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.

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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.

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.

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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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The post Oppo Reno 16 Review: A Compact Camera Phone That Gets Almost Everything Right appeared first on Gizmochina.

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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The post iQOO 15R Long-Term Review: Four Months Later, Is It Still Worth Buying? appeared first on Gizmochina.

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.

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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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Let’s be entirely honest with ourselves for a second: most of us do not need a robotic, AI-powered, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) 4K webcam to join a morning Zoom sync. The built-in laptop camera will technically suffice to prove you are awake and at your desk.

But over the last few years, the webcam market has evolved from a race for basic competence into a full-blown arms race for absolute overkill. And sitting right at the bleeding edge of that overkill is Obsbot.

I’ve spent the last month using the brand-new Obsbot Tiny 3 as my primary daily driver, alongside its more affordable sibling, the Obsbot Tiny 3 Lite. Obsbot’s Tiny series has been around since 2020, effectively pioneering the AI-tracking webcam space, but the Tiny 3 series feels like a culmination of every wild idea the company has ever had, crammed into an impossibly small chassis.

At $349 for the Tiny 3 and $199 for the Tiny 3 Lite, these are premium devices aimed squarely at content creators, streamers, remote educators, and office workers who simply refuse to look anything less than spectacular.

But after a month of having a tiny robot track my every move across my home office, I’ve realized that the magic of the Tiny 3 isn’t just in its spec sheet; it’s in how seamlessly it fades into the background while doing a dozen incredibly complex things at once.

Here is my deep dive into the Obsbot Tiny 3 and the Tiny 3 Lite.

Design and Hardware

When I first unboxed the Tiny 3, I was genuinely surprised. The name is finally, aggressively accurate. Measuring just 1.5 by 1.5 by 1.9 inches and weighing a mere 2.2 ounces (63 grams), the Tiny 3 is absurdly small. It is 48% more compact and 34% lighter than its predecessor, the Tiny 2. Despite this, it feels incredibly premium.

The main camera module and the two-axis gimbal are encased in a dark gray metal alloy that stays cool to the touch even after hours of continuous 4K streaming.

The Tiny 3 Lite, interestingly enough, goes in a slightly different direction. It is actually a bit larger in dimensions (1.6 by 1.6 by 2.3 inches) and adopts a softer, more minimalistic design language. Where the Tiny 3 looks sharp and industrial, the Lite feels a bit more approachable and rounded.

But the biggest physical divergence between the two lies in how you mount them. This is a point of slight contention for me. The Tiny 3 comes with a detachable magnetic base that snaps onto a separate, included screen clip.

The magnet is incredibly strong, and the modularity is great if you want to pop the camera off and snap it onto a tripod or a desktop stand. However, I can’t help but feel that if it had an internal, integrated clamp too, it would have made life just a bit easier for laptop users on the go. You have to keep track of two pieces.

The Tiny 3 Lite, on the other hand, features an integrated clamp. It’s permanently attached to the base, meaning you can just unfold it and slap it onto any laptop or monitor immediately.

It’s less flexible if you want to do complex tripod rigging, but for everyday use, it’s arguably more convenient. Still, the Tiny 3’s magnetic snap has a satisfying, premium tactility to it that the Lite lacks.

Video Quality

Let’s talk about the glass and the silicon, because this is where the $349 price tag of the Tiny 3 starts to justify itself.

The flagship Tiny 3 is packing a massive 1/1.28-inch 50-megapixel CMOS sensor. For context, that is a larger sensor than you’ll find in many premium smartphones, let alone webcams. It boasts a dual native ISO that scales all the way up to 12,800, and an f/1.8 aperture. It shoots in 4K at 30fps, or, if you want buttery smooth motion, 1080p at a staggering 120 frames per second.

In practice, the image quality is nothing short of breathtaking. I have my desk set up in a room where light hits me from all sides, including right from the ceiling. Usually, this kind of omnidirectional lighting makes things incredibly messy for most devices, as they struggle to cut through the glare and balance the frame properly.

But the Tiny 3, utilizing its DCG (Dual Conversion Gain) HDR technology, does an amazing job of managing this chaos. It handles the light so well that I haven’t faced a single issue with overlighting or harsh blasts of glare on my face. It balances the exposure so effortlessly that it looks like I have a perfectly calibrated, professional studio lighting rig.

The natural depth of field is also a massive win. Because the sensor is so large and the aperture so wide, you get actual, optical background blur. It’s not the aggressive, artificial cut-out you get from Zoom or Google Meet; it’s a gentle, natural fall-off that makes you pop off the screen.

The Tiny 3 Lite steps down to a 1/2-inch 48-megapixel sensor. It still shoots 4K at 30fps and 1080p at 120fps, and it still looks fantastic in good lighting. But in low light when I’m relying on the glow of my monitors and a single desk lamp, the difference becomes apparent.

The Tiny 3 remains clean and sharp, while the Tiny 3 Lite introduces a bit of static-like noise into the background. The Lite’s maximum ISO is capped at 6,400, and while it’s still vastly superior to your laptop’s built-in camera, it doesn’t quite have the night-vision-esque magic of the premium model. But for most users, it is more than enough.

Gimbal and AI Tracking

The defining feature of the Obsbot lineup is the mechanical gimbal, and the AI Tracking 2.0 system on the Tiny 3 series is the best I have ever used.

Both cameras feature a two-axis gimbal that can pan up to 150 degrees mechanically and tilt 90 degrees. When you turn on auto-tracking, the camera physically moves to keep you in the center of the frame. There is no robotic jerking or mechanical whining; it just glides. I can stand up from my desk, pace around my office, and the camera follows me seamlessly.

Obsbot gives you an absurd amount of control over this. You can set it to track your full body, your upper body, or just keep a tight crop on your face. But the new Object Tracking feature is what truly blew my mind. Inside the Obsbot Center software, you can draw a bounding box around anything: a coffee mug, a phone, a toy, a product you are demonstrating, and the camera will lock onto it.

If you’re a YouTuber showcasing products or a teacher demonstrating crafts from a top-down view, this feature is honestly fantastic. However, it can occasionally be a hit or miss experience, but I believe this could be improved with a software update.

The Tiny 3 also supports gesture controls (holding up your hand to start tracking, making an ‘L’ shape to zoom). It also includes voice controls as well. Saying “Hi, Tiny” wakes it up, “Track me” initiates the gimbal, and “Sleep, Tiny” points the camera straight down at its base, physically cutting off the video feed for guaranteed privacy.

Audio

Built-in webcam microphones usually aren’t the best, but the audio on the Tiny 3 is actually a solid step up. Both the Tiny 3 and the Tiny 3 Lite use a new three-microphone setup (one omnidirectional and two directional), and the software does a good job of processing the sound for everyday use.

You get a few different audio modes depending on what you need. “Pure Audio Mode” leaves the audio raw without extra processing, which is nice if you want to tweak the sound yourself later. “Spatial Audio Mode” captures stereo sound, so if you move around the room, people on the other end can hear which direction you’re speaking from.

I find myself using “Directional Mode” the most. My room environment isn’t always perfectly quiet. I have a noisy fan, and sometimes I get some noise bleeding in from outside, though it’s pretty quiet when I just have the AC running. Directional Mode does a really good job of focusing on my voice and filtering out those background sounds. Even when the fan is running, it isolates my voice well enough that the people on my calls don’t seem to notice the background hum.

The Tiny 3 also has a Voice Tracking feature. The camera uses the microphones to figure out where a voice is coming from and physically turns to face the speaker. If you have two people in the same room sharing the webcam, it just automatically pans back and forth to whoever is talking at the moment, which makes group calls a lot easier to manage.

Software

To get the most out of these cameras, you need to use the Obsbot Center app (available for Windows and macOS). The software is dense, but beautifully laid out.

If you just want to plug and play, you can leave it in Lite mode. But if you click over to Pro, you get all the controls. You can manually adjust the exposure curves, tweaking shadows, midtones, and highlights independently. You can manually set the white balance by adjusting the red and blue gain. You can set up to three preset gimbal angles, allowing you to snap the camera from a wide shot of your room to a tight crop of your face with a single click.

Obsbot has also built in some virtual camera features, like background replacement and artificial bokeh. The background replacement is significantly better than the native tools in Zoom or Teams, handling the edges around my hair with impressive accuracy.

It is also worth noting that the flagship Tiny 3 has a couple of software tricks the Lite lacks, specifically Desk Mode and Whiteboard Mode. Desk Mode automatically tilts the camera down and digitally flips the image so you can show off documents or sketches on your desk without the image being upside down for your viewers. If you don’t need this, the Lite becomes an even more appealing option.

Final Verdict

After a month of living with both of these cameras, I am thoroughly impressed. Obsbot hasn’t just made a good webcam; they have built a genuinely exciting piece of consumer technology.

If you are a content creator, a streamer, a high-level executive, or someone who simply demands the absolute best image quality and low-light performance available, the Obsbot Tiny 3 ($349) is the undisputed king of the hill.

The 1/1.28-inch sensor is a marvel, the HDR processing is flawless, and the sheer amount of technology packed into a chassis the size of a golf ball is a masterclass in hardware engineering. Yes, I wish the magnetic mount had an integrated clamp for laptop convenience, and yes, it is painfully expensive. But it is the best webcam I have ever tested.

However, if you are looking for value, the Obsbot Tiny 3 Lite ($199) is the real scene-stealer here. For $150 less, you are getting the exact same world-class AI tracking, the exact same incredible triple-mic audio system, and the exact same 1080p 120fps capability.

You lose a bit of low-light fidelity due to the smaller sensor, and you miss out on the Desk/Whiteboard modes, but for 95% of users, the video quality is still going to blow away anything else in the sub-$200 price bracket. Plus, the integrated clamp design, while making the camera slightly larger, is undeniably practical for everyday laptop use.

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While most smartphones today can record audio and even generate AI-based transcripts, relying on a phone for long meetings or interviews is not always ideal. Notifications, incoming calls, battery drain, and limited recording flexibility can quickly become distractions. That is where the itel Zeno AI Weaver comes into play. Instead of juggling multiple apps, it combines recording, transcription, translation, and AI-generated summaries into a compact standalone gadget designed specifically for capturing conversations and turning them into organized notes.

Slim design that fits anywhere

The first thing that stood out to me was the size. The recorder is the exact size of a standard debit or credit card, making it incredibly easy to carry around. It is also slim enough to slide into a pocket without adding bulk. Despite its compact form factor, the build does not come across as cheap and still feels sturdy in hand.

The bundled leather case adds a more premium feel while also protecting the device during daily use. It also includes a cutout at the bottom, allowing the charging connector to attach directly to the pogo pins on the recorder without removing the case.

One of the more practical additions is MagSafe compatibility. I used it attached to the back of the Motorola Signature during a couple of meetings, and it stayed securely in place. This made it easier to carry around compared to traditional bulky voice recorders.

The front features a small display that shows the recording and battery status, with buttons positioned on either side of the device. The recessed button on the right acts as the power/function button. To power it on, you can press it once, while a long press of around seven seconds turns it off. Once the device is powered on, a long press on this button starts or stops recording, and the recorder vibrates to confirm the action. Since it is a multifunction button, you can also tap it once to check the battery and Bluetooth connection status.

Meanwhile, the switch-like button on the left is used to toggle between Call and Meeting modes. It is worth noting that switching modes while a recording is in progress automatically stops the ongoing recording. Personally, I found the Meeting mode more useful, as it recorded voices with better clarity.

Recording quality is surprisingly clear

A voice recorder is only as good as its audio capture, and this is where the Zeno AI Weaver performed well. During testing, I used it in different environments, including a quiet room, a noisy café, and a crowded media briefing.

The multi-microphone setup with noise reduction did a good job isolating voices. Background chatter was reduced to a manageable level, making conversations easier to understand during playback. Even when multiple people spoke during meetings, voices remained reasonably clear.

The one-touch recording feature is convenient. Instead of opening an app and navigating through menus, I could simply start recording instantly. For journalists or professionals who need to capture sudden conversations quickly, this can be genuinely useful.

Battery life also turned out to be dependable. I did not need to charge it frequently during my usage period, and the claimed long standby time appears realistic for moderate users.

AI transcription makes the biggest difference

The main reason to consider this recorder is its AI functionality. Through the companion AI Recorder app, recordings are automatically converted into text. I tested it with interviews and meeting discussions, and the transcription accuracy was fairly reliable in clear speaking conditions.

What I liked most was the flexibility of the summaries. Instead of getting only raw transcripts, the app can organize recordings into different formats such as meeting minutes, interview highlights, task lists, and structured notes.

For work-related discussions, this saved a surprising amount of time. Instead of replaying long recordings repeatedly, I could quickly scan the generated summaries and key points.

The translation support is also useful. I tested recordings containing mixed English and Hindi conversations, and the results were decent enough for reference purposes.

The app experience

The AI Recorder app by Turing Intelligence acts as the control center for the device. Pairing was straightforward, and syncing recordings did not take long.

Inside the app, recordings are neatly organized with transcripts and summaries available in one place. Users can select a recording and tap on AI Templates to access options such as Brief Summary, Meeting Minutes, Bulleted Notes, Interview Notes, Follow-Up Email, Presentation, Create To-Dos, and more. Sharing files is simple, and exporting text-based summaries is useful if you need to send meeting notes quickly.

To view a translated version of a recording, users can open a recorded file, tap on View Transcript, and then select Translate from nearly 40 supported languages.

However, the biggest limitation is the subscription model. The itel Zeno AI Weaver comes with a free tier that includes up to 300 minutes of AI transcription and summaries per month, which should be enough for casual users or occasional meetings. However, users who rely heavily on transcription may need to consider the paid plans.

The Pro subscription, priced at around Rs 1,350 per month, unlocks features such as speaker identification, translation support, enhanced transcription accuracy, advanced AI summaries, and up to 1,200 transcription minutes per month. There is also an Unlimited plan priced at roughly Rs 2,050 per month that removes transcription limits altogether while adding extended cloud-based features.

As for the hardware itself, the recorder is currently available on Amazon India for around Rs 11,819. That additional subscription cost is something buyers should keep in mind before investing in the device.

Storage and usability

The itel Zeno AI Weaver comes with 32GB of internal storage, which the company claims is enough for up to 40 hours of recordings stored directly on the device. The offline recording capability is another advantage because the recorder does not rely entirely on internet connectivity to capture audio.

I also appreciated that it works as a dedicated tool. While smartphones already offer recording and transcription features, having a separate device means fewer distractions and better focus during conversations.

Final thoughts

The itel Zeno AI Weaver feels less like a traditional recorder and more like a compact productivity assistant. Its biggest strengths are portability, clean audio capture, and AI-powered transcription tools that genuinely reduce manual work.

I would have appreciated a simpler and more direct name, such as “itel Zeno AI Recorder,” as it would immediately communicate what the product actually does. The term “Weaver” feels more abstract and may not instantly connect with users looking for an AI-powered voice recorder.

It is not a cheap purchase, especially once subscription costs are considered, but for journalists, students, researchers, and professionals who regularly deal with long conversations or meetings, it can become a useful everyday companion.

If your workflow involves constant note-taking, interviews, or discussions that need documentation, the Zeno AI Weaver offers a more efficient way to manage them without constantly staring at a notebook or phone screen.

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The new Rapoo P101 aims to deliver a premium-style magnetic charging experience without carrying a premium price tag. Priced at Rs 1,299 during the ongoing sale, this 10,000mAh power bank offers Qi2 wireless charging, strong magnetic alignment, and 22W wired fast charging in a compact form factor. I spent some time using it with both the iPhone 17 and the Motorola Signature, and here’s what I found.

