The iQOO Z11 is available in three distinct variants across different markets, with each version taking a different approach to hardware. The China model is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8500, while the Malaysia variant uses the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4.

The Indian version takes a different route altogether. Along with a different chipset from both international variants, it also gets a distinct design, making it visually different from the Z11 models sold in China and Malaysia.

This review focuses specifically on the Indian variant of the iQOO Z11, which combines its own design language with a large battery, curved AMOLED display, and a new MediaTek Dimensity 7500 Turbo chipset. After spending time with the Aurora Green model, here’s how it performs in everyday use.

Slim and Distinctive Appeal

The Aurora Green variant is a particularly good fit for the Z11’s new design. At first glance, the rear panel appears green, but as you move the phone under different lighting, a subtle blue sheen becomes visible across the surface. This gives the phone a more dynamic appearance without making it look overly flashy.

Apart from Aurora Green, the Z11 is also available in a Celestial Blue edition. During my brief encounter with the blue variant, I noticed that it was more prone to picking up fingerprint marks, which was not an issue

The horizontal camera module also gives the Z11 a distinctive identity. It has obvious Pixel-inspired elements, but the overall execution feels sufficiently different. More importantly, the camera bar does not make the phone feel awkward when placed on a flat surface.

Despite housing a 7,050mAh battery, the Z11 is only 7.99mm thick and weighs 199 grams. The curved rear and tapered edges make it comfortable to hold, while the weight distribution keeps the phone from feeling excessively bulky.

Durability is a major improvement. The Z11 carries IP68 and IP69 ratings, along with military-grade durability certification. That makes it considerably more reassuring for everyday use than many mid-range phones.

Sharp and Immersive Display

The 6.83-inch curved AMOLED display is arguably the Z11’s biggest strength. It offers a 1.5K resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, and up to 2,000 nits of high-brightness mode. The panel looks sharp, vibrant, and suitably punchy without making colors appear excessively artificial.

The 144Hz refresh rate also contributes to a noticeably fluid experience while scrolling through apps and navigating the interface. Not every application consistently takes advantage of the maximum refresh rate, but when the phone is operating at 144Hz, the difference is easy to appreciate.

The curved edges make the display feel more immersive, although they can occasionally introduce accidental touches. Still, for watching movies, browsing social media, or reading, this is one of the more impressive displays available in the segment.

Smooth for Everyday Use

The iQOO Z11 is the first smartphone in India to use MediaTek’s Dimensity 7500 Turbo. It is paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

For everyday use, the chipset is more than capable. Apps open quickly, multitasking is generally smooth, and switching between social media, browsers, streaming services, and messaging apps does not pose much of a challenge.

Gaming is where the limitations become more obvious. BGMI can run at up to 60fps with the available settings, while Call of Duty: Mobile also delivers a smooth experience at supported settings. However, the phone is not designed to compete with significantly more powerful gaming-focused devices.

More demanding games such as Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves can expose the limitations of the Dimensity 7500 Turbo, particularly at higher graphical settings. The good news is that iQOO has added a 3,800mm² vapor chamber, and the phone generally manages heat reasonably well during sustained workloads.

In other words, the Z11 is a capable gaming phone for casual and moderate use, but buyers looking for maximum graphics performance should look elsewhere. Here’s how the device performed on benchmarking platforms.

Built for Long Endurance

The 7,050mAh battery is where the Z11 really earns its Z-series credentials. Despite the phone’s slim profile, the battery is large enough to comfortably handle a full day of heavy use and can stretch well into a second day with lighter workloads.

This is particularly impressive considering the large 6.83-inch display and 144Hz refresh rate. Battery optimization also appears to be effective, helping the Z11 maintain strong endurance without making the phone feel sluggish.

There is also bypass charging for gaming, which can reduce reliance on the battery when the phone is connected to a charger during longer gaming sessions.

The bundled 44W charging is perfectly usable, but it feels conservative for a phone in this price range, especially when some competitors offer substantially faster charging. The Z11 therefore prioritizes endurance over quick top-ups.

Feature-Rich and Customizable

The Z11 runs Android 16 with OriginOS 6. The interface is feature-rich, highly customizable, and generally smooth on the 144Hz display.

There are plenty of personalization options, along with features such as AI Creation, AI Captions, AI Transcript Assist, AI image editing tools, and Circle to Search. Some of these features are genuinely useful, particularly for transcription, translation, and editing tasks. Readers can read more about the AI Captions feature here.

However, OriginOS still has some clutter. The phone comes with several third-party applications preinstalled, although many can be removed. This does not ruin the experience, but it does prevent the software from feeling as clean as it could.

iQOO has promised three major Android updates and five years of security updates, which is a welcome improvement for the Z series and should give the phone a reasonable lifespan.

Capable Cameras Across Conditions

The Z11’s camera setup consists of a 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 primary sensor with OIS, an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 32-megapixel front-facing camera.

The main camera performs best in daylight. Photos generally have pleasing colors, good dynamic range, and enough detail for social media and everyday photography. HDR processing also does a respectable job balancing bright and dark portions of a scene.

However, image processing can sometimes be a little aggressive. Fine details may appear softer than expected, particularly when examining photos closely. Human subjects can also occasionally receive more processing than necessary.

Low-light performance is acceptable rather than class-leading. OIS and night processing help produce usable images, but noise and softer details become more noticeable as lighting deteriorates.

The 8-megapixel ultrawide camera is useful for capturing landscapes, architecture, and larger scenes, but its lower resolution means it cannot match the primary sensor for detail. It is best viewed as a versatility upgrade rather than a camera you will use in every situation.

The 32-megapixel selfie camera is one of the stronger parts of the setup. It captures good detail and generally natural-looking skin tones, while portrait selfies also benefit from reasonably good edge detection.

Overall, the Z11’s cameras are capable enough for everyday photography, but they are not the reason to buy this phone.

Verdict

The iQOO Z11 is not the fastest phone in its class, nor does it have the most impressive camera system. Instead, it succeeds by bringing several desirable qualities together.

The 1.5K 144Hz curved AMOLED display is excellent, the Aurora Green finish gives the phone plenty of personality, the IP68 and IP69 ratings add meaningful durability, and the 7,050mAh battery delivers the kind of endurance that many users will appreciate.

The Dimensity 7500 Turbo is capable for everyday tasks and moderate gaming, although demanding gamers will find faster options. The cameras are similarly competent rather than exceptional, while OriginOS 6 remains feature-packed but somewhat cluttered.

At its starting price of Rs. 34,999 in India, the iQOO Z11 faces strong competition. Still, if your priorities are a premium-looking display, long battery life, dependable everyday performance, and strong durability, the Z11 makes a compelling case.

It is not an outright performance champion. Instead, the iQOO Z11 is a well-balanced mid-ranger that understands where most users actually spend their time, and gets those fundamentals largely right.

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The word “Power” means something different on the Poco M8 Power. Instead of chasing benchmark scores or adding high-end hardware, Poco has taken a simpler route: put an 8,000mAh battery inside the phone and build the rest of the experience around it. That gives the M8 Power one of the biggest batteries you can get in this segment, along with a large 6.99-inch AMOLED display and a surprisingly long software support commitment.

The trade-offs become apparent elsewhere. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 is firmly an entry-level chipset, charging is not particularly fast for a battery this large, the cameras are merely adequate, and there is only a single speaker. After spending time with the Blaze Orange version, the M8 Power comes across as a phone that knows exactly what it wants to be — but whether that makes it a good buy depends heavily on your priorities.

The Blaze Orange finish makes the M8 Power stand out

The Poco M8 Power’s Blaze Orange variant is easily the most attention-grabbing of the three color options. The large camera island adds to that effect, although the overall design remains fairly straightforward. The rear panel and frame are plastic, but the phone doesn’t feel cheap or poorly assembled. The matte finish also does a good job of keeping fingerprints under control.

At 8.45mm thick and 225 grams, the M8 Power is neither small nor light. The weight is noticeable, particularly during prolonged one-handed use, although the distribution is good enough that it doesn’t feel excessively top-heavy. The flat frame also provides a secure grip.

The large dimensions can take some getting used to. Reaching the upper part of the display requires some hand movement, and the phone’s size is something smaller-phone users will notice immediately.

The power and volume buttons sit on the right, while the bottom houses the USB-C port, primary microphone and speaker. An IR blaster is located at the top, and the phone carries an IP65 rating along with Gorilla Glass 7i protection.

For a phone built around an 8,000mAh cell, keeping the thickness below 8.5mm is a reasonable achievement.

The AMOLED display is arguably the M8 Power’s second-biggest strength

The 6.99-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel is one of the more appealing parts of the M8 Power. The 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and everyday navigation feel smooth, while the AMOLED panel delivers deep blacks and punchy colors.

The display can reach up to 1,800 nits of peak brightness, and outdoor visibility is generally good. The 120Hz mode can switch between 60Hz, 90Hz and 120Hz, while touch sampling reaches 240Hz normally and can go as high as 2,160Hz in Game Turbo mode.

Poco also includes 960Hz PWM dimming, eye-care certification, DCI-P3 coverage, Wet Touch 2.0 and Sunlight Display. One useful inclusion is the option for DC dimming, particularly for users who are sensitive to PWM flicker.

There are some obvious limitations. HDR playback isn’t supported, and the chipset also limits video playback to below 4K. For regular streaming, however, Widevine L1 certification means services such as Netflix and Prime Video can still be enjoyed in Full HD.

The biggest disappointment for multimedia is the audio. The phone has only a single bottom-firing speaker. It gets sufficiently loud, but the lack of stereo separation is noticeable when watching videos or playing games.

Performance is where the battery-first approach becomes obvious

The Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 is the clearest indication that Poco wasn’t trying to make the M8 Power a performance phone. The 4nm chipset handles messaging, social media, browsing and streaming without major problems, but it doesn’t have much headroom once workloads become demanding.

The 8GB RAM configuration helps with everyday multitasking, although heavier usage can result in apps and browser tabs being reloaded. There can also be occasional UI stutters, which makes the phone feel less consistently smooth than its 120Hz display initially suggests.

Gaming is possible, but expectations need to be realistic. Lightweight games run comfortably, while BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile are better suited to lower graphics settings. More demanding titles such as Genshin Impact are outside the phone’s comfort zone.

The good news is thermals. The 10,416mm² graphite cooling system does a good job of keeping temperatures under control, and the phone doesn’t become uncomfortably hot during normal gaming or sustained everyday use.

In other words, the M8 Power is perfectly usable, but performance isn’t the reason to buy it.

The 8,000mAh battery is exactly what the name promises

This is where the M8 Power earns its name. The 8,000mAh silicon-carbon battery is enormous for a phone of this class, and it translates into genuinely strong endurance.

Depending on usage, the phone can comfortably last beyond a full day of heavy use, while lighter users can stretch it to two days or potentially more. Around 8–10 hours of screen-on time is realistic under mixed usage, making battery anxiety almost a non-issue.

The compromise is charging. The included 45W charger takes roughly two hours to fill the battery completely. That’s understandable given the capacity, but it still feels slow when faster charging systems are becoming increasingly common.

The 22.5W reverse wired charging support is a useful bonus, allowing the M8 Power to act as a large power bank for other devices.

HyperOS 3 brings long-term value, despite some rough edges

The M8 Power ships with Android 16 and HyperOS 3, and Poco’s update promise is unusually strong for this price segment: four years of OS updates and six years of security updates.

The software itself offers plenty of customization, AI editing tools, Circle to Search, Gemini, HyperIsland and Xiaomi’s ecosystem features. The IR blaster also works through Mi Remote, which remains a useful addition.

There is, however, some bloatware. Several third-party apps and games come pre-installed, while setup also pushes additional app recommendations. Most of these can be removed, but the overall experience would feel cleaner with less bundled software.

Performance inconsistencies also extend to the interface, with occasional stutters during navigation. These aren’t severe enough to make the phone frustrating to use, but they are noticeable.

The cameras are functional rather than impressive

The M8 Power uses a 50-megapixel primary rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera. The hardware is fairly basic, and the results reflect that.

In daylight, the main camera can produce perfectly usable photographs with decent colors and dynamic range. There is enough detail for casual photography and social media, although the processing isn’t always consistent.

Low-light photography is where the limitations become more obvious. Details soften, noise becomes more visible and exposure can vary between scenes. Portrait shots are also not particularly reliable, especially around complicated edges.

The 8-megapixel selfie camera is similarly basic. It works well enough for video calls and casual selfies, but it isn’t a strong reason to choose this phone.

When it comes to videography, both cameras are limited to 1080p at 30fps, and the lack of OIS means stabilization isn’t particularly impressive. If you frequently record while walking or moving around, this is one of the phone’s more noticeable shortcomings.

Verdict

The Poco M8 Power isn’t trying to be the fastest or most versatile phone in its segment. Instead, it makes a very specific trade: you get an enormous battery and a large, good-quality AMOLED display, while accepting weaker performance, average cameras, mono audio and relatively slow charging.

That trade makes sense for the right buyer. If your priorities are battery life, media consumption, a large screen and long-term software support, the M8 Power is an easy phone to appreciate. The Blaze Orange finish also gives it more personality than many budget devices.

But if you spend a lot of time gaming, care about camera quality or expect fast charging and stereo speakers, there are better-balanced options.

At its effective launch pricing, the M8 Power makes a compelling case for itself. It isn’t an all-rounder, but it doesn’t need to be. For users who simply want a phone that can keep going long after everything else needs a charger, Poco has built something that gets the fundamentals right.

For those looking to get the Poco M8 Power, they can visit Flipkart and get the 6GB+128GB edition for Rs 24,999 and the 8GB+128GB version for Rs 27,999.

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The Oppo Enco Air 5 takes a fairly straightforward approach to budget wireless earbuds: deliver strong noise cancellation, enjoyable sound, long battery life, and useful smart features without making the experience unnecessarily complicated. After spending time with them, it is clear that Oppo has focused more on getting the fundamentals right than chasing flashy extras.

The earbuds feature up to 52dB adaptive ANC, a 12mm dynamic driver, Bluetooth 6.1, triple-microphone call noise cancellation, dual-device connectivity, and up to 54 hours of total battery life.

Design and comfort

The Oppo Enco Air 5 has a compact charging case with a matte finish that does a good job of resisting fingerprints. The earbuds themselves have a glossy finish, however, so they pick up smudges more easily. The Lavender Purple version looks distinctive without being overly flashy, while Midnight Black is the more understated option.

Each earbud weighs around 4.3g, and the lightweight construction makes them comfortable for extended listening. The in-ear fit also provides a good seal, which is important for both passive isolation and ANC performance. The bundled silicone tips give you different sizing options to help achieve the right fit.

The earbuds carry an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, although the charging case is not rated for water resistance.

Sound quality

The Oppo Enco Air 5 uses a 12mm dynamic driver with a titanium-coated PET diaphragm. In everyday listening, the sound is energetic and enjoyable, with particularly strong bass response. The audio performance can be modified using the HeyMelody app from Oppo.

The default Ultimate Sound profile offers the best balance for most genres, while Pure Vocals puts more emphasis on voices and Thundering Bass adds extra low-end impact. There is also a 10-band Pro Equalizer, allowing you to adjust the sound to your preference and save custom profiles.

The mids are not quite as impressive as the bass and highs, but vocals remain clear enough for music, podcasts, and videos. Oppo also includes Alive Audio, which creates a wider, more spacious presentation. It works better for movies and live recordings than for everyday music listening.

ANC is the biggest highlight

Noise cancellation is arguably the strongest reason to consider the Oppo Enco Air 5. The earbuds offer up to 52dB of adaptive noise reduction with a cancellation frequency range of up to 5000Hz. There are High, Moderate, and Low modes, along with Smart Mode for automatic adjustment based on the surroundings.

In real-world use, the ANC does a good job with continuous background noise such as air conditioners, fans, traffic, and general office noise. The in-ear design helps here because the silicone tips provide passive isolation in addition to active cancellation.

The earbuds also have a Transparency mode, which is useful when you need to hear your surroundings without removing them.

Good microphones for calls

The Oppo Enco Air 5 uses three microphones on each earbud. The system combines beamforming with AI-powered call noise cancellation to separate your voice from environmental noise. Oppo specifically claims that the system can maintain voice clarity in windy conditions of up to 25km/h.

In everyday use, call quality is solid. Background traffic and wind are reduced effectively, although extremely noisy environments can still make some external sound audible. For regular phone calls and online meetings, the microphones are more than capable.

Features and connectivity

Bluetooth 6.1 provides stable connectivity, while dual-device connectivity lets the earbuds remain connected to two devices across Android, iOS, and Windows. This is particularly useful if you regularly move between a phone and laptop.

The HeyMelody app provides access to the EQ, ANC settings, touch controls, and other features on compatible devices. Oppo and OnePlus users get deeper integration directly through the system settings.

The earbuds also support Tap to Launch functions, including Spotify Tap, an AI voice assistant, and a camera shutter. AI Translate is another useful addition, although its availability and functionality depend on the supported phone and software.

For gaming, the dedicated low-latency mode can reduce earbud latency to as little as 47ms. It is a useful addition for mobile gaming, particularly in titles where directional audio matters.

Battery life

Battery life is another strong point. Oppo rates the earbuds for up to 13 hours with ANC disabled and up to 54 hours with the charging case. With ANC enabled, the rated figures drop to 6.5 hours for the earbuds and 27 hours with the case.

The case and earbuds take roughly 90 minutes to fully charge, while the earbuds themselves take about 55 minutes. The earbuds are also TÜV Rheinland-certified for battery health, with Oppo claiming more than 80% battery health after 1,000 charging cycles.

Verdict

The Oppo Enco Air 5 gets the important things right. The ANC is genuinely effective for its class, the sound is energetic and customizable, the earbuds are comfortable, and battery life is excellent. Features such as dual-device connectivity, Alive Audio, AI Translate, and low-latency gaming mode add meaningful value rather than simply padding the specification sheet.

The glossy earbuds and average mid-range performance are minor drawbacks, but they do little to undermine an otherwise polished package.

If you want a pair of affordable wireless earbuds that prioritizes ANC, battery life, comfort, and everyday usability, the Oppo Enco Air 5 is an easy recommendation. It is available with a price tag of Rs 3,299 in India.

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For the past few years, my gaming habits have been pretty one-note. I’ve spent most of my time playing PUBG Mobile competitively. It’s a demanding game that requires constant attention, quick reflexes, and a lot of screen tapping. After a while, that level of intensity gets tiring. Recently, I found myself wanting to step back and play something simpler, games that don’t require an internet connection or a competitive mindset.

That shift in interest coincided with the arrival of the Ayaneo Konkr Pocket Advance. Ayaneo is a company you might recognize for making relatively expensive gaming handhelds. Recently, they launched a new sub-brand called Konkr, aimed at the more affordable, Android-based retro handheld market. The Pocket Advance is their newest offering. As the name and shape suggest, it’s heavily inspired by the classic Game Boy Advance.

I’ve spent the last two weeks testing the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model. I also installed the optional tempered glass screen protector and used the official carrying case. After using it daily, I’ve found it to be a very capable device for older games, though it has a few physical quirks you should know about before buying. Here is my full review of the Konkr Pocket Advance.

Design and Build Quality

When you first pick up the Pocket Advance, the most noticeable thing is its weight. With the tempered glass installed, my unit weighs 226 grams. For a device that measures 151.3 x 82.4 x 22mm, it feels quite dense. It’s significantly heavier than the original Game Boy Advance, which weighed around 140 grams.

The build is entirely plastic, but it doesn’t feel cheap or hollow. Ayaneo used a semi-matte finish on the shell, which does a good job of resisting fingerprints and smudges. The shape features rounded corners, gently tapered edges, and broad side grips with inward-curving contours.

It sits naturally in the hands when you are sitting up. However, because of that 226-gram weight, I found that playing it while lying flat on my back in bed caused my fingers to fatigue after about twenty minutes. It is definitely a handheld better suited for a seated position.

I have the Coral Orange variant, which combines a bright orange shell with white buttons and trim. It is also available in Navy Blue, Heritage Gray, and the limited-edition Pink & Onyx Ice variants.

The control layout is standard for a retro handheld but has some specific design choices. The D-pad and the ABXY face buttons use membrane switches rather than clicky microswitches. They are very quiet when pressed. The face buttons have a slight tactile bump, but they don’t produce the sharp click you get on some competing devices. Whether you like this comes down to personal preference; I found the quiet buttons useful for playing in the same room as someone else without bothering them.

The start and select buttons, along with two additional menu buttons, are made of soft silicone and are also silent. They are arranged a bit unusually: the left pair sits diagonally under the D-pad, while the right pair is placed more horizontally under the face buttons.

Along the top edge, you have the L1 and R1 shoulder buttons, which are quiet but have a distinct click. Alongside the clicky L2 and R2 buttons, this upper section houses the power button and an additional custom button.

The top layout has a tiered design; on the next step down sit the LC and RC custom shoulder buttons, which share that same clicky feel and are separated by a top fan grille. Moving to the back of the device, it features symmetrical ventilation grilles for the internal fan, some molded grooves for grip, and visible screws.

On the bottom edge, you’ll find a microSD card slot, a USB-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a physical volume slider. The volume slider works fine, but its placement is a bit frustrating.

Depending on how you hold the device, it’s easy to accidentally brush your hand against the slider and change the volume during a game. It’s a minor annoyance, but something I noticed frequently.

Display

The screen is a 3.5-inch LCD panel with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a resolution of 960 x 640 pixels. The original Game Boy Advance had a screen resolution of 240 x 160. Because the Pocket Advance’s screen is exactly four times that resolution on both the horizontal and vertical axes, it allows for clean 4x integer scaling.

When you play GBA games, the image fills the screen perfectly without any stretching, blurring, or uneven pixels. To complete the look, Ayaneo included black borders on the sides of the display glass to mimic the original hardware’s bezel.

As for the panel itself, it’s a standard LCD. It doesn’t have the deep blacks or high contrast of an OLED screen, but it performs well for the price. It gets bright enough to use outdoors comfortably, and the lowest brightness setting is dim enough for playing in a dark room.

Because the screen is only 3.5 inches, navigating the Android interface can feel a bit cramped. Tapping small icons or typing on the on-screen keyboard takes some getting used to, but it’s manageable once you adjust.

I do need to mention a quality control issue with my specific unit. The bottom right corner of the display panel was slightly lifted above the plastic shell. Ayaneo has acknowledged this defect in the early review batches and stated that the retail units shipping to customers will have this corrected. If you do receive one with a lifted screen, the company says they will address it through their customer support.

Performance and Emulation

Inside the Pocket Advance is a MediaTek Helio G90T processor. It’s an older octa-core chip built on a 12nm process, featuring two Cortex-A75 cores and six Cortex-A55 cores, paired with a Mali-G76 MC4 GPU. My unit has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

In benchmark terms, it scores around 475,000 on AnTuTu, while on Geekbench 7, it hits 612 in single-core, 1,917 in multi-core, and 1,741 for the GPU. In practical terms, this chip is more than capable of handling the majority of retro consoles you would want to play on a device like this.

For 8-bit and 16-bit systems like the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Sega Genesis, performance is consistent and smooth. You can fast-forward through slow RPG text without any stuttering. Moving up to 32-bit and 64-bit systems like the PlayStation 1 and Nintendo 64, the device continues to perform well. I didn’t experience any noticeable slowdowns in standard titles. Sega Dreamcast games also ran without issue.

I spent a lot of time playing PlayStation Portable (PSP) games. The G90T handles PSP emulation quite well; I was able to run most games at 2x or 3x their original resolution with playable fps. However, because the PSP used a 16:9 widescreen format, playing these games on the Pocket Advance’s 3:2 screen means you will have black bars at the top and bottom of the image.

The device can also run some lightweight 2D PS2 games, but the Helio G90T struggles with heavier 3D titles in the PS2 library. If your primary goal is to play PS2 games, this is not the right handheld for you. It is best viewed as a device for everything up to the Dreamcast, PS1, and PSP.

To keep the processor cool, the device has an active cooling fan. If you are playing demanding games or using the Max performance setting, the fan will turn on. You can hear it pushing air out of the top vents, but the noise isn’t overly loud or distracting. It does a good job of keeping the back of the device from getting too warm during long sessions.

Software Experience

The Pocket Advance runs on Android 12. Because it’s an Android device, you have the flexibility to download standard apps, use the Google Play Store, and install whatever standalone emulators or frontends you prefer.

Out of the box, Ayaneo provides its own software layer. The default home screen is AYAHome, a basic launcher that lets you organize apps into folders and change wallpapers. The core of the experience, however, is AYASpace. This is Ayaneo’s proprietary frontend for managing retro games.

It allows you to scan your microSD card for game files, automatically downloads box art and game descriptions, and organizes your library by console. It’s relatively easy to set up and works well for people who don’t want to spend hours configuring third-party apps.

The most useful software feature is the quick settings overlay, accessed by pressing the dedicated K button on the front of the device. This brings up a menu that lets you adjust system settings without leaving your game. You can view real-time stats like CPU usage, GPU usage, and framerate.

You can also switch between different performance profiles (Eco, Balanced, Gaming, and Max) and manually adjust the fan speed. The overlay also includes toggles for screen brightness, volume, controller mapping, screenshots, and Wi-Fi. Having these controls easily accessible makes life much easier.

Battery Life and Audio

The handheld is equipped with a 4,000mAh battery and supports 10W charging via USB-C. It takes about 45 minutes to charge the battery to 80%.

Battery life varies depending on how you use the device. When I played more demanding PS1 or PSP games on the Gaming performance profile, the battery lasted around 6-8 hours. When I switched to the Eco profile to play standard Game Boy Advance games, the battery life extended closer to 10-12 hours. For casual use, playing an hour or two a day, you can easily go a few days between charges.

For audio, the Pocket Advance has two chamber speakers located on the bottom edge. They are surprisingly clear and get loud enough for normal indoor use without distorting. The device also includes a rotor motor for haptic feedback, which works well in games that support rumble features. If you prefer to use wired headphones, the 3.5mm jack on the bottom provides clean audio output.

Final Thoughts

The Ayaneo Konkr Pocket Advance is a fantastic device that brings a genuinely premium feel to the retro handheld space. Between the excellent display, quite powerful chipset, and smooth Android interface, the overall design is incredibly well-executed. While it isn’t an exact replica of the original Game Boy Advance, it doesn’t need to be, it perfectly masters all the nitpicky details you would want in a modern GBA-style handheld.

The pricing is also highly competitive, starting at just $89, making it an easy recommendation. When comparing it to a direct competitor like the $59.99 Anbernic RG34XX, the Pocket Advance easily outclasses it in almost every category when it comes to raw specs and overall polish.

If you are specifically looking for a joystick experience, you might want to look toward the Pocket Air Mini, which starts at $109.99. However, if you want a premium, D-pad-focused handheld that nails the classic horizontal form factor, the Pocket Advance is an outstanding choice.

The Pocket Advance is available to purchase through the official Ayaneo website, while the limited-edition Pink and Onyx Ice variants can be purchased here.

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Special treat for Indian readers: use code Display1000 at checkout to get ₹1,000 off. Check XPPen official here and grab yours while the deal lasts.

Hardware Specifications

The Artist 16 3rd is positioned as an entry‑level device, but a glance at the spec sheet feels almost “unfair” for the category. It packs a 15.4‑inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a full‑HD 1920×1080 resolution. To be honest, 1080p on a 15.4‑inch screen isn’t pixel‑density royalty, but in actual use it’s plenty sharp – at a normal working distance, I can barely spot individual pixels, and line edges stay crisp. The refresh rate is 60Hz, which doesn’t match the buttery 120Hz of the flagship Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2), but it’s more than adequate for drawing – we’re not playing competitive shooters here.

What genuinely surprised me is the colour performance. This panel covers 99% sRGB, 98% Adobe RGB, and 97% Display P3, with a colour accuracy Delta E < 1.5. To put that in perspective: in this price tier, seeing 99% sRGB alone is already considered generous – but the Artist 16 3rd pushes Adobe RGB and Display P3 to near‑professional levels. Simply put, whether you’re retouching photos, illustrating, or doing light video grading, this screen is reliable right out of the box – no extra calibration needed. Brightness is rated at 270 nits, which is perfectly fine indoors; direct sunlight might be a struggle, but who draws outside under the sun?

The screen uses a fully laminated AGAF nano‑etched glass finish. The full lamination means there’s virtually no parallax between the pen tip and the cursor – the hand‑eye coordination feels rock‑solid. The AG nano‑etching provides a paper‑like drag while effectively reducing glare and resisting fingerprints. Under indoor lighting, I barely noticed any reflections, and my fingers didn’t leave greasy smudges – a definite plus.

The stylus is a major upgrade this time. The Artist 16 3rd comes with the new‑generation X4 smart‑chip digital pen, featuring 16,384 pressure levels. For reference, most mainstream professional pen displays still stick with 8,192 levels – the X4 doubles that. The initial activation force is just 2g, response time is 30ms, and the nib travel is only 0.3mm. What do these numbers mean in practice? A feather‑light touch produces ink immediately, the nib barely feels like it moves, and line‑following is exceptionally responsive – no more “pen moved but line didn’t” lag. The pen also supports 60° tilt recognition, so when you’re sketching cross‑hatching or doing thick‑paint blending, the tilted stroke naturally mimics the width variation of a real brush. Bonus: the pen has magnetic snap‑on storage – it attaches neatly to the top of the display, so no more rolling off the desk.

On connectivity, the Artist 16 3rd offers one full‑featured USB‑C port and one 3‑in‑1 USB‑C port. The full‑featured USB‑C means a single cable handles video, data, and power – a huge relief for those who frequently carry their tablet and laptop around, keeping your desk tidy. The 3‑in‑1 USB‑C supports video output, data transfer, and charging, offering flexible connection options.

Interaction & Shortcut Keys

The Artist 16 3rd integrates dual X‑Dial wheels and 8 customisable shortcut keys on the left side. I have to highlight this design. In the past, adjusting brush size or zooming in/out meant reaching for the keyboard or tapping on the screen – a real workflow breaker. The X‑Dial wheels solve that completely.

A gentle flick of the wheel lets you smoothly adjust brush size, zoom the canvas, or scroll through layers. The dual‑wheel setup means you can control two functions simultaneously – say, one wheel for brush size and the other for canvas zoom – without interference. The 8 shortcut keys can be assigned to Undo, Duplicate, tool switching, and other frequent actions. With this combination, I found my drawing efficiency noticeably improved – my hand never leaves the pen display for most operations, and the immersion is something you don’t get with keyboard shortcuts. For beginners, this greatly lowers the learning curve – no need to memorise a ton of key combinations.

