OIS. There’s also an 8MP ultra-wide camera with a 112-degree field of view.

The main camera supports 1x, 2x, and 4x zoom, along with up to 20x digital zoom. Video recording goes up to 4K at 120fps or 8K at 30fps, and RAW photo support is included.

The iQOO Neo 12 has a 50MP Sony IMX921 main camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor, an f/1.88 aperture, and OIS. Its secondary camera is also an 8MP ultra-wide shooter.

The iQOO can record 8K video and has portrait modes at 23mm, 35mm, and 50mm. Both phones have 16MP selfie cameras, with an f/2.45 aperture on the iQOO and f/2.4 on the OnePlus.

Neither phone has a dedicated telephoto camera, so the zoom options rely on the main sensor. The OnePlus Ace 7 Pro does have a telephoto camera, but that’s a separate model.

The 200MP sensor gives OnePlus a resolution advantage, but megapixels alone don’t tell us which phone takes better pictures. Sensor processing and image quality will need a proper camera comparison.

Software and connectivity

The iQOO Neo 12 runs OriginOS 7 based on Android 17, while the OnePlus Ace 7 ships with ColorOS 17. Both have their own software extras, although some are more interesting than others.

iQOO has included a PC game emulator that works with its G1 gamepad. The controller is sold separately, but it gives the Neo 12 another option for people who want to play PC games on their phone.

OnePlus has a different kind of extra. The Ace 7 supports connections with Apple devices, including iPhone call and message relay and Apple Watch connectivity through OPPO’s apps. That’s a useful addition if you carry an iPhone or Apple Watch alongside your Android phone.

The rest of the connectivity hardware is largely the same. Both phones have Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, an infrared blaster, dual speakers, and an ultrasonic fingerprint reader. The iQOO Neo 12 also supports face unlock.

Bluetooth audio support is slightly different. iQOO lists LDAC, aptX Lossless, and LHDC 5.0, while OnePlus lists BLE Audio.

Memory, storage and price

Both phones start with 12GB of RAM and have a 16GB option, but iQOO gives buyers more storage choices.

The Neo 12 comes in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB configurations. OnePlus has four options: 12GB+256GB, 16GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB and 16GB+512GB. There’s no 1TB version of the Ace 7.

iQOO has also announced the Neo 12’s Chinese pricing. The 12GB+256GB model starts at 4,399 yuan, while the 16GB+256GB version costs 4,799 yuan. The 12GB+512GB model is priced at 5,099 yuan, and the 16GB+512GB version costs 5,499 yuan. The top-end 16GB+1TB model will set buyers back 6,499 yuan.

OnePlus hasn’t included the Ace 7’s pricing in its official specification sheet, so we don’t yet know how the two compare on price.

iQOO Neo 12 vs OnePlus Ace 7: Specs compared

Which one should you buy?

The iQOO Neo 12 and OnePlus Ace 7 are close enough that there’s no obvious winner based on their headline specifications. The iQOO has a sharper 2K display, a higher claimed full-screen brightness, a 5,000Hz instantaneous touch sampling rate, and a 1TB storage option. It also has the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 rather than the V Series version.

The OnePlus Ace 7 is lighter, has a 200MP main camera with 4K 120fps recording, an LTPO display, and more water-resistance ratings. Its Apple device connectivity features are another small advantage if you already own an iPhone or Apple Watch.

Cooling and battery life could make the comparison more interesting, but we’ll have to test both phones before deciding which one handles long gaming sessions better. Price will also matter, especially since OnePlus hasn’t announced the Ace 7’s cost.

For now, the iQOO Neo 12 has the edge in display resolution and storage, while the OnePlus Ace 7 offers a higher-resolution main camera, a lighter body, and extra connectivity features.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post iQOO Neo 12 vs OnePlus Ace 7: Both have cooling fans, but which is better? appeared first on Gizmochina.

It is late 2026, and if you look around on your morning commute, you will notice something fundamentally different about how people are listening to music. The sea of intrusive silicone tips and noise-canceling vacuums has receded. In their place is a wave of metallic cuffs, sleek C-bridges, and colorful clips hugging the edges of people’s ears. Open-ear audio, specifically the clip-on form factor, has officially taken over the consumer tech space.

We have spent the last few years watching companies try to perfect the balance between ambient awareness and high-fidelity audio. Now, the hardware has finally caught up to the ambition. Whether you hate the feeling of plugged ears, want to stay aware of traffic on your run, or just want to wear your tech like a piece of jewelry, there has never been a better time to buy in.

Here is our list of the top 10 best open earbuds you can buy in 2026, broken down one by one.

Samsung Galaxy Buds On

Samsung’s first clip-on earbuds look like the obvious choice if you already own a Galaxy phone, tablet, or laptop. The Galaxy Buds On combine an open-ear design with features that are especially useful inside Samsung’s ecosystem, including automatic audio switching between compatible devices.

Samsung says it used AI-assisted optimization and more than 119 million ear data points to refine the fit. That’s an impressive number, but it won’t tell you whether the flexible band feels comfortable on your ear. Fit remains personal, especially with a design you’re likely to wear for hours.

Each earbud has an 11.3mm driver, three microphones, and a voice pickup unit that detects speech through bone and skin movement. Samsung also uses reversed sound waves to reduce leakage, while an adaptive volume feature responds to changes in surrounding noise.

The software features are extensive: hands-free Gemini Live, head gestures for calls, voice commands, and Quick Voice Memo for capturing and transcribing thoughts. Samsung rates battery life at up to 9.5 hours per charge and 38 hours with the case. The earbuds have an IP54 rating and support wireless charging.

They’re scheduled to reach the US in early November, with a European rollout planned for early 2027. At $229, the Buds On aren’t cheap, but their Galaxy integration could make the premium worthwhile for existing Samsung users.

Price: $229

Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2

The AeroClip 2 makes a bold pitch: it’s a pair of open-ear earbuds built to make your voice sound clear, even when the environment isn’t.

Anker points to a Guinness World Records certification for an objective speech-quality score among open-ear clip-on earbuds. The hardware behind that claim includes four microphones and two voice pickup units, plus the company’s Thus AI chip. Anker says the system can isolate speech in noisy settings and pick up quieter voices, though real-world results will depend on the environment and fit.

There’s plenty beyond calls. The AeroClip 2 has 12mm drivers, LDAC support, personalized EQ through Soundcore’s HearID feature, and a 3D spatial audio mode. It also offers multipoint connectivity and app-based translation in more than 100 languages.

The earbuds weigh 6.2 grams each and are rated IP57 for dust and water resistance. Battery life is listed at eight hours per charge and 32 hours with the case; a 10-minute charge promises up to four hours of playback.

At $169.99, they occupy a useful middle ground: considerably less expensive than Samsung’s or Bose’s options, but with an unusually ambitious calling feature set.

Price: $169.99

Baseus Inspire XC1

Baseus is packing a lot of audio branding into the Inspire XC1. There’s Sound by Bose tuning technology, Dolby Audio, LDAC, and a hybrid driver system that combines a 10.8mm dynamic driver with a balanced armature.

That combination makes the XC1 an intriguing option for listeners who care about sound quality but don’t want to spend $300. It also shows how quickly the open-ear category has moved beyond simple convenience-focused designs. Whether the tuning delivers on its promise is something you’d need to hear for yourself.

The XC1 supports multipoint connectivity and uses four microphones for calls. Baseus rates playback at around eight hours on the earbuds and 40 hours with the charging case. The earbuds also have an IP66 rating, though that protection doesn’t apply to the case.

The quoted battery figure comes from testing at 50% volume with Bass Boost and Dolby Audio turned off, so expect different results if you use those features. LDAC is also intended for compatible Android devices, not iPhones.

Price: $83.99-$112.49

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds 2nd Gen

Bose’s second-generation Ultra Open Earbuds are the most expensive pair on this list, and they make a case for themselves with design and audio features rather than a long checklist of AI tools.

The cuff-style earbuds use Bose’s OpenAudio technology and an adjustable flex joint. Bose promises deeper bass and louder output than the first generation, along with immersive listening options that include Stereo, Immersion, and Cinema modes.

There’s also Bluetooth multipoint, wireless charging, and up to nine hours of battery life on the earbuds. Bose says its SpeechClarity technology improves calls.

The catch is the price. At $299, these need to appeal on comfort, sound, and style, because several less expensive competitors offer longer quoted battery life or more extensive smart features. Bose offers a 30-day return policy when purchased directly, which makes it easier to see whether the fit works for you.

Price: $299

Sony LinkBuds Clip

The Sony LinkBuds Clip (full review) uses 10mm drivers, supports Bluetooth multipoint, and weighs approximately 6.4 grams each. The included Air Fitting Cushions help you adjust the fit, which can make a difference when comfort varies from person to person.

You can switch between three listening modes with a double tap. Standard mode is intended for everyday use, Voice Boost makes voices easier to hear in noisy places, and Sound Leakage Reduction helps limit how much audio escapes in quieter spaces.

Battery life is rated at up to nine hours on the earbuds and 37 hours with the case. The IPX4 rating covers water resistance, but there is no stated dust rating. Codec support is limited to SBC and AAC, so you’ll need to look elsewhere if you want LDAC.

Price: $229.99

CMF Clip Pro

The CMF Clip Pro brings a characteristically Nothing-like twist to the category: a Smart Dial on the charging case. It rotates to control volume, playback, and calls, and can also initiate pairing. The earbuds themselves use tactile buttons that CMF says are easy to operate with gloves.

For $99, the specifications are competitive. You get 10.8mm drivers, LDAC support, dual-device connectivity, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, and four microphones for calls. Each earbud weighs 5.92 grams and has an IP54 rating.

CMF rates battery life at 10 hours for music and 6.5 hours for calls, while a 10-minute charge provides up to four hours of playback.

For buyers who want practical controls and broad codec support without crossing the $100 mark, it looks like a strong contender.

Price: $99

Xiaomi Clip-On Earbuds

Xiaomi’s first clip-on earbuds weigh just 5.5 grams each and use a memory titanium wire bridge. The company says the design is tuned to stay secure without putting too much pressure on the ear.

Inside are 11mm dynamic drivers and support for the LHDC 5.0 codec on compatible devices. Xiaomi also uses directional sound transmission and reverse sound waves to reduce leakage. For calls, there’s a three-microphone array and a bone-conduction microphone.

The IP57-rated earbuds promise nine hours of playback per charge and 38 hours with the case. Xiaomi adds a collection of AI features, including translation for 21 languages, transcription, and summaries through its XiaoAI assistant. iOS users also get support for Apple’s Find My network.

The earbuds are currently available only in China, but we expect them to reach global markets later this year or sometime next year. For now, interested buyers will have to import them from China.

Price: 849 Yuan ($124)

Redmi Clip Neo

The Redmi Clip Neo strips the open-ear formula down to the essentials without looking particularly bare-bones. At approximately $60 in its home market, it has 12mm drivers, customizable physical buttons, dual-device connectivity, and a 10-band equalizer.

Each earbud weighs 5.3 grams, and the C-shaped bridge uses a memory titanium wire wrapped in silicone. Redmi says either earbud can be worn on either side, while wear detection automatically pauses and resumes playback.

The compromises are predictable. You get SBC and AAC rather than a higher-resolution codec, and the two-microphone call setup is less elaborate than those found on some pricier models. Battery life is rated at seven hours per charge and 32 hours with the case.

Some assistant and finding features require compatible Xiaomi software, though the earbuds also work with iPhones through the Xiaomi Earbuds app. Just like Xiaomi’s pricier pair, these earbuds are not yet available globally, but we expect them to reach international markets later this year or sometime next year.

Price: 399 Yuan ($60)

OnePlus Buds Clip

The OnePlus Buds Clip has one of the most promising spec sheets in the category. Its Dynaudio-tuned system pairs an 11mm woofer with a 9mm tweeter, and OnePlus uses reverse sound waves to help reduce leakage.

The earbuds feature a symmetrical design that allows users to wear either bud on either ear. They automatically detect their position and adjust the stereo channels accordingly, which comes in handy when putting them on quickly. Each earbud weighs just 5.2 grams and comes with an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance.

OnePlus claims up to 9.5 hours of playback per charge and 40 hours with the case. Those figures drop to eight and 36 hours with LHDC enabled. There’s also Bluetooth 6.1, multipoint connectivity, swipe volume controls, and translation through a compatible OnePlus phone.

The missing piece is price. Until OnePlus announces it, the Buds Clip is easier to admire on paper than recommend over a known-value alternative.

Price: Not announced yet

Huawei FreeClip 2

The FreeClip 2 (full review) combines a lightweight 5.1-gram design with automatic left-right recognition and an IP57 rating. Its flexible C-bridge uses liquid silicone and memory metal, while a 10.8mm dual-diaphragm driver handles audio.

The feature list includes adaptive volume, spatial audio with head tracking, head gestures, translation, and Huawei’s Xiaoyi assistant. Some of those features are tied to Huawei’s software ecosystem, so they may be less compelling if you use another brand of phone.

Battery life is rated at nine hours per charge and 38 hours with the case. Huawei also says a 10-minute charge can provide around three hours of listening.

The new dual-color edition adds bright two-tone finishes and matching accessory rings without changing the core hardware. It’s a distinctive choice if you want your earbuds to look less like a gadget and more like something you deliberately accessorized with.

Price: 1,299 yuan ($195)

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post The Best Open Earbuds in 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Redmi launched the Redmi K100 in China on October 26, and iQOO followed a day later with the iQOO Neo 12. Both phones have 6.83-inch displays, 3nm processors, dedicated gaming chips, 100W wired charging, and batteries with at least 9,000mAh of capacity. 

Now that both are official, we can compare their hardware, gaming features, cameras, and prices to see where each phone has an advantage.

We haven’t tested either phone—reviews coming soon—so the performance figures, battery claims, and brightness numbers below come from Redmi and iQOO themselves. Both companies use their own testing methods, which means their results aren’t necessarily directly comparable.

Design and build

The iQOO Neo 12 and Redmi K100 are similar in size, but the Redmi is slightly wider. It measures 162.91 x 77.93mm, compared with 163.42 x 75.89mm for the iQOO. 

The weight difference is more noticeable. The iQOO Neo 12 measures 8.50mm thick in Shadow Black and Frostblade Blue, while the Contender version is 8.67mm thick. Their weights range from 225g to 229g, depending on the color. The Redmi K100 measures 8.65mm thick and weighs 234.5g, around 5 to 10g heavier than the iQOO.

Both phones have flat displays and metal frames, with fiberglass backs on at least some versions. Redmi says the K100 uses a 6-series aluminum frame, while Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protects the screen and camera lenses. The iQOO Neo 12’s Contender color has a rear finish that shifts between red and gold against a silver-white background as you tilt the phone.

The Redmi K100 comes in Firefly Green, Snow Rock White, and black. The iQOO Neo 12 is available in Contender, Shadow Black, and Frostblade Blue.

Both phones carry IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance, although Redmi offers additional IP66 and IP69K ratings too. The iQOO Neo 12 also has a built-in cooling fan, and iQOO says the fan assembly has been tested to IPX8 and IPX9 standards. It adds a double dust mesh and says the fan is built for long-term use.

The two devices also have a stereo speaker setup, but neither has a 3.5mm headphone jack. The iQOO Neo 12 also doesn’t support analog USB-C headphones, so you’ll need a digital USB-C headset or wireless earbuds.

Display

The iQOO Neo 12 has a sharper display and a higher refresh rate. Its 6.83-inch AMOLED panel has a resolution of 3200 x 1440, giving it a pixel density of 514 PPI. It also supports a refresh rate of up to 185Hz and displays 1.07 billion colors across the P3 gamut.

iQOO claims a full-screen peak brightness of 2,200 nits. There’s also a manual brightness mode that reaches 1,000 nits in the phone’s professional setting.

The Redmi K100 uses a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2772 x 1280 and a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz. It has roughly 3.5 million pixels, compared with about 4.6 million on the iQOO, giving the Redmi around 30% fewer pixels. Its refresh rate is also about 11% lower.

The K100 also has 12-bit color support, which allows the display to show up to 68.7 billion colors, along with P3 gamut coverage. The screen can drop to 1 nit in low-light conditions and has a claimed peak brightness of 3,500 nits. It also supports HDR10+, HDR Vivid, and Dolby Vision, while the Neo 12 has HDR support without specifying the formats.

Both phones include several eye-care features. The Redmi K100 has TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue light, rhythm friendliness, and flicker, along with full-brightness DC dimming and circularly polarized light 2.0. The iQOO Neo 12 also supports circularly polarized light 2.0 and carries TÜV Rheinland eye-protection certifications. It additionally has a 1-nit sleep screen.

Performance and gaming chips

The iQOO Neo 12 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a 3nm processor with two cores clocked at up to 4.6GHz and six cores running at up to 3.62GHz. Graphics are handled by the Adreno 840 GPU.

The Redmi K100 uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite, also built on a 3nm process, with a maximum clock speed of 4.32GHz. Redmi claims the processor delivers 45% better CPU performance, 40% better graphics performance, and 40% lower power consumption than its predecessor.

The iQOO has the newer processor, but both phones pair their main chips with LPDDR5X Ultra memory and UFS 4.1 storage. Buyers can choose between 12GB and 16GB of RAM, although the available storage configurations differ.

The dedicated gaming chips create another gap between the two phones. The iQOO Neo 12 uses the company’s Q3 chip, which iQOO says delivers 60% better performance, 40% better efficiency, 50% more cache, and four times the AI capability compared with the previous Q2.

The Q3 can handle ray tracing, super resolution, and frame interpolation simultaneously. iQOO says this allows supported games to run at 2K resolution and 185fps. The company also claims a 48% improvement in frame stability in one demanding 3D game. In Call of Duty: Mobile, it reports an average of 185fps during a one-hour test.

Redmi takes a different approach with its D2 gaming chip, which is built on a 12nm process. The chip handles super resolution, frame interpolation, and super HDR together, with output resolution reaching 1.5K to match the K100’s display.

According to Redmi, the D2 system reduced average power consumption by 22% and maximum temperature by 3.9°C in a popular MOBA game running at 144fps. The K100 is also the first standard Redmi K-series phone to include a dedicated gaming chip, as we noted in our Redmi K100 series teaser coverage.

The number of supported games also differs. iQOO says more than 50 games can run natively at 185fps on the Neo 12. As for K100, Redmi claims more than 40 games support 165fps gaming, while over 100 games can reach the same frame rate through frame interpolation. Some of Redmi’s native 165fps titles still need game updates, which the company expects to arrive by late November.

Cooling

The iQOO Neo 12 combines an active cooling fan with a 3D vapor chamber. The fan measures 17 x 17mm, has low-noise, intelligent, and high-speed modes, and moves up to 9,770 cm³ of air per minute.

iQOO also claims the vapor chamber improves heat dissipation by 15% compared with the Neo 11. Conductive fins in the airflow channels are said to increase thermal conductivity by another 15%.

The Redmi K100 doesn’t have a fan. Instead, it uses a passive cooling system called a circulating cold pump, with more than 12,000 mm² of graphite and over 31,000 mm² of total heat-spreading material. Redmi says the cooling area is 25% larger than on the previous generation and claims the phone remains cool to the touch during extended gaming sessions.

An active fan can help a phone maintain high performance during long gaming sessions, but we would need to test both devices to see how much difference their cooling systems make in practice. The fan also introduces an opening in the iQOO’s body, making its dust and water protection more complicated. That’s why the company’s water-resistance claims for the fan assembly are worth noting.

Controls and audio

The iQOO Neo 12 supports an instantaneous touch sampling rate of up to 5,000Hz and a multi-finger sampling rate of 500Hz. Both figures apply to supported games. Its gyroscope also samples at up to 500Hz.

The phone uses the same touch chip as the iQOO 16 and includes the company’s Q-flex control technology. Other gaming features include 4D vibration and KPL certification.

The Redmi K100 reaches an instantaneous touch sampling rate of 3,500Hz in Game Toolbox, along with 480Hz multi-finger touch sampling and a 480Hz gyroscope rate. It uses an 0815 X-axis linear motor for haptic feedback.

Audio is one area where the Redmi has more to offer on paper. Its symmetrical dual speakers are tuned by Bose, and the phone has three microphones for in-game voice chat. A dedicated Bose game sound mode increases the volume of footsteps to help players hear opponents. The K100 also supports Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res audio.

The iQOO Neo 12 has dual speakers with gaming-oriented tuning, although iQOO doesn’t list a third-party audio partner. Both phones support Bluetooth 5.4 and LHDC 5.0. The iQOO also supports LDAC, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless, while the Redmi lists LDAC, LC3, and Auracast.

Battery and charging

The Redmi K100 has the larger battery, with a typical capacity of 10,000mAh and a rated capacity of 9,800mAh. The iQOO Neo 12 has a typical 9,000mAh battery and a rated capacity of 8,820mAh. That gives the Redmi roughly 11% more battery capacity.

Redmi uses a silicon-carbon anode with 28% silicon content and an energy density of 957Wh/L. The company claims the battery retains at least 80% of its capacity after 1,600 charge cycles.

The iQOO Neo 12 uses a fifth-generation silicon anode with 33% more silicon than the Neo 11’s battery. iQOO says its battery also retains at least 80% capacity after 1,150 cycles. These figures come from separate company tests, so they don’t establish which battery will last longer in everyday use.

iQOO claims the Neo 12 can deliver 29.9 hours of short-video playback or around 10 hours of gaming at 185fps on a single charge. Redmi describes the K100 as its longest-lasting phone, claiming 2.43 days of use based on its own battery benchmark. Independent testing will be needed to see how these claims translate to real-world battery life.

Both phones support 100W wired charging. The Redmi K100 also supports 100W PPS charging and 27W wired reverse charging. The iQOO Neo 12 supports reverse charging, although iQOO doesn’t specify its maximum output. Its 100W charging uses the company’s VFCP standard, and it also supports 55W PPS, 44W UFCS, and 18W PD.

Neither phone offers wireless charging. Both include a pass-through charging feature that lets power go directly to the phone’s components instead of repeatedly charging the battery while you play. iQOO calls this direct-drive power supply, while Redmi uses the name smart charging.

Cameras

Neither phone puts much emphasis on camera hardware, and their rear camera setups are similar.

The iQOO Neo 12 has a 50MP Sony IMX921 main camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor, an f/1.88 aperture, and optical image stabilization. It also has an 8MP ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 16MP front camera.

The Redmi K100 uses a 50MP Light Hunter 800 main sensor measuring 1/1.55 inches. Its lens has a wider f/1.68 aperture, and the camera supports three-axis optical image stabilization with a claimed dynamic range of 13.2EV. The ultra-wide camera also has an 8MP sensor and an f/2.2 aperture, while the front camera has a higher 20MP resolution.

The Redmi’s wider main camera aperture should let in more light than the iQOO’s lens, at least on paper. It also has the higher-resolution selfie camera. Both phones support 8K video recording with the rear camera and offer 20x digital zoom.

There are a few differences in their additional camera features. The Redmi K100 supports 4K recording at 60fps and slow-motion video at up to 960fps. The iQOO Neo 12 includes portrait modes at 23mm, 35mm, and 50mm, along with film-style filters and a macro mode.

Neither phone has a telephoto camera, so dedicated optical zoom isn’t part of the package. Camera performance will depend on more than the hardware specifications, but gaming and battery life are clearly bigger priorities for both devices.

Software and extras

The iQOO Neo 12 runs OriginOS 7 based on Android 17. iQOO promises six years of smooth performance and includes several additional features, such as an AI assistant mode, a sticker maker, and a PC game emulator. The emulator works with iQOO’s G1 gamepad, which is sold separately.

The Redmi K100 ships with HyperOS 4 and offers features like cross-device connectivity for moving files between the phone and a Windows or Mac computer. Both phones have a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint reader.

As for connectivity, both support Wi-Fi 7, dual nano SIMs, 5G, NFC, and infrared. Redmi includes two Surge T1+ signal chips and seven antennas, while iQOO uses two Wi-Fi enhancement chips and claims a connection range of up to 250 meters under ideal conditions.

Price and availability

The iQOO Neo 12 starts at 4,399 yuan for the 12GB+256GB model. The other configurations are priced at 4,799 yuan for 16GB+256GB, 5,099 yuan for 12GB+512GB, 5,499 yuan for 16GB+512GB, and 6,499 yuan for 16GB+1TB.

The Redmi K100 comes in three configurations: 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, and 16GB+512GB. Their launch prices are 2,549.15 yuan, 2,999 yuan, and 3,399 yuan, respectively. These prices include a Double 11 offer and national subsidies, and sales are scheduled to begin on October 31 at 10 AM.

The two phones’ starting prices aren’t directly comparable because the Redmi’s launch price includes discounts and subsidies. The gap will be smaller for buyers who don’t qualify for the subsidy. For context, the Redmi K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max launched in August at higher prices.

Neither phone has a confirmed global launch yet. The Redmi K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max reached international markets as the Poco F9 Pro and Poco F9 Ultra on September 1, so the standard K100 could follow a similar route. That’s still unconfirmed, however.

Specs at a glance

Which one fits you?

The iQOO Neo 12 makes more sense if you want the newer Snapdragon chip, active cooling, and a higher refresh rate. Its 3200 x 1440 display is sharper, the touch sampling rate is higher, and it supports gaming at up to 185fps in compatible titles. It also has more storage options, with a 1TB version available. 

The Redmi K100 has a larger battery, wired reverse charging, Bose-tuned speakers, a higher claimed peak brightness, and support for Dolby Vision. Its main camera also has a wider aperture, and its starting price is much lower with the launch offers and subsidies. In exchange, you get an older processor, no active cooling fan, and a display with lower resolution and refresh rate.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories.

The post Redmi K100 vs iQOO Neo 12: 10,000mAh or Cooling Fan? appeared first on Gizmochina.

You’re shopping for a projector, and one of the most important things you’re looking at might also be the most confusing: brightness. One model claims 5,000 lumens while another promises 3,000. Naturally, you’d expect the first one to give you a brighter picture. But projector brightness isn’t quite that simple.

The problem is that manufacturers don’t always measure brightness in the same way. Xiaomi uses CVIA lumens for its latest projector, Dangbei and XGIMI switch between ISO and CVIA depending on the model and market, and Wanbo lists ANSI lumens. Put their numbers side by side, and it’s easy to assume you’re comparing like for like when you’re not.

This can make choosing a projector harder than it needs to be, especially when brightness is a main reason you’re considering a particular model. Before trusting the numbers on the box, it helps to understand what they actually mean, how the different measurements compare, and why some ratings deserve a closer look.

Not all lumens mean the same thing

Let’s start with the three main labels you’ll come across: ANSI, ISO and CVIA. ANSI lumens measure brightness by displaying a full white image and averaging readings from nine points arranged in a 3×3 grid. ISO lumens follow the ISO 21118 standard, which XGIMI describes as using the same nine-point grid on a white image. CVIA lumens come from a standard established by the China Video Industry Association and are mostly used on projectors sold in China.

Knowing the names is one thing, but the real question is whether you can compare the numbers directly. With ANSI and ISO, the answer is generally yes, as long as you allow for some differences.

XGIMI’s lumens guide says the two measurements fall within about 5% of each other on the same projector. A separate XGIMI buying guide gives a ratio of 1 ANSI lumen to 0.8 ISO lumens. Dangbei, meanwhile, says ISO figures are always lower than ANSI and advises against comparing the two directly across projectors.

These explanations aren’t identical, but they point to the same practical advice: a projector rated at 1,500 ISO lumens and another rated at 1,500 ANSI lumens should be in a similar brightness range. Just don’t expect the two to produce the same result.

CVIA is where comparisons become more difficult. Formovie, another Chinese projector brand, says CVIA ratings tend to be higher than ANSI ratings for the same projector. Its explainer also notes that more than ten Chinese manufacturers, including Dangbei, have adopted the standard. Brands using CVIA argue that it better reflects everyday viewing conditions.

Epson takes a different position. In its 2024 settlement announcement involving Dangbei, the company listed CVIA among the brightness metrics shoppers should be wary of because they don’t follow a standardized measurement method. Epson sells projectors itself, so it has a commercial interest in the debate. Still, there’s a problem buyers can’t ignore regardless of which side they take: there is no fixed formula for converting CVIA lumens into ISO lumens.

And the confusion doesn’t end with those three labels. Some product listings use terms such as “lumens,” “LED lumens,” or “color brightness” without making it clear how the figure was measured. Those numbers can look impressive, but they don’t necessarily tell you how bright the projected image will be.

Color brightness is a good example. XGIMI’s guide describes it as the peak output of individual color channels rather than white-light output. On single-laser projectors, this figure can be two to three times higher than the ISO or ANSI rating. On LED models, the difference can be around 1.5 to 2 times, while RGB triple-laser projectors tend to have a much smaller gap. If a manufacturer doesn’t specify the light source, XGIMI says there’s no reliable way to work out the actual brightness from the color-brightness figure alone.

So how does all this play out when you look at real products? The four brands below show why the label next to a brightness number matters just as much as the number itself.

Xiaomi: the unit depends on the year and market

If you’ve followed Xiaomi’s projectors over the years, you might have noticed a change in how the company reports brightness. Older models used ANSI lumens, making their advertised figures easier to compare with other projectors using the same standard.