Compact design with strong magnetic hold

One of the first things I noticed about the P101 was its magnetic grip. Once attached to the phone, it stays in place properly without shifting around too much. That matters because weak magnetic alignment can easily interrupt wireless charging during daily use.

The power bank itself is fairly compact considering it packs a 10,000mAh battery. At around 189g, it does add noticeable weight to the phone, but it still feels manageable for travel or daily commuting. The rounded edges also make it easier to hold while attached to the device.

Rapoo says it supports MagSafe and Pixelsnap compatibility, which should help it work well with a wide range of compatible devices.

Wireless charging performance

The P101 supports up to 15W Qi2 wireless charging. During my testing with the iPhone 17, the charging speed felt fairly consistent.

I started charging the phone at 20 percent battery, and after 15 minutes, it reached 36 percent. That works out to roughly 1 percent per minute during the test. Considering the iPhone 17 reportedly features a 3,692mAh battery, the wireless charging performance felt decent for a compact magnetic power bank.

The charging experience was also stable. I did not notice random disconnects or interruptions while using it magnetically attached to the phone. However, as can be seen above, the iPhone 17 displayed “slow charger”, which is fairly common with wireless charging accessories and does not necessarily reflect inconsistent performance in day-to-day use.

Wired charging is noticeably faster

Where the P101 becomes more impressive is wired charging. The USB-C port supports up to 22W output with PD and PPS support.

Using wired charging on the iPhone 17, the battery went from 36 percent to 70 percent in 20 minutes, which felt significantly quicker than the wireless mode.

I also tested it with the Motorola Signature, which packs a 5,200mAh battery. Wireless charging performance there was slower, moving from 6 percent to 11 percent in around 20 minutes. However, once again, wired charging delivered much better results, taking the phone from 51 percent to 75 percent in the same 20-minute period.

So while the wireless charging is convenient for casual top-ups, the wired mode is clearly the better option when you need faster charging in a short amount of time.

Useful features for daily use

The P101 also includes useful additions like multiple charging protocol support including PD3.0, PPS, QC3.0, and Apple charging standards.

The P101 has LED indicators that make it easy to understand its charging status at a glance. During use, I noticed that the indicator glows green while charging devices through the wired connection, while a blue light appears during wireless charging

Rapoo has included several safety protections, too, including temperature control and short-circuit protection, which is reassuring for long-term use. The power bank can be charged via an 18W charger, and it takes nearly 3 hours to achieve a full charge.

Final thoughts

For Rs 1,299, the Rapoo P101 feels like a solid value-focused magnetic power bank. The Qi2 support, reliable magnetic hold, and especially the fast wired charging performance make it practical for everyday use.

Wireless charging speeds are decent rather than exceptional, particularly on larger battery phones, but the convenience factor is strong. If you want a compact magnetic power bank that also doubles as a fast wired charger when needed, the P101 does a good job balancing both.

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For a long time, Poco has been associated with value-first smartphones—devices that make calculated compromises to deliver strong performance at aggressive prices. That identity hasn’t disappeared, but it has clearly evolved. Over the past few years, Poco has been steadily moving beyond just “budget killers” and into a space where it challenges flagship devices, albeit with a different set of priorities.

The Poco X8 Pro Max feels like the clearest example of that shift so far. Instead of trying to be a perfectly balanced all-rounder, it leans heavily into performance and battery life. After using it as my daily driver, it’s evident that this focus works—but it also comes with some noticeable trade-offs.

Design and usability: Solid, practical, slightly bulky

The design is clean and modern without being particularly distinctive. The flat frame and curved corners give it a familiar feel, and the overall finish is understated. The RGB lighting around the camera module adds a bit of personality, though in day-to-day use, it feels more like a novelty than a functional feature.

What stands out more is the build quality. The combination of a metal frame and Gorilla Glass gives the phone a sturdy, well-constructed feel. The added IP68/IP69K ratings also bring a level of durability that isn’t always guaranteed in this segment.

That said, the size and weight are hard to ignore. This is a large and relatively heavy phone, and while I got used to it after a few days, one-handed use is not comfortable. It’s clearly designed for users who prioritize screen size and battery capacity over compactness.

The ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor is one of the better implementations I’ve used recently. It’s quick, accurate, and works reliably even with slightly wet fingers—something optical sensors often struggle with.

Display: Consistent and easy to enjoy

Poco continues its strong track record with displays here. The 6.83-inch AMOLED panel is sharp, bright, and well-suited for both media consumption and gaming.

In everyday use, scrolling feels smooth thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, and the brightness levels are more than adequate for outdoor visibility. Watching HDR content on platforms like Netflix or YouTube is a genuinely enjoyable experience, with good contrast and vibrant colors.

Out of the box, the color profile leans toward a more saturated look. I switched to a more natural setting, which made the display feel more balanced for regular use. It’s a minor adjustment, but one worth making depending on your preference.

For gaming, the display holds up well with responsive touch input and consistent performance. It’s not just impressive on paper—it translates into a reliable real-world experience.

Performance: Where the phone truly shines

Performance is the defining strength of the Poco X8 Pro Max. The Dimensity 9500s chipset may sit just below top-tier flagship processors, but in practical use, the difference is difficult to notice. This review unit has 12GB of LPDDR5x and 256GB of UFS 4.1 storage.

Day-to-day tasks feel fast and fluid. Apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth, and there’s enough headroom to handle heavy workloads without slowing down.

Gaming performance is particularly impressive. I spent time playing titles like BGMI and Genshin Impact, and the phone maintained stable frame rates even during extended sessions. What stood out most wasn’t just peak performance, but how well it sustained that performance over time.

Thermals are managed reasonably well. The phone does get warm during long gaming sessions, but it doesn’t throttle aggressively or cause noticeable stutters. Instead, performance drops gradually, which makes the experience feel more consistent.

The benchmark results suggest that the Poco X8 Pro Max could deliver flagship-grade performance, backed by an impressive AnTuTu score of 2.71 million and strong Geekbench 6 scores of 2,588 in single-core and 8,289 in multi-core tests. These numbers indicate excellent processing power for gaming, multitasking, and demanding AI-driven tasks. Meanwhile, the CPU throttling test shows the device retaining around 84% of its peak performance under sustained load, suggesting decent thermal management and stable performance during extended gaming sessions.

Camera: Capable, but not a priority

The camera system reflects the phone’s overall philosophy—functional, but not the main focus.

The 50MP main camera performs well in good lighting conditions. Photos have strong contrast, vibrant colors, and good detail. However, the processing can be a bit aggressive, especially with saturation, which sometimes affects color accuracy.

The 2x zoom, achieved through cropping, is surprisingly usable. It retains a decent amount of detail and works well for portraits and close-up shots.

In low light, the main camera still delivers usable results, though the images show signs of heavy processing. Noise reduction and sharpening are quite noticeable, but the overall output remains acceptable for the price range.

The ultrawide camera is the weakest link. It’s fine for occasional use in good lighting but lacks detail and consistency, especially in low-light scenarios.

Selfies are decent, with a wider field of view that’s genuinely useful, but they don’t stand out in terms of detail or accuracy.

Overall, the camera setup does the job, but it’s not competitive with the best in this segment.

Battery life and charging: A standout feature

Battery life is easily one of the biggest highlights of the Poco X8 Pro Max. With a massive capacity that goes up to 9,000mAh in some regions, this phone delivers exceptional endurance.

In my usage, which included gaming, streaming, and regular social media activity, the phone comfortably lasted a full day with plenty of charge remaining. With lighter usage, stretching it to two days is entirely realistic.

Charging such a large battery could have been a drawback, but the 100W fast charging keeps things practical. A full charge takes just over an hour, which feels reasonable given the battery size.

The addition of reverse charging is also useful. I ended up using the phone to charge smaller devices, effectively turning it into a backup power source when needed.

Software: Feature-rich, but not the cleanest

The Poco X8 Pro Max runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16. The feature set is extensive, with customization options, AI tools, and improved ecosystem connectivity.

However, the experience isn’t as polished as it could be. The interface can feel cluttered, especially with the number of pre-installed apps and system notifications. It takes some effort to clean things up and make the experience feel streamlined.

Performance is generally smooth, but I did encounter occasional stutters and minor inconsistencies. Nothing major, but enough to notice.

This remains one of Poco’s weaker areas, particularly when compared to competitors that offer a cleaner and more refined software experience.

Final verdict: Powerful, but focused

The Poco X8 Pro Max is not trying to be everything for everyone, and that’s clear from the moment you start using it.

It excels in performance, offers excellent sustained gaming capabilities, and delivers some of the best battery life in its segment. These strengths make it a compelling choice for users who prioritize power and endurance.

At the same time, the compromises are equally clear. The camera system is average, and the software experience lacks polish.

If your priorities are gaming, performance, and long battery life, the Poco X8 Pro Max is easy to recommend. However, if you’re looking for a more balanced device with better cameras and cleaner software, you might want to consider alternatives.

Personally, I see this as a specialist device rather than a true all-rounder. It does a few things exceptionally well—and if those align with your needs, it’s absolutely worth the price. It is priced at Rs 42,999 (~450) for the 12GB+256GB variant and Rs 46,999 (~$500) for the 12GB+512GB edition.

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Intro

We’ve tested our fair share of pen displays, from 12-inch portable pads to 16-inch professional slabs. But to be honest, compared to the standard monitors I use for daily work, even those felt a bit cramped. It got me thinking: is there a larger canvas available that truly allows for expansive, natural digital creation? That brings us to the subject of today’s in-depth review—the XPPen Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2).

This monumental display is not only the largest pen display we’ve ever tested but also, by a significant margin, the heaviest. It begs the question: why are professional-grade creative displays finally pushing into this larger territory, and is bigger always better? Let’s find out.

Buy the XPPen Artist 27 Pro (Gen 2) on XPPen official store here, and get 5% off with the exclusive code – GizmoXP

Hardware Specifications

The Artist Pro series has always been known for its robust specs, and the 27 (Gen 2) is no exception. This 27-inch panel is a powerhouse, packing a crisp 3840 x 2160 4K resolution and a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The implication here is clear: the visual fluidity is so good, you could theoretically game on it without issue (though its primary mission is creation).

Color performance is where it truly matters for creative work, and this screen delivers. It boasts 99% coverage of both Adobe RGB and sRGB color gamuts, along with 97% coverage of DCI-P3. This makes it well-suited for professional photography, video editing, and design tasks where color accuracy is non-negotiable.

XPPen includes a factory calibration report for the Adobe RGB color space with each unit. Our review sample posted an average Delta E of just 0.97, with a maximum variance of only 3.0. These are excellent numbers, confirming that the screen is color-accurate and reliable straight out of the box. With a typical brightness of 350 nits, it’s perfectly adequate for well-lit indoor studio environments, though it might struggle a bit in very bright, sun-drenched rooms.

Connectivity & Interface

To drive this high-resolution behemoth, the Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) includes three video input options: a full-sized DisplayPort, an HDMI port, and a USB-C port that supports display signals. On the output side, things are spartan—just a single 3.5mm audio jack. Honestly, given the generous real estate on this massive display, we were hoping for at least one USB-A port. A built-in hub would be perfect for plugging in a 2.4GHz wireless receiver for a mouse or a flash drive, but as it stands, you’ll need to reach for your computer or a separate hub.

Our testing also revealed some quirks with the USB-C connectivity. When pushing the display at its full 4K 120Hz capability, the chroma subsampling defaults to YCbCr 422 instead of the preferred full RGB. This is likely a bandwidth limitation of the specific USB-C implementation. Fortunately, the slight reduction in color precision is very difficult to perceive with the naked eye during normal use. Interestingly, we didn’t encounter this limitation when connected to a Mac. It’s also worth noting that the USB-C port does not provide power delivery. If you’re connecting a laptop, you’ll need to keep it plugged into its own power source, adding another cable to the mix.

The Stylus & Accessories: Familiar Precision, New Ergonomics

The Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) ships with XPPen’s latest stylus technology: the X3 Pro Smart Chip Stylus, featuring a staggering 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity. Quantifying the leap from 4K or 8K sensitivity to 16K is difficult, but if you’re coming from a device like a Samsung S-Pen (which typically uses 4,096 levels), the difference is monumental. Mathematically, the X3 Pro offers 400% more pressure sensitivity. In practice, this translates to an incredibly nuanced range of expression, from the lightest wisp of a sketch to a bold, heavy stroke.

Included in the box is a second, alternative stylus: the X3 Pro Slim Stylus. As the name suggests, it’s noticeably thinner and lighter, tipping the scales at a mere 10 grams compared to the standard pen’s 16 grams. This reduced weight can significantly reduce hand fatigue during marathon creative sessions, allowing for longer periods of comfortable work.

The Slim Stylus also features a unique, clever design: its side button is removable. By gently prying it off, you can transform the pen into a completely seamless, button-free cylinder. This is a fantastic option for artists who prefer to rely solely on keyboard shortcuts or who find themselves accidentally pressing the barrel button.

A quick note on customization: the XPPen Tablet driver software allows you to assign different pressure curves, shortcut functions, and pen-side button commands to each stylus independently, letting you tailor the experience to your specific workflow.

Display Experience: Immersion and Fluidity

The panel quality on the Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) is undeniably flagship-grade. The 27-inch 4K IPS display boasts a pixel density of 163 PPI. At a typical创作 distance, pixelation is virtually invisible. Lines are razor-sharp, and fine details in high-resolution photographs or intricate illustrations are rendered with exceptional clarity. In our viewing tests, color gradations were smooth and free of visible banding. The combination of the high resolution and wide color gamut delivers a deeply immersive visual experience.

The 120Hz refresh rate is a game-changer for a pen display. The smoothness is immediately apparent—scrolling through a massive canvas or executing fast, gestural brushstrokes feels incredibly fluid and responsive. There’s a complete absence of the distracting “stutter” or ghosting you might see on lower-refresh-rate displays. This high-refresh experience genuinely elevates the feeling of direct, real-time interaction with your digital artwork.

To ensure this great image isn’t ruined by glare, XPPen has applied an anti-glare (AG) nano-etched glass surface and an anti-fingerprint (AF) coating. Working under typical lighting, reflections from overhead lights or windows are drastically reduced. The AF coating also does a commendable job of resisting smudges and oily fingerprints, keeping the screen cleaner during long work sessions.

Perhaps most importantly for a drawing tablet, the surface texture provides a pleasing “toothy” feel. It offers just the right amount of drag, closely mimicking the sensation of drawing on fine-grained paper. It’s neither too slick and slippery like bare glass, nor is it overly rough. This tactile feedback is crucial for a natural and controlled drawing experience.

Stand & Ergonomics: Rock-Solid but Space-Hungry

Given its 27-inch stature, a stable and robust stand is non-negotiable. The stand included with the Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) is exceptionally sturdy. It offers 11 levels of tilt adjustment, allowing you to find the perfect angle for drawing, whether you prefer a more traditional, slightly inclined drafting position or a flatter surface for working in a more relaxed posture.

The heavy, well-weighted base provides incredible stability. You can bear down on the screen with significant force while drawing, and the entire unit remains completely rock-solid. There’s no wobble or feeling of top-heaviness whatsoever. The trade-off, however, is a substantial desk footprint. You’ll need to ensure you have ample space to accommodate this large base.