Drawing Experience

The first impression of the X4 pen is lightness – it sits comfortably in hand, with balanced weight distribution that doesn’t tire you out during long sessions. The 16K pressure sensitivity, in actual use, translates to a quantum leap in line delicacy. The slightest lift is captured – producing very fine, faint lines perfect for sketching or light washes – while firm pressure yields thick, saturated strokes with smooth transitions. This wide pressure range gives the brush a remarkably expressive feel, especially when doing pencil hatching or ink‑wash styles – the “press‑and‑lift” nuance feels surprisingly close to traditional media.

The 30ms response time is virtually unnoticeable – the cursor follows the pen tip without delay. The 0.3mm nib travel makes the pen feel almost like it’s not moving at all, as if you’re drawing directly on the screen. The fully laminated screen eliminates parallax, reinforcing that solid hand‑eye coordination. The AG nano‑etched glass adds a paper‑like drag – the nib glides with a subtle scratchy sound, neither slippery like plain glass nor overly sticky. That perfect friction makes precision control much easier.

Final Verdict

The XPPen Artist 16 3rd, with its X4 pen chip, delivers 16K pressure sensitivity and 30ms response that far exceed its price class. The dual X‑Dial wheels and 8 shortcut keys offer a tangible boost in workflow efficiency. Paired with a wide‑gamut screen (99% sRGB, 98% Adobe RGB) and a full‑laminated paper‑texture display, honestly – two years ago, you’d never have imagined this spec sheet in a sub‑$400 product.

If you’re a student, hobbyist, or any creator who needs a portable, well‑rounded pen display to start your digital art journey, the Artist 16 3rd is one of the most compelling choices on the market right now. It may not be the absolute top‑tier, but at this price, it gives you almost everything you need – and then some.

Here’s a special treat for our Indian readers: use code Display1000 at checkout to get ₹1,000 off your purchase. Head over to the XPPen official here and grab yours while the deal lasts — your next masterpiece is just a stroke away.

The post XPPen Artist 16 3rd Review – A Precision‑Targeted ‘Pro’ Tool For Entry-Level appeared first on Gizmochina.

TECNO is clearly obsessed with ultra‑thin smartphones. We’ve already seen the POVA Slim and the SPARK Slim, and now the CAMON series finally gets its own Slim variant. But this one is fundamentally different from the previous two. Inside and out, it feels like TECNO’s definitive answer to what a slim phone should be. And we’re not kidding—this is easily the most refined TECNO handset we’ve ever laid hands on.

Unboxing

The CAMON Slim comes in a two‑layer box. You start by sliding off the outer sleeve, then lifting the lid to reveal the phone itself. We’ll get to the device in a moment, though, because all the accessories are tucked underneath. Most of them are fairly standard — a SIM ejector tool, a clear case, a 60W charger, and a USB cable. But there’s one item that stands out: the Side Port Sealing Stickers. And that’s something you don’t see every day.

You probably know that when applying a UV adhesive glass screen protector, the buttons and ports are the easiest places for glue to seep into and cause problems. These stickers are designed to seal them off before installation. Such a thoughtful little accessory.

Design & Build

As always, let’s start with its biggest selling point—the thickness. The CAMON Slim is only 6.39mm thick. Combined with the curved display, the frame visually narrows down to less than 4mm. Admittedly, it isn’t the thinnest smartphone in the world, but the first time you hold it, it’s still genuinely impressive.

Making a phone thin is just the foundation of the CAMON Slim. What really sets it apart from its two older brothers is the color design. The one I have here is the Jungle Green version, featuring a crystal-like texture with a beautiful gradient finish. It has plenty of personality without being overly flashy, and it’s easily my favorite color option.

If you prefer something bolder, there are also the New Mondrian and Van Gogh Blue versions. Just from their names and appearances, you can probably tell which masterpieces they pay tribute to.

Beyond the sleek design, the CAMON Slim proves it’s built to last. It boasts both IP68 and IP69 ratings for water and dust resistance, and has also passed U.S. military‑grade drop tests (MIL‑STD‑810H). Audio-wise, it doesn’t just settle for stereo speakers — it also supports Dolby Atmos for a more immersive listening experience.

There’s also an interesting feature hidden inside the camera module: 354 built-in Mini LEDs. Notifications, music playback, and charging can all trigger different lighting effects. Of course, you can also customize your own text or patterns, making it both practical and highly personalized. So if you’ve been looking for another phone with an LED matrix display, here’s a new option.

Display & Camera

The CAMON Slim features a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, with a 144Hz refresh rate. It also supports 2160Hz PWM dimming, making it more comfortable on your eyes during extended use. The bezels aren’t the absolute narrowest, but at least all four sides are evenly sized.

On the back, the CAMON Slim features a 50MP Sony LYT-600 main camera. The other lens that looks like a camera is actually a flicker sensor.

Although it’s a single-camera setup, the image quality from the main camera is quite good for its price. Photos are sharp, colors are accurate. Even when you zoom in to 2×, the image stays surprisingly sharp. It’s perfectly capable of handling everyday photography.

Performance & Battery

Under the hood, the CAMON Slim is powered by the MediaTek Helio G200 Ultimate — a capable entry‑level chipset that scores around 620,000 points on AnTuTu Lite. It’s not designed to handle graphically intensive games, and expecting it to do so would be a stretch. However, for everyday tasks like web browsing, social media scrolling, video streaming, and light casual gaming, it handles everything with ease — and for most users, that’s more than enough.

Performance isn’t really the issue here — the real drawback is that the Helio G200 Ultimate is a 4G‑only platform. While 5G only truly outshines 4G in download speeds, its absence still leaves a lingering sense of “what if” that’s hard to ignore.

On the software front, HiOS 16 — built on Android 16 — delivers a clean, fluid experience. TECNO is also promising five years of support, including three major Android OS upgrades, which is exceptionally generous for a phone at this price point.

The AI experience is surprisingly competitive, even outperforming some better‑known brands. Not only does the phone include almost every AI feature you’d expect from a modern Android device, but it also lets you freely switch between five major LLMs — with zero regional restrictions. TECNO’s openness here is genuinely impressive and way beyond what I anticipated.

For a phone this slim, fitting in a 5,600mAh battery is nothing short of impressive engineering. In daily use, the battery easily lasted me through a full day with plenty to spare. Charging is also well taken care of, with 60W speeds that are excellent by TECNO’s standards. The only compromise? There’s simply no room for wireless charging — but honestly, that’s a trade‑off most users will be happy to make given the slim profile.

Conclusion

The CAMON Slim is a phone with a crystal‑clear identity: slim, stylish, and built to last. It’s not without compromises — the 4G‑only chipset will be a dealbreaker for some, and the single‑camera setup feels almost unconventional for the CAMON lineage. But then again, this phone was never meant to be everything to everyone.

Its target audience is refreshingly specific: budget‑conscious users who want a phone that feels unobtrusive in daily life without being dull. At the end of the day, a smartphone is just a tool. And sometimes, the best tools are the ones you forget are even there.

The post TECNO CAMON Slim Hands-on: They are so into the “Slim” model appeared first on Gizmochina.

The SJCAM C400 takes a different approach to the action-camera market. Instead of simply shrinking down a conventional action camera, it combines a tiny detachable camera with a battery grip that doubles as a larger monitor and wireless controller. The result is a versatile setup aimed at casual vloggers, travelers, and everyday creators.

It records in 4K, features six-axis gyro stabilization, has a rotating touchscreen, and can deliver up to seven hours of claimed battery life with its grip. It also comes with a generous selection of mounting accessories. However, the C400 isn’t without compromises, particularly when you push it beyond casual shooting.

A Clever 3-in-1 Design

The C400’s biggest attraction is its modular design. The 54g camera can be removed from the battery grip and used independently, making it small enough to carry in a pocket. Attach it to the grip and it becomes a more conventional handheld camera with a 2.29-inch rotating touchscreen.

The C400 is made up of two main pieces: the compact camera and the detachable battery grip. The camera measures 68 × 32 × 25.5mm and weighs just 54g on its own, while the complete setup weighs 189g. The camera has a small touchscreen and a physical multifunction button, with the microSD card slot and USB-C port located on the camera. The grip adds the larger 2.29-inch rotating touchscreen, dedicated power and recording controls, a USB-C charging port and a standard mounting point at the bottom. The camera slides securely into the grip and can be released using the side buckles, making it easy to switch between handheld and standalone use.

SJCAM’s 3-in-1 positioning essentially covers three ways of using the camera: handheld, pocket and remote. The grip can be separated from the camera and used as a wireless controller and monitor, allowing you to preview and control the camera from a distance.

The grip is comfortable to hold, and its physical buttons make starting and stopping recordings straightforward. Rotating the display also powers the camera on or off, which is a neat touch.

The wireless monitor is particularly useful when the camera is mounted somewhere away from you. However, there can be some latency in the wireless preview, so it isn’t always ideal when you need to frame a shot quickly.

SJCAM also gives you a generous selection of accessories with the C400. The box includes the camera and battery grip, waterproof case, frame mount, base mount, base back clip, back clip, adapter, curved and flat mounts, lanyard, USB cable, screw, 3M adhesive stickers and a cleaning cloth. This makes the C400 ready for a variety of mounting options straight out of the box, whether you’re using it handheld, attaching it to clothing or mounting it for POV footage.

Lots of Accessories Included

SJCAM has also packed the C400 with plenty of accessories. The package includes a waterproof case, frame mount, clips, mounting adapters, curved and flat mounts, adhesive stickers, lanyard, USB cable and other mounting hardware.

This makes the C400 ready for different shooting scenarios without requiring a separate accessories kit. You can mount the camera to clothing, bikes and other surfaces, while the grip provides a more traditional handheld setup.

The modular design also means you don’t always have to carry the larger grip. For hands-free or discreet shooting, the tiny camera can be used on its own.

4K Video Is Good for Casual Shooting

The C400 records at up to 4K/30fps, with 2K/60fps and 1080p/120fps also available. It supports slow motion, timelapse, loop recording, pre-recording, motion detection and car recording.

You’ll Need4K/30fps footage eats storage fast, and the C400 doesn’t include a microSD card in the box. Check 64GB microSD card price on Amazon →

In good daylight, the footage is sharp enough for travel videos, casual vlogging and social media. However, the 1/2.8-inch sensor means this isn’t a camera I’d pick primarily for challenging lighting conditions.

Low-light footage can look noisy and flat, while bright scenes can sometimes have blown-out highlights. Colors can also appear somewhat muted in certain situations.

The biggest specification limitation is the lack of 4K/60fps. If you’re recording fast-moving subjects, 4K/30fps doesn’t offer the same fluidity as higher-end action cameras. Slow motion is available at lower resolutions, with 2K supporting 60fps and 1080p reaching 120fps.

For casual creators, however, 4K/30fps should be sufficient for most everyday use.

Stabilization Works, But Has Its Limits

SJCAM uses six-axis gyro stabilization with its SteadyMotion V1.0 algorithm and offers Horizon Steady with up to 45 degrees of horizon correction.

The stabilization is useful for reducing everyday hand movement and makes walking footage more manageable. However, it doesn’t match the sophisticated stabilization offered by DJI or GoPro’s higher-end action cameras.

More aggressive movement can still produce noticeable jolts, particularly when running. Horizon Steady does a better job of keeping the image level, but it also crops into the footage.

That means the C400 is better suited to travel, walking, casual cycling and everyday recording than demanding action sports.

The C400’s compact design makes it particularly interesting for vloggers. The rotating display makes handheld recording convenient, while the detachable camera opens up more possibilities for POV and hands-free shots.

The biggest limitation here is audio. The C400 has a built-in microphone, but does not support an external microphone. This can be a problem if you’re serious about vlogging, particularly when recording outdoors or with the camera mounted away from you.

Wind and surrounding environmental noise can also affect recordings, so the C400 works best when the camera is reasonably close to the subject.

Battery Life Is a Major Strength

Battery life is one of the C400’s strongest features.

The standalone camera is rated for up to 172 minutes of 4K/30fps recording, while the 3,000mAh battery grip increases the claimed runtime to 437 minutes, or more than seven hours.

That’s excellent for travel and day-long recording. Instead of carrying multiple batteries, you can simply attach the grip when you need additional runtime.

SJCAM also says the camera shouldn’t be charged with a fast charger. The USB-C port on the grip is designed for charging, while data transfer takes place through the camera’s USB-C port.

Waterproofing Requires an Extra Step

The C400 itself isn’t natively waterproof. You need the supplied waterproof case for underwater shooting, with the case supporting depths of up to 30 meters.

That’s useful for swimming and other water-based activities, but it does add bulk and makes the C400 less convenient than action cameras that can be used directly in water without a case.

For normal travel and everyday use, though, this isn’t likely to be a major concern.

App Connectivity Is Fine, But Not Perfect

The SJCAM Zone app lets you monitor and control the camera from your phone, which is useful when the camera is mounted out of reach. It also provides another way to change settings and manage recording.

The app isn’t always perfectly reliable and can occasionally disconnect, but this is more of a minor annoyance than a major drawback. The C400 remains usable without depending on the smartphone app.

Verdict

The SJCAM C400 is an interesting alternative to conventional action cameras because it focuses as much on versatility and convenience as it does on recording specifications.

The detachable 54g camera is genuinely useful, the battery grip makes handheld shooting more comfortable, and the large rotating display gives you a much better view when recording. The wireless remote functionality and generous selection of accessories further strengthen its appeal.

There are compromises. 4K is limited to 30fps, low-light performance isn’t its strongest area, and the lack of external microphone support limits its appeal to more serious vloggers. The absence of native waterproofing also means you’ll need the supplied case for water-based activities.

Still, the C400 makes sense for casual vloggers, travelers and everyday creators who value portability, long battery life and flexibility. It isn’t trying to be the most advanced action camera available. Instead, its appeal lies in giving you several ways to use one small camera without having to buy a collection of additional accessories.

If convenience and versatility matter more to you than flagship-level stabilization and image quality, the SJCAM C400 is worth considering.

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The post SJCAM C400 Review: A Versatile 3-in-1 Action Camera for Everyday Creators appeared first on Gizmochina.

So how do you put the words Robot and Phone together? It was hard for me to visualize such a product, until I saw it at MWC this year. Then I was thinking, ok a prototype then. But, now it has become a mass-produced product. This is crazy! Anyway, the phone market is kind of boring these years, no matter how this phone really performs, the HONOR Robot Phone does bring a bit of interesting stuff. We just got this one, and this article is just a first impression. Stay tuned if you want to see a comparison with maybe the DJI Pocket 4P. And since this phone is not sold globally, you can buy it from Geekwills.com.

Form Factor

First, let’s talk about the form factor. There are four cameras, the main camera, also the one with the gimbal, is a 200MP, 1/1.28 inch sensor, F1.6. Then there is also 200MP telephoto lens, 50MP ultrawide, and a 50MP front camera, specs are very good.

The main camera can be used as it is, tucked in the camera module, with a lens cover to protect it. But if you do want to use it this way, you must wipe the lens cover often for sure. Then if you use it with the gimbal, you need to slide the cover to the side first, otherwise there will be a notice to remind you.

When the gimbal is fully extended, it does tip the balance over a little bit. HONOR must know it, so there is a special case, a magnetic ring and a lanyard to support a better experience. The magnetic ring is better than most out there, because it can shape into more angles.

The robot camera can also do more things, such as dance with the music, or track human movement while streaming. This unlocks a lot more potential than the pocket cameras.

Image Quality

You must be very curious about the image quality and gimbal performance, right? We did some tests, just like how we use the pocket cameras.

When I walk with the camera, the stabilization is very good. When I put it side by side with the DJI 4P, I can’t see any wobble or image shaking from HONOR. Then I run, it still performs well, only slightly less stable than the DJI.  

Now when it comes to the image quality, there is a slight pity, the video specs top at 2.8K 120FPS. But if you tuck the camera away, it can shoot at 4K 120FPS. So when I compare the footage of 2.8K 30FPS and 4K 30FPS, you can clearly see the stabilization is better with the gimbal out, but the image quality and dynamic range are better from 4K 30FPS. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this. And I hope there will be an OTA to top it up to 4K, because I see the 4K option is in gray in the settings, not completely invisible.

And since HONOR is working with ARRI on color science, there are all the cinematic tones in the collection, you can choose the best film look you want.

It’s Still A Phone

Now it is still a phone that we can use daily. In that form, it is smaller than all the Ultra and Pro-level phones. But it is indeed heavier, even heavier than the Ultra phones. With the camera module being heavier, you really have to do some brain power training.

Other than that, I still think this phone is really well built. It feels like a carefully engineered masterpiece. I think most people will like it.

Then it comes with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5, 12GB+512GB, or 16GB+1TB. Battery capacity 7060mAh. Despite the limited space, the battery is still big. But of course, the gimbal would consume more power, so let’s see how the battery life goes.

Summary

So this is the HONOR Robot Phone, it is truly an engineering masterpiece. There are still some limitations, but we can’t deny that it does bring some fresh stuff to the robot, pocket camera, and phone markets. We will bring you the full review soon.

The post HONOR Robot Phone First Impression appeared first on Gizmochina.

When you hear the term Android laptop, it is easy to picture a tablet with a keyboard case attached to it. For a long time, that is exactly what the budget Android computing space offered. You usually had to choose between a low-cost Windows machine that might struggle with basic updates or a Chromebook that relies heavily on an internet connection.

Recently, Primebook sent me their new Primebook 2 Max (2026) to test. Priced at Rs. 27,990, it takes a different approach. Instead of trying to run Windows on entry-level hardware, it uses PrimeOS 3.0, an operating system based on Android 15 but designed to look and function like a traditional desktop. It comes with an integrated AI tool, a 15.6-inch screen, and a MediaTek Helio G99 processor.

I went into this review with moderate expectations. I have used the Helio G99 in budget tablets, where it performs adequately, but a laptop environment is usually more demanding. After using the Primebook 2 Max as my primary computer for the past two weeks, I am really surprised and found it to be a capable machine. It has clear limitations, but it also offers a practical alternative for people who primarily need a device for basic tasks and long battery life. Here is a detailed look at how it holds up in daily use.

Design and Build Quality

The Primebook looks just like any other laptop. It weighs 1.61 kg and is 20mm thick, making it relatively easy to carry around in a backpack. The chassis is made entirely of plastic. It feels reasonably sturdy for the price, without too much creaking when you rest your wrists on it.

The model I tested comes in a matte Chill Grey finish. It looks clean out of the box, but the review unit I received had a bit of a scratch near the logo. I am not so sure about how scratch-proof it is since I use my devices very carefully, but I hope the paint stays like this for a long time.

Now, coming to another part which you might not expect in this price range is the hinge. The laptop can actually open a full 180 degrees, so it can lie completely flat.

However, you can’t open the lid one-handed, as the base lifts off the table when you try, but the small notch at the top makes it easy to open with both hands. That notch also houses a 1440p webcam. The camera quality is good enough for video calls, and it includes a physical privacy shutter, which is a practical addition.

Display

The laptop features a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS LCD screen with a standard 16:9 aspect ratio. For a laptop that costs under Rs. 30,000, the display is decent. It has a matte, anti-glare finish, which I prefer for working because it cuts down on reflections from overhead lights.

The colors (covering 45% of the NTSC color space) are fine for everyday tasks like reading, writing, and watching casual videos. The viewing angles are also good; the screen remains readable even if you look at it from the side. However, if you are watching dark scenes in a movie, you might notice some color banding, which is typical in this price range.

The main limitation is the brightness. The panel maxes out at 250 nits. This is perfectly adequate for indoor use, but if you try to work outside, you will likely struggle to see the screen clearly.

There is a Super Brightness setting in the software that helps slightly, but it is still primarily an indoor display.

Keyboard and Trackpad

The keyboard on the Primebook 2 Max is an absolute delight. It’s a full-sized chiclet keyboard complete with a number pad, which is a massive win for students dealing with spreadsheets. It’s also backlit, a feature that is criminally omitted from many budget laptops.

Because this is an Android-first machine, the function row is populated with a different set of shortcut keys tailored specifically to the OS. I found these incredibly useful for daily tasks, allowing me to quickly manage my system without diving into menus.

The key travel is comfortable, and the typing experience is silent, perfect for quieter environments like libraries or late-night dorm rooms. If you’re coming from a standard Windows keyboard, it might take a day or two to adjust your muscle memory, but once you do, it’s smooth sailing.

The trackpad, however, is a slightly different story. Physically, it’s great. It’s a large, expansive surface area, and my fingers hovered and swiped across it without any physical friction. But in practice, the mouse pointer feels just a bit sluggish. It’s not exactly where I want it to be at the exact right time.

I often found myself having to wait a fraction of a second to click on something because my fingers had already completed the swipe, but the on-screen pointer was playing catch-up. It’s not a total dealbreaker, but it is noticeable. I’m hoping this is just a software quirk that Primebook can patch in a future update, rather than a hardware polling limitation.

Connectivity

You’ll NeedThe microSD slot reads cards up to 1TB, handy for expanding the 256GB onboard storage. Check 256GB microSD card price on Amazon →

The Primebook 2 Max includes a standard set of ports. On the right side, there is a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C port (which supports data and OTG), a USB Type-A 2.0 port, and a microSD card slot that can read cards up to 1TB. On the left side, you will find a dedicated USB Type-C port used specifically for charging, along with two more USB Type-A ports.

For wireless connections, it supports dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1. I had no issues maintaining a stable internet connection or pairing wireless headphones. Because it runs on Android hardware, the laptop also includes a built-in GPS and a gyroscope, which allows certain mobile apps to function as they would on a phone.

There are a couple of omissions to note. The USB-C ports do not support DisplayPort output, meaning you cannot easily connect the laptop to an external monitor using a standard Type-C cable. Also, it lacks a native wireless file-sharing feature like Quick Share.

Performance and Benchmarks

Inside, the laptop runs on a MediaTek Helio G99 processor, paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage. This is hardware you typically find in mid-range Android tablets.

In practice, the performance is suitable for basic computing. It boots up quickly, and navigating the desktop interface is generally smooth. I was able to use a web browser with several tabs open, type up documents, and listen to music at the same time without much issue.

However, you will notice the hardware limits if you try to push it. If you open more than ten heavy browser tabs or try to run multiple demanding Android apps in the background, the system starts to slow down. The animations become less fluid, and switching between apps takes longer.

The benchmark numbers reflect this experience. In Geekbench 6, it scored 696 in single-core and 1,682 in multi-core. In AnTuTu, it reached a total score of 576,220. Storage speeds are reasonable for the price, with sequential read speeds around 732 MB/s and write speeds around 405 MB/s, which helps apps load relatively quickly.

Graphics performance is where the hardware struggles the most. In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test, it scored just 337, averaging about 2 frames per second. This means the laptop is not meant for heavy 3D gaming.

You can play standard Android games like BGMI, Call of Duty, or Subway Surfers, but you will need to keep the graphics settings on low or medium for a smooth experience. The built-in keymapping software is quite helpful here, allowing you to assign keyboard keys to on-screen touch controls.

Software and AI

The software is the most interesting part of this laptop. It runs PrimeOS 3.0, which is based on Android 15 but modified to look and act like a desktop operating system. You get a taskbar, a start menu, and a task manager. You can open apps in resizable windows, snap them to the sides of the screen, and use familiar keyboard shortcuts like Alt+Tab.

Because it is a custom OS, it does not come with the Google Play Store. Instead, you download apps from the Primestore. The store has a good selection of common apps, and there is an option to request apps that are missing.

If you occasionally need to use full Windows or Linux applications, Primebook offers a feature called PrimeX, which is a Cloud PC service. By paying a subscription fee (starting at Rs. 499 per month), you can stream a virtual desktop to the laptop. I tried this on a stable Wi-Fi connection, and it worked well enough for running desktop software.

The OS also includes an AI feature called PrimeAGNT. It is powered by models like Gemini and Qwen and can perform tasks like reading your screen, summarizing text, or changing system settings. It operates on a credit system; the laptop comes with a set amount of free credits, and once you run out, you have to purchase more. It is a neat addition for basic automation, though it feels like a feature that is still evolving.

One notable software limitation is media streaming. The laptop only has Widevine L3 certification. This means that if you watch Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, the stream will be capped at standard definition (480p or 540p). It can play local 1080p video files perfectly fine, but the lack of high-definition streaming for major platforms is a drawback if you watch a lot of movies online.

Sound and Battery Life

The audio comes from dual stereo speakers located on the bottom, with secondary grilles near the keyboard. They get quite loud and are fine for watching YouTube videos or attending online meetings in a quiet room. However, they lack bass, and if you turn the volume up past 80%, the sound begins to distort.

Battery life is easily the laptop’s strongest feature. It has a 60.3Wh battery, and because the mobile processor is quite power-efficient, it lasts a long time. In my daily use, which consisted of web browsing, writing, and watching some videos, I consistently got around 10 to 12 hours of screen-on time. If you use it lightly, you can easily go a couple of days without plugging it in.

Charging, on the other hand, is less convenient. The laptop comes with a proprietary 36W charger, and it takes about two and a half hours to charge from zero to full. It does not support USB Power Delivery (PD) charging, which means you cannot use a standard high-speed Type-C phone or laptop charger to power it up. You have to carry the specific Primebook charger with you.

Verdict

The Primebook 2 Max (2026) is a practical machine that knows its target audience. By combining an Android-based operating system with a traditional laptop form factor, it offers a functional environment for people whose daily tasks revolve around web browsing, document editing, and mobile apps.

It gets the basics right: the screen is comfortable to look at, the keyboard is suitable for typing, and the battery life is excellent. The desktop-style interface of PrimeOS 3.0 makes navigating Android apps much easier than on a standard tablet.

It is not a laptop for power users. However, at Rs. 27,990, it provides a viable option for students or casual users who want a device with a long-lasting battery for basic daily work. If your computing needs are light and you want to avoid the sluggishness of entry-level Windows laptops, the Primebook 2 Max is worth considering.

You can buy the Primebook 2 Max from the official Primebook website.

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After months of leaks and speculation, Honor has finally made its robotic smartphone official. Unveiled today at a global launch event in Guangzhou, China, the Honor Robot Phone is very much a real, mass-produced device — and pre‑orders are already open in China.

Many had written it off as a concept that would never see the light of day, but Honor proved the doubters wrong. The phone’s standout feature is a fully integrated 4‑DoF (four degrees of freedom) titanium mechanical gimbal built directly into the chassis — a first for any mainstream smartphone.

Hands on Experience: Gimbal Hardware – Tiny but Mighty

The gimbal motor weighs just 2.6 grams — 65% smaller than traditional gimbals, yet Honor claims it delivers 200% stronger performance. Over 100 precision components are packed into the mechanism, with most of them on display at the launch venue. The camera can physically rotate, tilt, and track subjects at speeds up to 360° per second, drawing obvious comparisons to a scaled‑down, foldable DJI OSMO Pocket 3.

To protect the delicate gimbal, Honor has added a transparent sliding cover on the surface. Interestingly, the cover can be slid over to the standard camera side, opening the door for third‑party filter attachments — an NV filter, for example. The gimbal only operates when the phone is unfolded, and the Camera app will notify the user if something isn’t right. Despite being made of titanium, durability remains a question mark — one drop could still lead to costly repairs.

During our brief hands‑on time, the mechanism felt smooth and responsive. Thanks to the phone’s powerful chipset, subject tracking is exceptionally fast and accurate. Image stabilization clearly surpasses what traditional smartphones can achieve — a side‑by‑side comparison with a regular phone makes the difference instantly obvious.

We exported a demo clip shot on‑site using the robot phone, and the dynamic range and stability straight out of the camera are genuinely impressive.

Embodied AI and Extensibility

Honor also showcased the phone’s “embodied” AI capabilities, positioning the device as the “brain” and “eyes” for various physical add‑ons. Through the YOYO assistant, users can issue voice commands or use a joystick to make the phone walk or dance. While these accessory kits aren’t yet in mass production, Honor has committed to open‑sourcing them, allowing enthusiasts to 3D‑print their own attachments.

ARRI Partnership and Color Science

A major highlight of the event was Honor’s partnership with ARRI, the legendary cinema camera company. Together, they’ve brought ARRI’s renowned color science to the robot phone, including 10‑bit ARRI LogC3 recording with 14 stops of dynamic range and 11 built‑in ARRI Looks. This isn’t just a gimmick — Honor is positioning the device as a serious tool for content creators. The partnership will extend to the upcoming Magic 9 series, promising cinema‑level imaging upgrades across the lineup.

YOYO Pro: AI That Executes 100+ Steps

Hardware is only half the story. The real intelligence comes from YOYO Pro mode, powered by Alibaba’s Qianwen large language model. Honor has made YOYO’s service on the robot phone free for life. What’s truly impressive is YOYO’s ability to execute over 100 steps of complex tasks with a single sentence — cross‑app, cross‑ecosystem, no problem. The catch? This functionality is currently limited to the Chinese version, and Honor has confirmed that there will be no global version for the first‑generation robot phone.

Pricing

Honor has positioned the Robot Phone firmly in premium territory. The device comes in two configurations: 12GB RAM + 512GB storage priced at CNY 9,999 (approximately $1,480 / £1,100 / AU$2,100), and a higher-end 16GB RAM + 1TB storage variant at CNY 12,999 (around $1,930). It’s worth noting that early market estimates had suggested prices could exceed CNY 15,000, given the cost of the self-developed 4D gimbal mechanism. In the end, the actual pricing came in notably lower than those projections.

Pre-orders opened on August 12 at 8:30 PM, with the first sales officially kicking off on August 18 at 10:08 AM across Honor’s official store and retail outlets. The phone comes in two color options: Star Track Silver and Moon Shadow Gray.

The bad news? As we mentioned earlier, Honor has confirmed there will be no global version for the first-generation Robot Phone. For now, this one is strictly a China-exclusive. International readers interested in getting their hands on one early can check availability through GeekWills.

Final Thoughts

The Honor Robot Phone is far from perfect, but we have to respect the ambition. Turning a wild concept into a shipping product is no small feat. This is a first‑gen device in a brand‑new category, and from our early hands-on experience, it’s genuinely impressive.

Gizmochina Review’ll be bringing you a full review once a unit arrives at the studio.

The post HONOR Robot Phone Hands-on at Launch: Built-In Gimbal, ARRI Color Science, and YOYO Pro AI appeared first on Gizmochina.

I have been spending some time with the upcoming iQOO Z11 ahead of its India launch, and the phone makes a strong first impression with its combination of a large curved display, a massive battery, and a new focus on AI features. iQOO is positioning the Z11 in the under-Rs 40,000 segment, with the phone set to launch in India on August 20.

iQOO claims that the Z11 is designed with students in mind, especially because its AI features can help with studying, taking notes, summarizing information, writing assignments, and handling everyday academic tasks. After trying some of these features, I can see why the company is emphasizing practical AI use cases rather than treating AI as just another specification.

AI Creation can do more than summarize text

One of the features I have spent time trying is AI Creation, which works as a writing and text-processing assistant. It can be accessed from the editing page in Notes and DocMaster, where it offers several tools.