The Xiaomi Mijia Projector from 2018 was rated at 800 ANSI lumens, while the Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2 Pro reached 1,300 ANSI lumens. More recent China launches have switched to CVIA, which makes comparisons with those older models less straightforward.

Take the Xiaomi Laser Projector 3. It’s rated at up to 1,000 CVIA lumens and uses a 0.47-inch DMD chip, which Xiaomi markets as native 4K. The Redmi Projector 5 Pro, which we covered at launch, carries the same 1,000 CVIA lumen rating but has a native 1080p panel with a 120Hz refresh rate.

At first glance, the matching brightness figures might make the two projectors look comparable. But the shared rating doesn’t tell you whether their pictures will look equally bright, and their different imaging hardware makes the number even less useful as a way to judge their overall picture quality.

There’s another problem if you’re considering either model alongside a projector from Dangbei or XGIMI: the available launch details list CVIA lumens without providing an equivalent ISO or ANSI rating. You can’t reliably fill that gap by applying a conversion ratio from another brand. Until independent measurements are available, the CVIA figure is best treated as a starting point rather than a definitive measure of brightness.

Dangbei: one brand, several different conversion ratios

Dangbei makes the comparison more complicated because it uses both ISO and CVIA ratings. If the company gave every projector the same type of measurement, at least you’d have a consistent starting point. Instead, you need to check the label on each model.

The Dangbei MP1 Max is rated at 3,100 ISO lumens, while the Dangbei X9 Max reaches 5,000 ISO lumens. Dangbei also lists 4,800 CVIA lumens for the X9 Max. Meanwhile, the Dangbei X7 Pro, Max, and Ultra lineup lists up to 3,600 CVIA lumens.

The dual rating on the X9 Max is useful because it lets us see how Dangbei relates the two measurements on the same product. Unfortunately, looking at its other projectors doesn’t reveal one consistent conversion formula.

The Dangbei X9 Ultra, for example, is rated at 5,600 CVIA lumens, which Dangbei says is equivalent to about 6,100 ISO lumens. Its CVIA figure is roughly 8% lower than the ISO rating. On the X9 Max, the difference is around 4%.

Then there’s the newer Dangbei RX10. It’s rated at 1,200 CVIA lumens, and Dangbei says the projector also delivers 1,200 ISO lumens. That’s a one-to-one conversion, unlike the figures listed for the X9 models.

These differences don’t automatically mean a particular rating is wrong. They do show why you shouldn’t assume a conversion that works for one projector will work for another. The RX10’s claimed equivalence, for instance, is worth checking against independent measurements before relying on it.

There’s also some history behind the scrutiny of Dangbei’s brightness figures. In a February 2024 settlement with Epson, the company reduced the stated white brightness of the Dangbei Mars Pro from 3,200 lumens to 1,800 lumens and agreed to use internationally recognized standards, including ISO 21118, across its product line.

Dangbei’s own explainer says ISO measurements use stricter conditions than ANSI. Even so, several of its newer China-market launches still lead with CVIA ratings. If you’re shopping for one of those models, check the actual measurement rather than assuming the company uses ISO across its entire lineup.

XGIMI: why the numbers deserve a closer look

XGIMI has faced similar questions about its brightness claims. In September 2023, Epson announced a settlement under which XGIMI would correct the stated brightness of the XGIMI Horizon Pro and XGIMI Horizon from 2,200 lumens to 1,500 lumens. The XGIMI Halo and XGIMI Elfin also had their ratings reduced from 800 lumens to 600 lumens.

Today, XGIMI’s US store lists ISO lumens for its projectors, giving buyers a clearer basis for comparison. The XGIMI Horizon 20 is rated at 3,200 ISO lumens, the Horizon 20 Pro at 4,100 ISO lumens and the Horizon 20 Max at 5,700 ISO lumens.

The newer XGIMI Horizon 30 series follows the same approach. Pre-orders run through October 31, with open sales starting November 1. The Horizon 30 Pro is rated at 4,800 ISO lumens, the Horizon 30 Max at 5,300, and the Horizon 30 Ultra Max at 6,000 ISO lumens.

That makes the global lineup relatively easy to compare, but things get less straightforward when you look at XGIMI’s China-market projectors. There, the company lists both ISO and CVIA, giving us a chance to compare the figures directly.

The XGIMI RS30 series is a particularly useful example. The RS30 Pro is rated at 3,600 ISO and 3,200 CVIA lumens. The RS30 Pro Max reaches 4,800 ISO and 4,100 CVIA lumens, while the RS30 Ultra is rated at 6,100 ISO and 5,200 CVIA lumens. At the top of the lineup, the RS30 Ultra Max lists 6,800 ISO lumens and 5,500 CVIA lumens.

Across those four models, CVIA ranges from roughly 81% to 89% of the corresponding ISO rating. That’s already a fairly wide range for products from the same brand, but other XGIMI models make the relationship even harder to pin down.

The XGIMI Z6X Pro 2026 is rated at 1,500 CVIA and 1,600 ISO lumens, putting CVIA at around 94% of the ISO figure. The fifth-generation XGIMI Z6X reverses the relationship, with 550 CVIA lumens against 510 ISO lumens.

In other words, even XGIMI’s own figures don’t support a single conversion rate. If you’re comparing two of its projectors, use the ratings listed for those specific models rather than assuming the same percentage difference applies across the lineup.

Wanbo uses ANSI, but there’s still a catch

After looking at Xiaomi, Dangbei, and XGIMI, Wanbo’s listings seem much easier to understand. The models we checked use ANSI lumens, so their ratings can be compared more directly with those of other projectors using the same standard.

The Wanbo X7 Pro Max is rated at 1,500 ANSI lumens, which the company describes as its brightest projector so far. The Wanbo Vali 1 Pro is listed at 900 ANSI lumens, while the 2025 Wanbo Mozart 1 Pro reaches 1,200 ANSI lumens. The original Wanbo Mozart 1 Pro was rated at 900 ANSI lumens.

At least the unit is consistent, so you don’t have to worry about converting CVIA figures or comparing ISO with ANSI. But there’s still a difference between using a recognized measurement standard and independently verifying the result.

A manufacturer can label its brightness rating as ANSI and still advertise a figure that doesn’t match what a reviewer measures on a retail unit. XGIMI’s guide notes that independent reviewers using light meters often find brightness levels that differ from manufacturers’ claims.

We couldn’t find an independent measurement for the Wanbo X7 Pro Max, so its 1,500 ANSI lumen rating remains the company’s claim until someone tests it. The label makes the number easier to interpret, but it doesn’t guarantee that the projector will deliver exactly that output in your home.

Why projector brightness claims keep getting challenged

The disputes involving Epson, XGIMI and Dangbei help explain why it’s worth checking those claims rather than taking them at face value. Epson has taken legal action against several projector makers over their brightness ratings, and the resulting settlements have followed a similar pattern: the advertised figure gets lowered, and the manufacturer agrees to use ISO 21118.

After the XGIMI settlement in 2023 and the Dangbei settlement in 2024, AAXA reached its own settlement with Epson in October 2025. It agreed to change the stated brightness of its P6U projector from 1,100 lumens to 500 lumens and use ISO 21118 across its product line going forward.

Epson’s announcement about the AAXA settlement also notes that ANSI has adopted ISO 21118, helping explain why the two labels are generally treated as closely related. The industry is gradually moving toward more consistent measurements, but that hasn’t stopped different ratings from appearing side by side on product listings.

China-market projectors from Xiaomi, Dangbei and XGIMI still frequently use CVIA. Epson has also pointed to online marketplaces such as Amazon, where products with different or non-standard brightness ratings can appear next to each other. For someone trying to choose between several models, that makes it difficult to tell whether the projector with the bigger number will actually produce the brighter picture.

The issue isn’t necessarily that every unfamiliar rating is misleading. It’s that buyers often have no easy way to tell which figures were measured using comparable methods and which ones need further checking.

How to check a brightness rating before buying

So, how do you avoid getting caught up in all these numbers when you’re shopping? Start with the label next to the brightness figure. ANSI and ISO give you a more useful basis for comparison, while a listing that only says “lumens,” “LED lumens,” or “color brightness” leaves more questions unanswered.

If you come across a CVIA rating, don’t rush to convert it. The Dangbei and XGIMI examples show how much the relationship with ISO can vary, even between models from the same manufacturer. Look for an equivalent ISO rating from the company or, better still, an independent measurement.

The light source is another detail worth checking. XGIMI says single-laser and LED projectors can show a substantial gap between color brightness and white brightness, while RGB triple-laser models tend to have a smaller difference. Without knowing the type of light source, a color-brightness figure doesn’t tell you enough to make a reliable comparison.

You can also check whether the advertised brightness makes sense alongside the manufacturer’s recommendations. XGIMI suggests looking at the recommended screen size and projection distance. If a projector claims 5,000 lumens but recommends a 60-inch screen at two meters, it’s worth taking a closer look at the rating instead of relying on the headline number.

Picture mode matters, too. A brightness measurement taken in the projector’s brightest mode won’t necessarily reflect the mode you’d choose for watching a movie. The image may look different during everyday use, even if the advertised figure is accurate for the mode used during testing.

Finally, look for independent reviews that measure brightness with a light meter. Owner reviews can also give you an idea of how a projector performs in a normally lit living room or during the day, although personal impressions can’t replace controlled measurements.

How much brightness do you actually need?

Once you’ve figured out which brightness ratings you can trust, there’s another question to consider: how much brightness do you really need? It’s tempting to assume the highest number is always better, but the right choice depends on where you’ll use the projector and how large an image you want.

XGIMI’s guide gives some rough ISO brightness ranges for a 100-inch image. In a dark bedroom or home theater, around 300 to 550 lumens should be enough. A living room with lamps on and some daylight calls for roughly 800 to 1,500 lumens, while daytime viewing starts at around 2,000 lumens. For rooms with indirect daylight, XGIMI recommends 4,000 lumens or more.

These figures are guidelines rather than guarantees, and they assume you’re looking at an ISO or ANSI rating. If a projector uses CVIA, you’ll need to check its brightness against a reliable measurement before using those ranges to judge whether it’s suitable for your room.

There’s also a point where more brightness stops being an advantage. XGIMI says going beyond 1,500 ISO lumens in a completely dark room can produce a harsh-looking image instead of the cinematic picture many people want. If you’re setting up a home theater in a dark room, paying extra for a much brighter projector may not make as much difference as you’d expect.

Room lighting can matter just as much as the projector itself. Blackout curtains help keep unwanted light out, while an ambient-light-rejecting screen can improve the picture in brighter spaces. Both are worth considering before spending more on a projector simply because its advertised lumen count is higher.

Ultimately, projector brightness isn’t as simple as picking the biggest number on the product page. ANSI and ISO give you a reasonable starting point, while CVIA needs a closer look and unqualified “lumens” claims deserve extra caution. If brightness is one of the main reasons you’re considering a projector, an independent measurement will tell you far more than an impressive number on the box.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Projector lumens are a mess: how to find the real brightness of Xiaomi, Dangbei, XGIMI and Wanbo appeared first on Gizmochina.

A projector can give you a much bigger screen than most TVs without taking up a huge amount of space in your living room. It also makes movie nights feel a little more like going to the cinema. But can you actually use one as your main TV in 2026?

The answer is yes, but there are a few things you must be prepared for. You see, newer laser projectors get plenty bright, support 4K gaming at 120Hz, and come with Google TV or another built-in smart platform. The catch is that a projector still works differently from a TV, and it has different needs to set it up right. 

Daylight can wash out the picture, getting the placement right takes some planning, and a good model can cost as much as a large television. You might also need to spend extra on a screen or soundbar, as projectors aren’t known for having the best audio. 

So if you’re thinking about making the switch, here’s what you should know and which new projectors are worth a look. 

What you give up when you replace your TV

No guessing here: the biggest problem of any projector is daylight. A TV produces its own light, so it can keep the picture visible even when sunlight comes through the windows. A projector sends light onto a wall or screen, and some of it gets lost when the room is bright. Even the more powerful models look better with the curtains drawn.

You can get around some of this with an ultra-short-throw projector and an ambient light rejecting screen. These screens help preserve contrast in a brighter room, but they also add to the cost. If you plan to watch TV during the day, it’s worth factoring in the price of a screen before buying a projector.

Sound is another thing to consider. Some projectors have surprisingly good built-in speakers, especially the larger models, but they don’t all sound as full as a TV paired with a decent soundbar. 

There’s also the question of live TV. Most smart projectors don’t have a built-in TV tuner, so if you rely on cable or an antenna, you’ll probably need a separate set-top box. Streaming apps are usually much easier to deal with.

How to choose a projector

There are plenty of specifications to look through, but you don’t need to understand every one of them to find a good projector. Start with brightness, how far the projector needs to sit from the wall, and what you plan to watch. And that’s probably enough. 

To talk about brightness, look for ANSI or ISO lumen values, as they use standardized measurements. There are other brightness ratings too, but they aren’t always directly comparable. 

As a rough guide, something rated at around 3,000 lumens or more gives you more flexibility in a partly lit living room. Models rated at just 300 or 400 lumens are better suited to dark rooms.

Next, think about where you’ll put the projector. A traditional long-throw model should always sit several feet away from the wall, usually on a shelf, table, or ceiling mount. An ultra-short-throw (UST) projector can sit closer to the wall and send the image upward. If you want something that feels more like a TV, UST models are usually the easiest place to start.

For example, the XGIMI MIRA 4K can project a 100-inch image from around 19.3cm away. That means you don’t need to run a projector across the room or find a place to mount it behind your sofa.

And if you’re a gamer, you should check the refresh rate and input lag. A 4K projector with 120Hz support can make games feel smoother, while features such as variable refresh rate (VRR) help reduce screen tearing. Finally, check the smart platform. Google TV, Samsung Tizen, and Roku don’t all have the same apps, so make sure yours supports the services you use.

Best long-throw projector

XGIMI announced three new models in its Horizon 30 lineup this month: the Horizon 30 Pro, Horizon 30 Max, and Horizon 30 Ultra Max. All three use RGB triple-laser light sources, support 4K at 120Hz, and run Google TV.

The main difference is brightness. The Horizon 30 Pro is rated at 4,800 ISO lumens, the Max reaches 5,300 ISO lumens, and the Ultra Max goes up to 6,000 ISO lumens. Their rated native contrast ratios also increase across the range, from 8,000:1 on the Pro to 9,000:1 on the Max and 10,000:1 on the Ultra Max.

XGIMI says the new models deliver up to 15% more brightness, seven times the native contrast, and double the refresh rate compared with the Horizon 20 series, according to Android Authority. Those are manufacturer claims, so real-world performance will still depend on the room and screen.

There’s plenty here for gaming, too. The projectors support VRR, ALLM, and AMD FreeSync, while XGIMI claims input lag as low as 1.9ms at 4K and 120Hz. Optical zoom and lens shift should also make it easier to get the picture into the right position without moving the projector every time.

The Ultra Max is the brightest option, but it also costs the most. US prices are $2,499 for the Pro, $2,999 for the Max, and $3,499 for the Ultra Max. Preorders run through October 31, with regular sales scheduled to begin on November 1.

These are still long-throw projectors, so you’ll need enough room to place one at the right distance from the wall. XGIMI is including a floor stand or ceiling mount, two pairs of 3D glasses, and a discount on its Ascend screen with preorders. You can find the full specifications in our earlier coverage of the Horizon 30 series.

There’s also a cheaper option if you happen to be in China. The XGIMI RS30 Pro High Brightness Edition costs 7,299 yuan, or around $1,092. It offers 4,500 CVIA lumens and 4K at 120Hz, but it’s currently a China-only model.

Best ultra-short-throw projector for movies

If you don’t want a projector sitting behind your sofa, the Hisense PX4 Pro is worth a look. It went on sale in the US in September for $3,999.99 and is available through Hisense, Amazon, and Best Buy.

The PX4 Pro uses an RGB triple-laser light source rated at 3,500 ANSI lumens. It can project an image between 80 and 200 inches, and supports Dolby Vision and IMAX Enhanced. Hisense has also included speakers tuned by Devialet with Dolby Atmos support, so you may not need to buy a separate sound system right away.

Gaming is another part of the package. Hisense says the PX4 Pro is the first ultra-short-throw laser projector to receive AMD FreeSync Premium certification. It also has two HDMI 2.1 ports with VRR and ALLM, making it possible to connect a console and a streaming device.

As with other UST models, the PX4 Pro sits close to the wall instead of taking up space behind the viewer. That’s convenient if you’re replacing a TV in a smaller living room, although you’ll still need to make room for the projector itself.

Its 3,500-lumen rating is lower than the brightest Horizon 30 models, so don’t expect it to solve every daylight problem. A good screen and some control over the room’s lighting will still help.

If you have a larger room and prefer a traditional long-throw setup, Hisense also sells the XR10. It reaches 6,000 ANSI lumens and can project an image up to 300 inches, making it a better fit for people with plenty of space.

Best ultra-short-throw projector for 4K gaming

The XGIMI Aura 3 Max and Aura 3 Pro are another pair of UST projectors worth considering, especially if gaming is high on your list. XGIMI describes them as the first ultra-short-throw projectors to support 4K at 120Hz.

The Aura 3 Max is rated at 5,700 ISO lumens, while the Aura 3 Pro reaches 4,100 ISO lumens. Both can produce a 120-inch picture from around eight inches away from the wall, with a maximum image size of 200 inches.

They also come with Google TV, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and IMAX Enhanced support. Audio comes from an 80W Harman Kardon system with Dolby Atmos, and XGIMI includes two pairs of 3D glasses.

The big question is the price. The Aura 3 Max and Pro are being offered through Kickstarter for $2,399 and $2,199, respectively. A $50 deposit gets you an additional $200 discount on either model. XGIMI lists retail prices of $4,999 for the Max and $3,999 for the Pro, according to Notebookcheck.

Those early prices look considerably better, but there’s a catch: these are crowdfunding offers, and a confirmed shipping date hasn’t been announced. You’ll need to be comfortable paying upfront and waiting for delivery. If you’d rather buy something already available, the Hisense PX4 Pro is a more straightforward option.

Best budget pick

You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to try a projector, although cheaper models come with some obvious trade-offs. The Acer HD1500 is one example. Acer announced it at €149 for the EMEA market, with a Q3 2026 release planned under the AOpen QP30t name.

It uses an LCD panel with native 1080p resolution and an LED light source. Brightness is rated at just 350 ANSI lumens, so this is one for a dark room rather than a living room where the curtains stay open. Netflix and YouTube are built in, which saves you from having to connect a separate streaming stick.

The 1.29:1 throw ratio lets it project a 70-inch image from two meters away. Acer has also included a swivel stand, allowing the projector to rotate 360 degrees and tilt 180 degrees. That should make it easier to point the image at a wall or even the ceiling. 

At this price, the HD1500 makes more sense as a second screen for a bedroom or occasional movie nights. Its brightness and 1080p resolution aren’t ideal if you want to replace the main TV in your living room, but it could be a cheap way to see whether projector life suits you.

Best portable pick

The Samsung Freestyle+ launched in the US in July at $1,199.99. It’s a portable DLP projector with Full HD resolution, up to 430 ANSI lumens, and a maximum image size of 100 inches. It runs Tizen with Samsung’s TV apps and Gaming Hub, supports AirPlay 2, and has a built-in 360-degree speaker, so it works fine without any extra gear.

The small size makes it convenient to move between rooms or take on a trip. You don’t need to build a permanent setup around it, either. But at nearly $1,200, it’s difficult to recommend as a full TV replacement when brighter 4K projectors are available.

The Freestyle+ makes more sense if you want something portable for a bedroom, occasional movie nights, or travel. If you want a similar kind of flexibility but would rather try another brand, the XGIMI Z6X Pro 2026 is another portable option, with a tri-color laser light source and a built-in gimbal.

So, should you replace your TV with a projector?

You can, if you have a room you can darken, a wall or screen big enough, and a budget of about $2,500 or more for a 4K model you’ll be happy with every day. If you mostly watch in the evening, play games, or watch movies, a projector like the Horizon 30 Pro or the PX4 Pro gives you a much bigger picture than a TV at the same price.

We’d still recommend choosing a TV if your living room gets a lot of daylight, if you watch live TV through a tuner, or if you’d rather not think about screens and placement. A TV is still easier to set up and easier to live with. For plenty of people, a projector works best as a second screen for movie nights, not a full replacement.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories.

The post Can a projector replace your TV in 2026? Best options to buy appeared first on Gizmochina.

The iPhone Duo is witnessing overwhelming demand all over the world despite a premium $1999 starting price. The first batch sold out within minutes, and the shipments for the second batch will reportedly begin late January 2026, as per some reports citing industry sources.

Amidst all the excitement, there are a growing number of iPhone Duo owners reporting critical issues with the inner screen and foldable mechanism. Apple said it was aware of “an issue impacting the inner display on a small number” of the phones and urged affected users to reach out to the company for a replacement.

If you are willing to get your hands on a foldable phone, there are actually some really good options out there — but only if you’re open to go outside the Apple ecosystem. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is arguably the best foldable phone right now, featuring matured hardware and great software experience. And there are more from Google, Vivo, and Oppo that we’ll discuss in this post.

5 Excellent foldable phones you can buy right now

1. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Samsung has been dominating the foldable smartphone segment. The latest one, Galaxy Z Fold 8, is the 8th generation of Galaxy foldables with robust hardware and a much refined software experience to deliver a mature folding experience.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a passport-style foldable phone like the iPhone Duo. It has a 7.6-inch LTPO AMOLED inner screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3000nits, while the cover screen measures 5.5 inches. Samsung has applied tough protection on both sides — Gorilla Glass Victus Ceramic 3 on the front and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back.

The Galaxy foldable is powered by a flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, which is fast enough for all your tasks, and efficient too. The chip delivers strong gaming performance as well, and the software is well optimized to deliver an excellent experience.

The rear camera module features two 50MP sensors — one is for regular shots and another one for ultrawide shots. The main (inner) screen and the cover screen have a 10MP sensor each. The Fold 8 is backed by a 4,800mAh battery and supports 45W wired and 20W wireless charging.

If you want a bigger foldable, definitely check out the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

2. Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Unlike the iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold has a traditional slab-phone aspect ratio. When folded, its 6.5-inch outer screen looks and feels very much like a regular flagship smartphone. When opened up, the inner display opens up into a large 8-inch canvas. Both are OLED panels that can reach a peak brightness of 3600nits and support 120Hz refresh rate.

The front side is protected using a ceramic glass and the rear side has Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The smartphone is IP68 rated, ensuring strong protection against water and dust, but it’s better to avoid them, especially on foldables. The phone has a triple camera setup on the back, which includes a 48MP primary camera, a 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 10.5MP ultrawide unit. The inner and cover screens have a 10MP sensor each.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is powered by the in-house Tensor G6 chipset, which isn’t quite powerful as the Apple A20 inside the iPhone Duo and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 inside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, but it gets the job done very smoothly. For high-end gaming, you may want to look at other devices with more powerful GPUs. Furthermore, the device has a 4,800mAh battery and supports 30W wired and 25W wireless charging.

3. Vivo X Fold 6

The Vivo X Fold 6 is one of the most well-rounded book-style foldable phones on the market right now. It eliminates major compromises that are typically associated with foldable phones — regarding battery capacity and camera capabilities.

The Vivo foldable phone packs a massive 6,900mAh battery (only China gets 7,000mAh) — one of the biggest in a foldable phone. It supports 80W wired and 40W wireless charging as well as reverse wired and reverse wireless charging capabilities.

The camera setup is one of the major highlights of the Vivo X Fold 5. The rear module has a massive 200MP primary sensor, paired with a 50MP 3x periscope telephoto lens and a 50MP ultrawide unit. The selfie cameras on the inner display and the cover display have a 20MP sensor, although you can use the rear setup to take far better shots.

The bigger screen measures 8.02-inch, which offers plenty of space for multitasking, and the cover display measures 6.51-inch. Both are LTPO AMOLED panels and support 120Hz smooth refresh rate. The device boasts Dimensity 9500 Super processor and features robust connectivity specs, such as Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 and USB-C 3.2 Gen 2.

4. Oppo Find N6

The Find N6 is another excellent book-style foldable phone with excellent camera capabilities. The rear setup features a powerful 200MP main sensor, joined by a 50MP periscope lens with 3x optical zoom and a 50MP ultrawide camera. The selfie cameras on the inner screen and the cover screen have a 20MP resolution.

The Oppo foldable phone is powered by a flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset — the same chip powers the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The cover screen measures 6.62-inch and the inner screen unfolds to a massive 8.12-inch canvas. Both are LTPO OLED panels and support 120Hz refresh rate. The cover screen is actually brighter: it can go up to 3600nits (vs. 2500nits on the inner screen).

The Find N6 is backed by a 6000mAh battery and supports 80W wired and 50W wireless charging. It also supports reverse wired and reverse wireless charging capabilities. The fingerprint sensor is integrated to the side button, just like other foldables on this page.

Read more

• Top 5 Alternatives to the Apple iPhone Duo
• Caviar launches ultra-luxury Black Edition iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo with no cameras
• Galaxy Z Fold 8 Sales Rise After iPhone Duo Launch

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories.

The post iPhone Duo sold out? 4 Foldables you can buy right now appeared first on Gizmochina.

This year’s Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is both completely expected and completely unexpected. It looks so similar to the 17 Pro Max, yet it is also different in so many ways. There are upgrades, but there are also some features that look like upgrades but feel more like gimmicks. Even if you think it’s too expensive and not worth buying, you can’t deny that it’s still a phone with a lot of character. But…at what cost?

Design & Rear Display

The entire rear display module has gotten even taller, but at least the camera lenses are now flush with it. The phone no longer wobbles when you put it on a table, which is definitely a good thing. But the downside is that it has one more display than other phones, and a larger battery as well. That makes the 18 Pro Max the second-heaviest phone I’ve ever used.

The AI button is also very “AI.” There are so few functions you can customize, it’s pretty obvious Xiaomi doesn’t want you to treat it as a customizable button. And then there’s this Hyper XiaoAi Memory. Doesn’t it look familiar? This is basically OPPO’s Mind Space. Press it once, and AI can summarize what’s on the screen and save it to your phone.

However, a lot of the content is still only available in Chinese. Until the global version comes out, this is definitely not a feature you can really use.

Last year, I thought the rear display didn’t have much practical value. But the sales of the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max proved that emotional value matters too. Xiaomi seems to think the same way. That’s why the 18 Pro series keeps the rear display and adds even more features designed to provide that emotional value.

For example, you can finally see different notifications on the rear display. This screen also supports screenshots now. You can even show the screenshot together with the phone itself. This little screen has basically unlimited possibilities. But if we rely only on Xiaomi, it’s difficult to satisfy everyone’s needs. So now you can use AI to add whatever functions you want to the rear display.

Just describe roughly what you want to add. The AI will figure out what you want and summarize the function for you. Then wait 3 to 5 minutes, and you’ll have a new function ready to use on the rear display.

The speakers on other phones are improving too. So compared with them, the 18 Pro Max’s three-speaker setup doesn’t have a huge advantage in sound quality. I put the speaker test at the end of the video. If you’re interested, you can listen to it yourself.

Display

The display on the 18 Pro Max is probably the most controversial part of this phone. First of all, it is a good display. Other than the fact that it doesn’t reach 2K resolution, it’s really hard to find anything wrong with it.

The controversial part is the new privacy display technology. Xiaomi added a grille to half of the pixels on this display. When the normal pixels are turned off, the content becomes almost impossible to see from the side.

And there are 2 things it does better than Samsung. Thanks to the RGB S-Stripe design, which doesn’t share sub-pixels in 1 pixel, the display remains a little sharper with the privacy mode enabled than the S26 Ultra.

Second, the 18 Pro Max is smarter. It can apply privacy protection to specific areas. For example, it can dim only notifications and floating windows. It can even automatically turn privacy mode on or off based on your location. The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max has the best privacy display implementation I’ve seen on a phone so far.

Now that we’ve talked about the benefits, what about the cost? There are 3 major trade-offs. The first is the viewing angle. It becomes significantly worse. Don’t think that because we usually look straight at our phones, a poor viewing angle won’t affect you. In reality, we often look at our phones from an angle.

For example, when you’re driving and your phone is mounted on a holder, you may not even be able to see the navigation clearly. Or when your phone is sitting on a table and you just want to glance at a notification, you’ll find that the display looks extremely dark. Just bring the phone a little closer to your face. You’ll notice obvious color shifts at the top and bottom of the screen.

The second trade-off is, looking from above or below doesn’t trigger any privacy protection. That also means that when you’re gaming or watching videos in landscape mode, all the privacy-related features become completely useless.

The third trade-off is the sharp drop in clarity. You don’t need a microscope to see it. Just move the phone closer to your eyes and you can already notice the loss of sharpness caused by cutting the effective pixel count in half.

If I don’t like the ultrawide camera, I can simply use it less often. If I don’t like the rear display, I can just ignore it. But I can’t exactly use the phone without turning on the display. And privacy displays are standard across every version of the 18 Pro series. So if we’re only talking about display quality, the best display in Xiaomi’s lineup this year isn’t actually on the 18 Pro series. It’s the cheaper REDMI K100 Pro series. That’s a little ironic.

Performance

Although the new Snapdragon platform isn’t as big of a leap as we expected, Xiaomi has still made a lot of optimizations to the 18 Pro Max’s performance and cooling. Last year, because of the rear display’s downside, the 17 Pro Max performed worse in games than other phones using the same platform.