• A Note on Portrait Mode: While the monitor can physically be rotated 90 degrees into a vertical orientation, it’s not a seamless process. To use it in portrait mode, you must first detach the screen from its stand, rotate it, and then reattach it. More importantly, the included rubber feet on the bottom of the stand are designed for landscape use only. If you were to place the stand on its side for portrait orientation, the feet would be incorrectly positioned, making it look odd and compromising its slip-resistant function. Therefore, the intended primary use case is clearly landscape. For users who absolutely need a native portrait mode or prefer a different ergonomic setup, the back of the display features a standard VESA 100x100mm mounting pattern, making it compatible with a wide range of aftermarket monitor arms and stands.

Drawing Experience: The Pen Meets the Canvas

The X3 Pro styluses finally feel like they have room to breathe on the 27-inch canvas. The sheer size of the display is its greatest asset—it allows for much more natural, expansive arm movements. Your wrist is no longer the primary pivot point, making for a much more ergonomic and fluid drawing experience. Whether you’re blocking in large areas of color in an illustration or meticulously retouching a high-res photo, the space is liberating.

The 16K levels of pressure sensitivity, in practice, offer an incredibly fine level of control. The most immediate sensation is the ability to register the lightest possible touch, producing a faint, delicate line with zero effort. Conversely, bearing down yields a rich, substantial stroke. While it takes some time to truly harness this level of nuance, for users accustomed to lower-resolution pressure sensitivity, the upgrade in expressive potential is vast. Lag is virtually non-existent; XPPen’s driver algorithms have matured nicely, resulting in a cursor that feels tightly coupled to the pen tip with minimal to no parallax.

Using the Slim Stylus for extended periods does noticeably reduce hand fatigue. Its 10-gram weight makes it feel almost like a high-quality ballpoint pen, and the removable button is a genuinely thoughtful touch for those who prefer a minimalist grip.

Software & Drivers: Comprehensive Control

The XPPen Tablet driver software remains a robust and feature-rich control center. It allows for deep customization, including setting independent pressure curves, hover distance, and button functions for each of the two pens. The ability to create application-specific profiles is a powerful productivity booster. You can have a firm pressure curve dialed in for precise line work in Photoshop and a softer curve for painterly effects in Corel Painter, with the driver switching automatically when you switch applications. Essential screen calibration tools are also included to ensure perfect alignment between the pen tip and the cursor across the entire display.

The Verdict: A Specialized Tool for the Discerning Pro

The XPPen Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) is a monumental pen display designed for professionals who demand the ultimate in canvas size and fluid performance. It effectively solves the “cramped wrist” problem inherent in smaller tablets. The combination of a stunning 4K resolution, a silky-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, and a rock-solid 99% Adobe RGB gamut sets a new benchmark for visual and operational excellence in this category.

However, this level of performance comes with caveats:

• Size and Weight: Its massive dimensions and weight (approximately 7kg / 15.4 lbs) demand a sturdy, spacious desk and careful handling.
• USB-C Limitations: The USB-C port has bandwidth constraints (leading to chroma subsampling at 4K 120Hz) and lacks power delivery. For the best video signal, using DisplayPort or HDMI is recommended.
• Lack of USB Hub: The absence of a built-in USB-A port for peripherals like dongles or flash drives is a notable inconvenience, requiring an external hub.
• Stand Limitations: While very stable, the stand offers only tilt adjustment. The official design doesn’t elegantly support portrait mode, pushing users with that need towards third-party VESA mounts.

Buy the XPPen Artist 27 Pro (Gen 2) on XPPen official store, and get 5% off with our exclusive code – GizmoXP

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The premium Android tablet space has started seeing more meaningful upgrades lately, and the OnePlus Pad 4 appears to be part of that transition. Ahead of its official launch, the tablet has surfaced with flagship-grade hardware, a slimmer body, and a stronger focus on productivity. After spending some time with the device, the OnePlus Pad 4 gives the impression of a tablet that wants to do far more than basic entertainment and casual browsing.

A slimmer design that feels premium

One of the first things noticeable about the OnePlus Pad 4 is its thin profile. Measuring under 6mm, the tablet feels impressively slim despite carrying a large display and battery. The metal unibody construction adds a premium touch, while the overall weight distribution makes it comfortable to hold during extended use. The Dune Glow color variant seen on our unit has a soft bronze-like finish with a satin texture that looks elegant without appearing overly flashy. However, the rear panel does attract fingerprints quite easily during daily handling.

The camera module has been positioned in the top-right corner when used in landscape orientation. While the module slightly protrudes, it does not create too much wobbling when placed on a flat surface. OnePlus has also included pogo pins for connecting the optional keyboard accessory.

Large display leaves a strong first impression

The OnePlus Pad 4 features a 13.2-inch LCD screen with a 3.4K resolution and a 144Hz adaptive refresh rate. Early impressions of the panel are largely positive. Colours appear vibrant, text looks sharp, and the slim bezels help create a more immersive viewing experience. The display also supports Dolby Vision and reaches up to 1,000 nits brightness in high brightness mode.

The large screen size paired with the 7:5 aspect ratio gives the tablet a more comfortable layout for reading, editing documents, and multitasking. Indoor visibility has been good during initial usage, although direct sunlight does affect readability to some extent.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powers the experience

Powering the tablet is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset paired with up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512GB UFS 4.1 storage. During early testing, the tablet handled multitasking smoothly, with apps opening quickly and split-screen usage remaining fluid. OnePlus has also included a larger vapour chamber cooling system, which could help maintain performance during demanding tasks and gaming sessions.

While short-term performance appears promising, the real picture regarding thermal management and sustained performance will become clearer after extended testing. Still, the hardware combination suggests that the OnePlus Pad 4 is targeting power users alongside casual consumers.

OxygenOS 16 focuses on productivity

The tablet runs OxygenOS 16, which includes several features designed specifically for larger screens. Multi-window functionality has been improved, allowing users to work across multiple floating apps more comfortably. File management tools have also been redesigned for easier navigation, while cross-device connectivity features aim to create a smoother workflow between smartphones, tablets, and PCs.

OnePlus is also introducing the new OnePlus Stylo Pro alongside the tablet. The stylus supports 16,000 levels of pressure sensitivity and comes with interchangeable tips designed for different use cases. The Writing Tip uses a high-friction material that is said to absorb up to 90 per cent of writing impact for a more paper-like feel, while the Drawing Tip uses a low-friction material aimed at smoother sketching movements. The stylus also supports gesture controls such as pinch, double-tap, and swipe gestures, adding extra shortcuts for productivity and creative tasks. The company is clearly positioning the tablet as a device that can handle both entertainment and productivity-focused workflows.

Large battery could be a key advantage

The OnePlus Pad 4 packs a 13,380mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging. On paper, this could become one of the tablet’s strongest selling points, especially for users who spend long hours streaming content, attending meetings, or working on the move. Actual battery endurance and charging speeds will need deeper testing, but the combination of a large battery and powerful internals looks promising so far.

Based on initial impressions, the OnePlus Pad 4 feels like OnePlus’ most refined tablet yet. Its slim design, large high-refresh-rate display, flagship hardware, and productivity-focused software help it stand out in the premium Android tablet segment. The bigger question now is whether the overall experience can consistently deliver during long-term use. What do you find most interesting about the OnePlus Pad 4?

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At Rs 3,999, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro sit in one of the most competitive segments in the TWS market right now. This is the price range where brands try to bring premium features like ANC, spatial audio, and multipoint connectivity to a wider audience. On paper, these earbuds tick most of the right boxes. I’ve been using the Raven Black variant for about a week, and the experience has been largely consistent, with a few expected compromises.

Design and comfort

The Nord Buds 4 Pro follow a clean and understated design language. The Raven Black finish keeps things minimal, which some may appreciate, though it doesn’t particularly stand out. The case has a slightly more structured, boxy shape compared to earlier Nord Buds. It’s still pocketable, but it can feel a bit noticeable if you’re carrying it alongside other items.

In everyday use, however, the design proves to be practical. The case feels solid, the hinge is reliable, and the matte texture resists fingerprints well. The earbuds themselves are lightweight and sit securely in the ears. I used them during work hours and short walks, and they stayed in place without needing adjustment.

Comfort is easily one of the better aspects here. With the right ear tips, I could wear them for extended periods without discomfort, which makes them suitable for long listening sessions.

Sound quality

The Nord Buds 4 Pro are tuned with a clear focus on a bass-forward sound. The 12mm drivers deliver a noticeable low-end punch, which works well for genres like electronic music and Bollywood tracks.

At the same time, the tuning leans towards a more relaxed listening experience. Vocals come through clearly enough for everyday use, and the overall presentation feels smooth rather than aggressive. This makes them easy to listen to over longer periods without fatigue.

While the sound is enjoyable, it feels more tuned for casual listening rather than critical listening. For most users streaming music or watching content, the performance remains perfectly adequate and consistent.

ANC and transparency mode

OnePlus claims up to 55dB of active noise cancellation, and in real-world use, the performance is decent for the segment. In quieter environments like home or office spaces, the ANC reduces background noise effectively, making it easier to focus on music or calls.

In busier surroundings such as traffic or crowded cafés, the earbuds still reduce a fair amount of ambient noise, though some external sounds can remain audible. It doesn’t completely block everything out, but it does enough to improve the overall listening experience.

Transparency mode is usable for staying aware of your surroundings, especially for quick conversations or while walking outdoors.

Call quality

Call quality is fairly reliable in indoor conditions. Voices come through clearly, and there’s no major distortion during regular calls.

Outdoors, performance can vary depending on the environment. While the microphones manage to keep your voice audible, background noise like wind or traffic can sometimes be noticeable to the listener on the other end. It works fine for casual calls, but may not always deliver the same consistency in challenging conditions.

Battery life

Battery life is dependable for daily use. With mixed usage and ANC toggled on and off, I was getting around six hours on a single charge. With the case, the earbuds easily lasted a few days before needing a recharge.

Fast charging is a useful addition. A short 10-minute charge provided enough playback for a couple of hours, which is convenient when you’re in a hurry. There’s no wireless charging, but that’s expected at this price.

Connectivity and features

Connectivity has been smooth and reliable throughout my usage. Pairing is quick, and the earbuds reconnect almost instantly when taken out of the case. Dual-device connectivity works well, allowing easy switching between devices without manual intervention.

Latency is noticeable in the standard mode, especially during gaming or fast-paced video content. However, enabling the low-latency mode improves synchronization significantly, making it much more usable for those scenarios.

The companion app offers a wide range of features, including ANC controls, EQ settings, touch customization, and more. On OnePlus devices, these controls are integrated into the system settings, which adds to the convenience.

Verdict

The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro deliver a well-rounded experience for their price. They are comfortable, easy to use, and come with a feature set that covers most everyday needs, from ANC and multipoint connectivity to low-latency gaming mode.

At the same time, they don’t try to push boundaries in any one area. Instead, they focus on delivering a consistent and reliable experience across the board.

For Rs 3,999, these earbuds are best suited for casual listeners, commuters, and users looking for a dependable pair of TWS earbuds without overthinking the details. Personally, I found them to be a good everyday option—but not necessarily the most exciting one in this segment.

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TECNO Spark 50 5G

We’ve just gotten our hands on the TECNO Spark 50 5G, the latest addition to the brand’s Spark series, aimed squarely at the entry-level market. Right from the packaging, it’s clear this device is packing some impressive specs for its class. A massive 6,150mAh battery, 45W fast charging, a 50MP camera, and IP64-rated protection are just a few of the highlights that make this budget-friendly 5G smartphone stand out.

Design and Build: A Distinctive Look That Commands Attention

The TECNO Spark 50 5G arrives in minimalist packaging. Inside the box, you’ll find the essentials: a 45W fast charger, a USB cable, a protective case, and the usual documentation.

When it comes to design, this smartphone makes a bold statement. The most eye-catching element is the unique, oversized rear camera module. Laid out in a horizontal, rectangular glass panel reminiscent of a traditional camera, the main camera lens is accentuated by a stylish two-tone star ring design. This detail gives the phone a distinctive identity that’s instantly recognizable in a sea of similar-looking devices.

The back panel features a matte, premium-feeling composite material in a sophisticated, warm beige hue. Not only does this finish feel smooth to the touch and resist fingerprints effectively, but it also subtly shifts in tone under different lighting conditions, adding a layer of visual depth. Combined with rounded corners and a flat-edged frame, the phone offers a comfortable grip that balances a sturdy feel with ergonomic comfort. Attention to detail is evident in the neatly finished bottom edge, which houses a speaker grille and a USB-C port, alongside a 3.5mm headphone jack—a welcome addition for audio enthusiasts.

The minimalist side-mounted buttons further refine the overall aesthetic. With its modern colorway and distinctive design language, the Spark 50 5G exudes a youthful, trendy, and unapologetically unique vibe.

The phone features a 6.78-inch LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate, delivering smooth visuals for scrolling and UI navigation. Brightness levels are also commendably high, ensuring good legibility even in well-lit conditions.

Performance: Capable 5G Power for Everyday Tasks

Under the hood, the TECNO Spark 50 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6400 5G system-on-chip (SoC). This is a strategic and sensible choice for a budget-conscious device, as MediaTek’s offerings in this segment often deliver a more balanced performance compared to their competitors. The Dimensity 6400 handles day-to-day tasks with ease—scrolling through social media, browsing the web, streaming video, and handling document editing are all smooth and responsive experiences.

However, when it comes to more demanding applications like gaming, performance aligns with expectations for this tier. To achieve consistently playable frame rates in graphically intensive games, users will likely need to lower the in-game graphics settings. The chipset is optimized for efficiency and everyday reliability rather than high-end gaming prowess.

Camera: An Entry-Level Experience for Everyday Shots

Given its market positioning, the Spark 50 5G’s camera system is designed to deliver a straightforward, entry-level photography experience. The overall performance is adequate for basic shooting needs—capturing casual moments, scanning documents, or video calls—but it won’t necessarily excite users looking for high dynamic range, exceptional low-light performance, or intricate detail. The hardware specifications for the camera system don’t particularly stand out from the competition in this price bracket, reinforcing its role as a functional, rather than feature-leading, component.

Battery: A True Endurance Champion

One of the undisputed highlights of the TECNO Spark 50 5G is its battery performance. The device houses a substantial 6,150mAh battery, a standout feature that promises exceptional longevity. Combined with system-level power optimizations, this large capacity ensures the phone can comfortably handle extended periods of use—easily lasting a full day or more for most users, even with heavy screen-on time. The inclusion of 45W fast charging technology is another significant advantage, allowing the large battery to be replenished quickly, minimizing downtime and keeping you connected longer.

Connectivity and Ports: Modern Standards with a Classic Touch
Connectivity options are comprehensive for the segment. The USB-C port on the bottom supports 480Mbps data transfer speeds. Notably, the phone retains a 3.5mm headphone jack, offering convenience for users who prefer wired audio accessories without needing an adapter.
Verdict: A Stylish Entry-Level 5G Contender with Exceptional Battery Life
In summary, the TECNO Spark 50 5G offers improvements that go beyond its distinctive exterior. The enhancements in both the software experience and core performance contribute to a notably refined user experience compared to its predecessors. The combination of a standout design, a smooth 120Hz display, robust battery life with a massive 6,150mAh cell, and the convenience of 45W fast charging makes it a compelling option in the entry-level 5G smartphone market.

While the camera and gaming performance are in line with its price point, the phone’s core strengths—endurance, unique aesthetics, and essential 5G connectivity—make it a strong candidate for users prioritizing these features. If you’re in the market for a smartphone that balances a unique tech-forward style with dependable battery life and everyday performance, the TECNO Spark 50 5G certainly warrants a closer look.