The available options include Summary, Polish, Shorten, Extend, Continue writing, Revise grammar, Smart layout, Extract to-dos and Translate. There are also dedicated templates for Articles, Brainstorming and Work summary.

This means you can take a block of text and ask the phone to summarize, polish, shorten or expand it. Continue writing can help extend existing content, while Revise grammar can clean up the writing.

AI Creation is also available through the system clipboard in supported third-party apps. You can long-press inside a text field, open Clipboard and access the AI tools for content generation or polishing.

For students, this could be useful when working with long study material, preparing notes or cleaning up written work. I will be testing the quality of the generated content more extensively in the full review.

AI Captions can translate Indian languages in real time

AI Captions is another feature I found particularly interesting. It is powered by Google Gemini and Microsoft Azure and provides real-time transcription and translation.

What I liked is that it can translate Indian languages such as Hindi and Urdu in real time. iQOO says it plans to add support for more Indian languages in the future.

Beyond these, AI Captions supports languages including Chinese, Czech, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Polish, Spanish, Thai, Turkish and Russian. It can also automatically detect the source language, so you do not always have to manually select the language being spoken.

While translation is happening in real time, you can tap AI Summary from the bottom bar to generate a summary. At present, the summary is available only in English.

If you need the summary in another language, you can use AI Creation’s Translate option to translate the generated English summary into your preferred language.

India’s first Dimensity 7500 Turbo phone

The iQOO Z11 is India’s first smartphone to feature the MediaTek Dimensity 7500 Turbo, which is powered by MediaTek’s 8th-generation NPU, with an independent AI processing unit added over the iQOO Z10’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. iQOO claims that the chipset delivers up to 2x higher AI performance compared with the previous generation.

The other major hardware highlight is the 7,050mAh battery, which is one of the biggest batteries in this segment.

I still need more time to properly test battery endurance, sustained performance and the cameras, so I am not drawing any conclusions on those aspects yet.

A bright, curved AMOLED display

The iQOO Z11 features a 6.83-inch 3D Curved AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The company claims it is the brightest display in its segment, with 2,000 nits HBM brightness and 3,000 nits local peak brightness. In my initial use outdoors, I found the display bright enough, with text remaining clearly visible even under bright sunlight.

The 144Hz refresh rate is immediately noticeable when scrolling through the interface, while the curved edges give the phone a more premium appearance. The large display panel also makes the phone well suited for watching videos and browsing content

Aurora Green has a subtle color-changing effect

I have been using the Aurora Green version, and it is arguably the more interesting of the two colors. The phone is also available in Celestial Blue, which can attract fingerprint marks

The green rear panel has a liquid-crystal-inspired finish. As you move the phone under light, a pale blue sheen appears across the surface, giving the back a subtle color-changing effect. The horizontal camera module houses a 50-megapixel main camera, and thankfully, it is accompanied by an ultra-wide-angle lens. Here are some shots captured using the Z11.

The iQOO Z11 launches in India on August 20 and will be positioned in the under-Rs 40,000 segment. This is only my initial hands-on experience, with the full review to follow after more extensive testing.

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Introduction

In today’s smartphone market, where most devices look and feel the same, truly eye-catching releases are few and far between. But when I got my hands on the TECNO Pova 8 5G – model number LK6 – it genuinely threw a few pleasant surprises my way. As the latest addition to TECNO’s Pova lineup, this phone has already turned heads with its massive 8000mAh battery and the distinctive Alive Matrix dot‑matrix display on the rear.

Design & Build

On paper, the official weight is 225 grams – which doesn’t sound too bad, right? But consider this: the iPhone 17 Pro tips the scale at 240 grams, so this phone is only a hair lighter than that heavyweight. In hand, it feels solid and substantial – you definitely know it’s there. The body is 8.8mm thick, which isn’t exactly slim, but given the 8000mAh battery packed inside, I have to say TECNO’s engineers did a commendable job keeping it under control.

The retail box is well-stocked: you get a transparent silicone case, a 45W charger, a USB cable, and a SIM ejector tool – nothing missing. In an age where chargers are often sold separately, this is a welcome touch. The clear case is decent quality, and once it’s on, you can still clearly see the back design – which is where this phone gets really flashy.

The single most attention-grabbing element is undoubtedly the Alive Matrix dot‑matrix screen embedded in the rear camera module. What is it? It’s a tiny LED dot‑matrix panel at the bottom of the camera bump. Think of it as a miniature notification board – when a call comes in, it lights up with a custom pattern; while charging, it shows an animated progress bar; and incoming notifications trigger their own flashing effects. You can even DIY your own patterns and text – I tried a scrolling “HELLO” effect. It’s not exactly life-changing, but it sure drew some “wow” reactions when I showed it to friends.

This design inevitably invites comparisons with Nothing Phone’s Glyph interface. But honestly, the dot‑matrix approach feels more retro‑digital – like an old‑school electronic watch. Some might call it a gimmick, but I think when every brand is fighting over camera module designs, carving out a differentiated feature in that exact spot shows TECNO actually put some thought into it. In terms of sheer distinctiveness, they absolutely nailed it.

The phone also carries an IP64 water‑resistance rating and MIL‑STD‑810H military‑grade certification. I’m not about to dunk it in water or drop it from a height on purpose, but knowing it can handle an unexpected rain shower or a tumble off the table does give extra peace of mind.

Display

Up front, you get a 6.76‑inch IPS LCD with a 1080×2344 resolution – sharp enough for everyday viewing. The headline spec is the 144Hz refresh rate. And yes, the fluidity is immediately noticeable when swiping through home screens or scrolling through social feeds. That said, I did observe that the system dynamically drops the refresh rate to around 90Hz in certain scenarios – presumably to save power. Even with an 8000mAh battery, every drop counts, right?

Colour performance is where IPS LCD naturally falls short of AMOLED – blacks aren’t as deep, contrast is more modest, and dark‑mode content can look a bit washed out. On the plus side, there’s a feature I genuinely appreciate: wet‑touch support. After washing your hands or in rainy weather, the screen still responds accurately even with damp fingers – a small but genuinely useful detail.

One downside: there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack. I’ve mostly switched to Bluetooth earbuds, but every now and then, I miss the convenience of plugging in wired earphones.

Performance

The MediaTek Dimensity 7100 chipset isn’t a flagship killer, but it’s no slouch either. Built on a 6nm process with an 8‑core architecture, it handles daily tasks with ease – scrolling through Douyin (TikTok), browsing shopping apps, chatting on WeChat, or keeping a dozen browser tabs open – I rarely encountered any stutter. The 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage are generous for this price tier, and the microSD card slot (supporting up to 1TB) is a bonus for media hoarders.

We ran a quick test with Genshin Impact – and unsurprisingly, it’s not a gaming powerhouse. Maxed‑out graphics led to noticeable frame drops and rising temperatures. Simply put, the Dimensity 7100 is a capable mid‑range chip: fine for everyday use, playable for games, but don’t expect it to rival Snapdragon 8‑series flagships.

Battery Life

What does 8000mAh actually mean in real life?

I ran a dedicated test: starting at 8 AM with a full charge, I used the phone normally throughout the day – WeChat chats, about 1.5 hours of short‑video scrolling, 2 hours of YouTube, roughly 40 minutes of Honor of Kings, two dozen photos, and around 6 hours of screen‑on time total. By the following evening before bed, the battery still had 23% left.

The feeling is liberating – you no longer scramble for a charger before leaving home, no longer ask restaurant staff for a power bank, and no longer panic when the battery dips to 20%. This battery truly cured my charging anxiety.

TECNO claims the cell retains over 80% capacity after 2,000 charge cycles – roughly five to six years with a single daily charge. I can’t verify that right now, but it’s reassuring to hear.

Charging speeds: 45W wired fast charging takes about 35 minutes to go from 0 to 50%, and a full 0‑100% charge takes nearly 1.5 hours. Not the fastest out there, but given the sheer capacity, it’s acceptable. Additionally, it supports 30W wireless charging and 10W reverse wired charging – handy for topping up earbuds or a smartwatch in a pinch.

Camera

The main camera is a 50‑megapixel Sony LYT600 sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. In good daylight, it produces very pleasing shots – colours lean towards the vibrant side, making food and landscape photos pop, perfect for sharing straight to social media without editing. The 50MP resolution also gives you enough detail to crop in without losing too much clarity.

However, note that there’s no ultra‑wide lens on this phone. What looks like a third camera bump is actually the Alive Matrix dot‑matrix display – so for wide‑angle scenes, you’ll have to step back a few paces. The front‑facing camera is a 13‑megapixel wide‑angle lens; selfies are decent, and the beauty algorithm is fairly natural – TECNO has solid experience in this area.

Verdict

The TECNO POVA 8 5G is a phone that knows its audience and delivers where it matters most. Its massive 8,000mAh battery is the undisputed star — easily powering through two days of moderate use and outlasting most flagships by a comfortable margin, though the 225g weight is a predictable trade-off. The 6.76-inch 144Hz IPS display offers smooth scrolling and decent brightness, while the customizable Alive Matrix LED back panel adds a dose of personality rarely seen at this price point. Camera performance from the 50MP main sensor is serviceable in good light but struggles in low-light scenarios — if photography is your priority, look elsewhere. The Dimensity 7100 5G chip handles daily tasks and gaming without breaking a sweat, and TECNO’s two-year OS upgrade commitment adds long-term value. The POVA 8 5G isn’t trying to be a flagship killer — it’s a battery-first device with character, and for users who prioritize endurance over camera prowess, it’s an easy recommendation.

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Motorola has taken a different approach with the Edge 70 Max. While it is the most powerful smartphone the company has launched under the Edge series, it is not intended to replace the more premium Motorola Signature. Instead, Motorola has positioned the Edge 70 Max as a performance-focused flagship for users who care more about raw power, battery life, and display quality than flagship-grade photography. Starting at Rs 54,999, it enters a competitive segment occupied by the iQOO 15R and OnePlus 15R, while the Motorola Signature, priced from Rs 64,999, caters to buyers looking for a more premium camera experience and longer software support despite sharing the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. After using the Edge 70 Max as my daily driver, here’s what it gets right and where it falls short.

A premium build with a display that steals the show

The Motorola Edge 70 Max looks and feels every bit like a flagship. I received the Aqua Grey variant, and its matte glass finish gives the phone an understated yet premium appearance. The aluminum frame adds to the solid in-hand feel, while Gorilla Glass 7i protection on both sides, MIL-STD-810H certification, and IP68/IP69 ratings provide reassurance against everyday wear and accidental splashes.

Although the matte finish resists fingerprints exceptionally well, there is one thing worth noting. Motorola does not include a protective case in the box. During my review period, a minor drop caused slight discoloration on one edge of the frame. It is nothing severe, but it is enough to recommend investing in a case from day one.

At over 220 grams, the Edge 70 Max is certainly not a lightweight smartphone. Personally, I have been using phones weighing more than 200 grams, so the weight never bothered me. However, anyone moving from a lighter device will certainly notice it. The phone also isn’t particularly comfortable for users with smaller hands because of its large footprint.

The 6.8-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED display is one of the biggest highlights of the phone. I would comfortably rate it a 9 out of 10. The bezels are slim, the panel looks sharp, and HDR content on YouTube and Netflix looks excellent. Outdoor visibility was good enough during my usage, and I never experienced eye strain even during extended reading sessions. The stereo speakers complement the display well, making the phone an excellent companion for streaming movies and TV shows.

Flagship performance meets a clean Android experience

Performance is exactly where the Edge 70 Max shines. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage, the phone handled everything I threw at it without breaking a sweat. App launches were quick, multitasking remained smooth, and I never noticed lag or unexpected slowdowns during regular use.

I did not spend time gaming on the phone, so I cannot comment on sustained gaming performance. However, during day-to-day use involving photography, social media, messaging, web browsing, and video streaming, the phone remained consistently responsive. More importantly, I did not experience any major heating issues even after prolonged usage.

The software experience is another strong point. Motorola ships the phone with Android 16 running Hello UX, which continues to be one of my favourite Android interfaces. It stays close to stock Android while adding thoughtful customisation options, clean animations, useful gestures, and attractive Always-on Display styles without becoming cluttered.

One thing I noticed, however, is that I did not receive any software update during my review period. Motorola promises three Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates, but considering this is a flagship-priced smartphone, I expected a more generous software commitment. Competitors like the OnePlus 15R and Motorola’s own Signature offer longer support, making the Edge 70 Max feel slightly behind in this department.

Motorola has also introduced its new Qira AI platform alongside the Edge 70 Max. Unfortunately, my review unit was the 8GB + 256GB variant, which does not support these AI features at the moment. As a result, I was unable to evaluate Qira or access it using the dedicated AI button. Buyers considering the base variant should be aware of this limitation.

Good enough cameras, but photography isn’t its strong suit

Unlike the Motorola Signature, the Edge 70 Max is not designed as a camera-first smartphone. Motorola has clearly prioritized performance over imaging, and that becomes evident once you look at the hardware.

Even so, the dual-camera setup performs well in favourable lighting conditions. The primary camera captures pleasing colors with good detail and produces photos that are more than adequate for everyday photography. For casual users, social media uploads, and travel shots, the results are perfectly satisfying.

Low-light performance remains decent, although it doesn’t quite compete with dedicated camera-centric flagships. If photography is your highest priority, the Motorola Signature is the better choice thanks to its more premium camera hardware. However, if your focus is performance and occasional photography, the Edge 70 Max strikes a sensible balance.

A huge battery that easily lasts more than a day

The 7,100mAh silicon-carbon battery proved to be another highlight during my time with the phone. With my typical usage involving messaging, web browsing, social media, photography, and video streaming, I consistently ended the day with around 40 to 50 percent battery remaining. That gives plenty of confidence for a full day of usage without constantly reaching for the charger.

The bundled 90W charger tops up the battery quickly, while chargng temperatures remain

well under control. I never noticed the phone becoming uncomfortably warm during wired charging.

The Edge 70 Max is also among the few phones in this segment to offer Qi2 magnetic wireless charging. Wireless charging itself isn’t particularly fast, but the magnetic attachment is genuinely useful. Unlike conventional wireless charging, where even slight misalignment can interrupt charging, the magnetic system securely snaps compatible chargers into place, reducing the chances of accidental disconnection.

Haptics are another pleasant surprise. The vibration motor delivers crisp and satisfying feedback, making typing and navigating the interface feel more premium than many rivals.

Verdict – A performance-first flagship

The Motorola Edge 70 Max successfully establishes itself as Motorola’s most powerful Edge-series smartphone yet. Rather than competing directly with the company’s own Signature model, it focuses on delivering flagship-grade performance, a gorgeous Quad HD+ display, dependable battery life, premium build quality, and a clean software experience.

That said, there are compromises. The lack of a protective case in the box feels disappointing at this price, the software support could be more competitive, the 8GB variant currently misses out on Motorola Qira AI features, and users seeking the best cameras should look at the Motorola Signature instead.

If your priorities revolve around performance, multimedia consumption, battery life, and a clean Android experience, the Edge 70 Max is an excellent choice. However, if cameras and long-term software support matter more, spending the extra money on the Motorola Signature or considering alternatives such as the OnePlus 15R may prove worthwhile.

For buyers who want a flagship that prioritizes speed over everything else, the Motorola Edge 70 Max delivers a well-rounded experience that is easy to recommend.

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The premium Android tablet market has become more competitive, with brands now focusing on flagship performance, productivity features, and ecosystem integration. The OnePlus Pad 4 is the company’s most ambitious tablet yet, bringing top-tier hardware, a large high-refresh-rate display, powerful speakers, and software features designed to make it more than just a content consumption device.

Originally priced at Rs. 59,999, the OnePlus Pad 4 becomes an even more attractive proposition during the Independence Day Sale 2026, where the tablet is now available for Rs. 56,499. After spending time with the Dune Glow variant and the Stylo Pro, I put it through daily use to find out whether this premium Android tablet is worth buying at this price and if it can truly serve as a laptop replacement.

A slim metal body that feels surprisingly premium

The first thing you notice about the OnePlus Pad 4 is how thin it feels. Despite housing a massive battery and a large 13.2-inch display, the tablet measures just 5.94mm in thickness and weighs 672g.

The metal unibody construction gives it a premium feel, and the weight distribution is excellent. Holding a tablet this large can often become uncomfortable after extended use, but OnePlus has done a good job balancing portability and screen size.

I received the Dune Glow colour variant, and it is easily one of the most attractive finishes available on an Android tablet. The warm bronze-like tone gives it a distinct identity compared to the usual silver and grey options. The Sage Mist variant offers a cooler, more understated look.

The design remains minimal, with flat edges, slim bezels, and a clean rear panel. The camera module sits neatly on the back, while the pogo pins allow connection with the Smart Keyboard accessory.

The display is built for work and entertainment

The highlight of the OnePlus Pad 4 is undoubtedly its display. It features a 13.2-inch 3.4K LCD panel with a 3392 × 2400 resolution, 7:5 aspect ratio, 144Hz refresh rate, and up to 540Hz touch sampling rate.

The 7:5 aspect ratio continues to be one of the smartest decisions OnePlus has made. Compared to traditional widescreen tablets, this format provides more vertical space, making reading documents, browsing websites, and multitasking much more comfortable.

Colours look vibrant, text appears extremely sharp, and the high refresh rate makes everything feel incredibly smooth. Scrolling through websites, navigating OxygenOS, and switching between applications feels noticeably fluid.

The display also supports Dolby Vision, 12-bit colour depth (8-bit hardware + 4-bit FRC), 98% DCI-P3 colour coverage, and DeltaE accuracy of around 0.7.

However, this is still an LCD panel. While it delivers excellent brightness and colour reproduction, it cannot match the deep blacks and contrast levels of OLED displays.

For most users, though, the OnePlus Pad 4 offers one of the best tablet displays available right now.

Eight speakers turn it into a portable cinema

A great display needs equally impressive audio, and OnePlus has delivered here. The Pad 4 features an eight-speaker system with four woofers and four tweeters placed symmetrically across the tablet.

The sound output is impressive for such a slim device. Watching movies, listening to music, or playing games feels immersive thanks to the wide soundstage and strong channel separation.

The tablet also intelligently adjusts audio channels depending on its orientation, ensuring the left and right channels remain correctly positioned whether you are holding it vertically or horizontally.

Bass is naturally limited due to the thin design, but voices are clear and the overall audio experience is among the best you will find on an Android tablet.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 makes everything effortless

Powering the OnePlus Pad 4 is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, paired with up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.1 storage.

This is flagship-level hardware, and it shows in daily usage. Apps open instantly, animations remain smooth, and multitasking feels effortless.

The tablet handles demanding workloads without breaking a sweat. Whether it is editing documents, switching between multiple applications, or running heavy games, the performance remains consistently fast.

OnePlus has also equipped the Pad 4 with Cryo-velocity Cooling technology featuring graphite layers and a large vapour chamber measuring 45,260mm².

During extended gaming sessions, the tablet manages heat effectively. Even demanding titles benefit from sustained performance without noticeable slowdowns.

OxygenOS 16 and Stylo Pro make the Pad 4 a productivity machine

The biggest improvement with the OnePlus Pad 4 is not just the hardware but how well the software and accessories work together. OxygenOS 16 brings a more refined tablet experience with improved multitasking, better file management, and features that make the large display more useful.

The tablet now supports up to five windows, allowing users to resize and arrange apps based on their workflow. The improved file manager with multi-column views, previews, drag-and-drop support, and OTG compatibility makes handling documents feel closer to using a laptop.

OnePlus has also expanded its AI features, including AI Writer, AI Summary, AI Translate, AI Painter, AI Clear Call, and AI Recorder. These tools are aimed at improving productivity rather than simply adding AI features for the sake of it.

The OnePlus Stylo Pro further enhances the experience. With 16,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, improved balance, gesture support, and interchangeable Writing and Drawing Tips, it feels more natural for handwritten notes, annotations, and creative tasks.

During my usage, the Writing Tip provided better resistance and a more paper-like feel, while the Drawing Tip offered a smoother experience for sketching. The magnetic attachment and Find My Stylo feature also make it more convenient for everyday use.

A battery that refuses to slow down

The OnePlus Pad 4 packs the largest battery ever used in a OnePlus Pad, with a 13,380mAh capacity. It supports 80W SUPERVOOC charging.

Battery life is one of its biggest strengths. The tablet comfortably handles long work sessions, streaming, browsing, and gaming without requiring frequent charging.

According to OnePlus, the tablet can deliver up to 20 hours of video playback and up to seven hours of gaming.

The combination of a huge battery and fast charging makes it an excellent companion for travel.

A few missing features hold it back

The OnePlus Pad 4 gets very close to being the perfect premium Android tablet, but there are a few compromises.

The absence of a fingerprint sensor is disappointing at this price point. Face unlock works well in good lighting, but a fingerprint scanner would have made authentication more convenient.

The lack of cellular connectivity is another limitation. A premium tablet with 5G support would have offered more flexibility for users who want true portability.

The cameras are also functional rather than impressive. They are good enough for video calls, scanning documents, and occasional photography, but photography is clearly not the focus here.

Pricing and Availability

The OnePlus Pad 4 is available in two configurations in India. The 8GB + 256GB variant is priced at Rs. 59,999, while the 12GB + 512GB model costs Rs. 64,999.

However, during the OnePlus Independence Day Sale 2026, the tablet is available at a lower effective price. The 8GB+256GB variant bundled with the OnePlus Stylo Pro is available for Rs. 56,499, while the 12GB+512GB variant with the Stylo Pro bundle is priced at Rs. 61,499.

Verdict: One of the best Android tablets available today

The OnePlus Pad 4 is the most complete tablet OnePlus has made so far. It combines flagship performance, an excellent display, impressive speakers, long battery life, and software features that finally make Android tablets feel productive.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 ensures that performance will not be a concern for years, while OxygenOS 16 brings meaningful improvements for multitasking and everyday workflows.

It is not perfect. The missing fingerprint scanner, lack of cellular connectivity, and LCD panel limitations keep it from being flawless.

However, if you are looking for a premium Android tablet for entertainment, productivity, gaming, or creativity, the OnePlus Pad 4 is one of the strongest options available right now.

It does not just feel like a bigger smartphone. With the right accessories, it genuinely feels like a compact laptop replacement.

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Here we have the new Baseus Dark Cherry Collection for the upcoming iPhone 18 series, which is under a launch plan. Just like the name suggests, they are colored just like the rumored new color for the iPhone 18 Pro. Some of the products in this collection were released before, but the new one is this PicoGo 100W GaN charger. In this article, some features of the charger will be showcased, but not all the details of it. Also the highlights of the two power banks will be showcased, as these two are also very interesting.

PicoGo 100W GaN Charger

It is very small, much smaller than many 100W chargers out there, so it is very good for travelling. There are three Type-C ports, a large screen on the other side, and a touch control button below it. For the EU version, the prongs can be folded, again better for travelling.

The small screen looks very useful – it probably shows the real-time power output from each port. With the touch control button, you may also change settings for the charger.

We also tested the temperature control of the charger. After 30 minutes of charging, the surface is only 36℃. There is also a feature that will power off the charger when the phone reaches 100% charge, we will test it later.

Since this new PicoGo 100W GaN Charger is still not being officially released, these are the features we can talk about right now. We will talk more about it soon.

PicoGo Magnetic Power Banks

The PicoGo AM71 and PicoGo AM52 Magnetic Power Banks were released before, now they get a new skin color. These are targeted at the new iPhone 18 Pro. We can’t comment on whether this will truly be the new color, but for now I think they look great. And let’s briefly talk about the specs and user experience.

PicoGo AM71 Magnetic Power Bank

The PicoGo AM71 is extremely thin, measured at just 6.9mm/0.27inch, it certainly fits more perfectly on the iPhone Air than the 17 Pro. Despite the thinness, it still packs a 5000mAh battery, it can output up to 15W wirelessly, and 22.5W wired. And there is a short C-C cable in the package, this is something most of its kind don’t offer. Surprisingly, it also supports 20W max input, so it is very quick to top it up. I think this is a very good feature, as such a power bank is meant for everyday use, it should be able to collect power back quickly for next use.

There is NFC built in. You can use an iPhone to connect to it, then check all the information about it, like the battery level, temperature, battery health, etc. This is a very smart feature, to let you be aware of the state about the power bank.

One thing you might not notice, which is that this power bank is CCC certified, a new standard in China. If you travel to China frequently, you need this. The reason is that you will not have your power bank checked when your flight lands in China, but if you need to take more flights within China, you need a CCC-certified power bank, otherwise you will have to give yours up before getting on board. This is important; please take note.

Some other features about this power bank. The heat dissipation is very good, after half an hour of charging wirelessly, the temperature is only29℃. But maybe because it wants better heat dissipation, it uses glass fiber on the inside, so it weakens the magnetic force, so it is not that secure on the iPhone.

PicoGo AM52 Qi2.2 Magnetic Power Bank

If you want that magnetic experience, with bigger capacity, then the AM52 is the choice. It is rated at 10000mAh capacity, 45W max output wired. And since it is Qi2.2 certified, it can output 25W wirelessly, this is ideal for iPhone 16 or 17. Let’s see if it can support the 18 series better.

It can also accept 30W input, this can top it up pretty fast. And since there is a Type-C cable built-in, you don’t need to bring a cable with you. You can just attach it to your phone, then either charge the phone wirelessly, or use the cable to do so. Or even, you can charge your phone and AirPods at the same time. And there is an extra C port, to charge another device at the same time, or if you want to put it in your pocket then use a longer cable to charge the phone in your hand.

The material inside is silicone, so it has better grip, it can attach to your iPhone more securely. This power bank is the perfect one for a trip that takes a few days.

Other Products

We also got the FrostCore Data 100W Cable. It can support up to 100W PD fast charging, and it is very strong. It claims to have Smart Cooling Protection; maybe it’s good for high-power charging. Lastly, the color does match other products in the collection pretty well.

Last but not least, the Bowie MC2 Open-Earbuds Dark Cherry edition. We have reviewed these before; you can watch our full review on the YouTube channel. Other than that, the color combo is just so well put together; it makes them stand out a lot.

Summary

Ok, so these are the products in the Baseus Dark Cherry Collection. They are mostly targeting the new iPhone 18 Pro series, that’s why there is this new color. Other than the color, the specs and build quality are also excellent. Especially the PicoGo 100W GaN Charger and the two power banks, they represent top-notch quality in the charging category. The official launch date will probably be in early September 2026, you can tune in to the BASEUS website for more info.  

The post Baseus Dark Cherry Collection for iPhone 18 Pro First Impression appeared first on Gizmochina.

The AI PC era is gathering pace, with Microsoft pushing Copilot+ experiences across Windows and manufacturers responding with a new wave of AI-ready laptops. Asus has been quick to embrace this shift, refreshing its Vivobook lineup with Intel’s latest Core Ultra processors and dedicated NPUs.

Priced at Rs 1,22,990 (~$1,290) in India, the Asus Vivobook S16 (S3607AA-SH087WS) competes with premium productivity laptops from Lenovo, Dell, HP, and Acer, while inevitably drawing comparisons with Apple’s MacBook Air. After spending time with the laptop and running multiple benchmarks, here’s what the Vivobook S16 has to offer.

Clean design that prioritizes practicality

The Vivobook S16 adopts a clean, understated design that looks equally suitable in an office, classroom, or coffee shop. My review unit came in the Cool Silver finish, though Asus also offers a Matte Grey variant.

The lid is made of plastic instead of aluminum, but it still feels sturdy and well put together. The matte finish resists fingerprints effectively, helping the laptop maintain a clean appearance during daily use. Weighing 1.7kg and measuring between 15.9mm and 17.9mm thick, it isn’t the lightest 16-inch notebook available, but it’s still comfortable enough to carry every day.

The minimalist Asus branding keeps the exterior elegant, while the spacious interior makes good use of the larger chassis. Users get a full-sized keyboard with a dedicated numpad, a large touchpad, and a 180-degree hinge that allows the display to lie completely flat for easier collaboration.

The OLED display steals the show

The biggest highlight of the Vivobook S16 is undoubtedly its 16-inch OLED display.

It features a WUXGA (1920 × 1200) resolution and a productivity-friendly 16:10 aspect ratio, providing more vertical workspace than a conventional 16:9 screen. Whether editing documents, browsing, or multitasking with split windows, the additional screen space proves genuinely useful.

As expected from an OLED panel, image quality is excellent. Colors appear vibrant, blacks are deep, and contrast is outstanding. Asus rates the display at 95% DCI-P3 color coverage with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, making it suitable for entertainment and light creative work alike.

The panel is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, but that isn’t a major drawback given the laptop’s productivity-focused positioning. Brightness peaks at 300 nits, which is sufficient for indoor use, while the anti-glare coating and TÜV-certified low blue light technology make long working sessions more comfortable.

Whether you’re streaming movies or spending hours working on documents, the OLED panel remains one of the Vivobook S16’s strongest selling points.

Comfortable keyboard and large touchpad

The larger chassis allows Asus to include a full-sized backlit keyboard with a dedicated numpad, making the laptop especially useful for spreadsheet users and professionals working with numbers.

Typing feels comfortable thanks to good key travel and tactile feedback, while the spacious layout minimizes accidental key presses. The large Windows Precision touchpad is equally responsive and supports Asus’ Smart Gestures, allowing users to adjust brightness, volume, or media playback through simple edge swipes.

Combined with the generous palm rest area, the keyboard and touchpad deliver a comfortable experience for extended work sessions.

Multiple connectivity ports

Despite its slim design, the Vivobook S16 includes a practical range of ports:

• 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
• 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (DisplayPort + Power Delivery)
• HDMI 2.1
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• The dual USB-C ports support charging and external displays, adding welcome flexibility for users who regularly connect monitors or docking stations. Wireless connectivity is handled by Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4, both of which performed reliably throughout testing.

Reliable performance for everyday work

Powering the Vivobook S16 is Intel’s Core Ultra 5 325 processor paired with Intel Graphics, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD.

In everyday use, Windows 11 remained consistently responsive. Launching applications, handling dozens of browser tabs, working with Microsoft Office, attending video meetings, and performing light photo editing all felt smooth. The fast SSD also contributes to quick boot times and snappy application launches.

Asus provides room for future upgrades with an additional DDR5 SO-DIMM slot supporting up to 32GB of RAM, along with an extra M.2 PCIe 4.0 slot for storage expansion.

This isn’t a laptop intended for demanding video editing or AAA gaming, but it comfortably handles office work, coding, media consumption, and light creative workloads.

Benchmark results

The benchmark results reinforce the laptop’s productivity-first approach. CPU performance is more than capable of handling multitasking, while the PCIe 4.0 SSD delivers fast read and write speeds that noticeably improve responsiveness.

The integrated Intel Graphics performs well for media playback, casual gaming, and GPU-accelerated applications. Meanwhile, the Intel AI Boost NPU posts strong Geekbench AI scores, providing dedicated hardware acceleration for AI workloads and Microsoft’s Copilot+ experiences.