But this year is different. Even in Honkai: Star Rail, which is one of the most demanding games we’ve tested, the 18 Pro Max can maintain its peak performance for 11 minutes without throttling. Even after it starts throttling, the frame rate still stays around 55fps. That’s much better than I expected. For less demanding games, we focus more on power consumption. Even when the average frame rate is similar, lower power consumption means the 18 Pro Max uses less battery. Combine that with the even larger battery, and the first thing to run out of power might not be the phone. It might be your body.

Although the cooling on the 18 Pro Max has improved, I still wouldn’t recommend it to hardcore mobile gamers. First of all, not every game supports frame interpolation and super resolution. For example, Genshin Impact supports both, while ZZZ supports neither. Secondly, although the maximum surface temperature isn’t particularly high, most of the heat is concentrated around the palm of your left hand.

After playing for a long time, your hand can still get pretty uncomfortable. The 18 Pro Max doesn’t offer an amazing gaming experience. It only looks like a huge improvement because the 17 Pro Max was so bad.

Cameras

The biggest camera upgrades on the 18 Pro Max are still focused on the main camera and telephoto camera. The main camera still supports LOFIC, and its pixel count has increased to 200MP. Meanwhile, the telephoto camera has received a major upgrade across the board. Its focal length has also changed to a more reasonable 75mm.

200MP is actually more of a gimmick for a smartphone. Photos are output at 12.5MP by default after 16-in-1 pixel binning. The main camera basically maintains the performance level of the previous generation. The dynamic range is excellent, and there aren’t any other obvious weaknesses.

If you don’t like photos with such a wide dynamic range, you can also use the Essential Moment mode. This mode is basically a lighter version of Leica Essential. The higher contrast gives the photos a stronger cinematic look.

It keeps the black-and-white style and adds a popular CCD style. You get a little more grain and a higher-saturation photo in CCD style. Also, just like on the 17 Ultra, you can upload photos taken in this mode to the cloud and use AI to enhance the image quality. The colors change a little, and the sharpness improves as well.

However, the 18 Pro Max only gives you 60 free uploads per month. If you want to enhance more photos, you’ll have to pay extra.

So, compared with the Leica Essential mode on the 17 Ultra, what’s different about this one on the 18 Pro Max? Quite a lot. This mode raises the exposure a little and reduces the contrast. Since the white balance is no longer fixed to daylight, color accuracy is also much better. Compared with the strong Leica M9-style look on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, this Essential Mode is much lighter and probably more appealing to most people.

As the camera with the biggest hardware upgrade, the telephoto camera takes some seriously impressive photos. Even at 150mm, and even at 10X zoom, the image quality is much better than I expected. The minimum focusing distance is also very short. This means you can use it for macro photography as well. It looks like an excellent and reliable camera, right? But nothing is perfect.

During my camera testing, I still found 2 problems. The first is the white balance. As you can see, the 18 Pro Max keeps trying to correct the color temperature of the statue, but it never seems to settle on the correct white balance. As a result, the final photos can end up with 2 completely different color temperatures.

The second issue is a telephoto stabilization problem, whcih we’ve seen on Xiaomi phones before. Every time I press the shutter button, the frame automatically shifts. Because of this bug, I ended up taking countless crooked photos. I hope someone from Xiaomi sees this video and fixes this bug as soon as possible. It is really annoying.

As for the ultrawide camera, you can tell Xiaomi has basically given up on it just by looking at where it sits. Fun fact: this sensor is the same model used for the front-facing camera. That means the photos taken with the ultrawide camera have almost the same image quality as your selfies.

Just like on the 17 Pro Max, the daytime image quality is good enough. Other than the serious color difference, most photos are still acceptable when you don’t zoom in. But at night, its weaknesses become obvious. In low light, its performance is basically similar to what you’d get from a 400 or 500 dollars phone. The image quality is poor, the exposure time is too long, and multi-frame processing often fails.

Oh, it might actually be worse than your old phone. That’s because this is a 17mm lens with a particularly narrow FOV. And this year, some Pro Max phones have a 13mm 200MP ultrawide camera. If you really like taking photos with an ultrawide camera, this can be pretty frustrating.

The difference isn’t quite as obvious in photos. But when you’re recording video, the gap becomes very obvious. The main camera performs pretty well. But once I switch to the ultrawide camera, I honestly can’t believe this footage was recorded by a phone in the same price range.

This camera is extremely sensitive to light. Even when the environment isn’t particularly dark, the image quality drops when switching between the main and ultrawide cameras. I think Xiaomi would be better off removing this camera and giving me a $10 discount. I’d actually be happier with that. Of course, video recording with the main camera is perfectly fine. If we ignore the ultrawide camera, this camera system is still at flagship level.

Battery Life

Among all the Pro Max models released recently, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max has the second-largest battery capacity. The 1000mAh increase finally makes it a phone that can last through an entire day no matter how you use it. During our full-day camera testing, it consumed only 15% of the battery. Wired charging is still 100W, while wireless charging is 50W. In our test, a full charge took around 1 hour. That’s pretty average.

Conclusion

The rear display, the privacy display, and the new Essential mode. Whether these selling points are gimmicks or genuinely useful features, Xiaomi has thrown all of them into the 18 Pro series. Thanks to this phone, we can still find a little fun among a sea of otherwise boring smartphones.

But what does it cost? Quite obviously, the answer is the expensive price tag. Is it worth spending an extra $100 or even $200 on it? After watching this video, you probably already have your answer.

The post Xiaomi 18 Pro Max Review: Great Phone, but at what cost? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Buying an 8K TV in 2026 is still a bit of a luxury. Most of the content you watch every day is available in 4K, so the jump to 8K is not as straightforward as it sounds. But if you are looking at a big-screen TV that’s future-proof and offers the best picture quality money can buy, 8K TVs are the way to go. While there aren’t many 8K TVs on the market, we have curated three best options you can consider in 2026.

How to choose an 8K TV in 2026

While there are a number of 8K TV options, there’s still very limited native 8K content to watch. That said, you should look for features such as AI upscaling, which can make lower-resolution content appear sharper on an 8K screen.

Mini-LED backlighting with local dimming is worth considering if you want better brightness and contrast, while OLED panels offer deeper blacks and more precise contrast.

For HDR content, check for support for formats such as Dolby Vision or HDR10+, depending on what you watch. If gaming is a priority, look for HDMI 2.1, VRR and high refresh rate support. These features will make a more noticeable difference to your viewing experience than the 8K resolution alone.

3 best 8K Smart TVs in India

Samsung QN800D Neo QLED 8K Smart TV

The Samsung QN800D is a more affordable alternative if you want an 8K Neo QLED TV. It uses Mini-LED backlighting, Samsung’s NQ8 AI Gen2 processor, and Neo Quantum HDR 8K+ for picture processing and HDR performance. It gets a 65-inch screen, and also supports 8K AI upscaling and refresh rates of up to 165Hz at 4K with compatible content, making it suitable for high-end gaming. Consider this model if you want an 8K TV without spending as much on Samsung’s flagship range. This one gets a 70W audio system, as compared to the more expensive QN900D’s 90W speaker setup.

Samsung QN900F Neo QLED 8K Smart TV

The Samsung QN900F is a good option too, but its price has gone up, and the 75-inch model now costs over Rs 6 lakh. For that kind of price, you get an 8K Neo QLED TV with advanced picture processing and gaming features. It comes in 75-inch screen featuring a Neo QLED panel, Mini-LED backlighting, and Samsung’s NQ8 AI Gen3 processor, which uses AI upscaling to improve lower-resolution content. The TV also gets Quantum Matrix Technology Pro for backlight control and a Glare Free display to reduce reflections. With refresh rates of up to 165Hz at 4K on compatible PC hardware, it is also suited for gaming.

Samsung QN900D Neo QLED 8K Smart TV

If you want an 85-inch Samsung 8K TV, this QN900D is your option. It uses a Neo QLED panel with Mini-LED backlighting and Samsung’s NQ8 AI Gen3 processor for image processing and upscaling. It supports Quantum Matrix Technology Pro, Neo Quantum HDR 8K Pro, and Auto HDR Remastering. The TV also supports refresh rates of up to 240Hz at 4K with compatible PC hardware, making it an option for high-end gaming setups. At 8K, however, games are limited to 60Hz. It also gets a powerful 90W 6.2.4-channel speaker system.

Stock for these 8K TVs may be limited, so check availability both online and at your nearest retailer. You may also find better deals by comparing prices across stores.

Which is the most practical 8K TV in India?

The Samsung QN800D is the most practical and most value-for-money option, as it gets a large 8K Mini-LED panel with up to 165Hz refresh rate, features like AI upscaling, and a decent built-in audio setup.

Which is the best premium 8K TV?

The Samsung QN900D is the most premium 8K TV on this list, as it gets a whopping 85-inch Neo QLED display with Mini-LED backlighting that supports up to 240Hz refresh rate for smooth gaming.

Are 8K TVs worth buying in 2026?

8K TVs are worth considering for large-screen setups, but limited native 8K content makes a high-end 4K TV a better-value choice for most buyers. Also, 8K TVs are way too costly right now, hence considering a premium 4K TV is overall a better choice.

So, which of these 8K TVs would you pick? Or would you rather go for a premium 4K TV, especially with options across different display technologies, including Mini-LED, OLED and RGB LED? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Best 8K Smart TVs to buy in India: Are they worth it? appeared first on Gizmochina.

iQOO confirmed the launch date for the iQOO Neo 12 last week, as we reported at the time. The phone will launch in China on October 28 at 7 PM local time, with sales starting the same evening. For early buyers, though, reservations for the phone have been open through Vivo’s China store since October 10.

Earlier this month, most of the information about the Neo 12 came from leaks. iQOO has since confirmed several key specifications, including its processor, display, and cooling system. Some details, such as the cameras and price, remain unconfirmed, so here’s what we know ahead of the launch.

What iQOO has confirmed

The iQOO Neo 12 will run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, paired with iQOO’s Q3 gaming chip and an updated Monster Super Core Engine. This is the same Snapdragon flagship chip used in last year’s lineup, rather than the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 found in the iQOO 16, which launched in China in late September.

The phone also gets an Ice Dome cooling system with a built-in active fan. Combined with the dedicated gaming chip, the setup is meant to keep performance stable during demanding games.

iQOO says supported titles can run at 2K resolution and 185fps, with super resolution and frame interpolation working simultaneously. This applies to supported games rather than every title. The Neo 12 also uses the same touch chip as the iQOO 16, with instant touch sampling of up to 5,000Hz and multi-touch sampling of up to 500Hz.

The display

The Neo 12 has a flat 2K display from Visionox with a refresh rate of up to 185Hz. According to iQOO’s Neo product manager, this is the highest refresh rate in the brand’s history. The Neo 11 reached 144Hz, while the iQOO 16 tops out at 165Hz.

iQOO developed the panel with Visionox and Tsinghua University. It uses fourth-generation pTSF light-emitting technology, which is intended to reduce power consumption. Other confirmed display features include peak brightness of up to 2,200 nits, XDR dynamic range enhancement, circular polarization, and a 1-nit sleep screen.

You can find more details in our report on the Neo 12’s front design and display teasers. The screen size is still unknown. An earlier leak from Digital Chat Station suggests a 6.83-inch flat panel, but iQOO has yet to confirm the measurement.

Design and colors

According to official teasers, the Neo 12 has a flat screen with thin, even bezels and a centered punch-hole selfie camera. Around the back, the phone has a large rounded-square camera island with two vertically arranged lenses, while a metal frame runs along the sides.

A live photo shared on Weibo shows a pale blue version with a circular mesh grille beside the camera island. It appears to be the fan’s air intake, while a row of slots along the right edge could serve as exhaust vents.

iQOO has confirmed three color options for the Chinese market. One of them has a textured finish that changes its appearance as the phone is tilted. The company developed it in collaboration with the China Academy of Art.

Battery and charging

The iQOO Neo 12 is expected to pack a 9,000mAh battery, while its 3C certification listing confirms support for 100W wired charging. iQOO has not yet detailed the battery itself, although one report describes it as a silicon-carbon cell.

If the 9,000mAh capacity is accurate, the Neo 12 will have a considerably larger battery than its predecessor. The iQOO Neo 11 has a 7,500mAh cell, while the iQOO 16 comes with an 8,400mAh battery.

What is still unconfirmed

The camera specifications are still a major unknown. According to reports, the phone has a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), an 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 16MP front camera. 

However, some listings claim the phone will have a second 50MP rear sensor instead of the 8MP ultrawide. Neither configuration has been confirmed by iQOO, so the official specifications should settle the question. For comparison, the iQOO 16 has three 50MP rear cameras.

Other rumored features include an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor and IP68 and IP69 ratings, but iQOO has not confirmed either yet.

Price and availability

iQOO has not announced the iQOO Neo 12’s price or storage configurations. The iQOO Neo 11 launched at CNY 2,599 (about $387) for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage variant. The iQOO 16, meanwhile, starts at CNY 5,999 (about $894), up from the iQOO 15’s launch price of CNY 4,199 (about $626). The increase has been attributed in part to memory shortages.

The Neo 12’s new display and built-in cooling fan could also affect its price, although there is no confirmed figure yet. 

Moreover, the October 28 launch is confirmed only for China. iQOO has not announced an Indian or global release. A previous report suggests the phone could reach select markets as the iQOO 16R, while another claims the 16R is a separate device. The Neo 11 did not launch in India, so the Neo 12’s international availability remains uncertain.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post iQOO Neo 12 Roundup: Everything you need to know before launch appeared first on Gizmochina.

Wireless earbuds have become the default choice for listening to music, taking calls, and watching videos on the go. Among the different types of wireless earbuds, TWS models have become quite popular, thanks to their compact design and sheer convenience. There are no wires to get in the way, and the charging case makes them easy to carry around wherever you go.

If you are also looking for a new pair of TWS earbuds, there are plenty of options to choose from. You get budget earbuds with decent ANC as well as premium options that offer top-notch sound quality and more advanced features. We have curated eight of the best TWS earbuds you can buy across different price segments to suit your music needs.

How to choose the best TWS earbuds in 2026

The first thing to consider while buying a pair of TWS earbuds is the sound quality. Look at the driver size and tuning, but don’t assume a larger driver automatically means better sound. Bass-heavy earbuds can be more enjoyable for certain types of music and movies, while a more balanced tuning is better if you listen to podcasts, vocals, and different genres.

ANC is another important factor if you regularly commute or work in noisy environments. A good ANC system can take the edge off traffic, office chatter, and aircraft noise, making it easier to focus on your audio. Battery life, microphone quality, comfort, and water resistance are also worth considering, particularly if you plan to use your earbuds for calls or workouts.

8 best TWS earbuds in 2026

Realme Buds T310

Realme is a go-to choice for budget TWS earbuds, and the latest Realme Buds T310 is a good pair to consider under Rs 3,000. They offer 46dB hybrid ANC, a 12.4mm dynamic driver, 360-degree spatial audio, dual-device connectivity and up to 40 hours of total playback. They also have an IP55 rating and a low-latency mode, which means you can get a rough use and don’t worry about any noticeable audio lag.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4

The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 is a step ahead of the Realme Buds T310, and they offer a better ANC support and longer battery life. They use 12mm titanium-coated drivers and offer up to 52dB of active noise cancellation, along with six microphones for calls and up to 54 hours of total playback with ANC switched off. You also get the latest Bluetooth 6.1 support, which means there won’t be any connectivity errors.

Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro

The OPPO Enco Air 5 Pro succeeds the Enco Air 3 Pro, and they get the much-needed improvements. You get up to 54 hours of playback, 55dB ANC, a 12mm titanium-coated driver and triple-mic AI-assisted calling. The earbuds also support dual-device connectivity across Android, iOS and Windows. As for the sound, this time around, Oppo has opted for a bass-heavy audio, however, you get to tune the sound with custom EQ.

OnePlus Buds 4

The OnePlus Buds 4 step things up with a dual-driver setup comprising an 11mm driver and a 6mm driver, along with dual DACs and support for LHDC 5.0. They also offer 55dB adaptive ANC and dual-device connectivity, while battery life reaches up to 45 hours with ANC off. It also has support for 47ms low-latency, which means there won’t be any noticeable audio lag.

Apple AirPods 4

The AirPods 4 make the most sense if you already live inside Apple’s ecosystem. The H2 chip, Voice Isolation, Personalised Spatial Audio, and tight integration with Apple devices make them convenient for iPhone users. The sound quality is pretty good too, and you get ANC and transparency mode with the ANC version. They are also IP54-rated for dust, sweat and water resistance.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are meant to deliver incredible sound and come with a ton of features including, enhanced 11mm drivers, adaptive ANC, 360 Audio, adaptive EQ, six microphones, and Bluetooth 6.1. They are also IP57-rated, giving them better protection against dust and water than many competing premium earbuds. Battery life reaches up to 30 hours with ANC off, although that drops to 26 hours with ANC enabled.

Apple AirPods Pro 3

The AirPods Pro 3 is one of the most complete earbuds on this list. They offer great sound, strong ANC, and fantastic call quality. The earbuds also feature built-in heart rate sensing, which is quite unique. If you want premium earbuds that handle music, calls, fitness and everyday use, the AirPods Pro 3 are a solid choice. For iPhone users, the AirPods Pro 3 are a no brainer.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Gen 2

If you have the budget for AirPods Pro 3 and can stretch it a bit further, you can grab the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Gen 2. They sound phenomenal, and come with support for Bose’s immersive audio experience, Snapdragon Sound, and aptX Adaptive. However, unlike other earbuds on this list, these are a bit bulkier, but that’s due to the amount of tech packed inside. You get impressive ANC, up to six hours of battery life without the case, and IPX4 rating for water resistance.

What’s the best budget earbuds in 2026?

The Realme Buds T310 are the best budget option in this list, as they feature 12.4mm drivers, 46dB ANC, spatial audio, and 40 hours of battery life at an affordable price.

What’s the best earbuds overall in 2026?

The OnePlus Buds 4 are the best overall choice for most Android users because they balance sound quality, ANC, battery life and connectivity without moving into flagship pricing.

What’s the best premium earbuds in 2026?

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 are the best premium earbuds as they prioritise sound and noise cancellation over other features. You can also consider the Apple AirPods Pro 3 as they offer great sound and a fantastic call quality.

Which earbuds have the best battery life?

The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 and Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro are the best earbuds for battery life, as they both offer up to 54 hours of playback with their cases and ANC turned off.

So, which of these earbuds is your pick? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Best TWS Earbuds in 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

OnePlus will launch the Ace 7 and Ace 7 Pro in China on October 29 at 7 PM local time (4:30 PM in India). The company confirmed the launch date this week, and reservations for both phones have been open on its Chinese online store since October 16.

Now that buyers can reserve the phones ahead of launch, OnePlus has been revealing more details about what they will offer. The new phones follow the OnePlus Ace 6 with a 165Hz display, a 7,800mAh battery, a 50MP + 8MP rear camera setup, and a 16MP selfie camera. The Ace 7 series is tipped to bring a faster 185Hz display, a battery capacity of around 9,000mAh, and a 200MP main camera. Its biggest addition is an active cooling fan, which would be a first for a OnePlus phone.

Here’s what OnePlus has confirmed so far and what recent leaks suggest about each model.

What OnePlus has confirmed

OnePlus has confirmed two different processors for the lineup. The Ace 7 will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 V, while the Ace 7 Pro gets the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Both phones will also include the company’s Wind-Chaser gaming engine and a built-in fan with a dual-airflow cooling system.

OnePlus China president Li Jie explained the cooling setup in a Weibo post. The system uses separate airflow paths to cool the chipset and the rear panel. The air intake is away from the spots where your fingers rest in landscape mode, so you won’t block it while gaming, and the exhaust pushes hot air upward instead of into your palms.

OnePlus calls it an industry-first “Dual-Path Glacier Air Cooling System” and says temperatures stay up to 10 degrees Celsius lower during long gaming sessions.

OnePlus Ace 7 Pro

The Ace 7 Pro is the more powerful model, carrying the model number PMS110 and device code OP64F1L1. It runs the full Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (SM8850), the same chip you get in the OnePlus 15, and Geekbench listings show it with 16GB of RAM and Android 17, and you can expect ColorOS 17 on top.

The phone is tipped to feature a 6.78-inch flat LTPS OLED display with a 1.5K resolution and a 185Hz refresh rate. The device is even tipped to support a 240Hz refresh rate, although 185Hz is said to be the guaranteed minimum.

As for the camera setup, the Ace 7 Pro is expected to feature a 200MP main camera with optical image stabilization, alongside a 50MP periscope telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom. The telephoto camera is reportedly equipped with Samsung’s ISOCELL JN5 sensor. The front is expected to have a 16MP selfie camera.

Powering the phone could be a 9,000mAh cell, with reports pointing to either 100W or 120W wired charging. The built-in cooling fan will reportedly work with an AI temperature sensor to manage heat.

OnePlus Ace 7

The standard Ace 7 carries the model number PYF110 and device code OP68BBL1. It uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 V, a lower-tier version of the Pro model’s processor.

The display is expected to match the Pro model, with a 6.78-inch flat OLED panel offering 1.5K resolution and a 185Hz refresh rate. The standard model is also tipped to feature a 200MP main camera and a 16MP selfie camera, but it is not expected to include the Pro’s periscope telephoto lens.

Some reports mention a 200MP + 50MP rear camera combination for the series, although the identity of the second 50MP sensor on the standard Ace 7 remains unclear.

Like the Pro model, the Ace 7 is expected to pack a battery of around 9,000mAh and support either 100W or 120W wired charging, depending on which report proves accurate. One leak also mentions water resistance but does not provide an official rating.

There was initially some uncertainty about whether the standard model would get the built-in fan. However, OnePlus’ teasers for the series indicate both phones will feature the cooling system.

How the cooling fan works

A leaked schematic shared by Digital Chat Station provides a closer look at the cooling system. It shows two separate airflow paths, one for the processor and another for the rear panel.

The design directs hot air out through the sides, away from the user’s hands, while cooler air moves downward through the system. The setup is also said to include an AI temperature sensor, patented technology, and measures to reduce fan noise and prevent dust from entering.

If the system performs as OnePlus claims, it could help the phones sustain higher performance during longer gaming sessions. Actual temperatures and noise levels will need to be assessed after the devices launch.

Design

Both the Ace 7 and Ace 7 Pro share a similar design. The standard Ace 7 comes in Tempered, Midnight Black, and Glossy White. Meanwhile, the higher-end Ace 7 Pro gets Windbreaker, Midnight Black, and Lightning White.

The Tempered version of the Ace 7 has a silver finish that transitions into a warm copper-orange shade near the bottom. The Windbreaker version of the Ace 7 Pro has a light blue color with a frosted, brushed texture. Both feature large Ace lettering and the OnePlus logo on the rear panel.

The camera module sits in the upper-left corner. It consists of a raised metal square with rounded edges, housing a tall pill-shaped cutout, a smaller circular lens, and a ring-shaped element. The flash sits just outside the module.

Price and availability

OnePlus has not revealed pricing for the Ace 7 or Ace 7 Pro. The Ace series typically remains exclusive to China, and OnePlus withdrew from the US and European markets this year, so a wider Western release is unlikely.

For India, the Ace 7 Pro could launch as the OnePlus 16R at around Rs 75,000. This remains unconfirmed, though.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories.

The post OnePlus Ace 7 and Ace 7 Pro Roundup: Everything you need to know before launch appeared first on Gizmochina.

Red Magic has a well-established reputation for building smartphones that prioritize gaming performance above all else. With the recent launch of the Red Magic 12 Pro+, the company has updated its flagship lineup just a generation after the highly capable Red Magic 11 Pro+.

Both devices are designed to handle demanding mobile games, but the 12 Pro+ brings several hardware upgrades that improve the overall experience without making major changes to the formula.

Here is a closer look at how the two gaming phones compare and whether the newer model justifies its higher price tag.

Performance

The core difference between the two devices lies in their silicon. The Red Magic 11 Pro+ is powered by the 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a chip that easily handles current Android games and scored around 4.35 million on the AnTuTu benchmark. It also introduced a built-in PC emulator, a feature that set a new standard for what mobile devices could attempt to run.

The Red Magic 12 Pro+ moves to the 2nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, paired with a new Red Core R5 co-processor. This brings the AnTuTu score up to 5.67 million. In practical terms, this translates to better sustained performance in complex titles.

Red Magic says that the 12 Pro+ can maintain 60 FPS in PC ports like Tomb Raider 9 and handle full-scene ray tracing concurrently with frame-generation features. It is a measurable bump in processing power, though users of the 11 Pro+ likely aren’t feeling any performance bottlenecks just yet.

Display

Both phones feature a 6.85-inch 1.5K OLED display manufactured by BOE, complete with an under-display camera to keep the screen free of notches or hole-punches. They both reach a peak brightness of 2000 nits and support high-frequency PWM dimming to reduce eye strain.

The primary change on the 12 Pro+ is the refresh rate, which increases from 144Hz to a native 185Hz. The bezels have also been trimmed down to 0.96mm.

While the jump to 185Hz is a technical achievement, the visual difference between 144Hz and 185Hz on a smartphone screen will be quite subtle for the average user. However, for competitive players in supported games like CrossFire: Mobile, the slightly lower input latency could be a welcome addition.

Battery, Cooling and Dimensions

Cooling is always a major focus for Red Magic. The 11 Pro+ utilized a dual liquid-and-air cooling system with a 24,000 RPM fan. The 12 Pro+ refines this setup with a 25,500 RPM fan and a new dual-crystal micro-pump to circulate cooling fluid more efficiently.

Perhaps the most impressive engineering feat of the 12 Pro+ is its physical footprint. Despite increasing the battery capacity from 7,500mAh on the 11 Pro+ to a massive 8,400mAh, Red Magic managed to make the newer phone slightly thinner and lighter.

The 12 Pro+ measures 8.55mm thick and weighs 223g, compared to the 11 Pro+ at 8.9mm and 230g. Both models support the same fast-charging standards: 120W wired and 80W wireless.

Pricing

The upgrades on the Red Magic 12 Pro+ come with a price increase. The 12 Pro+ starts at 6999 yuan (~$1,048) for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage model, whereas the 11 Pro+ launched at 5699 yuan (~$852) for the same configuration.

Should You Upgrade?

If you currently own a Red Magic 11 Pro+, the jump to the 12 Pro+ is likely unnecessary. The 11 Pro+ remains a highly capable device with plenty of battery life and processing headroom. However, if you are entering the market for a new dedicated gaming phone, the 12 Pro+ offers a very refined package. The combination of a larger battery in a thinner chassis, alongside the efficiency gains of a 2nm processor, makes it a well-rounded piece of hardware for mobile gaming enthusiasts.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Red Magic 12 Pro+ vs Red Magic 11 Pro+: Is the New Gaming Beast Worth the Upgrade? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Redmi is set to launch the Redmi K100 smartphone in China on October 27, two months after the company announced the Redmi K100 and K100 Pro Max. The latter two phones got rebranded as the Poco F9 Pro and F9 Ultra globally.

The Xiaomi sub-brand is finally ready to unveil the vanilla model, and in the lead-up to launch, the company has confirmed key specs of the device. Here’s everything we know about the Redmi K100 ahead of its launch, along with how it compares with the K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max.

Redmi will launch the Redmi K100 in China on October 27 at 7 PM local time, with pre-orders already open. The Redmi Clip Neo open-ear earbuds will also debut at the event.

Display and gaming hardware

The Redmi K100 has a flat 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3,500 nits. Redmi confirmed the screen specifications last week, which also include a 480Hz multi-finger touch reporting rate and 3,500Hz instant touch sampling.

The company also claims that more than 40 games support native 165fps gameplay, while Xiaomi Green Mountain Eye Protection 4.0 handles the display’s eye-care features.

The screen is smaller and has a lower refresh rate than the 6.9-inch, 185Hz panel on the Redmi K100 Pro Max. Both Pro models also have the higher refresh rate, giving them an advantage in this area.

Redmi has also equipped the standard K100 with a D2 gaming chip, a first for a standard model in the K series. The chip handles hardware-level image upscaling and frame interpolation in supported games, helping improve visual quality and frame rates.

Chipset and software

The Redmi K100 uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite, Qualcomm’s 3nm flagship chipset from 2024. This is the same chip as last year’s Redmi K90, so the new phone does not bring a generational chipset upgrade over its predecessor. The K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max, meanwhile, use the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform, with the Pro getting the V Series variant.

Xiaomi president Lu Weibing has previously noted that many 2026 flagship phones will use previous-generation chips. He has also said he expects the K100 series to deliver strong value, although the standard model’s final pricing will determine how it compares with the competition.

The software is newer on the standard K100. It ships with HyperOS 4 based on Android 17, while the K100 Pro and Pro Max launched with HyperOS 3.0 based on Android 16. The update brings a glass-style interface and an upgraded Xiaoai assistant powered by Xiaomi’s MiMo model.

Battery and charging

Battery capacity is one of the Redmi K100’s biggest advantages on paper. Its 10,000mAh battery is larger than the 9,070mAh cell in the K100 Pro Max and the 8,580mAh battery in the K100 Pro. Speaking of which, it’s the biggest battery phone in the entire Xiaomi, Redmi, or Poco line.