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LENOVO Y700 Gen 5 (2026)

This is the Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 5, which was officially unveiled at MWC 2026 earlier this month. At first glance, its specs don’t seem to This is the Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 5, officially unveiled at MWC 2026 earlier this month. At first glance, its specs don’t differ much from the previous Gen 4 model—the most noticeable upgrades are the new processor and a larger battery. However, the Chinese launch of the tablet comes with an all-new accessory – Y700 Arcade Dock, which can easily turn this compact tablet into a retro arcade machine. This Dock is exclusive to the Chinese version and unavailable globally. There are also limited-edition variants co-branded with The King of Fighters ’97 GM and Metal Slug 3. Currently, you can purchase the tablet and this accessory via GeekWills, and it is compatible with both the Y700 Gen 4 and Gen 5.

Design

In terms of design, the Y700 Gen 5 carries forward the classic styling of the Y700 series. It features a unibody aluminum alloy build, delivering a solid in-hand feel, and the back panel maintains its seamless integrity as always. For color options, besides the classic black and white, there are two new shades: purple and green. Judging from official renders, the green finish looks incredibly distinctive for a gaming tablet.

However, these two new colorways will hit the market at a later date. The newly added co-branded dock is currently only sold in China. What’s more, Lenovo does not pre-install any emulators or games on the tablet, so you will need extra setup and debugging to get it fully functional.The tablet is slightly thicker than its predecessor, with its weight increased to 360g. This makes the grip feel heavier and more substantial.

The rear fill light has also been redesigned from the previous linear strip to an RGB circular light, which can automatically turn on during gameplay.The external I/O ports and physical buttons remain unchanged from the last generation. The port next to the speaker only supports USB 2.0 and does not offer video output functionality. The other port supports a 10Gbps transfer speed, alongside DP video output that can handle up to 4K 144Hz. It also supports microSD card expansion for up to 2TB of extra storage.

The tablet retains the same 8.8-inch LCD screen with 408PPI, but its brightness and touch sampling rate have both been upgraded. If you’ve been following the Y700 tablet series, you’ve probably noticed that Lenovo has been continuously improving the touch experience across recent generations. This time, the touch sampling rate has been boosted to 480Hz. I can’t fully put into words how powerful this spec is, but I can tell you this: the Y700 Gen 5 is far more responsive to touch inputs.

Gaming Performance

The Y700 Gen 5 still boasts top-tier hardware specifications in the current market: a flagship processor, high-frequency memory, and high-speed storage are all included. Lenovo has even enhanced the cooling system further this time around. That brings me back to last year’s tests: the Y700 Gen 4 had powerful hardware too, and it performed well in various short-term performance benchmarks. But it suffered from unstable performance during long-term stress tests.

So, will the Gen 5 model repeat the same flaws?First off, in the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, the Y700 Gen 5 achieved an average score of 6173 with a stability rate of 80.6%—a massive improvement over the Gen 4’s 67% stability score from last year. We also ran the lighter Wild Life Stress Test, and the stability result was nearly identical. During testing, the tablet’s peak power draw approached 20W at one point. After a 20-minute test run, the maximum body temperature reached 45°C, which is also lower than the Gen 4’s temperature performance.

Starting with Honkai: Star Rail, we ran map tests at the Golden Hour scene. The tablet delivered excellent performance, achieving near-perfect frame rates without any manual in-tablet settings adjustments. Its power consumption was also much better than the Gen 4. Over the entire test, it only consumed 5% battery, and its temperature performance was impressive too—peak temperature stayed under 41°C, with heat concentrated mostly around the logo. This ensures long-term gaming comfort.

In the more demanding Wuthering Waves, the tablet showed clear performance improvements as well. It can run at nearly full frame rates without any extra tweaks. Plus, its operating temperature during long gaming sessions is 6°C lower than the previous generation.

We also tested the newly released Arknights: Endfield, and the tablet performed flawlessly. It ran smoothly even during fast in-game movement, with no noticeable issues at all. As a dedicated gaming tablet, it can handle every game we threw at it without a hitch.

Battery Life & Charging

The battery is one of the biggest upgrades this time around, jumping from the Gen 4’s 29Wh to 34.7Wh—an increase of roughly 20%, which is definitely exciting news. However, the charging power has not been upgraded accordingly; the package still comes with the same 68W charger.

If you want faster charging speeds, I recommend placing the tablet in an air-conditioned room—just as we did with the Gen 4—as this can extend the duration of fast charging. The bypass charging function is still present and doesn’t have overly strict charger requirements; it only supports PD or PPS chargers. As for real-world battery life, we ran a continuous usage test: one hour of Honkai: Star Rail drained 20% of the battery, 30 minutes of Wuthering Waves drained 16%, and two hours of movie playback consumed 18%. After all that, the tablet still had 46% battery remaining.

Cons & Conclusion

To be honest, the performance of the Y700 Gen 5 took me by surprise. When I tested the Gen 4 last year, I acknowledged its solid performance but felt it fell short of being a “perfect gaming tablet”—issues like screen ghosting, thermal throttling during extended sessions, and mediocre battery life held it back. The Gen 5, however, has fixed nearly all of its predecessor’s flaws. You no longer have to worry about overheating or unresponsive touch controls. The only real concern is the price: it retails for up to €699 in Europe and starts at $849 in the US. If you’re a die-hard fan of small-screen gaming or have strict portable gaming needs, this is currently the best option on the market. RedMagic and Xiaomi are set to launch competing products soon, but I believe their biggest challenge will be the same as the Y700’s: pricing.

The post Lenovo Legion Y700 2026 (Gen 5) Review: It Fixed Nearly All of Predecessor’s Flaws appeared first on Gizmochina.

Amid much anticipation, the king of camera phones in 2025 was updated with the vivo X300 Ultra at the end of March 2026.

Among a crowd of Ultra models, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica features the best optical zoom lens in the world, and the stunning colors of the Leica Essential mode leave a deep impression. As for the OPPO Find X9 Ultra, although it hasn’t been released yet, the official has already revealed an exciting piece of information: it will come with a 200MP 3x telephoto, along with the world’s best 10x ultra-telephoto camera.

In contrast, the vivo X300 Ultra doesn’t seem to bring us many surprises, and there are even “downgrades” in its camera specifications. If last year’s X200 Ultra was one of my favorite phones, then this year’s X300 Ultra is probably no longer on that “favorites” list.

Camera

Looking purely at the raw capabilities of the camera system, the X300 Ultra remains one of the strongest contenders. However, when compared to its predecessor, it feels like vivo hasn’t fully pushed the envelope. Most of the upgrades are concentrated on the main camera, which now features a slightly larger sensor and higher pixel count. And It also follows the industry trend by incorporating a 5MP multispectral camera.

The ultra-wide camera remains largely unchanged, while the apertures on both the main and telephoto cameras have actually been reduced. For a device priced over $1,000, seeing such minimal hardware improvements is unlikely to sit well with most users. All that’s left is to hope the real-world camera performance delivers a pleasant surprise.

Teleconverter

That said, for those with ultra-long-distance photography needs, vivo remains a trusted choice. Its teleconverter kit was well-received last year, and the new iteration should be no exception. The new 200mm teleconverter is significantly more compact, and an additional 400mm lens is now available. If you’re determined to capture wildlife on the African savannah or shoot from the back of a concert hall using a smartphone, the X300 Ultra paired with the teleconverter kit might be your best option.

Unlike the hardware, the camera software sees no downgrades. The most notable addition is a new photo color tuning style—no need to guess where the inspiration comes from, right? There are also two new photography styles, said to be developed using vivo’s latest color science. We’ll dive into how effective these new features are in our full review.

Design

Aside from the camera, I also have some reservations about the design. The X300 Ultra is available in three colors. While the black version remains as satisfying as ever, the other two fall short of their counterparts on the X200 Ultra. The white model, in particular, feels a bit overdone—in my opinion, the snow mountain pattern is simply unnecessary. Then again, maybe I’m wrong—maybe it could end up being a favorite for some people.

After a year of trial and error, vivo has finally come to the conclusion that the camera control button was unnecessary—so it’s gone on the X300 Ultra. Personally, I wish they had added an AI button instead; having an extra customizable button is quite convenient for everyday use.

Other

Other changes aren’t very noticeable. For example, the body is slightly thinner, but the weight has increased a bit. Charging power has gone up slightly, and so has the battery capacity, both by around 10%. As for the processor, it’s definitely the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5.

The screen refresh rate has been upgraded to 144Hz, while the resolution remains at 2K (3168×1440), and the display finally uses flat glass. The bezels are very narrow and appear symmetrical on all four sides. There are also some upgrades that aren’t visible from the outside, including an improved vibration motor and top speaker.

During the initial hands-on, the X300 Ultra feels more like an X200s Ultra – far from what I would define as a true next-generation upgrade.

The good news is that we can still safely say it remains one of the most powerful camera phones on the market. If you really love a 35mm main camera, then the X300 Ultra is indeed a more reassuring choice than the Nubia Z80 Ultra. But beyond that, if you are holding an X200 Ultra, I don’t see enough must-buy reasons to upgrade. I would even recommend buying the X200 Ultra instead—it’s not that different from the X300 Ultra, but costs less. Meanwhile, I’m more looking forward to the OPPO Find X9 Ultra, which, based on the rumors we know so far, feels much closer to what the X300 Ultra should have been—the true king of camera phones. In any case, please wait and see whether our real-world tests and full review prove us completely wrong.

The X300 Ultra is now available on GeekWills.

The post vivo X300 Ultra Hands-on: It might as well be called the X200s Ultra appeared first on Gizmochina.

Thin-and-light laptops have always been my go-to for their portability and sleek aesthetics.

Over the past couple of weeks, I had the chance to test out the Asus Zenbook 14 (UM3406G), a machine that promises the best of modern design, AI-infused performance, and impressively long battery life.

While marketed as an ultraportable, it’s clear that Asus also wanted to make a device that stands out in terms of build, features, and utility. But does it deliver on all fronts? Let’s break it down.

Design and Build Quality

Straight out of the box, the Zenbook 14 makes an impression with its minimalist, all-aluminum alloy chassis. Asus has gone for a clean, professional aesthetic that blends seamlessly into both casual and office settings. The Jade Black finish steals the spotlight, subtle, sophisticated, and premium. However, it’s a fingerprint magnet, which detracts slightly from its otherwise polished look. You’re going to want to keep a microfiber cloth handy.

At 1.49 cm thin and weighing 1.28 kg, this laptop is designed for those on the move. It’s incredibly lightweight and slim, yet it doesn’t compromise structural integrity. The MIL-STD 810H certification for military-grade durability adds some peace of mind. I tossed it into my work bag every day and used it in various coffee shops without worrying about accidental bumps.

The hinge design allows the lid to open a full 180 degrees, making collaboration or angled viewing comfortable. However, the one downside in practical use is that you can’t open the lid with one hand, a very annoying hiccup in an otherwise thoughtful design.

Display

The display is easily one of the standout features of the Zenbook 14 for me. It comes with a 14-inch FHD+ Lumina OLED panel (1920×1200) surrounded by incredibly thin bezels and an aspect ratio of 16:10, giving it an impressive 87% screen-to-body ratio.

Even though the resolution might feel a little low compared to higher-res panels, the colors are absolutely stunning. They’re vivid and deeply saturated, covering 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Whether I was editing photos, watching HDR videos, or just scrolling through documents, the display felt immersive and incredibly true-to-life.

HDR content looks fantastic on this VESA-certified DisplayHDR True Black 500 panel. The 0.2ms response time makes motion smooth and fluid, which is perfect for watching videos or working on media-heavy tasks.

That said, there are a couple of downsides. The glossy screen, while gorgeous indoors, can be highly reflective in bright lighting. On top of that, the refresh rate is capped at 60Hz, which is fine for my general productivity tasks but might feel limiting for gamers or anyone used to 120Hz or higher.

On the positive side, my unit includes a touchscreen, and it works flawlessly. It also supports a stylus, which has made the laptop even more versatile for creative or note-taking tasks.

Ports and Connectivity

The laptop comes with a well-rounded selection of ports. You get one USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C port with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.

The port selection is versatile enough to cover most of my needs, but I did notice that Asus placed all the USB-C ports on the right side of the laptop. For me, this design choice can make cable management a bit tricky when connecting multiple peripherals or an external monitor on my desk. I also found myself missing an SD card reader, which would have been helpful for transferring files from my camera or other recording devices.

Keyboard and Trackpad

I found the keyboard on the Zenbook 14 to be a joy to type on. The well-spaced keys, natural layout, and backlit made it easy to start typing right away without any awkward adjustments.

The 1.4mm key travel feels smooth and satisfying, while still being quiet enough for any setting. I also liked the smudge-resistant keycaps, which keep the keyboard looking clean and tidy even after extended use.

I found the trackpad to be smooth and accurate, with plenty of space for swipes and multitouch gestures. It also comes with an integrated numpad shortcut, which is a clever feature that worked really well.

Benchmarks

Here’s how the Zenbook 14 (UM3406G) performed in my benchmarking suite:

• PCMark 10: 6,985 overall – Smooth and consistent for everyday multitasking.
• Cinebench R23: 1,725 (single) / 6,944 (multi) – Solid single-core, capable multi-core performance for light creative tasks.
• Geekbench 6: 2,509 (single) / 7,716 (multi) – Efficient single-thread tasks and overall snappiness.
• Geekbench AI: 6,875 – Competent for handling on-device AI-related tasks like productivity features and video call enhancements.
• 3DMark Time Spy: 1,650 overall – Decent for casual gaming and minimal 3D workloads.
• CrystalDiskMark: 6,978 MB/s read / 6,130 MB/s write – Ensures fast boot times, large file handling, and responsive app performance.

These results position the Zenbook 14 as an ultraportable designed for everyday productivity and portability, rather than a powerhouse for intensive workloads or gaming. It performs reliably for general tasks, but if you are seeking high-range performance for creative applications or gaming should look elsewhere. It’s best suited for professionals, students, and casual users.

AI and Performance

The Zenbook 14 (UM3406G) uses the Ryzen AI 5 430 processor, and I’ve found it great for enhancing everyday productivity with its AI-powered features. Windows Copilot works seamlessly with 50 TOPS, offering tools like background blurring for video calls, real-time translation, local AI-based summarization, and even basic image editing.

These features have been super convenient and made my workflow feel more efficient. Office apps also run incredibly smoothly, handling everything from heavy Excel sheets to PowerPoint presentations without any issues.

In my testing, the laptop handled over 30 Chrome tabs without breaking a sweat, but pushing beyond that introduced noticeable slowdowns, especially when multitasking with other programs.

For day-to-day tasks like web browsing, casual Photoshop sessions, light editing tasks, writing documents, and working with office apps, it runs perfectly as long as I keep the workload moderate.

Gaming

The laptop offers entry-level gaming performance with its integrated Radeon 840M GPU, which I found good enough for casual gaming. In esports titles like Valorant, it performs really well, delivering a smooth 170-230 FPS. The GPU runs at around 85-90% usage and consumes about 28W of power, which provides a stable and competitive experience.

For slightly more demanding games like Genshin Impact, the laptop manages 49-57 FPS on medium settings. The GPU is fully utilized at 97-99%, drawing about 20W of power. It’s definitely playable, but there are occasional dips during more intense moments.

When I tested PUBG on its lowest settings, the laptop averaged around 32 FPS, with the GPU maxed out at 98%. It’s clear that it struggles with modern AAA or resource-heavy titles.