Copilot+ features and Asus AI software

The Intel AI Boost NPU enables Copilot+ features such as Recall, Click to Do, Cocreator, Live Captions, and Windows Studio Effects, allowing many AI tasks to run locally instead of relying entirely on cloud processing. During testing, features like Live Captions and Studio Effects integrated seamlessly into everyday use.

Asus complements Microsoft’s AI features with StoryCube for organizing photos and videos, AI Noise Cancelation for clearer meetings, ScreenXpert for easier multitasking, and the MyAsus app for system management, charging controls, and diagnostics. Unlike many pre-installed utilities, these applications genuinely enhance the overall experience.

Speakers, webcam, and battery life

The dual speakers deliver clear audio for video calls, YouTube, and casual entertainment. While bass remains limited, Dolby Atmos tuning creates a wider soundstage than expected.

The Full HD IR webcam produces noticeably sharper video than typical 720p webcams, while Windows Hello facial recognition unlocks the laptop quickly and reliably. Asus also includes a physical privacy shutter for added peace of mind.

Battery life is another strong point. The 70Wh battery comfortably lasted through a full workday of web browsing, document editing, streaming, and video calls during my testing. When it’s time to recharge, the bundled 68W USB-C charger powers up the laptop quickly, while USB-C charging also allows compatibility with supported third-party chargers and high-output power banks.

Verdict

The Asus Vivobook S16 doesn’t aim to be the most powerful laptop in its segment. Instead, it focuses on getting the fundamentals right with a vibrant OLED display, dependable everyday performance, practical AI capabilities, and excellent usability.

The display is easily the biggest attraction, while Intel’s Core Ultra 5 processor delivers enough performance for office work, multitasking, coding, and content consumption. Copilot+ support, a comfortable keyboard, upgradeable memory, a fast SSD, generous connectivity, and solid battery life further strengthen the package.

Its biggest limitations are the 60Hz refresh rate and integrated graphics, making it less appealing for gamers or users with demanding creative workflows.

For professionals, students, and remote workers looking for a premium Windows productivity laptop with a large OLED display and future-ready AI features, the Asus Vivobook S16 is a well-rounded choice that successfully delivers on its promises.

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The post Asus Vivobook S16 Review: Built for work, entertainment, and everything in between appeared first on Gizmochina.

Half of 2026 has now passed, signaling the time for our semi-annual retrospective. Each year around this With half of 2026 already behind us, it’s time for our semi‑annual check‑in. Around this time each year, we handpick a handful of standout smartphones to gauge how the market has performed over the first two quarters. Since next‑gen flagship chips usually arrive in the second half, the opening months tend to be a relatively quiet stretch for most brands — but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing worth talking about.

Best Camera: OPPO Find X9 Ultra

It does not imply a shortage of commendable devices. A prime example is our most highly recommended camera-centric smartphone: the OPPO Find X9 Ultra.

The imaging prowess of the Find X9 Ultra is widely acknowledged. It stands as one of only two flagship smartphones to incorporate a four-focal-length imaging system. In my assessment, it features the most sophisticated telephoto camera configuration ever integrated into a mobile device—both in terms of sensor selection and focal-length coverage. Coupled with Hasselblad’s color calibration, it has unequivocally become one of my preferred handsets this year.

That said, it is not without imperfections. The 10x telephoto module exhibits noticeable chromatic aberration, and video stabilization remains an area requiring refinement. Nevertheless, when compared to a more conservative yet reliably competent contender like the vivo X300 Ultra, the review team leans toward the device with greater distinctiveness.

The X300 Ultra is objectively a commendable smartphone, but its 2026 iteration felt overly restrained in its approach. The absence of a refreshing novelty is the sole factor, in my view, that places it behind the Find X9 Ultra. Naturally, this reflects my subjective perspective; should one regard the vivo X300 Ultra as the premier camera phone of the year, I fully respect that position.

The Find X9 Ultra is undeniably excellent, yet its pricing is prohibitively steep. Consequently, the question arises: is there a more cost-effective camera-centric alternative? Indeed, there is—the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max.

Leading Smart Imaging Experience: HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max

HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max deserves a special mention — not just for the hardware integration, but more importantly, for what it can further do on final imaging. The Asia‑Pacific variant we received comes packed with AI De‑Glare, AI Move, and AI Composition 3.0, which automatically frames your shots as you capture them. Celia and the Advanced Translation Toolkit are also onboard.

While other manufacturers are aggressively fighting spec wars, HUAWEI has been strategically doubling down on the AI experience—a focus the team finds particularly commendable. The Pura 90s Pro Max doesn’t hold back on hardware either. Its RYYB sensor yields outstanding low-light output, and the telephoto video recording sharpness is particularly noteworthy.

The review team initially planned to give this recognition to the Pura 90 Pro Max — the Chinese version. But HUAWEI did something unusual this time: it didn’t cut corners on the international version. The two models are essentially identical. So, despite the slightly later launch, I’m giving the nod to the Pura 90s Pro Max — simply because it’s the more readily accessible option for most of our audience.

The 200MP telephoto camera, built on an RYYB sensor, offers improved light sensitivity for long‑range shots, while the telephoto video recording now benefits from enhanced stabilisation and a dedicated far‑field voice enhancement algorithm—useful for capturing distant subjects with clearer audio. The XMAGE AI Smart Capture streamlines the editing workflow by providing one‑tap suggestions for composition, colour, and exposure adjustments. The new 3D dynamic photo feature adds a subtle depth effect to still images, giving them a more lifelike feel without requiring manual post‑processing. When taken together, these improvements offer a tangible step forward in smartphone imaging, and they work consistently across both the Chinese and Asia‑Pacific versions—making the Pura 90s Pro Max a well‑rounded choice for users who prioritise camera versatility and AI‑assisted creativity.

Best Gaming Phone: REDMI K90 Max

Typically, the “Best Gaming Phone” accolade would automatically be assigned to RedMagic. On this occasion, however, we wish to confer it upon the REDMI K90 Max, for two primary reasons. First, the K90 Max is more affordable; it incorporates a built-in cooling fan, is lighter and slimmer, yet retails at merely half the price of the RedMagic 11S Pro.

Second, its frame-interpolation functionality sets it apart. On most smartphones, frame interpolation is restricted to a whitelist of supported games. The K90 Max, in contrast, enables this feature across all titles without limitation. After extensive testing across multiple games, its performance consistently met expectations. The review team can confidently assert that this currently represents the most worthwhile gaming smartphone available, without reservation.

Naturally, this accolade could equally be awarded to its sibling model, the K90 Ultra. The decision between the two ultimately hinges on whether the user prioritizes enhanced performance or a $60 cost saving.

Best Foldable: HUAWEI Pura X Max

Although our comprehensive review of the HUAWEI Pura X Max has not yet been published, this does not preclude me from designating it as the “Best Foldable.” =

In fact, commencing with last year’s Pura X, HUAWEI had already initiated experimentation with wider aspect ratios to prevent the display from awkwardly assuming a square form upon unfolding. This year’s Pura X Max adopts a √2:1 aspect ratio, ensuring that the device maintains a consistent screen proportion whether folded or unfolded. This represents HUAWEI’s definitive resolution to the foldable-screen ratio challenge.

The Pura X Max’s robust sales performance in the Chinese market further substantiates its entitlement to the title of best foldable phone for the first half of 2026.

Best Flagship Killer: OnePlus 15T

For those seeking a flagship-grade device without a correspondingly steep price, the OnePlus 15T may prove an ideal candidate. Apart from the absence of an ultra-wide-angle camera and the somewhat inconvenient USB 2.0 port, this handset is nearly faultless.

It is equipped with the 8 Elite Gen5 platform, a 165Hz display, a substantial 7,500mAh battery, and wireless charging support. For enthusiasts of compact 6.3-inch smartphones operating within constrained budgets, this device is virtually tailor-made.

Incidentally, for those who prefer a conventionally sized smartphone, the iQOO 15T merits consideration. Its market positioning closely parallels that of the OnePlus 15T—both devices compromise on camera performance to maintain competitive pricing. Ultimately, the choice reduces to individual preference, with no unequivocally superior option between the two.

To be candid, the first half of 2026 lacked considerable excitement. Most of the noteworthy activity stemmed from flagship camera phones competing for dominance, while the majority of mid-range and entry-level devices are slated for release in the latter half of the year.

Among all offerings observed in Q1 and Q2, the most strategic maneuver was arguably HUAWEI’s decision to maintain price stability. This approach proved remarkably successful, enabling the company to achieve substantial profitability in the premium smartphone segment and securing two “Best” titles in this roundup.

With the next generation of flagship chipsets anticipated in September, most 8 Elite Gen5 and Dimensity 9500 devices are already undergoing price reductions to clear inventory. Therefore, for those seeking cost savings, the present moment presents an opportune time for acquisition.

The post The Best Smartphones of 2026 Q1&Q2 | Gizmochina Awards H1 2026 appeared first on Gizmochina.

If you’ve been looking into fitness wearables lately, you’ve probably noticed a frustrating trend: almost everything requires a subscription. You buy the hardware, but to actually see your sleep insights or long-term health trends, you have to pay a monthly fee. It’s an annoying model. I recently got the Gabit Smart Ring as a review unit, and it takes an entirely different approach.

This titanium smart ring offers a straightforward proposition: you buy the ring, and you get access to all your data and the companion app for free, for life.

I’ve spent the last few weeks wearing it to see if it can actually compete with the bigger, subscription-heavy names in the market. It has some quirks, but overall, it’s a solid device that does what it promises. Here is what it’s actually like to live with it.

Design and Daily Wear

When it comes to a device you’re supposed to wear 24/7, comfort is the most important factor. The Gabit ring is made of titanium and weighs just 3.1 grams. It’s genuinely lightweight, to the point where I often forget I have it on my finger while typing or going about my day.

Before you get the actual ring, Gabit sends you a sizing kit. I highly recommend taking this step seriously. I wore the plastic sizing ring for a full day to make sure it fit right. You want it snug enough that the sensors stay in contact with your skin, but not so tight that it’s uncomfortable when your hands naturally swell a bit during a workout or in warmer weather. Getting the right fit makes all the difference in how comfortable the ring is long-term.

The build quality is good. The paint job feels premium, and while I’ve accidentally knocked my hand against a few doors and desks, I haven’t noticed any glaring scratches. You’d have to look very closely under a bright light to see any wear and tear. It’s also rated for 5ATM water resistance, meaning it handles daily water exposure just fine. I’ve washed my hands, showered, and done the dishes without taking it off, and it’s held up perfectly. Gabit also sells different skins if you want to change the look of the ring to match an outfit, which is a nice option to have.

There is one minor annoyance with the design, though. The ring uses optical sensors that emit a green light to track your heart rate. In a dark room at night, that green light can be surprisingly bright. If you sleep with your hand near your face, you might notice it flashing, which takes a little getting used to.

Tracking and Accuracy

The Gabit Smart Ring tracks a standard array of health metrics: continuous heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep stages, skin temperature, stress levels, and daily activity like steps and calories.

I’m usually a bit skeptical of how well finger-based sensors perform, so I tested the ring’s heart rate readings against a standard medical pulse oximeter. I checked it while sitting at my desk and right after a workout. Both times, the ring’s readings matched the pulse oximeter almost perfectly. The step counter is also reliable. Like most wearables, it might be off by 100 or 200 steps by the end of the day, but that’s a normal margin of error and gives you a clear enough picture of your daily activity.

However, I do need to clear up some confusion regarding blood oxygen (SpO2) tracking. If you look around online, you might see mentions of SpO2 support. But in practice, it doesn’t seem to be there. When I asked the app’s built-in AI coach about my blood oxygen, it clearly stated that the ring doesn’t support it. If SpO2 tracking is an absolute must-have for you, you should keep this in mind.

On the other hand, the app does include a VO2 Max feature. It estimates your cardiovascular fitness based on your activity data, which is a practical metric to have if you want to monitor your long-term endurance and overall fitness levels.

Sleep and Stress Monitoring

Sleep tracking is where I got the most value out of this ring. To be completely honest, my daily routine was pretty terrible before I started testing this. I’m a night owl, and I frequently find myself going to sleep after 5 AM.

The ring breaks down your sleep into Light, Deep, and REM stages, and compares your total time asleep to your total time in bed. Every morning, you get a Sleep Quality Score, along with your overnight resting heart rate and HRV. Seeing my sleep habits laid out in clear data was helpful. While I haven’t entirely fixed my schedule yet, checking my stats every morning has actually motivated me to try and get to bed a bit earlier. It makes you more aware of your sleep debt.

It also tracks your stress levels throughout the day based on your heart rate and HRV. I found the stress index to be fairly accurate, it usually spiked during busy work hours or when I was rushing around, which serves as a good reminder to take a minute and breathe.

App Experience

A smart ring is only as good as its app, and Gabit has done a really nice job here. The interface is clean, the graphics are easy to read, and it doesn’t feel overly complicated.

Food logging is where Gabit really impressed me. If you’ve ever tried to log Indian food in mainstream fitness apps, you know it can be a hassle. Gabit’s database is very well optimized for Indian diets. Almost every local dish I searched for showed up easily. It also supports voice logging; you just tap a button, say what you ate, and it logs it for you. It’s a small feature, but it makes tracking your calories much less tedious.

The app also features an AI health coach called PEP, which gives you insights based on your data. It looks at your sleep, activity, and recovery levels to tell you if you should push yourself in a workout or take a rest day. It’s a helpful way to tie all the raw data together into something actionable.

Battery Life

The ring itself has great battery life. I consistently got about 7 days of use before needing to charge it, which means you only really have to think about the battery once a week.

However, the charging experience is the main downside of this product. Unlike wireless earbuds or some other smart rings that come with a battery-equipped case, the Gabit charging case doesn’t hold a charge on its own. You have to physically plug the case into a wall outlet or power bank every time you want to charge the ring.

The case itself also feels a bit flimsy and prone to scratching compared to the premium feel of the ring. Additionally, it takes about two hours to charge the ring from zero to full, and I noticed the ring gets a little warm while it’s on the charger. It’s not a dealbreaker since you only have to do it once a week, but it’s definitely an area where Gabit could improve in future versions.

Verdict: Should You Buy It?

The Gabit Smart Ring is a very practical device. It includes almost all the features you’d expect from a modern smart ring while getting the fundamentals right. It’s comfortable, the sensors are accurate, and the app is genuinely useful, especially with its localized food tracking.

At ₹13,883, it’s priced competitively. But the real selling point is the lack of a subscription. Being able to buy a piece of hardware and actually own your data without paying a monthly fee is really great. If you’re looking for a reliable way to keep tabs on your sleep, stress, and daily activity without committing to a long-term subscription, the Gabit Smart Ring is definitely worth considering.

You can purchase the ring through Gabit’s official website or from Amazon India.

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The post Gabit Smart Ring Review: Solid Tracker with No Monthly Fees appeared first on Gizmochina.

HUAWEI MatePad Air

Huawei has always played a smart game in the tablet market. Fully aware that it a bit lags behind in raw peak performance, the MatePad series chooses to double down on form factor innovation and software optimization instead, offering more than enough performance, and its software optimization ensures smoother operation than most competing products. The latest addition to that strategy — the MatePad Air — is yet another purpose-built device. With a 12‑inch PaperMatte OLED display, a 5.3mm ultra‑slim profile, and a weight of just 509g, the MatePad Air is essentially the perfect electronic sketchpad.

Unboxing & Design

Unlike most tablets, the MatePad Air doesn’t cut corners on accessories. In the box, you get a charger, a USB cable, and even a clear protective case to hold you over until your premium cover arrives. The HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard and M‑Pencil Pro are optional add‑ons—and yes, the polishing cloth is sold separately too.

Speaking of the M‑Pencil Pro, what I love most is that the only button sits right at the tip of the pen. It feels just like clicking a ballpoint pen—and honestly, pressing it is surprisingly satisfying.

Let’s start with the most obvious impression — it’s light. At 532g, that’s a solid weight for a 12‑inch tablet. The benefit of being this light is that holding it with both hands for extended periods doesn’t get tiresome. The 5.3mm thickness is equally impressive. Of course, there will be those who worry that such a slim profile might make it prone to bending. HUAWEI has reinforced the internal structure of the MatePad Air, and its bend resistance has improved by 17% compared to the MatePad 12X. I gave it a try myself, and with my bare hands, I simply couldn’t bend it, no matter how hard I tried.

The MatePad Air is available in three finishes: Sakura Pink, Airy Blue, and White. My unit is the Sakura Pink variant—a shade that’s likely to resonate with users who prefer softer, more vibrant tones. The unibody aluminum alloy construction eliminates any visible seams between the back panel and the frame, giving it a premium, seamless feel. Rest assured, the moment you hold it, your palm will confirm that this is a well-built tablet.

In terms of connectivity, the MatePad Air features a USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type‑C port with video output support. Hook it up to an external monitor, and it transforms into a dedicated drawing tablet — giving you a larger canvas while still leveraging the MatePad Air’s excellent touch responsiveness.

Display

This is arguably the MatePad Air’s biggest selling point. It packs a 12‑inch OLED PaperMatte display with a resolution of 2800 × 1840, 275 PPI, support for 1.07 billion colors, P3 wide color gamut, and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits.

The viewing experience is genuinely impressive. OLED’s strengths are on full display — deep blacks, vivid colors, and excellent contrast. Videos, in particular, reveal a striking sense of depth, while the 92% screen-to-body ratio further pulls you into the action.

HUAWEI’s signature PaperMatte technology has also carried over to the MatePad Air. In essence, it’s an anti‑glare coating that effectively cuts down screen reflections while simulating the tactile feel of writing on paper. Paired with the M‑Pencil, the experience comes remarkably close to pen on paper.

If someone asks why not just slap on a matte screen protector instead of going for this coating, I’d bet they’ve never actually created anything on a display with a nano‑texture finish. The writing experience on this type of glass simply cannot be replicated by any film. It’s smoother, gentler on the pen tip, more durable, far more resistant to fingerprints and smudges, and has noticeably less impact on clarity. Aside from the fact that you can’t apply an extra screen protector on top, I honestly struggle to find any real downsides.

Performance & Battery

The MatePad Air runs on an unnamed Kirin chip — HUAWEI hasn’t officially confirmed the exact model. In daily use, HarmonyOS 4.3 feels snappy and well‑tuned. App launches, task switching, and multi‑window operations are all fluid. You get 8GB or 12GB of RAM, but storage is capped at 256GB with no other options. That means heavy users will have to make some tough compromises.

The 10,100mAh battery is another strong suit, and when paired with 66W fast charging, it makes the MatePad Air a reliable companion for long days. Under moderate use — streaming, browsing, and light productivity — it easily gets you through a full day without breaking a sweat.

Conclusion

The MatePad Air is a tablet with a clear focus — it’s built for on‑the‑go creation, while also covering light office work and entertainment. If you’re after a great display, a featherlight build, solid performance, and dependable battery life, this is definitely a tablet worth putting on your shortlist.

It’s not exactly a budget pick, but considering the nano‑texture PaperMatte display comes as standard and a protective case is included in the box, for users who are buying a tablet specifically for drawing, it’s actually a pretty solid value.

The post HUAWEI MatePad Air Review: The Ultimate Lightweight Canvas for Mobile Creators appeared first on Gizmochina.

Earlier, we visited XPENG for the new Mona L03 coupe SUV, that is launched globally in 64 countries. In China, this L03 is priced from $21000 to $24000, and it claims to have brought the premium design, space, and power from the $28000 to $40000 dollar cars to this Mona series. There are different versions, either it’s pure electric, or with range extender. And arguably, XPENG has the best self-driving system among Chinese EVs, because of the VLA 2.0 inside. With all these thing inside the Mona L03, it makes the car very appealing, and affordable to many people out there. In this article, we will go through the design, drive train, power system, and also drove it to try the VLA 2.0.

Design

At first sight, I just love the design. You know, Chinese people love SUV, because it can be a car for everyone in the family. That means it must be good looking enough for a man to like it, drive it everyday, and many colors to attract ladies.

So currently there are quite a few colors, and ladies should love the pink one the most I think. Now it has very smooth lines everywhere, while still keeps the sporty look at the front, and it says the aerodynamic figure is 0.228CD, good for all kinds of weather and road condition. The head lights looks sharp from the front, but still very mellow at the side, so it goes with the overall look very well. And there are panels at the lower position, they would open up to have better aerodynamic in certain situations.  

Coming to the side, you will see the whole shape, the character of the car, that it is a very slick coupe SUV. The car measures at 4.65m in length, 2.85m wheelbase. Now many Chinese SUVs are over 5m in length, big and bulky, which may not be good for the global market.

And the door handles are mechanical ones, not pop-up style anymore, that’s by the new law in China. The tires on this car is a 20inch, you can also get a 18in to save some power. There are some hubs to choose from, right now this one looks very good already.

The glass on the door is frameless and very tinted, and it is very thick, I guess the soundproof should be good also.

This is also another angle to see the cool design of it. There is the full-length LED bar that runs across the rear, and there are the LED bars under it for the sign of autonomous driving. There is also the duck tail spoiler, that is also cool. And there are cutouts at the side for aerodynamics.

Overall, the design and the color choices makes this SUV very very good-looking in my opinion. What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comment section.

Space & Trunk

Opening the rear trunk, there is a very good space here, I don’t know the number of liter right now, because it might change for different markets. And if the back seats are folded, it becomes a bigger space, that can easily fit a a bed or a surf board here. There is also hidden space under the cover here, for some tools and stuff, but no spare tires. A new design here is the pegboards at both sides, that you can store some stuff on them.

There is also a 102L frunk, there is a sign here that tells you about what are the things that can fit in. And of course, if it is the range extender version, this frunk will be replaced by an engine here.

Interior

Coming into the car, the first thing you will notice is the wheely shaped steering wheel, I have not actually driven any cars with this kind of steering wheel, so if I have the chance to daily one, I will share my thoughts on it. In front of my eyes, there is a very bright HUD, it is definitely more than enough for the day time out there.

The screen in the middle is a 15.6 inch 2.5K display, brightness up to 600nits, and the touch control is very responsive. There is ambient lighting strip all around the car, which feels cool. There is a 50W wireless charging pad, with cooling fan, and cup holders, a space for some other stuff, then two USB ports for charging. Here, a little storage space and fragrances.  

Now the seats, I can confirm they are very comfortable, the material feels very premium, they say the soft and premium material covers 72% of the cabin, definitely something you couldn’t get from this price range before. The seats are are also heated, ventilated and with massages. There are supports at the left and right, and there are buttons to adjust the positions and lumbar support.

One thing that makes us happy is the 1/4 threads on many spots, so we can mount a camera or even some other accessories.

And there are eight magnets hidden on this car, for you to attach some stuff to it, maybe a cute little doll.  

Coming to the back seat, the seats are also very comfortable. I am 175cm 5’7, I still have a lot of space for my legs, my head, and my toes are also comfortable under the front seat. The roof is double glazed, and UV treated. The center seat can also be folded, to have an arm rest.

Some other things. There are 20 speakers to form a very good sounding system in the cabin; There are tons of cameras on the car that can help with driving, parking, and feed data to VLA 2.0 for smart driving.

Hardware & Software

There are up to 3 Turing chips inside, to achieve up to 2250 TOPS of computing power. This benefits not only the in cabin software experience, but also for the driving. The software inside is called Tianji AIOS 6.0, with Google Assistant support. In the cabin, you can have AI AC, AI noise reduction and some other AI features.

Battery & Charging

There are different versions to choose from, the pure electric version can achieve 440KM WLTP range. And the EREV version can achieve up to 1000KM of range. It claims to achieve 11.5kWh/100KM of very good efficiency. It is a 3C charger, with up to 220KW of charging power, which is quite enough for most people, and fits into the charging facility in many countries.

So, these are pretty much all the details of the design and hardware. With that said, let’s drive it, to really see how the VLA2.0 and drive train works.

Test Drive

The VLA2.0 is undeniably one of the top self-driving system, which can also mean it will make moves that you are not familiar with, that’s because it has confirmed that is something safe to do. Remember in China, there are tons of scooters running on the road, that’s incredibly hard for self-driving.

Now I would say I already had a lot of confidence in the VLA2.0, after the multiple briefing and some other real-world review on the internet. But here when I am personally driving it, or the car drives itself, it feels it knows how to deal with the stuff like an old driver we say. And it also follow the traffic law very well, it will not pass the speed limit under any circumstances.  

And remember, the VLA 2.0 comes with the car for free, not a subscription. And since it’s free, more people are using it, it will keep getting better. The drive train and suspension is the kind that I like, which is not too soft nor too hard. Which makes driving is more fun and versatile.

Summary

Let’s sum it up a bit. This XPENG Mona L03 is designed for the global market, which means everything is made to comply with the laws and customers’ preferences, while keeping the architecture unified. Like it has passed the Dual 5-star safety certification in China and Europe, there is multi-language support, it is designed to handle all kinds of extreme weather. It has four-wheel version, 424 seats, tow hitch, etc etc. With the premium design, free VLA 2.0 and good power system. The prices are also very friendly, so I honestly think it is a very good pick overall. Now this car was planned to launch soon in the 64 countries they mentioned, you can get on the website to know more, and maybe test drive it when it comes to your country, you will love it.

The post XPENG MONA L03 Review: This Is The Car For Global Market appeared first on Gizmochina.

Traveling with tech has become more complicated than ever. A typical backpack now carries a laptop, smartphone, smartwatch, earbuds, power bank, camera, or even a handheld gaming console. Each device often comes with its own charger, creating unnecessary bulk.

This is where desktop charging stations like the Acefast Z10 PD100W GaN Power Station come in. Unlike a traditional wall charger, it sits on your desk or hotel nightstand and powers multiple devices from a single outlet. But does that make sense when you’re traveling?

Why carry a desktop charger instead of multiple adapters?

If you travel for work, cover events, or simply carry several gadgets, a desktop charger can simplify your setup. Instead of packing separate chargers for every device, you only need one charging station and the necessary cables.

The Acefast Z10 combines two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a built-in retractable USB-C cable, giving you four charging outputs in one compact package. For many travelers, that’s enough to replace several individual adapters.

The built-in cable is more useful than it sounds

One of the Z10’s best features is its 95cm retractable USB-C cable.

It saves you from carrying an extra USB-C cable for your laptop or phone, and once you’re done charging, it neatly retracts into the charger. It’s a small touch, but one that keeps both your backpack and workspace tidier.

A better fit for hotel rooms than airport terminals

Desktop chargers aren’t meant to replace compact pocket-sized GaN chargers. Instead, they’re designed for your destination.

Once you arrive at a hotel, a desktop charger creates a clean charging hub for all your devices. The Z10’s 1.5-meter AC cable lets you place it conveniently on a desk or bedside table, while the silicone suction base keeps it from sliding around as you plug and unplug devices.

For creators, journalists, photographers, and business travelers, it’s a far more organized solution than juggling multiple chargers.

Enough power for laptops and more

The Acefast Z10 delivers up to 100W through its USB-C outputs, making it suitable for many ultrabooks, MacBooks, tablets, smartphones, handheld consoles, and other accessories.

When multiple devices are connected, it intelligently redistributes power. For example, one USB-C device can receive up to 65W, while another charges at 30W, allowing you to power a laptop and smartphone simultaneously.

Support for USB PD 3.0, PPS, QC4+, QC3.0, AFC, FCP, and SCP also ensures broad compatibility across different brands.

Can it replace your laptop charger while traveling?

This is where the Acefast Z10 impressed me the most.

I use the ASUS ROG Strix G16 as my primary work laptop. While the laptop itself is already heavy, its bundled charger feels like carrying a brick. On shorter trips, I’ve often skipped taking the original charger simply because of its size and weight.

The Z10 proved to be a practical alternative. Weighing 484 grams, it’s noticeably lighter than many gaming laptop power adapters while still delivering up to 95W to compatible USB-C laptops. During my testing, it charged the ROG Strix G16 reliably and still left additional ports free for my phone, earbuds, and smartwatch. Instead of carrying multiple adapters, I only needed one charger.

There is one thing to keep in mind. Brands like Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, and Realme reserve their fastest charging speeds for proprietary standards such as SuperVOOC, VOOC, and FlashCharge. So even if a phone supports 100W or 120W charging, it won’t reach those speeds on a standard USB PD charger. Expect roughly 45W to 50W, depending on the device.

However, devices that support 100W USB Power Delivery can take full advantage of the Z10’s capabilities.

The display is more than a gimmick

Instead of a simple status LED, the Acefast Z10 features an HD TFT color display that shows real-time charging information, including total output, per-port power delivery, and temperature.

While not essential, it’s useful for confirming that your devices are charging at their expected speeds.

The Acefast Z10 includes protections against overvoltage, overcurrent, overpower, overheating, and short circuits. It also features AI-powered temperature monitoring, helping maintain safe charging even when multiple devices are connected overnight.

Combined with GaN technology, it delivers efficient charging while keeping temperatures under control.

Should you carry one?

The answer depends on what you travel with.

For casual travelers carrying only a phone and smartwatch, a compact wall charger is still the better option.

But if you regularly travel with a laptop, tablet, multiple phones, earbuds, cameras, or gaming handhelds, the Acefast Z10 can simplify your entire charging setup. With four charging outputs, a built-in retractable USB-C cable, 100W USB-C charging, and a useful real-time display, it can replace several chargers while keeping your hotel workspace clean and organized.

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The post Acefast Z10 PD100W GaN: Can This Desktop Charger Replace All Your Travel Chargers? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Intro

We’ve seen plenty of tablets that promise to replace your laptop. They’re loaded with power, sure, but they also weigh a ton. So when Huawei showed up in 2026 with the MatePad Pro Max and took the exact opposite approach—going ridiculously thin and light—I was curious. At just 4.7mm thick and 499 grams, this thing is practically anorexic compared to other 13‑inch flagships that keep bulking up on specs. But does cutting so much weight mean cutting too much “Pro” performance? After using it daily for a month, here’s the unfiltered truth.

Design

The moment you pick it up, your brain does a double take. 499 grams—that’s nearly 200 grams less than the same‑size iPad Pro, and even lighter than a hardcover art book. At 4.7mm, you can literally pinch it between two fingers and wander around the house like it’s a fancy notepad. Slip it into your bag, and you’ll genuinely forget it’s there. Huawei calls this the “Cloud Falcon Architecture,” and it’s earned TÜV Rheinland’s ultra‑thin bend‑resistance certification—I gave it a good twist, and it stayed impressively rigid. My review unit is the blue “Flow Back” version, and yes, the 3.5mm headphone jack is gone, but the trade‑off is a six‑speaker HUAWEI SOUND setup that actually delivers: decent bass, clear vocals, and a genuinely enjoyable experience for movies or podcasts, easily beating most tablets in this class.