Likewise, the phone likely supports 100W wired charging. A Xiaomi device carrying the model number M786BC, identified by tipster Digital Chat Station as the standard Redmi K100, passed 3C certification on October 12 with a 100W charging adapter.

Redmi has not confirmed wireless charging support for the standard model. Both the K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max support 50W wireless charging, so this remains one of the unanswered questions ahead of launch.

Design and colors

Redmi’s promotional images show a flat rear panel, a metal mid-frame, and a horizontal camera module. The power button sits on the right side, while the back carries Sound by Bose branding. On the front, the phone has a flat display with a centered punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera.

The company teased the Firefly Green color with a light, translucent finish.

Price, cameras, and other unconfirmed details

Redmi has yet to announce the K100’s price, camera specifications, or memory configurations. On the other hand, tipster Digital Chat Station suggests a starting price of around 3,500 yuan, or roughly $490.

The promotional images show two rear cameras and an LED flash, but Redmi has not confirmed the sensors. According to reports, it could feature a 200MP main camera, an IP68 rating, and an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.

There is another model still missing from the wider lineup. Redmi said during the August launch of the Pro series that the K100 family would include a gaming flagship, but the company has not introduced that device yet.

Redmi K100 vs. K100 Pro vs. K100 Pro Max

The standard Redmi K100 has a larger battery than either Pro model, but it uses an older chipset and a slower display. The K100 Pro and Pro Max launched in China on August 11, with the latter offering the most advanced camera system in the lineup.

Here’s how the three phones compare based on announced specifications.

Which Redmi K100 should you pick?

The standard Redmi K100’s price and camera specifications are still unknown, so the choice will depend partly on what Redmi announces on October 27. The confirmed hardware already gives each model a different set of advantages.

Best for battery life

The Redmi K100 has the largest battery in the lineup at 10,000mAh, along with a 165Hz display and a dedicated D2 gaming chip. Its Snapdragon 8 Elite is older than the Gen 5 processors in the Pro models, but the newer HyperOS 4 software is another advantage.

Best for a smaller flagship

The Redmi K100 Pro has a smaller display than the Pro Max, while retaining a 185Hz refresh rate and a 200MP main camera. Its 8,580mAh battery is smaller than those of the other two models, but it still has a substantial capacity.

Starting at 3,699 yuan in China, the phone uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 V Series, which has one fewer GPU slice than the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. It is the middle option for buyers who want the newer chipset and faster display without paying for the Pro Max.

Best for camera

The Redmi K100 Pro Max has the most advanced camera hardware in the lineup, with a 200MP main camera featuring optical image stabilization, a 50MP periscope telephoto camera, and a 50MP ultrawide camera. It also packs the full Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and a 6.9-inch 185Hz display.

Its 9,070mAh battery is smaller than the standard K100’s, but the phone also supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. A 6,300-square-millimeter vapor chamber handles cooling without an active fan. Prices in China start at 4,499 yuan.

Will the Redmi K100 launch globally?

Redmi has not confirmed a global release for the standard K100. Its K-series phones often reach international markets under Poco branding, and the Pro models followed the same pattern this year.

After Poco confirmed its global launch date, the Poco F9 Pro and Poco F9 Ultra launched on September 1 as global versions of the Redmi K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max, respectively. Both global models have smaller batteries than their Chinese counterparts: 6,330mAh for the Poco F9 Pro and 8,050mAh for the Poco F9 Ultra. The 12GB/256GB versions start at $699 and $799, respectively.

The standard Redmi K100 could follow a similar route and arrive in international markets under a different name. However, neither the global model’s name nor its launch date has been confirmed.

Read more

• Redmi Book 2027 series launches next week with a 72Wh battery and third-gen Intel Core chips.
• Here are our hands-on impressions of the Redmi K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max
• Top 5 alternatives to the Redmi K100 Pro Max in 2026

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories.

The post Redmi K100 Roundup: Everything you need to know before launch appeared first on Gizmochina.

Hardware failures are no longer a primary reason why most people discard their smartphones. It’s more often the lack of software support that forces users to buy a new one, and the cycle repeats.

After a few years, smartphone brands stop sending major OS upgrades that bring new features and upgrades across the system. Newly discovered security vulnerabilities remain unpatched, putting your data at risk. And modern apps are optimized to work best on newer versions of the operating system.

Even though the official software support ends, modern devices are still very much capable of delivering smooth everyday operations. That’s when custom ROMs play an important role. These are built by third-party developers to extend the lifespan of smartphones by providing regular security patches and new OS releases.

Which are the safest custom ROMs for your phone?

Since these alternative operating systems are built by third-party developers, you can’t just pick any that’s built for your phone. There are dozens of them on the internet, but the two we (and the entire custom ROM community) trust the most are GrapheneOS and LineageOS.

GrapheneOS is an open-source, safe, and highly hardened option available, but it’s exclusively available for Google Pixels due to their strict hardware security standards. LineageOS supports over 170 smartphones across various brands. It’s also a safe, open-source custom ROM with thousands of active developers and millions of users worldwide.

LineageOS 24: Android 17 with optional Google services

LineageOS 24 is the latest version of the popular custom skin built on top of Android 17. It is developed and maintained by an international community with a primary goal to keep smartphones up-to-date longer and give users more controls over their devices.

It’s a clean, lightweight custom ROM that comes without any additional apps, advertisements, and unnecessary services. It generally feels snappier and more responsive than most of the OEM custom skins. Older devices may also benefit from a positive impact on the energy efficiency — especially those who have become increasingly bloated over the years.

LineageOS is great for those who wish to share as little data as possible with Google by not opting to install Google apps and services. But those who need it can install a suitable package.

Not every smartphone is supported

LineageOS doesn’t support every phone and tablet that have stopped receiving official software support. However, it actively maintains builds for most of the popular devices.

The list of eligible devices is quite large, so there’s a chance yours may be included. You can find all supported devices on the LineageOS Wiki. Every device page includes download links, installation guides, and device-specific notes.

Take an extra minute to ensure that the device name and codename exactly match yours. For example, a Galaxy Tab S7 has multiple LineageOS builds based on which variant you carry. Brands often sell multiple versions of a device with different processors.

Important steps before installation

Unlike regular updates, installing a custom ROM requires a little extra care of your data and installation steps as it replaces the entire system software installed on your smartphone.

First things first: perform a complete data backup, including your photos, videos, documents, contacts, and other important data you don’t want to lose. You shouldn’t ignore this, as unlocking the bootloader completely wipes the internal storage.

You may also want to back up your data from apps you’re not signed into. Also back up your 2FA codes from authenticator apps or transfer your accounts to other devices.

Installing LineageOS or any other custom ROM requires an unlocked bootloader. There’s no universal guide on how to do this as the steps vary depending on the device model. Fortunately, the installation guide from LineageOS also includes the required bootloader unlocking steps for the specific device.

Unlocking the bootloader may void your phone’s warranty, and some security features and banking apps may not work. While the warranty issue shouldn’t be a concern on older devices, others are worth finding out in advance.

Installing LineageOS has become a lot easier

Installing a custom ROM used to be a bit complicated, but thanks to the new browser-based Lineage Flash Tools, the process has gotten significantly easier. The new tool handles the execution of commands, which can be intimidating.

Earlier, users had to set up environment paths and download individual platform-specific tools like ADB or Fastboot executables on the PC to run commands. Now, all of them are handled by the Lineage Flash Tools inside a Chromium-based browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

Lineage Flash Tools lowers the barrier for beginners. However, it doesn’t handle each and every step. Users still are required to manually download the correct operating system image and unlock the bootloader.

On a compatible browser, open the tool’s web interface and connect your phone over a USB cable. You can also upload the installation files directly to your phone via the browser window.

LineageOS supports a vast number of devices from dozens of manufacturers, and not all of them follow the same installation process. Some devices may require additional steps or packages. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to follow the official installation guide. It tells you about the required files for your device along with download links, unlocking the bootloader, using the correct recovery environment, and additional instructions (if required).

If you carefully follow all the steps, your device should boot LineageOS without any issues. If you ever run into problems during or after installation, ask the official support channels on Reddit, Discord, or the IRC channel (#LineageOS on Libera.Chat).

Need Google services? Follow these steps

LineageOS doesn’t include Google services by default. If you wish to use Google Play Store, Google Maps, or Gmail, you need to install additional Google packages.

One of the most popular and commonly used solutions is MindTheGapps, which has been specially adapted for LineageOS. Download the required package and flash it onto your device.

Alternatively, users can opt for MicroG as a more privacy-friendly option, but mind the tradeoffs.

GrapheneOS: Exclusively for Google Pixels

Another popular name in the Android custom ROM space is GrapheneOS. However, unlike LineageOS, it’s exclusively built for Google Pixel smartphones due to its unique set of hardware-level security features.

GrapheneOS is aimed at users with high data privacy requirements. In fact, it’s considered significantly more secure and private than the stock Pixel ROM.

What makes GrapheneOS different:

• It uses a custom memory allocator (hardened_malloc) that randomizes memory locations and isolating tasks.
• It activates MTE by default for the base OS and allows you to force it on for all user-installed apps.
• It modifies the underlying Linux kernel to block app access to dangerous system calls.
• It allows users to set an alternate PIN or password that, when entered, completely triggers a factory wipe of the phone.
• It allows users to completely disable the data pins on your USB-C port whenever the device is locked to stop physical hacking tools from stealing your data.
• It features a customizable Auto-Reboot timer (ranging down to 10 minutes). If the phone remains locked and untouched for that period, it automatically reboots, wiping the active encryption keys from memory and placing the device in its most secure “Before First Unlock” state.

On a stock Pixel phone, Google Play services run with deeply integrated privileges, which could be a big concern for users’ high privacy requirements. GrapheneOS solves that by making it optional, but still can be used via an isolated environment (sandboxed Google Play).

For installing GrapheneOS, you can either use the WebUSB-based installer (easiest) or the command-line method, which is a little technical. The official guide has all the details you need to know. Follow the steps as per the guide and you should be running GrapheneOS on your Pixel soon.

If you run into any problems, get help from official support channels on Reddit, Discord, or the community forum.

The conclusion is that the end of official software support for a smartphone doesn’t necessarily mean the end of its life. There are great communities on the internet that are actively developing custom ROMs to make such devices last longer with regular security patches and major OS upgrades.

GrapheneOS is the best alternate operating system for Google Pixels, while LineageOS is available for a wider range of smartphones. The new web installer makes the installation easier than ever before.

The post How to install Android 17 on unsupported smartphones appeared first on Gizmochina.

The iPhone Duo starts shipping tomorrow, and if you were able to snag one in the blink-and-you-miss-it pre-orders, getting a case is a no-brainer for a device that starts at $2,000. You might not want to cover up a phone that looks this good, but if you decide to go caseless, be prepared for Apple’s premium repair costs.

Finding the right case for a foldable isn’t quite the same as picking one for a regular iPhone. It needs to cover two halves of the device, account for the hinge, and allow the phone to open and close freely. Some cases also add features such as kickstands, while others keep things simple to avoid extra bulk.

One thing to keep in mind before choosing is that we haven’t tested these cases ourselves. The recommendations below are based on their designs, listed features, and manufacturers’ claims, so consider them a starting point rather than a final verdict.

What to look for in an iPhone Duo case

The hinge is one of the first things to consider. Some cases cover it with a movable section, while others leave it exposed. An early hands-on video showed an unusually soft inner display over the hinge, so hinge protection is worth considering before you settle on a case.

Your daily use matters, too. If you plan to watch videos or make FaceTime calls with the phone propped up on a desk, a built-in kickstand can save you from carrying a separate stand. The Duo can already stand on its own when partly open, but a case with an adjustable stand gives you another way to position it on a desk or kitchen counter.

MagSafe compatibility is another thing to check. The Duo supports MagSafe charging, and most of the cases on this list have built-in magnets for compatible chargers and accessories.

Apple Pencil support is also coming, but there’s a catch. The phone will support the USB-C Apple Pencil, which connects through a cable rather than magnetically. You therefore don’t need a case with a magnetic Pencil attachment.

The best iPhone Duo cases

Best official option

Apple’s own iPhone Duo Case costs $79 and uses two separate pieces, one for each half of the phone. It covers the front and back while keeping the overall design thin and light. The case comes in sand and navy blue.

Since it’s made specifically for the Duo, you won’t have to worry about whether the buttons and cutouts line up properly. Apple keeps things simple here, with protection for both halves but no extras such as a kickstand.

Best for videos and FaceTime

The Apple iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand costs $129 and uses Apple’s TechWoven technical fabric. Unlike a full-coverage case, it protects the back without wrapping around the edges.

Its kickstand sits flush against the case when not in use and props the phone up at different angles when you need it. You can also continue using MagSafe charging with the stand open. The folio comes in taupe and navy blue.

This makes it a good option if you regularly use the Duo as a small screen on a table. The open edges do mean less protection against drops than a case that wraps around the phone.

If you prefer leather, Nomad also sells a Traditional Leather Folio for the Duo at the same $129 price.

Best for rough use

The OtterBox Defender Series Pro XT is a rugged, two-piece case with a pressure-fitted frame, port covers to keep out dust and dirt, and a raised edge to keep the screen off flat surfaces. It also has built-in magnets for MagSafe chargers and accessories.

The hinge cover moves as you open and close the phone, then lies flat when the Duo is unfolded. That gives you hinge coverage without getting in the way of normal use.

Protection comes at the expense of size, so expect this case to feel bulkier than Apple’s options. It’s worth considering if you frequently drop your phone or use it in rough environments.

OtterBox also offers the Lumen Clear MagSafe Case for the Duo if you’d rather have a transparent design with less of a rugged look.

Best clear case with a stand

Spigen’s Ultra Hybrid Pro S from its Mag Fit range combines a clear case with a circular kickstand. The stand supports both portrait and landscape orientations, making it useful for watching videos or keeping the phone upright during calls.

The transparent design also lets you show off the Duo’s Night Sky or Star White finish without switching to a folio-style cover.

Spigen has other options, including the Tough Armor Pro and Slim Armor Pro. If you want both a kickstand and hinge protection, the Slim Armor Pro S is another model to consider.

One drawback with clear cases is that the plastic can turn yellow over time. The case may not look as transparent after a year of use as it does when new.

Best clear case with hinge protection

The Tech21 EvoCrystal MagSafe uses a one-piece design with an auto-closing hinge cover. The cover moves with the phone as you fold and unfold it, protecting the hinge without requiring a separate piece for each half.

Tech21 says its FlexShock material absorbs impact energy and helps protect the phone through multiple drops. Built-in magnets also maintain compatibility with MagSafe chargers and battery packs.

The version listed for the Duo comes in Black Tint, which lets some of the phone’s finish show through. If you want a transparent case with hinge coverage but would rather avoid a two-piece design, the EvoCrystal MagSafe is worth a look.

Best slim case

Pitaka’s iPhone Duo cases cover both halves of the phone while leaving the hinge exposed. They support MagSafe and come in several finishes, including patterned designs named Moonrise, Sunset, and California Dream.

The Aramid Fiber Case is the option to consider if keeping the phone thin and light matters more to you than covering every part of it. There’s an obvious trade-off, though. With no case protection over the hinge, that area remains exposed to knocks and scratches. This option makes more sense if you’re careful with your phone and comfortable with the added risk.

Best leather case

The Burton Goods Heritage Leather Case for the iPhone Duo uses a leather hinge section and rare-earth magnets to help pull the phone shut. If you’d prefer something closer to a wallet cover, Burton Goods also sells a Pocket Book leather case for the Duo.

Sandmarc has a leather case for the phone as well, giving you another option to compare before buying. 

Leather develops a different look with regular use, gradually changing color and showing signs of wear. Some people like that character, while others prefer a case that looks the same over time. If you fall into the first group, Burton Goods is worth considering.

How to choose the right iPhone Duo case

The Apple iPhone Duo Case is the simplest option if you want an official case without extra features. For watching videos or making calls with the phone propped up, consider Apple’s Folio with Kickstand or Spigen’s Ultra Hybrid Pro S.

The OtterBox Defender Series Pro XT is the better fit if you want a rugged case, while the Tech21 EvoCrystal MagSafe combines a clear design with a covered hinge. Pitaka makes more sense if you prefer a slim profile, Burton Goods is worth considering for leather, and CASETiFY gives you more room to personalize the phone’s appearance.

Availability is still uneven, with some retailer listings showing cases as unavailable. Delivery estimates for the phone itself also reportedly moved into late January after pre-orders opened. If you can’t find your preferred case right away, it may be worth waiting rather than settling for one you don’t really want.

If you’re still weighing up whether Apple’s foldable is worth $1,999, you can also compare it with these five foldable alternatives before making a decision.

Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

The post 7 Cases for the iPhone Duo, From Slim to Rugged appeared first on Gizmochina.

Honor is set to launch three gaming phones in China on October 21 under the Win series. The Honor Win 2, Honor Win RT 2, and Honor Win Turbo 2 are all available for pre-reservation, while some details have been confirmed ahead of the launch; the rest come from leaks.

The three phones share a 6.89-inch display with 2K resolution and a 185Hz refresh rate, along with batteries larger than 10,000mAh. The main differences are in processing power, cooling, cameras, and charging, so choosing between them comes down to which features matter most to you.

What all three Honor Win 2 phones have in common

Each model uses a flat OLED panel with a 2K resolution and a 185Hz refresh rate. According to display maker Visionox, it’s the first smartphone panel to combine 2K resolution with a 185Hz refresh rate, and Honor is bringing it to the entire Win 2 lineup rather than reserving it for the most expensive model.

A recent leak also points to a metal frame, dual stereo speakers, and IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings across all three phones. These details haven’t all been confirmed by Honor, so some specifications could change at launch. You can find more in the full Honor Win 2 series spec leak.

The new lineup follows the original Honor Win and Win RT, which launched in December 2025 with 10,000mAh batteries and built-in cooling fans. This time, Honor is adding a second fan to the top model while giving the other two phones larger batteries.

Honor Win 2

The Honor Win 2 sits at the top of the lineup, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 processor and a 10,100mAh battery. Honor has confirmed both details, while a leaked AnTuTu result claims the phone scores more than 5.7 million points. 

Cooling is one of the main differences between the Win 2 and its siblings. The phone has two built-in fans as part of Honor’s Dongfeng Twin-Star Turbo Cooling System. According to Honor, the system can reduce the phone’s overall temperature by up to 14.4°C and the processor’s temperature by up to 15.5°C. A rapid-cooling mode can reportedly lower the temperature by 10°C in 50 seconds, and users can either leave the fans on automatic control or adjust their speed manually.

The remaining specifications come from leaks. The Win 2 reportedly supports 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, along with a 200MP main camera with optical image stabilization. It also has a dedicated Win key for gaming and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port.

Memory configurations are said to range from 12GB of RAM with 256GB of storage to 16GB of RAM with 1TB of storage. The phone will be available in Quick Black, Designated Win, and Red/Blue Buff.

Honor has already revealed the price of the 12GB+512GB version at 5,499 yuan after national subsidies. The standard price hasn’t been disclosed. For comparison, the original Honor Win launched at 4,499 yuan for the same memory configuration, making the new model more expensive.

Honor Win RT 2

The Honor Win RT 2 trades some of the Win 2’s processing power for a larger battery. It has a 12,070mAh cell, around 21% bigger than the 10,000mAh battery in the original Honor Win RT.

The phone reportedly uses the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 as the original Honor Win. While it isn’t the same chip as the one in the Win 2, it should still provide plenty of processing power for mobile games. As for cooling, Honor could use a built-in fan, and it will just be one rather than the dual-fan system reserved for the Win 2.

The camera setup is also slightly different. The Win RT 2 reportedly has a 200MP main camera with optical image stabilization, but it uses a smaller 1/1.56-inch sensor. Its USB port is limited to USB 2.0, compared to the USB 3.2 Gen 1 on the Win 2.

The Win RT 2 is expected to come in 12GB and 16GB of RAM and 256GB and 512GB storage. The available colors are said to match those of the rest of the lineup. Honor hasn’t announced a price for the Win RT 2 yet. The original Honor Win RT started at 2,699 yuan, although rising memory costs across the industry could affect the new model’s pricing.

Honor Win Turbo 2

The Honor Win Turbo 2 is expected to be the most affordable phone in the lineup, with a simpler hardware setup than the other two models. It also skips the built-in cooling fan of pricier siblings.

Despite the lower position in the lineup, the phone reportedly keeps the 6.89-inch 2K 185Hz OLED display and the same 12,070mAh battery as the Win RT 2.

The processor is less certain. A tipster has listed the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, but the specification was marked as unconfirmed. The main camera is reportedly a 50MP sensor with optical image stabilization, rather than the 200MP camera used in the other two phones. It also has a simpler optical fingerprint sensor and a USB 2.0 port.

The Win Turbo 2 is expected to be the only model available with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Other configurations reportedly go up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

Honor hasn’t confirmed these specifications or announced a price. The Win Turbo 2 will likely cost less than the other two models, but we’ll have to wait for the launch to see how much cheaper it actually is.

Honor Win Pad and Win earbuds

The phones won’t be the only products at Honor’s October 21 event. The company is also preparing a gaming tablet called the Honor Win Pad, along with its first Win-branded earbuds.

Honor’s teasers indicate the Win Pad will have an OLED display, a built-in cooling fan, and a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. The company has already shared official renders of the tablet, showing its available color options.

Details about the earbuds remain limited, so we’ll have to wait for the event to learn more about them.

Will the Honor Win 2 series be available outside China?

For now, the only confirmed price is for the Honor Win 2’s 12GB+512GB configuration, which costs 5,499 yuan after national subsidies. Honor is expected to reveal pricing for the Win RT 2 and Win Turbo 2 at the launch event.

The original Win series has been sold in China, and Honor hasn’t announced plans to bring the new models to other markets. Buyers outside China may therefore have to import one if the company doesn’t announce a wider release.

Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

The post Honor Win 2 series roundup: Which of the three gaming phones is right for you? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Vivo is expanding beyond smartphones with the Vision Discovery Edition, its first mixed reality (MR) headset. Showcased in India alongside the Vivo X Fold 6 at the Vivo NEXT event on October 6, the headset offers a glimpse into the company’s ambitions in spatial computing, entertainment, and gaming.

I got to try the Vivo Vision Discovery Edition at the event, exploring its interface, controls, virtual environments, and gaming features. Although my session was brief, the experience was positive. However, the headset is currently not available for purchase in India, with no confirmed retail price or consumer sales date.

Design, Fit, and Physical Controls

The Vivo Vision Discovery Edition hands-on explores its design, 8K displays, eye tracking, gaming, spatial interface, and battery pack following its India showcase. features a curved front visor, a metallic frame, fabric-covered sections, and an adjustable dual-loop head strap. Despite its substantial appearance, it weighs approximately 398 grams.

Several media representatives were waiting to try the headset at the event, leaving little time for proper fitting and calibration. Nevertheless, it felt comfortable when I wore it. There was minimal light leakage around the sides, which I noticed only after Saswat Kumar Pati, Product and GTM at Vivo India, who presented the device, pointed it out.

The headset supports eye tracking and hand gestures, allowing users to look at an interface element and pinch their fingers to select it. It also has a physical control on the right side that can be rotated, alongside a button for power and other interactions. These controls complement gesture-based navigation and make interacting with the interface more intuitive.

Exploring the Spatial Interface

The headset runs OriginOS Vision, which places applications and content within a virtual environment. The home screen displayed Settings, Browser, File Manager, Albums, Player, and two games named Vigo and Pat Pat.

The app selection was limited on the demonstration unit. Rather than a fully established consumer ecosystem, the showcase focused on demonstrating the headset’s core capabilities. A broader application selection and stronger third-party support will be important if Vivo intends to make the headset useful beyond entertainment.

One highlight was the 360-degree virtual environment. As I moved my head and looked around, the scene changed with my viewpoint. Moving around made me feel as though I was walking through the virtual environment rather than simply watching a video. Vivo also advertises a virtual cinema experience equivalent to a 120-foot screen.

Gaming and Interactive Experiences

I tried the Vigo game, which involved touching virtual objects and moving them around using hand gestures. Interacting directly with digital objects made the experience engaging and offered a glimpse of how mixed reality could change gaming.

Another game featured virtual musical instruments that users could touch and interact with. I could not try it because of the time constraints, but it demonstrated the potential for creative experiences beyond conventional gaming.

Screen Mirroring and Multitasking

Vivo’s XR Console mirrored the headset’s interface onto a television during the demonstration, allowing others to follow the experience. The display showed the home screen, applications, and video playback.

I also explored multitasking, with multiple applications available within the spatial environment. This could make the headset useful for productivity as well as entertainment, although a longer session would be needed to assess its practicality for everyday work.

Vivo Vision Discovery Edition: Key Specifications

• Weight: Approximately 398 grams
• Dimensions: 83mm high and 40mm thick
• Displays: Dual Micro-OLED panels with 8K binocular resolution
• Resolution: 3,840 x 3,552 pixels per eye
• Color coverage: 94% DCI-P3
• Color accuracy: Delta E below 2
• Processor: Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2
• Operating system: OriginOS Vision
• Tracking: 1.5-degree eye tracking and 26 degrees of freedom in fingertip gesture recognition
• Gesture tracking range: 175 degrees vertically
• Fit options: Four light-seal sizes and eight foam-padding options
• Immersive viewing: Virtual cinema screen equivalent to 120 feet

Battery and Charging

The headset uses a separate, wired battery pack, keeping the main unit lighter. The pack connects to the headset through a cable, although I could not establish its capacity, charging speed, or real-world endurance during my brief session.

Vivo also highlights its battery technology, but I would reserve judgement on battery life until a longer test is possible. Endurance will be important for extended gaming and entertainment sessions.

Final Thoughts

My experience with the Vivo Vision Discovery Edition was positive. Its immersive visuals, eye tracking, hand gestures, physical controls, and interactive gaming offer an interesting glimpse into Vivo’s mixed reality ambitions.

The limited app selection and short demonstration meant I could explore only a fraction of its capabilities. Comfort, battery endurance, and software support will need further evaluation.

For now, the headset remains a showcase device rather than a product consumers can purchase in India. Nevertheless, it is an interesting step beyond Vivo’s smartphone business and a promising preview of its approach to spatial computing.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories.

The post Vivo Vision Discovery Edition MR Headset Hands-On: A Promising Mixed Reality Experience appeared first on Gizmochina.

Samsung’s wider foldable design opens up new ways to use the Galaxy Z Fold 8 beyond simply unfolding it into a larger screen. From watching videos at a comfortable angle to running three apps simultaneously, the device offers several practical ways to take advantage of its unconventional form factor. Here are seven ways I enjoyed using it.

Watch YouTube and Netflix at your preferred angle

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 can be propped up in a slanted position, making it convenient to watch YouTube videos, Netflix shows, and other content without holding the phone. The viewing angle can be adjusted to suit your position, while the volume buttons remain accessible on the opposite side.

You can also fold the device into a tent-like shape. While this orientation serves a similar purpose, accessing the volume buttons becomes less convenient. I could not find a particularly compelling use for this position, although keeping the phone in tent mode with my calendar open could be useful for glancing at appointments while working.

Read, type, and multitask in portrait orientation

I particularly like holding the unfolded Fold 8 vertically when reading articles or typing. The larger display provides more room than a conventional phone, while Samsung’s multitasking interface lets you open multiple apps in a single view.

As shown in my photos, you can keep a webpage open across the upper portion of the screen while using Samsung Notes and another application below it. You can also stack apps vertically, making it easier to reference information while writing or responding to messages.

This arrangement is useful for researching a topic while taking notes, reading an article while chatting, or checking information without repeatedly switching between apps.

Run two or three apps horizontally

The wider inner display also works well when you unfold the phone horizontally and run two or three apps side by side. In my setup, I could keep X and Instagram open alongside YouTube, allowing me to browse social media feeds while watching a video.

Whether you stack the three vertically or horizontally, you can adjust their sizes for a better viewing experience.

There are several other possibilities. You could follow live updates on social media while watching a sports match, monitor messages while attending an online meeting, or keep a browser and messaging app open alongside a video tutorial.

The ability to see multiple applications simultaneously makes the Fold 8 useful for people who regularly juggle different tasks.

Take photos using the rear camera and review them instantly

The unfolded display can also serve as a useful interface for rear-camera photography. When taking pictures, the camera viewfinder occupies one part of the screen, while captured images appear stacked in a pane alongside it.

This lets you scroll through the photos you have already taken and review them without leaving the camera interface. You can check your shots, decide whether another picture is needed, and continue shooting.

It is a convenient approach when photographing products, documenting objects, or capturing images for work. Having the viewfinder and recent shots visible together makes the process feel more organized.

Enjoy the compact size for everyday use

Despite its larger inner display, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 remains compact enough to use as a regular phone when folded. The cover screen handles everyday tasks such as checking notifications, opening apps, replying to messages, and browsing without requiring you to unfold the device every time.

However, its almost-square shape introduces a small usability quirk. When the phone is in your pocket, locating the volume buttons by touch can be less intuitive than on a conventional smartphone or a narrower foldable. You may need to adjust your grip to increase or decrease the volume.

The phone can also wobble when placed on a flat surface, particularly when you tap the screen, because its rear cameras are positioned in the corner. It is not a deal-breaker, but it is worth noting. The same issue also affects Apple’s iPhone Duo, which also features a corner-mounted camera setup. In contrast, the horizontal camera bar designs available with the Xiaomi 18 Fold and Huawei Pura X Max offer a different approach to balancing the devices on a surface. However, I have only tested the Samsung, so I cannot confirm how the other foldables behave in this regard.