While the Zenbook 14 isn’t a gaming laptop, it handles light gaming and older esports titles quite well. It’s great if you’re looking to game casually or play less demanding titles, but it’s not suited for intense DX12 workloads or modern AAA games on higher settings. For me, it works perfectly as a secondary device for light gaming when I’m not looking for peak performance.

Thermal and Fan Performance

Thermals were remarkably well-managed, thanks to the single-heatpipe cooling system. Even under sustained workloads, the device remained cool to the touch, with the fan ramping up only during heavy tasks. For everyday usage, this is one of the quietest laptops I’ve tested.

Battery Life, Sound, and Camera

The Zenbook’s 75Wh battery is solid. I got over 10 hours of use with tasks like browsing, writing, using Office apps, and streaming. For heavier workloads, like multitasking with demanding apps, it lasted around 7-8 hours, which was enough to get me through the day without charging. The 65W fast charging is handy, it took around 50 minutes to go from 0 to 60%.

The speakers, however, were a bit disappointing. They’re bottom-firing and don’t have much bass. They’re okay for casual media and calls but don’t stand out if you’re hoping for great sound quality.

The 1080p webcam works fine for video calls. The quality is decent, and features like AI background blur and low-light adjustments help. It’s not amazing, but I didn’t have any complaints using it for meetings.

Verdict

The Asus Zenbook 14 (UM3406G) gets a lot of things right.

It combines a premium design, a fantastic OLED display, excellent battery life, and strong everyday performance into a lightweight package that’s easy to live with. The Ryzen AI 5 430 may not be the most powerful chip in its class, but it focuses on efficiency, and that’s exactly what this category needs.

There are compromises. The 60Hz display feels limiting, the reflective panel can be annoying, and the speakers could have been better. Port placement also feels slightly inconvenient.

But none of these break the experience.

After using it for over two weeks, this feels like a laptop designed for real life not benchmarks. It’s reliable, consistent, and comfortable to use daily.

If you’re looking for a Windows ultrabook that prioritizes battery life, portability, and a great display over raw power, this is an easy recommendation.

The Zenbook 14 (UM3406) starts at ₹85,990 for the Ryzen AI 5 340 variant, while the higher-end Ryzen AI 5 430 model is priced around ₹115,990 on the Asus store.

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The post Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (UM3406G) Review: Sleek, Efficient and Built for Everyday Tasks appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Wobble K-series 65-inch TV is aimed at users who want a large 4K display without spending heavily. Instead of focusing on premium specifications, it delivers a balanced experience for daily viewing. After spending time with it, the TV feels designed for users upgrading from smaller screens to a more immersive setup at a reasonable price.

Design and build quality

The TV features a clean and minimal design with slim bezels that help create an immersive viewing experience. From a normal viewing distance, it looks modern and fits well into most living room setups. Up close, the plastic build is noticeable, which is expected in this segment.

The bundled table stands hold the TV in place, but stability is not the strongest aspect. A slight push can cause some wobble, especially given the large screen size. Wall mounting feels like the better option for long-term use, although the included mount is fairly basic and does not offer movement or flexibility.

Display performance

The 65-inch LED panel supports 4K resolution along with Dolby Vision and HDR10. For regular viewing, the panel produces bright and lively colours that work well for streaming content, TV shows, and sports.

The TV offers multiple picture modes, including Standard, Dynamic, Cinema, Low Blue, Film Maker, Eco, Game, and User. These modes allow you to adjust the viewing experience based on the content type. Cinema mode delivers more balanced colours, while Dynamic and Vivid-style settings push brightness and saturation.

For Dolby Vision content, you get dedicated modes such as Dolby Vision Bright, Dolby Vision Dark, Dolby Vision Vivid, and Dolby Vision Game. Dolby Vision Bright works best for most scenarios, while Dark mode tends to crush shadow details and Vivid can appear overly saturated.

Black levels are average, which is expected from a standard LED panel without local dimming. In darker scenes, blacks appear slightly grey, which becomes noticeable in low-light conditions. However, for viewing in a well-lit room, this is not a major issue.

Motion handling is decent for casual use, and enabling MEMC at a higher setting helps reduce blur during fast scenes such as sports.

Performance and software

The TV runs on Google TV, offering a clean and user-friendly interface with access to all major streaming apps. Content discovery works well, making it easier to find shows and movies across platforms.

Performance is mostly smooth, but there are occasional delays when switching apps or navigating menus. These slowdowns are minor but noticeable at times.

Google Assistant support works reliably and adds convenience for searching content and controlling the TV using voice commands.

Remote control

The remote is one of the standout aspects of this TV and feels well thought out for everyday use. It connects via Bluetooth and is comfortable to hold, with a layout that makes navigation easy.

In addition to dedicated hotkeys for Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video, the remote includes a dedicated Menu button that brings up on-screen controls instantly. This makes quick adjustments more convenient.

There is also a Mute button, a Your Apps button for quick access to installed apps, a Settings button, and a Source button for switching inputs. Buttons for Broadcast and Live TV are also included, which can be useful for users who still watch traditional channels.

Further adding to usability are Next and Previous buttons, along with a button for selecting your Google account. The Google Assistant button allows for voice commands, making it easier to search and control functions without typing.

Overall, the remote enhances the overall experience and stands out for its thoughtful layout.

Audio performance

The TV comes with dual speakers delivering 40W of output and Dolby Atmos support. The audio is loud enough to fill a medium-sized room, and dialogue clarity is good for everyday viewing.

It also offers multiple sound modes including Standard, Cinema, Music, News, and Personal, allowing users to tweak audio output based on content type. Standard works well for general use, while Cinema enhances depth slightly for movies.

However, during complex scenes with multiple sound elements, the audio lacks depth and separation. At higher volume levels, clarity begins to drop slightly. For a more immersive experience, adding a soundbar would be beneficial.

Connectivity and ports

The TV offers a good mix of ports, with side-facing access for convenience and bottom-facing ports for permanent connections. On the side, you get HDMI ports and a USB 3.0 port. At the bottom, there is LAN, USB 2.0, optical audio, AV input, RF antenna, and satellite input, keeping cable management cleaner.

Verdict

The Wobble K-series 65-inch TV is listed on Flipkart starting at Rs 39,799, making it one of the more accessible options in the 65-inch 4K segment.

It offers a large display, vibrant visuals, a clean smart TV experience, and a well-designed remote that improves usability. It may not be ideal for gaming or cinematic viewing in dark rooms, but for streaming, live TV, and general entertainment, it delivers a solid overall experience.

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For those who are already using foldable phones, most people probably don’t care much about how deep the crease is. Your fingers almost never swipe across that area, and when you’re looking straight at the screen, you can’t really see any impact from the crease on display quality. If the crease truly affected the daily experience, then Samsung wouldn’t be the best-selling foldable phone brand on the earth. However, the OPPO Find N6 with the best crease-control ever is still breathtaking at first glance.

As no model had ever reached this level before, eliminating the crease is definitely significant: it doesn’t affect your experience after purchase, but it does affect your decision before buying. Many potential users, when they see that deep crease, genuinely believe it will constantly interfere with their vision—even if it won’t. When no one can see the crease anymore, and it looks like a tablet and feels like one in use, more people will want to give it a try. This is the killer feature of the Find N6: attracting more new customers with a crease-free display.

China ver. VS Global ver.

This time, the internationalization of the Find N6 has been done very well. The Chinese version and the global version are identical in most specifications, including battery capacity. I’ve listed all the differences between them. Aside from the eSIM, the Chinese version actually has strong advantages.

You may not know this, but the cost of 16GB RAM plus 1TB ROM alone already exceeds that of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5. So the 1TB version is the most cost-effective choice for now.

Display & Hinge

How flat the inner screen of the Find N6 is has already been proven countless times by other reviewers. But what they didn’t tell you is whether long-term use will make the crease more noticeable. Unfortunately, the answer is yes (a slightly yes). Every second you keep the phone folded will make the crease slightly deeper. It doesn’t take long—after just one night’s sleep, you can already notice the crease becoming more pronounced.

The good news is that the new UTG glass has a self-healing feature. As long as you keep it unfolded and use it for a while, it will become flatter again (impressive!). I left two Find N6 units folded and unfolded, respectively for 48 hours, and you should be able to see the impact of time on them. As a reference, I also left another foldable phone unfolded for 4 days, and you can clearly see the effort OPPO has made regarding the crease. So if you can use it unfolded, just keep it unfolded. This can extend the lifespan of a foldable phone.

I haven’t used it for very long, and compared to when I first got it a week ago, the crease hasn’t changed noticeably. However, I still don’t believe it will remain crease-free after one or two years. But one thing I do believe: when it comes to crease control, no other foldable phone does it better.

The new hinge design not only helps reduce the crease but also improves the tactile experience. The hinge on the Find N6 is the tightest I’ve ever used—you need to apply some force to open or close it. Solid, no wobbling, and no noise. The minimum opening angle is even less than ten degrees. While that may not be particularly useful, it’s these small details that make every dollar you spend on this phone feel worthwhile.

Stylus

The dedicated stylus bundle for the Find N6 has also attracted a lot of attention. The stylus itself is very ordinary, almost the same as the one on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. The difference is that it still has a built-in battery and supports Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, once you put on this phone case, you won’t be able to use wireless charging.

If there’s anything special about this stylus, it would be all the AI-related features. For example, if you want to convert a hand-drawn table or line chart into a digital version, just hold down the AI button on the stylus and circle the area you want to generate. Although there are usage limits, it’s undeniably an attractive selling point for office workers. Also, thanks to the flat screen, using the stylus doesn’t feel like driving over speed bumps.

For a stylus designed for a foldable phone, it has already reached a top-tier level in both portability and functionality.

Performance & Battery Life

As mentioned in the hands-on video, just like the N5, the Find N6 has one performance core of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5 disabled. As you might expect, its gaming performance is extremely bad. Genshin Impact is no longer a challenge for modern flagship phones, but for the Find N6, it’s a big problem. The frame rate hovers around 45.

Of course, this isn’t entirely the processor’s fault, since the inner display’s gaming resolution is twice that of a regular phone. The weak cooling system and conservative performance tuning also share the blame.

If this were a regular phone, I would probably start complaining. But this is a foldable phone, and its target users likely don’t care about gaming performance at all. In fact, if you don’t play games, this cut-down 8 Elite Gen5 can actually save you quite a bit of battery. A 6000 mAh battery may not sound impressive, but in real-world use, it easily lasts a full day—and I mean whole 24 hours.

I didn’t use it heavily, just like most people on a typical day out: navigation, scrolling TikTok, chatting on messaging apps, then getting some sleep. After waking up, there was still 45% battery left, equivalent to about 5 and a half hours of Genshin Impact. By the time you brush your teeth and take a shower, the 80W wired charging can almost fully recharge the Find N6. Trust me, 6000 mAh only sounds underwhelming—it performs much better than you’d expect.

Camera

All four cameras on the Find N6 are familiar faces. Not the best, but reliable.

They can deliver satisfying photos in almost any environment. The ultra-wide camera, in particular, has improved significantly, upgrading from 8MP to 50MP. Anyone familiar with OPPO phones knows their biggest strengths in photography are high dynamic range and high saturation. That makes the Find N6 especially suitable for everyday shots like food photography. Of course, the two secondary cameras don’t have large sensors, so in low-light conditions, you shouldn’t expect outstanding image quality.

As for video recording, the evaluation is roughly the same as for photos: stable footage, vibrant colors, and good quality as long as there’s enough light. The two front-facing cameras have been upgraded to 20MP. Perhaps the image quality has improved, but come on, you’re using a foldable phone—unfolding it then using the rear cameras is definitely the smarter choice.

System

For the Find N6, ColorOS 16 introduces new exclusive gesture controls. By swiping from the corner toward the center of the screen, you can turn apps into windows of various sizes. When minimized, they automatically arrange themselves in the top-right corner, and you can double-tap to switch between them. If you want split-screen mode, just use a four-finger pinch gesture to switch between windowed and split-screen modes. This familiar gesture system was clearly inspired by someone, but it’s undeniably a unique interaction method among foldable phones.

Another thing that impressed me is how much OPPO wants iPhone users to switch. When I connected my AirPods to the Find N6, I realized I could fully control my earbuds using an Android phone—features like noise control, spatial audio, and even accessing earbuds settings directly from the control center. Although this has been possible since last year, it still blows my mind every time I see it.

Conclusion

Due to the recent shortage of DRAM and NAND supply, price increases for smartphones in 2026 are inevitable. Indeed, the Find N6 has become more expensive, but it’s still within an acceptable range. I’m glad it hasn’t downgraded anything and has achieved the best crease control in Foldable history. Gizmochina Review has been asked time and time again which foldable phone is the best. Well personally, before Apple releases its foldable, the answer is likely to be “Find N6”. Furthermore, based on my experience and taking factors such as price into account, I believe it will be difficult to revise this answer in the first half of 2026.

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HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2

By 2026, it has become difficult for any smartwatch to truly stand out. Nevertheless, the HUAWEI Watch series remains one that Gizmochina Review continues to anticipate. Among the entire lineup, the HUAWEI Watch GT Runner series would be selected within the team without hesitation as the most memorable sub-series. It distinguished itself among professional sports smartwatches from 2021 onward. Five years ago, we reviewed the first-generation GT Runner, which left a lasting impression—certain running-tracking features from that model still rank among the best tie on the market today. At MWC 2026, HUAWEI introduced the all-new HUAWEI Watch GT Runner 2, a device that demonstrates considerable potential to challenge Garmin’s dominance in this segment.

With a comprehensive range of Garmin products already available across various price points—such as the 165, 265, 570, and 970 series—dedicated running devices have evolved to offer extensive capabilities for professional training and tracking. However, after two months of testing the GT Runner 2, a clear sense of ambition emerges: by addressing the full spectrum of sports and health applications, the watch elevates industry-leading performance to new levels.

Brief Summary

The following are the truly cutting-edge features of the HUAWEI Watch GT Runner 2:

1. Ultra-precise positioning and tracking for not only running but also any outdoor sport that requires route tracking/guiding, including hiking and cycling.
2. A comprehensive set of customizable training plans, including a dedicated marathon mode designed to simulate long-distance running training.
3. Access to a professional running performance assessment system when paired with the HUAWEI Health app, enabling precise improvements to personal best (PB) times.
4. An excellent, ultra-lightweight design that supports the watch’s precise tracking capabilities and enhances the wearing experience.
5. Incorporation of the latest all-scenario health features from the HUAWEI Watch series.

The Most Accurate Positioning

Accurate positioning data is essential for properly assessing running performance. At present, the GT Runner 2 delivers the best results in this regard. Over an 8-kilometer run, virtually no noticeable error in distance or route tracking is observed. The watch supports dual-band all-satellite positioning, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS—ensuring coverage by the strongest available signal regardless of the user’s location. To ensure this powerful positioning system operates reliably and efficiently, the watch incorporates a new frame design. A sandwich structure is employed, wherein the metal mid-frame transfers energy to the top floating titanium bezel via the dielectric bezel, generating circularly polarized signals that align effectively with satellite signals.

Even when running or walking in an urban canyon surrounded by towering buildings and dense trees, performance remains impressive.

It can be stated with certainty that during a recent 40-kilometer run, no noticeable drift in positioning or tracking occurred. For specifics, the following record is provided: a total of 7.07 kilometers was run back and forth along a riverbank, with careful attention to maintaining a consistent route. The route recorded by the watch closely matched the actual path, and the individual distance consistently remained around 3.03 kilometers.