Display

Then you turn on the display. That 13.2‑inch flexible OLED panel has no notch, no punch‑hole, no distractions—just pure screen. With a claimed 94% screen‑to‑body ratio, videos truly fill your view, and the 3K resolution (3000 x 2000) plus 144Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and gaming butter‑smooth. There are two variants: the standard glossy OLED with punchy colours and 2,000,000:1 contrast, great for HDR, and the PaperMatte Edition I tested, which uses nano‑etched glass to cut glare and add a paper‑like drag for the stylus. That version is slightly less punchy for pure media, but it’s a lifesaver if you work near windows or take lots of handwritten notes. One caveat: the 1600‑nit peak brightness only fires up for specific HDR scenes in small windows—day‑to‑day, it’s fine by a window or outdoors, but don’t expect smartphone‑like visibility under blazing sun; that’s just the physics of big screens.

Productivity

Productivity is where things get interesting. Huawei touts this as a productivity beast, but honestly, the real wins for me weren’t the PC‑level WPS suite—it was the multi‑window, stylus, and keyboard combo I actually used every day. You can run three apps side by side: I’d have a browser for research, HUAWEI Notes for jotting, and the gallery for reference images, all switching without lag. It’s not mind‑blowing, but it’s rock‑solid. However, plug in an external monitor and the magic fades; it’s simple mirroring, not true desktop expansion, so you can’t drag windows to a second screen like a laptop. That stings if you wanted a dual‑monitor workflow.

The M‑Pencil Pro (sold separately) pairs beautifully, especially with the PaperMatte screen where the etched glass gives real paper‑like friction. The GoPaint app isn’t a throwaway—brush strokes have natural ink bleed, and the smart colour palette pulls suggestions from your drawing, making it way more than “good enough” for sketching, storyboarding, or visual notes. But the surprise hit was the AI handwriting beautification in HUAWEI Notes—my handwriting is barely legible, and toggling it on transforms my scrawl into neat, natural‑looking script without turning it into robotic print. That alone made me take more notes.

The Glide Keyboard has short key travel but snappy feedback, fine for banging out a 2,000‑word article in a pinch. The fatal flaw? No cantilever hinge. The tablet lies flat on the keyboard base—no floating angle like a Surface or iPad Pro. On a desk, it’s fine; on your lap, bed, or couch, the fixed low angle gets awkward fast. So productivity isn’t about replacing your workstation; it’s about making you actually want to pull this out of your bag to sketch, write, and stay in the flow.

Performance, Battery, and Heat

Under the hood, the international model runs Huawei’s Kirin T93 Pro chip with up to 16GB RAM, and daily tasks like notes, video, and office apps are flawless. Push it with heavy video renders or Honkai: Star Rail, though, and frame rates stutter a bit, with heat building around the upper‑middle section. Thermal management is surprisingly good—thanks to dual‑layer VC cooling, it gets warm but never hot, even during long video calls, with no throttling. Battery life is rated at 14.5 hours of local video playback; in my real‑world mix (Wi‑Fi, 50% brightness, two hours of video calls, three hours of docs, one hour of gaming), it lasted about ten hours—enough for a full workday and commute. And that 40W reverse wired charging is a lifesaver when your phone is gasping for juice.

Final Verdict

Of course, no product is perfect. The keyboard’s flat design is a genuine ergonomic pain for lap use, and the professional software ecosystem, while growing, still isn’t a full desktop replacement. And at £999.99 in the UK, it’s firmly in flagship territory.

So who is this for? The MatePad Pro Max is a laser‑focused, even specialised, flagship that puts extreme portability and an uninterrupted big screen above all else, making deliberate trade‑offs in pro performance and form factor. It’s perfect for heavy document readers and mobile workers who live out of a bag, for anyone ultra‑sensitive to weight who wants something they can forget they’re carrying, for media junkies who crave an immersive panel with great speakers, and for sketchers and note‑takers who need a digital notebook that feels natural. The moment you hold it, every spec‑sheet anxiety melts away under that barely‑there weight. It doesn’t try to replace your laptop—it wants to be the screen you actually want to take with you. Sometimes, subtraction takes more guts than addition, and Huawei just proved it.

The post Huawei MatePad Pro Max (2026) Review: Ultra‑Light, Gorgeous Screen — How Close Does It Get to a Laptop? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Design and Appearance

The HONOR Watch 6 goes with a classic round watch face, roughly 46mm across. The bezel is metal with a dark gunmetal or black finish, and it’s got those dive-watch style numbers around the watch.

The screen is a 1.46-inch AMOLED panel at 464×464 resolution, so you get those deep blacks and punchy colors you’d expect from this type of display. On the right side there’s a single crown with some texture for grip—you can twist it and press it to navigate around the interface.

Size-wise, it’s pretty much what you’d expect from a modern smartwatch. Not super thin, not chunky either. The overall look is more sporty than dressy, which makes sense given the fitness tracking angle. The design plays it safe—round case, metal bezel, rubber strap. Since this is a review unit, I don’t know if there will be more straps to go with it.

Materials and Build Quality

I don’t know the material of the case, might be stainless steel or something similar based on the finish and machining quality. That circular sensor module at the back are arranged in the typical pattern for optical heart rate tracking.

Water resistance is rated at 5ATM plus IP69, which means you’re good for swimming down to 50 meters and it can handle high-pressure water jets and dust. That’s solid for anyone who swims or gets caught in rough weather. The IP69 part is actually worth noting since it covers high-pressure, high-temperature water jets—not just casual splashes. So if you’re the type who rinses off gear after a workout, this watch can take that kind of abuse.

Anyone comparing this against other options can see how it stacks up in our list of top smartwatches for 2026.

Hardware and Specs

Bluetooth 5.4 handles the wireless side, which is the current standard and should give decent battery efficiency and stable connections. NFC is in there too, so contactless payments work wherever that’s supported. In practice, that means Google Pay or similar services if you’re in a region where HONOR has those partnerships set up.

There’s a built-in speaker and mic, meaning you can take calls and use voice assistants when paired with your phone. GPS is onboard with multi-satellite support, so you don’t need your phone for tracking runs or rides. The multi-system part usually means it taps into GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, or BeiDou—helpful when you’re in cities with tall buildings or under tree cover where single-system GPS can get flaky.

Text and icons look sharp enough on the screen, and the AMOLED panel means true blacks that blend into the bezel when the screen shows dark content. Brightness levels outdoors are very good also.

Sports and Activity Tracking

The built-in GPS covers the basics—running, cycling, walking—with route tracking that doesn’t need your phone. Having multiple satellite systems helps with accuracy when the signal gets tricky, like downtown or in the woods, it’s genuinely useful if you do outdoor workouts.

There’s AI-powered workout assistance baked in, and the watch face already shows step count as part of the daily tracking. The AI part likely means automatic workout detection—so if you start running, the watch figures it out rather than making you manually start a session. How well that works in practice varies by activity type and individual movement patterns. The 5ATM rating means swimming is fair game too, though the images don’t show any pool-specific metrics on the display.

Health Monitoring

The back of the watch runs optical heart rate monitoring through PPG sensors. It tracks continuously or on-demand depending on your settings. SpO2 tracking uses the same hardware, shining red and infrared light to measure blood oxygen levels.

Stress monitoring works off heart rate variability, basically looking at how your heart rate bounces around to estimate your stress levels. Sleep tracking combines movement data from the accelerometer with HRV readings to guess at sleep stages—light, deep, REM, awake. Just keep in mind that all this optical stuff depends on how well the watch sits on your wrist and how tight you wear it. Too loose and the sensors lose contact; too tight and it’s uncomfortable for sleep. Finding that sweet spot takes some trial and error.

The health data gets fed into HONOR Health app or integration with third-party platforms. How useful all this data actually is depends on what you do with it. Having 30 days of heart rate graphs is neat, but if you’re not acting on the insights, it becomes background noise.

Battery and Charging

HONOR claims up to 35 days of battery life. This has to be the best battery life among all the smart watch category. I honestly don’t know how they achieve that, but give that HONOR has invested a lot of time into the battery tech, it is believable in my opinion. In real-world use with notifications, regular tracking, and maybe a couple GPS workouts per week, expect way less than that max number.

Charging is through the magnetic pin dock. It’s not as convenient as wireless Qi, but it’s reliable and usually charges faster. When charging, I think it is fairly fast.

Wrap-Up

The HONOR Watch 6 sits in that mid-to-premium zone with specs that match what else is out there right now. The AMOLED screen is nice, multi-satellite GPS is genuinely useful for outdoor types, and the health sensor array covers the usual bases without getting into medical-grade territory. That 35-day battery claim is impressive, we will see if it lives to the words.

The water resistance is legit for swimming, and the added NFC, speaker, and mic push it beyond just a fitness tracker into smartwatch territory. How well the smart features actually work day-to-day will depend on the software and what services are available where you live. It’s a competent package that doesn’t try to reinvent anything—just executes the standard smartwatch formula with decent hardware, and a round face that looks more like a traditional watch than a tech gadget.

The post HONOR Watch 6 Review: 35 Days Of Battery Life? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Compact smartphones have become increasingly rare, especially in the mid-premium segment. Most brands have shifted towards larger displays, leaving users who prefer one-handed devices with limited choices. The Oppo Reno 16 attempts to fill that gap with a 6.32-inch display, premium build, capable cameras, and a massive 6,700mAh battery packed into a surprisingly compact body.

On paper, it ticks almost every box. You get four 50-megapixel cameras, IP69-level durability, ColorOS 16 with several new AI features, and long software support. However, there’s one specification that raises eyebrows considering its Rs 61,999 starting price.

After spending some time with the Twilight Violet 8GB+256GB variant, here’s whether the Reno 16 deserves a place on your shortlist.

Designed for One-Handed Comfort

Oppo has always excelled at smartphone design, and the Reno 16 continues that tradition. My review unit in Twilight Violet looks elegant without trying too hard. The subtle finish catches light beautifully, while the matte rear panel does an excellent job of resisting fingerprints. It feels premium the moment you pick it up.

The aerospace-grade aluminum frame adds to the flagship-like in-hand feel, while the compact dimensions make the Reno 16 stand out in a sea of oversized smartphones. At just 182 grams and 8.22mm thick, it’s comfortable to use with one hand, and I never found myself stretching awkwardly to reach different parts of the display.

Despite its slim profile, Oppo hasn’t compromised on durability. The Reno 16 carries IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, making it one of the most durable smartphones in this segment. Whether it’s rain, accidental spills, or dusty environments, the phone inspires confidence.

The dedicated AI Snap Key on the left frame is a welcome addition. While it’s designed around Oppo’s AI ecosystem, I found it equally useful as a shortcut for launching the camera or other customizable functions.

The only ergonomic complaint I have is the fingerprint scanner. It’s quick and reliable, but positioned slightly too low on the display, which occasionally required an extra thumb stretch.

Compact Outside, Immersive Inside

The Reno 16 features a 6.32-inch AMOLED panel with a 1.5K resolution, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and up to 3,600 nits peak brightness.

Simply put, it’s an excellent display.

Colours are vibrant without looking exaggerated, blacks are deep, and text appears razor-sharp thanks to the high pixel density. Whether I was browsing social media, streaming videos, or reading articles, the display remained enjoyable throughout.

The slim and symmetrical bezels further enhance the viewing experience, making the phone feel more premium than many competitors. Even though it’s a compact device, I never felt like I was sacrificing screen real estate.

The stereo speakers complement the display nicely. They deliver good volume with clear vocals and decent stereo separation, making casual gaming and video streaming enjoyable without immediately reaching for earphones.

Smooth Every Day, But Not Built for Speed

Powering the Reno 16 is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset paired with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. It also comes in a 12GB+256GB version.

For everyday use, performance is exactly what you’d expect from a polished premium smartphone. Apps launch quickly, multitasking is effortless, animations remain fluid, and I didn’t encounter noticeable slowdowns during regular usage.

Gaming performance is respectable too. BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile ran smoothly with stable frame rates, while the phone remained reasonably cool thanks to its vapor chamber cooling system.

The issue isn’t that the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 performs poorly. Rather, it’s difficult to ignore that several competitors around this price offer flagship-grade chipsets with noticeably higher performance. If gaming or benchmark numbers are your highest priority, there are stronger alternatives available.

Storage speeds are quick enough for daily use, and the 256GB capacity should comfortably accommodate apps, photos, and videos for most users.

AI That Actually Feels Useful

The Reno 16 ships with Android 16-based ColorOS 16, and it remains one of the cleanest and most refined Android skins available today.

Animations are smooth, customization options are plentiful, and the interface rarely gets in your way. Oppo also promises five Android updates alongside six years of security patches, which is reassuring for anyone planning to keep the phone for several years.

This generation also introduces several AI-powered additions. The new AI Snap Key works alongside AI Mind Space, allowing users to quickly save screenshots, notes, and useful information in a central location. AI Mind Pilot combines multiple AI assistants into a unified interface, while features such as AI Writer, AI Recording, AI Eraser, AI Portrait Glow, and AI Menu Translation add genuine day-to-day convenience.

There are a handful of pre-installed third-party applications out of the box, but thankfully, most of them can be removed within a few minutes.

Here’s how the Reno 16 performed on benchmarking platforms.

Battery Life That Keeps Going

The Reno 16 houses a massive 6,700mAh silicon-carbon battery, and battery life is one of its biggest strengths.

Even with a mix of photography, social media, streaming, navigation, messaging, and occasional gaming, the phone comfortably lasted an entire day with charge to spare. Lighter users could even stretch it into a second day.

Charging is handled by Oppo’s 80W fast charging, which keeps downtime minimal despite the large battery. A quick top-up before heading out is often enough to comfortably last the rest of the day.

Combined with the efficient software optimization, battery anxiety simply wasn’t part of my experience with the Reno 16.

One small omission worth mentioning is NFC support. It won’t affect everyone, but at this price point, it would have been nice to see it included.

The Best Reason to Buy the Reno 16

Photography has always been the Reno series’ strongest selling point, and the Reno 16 continues that tradition.

The phone features a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 primary camera with OIS, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera with autofocus, a 50-megapixel 3.5x periscope telephoto camera with OIS, and a 50-megapixel autofocus selfie camera.

It’s one of the most versatile camera systems you’ll find in this segment.

The primary camera consistently captures detailed photos with pleasing colours and excellent dynamic range. Oppo continues to favor natural-looking processing instead of oversaturated colors, and the results are easy to appreciate. Exposure remains reliable even in challenging lighting conditions.

The telephoto camera is arguably my favorite lens on the phone. Portraits look excellent with natural facial proportions, good background separation, and realistic skin tones. It also delivers impressive zoom quality without relying excessively on AI sharpening.

The upgraded ultra-wide camera is another welcome improvement. Color consistency between all three rear cameras is excellent, making lens switching feel seamless. Autofocus also enables close-up photography, although there isn’t a dedicated telemacro mode. Honestly, that’s not something I’d expect on the standard Reno 16 anyway.

Selfies are equally impressive. The autofocus front camera captures plenty of detail while maintaining natural skin tones, making it one of the better selfie cameras in this price range.

Low-light photography is another strength. Images retain good detail without looking artificially bright, and Night mode further improves shadow recovery while preserving the atmosphere of the scene.

Video recording is equally capable, with support for 4K 60fps HDR across all four cameras, ensuring consistent quality regardless of which lens you’re using. My only disappointment is that portrait video remains limited to 1080p.

As for the optional Oppo Bubble accessory, I wasn’t able to test it since it wasn’t included with my review unit.

Verdict

The Oppo Reno 16 is a polished smartphone that focuses on getting the fundamentals right instead of chasing flashy specifications.

Its compact premium design, excellent camera system, vibrant display, long-lasting battery, polished software, and impressive durability make it one of the most enjoyable Android phones to use daily. The cameras, in particular, remain the biggest reason to consider this device.

The biggest hurdle is its pricing. At Rs 61,999, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 doesn’t quite match what several competitors offer in terms of raw performance. For everyday users, this may not matter much, but gamers and power users are likely to notice the difference.

If your priorities are cameras, battery life, software, and a genuinely compact flagship-like experience, the Reno 16 is easy to recommend. Just be aware that you’re paying a premium for refinement rather than benchmark-leading performance.

How It Stacks Up Against the Competition

If performance is your highest priority, the OnePlus 15R and Vivo X200T offer considerably more powerful chipsets while remaining competitively priced. The Xiaomi 17T is another strong option if you don’t mind a slightly larger phone and want flagship-level performance.

Interestingly, the Oppo Reno 15 Pro Mini may end up being the Reno 16’s biggest rival. Starting at Rs 59,999, it offers a faster Dimensity 8450 chipset, triple 200-megapixel cameras, and support for the optional Oppo Bubble accessory. The Reno 16, however, counters with a larger battery, newer AI features, and the dedicated AI Snap Key, making the better choice depend on your priorities.

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Most smartphone reviews are written within a week or two of a phone’s launch, when everything still feels fresh. But that’s rarely how people use their phones. A smartphone is something you rely on every day for work, entertainment, photography, gaming, and staying connected. That’s why I decided to revisit the iQOO 15R after using it as my primary device for the past few months.

Since its debut in February, the smartphone market has become even more competitive, with several new contenders entering the premium mid-range segment. Yet, the iQOO 15R continues to promise flagship-level performance, a massive 7,600mAh battery, and a compact design at a price that undercuts many rivals. After living with the Dark Knight variant for months, here’s what has impressed me the most, what hasn’t aged quite as well, and whether it’s still worth buying today.

A Design That Has Aged Gracefully

One of the things I appreciated from day one was the phone’s size, and that hasn’t changed. At a time when many performance-focused smartphones feel unnecessarily large and bulky, the iQOO 15R strikes a nice balance. It’s compact enough to use comfortably with one hand while still offering a large display for gaming and media consumption.

The Dark Knight color deserves special mention. Unlike glossy finishes that quickly become fingerprint magnets, the matte fibreglass back has remained clean throughout my usage. Even after months of carrying it in my pocket and placing it on different surfaces, it still looks almost as good as new. The finish also provides enough grip that I rarely felt the need to use the bundled case.

The metal frame continues to feel reassuringly premium, while the buttons remain tactile with no signs of becoming loose over time. Despite packing a massive 7,600mAh battery, the phone never feels excessively heavy, and the weight distribution is excellent. The IP68 and IP69 ratings also provide peace of mind during unexpected rain or accidental splashes.

A Display That’s Still Among the Best

The 6.59-inch AMOLED display with superslim bezels all around remains one of my favorite aspects of the iQOO 15R. Its still a joy to look at whether I’m catching up on YouTube videos, scrolling through social media, editing photos, or playing games.

The panel is sharp, colors are vibrant without appearing overly saturated, and outdoor visibility has never been an issue. Even under harsh sunlight, I rarely found myself struggling to read messages or navigate using Google Maps.

The 144Hz refresh rate continues to make everyday interactions feel incredibly fluid. More importantly, the experience hasn’t changed after months of software updates. Animations remain smooth, touch response is excellent, and the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner continues to unlock the phone almost instantly. It’s one of those features that spoils you to the point where switching back to an optical fingerprint sensor feels like a downgrade.

Performance That Refuses to Slow Down

If there’s one reason to buy the iQOO 15R even today, it’s performance.

Many Android phones start showing small signs of ageing after a few months. Apps take slightly longer to open, animations occasionally stutter, and multitasking becomes less reliable. Thankfully, that hasn’t been my experience with the iQOO 15R.

Whether it’s juggling dozens of Chrome tabs, editing images, switching between social media apps, or handling a busy workday filled with emails and messaging apps, the phone continues to feel as responsive as it did on day one.

Gaming remains one of its strongest suits. BGMI, Call of Duty: Mobile, and other demanding titles run effortlessly with consistently smooth frame rates. Even during longer gaming sessions, the phone manages heat well thanks to its cooling system. It certainly gets warm, but never to the point where it becomes uncomfortable to hold or starts throttling noticeably.

Another pleasant surprise has been the haptics. It’s not something you consciously think about every day, but every vibration, keyboard press, and notification feels tight and precise, adding to the overall premium experience.

Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give the iQOO 15R is this: after four months, I’ve never felt that the phone was slowing me down. It simply gets out of the way and lets me focus on what I’m doing.

Battery Life Continues to Impress

If performance is the iQOO 15R’s biggest strength, battery life is a close second. Despite packing a massive 7,600mAh battery, the phone measures just 7.9mm thick and weighs around 205 grams, making it surprisingly comfortable to use every day.

On most days, I comfortably finish with plenty of charge remaining despite heavy use involving messaging, photography, social media, YouTube, navigation, and gaming.

On lighter days, stretching the phone into a second day is still entirely possible. That consistency is what makes the battery so impressive. I never find myself worrying about charging before leaving home or carrying a power bank during the day.

The included 100W charger also deserves praise. Even with such a large battery, charging never feels like a lengthy affair. Whenever I do need to top up, the phone is ready to go again surprisingly quickly.

OriginOS Has Matured Nicely

Software has probably seen the biggest improvement since launch.

OriginOS feels polished, animations remain fluid, and the overall experience is considerably cleaner than older versions of Vivo and iQOO’s software. Day-to-day navigation feels fast, app switching is seamless, and the high refresh rate complements the software beautifully.

There are still a few pre-installed apps that I’d rather not see, but thankfully, most of them can be removed within minutes.

Some AI features are genuinely useful, particularly photo editing tools like AI Erase and Image Expansion. Others feel more like nice-to-have additions that I rarely use after the initial curiosity wears off.

The biggest positive is that software updates haven’t negatively affected performance or battery life. If anything, the phone feels even more refined today than it did when I first started using it. Another good thing is that it is promised to receive four major Android OS upgrades and six years of security updates. My review unit has also received the June security update.

Cameras That Remain Reliable

The iQOO 15R was never marketed as a camera-first smartphone, and that remains true today. However, that doesn’t mean its cameras disappoint.

The 50-megapixel primary camera continues to deliver detailed, vibrant photos with reliable HDR performance. During daylight, images have plenty of detail, colours look pleasing without being overly processed, and autofocus remains quick and dependable.

Portrait shots are generally impressive, with natural background separation in most situations. The lack of a dedicated telephoto camera is noticeable when zooming beyond 2x, but that’s a compromise I expected when choosing a performance-focused phone.

The 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera remains the weakest part of the camera setup. It’s perfectly usable for occasional landscape shots, but there’s a noticeable drop in detail compared to the primary sensor.

Low-light photography is respectable, but it isn’t class-leading. Night mode helps recover additional details, though it takes a couple of seconds to process each shot. Meanwhile, some of its photography-focused rivals have started pulling ahead in this area. I also noticed that portrait shots captured in low light suffer from weaker background separation and less accurate edge detection.

The 32-megapixel front camera performs well enough for video calls and selfies, while the ability to shoot 4K 60fps videos from both the front and rear cameras remains a nice bonus for content creators.

Overall, my opinion on the cameras hasn’t changed much over the past four months. They’re dependable for everyday photography, but they aren’t the primary reason to buy the iQOO 15R.

So, Should You Still Buy the iQOO 15R?

After using it for a longer duration, my answer is still yes.

The iQOO 15R remains one of the easiest smartphones to recommend if your priorities are performance, battery life, and gaming. It continues to deliver flagship-level speed, an excellent display, dependable battery life, and a premium in-hand feel without venturing into ultra-premium pricing.

That said, it isn’t perfect. Photography enthusiasts will find better camera-focused alternatives in this price range, particularly if zoom performance or low-light photography is important. Likewise, those who prefer a cleaner software experience may still gravitate towards the OnePlus 15R.

However, if you’re looking for a phone that simply refuses to slow down, lasts comfortably through demanding days, and remains enjoyable to use long after the initial excitement has faded, the iQOO 15R continues to justify its asking price.

Four months of daily use haven’t changed my opinion about the phone. If anything, they’ve reinforced it. The iQOO 15R wasn’t just impressive at launch. It’s a smartphone that continues to deliver where it matters most, making it one of the strongest all-round performance phones you can buy in its segment today.

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If you work from home, you probably know how quickly a desk can get cluttered. Between monitors, keyboards, mice, external drives, and the cables needed to power them all, keeping a workspace tidy is an ongoing chore.

I’ve been looking for a straightforward way to manage my setup, which led me to test the Baseus Spacemate RD1 Pro 15-in-1 Docking Station over the past two weeks.

Priced at $299.99, it’s marketed as a premium, central hub for Windows users who need a lot of ports and reliable power. During my testing period, my main desktop PC actually crashed, and I had to send it in for repairs.

I had to switch entirely to my laptop to get my work done. That ended up being a great test for this dock, as it allowed me to connect my laptop to my dual monitors and all my peripherals with just one USB-C cable. It made a frustrating situation much easier to manage.

Design and Build Quality

The first thing you’ll notice about the Spacemate RD1 Pro is its vertical design. Instead of lying flat on the desk like many traditional docks, it stands upright. Baseus calls this a Space Simplified approach, and it does save a good amount of horizontal desk space.

The build quality is solid, which is something I’ve come to expect from Baseus. There are no sharp edges; the corners are rounded, and the Cosmic Black finish gives it a subtle, professional look that blends in well with most desk setups.

Before I set it up, I was a little concerned that a vertical dock might easily tip over, especially since it has a magnetic charging pad for a phone on the very top. However, the unit weighs 636 grams on its own. Even with several stiff cables plugged into the back and my phone resting on top, it remained stable on my desk.

On the front of the dock, there’s a small digital display. It provides basic real-time information, like which ports are in use and the current charging status. Right above the screen is a physical button.

Pressing and holding it for two seconds switches the dock between two modes: Hybrid Mode and Charging Mode. Hybrid Mode enables all the data, video, and charging functions. Charging Mode turns off the data and display outputs to prioritize maximum charging speed for your connected devices. It’s a practical feature if you just need to charge your laptop and phone quickly without waking up your external monitors.

I do need to mention the power adapter, though. To support 15 different functions and provide up to 160W of total output, the dock comes with a 180W GaN power brick. The adapter is quite large and heavy. While the dock itself saves space on your desk, you will need to figure out a way to manage or hide this bulky power brick underneath your desk or behind a monitor.

I generally prefer flat docking stations that can be tucked under a monitor stand, sometimes with the power supply built-in, but the vertical design here works well enough if you don’t mind the external brick.

Ports and Connectivity

The Spacemate RD1 Pro is equipped with 14 wired ports, plus the wireless charging pad on top.

The front layout is designed for things you need to plug and unplug frequently. You get two USB-C ports capable of 100W fast charging, along with two 5Gbps USB-A ports.

The back is meant for your permanent connections. It features two 10Gbps USB-C ports, an SD and TF card slot (version 3.0), two 480Mbps USB-A ports (which are fine for a mouse or keyboard), a Gigabit Ethernet port, and two HDMI ports.

Because this dock is optimized for Windows, it supports extended dual-monitor setups (unlike macOS, which often limits you to mirrored displays through a single USB-C connection). One HDMI port supports 4K resolution at up to 120Hz, while the other supports 4K at 60Hz.

During my time using it as my main workstation, the dual-screen extension worked well. I did experience a brief loss of connection over HDMI on two occasions. I checked the cables to see if anything was loose, but everything was secure. The screen just flickered and came back. It only happened twice over two weeks, so it wasn’t a major issue, but it’s something I noticed.

Data transfer speeds were consistently reliable during my testing. Moving large files through the 10Gbps USB-C ports was fast, and the built-in SD and TF card readers are a very welcome addition. Since I take a lot of photos for reviews and need to transfer them frequently, having this port readily accessible is incredibly useful for my daily workflow.

While the port selection is extensive, I feel a few things could have been added to make it truly comprehensive. For instance, there is no DisplayPort, which remains a very common standard for PC monitors. It also lacks a 3.5mm audio jack for wired headphones or speakers. And the Ethernet port is standard Gigabit (1Gbps), upgrading to a 2.5GbE port would have been great. These are relatively minor omissions, but I would love to see them included in future iterations from Baseus.

Power and Wireless Charging

Power management is one of the dock’s strong points. Even with multiple devices plugged in, the unit didn’t get noticeably hot. Baseus uses a dynamic power distribution system to manage the 160W total output safely.

I tested the front USB-C ports by charging a high-capacity power bank that supports 100W input. Using an inline power meter, I confirmed that the port was delivering a steady 100W. It’s convenient to know you can charge a laptop and a power bank at full speed simultaneously.

The top of the dock features a Qi2.2 adjustable magnetic charging pad. It can be tilted up, which is nice if you want to see your phone notifications or use face unlock while working. It supports up to 25W charging for compatible devices. I tested it with an iPhone 13 and an iPhone 14 Pro. Since these are older models, they maxed out at 15W, but they charged consistently.

I think the strength of the magnets could have been a bit better. Because the dock is tall, you want a very secure hold on your phone. If you use your phone without a case, it attaches fine. But if you use a case, the grip might feel a bit weaker, although it depends on the material of the case. I also own the Baseus Nomos 245W charging station, and the magnetic hold on that model is significantly stronger. Anyway, it’s not a dealbreaker.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Baseus Spacemate RD1 Pro is a very capable machine with solid build quality. It is incredibly flexible, to be honest. For instance, having the magnetic charging pad built right into the top completely solves the issue of needing a separate phone charger taking up space on your desk. Of course, there will always be a few drawbacks, like the bulky power adapter and the lack of a DisplayPort or audio jack, but those are very nitpicky details.

Given the standard retail price, I was initially expecting a little more. But I think Baseus is going to sell it under $200 mostly with their coupon codes and massive discounts, so that makes it a steal deal, to be honest. You can purchase this model directly from Amazon or through the official Baseus website.

If you are interested in picking one up, we have some discount details for our readers that you can use until July 15. The standard retail price is $299.99, but if you use the promo code BASEUSPR at checkout, it brings the promotional price down to $189.99. That gives you a full 37% off, and this specific promotion period runs from June 23 through July 15.

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For years, the Nord Buds series has focused on offering the essentials without making buyers feel like they’re settling. The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 continue that philosophy, but this time, OnePlus has packed in features that were once reserved for more expensive earbuds. You get up to 52dB active noise cancellation (ANC), spatial audio, Bluetooth 6.1, AI-powered features, and an impressive battery life, all at an affordable price.

I spent several days using the Astral Teal variant for music, calls, videos, gaming, and commuting. While they aren’t perfect, they easily outperform what you’d expect from earbuds in this price segment.

A familiar design that’s comfortable all day

The Astral Teal variant is easily the more eye-catching of the two color options. Its soft matte finish and muted green shade give the earbuds a fresh, premium look straight out of the box. However, after using them for around 10 days, I felt some of that initial visual appeal had faded. The finish seemed to lose a bit of its freshness with regular use, which made me think the Stellar Black variant may hold up better over the long run and hide everyday wear more effectively.