Keep the phone partially open with the Always-On Display

Another option is to leave the Fold 8 partially open on a desk, with the Always-On Display showing the time and other glanceable information.

This arrangement gives the device a small desk-clock-like role without requiring a separate accessory. You can check the time at a glance and potentially see other supported information without fully opening the phone or picking it up.

It is a simple use case, but one that takes advantage of the foldable design in a way that a conventional smartphone cannot replicate as naturally.

Use a magnetic-ring case and wireless power bank as a stand

My favorite setup involves a case with a magnetic ring and a Sharge wireless power bank that snaps onto the back. Together, they let me prop up the unfolded phone horizontally or vertically at different viewing angles.

Of the two portrait orientations I tried, I preferred the one that positioned the screen at just the right angle for viewing and interacting with the interface. It worked particularly well for keeping Samsung Notes and the Tips app visible side by side.

This setup does require compatible accessories, and a case with a kickstand is another option. However, the magnetic-ring arrangement gives me additional flexibility while combining a stand-like function with a wireless power bank.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8’s wider design is useful in more ways than one. Whether you are watching videos, managing multiple apps, taking photos, or keeping the phone propped up on a desk, its form factor encourages experimentation. A few minor quirks aside, it can be a versatile device for both everyday use and productivity.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: 7 Ways to Make the Most of Its Wider Foldable Design appeared first on Gizmochina.

Hasselblad, Zeiss, Leica, and ARRI are familiar names for most of us in the photography and filmmaking scene, but you might not be aware that you can get their camera on a smartphone. Not that they make them, but they have partnered with smartphone makers to bring their camera expertise on different levels to a handheld. 

Oppo uses Hasselblad’s imaging expertise for its Find X series, Vivo works with Zeiss on optics and camera accessories, Xiaomi has brought Leica deeper into phone development, and Honor is now using ARRI’s cinema technology to improve video recording.

At first glance, you might think these brands are simply helping phone makers improve their cameras. But not every partnership is the same—one focuses on tuning photo colors, while another focuses on developing camera hardware itself. 

So if you’re thinking of buying a flagship Android phone in 2026, beyond the usual Samsung or Google, it’s always better that you understand what each camera partnership means. 

Hasselblad and Oppo

Hasselblad’s first major smartphone partnership began with the OnePlus 9 series, which launched in March 2021. OnePlus announced the agreement as a three-year camera co-development effort. Before that, Hasselblad’s only phone-related project was the 2016 Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod for Motorola’s Moto Z series, an accessory that added 10x optical zoom.

On the OnePlus 9 Pro, much of Hasselblad’s work went into color reproduction and software. Natural Color Calibration involved lab testing and tuning hundreds of real-world scenes through computational photography. The partnership also brought a redesigned Pro Mode inspired by Hasselblad’s Phocus software, along with support for 12-bit RAW photography in Pro Mode, including on the main camera.

Oppo joined the arrangement in 2022, announcing its own three-year partnership with Hasselblad. The company said the move brought the existing OnePlus collaboration to the corporate level, covering both smartphone brands. The Oppo Find X5 series was the first result, with natural color calibration again playing a central role.

The OnePlus partnership eventually came to an end. The OnePlus 13 was the last flagship to carry Hasselblad branding, while the OnePlus 15 switched to the company’s own DetailMax Engine. Oppo, meanwhile, extended its agreement with Hasselblad in July 2025 at an event in Gothenburg, Sweden, announcing plans to develop a new mobile imaging system together.

That brings us to the Oppo Find X10 series, which launched in China in September. The Oppo Find X10 has two 200MP cameras that Oppo says were co-developed with Hasselblad, alongside an 8,000mAh battery. The Find X10 Pro Max has 200MP sensors on its main, ultra-wide and telephoto cameras, a combination Oppo calls a first for smartphones. The entry-level Find X10 E also includes a Hasselblad imaging system.

Oppo says all three rear cameras on the Pro Max can record 4K at 120fps and 8K at 30fps, while the standard Find X10 supports the same recording options on its two 200MP cameras.

Both the Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max support a Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit, and the Pro Max has a matte orange accent ring around its camera module. Oppo’s global launch for the series is scheduled for October 21 in Mallorca, Spain.

Zeiss: From Nokia and Sony to Vivo

Zeiss has one of the longest histories in mobile photography among these four brands. Its optics appeared on Nokia phones during the company’s feature-phone era in the mid-2000s, and the branding later returned on Nokia smartphones made by HMD Global.

The Nokia-Zeiss relationship ended by mutual agreement in 2021. The Nokia XR20, released in August that year, was the last Nokia phone to carry Zeiss branding, with the end of the partnership formally confirmed in July 2022.

Zeiss had already established another smartphone partnership with Sony. The Xperia 1 II, released in 2020, marked the beginning of their collaboration, which continues today. Zeiss contributes optical expertise and its T* anti-reflective coating, which is intended to reduce reflections and improve contrast while preserving image quality.

Vivo announced its global partnership with Zeiss in December 2020. The companies agreed to co-develop imaging systems for Vivo’s premium phones, establish the Vivo ZEISS Imaging Lab as a joint research and development program, and work together on optical components.

The Vivo X60 series was the first product of the collaboration. Its camera features included Zeiss T* coating and a Biotar portrait filter inspired by the distinctive background blur of classic Zeiss lenses.

The Vivo X300 Ultra continued that work with a 200MP main camera at a 35mm equivalent focal length, a 200MP periscope telephoto at 85mm and a 50MP ultra-wide at 14mm. Announced on March 30, 2026, the phone went on sale in China on April 3 before launching globally on April 15. It supports 4K video recording at up to 120fps.

Vivo also sells Zeiss telephoto extenders that attach directly to the phone, with 200mm and 400mm equivalent options. The 400mm version uses a 15-element optical design.

The partnership continues with Vivo’s newer X500 lineup. The Vivo X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max launched in China on September 21, followed by the global announcement of the X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max on October 6. The X500 Pro Max includes a 200MP Zeiss APO telephoto camera and supports the 400mm Zeiss Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra.

Leica: From Huawei to Xiaomi

Leica entered the smartphone market in a major way in 2016 through its partnership with Huawei. The Huawei P9 arrived with a dual-camera system featuring a dedicated monochrome sensor. Leica worked on the optics, image processing, and color modes too.

The two companies continued working together on Huawei flagships such as the P20 Pro and P30 Pro. The partnership, however, ended in March 2022, making that year’s Huawei P50 series as the last phones with Leica branding.

Surprisingly, though, Xiaomi announced a collaboration with Leica not so long after. The two companies announced a long-term imaging partnership in May, and Xiaomi’s CEO said the deal would cover everything from optical design to the look and feel of the final images.

The Xiaomi 12S series was the first device under the partnership. It introduced two Leica color profiles: Authentic, which aims for a more natural look, and Vibrant, which produces punchier colors. Xiaomi has kept both options on later phones.

The relationship has since moved beyond tuning cameras and image processing. Xiaomi now describes the partnership as a strategic co-creation model, with Leica involved earlier in the phone’s development.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra gives a good look at the hardware behind the partnership. Its main camera uses a 50MP Light Fusion 1050L sensor with a 1-inch format, LOFIC technology for improved dynamic range, and a 23mm equivalent focal length. The lens has an f/1.67 aperture.

The remaining cameras include a 200MP periscope telephoto with continuous optical zoom between 75mm and 100mm equivalent. Its aperture shifts from f/2.39 to f/2.96, and the lens carries Leica APO certification. The 50MP ultra-wide camera has a 115-degree field of view and can take macro shots from as close as 5cm.

There’s also a Leica Edition 17 Ultra with a few extras of its own. It has a red Leica dot and a knurled frame that give it a camera-like appearance, while a built-in Master Zoom Ring lets users adjust focal length, white balance, and exposure. You also get a Leica Moment mode that recreates the color rendering of the Leica M9.

Xiaomi brought the 17 Ultra to international markets, including Europe and Australia, in early 2026. The phone is not available in the US.

Xiaomi’s newest Leica phones are the Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, which launched in China in September. Both use a 200MP Leica main camera, a 200MP periscope telephoto with 3.2x optical zoom and a 50MP ultra-wide. Xiaomi has confirmed a global release later in 2026 but hasn’t announced a date yet.

ARRI and Honor 

Unlike the other three brands, ARRI had no earlier smartphone partnership before Honor. The company is best known for cinema cameras, and its collaboration with Honor marks its entry into mobile imaging.

Called the Cinematic Imaging Partnership, the agreement produced its first commercial device in the Honor Robot Phone, announced in August 2026. ARRI said the phone incorporates selected parts of its image science, including LogC3, the ARRI Wide Gamut 3 color space and ARRI Looks.

Adapting these technologies for a smartphone required a separate implementation to account for smaller sensors, compact optics, and real-time image processing.

The Honor Magic9 Pro Max brings the same technology to a conventional flagship. It launched in China in September.

Its rear camera system consists of a 200MP main camera with a 1/1.28-inch sensor and f/1.57 aperture, a 200MP telephoto camera with a 1/1.4-inch sensor and f/2.6 aperture, and a 50MP ultra-wide camera.

ARRI’s contribution is most visible in Cinema Mode, which records up to 4K at 60fps using ARRI LogC3, 10-bit color, and ARRI Wide Gamut 3. Users get 14 preset ARRI Looks and access to a library of 87 additional grades. Honor has also borrowed design cues from ARRIFLEX cinema cameras for the rear camera layout.

For now, the Magic9 Pro Max is available in China. Honor says releases in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Southeast Asia are coming soon, but it hasn’t provided dates or announced US availability.

How the four camera partnerships compare

Hasselblad and Leica started with a lot of software and color-tuning work before moving into hardware development. Zeiss has stayed closer to optics, coatings, and external lenses. Meanwhile, ARRI is currently focused on cinema-style video processing.

What the partnerships mean when buying a phone

A camera brand’s name tells you who contributed to the system, but it doesn’t automatically tell you how good the results will be. The type of contribution matters more than the logo.

For buyers interested in external camera accessories, Vivo’s Zeiss telephoto extenders and Oppo’s Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit are the most tangible examples. If video editing is a priority, Honor’s ARRI LogC3 workflow is more directly relevant, although the Magic9 Pro Max is currently limited to China.

For still photography, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Oppo Find X10 series use different camera hardware and image processing techniques. Comparing their photos, especially in challenging lighting, will reveal more about their strengths than their brand partnerships alone.

Ultimately, these collaborations go beyond putting a familiar name on a phone. Each brings something different to mobile imaging, from more accurate color reproduction and improved optics to longer zoom ranges and video tools suited to professional filmmaking.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories.

The post Hasselblad vs Zeiss vs Leica vs ARRI: What Each Phone Camera Partnership Actually Does appeared first on Gizmochina.

Seven years of Android updates are no longer limited to Google and Samsung. Motorola, Honor, and Fairphone have joined them, with newer phones promising long-term software support, giving buyers more options to choose from. 

This list covers recent models rather than older phones that still qualify for extended support, such as the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24. There is also an important detail to keep in mind when comparing them: the seven-year period starts when a phone first goes on sale, not when you buy it. 

Google counts from the Pixel’s first sale through the US Google Store, while Samsung counts from the first sale date. A phone released several months ago will therefore have less support time remaining than a newer model.

Best overall

The Google Pixel 11 starts at $899 and gets seven years of Android OS upgrades, security updates, and Pixel Drops, with support scheduled to continue through August 2033. 

It ships with Android 17, Google’s Tensor G6 chip, and a Titan M3 security chip. Google also promises seven years of spare parts, giving owners the option to replace components such as the battery rather than buy a new phone when the original starts wearing out.

The phone keeps the familiar 6.3-inch design of its predecessor instead of introducing a major redesign. Its software support is another advantage, as Google delivers Android updates and security patches directly without waiting for a carrier or another manufacturer to approve them.

Best big-screen Pixel

The Google Pixel 11 Pro XL starts at $1,299 for the 12GB/256GB model, making it $100 more expensive than the Pixel 10 Pro XL was at launch. Its larger 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display supports a 120Hz refresh rate and has a claimed peak brightness of 3,600 nits. 

It is powered by a 5,115mAh battery with 45W wired charging, while its rear camera system combines a 50MP main sensor with a 48MP telephoto camera. The Pro models also include Wi-Fi 7 and ultra-wideband connectivity.

As you can guess, software support matches the smaller Pixel 11, with updates scheduled through August 2033. That makes the Pro XL worth considering if you want a larger screen without giving up Google’s full update commitment.

Best premium Samsung

Samsung promises seven years of updates on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, making it eligible for OS upgrades until Android 23—security patches follow suit. Samsung also delivers smaller One UI updates between major Android releases.

The phone has a 6.9-inch display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, and an S Pen for writing, drawing, and other tasks. Its privacy display mode limits visibility from off-axis viewing angles, adding another feature for people who regularly use their phones in public. The Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at $1,299.

Samsung launched the phone in February, meaning its seven-year support period began roughly six months before the Pixel 11’s. Its support will therefore end around February 2033, earlier than Google’s August 2033 deadline. Our Galaxy S26 vs S26+ vs S26 Ultra breakdown covers the differences between Samsung’s flagship models.

Best Samsung value

Samsung announced the Galaxy S26 FE in August and began selling it in markets in September. It has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, an Exynos 2500 processor, and 8GB of RAM. A 4,900mAh battery supports 45W wired charging.

The phone runs One UI 9 based on Android 17 and qualifies for seven years of OS upgrades and security patches. Samsung has priced it $50 higher than the Galaxy S25 FE in international markets, but it remains a more affordable way to get Samsung’s extended software support than buying the S26 Ultra.

Best budget

At $499, the Google Pixel 10a is the least expensive phone on this list. It went on sale in March and qualifies for seven years of OS upgrades, security updates, and Pixel Drops, much like the Pixel 11. 

The phone has a 6.3-inch Actua display, a 5,100mAh battery, IP68 water and dust resistance, and Gorilla Glass 7i protection. Much of its hardware carries over from the Pixel 9a, so the extended software support is one of the main reasons to consider it.

Its camera performance is less impressive, however. DxOMark’s testing placed the Pixel 10a below the Pixel 8a and iPhone 15. If camera quality is a priority, we recommend going through reviews before making the decision. 

Best flagship outside the US

The Motorola Signature is the company’s first phone with a seven-year update commitment, covering seven Android OS upgrades and seven years of security patches through early 2033. It starts at €999 in Europe and £899 in the UK, although Motorola does not sell it in the US.

Its specifications include a 6.8-inch display, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, and a 5,200mAh battery. It also supports fast 90W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. The phone also carries IP68 and IP69 ratings for protection against dust and water, along with a near-stock version of Android.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 sits below the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the Galaxy S26 Ultra. In Motorola’s defense, the price is lower too. 

Best foldable in Europe

The Honor Magic V6 has a 6.52-inch cover display and a 7.95-inch inner screen, giving it a large display for multitasking when unfolded. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and packs a 6,660mAh battery. The phone also carries IP68 and IP69 ratings.

In Europe, Honor sells it in a 16GB/512GB configuration for €2,299.99. The UK price is £1,999.99.

What’s interesting in this case is that Honor commits to seven years of software updates for Magic phones sold in the EU and UK. However, support in other markets depends on the region or market. For instance, Malaysia and Singapore get six years of commitment. 

Google and Samsung also have competing foldables—the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. You can also see how the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra compares with the Honor Magic V6.

Best for repairs

Fairphone launched the Fairphone Gen 6+ in August for €649, and you can now buy the smartphone officially in the US too. It ships with 12GB of RAM, a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor, plus the modular design of the Fairphone Gen 6. The device boots on Android 16 and comes with a five-year warranty. The company promises software updates until at least 2033.

As is usual for every Fairphone, its main appeal is repairability rather than raw performance. The replaceable components and long warranty may help owners keep the phone for longer, particularly if they prefer fixing individual parts instead of replacing the entire device.

Which one should you buy?

The best choice depends on how much you want to spend and which features matter most. The Google Pixel 11 series has support scheduled through August 2033, giving it the latest end date among the phones listed here. The standard Pixel 11 is the more affordable flagship option, while the $499 Pixel 10a brings the same seven-year update commitment to a lower price, with some compromises in camera performance.

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy S26 FE also qualify for seven years of updates. The Ultra is better suited to buyers who want the S Pen and Samsung’s premium features, while the FE provides a more affordable entry point.

Outside the US, the Motorola Signature is another premium Android option, and the Honor Magic V6 brings extended support to foldable phones in Europe and the UK. 

Finally, the Fairphone Gen 6+ is the choice for people who want to repair their phones rather than replace them when a component fails. Whichever model you choose, check the actual support end date and local update policy before buying. Seven years of promised updates can mean different amounts of time remaining, depending on when and where you purchase the phone.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Top Android Phones With 7 Years of Updates appeared first on Gizmochina.

Shopping for a foldable phone in 2026 means looking beyond Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip series. Apple has entered the market with the iPhone Duo, Google has updated its Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and Honor’s Magic V6 brings a 6,660mAh battery to its book-style design. Samsung has also split its Fold lineup, giving buyers a choice between the taller Z Fold 8 Ultra and the wider, shorter Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Each phone approaches the foldable experience a little differently. Some prioritize a large inner display and multitasking, while others put more emphasis on battery life, cameras, or a familiar software experience. There is also a considerable difference in what you’ll pay, particularly if you’re considering Apple’s first foldable or Samsung’s top-end model. 

Here are the five foldable phones worth considering in 2026.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra keeps the tall, narrow design Samsung introduced with last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, now under a new name. Its 8-inch inner display gives users plenty of room for multitasking, while the 6.5-inch cover screen handles everyday tasks without requiring the phone to be unfolded. Both displays support 120Hz refresh rates, and the inner panel reaches 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Samsung has also added an anti-reflective coating to the inner screen.

The phone runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. It ships with Android 17 and One UI 9, bringing Samsung’s software features to the larger folding display.

Camera hardware is another major part of the package. The rear setup includes a 200MP main camera with 2x optical-quality zoom, a 50MP ultra-wide camera that replaces last year’s 12MP sensor, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x zoom. Both displays also have their own 10MP selfie cameras.

Samsung has increased battery capacity to 5,000mAh, up from 4,400mAh on the Fold 7, although charging speeds remain at 45W wired and 20W wireless. The phone weighs 215g and measures 4.1mm thick when unfolded and 8.9mm when folded, keeping its weight close to that of its predecessor.

All of this comes at a high price. In the US, the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage version costs $2,099, while the 512GB model is priced at $2,299. Buyers who need more memory and storage can get the 16GB RAM and 1TB version for $2,699, making it the most expensive phone on this list.

The price also makes durability worth considering. The phone is the first large-screen Samsung foldable to fail JerryRigEverything’s durability test, and Samsung’s official screen replacement prices reach $639 if the inner display is damaged. The launch coverage has the remaining specifications.

Those who prefer a wider, shorter design can save some money with Samsung’s standard Galaxy Z Fold 8. It starts at $1,899.99, weighs 201g, and has a 7.6-inch inner display. Its rear camera system uses two 50MP sensors but lacks a dedicated telephoto lens.

Apple iPhone Duo

Apple’s first foldable gives iPhone users a way to move to a larger screen without leaving iOS. The company unveiled the iPhone Duo on September 9, with pre-orders opening on October 16. Sales begin on October 23 in more than 70 countries and regions, followed by another 28 markets on October 30.

Apple has priced the phone close to Samsung’s premium foldables. The 256GB model costs $1,999, the 512GB version costs $2,199, and the 1TB model comes in at $2,599. At the top of the range, the 2TB version costs $3,199. The starting price is $100 below the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and $100 above the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8. 

The iPhone Duo has a 7.6-inch folding OLED display inside and a 5.4-inch OLED screen on the outside. Both support 120Hz ProMotion and reach 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Apple has also used a nano-texture finish on the inner display to reduce glare. Early hands-on reports suggest the matte finish makes the crease difficult to see, while the selfie camera beneath the display is barely noticeable when not in use.

The frame and hinge cover use grade 5 titanium, with Ceramic Shield glass on the front and back. The phone also has an IP68 rating. However, its build comes with a trade-off: at 254g, it is considerably heavier than Samsung’s standard Galaxy Z Fold 8, which weighs 201g. The iPhone Duo measures 11.3mm when closed and 5.2mm when open.

Apple has made a few other choices worth knowing about before buying. Touch ID is built into the side button, with no Face ID support, and the phone uses eSIM exclusively rather than offering a physical SIM tray. Apple Pencil support is also due later this year.

Powering the phone is Apple’s A20 Pro chip, with a six-core CPU, a seven-core GPU, and vapor chamber cooling. The iPhone Duo runs iOS 27 and has two 48MP rear cameras for main and ultra-wide photography. It supports up to 2x optical-quality zoom but does not include a dedicated telephoto camera. A 12MP front camera handles selfies.

Apple has split the battery between the phone’s two halves and rates it for up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display or up to 44 hours on the outer display. Fast wired charging can bring the battery to around 50 percent in roughly 20 minutes, and MagSafe wireless charging is supported.

The larger screen also brings changes to iOS. Version 27 adds split-screen apps, drag-and-drop between applications, and saved app pairs, making it easier to use two apps together on the folding display.

Honor Magic V6

For anyone who would rather have a larger battery than a thinner spec sheet, the Honor Magic V6 is worth a look. Its global version packs a 6,660mAh silicon-carbon battery, the largest among the book-style foldables covered here. It supports 80W wired charging and 66W wireless charging, while Chinese versions come with even larger 6,850mAh and 7,150mAh batteries.

The phone also has a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip paired with 16GB of RAM. Its 7.95-inch inner display runs at 2172 x 2352 resolution, while the cover screen measures about 6.5 inches. On the software side, it uses MagicOS 10 based on Android 16.

Honor has made several claims about the phone’s durability, too. The Magic V6 carries IP68 and IP69 ratings, and its hinge uses steel rated at 2,800MPa. According to Honor, the hinge has been tested for 500,000 folds, while the crease is 44 percent shallower than on the previous Magic V5.

Despite the large battery, the phone remains relatively thin. It measures 4.1mm when unfolded and between 8.8mm and 9mm when folded, depending on the version, with weight ranging from 219g to 224g. 

The camera setup includes a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a 64MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and CIPA 6.5 stabilization. Both displays have 20MP selfie cameras. 

Availability is the main hurdle for buyers outside China. Honor does not sell the Magic V6 in the US, and prices in other markets are considerably higher than its Chinese starting price of ¥8,999. In the Philippines, it costs ₱119,999, or roughly $2,140, while the price in South Africa is R40,000. Even at those prices, it can be considerably cheaper than Samsung’s top model. Our comparison with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra puts the price difference at about $800 in Honor’s favor.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold takes a different approach from Samsung’s foldables, pairing a large folding display with Google’s version of Android and a long software support commitment. It starts at $1,899 for 256GB of storage, which is $100 more than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s starting price. The 512GB model costs $2,019, while the 1TB version is priced at $2,249.

Every configuration comes with 16GB of RAM and Google’s Tensor G6 chip. The phone ships with Android 17, and Google promises seven years of operating system updates, security updates, and Pixel Drops. Buyers can choose between Obsidian and Olive color options.

Google has also reduced the phone’s weight and thickness. At 239g, it is lighter than the previous model’s 258g, while its body measures 10.1mm when folded and 5mm when unfolded. The inner display measures 8 inches, and the cover screen is 6.5 inches. Both reach 3,600 nits of peak brightness, which Google says is about 20 percent higher than on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold retains an IP68 rating, and Google describes its new construction as three times stronger than the previous generation. Battery capacity has gone in the opposite direction, dropping from 5,015mAh to 4,806mAh. Google still quotes more than 24 hours of battery life, with 30W wired charging capable of reaching 50 percent in 30 minutes. Qi2.2 magnetic wireless charging is also supported at up to 25W.

For photography, the phone has a 48MP main camera, a 10.5MP ultra-wide camera and a 10.8MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. Each display also gets a 10MP selfie camera. Google has added HiLight to the Pixel 11 Pro series, a customizable notification light on the back of the phone.

Our Pixel 11 Pro Fold launch piece details the changes from last year’s model. If you’re deciding between Google’s foldable and Samsung’s wider Fold, our Pixel 11 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison details their specifications, cameras, and prices.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

Not everyone needs a tablet-sized screen in their pocket. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 folds a regular-sized smartphone in half, making it a more compact alternative to the book-style models on this list. It starts at $1,199.99, which is $100 more than the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Samsung has made the new model thinner and lighter than any previous Flip. It weighs 180g and measures 6.1mm thick when unfolded, compared with 6.5mm for the Flip 7. The phone has a 6.9-inch inner display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 4.1-inch cover screen. Its frame uses Armor Aluminum, and it carries an IP48 rating.

The cover screen gets much of the attention in this generation. Gemini can launch supported tasks directly from the smaller display, while Now Brief shows personalized cards. Users can also create custom cards with text prompts, allowing them to tailor the information displayed without opening the phone.

The hardware changes are more modest. The battery remains at 4,300mAh, with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging. Samsung has also kept the same 50MP main camera and 12MP ultra-wide camera from last year’s model.

The processor depends on where you buy the phone. Some markets get the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, while others receive Samsung’s Exynos 2600. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 runs Android 17 with One UI 9, and Samsung lists support for up to seven major OS updates. As with the other recent Samsung phones, there is no charger in the box, and the phone lacks an SD card slot.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 went up for pre-order in July and began shipping on August 7. If you’re upgrading from a Flip 7, our Flip 8 vs Flip 7 upgrade piece explains what has changed. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 comparison is also worth checking if you’re considering a rival flip with a bigger battery and faster charging.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Top 5 Foldable Phones in 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

The OnePlus 16 brings a 9,000mAh battery, a 200MP main camera, and a display that can reach 185Hz in supported games. But the iQOO 16 has a few reasons to make OnePlus work for its place in the flagship race. It pairs the same generation of Snapdragon flagship processor with a dedicated Q4 gaming chip, a sharper 2K 165Hz display, and three 50MP rear cameras, including a periscope telephoto lens.

The differences aren’t just in the spec sheet. OnePlus has a bigger battery and a higher-resolution main camera, while iQOO, as usual, places more emphasis on gaming hardware and display resolution. Both phones also support 100W wired charging, so neither has an obvious advantage there. Here’s how the iQOO 16 and OnePlus 16 compare in performance, display, battery life, cameras, and gaming features.

Chip and cooling

You get the same processor in both phones. It’s a 2nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 with two prime cores at up to 5GHz. The difference is in what each brand adds around it.

The iQOO 16 pairs the chip with iQOO’s Q4 gaming chip and a self-developed scheduler it calls the Monster Super Core Engine. iQOO says the Q4 improves performance by 15% over the Q3 chip in the iQOO 15.

The Q4 powers features such as real-time ray tracing in 10 popular games, plus super-resolution and frame generation. iQOO says hundreds of games support 165fps through frame generation, and a few titles, including Delta Force and Dark Zone, run at native 165fps.

The OnePlus 16 relies on a different setup. OnePlus has a gaming layer in the chip called the Wind Chaser Game Core. It also adds its three-chip esports system: a G3 network chip, a Lingxi T3 touch chip, and a P4 display chip. OnePlus targets 185fps in supported games, which is 20fps above the iQOO 16’s 165fps target. OnePlus says Delta Force held an average of 185fps for three hours in its lab.

As for cooling, the iQOO 16 has an 8,500mm² vapor chamber, three layers of graphite covering 29,453mm² and a large thermal gel layer. The OnePlus 16 uses a new-generation Glacier vapor chamber with a graphite layer rated at 2,100 W/m·K. OnePlus says its vapor chamber is 40% better and its thermal gel is 50% better than before. Both brands test in their own labs, so wait for independent thermal tests before you pick a side.

Display

The iQOO 16 has a 6.85-inch Samsung M16 AMOLED panel at 2K resolution (3168 x 1440), with a refresh rate of up to 165Hz. It reaches 10,000 nits of local peak brightness and about 2,800 nits full-screen, according to iQOO. 

iQOO says more than 50 popular games run natively at 165Hz, and that the 165Hz mode works in more than 100 everyday apps once you turn it on in Developer Mode.

The OnePlus 16 has a smaller 6.78-inch BOE panel at 1.5K resolution. It supports 165Hz across the whole system, and up to 185Hz in supported games. OnePlus lists 2,000 nits of peak brightness, PWM dimming at 3,840Hz, and a minimum brightness of 1 nit. The screen carries TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort 6.0 certification.

Battery and charging

The OnePlus 16 has a 9,000mAh battery, which is 600mAh larger than the iQOO 16’s 8,400mAh cell. We covered the OnePlus 16 battery details when OnePlus confirmed the figure. 

The iQOO 16 uses fifth-generation silicon-anode technology, which iQOO claims offers 8.6 hours of 165fps gaming. Meanwhile, OnePlus 16 is rated for 8.1 hours of a MOBA game at 120fps and above, 23.8 hours of video playback, and 13.6 hours of navigation. The two brands use different games and test conditions, so you can’t compare those run times directly.