My preferred running location is a sports park featuring an irregular 545-meter track, part of which winds through a wooded area. The recorded route consistently demonstrated excellent consistency lap after lap. Distance accuracy was also tested at another sports park with a 3-kilometer track by a mountain. After completing one lap and walking for a few extra seconds at the end, the watch recorded a distance of 3.01 kilometers—the most accurate reading recorded to date. For nearly all runners, accurate route tracking facilitates better monitoring of pace, stride, and other important metrics during training.

Full Details for Run Tracking

This is also among the most valuable benefits derived from the GT Runner 2: greater training consistency and improved self-awareness. Previously, the relationship between running performance and physical condition was difficult to assess accurately. Now, by strictly adhering to the training plans provided by the GT Runner 2, it is possible to track physical performance metrics and identify specific exercises that contribute to improved running performance. For instance, upon reviewing the running balance record, the GT Runner 2 indicated a tendency to place more stress on the left leg. It subsequently recommended Bulgarian split squats and alternating lunge jumps. After regularly performing Bulgarian split squats, the most recent running log shows improvement in the imbalance issue, and anaerobic performance can be sustained for longer durations. Additional metrics such as vertical oscillation, ground contact time, cadence, and others can also be tracked.

For users seeking a rapid assessment of overall running ability, the GT Runner 2 now features an upgraded running assessment system. The system provides access to the Running Ability Index (RAI), Training Load, Training Index, Recovery, VO₂ Max, and Predicted Time.

Marathon Coach & Companion

For marathon runners, the newly introduced intelligent Marathon mode, co-created with DSM-Firmenich Running Team on the GT Runner 2 represents a significant advancement. Runners may choose either a marathon test or follow a race event training plan. The event assistant within HUAWEI Health effectively fulfills the role of a coach, assisting in setting achievable goals and preparing a smart training plan.

Once a specific marathon event is selected, the app generates a training plan based on the user’s goals and running capacity. The plan includes specific weekly sessions such as easy runs, core strength training, progressive tempo runs, lower-body strength training, and steady long runs. Detailed exercise guidance is provided for each session, and the watch automatically records progress. If the watch detects that your metrics are not matching the workout intensity, it will work with the HUAWEI Health app to suggest lowering the intensity, helping you adapt more effectively to the rest of the training plan.

For those committed to improving their personal best, the GT Runner 2 paired with the HUAWEI Health app currently represents an excellent choice—a professional, ongoing training plan is delivered without high additional cost. Especially for amateur runners like me, this smart mode arrives at the perfect time, playing a key role in preventing improper training and reducing the risk of injury.

Innovative Sports Tracking

In addition to enhanced running tracking, the GT Runner 2 effectively builds upon the innovative sports tracking features developed in previous HUAWEI Watch generations, particularly the GT and Ultimate models, including golf, cycling, and hiking. For golf, the watch and app come preloaded with maps of golf courses in most countries and cities worldwide. Courses can be searched, downloaded, and synced to the watch. For outdoor adventure, the watch offers extensive offline maps for most countries, many of which are available with contour lines.

Sufficient Battery Life

Battery life is also impressive given the watch’s focus on athletic performance. Connectivity is limited to Bluetooth, NFC, and specific health and fitness devices, which contributes to extended battery life during workouts. Under normal daily use, including 1.5 hours of exercise tracking per day, the watch lasts over a week on a single charge. The included charging dock additionally provides extremely fast charging.

Multi-platform software compatibility

Currently, the most compatible mobile operating systems are undoubtedly HarmonyOS and EMUI. Since the global version of the GT Runner 2 runs on EMUI, this ensures that its features are nearly perfectly transferred to other Android phones. The only thing to note is that, due to restrictions on background app management imposed by other phone brands, you’ll need to manually enable settings such as “Background Protection” and “Ignore Battery Optimization.” When used with iOS, a small number of features may be limited, but overall, it still delivers one of the best smartwatch experiences outside the Apple Watch ecosystem. If you can accept that trade-off, it offers even more comprehensive sports tracking than most smartwatches, including the Apple Watch series.

Hassle-Free Wearing

Finally, the wearing experience merits discussion. For a watch with such impressive performance, the weight is just 43 grams on the wrist (measured with the default strap)—clearly designed to be lightweight for running.

At the same time, the default AirDry Woven Strap is truly exceptional; it is the most skin-friendly strap encountered. The strap quickly wicks away moisture after a run or even a swim, keeping the wrist dry and cool. It offers greater comfort than any sports silicone strap previously used. The reviewer’s wrist skin is particularly sensitive to sweat, and rashes often resulted from straps with poor breathability. The GT Runner 2’s strap has completely resolved this issue.

Conclusion

Personally, it is unlikely that this watch will need replacement for several years (mainly for running and hiking). As a powerful, smart running companion, no notable shortcomings can be identified on the smartwatch. A different watch might be chosen for aesthetic reasons or to match my outfit. But in terms of battery life and location tracking, the GT Runner 2’s current performance is difficult to surpass.

Its pinpoint dual-band satellite positioning, comprehensive training ecosystem, and marathon-focused features make it a compelling alternative to all established pro-lineups. Battery life comfortably exceeds a week under regular training loads, and the lightweight, breathable design ensures all-day comfort even for runners with sensitive skin. While iOS users may encounter minor feature limitations, the overall package remains one of the most polished and capable sports wearables on the market today. If you’re serious about improving your running performance without compromising on smartwatch functionality, the HUAWEI Watch GT Runner 2 is an easy recommendation.

The post HUAWEI Watch GT Runner 2 Review: The Best Running Companion appeared first on Gizmochina.

Let’s be clear at the beginning: if you’re looking for a tablet with a large screen, the HONOR MagicPad 4 is a premium option that you shouldn’t overlook. Compared with the previous generation, the MagicPad 4 has undergone a comprehensive upgrade while maintaining the same price. This means that for around half the price of an iPad Pro, you can get a large-screen tablet with slimmer bezels, a thinner body and a lighter design.

Without a doubt, this could easily become one of the best portable displays to carry with you when you’re on the go.

Ultra-Thin Design with a Premium Feel

Starting with the design, the MagicPad 4 gives a very different first impression. The device measures only 4.8 mm in thickness and weighs around 450g, which already places it among the extremely thin and light tablets currently available. In fact, this thickness is close to that of many OLED display panels, so when you hold it in your hands, it feels surprisingly unusual—you don’t really feel like you’re holding a tablet, but rather a screen.

HONOR is also clearly moving toward a more premium design language. The full-metal body and ultra-narrow bezels make the device look very clean, without the typical “tool-like” feel that many cheap Android tablets tend to have. Some tablets may look powerful on paper, but the moment you pick them up you can immediately sense their positioning. At least in terms of first impressions, the MagicPad 4 genuinely feels more like a high-end device.

A Flagship-Level OLED Display

If the design is what attracts you at first glance, the display is truly one of the tablet’s core selling points. The MagicPad 4 features a 12.3-inch OLED display with a resolution of 3000 × 1920, and it supports a refresh rate of up to 165 Hz. Although the resolution is slightly lower than the MagicPad 3, the screen size has also been reduced, so the pixel density remains the same at 290 PPI.

What’s even more impressive is that the display reaches a 2400-nit HDR peak brightness, while also supporting 1.07 billion colors and 5280 Hz PWM dimming for eye protection. As you might expect, HONOR’s displays have always maintained this balance—high visual quality while still being comfortable for the eyes.

For a tablet, the screen is arguably even more important than it is on a smartphone. Many people primarily use tablets for watching videos, reading comics, or browsing the web, meaning the display essentially defines the entire experience. This time, HONOR clearly didn’t treat the screen as a component that just needs to be “good enough.” Instead, they built it with true flagship-level specifications.

Powerful Performance for Everyday Tasks and Gaming

Of course, a flagship tablet needs more than just a good display—performance is equally important. The MagicPad 4 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, built on a 3 nm process. While this processor may not be the absolute top-tier flagship chip, it still belongs to the latest upper-high-end category.Most games run without any issues, and even demanding titles can remain smooth if you lower the graphics settings slightly.

PC Mode and Productivity Features

The positioning of this tablet is actually quite clear—it’s not just an entertainment device, but an attempt to become a lightweight productivity tool. HONOR has made several efforts at the system level, such as introducing PC Mode.

In this mode, the interface transforms into a desktop-like layout with a taskbar, multi-window operations, and mouse support. You can even open multiple app windows simultaneously. This experience differs significantly from the traditional full-screen app logic of Android tablets and feels more like a simplified computer.Combined with keyboard and stylus accessories, many basic productivity tasks—such as writing documents, organizing materials, or taking meeting notes—can realistically be completed on the tablet.

In addition, HONOR has integrated several AI features into the system, such as AI Meetings and AI Creation. While these functions may initially sound like marketing buzzwords, they can actually provide practical value in everyday work scenarios.

Immersive Audio and Long Battery Life

Finally, there are some aspects of the tablet experience that are often overlooked but still very important, such as audio and battery life. The MagicPad 4 is equipped with eight built-in speakers and supports spatial audio as well as IMAX Enhanced sound.

For a device focused on multimedia experiences, this multi-speaker setup delivers better stereo separation. When watching movies or playing games in landscape mode, you’ll notice stronger directionality and a more immersive soundstage.As for battery life, despite its 4.8 mm ultra-thin body, the tablet still manages to fit a 10,100 mAh battery and supports 66 W fast charging. This capacity is already quite large for a tablet, and in theory it should easily support a full day of video playback or productivity use.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the goal of the MagicPad 4 is very clear: to replace the MagicPad 3 and become HONOR’s most premium tablet for markets outside China. An ultra-thin body, a flagship-level chip, a high-refresh-rate OLED display, a PC-like system experience, and a complete ecosystem of keyboard and stylus accessories—all of these elements combined show that HONOR already has significant experience in building a great flagship tablet.I believe the MagicPad 4 will earn recognition from the majority of users.

The post HONOR MagicPad 4 Review: A Premium Tablet Built for Work and Play appeared first on Gizmochina.

Introduction

This is the all-new HONOR Magic V6, the brand’s latest foldable flagship. What caught me off guard immediately was its release timeline. Launching a full quarter earlier than last year’s Magic V5 and making a global debut at MWC 2026, HONOR is clearly playing a different game this year. This raises an interesting question: Why is HONOR doubling down on the foldable market with such aggressive timing? Today, we’re diving deep to see what this device is truly capable of.

Design

From a design perspective, the Magic V6 doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It confidently refines the brand’s signature, unified design language with targeted upgrades. Our review unit features a sophisticated Champagne Gold finish—a subtle blend of gold and light brown that exudes understated elegance. It’s a color that prioritizes premium tactility over flashy, limited-edition hues, and personally, I find it far more appealing.

We measured the chassis thickness at precisely 9.6mm. While it’s marginally thicker than its predecessor, the Magic V5, the ergonomic, rounded frame makes this difference virtually imperceptible in daily use. Holding it feels remarkably close to a traditional slab flagship, shedding the bulk and heft typically associated with foldables. This is a significant achievement.

The rear camera module retains the iconic “Octagonal Star Track” design language first seen on the Magic V5. This year, the metal decorative ring has been slimmed down, creating a smoother, more seamless transition between the module and the back cover. As you tilt the device, light catches the precision-machined details on the module, showcasing a mechanical accuracy befitting its flagship status. Subjectively, the camera bump feels more restrained than the V5’s, contributing to a stronger sense of backplate unity and a cleaner, more modern aesthetic from every angle.

Weight distribution remains a highlight. Coupled with those rounded edges, the Magic V6 is supremely comfortable for one-handed use and disappears into a pocket during your daily commute. Furthermore, HONOR has addressed a previous shortcoming by introducing comprehensive water resistance. Whether it’s an unexpected splash or use in light rain, the Magic V6 offers enhanced durability and peace of mind.

Display

Both the internal and external displays on the Magic V6 boast top-tier flagship specifications. The main foldable screen is a expansive panel with a 2352×2172 resolution, constructed from UTG (Ultra-Thin Glass). It features a 1-120Hz LTPO adaptive refresh rate, intelligently adjusting to the on-screen content. It scales down for static documents to conserve battery and ramps up to a buttery-smooth 120Hz for videos and gaming, striking an excellent balance between visual fluidity and power efficiency.

Regarding the crease—a primary concern for any foldable—the Magic V6 has genuinely exceeded my expectations. After a week of intensive use, and comparing it to our unboxing footage, the crease remains remarkably shallow, even when viewed under harsh, angled light. During normal, head-on use, it’s virtually invisible. This durability is noticeably superior to other mainstream foldables after a similar period of use.

HONOR continues to lead in eye comfort technology. Both displays support ultra-high frequency PWM dimming. In extremely low-light conditions, it automatically switches to a high-frequency dimming mode, effectively reducing eye strain caused by screen flicker. For users sensitive to PWM, the Magic V6’s display offers a significantly more comfortable viewing experience.

Camera System

The most surprising upgrade on the Magic V6 is arguably its camera system, which completely shatters the notion that foldable phones require compromise in photography.

Leading the charge is a powerful 200MP main sensor. Its exceptional resolving power captures an incredible amount of detail. Even after significant cropping during post-processing, images remain sharp and crisp. In low-light scenarios, the large sensor’s light-gathering prowess is fully utilized, enhanced by OIS (Optical Image Stabilization). The resulting night shots are clean, bright, and remarkably free of visible noise.

The periscope telephoto lens supports multiple levels of optical zoom, delivering outstanding image quality even at 3x and 6x zoom. However, at the 6x zoom level, AI processing becomes quite prominent. For landscapes or architectural shots, the results are excellent. But when photographing text, especially indoors, the processing can introduce minor artifacts.

Compared to the class-leading rear cameras, the front-facing camera performs adequately, meeting the needs of daily video calls and online meetings with clear imaging, in line with the standard for foldable devices.

Performance & Battery

Performance follows a predictable yet powerful upgrade path. The Magic V6 is powered by the latest Qualcomm flagship processor, the Snapdragon® 8 Elite Gen 5. Standard memory and storage configurations have also been bumped up from 12+256GB to a more generous 16+512GB.

Powering the device is a massive 7150mAh “Qinghai Lake” high-density battery, making it one of the highest-capacity batteries found in any foldable smartphone globally. It’s worth noting that the international version sees a slight reduction in capacity. Even so, it will still offer a significant capacity advantage over competitors like Samsung. However, charging speeds remain largely unchanged from the previous generation, supporting 80W wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging.

Conclusion: The All-Rounder to Beat

In my view, the HONOR Magic V6 stands out as a foldable flagship with virtually no weaknesses. It is arguably one of the most compelling foldable devices on the market in early 2026. While its surprise early launch caught some off guard and the body is marginally thicker than its predecessor, the overall package is incredibly solid and refined.

With competitors like OPPO and Samsung set to launch their own new foldables, the current leaks and rumors suggest they will have a tough time beating this “all-rounder” device. The Magic V6’s greatest strength is its uncompromised, holistic user experience. The final, and perhaps only, variable left is the pricing strategy. Based on HONOR’s track record, they are unlikely to disappoint.

The post Honor Magic V6 Experience: The New King of Foldables? appeared first on Gizmochina.

As many of you may already know, DOOGEE is a brand best known for making rugged phones. This year marks their 16th year in the rugged phone business, and to date, they have over one million users across more than 60 countries worldwide. One of the reasons I believe DOOGEE has been so successful is its extremely detailed and diverse product lineup.