That said, the charging case remains compact enough to slip into a jeans pocket, while the earbuds themselves weigh just 4.3g each. Comfort has been one of the Nord Buds series’ strengths, and the Nord Buds 4 continue that tradition. I could comfortably wear them for a couple of hours without feeling any pressure or fatigue. Whether I was working from home or taking a walk outdoors, the fit remained secure. The IP55 rating also means you won’t have to worry about sweat or a light drizzle during workouts.

Surprisingly rich sound for the price

OnePlus has equipped the Nord Buds 4 with 12mm titanium-coated dynamic drivers, and they deliver a lively sound signature that most users will immediately enjoy.

Bass is the highlight here. It has plenty of punch without becoming muddy, making Bollywood tracks, EDM, hip-hop, and action movie soundtracks particularly enjoyable. At the same time, vocals remain clear enough that podcasts and acoustic tracks don’t get drowned out by the low end. Spatial Audio also adds a greater sense of immersion when watching movies or playing supported games, giving audio a wider and more spacious presentation.

Audiophiles looking for an analytical sound signature may still want something more refined, but for everyday listening, the Nord Buds 4 strike a pleasing balance between energetic bass and clear mids.

HeyMelody app lets you fine-tune the experience

The companion HeyMelody app gives you more control over how the earbuds sound and behave. The Sound Master EQ offers three presets: Balanced, Serenade, and Bass, allowing you to quickly switch between different sound profiles depending on what you’re listening to. If you enjoy a stronger low-end, the BassWave slider lets you gradually adjust the bass level instead of relying on a fixed preset, making it easy to find a sound signature that suits your taste.

The app also lets you customise touch controls, switch between ANC modes, enable low-latency gaming mode, update the firmware, and locate your earbuds if you’ve misplaced them nearby.

One feature I particularly liked is Spotify Tap, which lets you assign a double tap, triple tap, or touch-and-hold gesture to instantly resume your music or discover a new recommendation in Spotify without having to reach for your phone. It’s a small addition, but one that frequent Spotify users will appreciate.

ANC that genuinely makes a difference

ANC is often the first feature manufacturers compromise on in affordable earbuds, but that isn’t the case here.

The Nord Buds 4 offer up to 52dB real-time ANC, and while real-world performance naturally varies depending on your surroundings, they do an excellent job of reducing constant background noise. During my commute, they noticeably reduced the hum of traffic and air conditioning, making music and podcasts easier to enjoy without constantly increasing the volume.

Call quality is another pleasant surprise. The six-microphone setup, combined with AI noise reduction, keeps voices clear during outdoor conversations. Even in breezy conditions, callers had little trouble hearing me.

Built for gaming, commuting and everyday convenience

These earbuds aren’t just about music. Gaming performance is impressive thanks to the 47ms low-latency mode, which helps keep audio in sync with on-screen action. Bluetooth 6.1 connectivity remained stable throughout my testing, while dual-device pairing made switching between my laptop and smartphone effortless.

Battery life is another major strength. With ANC turned off, the Nord Buds 4 are rated for up to 54 hours of total playback with the charging case, while a quick 10-minute charge can provide several hours of listening. I never found myself worrying about running out of power, even after several days of regular use.

OnePlus has also added AI features like AI Translate and voice assistant support on compatible devices. While these aren’t reasons alone to buy the earbuds, they do add extra convenience if you’re already invested in the OnePlus ecosystem.

Nord Buds 4 vs Nord Buds 4 Pro

The Nord Buds 4 and Nord Buds 4 Pro target different buyers. The standard OnePlus Nord Buds 4 misses out on premium audio features found in the Pro model, specifically losing high-resolution LHDC 5.0 codec support, and a wider 20Hz – 40kHz frequency response. Physically, it lacks the convenient Volume Swipe Control on the stems, restricting you to basic touch controls. Finally, it omits a USB-C charging cable from the box, though it oddly gains a slightly newer Bluetooth version (6.1 vs 6.0).

Verdict

The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 are easy to recommend. They don’t try to be flagship earbuds at a budget price. Instead, they focus on getting the fundamentals right while borrowing a few premium features that genuinely improve the everyday experience.

The sound is energetic, ANC works better than expected, battery life is excellent, and the lightweight design makes them comfortable enough for extended listening sessions. Add dependable call quality, gaming-friendly latency, and stable connectivity, and you have one of the strongest all-round packages in its segment.

Priced at Rs 3,299, with a limited-period introductory price of Rs 3,099, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 offer excellent value. They will go on sale from June 29 via the OnePlus Store App, OnePlus Experience Stores, Amazon.in, Flipkart, Blinkit, Myntra, and select offline partner stores.

If your budget is around Rs 3,000 and you’re looking for a pair of earbuds that deliver strong sound, capable ANC, long battery life, and everyday reliability without unnecessary compromises, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 deserve a place near the top of your shortlist.

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The BenQ ZOWIE XL2566X+ is a monitor designed with a very specific audience in mind. Unlike many premium gaming displays that attempt to balance gaming, content creation, and entertainment, this monitor focuses almost entirely on competitive esports performance. With a 400Hz refresh rate, Fast TN panel, and the latest DyAc 2 motion clarity technology, it aims to provide professional and aspiring esports players with every possible advantage.

After spending time with the monitor in fast-paced shooters such as Counter-Strike 2, it becomes clear why ZOWIE displays remain a common sight at major esports tournaments around the world.

400Hz Refresh Rate Delivers Exceptional Smoothness

The headline feature of the XL2566X+ is undoubtedly its 400Hz refresh rate. While casual gamers may find the difference between 240Hz and 400Hz difficult to appreciate at first, competitive players will immediately notice the smoother motion and improved visual fluidity.

During gameplay, mouse movements feel incredibly responsive and enemy movements appear more consistent, particularly during rapid flicks and tracking scenarios. When paired with a powerful gaming PC capable of maintaining extremely high frame rates, the monitor provides a level of smoothness that few displays can currently match.

For esports-focused players, especially those competing in titles such as Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant, the 400Hz panel creates a noticeably more connected experience between player inputs and on-screen actions.

DyAc 2 Takes Motion Clarity to Another Level

Refresh rate alone does not guarantee a competitive advantage. Motion clarity plays an equally important role, and this is where BenQ’s DyAc 2 technology shines.

During testing, moving targets remained significantly sharper during fast camera movements compared to conventional gaming monitors. In Counter-Strike 2, enemy outlines remained easier to track while strafing, making it simpler to maintain focus during intense engagements.

The combination of the Fast TN panel and DyAc 2 technology helps reduce motion blur and unwanted afterimages that can distract players during critical moments. The result is a cleaner image that allows players to react more confidently when every millisecond matters.

For many competitive gamers, DyAc 2 is likely to be the monitor’s most valuable feature and one of the primary reasons to choose it over alternative high-refresh-rate displays.

Improved TN Panel Performance

While IPS and OLED panels dominate many areas of the gaming monitor market, BenQ continues to rely on TN technology for its esports-focused displays. The company has clearly invested considerable effort into refining the technology.

The Fast TN panel used in the XL2566X+ offers noticeably better colour reproduction than older TN displays while maintaining the speed advantages that competitive players demand. Colours appear more vibrant, and image clarity is improved compared to previous generations.

Features such as Color Vibrance and Black eQualizer further enhance visibility by helping players identify enemies in darker areas without excessively washing out the image. Although the monitor cannot compete with OLED panels in terms of contrast or cinematic image quality, it performs exceptionally well within its intended purpose.

Esports-Focused Design and Ergonomics

The XL2566X+ monitor includes removable shielding hoods designed to reduce distractions from ambient lighting and peripheral movement, making them particularly useful in tournament environments.

The redesigned stand is another highlight. Height adjustments feel smooth and precise thanks to the upgraded mechanism, allowing users to quickly find their preferred viewing position. Tilt and swivel adjustments are equally easy to use.

The compact stand base also leaves more room on the desk for keyboard positioning and large mouse movements, which many professional FPS players prefer.

User Experience and Gaming Features

BenQ has also focused on simplifying the user experience. The included S-Switch controller allows users to quickly switch between saved profiles without navigating multiple menu layers.

Additional gaming-focused features such as Black eQualizer, Color Vibrance, Auto Game Mode, and XL Setting to Share provide useful customization options for different games and playing styles.

Throughout testing, the monitor consistently delivered excellent responsiveness. Inputs felt immediate and precise, helping create a highly competitive gaming experience that matches the expectations of professional-level players.

Connectivity and Ports

The XL2566X+ offers a practical selection of ports tailored for competitive gaming setups. At the rear, the monitor features a single DisplayPort 1.4 input and three HDMI 2.0 ports. For PC gamers looking to take full advantage of the monitor’s 400Hz refresh rate, DisplayPort is essential, as HDMI is limited to a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz at Full HD resolution.

During testing, I used the bundled DisplayPort cable to enable the full 400Hz refresh rate without any issues. The multiple HDMI ports are useful for users who regularly switch between gaming PCs and consoles such as the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, both of which are supported at up to 120Hz.

Also present is a 3.5mm headphone jack for connecting gaming headsets directly to the monitor. While there are no built-in speakers, most competitive gamers are likely to use dedicated headsets anyway. The port layout is straightforward and functional, aligning with the monitor’s esports-first approach rather than attempting to serve as a multimedia hub.

Verdict

The BenQ ZOWIE XL2566X+ is not designed to be an all-purpose monitor. Its Full HD resolution and TN panel technology mean it will not appeal to users prioritising content creation, media consumption, or cinematic gaming experiences. However, I did not face any issue for using it work for my work, which is mostly about writing posts and adding them to WordPress.

I feel that it excels for its intended audience. The combination of a 400Hz refresh rate, outstanding motion clarity through DyAc 2, ultra-responsive performance, and esports-focused ergonomics makes it one of the best competitive gaming monitors currently available.

If your primary focus is competitive FPS gaming and you want a display built specifically to maximize performance rather than visual flair, the XL2566X+ is an easy recommendation.

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Open‑ear earclips are now the most popular type of earbuds. They perfectly solve the problem of AirPods constantly slipping out. It seems the stem‑style earbuds—first popularized by the AirPods—are gradually being replaced by earclip‑type models. They fit any ear shape, stay comfortable for hours, and are much friendlier to your ear canal health. The star of today’s review is an open‑ear earclip from Baseus: the Bowie MC2. If you haven’t tried this type of earbuds yet, this is the one I highly recommend starting with.

Design and comfort

The Baseus Bowie MC2 has an oval-shaped case with a slightly more premium fit and finish compared to competitors in the same price range. Although some people may not like the oval-shaped case, it is more pocketable than most of the competition and is one of the best cases for jeans.

While this kind of open-ear earclip fits almost all ear shapes, Baseus has still added some thoughtful design touches to make it even more comfortable. For example, the replaceable CloudComfort 2.0 air cushions. These cushions help distribute pressure across the contact area, minimizing any wearing discomfort.

In fact, their SGS and TUV comfort certifications are the best proof of just how comfortable they are. The box also includes two other sizes of spare cushions, so you can choose the perfect fit for your specific ear shape.

Wave-Pattern Ultra-Thin C-Ring also makes for a surprisingly secure and comfortable fit. The C-Ring uses a memory titanium alloy that keeps the clamping force to a minimum. Another benefit of the C-ring is its longer length compared to most of the competition. This allows the speaker to be closer to the ear canal. Each earbud weighs only 5.1 grams. As you wear them longer, the comfort gap between the Bowie MC2 and other earbuds becomes even more noticeable; it’s easy to forget you’re even wearing them. The cherry on top is the IP67 rating. This ensures these ear-clips will survive the wettest workouts.

In summary, the Bowie MC2 is easily pocketable and has a case that feels solid. Compared to all other earclip designs I have tested in the past, these are the most comfortable earclips I have tried.

Sound

The Bowie MC2 uses 11mm dynamic drivers with metallic diaphragms, in addition to upgraded BISA special audio. Last year’s Inspire series featured tuning expertise learned from a collaboration with Bose, and that same technology has been packed into the MC2’s SuperBass 3.0. It also supports Hi-Res and LDAC codecs. And since the Bowie MC2 is recommended by a Grammy-winning audio professional, you know the audio DNA of this earclip is already solid.

The overall sound signature is V-shaped with good resolution and a surprising amount of depth. The bass is full-bodied, and the subbass is present with a moderate roll-off below 80 Hz. The bass is not boomy or bloated, and the vocals are clear. And clearly, it’s highly capable when it comes to vocal-heavy pop music. It may not perform quite like the flagship Inspire XC1, but the overall sound quality comes pretty close to top-tier models and is highly competitive for the price.

The Baseus app has several sound profiles and a customizable 8-band equalizer. You can create your own custom sound profile with the equalizer. For me, the default setting is easily the best overall choice, and it’s the one I use the most during my daily testing. Overall, the Bowie MC2 produces a full-bodied V-shaped sound with great resolution and depth.

Calls

In the video at the beginning of our article, there’s a call test — you can click to listen for yourself. To me, the call quality is pretty good. In theory, the 4-Mic Call Clarity and Smart Awareness help with ambient noise reduction and provide better-than-average call quality regardless of the background noise. Again, Bluetooth 6.0 allows for an excellent range from your phone.

Connectivity

A small button on the top side of each earbud controls all functions. With a little practice, all the functions are easy to master. Bluetooth 6.0 allows for a strong connection despite multiple walls and is a notable improvement over Bluetooth 5.0 devices I have tested. Latency was quite low and worked well for watching YouTube videos. For gaming, low-latency mode is accessible through the Baseus app.

Dual-Device connection should be standard on every pair of earbuds by now, but I still want to give it a quick mention. The Bowie MC2 does a great job with this; even when connecting between an iPhone and a MacBook, it delivers a switching experience that is just as seamless as AirPods.

Battery life

As Baseus’s latest earclip, the Bowie MC2’s battery life and charging capabilities are a huge advantage. They claim a single charge will last for 11.5 hours. 10 Min quick charge allows for up to 3 hours of listening. It’s safe to say this is currently Baseus’s strongest earclip in terms of battery and charging—bar none.

The Baseus Bowie MC2 is the most comfortable ear clip I have used. If you want an earclip that you can wear all day, this is it. They work well in the office, gym, and any situation that requires awareness of your surroundings. It sounds exceptional at a retail price under $60 (for early-bird deals). For a pair of open-ear earclips that deliver a flagship-level experience without the flagship price tag, Baseus has done an amazing job.

The Baseus Bowie MC2 retails for $79.99, but an exclusive early bird PD discount was secured for its debut on June 1st. Just use promo code MC2OWSPR at checkout to knock $30 off the price – that brings it down to just $49.99. Don’t sleep on this deal.

The post Baseus Bowie MC2 Review: Top-tier comfort and fit with great sound appeared first on Gizmochina.

Let’s get it straight: the OPPO Find X9 Ultra did not disappoint. It’s genuinely a great camera phone. After carrying it on a five‑day trip to Japan and capturing over a thousand photos, I came to fully appreciate just how impressive its strengths really are. That said, I also discovered quite a few weaknesses. So let’s dive into the sample shots and break down the camera performance of the Find X9 Ultra.

**All the photos on this webpage are compressed. Please check out the video for high-resolution samples.**

Buy the OPPO Find X9 Ultra Global version on GeekWills here.

Master Mode

Since Master Mode tends to reduce shutter time, photos often come out slightly underexposed. Combined with vignetting and lighter post-processing, the results look more cinematic. Shots taken at dusk also appear much closer to what your eyes actually see, while the default mode makes it feel like the sun never went down. The downside, however, is that exposure can sometimes be pushed too low, turning sunny days into scenes that look overcast.

As for the default mode, its characteristics are very aggressive HDR, heavy sharpening, and highly saturated colors. Well, sometimes it really does make your photos look better, like sharper details and higher dynamic range. But it depends on the scene, and sometimes it completely ruins the shot. For example, the excessive HDR processing can make daytime photos look flat, and even the sun no longer feels blinding.

At night, shadow areas may also exhibit slight color artifacts.

Based on my experience of taking over a thousand photos, I still recommend using Master Mode for daily shooting, and only switching back to the default mode when the scene doesn’t suit it. Because honestly, after looking at too many high-contrast and over-sharpened photos, it really feels like they’re assaulting my eyes. So, unless otherwise specified, every photo shown was taken using Master Mode.

23mm

Although the sensor has become smaller and the glass elements is gone, the actual image quality has not regressed. You can still take photos with an extremely shallow depth of field. Though sometimes a shallow depth of field is not necessarily a good thing, especially when shooting food.

Thankfully, this time the main camera is 200MP, so OPPO added a new option in the Find X9 Ultra: High Resolution mode. Once enabled, under good lighting conditions, the photos you take will be 28MP. This allows the camera to fully take advantage of the high-resolution sensor.

Well, there’s honestly not much else to say. This main camera is simply one of the best cameras available right now, and it can reliably capture what you want in almost any situation.

For example, the photo was taken in an environment where I could barely see anything with my own eyes. Under conditions like that, only the main camera could capture the black cat walking by at night.

230mm

Because this new 10x optical telephoto lens requires light to go through five reflections before reaching the sensor, theoretically, its optical quality was never going to be amazing. And in practice, that’s exactly the case. If you zoom in and inspect any photo taken with this lens, you can almost always find red or green outlines appearing around object edges.

Since chromatic aberration exists, spherical aberration naturally exists as well. Simply put, the image just doesn’t look sharp enough. And if you’re using Master Mode, the photos can end up looking like they have a soft diffusion filter applied. So it’s obvious that the bottleneck of this camera is not the sensor, but the lens itself. Compared to the Samsung S23 Ultra, this telephoto camera only wins by a very narrow margin in image quality.

The scenarios where this high-resolution sensor truly shines are cloudy weather or scenes beyond 230mm. Without harsh lighting, the aberration issues become much less noticeable. And thanks to In-Sensor Zoom, it can extend to 460mm, making bird photography barely usable as well. Even though I complained quite a bit about the aberration problems earlier, realistically, if you don’t zoom in, you probably won’t notice them at all. And once the photos are uploaded to social media, nobody will notice those tiny flaws anyway. In reality, I’m still pretty satisfied with this lens. It may not be perfect, but it genuinely allows me to capture more distant scenery.

Have you ever thought about this question: under what circumstances would you even photograph such distant objects in pitch-black darkness? So even though it does perform better than Samsung at night, I honestly think that advantage is meaningless.

70mm

Between the ultra-long telephoto camera and the main camera, OPPO chose a 200MP sensor as the transition camera. But with an aperture this large, calling it a “transition camera” doesn’t really feel appropriate. In fact, out of all four cameras, this one is my favorite. With its massive sensor size and huge aperture, this is the best 70mm camera ever made on a smartphone.

Just like the main camera, it delivers professional camera-level background blur. At 6x zoom, image sharpness drops slightly, but it’s still acceptable. Most telephoto cameras struggle badly at night, but the Find X9 Ultra does not. This camera can still produce satisfying results after dark.

For example, in this photo taken at dusk, both the white house nearby and the signal tower in the distance remain incredibly sharp. Just like the main camera, I genuinely cannot find anything to complain about with this 70mm camera. It is simply one of the best smartphone cameras ever made.

14mm

The ultra-wide camera is slightly better than the one on the Find X8 Ultra, but compared to the other three cameras, it feels pretty bad. Purple fringing is quite severe. Even without backlighting, you can still spot purple edges once you zoom into the corners of the image. And if you combine backlighting with scenes full of high-frequency detail, the results become downright terrible. This once again proves that the bottleneck, just like the 10x telephoto camera, lies in the lens rather than the sensor.

At night, the gap between this camera and its siblings becomes even larger. Besides the obvious loss in sharpness, the lack of OIS also dramatically increases the number of blurry shots. The only solution is to take multiple photos and hope one of them comes out sharp.

Although this ultra-wide camera drags the whole system down, I can understand OPPO’s decision. During my trip, only about 1/10 of my photos were actually taken with this camera. Even when facing extremely grand scenery, the main camera’s 23mm focal length was already wide enough. Sacrificing the ultra-wide camera in exchange for more space for the telephoto system was honestly a smart decision.

Photography Kit

Unfortunately, OPPO’s photography kit and teleconverter are not sold separately this time. If you want them, you’ll have to spend nearly $1800, together with the 1TB version of the phone. I’m not rich, so I didn’t buy it, but I did get some hands-on experience with the kit at an OPPO offline store. My first impression was this: compared to practicality, it gives you far more emotional value.

Although the teleconverter is only 300mm, it is physically larger and longer than vivo’s 400mm one. The grip and phone case are integrated together, but the grip itself is very shallow, making it difficult to hold such a heavy phone securely. The only buttons are the shutter key and zoom lever, and it connects via Bluetooth. There’s no doubt that the design is ahead of both Xiaomi and vivo, but in terms of practicality, it also unquestionably ranks last.

Considering the Find X9 Ultra already has a 230mm camera, and the global version could potentially exceed $2000, I’d still recommend saving your money for the hardships of life instead.

Video Recording

Every clip was recorded in 4K 30FPS, converted from O-Log2 back to Rec.709, without any color grading. I set the bitrate to the highest setting, so every clip basically exceeded 75Mbps. For a smartphone, this level of stabilization plus such clear image quality is already top-tier.

But there are still some flaws. For example, the telephoto camera occasionally shows slight jitter. And once again, this ultra-wide camera drags everything down. Not only does it still suffer from purple fringing, but its dynamic range is also noticeably weaker. Even enabling O-Log2 cannot recover the highlights.

At night, the image quality also drops dramatically, with noise dancing all over the screen. You can clearly see how massive the gap becomes once I switch back to the main camera. But aside from that, I’m still very satisfied with the video quality from the other cameras.

Verdict

In the past, whenever I traveled and wanted a full focal‑length photography experience, I had to carry a massive lens—bigger than this phone. Now, OPPO offers a much smarter alternative. The Find X9 Ultra is the first true all‑focal‑length smartphone I’ve ever seen. And for me, the essence of smartphone photography comes down to one word: convenience.

Even if its image quality can’t quite match a mirrorless camera, it lets you carry fewer lenses, climb higher mountains, travel to more places, and meet more people. That, to me, is the true essence of smartphone photography. And the Find X9 Ultra is the ultimate device that fully embodies that philosophy.

The post OPPO Find X9 Ultra Global Version Camera Test: The Best Smartphone for Travel appeared first on Gizmochina.

Testing thin-and-light laptops usually involves looking for the compromises the manufacturer had to make. When a device gets thinner, you often lose ports. When it gets lighter, the battery capacity usually shrinks. If it packs a high-end processor, the cooling fans tend to get loud under load.

For the past two weeks, I have been using the new Asus Zenbook S14 (UX5406AA) as my primary work machine. This model comes equipped with Intel’s Panther Lake Core Ultra 9 386H processor, an OLED display, and a chassis made from a material Asus calls Ceraluminum. I received the Antrim Gray variant for this review, which retails in India for Rs. 249,990.

After spending a significant amount of time working, running benchmarks, and trying to play a few games on it, my takeaway is fairly straightforward. This is a very capable and well-built laptop for professionals who prioritize battery life and portability. However, its reliance on integrated graphics means it won’t be the right fit for everyone, especially at this price point. Here is a detailed breakdown of my experience.

Design and Build Quality

When a new laptop arrives, the first thing I check is whether the lid can be opened with one hand. It is a minor detail, but it shows how well the manufacturer balanced the weight and hinge tension. The Zenbook S14 passes this test easily; the lid opens smoothly without lifting the base off the desk.

The chassis feels different from the standard aluminum laptops on the market. Asus uses Ceraluminum, which is essentially aluminum that has undergone a ceramization process. The result is a laptop that feels sturdy but has a matte, slightly textured finish. I received the Antrim Gray version for this review, and the texture does a good job of resisting fingerprints, which helps keep the laptop looking clean throughout the workday.

At 1.19 to 1.29 cm thick and weighing 1.20 kg, the Zenbook S14 is very easy to carry. It fits comfortably into a backpack without adding much weight. Despite being so light, the build feels rigid.

There is no noticeable flex in the keyboard deck, and it carries a MIL-STD 810H military-grade certification for durability. Above the keyboard, there is a geometric CNC-machined grille. While it looks like a speaker setup, it is actually a thermal venting system designed to help with cooling.

Display & Audio

For a laptop in this price range, the display needs to perform well, and the 14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) Asus Lumina OLED panel delivers. It has a 16:10 aspect ratio, a 120Hz refresh rate, 500-nit SDR brightness, and a peak HDR brightness of 1100 nits.

During my testing, whether I was looking at spreadsheets, editing photos, or watching videos, the OLED panel provided deep blacks and accurate colors that cover 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut. The 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and navigating Windows 11 feel smooth. The touchscreen is also a helpful addition for quickly tapping through menus or zooming in on images.

The main drawback here is the glossy finish on the screen. If you are working in a brightly lit office or sitting next to a window, reflections can be noticeable. You can increase the screen brightness to compensate, but a more effective anti-reflective coating would have been a nice inclusion. The display hinge is also fairly flexible, allowing the screen to recline to roughly 120 to 130 degrees. It doesn’t offer a full 180-degree lay-flat design, but the available range should be sufficient for most everyday use cases.

For audio, the laptop has a four-speaker system tuned by Harman Kardon, with Dolby Atmos support. The sound quality is good for a laptop of this size. The mids are clear, which makes human voices in videos and online meetings easy to hear. However, if you turn the volume all the way up, the bass starts to sound a bit thin. It is fine for casual listening, but you will still want headphones for a better audio experience.

Ports & Connectivity

The common issue with thin laptops is the lack of ports, but Asus has provided a practical selection here.

On the left side, there is a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port, two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports (both support charging and display output), and a 3.5mm audio jack. On the right side, there is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port. Having a standard USB-A port and an HDMI port means you can connect older flash drives or external monitors without needing to carry a dongle.

The only omission that stings is the lack of an SD or microSD card slot. If you are a photographer or videographer, you will still need to carry an adapter. For wireless connectivity, the laptop is fully future-proofed with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0, ensuring rock-solid connections on modern networks.

Keyboard, Trackpad & Biometrics

The keyboard on the Zenbook S14 is comfortable for long typing sessions. It is a backlit chiclet keyboard with 1.1mm of key travel, which is a decent amount of depth for a thin laptop. The keys have a slight 0.1mm indentation that helps guide your fingers. I got used to the layout quickly and had no issues maintaining my normal typing speed.

The trackpad is large, measuring 127 x 79mm, and has a smooth, anti-fingerprint coating. Tracking and swiping feel accurate. However, it uses a traditional mechanical click rather than a haptic feedback system. While it works fine, the physical click doesn’t feel quite as refined as the haptic trackpads found on some competing laptops in this price range.

For security, the laptop relies entirely on Windows Hello IR facial recognition because there is no fingerprint sensor. The face unlock works reliably in most lighting conditions, but I generally prefer having a fingerprint reader as a backup option.

The 1080p webcam is adequate for standard video calls, but the image quality can look a bit soft and noisy. Given the price of the laptop, I expected a slightly better camera sensor. If you rely heavily on video meetings and need a clearer picture, you might want to consider an external option like the Obsbot Tiny 3 series, which we recently reviewed.

Benchmarks

To give you an idea of the laptop’s raw performance, here are the benchmark scores I recorded during my testing:

• PCMark 10: Overall Score: 8,780 (Essentials: 11,196 | Productivity: 17,000 | Digital Content Creation: 9,651)
• Cinebench R23: Multi-Core: 11,527 pts | Single-Core: 1,952 pts
• Cinebench 2024: Multi-Core: 909 pts | Single-Core: 117 pts
• Geekbench 6 (CPU): Single-Core: 2,801 | Multi-Core: 16,525
• Geekbench 6 Compute (OpenCL): 23,146
• Geekbench AI: Quantized Score: 8,112 | Single Precision: 4,476 | Half Precision: 1,521
• 3DMark Time Spy: Overall Score: 2,760 (Graphics: 2,468 | CPU: 8,426)
• 3DMark Night Raid: Overall Score: 22,922 (Graphics: 28,600 | CPU: 10,788)
• 3DMark Steel Nomad Light: 2,051 (15.20 FPS)
• 3DMark Solar Bay Extreme: 1,541 (10.78 FPS)
• CrystalDiskMark 9.0.3 (SSD): Sequential Read: 7,064.95 MB/s | Sequential Write: 5,894.06 MB/s

CPU & AI Performance

My review unit came with the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor. This chip has 16 cores (4 Performance, 8 Efficiency, 4 Low-Power Efficiency) and is paired with 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.

In daily use, the laptop handles standard tasks easily. Whether I was working with multiple Chrome tabs, editing documents, or doing some light photo editing, the system remained responsive. The single-core Geekbench score of 2,801 reflects this snappy day-to-day performance, and the multi-core score of 16,525 shows it can handle moderate multitasking without slowing down. The boot times are minimal, and transferring large files takes very little time.

As a Copilot+ PC, it includes an NPU rated for up to 50 TOPS. This allows local AI features, like Live Captions and Windows Studio Effects (which handles background blur and auto-framing on video calls), to run directly on the device rather than relying on cloud processing. It also includes a dedicated Copilot key, allowing quick access to the AI assistant with a single click.

GPU Performance

While the CPU performance is strong, the graphics performance is where the Zenbook S14 shows its limitations. Because this laptop uses the Core Ultra 9 386H, it relies on Intel’s integrated Xe3 graphics rather than a dedicated GPU.

In synthetic graphics tests, the scores reflect this. In 3DMark Time Spy, it scored 2,760 overall. The Night Raid test, which is designed for integrated graphics, yielded a score of 22,922. In the Steel Nomad Light test, it hovered around 1,935 to 2,051 points, outputting roughly 14 to 15 frames per second.

I tested a few games to see how this translates to real-world use. If you play lighter, optimized esports titles like Valorant, the laptop performs well. I was getting between 153 and 200 FPS, making it highly playable.

However, when you move to more demanding games, the integrated graphics struggle. In PUBG, running on DirectX 11, the frame rate hovered around 30 FPS with the GPU usage maxed out at 98%. It is playable if you don’t mind lower frame rates, but you will need to turn the settings and resolution down for a smoother experience. Genshin Impact showed varying results depending on the environment; it hit 60 FPS on low settings but dropped to around 32 FPS on high settings in more complex scenes.

Ultimately, this is not a laptop for serious gamers or professionals who need heavy GPU acceleration for 3D rendering or complex video editing. It can handle basic online multiplayer games, but it has a clear ceiling.

Thermal and Fan Performance

Managing heat in a 1.1 cm thick chassis is difficult, but the cooling system here works reasonably well. It uses a vapor chamber, dual fans, and the venting grille above the keyboard.

Using the MyAsus app, you can choose between Whisper, Standard, and Performance fan profiles. I left it on Standard for most of my testing, and the laptop stayed quiet during regular work.