Charging favors the OnePlus 16 on the wireless side:

• Wired charging: Both phones support 100W. OnePlus rates a full charge from 1% at 52 minutes.
• Wireless charging: 50W on the OnePlus 16, 40W on the iQOO 16.
• Reverse charging: The OnePlus 16 supports 27W wired reverse charging for earbuds and watches.
• Bypass charging: Both phones can power the device directly from a charger during gaming. The iQOO 16 needs you to turn it on manually.

Cameras

The OnePlus 16 has the higher-resolution main sensor, and the iQOO 16 has the lower-resolution one with a slightly larger sensor than you might expect. Here’s a side-by-side comparison:

• Main camera: The iQOO 16 uses a 50MP sensor measuring 1/1.3 inches with an f/1.68 lens and CIPA 5.5 stabilization. iQOO says it gathers 79% more light than the iQOO 15 Ultra. The OnePlus 16 uses a 200MP sensor measuring 1/1.4 inches with optical stabilization, and lets you shoot at the full 200MP and crop afterward.
• Telephoto: Both phones have a 50MP periscope lens with 3x optical zoom and a 1/1.95-inch sensor. The iQOO 16 uses a Sony sensor with an f/2.65 lens. Both list 6x as lossless zoom, and iQOO adds 100x digital zoom.
• Ultra-wide: Both have a 50MP lens. The iQOO 16 uses a 1/2.75-inch sensor, and the OnePlus 16 lists a 116-degree field of view.
• Front camera: The OnePlus 16 has a 50MP autofocus camera, and the iQOO 16 has a 32MP camera.

On the software side, the iQOO 16 uses Vivo’s imaging tools, including the NICE 3.0 optical engine and a Humanistic Mode for street and portrait shots. The OnePlus 16 uses Oppo’s imaging system with a Master Mode for film-style tones and a text-prompt AI retouching tool. Both record 4K video, and the OnePlus 16 supports 4K at 120fps with Dolby Vision.

Gaming controls and connectivity

Both phones add custom hardware for touch, motion, and network.

• Touch: The iQOO 16 samples touch at up to 5,000Hz instantaneously and 500Hz for multiple fingers. The OnePlus 16 samples multi-finger touch at up to 520Hz. These apply only in select games.
• Gyroscope: The OnePlus 16 samples at 800Hz, against 500Hz on the iQOO 16.
• Network: The iQOO 16 uses a Wi-Fi enhancement chip with a side cellular antenna and a ring Wi-Fi antenna. iQOO claims 34% better Wi-Fi performance and 17% better cellular gaming antenna performance than the iQOO 15. The OnePlus 16 uses the G3 chip, which OnePlus says cuts cellular gaming latency by 42.1%.
• Haptics and audio: The iQOO 16 has a dual-axis vibration motor and symmetrical dual speakers. The OnePlus 16 has an X-axis linear motor and stereo speakers.
• Extras: The iQOO 16 supports a PC game emulator, a large-screen game mode, and an iQOO G1 gamepad, which is sold separately. The OnePlus 16 has a one-tap Gun God Mode for several shooters, and an optional gamepad.

Software and design

The iQOO 16 runs OriginOS 7, and the OnePlus 16 runs ColorOS 17. Both are based on Android 17, and both have ultrasonic fingerprint sensors.

The designs differ more than the spec sheets suggest. The iQOO 16 has a transparent camera window with a robotic-arm look, and a laser-holographic finish on the Chasing Light color. It comes in Chasing Light, Track, and Legend. 

The OnePlus 16 keeps the flat frame and square camera island of the OnePlus 15, and comes in Tomorrow Starlight, Mars Red, and a deep black. Only Tomorrow Starlight has the interstellar lighting effect. The OnePlus 16 has a stronger dust and water rating, with IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K, while the iQOO 16 has IP68 and IP69.

Price and availability

Both phones start at 5,999 yuan (about $896) for the 12GB+256GB model and top out at 8,499 yuan (about $1,270) for the 16GB+1TB configuration. By comparison, the OnePlus 16 is 2,000 yuan more expensive than the OnePlus 15’s 3,999 yuan starting price. The iQOO 16 has also seen a steep price increase, launching at 1,800 yuan more than its predecessor.

Neither phone has a confirmed global launch. OnePlus has stopped launching new phones in North America and Europe. The iQOO 16 has appeared at Europe’s EEC certification and on Geekbench, which suggests a wider release, but iQOO has not announced a date.

iQOO 16 vs OnePlus 16: Specs comparison

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post iQOO 16 vs OnePlus 16: Which flagship could be better? appeared first on Gizmochina.

The surge in AI demand is only pushing the CPU prices through the roof, as another price hike has been implemented. Major chips brands including Intel and Qualcomm have raised prices across multiple CPU families, and AMD will reportedly follow soon with a 10% price hike.

Intel, Qualcomm CPU prices touch new heights

Intel was expected to raise its CPU prices by up to 10% in October, but the latest report from Commercial Times suggests the latest price hike has already taken place in September. Citing supply chain sources, the report claims Intel has raised prices for multiple CPU lineups, with the high-end Panther Lake CPUs getting affected the most.

Panther Lake processors have reportedly become a lot costlier with a price hike of 15-20%. Not all of them may be affected, as the report suggests only those with a high-end iGPU have been hit with a price hike.

Alder Lake and Twin Lake CPUs have also been affected with a 10-20% price hike, while the entry-level low-power chips like Twin Lake and Alder Lake have been slapped with a 5-10% price hike.

It’s not just Intel with another price hike. Qualcomm has also reportedly raised prices of its PC processor platforms including Snapdragon X and X2 Elite by approximately 10%. The price hike has been implemented starting October 1st.

AMD CPUs are also getting a price hike very soon

AMD is also reportedly preparing for a price hike across some Ryzen and EPYC CPU families. The report suggests they could get costlier by approximately 10%.

We don’t know exactly when the new pricing for AMD CPUs will come into effect. However, given that Intel and Qualcomm have already done it and that the demand is still soaring, the announcement could be made anytime soon.

At the center of the price hike is TSMC, which handles the manufacturing for Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD. The Taiwanese giant is reportedly increasing its manufacturing prices further in 2027. According to Central News Agency, industry analysts forecast a price hike of 5-10% for advanced nodes, 10-15% for advanced packaging, and 3-5% for mature nodes. Plus, the rising cost of high-performance memory and storage adds more fuel to the fire.

Stay tuned with us for more updates. Remember to visit the News section regularly or join our Telegram channel to receive instant alerts.

The post Intel, Qualcomm raise CPU prices — and AMD might be next appeared first on Gizmochina.

The OnePlus 16 brings several major hardware changes over the OnePlus 15, including a new 2nm Snapdragon chipset, a 9,000mAh battery, a 200MP main camera, and a display that supports a 165Hz refresh rate across the system. OnePlus has also updated the phone’s gaming hardware, cooling system, and software, although some features remain unchanged from the previous generation.

The two phones share a similar design, with a 6.78-inch flat display, narrow bezels, and a flat-sided frame. However, the OnePlus 16 makes a few trade-offs alongside its upgrades. Wired charging drops from 120W to 100W, while the periscope telephoto camera moves from 3.5x to 3x optical zoom.

For OnePlus 15 owners, the question is whether the larger battery, newer processor, and camera changes justify an upgrade. Here’s a detailed look at how the OnePlus 16 compares with the OnePlus 15 and what has changed between the two generations.

Performance

The processor is one of the biggest differences between the two phones. The OnePlus 15 uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a 3nm chipset with two prime cores clocked at up to 4.6GHz. The OnePlus 16 moves to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, built on a 2nm process, with two prime cores reaching 5.0GHz and six performance cores running at up to 4.0GHz.

The new chip also uses an all-big-core CPU design and introduces Adreno Matrix Cores for graphics features such as upscaling and frame generation. Moving to a smaller manufacturing process can improve power efficiency, although the actual gains depend on how the chip performs under different workloads.

OnePlus has also updated its Wind Chaser Game Core. The first-generation system on the OnePlus 15 supports up to 165fps in compatible titles, while the newer version on the OnePlus 16 is rated for 185fps. OnePlus says the phone averaged 185fps in Delta Force during a three-hour test at high graphics settings. Actual results will depend on the game, settings, and operating temperature.

Cooling upgrades

Higher frame rates and sustained performance put more pressure on a phone’s cooling system, so OnePlus has revised the thermal hardware alongside the new processor.

The OnePlus 15 uses the Glacier cooling system, which combines a vapor chamber with an aerogel insulation layer. The OnePlus 16 gets an updated setup with a zoned vapor chamber, revised thermal gel, and a graphite layer rated at 2,100 W/m·K.

OnePlus claims the new vapor chamber is 40% more effective and the thermal gel is 50% better than before. The updated layout also directs heat away from areas where users typically hold the phone during landscape gaming. The company has retained the general approach of insulating the frame while improving heat dissipation around the processor.

165Hz is no longer limited to games

The OnePlus 15 already has a high-refresh-rate display, but its 165Hz mode is primarily available in supported games and select applications. During normal use, the phone’s 6.78-inch LTPO OLED panel adjusts its refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz.

The OnePlus 16 changes this by extending 165Hz support across the system. Scrolling through menus, moving between apps, and navigating supported interfaces can now take advantage of the higher refresh rate rather than relying on it mainly for gaming. Meanwhile, compatible games can reach 185Hz.

Both phones retain a 1.5K resolution and a pixel density of 450ppi. They also support 1.07 billion colors, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, and peak brightness of 2,000 nits. The OnePlus 16, however, uses BOE’s new X4 luminescent material instead of the X3 in the OnePlus 15.

Another addition is the P4 display chip, which OnePlus says improves clarity during fast motion. The minimum brightness remains 1 nit, while PWM dimming runs at 3,840Hz. The newer phone also receives TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort 6.0 certification, replacing version 5.0 on the OnePlus 15.

The higher refresh rate is the most visible change on paper, but it comes with a few qualifications. Not every app or game will run at 165Hz or 185Hz, and the difference will depend on the content being displayed. A higher refresh rate can make supported animations and scrolling look smoother, but it does not automatically improve image quality or resolution.

Both phones stick with a 1.5K panel rather than moving to QHD+. That means the OnePlus 16 prioritizes refresh rate and motion handling over a higher pixel count.

A larger 9,000mAh cell

There’s an upgrade in terms of battery as well. The OnePlus 15 has a 7,300mAh battery, while the OnePlus 16 now packs a 9,000mAh cell, roughly a 23% increase. Also worth noting is that the new battery uses two cells, each with a typical capacity of 4,500mAh. 

OnePlus has paired the larger battery with OPPO’s energy management chip, which handles power draw. The company says the system helps maintain stable performance at low charge levels and allows the battery to retain at least 80% of its capacity after five years of use.

Here are the official estimates for several activities on the new phone:

• Up to 23.8 hours of video playback.
• Up to 20.6 hours of short-video browsing.
• Up to 13.6 hours of navigation.
• Up to 8.1 hours of gaming.

Charging is slower

The larger battery comes with a change that may disappoint some users. The OnePlus 15 supports 120W wired charging, while the OnePlus 16 reduces the maximum charging speed to 100W.

OnePlus claims the OnePlus 15 can charge to full in around 40 minutes. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 16 charges from 1% to 100% in 52 minutes.

Both phones support 50W wireless charging, although the compatible charger is sold separately. The OnePlus 16 also adds 27W wired reverse charging, allowing it to supply power to accessories such as earbuds and smartwatches.

Both phones also support bypass charging. It allows the phone to draw power directly from the charger during supported gaming sessions instead of routing all that power through the battery, helping reduce heat.

The main sensor jumps to 200MP

The OnePlus 16 makes a substantial change to its main camera, moving from the OnePlus 15’s 50MP Sony sensor to a 200MP sensor measuring 1/1.4 inches. And of course, you get OIS stabilization. 

The higher resolution gives the phone more pixels to work with when cropping photos, although megapixel count alone does not determine image quality. Sensor size, image processing, exposure, and lens performance all contribute to the final result.

The telephoto camera sees a different kind of change. Both phones use a stabilized 50MP periscope camera, but the OnePlus 15 offers 3.5x optical zoom at an 85mm equivalent focal length. The OnePlus 16 moves to 3x optical zoom, using a 1/1.95-inch sensor, and it also supports 6x lossless zoom.

The 50MP ultra-wide camera remains unchanged, with a 116-degree field of view. The front camera, however, moves from 32MP on the OnePlus 15 to 50MP on the OnePlus 16. 

OnePlus has also introduced a shooting option called “one shot, three crop.” It lets users capture a single 200MP photo and create wide, medium, and close compositions from the same image. Other additions include a wide-format shooting mode, a text-prompt AI retouching tool limited to 100 uses per month, and Master Mode for film-style tones.

Both phones use Oppo’s LUMO imaging system and support 4K video recording at 120fps with Dolby Vision. The hardware changes give the OnePlus 16 more flexibility for still photography, but its overall camera performance will need to be assessed through actual photos and videos.

Faster touch response and network handling

The OnePlus 16 also gets three updated custom chips for gaming: one for network performance, one for touch input, and another for motion sensing.

The new G3 network chip replaces the G2 in the OnePlus 15. OnePlus claims it reduces cellular gaming latency by 42.1%, improves Wi-Fi stability by 18.5%, and increases Wi-Fi network pickup by 11.5%. The phone also has 14 high-performance antennas and six anti-interference antennas.

For touch input, the company is using the Lingxi T3 chip. It supports multi-finger touch sampling at up to 520Hz in select games. OnePlus claims 43.27% better touch accuracy, 54% lower click latency in a MOBA game, and 36% lower swipe latency in a shooter. 

The gyroscope sampling rate also increases from 200Hz on the OnePlus 15 to 800Hz on the OnePlus 16. OnePlus says six-axis calibration and temperature compensation help reduce drift, while start-stop latency is 13% lower.

The newer phone also introduces a one-tap Gun God Mode for games including Peacekeeper Elite, Delta Force, CrossFire, Dark Zone, Valorant Mobile, and Call of Duty. The mode adjusts frame rate, touch response, network priority, and cooling settings together. Pairing the phone with a clip-on cooler unlocks an additional X mode, which OnePlus says can further improve graphics quality and frame rates.

Design and software

The OnePlus 16 retains the general appearance of the OnePlus 15, including its flat-sided frame, squared corners, 6.78-inch display, and narrow 1.15mm bezels. Both phones have a shortcut key on the side and IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings for dust and water resistance.

The color options change with the new generation. The OnePlus 15 comes in Sand Dune, Absolute Black, and Misty Purple, while the OnePlus 16 is available in Tomorrow Starlight, Mars Red, and Deep Black.

Tomorrow Starlight gets an interstellar lighting effect that illuminates for incoming calls, messages, and red envelope notifications in China. It can also respond to certain in-game actions and music, provided the necessary app permissions are enabled.

As for software, the OnePlus 15 shipped with ColorOS 16, while the OnePlus 16 ships with ColorOS 17 based on Android 17. OnePlus has retired OxygenOS for its newer phones, with ColorOS now serving as the software experience across the brand’s lineup.

ColorOS 17 introduces a refreshed interface and a memory management engine called Tide Engine. Other additions include AI Notes, which can combine information from multiple sources into one note, and an updated AI Tap feature.

The cross-device features carry over from the previous generation. Users can mirror their phone’s screen to a Mac or Windows PC through the OPPO Connect client. The phone can also handle iPhone calls and sync messages and notifications from an iPhone. Apple Watch users can manage calls, messages, and notifications on the watch, with fitness and health data syncing back to the phone.

Both phones also carry OnePlus’s claim of maintaining smooth performance in a 72-month aging test. The company has not provided independent results to verify how the two models compare after extended use.

OnePlus 15 vs OnePlus 16: Specs compared

Should you upgrade from the OnePlus 15 to the OnePlus 16?

The OnePlus 16 brings meaningful changes to performance, battery capacity, display refresh rate, and the main camera. Its 2nm processor has higher performance and efficiency claims, the battery grows by roughly 23%, and 165Hz support extends beyond gaming. The upgraded touch and network chips also give the newer model several advantages for competitive gaming.

However, the OnePlus 15 still has a few advantages of its own. Its 120W wired charging is faster than the 100W charging on the newer phone, and its telephoto camera offers higher optical magnification at 3.5x. The design and several other features also remain largely unchanged.

For existing OnePlus 15 owners, the upgrade makes the most sense if battery life, gaming performance, or the higher-resolution main camera are priorities. If your current phone already handles everyday tasks and gaming well, the changes may not be enough to justify replacing it immediately.

For anyone choosing between the two models for the first time, the OnePlus 16 has the newer hardware and larger battery, while the OnePlus 15 could be the better value if its price drops significantly.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post OnePlus 15 vs OnePlus 16: What are the upgrades? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Red Magic is all set to launch its next flagship gaming smartphone, the Red Magic 12 Pro+, in China on October 15. The company has been revealing new details about the device over the past few weeks, giving us a clearer picture of what to expect.

The upcoming phone will bring Qualcomm’s latest flagship chipset, an upgraded cooling system with RGB lighting, and a redesigned body that promises better comfort during long gaming sessions.

Red Magic is also making some interesting changes to the overall design. The new model will be thinner, lighter, and more rounded than its predecessor while retaining features such as an under-display selfie camera, an active cooling fan, and a transparent rear panel.

Several specifications have already been confirmed, while leaks have revealed additional details about the battery and charging capabilities. Here’s everything we know about the Red Magic 12 Pro+ ahead of its official launch.

Design and Display

Red Magic has officially revealed the design of the 12 Pro+, and the phone continues the brand’s signature gaming-focused aesthetic. It features a transparent rear panel that exposes parts of the cooling system, along with RGB lighting around the fan, liquid-cooling channels, and Red Magic branding.

The company has also made some practical changes. The rear panel is completely flat, with a dual-camera setup that sits flush with the body instead of protruding outward. Red Magic says the new phone is lighter, thinner, narrower, and more rounded than the 11 Pro+, with softer corners and a redesigned 2.5D micro-curved middle frame.

The front features a flat display with extremely thin bezels. Red Magic has reduced the black border surrounding the screen from 1.25mm on the previous generation to just 0.96mm. The phone also retains an under-display selfie camera, providing an uninterrupted viewing area without a punch-hole or notch.

While the company has yet to confirm the screen size and resolution, earlier leaks suggest the display could offer a higher refresh rate than its predecessor.

The Red Magic 12 Pro+ will be available in three colors: Deuterium Transparent Dark Night, Deuterium Transparent Ice Blue, and Deuterium Transparent Silver Wing.

Performance

The Red Magic 12 Pro+ will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipset, making it one of the first gaming smartphones to feature the new flagship processor.

The device has already appeared on Geekbench 7 with the model number NX819J, recording 3,677 points in the single-core test and 12,679 points in the multi-core test. These results put it ahead of the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, which scored 3,582 and 12,247 points, and the OnePlus 16, which recorded 3,492 and 11,950 points, respectively.

However, the bigger story is the cooling system. Red Magic has confirmed that the 12 Pro+ will feature what it calls the world’s first RGB liquid-cooling system, combining liquid cooling with an active fan and several additional heat-dissipation technologies.

The upgraded system uses a dual-loop liquid-cooling design with separate paths running over the chipset and battery. The coolant then flows back through a new dual-crystal micropump, which delivers 130kPa of pressure compared with 100kPa on the previous generation. The pump reportedly consumes just 20mW of power.

Red Magic is also introducing its Drive Wind 5.0 cooling fan, which can reach speeds of 25,500rpm. The fan uses a labyrinth-style dust-resistant structure, while the phone is claimed to offer IPX8 water resistance.

The cooling system combines composite liquid metal 4.0, aerospace-grade steel graphene, a 4D Ice-Step vapor chamber, server-grade fluorinated coolant, and thermal gel for better heat dissipation. It also features RGB-lit liquid-cooling channels visible through the transparent rear panel.

Battery and Charging

Red Magic has not officially confirmed the battery capacity of the 12 Pro+, but previous leaks suggest the phone could pack an 8,400mAh battery.

The same leak claims the device will support 120W wired fast charging and 80W wireless charging.

However, the company has yet to confirm these details, so the final battery and charging specifications remain uncertain.

Software and Other Features

Red Magic is also focusing on improving the overall software experience. According to the brand, the 12 Pro+ will bring a smoother interface, improved system responsiveness, and additional AI features.

The company has emphasized that the phone is designed not only for demanding games but also for regular everyday use. This appears to be part of a broader effort to make the device more practical outside gaming, something that hasn’t always been a priority for performance-focused smartphones.

The under-display front camera will also return with a newer-generation implementation. Earlier leaks suggest Red Magic has refined the technology to improve how seamlessly the camera blends into the screen, although specific camera hardware details remain unavailable.

Red Magic has not yet shared information about the phone’s RAM, storage configurations, or complete camera specifications.

Launch Date and Availability

The Red Magic 12 Pro+ will officially launch in China on October 15, 2026, at 2:30 PM local time. Reservations are already open through Red Magic’s official website and JD.com, although retail pricing has not been announced.

In China, customers can pay a 100 yuan reservation deposit to unlock promotional benefits that the company values at up to 4,300 yuan. These include a Red Magic Cooler 8 Pro, gaming benefits, cashback offers, and trade-in incentives.

Red Magic has also started teasing the phone on its global social media accounts, suggesting an international launch could follow the Chinese release. However, the company has not announced a global launch date.

The Chinese Pro+ model could arrive internationally under the Red Magic 12 Pro name, potentially with different charging specifications. Nothing has been confirmed on that front yet.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Red Magic 12 Pro+ Roundup: Everything We Know Before Launch appeared first on Gizmochina.

Samsung‘s next flagship phones are still months away, but as is usual in the smartphone world, we’ve been hearing about the Galaxy S27 series for a while now. The bigger change next season will be the introduction of Galaxy S27 Pro that sits above the Plus model, making the Galaxy S27 a four model line.

The Pro could bring much of the Ultra’s hardware to a smaller phone, while the Ultra is expected to retain the S Pen and a larger battery. The camera differences are less clear, and they could end up being the deciding factor between the two.

The Galaxy S27 Pro first appeared in the GSMA database in June, giving the rumor more weight after it showed up in the certification listing. All four Galaxy S27 models have since passed China’s 3C certification, earlier than the Galaxy S26 series did. As a result, a January 2027 launch is now a possibility, although Samsung hasn’t confirmed a date yet.

Nonetheless, we are here to compare the Galaxy S27 Pro with Ultra and to find which one might be worth waiting for.

What the two phones reportedly share

Samsung is likely giving the Galaxy S27 Pro a similar look to the Galaxy S27 Ultra, minus the S Pen. The CAD renders for the two phones show identical design with raised camera plateau on the back. Just that the Pro has a smaller footprint than the Galaxy S27 Ultra.

The two phones could also share much of their camera hardware. Both are tipped to feature Samsung’s new 200MP ISOCELL HP6 main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 16MP selfie camera. They are also expected to use the newer M16 OLED panel. Meanwhile, all four Galaxy S27 models are reportedly getting Privacy Display, which is currently exclusive to the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The two phones may get same charging speed too. China’s 3C certification listings suggest the same 60W wired charging on both the Pro and Ultra. Wireless and reverse wireless charging are also expected across the S27 series, although Samsung is unlikely to include a charger in the box.

Where the Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra differ

Size and S Pen

The Galaxy S27 Pro could be the better fit if you want a high-end Samsung phone without the size of an Ultra. According to reports, the device will feature 6.47 inches display, while the Galaxy S27 Ultra is expected to remain close to the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s dimensions. CAD renders suggest it will measure around 163.76 x 78.25 x 7.97mm.

The S Pen is another major difference. Samsung is expected to retain the stylus on the Galaxy S27 Ultra, while the Galaxy S27 Pro reportedly won’t support it. If you regularly use the pen for notes, sketches or other tasks, that alone could make the Ultra the better choice.

Zoom cameras

The biggest uncertainty so far is the telephoto setup, with different reports describing different hardware for both phones.

According to Korean outlet ETNews, the Galaxy S27 Pro will get a 12MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The Galaxy S27 Ultra, meanwhile, could lose its dedicated 3x camera and rely on cropping from its main sensor for mid-range zoom.

That isn’t the only version of the story. An earlier report suggested the Galaxy S27 Pro could use a 50MP telephoto camera with roughly 3.5x zoom, potentially giving it an advantage over the Ultra at the zoom levels people commonly use.

The Ultra’s long-range camera is still up in the air, too. A more recent leak says Samsung is testing a 50MP 4x telephoto camera with a 1/1.9-inch sensor to replace the current 5x periscope setup. Samsung reportedly has five prototypes under evaluation, and the existing 5x camera could stay if the new hardware doesn’t justify its cost.

For now, it’s too early to say which phone will have the better zoom camera. The final hardware matters more than the megapixel counts or zoom figures in these early reports.

Battery, chip and storage

The bigger the size of the S27 Ultra means it will also have a bigger battery. Based on certification listings, the Galaxy S27 Pro will have a 5,200mAh battery while the Ultra could get a 5,700mAh unit. The figures corroborate earlier battery leaks that raised questions about how Samsung would distinguish the two models.

The chipset situation could also matter, depending on where you buy the phone. The Galaxy S27 Ultra is expected to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 for Galaxy. One report claims the Galaxy S27 Pro will get a Snapdragon chip in select regions and Samsung’s Exynos 2700 in others.

A separate leak suggests the Pro may be available with 1TB of storage but only 12GB of RAM in that configuration. This would leave it behind the Galaxy S27 Ultra’s top configuration, though the final memory options haven’t been confirmed.

Price

As for the price, the Galaxy S27 Pro could launch at $1,299 in the US and the Galaxy S27 Ultra at $1,399. The Ultra could cost as much as $1,499 in some markets, reportedly. For comparison though, the Galaxy S26 Ultra currently sits at around $1,300.

Wait for the Galaxy S27 Pro if…

The Galaxy S27 Pro makes the most sense if you want the Ultra’s general design, main camera and display in a smaller phone, but don’t need an S Pen. Samsung’s current lineup doesn’t have a model between the Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra that quite fits that description, so the Pro could fill that gap if the leaks prove accurate.

The reported $100 price difference in the US could be another reason to choose it. The camera hardware may also work in its favor, depending on which leak turns out to be correct. If the Pro gets a dedicated telephoto camera while the Ultra loses its 3x lens, it could be a better option for portraits and mid-range zoom shots.

The trade-offs are a smaller battery and potentially less RAM in the highest storage configuration. You’ll also need to consider the possibility of getting an Exynos chip instead of Snapdragon, depending on your region.

Wait for the Galaxy S27 Ultra if…

The Ultra is the safer choice if you use the S Pen, want the largest battery in the lineup or prefer a Snapdragon chip regardless of where you buy the phone. It’s also the model to watch if long-range photography is important to you, although Samsung’s final telephoto setup remains uncertain.

If you rely heavily on zoom between 3x and 5x, it’s worth waiting for confirmed camera specifications before deciding. Samsung could change the Ultra’s telephoto hardware, and that decision may have a bigger effect on your everyday photos than some of the other rumored upgrades.

Who shouldn’t wait

If you need a new phone now, there’s little reason to plan around a January launch that Samsung hasn’t confirmed. The early certifications make that timing possible, but they don’t guarantee it.

Galaxy S26 Ultra owners may also have less reason to wait than they initially think. The S27 Ultra’s rumored 60W charging isn’t an upgrade over the current model, and the proposed camera redesign could involve losing a dedicated lens. The new look has already drawn criticism from people who’ve seen the renders.

Based on the current leaks, a faster chip and a larger battery appear to be the clearest potential gains. Whether those changes are enough to justify upgrading will depend on the final specifications and pricing.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Samsung Galaxy S27 Pro vs Galaxy S27 Ultra: Who should wait for which phone appeared first on Gizmochina.

It’s been almost a month since the iPhone 18 Pro hit the market, and the new burgundy finish is already showing up everywhere. I spotted quite a few of them while traveling last week. But if you’re still holding off on buying one, whether for the new looks or because you think the specs are worth upgrading, you might want to read what’s new one last time. 

At first glance, the iPhone 18 Pro looks almost identical to its predecessor, with the new colors and a smaller Dynamic Island being the most noticeable differences. There are more changes under the hood, though, including the A20 Pro chip and a larger cooling system. The catch here is that these upgrades come with a $100 price increase. iPhone 18 Pro now starts at $1,199 in the US versus $1,099 for its predecessor. 

So is paying more worth it? Here’s how the iPhone 18 Pro compares with the iPhone 17 Pro and whether the upgrades justify the higher price.

The camera

Let’s start with the hype for the iPhone 18 Pro. Every model from the iPhone 14 Pro through the iPhone 17 Pro used a fixed f/1.78 aperture, meaning the lens opening could not physically change. The iPhone 18 Pro introduces a 48MP Fusion Main camera with a mechanical aperture that adjusts between f/1.48 and f/4 using six laser-cut blades. It is the first iPhone with a physically adjustable aperture. 

You can let the Camera app choose the aperture automatically or select from four settings yourself. Apple has also added manual controls for aperture and shutter speed, along with white balance and a histogram.

The wider f/1.48 aperture lets in about 45% more light than the previous f/1.78 lens, based on the difference in aperture area. This can help in dim environments and produce a shallower depth of field for portraits. At f/4, the smaller opening keeps more of the scene in focus, which can be useful for landscapes, group photos, and shooting in bright daylight. The iPhone 17 Pro relied on software to approximate some of these effects.