We’ve reviewed many DOOGEE phones in the past, and each one had its own distinct selling point. The two new Fire series devices we’re introducing today are no exception. The positioning of this series can be summed up in one phrase: “All Tools, One Phone.”

Within the lineup, the Fire 7 Pro is geared more toward outdoor team recreation and camping adventures. At the same time, the Fire 7 Ultra is designed for more professional teams, such as off-road vehicle crews or forest firefighters.

Buy the DOOGEE Fire 7 Pro & Ultra at DOOGEE Official here, or specifically on Amazon:
Fire 7 Ultra: 30% off + 5% Code: BNYLO45A, Final Price: $303.99
Fire 7 Pro: 30% off, Final Price: $279.99

Design

Although both phones belong to the same series, they look quite different—and that’s perfectly reasonable given their different use cases. To accommodate the 1,200-lumen camping light on the back of the Fire 7 Pro, the DOOGEE logo has been moved to the very bottom of the rear panel.

By the way, while this camping light may look a bit like MagSafe, it is simply a standalone light with no magnets inside.

The back of the Fire 7 Ultra, on the other hand, is much cleaner, featuring only two contact pins near the bottom. What are these contacts for? That brings us to the packaging.

The Fire 7 Ultra comes in a much larger box, mainly because it includes more accessories. In addition to the usual manuals, charger, and cable, you also get a desktop charging base and a walkie-talkie headset. See those two contacts on the charging base? Through them, the Fire 7 Ultra can be charged at 10W.

The “Ultra” branding also extends to the speaker. This 3.5W speaker can reach a maximum volume of up to 125dB, making it easy to hear the other party clearly in virtually any environment.

The Ultra also has an extra button on the top that the Pro doesn’t. As its name suggests, pressing it activates SOS mode. You don’t have to worry about accidental presses—unless you really dig into it with your finger, you won’t be able to trigger it, no matter how hard you press it.

Aside from that, the remaining features are the same on both phones: triple card slots, NFC, an IP69K waterproof rating, and 8GB of RAM paired with 256GB of storage.

Walkie-Talkie

The PoC (Push-to-Talk over Cellular) walkie-talkie function is one of the Fire 7 series’ core features—and also one of its most controversial. When people hear “walkie-talkie,” their first reaction is often: outdoor signal coverage is poor, so why not just use a traditional radio? The answer is that these phones are not meant to replace your traditional walkie-talkies, but to serve as a backup solution that ensures you’re never completely out of contact.

The biggest advantage of Push-to-Talk over Cellular isn’t whether it works in places with absolutely no signal, but rather its communication range and management capabilities. With 4G or 5G network coverage, the walkie-talkie range of the Fire 7 series is essentially equal to the coverage of the cellular network itself. You can be on one side of a city and talk in real time with teammates dozens of kilometers away—or even in a different city altogether—something traditional walkie-talkies simply can’t achieve.

The Fire 7 Ultra is clearly the more professional tool when it comes to walkie-talkie performance. The included walkie-talkie headset connects via the contact pins on the side of the phone. Even in extreme environments such as heavy wind, engine noise, or fire scenes, it can still ensure clear and intelligible communication.

Battery Life

For rugged phones, battery life is always a key topic. In this regard, the Fire 7 Pro and Fire 7 Ultra continue DOOGEE’s long-standing “stack-the-specs” approach. Both phones are equipped with massive 13,000mAh batteries, enough to support multiple days of intensive outdoor use. If left on standby, they can last up to a month.

Both devices support 33W wired charging and 5W reverse charging. There is one area that could be improved: since the battery capacity is already larger than my power bank, it would be great if the reverse charging power were higher. That way, I could genuinely stop carrying an extra power bank to charge my other devices.

Other Features

In terms of core hardware, neither the Fire 7 Pro nor the Fire 7 Ultra aims for flagship-level performance. Instead, they opt for the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 platform, which prioritizes stability and power efficiency. This chipset is more than capable of handling navigation, PoC communication, multitasking, and everyday apps, while also helping to control heat and battery consumption.

Both phones feature a 6.6-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate.

When it comes to cameras, both rely on a 64MP main sensor. The Fire 7 Pro stands out by adding a 20MP night vision camera, which is especially useful for camping or nighttime environments.

The Fire 7 Ultra, by comparison, focuses more on basic documentation and work-related evidence capture. Overall, this setup may not be flashy, but it’s stable, durable, and well aligned with the Fire series’ positioning as a tool-oriented phone.

Conclusion

The Fire 7 Pro and Fire 7 Ultra are not phones that try to please everyone. Their target users are clearly defined, and their roles are well differentiated. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a camping fan, or someone into hiking or light exploration, and you want a phone that can handle lighting, night photography, and quick team communication, the Fire 7 Pro offers a very appealing combination of features.

If you’re part of an off-road vehicle team, forestry patrol, or firefighting-related profession, and what you need is reliable walkie-talkie performance, clear command transmission, and dependable battery life, then the Fire 7 Ultra is clearly the tool designed for you. They may not be “value-for-money phones” in the traditional sense, but they do deliver on the promise of “All Tools, One Phone” in a very thorough way.

The post DOOGEE Fire 7 Pro & Ultra Review: “All Tools, One Phone” appeared first on Gizmochina.

Introduction

Seeking a premium alternative to the AirPods Pro outside the Apple ecosystem? For Android users demanding excellence in build quality, acoustic performance, controls, design, and feature set, the answer has arrived. HUAWEI continues to close the gap between platforms, and the FreeBuds Pro 5 represents its most compelling statement yet.
After extensive hands-on testing, my assessment is unambiguous: alongside the AirPods Pro, the FreeBuds Pro 5 currently stands as one of the two finest true wireless earbuds available—period.

Design & Comfort

The FreeBuds Pro 5 adheres to the established design language of its predecessors, retaining the familiar oval charging case. Yet HUAWEI has refined numerous details with precision. The front indicator light now sits within an elegant circular ring, while the lid hinge has been seamlessly concealed from view. Particularly noteworthy is the ingenious unification of the speaker grille and charging port into a single structural element—among the most thoughtful industrial design choices I’ve encountered—yielding a notably cleaner silhouette.The matte finish of the charging case delivers a satisfying tactile quality, though users should exercise caution: the smooth surface offers minimal grip and can prove somewhat slippery in hand.

The earbuds themselves have undergone the most noticeable changes. The battery section is made with a combination of glass and metal materials, and the HUAWEI SOUND logo highlights the flagship status of these earbuds. Each FreeBuds Pro 5 earbud weighs only 5.5 grams, which is 0.3 grams lighter than the previous generation, and the overall size has also been reduced by 10%. I once wore them from nine to six during a full workday without taking them off, and I did not experience any discomfort. They truly manage to be both stylish and comfortable.

Inside the box, three sets of silicone ear tips of different sizes are included. If you want to try different types of ear tips, HUAWEI also offers memory foam tips in its store. There is even a dedicated audio setting specifically designed for these tips.

Controls & Features

The FreeBuds Pro 5 offers three input methods: swipe gestures, pinch controls, and tap commands. Swiping and pinching will feel immediately familiar to AirPods Pro veterans, while tapping remains the standard across most Android and third-party alternatives. This comprehensive approach ensures that regardless of your established muscle memory, the FreeBuds Pro 5 accommodates your preferences with minimal adaptation required.
The feature set extends beyond basic controls, and it’s clearly designed to compete directly with the AirPods Pro. Call management via head gestures—answering or declining by nodding or shaking—alongside automatic volume adjustment based on ambient noise levels, positions the FreeBuds Pro 5 among the most intelligently adaptive earbuds in its class.

In fact, the dual-device connection capability may render the FreeBuds Pro 5 superior to the AirPods Pro for multi-device workflows. For users operating across ecosystems—such as those with a Windows workstation alongside mobile devices—seamless switching between sources proves remarkably efficient.
Spatial audio with head tracking extends to virtually any paired device, including Windows PCs, Android handsets, and even iOS hardware. This degree of platform-agnostic feature parity is genuinely impressive, and notably rare in the current market.

The sole functional advantage held by the AirPods Pro is direct camera control from the earbuds—a minor concession in the broader feature landscape. Beyond this single exception, the AirPods Pro offer no meaningful functional superiority.

Sound Quality

Unlike Apple, HUAWEI’s pursuit of sound quality seems to have no limits. HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 5 uses advanced digital cross-over technology based on its third-generation audio chip with dual DSPs. This chip includes two professional audio DACs. The audio source is split by the DSPs, and each DAC independently drives the low-frequency and high-frequency drivers. This results in a 200% improvement in digital cross-over precision and a 50% reduction in DAC noise.

The FreeBuds Pro 5 sounds fuller and more engaging than most rivals. The dual-driver setup—with separate processing for bass and treble—delivers punchier lows and clearer mids, so vocals stand out with real presence. Where the AirPods Pro 3 can sound a bit muffled, Huawei’s tuning feels more open and immediate. The soundstage is wide, with background details crisp rather than buried. It’s a musical, immersive presentation rather than a digital-simulated one—and for most listeners, that’s a definite strength.

Of course, in order to satisfy different listening preferences, FreeBuds Pro 5 also provides a variety of EQ presets as well as customizable EQ options. The absence of these features is one of the reasons why some music enthusiasts are not particularly fond of AirPods Pro.

Noise Cancellation & Transparency

HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 5 is the first-ever dual-driver ANC earbud that uses both an ultra-linear dual-magnet driver and an ultra-thin micro planar diaphragm driver to emit inverted-phase sound waves that counteract external environmental noise. Both acoustic units work together to generate counter-noise, while a new MIMO AI sensing model actively detects the surrounding environment and adjusts parameters in real time—improving overall noise reduction performance to 220% compared with Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4.

As shown in the chart, the maximum noise reduction depth can reach up to 47 dB. Wind noise suppression is also very impressive. When encountering strong wind, the earbuds will moderately reduce the noise cancellation intensity to prevent wind noise from becoming too noticeable.

Advantages for HUAWEI Phone Users

The features mentioned above are available to both Android phones and iPhones. However, since these are HUAWEI earbuds, connecting them to HUAWEI phones naturally unlocks some exclusive advantages.

The most notable one is 2.3 Mbps lossless audio. When paired with certain HUAWEI phones and using HUAWEI’s self-developed L2HC 4.0 codec technology, the transmission speed can reach up to 2.3 Mbps, delivering 48 kHz / 24-bit lossless audio quality. Even if you are using an older HUAWEI device, such as the Pura 70 Pro, the transmission speed can still reach 1.5 Mbps.

Some additional features, such as voice message announcements and certain health-related options, are also exclusive to HUAWEI phone users.

Battery Life

Officially, HUAWEI claims that FreeBuds Pro 5 can last up to 9 hours with ANC turned off, and around 6 hours with ANC turned on. In practical terms, that means charging the earbuds once during lunch is enough to keep them running throughout the rest of your workday.

During my usage, I never actually managed to drain the battery completely. In-ear earbuds usually need to be taken off occasionally to let your ears rest anyway. In short, battery life is definitely not a weak point of the FreeBuds Pro 5.

Conclusion

The HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 5 delivers exceptional performance across nearly every metric. Frankly, with the series now in its fifth generation, it’s genuinely difficult to identify any glaring weaknesses. If the price gives you pause, consider this: the AirPods Pro, which falls a bit short on sound quality, commands an even higher premium. From that vantage point, HUAWEI’s pricing feels entirely justified.
In my assessment, the FreeBuds Pro 5 establishes a new benchmark for ANC earbuds. If your budget sits above $200, this pair deserves a spot on your shortlist.

The post HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 5 Review: The New Benchmark for ANC Earbuds appeared first on Gizmochina.

Every once in a while, a product comes along that feels like it was made specifically for your needs. For me, the Baseus Nomos 245W 6-in-1 Charging Station is one of those products. Designed for the modern professional juggling multiple devices, this charging station ticks (almost) all the right boxes.

After a month of using it as part of my daily desk setup, I can confidently say it’s not just a charger, it’s a productivity tool that simplifies your workspace while keeping your devices powered up.

Here’s my full breakdown of the Baseus Nomos 245W, from design to performance, and ultimately, why it has earned a permanent spot on my desk.

Design, Build Quality and Desk Experience

Let’s start with the design. The Baseus Nomos 245W is unmistakably a desktop-first device. Forget the bulky look of traditional charging hubs, this station is sleek, compact, and clearly designed to complement a modern workspace. Measuring roughly 4.7 x 3.6 x 1.4 inches, the main unit has a low-profile rectangular form factor with rounded edges. This makes it feel more like a premium desk accessory than a utilitarian gadget.

The graphite-colored matte finish with subtle metallic accents gives it a minimalist, professional aesthetic that blends seamlessly into my desk setup. It also features an anti-slip silicone base that ensures it stays put even when I’m pulling out one of the retractable cables.

Speaking of cables, the built-in dual retractable USB-C cables are an absolute game-changer. They eliminate the need for extra cords cluttering up my space, and their braided design feels durable and premium. They extend to about 31.5 inches and retract smoothly with a satisfying snap. The mechanism has eight locking positions, so you can adjust the length to suit your needs. It’s perfect for tidying up the workspace when you’re done charging.

Then there’s the tiltable Qi2 wireless charging pad on top. It’s designed for MagSafe-compatible devices, and I love how it doubles as a stand for my iPhone. Whether I’m working on my laptop or just glancing at notifications, the adjustable angle (from flat to about 130°) makes it easy to keep my phone visible while it charges.

One minor drawback here is the external power brick. While the split-design keeps the desktop unit slim and cool, the brick is fairly large, almost the same size as the charging station itself. This makes it less travel-friendly, but since it’s primarily designed as a stationary desktop charger, I don’t mind too much.

Charging Performance and Power Management

Here’s where the Baseus Nomos 245W really shines. With a total power output of 245W, this thing is a beast. It’s capable of charging up to six devices simultaneously without breaking a sweat. The port configuration includes:

• 2 retractable USB-C cables (100W each)
• 2 USB-C ports (140W max per port)
• 1 USB-A port (22.5W for legacy devices)
• Qi2 magnetic wireless charging pad (15W)

The charger comes with BPS 3.0 intelligent power distribution, and it dynamically allocates power between devices. For example, I regularly charge my Asus Vivobook S14 (65W) alongside my Apple iPad 11th Gen (45W) and iPhone 13 (15W wireless), Cuktech 15 Ultra Power Bank (165W), and the station handles it effortlessly.

Even when pushing close to the 245W limit, there’s no noticeable drop in performance; it intelligently throttles power without disconnecting devices or resetting the charge.

The retractable cables are ideal for quick plug-and-go charging, especially for devices like power banks, laptops, or tablets. The USB-A port is less exciting, maxing out at 22.5W, but it’s useful for older devices like a smartwatch or Bluetooth speaker.

Thermal Performance

Heat management is often an issue with high-wattage chargers, but Baseus seems to have nailed this with their GaN technology and split-design. By moving the AC conversion components to the external power brick, the desktop unit stays surprisingly cool even when running at full capacity.

After running multiple devices at over 200W for an hour, I could feel only minimal warmth on the station itself. The Smart Cooling Mode kicks in automatically when the temperature rises, and I appreciate that the device prioritizes stability over raw performance in these situations.

Smart Features and Daily Usability

The 3-inch digital display on the front panel is one of my favorite features. It provides real-time data on total wattage, individual port output, and charging modes. For a tech enthusiast like me, it’s fascinating to watch the power distribution in action.