The fans only become noticeable (44dB) when running benchmarks or games. Under heavy load, the bottom of the chassis and the area near the exhaust vents do get warm, but the keyboard and palm rests stay cool enough to type comfortably.

Battery Life

Battery life is one of the strongest aspects of the Zenbook S14. While I kept the power cable plugged in during benchmark testing to ensure maximum performance, I used it purely on battery power for my regular daily work.

The laptop is equipped with a 77Wh battery, which is a generous capacity for a 14-inch thin-and-light device. With moderate usage, which for me includes web browsing, writing documents, checking emails, and watching YouTube videos at medium brightness, the laptop consistently lasted around 14 to 16 hours.

This level of endurance means you can comfortably take the laptop on a business trip or to a coffee shop without needing to bring the charger along. It easily gets through a full workday with power to spare. When you do need to recharge, the included 68W USB-C adapter works fine, though the brick itself is a bit traditional in its design and slightly bulky compared to the sleekness of the laptop.

It is also worth mentioning that the S14 actually supports up to 100W fast charging via its USB-C ports. However, to take advantage of those faster top-up speeds, you will need to purchase and carry your own 100W adapter, as Asus only includes the standard 68W charger in the box.

Final Verdict

After two weeks of testing, the Asus Zenbook S14 (UX5406AA) proves to be a well-executed ultrabook that knows its target audience.

The Ceraluminum build is practical and looks professional, the OLED display is vibrant and sharp, and the keyboard is comfortable for long typing sessions. Most importantly, the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and the 77Wh battery provides a great balance of snappy office performance and genuine all-day battery life.

However, the current pricing in India is quite steep. At Rs. 2,49,990, you are paying a premium for the thin-and-light form factor and the new materials. For that price, the average webcam, the lack of a fingerprint sensor, and the slightly hollow feel of the trackpad click are noticeable drawbacks. Furthermore, the integrated Xe3 graphics mean this laptop is strictly for productivity and media consumption, not for gaming or heavy graphical workloads.

If you are a professional whose daily routine involves documents, web-based applications, and frequent travel, the Zenbook S14 is a reliable, long-lasting companion. But if your work or hobbies require strong GPU performance, you will need to look at other options in this price range.

You can purchase the Asus Zenbook S14 (UX5406AA) from Asus’s official website.

FAQ

Can I charge the laptop with a portable power bank?

Yes, via USB-C. Just make sure your power bank supports 65W Power Delivery (PD) if you want to charge it while actively using the laptop. Standard phone power banks will only charge it slowly when the device is turned off.

Can I upgrade the RAM or storage later?

The RAM is permanently soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded, though the included 32GB is plenty for heavy multitasking. The 1TB SSD, however, is in a standard M.2 2280 slot and can easily be swapped out for a larger drive later.

How many external monitors can I connect?

You can connect up to three external displays at once using the full-sized HDMI 2.1 port and the two Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C) ports.

Is the Ceraluminum finish actually scratch-resistant?

It is much more durable and fingerprint-resistant than standard anodized aluminum, handling daily wear very well. However, it isn’t entirely scratch-proof, so using a protective sleeve for travel is still recommended.

What does the NPU (AI chip) actually do for me right now?

It handles background AI tasks to save your main battery. You’ll notice it most with Windows Studio Effects (background blur and eye tracking on video calls), real-time Live Captions, and when using AI-accelerated tools in apps like Adobe Lightroom or Premiere.

Does the laptop get uncomfortably hot if I use it on my lap?

For everyday tasks like web browsing or watching videos, it stays perfectly cool. However, during heavy workloads or gaming, the thin chassis will get quite warm, so it’s best used on a hard desk for those tasks.

Is this laptop a good choice for programming or running virtual machines?

Absolutely. The fast single-core CPU performance ensures quick compile times, and the 32GB of RAM makes it excellent for running local servers, Docker containers, or virtual machines without lagging.

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The post Asus Zenbook S14 (UX5406AA) Review: The Ultimate Everyday Premium Laptop appeared first on Gizmochina.

Design and comfort

The case of the EarFun Clip 2 is made of basic black plastic which feels durable and has already withstood a couple drops with no damage. The ear-clips themselves are IPX 55 dust and water resistant. A standout feature is the flexible Ni-Ti connecting frame coated in ultra soft silicone. They have less clamping pressure compared to the other ear-clip designs making comfort notably better than the competition while maintaining a secure fit. A single mechanical button is easier and more reliable to use compared to haptic controls on more expensive models and is a standout feature.

Connectivity

The Clip 2 uses Bluetooth 6.0 which in theory allows for a lower latency and a stable connection over longer distances.  I was able to maintain a strong connection after going downstairs into my garage where other ear-clips using Bluetooth 5 start to break up. Advertised range is 15 meters without obstacles and I was consistently able to get an impressive range of 10 meters through floor and walls. Dual device connectivity is a plus and was seamless between my iPhone and iPad. If you have an Android device, Google Fast Pair allows for one touch connectivity. Just place the Clip 2 in proximity to an Android device and a pop-up will appear making pairing a breeze. Latency was very low in normal mode and was just fine for watching videos. There is a low latency mode however only the pickiest of gamers will need to use this.

Sound

The Clip 2 uses 3D Surround Sound and BassSurge technology combined with a 12mm dual-magnetic titanium composite driver and redesigned elliptical sound port. The Clip 2 also supports Hi-res audio and SBC, AAC and LDAC codex.  The overall default sound signature is vocal forward with subdued bass. The bass boost preset, which can be accessed in the Earfun app, makes the sound signature neutral. This preset provides just enough clear and precise bass to make the listening experience satisfying. The soundstage of the Clip 2 is standout and gives you a good sense of depth. Like other ear-clips, the bass drops off around 80hz due to the open design. Overall, the clarity, soundstage and technical performance are very good at this price point however a little more bass would be welcome. The app is easy and intuitive to use and most importantly stable. A variety of different sounds modes are accessible in the Earfun app. Automatic detection and pairing occur when you open the app. A10-band equalizer in the app was my preferred method of adjusting the sound and allows you to save multiple tunings. During my testing the app prompted me to do two firmware updates. Both were easy to do.

Calls

Sounds quality for both the listener and caller was very good in quieter environments. The Quad microphone ENC system reduced background noise in more challenging environments and provided good quality for the listener. Because of the open design, I had to increase the volume of the Clip 2 quite a bit in windy and loud environments. This is a common issue with ear-clip designs. The range you could maintain call was standout and I was able to maintain conversations with no breakup despite being a few rooms away from my phone.

AI translation

I was surprised to see real-time AI translation feature. There are over 100 languages and dialects. I used the AI translation feature for both Japanese and Spanish. It did a decent job and would be a great tool for adventurous people who travel.

Battery life

Earfun claims a single charge will last for 10 hours and a total of 40h with the case. In addition to standard USB-C charging, the Clip 2 can be charged wirelessly. This feature is usually only found on flagship ear-clips.

Conclusion

Overall, the EarFun Clip 2 is an easy product to recommend. It has excellent comfort due to its flexible Ni-Ti connecting frame and a mechanical button which is easier to use than the competition. Bluetooth 6.0 maintains solid connection at longer distances and through walls. The sound quality is resolving with good soundstage, different preset sound modes and 10-band equalizer. The Earfun app is easy to use and stable. Call quality is good for both the listener and caller. When combined with the AI translation feature and solid battery life, there is very little not to like.

The post EarFun Clip 2 Review: Unexpected features in a mid-tier ear-clip appeared first on Gizmochina.

After using the Oppo Find X9s as my primary device for the past week, I’m ready to share my thoughts on how this hardware holds up in daily use.

The immediate talking point is the form factor. The device integrates a substantial 7,025mAh battery into a slim 7.99mm frame without the usual ergonomic or weight penalties. Living with the Sunset Orange version, the frosted, velvety glass features a pink-orange gradient. It manages to resist fingerprint smudges well and feels secure in the hand thanks to flat edges paired with subtle contours along the frame. At 202 grams, it feels well-balanced given the sheer capacity inside. 

That Ultra-Symmetric Display

Up front, Oppo has packed the Find X9s a calibrated 6.59-inch LTPS AMOLED flat display. What instantly grabs you are the 1.15mm ultra-thin bezels on all four sides. Because they are completely symmetric, the screen looks borderline boundless when you are scrolling through media or typing out emails. It clocks a crisp 46ppi, a buttery 120Hz refresh rate , and a high frequency 3840Hz PWM dimming rate for exceptional eye comfort in low light. Outdoors in the harsh afternoon light, the 3,600 nits peak outdoor brightness handles legibility effortlessly.

Under the hood, the Find X9s debuts the MediaTek Dimensity 9500s. Built on TSMC’s 3nm process with an “all-big-core” architecture led by the Arm Cortex-X925 core, this thing is an absolute sprinter. Apps open instantly, and the system animations in ColorOS 16 are noticeably different from past iterations.

Even during intensive setup sessions and downloading gigabytes of data, the phone stayed remarkably cool, likely thanks to that massive $32,052.5mm2 advanced vapour chamber cooling area.

Living with the Snap

One hardware feature I’ve grown surprisingly fond of is the Snap Key, a physical button available on the left edge of the phone. By default, it’s tied to Oppo’s AI Mind Space hub. A quick short-press lets you capture screen content instantly, a long-press drops a voice note, and a double-press opens up your saved repository. It’s fully customizable if you want it to trigger the flashlight, screenshots, or translation apps instead, but the default AI integration has already saved me a ton of tedious copy-pasting.

Biometrics are handled by an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, which works instantly even if your fingers are slightly wet or oily. The phone carries a triple IP66, IP68, and IP69 rating, meaning it isn’t just safe against deep submersion, but can actively withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water jets.

Early Camera Impressions: 50MP Hasselblad Optics

Oppo didn’t cut corners on the focal lengths here; you get a flagship-level 50MP triple camera system co-developed with Hasselblad.

• Main: Sony LYT-700 (1/1.56″, f/1.8, OIS)
• Ultra-wide: Samsung JN5 (1/2.75″, f/2.0, AF)
• Periscope Telephoto (3x): Sony LYT-600 (1/1.95″, $f/2.6, OIS)

Having a high-res 50MP sensor across all three rear lenses means the color profile and detail levels remain beautifully consistent whether you are shooting ultra-wide landscapes or zooming in on distant details. The 3x periscope is the real star so far—photos are incredibly sharp, and the 6x lossless digital crop holds up spectacularly well. Here are some camera samples.

For video shooters, the fact that you can record 4K 60fps Dolby Vision HDR on all lenses—including the 32MP front shooter —while seamlessly switching between front and back cameras mid-record is a game-changer for casual vlogging.

The Battery Status

Over a week of mixed testing, I found the Find X9s’ 7,025mAh to easily last 1.5 days on normal usage. Oppo says that it is their 3^rd generation silicon-carbon battery, with 15% silicon composition, is absolutely the real deal for heavy users.

When I finally do need to plug it in, the 80W wired charging gets it back up to speed in minutes, and the inclusion of up to 55W USB-PD fast charging compatibility means I don’t even have to carry Oppo’s proprietary brick to my workplace to get fast top-ups from my laptop charger.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, after a full week of testing, the Oppo Find X9s proves to be a highly practical flagship that pairs incredible endurance with a versatile imaging setup, packing a massive 7,025mAh battery and a consistent 50MP Hasselblad triple camera system into a remarkably slim 7.99mm frame. Oppo also bundles a matching orange case in the box, which complements the Sunset Orange finish beautifully while adding extra grip and protection.

The Find X9s is now available for pre-orders in India and is set to go on sale from May 28. The 12GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB variants of the device are priced at Rs 79,999 (~$830) and Rs 89,999 (~$940), respectively.

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Introduction

The HUAWEI Watch FIT 5 Pro came out in April 2026. It sits in the middle of HUAWEI’s wearable lineup, not as basic as a fitness band, not as expensive as a flagship smartwatch. Gizmochina reviewed its predecessor, the Fit 4 Pro – A major upgrade to this series with a sleek design. But the new smartwatch is still beyond expectations – a clearly more polished upgrade over the Fit 4 Pro, especially in terms of look and design details.

At around £249, it’s meant for people who want solid health and fitness tracking without paying top-tier prices. After wearing it for two weeks, here are the things you need to know.

Design

The FIT 5 Pro keeps the rectangular shape that HUAWEI has used since the first Fit model. It measures 44.5 × 40.8 × 9.5 mm and weighs about 30 grams without the strap, so it’s light enough to wear all day and sleep with at night. One delightful detail is the default sports strap— The bright orange one features the same breathable nylon strap found on the HUAWEI Watch GT Runner 2. It feels comfortable on the wrist, offers some flexibility, allows sweat to evaporate quickly, and most importantly, it is very gentle on the skin – the best sports strap we’ve tried so far.

It keeps the titanium alloy bezel and aluminum body. The screen is covered with 2.5D sapphire crystal glass, which is harder to scratch than regular glass. The display is a 1.92-inch AMOLED panel with 480 × 408 resolution. It gets bright enough, 3,000 nits at peak, to read in direct sunlight. The bezels around the screen are thin at 1.8mm, and completely equal at four sides, so the watch face looks fairly modern. The main eye-catching difference is the brilliant ring set into the bezel, applied using the Oil-filling technique, which makes the watch stand out from the rest of the HUAWEI Watch series.

There’s a rotating crown on the side for scrolling through menus, plus a button below it that opens the workout menu. The straps attach with a lug-style connector, which makes them easier to swap than the pin system on cheaper HUAWEI watches. You can get it in orange, white, or black.

Features

The watch runs HarmonyOS 6. Basic features are here, you can answer calls through Bluetooth, get notifications, store music for offline listening, and use it as a remote camera shutter. There’s also an NFC chip for payments, though this depends on whether your bank supports it in your region.

Almost every HUAWEI Watch model will be upgraded with the latest tech for sports tracking. The FIT 5 Pro is no exception. For the new FIT series, it inherited advanced tracking for freediving (up to 40 metres), golf mode with most course maps on the planet; brought specific ‘Pro-level’ trail running options (setting checkpoints & destination markers), and new cycling metrics for pro riders (e.g., virtual power, real-time grade & slope); created a brand-new mini-workout mode driven by a fun Panda-themed watch face for instant light-training exercises. All these new features are perfectly in line with the positioning of the FIT series.

You can get some third-party fitness apps like Strava, but don’t expect a wide range of apps. If you use an iPhone, you might feel more restrictions—you can’t reply to messages from the watch, and some features won’t work at all. This watch is clearly designed for Android users, especially those with HUAWEI phones. But thankfully, whether the companion is an iPhone or Android, the health and fitness features are mostly inherited with HUAWEI Health App.

Health Monitoring

This is where the Fit 5 Pro does more than you’d expect for the price. It has the newest Trusense on it, It tracks heart rate, blood oxygen (SpO2), stress levels, and sleep. The sleep tracking automatically detects naps and breaks down your sleep stages. The sleep tracking is my favorite feature actually, not only because it is accurate, but also because it tracks naps after lunch very well, even it is just a 20mins nap, it has the time recorded accurately. A power nap is very important for your energy in the afternoon, so it should be taken into the health monitoring data.

More notably, it has an ECG sensor that can detect signs of atrial fibrillation. It also measures arterial stiffness and can analyze your pulse wave for arrhythmia. These are features usually found on watches that cost much more. There’s also a diabetes risk assessment tool and sleep breathing monitoring.

In practice, the sleep tracking seems accurate when compared against dedicated sleep trackers. The health data gets presented in the HUAWEI Health app, which is straightforward to read. An advanced detail here is the Sleep Breathing Awareness, which helps identify the risk of potential sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome. And there’s a hidden feature for the Watch associated with the Diabetes Risk Study from Huawei Research, which can be found in HUAWEI Health APP. The assessment of Diabetes risk can be prompted on the watch after continuous wear for a few days. Since we do not have professional medical testing equipment here to verify the result, we can only use it as a reference for risks and cannot confirm its accuracy. In any case, it was a pretty good attempt for those in need.

Sports Modes

The watch supports over 100 sports modes. For the most part, people will use the core ones: running, cycling, swimming, and walking.

For running and cycling, the GPS uses dual-band positioning (L1+L5) along with multiple satellite systems. This helps accuracy in cities with tall buildings or areas with tree cover. Cyclists get power estimates, cadence readings, and FTP data if you connect external sensors. The watch can also auto-pause when you stop at traffic lights and resume when you start moving again.

Trail runners get route navigation with offline maps and more metrics for capacity assessment. The watch will alert you if you go off course, which is a more advanced mode than the hiking mode; it places greater emphasis on your athletic performance and physical capabilities. Golfers have access to maps for over 17,000 courses with distance measurements to the green.

For swimming, it’s water-resistant to 5ATM and certified for recreational free-diving down to 40 meters. That’s deeper than most people will ever go, but it’s there if you need it.

Mini Workout Mode

HUAWEI added a feature called Mini Workouts—30 short exercises you can do anywhere without equipment. These include simple stretches, desk exercises, and basic movements that take one or two minutes each – extremely friendly for those sitting in the office for the whole day.

The watch face includes a panda character that reminds you to move if you’ve been sitting too long. It’s a small thing, but it makes the reminders feel less clinical than just a buzz and a text alert. The exercises themselves are basic but useful if you work at a desk and need quick movement breaks.

Battery Life

I can’t find any information about the battery capacity, but they claim up to 10 days with light use, 7 days with normal use, and 4 days if you keep the always-on display turned on. In the last two weeks of use, if I have the AOD on all the time, I would be able to get 5-6 days of use. And the last 5% would be able to get you through a night of sleep, that’s very thoughtful. But this is something I really hope it can do better, because if it can survive a full week of use with AOD on, then I don’t need to bring the charger for it.  

GPS use drains it faster, but you still get about 20-25 hours of continuous tracking, enough for long hikes or multiple runs between charges. In real use, expect to charge it about once a week unless you’re tracking long outdoor activities daily.

It charges with a proprietary magnetic dock. A full charge takes around an hour, but 10 minutes of charging gives you roughly a day of use. That’s handy if you forget to charge it and need to top up quickly.

Who Is It For?

This watch makes sense for a few types of people:

– People getting serious about fitness. Who wants more data than a basic band provides, but doesn’t want to spend £400+ on a Garmin or Apple Watch.

-Cyclists and runners, who wants accurate GPS and detailed workout metrics without wearing a bulky sports watch.

-People who want health tracking like ECG and sleep analysis without paying flagship prices.

-All Android users. Especially HUAWEI phone owners, who will get the full feature set.

Summary

The HUAWEI Watch Fit 5 Pro is a capable fitness watch that punches above its weight in some areas (such as cycling and running), and thankfully, it refines an already solid formula without overcomplicating things. The health sensors are genuinely good for the price, and the GPS is accurate with quick response. It also has solid fitness tracking, reliable health monitoring, and a watch that doesn’t need daily charging. The Fit 5 Pro covers those bases well. It’s not perfect. I still would prefer to have a solid 7 days of use (or even longer) out of it.  

At £249, you’re getting features that cost significantly more from other brands. Overall, with its comprehensive feature set and reasonable pricing, the FIT 5 Pro already packs an exceptional overall performance among products in its price range, making it widely appealing to fitness users worldwide. For people who care about fitness and health more than apps and flashy tech, this one fits just right.

The post HUAWEI Watch Fit 5 Pro Review: A Refined Look With Practical Features at Reasonable Pricing appeared first on Gizmochina.

Although I already shared my hands-on experience with the photography kit in the vivo X300 Ultra review, the weather during those days was quite poor, so I didn’t manage to capture many sample shots. Recently, I decided to head out again—into the woods and down to the seaside—to see if I could truly uncover the potential of this kit. When something costs €600, you definitely wouldn’t dare buy it casually without doing your homework first. Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll have a clearer idea of whether it’s worth the investment.

Unboxing

The first layer of the packaging is the X300 Ultra itself, while the second layer contains all the accessories from the vivo X300 Ultra photography kit.

Actually, the accessories are basically the same as those of the first generation. There’s a tripod collar ring and also a 67mm filter adapter ring. Aside from this new 200mm teleconverter lens, everything else can easily be purchased from the official website. If you really only want the 200mm lens, make sure you check the link here.

Grip Usage Experience

The overall design of the new photography kit is pretty similar to the one from the X200 Ultra, except that the color has changed from black to silver. Once all the accessories are attached to the phone, it really does look quite a bit like a professional camera, right?

The imaging grip allows you to customize the function of every button and dial. Among them, I recommend customizing this function for the Fn key, because if you want to use the teleconverter lens for street photography or birding, this is the only way to quickly activate teleconverter mode.

Speaking of street photography, the 200mm teleconverter is probably the more suitable choice. The 400mm one not only sees farther than you’d imagine, but also feels pretty awkward in the hand. Compared to the grip, I actually prefer holding onto the lens itself. But with the 200mm one, you can just hold the grip normally.

As for things like build quality or compatibility, I already talked about them in the X300 Ultra review, so I won’t repeat them here. Instead, let’s combine it with some photos and talk about the actual user experience.

Astrophotography

If you have a 400mm lens, I’m pretty sure you’ll be interested in the moon.

What do you think about this photo? Isn’t it hard to believe this was taken with a smartphone? Even though it was shot at 1600mm and definitely uses algorithms to enhance image quality, this is still the most natural-looking moon photo I’ve ever seen, with the least amount of obvious AI processing. You can see the craters on the surface, but without excessive sharpening. That’s the charm of an optical telephoto lens.

Maybe you haven’t realized what it means to shoot celestial objects without a tripod: the stabilization on this kit has reached to the next level. Out of the 9 photos I took, only one came out slightly blurry.

Even if you were holding a professional camera, you still wouldn’t be able to capture shots like this without a tripod. But aside from the moon, other celestial bodies are still too far away from Earth. If you really want to get into astrophotography, you’ll still need to buy more professional lenses.

Concert Photography

Ever since vivo started making teleconverter lenses, its phones have included a mode called “Stage”.

In this mode, exposure is lowered, shutter speed is shortened, contrast is increased, and AI enhances every detail of the subject. It’s hard to believe that from 20 meters away, you can clearly capture someone’s hair strands and even the texture of their face, but the X300 Ultra, combined with the teleconverter lens, really does achieve this.

Some people don’t really like AI-enhanced photos, and honestly, neither do I, but if you’re actually at a concert and don’t want to regret your photos after getting home, then I’d still recommend using Stage mode. The AI is basically just bringing back your wrinkles and hair details. I think that’s acceptable.

If you’re outdoors during the daytime, then Auto mode can also produce a very sharp photo. No AI, everything just looks natural.

Wildlife Photography

Wildlife photography has always been a category that demands a lot from photography equipment. But now, you only need to spend 3000 dollars to step into the world of wildlife photography. You just need to walk into the woods, attach the grip and teleconverter lens, and then you’re already a qualified birder.

Well, this combination really can take some very beautiful bird photos. Sharp, clear, and sometimes it can even capture what they’re eating. You should also remember that these were handheld shots. Being able to take photos like these without a tripod proves to some extent just how high the upper limit of the stabilization performance is.

Maybe you’re wondering how much the teleconverter lens improves image quality. Here’s a photo taken without the teleconverter lens. At first glance, it still looks quite clear, but compared to the one shot with the teleconverter attached, there’s still a pretty noticeable gap. Taking excellent wildlife photos also requires some skill, because animals are always moving, making them much harder to photograph than the moon or singers.

First of all, you need to be willing to press the shutter button. Smartphones are not like DSLRs; electronic shutters don’t have a lifespan. So you really need to take a lot of shots before getting a satisfying photo. Secondly, if you want to photograph birds in flight, you still need to mount it on a tripod. And remember to turn off stabilization, because that’s the only way to keep the bird inside your frame.

If I had to point out a weakness, I’d say autofocus. Right now, the X300 Ultra’s bird recognition isn’t very accurate. In about 1/4 of the bird photos, the focus wasn’t actually on the bird itself, which is why I emphasized earlier that you absolutely need to shoot more photos.

There are also two more issues that are neither big nor small. The first is that the higher the magnification, the more obvious the shaking around the edges of the video becomes. This is caused by electronic stabilization, so if you avoid zooming in too much, the issue becomes less noticeable.

The second is that a 400mm focal length is still a bit too short for bird photography. In-Sensor Zoom alone simply can’t save photos taken in low light. So this photography kit can only really serve as an entry-level setup for wildlife photographers. Once the X300 Ultra helps you discover the charm of wildlife photography, then you can move on to buying a dedicated camera and longer telephoto lenses.

Conclusion

I’ve already tested the teleconverter lenses in the three main scenarios they’re designed for: astrophotography, concert photography, and wildlife photography. Looking at the results, concert photography turns out to be the most suitable use case for this kit. vivo clearly understands that its strength lies in portrait shooting, so even in a dim concert venue, it handles capturing the moment remarkably well.

The post Is a teleconverter worth buying? vivo X300 Ultra Photography Kit Real-World Test appeared first on Gizmochina.

The HONOR Number series has occupied an interesting market position over the past few years. It’s not the kind of device where you feel compelled to buy the absolute top-end model, yet it’s equally difficult to point out any major shortcomings. As some users put it, it’s a “premium mid-range all-rounder with a distinct flagship flavor.”

I’ve been using the HONOR 600 and 600 Pro side by side for quite some time now. Honestly, they don’t feel like two completely different phones. Instead, they feel like two different concentrations of the same excellent foundation. One is “more than enough and highly capable,” while the other is “that, plus a few serious upgrades.” Let’s break them down together, so you can clearly see the difference between this regular cup and the large cup.

Design & Build

At first glance, the two phones look nearly identical. But if you look closely, the main physical difference is that the standard model lacks a telephoto lens. If you put the 600, the 600 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro side by side, and only look at the camera module… even Apple’s own designers would have to do a double-take. But jokes aside, the biggest design change on this generation of HONOR Number series isn’t the color — it’s the craftsmanship.

The build and finish are identical across both models. They feature a semi-transparent ultra-durable composite fiber back and a matte metal frame. The unit I have on hand is the White colorway. On this model, the texture of the semi-transparent back panel is at its most expressive. In low light, it resembles warm, polished jade. It resists smudges remarkably well, which is especially noticeable on this white finish. After a week of use, the back remains remarkably clean.

Both phones share the same display: a 6.57-inch AMOLED flat screen. And yes, it’s flat — a significant advantage for flat-screen enthusiasts — with extremely slim bezels. Combined with the largest corner radius of any Android device, the front-facing design projects a presence that easily punches above its mid-range class.

The physical dimensions are identical. The only difference is weight. That extra 10 grams in the Pro model is barely noticeable in the hand, but it’s the price you pay for that telephoto lens. In a sense, those 10 grams are the most valuable 10 grams on this entire phone. It’s also worth noting that IP68, IP69, and IP69K water and dust resistance are present on both devices. Whether you’re at the beach or caught in the rain, you won’t have to worry as long as you’re not intentionally submerging it. This level of protection remains rare at this price point.

Display

I’ll admit, I initially dismissed the “8000 nits HDR peak brightness” as marketing speak, reminiscent of the early “hundred-megapixel” craze.
But after using it, I stand corrected. The greatest value of this display isn’t that theoretical peak of 8000 nits — it’s the Sunlight Mode. You won’t notice it indoors, but under direct sunlight at noon, the screen automatically ramps up to another level. According to official data, at 20% APL, it can hit 4000 nits. The simple translation is: while other phones force you to shield the screen with your hand just to see what’s on it, you can continue to browse messages and use navigation without issue.

Both displays share identical specifications: a 120Hz refresh rate, 3840Hz ultra-high frequency PWM dimming, and 1.07 billion colors. After using both the standard and Pro models for a week in low-light nighttime conditions, I can confirm that eye strain is significantly reduced compared to certain flagships with low-frequency PWM dimming. For those who tend to scroll through their phones for a while after turning off the lights, this display offers a distinct, yet often overlooked, advantage.

System & AI

Both phones run MagicOS 10, based on Android 16, and both feature the dedicated AI Button. I find the logic behind this AI button quite clever. It’s not a “press and talk” voice assistant, but rather a contextual trigger. For example, when you’re viewing photos in the gallery, a long press of the AI button directly launches AI Image to Video 2.0 — select a few images, type a description, and generate a 3 to 8-second video. This feature is available on both the standard and Pro models, and the experience is identical.

These AI experiences are the same across both models. Where the gap truly opens is the underlying performance headroom.
The Pro model’s Snapdragon 8 Elite is significantly more powerful than the standard model’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. In practical AI terms, this means the Pro generates videos faster, handles multitasking more smoothly, and keeps more apps active in the background. You might not notice it in everyday casual use, but if you’re simultaneously running AI generation, navigation, and background music streaming, the Pro model’s composure becomes apparent.

Performance & Battery Life: Same 7000mAh, Different Ceilings

Both phones pack a 7000mAh battery. That’s an extraordinary number, made even more impressive by the fact that both maintain a 7.8mm thickness. In real-world testing, the standard 600 easily lasts two days on a single charge with light to moderate use. The Pro model, with its more powerful chipset and marginally higher power draw, still comfortably delivers a day and a half to two days of use.
On the charging front:

• Both support 80W wired fast charging
• The standard model supports 27W wired reverse charging
• The Pro model adds 50W wireless charging
  This wireless charging capability has a real impact on usage habits. If you’re accustomed to simply placing your phone on a wireless charging pad, the Pro model will feel significantly more convenient. If that’s not part of your routine, the standard model is perfectly adequate.

Cameras

Earlier, I mentioned that the Pro model’s extra 10 grams over the standard version is the most valuable 10 grams on the entire device. This is why — the periscopic telephoto lens.

The main cameras on both phones are identical. Daytime, nighttime, and low-light shots are highly consistent between the two. The main camera, paired with the AI Night Engine, delivers a very high success rate, especially in low light — as long as you keep the phone reasonably steady, blur is rarely an issue.

But the moment you zoom to mid or long range, the difference becomes immediately apparent. The standard 600 relies on cropping from the main camera beyond roughly 3x, where quality begins to visibly degrade. The 600 Pro adds a 50MP periscopic telephoto lens with excellent stabilization, offering 3.5x optical zoom and up to 120x hybrid zoom.

Here’s a real-world example: from an overpass, I used the Pro model’s 10x zoom to capture the illuminated signage of a distant building. The detail was remarkably sharp — not at all what you’d expect from a mid-range device. So the camera summary is straightforward: the standard HONOR 600 has a very strong main camera, covering 90% of daily shooting scenarios. The HONOR 600 Pro offers the main camera plus a periscopic telephoto, covering 99% of scenarios, and adds a genuinely creative zoom range.

Conclusion

We’ve summarized the strengths of both phones for your reference.
The HONOR 600 series represents a very smart product strategy. It doesn’t cripple the standard version just to make the Pro model look “stronger.”What it trims is primarily the periscopic telephoto lens and wireless charging, with a slightly lower-tier chipset that remains perfectly adequate for most users. The HONOR 600 Pro builds on the standard version by adding: the periscopic telephoto lens, 50W wireless charging, the Snapdragon 8 Elite flagship core, and more responsive AI processing under heavy loads.