Apple has made a few other camera changes on the newer phone:

• Smart Focus tracks your subject while you shoot.
• Night mode works faster.
• Cinematic effects now support up to 60 fps.
• 4K Dolby Vision HDR time-lapse recording is available.
• Apple Reference Image saves an untouched original with verification data, allowing a photo to be verified as a real capture rather than an AI-generated image.

Apple didn’t bother to meddle with the ultrawide and front cameras, while the telephoto camera retains the 4x and 8x optical-quality zoom options introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro. Which is to say, the main camera is the sole major camera upgrade on the iPhone 18 Pro. 

Performance

The iPhone 18 Pro runs on Apple’s A20 Pro, built on a 2nm process, compared with the 3nm A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro. Both phones have 12GB of RAM, but the newer chip pairs a six-core CPU with a seven-core GPU. Apple says the GPU is up to 40% faster than the previous generation, while memory bandwidth has increased by 50%.

The A20 Pro also has two 16-core Neural Engines, which doubles the AI processing capacity of the previous chip. This extra hardware supports Apple’s next generation of on-device AI features, including the new Siri AI.

Cooling is another important part of the upgrade. The iPhone 17 Pro introduced a vapor chamber, but the iPhone 18 Pro uses a newer version attached directly to the chip, with three times the surface area of the earlier design. Apple says this improves sustained performance by up to 40%.

Benchmark scores back Apple’s claim, and this means better performance on demanding tasks, such as extended gaming sessions, 4K video exports, and intensive AI processing. These workloads can heat a phone and cause its performance to drop over time, so better cooling can help the iPhone 18 Pro maintain its speed for longer.

For everyday use, however, the difference is likely to be smaller. The A19 Pro is already powerful enough to handle current apps and games, so the A20 Pro’s biggest advantage is the extra performance headroom it provides for future software and more demanding tasks. This will be useful if you plan to keep the phone for four or five years.

Battery and charging

Apple says the iPhone 17 Pro can last for up to 33 hours of video playback, while the eSIM-only iPhone 18 Pro can go up to 36 hours. The newer model also charges faster, reaching 50% in about 15 minutes compared with around 20 minutes for the iPhone 17 Pro using a 40W adapter.

There are two things to keep in mind, though. First, the 36-hour rating applies to the eSIM-only version sold in the US, Canada, Japan, Mexico and eight other markets. Buyers elsewhere should check the specifications of the version available in their region. Second, Apple’s battery figures are estimates rather than independent test results. 

The iPhone 18 Pro also includes Apple’s C2 modem, which the company says consumes 15% less energy than the C1X and supports mmWave 5G in the US. Its N1 wireless chip adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support. 

Design and display

There is little difference between the two phones’ displays. Both have a 6.3-inch OLED panel with 120Hz ProMotion and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, along with an aluminum unibody. The iPhone 18 Pro weighs 211 grams versus 206 grams on its predecessor, while the overall dimensions are mostly the same—you can use your iPhone 17 Pro’s case, if you wish to. 

A noticeable hardware change is that the Dynamic Island is smaller on the newer model and can show up to three Live Activities at once, up from two. Also, Apple hid the Face ID camera under the screen and relocated it to the top left, and the rear glass panel now matches the color of the surrounding camera area.

The available colors show a more noticeable visual difference. The iPhone 18 Pro comes in Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy. Black returns after being absent from last year’s lineup, while iPhone 17 Pro’s signature Cosmic Orange is no longer available.

Apple has also added a 2TB storage option, the first for an iPhone. 

iOS 27 and Siri AI

The iPhone 18 Pro ships with iOS 27 and the latest generation of Apple Intelligence, including the new Siri AI. But the software alone is not a strong reason to upgrade, since iOS 27 became available as a free update on September 14, four days before the phone went on sale.

The hardware difference is in how much AI processing the phone can handle locally. The A20 Pro’s Neural Engines and higher memory bandwidth give it more capacity for on-device tasks. Apple’s May roundup of expected iPhone 18 Pro upgrades had already pointed to the camera, performance, battery, and AI as the main areas of change.

Price: what the extra $100 gets you

The iPhone 17 Pro launched at $1,099 for the 256GB model, while the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 for the same storage capacity. Apple’s installment plan puts the newer model at $49.95 per month over 24 months. The price increase is smaller than some buyers expected after an IDC forecast in June suggested the price could rise by $200.

For the extra $100, you get the variable-aperture main camera, the A20 Pro chip, improved cooling, a higher battery rating, and faster charging. The display, overall design, and zoom range remain largely the same.

The iPhone 17 Pro is now a generation old, which could make it a better deal as retailers and carriers reduce its price. Check current offers before deciding, since a discount could make the price difference between the two models considerably larger than Apple’s original $100 gap.

Who should upgrade?

iPhone 17 Pro owners: Most can stick with their current phone. The display, size, zoom range, and everyday performance remain similar, so the camera is the main reason to upgrade. It may be worth the cost if you regularly shoot in low light or want the new aperture and manual controls. People who play demanding games or edit 4K video on their phones may also benefit from the improved cooling.

iPhone 16 Pro owners: The upgrade makes more sense because you get two generations of changes. The iPhone 17 Pro introduced an aluminum design, a vapor chamber, 48MP resolution across all three rear cameras, and 4x and 8x telephoto zoom. The iPhone 18 Pro adds the new chip, larger cooling system, adjustable main camera, and longer battery rating on top of those changes.

iPhone 15 Pro owners or anyone with an older model: The iPhone 18 Pro brings more substantial improvements in camera capabilities, performance, battery life, and storage. If your current phone is starting to feel dated, moving to the newer model could be more worthwhile than upgrading every year to get one set of changes at a time.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: Is the Upgrade Worth It? appeared first on Gizmochina.

New DJI drones are becoming harder to find in the US, and alternatives aren’t much easier to come by. The FCC added DJI and Autel to its Covered List in December 2025, blocking new models from getting the authorization needed to enter the US market. The restrictions also extend to new foreign-made drones more broadly, although previously authorized models may still be available. We explained what this means for owners and buyers in our DJI drone ban guide.

Buyers outside the US have more options, including newer DJI models that continue to launch in other markets. Some are also looking at alternatives for their price, features, or to avoid relying on a single brand. This list covers both groups, with drones that remain available in the US and newer models sold in other regions. These include the Potensic Atom 3, which launched in June, and the HoverAir Aqua, which went on sale in late May. Antigravity also announced a cellular module for the A1 at IFA in September.

Availability and regulatory status vary by market, so check local listings before buying. For US buyers in particular, a drone being available elsewhere doesn’t necessarily mean it’s eligible for sale in the US.

Best overall

Potensic launched the Atom 3 in June as the successor to the Atom 2 with a larger camera sensor and improved video capabilities. It uses a 1/1.3-inch sensor, up from the 1/2-inch sensor in the Atom 2, and records 4K video at 60fps with HDR. It can also take 50MP stills, while a medium-telephoto mode crops into the image for tighter shots. Potensic rates its battery life at up to 40 minutes.

The Fly More bundle includes the RC PTD 2 controller, which has a built-in 5.5-inch screen. That means you can fly without attaching your phone to the remote. The drone weighs under 249g, keeping it below the registration threshold in many countries, and Potensic quotes a transmission range of up to 16 km. In practice, most users won’t need to fly anywhere near that far.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro, by comparison, has a larger 1-inch sensor. Still, the Atom 3 is a strong all-round option if you want a compact camera drone without buying DJI.

Its biggest drawback is the lack of obstacle-avoidance sensors, which can make flying more difficult for beginners. Beginner Mode helps by limiting your first flights to a 30-metre radius and height. US availability is also worth checking, as reports about its status vary.

Best budget pick

If not the Atom 3, the Potensic Atom 2 is still on sale and costs less than the successor. It uses a 1/2-inch Sony sensor and supports 4K HDR video, 48MP photos, three-axis gimbal stabilisation and AI subject tracking. Like its successor, it weighs under 249g, but its transmission range tops out at 10 km, and its battery lasts up to 32 minutes.

The Fly More bundle includes three batteries, giving you up to 96 minutes of combined flight time. Drone U lists the Atom 2 at around $330 in the US.

The Atom 2 makes sense if you want stabilised 4K footage without spending more on the newer model’s larger sensor. It also lacks collision-avoidance sensors, so flying in open areas is the safer choice.

Best for 360-degree footage 

The Antigravity A1 is a bit different from conventional camera drones. The brand was incubated by Insta360, and the A1 records 8K 360-degree video using two lenses mounted on the top and bottom of the drone.

Instead of framing every shot while flying, you wear Vision goggles and use a Grip motion controller to direct the drone. After landing, you can choose the framing in the Antigravity app or desktop software. Retractable landing gear also helps keep the drone’s legs out of its 360-degree footage.

The standard bundle costs $1,599 and includes the goggles, controller, carry case, and spare propellers. The drone weighs 249g with its standard battery, while the high-capacity battery increases that to 291g, putting it in the EU’s C1 class.

At IFA in September, Antigravity announced a Cellular Module with an eSIM that attaches to the drone and goggles. Availability was scheduled for the end of September, and the best thing is that all A1 models remain compliant following the FCC’s Covered List update.

The A1 is worth considering if 360-degree video is your main priority. At $1,599, it costs considerably more than the other consumer drones here, and its goggles-based setup makes it less suitable for anyone who simply wants a conventional camera drone.

Best for hands-free filming

The HoverAir X1 Pro Max is built for people who want to film themselves without manually controlling a drone. You launch it from your palm, select a mode such as follow or orbit, and let it record while you ski, cycle, or run.

It uses a 1/1.3-inch sensor to record 8K video at 30fps or 4K video at up to 120fps. The drone folds into a pocket-sized body weighing 192g, while a vision sensor and rear proximity sensors help it brake when an obstacle is detected. Footage is stored on 64GB of onboard memory.

HoverAir’s original X1 reached Amazon in 2023, as we covered in our report on its retail launch. The company has since added the X1 Pro, X1 Pro Max and waterproof Aqua to its lineup. 

DJI offers a similar concept with the Neo 2, which launched last year with LiDAR and 4K/60fps recording. In the UK, the HoverAir X1 Pro Max starts at £609.

Its main limitation is battery life as the run time is up to 16 minutes per battery. You also control it mainly through the app rather than traditional flight sticks, so it’s better suited to hands-free filming than general-purpose flying.

Best for filming on water

Unlike conventional drones, HoverAir Aqua has an IP67 rating, can float on water and can take off directly from the surface with a single button press. It also has a self-righting mode that turns it upright again if a wave flips it over.

Its camera uses a 1/1.28-inch sensor and records 4K video at up to 100fps. HoverAir says the drone weighs under 250g, can handle Level 7 winds, and reaches speeds of up to 55 km/h. It also includes dedicated modes for activities such as stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and riding foil boards.

Flight time is around 23 minutes, and the drone doesn’t fold. That makes it less convenient to carry than the smaller HoverAir X1 Pro Max, but its ability to operate on water is the main reason to consider it.

The Aqua is also expensive, listing at £1,129 in the UK. However, this is a niche option for people who regularly film on or around water. If that’s not something you need, the X1 Pro Max is likely to be a more practical purchase.

Best for still photography

The Autel EVO II Pro V3 is an option for photographers who want a 1-inch Sony sensor without buying a DJI drone. It records 6K HDR video, supports 12-bit DNG photos, and offers up to 40 minutes of flight time. It also has 360-degree obstacle sensing and a quoted transmission range of 15 km.

The EVO II Pro V3 is considerably larger than the sub-249g models on this list. It weighs well over 249g, meaning registration rules apply in many places, and you’ll need more room in your bag to carry it.

Autel is also on the FCC’s Covered List alongside DJI, so it cannot launch new models in the US under the current restrictions. The EVO II line dates back to 2020, although the EVO II Pro V3 is already available for purchase in the country.

It’s worth considering if image quality matters more to you than portability. The trade-offs are its size and an older product line.

Best for government and enterprise in the US: Skydio X10

For government agencies and public-safety teams that need NDAA-compliant hardware, the Skydio X10 is a more suitable option than the consumer drones above. It’s built for autonomous inspection and assembled in the US.

The Parrot Anafi USA is another option, with US assembly and government approval. Both are worth considering for organisations that need drones for professional or government work rather than casual photography.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post 6 Best non-DJI drones in 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Vivo raised the price of its V-series phones with the launch of the Vivo V80 in India. The phone starts at Rs 62,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model, while the 8GB + 256GB variant costs Rs 69,999. For comparison, the Vivo V70 launched at Rs 45,999 for the same 8GB + 256GB configuration, making the new model Rs 24,000 more expensive.

The price gap also changes where the V-series sits in the market. Vivo’s V-series has traditionally competed with Oppo’s F-series, but the V80’s pricing puts it closer to Oppo’s Reno lineup, as we discussed in our Oppo Reno 16 vs Vivo V70 comparison.

So, what does the extra money get you, and if we were to compare, how does the V80 compete with its old rival, Oppo F-series? To find out, we’re comparing it with the recently launched Oppo F35 Pro while also bringing the Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ into the mix. The latter two sit in a similar price segment.

Price in India

Vivo is offering up to 10% instant cashback or an exchange bonus, depending on the retailer and payment method. Buyers also get Google One cloud storage at no extra cost, along with discounted V-Shield protection and extended warranty plans. Even with the full 10% discount, the base V80 costs around Rs 56,700.

Motorola lists an effective price of Rs 44,999 for the Edge 70 Pro+ after applicable offers. The Oppo F35 Pro 5G goes on sale on October 11 through Oppo’s stores, Flipkart, and Amazon. The Vivo V80 follows on October 13 through Vivo’s online store, Amazon, Flipkart, and retail outlets. Motorola’s phone has been available since June 11.

Design and display

The Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ is the thinnest and lightest of the three at 7.19mm thickness and 190g weight. It has a 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a 2772 x 1272 resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate and up to 5,200 nits of peak brightness. Its screen also supports HDR10+, 10-bit colour and 100% DCI-P3 coverage.

The Vivo V80 uses a smaller 6.59-inch AMOLED panel with a 2750 x 1260 resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. It reaches 5,000 nits of local peak brightness and supports HDR10+, 4320Hz PWM dimming, and up to 1 nit of minimum brightness. However, the 144Hz refresh rate is available only in selected apps.

Oppo’s F35 Pro 5G sits between the other two in screen size, with a 6.77-inch AMOLED panel offering a 2772 x 1272 resolution and a maximum 144Hz refresh rate. Its peak brightness is rated at 3,600 nits, below the other two phones, but you’re unlikely to see a difference. 

As for the build, the Edge 70 Pro Plus has a plastic frame, a Gorilla Glass 7i front, and three back finishes inspired by silk, twill and wood. The Vivo V80 has a glass back and includes a charger, case, and pre-applied screen protector in the box. Meanwhile, Oppo uses an aluminium alloy frame and a thicker body, measuring 8.4mm and weighing 210g.

Cameras

The camera is probably where the three phones differ the most. The Vivo V80 has three ZEISS-tuned rear cameras, including a 50MP Sony LYTIA 700V main sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and a 50MP Sony IMX882 telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. An 8MP ultrawide camera completes the setup. The telephoto camera also supports portrait photography with 85mm and 100mm framing options.

Its front camera is a 50MP unit with autofocus and a 92-degree field of view. The phone records 4K video at 60fps and includes cinematic colour styles, AI lighting effects, and portrait tools.

The Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ also has three 50MP rear cameras, but its telephoto camera offers 3.5x optical zoom through a periscope lens. Its 50MP ultrawide camera has a 122-degree field of view, compared with the 8MP ultrawide sensors on the Vivo and Oppo. Motorola also supports 4K video recording at 60fps with HDR10+, along with slow-motion recording at 4K and 120fps.

The Oppo F35 Pro hones a 50MP main camera with OIS and an 8MP ultrawide camera. It has no telephoto lens, although its 50MP front camera offers a wider 100-degree field of view than the Vivo’s selfie camera. Both front and rear cameras support 4K recording at 30fps.

So in the end, Vivo and Motorola have the advantage in zoom photography and higher-frame-rate 4K video. 

Performance and battery life

Now, when it comes to raw power, Motorola has the strongest hardware on paper. The Edge 70 Pro+ runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Extreme, paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. It also has a 4,600 mm² vapour chamber for cooling.

The Vivo V80 uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. Oppo’s F35 Pro 5G runs on the Dimensity 7360 Max, also with LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. Both phones lack a memory card slot.

Battery capacity favours Oppo, whose phone packs an 8,000mAh battery and supports 80W wired charging. Vivo has a 7,200mAh battery with 90W charging, while Motorola uses a smaller 6,500mAh silicon-carbon battery with 90W wired and 15W wireless charging. Motorola also supports reverse wireless charging.

The three manufacturers use different testing methods for their battery-life claims, so their advertised endurance figures are not directly comparable. Still, Oppo has the largest battery, while Motorola is the only one here with wireless charging.

Software, durability and connectivity

The Vivo V80 ships with OriginOS 7 based on Android 17, and Vivo promises up to six years of security updates. Oppo’s F35 Pro 5G runs ColorOS 16.5, with three Android version upgrades and four years of security patches. Motorola ships the Edge 70 Pro+ with Android 16, three OS upgrades and five years of security updates.

All three phones have extensive water and dust resistance ratings. The Oppo carries IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, while Vivo has IP68 and IP69 protection. Motorola combines IP68 and IP69 ratings with MIL-STD-810H certification. These ratings do not make the phones immune to water damage, and none of the three warranties covers liquid damage.

Connectivity gives Motorola another advantage, with NFC, Wi-Fi 6E support listed on its specifications sheet, Bluetooth 5.4, and wireless audio support. Vivo also includes NFC, an infrared blaster, and stereo speakers. Oppo supports Wi-Fi 6 and an infrared remote but lacks NFC, which may matter to people who use contactless payments.

Which phone should you buy?

The Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ looks like the strongest overall value at Rs 47,999, or Rs 44,999 with offers. It combines the fastest chipset, 12GB of faster RAM, UFS 4.1 storage, a periscope telephoto camera, a 50MP ultrawide sensor, and wireless charging. Its smaller battery and plastic frame are the main trade-offs.

The Oppo F35 Pro 5G is the more affordable choice, starting at Rs 45,999. Its 8,000mAh battery, wide selfie camera, and extensive durability ratings make it worth considering, although the lack of a telephoto camera and NFC limits its appeal.

The Vivo V80 has a capable ZEISS-tuned camera system, a bright 144Hz display, 4K recording at 60fps, and a longer promised security-support period. However, its starting price of Rs 62,999 and top price of Rs 79,999 put it well above the other two. 

Based on the specifications alone, the Motorola offers more hardware for the money, while the Oppo is a better fit for buyers who want a large battery without spending as much. The Vivo’s higher price is harder to justify unless its camera experience and software features prove worth the extra cost in real-world use.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Vivo V80 vs Oppo F35 Pro 5G vs Motorola Edge 70 Pro+: Which phone offers better value? appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Vivo X500 Pro has a 6,510mAh battery, while the iPhone 18 Pro has a market-dependent 4,056mAh or 4,288mAh battery. Both phones have displays that are close in size, use 2nm chips, and launched just a couple of weeks apart, but they take very different routes when it comes to hardware.

The Vivo X500 Pro is also thinner and lighter. It weighs 197g and measures 8.12mm thick, compared with 211g and 8.8mm for the iPhone 18 Pro. Here we will look at the main features of both phones. Both companies also sell larger models, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and Vivo X500 Pro Max, which we have covered in a separate piece. 

Design and build

The iPhone 18 Pro uses a glass body with an aluminum frame and Ceramic Shield 2 on the front. It keeps the Dynamic Island, Camera Control, and Action button. The phone comes in Burgundy, Glacier, Silver, and Black.

The Vivo X500 Pro has an aviation aluminum frame with rounded edges. Its pancake-style camera module has a knurled texture, while the glass back has a matte finish. Vivo says the matte finish is used on the Echoes of the Earth, Sunny Day, and Sunset colors. Those versions are 8.12mm thick, while the Night Photography model is 7.95mm. Color options include black, gray, white, and orange.

Both phones have water resistance. Vivo lists IP68 and IP69 protection, while the iPhone 18 Pro has an IP68 rating for immersion of up to 6 meters. Vivo also notes that the X500 Pro is not a professional waterproof phone and that liquid damage is not covered by its warranty.

Magnetic accessories work with both phones, but the setup is different. The Vivo X500 Pro supports magnetic accessories but does not have built-in magnets, so a magnetic case is needed. Apple offers MagSafe accessories for the iPhone 18 Pro.

The Vivo X500 Pro uses an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display, while the iPhone 18 Pro uses Face ID.

Display

The Vivo X500 Pro has a 6.36-inch BOE Q11 LTPO 8T display with a 1Hz to 144Hz refresh range and 459ppi. Vivo claims up to 4,500 nits of peak brightness, 100% P3 coverage, and a minimum brightness of 1 nit. It also includes several eye-comfort and outdoor visibility features.

The iPhone 18 Pro has a slightly smaller 6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1206 x 2622 resolution. It reaches 3,000 nits at peak brightness, with 1,600 nits in high-brightness mode and 1,000 nits typical brightness. The panel also supports HDR10, Dolby Vision, and an anti-reflective coating.

Main camera

The iPhone 18 Pro has a 48MP main camera with a variable ƒ/1.5-4.0 aperture and a 24mm focal length. Apple uses a second-generation sensor-shift stabilization system, and the camera can adjust its aperture depending on the scene. The phone also supports Apple’s newer camera controls and Photographic Styles.

The Vivo X500 Pro has a 50MP main camera built around what Vivo calls the Blueprint X-Drive 900 sensor. Vivo claims 17EV of dynamic range in Log mode and CIPA 7.0 stabilization on both the main and telephoto cameras. Zeiss T* coating is used to reduce reflections, ghosting, and stray light, while Vivo’s V3+ and VS1 chips handle image processing.

The two phones are also different in terms of manual controls. Apple’s Camera app adds controls for things such as aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and a histogram. The Vivo uses a Zeiss-branded camera app with different style and color options, along with several cinematic video modes.

Zoom, ultrawide and front cameras

The iPhone 18 Pro has three 48MP rear cameras. The telephoto camera uses a 100mm focal length with 4x optical zoom, while the ultrawide camera has a 13mm focal length and a 120-degree field of view. The phone also has an 18MP front camera with autofocus and support for Apple’s Center Stage features.

The Vivo X500 Pro has a 64MP periscope telephoto camera at 85mm, along with a 50MP ultrawide and a 50MP front camera. Vivo also sells a Zeiss G2 teleconverter separately. With the accessory attached, the company says it can achieve a 200mm equivalent focal length for its super telephoto modes.

Video

The iPhone 18 Pro supports 4K video at up to 120fps, Dolby Vision HDR, ProRes and ProRes RAW, along with Apple Log 2. It can also record spatial video and audio.

The Vivo X500 Pro supports 4K 240fps slow motion, 4K 120fps video tracking, 8K native Live and 4K native Cinematic Live. It also has several motion-based shooting modes and AI One-Click Highlights for automatically editing clips.

Both phones therefore offer plenty of video tools, although Apple’s support for ProRes RAW and Apple Log 2 gives it a more established set of options for users who want to work with footage after recording.

The iPhone 18 Pro also uses Apple Intelligence for several editing features. Spatial Reframing lets you change the composition after taking a photo, Extend expands the frame and Clean Up removes unwanted objects. Another feature called smart focus tracking can also keep a subject in focus when it moves out of and back into the frame.

Vivo’s software includes AI One-Click Highlights and an AI-assisted travel guide. Vivo says the guide is available through its Blue Heart assistant with a free trial, followed by a paid monthly plan.

Performance and cooling

The iPhone 18 Pro runs on Apple’s A20 Pro, a 2nm chip with a six-core CPU and seven-core GPU. Apple has also increased the size of the vapor chamber compared with the previous generation and says the phone can deliver up to 40% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.

The Vivo X500 Pro uses the Dimensity 9600 Pro, also built on a 2nm process. It was the first phone announced with the chip. The processor has two C2-Ultra cores at up to 4.55GHz and six C2 Pro cores, with a Mali-G2-Ultra-NX GPU.

The iPhone 18 Pro comes with 12GB of RAM across its 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage options. The Vivo X500 Pro is available with up to 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, although its retail configuration uses LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and UFS 4.1 storage.

There is no like-for-like benchmark comparing both phones yet, so the performance comparison is still mostly based on their chips and manufacturer claims.

Software and AI

The iPhone 18 Pro ships with iOS 27 and Apple’s new Siri AI features. Siri AI is currently in beta, initially supports English, and is not available in the EU at launch. It can work with personal information, perform actions inside supported apps, and answer general questions using online references.

iOS 27 also adds features such as Call Context, Image Playground, message and mail suggestions, Safari tab groups, and Shortcuts that can be created from a text description.

The Vivo X500 Pro runs OriginOS 7 based on Android 17 and comes with five major OS updates. Its Atomic Workbench can keep up to five apps open in the foreground and lets you move images and text between them. Other additions include liquid motion effects, interruptible animations, and Minor Mode.

Battery and charging

The Vivo X500 Pro has a 6,510mAh battery with a rated capacity of 6,305mAh. It supports 90W wired charging and 40W wireless charging. The full wireless speed requires Vivo’s compatible wireless charger and accessories.

The iPhone 18 Pro has a 4,056mAh battery in the Nano-SIM version and a 4,288mAh battery in the eSIM-only version, although the latter capacity is not officially confirmed. It supports wired charging to 50% in 15 minutes and 25W MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charging, with the China model limited to 15W wireless charging.

On paper, the Vivo has a much larger battery and considerably faster wireless charging. Apple’s advantage is a more compact battery capacity paired with the company’s own hardware and software optimization.

Connectivity and extras

Both phones support 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6. The iPhone 18 Pro also supports USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort, NFC, UWB, and satellite features such as Emergency SOS and Messages via satellite.

Vivo lists several connectivity features for the X500 Pro, including eSIM support and a Global Virtual SIM service with coverage in more than 120 countries. Some of these features are tied to China, so their availability on global versions will need to be checked.

The Vivo also supports Bluetooth and digital USB-C headphones but not analog USB-C headphones. A 3.5mm headset therefore requires a separate DAC adapter.

Price, availability and deals

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 for 256GB, which is $100 more than the iPhone 17 Pro. Storage goes up to 2TB, giving buyers four storage options. In the US, Apple offers financing through Apple Card Monthly Installments and a lease option through Apple Upgrade. Trade-in credits and carrier promotions can also lower the price.

The Vivo X500 Pro starts at 6,499 yuan (about $1,044) for the 12GB + 256GB version in China, where it went on sale on September 29. Vivo has not announced international pricing yet. The global launch is scheduled for October 28, so the price outside China may be different from the current conversion.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Vivo X500 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro: Two Very Different Compact Flagships appeared first on Gizmochina.

Tecno’s smartphone lineup in 2026 covers everything from entry-level models to more capable mid-range phones, but the current market is not exactly offering more for less. Prices have been going up, while the differences between models and generations are not always significant enough to make the choice straightforward.

This list focuses on the models that make the most sense right now. We have picked phones across different price points, from affordable entry-level options to the more capable Camon 50 Ultra, based on what is actually available and what each phone offers for its price.

Tecno Camon 50 Ultra 5G

The Tecno Camon 50 Ultra stands out as a camera-focused device. It pairs a 6.78″ 1.5K curved AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultimate chipset with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage options, it handles everyday multitasking and light gaming competently while running Android 16-based HiOS 16 with multi-year update support.

Its imaging includes a 50MP Sony LYTIA 700C (1/1.56″) main sensor with OIS for strong low-light performance, a 50MP 3x optical telephoto lens for natural portraits and distant shots (with AI-assisted SuperZoom), an 8MP ultrawide, and a 50MP front camera capable of 4K video. Additional strengths include a large 6500mAh battery with 45W charging, stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos.

Tecno Spark 50 5G

The Spark 50 5G targets users seeking affordable 5G with excellent endurance. It features a 6.78″ HD+ IPS LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate. The MediaTek Dimensity 6400 (6nm) chipset, paired with up to 8GB RAM and expandable storage via microSD, delivers reliable performance for social media, streaming, light productivity, and casual gaming, all running on Android 16 with HiOS 16.

Battery life is a major selling point thanks to the 6500mAh capacity and 45W fast charging, often lasting well over a full day of mixed use. The 50MP main rear camera and 8MP front camera produce decent daylight shots, while practical extras include IP64 dust/splash resistance, a 3.5mm headphone jack, side fingerprint sensor, dual SIM support, and features like FreeLink for offline communication with compatible devices. Check out our full review of the Tecno Spark 50 5G for more detailed insights and performance testing.

Tecno Spark Go 3

The Spark Go 3 is a pure entry-level option focused on essential daily use at a low price. It offers a 6.74″ HD+ IPS LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate and decent brightness for the segment. Powered by the Unisoc T7250 chipset with 4GB RAM (plus virtual expansion) and up to 128GB expandable storage, it handles calls, messaging, social apps, and light browsing adequately on Android 15 with HiOS 15.

A 5000mAh battery with 15W charging provides solid all-day endurance for moderate users, while the 13MP rear camera and 8MP front camera cover basic photography and video needs (including up to 2K recording on the rear). Standout practical features include IP64 dust and splash resistance, a 3.5mm jack, FM radio, side fingerprint sensor, and infrared remote. It is an accessible choice for first-time smartphone users or as a reliable secondary device.

Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro

It features a slightly larger 6.78″ HD+ IPS LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate. Performance comes from the MediaTek Helio G81 4G chipset, which is paired with 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of expandable storage. The phone runs on the newer Android 16-based HiOS 16.

Durability is the key differentiator, with IP68/IP69 ratings for dust, water resistance (including high-pressure jets and limited submersion). The 5200mAh battery with 15W charging supports reliable daily use, while the 13MP rear and 8MP front cameras handle basics well.

Other notable features include a 3.5mm jack, side fingerprint sensor, infrared, and AI enhancements for calls and productivity, making it a more rugged everyday companion for users who need extra ingress protection without stepping up in price significantly.

Tecno Pop X 5G

The Pop X 5G sits in the affordable 5G segment with a strong emphasis on battery and practical features. It uses a 6.78″ HD+ IPS LCD with 120Hz refresh rate and solid brightness for fluid scrolling and media. The MediaTek Dimensity 6400 chipset with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB expandable storage delivers smooth performance for daily tasks, streaming, and light gaming on Android 16 with HiOS 16.

A standout 6500mAh battery with 45W fast charging ensures excellent endurance and quick top-ups. The 50MP rear camera and 8MP front camera are suited for casual photography, while the design includes a distinctive horizontal aluminum camera module. Additional strengths include IP64 dust/splash resistance, a 3.5mm jack, FreeLink offline communication, dual SIM, and expandable storage, positioning it as a practical budget 5G phone.

Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

The post Best Tecno phones in 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

In 2026, Motorola‘s smartphone lineup covers almost every segment, from budget-friendly Moto G models to capable Edge models, and even two very different types of foldables. The company is also making a bigger push into the flagship space with the Signature series.

The most expensive model is not necessarily the one that makes the most sense for everyone, especially when some of the company’s phones overlap in specifications while differing considerably in price. With that in mind, we have picked the Motorola phones that stand out in their respective categories, whether you want flagship performance, a capable all-rounder, good value for money, or a foldable experience. Here are the best Motorola phones to consider in 2026.

Motorola Signature 27

The Signature 27 is Motorola’s first true flagship in a long time. It is scheduled to go on sale in the US this November, with a wider rollout expected soon after. It pairs a cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 (2 nm) with up to 16 GB RAM and 1 TB UFS 4.1 storage, plus a long software commitment of seven major OS updates.

The camera system stands out with a large 50 MP main (1/1.28″ sensor, OIS), 200 MP periscope telephoto with 5× optical zoom. The unique camera layout and Bang & Olufsen-tuned audio round out a premium package.

Its more advanced chipset, new design, and custom-tuned audio differentiate it from the original Motorola Signature, justifying a place on the list even though it won’t go on sale until November 2026.

Motorola Edge 70 Pro

Among the Edge 70 family (Pro, Pro+, and Max), the Pro model seems to be the smartest buy. Specs are nearly identical to the more expensive Pro+, while the Max trades the telephoto for a slightly larger battery (7100 mAh vs 6500 mAh) and marginally bigger display (6.82″ vs 6.78″) at a higher price that doesn’t justify the differences.

The Pro’s display delivers up to 144 Hz refresh rate and 5200 nits peak brightness. It’s powered by MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Extreme, 8/12 GB RAM options, and 256/512 GB UFS 4.1 storage on Android 16 with three major updates.

It packs a triple 50 MP camera setup (main, 3.5× periscope telephoto, and ultrawide) plus 50 MP selfie, 6500 mAh Si/C battery with 90 W wired charging.

Motorola Moto G87

Not everyone needs or wants a premium device, especially in 2026, and the G87 is the practical “does the job well for the money” choice. It features a 6.78″, 1.5K AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 5000 nits peak brightness.

It features MediaTek’s Dimensity 6400 (a 6-nm based 5G chipset), 8/12 GB RAM, and Android 16. The standout is the 200 MP main camera with OIS paired with an 8 MP ultrawide, plus a 32 MP selfie, capable of solid everyday photography and 1440p video.

Motorola Signature

The original Signature remains relevant alongside the upcoming Signature 27. It offers a large main sensor (1/1.28″, the same size as the Signature 27) and a capable 50MP telephoto (1/1.95″) that the Edge 70 series doesn’t match, and is expected to come in at a lower price than the Signature 27.

Specs include a 6.8″ 1.5K LTPO AMOLED with up to 165 Hz refresh rate and 6200 nits of peak brightness. It’s not considered a “true flagship” because it uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 instead of the 8 Elite Gen 5, but it still packs enough performance for most use cases. It’s paired with up to 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of UFS 4.1 storage, and the same seven-year software support as the upcoming Signature 27.

It still holds its own against the newer, more expensive Signature 27 for many buyers.

Motorola Razr Fold

Motorola’s first book-style foldable stands out as one of the brand’s strongest foldable offerings. It unfolds to an 8.1″ LTPO P-OLED (2232 × 2484, ~410 ppi, 120 Hz, up to 6200 nits) with a 6.6″ 165 Hz cover display, powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and Android 16 with seven major updates.

The triple 50 MP camera system includes a 1/1.28″ main sensor, a 1/1.95″ 3× periscope telephoto, and a 1/2.76″ ultrawide. A 6000 mAh battery with 80 W wired + 50 W wireless charging, stylus support, Bose-tuned stereo speakers, and a relatively thin 4.7 mm unfolded profile make it a versatile productivity and media device.

Motorola Razr 70 Ultra

The clamshell Razr 70 Ultra rounds out the foldable picks as Motorola’s premium flip-phone option. It offers a 7.0″ LTPO AMOLED inner display with a 165Hz refresh rate and up to 5000 nits peak brightness. The outer display measures 4 inches and is also an LTPO panel with a matching 165Hz refresh rate.

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it comes with Android 16, and three years of major OS updates. The dual 50MP rear camera system pairs a 50MP 1/1.56″ main sensor with a 50MP ultrawide (1/2.93″), plus a 50MP selfie camera. Its 5000 mAh battery supports 68W wired and 30W wireless charging.

Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

The post Best Motorola phones in 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

We’ve spent the past couple of days comparing some of 2026’s biggest new flagships, from Honor’s latest phone against the iPhone to other camera-heavy models from the Chinese market. One thing that keeps coming up with these newer phones is the same combination of bigger camera sensors, larger batteries, and AI features that can do more than answer questions.

Samsung is the odd one out here. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is still the company’s current flagship, while the next major Galaxy S-series refresh isn’t expected until 2027.

The timeline makes the Galaxy S26 Ultra an interesting phone to compare with newer Chinese flagships like the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max. Both phones have high-end cameras, big batteries, and plenty of AI, but they have a very different philosophy of what a flagship should feel like. 

For instance, Xiaomi is still experimenting with a second display on the back of the 18 Pro Max, while Samsung is keen to keep the familiar Galaxy experience while adding minor features such as Privacy Display.

The different launch markets make the comparison even more interesting, too. If you’re considering Samsung’s current flagship while newer hardware from Xiaomi is already arriving, here’s how the two phones compare.

Xiaomi puts another screen on the back

As you might have known by now, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is the more unusual phone of the two. Its rear panel has a 2.9-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 4,000 nits of brightness. It can show custom AI avatars, run more than 100 app cards, and work with NFC-enabled plush toys that change what appears on the screen.

There’s also a voice assistant built around the rear display that can hold conversations and control compatible smart-home devices. On the front, Xiaomi has reduced the bezels to 0.99mm. Dragon Crystal Glass 3.0 protects the phone, while an IP68 rating provides water and dust resistance.

The 18 Pro Max comes in Black, White, Iced Peach Pink, and Galaxy Blue. Xiaomi also sells a transparent Special Edition, but that version is limited to the 16GB/1TB configuration.

Samsung takes a much more familiar route with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. It looks like a refined version of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with a flat display, an S Pen built into the frame, and a slightly more rounded pill-shaped camera housing. The titanium frame is gone this time, replaced by Armor Aluminum, which Samsung says handles heat better.

The S26 Ultra is also IP68-rated and comes in Black, White, Sky Blue, Cobalt Violet, Silver Shadow, and Pink Gold. At 214 grams and 7.9mm thick, it is lighter and thinner than Xiaomi’s phone, even though it carries a much smaller battery.

Xiaomi brings the brightness, Samsung adds Privacy Display

Both phones have 6.9-inch displays, but Xiaomi’s panel has the bigger numbers. The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max uses a 2624 x 1208 LTPO AMOLED SuperPixel 2.0 display with a real RGB sub-pixel array, a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and up to 4,000 nits of peak brightness.

The RGB setup plays a role in the phone’s privacy feature. Xiaomi can control the direction of light from individual pixels, narrowing the viewing angle with a single tap at the hardware level. You can also set certain apps to trigger the privacy mode automatically, which is useful for things like banking and messaging apps.

Samsung’s 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display reaches 2,600 nits, so it falls short of Xiaomi’s peak brightness figure. It uses Corning’s third-generation Gorilla Armor with an anti-reflective coating, which helps with outdoor visibility.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra also has a Privacy Display mode that narrows the viewing angle. Samsung lets you use it for specific apps or situations, such as entering a PIN. Both phones can keep people nearby from easily seeing what’s on the screen, but they handle the feature differently.

Dual 200MP sensors vs. Samsung’s four-camera setup

Xiaomi has two 200MP sensors at the center of its rear camera system. The main camera uses a 1/1.28-inch Light Hunter 960L sensor with an f/1.67 aperture and a 23mm equivalent focal length. It uses 16-in-1 pixel binning to produce 2.44µm pixels and comes with a Leica Summilux lens designed to reduce internal reflections.

The 200MP periscope telephoto uses a 1/1.56-inch sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. It offers 3.2x optical zoom and up to 12.8x lossless zoom, along with a 75mm portrait mode. Rounding out the setup is a 50MP ultrawide camera with autofocus as close as 5cm.

Samsung has a more conventional route with four rear cameras. The main camera is 200MP with an f/1.4 aperture and OIS, joined by a 50MP ultrawide with an f/1.9 aperture and a 120-degree field of view. There’s also a new 50MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom and a 10MP telephoto with an f/2.4 aperture for shorter-range zoom.

Samsung has also opened up the main and telephoto lenses compared with the S25 Ultra. The wider apertures allow more light to reach the sensors, which should help with low-light photos and HDR scenes.

Two different Snapdragon chips

Both phones use Qualcomm silicon, but the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max gets the newer chip. It runs the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, built on a 2nm process with a 2+6 all-big-core design and clock speeds of up to 5GHz. Xiaomi pairs it with a ring-shaped vapor-cooling system covering 5,513 mm² on the Pro Max.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Samsung’s version is built on 3nm and uses two cores reaching 4.74GHz and six cores reaching 3.62GHz. Samsung also redesigned the phone’s vapor chamber for better cooling.

According to Samsung, the S26 Ultra delivers 19% faster CPU performance, 24% faster GPU performance, and 39% better NPU performance than the S25 Ultra.

Xiaomi’s chip has the newer architecture and smaller manufacturing process, while Samsung has its own chip tuning and cooling system. How that translates into sustained performance and battery life will depend on real-world testing.

Xiaomi has a huge capacity advantage

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max comes with an 8,500mAh silicon-carbon battery, along with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery, the same capacity it has used on several recent Ultra models. The charging has improved to 60W wired and 25W wireless, but Xiaomi still has the clear lead in both battery size and charging speed.

Price and availability

The Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at $1,299 for 256GB in the US. The 512GB model costs $1,499, while the 1TB version reaches $1,799. It has been available worldwide since March.

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max starts at 6,999 yuan (about $1,045) in China for the 12GB/256GB model. The 16GB/1TB version costs 9,999 yuan (about $1,492), while the transparent Special Edition adds another 1,000 yuan.

Xiaomi has confirmed that the 18 Pro series will launch globally later this year, which is different from the China-only Xiaomi 17 Pro Max. However, the 18 Pro Max is not yet available outside China, and there is still no indication of a US launch.

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Xiaomi 18 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra: Head-to-Head Comparison appeared first on Gizmochina.

Phone cameras have become good enough that the interesting differences are no longer always about which one has the bigger sensor or the higher megapixel count. Sometimes, it comes down to what each company thinks you should be able to do with that hardware.

That becomes pretty clear with the Vivo X500 Pro Max and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Both sit near the top of their respective lineups, but they arrive at the camera problem from very different places. Vivo has built a phone around a particularly ambitious telephoto system, while Apple has changed something much closer to the starting point of a photo: how much light the main camera lets in.

Neither approach tries to solve the same problem. One gives you more reach when your subject is far away, while the other gives you more control over the way a scene is captured. And once you look beyond the cameras, the differences continue through the displays, processors, batteries, software, and even the way the two companies talk about their phones.

So rather than treating this as another Android-versus-iPhone comparison, it’s more interesting to look at what Vivo and Apple are actually doing differently with their flagship cameras.

Zeiss lens ring vs Apple’s usual restraint

The Vivo X500 Pro Max has a large circular camera ring with Zeiss branding and a knurled texture around the edge. Vivo has made the camera module a major part of the phone’s design rather than trying to hide it, and it makes sense to do so considering what it brings to the table. The frame is made from aviation-grade aluminum, while the phone carries IP68 and IP69 ratings.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max keeps Apple’s aluminum unibody design, with Ceramic Shield 2 on the front. Apple says it is three times more scratch-resistant than the glass used on the iPhone 16 Pro. The rear also uses Ceramic Shield and includes MagSafe. The phone is IP68 rated, weighs around 240 grams, and is roughly 9mm thick.

144Hz gaming vs Apple’s brightness mystery

The Vivo X500 Pro Max has a 6.85-inch BOE Q11 display with a 3168 × 1440 resolution and 507 ppi. Its refresh rate can adjust between 1Hz and 144Hz, although the 144Hz mode is intended for gaming rather than regular use.

The display can reach 4,400 nits at a 20% window and 2,000 nits across the full screen. Vivo also uses chip-level Demura calibration, a sunlight compensation system, and an ambient light sensor that can measure down to 0.3 lux.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max has a slightly larger 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion up to 120Hz. Apple says it is brighter than the previous generation and has better anti-reflection, although it hasn’t provided specific brightness figures for those improvements. The redesigned Dynamic Island can now display three Live Activities at the same time while still handling Face ID.

Vivo goes all-in on the telephoto, while Apple adds more camera control

This is where the two phones really separate. The Vivo X500 Pro Max uses a 50MP Blueprint 900 main sensor co-developed with Sony. It is a 1/1.28-inch sensor with an f/1.57 aperture and a 24mm equivalent focal length. It also gets 3-degree “TrueDynamic” gimbal-style stabilization and Zeiss T* coating.

Vivo claims up to 17EV of dynamic range in Log mode and says the sensor is the first to support 4K 120fps DCG HDR video. The ultra-wide camera is a 50MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. The bigger story, however, is the telephoto camera.

The phone has a 200MP Zeiss APO telephoto lens paired with a 1/1.4-inch Blueprint x Samsung HP0 sensor. It offers an 85mm equivalent focal length, an f/2.67 aperture, and a 15cm macro mode.

The camera supports up to 30x zoom and has a telephoto tracking mode that can keep a moving subject centered between 10x and 30x. That feature will be added through a software update. Vivo has also introduced what it describes as the first active anti-fog system for a phone camera lens, designed for cold and humid conditions such as ski slopes.

There’s also an optional Zeiss G2 Ultra teleconverter that takes the effective focal length to around 400mm. Vivo also sells a magnetic 3.92-inch Smart Screen accessory that attaches to the back of the phone and can be used to frame shots with the rear cameras.

On the contrary, instead of giving the main camera extreme reach, the iPhone 18 Pro Max adds a variable aperture to its 48MP Fusion Main camera. It’s the first time an iPhone has offered this feature.

The aperture can switch between ƒ/1.48 for low-light shots, ƒ/1.8 as the default setting, ƒ/2.8 for more depth, and ƒ/4.0 for maximum depth. The ƒ/4.0 setting can also create a starburst effect around point light sources. The main camera covers 24mm and 48mm equivalents.

The 48MP Ultra Wide camera offers a 13mm equivalent focal length with an ƒ/2.2 aperture. The 48MP Telephoto camera covers 100mm and 200mm equivalents at ƒ/2.8, giving the phone up to 8x optical-quality zoom and a 16x total optical range.

Apple is also adding more manual controls. Pro controls let users adjust aperture, shutter speed, and white balance directly in the Camera app, along with a histogram. Photographic Styles 3 adds controls for texture and grain.

Another new feature is Apple Reference Image, which cryptographically signs what the camera sensor captured so users can later check whether an image has been edited. The feature isn’t available at launch in China, while capture-only restrictions apply in the EU.

The front camera is an 18MP Center Stage sensor that can automatically widen the frame when more people enter the shot. 

Lots of video modes vs more editing options

Vivo has packed the X500 Pro Max with a long list of video features. It supports 4K 240fps slow motion, 4K 120fps 10-bit Log, 4K 120fps subject tracking, and 4K 60fps cinematic portraits. A future update will add 8K native Live Photos and a 4K 960fps super-slow-motion mode. The phone also includes several cinematic color profiles, including Sunlight Film, Cool Silver Halide, and Parisian Afterglow, along with support for importing 3D LUTs.

Apple’s video features are more about what users can do after recording. Cinematic mode effects can now be added to video recorded at up to 60fps, while 4K time-lapse gets Dolby Vision HDR.

Audio Mix can also separate music from background noise instead of only separating voices. For more serious video work, Apple still offers ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, genlock, and 4K 120fps Dolby Vision.

Dimensity’s efficiency gains vs A20 Pro’s new design

The Vivo X500 Pro Max is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 Pro, a 2nm chip with a 2+3+3 all-big-core design. MediaTek claims 17% higher single-core performance and a 61% reduction in peak multi-core power draw compared with the previous generation. Vivo also adds gaming features such as native 144fps gaming and 120fps ray tracing in supported titles.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max uses Apple’s A20 Pro, which is also built on a 2nm process. It has a 6-core CPU, 50% more memory bandwidth than the A19 Pro, and a 7-core GPU that Apple rates as up to 40% faster. 

Apple has also changed the chip packaging. The die now sits next to the memory instead of having the memory stacked with it. This removes the memory from the thermal path and lets the chip sit directly against a new vapor chamber with three times the surface area of the previous generation.

Apple says the new design can deliver up to 40% better sustained performance. The phone also has a new N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. The C2 modem offers faster uploads than the C1X while using 15% less power.

Vivo gives you the battery capacity; Apple gives you the runtime

The Vivo X500 Pro Max has an 8,000mAh battery, or 7,800mAh rated capacity, with more than 25% silicon content. It supports 90W wired charging and 40W wireless charging. There’s a catch with the wireless charging speed: reaching 40W requires Vivo’s own 50W vertical charger.

Apple doesn’t usually disclose battery capacity and instead gives battery-life figures. The iPhone 18 Pro Max offers up to 45 hours of video playback on eSIM-only models, which Apple calls its biggest battery-life increase on an iPhone.

The extra internal space created by removing the physical SIM tray also helps with the battery. Apple rates general use at up to 30 hours per charge, while wired charging can reach 50% in around 15 minutes with a compatible adapter.

Price and availability

The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 for 256GB. It is already available in more than 65 countries and regions, with another 20 markets scheduled to receive it by late September.

The Vivo X500 Pro Max starts at 6,999 yuan, or about $1,044, for the 12GB/256GB model in China. The 12GB/1TB version costs 8,999 yuan. Vivo also offers a 16GB/1TB Creator’s Package for 12,999 yuan, or about $1,940. This version includes satellite messaging.

Vivo has confirmed that the X500 series will launch in Singapore, but there is currently no US launch planned.

Which one makes more sense?

The Vivo X500 Pro Max and iPhone 18 Pro Max take very different approaches to phone photography. Vivo has built much of its camera hardware around the 200MP telephoto, with long-range zoom, tracking, macro shooting, an anti-fog system, and an optional teleconverter. 

Apple is going with a variable-aperture main camera and expanded manual controls. It also adds tools for editing, recording, and checking the history of captured images. 

The choice therefore comes down largely to the kind of photography and video work you do, along with which phone’s wider features and availability fit your needs.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post Vivo X500 Pro Max vs iPhone 18 Pro Max: Which flagship wins? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Apple spent this year’s autumn event telling everyone that the iPhone 18 Pro Max has the best camera it has ever put in an iPhone — the usual. Three weeks later, Honor launched the Magic 9 Pro Max, its first phone with the “Pro Max” name, and a very different approach to cameras.

The two phones also have similar prices at higher storage levels, and both put their cameras at the center of the experience. But the hardware underneath is very different.

Apple has added a mechanical aperture to its main camera, while Honor has gone with two 200MP sensors and a partnership with cinema camera maker ARRI. Here’s how the two phones compare.

Aluminum design vs. a camera-inspired body

The iPhone 18 Pro Max still looks unmistakably iPhone. It has an aluminum unibody, Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, and a Ceramic Shield back with MagSafe. Apple says the new front glass is three times more scratch-resistant than the one used on the iPhone 16 Pro.

It comes in Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy. The phone is IP68 rated, weighs around 240 grams, and is about 9mm thick. Apple also says 40% of the phone uses recycled materials, including 85% recycled aluminum in the frame.

As for Honor, instead of the round camera island used on previous Magic phones, it now has an asymmetric camera plateau inspired by ARRI cinema cameras. The lens ring also gets a precision-cut metal finish that gives the phone a camera-like appearance.

The Magic 9 Pro Max comes in Moss Green, Silver Halide, and Shadow Black. It has IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, giving it higher water and dust protection than the iPhone. Despite its larger camera module and much bigger battery, it is also lighter at around 233 grams and thinner at 8.6mm.

Apple gives fewer display numbers

The iPhone 18 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion up to 120Hz. Apple says the panel is brighter and has better anti-reflection compared with last year’s model, but it does not give a peak brightness number.

The redesigned Dynamic Island can also handle up to three Live Activities at the same time while continuing to support Face ID.

Honor is much more specific with its display specifications. The Magic 9 Pro Max uses a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED panel with a claimed peak brightness of 10,000 nits and 6,000 nits at a 20% window. It can go as low as 1 nit and uses a 5,600-layer silicon nitride coating that brings reflectivity down to 1.5%. 

The display also supports 4320Hz PWM dimming and has received TÜV Rheinland’s low-reflection certification. Honor says it is the first phone to receive the TÜV Rheinland Global Eye Protection 6.0 certification. 

Those numbers look very different on paper, but actual outdoor visibility will depend on more than peak brightness alone. The iPhone has also traditionally performed well in bright sunlight.

One variable aperture vs. two 200MP cameras

This is where the two phones take very different paths. The iPhone 18 Pro Max uses a 48MP Fusion Main camera with a physically adjustable aperture. It is the first iPhone to offer a mechanical variable aperture.

Inside the camera, you now have six laser-cut blades that can switch between four settings: ƒ/1.48 for more light, ƒ/1.8 as the default, ƒ/2.8 for more depth, and ƒ/4.0 for effects such as starbursts around bright lights.

The main camera covers 24mm and 48mm equivalents at 1x and 2x. It is joined by a 48MP Ultra Wide camera at 13mm and ƒ/2.2, along with a 48MP Telephoto camera covering 100mm and 200mm equivalents at ƒ/2.8. Apple says the system offers up to 8x optical-quality zoom and 16x total optical range.

Apple has also added new Pro controls that let users manually adjust aperture, shutter speed, and white balance in the Camera app. A histogram is available for checking exposure. Photographic Styles 3 adds texture and grain controls alongside the existing tone and color adjustments.

Another new feature is Apple Reference Image, which cryptographically signs what the camera captured so users can later verify whether a photo has been edited. However, it will not be available at launch in China, while capture will not be available in the EU.

The front camera is an 18MP Center Stage camera that can automatically widen its frame to include more people.

In the case of Honor, it doesn’t have an aperture ring, but two 200MP sensors. The main camera uses a 1/1.28-inch sensor with an f/1.57 aperture, 24mm equivalent focal length, 3-degree stabilization, and a CIPA 8.0 rating.

The 200MP telephoto camera uses a 1/1.4-inch sensor, f/2.6 aperture, and 85mm focal length. Both cameras were developed with ARRI and support ARRI’s LogC3 color curve.

There is also a 50MP ultra-wide camera and a 3D depth sensor on the back. For selfies, the phone borrows a page from Apple — it’s a 1:1 square camera, but higher in resolution: a 55MP.

The cameras are processed by Honor’s H1 imaging chip, which handles RAW-domain noise reduction. The phone also offers 87 official ARRI Looks for color grading.

Honor says its gun microphone improves noise reduction by 462% compared with a normal omnidirectional microphone. The company also sells a G200 teleconverter with a 200mm equivalent focal length, a G500 teleconverter with a 500mm equivalent focal length, and a SmallRig video cage for mounting accessories.

In simple terms, Apple is using fewer sensors but adding more physical camera controls, while Honor is using much higher-resolution sensors and ARRI’s cinema color processing. They are simply different approaches to smartphone photography.

Video: more control after shooting vs. in-camera processing

Apple’s video features give users more options after recording. Cinematic mode effects can now be applied to regular video recorded at up to 60fps. Time-lapse recording goes up to 4K with Dolby Vision HDR.

Audio Mix can also separate music from background noise, rather than only separating voices. For more advanced video work, the phone supports ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, genlock for multicamera setups, and 4K 120fps Dolby Vision.

Honor’s video system uses the ARRI LogC3 pipeline and downloadable Looks so users can get a particular color style during recording. Its 2.39:1 Movie Live mode records a three-second cinematic 4K live photo after the shutter is pressed. AI Color Tracking can also take the color grade from a reference photo and apply it while recording.

Honor does not provide video frame-rate details with the same level of detail as Apple, so a direct video comparison will have to wait for hands-on testing.

A20 Pro vs. Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is powered by Apple’s A20 Pro, built on a 2nm process. It has a six-core CPU with two performance cores and four efficiency cores, along with 50% more memory bandwidth than the A19 Pro.

The seven-core GPU is rated up to 40% faster than the previous generation, while the new dual 16-core Neural Engine offers twice the AI performance of the A19 Pro.

Apple has also changed the chip packaging. The die now sits next to the memory instead of stacking them, keeping the memory away from the chip’s main thermal path. The A20 Pro can then sit directly against a new vapor chamber with three times the surface area of the previous model.

Apple says this design can deliver up to 40% better sustained performance. The phone also has Apple’s N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support. The C2 modem is said to offer faster uploads than the C1X while using 15% less power. US models also support mmWave.

The Magic 9 Pro Max uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, which is also built on a 2nm process and reaches up to 5.01GHz. Honor cites Qualcomm’s benchmarks showing a 13% CPU improvement, 44% GPU improvement, and 35% NPU improvement over the previous generation. A pre-launch AnTuTu test also put the phone above 5.5 million points.

Battery

Apple does not reveal the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s battery capacity. Instead, it quotes up to 45 hours of video playback for eSIM-only models, which Apple describes as its biggest battery-life improvement on an iPhone.

General use is rated at up to 30 hours per charge. With the right adapter, wired charging can reach 50% in around 15 minutes, while five minutes of charging can provide roughly seven hours of video playback. Unofficial regulatory filings suggest the iPhone 18 Pro Max has a battery capacity of around 5,567mAh for the US model, but Apple has not confirmed that figure.

Honor gives a much larger number: 8,800mAh. The Magic 9 Pro Max uses the company’s “Qinghai Lake blade battery” with 40% silicon content and 1000Wh/L energy density. It supports 100W wired charging and 80W wireless charging, along with 50W wireless charging in compatible cars.

Siri AI vs. Honor’s AI button

The iPhone 18 Pro Max ships with iOS 27, Apple Intelligence, and the new Siri AI. Siri can understand personal context, see what’s on the screen, and perform actions inside apps such as Messages and Reminders.

The new Siri features start with English, while French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish are scheduled for October. The feature will not be available in the EU at launch.

iOS 27 also introduces iPhone Handoff, which lets users move between two iPhones using the same number. For now, the feature works with T-Mobile in the US and Telekom in Germany.

Honor uses MagicOS with its YOYO assistant. The Magic 9 Pro Max has a dedicated hardware button for YOYO, which can be used for one-press video highlight capture, recurring reminders, and proactive tasks. Honor Connect also lets the phone connect with devices such as the iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac.

The Magic 9 Pro Max also uses 3D face recognition alongside a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. The iPhone continues to rely on Face ID for biometric authentication.

Availability is another major difference

The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 for 256GB and is available in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options as well. What’s more important here is that you can get the device in most countries around the world, including the US, the UK, most of the EU, China, Japan, and Australia. 

The Honor Magic 9 Pro Max starts at 6,499 yuan (about $968) for the 12GB/256GB model in China. The 16GB/1TB version costs 8,499 yuan (about $1,266). Honor also sells a 10,999-yuan (about $1,639) Master Photographer Package that includes the teleconverter kit.

However, the phone is currently exclusive to the Chinese market. The phone is expected to reach Europe sometime in November or December, but a US launch is not in the cards, as Honor isn’t officially present there. 

For daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

The post iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Honor Magic 9 Pro Max: The difference in Pros appeared first on Gizmochina.