For example, I can see exactly how much power my Vivobook is pulling while still keeping an eye on the wireless pad and USB-A port.

There are three performance modes:

• High Performance Mode: For heavy-duty charging (100-245W).
• Balanced Mode: For lower power needs (<100W).
• Smart Cooling Mode: Automatically reduces power output at high temperatures to prevent overheating.

This level of control is rare in charging stations and adds to the overall premium feel of the product.

One small quirk: the display is a bit dim, which might be an issue for brighter setups.

Verdict

The Baseus Nomos 245W 6-in-1 Charging Station is a near-perfect solution for anyone looking to streamline their desk setup. It combines powerful performance, thoughtful design, and smart features in a compact, aesthetically pleasing package. The retractable cables and Qi2 wireless charging pad are standout features, making it ideal for professionals who value both functionality and workspace aesthetics.

That said, it’s not without its drawbacks. The external power brick is bulky, and the proprietary connector means you’ll need to be careful not to lose or damage the cable. At $199.99, it’s also a premium investment, but one that feels justified given the performance and build quality.

Who is it for?

If you’re someone like me, constantly charging multiple devices and tired of messy cables, this is a must-have. It’s perfect for home offices, professional workstations, or anyone who wants a cleaner, more efficient desktop setup.

Who should skip it?

If you’re looking for a portable charger or don’t need the high wattage, the bulky power brick and premium price tag might be overkill.

You can purchase it from Amazon.

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If you’ve ever wanted a no-nonsense Windows laptop that feels as sleek and sharp as a MacBook Air but with a dash of futureproof AI acceleration, the Asus Vivobook S14 (M3407KA) might be exactly what you’re looking for.

I’ve been using this machine, powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, for everything from work to light gaming, and I can say with confidence: this is a seriously competent ultraportable that doesn’t just chase trends. It builds a practical, intelligent foundation for the next generation of computing.

Design and Build Quality

The Vivobook S14 might not be the flashiest device in the room, but it blends in well. The Matte Gray finish on my unit looks subdued and classy, with a CNC-engraved chrome Asus Vivobook logo that adds a bit of character without drawing too much attention. The overall design feels clean and minimal, and it does not attract fingerprints the way some glossier ZenBooks tend to.

It weighs just 1.4 kg and measures about 15.9 mm in thickness, which makes it easy to carry around in a backpack. Despite the lightweight design, the build feels solid. There is no flex in the keyboard deck, no noticeable screen wobble, and the hinge supports a full 180-degree lay-flat design. Asus also meets MIL STD 810H military-grade durability standards, which adds confidence when using the laptop in cafes or during travel assignments.

Display

The 14-inch OLED panel with thin bezels on this laptop looks excellent. Asus labels it as a Lumina OLED display, a panel technology used across several of its professional laptops. The 1920×1200 resolution, combined with a 16:10 aspect ratio, works well for productivity. Text appears sharp, colors look vibrant without appearing exaggerated, and black levels are deep, as expected from an OLED panel.

Asus claims support for 1.07 billion colors and full 100% DCI P3 color gamut coverage, making the display suitable for casual creative work such as photo editing and light color grading. Since this model is not aimed at gaming, it features a standard 60Hz refresh rate.

For eye comfort, the display supports low blue light hardware certification and DC Dimming. This avoids PWM flicker at lower brightness levels and helps reduce eye strain during extended work sessions or nighttime use.

Brightness peaks at around 300-400 nits, which is suitable for indoor use and remains usable outdoors as long as direct sunlight is avoided. The display uses a glossy finish, so reflections are visible at times, but Asus includes an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare.

To be honest, the Vivobook S14’s display is class-leading for its segment. Many competitors at similar prices offer only IPS LCDs (often lower resolution or lower color gamut), whereas Asus has made OLED more accessible. The only trade-offs to be aware of are the typical ones with OLED: potential image retention if static content is left for hours. However, Asus mitigates this with pixel shifting and a screensaver timeout.

But this is a minor issue in day-to-day use. Having such a high-quality panel on a laptop geared at students and working professionals means you get an ultra-portable device that’s excellent for watching movies, doing creative hobby work, or simply enjoying a beautiful Windows UI every day. It’s a big selling point for the Vivobook S14.

Ports and Connectivity

Asus equips the Vivobook S14 with a well-balanced selection of ports. It includes two USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 ports that support both charging and DisplayPort output, along with two USB-A ports for older peripherals, a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The laptop omits an SD or microSD card slot, which could disappoint creators and photographers, but overall, it covers the essentials without the need for extra adapters.

Wireless performance is equally solid. With Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, I didn’t face any hiccups during my use, whether it was pairing devices or maintaining a stable connection across tasks.

Keyboard and Trackpad

Typing on this laptop feels comfortable and precise. The keyboard provides 1.7 mm of travel, which is impressive for a thin and light device. Each key offers a quiet yet tactile response, and the deck feels solid enough to support extended writing sessions without flex. I have typed entire articles, including this one, without needing an external keyboard. It also includes a backlight for easier use in dim environments.

The trackpad is spacious, smooth, and highly responsive. Its large surface area takes a little getting used to, and I initially experienced a few accidental palm touches, though it quickly became manageable. Palm rejection could use minor improvement, but it does not interfere with regular use. Clicks feel slightly firm near the edges, while tap-to-click functions accurately. Multi-finger gestures such as three-finger swipes, four-finger taps, and pinch to zoom are well supported and work seamlessly.

Benchmarks

Here’s how the Vivobook S14 (Ryzen AI 7 350, Radeon 860M) performed in my benchmarking suite:

• PCMark 10: 7,490 overall – Fast and fluid in day-to-day use.
• Cinebench R23: 1,957 (single) / 16,233 (multi) – Stellar single-core, strong multi-core.
• Geekbench 6: 2,856 (single) / 11,027 (multi) – Reinforces its everyday snappiness.
• 3DMark Time Spy: 1,961 overall – OK for integrated graphics.
• 3DMark Steel Nomad Light: 1,452 – Shows limitations for modern AAA gaming.
• Geekbench AI (quantized): 7,935 – Impressive for on-device AI tasks.
• CrystalDiskMark: 6,752 MB/s read / 3,683 MB/s write – Fast Gen 4 SSD, no slowdowns.

These numbers put it in solid upper-midrange territory, above budget machines and well into premium thin-and-light territory without costing flagship money.

AI and Performance

This is where the Vivobook starts to separate itself. The Ryzen AI 7 350 features an XDNA NPU capable of 50 TOPS, and that matters, especially as Windows 11 leans into AI integration. Copilot, background blur in video calls, real-time translation, and local AI summarization all run smoother and more efficiently on this chip than on older CPU or GPU-bound systems.

And it is not just theoretical. I used AI-powered features in Office apps, Windows Studio Effects, and several local applications that benefit from NPU offload, and they consistently performed without any issues. The advantage lies in the quiet and efficient operation, as AI tasks happen seamlessly in the background without draining the battery or triggering fan noise.

In terms of raw performance, the laptop never felt limited during everyday workloads. It handled heavy Chrome sessions, 1080p video editing, large WordPress dashboards, and even moderate gaming with ease.

Gaming

No, this isn’t a gaming laptop. But the Radeon 860M GPU with RDNA 3.5 architecture is surprisingly capable for an integrated chip. I tested a few titles:

• Valorant: 170-230 fps (Low settings, 1080p)
• Genshin Impact: 60 fps (Low), 20-25 fps (High)
• PUBG: ~50 fps (Lowest settings)

These aren’t groundbreaking numbers, but for an ultrabook? Very respectable. If you’re into casual gaming, this can hold its own.

Thermal and Fan Performance

Asus has done an excellent job with thermal management on this laptop. Even during benchmarks or light gaming, the fans never became noticeably loud. Most of the time, they stayed silent, especially when running in Standard or Whisper mode. When pushed in Performance mode, fan noise hovered around 38 dB, producing a low whoosh rather than a distracting sound.

Temperatures remained in the 75s °C range under load, with very little heat buildup across the chassis. After a Valorant session, the keyboard area felt only slightly warm, and the palm rest stayed cool. This efficiency comes from the dual fan cooling system that Asus adapted from its higher wattage designs, which provides more cooling headroom than the chip actually requires.

Battery Life, Sound, and Camera

Asus claims up to 23 hours of battery life, and while I did not reach that exact figure, I consistently achieved around 10 to 12 hours in real-world use. For my workflow of writing, browsing, streaming music, and light photo editing, I only needed to charge it every other day. When recharging was necessary, the 65W USB-C fast charging brought the battery back to 50% in under 40 minutes.

Audio performance is solid for a thin and light laptop. The stereo speakers deliver clear sound at high volume levels without noticeable distortion. Bass is limited, as expected, but the output remains crisp enough for calls, videos, and casual music playback. Asus’s Audio Booster tuning adds a bit of warmth and depth. For critical listening, headphones are still preferable, but the built-in speakers perform well for everyday use.

The 1080p webcam also performs well. It supports Windows Hello facial recognition through an IR sensor, enabling quick and reliable logins. Video quality is good enough under good lighting conditions, and the built-in microphone array captures voices clearly for online meetings. It may not rival dedicated webcams in sharpness, but with AI background blur and enhancements, it handles video calls effectively and without any issues.

Storage and Upgradability

The Vivobook S14 delivers impressive storage performance with its PCIe Gen 4 SSD. The review unit I tested featured a 512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 drive, while Asus also offers a 1TB option depending on the configuration. Sequential read speeds exceeded 6,700 MB/s, and write speeds reached around 3,600 MB/s in testing. These results translate into fast app launches, smooth multitasking, and quick file access.

For memory, the laptop comes with 16GB of DDR5 RAM onboard, which is fast and efficient for daily productivity and creative workloads. Unlike many ultrabooks, Asus includes a DDR5 SO-DIMM slot for future upgrades, allowing users to expand memory beyond 16 GB if required.

The storage is also user accessible via a standard M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0×4 slot, making it possible to replace or expand the SSD later. This mix of soldered and upgradable components gives the Vivobook S14 more flexibility than most thin and light laptops in its class.

Verdict

After spending more than two weeks with the Asus Vivobook S14 (M3407), it is clear that this is one of the most balanced ultrabooks in its category. It does not aim to be a creator’s workstation or a gaming powerhouse, but it delivers strongly on the essentials: productivity, portability, battery life, and AI readiness.

The combination of Ryzen AI 7 350 processor and its integrated NPU makes it future-ready for AI-assisted tasks, while the OLED display and comfortable keyboard make daily use enjoyable and efficient.

It starts at Rs. 78,990 for this variant in India, and for students, bloggers, professionals, and anyone who values responsiveness, battery endurance, and a great screen over high-end graphics performance, this laptop is a strong fit.

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The comments on the HONOR Magic8 Pro Air unboxing videos are full of praise for this phone, and I’m not at all surprised. It really is that good. Weighing just 155 g and boasting a 6.3-inch display, it’s even lighter than the so-called ‘Air’ phones on the market. It takes us back to the days when mobile phones were compact and easy to hold. If you’re tired of phones getting bigger and heavier every year, you’ll understand exactly why this device exists.

Design

For how thin and light it is, the Magic8 Pro Air doesn’t skimp on essential features at all. It has an IR blaster, NFC, stereo dual speakers, wireless charging, and even a physical SIM slot. Other than the USB 2.0 port, there’s barely a flaw to find. The triple-camera setup shifts its center of gravity slightly upward, but its ultra-light, compact build means you never feel that top-heavy awkwardness in your hand.

Honestly, I’ve never liked the feel of the iPhone Air. It’s way too thin—holding it feels like holding a piece of corrugated paper. The slightly thicker Magic8 Pro Air, on the other hand, delivers a far better hold. I know that might sound like an excuse, but it’s how I truly feel. And I’m a total fan of small phones—the Magic8 Pro Air is the tiniest among all Air phones. So yeah, HONOR built my dream phone.

Now, everyone has their own preferences. The iPhone Air is still the thinnest Air phone around, and it looks better too. But one thing’s undeniable: the Magic8 Pro Air blows the iPhone Air out of the water in specs. The most obvious win? It’s triple cameras.

Cameras

Of the Magic8 Pro Air’s three cameras, the ultra-wide is the weak link—everything else is flagship-grade.

The 3.2x telephoto lens is perfect for daily use, with a focal length that’s just right, not too long, not too short. Image quality is solid too; it’s barely different from the main cam in most cases. You just need a steady hand, though—any shake and the shot gets blurry fast. Even at 6.4x zoom, it still performs surprisingly well, and I’m really happy with that.

The main camera is flawless, right up there with other flagship phones. Colors are vibrant, and the bokeh effect is stunning. Since the telephoto lacks a macro mode and has a minimum focusing distance of nearly 50cm, the main cam takes on macro shooting duties. The ultra-wide can do macro, too, but neither camera delivers satisfying macro shots.

The ultra-wide is easily one of the phone’s biggest letdowns. It’s better than the 8MP ultra-wides on budget phones—50MP clearly boosts sharpness, and daytime shots look totally fine. But as soon as the light dims, image quality drops off a cliff around the edges. Video on the ultra-wide isn’t the best either; there’s a lot of frame tearing. Switch to the main cam, though, and all those issues disappear.

For a 155g phone, this camera performance is seriously impressive. A great main cam, a solid telephoto, a decent ultra-wide in daylight—it’s easily the best triple-camera Air phone you can get.

The camera’s quick-launch button? It’s not great. Just like the iPhone’s, it’s a struggle to switch to your desired focal length with it. And since it’s a capacitive touch button, not a physical one, the tactile feel is off. As an AI button, though, it’s pretty good. It basically does what Apple Intelligence promised in its launch ads—hold up the phone, and it tells you what you’re looking at. The only downside is the lack of customizability; most of the time, I forget it’s even there.

Performance

The Dimensity 9500 is one of the most powerful mobile chips currently available, so HONOR made the perfect call by putting it in the Magic8 Pro Air. I even think there’s a reason HONOR went with a MediaTek chip—they’ve clearly found a secret optimization formula. Its performance in Honkai: Star Rail is insane, with perfect power efficiency and frame rates that are almost scary good. We checked, no funny business here—its resolution is the same as other phones, over 900P.

We can’t guarantee it won’t throttle when it gets hot in summer, but I can say its gaming experience in winter beats a lot of flagships. No AI frame interpolation or AI super resolution, but this thing is basically a gaming phone in a compact body.

Display & Battery

The display tuning works perfectly with battery life. Daily streaming and scrolling look sharp and natural, and the screen’s power draw is super well-controlled—no excessive battery drain for the sake of better visuals. It strikes the perfect balance between experience and efficiency.

This screen handles gaming and media with ease, and it lays a great foundation for the phone’s battery life. Pair that with a large-capacity battery, and whether you’re a heavy gamer or a light daily user, you get all the battery life you need. A full day of normal use means no need to top up the battery constantly. Our real-world tests back this up: 15 minutes of Honkai: Star Rail uses just 6% battery, 20 minutes of high-load Genshin Impact only 5%. Even heavy gaming doesn’t eat through the battery fast, and light daily use keeps power drain super low.

Verdict

How many of you love the iPhone Air for its lightness and thinness, but hate the compromises—single speaker, no physical SIM, only one camera, and short battery life? Well, HONOR has the solution.

I’ll admit, the Magic8 Pro Air is an incredibly appealing phone. It’s cheaper than the iPhone Air in China, but it’s still a lot more expensive than I thought it would be. If it gets a $100 price drop down the line, this will be the perfect phone in the world—no exceptions.

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