Pricing has already been announced for the EU market: the standard 600 is effectively €499.9 after voucher with screen insurance, while the Pro is priced at €799.9 bundled with a tablet or projector. The UK Pro model is priced at £899.99.

So which one should you pick? Go with the HONOR 600 if you prefer a flat display, put battery life above all else, want a dependable primary phone that’ll easily last two to three years without breaking the bank, and don’t rely heavily on telephoto photography.

The post HONOR 600 & 600 Pro Review: Premium? Flagships? Mid-rangers? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Intro

We’ve tested plenty of pen tablets, pen displays, and styluses over the years. Every product faces the same challenge: how do you balance price and performance? The XPPen Deco 01 V3 has a very clear answer — it delivers an impressive spec sheet, but quietly cuts corners in places you might not notice at first. With 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity, a 10 x 6.25-inch active area, 220–266 RPS report rate, USB-C connectivity, and Android support, the Deco 01 V3 looks great on paper. But after spending real time with it, you’ll see that this tablet knows exactly who it’s for — and where it can afford to hold back.

Buy the XPPen Deco 01 V3 on XPPen official store and get a 5% off with our exclusive code – GizmoXP 

Unboxing and Accessories

Open the box, and the first thing you’ll notice is how much XPPen includes. You get 8 replacement nibs, a screen protector, an anti-fouling glove, a USB-A to USB-C adapter, and more. Purchased separately, these accessories could easily cost $20–30. XPPen bundles them all in, effectively lowering your total cost of ownership. No need to worry about buying a glove or hunting for spare nibs right after unboxing.

Build and Design

Thickness and Weight：

At just 8mm thick, the Deco 01 V3 is one of the slimmest pen tablets in its class. Most tablets in this price range measure around 8.5–9mm. That 1mm difference is noticeable — it slips easily into a laptop bag sleeve without bulging. Weight is also well-controlled.

Surface Feel

The matte surface has a medium-fine texture. The drag resistance sits right in the sweet spot — not so slippery that you lose control, not so rough that long strokes feel tiring. Another nice touch: it resists fingerprints. Most black tablets are fingerprint magnets, but the Deco 01 V3’s matte finish keeps it looking clean. However, durability is a concern. After about a month of use, the most frequently used area showed visible polishing wear. It doesn’t affect functionality, but it may bother users who care about aesthetics. Compared to Wacom tablets, the Deco 01 V3’s surface simply doesn’t hold up as well.

Connectivity

USB-C connectivity is a welcome feature. No adapters needed — just plug in a C-to-C cable to connect to a MacBook or Android device. That said, the USB-C port lacks reinforced shielding, which could lead to loosening over time with frequent plugging and unplugging. We recommend being gentle or using a magnetic cable to reduce wear.

Shortcut Keys

The eight round shortcut keys on the left side are the most distinctive design element of the Deco 01 V3.

The keys have a short travel distance and deliver a crisp, clicky feedback. At about 1cm in diameter, they’re easy to locate with your fingertip. However, the spacing between keys is a bit tight, so blind operation can sometimes lead to mispresses until you get used to the layout.

The shortcut keys are positioned on the left side. That’s fine for right-handed users, but left-handed users will find the placement awkward — and XPPen doesn’t offer a left-handed version.

XPPen’s driver software is mature. Each key can be independently mapped to keyboard shortcuts, mouse functions, modifier keys, system commands, and even application-specific settings. You can save different shortcut profiles for Photoshop, SAI, and Clip Studio Paint — the driver automatically switches when you change software.

If you’re used to keyboard shortcuts, these eight keys will probably go unused. But if you prefer working without a keyboard, they can be helpful. We recommend mapping your most frequent actions (undo, brush, eraser) to the bottom four keys, and less frequent functions (save, new layer) to the top four.

Pressure Sensitivity and Stylus Feel

Pressure Performance

Jumping from 8,192 to 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity does make a difference — but the law of diminishing returns applies heavily here. The improvement is most visible with very light strokes, such as the faintest pencil hatching, where transitions feel slightly smoother. At normal drawing force, however, the difference between 8,192 and 16,384 levels is hard to perceive. Think of it like display refresh rates: 60Hz to 120Hz is a game-changer, but 120Hz to 240Hz is barely noticeable to most people. This upgrade feels more like a spec war checkbox. If you paint thick, highly textured work that demands extremely nuanced pressure response, you’ll appreciate the difference. But if you primarily do line art or anime-style illustrations, 8,192 levels are more than enough.

Stylus FeelPros:

• Battery-free and wireless — no charging worries
• Comfortable grip with balanced weight distribution
• 60° tilt recognition works well, delivering noticeable angle-based brush variation

Cons:

• Noticeable nib wobble. This is a common issue with XPPen pens — the nib feels slightly loose in the barrel, creating a subtle “wiggle” sensation when you press down.
• High initial activation force. Very light strokes require a bit more pressure than you might expect, which could frustrate users who rely on ultra-fine, delicate lines.

Android Support

XPPen officially supports Android 10.0 and above via the XPPen tools app. In our testing:

• Connection was stable, with no disconnects or lag issues
• However, the app offers limited functionality — advanced features like pressure curve adjustment still require returning to the desktop driver

It works, but don’t expect the same full-featured experience you get on a desktop.

Final Verdict

The XPPen Deco 01 V3 is a precisely targeted product. It focuses its manufacturing costs on the features that matter most to entry-level buyers — high pressure sensitivity, a large active area, and USB-C connectivity — while making compromises in stylus build quality, surface durability, and shortcut key ergonomics. This isn’t a “buy it blindly” tablet. But if you’re on a tight budget, want a large drawing surface, care about specs, and can accept a few trade-offs in build and feel, the Deco 01 V3 is a solid choice.

The post XPPen Deco 01 V3 Review: It Connects to Your Phone. No, Seriously. And the Pen Feels Like the Real Deal. appeared first on Gizmochina.

The 2025 Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition is one of those laptops that quietly wins you over the longer you use it. I’ve been testing it for well over a month now, and during that time, it accompanied me through launch events, flights, hotel stays, editing sessions, and long workdays. I haven’t personally used many competing premium 2-in-1 laptops recently, so I can’t directly compare them against every rival out there. But after spending this much time with it, I genuinely feel this is one of the best premium convertibles currently available.

The unit I tested comes with Intel’s Lunar Lake platform, a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen, and rotating hinge speakers. On Lenovo India’s website, this configuration is priced at Rs 1,74,005, firmly placing it in premium territory.

Built for travel and everyday productivity

One thing I appreciated almost immediately about the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition (14ILL10) is how practical it feels for frequent travel. I regularly attend launch events that often involve flying from Mumbai to Delhi and back, and those trips can easily stretch into 15 to 18-hour travel days. During those journeys, I’m constantly switching between airports, cabs, hotel rooms, and event venues while continuing to work.

The Yoga 9i handled that lifestyle extremely well.

The Luna Gray finish gives the laptop a premium look without feeling flashy. The aluminum build feels solid and reassuringly sturdy, while the 360-degree hinge remains smooth and firm no matter how often you switch between laptop, tent, or presentation mode.

And that flexibility genuinely becomes useful in real life. During hotel stays, I often used the laptop in tent mode while watching videos or listening to music. At work events or during quick presentations, the stand-style orientation also came in handy. Of course, you can fully fold it back into tablet mode as well, although realistically, because of the size and weight, I still found myself using it primarily as a laptop. Still, having the freedom to use different orientations depending on the situation adds a lot to the overall experience.

Despite being a convertible, the laptop never felt fragile during travel. It’s also reasonably portable for a premium 2-in-1, making it easy to slide into a backpack without becoming a burden during long commutes.

The port selection is also practical for a thin premium laptop. You get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, one additional USB-C port, a USB-A port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. I also found it interesting that the power button is placed on the side of the laptop instead of the keyboard deck area. It’s something I personally don’t encounter very often on laptops I use, but I eventually got used to it.

The keyboard deserves praise too. Lenovo continues to make some of the best laptop keyboards in the Windows space, and this one feels tactile and comfortable even during long writing sessions. There’s also a fingerprint reader placed as the extreme key on the bottom-right side of the keyboard. It works reliably, although the placement takes a little time to get used to. Also, there are dedicated buttons on the keyboard to switch between Power, Display, and Audio modes.

The keyboard backlighting is also quite good and genuinely useful in dim environments. One moment where I particularly appreciated it was while typing inside a moving car passing through a tunnel, where the backlit keys remained clearly visible without feeling overly harsh or distracting.

Speaking of productivity, the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition supports the Yoga Pen, but my review unit package did not include it.

Battery life removes charger anxiety

The biggest highlight of the Yoga 9i has easily been the battery life.

This is one of the few Windows laptops where I genuinely stopped worrying about carrying the charger everywhere. Even during heavier usage involving Chrome tabs, YouTube streaming, article writing, social media usage, and light editing, the battery comfortably lasted through most of my workday.

There were several times I carried a power bank expecting I might need a quick top-up, but honestly, I almost never ended up using it. And if needed, the laptop can conveniently charge through USB-C power banks anyway.

The laptop packs a 75Wh battery, and paired with Intel’s highly efficient Core Ultra 7 258V processor, the endurance is genuinely impressive for a premium OLED convertible. Lenovo bundles a 65W USB-C charger in the box, and charging speeds are fairly quick as well. In my usage, getting close to 50 percent charge in around 30 minutes felt realistic, which is especially useful during tight travel schedules between events and flights.

That kind of reliability matters a lot when you spend most of your day away from a desk.

Another thing I noticed is how quiet the laptop usually remains. During regular usage, fan noise is practically nonexistent. It’s only during charging or heavier workloads that the chassis becomes slightly warm.

That said, my testing conditions were far from ideal. During some of the review period, outdoor temperatures were reaching around 43 degrees Celsius, while indoor room temperatures still hovered between 33 and 35 degrees Celsius. Considering those conditions, the thermals are honestly respectable. During normal unplugged use, the laptop rarely became uncomfortably warm unless I pushed it with intensive workloads.

Lunar Lake delivers smooth everyday performance

The Yoga 9i configuration I tested comes powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V processor, paired with 32GB LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD. Neither the RAM nor the storage is expandable on this device. For a thin-and-light 2-in-1 laptop, performance feels consistently smooth and responsive.

In daily usage, the laptop handled multitasking effortlessly. I routinely worked with dozens of Chrome tabs open alongside Discord, Microsoft Word, and multiple browser windows without noticing slowdowns. App launches feel snappy, Windows animations remain fluid, and the overall experience feels polished.

The Lunar Lake platform is clearly optimized around efficiency and AI-assisted workloads rather than brute-force benchmark numbers, but for the kind of usage most premium ultrabook buyers actually care about — productivity, multitasking, media consumption, presentations, light photo editing, and office workloads — it performs very well.

The integrated Intel Arc graphics are also surprisingly capable for casual gaming and lighter creative workloads. This is not a gaming laptop by any means, but it can comfortably handle lighter titles and some AAA games at lower settings if needed.

The 1TB SSD also deserves mention because file transfers and application loading speeds feel consistently fast throughout usage.

What stood out most to me, though, is how balanced the overall performance feels. The Yoga 9i never tries to behave like a bulky workstation laptop. Instead, it focuses on delivering a smooth premium ultrabook experience while staying relatively cool, quiet, and battery efficient.

The laptop also comes with a 5-megapixel IR webcam equipped with a c, and during my usage, I found it to be noticeably better than the average Windows laptop camera. It delivers good sharpness, decent colors, and reliable Windows Hello facial recognition for video calls and meetings, although in some indoor lighting conditions, the image can occasionally appear slightly soft or overexposed. Lenovo has also included a physical privacy shutter for the camera, which is always nice to have for added peace of mind.

OLED display and hinge speakers make this an entertainment powerhouse

The entertainment experience on this laptop is genuinely excellent.

The 14-inch 2.8K OLED display is easily one of the best aspects of the Yoga 9i. Blacks look deep, colors appear vibrant, and HDR content looks fantastic. Whether I was watching YouTube videos at hotels after events or catching up on shows during flights, the display consistently impressed me. The 120Hz refresh rate also adds noticeable smoothness while scrolling through Windows or browsing websites.

One thing worth mentioning is that the OLED panel uses a glossy glass layer on top, which gives the display a more reflective appearance near windows, under bright office lighting, or while using it outdoors. You can actually notice some of those reflections in a few of the images I’ve included in this review. Thankfully, the issue becomes much less noticeable once you increase the display brightness, since the panel itself gets sufficiently bright for most environments.

But what surprised me even more was the speaker setup.

I listen to a lot of music while working, and during this review period, I found myself listening to plenty of Michael Jackson tracks because the Michael Jackson movie was released around the same time. Songs like Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal, and Beat It sounded fantastic on this machine.

The rotating soundbar hinge speakers are genuinely impressive. No matter which orientation you use the laptop in, the sound output remains loud, clear, and immersive. That’s the clever part of Lenovo’s implementation — whether you’re using the device in laptop mode, tent mode, or folded back for entertainment, the speakers continue projecting sound effectively.

There’s very little distortion even at higher volumes, vocals remain crisp, and overall sound quality is among the best I’ve heard on a Windows laptop this thin.

Windows touch still needs refinement

Lenovo has added a feature called Circle-to-Do, which I actually found useful over time.

If you swipe inward from the left side of the screen, you can activate the feature and quickly circle or select on-screen content to perform contextual actions. It feels somewhat like an AI-powered shortcut layer built directly into the system. It’s one of those small additions you may initially ignore but gradually start using more often.

That said, while the touchscreen hardware itself is excellent, I still feel Windows 11 is not fully optimized for touch-first usage.

Technically, you can use this laptop entirely without a mouse thanks to the touchscreen. But in real-world use, there are still moments where touch interactions simply don’t behave the way you expect. Certain menus don’t appear properly, some apps still feel designed primarily for mouse input, and occasionally you end up reaching for the touchpad anyway.

Touch support in Windows has definitely improved over the years, but if you plan to use this machine entirely as a tablet replacement, there will still be frustrating moments.

Honestly, I feel Microsoft should focus more on refining and streamlining the Windows touch experience instead of pushing Copilot features left, right, and center. Hardware like the Yoga 9i already proves how good premium touchscreen laptops have become. The software experience now needs to consistently catch up across the operating system and third-party apps.

Interestingly, I also feel the industry itself may slowly move in this direction. I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple eventually launches an OLED touchscreen MacBook as early as next year, before gradually expanding touchscreen support across future MacBook models while perhaps keeping non-touch panels limited to entry-level variants. Premium laptop hardware is clearly evolving toward more interactive touch-first experiences, and Windows already has a major head start there — it just needs better optimization to fully capitalize on it.

Verdict

The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition feels like a premium laptop designed around portability, entertainment, battery life, and overall user experience rather than just raw benchmark numbers. And honestly, it succeeds at that.

The OLED display is gorgeous, the hinge speakers are among the best in the segment, battery life is genuinely dependable, and the overall build quality feels premium throughout. Add the flexibility of the 2-in-1 form factor, and this becomes an excellent companion for travelers, content consumers, and productivity-focused users alike.

I haven’t used many rival premium convertibles recently, but after spending over a month with the Yoga 9i, I can comfortably say this feels like one of the best 2-in-1 laptops currently available. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a premium convertible laptop.

That said, one thing buyers should keep in mind is that while Windows 11 generally works well, the touch experience still isn’t always perfectly smooth. There are occasional moments where touch interactions can feel inconsistent or less polished than they should on a device designed to be used in multiple orientations.

PS: Don’t mind the keyboard key smudges visible in some of the images added in this post. The Lenovo review unit sent to me had already been used and reviewed by someone else before reaching me, and it was also fairly dusty when I received it. Also, while Lenovo’s official listing mentions that the Yoga Pen is included in the retail package, the review unit sent to me did not include the stylus.

The post Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition review: Awesome for entertainment, top-notch battery life appeared first on Gizmochina.

I’ve already switched my SIM card back to the iPhone, yet I still shoot with 35mm as my default focal length year-round. It’s not because I’m particularly into street photography—it’s simply that this focal length isn’t too wide or too narrow, making it just right for everyday shots. So when I heard that the vivo X300 Ultra‘s main camera remains at 35mm, I was genuinely pleased.

After using the phone for a while, I can tell it’s indeed better than the previous generation, even if some specs don’t look impressive on paper. But is this minor upgrade really worth an extra cost? Well, why not bring in the X200 Ultra and run a direct comparison to find out?

35mm

The X300 Ultra’s main camera uses Sony’s latest 200MP sensor. The aperture is smaller, but in exchange, you get stronger stabilization.

In well-lit conditions—basically daytime and indoor environments—the X300 Ultra performs slightly better overall than the X200 Ultra. Exposure is more accurate, clarity is higher, colors aren’t overly saturated, and the sharpening isn’t as aggressive as before. The new sensor and updated algorithms bring noticeable improvements to the X300 Ultra.

At night, the gap becomes even more obvious. I don’t even need to explain it—you can see how much it has improved just from the photos. Especially with the help of the multispectral sensor, the white balance accuracy is significantly better. There’s only one situation where the X300 Ultra loses to the previous generation: in near-total darkness.

If you’re shooting in an environment where people can barely see anything, the X200 Ultra will have slightly better clarity. The performance of the X300 Ultra’s main camera can be summed up with this curve. I still appreciate the effort vivo put into this main camera.

There’s a feature on the X300 Ultra that I really like, called “Raw Lighting”. “Restore the camera’s raw lighting for authentic results”—that’s how vivo describes it. Simply put, it reduces the impact of computational processing on the photo. The most obvious result is that the images look more like they were taken with a professional camera rather than a phone. Saturation is further reduced, sharpening is significantly toned down, and fine details look more natural. I think this feature is way more practical than those flashy new filters.

X200 Ultra users don’t need to be jealous—just update your system, and you’ll get it too. Well done, vivo.

85mm

This 85mm telephoto camera is probably the most controversial one on the X300 Ultra. The sensor size hasn’t changed, and once again, a smaller aperture is traded for better stabilization. So which matters more—the downside of a smaller aperture, or the benefits of improved stabilization?

Honestly, the difference isn’t as obvious as with the main camera. You’ll only notice it when you zoom in 200% or 300%—then you’ll realize, okay, the X300 Ultra is indeed better. And this is mainly in low-light conditions; the stronger the lighting, the smaller the gap.

So the conclusion is: the X300 Ultra’s telephoto camera is a real upgrade, but only for photos. Video is a different story—I’ll explain that in a bit.

14mm

Since there’s no hardware change for the ultra-wide camera, its performance should theoretically be very similar—and it is.

In scenes without extreme contrast, the image quality is basically identical to that of the previous generation. However, the two phones take different approaches to HDR. The X200 Ultra tends to control highlights and leaves shadows untouched, while the X300 Ultra does the opposite. There’s no clear winner here—it just comes down to personal preference.

Anyway, the main purpose of the ultra-wide camera on the X300 Ultra is to compensate for the narrow field of view when recording video with the 35mm lenses. So next, let’s look at video performance.

Video & Selfie

If I didn’t label which footage came from which phone, you definitely wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. In fact, even during editing, I had to carefully check the file names to distinguish which clips were shot from the X300 Ultra. And it’s not just the ultra-wide camera—even the main camera footage looks the same. The improved stabilization doesn’t give you a wider field of view either. You can basically consider their video capabilities to be nearly identical.

For photography, better stabilization allows for longer shutter speeds, improving image quality. But in a video, shutter speed cannot drop below the frame rate. That’s why you can see the X300 Ultra’s telephoto camera actually performs worse in low light. Especially compared to the previous generation, with a larger aperture.

The front camera’s the same story as the rear—you really have to pixel-peep to notice any difference. Thanks to reduced noise reduction in the new algorithm, more texture detail on clothing is preserved.

Overall, this entire camera system has more upgrades than downgrades. But without any new technology, the X300 Ultra lacks that one “hook” to really grab users. For those who chase novelty—like me—most probably won’t be willing to pay that extra $145.

Grip & Teleconverter

Luckily, we also got the photography kit and the G2 Ultra lens. Let’s start with the grip. It still connects via Type-C and has a screw mount at the bottom. The build quality is more refined—it both looks and feels more premium. There’s an extra customizable button, and whether the grip charges the phone can be toggled with another button.

But two issues remain. First, the unlock slider is still positioned near your fingers, which honestly makes me nervous about accidentally unlocking it. Second, when charging the phone through the grip, the power is only 7.5W. The only real downgrade might be the removal of the kickstand on the case.

At the X300 Ultra launch event, two new teleconverters were introduced: a 200mm and a 400mm. The 200mm is more compact, but otherwise unchanged. We already covered it in detail in last year’s X200 Ultra Camera Test, so this time we’ll focus on the 400mm.

First, you can now enter teleconverter mode directly via the top button, which is much more convenient than before. Image quality is still excellent and looks more natural than AI-enhanced photos. And then… well, that’s about it. It’s big, heavy, expensive, and the stabilization isn’t as good as expected. So I’d recommend the 200mm version instead—unless you’re really planning to shoot wildlife with a phone.

I’m glad vivo considered compatibility between old and new teleconverters. The X300 series photography kit can use the previous generation teleconverters. The G2 and G2 Ultra lenses also work on the X200 Ultra, but the adapter rings are not interchangeable due to changes in lens layout.

Also, the X300 Ultra’s grip does not work properly on the X200 Ultra, so you’ll need to buy the correct version for your phone. However, the lenses have no such limitation.

Design

I think I already described the X300 Ultra’s design clearly enough in the hands-on video. In one sentence: you can hardly tell it apart from the X200 Ultra. You can even put an X200 Ultra case on the X300 Ultra, and all the cutouts will line up perfectly. If you’re being picky, yes, there are tiny differences.

For example, the X300 Ultra is indeed thinner—but what they don’t tell you is that it’s actually thicker, including the camera module. Put the phone on a table; it feels more like a seesaw.

Also, the white version looks worse—especially compared to how good the X200 Ultra looked. But these are basically the only two design downgrades. The larger vibration motor and the removal of the camera control button are both good changes. Another positive is that the X300 Ultra is the first in the vivo lineup to support USB 3.2 Gen2 with video output.

Perhaps the best news is that the X300 Ultra finally has a global version, making it easier to buy and service. That said, the Chinese version also has excellent band support—except for slightly weaker signals in rural areas of the US, it works well almost anywhere in the world.

Performance

The X300 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5, so peak performance is not a concern. However, since the ultra-wide camera is still stacked above the processor, its thermal performance is slightly worse than that of other Ultra phones.

In Honkai: Star Rail, its maximum in-game resolution exceeds 900P, which is slightly higher than that of other phones. To keep things fair, I lowered the X300 Ultra’s resolution to 1200P. Even so, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra still wins easily. Even though game optimization could be better, I don’t think it will affect the target audience of the X300 Ultra. If you care that much about gaming performance, you probably shouldn’t buy a phone with such a massive camera module in the first place.

Display

The display and battery life are not the focus of this upgrade. The X300 Ultra’s screen looks and feels very similar to the X200 Ultra. Most apps still top out at 120Hz, and the peak brightness increase is only 100 nits—these “upgrades” are basically unnoticeable.

What I can notice is that the old 2.5D glass is now completely flat—finally, it’s easy to apply a tempered glass screen protector. Thanks to the upgraded top speaker, the overall audio experience is better. I’ll include a speaker test at the top of the video—listen for yourself.

Battery Life

The X300 Ultra’s battery capacity increased by 600mAh compared to the X200 Ultra, but in our standard tests, the difference is negligible. After a full day of gaming and camera testing, 46% battery remained. It may not beat Xiaomi or OPPO’s Ultra models, but it comfortably outperforms Samsung’s. As for charging speed, there’s not much to say—you can tell its level just by looking at the curve.

I know—even if you agree that the X300 Ultra’s upgrades are minimal, you might still buy it. Why? Because on the global market, you simply can’t get the more cost-effective X200 Ultra. But after our comparison, you can’t deny that the upgrade is good, though not significant. I’m not a fanboy or a hater of any brand—being loyal to products is definitely smarter. Back when the Xiaomi 15 Ultra showed the smallest improvement, I voiced my dissatisfaction as well. However, since the vivo X300 Ultra is indeed an enhanced version of one of the most powerful camera phones on the market, we still consider it one of the best options—though you’ll have to pay a bit more for the new model. And if you’re already holding the X200 Ultra, considering the price increase, it’s probably not necessary to upgrade to the X300 Ultra in 2026.

The post Still The King of Camera Phones? vivo X300 Ultra Review vs X200 Ultra appeared first on Gizmochina.

For the past ten years, I have relied almost entirely on air conditioning to get through the summer. Where I live, temperatures regularly reach 45°C (113°F), and the heat can be difficult to manage.

However, running an AC unit all day comes with a significant downside: high electricity bills. This year, I decided to look for a more cost-effective way to cool my home during the daytime. I wanted to see if a modern desert cooler could do the job without using as much power.

To test this out, I received the Kenstar TALL BOY Honey Comb 105 Litre BLDC Desert Cooler (Model: KCLTBDBL105FRH) as a review unit. It retails for ₹15,990 ($168) and features a Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motor, which is designed to be energy efficient.

After using it for a week, including during a particularly hot and humid stretch of weather, I have a clear understanding of how it performs, where it works well, and what its limitations are. Here is my experience using it as a daily cooling solution.

Design and Dimensions

The first thing you notice about the Kenstar Tall Boy is its height. It stands 1428 mm tall, which is about 4.7 feet. It is a large appliance that will be very noticeable in whatever room you place it in. However, the height serves a specific, practical purpose.

Many standard desert coolers are relatively short, meaning the air they blow often hits the side of a bed or the back of a chair. By elevating the 40.6 cm (16-inch) fan, the Tall Boy directs the airflow higher up. When I am sitting at my desk or lying in bed, the air reaches me directly rather than cooling the floor.

Despite being tall, the cooler’s footprint is fairly standard for its capacity, measuring 630 x 445 mm. It fits reasonably well into the corner of my dining room and doesn’t take up too much floor space on my balcony. The body is made from ABS and HIPS plastic. It feels sturdy enough for regular indoor and covered outdoor use, and it hasn’t shown any signs of strain.

When the cooler is empty, it weighs 18 kg, which is manageable to move. But this model has a 105-liter water tank. Once you fill it up, the total weight exceeds 120 kg. To handle this, Kenstar included four castor wheels at the base. I was initially concerned about moving it when full, but the wheels roll smoothly on flat floors. I can push it from the living room to the terrace without much effort, though you do have to be careful over door thresholds.

BLDC Motor and Power Consumption

This model comes with a BLDC motor. Traditional desert coolers of this size usually consume between 200 and 250 watts of electricity. The Kenstar Tall Boy is rated at 145 watts. While that might not sound like a massive difference on paper, it adds up over a month when you are running the cooler for 10 to 15 hours a day. It is a noticeable reduction in power consumption compared to older models.

This low wattage also provides a very practical benefit during power cuts. Because it draws only 145 watts, the cooler runs easily on my standard home inverter. In areas where the power grid can be unreliable during peak summer months, being able to keep your primary cooling appliance running on battery backup is highly convenient.

Kenstar says that the motor uses a double ball bearing system. In practice, this is meant to reduce internal friction, which should help the motor last longer and run a bit smoother. It comes with a five-year warranty on the motor, which provides some peace of mind regarding its durability.

Cooling Performance and Airflow

If you are transitioning from an air conditioner to a desert cooler, there is a learning curve. I made the mistake of setting the Tall Boy up in a closed bedroom on the first day. Desert coolers use evaporative cooling, which naturally adds moisture to the air. Because the room lacked ventilation, the humidity increased quickly, and the room just felt sticky and uncomfortable.

Once I realized my error, I moved the cooler to my dining area and opened a window to allow for cross-ventilation. The difference was immediate. In an open space, the cooler works effectively. The fan pushes out 4500 m³/h (cubic meters per hour) of air, and Kenstar claims an air throw of 50 feet.

While I didn’t measure the exact distance, it easily circulates air across my entire living space. The motorized louvers move side to side, helping to distribute the air evenly rather than blowing it in just one direction.

The cooling media consists of honeycomb pads on three sides. They hold water well, don’t sag, and provide consistent evaporation.

For particularly hot afternoons, the cooler has an ice chamber on top. You can add ice cubes to cool the water before it runs through the pads. It does lower the temperature of the air noticeably for a short period. Once the ice melts, it returns to standard evaporative cooling, which is still effective as long as you keep a window or door open.

Day-to-Day Use and Maintenance

Living with a 105-liter cooler is fairly straightforward. The large tank is very convenient; a full tank easily lasts me 12 to 15 hours of continuous use. I can fill it in the evening and run it through the night without worrying about the water running out. There is a clear water level indicator on the front, so you can check how much water is left at a glance.

The cooler includes a dust filter net on the outside of the cooling pads. This is a simple but useful feature. It catches larger dust particles, pet hair, and insects, stopping them from getting stuck in the honeycomb pads. This means the pads stay cleaner for longer, and the air smells fresher. Also, a quick heads-up for new buyers: if you have just bought it, you will likely notice a distinct smell for the first two days of use, but it eventually goes away completely.

The control panel is a modern touch interface that is intuitive and easy to use, and it also comes with a handy remote control. The touch panel works really well with absolutely no issues, housing all the necessary buttons including power, fan settings, cooling on or off, swing, and a timer. It offers seven different fan speeds, which is highly practical. You can keep it on a low setting for a gentle breeze or turn it up when you need to cool the room quickly.

There are a few drawbacks to keep in mind. First, moving this volume of air generates noise. On the lower settings, it is a manageable background hum. But on the highest fan speeds, it is quite loud. If you are watching TV or taking a phone call in the same room, you will likely need to turn the fan speed down.

Second, maintenance is required. If you live in an area with hard water, minerals will eventually build up on the honeycomb pads. You will need to periodically drain the tank and descale the pads to keep the cooler working efficiently. It isn’t a difficult process, but it is an extra chore you don’t have with an AC.

The Verdict

The Kenstar TALL BOY 105 Litre BLDC Desert Cooler is a practical and effective appliance, provided you use it in the right environment. It will not replace an air conditioner in a sealed room, and it won’t drop the room temperature to 18°C.

However, if you have a large, well-ventilated space, like a living room, a spacious bedroom with open windows, or a covered patio, it performs very well. The 4.7-foot height ensures the air reaches you where you are sitting, and the 105-liter tank minimizes the need for constant refilling.

At ₹15,990 ($168), the initial cost is reasonable, and the 145W BLDC motor helps keep ongoing electricity costs down. It is a sensible, energy-efficient alternative for managing the summer heat, especially if you need an appliance that can run on a home inverter during power outages.

You can purchase this model from here.

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